Glass-coated ferromagnetic microwire-induced magnetic hyperthermia for in vitro cancer cell treatment.

Limitations in effectiveness and the invasive nature of current cancer treatment options emphasize the need for further clinical advancements. Among other approaches, targeted hyperthermia is as a new strategy aimed at targeting cancerous cells to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy or cytotoxic drugs. However, the testing of magnetic vehicles has mainly focused on the use of nanoparticles. In this work, Fe77B10Si10C3 glass-coated amorphous magnetic microwires were assessed for the first time as magnetic vehicles with high potential for the localized heating of osteosarcoma cells by means of an AC magnetic field. The results from the in vitro assays performed inside a microfluidic device demonstrated the ability of these magnetic microwires to induce malignant cell death. Exposing the system to different magnetic fields for less than 1 h provoked a reduction up to 89% of the osteosarcoma cell population, whereas healthy myoblastoma cells remained nearly unaffected. The proposed technology demonstrates in vitro the effectiveness of these microwires as vehicles for targeted magnetic hyperthermia.

Effectiveness of nanoencapsulated methotrexate against osteosarcoma cells: in vitro cytotoxicity under dynamic conditions.

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality in the world, with osteosarcoma being one of the most common types among children between 1 and 14 years old. Current treatments including preoperative chemotherapy, surgery and postoperative chemotherapy produce several side effects with limited effectiveness. The use of lipid nanoparticles as biodegradable shells for controlled drug delivery shows promise as a more effective and targeted tumor treatment. However, in vitro validation of these vehicles is limited due to fluid stagnation in current techniques, in which nanoparticles sediment onto the bottom of the wells killing the cells by asphyxiation. In the current series of experiments, results obtained with methotrexate-lipid nanoparticles under dynamic assay conditions are presented as a promising alternative to current free drug based therapies. Effects on the viability of the U-2 OS osteosarcoma cell line of recirculation of cell media, free methotrexate and blank and methotrexate containing lipid nanoparticles in a 11 µM concentration were successfully assessed. In addition, several designs for the microfluidic platform used were simulated using COMSOL-Multiphysics, optimized devices were fabricated using soft-lithography and simulated parameters were experimentally validated. Nanoparticles did not sediment to the bottom of the platform, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed system. Moreover, encapsulated methotrexate was the most effective treatment, as after 72 h the cell population was reduced nearly 40% while under free methotrexate circulation the cell population doubled. Overall, these results indicate that methotrexate-lipid nanoparticles are a promising targeted therapy for osteosarcoma treatment.

Screening and selection of synthetic peptides for a novel and optimized endotoxin detection method.

The current validated endotoxin detection methods, in spite of being highly sensitive, present several drawbacks in terms of reproducibility, handling and cost. Therefore novel approaches are being carried out in the scientific community to overcome these difficulties. Remarkable efforts are focused on the development of endotoxin-specific biosensors. The key feature of these solutions relies on the proper definition of the capture protocol, especially of the bio-receptor or ligand. The aim of the presented work is the screening and selection of a synthetic peptide specifically designed for LPS detection, as well as the optimization of a procedure for its immobilization onto gold substrates for further application to biosensors.

Immunohistochemical evidence for myofibroblast-like cells associated with liver injury induced by aflatoxin B1 in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

In mammalian species, profibrogenic cells are activated to become myofibroblasts in response to liver damage. Few studies have examined hepatic myofibroblasts and their role in liver damage in teleosts. The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of myofibroblast-like cells in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with hepatic damage induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses characterized alterations in the liver stroma during the carcinogenic process. Anti-human α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and anti-human desmin primary antibodies were used in immunohistochemistry. Only the anti-SMA reagent labelled cells in trout liver. In the livers of control fish, only smooth muscle in blood vessels and around bile ducts was labelled. In the livers from AFB1-treated fish, SMA-positive cells were present in the stroma surrounding neoplastic lesions and in areas of desmoplastic reaction. These observations indicate that in teleosts, as in mammals, the myofibroblast-like cell is involved in fibrosis associated with liver injury. Chronic liver injury induced in trout by aflatoxin may provide a useful model system for study of the evolution of such mechanisms.

Trends in overweight by educational level in 33 low- and middle-income countries: the role of parity, age at first birth and breastfeeding.

This study examined trends in overweight among women of reproductive age by educational level in 33 low- and middle-income countries, and estimated the contribution of parity, age at first birth and breastfeeding to these trends. We used repeated cross-sectional Demographic Health Surveys of 255,828 women aged 25-49 years interviewed between 1992 and 2009. We applied logistic regression to model overweight (>25 kg m(-2) ) as a function of education, reproductive variables and time period by country and region. The prevalence of overweight ranged from 3.4% in South and Southeast Asia to 73.7% in North Africa West/Central Asia during the study period. The association between education and overweight differed across regions. In North Africa West/Central Asia and Latin American, lower education was associated with higher overweight prevalence, while the inverse was true in South/Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. In all regions, there was a consistent pattern of increasing overweight trends across all educational groups. Older age at first birth, longer breastfeeding and lower parity were associated with less overweight, for differences by educational level in overweight prevalence and trends.

Light and scanning electron microscopy of Henneguya arapaima n. sp. (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) and histology of infected sites in pirarucu (Arapaima gigas: Pisces: Arapaimidae) from the Araguaia River, Brazil.

In this report, we describe Henneguya arapaima n. sp., a parasite of the gill arch and gall bladder of Arapaima gigas (pirarucu) collected in the Araguaia River, in the municipality of Nova Crixás, Goiás State, central Brazil. The plasmodia were white, round or ellipsoidal and measured 200-600 microm. Parasite development was asynchronous and the mature spores were fusiform and had smooth wall. The spores measurements were (range, with means+/-S.D. in parentheses): total length-48.4-53.1 microm (51.6+/-3.4 microm), body length-13.5-15.2 microm (14.2+/-0.8 microm), body width-5.1-6.1 microm (5.7+/-0.5 microm), body thickness-4.7-5.3 microm (4.9+/-0.2 microm) and caudal process length-38.0-41.2 microm (38.3+/-2.9 microm). The polar capsules were elongated and of unequal size, with lengths of 6.3-6.8 microm (6.5+/-0.2) and 6.2-6.6 microm (6.3+/-0.1) for the longest and shortest axes, respectively. Capsule width was 1.4-1.6 microm (1.5+/-0.1). Histological analysis showed that the plasmodia occurred in the tunica adventitia of the gall bladder and were delimited by a thin capsule of connective tissue. In the gill arch, the plasmodia were also surrounded by connective tissue similar to the endomesium of striated skeletal muscle cells. Sixty-five juvenile specimens of A. gigas weighing 1.0-25.0 kg were examined, 17 (26.1%) of which were infected. Of these, 14 (82.3%) had cysts in the gall bladder, two (11.7%) had cysts in the gill arch and only one (5.9%) had cysts in both organs. When the fish were grouped by weight, the prevalence of infection in fish weighing up to 10.0 kg (20.7%) was significantly lower than in fish weighing 10.1-25.0 kg (50%) (G=3.93; d.f.=1; p<0.05).

An ultrastructural and histopathological study of Henneguya pellucida n. sp. (Myxosporea: Myxobolidae) infecting Piaractus mesopotamicus (Characidae) cultivated in Brazil.

During a study of myxosporean parasites of cultivated freshwater fish, a new myxosporean species, Henneguya pellucida n. sp., was discovered. Of the 120 Piaractus mesopotamicus sampled, only 10 specimens (8.3%) were infected. Yellow, round plasmodia measuring 0.5-3 mm were found in the serous membrane of the visceral cavity and in the tunica externa of the swim bladder. Sporogenesis was asynchronous, with the earliest developmental stages aligned prevailingly along the endoplasmic periphery and mature spores in the central zone. The mature spores were pear shaped (total length: 33.3 +/- 1.5 microm, mean +/- SD; width: 4.1 +/- 0.4 microm; body length: 11.4 +/- 0.3 microm; caudal process length: 24.1 +/- 1.5 microm). The polar capsules were elongated (length: 4.0 +/- 0.4 microm; width: 1.6 +/- 0.2 microm). The development of the parasite in the swim bladder produced thickening of the tunica externa and a granulomatous reaction. There was no correlation between the prevalence of the parasite and the chemical and physical characteristics of the water. Infection was recorded only in juvenile specimens ranging in size from 9.5 to 20 cm.

Morphological and cytochemical characterization of cell types of the adenohypophysis of Manjuba, Anchoviella lepidentostole (Fowler, 1911) (Osteichthyes, Engraulidae)

A hipófise de Anchoviella lepidentostole apresenta-se dividida em neuro-hipófise e adeno-hipófise, sendo que a caracterizaçäo morfológica e citoquímica dos tipos celulares desta regiäo foi a proposta deste trabalho. A adeno-hipófise divide-se em pars intermedia (PI) e pars distalis (PD), sendo que esta última se divide em pars distalis rostralis (PDR) e pars distalis proximalis (PDP). As células da PDR organizam-se em folículos. No epitélio folicular foram caracterizados quatro tipos celulares: I-PDR (basófilo), II-PDR (positivo à hematoxilina-chumbo/HPb+), III-PDR (PAS+, AB pH2,5+ e AF+), e IV-PDR (acidófilas). A PDP possui dois tipos celulares: I-PDP (PAS+, AB pH2,5+ e AF+) e II-PDP (acidófilas). Na PI também foram caracterizados dois tipos celulares: I-PI (HPb+) e II-PI (cromófobo aos métodos empregados)

Vasectomy: views of Latinos and white men.

Vasectomy has gained wide acceptance as a safe, effective, and efficient method of birth control. Knowledge regarding the satisfaction of patients who have undergone the procedure has been well documented. In contrast, there is little data examining the attitude of men in general to the procedure or attempting to interpret these attitudes in a cultural context. Moreover, there appears to be widespread belief by providers that acceptance of the operation is poor among ethnic minorities such as Latinos and blacks. A questionnaire was distributed to 50 white and 50 Latino men at a large county hospital to determine ethnic differences in attitudes toward vasectomy. Only 54 percent of the Latino respondents stated they knew what a vasectomy was compared with 96 percent of the white respondents. Among respondents who knew what a vasectomy was, 50 percent of Latinos and 61 percent of whites stated they would not consider vasectomy in the event that they did not want more children. There was little support for the hypothesis that machismo played an important part in the negative responses by the Latino men or that fears of impotence played a role in the attitudes of both groups. This study suggests that a stronger emphasis on education regarding this procedure should be directed to the Latino male population.

PIP: A 4-page questionnaire was distributed to white and Latino men using the waiting room of the San Francisco General Hospital outpatient department in a consecutive manner (until 50 usable questionnaires were collected from each ethnic group) in an effort to document ethnic or cultural differences in attitudes toward vasectomy among lower economic class white and Latino men not considering vasectomy at the time. Respondents were limited to men ranging in age from 20-60 years. Men indicating a homosexual lifestyle were excluded. The questionnaire requested data on both current and past contraceptive practices and demographic characteristics. Approximately 40 men (27 white and 13 Latino) refused to respond to the questionnaire; 14 turned in unusable questionnaires. Combining refusals with incomplete questionnaires, which was a form of refusal, the response rate was 63% for whites and 72% for Latinos. The respondents were similar in age, income, and education. 94% of the whites and 16% of the Latinos were born in the US. The majority of the Latino foreign-born were from EL Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. 22% of the white men and 66% of the Latino men were married, and 49% white and 63% Latino were Roman Catholic. The most common contraceptive method for both groups was oral contraception (OC) followed by condoms. The item about the use of the IUD was inadvertently omitted from the Spanish version of the questionnaire. 15 (42%) of the 36 white respondents answering the contraception questions reported their partners using the IUD currently or in the past. 48 (96%) of the white respondents and 27 (54%) of the Latino respondents indicated they knew the term vasectomy. The majority of the 44 white and 26 Latino respondents who indicated they knew what a vasectomy was anawered that they would not have a vasectomy even if they did not want more children. Both groups expressed an aversion to this type of surgery, and over 2/5 of respondents in both groups indicated that they would never want to be sterile. There was little endorsement of items designed to elicit the masculinity issue or the association of vasectomy with impotence. 34% of the whites and 27% of the Latinos would consider vasectomy. Latinos differed significantly from whites in that fewer endorsed noninterference as 1 of their reasons. Neither group cited greater enjoyment of sex as a major incentive for vasectomy. The study findings suggest that Latinos in the US have insufficient knowledge about vasectomy to consider it as a birth control method. White respondents were more knowledgeable about vasectomy and more aware of its positive aspects than the Latinos.