Cellular and molecular effects of silymarin on the transdifferentiation processes of LX-2 cells and its connection with lipid metabolism

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - This study evaluated the cardioprotective effects of a miR-1275 mimic in a rat model of myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial injury...     

Controversies Regarding the Psychometric Properties of the Brief COPE: The Case of the Brazilian-Portuguese Version “COPE Breve”

The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) inventory investigates the different ways in which people respond to stressful situations. Knowledge is lacking regarding the coping strategies and styles of people in developing countries, including Brazil. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Brief COPE to Brazilian Portuguese (named COPE Breve) by focusing on dispositional coping. For the cross-cultural adaptation, the original Brief COPE in English (28 items grouped into 14 subscales) was adapted according to a universalistic approach, following these steps: translation, synthesis, back-translation, analysis by an expert panel, and pretest with 30 participants. Then, 237 adults from the community health service responded to the COPE Breve. Psychometric analyses included reliability and exploratory factor analysis. Most of the 14 subscales from the original Brief COPE exhibited problems related to internal consistency. A Velicer''s minimum average partial test (MAP) was performed and pointed out 3 factors. Exploratory factor analysis produced a revised 20-item version with a 3-factor solution: religion and positive reframing, distraction and external support. The psychometric properties of the COPE Breve with three factors were appropriate. Limitations of this study as well as suggestions for future studies are presented. The COPE Breve should be used in Brazilian clinics and investigations, but divergences in its psychometrics should be further explored in other contexts.     

Histochemical and morphological characterization of reticular fibers

The results presented in this paper show that collagen fibers can be clearly distinguished from reticular fibers using the picrosirius-polarization method. A morphologic and morphometric study of these two types of fibers with electron microscopy shows that reticular fibers are characterized by the smaller diameter of their fibrillar components and the higher content of interfibrillar material, resulting in a loose arrangement of the fibrils. The evidences presented suggest that the amorphous matrix in which fibrils are embedded is responsible for the silver impregnation of reticular fibers. Our results show that the matrix of reticular fibers is characteristically rich in heparitin sulfate, and that the glycosaminoglycans present show a high interaction with the fibrillar component of these fibers.     

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans of human aorta: chondroitin 6-sulfate increase with age.

The proportions of chondroitin 4 and 6 sulfates of intima + media layers of normal human aortae vary with age. The two isomers are in approximately equal amounts in aortae of young individuals, while the 6-sulfate is more abundant in those of adult individuals. This increase of chondroitin 6-sulfate is even more pronounced for intima + media obtained from atherosclerotic aortae.     

Increase of chondroitin 4-sulfate concentration in the endochondral ossification cartilage of normal dogs

The absolute concentrations of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate are compared in articular and endochondral ossification cartilage from normal dogs. In newborn dogs, the absolute concentration of chondroitin 4-sulfate decreases nearly 3-fold from the deeper endochondral ossification cartilage to the articular surface, whereas that of chondroitin 6-sulfate does not change. In cartilage from the articular surface of the epiphysis in adults, where the ossification process is complete, the concentration of chondroitin 4-sulfate is also low. These observations suggest that chondroitin 4-sulfate may be important in the ossification process. The pathogenesis of heritable disorders involving the sulfation of chondroitin sulfate is discussed in view of these findings.     

Selected oxidative stress markers in a South American crocodilian species

Crocodilians and other diving vertebrates experience hypoperfusion and hypoxia of several internal organs during long dives. At the end of a dive, reperfusion of aerated blood may cause a physiologically relevant oxidative stress. In this study, we analyzed selected markers of oxidative stress in eight organs of normoxic Paraguayan caiman (Caiman yacare) captured in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands during the winter of 2001 (six mature-adult males and eight young-adult males; AD-1 and YA-1 groups, respectively), and during the summer of 2002 (six young-adult males (YA-2 group), ten hatchlings and five embryos). Lipid peroxidation products determined by three different assays were generally highest in brain, liver and kidney (in comparison with all other organs), and lowest in white muscles from the tail and hind legs. Liver and kidney showed the highest levels of carbonyl protein, while brain showed low levels. Intermediate levels of oxidative stress markers were mostly found in the heart ventricles and lung. Differences in oxidative stress markers between AD-1 and YA-1 were organ-specific, showing no age-related correlation. However, most oxidative stress markers in YA-2 organs were either higher than (by 1.4- to 3.7-fold) or not significantly different from respective values in hatchlings organs. This pattern (hatchlings versus young-adults) was confirmed using correlation analysis of individual caiman size versus levels of oxidative damage markers in four organs. The higher level of oxidative stress markers in young-adults possibly relates to the fast growth rate (and thus, increased oxidative metabolic rate) of C. yacare in the first years of life. Differences in oxidative stress markers between YA-1 and YA-2 were also observed and were ascribed to seasonal changes in free radical metabolism. These results in normoxic C. yacare represent the first step towards understanding the age-related physiological oxidative stress of a diving reptile from a seasonally changing wetland environment.     

The use of zootherapeutics in folk veterinary medicine in the district of Cubati, Paraíba State, Brazil

Background

Viewed through the micro focus of an interpretive lens, medical anthropology remains mystified because interpretivist explanations seriously downplay the given context in which individual health seeking-behaviours occur. This paper draws upon both the interpretivist and political economy perspectives to reflect on the ethno medical practices within the Korean-Australian community in Sydney.

Methods

We draw on research data collected between 1995 and 1997 for an earlier study of the use of biomedical and traditional medicine by Korean-Australians in Sydney. A total of 120 interviews were conducted with a range of participants, including biomedical doctors, traditional health professionals, Korean community leaders and Korean migrants representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds and migration patterns.

Results and Discussion

First, the paper highlights the extent to which the social location of migrants in a host society alters or restructures their initial cultural practices they bring with them. Second, taking hanbang medicine in the Korean-Australian community as an illustrative case, the paper explores the transformation of the dominant biomedicine in Australia as a result of the influx of ethnomedicine in the era of global capitalism and global movement.

Conclusion

In seeking to explain the popularity and supply of alternative health care, it is important to go beyond the culture of each kind of health care itself and to take into consideration the changes occurring at societal, national and global levels as well as consequential individual response to the changes. New social conditions influence the choice of health care methods, including herbal/alternative medicine, health foods and what are often called New Age therapies.     

Prostaglandin E2 inhibits Paracoccidioides brasiliensis killing by human monocytes

Human monocytes lacked fungicidal activity against high virulence strain of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, even after IFN-gamma activation. However, monocytes treated with indomethacin exhibited an effective killing against this fungus, suggesting a role of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the inhibition process. Thus, the purpose of this work was to determine whether the effect of PGE2 in fungicidal activity was related with decrease on H(2)O(2) release, the metabolite involved in P. brasiliensis killing, and changes in the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10. Human monocytes challenged with the fungus produced high PGE2 levels, which in turn inhibited the fungicidal activity of these cells by reducing H(2)O(2) and TNF-alpha production.     

Plant growth-promoting bacteria as inoculants in agricultural soils

Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere are the determinants of plant health, productivity and soil fertility. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are bacteria that can enhance plant growth and protect plants from disease and abiotic stresses through a wide variety of mechanisms; those that establish close associations with plants, such as the endophytes, could be more successful in plant growth promotion. Several important bacterial characteristics, such as biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, ACC deaminase activity, and production of siderophores and phytohormones, can be assessed as plant growth promotion (PGP) traits. Bacterial inoculants can contribute to increase agronomic efficiency by reducing production costs and environmental pollution, once the use of chemical fertilizers can be reduced or eliminated if the inoculants are efficient. For bacterial inoculants to obtain success in improving plant growth and productivity, several processes involved can influence the efficiency of inoculation, as for example the exudation by plant roots, the bacterial colonization in the roots, and soil health. This review presents an overview of the importance of soil-plant-microbe interactions to the development of efficient inoculants, once PGPB are extensively studied microorganisms, representing a very diverse group of easily accessible beneficial bacteria.