Mitofusin-2 induced by exercise modifies lipid droplet-mitochondria communication, promoting fatty acid oxidation in male mice with NAFLD.

Background And Aim: The excessive accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) is a defining characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The interaction between LDs and mitochondria is functionally important for lipid metabolism homeostasis. Exercise improves NAFLD, but it is not known if it has an effect on hepatic LD-mitochondria interactions.

Synthesis of Aza-BODIPYs, Their Differential Binding for Cu(II), and Results of Bioimaging as Fluorescent Dyes of Langerhans β-Cells.

Cellular labeling through the use of dyes is of great interest to the biomedical sciences for the characterization of the location and distribution of biomolecules and also for the tracking of the course of biological processes in both health and illness. This paper reports the synthesis, characterization, and subsequent evaluation as metal sensors and cell staining probes of four aza-BODIPY compounds [herein referred to as ()]. Compounds () were found to display an outstanding selectivity for Cu(II) because their emission band at 720 nm was progressively quenched by this metal, presenting fluorescence quenching between 75 and 95%.

Beyond the Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block: A Narrative Review.

The pericapsular nerve group block shows promising results in providing pain relief with a potential motor-sparing effect in hip fracture patients. In this narrative review, we analyze the published articles, and we describe the structures achieved when performing the block. We conducted a literature search to identify the articles performing the pericapsular nerve group block, in the adult or paediatric population, from November 1, 2018, to May 15, 2021.

Role of point of care ultrasound in COVID-19 pandemic: what lies beyond the horizon?

The pandemic of COVID-19 requires rapid and easy access to reliable imaging modalities for diagnosis and follow up. Considering the cost-effectiveness of the imaging used, ultrasound is a non-ionizing, portable and bedside imaging modality with a high diagnostic impact in emergencies and intensive care units in pandemics, but it is operator dependent. In our article, we provide a comprehensive review of the role of point-of-care ultrasound in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection and its impact on the lungs, cardiovascular system, eyes and abdominal organs.

Preparation of Polymeric Films of PVDMA-PEI Functionalized with Fatty Acids for Studying the Adherence and Proliferation of Langerhans β-Cells.

This study reports the synthesis of thin polymeric films by the layer-by-layer deposition and covalent cross-linking of polyvinyl dimethylazlactone and polyethylene imine, which were functionalized with lauric (12-C), myristic (14-C), and palmitic (16-C) saturated fatty acids, whose high levels in the bloodstream are correlated with insulin resistance and the potential development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Aiming to assess the effect of the fatty acids on the adhesion and proliferation of Langerhans β-cells, all prepared films (35 and 35.5 bilayers with and without functionalization with the fatty acids) were characterized in terms of their physical, chemical, and biological properties by a battery of experimental techniques including H and C NMR, mass spectrometry, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, cell staining, and confocal laser scanning microscopy among others.

Study of the stabilization of zinc phthalocyanine in sol-gel TiO2 for photodynamic therapy applications.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as an alternative and promising noninvasive treatment for cancer. It is a two-step procedure that uses a combination of molecular oxygen, visible light, and photosensitizer (PS) agents; phthalocyanine (Pc) was supported over titanium oxide but has not yet been used for cell inactivation. Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) molecules were incorporated into the porous network of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) using the sol-gel method.

Effect of interleukin-1beta on spinal cord nociceptive transmission of normal and monoarthritic rats after disruption of glial function.

Introduction: Cytokines produced by spinal cord glia after peripheral injuries have a relevant role in the maintenance of pain states. Thus, while IL-1beta is overexpressed in the spinal cords of animals submitted to experimental arthritis and other chronic pain models, intrathecal administration of IL-1beta to healthy animals induces hyperalgesia and allodynia and enhances wind-up activity in dorsal horn neurons.

Methods: To investigate the functional contribution of glial cells in the spinal cord nociceptive transmission, the effect of intrathecally administered IL-1beta was studied in both normal and adjuvant-induced arthritic rats with or without glial inhibition.

Alkylation of 2,4-(1H,3H)-quinazolinediones with dialkyl carbonates under microwave irradiations.

Alkylation is a very important chemical reaction which modifies the biological properties of drugs. Quinazolinedione derivatives are of considerable interest due to their wide array of pharmacological properties.We now report application of a practical alkylation procedure to several quinazolinediones, including pelanserine (5f), which shows antihypertensive properties, 1-methyl-3-(2'-phenylethyl)-1H,3H-quinazoline-2,4-dione (1ab) and 1-methyl-3-[2'-(4'-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-lH,3H-quinazoline-2,4-dione (1ae), which had been isolated from natural sources.