Variabilidade genética em populações de Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae) e relação ao comportamento da atividade de picar, analisada por RAPD

Duas populações naturais de Anopheles darlingi foram analisadas quanto aos padrões de variabilidade genética relacionados ao comportamento hematofágico, cujas coletas foram realizadas no intra, peri e extradomicíio, em dois municípios do Estado do Amazonas: Coari e Manaus. Os resultados evidenciaram amplo número de fragmentos polimórficos, bem como elevada variabilidade genética nessas populações. Na população de Coari, a porcentagem de locos polimórficos (P) e heterozigosidade (He) variou de 77,63% - 84,86% e 0,2851 0,3069, respectivamente, sendo a maior variabilidade genética detectada nas subpopulações do intradomicílio, e a menor nas do peridomicílio. A população de Manaus mostrou variabilidade genética similar a de Coari (P= 75% - 78,94% e He= 0,2732 0,2741), onde também foi detectada maior variabilidade genética no intradomicílio. Os dados de qui-quadrado (x²= 695,89; GL= 304; P < 0,001) e de F ST (F ST= 0,0775 ± 0,0072) foram significativos, indicando uma estruturação micro geográfica, decorrente de alguma redução no fluxo gênico. Esses resultados podem ser interpretados como sendo em resposta à pressão de seleção face aos inseticidas, que permanecem residuais nas paredes dos domicílios.

Biological markers in noninvasive brain stimulation trials in major depressive disorder: a systematic review

Objectives: The therapeutic effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with major depression have shown promising results; however, there is a lack of mechanistic studies using biological markers (BMs) as an outcome. Therefore, our aim was to review noninvasive brain stimulation trials in depression using BMs. Methods: The following databases were used for our systematic review: MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane, and SCIELO. We examined articles published before November 2012 that used TMS and transcranial direct current stimulation as an intervention for depression and had BM as an outcome measure. The search was limited to human studies written in English. Results: Of 1234 potential articles, 52 articles were included. Only studies using TMS were found. Biological markers included immune and endocrine serum markers, neuroimaging techniques, and electrophysiological outcomes. In 12 articles (21.4%), end point BM measurements were not significantly associated with clinical outcomes. All studies reached significant results in the main clinical rating scales. Biological marker outcomes were used as predictors of response, to understand mechanisms of TMS, and as a surrogate of safety. Conclusions: Functional magnetic resonance imaging, single-photon emission computed tomography, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, cortical excitability, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor consistently showed positive results. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor was the best predictor of patients’ likeliness to respond. These initial results are promising; however, all studies investigating BMs are small, used heterogeneous samples, and did not take into account confounders such as age, sex, or family history. Based on our findings, we recommend further studies to validate BMs in noninvasive brain stimulation trials in MDD.

Identification of duplicates of cassava accessions sampled on the North Region of Brazil using microsatellite markers

Duplicates are common in germplasm banks and their identification is needed to facilitate germplasm bank management and to reduce maintenance costs. The aim of this work was to identify duplicates of cassava from a germplasm bank in Eastern Amazon, which had been previously characterized both morphological and agronomically. In order to be genotyped with 15 microsatellite loci, 36 accessions were selected. These accessions were classified into 13 groups of similar morpho-agronomical characteristics. All loci were polymorphic, and 75 alleles were identified, with an average of five alleles per loci and H E = 0.66. There were determined 34 pairs of genotypes with identical multiloci profiles and the probability of genetic identity was 1.1x10-12 with probability of exclusion of 99.9999%. Among these duplicates, there are accessions sampled on different years and places, but with different names and accessions with the same name sampled in different places and years. The study identified genotypes that are grown in different places and that have been maintained over the years by local farmers.

Use of anatomical root markers for species identification in Catasetum (Orchidaceae) at the Portal da Amazônia region, MT, Brazil

Orchidaceae is one of the largest botanical families, with approximately 780 genera. Among the genera of this family, Catasetum currently comprises 166 species. The aim of this study was to characterize the root anatomy of eight Catasetum species, verifying adaptations related to epiphytic habit and looking for features that could contribute to the vegetative identification of such species. The species studied were collected at the Portal da Amazônia region, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The roots were fixed in FAA 50, cut freehand, and stained with astra blue/fuchsin. Illustrations were obtained with a digital camera mounted on a photomicroscope. The roots of examined species shared most of the anatomical characteristics observed in other species of the Catasetum genus, and many of them have adaptations to the epiphytic habit, such as presence of secondary thickening in the velamen cell walls, exodermis, cortex, and medulla. Some specific features were recognized as having taxonomic application, such as composition of the thickening of velamen cell walls, ornamentation of absorbent root-hair walls, presence of tilosomes, composition and thickening of the cortical cell walls, presence of mycorrhizae, endodermal cell wall thickening, the number of protoxylem poles, and composition and thickening of the central area of the vascular cylinder. These traits are important anatomical markers to separate the species within the genus and to generate a dichotomous identification key for Catasetum. Thus, providing a useful tool for taxonomists of this group

Plasma levels of immunoinflammatory markers in De Novo coronary atherosclerosis and coronary restenosis postangioplasty

OBJECTIVE: To compare circulating plasma levels of immunoinflammatory markers in patients with known de novo coronary artery disease and patients with postangioplasty restenosis. METHODS: Using enzymatic immunoabsorbent assay, we measured plasma levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptosr, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and soluble tumor necrosis alpha receptors I and II in 11 patients with restenosis postcoronary angioplasty (restenosis group), in 10 patients with primary atherosclerosis (de novo group) who were referred for coronary angiography because of stable or unstable angina, and in 9 healthy volunteers (control group). Levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors were significantly higher in the de novo group compared with that in the restenosis and control groups. Levels were also higher in the restenosis group compared with that in the control group. Plasma levels of tumor necrosis alpha and receptor levels were significantly higher in the de novo group compared to with that in the restenosis and control groups, but levels in the restenosis group were not different from that in the controls. CONCLUSION: Coronary artery disease, either primary or secondary to restenosis, is associated with significant immunoinflammatory activity, which can be assessed by examining the extent of circulating plasma levels of inflammatory markers. Moreover, patients with de novo lesions appear to have increased inflammatory activity compared with patients with restenosis.

Risk factors, biochemical markers, and genetic polymorphisms in early coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk factors, lipid and apolipoprotein profile, hemostasis variables, and polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein AI-CIII gene in early coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Case-control study with 112 patients in each group controlled by sex and age. After clinical evaluation and nutritional instruction, blood samples were collected for biochemical assays and genetic study. RESULTS: Familial history of early CAD (64 vs 39%), arterial hypertension (69 vs 36%), diabetes mellitus (25 vs 3%), and previous smoking (71 vs 46%) were more prevalent in the case group (p<0.001). Hypertension and diabetes were independent risk factors. Early CAD was characterized by higher serum levels of total cholesterol (235 ± 6 vs 209 ± 4 mg/dL), of LDL-c (154 ± 5 vs 135 ± 4 mg/dL), triglycerides (205 ± 12 vs 143 ± 9 mg/dL), and apolipoprotein B (129 ± 3 vs 105 ± 3 mg/dL), and lower serum levels of HDL-c (40 ± 1 vs 46 ± 1 mg/dL) and apolipoprotein AI (134 ± 2 vs 146 ± 2mg/dL) [p<0.01], in addition to an elevation in fibrinogen and D-dimer (p<0.02). The simultaneous presence of the rare alleles of the APO AI-CIII genes in early CAD are associated with hypertriglyceridemia (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Of the classical risk factors, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were independently associated with early CAD. In addition to an unfavorable lipid profile, an increase in the thrombotic risk was identified in this population. An additive effect of the APO AI-CIII genes was observed in triglyceride levels.

Behavior of inflammatory markers of myocardial injury in cardiac surgery: laboratory correlation with the clinical picture of postpericardiotomy syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To verify the association of serum markers of myocardial injury, such as troponin I, creatinine kinase, and creatinine kinase isoenzyme MB, and inflammatory markers, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), C-reactive protein, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the perioperative period of cardiac surgery, with the occurrence of possible postpericardiotomy syndrome. METHODS: This was a cohort study with 96 patients undergoing cardiac surgery assessed at the following 4 different time periods: the day before surgery (D0); the 3rd postoperative day (D3); between the 7th and 10th postoperative days (D7-10); and the 30th postoperative day (D30). During each period, we evaluated demographic variables (sex and age), surgical variables (type and duration , extracorporeal circulation), and serum dosages of the markers of myocardial injury and inflammatory response. RESULTS: Of all patients, 12 (12.5%) met the clinical criteria for a diagnosis of postpericardiotomy syndrome, and their mean age was 10.3 years lower than the age of the others (P=0.02). The results of the serum markers for tissue injury and inflammatory response were not significantly different between the 2 assessed groups. No significant difference existed regarding either surgery duration or extracorporeal circulation. CONCLUSION: The patients who met the clinical criteria for postpericardiotomy syndrome were significantly younger than the others were. Serum markers for tissue injury and inflammatory response were not different in the clinically affected group, and did not correlate with the different types and duration of surgery or with extracorporeal circulation.

Influencia de aines sobre marcadores de osteoartrosis. Antiinflammatory drugs influence on osteoarthritis markers.

La osteoartritis es una enfermedad crónica y degenerativa del cartílago articular con elevada prevalencia en pacientes mayores de 60. En su etiología confluyen alteraciones mecánicas y bioquímicas del sistema músculo-esquelético que provocan disbalance entre síntesis y degradación condral., con deterioro y pérdida tisular. El cartílago articular es un tejido paucicelular. Sus escasos condrocitos se dispersan en una matriz moduladora bioquímica y morfológica. La homeostasis osteocondral resume acciones estimulantes, inhibidoras y reguladoras de citokinas e interleukinas Son péptídos liberados por las membranas celulares al líquido sinovial, que difunden hacia el cartílago en tanto órgano blanco. Importante avance en la fisiopatología de la inflamación fue el descubrimiento del rol del óxido nítrico (ON) derivado metabólico de la arginina por acción de las ON-Sintasas (ONS). Estimula la producción de colagenasas (MMP-1), que intensifican la resorción de proteoglicanos En OA también aumenta el factor de necrosis tumoral TNFa, rápidamente activado por su enzima convertidora TACE. Objetivo Evaluar efectos de antiinflamatorios sobre cultivo de cartílago articular de pacientes con osteoartritis y cuantificar in vitro producción de MMPs, relación NO2/NO3. IL6 y TNFa. Material y métodos: En sobrenadante de los cultivos se determinarán por espectrofotometría niveles de NO-2 y NO-3 (Griess et al, 1992) y usando ELISA doble sándwich la actividad de colagenasa (MMP-1), IL-6 y TNF-a, contrastadas con anticuerpos monoclonales .Los parámetros obtenidos con y sin agregado de fármacos, se correlacionarán con la microscopía óptica.

Early Markers of Atherosclerotic Disease in Individuals with Excess Weight and Dyslipidemia

Abstract Background: Excessive weight is a cardiovascular risk factor since it generates a chronic inflammatory process that aggravates the endothelial function. Objective: To evaluate the endothelial function in individuals with excess weight and mild dyslipidemia using brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BAFMD), and the association of endothelial function with anthropometric and biochemical variables. Methods: Cross-sectional study that included 74 individuals and evaluated anthropometric variables (body mass index [BMI], waist-hip ratio [WHR], waist circumference [AC], and percentage of body fat [PBF]), biochemical (blood glucose, insulinemia, ultrasensitive C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol) and endothelial function (BAFMD, evaluated by ultrasound). The statistical analysis was performed with SPSS, version 16.0. To study the association between the variables, we used chi-square, Student's t and Mann-Whitney tests, and Pearson's correlation. Logistic regression analyzed the independent influence of the factors. Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The participants had a mean age of 50.8 years, and 57% were female. BMI, WC, WHR, and PBF showed no significant association with BAFMD. The male gender (p = 0.02) and higher serum levels of fibrinogen (p = 0.02) were significantly and independently associated with a BAFMD below 8%. Conclusions: In individuals with excess weight and mild untreated dyslipidemia, male gender and higher levels of fibrinogen were independently associated with worse BAFMD.

Associations of short-term particle and noise exposures with markers of cardiovascular and respiratory health among highway maintenance workers

BACKGROUND: Highway maintenance workers are constantly and simultaneously exposed to traffic-related particle and noise emissions, and both have been linked to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in population-based epidemiology studies. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate short-term health effects related to particle and noise exposure. METHODS: We monitored 18 maintenance workers, during as many as five 24-hour periods from a total of 50 observation days. We measured their exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ultrafine particles, noise, and the cardiopulmonary health endpoints: blood pressure, pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic markers in the blood, lung function and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measured approximately 15 hours post-work. Heart rate variability was assessed during a sleep period approximately 10 hours post-work. RESULTS: PM2.5 exposure was significantly associated with C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A, and negatively associated with tumor necrosis factor α. None of the particle metrics were significantly associated with von Willebrand factor or tissue factor expression. PM2.5 and work noise were associated with markers of increased heart rate variability, and with increased HF and LF power. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure on the following morning were significantly associated with noise exposure after work, and non-significantly associated with PM2.5. We observed no significant associations between any of the exposures and lung function or FeNO. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that exposure to particles and noise during highway maintenance work might pose a cardiovascular health risk. Actions to reduce these exposures could lead to better health for this population of workers.

Systematic identification of genomic markers of drug sensitivity in cancer cells.

Clinical responses to anticancer therapies are often restricted to a subset of patients. In some cases, mutated cancer genes are potent biomarkers for responses to targeted agents. Here, to uncover new biomarkers of sensitivity and resistance to cancer therapeutics, we screened a panel of several hundred cancer cell lines--which represent much of the tissue-type and genetic diversity of human cancers--with 130 drugs under clinical and preclinical investigation. In aggregate, we found that mutated cancer genes were associated with cellular response to most currently available cancer drugs. Classic oncogene addiction paradigms were modified by additional tissue-specific or expression biomarkers, and some frequently mutated genes were associated with sensitivity to a broad range of therapeutic agents. Unexpected relationships were revealed, including the marked sensitivity of Ewing's sarcoma cells harbouring the EWS (also known as EWSR1)-FLI1 gene translocation to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. By linking drug activity to the functional complexity of cancer genomes, systematic pharmacogenomic profiling in cancer cell lines provides a powerful biomarker discovery platform to guide rational cancer therapeutic strategies.

Association between conventional risk factors and different ultrasound-based markers of atherosclerosis at carotid and femoral levels in a middle-aged population.

Ultrasound detection of sub-clinical atherosclerosis (ATS) may help identify individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Most studies evaluated intima-media thickness (IMT) at carotid level. We compared the relationships between main cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and five indicators of ATS (IMT, mean and maximal plaque thickness, mean and maximal plaque area) at both carotid and femoral levels. Ultrasound was performed on 496 participants aged 45-64 years randomly selected from the general population of the Republic of Seychelles. 73.4 % participants had ≥ 1 plaque (IMT thickening ≥ 1.2 mm) at carotid level and 67.5 % at femoral level. Variance (adjusted R2) contributed by age, sex and CVRF (smoking, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes) in predicting any of the ATS markers was larger at femoral than carotid level. At both carotid and femoral levels, the association between CVRF and ATS was stronger based on plaque-based markers than IMT. Our findings show that the associations between CVRF and ATS markers were stronger at femoral than carotid level, and with plaque-based markers rather than IMT. Pending comparison of these markers using harder cardiovascular endpoints, our findings suggest that markers based on plaque morphology assessed at femoral artery level might be useful cardiovascular risk predictors.

Inflammatory markers and blood pressure: sex differences and the effect of fat mass in the CoLaus Study.

Several studies have reported high levels of inflammatory biomarkers in hypertension, but data coming from the general population are sparse, and sex differences have been little explored. The CoLaus Study is a cross-sectional examination survey in a random sample of 6067 Caucasians aged 35-75 years in Lausanne, Switzerland. Blood pressure (BP) was assessed using a validated oscillometric device. Anthropometric parameters were also measured, including body composition, using electrical bioimpedance. Crude serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were positively and IL-1β (IL-1β) negatively (P<0.001 for all values), associated with BP. For IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, the association disappeared in multivariable analysis, largely explained by differences in age and body mass index, in particular fat mass. On the contrary, hsCRP remained independently and positively associated with systolic (β (95% confidence interval): 1.15 (0.64; 1.65); P<0.001) and diastolic (0.75 (0.42; 1.08); P<0.001) BP. Relationships of hsCRP, IL-6 and TNF-α with BP tended to be stronger in women than in men, partly related to the difference in fat mass, yet the interaction between sex and IL-6 persisted after correction for all tested confounders. In the general population, the associations between inflammatory biomarkers and rising levels of BP are mainly driven by age and fat mass. The stronger associations in women suggest that sex differences might exist in the complex interplay between BP and inflammation.

Gene flow among wild and domesticated almond species: insights from chloroplast and nuclear markers

Hybridization has played a central role in the evolutionary history of domesticated plants. Notably, several breeding programs relying on gene introgression from the wild compartment have been performed in fruit tree species within the genus Prunus but few studies investigated spontaneous gene flow among wild and domesticated Prunus species. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of genetic relationships and levels of gene flow between domesticated and wild Prunus species is needed. Combining nuclear and chloroplastic microsatellites, we investigated the gene flow and hybridization among two key almond tree species, the cultivated Prunus dulcis and one of the most widespread wild relative Prunus orientalis in the Fertile Crescent. We detected high genetic diversity levels in both species along with substantial and symmetric gene flow between the domesticated P. dulcis and the wild P. orientalis. These results were discussed in light of the cultivated species diversity, by outlining the frequent spontaneous genetic contributions of wild species to the domesticated compartment. In addition, crop-to-wild gene flow suggests that ad hoc transgene containment strategies would be required if genetically modified cultivars were introduced in the northwestern Mediterranean.