Enhanced Astrocytic Nitric Oxide Production and Neuronal Modifications in the Neocortex of a NOS2 Mutant Mouse

BACKGROUND: It has been well accepted that glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) produce nitric oxide (NO) through the induction of a nitric oxide synthase isoform (NOS2) only in response to various insults. Recently we described rapid astroglial, NOS2-dependent, NO production in the neocortex of healthy mice on a time scale relevant to neuronal activity. To explore a possible role for astroglial NOS2 in normal brain function we investigated a NOS2 knockout mouse (B6;129P2-Nos2(tm1Lau)/J, Jackson Laboratory). Previous studies of this mouse strain revealed mainly altered immune responses, but no compensatory pathways and no CNS abnormalities have been reported. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To our surprise, using NO imaging in brain slices in combination with biochemical methods we uncovered robust NO production by neocortical astrocytes of the NOS2 mutant. These findings indicate the existence of an alternative pathway that increases basal NOS activity. In addition, the astroglial mutation instigated modifications of neuronal attributes, shown by changes in the membrane properties of pyramidal neurons, and revealed in distinct behavioral abnormalities characterized by an increase in stress-related parameters. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results strongly indicate the involvement of astrocytic-derived NO in modifying the activity of neuronal networks. In addition, the findings corroborate data linking NO signaling with stress-related behavior, and highlight the potential use of this genetic model for studies of stress-susceptibility. Lastly, our results beg re-examination of previous studies that used this mouse strain to examine the pathophysiology of brain insults, assuming lack of astrocytic nitrosative reaction

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

Algunos elementos para interpretar la presencia de los varones en los procesos de salud reproductiva Some elements for interpreting men's presence in reproductive health processes

El objetivo del trabajo es identificar vertientes analíticas para ubicar a los varones en los procesos de salud reproductiva. Se propone cuestionar la interpretación que los identifica solamente como actores que pueden apoyar mejorías en la salud de las mujeres y de los hijos. Es reciente la inquietud por redimensionar su papel, como seres que se reproducen y enfrentan riesgos en su aparato, comportamiento y proceso reproductivos. Una posibilidad para explicitar la presencia de los varones en dichos procesos es identificar cuáles son sus ausencias y presencias que condicionan las consecuencias favorables o no para las mujeres y los hijos. Se trata de ver de qué manera dificultan o contribuyen a mejorar las condiciones de la morbimortalidad materna. Una segunda posibilidad es incursionar en el carácter relacional, social y potencialmente conflictivo de la reproducción "sexualizada". Implica replantear el análisis de la reproducción como un proceso relacional y no como eventos aislados de hombres y mujeres, al mismo tiempo que recuperar la especificidad de unos y de otras. Se utiliza la perspectiva de género con el fin de imaginar los procesos sin negar la dimensión del poder. Así, se replantean la sexualidad, la reproducción y la salud en términos de interacción, con el fin de construir referencias más claras respecto a la población masculina.<br>This study aims to identify analytical approaches to situate men in processes pertaining to reproductive health. We challenge the position that identifies them only as actors that can support improvements in the health of women and children. More recently there has been a concern over reshaping their role, as individuals who both reproduce and face risks to their reproductive organs, behaviors, and processes. One possibility for explaining men's presence in such processes is to identify their absence or presence as conditioning the consequences for women and children. The issue is to determine how they hamper or foster maternal health. A second possibility is to delve into the relational, social, and potentially conflictive nature of "sexualized" reproduction. This implies a new approach to the analysis of reproduction as a relational process, rather than as isolated events involving men and women, meanwhile recovering the respective specificities. The gender perspective is used to conceive of processes without denying the power dimension. Thus, a new approach is taken to sexuality, reproduction, and health in terms of interaction, in order to build clearer references with regard to the male population

Iniciación sexual, prácticas sexuales y prevención al VIH/SIDA en jóvenes de sectores populares: un análisis antropológico de género<A NAME="top1"></A>

Este estudio es parte de la línea Género y Prevención de un Programa de Investigación sobre VIH/SIDA. Desde un enfoque político y relacional esta línea indaga en las relaciones, los roles y las identidades de género en el contexto de la vida cotidiana. Este trabajo analiza la iniciación sexual y algunas dimensiones de las prácticas sexuales de los jóvenes, incluyendo el cuidado sexual y su vinculación con las representaciones sobre el VIH/SIDA. Partimos de una visión crítica a las construcciones universalistas y naturalizadoras de la juventud y los jóvenes para focalizar en los modos cómo los jóvenes construyen sus prácticas y significaciones en el marco de sus contextos de interacción cotidianos. Proponemos que las posibilidades de prevención del VIH/SIDA dependen de un complejo en el que juegan las identidades y roles de género, las modalidades de las relaciones de poder y las asimetrías sociales en el acceso y el control de recursos materiales y simbólicos. Los datos provienen de un estudio etnográfico entre mujeres y varones jóvenes de 15 a 28 años de sectores populares, residentes en el cordón sur de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.<br>This study is part of a line of research on Gender and Prevention in a research program on the social construction of HIV/AIDS. From a political and relational approach this line researches in gender relations, roles and identities in the context of the daily life. This paper analyses sexual initiation and some dimensions of the sexual practices of young people, including their sexual care and social representations related with AIDS. From a critical point of departure to the universalist and naturalized constructions of youth and young people we focus on how practices and meanings are constructed by young people in particular contexts of interaction. We propose that self sexual care and prevention of HIV/AIDS depend on a complex in which play gender identities and roles of sort, the modalities of power relations and social asymmetries in the access and control of material and symbolic resources. The data come from an ethnographic study between low-income young people, women and men from 15 to 28 years old in the southern area of the City of Buenos Aires

Concepções e práticas de adolescentes do sexo masculino sobre sexualidade Meanings and practices of male adolescents about sexuality

Este trabalho resulta de pesquisa realizada em Florianópolis, que investigou as significações atribuídas por adolescentes do sexo masculino à vida sexual e reprodutiva. Com o objetivo de aprofundar os temas abordados mediante questionário (n = 241), na etapa inicial foram entrevistados doze estudantes de escolas públicas e privadas do nível médio. As entrevistas semiestruturadas obedeceram aos seguintes eixos temáticos: relacionamento familiar, representações de gênero, sexualidade, prevenção Dsts/Aids/gravidez. O material obtido foi submetido à análise de conteúdo temático e os resultados indicaram a manutenção de posições conservadoras quanto às representações de gênero, homossexualidade, gravidez na adolescência e valores familiares.<br>This work is based on a research accomplished at Florianópolis, which aims to investigate the meanings that adolescents attributes to the sexual and reproductive life. To make more intensive study of the themes investigated by questionnaire (n = 241) in the preliminary survey, twelve male adolescent students (private and public high schools) were interviewed. The main themes investigated were familiar relationship, gender representations, sexual life, STD/SIDA/pregnancy prevention. By a thematic content analysis (longitudinal and transversal) the results suggested a maintenance of traditional positions concerning with gender representations, homosexuality, pregnancy in adolescence and familiar values

Vulnerabilidade de gênero para a paternidade em homens adolescentes Gender vulnerability for parenthood among male adolescents

OBJETIVO: Analisar as relações de gênero vivenciadas por adolescentes do sexo masculino e como elas contribuem para torná-los vulneráveis à gravidez na adolescência. MÉTODOS: Estudo qualitativo realizado em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, em 2003. Participaram 13 adolescentes masculinos com menos de 20 anos, com um único filho de até 11 meses, cuja mãe estava na mesma faixa etária do pai. Realizaram-se entrevistas semi-estruturadas gravadas. Após transcrição, procedeu-se à análise temática de conteúdo. RESULTADOS: Identificaram-se estereótipos de gênero em que se destacavam papéis de líder, provedor e ativo sexualmente, bem como a rejeição a ser cuidador. Esses papéis apareceram consolidados principalmente na perspectiva dos entrevistados acerca do trabalho como marcador de sua condição de homem e provedor da família. A liderança dos adolescentes prevaleceu no relacionamento com a mãe de seu filho, notadamente na iniciativa das relações sexuais e no uso de contraceptivos. A gravidez foi considerada por eles como "por acaso" e inesperada, mas a paternidade foi vivenciada como uma prova final de sua condição de homens adultos. CONCLUSÕES: Verificou-se a condição de vulnerabilidade dos adolescentes para a paternidade em virtude da socialização de gênero nos moldes tradicionais. Isso foi evidenciado com a ausência dos papéis relativos ao cuidado consigo próprio e com os outros, com a incorporação precoce de papéis de dominação sexual masculina e de trabalhador e pai, ou seja, deixar de ser criança e alcançar a condição de homem.<br>OBJECTIVE: To analyze gender relations perceived by male adolescents and how they contribute to making them more vulnerable to pregnancy during adolescence. METHODS: Qualitative study carried out in Campo Grande, Midwestern Brazil, in 2003. Subjects were 13 male adolescents under 20 years of age, fathers of an only child aged up to 11 months whose mother was in the same age group as them. Semi-structured interviews were carried out, tape recorded and transcribed. Thematic content analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Gender stereotypes were identified in which the role of leader, provider, and sexually active was stressed and the role of caregiver was rejected. These roles seemed consolidated especially in the subjects' perspective regarding paid employment as a marker of their male condition as well as of a family provider. Adolescents' leadership prevailed in the relationship with the mother of their child especially in taking initiative in sexual intercourse and the use of contraceptives. They considered that pregnancy was unexpected and happened "by chance". However, fatherhood was experienced as a definite evidence of their status as adult men. CONCLUSIONS: Male adolescents showed to be vulnerable to fatherhood due to gender socialization following traditional patterns. This was evidenced by the inexistence of roles related to self care and care for others, and early playing roles of male sexual dominance, of father and family provider in order to grow up and become a man

Saúde reprodutiva e sexual masculina em Francisco Morato, SP: o discurso de profissionais, gerentes e gestores de saúde Male reproductive and sexual health in Francisco Morato: the discourse of health professionals, managers and administrators

Este relato de pesquisa tem como objetivo mostrar como se configurava, em 2004, a atenção à saúde reprodutiva e sexual masculina no município de Francisco Morato, a partir do discurso de profissionais, gerentes e gestores de saúde. Foram entrevistados oito profissionais, cinco gerentes e três gestores de saúde, utilizando-se a entrevista como método de coleta de dados, e a análise temática para o seu tratamento. Mostramos que, a exemplo da tendência geral das ações em saúde pública no Brasil, a esterilização e o aconselhamento para a saúde sexual e reprodutiva eram calcados em uma visão biomédica. Existem, no entanto, iniciativas isoladas de atenção constituídas a partir de uma noção intuitiva das diferenças entre homens e mulheres na busca dos serviços de saúde. Foram propostos o fortalecimento e a criação de espaços coletivos para discutir os cuidados à saúde sexual e reprodutiva. O texto se encerra afirmando, ainda, a necessidade desses espaços para formulação e implementação de propostas que considerem os diversos perfis de morbi-mortalidade do município.<br>This paper aims to show the situation of the male reproductive and sexual healthcare in the municipality of Francisco Morato in 2004, based on the discourse of health professionals, health managers and public health administrators. The participants in the investigation were eight health professionals, five health managers and three public health administrators. Interviews were used for data collection and thematic analysis was employed for data interpretation. We showed that, following the general trend of Brazilian public health actions, sterilization and sexual and reproductive health counseling used to be based on a biomedical viewpoint. Nevertheless, there are isolated care initiatives grounded on the intuitive notion that men and women are different in their search for healthcare services. The implementation of collective spaces and the strengthening of these spaces for the discussion of reproductive and sexual health are, therefore, proposed. In addition to that, it is stated in this paper that there is the need of formulation and implementation of further political proposals which take into account the different aspects involving morbidity and mortality in the municipality

Opção pela vasectomia e relações de gênero The option for vasectomy and implications for gender relations

Realizou-se um estudo qualitativo para conhecer o processo de decisão de casais pela vasectomia, as relações de gênero envolvidas e identificar as fontes de informação sobre o método. Foram feitas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com vinte casais que solicitaram a vasectomia no Ambulatório de Reprodução Humana do Centro de Assistência Integral à Saúde da Mulher, Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Para a análise dos dados, utilizou-se a técnica de análise do conteúdo. A maioria dos casais optou pela vasectomia como último recurso anticoncepcional, após ter utilizado outros métodos, nem sempre com sucesso. Os homens se auto-atribuíram a iniciativa de se submeterem à cirurgia dada a impossibilidade de criarem mais filhos. Pessoas significativas para eles foram as principais fontes de informação, suscitando interesse pelo método e afastando os temores. As relações de gênero desveladas oscilaram entre um modelo quase patriarcal, com o predomínio dos homens nas decisões da vida familiar, e um modelo ambíguo nas decisões reprodutivas, em que as mulheres haviam assumido a responsabilidade da anticoncepção até que, diante da inevitabilidade da esterilização, os homens consideraram que deveriam colaborar.<br>A qualitative study was performed to: investigate the process that leads couples to decide for vasectomy; characterize the gender relations involved in this process; and identify sources of information on vasectomy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 couples who had requested vasectomy at the outpatient clinic of the Center for Integrated Women's Health Care, State University in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. A structured form was used to collect social, economic, and demographic data. The content analysis technique was used for data analysis. The majority of couples opted for vasectomy as a last resort after attempting numerous other contraceptive methods, not always successfully. The emerging gender relations showed fluctuation between: (1) a more rigid, quasi-patriarchal model characterized by male predominance in the family's decision-making and (2) a more ambiguous model in relation to reproductive decisions, whereby women assumed responsibility for contraception until the situation became untenable, at which point men faced up to the unavoidable necessity of sterilization. At this point the male partners felt they should collaborate