Cutaneous Toxicity of Gasoline as an Environmental Pollutant on Mice Skin: Histological and Ultrastrucural Studies

The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether gasoline with different octane number (90 and 80) exposure in healthy Swiss albino mice might affect the skin, in order to declare more recognition on the adverse changes that might occur as a result of exposure to this pollutant. Sixty Swiss albino mice were used and divided into 3 subgroups : control-subgroup, topically treated -subgroup with gasoline 90 and topically treated -subgroup with gasoline 80, both groups two and three treated with (0.5ml/kg B.W.) for 8 weeks.Determination of benzene concentration and some heavy metals in both types of gasoline (90 and 80), determination of some heavy metals bioaccumulation in skin after exposure to both types of gasoline (90 and 80),light and electron microscopical studies were performed.It was found that gasoline 80 contained more concentrations of benzene, lead , cadmium and nickel than gasoline 90. The accumulation of lead, cadmium and nickel in the skin have the following order lead > cadmium > nickel. The light microscopical examinations showed dermatitis such as epidermal hyperplasia, micro abscesses, hyperkeratosis and destruction of the dermis depending upon treatment duration from 4 to 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of topically treated mice with both gasoline type , the scanning electron microscope examination showed scales covering the mice skin and the transition electron microscope showed cytoplasmic vacuoles and mitochondrial degeneration in keratinocytes of all epidermal layers of the mice skin . Moreover, the spinosum keratinocytes of mice skin topically treated with gasoline 80 for 8 weeks had pyknotic nuclei,in addition to expansion of intercellular spaces in the stratum corneum

Proposta de integração de um sistema de detecção de intrusão (IDS) entre uma rede SDN e uma honeynet

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica, Mestrado Profissional em Engenharia Elétrica, 2021.A arquitetura das redes definidas por software e vem sendo cada vez mais utilizada no cenário atual das redes de comunicações, pois traz diversos benefícios em relação às redes convencionais por possuírem em sua estrutura um controle central sobre a rede. Dentre esses benefícios, estão a sua flexibilidade e facilidade de programação. Apesar das vantagens, a rede SDN, assim como as redes tradicionais, possui a necessidade de implementação de recursos de segurança, principalmente devido ao seu gerenciamento centralizado. Neste trabalho de pesquisa, é proposta uma solução de segurança para mitigação de ataques de negação de serviço utilizando a implementação de um sistema de detecção de intrusões (IDS) associado a um firewall em uma arquitetura de rede OpenFlow. Para realizar o estudo e análise do comportamento do tráfego malicioso, foi colocada em prática a utilização de um ambiente honeynet cujo modelo foi elaborado no laboratório da UNB. Sob o comando da controladora SDN, os pacotes classificados pelo IDS como originados de um ataque malicioso são encaminhados para esse ambiente, onde é possível restringir acessos não desejados em caso de comprometimento da rede e realizar análise dos ataques para possíveis medidas de contrapartida. Na solução proposta, é possível reagir a ataques realizando o bloqueio do fluxo de dados mais próximo da origem, impedindo que o funcionamento da rede seja prejudicado. Este trabalho implementou uma solução open source para segurança contra ataques DoS, e os resultados obtidos mostram como a arquitetura proposta pode auxiliar na identificação, análise, no estudo dos parâmetros e na tomada de decisão nas ações necessárias para detectar um ataque cibernético.The architecture of networks defined by software has been increasingly used in the current scenario of communications networks, as it brings several benefits in relation to conventional networks because they have a central control over the network in their structure. Among these benefits are its flexibility and ease of programming. Despite the advantages, the SDN network, like traditional networks, has the need to implement security resources, mainly due to its centralized management. In this research work, a security solution is proposed to mitigate denial of service attacks using the implementation of an intrusion detection system (IDS) associated with a firewall in an OpenFlow network architecture. To carry out the study and analysis of the behavior of malicious traffic, the use of a honeynet environment was put into practice, a model that was developed in the UNB laboratory. Under the command of the SDN controller, packets classified by IDS as originating from a malicious attack are forwarded to this environment, where it is possible to restrict unwanted access in the event of network compromise and carry out analysis of attacks for possible counterpart measures. In the proposed solution, it is possible to react to attacks by blocking the data flow closest to the source, preventing the functioning of the network from being impaired. This work implemented an open source solution for security against DoS attacks, and the results obtained show how the proposed architecture can assist in identification, analysis, in the study of parameters and in the decision making in the necessary actions to detect a cyber attack

Co-expression and impact of prostate specific membrane antigen and prostate specific antigen in prostatic pathologies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present study was undertaken to relate the co-expression of prostate-associated antigens, PSMA and PSA, with the degree of vascularization in normal and pathologic (hyperplasia and cancer) prostate tissues to elucidate their possible role in tumor progression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was carried out in 6 normal, 44 benign prostatic hyperplastic and 39 cancerous human prostates. Immunohistochemical analysis were performed using the monoclonal antibody CD34 to determine the angiogenic activity, and the monoclonal antibodies 3E6 and ER-PR8 to assess PSMA and PSA expression, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our study we found that in normal prostate tissue, PSMA and PSA were equally expressed (3.7 ± 0.18 and 3.07 ± 0.11). A significant difference in their expression was see in hyperplastic and neoplastic prostates tissues (16.14 ± 0.17 and 30.72 ± 0.85, respectively) for PSMA and (34.39 ± 0.53 and 17.85 ± 1.21, respectively) for PSA. Study of prostate tumor profiles showed that the profile (PSA+, PSMA-) expression levels decreased between normal prostate, benign prostatic tissue and primary prostate cancer. In the other hand, the profile (PSA-, PSMA+) expression levels increased from normal to prostate tumor tissues. PSMA overexpression was associated with high intratumoral angiogenesis activity. By contrast, high PSA expression was associated with low angiogenesis activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data suggest that these markers are regulated differentially and the difference in their expression showed a correlation with malignant transformation. With regard to the duality PSMA-PSA, this implies the significance of their investigation together in normal and pathologic prostate tissues.</p

Cutaneous Toxicity of Gasoline as an Environmental Pollutant on Mice Skin: Histological and Ultrastrucural Studies

The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether gasoline with different octane number (90 and 80) exposure in healthy Swiss albino mice might affect the skin, in order to declare more recognition on the adverse changes that might occur as a result of exposure to this pollutant. Sixty Swiss albino mice were used and divided into 3 subgroups : control-subgroup, topically treated -subgroup with gasoline 90 and topically treated -subgroup with gasoline 80, both groups two and three treated with (0.5ml/kg B.W.) for 8 weeks.Determination of benzene concentration and some heavy metals in both types of gasoline (90 and 80), determination of some heavy metals bioaccumulation in skin after exposure to both types of gasoline (90 and 80),light and electron microscopical studies were performed.It was found that gasoline 80 contained more concentrations of benzene, lead , cadmium and nickel than gasoline 90. The accumulation of lead, cadmium and nickel in the skin have the following order lead &gt; cadmium &gt; nickel. The light microscopical examinations showed dermatitis such as epidermal hyperplasia, micro abscesses, hyperkeratosis and destruction of the dermis depending upon treatment duration from 4 to 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of topically treated mice with both gasoline type , the scanning electron microscope examination showed scales covering the mice skin and the transition electron microscope showed cytoplasmic vacuoles and mitochondrial degeneration in keratinocytes of all epidermal layers of the mice skin . Moreover, the spinosum keratinocytes of mice skin topically treated with gasoline 80 for 8 weeks had pyknotic nuclei,in addition to expansion of intercellular spaces in the stratum corneum

Antioxidant activities and laxative effect of bioactive compounds from Cynara cardunculus var. sylvestris

The present study aims to investigate the antioxidant and anti-constipation activities of the derived phenolic extracts in ribs wild cardoon (Cynara sylvestris). Analysed extracts (acetone, methanol and aqueous) exhibited high level of phenolic compounds and excellent antioxidant activities with significant IC50 values (p≤0.05), as assessed by the DPPH radical-scavenging activity (0.84±0.08 - 2.44±0.007 μg/mL), ABTS cationic radical test (0.96 ±0.01- 136.67±6.75 μg/mL) and β-carotene bleaching assay (2.09±0.02-51.12±1.32 μg/mL). Also, higher levels of insoluble dietary fibers were found (56.18 ± 0.91% DW of neutral detergent fiber). The in vivo investigation was performed on Wistar rats to explore the ability of C. sylvestris aqueous extract (CSAE) in the enhancement of the gastrointestinal transit and the treatment of induced constipation by Loperamide (commercialized as Idium). A significant increase of 15, 24.5 and 32.4% in gastrointestinal motility was recorded when doses of CSAE increased (75, 150 and 300 mg/ kg b.w, respectively). Food intake, water consumption, number and weight of stools were also increased in a dosedependent manner, compared to the positive control (untreated). Moreover, CSAE provided significantly (p≤0.05) and dose-dependently protection against oxidative stress by preserving normal antioxidant enzymes activities (SOD and GPx) in intestinal and colonic mucosa, and resorted hepatic enzymes (AST and ALT) and renal (urea and creatinine) levels to normal values. These results can be explained by the abundance of phenolic compounds and insoluble fibers in this plant. Therefore, its use can be encouraged in alimentary and pharmaceutical applications as antioxidant and laxative food supplements

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Analysis of genetic diversity of Tunisian caprifig (Ficus carica L.) accessions using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers

[Background] The common fig (Ficus carica L.) is a gynodioecious species with two sexual forms: male trees (caprifigs) with male and female flowers and female trees that produce only female flowers that will result in the edible fig syconium. In this study the genetic diversity of 20 Tunisian accessions of caprifig is analyzed using SSR markers previously developed for this crop.[Results] The results revealed that the 13 pairs of primers used amplified a total of 37 alleles in the accessions studied. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to six, with a mean value of 2.85 alleles per locus. Observed and expected heterozygosities showed mean values of 0.33 and 0.29 respectively. UPGMA cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis grouped the caprifig accessions analyzed in three groups.[Conclusion] The results obtained show a low genetic diversity in the Tunisian accessions of caprifig studied and, in spite of analyzing samples from different geographic regions, no clear groupings based on geographical origin are observed suggesting widespread exchange of caprifig plant material through vegetative propagation among different areas in Tunisia.Financial support for this work was provided by the Tunisian Education Ministry, the University of Monastir and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Innovation (Project Grant AGL2013-43732-R). We acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI)