Effects of atrazine on female Wistar rats: Morphological alterations in ovarian follicles and immunocytochemical labeling of 90 kDa heat shock protein

Fertility in female mammals may be affected by a variety of endocrine disrupters present in the environment. Herbicide atrazine is an example of endocrine disrupter employed in agriculture, which disrupts estrous cyclicity in rats. Aiming to characterize morphologically the effect of low and sublethal doses of atrazine on the ovaries of Wistar rats, in an effort to determine the possible intrafollicular target site through which this herbicide acts adult females were submitted to both subacute and subchronic treatments. Additionally, immunocytochemical labeling of 90 kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) was performed in order to evaluate the role played by this protein in the ovary, under stressed conditions induced by herbicide exposure. The results indicated that atrazine induced impaired folliculogenesis, increased follicular atresia and HSP90 depletion in female rats submitted to subacute treatment, while the subchronic treatment with low dose of atrazine could compromise the reproductive capacity reflected by the presence of multioocytic follicle and stress-inducible HSP90. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the evection resonance and its connection to the stability of outer satellites

In terms of stability around the primary, it is widely known that the semimajor axis of the retrograde satellites is much larger than the corresponding semimajor axis of the prograde satellites. Usually this conclusion is obtained numerically, since precise analytical derivation is far from being easy, especially, in the case of two or more disturbers. Following the seminal idea that what is unstable in the restricted three-body problem is also unstable in the general N-body problem, we present a simplified model which allows us to derive interesting resonant configurations. These configurations are responsible for cumulative perturbations which can give birth to strong instability that may cause the ejection of the satellite. Then we obtain, analytically, approximate bounds of the stability of prograde and retrograde satellites. Although we recover quite well previous results of other authors, we comment very briefly some weakness of these bounds. Copyright (c) 2008 Tadashi Yokoyama et al.

Effects of lycopene, synbiotic and their association on early biomarkers of rat colon carcinogenesis

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

Dynamics of a spacecraft and normalization around Lagrangian points in the Neptune-Triton system

The problem of a spacecraft orbiting the Neptune-Triton system is presented. The new ingredients in this restricted three body problem are the Neptune oblateness and the high inclined and retrograde motion of Triton. First we present some interesting simulations showing the role played by the oblateness on a Neptune's satellite, disturbed by Triton. We also give an extensive numerical exploration in the case when the spacecraft orbits Triton, considering Sun, Neptune and its planetary oblateness as disturbers. In the plane a x I (a = semi-major axis, I = inclination), we give a plot of the stable regions where the massless body can survive for thousand of years. Retrograde and direct orbits were considered and as usual, the region of stability is much more significant for the case of direct orbit of the spacecraft (Triton's orbit is retrograde). Next we explore the dynamics in a vicinity of the Lagrangian points. The Birkhoff normalization is constructed around L-2, followed by its reduction to the center manifold. In this reduced dynamics, a convenient Poincare section shows the interplay of the Lyapunov and halo periodic orbits, Lissajous and quasi-halo tori as well as the stable and unstable manifolds of the planar Lyapunov orbit. To show the effect of the oblateness, the planar Lyapunov family emanating from the Lagrangian points and three-dimensional halo orbits are obtained by the numerical continuation method. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of COSPAR.

Variation of the Equator due to a Highly Inclined and Eccentric Disturber

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

Urocortin in the central nervous system of a primate (Cebus apella): Sequencing, immunohistochemical, and hybridization histochemical characterization

The urocortin (UCN)-like immunoreactivity and UCN mRNA distribution in various regions of the nonprimate mammalian brain have been reported. However, the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EW) appears to be the only brain site where UCN expression is conserved across species. Although UCN peptides are present throughout vertebrate phylogeny, the functional roles of both UCN and EW remain poorly understood. Therefore, a study focused on UCN system organization in the primate brain is warranted. By using immunohistochemistry (single and double labeling) and in situ hybridization, we have characterized the organization of UCN-expressing cells and fibers in the central nervous system and pituitary of the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella). In addition, the sequence of the prepro-UCN was determined to establish the level of structural conservation relative to the human sequence. To understand the relationship of acetylcholine cells in the EW, a colocalization study comparing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and UCN was also performed. The cloned monkey prepro-UCN is 95% identical to the human preprohormone across the matched sequences. By using an antiserum raised against rat UCN and a probe generated from human cDNA, we found that the EW is the dominant site for UCN expression, although UCN mRNA is also expressed in spinal cord lamina IX. Labeled axons and terminals were distributed diffusely throughout many brain regions and along the length of the spinal cord. of particular interest were UCN-immunoreactive inputs to the medial preoptic area, the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, the oral part of the spinal trigeminal nucleus, the flocculus of the cerebellum, and the spinal cord laminae VII and X. We found no UCN hybridization signal in the pituitary. In addition, we observed no colocalization between ChAT and UCN in EW neurons. Our results support the hypothesis that the UCN system might participate in the control of autonomic, endocrine, and sensorimotor functions in primates.

Influence of different routes of flush perfusion on the distribution of lung preservation solutions in parenchyma and airways

Objective: The present study was performed to investigate the influence of different routes of perfusion on the distribution of the preservation solutions in the lung parenchyma and upper airways. Methods: Pigs were divided into four groups: control (n = 6), pulmonary artery (PA) (n = 6), simultaneous PA + bronchial artery (BA) (n = 8), and retrograde delivery (n = 6). After preparation and cannulation, cardioplegia solution and Euro- Collins solution (ECS) for lung preservation were given simultaneously. After removal of the heart, the double lung bloc was harvested. Following parameters were assessed: total and regional perfusion (dye-labeled microspheres), tissue water content, PA, aorta, left atrial and left ventricular pressures, cardiac output and lung temperature. Results: Our data show that flow of the ECS in lung parenchyma did not reach control values (9.4 ± 1.0 ml/min per g lung wet weight) regardless of the route of delivery (PA 6.3 ± 1.5, PA + BA 4.8 ± 0.9, retrograde 2.7 ± 0.9 ml/min per g lung wet weight). However, flow in the proximal and distal trachea were significantly increased by PA + BA delivery (0.970 ± 0.4, respectively, 0.380 ± 0.2 ml/min per g) in comparison with PA (0.023 ± 0.007, respectively, 0.024 ± 0.070 ml/min per g), retrograde (0.009 ± 0.003, respectively, 0.021 ± 0.006 ml/min per g) and control experiments (0.125 ± 0.0018, respectively, 0.105 ± 0.012 ml/g per min). Similarly the highest flow rates in the right main bronchus were achieved by PA + BA delivery (1.04 ± 0.4 ml/min per g) in comparison with 0.11 ± 0.03 in control, 0.033 ± 0.008 in PA, and 0.019 ± 0.005 ml/min per g in retrograde group. Flows in the left main bronchus were 0.09 ± 0.02 ml/min per g in control, 0.045 ± 0.012 ml/min per g in PA, and 0.027 ± 0.006 ml/min per g in retrograde group. The flow rates were significantly (P = 0.001) increased by PA + BA delivery of the storage solution (0.97 ± 0.3 ml/min per g). Conclusions: Our data show that the distribution of ECS for lung preservation is significantly improved in airway tissues (trachea and bronchi) if a simultaneous PA + BA delivery is used.

An interplanetary mission to Neptune system: Gravitational capture and maneuvers around triton

The gravitational capture was initially used to understand the capture of planetary satellites. However, in the 90's decade, this phenomenon was applied in spacecraft trajectories. Belbruno and Miller studied missions in the Earth-Moon system that uses this technique to save fuel during the insertion of the spacecraft in its final orbit around the Moon. Using a parameter defined as twice the two-body energy of the planet-particle system, Yamakawa also studied the gravitational capture in the Earth-Moon system. In the present paper, this technique is used to study a mission that goes to the Neptune system and perform a gravitational capture in the satellite Triton. The results show direct and retrograde trajectories, for different values of the initial conditions.

Leishmania amazonensis Promastigotes Present Two Distinct Modes of Nucleus and Kinetoplast Segregation during Cell Cycle

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

SEM Evaluation of the Interface Between Filling and Root- End Filling Materials

The aim of this ex vivo study was to evaluate, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the presence of gaps at the interface between filling material and three root-end filling materials. Thirty human upper molars disto-buccal roots were instrumented and filled with gutta-percha and eugenol-based sealer. The apicoectomy was performed 2mm from the apex and retrograde cavities were prepared with ultrasonic points (3mm in deep). The samples were divided into three experimental groups (n=10): Group Iwhite mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA); Group IISuper EBA; and Group IIIPortland cement. The root-end filling materials were inserted into the retocavities using a MTA carrier. After 48h, the roots were transversally sectioned in order to obtain the apical 5mm. Next, each specimen was prepared longitudinally with crescent granulation of abrasives water-wet sandpapers in order to expose the filling and root-end filling materials. Then, the specimens were subjected to slow dehydration with silica gel, mounted onto specific stubs and coated with paladium coverage for SEM analysis of the interface between filling and root-end filling materials. The percentage of gaps at the interfacial area was calculated by using Image Tool 3.0 software. Super EBA presented the higher percentage of gaps (1.5 +/- 0.67%), whereas MTA presented the lowest values (0.33 +/- 0.20%; p=0.0004). Despite the statistical differences observed between Super EBA and MTA, all the root-end filling materials presented great adaptation to the filling material, presenting small amount of gaps. SCANNING 36:252-257, 2014. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Correlation between immunoexpression of BCL-2 protein family with apoptosis index, cellular proliferation and survival in colorectal carcinomas

Objectives: To evaluate the Bcl-2, Bax, Bad and Bak immunoexpression in tumor and nontumorous tissue of 130 patients with colorectal carcinoma submitted to surgery at São Paulo Hospital, EPM/ UNIFESP, from 2002 to 2005, and to correlate the immunoexpression data with the apoptotic index (AI, obtained by anti-cleaved caspase 3 and M30 labeling), cell proliferation score (CPS, obtained by Ki-67), immunoexpression of p53 and patient’s clinical prognosis. Results: Positive correlation was verified between Bcl-2 protein family in tumor and nontumor tissue. Only Bcl-2 protein correlated with IA and CPS in the tumor. Positive correlation was observed between pro- -apoptotic proteins and Bcl-2 protein. In the adjacent mucosa, Bcl-2 correlated with Ki-67 and p53, but not with IA. Carcinomas exhibited higher immunoexpression of CPS and IA markers. No correlation occurred between immunoexpression data and patient survival. Conclusion: Positive correlation was observed between the pro-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family and the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. In the adjacent nontumor mucosa, Bcl-2 correlated with Ki-67 and p53, but not with AI. Carcinomas presented greater immunoexpression for CPS and AI markers; however immunoexpression of these markers was not correlated with patient survival.

Asymmetric post-natal development of superior cervical ganglion of paca (Agouti paca)

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

eNOS T-786C polymorphism affects atorvastatin-induced changes in erythrocyte membrane fluidity

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