Malformações do desenvolvimento cortical: conceitos atuais e revisão de neuro-imagem avançada

Malformations of cortical development (MCD) result from disruptions in the complex process of the human brain cortex formation and are highly associated to severe epilepsy, neurodevelopmental delay and motor dysfunction. Nowadays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the cornerstone of the work-up of patients with epilepsy and modern advanced imaging techniques have improved not only our ability to detect and characterize cortical malformations, but also in identifying associated functional abnormalities that are far beyond the structural visualized lesions. Herein, we address the most currently used classifications of MCD and make a concise review of the embryological process of cortical development. Our main goal is to summarize recent advances and new trends in diagnostic imaging techniques concerning MCD. Thereafter, follows a brief discussion of specific disorders and their radiological features.As malformações do desenvolvimento cortical (MDC) resultam de distúrbios no complexo processo do desenvolvimento do córtex cerebral humano e estão comumente associadas a epilepsia severa e disfunções neuropsicomotoras. Atualmente, as imagens por ressonância magnética (RM) são a pedra angular no manejo de pacientes com epilepsia e modernas técnicas avançadas de imagem melhoraram não só a nossa capacidade de detectar e caracterizar as malformações corticais, mas também levaram ao reconhecimento de anomalias funcionais associadas que estão muito além das lesões estruturais visibilizadas. Abordaremos as classificações mais utilizadas de MDC e revisaremos a embriologia do desenvolvimento cortical. Nosso principal objetivo é destacar os avanços recentes e as novas tendências em técnicas de diagnóstico por imagens relacionadas às MDC. Em seguida, faremos uma breve discussão sobre alguns transtornos específicos e suas características radiológicas.FAPESPCNP

La (re)construcción de la identidad en el exilio: el caso de dominicanas y cubanas en Estados Unidos

La literatura producida por las US Latina Writers, como los casos que se analizarán a continuación, de cubanas y dominicanas, constituyen un esfuerzo de representación de las situaciones provocadas por identidades fragmentadas que se recrean entre dos culturas en sociedades fragmentadas. Analizaremos el proceso de re-creación de identidades en el exilio en la novela De cómo las chicas García perdieron el acento (1992), de la escritora dominicano-americana Julia Álvarez, y en Soñar en cubano (1992), de la escritora cubano-americana Cristina García. Ambas novelas están estructuradas sobre la memoria de los integrantes de la familia, la americanización de los personajes femeninos y las pérdidas del lenguaje y cultura de su país natal. De este modo, el foco de nuestro análisis estará, principalmente, en el lenguaje, junto con el efecto de las dinámicas sociales, tales como género, etnia y clase. El resultado es la recreación de identidades híbridas con múltiples peculiaridades lingüísticas, sociales y culturales

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of intracranial gossypiboma: a case report and literature review

Vários trabalhos têm descrito as características de gossipibomas por meio de radiografias convencionais e tomografia computadorizada, porém, seus achados na ressonância magnética são menos conhecidos. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever as características de imagem de gossipibomas, ilustrando um caso de uma paciente com quadro clínico de febre e confusão mental com antecedente de cirurgia encefálica.Many reports in the literature have described findings of gossypibomas at conventional radiography and computed tomography. However, magnetic resonance imaging findings are still to be completely known. The purpose of the present study was to describe imaging findings of gossypibomas in a patient with previous history of brain surgery, presenting fever and mental confusion

The A2B adenosine receptor modulates the epithelial- mesenchymal transition through the balance of cAMP/PKA and MAPK/ERK pathway activation in human epithelial lung cells

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex process in which cell phenotype switches from the epithelial to mesenchymal one. The deregulations of this process have been related with the occurrence of different diseases such as lung cancer and fibrosis. In the last decade, several efforts have been devoted in understanding the mechanisms that trigger and sustain this transition process. Adenosine is a purinergic signaling molecule that has been involved in the onset and progression of chronic lung diseases and cancer through the A2Badenosine receptor subtype activation, too. However, the relationship between A2BAR and EMT has not been investigated, yet. Herein, the A2BAR characterization was carried out in human epithelial lung cells. Moreover, the effects of receptor activation on EMT were investigated in the absence and presence of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1), which has been known to promote the transition. The A2BAR activation alone decreased and increased the expression of epithelial markers (E-cadherin) and the mesenchymal one (Vimentin, N-cadherin), respectively, nevertheless a complete EMT was not observed. Surprisingly, the receptor activation counteracted the EMT induced by TGF-β1. Several intracellular pathways regulate the EMT: high levels of cAMP and ERK1/2 phosphorylation has been demonstrated to counteract and promote the transition, respectively. The A2BAR stimulation was able to modulated these two pathways, cAMP/PKA and MAPK/ERK, shifting the fine balance toward activation or inhibition of EMT. In fact, using a selective PKA inhibitor, which blocks the cAMP pathway, the A2BAR-mediated EMT promotion were exacerbated, and conversely the selective inhibition of MAPK/ERK counteracted the receptor-induced transition. These results highlighted the A2BAR as one of the receptors involved in the modulation of EMT process. Nevertheless, its activation is not enough to trigger a complete transition, its ability to affect different intracellular pathways could represent a mechanism at the basis of EMT maintenance/inhibition based on the extracellular microenvironment. Despite further investigations are needed, herein for the first time the A2BAR has been related to the EMT process, and therefore to the different EMT-related pathologies

Ecological functions provided by dung beetles are interlinked across space and time: evidence from 15N isotope tracing

Maintaining multiple ecological functions (multifunctionality) is crucial to sustain viable ecosystems. To date most studies on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) have focused on single or few ecological functions and services. However, there is a critical need to evaluate how species and species assemblages affect multiple processes at the same time, and how these functions are interconnected. Dung beetles represent excellent model organisms because they are key contributors to several ecosystem functions. Using a novel method based on the application of 15N-enriched dung in a mesocosm field experiment, we assessed the role of dung beetles in regulating multiple aspects of nutrient cycling in alpine pastures over appropriate spatial (up to a soil depth of 20 cm) and temporal (up to 1 yr after dung application) scales. 15N isotope tracing allowed the evaluation of multiple interrelated ecosystem functions responsible for the cycling of dung-derived nitrogen (DDN) in the soil and vegetation. We also resolved the role of functional group identity and the importance of interactions among co-occurring species for sustaining multiple functions by focusing on two different dung beetle nesting strategies (tunnelers and dwellers). Species interactions were studied by contrasting mixed-species to single-species assemblages, and asking whether the former performed multiple functions better than the latter. Dung beetles influenced at least seven ecological functions by facilitating dung removal, transport of DDN into the soil, microbial ammonification and nitrification processes, uptake of DDN by plants, herbage growth, and changes in botanical composition. Tunnelers and dwellers were found to be similarly efficient for most functions, with differences based on the spatial and temporal scales over which the functions operated. Although mixed-species assemblages seemed to perform better than single-species, this outcome may be dependent on the context. Most importantly though, the different functions were found to be interconnected sequentially as reveled by analyzing 15N content in dung, soil and vegetation. Taken together, our current findings offer strong support for the contention that the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functions should be examined not function by function, but in terms of understanding multiple functions and how they interact with each other

Plan de responsabilidad social empresarial Iron Mountain Colombia S.A.S.

Plan de responsabilidad social empresarial Iron Mountain Colombia S.A.S.Reconocer en el ámbito empresarial los conceptos de sostenibilidad y sustentabilidad, y aplicarlos a la cultura organizacional, implica adoptar una serie de acciones por parte de las empresas, con las cuales se fomenta las buenas prácticas corporativas, impactando así los diversos factores que rodean a las empresas. Por tal razón en Iron Mountain S.A.S se ha diseñado un plan de responsabilidad social empresarial, fundamentado en estos conceptos básicos que afectan directamente a la sociedad y al medio ambiente. El plan de RSE de Iron Mountain S.A.S articula sus valores corporativos con la misión y visión determinada por los directivos, siempre buscando un engranaje perfecto de su actividad en cada región donde hace presencia la organización. Es por ello que se adoptó un código de conducta basado en la Iniciativa de Reporte Global o Global Reporting Iniciativa GRI, por sus siglas en inglés, donde se encuentran los lineamientos para la elaboración de las memorias de sostenibilidad de la compañía. En dicho código se encuentra perfectamente definido, las directrices que deben asumir todos los colaboradores de Iron Mountain S.A.S en materia de responsabilidad, legalidad y ética frente a cualquiera de los grupos de interés o stakeholders con los cuales se interactúa día a día. De esta manera se expone el plan de responsabilidad social empresarial, donde se determinan la relación con los stakeholders, tanto internos como externos, en las dimensiones económicas, sociales y ambientales

Inhalation therapy in the next decade : Determinants of adherence to treatment in asthma and COPD

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

CORRELAÇÃO ENTRE O EQUILÍBRIO ESTÁTICO E A MOBILIDADE FUNCIONAL EM IDOSAS PRATICANTES DE ATIVIDADE FÍSICA

O envelhecimento proporciona alterações no equilíbrio postural, colaborando para um aumento do índice de quedas. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a correlação entre equilíbrio estático e a mobilidade funcional de idosas. Foi realizado um estudo transversal com idosas ativas, utilizando o Teste de Apoio Unipodal (Olhos fechados [OF] e abertos [OA]) e o Teste Timed Up and Go (TUGT). Os dados foram tabulados e analisados pelo cálculo do Coeficiente de Correlação de Pearson. Os resultados obtidos foram: entre o TUGT o Apoio Unipodal (OA: -0,403/ OF: -0,381); e entre os testes de Apoio Unipodal (OA e OF: 0,455). Conclui-se que o equilíbrio estático e a mobilidade funcional apresentam correlações, sendo que um melhor equilíbrio corresponde a uma melhor mobilidade funcional