Altered PLCβ/IP/Ca Signaling Pathway Activated by GPRCs in Olfactory Neuronal Precursor Cells Derived from Patients Diagnosed with Schizophrenia.

: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a multifactorial chronic psychiatric disorder with a worldwide prevalence of 1%. Altered expression of PLCβ occurs in SZ patients, suggesting alterations in the PLCβ/IP/Ca signaling pathway. This cascade regulates critical cellular processes in all cell types, including the neuronal lineage; however, there is scarce evidence regarding the functionality of this transduction signaling in neuronal cells derived from SZ patients.

NDMA enhances claudin-1 and -6 expression viaCYP2E1/ROS in AGS cells.

Carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds, especially N-nitroso dimethylamine, increase the risk of gastric cancer development. Cytochrome P450-2E1 metabolizes this compound, thus generating an oxidant microenvironment. We aimed to evaluate in gastric adenocarcinoma cells if its effect on CYP2E1 and ROS affects signaling pathways associated with gastric cancer oncogenesis.

The Interstitial Gland as a Source of Pro- or Anti-Senescent Cells during Chinchilla Rabbit Ovarian Aging.

The aging ovary in mammals leads to the reduced production of sex hormones and a deterioration in follicle quality. The interstitial gland originates from the hypertrophy of the theca cells of atretic follicles and represents an accumulative structure of the ovary that may contribute to its aging. Here, reproductive and mature rabbit ovaries are used to determine whether the interstitial gland plays a crucial role in ovarian aging.

and Its Active Compound Quercetin as Ca Inhibitors in the Contraction of Airway Smooth Muscle.

The family includes species considered to be medicinal. Their essential oil is used for headaches, colds, cough, and bronchitis. Cedar trees like () are commonly found in urban areas.

17β-estradiol induces hyperresponsiveness in guinea pig airway smooth muscle by inhibiting the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase.

High serum estrogen concentrations are associated with asthma development and severity, suggesting a link between estradiol and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). 17β-estradiol (E2) has non-genomic effects via Ca regulatory mechanisms; however, its effect on the plasma membrane Ca-ATPases (PMCA1 and 4) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA) is unknown. Hence, in the present study, we aim to demonstrate if E2 favors AHR by increasing intracellular Ca concentrations in guinea pig airway smooth muscle (ASM) through a mechanism involving Ca-ATPases.

Testosterone Enhances K Currents and Airway Smooth Muscle Relaxation Induced by ATP and UTP through P2Y Receptors and Adenylyl Cyclase Pathway.

Numerous studies suggest the involvement of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) and similar nucleotides in the pathophysiology of asthma. Androgens, such as testosterone (TES), are proposed to alleviate asthma symptoms in young men. ATP and uridine-5'-triphosphate (UTP) relax the airway smooth muscle (ASM) via purinergic P2Y and P2Y receptors and K channel opening.

TRPV4 Activation during Guinea Pig Airway Smooth Muscle Contraction Promotes Ca and Na Influx.

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) contraction is determined by the increase in intracellular Ca concentration ([Ca]) caused by its release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) or by extracellular Ca influx. Major channels involved in Ca influx in ASM cells are L-type voltage-dependent Ca channels (L-VDCCs) and nonselective cation channels (NSCCs). Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is an NSCC recently studied in ASM.

Potential of olfactory neuroepithelial cells as a model to study schizophrenia: A focus on GPCRs (Review).

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a multifactorial disorder characterized by volume reduction in gray and white matter, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, altered neurotransmission, as well as molecular deficiencies such as punctual mutation in Disrupted‑in‑Schizophrenia 1 protein. In this regard, it is essential to understand the underlying molecular disturbances to determine the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease. The signaling pathways activated by G protein‑coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key molecular signaling pathways altered in SZ.

Phytoestrogen-Based Hormonal Replacement Therapy Could Benefit Women Suffering Late-Onset Asthma.

It has been observed that plasmatic concentrations of estrogens, progesterone, or both correlate with symptoms in asthmatic women. Fluctuations in female sex steroid concentrations during menstrual periods are closely related to asthma symptoms, while menopause induces severe physiological changes that might require hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), that could influence asthma symptoms in these women. Late-onset asthma (LOA) has been categorized as a specific asthmatic phenotype that includes menopausal women and novel research regarding therapeutic alternatives that might provide relief to asthmatic women suffering LOA warrants more thorough and comprehensive analysis.

Binding of YY1/CREB to an Enhancer Region Triggers Claudin 6 Expression in LPS-Stimulated AGS Cells.

Aberrant expression of the tight junction protein claudin 6 (CLDN6) is a hallmark of gastric cancer progression. Its expression is regulated by the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). In gastric cancer induced by () there is no information regarding what transcription factors induce/upregulate the expression of CLDN6.

Estrogenic Modulation of Ionic Channels, Pumps and Exchangers in Airway Smooth Muscle.

To preserve ionic homeostasis (primarily Ca, K, Na, and Cl), in the airway smooth muscle (ASM) numerous transporters (channels, exchangers, and pumps) regulate the influx and efflux of these ions. Many of intracellular processes depend on continuous ionic permeation, including exocytosis, contraction, metabolism, transcription, fecundation, proliferation, and apoptosis. These mechanisms are precisely regulated, for instance, through hormonal activity.

Theophylline-Induced Relaxation Is Enhanced after Testosterone Treatment via Increased K1.2 and K1.5 Protein Expression in Guinea Pig Tracheal Smooth Muscle.

Theophylline is a drug commonly used to treat asthma due to its anti-inflammatory and bronchodilatory properties. Testosterone (TES) has been suggested to reduce the severity of asthma symptoms. This condition affects boys more than girls in childhood, and this ratio reverses at puberty.

Reconstruction of Anophthalmic Sockets With Pedicled Nasoseptal Flap.

Purpose: Patients who undergo eye removal often present with orbital soft-tissue insufficiency and contraction of the eye sockets. The most commonly used reconstruction strategy is grafting the orbit with free grafts, which is associated with the drawback of harvesting tissue from an unconnected site. This study describes the use of the vascularized nasoseptal flap in the reconstruction and enlargement of the contracted anophthalmic cavity in patients with severe or recurrent contracted eye sockets and evaluates its efficacy.

A High-Fat and High-Carbohydrate Diet Promotes Reminiscent Hallmarks of an Aging Ovary in the Rabbit Model.

The primary definition of ovarian aging refers to the loss of follicles. Moreover, the aging of the microenvironment in ovaries, specifically affecting the follicles, may reveal deterioration with advancing age. Besides aging, metabolic disorders associated with hypercaloric diets may affect ovarian health and manifest characteristics associated with premature aging.

Chromosomally Unstable Gastric Cancers Overexpressing Claudin-6 Disclose Cross-Talk between HNF1A and HNF4A, and Upregulated Cholesterol Metabolism.

(1) Abnormally increased expression of claudin-6 in gastric cancer is considered a prognostic marker of the chromosomal unstable molecular subtype. However, a detailed molecular profile analysis of differentially expressed genes and affected pathways associated with claudin-6 increased (Cldn6) expression has not been assessed. (2) The TCGA Stomach Adenocarcinoma Pan-Cancer Atlas Data was evaluated using Cytoscape's Gene Mania, MCODE, and Cytohubba bioinformatic software.

Claudin-6 increases SNAI1, NANOG and SOX2 gene expression in human gastric adenocarcinoma AGS cells.

Background: Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous disease associated to deregulated gastric epithelia tight junction barrier function and di novo expression of claudin-6; these changes are associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, enhanced invasiveness, metastatic progression, resistance to chemotherapy, and poor prognosis. Gastric cancer stem cells represent a rare population of cells within the tumor implicated in tumor growth and higher tumorigenic capacity. The possible relation between claudin-6 expression and the expression of some markers associated to epithelial mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells in gastric cancer cells have never been explored.

RL-DOVS: Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Robot Navigation in Dynamic Environments.

Autonomous navigation in dynamic environments where people move unpredictably is an essential task for service robots in real-world populated scenarios. Recent works in reinforcement learning (RL) have been applied to autonomous vehicle driving and to navigation around pedestrians. In this paper, we present a novel planner (reinforcement learning dynamic object velocity space, RL-DOVS) based on an RL technique for dynamic environments.

Theophylline: Old Drug in a New Light, Application in COVID-19 through Computational Studies.

Theophylline (3-methyxanthine) is a historically prominent drug used to treat respiratory diseases, alone or in combination with other drugs. The rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic urged the development of effective pharmacological treatments to directly attack the development of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and possess a therapeutical battery of compounds that could improve the current management of the disease worldwide. In this context, theophylline, through bronchodilatory, immunomodulatory, and potentially antiviral mechanisms, is an interesting proposal as an adjuvant in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Robot Localization in Tunnels: Combining Discrete Features in a Pose Graph Framework.

Robot localization inside tunnels is a challenging task due to the special conditions of these environments. The GPS-denied nature of these scenarios, coupled with the low visibility, slippery and irregular surfaces, and lack of distinguishable visual and structural features, make traditional robotics methods based on cameras, lasers, or wheel encoders unreliable. Fortunately, tunnels provide other types of valuable information that can be used for localization purposes.

Could Lower Testosterone in Older Men Explain Higher COVID-19 Morbidity and Mortalities?

The health scourge imposed on humanity by the COVID-19 pandemic seems not to recede. This fact warrants refined and novel ideas analyzing different aspects of the illness. One such aspect is related to the observation that most COVID-19 casualties were older males, a tendency also noticed in the epidemics of SARS-CoV in 2003 and the Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2012.

Transcriptional and Epigenetic Bioinformatic Analysis of Claudin-9 Regulation in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous disease that represents 5% to 10% of all new cancer cases worldwide. Advances in histological diagnosis and the discovery of new genes have admitted new genomic classifications. Nevertheless, the bioinformatic analysis of gastric cancer databases has favored the detection of specific differentially expressed genes with biological significance.

Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V (TRPV) and its importance in asthma.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels play critical roles in physiological and pathological conditions. Increasing evidence has unveiled the contribution of TRP vanilloid (TRPV) family in the development of asthma. The TRPV family is a group (TRPV1-TRPV6) of polymodal channels capable of sensing thermal, acidic, mechanical stress, and osmotic stimuli.

Possible Beneficial Actions of Caffeine in SARS-CoV-2.

The COVID-19 pandemic has established an unparalleled necessity to rapidly find effective treatments for the illness; unfortunately, no specific treatment has been found yet. As this is a new emerging chaotic situation, already existing drugs have been suggested to ameliorate the infection of SARS-CoV-2. The consumption of caffeine has been suggested primarily because it improves exercise performance, reduces fatigue, and increases wakefulness and awareness.

Are Plantations Useful as a Refuge of Bryophytes Diversity in Tropical Areas?

Neotropical montane forests are considered biodiversity hotspots, where epiphytic bryophytes are an important component of the diversity, biomass and functioning of these ecosystems. We evaluated the richness and composition of bryophytes in secondary successional forests and mixed plantations of . In each forest type, the presence and cover of epiphytic bryophytes was registered in 400 quadrats of 20 cm × 30 cm.

Sex Hormones and Lung Inflammation.

Inflammation is a characteristic marker in numerous lung disorders. Several immune cells, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, eosinophils, as well as T and B lymphocytes, synthetize and release cytokines involved in the inflammatory process. Gender differences in the incidence and severity of inflammatory lung ailments including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis (PF), lung cancer (LC), and infectious related illnesses have been reported.