Pamidronate attenuates diastolic dysfunction induced by myocardial infarction associated with changes in geometric patterning

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

Acute doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is associated with matrix metalloproteinase-2 alterations in rats

Background: Doxorubicin can cause cardiotoxicity. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are responsible for degrading extracellular matrix components which play a role in ventricular dilation. Increased MMP activity occurs after chronic doxorubicin treatment. In this study we evaluated in vivo and in vitro cardiac function in rats with acute doxorubicin treatment, and examined myocardial MMP and inflammatory activation, and gene expression of proteins involved in myocyte calcium transients. Methods: Wistar rats were injected with doxorubicin (Doxo, 20 mg/kg) or saline (Control). Echocardiogram was performed 48 h after treatment. Myocardial function was assessed in vitro in Langendorff preparation. Results: In left ventricle, doxorubicin impaired fractional shortening (Control 0.59 +/- 0.07; Doxo 0.51 +/- 0.05; p < 0.001), and increased isovolumetric relaxation time (Control 20.3 +/- 4.3; Doxo 24.7 +/- 4.2 ms; p = 0.007) and myocardial passive stiffness. MMP-2 activity, evaluated by zymography, was increased in Doxo (Control 141338 +/- 8924; Doxo 188874 +/- 7652 arbitrary units; p < 0.001). There were no changes in TNF-alpha, INF-gamma, IL-10, and ICAM-1 myocardial levels. Expression of phospholamban, Serca-2a, and ryanodine receptor did not differ between groups. Conclusion: Acute doxorubicin administration induces in vivo left ventricular dysfunction and in vitro increased myocardial passive stiffness in rats. Cardiac dysfunction is related to myocardial MMP-2 activation. Increased inflammatory stimulation or changed expression of the proteins involved in intracellular calcium transients is not involved in acute cardiac dysfunction.

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

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

Genomic signatures of evolutionary transitions from solitary to group living

The evolution of eusociality is one of the major transitions in evolution, but the underlying genomic changes are unknown. We compared the genomes of 10 bee species that vary in social complexity, representing multiple independent transitions in social evolution, and report three major findings. First, many important genes show evidence of neutral evolution as a consequence of relaxed selection with increasing social complexity. Second, there is no single road map to eusociality; independent evolutionary transitions in sociality have independent genetic underpinnings. Third, though clearly independent in detail, these transitions do have similar general features, including an increase in constrained protein evolution accompanied by increases in the potential for gene regulation and decreases in diversity and abundance of transposable elements. Eusociality may arise through different mechanisms each time, but would likely always involve an increase in the complexity of gene networks.

Detection of hormones in surface and drinking water in Brazil by LC-ESI-MS/MS and ecotoxicological assessment with Daphnia magna

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Padrões intergeracionais de violência familiar associada ao abuso de bebidas alcoólicas: um estudo baseado em genogramas

The objective of this study was to analyze intergenerational patterns of alcohol related violence (ARV). An intentional sample comprising 42 family members was selected according to a set of criteria, including history of ARV. A genogram based on anonymous semi-structured taped interviews was created. The Content Analysis pointed to different patterns of repetition of intergenerational ARV. The most recurrent ones were those of lineal consanguinity (father/son) and through marriage. We observed similarities over the generations of each family as regards the pattern of alcohol consumption; the type of violence; the family reaction and the family life cycle in which ARV was intensified. Our results confirm the intergenerational reproduction of ARV. In conclusion, it is important to create intervention strategies to prevent intergenerational repetition of this association of behaviors.

Remodelação ventricular após infarto agudo do miocárdio. Conceitos, fisiopatologia e abordagem terapêutica

Após o infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM), ocorrem alterações complexas na arquitetura ventricular, envolvendo tanto a região infartada como a não infartada. Nos últimos anos, estas adaptações, que podem ser identificadas na fase aguda do IAM, ou mais tardiamente, passaram a ser estudadas com o nome de remodelação ventricular (RV) pós-IAM 1 . O reconhecimento e entendimento deste processo é crítico, pois a RV pode estar associada a um pior prognóstico, pós-infarto, na dependência de diversos fatores. Outro aspecto relevante é que sua evolução pode ser modificada, por meio de diversas intervenções terapêuticas. Assim, abordaremos aspectos fisiopatológicos que envolvem a RV, bem como os efeitos das medicações comumente usadas no tratamento do infarto, nesse processo adaptativo.

Gene expression analysis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the most common malignancies of the head and neck tumors Zhang et al., 2013 [1]). Previous studies have associated its occurrence with social activities, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption (Hashibe et al., 2007a [2]; Hashibe et al., 2007b [3]; Shangina et al., 2006 [4]). Here, we performed a genome-wide gene expression profiling in thirty-one patients positively diagnosed for LSCC, in order to investigate new targets involved in tumorigenesis.