Comprehensive risk prediction in cardiomyopathies: new genetic and imaging markers of risk, volume II

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Mass spectrometry improvement on an high current ion implanter

The development of accurate mass spectrometry, enabling the identification of all the ions extracted from the ion source in a high current implanter is described. The spectrometry system uses two signals (x-y graphic), one proportional to the magnetic field (x-axes), taken from the high-voltage potential with an optic fiber system, and the other proportional to the beam current intensity (y-axes), taken from a beam-stop. The ion beam mass register in a mass spectrum of all the elements magnetically analyzed with the same radius and defined by a pair of analyzing slits as a function of their beam intensity is presented. The developed system uses a PC to control the displaying of the extracted beam mass spectrum, and also recording of all data acquired for posterior analysis. The operator uses a LabView code that enables the interfacing between an I/O board and the ion implanter. The experimental results from an ion implantation experiment are shown. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

McArdle disease: mutational spectrum of Portuguese patients

McArdle disease or Glycogen Storage Disease type V (GSD V; myophosphorylase deficiency; MIM 232600) its an inborn error of glycogen metabolism, caused by a deficiency in muscle specific isoform of glycogen phosphorylase. This metabolic myopathy is characterised by exercise intolerance, myalgia, cramps and episodic myoglobinuria, symptoms that usually appear during the second or third decade of life. The diagnosis was typically made in muscle biopsy by histological analysis (demonstration of subsarcolemmal glycogen deposits and negative histochemical stain for phosphorylase) and/or measurement of muscle phosphorylase activity. Although since 1984, when the gene of muscle isoform of phosphorylase (myophosphorylase) was cloned and assigned to chromosome 11 (11q13), molecular genetics analysis has been more and more used to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Until now, 146 pathogenic mutations have been described (according to HGMDTM) including nonsense, missense and framshift mutations. High genetic heterogeneity is a hallmark of McArdle disease with a very frequent common mutation among Caucasian populations – R49X (present in about 60% of the mutated alleles) – and several rare mutations, without a clear genotype/phenotype correlation. The authors will present molecular data from the characterisation of 53 Portuguese patients, from 42 families, with McArdle disease. Our results reveal the presence of the R49X mutation in 60 of the alleles (57%), in accordance to what has been described to other Caucasian populations, being identified a total of 15 different mutations were identified. These results allowed in many cases the diagnosis without the need of a muscle biopsy, but also provide valuable information for genetic counselling and to increase the knowledge about the molecular pathology of this disorder

LIVRO DIDÁTICO DE LÍNGUA PORTUGUESA: UM GÊNERO DE DISCURSO MULTIMODAL

Há muito vem se discutindo a importância do livro didático no processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Neste artigo, trazemos algumas reflexões sobre a interface entre livro didático, gênero de discurso e multimodalidade. Procuramos observar em que medida o livro didático é caracterizado como um gênero de discurso multimodal, uma vez que apresenta uma simbiose de linguagens. Para atingir nosso objetivo, recorremos aos pressupostos enunciativo-discursivos de abordagem sócio-histórica Bakhtin (2011), aliados a fundamentos da multimodalidade, apresentados por Rojo e Barbosa (2015), Dionísio (2013), Bonini (2011) e Maingueneau (2016). Apresentamos como corpus dois livros didáticos do ensino fundamental, o que nos revelou a presença de elementos que fazem com que o livro didático seja considerado um gênero de discurso multimodal, o qual abre perspectiva para o aluno se tornar um leitor crítico, se o livro didático for trabalhado no processo de ensino-aprendizagem como um gênero multimodal

Educating for earthquake science and risk in a tectonically slowly deforming region

Over the past decade, scientists have been called to participate more actively in public education and outreach (E&O). This is particularly true in fields of significant societal impact, such as earthquake science. Local earthquake risk culture plays a role in the way that the public engages in educational efforts. In this article, we describe an adapted E&O program for earthquake science and risk. The program is tailored for a region of slow tectonic deformation, where large earthquakes are extreme events that occur with long return periods. The adapted program has two main goals: (1) to increase the awareness and preparedness of the population to earthquake and related risks (tsunami, liquefaction, fires, etc.), and (2) to increase the quality of earthquake science education, so as to attract talented students to geosciences. Our integrated program relies on activities tuned for different population groups who have different interests and abilities, namely young children, teenagers, young adults, and professionals

The Impact of Ischemia Assessed by Magnetic Resonance on Functional, Arrhythmic, and Imaging Features of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Funding: LL is supported by an MRC UK clinical academic partnership award (CARP) MR/T005181/1.publishersversionpublishe

A ASCENÇÃO E QUEDA DO IMPÉRIO X

O presente caso narra a trajetória do empresário Eike Batista desde seus tempos de estudante de engenharia, passando por seu primeiro empreendimento na mineração de ouro, ascensão a “maior empreendedor do Brasil” e homem mais rico do Brasil, até o declínio de seu grupo, culminando no pedido de recuperação judicial pessoal e de suas empresas. A partir de sua história é possível observar diversos pontos fulcrais que contribuíram ora para seu crescimento, ora para seu insucesso. Os fatos narrados destinam-se a uma reflexão que instigue estudantes e profissionais das áreas de Ciências Contábeis e Administração a relacionarem tais acontecimentos práticos à Teoria da Agência e à Teoria da Divulgação. Ainda assim, dada a abrangência do caso quanto à trajetória do empreendedor citado e do ciclo de vida de suas empresas, pode ser aplicado sob outras temáticas relacionadas a Finanças e Empreendedorismo

Title: Synergism between Fluconazole and Terminalia catappa Extract and its Use in the Treatment of Candida-infected Tenebrio molitor Larvae / Título: Sinergismo entre Fluconazol e o Extrato de Terminalia catappa e seu uso no tratamento de larvas de Tenebrio molitor infectadas com Candida

The increase of Candida infections in the last few decades is alarming and the resistance development to antifungals, especially fluconazole, the most widely used drug for treatment, enhances the importance of these infections. Thus, identifying new substances and provide the pharmaceutical industry with the most effective drugs is imperative. Goals were to show the antifungal, anti-biofilm, and synergistic actions between fluconazole (FLZ) and hydroalcoholic extract of Terminalia catappa (TcHE) against Candida vaginal isolates. TcHE was analyzed for anti-Candida activity by agar diffusion and microdilutions assays. Totoxicity was evaluated by the hemolytic test and in larvae of Tenebrio molitor. The effect of TcHE on Candida cells was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis and interference of TcHE on biofilms by MTT assay. In vivo Candida infection and treatment with TcHE was analysed in T. molitor larvae. TcHE showed antifungal activity against all strains tested. The extract was not cytotoxic among concentrations of 3 to 100 mg/mL. Moreover, combinations of TcHE with FLZ have considerably increased the anti-yeast activity (FICI ? 0.5). Our findings indicated that TcHE promoted cell membrane instability probably causing plasma membrane damage in C. albicans, resulting in increased cell membrane permeability. These results could also explain the synergistic activity observed between TcHE and fluconazole. TcHE exhibited anti-biofilm properties against C. albicans strains. The antifungal activity and the low cytotoxic potential demonstrated by TcHE reveal that it is promising for development as a new antimycotic

A ASCENÇÃO E QUEDA DO IMPÉRIO X

O presente caso narra a trajetória do empresário Eike Batista desde seus tempos de estudante de engenharia, passando por seu primeiro empreendimento na mineração de ouro, ascensão a “maior empreendedor do Brasil” e homem mais rico do Brasil, até o declínio de seu grupo, culminando no pedido de recuperação judicial pessoal e de suas empresas. A partir de sua história é possível observar diversos pontos fulcrais que contribuíram ora para seu crescimento, ora para seu insucesso. Os fatos narrados destinam-se a uma reflexão que instigue estudantes e profissionais das áreas de Ciências Contábeis e Administração a relacionarem tais acontecimentos práticos à Teoria da Agência e à Teoria da Divulgação. Ainda assim, dada a abrangência do caso quanto à trajetória do empreendedor citado e do ciclo de vida de suas empresas, pode ser aplicado sob outras temáticas relacionadas a Finanças e Empreendedorismo

Characterization of advanced glycation end products and their receptor (RAGE) in an animal model of myocardial infarction

Circulating advanced glycation end products (AGE) and their receptor, RAGE, are increased after a myocardial infarction (MI) episode and seem to be associated with worse prognosis in patients. Despite the increasing importance of these molecules in the course of cardiac diseases, they have never been characterized in an animal model of MI. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize AGE formation and RAGE expression in plasma and cardiac tissue during cardiac remodeling after MI in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomized to receive sham surgery (n = 15) or MI induction (n = 14) by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. The MI group was stratified into two subgroups based on postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction: low (MIlowEF) and intermediate (MIintermEF). Echocardiography findings and plasma levels of AGEs, protein carbonyl, and free amines were assessed at baseline and 2, 30, and 120 days postoperatively. At the end of follow-up, the heart was harvested for AGE and RAGE evaluation. No differences were observed in AGE formation in plasma, except for a decrease in absorbance in MIlowEF at the end of follow-up. A decrease in yellowish-brown AGEs in heart homogenate was found, which was confirmed by immunodetection of N-ε-carboxymethyl-lysine. No differences could be seen in plasma RAGE levels among the groups, despite an increase in MI groups over the time. However, MI animals presented an increase of 50% in heart RAGE at the end of the follow-up. Despite the inflammatory and oxidative profile of experimental MI in rats, there was no increase in plasma AGE or RAGE levels. However, AGE levels in cardiac tissue declined. Thus, we suggest that the rat MI model should be employed with caution when studying the AGERAGE signaling axis or anti-AGE drugs for not reflecting previous clinical findings