Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Patients with allergic asthma, the most prevalent asthma endotype, are widely considered to possess a ...defective immune response against some respiratory infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria and fungi. Furthermore, respiratory pathogens are associated with asthma development and exacerbations. However, growing data suggest that the immune milieu in allergic asthma may be beneficial during certain respiratory infections. Immunomodulatory asthma treatments, although beneficial, should then be carefully prescribed to avoid misuse and overuse as they can also alter the host microbiome. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent evidence of the correlations between allergic asthma and the most significant respiratory infectious agents that have a role in asthma pathogenesis. We also discuss the implications of current asthma therapeutics beyond symptom prevention.
Microbial communities form an important symbiotic ecosystem within humans and have direct effects on health and well-being. Numerous exogenous factors including airborne triggers, diet, and drugs ...impact these established, but fragile communities across the human lifespan. Crosstalk between the mucosal microbiota and the immune system as well as the gut-lung axis have direct correlations to immune bias that may promote chronic diseases like asthma. Asthma initiation and pathogenesis are multifaceted and complex with input from genetic, epigenetic, and environmental components. In this review, we summarize and discuss the role of the airway microbiome in asthma, and how the environment, diet and therapeutics impact this low biomass community of microorganisms. We also focus this review on the pediatric and Black populations as high-risk groups requiring special attention, emphasizing that the whole patient must be considered during treatment. Although new culture-independent techniques have been developed and are more accessible to researchers, the exact contribution the airway microbiome makes in asthma pathogenesis is not well understood. Understanding how the airway microbiome, as a living entity in the respiratory tract, participates in lung immunity during the development and progression of asthma may lead to critical new treatments for asthma, including population-targeted interventions, or even more effective administration of currently available therapeutics.
Eosinophils participate in the immune response against many pathogens, including viruses. Since mouse eosinophils are susceptible to influenza A virus infection and possess antiviral activity, we ...evaluated the expression of sialic acid residues in human eosinophils and their response against influenza virus
. We demonstrated that human eosinophils express α2,6- and α2,3-linked sialic acid, and drastically reduced influenza virus titer. After influenza virus exposure, eosinophils upregulated retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) mRNA expression, but no other pattern recognition receptors. Finally, high concentrations of interleukin-8 (IL-8) were found in influenza virus-exposed eosinophil cultures. These data suggest that human eosinophils possess antiviral activity and may play a role in the innate immune response to influenza virus.
Breast cancer is the leading malignancy in women worldwide, both in terms of incidence and mortality. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the type with the worst clinical outcomes and with fewer ...therapeutic options than other types of breast cancer. GK-1 is a peptide that in the experimental model of the metastatic 4T1 breast cancer has demonstrated anti-tumor and anti-metastatic properties. Herein, GK-1 (5 mg/kg, i.v.) weekly administrated not only decreases tumor growth and the number of lung macro-metastases but also lung and lymph nodes micro-metastases. Histological analysis reveals that GK-1 reduced 57% of the intra-tumor vascular areas, diminished the leukemoid reaction's progression, and the spleens' weight and length. A significant reduction in VEGF-C, SDF-1, angiopoietin-2, and endothelin-1 angiogenic factors was induced. Moreover, GK-1 prevents T cell exhaustion in the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) decreasing PD-1 expression. It also increased IFN-γ and granzyme-B expression and the cytotoxic activity of CD8
+
TILs cells against tumor cells. All these features were found to be associated with a better antitumor response and prognosis. Altogether, these results reinforce the potential of GK-1 to improve the clinical outcome of triple-negative breast cancer immunotherapy. Translation research is ongoing towards its evaluation in humans.
Bis(benzimidazole)amine‐based copper complexes, with structural similarities to the active sites of Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase enzymes (LPMOs), were tested for the oxidative degradation of ...cellulose. Spectroscopic characterization of the complexes, as well as structural authentication of one of them, confirm a tetragonal coordination environment with 3 nitrogen donors, as well as a thioether in axial positions. Aqueous oxidative degradation of cellulose was achieved with the CuII complexes and H2O2 as oxidant through putative cupric‐hydroperoxo intermediates. Conversion of cellulose was achieved in up to 67 % yield of soluble oligosaccharide derivatives at ambient temperature and pressure. The products were analyzed in aqueous solution by HPLC‐MS, confirming oxidative depolymerization of cellulose under ambient conditions, in an analogous fashion to LPMOs.
Biomimetic chemistry: LPMO‐inspired benzimidazole‐based copper complexes oxidatively degrade cellulose to cellobiose, aldonic acid and levoglucosan as soluble products in the presence of hydrogen peroxide/triethylamine as oxidant mixture under mild conditions through initially formed cupric hydroperoxo intermediates.
Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a serious health problem over the world; thus, the aim of the present work was to develop a lifestyle intervention to decrease the dysbiosis of gut microbiota ...and reduce the biochemical abnormalities of MetS. Methods and Results The prevalence of MetS was evaluated in 1065 subjects of Mexico City, Mexico, and the gut microbiota in a subsample. Subjects with MetS were selected for a pragmatic study based on a lifestyle intervention with a low-saturated-fat diet, reduced-energy intake, with functional foods and physical activity, and a second group was selected for a randomized control-placebo study to assess the gut microbiota after the dietary intervention. Prevalence of MetS was 53%, and the higher the body mass index, the higher the gut microbiota dysbiosis. The higher the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance, the lower the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration. The pragmatic study revealed that after 15 days on a low-saturated-fat diet, there was a 24% reduction in serum triglycerides; and after a 75-day lifestyle intervention, MetS was reduced by 44.8%, with a reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, small low-density lipoprotein particles, glucose intolerance, lipopolysaccharide, and branched-chain amino acid. The randomized control-placebo study showed that after the lifestyle intervention, there was a decrease in the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota associated with a reduction in the Prevotella/ Bacteroides ratio and an increase in the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Conclusions A lifestyle intervention significantly decreased MetS components, small low-density lipoprotein particle concentration, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and metabolic endotoxemia, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03611140.
In humans, the pituitary gland is covered by a fibrous capsule and is considered a continuation of the meningeal sheath. However, in rodents some studies concluded that only the pars tuberalis (PT) ...and pars nervosa (PN) are enwrapped by the pia mater, while others showed that the whole gland is covered by this sheath. At PT the median eminence subarachnoid drains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to its cisternal system representing a pathway to the hypothalamus. In the present study we examined the rat pituitary capsule to elucidate its configuration, its physical interaction with the pituitary border and its relationship with the CSF. Furthermore, we also revisited the histology of the pituitary cleft and looked whether CSF drained in it. To answer such questions, we used scanning and transmission electron microscopy, intracerebroventricular infusion of Evan´s blue, fluorescent beads, and sodium fluorescein. The latter was measured in the pars distalis (PD) and various intracranial tissues. We found a pituitary capsule resembling leptomeninges, thick at the dorsal side of the pars intermedia (PI) and PD, thicker at the level of PI in contiguity with the PN and thinner at the rostro-ventral side as a thin membrane of fibroblast-like cells embedded in a fibrous layer. The capsule has abundant capillaries on all sides. Our results showed that the CSFs bathe between the capsule and the surface of the whole gland, and ciliate cells are present in the pituitary border. Our data suggest that the pituitary gland intercommunicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the CSF.
Lignin in storage and renewable energy applications: A review Espinoza-Acosta, José Luis; Torres-Chávez, Patricia I.; Olmedo-Martínez, Jorge L. ...
Journal of energy chemistry,
September 2018, 2018-09-00, Letnik:
27, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Lignin is a cheap, abundant and non-toxic group of complex phenolic polymers obtained in large amounts from the papermaking and cellulosic biofuel industries. Although the application of lignin has ...been explored in these and several more industries, there are limited applications of lignin in the energy industry. However, numerous research revealed a great interest in the exploration of this renewable biopolymer in storage energy devices. Some of these applications include the use of lignin as an expander for lead–acid batteries, electrodes for primary and rechargeable batteries, electrodes for electronic double layer capacitors and electrochemical pseudocapacitors, and to feed different types of fuel cells. The use of lignin in energy storage devices improves not only the performance of these devices but also decreases the price and toxicity, contributing to obtaining greener energy devices. Based on the above, this review provides an overview of the main research work related to the use of lignin as a renewable component, suitable to replace some synthetic and toxic compounds used in the fabrication of energy storage devices with particular emphasis on batteries, advanced supercapacitors, and solar and fuel cells.
Lignin is a multipurpose aromatic polymer with high potential to be used as a renewable precursor for carbon materials, feed for fuel cells and enhance the electrochemical and conductive properties of conductive polymers utilized in many energy storage devices. Display omitted
There are individuals who still refuse to wear seat belts, despite its effectiveness in reducing morbidity and mortality in road traffic accidents. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk ...factors according to the use of seat belts among public transport drivers in Tacna, Peru.
This analytical transversal study was carried out among public transport drivers (buses and taxis) in a Peruvian city. Questionnaires were used to evaluate the general and occupational characteristics and the use of seat belts (observed). Descriptive statistics and risk factors were obtained, these latter through generalized linear models.
Of the 460 drivers, 77% used their seat belts, with a difference in use depending on the type of public transport (p<0.001). In the multivariate model, the risk of not using the belt was associated with the following: older age (p<0.001), having complete studies (p<0.001), a higher level/category of driving license (3 categories had p<0.001), having a higher number of previous road traffic accidents (p = 0.011), and received medical attention in that accident (p<0.001), those who reported using a cell phone while driving (p = 0.005), if the co-driver's belt had 3 anchorage points (p<0.001), and working for > 5 hours that day (p = 0.002). However, male drivers and those who had their belt with 3 anchorage points had greater use (both p<0.001).
One in five drivers did not use a seat belt, and important characteristics of those who did not comply with this traffic law were evaluated to generate control and intervention measures.
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