FGF/heparin differentially regulates Schwann cell and olfactory ensheathing cell interactions with astrocytes: a role in astrocytosis

After injury, the CNS undergoes an astrocyte stress response characterized by reactive astrocytosis/proliferation, boundary formation, and increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) expression. Previously, we showed that in vitro astrocytes exhibit this stress response when in contact with Schwann cells but not olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). In this study, we confirm this finding in vivo by demonstrating that astrocytes mingle with OECs but not Schwann cells after injection into normal spinal cord. We show that Schwann cell-conditioned media (SCM) induces proliferation in monocultures of astrocytes and increases CSPG expression in a fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1)-independent manner. However, SCM added to OEC/astrocyte cocultures induces reactive astrocytosis and boundary formation, which, although sensitive to FGFR1 inhibition, was not induced by FGF2 alone. Addition of heparin to OEC/astrocyte cultures induces boundary formation, whereas heparinase or chlorate treatment of Schwann cell/astrocyte cultures reduces it, suggesting that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are modulating this activity. In vivo, FGF2 and FGFR1 immunoreactivity was increased over grafted OECs and Schwann cells compared with the surrounding tissue, and HSPG immunoreactivity is increased over reactive astrocytes bordering the Schwann cell graft. These data suggest that components of the astrocyte stress response, including boundary formation, astrocyte hypertrophy, and GFAP expression, are mediated by an FGF family member, whereas proliferation and CSPG expression are not. Furthermore, after cell transplantation, HSPGs may be important for mediating the stress response in astrocytes via FGF2. Identification of factors secreted by Schwann cells that induce this negative response in astrocytes would further our ability to manipulate the inhibitory environment induced after injury to promote regeneration

Development of molecular biology techniques for the detection of genetically modified organisms in maize food products

In the last years, the increase in the cultivated area of genetically modified (GM) maize has become a reality. GA21, MON810 and MON 863 maize crops are some of the authorized maize events for food and feed under the European Union (EU) regulations. These crops of transgenic maize bring profit towards the conventional ones, as they confer resistence to some plagues and/or herbices. Concerning the raise of production and consumption of foodstuffs derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO), the EU has established new demand levels, including the labeling requirements when the product has GMO in proportion higher than 0.9% (Regulation (EC) Nº. 1829/2003)

Perfil de ácidos grasos y comportamiento reológico de aceite y grasa de semillas de achiote (Bixa orellana), y de cacao blanco (Theobroma grandiflorum) y sus mezclas

Annatto seed oil (ASO) and cupuassu seed fat (CSF) were combined at the ratios: 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30 (% w/w). Their fatty acid profile, nutritional quality, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectra, and rheological behavior were evaluated. ASO increased the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the blends; whereas CSF conferred higher contents of monounsaturated fatty acids. The blends exhibited low atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices, suggesting nutritional advantages. The Newtonian fluid behavior and FTIR results suggested that mixing ASO and CSF at different proportions did not affect the functional groups. ASO showed an activation energy value which indicated that this fat viscosity was more sensitive to temperature changes. The Newtonian model proved to be suitable to describe the behavior of samples, according to statistical fit parameters R2, χ2, and RSS. The resulting blends presented improved physicochemical properties and nutritional attributes, indicating their feasibility for the development of new products.Se combinaron aceite de semilla de achiote (ASO) y grasa de semilla de cacao blanco (CSF) en las proporciones: 30:70, 50:50 y 70:30 (% p/p), respectivamente. Se evaluó su perfil de ácidos grasos, calidad nutricional, espectros FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) y comportamiento reológico. ASO incrementó el contenido de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados en las mezclas, mientras que CSF confirió mayores contenidos de ácidos grasos monoinsaturados. Las mezclas exhibieron bajos índices de aterogenicidad y trombogenicidad, lo que sugiere ventajas nutricionales. El comportamiento del fluido newtoniano y los resultados de FTIR sugirieron que mezclar ASO y CSF en diferentes proporciones no afectó a los grupos funcionales. ASO mostró un valor de energía de activación que indicó que la viscosidad de esta grasa era más sensible a los cambios de temperatura. El modelo newtoniano demostró ser adecuado para describir el comportamiento de las muestras, según los parámetros de ajuste estadístico R2, χ2 y RSS. Las mezclas resultantes presentaron propiedades fisicoquímicas y atributos nutricionales mejorados, lo que indica su viabilidad para el desarrollo de nuevos productos

Evaluation of total and non-fatty ether extract in feeds and cattle feces using two analytical methods

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate ether extract (EE) concentrations, pigments, and wax in forages (n=14), concentrates (n=23), and cattle feces (n=100) using extraction methods recommended by Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC; method 920.39) and American Oil Chemist's Society (AOCS; method Am 5-04). The EE contents were compared by adjusting a linear regression model for each sample type. For the feces and forage samples, the EE contents produced by the AOCS method were greater (P<0.05) compared to those obtained using the AOAC method. No differences between methods were observed in EE content of concentrates (P>0.05). Concentration of vegetable pigments and wax were evaluated by using analysis for variance. Vegetable pigments were lower (P<0.05) in the post-extraction residues using the AOCS method, than the AOAC method, indicating greater participation of vegetable pigments in the EE. No differences were observed between the methods in wax concentration of the post-extraction residues (P>0.05). The quantification method of the EE content that is recommended by AOCS is not suggested for analyses of forage and feces of ruminants because it possibly increases the removal of non-fatty material, mostly pigments, in comparison to the method recommended by AOAC

RECORRÊNCIA DE ALAGAMENTOS NA CIDADE DE TEÓFILO OTONI, MINAS GERAIS: UM ESTUDO INICIAL NO BAIRRO NOVO HORIZONTE

A desarmonia entre ocupação, uso do solo e planejamentos estrutural e ambiental geralmente levam a ocorrência de sérios problemas à população. Nesse sentido, este estudo busca relatar o histórico do local, pesquisar motivos dos casos ocorridos e apresentar providências iniciais. Os alagamentos decorrem da habitação descontrolada, falta de fiscalização por parte das autoridades e inexistência de ações para diminuir os riscos e prevenir desastres futuros

Interaction protocols for cross-organisational workflows

Workflow technologies are widely used in industry and commerce to assist in the specification, execution and completion of well defined processes within organisations. As industrial and commercial relations have evolved, based on advances on information and communications technologies, cross-organisational workflow integration has become an important issue. Since organisations can have very different workflows, the creation of compatible workflows so that organisations can collaborate and/or carry out mutual transactions automatically in an integrated fashion can be a very complex and time consuming process. As a consequence, the development of technologies to support the creation and execution of compatible workflows is a most relevant issue. In the present article we introduce the JamSession coordination platform as a tool to implement cross-organisational workflow integration. JamSession is declarative and based on algebraic specification methods, and therefore workflow integration implemented using this platform can profit from formal behavioural analysis, based on which desired features and properties can be verified and/or obtained

Numerical solution of time-dependent Maxwell’s equations for modeling scattered electromagnetic wave’s propagation

We present the discontinuous Galerkin method combined with a low-storage Runge-Kutta method as an accurate and efficient way to numerically solve the time-dependent Maxwell’s equations. We investigate the numerical scheme in the context of modeling scattered electromagnetic wave’s propagation through human eye’s structures

Biblioteconomia social, crítica e progressista: mapeamento da produção científica nacional e internacional

Library Science is a scientific field that has presented in recent decades the strongest discussion about its social character and the importance of moving away from a conservative base. Thus, new qualifying terms of this area can be found, for example, Social, Progressive and Critical Library Science. This alternative use and its production is the focus of this research whose general objective is to map the indexed scientific production in different databases. The methodological procedure selected was the bibliometrics of quantitative nature, which aims, at this first moment, to identify the occurrence of the terms, in Portuguese, “Biblioteconomia Social”, “Biblioteconomia Progressista” e “Biblioteconomia Crítica”, as well as the corresponding terms in English “Social Library Science”, “Progressive Library Science” and “Critical Library Science”. Thus, two databases were intentionally selected, one from Brazil and other international, for data collection, namely: Base de Dados em Ciência da Informação (BRAPCI) and Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA). The search with the terms in these databases took place in January 2019, therefore, the collected data were tabulated and presented in this paper. It was possible to notice that the use of the terms is still little present in the library science production, considering that they started to be used from the 2000s. In Brazil, the “watershed” was the Congresso Brasileiro de Biblioteconomia, Documentação e Ciência da Informação [Brazilian Congress of Library, Documentation and Information Science] (CBBD), in 2017, having in one of the thematic axes the presence of the term “Social Library Science”