Functional correlation between cerebellum and basal ganglia: A parkinsonism model.

INTRODUCTION: The cerebellar response has been studied for years with different models of alteration of other brain structures to understand its complex functioning and its relationship with the rest of the body. Studies in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) showed that the cerebellar function is modified by deficit of the basal ganglia; which supports the hypothesis that both structures are related anatomically and functionally. METHODS: In our study, the ventrolateral striatum (VLS) of the basal ganglia was altered by an electrolytic lesion, in order to produce a similar jaw frequency of jaw tremor movements presented in parkinsonism, thereafter we analyzed the effect of the lesion on the expression of multiunit activity (MUA) of the cerebellum. RESULTS: We found cerebellar activation during mandibular movements and increment during oral jaw tremor movements. In addition, the amplitude of baseline MUA registered in animals with alteration of the VLS decreased with respect to the intact group. CONCLUSIONS: Accordingly, we conclude that cerebellar changes in MUA may be due to a decrease in the cerebellar inflectional or as a possible compensatory function between cerebellum and basal ganglia.

Citrus pectin modulates chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cell proteome in vitro.

Citrus pectin (CP) is a dietary fiber used in animal nutrition with anti-inflammatory properties. CP downregulates chicken immunoregulatory monocytes' functions, like chemotaxis and phagocytosis, in vitro. The molecular underlying background is still unknown. This study investigated the activity of CP on chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) proteome. An overall number of 1503 proteins were identified and quantified. The supervised sparse variant partial least squares-discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA) for paired data highlighted 373 discriminant proteins between CP-treated and the control group, of which 50 proteins with the highest abundance in CP and 137 in the control group were selected for Gene Ontology (GO) analyses using ProteINSIDE. Discriminant Protein highly abundant in CP-treated cells were involved in actin cytoskeleton organization and negative regulation of cell migration. Interestingly, MARCKSL1, a chemotaxis inhibitor, was upregulated in CP-treated cells. On the contrary, CP incubation downregulated MARCKS, LGALS3, and LGALS8, which are involved in cytoskeleton rearrangements, cell migration, and phagocytosis. In conclusion, these results provide a proteomics background to the anti-inflammatory activity of CP, demonstrating that the in vitro downregulation of phagocytosis and chemotaxis is related to changes in proteins related to the cytoskeleton.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) modulates bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) proteome in vitro.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of natural isomers of the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) linoleic acid, exerting biological effects on cow physiology. This study assessed the impact of the mixture 50:50 (vol:vol) of CLA isomers (cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12) on bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) proteome, identifying 1608 quantifiable proteins. A supervised multivariate statistical analysis, sparse variant partial least squares - discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA) for paired data identified 407 discriminant proteins (DP), allowing the clustering between the CLA and controls. The ProteINSIDE workflow found that DP with higher abundance in the CLA group included proteins related to innate immune defenses (PLIN2, CD36, C3, C4, and AGP), with antiapoptotic (SERPINF2 and ITIH4) and antioxidant effects (HMOX1). These results demonstrated that CLA modulates the bovine PBMC proteome, supports the antiapoptotic and immunomodulatory effects observed in previous in vitro studies on bovine PBMC, and suggests a cytoprotective role against oxidative stress. SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, we report for the first time that the mixture 50:50 (vol:vol) of cis-9, trans-11, and trans-10, cis-12-CLA isomers modulates the bovine PBMC proteome. Our results support the immunomodulatory and antiapoptotic effects observed in bovine PBMC in vitro. In addition, the present study proposes a cytoprotective role of CLA mixture against oxidative stress. We suggest a molecular signature of CLA treatment based on combining a multivariate sparse discriminant analysis and a clustering method. This demonstrates the great value of sPLS-DA as an alternative option to identify discriminant proteins with relevant biological significance.

Demonstrating Agreement between Radio and Fluorescence Measurements of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We show, for the first time, radio measurements of the depth of shower maximum (X_{max}) of air showers induced by cosmic rays that are compared to measurements of the established fluorescence method at the same location. Using measurements at the Pierre Auger Observatory we show full compatibility between our radio and the previously published fluorescence dataset, and between a subset of air showers observed simultaneously with both radio and fluorescence techniques, a measurement setup unique to the Pierre Auger Observatory. Furthermore, we show radio X_{max} resolution as a function of energy and demonstrate the ability to make competitive high-resolution X_{max} measurements with even a sparse radio array. With this, we show that the radio technique is capable of cosmic-ray mass composition studies, both at Auger and at other experiments.

Limits to Gauge Coupling in the Dark Sector Set by the Nonobservation of Instanton-Induced Decay of Super-Heavy Dark Matter in the Pierre Auger Observatory Data.

Instantons, which are nonperturbative solutions to Yang-Mills equations, provide a signal for the occurrence of quantum tunneling between distinct classes of vacua. They can give rise to decays of particles otherwise forbidden. Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory, we search for signatures of such instanton-induced processes that would be suggestive of super-heavy particles decaying in the Galactic halo. These particles could have been produced during the post-inflationary epoch and match the relic abundance of dark matter inferred today. The nonobservation of the signatures searched for allows us to derive a bound on the reduced coupling constant of gauge interactions in the dark sector: α_{X}≲0.09, for 10^{9}≲M_{X}/GeV<10^{19}. Conversely, we obtain that, for instance, a reduced coupling constant α_{X}=0.09 excludes masses M_{X}≳3×10^{13} GeV. In the context of dark matter production from gravitational interactions alone, we illustrate how these bounds are complementary to those obtained on the Hubble rate at the end of inflation from the nonobservation of tensor modes in the cosmological microwave background.

Chyloabdomen in critically ill patient after Hartmann's procedure.

Post-surgical chylous ascites (CA) is extremely rare in colon surgery, known as the extravasation of creamy fluid rich in triglycerides accumulating in the peritoneal cavity. The incidence of CA after colorectal surgery remains between 1 and 6.5%. A 71-year-old female presented to the Emergency Department complaining of generalized abdominal pain, weakness and anorexia for several days ago and episodes of hematochezia which started the day before admission. Biopsy from colonoscopy revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma. Rectal mass resection with Hartmann's procedure was performed due to obstructive recto-colonic mass. Pathology report confirmed pT4aN0M0 tumor invading through the visceral peritoneum. On post-operative Day number 4, drainage output increased, changing appearance to a whitish color. The diagnosis of CA was confirmed by obtaining >550 mg per dL of triglycerides. Changes to a high-protein, low-fat with medium chain fatty acids were made to her enteral diet. After 48 hours of diet adjustment, the drainage output of CA resolved.

Case report of Leser-Trelat sign as sequela of an atypical inflammatory process.

BACKGROUND: Leser-Trelat sign is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome in which one main characteristic presented is an eruption of multiple seborrheic keratoses around different areas of the body. This syndrome has been associated with multiple gastrointestinal malignancies, especially adenocarcinoma of stomach and colon. CASE REPORT: We report a 70-year-old male who presented to the surgery clinic complaining of a persistent lower abdominal pain for the past 2 months. The pain was associated with weight loss and the gradual appearance of multiple seborrheic keratoses in his body. The patient was admitted to the hospital for further evaluation, a CT scan shows an 8.1 × 5.2 cm mass in the mid mesentery and laboratories shows anemia and positive fecal occult blood. The patient was scheduled for an exploratory laparotomy. During the surgery, a large mass was found arising from the ascending colon with invasion into the adjacent sigmoid colon. The mass was sent to pathology and shows a foreign body granuloma. In addition to the surgery, the patient undergoes an endoscopic evaluation to rule out a malignancy from the upper gastrointestinal system, no masses or lesions were found. CONCLUSION: This is the first case reported, as far as our knowledge, of a foreign body granuloma in the association of Leser-Trelat sign. Foreign body granulomas are associated with multiple cellular signaling and this could be the source of the association of the Leser-Trelat sign. Further evaluation is needed to have a better understanding of the association between the Leser-Trelat sign and the formation of a foreign body granuloma.

Ozone as an alternative decontamination process for N95 facemask and biosafety gowns.

COVID-19 pandemic created a global shortage of medical protective equipment. Here, we considered ozone (O3) a disinfectant alternative due to its potent oxidative activity against biological macromolecules. The O3 decontamination assays were done using SARS-CoV-2 obtained from patients to produce artificial contamination of N95 masks and biosecurity gowns. The quantification of SARS-CoV-2 was performed before and after exposing the samples to different ozone gas concentrations for times between 5 and 30 min. Viral loads as a function of the O3 exposure time were estimated from the data obtained by the RT-PCR technique. The genetic material of the virus was no longer detected for any tested concentrations after 15 min of O3 exposure, which means a disinfection Concentration-Time above 144 ppm min. Vibrational spectroscopies were used to follow the modifications of the polymeric fibers after the O3 treatment. The results indicate that the N95 masks could be safely reused after decontamination with treatments of 15 min at the established O3 doses for a maximum of 6 cycles.

Effects of obesity in rats on prostate histology and expression of leptin receptor, prolactin receptor, IL-6, and NF-κB.

BACKGROUND: Hypercaloric intake can lead to obesity, which is a major risk factor associated with chronic subclinical inflammation and many types of cancer. It can increase the serum levels of leptin, prolactin, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-кB) and interleukin (IL)-6, implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. AIM: To explore the effects of obesity induced by chronic hypercaloric diet in rats on the long-term expression of leptin receptor (OB-R), prolactin receptor, NF-кB, and IL-6, and the changes of histology in rat prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From postnatal day 21, experimental males were fed with normal chow or chow plus enriched hypercaloric liquid diet. On the postnatal day 90 (13 week old), the animals were euthanized for prostate histology (hematoxylin and eosin staining) and hormone receptors analysis by Western blot. RESULTS: Hypercaloric diet resulted in obesity (32% higher body weight). The prostates of the obese males showed epithelium anisocytosis and compressed interstice. There was also greater volume of lipidic content, anisokaryosis, alterations of the nucleus-cytoplasm ratio, and apparent proplasia. Measures in the ventral prostate (VP) showed that alveoli area increased, but epithelium height and nucleus area were reduced. In the dorsolateral prostate, there was only reduction of nucleus area and presence of mononuclear cells in the lumen. Hypercaloric males also expressed a trend for more OB-R 130 kD in the VP, but no changes were observed with regard to prolactin receptor, NF-кB and IL-6. CONCLUSION: The obesity due to chronic consumption of hypercaloric diet affects both prostatic regions, but VP is possibly more sensitive via OB-R. We suggest that longer periods of obesity are needed to alter other receptors or the molecular markers of inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory activity of citrus pectin on chicken monocytes' immune response.

Pectin is a dietary fibre composed of galacturonic acid, primarily found in the citrus fruits' cell walls. Citrus pectin (CP) has demonstrated antioxidative, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties in humans and animals. In broilers, CP supplementation improves energy utilization and nutrient digestibility, but limited information on its effects on chicken immunity is available so far. This study aimed to assess the in vitro impact of CP on chicken monocytes' immune response. Cells were purified from whole blood of healthy chickens and incubated with increasing concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 mg/mL) of CP to determine CP working concentration. The effects of different CP concentrations on cells' apoptosis and viability were assessed by measuring caspase-3 and -7 and the cells' metabolic activity (MTT assay), respectively. CP had no dose-dependent effect on monocyte apoptosis and viability.Then, the effects of CP (0.5 mg/mL) on chicken monocytes' chemotaxis and phagocytosis were assessed by measuring transwell migration and fluorescein-labelled E. coli incorporation, respectively. CP inhibited both monocytes' chemotaxis and phagocytosis.These data demonstrate that CP exerts an immunomodulatory role in chicken monocytes, supporting its integration in nutrition strategies that might be beneficial for the animal's immunity and health.

Measurement of the Fluctuations in the Number of Muons in Extensive Air Showers with the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We present the first measurement of the fluctuations in the number of muons in extensive air showers produced by ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. We find that the measured fluctuations are in good agreement with predictions from air shower simulations. This observation provides new insights into the origin of the previously reported deficit of muons in air shower simulations and constrains models of hadronic interactions at ultrahigh energies. Our measurement is compatible with the muon deficit originating from small deviations in the predictions from hadronic interaction models of particle production that accumulate as the showers develop.

Vitiligo in equine: a four-year case study of a roan horse - case report / [Vitiligo em equinos: um estudo de caso de quatro anos de um cavalo roan - relato de caso]

Vitiligo is a dermatological disease affecting both animals and humans. It is characterized by depigmented macules of varying shape and size, originated from melanocyte destruction. Even though there are some theories tackling causation, disease etiopathology is not yet certain. Moreover, lesion areas can either increase or diminish over time, and therefore, available treatment alternatives tend to prove inconsistencies. No epidemiological data or registered cases were found for equines in Brazil. The horse in this case description displayed depigmentation areas in facial regions, including upper lip, nose and lips. However, the individual did not happen to develop any systemic alteration. Through clinical evaluation, backed by a histopathological exam, a definitive vitiligo diagnosis was obtained. However, no therapeutic plan was stipulated. The animal was accompanied for four years, during which period some affected areas diminished while others increased in size. In addition, emergence of new skin lesions was also observed during the time the animal was studied. Overall, this disease does not display alterations to organism functionality, only aesthetic changes. Therefore, treatment plans may vary from case to case, occasionally being even ruled out.(AU)

O vitiligo é uma doença dermatológica que pode afetar animais e humanos. Caracteriza-se por áreas despigmentadas, de formas e tamanhos variáveis, que surgem devido a destruição dos melanócitos. Existem algumas teorias que tentam explicar a etiopatogenia da doença, entretanto ainda não é totalmente esclarecida. As lesões podem aumentar ou diminuir com o tempo, por isso os tratamentos disponíveis são inconsistentes. Não foram encontrados dados epidemiológicos ou relatos de vitiligo em cavalos no Brasil. O equino deste relato apresentava lesões despigmentadas na região da face, incluindo pálpebras, narina e lábios, sem alterações sistêmicas. Por meio da avaliação clínica em conjunto com o exame histopatológico obteve-se o diagnóstico definitivo de vitiligo. Não foi instituído nenhuma terapia, e o equino foi acompanhado durante quatro anos. Durante esse período algumas lesões diminuíram e outras aumentaram de tamanho sendo também observado o aparecimento de novas lesões. O vitiligo não traz alterações sistêmicas, apenas mudanças estéticas, por isso a escolha pelo tratamento dependerá de cada caso.(AU)

Features of the Energy Spectrum of Cosmic Rays above 2.5×10

We report a measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 2.5×10^{18} eV based on 215 030 events. New results are presented: at about 1.3×10^{19} eV, the spectral index changes from 2.51±0.03(stat)±0.05(syst) to 3.05±0.05(stat)±0.10(syst), evolving to 5.1±0.3(stat)±0.1(syst) beyond 5×10^{19} eV, while no significant dependence of spectral features on the declination is seen in the accessible range. These features of the spectrum can be reproduced in models with energy-dependent mass composition. The energy density in cosmic rays above 5×10^{18} eV is [5.66±0.03(stat)±1.40(syst)]×10^{53} erg Mpc^{-3}.

In vitro effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on inflammatory functions of bovine monocytes.

The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers, a group of naturally occurring isomers of the essential fatty acid (FA) linoleic acid, have received special attention in animal and human nutrition. Although they have long been used as dietary integrators in dairy cows, the effects of CLA isomers on bovine immune cells remain mostly undisclosed. The present study aimed to cover this gap and investigate the in vitro effects of CLA on inflammatory functions, including chemotaxis, phagocytosis, killing capability, and extracellular respiratory burst of purified bovine monocytes (CD14+). The apoptosis rate of monocytes was addressed as well. Once assessed, the effects of different concentrations (10, 50, 100, and 500 µM) of the 2 main CLA isomers, namely cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12, the experiments were carried out using a concentration of 50 µM of the CLA isomers, both individually and in a mixture (50:50). The immunomodulatory activities of linoleic acid, an essential FA, and stearic acid, a saturated FA, were also investigated. Only the 50:50 CLA mixture was able to reduce monocyte apoptosis and to increase the extracellular respiratory burst during experimental proinflammatory conditions, as assessed by measuring production of reactive oxygen species. Linoleic acid and CLA had no effects on chemotaxis, phagocytosis, or killing capability. Remarkably, treatment of monocytes with stearic acid significantly reduced their chemotactic capability. The present results demonstrated that CLA isomers do have immunomodulatory effects on some functions of bovine monocytes, and that the mixture of the 2 CLA isomers is more effective than the CLA isomers individually.

Nature and nurture of sexual partner preference: Teachings from prenatal administration of acetaminophen in male rats.

The organizational-activational hypothesis indicates that activation of adult sexual behavior in males depends on organization of the masculine brain during the perinatal sensitive period. In the medial preoptic area such masculinization depends on a neuroendocrine cascade that includes exposure to testosterone, aromatization to estradiol, activation of estrogen receptors, synthesis of cyclooxygenase (COX), increase of prostaglandins, release of glutamate, and activation of AMPA receptors that result in the formation of more dendritic spines. Thus, in the present study we assessed the sexual partner preference (SPP) of adult male rats prenatally treated with acetaminophen (APAP), an analgesic/antipyretic drug that inhibits COX-2 and is commonly used and prescribed during pregnancy. Female rats received either saline (2 ml/kg s.c.) or APAP (50 mg/kg s.c.) every 12 h, during days 16-20 of pregnancy. At postnatal day PD60 half of the male offspring were exposed to sexual experience with receptive females during 5 trials, and the other half remained sexually naïve. At PD90 all them were tested for SPP with one sexually receptive female and one stud male. The results indicated that only APAP-naïve males failed to display SPP. However, APAP-experienced males displayed SPP for females. We discuss the effects of prenatal APAP in the disruption of unconditioned responses towards females (nature mechanisms), and the effects of sexual experience (nurture mechanisms) in the development of conditioned heterosexual preference.

Prepuberal stress and obesity: effects on serum corticosterone, prolactin, testosterone and precancerous prostate lesions in adult rats.

Stress during puberty and obesity can represent conditions that facilitate the long-term development of diseases, especially for stress-related disorders that depend on neuroendocrine and immune responses. The prostate is prone to diseases that result from neuroendocrine or immune challenges, such as cancer. AIM: In the present study, we assessed the long-term effects of an acute pubertal stressor (immune-challenge) or obesity on the development of precancerous lesions in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pubertal male rats received a single injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline during puberty (5 weeks of age). In adulthood (8 weeks old), subgroups of males were fed with hypercaloric liquid diet to induce obesity. This resulted in a total of six subgroups: (1) intact-non obese, (2) intact-obese, (3) saline-non obese, (4) saline-obese, (5) LPS-non obese, and (6) LPS-obese. At 16 weeks of age the rats were sacrified for prostate histology (hematoxylin and eosin stain) and hormone analysis (testosterone, corticosterone and prolactin). RESULTS: As compared to intact-non obese rats, males treated with LPS and those with obesity expressed histological alterations in both the dorsolateral and ventral portions of the prostate. Only prolactin was altered in LPS-treated males, whereas corticosterone was altered in LPS-obese rats. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that puberal exposure to an immune challenge or obesity facilitate the development of prostatic lesions in adult male rats. We discuss the role of hormones in the development of precancerous lesions.