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Learning alterations in the child population may be linked to gestational diabetes as a causal factor, though this remains an open and highly controversial question. In that sense, it has been reported that maternal hyperglycemia generates a threatening condition that affects hippocampal development in offspring. The pyramidal cells of the CA3 subfield, a key structure in learning and memory processes, are particularly important in cognitive deficiencies. We evaluate the effect of the hyperglycemic intrauterine environment on hippocampal histomorphometry in offspring, correlating it with spatial learning and memory, as well as the morphology of dendrites and spines in 30-day-old pups (P30). The maternal hyperglycemia affected the body weight, height, and brain size of fetuses at 21 days of gestation (F21), newborn pups (P0) and P30 pups from diabetic rats, which were smaller compared to the control group. Consequently, this resulted in a decrease in hippocampal size, lower neuronal density and cytoarchitectural disorganization in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in the offspring at the three ages studied. The behavioral tests performed showed a direct relationship between morpho-histological alterations and deficiencies in learning and memory, as well as alterations in the morphology of the dendrites and spines. Therefore, knowing the harmful effects caused by gestational diabetes can be of great help to establish therapeutic and educational strategies that can help to improve learning and memory in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent discoveries of at least two heart fields and dynamic nature of cardiac development as well as controversies regarding the participation of heart fields in development of different heart structures led us to investigate the dynamics of incorporation of the first and second heart fields and prospective fate of the straight heart tube by labeling chicken embryos in vivo with the fluorescent lipophilic dye DiI. The cephalic and caudal limits of the anterior and posterior segments of the straight heart tube were labeled in two groups of embryos. Labels were tracked along the "C," "S," and "U" loops up to the tetracavitary or mature heart (n = 30 embryos/group; torsion and looping stage). To determine whether the atria and atrioventricular canal are derived from the first heart field the straight heart tube was cultured in vitro and immunodetection of Sox-9 and troponin I was performed to identify the mesenchymal and myocardial lineages respectively. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunodetection was used to determine the involvement of cell proliferation in heart tube development during torsion and looping. Embryological constitution of the straight heart tube and heart looping (C, S, and U) were not consistent with current descriptions. In fact, right ventricle precursors were absent in the straight heart tube derived from the first heart field. During torsion and looping, the cephalic segment of the straight heart tube gradually shifted into the heart tube until it was located at the myocardial interventricular septum in the tetracavitary heart. In contrast, the caudal segment of the straight heart tube was elongated and remodeled to become the first heart field derived left ventricle and the proximal part of the ventricular inlets. The ventricular outflows, right ventricle, distal part of the ventricular inlets, and atria developed from the second heart field.

Introduction & Objectives Vitiligo is the most common skin pigmentary condition in humans. Its etiology is attributed to an autoimmune attack on the melanocytes which results in achromic lesions. There is a deregulated autoimmune attack against melanocytes, activation of free radicals and proinflammatory cytokines with a preference for certain skin areas.The principal ABCB5 isoform is a transmembrane transporter located in cytoplasmic membrane melanocytes that eliminates intracellular toxic metabolites, it also protects against chemotherapeutic agents in normal melanocytes and melanoma cells.It has been seen that ABCB5 is expressed in the mesenchymal stem cells of the dermis, in addition to having immunoregulatory properties co-expressed with the programmed death ligand PD-1, and as a regulator of pro-inflammatory chemokines produced by macrophages, neutrophil overstimulation, and promoter of Treg lymphocyte activity. This work suggests that decreasing or altering the immunological regulation of mesenchymal cells can facilitate the immunological attack of CD8+ T lymphocytes in the epidermis, affecting the viability of melanocytes, resulting in skin depigmentation. Materials & Methods This research aims to include 15 biopsy samples and 5 control samples. At present, we have gathered 5 biopsy samples from patients with non-segmental progressive vitiligo diagnosis through punch technique of 4mm from a public dermatology center, and 2 control samples that were donated from discarded materials at a private practice. Two probes were designed to detect messenger RNAs of the tyrosinase and ABCB5 genes in skin biopsies of patients and healthy controls, one for the tyrosinase messenger RNA (labeled with fluorescein) and other for ABCB5 messenger RNA (labeled with Cy5). Confocal microscopy was used to evaluate the emissions from these fluorophores. It's planned to perform immunohistochemistry with antiABCB5 monoclonal antibodies to enhance the gene detection to afford quantitative and comparative results between the transition zone and controls. Results A, B. Confocal microscopy view of normal skin sample, image of melanocytes displaying green fluorescence indicative of tyrosine (Tyr) presence within in the basal epidermis. C. The presence of red (Cy5) in the transitional zone of epidermis, some parts of the dermis and blood vessels, but it is absent in the intracellular space and melanocytes. D, E. Vitiligo-affected basal epidermis exhibits reduced fluorescence as compared to controls, F. suggesting diminished tyrosinase activity and the presence of Cy5 red fluorochrome in a few dermis cells. Additionally, fewer differences were observed between vitiligo perilesional skin and healthy skin expression of ABCB5, which warrants further quantification and comparison with the rest of the sample. Conclusion Previous studies conducted in melanoma skin report an overexpression of the protein related to the cell capacity of detoxification and tumor differentiation, normal skin present much less expression compared to melanoma samples and at the moment, our observations allow us to think that ABCB5 expression in vitiligo skin is lightly minor than in normal skin, what can be related to its immunoregulatory role in mesenchymal cells and the depletion of the regulatory response of local inflammatory environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used in alternative medicine to treat several diseases, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and hepatic diseases. Several publications have highlighted other features of garlic, including its antibacterial, antioxidative, antihypertensive, and antithrombotic properties. The properties of garlic result from the combination of natural compounds that act synergistically and cause different effects. Some garlic-derived compounds have been studied for the treatment of several types of cancer; however, reports on the effects of garlic on neuroblastoma are scarce. Neuroblastoma is a prevalent childhood tumor for which the search for therapeutic alternatives to improve treatment without affecting the patients' quality of life continues. Garlic-derived compounds hold potential for the treatment of this type of cancer. A review of articles published to date on some garlic compounds and their effect on neuroblastoma was undertaken to comprehend the possible therapeutic role of these compounds. This review aimed to analyze the impact of some garlic compounds on cells derived from neuroblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]