“The road to reproduction”: foraging trails of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) as maternities for Staphylinidae beetles

Corotoca (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) beetles are known for their close integration in the nests of the termite Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae). Although this relationship is regarded as ancient, many details are still obscure, such as their reproduction and the processes that lead to the dispersal of new beetles. We observed the use of termite foraging trails by Staphylinidae females to deposit and disperse their larvae. We recorded the deposition of larvae of C. melantho, C. fontesi, and C. sp. n. on the dorsal surfaces of termite host workers. The workers continue to follow the foraging trail until the newborn larvae freed themselves and fell into the leaf litter, subsequently burrowing into the ground. Information regarding the life stages of those Staphylinidae larvae outside the termite nest is important to understanding their full lifecycle as those taxa have strong relationships with the nest environment but also require dispersal strategies

Motivos de exclusão para a cirurgia de estimulação cerebral profunda na doença de Parkinson

Abstract de comunicação apresentada no Congresso SPDMov 2022 - Parkinsonismos Atípicos: Clássicos e Atípicos. Luso, 1-2 Abril 2022N/

A selecção do substrato de alimentação não é afectada pela temperatura do solo e ambiente durante a forragem do Constrictotermes cyphergaster

Termites are known as wood consumers, although some species eat other substrates. Assessing resource selection is important to understanding their biology. The present study provides information on the foraging behavior of Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Blattaria, Termitidae) in a dry forest area of Caatinga in Brazil. We aimed to verify the frequency of resource exploitation by termites as a function of environmental and soil temperatures. We found no significant differences in resource exploitation as a function of temperature, which is interesting because this variable is often reported as modulating foraging activity in some other termite species. This species forages on open trails at high temperatures in the Brazilian semi-arid zone. Environmental changes may affect the dynamics of their behavior and, consequently, the ecosystem, since C. cyphergaster influences the carbon cycle and can modify the soil. Our study provides a basis for future research intending to understand the adaptations of this termite to live in the drylands.Os cupins são conhecidos como consumidores de madeira, embora algumas espécies se alimentem de outros substratos. Avaliar a seleção de recursos é importante para compreender a sua biologia. O presente estudo fornece informação sobre o comportamento de forrageio de Constrictotermes cyphergaster (Blattaria, Termitidae) numa área de floresta seca de Caatinga no Brasil. O nosso objetivo foi verificar a frequência da exploração dos recursos pelos térmitas em função das temperaturas do ambiente e do solo. Não encontramos diferenças significativas na exploração de recursos em função da temperatura, o que é interessante porque esta variável é frequentemente reportada como moduladora da atividade de forrageio em algumas outras espécies de térmitas. Esta espécie forrageia trilhas abertas em temperaturas elevadas na zona semiárida brasileira. As mudanças ambientais podem afetar a dinâmica do seu comportamento e, consequentemente, o ecossistema, uma vez que C. cyphergaster influencia o ciclo do carbono e pode modificar o solo. O nosso estudo fornece uma base para futuras investigações que pretendem compreender as adaptações destes cupins para viver nas terras secas

The Impact of <i>Constrictotermes cyphergaster</i> (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) Termites on Semiarid Ecosystems in Brazil: A Review of Current Research

Termites have global distributions and play important roles in most ecosystems, often with high nest densities and interesting associations with other organisms. Constrictotermes cyphergaster, is a termite endemic to South America, widely distributed and very conspicuous, and has therefore been considered a good model for filling in gaps in general termite ecology and their relationships with other organisms (e.g., termitophily). A systematic review (content and bibliometric analyses) was used to gather all published scientific knowledge related to C. cyphergaster as well as to observe trends, verify gaps, and direct new perspectives for future studies of this species. We identified 54 studies, of which more than 50% were published in the last five years (28 articles). The majority of the articles investigated the relationships between C. cyphergaster and macroorganisms (44.4%), followed by specific aspects of its biology (25.9%). The collaboration network revealed that links between researchers are still limited and modular, but trending topics have changed over time. Additionally, there are differences in the aims of the studies being carried out in the Caatinga and Cerrado domains, with some information focusing only on one of those environments. Our results show that some gaps in the biology and ecology of C. cyphergaster remain to be explored, although collaborative efforts between researchers open opportunities for suggesting future studies that would make relevant contributions to the general knowledge of termites

“K-Powder” Exposure during Adolescence Elicits Psychiatric Disturbances Associated with Oxidative Stress in Female Rats

Ketamine, also called ‘K-powder’ by abusers, an analog of phencyclidine, primarily acts as an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors, therapeutically used as an anesthetic agent. Ketamine also stimulates the limbic system, inducing hallucinations and dissociative effects. At sub-anesthetic doses, ketamine also displays hallucinatory and dissociative properties, but not loss of consciousness. These behavioral consequences have elicited its recreational use worldwide, mainly at rave parties. Ketamine is generally a drug of choice among teenagers and young adults; however, the harmful consequences of its recreational use on adolescent central nervous systems are poorly explored. Thus, the aim of the present study was to characterize the behavioral and biochemical consequences induced by one binge-like cycle of ketamine during the early withdrawal period in adolescent female rats. Adolescent female Wistar rats (n = 20) received intraperitoneally administered ketamine (10 mg/kg/day) for 3 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration of ketamine, animals were submitted to behavioral tests in an open field, elevated plus-maze, and forced swimming test. Then, animals were intranasally anesthetized with 2% isoflurane and euthanized to collect prefrontal cortex and hippocampus to assess lipid peroxidation, antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, reactive oxygen species, reduced glutathione, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Our results found that 24 h after recreational ketamine use, emotional behavior disabilities, such as anxiety- and depression-like profiles, were detected. In addition, spontaneous ambulation was reduced. These negative behavioral phenotypes were associated with evidence of oxidative stress on the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus

PARP1 Characterization as a Potential Biomarker for <i>BCR::ABL1</i> p190+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Detection of t(9;22), and consequent BCR::ABL1 fusion, is still a marker of worse prognosis for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with resistance to tyrosine-kinase inhibitor therapy being a major obstacle in the clinical practice for this subset of patients. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of targeting poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) in a model of BCR::ABL1 p190+ ALL, the most common isoform to afflict ALL patients, and demonstrated the use of experimental PARP inhibitor (PARPi), AZD2461, as a therapeutic option with cytotoxic capabilities similar to that of imatinib, the current gold standard in medical care. We characterized cytostatic profiles, induced cell death, and biomarker expression modulation utilizing cell models, also providing a comprehensive genome-wide analysis through an aCGH of the model used, and further validated PARP1 differential expression in samples of ALL p190+ patients from local healthcare institutions, as well as in larger cohorts of online and readily available datasets. Overall, we demonstrate the effectiveness of PARPi in the treatment of BCR::ABL1 p190+ ALL cell models and that PARP1 is differentially expressed in patient samples. We hope our findings help expand the characterization of molecular profiles in ALL settings and guide future investigations into novel biomarker detection and pharmacological choices in clinical practice

As insanas do Hospício Nacional de Alienados (1900-1939) Insane women at the Hospício Nacional de Alienados (1900-1939)

Este trabalho é um dos resultados de pesquisa de pós-doutoramento realizada entre 2004 e 2006 na Casa de Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, com o apoio do CNPq e da Faperj, em que se buscou estabelecer uma cartografia das práticas psiquiátricas no Hospício Nacional de Alienados. O projeto tinha por objetivo levantar dados e analisar os processos de construção de diagnósticos, o tempo de internação e suas correlações. Para tanto, foram considerados os critérios: origens étnicas e nacionais, atividades profissionais, gênero, estado civil, idade, classe social, índice de mortalidade, origem geográfica e autoria dos prontuários. Neste texto restringimo-nos à relação entre gênero e loucura nas quatro primeiras décadas do século XX.<br>This study is one of the products of post-doctoral research carried out between 2004 and 2006 at the Casa de Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, with the support of the research funding agencies CNPq and Faperj. The goal was to arrive at a cartography of psychiatric practices at the Hospício Nacional de Alienados (HNA) by surveying and analyzing the processes of constructing diagnoses and length of hospitalization and correlating these with the patient's ethnic and national origin, occupation, gender, marital status, age, social class, mortality rate, geographical origin, and other attributes. The present article limits itself to the issue of gender and madness during the first three decades of the twentieth century