Language re-discovered: A death education intervention in the net between kindergarten, family and territory

The article presents the positive results of a death education experience, realized owing to a collaboration between school, family and territory. The project, with the scope of reflecting on topics of death and spirituality, included 46 children of 5 from kindergarten and 50 parents, and then mobilizing the entire community. Social services and public administration had a special role in this, aiming to guarantee the necessary support for the families in the existential reflections. The experience was monitored with participatory observation, via interviews and questionnaires. The children answered questions regarding death and spirituality during an open and sincere conversation with the teachers. The parents, who at home talked about certain pre-defined teams with the children, were asked to give their informed consent and were given a questionnaire with open questions ex-ante/ ex-post. All data were processed via qualitative analysis of the texts. The results are truly positive, showing that children are capable of facing the problem of death and are able to acquire a certain representation of the spiritual dimension. The parents, who in the beginning demonstrated some anxiety, eventually were greatly satisfied and expressed their willingness to continue to search for the connection between death and transcendence

Effects of combined drug treatments on Plasmodium falciparum : in vitro assays with doxycycline, ivermectin and efflux pump inhibitors

There is great concern regarding the rapid emergence and spread of drug-resistance in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for the most severe form of human malaria. Parasite populations resistant to some or all the currently available antimalarial treatments are present in different world regions. Considering the need for novel and integrated approaches to control malaria, combinations of drugs were tested on P. falciparum. The primary focus was on doxycycline, an antibiotic that specifically targets the apicoplast of the parasite. In combination with doxycycline, three different drugs known to inhibit efflux pumps (verapamil, elacridar and ivermectin) were tested, with the assumption that they could increase the intracellular concentration of the antibiotic and consequently its efficacy against P. falciparum. We emphasize that elacridar is a third-generation ABC transporters inhibitor, never tested before on malaria parasites. In vitro experiments were performed on asexual stages of two strains of P. falciparum, chloroquine-sensitive (D10) and chloroquineresistant (W2). Incubation times on asynchronous or synchronous cultures were 72h or 96h, respectively. The antiplasmodial effect (i.e. the IC50) was determined by measuring the activity of the parasite lactate dehydrogenase, while the interaction between drugs was determined through combination index (CI) analyses. Elacridar achieved an IC50 concentration comparable to that of ivermectin, approx. 10-fold lower than that of verapamil, the other tested ABC transporter inhibitor. CI results showed synergistic effect of verapamil plus doxycycline, which is coherent with the starting hypothesis, i.e. that ABC transporters represent potential targets, worth of further investigations, towards the development of companion molecules useful to enhance the efficacy of antimalarial drugs. At the same time, the observed antagonistic effect of doxycycline in combination with ivermectin or elacridar highlighted the importance of drug testing, to avoid the de-facto generation of a sub-dosage, a condition that facilitates the development of drug resistance

Análise genética do caráter período de espigamento em trigo

The inheritance of heading time, in the field, was studied in crosses involving four Brazilian wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) (IAS 55, Nobre, B 20 and PF 70553) and two alien wheats (Yugoslávia 715/70 and NS 1406). The parents, their F1 and F2 cross generations, and the two first backcrosses (BC1F1 and BC2F1) were investigated to obtain a better understanding of how heading time is inherited and to assess the possibility of changing this trait through selection. Gene action appeared to be additive and of dominance. Evidence for epistasis, as an important contributor to heading time, was lacking. A minimum of three genetic factors of blocks of genes appear to control head time. While long cycle wheats carry recessive alleles at all three loci, the short cycles are governed by one two dominant genes. Heritability for heading time was estimated to be high, indicating that considerable progress could be made in shifting mean heading time by selecting and recombining early-heading F2 plants.A herança do período de espigamento a campo, foi estudada nos cruzamentos envolvendo quatro trigos (Triticum aestivum L.) brasileiros (IAS 55, Nobre, B 20 e PF 70553) e dois estrangeiros (Yugoslávia 715/70 e NS 1406). As gerações parentais F1, F2 e os dois primeiros retrocruzamentos (RC1F1 e RC2F1) foram analisados para melhor entender como a data de floração é herdada e a possibilidade de modificar a manifestação deste caráter através de seleção. A ação génica parece ser aditiva e de dominância. Evidências de epistasia contribuindo para o caráter não foi detectada. Um mínimo de três fatores genéticos, ou blocos de genes, parece controlar o período de espigamento. Enquanto o trigo de ciclo longo carrega alelos recessivos em todos os três locos, os de ciclo curto são governados por um ou dois genes dominantes. A herdabilidade estimada para espigamento é alta, indicando que considerável progresso pode ser feito através da seleção e recombinações de plantas F2

Bases genéticas da herança do caráter tolerância ao crestamento em genótipos de trigo

Aluminium sensitive and aluminium tolerant wheat genotypes (Tritictim aestivum L.) were used to study the inheritance of responses to aluminium toxic effects P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1F1, e BC2F1 generations where grown under Al-toxic soil at Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Trigo (CNPT/EMBRAPA, Passo Fundo, RS) in 1979. There appeared to be high genetic differences between the two groups: sensitive (Anza, Siete Cerros e Toquifen) and tolerant (BH-1146, Cotiporã, Lagoa Vermelha, Maringá and Nobre) for aluminium response. Segregated population data from sensitive/tolerant crosses showed tolerance conditioned at least, by a dominant homozygous locus. The additivity-effects and heritability estimations were large. The basic results indicated that selection of tolerant genotype could be simple and rapid.Genótipos de trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) sensíveis e tolerantes ao alumínio foram usados para estudar a herança das respostas aos efeitos tóxicos deste elemento. As gerações P1, P2, F1, F2, RC1F1, e RC2F1 foram desenvolvidas em solo tóxico de alumínio, no Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Trigo (CNPT/EMBRAPA, Passo Fundo, RS) em 1979. As diferenças genéticas parecem altas, entre os grupos sensíveis (Anza, Siete Cerros e Toquifen), e tolerantes (BH-1146, Cotiporã, Lagoa Vermelha, Maringá e Nobre), na resposta ao alumínio; Os dados das populações segregantes de cruzamentos entre sensíveis e tolerantes mostraram que a tolerância foi condicionada, no mínimo, por um loco homozigoto com alelos dominantes. As estimativas dos efeitos de aditividade e da heritabilidade foram expressivas. Os resultados indicaram que a seleção para obtenção de genótipos tolerantes poderá ser simples e rápida

Development of broad-spectrum human monoclonal antibodies for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis

Currently available rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for use in humans includes equine or human rabies immunoglobulins (RIG). The replacement of RIG with an equally or more potent and safer product is strongly encouraged due to the high costs and limited availability of existing RIG. In this study, we identified two broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies that represent a valid and affordable alternative to RIG in rabies PEP. Memory B cells from four selected vaccinated donors were immortalized and monoclonal antibodies were tested for neutralizing activity and epitope specificity. Two antibodies, identified as RVC20 and RVC58 (binding to antigenic site I and III, respectively), were selected for their potency and broad-spectrum reactivity. In vitro, RVC20 and RVC58 were able to neutralize all 35 rabies virus (RABV) and 25 non-RABV lyssaviruses. They showed higher potency and breath compared to antibodies under clinical development (namely CR57, CR4098, and RAB1) and commercially available human RIG. In vivo, the RVC20-RVC58 cocktail protected Syrian hamsters from a lethal RABV challenge and did not affect the endogenous hamster post-vaccination antibody response

Endocannabinoids and cardiovascular prevention: real progress?

The prevalence of obesity continues to increase and represents one of the principal causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. After the discovery of a specific receptor of the psychoactive principle of marijuana, the cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands, several studies have demonstrated the role of this system in the control of food intake and energy balance and its overactivity in obesity. Recent studies with the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant have demonstrated favorable effects such as a reduction in body weight and waist circumference and an improvement in metabolic factors (cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia etc). Therefore, the antagonism of the endocannabinoid (EC) system, if recent data can be confirmed, could be a new treatment target for high risk overweight or obese patients. Obesity is a growing problem that has epidemic proportions worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of premature death (1–3). Individuals with a central deposition of fats have elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (including stroke, heart failure and myocardial infarction) and, because of a growing prevalence not only in adults but also in adolescents, it was reclassified in AHA guidelines as a “major modifiable risk factor” for coronary heart disease (4, 5). Although first choice therapy in obesity is based on correcting lifestyle (diet and physical activity) in patients with abdominal obesity and high cardiovascular risk and diabetes, often it is necessary to use drugs which reduce the risks. The EC system represents a new target for weight control and the improvement of lipid and glycemic metabolism (6, 7)

Extension of the core map of common bean with EST-SSR, RGA, AFLP, and putative functional markers

Microsatellites and gene-derived markers are still underrepresented in the core molecular linkage map of common bean compared to other types of markers. In order to increase the density of the core map, a set of new markers were developed and mapped onto the RIL population derived from the ‘BAT93’ × ‘Jalo EEP558’ cross. The EST-SSR markers were first characterized using a set of 24 bean inbred lines. On average, the polymorphism information content was 0.40 and the mean number of alleles per locus was 2.7. In addition, AFLP and RGA markers based on the NBS-profiling method were developed and a subset of the mapped RGA was sequenced. With the integration of 282 new markers into the common bean core map, we were able to place markers with putative known function in some existing gaps including regions with QTL for resistance to anthracnose and rust. The distribution of the markers over 11 linkage groups is discussed and a newer version of the common bean core linkage map is proposed

Improved Mitochondrial Function with Diet-Induced Increase in Either Docosahexaenoic Acid or Arachidonic Acid in Membrane Phospholipids

Mitochondria can depolarize and trigger cell death through the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP). We recently showed that an increase in the long chain n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) and depletion of the n6 PUFA arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4n6) in mitochondrial membranes is associated with a greater Ca2+ load required to induce MPTP opening. Here we manipulated mitochondrial phospholipid composition by supplementing the diet with DHA, ARA or combined DHA+ARA in rats for 10 weeks. There were no effects on cardiac function, or respiration of isolated mitochondria. Analysis of mitochondrial phospholipids showed DHA supplementation increased DHA and displaced ARA in mitochondrial membranes, while supplementation with ARA or DHA+ARA increased ARA and depleted linoleic acid (18:2n6). Phospholipid analysis revealed a similar pattern, particularly in cardiolipin. Tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin was depleted by 80% with ARA or DHA+ARA supplementation, with linoleic acid side chains replaced by ARA. Both the DHA and ARA groups had delayed Ca2+-induced MPTP opening, but the DHA+ARA group was similar to the control diet. In conclusion, alterations in mitochondria membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition caused by dietary DHA or ARA was associated with a greater cumulative Ca2+ load required to induced MPTP opening. Further, high levels of tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin were not essential for normal mitochondrial function if replaced with very-long chain n3 or n6 PUFAs