Early weaning alters the thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue in adult male and female rats.

PURPOSE: Early weaning (EW) is a risk factor for obesity development. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) hypofunction is related to obesity onset. Here, we evaluated whether sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in BAT and the thermogenic function of BAT are decreased in adulthood in obese rats from two EW models. METHODS: At the time of birth, lactating Wistar rats and their pups (three males and three females) were separated into three groups: the control group, in which pups consumed milk throughout lactation; the non-pharmacological EW (NPEW) group, in which suckling was interrupted with a bandage during the last 3 days of lactation; and the pharmacological EW (PEW) group, in which dams were treated with bromocriptine (0.5 mg/twice a day) 3 days before weaning. The offspring were sacrificed on PN180. RESULTS: Adult male rats from both EW models exhibited lower BAT SNS activity. Female rats from the PEW group showed a decrease in BAT SNS activity. The protein levels of UCP1 were lower in the NPEW males, while PGC1α levels were lower in both PEW and NPEW males. Both groups of EW females showed reductions in the levels of ß3-AR, TRß1, and PGC1α. The UCP1 protein level was reduced only in the NPEW females. The EW groups of both sexes had lower AMPK protein levels in BAT. In the hypothalamus, only the PEW females showed an increase in AMPK protein levels. In both groups of EW males, adrenal catecholamine was increased and tyrosine hydroxylase was decreased, while in EW females, adrenal catecholamine was decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Early weaning alters the thermogenic capacity of BAT, which partially contributes to obesity in adulthood, and there are sex-related differences in these alterations.

Effects of maternal bisphenol A on behavior, sex steroid and thyroid hormones levels in the adult rat offspring.

AIMS: Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor used in industrial applications, has been detected in both placenta and milk. We studied the effects of BPA exposure during pregnancy and lactation on body composition, palatable food intake, biochemical, hormonal and behavioral profiles of young and adult Wistar rat offspring. MAIN METHODS: Female rats were divided into: control, BPA10 (10 µg/kg/day) and BPA50 (50 µg/kg/day). BPA was administered by gavage to dams from gestation until the end of lactation. Euthanasia occurred at weaning [postnatal day (PN) 21] or adulthood (PN180). KEY FINDINGS: At weaning, BPA10 female pups had higher plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol. BPA10 male pups showed lower plasma T3. BPA10 pups of both sexes had higher plasma progesterone, testosterone and estradiol. At adulthood, females of both BPA groups had lower food intake and higher insulinemia, whereas males had lower visceral fat, lower progesterone and testosterone concentrations. BPA10 females and males had lower T4 levels, while only males showed lower estradiol. BPA50 females showed lower fat mass, higher lean mass and lower corticosteronemia, while males had lower food intake. In the feeding study, BPA10 males ate more fat at 30 min, while BPA10 females and males ingested less fat after 12 h. BPA10 females showed hyperactivity while both groups showed less exploration. SIGNIFICANCE: Maternal exposure to BPA during gestation and lactation, even at low doses, induces life-long changes in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis of the progeny, affects sex steroids and thyroid hormones levels, compromises behavior, but does not lead to obesity or dyslipidemia.

Robust computation in 2D absolute EIT (a-EIT) using D-bar methods with the 'exp' approximation.

OBJECTIVE: Absolute images have important applications in medical electrical impedance tomography (EIT) imaging, but the traditional minimization and statistical based computations are very sensitive to modeling errors and noise. In this paper, it is demonstrated that D-bar reconstruction methods for absolute EIT are robust to such errors. APPROACH: The effects of errors in domain shape and electrode placement on absolute images computed with 2D D-bar reconstruction algorithms are studied on experimental data. MAIN RESULTS: It is demonstrated with tank data from several EIT systems that these methods are quite robust to such modeling errors, and furthermore the artefacts arising from such modeling errors are similar to those occurring in classic time-difference EIT imaging. SIGNIFICANCE: This study is promising for clinical applications where absolute EIT images are desirable but previously thought impossible.

Neonatal tobacco smoke reduces thermogenesis capacity in brown adipose tissue in adult rats.

Maternal smoking is a risk factor for progeny obesity. We have previously shown, in a rat model of neonatal tobacco smoke exposure, a mild increase in food intake and a considerable increase in visceral adiposity in the adult offspring. Males also had secondary hyperthyroidism, while females had only higher T4. Since brown adipose tissue (BAT) hypofunction is related to obesity, here we tested the hypothesis that higher levels of thyroid hormones are not functional in BAT, suggesting a lower metabolic rate. We evaluated autonomic nerve activity in BAT and its function in adult rats that were exposed to tobacco smoke during lactation. At birth, litters were adjusted to 3 male and 3 female pups/litter. From postnatal day (PND) 3 to 21, Wistar lactating rats and their pups were divided into SE group, smoke-exposed in a cigarette smoking machine (4 times/day) and C group, exposed to filtered air. Offspring were sacrificed at PND180. Adult SE rats of both genders had lower interscapular BAT autonomic nervous system activity, with higher BAT mass but no change in morphology. BAT UCP1 and CPT1a protein levels were decreased in the SE groups of both genders. Male SE rats had lower ß3-AR, TRα1, and TRß1 expression while females showed lower PGC1α expression. BAT Dio2 mRNA and hypothalamic POMC and MC4R levels were similar between groups. Hypothalamic pAMPK level was higher in SE males and lower in SE females. Thus, neonatal cigarette smoke exposure induces lower BAT thermogenic capacity, which can be obesogenic at adulthood.

Molecular detection and phylogenetic relationship of wild-type strains of canine distemper virus in symptomatic dogs from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais / Detecção molecular e relação filogenética de cepas selvagens do vírus da cinomose canina em cães sintomáticos oriundos de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais

This study investigated the occurrence of canine distemper virus (CDV) by evaluating the presence of viral RNA within urine samples of dogs from Uberlândia, MG, with clinical manifestations suggestive of infection by CDV by targeting the CDV N gene. Of the clinical samples collected ( n =33), CDV viruria was detected in 45.5%. Five dogs died spontaneously; all had characteristic CDV-associated histopathological alterations and demonstrated CDV viruria. Statistical analyses revealed that the age, gender, breed, or the organ system of the dog affected had no influence on the occurrence of canine distemper. Myoclonus and motor incoordination were the most significant neurological manifestations observed. A direct association was observed between keratoconjunctivitis and dogs with CDV viruria. These findings suggest that CDV viruria in symptomatic dogs might not be age related, and that symptomatic dogs can demonstrate clinical manifestations attributed to CDV without viruria identified by RT-PCR. Additionally, the results of the sequence identities analysed have suggested that all Brazilian wild-type strains of CDV currently identified are closely related and probably originated from the same lineage of CDV. Nevertheless, phylogenetic analyses suggest that there are different clusters of wild-type strains of CDV circulating within urban canine populations in Brazil.

A presença do ácido nucleico (RNA) do vírus da cinomose canina (CDV) foi avaliada por meio da amplificação parcial do gene N pela técnica RT-PCR realizada em urina de cães provenientes de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, que apresentavam sinais clínicos sugestivos de cinomose. Das 33 amostras de urina avaliadas, o CDV foi identificado em 45,5%. Em cinco cães que morreram espontaneamente, além da excreção do CDV na urina, foram observadas alterações histopatológicas associadas à infecção por esse vírus. Análises estatísticas demonstraram que a idade, gênero, raça e o sistema orgânico comprometido dos cães avaliados não exerceram influência no diagnóstico da cinomose canina. Mioclonia e incoordenação motora foram as manifestações neurológicas que apresentaram frequência de ocorrência significativa (P<0,05). Uma associação direta foi observada entre a presença de ceratoconjuntivite e a identificação de virúria pelo CDV. Esses achados sugerem que a excreção do CDV pela urina em cães com sinais clínicos compatíveis com cinomose pode não ser relacionada com a idade do animal, e que animais sintomáticos podem apresentar manifestações clínicas atribuídas ao CDV, porém sem a caracterização de virúria por RT-PCR. Adicionalmente, análises filogenéticas sugerem que várias cepas de CDV podem estar circulando em populações caninas de áreas urbanas no Brasil.

Bovine genetic resistance effects on biological traits of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

This study aimed to verify the influence of bovine genetic resistance on biological traits of the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick. Genetic resistance or susceptibility was determined according to breeding values for tick counts, predicted using a dataset of 9007 Hereford and Braford (Hereford×Zebu) bovines naturally infested and raised under extensive production systems in southern Brazil. From a total of 974 Braford heifers born in 2008, 20 were classified as genetically tick-resistant and 20 classified as genetically tick-susceptible, and used to obtain the ticks samples used in this study. The 40 heifers were exposed to four subsequent artificial infestations with approximately 20,000 larvae at 14-day intervals. From the 19th to 23rd day of each infestation tick counts were performed on the left body side of the heifers. Engorged ticks were manually collected on the day of highest observed burden after each infestation. Tick counts on susceptible heifers were 5.5, 10.5, 11.1 and 6.9 times larger than on resistant heifers, respectively, after the first, second, third and fourth artificial infestations. In the third infestation, ticks from resistant heifers showed lower egg production index (P<0.0001) than ticks from susceptible heifers. In the fourth infestation, ticks from susceptible group showed higher egg mass weight (P<0.05) and nutrient index (P<0.0001) than ticks from resistant heifers. Tick initial weights showed a positive association with egg production index in susceptible heifers (P<0.05) and a negative association in the resistant group (P<0.05), suggesting a host defense mechanism that reduces the conversion efficiency of ingested blood to eggs in engorged ticks from resistant cattle. This shows that bovine genetic tick resistance, in addition to affecting the number of ticks carried by the animals, also affected the egg mass weight, egg production and nutrient indexes of ticks. The results of the present study imply that the selection of resistant animals could be used as a strategic tool for tick control in production systems, reducing infestation levels on cattle and environment.

Malignant syphilis in an AIDS patient.

Malignant syphilis is an uncommon, but not unknown, ulcerative variation of secondary syphilis. The lesions typically begin as papules, which quickly evolve to pustules and then to ulcers with elevated edges and central necrosis. It is usually, but not mandatory, found in patients with some level of immunosuppression, such as HIV patients, when the TCD4(+) cell count is >200 cells/mm(3). Despite the anxiety the lesions cause, this form of the disease has a good prognosis. The general symptoms disappear right after the beginning of treatment, and lesions disappear over a variable period. This study reports the case of a 27-year-old man who has been HIV positive for 6 years, uses antiretroviral therapy incorrectly, has a TCD4(+) cell count of 340 cells/mm(3), a VDRL of 1:128 and itchy disseminated hyperchromic maculopapular lesions with rupioid crusts compatible with malignant syphilis.

Comparison of PCR with stained slides of bone marrow and lymph nodes aspirates with suspect diagnosis for leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is a disseminated protozoan infection caused by Leishmania donovani complex. Traditionally the definite diagnosis is made by amastigote detection in the tissue. The aim this study was to evaluate the PCR technique in stained slides of bone marrow and lymph nodes aspirates with suspect diagnosis for leishmaniasis. Slides were selected totaling 62 suspect cases (33 bone marrow samples and 29 lymph node samples) and 17 positive cases (8 bone marrow and 9 lymph node). From 62 suspect cases, 39 (62.90%) were confirmed to be positive being 17 (n=29) lymph node aspirates and 22 (n=33) bone marrow. This finding is in agreement with the higher sensitivity of the PCR assay compared to direct microscopic observation. In conclusion, the findings of this study supports the use of PCR on archive cytological preparation stained slides for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis, emphasizing the higher sensitivity of this technique when compared to direct microscopic examination and mostly the use of the suspect status for the cytology samples that presents the previously mentioned particularities with focus on detecting the oligosymptomatic or assymptomatic dogs in endemic areas functioning as potential reservoirs for this disease.

Comparative validation of single-shot optical techniques for laparoscopic 3-D surface reconstruction.

Intra-operative imaging techniques for obtaining the shape and morphology of soft-tissue surfaces in vivo are a key enabling technology for advanced surgical systems. Different optical techniques for 3-D surface reconstruction in laparoscopy have been proposed, however, so far no quantitative and comparative validation has been performed. Furthermore, robustness of the methods to clinically important factors like smoke or bleeding has not yet been assessed. To address these issues, we have formed a joint international initiative with the aim of validating different state-of-the-art passive and active reconstruction methods in a comparative manner. In this comprehensive in vitro study, we investigated reconstruction accuracy using different organs with various shape and texture and also tested reconstruction robustness with respect to a number of factors like the pose of the endoscope as well as the amount of blood or smoke present in the scene. The study suggests complementary advantages of the different techniques with respect to accuracy, robustness, point density, hardware complexity and computation time. While reconstruction accuracy under ideal conditions was generally high, robustness is a remaining issue to be addressed. Future work should include sensor fusion and in vivo validation studies in a specific clinical context. To trigger further research in surface reconstruction, stereoscopic data of the study will be made publically available at www.open-CAS.com upon publication of the paper.

Accounting for anisotropic noise in fine registration of time-of-flight range data with high-resolution surface data.

Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors have become a considerable alternative to conventional surface acquisition techniques such as laser range scanning and stereo vision. Application of ToF cameras for the purpose of intra-operative registration requires matching of the noisy surfaces generated from ToF range data onto pre-interventionally acquired high-resolution surfaces. The contribution of this paper is twofold: Firstly, we present a novel method for fine rigid registration of noisy ToF data with high-resolution surface meshes taking into account both, the noise characteristics of ToF cameras and the resolution of the target mesh. Secondly, we introduce an evaluation framework for assessing the performance of ToF registration methods based on physically realistic ToF range data generated from a virtual scence. According to experiments within the presented evaluation framework, the proposed method outperforms the standard ICP algorithm with respect to correspondence search and transformation computation, leading to a decrease in the target registration error (TRE) of more than 70%.

Prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dairy cattle, dogs, and humans from the Jauru micro-region, Mato Grosso state, Brazil.

In order to determine the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, 2000 serum samples from female dairy cattle belonging to 50 farms in the southwest of Mato Grosso state were analyzed by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT> or =64). Serum samples from 61 dogs (IFAT> or =40) and 116 humans (IFAT=40), all from the same farm, were also tested. Among these samples, 1420 (71.0%) cattle, 54 (88.5%) dogs, and 113 (97.4%) humans were seropositive for the infection. No significant differences (P> or =0.05) were observed for risk factors associated with the occurrence of toxoplasmosis in humans due to contaminated sources such as fresh milk, cheese/sausage, and contact with felines or other animals. The presence of felines can indicate the likelihood of a contaminated environment, posing a risk to the human population and other animals. The work presented herein is the first report to evaluate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in bovines from the Southwest region of the Mato Grosso state, Brazil.

Biologic and genetic comparison of Toxoplasma gondii isolates in free-range chickens from the northern Pará state and the southern state Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil revealed highly diverse and distinct parasite populations.

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in 84 free-range chickens (34 from the northern Pará state, and 50 from Rio Grande do Sul, the southern state) from Brazil, South America was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT), and found in 39 (46.4%) of 84 chickens with titers of 1:10 in one, 1:20 in two, 1:40 in four, 1:80 in seven, 1:160 in five, 1:320 in six, 1:640 in eight and > or =1:1280 in six. Hearts and brains of 45 chickens with titers of 1:20 or less were pooled and fed to two T. gondii-free cats. Hearts and brains of 39 chickens with titers of 1:10 or higher were bioassayed in mice. Feces of cats were examined for oocysts. One cat fed tissues from 31 chickens with titers of less than 1:10 from Rio Grande do Sul shed T. gondii oocysts. T. gondii was isolated by bioassay in mice from 33 chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or higher. All infected mice from 10 isolates died of toxoplasmosis. All 34 isolates (15 from Pará, 19 from Rio Grande do Sul) were genotyped using 11 genetic markers including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, a new SAG2 and Apico. Eleven genotypes were revealed for Pará isolates and seven genotypes for Rio Grande do Sul. No genotype was shared between the two geographical locations. These data suggest that T. gondii isolates are highly diverse and genetically distinct between the two different regions in Brazil that are 3500 km apart.

Developmental norms for eight instruments used in the neuropsychological assessment of children: studies in Brazil.

Norms for a battery of instruments, including Denckla's and Garfield's tests of Motor Persistence, Benton's Right-Left Discrimination, two recall modalities (Immediate and Delayed) of the Bender Test, Wechsler's Digit Span, the Color Span Test and the Human Figure Drawing Test, were developed for the neuropsychological assessment of children in the greater Rio de Janeiro area. Additionally, the behavior of each child was assessed with the Composite Teacher Rating Scale (Brito GNO and Pinto RCA (1991) Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 13: 417-418). A total of 398 children (199 boys and 199 girls balanced for age) with a mean age of 9.3 years (SD = 2.8), who were attending a public school in Niterói, were the subjects of this study. Gender and age had significant effects on performance which depended on the instrument. Nonachievers performed worse than achievers in most neuropsychological tests. Comparison of our data to the available counterparts in the United States revealed that American children outperformed Brazilian children on the Right-Left Discrimination, Forward Digit Span, Color Span and Human Figure Drawing Tests. Further analysis showed that the neurobehavioral data consist of different factorial dimensions, including Human Body Representation, Motor Persistence of the Legs, Orbito-Orobuccal Motor Persistence, Attention-Memory, Visuospatial Memory, Neuropsychomotor Speed, Hyperactivity-Inattention, and Anxiety-Negative Socialization. We conclude that gender and age should be taken into account when using the normative data for most of the instruments studied in the present report. Furthermore, we stress the need for major changes in the Brazilian public school system in order to foster the development of secondary cognitive abilities in our children.

Developmental norms for eight instruments used in the neuropsychological assessment of children: studies in Brazil

Norms for a battery of instruments, including Denckla's and Garfield's tests of Motor Persistence, Benton's Right-Left Discrimination, two recall modalities (Immediate and Delayed) of the Bender Test, Wechsler's Digit Span, the Color Span Test and the Human Figure Drawing Test, were developed for the neuropsychological assessment of children in the greater Rio de Janeiro area. Additionally, the behavior of each child was assessed with the Composite Teacher Rating Scale (Brito GNO and Pinto RCA (1991) Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 13:417-418). A total of 398 children (199 boys and 199 girls balanced for age) with a mean age of 9.3 years (SD=2.8), who were attending a public school in Niterói, were the subjects of this study. Gender and age had significant effects on performance which depended on the instrument. Nonachievers performed worse than achievers in most neuropsychological tests. Comparison of our data to the available counterparts in the United States revealed that American children outperformed Brazilian children on the Right-Left Discrimination, Forward Digit Span, Color Span and Human Figure Drawing Tests. Further analysis showed that the neurobehavioral data consist of different factorial dimensions, including Human Body Representation, Motor Persistence of the Legs, Orbito-Orobuccal Motor Persistence, Attention-Memory, Visuospatial Memory, Neuropsychomotor Speed, Hyperactivity-Inattention, and Anxiety-Negative Socialization. We conclude that gender and age should be taken into account when using the normative data for most of the instruments studied in the present report. Furthermore, we stress the need for major changes in the Brazilian public school system in order to foster the development of secondary cognitive abilities in our children.

The Bender Gestalt test for 5- to 15-year old Brazilian children: norms and validity.

Norms for two modalities (normal and stress) of the Bender Gestalt test were developed for the neuropsychological assessment of children in the greater Rio de Janeiro area. For each modality, a measure of performance, a measure of speed and a measure of emotional disturbance were obtained. A total of 398 children (199 males and 199 females), 5 to 15 years old, who were attending a public school in Niterói were the subjects of this study. Analysis of the data revealed that age, but not sex, had a significant effect on performance, but not on speed, in both modalities such that older children made fewer errors than younger children. Also, the number of emotional indicators significantly decreased with age. Additionally, boys needed more time to complete the normal modality than girls, and showed a higher number of emotional indicators in both modalities. The Bender test was found to be valid in the sense that children who had failed at least one grade in school performed worse than those who had not. The number of emotional indicators was shown to be valid since it was significantly correlated with factors such as hyperactivity-conduct problem, and independent functioning, and inattention of the Composite Teacher Rating Scale (Brito GNO and Pinto RCA (1991). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 13: 417-418). We conclude that the Bender test is valid for use in schoolchildren, and the number of emotional indicators is valid as an index of psychopathology, but sex and age should be considered when using the norms in Brazil.

The Bender Gestalt test for 5-to 15-year old Brazilian children: norms and validity

Norms for two modalities (normal and stress) of the Bender Gestalt test were developed for the neuropsychological assessment of children in the greater Rio de Janeiro area. For each modality, a measure of performance, a measure of speed and a measure of emotional disturbance were obtained. A total of 398 children (l99 males and 199 females), 5 to 15 years old, who were attending a public school in Niterói were the subjects of this study. Analysis of the data revealed that age, but not sex, had a significant effect on performance, but not on speed, in both modalities such that older children made fewer errors than younger children. Also, the number of emotional indicators significantly decreased with age. Additionally, boys needed more time to complete the normal modality than girls, and showed a higher number of emotional indicators in both modalities. The Bender test was found to be valid in the sense that children who had failed at least one grade in school performed worse than those who had not. The number of emotional indicators was shown to be valid since it was significantly correlated with factors such as hyperactivity-conduct problem, and independent functioning, and inattention of the Composite Teacher Rating Scale (Brito GNO and Pinto RCA (l991). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 13: 417418). We conclude that the Bender test is valid for use in schoolchildren, and the number of emotional indicators is valid as an index of psychopathology, but sex and age should be considered when using the norms in Brazil.

Utilizaçäo da forrageira Melinis minutiflora (capim-gordura) no controle alternativo do carrapato Boophilus microplus / Utilization of fodder Melinis minutiflora (molasses grass) in the alternative control of tick Boophilus microplus

O parasitismo de bovinos pelo carrapato Boophilus microplus torna-se cada vez maior, pela crescente necessidade de produçäo em áreas menores, o que favorece as reinfestaçöes. Como a pastagem exerce papel importante na fase de vida livre das larvas e ovos, os autores realizaram o presente trabalho para verificar a capacidade do capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora) como fator limitante da populaçäo de carrapatos. O estudo demonstrou a viabilidade do uso desse capim no controle alternativo do carrapato, os autores recomendando novos estudos complementares.