WATER VAPOR CONDUCTANCE OF THE LOWER CRETACEOUS DINOSAURIAN EGGS FROM SANAGASTA, LA RIOJA, ARGENTINA: PALEOBIOLOGICAL AND PALEOECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH AMERICAN FAVEOLOOLITHID AND MEGALOOLITHID EGGS

The water vapor conductance (G(H20)) of the neosauropod eggs from the Lower Cretaceous Sanagasta nesting site in La Rioja Province, Argentina, was examined and compared with other Cretaceous Argentinean oological material. The 2900 mgH(2)O/day.Torr G(H2O) of the Sanagasta eggshells confirms an extremely moist nesting environment and supports field observations of dug-out nests in a geothermal setting. The observed thinning of the outer eggshell surface during incubation increases gas conductance and concomitantly decreases eggshell mechanical resistance during the late ontogenetic stages, thus facilitating embryonic development and hatching. The Sanagasta and Entre Rios Province faveoloolithid eggs display the highest and comparable 61120 values and share several morphological and diagenetic characters, indicating comparable nesting strategy in geothermal settings. However, the faveoloolithid Yamintie and La Pampa Province specimens cluster together with lower G(H20) values closer to the megaloolithid eggs. The Gnu) of the megaloolithid egg Megaloolithus patagonicus was reconsidered and new results are now congruent with other reported megaloolithid GH2O values. Additionally, we hypothesize that V-shaped pore canals of M. patagonicus, which upper sections reach only the top third or half eggshell thickness and, a wider section in the middle would not compromise the overall egg mechanical resistance like vertical pores connecting directly the outer to the inner eggshell surfaces. Such pore spatial arrangement and geometry would enhance, as the eggshell thins during incubation, a greater G(H2O), G(O2) and G(CO2) and facilitate embryonic development in high moisture nesting contents. Overall, data suggests that neosauropod nesting and brooding behaviors were dependent on elevated moisture nesting environments.

Vascular dysfunction by myofibroblast activation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and prognostic significance

In this study, we demonstrated the importance of telomerase protein expression and determined the relationships among telomerase, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and myofibroblasts during early and late remodeling of parenchymal and vascular areas in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) using 27 surgical lung biopsies from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Telomerase+, myofibroblasts alpha-SMA+, smooth muscle cells caldesmon+, endothelium ET-1+ cellularity, and fibrosis severity were evaluated in 30 fields covering normal lung parenchyma, minimal fibrosis (fibroblastic foci), severe ( mural) fibrosis, and vascular areas of UIP by the point-counting technique and a semiquantitative score. The impact of these markers was determined in pulmonary functional tests and follow-up until death from IPF. Telomerase and ET-1 expression was significantly increased in normal and vascular areas compared to areas of fibroblast foci. Telomerase and ET-1 expression was inversely correlated with minimal fibrosis in areas of fibroblast foci and directly associated with severe fibrosis in vascular areas. Telomerase activity in minimal fibrosis areas was directly associated with diffusing capacity of the lung for oxygen/alveolar volume and ET-1 expression and indirectly associated with diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide and severe fibrosis in vascular areas. Cox proportional hazards regression revealed a low risk of death for females with minimal fibrosis displaying high telomerase and ET-1 expression in normal areas. Vascular dysfunction by telomerase/ET-1 expression was found earlier than vascular remodeling by myofibroblast activation in UIP with impact on IPF evolution, suggesting that strategies aimed at preventing the effect of these mediators may have a greater impact on patient outcome.

Embryonic and Fetal Development in - Pigmy Rice Rat - Oligoryzomys sp (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) and its Significance for Being a new Experimental Model

Oligoryzomys (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) is a common rodent genus from South America that includes a couple of very similar species. Related species have been used as experimental model for understanding several diseases for which these species are reservoirs. In order to provide a better understanding of the embryological aspects of this group, herein we showed data on the embryonic and fetal development in Oligoryzomys sp. Eight specimens of different stages of gestation were obtained from the Collection of the Zoology Museum of University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Gestational ages were estimated by crown-rump-length according to Evans and Sack (1973). To address our analysis after examining the gross morphology, tissues from several organs were processed for light and scanning electron microscopy. Morphological data on the systems (nervous system, cardiorespiratory system, intestinal tract and urogenital system) were described in detail. Finally, the findings were compared with what is known about embryological aspects in other rodent species in order to establish similarities and differences during the organogenesis in different species.

Leaf cuticular alkanes of Solanum subg. Leptostemonum Dunal (Bitter) of some northeast Brazilian species: Composition and taxonomic significance

Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum (Dunal) Bitter comprises approximately 450 species, of which 110, including 58 endemics, occur in Brazil, which is recognized as one of the centers of diversity of the group. Due the great morphological plasticity and its large number of species, several taxonomic treatments have been proposed for the genus Solanum, but its infrageneric classification is problematic. The aim of this study was to analyze the alkane composition of the leaf epicuticular waxes of nine species of the subgenus Leptostemonum to evaluate the chemotaxonomic potential of the alkanes. As results, were identified in nine species thirty-one alkanes, including iso- and anteiso-alkanes. The major constituent of wax in most species was tritriacontane. Hentriacontane was the main constituent of Solanum paraibanum and Solanum torvum, and penta-triacontane was predominant in different populations of Solanum stramonifolium. The phenetic analysis of nine species based on the distribution profile of alkanes (Euclidean distance and UPGMA method) show three clusters with distinct main homolog. The profiles of alkanes showed some qualitative taxonomic value for species analyzed, although, a larger number of representative samples of this subgenus must be investigated. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of Precambrian life in the Brazilian geological record

Precambrian rocks comprise nearly one-quarter of the surface of Brazil and range from Paleoarchean (ca. 3.6 Ga) to the latest Ediacaran (0.542 Ga) in age. Except for controversial phosphatized 'embryo-like' microfossils like those from the lower Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation, China and complex rangeomorphs, Brazilian research has revealed all major categories of Precambrian life forms described elsewhere - microbialites, biomarkers, silicified microfossils, palynomorphs, vase-shaped microfossils, macroalgae, metazoans, vendobionts and ichnofossils - but the paleobiological significance of this record has been little explored. At least four occurrences of these fossils offer promise for increased understanding of the following aspects of Precambrian biospheric evolution: (i) the relationship of microbialites in 2.1-2.4 Ga old carbonates of the Minas Supergroup in the Quadrilatero Ferrifero, Minas Gerais (the oldest Brazilian fossils) to the development of the early oxygenic atmosphere and penecontemporaneous global tectonic and climatic events; (ii) the evolutionary and biostratigraphic significance of Mesoproterozoic to Ediacaran organic-walled microfossils in central-western Brazil; (iii) diversity and paleoecological significance of vase-shaped heterotrophic protistan microfossils in the Urucum Formation (Jacadigo Group) and possibly the Bocaina Formation (Corumba Group), of Mato Grosso do Sul; and (iv) insights into the record of skeletogenesis and paleoecology of latest Ediacaran metazoans as represented by the abundant organic carapaces of Corumbella and calcareous shells of the index fossil Cloudina, of the Corumba Group, Mato Grosso do Sul. Analysis of the Brazilian Precambrian fossil record thus holds great potential for augmenting paleobiological knowledge of this crucial period on Earth and for developing more robust hypotheses regarding possible origins and evolutionary pathways of biospheres on other planets. Received 26 February 2012, accepted 17 May 2012, first published online 18 June 2012

Anemia prevalence and its determinants in Brazilian institutionalized elderly

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of anemia and analyze the factors associated with anemia in elderly residents of long-term care institutions. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in male and female elderly volunteers selected in a two-stage random sampling from long-term care institutions in the city of Maringa, Brazil (2008). A diagnosis of anemia was based on the plasma hemoglobin concentration. The independent variables analyzed were gender, age, time of residence at an institution, body mass index, and serum iron and albumin concentrations. The association between anemia and the variables was assessed using the Poisson regression with robust variance in unadjusted and adjusted analyses, considering a complex sample and a significance level of 5%. Results: The sample included 124 adults older than 60 y residing in long-term care institutions (53.0% female). The prevalence of anemia was 29% and was not significantly associated with gender, serum iron concentration, time of residence at an institution, or body mass index. Conversely, hypoalbuminemia was considered a risk factor for anemia. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of anemia in the institutionalized elderly and hypoalbuminemia is a factor associated with this outcome. Interventions are necessary to promote improvements in the health and welfare of this population. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc.

An Extreme Case of Plant-Insect Codiversification: Figs and Fig-Pollinating Wasps

It is thought that speciation in phytophagous insects is often due to colonization of novel host plants, because radiations of plant and insect lineages are typically asynchronous. Recent phylogenetic comparisons have supported this model of diversification for both insect herbivores and specialized pollinators. An exceptional case where contemporaneous plant-insect diversification might be expected is the obligate mutualism between fig trees (Ficus species, Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Agaonidae, Hymenoptera). The ubiquity and ecological significance of this mutualism in tropical and subtropical ecosystems has long intrigued biologists, but the systematic challenge posed by >750 interacting species pairs has hindered progress toward understanding its evolutionary history. In particular, taxon sampling and analytical tools have been insufficient for large-scale cophylogenetic analyses. Here, we sampled nearly 200 interacting pairs of fig and wasp species from across the globe. Two supermatrices were assembled: on an average, wasps had sequences from 77% of 6 genes (5.6 kb), figs had sequences from 60% of 5 genes (5.5 kb), and overall 850 new DNA sequences were generated for this study. We also developed a new analytical tool, Jane 2, for event-based phylogenetic reconciliation analysis of very large data sets. Separate Bayesian phylogenetic analyses for figs and fig wasps under relaxed molecular clock assumptions indicate Cretaceous diversification of crown groups and contemporaneous divergence for nearly half of all fig and pollinator lineages. Event-based cophylogenetic analyses further support the codiversification hypothesis. Biogeographic analyses indicate that the present-day distribution of fig and pollinator lineages is consistent with a Eurasian origin and subsequent dispersal, rather than with Gondwanan vicariance. Overall, our findings indicate that the fig-pollinator mutualism represents an extreme case among plant-insect interactions of coordinated dispersal and long-term codiversification.

Antismooth Muscle and Antiactin Antibodies Are Indirect Markers of Histological and Biochemical Activity of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Reactivity and titers of autoantibodies vary during the course of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and some autoantibodies have been associated with disease activity and adverse outcomes after treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the autoantibody behavior in AIH and its significance as predictors of biochemical and histological remission. A total of 117 patients with AIH (mean age 18.6 [4-69] years) were evaluated and tested for auto- antibodies at disease onset and successively (mean 3.2 [2-6] times) after a mean follow-up evaluation of 70 [20-185] months. Antismooth muscle (ASMA), antiliver kidney micro- some type 1 (anti-LKM1), antiliver cytosol type 1 (anti-LC1), antimitochondrial, antinu- clear (ANA), and antiactin antibodies (AAA) were determined at disease onset and 379 other times during the follow-up evaluation through indirect immunofluorescence in rodent tissues, HEp-2 cells, and human fibroblasts. Anti-SLA/LP were assessed 45 times in the follow-up evaluation of 19 patients using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Upon admission, AIH types 1 and 2 were observed in 95 and 17 patients, respectively. Five subjects had AIH with anti-SLA/LP as the sole markers. Patients initially negative for AAA did not develop these antibodies thereafter. ANA were detected de novo in six and three subjects with AIH types 1 and 2, respectively. After treatment, only ASMA ( > 1:80) and AAA ( > 1:40) were significantly associated with biochemical (76.9% and 79.8%) and histological features (100% and 100%) of disease activity ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: With the exception of ANA, the autoantibody profile does not markedly vary in the course of AIH. The persistence of high titers of ASMA and/or AAA in patients with AIH is associated with disease activity.

Dynamics of cell and tissue genesis in the male reproductive system of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) and Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas, 1772): a comparative analysis

Ticks are classified into three families: Argasidae, Ixodidae, and Nutalliellidae. The taxonomy and phylogeny within Ixodidae are still discussed by the specialists, thus requiring further studies. Amblyomma cajennese and Amblyomma aureolatum (Brazil) belong to two species complexes known as “cajennese” and “ovale”, respectively, and are directly related to the transmission of the Brazilian spotted fever. This confirms the medical and veterinary significance of these species, as well as the need for further morphological studies that will bring a better understanding of their taxonomy, phylogeny, and control. In this context, the present study aimed to characterize the morphology of the male reproductive system of A. cajennese and A. aureolatum when unfed and after 4 days of feeding, thereby seeking to: (a) distinguish the two species or “complexes”, and (b) study an internal system which has the potential to be targeted by acaricides. Therefore, males from both species (unfed and after 4 days of feeding) were cold-anesthetized, dissected, and had their reproductive systems removed for histological analysis. The results showed that the morphology of the male reproductive system is generally similar between both species, like in other Ixodidae ticks, exhibiting a multilobed accessory gland complex related to seminal fluid secretion, a pair of vasa deferentia and a pair of testes housing germ cells (spermatocytes) in different stages. The main differences were found in the development of the accessory gland complex cells and germ cells, showing that the maturation of the male reproductive system starts later in A. aureolatum, when compared to A. cajennese. However, during the blood meal, A. aureolatum development is increased, thus making germ cell maturation and gland complex activity higher than in A. cajennese. This study shows the differences in the development of the male reproductive systems of both species, while providing information that can assist in the establishment of new control methods.

Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging detects mossy fiber sprouting in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

Purpose: Mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) is a frequent finding following status epilepticus (SE). The present study aimed to test the feasibility of using manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) to detect MFS in the chronic phase of the well-established pilocarpine (Pilo) rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods: To modulate MFS, cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, was coadministered with Pilo in a subgroup of animals. In vivo MEMRI was performed 3 months after induction of SE and compared to the neo-Timm histologic labeling of zinc mossy fiber terminals in the dentate gyrus (DG). Key Findings: Chronically epileptic rats displaying MFS as detected by neo-Timm histology had a hyperintense MEMRI signal in the DG, whereas chronically epileptic animals that did not display MFS had minimal MEMRI signal enhancement compared to nonepileptic control animals. A strong correlation (r = 0.81, p < 0.001) was found between MEMRI signal enhancement and MFS. Significance: This study shows that MEMRI is an attractive noninvasive method for detection of mossy fiber sprouting in vivo and can be used as an evaluation tool in testing therapeutic approaches to manage chronic epilepsy.

Quatro Desenhos de Frank Lloyd Wright

O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir aspectos do processo de projeto e sua representação gráfica, num momento em que softwares de projeto 3D vem se tornando hegemônicos na prática do arquiteto e no ensino de arquitetura, em contraponto às práticas de desenho em prancheta. Os motivos e circunstâncias não são objeto do trabalho, cujo foco está numa prática de projeto e representação gráfica 2D, mas que tem muito a contribuir para o debate do quadro acima: os desenhos de projeto de Frank Lloyd Wright. Casos de estudo: quatro pranchas desenhadas por FLLW. É importante notar que, no vasto quadro da historiografia wrightiana, análises e interpretações originais, pioneiras, da arquitetura vem surgindo nas últimas décadas, mas ainda há poucos textos sobre desenhos e representação gráfica do arquiteto. Este constitui uma primeira aproximação do autor acerca de tema que oferece abrangente potencial. São exemplos em que, na relação imagem-objeto, a representação bidimensional constrói o projeto tridimensional. A arquitetura emerge como experimentação sem cair na especulação formal. Demonstram uma prática mais lenta, reflexiva e laboriosa do que a oferecida pelos software 3D atuais – mas onde cada traço, textura e grafismo implica um significado de espaço e materialidade.

Norepinephrine activates NF-κB transcription factor in cultured rat pineal gland

AIMS: The circadian rhythm in mammalian pineal melatonin secretion is modulated by norepinephrine (NE) released at night. NE interaction with β1-adrenoceptors activates PKA that phosphorylates the transcription factor CREB, leading to the transcription and translation of the arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) enzyme. Several studies have reported the interplay between CREB and the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and a circadian rhythm for this transcription factor was recently described in the rat pineal gland. In this work we studied a direct effect of NE on NF-κB activation and the role played by this factor on melatonin synthesis and Aanat transcription and activity. MAIN METHODS: Cultured rat pineal glands were incubated in the presence of two different NF-κB inhibitors, pyrrolidine-dithiocarbamate or sodium salicylate, and stimulated with NE. Melatonin content was quantified by HPLC with electrochemical detection. AANAT activity was measured by a radiometric assay and the expression of Aanat mRNA was analyzed by real-time PCR. Gel shift assay was performed to study the NF-κB activation in cultured rat pineal glands stimulated by NE. KEY FINDINGS: Our results showed that the p50/p50 homodimer of NF-κB is activated by NE and that it has a role in melatonin synthesis, acting on Aanat transcription and activity. SIGNIFICANCE: Here we present evidence that NF-κB is an important transcription factor that acts, directly or indirectly, on Aanat transcription and activity leading to a modulation of melatonin synthesis. NE plays a role in the translocation of NF-κB p50/p50 homodimer to the nucleus of pinealocytes, thus probably influencing the nocturnal pineal melatonin synthesis

The cardiovascular actions of fractalkine/CX3CL1 in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus are attenuated in rats with heart failure

The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus plays an important role in the regulation of sympathetic nerve activity, which is significantly elevated in chronic heart failure (CHF). Fractalkine (FKN) and its cognate receptor, CX3CR1, are constitutively expressed in the central nervous system, but their role and physiological significance are not well known. The aims of the present study were to determine whether FKN plays a cardiovascular role within the PVN and to investigate how the actions of FKN might be altered in CHF. We show that both FKN and CX3CR1 are expressed on neurons in the PVN of rats, suggesting that they may have a physiological function in this brain nucleus. Unilateral microinjection of FKN directly into the PVN of anaesthetized rats elicited a significant dose-related decrease in blood pressure (1.0 nmol, -5 ± 3 mmHg; 2.5 nmol, -13 ± 2 mmHg; 5.0 nmol, -22 ± 3 mmHg; and 7.5 nmol, -32 ± 3 mmHg) and a concomitant increase in heart rate (1.0 nmol, 6 ± 3 beats min(-1); 2.5 nmol, 11 ± 3 beats min(-1); 5 nmol, 18 ± 4 beats min(-1); and 7.5 nmol, 27 ± 5 beats min(-1)) compared with control saline microinjections. In order to determine whether FKN signalling is altered in rats with CHF, we first performed quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis and followed these experiments with functional studies in rats with CHF and sham-operated control rats. We found a significant increase in CX3CR1 mRNA and protein expression, as determined by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively, in the PVN of rats with CHF compared with sham-operated control rats. We also found that the blood pressure effects of FKN (2.5 nmol in 50 nl) were significantly attenuated in rats with CHF (change in mean arterial pressure, -6 ± 3 mmHg) compared with sham-operated control rats (change in mean arterial pressure, -16 ± 6 mmHg). These data suggest that FKN and its receptor, CX3CR1, modulate cardiovascular function at the level of the PVN and that the actions of FKN within this nucleus are altered in heart failure