Morphology of the Cutaneous Poison and Mucous Glands in Amphibians with Particular Emphasis on Caecilians (Siphonops annulatus).

Caecilians (order Gymnophiona) are apodan, snake-like amphibians, usually with fossorial habits, constituting one of the most unknown groups of terrestrial vertebrates. As in orders Anura (frogs, tree frogs and toads) and Caudata (salamanders and newts), the caecilian skin is rich in mucous glands, responsible for body lubrication, and poison glands, producing varied toxins used in defence against predators and microorganisms. Whereas in anurans and caudatans skin gland morphology has been well studied, caecilian poison glands remain poorly elucidated. Here we characterised the skin gland morphology of the caecilian Siphonops annulatus, emphasising the poison glands in comparison to those of anurans and salamanders. We showed that S. annulatus glands are similar to those of salamanders, consisting of several syncytial compartments full of granules composed of protein material but showing some differentiated apical compartments containing mucus. An unusual structure resembling a mucous gland is frequently observed in lateral/apical position, apparently connected to the main duct. We conclude that the morphology of skin poison glands in caecilians is more similar to salamander glands when compared to anuran glands that show a much-simplified structure.

LIMD2 Regulates Key Steps of Metastasis Cascade in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells via MAPK Crosstalk.

Although papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has a good prognosis, 20-90% of patients show metastasis to regional lymph nodes and 10-15% of patients show metastasis to distant sites. Metastatic disease represents the main clinical challenge that impacts survival rate. We previously showed that LIMD2 was a novel metastasis-associated gene. In this study, to interrogate the role of LIMD2 in cancer invasion and metastasis, we used CRISPR-mediated knockout (KO) of LIMD2 in PTC cells (BCPAP and TPC1). Western blot and high-content screening (HCS) analysis confirmed functional KO of LIMD2. LIMD2 KO reduced in vitro invasion and migration. Ultrastructural analyses showed that cell polarity and mitochondria function and morphology were restored in LIMD2 KO cells. To unveil the signals supervising these phenotypic changes, we employed phospho-protein array. Several members of the MAPK superfamily showed robust reduction in phosphorylation. A Venn diagram displayed the overlap of kinases with reduced phosphorylation in both cell lines and showed that they were able to initiate or sustain the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and DNA damage checkpoint. Flow cytometry and HCS validation analyses further corroborated the phospho-protein array data. Collectively, our findings show that LIMD2 enhances phosphorylation of kinases associated with EMT and invasion. Through cooperation with different kinases, it contributes to the increased genomic instability that ultimately promotes PTC progression.

Factores de risco de desmame precoce em trabalhadoras dos supermercados da cidade de nampula / Risk factors for early weaning in female supermarket workers in nampula city

Introdução: Considera-se desmame precoce, a interrupção do aleitamento materno antes de a criança completar seis meses de vida, independentemente da causa da decisão estar relacionada a mãe ou a criança. A pesquisa teve como objectivo, averiguar o risco do desmame precoce em trabalhadoras dos supermercados da cidade de Nampula. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e quantitativo. O estudo envolveu mães (lactantes e com filhos menores de dois anos de idade); os dados foram tratados pelo pacote da Microsoft Office Excel2019 ®, que foi usado para fazer a introdução, tabulação de dados e criação de gráfico. Também, foi usado o software estático MiniTab 16 ® para a análise descritiva dos dados. Resultados: Trinta e três vírgula oitenta e oito por cento das mães tinham idades compreendidas entre 20 a 43 anos , e 72.09% referiu não ter incentivo do parceiro. A não prática da amamentação exclusiva(decidir parar) foi referida por 33.72% das mulheres quanto a existência de um local específico para amamentar no trabalho. E 87.2% (n=75) afirmaram não ter intervalos para amamentar. Todas possuíam renda mensal superior a um salário mínimo e afirmaram não ter local específico para amamentar, estando no trabalho. Conclusão: A falta de incentivo do parceiro no aleitamento materno, não amamentar o filho de forma exclusiva, a não existência de um lugar específico para amamentar no local de trabalho e a não existência de intervalos para amamentar no local de trabalho são factores de risco para o desmame precoce em trabalhadoras dos supermercados da cidade de Nampula.

Background: Early weaning is considered to be the interruption of breastfeeding before the child is six months old, regardless of whether the cause of the decision is related to the mother or the child. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of early weaning among female supermarket workers in the city of Nampula. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study. The study involved mothers (breastfeeding and with children under two years of age); the data was processed using the Microsoft Office Excel 2019 ® package, which was used for data entry, tabulation and graph creation. Static MiniTab 16 ® software was also used to descriptively analyse the data. Results: Thirty-three point eighty-eight per cent of the mothers were aged between 20 and 43; 72.09% reported not having encouragement from their partner. Not practising exclusive breastfeeding (deciding to stop) was mentioned by 33.72% of the women because there was no specific place to breastfeed at work. 87.2% (n=75) said they had no breaks to breastfeed. All had a monthly income of more than one minimum wage and said they had no specific place to breastfeed at work. Conclusion: The lack of encouragement from the partner to breastfeed, not breastfeeding the child exclusively, not having a specific place to breastfeed in the workplace and not having breaks to breastfeed in the workplace are risk factors for early weaning among female supermarket workers in the city of Nampula.

Structural cutaneous adaptations for defense in toad (Rhinella icterica) parotoid macroglands.

Toads have a pair of glandular accumulations on each side of the dorsal region of the head known as parotoid macroglands. These macroglands consist of secretory units (granular glands), each one capped with an epithelial plug. When threatened, toads point one of the parotoids toward the aggressor, and if the aggressor squeezes the parotoid with its teeth, jets of poison will come out of the secretory units and hit the predator's oral mucosa, thereby causing poisoning. Our study focused on the mechanism of parotoid function by comparing parotoids from toads naturally attacked by dogs with those manually compressed. We verified that the process of glandular emptying in response to dog bites is very similar to that following manual compression. We observed that the structure of the plug plays an essential role in the release of the poison jets. Our results suggest that the parotoids may act as "bulletproof vests," reducing the impact of the force exerted by predator attacks, and thus may function as a passive antipredator mechanism.

Morphology of the cutaneous poison and mucous glands in amphibians with particular emphasis on caecilians (Siphonops annulatus)

Caecilians (order Gymnophiona) are apodan, snake-like amphibians, usually with fossorial habits, constituting one of the most unknown groups of terrestrial vertebrates. As in orders Anura (frogs, tree frogs and toads) and Caudata (salamanders and newts), the caecilian skin is rich in mucous glands, responsible for body lubrication, and poison glands, producing varied toxins used in defence against predators and microorganisms. Whereas in anurans and caudatans skin gland morphology has been well studied, caecilian poison glands remain poorly elucidated. Here we characterised the skin gland morphology of the caecilian Siphonops annulatus, emphasising the poison glands in comparison to those of anurans and salamanders. We showed that S. annulatus glands are similar to those of salamanders, consisting of several syncytial compartments full of granules composed of protein material but showing some differentiated apical compartments containing mucus. An unusual structure resembling a mucous gland is frequently observed in lateral/apical position, apparently connected to the main duct. We conclude that the morphology of skin poison glands in caecilians is more similar to salamander glands when compared to anuran glands that show a much-simplified structure.

LIMD2 regulates key steps of metastasis cascade in papillary thyroid cancer cells via MAPK crosstalk

Although papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has a good prognosis, 20–90% of patients show metastasis to regional lymph nodes and 10–15% of patients show metastasis to distant sites. Metastatic disease represents the main clinical challenge that impacts survival rate. We previously showed that LIMD2 was a novel metastasis-associated gene. In this study, to interrogate the role of LIMD2 in cancer invasion and metastasis, we used CRISPR-mediated knockout (KO) of LIMD2 in PTC cells (BCPAP and TPC1). Western blot and high-content screening (HCS) analysis confirmed functional KO of LIMD2. LIMD2 KO reduced in vitro invasion and migration. Ultrastructural analyses showed that cell polarity and mitochondria function and morphology were restored in LIMD2 KO cells. To unveil the signals supervising these phenotypic changes, we employed phospho-protein array. Several members of the MAPK superfamily showed robust reduction in phosphorylation. A Venn diagram displayed the overlap of kinases with reduced phosphorylation in both cell lines and showed that they were able to initiate or sustain the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and DNA damage checkpoint. Flow cytometry and HCS validation analyses further corroborated the phospho-protein array data. Collectively, our findings show that LIMD2 enhances phosphorylation of kinases associated with EMT and invasion. Through cooperation with different kinases, it contributes to the increased genomic instability that ultimately promotes PTC progression