Interaction between the lateral preoptic area and the subfornical organ in the control of water ingestion caused by cellular dehydration, hypotension, hypovolemia, and deprivation

Water intake was studied in albino rats with lesions in the lateral preoptic area, in the subfornical organ, and in both the lateral preoptic area and the subfornical organ. Drinking was induced by cellular dehydration, hypovolemia, hypotension (isoproterenol or caval ligation), and water deprivation. The animals with lesions in both areas showed a significant reduction in their water intake in response to cellular dehydration. Drinking due to extracellular dehydration was reduced in the animals that received only subfornical organ lesions, and was reduced even further in the animals with both areas ablated. The lesions in the subfornical organ were sufficient to reduce the thirst induced by caval ligation. The lesions in both areas inhibit water intake induced by caval ligation. Water intake induced by deprivation was reduced when both areas were destroyed. These findings demonstrate that both the lateral preoptic area and the subfornical organ are necessary for normal drinking in response to cellular dehydration, hypovolemia, and hypotension. There is further evidence that the lateral preoptic area and subfornical organ interact in the control of water intake induced by a variety of thirst challenges.

The effect of serum on in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization and steroidogenesis of bovine oocytes co-cultured with granulosa cells.

The influence of fetal calf serum alone (FCS) or associated with proestrous (FCS+PCS), estrous (FCS+ECS) or metaestrous (FCS+MCS) cow serum added to the culture medium and of the steroids produced by co-cultured granulosa cells were evaluated in terms of the in vitro maturation (IVM) and fertilization (IVF) of bovine oocytes. Supplementation of the medium with FCS+ECS and FCS+MCS resulted in higher proportions of oocytes that reached metaphase II (96.0% and 93.3%, respectively) and in higher proportions of embryos that reached the four- and eight-cell/morula stages (51.9% and 65.6%, respectively), whereas the supplementation with FCS and FCS+PCS resulted in only 79.2% and 67.5%, respectively, of matured oocytes and 26.7% and 34.3%, respectively, of cleaved embryos. These findings show that the best IVM and IVF were obtained at lower concentrations of estradiol produced by co-cultured granulosa cells (supplementation with FCS+ECS: 10.3 ng/ml and FCS+MCS: 2.1 ng/ml), whereas the worst results in IVM and IVF occurred at higher concentrations of estradiol that were obtained with FCS (33.1 ng/ml) and FCS+PCS (19.9 ng/ml) supplementation. These data suggest an inhibitory effect of estradiol on resumption of oocyte meiosis in vitro.

Cara inchada and cellular immunity in cattle

Attempts were made to study possible effects of the periodontal disease cara inchada (CI) on the cellular immunity of cattle, using adherence-, chemotaxis- and ph-agocytosis-determinations. Adherence of Bacteroides melaninogenicus to bovine granulocytes was significantly decreased in animals with CI. Phagacytosis of B. melaninogenicus by polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) was also decreased in CI-diseased animals. Chemotaxis of the granulocytes appeared to be slightly increased in animals with CI and animals without CI coming from CI-affected herds.

Electrode poling of cellular polypropylene films with short high-voltage pulses

Recently, piezoelectric cellular polypropylene (PP) was proposed as a new type of quasi-ferroelectric. The observed hysteresis of the charge density as a function of the electric field could be explained as field-dependent charging inside the gas-filled voids. Interestingly enough, the measurable poling behavior of the macroscopic dipoles formed by charges that are trapped at the internal void surfaces is phenomenologically completely identical to the cooperative poling behavior of microscopic molecular dipoles in ferroelectric polymers. Therefore, it can be assumed that charge separation (or charge redistribution) and subsequent trapping in cellular PP is a rather fast switching process. In order to examine the poling dynamics, we developed an experimental setup for pulsed poling. High-voltage pulses with a duration of 45 μs (FWHM) were applied in direct contact to two-side metallized cellular PP films. The pulsed poling yields piezoelectricity in the cellular PP. We study and discuss the dependence of the resulting piezoelectricity on the poling field. We also characterize the charge separation during application of higher electric poling fields of up to -10 kV in direct contact to the two-side metallized films for longer times.

Mushroom-derived preparations in the prevention of H2O2-induced oxidative damage to cellular DNA

Aqueous extracts of the sporophores of eight mushroom species were assessed for their ability to prevent H2O2-induced oxidative damage to cellular DNA using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. The highest genoprotective effects were obtained with cold (20°C) and hot (100°C) water extracts of Agaricus bisporus and Ganoderma lucidum fruit bodies, respectively. No protective effects were observed with Mushroom Derived Preparations (MDPs) from Flammulina velutipes, Auricularia auricula, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus sajor-caju, and Volvariella volvacea. These findings indicate that some edible mushrooms represent a valuable source of biologically active compounds with potential for protecting cellular DNA from oxidative damage. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Morphology and histoenzymology of eosinophilic granulocytes in the circulating blood of the turtle (Chrysemys dorbignih)

The studies on the characterization of eosinophils and neutrophils/ heterophils of turtles are contradictory. Some authors have pointed out the existence of two distinct cell types: eosinophils and heterophils. Other authors have proposed that eosinophils and heterophils may be the same cells in different stages of maturation. These interpretations are based only on a morphological analysis. In the blood of the turtle (Chrysemys dorbignih), a South American freshwater species, there are two types of granulocytes with eosinophilic staining pattern: the first with round cytoplasmic granules and the second with ellipsoidal cytoplasmic granules. In the present study by using histoenzymological methods for the analyses of enzymological cellular content, we found that the cells with round cytoplasmic granules were positive for nonspecific esterase and the cells with ellipsoidal granules were positives for acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, nonspecific esterase and peroxidase. The results show that these cells are distinct cells and that the cells with ellipsoidal cytoplasmic granules have the same histoenzymological characteristics as the neutrophils/heterophils of mammalians and other vertebrates.

IL-12 and neutralization of endogenous IL-10 revert the in vitro antigen-specific cellular immunosuppression of paracoccidioidomycosis patients

Treatment of patients with paracoccidioidomycosis is still a challenge. Patients present defective lymphoproliferation and IFN-γ responses to the main Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen (gp43), which correlates with disease severity. Here, we demonstrated that the patients show also a defective synthesis of interleukin (IL)-12. Therefore, we attempted to revert this immune disfunction by adding IL-12 and neutralizing anti-IL-10 antibody to gp-43-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures. Both treatments increased IFN-γ secretion to levels observed with healthy sensitized individuals, but affected proliferation only modestly. When combined, the treatments further increased IFN-γ synthesis and cell proliferation. The addition of suboptimal concentrations of IL-2 also further increased the IL-12-mediated secretion of IFN-γ. Interestingly, the immune modulation was mostly antigen-specific, since the responses to Candida albicans' antigen were not affected. These results suggest that appropriate immune intervention with cytokines and/or anti-cytokines may help in the treatment of PCM. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intraepithelial alterations in the Guinea pig lateral prostate at different ages after estradiol treatment

The prostate is an accessory gland of the mammal reproductive system with great volume and high functional importance. Many works infer that, in addition to the androgenic ones, the estrogen can be associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic cancer, but no conclusive evidence exists on the role of estrogen in normal prostatic and neoplastic tissue. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of chronic administration of estradiol benzoate on the lateral prostate of guinea pigs in the pre-pubescent, pubescent, post-pubescent and adult phases, with emphasis on the modifications provoked by this hormone on the glandular epithelium. The analyses of the estradiol-treated and control groups were investigated using histological procedures and transmission electron microscopy. The histopathological analysis of the lateral prostate in the treated group revealed areas where epithelial dysplasia was observed, assuming at some places a pattern of epithelial stratification characteristic of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. After ultrastructural analysis, the following were observed: enlargement of the internal membranes, heterogeneity in the cellular types, hypertrophy of the basal cells and apparent decrease of cytoplasmic organelles in some cells of the prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. Still, a loss of cellular polarity was observed, along with nuclei of various forms, sizes and heights - as well as irregular chromatin distribution patterns. Such alterations were found mainly in pubescent, post-pubescent and adult animals subject to the chronic administration of estradiol. These findings reinforce the already existent data in understanding the role of estrogen in the etiology of prostatic diseases.

Physiological and cellular responses in two populations of the mussel Perna perna collected at different sites from the Coast of São Paulo, Brazil

The physiological conditions of mussels from Ubatuba and Santos and also of organisms transplanted from Ubatuba to Santos were studied by using different techniques. Assays for lysosomal stability were conducted on the haemolymph. Heart rate activity was monitored for 6h. The embryonic development of larvae obtained from the collected mussels was analysed. For all the compared groups of mussels, no significant differences were observed for the cardiac activity monitoring and the embryonic bioassays. The mean Neutral Red (NR) retention time was similar for the animals from Santos and Ubatuba, whereas the organisms transplanted to Santos showed a reduction in the retention time of the dye, indicating damage in the lysosomal membranes. These differences were possibly due to environmental factors, but further investigations are required to confirm this hypothesis.

Skeletal maturation analysis by morphological evaluation of the cervical vertebrae

The determination of skeletal maturation by morphological evaluation of the cervical vertebrae was evaluated in a 100 cephalograms. The analysis showed that this method was reproducible for assessing the individual's growth curve.

Cytologic analysis of alterations induced by smoking and by alcohol consumption

Objective: To analyze cytologically the buccal mucosa of smoking and nonsmoking volunteers to determine what cellular changes are induced by cigarettes and alcohol consumption. Study Design: In order to evaluate cellular changes induced by smoking and alcohol consumption, exfoliative cytology was used for the analysis of mucosal smears obtained from the buccal mucosa of 25 smokers and 25 nonsmokers. The number of cigarettes consumed, duration of smoking, presence or absence of alcohol ingestion, ingested alcohol dose and frequency of consumption, and most frequently used type of alcoholic beverage were determined using a questionnaire. Three smears from each individual stained by the Papanicolaou method were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively under a light microscope by 2 experienced examiners in terms of inflammatory and dysplastic alterations and of the degree of epithelial maturation. Results: Although numerous alterations were observed in smokers they corresponded up to only Papanicolaou class II and were not significantly different from nonsmokers (Mann-Whitney and χ 2 tests, p < 0.05). A higher proportion of inflammatory cells (polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells) were obtained from smokers as compared to nonsmokers, while the proportion of bacteria was similar in the 2 groups. Conclusion: The findings indicate that even after a short period of cigarette use and alcohol consumption, inflammatory alterations were detectable on exfoliative cytology of the buccal mucosa in a young group, demonstrating the usefulness of cytology for early detection in smokers. © The International Academy of Cytology.

Human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus infection, p53 expression, and cellular proliferation in laryngeal carcinoma

Laryngeal carcinomas are aggressive neoplasms with controversial association with the human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). So far, the impairment of p53 protein function and its impact on cellular proliferation has not been studied adequately in these tumors. In this work, molecular biologic techniques were used to assess the frequency of HPV and EBV in 110 squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx. In addition, accumulation of p53 and Ki-67 cell proliferation antigen expression in malignant cells was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. High-grade HPV was found in 37.3% of cases, and none had demonstrable EBV infection. Accumulation of p53 was found in 78.2% of the cases, and it was related to a high Ki-67 labeling index and higher histologic grade. The results demonstrate association of HPV with more than one third of laryngeal carcinomas studied, mainly glottic tumors. Tumors with increased cell proliferation were more frequently high grade, with p53 accumulation and lymph node metastasis. © American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Evolutionary modeling of larval dispersal in blowflies using non-uniform cellular automata

When the food supply flnishes, or when the larvae of blowflies complete their development and migrate prior to the total removal of the larval substrate, they disperse to find adequate places for pupation, a process known as post-feeding larval dispersal. Based on experimental data of the Initial and final configuration of the dispersion, the reproduction of such spatio-temporal behavior is achieved here by means of the evolutionary search for cellular automata with a distinct transition rule associated with each cell, also known as a nonuniform cellular automata, and with two states per cell in the lattice. Two-dimensional regular lattices and multivalued states will be considered and a practical question is the necessity of discovering a proper set of transition rules. Given that the number of rules is related to the number of cells in the lattice, the search space is very large and an evolution strategy is then considered to optimize the parameters of the transition rules, with two transition rules per cell. As the parameters to be optimized admit a physical interpretation, the obtained computational model can be analyzed to raise some hypothetical explanation of the observed spatiotemporal behavior. © 2006 IEEE.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of apoptosis in skeletal muscle atrophy

Apoptosis is necessary for maintaining the integrity of proliferative tissues, such as epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal and integumentary systems. The role of apoptosis in post-mitotic tissues, such as skeletal muscle, is less well defined, but several lines of evidence suggest that it occurs in both myofiber and other interstitial muscle cell types. Apoptosis of myonuclei likely contributes to the loss of muscle mass, but the mechanisms underlying this process are largely unknown. Caspase-dependent as well as caspase-independent pathways have been implicated, and the mode by which atrophy is induced likely determines the apoptotic mechanisms that are utilized. It remains to be determined whether a decrease in apoptosis will alleviate atrophy and distinct research strategies may be required to clarify the different causes of skeletal muscle mass loss. In this review, it was also speculated that apoptosis is a normal regulatory process that the myofiber can use to reduce the number of nuclear domains, thus ensuring optimal cell functions according to the mechanical load imposed on the muscle. ©FUNPEC-RP.