Identification of differentially expressed genes in pathways of cerebral neurotransmission of anovulatory mice

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the classic example of loss of functional cyclicity and anomalous feedback. In this case, the excessive extra-glandular production and conversion of androgens to estrogens are the pathophysiological basis of the chronic anovulation. The literature describes an experimental model of the polymicrocystic ovary in obese diabetic mice with insulin resistance. The fact that these animals exhibit obesity, insulin resistance, and infertility demonstrates their skill as an experimental model for polycystic ovary. A recent study using long protocol for up to 40 weeks showed that anovulatory and obese mice transplanted with adipose tissue from animals with normal weight have multiple changes in their phenotype. These changes include reduction of body weight, prevention of obesity, insulin level normalization, and insulin tolerance tests, preventing the elevation of steroids and especially the reversal of fertility restoration with anovulation. Considering that there are close relationships between the ovulation process and the central nervous system, we propose to evaluate the gene expression levels of 84 different genes involved in neurotransmission and insulin pathways in addition to examining the neurolipidosis differential murine brain before and after reversal of anovulation. The present study showed changes in gene expression of molecular markers in brain tissue of animals for brain neurotransmission pathways as well as pathways for insulin. GABAergic genes, muscarinic, serotonin receptors, receptor tyrosine kinase, and genes of interleukin 6 showed overexpression profile. There was also a change in the lipid content in anovulatory brain, obesity, and insulin resistant mice (Ob-/Ob-) compared with controls. The re-introduction of leptin in these animals appears to reverse, at least in part, this profile.Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Lab Ginecol Mol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Lab Ginecol Mol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Controle automático da umidade do solo com energia solar para pequenos produtores.

Esse trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar um protótipo autônomo de irrigação energizado por uma célula fotovoltaica de 5 W, baseado na plataforma Arduino (código e hardware aberto). O sistema consiste de um sensor de umidade do solo que ao atingir um dado sinal elétrico aciona um dispositivo solenoide de liberação do fluxo de água em uma rede de irrigação. O sistema tem custo aproximado de R$240, é de fácil manipulação e manutenção, e funciona de maneira autônoma durante o dia quando há energia solar disponível. O emprego do sistema pode aumentar a produtividade de pequenos produtores pela redução do estresse em períodos de seca

Desenvolvimento de um sistema de monitoramento remoto de umidade do solo.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar o protótipo de um sistema autônomo de monitoramento de umidade do solo. O sistema consiste de três sensores de umidade de solo conectados a um microcontrolador Arduino, alimentado por uma bateria carregada por uma célula fotovoltaica. O propósito desse sistema é realizar a transmissão por módulo Xbee® de sinal analógico referente ao teor de umidade do solo. O sinal transmitido é captado por outro módulo Xbee® ligado a um programa servidor capaz de armazenar continuamente as informações captadas

Insights into the fracture mechanisms and strength of amorphous and nanocomposite carbon

Tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations shed light into the fracture mechanisms and the ideal strength of tetrahedral amorphous carbon and of nanocomposite carbon containing diamond crystallites, two of the hardest materials. It is found that fracture in the nanocomposites, under tensile or shear load, occurs inter-grain and so their ideal strength is similar to the pure amorphous phase. The onset of fracture takes place at weakly bonded sp^3 sites in the amorphous matrix. On the other hand, the nanodiamond inclusions significantly enhance the elastic moduli, which approach those of diamond.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Supercurrent induced domain wall motion

We study the dynamics of a magnetic domain wall, inserted in, or juxtaposed to, a conventional superconductor, via the passage of a spin polarized current through a FSF junction. Solving the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation of motion for the magnetic moments we calculate the velocity of the domain wall and compare it with the case of a FNF junction. We find that in several regimes the domain wall velocity is larger when it is driven by a supercurrent.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Alterações em alguns atributos químicos do solo de cerrado tratado com pó de balão e cultivado com milho, sob condições controladas.

Fertbio 2012

A Comparative Structural Study in Monolayers of GPI Fragments and Their Binary Mixtures

Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs), natural complex glycolipids essential for a range of biological functions, are poorly understood with regard to their interactions and arrangements in cellular membranes. To evaluate the role of the head group in the structure formation in 2D model membranes (monolayers formed at the soft air/liquid interface), we employed the highly surface sensitive grazing incidence X-ray diffraction technique to investigate three GPI-fragments bearing the same hydrophobic part but different head groups. Condensed monolayers of simple GPI fragments are defined only by ordered alkyl chains. The monolayers of more complex fragments are additionally characterized by highly ordered head groups. Due to the strong H-bond network formed by the head groups, GPI-fragment 3 both segregates and induces order into a model membrane phospholipid (POPC) that mimics the liquid-disordered phase of cell membranes. Here, we show that the strong van der Waals interactions between hydrophobic chains overcome the head group interactions and dominate the structure formation in mixtures of GPI-fragment 3 with lipids that form liquid-condensed phases. This behaviour can be linked to the GPIs affinity for the lipid rafts

Nocturnal bee pollinators are attracted to guarana flowers by their scents.

Floral scent is an important component of the trait repertoire of flowering plants, which is used to attract and manipulate pollinators. Despite advances during the last decades about the chemicals released by flowers, there is still a large gap in our understanding of chemical communication between flowering plants and their pollinators. We analyzed floral scents of guarana (Paullinia cupana, Sapindaceae), an economically important plant of the Amazon, using chemical analytical approaches, and determined the attractiveness of the scent to its nocturnal bee pollinators using behavioral assays in the field. Pollen loads of attracted bees were also analyzed. Inflorescences of guarana emit strong scents, both during day and at night, with some semi-quantitative differences between day- and night-time scents

Jarlskog-like invariants for theories with scalars and fermions

Within the framework of theories where both scalars and fermions are present, we develop a systematic prescription for the construction of CP-violating quantities that are invariant under basis transformations of those matter fields. In theories with Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking, the analysis involves the vevs' transformation properties under a scalar basis change, with a considerable simplification of the study of CP violation in the scalar sector. These techniques are then applied in detail to the two Higgs-doublet model with quarks. It is shown that there are new invariants involving scalar-fermion interactions, besides those already derived in previous analyses for the fermion-gauge and scalar-gauge sectors.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, no figure

Bowman's layer dystrophy with irido-fundal coloboma in the same patient: a case report

Introduction: The corneal dystrophies are rare corneal diseases, defined as bilateral, symmetric and inherited conditions. Ocular coloboma is a congenital defect caused by embryogenesis imperfection, during the sixth week of development. Purpose: The authors report the first clinical case in literature of the association of cornea dystrophy and irido-fundal coloboma. Case report: The authors describe the case of a 34-year-old woman, with decrease visual acuity (VA) in the right and left eyes (RLE). She has had an ocular illness since young, with corneal erosions. Her family members also have alterations in the cornea, her father has held a bilateral corneal transplant. Ophthalmic examination showed a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/40 in the RE and 20/100 in the LE. Biomicroscopy showed an inferior iris coloboma in the LE. A deposition of reticular/granular substance in the Bowman’s layer was observed in both eyes, sparing the limbal portion, compatible with a corneal dystrophy. Fundus examination showed a coloboma in the LE that involves the inferior retina and the optic nerve, no changes in the RE fundus was observed. She started treatment with ocular lubrificant preservative-free eyedrops. The patient has remained stable within 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: This is the first case report of the association of cornea dystrophy and irido-fundal coloboma. The greater decrease in VA in the LE appears to be due to the combination of these two entities in this eye. Despite the Bowman’s layer dystrophy has an autosomal dominant pattern, coloboma seems to have been an acquired change.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio