Increased hip internal abduction moment and reduced speed are the gait strategies used by women with knee osteoarthritis

The purpose of this study was to identify the gait strategies in women with mild and moderate knee osteoarthritis (OA). Forty women diagnosed with OA of the knee and 40 healthy women participated in the study. Toe-out progression angle, trunk lateral lean, hip internal abduction moment and gait speed were measured using Qualisys ProReflex System and two force plates. Principal component analysis was applied to extract features from the gait waveforms data that characterized the waveforms main modes of temporal variation. Discriminant analysis with a stepwise model was conducted to determine which strategies could best discriminate groups. According to the discriminant model, the PC2 of the internal abduction moment of the hip and the gait speed were the most discriminatory variables between the groups. The OA group showed decreased gait speed, decreased hip internal abduction moment during the loading response phase, and increased hip internal abduction moment during the mid and terminal stance phases. Interventions that may increase hip internal abduction moment, such as the strengthening of the hip abductors muscles, may benefit women with knee OA. Training slower than normal gait speeds must be considered in light of potential adverse implications on overall physical function, daily tasks, and safety.     

Carvedilol Decrease IL-1β and TNF-α, Inhibits MMP-2, MMP-9, COX-2, and RANKL Expression,and Up-Regulates OPG in a Rat Model of Periodontitis

Periodontal diseases are initiated primarily by Gram-negative, tooth-associated microbial biofilms that elicit a host response that causes osseous and soft tissue destruction. Carvedilol is a β-blocker used as a multifunctional neurohormonal antagonist that has been shown to act not only as an anti-oxidant but also as an anti-inflammatory drug. This study evaluated whether Carvedilol exerted a protective role against ligature-induced periodontitis in a rat model and defined how Carvedilol affected metalloproteinases and RANKL/RANK/OPG expression in the context of bone remodeling. Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 10/group): (1) non-ligated (NL), (2) ligature-only (LO), and (3) ligature plus Carvedilol (1, 5 or 10 mg/kg daily for 10 days). Periodontal tissue was analyzed for histopathlogy and using immunohistochemical analysis characterized the expression profiles of MMP-2, MMP-9, COX-2, and RANKL/RANK/OPG and determined the presence of IL-1β, IL-10 and TNF-α, myeloperoxidase (MPO), malonaldehyde (MDA) and, glutathione (GSH). MPO activity in the group with periodontal disease was significantly increased compared to the control group (p<0.05). Rats treated with 10 mg/kg Carvedilol presented with significantly reduced MPO and MDA concentrations (p<0.05) in addition to presenting with reduced levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 β and TNF-α (p<0.05). IL-10 levels in Carvedilol-treated rats remained unaltered. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated reduced expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, RANK, RANKL, COX-2, and OPG in rats treated with 10 mg/kg Carvedilol. This study demonstrated that Carvedilol affected bone formation/destruction and anti-inflammatory activity in a rat model of periodontitis.     

Evolution in action through hybridisation and polyploidy in an Iberian freshwater fish: a genetic review

The Iberian minnow Leuciscus alburnoides represents a complex of diploid and polyploid forms with altered modes of reproduction. In the present paper, we review the recent data on the origin, reproductive modes, and inter-relationships of the various forms of the complex, in order to predict its evolutionary potential. The complex follows the hybrid-origin model suggested for most other asexual vertebrates. Diploid and triploid females from the southern river basins exhibit reproductive modes that cannot be conveniently placed into the categories generally recognised for these vertebrate complexes, which imply continuous shifting between forms, where genomes derived from both parental ancestors are cyclically lost, gained or replaced. Replacement of nuclear genomes allow the introduction of novel genetic material, that may compensate for the disadvantages of asexual reproduction. Contrasting with most other vertebrate complexes, L. alburnoides males are fertile and play an important role in the dynamics of the complex. Moreover, diploid hybrid males may have initiated a tetraploidization process, when a diploid clonal sperm fertilised a diploid egg. This direct route to tetraploidy by originating fish with the right constitution for normal meiosis (symmetric), may eventually lead to a new sexually reproducing polyploid species. This case-study reinforces the significance of hybridisation and polyploidy in evolution and diversification of vertebrates.     

Genetic diversity and differentiation in Portuguese cattle breeds using microsatellites

Genotype data from 30 microsatellites were used to assess genetic diversity and relationships among 10 native Portuguese cattle breeds, American Charolais and the Brazilian Caracú. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was observed for all loci/population combinations except for five loci in Brava de Lide and one locus in Alentejana that exhibited heterozygote deficiency. Estimates of average observed and expected heterozygosities, total number of alleles (TNA) per breed and mean number of alleles (MNA) per locus/population were obtained. A total of 390 alleles were detected. TNA among Iberian cattle ranged from 170 to 237 and MNA ranged from 5.67 to 8.07. The highest observed heterozygosities were found in the Caracú, Maronesa, Garvonesa and Arouquesa and the lowest in Brava de Lide and Mirandesa. Estimation of population subdivision using Wright's F_ST index showed that the average proportion of genetic variation explained by breed differences was 9%. Neighbour‐joining phylogenetic trees based on D_A distances showed that the genetic relationships of present‐day Portuguese native breeds are consistent with historical origins in the Brown Concave (Arouquesa, Mirandesa, Marinhoa) and Red Convex (Mertolenga, Alentejana, Garvonesa, Minhota) evolutionary groups. The Iberian Black Orthoide group, represented by Brava de Lide and Maronesa, and the Barrosã breed appeared to be more closely related to the Brown Concave group but may represent a separate lineage. The Caracú breed was not found to be closely associated with any of the native Portuguese breeds.     

Pulmonary aspergillosis outbreak in Rhea americana in Southern Brazil

Commercial raising of rheas is currently in expansion in the south of Brazil, and many diseases previously restricted to other avian species are currently emerging on rhea farms, especially as a result of careless management of these animals. The objective of the present article is to report a pulmonary aspergillosis outbreak that occurred in great rhea (Rhea americana) in the south of Brazil. About 50 birds aged 30 to 60 days died suddenly and one of them was submitted to autopsy which revealed the presence of white caseous nodules 0.5 mm in diameter occupying 95% of the lung area. One lung was sent to the Federal University of Santa Maria for histopathological and mycological analyses. Histopathological analysis revealed multifocal areas with necrosis and inflammatory infiltrates and the presence of fungal hyphae, giant cells and fibrous tissue proliferation at the periphery. Aspergillus fumigatus was recovered as pure culture from all culture media. This appears to be the first report of aspergillosis among great rhea in Brazil and the second in the world.     

Highly efficient production of laccase by the basidiomycete Pycnoporus cinnabarinus

An efficient transformation and expression system was developed for the industrially relevant basidiomycete Pycnoporus cinnabarinus. This was used to transform a laccase-deficient monokaryotic strain with the homologous lac1 laccase gene placed under the regulation of its own promoter or that of the SC3 hydrophobin gene or the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) gene of Schizophyllum commune. SC3-driven expression resulted in a maximal laccase activity of 107 nkat ml(-1) in liquid shaken cultures. This value was about 1.4 and 1.6 times higher in the cases of the GPD and lac1 promoters, respectively. lac1-driven expression strongly increased when 25 g of ethanol liter(-1) was added to the medium. Accordingly, laccase activity increased to 1,223 nkat ml(-1). These findings agree with the fact that ethanol induces laccase gene expression in some fungi. Remarkably, lac1 mRNA accumulation and laccase activity also strongly increased in the presence of 25 g of ethanol liter(-1) when lac1 was expressed behind the SC3 or GPD promoter. In the latter case, a maximal laccase activity of 1,393 nkat ml(-1) (i.e., 360 mg liter(-1)) was obtained. Laccase production was further increased in transformants expressing lac1 behind its own promoter or that of GPD by growth in the presence of 40 g of ethanol liter(-1). In this case, maximal activities were 3,900 and 4,660 nkat ml(-1), respectively, corresponding to 1 and 1.2 g of laccase per liter and thus representing the highest laccase activities reported for recombinant fungal strains. These results suggest that P. cinnabarinus may be a host of choice for the production of other proteins as well.     

Simultaneous production of triploid and haploid eggs by triploid Squalius alburnoides (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

The hybrid minnow Squalius alburnoides comprises diploid and polyploid forms with altered modes of reproduction. In the present paper, we report a cross where a triploid female generated both large, triploid and small, haploid eggs simultaneously, which were fertilized with S. pyrenaicus sperm. Although the large eggs were rarer (15%), they originated offspring with higher survivorship, so that tetraploids were dominant among the surviving siblings. The cross yielded apparently all female progeny. Inheritance patterns were inferred using four microsatellite markers and NORs (Nucleolus Organizer Regions) phenotypes, and suggested that haploid eggs were probably produced by an atypical hybridogenesis, in which the elimination of the unmatched genome permitted random segregation and recombination between the homospecific genomes, while the triploid eggs were clonal. The present results suggest that the occurrence of triploid unreduced eggs may be a new route for the natural tetraploidization in the complex.     

Dietary sodium chloride restriction enhances aortic wall lipid storage and raises plasma lipid concentration in LDL receptor knockout mice

This study aimed at measuring the influence of a low salt diet on the development of experimental atherosclerosis in moderately hyperlipidemic mice. Experiments were carried out on LDL receptor (LDLR) knockout (KO) mice, or apolipoprotein E (apoE) KO mice on a low sodium chloride diet (LSD) as compared with a normal salt diet (NSD). On LSD, the rise of the plasma concentrations of TG and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) was, respectively, 19% and 34% in LDLR KO mice, and 21% and 35% in apoE KO mice, and that of plasma cholesterol was limited to the LDLR KO group alone (15%). Probably due to the apoE KO severe hypercholesterolemia, the arterial inner-wall fat storage was not influenced by the diet salt content and was far more abundant in the apoE KO than in the LDLR KO mice. However, in the less severe hypercholesterolemia of the LDLR KO mice, lipid deposits on the LSD were greater than on the NSD. Arterial fat storage correlated with NEFA concentrations in the LDLR KO mice alone (n = 14, P = 0.0065). Thus, dietary sodium chloride restriction enhances aortic wall lipid storage in moderately hyperlipidemic mice.