Percepções dos pais acerca da participação e comunicação de seus filhos com paralisia cerebral não oralizados / Parents' perceptions about the participation and communication of their children with non-speaking cerebral palsy / Percepciones de los padres sobre la participación y comunicación de sus hijos no oralizados con parálisis cerebral

Introdução: O conhecimento das percepções de familiares acerca da participação e comunicação de seus filhos com PC (Paralisia Cerebral) não oralizados contribui com processos educacionais e terapêuticos centrados na pessoa e na família. Objetivo: Conhecer aspectos da participação e comunicação de crianças e adolescentes com PC não oralizados, bem como fatores que favorecem ou dificultam o uso da CSA (Comunicação Suplementar e/ou Alternativa) no ambiente familiar e na escola. Método: Estudo descritivo e transversal de abordagem qualitativa, com amostra de cinco mães de alunos com PC não oralizados. Resultados: As mães relatam barreiras à participação de seus filhos e reconhecem a importância da comunicação nas interações e nas atividades familiares. Mencionam, também, não terem alcançado uso funcional da CSA, em casa, mas expressam satisfação com o nível de comunicação que têm com seus filhos. Por outro lado, abordam dificuldades de comunicação quando não identificam os desejos de seus filhos ou quando eles estão com outros interlocutores. Conclusão: Os achados evidenciam participação reduzida das crianças e do adolescente do estudo, e pouco, ou nenhum uso da CSA. Diante das dificuldades relatadas pelas participantes, os achados reforçam a necessidade de equipar os familiares, no sentido de promoverem a participação e a comunicação de seus filhos. Reforça-se a importância de profissionais de CSA e professores de educação especial trabalhar em parceria com os familiares, a fim de expandir as maneiras como interagem e se comunicam com seus filhos, e vice-versa, visando uma maior participação dos mesmos.

Introduction: Knowing family members' perceptions about the participation and communication of their children with non-speaking CP (Cerebral Palsy), contributes to educational and therapeutic processes centered on the person and family. Aim: Become acquainted with participation and communication aspects of children and adolescents with non-speaking CP, as well as factors that favor or hinder AAC (Augmentative Alternative Communication) use in the family environment and school. Method: Descriptive and cross-sectional study with a qualitative approach, with a sample of five mothers of students with non-speaking CP. Results: Mothers report barriers to their children's participation and recognize the importance of communication in family interactions and activities. They mention not having achieved functional use of AAC at home, but express satisfaction with the level of communication they have with their children. On the other hand, they address communication difficulties when they are unable to identify their children's wishes or when their children are with other interlocutors. Conclusion: The findings show reduced participation of the children and the adolescent in the study, as well as little or no AAC use. In view of the difficulties reported by the participants, the findings reinforce the need to equip family members, in order to promote these children's communication and participation. The importance of AAC professionals and special education teachers working in partnerships with families is reinforced. These professionals can help expand the ways in which mothers interact and communicate with their children, and vice versa, aiming at greater participation among them.

Introducción: Conocer las percepciones de los familiares sobre la participación y comunicación de sus hijos con PC (Parálisis Cerebral) no hablantes, contribuye a procesos educativos y terapéuticos centrados en la persona y la familia. Objetivo: Conocer aspectos de la participación y comunicación de niños y adolescentes con PC no hablantes, así como factores que favorecen o dificultan el uso de la CAA (Comunicación Aumentativa y Alternativa) en el ámbito familiar y en la escuela. Método: Estudio descriptivo y transversal con enfoque cualitativo, con una muestra de cinco madres de alumnos con PC no hablantes. Resultados: Las madres relatan barreras para la participación de sus hijos y reconocen la importancia de la comunicación en las interacciones y en las actividades familiares. Mencionan no haber logrado uso funcional de la CAA en casa, pero expresan satisfacción por el nivel de comunicación que tienen con sus hijos. Por otro lado, abordan las dificultades de comunicación cuando no identifican los deseos de sus hijos o cuando ellos están con otros interlocutores. Conclusión: Los hallazgos muestran una participación reducida de los niños y adolescente en el estudio y poco o ningún uso de CAA. Los hallazgos refuerzan la necesidad de equipar a las familias para promover la participación y comunicación de sus hijos. Se refuerza la importancia de que profesionales de CAA y maestros de educación especial trabajen en colaboración con las familias para ampliar las formas en que interactúan y se comunican con sus hijos, y viceversa, buscando una mayor participación de estos.

Genotypic evaluation of antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus spp. isolated from bovine clinical mastitis / [Avaliação genotípica da resistência antimicrobiana em Staphylococcus spp. isolados de mastite clínica bovina]

Bovine clinical mastitis caused by Staphylococcus spp. is a serious and widespread disease in the world of dairy farming. Antimicrobial therapy is of fundamental importance in the prevention and treatment of infectious mastitis, but the indiscriminate use of antimicrobials acts as a determining factor for the spread of the disease. The present study evaluated the resistance profiles of 57 Staphylococcus spp. isolated from bovine clinical mastitis to beta-lactams and gentamicin, relating characteristics of phenotype (in vitro susceptibility tests) and genotype (detection and expression of genes encoding resistance - mecA, mecALGA251, blaZ, femA, femB, and aacA-aphD - using PCR and RT-PCR, respectively). One or more genes coding for resistance to different antimicrobials were detected in 50 Staphylococcus spp. isolates. The femA and femB genes were the most frequent (75.4% for both). The observed expression of the genes was as follows: blaZ (60%), femA (39.5%), aacA-aphD (50%), femB (32.6%), mecA (8.3%), and mecALGA251 (0%). Considering the relevance of the genus Staphylococcus to bovine mastitis, this study aimed to elucidate aspects regarding the genotypic and phenotypic profiles of these microorganisms so as to contribute to the development of effective strategies for mastitis control.(AU)

A mastite clínica bovina causada por Staphylococcus spp. é uma doença grave e generalizada no mundo da pecuária leiteira. A terapia antimicrobiana é de fundamental importância na prevenção e no tratamento da mastite infecciosa, mas o uso indiscriminado de antimicrobianos atua como fator determinante para a disseminação da doença. O presente estudo avaliou os perfis de resistência de 57 Staphylococcus spp. isolados de mastite clínica bovina em relação ao uso de betalactâmicos e gentamicina, relacionando características do fenótipo (testes de suscetibilidade in vitro) e genótipo (detecção e expressão de genes que codificam resistência - mecA, mecALGA251, blaZ, femA, femB, e aacA-aphD - usando PCR e RT-PCR, respectivamente). Um ou mais genes que codificam resistência a diferentes antimicrobianos foram detectados em 50 Staphylococcus spp. isolados. Os genes femA e femB foram os mais frequentes (75,4% para ambos). A expressão observada dos genes foi a seguinte: blaZ (60%), femA (39,5%), aacA-aphD (50%), femB (32,6%), mecA (8,3%) e mecALGA251 (0%). Considerando-se a relevância do gênero Staphylococcus para a mastite bovina, este estudo teve como objetivo elucidar aspectos referentes aos perfis genotípico e fenotípico desses microrganismos, a fim de contribuir para o desenvolvimento de estratégias eficazes para o controle da mastite.(AU)

Anti-HPV Nanoemulsified-Imiquimod: A New and Potent Formulation to Treat Cervical Cancer.

Cervical cancer is associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) and nowadays is the fourth most frequent cancer among women. One of the treatments for this disease is based on the application of imiquimod. In this study, we postulated that the use of imiquimod in nanoemulsion results in a better antitumoral effect than the drug administered in its nonencapsulated form for the treatment of cervical cancer. Permeability studies using vaginal mucosa, as membrane, and in vitro studies involving cervical cancer cells (viability, clonogenic assay, and cell death analysis) were performed. We showed that low amount of encapsulated imiquimod permeated the vaginal mucosa. However, a higher percentage of cells died after the treatment with low amount (3.0 µmol L-1) of the formulation compared to the free drug. In addition, the innovative formulation presented a combinatory mechanism of cell death involving autophagy and apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that the imiquimod-loaded nanoemulsioncan be an alternative product for the treatment of cervical cancer validating the hypothesis.

Exploring the inquiry-based learning structure to promote scientific culture in the classrooms of higher education sciences.

This article examines student engagement in an inquiry-based learning activity, planned to provide students with elements in the social, epistemic, and conceptual dimensions related to the scientific practice in immunology. The activity was applied to 39 groups of students enrolled in immunology or biochemistry courses in a public university in Brazil. Students performed data-collection through the execution of an in vitro assay. We analyzed how students represent data and use them to support their claims in their written constructs. To clarify which are the productive epistemologies in students' reports, we developed a framework for epistemic practice analysis. Our findings point to a pattern of several epistemic practice categories in their written text, mostly related to the particular contingences of data analysis, rather than to theoretical concepts. In addition, we observed that students performed literary inscriptions to represent their data; however, they tended not to cite all data obtained in their written texts. These results suggest that immunology education strategies should provide students with approaches that explore the role of data representation in the scientific text rhetoric. © 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 47(6):672-680, 2019.

Thermal manipulation and GnRHa therapy applied to the reproduction of lambari-do-rabo-amarelo, Astyanax altiparanae females (Characiformes: Characidae) during the non-breeding season.

Lambari-do-rabo-amarelo Astyanax altiparanae in the wild reproduce during spring and summer, but females undergo vitellogenesis throughout the year, including the non-spawning winter period when water temperatures are low. The present study investigated the physiological role of temperature modulation on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonads axis of lambari during winter, as well as the effects of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) therapy. Captive females were exposed to two different temperatures (20 °C and 27 °C) and were injected weekly with GnRHa for 21 days during winter (Control, CTR; Low dose; LD and high dose of GnRHa, HD). At the end of the 21-days period gonadosomatic index (GSI), oocyte stage of development and theoretical fecundity were evaluated, together with plasma levels of 17ß-estradiol (E2). Gene expression of the two pituitary gonadotropins follicle-stimulating hormone (fshß) and luteinizing hormone (lhß), as well as hepatic vitellogenin-A (vtgA) expression were also analyzed. At the end of the experimental period, females from the six different experimental conditions were induced to spawn using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Spawning performance parameters and plasma levels of the maturation inducing steroid (MIS) were analyzed. Gene expression of fshß did not change with temperature manipulation, but females exposed to 27 °C and supplemented with a HD of GnRHa exhibited an increased fshß gene expression, associated with higher E2 levels. The higher water temperature alone was able to increase E2 levels. At both water temperatures GnRHa injections induced a decrease in E2 levels. GnRHa injected females had a lower vtgA gene expression levels at 20 °C. Even with differences in the gene expression of gonadotropins among the various temperature/GnRHa treatments, GSI and oocyte diameter did not change, but GnRHa enhanced the number of vitellogenic oocytes at 20 °C. The reproductive performance of lambari induced to spawn with hCG was better after the combined treatment with GnRHa and summer temperature.

Imiquimod-loaded nanocapsules improve cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cell line.

This paper proposes the development of imiquimod-loaded polymeric nanocapsules formulation for the treatment of cervical cancer. The mechanism of death involved in the reduction of the cell viability as well as the production of an inflammation marker (IL-6) after the treatment in cell line SiHa have been evaluated. The formulation has significantly decreased the viability of the cells in a time-dependent manner, after 24, 48 and 72 h. Additionally, results showed a cellular decrease of almost 80% of the cells after 72 h of treatment. The formulation induced death by apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and increased the percentage of SubG1subpopulation of SiHa cells after 72 h. After the same time-interval, the formulation significantly prevented the appearance of colonies, showing effectiveness against SiHa. Finally, the formulation stimulated SiHa cells to release IL-6. These findings open new possibilities for the development of aqueous nanosuspension containing imiquimod as a novel strategy for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Embryonic and larval development and fatty-acid profile of Epinephelus marginatus spawned in captivity: tools applied to captive rearing.

Development, ontogeny of the digestive system and the fatty-acid (FA) profile, were analysed during development of Epinephelus marginatus. Larvae were analysed 7 and 17 days post fertilization (dpf) to evaluate fatty-acid profile and morphological variables, respectively. Epinephelus marginatus larvae have relatively slow development of digestive structures, but were able to capture, ingest and digest prey by 5 dpf. Eggs were composed of high percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in phospholipids. The percentage of n3 PUFAs was higher than n6, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which exhibited higher levels compared with other marine species during the first 3 days of development, both in terms of phospholipids and triglycerides. The larvae present a high content of docosahexaenoic acid-eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA-EPA) and, during this phase, live food of small size was required (copepods or SS-strain Brachionus rotundiformes), enriched with DHA-EPA. These results may guide future studies on the contribution of FAs required during this stage of the life cycle of E. marginatus, to advance knowledge of the use of these FAs throughout ontogeny and contribute to the culture of this species commercial production or restocking.

Contrasting photophysical properties of rhenium(i) tricarbonyl complexes having carbazole groups attached to the polypyridine ligand.

In the present work, new rhenium(i) polypyridyl compounds, fac-[Re(L)(CO)3(cbz2phen)](+/0) where cbz2phen = 4,7-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline and L = Cl(-), pyridine (py) or 2-aminomethylpyridine (ampy) were synthesized and characterized by (1)H NMR, UV-Vis and IR spectroscopy combined with theoretical calculations using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). Their photophysical properties were investigated by steady state and time-resolved emission spectroscopy. These compounds show a strong and broad absorption band around 350-500 nm that, also by TD-DFT, corresponds to the carbazol → phenanthroline intraligand charge transfer transition, (1)ILCTcbz2phen, with some contribution of the Re(i) → phenanthroline metal-to-ligand charge transfer transition, (1)MLCTRe→cbz2phen. In contrast to typical Re(i) polypyridyl complexes, cbz2phen-based Re(i) compounds exhibit two emission maxima in CH3CN solution and relatively low emission quantum yields, 10(-3)-10(-2). Solution phase time-resolved photoluminescence and excited state quenching experiments provided meaningful information on the presence of multiple emitter states after light excitation, which were identified as an (1)ILCTcbz2phen excited state deactivation at higher energies and a long-lived phosphorescence attributed to the (3)MLCTRe→cbz2phen excited state. When embedded into a PMMA matrix, the radiative decay from the singlet state is inhibited and the contribution of both (3)MLCT and (3)ILCTcbz2phen to the luminescence is observed. The photophysics of these Re(i) compounds reported herein provide new insights into the understanding of substitutional groups on the polypyridyl ligands that are relevant to practical and fundamental development of photo-induced molecular devices.

Microwave-induced combustion of crude oil for further rare earth elements determination by USN-ICP-MS.

A procedure for light and heavy crude oils digestion by microwave-induced combustion (MIC) is proposed for the first time for further rare earth elements (REE) determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) equipped with an ultrasonic nebulizer (USN). Samples of crude oil (API density of 10.8-23.5, up to 250 mg) were inserted in polycarbonate capsules and combusted using 20 bar of oxygen and 50 µL of 6 mol L(-1) ammonium nitrate as igniter. Nitric acid solutions (1-14.4 mol L(-1)) were evaluated for analyte absorption and a reflux step was applied after combustion (5 min of microwave irradiation at 1400 W) in order to achieve better analyte recoveries. Accuracy was evaluated using a spiked sample and also by comparison of results obtained by microwave-assisted digestion combined to ultraviolet radiation (MW-UV) and by neutron activation analysis (NAA). Using 3 mol L(-1) HNO3, quantitative recoveries (better than 97%) were obtained for all analytes. Blank values were always negligible. Agreement was higher than 96% for La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y by comparison of results with those obtained by MW-UV and by NAA (only for La, Ce, Nd, Sm, and Yb). Residual carbon content in digests using MIC was always below 1%. As an advantage over conventional procedures for crude oil digestion, using MIC, it was possible to use diluted acid as absorbing solution, obtaining better limits of detection and avoiding interferences in REE determination by USN-ICP-MS.

Intrinsic organization of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the capuchin monkey.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is the main circadian biological clock in mammals, is composed of multiple cells that function individually as independent oscillators to express the self-sustained mRNA and protein rhythms of the so-called clock genes. Knowledge regarding the presence and localization of the proteins and neuroactive substances of the SCN are essential for understanding this nucleus and for its successful manipulation. Although there have been advances in the investigation of the intrinsic organization of the SCN in rodents, little information is available in diurnal species, especially in primates. This study, which explores the pattern of expression and localization of PER2 protein in the SCN of capuchin monkey, evaluates aspects of the circadian system that are common to both primates and rodents. Here, we showed that PER2 protein immunoreactivity is higher during the light phase. Additionally, the complex organization of cells that express vasopressin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, neuron-specific nuclear protein, calbindin and calretinin in the SCN, as demonstrated by their immunoreactivity, reveals an intricate network that may be related to the similarities and differences reported between rodents and primates in the literature.

Neutrophils have a protective role during early stages of Leishmania amazonensis infection in BALB/c mice.

Neutrophils are involved in the early stages of immune responses to pathogens. Here, we investigated the role of neutrophils during the establishment of Leishmania amazonensis infection in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. First, we showed an accumulation of neutrophils between 6 and 24 h post-infection, followed by a reduction in neutrophil numbers after 72 h. Next, we depleted neutrophils prior to infection using RB6-8C5 or 1A8 mAb. Neutrophil depletion led to faster lesion development, increased parasite numbers and higher arginase activity during the first week of infection in BALB/c mice, but not in C57BL/6 mice. Increased susceptibility was accompanied by augmented levels of anti-L. amazonensis IgG and increased production of IL-10 and IL-17. Because IL-10 is a mediator of susceptibility to Leishmania infection, we blocked IL-10 signalling in neutrophil-depleted mice using anti-IL-10R. Interestingly, inhibition of IL-10 signalling abrogated the increase in parasite loads observed in neutrophil-depleted mice, suggesting that parasite proliferation is at least partially mediated by IL-10. Additionally, we tested the effect of IL-17 in inflammatory macrophages and observed that IL-17 increased arginase activity and favoured parasite growth. Taken together, our data indicate that neutrophils control parasite numbers and limit lesion development during the first week of infection in BALB/c mice.

Focused microwave-induced combustion for digestion of botanical samples and metals determination by ICP OES and ICP-MS.

The advantages and shortcomings of focused microwave-induced combustion (FMIC) for digestion of plant samples were studied. The effects of sample mass, absorbing solution, oxygen gas flow-rate, and time of reflux step on recoveries of major, minor and trace metals were systematically evaluated. Afterwards, Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) and by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The main advantages of FMIC when compared to microwave-assisted wet digestion (MAWD) and focused-microwave-assisted wet digestion (FMAWD) are the possibility to digest larger masses of samples (up to 3g) using shorter heating times and diluted nitric acid solution for absorbing all analytes. Using the selected experimental conditions for FMIC, residual carbon content was lower than 0.7% for all samples and relative standard deviation (RSD) varied from 1.5 to 14.1%. Certified reference materials (NIST 1515 apple leaves and NIST 1547 peach leaves) were used for checking accuracy and determined values for all metals were in agreement with certified values at a 95% confidence level. No statistical difference (ANOVA, 95% of confidence level) was observed for results obtained by FMIC, FMAWD, and MAWD. Limits of detection were lower when using FMIC in the range of 0.02-0.15 µg g(-1) for ICP OES and 0.001-0.01 µg g(-1) for ICP-MS, which were about 3 and 6 times lower than the values obtained by FMAWD and MAWD, respectively. It is important to point out that FMIC was a suitable sample preparation method for major, minor and trace metals by both determination techniques (ICP OES and ICP-MS). Additionally, since it allows lower LODs (because up to 3g of sample can be digested) and diluted acid solutions are used (without any further dilution), the use of ICP-MS is not mandatory.

Anharmonic transitions in nearly dry L-cysteine I.

Two special dynamical transitions of universal character have recently been observed in macromolecules (lysozyme, myoglobin, bacteriorhodopsin, DNA and RNA) at T* ~100-150 K and T(D) ~180-220 K. The underlying mechanisms governing these transitions have been the subject of debate. In the present work, a survey is reported on the temperature dependence of structural, vibrational and thermodynamical properties of a nearly anhydrous amino acid (orthorhombic polymorph of the amino acid l-cysteine at a hydration level of 3.5%). The temperature dependence of x-ray powder diffraction patterns, Raman spectra and specific heat revealed these two transitions at T* = 70 K and T(D) = 230 K for this sample. The data were analyzed considering amino acid-amino acid, amino acid-water, water-water phonon-phonon interactions and molecular rotor activation. Our results indicated that the two referred temperatures define the triggering of very simple and particular events that govern all the interactions of the biomolecular: activation of CH(2) rigid rotors (T < T* ), phonon-phonon interactions between specific amino acid and water dimer vibrational modes (T* < T < T(D)), and water rotational barriers surpassing (T > T(D)).

ATL-1, an analogue of aspirin-triggered lipoxin A4, is a potent inhibitor of several steps in angiogenesis induced by vascular endothelial growth factor.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most important proangiogenic protein. We have demonstrated that ATL-1, a synthetic analogue of aspirin-triggered lipoxin A(4), inhibits VEGF-induced endothelial cell (EC) migration. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ATL-1 in several other actions stimulated by VEGF. METHODS: Human umbilical vein ECs were treated with ATL-1 for 30 min before stimulation with VEGF. Cell proliferation was measured by thymidine incorporation. Adherent cells were determined by fluorescence intensity using a Multilabel counter. Expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) were analysed by western blot and zymography. KEY RESULTS: ATL-1 inhibited EC adhesion to fibronectin via interaction with its specific receptor. Furthermore, VEGF-induced MMP-9 activity and expression were reduced by pretreatment with ATL-1. Because the transcription factor NF-kappaB has been implicated in VEGF-mediated MMP expression and EC proliferation, we postulated that ATL-1 might modulate the NF-kappaB pathway and, indeed, ATL-1 inhibited NF-kappaB nuclear translocation. Pretreatment of EC with ATL-1 strongly decreased VEGF-dependent phosphorylation of phosphainositide 3-kinase (PI3-K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 (ERK-2), two signalling kinases involved in EC proliferation. Inhibition of VEGF-induced EC proliferation by ATL-1 was antagonized by sodium orthovanadate, suggesting that this inhibitory activity was mediated by a protein tyrosine phosphatase. This was confirmed by showing that ATL-1 inhibition of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) phosphorylation correlates with SHP-1 association with VEGFR-2. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The synthetic 15-epi-lipoxin analogue, ATL-1, is a highly potent molecule exerting its effects on multiple steps of the VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

Statistical scattering of waves in disordered waveguides: From microscopic potentials to limiting macroscopic statistics.

We study the statistical properties of wave scattering in a disordered waveguide. The statistical properties of a "building block" of length deltaL are derived from a potential model and used to find the evolution with length of the expectation value of physical quantities. In the potential model the scattering units consist of thin potential slices, idealized as delta slices, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the waveguide; the variation of the potential in the transverse direction may be arbitrary. The sets of parameters defining a given slice are taken to be statistically independent from those of any other slice and identically distributed. In the dense-weak-scattering limit, in which the potential slices are very weak and their linear density is very large, so that the resulting mean free paths are fixed, the corresponding statistical properties of the full waveguide depend only on the mean free paths and on no other property of the slice distribution. The universality that arises demonstrates the existence of a generalized central-limit theorem. Our final result is a diffusion equation in the space of transfer matrices of our system, which describes the evolution with the length L of the disordered waveguide of the transport properties of interest. In contrast to earlier publications, in the present analysis the energy of the incident particle is fully taken into account. For one propagating mode, N=1 , we have been able to solve the diffusion equation for a number of particular observables, and the solution is in excellent agreement with the results of microscopic calculations. In general, we have not succeeded in finding a solution of the diffusion equation. We have thus developed a numerical simulation, to be called "random walk in the transfer matrix space," in which the universal statistical properties of a "building block" are first implemented numerically, and then the various building blocks are combined to find the statistical properties of the full waveguide. The reported results thus obtained (in which use was made of a "short-wavelength approximation") are in very good agreement with those arising from truly microscopic calculations, for both bulk and surface disorder. Since the paper has a clear pedagogical aim, we have included, for the benefit of experts and non-experts, a number of appendixes that contain the more involved calculations.

Aspirin-triggered Lipoxin A4 inhibition of VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration involves actin polymerization and focal adhesion assembly.

Angiogenesis, the growth of new capillaries from pre-existing ones, occurs through dynamic functions of the endothelial cells (EC), including migration, which is essential to achieve an organized formation of the vessel sprout. We demonstrated previously that an aspirin-triggered lipoxin analog, 15-epi-16-(para-fluoro)-phenoxy-lipoxin A4 (ATL-1), inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced EC migration. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ATL-1 in the actin cytoskeleton reorganization of EC stimulated with VEGF. Pretreatment of EC with ATL-1 caused a reduction in VEGF-induced stress fibers and therefore reduced the intracellular content of filamentous actin. A concomitant impairment in stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK2/p38) phosphorylation suggests that ATL inhibition of VEGF-stimulated actin polymerization involves the SAPK2/p38 pathway. Moreover, ATL-1 treatment inhibited focal adhesion clustering due to inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation and the subsequent association of FAK with the actin cytoskeleton. This final event, which ultimately allows cell migration, was reverted by an LX receptor antagonist, but not by a cys-LT1R antagonist, indicating an effect via the G-protein-linked LXA4 receptor. Together our results provide evidence that ATL-1 inhibits EC migration via the concerted inhibition of actin polymerization and proper assembly of focal adhesions, supporting a role for these novel lipid mediators as angiogenesis modulators.

Statistical wave scattering through classically chaotic cavities in the presence of surface absorption.

We propose a model to describe the statistical properties of wave scattering through a classically chaotic cavity in the presence of surface absorption. Experimentally, surface absorption could be realized by attaching an "absorbing patch" to the inner wall of the cavity. In our model, the cavity is connected to the outside by a waveguide with N open modes (or channels), while an experimental patch is simulated by an "absorbing mirror" attached to the inside wall of the cavity; the mirror, consisting of a waveguide that supports N(a) channels, with absorption inside and a perfectly reflecting wall at its end, is described by a subunitary scattering matrix S(a). The number of channels N(a) , as a measure of the geometric cross section of the mirror, and the lack of unitarity P(a) = [symbol: see text]N(a) - S(a)(+)S(a) , as a measure of absorption, are under our control: these parameters have an important physical significance for real experiments. The absorption strength in the cavity is quantified by gamma(a) = tr P(a). The statistical distribution of the resulting S matrix for N = 1 open channel and only one absorbing channel, N(a) = 1, is solved analytically for the orthogonal and unitary universality classes, beta = 1 and beta = 2, respectively, and the results are compared with those arising from numerical simulations. The relation with other models existing in the literature, in some of which absorption has a volumetric character, is also studied.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on interaction of "Trikatu" with diclofenac sodium.

"Trikatu"-an Ayurvedic formulation comprising of a 1:1:1 ratio of dried fruits of Piper nigrum, Piper longum and dried rhizomes of Zingiber officinale is widely used to enhance the bioavailability of drugs, like vasicine, indomethacin, etc. The enhanced biological response might lead to alteration of therapeutic regimens of commonly prescribed drugs. The present work was aimed to study the effect of concomitant administration of Trikatu on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of diclofenac sodium, a frequently prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, having a poor oral bioavailability (54 +/- 2%). The effect of Trikatu on the bioavailability profile of diclofenac sodium was studied in rabbits. It was observed that Trikatu significantly decreased the serum levels of diclofenac sodium. The pharmacodynamic study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Trikatu on the anti-inflammatory activity of diclofenac sodium using carragenin-induced rat paw edema model. It was observed that the mean percent edema inhibition shown by the combination of Trikatu and diclofenac was similar to that shown by Trikatu alone but significantly less than that shown by diclofenac alone. Thus, the experimental findings indicated that Trikatu pretreatment might decrease the bioavailability of certain drugs probably through a drug-herb interaction thereby adversely affecting the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs.