Search for Flavor-Changing Neutral Currents in Top-Quark Decays t -> Zq in pp Collisions at root s=8 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Erythrina mulungu Alkaloids Are Potent Inhibitors of Neuronal Nicotinic Receptor Currents in Mammalian Cells

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Cytogenetic analysis in three Bryconamericus species (Characiformes, Characidae): first description of the 5S rDNA-bearing chromosome pairs in the genus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Flavor-changing neutral currents in the minimal 3-3-1 model revisited

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Synthesis and biological evaluation of ternary silver compounds bearing N,N-chelating ligands and thiourea: X-ray structure of [{Ag(bpy) (mu-tu)}(2)](NO3)(2) (bpy=2,2 '-bipyridine; tu = thiourea)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Higher Insulin Sensitivity and Impaired Insulin Secretion in Cachetic Solid Ehrlich Tumour-Bearing Mice

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

Electropolymerization using binuclear nickel(II) Schiff base complexes bearing N4O4 donors as supramolecular building blocks

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

Interaction between recrystallization and strain-induced precipitation in a high Nb- and N-bearing austenitic stainless steel: influence of the interpass time

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Profile and crowding of currents in mesoscopic superconductors with an array of antidots

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

Hypothalamic energy metabolism is impaired by doxorubicin independently of inflammation in non-tumour-bearing rats

We sought to explore the effects of doxorubicin on inflammatory profiles and energy metabolism in the hypothalamus of rats. To investigate these effects, we formed two groups: a control (C) group and a Doxorubicin (DOXO) group. Sixteen rats were randomly assigned to either the control (C) or DOXO groups. The hypothalamus was collected. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and energy metabolism (malate dehydrogenase, complex I and III activities) were analysed in the hypothalamus. The DOXO group exhibited a decreased body weight (p < 0.01). Hypothalamic malate dehydrogenase activity was reduced when compared with control (p < 0.05). In addition, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were unchanged. Therefore, our results demonstrate that doxorubicin leads to an impairment of \hypothalamic energy metabolism, but do not affect the inflammatory pathway. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Conflict of Interest Significance paragraph The hypothalamus is a central organ that regulates a great number of functions, such as food intake, temperature and energy expenditure, among others. Doxorubicin can lead to deep anorexia and metabolic chaos; thus, we observed the effect of this chemotherapeutic drug on the inflammation and metabolism in rats after the administration of doxorubicin in order to understand the central effect in the hypothalamus. Drug treatment by doxorubicin is used as a cancer therapy; however the use of this drug may cause harmful alterations to the metabolism. Thus, further investigations are needed on the impact of drug therapy over the long term.

Cognitive, Mood, and Electroencephalographic Effects of Noninvasive Cortical Stimulation With Weak Electrical Currents

Objectives: The use of noninvasive cortical electrical stimulation with weak currents has significantly increased in basic and clinical human studies. Initial, preliminary studies with this technique have shown encouraging results; however, the safety and tolerability of this method of brain stimulation have not been sufficiently explored yet. The purpose of our study was to assess the effects of direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) stimulation at different intensities in order to measure their effects on cognition, mood, and electroencephalogram. Methods: Eighty-two healthy, right-handed subjects received active and sham stimulation in a randomized order. We conducted 164 ninety-minute sessions of electrical stimulation in 4 different protocols to assess safety of (1) anodal DC of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC); (2) cathodal DC of the DLPFC; (3) intermittent anodal DC of the DLPFC and; (4) AC on the zygomatic process. We used weak currents of 1 to 2 mA (for DC experiments) or 0.1 to 0.2 mA (for AC experiment). Results: We found no significant changes in electroencephalogram, cognition, mood, and pain between groups and a low prevalence of mild adverse effects (0.11% and 0.08% in the active and sham stimulation groups, respectively), mainly, sleepiness and mild headache that were equally distributed between groups. Conclusions: Here, we show no neurophysiological or behavioral signs that transcranial DC stimulation or AC stimulation with weak currents induce deleterious changes when comparing active and sham groups. This study provides therefore additional information for researchers and ethics committees, adding important results to the safety pool of studies assessing the effects of cortical stimulation using weak electrical currents. Further studies in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders are warranted.

The neuroimmune changes induced by cohabitation with an Ehrlich tumor-bearing cage mate rely on olfactory information

Cohabitation for 14 days with Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice was shown to increase locomotor activity, to decrease hypothalamic noradrenaline (NA) levels, to increase NA turnover and to decrease innate immune responses and decrease the animals' resistance to tumor growth. Cage mates of a B16F10 melanoma-bearer mice were also reported to show neuroimmune changes. Chemosignals released by Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice have been reported to be relevant for the neutrophil activity changes induced by cohabitation. The present experiment was designed to further analyze the effects of odor cues on neuroimmune changes induced by cohabitation with a sick cage mate. Specifically, the relevance of chemosignals released by an Ehrlich tumor-bearing mouse was assessed on the following: behavior (open-field and plus maze); hypothalamic NA levels and turnover; adrenaline (A) and NA plasmatic levels; and host resistance induced by tumor growth. To comply with such objectives, devices specifically constructed to analyze the influence of chemosignals released from tumor-bearing mice were employed. The results show that deprivation of odor cues released by Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice reversed the behavioral, neurochemical and immune changes induced by cohabitation. Mice use scents for intraspecies communication in many social contexts. Tumors produce volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere through breath, sweat, and urine. Our results strongly suggest that volatile compounds released by Ehrlich tumor-injected mice are perceived by their conspecifics, inducing the neuroimmune changes reported for cohabitation with a sick companion. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fish Oil Supplementation Reduces Cachexia and Tumor Growth While Improving Renal Function in Tumor-Bearing Rats

The objective of the present work was to study the renal function of healthy and tumor-bearing rats chronically supplemented with fish oil (FO), a source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Weanling male rats were divided in two groups, one control (C) and another orally supplemented for 70 days with FO (1 g/kg body weight). After this time, half the animals of each group were injected in the right flank with a suspension of Walker 256 tumor cells (W and WFO). The W group had less proteinemia reflecting cachectic proteolysis, FO reversed this fact. Tumor weight gain was also reduced in WFO. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was not different in FO or W compared to C, but was higher in WFO. Renal plasma flow (RPF) was higher in the FO supplemented groups. The W group had lower plasma osmolality than the C group, but FO supplementation resulted in normalization of this parameter. Fractional sodium excretion (FENa+) of FO rats was similar to C. Proximal Na+ reabsorption, evaluated by lithium clearance, was similar among the groups. Urinary thromboxane B-2 (TXB2) excretion was lower in the supplemented groups. The number of macrophages in renal tissue was higher in W compared to C rats, but was lower in WFO rats compared to W rats. In conclusion, FO supplementation resulted in less tumor growth and cachexia, and appeared to be renoprotective, as suggested by higher RPF and GFR.