New insight into dolphin morbillivirus phylogeny and epidemiology in the northeast Atlantic: opportunistic study in cetaceans stranded along the Portuguese and Galician coasts.

BACKGROUND: Screening Atlantic cetacean populations for Cetacean Morbillivirus (CeMV) is essential to understand the epidemiology of the disease. In Europe, Portugal and Spain have the highest cetacean stranding rates, mostly due to the vast extension of coastline. Morbillivirus infection has been associated with high morbidity and mortality in cetaceans, especially in outbreaks reported in the Mediterranean Sea. However, scarce information is available regarding this disease in cetaceans from the North-East Atlantic populations. The presence of CeMV genomic RNA was investigated by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in samples from 279 specimens stranded along the Portuguese and Galician coastlines collected between 2004 and 2015. RESULTS: A total of sixteen animals (n = 16/279, 5.7 %) were positive. The highest prevalence of DMV was registered in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) (n = 14/69; 20.3 %), slightly higher in those collected in Galicia (n = 8/33; 24.2 %) than in Portugal (n = 6/36; 16.7 %). CONCLUSIONS: Phylogenetic analysis revealed that, despite the low genetic distances between samples, the high posterior probability (PP) values obtained strongly support the separation of the Portuguese and Galician sequences in an independent branch, separately from samples from the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. Furthermore, evidence suggests an endemic rather than an epidemic situation in the striped dolphin populations from Portugal and Galicia, since no outbreaks have been detected and positive samples have been detected annually since 2007, indicating that this virus is actively circulating in these populations and reaching prevalence values as high as 24 % among the Galician samples tested.

Kaurane diterpenes as mitochondrial alterations preventive agents under experimental oxidative stress conditions.

CONTEXT: Foliol, linearol, and sidol are the most common diterpenes found in Sideritis L. spp. (Lamiaceae) with a wide range of demonstrated properties including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects. OBJECTIVE: For the first time, the present work was studied for the potential protective role of these kaurane-type diterpenes on mitochondrial oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in the human astrocytoma U373-MG cell line and in the rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mitochondrial protection was assayed at 5 and 10 µM concentrations for 24 h (for kaurane diterpenes) and H2O2 as oxidative stress inducer (0.1 mM for PC12 cells and 1 mM for U373-MG, for 30 min). ATP concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3 activity as well as in cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium levels were assessed by fluorometric techniques, by using specific fluorescent probes. RESULTS: Pretreatments for 24 h with linearol and sidol, prior to H2O2 exposure, acted as mitochondrial alterations preventive agents by increasing membrane potential (over 40-60% in PC12 cells and over 10-20% in U373-MG), restoring both cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium homeostasis (linearol at 10 µM caused a 3.5-fold decrease in cytosolic calcium concentration in PC12 cells), decreasing caspase-3 activity (over 1.25-1.5-fold for linearol and sidol) and avoiding ATP depletion (linearol increased over 20% ATP level in both cell types). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that linearol and sidol could provide protective activity by targeting mitochondria in response to the deleterious changes induced by H2O2.

Gut-brain connection: The neuroprotective effects of the anti-diabetic drug liraglutide.

Long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues marketed for type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment have been showing positive and protective effects in several different tissues, including pancreas, heart or even brain. This gut secreted hormone plays a potent insulinotropic activity and an important role in maintaining glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, growing evidences suggest the occurrence of several commonalities between T2D and neurodegenerative diseases, insulin resistance being pointed as a main cause for cognitive decline and increased risk to develop dementia. In this regard, it has also been suggested that stimulation of brain insulin signaling may have a protective role against cognitive deficits. As GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1R) are expressed throughout the central nervous system and GLP-1 may cross the blood-brain-barrier, an emerging hypothesis suggests that they may be promising therapeutic targets against brain dysfunctional insulin signaling-related pathologies. Importantly, GLP-1 actions depend not only on the direct effect mediated by its receptor activation, but also on the gut-brain axis involving an exchange of signals between both tissues via the vagal nerve, thereby regulating numerous physiological functions (e.g., energy homeostasis, glucose-dependent insulin secretion, as well as appetite and weight control). Amongst the incretin/GLP-1 mimetics class of anti-T2D drugs with an increasingly described neuroprotective potential, the already marketed liraglutide emerged as a GLP-1R agonist highly resistant to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 degradation (thereby having an increased half-life) and whose systemic GLP-1R activity is comparable to that of native GLP-1. Importantly, several preclinical studies showed anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and neuroprotective effects of liraglutide against T2D, stroke and Alzheimer disease (AD), whereas several clinical trials, demonstrated some surprising benefits of liraglutide on weight loss, microglia inhibition, behavior and cognition, and in AD biomarkers. Herein, we discuss the GLP-1 action through the gut-brain axis, the hormone's regulation of some autonomic functions and liraglutide's neuroprotective potential.

Mitochondrial-targeted protective properties of isolated diterpenoids from sideritis spp. in response to the deleterious changes induced by H2O2.

Mitochondrial impairment and oxidative stress are considered widely to be central events in many forms of neurodegenerative disease. The current study has evaluated for the first time the potential protective role of three diterpenoids [andalusol (1), conchitriol (2), and lagascatriol (3)] in response to the deleterious H2O2-induced changes on mitochondrial function. U373-MG human astrocytoma cells and PC12 rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells were used as models for evaluating the cytoprotective potential of these compounds. In the absence of diterpenoids 1-3, H2O2 compromised mitochondrial function, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels, increasing caspase-3 activity, and disrupting cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium homeostasis. However, treatment with the diterpenoids, prior to H2O2, prevented these mitochondrial perturbations. In particular, 1 and 3 were the most effective compounds in protecting mitochondrial function against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in U373-MG, whereas all three diterpenoids studied were significantly active against PC12 cells. Since consistent evidence has demonstrated the contribution of H2O2 on both progression and pathological development of several human diseases associated with mitochondrial function and oxidative stress responses, compounds 1-3 are worthy of further investigation.

Mental health awareness intervention in schools / Acções de sensibilização pró-saúde mental em escolas

The lack of information and stigma associated with mental disorders are major obstacles to the promotion of mental health. The "UPA Makes the Difference: Mental health awareness intervention in schools" project aims to contribute to increase young people knowledge regarding mental health issues. This project is part of the "United to Help Movement", focusing on the combat of mental illness stigma and discrimination. OBJECTIVES: to describe the psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire UH (United to Help) and to verify the adequacy of action to promote mental health. METHODS: this study was conducted with 26 students (15-17 year-olds). The mental health intervention is composed by 2 sessions. The questionnaire was administered at the beginning of the 1st session and in the end of the 2nd session. RESULTS: cronbach'salpha regarding 2 sections of the "Questionnaire UPA" stated poor and acceptable levels of internal consistency (stigmatizing perceptions and perceptions of knowledge, respectively). The post intervention assessment showed a significant increase in the total score of the perceptions of knowledge; no significant differences in stigmatizing perceptions; and a significant decrease in help-seeking intentions when facing a mental health problem, although most participants have come to consider different types of help. CONCLUSION: the results suggest the need to review the structure of the "stigmatizing perceptions" section of the questionnaire, as well as to conduct new analyses with a larger sample. Furthermore, results show the adequacy of the methodology used in the intervention, particularly in the capacity showed to promote the increase of knowledge regarding mental health issues.(AU)

Acções de sensibilização pró-saúde mental em escolas / Mental health awareness intervention in schools

A escassez de informação e o estigma associado às perturbações mentais são importantes obstáculos à promoção da saúde mental. O projecto "UPA Faz a Diferença: Acções de sensibilização pró-saúde mental", que pretende contribuir para o aumento de conhecimentos sobre questões de saúde mental junto de jovens, faz parte do movimento UPA "Unidos Para Ajudar", destinado a combater o estigma e a discriminação associados às perturbações mentais.OBJETIVOS: descrever as características psicométricas do questionário UPA (Unidos Para Ajudar) e verificar a adequabilidade da ação de promoção de saúde mental construída.MÉTODO: o estudo envolveu 26 alunos (15-17 anos). A acção de promoção de saúde mental consistiu em 2 sessões. O questionário foi aplicado no início da 1ª e no final da 2ª sessão.RESULTADOS: a avaliação da consistência interna (alpha de Cronbach) indicou níveis mínimos e satisfatórios em 2 secções do "Questionário UPA" (secção percepções estigmatizantes e percepções de conhecimentos, respectivamente). Após a implementação da acção observou-se um aumento significativo das percepções de conhecimentos, não se verificando diferenças significativas nas percepções estigmatizantes; e uma diminuição significativa da intenção do próprio procurar ajuda se confrontado com um problema de saúde mental, embora a maioria dos participantes tenha passado a considerar diferentes tipos de ajuda.CONCLUSÃO: os resultados sugerem a necessidade de rever a estrutura da secção "percepções estigmatizantes" do questionário e de se proceder a novas análises numa amostra mais expressiva; e revelam a adequação da acção de promoção de saúde mental, especialmente ao nível do aumento dos conhecimentos.

Insulin affects synaptosomal GABA and glutamate transport under oxidative stress conditions.

In this study, we investigated the in vitro effect of exogenously administered insulin on the susceptibility to oxidative stress and on the accumulation of the amino acid neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in a synaptosomal fraction isolated from male Wistar rat brain cortex. Insulin (1 microM) did not affect synaptosomal lipid peroxidation induced by the oxidant pair ascorbate/Fe(2+), although under these conditions an increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels was observed. Under control conditions, the presence of insulin did not change the uptake of [3H]GABA or [3H]glutamate. In contrast, under oxidizing conditions, we observed a 1.8- and a 2.2-fold decrease in [3H]GABA and [3H]glutamate accumulation, respectively, and insulin reverted the lower levels of both [3H]GABA and [3H]glutamate accumulation (to 86.74+/-6.26 and 67.01+/-6.65% of control, respectively). Insulin also increased the extrasynaptosomal levels of GABA and glutamate, determined both in control and oxidizing conditions. From this study, we can conclude that insulin is a modulator of amino acid neurotransmitter transport, either directly, as seems to occur under normal conditions, or via the decrease in ATP levels and the subsequent reversion of the amino acid transporters, as seems to occur under oxidative stress conditions. The modulation of both GABA and glutamate transport might be implicated in the neuroprotective role of insulin.