The Purruja mangrove, Golfito, Costa Rica: a management model

The Purruja mangrove (Golfito, Costa Rica) has an estimated area of 70 ha. A socio-biological research was the ground to set initial goals to manage the resources and to identify the mangrove biological condition. Community participation and the local organization were key factors in developing an integrated model for the management of natural resources. Constant monitoring and institutional networks were the other two factors to manage the mangrove. The constant profesional support was a tool to facilitate the acomplishment of goals and to establish an institucional network to promote local group iniciatives for collaborative management of the Purruja mangrove.     

Phospholipase C inhibitors and prostaglandins differentially regulate phosphatidylcholine synthesis in rat renal papilla. Evidence of compartmental regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase and CDP-choline:1,2-diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant phospholipid in mammalian cell membranes. Several lines of evidence support that PC homeostasis is preserved by the equilibrium between PC biosynthetic enzymes and phospholipases catabolic activities. We have previously shown that papillary synthesis of PC depends on prostaglandins (PGs) that modulate biosynthetic enzymes. In papillary tissue, under bradikynin stimulus, arachidonic acid (AA) mobilization (the substrate for PG synthesis) requires a previous phospholipase C (PLC) activation. Thus, in the present work, we study the possible involvement of PLC in PC biosynthesis and its relationship with PG biosynthetic pathway on the maintenance of phospholipid renewal in papillary membranes; we also evaluated the relevance of CDP-choline pathway enzymes compartmentalization. To this end, neomycin, U-73122 and dibutiryl cyclic AMP, reported as PLC inhibitors, were used to study PC synthesis in rat renal papilla. All the PLC inhibitors assayed impaired PC synthesis. PG synthesis was also blocked by PLC inhibitors without affecting cyclooxygenase activity, indicating a metabolic connection between both pathways. However, we found that PC biosynthesis decrease in the presence of PLC inhibitors was not a consequence of PG decreased synthesis, suggesting that basal PLC activity and PGs exert their effect on different targets of PC biosynthetic pathway. The study of PC biosynthetic enzymes showed that PLC inhibitors affect CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) activity while PGD(2) operates on CDP-choline:1,2-diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase (CPT), both activities associated to papillary enriched-nuclei fraction. The present results suggest that renal papillary PC synthesis is a highly regulated process under basal conditions. Such regulation might occur at least at two different levels of the CDP-choline pathway: on the one hand, PLC operates on CCT activity; on the other, while PGs regulate CPT activity.     

Vertical versus Wise pattern breast reduction: patient satisfaction, revision rates, and complications

A prospective, randomized study was designed to compare the outcome of inferior pedicle/Wise pattern reduction (group I) with medial pedicle/vertical pattern reduction (group II) in moderate resections averaging 500 g per breast. There were 105 women in group I and 103 women in group II. All surgical procedures were performed by the same plastic surgeon. Patient information recorded included age, body mass index, type of surgery, weight of specimen, need for surgical revision, and complications. Six months postoperatively the patients were asked to complete a questionnaire, which rated their satisfaction with the surgical outcome. The questionnaire used a 10-point response format ranging from very disappointed (score of 1) to very pleased (score of 10). The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between the groups in age (31 +/- 12 versus 29 +/- 13 years), body mass index (26 +/- 4 versus 27 +/- 5), and amount of tissue excised (553 +/- 203 g versus 548 +/- 205 g). Group I required no surgical revisions, but in group II revisions for dog-ears were required in 11 percent. The rate of other complications was similar in both groups. Patients' evaluations of breast size, shape, symmetry, nipple sensation, symptom relief, ease of brassiere/clothing fitting, and overall satisfaction were not significantly different. The vertical mammaplasty was ranked significantly (p < 0.05) higher by patients in regard to scars (6 +/- 2 versus 3 +/- 3) and overall aesthetic results (8 +/- 1 versus 6 +/- 3). In the management of moderate macromastia, this study indicates that patients who have a vertical reduction are less disappointed with the scars but require a significantly higher rate of surgical revisions compared with patients who have a Wise pattern reduction.     

Prevalence of cagA and vacA genes in isolates from patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastroduodenal diseases in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Geographical differences in the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori genes and their association with disease severity have been identified. This study analyzes the prevalences of the cagA gene and alleles of the vacA gene in H. pylori-associated gastroduodenal diseases in isolates from Recife, PE, Brazil. Gastric biopsy of 61 H. pylori-positive patients were submitted to DNA extraction and gene amplification by polymerase chain reaction. Among the 61 patients, 21 suffered from duodenal ulcer (DU) and 40 from gastritis (GT). The prevalence of H. pylori strains harbouring the cagA gene was higher in the DU group (90.5%) than in the GT group (60%) (p=0.02). The vacA gene was amplified in 56 out of 61 biopsies, of which 43 (76.8%) contained bacteria carrying the s1 allele and 13 (23.2%) the s2. However, the prevalence of the vacA s1 genotyping was the same in either DU or GT group. The majority of the s1-typed strains, 39 (90.7%) out of 43, were subtype s1b. In resume there was a strong association between the H. pylori cagA+ gene and DU. However, there were no differences between the DU and GT groups in relation to the vacA s1 and s2 alleles distribution, albeit the subtype s1b was predominant.     

MAPK mediates PKC-dependent contraction of cat esophageal and lower esophageal sphincter circular smooth muscle

Esophageal (ESO) circular muscle contraction and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone are PKC dependent. Because MAPKs may be involved in PKC-dependent contraction, we examined ERK1/ERK2 and p38 MAPKs in ESO and LES. In permeabilized LES muscle cells, ERK1/2 antibodies reduced 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DG)- and threshold ACh-induced contraction, which are PKC dependent, but not maximal ACh, which is calmodulin dependent. LES tone was reduced by the ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor PD-98059 and by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB-203580. In permeable ESO cells, ACh contraction was reduced by ERK1/ERK2 and p38 MAPK antibodies and by PD-98059 and SB-203580. ACh increased MAPK activity and phosphorylation of MAPK and of p38 MAPK. The 27-kDa heat shock protein (HSP27) antibodies reduced ACh contraction. HSP27 and p38 MAPK antibodies together caused no greater inhibition than either one alone. p38 MAPK and HSP27 coprecipitated after ACh stimulation, suggesting that HSP27 is linked to p38 MAPK. These data suggest that PKC-dependent contraction in ESO and LES is mediated by the following two distinct MAPK pathways: ERK1/2 and HSP27-linked p38 MAPK.     

TNF-alpha increases tracheal epithelial asbestos and fiberglass binding via a NF-kappaB-dependent mechanism

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is released from alveolar macrophages after phagocytosis of mineral fibers. To determine whether TNF-alpha affects the binding of fibers to epithelial cells, we exposed rat tracheal explants to TNF-alpha or to culture medium alone, followed by a suspension of amosite asbestos or fiberglass (MMVF10). Loosely adherent fibers were removed from the surface with a standardized washing technique, and the number of bound fibers was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Increasing doses of TNF-alpha produced increases in fiber binding. This effect was abolished by an anti-TNF-alpha antibody, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132, and the nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. Gel shift and Western blot analyses confirmed that TNF-alpha activated NF-kappaB and depleted IkappaB in this system and that these effects were prevented by MG-132 and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. These observations indicate that TNF-alpha increases epithelial fiber binding by a NF-kappaB-dependent mechanism. They also suggest that mineral particles may cause pathological lesions via an autocrine-like process in which the response evoked by particles, for example, macrophage TNF-alpha production, acts to enhance subsequent interactions of particles with tissue.     

Maternal Milk Concentration of Zinc,Iron, Selenium,and Iodine and Its Relationship to Dietary Intakes

The dietary intake of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), and iodine (I) of 31 lactating Mexican–American women attending the Hidalgo County WIC program in Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Texas was estimated from 24-h dietary recall interviews. Milk samples were obtained from lactating mothers who had infants 3 months of age and younger. Milk samples were collected in two visits to assess change in breast milk composition after 1–3 months postpartum: group A—after 30–45 days and group B—75–90 days. Dietary intakes indicated that the study participants had significantly inadequate percent energy intakes than the DRI (Dietary Recommended Intakes) percent recommended kilocalorie values but protein intakes were substantially higher than the percent recommended values. The estimated percent Zn, Fe, Se, and I intakes were also significantly lower than the DRI percent recommended values. The lactating mothers consumed significantly less Zn, Se, and I when compared to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) even though Fe intake was higher than the RDA value. Breast milk concentration of Zn, Fe, and Se were in agreement within the range of representative values for Constituents of Human Milk but I has significantly less concentration than the representative value. There was no statistically significant correlation observed between dietary intake and milk concentration of Zn, Fe, Se, and I. This study compares the estimated dietary intake of zinc, iron, selenium, and iodine to the concentration of these trace elements in the maternal milk of lactating women of Mexican–American heritage who attend the Rio Grande Valley WIC clinic.