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"Tedesco, C."
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Latin America's leaders
Based on exclusive interviews with over three hundred politicians - former presidents, vice presidents, current party officials and hundreds more - this work exposes what the Pink Tide really thinks of its presidents. Arguing that the political styles of leaders such as Hugo Chávez, Rafael Correa, Álvaro Uribe and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner are far better explained in the context of their respective countries' party systems, the authors examine political stability through the paradoxical relationship between democracy and the concentration of power in charismatic individuals. This is the definitive guide to the world's most left-wing continent.
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Photodynamic therapy disinfection of carious tissue mediated by aluminum-chloride-phthalocyanine entrapped in cationic liposomes: an in vitro and clinical study
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a technique employed in the treatment of several superficial infections, such as caries. PDT uses a non-toxic drug termed photosensitizer (PS) followed by light irradiation. The cytotoxic effects of the therapy are related to the production of reactive species produced after light activation of a photosensitizer, which reacts with surrounding molecules and disrupts several of the cell's functions. Within this context, this study aimed to develop a clinical protocol involving PDT application mediated by aluminum-chloride-phthalocyanine (AlClPc) entrapped in cationic liposomes against cariogenic bacteria in caries lesions. Cationic liposomes were used to delivery AlClPc preferentially to bacterial cells due to the strong anionic superficial charges of these cell types. The results are represented in two fundamental steps: (1) in vitro evaluation of AlClPc delivery to cariogenic bacteria and pulp cells, as well as its potential phototoxicity; (2) a clinical study involving volunteer patients that were treated with the PDT protocol mediated by AlClPc-cationic liposome. The main results showed that the AlClPc-cationic liposome was preferentially absorbed by bacterial cells compared to eukaryotic dental pulp cells, and it was efficient in the reduction of microbial load from bacterial cultures. In addition, the clinical study showed a mean reduction of 82% of total bacterial in the treated cavities after PDT application. Taken together, the results presented in this study showed that the antimicrobial PDT protocol mediated by cationic liposomes containing AlClPc is safety for clinical application and is efficient in the reduction of bacterial load in caries lesions.
Journal Article
Montelukast Use Decreases Cardiovascular Events in Asthmatics
Cysteinyl leukotrienes are proinflammatory mediators with a clinically established role in asthma and a human genetic and preclinical role in cardiovascular pathology. Given that cardiovascular disease has a critical inflammatory component, the aim of this work was to conduct an observational study to verify whether the use of a cysteinyl leukotriene antagonist, namely, montelukast, may protect asthmatic patients from a major cardiovascular event and, therefore, represent an innovative adjunct therapy to target an inflammatory component in cardiovascular disease. We performed an observational retrospective 3-year study on eight hundred adult asthmatic patients 18 years or older in Albania, equally distributed into two cohorts, exposed or nonexposed to montelukast usage, matched by age and gender according to information reported in the data collection. Patients with a previous history of myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke were excluded. In summary, 37 (4.6%) of the asthmatic patients, 32 nonexposed, and five exposed to montelukast suffered a major cardiovascular event during the 3-year observation period. All the cardiovascular events, in either group, occurred among patients with an increased cardiovascular risk. Our analyses demonstrate that, independent from gender, exposure to montelukast remained a significant protective factor for incident ischemic events (78% or 76% risk reduction depending on type of analysis). The event-free Kaplan–Meier survival curves confirmed the lower cardiovascular event incidence in patients exposed to montelukast. Our data suggest that there is a potential preventative role of montelukast for incident cardiac ischemic events in the older asthmatic population, indicating a comorbidity benefit of montelukast usage in asthmatics by targeting cysteinyl leukotriene-driven cardiac disease inflammation.
Journal Article
Detection and quantification of Campylobacter spp. in Brazilian poultry processing plants
Introduction: Campylobacteriosis is considered the most common bacteria-caused human gastroenteritis in the world. Poultry is a major reservoir of Campylobacter. Human infection may occur by consumption of raw and undercooked poultry or by contamination of other foods by these items. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in poultry processing plants with conventional culture method and real-time PCR. Methodology: A total of 108 poultry processing plant samples were collected to test with conventional microbiology and qPCR. Sampling included cloacal swabs, swabs of transport crates (before and after the cleaning and disinfection process) and carcasses (after the chiller, cooled at 4°C and frozen at −12°C). Results: Positivity in cloacal swabs indicated that poultry arrived contaminated at the slaughterhouse. Contamination in transport cages was substantially increased after the cleaning process, indicating that the process was ineffective. The detection of Campylobacter on carcasses was higher than that on cloacal swabs, which could indicate cross-contamination during the slaughtering process. Conventional microbiology and molecular methods revealed a prevalence of 69.4% and 43.5%, respectively. Lower detection by qPCR can be attributed to the high specificity of the kit and to biological components that could inhibit PCR reactions. Conclusions: Our results indicate that poultry arrive contaminated at the slaughterhouse and that contamination can increase during the slaughtering process due to cross-contamination. The isolation of Campylobacter in cooled and frozen carcasses corroborates the bacterial survival even at temperatures considered limiting to bacterial growth which are routinely used for food preservation.
Journal Article
Modulation of the mTOR Pathway by Curcumin in the Heart of Septic Mice
mTOR is a signaling pathway involved in cell survival, cell stress response, and protein synthesis that may be a key point in sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction. Curcumin has been reported in vitro as an mTOR inhibitor compound; however, there are no studies demonstrating this effect in experimental sepsis. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the action of curcumin on the mTOR pathway in the heart of septic mice. Free curcumin (FC) and nanocurcumin (NC) were used, and samples were obtained at 24 and 120 h after sepsis. Histopathological and ultrastructural analysis showed that treatments with FC and NC reduced cardiac lesions caused by sepsis. Our main results demonstrated that curcumin reduced mTORC1 and Raptor mRNA at 24 and 120 h compared with the septic group; in contrast, mTORC2 mRNA increased at 24 h. Additionally, the total mTOR mRNA expression was reduced at 24 h compared with the septic group. Our results indicate that treatment with curcumin and nanocurcumin promoted a cardioprotective response that could be related to the modulation of the mTOR pathway.
Journal Article
Intake of food rich in saturated fat in relation to subclinical atherosclerosis and potential modulating effects from single genetic variants
Abstract The relationship between intake of saturated fats and subclinical atherosclerosis, as well as the possible influence of genetic variants, is poorly understood and investigated. We aimed to investigate this relationship, with a hypothesis that it would be positive, and to explore whether genetics may modulate it, using data from a European cohort including 3,407 participants aged 54–79 at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT), measured at baseline and after 30 months. Logistic regression (OR; 95% CI) was employed to assess the association between high intake of food rich in saturated fat (vs. low) and: (1) the mean and the maximum values of C-IMT in the whole carotid artery (C-IMT mean , C-IMT max ), in the bifurcation (Bif-), the common (CC-) and internal (ICA-) carotid arteries at baseline (binary, cut-point ≥ 75th), and (2) C-IMT progression (binary, cut-point > zero). For the genetic-diet interaction analyses, we considered 100,350 genetic variants. We defined interaction as departure from additivity of effects. After age- and sex-adjustment, high intake of saturated fat was associated with increased C-IMT mean (OR:1.27;1.06–1.47), CC-IMT mean (OR:1.22;1.04–1.44) and ICA-IMT mean (OR:1.26;1.07–1.48). However, in multivariate analysis results were no longer significant. No clear associations were observed between high intake of saturated fat and risk of atherosclerotic progression. There was no evidence of interactions between high intake of saturated fat and any of the genetic variants considered, after multiple testing corrections. High intake of saturated fats was not independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. Moreover, we did not identify any significant genetic-dietary fat interactions in relation to risk of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Journal Article
Mercaptoalbumin Is Associated with Graft Patency in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery still represents the gold standard for patients with complex multivessel coronary artery disease. However, graft occlusion still occurs in a significant proportion of CABG conduits, and oxidative stress is currently considered to be a potential contributor. Human serum albumin (HSA) represents the main antioxidant in plasma through its reduced amino acid Cys34, which can efficiently scavenge several oxidants. In a nested case–control study including 36 patients with occluded grafts and 38 age- and sex-matched patients without occlusion, we assessed the levels of the native mercaptoalbumin (HSA-SH) and oxidized thiolated form of albumin (Thio-HSA) in relation with graft occlusion within 5 years after CABG. We found that the plasma level of preoperative HSA-SH was significantly lower in patients with occluded graft at 5 years follow-up than in patients with graft patency. Furthermore, low HSA-SH remained independently associated with graft occlusion even after adjusting for preoperative D-dimer, a well-known marker of activated coagulation recently found to be associated with graft occlusion. In conclusion, the preoperative level of HSA-SH is independently associated with graft occlusion in CABG and represents a measurable and potentially druggable predictor.
Journal Article
Co-nanoencapsulation of magnetic nanoparticles and selol for breast tumor treatment: in vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity and magnetohyperthermia efficacy
Antitumor activities have been described in selol, a hydrophobic mixture of molecules containing selenium in their structure, and also in maghemite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Both selol and MNPs were co-encapsulated within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocapsules for therapeutic purposes. The PLGA-nanocapsules loaded with MNPs and selol were labeled MSE-NC and characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, electrophoretic mobility, photon correlation spectroscopy, presenting a monodisperse profile, and positive charge. The antitumor effect of MSE-NC was evaluated using normal (MCF-10A) and neoplastic (4T1 and MCF-7) breast cell lines. Nanocapsules containing only MNPs or selol were used as control. MTT assay showed that the cytotoxicity induced by MSE-NC was dose and time dependent. Normal cells were less affected than tumor cells. Cell death occurred mainly by apoptosis. Further exposure of MSE-NC treated neoplastic breast cells to an alternating magnetic field increased the antitumor effect of MSE-NC. It was concluded that selol-loaded magnetic PLGA-nanocapsules (MSE-NC) represent an effective magnetic material platform to promote magnetohyperthermia and thus a potential system for antitumor therapy.
Journal Article
The microRNA-34a-Induced Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) Favors Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Calcification
The senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), characterized by the acquisition of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), is relevant for VSMCs osteoblastic differentiation and vascular calcification (VC). MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) is a driver of such phenomena and could play a role in vascular inflammaging. Herein, we analyzed the relationship between miR-34a and the prototypical SASP component IL6 in in vitro and in vivo models. miR-34a and IL6 levels increased and positively correlated in aortas of 21 months-old male C57BL/6J mice and in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) isolated from donors of different age and undergone senescence. Lentiviral overexpression of miR-34a in HASMCs enhanced IL6 secretion. HASMCs senescence and calcification accelerated after exposure to conditioned medium of miR-34a-overexpressing cells. Analysis of miR-34a-induced secretome revealed enhancement of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including IL6, pro-senescent growth factors and matrix-degrading molecules. Moreover, induction of aortas medial calcification and concomitant IL6 expression, with an overdose of vitamin D, was reduced in male C57BL/6J Mir34a−/− mice. Finally, a positive correlation was observed between circulating miR-34a and IL6 in healthy subjects of 20-90 years. Hence, the vascular age-associated miR-34a promotes VSMCs SASP activation and contributes to arterial inflammation and dysfunctions such as VC.
Journal Article
Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of organophosphate esters using tio2 electrodes produced from 3d-printed ti substrates
3D printed electrode substrates with novel geometries may significantly improve the efficacy of photoelectrocatalysis for degradation of recalcitrant pollutants such as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). However, the 3D printed substrates often have an irregular topology that can lead to a less uniform arrangement of nanotubes following anodisation. This study investigated the effect of polishing 3D-printed Ti substrates prior to anodisation to form TiO
2
nanotube array electrodes, and their subsequent applicability for photoelectrocatalytic treatment of OPFRs in water matrices. Polished and non-polished electrodes exhibited differences in morphology in terms of average roughness, (0.38 and 3.10 µm, respectively), leading to more uniform TiO
2
nanotubes of the former. Water contact angle measurements revealed the non-polished electrode was super-hydrophilic and the polished electrode hydrophilic (water contact angles of 6.4˚ and 16.1˚, respectively). Despite these differences, the polished and non-polished electrodes exhibited very similar electrochemical responses. In fact, the purity and electrical conductivity of water matrices affected the photoelectrocatalytic performance more than the electrode morphology. The purified water (PW) matrix facilitated the highest degradation/removal of OPFRs, compared to tap water matrices. In particular, individual OPFR degradation levels in PW were 74% ± 9, 37% ± 10, 33% ± 9, 31% ± 11 and 3% ± 5 for triphenyl phosphate, tris(butyl) phosphate, tris(isobutyl) phosphate, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate, respectively. The removal of OPFRs was relative to their reactivity to hydroxyl radicals, which was higher for the aryl then alkyl straight-chain and then chlorinated compounds. This study reveals that polishing of electrode substrates is not required for the preparation of effective photoelectrocatalytic reactors to treat recalcitrant pollutants (e.g. OPFRs), Importantly, future development of novel high-profile 3D printed electrode will not be hindered by the requirement to polish the substrates prior to anodisation.
Journal Article