Efeitos de uma única sessão de exercício resistido na contratilidade miocárdica e na reatividade vascular de ratos espontaneamente hipertensos.

O exercício físico realizado de forma crônica é capaz de promover importantes adaptações benéficas no sistema cardiovascular. Dentre elas podemos destacar redução da pressão arterial (PA) de repouso e melhora na função ventricular e vascular. Recentemente, atenção tem sido dada também ao exercício físico realizado de forma aguda. Após uma única sessão de exercício aeróbio ocorre importante redução da PA de repouso e redução da reatividade vascular. No entanto, os efeitos cardíacos e vasculares de uma única sessão de exercício resistido (ER) são desconhecidos. Portanto, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a PA, a contratilidade miocárdica e a reatividade vascular após uma única sessão de ER. Foram utilizados ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR) com 3 meses de idade (250 300g). A PA de repouso e após o exercício foi mensurada de forma direta nos animais acordados. In vitro, foram avaliadas as respostas vasculares das artérias aorta e caudal, a contratilidade de músculos papilares do ventrículo esquerdo (VE) e a contratilidade do coração isolado pela técnica de Langendorff após o ER agudo. Tais respostas foram avaliadas em 2 grupos experimentais: controle (Ct) e exercício (Ex). Os animais foram exercitados em aparato de agachamento conforme descrito por Tamaki e cols. (1992). Uma única sessão de ER promoveu importante queda a PA sistólica e diastólica quando comparado à condição pré-exercício (? - 79 ? 1,8; - 23 ? 2,3 mmHg, respectivamente; P0,05). Na avaliação da contratilidade do coração isolado, os resultados obtidos demonstraram que o exercício agudo aumentou a pressão sistólica isovolumétrica do VE (PSIVE) em condições basais (? +39 mmHg; P<0,05). Os animais exercitados apresentaram maior resposta à avaliação da regulação heterométrica pela curva de Frank-Starling no coração isolado (P<0,05). Mediante intervenção inotrópica ao cálcio e isoproterenol, a PSIVE foi maior nos animais exercitados que animais controles (P<0,05). Os resultados obtidos mostraram que uma única sessão de exercício resistido reduz a PA de repouso, melhora a função endotelial e aumenta a contratilidade miocárdica de ratos hipertensos

Expression analysis of the mouse S100A7/psoriasin gene in skin inflammation and mammary tumorigenesis

BACKGROUND: The human psoriasin (S100A7) gene has been implicated in inflammation and tumor progression. Implementation of a mouse model would facilitate further investigation of its function, however little is known of the murine psoriasin gene. In this study we have cloned the cDNA and characterized the expression of the potential murine ortholog of human S100A7/psoriasin in skin inflammation and mammary tumorigenesis. METHODS: On the basis of chromosomal location, phylogenetic analysis, amino acid sequence similarity, conservation of a putative Jab1-binding motif, and similarities of the patterns of mouse S100A7/psoriasin gene expression (measured by RT-PCR and in-situ hybridization) with those of human S100A7/psoriasin, we propose that mouse S100A7/psoriasin is the murine ortholog of human psoriasin/S100A7. RESULTS: Although mouse S100A7/psoriasin is poorly conserved relative to other S100 family members, its pattern of expression parallels that of the human psoriasin gene. In murine skin S100A7/psoriasin was significantly upregulated in relation to inflammation. In murine mammary gland expression is also upregulated in mammary tumors, where it is localized to areas of squamous differentiation. This mirrors the context of expression in human tumor types where both squamous and glandular differentiation occur, including cervical and lung carcinomas. Additionally, mouse S100A7/psoriasin possesses a putative Jab1 binding motif that mediates many downstream functions of the human S100A7 gene. CONCLUSION: These observations and results support the hypothesis that the mouse S100A7 gene is structurally and functionally similar to human S100A7 and may offer a relevant model system for studying its normal biological function and putative role in tumor progression

The Veterinary Identity: A Time and Context Model

The nature of professionalism teaching is a current issue in veterinary education, with an individual’s identity as a professional having implications for one’s values and behaviors, as well as for his or her career satisfaction and psychological well-being. An appropriately formed professional identity imparts competence in making complex decisions—those that involve multiple perspectives and are complicated by contextual challenges. It enables an individual to act in a way that aligns with his or her professional values and priorities, and imparts resilience to situations in which one’s actions are dissonant to these personal beliefs. There are challenges in professionalism teaching that relate to student engagement and faculty confidence in this area. However, these cannot be addressed without first defining the veterinary professional identity—in effect, the aim of professionalism teaching. In this article, existing identity models from the wider literature have been analyzed through a veterinary lens. This analysis was then used to construct a model of veterinary professional identity that incorporates the self (personal morals and values), social development (learning from the workplace environment), and professional behaviors. Individuals who form what we have termed self–environment–behavior connections are proposed to be able to use workplace learning opportunities to inform their identity development, such that environmental complexity does not obstruct the link between values and behaviors. Those who fail to connect with the environment in this way may perceive that environmental influences (e.g., the client, financial limitations) are obstructive to enacting their desired identity, and they may struggle with decision making in complex scenarios

National Mass Drug Administration Costs for Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination

Lymphatic filariasis (LF), commonly known as elephantiasis, is a profoundly disfiguring parasitic disease caused by thread-like nematode worms. This disease can often be disabling, thus reducing the potential productivity of the affected individuals. The WHO places the number of people at risk in 83 countries at 1.307 billion. This study was undertaken in seven countries—Burkina Faso, Ghana, Egypt, Tanzania, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti—using a common protocol to determine the costs of mass drug administration (MDA) programs to interrupt transmission of infection with LF, because there is lack of sufficient information about the costs of these programs. The results demonstrate that LF MDA is affordable and relatively inexpensive when compared to other public health programs. In the context of initiatives for integrating programs for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases, this study adds specifically to the relatively scarce body of information about the costs of MDA programs for LF. It also adds to the general knowledge about the application of methods that can be used to estimate the costs and cost-effectiveness of an integrated approach

Lipid (per) oxidation in mitochondria:an emerging target in the ageing process?

Lipids are essential for physiological processes such as maintaining membrane integrity, providing a source of energy and acting as signalling molecules to control processes including cell proliferation, metabolism, inflammation and apoptosis. Disruption of lipid homeostasis can promote pathological changes that contribute towards biological ageing and age-related diseases. Several age-related diseases have been associated with altered lipid metabolism and an elevation in highly damaging lipid peroxidation products; the latter has been ascribed, at least in part, to mitochondrial dysfunction and elevated ROS formation. In addition, senescent cells, which are known to contribute significantly to age-related pathologies, are also associated with impaired mitochondrial function and changes in lipid metabolism. Therapeutic targeting of dysfunctional mitochondrial and pathological lipid metabolism is an emerging strategy for alleviating their negative impact during ageing and the progression to age-related diseases. Such therapies could include the use of drugs that prevent mitochondrial uncoupling, inhibit inflammatory lipid synthesis, modulate lipid transport or storage, reduce mitochondrial oxidative stress and eliminate senescent cells from tissues. In this review, we provide an overview of lipid structure and function, with emphasis on mitochondrial lipids and their potential for therapeutic targeting during ageing and age-related disease