Low expression of sodium iodide symporter identifies aggressive thyroid tumors

A decreased radioiodine uptake is frequently detected in differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC) and is associated with high recurrence rate and reduced survival. We investigated the correlation between NIS mRNA expression levels in the primary tumor and patient outcome using a quantitative real-time RT-PCR method. NIS expression was decreased in 17 DTC (21.04 +/- 39.66 pg Eq) compared to four autoimune thyroid disease (180.51 +/- 92.63 pg Eq) and 14 normal tissues (75.71 +/- 66.98 pg Eq) (p < 0.0001). The 17 thyroid differentiated carcinoma patients were submitted to surgery complemented by radioiodine ablation and had at least 24 months of follow-up, under levothyroxine continued suppressive therapy. According to their outcome, we could characterize a group of papillary carcinoma patients with aggressive carcinomas, whose NIS mRNA levels were markedly lower than a group with non-aggressive carcinomas (0.62 +/- 0.79 versus 54.87 +/- 53.79: p < 0.005). We suggest that the quantification of NIS mRNA relative levels in the primary tumor may predict poor outcome. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quais relações estabelecidas entre ensino de química, educação ambiental e o enfoque CTS?: um estado da arte de alguns periódicos nacionais

This work presents results of art state that searched articles to bring in its wake the relationship between Teaching of Chemistry (TC), Environmental Education (EE) and the Teaching of Chemistry directed from the Science Technology and Society (STS) standpoint. The research was carried by articles surveying in major magazines Brazilian Environmental Education and a reference in the research magazine of Science Education, being performed a qualitative analysis of those items that were identified. It was noted that little is produced on the subject of interest within this field, in mid-1998 to June 2012. In the articles analyzed did not find a perspective that allied relationship STS and EE, or EE, STS and TC. Nine articles were found in relation EE and TC, and TC and three articles STS, constituting two thematic axes: Relationship between Environmental Education and the Teaching of Chemistry and Relationship between Science and Technology Society and Chemistry Teaching, The discussion was given from the contents that comprised the categories created. The first axis involved: a) Teacher of Chemistry and EA b) Contents of Chemistry and EE, and c) Concepts and practices of EE Chemistry teachers. The second axis of the categories are: a) formative processes and conceptions of chemistry teachers in STS: b) Analysis of TC practice focusing STS. There were works produced by the same authors, who mostly used the same theme in different magazines for publication only changing the perspective of analyzing the results. Finally, a scenario indicates that restricted thematic research and the need to advance with future work

Hydrogen peroxide attenuates the dipsogenic, renal and pressor responses induced by cholinergic activation of the medial septal area

Cholinergic activation of the medial septal area (MSA) with carbachol produces thirst, natriuresis, antidiuresis and pressor response. In the brain, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) modulates autonomic and behavioral responses. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the combination of carbachol and H2O2 injected into the MSA on water intake, renal excretion, cardiovascular responses and the activity of vasopressinergic and oxytocinergic neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei. Furthermore, the possible modulation of carbachol responses by H2O2 acting through K+ATP channels was also investigated. Male Holtzman rats (280–320 g) with stainless steel cannulas implanted in the MSA were used. The pre-treatment with H2O2 in the MSA reduced carbachol-induced thirst (7.9 ± 1.0, vs. carbachol: 13.2 ± 2.0 ml/60 min), antidiuresis (9.6 ± 0.5, vs. carbachol: 7.0 ± 0.8 ml/120 min,), natriuresis (385 ± 36, vs. carbachol: 528 ± 46 μEq/120 min) and pressor response (33 ± 5, vs. carbachol: 47 ± 3 mmHg). Combining H2O2 and carbachol into the MSA also reduced the number of vasopressinergic neurons expressing c-Fos in the PVN (46.4 ± 11.2, vs. carbachol: 98.5 ± 5.9 c-Fos/AVP cells) and oxytocinergic neurons expressing c-Fos in the PVN (38.5 ± 16.1, vs. carbachol: 75.1 ± 8.5 c-Fos/OT cells) and in the SON (57.8 ± 10.2, vs. carbachol: 102.7 ± 7.4 c-Fos/OT cells). Glibenclamide (K+ATP channel blocker) into the MSA partially reversed H2O2 inhibitory responses. These results suggest that H2O2 acting through K+ATP channels in the MSA attenuates responses induced by cholinergic activation in the same area.

Hydrogen peroxide centrally attenuates hyperosmolarity-induced thirst and natriuresis

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

Role of the medial septal area on the cardiovascular, fluid and electrolytic responses to angiotensin II and cholinergic activation into the subfornical organ in rats

In the present study we investigated the effect of electrolytic lesion of the medial septal area (MSA) on the pressor and dipsogenic response to cholinergic activation and angiotensin II (ANGII) injection into the subfornical organ (SFO) in rats. In addition the effect of MSA lesion on the natriuresis, kaliuresis and diuresis after cholinergic activation of the SFO was also investigated. Sham- and MSA-lesioned rats with a stainless steel cannula implanted into the SFO was used. The injection of ANGII (12 ng) into the SFO in sham rats produced pressor (24 ± 2 mmHg) and dipsogenic (9.6 ± 1.1 ml/h) responses. MSA lesion, both acute (2-6 days) and chronic (15-19 days), reduced the pressor (14 ± 2 mmHg) and dipsogenic (2.7 ± 1 ml/h) responses to ANGII into SFO. The injection of the cholinergic agonist carbachol (2 nmol) into the SFO in sham rats produced pressor (48 ± 4 mmHg), dipsogenic (10 ± 1.2 ml/h), natriuretic (457 ± 58 μEq/2 h) and kaliuretic (249 ± 16 μEq/2 h) responses. Acute, but not chronic MSA lesion reduced the pressor (27 ± 3 mmHg), natriuretic (198 ± 55 μEq/2 h) and kaliuretic (128 ± 16 μEq/2 h) responses to carbachol into SFO. No change in the dipsogenic response to carbachol into the SFO was observed in MSA-lesioned rats. Antidiuresis after carbachol was observed only in MSA-lesioned rats. The present results show that the MSA plays a role on the pressor, natriuretic and kaliuretic responses to cholinergic activation of the SFO in rats and on the pressor and dipsogenic responses to ANGII into the same area. In addition, they provide circumstancial evidence for separate circuits subserving the dipsogenic response to central cholinergic and angiotensinergic activation. A facilited diuresis after MSA lesion is also suggested.

Análise teórico-descritiva da competência em informação de gestores como fator de competitividade das indústrias de eletroeletrônicos da cidade de Garça/SP

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Bioactive compounds and phenolic-linked functionality of powdered tropical fruit residues

Tropical fruit residues consisting of seeds, peels and residual pulp generated as by-products of fruit processing industry were investigated for bioactive compounds, the in vitro antioxidant capacity as well as alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibitory activities. Cyanidin, quercetin, ellagic acid (EA) and proanthocyanidins were found in acerola, jambolan, pitanga and caja-umbu residue powders. Acerola powder had the highest phenolic content (8839.33 mg catechin equivalents (CE)/100 g) and also high-ascorbic acid (AA) concentration (2748.03 mg/100 g), followed by jambolan and pitanga. The greatest 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition was observed for jambolan (436.76 mmol Trolox eq/g) followed by pitanga (206.68 mmol Trolox eq/g) and acerola (192.60 mmol Trolox eq/g), while acerola had the highest ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay result (7.87 mmol Trolox eq/g). All fruit powders exhibited enzymatic inhibition against alpha-amylase (IC50 ranging from 3.40 to 49.5 mg CE/mL) and alpha-glucosidase (IC50 ranging from 1.15 to 2.37 mg CE/mL). Therefore, acerola, jambolan and pitanga dried residues are promising natural ingredients for food and nutraceutical manufacturers, due to their rich bioactive compound content.

DETERMINATION OF KINETIC AND THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF L-CYSTEINE ADSORPTION ONTO GOLD BY THE QCM TECHNIQUE

DETERMINATION OF KINETIC AND THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF L-CYSTEINE ADSORPTION ONTO GOLD BY THE QCM TECHNIQUE. This article discusses the adsorption kinetics of a L-cysteine monolayer onto a gold surface by means of information obtained through the QCM technique. The results indicate that the adsorption process is rapid and follows the Langmuir isotherm, in which adsorption and desorption are considered. From these measurements the following parameter values were obtained: k(d) = (4.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(-3) s(-1), k(a) = 75 +/- 6 M-1 s(-1), K-eq=(1.8 +/- 0.3) x 10(4) M-1 and Delta G(ads) = -(5.8 +/- 0.2) kcal mol(-1).

A revision of Evaniscus (Hymenoptera, Evaniidae) using ontology-based semantic phenotype annotation

The Neotropical evaniid genus Evaniscus Szepligeti currently includes six species. Two new species are described, Evaniscus lansdownei Mullins, sp. n. from Colombia and Brazil and E. rafaeli Kawada, sp. n. from Brazil. Evaniscus sulcigenis Roman, syn. n., is synonymized under E. rufithorax Enderlein. An identification key to species of Evaniscus is provided. Thirty-five parsimony informative morphological characters are analyzed for six ingroup and four outgroup taxa. A topology resulting in a monophyletic Evaniscus is presented with E. tibialis and E. rafaeli as sister to the remaining Evaniscus species. The Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology and other relevant biomedical ontologies are employed to create semantic phenotype statements in Entity-Quality (EQ) format for species descriptions. This approach is an early effort to formalize species descriptions and to make descriptive data available to other domains.

Beyond the diffraction limit of optical/IR interferometers I. Angular diameter and rotation parameters of Achernar from differential phases

Context. Spectrally resolved long-baseline optical/IR interferometry of rotating stars opens perspectives to investigate their fundamental parameters and the physical mechanisms that govern their interior, photosphere, and circumstellar envelope structures. Aims. Based on the signatures of stellar rotation on observed interferometric wavelength-differential phases, we aim to measure angular diameters, rotation velocities, and orientation of stellar rotation axes. Methods. We used the AMBER focal instrument at ESO-VLTI in its high-spectral resolution mode to record interferometric data on the fast rotator Achernar. Differential phases centered on the hydrogen Br gamma line (K band) were obtained during four almost consecutive nights with a continuous Earth-rotation synthesis during similar to 5h/night, corresponding to similar to 60 degrees position angle coverage per baseline. These observations were interpreted with our numerical code dedicated to long-baseline interferometry of rotating stars. Results. By fitting our model to Achernar's differential phases from AMBER, we could measure its equatorial radius R-eq = 11.6 +/- 0.3 R-circle dot, equatorial rotation velocity V-eq = 298 +/- 9 km s(-1), rotation axis inclination angle i = 101.5 +/- 5.2 degrees, and rotation axis position angle (from North to East) PA(rot) = 34.9 +/- 1.6 degrees. From these parameters and the stellar distance, the equatorial angular diameter circle divide(eq) of Achernar is found to be 2.45 +/- 0.09 mas, which is compatible with previous values derived from the commonly used visibility amplitude. In particular, circle divide(eq) and PA(rot) measured in this work with VLTI/AMBER are compatible with the values previously obtained with VLTI/VINCI. Conclusions. The present paper, based on real data, demonstrates the super-resolution potential of differential interferometry for measuring sizes, rotation velocities, and orientation of rotating stars in cases where visibility amplitudes are unavailable and/or when the star is partially or poorly resolved. In particular, we showed that differential phases allow the measurement of sizes up to similar to 4 times smaller than the diffraction-limited angular resolution of the interferometer.

Conformational preferences for some 3-(4 '-substituted phenylsulfonyl)-1-methyl-2-piperidones through spectroscopic and theoretical studies

The analysis of the infrared (IR) carbonyl band of some 3-(4'-substituted phenylsulfonyl)-1-methyl-2-piperidones 1-5 bearing as substituents: OMe 1, Me 2, H 3, Cl 4 and NO2 5, supported by B3LY13/6-31G(d,p) calculations along with NBO analysis (for 1, 3 and 5) and X-ray diffraction (for 5), indicated the existence of three stable conformations i.e. quasi-axial (q-ax), syn-clinal (s-cl) and quasi-equatorial (q-eq). In the gas phase, the q-ax conformer is calculated as the most stable (ca. 88%) and the least polar, the s-cl conformer is less stable (ca. 12%) but more polar, and the q-eq conformer is the least stable (ca. 1%) and the most polar of the three conformers evaluated. The sum of the most important orbital interactions from NBO analysis and the trend of the electrostatic interactions accounts for the relative populations as well as for the v(CO) frequencies of the q-ax. s-cl and q-eq conformers calculated in the gas phase. The unique IR v(CO) band in CCl4 may be ascribed to the most stable q-ax conformer. The more intense (60%) high frequency doublet component in CHCl3 may be assigned to the summing up of the least stable q-eq and the less stable s-cl conformers, as their frequencies are almost coincident. The occurrence of only a single v(CO) band in both CH2Cl2 and CH3CN supports the fact that the v(CO) band of the two more polar conformers appear as a single band. Additional support to this rationalization is given by the single point PCM method, which showed a progressive increase of the q-eq + s-cl/q-ax population ratio going from the gas phase to CCl4, to CHCl3, to CH2Cl2 and to CN3CN. X-ray single crystal analysis of 5 indicates that this compound displays a quasi-axial geometry with respect to the [O=C-CH-S] moiety, and that the 2-piperidone ring assumes a slightly distorted half-chair conformation. In the crystal packing, molecules of 5 are arranged into supramolecular layers linked through C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions along with it pi center dot center dot center dot pi interactions between adjacent benzene rings. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficacia del trattamento con concentrati piastrinici (P.R.P.) nelle lesioni condrali e tendinopatie

Purpose: Recent knowledge regarding tissue biology highlights a complex regulation of growth factors in reaction to tissue damage. Platelet Rich Plasma (P.R.P.), containing a natural pool of growth factors, can be obtained in a simple and minimally invasive way and be applied to the lesion site. The aim of this study is to explore this novel approach to treat cartilage degenerative lesions of the knee and tendon chronic lesions( patellar tendon, and achilles tendon). In this study we evaluated if the treatment with PRP injections can reduce pain and increase function in cases of patellar tendinosis (Jumper’s Knee), in chronic achilles tendinopathy and in patients with cartilage injuries of the knee. Materials and Methods: 40 patients with cartilage lesion of the knee, 28 male and 12 female with mean age 47 y. (min 18- max 52 years), were treated and prospectively evaluated at a minimum 6 months follow-up; in the same way, 12 patients with achilles tendon lesion (8 male and 4 female) with mean age 44,5 y. (min 32-max 58 years) and 10 patients with “Jumper’s Knee” (8 male and 2 female) with mean age 23,2 y. (min 18-max 37 years), were evaluated at 6 months follow up. The procedure involved 3 multiple injections , performed every two weeks. All patients were clinically evaluated at the end of the treatment and at 6 months follow up. IKDC, SF36, EQ-VAS, scores were used for clinical evaluation and patient satisfaction and functional status were also recorded. Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant improvement in the SF36 questionnaire in all parameters evaluated at the end of the therapy and 6 months follow-up in both group(tendinopathies and chondral lesions), and in the EQ VAS and IKDC score (paired T-test, p<0.0005) from basal evaluation to the end of the therapy, and a further improvement was present at 6 months follow-up. Whereas a higher improvement of the sport activity level was achieved in the “Jumper’s Knee” group. No complications related to the injections or severe adverse events were observed during the treatment and follow up period. Conclusion: PRP inhibits excess inflammation, apoptosis, and metalloproteinase activity. These interactive pathways may result in the restoration of tendon or cartilage, which can with stand loading with work or sports activity, thereby diminishing pain. PRP may also modulate the microvascular environment or alter efferent or afferent neural receptors. The clinical results are encouraging, indicating that PRP injections may have the potential to increase the tendon and cartilage healing capacity in cases with chronic tendinosis and chondropathy of the knee.

A bayesian model for mixed responses and skew laten variable to measure HRQoL in children

The aim of the thesi is to formulate a suitable Item Response Theory (IRT) based model to measure HRQoL (as latent variable) using a mixed responses questionnaire and relaxing the hypothesis of normal distributed latent variable. The new model is a combination of two models already presented in literature, that is, a latent trait model for mixed responses and an IRT model for Skew Normal latent variable. It is developed in a Bayesian framework, a Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure is used to generate samples of the posterior distribution of the parameters of interest. The proposed model is test on a questionnaire composed by 5 discrete items and one continuous to measure HRQoL in children, the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire. A large sample of children collected in the schools was used. In comparison with a model for only discrete responses and a model for mixed responses and normal latent variable, the new model has better performances, in term of deviance information criterion (DIC), chain convergences times and precision of the estimates.

Statistical mechanics of protein complexed and condensed DNA

In this thesis I treat various biophysical questions arising in the context of complexed / ”protein-packed” DNA and DNA in confined geometries (like in viruses or toroidal DNA condensates). Using diverse theoretical methods I consider the statistical mechanics as well as the dynamics of DNA under these conditions. In the first part of the thesis (chapter 2) I derive for the first time the single molecule ”equation of state”, i.e. the force-extension relation of a looped DNA (Eq. 2.94) by using the path integral formalism. Generalizing these results I show that the presence of elastic substructures like loops or deflections caused by anchoring boundary conditions (e.g. at the AFM tip or the mica substrate) gives rise to a significant renormalization of the apparent persistence length as extracted from single molecule experiments (Eqs. 2.39 and 2.98). As I show the experimentally observed apparent persistence length reduction by a factor of 10 or more is naturally explained by this theory. In chapter 3 I theoretically consider the thermal motion of nucleosomes along a DNA template. After an extensive analysis of available experimental data and theoretical modelling of two possible mechanisms I conclude that the ”corkscrew-motion” mechanism most consistently explains this biologically important process. In chapter 4 I demonstrate that DNA-spools (architectures in which DNA circumferentially winds on a cylindrical surface, or onto itself) show a remarkable ”kinetic inertness” that protects them from tension-induced disruption on experimentally and biologically relevant timescales (cf. Fig. 4.1 and Eq. 4.18). I show that the underlying model establishes a connection between the seemingly unrelated and previously unexplained force peaks in single molecule nucleosome and DNA-toroid stretching experiments. Finally in chapter 5 I show that toroidally confined DNA (found in viruses, DNAcondensates or sperm chromatin) undergoes a transition to a twisted, highly entangled state provided that the aspect ratio of the underlying torus crosses a certain critical value (cf. Eq. 5.6 and the phase diagram in Fig. 5.4). The presented mechanism could rationalize several experimental mysteries, ranging from entangled and supercoiled toroids released from virus capsids to the unexpectedly short cholesteric pitch in the (toroidaly wound) sperm chromatin. I propose that the ”topological encapsulation” resulting from our model may have some practical implications for the gene-therapeutic DNA delivery process.

Partial melting within the lower crust – Constraints from bulk rock geochemical data and trace element mineral analyses of granulites and migmatites from Central Finland

This PhD thesis concerns geochemical constraints on recycling and partial melting of Archean continental crust. A natural example of such processes was found in the Iisalmi area of Central Finland. The rocks from this area are Middle to Late Archean in age and experienced metamorphism and partial melting between 2.7-2.63 Ga. The work is based on extensive field work. It is furthermore founded on bulk rock geochemical data as well as in-situ analyses of minerals. All geochemical data were obtained at the Institute of Geosciences, University of Mainz using X-ray fluorescence, solution ICP-MS and laser ablation-ICP-MS for bulk rock geochemical analyses. Mineral analyses were accomplished by electron microprobe and laser ablation ICP-MS. Fluid inclusions were studied by microscope on a heating-freezing-stage at the Geoscience Center, University Göttingen. Part I focuses on the development of a new analytical method for bulk rock trace element determination by laser ablation-ICP-MS using homogeneous glasses fused from rock powder on an Iridium strip heater. This method is applicable for mafic rock samples whose melts have low viscosities and homogenize quickly at temperatures of ~1200°C. Highly viscous melts of felsic samples prevent melting and homogenization at comparable temperatures. Fusion of felsic samples can be enabled by addition of MgO to the rock powder and adjustment of melting temperature and melting duration to the rock composition. Advantages of the fusion method are low detection limits compared to XRF analyses and avoidance of wet-chemical processing and use of strong acids as in solution ICP-MS as well as smaller sample volumes compared to the other methods. Part II of the thesis uses bulk rock geochemical data and results from fluid inclusion studies for discrimination of melting processes observed in different rock types. Fluid inclusion studies demonstrate a major change in fluid composition from CO2-dominated fluids in granulites to aqueous fluids in TTG gneisses and amphibolites. Partial melts were generated in the dry, CO2-rich environment by dehydration melting reactions of amphibole which in addition to tonalitic melts produced the anhydrous mineral assemblages of granulites (grt + cpx + pl ± amph or opx + cpx + pl + amph). Trace element modeling showed that mafic granulites are residues of 10-30 % melt extraction from amphibolitic precursor rocks. The maximum degree of melting in intermediate granulites was ~10 % as inferred from modal abundances of amphibole, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene. Carbonic inclusions are absent in upper-amphibolite facies migmatites whereas aqueous inclusion with up to 20 wt% NaCl are abundant. This suggests that melting within TTG gneisses and amphibolites took place in the presence of an aqueous fluid phase that enabled melting at the wet solidus at temperatures of 700-750°C. The strong disruption of pre-metamorphic structures in some outcrops suggests that the maximum amount of melt in TTG gneisses was ~25 vol%. The presence of leucosomes in all rock types is taken as the principle evidence for melt formation. However, mineralogical appearance as well as major and trace element composition of many leucosomes imply that leucosomes seldom represent frozen in-situ melts. They are better considered as remnants of the melt channel network, e.g. ways on which melts escaped from the system. Part III of the thesis describes how analyses of minerals from a specific rock type (granulite) can be used to determine partition coefficients between different minerals and between minerals and melt suitable for lower crustal conditions. The trace element analyses by laser ablation-ICP-MS show coherent distribution among the principal mineral phases independent of rock composition. REE contents in amphibole are about 3 times higher than REE contents in clinopyroxene from the same sample. This consistency has to be taken into consideration in models of lower crustal melting where amphibole is replaced by clinopyroxene in the course of melting. A lack of equilibrium is observed between matrix clinopyroxene / amphibole and garnet porphyroblasts which suggests a late stage growth of garnet and slow diffusion and equilibration of the REE during metamorphism. The data provide a first set of distribution coefficients of the transition metals (Sc, V, Cr, Ni) in the lower crust. In addition, analyses of ilmenite and apatite demonstrate the strong influence of accessory phases on trace element distribution. Apatite contains high amounts of REE and Sr while ilmenite incorporates about 20-30 times higher amounts of Nb and Ta than amphibole. Furthermore, trace element mineral analyses provide evidence for magmatic processes such as melt depletion, melt segregation, accumulation and fractionation as well as metasomatism having operated in this high-grade anatectic area.