Central noradrenergic activity in intact and sinoaortic denervated Dahl rats

Lesions in forebrain areas richly innervated by noradrenergic terminals and involved in cardiovascular function reduce or prevent hypertension in the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats fed a high (H) salt diet. This led us to examine two questions. (1) Is the noradrenergic activity altered in discrete forebrain and brainstem areas of SH rats? (2) Are these changes in noradrenergic activity eliminated by sinoaortic denervation (SAD)? Studies were done in 10-week-old female SH and Dahl salt-resistant (RH) rats. Half of the rats in each group had SAD surgery 1 week prior to study. An index of norepinephrine (NE) turnover was determined by measuring the decline in tissue NE concentration 8 h after administering alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, a NE synthesis blocker, to animals from each of four groups: sham-RH, SAD-RH, sham-SH, and SAD-SH (n = 18-20 per group). Various discrete brain areas were obtained using the "punch technique." In SH rats the index of NE turnover was increased in the median preoptic nucleus and decreased in the paraventricular nucleus compared with RH rats regardless of SAD. In contrast, in SH rats the index of NE turnover was increased in the supraoptic nucleus and locus ceruleus compared with RH rats; however, SAD-RH had greater turnover of NE at these sites than SAD-SH. In summary, changes in noradrenergic activity in the median preoptic nucleus and the paraventricular nucleus may be related to genetic predisposition to hypertension in SH rats. In contrast, changes in the locus ceruleus and the supraoptic nucleus of SH rats may be related to impaired baroreflexes and thereby contribute to hypertension.     

High level of divergence of male-reproductive-tract proteins, between Drosophila melanogaster and its sibling species, D. simulans

We compared male-reproductive-tract polypeptides of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Approximately 64% of male-reproductive-tract polypeptides were identical between two randomly chosen isofemale lines from these two species, compared with 83% identity for third-instar imaginal wing-disc polypeptides. Qualitatively similar differences were found between reproductive tracts and imaginal discs when D. sechellia was compared with D. melanogaster and with D. simulans. When genic polymorphism was taken into account, approximately 10% of male- reproductive-tract polypeptides were apparently fixed for different alleles between D. melanogaster and D. simulans; this proportion is the same as that found for soluble enzymes by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Strikingly, approximately 20% of male-reproductive- tract polypeptides of either D. melanogaster or D. simulans had no detectable homologue in the other species. We propose that proteins of the Drosophila male reproductive tract may have diverged more extensively between species than have other types of proteins and that much of this divergence may involve large changes in levels of polypeptide expression.      

Microelectrode studies of the active Na transport pathway of frog skin

When the outer surface of short-circuited frog skin was penetrated with microelectrodes, stable negative potentials that averaged near -100 mV were recorded consistently, confirming the results of Nagel (W. Nagel. 1975. Abstracts of the 5th International Biophysics Congress, Copenhagen. P-147.). The appearance of these stable potentials, V(O), concurrent with the observations that (a) a high resistance outer barrier R(O) accounting for approximately 75 percent or more of the transcellular resistance of control skins had been penetrated and that (b) 10(-5) M amiloride and reduced [Na] outside caused the values of V(O) to increase towards means value near -130 mV while the values of percent R(O) increased to more than 90 percent. It was of relationships were the same as the values of E(1) observed in studies of the current-voltage relationships were the same as the values of E’(1) defined as the values of voltage at the inner barrier when the V(O) of the outer barrier was reduced to zero by voltage clamping of the skins. Accordingly, these data are interpreted to mean that the values of E(1), approximately 130 mV, represent the E(Na) of the sodium pump at the inner barrier. 2,4-DNP was observed to decrease the values of transepithelial voltage less than E(1) the V(O) was negative. These data can be interpreted with a simple electrical equivalent circuit of the active sodium transport pathway of the frog skin that includes the idea that the outer membrane behaves as an electrical rectifier for ion transport.     

Effects of the bioreductive alkylating agent 2,3-bis(chloromethyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone on coupled mitochondria isolated from sarcoma 180 ascites cells.

The effect of CMNQ was studied on mitochondria isolated from S-180 ascites tumor cells. It was found that the primary metabolic event upon addition of CMNQ to S-180 mitochondria was a stimulation of oxygen uptake. The oxygen utilization rate was maximized at about 50 nmoles CMNQ/mg protein; at doses higher than this, inhibition of respiration was observed relative to the stimulation of respiration produced by CCCP. It was also up to 50 nmoles CMNQ/mg protein. S-180 ATPase activity is stimulated maximally by 125 nmoles CMNQ/mg protein; at doses higher than this, slight inhibition of the ATPase activity relative to the stimulation produced by CCCP is seen. In vivo treatment of CMNQ to tumor bearing animals leads to a significant reduction of in vitro S-180 cellular respiration rates. The data presented in this work coupled with previously published reports involving CMNQ support the proposal for a mitochondrial level of action for this bioreductive alkylating antineoplastic agent.     

Forest Loss and the Biodiversity Threshold: An Evaluation Considering Species Habitat Requirements and the Use of Matrix Habitats

Habitat loss is the main driver of the current biodiversity crisis, a landscape-scale process that affects the survival of spatially-structured populations. Although it is well-established that species responses to habitat loss can be abrupt, the existence of a biodiversity threshold is still the cause of much controversy in the literature and would require that most species respond similarly to the loss of native vegetation. Here we test the existence of a biodiversity threshold, i.e. an abrupt decline in species richness, with habitat loss. We draw on a spatially-replicated dataset on Atlantic forest small mammals, consisting of 16 sampling sites divided between forests and matrix habitats in each of five 3600-ha landscapes (varying from 5% to 45% forest cover), and on an a priori classification of species into habitat requirement categories (forest specialists, habitat generalists and open-area specialists). Forest specialists declined abruptly below 30% of forest cover, and spillover to the matrix occurred only in more forested landscapes. Generalists responded positively to landscape heterogeneity, peaking at intermediary levels of forest cover. Open area specialists dominated the matrix and did not spillover to forests. As a result of these distinct responses, we observed a biodiversity threshold for the small mammal community below 30% forest cover, and a peak in species richness just above this threshold. Our results highlight that cross habitat spillover may be asymmetrical and contingent on landscape context, occurring mainly from forests to the matrix and only in more forested landscapes. Moreover, they indicate the potential for biodiversity thresholds in human-modified landscapes, and the importance of landscape heterogeneity to biodiversity. Since forest loss affected not only the conservation value of forest patches, but also the potential for biodiversity-mediated services in anthropogenic habitats, our work indicates the importance of proactive measures to avoid human-modified landscapes to cross this threshold.     

Cryptic species of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: impact on paracoccidioidomycosis immunodiagnosis

We aimed to evaluate whether the occurrence of cryptic species of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, S1, PS2, PS3 and Paracoccidioides lutzii, has implications in the immunodiagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). Small quantities of the antigen gp43 were found in culture filtrates of P. lutzii strains and this molecule appeared to be more variable within P. lutzii because the synonymous-nonsynonymous mutation rate was lower, indicating an evolutionary process different from that of the remaining genotypes. The production of gp43 also varied between isolates belonging to the same species, indicating that speciation events are important, but not sufficient to fully explain the diversity in the production of this antigen. The culture filtrate antigen AgEpm83, which was obtained from a PS3 isolate, showed large quantities of gp43 and reactivity by immunodiffusion assays, similar to the standard antigen (AgB-339) from an S1 isolate. Furthermore, AgEpm83 was capable of serologically differentiating five serum samples from patients from the Botucatu and Jundiaí regions. These patients had confirmed PCM but, were non-reactive to the standard antigen, thus demonstrating an alternative for serological diagnosis in regions in which S1 and PS2 occur. We also emphasise that it is not advisable to use a single antigen preparation to diagnose PCM, a disease that is caused by highly diverse pathogens.     

Flavonoid glycosides from Centaurea pseudoscabiosa subsp. pseudoscabiosa from Turkey

Three flavonoid glycosides were isolated and characterized, together with a further 13 substances belonging to various classes of compounds, in particular two phenolic acids, a coumarin, a sugar and nine flavonoids from the flowered aerial parts of Centaurea pseudoscabiosa subsp. pseudoscabiosa Boiss. et Buhse (Asteraceae). Some considerations about their evolutionary meaning are provided.     

Direct intracardiac injection of umbilical cord-derived stromal cells and umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial cells for the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy

The development of new therapeutic strategies is necessary to reduce the worldwide social and economic impact of cardiovascular disease, which produces high rates of morbidity and mortality. A therapeutic option that has emerged in the last decade is cell therapy. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of transplanting human umbilical cord-derived stromal cells (UCSCs), human umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial cells (UCBECs) or a combination of these two cell types for the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy (IC) in a Wistar rat model. IC was induced by left coronary artery ligation, and baseline echocardiography was performed seven days later. Animals with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≤40% were selected for the study. On the ninth day after IC was induced, the animals were randomized into the following experimental groups: UCSCs, UCBECs, UCSCs plus UCBECs, or vehicle (control). Thirty days after treatment, an echocardiographic analysis was performed, followed by euthanasia. The animals in all of the cell therapy groups, regardless of the cell type transplanted, had less collagen deposition in their heart tissue and demonstrated a significant improvement in myocardial function after IC. Furthermore, there was a trend of increasing numbers of blood vessels in the infarcted area. The median value of LVEF increased by 7.19% to 11.77%, whereas the control group decreased by 0.24%. These results suggest that UCSCs and UCBECs are promising cells for cellular cardiomyoplasty and can be an effective therapy for improving cardiac function following IC.