Search results for "homeostasi"

The nitric oxide related therapeutic phenomenon: a challenging task.

2002

Nitric oxide (NO), produced from L-arginine by the activity of constitutive and inducible NO synthases, has been implicated in a wide range of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Low concentrations of this mediator play homeostatic roles, whereas NO is up-regulated in a number of pathological states and can have damaging effects. Pharmacological modulation of NO levels or NO biosynthesis may be a therapeutic strategy for a number of conditions, although the reported results can be some times controversial. Inhibitors of NO synthases exhibit different selectivity for the neuronal, endothelial or inducible isoforms, which contributes to their beneficial and detrimental effects. Re…

<p>Circulating Irisin Levels as a Marker of Osteosarcopenic-Obesity in Cushing’s Disease</p>

2020

Purpose To evaluate circulating irisin levels in patients with active and controlled Cushing's disease (CD). Design Forty-four patients with CD evaluated during the active phase and after 12 months of biochemical remission and 40 controls were recruited. Methods Phenotypic, anthropometric, hormonal and metabolic parameters, including insulin sensitivity estimation by homeostatic model of insulin resistance, Matsuda index and oral disposition index and circulating irisin levels were evaluated. Results Patients with active CD showed lower irisin levels compared to controls (p<0.001) and controlled CD (p<0.001). The independent variables significantly associated with irisin were waist circumf…

From foes to friends: Viral infections expand the limits of host phenotypic plasticity

2020

Phenotypic plasticity enables organisms to survive in the face of unpredictable environmental stress. Intimately related to the notion of phenotypic plasticity is the concept of the reaction norm that places phenotypic plasticity in the context of a genotype-specific response to environmental gradients. Whether reaction norms themselves evolve and which factors might affect their shape has been the object of intense debates among evolutionary biologists along the years. Since their discovery, viruses have been considered as pathogens. However, new viromic techniques and a shift in conceptual paradigms are showing that viruses are mostly non-pathogenic ubiquitous entities. Recent studies hav…

B-cell maintenance, response and surveillance (ML11)

2010

Dare to jump: The effect of the new high impact activity SuperJump on bone remodeling. A new tool to maintain fitness during COVID-19 home confinement

2021

SuperJump is a high impact activity performed on an elastic trampoline that mixes aerobic and anaerobic exercises already proposed as home-based activity for preventing a sedentary lifestyle. We determined in a randomized controlled trial whether 20 weeks of SuperJump activity would promote bone formation and reduce resorption in eumenorrheic women. Twenty-four women were randomized to a non-exercise group (control group) or an exercise group that performed SuperJump activity three times a week for 20 weeks. Blood samples were collected in both groups at baseline and at the end of the 20 weeks and compared within and between the groups for C-terminal telopeptide (CTX), a marker of bone reso…

Arabidopsis copper transport protein COPT2 participates in the crosstalk between iron deficiency responses and low phosphate signaling

2013

[EN] Copper and iron are essential micronutrients for most living organisms because they participate as cofactors in biological processes, including respiration, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress protection. In many eukaryotic organisms, including yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and mammals, copper and iron homeostases are highly interconnected; yet, such interdependence is not well established in higher plants. Here, we propose that COPT2, a high-affinity copper transport protein, functions under copper and iron deficiencies in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). COPT2 is a plasma membrane protein that functions in copper acquisition and distribution. Characterization of the COPT2 expr…

Establishment of a pulmonary epithelial barrier on biodegradable poly-L-lactic-acid membranes

2019

Development of biocompatible and functional scaffolds for tissue engineering is a major challenge, especially for development of polarised epithelia that are critical structures in tissue homeostasis. Different in vitro models of the lung epithelial barrier have been characterized using non-degradable polyethylene terephthalate membranes which limits their uses for tissue engineering. Although poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) membranes are biodegradable, those prepared via conventional Diffusion Induced Phase Separation (DIPS) lack open-porous geometry and show limited permeability compromising their use for epithelial barrier studies. Here we used PLLA membranes prepared via a modification of the…

Paratransgenic manipulation of a tsetse microRNA alters the physiological homeostasis of the fly’s midgut environment

2021

Tsetse flies are vectors of parasitic African trypanosomes, the etiological agents of human and animal African trypanosomoses. Current disease control methods include fly-repelling pesticides, fly trapping, and chemotherapeutic treatment of infected people and animals. Inhibiting tsetse’s ability to transmit trypanosomes by strengthening the fly’s natural barriers can serve as an alternative approach to reduce disease. The peritrophic matrix (PM) is a chitinous and proteinaceous barrier that lines the insect midgut and serves as a protective barrier that inhibits infection with pathogens. African trypanosomes must cross tsetse’s PM in order to establish an infection in the fly, and PM struc…

The Arabidopsis COPT6 Transport Protein Functions in Copper Distribution Under Copper-Deficient Conditions

2013

Copper (Cu), an essential redox active cofactor, participates in fundamental biological processes, but it becomes highly cytotoxic when present in excess. Therefore, living organisms have established suitable mechanisms to balance cellular and systemic Cu levels. An important strategy to maintain Cu homeostasis consists of regulating uptake and mobilization via the conserved family of CTR/COPT Cu transport proteins. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, COPT1 protein mediates root Cu acquisition, whereas COPT5 protein functions in Cu mobilization from intracellular storage organelles. The function of these transporters becomes critical when environmental Cu bioavailability diminishes. Ho…

Moderate-Vigorous Physical Activity across Body Mass Index in Females : Moderating Effect of Endocannabinoids and Temperament

2014

Altres ajuts: This manuscript was supported by grants from Instituto Salud Carlos III (FIS PI11/210 and CIBERobn). Sarah Sauchelli is recipient of a pre-doctoral Grant (2013-17) by IDIBELL. Jose C. Fernández-García is recipient of a 'Rio Hortega' contract from 'Instituto de Salud Carlos III', Madrid, Spain (CM12/00059). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Endocannabinoids and temperament traits have been linked to both physical activity and body mass index (BMI) however no study has explored how these factors interact in females. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to 1) examine differences…