Fatores de risco para a transmissao vertical do HIV-1 e a influencia da terapia antirretroviral (ARV) no desfecho gestacional

In the absence of intervention, the rate of vertical transmission of HIV can range from 15-45%. With the inclusion of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and the choice of delivery route this amounts to less than 2%. However ARV use during pregnancy has generated several questions regarding the adverse effects of the gestational and neonatal outcome. This study aims to analyze the risk factors for vertical transmission of HIV-1 seropositive pregnant women living in Rio Grande and the influence of the use of ARVs in pregnancy outcome. Among the 262 pregnant women studied the rate of vertical transmission of HIV was found to be 3.8%. Regarding the VT, there was a lower risk of transmission when antiretroviral drugs were used and prenatal care was conducted at the referral service. However, the use of ART did not influence the outcome of pregnancy. However, initiation of prenatal care after the first trimester had an influence on low birth weight, as well as performance of less than six visits increased the risk of prematurity. Therefore, the risk factors analyzed in this study appear to be related to the realization of inadequate pre-natal and maternal behavior.Na ausência de intervenção, as taxas de transmissão vertical do HIV podem variar de 15-45%. Com a inserção dos antirretrovirais durante a gestação e a escolha da via de parto estas taxas chegam a menos de 2%. No entanto o uso de ARV na gestação tem gerado várias duvidas quanto aos efeitos adversos causados ao desfecho gestacional e ao neonato. Este estudo objetiva analisar os fatores de risco da transmissão vertical do HIV-1 em gestantes soropositivas atendidas na cidade do Rio Grande e a influência do uso do ARV no desfecho gestacional. Entre as 262 gestantes estudadas a taxa de transmissão vertical do HIV encontrada foi de 3,8%. Em relação à TV, foi observado menor risco de transmissão quando esta havia feito uso de antirretrovirais e o pré-natal era realizado no serviço de referência. Entretanto, o uso de ARV não influenciou negativamente o desfecho gestacional. No entanto, o inicio do pré-natal após o primeiro trimestre teve influencia sobre o baixo peso ao nascer, assim como a realização de menos de seis consultas aumentou o risco de prematuridade. Portanto, os fatores de risco analisados neste estudo parecem estar relacionados à realização não adequada do pré-natal e ao comportamento materno

Nonextensivity and Galaxy Clustering in the Universe

We investigate two important questions about the use of the nonextensive thermostatistics (NETS) formalism in the context of nonlinear galaxy clustering in the Universe. Firstly, we define a quantitative criterion for justifying nonextensivity at different physical scales. Then, we discuss the physics behind the ansatz of the entropic parameter $q(r)$. Our results suggest the approximate range where nonextensivity can be justified and, hence, give some support to the applicability of NETS to the study of large scale structures.Comment: 8 pages, written version of a talk presented in the International Workshop on Trends and Perspectives on Extensive and Non-Extensive Statistical Mechanics. Accepted for publication in Physica

Bioactivities and extract dereplication of actinomycetales isolated from marine sponges

In the beginning of the twenty-first century, humanity faces great challenges regarding diseases and health-related quality of life. A drastic rise in bacterial antibiotic resistance, in the number of cancer patients, in the obesity epidemics and in chronic diseases due to life expectation extension are some of these challenges. The discovery of novel therapeutics is fundamental and it may come from underexplored environments, like marine habitats, and microbial origin. Actinobacteria are well-known as treasure chests for the discovery of novel natural compounds. In this study, eighteen Actinomycetales isolated from marine sponges of three Erylus genera collected in Portuguese waters were tested for bioactivities with the main goal of isolating and characterizing the responsible bioactive metabolites. The screening comprehended antimicrobial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-cancer and anti-obesity properties. Fermentations of the selected strains were prepared using ten different culturing media. Several bioactivities against the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and the human liver cancer cell line HepG2 were obtained in small volume cultures. Screening in higher volumes showed consistent anti-fungal activity by strain Dermacoccus sp. #91-17 and Micrococcus luteus Berg02-26. Gordonia sp. Berg02-22.2 showed anti-parasitic (Trypanosoma cruzi) and anti-cancer activity against several cell lines (melanoma A2058, liver HepG2, colon HT29, breast MCF7 and pancreatic MiaPaca). For the anti-obesity assay, Microbacterium foliorum #91-29 and #91-40 induced lipid reduction on the larvae of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Dereplication of the extracts from several bacteria showed the existence of a variety of secondary metabolites, with some undiscovered molecules. This work showed that Actinomycetales are indeed good candidates for drug discovery.This research was partially supported by the Strategic Funding UID/Multi/04423/2013 through national funds provided by FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), in the framework of the programme PT2020, the EU H2020-TWINN-2015, BLUEandGREEN – Boosting scientific excellence and innovation capacity in biorefineries based on marine resources (Project No. 692419) and the European ERA-NET Marine Biotechnology project CYANOBESITY (ERA-MBT/0001/2015), financed by national funds through FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal). Ralph Urbatzka was supported by a FCT postdoc grant (SFRH/BPD/112287/2015). The MEDINA authors disclosed the receipt of financial support from Fundación MEDINA, a public-private partnership of Merck Sharp & Dohme de España S.A./Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía. Moreover, some of the equipment used in this work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the European Union (Grant INP-2011-0016-PCT-010000-ACT6)

Diurnal variations of cold-induced thermogenesis in young, healthy adults: a randomized crossover trial

Background: Harnessing cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity has been proposed as a means of counteracting a positive energy balance, and thus of combating obesity and its related comorbidities. However, it has remained unclear whether CIT and BAT activity show diurnal variation in humans -knowledge that might allow treatments based on these factors to be time-optimized.Methods: A randomized crossover experiment was designed to examine whether CIT shows morning/evening variation in young, healthy adults (n = 14, 5 women). On the first experimental day, subjects' shivering thresholds were determined following a cooling protocol. After z96 h had elapsed, the sub-jects then returned on two further days (approx. 48 h apart) at 08:00 h or 18:00 in random order. On both the latter days, the resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured before the subjects underwent personalized cold exposure (i.e., according to their shivering threshold). CIT was then assessed for 60 min by indirect calorimetry. In an independent cross-sectional study (n = 133, 88 women), subjects came to the laboratory between 8:00 and 18:00 h and their BAT F-18-fluordeoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) uptake was assessed after personalized cold stimulation.Results: Both the REE and CIT were similar in the morning and evening (all P > 0.05). Indeed, 60 min of personalized-mild cold exposure in the morning or evening elicited a similar change in energy expen-diture (16.8 +/- 12.8 vs. 15.7 +/- 15.1% increase above REE, P = 0.72). BAT F-18-FDG uptake was also similar in the morning, evening and afternoon (all P > 0.05).Conclusion: CIT does not appear to show morning/evening variation in young healthy adults, with the current study design and methodology. BAT F-18-FDG uptake appears not to change across the day either, although experiments with a within-subject study design are needed to confirm these findings. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Diabetes mellitus: pathophysiological changes and therap

Oxidative Stress And Changes In The Content And Pattern Of Tissue Expression Of β-catenin Protein In Diversion Colitis

Objective: The aim of this study is to verify if oxidative stress is related to changes in content and pattern of β-catenin protein expression in an experimental model of diversion colitis. Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were submitted to intestinal bypass. The animals were divided into three groups according to the sacrifice to take place in six, 12 and 18 weeks. For each group, five animals only underwent laparotomy (control). The presence of colitis was diagnosed by histological study, and its severity, by inflammation grading scale. Cellular oxidative stress was measured by comet assay. Tissue expression of β-catenin protein was analyzed by the immunohistochemistry and quantification of its tissue content by computerized morphometry. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student's t-test, median, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis, adopting a significance level of 5% (p <0.05). Results: Colon segments without fecal stream developed colitis, which worsened with time of exclusion. Segments without fecal stream suffer higher levels of oxidative stress when compared to those with stream, and it worsens with time of exclusion. The levels of cellular oxidative stress are directly related to the degree of inflammation. The total content of β-catenin in segments without fecal stream reduces after six weeks, and does not vary thereafter. The content of β-catenin in the apical portion of the colon crypts decreases with time, whereas in the basal region, it increases. The total content of β-catenin is inversely related to the degree of inflammation and levels of tissue oxidative stress levels. Conclusion: There are changes in tissue content of E-cadherin and increased expression of β-catenin in proliferative regions of colonic crypts, related with oxidative tissue stress.324343358Pravda, J., Radical induction theory of ulcerative colitis (2005) World J Gastroenterol, 11 (16), pp. 2371-2384Gaudier, E., Hoebler, C., Physiological role of mucins in the colonic barrier integrity (2006) Gastroenterol Clin Biol, 30 (8-9), pp. 965-974Laukoetter, M.G., Nava, P., Nusrat, A., Role of the intestinal barrier in inflammatory bowel disease (2008) World J Gastroenterol, 14 (3), pp. 401-407Berkes, J., Viswananthan, V.K., Savkovic, S.D., Hecht, G., Intestinal epithelial responses to enteric pathogens: Effects on the tight junction barrier, iron transport, and inflammation (2003) Gut, 52 (3), pp. 439-451Clayburgh, D.R., Shen, L., Turner, J.R., A porous defense: The leaky epithelial barrier in intestinal disease (2004) Lab Invest, 84 (3), pp. 282-291Usami, Y., Chiba, H., Nakayama, F., Ueda, J., Matsuda, Y., Sawada, N., Reduced expression of claudin-7 correlates with invasion and metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (2006) Hum Pathol, 37 (5), pp. 569-577Gumbiner, B., Stevenson, B., Grimaldi, A., The role of the cell adhesion molecule uvomorulin in the formation and maintenance of the epithelial junctional complex (1988) J Cell Biol, 107 (4), pp. 1575-1587Gumbiner, B.M., McCrea, P.D., Catenins as mediators of the cytoplasmic functions of cadherins (1993) J Cell Sci Suppl, 17, pp. 155-158Yeager, M., Unger, V.M., Falk, M.M., Synthesis, assembly and structure of gap junction intercellular channels (1998) Curr Opin Struct Biol, 8 (6), pp. 810-811Hynes, R.O., Zhao, Q., The evolution of cell adhesion (2000) J Cell Biol, 150 (2), pp. F89-F96Kypta, R., Bernfield, M., Burridge, K., Geiger, B., Goodenough, D., Humphries, M., Hynes, R., Yurchenco, P., Junções celulares, adesão celular e matriz extracelular (2006) Biologia Molecular Da Célula, pp. 1065-1125. , In: Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Walter P. (eds.), Porto Alegre: ARTMEDDemetter, P., de Vos, M., van Damme, N., Baeten, D., Elewaut, D., Vermeulen, S., Focal up-regulation of E-cadherin catenin complex in inflamed bowel mucosa but reduced expression in ulcer-associated cell lineage (2000) Am J Clin Pathol, 114 (3), pp. 364-370Aust, D.E., Terdiman, J.P., Willenbucher, R.F., Chew, K., Ferrell, L., Florendo, C., Altered distribution of β-catenin, and its binding proteins E-cadherin and APC, in ulcerative colitisrelated colorectal cancers (2001) Mod Pathol, 14 (1), pp. 29-39Kucharzik, T., Walsh, S.V., Chen, J., Parkos, C.A., Nusrat, A., Neutrophil transmigration in inflammatory bowel disease is associated with differential expression of epithelial intercellular junction proteins (2001) Am J Pathol, 159 (6), pp. 2001-2009Laukoetter, M.G., Nava, P., Nusrat, A., Role of the intestinal barrier in inflammatory bowel disease (2008) World J Gastroenterol, 14 (3), pp. 401-407Gassler, N., Rohr, C., Schneider, A., Kartenbeck, J., Bach, A., Obermüller, N., Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with changes of enterocytic junctions (2001) Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, 281 (1), pp. G216-G228Ozawa, M., Ringwald, M., Kemler, R., Uvomorulin-catenin complex formation is regulated by a specific domain in the cytoplasmic region of the cell adhesion molecule (1990) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 87 (11), pp. 4246-4250Schmitz, H., Barmeyer, C., Fromm, M., Runkel, N., Foss, H.D., Bentzel, C.J., Altered tight junction structure contributes to the impaired epithelial barrier function in ulcerative colitis (1999) Gastroenterology, 116 (2), pp. 301-309Takahashi, M., Fukuda, K., Sugimura, T., Wakabayashi, K., Beta-catenin is frequently mutated and demonstrates altered cellular localization in azoxymethane-induced rat colon tumors (1998) Cancer Res, 58 (1), pp. 42-46Parrish, A.R., Catania, J.M., Orozco, J., Gandolfi, A.J., Chemically induced oxidative stress disrupts the E-cadherin/catenin cell adhesion complex (1999) Toxicol Sci, 51 (1), pp. 80-86Meyer, T.N., Schwesinger, C., Ye, J., Denker, B.M., Nigam, S.K., Reassembly of the tight junction after oxidative stress depends on tyrosine kinase activity (2001) J Biol Chem, 276 (25), pp. 22048-22055Dorudi, S., Sheffield, J.P., Poulsom, R., Northover, J.M., Hart, I.R., E-cadherin expression in colorectal cancer. An immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization study (1998) Am J Pathol, 142 (4), pp. 981-986Chen, J., Huang, X.F., The signal pathways in azoxymethane induced colon cancer and preventive implications (2009) Cancer Biol Ther, 8 (14), pp. 1313-1317Jankowski, J.A., Bedford, F.K., Boulton, R.A., Cruickshank, N., Hall, C., Elder, J., Alterations in classical cadherins associated with progression in ulcerative and Crohn's colitis (1998) Lab Invest, 78 (9), pp. 1155-1167Hermiston, M.L., Gordon, J.I., Inflammatory bowel disease and adenomas in mice expressing a dominant negative N-cadherin (1995) Science, 270 (5239), pp. 1203-1207Karayiannakis, A.J., Syrigos, K.N., Efstathiou, J., Valizadeh, A., Noda, M., Playford, R.J., Expression of catenins and E-cadherin during epithelial restitution in inflammatory bowel disease (1998) J Pathol, 185 (4), pp. 413-418Nollet, F., Berx, G., van Roy, F., The role of the E-cadherin/ catenin adhesion complex in the development and progression of cancer (1999) Mol Cell Biol Res Commun, 2 (2), pp. 77-85Sheehan, J.F., Brynjolfsson, G., Ulcerative colitis following hydrogen peroxide enema: Case report and experimental production with transient emphysema of colonic wall and gas embolism (1960) Lab Invest, 9, pp. 150-168Marques, L.H.S., Silva, C.M.G., Lameiro, T.M.M., Almeida, M.G., Cunha, F.L., Pereira, J.A., Avaliação dos níveis de peroxidação lipídica em células da mucosa cólica após aplicação de enemas com peróxido de hidrogênio: Estudo experimental em ratos (2010) Rev Bras Colo-proctol, 30 (3), pp. 272-280Martinez, C.A., Ribeiro, M.L., Gambero, A., Miranda, D.D., Pereira, J.A., Nadal, S.R., The importance of oxygen free radicals in the etiopathogenesis of diversion colitis in rats (2010) Acta Cir Bras, 25 (5), pp. 387-395Longatti, T.S., Acedo, S.C., de Oliveira, C.C., Miranda, D.D., Priolli, D.G., Ribeiro, M.L., Inflammatory alterations in excluded colon in rats: A comparison with chemically induced colitis (2010) Scand J Gastroenterol, 45 (3), pp. 315-324Damiani, C.R., Benetton, C.A., Stoffel, C., Bardini, K.C., Cardoso, V.H., Di Giunta, G., Oxidative stress and metabolism in animal model of colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (2007) J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 22 (11), pp. 1846-1851Liu, Q., Shimoyama, T., Suzuki, K., Umeda, T., Nakaji, S., Sugawara, K., Effect of sodium butyrate on reactive oxygen species generation by human neutrophils (2001) Scand J Gastroenterol, 36 (7), pp. 744-750Glotzer, D.J., Glick, M.E., Goldman, H., Proctitis and colitis following diversion of the fecal stream (1981) Gastroenterology, 80 (3), pp. 438-441Agarwal, V.P., Schimmel, E.M., Diversion colitis: A nutritional deficiency syndrome? 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Differences between the most used equations in BAT-human studies to estimate parameters of skin temperature in young lean men

Diabetes mellitus: pathophysiological changes and therap

Numerical convergence of the block-maxima approach to the Generalized Extreme Value distribution

In this paper we perform an analytical and numerical study of Extreme Value distributions in discrete dynamical systems. In this setting, recent works have shown how to get a statistics of extremes in agreement with the classical Extreme Value Theory. We pursue these investigations by giving analytical expressions of Extreme Value distribution parameters for maps that have an absolutely continuous invariant measure. We compare these analytical results with numerical experiments in which we study the convergence to limiting distributions using the so called block-maxima approach, pointing out in which cases we obtain robust estimation of parameters. In regular maps for which mixing properties do not hold, we show that the fitting procedure to the classical Extreme Value Distribution fails, as expected. However, we obtain an empirical distribution that can be explained starting from a different observable function for which Nicolis et al. [2006] have found analytical results.Comment: 34 pages, 7 figures; Journal of Statistical Physics 201

Brown adipose tissue volume and fat content are positively associated with whole-body adiposity in young men-not in women

Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume has consistently been claimed to be inversely associated with whole-body adiposity. However, recent advances in the assessment of human BAT suggest that previously reported associations may have been biased. The present cross-sectional study investigates the association of BAT volume, mean radiodensity, and F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) uptake (assessed via a static positron emission tomography [PET]-computed tomography [CT] scan after a 2-h personalized cold exposure) with whole-body adiposity (measured by DXA) in 126 young adults (42 men and 84 women; mean +/- SD BMI 24.9 +/- 4.7 kg/m(2)). BAT volume, but not F-18-FDG uptake, was positively associated with BMI, fat mass, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass in men but not in women. These associations were independent of the date when the PET-CT was performed, insulin sensitivity, and body surface area. BAT mean radiodensity, an inverse proxy of BAT fat content, was negatively associated with BMI, fat mass, and VAT mass in men and in women. These results refute the widely held belief that human BAT volume is reduced in obese persons, at least in young adults, and suggest that it might even be the opposite in young men.Diabetes mellitus: pathophysiological changes and therap

Detection of peptide-based nanoparticles in blood plasma by ELISA

Aims: The aim of the current study was to develop a method to detect peptide-linked nanoparticles in blood plasma. Materials & Methods: A convenient enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of peptides functionalized with biotin and fluorescein groups. As a proof of principle, polymerized pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles linked to biotin-carboxyfluorescein labeled peptides were intravenously injected in Wistar rats. Serial blood plasma samples were analyzed by ELISA and by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) technology. Results: The ELISA based method for the detection of FITC labeled peptides had a detection limit of 1 ng/mL. We were able to accurately measure peptides bound to pentafluorophenyl meth-acrylate nanoparticles in blood plasma of rats, and similar results were obtained by LC/MS. Conclusions: We detected FITC-labeled peptides on pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles after injection in vivo. This method can be extended to detect nanoparticles with different chemical compositions

L'America Latina e il laboratorio argentino

In questo libro curato da Andrea Riccardi , si riflette su che cosa \ue8 oggi la Chiesa in Cina, in Africa, nelle Americhe e non solo nel vecchio continente. Ci si interroga sulle sfide poste dal confronto tra religioni e sulle prospettive dei laici e dei credenti; sul delicato rapporto tra Vaticano e politica, sulla grande questione dei poveri nel contesto della nuova 'teologia della citt\ue0'