Showing papers by "National University of Cuyo published in 2015"
TL;DR: Arabidopsis inoculation with A. brasilense improved plants performance, especially in drought, and improved plants seed yield, plants survival, proline levels and relative leaf water content; it also decreased stomatal conductance, malondialdehyde and relative soil water content in plants submitted to drought.
Abstract: Production of phytohormones is one of the main mechanisms to explain the beneficial effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) such as Azospirillum sp. The PGPRs induce plant growth and development, and reduce stress susceptibility. However, little is known regarding the stress-related phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) produced by bacteria. We investigated the effects of Azospirillum brasilense Sp 245 strain on Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 and aba2-1 mutant plants, evaluating the morphophysiological and biochemical responses when watered and in drought. We used an in vitro-grown system to study changes in the root volume and architecture after inoculation with Azospirillum in Arabidopsis wild-type Col-0 and on the mutant aba2-1, during early growth. To examine Arabidopsis development and reproductive success as affected by the bacteria, ABA and drought, a pot experiment using Arabidopsis Col-0 plants was also carried out. Azospirillum brasilense augmented plant biomass, altered root architecture by increasing lateral roots number, stimulated photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments and retarded water loss in correlation with incremented ABA levels. As well, inoculation improved plants seed yield, plants survival, proline levels and relative leaf water content; it also decreased stomatal conductance, malondialdehyde and relative soil water content in plants submitted to drought. Arabidopsis inoculation with A. brasilense improved plants performance, especially in drought.
268 citations
TL;DR: It is proposed that, under some level of oxygen deprivation, ROS are overproduced and induce changes leading to hypoxic biochemical responses, mainly through the activation of specific transcription factors and post translational mechanisms.
142 citations
TL;DR: The data reported sustain the use of winemaking by-products as a cheap source of phenolic compounds suitable for biotechnological applications, as a strategy for sustainable oenology.
117 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that the extended teleparallel gravitational theories inherit some on shell local Lorentz invariance associated with the tetrad field defining the spacetime structure.
Abstract: It is shown that the extended teleparallel gravitational theories, known as $f(T)$ theories, inherit some on shell local Lorentz invariance associated with the tetrad field defining the spacetime structure. We discuss some enlightening examples, such as Minkowski spacetime and cosmological (Friedmann-Robertson-Walker and Bianchi type I) manifolds. In the first case, we show that the absence of gravity reveals itself as an incapability in the selection of a preferred parallelization at a local level, due to the fact that the infinitesimal local Lorentz subgroup acts as a symmetry group of the frame characterizing Minkowski spacetime. Finite transformations are also discussed in these examples and, contrary to the common lore on the subject, we conclude that the set of tetrads responsible for the parallelization of these manifolds is quite vast and that the remnant group of local Lorentz transformations includes one- and two-dimensional Abelian subgroups of the Lorentz group.
87 citations
TL;DR: This review summarizes the current understanding of the autophagic pathway with emphasis in the trafficking machinery (i.e. Rabs GTPases and SNAP receptors (SNAREs)) involved in specific steps of the pathway.
86 citations
TL;DR: Results indicate that melatonin contents in Arabidopsis were higher in plants growing under natural radiation when compared to those growing under artificial conditions, and its levels were not diurnally-regulated.
82 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that dietary Q and C may have potential benefits in mitigating MetS-associated adipose inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance.
Abstract: Scope
This study evaluated the capacity of dietary catechin (C), quercetin (Q) and the combination of both (CQ), to attenuate adipose inflammation triggered by high fructose (HFr) consumption in rats and by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
75 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the efficiency of heterogeneous photocatalysis with TiO 2 under UV light (HP) for the removal of uranyl ion from water (0.25mM, pH 3) in the presence of 2-propanol (2-PrOH) was evaluated.
63 citations
TL;DR: Evidence from phase 3a clinical trials with a treat-to-target design in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes has shown that IDeg has similar efficacy to IGlar, with a 9% and 26% reduction in risk of overall and nocturnal hypoglycaemia during the entire treatment period, and a 16% and 32% reduction during the maintenance period, respectively.
57 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe and evaluate a Cloud scheduler based on Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) for the IaaS model where custom Virtual Machines (VM) are launched in appropriate hosts available in a Cloud.
55 citations
TL;DR: In this article, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), multi-weled carbon nanotsubes (MWCNTs), and graphene oxide nanoribbons were used as carbon allotropes for the modification of carbon screen-printed electrodes (CSPEs) to simultaneously determine melatonin (MT) and serotonin (5-HT).
Abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene have been tested as carbon allotropes for the modification of carbon screen-printed electrodes (CSPEs) to simultaneously determine melatonin (MT) and serotonin (5-HT). Two groups of CSPEs, both 4 mm in diameter, were explored: The first includes commercial SWCNT, MWCNT and graphene, the second includes SWCNT, MWCNT, graphene oxide nanoribbons and reduced nanoribbons that were drop casted on the electrodes. The carbon nanomaterials enhanced the electroactive area in the following order: CSPE
TL;DR: A role for the kidney as an immune barrier is proposed for this snail, which results in phagocytosis by hemocytes in the islets, and the different phagosomes formed are similar to those in circulating hyalinocytes.
Abstract: Hemocytes in the circulation and kidney islets, as well as their phagocytic responses to microorganisms and fluorescent beads, have been studied in Pomacea canaliculata, using flow cytometry, light microscopy (including confocal laser scanning microscopy) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three circulating hemocyte types (hyalinocytes, agranulocytes and granulocytes) were distinguished by phase contrast microscopy of living cells and after light and electron microscopy of fixed material. Also, three different populations of circulating hemocytes were separated by flow cytometry, which corresponded to the three hemocyte types. Hyalinocytes showed a low nucleus/cytoplasm ratio, and no apparent granules in stained material, but showed granules of moderate electron density under TEM (L granules) and at least some L granules appear acidic when labeled with LysoTracker Red. Both phagocytic and non-phagocytic hyalinocytes lose most (if not all) L granules when exposed to microorganisms in vitro. The phagosomes formed differed whether hyalinocytes were exposed to yeasts or to Gram positive or Gram negative bacteria. Agranulocytes showed a large nucleus/cytoplasm ratio and few or no granules. Granulocytes showed a low nucleus/cytoplasm ratio and numerous eosinophilic granules after staining. These granules are electron dense and rod-shaped under TEM (R granules). Granulocytes may show merging of R granules into gigantic ones, particularly when exposed to microorganisms. Fluorescent bead exposure of sorted hemocytes showed phagocytic activity in hyalinocytes, agranulocytes and granulocytes, but the phagocytic index was significantly higher in hyalinocytes.
Extensive hemocyte aggregates ('islets') occupy most renal hemocoelic spaces and hyalinocyte-like cells are the most frequent component in them. Presumptive glycogen deposits were observed in most hyalinocytes in renal islets (they also occur in the circulation but less frequently) and may mean that hyalinocytes participate in the storage and circulation of this compound. Injection of microorganisms in the foot results in phagocytosis by hemocytes in the islets, and the different phagosomes formed are similar to those in circulating hyalinocytes. Dispersed hemocytes were obtained after kidney collagenase digestion and cell sorting, and they were able to phagocytize fluorescent beads. A role for the kidney as an immune barrier is proposed for this snail.
TL;DR: The article illustrates the potential of computer-guided drug repositioning to integrate and optimize drug discovery and preclinical development and proposes rational rules to select which among repositioned candidates should advance to investigational drug status and offers a new insight on clofazimine and benidipine as candidate treatments for Chagas disease.
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that MSC administration triggers a proregenerative microenvironment in DN kidney, which allows the preservation of the renal function even if diabetes was uncorrected.
Abstract: The aim of our work was to evaluate, in an animal model of severe diabetes mellitus, the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) administration on diabetic nephropathy (DN) progression. After diabetes induction, one group of mice received the vehicle (DM) and other group received a single dose of MSCs (DM + MSCs). DM + MSCs mice showed a significant improvement in functional parameters of the kidney compared with untreated mice. While DM mice presented marked histopathological changes characteristics of advanced stages of DN (fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, glomerular basement membrane thickening, capillary occlusion, decreased podocyte density, and effacement of foot processes), DM + MSCs mice showed only slight tubular dilatation. The renoprotection was not associated with an improvement in diabetic condition and very low number of donor cells was found in the kidney of DM + MSCs mice, suggesting that renoprotection could be mediated by paracrine effects. Indeed, DM + MSC mice presented increased renal proliferation index, decreased renal apoptotic index and the restoration of proregenerative factors, and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels. Moreover, macrophage infiltration and oxidative stress damage were also reduced in DM + MSCs mice. Our data demonstrate that MSC administration triggers a proregenerative microenvironment in DN kidney, which allows the preservation of the renal function even if diabetes was uncorrected.
TL;DR: The results suggest that dietary (-)-epicatechin supplementation prevented hypertension in HF-fed rats, decreasing superoxide anion production and elevating NOS activity, favoring an increase in NO bioavailability.
Abstract: This work investigated the blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect of the flavanol (-)-epicatechin in a model of metabolic syndrome. Rats were fed a regular chow diet without (Control) or with 10% (w/v) fructose in the drinking water (high fructose, HF) for 8 weeks. A subgroup of the HF-fed rats was supplemented with (-)-epicatechin 20 mg/kg body weight (HF-EC). Dietary (-)-epicatechin reverted the increase in BP caused by the fructose treatment. In aorta, superoxide anion production and the expression of the NADPH oxidase (NOX) subunits p47(phox) and p22(phox) were enhanced in the HF-fed rats. The increase was prevented by (-)-epicatechin. Similar profile was observed for NOX4 expression. The activity of aorta nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was increased in the HF group and was even higher in the HF-EC rats. These effects were paralleled by increased endothelial NOS phosphorylation at the activation site Ser1177. Among the more relevant mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in vascular tissue, c-Jun-N-terminal kinase was shown to be activated in the aorta of the HF-fed rats, and (-)-epicatechin supplementation mitigated this activation. Thus, the results suggest that dietary (-)-epicatechin supplementation prevented hypertension in HF-fed rats, decreasing superoxide anion production and elevating NOS activity, favoring an increase in NO bioavailability.
TL;DR: Nerolidol and terpinolene significantly reduced sclerotia production, while α-pinene stimulated it in a concentration-dependent manner, and were the most abundant with antifungal activity against S. cepivorum.
TL;DR: The results demonstrate that the chemical composition of grape berries is modulated by the light quality received by the clusters under field conditions, and that fruit photoreceptors are not saturated even in areas of high insolation and under management systems that are considered to result in a relatively high exposure of fruits to solar radiation.
TL;DR: The results indicate that all wine varietals can be adequately discriminated, and also three wine producing regions were differentiated from the remaining regions.
TL;DR: Increased VEGF, HIF-1α, MMP-9 and visfatin expression in arterial tissue in response to high-fat diet were significantly attenuated by Nox2ds-tat which in turn impaired both M MP-9 protein expression and activity.
TL;DR: Evidence is described showing how these structural actions integrate with ion translocation in regulating renal tubule epithelial cell survival and actin cytoskeleton organization through NHE1-dependent signaling proteins.
Abstract: The sodium-hydrogen exchanger isoform-1 [NHE1] is a ubiquitously expressed plasma membrane protein that plays a central role in intracellular pH and cell volume homeostasis by catalyzing an electroneutral exchange of extracellular sodium and intracellular hydrogen. Outside of this important physiological function, the NHE1 cytosolic tail domain acts as a molecular scaffold regulating cell survival and actin cytoskeleton organization through NHE1-dependent signaling proteins. NHE1 plays main roles in response to physiological stress conditions which in addition to cell shrinkage and acidification, include hypoxia and mechanical stimuli, such as cell stretch. NHE1-mediated modulation of programmed cell death results from the exchanger-mediated changes in pHi, cell volume, and/or [Na+]I; and, it has recently become known that regulation of cellular signaling pathways are involved as well. This review focuses on NHE1 functions and regulations. We describe evidence showing how these structural actions integrate with ion translocation in regulating renal tubule epithelial cell survival.
TL;DR: Environment signals elicited mechanisms of acclimation by augmenting the content of terpenes with antioxidant and antifungal properties, thus enhancing the plant defensive mechanisms towards signals both biotic and abiotic.
TL;DR: The finding that mitochondria possess both a functional RAS and vitamin D receptors is the starting point for improving the understanding of the interaction of mitochondria and chronic disease states, which understanding should lead to decreases in the chronic disease burden attributable to hypertension, diabetes, or both.
Abstract: Mitochondria are the primary generators of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS); their pathophysiological roles in hypertension and insulin resistance are but imperfectly understood. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to the etiologies of many complex diseases, but many other factors, including the upregulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and vitamin D deficiency, have also been implicated in hypertension pathogenesis. Hypertension resulting from the disruption of the RAS contributes to the risk of cardiovascular disease. Likewise, experimental and clinical evidence indicate that RAS stimulation and low vitamin D levels are inversely related and represent risk factors associated with the pathogenesis of hypertension. Furthermore, RAS activation induces insulin resistance, resulting in increases in ROS levels. High levels of ROS are harmful to cells, having the potential to trigger both mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and the degradation of the mitochondrial DNA. Diabetes risk is also associated with high levels of oxidative stress; taking vitamin D, however, may reduce that risk. The finding that mitochondria possess both a functional RAS and vitamin D receptors is the starting point for improving our understanding of the interaction of mitochondria and chronic disease states, which understanding should lead to decreases in the chronic disease burden attributable to hypertension, diabetes, or both.
TL;DR: The potential of Hsp70 to be of central importance to the mechanism of action of various drugs that modify the genesis of experimental obstructive nephropathy is considered.
Abstract: Urinary heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is rapidly increased in patients with clinical acute kidney injury, indicating that it constitutes a component of the endogenous stress response to renal injury. Moreover, experimental models have demonstrated that Hsp70 activation is associated with the cytoprotective actions of several drugs following obstruction, including nitric oxide (NO) donors, geranylgeranylacetone, vitamin D, and rosuvastatin. Discrete and synergistic effects of the biological activities of Hsp70 may explain its cytoprotective role in obstructive nephropathy. Basic studies point to a combination of effects including inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation, repair of damaged proteins, prevention of unfolded protein aggregation, targeting of damaged protein for degradation, and cytoskeletal stabilization as primary effectors of Hsp70 action. This review summarizes our understanding of how the biological actions of Hsp70 may affect renal cytoprotection in the context of obstructive injury. The potential of Hsp70 to be of central importance to the mechanism of action of various drugs that modify the genesis of experimental obstructive nephropathy is considered.
DOI•
19 Oct 2015
TL;DR: In this article, the use of the frequency of radiocarbon dates as a demographic proxy and compares such trends to cultigens scattering in central western Argentina is preliminarily explored. But this paper is limited to three sectors: North, Central and South.
Abstract: Classically, the origin and spread of the farmers at least have been explained by demographics variable. This paper preliminarily explores the use of the frequency of radiocarbon dates as a demographic proxy and compares such trends to cultigens scattering in central western Argentina. The region is accepted as the southern boundary of Prehispanic agricultural expansion and on that basis the radiocarbon trends compare three sectors: North, Central and South. The paper analyzes 344 radiocarbon dates from the last 5000 14C years and 176 archaeological site recorded between 30° and 37° S. The sum of probabilities shows similar patterns among the three sectors but less variation recorded in the North than in Center and the South. This could indicate a correlation with demographic stability where the North shows a more stable than those in the Center and the South pattern.
TL;DR: The results indicate that acrosomal swelling is the slowest step and it determines the kinetics of the acrosome reaction.
Abstract: The acrosome reaction is a unique event in the lifespan of sperm characterized by the exocytosis of the acrosomal content and the release of hybrid vesicles formed by patches of the outer acrosomal membrane and the plasma membrane. This unique regulated exocytosis is mediated by essentially the same membrane fusion machinery present in neuroendocrine cells. However, whereas secretion in neuroendocrine cells occurs in less than a second, the acrosome reaction is normally assessed after several minutes of incubation with inducers. In this report, we measured the kinetics of human sperm exocytosis triggered by two stimuli (calcium ionophore and progesterone) by using electron microscopy and three different approaches based on the incorporation of fluorescent Pisum sativum agglutinin into the acrosome upon opening of fusion pores connecting the extracellular medium with the acrosomal lumen. The results with the different methods are consistent with a slow kinetics (t½ = 14 min). We also manipulated the system to measure different steps of the process. We observed that cytosolic calcium increased with a relatively fast kinetics (t½ = 0.1 min). In contrast, the swelling of the acrosomal granule that precedes exocytosis was a slow process (t½ = 13 min). When swelling was completed, the fusion pore opening was fast (t½ = 0.2 min). The results indicate that acrosomal swelling is the slowest step and it determines the kinetics of the acrosome reaction. After the swelling is completed, the efflux of calcium from intracellular stores triggers fusion pores opening and the release of hybrid vesicles in seconds.
TL;DR: The current novel application reveals the analytical power of the press‐transfer technology where the fast and reliable determination of MT and its precursors were performed directly on the nanoscale carbon nanotube detectors without the help of any other electrochemical transducer.
Abstract: In the current work, single-wall carbon nanotube press-transferred electrodes (SW-PTEs) were used for detection of melatonin (MT) and its precursors tryptophan (Trp) and serotonin (5-HT) on microchip electrophoresis (ME). SW-PTEs were simply fabricated by press transferring a filtered dispersion of single-wall carbon nanotubes on a nonconductive PMMA substrate, where single-wall carbon nanotubes act as exclusive transducers. The coupling of ME-SW-PTEs allowed the fast detection of MT, Trp, and 5-HT in less than 150 s with excellent analytical features. It exhibited an impressive antifouling performance with RSD values of ≤2 and ≤4% for migration times and peak heights, respectively (n = 12). In addition, sample analysis was also investigated by analysis of 5-HT, MT, and Trp in commercial samples obtaining excellent quantitative and reproducible recoveries with values of 96.2 ± 1.8%, 101.3 ± 0.2%, and 95.6 ± 1.2% for 5-HT, MT, and Trp, respectively. The current novel application reveals the analytical power of the press-transfer technology where the fast and reliable determination of MT and its precursors were performed directly on the nanoscale carbon nanotube detectors without the help of any other electrochemical transducer.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated whether garlic could still be considered a healthy food after home cooking procedures and found organosulphur compounds such as allicin, ajoenes, 2-vinyl-4-H-1,3-dithiin (2-VD), diallyl sulphide (DAS), DADS, and DATS.
TL;DR: Suarez et al. as mentioned in this paper presented a study on the use of bio-medical data in the Patagonia in the context of the Nacional Institute of Biodiversidad and Medioambiente (IIBM).
Abstract: Fil: Suarez, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigacion En Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that cold‐active pectinases from some A. pullulans strains were able to remain active at glucose, ethanol and SO2 concentrations usually found in vinification, and suggests their potential use as processing aids for low‐temperature winemaking.
Abstract: UNLABELLED The influence of oenological factors on cold-active pectinases from 15 preselected indigenous yeasts belonging to Aureobasidium pullulans, Filobasidium capsuligenum, Rhodotorula dairenensis, Cryptococcus saitoi and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Pectinolytic enzymes were constitutive or partially constitutive; and high glucose concentration (200 g l(-1) ) did not affect or increased pectinase production at 12°C and pH 3·5 (up to 113·9 U mg(-1) ) only in A. pullulans strains. SO2 (120 mg l(-1) ) slightly affected the growth of A. pullulans strains but did not affect pectinase production levels. Ethanol (15%) barely affected pectinase activity of A. pullulans strains but diminished relative activity to 12-79% of basidiomycetous yeasts. Moreover, non-Saccharomyces strains showed promising properties of oenological interest. This study demonstrates that cold-active pectinases from some A. pullulans strains were able to remain active at glucose, ethanol and SO2 concentrations usually found in vinification, and suggests their potential use as processing aids for low-temperature winemaking. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Nowadays, there is increasing interest in low-temperature winemaking. Nevertheless, commercial oenological pectinases, produced by fungi, are rarely active at low temperatures. Cold-active pectinases that are stable under vinification conditions are needed. This study indicated that cold-active and acid-tolerant pectinases from non-Saccharomcyes yeasts were able to remain active at glucose, ethanol and SO2 concentrations usually found in winemaking. Furthermore, not only are these yeasts a source of cold-active pectinases, but the yeasts themselves are also potential adjunct cultures for oenology to produce these enzymes during cold-winemaking.
TL;DR: The most relevant data relative to the contribution of DCs to the triggering of SLE are discussed, which suggest tolerogenic DCs can be a potential strategy for developing antigen‐specific therapies to reduce detrimental inflammation without causing systemic immunosuppression.
Abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease in which excessive inflammation, autoantibodies and complement activation lead to multisystem tissue damage. The contribution of the individual genetic composition has been extensively studied, and several susceptibility genes related to immune pathways that participate in SLE pathogenesis have been identified. It has been proposed that SLE takes place when susceptibility factors interact with environmental stimuli leading to a deregulated immune response. Experimental evidence suggests that such events are related to the failure of T-cell and B-cell suppression mediated by defects in cell signalling, immune tolerance and apoptotic mechanism promoting autoimmunity. In addition, it has been reported that dendritic cells (DCs) from SLE patients, which are crucial in the modulation of peripheral tolerance to self-antigens, show an increased ratio of activating/inhibitory receptors on their surfaces. This phenotype and an augmented expression of co-stimulatory molecules is thought to be critical for disease pathogenesis. Accordingly, tolerogenic DCs can be a potential strategy for developing antigen-specific therapies to reduce detrimental inflammation without causing systemic immunosuppression. In this review article we discuss the most relevant data relative to the contribution of DCs to the triggering of SLE.