Urotensin II-Induced Increase in Myocardial Distensibility Is Modulated by Angiotensin II and Endothelin-1

Endogenous regulators, such as angiotensin-II (AngII), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and urotensin-II (U-II) are released from various cell types and their plasma levels are elevated in several cardiovascular diseases. The present study evaluated a potential crosstalk between these systems by investigating if the myocardial effects of U-II are modulated by AngII or ET-1. Effects of U-II (10(-8), 10(-7), 10(-6) M) were tested in rabbit papillary muscles in the absence and in the presence of losartan (selective AT, receptor antagonist), PD-145065 (nonselective ET-1 receptors antagonist), losartan plus PD-145065, AngII or ET-1. U-II promoted concentration-dependent negative inotropic and lusitropic effects that were abolished in all experimental conditions. Also, U-II increased resting muscle length up to 1.008 +/- 0.002 L/L(max). Correcting it to its initial value resulted in a 19.5 +/- 3.5 % decrease of resting tension, indicating increased muscle distensibility. This effect on muscle length was completely abolished in the presence of losartan and significantly attenuated by PD-145065 or losartan plus PD-145065. This effect was increased in the presence of AngII, resulting in a 27.5 +/- 3.9 % decrease of resting tension, but was unaffected by the presence of ET-1. This study demonstrated an interaction of the U-II system with the AngII and ET-1 systems in terms of regulation of systolic and diastolic function

Stability, Structure and Scale: Improvements in Multi-modal Vessel Extraction for SEEG Trajectory Planning

Purpose Brain vessels are among the most critical landmarks that need to be assessed for mitigating surgical risks in stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) implantation. Intracranial haemorrhage is the most common complication associated with implantation, carrying signi cant associated morbidity. SEEG planning is done pre-operatively to identify avascular trajectories for the electrodes. In current practice, neurosurgeons have no assistance in the planning of electrode trajectories. There is great interest in developing computer assisted planning systems that can optimise the safety pro le of electrode trajectories, maximising the distance to critical structures. This paper presents a method that integrates the concepts of scale, neighbourhood structure and feature stability with the aim of improving robustness and accuracy of vessel extraction within a SEEG planning system. Methods The developed method accounts for scale and vicinity of a voxel by formulating the problem within a multi-scale tensor voting framework. Feature stability is achieved through a similarity measure that evaluates the multi-modal consistency in vesselness responses. The proposed measurement allows the combination of multiple images modalities into a single image that is used within the planning system to visualise critical vessels. Results Twelve paired datasets from two image modalities available within the planning system were used for evaluation. The mean Dice similarity coe cient was 0.89 ± 0.04, representing a statistically signi cantly improvement when compared to a semi-automated single human rater, single-modality segmentation protocol used in clinical practice (0.80 ±0.03). Conclusions Multi-modal vessel extraction is superior to semi-automated single-modality segmentation, indicating the possibility of safer SEEG planning, with reduced patient morbidity

Graphene-Based Coating to Mitigate Biofilm Development in Marine Environments

Due to its several economic and ecological consequences, biofouling is a widely recognized concern in the marine sector. The search for non-biocide-release antifouling coatings has been on the rise, with carbon-nanocoated surfaces showing promising activity. This work aimed to study the impact of pristine graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) on biofilm development through the representative marine bacteria Cobetia marina and to investigate the antibacterial mechanisms of action of this material. For this purpose, a flow cytometric analysis was performed and a GNP/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface containing 5 wt% GNP (G5/PDMS) was produced, characterized, and assessed regarding its biofilm mitigation potential over 42 days in controlled hydrodynamic conditions that mimic marine environments. Flow cytometry revealed membrane damage, greater metabolic activity, and endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by C. marina when exposed to GNP 5% (w/v) for 24 h. In addition, C. marina biofilms formed on G5/PDMS showed consistently lower cell count and thickness (up to 43% reductions) than PDMS. Biofilm architecture analysis indicated that mature biofilms developed on the graphene-based surface had fewer empty spaces (34% reduction) and reduced biovolume (25% reduction) compared to PDMS. Overall, the GNP-based surface inhibited C. marina biofilm development, showing promising potential as a marine antifouling coating

Tuberculosis diagnosis after bleach processing for early stage tuberculosis laboratory capacity building

The diagnosis of tuberculosis is seriously hampered in the absence of standard biosafety laboratory facilities for specimen concentration and Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture. Within a laboratory twinning arrangement,heat-fixed direct smear and sediment from 74 bleach-processed and 20 non-processed specimens from Cumura Hospital, Guinea-Bissau, were sent to Lisbon for molecular evaluation of rifampicin resistance. Sequence analysis of a 369 base-pair rpoB locus detected 3.2% (3/94) resistant specimens. To our knowledge, this represents the first report on the molecular analysis of M. tuberculosis from bleach-processed sputum, an alternative to current diagnostic practice in low-resource settings

Mitochondrial function in Parkinson's disease cybrids containing an nt2 neuron-like nuclear background

Mitochondria likely play a role in Parkinson's disease (PD) neurodegeneration. We modelled PD by creating cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) cell lines in which endogenous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from PD or control subject platelets was expressed within human teratocarcinoma (NT2) cells previously depleted of endogenous mtDNA. Complex I activity was reduced in both PD cybrid lines and in the platelet mitochondria used to generate them. Under basal conditions PD cybrids had less ATP, more LDH release, depolarized mitochondria, less mitochondrial cytochrome c, and higher caspase 3 activity. Equivalent MPP+ exposures are more likely to trigger programmed cell death in PD cybrid cells than in control cybrid cells. Our data support a relatively upstream role for mitochondrial dysfunction in idiopathic PD

Bright ligand-activatable fluorescent protein for high-quality multicolor live-cell super-resolution microscopy

We introduce UnaG as a green-to-dark photoswitching fluorescent protein capable of high-quality super-resolution imaging with photon numbers equivalent to the brightest photoswitchable red protein. UnaG only fluoresces upon binding of a fluorogenic metabolite, bilirubin, enabling UV-free reversible photoswitching with easily controllable kinetics and low background under Epi illumination. The on- and off-switching rates are controlled by the concentration of the ligand and the excitation light intensity, respectively, where the dissolved oxygen also promotes the off-switching. The photo-oxidation reaction mechanism of bilirubin in UnaG suggests that the lack of ligand-protein covalent bond allows the oxidized ligand to detach from the protein, emptying the binding cavity for rebinding to a fresh ligand molecule. We demonstrate super-resolution single-molecule localization imaging of various subcellular structures genetically encoded with UnaG, which enables facile labeling and simultaneous multicolor imaging of live cells. UnaG has the promise of becoming a default protein for high-performance super-resolution imaging. Photoconvertible proteins occupy two color channels thereby limiting multicolour localisation microscopy applications. Here the authors present UnaG, a new green-to-dark photoswitching fluorescent protein for super-resolution imaging, whose activation is based on a noncovalent binding with bilirubin

Ultrasonography of the distal limbs in Nellore and Girolando calves 8 to 12 months of age

Submitted by Franciele Moreira ([email protected]) on 2018-01-08T13:43:58Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Artigo - Pryscilla Vanessa Rodrigues Gonçalves - 2014.pdf: 738775 bytes, checksum: 17c42f29f233f408ef568a5c45b1b787 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira ([email protected]) on 2018-01-08T14:49:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Artigo - Pryscilla Vanessa Rodrigues Gonçalves - 2014.pdf: 738775 bytes, checksum: 17c42f29f233f408ef568a5c45b1b787 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-08T14:49:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Artigo - Pryscilla Vanessa Rodrigues Gonçalves - 2014.pdf: 738775 bytes, checksum: 17c42f29f233f408ef568a5c45b1b787 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Background: Ultrasonography can be used anywhere and allows rapid, noninvasive differentiation of soft tissue structures of the musculoskeletal system. The objectives of this study were to describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the structures of the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal and the interphalangeal joints, the appearance of the growth plates of the distal metacarpus/metatarsus and of the proximal phalanx and to measure the cross-sectional dimensions of the DDFT and SDFT in Nellore and Girolando calves eight to 12 months of age. Results: In the longitudinal dorsal view the common digital extensor tendon and the digital extensor tendon were depicted as echogenic parallel fiber bundles located directly under the skin. The joint spaces appeared as anechoic interruptions of the hyperechogenic bone surfaces. The normal amount of synovial fluid could not be depicted. The growth plates were seen as anechoic interruptions of the bone surface proximal and distal to the fetlock joint space. In transverse sonograms of the distal palmar/plantar regions, the flexor tendons and branchs of the suspensory ligament were imaged as echogenic structures. The lumen of the digital flexor tendon sheath could not be imaged in these normal cattle. The thin digital distal annular ligament and the reversal of positions of the DDFT and SDFT could be appreciated. No significant differences were found between the cross-sectional measurements of the DDFT and the SDFT from Nellore and Girolando in any age, thoracic/pelvic limbs, right/left sides and lateral/medial digits. Conclusions: The results of this study establish important ultrasonographic reference data of the normal structures of the distal limbs and the normal dimensions of the flexor tendons in Nellore and Girolando calves for use in clinical practice

Treatment of symptomatic macromastia in a breast unit

BACKGROUND: Patients suffering from symptomatic macromastia are usually underserved, as they have to put up with very long waiting lists and are usually selected under restrictive criteria. The Oncoplastic Breast Surgery subspeciality requires a cross-specialty training, which is difficult, in particular, for trainees who have a background in general surgery, and not easily available. The introduction of reduction mammaplasty into a Breast Cancer Unit as treatment for symptomatic macromastia could have a synergic effect, making the scarce therapeutic offer at present available to these patients, who are usually treated in Plastic Departments, somewhat larger, and accelerating the uptake of oncoplastic training as a whole and, specifically, the oncoplastic breast conserving procedures based on the reduction mammaplasty techniques such as displacement conservative techniques and onco-therapeutic mammaplasty. This is a retrospective study analyzing the outcome of reduction mammaplasty for symptomatic macromastia in our Breast Cancer Unit. METHODS: A cohort study of 56 patients who underwent bilateral reduction mammaplasty at our Breast Unit between 2005 and 2009 were evaluated; morbidity and patient satisfaction were considered as end points. Data were collected by reviewing medical records and interviewing patients. RESULTS: Eight patients (14.28%) presented complications in the early postoperative period, two of them being reoperated on. The physical symptoms disappeared or significantly improved in 88% of patients and the degree of satisfaction with the care process and with the overall outcome were really high. CONCLUSION: Our experience of the introduction of reduction mammaplasty in our Breast Cancer Unit has given good results, enabling us to learn the use of different reduction mammaplasty techniques using several pedicles which made it possible to perform oncoplastic breast conserving surgery. In our opinion, this management policy could bring clear advantages both to patients (large-breasted and those with a breast cancer) and surgeons