Gait stability in diabetic peripheral neuropathy

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

The Th17 pathway in the peripheral lung microenvironment interacts with expression of collagen V in the late state of experimental pulmonary fibrosis

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

Dyslexic children suffer from less informative visual cues to control posture

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of manipulation of the characteristics of visual stimulus on postural control in dyslexic children. A total of 18 dyslexic and 18 non-dyslexic children stood upright inside a moving room, as still as possible, and looked at a target at different conditions of distance between the participant and a moving room frontal wall (25-150 cm) and vision (full and central). The first trial was performed without vision (baseline). Then four trials were performed in which the room remained stationary and eight trials with the room moving, lasting 60 s each. Mean sway amplitude, coherence, relative phase, and angular deviation were calculated. The results revealed that dyslexic children swayed with larger magnitude in both stationary and moving conditions. When the room remained stationary, all children showed larger body sway magnitude at 150 cm distance. Dyslexic children showed larger body sway magnitude in central compared to full vision condition. In the moving condition, body sway magnitude was similar between dyslexic and non-dyslexic children but the coupling between visual information and body sway was weaker in dyslexic children. Moreover, in the absence of peripheral visual cues, induced body sway in dyslexic children was temporally delayed regarding visual stimulus. Taken together, these results indicate that poor postural control performance in dyslexic children is related to how sensory information is acquired from the environment and used to produce postural responses. In conditions in which sensory cues are less informative, dyslexic children take longer to process sensory stimuli in order to obtain precise information, which leads to performance deterioration. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compartmentalized gene expression of toll-like receptors 2, 4 and 9 in the brain and peripheral lymphoid organs during canine visceral leishmaniasis

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

Phenotypic and functional evaluations of peripheral blood monocytes from chronic-form paracoccidioidomycosis patients before and after treatment

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

Physical Exercise in MCI Elderly Promotes Reduction of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Improvements on Cognition and BDNF Peripheral Levels

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

Physical Exercise Improves Peripheral BDNF Levels and Cognitive Functions in Mild Cognitive Impairment Elderly with Different BDNF Val66Met Genotypes

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

A discursivização em Wall.E: sociedade, tecnologia e poder

This article consists in a discourse analysis of the feature film in animation Wall.e produced by Pixar in association to Disney in 2008. Pixar has been known to produce films that contain various discursive levels, making its products appealing not only for children, but also for adults. However, Wall-e proves to be a masterpiece in Pixar carrier, because it is the one which focuses on the analysis and critique of contemporary society associated with technological development. For this, the plot has as its starting point the question of sustainability and unbridled consumerism. But the film expands the debate, tracing the relationship between technology and humanity, discussing how one affects the other. The project therefore aims to show how the animation works such concepts and constructs his discourse. To this end, the work seeks to identify the signs that make up the discourse and draw the intertextuality between WALL.E and other works that also discuss the same elements such as Stanley Kubrick‟s 2001 - A Space Odyssey (1968)

The intricate role of mast cell proteases and the annexin A1-FPR1 system in abdominal wall endometriosis

Endometriosis is a continuous and progressive disease with a poorly understood aetiology, pathophysiology and natural history. This study evaluated the histological differences between eutopic and ectopic endometria (abdominal wall endometriosis) and the expression of mast cell proteases (tryptase and chymase), annexin A1 (ANXA1) and formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1). Ectopic endometrium from 18 women with abdominal wall endometriosis and eutopic endometrium from 10 women without endometriosis were obtained. The endometrial samples were analysed by histopathology, immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural immunogold labeling to determine mast cell heterogeneity (tryptase and chymase positive cells) and the expression levels of ANXA1 and FPR1. Histopathological analysis of the endometriotic lesions showed a glandular pattern of mixed differentiation and an undifferentiated morphology with a significant influx of inflammatory cells and a change in mast cell heterogeneity, as evidenced by a significant increase in the number of chymase-positive cells and endogenous chymase expression. The undifferentiated glandular pattern of endometriotic lesions was positively associated with a marked increase and co-localization of ANXA1 and FPR1 in the epithelial cells. In conclusion, the co-upregulated expression of mast cell chymase and ANXA1–FPR1 system in ectopic endometrium suggests their involvement in the development of endometriotic lesions.

Orbital wall reconstruction with titanium mesh:Retrospective study of 24 patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of traumatic orbital defect reconstruction with titanium mesh. A retrospective study was made. Evaluations were made after a minimum postoperative follow-up of 12 months, looking for the main complications. Twenty-four patients were included in this evaluation; 19 were male (79.1%) and 5 (20.8%) were female. The main injury etiology was vehicle accidents (50%) followed by other causes. Fourteen patients (58.3%) presented orbital floor fractures, and 10 had more than one wall fractured (41.6%). Permanent infraorbital nerve hypoesthesia was observed in two patients (8.3%), enophthalmos occurred in five patients (20.8%), and exophthalmos was found in two patients (8.3%). Four patients (16.6%) still presented evidence of residual prolapsed intraorbital content, and one of those needed further surgical correction; sinusitis occurred in one patient (4.1%). Titanium mesh is a reliable option for orbital reconstruction, despite some complications found in this sample.

Peripheral chemoreceptors and cardiorespiratory coupling: a link to sympatho-excitation

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) has been identified as a relevant risk factor for the development of enhanced sympathetic outflow and arterial hypertension. Several studies have highlighted the importance of peripheral chemoreceptors for the cardiovascular changes elicited by CIH. However, the effects of CIH on the central mechanisms regulating sympathetic outflow are not fully elucidated. Our research group has explored the hypothesis that the enhanced sympathetic drive following CIH exposure is, at least in part, dependent on alterations in the respiratory network and its interaction with the sympathetic nervous system. In this report, I discuss the changes in the discharge profile of baseline sympathetic activity in rats exposed to CIH, their association with the generation of active expiration and the interactions between expiratory and sympathetic neurones after CIH conditioning. Together, these findings are consistent with the theory that mechanisms of central respiratory–sympathetic coupling are a novel factor in the development of neurogenic hypertension.

Contribution of retrotrapezoid/parafacial respiratory region to the expiratory-sympathetic coupling in response to peripheral chemoreflex in rats

Central mechanisms of coupling between respiratory and sympathetic systems are essential for the entrainment between the enhanced respiratory drive and sympathoexcitation in response to hypoxia. However, the brainstem nuclei and neuronal network involved in these respiratory-sympathetic interactions remain unclear. Here, we evaluated whether the increase in expiratory activity and expiratory-modulated sympathoexcitation produced by the peripheral chemoreflex activation involves the retrotrapezoid nucleus/parafacial respiratory region (RTN/pFRG). Using decerebrated arterially perfused in situ rat preparations (60–80 g), we recorded the activities of thoracic sympathetic (tSN), phrenic (PN), and abdominal nerves (AbN) as well as the extracellular activity of RTN/pFRG expiratory neurons, and reflex responses to chemoreflex activation were evaluated before and after inactivation of the RTN/pFRG region with muscimol (1 mM). In the RTN/pFRG, we identified late-expiratory (late-E) neurons (n = 5) that were silent at resting but fired coincidently with the emergence of late-E bursts in AbN after peripheral chemoreceptor activation. Bilateral muscimol microinjections into the RTN/pFRG region (n = 6) significantly reduced basal PN frequency, mean AbN activity, and the amplitude of respiratory modulation of tSN (P < 0.05). With respect to peripheral chemoreflex responses, muscimol microinjections in the RTN/pFRG enhanced the PN inspiratory response, abolished the evoked late-E activity of AbN, but did not alter either the magnitude or pattern of the tSN reflex response. These findings indicate that the RTN/pFRG region is critically involved in the processing of the active expiratory response but not of the expiratory-modulated sympathetic response to peripheral chemoreflex activation of rat in situ preparations.

Maternal protein restriction increases respiratory and sympathetic activities and sensitizes peripheral chemoreflex in male rat offspring

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Peripheral osteoma in the ramus of mandible: report of case

The osteomas are benign rare neoplasms, generally asymptomatic which are characterized by the proliferation of a compact or spongy bone. When they are situated in the maxillofacial area, they affect mainly the mandible, the frontal bone and the paranasal sinus. We have described the case of a female caucasian patient who presented an increased volume in the posterior region of the oral vestibule on the left side. During the clinical examination an oral lesion was observed in the region of the left ramus of mandible. This lesion was motionless, consistent, and painless when palpated. In the image obtained from the computed tomography cone–beam (CBCT), we could observe an hyperdense, cylindrical region, with well defined borders, located in the medial surface of the left ramus of mandible, right below the mandibular notch. Based on clinical data and in the obtained images, we could confirm the presence of the peripheral osteoma in the left side of the ramus of mandible region.