Long-term Spinal Ventral Root Reimplantation, But Not Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Treatment, Positively Influences Ultrastructural Synapse Recovery And Motor Axonal Regrowth.

We recently proposed a new surgical approach to treat ventral root avulsion, resulting in motoneuron protection. The present work combined such a surgical approach with bone marrow mononuclear cells (MC) therapy. Therefore, MC were added to the site of reimplantation. Female Lewis rats (seven weeks old) were subjected to unilateral ventral root avulsion (VRA) at L4, L5 and L6 levels and divided into the following groups (n = 5 for each group): Avulsion, sealant reimplanted roots and sealant reimplanted roots plus MC. After four weeks and 12 weeks post-surgery, the lumbar intumescences were processed by transmission electron microscopy, to analyze synaptic inputs to the repaired α motoneurons. Also, the ipsi and contralateral sciatic nerves were processed for axon counting and morphometry. The ultrastructural results indicated a significant preservation of inhibitory pre-synaptic boutons in the groups repaired with sealant alone and associated with MC therapy. Moreover, the average number of axons was higher in treated groups when compared to avulsion only. Complementary to the fiber counting, the morphometric analysis of axonal diameter and g ratio demonstrated that root reimplantation improved the motor component recovery. In conclusion, the data herein demonstrate that root reimplantation at the lesion site may be considered a therapeutic approach, following proximal lesions in the interface of central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), and that MC therapy does not further improve the regenerative recovery, up to 12 weeks post lesion.

Prostatic Angiogenic Responses In Late Life: Antiangiogenic Therapy Influences And Relation With The Glandular Microenvironment In The Transgenic Adenocarcinoma Of Mouse Prostate (tramp) Model.

Aging is considered one of the main predisposing factors for the development of prostate malignancies. Angiogenesis is fundamental for tumor growth and its inhibition represents a promising therapeutic approach in cancer treatment. Thus, we sought to determine angiogenic responses and the effects of antiangiogenic therapy in the mouse prostate during late life, comparing these findings with the prostatic microenvironment in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) model. Male mice (52 week-old FVB) were submitted to treatments with SU5416 (6 mg/kg; i.p.) and/or TNP-470 (15 mg/kg; s.c.). Finasteride was administered (20 mg/kg; s.c.), alone or in association to both inhibitors. The dorsolateral prostate was collected for VEGF, HIF-1α, FGF-2 and endostatin immunohistochemical and Western Blotting analyses and for microvessel density (MVD) count. Senescence led to increased MVD and VEGF, HIF-1α and FGF-2 protein levels in the prostatic microenvironment, similarly to what was observed in TRAMP mice prostate. The angiogenic process was impaired in all the treated groups, demonstrating significantly decreased MVD. Antiangiogenic and/or finasteride treatments resulted in decreased VEGF and HIF-1α levels, especially following TNP-470 administration, either alone or associated to SU5416. The combination of these agents resulted in increased endostatin levels, regardless of the presence of finasteride. Prostatic angiogenesis stimulation during senescence favored the development of neoplastic lesions, considering the pro-angiogenic microenvironment as a common aspect also observed during cancer progression in TRAMP mice. The combined antiangiogenic therapy was more efficient, leading to enhanced imbalance towards angiogenic inhibition in the organ. Finally, finasteride administration might secondarily upregulate the expression of pro-angiogenic factors, pointing to the harmful effects of this therapy. Prostate 75: 484-499, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mechanisms Of Insulin Resistance In The Amygdala: Influences On Food Intake.

Obesity is increasing worldwide and is triggered, at least in part, by enhanced caloric intake. Food intake is regulated by a complex mechanism involving the hypothalamus and hindbrain circuitries. However, evidences have showing that reward systems are also important in regulating feeding behavior. In this context, amygdala is considered a key extra-hypothalamic area regulating feeding behavior in human beings and rodents. This review focuses on the regulation of food intake by amygdala and the mechanisms of insulin resistance in this brain area. Similar to the hypothalamus the anorexigenic effect of insulin is mediated via PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt (protein kinase B) pathway in the amygdala. Insulin decreases NPY (neuropeptide Y) and increases oxytocin mRNA levels in the amygdala. High fat diet and saturated fatty acids induce inflammation, ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress and the activation of serine kinases such as PKCθ (protein kinase C theta), JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and IKKβ (inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase beta) in the amygdala, which have an important role in insulin resistance in this brain region. Overexpressed PKCθ in the CeA (central nucleus of amygdala) of rats increases weight gain, food intake, insulin resistance and hepatic triglycerides content. The inhibition of ER stress ameliorates insulin action/signaling, increases oxytocin and decreases NPY gene expression in the amygdala of high fat feeding rodents. Those data suggest that PKCθ and ER stress are main mechanisms of insulin resistance in the amygdala of obese rats and play an important role regulating feeding behavior.

Subclinical Mri Disease Activity Influences Cognitive Performance In Ms Patients.

The pathological mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) are not yet fully understood and, in addition to demyelinating lesions and gray-matter atrophy, subclinical disease activity may play a role. To evaluate the contribution of asymptomatic gadolinium-enhancing lesions to cognitive dysfunction along with gray-matter damage and callosal atrophy in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients. Forty-two treated RRMS and 30 controls were evaluated. MRI (3T) variables of interest were brain white-matter and cortical lesion load, cortical and deep gray-matter volumes, corpus callosum volume and presence of gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Outcome variables included EDSS, MS Functional Composite (MSFC) subtests and the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological tests. Cognitive dysfunction was classified as deficits in two or more cognitive subtests. Multivariate regression analyses assessed the contribution of MRI metrics to outcomes. Patients with cognitive impairment (45.2%) had more cortical lesions and lower gray-matter and callosal volumes. Patients with subclinical MRI activity (15%) had worse cognitive performance. Clinical disability on MSFC was mainly associated with putaminal atrophy. The main independent predictors for cognitive deficits were high burden of cortical lesions and number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Cognitive dysfunction was especially related to high burden of cortical lesions and subclinical disease activity. Cognitive studies in MS should look over subclinical disease activity as a potential contributor to cognitive impairment.

[factors That Influence Bone Mass Of Healthy Children And Adolescents Measured By Quantitative Ultrasound At The Hand Phalanges: A Systematic Review].

To analyze the main factors that influence bone mass in children and teenagers assessed by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the phalanges. A systematic literature review was performed according to the PRISMA method with searches in databases Pubmed/Medline, SciELO and Bireme for the period 2001-2012, in English and Portuguese languages, using the keywords: children, teenagers, adolescent, ultrasound finger phalanges, quantitative ultrasound of phalanges, phalangeal quantitative ultrasound. 21 articles were included. Girls had, in QUS, Amplitude Dependent Speed of Sound (AD-SoS) values higher than boys during pubertal development. The values of the parameters of QUS of the phalanges and dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) increased with the increase of the maturational stage. Anthropometric variables such as age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), lean mass showed positive correlations with the values of QUS of the phalanges. Physical activity has also been shown to be positively associated with increased bone mass. Factors such as ethnicity, genetics, caloric intake and socioeconomic profile have not yet shown a conclusive relationship and need a larger number of studies. QUS of the phalanges is a method used to evaluate the progressive acquisition of bone mass during growth and maturation of individuals in school phase, by monitoring changes that occur with increasing age and pubertal stage. There were mainly positive influences in variables of sex, maturity, height, weight and BMI, with similar data when compared to the gold standard method, the DXA.

Geographical Distribution Of The Association Between El Niño South Oscillation And Dengue Fever In The Americas: A Continental Analysis Using Geographical Information System-based Techniques.

El Niño South Oscillation (ENSO) is one climatic phenomenon related to the inter-annual variability of global meteorological patterns influencing sea surface temperature and rainfall variability. It influences human health indirectly through extreme temperature and moisture conditions that may accelerate the spread of some vector-borne viral diseases, like dengue fever (DF). This work examines the spatial distribution of association between ENSO and DF in the countries of the Americas during 1995-2004, which includes the 1997-1998 El Niño, one of the most important climatic events of 20(th) century. Data regarding the South Oscillation index (SOI), indicating El Niño-La Niña activity, were obtained from Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The annual DF incidence (AIy) by country was computed using Pan-American Health Association data. SOI and AIy values were standardised as deviations from the mean and plotted in bars-line graphics. The regression coefficient values between SOI and AIy (rSOI,AI) were calculated and spatially interpolated by an inverse distance weighted algorithm. The results indicate that among the five years registering high number of cases (1998, 2002, 2001, 2003 and 1997), four had El Niño activity. In the southern hemisphere, the annual spatial weighted mean centre of epidemics moved southward, from 6° 31' S in 1995 to 21° 12' S in 1999 and the rSOI,AI values were negative in Cuba, Belize, Guyana and Costa Rica, indicating a synchrony between higher DF incidence rates and a higher El Niño activity. The rSOI,AI map allows visualisation of a graded surface with higher values of ENSO-DF associations for Mexico, Central America, northern Caribbean islands and the extreme north-northwest of South America.

Boys In White: A Classic Of Qualitative Research Turns 50.

This article analyzes Boys in white: student culture in medical schoolby Howard S. Becker, Blanche Geer, Everett C. Hughes and Anselm Strauss, considered a model of qualitative research in sociology. The analysis investigates the trajectories of the authors, the book, qualitative analysis, and the medical students, emphasizing their importance in the origins of medical sociology and the sociology of medical education. In the trajectory of the authors, bibliographical information is given. The trajectory of qualitative research focuses on how this methodology influences the construction of the field. The investigation of the students' trajectory shows how they progress through their first years at medical school to build their own student culture.

Relationship Between Aerobic And Anaerobic Parameters From 3-minute All-out Tethered Swimming And 400-m Maximal Front Crawl Effort.

The main aim of this investigation was to verify the relationship of the variables measured during a 3-minute all-out test with aerobic (i.e., peak oxygen uptake [(Equation is included in full-text article.)] and intensity corresponding to the lactate minimum [LMI]) and anaerobic parameters (i.e., anaerobic work) measured during a 400-m maximal performance. To measure force continually and to avoid the possible influences caused by turns, the 3-minute all-out effort was performed in tethered swimming. Thirty swimmers performed the following tests: (a) a 3-minute all-out tethered swimming test to determine the final force (equivalent to critical force: CF3-MIN) and the work performed above CF3-MIN (W'3-MIN), (b) a LMI protocol to determine the LMI during front crawl swimming, and (c) a 400-m maximal test to determine the (Equation is included in full-text article.)and total anaerobic contribution (WANA). Correlations between the variables were tested using the Pearson's correlation test (p ≤ 0.05). CF3-MIN (73.9 ± 13.2 N) presented a high correlation with the LMI (1.33 ± 0.08 m·s; p = 0.01) and (Equation is included in full-text article.)(4.5 ± 1.2 L·min; p = 0.01). However, the W'3-MIN (1,943.2 ± 719.2 N·s) was only moderately correlated with LMI (p = 0.02) and (Equation is included in full-text article.)(p = 0.01). In summary, CF3-MIN determined during the 3-minute all-out effort is associated with oxidative metabolism and can be used to estimate the aerobic capacity of swimmers. In contrast, the anaerobic component of this model (W'3-MIN) is not correlated with WANA.

Low Molecular Weight Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase (lmwptp) Upregulation Mediates Malignant Potential In Colorectal Cancer.

Phosphatases have long been regarded as tumor suppressors, however there is emerging evidence for a tumor initiating role for some phosphatases in several forms of cancer. Low Molecular Weight Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase (LMWPTP; acid phosphatase 1 [ACP1]) is an 18 kDa enzyme that influences the phosphorylation of signaling pathway mediators involved in cancer and is thus postulated to be a tumor-promoting enzyme, but neither unequivocal clinical evidence nor convincing mechanistic actions for a role of LMWPTP have been identified. In the present study, we show that LMWPTP expression is not only significantly increased in colorectal cancer (CRC), but also follows a step-wise increase in different levels of dysplasia. Chemical inhibition of LMWPTP significantly reduces CRC growth. Furthermore, downregulation of LMWPTP in CRC leads to a reduced migration ability in both 2D- and 3D-migration assays, and sensitizes tumor cells to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-FU. In conclusion, this study shows that LMWPTP is not only overexpressed in colorectal cancer, but it is correlated with the malignant potential of this cancer, suggesting that this phosphatase may act as a predictive biomaker of CRC stage and represents a rational novel target in the treatment of this disease.

Influence Of The Major Nitrite Transporter Nirc On The Virulence Of A Swollen Head Syndrome Avian Pathogenic E. Coli (apec) Strain.

Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains are extra-intestinal E. coli that infect poultry and cause diseases. Nitrite is a central branch-point in bacterial nitrogen metabolism and is used as a cytotoxin by macrophages. Unlike nitric oxide (NO), nitrite cannot diffuse across bacterial membrane cells. The NirC protein acts as a specific channel to facilitate the transport of nitrite into Salmonella and E. coli cells for nitrogen metabolism and cytoplasmic detoxification. NirC is also required for the pathogenicity of Salmonella by downregulating the production of NO by the host macrophages. Based on an in vitro microarray that revealed the overexpression of the nirC gene in APEC strain SCI-07, we constructed a nirC-deficient SCI-07 strain (ΔnirC) and evaluated its virulence potential using in vivo and in vitro assays. The final cumulative mortalities caused by mutant and wild-type (WT) were similar; while the ΔnirC caused a gradual increase in the mortality rate during the seven days recorded, the WT caused mortality up to 24h post-infection (hpi). Counts of the ΔnirC cells in the spleen, lung and liver were higher than those of the WT after 48 hpi but similar at 24 hpi. Although similar number of ΔnirC and WT cells was observed in macrophages at 3 hpi, there was higher number of ΔnirC cells at 16 hpi. The cell adhesion ability of the ΔnirC strain was about half the WT level in the presence and absence of alpha-D-mannopyranoside. These results indicate that the nirC gene influences the pathogenicity of SCI-07 strain.

Vasopressina e morte encefálica

Brain death results in the breakdown of effective central regulatory mechanisms of cardiocirculatory stability, even in patients with artificial mechanical ventilation, correction of electrolytic and acid-basic disorders and maximal conventional pharmacological support of the circulation. Recent evidences have shown that the fall of vasopressin levels in the blood circulation significantly influences the cardiocirculatory stability of patients with brain death, and its exogenous administration is defended by many authors for the management of multiorgan donor patients. In this brief review we analyse and discuss some experimental and clinical relevant studies about the role of vasopressin in the control of cardiocirculatory stability in brain death, and its potential usefulness in the management of multiorgan donor. We conclude that the role of vasopressin in the pathophysiology of brain death and its usefulness as a pharmacological agent in the management of multiorgan donor are not well elucidated, deserving further investigations.

Própolis do sudeste e nordeste do Brasil: influência da sazonalidade na atividade antibacteriana e composição fenólica

The composition and biological activities of propolis, a resinous hive product collected by honeybees from various plant sources, depends on various factors such as season and vegetation of the area. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the seasonal effect on the ethanolic extracts of Brazilian propolis (EEP) type 6 and type 12, collected during 6 months in terms of antibacterial activity and phenolic composition. The antimicrobial properties were evaluated by MIC and MBC on S. mutans Ingbritt 1600 and the profile of chemical composition by UV-visible spectrophotometry, HPLC-RF and GC-MS. The results demonstrated that the season in which propolis is collected influences its chemical composition, resulting in modifications in its antibacterial activity.

Seed rain in areas with and without bamboo dominance within an urban fragment of the Atlantic Forest

Understanding the flow of diaspores is fundamental for determining plant population dynamics in a particular habitat, and a lack of seeds is a limiting factor in forest regeneration, especially in isolated forest fragments. Bamboo dominance affects forest structure and dynamics by suppressing or delaying the recruitment of and colonization by tree species as well as by inhibiting the survival and growth of adult trees. The goal of the present study was to determine whether dominance of the bamboo species Aulonemia aristulata (Döll) McClure in the forest understory influences species abundance and composition. We examined the seed rain at two noncontiguous sites (1.5 km apart) within an urban forest fragment, with and without bamboo dominance (BD+ and BD- areas, respectively). Sixty seed traps (0.5 m², with a 1-mm mesh) were set in the BD+ and BD- areas, and the seed rain was sampled from January to December 2007. Diaspores were classified according to dispersal syndrome, growth form and functional type of the species to which they belonged. There were significant differences between the two areas in terms of seed density, species diversity and dispersal syndrome. The BD+ area showed greater seed density and species diversity. In both areas, seed distribution was limited primarily by impaired dispersal. Bamboo dominance and low tree density resulted in fewer propagules in the seed rain. Our results suggest that low availability of seeds in the rain does not promote the maintenance of a degraded state, characterized by the presence of bamboo.

Variabilidade espacial da textura de um latossolo sob cultivo de citros

Relief influences soil texture variability, since it contributes to the time of exposition of the materials to weathering factors. Our work was carried out in the city of Gavião Peixoto (SP), with the objective of characterizing the spatial variability of texture of a dystrophic Red Latosol cultivated with citrus. The hillside was divided into three segments: top, stocking lean and inferior lean. Soil samples were collected in a grid with regular intervals of 50 m, at the depths of 0.0-0.2 m and 0.6-0.8 m, comprising a total of 332 points in an area of 83.5 ha. The data were submitted to descriptive and geostatistics analyses (semivariogram modeling and kriging maps). The spatial behavior of the texture of oxisols is directly related to the relief forms in this study, which controls the direction of surface and subsurface water flows. The concept of homogeneity of clay distribution in the Oxisol profile is a piece of information that can be adjusted by knowing the spatial pattern of this distribution in different relief forms.

Realidade da olimpíada colegial do estado de São Paulo (OCESP) em relação ao discurso presente na educação física acerca da competição escolar : estudo da região leste de Campinas

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física