Gender-dependent characteristics of the hypothalamo-corticotrope axis function in glucocorticoid-replete and glucocorticoid-depleted rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the role of the endogenous sex steroid environment in the hypothalamo-corticotrope (HC) function in both sham-operated (SHAM) and bilaterally adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. For this purpose adult rats of both sexes were used 3 and 6 weeks after either SHAM or ADX. The results indicate that: a) in SHAM animals, basal plasma ACTH levels were significantly higher in females than in males, and this sexual dimorphism was overridden by ADX, regardless of the time post-surgery; b) although basal anterior pituitary (AP) ACTH content was similar in SHAM animals of both sexes, 3- and 6-week ADX induced higher AP ACTH in males than in females; c) at 3- and 6-weeks, ADX rats of hoth sexes had an AVP: CRH ratio (r), in the median eminence (ME) and medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), increased several fold over the respective SHAM-value and, although no sexual dimorphism was found at week 3 post-ADX, by 6-weeks post ADX, these ratios were significantly higher in both brain tissues of females than in those of males; and d) the in vitro ME CRH and AVP output in response to high potassium concentrations (hK+; 28 and 56 mmol/l), was concentration-related, regardless of sex and surgery, and was characterized by enhanced secretion of neuropeptides by MEs from ADX in comparison to SHAM rats of both sexes, and a sexual dimorphism was found in this parameter, consisting in general, in greater neuropeptide output from tissues of female than of male animals. Our results indicate that: 1) there is a gender-dependent characteristic of the HC axis function in glucocorticoid-replete rats and 2) the absence of the glucocorticoid negative feedback mechanism is responsible for either the expression or for the override of the sexual dimorphism in different parameters, a phenomenon which dependent on the time elapsed after ADX.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología CelularFacultad de Ciencias Exacta

Resistencia al cambio en programas de evitación y tiempo-fuera de evitación

Galizio (1999) reportó que una respuesta que producía un tiempo fuera dela evitación era más resistente a la extinción que la respuesta de evitación misma. El presente estudio busca extender ese hallazgo. Seis veces durantecada sesión, un programa señalado de razón fija 10 fue impuesto sobre unprograma de eliminación de choque de ciclo variable choque-choque de 60 s.Al completar la razón, las ratas producían un tiempo fuera señalado de 5 u 8minutos. Se compararon las tasas de respuesta mantenidas por la evitacióny el tiempo fuera analizando la respuesta durante cada presentación (tiempofuera) de la RF y en el período previo de 5 min (evitación). La resistencia alcambio fue determinada mediante (a) un incremento el parámetro de ciclovariable de 60 a 120 s (Experimento 1), y (b) una extinción por omisión dechoques (Experimento 2). En ambos casos, la respuesta de tiempo fuera fuemás resistente al cambio que la respuesta de evitación

Italian immunization calendar implementation: Time to optimize number of vaccination appointments?

In the Italian vaccination schedule, at least six vaccination appointments are scheduled in the first year of life. This implies more discomfort for both the patient and the parents. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which several appointments were missed. A UK experience with three injectable vaccines and an oral one co-administered at the same appointment (4-in-1) at 2 and 4 months of age showed interesting results. The vaccination coverage was high, consistent with previous practice, and no relevant increase in adverse events was reported. Translating the UK experience into the Italian context would not be immediate, due to several organizational and social issues. Nevertheless, this option warrants some further considerations, which are discussed in this manuscript

The relationship of sex and sexual orientation to self-esteem, body shape satisfaction, and eating disorder symptomatology

There is increasing interest in understanding what role, if any, sex and sexual orientation play in body dissatisfaction, its correlates to distress, and its relationship to disordered eating. The goals of the present study were to examine: (a) differences in sex and sexual orientation in internalization of societal pressure to modify physical appearance, components of body image dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and eating disorder symptomatology and (b) whether the internalization-eating disorder symptomatology was mediated by the different components of body image dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. The present data support several key trends in the literature: men generally reported less body dissatisfaction, internalization of socio-cultural standards of beauty, drive for thinness, and disordered eating, but a greater drive for muscularity than women; results also indicated that different components of body image dissatisfaction and low self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between internalization and eating disorder symptomatology. Gay men reported significantly more body dissatisfaction, internalization, eating disorder symptomatology, drive for thinness, and drive for muscularity than heterosexual men. Compared to heterosexual women, lesbians reported increased drive for muscularity, lower self-esteem, and lower internalization; however, they did not significantly differ on body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness or disordered eating. Correlation coefficients between body shape dissatisfaction and several aspects of mental distress were significantly larger for gay men than heterosexual men; the same coefficients did not differ between lesbian women and heterosexual women. Results of path analyses indicated that the relationship between internalization and disordered eating differs for gay and heterosexual men but not for lesbian and heterosexual women. These results call attention to lesbians as a generally understudied population

Thermal analysis of a cold room

The purpose of this research was to study the storage of fresh raw horticultural material processed and frozen in an industrial plant in southern Italy. A simulation technique (validated by experimental tests) was used giving the chance to evaluate the effect of bins location on the cooling capacity of the cold room avoiding expensive experimental tests. An external cooling system and an intermediate fluid ensure the cooling of the products. The air is distributed inside the cold room by two blowers that provide the forced convection of the air itself. First of all, experimental tests were carried out to validate the preliminary results obtained from the previous experiment, and then the authors carried out a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis in order to verify where a good arrangement of the storage bins is achieved inside the room. The tests were carried out in summer (July) on zucchini and peppers. The important deviations in the temperature of the product are mainly due to the different position occupied by the bins in the room. In fact, they are positioned at different distances and heights from the forced convection fans. Both simulation and experimental results show that the raw material cooled in the shortest possible time was the one placed to the shortest distance from the wall and at the lowest height of the room because of the low heat transfer through the floor. By increasing the distance from the access door through which the most significant heat transfer takes place, there is a small variation due to the optimal position of the storage bins inside the room, which still allows a good distribution of air

Thermo-fluid-dynamic characteristics of confluent jets for distribution of treated air in small environment

The diffusion of the air through nozzles and/or diffusers has been studied extensively thanks to the numerous examples of environmental conditioning systems and in general of systems in which the flow of matter escapes from particular openings. In this paper, we studied closed and small environments requiring thermo-hygrometric and ventilation control. Air jets are used to mix the treated air within the environment. The widespread diffusion of this technology, mainly conceived for large environments, justifies the characterization of a particular type of system realized by the authors. The first results of experimental tests carried out with a particular air conditioning system are showed in the present work. The particularity of the system consists in a low construction cost, possibility of modifications and operation according to the characteristics and needs to different agricultural species. This initial phase of the research related to the isothermal regime, allowed by the conditioning system, aimed to characterize the fluid-dynamic behaviour of the air diffusion systems realized with perforated surfaces. First tests were carried out in a specifically designed climatic room whose climate conditions are strictly controlled by a suitable control system under isothermal conditions. Moreover, an ad-hoc designed experimental device was used. It consists of a pantograph kinematic structure carrying the probes around in the fluid dynamic field. It allows measuring air velocity in different points in stationary or slowing enough transient conditions. The experimental data was used to validate the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to predict the internal airflow velocity distribution

Bilateral adrenal enucleation-induced changes in adenohypophyseal pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-related peptides synthesis and secretion: A comparative study with adrenalectomized rats

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the modulatory effect of transient changes in endogenous glucocorticoids, occurring after bilateral adrenal enucleation (ENUC), on anterior pituitary (AP) proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides synthesis and output in rats. For this purpose, adult female rats were either bilaterally ENUC, adrenalelectomized (ADX), or sham-operated (SHAM) and killed by decapitation 2, 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery. Trunk blood was collected for measurements of ACTH, β-endorphin (β-END) and corticosterone (B) concentrations; APs were quickly dissected for the determination of ACTH, β-endorphin (β-END)-like (β-END-LI) and γ3-MSH contents and adrenal glands were removed and submitted to histological study. The results indicate that ENUC and ADX increased AP POMC-related peptides synthesis and release in association with changes in the AP processing of peptides belonging to the N-terminal (γ3-MSH), mid (ACTH) and C-terminal (β-LPH/ENDs) portions of POMC. While ADX abolished plasma B levels, ENUC induced a transient (day 2) decrease in plasma B concentrations which returned to SHAM levels at 7 days after surgery. These data tallied with the histological observations carried out, indicating a time-dependent regenerative process of the adrenal which was completed by three weeks after ENUC. There was a different pattern in plasma ACTH and β-END levels between ENUC and ADX; maximal plasma peptide levels were found 7–14 days after ENUC, then falling down to SHAM values at 21 days post ENUC. Conversely, there was a constant increment in plasma peptide levels up to 21 days after ADX. At 2 days after both ENUC and ADX all peptides measured in the AP were lower than SHAM values, thus reflecting a rapid corticotrope secretion. Thereafter, 7 or more days after surgery, AP peptide content in ADX rats increased, in a time-related fashion, up to 21 days after surgery. Only β-END-LI showed a similar AP content to that of the SHAM group, thereafter indicating a preferential cleavage of POMC to β-END long after ADX (21 days). ENUC rats showed increased AP POMC peptides content throughout the whole time, and it was significantly different from SHAM and ADX values 14 days post-surgery. Interestingly, we found an increment in AP γ3-MSH, a peptide which is preferentially synthesized in the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary, in both ENUC and ADX situations. Our results further indicate that: 1) glucocorticoids, from regenerating adrenal origin, induce a fast negative feedback mechanism on AP secretion, and 2) there might be a delayed inhibitory action of newly synthesized corticosteroids on higher levels of the central nervous system. The lack of glucocorticoids (ADX) clearly corroborates a persistent enhancement of AP POMC-related peptides synthesis and secretion. The differences in AP processing of POMC between ENUC and ADX might be due to qualitative/quantitative changes in hypotalamic ACTH secretagogues output.Facultad de Ciencias Médica

Curcumin acts as anti-tumorigenic and hormone-suppressive agent in murine and human pituitary tumour cells in vitro and in vivo

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is the active ingredient of the spice plant Curcuma longa and has been shown to act anti-tumorigenic in different types of tumours. Therefore, we have studied its effect in pituitary tumour cell lines and adenomas. Proliferation of lactosomatotroph GH3 and somatotroph MtT/S rat pituitary cells as well as of corticotroph AtT20 mouse pituitary cells was inhibited by curcumin in monolayer cell culture and in colony formation assay in soft agar. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis demonstrated curcumin-induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M. Analysis of cell cycle proteins by immunoblotting showed reduction in cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and no change in p27kip. FACS analysis with Annexin V-FITC/7-aminoactinomycin D staining demonstrated curcumin-induced early apoptosis after 3, 6, 12 and 24 h treatment and nearly no necrosis. Induction of DNA fragmentation, reduction of Bcl-2 and enhancement of cleaved caspase-3 further confirmed induction of apoptosis by curcumin. Growth of GH3 tumours in athymic nude mice was suppressed by curcumin in vivo. In endocrine pituitary tumour cell lines, GH, ACTH and prolactin production were inhibited by curcumin. Studies in 25 human pituitary adenoma cell cultures have confirmed the antitumorigenic and hormone-suppressive effects of curcumin. Altogether, the results described in this report suggest this natural compound as a good candidate for therapeutic use on pituitary tumours. © 2009 Society for Endocrinology Printed in Great Britain

Collagenolytic and gelatinolytic matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in basal cell carcinoma of skin: comparison with normal skin

Tissue from 54 histologically-identified basal cell carcinomas of the skin was obtained at surgery and assayed using a combination of functional and immunochemical procedures for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with collagenolytic activity and for MMPs with gelatinolytic activity. Collagenolytic enzymes included MMP-1 (interstitial collagenase), MMP-8 (neutrophil collagenase) and MMP-13 (collagenase-3). Gelatinolytic enzymes included MMP-2 (72-kDa gelatinase A/type IV collagenase) and MMP-9 (92-kDa gelatinase B/type IV collagenase). Inhibitors of MMP activity including tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and -2 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) were also assessed. All three collagenases and both gelatinases were detected immunochemically. MMP-1 appeared to be responsible for most of the functional collagenolytic activity while gelatinolytic activity reflected both MMP-2 and MMP-9. MMP inhibitor activity was also present, and appeared, based on immunochemical procedures, to reflect the presence of TIMP-1 but not TIMP-2. As a group, tumours identified as having aggressive-growth histologic patterns were not distinguishable from basal cell carcinomas with less aggressive-growth histologic patterns. In normal skin, the same MMPs were detected by immunochemical means. However, only low to undetectable levels of collagenolytic and gelatinolytic activities were present. In contrast, MMP inhibitor activity was comparable to that seen in tumour tissue. In previous studies we have shown that exposure of normal skin to epidermal growth factor in organ culture induces MMP up-regulation and activation. This treatment concomitantly induces stromal invasion by the epithelium (Varani et al (1995) Am J Pathol146: 210–217; Zeigler et al (1996 b) Invasion Metastasis16: 11–18). Taken together with these previous data, the present findings allow us to conclude that the same profile of MMP/MMP inhibitors that is associated with stromal invasion in the organ culture model is expressed endogenously in basal cell carcinomas of skin. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig