To evaluate the therapeutic effects of bone marrow-derived CD11b⁺CD14⁺ monocytes in a murine model of chronic liver damage. Chronic liver damage was induced in C57BL/6 mice by administration of carbon tetrachloride and ethanol for 6 mo. Bone marrow-derived monocytes isolated by immunomagnetic separation were used for therapy. The cell transplantation effects were evaluated by morphometry, biochemical assessment, immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CD11b⁺CD14⁺ monocyte therapy significantly reduced liver fibrosis and increased hepatic glutathione levels. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β, in addition to pro-fibrotic factors, such as IL-13, transforming growth factor-β1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 also decreased, while IL-10 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 increased in the monocyte-treated group. CD11b⁺CD14⁺ monocyte transplantation caused significant changes in the hepatic expression of α-smooth muscle actin and osteopontin. Monocyte therapy is capable of bringing about improvement of liver fibrosis by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as increasing anti-fibrogenic factors.

The year 2023 saw record temperatures all over the world, with median temperatures close to the Paris Agreement limit of 1.5°C above the pre-industrial limits [1]. Higher temperatures have direct adverse health effects, contributing to an increase in deaths caused by heat stress as high as 35% for each 1°C of increased temperature [2]. Another […]

Covid-19 has imposed serious challenges on health authorities and governments [1]. To minimize disease transmission, countries closed borders, imposed quarantines, and used lockdowns, closing schools, stores, restaurants, and offices. With traffic reduction and many industrial activities halted due to the pandemic, air pollution was supposed to be reduced. At the end of February 2020, satellite […]

A expansão das Universidades Federais, fruto do Plano de Reestruturação e Expansão (Reuni) e posteriormente por iniciativas individuais, ampliou as áreas construídas nas universidades para o recebimento gradativo de um número maior e gradativo de estudantes. Em contrapartida, reduziu as áreas verdes, aumentando consigo a exposição de estudantes e construções a radiação solar que tem como consequências o aumento da sensação térmica do local, redução da taxa fotossintética e aumento das concentrações de CO2. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar o impacto da arborização na concentração de CO2 nas salas de aula dos campi da UFPE. A pesquisa envolveu os três campi da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE): Campus Recife, Campus Vitória e Campus Caruaru, onde foram realizados o cálculo do Índice de Cobertura Arbórea (ICA, por meio do Google Earth), a mensuração da concentração de CO2 (pelo sensor ENS160), e de outras variáveis (temperatura e umidade). Os resultados evidenciam maior ICA para o Campus Vitória, que também possui as menores médias nos valores da concentração de CO2 (≈ 688 ppm, após uma hora e meia de aula), variações essas que foram significativamente maiores na sala de aula (interno) em comparação ao ambiente externo (≈ 410 ppm). A hipótese desenhada foi aceita: quanto maior o índice de cobertura arbórea, menor a concentração de CO2 nas salas de aula nos campi da UFPE.