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- Carotid body, insulin, and metabolic diseases: unraveling the linksPublication . Conde, Sílvia V.; Sacramento, Joana F.; Guarino, Maria P.; Gonzalez, Constancio; Obeso, Ana; Diogo, Lucília N.; Monteiro, Emília C.; Ribeiro, Maria J.The carotid bodies (CB) are peripheral chemoreceptors that sense changes in arterial blood O2, CO2 and pH levels. Hypoxia, hypercapnia and acidosis activate the CB, which respond by increasing the action potential frequency in their sensory nerve, the carotid sinus nerve (CSN). CSN activity is integrated in the brain stem to induce a panoply of cardiorespiratory reflexes aimed, primarily, to normalize the altered blood gases, via hyperventilation, and to regulate blood pressure and cardiac performance, via sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation. Besides its role in the cardiorespiratory control the CB has been proposed as a metabolic sensor implicated in the control of energy homeostasis and, more recently, in the regulation of whole body insulin sensitivity. Hypercaloric diets cause CB overactivation in rats, which seems to be at the origin of the development of insulin resistance and hypertension, core features of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Consistent with this notion, CB sensory denervation prevents metabolic and hemodynamic alterations in hypercaloric feed animal. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is another chronic disorder characterized by increased CB activity and intimately related with several metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities. In this manuscript we review in a concise manner the putative pathways linking CB chemoreceptors deregulation with the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and arterial hypertension. Also, the link between chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and insulin resistance is discussed. Then, a final section is devoted to debate strategies to reduce CB activity and its use for prevention and therapeutics of metabolic diseases with an emphasis on new exciting research in the modulation of bioelectronic signals, likely to be central in the future.
- Promoting Nerve Regeneration in a Neurotmesis Rat Model Using Poly(DL-lactide-ε-caprolactone) Membranes and Mesenchymal Stem Cells from the Wharton’s Jelly: In Vitro and In Vivo AnalysisPublication . Pereira, T.; Gärtner, A.; Amorim, I.; Almeida, A.; Caseiro, A.R.; Armada-da-Silva, Paulo A. S.; Amado, Sandra; Fregnan, Federica; Varejão, A. S. P.; Santos, J. D.; Bártolo, P. J.; Geuna, S.; Luís, A. L.; Maurício, A. C.In peripheral nerves MSCs can modulate Wallerian degeneration and the overall regenerative response by acting through paracrine mechanisms directly on regenerating axons or upon the nerve-supporting Schwann cells. In the present study, the effect of human MSCs from Wharton’s jelly (HMSCs), differentiated into neuroglial-like cells associated to poly (DL-lactide-ε-caprolactone) membrane, on nerve regeneration, was evaluated in the neurotmesis injury rat sciatic nerve model. Resultsin vitroshowed successful differentiation of HMSCs into neuroglial-like cells, characterized by expression of specific neuroglial markers confirmed by immunocytochemistry and by RT-PCR and qPCR targeting specific genes expressed.In vivotesting evaluated during the healing period of 20 weeks, showed no evident positive effect of HMSCs or neuroglial-like cell enrichment at the sciatic nerve repair site on most of the functional and nerve morphometric predictors of nerve regeneration although the nociception function was almost normal. EPT on the other hand, recovered significantly better after HMSCs enriched membrane employment, to values of residual functional impairment compared to other treated groups. When the neurotmesis injury can be surgically reconstructed with an end-to-end suture or by grafting, the addition of a PLC membrane associated with HMSCs seems to bring significant advantage, especially concerning the motor function recovery.
- Veggies4myHeart Project: food and nutrition education tools for pre-schoolers – a SWOT analysisPublication . Braga-Pontes, Cátia; Custódio, Susana; Graça, PedroBackground: Nutrition education tools to promote vegetable consumption in the school context appear as enhancers of children's knowledge and eating behaviors. The purpose of this study is to assess the perspective of the different stakeholders of the Veggies4myHeart project regarding the potential of a digital game, child storybook and the Portuguese Food Wheel Guide to promote vegetable consumption in preschool age. Methods: The sample consisted of 26 participants who were involved in Veggies4myHeart project. This is a qualitative study, using thematic content analysis. The answers were analyzed using the WebQDA qualitative analysis software. Results: Considering the SWOT analysis were identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each nutrition education tool. Participants identified a greater number of positive and negative aspects regarding digital game. Conclusions: This study has allowed the perspective of creators and/or users of food education tools to be known in relation to their potential to promote the consumption of vegetables at pre-school age. A SWOT analysis of each food education tool gives the possibility to know the constraints or potentialities that may be associated with the dissemination of these tools in the educational community.