Therapeutic applicability of cannabidiol and other phytocannabinoids in epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease and in comorbidity with psychiatric disorders

Studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of cannabidiol (CBD) and other Cannabis sativa L. derivatives on diseases of the central nervous system caused by their direct or indirect interaction with endocannabinoid system-related receptors and other molecular targets, such as the 5-HT1A receptor, which is a potential pharmacological target of CBD. Interestingly, CBD binding with the 5-HT1A receptor may be suitable for the treatment of epilepsies, parkinsonian syndromes and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in which the 5-HT1A serotonergic receptor plays a key role. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of cannabinoid effects on neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's diseases, and discuss their possible mechanism of action, highlighting interactions with molecular targets and the potential neuroprotective effects of phytocannabinoids. CBD has been shown to have significant therapeutic effects on epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, while nabiximols contribute to a reduction in spasticity and are a frequent option for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Although there are multiple theories on the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids for neurological disorders, substantially greater progress in the search for strong scientific evidence of their pharmacological effectiveness is needed.

FTY720 increases paclitaxel efficacy in cisplatin-resistant oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma has high recurrence and cisplatin resistance. As cancer stem cells, autophagy, and sphingolipids have been appointed as associated with chemotherapy resistance, we tested combined treatments targeting autophagy and/or sphingolipid metabolism with paclitaxel using cisplatin-resistant oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

METHODS

Cisplatin-resistant oral squamous cell carcinoma cells were maintained under exposition to FTY720 and chloroquine combined with paclitaxel and submitted to viability, clonogenicity, and spheres formation assays. The xenograft tumor model using cisplatin-resistant CAL27 cells was adopted to examine the drug combinations' potential antitumoral efficacy. Using an animal model, sphingolipids profiles from plasma and tissue samples were obtained by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to identify potential lipids associated with drug response.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Our results showed higher autophagic flux in cisplatin-resistant Ooral squamous cell carcinoma (CAL27 and SCC9) cells than in parental cells. The combinations of an autophagy inhibitor (chloroquine) or an autophagy inducer/sphingosine kinase 1 antagonist (FTY720) with paclitaxel (PTX) had a synergistic antitumor effect. Treated CisR cells lost clonogenicity and tumor sphere abilities and reduced proteins associated with proliferation, survival, and cancer stem cells. FTY720 plus PTX had higher antitumor efficacy than PTX against CAL27 CisR xenograft tumor formation. Additionally, increases in glucosylceramide, dehydroglucosylceramide, and sphingomyelin were presented in responsive tumors.

CONCLUSION

FTY720 sensitizes cisplatin-resistant oral squamous cell carcinoma cells for paclitaxel.

Serotonergic Modulation of the Excitation/Inhibition Balance in the Visual Cortex

Serotonergic neurons constitute one of the main systems of neuromodulators, whose diffuse projections regulate the functions of the cerebral cortex. Serotonin (5-HT) is known to play a crucial role in the differential modulation of cortical activity related to behavioral contexts. Some features of the 5-HT signaling organization suggest its possible participation as a modulator of activity-dependent synaptic changes during the critical period of the primary visual cortex (V1). Cells of the serotonergic system are among the first neurons to differentiate and operate. During postnatal development, ramifications from raphe nuclei become massively distributed in the visual cortical area, remarkably increasing the availability of 5-HT for the regulation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity. A substantial amount of evidence has demonstrated that synaptic plasticity at pyramidal neurons of the superficial layers of V1 critically depends on a fine regulation of the balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I). 5-HT could therefore play an important role in controlling this balance, providing the appropriate excitability conditions that favor synaptic modifications. In order to explore this possibility, the present work used in vitro intracellular electrophysiological recording techniques to study the effects of 5-HT on the E/I balance of V1 layer 2/3 neurons, during the critical period. Serotonergic action on the E/I balance has been analyzed on spontaneous activity, evoked synaptic responses, and long-term depression (LTD). Our results pointed out that the predominant action of 5-HT implies a reduction in the E/I balance. 5-HT promoted LTD at excitatory synapses while blocking it at inhibitory synaptic sites, thus shifting the Hebbian alterations of synaptic strength towards lower levels of E/I balance.

Bacteriocin and Antioxidant Production, a Beneficial Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Fermented Vegetables of Northwest Bulgaria

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ST01BG, ST07BG, ST10BG, and ST15BG; Latilactobacillus curvatus ST02BG; Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ST04BG; Pediococcus pentosaceus ST05BG; Leuconostoc mesenteroides ST06BG; and Enterococcus faecium ST11BG were isolated from home-made fermented vegetables from Northwest Bulgaria and identified by biochemical, physiological, and biomolecular analyses, including partial 16S rRNA sequencing. The strains were designated as bacteriocin producers and the expressed antimicrobials partially characterized with a focus on their proteinaceous nature, stability to different pH and temperatures. The bacteriocins were effective in inhibiting different strains of Listeria spp., Enterococcus spp. (including vancomycin resistant enterococci) and Staphylococcus spp. These strains can be considered safe, based on the evaluation of hemolytic activity, production of biogenic amines, mucin degradation, antibiotic susceptibility/resistance, and gelatinase enzyme production. Moreover, the strains can be considered potentially beneficial based on their stability and survival under simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions (stomach and duodenum), the production of diacetyl, and specific levels of hydrophobicity. Special attention was given to antioxidant properties (DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, Fe+2 ion chelating activity, and anti-lipid peroxidation) of the strains. Antioxidant properties were found to be strain specific. The beneficial attributes (antimicrobial and antioxidant) of these cultures to fermented food products may enable the reduction of chemical additives in line with consumers' demand for more natural and chemical-free food commodities.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Combined with a P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO3 Scaffold and Photobiomodulation Therapy Enhance Bone Repair in Rat Calvarial Defects

BACKGROUND

Tissue engineering and cell therapy have been the focus of investigations on how to treat challenging bone defects. This study aimed to produce and characterize a P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO₃ scaffold and evaluate the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) combined with this scaffold and photobiomodulation (PBM) on bone repair.

METHODS AND RESULTS

P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO₃ was synthesized using an electrospinning technique and presented physical and chemical properties suitable for bone tissue engineering. This scaffold was implanted in rat calvarial defects (unilateral, 5 mm in diameter) and, 2 weeks post-implantation, MSCs were locally injected into these defects (n = 12/group). Photobiomodulation was then applied immediately, and again 48 and 96 h post-injection. The μCT and histological analyses showed an increment in bone formation, which exhibited a positive correlation with the treatments combined with the scaffold, with MSCs and PBM inducing more bone repair, followed by the scaffold combined with PBM, the scaffold combined with MSCs, and finally the scaffold alone (ANOVA, p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO₃ scaffold acted synergistically with MSCs and PBM to induce bone repair in rat calvarial defects. These findings emphasize the need to combine a range of techniques to regenerate large bone defects and provide avenues for further investigations on innovative tissue engineering approaches.

Development of Biopredictive Dissolution Method for Extended-Release Desvenlafaxine Tablets

This study aimed to develop a biopredictive dissolution method for desvenlafaxine ER tablets using design of experiments (DoE) and physiologically based biopharmaceutics modeling (PBBM) to address the challenge of developing generic drug products by reducing the risk of product failure in pivotal bioequivalence studies. For this purpose, a PBBM was developed in GastroPlus^® and combined with a Taguchi L9 design, to evaluate the impact of different drug products (Reference, Generic #1 and Generic #2) and dissolution test conditions on desvenlafaxine release. The influence of the superficial area/volume ratio (SA/V) of the tablets was observed, mainly for Generic #1, which presented higher SA/V than the others, and a high amount of drug dissolved under similar test conditions. The dissolution test conditions of 900 mL of 0.9% NaCl and paddle at 50 rpm with sinker showed to be biopredictive, as it was possible to demonstrate virtual bioequivalence for all products, despite their release-pattern differences, including Generic #3 as an external validation. This approach led to a rational development of a biopredictive dissolution method for desvenlafaxine ER tablets, providing knowledge that may help the process of drug product and dissolution method development.

Analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block in dogs undergoing ovariectomy

Background

In medicine, the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been shown as an effective method of analgesia in several surgical procedures. In this context, this prospective, randomized, blinded study aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of TAP block, guided by ultrasound in female dogs submitted to ovariectomy.

Methods

Therefore, 32 animals randomly assigned in two groups (n = 16) were used. Groups consisted of TAP block control (TBC) which received water injection (0.2 ml kg⁻¹ point), and TAP block bupivacaine (TBB) which received bupivacaine (0.2 ml kg⁻¹ point at 0.25%); both groups were submitted to four-point approach. Animals were pre-medicated with acepromazine (0.03 mg kg⁻¹) and meperidine (2 mg kg⁻¹) IM, propofol was used as anesthetic induction (3–5 mg kg⁻¹) IV, and isoflurane was used to maintain. To standardize groups, the animals received a continuous infusion of remifentanil (0.2μg kg⁻¹ min) and rocuronium (0.6 mg kg⁻¹) IV in the intraoperative period. Variables measured were the heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, temperature, peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation, exhaled carbon dioxide concentration, exhaled isoflurane concentration, serum cortisol, analgesia, and sedation. Before the pre-anesthetic medication (Baseline) and 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h after extubation, pain and sedation were assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS), Glasgow composite measure pain scale (GCMPS-SF), and sedation scale. Moreover, serum cortisol was measured at different moments.

Results

The results show that in the intraoperative period, there was no significant difference between groups. After surgery, in TBC, 13 out of 16 animals required analgesic rescue, whereas, in TBB, this occurred only in one animal. Regarding the measurement of serum cortisol, the TBC group showed a significant difference when compared to the baseline time in the traction of the first ovary (p < 0.0001), 2 h (p = 0.0441), and 8 h (p = 0.0384) after extubation. In TBB, cortisol showed a significant increase only in the traction of the first ovary and 2 h after extubation (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The technique using ultrasound-guided TAP block in two points approach by hemiabdomen with 0.2 ml kg⁻¹ bupivacaine 0.25% was effective in providing post-operative analgesia in dogs undergoing ovariectomy.

Information Theory for Biological Sequence Classification: A Novel Feature Extraction Technique Based on Tsallis Entropy

In recent years, there has been an exponential growth in sequencing projects due to accelerated technological advances, leading to a significant increase in the amount of data and resulting in new challenges for biological sequence analysis. Consequently, the use of techniques capable of analyzing large amounts of data has been explored, such as machine learning (ML) algorithms. ML algorithms are being used to analyze and classify biological sequences, despite the intrinsic difficulty in extracting and finding representative biological sequence methods suitable for them. Thereby, extracting numerical features to represent sequences makes it statistically feasible to use universal concepts from Information Theory, such as Tsallis and Shannon entropy. In this study, we propose a novel Tsallis entropy-based feature extractor to provide useful information to classify biological sequences. To assess its relevance, we prepared five case studies: (1) an analysis of the entropic index q; (2) performance testing of the best entropic indices on new datasets; (3) a comparison made with Shannon entropy and (4) generalized entropies; (5) an investigation of the Tsallis entropy in the context of dimensionality reduction. As a result, our proposal proved to be effective, being superior to Shannon entropy and robust in terms of generalization, and also potentially representative for collecting information in fewer dimensions compared with methods such as Singular Value Decomposition and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection.

Bacilloscopy and polymerase chain reaction of slit-skin smears and anti-phenolic glycolipid-I serology for Hansen’s disease diagnosis

The bacilloscopy of the slit-skin smear (SSS) is the exclusive laboratory test associated with dermato-neurological evaluation for Hansen’s disease (HD) diagnosis; however, it is negative in the majority of PB or primary neural forms. Thus, a PCR technique involving different sequences and target genes has been performed with an aim to increase the sensitivity and specificity of M. leprae identification, especially in patients with low bacillary loads. Additionally, serological assays based on antibody response reflect infection levels and indicate that this could be a simpler, less invasive technique for estimating M. leprae exposure. Serological tests and PCR have been shown to be more sensitive and accurate than the SSS. Our study aimed to measure accuracy and performance among the SSS and PCR of dermal scrapings stored on filter paper and APGL-I serology for diagnosis in HD. A cross-sectional study analyzing the medical records (n = 345) of an HD outpatient-dermatology clinic from 2014 to 2021 was conducted. Accuracy performance parameters, correlation, and concordance were used to assess the value among the SSS, PCR, and APGL-I exams in HD. The SSS presented 24.5% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 37.4% accuracy, and the lowest negative predictive value (21.5%). The PCR assay had 41, 100, and 51% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, respectively. PCR and APGL-I serology increased the detection of HD cases by 16 and 20.6%, respectively. PCR was positive in 51.3% of patients when the SSS was negative. The SSS obtained moderate concordance with PCR [k-value: 0.43 (CI: 0.33–0.55)] and APGL-I [k-value: 0.41 (CI: 0.31–0.53)]. A moderate positive correlation was found between the APGL-I index and the bacillary index (r = 0.53; P < 0.0001). Thus, the use of the SSS is a low sensitivity and accuracy method due to its low performance in HD detection. The use of PCR and serological tests allows for a more sensitive and accurate diagnosis of patients.

Case report: An innovative non-invasive technique to manage shell injuries in C. carbonarius

Shell fractures are one of the most traumatic and recurrent injuries observed in chelonians during clinical practice. The most common causes of fractures are falling, being run over by automobiles, being burned, and wild animal bites. Epoxy, acrylic resin, polyester, fiber-grass blanket, and screw fixation are among the current techniques used to treat fractures. Regarding the difficulty of fracture repair in the carapace, this case report aimed to report a procedure that is effective, less time-consuming, accessible, affordable, and safe for shell fractures in C. carbonarius. During the physical examination, the animal showed two fractures, in the dorsal region of the carapace and right lateral side of the bridge, with subcutaneous tissue exposure and loss of a small piece of dorsocranial carapace. To treat these injuries, the animal was submitted to a resin application. The procedure consists of using ethyl-cyanoacrylate associated with sodium bicarbonate, which produces a more resistant resin that is bactericidal, non-toxic, and easy to apply in a low surgery time compared to the common methods used to fix shell fractures. The resin application was successfully done, and the animal was under care for a month after the fracture reduction. It was observed that the treatment was effective, presenting reduction of the fracture. A month after the procedure, the animal showed no intercurrence. Three years after the procedure, the animal still presents part of the material still fixed to the shell, normal growth, without interference in locomotor capacity. This resin proved to be an innovative and promising alternative way to treat fractures, suggesting the development of new non-invasive approaches for several tissues and different animal species.

Surgical contraception of free-ranging female capybaras: Description and comparison of open and minimally invasive techniques

OBJECTIVE

To develop, describe, and evaluate 2 surgical techniques for contraception of free-ranging female capybaras.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective study.

ANIMALS

Cadaveric (n = 3) and free-ranging female capybaras (n = 21).

METHODS

Preliminary studies of surgical anatomy were performed on 3 capybara cadavers. Two different techniques for partial salpingectomy were evaluated in free-ranging female capybaras: bilateral minilaparotomy (LTG; n = 11) or bilateral laparoscopy (LCG; n = 10). Data concerning body weight, tubal ligation time, total surgical time, incision size, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were analyzed, as well as the clinical status and incisional healing 1 week postoperatively.

RESULTS

Body weight (P = .214), ligation time of the left uterine tube (P = .901), and total surgical time (P = .473) were similar between the experimental groups. The ligation time of the right uterine tube was shorter in the LCG group (P = .0463). In the LTG, no differences were observed between the sides regarding the incision size (P = .478). No major intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred in either group. One LCG procedure had to be converted to LTG due to technical issues. All skin incisions healed without complication.

CONCLUSION

Both procedures showed similar and satisfactory outcomes.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The proposed techniques may be a suitable alternative to conventional laparotomy for contraception of female capybaras, especially under field conditions.

Did a 3800-year-old Mw ~9.5 earthquake trigger major social disruption in the Atacama Desert?

Early inhabitants along the hyperarid coastal Atacama Desert in northern Chile developed resilience strategies over 12,000 years, allowing these communities to effectively adapt to this extreme environment, including the impact of giant earthquakes and tsunamis. Here, we provide geoarchaeological evidence revealing a major tsunamigenic earthquake that severely affected prehistoric hunter-gatherer-fisher communities ~3800 years ago, causing an exceptional social disruption reflected in contemporary changes in archaeological sites and triggering resilient strategies along these coasts. Together with tsunami modeling results, we suggest that this event resulted from a ~1000-km-long megathrust rupture along the subduction contact of the Nazca and South American plates, highlighting the possibility of M_w ~9.5 tsunamigenic earthquakes in northern Chile, one of the major seismic gaps of the planet. This emphasizes the necessity to account for long temporal scales to better understand the variability, social effects, and human responses favoring resilience to socionatural disasters.

Endophytic Fungi: Biological Control and Induced Resistance to Phytopathogens and Abiotic Stresses

Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be implemented to mitigate losses and guarantee food production. In addition to traditional management measures, induced resistance and biological control have gained ground in agriculture due to their enormous potential. Endophytic fungi internally colonize plant tissues and have the potential to act as control agents, such as biological agents or elicitors in the process of induced resistance and in attenuating abiotic stresses. In this review, we list the mode of action of this group of microorganisms which can act in controlling plant diseases and describe several examples in which endophytes were able to reduce the damage caused by pathogens and adverse conditions. This is due to their arsenal of molecules generated during the interaction by which they form a kind of biological shield in the plant. Furthermore, considering that endophytic fungi can be an important tool in managing for biotic and abiotic stresses due to the large amount of biologically active substances produced, bioprospecting this class of microorganisms is tending to increase and generate valuable products for agriculture.

Genotype-Phenotype Correlations in Central Precocious Puberty Caused by MKRN3 Mutations

CONTEXT

Loss-of-function mutations of makorin RING finger protein 3 (MKRN3) are the most common monogenic cause of familial central precocious puberty (CPP).

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical and hormonal features of a large cohort of patients with CPP due to MKRN3 mutations and compare the characteristics of different types of genetic defects.

METHODS

Multiethnic cohort of 716 patients with familial or idiopathic CPP screened for MKRN3 mutations using Sanger sequencing. A group of 156 Brazilian girls with idiopathic CPP (ICPP) was used as control group.

RESULTS

Seventy-one patients (45 girls and 26 boys from 36 families) had 18 different loss-of-function MKRN3 mutations. Eight mutations were classified as severe (70% of patients). Among the 71 patients, first pubertal signs occurred at 6.2 ± 1.2 years in girls and 7.1 ± 1.5 years in boys. Girls with MKRN3 mutations had a shorter delay between puberty onset and first evaluation and higher follicle-stimulating hormone levels than ICPP. Patients with severe MKRN3 mutations had a greater bone age advancement than patients with missense mutations (2.3 ± 1.6 vs 1.6 ± 1.4 years, P = .048), and had higher basal luteinizing hormone levels (2.2 ± 1.8 vs 1.1 ± 1.1 UI/L, P = .018) at the time of presentation. Computational protein modeling revealed that 60% of the missense mutations were predicted to cause protein destabilization.

CONCLUSION

Inherited premature activation of the reproductive axis caused by loss-of-function mutations of MKRN3 is clinically indistinct from ICPP. However, the type of genetic defect may affect bone age maturation and gonadotropin levels.

A High-Intensity Exercise Intervention Improves Older Women Lumbar Spine and Distal Tibia Bone Microstructure and Function: A 20-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: The effects of ageing on bone can be mitigated with different types of physical training, such as power training. However, stimuli that combine increasing external and internal loads concomitantly may improve bone quality. The goal of this study was to assess the efficacy of a combined power and plyometric training on lumbar spine and distal tibia microstructure and function. Methods: 38 sedentary elderly women between 60 and 70 years were randomly allocated in experimental (N = 21) and control group (N = 17). The effects of the 20-week protocol on lumbar spine microstructure and tibia microstructure and function were assessed by trabecular bone score (TBS), high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) and microfinite element analysis. Results: when compared to the effects found in the control group, the experimental group showed significant improvements in lumbar spine TBS (Hedges' g = 0.77); and in distal tibia trabecular thickness (g = 0.82) and trabecular bone mineral density (g=0.63). Conclusion: our findings underscore the effectiveness of the proposed intervention, suggesting it as a new strategy to slow down and even reverse the structural and functional losses in the skeletal system due to ageing.

Cardiovascular risk factors with an emphasis on hypertension in the Mura Indians from Amazonia

BACKGROUND

The Brazilian indigenous population is currently undergoing a process of epidemiological transition regarding the occurrence of communicable diseases, malnutrition and non-communicable chronic diseases. Chronic non-infectious diseases are the most common causes of death worldwide, and hypertension is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors. Thus, the main objective of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, with an emphasis on hypertension, in the Mura Indians living in the municipality of Autazes in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 455 natives (57.8% women, 42.2 ± 16.7 years) selected by simple random sampling. Sociodemographic variables, habits and lifestyles, anthropometric data, fasting glycaemia and lipid profiles were evaluated. Blood pressure was measured with a validated automatic device. Values of p ≤ 0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hypertension was 26.6%. The other cardiovascular risk factors were as follows: increased waist-hip ratio (85.1%); increased neck circumference (60.2%); increased waist circumference (48.6%); overweight (57.1%); physical inactivity (52.7%); use of alcoholic beverages (40.2%); high total cholesterol (27.5%); increased triglycerides (23.5%); smoking (20.4%); and diabetes mellitus (3.0%). In relation to non-hypertensive individuals, indigenous hypertensive individuals were (p ≤ 0.05) older and had a higher proportion of individuals living with partners and individuals who were retired, as well as a lower level of schooling and higher family income. The indigenous people living in urban areas had a higher prevalence of hypertension than did those living in rural areas. In relation to habits and lifestyles, hypertensive Indians had a lower prevalence of smoking, higher frequency of the use of animal fat during meal preparation, lower frequency of vegetable oil use and lower frequency of salt addition to already-prepared meals. An assessment of anthropometric variables and laboratory markers showed that the hypertensive indigenous individuals had higher values of body mass index, neck circumference, waist circumference, visceral fat, Conicity Index, and body fat than did the non-hypertensive individuals.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of hypertension and other important cardiovascular risk factors in the Mura Indians was high. This finding is probably due to the adoption of inappropriate habits and lifestyles.

B lymphocytes can be activated to act as antigen presenting cells to promote anti-tumor responses

Immune evasion by tumors includes several different mechanisms, including the inefficiency of antigen presenting cells (APCs) to trigger anti-tumor T cell responses. B lymphocytes may display a pro-tumoral role but can also be modulated to function as antigen presenting cells to T lymphocytes, capable of triggering anti-cancer immune responses. While dendritic cells, DCs, are the best APC population to activate naive T cells, DCs or their precursors, monocytes, are frequently modulated by tumors, displaying a tolerogenic phenotype in cancer patients. In patients with cervical cancer, we observed that monocyte derived DCs are tolerogenic, inhibiting allogeneic T cell activation compared to the same population obtained from patients with precursor lesions or cervicitis. In this work, we show that B lymphocytes from cervical cancer patients respond to treatment with sCD40L and IL-4 by increasing the CD80+CD86+ population, therefore potentially increasing their ability to activate T cells. To test if B lymphocytes could actually trigger anti-tumor T cell responses, we designed an experimental model where we harvested T and B lymphocytes, or dendritic cells, from tumor bearing donors, and after APC stimulation, transplanted them, together with T cells into RAG1-/- recipients, previously injected with tumor cells. We were able to show that anti-CD40 activated B lymphocytes could trigger secondary T cell responses, dependent on MHC-II expression. Moreover, we showed that dendritic cells were resistant to the anti-CD40 treatment and unable to stimulate anti-tumor responses. In summary, our results suggest that B lymphocytes may be used as a tool for immunotherapy against cancer.

Biomimetic Cationic Nanoparticles Based on Silica: Optimizing Bilayer Deposition from Lipid Films

The optimization of bilayer coverage on particles is important for a variety of biomedical applications, such as drug, vaccine, and genetic material delivery. This work aims at optimizing the deposition of cationic bilayers on silica over a range of experimental conditions for the intervening medium and two different assemblies for the cationic lipid, namely, lipid films or pre-formed lipid bilayer fragments. The lipid adsorption on silica in situ over a range of added lipid concentrations was determined from elemental analysis of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen and related to the colloidal stability, sizing, zeta potential, and polydispersity of the silica/lipid nanoparticles. Superior bilayer deposition took place from lipid films, whereas adsorption from pre-formed bilayer fragments yielded limiting adsorption below the levels expected for bilayer adsorption.

Counting ions and other nucleophiles at surfaces by chemical trapping

The interfaces of membranes and other aggregates are determined by the polarity, electrical charge, molecular volume, degrees of motional freedom and packing density of the head groups of the amphiphiles. These properties also determine the type of bound ion (ion selectivity) and its local density, i.e. concentration defined by choosing an appropriate volume element at the aggregate interface. Bulk and local ion concentrations can differ by orders of magnitude. The relationships between ion (or other compound) concentrations in the bulk solvent and in the interface are complex but, in some cases, well established. As the local ion concentration, rather than that in the bulk, controls a variety of properties of membranes, micelles, vesicles and other objects of theoretical and applied interests, measurement of local (interfacial, bound) ion concentrations is of relevance for understanding and characterizing such aggregates. Many experimental methods for estimating ion distributions between the bulk solution and the interface provide indirect estimates because they are based on concentration-dependent properties, rather than concentration measurements. Dediazoniation, i.e. the loss of N2, of a substituted diazophenyl derivative provides a tool for determining the number of nucleophiles (including neutral or negatively charged ions) surrounding the diazophenyl derivative prior to the dediazoniation event. This reaction, defined as chemical trapping, and the appropriate reference points obtained in bulk solution allow direct measurements of local concentrations of a variety of nucleophiles at the surface of membranes and other aggregates. Here we review our contributions of our research group to the use, and understanding, of this method and applications of chemical trapping to the description of local concentrations of ions and other nucleophiles in micelles, reverse micelles, vesicles and solvent mixtures. Among other results, we have shown that interfacial water determines micellar shape, zwitterionic vesicle-forming amphiphiles display ion selectivity and urea does not accumulate at micellar interfaces. We have also shown that reaction products can be predicted from the composition of the initial state, even in non-ideal solvent mixtures, supporting the usefulness of chemical trapping as a method to determine local concentrations. In addition, we have analysed the mechanism of dediazoniation, both on theoretical and experimental basis, and concluded that the formation of a free phenyl cation is not a necessary part of the reaction pathway.

Influence of attitudes and behavior of milkers on the hygienic and sanitary quality of milk

Recognizing how human behaviors affect the milk process can be useful to understand variations in hygienic and sanitary parameters in bulk tank milk. Furthermore, this knowledge could be used to design management programs that guarantee milk quality, favoring the optimization of such processes. Forty-six milkers from the same number of dairy farms in Antioquia province (Colombia) were interviewed to establish the main factors associated to milk quality. Technical knowledge, motivations, and behavior of the personnel and its effect on hygienic and sanitary quality of milk were evaluated. Quality was assessed in terms of colony-forming units (CFU) and somatic cell count (SCC) in bulk tank milk. Two factors from a multivariate mixed data analysis were evaluated. One of those factors explained 9.51% of the total variability, related with in-farm availability and use of tools and the relationships between milker and manager. The other factor, associated with work environment and recognition, explained 6.97% of the total variability. The variables that best explained CFU levels were Knowledge of the udder condition at milking, and Milking type (parlor or pasture). The SCC was associated to knowledge of animal handling, schooling of milkers, milking site, and the groups derived from the cluster analysis by farm. In conclusion, milker attitudes and behaviors can affect CFU and SCC in bulk tank milk.

A conceptual framework for quality assessment and management of biodiversity data

The increasing availability of digitized biodiversity data worldwide, provided by an increasing number of institutions and researchers, and the growing use of those data for a variety of purposes have raised concerns related to the "fitness for use" of such data and the impact of data quality (DQ) on the outcomes of analyses, reports, and decisions. A consistent approach to assess and manage data quality is currently critical for biodiversity data users. However, achieving this goal has been particularly challenging because of idiosyncrasies inherent in the concept of quality. DQ assessment and management cannot be performed if we have not clearly established the quality needs from a data user's standpoint. This paper defines a formal conceptual framework to support the biodiversity informatics community allowing for the description of the meaning of "fitness for use" from a data user's perspective in a common and standardized manner. This proposed framework defines nine concepts organized into three classes: DQ Needs, DQ Solutions and DQ Report. The framework is intended to formalize human thinking into well-defined components to make it possible to share and reuse concepts of DQ needs, solutions and reports in a common way among user communities. With this framework, we establish a common ground for the collaborative development of solutions for DQ assessment and management based on data fitness for use principles. To validate the framework, we present a proof of concept based on a case study at the Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard University. In future work, we will use the framework to engage the biodiversity informatics community to formalize and share DQ profiles related to DQ needs across the community.

Mechanism and color modulation of fungal bioluminescence

Bioluminescent fungi are spread throughout the globe, but details on their mechanism of light emission are still scarce. Usually, the process involves three key components: an oxidizable luciferin substrate, a luciferase enzyme, and a light emitter, typically oxidized luciferin, and called oxyluciferin. We report the structure of fungal oxyluciferin, investigate the mechanism of fungal bioluminescence, and describe the use of simple synthetic α-pyrones as luciferins to produce multicolor enzymatic chemiluminescence. A high-energy endoperoxide is proposed as an intermediate of the oxidation of the native luciferin to the oxyluciferin, which is a pyruvic acid adduct of caffeic acid. Luciferase promiscuity allows the use of simple α-pyrones as chemiluminescent substrates.