Eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma

Eosinophils are circulating granulocytes involved in pathogenesis of asthma. A cascade of processes directed by Th2 cytokine producing T-cells influence the recruitment of eosinophils into the lungs. Furthermore, multiple elements including interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, chemoattractants such as eotaxin, Clara cells, and CC chemokine receptor (CCR)3 are already directly involved in recruiting eosinophils to the lung during allergic inflammation. Once recruited, eosinophils participate in the modulation of immune response, induction of airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling, characteristic features of asthma. Various types of promising treatments for reducing asthmatic response are related to reduction in eosinophil counts both in human and experimental models of pulmonary allergic inflammation, showing that the recruitment of these cells really plays an important role in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases such asthma.Univ São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Med, BR-01246 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Transformação genética de embriões zigóticos da linhagem de milho tropical L3 mediada por Agrobacterium Tumefaciens.

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Avaliação do uso de fertilizantes minerais no cultivo de Chlorella sorokiniana.

O potencial das microalgas para realizar a fotossíntese e acumular grandes quantidades de lipídeos, além de vários outros compostos de alto valor agregado, tal como carotenoides e biopolímeros, as torna uma fonte promissora para fins biotecnológicos. Entretanto, o alto custo de produção de biomassa e os problemas relacionados à contaminação por outros microrganismos dificultam o escalonamento do cultivo, desafiando significativamente a comercialização dos bioprodutos gerados. Em estudos anteriores, nosso grupo de pesquisa propôs a formulação de um novo meio de cultivo, denominado Blue Green Nitrogen Mix (BGNIM), feito com fertilizante mineral, o qual tornou o cultivo de Chlorella sorokiniana 95% mais barato do que quando cultivado no meio padrão (Blue Green 11) BG11. O presente estudo tem como objetivo propor dois novos meios de cultivo, a partir da formulação inicialmente proposta para o meio BGNIM, também feitos à base de fertilizantes minerais. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que um dos meios propostos, BGNIM‑Fetrilon, foi capaz de produzir mais biomassa de C. sorokiniana do que o meio padrão BG11. O outro meio proposto, BGNIM‑CXK, produziu biomassa de forma similar ao BGNIM

Two resistance inducers relevant in coffee plant protection show distinct metabolic adjustments.

A good strategy in plant protection is to take advantage of the plant immune system by eliciting the plant?s constitutive defenses. Based on this concept resistance inducers have been developed and are commercially available, such as Bion®. An alternative formulation Greenf orce CuCa was developed by UFLA partners in Brazil which showed promising results for the control of coffee rust ( Hemileia vastatrix ). We established as working hypothesis that resistance inducers impose etabolic adjustments at the cellular level, mainly on photosynthesis and its regulation

Management of occult adrenocorticotropin-secreting bronchial carcinoids : limits of endocrine testing and imaging techniques

The differential diagnosis and the identification of the source of ACTH in occult ectopic Cushing's syndrome due to a bronchial carcinoid still represents a challenge for the endocrinologist. We report our experience in six patients with occult bronchial carcinoid in whom extensive hormonal, imaging, and scintigraphic evaluation was performed. All patients presented with hypercortisolism associated with high plasma ACTH values. The CRH test and high dose dexamethasone suppression test suggested an ectopic source of ACTH in three of six patients. During bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling, none of the patients showed a central to peripheral ACTH gradient. At the time of diagnosis, none of the patients had radiological evidence of the ectopic source of ACTH, whereas pentetreotide scintigraphy identified the lesion in two of four patients. Finally, a chest computed tomography scan revealed the presence of a bronchial lesion in all patients, and pentetreotide scintigraphy identified four of six lesions. In all patients a bronchial carcinoid was found and removed. In one patient with scintigraphic evidence of residual disease after two operations, radioguided surgery, using a hand-held \u3b3 probe after iv administration of radiolabeled pentetreotide, was performed; this allowed detection and removal of residual multiple mediastinal lymph node metastases. In conclusion, our data show that there is not a single endocrine test or imaging procedure accurate enough to diagnose and localize occult ectopic ACTH-secreting bronchial carcinoids. Radioguided surgery appears to be promising in the presence of multiple tumor foci and previous incomplete removal of the tumor