Behavioral and morphological effects of resveratrol and curcumin in rats submitted to doxorubicin-induced cognitive impairment.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is known to cause cognitive impairments in patients submitted to long-term chemotherapy (deficits also known as chemobrain). Therefore, there is an urgent need for therapeutic strategies capable of returning cancer survivors back to their previous quality of life. The present study investigated whether resveratrol (RSV) or curcumin (CUR) administration could affect mnemonic function and brain morphological changes following DOX administration in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: DOX group (2.5 mg/kg/week for 4 weeks, i.p., plus distilled water for 28 days, oral gavage - OG), DOX + RSV group (DOX, 2.5 mg/kg/week for 4 weeks, i.p., plus RSV, 10 mg/kg/day for 28 days, OG), DOX + CUR group (DOX, 2.5 mg/kg/week for 4 weeks, i.p., plus CUR, 100 mg/kg/day for 28 days, OG) and control (CTR) group (0.9% saline solution weekly for 4 weeks, i.p., plus distilled water for 28 days, OG). Behavioral analyses (open field - OF - and the novel object recognition test - NORT) were performed. Brains were collected and analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin and luxol fast blue staining techniques and by immunohistochemistry for GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) expression in astrocytes and Iba1 (ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1) expression in microglia. DOX-injected rats presented short-term and long-term memory impairments as seen in the NORT at 3 and 24 h after habituation and increased GFAP and Iba1 expression, respectively, in astrocytes and microglia of the frontal cortex, hypothalamus and hippocampus. Such cognitive deficits were prevented by CUR at both periods and by RSV at 24 h. DOX-induced astrogliosis and microgliosis were avoided by RSV and CUR. No signs of demyelination or neuronal loss were found in any group. Thus, CUR and RSV prevented memory loss, astrogliosis and microgliosis induced by DOX monotherapy.

Prenatal LPS induces sickness behaviour and decreases maternal and predatory behaviours after an LPS challenge.

Purpose: The influence of a challenge dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the behavioural selection between maternal (MB) and predatory behaviours (PB) of female rats prenatally treated with the same endotoxin or saline solution (F1 generation) were studied.Material and methods: Thus, in adult age, these female rats were mated and, at lactation days 5 or 6, the following groups were formed: (1) LPS + LPS group-female rats prenatally treated with LPS and received an LPS challenge dose; (2) S + LPS group-female rats prenatally treated with saline solution and received a challenge LPS dose (3) S + S group-females rats prenatally treated with saline which received a saline injection. MB, PB to cockroaches, exploratory behaviour, periaqueductal grey (PAG) expression of the astrocytic biomarker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and corticosterone and TNF-alpha serum levels were evaluated.Results: Showed that: (1) relative to the S + S group, the LPS + S group showed decreased MB and slightly increased PB, without inducing sickness behaviour; (2) the LPS + LPS group showed decreased MB but few effects on PB; (3) there was increased sickness behaviour associated with increased TNF-alpha serum levels in the LPS + LPS group; (4) a significant increase in GFAP expression was observed in both LPS groups, which was greater in the LPS + LPS group and (5) no differences in the corticosterone of all groups.Conclusions: Prenatal LPS impaired the switch from MB to PB in female rats of the LPS + LPS group by increased sickness behaviour as well as an increase in plasmatic TNF-alpha levels inducing PAG astrogliosis.

Solid lipid nanoparticles affect microbial colonization and enzymatic activity throughout the decomposition of alder leaves in freshwater microcosms.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are used as carriers for drug delivery, and are high biocompatible and designed to endure in the host organism. Despite its current industrial production is low, many of these substances are available on the market, and much more are in the production pipeline. As a result, many of them will end in aquatic systems raising the question whether they can pose a risk to aquatic biota and the associated ecological processes. Microbial decomposers of plant litter, play a key role in forested streams being responsible for the energy flow between terrestrial and aquatic environments. Here, we investigated the effects of SLNs on alder leaf litter decomposition by aquatic microbes. Alder leaves were immersed in a stream of Northeast Portugal to allow microbial colonization before being exposed in microcosms of two types of SLNs at two concentrations for 42 days. Results showed that rates of leaf decomposition decreased with exposure to SLNs. Bacterial biomass was not inhibited by SLNs, and cultivable fungi densities remained constant (SLN-A) or increased (SLN-C) compared with control microcosms. The type and concentration of SLNs influenced differently the leaf colonization by fungi as well as fungal sporulation rate. These effects were accompanied by changes in the community extraenzymatic profile: the activities of alkaline phosphatase, acidic phosphatase, Naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase (P cycle) and lipases increased in the SLNs microcosms. This study provided the first evidence of the adverse effects of the release of SLNs to streams on leaf litter decomposition. Those effects seem to depend on the composition and concentration of SLNs, as well on the microbial target group, or enzyme. Thus, prior to massive industrial production of these nanomaterials, some measures should be taken to avoid environmental impact affecting the microbial communities responsible for detritus decomposition.

Reação de maracujazeiro amarelo a Meloidogyne incognita raça 3 / Reaction of yellow passion fruit to Meloidogyne incognita race 3

Neste trabalho estudou-se a reação de maracujazeiro amarelo 'Maguari' e 'Afruvec' ao fitonematoide Meloidogyne incognita raça 3, em casa-de-vegetação. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos (Maguari, Afruvec e Tomateiro cv. Rutgers) e quatro repetições, sendo a parcela constituída por um vaso contendo uma planta. Após seis meses, avaliou-se o índice de galhas e de massa de ovos nas cultivares de maracujazeiro amarelo e no tomateiro cv. Rutgers. A classificação da resistência ao fitonematoide foi feita utilizando o critério do fator de reprodução (FR). A 'Maguari' apresentou zero de índice de galhas e de massa de ovos, enquanto que 'Afruvec' mostrou baixo índice de galhas e massa de ovos comparativamente com o tomateiro cv. Rutgers. De acordo com o FR, a 'Maguari' enquadrou-se como imune ao nematoide, sendo a 'Afruvec' resistente e o tomateiro cv. Rutgers como suscetível.

This study concerned the reaction of yellow passion fruit 'Maguary' and 'Afruvec' to the phytonematode Meloidogyne incognita race 3 in greenhouse conditions. An entirely randomized experimental design with 3 treatments ('Maguary', 'Afruvec', and tomato cv. 'Rutgers') and 4 repetitions was used, each plot consisting of 1 vase containing 1 plant. After 6 months, an evaluation was made of the index of galls and egg mass in the yellow passion fruit varieties and in the tomato cv. 'Rutgers'. The classification of resistance to the phytonematode was made by criterion of the reproduction factor (RF). 'Maguary' presented a zero index of galls and egg mass, while 'Afruvec' showed a low index of galls and egg mass in relation to the tomato cv. Rutgers. According to the RF, 'Maguary' was characterized as immune to the phytonematode, while 'Afruvec' was resistant, and the tomato cv. 'Rutgers' was susceptible.

Parallel avenues in the evolution of hearts and pumping organs.

Research in animal models established that tinman, a key gene in Drosophila dorsal vessel development, is an orthologue of Nkx2-5, a key gene in vertebrate cardiac development. Similarities between the arthropod dorsal vessel and vertebrate hearts are interpreted in light of concepts such as homology or convergence. We discuss this controversy in the context of the evolution of animal circulatory pumps and propose the distinction between peristaltic and chambered pumps as a fundamental parameter for evolutionary comparisons between bilaterian pumps. Neither homology nor convergence is satisfactory to explain the origins of hearts and pumping organs. Instead, we propose that animal pumps derive from parallel improvements of an ancestral, peristaltic design represented by a layer of myocytes at the external walls of primitive vessels. This paradigm unifies disparate views, impacts our understanding of bilaterian evolution and may be helpful to interpret similarities between pumping organs of phylogenetically relevant species and emerging models.