Intravitreal NGF administration counteracts retina degeneration after permanent carotid artery occlusion in rat

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF) is produced by different cell types in the anterior and posterior eye, exerting a neuroprotective role in the adult life. The visual system is highly sensitive to NGF and the retina and optic nerve provides suitable subjects for the study of central nervous system degeneration. The model of bilateral carotid occlusion (two-vessel occlusion, 2VO) is a well-established model for chronic brain hypoperfusion leading to brain capillary pathology, to retina and optic nerve degeneration. In order to study if a single intravitreal injection of NGF protects the retina and the optic nerve from degeneration during systemic circulatory diseases, we investigated morphological and molecular changes occurring in the retina and optic nerve of adult rats at different time-points (8, 30 and 75 days) after bilateral carotid occlusion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We demonstrated that a single intravitreal injection of NGF (5 μg/3 μl performed 24 hours after 2VO ligation) has a long-lasting protective effect on retina and optic nerve degeneration. NGF counteracts retinal ganglion cells degeneration by early affecting Bax/Bcl-2 balance- and <it>c-jun- </it>expression (at 8 days after 2VO). A single intravitreal NGF injection regulates the demyelination/remyelination balance after ischemic injury in the optic nerve toward remyelination (at 75 days after 2VO), as indicated by the MBP expression regulation, thus preventing optic nerve atrophy and ganglion cells degeneration. At 8 days, NGF does not modify 2VO-induced alteration in VEFG and related receptors mRNA expression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The protective effect of exogenous NGF during this systemic circulatory disease seems to occur also by strengthening the effect of endogenous NGF, the synthesis of which is increased by vascular defect and also by the mechanical lesion associated with NGF or even vehicle intraocular delivery.</p

Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying multiple alleles of antigen 43-encoding gene of Escherichia coli associated with biofilm formation

A clinical strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae typed as sequence type 307 carrying three different alleles of the flu gene encoding the Escherichia coli virulence factor antigen 43 associated with biofilm formation was detected and characterized. The flu alleles are located in the chromosome inside putative integrative conjugative elements. The strain displays the phenotypes associated with Ag43, i.e. bi-phasic colony morphology and enhanced biofilm production. Furthermore, the strain produces low amount of capsule known to affect Ag43 function. Analysis of 1431 worldwide deposited genomes revealed that 3.7% Klebsiella pneumoniae carry one or two flu alleles

Therapeutic group approach and the fearful scenes of learning in children and adolescents

The research aims at studying the fearful scenes of learning in therapeutic groups of children and adolescents between 11 and 13 years old. During the process of the groups and by identifying the "fearful scenes" of learning it was possible to reflect the obstacles of each participant. The authors of the project created play activities to allow the reflection of each one's own difficulties and capacities in order to recognized one's own creative processes. In this article we show how the scenes were thought and performed. The authors point to the importance of the group intervention mainly when the manifestations and recognition of creativity are hidden for the participants of the group.Esta investigación tubo como objetivo estudiar las escenas temidas en el apredizaje de niños y adolescentes, de 11 a 13 anõs, que estabam en tratamiento psicopedagógico en grupo. A partir de la identificación de las "escenas temidas" en el grupo fué posible pensar sobre los obstáculos encontrados por los participantes. El equipo de psicopedagogos estructuró actividades lúdicas para provocar la confrontación de cada articipante con él mismo y en relación al otro, con el objetivo de hacerlo pensar sobre sus dificultades y permitir que asumieran sus capacidades creativas. Relatamos algunas de las escenas y la forma como fueron pensadas por el equipo de psicopedagogos. Se percibió la importancia de la intervención psicopedagógica grupal sobre las manifestaciones de ocultación del sujeto creador/autor. Estas manifestaciones fueron las que más caracterizaron la forma como los participantes se relacionabam con el objeto del conocimiento.Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo o estudo das cenas temidas na aprendizagem no atendimento grupal psicopedagógico de crianças e adolescentes de 11 a 13 anos. A partir da identificação das "cenas temidas" no grupo, foi possível refletir sobre os obstáculos que os participantes encontraram. Coube à equipe estruturar atividades lúdicas que provocassem a confrontação do participante com ele mesmo e em relação ao outro, fazendo-o refletir sobre suas dificuldades, e provocando-os a assumirem suas capacidades criativas. Relatamos algumas cenas e de que forma foram pensadas pela equipe. Percebeu-se a importância da intervenção psicopedagógica grupal sobre as manifestações de ocultamento do sujeito criador/autor, que foram as que mais caracterizaram os modos como os participantes se relacionavam com o objeto de conhecimento

Relato de experiencia sobre el uso de plantas medicinales por una comunidad del municipio de Uruguaiana/RS

Objetivo: Relatar a utilização de plantas medicinais por uma comunidade urbana do município de Uruguaiana/RS. Método: Trata-se de um relato de experiência elaborado a partir de um diagnóstico de saúde de uma população residente em uma área da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF), realizado no período de 13 de maio a 03 de junho de 2009, com 278 famílias. Foram investigados dados referentes à frequência e uso de plantas medicinais, origem do conhecimento e possíveis reações adversas, além de informações sobre o uso tópico e substituição de fármacos pelas plantas medicinais. Resultados: Observou-se que 94,6% das famílias fazem uso de plantas medicinais. A maior parte afirmou utilizá-los pela crença de que este tratamento tem maior eficácia se comparado com o tratamento farmacológico. Apenas 36,1% dos entrevistados responderam que utilizam os chás de plantas medicinais sempre que têm alguma necessidade de saúde. A maioria das crianças das famílias entrevistadas utiliza plantas medicinais (71,2%). Conclusão: Acredita-se que o trabalho educativo realizado junto aos agentes comunitários de saúde, concomitante à apresentação dos resultados tenha contribuído para a promoção da saúde desta população

COVID-19 public health measures and patient and public involvement in health and social care research: An umbrella review

An umbrella review of previously published systematic reviews was conducted to determine the nature and extent of the patient and public involvement (PPI) in COVID-19 health and social care research and identify how PPI has been used to develop public health measures (PHM). In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on PPI in research as it offers alternative perspectives and insight into the needs of healthcare users to improve the quality and relevance of research. In January 2022, nine databases were searched from 2020–2022, and records were filtered to identify peer-reviewed articles published in English. From a total of 1437 unique records, 54 full-text articles were initially evaluated, and six articles met the inclusion criteria. The included studies suggest that PHM should be attuned to communities within a sociocultural context. Based on the evidence included, it is evident that PPI in COVID-19-related research is varied. The existing evidence includes written feedback, conversations with stakeholders, and working groups/task forces. An inconsistent evidence base exists in the application and use of PPI in PHM. Successful mitigation efforts must be community specific while making PPI an integral component of shared decision-making

ORGANOMINERAL NA CULTURA DA SOJA

Cultivares de soja submetidas a doses de organominera

LasI/R and RhlI/R Quorum Sensing in a Strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Beneficial to Plants▿

Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses three quorum-sensing (QS) systems which are key in the expression of a large number of genes, including many virulence factors. Most studies of QS in P. aeruginosa have been performed in clinical isolates and have therefore focused on its role in pathogenicity. P. aeruginosa, however, is regarded as a ubiquitous organism capable of colonizing many different environments and also of establishing beneficial associations with plants. In this study we examined the role of the two N-acyl homoserine lactone systems known as RhlI/R and LasI/R in the environmental rice rhizosphere isolate P. aeruginosa PUPa3. Both the Rhl and Las systems are involved in the regulation of plant growth-promoting traits. The environmental P. aeruginosa PUPa3 is pathogenic in two nonmammalian infection models, and only the double las rhl mutants are attenuated for virulence. In fact it was established that the two QS systems are not hierarchically organized and that they are both important for the colonization of the rice rhizosphere. This is an in-depth genetic and molecular study of QS in an environmental P. aeruginosa strain and highlights several differences with QS regulation in the clinical isolate PAO1