Radioresistant Burkitt's lymphoma cells exhibit defective Mapk signalling

Using a pair of isogenic Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines, one of which is sensitive (BL30A) and the other resistant (BL30K) to apoptosis induced by ionising radiation and exogenous ceramide, we investigated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling to determine which members of this kinase family are involved in the apoptotic process in these cells. We have previously shown that BL30A cells produce ceramide after irradiation and that this does not occur in BL30K cells (Michael et at. [1997] Cancer Res 57:3600-3605). We show that p38 MAPK is activated transiently in both cells after ionising radiation. On the of her hand, although JNK is rapidly activated in both cells, this activation is only transient in the resistant cells, whereas in the sensitive cells the activation is sustained. Addition of exogenous ceramide resulted in only a transient activation of INK in both cells. Interestingly, ERK activity was decreased in BL30A cells after ceramide treatment, whereas no such decrease occurred in the resistant cells. Treatment of BL30A cells with phorbol ester before irradiation, which blocks the increase in ceramide and apoptosis, also prevents the sustained increase in JNK activity. At the same time, ERK activity is increased. Our results suggest that p38 MAPK is not required for apoptosis signalling in response to ionising radiation in Burkitt's lymphoma cells and that sustained activation of JNK is necessary for apoptosis in these cells. These results also support the hypothesis that a balance between JNK and ERK activity determines cell fate after exposure to ceramide or ionising radiation. In addition, our results suggest different signalling pathways from exogenous ceramide and radiation, supporting the concept of different intracellular pools of active ceramide. Drug Dev. Res. 52:534-541, 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Dynamic Behavior of the Jahn-Teller distorted Cu(H2O)(6)(2+) ion in Cu2+ doped Cs-2[Zn(H2O)(6)](ZrF6)(2) and the crystal structure of the host lattice

The temperature dependence of the X- and Q-band EPR spectra of Cs-2[Zn(H2O)(6)](ZrF6)(2) containing similar to1% Cu2+ is reported. All three molecular g-values vary with temperature, and their behavior is interpreted using a model in which the potential surface of the Jahn-Teller distorted Cu(H2O)(6)(2+) ion is perturbed by an orthorhombic strain induced by interactions with the surrounding lattice. The strain parameters are significantly smaller than those reported previously for the Cu(H2O)(6)(2+) ion in similar lattices. The temperature dependence of the two higher g-values suggests that in the present compound the lattice interactions change slightly with temperature. The crystal structure of the Cs-2[Zn(H2O)(6)](ZrF6)(2) host is reported, and the geometry of the Zn(H2O)(6)(2+) ion is correlated with lattice strain parameters derived from the EPR spectrum of the guest Cu2+ complex.

Quantitation of alternatively spliced NMDA receptor NR1 isoform mRNA transcripts in human brain by competitive RT-PCR

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-selective subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptor is of importance in neuronal differentiation and synapse consolidation, activity-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity, and excitatory amino acid-mediated neuronal toxicity [Neurosci. Res. Program, Bull. 19 (1981) 1; Lab. Invest. 68 (1993) 372]. NMDA receptors exist in vivo as tetrameric or pentameric complexes comprising proteins from two families of homologous subunits, designated NR1 and NR2(A-D) [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 185 (1992) 826]. The gene coding for the human NR1 subunit (hNR1) is composed of 21 exons, three of which (4, 20 and 21) can be differentially spliced to generate a total of eight distinct subunit variants. We detail here a competitive RT-PCR (cRT-PCR) protocol to quantify endogenous levels of hNR1 splice variants in autopsied human brain. Quantitation of each hNR1 splice variant is performed using standard curve methodology in which a known amount of synthetic ribonucleic acid competitor (internal standard) is co-amplified against total RNA. This method can be used for the quantitation of hNR1 mRNA levels in response to acute or chronic disease states, in particular in the glutamatergic-associated neuronal loss observed in Alzheimer's disease [J. Neurochem. 78 (2001) 175]. Furthermore, alterations in hNR1 mRNA expression may be reflected at the translational level, resulting in functional changes in the NMDA receptor. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitation of human brain GABAA receptor isoforms by competitive RT-PCR

We have developed a competitive RT-PCR assay, adapted from Lewohl et al. [Brain Res. Brain Res. Protoc. 1 (1997) 347]. for the quantitation of GABA, receptor beta isoforms in human brain using an internal standard that shares high sequence homology to the targets. The internal standard is identical to the beta(1) sequence except for a 61 bp deletion and the incorporation of a Hind III restriction enzyme site. Unlike traditional competitive RT-PCR, which requires a range of internal standard concentrations to be titrated against a constant amount of unknown, this method relies on a standard curve for quantitation of each sample and thus permits increased sample throughput. This method is suitable for the quantitation of beta(1), beta(2) and beta(3) isoforms of the GABA(A) receptor in human alcoholic and control brain. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Comments on "Maintenance policies with two-dimensional warranty"

Chen and Popova [Res. Engng Syst. Saf. 77 (2002) 61] discuss maintenance policies for items sold with a two-dimensional warranty. However, their paper fails to give a proper review of the literature and it also contains errors. In this note we first review the relevant literature and then comment on the errors in their analysis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural definition of the low-temperature phase transition of tris(ethane-1,2-diamine)zinc(II) dinitrate

The 93 K X-ray crystal structure of tris(ethane-1,2-diamine)zinc(II) dinitrate is reported. As predicted by the spectroscopic studies of other workers, there is a reversible phase transition of the structure at low temperature. We have determined this temperature to be 143 K. The structure at this temperature and below resembles that of the room temperature structure, except the crystallographic D-3 symmetry of the complex cation (296 K) is lowered to C-2 ( below 144 K) by subtle changes in cation-anion hydrogen bonding. No change in the conformation of the cation or its bond lengths and angles was found.

Boletim eletr??nico de bibliografias especializadas: igualdade de g??nero

A 2?? edi????o de 2013 do Boletim Eletr??nico de Bibliografias Especializadas destaca o tema Igualdade de G??nero. O documento traz indica????es de pu-blica????es do acervo da Biblioteca Graciliano Ramos/ENAP com reflex??es acerca das desi-gualdades entre homens e mulheres e suas consequ??ncias ?? sociedade. O objetivo ?? dar publicidade a esses materiais, visando a con-tribuir para uma melhor compreens??o do com-plexo cen??rio de defini????o das prioridades p??blicas e da formula????o de pol??ticas p??blicas governamentais comprometidas com a pers-pectiva de g??nero, em seus diversos aspectos. De acordo com a Organiza????o das Na????es Unidas para a Educa????o, a Ci??ncia e a Cultura (Unesco), os direitos das mulheres devem ser entendidos como direitos humanos e cultu-rais fundamentais. J?? a Pol??tica Nacional para as Mulheres, coordenada pela Secre-taria Especial de Pol??ticas para as Mulhe-res (SPM), da Presid??ncia da Rep??blica, tem como pressupostos e princ??pios a equi-dade, a autonomia das mulheres, a laicida-de do Estado, a universalidade das pol??ti-cas, a justi??a social, a transpar??ncia dos atos p??blicos, a participa????o e o controle social.

Eco universidade: plano ambiental para uma universidade socioambientalmente correta

Com a transforma????o da Escola Superior de Agricultura de Lavras na Universidade Federal de Lavras (Ufla), a estrutura existente n??o estava preparada para suportar o crescimento. O saneamento era feito por meio de sumidouros, os res??duos de laborat??rios (qu??micos e biol??gicos) eram descartados de forma inadequada prejudicando o meio ambiente, havia ocorr??ncia de inc??ndios na ??rea do campus. A Administra????o da Ufla estruturou uma s??rie de a????es para solucionar esses problemas. Assim surgiu o Plano Ambiental da Ufla, que aborda conceitos de sustentabilidade e compreendeu a????es que envolvem praticamente todas as quest??es ambientais (implanta????o de Programa de Gerenciamento de Res??duos Qu??micos, tratamento dos res??duos s??lidos, saneamento b??sico, esta????o de tratamento de esgoto, constru????es ecologicamente corretas, prote????o de nascentes e matas ciliares, preven????o e controle de inc??ndios, preven????o de endemias e gest??o de energia). Hoje a Ufla ?? uma universidade sustent??vel

O servi??o de an??lises cl??nicas em sintonia com o meio ambiente

As atividades humanas s??o inerentemente poluidoras. Os servi??os de diagn??stico t??m alcan??ado altos n??veis de evolu????o tecnol??gica, mas os cuidados com os res??duos gerados n??o tiveram o mesmo ritmo de crescimento. O Servi??o de An??lises Cl??nicas do Hospital de Cl??nicas da Universidade Federal do Paran?? (UFPR), preocupado com esse panorama, iniciou um projeto para valoriza????o do meio ambiente, contemplando a segrega????o de res??duos, que foram classificados de acordo com as normas vigentes em 2002 (resolu????es Conama 05/93 e 283/01). A principal etapa do projeto foi o treinamento dos funcion??rios, a padroniza????o de lixeiras, a avalia????o dos res??duos, a forma????o de um grupo de teatro e a apresenta????o da pe??a ???Lixo pro lixo???. Com o adequado gerenciamento dos res??duos, houve redu????o de envio ?? coleta hospitalar e incalcul??veis ganhos ambientais

M??dulo 3 - esfecificidades da pol??tica do saneamento b??sico: curso ger??ncia de projetos - teoria e pr??tica

Esse documento trata de: compet??ncia do titular dos servi??os; composi????o dos Servi??os P??blicos de Saneamento B??sico; gest??o associada dos servi??os p??blicos de saneamento: a import??ncia dos cons??rcios p??blicos e dos conv??nios de coopera????o; Planejamento do Saneamento B??sico; atividades de regula????o, organiza????o, fiscaliza????o e presta????o dos servi??os

Estrat??gia e estrutura para um novo Estado

A reconstru????o do Estado se tornou quest??o central nos anos 90, alavancando a reforma administrativa proposta no Plano Diretor a uma das prioridades do governo Fernando Henrique. O artigo aponta as bases sobre as quais est??o ancoradas as propostas da reforma e quais as diretrizes que a norteiam. Se a administra????o p??blica burocr??tica foi eficiente em um momento hist??rico para combater o patrimonialismo (confus??o entre o p??blico e o privado) instalado no Estado, hoje ?? a administra????o p??blica gerencial que se faz necess??ria para reconstruir o Estado, tornando-o mais eficiente, impedindo a sua privatiza????o, protegendo a rep??blica, dotando-o de meios para alcan??ar uma boa governan??a e voltando-o para o cidad??o.

Audi??ncias p??blicas: fatores que influenciam seu potencial de efetividade no ??mbito do poder executivo federal

Este artigo apresenta as principais conclus??es de pesquisa realizada no ??mbito do Instituto de Pesquisa Econ??mica Aplicada (Ipea), que buscou responder ?? seguinte pergunta: ???no ??mbito do Poder Executivo federal, quais s??o os principais fatores que influenciam o potencial de efetividade das audi??ncias p??blicas como mecanismo de participa????o social no processo de gest??o das pol??ticas p??blicas????. O estudo se estrutura a partir do conceito de pesquisa aplicada, tendo como foco a melhoria do processo de organiza????o e gest??o de audi??ncias p??blicas (AP). A pesquisa teve a dura????o de um ano e contou com an??lise bibliogr??fica, entrevistas com gestores p??blicos e profissionais atuantes em organiza????es n??o governamentais, al??m de quatro estudos de caso de audi??ncias p??blicas realizadas por ??rg??os do governo federal: a elabora????o do Plano Nacional de Res??duos S??lidos (PNRS); a discuss??o sobre as minutas do Edital de Licita????o e Contrato de Permiss??o dos Servi??os de Transporte Rodovi??rio Interestadual de Passageiros e o licenciamento ambiental de dois grandes projetos de hidrel??tricas ??? Santo Ant??nio e Jirau, em Rond??nia, e Belo Monte, no Par??

Elites estatais e reforma do estado na nova rep??blica: o projeto Enap e a forma????o da carreira de gestor governamental no Brasil

Os objetos desta pesquisa s??o: 1) a atua????o das elites burocr??ticas do Poder Executivo Federal no processo de transi????o pol??tica no Brasil, nos anos 1980; 2) as frentes de reforma na Nova Rep??blica, nas ??reas social, econ??mica e administrativa e 3) as tentativas de renova????o da gest??o p??blica representadas pela cria????o da Escola Nacional de Administra????o P??blica (ENAP) e da Carreira de Gestor Governamental (EPPGG). Esse era um contexto de reinstitucionaliza????o da fun????o diretiva do Estado e de deslocamento das fronteiras entre o burocr??tico e o pol??tico no setor p??blico brasileiro. A hip??tese central aqui defendida ?? de que a ENAP e a Carreira de Gestor Governamental eram duas op????es inovadoras frente ao dilema sobre quais seriam os pap??is cab??veis a pol??ticos e administradores na nova ordem democr??tica, mas tamb??m eram op????es sem enraizamento nos pactos e agendas de prioridades que viabilizaram a mudan??a de regime no pa??s. A Escola e a Carreira estavam em disson??ncia com as principais tend??ncias de recomposi????o das elites estatais na transi????o a partir do regime militar e sofreram bloqueios em raz??o disso, mas a pesquisa procurou desconstruir algumas narrativas sobre esses conflitos interburocr??ticos, que associam as resist??ncias impostas ?? ENAP e ?? Carreira pelos grupos de funcion??rios da Fazenda e Planejamento a interesses meramente corporativistas. Com um trajeto pelos estudos sobre as burocracias dos regimes militares e sobre as transi????es no Brasil e na Am??rica Latina, buscou-se aqui uma melhor identifica????o dos grupos integrantes das ???tecnoburocracias??? e de suas contribui????es para a moderniza????o administrativa e econ??mica do pa??s, na segunda metade do s??culo XX. Buscou-se revelar algumas conflu??ncias entre as ideias de tecnocratiza????o e profissionaliza????o das altas fun????es p??blicas e seus elos com as aspira????es pela reconstru????o do Estado sob bases mais democr??ticas, mostrando que, nos anos 1980, as propostas da SEDAP n??o eram os ??nicos projetos de moderniza????o em curso, tampouco os grupos que a elas se opuseram representavam interesses univocamente antidemocr??ticos.

Preparation and characterization of Nickel-and cobalt-doped magnetites

Trabalho apresentado no I Simpósio Mineiro de Ciências dos Materiais, Ouro Preto, Novembro de 2001.

A low concentration of ouabain (0.18 µg/kg) enhances hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats by inhibiting the Na+ pump and activating the renin-angiotensin system

We investigated the effects of low ouabain concentrations on systolic (SAP) and diastolic (DAP) arterial pressures and on pressor reactivity in 3-month-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Arterial blood pressure (BP) and pressor reactivity to phenylephrine (PHE) were investigated before and after 0.18 μg/kg ouabain administration (N = 6). The influence of hexamethonium (N = 6), canrenone (N = 6), enalapril (N = 6), and losartan (N = 6) on ouabain actions was evaluated. Ouabain increased BP (SAP: 137 ± 5.1 to 150 ± 4.7; DAP: 93.7 ± 7.7 to 116 ± 3.5 mmHg; P < 0.05) but did not change PHE pressor reactivity. Hexamethonium reduced basal BP in control but not in ouabain-treated rats. However, hexamethonium + ouabain increased DAP sensitivity to PHE. Canrenone did not affect basal BP but blocked ouabain effects on SAP. However, after canrenone + ouabain administration, DAP pressor reactivity to PHE still increased. Enalapril and losartan reduced BP and abolished SAP and DAP responses to ouabain. Enalapril + ouabain reduced DAP reactivity to PHE, while losartan + ouabain reduced SAP and DAP reactivity to PHE. In conclusion, a small dose of ouabain administered to SHR increased BP without altering PHE pressor reactivity. Although the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), Na+ pump and autonomic reflexes are involved in the effects of ouabain on PHE reactivity, central mechanisms might blunt the actions of ouabain on PHE pressor reactivity. The effect of ouabain on SAP seems to depend on the inhibition of both Na+ pump and RAS, whereas the effect on DAP seems to depend only on RAS.