Brain glucose hypometabolism and hippocampal inflammation in Goto-Kakizaki rats

Brain glucose hypometabolism and neuroinflammation are early pathogenic manifestations in neurological disorders. Neuroinflammation may also disrupt leptin signaling, an adipokine that centrally regulates appetite and energy balance by acting on the hypothalamus and exerting neuroprotection in the hippocampus. The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat is a non-obese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) animal model used to investigate diabetes-associated molecular mechanisms without obesity jeopardizing effects. Wistar and GK rats received the maintenance adult rodent diet. Also, an additional control group of Wistar rats received a high-fat and high-sugar diet (HFHS) provided by free consumption of condensed milk. All diets and water were provided ad libitum for eight weeks. Brain glucose uptake was evaluated by 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-D-glucose under basal (saline administration) or stimulated (CL316,243, a selective β3-AR agonist) conditions. The animals were fasted for 10-12 h, anesthetized, and euthanized. The brain was quickly dissected, and the hippocampal area was sectioned and stored at -80°C in different tubes for protein and RNA analyses on the same animal. GK rats exhibited attenuated brain glucose uptake compared to Wistar animals and the HFHS group under basal conditions. Also, the hippocampus of GK rats displayed upregulated leptin receptor, IL-1β, and IL-6 gene expression and IL-1β and the subunit of the transcription factor NF-κB (p-p65) protein expression. No significant alterations were detected in the hippocampus of HFHS rats. Our data indicated that a genetic predisposition to T2DM has significant brain deteriorating features, including brain glucose hypometabolism, neuroinflammation, and leptin signaling disruption in the hippocampal area.

Radiotherapy modulates expression of EGFR, ERCC1 and p53 in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a public health problem and the molecular mechanisms underlying radioresistance are still poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the modulation of key molecules involved in cell proliferation, cell cycle and DNA repair in cervical cancer cell lines (CASKI and C33A) and in malignant tissues biopsied from 10 patients before and after radiotherapy. The expression patterns of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) and p53 were evaluated in cancer cell lines by quantitative PCR and western blotting, and in human malignant tissues by immunohistochemistry. The mutation status of TP53 gene was evaluated by direct sequencing. Among cell lines, absent or weak modulations of EGFR, ERCC1 and p53 were observed after exposure to 1.8 Gy. Conversely, increased expressions of p53 (5/10 patients; P=0.0239), ERCC1 (5/10 patients; P=0.0294) and EGFR (4/10 patients; P=0.1773) were observed in malignant tissues after radiotherapy with the same radiation dose. TP53 mutations were found only in one patient. Here we show that a single dose of radiotherapy induced EGFR, ERCC1 and p53 expression in malignant tissues from cervical cancer patients but not in cancer cell lines, highlighting the gap between in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Studies on larger patient cohorts are needed to allow an interpretation that an upregulation of p53, EGFR and ERCC1 may be part of a radioresistance mechanism.

Aspectos reprodutivos e produtivos de vacas da raça Holandesa com puerpério normal ou patológico / Reproductive and productive parameters of Holstein cows with normal or pathological puerperium

Foram avaliadas 103 vacas da raça Holandesa de primeira, segunda ou terceira ordens de lactação, com o objetivo de comparar aspectos reprodutivos e produtivos dos animais com puerpério normal ou patológico. Exames ginecológicos foram realizados semanalmente, do parto ao final do puerpério, por meio de palpação transretal, ultrassonografia e vaginoscopia. As incidências de partos gemelares, partos auxiliados, retenção de placenta e infecções uterinas até o primeiro serviço foram de 11,7%, 20,4%, 38,8% e 75%, respectivamente. A involução uterina e a primeira ovulação ocorreram aos 33,5±11,1 e 43,6±21,5 dias após o parto, respectivamente, com diferenças (P<0,001) entre vacas com ou sem infecção uterina. O primeiro serviço ocorreu aos 75,9±31,0 dias após o parto e a taxa de gestação foi de 20,7%. A produção de leite diária foi de 27,9±7,3 litros por vaca até 42 dias após o parto. O prejuízo com a redução na produtividade e o descarte do leite contaminado com resíduos de antibiótico foi equivalente a 598 litros de leite por vaca com retenção de placenta e infecção uterina. A alta incidência de transtornos puerperais interferiu na fertilidade e na produção de leite, causando elevado impacto econômico para a propriedade.

The study was performed with 103 Holstein cows of first, second or third orders of lactation, and aimed to compare reproductive and productive parameters of animals with normal or pathological puerperium. Uterine and ovarian examinations were performed weekly until 42 days after parturition, by rectal palpation, vaginoscopy and ultrasonography. The incidence of twin pregnancies, assisted births, retained placenta, and uterine infection until the first service, were 11.7%, 20.4%, 38.8% and 75%, respectively. Uterine involution and detection of the first corpus luteum occurred at 33.5±11.1 and 43.6±21.5 days after parturition, respectively, and differed (P<0.01) between cows with or without uterine infection. The first artificial insemination occurred in average at 75.9±31.0 days after parturition, and the pregnancy rate was 20.7%. Average daily milk yield was 27.9±7.3 liters/cow until 42 days after parturition. Financial losses related to decreased milk production and discarding of milk contaminated with antibiotic residues corresponded to 598 liters of milk/cow presenting retained placenta and uterine infection. The high incidence of puerperal diseases negatively affected the fertility and milk production, causing large economic impact to the milk production system.

Utilização de prótese endovascular em aneurisma roto de aorta torácica / Endovascular protese in broken aneurysm of thoracic aorta

Os autores relatam caso cirúrgico de paciente com aneurisma roto da aorta descendente, em tratamento de neoplasia de colon e submetido ao tratamento com implante de prótese endovascular com êxito.

Avaliacao da funcao adrenal em tuberculosos. Estudo da resposta adrenal ao estimulo rapido com ACTH com dosagens de cortisol serico. / Adrenal function evaluation in tuberculosis study of adrenal response to rapid ACTH stimulation with dosages of serum cortisol

Por meio de estimulo rapido com ACTH, os autores analisam 23 pacientes recem-diagnosticados de tuberculose e 11 pacientes tratados de tuberculose e, como controle, 19 individuos normais. Esses tres grupos apresentam incremento absoluto de cortisol (microg/dl) de 7,6+/-4,2, 10,5+/-4,7 e 11,3+/-5,8, respectivamente. O incremento subnormal dos pacientes recem-diagnosticados e significativamente menor que o grupo-controle, mas o incremento dos pacientes tratados e equivalente ao do grupo-controle. Com estes dados, os autores recomendam maior atencao quanto a fisiologia adrenal nos pacientes recem-diagnosticados e tratados de tuberculose