Statistical Mechanics Characterization of Neuronal Mosaics

The spatial distribution of neuronal cells is an important requirement for achieving proper neuronal function in several parts of the nervous system of most animals. For instance, specific distribution of photoreceptors and related neuronal cells, particularly the ganglion cells, in mammal's retina is required in order to properly sample the projected scene. This work presents how two concepts from the areas of statistical mechanics and complex systems, namely the \emph{lacunarity} and the \emph{multiscale entropy} (i.e. the entropy calculated over progressively diffused representations of the cell mosaic), have allowed effective characterization of the spatial distribution of retinal cells.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, The following article has been submitted to Applied Physics Letters. If it is published, it will be found online at http://apl.aip.org

Applied ethnobotany to gastric ulcer and pharmacological evaluation of Solanum stipulaceum

The popular knowledge about medicinal plants has helped the bioprospecting strategies of species and directed to a discovery of new pharmacological activities. The aim of this study was to identify medicinal species used against gastric ulcer in the Vila Capim village, Arapiraca, Alagoas, and it evaluating a gastric anti - inflammatory activity of the most salient species. For a selection of key informants has used a snowball technique. The TCLE was signed and semi-structured interviews were applied. The analysis of the speeches was done on the Discourse of the Collective Subject technique. For   pharmacological experimental tests, plant extract was underwent the Acute Gastric Lesion Model induced by absolute ethanol and using Wistar male rats. Acute toxicity was evaluated. Seventeen key informants indicated the symptoms and the medicinal plants used against gastric ulcer. The species with the highest salience value was Solanum stipulaceum Roem & Schult (sacatinga), chosen for chemical and pharmacological tests. The crude aqueous extract (SSaq) presented significant activity at a dose of 200 mg kg-1 (p<0.05), being able to inhibit lesions (91.35%). Ethanolic extract (SSet) showed gastroprotective activity at doses of 200 and 400 mg kg -1 (p <0.01), with inhibition of (71.12% and 76.38%), respectively. Further studies will be need for analysis of toxicity and identification of the mechanisms of action underlying the gastrointestinal activity of S. stipulaceum

Losses of immunoreactive parvalbumin amacrine and immunoreactive alphaprotein kinase C bipolar cells caused by methylmercury chloride intoxication in the retina of the tropical fish Hoplias malabaricus

To quantify the effects of methylmercury (MeHg) on amacrine and on ON-bipolar cells in the retina, experiments were performed in MeHg-exposed groups of adult trahiras (Hoplias malabaricus) at two dose levels (2 and 6 µg/g, ip). The retinas of test and control groups were processed by mouse anti-parvalbumin and rabbit anti-aprotein kinase C (aPKC) immunocytochemistry. Morphology and soma location in the inner nuclear layer were used to identify immunoreactive parvalbumin (PV-IR) and aPKC (aPKC-IR) in wholemount preparations. Cell density, topography and isodensity maps were estimated using confocal images. PV-IR was detected in amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer and in displaced amacrine cells from the ganglion cell layer, and aPKC-IR was detected in ON-bipolar cells. The MeHg-treated group (6 µg/g) showed significant reduction of the ON-bipolar aPKC-IR cell density (mean density = 1306 ± 393 cells/mm2) compared to control (1886 ± 892 cells/mm2; P < 0.001). The mean densities found for amacrine PV-IR cells in MeHg-treated retinas were 1040 ± 56 cells/mm2 (2 µg/g) and 845 ± 82 cells/mm2 (6 µg/g), also lower than control (1312 ± 31 cells/mm2; P < 0.05), differently from the data observed in displaced PV-IR amacrine cells. These results show that MeHg changed the PV-IR amacrine cell density in a dose-dependent way, and reduced the density of aKC-IR bipolar cells at the dose of 6 µg/g. Further studies are needed to identify the physiological impact of these findings on visual function

Synthesis, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of 5-benzylidene-2-[(pyridine-4-ylmethylene)hydrazono]-thiazolidin-4-one and 2-[(pyridine-4-ylmethylene) hydrazono]-thiazolidin-4-one derivatives

A new series of 5-benzylidene-2-[(pyridine-4-ylmethylene)hydrazono]-thiazolidin-4-ones 4a-l have been synthesized. These compounds were designed by a molecular hybridization approach. 2-[(Pyridine-4-ylmethylene)hydrazono]-thiazolidin-4-ones 3a-d were also obtained and used as intermediates to give the target compounds. The in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities were evaluated for both series. The intermediate 3b showed considerable antibiotic activity against B. subtilis and C. albicans. In the cytotoxic activity compounds 3b (IC50= 4.25 ± 0.36 µg/mL) and 4l (IC50= 1.38 ± 0.04 µg/mL) were effective for inhibition of human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia (K-562) and human lung carcinoma (NCI-H292) cell lines, respectively