Sensibilização comportamental ao etanol e neuroadaptações envolvendo a proteína (DELTA)FOSB: efeitos do tratamento com N-Acetilcisteína em camundongos

Pharmacological treatments currently used in ethanol addiction are inefficient, requiring new drugs for this purpose. The pro-drug N-Acetylcysteine (N-Ac) has shown efficacy in the treatment of addiction to cocaine and nicotine in preclinical research and clinical pilot studies. When administered, N-Ac is subsequently converted to cysteine, and cystine, which has an action on the central nervous system. However, there are few data about the possible application of N-Ac in the ethanol addiction. Behavioral sensitization is the gradual increase of the psychostimulant effects induced by repeated administration of drugs of abuse, including ethanol, and its development has been linked to important neuroadaptations in addiction. These neuroadaptations occur in neural circuits that mediate the reinforcing properties of these drugs and may involve several proteins. The ΔFosB protein accumulates in neurons after repeated activation and mediates long lasting changes in response to drugs of abuse. These changes are manifested mainly in the nucleus accumbens (Acb) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of N-Ac treatment in the development of ethanol behavioral sensitization and in alterations in the ΔFosB protein in mice. Swiss male mice were exposed to a standardized behavioral sensitization protocol to the experimental conditions of the laboratory and treated with N-Ac. At the end of behavioral sensitization procedure, animals were euthanized and their brains removed for ΔFosB quantification by Western blotting. Two experiments of behavioral sensitization were performed to the standardization of the protocol. The first, although effective in demonstrating the development of behavioral sensitization, was not effective in allowing the evaluation of the expression of the behavioral sensitization. The age of the animals and the conditions of luminosity and color of locomotion apparatus were changed and a new...

Efeitos da dieta e ontogenia no crescimento e fisiologia digestiva do lagarto Teiu, Tupinambis Merianae

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Regiões de estabilidade no ambiente de um sistema de asteroide triplo

This work was developed from the study by Araujo, R.A.N. et al. Stability regions around the components of the triple system 2001 SN263. (Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society, 2012, v. 423(4), 3058-3073 p.) where it was studied the stable and unstable regions system (2001 SN263), which is a triple asteroid system, and these are celestial orbiting our sun. Being close to the Earth is characterized as NEA (Near-Earth Asteroids), asteroids and which periodically approach the Earth's orbit, given that there is great interest in the study and exploitation of these objects, it is the key can carry features that contribute to better understand the process of formation of our solar system. Study the dynamics of bodies that govern those systems proves to be greatly attractive because of the mutual gravitational perturbation of bodies and also by external disturbances. Recently, NEA 2001 SN263 was chosen as a target of Aster mission where a probe is sent for this triple system, appearing therefore the need for obtaining information for characterizing stable regions internal and external to the system, with respect to the effects of radiation pressure. First, this study demonstrated that the integrator used showed satisfactory results of the orbital evolution of bodies in accordance with previous studies and also the characterization of stable and unstable regions brought similar results to the study by Araujo et al. (2012). From these results it was possible to carry out the implementation of the radiation pressure in the system in 2001 SN263, in a region close to the central body, where the simulations were carried out, which brought as a result that the regions before being characterized as stable in unstable true for small particles size from 1 to 5 micrometers. So the next orbital region to the central body and the ... ( Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Controle visual de automóveis em curvas em situação simulada: efeitos da experiência em contexto real

Dirigir é uma tarefa altamente complexa que requer sincronia entre informações adquiridas e comandos motores, sendo a visão fonte primordial de recursos para o controle do volante por parte do motorista, para que este possa fazer a manobra na quantidade correta e no momento apropriado. Simulações nem sempre preservam os aspectos relevantes do ambiente. O ponto tangente (PT), local mais interno da curva, é onde os motoristas olham em situações de curva ao conduzir um veículo durante contexto natural, e, de acordo com a literatura, este fenômeno também ocorre em situações experimentais com o uso de simuladores específicos de trânsito. Este estudo visa verificar se este comportamento se reproduz em situação simulada de videogame e como a experiência de dirigir naturalmente afeta o desempenho na simulação. Foram recrutados vinte participantes, divididos em dois grupos de dez pessoas cada, com e sem Carteira Nacional de Habilitação e todos com experiência em videogame. A tarefa foi conduzir um veículo em circuito gerado por um jogo de videogame, enquanto seus olhos, e seus respectivos movimentos, foram monitorados e gravados por sistema eye-tracker. Para análise dos dados, foi utilizado o vídeo da imagem gerada pelo videogame com a adição do cursor referente ao olhar do participante. Foram analisadas apenas as situações nas quais os participantes executavam a manobra de cada uma das onze curvas do percurso, utilizando o software ASL Results Plus (versão 1.8.2.18) para estabelecer Áreas de Interesse (AI) de 3º e 10º ao redor do ponto tangente da curva. As variáveis dependentes foram Número Total de Fixações (NF) e Duração Total das Fixações (DF). Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância de medidas repetidas, tendo fatores grupo (HA ou NH), AI (outros 3º ou 10º) e curvas (onze curvas). Não houve efeito significativo de grupo para ambas as variáveis dependentes. Houve efeito principal de...