University of Lleida

About: University of Lleida is a education organization based out in Lleida, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Pregnancy. The organization has 2939 authors who have published 5853 publications receiving 148417 citations. The organization is also known as: Escola Superior Politècnica & Universitat de Lleida.

Oxidative stress in bacteria and protein damage by reactive oxygen species.

Abstract: The advent of O2 in the atmosphere was among the first major pollution events occurred on earth. The reaction between ferrous iron, very abundant in the reductive early atmosphere, and oxygen results in the formation of harmful superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, which affect all macromolecules (DNA, lipids and proteins). Living organisms have to build up mechanisms to protect themselves against oxidative stress, with enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase, small proteins like thioredoxin and glutaredoxin, and molecules such as glutathione. Bacterial genetic responses to oxidative stress are controlled by two major transcriptional regulators (OxyR and SoxRS). This paper reviews major key points in the generation of reactive oxygen species in bacteria, defense mechanisms and genetic responses to oxidative stress. Special attention is paid to the oxidative damage to proteins.

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

Abstract: In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.

MONARCH 2: Abemaciclib in Combination With Fulvestrant in Women With HR+/HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer Who Had Progressed While Receiving Endocrine Therapy.

Abstract: PurposeMONARCH 2 (ClinicalTrialsgov identifier: NCT02107703) compared the efficacy and safety of abemaciclib, a selective cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitor, plus fulvestrant with fulvestrant alone in patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC)Patients and MethodsMONARCH 2 was a global, double-blind, phase III study of women with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative ABC who had progressed while receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET), ≤ 12 months from the end of adjuvant ET, or while receiving first-line ET for metastatic disease Patients were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive abemaciclib or placebo (150 mg twice daily) on a continuous schedule and fulvestrant (500 mg, per label) The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS), and key secondary end points included overall survival, objective response rate (ORR), duration of response, clinical benefit rate, quality of life, and safetyResultsBetween August

NF-kB in development and progression of human cancer

Abstract: The nuclear factor kB (NF-kB) comprises a family of transcription factors involved in the regulation of a wide variety of biological responses. NF-kB plays a well-known function in the regulation of immune responses and inflammation, but growing evidences support a major role in oncogenesis. NF-kB regulates the expression of genes involved in many processes that play a key role in the development and progression of cancer such as proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Aberrant or constitutive NF-kB activation has been detected in many human malignancies. In recent years, numerous studies have focused on elucidating the functional consequences of NF-kB activation as well as its signaling mechanisms. NF-kB has turned out to be an interesting therapeutic target for treatment of cancer.