Sistema de informação para rastreamento de pescado.

A rastreabilidade de peixes confere segurança para quem compra ou comercializa o pescado. Para que seja possível esta rastreabilidade ser usada pela sociedade, é necessário que exista algum repositório de dados que contenha, por exemplo, todo o histórico do pescado, tais como espécie, procedência, manejo, análise físico-química, biológica e microbiológica da água, características diversas relacionadas à carne e couro, e vários outros dados. Com isto, podem ser conhecidas várias características, incluindo a rastreabilidade, para se decidir sobre compra e venda de pescados de qualidade

Electro-anatomical mapping of the left atrium before and after cryothermal balloon isolation of the pulmonary veins

Introduction: The 28 mm cryoballoon catheter is a device used for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of the ablation in the antral regions of the left atrium. Methods and Results: Eighteen patients with drug refractory, symptomatic, paroxysmal AF were enrolled. A 3D electroanatomic reconstruction of the left atrium was made before and after successful PVI with the 28 mm cryoballoon. Markers were placed at the ostium. Sixteen patients were mapped. Fourteen patients had 4 veins each, and 2 patients had a common ostium of the left sided veins. All separate ostia were isolated in the antral region. The two common ostia showed ostial isolation. There was a significant difference in vein size between the common (29 and 31 mm) and the separate ostia (19∈±∈4 mm) (p∈<∈0.01). The performance of an additional segmental ablation if balloon PVI did not eliminate all electrical activity, did not influence the extent of the ablation. The earliest left atrial activation during sinus rhythm was located in the superior septal region before ablation in all patients. After ablation, two patients showed a substantial downward shift towards the middle and inferior septal region respectively (NS). Four patients demonstrated a slight downward shift of the first activation. Conclusions: In cryoballoon PVI, the majority of the veins undergo antral isolation. Veins with a diameter larger than the balloon, are isolated ostially. In individual cases, the left atrial activation sequence appears to be altered after ablation

Spectral Variability in the Aged Brain during Fine Motor Control

Physiological aging is paralleled by a decline of fine motor skills accompanied by structural and functional alterations of the underlying brain network. Here, we aim to investigate age-related changes in the spectral distribution of neuronal oscillations during fine skilled motor function. We employ the concept of spectral entropy in order to describe the flatness and peaked-ness of a frequency spectrum to quantify changes in the spectral distribution of the oscillatory motor response in the aged brain. Electroencephalogram was recorded in elderly (n = 32) and young (n = 34) participants who performed either a cued finger movement or a pinch or a whole hand grip task with their dominant right hand. Whereas young participant showed distinct, well-defined movement-related power decreases in the alpha and upper beta band, elderly participants exhibited a flat broadband, frequency-unspecific power desynchronization. This broadband response was reflected by an increase of spectral entropy over sensorimotor and frontal areas in the aged brain. Neuronal activation patterns differed between motor tasks in the young brain, while the aged brain showed a similar activation pattern in all tasks. Moreover, we found a wider recruitment of the cortical motor network in the aged brain. The present study adds to the understanding of age-related changes of neural coding during skilled motor behavior, revealing a less predictable signal with great variability across frequencies in a wide cortical motor network in the aged brain. The increase in entropy in the aged brain could be a reflection of random noise-like activity or could represent a compensatory mechanism that serves a functional role

Assessment of oxidative damage to proteins and DNA in urine of newborn infants by a validated UPLC-MS/MS approach

The assessment of oxidative stress is highly relevant in clinical Perinatology as it is associated to adverse outcomes in newborn infants. This study summarizes results from the validation of an Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of the urinary concentrations of a set of endogenous biomarkers, capable to provide a valid snapshot of the oxidative stress status applicable in human clinical trials, especially in the field of Perinatology. The set of analytes included are phenylalanine (Phe), para-tyrosine (p-Tyr), ortho-tyrosine (o-Tyr), meta-tyrosine (m-Tyr), 3-NO2-tyrosine (3NO 2-Tyr), 3-Cl-tyrosine (3Cl-Tyr), 2′-deoxyguanosine (2dG) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Following the FDA-based guidelines, appropriate levels of accuracy and precision, as well as adequate levels of sensitivity with limits of detection (LODs) in the low nanomolar (nmol/L) range were confirmed after method validation. The validity of the proposed UPLC-MS/MS method was assessed by analysing urine samples from a clinical trial in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants randomized to be resuscitated with two different initial inspiratory fractions of oxygen

A glycolytic phenotype is associated with prostate cancer progression and aggressiveness: a role for monocarboxylate transporters as metabolic targets for therapy.

Metabolic adaptation is considered an emerging hallmark of cancer, whereby cancer cells exhibit high rates of glucose consumption with consequent lactate production. To ensure rapid efflux of lactate, most cancer cells express high levels of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs), which therefore may constitute suitable therapeutic targets. The impact of MCT inhibition, along with the clinical impact of altered cellular metabolism during prostate cancer (PCa) initiation and progression, has not been described. Using a large cohort of human prostate tissues of different grades, in silico data, in vitro and ex vivo studies, we demonstrate the metabolic heterogeneity of PCa and its clinical relevance. We show an increased glycolytic phenotype in advanced stages of PCa and its correlation with poor prognosis. Finally, we present evidence supporting MCTs as suitable targets in PCa, affecting not only cancer cell proliferation and survival but also the expression of a number of hypoxia-inducible factor target genes associated with poor prognosis. Herein, we suggest that patients with highly glycolytic tumours have poorer outcome, supporting the notion of targeting glycolytic tumour cells in prostate cancer through the use of MCT inhibitors.Pertega-Gomes N. and Sousa S. received fellowships from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), refs. SFRH/BD/61027/2009, and PTDC/SAU-MET/113415/2009, respectively. Felisbino S. received a fellowship from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) ref. 2013/08830-2 and 2013/06802-1. We thank the core facilities at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute led by James Hadfield (Genomics), Matt Eldridge (Bioinformatics) and Allen Hazelhurst (BRU). We also thank the support and critical advice on the project given by Christian Frezza and Marco Sciacovelli from The MRC Cancer Cell Unit and Professor Rui Henrique from Portuguese Institute of Oncology for providing samples from patients with metastatic prostate cancer.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/path.454

Development and use of a gnotobiotic murine model for beef cattle to evaluate competitive exclusion of Escherichia coli O157:H7 using commensal Escherichia coli strains, and to ascertain the impact of physiological stress on the host-bacteria interaction

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) serotype O157:H7 is an important foodborne pathogen, and cattle are considered the primary reservoir of this bacterium. Research was undertaken to ascertain factors that regulate competitive exclusion of E. coli O157:H7. A gnotobiotic (GB) murine model for cattle was used to study host-microbiota interactions. For years, isolators have been used to rear germ-free (GF) and GB mice however, these can be costly and the segregation of treatments within the same isolator is problematic. Recently, methodologies for housing GF mice in specially designed individually ventilated cages (IVCs) operated under barrier mode (outward directional airflow) have been developed; however this equipment can be expensive and their operation in barrier mode for research involving GF mice and pathogens is not permissible under modern biosafety and biosecurity regulations. Methods were developed to house GF mice in a commercially available conventional IVC system operated under containment mode (inward directional airflow). Moreover, the methods developed ensured that the GF or GB status of mice was maintained for at least 4 weeks with weekly handling. The use of a common IVC infrastructure with the application of operational procedures could be used to study E. coli O157:H7 in defined microbiota mice with each IVC treated as an experimental unit.Currently there are no proven and effective methods of eliminating EHEC from cattle reservoirs and the impact of colonization resistance on EHEC in cattle is poorly understood. Using GB mice, a representative cattle EHEC infection model was developed to elucidate key aspects of the host-pathogen-microbiota interaction, and investigate competitive colonization between 20 phylogenetically-distinct commensal E. coli (EC) strains isolated from cattle and EHEC. Commensal strains were grown together or separately. Stress has been suggested as an important factor in intestinal tract colonization by EHEC in cattle, but this has not been experimentally investigated. To induce a physiological stress response, mice were administered the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) in drinking water.The EHEC strain FRIK 2001 was selected to colonize the intestinal tract of GB mice to mimic colonization of EHEC within the bovine gut. FRIK 2001 effectively colonized the gut with good bacterial densities and neither symptoms of disease nor metabolomic differences in kidney at 5 days post treatment were observed when compared to the other EHEC strains. Twenty bovine commensal strains of EC decreased EHEC densities in the cecum, proximal colon, and distal colon. These EC were equally effective at reducing growth of EHEC when grown before administration to GF mice individually or in combination. Moreover, histopathologic changes and expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnfα) and Keratinocyte-derived chemokine (Kc) were reduced in the distal colon of mice inoculated with commensal EC strains. A difference in mice behavior between the CORT– and CORT+ treatments was observed in the open field test for mean velocity and total distance travelled. Stress induced by CORT treatment, however, did not enhance FRIK 2001 colonization nor influence the efficacy of competitive exclusion of the bacterium. Colonization of the intestinal tract of GF mice by a bovine isolated EHEC shared similarities with colonization of EHEC in cattle. The presence of commensal EC strains effectively reduced intestinal colonization and ameliorated disease, particularly within the distal colon, a key intestinal tract colonization site of EHEC in cattle. Notably, physiological stress did not potentiate enteric colonization nor intestinal disease in mice incited by EHEC

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Control of Drosophila imaginal disc development by rotund and roughened eye: differentially expressed transcripts of the same gene encoding functionally distinct zinc finger proteins

The Drosophila rotund gene is required in the wings, antenna, haltere, proboscis and legs. A member of the Rac family of GTPases, denoted the rotund racGAP gene, was previously identified in the rotund region. However, previous studies indicated that rotund racGAP was not responsible for the rotund phenotypes and that the rotund gene had yet to be identified. We have isolated the rotund gene and show that it is a member of the Kruppel family of zinc finger genes. The adjacent roughened eye locus specifically affects the eye and is genetically separable from rotund. However, roughened eye and rotund are tightly linked, and we have therefore also isolated the roughened eye transcript. Intriguingly, we show that roughened eye is part of the rotund gene but is represented by a different transcript. The rotund and roughened eye transcripts result from the utilization of two different promoters that direct expression in non-overlapping domains in the larval imaginal discs. The predicted Rotund and Roughened Eye proteins share the same C-terminal region, including the zinc finger domain, but differ in their N-terminal regions. Each cDNA can rescue only the corresponding mutation and show negative effects when expressed in each others domain of expression. These results indicate that in addition to the differential expression of rotund and roughened eye, their proteins have distinct activities. rotund and roughened eye act downstream of early patterning genes such as dachshund and appear to be involved in Notch signaling by regulating Delta, scabrous and Serrate