NaF treatment increases TNF-alpha and resistin concentrations and reduces insulin signal in rats

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

Expression of interferon-gamma, interferon-alpha and related genes in individuals with Down syndrome and periodontitis

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

Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha and Interleukin-1 beta Modulate Calcium and Nitric Oxide Signaling in Mechanically Stimulated Osteocytes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Variations in maternal care alter corticosterone and 17beta-estradiol levels, estrous cycle and folliculogenesis and stimulate the expression of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in the ovaries of UCh rats

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

Synchronization of ovulation in beef cows (Bos indicus) using GnRH, PGF2 alpha and estradiol benzoate

The objective of this study was to evaluate protocols for synchronizing ovulation in beef cattle. In Experiment 1, Nelore cows (Bos indicus) at random stages of the estrous cycle were assigned to 1 of the following treatments: Group GP controls (nonlactating, n=7) received GnRH agonist (Day 0) and PGF2 alpha (Day 7); while Groups GPG (nonlactating, n=8) and GPG-L (lactating, n=9) cows were given GnRH (Day 0), PGF2a (Day 7) and GnRH again (Day 8, 30 h after PGF2 alpha). A new follicular wave was observed 1.79+/-0.34 d after GnRH in 19/24 cows. After PGF2a, ovulation occurred in 19/24 cows (6/7 GP, 6/8 GPG, 7/9 GPG-L). Most cows (83.3%) exhibited a dominant follicle just before PGF2a, and 17/19 ovulatory follicles were from a new follicular wave. There was a more precise synchrony of ovulation (within 12 h) in cows that received a second dose of GnRH (GPG and GPG-L) than controls (GP, ovulation within 48 h; P<0.01). In Experiment 2, lactating Nelore cows with a visible corpus luteum (CL) by ultrasonography were allocated to 2 treatments: Group GPE (n=10) received GnRH agonist (Day 0), PGF2a (Day 7) and estradiol benzoate (EB; Day 8, 24 h after PGF2 alpha); while Group EPE (n=11), received EB (Day 0), PGF2a (Day 9) and EB (Day 10, 24 h after PGF2a). Emergence of a new follicular wave was observed 1.6+/-0.31 d after GnRH (Group GPE). After EB injection (Day 8) ovulation was observed at 45.38+/-2.03 h in 7/10 cows within 12 h. In Group EPE the emergence of a new follicular wave was observed later (4.36+/-0.31 d) than in Group GEP (1.6+/-0.31 d; P<0.001). After the second EB injection (Day 10) ovulation was observed at 44.16+/-2.21 h within 12 (7/11 cows) or 18 h (8/11 cows). All 3 treatments were effective in synchronizing ovulation in beef cows. However, GPE and, particularly EPE treatments offer a promising alternative to the GPG protocol in timed artificial insemination of beef cattle, due to the low cost of EB compared with GnRH agonists. (C) 2000 by Elsevier B.V.

Search for a Fermiophobic and Standard Model Higgs Boson in Diphoton Final States

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The natural radioactivity in water by gross alpha and beta measurements

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

Biomimetic synthesis of xuxuarines E alpha and E beta: Structure revision of Rzedowskia bistriterpenoids

Reaction of pristimerin with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) resulted in a biomimetic-type coupling leading to xuxuarines E alpha and E beta and not the previously reported Rzedowskia bistriterpenoids I and II suggesting that the structures proposed for these natural products need revision. A product obtained in this reaction by an unusual Diels-Alder addition followed by retro-Diels-Alder-type elimination was characterized as pristimerin dicyanophenalenedione. Complete H-1, and C-13 NMR spectral assignments of xuxuarines Ea and Eb have been made by the application of 1D and 2D NMR techniques. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RECENT HEAVY-ION EXPERIMENTS AND STATISTICAL-MODEL OF HADRONS

The combined CERN and Brookhaven heavy ion (H.I.) data supports a scenario of hadron gas which is in chemical and thermal equilibrium at a temperature T of about 140 MeV. Using the Brown-Stachel-Welke model (which gives 150 MeV) we show that in this scenario, the hot nucleons have mass 3 pi T and the pi and rho mesons have masses close to pi T and 2 pi T, respectively. A simple model with pions and quarks supports the co-existence of two phases in these heavy ion experiments, suggesting a second order phase transition. The masses of the pion, rho and the nucleon are intriguingly close to the lattice screening masses.

EPR investigation of the influence of side chain protecting groups on peptide-resin solvation of the Asx and Glx model containing peptides

In spite of all progressive efforts aiming to optimize SPPS, serious problems mainly affecting the assembly of aggregating sequences have persisted. Following the study intended to unravel the complex solvation phenomenon of peptide-resin beads, the XING and XAAAA model aggregating segments were labeled with a paramagnetic probe and studied via EPR spectroscopy. Low and high substituted resins were also comparatively used, with the X residue being Asx or Glx containing the main protecting groups used in the SPPS. Notably, the cyclo-hexyl group used for Asp and Glu residues in Boc-chemistry induced greater chain immobilization than its tert-butyl partner-protecting group of the Fmoc strategy. Otherwise, the most impressive peptide chain immobilization occurred when the large trytil group was used for Asn and Gln protection in Fmoc-chemistry. These surprising results thus seem to stress the possibility of the relevant influence of the amino-acid side chain protecting groups in the overall peptide synthesis yield. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential regulation of the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and of eicosanoids by mast cells in rat airways after antigen challenge

Background: Rat trachea display a differential topographical distribution of connective tissue mast cells (CTMC) and mucosal mast cells (MMC) that may imply regional differences in the release of allergic mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and eicosanoids.Aim: To evaluate the role of CTMC and MMC for release of TNF-alpha and eicosanoids after allergenic challenge in distinct segments of rat trachea.Materials and methods: Proximal trachea ( PT) and distal trachea (DT) from ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized rats, treated or not with compound 48/80 ( 48/80) or dexamethasone, were incubated in culture medium. After OVA challenge, aliquots were collected to study release of TNF-alpha and eicosanoids.Results: Release of TNF-alpha by PT upon OVA challenge peaked at 90 min and decayed at 6 and 24 h. Release from DT peaked at 30-90 min and decayed 6 and 24 h later. When CTMC were depleted with 48/80, OVA challenge exacerbated the TNF-alpha release by PT at all time intervals, while DT exacerbated TNF-alpha levels 6 and 24 h later only. Dexamethasone reduced TNF-alpha production after 90 min of OVA challenge in PT and at 3 and 6h in DT. OVA challenge increased prostaglandin D-2 in DT and leukotriene B-4 in both segments but did not modify prostaglandin E-2 and leukotriene C-4 release.Conclusion: OVA challenge induces TNF-alpha release from MMC, which is negatively regulated by CTMC. The profile of TNF-alpha and eicosanoids depends on the time after OVA challenge and of the tracheal segment considered.

Effects of subtypes alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors of the lateral hypothalamus on the water and sodium intake induced by angiotensin II injected into the subfornical organ

The present experiments were conducted to investigate the role of the alpha (1A)-, alpha (1B), beta (1),- and beta (2)-adrenoceptors of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) on the water and salt intake responses elicited by subfornical organ (SFO) injection of angiotensin II (ANG II) in rats. 5-methylurapidil (an alpha (1A)-adrenergic antagonist), cyclazosin (an alpha (1B)-adrenergic antagonist) and ICI-118,551 (a beta (2)-adrenergic antagonist) injected into the LH produced a dose-dependent reduction, whereas efaroxan (an alpha (2)-antagonist) increased the water intake induced by administration of ANG II into the SFO. These data show that injection of 5-methylurapidil into the LH prior to ANG II into the SFO increased the water and sodium intake induced by the injection of ANG II. The present data also show that atenolol (a beta (1)-adrenergic antagonist), ICI-118,551, cyclazosin, or efaroxan injected into the LH reduced in a dose-dependent manner the water and sodium intake to angiotensinergic activation of SFO. Thus, the alpha (1)- and beta -adrenoceptors of the LH are possibly involved with central mechanisms dependent on ANG II and SFO that control water and sodium intake. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.