70 research outputs found
Telotristat ethyl reverses myxomatous changes in mice mitral valves
Rationale: Myxomatous mitral valve degeneration is a common pathological manifestation of mitral valve regurgitation, with or without valvular prolapse. In addition to similarities between naturally occurring and serotonergic valve degeneration, an increasing body of evidence has recently suggested that serotonin signaling is a regulator of degenerative valvulopathies. Studies have found that serotonin can be synthesized locally by valvular cells and serotonin receptors in turn may be activated to promote signaling. Recently, telotristat ethyl (TE) has been introduced as a treatment for carcinoid disease, by selectively inhibiting tryptophan hydroxylase 1, the rate-limiting enzyme in peripheral serotonin synthesis. TE provides a unique tool to test inhibition of serotonin synthesis in vivo, without impacting brain serotonin, to further confirm the role of local serotonin synthesis on heart valves.
Objective: To confirm the link between serotonin and myxomatous valvular disease in vivo.
Methods and results: A hypertension-induced myxomatous mitral valve disease mouse model was employed to test the effect of TE on valvular degeneration. Circulating serotonin and local serotonin in valve tissues were tested by enzyme immunoassay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. TE was administrated in two modes: (1) parallel with angiotensin II (A2); (2) post A2 treatment. Myxomatous changes were successfully recapitulated in hypertensive mice, as determined by ECM remodeling, myofibroblast transformation, and serotonin signaling activation. These changes were at least partially reversed upon TE administration.
Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence of TE as a potential therapeutic for myxomatous mitral disease, either used to prevent or reverse myxomatous degeneration
Brief Note Mendelian inheritance, linkage and genotypic disequilibrium in microsatellite loci isolated from Hymenaea courbaril (Leguminosae)
The Kuiper Belt and Other Debris Disks
We discuss the current knowledge of the Solar system, focusing on bodies in
the outer regions, on the information they provide concerning Solar system
formation, and on the possible relationships that may exist between our system
and the debris disks of other stars. Beyond the domains of the Terrestrial and
giant planets, the comets in the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud preserve some
of our most pristine materials. The Kuiper belt, in particular, is a
collisional dust source and a scientific bridge to the dusty "debris disks"
observed around many nearby main-sequence stars. Study of the Solar system
provides a level of detail that we cannot discern in the distant disks while
observations of the disks may help to set the Solar system in proper context.Comment: 50 pages, 25 Figures. To appear in conference proceedings book
"Astrophysics in the Next Decade
Dermatophylosis in Santa Inês sheep from Distrito Federal
Relataram-se quatro casos de dermatofilose em ovinos da raça Santa Inês, no período de um ano. Microscopicamente observaram-se filamentos na forma de "trilho de bonde" e zoósporos nos quatro casos. A tentativa do isolamento do microrganismo foi realizada por meio do método de Haalstra e em apenas um caso obteve-se sucesso, observando-se colônias de aparência lisa, formato circular, cor amarelada e hemolítica em ágar sangue. O exame direto com coloração de Gram mostrou-se um método bastante eficiente na confirmação da presença do microrganismo afetando a epiderme em razão da morfologia típica do agente.Four cases of dermatophylosis were reported in Santa Inês sheep in a study period of one year. Microscopically, septate filaments and coccoid forms zoospores were observed. Attempts to isolate the microorganisms were accomplished using Haastra's method and it was successful in only one case. Dermatophilus congolensis samples have grown on blood agar, colonies where hemolytic, small, round and pigmentation vary from yellow to orange. The gram staining method was efficient to confirm the presence of the microorganism affecting the epidermis due to typical morphology of the agent
Considerações metodológicas sobre as possibilidades de aplicação da técnica de observação participante na Saúde Coletiva
Risk factors for gastrointestinal parasite infections of dogs living around protected areas of the Atlantic Forest: implications for human and wildlife health
Aplicação de ácido giberélico (GA3) e anatomia da epiderme foliar visando à detecção de variantes somaclonais de bananeira Musa sp. Colla cv. Prata-anã (Musaceae)
- …