4-Aminopyridine-induced epileptogenesis depends on activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases such as ERK1 [p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)] and ERK2 (p42 MAPK) are activated in the CNS under physiological and pathological conditions such as ischemia and epilepsy. Here, we studied the activation state of ERK1/2 in rat hippocampal slices during application of the K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4AP, 50 lM), a procedure that enhances synaptic transmission and leads to the appearance of epileptiform activity. Hippocampal slices superfused with 4AP-containing medium exhibited a marked activation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation that peaked within about 20 min. These effects were not accompanied by changes in the activation state of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), another member of the MAP kinase superfamily. 4AP-induced ERK1/2 activation was inhibited by the voltage-gated Na+ channel blocker tetrodotoxin (1 lM). We also found that application of the ERK pathway inhibitors U0126 (50 lM) or PD98059 (100 lM) markedly reduced 4AP-induced epileptiform synchronization, thus abolishing ictal discharges in the CA3 area. The effects induced by U0126 or PD98059 were not associated with changes in the amplitude and latency of the field potentials recorded in the CA3 area following electrical stimuli delivered in the dentate hylus. These data demonstrate that activation of ERK1/2 accompanies the appearance of epileptiform activity induced by 4AP and suggest a cause-effect relationship between the ERK pathway and epileptiform synchronization

Oficina de propagação de plantas frutíferas

Trabalho apresentado no II Congresso Nacional do PROJETO RONDON, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 23 a 25 de setembro de 2015 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.A produção de frutas nativas e adaptadas à região é uma das alternativas de geração de renda para comunidades rurais. Em Rondon do Pará – PA, um dos municípios participantes da Operação Itacaiúnas 2015, identificou-se carência de produção agrícola nessas comunidades. Assim, alternativas relativas à produção de mudas frutíferas foram desenvolvidas para incentivar a produção e a associação entre esses produtores rurais, visando seu crescimento e fortalecimento para geração de renda familiar. O objetivo do presente trabalho é relatar a experiência da equipe de rondonistas na zona rural do município de Rondon do Pará – PA, pela oficina de propagação e manejo de plantas frutíferas, avaliando a importância da troca de conhecimento entre os alunos e a comunidade. Foi verificada a necessidade de melhoria nos métodos de propagação e manejo de plantas frutíferas na viagem precursora realizada pelo professor coordenador. Assim, foi elaborada uma oficina com este tema, desenvolvida no viveiro municipal e em dois bairros rurais atendendo mais de 30 pessoas. Foi feita uma apresentação sobre os diferentes tipos de multiplicação de plantas frutíferas seguida de uma atividade práticas de enxertia e estaquia das frutíferas mais produzidas na região (manga, caju, goiaba, acerola e pitaya), além de tratar de tópicos sobre o manejo das mesmas. Também foram entregues cartilhas explicativas sobre o assunto. Foi observado que nenhum dos presentes, dos quais produtores, servidores púbicos e leigos, conheciam o método de enxertia. A estaquia era utilizada por poucos, mas sem aprofundamento e técnicas eficientes, sendo que os presentes aprenderam os conceitos teóricos, aplicados com a supervisão dos universitários. Além disso, a população local transmitiu seus conhecimentos ensinando os rondonistas a produzir mudas de outras espécies utilizadas na região. Percebeu-se que a população teve um grande interesse pelos métodos de propagação, os quais poderão ser utilizados para aumentar a renda familiar. Também houve uma troca de saberes entre conceitos acadêmicos e práticos, atingindo o objetivo principal do Projeto Rondon

Troca de saberes entre a comunidade e os universitários

Trabalho apresentado no II Congresso Nacional do PROJETO RONDON, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 23 a 25 de setembro de 2015 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.Os conhecimentos adquiridos na Universidade, na maioria das vezes, são pouco aplicados à realidade do país. Visto essa problemática, o Projeto Rondon foi desenvolvido para colocar em campo aquilo que se estuda em sala de aula, como uma via de mão dupla em que os universitários passam conhecimentos acadêmicos para a população, a qual adequa esses conhecimentos no seu dia-a-dia, demostrando ao universitário a real demanda da população mais carente do país, em diversos aspectos. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido para avaliar a troca de saberes e experiências entre os rondonistas e a população, através da utilização de métodos pautados no diálogo na realização das ações desenvolvidas com diversos setores da comunidade. Foram preparadas ações com diferentes metodologias de abordagem e público alvo, destacando-se os métodos de oficina e roda de conversa, os quais se iniciaram com uma apresentação dos presentes, no sentido de diminuir a distância entre a população e os rondonistas. Com a exposição geral do tema, a população, em roda, foi dividida em grupos, formando núcleos de discussão sobre o tema. Cada grupo recebeu uma cartolina dividida ao meio na qual deveria desenhar suas ideias, por exemplo, a realidade do saneamento básico em seu bairro e como este deveria ser. Ao final da discussão interna, a roda era refeita e os grupos debatiam as questões relevantes ao tema por meio da explicação dos desenhos, momento no qual a troca de saberes foi efetiva, pois a população sentiu-se confortável para ensinar e aprender, com base sempre no diálogo e respeito ao próximo. Percebeu-se que o método de abordagem prevalecente foi eficiente para aproximar a população dos temas discutidos, provocando reflexões e aprendizado tanto para a população quanto para os rondonistas, de maneira agradável, descontraída e interessante. Conclui-se que a utilização de métodos de ação pedagógica extensionista são eficientes para a troca de saberes, pois permitem que ambas as partes estejam no mesmo grau de importância, mesmo que provenientes de locais e realidades distintos

Competition and habitat quality influence age and sex distribution in wintering rusty blackbirds.

Bird habitat quality is often inferred from species abundance measures during the breeding and non-breeding season and used for conservation management decisions. However, during the non-breeding season age and sex classes often occupy different habitats which suggest a need for more habitat-specific data. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a forested wetland specialist wintering in bottomland hardwood forests in the south-eastern U. S. and belongs to the most steeply declining songbirds in the U.S. Little information is available to support priority birds such as the Rusty Blackbird wintering in this threatened habitat. We assessed age and sex distribution and body condition of Rusty Blackbirds among the three major habitats used by this species in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley and also measured food availability. Overall, pecan groves had the highest biomass mainly driven by the amount of nuts. Invertebrate biomass was highest in forests but contributed only a small percentage to overall biomass. Age and sex classes were unevenly distributed among habitats with adult males primarily occupying pecan groves containing the highest nut biomass, females being found in forests which had the lowest nut biomass and young males primarily staying in forest fragments along creeks which had intermediate nut biomass. Males were in better body condition than females and were in slightly better condition in pecan groves. The results suggest that adult males occupy the highest quality habitat and may competitively exclude the other age and sex classes

Risk Behaviors for Reproductive Tract Infection in Women Who Have Sex with Women in Beijing, China

OBJECTIVES: To assess risk behaviors for reproductive tract infections (RTI) including sexually transmitted infections (STI) among women who have sex with women (WSW) in Beijing, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of women recruited from venues and internet outreach analyzed using interviews. RESULTS: We recruited 224 WSW, among whom were 37 couples. The average age of participants was 25.6 years. Sex with men in the past year was reported by 10.7% of participants. During the past year, 34.3% (77/224) had had >1 sexual partner and 72.4% (162/224) had ever had >1 sexual partner. Condom use in the last sex with a man was reported by 54.2% (13/24) of women; 12.5% (3/24) reported never having used a condom with a man in the past year. In the past year, 13.4% (30/224) reported using sex toys with their female partners; of these, 43.3% (13/30) reported consistent condom use with the sex toys and 36.7% (11/30) had shared sex toys. Among participants 65.2% (120/184) reported that their "G-spot" had been stimulated during sex, 49.2% (59/120) of whom reported bleeding during or after sex. Only 12.5% (8/64) of those never reporting "G spot" stimulation reported bleeding during or after sex (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: WSW in Beijing engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors that may carry a substantial risk of being infected with STI/RTI. To implement STI/RTI prevention and intervention among women, women-women sexual behavior should be considered when doing research and intervention programs

ExoClock Project. III. 450 New Exoplanet Ephemerides from Ground and Space Observations

The ExoClock project has been created to increase the efficiency of the Ariel mission. It will achieve this by continuously monitoring and updating the ephemerides of Ariel candidates, in order to produce a consistent catalog of reliable and precise ephemerides. This work presents a homogenous catalog of updated ephemerides for 450 planets, generated by the integration of ∼18,000 data points from multiple sources. These sources include observations from ground-based telescopes (the ExoClock network and the Exoplanet Transit Database), midtime values from the literature, and light curves from space telescopes (Kepler, K2, and TESS). With all the above, we manage to collect observations for half of the postdiscovery years (median), with data that have a median uncertainty less than 1 minute. In comparison with the literature, the ephemerides generated by the project are more precise and less biased. More than 40% of the initial literature ephemerides had to be updated to reach the goals of the project, as they were either of low precision or drifting. Moreover, the integrated approach of the project enables both the monitoring of the majority of the Ariel candidates (95%), and also the identification of missing data. These results highlight the need for continuous monitoring to increase the observing coverage of the candidate planets. Finally, the extended observing coverage of planets allows us to detect trends (transit-timing variations) for a sample of 19 planets. All the products, data, and codes used in this work are open and accessible to the wider scientific community

ExoClock Project III: 450 new exoplanet ephemerides from ground and space observations

The ExoClock project has been created with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the Ariel mission. It will achieve this by continuously monitoring and updating the ephemerides of Ariel candidates over an extended period, in order to produce a consistent catalogue of reliable and precise ephemerides. This work presents a homogenous catalogue of updated ephemerides for 450 planets, generated by the integration of $\sim$18000 data points from multiple sources. These sources include observations from ground-based telescopes (ExoClock network and ETD), mid-time values from the literature and light-curves from space telescopes (Kepler/K2 and TESS). With all the above, we manage to collect observations for half of the post-discovery years (median), with data that have a median uncertainty less than one minute. In comparison with literature, the ephemerides generated by the project are more precise and less biased. More than 40\% of the initial literature ephemerides had to be updated to reach the goals of the project, as they were either of low precision or drifting. Moreover, the integrated approach of the project enables both the monitoring of the majority of the Ariel candidates (95\%), and also the identification of missing data. The dedicated ExoClock network effectively supports this task by contributing additional observations when a gap in the data is identified. These results highlight the need for continuous monitoring to increase the observing coverage of the candidate planets. Finally, the extended observing coverage of planets allows us to detect trends (TTVs - Transit Timing Variations) for a sample of 19 planets. All products, data, and codes used in this work are open and accessible to the wider scientific community.Comment: Recommended for publication to ApJS (reviewer's comments implemented). Main body: 13 pages, total: 77 pages, 7 figures, 7 tables. Data available at http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/P298

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)