Importance
To provide a normative vessel density (VD) database for the macula through swept‐source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to assess the main determinants of this ...measurement.
Background
In contrast with dye angiography, the recently introduced OCTA technique allows for the non‐invasive measurement of retinal and choroidal VD metrics.
Design
Cross‐sectional study.
Participants
The right eyes of 346 healthy subjects were studied. In 105 subjects both eyes were imaged.
Methods
Foveal and parafoveal macular VD measurements were obtained in the retinal superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and in the choriocapillaris (CC) layer. Also recorded were age, sex, axial length (AL), foveal and choroidal thickness (CT).
Main Outcome Measures
Normative database and determinants of macular VD measured by OCTA.
Results
Mean participant age was 38.3 ± 20.1 years (mean ± SD) (range 5‐83). Foveal VDs in the different plexuses were: SCP 22.1% ± 5.0% (7.3‐35.1), DCP 19.9% ± 6.3% (6.9‐51.2) and CC: 52.8% ± 4.3% (40.2‐62.1). Parafoveal VDs ranged from 45.4% ± 3.7% to 51.8% ± 4.6%. Positive correlation was observed between foveal VD and foveal thickness (R = .327), as well as between parafoveal DCP VD and CT (R = .250;P ≤ .006), while correlation with age was negative in the SCP and CC (R = −.283;P < .001). No associations were detected between macular VD and sex or AL (P ≥ .05).
Conclusion and Relevance
Macular VD showed wide individual variation, was positively correlated with foveal thickness and with CT, negatively correlated with age, and showed no correlation with AL or sex.
Potential regulators of adipogenesis include microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that have been recently shown related to adiposity and differentially expressed in fat depots. However, to date ...no study is available, to our knowledge, regarding miRNAs expression profile during human adipogenesis. Thereby, the aim of this study was to investigate whether miRNA pattern in human fat cells and subcutaneous adipose tissue is associated to obesity and co-morbidities and whether miRNA expression profile in adipocytes is linked to adipogenesis.
We performed a global miRNA expression microarray of 723 human and 76 viral mature miRNAs in human adipocytes during differentiation and in subcutaneous fat samples from non-obese (n = 6) and obese with (n = 9) and without (n = 13) Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM-2) women. Changes in adipogenesis-related miRNAs were then validated by RT-PCR. Fifty of 799 miRNAs (6.2%) significantly differed between fat cells from lean and obese subjects. Seventy miRNAs (8.8%) were highly and significantly up or down-regulated in mature adipocytes as compared to pre-adipocytes. Otherwise, 17 of these 799 miRNAs (2.1%) were correlated with anthropometrical (BMI) and/or metabolic (fasting glucose and/or triglycerides) parameters. We identified 11 miRNAs (1.4%) significantly deregulated in subcutaneous fat from obese subjects with and without DM-2. Interestingly, most of these changes were associated with miRNAs also significantly deregulated during adipocyte differentiation.
The remarkable inverse miRNA profile revealed for human pre-adipocytes and mature adipocytes hints at a closely crosstalk between miRNAs and adipogenesis. Such candidates may represent biomarkers and therapeutic targets for obesity and obesity-related complications.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Scope
Changes in genetic variations affecting the taste receptor, type 2, member 38 (TAS2R38) may identify the interacting mechanism leading to obesity and potential associations with proteins ...partaking in innate immunity, such as surfactant protein D (SPD) and mannan‐binding lectin (MBL).
Methods and results
We evaluated haplotypes of the bitter‐taste receptor TAS2R38 in an identification sample of 210 women in different weight conditions, including anorexia nervosa and obesity. The association with SPD and MBL was tested in an independent sample picturing general population (n = 534). The relationship with obesity was validated in an extended final sample of 1319 participants. In the sample comprised of women in extreme weight conditions, increased obesity was identified in AVI/AVI subjects (OR = 2.5 1.06–6.11, p = 0.035). In the sample picturing general population, increased SPD and MBL concentrations were found in nonsmoking AVI carriers. In this cohort, smoking and obesity blunted associations between TAS2R38 haplotypes and SPD and MBL. In the extended sample, the association of AVI/AVI haplotypes with increased obesity was also identified (OR = 1.4 0.99/1.85, p = 0.049), being more robust in subjects aged <40 years (OR = 1.9 1.06/3.42, p = 0.031).
Conclusion
Current data reinforce the impact of TAS2R38 gene on phenotypic and clinical outputs affecting obesity, showing significant associations with extreme weight conditions (i.e., obesity and anorexia nervosa), and changes in both olfactory capacity and immune traits.
Here, we demonstrate that genetic variations that underlie functionality of the TAS2R38, a receptor that regulates the ability to identify bitter‐tasting compounds, may impact on phenotypic and clinical outputs affecting extreme weight conditions (i.e., obesity and anorexia nervosa), being also associated with proteins partaking in innate immunity (i.e., surfactant protein D (SPD) and mannanbinding lectin (MBL)).
The vision of multivalency as a strategy limited to achieve affinity enhancements between a protein receptor and its putative sugar ligand (glycotope) has proven too simplistic. On the one hand, ...binding of a glycotope in a dense glycocalix‐like construct to a lectin partner has been shown to be sensitive to the presence of a third sugar entity (heterocluster effect). On the other hand, several carbohydrate processing enzymes (glycosidases and glycosyltransferases) have been found to be also responsive to multivalent presentations of binding partners (multivalent enzyme inhibition), a phenomenon first discovered for iminosugar‐type inhibitory species (inhitopes) and recently demonstrated for multivalent carbohydrate constructs. By assessing a series of homo‐ and heteroclusters combining α‐d‐glucopyranosyl‐related glycotopes and inhitopes, it was shown that multivalency and heteromultivalency govern both kinds of events, allowing for activation, deactivation or enhancement of specific recognition phenomena towards a spectrum of lectin and glycosidase partners in a multimodal manner. This unified scenario originates from the ability of (hetero)multivalent architectures to trigger glycosidase binding modes that are reminiscent of those harnessed by lectins, which should be considered when profiling the biological activity of multivalent architectures.
Different selectivity patterns towards enzymes and lectins can be elicited by (hetero)multivalent displays of sugar and glycomimetic motifs. The binding modes at play reveal analogies between the (hetero)cluster effect and (hetero)multivalent enzyme inhibition that underline the need of a reformulation of the multivalent effect.
In recent years, it has been demonstrated that the application of elicitors such as methyl-jasmonate (MeJ) and benzothiadiazole (BTH) to wine grapes can increase their phenolic and aromatic compounds ...if they are treated at the beginning of ripening (veraison). However, the veraison period is short, and it is not always possible to apply the treatments in a few days. Therefore, it would be of great interest to optimize the moment of elicitor application or extend the treatment period. The aim of this paper was to analyze during two consecutive years (2016-2017) the foliar application of MeJ, BTH, and a combination of both, during two different ripening periods of Monastrell grapes (veraison and mid-ripening), and determine the more appropriate moment to increase the concentration of anthocyanins. To carry out this aim, analysis of anthocyanins by HPLC in grapes and wines was mainly performed. The most suitable period for the application of MeJ, BTH, and MeJ + BTH was at mid-ripening, since the grapes showed a greater accumulation of anthocyanins at harvest. However, the MeJ + BTH treatment applied during veraison also obtained similar results, which would allow extending the application period if necessary. However, the increase in the anthocyanin content of grapes was not reflected in all the wines, which may have been due to reinforcement of the skin cell wall as a result of the application of elicitors. Further analysis is needed to improve the maceration process of the Monastrell grapes and the extraction of the anthocyanins that were increased by the treatments applied in the vineyard.
Zonulin is the only physiological mediator known to regulate intestinal permeability reversibly by modulating intercellular tight junctions. To investigate the relationship between intestinal ...permeability and obesity-associated metabolic disturbances in humans, we aimed to study circulating zonulin according to obesity and insulin resistance. Circulating zonulin (ELISA) was measured in 123 caucasian men in association with inflammatory and metabolic parameters (including minimal model-measured insulin sensitivity). Circulating zonulin increased with body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting insulin, fasting triglycerides, uric acid and IL-6, and negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol and insulin sensitivity. In multiple regression analysis, insulin sensitivity (p = 0.002) contributed independently to circulating zonulin variance, after controlling for the effects of BMI, fasting triglycerides and age. When circulating IL-6 was added to this model, only BMI (p = 0.01) contributed independently to circulating zonulin variance. In conclusion, the relationship between insulin sensitivity and circulating zonulin might be mediated through the obesity-related circulating IL-6 increase.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This book develops the challenges that history teaching must face as a curricular subject at the beginning of the 21st century. These challenges are related, both to new epistemological approaches in ...history education, and also to the development of new activities, active-learning methodologies, and historical thinking competencies. In terms of new approaches, this book suggests activities regarding invisible topics such as social and economic impacts in history, inequalities, church and science, gender equality, power and violence, prosecuted by justice, peasantry and the urban world, family and daily life, terror or travelers and their cross-currents. Regarding the activities, the incidence of new technologies in social relations and the effects of globalization is very remarkable for our students. The authors highlight the need for changes in teaching and learning history.
This study evaluates the comprehensive valorization of the byproducts derived from the two-phase olive oil elaboration process i.e., olive washing water (OWW), olive oil washing water (OOWW), and ...olive mill solid waste (OMSW) in a closed-loop process. Initially, the microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata was grown using a mixture of OWW and OOWW as the culture medium, allowing phosphate, nitrate, sugars, and soluble chemical oxygen demand removal. In a second step, the microalgal biomass grown in the mixture of washing waters was used as a co-substrate together with OMSW for an anaerobic co-digestion process. The anaerobic co-digestion of the combination of 75% OMSW–25% R. subcapitata enhanced the methane yield by 7.0 and 64.5% compared to the anaerobic digestion of the OMSW and R. subcapitata individually. This schedule of operation allowed for integration of all of the byproducts generated from the two-phase olive oil elaboration process in a full valorization system and the establishment of a circular economy concept for the olive oil industry.
Thyroid hormones induce browning of white fat Martínez-Sánchez, Noelia; Moreno-Navarrete, José M; Contreras, Cristina ...
Journal of endocrinology,
02/2017, Letnik:
232, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The canonical view about the effect of thyroid hormones (THs) on thermogenesis assumes that the hypothalamus acts merely as a modulator of the sympathetic outflow on brown adipose tissue (BAT). ...Recent data have challenged that vision by demonstrating that THs act on the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) to inhibit AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates the thermogenic program in BAT, leading to increased thermogenesis and weight loss. Current data have shown that in addition to activation of brown fat, the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) might also be an important thermogenic mechanism. However, the possible central effects of THs on the browning of white fat remain unclear. Here, we show that 3,3′,5,5′ tetraiodothyroxyne (T4)-induced hyperthyroidism promotes a marked browning of WAT. Of note, central or VMH-specific administration of 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine (T3) recapitulates that effect. The specific genetic activation of hypothalamic AMPK in the VMH reversed the central effect of T3 on browning. Finally, we also showed that the expression of browning genes in human WAT correlates with serum T4. Overall, these data indicate that THs induce browning of WAT and that this mechanism is mediated via the central effects of THs on energy balance.
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