Increased Amazon carbon emissions mainly from decline in law enforcement.

The Amazon forest carbon sink is declining, mainly as a result of land-use and climate change1-4. Here we investigate how changes in law enforcement of environmental protection policies may have affected the Amazonian carbon balance between 2010 and 2018 compared with 2019 and 2020, based on atmospheric CO2 vertical profiles5,6, deforestation7 and fire data8, as well as infraction notices related to illegal deforestation9. We estimate that Amazonia carbon emissions increased from a mean of 0.24 ± 0.08 PgC year-1 in 2010-2018 to 0.44 ± 0.10 PgC year-1 in 2019 and 0.52 ± 0.10 PgC year-1 in 2020 (± uncertainty). The observed increases in deforestation were 82% and 77% (94% accuracy) and burned area were 14% and 42% in 2019 and 2020 compared with the 2010-2018 mean, respectively. We find that the numbers of notifications of infractions against flora decreased by 30% and 54% and fines paid by 74% and 89% in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Carbon losses during 2019-2020 were comparable with those of the record warm El Niño (2015-2016) without an extreme drought event. Statistical tests show that the observed differences between the 2010-2018 mean and 2019-2020 are unlikely to have arisen by chance. The changes in the carbon budget of Amazonia during 2019-2020 were mainly because of western Amazonia becoming a carbon source. Our results indicate that a decline in law enforcement led to increases in deforestation, biomass burning and forest degradation, which increased carbon emissions and enhanced drying and warming of the Amazon forests.

Trends on Aerogel-Based Biosensors for Medical Applications: An Overview.

Aerogels are unique solid-state materials composed of interconnected 3D solid networks and a large number of air-filled pores. This structure leads to extended structural characteristics as well as physicochemical properties of the nanoscale building blocks to macroscale, and integrated typical features of aerogels, such as high porosity, large surface area, and low density, with specific properties of the various constituents. Due to their combination of excellent properties, aerogels attract much interest in various applications, ranging from medicine to construction. In recent decades, their potential was exploited in many aerogels' materials, either organic, inorganic or hybrid. Considerable research efforts in recent years have been devoted to the development of aerogel-based biosensors and encouraging accomplishments have been achieved. In this work, recent (2018-2023) and ground-breaking advances in the preparation, classification, and physicochemical properties of aerogels and their sensing applications are presented. Different types of biosensors in which aerogels play a fundamental role are being explored and are collected in this manuscript. Moreover, the current challenges and some perspectives for the development of high-performance aerogel-based biosensors are summarized.

Integration of experiment and computational modeling on the Tb doping process in CaMoO4 obtained by USP method: An efficient way to obtain photoluminescent materials.

In this paper, we present a combined experimental and theoretical study to disclose, the structure, electronic and optical properties of CaMoO 4 :xTb 3+ ( x = 1%, 2%, and 4%) microspheres. The microspheres were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method and characterized by experimental and theoretical techniques. Theoretical calculations and XRD patterns indicate that these crystals have a scheelite-type tetragonal structure. The morphology of the CaMoO 4 :xTb 3+ ( x = 1%, 2% and 4% mol) samples were investigated from the FEG-SEM results and the formation of microspheres with a spherical shape were observed. The optical properties were investigated by UV-Vis and PL spectroscopy, as well as the chromaticity coordinates of these compounds. This also allowed us to understand the charge transfer process that happens in the singlet state and the excited states, generating the photoluminescence emissions of the Tb doping process in CaMoO 4 microspheres.

Mean glandular dose in digital mamography in women with breast implants.

PURPOSE: Mean Glandular Dose (MGD) is the quantity related to the risk of radiation-induced breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the MGD in screening mammography for women with breast implants. METHODS: This retrospective study used data of 2680 mammographies of 335 asymptomatic women with mammary implants examined in a digital direct x-ray unit. Each woman had a total of eight images: four in standard views and four with posterior displacement of the implant (ID). Data on kV, mAs, target/filter combination, compressed breast thickness and MGD were obtained from the DICOM header of the stored images. Quantitative variables were presented through descriptive statistics for median (5th-95th percentiles); and the qualitative variables were presented by numbers and percentages. Mean glandular doses of standard views and ID views were compared and statistical analysis was used to assess the influence of implant position, breast glandularity and thickness on mean glandular doses. RESULTS: Median MGD for standard views were 3.30 (2.60-4.00) mGy for CC and 3.31 (2.70-4.20) mGy for MLO. For ID views, median were 1.20 (0.90-2.20) mGy and 1.40 (0.97-3.74) mGy for CC and MLO views, respectively. Median MGD for the whole examination of women with breast implants was 9.60 (7.92-12.07) mGy, ranging from 6.25 to 21.50 mGy. When comparing MGD median for standard and ID views it was found a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05), with higher doses for the standard views due to the greater compressed breast thickness in these views. It was observed that, in the standard views, MGD decreases with increasing breast thickness due to the manual radiographic techniques used to expose the women. It was also observed that implant position does not affect MGD in breast augmentation mammography. CONCLUSION: Mammography of women with mammary implants gives higher radiation doses when compared with those without implants. For more accurate dose assessment in augmented breast mammography, it is necessary that specific conversion factors for the calculation of MGD based on air kerma at entrance of breasts with implants are made available.

Behavioral profile assessment in offspring of Swiss mice treated during pregnancy and lactation with caffeine.

The association between caffeine consumption and various psychiatric manifestations has long been observed. The objective was to assess the behavioral profile in offspring of Swiss mice treated during pregnancy and lactation with caffeine. For this purpose, two groups (n = 6 each and BW ~ 35 g) of female mice were treated during pregnancy and lactation by: tap water and caffeine solution at a concentration of 0.3 mg/mL through oral route. The offspring obtained, by completing 70 days of life, was underwent a behavioral battery test. Statistical analysis was performed by student t test and the different significance adopted was p < 0.05. According to our results, it was not found any significant differences in tail suspension and forced swimming tests. In anxiety related responses however, the mice of caffeine group had greater number of fecal pellets (178 %, p = 0.001) in the open field test, higher number of attempts (51 %, p = 0.03) in light-dark box and decreased percentage of entries in open arms (41 %, p = 0.01) in elevated plus maze test. Moreover, in the marble burying test, there was a significant decrease in the number of buried marbles compared with controls (110 %, p = 0,002). In the meantime, in the von Frey test, it was observed an exacerbation of mechanical allodynia both in basal conditions and after the carrageenan administration (p < 0.001). Furthermore, caffeine treatment during pregnancy and lactation causes long-term behavioral changes in the mice offspring that manifest later in life.

Brazilian antidoping public policy.

Doping, used to improve sports performance, is legally prohibited. This paper describes Brazilian regulations, resolutions, and Federal laws addressing the issue of doping and antidoping which were collected in 2012 from official websites. We conclude that Brazilian laws have constrained doping, and have been updated over the years to conform to worldwide legal guidelines. Study limitations are noted.

EPO use by Brazilian athletes since 2000.

Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein hormone whose physiologic function is to stimulate the production of red blood cells. This study's aim was to survey Brazilian athletes who have tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) since 2000. This documentary research, carried out during 2012, is based on two website searches from two national Brazilian magazines. Ten Brazilian athletes tested positive for EPO use between 2003 and 2012; most of them were field and track athletes. The study's limitations are noted.

Organic electrochemical transistors printed from degradable materials as disposable biochemical sensors.

Transient electronics hold promise in reducing electronic waste, especially in applications that require only a limited lifetime. While various degradable electronic and physical sensing devices have been proposed, there is growing interest in the development of degradable biochemical sensors. In this work, we present the development of an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) with degradable electrodes, printed on an eco- and bioresorbable substrate. The influence of the design and materials for the contacts, channel and gate of the transducer, namely poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and carbon, is systematically evaluated for the development of OECT-based transient biosensors. The sensing capabilities of the electrochemical transistors are demonstrated with ionic solutions as well as for the enzyme-based detection of glucose. The disposable OECTs show comparable performance to their non-degradable counterparts. Their integration with highly conductive degradable and printable zinc tracks is studied for the realization of interconnects. These eco-friendly OECTs may find applications as disposable and sustainable biochemical sensors, and constitute a step towards bioresorbable biosensors.

Improvement of the Mechanical Properties of Silica Aerogels for Thermal Insulation Applications through a Combination of Aramid Nanofibres and Microfibres.

Reinforcement of silica aerogels, remarkable lightweight mesoporous materials with outstanding insulation performance, is still a challenging research topic. Among the strategies used to overcome their brittleness, one of the most effective is the manufacturing of aerogel composites with embedded fibres. In this work, the incorporation of nanofibres together with microfibres in a tetraethoxysilane-vinyltrimethoxysilane matrix is investigated for the first time for the development of novel aerogel nanocomposites. The nanofibres, synthesized from different aramid fibres, including Kevlar® pulp, Technora®, Teijinconex® and Twaron® fibres, were used in different combinations with microaramids and the resulting nanocomposites were thoroughly investigated for their physicochemical and thermomechanical features. The properties depended on the type and amount of the nano/microfibre used. While the microfibres exhibited low interaction with the silica matrix, the higher surface of the nanofibres ensured increased contact with the gel matrix. A low bulk density of 161 kg m-3 and thermal conductivity of 38.3 mW m-1 K-1 (Hot Disk®) was achieved when combining the nanofibres obtained from Kevlar® pulp with the Technora® or Teijinconex® long fibres. The nanofibres showed higher dispersion and random orientation and in combination with microfibres led to the improvement by a factor of three regarding the mechanical properties of the aerogel nanocomposites reinforced only with microfibres. The scale-up process of the samples and simulated tests of thermal cycling and vacuum outgassing successfully conducted indicate good compliance with space applications.

Habitual physical activity and sedentary behavior as predictors of dynapenia in older adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Dynapenia is a risk factor of mortality. Therefore, the development of low-cost and easy-to-apply tools is essential to optimize the health surveillance actions of older people. OBJECTIVES: To compare the time spent on habitual physical activity (HPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) among dynapenic and non-dynapenic older adults and ascertain the predictive ability of these behaviors on outcome. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional population epidemiological survey was conducted involving 208 older adults. METHODS: HPA and SB were quantified using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and dynapenia was identified by handgrip strength (women: 18.37 kgf; men: 26.75 kgf). RESULTS: The prevalence was 24.50%. In both sexes, dynapenic individuals reported a HPA median time of 70.00 minutes/week (min/wk), while non-dynapenic women and men reported HPA median times of 240.00 and 280.00 min/wk, respectively (P < 0.05). For SB among dynapenic individuals, a median of 388.75 min/day was observed in women and 428.57 min/d in men. In contrast, non-dynapenic women and men had 291.42 and 274.28 min/day in SB (P < 0.05), respectively. The best cutoff HPA to discriminate the outcome was 150.00 min/wk in women (sensitivity: 73.30%; specificity: 60.67%) and 140.00 min/wk in men (sensitivity, 71.43%; specificity, 61.54%). The best cutoff SB was 381.43 min/day in women (sensitivity, 53.30%; specificity, 84.80%) and 351.43 min/day in men (sensitivity, 71.43%; specificity, 73.85%). CONCLUSION: Older individuals with dynapenia spent less time on HPA and more time in SB. Furthermore, HPA was found to be a better discriminator of dynapenic individuals, and SB better discriminated non-dynapenic individuals.

Correlating Coffea canephora 3D architecture to plant photosynthesis at a daily scale and vegetative biomass allocation.

Coffea canephora (C. canephora) has two botanical varieties, Robusta and Conilon. Intraspecific variability was hypothesized and projected for the selection of C. canephora plants able to maintain production in the context of global climate changes. For that, architectural, C-assimilation and biomass analyses were performed on 17-month-old Robusta (clones 'A1' and '3 V') and Conilon (clones '14' and '19') varieties grown in non-limiting soil, water and mineral nutrient conditions. Nondestructive coffee plant architecture coding, reconstruction and plant photosynthesis estimations were performed using a functional-structural plant modeling platform OpenAlea. 3D reconstructions and inclusion of parameters calculated and estimated from light response curves, such as dark respiration (Rd), maximum rate of carboxylation of RuBisCO and photosynthetic electron transport allowed the estimation of instantaneous and daily plant photosynthesis. The virtual orchard leaf area index was low, and light was not a limiting factor in early C. canephora development stages. Under such conditions, Robusta assimilated more CO2 at the plant and orchard scale and produced higher total biomass than Conilon. Lower plant daily photosynthesis and total biomass were correlated to higher Rd in Conilon than in Robusta. Among the architectural traits, leaf inclination, size and allometry were most highly correlated with plant assimilation and biomass. Relative allocation in leaf biomass was higher in '19' Conilon than in young Robusta plants, indicating intraspecific biomass partitioning. Similarly, variation in relative distribution of the root biomass and the root volume reflected clonal variation in soil occupation, indicating intraspecific variability in space occupation competitiveness. Coffea canephora denoted high root allocation in both Conilon and Robusta clones. However, relevant differences at subspecific levels were found, indicating the high potential of C. canephora to cope with drought events, which are expected to occur more frequently in the future, because of climate changes. The methodology developed here has the potential to be used for other crops and tree species. Highlights Functional-structural plant model was used to estimate photosynthesis on a plant and daily scales in Coffea canephora (C. canephora). Among the architectural traits, leaf shape and inclination had the most impact on photosynthesis and biomass. Under non-limiting conditions, Robusta had higher plant photosynthesis and biomass than Conilon. A higher leaf biomass allocation in Conilon clone '19' than in Robusta suggested variety-specific partitioning. Variation in the relative distribution of the root biomass indicated C. canephora intraspecific soil occupation variability.

ONLAY VERSUS RIVES-STOPPA TECHNIQUES IN THE TREATMENT OF INCISIONAL HERNIAS.

BACKGROUND: In the surgical correction of large incisional hernias, the use of a prosthesis is essential in most cases regardless of the technique chosen. The preference is for the polypropylene prosthesis. AIMS: To compare the onlay and Rives-Stoppa techniques in the correction of incisional hernias, their immediate results, complications, advantages, and disadvantages. METHODS: Two groups of patients with incisional hernias were analyzed, submitted to the onlay (19 patients) and Rives-Stoppa (17 patients) techniques, and that used polypropylene prostheses. General epidemiological variables, perioperative data variables, and postoperative complications were assessed. RESULTS: The patients' epidemiologic profile was similar between both groups. The majority were women (58.4%), with a mean age of 65.5 years and a previous mean body mass index of 41.5 kg/m². The Rives-Stoppa technique was employed in most patients (52.7%). Those submitted to the onlay technique had longer abdominal drainage time and longer hospital stay, as well as a higher incidence of seromas and surgical wound infection. CONCLUSIONS: The incisional herniorrhaphy technique with the placement of a pre-peritoneal polypropylene mesh by the Rives-Stoppa technique was superior to the onlay due to lower rates of drain use, hospital stay, and postoperative complications.

Water deprivation induces hypoactivity in rats independently of oxytocin receptor signaling at the central amygdala.

Introduction: Vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) are neuropeptides produced by magnocellular neurons (MCNs) of the hypothalamus and secreted through neurohypophysis to defend mammals against dehydration. It was recently demonstrated that MCNs also project to limbic structures, modulating several behavioral responses. Methods and Results: We found that 24 h of water deprivation (WD) or salt loading (SL) did not change exploration or anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. However, rats deprived of water for 48 h showed reduced exploration of open field and the closed arms of EPM, indicating hypoactivity during night time. We evaluated mRNA expression of glutamate decarboxylase 1 (Gad1), vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (Slc17a6), AVP (Avpr1a) and OXT (Oxtr) receptors in the lateral habenula (LHb), basolateral (BLA) and central (CeA) amygdala after 48 h of WD or SL. WD, but not SL, increased Oxtr mRNA expression in the CeA. Bilateral pharmacological inhibition of OXTR function in the CeA with the OXTR antagonist L-371,257 was performed to evaluate its possible role in regulating the EPM exploration or water intake induced by WD. The blockade of OXTR in the CeA did not reverse the hypoactivity response in the EPM, nor did it change water intake induced in 48-h water-deprived rats. Discussion: We found that WD modulates exploratory activity in rats, but this response is not mediated by oxytocin receptor signaling to the CeA, despite the upregulated Oxtr mRNA expression in that structure after WD for 48 h.

Perinatal N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester administration decreases anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in adult mice.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that perinatal manipulations of the nitrergic system would affect adult animal behaviors. METHODS: We tested this hypothesis by perinatally administering N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a non-specific antagonist of nitric oxide synthase for 15 days and assessed anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in adult mice. At 70 days of age, the mice were subjected to a battery of tests consisting of the open-field, light/dark box, forced swim, and tail-flick tests. The tests were performed at two-day intervals, and the order of the tests within the battery was determined according to the progressive invasiveness degree. RESULTS: L-NAME-treated animals exhibited decreased anxiety-like behavior in the light/dark box and open field tests, with no change in locomotor activity. Additionally, they demonstrated decreased depression-like behavior in the forced swim test and no change in pain perception in the tail-flick test. CONCLUSION: The nitrergic system is possibly involved in neural circuitry development that regulates behaviors since blocking perinatal nitric oxide production decreases anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in adult mice.

Neonatal D-fenfluramine treatment promotes long-term behavioral changes in adult mice.

Serotonin exerts a significant role in the mammalian central nervous system embryogenesis and brain ontogeny. Therefore, we investigate the effect of neonatal treatment of d-fenfluramine (d-FEN), a serotonin (5-HT) releaser, on the behavioral expression of adult male Swiss mice. For this purpose, we divided pregnant female Swiss mice into two groups (n = 6 each and ~35 g). Their offspring were treated with d-FEN (3 mg/kg, s.c.) from postnatal days (PND) 5 to 20. At PND 21, one male puppy of each litter was euthanized; the midbrain and the hippocampus were dissected for RNA analysis. At PND 70, the male offspring underwent a behavioral assessment in the open field, elevated plus-maze, light-dark box, tail suspension, and rotarod test. The programmed animals had a decrease in 5HT1a, serotonin transporter (SERT), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the mesencephalic raphe region. Alternatively, there was a reduction only in the tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH2) and BDNF expression in the hippocampus. In the light-dark box test, offspring of the treated group had higher latency to light and less time on the light side than the control. Also, it was observed less time of immobility in the tail suspension test. We also observed low motor skill learning in the rotarod test. These findings suggest that programming with d-FEN during the neonatal period alters a mesencephalic and hippocampal serotonergic system, promoting anxiety, antidepressant behavior, low coordination, and motor learning in adults.

An overview on alumina-silica-based aerogels.

Silica aerogels are remarkable materials with excellent physicochemical properties, such as high porosity and surface area, along with low density and thermal conductivity. In addition to their outstanding properties, these materials are quite interesting due to the possibility to change their chemistry according to intended applications. However, they also show some disadvantages, like low mechanical strength and poor dimensional stability under high temperatures (above 600 °C). Although these aerogels are frequently used as thermal insulators, for high temperature environments some of their properties need to be improved. The mixing with other ceramic thermally resistant phases is a viable approach. Thus, this work presents an overview on alumina-silica-based aerogels, describing their synthesis, processing and properties. The improvement on their properties will be discussed as a function of the amount of refractory phase (alumina) in the silica matrix. The introduction of the alumina phase makes them stable until 1200-1400 °C, maintaining low values of thermal conductivity at very high temperature (below 81 mW m-1 K-1). Finally, a brief survey on the most promising applications of these materials is presented, with several examples. In catalysis, alumina-silica aerogels have shown equivalent performance when compared to reference catalysts. In the field of thermal insulation, these materials show great potential, especially in high temperatures environments, due to their thermal dimensional stability and inherent low thermal conductivity. As adsorbents, higher stability and adsorption capacity were obtained with the incorporation of the alumina phase in silica aerogels, and these materials can be reused for repeated adsorption/desorption cycles. Indeed, a significant improvement of the aerogel performance by the synergetic effect of combining silica and alumina phases is usually obtained, supporting the expectation of the extension of their fields of application.

Optimization of Polyamide Pulp-Reinforced Silica Aerogel Composites for Thermal Protection Systems.

The present work describes for the first time the preparation of silica-based aerogel composites containing tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) reinforced with Kevlar® pulp. The developed system was extensively investigated, regarding its physical, morphological, thermal and mechanical features. The obtained bulk density values were satisfactory, down to 208 kg·m-3, and very good thermal properties were achieved-namely a thermal conductivity as low as 26 mW·m-1·K-1 (Hot Disk®) and thermal stability up to 550 °C. The introduction of VTMS offers a better dispersion of the polyamide fibers, as well as a higher hydrophobicity and thermal stability of the composites. The aerogels were also able to withstand five compression-decompression cycles without significant change of their size or microstructure. A design of experiment (DOE) was performed to assess the influence of different synthesis parameters, including silica co-precursors ratio, pulp amount and the solvent/Si molar ratio on the nanocomposite properties. The data obtained from the DOE allowed us to understand the significance of each parameter, offering reliable guidelines for the adjustment of the experimental procedure in order to achieve the optimum properties of the studied aerogel composites.

Sociodemographic determinants associated with physical activity level of quilombolas in the Brazilian state of Bahia: 2016 survey. / Determinantes sociodemográficos associados ao nível de atividade física de quilombolas baianos, inquérito de 2016.

Objective to analyze sociodemographic variables associated with insufficient physical activity level in Bahian quilombolas. Methods this was a cross-sectional study with data on sociodemographic characteristics and level of physical activity using a standardized form, administered through interviews with a representative sample of adults living in quilombos in the geographical region of Bahia; crude and adjusted logistic regression was used. Results 850 participants were included whose average age was 45.0+17.0 years; 61.2% were female; prevalence of physical inactivity was 21.9% (95%CI 19.1; 24.7); insufficient physical activity level among adult quilombolas was higher among the elderly (OR 2.12; 95%CI 1.29; 3.49) and individuals who did not work (OR 1.47; 95%CI 1.01; 2, 14). Conclusion being elderly and not working is associated with insufficient physical activity in quilombolas.

Cofilin-1 Is a Mechanosensitive Regulator of Transcription.

The mechanical properties of the extracellular environment are interrogated by cells and integrated through mechanotransduction. Many cellular processes depend on actomyosin-dependent contractility, which is influenced by the microenvironment's stiffness. Here, we explored the influence of substrate stiffness on the proteome of proliferating undifferentiated human umbilical cord-matrix mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. The relative abundance of several proteins changed significantly by expanding cells on soft (∼3 kPa) or stiff substrates (GPa). Many such proteins are associated with the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, a major player of mechanotransduction and cell physiology in response to mechanical cues. Specifically, Cofilin-1 levels were elevated in cells cultured on soft comparing with stiff substrates. Furthermore, Cofilin-1 was de-phosphorylated (active) and present in the nuclei of cells kept on soft substrates, in contrast with phosphorylated (inactive) and widespread distribution in cells on stiff. Soft substrates promoted Cofilin-1-dependent increased RNA transcription and faster RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription elongation. Cofilin-1 is part of a novel mechanism linking mechanotransduction and transcription.

Anabolic steroid excess promotes hydroelectrolytic and autonomic imbalance in adult male rats: Is it enough to alter blood pressure?

AIM: The present study investigated the effects of anabolic steroid (AS) excess on blood pressure regulation. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were treated with nandrolone decanoate (AS) or vehicle (CTL) for 8 or 10 weeks. Saline (1.8%) and water intake were measured in metabolic cages. Urinary volume, osmolarity, Na+ and K+ concentrations, and plasma osmolarity were measured. The autonomic balance was estimated by heart rate variability at baseline or after icv injection of losartan. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and ex vivo recordings. Myocardial collagen deposition was evaluated by Picrosirius-Red staining. Vascular reactivity and wall thickness were investigated in aortic sections. Blood pressure (BP) was assessed by tail-cuff plethysmography. Angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R), renin, and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA expression was measured in the kidneys and whole hypothalamus. RESULTS: AS group exhibited decreased urinary volume and Na+ concentration, while urinary K+ concentration, plasma osmolarity, and renal AT1R and renin mRNA levels were increased compared to CTL (p < 0.05). Water intake was increased, and saline intake was decreased in the AS group (p < 0.01). AS group exhibited increased low-frequency/high-frequency-ratio, while it was decreased by icv injection of losartan (p < 0.05) compared to baseline. Neither cardiac function nor vascular reactivity/morphology was affected by AS excess (p > 0.05). Ultimately, BP levels were not altered by AS excess (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: AS excess promoted hydroelectrolytic and autonomic imbalance but did not alter vascular or cardiac function/morphology.