Diffusion Enhancement in Core-softened fluid confined in nanotubes

We study the effect of confinement in the dynamical behavior of a core-softened fluid. The fluid is modeled as a two length scales potential. This potential in the bulk reproduces the anomalous behavior observed in the density and in the diffusion of liquid water. A series of $NpT$ Molecular Dynamics simulations for this two length scales fluid confined in a nanotube were performed. We obtain that the diffusion coefficient increases with the increase of the nanotube radius for wide channels as expected for normal fluids. However, for narrow channels, the confinement shows an enhancement in the diffusion coefficient when the nanotube radius decreases. This behavior, observed for water, is explained in the framework of the two length scales potential.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, accept for publication at J. Chem. Phy

CARACTERES MACRO E MICROSCÓPICOS DE FOLHA DE LOURO

Commonly named bay or bay laurel, Laurus nobilis L. is a tree with smooth caulinar surface, many branches and leaves, yellow inflorescences and dark spherical fruits. The leaves are scented and used as spice in culinary and as digestive, carminative and antispasmodic in folk medicine. Phytochemical essays have identified various components of the essential oil, mucilage, sesquiterpene lactones, tannins and alkaloids. Owing to its relevance in culinary and phytotherapy, and the lack of morpho-anatomical information for quality control analysis, this work has dealt with leaf macro and microscopic characters of this species. Adult leaves were fixed, freehand sectioned and either stained or prepared according to usual microchemical tests. The leaves are alternate, simple, entire and obovate-lanceolate. The epidermal cells are sinuous and coated with a moderately thick cuticle. Paracytic stomata occur on the abaxial side and some unicellular non-glandular trichomes are seen. The mesophyll is dorsiventral and minor vascular bundles with sclerenchymatic sheath extension are embedded in the chlorenchyma. The midrib has biconvex cross-section and the petiole is plain-convex. Both are traversed by a collateral vascular bundle, enclosed in an incomplete sclerenchymatic sheath. Secretory cells, spherical and relatively large, are found in the leaf.Denominado comumente de louro ou loureiro, Laurus nobilis L. é uma árvore de tronco liso, com muitos ramos e folhas, inflorescências amarelas e frutos globosos escuros. As folhas são nitidamente odoríferas e empregadas como condimento alimentar e como digestivo, carminativo e antiespasmódico na medicina popular. Estudos fitoquímicos identificaram componentes do óleo essencial, mucilagem, lactonas sesquiterpênicas, taninos e alcalóides. Em razão da relevância do louro na culinária e na fitoterapia, e à escassez de informações morfoanatômicas para o controle de qualidade, este trabalho tratou da caracterização macro e microscópica foliar dessa espécie. Folhas adultas foram fixadas, seccionadas à mão livre e submetidas à dupla coloração ou a testes microquímicos usuais. As folhas são alternas, simples, inteiras e oboval-lanceoladas. As células da epiderme têm contorno sinuoso e são revestidas por cutícula moderadamente espessada. Estômatos paracíticos ocorrem na face abaxial e alguns tricomas tectores unicelulares estão presentes. O mesofilo é dorsiventral e nele distribuem-se feixes vasculares de pequeno porte com extensão de bainha esclerenquimática. A nervura central possui secção biconvexa e o pecíolo é plano-convexo. Ambos são percorridos por um feixe vascular colateral, envolto por bainha esclerenquimática incompleta. Células secretoras, arredondadas e relativamente grandes, ocorrem na folha

Density anomaly in a competing interactions lattice gas model

We study a very simple model of a short-range attraction and an outer shell repulsion as a test system for demixing phase transition and density anomaly. The phase-diagram is obtained by applying mean field analysis and Monte Carlo simulations to a two dimensional lattice gas with nearest-neighbors attraction and next-nearest-neighbors repulsion (the outer shell). Two liquid phases and density anomaly are found. The coexistence line between these two liquid phases meets a critical line between the fluid and the low density liquid at a tricritical point. The line of maximum density emerges in the vicinity of the tricritical point, close to the demixing transition

Collagen and Elastic Fibers in Odontogenic Entities: Analysis Using Light and Confocal Laser Microscopic Methods

Dentigerous cyst (DC) and keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KOT) are odontogenic lesions arising from epithelial elements, such as those observed in dental follicles (DF), that have been part of the tooth forming apparatus. These lesions show different clinical and histological characteristics, as well as distinct biological behavior. This study aimed to qualify and quantify collagen and elastic fibers by means of histochemical techniques with light and confocal laser microscopic methods in three odontogenic entities. Eleven DF, 13 DC (n=10 with inflammation, n=3 without inflammation) and 13 KOT were processed to the following techniques: Hematoxylin and Eosin, Masson’s Trichrome, Picrosirius, Direct Blue, and Orcein. DF and DC without inflammation exhibited collagen with similar characteristics: no parallel pattern of fiber orientation, thick fibers with dense arrangement, and absence of distinct layers. A comparison between DC with inflammation and KOT revealed similar collagen organization, showing distinct layers: thin collagen fibers with loose arrangement near the epithelium and thick fibers with dense arrangement in distant areas. The only difference found was that KOT exhibited a parallel collagen orientation in relation to the odontogenic epithelia. It may be suggested that the connective tissue of DC is a reactive tissue, inducing an expansive growth associated with fluid accumulation and inflammatory process, which in turn may be present as part of the lesion itself. In KOT, loosely arranged collagen may be associated with the behavior of the neoplastic epithelium

DIAGNOSE MORFOANATÔMICA DE AROEIRA (Schinus terebinthifolius RADDI, ANACARDIACEAE)

The family Anacardiaceae is pantropical and includes species valued as food, ornamental and medicinal. Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, known as Brazilian pepper tree, has leaves and stem bark traditionally prepared as expectorant, antiseptic, astringent and wound healing. Aiming to present useful data to morpho-anatomical diagnosis, this work has analysed macro and microscopic characters of the leaf and stem of this medicinal plant. The botanical material was identified, fixed, sectioned and stained according to standard microtechniques. Scanning electron microscopy was also carried out. The leaves are alternate, compound, imparipinnate, often with nine or eleven leaflets. The epidermal cells are polygonal and coated with a striate cuticle. Anomocytic stomata occur on the abaxial side. Unicellular non-glandular trichomes, multicellular capitate glandular ones, a sub-epidermal layer and dorsiventral mesophyll are present. The midrib, the rachis and the petiole are alike and traversed by various collateral bundles in centric arrangement. Secretory canals are associated with the vascular system. In the stem, the phellogen is formed superficially. It is encountered stone cells and fibres in the cortex, phloem cylinder external to the xylem and secretory canals in the phloem and pith. Idioblasts containing crystals are seen in the leaf and stem.A família Anacardiaceae é de ocorrência pantropical e inclui espécies de importância alimentar, ornamental e medicinal. Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, conhecido como aroeira, tem folhas e cascas de caule preparadas tradicionalmente na forma de decocto, com fins expectorante, anti-séptico, antidiarréico e cicatrizante. Com o objetivo de apresentar dados úteis à diagnose morfoanatômica, este trabalhou analisou os caracteres macro e microscópicos de folha e caule dessa planta medicinal. O material vegetal foi identificado, fixado, seccionado e corado de acordo com microtécnicas usuais. Análise ultra-estrutural de superfície foi também realizada. As folhas são alternas, compostas, imparipenadas, geralmente com nove ou onze folíolos. As células epidérmicas são poligonais e revestidas por cutícula estriada. Estômatos anomocíticos ocorrem na face abaxial. Tricomas tectores unicelulares e glandulares capitados pluricelulares, camada subepidérmica e mesofilo dorsiventral são observados. A nervura central, a raque e o pecíolo são semelhantes, sendo percorridos por vários feixes vasculares colaterais em arranjo cêntrico. Canais secretores estão associados ao sistema vascular. No caule, o felogênio tem instalação periférica. Notam-se células pétreas e fibras no córtex, cilindro floemático externo ao xilemático e canais secretores no floema e na medula. Idioblastos com cristais ocorrem na folha e no caule

Oral paracoccidioidomycosis:a retrospective study of 95 cases from a single center and literature review

The ecoepidemiological panorama of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is dynamic and still ongoing in Brazil. In particular, data about the oral lesions of PCM are barely explored. The aim of this study was to report the clinicopathological features of individuals diagnosed with oral PCM lesions at an oral and maxillofacial pathology service in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the light of a literature review. A retrospective study was conducted on oral biopsies obtained from 1958 to 2021. Additionally, electronic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information, and Brazilian Library of Dentistry to gather information from large case series of oral PCM. Ninety-five cases of oral PCM were surveyed. The manifestations were more frequent among males (n=86/90.5%), middle-aged/older adults (n=54/58.7%), and white individuals (n=40/51.9%). The most commonly affected sites were the gingiva/alveolar ridge (n=40/23.4%) and lip/labial commissure (n=33/19.3%); however, one (n=40/42.1%) or multiple sites (n=55/57.9%) could also be affected. In 90 (94.7%) patients, ?mulberry-like? ulcerations/moriform appearance were observed. Data from 21 studies (1,333 cases), mostly Brazilian (90.5%), revealed that men (92.4%; male/female: 11.8:1) and individuals in the fifth and sixth decades of life were the most affected (range: 7-89 years), with the gingiva/alveolar ridge, palate, and lips/labial commissure being the sites most frequently affected. The features of oral PCM lesions are similar to those reported in previous studies from Latin America. Clinicians should be aware of the oral manifestations of PCM, with emphasis on the clinicodemographic aspects and differential diagnoses, especially considering the phenomenon of the emergence of reported cases in rural and/or urban areas of Brazil

Prediction of Early TBI Mortality Using a Machine Learning Approach in a LMIC Population.

Background: In a time when the incidence of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is increasing in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), it is important to understand the behavior of predictive variables in an LMIC's population. There are few previous attempts to generate prediction models for TBI outcomes from local data in LMICs. Our study aim is to design and compare a series of predictive models for mortality on a new cohort in TBI patients in Brazil using Machine Learning. Methods: A prospective registry was set in São Paulo, Brazil, enrolling all patients with a diagnosis of TBI that require admission to the intensive care unit. We evaluated the following predictors: gender, age, pupil reactivity at admission, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), presence of hypoxia and hypotension, computed tomography findings, trauma severity score, and laboratory results. Results: Overall mortality at 14 days was 22.8%. Models had a high prediction performance, with the best prediction for overall mortality achieved through Naive Bayes (area under the curve = 0.906). The most significant predictors were the GCS at admission and prehospital GCS, age, and pupil reaction. When predicting the length of stay at the intensive care unit, the Conditional Inference Tree model had the best performance (root mean square error = 1.011), with the most important variable across all models being the GCS at scene. Conclusions: Models for early mortality and hospital length of stay using Machine Learning can achieve high performance when based on registry data even in LMICs. These models have the potential to inform treatment decisions and counsel family members. Level of evidence: This observational study provides a level IV evidence on prognosis after TBI

Coronarin D induces apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest in human glioblastoma cell line

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and highest–grade brain tumor in adults. The prognosis is still poor despite the use of combined therapy involving maximal surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The development of more efficient drugs without noticeable side effects is urgent. Coronarin D is a diterpene obtained from the rhizome extract of Hedychium coronarium, classified as a labdane with several biological activities, principally anticancer potential. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti–cancer properties of Coronarin D in the glioblastoma cell line and further elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Coronarin D potently suppressed cell viability in glioblastoma U–251 cell line, and also induced G1 arrest by reducing p21 protein and histone H2AX phosphorylation, leading to DNA damage and apoptosis. Further studies showed that Coronarin D increased the production of reactive oxygen species, lead to mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization, and subsequently activated caspases and ERK phosphorylation, major mechanisms involved in apoptosis. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis referring to this compound on the glioma cell line. These findings highlight the antiproliferative activity of Coronarin D against glioblastoma cell line U–251 and provide a basis for further investigation on its antineoplastic activity on brain cancer.This research was funded by grants from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP 2014/06636–7 and 2016/06137–6), financiadora de Estudos e Projetos FINEP (MCTI/FINEP/MS/SCTIE/DECIT–01/2013–FPXII–BIOPLAT)