Inherited thrombophilias and pre-eclampsia in Brazilian women

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the distribution of G1691A, G20210A and C677T mutations in pre-eclamptic Brazilian women and in matched control women with an uncomplicated normal pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: these mutations were investigated by PCR-RFLP in 83 normal pregnancies (control group) and in 30 pre-eclamptic pregnant women (severe form). RESULTS: G1691A mutation was detected neither in the control group nor in pre-eclamsia women. G20210A mutation was detected in heterozygosis in 3 (3.61%) control subjects, but not in pre-eclampsia group. C677T mutation was detected in homozygosis in 6 (7.23%) control subjects and 2 (6.67%) pre-eclamptic women and in heterozygosis in 31 (37.3%) control subjects and 12 (40%) pre-eclamptic women. Differences in the mutation frequencies detected in the two groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: No correlation was observed between pre-eclampsia and presence of G1691A, G20210A and C677T mutations in Brazilian women.     

The effect of lysosome permeability changes on DNA synthesis and mitosis of cells growing in vitro

Summary Cultures of sheep embryonic cells, when actively growing, were incubated with quinacrine (a lysosome tagg) at concentrations of 10^–7, 10^–6, 10^–5 g/ml of culture medium, for 24 hours. The mean number of mitosis and 24 hour thymidine labelled cells are an exponential function of the initial dye concentration on the culture medium. The variation of S compartment (on one hour pulse autoradiographs) suggests two different transit times of cell population at 10^–6 and 10^–7 g/ml. The distribution obtained by plotting the percentages of cells with acid phosphatase against mitotic index points to an inverse correlation between these two parameters. Multinucleation in cells obtained from 10^–5 g/ml preparations was six times more frequent as compared to the controls. In such preparations 3.2% of the cells showed nucleus-cytoplasmatic bridging with no thymidine label. The intravital stained bodies (the lysosomes) contain acid phosphatase, a PAS positive substance, ribonucleoprotein and a blue fluorescent material resisting nuclease digestion.

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Zusammenfassung Wachsende Kulturen von Embryonalzellen des Schafes wurden mit Quinacrin, einem die Lysosomen markierenden Farbstoff, in verschiedener Konzentration (10^–5, 10^–6 und 10^–7 g/ml des Kulturmediums) für 24 Std. inkubiert. Die durchschnittliche Zahl der Mitosen und der 24stündlich mit Thymidin markierten Zellen entsprechen einer Exponentialfunktion der anfänglichen Farbstoffkonzentration im Kulturmedium. Die Variationen der S-Phase (gemessen an autoradiographischen Impulsen in einer Stunde) legt das Vorhandensein zweier verschiedener Zeiten für Zellpopulationen bei 10^–6 und 10^–7 g/ml nahe. Der Vergleich des Prozentsatzes der Zellen mit sauerer Phosphatase mit dem Mitoseindex spricht für ein gegensätzliches Verhalten beider Parameter. Vielkernigkeit war bei den Zellen von den 10^–5 g/ml-Präparaten sechsmal häufiger als in den Kontrollen. In den Präparaten zeigten 3,2% der Zellen Kern-Cytoplasma-Brücken ohne Thymidinmarkierung. Die intravital gefärbten Lysosomen enthielten sauere Phosphatase, eine PAS-positive Substanz, Ribonucleoprotein und einen blau fluorescierenden Stoff, der resistent war gegen Nucleaseverdauung.

     

Biopolymer-Based Films from Sodium Alginate and Citrus Pectin Reinforced with SiO2

Blend films based on sodium alginate (SA) and citrus pectin (P) reinforced with different concentrations of SiO₂ (0–10% w/w) were developed in this study. From the morphological (SEM) and structural (FT-IR) evaluation, it was verified that the incorporation of the reinforcing agent did not drastically modify the microstructure of the films, nor did new chemical bonds form. However, the XRD results suggested a slight reduction in the crystallinities of the blends by the incorporation of SiO₂. Among the formulations prepared, the addition of a 5% reinforcing agent was responsible for the simultaneous improvement of mechanical and barrier properties. Comparing the control sample (SA/P) with the SA/P/5.0%SiO₂ film, the tensile strength increased from 27.7 ± 3.7 to 40.6 ± 4.5 MPa, and the water-vapor transmission rate decreased from 319.8 ± 38.7 to 288.9 ± 23.5 g m⁻² day⁻¹. Therefore, SiO_2, as a reinforcing agent in SA/P blends, represents a simple and effective strategy for improving the properties of biopolymer-based films in applications, such as packaging.     

Heart rate variability,exercise capacity and levels of daily physical activity in children and adolescents with mild-to-moderate cystic fibrosis

Background:Autonomic nervous system balance is altered in cystic fibrosis (CF), although its influence on physical fitness has been poorly explored.Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the association of heart rate variability (HRV) with exercise capacity and levels of daily physical activity in children and adolescents with mild-to-moderate CF.Methods:A cross-sectional study including individuals with CF aged 6–18 years, not under CFTR modulator therapy, was performed. Sociodemographic (age, sex) and clinical information (airway colonization, pancreatic insufficiency, and genotyping) were collected. In addition, exercise capacity (modified shuttle test — MST), lung function (spirometry), body composition (bioimpedance), levels of daily physical activity (5-day accelerometer), and HRV (both at rest and during the MST) were evaluated.Results:30 individuals (20 females) aged 11.2±3.7 years, mean FEV162.8±27.6%, were included. A sympathovagal balance (LF/HF) increase (p<0.001) during the MST was shown, indicating a predominance of sympathetic modulation. The standard deviation of all RR intervals (SDNN) and the high frequency (HF) index during exercise correlated significantly with FEV₁ (r=0.45, p=0.01 and r=0.46, p=0.01; respectively). MST distance also correlated positively and significantly with SDNN (r=0.43, p=0.01), square root of the mean of the sums of squares of frequencies between RR intervals greater than 50 ms — RMSSD (r=0.53, p<0.01), low frequency — LF (r=0.48, p<0.01), HF (r=0.64, p<0.01), dispersion of points perpendicular to the short-term identity line — SD1 (r=0.40, p=0.02) and negatively with LF/HF (r=−0.57, p<0.01). Regarding daily physical activity, SDNN at rest (r=0.37, p=0.04) and exercise (r=0.41, p=0.02) showed positive correlations with time in moderate-to-vigorous activities. When normalizing the SDNN and classifying individuals as normal or altered, those presenting altered SDNN showed poorest FEV₁ (p=0.001) and lower exercise capacity (p=0.027).Conclusion:HRV correlates with lung function, exercise capacity and levels of daily physical activity in children and adolescents with CF. The study highlights the influence of CF on autonomic function and suggests HRV measurement as an easy tool to be used in clinical settings as an alternative marker to monitor CF individuals.