This study proposes an Ontology for Computer Science (CS) students' profiles. This Student model will represent information about the CS student and will be created by extracting constructs and ...variables from applied questionnaires. The literature presents several instruments that analyze the student's profile and performance in STEM and Computer Science. Some questionnaires were used to determine the profile of CS students to extract constructs and variables such as (a) Sociodemographic and economical; (b) Personality Type; c) Academic performance in secondary education; d) Learning experiences; f) Attitudes toward Programming; g) Science Motivation. h) Parental/Social Support. Our overarching research question of this study is to answer: How can we build an ontology for the computer science student profile that identifies the main factors that motivated him/her to choose a course in this area? This study will build the proposed ontology using the Ontology Development 101 methodology. The proposed ontology will be validated with real-world data and intended to develop case studies to administer internationally validated questionnaires to university students enrolled in Computer Science Major-related courses in public universities. The expected results are to know and trace the profile of CS students (female and male) since secondary education to promote better actions that increase the interest of secondary school students, mainly girls, in the IT area. Thus, this work intends to build an Ontology of CS Students as part of a recommendation system that will make suggestions for actions that encourage more students to pursue a career in Computer Science and then, be able to increase the supply of IT professionals in the market: workforce, especially women.
Resumo
A incidência e mortalidade de cancro da mama têm vindo a aumentar ao longo dos anos. Esta doença foi descrita pela primeira vez no ano 3000 a.C. por Edwin Smith Papyrus como uma doença grave ...sem tratamento conhecido. Atualmente, continua a ser necessário o delineamento de estratégias de prevenção, deteção e tratamento do cancro da mama. Para tal, é extremamente importante a utilização de modelos alternativos ao Homem.
A utilização de animais para fins experimentais iniciou-se há muitos séculos (2000 anos a.C.), com os Babilónios e os Assírios a utilizarem animais para a realização de cirurgias. Os modelos in vitro são relativamente recentes em comparação com os modelos in vivo, uma vez que a primeira linha celular de cancro da mama (BT-20) foi descoberta apenas em 1958 por Lasfargues e Ozzello. Os modelos in vivo são os mais utilizados pois mimetizam quase na sua totalidade o comportamento da neoplasia no organismo. Em 1965, Howell realizou o primeiro estudo de carcinogénese mamária quimicamente induzida em ratos. Posteriormente, surgiu a necessidade da criação de animais geneticamente modificados para reduzir ao máximo as diferenças nos mecanismos tumorais. Mesmo assim, não é possível mimetizar a 100% o processo de carcinogénese humano nestes animais devido à sua elevada complexidade e número limitado de genes.
Atualmente existe uma diversidade de modelos in vitro e in vivo para o estudo do cancro da mama. A escolha do modelo animal mais adequado é um dos passos mais importantes no delineamento experimental. Os objetivos do trabalho e o tipo de dados que poderão ser obtidos do modelo animal são aspetos fundamentais a ter em consideração. Todos os modelos apresentam vantagens e desvantagens e a sua seleção merece uma reflexão cuidada à luz dos objetivos do trabalho.
Palavras-chave: Cancro da mama, modelos in vitro, modelos animais.
Abstract
The incidence and mortality of breast cancer has increased over the years. This disease was first described in the year 3000 BC by Edwin Smith Papyrus as a serious disease with no known treatment. Currently the design of strategies for the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer remains necessary. For this, it is extremely important to use alternative models to humans.
The use of animals for experimental purposes began many centuries ago (2000 years BC), with the Babylonians and the Assyrians using animals to perform surgeries. In vitro models are relatively recent compared to in vivo models, as the first breast cancer cell line (BT-20) was only discovered in 1958 by Lasfargues and Ozzello. In vivo models are the most used as they almost entirely mimic the behavior of the neoplasm in the body. In 1965, Howell performed the first study of chemically induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats. Subsequently, the need arose for the creation of genetically modified animals to reduce as much as possible the differences in tumor mechanisms. Even so, it is not possible to 100% mimic the process of human carcinogenesis in these animals due to their high complexity and limited number of genes.
Currently there are a variety of in vitro and in vivo models for the study of breast cancer. Choosing the most suitable animal model is one of the most important steps in the experimental design. The purpose of the work and the type of data that can be obtained from the animal model are fundamental aspects to be considered. All models have advantages and disadvantages, and their selection deserves careful consideration considering the work objectives.
Keywords: Breast cancer, in vitro models, animal models.
Despite the importance attributed to exercise training in the breast cancer (BC) continuum, the underlying mechanisms modulating tumor behavior are unknown. We evaluated the effects of long-term ...moderate-exercise in the development of mammary tumors, and studied the microenvironment of infiltrative lesions, the amount of connective tissue, and balance between cellular proliferation/death.Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats, randomly assigned into four groups: two control groups (sedentary and exercised) and two models of BC groups (sedentary and exercised) induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosoureia (MNU), were sacrificed after 35 weeks of moderate-exercise, and all perceptible tumors were removed for histological and immunohistochemistry analysis.The median number of infiltrative-lesions per animal was lower in the MNU exercised animals (p=0.02). More than one histological pattern was identified, and papillary carcinoma was the most frequent in both groups. Within infiltrative-lesions, the number of immunopositive cells per μm
of Ki67 was lower in exercised animals (p=0.002). This presents increased cell death per μm
(p=0.019). Tumors from sedentary animals had a higher expression of collagen deposition (p=0.027).Long-term moderate-exercise has beneficial effects in tumor development with a diminished prevalence of malignancy. Within infiltrative-lesions, moderate-exercise improves the balance between cell-proliferation and cell-death with decreased connective tissue that suggests lower tumor aggressiveness.
Resumo A medicina veterinária de abrigo (MVA), focada na saúde e bem-estar dos animais em abrigos, evoluiu significativamente ao longo do tempo. Este resumo fornece uma visão histórica concisa, ...destacando marcos, desafios e o impacto desta especialidade da medicina veterinária. A MVA teve origem no início do século XX, à medida que os abrigos de animais surgiram para lidar com as populações de animais abandonados e de rua. Inicialmente centrada no controlo de doenças e cuidados primários, a área expandiu-se para englobar a saúde animal, incluindo o maneio comportamental e o controlo populacional. Os desafios enfrentados pela MVA incluem assim recursos limitados, sobrelotação, gestão de doenças infetocontagiosas e considerações éticas sobre a eutanásia. No entanto, surgiram estratégias inovadoras, como programas de vacinação, iniciativas de esterilização e procedimentos de adoção, visando melhorar o bem-estar animal e reduzir as populações em abrigos. O impacto da MVA tem-se tornado significativo. Esta área da medicina veterinária aprimorou a saúde e o bem-estar dos animais em abrigos e a salvaguarda da saúde pública. Além disso, a MVA reduz os riscos de transmissão de doenças, abordando doenças zoonóticas e implementando medidas preventivas, como vacinação e controlo de parasitas. Além disso, a MVA fomenta colaborações entre profissionais veterinários, organizações de proteção animal e comunidades. Estas parcerias resultam em políticas progressistas, legislação e aumento de oportunidades de investigação e aprendizagem. De uma abordagem rudimentar a MVA transformou-se numa disciplina abrangente. Apesar dos desafios, as contribuições substanciais para o bem-estar animal e a saúde pública são evidentes. Exemplo disso é o reconhecimento total como especialidade do American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) em março de 2023. Avanços e colaborações são fundamentais para melhorar o cuidado dos animais em abrigos e criar um futuro sustentável para animais e humanos. Palavras-chave: Controlo de Doenças; Gestão Populacional; Medicina Veterinária de Abrigo; Saúde Animal; Saúde Pública. Abstract Veterinary shelter medicine (VSM), focused on the health and welfare of animals in shelters, has evolved significantly over time. This abstract provides a concise historical overview, highlighting milestones, challenges, and the impact of this specialised field. VSM originated in the early 20th century as animal shelters emerged to address stray and abandoned animal populations. Initially centred on disease control and primary care, the field expanded to encompass comprehensive animal health, including behaviour management and population control. Challenges faced by VSM include limited resources, overcrowding, infectocontagious disease management, and ethical considerations of euthanasia. However, innovative strategies like vaccination programs, spay/neuter initiatives, and adoption procedures emerged to improve animal welfare and reduce shelter populations. The impact of VSM is significant. It enhances the health and well-being of shelter animals and safeguards public health. In addition, VSM has reduced disease transmission risks by addressing zoonotic diseases and implementing preventive measures, such as vaccination and parasite control. Moreover, the field fosters collaborations between veterinary professionals, animal welfare organisations, and communities. These collaborations led to progressive policies, legislation, and increased research and training opportunities. VSM has transformed from a rudimentary approach to a comprehensive discipline. Despite challenges, it has made substantial contributions to animal welfare and public health and received full recognition from the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) in March 2023. Advancements and collaborations are vital to improving care for shelter animals and creating a compassionate and sustainable future for animals and humans. Keywords: Animal Health; Disease Control; Population Management; Public Health; Veterinary Shelter Medicine.
BACKGROUND/AIMObesity currently affects the whole world, with greater incidence in high-income countries, with vast economic and social costs. Broccoli harvest generates many by-products equally rich ...in bioactive compounds with potential anti-obesity effects. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of broccoli by-products flour (BF) in obese mice. MATERIALS AND METHODSA commercial high-fat diet formulation (representing a Western diet) was used to induce obesity in mice. BF (0.67% or 1.34% weight/weight) was incorporated as a chemoprevention compound into a control and a hypercholesterolemic diet, at two different concentrations, and fed for 14 weeks to C57BL/6J mice. For a therapeutic approach, two groups were fed with the hypercholesterolemic diet for 10 weeks, and then fed with BF-supplemented diets in the last 4 weeks of the study. RESULTSBF supplementation helped to maintain a lower body weight, reduced adipose tissue accumulation, and enhanced the basal activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase. Although BF supplementation tended to reduce the relative liver weight increased by the Western diet, the differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONBF appears to have a beneficial effect in preventing weight gain and fat accumulation induced by hypercholesterolemic diets.
Limiting cancer-induced cardiac damage has become an increasingly important issue to improve survival rates and quality of life. Exercise training has been shown to reduce cardiovascular ...complications in several diseases; however, its therapeutic role against cardiovascular consequences of cancer is in its infancy. In order to add new insights on the potential therapeutic effect of exercise training on cancer-related cardiac dysfunction, we used an animal model of urothelial carcinoma submitted to 13 weeks of treadmill exercise after 20 weeks of exposure to the carcinogenic N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN). Data showed that 13 weeks of treadmill exercise reverted cancer-induced cardiomyocytes atrophy and fibrosis, improved cardiac oxidative capacity given by citrate synthase activity and MnSOD content, and increased the levels of the mitochondrial biogenesis markers PGC-1α and mtTFA. Moreover, exercise training reverted cancer-induced decrease of cardiac c-kit levels suggesting enhanced regenerative ability of heart. These cardiac adaptations to exercise were related to a lower incidence of malignant urothelial lesions and less signs of inflammation. Taken together, data from the present study support the beneficial effect of exercise training when started after cancer diagnosis, envisioning the improvement of the cardiovascular function.
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•Exercise training after diagnosis reverts cancer-induced cardiac adaptations.•Exercise training reverts cardiac atrophy and fibrosis in a bladder cancer animal model.•Exercise seems to promote cardiomyocyte self-renewal in tumor-bearing rats.•Exercise effects were related to a lower incidence of malignant urothelial lesions.
The high prevalence of end-stage renal disease emphasizes the failure to provide therapies to effectively prevent and/or reverse renal fibrosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the ...effect of long-term treatment with chaethomellic acid A (CAA), which selectively blocks Ha-Ras farnesylation, on renal mass reduction-induced renal fibrosis. Male Wistar rats were sham-operated (SO) or subjected to 5/6 renal mass reduction (RMR). One week after surgery, rats were placed in four experimental groups: SO:SO rats without treatment (n=13); SO+CAA: SO rats treated with CAA (n=13); RMR:RMR rats without treatment (n=14); and RMR+CAA:RMR rats treated with CAA (n=13). CAA was intraperitoneally administered in a dose of 0.23μg/kg three times a week for six months. Renal fibrosis was evaluated by two-dimensional ultrasonography and histopathological analysis. The kidneys of the RMR animals treated with CAA showed a significantly decrease in the medullary echogenicity (p<0.05) compared with the RMR rats that received no treatment. Glomerulosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis scores were significantly lower (p<0.001) in the RMR+CAA group when compared with the RMR group. There were no significant differences in interstitial fibrosis, interstitial inflammation and tubular dilatation scores between the RMR+CAA and RMR groups. These data suggest that CAA can be a potential future drug to attenuate the progression of chronic kidney disease.
Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of chronic treatment with chaetomellic acid A (CAA) on oxidative stress and renal function in a model of renal mass reduction. Methods. Male Wistar ...rats were subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy (RMR) or sham-operated (SO). One week after surgery, rats have been divided into four experimental groups: RMR: RMR rats without treatment (n=14); RMR + CAA: RMR rats treated with CAA (n=13); SO: SO rats without treatment (n=13); and SO + CAA: SO rats treated with CAA (n=13). CAA was intraperitoneally administered in a dose of 0.23 µg/Kg three times a week for six months. Results. RMR was accompanied by a significant reduction in catalase and glutathione reductase (GR) activity (p<0.05) and a decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio. CAA administration significantly increased catalase and GR activity (p<0.05) and increased GSH/GSSG ratio, but no significant difference between the treated and nontreated groups was found in this ratio. No significant differences were found between the RMR groups in any of the parameters of renal function. However, CAA administration slightly improves some parameters of renal function. Conclusions. These data suggest that CAA could attenuate 5/6 RMR-induced oxidative stress.
Infections with certain types of papillomavirus, such as the human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16), are associated with the development of preneoplastic lesions and cancers of the anogenital, and head and ...neck regions. Cytinus hypocistis (L.) L. extracts are composed of substances presenting antiproliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which might be promising as new therapeuticcompounds. This study analysed the influence of topical application of an extract obtained from C. hypocistis (CH) on K14-HPV16 and FVB/n mice to evaluate its therapeutic and toxicological properties. To achieve the study goals,30 female mice, 33–37 weeks old, were divided into six groups (n=5/group): I (HPV+CH3.1); II (HPV+CH6.2); III (HPV+CH12.4); IV (FVB/n+CH12.4); V (HPV+control) and VI (FVB/n+-control). CH was applied topically to both ears for 28 days. After this period, all animals were sacrificed for samples collection. Skin lesions were classified histologically. Toxicological parameters included haematological and biochemical blood markers, and hepatic oxidative stress analysis. Transgenic animals showed a decrease in mean body weight regardless of the concentration of extract applied. The extract had no influence on physiological parameters, organ weight, or biochemical and oxidative stress parameters. Histology demonstrated the presence of proliferative epithelial lesions in the skin and oral mucosa of K14-HPV16 mice, with no association with the application of this extract. Overall, the application of CH extract had no influence on the skin lesions and was well tolerated by the animals in these concentrations.
Infekcije određenim vrstama papiloma virusa, poput humanog papiloma virusa 16 (HPV16), povezane su s razvojem preneoplastičnih lezija i karcinoma anogenitalnog područja i područja glave i vrata. Ekstrakti Cytinus hypocistis (CH) sadrže tvari koje pokazuju antiproliferativna, antioksidativna, protuupalna i antibakterijska svojstva te bi stoga mogle predstavljati nove, obećavajuće terapijske spojeve. Cilj je ovog rada bio analizirati utjecaj topikalne primjene ekstrakta dobivenog iz C. hypocistis (L.) L. na K14-HPV16 i FVB/n miševima za procjenu njegovih terapijskih i toksikoloških svojstava. Za postizanje ciljeva istraživanja, trideset ženki miševa starosti 33-37 tjedana podijeljeno je u šest skupina (n=5/ skupini): I (HPV+CH3,1); II (HPV+CH6,2); III (HPV+CH12,4); IV (FVB/n+CH12,4); V (HPV+kontrola) i VI (FVB/n+kontrola). CH je tijekom 28 dana topikalno primijenjen na oba uha. Nakon tog razdoblja sve životinje su žrtvovane u svrhu prikupljanja rezulata. Lezije kože su histološki klasificirane. Toksikološki parametri uključivali su hematološke i biokemijske markere krvi te analizu oksidativnog stresa jetre. Transgenične životinje pokazale su smanjenje srednje tjelesne mase, bez obzira na primijenjenu koncentraciju ekstrakta. Ekstrakt nije utjecao na fiziološke parametre, masu organa ili parametre biokemijskog i oksidativnog stresa. Histološki je dokazana prisutnost proliferativnih epitelnih lezija na koži i oralnoj sluznici K14-HPV16 miševa, bez povezanosti s primjenom ovog ekstrakta. Općenito, primjena CH ekstrakta nije utjecala na lezije kože te su ga životinje dobro podnosile u primijenjenim koncentracijama.
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