Skeletal-dental features in 33 bull terrier dogs

Research Areas: Veterinary SciencesBackground: The Bull terrier breed has been reported in the veterinary literature to sufer frequent dental and skeletal malocclusions. In this retrospective case series, we report skeletal-dental anomalies in a group of 33 Bull terriers presented for a dental consultation. Results: Out of 33 dogs examined, 24 cases had full mouth radiography or Cone-beam computed tomography performed. Eruption and development abnormalities observed were as follows: hypodontia in 54.1% (13/24), eruption changes in 29.2% (7/24), and tooth shape abnormalities in 33.3% (8/24). All dogs presented with some type of dental or skeletal malocclusion: neutroclusion was the most common (66.7% of the animals), followed by mandibular mesioclusion (18.8%), maxillo-mandibular asymmetry (9.4%), and mandibular distoclusion (6.3%). Dental abnormalities noted included rotation of mandibular and maxillary premolar teeth, distal displacement of the incisor teeth, lingual displacement of the mandibular canine teeth, and absence of mandibular premolar and molar teeth. Lingual displacement of mandibular canine teeth was associated with malocclusion causing trauma (odds ratio 7.1, 95% confdence interval [1.4 to 36.1], p=0.024). Conclusions: Malocclusions and tooth shape abnormalities were found to be the most frequent fnding in this group of Bull terriers. Although these fndings cannot be generalized to the global population further studies are needed to observe the true expression of these anomalies in the general breed population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trace elements’ reference levels in blood of breeding black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris from the Falkland Islands

Trace elements' concentration in the ocean is fast growing and is a source of major concern. Being charismatic and at the top of food chains, seabirds are often used as biological monitors of contaminants. We studied the concentration of trace elements in blood of black-browed albatross from the Falklands Islands, which we here show, by tracking with geolocators, forage over most of the Patagonian Shelf. Levels of trace elements were measured in males and females from two different islands. Blood concentrations of trace elements were not significantly different between islands, which is consistent with observations from foraging behavior revealing that birds from both islands foraged in broadly the same areas in the months before sampling. Arsenic and selenium concentrations in females were higher than in males. Sex-related differences in the concentration of these elements may be related to unknown slight differences in diet or to differences in assimilation between sexes. These results provide reference values for monitoring elemental contamination in the Patagonian Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem using black-browed albatrosses, one of the most abundant top predators and a suitable sentinel for the region's environmental health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Doping Control Laboratory performance during Rio 2016 Olympic Games: An inside professional overview

The paper published in JHSE by Nascimento et al. titled “Laboratory performance: Doping in Olympic sports and Rio 2016 Games” (Nascimento et al., 2018) presents a lack of clarity and enormous inaccuracy about the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory performance during 2016 Olympics and Paralympics Games of Rio de Janeiro. The authors based their personal opinion on different regulatory reports on the anti-doping control situation in the Olympic Games (OG) in Brazil, but several paragraphs come from the anecdotal and mediatic background. Moreover, classical misinterpretation relative to the anti-doping system from people out of context was presented. The work developed in the Laboratório Brasileiro de Controle de Dopagem (Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory – LBCD-LADETEC/IQ-UFRJ) during the Games represented the state of the art in doping control analysis. In addition, regarding the analytical, infrastructure and security perspectives, the Report by the Independent Observers mentioned: “LBCD made a tremendous effort to ensure it was fully prepared to meet these requirements. As a result, LBCD is an outstanding legacy from the Games for the anti-doping movement in South America”

Early trauma and associations with altruistic attitudes and behaviours among young adults

Childhood and adolescent traumas are exceptionally prevalent worldwide. Despite their high prevalence and substantial impact, little research has investigated the rates and specific types of early trauma by gender. It is also unknown whether the types of early trauma are differentially associated with heightened or hindered prosocial attitudes and behaviours.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exosomes secreted by cardiomyocytes subjected to ischaemia promote cardiac angiogenesis

Funding Information: This work was supported by European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors (COMPETE) [HealthyAging2020 CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000012-N2323, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016385, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007440 to CNC.IBILI, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274 to i3S/INEB and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012 to T.L.L.]; national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [PTDC/SAU-ORG/119296/2010, PTDC/ NEU-OSD/0312/2012, PESTC/ SAU/UI3282/2013-2014, MITP-TB/ECE/0013/ 2013, FCT-UID/NEU/04539/2013], PD/BD/52294/2013 to T.M.R.R., SFRH/ BD/85556/2012 (co-financed by QREN) to V.C.S]; Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (LISBOA 2020) and Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement; and by INFARMED Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde, I.P. [FIS-FIS-2015-01_CCV_20150630-157]. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 The Author.Aims Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and results from an obstruction in the blood supply to a region of the heart. In an attempt to replenish oxygen and nutrients to the deprived area, affected cells release signals to promote the development of new vessels and confer protection against MI. However, the mechanisms underlying the growth of new vessels in an ischaemic scenario remain poorly understood. Here, we show that cardiomyocytes subjected to ischaemia release exosomes that elicit an angiogenic response of endothelial cells (ECs). Methods and results Exosomes secreted by H9c2 myocardial cells and primary cardiomyocytes, cultured either in control or ischaemic conditions were isolated and added to ECs. We show that ischaemic exosomes, in comparison with control exosomes, confer protection against oxidative-induced lesion, promote proliferation, and sprouting of ECs, stimulate the formation of capillary-like structures and strengthen adhesion complexes and barrier properties. Moreover, ischaemic exosomes display higher levels of metalloproteases (MMP) and promote the secretion of MMP by ECs. We demonstrate that miR-222 and miR-143, the relatively most abundant miRs in ischaemic exosomes, partially recapitulate the angiogenic effect of exosomes. Additionally, we show that ischaemic exosomes stimulate the formation of new functional vessels in vivo using in ovo and Matrigel plug assays. Finally, we demonstrate that intramyocardial delivery of ischaemic exosomes improves neovascularization following MI. Conclusions This study establishes that exosomes secreted by cardiomyocytes under ischaemic conditions promote heart angiogenesis, which may pave the way towards the development of add-on therapies to enhance myocardial blood supply.publishersversionpublishe

Brazilian Network for HIV Drug Resistance Surveillance: a survey of individuals recently diagnosed with HIV

Use of antiretrovirals is widespread in Brazil, where more than 200,000 individuals are under treatment. Although general prevalence of primary antiretroviral resistance in Brazil is low, systematic sampling in large metropolitan areas has not being performed

Population Genetics, Evolutionary Genomics, and Genome-Wide Studies of Malaria: A View Across the International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research.

The study of the three protagonists in malaria-the Plasmodium parasite, the Anopheles mosquito, and the human host-is key to developing methods to control and eventually eliminate the disease. Genomic technologies, including the recent development of next-generation sequencing, enable interrogation of this triangle to an unprecedented level of scrutiny, and promise exciting progress toward real-time epidemiology studies and the study of evolutionary adaptation. We discuss the use of genomics by the International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research, a network of field sites and laboratories in malaria-endemic countries that undertake cutting-edge research, training, and technology transfer in malarious countries of the world

Advancing Creativity Theory and Research: A Socio-cultural Manifesto

This manifesto, discussed by 20 scholars, representing diverse lines of creativity research, marks a conceptual shift within the field. Socio-cultural approaches have made substantial contributions to the concept of creativity over recent decades and today can provide a set of propositions to guide our understanding of past research and to generate new directions of inquiry and practice. These propositions are urgently needed in response to the transition from the Information Society to the Post-Information Society. Through the propositions outlined here, we aim to build common ground and invite the community of creativity researchers and practitioners to reflect up, study, and cultivate creativity as a socio-cultural phenomenon

HDAC-6 inhibition ameliorates the early neuropathology in a mouse model of Krabbe disease

IntroductionIn Krabbe disease (KD), mutations in β-galactosylceramidase (GALC), a lysosomal enzyme responsible for the catabolism of galactolipids, leads to the accumulation of its substrates galactocerebroside and psychosine. This neurologic condition is characterized by a severe and progressive demyelination together with neuron-autonomous defects and degeneration. Twitcher mice mimic the infantile form of KD, which is the most common form of the human disease. The Twitcher CNS and PNS present demyelination, axonal loss and neuronal defects including decreased levels of acetylated tubulin, decreased microtubule stability and impaired axonal transport.MethodsWe tested whether inhibiting the α-tubulin deacetylase HDAC6 with a specific inhibitor, ACY-738, was able to counteract the early neuropathology and neuronal defects of Twitcher mice.ResultsOur data show that delivery of ACY-738 corrects the low levels of acetylated tubulin in the Twitcher nervous system. Furthermore, it reverts the loss myelinated axons in the sciatic nerve and in the optic nerve when administered from birth to postnatal day 9, suggesting that the drug holds neuroprotective properties. The extended delivery of ACY-738 to Twitcher mice delayed axonal degeneration in the CNS and ameliorated the general presentation of the disease. ACY-738 was effective in rescuing neuronal defects of Twitcher neurons, stabilizing microtubule dynamics and increasing the axonal transport of mitochondria.DiscussionOverall, our results support that ACY-738 has a neuroprotective effect in KD and should be considered as an add-on therapy combined with strategies targeting metabolic correction