The ARDS microenvironment enhances MSC-induced repair via VEGF in experimental acute lung inflammation.

Clinical trials investigating the potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), have been disappointing, with less than 50% of patients responding to treatment. Licensed MSCs show enhanced therapeutic efficacy in response to cytokine-mediated activation signals. There are two distinct sub-phenotypes of ARDS: hypo- and hyper-inflammatory. We hypothesized that pre-licensing MSCs in a hyper-inflammatory ARDS environment would enhance their therapeutic efficacy in acute lung inflammation (ALI). Serum samples from patients with ARDS were segregated into hypo- and hyper-inflammatory categories based on interleukin (IL)-6 levels. MSCs were licensed with pooled serum from patients with hypo- or hyper-inflammatory ARDS or healthy serum controls. Our findings show that hyper-inflammatory ARDS pre-licensed MSC conditioned medium (MSC-CMHyper) led to a significant enrichment in tight junction expression and enhanced barrier integrity in lung epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo in a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent manner. Importantly, while both MSC-CMHypo and MSC-CMHyper significantly reduced IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI mice, only MSC-CMHyper significantly reduced lung permeability and overall clinical outcomes including weight loss and clinical score. Thus, the hypo- and hyper-inflammatory ARDS environments may differentially influence MSC cytoprotective and immunomodulatory functions.

Semiquantitative Paper-Based Microfluidic Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test for SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies.

Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) produced from infection or vaccination play an important role in acquired immunity. Determining virus-specific nAb titers is a useful tool for measuring aquired immunity in an individual. The standard methods to do so rely on titrating serum samples against live virus and monitoring viral infection in cultured cells which requires high biosafety level containment. The surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) reduces the biohazards and it is suitable for designing rapid test device in a lateral flow assay (LFA) format. Here, we introduce the fabrication and development of a unique paper-based LFA device for determining the level of SARS-CoV-2 nAb in a sample with a semiquantitative direct colorimetric readout. A LFA-based gradient assay design was used to facilitate the sVNT, where the spike glycoprotein receptor binding domain (RBD) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) stand in as proxies for viruses and cells, respectively. The gradient assay employed multiple test dots of ACE2 spotted in increasing concentration along the sample flow path and gold nanoparticle-conjugated RBD for readout. In this way, the number of developed spots is inversely proportional to the concentration of nAbs present in the sample. The assay was tested with both standard solutions of nAb as well as human serum samples. We have demonstrated that the device can effectively provide semiquantitative test results of nAbs by direct instrument-free colorimetric detection.

Effect of Preoperative Home-Based Exercise Training on Quality of Life After Lung Cancer Surgery: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative exercise training is recommended for improvement of clinical outcomes after lung cancer (LC) surgery. However, its effectiveness in preventing postoperative decline in quality of life (QoL) remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of preoperative home-based exercise training (PHET) on QoL after LC surgery. METHODS: Patients awaiting LC resection were randomized to PHET or a control group (CG). The PHET program combined aerobic and resistance exercise, with weekly telephone supervision. Primary outcome was QoL-assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (QLQ-C30) at baseline, before surgery, and 1 month after surgery. The secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay and physical performance. The main analysis included a factorial repeated-measures analysis of variance. Additionally, the proportion of patients experiencing clinical deterioration from baseline to post-surgery was assessed. RESULTS: The study included 41 patients (68.1 ± 9.3 years; 68.3% male) in the intention-to-treat analysis (20 PHET patients, 21 CG patients). A significant group × time interaction was observed for global QoL (p = 0.004). Between-group differences in global QoL were statistically and clinically significant before surgery (mean difference [MD], 13.5 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-24.6; p = 0.019) and after surgery (MD, 12.4 points; 95% CI, 1.3-23.4; p = 0.029), favoring PHET. Clinical deterioration of global QoL was reported by 71.4% of the CG patients compared with 30 % of the PHET patients (p = 0.003). Between-group differences in favor of PHET were found in pain and appetite loss as well as in physical, emotional and role functions after surgery (p < 0.05). Compared with CG, PHET was superior in improving preoperative five-times sit-to-stand and postoperative exercise capacity (p < 0.05). No between-group differences in other secondary outcomes were observed. CONCLUSION: The study showed that PHET can effectively prevent the decline in QoL after LC surgery.

Proteomics of serum-derived extracellular vesicles are associated with the severity and different clinical profiles of patients with COVID-19: An exploratory secondary analysis.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations with the potential to progress to multiple organ dysfunction in severe cases. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry a range of biological cargoes, which may be used as biomarkers of disease state. METHODS: An exploratory secondary analysis of the SARITA-2 and SARITA-1 datasets (randomized clinical trials on patients with mild and moderate/severe COVID-19) was performed. Serum-derived EVs were used for proteomic analysis to identify enriched biological processes and key proteins, thus providing insights into differences in disease severity. Serum-derived EVs were separated from patients with COVID-19 by size exclusion chromatography and nanoparticle tracking analysis was used to determine particle concentration and diameter. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed to identify and quantify protein signatures. Bioinformatics and multivariate statistical analysis were applied to distinguish candidate proteins associated with disease severity (mild versus moderate/severe COVID-19). RESULTS: No differences were observed in terms of the concentration and diameter of enriched EVs between mild (n = 14) and moderate/severe (n = 30) COVID-19. A total of 414 proteins were found to be present in EVs, of which 360 were shared while 48 were uniquely present in severe/moderate compared to mild COVID-19. The main biological signatures in moderate/severe COVID-19 were associated with platelet degranulation, exocytosis, complement activation, immune effector activation, and humoral immune response. Von Willebrand factor, serum amyloid A-2 protein, histone H4 and H2A type 2-C, and fibrinogen ß-chain were the most differentially expressed proteins between severity groups. CONCLUSION: Exploratory proteomic analysis of serum-derived EVs from patients with COVID-19 detected key proteins related to immune response and activation of coagulation and complement pathways, which are associated with disease severity. Our data suggest that EV proteins may be relevant biomarkers of disease state and prognosis.

Development of monoclonal antibodies against oropouche virus and its applicability to immunohistochemical diagnosis.

Orthobunyavirus oropouche ense virus (OROV), the causative agent of Oropouche fever, is widely dispersed in Brazil and South America, causing sporadic outbreaks. Due to the similarity of initial clinical symptoms caused by OROV with other arboviruses found in overlapping geographical areas, differential diagnosis is challenging. As for most neglected tropical diseases, there is a shortage of reagents for diagnosing and studying OROV pathogenesis. We therefore developed and characterized mouse monoclonal antibodies and, one of them recognizes the OROV nucleocapsid in indirect immunofluorescent (IFA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays. Considering that it is the first monoclonal antibody produced for detecting OROV infections, we believe that it will be useful not only for diagnostic purposes but also for performing serological surveys and epidemiological surveillance on the dispersion and prevalence of OROV in Brazil and South America.

Using a targeted metabolomics approach to explore differences in ARDS associated with COVID-19 compared to ARDS caused by H1N1 influenza and bacterial pneumonia.

RATIONALE: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening critical care syndrome commonly associated with infections such as COVID-19, influenza, and bacterial pneumonia. Ongoing research aims to improve our understanding of ARDS, including its molecular mechanisms, individualized treatment options, and potential interventions to reduce inflammation and promote lung repair. OBJECTIVE: To map and compare metabolic phenotypes of different infectious causes of ARDS to better understand the metabolic pathways involved in the underlying pathogenesis. METHODS: We analyzed metabolic phenotypes of 3 ARDS cohorts caused by COVID-19, H1N1 influenza, and bacterial pneumonia compared to non-ARDS COVID-19-infected patients and ICU-ventilated controls. Targeted metabolomics was performed on plasma samples from a total of 150 patients using quantitative LC-MS/MS and DI-MS/MS analytical platforms. RESULTS: Distinct metabolic phenotypes were detected between different infectious causes of ARDS. There were metabolomics differences between ARDSs associated with COVID-19 and H1N1, which include metabolic pathways involving taurine and hypotaurine, pyruvate, TCA cycle metabolites, lysine, and glycerophospholipids. ARDSs associated with bacterial pneumonia and COVID-19 differed in the metabolism of D-glutamine and D-glutamate, arginine, proline, histidine, and pyruvate. The metabolic profile of COVID-19 ARDS (C19/A) patients admitted to the ICU differed from COVID-19 pneumonia (C19/P) patients who were not admitted to the ICU in metabolisms of phenylalanine, tryptophan, lysine, and tyrosine. Metabolomics analysis revealed significant differences between C19/A, H1N1/A, and PNA/A vs ICU-ventilated controls, reflecting potentially different disease mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Different metabolic phenotypes characterize ARDS associated with different viral and bacterial infections.

Human macrophage migration inhibitory factor potentiates mesenchymal stromal cell efficacy in a clinically relevant model of allergic asthma.

Current asthma therapies focus on reducing symptoms but fail to restore existing structural damage. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) administration can ameliorate airway inflammation and reverse airway remodeling. However, differences in patient disease microenvironments seem to influence MSC therapeutic effects. A polymorphic CATT tetranucleotide repeat at position 794 of the human macrophage migration inhibitory factor (hMIF) gene has been associated with increased susceptibility to and severity of asthma. We investigated the efficacy of human MSCs in high- vs. low-hMIF environments and the impact of MIF pre-licensing of MSCs using humanized MIF mice in a clinically relevant house dust mite (HDM) model of allergic asthma. MSCs significantly attenuated airway inflammation and airway remodeling in high-MIF-expressing CATT7 mice but not in CATT5 or wild-type littermates. Differences in efficacy were correlated with increased MSC retention in the lungs of CATT7 mice. MIF licensing potentiated MSC anti-inflammatory effects at a previously ineffective dose. Mechanistically, MIF binding to CD74 expressed on MSCs leads to upregulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression. Blockade of CD74 or COX-2 function in MSCs prior to administration attenuated the efficacy of MIF-licensed MSCs in vivo. These findings suggest that MSC administration may be more efficacious in severe asthma patients with high MIF genotypes (CATT6/7/8).

Preventing occludin tight-junction disruption via inhibition of microRNA-193b-5p attenuates viral load and influenza-induced lung injury.

Virus-induced lung injury is associated with loss of pulmonary epithelial-endothelial tight junction integrity. While the alveolar-capillary membrane may be an indirect target of injury, viruses may interact directly and/or indirectly with miRs to augment their replication potential and evade the host antiviral defense system. Here, we expose how the influenza virus (H1N1) capitalizes on host-derived interferon-induced, microRNA (miR)-193b-5p to target occludin and compromise antiviral defenses. Lung biopsies from patients infected with H1N1 revealed increased miR-193b-5p levels, marked reduction in occludin protein, and disruption of the alveolar-capillary barrier. In C57BL/6 mice, the expression of miR-193b-5p increased, and occludin decreased, 5-6 days post-infection with influenza (PR8). Inhibition of miR-193b-5p in primary human bronchial, pulmonary microvascular, and nasal epithelial cells enhanced antiviral responses. miR-193b-deficient mice were resistant to PR8. Knockdown of occludin, both in vitro and in vivo, and overexpression of miR-193b-5p reconstituted susceptibility to viral infection. miR-193b-5p inhibitor mitigated loss of occludin, improved viral clearance, reduced lung edema, and augmented survival in infected mice. Our results elucidate how the innate immune system may be exploited by the influenza virus and how strategies that prevent loss of occludin and preserve tight junction function may limit susceptibility to virus-induced lung injury.

Assessment of immune responses to a Comirnaty® booster following CoronaVac® vaccination in healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: The immunological response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and immunisation is variable. OBJECTIVES: To describe the humoral immune response by correlating IgA and IgG antibodies with NAbs titration following CoronaVac® immunisation and an mRNA (Comirnaty®) booster among healthcare workers (HCWs) and to compare the cytokine and interleukin profiles between HCWs vaccinated with CoronaVac and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected patients. METHODS: Samples from 133 HCWs collected at 20 (T1) and 90 (T2) days after CoronaVac immunisation and 15 (T3) days after a booster dose with the Comirnaty vaccine were analysed for IgA and IgG EIA and neutralisation assay. Cytokine levels from vaccinated individuals at T1 day and COVID-19 patients were compared. FINDINGS: Neutralising antibodies (NAbs) were observed in 81.7% of participants at T1, but only 49.2% maintained detectable NAbs after 90 days. The booster dose increased NAbs response in all participants. The cytokines with the highest levels post-vaccination were IL-6 and MCP-1. The MCP-1, IL-18, and IFN- γ levels were higher in COVID-19 patients than in vaccinated HCWs, while IL-22 levels increased in the vaccinated HCWs group. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The neutralisation titres in the T2 samples decreased, and antibody levels detected at T2 showed a more significant reduction than the neutralisation. The higher IL-22 expression in immunised individuals compared to those with COVID-19 suggests that IL-22 may be beneficial in protecting against severe disease.

Influence of Fermentation Time and Inoculation of Starter Culture on the Chemical Composition of Fermented Natural Coffee Followed by Depulping.

Fermentation using starter cultures has been considered an alternative and economically viable technology for the production of specialty coffees. This type of technology promotes several benefits, such as increased sensory quality, control over the fermentation process, predictability of the final product and added value. Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) samples for this study were collected in Presidente Olegário - MG (2018/19 crop year) in the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais. The effects of natural fermentation and inoculation of the yeast Torulaspora delbrueckii and duration of fermentation (0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours) on the sensory and chemical quality (analysis of bioactive, volatile, and organic compounds and fatty acids) of coffee were evaluated. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fermentation time and starter culture inoculation on the chemical composition of fermented coffees. Fermentation time significantly influenced the sensory description of the coffee beverage, with notes of honey, brown sugar and almond predominating up to 48 hours, for coffees fermented for 72 and 96 hours the notes described were and fruity, winey notes. The chemical composition was primarily influenced by fermentation time.

Tiny Guides, Big Impact: Focus on the Opportunities and Challenges of miR-Based Treatments for ARDS.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by lung inflammation and increased membrane permeability, which represents the leading cause of mortality in ICUs. Mechanical ventilation strategies are at the forefront of supportive approaches for ARDS. Recently, an increasing understanding of RNA biology, function, and regulation, as well as the success of RNA vaccines, has spurred enthusiasm for the emergence of novel RNA-based therapeutics. The most common types of RNA seen in development are silencing (si)RNAs, antisense oligonucleotide therapy (ASO), and messenger (m)RNAs that collectively account for 80% of the RNA therapeutics pipeline. These three RNA platforms are the most mature, with approved products and demonstrated commercial success. Most recently, miRNAs have emerged as pivotal regulators of gene expression. Their dysregulation in various clinical conditions offers insights into ARDS pathogenesis and offers the innovative possibility of using microRNAs as targeted therapy. This review synthesizes the current state of the literature to contextualize the therapeutic potential of miRNA modulation. It considers the potential for miR-based therapeutics as a nuanced approach that incorporates the complexity of ARDS pathophysiology and the multifaceted nature of miRNA interactions.

Application of Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for the Assessment of Wine Spoilage Indicators: A Feasibility Study.

Wine aroma is one of the most frequently used and explored quality indicators. Typically, its assessment involves estimating the volatile composition of wine or highly trained assessors conducting sensory analysis. However, current methodologies rely on slow, expensive and complicated analytical procedures. Additionally, sensory evaluation is inherently subjective in nature. Therefore, the aim of this work is to verify the feasibility of using FTIR spectroscopy as a fast and easy methodology for the early detection of some of the most common off-odors in wines. FTIR spectroscopy was combined with partial least squares (PLS) regression for the simultaneous measurement of isoamyl alcohol, isobutanol, 1-hexanol, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, decanoic acid, ethyl acetate, furfural and acetoin. The precision and accuracy of developed calibration models (R2P > 0.90, range error ratio > 12.1 and RPD > 3.1) proved the ability of the proposed methodology to quantify the aforementioned compounds.

Land Cover Implications on Ecosystem Service Delivery: a Multi-Scenario Study of Trade-offs and Synergies in River Basins.

Land cover change scenarios hold far-reaching implications for ecosystem services (ES), highlighting the need for understanding the trade-offs and synergies underlying the provision of multiple ES. The insufficient knowledge of the mechanisms governing the relationships among multiple ES, along with the lack of information on trade-offs among ES under different scenarios, restricts the ability to provide effective information for decision-makers. To fill this gap, we assessed the interplay among six ES: climate regulation, habitat creating and maintaining species diversity, cultivated crops, regulation of the chemical condition of freshwaters by living processes (water quality), water yield, and control of erosion rates, within three river basins in northwest Portugal. We employed the InVEST to map the state of these ES in 2018, along with three projected land cover scenarios for 2050: business-as-usual, farmland return, and afforestation. Our findings indicated the business-as-usual scenario could lead to detrimental impacts on climate regulation, habitat creating and maintaining species diversity, and control of erosion rates. In contrast, the farmland return scenario showed less drastic decreases in habitat-creating and maintaining species diversity and control of erosion rates compared to the business-as-usual scenario. Afforestation emerged as the most favorable scenario, with a 13.6% increase in climate regulation and a 1.3% improvement in habitat-creating and maintaining species diversity. Cluster analysis allowed the identification of six levels of spatial synergies between ES, with regions of high forest cover showing extreme synergy and populated areas exhibiting the lowest levels of synergy, suggesting that a well-planned combination of these practices could yield substantial benefits for future ES provision. These results provide crucial insights for decision-makers to enhance ecosystem management and promote societal well-being. Importantly, our findings underscore the significance of considering multiple ES and their interrelationships in land use planning to achieve sustainable development objectives.

Development of an anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody panel and its applicability as a reagent in high-throughput fluorescence reduction neutralization and immunohistochemistry assays.

Since its emergence in late 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused millions of deaths and socioeconomic losses. Although vaccination significantly reduced disease mortality, it has been shown that protection wanes over time, and that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) may escape vaccine-derived immunity. Therefore, serological studies are necessary to assess protection in the population and guide vaccine regimens. A common measure of protective immunity is the presence of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). However, the gold standard for measuring nAbs (plaque reduction neutralization test, or PRNT) is laborious and time-consuming, limiting its large-scale applicability. We developed a high-throughput fluorescence reduction neutralization assay (FRNA) to detect SARS-CoV-2 nAbs. Because the assay relies on immunostaining, we developed and characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to lower costs and reduce the assay's vulnerability to reagent shortages. Using samples of individuals vaccinated with COVID-19 and unvaccinated/pre-pandemic samples, we showed that FRNA results using commercial and in-house mAbs strongly correlated with those of the PRNT method while providing results in 70% less time. In addition to providing a fast, reliable, and high-throughput alternative for measuring nAbs, the FRNA can be easily customized to assess SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. Additionally, the mAb we produced was able to detect SARS-CoV-2 in pulmonary tissues by immunohistochemistry assays.

Mitochondria and cytochrome components released into the plasma of severe COVID-19 and ICU acute respiratory distress syndrome patients.

INTRODUCTION: Proteomic analysis of human plasma by LC-ESI-MS/MS has discovered a limited number of new cellular protein biomarkers that may be confirmed by independent biochemical methods. Analysis of COVID-19 plasma has indicated the re-purposing of known biomarkers that might be used as prognostic markers of COVID-19 infection. However, multiple molecular approaches have previously indicated that the SARS-COV2 infection cycle is linked to the biology of mitochondria and that the response to infections may involve the action of heme containing oxidative enzymes. METHODS: Human plasma from COVID-19 and ICU-ARDS was analyzed by classical analytical biochemistry techniques and classical frequency-based statistical approaches to look for prognostic markers of severe COVID-19 lung damage. Plasma proteins from COVID-19 and ICU-ARDS were identified and enumerated versus the controls of normal human plasma (NHP) by LC-ESI-MS/MS. The observation frequency of proteins detected in COVID-19 and ICU-ARDS patients were compared to normal human plasma, alongside random and noise MS/MS spectra controls, using the Chi Square (χ2) distribution. RESULTS: PCR showed the presence of MT-ND1 DNA in the plasma of COVID-19, ICU-ARDS, as well as normal human plasma. Mitochondrial proteins such as MRPL, L2HGDH, ATP, CYB, CYTB, CYP, NDUF and others, were increased in COVID-19 and ICU-ARDS plasma. The apparent activity of the cytochrome components were tested alongside NHP by dot blotting on PVDF against a purified cytochrome c standard preparation for H2O2 dependent reaction with luminol as measured by enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) that showed increased activity in COVID-19 and ICU-ARDS patients. DISCUSSION: The results from PCR, LC-ESI-MS/MS of tryptic peptides, and cytochrome ECL assays confirmed that mitochondrial components were present in the plasma, in agreement with the established central role of the mitochondria in SARS-COV-2 biology. The cytochrome activity assay showed that there was the equivalent of at least nanogram amounts of cytochrome(s) in the plasma sample that should be clearly detectable by LC-ESI-MS/MS. The release of the luminol oxidase activity from cells into plasma forms the basis of a simple and rapid test for the severity of cell damage and lung injury in COVID-19 infection and ICU-ARDS.

(Poly)phenols: The Missing Piece in the Puzzle of Inflammation.

Despite researchers' and clinicians' exponential understanding of chronic diseases' complexity, ranging from cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders, we still have a lot of unanswered questions on pathobiology mechanisms, wherein inflammation is central [...].

Dietary (Poly)phenols in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in young adults worldwide. Despite growing evidence and advances in our knowledge regarding the multifaceted pathophysiology of TBI, the underlying mechanisms, though, are still to be fully elucidated. Whereas initial brain insult involves acute and irreversible primary damage to the brain, the processes of subsequent secondary brain injury progress gradually over months to years, providing a window of opportunity for therapeutic interventions. To date, extensive research has been focused on the identification of druggable targets involved in these processes. Despite several decades of successful pre-clinical studies and very promising results, when transferred to clinics, these drugs showed, at best, modest beneficial effects, but more often, an absence of effects or even very harsh side effects in TBI patients. This reality has highlighted the need for novel approaches that will be able to respond to the complexity of the TBI and tackle TBI pathological processes on multiple levels. Recent evidence strongly indicates that nutritional interventions may provide a unique opportunity to enhance the repair processes after TBI. Dietary (poly)phenols, a big class of compounds abundantly found in fruits and vegetables, have emerged in the past few years as promising agents to be used in TBI settings due to their proven pleiotropic effects. Here, we give an overview of the pathophysiology of TBI and the underlying molecular mechanisms, followed by a state-of-the-art summary of the studies that have evaluated the efficacy of (poly)phenols administration to decrease TBI-associated damage in various animal TBI models and in a limited number of clinical trials. The current limitations on our knowledge concerning (poly)phenol effects in TBI in the pre-clinical studies are also discussed.

Extracellular Vesicles from Different Sources of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Have Distinct Effects on Lung and Distal Organs in Experimental Sepsis.

The effects of the administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) may vary according to the source. We hypothesized that MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) obtained from bone marrow (BM), adipose (AD), or lung (L) tissues may also lead to different effects in sepsis. We profiled the proteome from EVs as a first step toward understanding their mechanisms of action. Polymicrobial sepsis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by cecal ligation and puncture (SEPSIS) and SHAM (control) animals only underwent laparotomy. Twenty-four hours after surgery, animals in the SEPSIS group were randomized to receive saline or 3 × 106 MSC-derived EVs from BM, AD, or L. The diffuse alveolar damage was decreased with EVs from all three sources. In kidneys, BM-, AD-, and L-EVs reduced edema and expression of interleukin-18. Kidney injury molecule-1 expression decreased only in BM- and L-EVs groups. In the liver, only BM-EVs reduced congestion and cell infiltration. The size and number of EVs from different sources were not different, but the proteome of the EVs differed. BM-EVs were enriched for anti-inflammatory proteins compared with AD-EVs and L-EVs. In conclusion, BM-EVs were associated with less organ damage compared with the other sources of EVs, which may be related to differences detected in their proteome.

How much can changes in the agro-food system reduce agricultural nitrogen losses to the environment? Example of a temperate-Mediterranean gradient.

Ammonia (NH3) volatilization, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and nitrate (NO3-) leaching from agriculture cause severe environmental hazards. Research studies and mitigation strategies have mostly focused on one of these nitrogen (N) losses at a time, often without an integrated view of the agro-food system. Yet, at the regional scale, N2O, NH3, and NO3- loss patterns reflect the structure of the whole agro-food system. Here, we analyzed at the resolution of NUTS2 administrative European Union (EU) regions, N fluxes through the agro-food systems of a Temperate-Mediterranean gradient (France, Spain, and Portugal) experiencing contrasting climate and soil conditions. We assessed the atmospheric and hydrological N emissions from soils and livestock systems. Expressed per ha agricultural land, NH3 volatilization varied in the range 6.2-44.4 kg N ha-1 yr-1, N2O emission and NO3 leaching 0.3-4.9 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and 5.4-154 kg N ha-1 yr-1 respectively. Overall, lowest N2O emission was found in the Mediterranean regions, where NO3- leaching was greater. NH3 volatilization in both temperate and Mediterranean regions roughly follows the distribution of livestock density. We showed that these losses are also closely correlated with the level of fertilization intensity and agriculture system specialization into either stockless crop farming or intensive livestock farming in each region. Moreover, we explored two possible future scenarios at the 2050 horizon: (1) a scenario based on the prescriptions of the EU-Farm-to-Fork (F2F) strategy, with 25% of organic farming, 10% of land set aside for biodiversity, 20% reduction in N fertilizers, and no diet change; and (2) a hypothetical agro-ecological (AE) scenario with generalized organic farming, reconnection of crop and livestock farming, and a healthier human diet with an increase in the share of vegetal protein to 65% (i.e., the Mediterranean diet). Results showed that the AE scenario, owing to its profound reconfiguration of the entire agro-food system would have the potential for much greater reductions in NH3, N2O, and NO3- emissions, namely, 60-81% reduction, while the F2F scenario would only reach 24-35% reduction of N losses.

Challenges and perspectives in applying the environmental sensitivity index to pipelines: a review on the prevention and management of oil spills disasters.

The oil spill environmental sensitivity index is a key tool for preventing and dealing with environmental disasters caused by oil spills. This study aims to review the available literature on the subject and highlight the importance of methodological advances to improve how the index is applied in continental areas, especially in regions crossed by pipelines. Most current mapping techniques focus on coastal areas and fail to consider the stretches of land that are vulnerable to geodynamic natural disasters. In this context, the need to implement environmental sensitivity indices specific for pipelines has become urgent. This study also presents an overview of the main accidents around the world and a detailed analysis of the history of Brazilian disasters related to oil spills along continental stretches, with a focus on pipelines and natural disasters. In addition, this work highlights the importance of carrying out new research in mountainous areas of Brazil and is aimed at preventing Natechs (natural hazard triggering technological disasters) and improving contingency plans. As a result, several pathways have been identified, which involves the necessity of resolving gaps in terrestrial environmental sensitivity mapping methodologies, particularly as applied to pipelines. Furthermore, solutions must be capable of integrating terrestrial, fluvial, coastal, and maritime environmental sensitivity mapping techniques. Moreover, the need to implement dynamic risk monitoring systems in real time is critical to help manage such a complex problem.