Expression of Cartilage Developmental Genes in Hoxc8- and Hoxd4-Transgenic Mice

Hox genes encode transcription factors, which regulate skeletal patterning and chondrocyte differentiation during the development of cartilage, the precursor to mature bone. Overexpression of the homeobox transcription factors Hoxc8 and Hoxd4 causes severe cartilage defects due to delay in cartilage maturation. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and fibroblastic growth factors (FGFs) are known to play important roles in skeletal development and endochondral bone formation and remodeling. In order to investigate whether these molecules are aberrantly expressed in Hoxc8- and/or Hoxd4-transgenic cartilage, we performed quantitative RT-PCR on chondrocytes from Hox-transgenic mice. Gene expression levels of Bmp4, Fgf8, Fgf10, Mmp9, Mmp13, Nos3, Timp3, Wnt3a and Wnt5a were altered in Hoxc8-transgenic chondrocytes, and Fgfr3, Ihh, Mmp8, and Wnt3a expression levels were altered in Hoxd4-transgenic chondrocytes, respectively. Notably, Wnt3a expression was elevated in Hoxc8- and reduced in Hoxd4-transgenic cartilage. These results suggest that both transcription factors affect cartilage maturation through different molecular mechanisms, and provide the basis for future studies into the role of these genes and possible interactions in pathogenesis of cartilage defects in Hoxc8- and Hoxd4-transgenic mice

Mutation at the folate receptor 4 locus modulates gene expression profiles in the mouse uterus in response to periconceptional folate supplementation

AbstractPericonceptional supplementation of folic acid to the diet of women is considered a great success for a public health intervention. Higher folate status, either by supplementation, or via the mandatory fortification of grain products in the United States, has led to significant reduction in the incidence of neural tube defects. Besides birth defects, folate deficiency has been linked to a variety of morbidities, most notably to increased risk for cancer. However, recent evidence suggests that excess folate may be detrimental — for birth defect incidence or in the progression of cancer. How folate mediates beneficial or detrimental effects is not well understood. It is also unknown what molecular responses are elicited in women taking folate supplements, and thus experience a bolus of folate on top of the status achieved by fortification. To characterize the response to a periconceptional regimen of supplementation with folinic acid, we performed gene expression profiling experiments on uterus tissue of pregnant mice with either wildtype alleles or targeted disruption at the folate receptor 4 locus. We observed that, depending on the genetic background, folinic acid supplementation affects expression of genes that contribute to lipid metabolism, protein synthesis, mitochondrial function, cell cycle, and cell activation. The extent of the response is strongly modulated by the genetic background. Finally, we provide evidence that folinic acid supplementation in the mutant paradigm affects histone methylation status, a potential mechanism of gene regulation in this model

Maternal Diet Modulates Placenta Growth and Gene Expression in a Mouse Model of Diabetic Pregnancy

Unfavorable maternal diet during pregnancy can predispose the offspring to diseases later in life, such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. However, the molecular basis for this phenomenon of “developmental programming” is poorly understood. We have recently shown that a diet nutritionally optimized for pregnancy can nevertheless be harmful in the context of diabetic pregnancy in the mouse, associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects and intrauterine growth restriction. We hypothesized that placental abnormalities may contribute to impaired fetal growth in these pregnancies, and therefore investigated the role of maternal diet in the placenta. LabDiet 5015 diet was associated with reduced placental growth, commencing at midgestation, when compared to pregnancies in which the diabetic dam was fed LabDiet 5001 maintenance chow. Furthermore, by quantitative RT-PCR we identify 34 genes whose expression in placenta at midgestation is modulated by diet, diabetes, or both, establishing biomarkers for gene-environment interactions in the placenta. These results implicate maternal diet as an important factor in pregnancy complications and suggest that the early phases of placenta development could be a critical time window for developmental origins of adult disease

A long-term cooperation in education and research in the field of geodesy between KIT and UFPR

This article presents the results obtained within the international academic cooperation between Federal University of Paraná, in Brazil, and the University of Karlsruhe, in Germany. The focus was on the development of the two projects: GEOMACK-I (UNIBRAL Program), and SIRGAS Densification in Brazil with High Precision GPS Positioning, error modelling and integration of the vertical component (PROBRAL Program). Also presented is the main research developed within this cooperation

Mecanismos de Compliance e Anticorrupção em Indústrias da Região Sul do Brasil

The objective of this study was to identify the adherence of industrial companies to the criteria of the integrity program established in the anti-corruption law and the implementation of internal controls. Therefore, descriptive research was carried out, based on the application of a questionnaire, reaching a sample of 74 industries, 30% of which have been in operation for more than 41 years and 68% have family and/or mixed management. The results showed that the companies included in the sample have greater adherence to some criteria of the integrity program established by law, however, there are still opportunities for improvement in their control systems. When observing whether companies have a code of ethics, conduct and integrity, 51% have this document, 64% indicated that training on the subject takes place in the corporate environment and regarding the existence of an ethics committee or compliance and a whistleblower channel, the percentage of adherence can be considered relatively low, being 22% and 24%. When addressing the adoption of procedures and internal controls to avoid the occurrence of conflicts of interest and fraud, 50% of the companies have these procedures and 15% did not know how to respond. It was observed that Law 12.846/2013 is still little known, there is an awareness of its importance to reduce the risk of corruption, conflict of interest and increase the degree of transparency of actions, but at the same time, many entities do not yet have policies and procedures in place.O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar a aderência de empresas industriais aos critérios do programa de integridade estabelecido na Lei Anticorrupção e a implantação de controles internos. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa descritiva, de levantamento a partir da aplicação de questionário, atingindo uma amostra de 74 indústrias, dentre as quais, 30% possuem acima de 41 anos de atividades, enquanto 68% possuem gestão familiar e/ou mista. Os resultados evidenciaram que as empresas compreendidas na amostra possuem maior aderência em alguns critérios do programa de integridade estabelecido na lei. Entretanto, ainda há oportunidades de melhorias em seus sistemas de controle. Ao observar se as empresas possuem um código de ética, conduta e integridade, 51% possuem o referido documento; 64% indicaram que ocorre no ambiente corporativo a promoção de treinamentos sobre o tema e no que se refere à existência de um comitê de ética ou compliance e um canal de denúncias, o percentual de adesão pode ser considerado relativamente baixo, sendo 22% e 24%. Ao abordar sobre a adoção de procedimentos e controles internos para evitar a ocorrência de conflitos de interesses e fraudes, 50% das empresas possuem estes procedimentos e 15% não souberam responder. Observou-se que a Lei 12.846/2013 ainda é pouco conhecida, há uma conscientização quanto a sua importância a fim de diminuir o risco de corrupção, conflito de interesses e aumentar o grau de transparência das ações, mas ao mesmo tempo, muitas entidades ainda não possuem políticas e procedimentos implementados

Novel mode of defective neural tube closure in the Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse strain

Failure to close the neural tube results in birth defects, with severity ranging from spina bifida to lethal anencephaly. Few genetic risk factors for neural tube defects are known in humans, highlighting the critical role of environmental risk factors, such as maternal diabetes. Yet, it is not well understood how altered maternal metabolism interferes with embryonic development, and with neurulation in particular. We present evidence from two independent mouse models of diabetic pregnancy that identifies impaired migration of nascent mesodermal cells in the primitive streak as the morphogenetic basis underlying the pathogenesis of neural tube defects. We conclude that perturbed gastrulation not only explains the neurulation defects, but also provides a unifying etiology for the broad spectrum of congenital malformations in diabetic pregnancies

Comportamento dos indicadores de liquidez obtidos por meio da demonstração de fluxos de caixa de cinco empresas do setor de calçados

Orientador : Romualdo Douglas ColautoMonografia (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas. Curso de Especialização em Auditoria IntegralInclui referênciasResumo : O objetivo deste trabalho consiste em analisar os indicadores de liquidez obtidos por meio da demonstração de fluxo de caixa (DFC) de cinco empresas do setor de calçados no período de 2009 à 2011. Entende-se que através da analise destes indicadores pode-se ter uma melhor avaliação da situação econômica e financeira das empresas, sendo o fluxo de caixa das operações (FCO) a medida mais relevante apresentada na DFC. Estes indicadores são divididos em quatro categorias: quocientes de cobertura de caixa, quocientes de qualidade do resultado, quocientes de dispêndio de capital e retorno do fluxo de caixa e, de modo a mostrar a viabilidade de se analisar estes indicadores, procedeu-se ao cálculo dos quocientes das cinco empresas do setor de calçados que publicam suas demonstrações na Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM) nos períodos de 2009, 2010 e 2011. As empresas são: Alpargatas S.A., Grendene S.A., Vulcabrás/Azaleia S.A, Arezzo Indústria e Comércio S.A. e Cambuci S.A. Por fim, apresentou-se o resultado da análise do cálculo dos indicadores, sugerindo que através da análise destes indicadores as empresas podem avaliar de forma mais precisa a sua liquidez e otimizar a aplicação de seus recursos

BREVE REVISÃO DA ESPÉCIE Syzygium malaccense (L.) MERR. & L.M. PERRY COMO FONTE DE COMPOSTOS BIOATIVOS

Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry é uma espécie popularmente conhecida como jambo vermelho, pertencente a família Myrtaceae. Esta fruta foi introduzida no Brasil ao longo dos três ultimos séculos e despertou a atenção dos brasileiros, que aos poucos vem utilizando o jambo na sua alimentação. É adocicada e com sabor diferenciado, além de apresentar diversos benefícios nutricionais, principalmente no que diz respeito à quantidade de compostos bioativos presentes nessa espécie. Estes são classificados em três principais grupos e auxiliam na prevenção e no combate a doenças crônicas não transmissíveis, tais como: problemas cardiovasculares, câncer, problemas respiratórios e diabetes; tornando a presença desses compostos nos alimentos imprescindível. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse estudo foi realizar uma breve revisão sobre o jambo vermelho e acerca dos compostos bioativos presentes nesta fruta. Para isso, foi realizada pesquisa eletrônica em bases de dados indexadas. O presente artigo está dividido em dois tópicos principais. As informações obtidas permitem confirmar a importância econômica, ecológica e medicinal dessa espécie, além da importância de sua inserção na alimentação habitual dos brasileiros

Estágio evolutivo da contabilidade gerencial em micro e pequenas empresas

The objective of the study is to identify the evolutionary stage of managerial accounting of micro and small companies in the municipality of Chapecó (SC). The research uses the questionnaire by Abdel-Kader and Luther (2008) to collect information from the sample of 27 companies. The results indicate that 05 companies have characteristics of stage 1; 09 of stage 2, where they use planned management based on data analysis; 11 stage 3 companies with characteristics aimed at reducing waste of resources and the use of technologies to improve processes; and 02 companies in stage 4, which even observed age and higher revenue compared to the others, as a differential in the use of management instruments characterized as modern. The study contributes to highlight the predominant characteristics and weaknesses of companies regarding the use of management accounting practices and instruments, as well as evidence that managerial instruments are related to the branch of activity, billing and number of employees of the companies. Key words: Management accounting; Artifacts of management accounting; Management control.O objetivo do estudo é identificar o estágio evolutivo da contabilidade gerencial das micro e pequenas empresas do município de Chapecó (SC). A pesquisa utiliza o questionário de Abdel-Kader e Luther (2008), para coleta das informações da amostra de 27 empresas.  Os resultados apontam que 05 empresas possuem características do estágio 1; 09 do estágio 2, onde utilizam de gestão planejada baseada em análises de dados; 11 empresas do estágio 3 com características voltadas para a redução dos desperdícios de recursos e do uso de tecnologias na melhoria de processos; e 02 empresas do estágio 4, que inclusive, observou-se a idade e o faturamento maior em relação as demais, como diferencial do uso de instrumentos de gestão caracterizados como modernos. O estudo contribui para evidenciar as características predominantes e as fragilidades das empresas quanto ao uso de práticas e instrumentos da contabilidade gerencial, bem como evidencia que os instrumentos gerenciais estão relacionados ao ramo de atividade, faturamento e número de funcionários das empresas. Palavras-chave: Instrumentos gerenciais; Estrutura da Contabilidade Gerencial; Controle Gerencial

Atypical intracranial calcifications in a conventional Radiographic exam

An 18-year-old male patient of consanguineous parents, delivered at full-term by cesarean section and having no changes in neurodevelopment, presented with skin blisters that evolved to eruptions and scars immediately after birth. In childhood, he developed lesions and diffuse tongue hypertrophy, with cutaneous hyperkeratosis and periods of exacerbation after sun exposure or trauma. In regular outpatient appointments with the medical assistant team, neurological symptoms were not observed. He underwent surgery because of an obstruction of the salivary duct with local abscess. A biopsy of skin lesion was performed and its histological analysis suggested lipoid proteinosis