Efeitos dos inibidores da NOS no modelo de parkinsonismo induzido por reserpina /

Orientadora : Maria A.B.F. VitalCo-orientador : Roberto AndreatiniDissertaçăo (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Cięncias Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduaçăo em Farmacologia. Defesa: Curitiba, 2005Inclui bibliografi

A lesão dopaminérgica como modelo de estágio pré-motor da doença de Parkinson: efeitos do antagonismo do receptor CB1

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Florianópolis, 2010Além dos sinais motores clássicos, a doença de Parkinson é caracterizada por déficits cognitivos e emocionais, os quais precedem as alterações motoras, como tem sido demonstrado por diversos autores. O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo investigar se uma degeneração parcial dos neurônios dopaminérgicos induzida pela administração de 6-hidroxidopamina seria capaz de induzir alterações comportamentais pré-motoras em ratos. O curso temporal da lesão nigroestriatal foi avaliado através de imunoistoquímica para tirosinahidroxilase e os níveis de dopamina, noradrenalina e serotonina foram analisados em várias regiões cerebrais através de Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão com Detecção Eletroquímica. Foram realizados testes para avaliar uma variedade de funções comportamentais, incluindo atividade locomotora, comportamento tipo-depressivo, anedonia, ansiedade e memória nos ratos lesionados com 6-hidroxidopamina. A infusão bilateral de 6-hidroxidopamina no corpo estriado de ratos causou lesão precoce dos terminais dopaminérgicos no corpo estriado e corpos celulares na substância negra. A lesão nigroestriatal foi acompanhada por uma perda precoce de dopamina no corpo estriado, que permaneceu estável por um período de três semanas de observação. Além disso, foi observada uma redução tardia de dopamina no córtex pré-frontal, porém não no hipocampo. Alterações noradrenérgicas e serotonérgicas foram também observadas após a administração de 6-hidroxidopamina. Os resultados indicam que os ratos lesionados com 6- hidroxidopamina apresentaram uma redução no consumo de sacarose e um aumento no tempo de imobilidade no teste do nado forçado, sugerindo um efeito tipo anedônico - depressivo. Além disso, foi observada uma atividade do tipo ansiogênica no teste do labirinto em cruz elevado, bem como alterações cognitivas na versão com pista do labirinto aquático de Morris e no teste do reconhecimento social. Estes achados sugerem que a degeneração dopaminérgica parcial, associada a alterações dopaminérgicas, noradrenérgicas e serotonérgicas no corpo estriado e córtex pré-frontal pode ter causado os déficits emocionais e cognitivos observados neste modelo de fase inicial da doença de Parkinson. Evidências recentes em modelos animais sugerem que o bloqueio dos receptores canabinóides CB1 poderia ser benéfico para o alívio da inibição motora típica da doença de Parkinson. Desta forma, nós investigamos se a administração de SR141716A, um antagonista seletivo dos receptores CB1, seria capaz de reduzir os déficits IX emocionais e cognitivos observados, respectivamente, no teste do nado forçado e do reconhecimento social neste modelo de doença de Parkinson pré-motora. Os resultados mostraram que, uma semana após a cirurgia, no teste no nado forçado, o aumento do tempo de imobilidade observado nos animais tratados com 6-hidroxidopamina foi reduzido pela injeção aguda de 3 mg/kg de SR141716A, enquanto que doses menores (0,5 e 1 mg/kg) não foram efetivas. Três semanas após a cirurgia, o aumento no tempo de investigação no teste do reconhecimento social causado pela administração de 6-hidroxidopamina foi atenuado pela exposição aguda a baixas doses de SR141716A. As análises de Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão mostraram alterações nos níveis estriatais de dopamina e nos níveis de noradrenalina e serotonina no córtex pré-frontal após a injeção de SR141716A. Esses resultados sugerem que o receptor CB1 pode desempenhar um papel importante nos estágios iniciais da doença de Parkinson.In addition to classic motor symptoms, Parkinson's disease is characterized by cognitive and emotional deficits, which have been demonstrated to precede motor impairments. The present study addresses the question of whether a partial degeneration of dopaminergic neurons using 6-hydroxydopamine in rats is able to induce premotor behavioral signs. The time-course of nigrostriatal damage was evaluated by tyrosine hydroxylase-immunohistochemistry and the levels of dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin in various brain regions were analyzed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection. Tests that assessed a variety of behavioral functions, including locomotor activity, depression, anhedonia, anxiety and memory were conducted on 6- hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. Bilateral infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine in the striatum of rats caused early damage of dopaminergic terminals in striatum and in cell bodies in substantia nigra pars compacta. The nigrostriatal lesion was accompanied by early loss of dopamine in the striatum, which remained stable through a threeweeks period of observation. In addition, a late loss of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex, but not in the hippocampus, was seen. Additional noradrenergic and serotonergic alterations were observed after 6-hydroxydopamine administration. Six-hydroxydopamine - lesioned rats showed decreased sucrose consumption and an increased immobility time in the forced swimming test, an anhedonic-depressive-like effect. In addition, an anxiogenic-like activity was seen in the elevated plus maze test and cognitive impairments were observed on the cued version of the Morris water maze and social recognition tests. These findings suggest that partial striatal dopaminergic degeneration and parallel dopaminergic, noradrenergic and serotonergic alterations in striatum and prefrontal cortex may have caused the emotional and cognitive deficits observed in this rat model of early phase Parkinson#s disease. Recent evidence in animal models suggests that the blockade of cannabinoid CB1 receptors might alleviate motor dysfunction typical of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, we investigated whether antagonism of CB1 receptors would improve emotional and cognitive deficits in the rat model of pre-motor Parkinson#s disease induced by an intrastriatal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. Our results showed that immobility time was reduced by acute 3 mg/kg SR141716A, while 0.5 and 1 mg/kg doses were not effective. Three weeks after surgery, a 6-XI hydroxydopamine-induced increase in investigation time in social recognition test was improved by low doses of SR141716A. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis demonstrated alterations in striatal dopamine as well as noradrenaline and serotonin in prefrontal cortex after SR141716A injection. These findings suggest a role for CB1 receptors in the early symptoms caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in striatum, as observed in Parkinson#s disease

Effects of SR141716A on Cognitive and Depression-Related Behavior in an Animal Model of Premotor Parkinson's Disease

A previous study from our laboratory revealed that moderate nigral dopaminergic degeneration caused emotional and cognitive deficits in rats, paralleling early signs of Parkinson's disease. Recent evidence suggests that the blockade of cannabinoid CB1 receptors might be beneficial to alleviate motor inhibition typical of Parkinson's disease. Here, we investigated whether antagonism of CB1 receptors would improve emotional and cognitive deficits in a rat model of premotor Parkinson's disease. Depression-like behavior and cognition were assessed with the forced swim test and the social recognition test, respectively. Confirming our previous study, rats injected with 6-hydroxydopamine in striatum presented emotional and cognitive alterations which were improved by acute injection of SR141716A. HPLC analysis of monoamine levels demonstrated alterations in the striatum and prefrontal cortex after SR141716A injection. These findings suggest a role for CB1 receptors in the early symptoms caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the striatum, as observed in Parkinson's disease

Effects of support consequences and cultural consequences on the selection of interlocking behavioral contingencies

In this study the effects of support consequences (SC) and cultural consequences (CC) on the selection of interlocks (by SC) and interlocking behavioral contingencies (IBCs – by CC) was evaluated. The study comprised the analysis of four experimental groups. Groups 1 and 2 which participated in Experiment 1 and groups 3 and 4 in Experiment 2. Each group was exposed to a gambling game. Groups 1 and 2 were exposed to conditions A (support contingencies) and/or B (metacontingencies). Group 1 was exposed to four phases (B/A/A+B/B), while group 2 was exposed to a single phase (B). The interlocks or IBCs of both groups were selected and no differences in the performance of the groups were identified. Data for groups 1 and 2 show that interlocks or IBCs can be selected and maintained by support consequences or cultural consequences, that an interlock can be maintained simultaneously by support consequences and cultural consequences, and that the interlocks selected by support consequences may subsequently be maintained solely by cultural consequences contingent on the IBCs. In Experiment 2, the groups were exposed to conditions A’ and B’, which were identical to A and B, except for requiring more complex interlocks or IBCs. Group 3 was exposed to condition B’/A’, while group 4 was exposed only to condition B’. The interlocks or IBCs were not selected in either group. Results indicate no remarkable differences in the groups’ performance exposed to metacontingencies and support contingencies. Future studies should replicate the presented experimental design, but control the complexity of IBCs more precisely with the evaluating aim to check whether support consequences and cultural consequences play different roles in the selection of IBCs

CULTURA IMATERIAL: MITOS E LENDAS DE BELÉM-PA

O trabalho intitulado “Cultura Imaterial: Mitos e Lendas de Belém” tem como objetivo a análise e a compreensão das lendas e mitos de Belém, que permeiam o imaginário da população da cidade. Para, a partir disso, verificar a possibilidade de potencializar esses elementos culturais como forma de valorização e de reafirmação da identidade local. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido metodologicamente por meio de pesquisa de campo, com a observação direta e roteiros de entrevistas, além de pesquisas bibliográficas. As entrevistas foram realizadas no período de dezembro de 2008 a janeiro de 2009. Foram escolhidos os bairros do Umarizal e da Pedreira por apresentarem moradores com características de vivências, situações financeiras e crenças diferentes. As entrevistas foram realizadas com o intuito de verificar o conhecimento dos habitantes da cidade de Belém sobre as histórias, e observar quais narrativas são as mais conhecidas entre os moradores.Palavras-chave: Lendas e Mitos. Cultura Imaterial. Identidade Local

Cost-Effective Platform for Particulate Matter Rapid Monitoring

Particles in the air with volume ≤ 2.5 μm3 have been classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Therefore, rapid monitoring systems are crucial to obtain information about particulate matter (PM) concentrations and make this information publicly available. Supported by WHO criteria, this text focuses on the development of a field-portable cost-effective platform for rapid monitoring, data acquisition of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and measurements of environmental variables (relative air humidity and temperature) at the micrometeorological level, in addition to providing access via the Internet of Thing (IoT). The platform was tested, as well as validating its results when compared to those made available at the National Meteorology Institute-INMET (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia). Based on this technology, tests and measurements have been performed in the local presence of the population and vehicle traffic, in order to identify the concentrations of PM in public places. Between the results obtained, the device recorded higher temperature and low humidity, at 12 noon, and the average hourly reached 175.3 µg/m3 (PM10) and 164.2 µg/m3 (PM2.5), which means a warning sign. This computational platform would be useful for cost-effective and rapid quantification of PM density even in field and resource-poor settings

Superação de dormência em sementes de Tachigali micropetala (Ducke) Zarucchi & Pipoly (Fabaceae – Caesalpinioideae)

The use of forest species for the production of seedlings has been intensified due to the need for recovery of deforested areas and biomass production. However, the domestication of native forest species is restricted due to a lack of studies related to the ecology, physiology, and morphology of its seeds. The species Tachigali micropetala (Ducke) Zarucchi & Pipoly, which belongs to the family Fabaceae, presents tegument dormancy that hinders the entry of water and consequently the germination. The objective of this work was to select the best treatments for breaking dormancy in T. micropetala seeds. The treatments were: control (without pre-germinative treatment), cut in the integument, scarification in sandpaper, immersion in sulfuric acid for 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes and immersion in water at 80 °C for 20 minutes. The sowing was done in germitest paper and the statistical design used was the completely randomized with eight treatments, five replicates of 25 seeds. For the sanity test, the seeds were submitted to two types of treatments: asepsis with 1.5% of sodium hypochlorite and control (seeds without asepsis). Each treatment contained 10 replicates, with 20 seeds each. The results obtained show that the treatments in acid for 15 and 10 minutes and mechanical scarification with sandpaper presented 90.4, 85.6 and 83.2% of germination, respectively, being these the most efficient for overcoming dormancy in T. micropetala seeds.O uso de espécies florestais na produção de mudas tem sido intensificado devido à necessidade de recuperação de áreas desmatadas e produção de biomassa. No entanto, a domesticação de espécies florestais nativas é restrita devido à falta de estudos relacionados à ecologia, fisiologia e morfologia de suas sementes. A espécie Tachigali micropetala (Ducke) Zarucchi & Pipoly, pertencente à família Fabaceae, apresenta dormência de tegumento que dificulta a entrada de água e, consequentemente, a germinação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi selecionar os melhores tratamentos para a quebra da dormência em sementes de T. micropetala. Os tratamentos foram: controle (sem tratamento pré-germinativo), desponte, escarificação em lixa, imersão em ácido sulfúrico por 5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos e imersão em água a 80 ° C por 20 minutos. A semeadura foi realizada em papel germiteste e o delineamento estatístico utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado com oito tratamentos, cinco repetições de 25 sementes. Para o teste de sanidade, as sementes foram submetidas a dois tipos de tratamentos: assepsia com 1,5% de hipoclorito de sódio e controle (sementes sem assepsia). Cada tratamento continha 10 repetições, com 20 sementes cada. Os resultados obtidos mostram que os tratamentos em ácido por 15 e 10 minutos e a escarificação mecânica com lixa apresentaram 90,4%, 85,6% e 83,2% de germinação, respectivamente, sendo estes os mais eficientes para superar a dormência em sementes de T. micropetala.  

Holt-Winters Forecasting for Brazilian Natural Gas Production

Nowadays, the market for natural gas production and its use as a source of energy supply has been growing substantially in Brazil. However, the use of tools that assist the industry in the management of production can be essential for the strategic decision-making process. In this intuit, this work aims to evaluate the formulation of Holt Winter\u27s additive and multiplicative time series to forecast Brazilian natural gas production. A comparison between the models and their forecast play a vital role for policymakers in the strategic plan, and the models estimated production values ​​for the year 2018 based on the information contained in the interval between 2010 and 2017. Therefore, It was verified that the multiplicative method had a good performance so that we can conclude this formulation is ideal for such an application since all the predicted results by this model showed greater accuracy within the 95% confidence interval

Wind Effect on Microclimate and Thermal Comfort Index in Open-air Public Spaces in the Brazilian Rainforest Cities

Amazon cities and rural villages came to fragment its green spaces, implying changes in the quality of life of its population. Despite clear warning signs, this picture of environmental degradation processes has affected flora and fauna with severe consequences throughout the forest, from points that tend to widen over time. Supported on a literature review of microclimate research in environments, which is based on the dew point temperature, another suitability has been formulated considering the importance of wind speed. By using computational records, when this variable is contained in the characterization of a person\u27s sense of well-being in a given outdoor environment, a thermal comfort index can be established to assist in planning the construction of appropriate leisure areas, as well as identifying unhealthy environments. The results were obtained in different places, during drier summer months in the Amazon rainforest, around the city of Belém, located in the extreme north of Brazil. The best responses were registered in an environment characterized by arboreal architecture planning, followed by an environment with an intact vegetation forest