Associations between apolipoprotein E genotype and circulating F<Subscript>2</Subscript>-isoprostane levels in humans

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), an important determinant of plasma lipoprotein metabolism, has three common alleles (ε2, ε3, and ε4). Population studies have shown that the risk of diseases characterized by oxidative damage, such as coronary heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease, is significantly higher in ɛ4 carriers. We evaluated the association between apoE genotypes and plasma F₂-isoprostane levels, an index of lipid peroxidation, in humans. Two hundred seventy-four healthy subjects (104 males, 170 females; 46.9±13.0 yr; 200 whites, 74 blacks; 81 nonsmokers, 64 passive smokers, and 129 active smokers) recruited for a randomized clinical antioxidant intervention trial were included in this analysis. ApoE genotype was determined by PCR and restriction enzyme digestion. Free plasma F₂-isoprostane was measured by GC-MS. Genotype groups were compared using multiple regression analysis with adjustment for sex, age, race, smoking status, body mass index, plasma ascorbic acid, and β-carotene. Subjects with ε3/ε4 and ε4/ε4 genotype (ε4-carriers) and with ε2/ε3 and ε3/ε3 (non-ε4-carriers) were pooled for analysis. In subjects with high cholesterol levels (total cholesterol above 200 mg/dl), plasma F₂-isoprostane levels were 29% higher in ε4 carriers than in non-ε4-carriers (P=0.0056). High-cholesterol subjects that are ε4 carriers have significantly higher levels of lipid peroxidation as assessed by circulating F₂-isoprostane levels.     

Star-shaped hexaaryltriindoles small molecules: Tuning molecular properties towards solution processed organic light emitting devices

We present a series of differently substituted star-shaped hexaaryltriindoles with tunable light-emitting properties. The deep blue emission is unchanged by donor peripheral substituents while an increasing acceptor character produces a reduction of the optical gap, an increased Stokes shift and eventually leads to the appearance of a new electronic level and to the simultaneous deep blue (413 nm) and green (552 nm) emission in solution. Quenching by concentration increases with the acceptor character but is lower as the tendency of these compounds to aggregate is stronger. Solution processed thin films present optical and morphological qualities adequate for device fabrication and similar electronic structure compared to solutions with an emission range from 423 nm up to 657 nm (red), demonstrating the possibility of tuning the energy levels by chemical functionalization. We have fabricated and characterized single-layer solution processed organic light emitting diodes (OLED) to investigate the influence on transport and emission properties of the substituting species. We analyzed the I–V response using a single-carrier numerical model that includes injection barriers and non-uniform electric-field across the layer. As a result, we obtained the electric field dependence of the mobility for each device. Best results are obtained on the most electron rich derivative functionalized with six donor methoxy groups. This material shows the highest emission efficiency in solid state, due to aggregation-induced enhancement, and better transport properties with the highest mobility and a very low turn-on voltage of 2.8 V. The solution processed OLED devices produce stable deep blue (CIE coordinates (0.16, 0.16)) to white (CIE coordinates (0.33, 0.3)) emission with similar luminous efficiencies.     

Intramolecular Direct Arylation and Heck Reactions in the Formation of Medium‐Sized Rings: Selective Synthesis of Fused Indolizine,Pyrroloazepine and Pyrroloazocine Systems

The intramolecular palladium‐catalyzed reaction of N‐(iodoarylalkyl)pyrroles can be applied for the selective synthesis of medium‐sized rings by choosing the appropriate catalytic systems to direct the reaction to the alkene or to the pyrrole nucleus. These reactions can also be extended to the corresponding heteroaryl halides. Thus, reaction conditions have been established to access selectively to (hetero)fused indolizine, pyrroloazepine and pyrroloazocine systems.

     

Hydrothermal synthesis, structural characterization and thermal, spectroscopic and magnetic properties of the inorganic-organic hybrid phosphate, [(C2N2H9)VF(PO4)]

The [(C₂N₂H₉)VF(PO₄)] compound has been synthesized by hydrothermal techniques under autogeneous pressure at 170°C. The compound was characterized from X-ray powder diffraction data with the Rietveld method. Its crystal structure consists of sheets linked by the ethylenediammonium cations and constructed by chains of VO₃F₂N octahedra. The thermal study indicates that the compound is stable up to 290°C. In the IR spectrum the bands of both the ethylenediammonium and phosphate ions are observed. From the reflectance diffuse spectrum the Dq and Racah parameters have been calculated. The magnetic measurements indicate the presence of antiferromagnetic interactions.     

Diversity of acetic acid bacteria present in healthy grapes from the Canary Islands

The identification of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) from sound grapes from the Canary Islands is reported in the present study. No direct recovery of bacteria was possible in the most commonly used medium, so microvinifications were performed on grapes from Tenerife, La Palma and Lanzarote islands. Up to 396 AAB were isolated from those microvinifications and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. With this method, Acetobacter pasteurianus, Acetobacter tropicalis, Gluconobacter japonicus and Gluconacetobacter saccharivorans were identified.However, no discrimination between the closely related species Acetobacter malorum and Acetobacter cerevisiae was possible. As previously described, 16S-23S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region phylogenetic analysis was required to classify isolates as one of those species. These two species were the most frequently occurring, accounting for more than 60% of the isolates. For typing the AAB isolates, both the Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC)-PCR and (GTG)5-PCR techniques gave similar resolution. A total of 60 profiles were identified. Thirteen of these profiles were found in more than one vineyard, and only one profile was found on two different islands (Tenerife and La Palma).     

Bone metabolism in non-cholestatic chronic hepatopathy

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis may be associated with parenchymal hepatopathy and chronic alcoholism. Biochemical studies which are linked with bone metabolism and the bone densitometry may help to understand its physiopathology, before the symptoms appear and its consequences become inevitable. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study of bone metabolism and densitometry has been carried out in a population of 86 males, distributed in 4 groups: group I, control (17 men), group II, patients with chronic hepatopathy without alcoholism (25 patients), group III, chronic alcoholic without hepatopathy (21 patients), and group IV, patients with chronic alcoholic hepatopathy (23 patients). The results of densitometry and biochemical parameters in relation with bone metabolism are cross checked among these 4 groups. RESULTS: We found out that patients with chronic alcoholic hepatopathy have bone mineral density (BMD), at femoral level, significatively lower than that of the other 3 groups (p < 0.05). In chronic hepatopathy, regardless of its etiology, significant alterations in biochemical parameters of bone metabolism found, consisting basically in shrinked plasmatic level of 25-hydroxivitamin-D (25-OH-D) (p < 0.05). The plasmatic levels of calcitriol, magnesium and intact parathyroid hormone (PTHi) were significantly lower in chronic alcoholic hepatopathy than in the others 3 groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic hepatopathy is associated with deficiency in vitamin D. Alcoholism added to chronic hepatopathy has a negative influence on the plasmatic levels of calcitriol, magnesium and PTHi as well as in the femur BMD. Alcoholism not associated with chronic hepatopathy is not sufficient to cause significant alterations in the studied parameters.     

New method for estimating economic penalties on Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) due to material degradation during storing

ABSTRACT

Steelmaking is immersed on continuous development of new steel products with higher performance and lower environmental footprint. This new paradigm places scrap recycling steel manufacturing processes as one of the main alternatives for the steelmaking industry. Using heterogeneous recycled scrap mixtures for building new and more demanding steel products require the use of Hot briquetted Iron (HBI) to reduce process uncertainties process. However, HBI might be stored for long periods of time and is affected by atmospheric corrosion that degrades its initial quality. The present work proposes, for the first time, a methodology to empirically quantify the influence of this degradation phenomenon on the EAF performance by extending the calculation of the Value In Use considerating degradation processes. The proposed equations allow estimating the extra cost induced by HBI degradation during storing periods and help calculating a more precise scrap mixture to deal with the required technical and cost specifications.     

Recombinant Integrin β1 Signal Peptide Blocks Gliosis Induced by Aβ Oligomers

Glial cells participate actively in the early cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. In fact, recent studies have found molecular and functional abnormalities in astrocytes and microglia in both animal models and brains of patients suffering from this pathology. In this regard, reactive gliosis intimately associated with amyloid plaques has become a pathological hallmark of AD. A recent study from our laboratory reports that astrocyte reactivity is caused by a direct interaction between amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers and integrin β1. Here, we have generated four recombinant peptides including the extracellular domain of integrin β1, and evaluated their capacity both to bind in vitro to Aβ oligomers and to prevent in vivo Aβ oligomer-induced gliosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress. We have identified the minimal region of integrin β1 that binds to Aβ oligomers. This region is called signal peptide and corresponds to the first 20 amino acids of the integrin β1 N-terminal domain. This recombinant integrin β1 signal peptide prevented Aβ oligomer-induced ROS generation in primary astrocyte cultures. Furthermore, we carried out intrahippocampal injection in adult mice of recombinant integrin β1 signal peptide combined with or without Aβ oligomers and we evaluated by immunohistochemistry both astrogliosis and microgliosis as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress. The results show that recombinant integrin β1 signal peptide precluded both astrogliosis and microgliosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress mediated by Aβ oligomers in vivo. We have developed a molecular tool that blocks the activation of the molecular cascade that mediates gliosis via Aβ oligomer/integrin β1 signaling.     

Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Cellular Populations of the Central Nervous System: The Influence of Donor Age

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a biologic therapy that promotes healing responses across multiple medical fields, including the central nervous system (CNS). The efficacy of this therapy depends on several factors such as the donor’s health status and age. This work aims to prove the effect of PRP on cellular models of the CNS, considering the differences between PRP from young and elderly donors. Two different PRP pools were prepared from donors 65–85 and 20–25 years old. The cellular and molecular composition of both PRPs were analyzed. Subsequently, the cellular response was evaluated in CNS in vitro models, studying proliferation, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and inflammation. While no differences in the cellular composition of PRPs were found, the molecular composition of the Young PRP showed lower levels of inflammatory molecules such as CCL-11, as well as the presence of other factors not found in Aged PRP (GDF-11). Although both PRPs had effects in terms of reducing neural progenitor cell apoptosis, stabilizing neuronal synapses, and decreasing inflammation in the microglia, the effect of the Young PRP was more pronounced. In conclusion, the molecular composition of the PRP, conditioned by the age of the donors, affects the magnitude of the biological response.