Effects of swim training on liver carcinogenesis in male Wistar rats fed a low-fat or high-fat diet

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

In vitro study of CD133 human stem cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are applied in stem cell labeling because of their high magnetic susceptibility as compared with ordinary paramagnetic species, their low toxicity, and their ease of magnetic manipulation. The present work is the study of CD133(+) stem cell labeling by SPIONs coupled to a specific antibody (AC133), resulting in the antigenic labeling of the CD133+ stem cell, and a method was developed for the quantification of the SPION content per cell, necessary for molecular imaging optimization. Flow cytometry analysis established the efficiency of the selection process and helped determine that the CD133 cells selected by chromatographic affinity express the transmembrane glycoprotein CD133. The presence of antibodies coupled to the SPION, expressed in the cell membrane, was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Quantification of the SPION concentration in the marked cells using the ferromagnetic resonance technique resulted in a value of 1.70 x 10 (13) mol iron (9.5 pg) or 7.0 x 10 (6) nanoparticles per cell ( the measurement was carried out in a volume of 2 mu L containing about 6.16 x 10 5 pg iron, equivalent to 4.5 x 10 (11) SPIONs). (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

O ultra-som terapêutico de 1 MHz, na dose de 0,5 W cm-2, sobre o tecido ósseo de cães avaliado por densitometria óptica em imagens radiográficas

As lesões tendíneas nas extremidades distais dos membros estão entre as mais freqüentes alterações do aparelho locomotor na rotina clínico-cirúrgica humana e animal e, não raro, necessitam de terapias adjuvantes para seu completo retorno às funções fisiológicas. O ultra-som terapêutico (UST) é a modalidade mais utilizada nas clínicas de reabilitação para tratar lesões tendíneas, mas devido à falta ou a divergências de estudos específicos sobre seus efeitos no tecido ósseo, sua utilização sobre as regiões distais dos membros, ricas em protuberâncias ósseas e áreas desprovidas de cobertura muscular, sempre preocuparam os profissionais da área médica. No intuito de esclarecer os efeitos do UST sobre o tecido ósseo, seis cães receberam tratamento ultra-sônico contínuo, de 1MHz, durante cinco minutos diários, por um período de 20 dias sobre a região craniodistal do rádio e da ulna. A intensidade do UST aplicada foi de 0,5W cm-2 no membro torácico direito, ficando o membro contralateral como controle. A região distal de ambos os membros torácicos foi radiografada para análise de densitometria óssea em imagens radiográficas, antes do início da terapia e ao final do tratamento. Não houve alterações significativas de densidade mineral óssea entre os membros tratados e os controles. Conclui-se que dentro dos parâmetros utilizados no experimento a utilização do UST em regiões ósseas protuberantes ou desprovidas de cobertura muscular pode ser feita com segurança.

Produção de bulbinhos de cebola em bandejas de isopor

Com o objetivo de estudar a viabilidade de produção de bulbinhos de cebola sob ambiente protegido em diferentes tipos de bandejas de poliestireno expandido foram instalados dois experimentos. No primeiro, trabalhando com a cultivar Serrana, foram avaliadas três tipos de bandejas com diferentes números de plantas por célula: uma planta/célula na bandeja de 288 células, três a cinco plantas/célula na de 128 e cinco a nove plantas/célula na de 72 células. No outro experimento, testaram-se nove cultivares, semeadas somente em bandejas de 128 células com três plantas por célula. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições no primeiro ensaio e cinco no segundo, sendo cada parcela constituída por uma bandeja. Observou-se que quanto maior a densidade de plantio menor o tamanho do bulbinho (diâmetro e peso). O manejo adequado de adubações em cobertura pode viabilizar, tecnicamente, a produção de cinco bulbinhos com 1,3 cm de diâmetro (2 g) por célula, na bandeja de 128 células. Quanto ao ensaio de cultivares, Crioula da Agroflora, Crioula da Granja Lotário e Houston apresentaram 83%, 67% e 81% de plantas bulbificadas, enquanto que nas demais ( Aurora , Baia Periforme , Brownsville , Petroline , Pira Ouro , Pirana e Serrana ) obteve-se 100% de bulbificação. As principais vantagens na produção de bulbinhos em bandeja foram: uniformidade, ausência de plantas daninhas e de patógenos. É um sistema que pode ser útil aos viveiristas que tem entressafra de mudas nos meses de agosto a novembro, período de produção dos bulbinhos. Poderá, também, ser uma alternativa na produção de bulbinhos para conserva, no controle de qualidade de lotes de sementes e em programas de melhoramento de cebola.

A low-voltage low-power analog memory cell with built-in 4-quadrant multiplication

An accurate switched-current (SI) memory cell and suitable for low-voltage low-power (LVLP) applications is proposed. Information is memorized as the gate-voltage of the input transistor, in a tunable gain-boosting triode-transconductor. Additionally, four-quadrant multiplication between the input voltage to the transconductor regulation-amplifier (X-operand) and the stored voltage (Y-operand) is provided. A simplified 2 x 2-memory array was prototyped according to a standard 0.8 mum n-well CMOS process and 1.8-V supply. Measured current-reproduction error is less than 0.26% for 0.25 muA less than or equal to I-SAMPLE less than or equal to 0.75 muA. Standby consumption is 6.75 muW per cell @I-SAMPLE = 0.75 muA. At room temperature, leakage-rate is 1.56 nA/ms. Four-quadrant multiplier (4QM) full-scale operands are 2x(max) = 320 mV(pp) and 2y(max). = 448 mV(pp), yielding a maximum output swing of 0.9 muA(pp). 4QM worst-case nonlinearity is 7.9%.

Ultrastructural alterations in colon absorptive cells of alloxan-induced diabetic rats submitted to long-term physical training

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Glucocorticoids in vivo induce both insulin hypersecretion and enhanced glucose sensitivity of stimulus-secretion coupling in isolated rat islets

Although glucocorticoids are widely used as antiinflammatory agents in clinical therapies, they may cause serious side effects that include insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. To study the potential functional adaptations of the islet of Langerhans to in vivo glucocorticoid treatment, adult Wistar rats received dexamethasone (DEX) for 5 consecutive days, whereas controls (CTL) received only saline. The analysis of insulin release in freshly isolated islets showed an enhanced secretion in response to glucose in DEX-treated rats. The study of Ca2 2+ signals by fluorescence microscopy also demonstrated a higher response to glucose in islets from DEX-treated animals. However, no differences in Ca2 2+signals were found between both groups with tolbutamide or KCl, indicating that the alterations were probably related to metabolism. Thus, mitochondrial function was explored by monitoring oxidation of nicotinamide dinucleotide phosphate autofluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential. Both parameters revealed a higher response to glucose in islets from DEX-treated rats. The mRNA and protein content of glucose transporter-2, glucokinase, and pyruvate kinase was similar in both groups, indicating that changes in these proteins were probably not involved in the increased mitochondrial function. Additionally,weexplored the status of Ca2 2+-dependent signaling kinases. Unlike calmodulin kinase II, we found an augmented phosphorylation level of protein kinase Cα as well as an increased response of the phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate pathway in DEX-treated rats. Finally, an increased number of docked secretory granules were observed in the β-cells of DEX animals using transmission electron microscopy. Thus, these results demonstrate that islets from glucocorticoid-treated rats develop several adaptations that lead to an enhanced stimulus-secretion coupling and secretory capacity. Copyright © 2010 by The Endocrine Society.

The expression of chemokines CCL19, CCL21 and their receptor CCR7 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its relevance to cervical lymph node metastasis

The purpose of this study is to determine the expression of CCL19, CCL21, and CCR7 in samples of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their relationship with clinical and microscopic parameters. A comparative analysis was made of the mRNA expression of these chemokines and receptor in OSCC and normal oral mucosa. The immunoexpression of CCR7, CCL19, and CCL21 was also verified in OSCC and lymph nodes. Statistical significance was accepted at P < 0.05. Similar levels of CCR7, CCL19, and CCL21 mRNA in OSCC and normal oral mucosa were seen. A low expression of CCL19 and CCL21 in the intra- and peritumoral regions was observed. Scarce CCL19+ and CCL21+ cells were also noted in metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes. No association was found between the expression of these chemokines and clinical and microscopic parameters. Our findings would suggest that CCL19 and CCL21 may not be associated with cervical lymph node metastasis or other clinical and microscopic factors in OSCC. © 2012 International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM).

Óleo de Neem: tratamento parasitário em ovinos e desenvolvimento ponderal

Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal - FMVA

Participação dos receptores purinérgicos P2 do núcleo parabraquial lateral no controle da ingestão de sódio

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

Desenvolvimento de ensaio quimiluminescente baseado na determinação de fosfatase alcalina para diagnóstico diferencial entre leucemia mielóide crônica e reações leucemóides

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ação de beta-glucanos em leitões recém-desmamados alimentados com dietas com diferentes densidades nutricionais

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

Dendritic thickness: a morphometric parameter to classify mouse retinal ganglion cells

To study the dendritic morphology of retinal ganglion cells in wild-type mice we intracellularly injected these cells with Lucifer yellow in an in vitro preparation of the retina. Subsequently, quantified values of dendritic thickness, number of branching points and level of stratification of 73 Lucifer yellow-filled ganglion cells were analyzed by statistical methods, resulting in a classification into 9 groups. The variables dendritic thickness, number of branching points per cell and level of stratification were independent of each other. Number of branching points and level of stratification were independent of eccentricity, whereas dendritic thickness was positively dependent (r = 0.37) on it. The frequency distribution of dendritic thickness tended to be multimodal, indicating the presence of at least two cell populations composed of neurons with dendritic diameters either smaller or larger than 1.8 µm ("thin" or "thick" dendrites, respectively). Three cells (4.5%) were bistratified, having thick dendrites, and the others (95.5%) were monostratified. Using k-means cluster analysis, monostratified cells with either thin or thick dendrites were further subdivided according to level of stratification and number of branching points: cells with thin dendrites were divided into 2 groups with outer stratification (0-40%) and 2 groups with inner (50-100%) stratification, whereas cells with thick dendrites were divided into one group with outer and 3 groups with inner stratification. We postulate, that one group of cells with thin dendrites resembles cat ß-cells, whereas one group of cells with thick dendrites includes cells that resemble cat a-cells.

Effects caused by the spinal administration of ketamine S (+) 5% with no preservatives, using a single puncture, and located on the spinal cord and meninges in rabbits

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of ketamine S (+) 5% with no preservatives and administered as a subarachnoid single puncture on the spinal cord and meninges of rabbits.METHODS: Twenty young adult female rabbits, each weighing 3500-5000 g and having a spine length between 34 and 38 cm, were divided by lot into two groups (G): 0.9% saline in G1 and ketamine S (+) 5% in G2, by volume of 5 μg per cm column (0.18 mL). After intravenous anaesthesia with ketamine and xylazine, the subarachnoid space was punctured at S1-S2 under ultrasound guidance, and a random solution was injected. The animals remained in captivity for 21 days under medical observation and were sacrificed by decapitation. The lumbosacral spinal cord portion was removed for immunohistochemistry to assess the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and histology was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain.RESULTS:No histological lesions were found in the nervous tissue (roots and cord) or meninges in either group.CONCLUSION: The ketamine S (+) 5% unpreserved triggered no neurological or histological lesions in the spinal cord or meninges of rabbits.

Concentrations of and application protocols for hydrogen peroxide bleaching gels: Effects on pulp cell viability and whitening efficacy

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