Melatonin, an Antitumor Necrosis Factor Therapy.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a biomarker of inflammation whose levels are elevated in patients with several diseases associated with dysregulation of the immune response. The main limitations of currently used anti-TNF therapies are the induction of immunodepression, which in many cases leads to serious adverse effects such as infection and cancer, and the inability to cross the blood-brain barrier in neuroinflammatory conditions. Melatonin, in addition to being a chronobiotic compound, is widely known for its antioxidant and immunomodulatory capacity to control inflammatory processes in different pathological contexts.

Melatonin synergistically potentiates the effect of methylprednisolone on reducing neuroinflammation in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology characterized by infiltration of encephalitogenic cells in the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in the presence of multifocal areas of demyelination leading to neurodegeneration. The infiltrated immune cells population is composed mainly of effector CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells that secrete pro-inflammatory factors that eventually damage myelin leading to axonal damage. The most common clinical form of MS is relapsing-remitting (RR), characterized by neuroinflammatory episodes followed by partial or total recovery of neurological deficits.

Anti-obesogenic effect of lupin-derived protein hydrolysate through modulation of adiposopathy, insulin resistance and gut dysbiosis in a diet-induced obese mouse.

The prevalence of obesity is increasingly widespread, resembling a global epidemic. Lifestyle changes, such as consumption of high-energy-dense diets and physical inactivity, are major contributors to obesity. Common features of this metabolic pathology involve an imbalance in lipid and glucose homeostasis including dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and adipose tissue dysfunction.

Coastal lagoons in the United Arab Emirates serve as critical habitats for globally threatened marine megafauna.

Shallow coastal lagoons are vital ecosystems for many aquatic species and understanding their biodiversity is essential. Very little is known about the distribution and abundance of globally threatened marine megafauna in coastal lagoons of the Arabian Gulf. This study combined underwater and aerial surveys to investigate the distributions and relative abundance of marine megafauna in a large lagoon.

The Impressive Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles: More than Redox?

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) are biocompatible nanozymes exerting multifunctional biomimetic activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase, photolyase, and phosphatase. SOD- and catalase-mimesis depend on Ce/Ce redox switch on nanoparticle surface, which allows scavenging the most noxious reactive oxygen species in a self-regenerating, energy-free manner. As oxidative stress plays pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders, CNPs have recently attracted attention as potential anti-inflammatory agents.

Expanding ocean protection and peace: a window for science diplomacy in the Gulf.

The ecological state of the Persian or Arabian Gulf (hereafter 'Gulf') is in sharp decline. Calls for comprehensive ecosystem-based management approaches and transboundary conservation have gone largely unanswered, despite mounting marine threats made worse by climate change. The region's long-standing political tensions add additional complexity, especially now as some Gulf countries will soon adopt ambitious goals to protect their marine environments as part of new global environmental commitments.

Environmental assessment of oyster beds in the northern Arabian Gulf Coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The United Arab of Emirates (UAE) hosts valuable coastal and marine biodiversity, and oysters are one of the habitants of its marine ecosystem. Oysters play an essential role in the nearshore coasts where they work as an active filter. They filter nutrients, phytoplankton, sediments, heavy metals, and toxins out of the water, which improves the water quality.

GPX3 Overexpression in Cumulus Cells Entails a Poor Prognosis for Uterine Implantation of Morphotype A Embryos.

Morphological embryo quality is an accurate prognostic tool for the success of assisted reproduction implantation, although complete certainty cannot be guaranteed. The transcriptome of the cumulus cells could be monitored as a faithful reflex of the physiological state of the oocytes, given the molecular crosstalk between both types of cells. Here, we compare the expression of specific genes related to oocyte competence, such as hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2), cell division control protein 42 (CDC42), connexin 43 (CX43), and glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), in cumulus cells from implanted versus non-implanted embryos in 25 women, using RT-qPCR.

A Lupin () Protein Hydrolysate Exerts Anxiolytic-Like Effects in Western Diet-Fed ApoE Mice.

Anxiety is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder worldwide, causing a substantial economic burden due to the associated healthcare costs. Given that commercial anxiolytic treatments may cause important side effects and have medical restrictions for prescription and high costs, the search for new natural and safer treatments is gaining attention. Since lupin protein hydrolysate (LPH) has been shown to be safe and exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, key risk factors for the anxiety process and memory impairment, we evaluated in this study the potential effects of LPH on anxiety and spatial memory in a Western diet (WD)-induced anxiety model in ApoE mice.

Oyster beds in the United Arab Emirates: Important fishing grounds in need of protection.

There is scarce information on the current importance of oyster beds as fishing grounds in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aims to understand the socio-economic value of oyster bed fisheries through questionnaire-based surveys with fishers. Of 106 Emirati fishers interviewed, 67 % use oyster beds due to the proximity to shore, better catch quality, and species abundance.

Bioactive Peptides from Lupin () Prevent the Early Stages of Atherosclerosis in Western Diet-Fed ApoE Mice.

We have previously reported the hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of Alcalase-generated lupin protein hydrolysate (LPH). Given that lipoprotein deposition, oxidative stress, and inflammation are the main components of atherogenesis, we characterized the LPH composition, in silico identified LPH-peptides with activities related to atherosclerosis, and evaluated the LPH effects on atherosclerosis risk factors in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. After 15 min of Alcalase hydrolysis, peptides smaller than 8 kDa were obtained, and 259 peptides out of 278 peptides found showed biological activities related to atherosclerosis risk factors.

Coral reefs at Sir Bu Nair Island: An offshore refuge of Acropora in the southern Arabian Gulf.

Coral reefs across the southern Arabian Gulf have declined in the past two decades, with extensive loss of formerly Acropora table corals, which are now functionally extinct in nearshore reefs. This study documents the coral community at Sir Bu Nair (SBN), an offshore island buffered by less extreme environmental conditions, which contains the last remaining large stands of Acropora in the southern Gulf. We found that Acropora is a major reef-building coral throughout SBN.

Protein Hydrolysates Reduce Abdominal Adiposity and Ameliorate Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) in Western Diet Fed-ApoE Mice.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most important cause of liver disease worldwide. It is characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver and is closely associated with abdominal obesity. In addition, oxidative stress and inflammation are significant features involved in MAFLD.

Safety and Efficacy of a Beverage Containing Lupine Protein Hydrolysates on the Immune, Oxidative and Lipid Status in Healthy Subjects: An Intervention Study (the Lupine-1 Trial).

Scope: We have previously demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of in vitro administered Lupinus angustifolius protein hydrolysates (LPHs) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a beverage containing LPHs (LPHb) on the immune, oxidative and metabolic status of healthy subjects.

Methods And Results: In this open-label intervention, 33 participants daily ingest a LPHb containing 1 g LPHs for 28 days.

Arabidopsis MYB28 and MYB29 transcription factors are involved in ammonium-mediated alterations of root-system architecture.

Ammonium (NH) is known to produce alterations in root-system architecture, notably, by inhibiting primary root elongation and stimulating lateral root branching. This stimulation is associated with higher auxin transport promoted by apoplast acidification. Recently, we showed that MYB28 and MYB29 transcription factors play a role in ammonium tolerance, since its double mutant () is highly hypersensitive toward ammonium nutrition in relation to altered Fe homeostasis.

Arabidopsis thaliana transcription factors MYB28 and MYB29 shape ammonium stress responses by regulating Fe homeostasis.

Although ammonium (NH ) is a key intermediate of plant nitrogen metabolism, high concentrations of NH in the soil provoke physiological disorders that lead to the development of stress symptoms. Ammonium nutrition was shown to induce the accumulation of glucosinolates (GSLs) in leaves of different Brassicaceae species. To further understand the link between ammonium nutrition and GSLs, we analysed the ammonium stress response of Arabidopsis mutants impaired in GSL metabolic pathway.

Applying an integrated approach to coastal marine habitat mapping in the north-western United Arab Emirates.

Habitat mapping is essential for the management and conservation of coastal marine habitats. However, accurate and up-to-date habitat maps are rarely available for the marine realm. In this study, we mapped the coastal marine habitats of >400 km of coastline in the north-western United Arab Emirates (UAE) using a combination of data sources including remote sensing, extensive ground-truthing points, local expert knowledge and existing information.

Immunomodulatory and Antioxidant Properties of Wheat Gluten Protein Hydrolysates in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Peptides from several plant food proteins not only maintain the nutritional values of the original protein and decrease the environmental impact of animal agriculture, but also exert biological activities with significant health-beneficial effects. Wheat is the most important food grain source in the world. However, negative attention on wheat-based products has arose due to the role of gluten in celiac disease.

Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes with a thiazoline derivative ligand: Synthesis, structural characterization, antiproliferative activity and evaluation of pro-apoptotic ability in tumor cell lines HT-29 and U-937.

Eluding apoptosis represents the hallmark of tumoral cell behavior. Cisplatin (CisPt) is a very common chemotherapeutic agent to treat cancer by reestablishing apoptotic mechanisms of cell death. However, certain patients acquire resistance to CisPt as well as suffer nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, nausea and vomiting.

Extended composite index of anthropometric failure in Argentinean preschool and school children.

Objective: The Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) can only be applied to children under 5 years of age and does not contemplate obesity. The aim of this study was to propose an Extended CIAF (ECIAF) that combines the characterization of malnutrition due to undernutrition and excess weight, and apply it in six Argentine provinces.

Design: ECIAF excludes children not in anthropometric failure (group A) and was calculated from a percentage of children included in malnutrition categories B: wasting only; C: wasting and underweight; D: wasting, stunting and underweight; E: stunting and underweight; F: stunting only; Y: underweight only; G: only weight excess; and H: stunting and weight excess.

Impact of Melatonin Supplementation in Women with Unexplained Infertility Undergoing Fertility Treatment.

Unexplained infertility occurs when common causes for a couple's inability to conceive have been excluded. Although origins of idiopathic infertility are still unclear, factors, such as an altered oxidative balance, are believed to be involved. Melatonin is an outstanding antioxidant reportedly present in the follicular fluid (FF), which has been suggested as a useful tool in the management of human fertility.

Reference percentiles for mid-upper arm circumference, upper arm muscle and fat areas in the Argentine child and adolescent population (4-14 years old).

Introduction: Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is widely recognized as an adequate indicator of nutritional status.

Objective: To estimate the reference percentiles for MUAC, upper arm muscle area (UAMA), and upper arm fat area (UAFA) in the Argentine child and adolescent population using the LMS method (lambda, mu, sigma).

Materials And Methods: The sample was made up of schoolchildren aged 4.

Comparative study of mid-upper arm circumference, arm muscle area and arm fat area percentiles in Argentinean and US children aged 4-14 years.

Background: mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), subcutaneous fat and muscle measurements are an alternative method to diagnose overweight and evaluate growth as well as protein and energy reserves. Aim: to compare MUAC, arm muscle area (AMA) and arm fat area (AFA) measurements of Argentinean boys and girls (Sa) with reference curves for US boys and girls (R). Subjects and methods: data from 22,736 school-children aged 4-14 years from six Argentinean provinces were collected.

Apoptosis Is a Demanding Selective Tool During the Development of Fetal Male Germ Cells.

Apoptosis is widely known to play a major role on diseases related to male infertility. Diseases of the male genital tract as defective spermatogenesis, decreased sperm motility, sperm DNA fragmentation, testicular torsion, varicocele and immunological infertility are strongly related to apoptotic cell death. Apoptosis must not be considered only as a fail on germ cell physiology or a secondary effect of certain pathologies and exogenous hazardous agents.

Melatonin diminishes oxidative damage in sperm cells, improving assisted reproductive techniques.

Sperm preparation procedures are a potential generator of oxidative stress-induced DNA damage, which leads to a dramatic drop in fertility. An increasing number of studies suggest that melatonin reduces the oxidative stress induced by manipulation. However, very little is known about the preservative role of melatonin in sperm preparation medium during assisted reproduction procedures.