The nucleus of the solitary tract and the coordination of respiratory and sympathetic activities

It is well known that breathing introduces rhythmical oscillations in the heart rate and arterial pressure levels. Sympathetic oscillations coupled to the respiratory activity have been suggested as an important homeostatic mechanism optimizing tissue perfusion and blood gas uptake/delivery. This respiratory-sympathetic coupling is strengthened in conditions of blood gas challenges (hypoxia and hypercapnia) as a result of the synchronized activation of brainstem respiratory and sympathetic neurons, culminating with the emergence of entrained cardiovascular and respiratory reflex responses. Studies have proposed that the ventrolateral region of the medulla oblongata is a major site of synaptic interaction between respiratory and sympathetic neurons. However, other brainstem regions also play a relevant role in the patterning of respiratory and sympathetic motor outputs. Recent findings suggest that the neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), in the dorsal medulla, are essential for the processing and coordination of respiratory and sympathetic responses to hypoxia. The NTS is the first synaptic station of the cardiorespiratory afferent inputs, including peripheral chemoreceptors, baroreceptors and pulmonary stretch receptors. The synaptic profile of the NTS neurons receiving the excitatory drive from afferent inputs is complex and involves distinct neurotransmitters, including glutamate, ATP and acetylcholine. In the present review we discuss the role of the NTS circuitry in coordinating sympathetic and respiratory reflex responses. We also analyze the neuroplasticity of NTS neurons and their contribution for the development of cardiorespiratory dysfunctions, as observed in neurogenic hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic disorders

Efficacy of a Copper-Calcium-Hydroxide Solution in Reducing Microbial Plaque on Orthodontic Clear Aligners: A Case Report

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of a copper-calcium-hydroxide-based compound to remove microbial plaque naturally produced onto orthodontic clear aligners. A commercially available dental paste, named Cupral, based on copper-calcium-hydroxide, was used. A healthy volunteer (female, 32 years old), undergoing orthodontic treatment with thermoplastic clear aligners was enrolled. By conventional/confocal microscopy and colony-forming unit (CFU) assay, 2-week used aligners were examined for microbial plaque, prior and following exposure to Cupral. Confocal microscopy revealed abundant plaque irregularly distributed onto the aligner surface. Following Cupral treatment, a drastic decrease occurred in plaque thickness and matrix presence. As assessed by the CFU assay, total microbial load approached 10 9 CFUs/aligner, with slight differences in aerobiosis and anaerobiosis culture conditions; six macroscopically different types of colonies were detected and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Following Cupral treatment, microbial load dropped to undetectable levels, irrespectively of the conditions considered. Exposure of clear aligners to Cupral results in the elimination of contaminating microorganisms; the antimicrobial activity is retained up to 1.25% concentration. Overall, our data describe a novel use of Cupral, a copper-calcium-hydroxide-based compound, in daily hygiene practices with promising results

Attenuation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence by Pomegranate Peel Extract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen often responsible for biofilm-associated infections. The high adhesion of bacterial cells onto biotic/abiotic surfaces is followed by production of an extracellular polysaccharidic matrix and formation of a sessile community (the biofilm) by the release of specific quorum-sensing molecules, named autoinducers (AI). When the concentrations of AI reach a threshold level, they induce the expression of many virulence genes, including those involved in biofilm formation, motility, pyoverdine and pyocyanin release. P. aeruginosa embedded into biofilm becomes resistant to both conventional drugs and the host’s immune response. Accordingly, biofilm-associated infections are a major clinical problem underlining the need for new antimicrobial therapies. In this study, we evaluated the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PomeGr) in vitro on P. aeruginosa growth and biofilm formation; moreover, the release of four AI was assessed. The phenolic profile of PomeGr, exposed or not to bacteria, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) analysis. We found that bacterial growth, biofilm production and AI release were impaired upon PomeGr treatment. In addition, the PomeGr phenolic content was also markedly hampered following incubation with bacterial cells. In particular, punicalagin, punicalin, pedunculagin, granatin, di-(HHDP-galloyl-hexoside) pentoside and their isomers were highly consumed. Overall, these results provide novel insights on the ability of PomeGr to attenuate P. aeruginosa virulence; moreover, the AI impairment and the observed consumption of specific phenolic compounds may offer new tools in designing innovative therapeutic approaches against bacterial infections

Poder de discriminação de genótipos e representatividade de locais utilizados na avaliação de arroz de terras altas.

Neste trabalho foram utilizados dados do caráter produção de grãos provenientes de dezoito ensaios de Valor de Cultivo e Uso, conduzidos pelo programa de melhoramento de arroz de terras altas da Embrapa Arroz e Feijão, período-safra 2009/10. O objetivo foi identificar o local de teste que apresente, simultaneamente, maior poder de discriminação dos genótipos para esse caráter e represente mais adequadamente os demais locais de avaliação.Pôster - pós-graduação

Avaliação genotípica de linhagens de arroz de terras altas através de modelos mistos, para o Estado do Mato Grosso.

O presente estudo avaliou o desempenho de genótipos de arroz de terras altas do programa de melhoramento da Embrapa, através da metodologia de modelos mistos. Para isso, foram utilizados os dados de produção de grãos (PG) dos ensaios de ?valor de cultivo e uso? (VCU) conduzidos em cinco locais do estado do Mato Grosso no período de 2005/06 a 2009/10

IMPORTÂNCIA DA REGIÃO ANTEROVENTRAL DO TERCEIRO VENTRÍCULO (AV3V) NO CONTROLE CARDIOVASCULAR E DO EQUILÍBRIO HIDROELETROLÍTICO

A manutenção da pressão arterial em níveis normais é importante para a homeostasia do meio interno. O sistema nervoso central regulando a atividade dos eferentes autonômicos simpático e parassimpático ajusta a pressão arterial possibilitando ao animal ou ao ser humano um melhor desempenho frente a diferentes situações do cotidiano. Diferentes áreas centrais são responsáveis pelo controle das descargas autonômicas sobre o sistema cardiovascular e muitas delas também participam do controle do equilíbrio hidroeletrolítico. Uma dessas áreas é o tecido periventricular ao redor da porção anteroventral do terceiro ventrículo (região AV3V) localizado no prosencéfalo e que é uma das principais áreas centrais onde se localizam receptores da angiotensina II e osmorreceptores. A lesão da região AV3V impede o desenvolvimento de diversas formas de hipertensão experimental em ratos e dificulta o aparecimento de respostas pressoras produzidas por diversos estímulos. A lesão da região AV3V também reduz respostas dipsogênicas induzidas pela angiotensina II, estimulação colinérgica central, privação hídrica e aumento de osmolaridade plasmática, a secreção do peptídeo natriurético atrial produzida pela expansão de volume e a excreção renal de sódio produzida pela estimulação colinérgica central. Evidências mais recentes também sugerem uma participação da região AV3V nas respostas pressoras produzidas pela ativação de mecanismos bulbares.The maintenance of the arterial pressure in normal levels is important for the homeostasis of body fluids. The central nervous system regulating sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic efferent can adjust arterial pressure which allows animals or human to face different daily activities with the best performance. Different central areas are responsible for the control of autonomic discharges to cardiovascular system and many of them are also involved in the control of fluid electrolyte balance. One of these areas is the tissue surrounding the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V region) localized in the forebrain and a main central site for angiotensin II receptors and osmoreceptors. The AV3V lesions impair the development of many models of experimental hypertension in rats and the pressor responses to different stimuli. Lesions of the AV3V region also reduce dipsogenic responses to angiotensin II, central cholinergic activation, water deprivation and increase in plasma osmolarity, atrial natriuretic peptide secretion produced by body fluid expansion and the increase in renal excretion to central cholinergic activation. Recent evidence also suggests the participation of AV3V region in pressor responses produced by the  activation of medullary mechanisms

Spatiotemporal dynamics of attentional orienting and reorienting revealed by fast optical imaging in occipital and parietal cortices

The mechanisms of visuospatial attention are mediated by two distinct fronto-parietal networks: a bilateral dorsal network (DAN), involved in the voluntary orientation of visuospatial attention, and a ventral network (VAN), lateralized to the right hemisphere, involved in the reorienting of attention to unexpected, but relevant, stimuli. The present study consisted of two aims: 1) characterize the spatio-temporal dynamics of attention and 2) examine the predictive interactions between and within the two attention systems along with visual areas, by using fast optical imaging combined with Granger causality. Data were collected from young healthy participants performing a discrimination task in a Posner-like paradigm. Functional analyses revealed bilateral dorsal parietal (i.e. dorsal regions included in the DAN) and visual recruitment during orienting, highlighting a recursive predictive interplay between specific dorsal parietal regions and visual cortex. Moreover, we found that both attention networks are active during reorienting, together with visual cortex, highlighting a mutual interaction among dorsal and visual areas, which, in turn, predicts subsequent ventral activity. For attentional reorienting our findings indicate that dorsal and visual areas encode disengagement of attention from the attended location and trigger reorientation to the unexpected location. Ventral network activity could instead reflect post-perceptual maintenance of the internal model to generate and keep updated task-related expectations

Tolerância de linhagens elite de arroz de terras altas ao estresse hídrico.

O estresse hídrico é um fator limitante no cultivo do arroz de terras altas. Este fator abiótico se torna ainda mais severo quando consideradas as condições dos solos do cerrado brasileiro. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar linhagens-elite do programa de melhoramento de arroz de terras altas da Embrapa quanto a sua tolerância ao estresse hídrico. Para todas as características avaliadas foi significativo o efeito do estresse hídrico na redução da produtividade final, seja pelo subdesenvolvimento das plantas e/ou problemas de esterilidade

ESPÉCIES REATIVAS DE OXIGÊNIO NO CONTROLE NEUROVEGETATIVO DA PRESSÃO ARTERIAL

The control of the blood pressure depends on the activity of select groups of neurons present in the central nervous system. Evidence has demonstrated that the redox state (a balance between oxidizing and reducing species) is involved in the control of neuronal activity, which suggests that the redox state can influence the neuronal transmission within the central nervous system acting on the neuronal modulation of biological functions. For instance, the glutamatergic transmission may be widely affected by reactive oxygen species, oxidizing agents that have been extensively investigated due to their involvement in physiological and pathological processes. In the present article, we discuss the main experimental finds that support the hypothesis that reactive oxygen species have important role in physiological (and pathological) modulation of the cardiovascular function through alterations in the sympathetic and parasympathetic system. Therefore, reactive oxygen species can actively participate in the development of cardiovascular diseases like hypertension when the balance in the redox state is disrupted.Existem evidências de que a atividade neuronal pode ser modulada pelo estado redox (balanço entre espécies químicas oxidantes e redutoras) das células, influenciando, assim, as diferentes funções biológicas que são controladas pelo sistema nervoso. Essa modulação pode ocorrer por meio de diferentes mecanismos e um deles é a modulação da transmissão sináptica no sistema nervoso central (SNC). As descargas autonômicas que são controladas por mecanismos localizados em diferentes áreas do SNC são fundamentais para o controle da pressão arterial. Um importante neurotransmissor que participa dos mecanismos centrais de controle cardiovascular é o glutamato e a transmissão glutamatérgica pode ser extensamente afetada por espécies reativas de oxigênio, oxidantes que parecem ter um importante papel em processos fisiológicos e patológicos. No presente artigo são apresentados os principais achados experimentais que suportam a hipótese de que as espécies reativas de oxigênio podem modular as funções cardiovasculares por produzir alterações nos mecanismos centrais de controle dos sistemas simpático e parassimpático. Logo, desequilíbrios na sinalização mediada por espécies reativas de oxigênios podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares como a hipertensão

IMPORTÂNCIA DA REGIÃO ANTEROVENTRAL DO TERCEIRO VENTRÍCULO (AV3V) NO CONTROLE CARDIOVASCULAR E DO EQUILÍBRIO HIDROELETROLÍTICO

The maintenance of the arterial pressure in normal levels is important for the homeostasis of body fluids. The central nervous system regulating sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic efferent can adjust arterial pressure which allows animals or human to face different daily activities with the best performance. Different central areas are responsible for the control of autonomic discharges to cardiovascular system and many of them are also involved in the control of fluid electrolyte balance. One of these areas is the tissue surrounding the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V region) localized in the forebrain and a main central site for angiotensin II receptors and osmoreceptors. The AV3V lesions impair the development of many models of experimental hypertension in rats and the pressor responses to different stimuli. Lesions of the AV3V region also reduce dipsogenic responses to angiotensin II, central cholinergic activation, water deprivation and increase in plasma osmolarity, atrial natriuretic peptide secretion produced by body fluid expansion and the increase in renal excretion to central cholinergic activation. Recent evidence also suggests the participation of AV3V region in pressor responses produced by the  activation of medullary mechanisms.A manutenção da pressão arterial em níveis normais é importante para a homeostasia do meio interno. O sistema nervoso central regulando a atividade dos eferentes autonômicos simpático e parassimpático ajusta a pressão arterial possibilitando ao animal ou ao ser humano um melhor desempenho frente a diferentes situações do cotidiano. Diferentes áreas centrais são responsáveis pelo controle das descargas autonômicas sobre o sistema cardiovascular e muitas delas também participam do controle do equilíbrio hidroeletrolítico. Uma dessas áreas é o tecido periventricular ao redor da porção anteroventral do terceiro ventrículo (região AV3V) localizado no prosencéfalo e que é uma das principais áreas centrais onde se localizam receptores da angiotensina II e osmorreceptores. A lesão da região AV3V impede o desenvolvimento de diversas formas de hipertensão experimental em ratos e dificulta o aparecimento de respostas pressoras produzidas por diversos estímulos. A lesão da região AV3V também reduz respostas dipsogênicas induzidas pela angiotensina II, estimulação colinérgica central, privação hídrica e aumento de osmolaridade plasmática, a secreção do peptídeo natriurético atrial produzida pela expansão de volume e a excreção renal de sódio produzida pela estimulação colinérgica central. Evidências mais recentes também sugerem uma participação da região AV3V nas respostas pressoras produzidas pela ativação de mecanismos bulbares