Characterization of Embryonic Stem (ES) Neuronal Differentiation Combining Atomic Force, Confocal and DIC Microscopy Imaging

The ultimate clinical implementation of embryonic stem cells will require methods and protocols to turn these unspecialized cells into the fully functioning cell types found in a wide variety of tissues and organs. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to clearly understand the signals and cues that direct embryonic stem cell differentiation. This book provides a snapshot of current research on the differentiation of embryonic stem cells to a wide variety of cell types, including neural, cardiac, endothelial, osteogenic, and hepatic cells. In addition, induced pluripotent stem cells and other pluripotent stem cell sources are described. The book will serve as a valuable resource for engineers, scientists, and clinicians as well as students in a wide range of disciplines

Coexistence of osteopoikilosis with seronegative spondyloarthritis and Raynaud's phenomenon: first case report with evaluation of the nailfold capillary bed and literature review.

Osteopoikilosis (OPK) is a rare autosomal dominant bone disorder characterized by numerous hyperostotic areas that tend to localize in periarticular osseous regions. It is usually asymptomatic and is often diagnosed incidentally during X-rays. OPK may be an isolated finding or associated with other pathologies, e.g. skin manifestations, rheumatic and/or skeletal disorders. We report a literature review and, for the first time, the coexistence of OPK with seronegative spondyloarthritis and Raynaud's phenomenon in a 48-year old female. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of OPK studied by videocapillaroscopy, demonstrating the absence of specific microvascular abnormalities of nailfold capillaries

Podridão vermelha da raiz da soja em cultivos com diferentes sistemas de manejo e coberturas do solo.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito dos sistemas de manejo do solo e de coberturas de inverno sobre o número de propágulos de Fusarium spp. no solo, a incidência da podridão?vermelha?da?raiz (PVR) e a produtividade das cultivares de soja CD 206 e FT Fênix. Foram realizados dois experimentos nos anos agrícolas de 2006/2007 e 2007/2008. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em parcelas subsubdivididas, com três repetições. Foram avaliados dois sistemas de preparo do solo: plantio direto e revolvimento do solo na profundidade de 25 cm. As coberturas de inverno utilizadas foram: aveia?preta, com duas densidades de plantio; aveia?preta + ervilhaca; azevém; e pousio. A incidência da doença, na safra de 2006/2007, na cultivar FT Fênix, foi menor que na CD 206. Na safra 2007/2008, não houve diferença significativa. Houve incremento na produtividade, de 125 kg ha?1, com o solo revolvido, em comparação ao plantio direto. A cobertura com aveia?preta + ervilhaca apresentou maior número de propágulos de Fusarium spp. no solo, na safra de 2006/2007. No entanto, no segundo ano, essa diferença não foi observada. Os sistemas de preparo do solo e as coberturas de inverno utilizadas não influenciam a incidência da PVR em cultivares de soja ou o número de propágulos de Fusarium spp. no solo. O sistema com solo revolvido proporciona aumento de produtividade da soja, no segundo ano de manejo

Microvascular damage evaluation in systemic sclerosis : the role of nailfold videocapillaroscopy and laser techniques

Microvascular damage and a decrease in peripheral blood perfusion are typical features of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with serious clinical implications, not only for a very early diagnosis, but also for disease progression. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is a validated and safe imaging technique able to detect peripheral capillary morphology, as well as to classify and to score any nailfold abnormalities into different microangiopathy patterns. Capillaroscopic analysis is now included in the ACR/EULAR classification criteria for SSc. The decrease in peripheral blood perfusion is usually associated with microvascular damage in SSc, which may be studied by different methods. Several of these make use of safe laser technologies. This paper focuses on these new clinical aspects to assess SSc microvascular impairment

Don't forget the jumper's knee in the young sportsman: evaluation of patellar tendinopathy with a high frequency ultrasound probe.

8Patellar tendinopathy, or Jumper's knee, is a painful knee condition caused by inflammation of the patella tendon. This condition is most frequently observed in subjects who play sports that require repetitive regular jumping. Jumper's knee is frequently misdiagnosed as a minor injury and many athletes, like our patient, keep on training and competing and either tend to ignore the injury or attempt to treat it themselves. However, jumper's knee is a serious condition that requires a correct and timely diagnosis, which often necessitates ultrasound investigation in order to start the most appropriate treatment.openopenRuaro B; Cutolo M; Alessandri E; Zaottini F; Picasso R; Pistoia F; Ferrari G; Martinoli C.Ruaro, B; Cutolo, M; Alessandri, E; Zaottini, F; Picasso, R; Pistoia, F; Ferrari, G; Martinoli, C

SAT0484 TRABECULAR BONE SCORE IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS

Background:Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients shown an increased risk of low bone mass as a result of multifactorial events: physical inactivity, persistent inflammation, low vitamin D levels (photosensitivity) and glucocorticoid treatment. Trabecular Bone Score (TBS), is an index extracted from the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) that provides an indirect measurement of bone axial microarchitecture and allows to get information about bone quality in several rheumatic diseases (1-4).Objectives:The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence and risk factors for low bone mineral density (BMD) (osteoporosis or osteopenia) in female patients affected by SLE and to compare with matched healthy subjects (CNT).Methods:70 female patients (mean age 41±20 years) affected by SLE and 65 age- matched CNT (mean age 46±7 years) were enrolled. Bone Mineral Density (BMD, g/cm2) of the lumbar spine (L1-L4) was analyzed using a DXA scan (GE, Lunar Prodigy). Lumbar spine TBS was derived for each spine DXA examination using the TBS index (TBS iNsight Medimaps).Results:The mean BMD±SD was 0.47±0.57 g/cm2 at the lumbar spine and 0.78 ± 0.22 g/cm2 at the hip in SLE patients. The prevalence of osteopenia was 40.0% and was 19.4% of osteoporosis in SLE patients. Most of SLE patients (75%) presented a bone loss that was significantly higher when compared with control group (p<0.001). Lumbar spine TBS score was found significantly lower in SLE patients compared with CNT (0.687±0.675 vs, 1.294±0.809 p<0.001, respectively) and of 0,47±0,94 times lower than expected from the concomitant reference BMD value.Conclusion:The study shows that the further TBS analysis, independently from the concomitant BMD value, is significatively lower then expected in SLE patients. The detection of the TBS, together with the BMD, may offer a more reliable indication of the real whole bone condition in chronic and systemic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, such as SLE.References:[1]Cutolo M et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009;68 446-7; 2 Dey M et al. Lupus. 018;271547-1551; 3 Ruaro B, Casabella A, et al. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2018;57:1548-1554. 4 Ruaro B, Casabella A, et al. Clin Rheumatol. 2018 Nov;37(11):3057-3062.Disclosure of Interests:Andrea Casabella: None declared, Sabrina Paolino: None declared, Elisa Alessandri: None declared, Vanessa Smith Grant/research support from: The affiliated company received grants from Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Belgian Fund for Scientific Research in Rheumatic diseases (FWRO), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co and Janssen-Cilag NV, Consultant of: Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co, Speakers bureau: Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co and UCB Biopharma Sprl, Barbara Ruaro: None declared, Carmen Pizzorni: None declared, Alberto Sulli Grant/research support from: Laboratori Baldacci, Maurizio Cutolo Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Actelion, Celgene, Consultant of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Speakers bureau: Sigma-Alph

Resistência de cultivares de brássicas à galha das crucíferas

The club-root caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin is the most serious disease in brassica and crucifer species, mainly due&nbsp; to the fast propagation of the pathogen and its survival by using resistance structures. For this reason, the use of resistant cultivars is considered one of the most effective and economical ways to control this disease. This study aimed at examining the resistance to club-root in brassica crops commercialized in the metropolitan region of Curitiba. The experiment was carried out under a totally randomized design, and nineteen cultivars were tested according to the Plasmodiophora brassicae inoculation. Each treatment was composed of ten replicates, with a total of 380 experimental units. At the end of the experiment, incidence and severity was evaluated through a scale of grades. None of the cultivars studied presented resistance to the pathogen. Radish Minowase Long White (&ldquo;R&aacute;bano Minowase&rdquo;) and Radish Sparkler (&ldquo;Rabanete Sparkler&rdquo;) showed the highest tolerance to the disease. On the other hand, Cauliflower Snowball (&ldquo;Couve-flor Bola de Neve&rdquo;), Flat Dutch Cabbage&nbsp; (&ldquo;Repolho Chato de Quintal&rdquo;) and Red Kohlrabi (&ldquo;Couve-r&aacute;bano Roxa&rdquo;) presented higher degrees of severity.A Galha das Cruc&iacute;feras causada por Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin &eacute; a mais s&eacute;ria doen&ccedil;a das esp&eacute;cies de br&aacute;ssicas e cruc&iacute;feras, devido principalmente &agrave; r&aacute;pida dissemina&ccedil;&atilde;o do pat&oacute;geno e sua sobreviv&ecirc;ncia por meio de estruturas de resist&ecirc;ncia. Desta forma, o uso de cultivares resistentes &eacute; considerado um dos meios mais eficazes e econ&ocirc;micos de controlar a doen&ccedil;a. O trabalho objetivou avaliar a resist&ecirc;ncia de cultivares de br&aacute;ssicas comercializadas na regi&atilde;o metropolitana de Curitiba &agrave; Galha das Cruc&iacute;feras. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, foram testados dezenove cultivares em fun&ccedil;&atilde;o da inocula&ccedil;&atilde;o de&nbsp; P. brassicae. Cada tratamento foi composto por dez repeti&ccedil;&otilde;es, o que totalizou 380 unidades experimentais. Ao final do experimento foram avaliadas a incid&ecirc;ncia e severidade por meio de escala de notas. Nenhum dos cultivares estudados apresentou resist&ecirc;ncia ao pat&oacute;geno. Dentre os cultivares testados, o Nabo comprido (R&aacute;bano Minowase) e Rabanete Sparkler apresentaram maior toler&acirc;ncia &agrave; doen&ccedil;a. J&aacute; os cultivares Couve-flor Bola de Neve, Repolho Chato de Quintal e Couve-r&aacute;bano Roxa apresentaram maior grau de severidade

Expedient microwave-assisted synthesis of Bis( n )-lophine analogues as selective butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors: Cytotoxicity evaluation and molecular modelling

In the brain of patients with chronic Alzheimer's disease (AD), the butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) levels rise while the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels decrease. Therefore, development of new selective BuChE inhibitors is of vital importance. Here we present a series of bis(n)-lophine analogues, where two lophine derivatives are connected by a methylene chain. The bis(n)-lophine analogues were synthesized through one-pot four component reaction between pyridinecarboxaldehydes, 1,n-alkanediamines, benzil, and ammonium acetate. The reactions were performed in a microwave reactor in one step for symmetrical bis(n)-lophines, and in two steps for unsymmetrical bis(n)-lophines. The compounds are strongly selective to BuChE, since none of them inhibit AChE. All the compounds, except 7a, 7b and 7c, displayed potent inhibitory activity against BuChE at a micromolar and sub-micromolar range (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 32.25-0.03 μM). The enzyme kinetic and docking studies suggests that the inhibitor act as a dual binding site inhibitor, binding into the bottom of the gorge and in the peripheral anionic site (PAS) of BuChE cavity. Furthermore, in vitro studies showed that compounds 5b and 12b had no cytotoxic effects in kidney Vero, hepatic HepG2 and C6 astroglial cell lines.Fil: Câmara, Viktor S.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Soares, Ana Julia. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Biscussi, Brunella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Murray, Ana Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Guedes, Isabella A.. Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica; BrasilFil: Dardenne, Laurent E.. Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica; BrasilFil: Ruaro, Thaís C.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Zimmer, Aline R.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Ceschi, Marco A.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasi