Human hypertensive placenta contains an increased amount of Na,K-ATPase with higher affinity for cardiac glycosides

Placentas of women suffering from pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) were found to contain a greater amount of Na,K-ATPase molecules, estimated from anthroyl ouabain binding, than normotensive individuals. Both the microsomal fraction of placental cells and purified Na,K-ATPase showed an increased affinity for the specific inhibitor ouabain which, in the case of the microsomes, bound with a dissociation constant of 0.9 nM as compared with 3.4 nM in the controls. Likewise, the dissociation constant of the ouabain complex with purified Na,K-ATPase was about 3.5 times lower in the hypertensive patients. The differences are apparently caused by a different microenvironment of the ouabain-binding site, as reflected in the quantum yield of bound anthroyl ouabain. If an endogenous digitalis-like factor is present in the body fluids to regulate Na,K-ATPase activity, the present results render its role quite plausible.     

Regulation of Collagen Synthesis in Human Dermal Fibroblasts in Contracted Collagen Gels by Ascorbic Acid, Growth Factors, and Inhibitors of Lipid Peroxidation

Ascorbic acid has been shown to stimulate collagen synthesis in monolayer cultures of human dermal fibroblasts. In the present studies, we examined whether the presence of a collagen matrix influences this response of dermal fibroblasts to ascorbic acid. Fibroblasts and collagen were mixed and allowed to gel and contract for 6 days to form a matrix prior to determining the concentration and time dependence for ascorbic acid to affect collagen synthesis by fibroblasts within the matrix. Collagen synthesis was stimulated at levels at or above 10 μM ascorbic acid and was maximal after 2 days of treatment. This concentration and time dependence is similar to that of cells grown in monolayer cultures. The effects of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) were also examined in this model. TGF-β increased and FGF inhibited collagen synthesis in the gels, as has been shown for cells in monolayer cultures. The effects of potential inhibitors of lipid peroxidation induced by ascorbic acid were also examined in these matrices and compared to previous results obtained in monolayer cultures. Propyl gallate, cobalt chloride, α,α-dipyridyl, and α-tocopherol inhibited the ascorbic acid-mediated stimulation of collagen synthesis while mannitol had no effect. Natural retinoids inhibited total protein synthesis without the specific effect on collagen synthesis that was seen in monolayer cultures. These results indicate that ascorbic acid stimulates collagen synthesis in fibroblasts grown in a collagen matrix in a manner similar to that found in monolayer cultures. In contracting collagen gels, however, the magnitude of the effect is less and retinoids do not specifically inhibit collagen synthesis.     

Analysis of parameters about useful life extension in 70 tools and methods related to eco-design and circular economy

One of the approaches followed by the circular economy (CE) to achieve sustainability through design is product life extension. Extending the life of products to make them useful for as long as possible is a means to reduce waste production and materials consumption, as well as the related impacts. For designers, conceptualizing products in a way that allows them to be used for longer is a challenge, and assessing how well they extend their lifespan can be helpful when it comes to choosing the best proposal. In this paper, 70 tools and methods related to eco-design and circular economy are studied to determine how many of them consider parameters related to life extension and which can be applied in the early stages of design. The results of the analysis show that most of the existing tools and methods are applicable to developed products, and only a few of them take into account parameters related to extending the useful life. Of the 70 tools and methods, only 14 include some parameter related to life extension and are applicable to concepts. CE toolkit, Eco-design PILOT, CE Designer, Circularity Assessment tool, Circularity Potential Indicator and Circular Design Tools take into consideration eight or more parameters to assess life extension in concepts. This will help designers select the most appropriate and will indicate the need for more complete tools to consider useful life extension in the early stages of design and thus enhance the selection of more sustainable products.     

Molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress-related neonatal jaundice

Oxidative stress is a pathological condition characterized by an overload of oxidant products, named free radicals, which are not well counteracted by antioxidant systems. Free radicals induce oxidative damage to many body organs and systems. In neonatal red blood cells, free-radical mediated-oxidative stress leads to eryptosis, a suicidal death process of erythrocytes consequent to alteration of cell integrity. Neonatal red blood cells are targets and at the same time generators of free radicals through the Fenton and Haber-Weiss reactions. Enhanced eryptosis in case of oxidative stress damage may cause anemia if the increased loss of erythrocytes is not enough compensated by enhanced new erythrocytes synthesis. The oxidative disruption of the red cells may cause unconjugated idiopathic hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. High levels of bilirubin are recognized to be dangerous for the central nervous system in newborns, however, many studies have highlighted the antioxidant function of bilirubin. Recently, it has been suggested that physiologic concentration of bilirubin correlates with higher antioxidant status while high pathological bilirubin levels are associated with pro-oxidants effects. The aim of this educational review is to provide an updated understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying erythrocyte oxidant injury and its reversal in neonatal idiopathic hyperbilirubinemia.     

Proportional processing of a visual mate choice signal in the green swordtail,Xiphophorus hellerii

During mate choice, receivers often assess the magnitude (duration, size, etc.) of signals that vary along a continuum and reflect variation in signaller quality. It is generally assumed that receivers assess this variation linearly, meaning each difference in signalling trait between signallers results in a commensurate change in receiver response. However, increasing evidence shows receivers can respond to signals non-linearly, for example through Weber's Law of proportional processing, where discrimination between stimuli is based on proportional, rather than absolute, differences in magnitude. We quantified mate preferences of female green swordtail fish, Xiphophorus hellerii, for pairs of males differing in body size. Preferences for larger males were better predicted by the proportional difference between males (proportional processing) than the absolute difference (linear processing). This demonstration of proportional processing of a visual signal implies that receiver perception may be an important mechanism selecting against the evolution of ever-larger signalling traits.     

Towards an ethical and legal framework in archeogenomics: A local case in the Atlantic coast of central Patagonia

Ethical discussions around ancient DNA (aDNA) research predate the technological breakthroughs that led to the accelerated generation of ancient genomic data, revealing a long-due need to address these aspects in the field. Given the diverse conflicts that genomics has raised towards the communities associated with the Non-living Human Ancestors under study, it has been suggested that the ethical and legal implications of genetically studying present-day and ancient human populations should be considered case-by-case. Nevertheless, the discussions have focused on US and European perspectives. To contribute from a local and Latin American position to the problem, we present the history of consensus and disagreement of the relationships between scientists and Indigenous communities of the Atlantic coast of the central Argentinian Patagonia. We describe how these relationships resulted in the approval of a groundbreaking provincial law that acknowledges the Indigenous community's right to be involved in decision-making concerning their Ancestors. In addition, we emphasize how these established relationships allowed the development of aDNA studies. With this background, we address the main ethical concerns of genomic studies of Ancestors identified in the reference literature and commit to applying some of the recommendations suggested in those ethical guidelines. Then, we reflect on possible negative consequences of ongoing research and propose some suggestions based on personal experiences that will contribute to moving the ethical field towards a more contextualized science with a local perspective.