The Extracellular Matrix of the Lateral Pharyngeal Wall in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Study Objectives: To compare the components of the extracellular matrix in the lateral pharyngeal muscular wall in patients with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This may help to explain the origin of the increased collapsibility of the pharynx in patients with OSA. Design: Specimens from the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle, obtained during pharyngeal surgeries, were evaluated using histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses to determine the fractional area of collagen types I and II, elastic fibers, versican, fibronectin, and matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 2 in the endomysium. Setting: Academic tertiary center. Patiens: A total of 51 nonobese adult patients, divided into 38 patients with OSA and 13 nonsnoring control subjects without OSA. Interventions: Postintervention study performed on tissues from patients after elective surgery. Measurements and Results: Pharyngeal muscles of patients with OSA had significantly more collagen type I than pharyngeal muscles in control subjects. Collagen type I was correlated positively and independently with age. The other tested components of the extracellular matrix did not differ significantly between groups. In a logistic regression, an additive effect of both the increase of collagen type I and the increase in age with the presence of OSA was observed (odds ratio (OR), 2.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.17-3.63), when compared with the effect of increased age alone (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03-1.20). Conclusion: Collagen type I in the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle was more prevalent in patients with OSA and also increased with age. It was hypothesized that this increase could delay contractile-relaxant responses in the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle at the expiratory-inspiratory phase transition, thus increasing pharyngeal collapsibility.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo [06/50630-7

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro anticancer activity of Novel 8,4’ : oxyneolignan analogues

Neolignans are a class of natural products with a wide range of biological effects. These substances are of great synthetic and biological interest, especially in searching for novel anticancer agents. In this paper, we report the synthesis of a new subclass of 8,4’-oxyneolignan analogues (β-ketoethers and β-ketoesters) and their cell viability assay on twenty four different cancer cells, among leukemias and carcinomas. Three compounds inhibited the growth of most human cancer cells. 2-Oxo-2-phenylethyl(2E)-3-[4-(2-oxo-2-phenylethoxy) phenyl]prop-2-enoate showed an antiproliferative activity superior to doxorubicin for U-87, U-138 MG and H1299 cell types and (E)-2-oxo-2-phenylethyl 3-(3-methoxy-4-(2-oxo-2-phenylethoxy)phenyl)acrylate was found to be very selective, demonstrating a growth inhibition of 92.0% against KG-1 cells. Furthermore, 1-oxo-1-phenylpropan-2-yl cinnamate exhibited significant inhibition activity in a range of 52.2 to 91.2% against twelve kinds of leukemia cell lines, revealing excellent results and very comparable to the reference drug

Rarity of monodominance in hyperdiverse Amazonian forests.

Tropical forests are known for their high diversity. Yet, forest patches do occur in the tropics where a single tree species is dominant. Such "monodominant" forests are known from all of the main tropical regions. For Amazonia, we sampled the occurrence of monodominance in a massive, basin-wide database of forest-inventory plots from the Amazon Tree Diversity Network (ATDN). Utilizing a simple defining metric of at least half of the trees ≥ 10 cm diameter belonging to one species, we found only a few occurrences of monodominance in Amazonia, and the phenomenon was not significantly linked to previously hypothesized life history traits such wood density, seed mass, ectomycorrhizal associations, or Rhizobium nodulation. In our analysis, coppicing (the formation of sprouts at the base of the tree or on roots) was the only trait significantly linked to monodominance. While at specific locales coppicing or ectomycorrhizal associations may confer a considerable advantage to a tree species and lead to its monodominance, very few species have these traits. Mining of the ATDN dataset suggests that monodominance is quite rare in Amazonia, and may be linked primarily to edaphic factors

Immunity of an Alternative Host Can Be Overcome by Higher Densities of Its Parasitoids Palmistichus elaeisis and Trichospilus diatraeae

Interactions of the parasitoids Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle and Trichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with its alternative host Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) affect the success or failure of the mass production of these parasitoids for use in integrated pest management programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the cellular defense and encapsulation ability of A. gemmatalis pupae against P. elaeisis or T. diatraeae in adult parasitoid densities of 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 parasitoids/pupae. We evaluated the total quantity of circulating hemocytes and the encapsulation rate versus density. Increasing parasitoid density reduced the total number of hemocytes in the hemolymph and the encapsulation rate by parasitized pupae. Furthermore, densities of P. elaeisis above 5 parasitoids/pupae caused higher reduction in total hemocyte numbers. The encapsulation rate fell with increasing parasitoid density. However, parasitic invasion by both species induced generally similar responses. The reduction in defensive capacity of A. gemmatalis is related to the adjustment of the density of these parasitoids to their development in this host. Thus, the role of the density of P. elaeisis or T. diatraeae by pupa is induced suppression of cellular defense and encapsulation of the host, even without them possesses a co-evolutionary history. Furthermore, these findings can predict the success of P. elaeisis and T. diatraeae in the control of insect pests through the use of immunology as a tool for evaluation of natural enemies

Avaliaçao do Sensor de Contratilidade Cardíaca em Sistema DDDR - Estudo Multicêntrico

Neste estudo empregou-se um sistema de estimulaçao DDDR, cujo indicador que controla o sensor é o estado contrátil do miocárdio. Foram 85 pacientes portadores de doença no sistema de conduçao cardíaca distribuídos por 15 centros de implante no Brasil. Utilizando um parâmetro do próprio controle cardíaco vascular (contratilidade cardíaca obtida pela medida da impedância intracardíaca unipolar), a adaptaçao da frequência cardíaca é realizada num sistema de malha fechada, possibilitando teoricamente um ajuste a todas as necessidades fisiológicas. O objetivo principal foi avaliar a resposta de freqüência do marcapasso em situaçoes de esforço físico e mental, tanto em ambulatório (teste de esforço e estresse mental), como em atividades diárias do paciente. A programaçao e a calibraçao do sistema foram realizadas 30 dias após o implante (tempo de maturaçao da interface coraçao-eletrodo). Além das avaliaçoes dos limiares de estimulaçao e sensibilidade atriais e ventriculares, foram realizados testes de estresse mental (matemático e de percepçao) e teste ergométrico, monitorizados com histogramas de freqüência gravados pelo próprio marcapasso. A média dos limiares agudos de estimulaçao foi de 0,76±0,40Volts e 0,52±0,35Volts, de sensibilidade foi 2,59±1,49mV e 11,79±4,92mV e a da impedância foi 567±119 Ohms e 628±139 Ohms, para átrios e ventrículos, respectivamente. A média dos limiares crônicos de estimulaçao foi 1,34±0,64Volts e 1,10±0,57Volts e a dos de sensibilidade foi 2,82±1,79mV e 6,62±1,36mV respectivamente para átrios e ventrículos. A freqüência cardíaca variou de 5 a 160% nas atividades físicas e de 3 a 79% nas atividades mentais, com elevaçao apropriada logo no início da atividade. Conclui-se pela excelente performance do sensor estudado, permitindo uma adaptaçao de freqüência muito semelhante à do sistema nervoso autonômico de indivíduos normais

Avaliaçao do Sensor de Contratilidade Cardíaca em Sistema DDDR - Estudo Multicêntrico

Neste estudo empregou-se um sistema de estimulaçao DDDR, cujo indicador que controla o sensor é o estado contrátil do miocárdio. Foram 85 pacientes portadores de doença no sistema de conduçao cardíaca distribuídos por 15 centros de implante no Brasil. Utilizando um parâmetro do próprio controle cardíaco vascular (contratilidade cardíaca obtida pela medida da impedância intracardíaca unipolar), a adaptaçao da frequência cardíaca é realizada num sistema de malha fechada, possibilitando teoricamente um ajuste a todas as necessidades fisiológicas. O objetivo principal foi avaliar a resposta de freqüência do marcapasso em situaçoes de esforço físico e mental, tanto em ambulatório (teste de esforço e estresse mental), como em atividades diárias do paciente. A programaçao e a calibraçao do sistema foram realizadas 30 dias após o implante (tempo de maturaçao da interface coraçao-eletrodo). Além das avaliaçoes dos limiares de estimulaçao e sensibilidade atriais e ventriculares, foram realizados testes de estresse mental (matemático e de percepçao) e teste ergométrico, monitorizados com histogramas de freqüência gravados pelo próprio marcapasso. A média dos limiares agudos de estimulaçao foi de 0,76±0,40Volts e 0,52±0,35Volts, de sensibilidade foi 2,59±1,49mV e 11,79±4,92mV e a da impedância foi 567±119 Ohms e 628±139 Ohms, para átrios e ventrículos, respectivamente. A média dos limiares crônicos de estimulaçao foi 1,34±0,64Volts e 1,10±0,57Volts e a dos de sensibilidade foi 2,82±1,79mV e 6,62±1,36mV respectivamente para átrios e ventrículos. A freqüência cardíaca variou de 5 a 160% nas atividades físicas e de 3 a 79% nas atividades mentais, com elevaçao apropriada logo no início da atividade. Conclui-se pela excelente performance do sensor estudado, permitindo uma adaptaçao de freqüência muito semelhante à do sistema nervoso autonômico de indivíduos normais