Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoparticles secreted by ovarian follicle cells. Extracellular vesicles are an important form of intercellular communication, since they carry bioactive contents, ...such as microRNAs (miRNAs), mRNAs, and proteins. MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNA capable of modulating mRNA translation. Thus, EVs can play a role in follicle and oocyte development. However, it is not clear if EV contents vary with the estrous cycle stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the bovine miRNA content in EVs obtained from follicles at different estrous cycle stages, which are associated with different progesterone (P4) levels in the follicular fluid (FF). We collected FF from 3 to 6 mm follicles and evaluated the miRNA profile of the EVs and their effects on cumulus-oocyte complexes during in vitro maturation. We observed that EVs from low P4 group have a higher abundance of miRNAs predicted to modulate pathways, such as MAPK, RNA transport, Hippo, Cell cycle, FoxO, oocyte meiosis, and TGF-beta. Additionally, EVs were taken up by cumulus cells and, thus, affected the RNA global profile 9 h after EV supplementation. Cumulus cells supplemented with EVs from low P4 presented upregulated genes that could modulate biological processes, such as oocyte development, immune responses, and Notch signaling compared with genes of cumulus cells in the EV free media or with EVs from high P4 follicles. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that EV miRNA contents are distinct in follicles exposed to different estrous cycle stage. Supplementation with EVs impacts gene expression and biological processes in cumulus cells. Summary Sentence MicroRNA contents of small EVs obtained from bovine follicular fluid are modified depending on the estrous cycle stage and can modulate the RNA profile of cumulus cells during in vitro oocyte maturation.
Antimicrobial peptides have been developed based on plant-derived molecular scaffolds for the treatment of infectious diseases. Chenopodin is an abundant seed storage protein in quinoa, an Andean ...plant with high nutritional and therapeutic properties. Here, we used computer- and physicochemical-based strategies and designed four peptides derived from the primary structure of Chenopodin. Two peptides reproduce natural fragments of 14 amino acids from Chenopodin, named Chen1 and Chen2, and two engineered peptides of the same length were designed based on the Chen1 sequence. The two amino acids of Chen1 containing amide side chains were replaced by arginine (ChenR) or tryptophan (ChenW) to generate engineered cationic and hydrophobic peptides. The evaluation of these 14-mer peptides on
and
showed that Chen1 does not have antibacterial activity up to 512 µM against these strains, while other peptides exhibited antibacterial effects at lower concentrations. The chemical substitutions of glutamine and asparagine by amino acids with cationic or aromatic side chains significantly favoured their antibacterial effects. These peptides did not show significant hemolytic activity. The fluorescence microscopy analysis highlighted the membranolytic nature of Chenopodin-derived peptides. Using molecular dynamic simulations, we found that a pore is formed when multiple peptides are assembled in the membrane. Whereas, some of them form secondary structures when interacting with the membrane, allowing water translocations during the simulations. Finally, Chen2 and ChenR significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings demonstrate that Chenopodin is a highly useful template for the design, engineering, and manufacturing of non-toxic, antibacterial, and antiviral peptides.
Treadmill training has been widely used for gait recovery after stroke. Gait re-establishment is one of the main objectives of rehabilitation programs after stroke, aiming to acquire more functional ...patterns and increase walking speed, along with improvement in cardiovascular function. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a treadmill gait training protocol on functional and cardiovascular variables in patients with chronic stroke.
A single-blind randomized clinical trial will be conducted. The sample will consist of 36 patients, who will be allocated in three groups: control group (n = 12), experimental group 1 (n = 12), and experimental group 2 (n = 12). The intervention will occur for 6 consecutive weeks, three times a week, 30 min each session, in all groups. The control group will perform a treadmill gait training without inclination, experimental group 1 will perform a treadmill gait training with anterior inclination of 5%, and experimental group 2 will perform a treadmill gait training with anterior inclination of 10%. All participants will be assessed for sample characterization measures, gait speed, functional capacity, systemic arterial blood pressure, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation, exercise capacity, neuromuscular torque, and quality of life. Evaluations of outcome measures will occur at the end of the interventions (post-training) and after 1 month and 1 year after the end of the interventions (short- and long-term follow-up). Statistical analysis will be performed descriptively and inferentially. Alpha equals 5% will be considered for inferential analysis. Mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures will be used to compare outcome measures between groups and between baseline, post-training, and follow-up. Normality test (Shapiro-Wilk) and subsequently t test (or Mann-Whitney) will be used to compare groups during the same training session.
It is believed that treadmill training, especially treadmill training with anterior inclination, may result in improved exercise capacity in patients with stroke, reduced blood pressure and heart rate values, and an improvement in functional parameters with increased gait speed, functional capacity, quadriceps muscle torque, and quality of life.
Registration in Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) identifier RBR-5ffbxz , date of registration October 25 2017.
Stool samples were collected from calves from nine family-based small dairy farms in the state of Rio de Janeiro, for detection and characterization of rotavirus (RV) species A, B, and C (RVA, RVB, ...and RVC, respectively) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Twenty-six samples (27.7%) were positive for at least one of the species: 22 (23.4%) samples were positive only for RVA, 3 (3.2%) were positive for RVC, and one sample (1.1%) had co-infection of RVA and RVC. RVB was not detected. Seven (21.9%;
n
= 32) animals with diarrhea and 19 (30.1%
n
= 62) asymptomatic animals were positive, with no significant difference in positivity (
p
= 0.3677). RV was detected in all properties studied, at rates between 14.3 and 80%, demonstrating the widespread circulation of RV in four of the seven geographic regions of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Infection was more prevalent among animals ≤ 6 months of age. Sequence analysis of a portion of the RVA VP6-encoding gene identified the I2 genotype. RVC was also detected; to our knowledge, this is the first description of this agent in cattle in Brazil. The data presented here should add knowledge regarding the importance and prevalence of RV in our national territory, and may facilitate the planning and implementation of control and prevention measures for bovine rotavirus infections in Brazil.
A questão de gênero numa perspectiva decolonial Mendes, Gabriella da Silva; Fonseca, Alexandre Brasil Carvalho da
Revista de educação popular,
03/2020, Letnik:
19, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Este artigo tem por objetivo refletir a respeito das questões de gênero, a partir da perspectiva de análise da decolonialidade. Estudos da temática mostram que o gênero pode ser uma forma de ...colonialidade, que produz discursos que escondem a multiplicidade da vivência das relações fora do “sistema mundo da colonial modernidade”. Dessa forma, tentaremos compreender como as relações de gênero se viram modificadas historicamente pelo colonialismo, a partir de uma breve revisão de literatura, para pensar nas possibilidades de uma perspectiva decolonial para a questão de gênero. Utilizando como metodologia a revisão sistemática, este artigo não se pretendeu a responder tão complexas questões que abordam o tema, e sim realizar um mapeamento.
Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as mudanças ocorridas nas características demográficas e sociais do país e discutir o desafio do desenvolvimento de políticas públicas, utilizando dados dos ...sistemas de informações e entrevistas com atores das políticas social e de saúde do país. Percebeu-se a redução da fecundidade, da natalidade e da mortalidade com aumento da esperança de vida ao nascer, caracterizando a terceira fase da transição demográfica. O investimento na saúde e na educação foi considerado essencial para que o país possa aproveitar esse momento. Houve significativa redução da pobreza, mas, em 2012, ainda representava 15,9% da população, o que exige manutenção, expansão e qualificação dos programas de transferência de renda. A transição demográfica proporciona oportunidades para o desenvolvimento de políticas que permitam o acesso universal à educação, à saúde e ao emprego e que superem os desafios do país. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar los cambios habidos en las características demográficas y sociales del país y discutir el desafío del desarrollo de políticas públicas, utilizando datos de los sistemas de informaciones y entrevistas con los actores de las políticas social y de salud del país. Se percibió la reducción de la fecundidad, de la natalidad y de la mortalidad con el aumento de la esperanza de vida al nacer, caracterizando la tercera fase de la transición demográfica. La inversión en salud y educación se consideró esencial para que el país pueda aprovechar este momento. Hubo una significativa reducción de la pobreza, pero en 2012 ella todavía representaba el 15,9% de la población, lo que exige mantenimiento, expansión y calificación de los programas de transferencia de renta. La transición demográfica proporciona oportunidades para el desarrollo de políticas que permitan el acceso universal a la educación, a la salud y al empleo y que superen los desafíos del país.
This is a cross-sectional study.
The wrist extensor muscles have a fundamental role in the stabilization of the wrist while performing manual activities. However, it is unknown if the clinical signs ...of hand osteoarthritis (HOA) cause impairment in the activation of these muscles
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether early-stage HOA affects the magnitude of activation and coactivation between the wrist extensor and flexor muscles
Thirty-two subjects were divided into two groups: control group (n = 16; 55 ± 7.42 years) and a group with HOA grades 2 or 3 (HOAG; n = 16; 57 ± 7.82 years). Muscle activation was measured in m. flexor digitorum superficialis, m. flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) and extensors (EXT) during the evaluation of grip strength and three manual activities (write, cut a paper with scissors, and close and open a bottle). The coactivation index was calculated between the electromyography of the flexors (FCU and FSD) and wrist EXT.
HOAG presented reduced muscle activation in all tasks, with a statistical difference for the flexor digitorum superficialis and EXT in the scissors activity, and for the FCU in the bottle activity. No differences were found between groups for the coactivation index and grip strength.
The reduced muscle activity may be due to an inability of the patients of the HOAG to recruit all motor units or to an inhibition related to the presence of pain.
In the early stages of HOA, there is a functional deficit associated with a reduced muscle activity of the wrist muscles during manual activities.
This cross-sectional study determined that•Hand osteoarthritis in the initial stages may contribute to the activation deficit of the flexor and extensor muscles of the wrist.•Hand osteoarthritis in the initial stages has a negative impact on hand function.•There is a functional deficit in this population with no change in maximum grip strength in the initial stages of the disease.
Naphthoquinones and 1,2,3-triazoles are structural pharmacophore that is known to impart several cancer cells. This work shows a synthetic methodology to obtain hybrid molecules involving ...naphthoquinone and triazol scaffold as multiple ligands. A simple and efficient synthetic route was used to prepare a series of sixteen compounds being eight 2-(1-aryl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-2,3-dihydronaphtho1,2 bfuran-4,5-diones and eight 2-(1-aryl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-2,3-dihydronaphtho2,3-bfuran-4,9-diones. These compounds were tested in MDA-MB231, Caco-2 and Calu-3 human cancer cells, and among them 7a was the most selective compound on Caco-2 cells, the most sensitized cell line in this study. In silico study suggest that the blockage of topoisomerase I and IIα may be one of the mechanisms of action responsible for the cytotoxic effect of 7a in Caco-2 cells.
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•Furanaphthoquinones Tethered to 1H-1,2,3-Triazoles were synthesized.•Triazolyl-naphthoquinones have been evaluated against cancer cells.•The compounds were tested in MDA-MB231, Caco-2 and Calu-3 human cancer cells.•Compound 7a was the most selective compound on Caco-2 cells.•In silico study suggest the blockage of topoisomerase I and IIα as mechanism.
Cryptococcosis, caused by yeasts of the genus
, is an infectious disease with a worldwide distribution.
and
are the species that commonly cause this disease in humans; however, infections caused by
, ...especially in immunocompromised patients, are increasingly being reported. Owing to the increase in the resistance of fungi to antifungals, and a lack of treatment options, it is important to seek new therapeutic alternatives such as natural products. Among these are plant species such as
, which is used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the activity of the acetate fraction of
leaf extract against environmental and clinical isolates of
. Three environmental isolates of
, PMN, PMA, and PJL II, isolated from soils of different municipalities in the state of Maranhão, a clinical isolate,
, from a patient with neurocryptococcosis, and a standard strain of
(ATCC 32068) were used. The minimum and fractional inhibitory concentrations (MIC and FIC, respectively) and time-kill curve of the extract and fluconazole were determined to assess the susceptibility profile of the fungal isolates. Larvae of
were infected with
strains, and the effects of acetate fraction of
extract and fluconazole on the survival and fungal burden were determined. The extract activity was tested against pre-formed biofilms. The acetate fraction of
extract showed promising antifungal activity against all the species of
evaluated in this study, with an MIC value lower than that of fluconazole. The indices obtained in the FIC test indicated that the antimicrobial effect of the combination of the extract and antifungal was indifferent for 80% of the isolates. The
acetate fraction reduced the pre-formed biofilm of some isolates, showing better activity than fluconazole, which is consistent with results from fluorescence microscopy. This is the first study on the use of
and its ability to inhibit
biofilms; therefore, further studies and tests are needed to investigate the components and mechanism of action of
against cryptococcosis agents.
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