Influ��ncia da exposi����o �� fuma��a de cigarro e da suplementa����o da dieta com ��-caroteno sobre a comunica����o interceluar em cardiomi��citos de ratos

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Compara����o de su��nos convencionais e SPF (specific pathogen free)

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

SIG e ��lgebra de mapas na elabora����o de um mapa de potencial de eros��o em ��reas de silvicultura

Cette ��tude visait �� g��n��rer une carte du potentiel d'��rosion pour la Ferme Santa Edwirges, situ��e �� Lorena /SP. Les r��sultats ont et��s classifi��s en faible, mod��r��, ��l��ve et tr��s ��l��ve potentiel d'��rosion et la carte obtenue a ��t�� compar�� par rapport aux autres cartes existantes pour la zone d'��tude. La m��thodologie propos��e se basant sur une application qualitative simple L�����quation Universelle de Perte de Sol (USLE ou EUPS), en consid��rant les parties de l'��quation: ��rodibilit��, la topographie et l'utilisation des terres. Les donn��s ont et��s int��gr��s par l'alg��bre de carte dans l���environnement SIG de ArcGIS. Pour la repr��sentation de chacune de ces parcelles, nous avons utilis�� une carte des formations superficielles de la ferme, g��n��r�� �� partir d'une r��-interpr��tation de la carte g��ologique, une carte de la pente et une carte d'utilisation des terres, attribuant un poids d���important pour chaque cat��gorie de ces cartes dans le processus d'��rosion et dans l'alg��bre propos��e. Les r��sultats obtenus sont compatibles avec les zones identifi��es comme les plus critiques sur terrain. La ferme a ��t�� identifi��e comme de potentiel d'��rosion mod��r��e et la partie sud de la ferme le plus critique, suivi du groupe conduit par la zone de cisaillement, par contre les plaines proches des rivi��res ont et�� identifi�� comme la zone plus stable avec moins de potentiel d'��rosionDe la comparaison des r��sultats de ce travail et d'autres qui ont fait ant��rieurement dans la zone d���int��resse, qui ont utilis�� les param��tres g��otechniques dans la repr��sentation de l'��rosivit�� des sols, nous avons pu voir des r��sultats similaires, en particulier dans les zones �� potentiel ��lev�� et faible pour l'��rosion. De la discussion et analyse des r��sultats, la m��thodologie propos��e �� et�� valid��e

Epigenetic and oncogenic regulation of SLC16A7 (MCT2) results in protein over-expression, impacting on signalling and cellular phenotypes in prostate cancer

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)

Influ��ncia da suplementa����o de a��a�� (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) na ra����o sobre remodela����o card��aca em ratos expostos �� fuma��a do cigarro

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Performance of different rubber tree clones against South American leaf blight (Microcyclus ulei)

This study was aimed to evaluate the behaviour of eighteen clones of Hevea brasiliensis (rubber) against South American leaf blight and tostudy progress of the disease. The experiment was conducted in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim-ES, where 18 clones were evaluated. The experi-mental design was a randomized block with four replicates; each experimental unit consisted of three plants. Evaluations were performed at15-day intervals on 30 lea���ets per tree. Disease incidence was quanti���ed and infection classi���ed according to the stages of development andtype of damage. Leaf blight occurred during the entire experimental period; however, disease intensity varied with the resistance level of theclones and the time of year. Clones FX 3864, RRIM 725, RRIM 711, IAC 300 and IAN 873 exhibited the highest resistance to leaf blight.

S��ntese e caracteriza����o espectrosc��pica de novos vanadosilicatos utilizando templates org��nicos derivados de piperidinas

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Footprints of a trypanosomatid RNA world: pre-small subunit rRNA processing by spliced leader addition trans-splicing

The addition of a capped mini-exon [spliced leader (SL)] through trans-splicing is essential for the maturation of RNA polymerase (pol) II-transcribed polycistronic pre-mRNAs in all members of the Trypanosomatidae family. This process is an inter-molecular splicing reaction that follows the same basic rules of cis-splicing reactions. In this study, we demonstrated that mini-exons were added to precursor ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) are transcribed by RNA pol I, including the 5' external transcribed spacer (ETS) region. Additionally, we detected the SL-5' ETS molecule using three distinct methods and located the acceptor site between two known 5' ETS rRNA processing sites (A' and A1) in four different trypanosomatids. Moreover, we detected a polyadenylated 5' ETS upstream of the trans-splicing acceptor site, which also occurs in pre-mRNA trans-splicing. After treatment with an indirect trans-splicing inhibitor (sinefungin), we observed SL-5' ETS decay. However, treatment with 5-fluorouracil (a precursor of RNA synthesis that inhibits the degradation of pre-rRNA) led to the accumulation of SL-5' ETS, suggesting that the molecule may play a role in rRNA degradation. The detection of trans-splicing in these molecules may indicate broad RNA-joining properties, regardless of the polymerase used for transcription.

Bosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist, ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis: the role of TNF-alpha in the induction of endothelin system genes

Endothelins (ETs) are involved in several inflammatory events. The present study investigated the efficacy of bosentan, a dual ETA/ETB receptor antagonist, in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. CIA was induced in DBA/1J mice. Arthritic mice were treated with bosentan (100 mg/kg) once a day, starting from the day when arthritis was clinically detectable. CIA progression was assessed by measurements of visual clinical score, paw swelling and hypernociception. Histological changes, neutrophil infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokines were evaluated in the joints. Gene expression in the lymph nodes of arthritic mice was evaluated by microarray technology. PreproET-1 mRNA expression in the lymph nodes of mice and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was evaluated by real-time PCR. The differences were evaluated by one-way ANOVA or Student's t test. Oral treatment with bosentan markedly ameliorated the clinical aspects of CIA (visual clinical score, paw swelling and hyperalgesia). Bosentan treatment also reduced joint damage, leukocyte infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and IL-17) in the joint tissues. Changes in gene expression in the lymph nodes of arthritic mice returned to the levels of the control mice after bosentan treatment. PreproET mRNA expression increased in PBMCs from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients but returned to basal level in PBMCs from patients under anti-TNF therapy. In-vitro treatment of PBMCs with TNF alpha upregulated ET system genes. These findings indicate that ET receptor antagonists, such as bosentan, might be useful in controlling RA. Moreover, it seems that ET mediation of arthritis is triggered by TNF alpha.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE INDUCES OXIDATIVE STRESS IN DISTINCT BRAIN REGIONS OF INFANT MICE

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) leads to the death of 600,000 nonsmokers annually and is associated with disturbances in antioxidant enzyme capacity in the adult rodent brain. However, little is known regarding the influence of ETS on brain development. The aim of this study was to determine levels of malonaldehyde (MDA) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), as well as enzymatic antioxidant activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), in distinct brain structures. BALB/c mice were exposed to ETS twice daily for 1 h from postnatal day 5 through postnatal day 18. Acute exposure was performed for 1 h on postnatal day 18. Mice were euthanized either immediately (0) or 3 h after the last exposure. Immediately after an acute exposure there were higher GR and GST activities and MDA levels in the hippocampus, higher GPx and SOD activities in the prefrontal cortex, and higher GST activity and MDA levels in the striatum and cerebellum. Three hours later there was an increase in SOD activity and MDA levels in the hippocampus and a decrease in the activity of all enzymes in the prefrontal cortex. Immediately after final repeated exposure there were elevated levels of GST and GR activity and decreased GPx activity in the hippocampus. Moreover, a rise was found in GPx and GST activities in the prefrontal cortex and increased GST and GPx activity in the striatum and cerebellum, respectively. After 3 h the prefrontal cortex showed elevated GR and GST activities, and the striatum displayed enhanced GST activity. Data showed that enzymatic antioxidant system in the central nervous system responds to ETS differently in different regions of the brain and that a form of adaptation occurs after several days of exposure.

Tb3+-> Eu3+ Energy Transfer in Mixed-Lanthanide-Organic Frameworks

In this work, we report a theoretical and experimental investigation of the energy transfer mechanism in two isotypical 2D coordination polymers, (infinity)[(Tb1-xEux)(DPA)(HDPA)], where H(2)DPA is pyridine 2,6-dicarboxylic acid and x = 0.05 or 0.50. Emission spectra of (infinity)[(Tb0.95Eu0.05)(DPA)(HDPA)] and (infinity)[(Tb0.5Eu0.5)(DPA)(HDPA)], (I) and (2), show that the high quenching effect on Tb3+ emission caused by Eu3+ ion indicates an efficient Tb3+-> Eu3+ energy transfer (ET). The k(ET) of Tb3+-> Eu3+ ET and rise rates (k(r)) of Eu3+ as a function of temperature for (1) are on the same order of magnitude, indicating that the sensitization of the Eu3+5D0 level is highly fed by ET from the D-5(4) level of Tb3+ ion. The eta(ET) and R-0 values vary in the 67-79% and 7.15 to 7.93 angstrom ranges. Hence, Tb3+ is enabled to transfer efficiently to Eu3+ that can occupy the possible sites at 6.32 and 6.75 angstrom. For (2), the ET processes occur on average with eta(ET) and R-0 of 97% and 31 angstrom, respectively. Consequently, Tb3+ ion is enabled to transfer energy to Eu3+ localized at different layers. The theoretical model developed by Malta was implemented aiming to insert more insights about the dominant mechanisms involved in the ET between lanthanides ions. Calculated single Tb3+-> Eu3+ ETs are three orders of magnitude inferior to those experimentally; however, it can be explained by the theoretical model that does not consider the role of phonon assistance in the Ln(3+)-> Ln(3+) ET processes. In addition, the Tb3+-> Eu3+ ET processes are predominantly governed by dipole-dipole (d-d) and dipole-quadrupole (d-q) mechanisms.

Evaluation of quality of life over time among 453 patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy

Objectives: Current data do not provide enough information on how quality of life (QoL) evolves over time in cases of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS). The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the immediate improvement in QoL after the surgery was sustained until the fifth postoperative year. Methods: This was a prospective, nonrandomized and uncontrolled study. From March 2001 to December 2003, 475 consecutive patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to ETS were included. A QoL questionnaire was applied at the preoperative day, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth year. Results: After excluding 22 patients who did not answer all the questions, we analyzed 453 patients. Their ages ranged from 11 to 57 years old, with a mean of 25.3 + 7.9 years, including 297 female patients (65.6%). All patients were assessed on three occasions: before surgery, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth postoperative year. The QoL before surgery was considered to be poor or very poor for all patients. The QoL around 30 days after surgery was better in 412 patients (90.9%), the same in 27 patients (6.0%), and worse in 14 patients (3.1%). After 5 years, 409 patients (90.3%) were better, 27 (6.0%) were the same, and 14 (3.1%) were worse. There were no differences between these postoperative times according to the McNemar statistical test. Conclusion:The patients had an immediate improvement in QoL after ETS, and this improvement was sustained until the fifth postoperative year. (J Vase Surg 2012;55:154-6.)

Relaciones entre biomasa, tasa de crecimiento, respiraci��n y respiraci��n potencial en el crust��ceo "Artemia salina"

Programa de Doctorado en Oceanograf��a

Metabolism and biomass vertical distribution of zooplankton in the Bransfield Strait during the austral summer of 2000

[EN] The vertical distribution (0?550 m) of zooplankton biomass, and indices of respiration (electron transfer system [ETS]) and structural growth (aminoacyltRNA synthetases activity [AARS]), were studied in waters off the Antarctic Peninsula during the austral summer of 2000. The dominant species were the copepod Metridia gerlachei and the euphausiid Euphausia superba. We observed a vertical krill/copepod substitution in the water column. The zooplankton biomass in the layer at a depth of 200?500 m was of the same magnitude as the biomass in the layer at a depth of 0?200 m, indicating that biomass in the mesopelagic zone is an important fraction of the total zooplankton in Antarctic waters. The metabolic rates of the zooplankton community were sustained by less than 0.5% of the primary production in the area, suggesting that microplankton or small copepods are the main food source. Neither food availability nor predation seemed to control mesozooplankton biomass. The wide time lag between the abundance peak of the dominant copepod (M. gerlachei) and the phytoplankton bloom is suggested to be the main explanation for the low summer zooplankton biomass observed in these waters.

Efecto de la inanici��n sobre el metabolismo respiratorio de los misid��ceos

[ES]Los misid��ceos son peque��os crust��ceos que se encuentran en muchas regiones costeras del mundo. Leptomysis lingvura se encuentra en la costa este de Gran Canaria (Espa��a) asociada a los fondos arenosos de profundidades entre 5 y 15 metros. Son un importante componente en la cadena tr��fica como alimento de muchos peces costeros y podr��an ser un potencial alimento para ser utilizado en acuicultura. Se ha estudiado su supervivencia y reproducci��n en cautividad para su utilizaci��n en estudios de laboratorio, y han resultado ser una especie apta que se adapta bien a las condiciones de cultivo. En el presente estudio se pretende dilucidar como influyen en la tasa respiratoria y en la tasa de respiraci��n potencial (actividad ETS) las condiciones fisiol��gicas en que se encuentran los organismos. Se han llevado a cabo dos experimentos, uno de ellos tiene como objetivo el estudio de organismos adultos de similar talla en diferentes per��odos de inanici��n para determinar su efecto en la respiraci��n y en la actividad ETS; el segundo experimento pretende determinar como influyen las condiciones de alimentaci��n en la relaci��n respiraci��n-biomasa. En el primer caso se observa un descenso de la tasa respiratoria en funci��n del aumento del per��odo de inanici��n, mientras que la respiraci��n potencial no muestra esta relaci��n, siendo m��s conservativa, lo que se da como resultado una disminuci��n del cociente R/ETS a medida que aumenta el per��odo de inanici��n. Tambi��n se observa un aumento de la tasa respiratoria al comienzo de la noche que puede tener relaci��n con ritmos circadianos end��genos de esta especie. El coeficiente de la relaci��n exponencial R-biomasa que presentan los organismos que fueron sometidos durante 7 d��as a condiciones l��mite de alimentaci��n son inferiores a 0.75 que establece la ley de Kleiber, mientras que los organismos en buenas condiciones de alimentaci��n muestran un coeficiente muy cercano o superior a 0.75.