Publications by authors named "Gato A"

The adult mouse hippocampal neurogenic niche is a complex structure which is not completely understood. It has mainly been related to the Subgranular layer of the dentate gyrus; however, as a result of differential neural stem cell populations reported in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and associated with the hippocampus, the possibility remains of a multifocal niche reproducing developmental stages. Here, using a set of molecular markers for neural precursors, we describe in the adult mouse brain hippocampus the existence of a disperse population of neural precursors in the Subependymal Zone, the Dentate Migratory Stream and the hilus; these display dynamic behaviour compatible with neurogenesis.

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During their biosynthesis, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are decorated with a large number of posttranscriptional chemical modifications. Methods to directly detect the introduction of posttranscriptional modifications during tRNA maturation are rare and do not provide information on the temporality of modification events. Here, we report a methodology, using NMR as a tool to monitor tRNA maturation in a nondisruptive and continuous fashion in cellular extracts.

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Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are heavily decorated with post-transcriptional modifications during their biosynthesis. To fulfil their functions within cells, tRNAs undergo a tightly controlled biogenesis process leading to the formation of mature tRNAs. In addition, functions of tRNAs are often modulated by their modifications.

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The aim of the present study was to identify the efficacy and safety of Oncoxin-Viusid (OV) as a supportive treatment for patients with prostate cancer (PCA). A prospective, non-randomised, open-label phase II clinical trial, including 25 patients with hormone-refractory PCA (HRPC) was conducted at the Hospital Universitario General Calixto García (Havana, Cuba) between June 2017 and March 2018. Each of the patients received chemotherapy (CTX) and/or radiotherapy (RT) and OV treatment.

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Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are heavily decorated with post-transcriptional modifications during their biosynthesis. To fulfil their functions within cells, tRNAs undergo a tightly controlled biogenesis process leading to the formation of mature tRNAs. In particular, the introduction of post-transcriptional modifications in tRNAs is controlled and influenced by multiple factors.

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Neurogenesis is the process underlying the development of the highly evolved central nervous system (CNS) in vertebrates. Neurogenesis takes place by differentiation of specific Neural Precursor Cells in the neurogenic niche. The main objective of this review is to highlight the specific relationship between the brain cavities, and neurogenesis from neural precursors.

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The central nervous system develops around a fluid filled space which persists in the adult within the ventricles, spinal canal and around the outside of the brain and spinal cord. Ventricular fluid is known to act as a growth medium and stimulator of proliferation and differentiation to neural stem cells but the role of CSF in the subarachnoid space has not been fully investigated except for its role in the recently described "glymphatic" system. Fundamental changes occur in the control and coordination of CNS development upon completion of brain stem and spinal cord development and initiation of cortical development.

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Background: At the earliest stages of brain development, the neuroepithelium works as an interdependent functional entity together with cerebrospinal fluid, which plays a key regulatory role in neuroepithelial cell survival, replication and neurogenesis; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown in mammals.

Results: We show the presence of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), in 13.5-day rat embryo cerebrospinal fluid (eCSF).

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The embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (eCSF) influences neuroepithelial cell behavior, affecting proliferation, differentiation, and survival. One major question to resolve in the field is to precisely describe the eCSF molecules responsible and to understand how these molecules interact in order to exert their functions. Here we describe an in vitro protocol to analyze the influence of eCSF components on neuroepithelium development.

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Although the biological importance of post-transcriptional RNA modifications in gene expression is widely appreciated, methods to directly detect their introduction during RNA biosynthesis are rare and do not easily provide information on the temporal nature of events. Here, we introduce the application of NMR spectroscopy to observe the maturation of tRNAs in cell extracts. By following the maturation of yeast tRNA with time-resolved NMR measurements, we show that modifications are introduced in a defined sequential order, and that the chronology is controlled by cross-talk between modification events.

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Neurogenesis is a very intensive process during early embryonic brain development, becoming dramatically restricted in the adult brain in terms of extension and intensity. We have previously demonstrated the key role of embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in developing brain neurogenic activity. We also showed that cultured adult brain neural stem cells (NSCs) remain competent when responding to the neurogenic influence of embryonic CSF.

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Due to the effort of several research teams across the world, today we have a solid base of knowledge on the liquid contained in the brain cavities, its composition, and biological roles. Although the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is among the most relevant parts of the central nervous system from the physiological point of view, it seems that it is not a permanent and stable entity because its composition and biological properties evolve across life. So, we can talk about different CSFs during the vertebrate life span.

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Expansion of the hollow fluid-filled embryonic brain occurs by an increase in intraluminal pressure created by accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Experiments have shown a direct correlation between cavity pressure and cell proliferation within the neuroepithelium. These findings lead us to ask how mechanistically this might come about.

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Introduction: There is a nondeveloped neurogenic potential in the adult mammalian brain, which could be the basis for neuroregenerative strategies. Many research efforts have been made to understand the control mechanisms which regulate the transition from a neural precursor to a neuron in the adult brain. Embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a complex fluid which has been shown to play a key role in neural precursor behavior during development, working as a powerful neurogenic inductor.

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Embryonic-cerebrospinal fluid (E-CSF) plays crucial roles in early brain development including the control of neurogenesis. Although FGF2 and lipoproteins present in the E-CSF have previously been shown to be involved in neurogenesis, the main factor triggering this process remains unknown. E-CSF contains all-trans-retinol and retinol-binding protein involved in the synthesis of retinoic acid (RA), a neurogenesis inducer.

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Unlabelled: Portugal is at the second position of childhood obesity prevalence, among the 7-9-year-old children. There are few national studies about obesity in pre-school age, although international data point to the increase of overweigh in this age, and the beginning of obesity by the age of 3 years. The knowledge of risk factors is determinant to establish preventive measures.

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We investigated the reaction of Pb(2+), PbMe(2)(2+) and PbPh(2)(2+) with 3-(phenyl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acid (H(2)pspa) to give the complexes [Pb(pspa)], [PbMe(2)(pspa)], [PbPh(2)(pspa)], [HQ](2)[Pb(pspa)(2)] and [HQ[(2)[PbPh(2)(pspa)(2)] (HQ=diisopropylammonium), which were characterized by IR and NMR ((1)H, (13)C and (207)Pb) spectroscopy and by fast atom bombardment (FAB) spectrometry. The structures of [PbMe(2)(pspa)], [PbPh(2)(pspa)], [PbPh(2)(pspa)(dmso)].dmso and [HQ[(2)[PbPh(2)(pspa)(2)] are interesting examples of unexplored Pb coordination kernels and supramolecular association.

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The reactions of PbR(2)(OAc)(2) (R = Me, Ph) with 3-(2-thienyl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acid (H(2)tspa) in methanol or ethanol afforded complexes [PbR(2)(tspa)] that electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and IR data suggest are polymeric. X-ray studies showed that [PbPh(2)(tspa)(dmso)] x dmso, crystallized from a solution of [PbPh(2)(tspa)] in dmso, is dimeric, and that [HQ](2)[PbPh(2)(tspa)(2)] (Q = diisopropylamine), obtained after removal of [PbPh(2)(tspa)] from a reaction including Q, contains the monomeric anion [PbPh(2)(tspa)(2)](2-). In the solid state the lead atoms are O,S-chelated by the tspa(2-) ligands in all these products, and in the latter two have distorted octahedral coordination environments.

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Cerebrospinal fluid has shown itself to be an essential brain component during development. This is particularly evident at the earliest stages of development where a lot of research, performed mainly in chick embryos, supports the evidence that cerebrospinal fluid is involved in different mechanisms controlling brain growth and morphogenesis, by exerting a trophic effect on neuroepithelial precursor cells (NPC) involved in controlling the behaviour of these cells. Despite it being known that cerebrospinal fluid in mammals is directly involved in corticogenesis at fetal stages, the influence of cerebrospinal fluid on the activity of NPC at the earliest stages of brain development has not been demonstrated.

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The key focus of this review is that both the neuroepithelium and embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) work in an integrated way to promote embryonic brain growth, morphogenesis and histiogenesis. The CSF generates pressure and also contains many biologically powerful trophic factors; both play key roles in early brain development. Accumulation of fluid via an osmotic gradient creates pressure that promotes rapid expansion of the early brain in a developmental regulated way, since the rates of growth differ between the vesicles and for different species.

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It is known that interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) are expressed post-natally in normal and tumoral cells in the anterior pituitary, and that they play a role in both the liberation of different hormones and in the growth, proliferation and tumor formation of the pituitary gland. However, their expression and role during embryonic and fetal development remain unknown. We have performed an immunocytochemistry study of prenatal expression and distribution of IL-1beta and IL-6 in isolated embryonic rat Rathke's pouch prior to birth, more specifically between 13.

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Previous studies have demonstrated that during neural fold fusion in different species, an apical extracellular material rich in glycoconjugates is involved. However, the composition and the biological role of this material remain undetermined. In this paper, we show that this extracellular matrix in rat increases notably prior to contact between the neural folds, suggesting the dynamic behaviour of the secretory process.

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Gold complexes of the type [(AuPEt3)2xspa] were prepared by reacting AuPEt3Cl in basic media with the 3-(aryl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acids H2xspa [x = p, Clp, -o-mp, -p-mp, -o-hp, -p-hp, diBr-o-hp, f, t, -o-py; p = 3-phenyl, Clp = 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-, -o-mp = 3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-, -p-mp = 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-, -o-hp = 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-, -p-hp = 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-, diBr-o-hp = 3-(3,5- dibromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-, f = 3-(2-furyl)-, t = 3-(2-thienyl)-, -o-py = 3-(2-pyridyl); spa = 2-sulfanylpropenoato], and 2-cyclopentylidene-2-sulfanylacetic acid (H2cpa). The complexes were characterized by spectroscopic methods (IR, (1)H, (13)C and (31)P NMR) and mass spectrometry, and the complexes [(AuPEt3)2pspa] x 3 H2O, [(AuPEt3)2-p-hpspa] x 3 H2O, [(AuPEt3)2tspa)] x 3 H2O, and [(AuPEt3)2-o-hpspa] by X-ray diffractometry. The crystals of the first three complexes contain (H2O)6 clusters hydrogen bonded to [(AuPEt3)2xspa]2 dimer units, whereas in the -o-hpspa derivative the hydrogen bonds are between the monomer [(AuPEt3)2-o-hpspa] units.

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