| 1. |
- Bentham, James, et al.
(author)
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A century of trends in adult human height
- 2016
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In: eLIFE. - 2050-084X. ; 5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Being taller is associated with enhanced longevity, and higher education and earnings. We reanalysed 1472 population-based studies, with measurement of height on more than 18.6 million participants to estimate mean height for people born between 1896 and 1996 in 200 countries. The largest gain in adult height over the past century has occurred in South Korean women and Iranian men, who became 20.2 cm (95% credible interval 17.522.7) and 16.5 cm (13.319.7) taller, respectively. In contrast, there was little change in adult height in some sub-Saharan African countries and in South Asia over the century of analysis. The tallest people over these 100 years are men born in the Netherlands in the last quarter of 20th century, whose average heights surpassed 182.5 cm, and the shortest were women born in Guatemala in 1896 (140.3 cm; 135.8144.8). The height differential between the tallest and shortest populations was 19-20 cm a century ago, and has remained the same for women and increased for men a century later despite substantial changes in the ranking of countries.
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| 2. |
- Bentham, James, et al.
(author)
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A century of trends in adult human height
- 2016
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In: eLIFE. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Being taller is associated with enhanced longevity, and higher education and earnings. We reanalysed 1472 population-based studies, with measurement of height on more than 18.6 million participants to estimate mean height for people born between 1896 and 1996 in 200 countries. The largest gain in adult height over the past century has occurred in South Korean women and Iranian men, who became 20.2 cm (95% credible interval 17.5–22.7) and 16.5 cm (13.3– 19.7) taller, respectively. In contrast, there was little change in adult height in some sub-Saharan African countries and in South Asia over the century of analysis. The tallest people over these 100 years are men born in the Netherlands in the last quarter of 20th century, whose average heights surpassed 182.5 cm, and the shortest were women born in Guatemala in 1896 (140.3 cm; 135.8– 144.8). The height differential between the tallest and shortest populations was 19-20 cm a century ago, and has remained the same for women and increased for men a century later despite substantial changes in the ranking of countries.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Santangelo, James S., et al.
(author)
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Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover
- 2022
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 375
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural dines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale.
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| 6. |
- Bernal, Ximena E., et al.
(author)
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Empowering Latina scientists
- 2019
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 363:6429, s. 825-826
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 7. |
- Bianconi, Santiago, et al.
(author)
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Ghrelin restores memory impairment following olfactory bulbectomy in mice by activating hippocampal NMDA1 and MAPK1 gene expression
- 2021
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In: Behavioural Brain Research. - : Springer Nature. - 0166-4328 .- 1872-7549. ; 410
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ghrelin (Ghrl) is an orexigenic peptide with potential roles in the modulation of anxiety- and depressive-like symptoms induced by bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OB) in rodents. In the present work, we assessed whether intrahippocampal Ghrl could reverse OB-induced depressive-like and amnesic effects by regulating molecular mechanisms related to neuroplasticity. Adult female albino Swiss mice were divided into sham and OB groups, and infused with saline (S) or Ghrl 0.03 nmol/μl, 0.3 nmol/μl, or 3 nmol/μl into the hippocampus before exposition to open-field test (OFT) and tail suspension test (TST) or immediately after training in the object recognition test (ORT). After test phase in ORT, animals were euthanized and their hippocampi were dissected to study the expression of genes related to memory. The OB-S animals presented hyperlocomotion in OFT, increased immobility in TST and memory impairment compared to sham-S (p < 0.05), but acute intrahippocampal infusion of Ghrl 0.3 nmol/μl produced an improvement on these parameters in OB animals (p < 0.05). In addition, this dose of Ghrl reversed OB-induced low expression of NMDA1 and MAPK1 iso1 and up-regulated the expression of CaMKIIa iso1 and iso2, and MAPK1 iso2 (p < 0.05). These results extend the existing literature regarding OB-induced behavioral and neurochemical changes, and provide mechanisms that could underlie the antidepressant effect of Ghrl in this model.
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| 8. |
- Campos, Alexandre, et al.
(author)
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Shotgun proteomics to unravel marine mussel (Mytilus edulis) response to long-term exposure to low salinity and propranolol in a Baltic Sea microcosm
- 2016
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In: Journal of Proteomics. - : Elsevier. - 1874-3919 .- 1876-7737. ; 137, s. 97-106
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pharmaceuticals, among them the β-adrenoreceptor blocker propranolol, are an important group of environmental contaminants reported in European waters. Laboratory exposure to pharmaceuticals on marine species has been performed without considering the input of the ecosystem flow. To unravel the ecosystem response to long-term exposure to propranolol we have performed long-term exposure to propranolol and low salinity in microcosms. We applied shotgun proteomic analysis to gills of Mytilus edulis from those Baltic Sea microcosms and identified 2071 proteins with a proteogenomic strategy. The proteome profiling patterns from the 587 highly reproductive proteins among groups define salinity as a key factor in the mussel´s response to propranolol. Exposure at low salinity drives molecular mechanisms of adaptation based on a decrease in the abundance of several cytoskeletal proteins, signalling and intracellular membrane trafficking pathway combined with a response towards the maintenance of transcription and translation. The exposure to propranolol combined with low salinity modulates the expression of structural proteins including cilia functions and decrease the expression membrane protein transporters. This study reinforces the environment concerns of the impact of low salinity in combination with anthropogenic pollutants and anticipate critical physiological conditions for the survival of the blue mussel in the northern areas.
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| 9. |
- Holmfeldt, Linda, et al.
(author)
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The genomic landscape of hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- 2013
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 45:3, s. 242-252
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The genetic basis of hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a subtype of ALL characterized by aneuploidy and poor outcome, is unknown. Genomic profiling of 124 hypodiploid ALL cases, including whole-genome and exome sequencing of 40 cases, identified two subtypes that differ in the severity of aneuploidy, transcriptional profiles and submicroscopic genetic alterations. Near-haploid ALL with 24-31 chromosomes harbor alterations targeting receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and Ras signaling (71%) and the lymphoid transcription factor gene IKZF3 (encoding AIOLOS; 13%). In contrast, low-hypodiploid ALL with 32-39 chromosomes are characterized by alterations in TP53 (91.2%) that are commonly present in nontumor cells, IKZF2 (encoding HELIOS; 53%) and RB1 (41%). Both near-haploid and low-hypodiploid leukemic cells show activation of Ras-signaling and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-signaling pathways and are sensitive to PI3K inhibitors, indicating that these drugs should be explored as a new therapeutic strategy for this aggressive form of leukemia.
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| 10. |
- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(author)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
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| 11. |
- Kuruvilla, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Surface proteomics on nanoparticles, a step to simplify the rapid prototyping of nanoparticles
- 2017
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In: Nanoscale Horizons. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2055-6764 .- 2055-6756. ; :1, s. 55-64
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Engineered nanoparticles for biomedical applications requireincreasing effectiveness in targeting specific cells while preservingnon-target cell’s safety. We developed a surface proteomicsmethod for a rapid and systematic analysis of the interphasebetween the nanoparticle protein corona and the targeting cellsthat could implement the rapid prototyping of nanomedicines.Native nanoparticles entering in a protein-rich liquid mediaquickly form a macromolecular structure called protein corona.This protein structure defines the physical interaction betweennanoparticles and target cells. The surface proteins compose thefirst line of interaction between this macromolecular structureand the cell surface of a target cell. We demonstrated that SUSTU(SUrface proteomics, Safety, Targeting, Uptake) provides aqualitative and quantitative analysis from the protein coronasurface. With SUSTU, the spatial dynamics of the protein coronasurface can be studied. Data from SUSTU would ascertain thenanoparticle functionalized groups exposed at destiny that couldcircumvent preliminary in vitro experiments. Therefore thismethod could implement the analysis of nanoparticle targetingand uptake capability and could be integrated into a rapidprototyping strategy which is a major challenge in nanomaterialscience. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifierPXD004636.
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| 12. |
- McCarthy, Clara Inés, et al.
(author)
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Chlorpromazine, an Inverse Agonist of D1R-Like, Differentially Targets Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel (CaV) Subtypes in mPFC Neurons
- 2023
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In: Molecular Neurobiology. - : Springer Nature. - 0893-7648 .- 1559-1182. ; 60:5, s. 2644-2660
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The dopamine receptor type 1 (D1R) and the dopamine receptor type 5 (D5R), which are often grouped as D1R-like due to their sequence and signaling similarities, exhibit high levels of constitutive activity. The molecular basis for this agonist-independent activation has been well characterized through biochemical and mutagenesis in vitro studies. In this regard, it was reported that many antipsychotic drugs act as inverse agonists of D1R-like constitutive activity. On the other hand, D1R is highly expressed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain area with important functions such as working memory. Here, we studied the impact of D1R-like constitutive activity and chlorpromazine (CPZ), an antipsychotic drug and D1R-like inverse agonist, on various neuronal CaV conductances, and we explored its effect on calcium-dependent neuronal functions in the mouse medial mPFC. Using ex vivo brain slices containing the mPFC and transfected HEK293T cells, we found that CPZ reduces CaV2.2 currents by occluding D1R-like constitutive activity, in agreement with a mechanism previously reported by our lab, whereas CPZ directly inhibits CaV1 currents in a D1R-like activity independent manner. In contrast, CPZ and D1R constitutive activity did not affect CaV2.1, CaV2.3, or CaV3 currents. Finally, we found that CPZ reduces excitatory postsynaptic responses in mPFC neurons. Our results contribute to understanding CPZ molecular targets in neurons and describe a novel physiological consequence of CPZ non-canonical action as a D1R-like inverse agonist in the mouse brain.
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| 13. |
- Olmeda, David, et al.
(author)
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Whole-body imaging of lymphovascular niches identifies pre-metastatic roles of midkine
- 2017
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In: Nature. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 546:7660, s. 676-680
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cutaneous melanoma is a type of cancer with an inherent potential for lymph node colonization, which is generally preceded by neolymphangiogenesis(1-3). However, sentinel lymph node removal does not necessarily extend the overall survival of patients with melanoma(4,5). Moreover, lymphatic vessels collapse and become dysfunctional as melanomas progress(6,7). Therefore, it is unclear whether (and how) lymphangiogenesis contributes to visceral metastasis. Soluble and vesicle-associated proteins secreted by tumours and/or their stroma have been proposed to condition pre-metastatic sites in patients with melanoma(8-14). Still, the identities and prognostic value of lymphangiogenic mediators remain unclear(2,14). Moreover, our understanding of lymphangiogenesis (in melanomas and other tumour types) is limited by the paucity of mouse models for live imaging of distal pre-metastatic niches(15). Injectable lymphatic tracers have been developed(7), but their limited diffusion precludes whole-body imaging at visceral sites(16). Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) is an attractive 'lymphoreporter' 17 because its expression is strongly downregulated in normal adult lymphatic endothelial cells, but is activated in pathological situations such as inflammation and cancer(17,18). Here, we exploit this inducibility of VEGFR3 to engineer mouse melanoma models for whole-body imaging of metastasis generated by human cells, clinical biopsies or endogenously deregulated oncogenic pathways. This strategy revealed early induction of distal pre-metastatic niches uncoupled from lymphangiogenesis at primary lesions. Analyses of the melanoma secretome and validation in clinical specimens showed that the heparin-binding factor midkine is a systemic inducer of neo-lymphangiogenesis that defines patient prognosis. This role of midkine was linked to a paracrine activation of the mTOR pathway in lymphatic endothelial cells. These data support the use of VEGFR3 reporter mice as a 'MetAlert' discovery platform for drivers and inhibitors of metastasis.
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| 14. |
- Proletov, Ian, et al.
(author)
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Primary and secondary glomerulonephritides 1.
- 2014
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In: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2385. ; 29 Suppl 3:May, s. 186-200
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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| 15. |
- Stepien, Magdalena, et al.
(author)
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Pre-diagnostic copper and zinc biomarkers and colorectal cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort
- 2017
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In: Carcinogenesis. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0143-3334 .- 1460-2180. ; 38:7, s. 699-707
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Adequate intake of copper and zinc, two essential micronutrients, are important for antioxidant functions. Their imbalance may have implications for development of diseases like colorectal cancer (CRC), where oxidative stress is thought to be etiologically involved. As evidence from prospective epidemiologic studies is lacking, we conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort to investigate the association between circulating levels of copper and zinc, and their calculated ratio, with risk of CRC development. Copper and zinc levels were measured by reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometer in 966 cases and 966 matched controls. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using conditional logistic regression and are presented for the fifth versus first quintile. Higher circulating concentration of copper was associated with a raised CRC risk (OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.13; P-trend = 0.02) whereas an inverse association with cancer risk was observed for higher zinc levels (OR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.97; P-trend = 0.07). Consequently, the ratio of copper/zinc was positively associated with CRC (OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.40; P-trend = 0.0005). In subgroup analyses by follow-up time, the associations remained statistically significant only in those diagnosed within 2 years of blood collection. In conclusion, these data suggest that copper or copper levels in relation to zinc (copper to zinc ratio) become imbalanced in the process of CRC development. Mechanistic studies into the underlying mechanisms of regulation and action are required to further examine a possible role for higher copper and copper/ zinc ratio levels in CRC development and progression.
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| 16. |
- Yuan, Hongbo, et al.
(author)
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Synthetic fibrous hydrogels as a platform to decipher cell–matrix mechanical interactions
- 2023
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - 0027-8424. ; 120:15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cells continuously sense external forces from their microenvironment, the extracellular matrix (ECM). In turn, they generate contractile forces, which stiffen and remodel this matrix. Although this bidirectional mechanical exchange is crucial for many cell functions, it remains poorly understood. Key challenges are that the majority of available matrices for such studies, either natural or synthetic, are difficult to control or lack biological relevance. Here, we use a synthetic, yet highly biomimetic hydrogel based on polyisocyanide (PIC) polymers to investigate the effects of the fibrous architecture and the nonlinear mechanics on cell–matrix interactions. Live-cell rheology was combined with advanced microscopy-based approaches to understand the mechanisms behind cell-induced matrix stiffening and plastic remodeling. We demonstrate how cell-mediated fiber remodeling and the propagation of fiber displacements are modulated by adjusting the biological and mechanical properties of this material. Moreover, we validate the biological relevance of our results by demonstrating that cellular tractions in PIC gels develop analogously to those in the natural ECM. This study highlights the potential of PIC gels to disentangle complex bidirectional cell–matrix interactions and to improve the design of materials for mechanobiology studies.
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| 17. |
- Zamora-Ros, Raul, et al.
(author)
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Dietary flavonoid intake and colorectal cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC) cohort
- 2017
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In: International Journal of Cancer. - : Wiley. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 140:8, s. 1836-1844
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Flavonoids have been shown to inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation in vitro and protect against colorectal carcinogenesis in animal models. However, epidemiological evidence on the potential role of flavonoid intake in colorectal cancer (CRC) development remains sparse and inconsistent. We evaluated the association between dietary intakes of total flavonoids and their subclasses and risk of development of CRC, within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. A cohort of 477,312 adult men and women were recruited in 10 European countries. At baseline, dietary intakes of total flavonoids and individual subclasses were estimated using centre-specific validated dietary questionnaires and composition data from the Phenol-Explorer database. During an average of 11 years of follow-up, 4,517 new cases of primary CRC were identified, of which 2,869 were colon (proximal = 1,298 and distal = 1,266) and 1,648 rectal tumours. No association was found between total flavonoid intake and the risk of overall CRC (HR for comparison of extreme quintiles 1.05, 95% CI 0.93–1.18; p-trend = 0.58) or any CRC subtype. No association was also observed with any intake of individual flavonoid subclasses. Similar results were observed for flavonoid intake expressed as glycosides or aglycone equivalents. Intake of total flavonoids and flavonoid subclasses, as estimated from dietary questionnaires, did not show any association with risk of CRC development.
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