Long noncoding intronic RNAs are differentially expressed in primary and metastatic pancreatic cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is known by its aggressiveness and lack of effective therapeutic options. Thus, improvement in current knowledge of molecular changes associated with pancreatic cancer is urgently needed to explore novel venues of diagnostics and treatment of this dismal disease. While there is mounting evidence that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) transcribed from intronic and intergenic regions of the human genome may play different roles in the regulation of gene expression in normal and cancer cells, their expression pattern and biological relevance in pancreatic cancer is currently unknown. In the present work we investigated the relative abundance of a collection of lncRNAs in patients' pancreatic tissue samples aiming at identifying gene expression profiles correlated to pancreatic cancer and metastasis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Custom 3,355-element spotted cDNA microarray interrogating protein-coding genes and putative lncRNA were used to obtain expression profiles from 38 clinical samples of tumor and non-tumor pancreatic tissues. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to characterize structure and conservation of lncRNAs expressed in pancreatic tissues, as well as to identify expression signatures correlated to tissue histology. Strand-specific reverse transcription followed by PCR and qRT-PCR were employed to determine strandedness of lncRNAs and to validate microarray results, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that subsets of intronic/intergenic lncRNAs are expressed across tumor and non-tumor pancreatic tissue samples. Enrichment of promoter-associated chromatin marks and over-representation of conserved DNA elements and stable secondary structure predictions suggest that these transcripts are generated from independent transcriptional units and that at least a fraction is under evolutionary selection, and thus potentially functional.</p> <p>Statistically significant expression signatures comprising protein-coding mRNAs and lncRNAs that correlate to PDAC or to pancreatic cancer metastasis were identified. Interestingly, <it>loci </it>harboring intronic lncRNAs differentially expressed in PDAC metastases were enriched in genes associated to the MAPK pathway. Orientation-specific RT-PCR documented that intronic transcripts are expressed in sense, antisense or both orientations relative to protein-coding mRNAs. Differential expression of a subset of intronic lncRNAs (<it>PPP3CB</it>, <it>MAP3K14 </it>and <it>DAPK1 loci</it>) in metastatic samples was confirmed by Real-Time PCR.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings reveal sets of intronic lncRNAs expressed in pancreatic tissues whose abundance is correlated to PDAC or metastasis, thus pointing to the potential relevance of this class of transcripts in biological processes related to malignant transformation and metastasis in pancreatic cancer.</p

Efeitos da salinidade em algodoeiros tratados com produtos químicos

Studies were carried out to establish the effects of spray of polyethylene polysulfide (5%), oxyethylene docosanol (5%) and succinic acid-2,2-dimethylhydrazide (2,000 ppm), in the growth of cotton 'IAC-RM3', under application of N-P-K (5:10:5) and irrigation with solution of NaCl - CaCl2 - MgCl2 (1.00:0.85:0.15). The antitranspirants promote increase in leaf area of cotton; and the growth retardant causes diminution in the leaf area in relation to check in salinity conditions. The chemicals promote increase in the dry weight in relation to check. The net assimilation rate and the relative growth rate were superior in the plots that received the chemicals in relation to check in salinity conditions. It was not verified differences between the plants treated with antitranspirants and the check in relation to the leaf area ratio; that parameter was inferior in the treatment with the growth retardant.Estudaram-se os efeitos de polissulfeto de polietileno (0,5%), o-xietileno docosanol (5%) e ácido succínico - 2,2-dimetil-hidrazida (2000 ppm), aplicados em pulverização, no desenvolvimento de algo-doeiro cultivar 'IAC-RM3', submetido à adubação N-P-K (5:10 5) e à irrigação com solução de NaCl - CaCl2 - MgCl2 (1,000,85:0,15). Os antitranspirantes permitiram aumento em área foliar do algo-doeiro; sendo que o retardador de crescimento provocou redução na área foliar com relação ao controle, em condições de salinidade. Os produtos químicos promoveram maior aumento no peso seco em relação ao controle. A taxa assimilatória líquida e a taxa de crescimento relativo mostraram-se mais altas nas plantas tratadas com produtos químicos em relação ao controle, nas condições de salinidade. N ao ocorreram diferenças marcantes entre as plantas tratadas com antitranspirantes e o controle, com relação à razão de área foliar; sendo que este parâmetro mostrou-se inferior no tratamento com retardador de crescimento

Areas of natural occurrence of melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811(Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

The bee Melipona scutellaris is considered the reared meliponine species with the largest distribution in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, with records from the state of Rio Grande do Norte down to the state of Bahia. Considering the importance of this species in the generation of income for family agriculture and in the preservation of areas with natural vegetation, this study aimed at providing knowledge on the distribution of natural colonies of M. scutellaris in the state of Bahia. Literature information, interviews with stinglessbee beekeepers, and expeditions were conducted to confirm the natural occurrence of the species. A total of 102 municipalities showed records for M. scutellaris, whose occurrence was observed in areas ranging from sea level up to 1,200-meter height. The occurrence of this species in the state of Bahia is considered to be restricted to municipalities on the coastal area and the Chapada Diamantina with its rainforests. Geographic coordinates, elevation, climate and vegetation data were obtained, which allowed a map to be prepared for the area of occurrence in order to support conservation and management policies for the species

Protection against tuberculosis by a single intranasal administration of DNA-hsp65 vaccine complexed with cationic liposomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The greatest challenges in vaccine development include optimization of DNA vaccines for use in humans, creation of effective single-dose vaccines, development of delivery systems that do not involve live viruses, and the identification of effective new adjuvants. Herein, we describe a novel, simple technique for efficiently vaccinating mice against tuberculosis (TB). Our technique consists of a single-dose, genetic vaccine formulation of DNA-hsp65 complexed with cationic liposomes and administered intranasally.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed a novel and non-toxic formulation of cationic liposomes, in which the DNA-hsp65 vaccine was entrapped (ENTR-hsp65) or complexed (COMP-hsp65), and used to immunize mice by intramuscular or intranasal routes. Although both liposome formulations induced a typical Th1 pattern of immune response, the intramuscular route of delivery did not reduce the number of bacilli. However, a single intranasal immunization with COMP-hsp65, carrying as few as 25 μg of plasmid DNA, leads to a remarkable reduction of the amount of bacilli in lungs. These effects were accompanied by increasing levels of IFN-γ and lung parenchyma preservation, results similar to those found in mice vaccinated intramuscularly four times with naked DNA-hsp65 (total of 400 μg).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our objective was to overcome the significant obstacles currently facing DNA vaccine development. Our results in the mouse TB model showed that a single intranasal dose of COMP-hsp65 elicited a cellular immune response that was as strong as that induced by four intramuscular doses of naked-DNA. This formulation allowed a 16-fold reduction in the amount of DNA administered. Moreover, we demonstrated that this vaccine is safe, biocompatible, stable, and easily manufactured at a low cost. We believe that this strategy can be applied to human vaccines to TB in a single dose or in prime-boost protocols, leading to a tremendous impact on the control of this infectious disease.</p

Para o estudo da evolução do ensino e da formação em administração educacional em Portugal

Estudos sobre a evolução do ensino de disciplinas, na formação de professores em Portugal, são recentes. O controle burocrático centralizado reteve as dimensões do controle político-administrativo. De certo modo, protegeu a esfera educativa das influências modernizantes, do capitalismo industrial e das lógicas mercantis e gerencialistas. Defendeu a educação do domínio político, da intervenção de movimentos sociais, das propagandas de ideais democráticos e da cidadania. A utilização da designação "Administração educacional" ilustra as dificuldades sentidas, ao longo dos últimos anos, em termos da construção acadêmica de uma área, seja pela falta de tradição, seja pelos antecedentes históricos.In Portugal, studies about the evolution of disciplines teaching in the teachers formation are recent. The centralized bureaucratic control has held back the dimensions of politic administrative control. In a certain way, it has protected the education against the new-fashioned influences, manufacturing capitalism, and mercantile and managerial logics. This centralized bureaucratic control has also profected the education against the politic dominion, the intervention of social movements, the advertising of democratic ideals, and against the citizenship. The use of the term "Educational administration" shows the difficulties met by the searchers along the latest years, since there is no tradiction nor historic antecedence