Rhodnius Prolixus: Identification of Missing Components of the IMD Immune Signaling Pathway and Functional Characterization of its Role in Eliminating Bacteria

The innate immune system in insects is regulated by specific signalling pathways. Most immune related pathways were identified and characterized in holometabolous insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, and it was assumed they would be highly conserved in all insects. The hemimetabolous insect, Rhodnius prolixus, has served as a model to study basic insect physiology, but also is a major vector of the human parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, that causes 10,000 deaths annually. The publication of the R. prolixus genome revealed that one of the main immune pathways, the Immune-deficiency pathway (IMD), was incomplete and probably non-functional, an observation shared with other hemimetabolous insects including the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and the bedbug (Cimex lectularius). It was proposed that the IMD pathway is inactive in R. prolixus as an adaptation to prevent eliminating beneficial symbiont gut bacteria. We used bioinformatic analyses based on reciprocal BLAST and HMM-profile searches to find orthologs for most of the “missing” elements of the IMD pathway and provide data that these are regulated in response to infection with Gram-negative bacteria. We used RNAi strategies to demonstrate the role of the IMD pathway in regulating the expression of specific antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the fat body of R. prolixus. The data indicate that the IMD pathway is present and active in R. prolixus, which opens up new avenues of research on R. prolixus-T. cruzi interactions

O eurocentrismo e o Latino-americanismo na História da Tradução Latino-americana

Language and discourse are inextricably linked in the establishment of power and hegemony. In today's globalized world, the power emanating from hegemonic centres that control communication and information systems is indisputable. The field of Translation Studies is not immune to such influence. Since it was developed and expanded in the West, mainly in Europe, Translation Studies discourse reflects its origins. In this article, I will first characterize Eurocentrist and Latin Americanist discourses and then study four Eurocentric biases noticeable in the treatment of the history of Latin American translation: (1) the “civilizing task” of missionaries; (2) the “interculturation” and understanding of “metissage” and “transculturation” notions; (3) the concept of “empathy” with native peoples; and (4) the perspective and rescue of native languages by evangelistic religious orders. To discuss these biases, I will draw on the prototypical article by Vega Cernuda.A linguagem e o discurso são absolutamente indissociáveis do estabelecimento de poder e hegemonia. No mundo globalizado de hoje, o poder que emana de centros hegemônicos que controlam a comunicação e os sistemas de informação é indiscutível. O campo dos Estudos da Tradução não está imune a tal influência. Desde seu desenvolvimento e expansão no Ocidente, em especial na Europa, o discurso dos Estudos de Tradução reflete suas origens. Neste artigo, primeiro caracterizo os discursos do eurocentrismo e do latino-americanismo, para então discutir quatro vieses eurocêntricos perceptíveis no tratamento da história da tradução na América Latina: (1) a “tarefa civilizatória” dos missionários; (2) a “interculturação” e a compreensão das noções de “mestiçagem” e “transculturação”; (3) o conceito de “empatia” para com os povos originários; e (4) a perspectiva e o resgate das línguas nativas por ordens religiosas evangelizadoras. Para discutir esses vieses, vou utilizar o artigo prototípico de Vega Cernuda

Reorganização dos ajustes posturais antecipatórios em indivíduos após AVE: influência de um programa de intervenção em fisioterapia no registo electromiográfico do tibial anterior e solear

Introdução: As dificuldades encontradas em individuos após Acidente Vascular Encefálico, ao nível da marcha, influenciam significativamente o retorno ao trabalho, a participação na comunidade ou o desempenho nas actividades da vida diária. Objectivo: Neste trabalho, procurou-se verificar qual o efeito de um programa de intervenção em fisioterapia nos ajustes posturais antecipatórios que ocorrem previamente ao movimento voluntário e assim pré-determinar a sua contribuição para a estabilidade postural e o equilíbrio. Material e Métodos: Para testar os pressupostos inerentes, relatam-se dois casos clínicos de sujeitos do sexo masculino com diagnóstico de Acidente Vascular Encefálico. Estes foram submetidos a um programa de intervenção em fisioterapia, durante 10 semanas consecutivas, baseado no Conceito de Bobath e que teve em conta o principal problema de cada indivíduo. Foi monitorizada a actividade electromiográfica do ventre medial do Tibial Anterior e Solear na fase de pré-activação da marcha, em dois momentos distintos, no início e no fim da intervenção. Resultados: Dos resultados obtidos evidenciam-se as diferenças entre os tempos médios de pré-activação, bem como as diferenças entre a percentagem da contracção isométrica voluntária máxima atingida pelos músculos Tibial Anterior e Solear, direito e esquerdo, entre os dois momentos de avaliação, em ambos os sujeitos. Verificou-se, no entanto, que a actividade electromiográfica dos referidos músculos possui grande variabilidade. Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem que o programa de intervenção em fisioterapia parece ter tido influência no recrutamento da actividade muscular do TA e do SO, uma vez que, em termos médios absolutos, ocorreram diferenças após a implementação das estratégias e procedimentos da intervenção.Introduction: The difficulties found in individuals after stroke, on the basis of walking independently, are a huge influence in the ability to return to work, participate in the community or perform other activities of daily living. Purpose: Whith this research, it is aimed to verify the effect of a program of physiotherapy intervention in the anticipatory postural adjustments which occur previously to the voluntary movement and by this pre-determinate its contribution to the postural stability and equilibrium. Methods and Materials: To test the inerent assumptions, it is described two clinical cases of two male individuals with stroke diagnosis. Both were submitted to an intervention program of Physioterapy, for ten consecutives weeks, based in the Bobath Concept which had in focus the main problem of the individuals. In each individual it was monitorize the electromyography activity of the Tibialis Anterior and Soleus in the phase of pre-activation of the gait, in two distinguish moments, at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Results: From the results obtained, it is verified the diferences between the medium times of pre-activation, and also the diferences between the percentage of the maximum voluntary isometric contraction achieved by the Tibialis Anterior and Soleus muscles, right and left, between the two moments of evaluation, in both individuals. Although, it was verify that the electromiographic activity of the refered muscles, has a high variability. Conclusion: The results obtained let us suggest that the intervention in physiotherapy established seams to have influence in the muscular activity recruitement of the Tibialis Anterior and Soleus because, in absolutes medium terms, occured differences after the implementation of the procedures and strategies of the intervention

Spent yeast waste streams as a sustainable source of bioactive peptides for skin applications

Spent yeast waste streams are a byproduct obtained from fermentation process and have been shown to be a rich secondary source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and peptides. The latter are of particular interest for skin care and cosmetics as they have been shown to be safe and hypoallergenic while simultaneously being able to exert various effects upon the epidermis modulating immune response and targeting skin metabolites, such as collagen production. As the potential of spent yeast’s peptides has been mainly explored for food-related applications, this work sought to understand if peptide fractions previously extracted from fermentation engineered spent yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) waste streams possess biological potential for skin-related applications. To that end, cytotoxic effects on HaCat and HDFa cells and whether they were capable of exerting a positive effect upon the production of skin metabolites relevant for skin health, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin and elastin, were evaluated. The results showed that the peptide fractions assayed were not cytotoxic up to the highest concentration tested (500 µg/mL) for both cell lines tested. Furthermore, all peptide fractions showed a capacity to modulate the various target metabolites production with an overall positive effect being observed for the four fractions over the six selected targets (pro-collagen IαI, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin, cytokeratin-14, elastin, and aquaporin-9). Concerning the evaluated fractions, the overall best performance (Gpep > 1 kDa) was of an average promotion of 41.25% over the six metabolites and two cell lines assessed at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. These results showed that the peptide fractions assayed in this work have potential for future applications in skin-related products at relatively low concentrations, thus providing an alternative solution for one of the fermentation industry’s waste streams and creating a novel and highly valuable bioactive ingredient with encompassing activity to be applied in future skin care formulations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

KIAA1549: BRAF gene fusion and FGFR1 hotspot mutations are prognostic factors in pilocytic astrocytomas

Up to 20% of patients with pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) experience a poor outcome. BRAF alterations and Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) point mutations are key molecular alterations in Pas, but their clinical implications are not established. We aimed to determine the frequency and prognostic role of these alterations in a cohort of 69 patients with PAs. We assessed KIAA1549:BRAF fusion by fluorescence in situ hybridization and BRAF (exon 15) mutations by capillary sequencing. In addition, FGFR1 expression was analyzed using immunohistochemistry, and this was compared with gene amplification and hotspot mutations (exons 12 and 14) assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and capillary sequencing. KIAA1549:BRAF fusion was identified in almost 60% of cases. Two tumors harbored mutated BRAF. Despite high FGFR1 expression overall, no cases had FGFR1 amplifications. Three cases harbored a FGFR1 p.K656E point mutation. No correlation was observed between BRAF and FGFR1 alterations. The cases were predominantly pediatric (87%), and no statistical differences were observed in molecular alterations-related patient ages. In summary, we confirmed the high frequency of KIAA1549:BRAF fusion in PAs and its association with a better outcome. Oncogenic mutations of FGFR1, although rare, occurred in a subset of patients with worse outcome. These molecular alterations may constitute alternative targets for novel clinical approaches, when radical surgical resection is unachievable.This study was partially supported by CNPq/Universal (475358/2011-2), and FAPESP (2012/19590-0) grants to RMR and to the NIH- P30CA046934 (CCSG Molecular Pathology/Cytogenetics) to MVG and DL

First report of an Onchocercidae worm infecting Psychodopygus carrerai carrerai sandfly, a putative vector of Leishmania braziliensis in the Amazon

Sandflies are insects of public health interest due to their role as vectors of parasites of the genus Leishmania, as well as other pathogens. Psychodopygus carrerai carrerai is considered an important sylvatic vector of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in Amazonia. In this study, sandflies were collected in a forested area in the Xapuri municipality, in the State of Acre (Northern Brazil). Two Ps. carrerai carrerai females were found parasitized with a larval form of a filarial worm, one in the labium of the proboscis, the other after the head was squashed, suggesting they were infective larvae. Sandflies were identified through morphological characters as well as amplification and sequencing of the cytochrome oxidase gene (COI). This was the first sequence obtained for Ps. carrerai carrerai for this marker. The obtained nematodes were also characterized through direct sequencing of a fragment of COI and 12S genes, both mitochondrial, and ITS1, a nuclear marker. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the filarial nematodes belong to a species without sequences for these markers in the database, part of family Onchocercidade and closely related to genus Onchocerca (12S tree). Although sandfly infection with nematodes including members of the Onchocercidae has been reported in the Old World, this is the first report of sandfly infection by a member of the Onchocercidae family in the New World, to the best of our knowledge. Considering that the phylogenetic relationships and location in the insect, it can be expected that this is a parasite of mammals and the transmission cycle should be clarified.publishersversionpublishe