Viscoelastic properties of colloidal systems with attractive solid particles at low concentration: A review, new results and interpretations.

This paper concerns the viscoelastic properties and the resulting structure of colloidal systems with short-range attractions in the regime where the volume fraction f is small. Unlike the high ϕ regime, which is well understood in terms of mode-coupling theory (MCT), the low ϕ regime is still the subject of a debate based on different concepts such as percolation, diffusion-limited colloidal aggregation (DLCA), jamming, or cluster mode-coupling approach. Prior to the analysis of three examples of attractive systems at low ϕ values, a summary of concepts relevant to understanding the formation and properties of such attractive particles is discussed in the present study.

Identification of a Novel β-Defensin Gene in Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata).

The excessive use of antibiotics in aquaculture favors the natural selection of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could be a promising alternative to this problem. The most studied AMPs in teleost fish are piscidins, hepcidins, and β-defensins. In this work, we have found a new gene (defb2) encoding a type 2 β-defensin in the genome of gilthead seabream, a species chosen for its economic interest in aquaculture.

Upregulation of Orai Channels Contributes to Aging-Related Vascular Alterations in Rat Coronary Arteries.

Vascular territories display heterogeneous sensitivity to the impacts of aging. The relevance of the STIM/Orai system to vascular function depends on the vascular bed. We aimed to evaluate the contribution of the STIM/Orai system to aging-related vascular dysfunction in rat coronary circulation.

Biotechnological production of reduced and oxidized NAD precursors.

Dysregulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) homeostasis by increased activity of NAD consumers or reduced NAD biosynthesis plays an important role in the onset of prevalent, often age-related, diseases, such as diabetes, neuropathies or nephropathies. To counteract such dysregulation, NAD replenishment strategies can be used. Among these, administration of vitamin B derivatives (NAD precursors) has garnered attention in recent years.

Functional Role of STIM-1 and Orai1 in Human Microvascular Aging.

The impact of aging on vascular function is heterogeneous depending on the vascular territories. Calcium regulation plays a key role in vascular function and has been implicated in aging-related hypercontractility of corpus cavernosum. We aimed to evaluate stromal interaction molecule (STIM)/Orai system involvement in aging-related vascular alterations in the human macro and microvasculature.