Serum Sclerostin in Hepatitis C Virus Infected Patients

E. González-Reimers,Javier López-Prieto,Ricardo Pelazas-González,M.Remedios Alemán-Valls,María José de la Vega-Prieto,Carlos Jorge-Ripper,M. Carmen Durán-Castellón,F Santolaria-Fernández 대한골대사학회 2014 대한골대사학회지 Vol.21 No.1

Background: Sclerostin inhibits osteoblast functions, differentiations, and survival rates. As an endogenous inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, the sclerostin should be re-lated to decreased bone masses, although several studies indicate opposite results. Inaddition, it may be related to insulin resistances and carbohydrate metabolisms, a rela-tion shared with other markers of bone metabolisms, such as osteocalcin. Hepatitis C vi-rus (HCV) infected patients may present osteoporosis, and frequently show liver steato-sis, which is a consequence of insulin resistance. The behaviour of sclerostin in these pa-tients is yet unknown. The aim of this work is to analyse the relationships between se-rum sclerostin and osteocalcin levels and bone mineral density (BMD), liver functions,the intensity of liver steatosis and biochemical markers of bone homeostasis and insulinresistance in HCV-infected patients. Methods: Forty HCV patients with 20 years of ageand gender-matching controls were included in this study and underwent bone densi-tometry. Serum sclerostin, osteocalcin, collagen telopeptide, adiponectin, leptin, insulin,resistin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 were determined. Liver fatwas histomorphometrically assessed. Results: Sclerostin levels were slightly higher inpatients than in controls, and were directly related to BMD at different parts of the skele-ton, also to the serum telopeptide, and to the liver steatosis and TNF-α. On the contrary,osteocalcin showed a significant direct relationship with serum adiponectin, and an in-verse one with IL-6. Conclusions: Serum sclerostin levels were within the normal rangein HCV patients, and correlated directly with BMD and serum telopeptide. In addition,the relationships of sclerostin and osteocalcin with variables associated with insulin re-sistance suggested the role of bones for intermediary metabolisms.

Self-assembly study of type I collagen extracted from male Wistar Hannover rat tail tendons

Jeimmy González-Masís,Jorge M. Cubero-Sesin,Simón Guerrero,Sara González-Camacho,Yendry Regina Corrales-Ureña,Carlos Redondo-Gómez,José Roberto Vega-Baudrit,Rodolfo J. Gonzalez-Paz 한국생체재료학회 2020 생체재료학회지 Vol.24 No.4

Background: Collagen, the most abundant protein in the animal kingdom, represents a promising biomaterial for regenerative medicine applications due to its structural diversity and self-assembling complexity. Despite collagen’s widely known structural and functional features, the thermodynamics behind its fibrillogenic self-assembling process is still to be fully understood. In this work we report on a series of spectroscopic, mechanical, morphological and thermodynamic characterizations of high purity type I collagen (with a D-pattern of 65 nm) extracted from Wistar Hannover rat tail. Our herein reported results can be of help to elucidate differences in selfassembly states of proteins using ITC to improve the design of energy responsive and dynamic materials for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Methods: Herein we report the systematic study on the self-assembling fibrillogenesis mechanism of type I collagen, we provide morphological and thermodynamic evidence associated to different self-assembly events using ITC titrations. We provide thorough characterization of the effect of pH, effect of salts and protein conformation on self-assembled collagen samples via several complementary biophysical techniques, including circular dichroism (CD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results: Emphasis was made on the use of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) for the thermodynamic monitoring of fibrillogenesis stages of the protein. An overall self-assembly enthalpy value of 3.27 ± 0.85 J/mol was found. Different stages of the self-assembly mechanism were identified, initial stages take place at pH values lower than the protein isoelectric point (pI), however, higher energy release events were recorded at collagen’s pI. Denatured collagen employed as a control exhibited higher energy absorption at its pI, suggesting different energy exchange mechanisms as a consequence of different aggregation routes.

Physical Inactivity, Sedentary Behavior and Chronic Diseases

Karimé González,Jorge Fuentes,José Luis Márquez 대한가정의학회 2017 Korean Journal of Family Medicine Vol.38 No.3

New research into physical activity suggests that it is no longer sufficient just to meet minimum levels recommend-ed by health guidelines in order to reduce cardiovascular risk. Both physical inactivity and sedentary behavior have their own health hazards and need to be addressed separately, in order to explore their different deleterious mech-anisms. The aim of this review was to define and to characterize both concepts, and their relationship with major non-communicable chronic diseases. A PubMed database search was undertaken, using the following key words: physical activity, physical inactivity, sedentarism, sedentary behavior, and non-communicable chronic disease. This literature review provides an updated view on physical inactivity and sedentary behavior, and reevaluates their prevalence and association with major non-communicable chronic disease.

Titanium-modified MCM-41 molecular sieves as efficient supports to increase the hydrogenation abilities of NiMoS and CoMoS catalysts

Franklin J. Méndez,Roylena Vargas,Joel Blanco,Yahsé Rojas-Challa,Ernesto Bastardo-González,Jorge A. García-Macedo,Esneyder Puello-Polo,Joaquín L. Brito 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.95 No.-

Ti modified MCM-41-supported NiMo and CoMo catalysts and their respective Ti free reference catalystswere prepared, characterized, and tested for the hydrodesulfurization reactions. The samples weresynthesized by well-known procedures, such as liquid crystal templating and successive impregnationmethod for the supports and catalysts, respectively. Ti precursor was directly incorporated into themicellar solution before adding the silica precursor at different molar Si/Ti ratios (x = 75 and 50). Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy, solid-state 29Si-nuclear magnetic resonance, small- and wide-angle Xraydiffraction, and nitrogen physisorption were used as characterization techniques. Four sulfidedcatalysts were also characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The catalystsshowed important increases in the reaction rates during both thiophene and dibenzothiophenehydrodesulfurization when the support was structurally modified with Ti-atoms. The samples supportedon Ti-MCM-41(75) presented a higher activity than those supported on Ti-MCM-41(50), and they weresuperior to their respective Si-MCM-41-supported NiMoS and CoMoS catalysts, even NiMoTiM75 andCoMoTiM75 catalysts presented better performance compared to the conventional NiMo/Al2O3 andCoMo/Al2O3 catalysts in the DBT hydrodesulfurization. Ti incorporation also enhanced the selectivities tothe hydrogenated products, which could be beneficial to destabilize refractory S-containing molecules.

Hb Murcia (β118(G19)His>Gln): A New Hemoglobin Variant Found in a Spanish Woman

Fernández Beatriz González,Campuzano José Bartolomé Nieto,Rocamora Dolores García,Nieto Jorge M,Fernández Fernando Ataúlfo González,Villegas Ana,Cuesta Celina Benavente,Ropero Paloma 대한진단검사의학회 2021 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.41 No.5

Chewing ability, courtship and egg-laying behaviors of the parasitoid wasp Melittobia sosui Dahms, 1984 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Huy Pham Phong,Thi Tu Nguyen Anh,González Jorge M. 한국응용곤충학회 2024 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.27 No.2

We present observations on Melittobia sosui Dahms chewing ability, courtship and egg-laying behaviors. Under laboratory conditions and with 12 tested different hosts, the parasitoid took a successful chewing on cocoons of four Sphecidae wasps and puparia of Drosophilidae and Muscidae flies. The highest successful chewing pro portion was 83.3% on Chalybion bengalense (Sphecidae) cocoons. During courtship, the male mounted the fe male ’ s back by grasping her pronotum with his forelegs, his hindlegs straddling her abdomen, his midlegs raising upwards, and clasping the female’s antennal tips into his antennal scapes. The male tapped his midlegs on the female ’ s midlegs or pronotum, shook his antennae and simultaneously fluttered the wings. A male of M. sosui could courtship many females, even female pupae. After feeding on hemolymph exuded from the wounds made by her sting, the physogastric female laid batches of eggs. To oviposit, the female extended her legs to the sides and her wings were raised to an angle of about 45 ◦ from the body. She exposed and lowered her ovipositor often perpendicular to the host surface and laid eggs; after each oviposition her abdominal apex was slightly raised upwards.