Biomodulation of inflammatory cytokines related to oral mucositis by low-level laser therapy

This study evaluated the effects of LLLT on the expressionof inflammatory cytokines related to the development of oralmucositis by gingival fibroblasts. Primary gingival fibroblastswere seeded on 24-well plates (105cells/well) for 24 h. Freshserum-free culture medium (DMEM) was then added, andcells were placed in contact with LPS (Escherichia coli,1 lgmL1), followed by LLLT irradiation (LaserTABLE—InGaAsP diode prototype—780 nm, 25 mW) delivering 0,0.5, 1.5 or 3 J cm². Cells without contact with LPS werealso irradiated with the same energy densities. Gene expres-sion of TNF- a, IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-8 was evaluated by Real-Time PCR, and protein synthesis of these cytokines wasdetermined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assay.Data were statistically analyzed by the Kruskal– Wallis test,complemented by the Mann–Whitney test (P < 0.05). LPStreatment increased the gene expression and protein synthesisof TNF-a, IL-6 and IL-8, while the expression of IL-1b wasnot affected. For LPS-treated groups, LLLT promoted signif-icant decreases in the expression of TNF-a, IL-6, and IL-8 at1.5 J cm2and 3 J cm2. These results demonstrate thatLLLT promoted a beneficial biomodulatory effect on theexpression of inflammatory cytokines related to oral mucosi-tis by human gingival fibroblasts

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and the song of science

Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Evidence of artefacts made of giant sloth bones in central Brazil around the last glacial maximum

International audienceThe peopling of the Americas and human interaction with the Pleistocene megafauna in South America remain hotly debated. The Santa Elina rock shelter in Central Brazil shows evidence of successive human settlements from around the last glacial maximum (LGM) to the Early Holocene. Two Pleistocene archaeological layers include rich lithic industry associated with remains of the extinct giant ground sloth Glossotherium phoenesis . The remains include thousands of osteoderms (i.e. dermal bones), three of which were human-modified. In this study, we perform a traceological analysis of these artefacts by optical microscopy, non-destructive scanning electron microscopy, UV/visible photoluminescence and synchrotron-based microtomography. We also describe the spatial association between the giant sloth bone remains and stone tools and provide a Bayesian age model that confirms the timing of this association in two time horizons of the Pleistocene in Santa Elina. The conclusion from our traceological study is that the three giant sloth osteoderms were intentionally modified into artefacts before fossilization of the bones. This provides additional evidence for the contemporaneity of humans and megafauna, and for the human manufacturing of personal artefacts on bone remains of ground sloths, around the LGM in Central Brazil

EFEITOS DOS PERÍODOS DE COMPETIÇÃO DO MATO NA CULTURA DO AMENDOIM: I. SAFRA DA SECA DE 1988

O presente trabalho foi realizado em 1988, na Estação Experimental de Agronomia da Alta Paulista, em Adamantina, na safra da seca, para estudar o efeito de diferentes períodos de competição do mato no amendoim. Os tratamentos foram vinte, a saber: com e sem presença do mato em todo o ciclo da cultura e, os resultantes da combinação fatorial entre a presença e a ausência de mato no início da cultura e as épocas de remoção da flora infestante - 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 e 100 dias após a semeadura. Cada parcela foi constituída de quatro linhas, com bordadura comum entre as unidades experimentais, perfazendo, com a área útil, 6,0 m2. As espécies da flora infestante que ocorreram com maior freqüência foram Cyperus lanceolatus Poir., Digitaria horizontallis Willd., Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. e Portulaca oleracea L. A convivência do mato com o amendoim diminuiu a produção de vagens e de grãos e a biomassa seca da planta. Não se observou efeito do mato sobre o índice de colheita e o rendimento de grãos em nenhum dos períodos estudados. Uma capina aplicada oito dias ou aos 73 dias após a semeadura, respectivamente, para os tratamentos sem e com mato no início, foi suficiente para a produção de vagens de amendoim estatisticamente igual à obtida quando a cultura foi mantida sem competição durante todo o ciclo.<br>A field experiment was carried out at Adamantina, State of São Paulo, Brazil, to study different periods of weed competition with peanut. The treatments were 20: with and without weed presence through the crop cycle and those resulting from factorial combinations among presence and ausence of weed in the beginning of crop and the time of weed removal - 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 days after sowing. Each plot was constituted of four lines, with common border among experimental units, with useful area reading 6.0 m2. Weed species, occurring with higher frequencies were Cyperus lanceolatus Poir., Digitaria horizontallis Willd., Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. and Portulaca oleracea L. The weed association with the peanut crop decreased pod and kernel yields and peanut dry matter. No weed effects were observed on harvest indexes and shelling percentages in any of the studied periods. A weeding operation done eight or 73 days after sowing, for treatments without and with weeds respectively, was sufficient for obtaining peanut pod yields statistically similar to those obtained when the peanut crop was maintained without competition during all cycle

Carbamazepine does not alter the intrinsic cardiac function in rats with epilepsy Carbamazepina não altera o funcionamento cardíaco intrínseco em ratos com epilepsia

Among the causes for sudden unexpected death (SUDEP) in epilepsy, the effects of antiepileptic drugs on the heart have been poorly explored. Based on this, the aim of our study was to evaluate the heart rate (in vivo and isolated ex vivo) and ventricular pressure (isolated ex vivo) of rats with and without epilepsy treated with carbamazepine. Four groups of adult, male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were studied: [A] control rats (n=8), received neither pilocarpine nor carbamazepine [B] carbamazepine-treated rats (n=8), received a daily dose of 120 mg/Kg, i.p. of carbamazepine for two weeks; [C] rats with epilepsy that received just saline solution (n=8); [D] rats with epilepsy that received a daily dose of 120 mg/Kg, i.p. of carbamazepine for two weeks (n=8). Our results showed significant increase in heart rate in animals with epilepsy (with and without the use of carbamazepine) when compared to the control groups in vivo. In contrast, we did not find differences during isolated ex vivo experiments comparing animals with and without epilepsy and despite the use of carbamazepine. Our results suggest that, in isolation, carbamazepine may not be a potential risk factor for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.<br>Entre as causas de morte súbita em epilepsia (SUDEPE), os efeitos das drogas antiepilépticas no coração têm sido pobremente explorados. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência cardíaca (in vivo e de forma isolada ex vivo) e a pressão ventricular (de forma isolada ex vivo) de ratos com e sem epilepsia tratados com carbamazepina. Quatro grupos de ratos Wistar machos adultos (peso 200 a 250 g) foram estudados: [A] ratos controle (n=8), não receberam pilocarpina ou carbamazepina; [B] ratos tratados com carbamazepina (n=8), receberam dose diária de carbamazepina de 120 mg/kg intraperitoneal, durante duas semanas (n=8); [C] ratos com epilepsia que receberam solução salina; [D] ratos com epilepsia que receberam dose diária de carbamazepina de 120 mg/kg intraperitoneal durante duas semanas. Nossos resultados evidenciaram uma diferença estatisticamente significativa na média da freqüência cardíaca in vivo entre os animais com epilepsia (com e sem o uso de carbamazepina) quando comparados aos grupos controles in vivo. Em contraste, não observamos diferenças estatísticas nos experimentos ex vivo quando comparados os animais com ou sem epilepsia, a despeito do uso da carbamazepina. Nossos resultados sugerem que, de forma isolada, a carbamazepina pode não ser um fator de risco potencial para a ocorrência de morte súbita em epilepsia