Magnetoencephalography in Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a non-invasive neurophysiological technique used to study the cerebral cortex. Currently, MEG is mainly used clinically to localize epileptic foci and eloquent brain areas in order to avoid damage during neurosurgery. MEG might, however, also be of help in monitoring stroke recovery and rehabilitation. This review focuses on experimental use of MEG in neurorehabilitation. MEG has been employed to detect early modifications in neuroplasticity and connectivity, but there is insufficient evidence as to whether these methods are sensitive enough to be used as a clinical diagnostic test. MEG has also been exploited to derive the relationship between brain activity and movement kinematics for a motor-based brain-computer interface. In the current body of experimental research, MEG appears to be a powerful tool in neurorehabilitation, but it is necessary to produce new data to confirm its clinical utility

Impacto de la ancestría genética en la distribución del polimorfismo de interferón-λ4 rs12979860 en una población global de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Human interferon-λ4 is a cytokine involved in early stages of antiviral responses. Strikingly, some allelic variants with diminished antiviral activity reduce the susceptibility to viral infections, thus they would have suffered a positive selection pressure throughout the evolutionary history of the genus Homo. An intronic variant within the IFNλ4 locus (rs12979860, T˃C) emerged as one of the main gene determinants of the response to HCV and other viruses. The rs12979860-C allele has a differential frequency in African, European and Native American populations, though South American data are scarce. Here we characterize for the first time the distribution of rs12979860 genotypes in a sample of the global population of Buenos Aires, Argentina, assessing its association with European, Native American and African parental components. The rs12979860 genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP in DNA samples from donors of a blood banks of Buenos Aires (n=96), whose genetic individual ancestry (European, African or Native American) had been previously determined using molecular markers. The distribution of rs12979860-CC, CT and TT was 29.17%, 50.0% and 20.83%, respectively. A significant increase in the frequency of CC among donors with a strong European contribution and a greater impact of the Native American component among donors carrying the T allele were observed. Native American and European components were associated to the rs12979860 distribution in a sample of the global population of Buenos Aires, while no differences were directly attributable to the African ancestry. Considering interferon´s key role in antiviral responses, our results may contribute to both bioanthropological and immunogenetic studies associated with infectious diseases.El interferón-λ4 humano es una citoquina involucrada en la respuesta antiviral. Algunas variantes alélicas con menor actividad antiviral, paradójicamente, reducen la susceptibilidad a infecciones virales, por lo que habrían sufrido una presión de selección positiva en la historia evolutiva del gיnero Homo. Una variante dentro del locus de IFNλ4 (rs12979860, T˃C), con distribución diferencial en poblaciones africanas, europeas y nativas americanas, surgió como uno de los principales determinantes genéticos de la respuesta al HCV y otros virus. Aquí caracterizamos por primera vez la distribución de los genotipos de rs12979860 en una muestra de la población cosmopolita de Buenos Aires, Argentina, evaluando el impacto de su ancesrtría. Se determinaron diferentes genotipos de rs12979860 por PCR-RFLP en muestras de ADN de donantes de bancos de sangre de Buenos Aires (n=96), cuya ancestría individual había sido previamente determinada mediante diferentes marcadores moleculares. La distribución global de rs12979860-CC, CT y TT fue 29,17%; 50,0% y 20,83%, respectivamente. Se observó un aumento significativo de la frecuencia del genotipo CC entre individuos con fuerte aporte europeo y un mayor impacto del componente nativo-americano entre portadores del alelo T. Los componentes nativo-americano y europeo se asociaron a la distribución rs12979860 en una muestra poblacional global de Buenos Aires, mientras que no se vieron diferencias directamente asociadas a la ancestría africana. Considerando el papel clave del interferón en la respuesta antiviral, nuestros resultados pueden contribuir a estudios con un enfoque bioantropológico así como a estudios inmunogenéticos asociados a enfermedades infecciosas.Fil: Mansilla, Florencia Celeste. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Avena, Sergio Alejandro. Universidad Maimonides. Centro de Ciencias Naturales, Ambientales y Antropologicas.; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas. Sección Antropología Biológica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Dejean, Cristina Beatriz. Universidad Maimonides. Centro de Ciencias Naturales, Ambientales y Antropologicas.; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas. Sección Antropología Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Turco, Cecilia Soledad. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Capozzo, Alejandra Victoria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas. Sección Antropología Biológica; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas; Argentin

1H-NMR and FT-IR study of the state of melatonin confined in membrane models: location and interactions of melatonin in water free lecithin and AOT reversed micelles

The state of melatonin confined either in dry lecithin or bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium salt (AOT) reversed micelles has been investigated by H-1-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopies as a function of the melatonin to surfactant molar ratio (R). The analysis of experimental results leads to hypothesize that, independently of R and the surfactant nature and as a consequence of anisotropic melatonin/surfactant interactions, melatonin is totally solubilized in reversed micelles and mainly located by opportune orientation in the nanodomain constituted by the surfactant head groups. The absence of significant spectral changes related to the protons linked to the first carbon atoms of surfactant alkyl chain, indicates a scarce insertion of melatonin into the so-called micellar palisade layer. The possible biological implications of the peculiar solubilization state of melatonin in reversed micelles are discussed

Molecular and Clinical Links between Drug-Induced Cholestasis and Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis

Idiosyncratic Drug-Induced Liver Injury (iDILI) represents an actual health challenge, accounting for more than 40% of hepatitis cases in adults over 50 years and more than 50% of acute fulminant hepatic failure cases. In addition, approximately 30% of iDILI are cholestatic (drug-induced cholestasis (DIC)). The liver's metabolism and clearance of lipophilic drugs depend on their emission into the bile. Therefore, many medications cause cholestasis through their interaction with hepatic transporters. The main canalicular efflux transport proteins include: 1. the bile salt export pump (BSEP) protein (ABCB11); 2. the multidrug resistance protein-2 (MRP2, ABCC2) regulating the bile salts' independent flow by excretion of glutathione; 3. the multidrug resistance-1 protein (MDR1, ABCB1) that transports organic cations; 4. the multidrug resistance-3 protein (MDR3, ABCB4). Two of the most known proteins involved in bile acids' (BAs) metabolism and transport are BSEP and MDR3. BSEP inhibition by drugs leads to reduced BAs' secretion and their retention within hepatocytes, exiting in cholestasis, while mutations in the ABCB4 gene expose the biliary epithelium to the injurious detergent actions of BAs, thus increasing susceptibility to DIC. Herein, we review the leading molecular pathways behind the DIC, the links with the other clinical forms of familial intrahepatic cholestasis, and, finally, the main cholestasis-inducing drugs

SAZONALIDADE DA OFERTA DE PRODUTOS HORTÍCOLAS: O MERCADO DE BERINJELA

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o mercado de berinjela no período de 2001 a 2006 para estudar a evolução dos índices sazonais de volume e preço comercializados nos principais entrepostos de São Paulo e Minas Gerais. Para isso foram utilizadas séries históricas mensais de preços e volumes comercializados para se determinar seu padrão sazonal anual, a partir do método da média geométrica móvel centralizada. No caso da berinjela, verificou-se elevação da oferta do produto a partir de agosto e setembro, com conseqüente redução nos preços praticados nos entrepostos. Com a aplicação de novas tecnologias, pode ocorrer oferta de produtos de melhor qualidade, influenciando decisivamente a sazonalidade de preços no mercado consumidor.---------------------------------------------The objective of this paper was to analyze the aubergine market during the period from 2001 to 2006 to study the evolution of the seasonal indexes of volume and price commercialized in the main marts of São Paulo e Minas Gerais. It was used historical month series of prices and volumes to establish their annual seasonal pattern, from the method of the centralized average geometric mobile. It was verified in the case of aubergine increase of supply from months of August and September, reducing the prices in these marts from these months. With the application of new technologies, better quality products can be offered, influencing decisively the seasonality of prices in the consumer market.hortaliça, sazonalidade, entreposto, produto fitoterápico, vegetable, seasonality, mart, fitoterapeutic product, Crop Production/Industries,

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from an atrial fibrillation patient carrying a KCNA5 p.D322H mutation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia associated with several cardiac risk factors, but increasing evidences indicated a genetic component. Indeed, genetic variations of the atrial specific KCNA5 gene have been identified in patients with early-onset lone AF. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying AF, we reprogrammed to pluripotency polymorphonucleated leukocytes isolated from the blood of a patient carrying a KCNA5 p.D322H mutation, using a commercially available non-integrating system. The generated iPSCs expressed pluripotency markers and differentiated toward cells belonging to the three embryonic germ layers. Moreover, the cells showed a normal karyotype and retained the p.D322H mutation

Beyond the Concepts of Elder and Marginal in DCD Liver Transplantation: A Prospective Observational Matched-Cohort Study in the Italian Clinical Setting

Donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD) is a valuable strategy to increase the availability of grafts for liver transplantation (LT). As the average age of populations rises, the donor pool is likely to be affected by a potential increase in DCD donor age in the near future. We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate post-transplantation outcomes in recipients of grafts from elderly DCD donors compared with younger DCD donors, and elderly donors after brainstem determination of death (DBD). From August 2020 to May 2022, consecutive recipients of deceased donor liver-only transplants were enrolled in the study. DCD recipients were propensity score matched 1:3 to DBD recipients. One-hundred fifty-seven patients were included, 26 of whom (16.6%) were transplanted with a DCD liver graft. After propensity score matching and stratification, three groups were obtained: 15 recipients of DCD donors & GE;75 years, 11 recipients of DCD donors <75 years, and 28 recipients of DBD donors & GE;75 years. Short-term outcomes, as well as 12 months graft survival rates (93.3%, 100%, and 89.3% respectively), were comparable among the groups. LT involving grafts retrieved from very elderly DCD donors was feasible and safe in an experienced high-volume center, with outcomes comparable to LTs from younger DCD donors and age-matched DBD donors

Programa de Melhorias das Práticas Ambientais no Setor de Penicilínicos da Fundação para o Remédio Popular (FURP)

Este relato técnico tem como objetivo identificar oportunidades de melhorias de práticas ambientais no processo de produção de penicilínicos em uma indústria farmacêutica para melhorar seu desempenho ambiental e promover eventual adoção do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental, segundo os requisitos da norma ISO 14001:2004. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo de caso na unidade de Guarulhos da Fundação para o Remédio Popular (FURP), no processo de produção do setor de penicilínicos. Pesquisas teóricas sobre sistemas de gestão ambiental, legislações pertinentes ao tema e atividades do ramo farmacêutico foram complementadas por observação direta, pesquisa documental e entrevistas que possibilitaram identificar os aspectos e impactos ambientais desse setor da FURP. Esses resultados permitiram encontrar onze oportunidades de melhorias às práticas ambientais conduzidas no setor de penicilínicos da FURP. Dessa forma, espera-se que o presente estudo contribua para a otimização do processo de penicilínicos da FURP, reduzindo os impactos ambientais associados, com vistas à promoção de obtenção de um sistema de gestão ambiental certificado, da adoção de práticas de produção mais limpa, contribuindo para melhorar o desempenho ambiental da instituição.

Relatório Final de Estágio

Relatório Final de Estágio Supervisionado, agregando os resultados das disciplinas de ESI, ESII e ESIII, apresentado como requisito à obtençao do titulo de licenciado em Letras - Espanhol, na modalidade a distância, da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), realizado na Escola de Educação fundamental Inspetor Eurico Rauen

A feasibility study of the use of the AutoPap screening system as a primary screening and location-guided rescreening device

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