An exploratory study of short-term camping in Antarctica: Hormonal and mood states changes

Long-term Antarctic expedition’s studies indicated harmful or positive behavioral and psychophysiological adaptive changes that arise from adversities in isolated, confined, and extreme environments. Whereas most of the published studies focused on overwintering situations, most Brazilian Antarctic Program summer expeditions consist of short-term stays. We evaluated the influence of a permanence in Antarctic short-term (13-day) summer camp on the hormonal responses and mood states in eight volunteers. Data collection was carried out at the beginning (initial measure, days 3 to 5) and the end (final measurement, days 10 to 12) of the camping. Morning and evening samples of saliva were obtained to measure the testosterone and cortisol concentrations. Morning blood drops were used to determine thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) concentration. The volunteers also answered a mood states questionnaire. During the short-term camp, T4 (3.92 ± 0.75 vs 2.21 ± 0.71 μg.dL-1) and T4/TSH (3.16 ± 0.97 vs 1.79 ± 0.74 AU) reduced, without concomitant changes in TSH (1.28 ± 0.17 vs 1.30 ± 0.09 μU.mL-1), and salivary cortisol increased (2,392 ± 1,153 vs 4,440 ± 1,941 pg.mL-1) resulting in greater cortisol amplitude (calculated from the difference between morning and evening measurement, 1,400 ± 1,442 vs 3,230 ± 2,046). In men, testosterone increased as well (26.2 ± 12.5 vs 67.8 ± 45.8, all differences with P<0.05). There was a moderate effect in mood states evidenced by increased anger and fatigue, and reduced vigor. At the end of the camp, the change in cortisol correlated with anger, and the final cortisol values with anger and tension. We concluded that staying in a short-term summer camp in Antarctica induced endocrine and mood state changes, indicators of stress reaction

Estudos físicos mediados pela arte Goiana de Siron Franco/ Physical studies mediated by the Goian art of Siron Franco

O presente trabalho trata da cor nas perspectivas da arte e da física e traz em si mais uma forma de elucidação e apreciação da realidade. A cultura goiana da pintura de Siron Franco traz potencialidades e novas análises a serem feitas em sala de aula.  Mesmo assim, a obra de arte não apresenta cópia fiel da realidade objetiva, mas em algo novo, fruto de ação criativa que se transforma em produto cultural. Fisicamente, a cor é definida como uma sensação produzida por certas organizações nervosas sob a ação da luz, isto é, ainda sem a interpretação humana

Influência da prática de hidroginástica na manutenção da autonomia funcional de idosas/ Influence of hydrogynastic practice on maintaining elderly functional autonomy

O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar a influência da prática de hidroginástica na manutenção da autonomia funcional de idosas do município Cláudio, no estado de Minas Gerais. Participaram do estudo 35 idosas, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, que compuseram o grupo de idosas praticantes de hidroginástica (GH) matriculadas na APEL (Assessoria de Promoção, Esporte e Lazer) (n=25) e o grupo de idosas não-praticantes (GC) (n=10). Para avaliação da autonomia funcional de idosas, foram utilizadas a Escala de Katz, e a Escala de Lawton e Brody. Para a avaliação da capacidade funcional das idosas foram utilizados o Teste de Marcha Estacionária de 2 minutos (TME2’) e o TimedUpAnd Go (TUG). O nível de significância adotado foi P 0,05. Os dados foram expressos como média e desvio padrão da média (paramétricos) ou descritas através dos valores de mediana (não-paramétricos). Os dados demonstram que ambos os grupos, GH e GC, apresentam independência para as ABVD, mas para as AIVD, houve uma tendência do GH apresentarem maior independência quando comparadas ao GC, (GC: 25,0 vs GH:26,6; P=0,09). No teste TME2’o GH apresentou maior número de elevações de joelho em relação ao GC (GC:43,57 ± 14,20 vs GH: 75,50± 21,68; P= 0,005). No que se refere ao teste TUG não foram observadas diferenças estatísticas entre os dois grupos (GC: 8,99 ± 2,89 vs GH: 13,23 ± 6,40 s; P=0,10). A partir destes resultados, podemos inferir que a prática da hidroginástica favorece a autonomia funcional e com desempenho físico geral de idosas.

Sleep impairment and altered pattern of circadian biomarkers during a long-term Antarctic summer camp

Abstract Antarctic expeditions include isolation and exposure to cold and extreme photoperiods (with continuous natural light during summer) that may influence psychophysiological responses modulated by luminosity and sleep. We assessed changes in night sleep patterns by actigraphy, salivary biomarkers, and perceptual variables in seven participants in the following time points along a 50-day camping expedition in Antarctica (Nelson Island): Pre-Field (i.e., on the ship before camp), Field-1, Field-2, Field-3, Field-4 (from 1st to 10th, 11th to 20th, 21st to 35th and 36th to 50th days in camp, respectively), and Post-Field (on the ship after camp). We also characterized mood states, daytime sleepiness, and sleep quality by questionnaires. Staying in an Antarctic camp reduced sleep efficiency (5.2%) and increased the number of awakenings and wakefulness after sleep onset (51.8% and 67.1%, respectively). Furthermore, transient increases in time in bed (16.5%) and sleep onset latency (4.8 ± 4.0 min, from Pre- to Field-3) was observed. These changes were accompanied by an altered pattern of the emerging circadian marker β-Arrestin-1 and a trend to reduce nocturnal melatonin [57.1%; P = 0.066, with large effect size (ES) from Pre-Field to Field-2 (ES = 1.2) and Field-3 (ES = 1.2)]. All changes returned to Pre-Field values during the Post-Field. The volunteers reported sleep-related physical complaints (feeling of cold and pain, discomfort to breathe, and cough or loud snoring), excessive daytime sleepiness, and reduced vigor during the camp. Thus, a 50-day camp alters neuroendocrine regulation and induces physical discomfort, which may explain the impaired sleep pattern and the consequent daytime sleepiness and mood changes

Aerobic training reduces immune cell recruitment and cytokine levels in adipose tissue in obese mice

Obesity is associated with an energy imbalance that results from excessive energy intake, low diet quality and a sedentary lifestyle. In this regard, the increased consumption of a high-refined carbohydrate diet (HC) is strongly related to higher adiposity and low-grade inflammation. Aerobic training is a well-known non-pharmacological intervention to treat obesity and metabolic disturbances. However, the mechanisms through which aerobic training ameliorates the low-grade inflammation induced by the HC diet need to be further investigated. Herein, our hypothesis was that aerobic training would decrease the recruitment of leukocytes in the adipose tissue thereby reducing the levels of cytokines and improving metabolism in mice fed the HC diet. Male Balb/c were assigned to the following groups: control non-trained (C-NT), control trained (C-T), HC-NT and HC-T. Mice were submitted to moderate-intensity training sessions that consisted of running 60 min/day for 8 weeks. The intravital microscopy technique was performed in vivo in anesthetized mice to visualize the microvasculature of the adipose tissue. The HC diet induced obesity and increased the influx of immune cells into the adipose tissue. In contrast, HC-T mice presented a lower adiposity and adipocyte area. Furthermore, HC-T mice showed an increased resting energy expenditure, a decreased recruitment of immune cells in the adipose tissue, reduced cytokine levels, and ameliorated hyperglycemia and fatty liver deposition relative to HC-NT mice. Collectively, our data enhance the understanding about the anti-inflammatory effect of aerobic training and shed light on the adipose tissue-mediated mechanisms by which training promotes a healthier metabolic profile.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Interclonal Variations in the Molecular Karyotype of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>: Chromosome Rearrangements in a Single Cell-Derived Clone of the G Strain

<div><p><i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> comprises a pool of populations which are genetically diverse in terms of DNA content, growth and infectivity. Inter- and intra-strain karyotype heterogeneities have been reported, suggesting that chromosomal rearrangements occurred during the evolution of this parasite. Clone D11 is a single-cell-derived clone of the <i>T. cruzi</i> G strain selected by the minimal dilution method and by infecting Vero cells with metacyclic trypomastigotes. Here we report that the karyotype of clone D11 differs from that of the G strain in both number and size of chromosomal bands. Large chromosomal rearrangement was observed in the chromosomes carrying the tubulin loci. However, most of the chromosome length polymorphisms were of small amplitude, and the absence of one band in clone D11 in relation to its reference position in the G strain could be correlated to the presence of a novel band migrating above or below this position. Despite the presence of chromosomal polymorphism, large syntenic groups were conserved between the isolates. The appearance of new chromosomal bands in clone D11 could be explained by chromosome fusion followed by a chromosome break or interchromosomal exchange of large DNA segments. Our results also suggest that telomeric regions are involved in this process. The variant represented by clone D11 could have been induced by the stress of the cloning procedure or could, as has been suggested for <i>Leishmania infantum,</i> have emerged from a multiclonal, mosaic parasite population submitted to frequent DNA amplification/deletion events, leading to a 'mosaic' structure with different individuals having differently sized versions of the same chromosomes. If this is the case, the variant represented by clone D11 would be better adapted to survive the stress induced by cloning, which includes intracellular development in the mammalian cell. Karyotype polymorphism could be part of the <i>T. cruzi</i> arsenal for responding to environmental pressure.</p></div

Identification of homologous chromosomal bands of similar molecular sizes in the G strain and clone D11.

<p>Hybridization profile of specific chromosomal markers hybridized to one or more bands of similar molecular size in both isolates after chromosome separation by PFGE and Southern-blot hybridization. The markers used are TEUF0099, rDNA18S, TEUF0242 and ADC. Gene identification and GenBank accession number of each marker are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0063738#pone-0063738-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>.</p

Karyotype polymorphism between the G strain and clone D11.

<p><b>Panel A)</b> Chromosomal bands were separated by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and stained with SYBR Green I. The bands from the G strain were numbered using Arabic numerals (1–19) as in a previous study (Souza et al., 2011) while capital letters (A – U) were used for clone D11, starting from the smallest band. <b>Panel B)</b> Diagrammatic representation of the molecular karyotypes of the G strain and clone D11. The rectangles represent a unique distinguishable band visualized after SYBR Green I staining. The thickness of the rectangles represents the proportional staining of each chromosomal band. The number and letter of chromosomal bands as well as their molecular weight are indicated to the left and right of each strip, respectively.</p

Location of molecular markers on G strain and clone D11 chromosomal bands.

#<p>Chromosomal bands separated by PFGE and stained with ethidium bromide.</p