Summary
FKBP
51 (gene
FKBP
5) is an immunophilin capable of immunosuppression expressed in melanoma and lymphocytes. We found increased levels of a spliced
FKBP
5 variant in the
PBMC
s of 124 ...patients with melanoma. This variant encodes for an unknown isoform (
FKBP
51s). We hypothesized that
FKBP
51s resulted from tumour interaction with immune cells, through
PDL
‐1/
PD
‐1. To address this issue, we performed melanoma/
PBMC
cocultures. Furthermore, the immunohistochemistry of 76 melanoma specimens served to investigate whether
FKBP
51s stained tumour infiltrating lymphocytes. Our results showed that
PBMC
s expressed
FKBP
51s when cocultured with melanoma. Tumour
PDL
‐1 knockdown or anti‐
PD
‐1 reduced
FKBP
51s expression in cocultured
PBMC
s.
IHC
showed a strong
FKBP
51s signal in tumour infiltrating lymphocytes, and lymphocytes of the invasion front of the tumour, along with melanoma
PDL
‐1 expression. When overexpressed in melanoma,
FKBP
51s facilitated
PDL
‐1 expression on the cell surface. In conclusion, our study shows that
FKBP
51s marks the
PBMC
s of patients with melanoma and is exploited by the tumour to immunomodulate through
PDL
‐1.
Abstract Objective Autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemias are due to defects in the LDL receptor (LDLR) gene, in the apolipoprotein B-100 gene or in the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type ...9 gene. The aim of this study was to identify and functionally characterize mutations in the LDLR gene that account for most cases of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Methods We enrolled 56 unrelated patients from Southern Italy with a clinical diagnosis of FH. The mutation screening was performed by direct sequencing of the promoter and the 18 exons of the LDLR gene and by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis to search for large rearrangements. Results and conclusion We found 5 new mutations, the causative role of which was demonstrated by functional characterization performed by quantification of fluorescent LDL uptake in EBV-transformed B lymphocytes. These results enlarge the spectrum of FH-causative LDLR mutations. Lastly, screening for large rearrangements is highly recommended for the genetic diagnosis of FH.
In humans, most of the mammals and one bird species studied so far, the relative length of individual digits is sexually dimorphic. Most studies of humans have been concerned with the ratio between ...second (2D) and fourth digits (4D), whereas some studies of humans and other mammals have also investigated other digit ratios. Inter- and intra-sexual variation in 2D:4D may depend on differential exposure to androgens during embryonic life, and the genetic mechanisms linking 2D:4D to androgens may be mediated by
Hox genes. Because
Hox genes are conserved in vertebrates, similar patterns of variation in digit ratios might be expected across vertebrate classes. The observation of correlations between digit ratios and physiological, psychological and performance traits in humans has generated interest in exploring the possibility that digit ratios are a marker of embryonic exposure to androgens, which have diverse consequences on several phenotypic traits. However, the hypothesis that digit ratios depend on androgen effects during development has never been tested experimentally. In this study, we increased testosterone concentration in ring-necked pheasant eggs and measured length ratios between the second, third and fourth digits of both feet in fully grown offspring. Females from testosterone-injected eggs had larger 2D:3D in the left foot, whereas this was not the case in males. The other digit ratios were unaffected by hormone treatment in both sexes. However, digit ratios showed no sexual dimorphism among controls. Thus, present results are consistent with the hypothesis that variation in testosterone levels during development affects digit ratios.
Robot-mediated therapy (RMT) has been a very dynamic area of research in recent years. Robotics devices are in fact capable to quantify the performances of a rehabilitation task in treatments of ...several disorders of the arm and the shoulder of various central and peripheral etiology. Different systems for robot-aided neuro-rehabilitation are available for upper limb rehabilitation but the biomechanical parameters proposed until today, to evaluate the quality of the movement, are related to the specific robot used and to the type of exercise performed. Besides, none study indicated a standardized quantitative evaluation of robot assisted upper arm reaching movements, so the RMT is still far to be considered a standardised tool. In this paper a quantitative kinematic assessment of robot assisted upper arm reaching movements, considering also the effect of gravity on the quality of the movements, is proposed. We studied a group of 10 healthy subjects and results indicate that our advised protocol can be useful for characterising normal pattern in reaching movements.
Trata de resenha do livro "O cão e o curumim", de Cristino Wapichana que, premiado autor indígena que vem se destacando no cenário internacional conquistando os mais importantes prêmios literários da ...atualidade e que ao narrar aspectos da infância de uma criança indígena entremeia questões fundamentais ao se pensar em processos educativos da infância indígena.
Nos últimos anos ocorreu um aumento significativo na demanda de tomate (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) em decorrência de um processo de reeducação alimentar que vem ocorrendo, onde as pessoas estão ...cada vez mais em busca de produtos saudáveis para sua alimentação. Os tomates possuem componentes essenciais para saúde como vitamina C, provitaminas A, traços de potássio, fósforo, ferro, ácido acético e ácido málico, além ser um alimento que possui baixo teor calórico. Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar atributos físico-químicos do tomate da variedade conhecida popularmente como “italiano” produzido em três locais: 1- Município Mojuí dos Campos, 2- comunidade Estrada Nova e 3- comunidade Tipizal no município de Santarém, na região Oeste do Pará, através de parâmetros físicos de massa, diâmetro, comprimento e firmeza dos frutos, e parâmetros químicos de potencial hidrogeniônico (pH), acidez titulável (AT) e sólidos solúveis (SS). O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, composto por três tratamentos e cinco repetições, onde cada repetição constitui-se de um fruto, analisados pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade pelo software Assistat® beta 7.7. Os frutos não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas (p>0,05) nos parâmetros físicos e em pH. Diferenciaram-se nos teores de SS expresso em °Brix, AT expresso em % de ácido cítrico e relação entre SS/AT. Os tomates produzidos na região Oeste do Pará possuem características físico-químicas dentro dos padrões do Centro de Qualidade em Horticultura. Os frutos produzidos na comunidade Estrada Nova possuem melhor característica química e os provenientes do município de Mojuí dos Campos apresentaram características similares a este.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Lycopersicum esculentum, Produção, Qualidade.
Evidence is accumulating that sex steroids in the eggs, besides affecting progeny phenotype and behavior in the short term, also have enduring effects until adulthood, when they may translate into ...differences in reproductive strategies and success. Maternal steroids transfer may therefore affect both agonistic behavior and mate choice decisions, either through the promotion of body size and condition or through a priming effect on the neuroendocrine system. However, owing to the prevalence of a short-term perspective, relevance of maternal transfer of sex steroids to sexual selection processes has been seldom studied. Here we investigate the effects of an experimental increase in egg testosterone on male dominance and copulation success in the ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, a polygynous galliform with multiple male ornamental traits, in captivity. We found that females from testosterone (T) injected eggs copulated less than control females. Males from T-injected eggs obtained more copulations than control males, specifically with control females. The effect of male ‘ordinary’ and secondary sexual traits on either dominance or copulation frequency did not depend on early exposure to T, nor did T treatment affect male dominance. Present results demonstrate that variation in the early hormonal environment set up by mothers affects sexual behavior of the offspring, which might translate into fitness differences.
► The albumen of pheasant eggs is a source of testosterone for developing chicks. ► Females from testosterone-injected eggs copulated less than control females. ► Males from testosterone-injected eggs obtained more copulations with control females. ► Egg testosterone can have long-term effects on reproductive behavior.
O objetivo desse trabalho foi investigar, a partir do olhar da equipe educacional, as práticas pedagógicas no Ensino Médio e Ensino Profissionalizante quando tem em sala de aula alunos surdos. Foi ...realizada uma pesquisa de campo qualitativa e a coleta de informações ocorreu a partir de uma entrevista não estruturada com dois professores, dois pedagogos e um intérprete de Libras que atuam na educação de três alunos surdos do ensino regular. A pesquisa foi realizada em uma escola estadual, considerada referência para educação de surdos, de uma cidade de médio porte do interior do Paraná. O conjunto de dados foi dividido em eixos temáticos e analisados a partir do conteúdo. Os eixos temáticos norteadores da discussão são: aspectos positivos e negativos - inclusão do aluno surdo no ensino regular; metodologias de ensino usadas em sala de aula com o aluno surdo; o intérprete de Libras na escola regular. Conclui-se que a inclusão do aluno surdo está sendo realizada, mas que essa inclusão não está garantindo o acesso às aprendizagens, pois há dificuldades de comunicação entre professor e aluno surdo, falta de conhecimento sobre a surdez e adaptações metodológicas isoladas na sala de aula. Espera-se que esse estudo movimente discussões acerca da inclusão do aluno surdo no ensino regular, possibilitando a essa população um ensino que respeite a peculiaridade da surdez e dê condições para que esses sujeitos se desenvolvam e participem efetivamente do meio social em que vivem.
PDF
