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Farm sabotage can cause massive fish escape events with significant ecological and socio-economic risks. This study examined the fate of Mediterranean seabass Dicentrarchus labrax escapees following a large-scale escape event caused by sabotage in the Western Mediterranean Sea. We monitored the escapee density and size structure over 3 mo after the escape at increasing distances from the escape point, up to 45 km away. Fish density adjacent to the escape location 5 d after the sabotage was, on average, 114 ± 44.7 (SE) fish per 100 m2. Our analyses showed that fish density decreased by 17% for every km away from the location, dropping to 2 and 1% after 1 and 2 mo, respectively, following the escape event. As escapee density declined throughout time and space, the size distribution of seabass shifted towards larger sizes. The rapid decrease in fish densities highlights the need for contingency plans focusing on fishing efforts in the coastal areas near the escape location (

In this work, biodegradable biocomposites were developed using PLA/PHB blend as matrix and two types of microcrystalline cellulose as filler at three different contents. The biocomposites were evaluated regarding their thermal and morphological characteristics and molecular dynamic behavior. It was seen that cellulose addition did not promote significant changes in the Tm, Tc and Tcc in the matrix. On the other hand, XRD and TGA revealed that the addition of the highest content (7 wt%) of cellulose fillers resulted in a more significant decrease in crystallinity and thermal stability of the PLA/PHB matrix, suggesting a formation of filler aggregates. This indication was confirmed by TD-NMR, whose results pointed to a greater heterogeneity molecular in the samples containing higher cellulose contents. Therefore, this technique proved to be a relevant and complementary tool for the characterization of composites materials, contributing to determinate the most appropriate filler content introduced in a polymer matrix.

Objective: The cardioprotective enzyme paraoxonase-1 (PON1) suffers an important influence from genetic polymorphisms and nutritional factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diet, nutritional status, and the C(-107)T polymorphism on PON1 arylesterase activity in children. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with 97 children, aged between 5 and 8 years, of both genders, from a pediatric outpatient clinic in southern Brazil. A sociodemographic, behavioral, and food consumption questionnaire was applied, and anthropometric measurements and laboratory blood samples were taken. PON1 arylesterase activity was measured by phenol extinction (U/mL), and DNA extraction and analysis of the PON1 C(-107)T polymorphism were performed. The Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was tested with the chi-squared test and linear regression was used to estimate PON1 activity according to four adjustment models, with an acceptable error of 5%. Results: In the sample, the male gender accounted for 50.5%, 39.2% were 6 years of age, 54.5% had normal weight, and 51.5% had PON1 activity below the median (90.0, 15–30 U/mL). Genotype frequency was 54.6% (53/97), 31.0% (30/97), and 14.4% (14/97), respectively, for CT, CC, and TT, consistent with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p = 0.22). In the regression analysis, the model that included sociodemographic variables as well as frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy products, and beans estimated a variability of 14.8% in PON1 activity combined with the PON1 C(-107)T polymorphism. Conclusions: During childhood, a good-quality diet with greater inclusion of healthy foods was important to predict the activity of the cardioprotective enzyme PON1 combined with the C(-107)T polymorphism of the PON1 gene. Resumo: Objetivo: A enzima cardioprotetora Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) sofre importante influência de polimorfismos genéticos e fatores nutricionais. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a influência da alimentação, do estado nutricional e do polimorfismo C(-107)T sobre a atividade arilesterase da PON1 em crianças. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 97 crianças entre 5 e 8 anos, de ambos os sexos, de um ambulatório de pediatria no sul do Brasil. Realizou-se questionário sociodemográfico, de comportamento e de consumo alimentar, medidas antropométricas e coleta de sangue em laboratório. A atividade arilesterase da PON1 foi mensurada pela extinção de fenol (U/mL), realizada extração do DNA e análise do polimorfismo PON1 C(-107)T. O equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg foi testado com qui-quadrado e usada regressão linear para estimar a atividade da PON1 segundo quatro modelos de ajuste, erro aceitável de 5%. Resultados: Na amostra o sexo masculino representou 50,5%, 39,2% tinham 6 anos, 54,5% eram eutróficos e 51,5% tinha atividade da PON1 inferior à mediana (90,0;15-30 U/ml). A frequência dos genótipos foi 54,6% (53/97), 31,0% (30/97) e 14,4% (14/97), respectivamente, para CT, CC e TT, estiveram em equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg (p = 0,22). Na análise de regressão o modelo que incluiu variáveis sociodemográficas, de frequência do consumo de frutas, verduras, legumes, laticínios e feijões estimou uma variabilidade de 14,8% na atividade da PON1 combinada ao polimorfismo PON1 C(-107)T. Conclusões: Na infância uma alimentação de boa qualidade, com maior participação de alimentos saudáveis foi importante para predizer a atividade da enzima cardioprotetora PON1 combinada ao polimorfismo C(-107)T do gene da PON1.

Objective: The cardioprotective enzyme paraoxonase‐1 (PON1) suffers an important influence from genetic polymorphisms and nutritional factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diet, nutritional status, and the C(‐107)T polymorphism on PON1 arylesterase activity in children. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional study with 97 children, aged between 5 and 8 years, of both genders, from a pediatric outpatient clinic in southern Brazil. A sociodemographic, behavioral, and food consumption questionnaire was applied, and anthropometric measurements and laboratory blood samples were taken. PON1 arylesterase activity was measured by phenol extinction (U/mL), and DNA extraction and analysis of the PON1 C(‐107)T polymorphism were performed. The Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was tested with the chi‐squared test and linear regression was used to estimate PON1 activity according to four adjustment models, with an acceptable error of 5%. Results: In the sample, the male gender accounted for 50.5%, 39.2% were 6 years of age, 54.5% had normal weight, and 51.5% had PON1 activity below the median (90.0, 15–30 U/mL). Genotype frequency was 54.6% (53/97), 31.0% (30/97), and 14.4% (14/97), respectively, for CT, CC, and TT, consistent with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p = 0.22). In the regression analysis, the model that included sociodemographic variables as well as frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy products, and beans estimated a variability of 14.8% in PON1 activity combined with the PON1 C(‐107)T polymorphism. Conclusions: During childhood, a good‐quality diet with greater inclusion of healthy foods was important to predict the activity of the cardioprotective enzyme PON1 combined with the C(‐107)T polymorphism of the PON1 gene. Resumo: Objetivo: A enzima cardioprotetora Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) sofre importante influência de polimorfismos genéticos e fatores nutricionais. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a influência da alimentação, do estado nutricional e do polimorfismo C(‐107)T sobre a atividade arilesterase da PON1 em crianças. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 97 crianças entre 5 e 8 anos, de ambos os sexos, de um ambulatório de pediatria no sul do Brasil. Realizou-se questionário sociodemográfico, de comportamento e de consumo alimentar, medidas antropométricas e coleta de sangue em laboratório. A atividade arilesterase da PON1 foi mensurada pela extinção de fenol (U/mL), realizada extração do DNA e análise do polimorfismo PON1 C(‐107)T. O equilíbrio de Hardy‐Weinberg foi testado com qui‐quadrado e usada regressão linear para estimar a atividade da PON1 segundo quatro modelos de ajuste, erro aceitável de 5%. Resultados: Na amostra o sexo masculino representou 50,5%, 39,2% tinham 6 anos, 54,5% eram eutróficos e 51,5% tinha atividade da PON1 inferior à mediana (90,0;15‐30 U/ml). A frequência dos genótipos foi 54,6% (53/97), 31,0% (30/97) e 14,4% (14/97), respectivamente, para CT, CC e TT, estiveram em equilíbrio de Hardy‐Weinberg (p = 0,22). Na análise de regressão o modelo que incluiu variáveis sociodemográficas, de frequência do consumo de frutas, verduras, legumes, laticínios e feijões estimou uma variabilidade de 14,8% na atividade da PON1 combinada ao polimorfismo PON1 C(‐107)T. Conclusões: Na infância uma alimentação de boa qualidade, com maior participação de alimentos saudáveis foi importante para predizer a atividade da enzima cardioprotetora PON1 combinada ao polimorfismo C(‐107)T do gene da PON1.

Fundamento: La aterosclerosis es un proceso multifactorial sobre el cual actúan varios factores de riesgo. Constituye la principal causa de muerte y de morbilidad en ingresados hospitalarios, y puede ocasionar una acentuada disminución del flujo sanguíneo hacia todos los órganos del cuerpo humano Objetivo: Determinar el impacto de la hipertensión arterial sistólica sobre la enfermedad cerebrovascular. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal, observacional y analítico, en 59 fallecidos hipertensos. Se analizaron las arterias cerebrales y se cuantificó la lesión aterosclerótica y su variedad, aplicándose el sistema aterométrico, teniendo en cuenta los tipos de hipertensión arterial. Se emplearon procedimientos estadísticos (medidas de tendencia central) y comparativos (prueba de comparación de media aritmética basadas en el test “t” de student). Resultados: Los infartos cerebrales recientes fueron más frecuentes en hipertensos sistodiastólicos. No hubo diferencia significativa en cuanto a la edad en el momento de aparición de las lesiones para ambos sexos, pero las mujeres con hipertensión sistólica, fueron significativamente más dañadas desde el punto de vista morfométrico. Se observó correlación significativa para ambos grupos de hipertensos entre tipo de accidente cerebrovascular y variables del sistema aterométrico. Conclusiones: La hipertensión arterial sistólica es un factor importante en la génesis de la enfermedad vasculocerebral y está asociada con la progresión de la placa de ateroma.

Biodiversitat i estructura de la comunitat íctica litoral del substrat rocós del Parc Natural de serra Gelada (sud-oest del mar Mediterrani) Aquest estudi analitza la comunitat íctica litoral sobre substrat rocós del Parc Natural de serra Gelada (Alacant) i s’aporten dades de base que permetran avaluar a llarg termini els canvis deguts a diverses mesures de gestió. Es van fer censos visuals en transsectes lineals sobre fons rocosos entre 1 i 32 m de profunditat. A les set localitats estudiades es van comptar 44 espècies. El nombre d’espècies, l’abundància, la biomassa i l’estructura de talles van ser similars entre les zones amb alta i baixa protecció. La composició d’espècies observada va ser similar a les d’altres àrees marines protegides del Mediterrani occidental. Les diferències entre localitats podrien ser causades per l’alta heterogeneïtat i complexitat de l’hàbitat a petita escala.

Photosynthetic diatoms that live suspended throughout the water column will constantly be swept up and down by vertical mixing. When returned to the photic zone after experiencing longer periods in darkness, mechanisms exist that enable the diatoms both to survive sudden light exposure and immediately utilize the available energy in photosynthesis and growth. We have investigated both the response to prolonged darkness and the re-acclimation to moderate intensity white irradiance (E = 100 µmol m(-2) s(-1)) in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, using an integrated approach involving global transcriptional profiling, pigment analyses, imaging and photo-physiological measurements. The responses were studied during continuous white light, after 48 h of dark treatment and after 0.5 h, 6 h, and 24 h of re-exposure to the initial irradiance. The analyses resulted in several intriguing findings. Dark treatment of the cells led to 1) significantly decreased nuclear transcriptional activity, 2) distinct intracellular changes, 3) fixed ratios of the light-harvesting pigments despite a decrease in the total cell pigment pool, and 4) only a minor drop in photosynthetic efficiency (Φ(PSII_max)). Re-introduction of the cells to the initial light conditions revealed 5) distinct expression profiles for nuclear genes involved in photosynthesis and those involved in photoprotection, 6) rapid rise in photosynthetic parameters (α and rETR(max)) within 0.5 h of re-exposure to light despite a very modest de novo synthesis of photosynthetic compounds, and 7) increasingly efficient resonance energy transfer from fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding protein complexes to photosystem II reaction centers during the first 0.5 h, supporting the observations stated in 6). In summary, the results show that despite extensive transcriptional, metabolic and intracellular changes, the ability of cells to perform photosynthesis was kept intact during the length of the experiment. We conclude that P. tricornutum maintains a functional photosynthetic apparatus during dark periods that enables prompt recovery upon re-illumination.

Photosynthetic diatoms are exposed to rapid and unpredictable changes in irradiance and spectral quality, and must be able to acclimate their light harvesting systems to varying light conditions. Molecular mechanisms behind light acclimation in diatoms are largely unknown. We set out to investigate the mechanisms of high light acclimation in Phaeodactylum tricornutum using an integrated approach involving global transcriptional profiling, metabolite profiling and variable fluorescence technique. Algae cultures were acclimated to low light (LL), after which the cultures were transferred to high light (HL). Molecular, metabolic and physiological responses were studied at time points 0.5 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after transfer to HL conditions. The integrated results indicate that the acclimation mechanisms in diatoms can be divided into an initial response phase (0-0.5 h), an intermediate acclimation phase (3-12 h) and a late acclimation phase (12-48 h). The initial phase is recognized by strong and rapid regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in photosynthesis, pigment metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems. A significant increase in light protecting metabolites occur together with the induction of transcriptional processes involved in protection of cellular structures at this early phase. During the following phases, the metabolite profiling display a pronounced decrease in light harvesting pigments, whereas the variable fluorescence measurements show that the photosynthetic capacity increases strongly during the late acclimation phase. We show that P. tricornutum is capable of swift and efficient execution of photoprotective mechanisms, followed by changes in the composition of the photosynthetic machinery that enable the diatoms to utilize the excess energy available in HL. Central molecular players in light protection and acclimation to high irradiance have been identified.

O presente estudo teve por objetivo o posicionamento de docentes e discentes acerca de uma questão polêmica -a avaliação escolar -e constatar através dos dados das duas populações investigadas, a coerência do discurso com a prática aval/ativa. Para obtenção dos dados entrevistou-se 03 docentes do Departamento de Psicologia Social e Institucional da Universidade Estadual de Londrina e 05 discentes que cursavam cada disciplina investigada, totalizando 15 alunos. Coletou-se os dados mediante instrumentos previamente elaborados. Junto aos professores utilizou-se um roteiro de entrevistas e com os alunos optou-se pela utilização de um questionário. Os resultados obtidos revelam posicionamentos diferentes por parte dos professores e com relação aos alunos, embora façam críticas à prova escrita individual, por esta exigir reprodução de conteúdo e memorização, consideram-na como o único meio de avaliar o processo ensino-aprendizagem.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: Klebsiella spp. are leading causes of nosocomial infections. Their ability to harbour antimicrobial resistance genes makes them an important public health threat. This study aimed to report the genomic background of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella quasipneumoniae (HV55B) and Klebsiella michiganensis (HV55D) strains isolated from fresh vegetables destined for hospitalized inpatients. Methods: Microbiological and molecular methods were used to isolate and identify the strains, which were submitted to the antimicrobial susceptibility test and pH tolerance assays. Whole genome sequencing was performed on MiSeq and NextSeq platforms, and online available tools were applied to bioinformatic analysis of clinically relevant information. Results: Both isolates were considered multidrug-resistant and tolerated pH ≥ 4 for 24 h. HV55B belonged to sequence type (ST) ST668, and presented a broad resistome and plasmids from four incompatibility groups. HV55D belonged to ST40. Both strains HV55B and HV55D were genetically close to isolates responsible for human infections around the world, which stands for the plausibility of such bacteria to cause disease in patients of the studied institution. Conclusions: Our results confirm the presence of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella spp. in fresh foodstuffs intended for hospitalized inpatients’ consumption. The genomes characterized here also provide clinically and genomically relevant information to forthcoming epidemiological surveillance studies.

In the ever-evolving landscape of educational technology, it is vital to understand the empirical relationships of teachers' Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) and its interplay with explanatory factors such as cyber wellness, school climate, and digital nativity. This study employs Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) to analyze self-reported data from 311 basic education teachers in Central Visayas, Philippines. The model demonstrates robust validity and reliability, showing diverse direct impacts on the antecedent variables to the seven constructs of TPACK. The findings reveal 16 significant hypothesized paths, with digital nativity has a significant effect on all three core knowledge domains of TPACK while school climate and cyber wellness have a significant effect on two knowledge domains. Another significant finding shows that content knowledge emerged with the highest significant effect on technological content knowledge (β = 0.621). This connection highlights the fundamental role of content knowledge in successfully integrating technological competencies among teachers, especially from a developing economy. The study provides policy insights tailored to post-pandemic educational management.

Es un síndrome paraneoplásico poco común, que se asocia a tumores gastrointestinales, más frecuentemente a adenocarcinoma gástrico (69%). Afecta a ambos sexos y no tiene prevalencia por grupo étnico alguno. Clínicamente son lesiones hiperpigmentadas, hipertróficas y verrucosas en zonas de flexión y en la mayoría de los casos, las mucosas también resultan afectadas con lesiones papilomatosas. Habitualmente desaparecen con la eliminación del tumor o reaparecen con la recurrencia o metástasis.Acanthosis nigricans malignant is an uncommon paraneoplastic syndrome associated with gastrointestinal tumors, frequently gastric adenocarcinoma, affects both sexes and it has not prevalence by race. Clinically, lesions are hyperpigmented, hypertrophic and verrucous in flexion areas and in most cases the mucous membranes are also affected with papillomatous lesions. Tipically disappears with the removal of the tumor and reappears when recurrence or metastasis occur.

The diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) still represents a challenge due to the variable clinical manifestations and the large number of asymptomatic dogs. Serological tests are most commonly used to detect infected animals, revealing anti-Leishmania antibodies, mainly of the IgG isotype. Recently, a new diagnostic antigen, rKLi8.3, containing 8.3 kinesin tandem repeats (TR) from a Leishmania infantum strain from Sudan, has been shown to provide excellent specificity and sensitivity for the detection of Leishmania-infected humans and dogs. However, asymptomatic animals with very low antibody titers are often difficult to detect by serodiagnosis. Thus, we wondered whether the addition of an anti-IgG-enhancing step in the protein A/G-based rKLi8.3-ELISA will improve the diagnostic performance without decreasing the specificity. For this, parasitologically confirmed CanL cases with low or high clinical scores, uninfected healthy controls and dogs with other infections were tested by rKLi8.3-ELISA as well as two different immunochromatographic rapid tests, rKLi8.3-lateral flow test (LFT) and Dual Path Platform (DPP®) based on the rK28 antigen. Our results show that the diagnostic accuracies of the rKLi8.3-ELISA and LFT were similar to that of DPP, missing several asymptomatic animals. However, the addition of a secondary, amplifying anti-dog IgG antibody in the protein A/G-based rKLi8.3-ELISA enabled the detection of nearly all asymptomatic dogs without compromising its specificity.

In recent decades, Cognitive Neuroscience has evolved from a rather arcane field trying to understand how the brain supports mental activities, to one that contributes to public policies. In this article, we focus on the contributions from Cognitive Neuroscience to Education. This line of research has produced a great deal of information that can potentially help in the transformation of Education, promoting interventions that help in several domains including literacy and math learning, social skills and science. The growth of the Neurosciences has also created a public demand for knowledge and a market for neuro-products to fulfill these demands, through books, booklets, courses, apps and websites. These products are not always based on scientific findings and coupled to the complexities of the scientific theories and evidence, have led to the propagation of misconceptions and the perpetuation of neuromyths. This is particularly harmful for educators because these misconceptions might make them abandon useful practices in favor of others not sustained by evidence. In order to bridge the gap between Education and Neuroscience, we have been conducting, since 2013, a set of activities that put educators and scientists to work together in research projects. The participation goes from discussing the research results of our projects to being part and deciding aspects of the field interventions. Another strategy consists of a course centered around the applications of Neuroscience to Education and their empirical and theoretical bases. These two strategies have to be compared to popularization efforts that just present Neuroscientific results. We show that the more the educators are involved in the discussion of the methodological bases of Neuroscientific knowledge, be it in the course or as part of a stay, the better they manage the underlying concepts. We argue that this is due to the understanding of scientific principles, which leads to a more profound comprehension of what the evidence can and cannot support, thus shielding teachers from the false allure of some commercial neuro-products. We discuss the three approaches and present our efforts to determine whether they lead to a strong understanding of the conceptual and empirical base of Neuroscience.

TDP-43 is aggregated in patients with ALS and FLTD through mechanisms still incompletely understood. Since aggregation in the cytosol is most probably responsible for the delocalization and loss of proper RNA-binding function of TDP-43 in the nucleus, interception of the formation of aggregates may represent a useful therapeutic option.In this study, we investigated the relative importance of the N-terminal and C-terminal moieties of TDP-43 in the aggregation process and the weight of each of the six cysteine residues in determining unfolding and aggregation of the different domains. We report that cytoplasmic inclusions formed by WT and mutant TDP-43 in motor neuron-like NSC34 cells are redox-sensitive only in part, and contain at least two components, i.e. oligomers and large aggregates, that are made of different molecular species.The two N-terminal cysteine residues contribute to the seeding for the first step in oligomerization, which is then accomplished by mechanisms depending on the four cysteines in the RNA-recognition motifs. Cysteine-independent large aggregates contain unfolded isoforms of the protein, held together by unspecific hydrophobic interactions. Interestingly, truncated isoforms are entrapped exclusively in oligomers. Ab initio modeling of TDP-43 structure, molecular dynamics and molecular docking analysis indicate a differential accessibility of cysteine residues that contributes to aggregation propensity.We propose a model of TDP-43 aggregation involving cysteine-dependent and cysteine-independent stages that may constitute a starting point to devise strategies counteracting the formation of inclusions in TDP-43 proteinopathies.

Fundamento: La aterosclerosis es un proceso multifactorial sobre el cual actúan varios factores de riesgo. Constituye la principal causa de muerte y de morbilidad en ingresados hospitalarios, y puede ocasionar una acentuada disminución del flujo sanguíneo hacia todos los órganos del cuerpo humano Objetivo: Determinar el impacto de la hipertensión arterial sistólica sobre la enfermedad cerebrovascular. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal, observacional y analítico, en 59 fallecidos hipertensos. Se analizaron las arterias cerebrales y se cuantificó la lesión aterosclerótica y su variedad, aplicándose el sistema aterométrico, teniendo en cuenta los tipos de hipertensión arterial. Se emplearon procedimientos estadísticos (medidas de tendencia central) y comparativos (prueba de comparación de media aritmética basadas en el test “t” de student). Resultados: Los infartos cerebrales recientes fueron más frecuentes en hipertensos sistodiastólicos. No hubo diferencia significativa en cuanto a la edad en el momento de aparición de las lesiones para ambos sexos, pero las mujeres con hipertensión sistólica, fueron significativamente más dañadas desde el punto de vista morfométrico. Se observó correlación significativa para ambos grupos de hipertensos entre tipo de accidente cerebrovascular y variables del sistema aterométrico. Conclusiones: La hipertensión arterial sistólica es un factor importante en la génesis de la enfermedad vasculocerebral y está asociada con la progresión de la placa de ateroma.

Gap junction (GJ) channels have been recognized as an important mechanism for synchronizing neuronal networks. Herein, we investigated the participation of GJ channels in the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) by analyzing electrophysiological activity following the blockade of connexins (Cx)-mediated communication. In addition, we examined the regulation of gene expression, protein levels, phosphorylation profile and distribution of neuronal Cx36, Cx45 and glial Cx43 in the rat hippocampus during the acute and latent periods. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that the GJ blockade anticipates the occurrence of low voltage oscillations and promotes a marked reduction of power in all analyzed frequencies.Cx36 gene expression and protein levels remained stable in acute and latent periods, whereas upregulation of Cx45 gene expression and protein redistribution were detected in the latent period. We also observed upregulation of Cx43 mRNA levels followed by changes in the phosphorylation profile and protein accumulation. Taken together, our results indisputably revealed that GJ communication participates in the epileptiform activity induced by pilocarpine. Moreover, considering that specific Cxs undergo alterations through acute and latent periods, this study indicates that the control of GJ communication may represent a focus in reliable anti-epileptogenic strategies.

The present study had as object checking the position of teachers and students around a polemic question -school evaluation -and verifying through the results from both groups the coherence between evaluation speech and evaluation praxis. Three teachers from Social and Institutional Psychology Department and five students for each teacher investigated (15 students) were interviewed. The results were collected by instruments previous elaborated. There were used structured with the teachers and questionnaires with the students. The results reveal different positions among teachers when talking about evaluation. Students criticize individual written tests because they demand the reproduction of the content given and memorization although they think it is the on/y way to evaluate the process of teaching and learning. O presente estudo teve por objetivo o posicionamento de docentes e discentes acerca de uma questão polêmica -a avaliação escolar -e constatar através dos dados das duas populações investigadas, a coerência do discurso com a prática aval/ativa. Para obtenção dos dados entrevistou-se 03 docentes do Departamento de Psicologia Social e Institucional da Universidade Estadual de Londrina e 05 discentes que cursavam cada disciplina investigada, totalizando 15 alunos. Coletou-se os dados mediante instrumentos previamente elaborados. Junto aos professores utilizou-se um roteiro de entrevistas e com os alunos optou-se pela utilização de um questionário. Os resultados obtidos revelam posicionamentos diferentes por parte dos professores e com relação aos alunos, embora façam críticas à prova escrita individual, por esta exigir reprodução de conteúdo e memorização, consideram-na como o único meio de avaliar o processo ensino-aprendizagem.

The natural history of allergic rhinitis (AR) is commonly characterized by worsening of symptom severity, frequent comorbidity with asthma, and polysensitization to aeroallergens. The polysensitization phenomenon starts in early childhood. AR classification has been recently revised, and some studies investigated the new types: intermittent (IAR) and persistent (PER) AR. However, no study has been carried out on children regarding this issue. This preliminary study was performed on a large cohort of children with allergic rhinitis to evaluate the type and severity of rhinitis and its possible association with asthma, including severity grade. One hundred and thirty-nine children (86 males, 53 females, mean age 11.8 years, range 3.5–17.7 years) with allergic rhinitis were prospectively and consecutively evaluated. Seventy-one children had rhinitis alone and 68 had rhinitis associated with asthma. Forty children had IAR, 30 of whom with moderate-severe grade. Ninety-nine children had PER, 65 of whom had moderate-severe grade. The severity of AR was not associated with asthma presence (Fisher χ 2 = 0.5765; Prob.=0.9018). Regarding asthma severity, 30 children had the intermittent form, whereas 38 had the persistent form: 15 mild, 22 moderate, and 1 severe. This study provides the first evidence concerning the ARIA classification in children, partially confirming findings obtained in adulthood.

Abstract: Hormonal fluctuations during the different estrous cycle are a well-recognized cause of insulin resistance in bitches, and little is known about insulin receptor binding or post-binding defects associated with insulin resistance in dogs. To evaluate insulin binding characteristics in muscle tissue of bitches during the estrous cycle, 17 owned bitches were used in the study (six in anestrus, five in estrus, and six in diestrus). An intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed in all patients by means of injection of 1mL/kg of a glucose 50% solution (500mg/kg), with blood sample collection for glucose determination at 0, 3, 5, 7, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after glucose infusion. Muscle samples, taken after spaying surgery, were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and then stored at -80 ºC until the membranes were prepared by sequential centrifugation after being homogenized. For binding studies, membranes were incubated in the presence of 20,000cpm of human 125I-insulin and in increasing concentrations of unlabeled human regular insulin for cold saturation. The IVGTT showed no differences among bitches during the estrous cycle regarding baseline glycemia or glycemic response after glucose infusion. Two insulin binding sites - high-affinity and low-affinity ones - were detected by Scatchard analysis, and significant statistical differences were observed in the dissociation constant (Kd1) and maximum binding capacity (Bmax1) of the high-affinity binding sites. The Kd1 for the anestrus group (6.54±2.77nM/mg of protein) was smaller (P