Antitumor properties of a new non-anticoagulant heparin analog from the mollusk Nodipecten nodosus: Effect on P-selectin, heparanase, metastasis and cellular recruitment

Inflammation and cancer are related pathologies acting synergistically to promote tumor progression. In both, hematogenous metastasis and inflammation, P-selectin participates in interactions involving tumor cells, platelets, leukocytes and endothelium. Heparin has been shown to inhibit P-selectin and as a consequence it blunts metastasis and inflammation. Some heparin analogs obtained from marine invertebrates are P-selectin inhibitors and do not induce bleeding effects. The present work focuses on the P-selectin blocking activity of a unique heparan sulfate (HS) from the bivalve mollusk Nodipecten nodosus. Initially, we showed that the mollusk HS inhibited LS180 colon carcinoma cell adhesion to immobilized P-selectin in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, we demonstrated that this glycan attenuates leukocyte rolling on activated endothelium and inflammatory cell recruitment in thioglycollate-induced peritonitis in mice. Biochemical analysis indicated that the invertebrate glycan also inhibits heparanase, a key player in cell invasion and metastasis. Experimental metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma cells was drastically attenuated by the mollusk HS through a mechanism involving inhibition of platelet-tumor-cell complex formation in blood vessels. These data suggest that the mollusk HS is a potential alternative to heparin for inhibiting P-selectin-mediated events such as metastasis and inflammatory cell recruitmen

A spatially resolved study of photoelectric heating and [CII] cooling in the LMC

(abridged) We study photoelectric heating throughout the Large Magellanic Cloud. We quantify the importance of the [CII] cooling line and the photoelectric heating process of various environments in the LMC and investigate which parameters control the extent of photoelectric heating. We use the BICE [CII] map and the Spitzer/SAGE infrared maps. We examine the spatial variations in the efficiency of photoelectric heating: photoelectric heating rate over power absorbed by grains. We correlate the photoelectric heating efficiency and the emission from various dust constituents and study the variations as a function of H\alpha emission, dust temperatures, and the total infrared luminosity. From this we estimate radiation field, gas temperature, and electron density. We find systematic variations in photoelectric efficiency. The highest efficiencies are found in the diffuse medium, while the lowest coincide with bright star-forming regions (~1.4 times lower). The [CII] line emission constitutes 1.32% of the far infrared luminosity across the whole of the LMC. We find correlations between the [CII] emission and ratios of the mid infrared and far infrared bands, which comprise various dust constituents. The correlations are interpreted in light of the spatial variations of the dust abundance and by the local environmental conditions that affect the dust emission properties. As a function of the total infrared surface brightness, S_{TIR}, the [CII] surface brightness can be described as: S_{[CII]}=1.25 S_{TIR}^{0.69} [10^{-3} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} sr^{-1}]. The [CII] emission is well-correlation with the 8 micrometer emission, suggesting that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons play a dominant role in the photoelectric heating process.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 16 pages, 17 figure

Measurement of Upper Limb Range of Motion Using Wearable Sensors: A Systematic Review.

Background: Wearable sensors are portable measurement tools that are becoming increasingly popular for the measurement of joint angle in the upper limb. With many brands emerging on the market, each with variations in hardware and protocols, evidence to inform selection and application is needed. Therefore, the objectives of this review were related to the use of wearable sensors to calculate upper limb joint angle. We aimed to describe (i) the characteristics of commercial and custom wearable sensors, (ii) the populations for whom researchers have adopted wearable sensors, and (iii) their established psychometric properties. Methods: A systematic review of literature was undertaken using the following data bases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, IEEE, and Scopus. Studies were eligible if they met the following criteria: (i) involved humans and/or robotic devices, (ii) involved the application or simulation of wearable sensors on the upper limb, and (iii) calculated a joint angle. Results: Of 2191 records identified, 66 met the inclusion criteria. Eight studies compared wearable sensors to a robotic device and 22 studies compared to a motion analysis system. Commercial (n = 13) and custom (n = 7) wearable sensors were identified, each with variations in placement, calibration methods, and fusion algorithms, which were demonstrated to influence accuracy. Conclusion: Wearable sensors have potential as viable instruments for measurement of joint angle in the upper limb during active movement. Currently, customised application (i.e. calibration and angle calculation methods) is required to achieve sufficient accuracy (error < 5°). Additional research and standardisation is required to guide clinical application

Assessment of Body Condition in a Threatened Dolphin Population in an Anthropized Area in Southeastern Brazil

Sepetiba Bay, located in southwestern Rio de Janeiro state, in southeastern Brazil, is a region of extreme anthropogenic impact, and is home to a large population of Guiana dolphins, which face increasing and cumulative pressures on their physical health. Cetacean body condition provides a useful indicator for the evaluation of the conservation status of marine mammals. Given this, the present study quantified the proportion of dolphins with different body condition scores and assessed temporal variation in these scores between 2017 and 2022 through the analysis of photographic records. We analyzed the photographs and identified the individuals using FinFindR and classified each individual based on its apparent body condition. A total of 29,737 photographs were taken during the study, and 79 individuals were identified, of which 68.35% were in poor condition. The evidence suggests that the Guiana dolphins are in relatively poor condition overall, possibly reflecting the cumulative impact of human activities in Sepetiba Bay

Bryde's whale (Cetartiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) occurrence and movements in coastal areas of southeastern Brazil

Bryde's whales, Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1879, were observed on 17 occasions (N = 21 surveys) in the coastal waters off Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil during austral summer through autumn 2014. Five whales were individually identified using photo-identification techniques. The mean interval between resightings for all individuals was 12.8 days, with a minimum of one day and a maximum of 48 days. The comparison between the catalogs of Bryde's whales off Rio de Janeiro and the Cabo Frio region revealed matches for three individuals. The resightings show movements of up to 149.6 km along the coastal waters off the state of Rio de Janeiro. Most of the observations consisted of solitary individuals (82.3% of sightings). Feeding was the predominant behavior observed (47%), followed by milling (35.3%) and travelling (17.6%) in waters up to 48 m deep. Direct observations resulted in the addition of new prey, such as snubnose anchovy, Anchoviella brevirostris (Günther, 1868) and white snake mackerel, Thyrsitops lepidopoides (Cuvier, 1832), to the known diet of the Bryde's whale. A long time series of photo-identification efforts in the Rio de Janeiro, the Cabo Frio region and other areas can elucidate fundamental aspects of spatial and temporal site fidelity knowledge of Bryde's whales in southeastern Brazil

Fatores associados ao desenvolvimento mental e motor de crianças de quatro creches públicas de Recife, Brasil Factors associated with mental and psychomotor development of infants in four public day care centers in the municipality of Recife, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Identificar os fatores associados aos índices de desenvolvimento mental e motor em lactentes que frequentam creches da rede municipal em Recife. MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal realizado entre fevereiro e abril de 2005 em uma amostra de 108 crianças com idade entre quatro e 24 meses, pertencentes a quatro creches municipais do Recife. O desenvolvimento mental e motor foi avaliado pela Escala de Desenvolvimento Infantil de Bayley II. Por meio de entrevistas às mães, foram obtidas informações sobre as condições socioeconômicas e demográficas das famílias e as características biológicas das crianças ao nascer (peso, sexo e idade gestacional). O estado nutricional foi avaliado através dos índices peso/idade, comprimento/idade, peso/comprimento e da concentração de hemoglobina. RESULTADOS: As médias dos índices de desenvolvimento mental e motor foram 88±11 e 95±12 pontos, respectivamente. A idade gestacional apresentou associação significativa com o desenvolvimento mental e motor e o peso ao nascer e o estado nutricional atual, avaliado pelo índice peso/comprimento, se associaram ao desenvolvimento motor. CONCLUSÕES: As crianças analisadas apresentaram desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor ainda na faixa de normalidade, mas aquém do esperado para a idade, comparado a populações de referência em países desenvolvidos. Os fatores associados ao baixo desempenho do desenvolvimento nessa população estão relacionados aos fatores biológicos, destacando-se os déficits nutricionais, cuja redução deve ser uma prioridade para gestores em saúde e educação.<br>OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with mental and psychomotor development of infants enrolled at public day care centers of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 108 infants aged four to 24 months attending four public day care centers of the Municipality of Recife from February to April 2005. Mental and psychomotor development was assessed by the Bayley Scale of Infant Development II. Family socioeconomic and demographic conditions and infant biological characteristics at birth (weight, sex and gestational age) were obtained by maternal interview. Nutritional status was assessed by the indexes "weight-for-age", "length-for-age" and "weight-for-length" and by hemoglobin level. RESULTS: Mean mental and psychomotor development indexes were 88±11 and 95±12, respectively. Gestational age showed significant association with mental and psychomotor development. Birthweight and current nutritional status assessed by "weight-for-length" were associated with psychomotor development. CONCLUSIONS: Mental and psychomotor development were in the the normal range, but, below the expected for infants of the same age group of reference populations in developed countries. The factors associated with poor developmental indexes in this population are related to biological factors, with emphasis on nutritional deficits. Their reduction should be a priority for health and educational policy managers