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The objective with this study was to determine the influence of the digestible arginine: lysine ratio in the diet of laying Japanese quails raised in hot weather on the physiological variables of thermoregulation, time in tonic immobility, behavior and nitrogen utilization. A total of 240 laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) with 40 weeks of age were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments and six replications containing eight quails per experimental unit. The studied digestible arginine: lysine ratios were 110%; 120%, 130%, 140% and 150%, for 63 days divided into three periods of 21 days each. There was a quadratic effect (p < 0.05) for the variables average surface temperature, average body temperature, core to surface thermal gradient, ambient to surface temperature gradient observed in the morning. In the afternoon, a quadratic effect (p < 0.05) of the arginine: lysine ratio was observed for variables average surface temperature, average body temperature, core to surface thermal gradient, ambient to surface thermal gradient, back temperature, head temperature and respiratory frequency. There was no significant effect (p > 0.05) of arginine: lysine ratios on the frequency of behaviors, except drinking and panting (p < 0.05), for which 130% ratio provided the lowest frequencies of these behaviors. There was a quadratic effect (p < 0.05) for the parameters of nitrogen retention, nitrogen excreted and nitrogen retention efficiency. Nitrogen intake and excreta moisture were not influenced by the different relationships studied (p > 0.05). The 130% arginine: lysine ratio corresponding to 0.131 g/kg/feed of arginine improves physiological responses related to thermoregulation and decreases the expression of behaviors correlated to heat stress, also meeting the best estimated ratio for nitrogen retention in the diet of quails laying Japanese raised in hot weather.

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Na formação de engenheiros, a criatividade é valorizada por estar relacionada com inovação, mas há muitos desafios para serem enfrentados a fim de encorajá-la nesse contexto. Buscando oferecer condições para o desenvolvimento da criatividade no ensino superior, a literatura investiga a existência de fatores pessoais e ambientais que podem facilitar ou inibir a expressão criativa dos universitários. O objetivo foi identificar preditores de barreiras à criatividade de estudantes de engenharia, considerando variáveis pessoais e acadêmicas. Participaram 374 universitários, que responderam ao Questionário para Caracterização da Amostra e ao Inventário de Barreiras à Criatividade Pessoal. Regressão logística múltipla foi usada para tratamento dos dados. A variável resposta (se concordam ou não com fatores que refletem barreiras à criatividade) foi explicada levando em consideração um conjunto de variáveis preditoras (idade, gênero, curso de engenharia, período de curso e se trabalha). Os principais resultados sugerem que as variáveis gênero feminino e primeiro ano do curso foram preditoras para a barreira Inibição/Timidez; e as variáveis primeiro e segundo ano do curso foram preditoras para a barreira Repressão Social. Discutiu-se a importância desses resultados na ampliação de recursos pessoais e no fortalecimento de uma cultura institucional voltada para a valorização e o desenvolvimento da criatividade. (AU)

In engineering education, creativity is valued for being related to innovation, but there are challenges to be faced in order to encourage it in the undergraduate context. Seeking to offer conditions for the development of creativity in higher education, the literature investigates the existence of personal and environmental factors that can facilitate or inhibit the creative expression. The objective was to identify predictors of barriers to creativity in engineering students, considering personal and academic variables. Three hundred and seventy-four students participated, responding to the Questionnaire for Sample Characterization and Inventory of Barriers to Personal Creativity. Multiple logistic regression was used for data processing. The response variable (whether or not they agree with factors that reflect barriers to personal creativity) was explained taking into account predictor variables (age, gender, type of course, period of course and job). The main results suggest variables like female gender and first year of the course are predictors for the Inhibition/Shyness barrier; and first and second years of the course are predictors for the Social Repression barrier. These results are important to expand personal resources and strengthen an institutional culture focused on the appreciation and development of creativity. (AU)

En la formación educación de ingenieros en ingeniería, la creatividad se valora por estar relacionada con la innovación, pero hay muchos desafíos para enfrentar el debe fomento arse en ese contexto. Buscando ofrecer condiciones para el desarrollo de la creatividad en la educación superior, la literatura investiga la existencia de factores que pueden facilitar o inhibir la expresión creativa de los estudiantes universitarios. El objetivo fue identificar predictores de barreras a la creatividad en estudiantes de ingeniería, considerando variables personales y académicas. Participaron 374 estudiantes, que quienes respondieron el Cuestionario para la Caracterización de Muestras y el Inventario de Barreras a la Creatividad Personal. La regresión logística múltiple se utilizó para el análisis de los datos. La variable respuesta (si están o no de acuerdo con factores que reflejan barreras para la creatividad) se explicó teniendo en cuenta las variables predictivas (edad, género, curso, período de curso y trabajo). Los resultados sugieren que las variables género femenino y primer año del curso fueron predictores de la barrera de inhibición/timidez; y primer y segundo año del curso fueron predictores de la barrera de represión social. La importancia de estos resultados se discute en la expansión de los recursos personales y en el fortalecimiento de una cultura institucional dirigida a valorar y desarrollar la creatividad. (AU)

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AIM: To determine the scientific evidence regarding the condition of periodontal diseases (PDs) as risk factors of coronary artery diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A scoping review was performed through the selection of articles from online databases (Medline via PubMed, LILACS, and Cochrane CENTRAL), using a search algorithm and eligibility criteria for data extraction and data synthesis of included papers. Four hundred forty-one studies from online databases and 1364 from reference lists were initially identified, and 34 articles were selected for inclusion. Articles had to be published between 2015 and 2020 and had to associate PDs to coronary arterial diseases. All studies comprised a sample of 446443 participants. Favorable opinions totaled 70.59%, and the cross-sectional observational study design was more frequently found (32.35%). Biochemical outcomes were showed more frequently, such as inflammatory biomarkers (58.82%). Despite a large advantage for favorable opinions, a statistically significant result was not found when extracted data were combined with studies opinions. CONCLUSION: The evidence was classified as level II-3, hence, still distant from the best ranks and can therefore be considered as unclear. Moreover, studies with the higher potential to generate evidence showed a high risk of bias.

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BACKGROUND: Oral rehabilitation of atrophic maxillae features high complexity, for which there are several therapeutic modalities reported on scientific literature. Zygomatic implant placement is a viable option that features low morbidity and allows immediate prosthetic loading. The purpose of the present study was to determine the methodological quality of systematic reviews that assessed the effectiveness of zygomatic implants placed in atrophic maxillae. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Searches were conducted on Medline via Pubmed, LILACS, Dare Cochrane, Scopus, and Sigle via Open Grey up to June 2019. RESULTS: Seven systematic reviews were eligible for Overview and comprised a total of 2313 patients, 4812 zygomatic implants, and a 96,72% success rate. Common surgical complications, in decreasing order, were: maxillary sinusitis, peri-implant mucositis, prosthetic fracture, and infections. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool, which revealed that six systematic reviews showed critically low methodological quality and one review was assessed as of low methodological quality. CONCLUSIONS: Zygomatic implants seem to be an adequate option for atrophic maxilla rehabilitation, however, new studies with a higher methodological rigor are needed to provide more reliable results to professionals and patients undergoing this modality of oral rehabilitation

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Considering depression is three times more common in cardiac patients compared to the normal population and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) as drug of choice for treating patients with cardiovascular disease and depression, our work aims to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of treatment for 21 days with escitalopram (5 mg/kg/day, ip) in rats. The treatment caused an increase in mean arterial pressure concomitant with a decrease in heart rate. Concerning heart rate variability, there was a significant reduction in the sympathetic component and an elevation of the parasympathetic component, indicating that escitalopram caused an autonomic imbalance with parasympathetic predominance. In addition, we observed a decrease in both low and very low frequency power in blood pressure variability. The cardiac autonomic blockade indicated an increase in parasympathetic modulation to the heart with escitalopram chronic treatment. However, no change was observed on baroreflex activity. On the other hand, there was a decrease in pressure response during acute restraint stress with no changes in the tachycardia response. These findings showed that despite the escitalopram be a relatively safe drug it can cause tonic effects on cardiovascular function as well as during aversive situations.

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Este artigo tem como objetivo discutir um processo pouco examinado do ponto de vista da administração pública: a criação de um Ministério. Por meio da narrativa da criação da Secretaria Especial de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial (Seppir), em março de 2003, são discutidos os percalços para sua criação e suas implicações para as políticas públicas. Assim, o artigo se debruça sobre as razões para a criação de Ministério como resultado de acomodações das tensões sociais para além das coalizões políticas, impactando o desenho das políticas públicas. A partir de documentos públicos e entrevistas com atores com participação ativa no processo, discute-se como o processo de cooptação permitiu ao governo acalmar algumas tensões sociais que enfrentava. A contribuição transcende a mera descrição do processo de cooptação que resultou na criação da Seppir, mas também mostra o caráter dialógico da cooptação, na medida em que a cooptação é ao mesmo tempo um processo social e um conceito que permite a compreensão de uma mudança institucional gradual, que no caso analisado é o surgimento de um novo lugar para a construção das políticas públicas de combate à desigualdade racial.

Este artículo tiene como reto discutir la creación de un Ministerio, un proceso poco examinado desde el punto de vista de la administración pública. A través de la narrativa de la creación de la Secretaría Especial de Políticas de Promoción de la Igualdad Racial (Seppir), en marzo de 2003, se discuten los percances de su creación y sus implicaciones para las políticas públicas. Así, el artículo se centra en las razones de la creación del Ministerio, con el objetivo de disminuir tensiones sociales, no apenas como resultado de coaliciones políticas, que afectan el diseño de las políticas públicas. De los documentos públicos y entrevistas con los actores que participan activamente en el proceso, se analiza cómo el proceso de cooptación permitió al gobierno calmar algunas tensiones sociales que se enfrentaba. No obstante, el cooptador también sufrió transformaciones, la institucionalización de un nuevo lugar para la construcción de las políticas públicas para combatir la desigualdad racial.

This article discusses a little examined process in Brazilian public administration literature: the creation of a Ministry. The mishaps of the constitution of the Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality Policies (Seppir) in March 2003 and its implications for public policy design are discussed through the narrative of its creation. Thus, the article examines the reasons for the creation of this ministry as a result of the accommodation of social tensions beyond political coalitions, which impacted public policy. From public documents and interviews with actors with active participation in the process, this paper discusses how the co-optation process allowed the government to accommodate some social tensions it faced. However, the co-optant also suffered changes with the institutionalization of a new place for the construction of public policies to combat racial inequality

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RESUMO Introdução: As doenças cardiovasculares são responsáveis por alto grau de morbidade e mortalidade na população mundial. Em populações saudáveis, a estimativa do risco cardiovascular tem sido calculada a partir de modelos de predição derivados de estudos prospectivos e observacionais. O escore de Framingham é um algoritmo tradicionalmente utilizado como estratégia primária de prevenção de doenças cardiovasculares em pessoas assintomáticas em um período de 10 anos. Para a determinação desse escore são considerados como fatores de risco os níveis séricos de colesterol total, colesterol HDL, pressão sistólica, diabetes mellitus, tabagismo e idade dos pacientes. Objetivo: Avaliar se a prática de atividade física é uma variável importante capaz de modular o risco obtido pelo escore de Framingham. Métodos: Foram considerados dados de 1004 indivíduos, divididos em adultos (18 a 59 anos) e idosos (> 60 anos), usando o software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) para as análises estatísticas e adotando-se o nível de significância de 5% (P < 0,05) para todos os testes aplicados. Resultados: A correlação entre os fatores idade, sexo, tabagismo, hipertensão arterial e níveis séricos de HDL e o escore de Framingham foi confirmada tanto no grupo adulto como no idoso. Adicionalmente, nossas análises demonstraram correlação estatisticamente significativa entre a prática de atividade física e o risco calculado por esse escore, ficando evidente que indivíduos adultos ou idosos que praticam atividade física moderada ou intensa apresentam menor risco de desenvolver doença cardiovascular num período de 10 anos. Conclusão: Nossos dados demonstram que a prática de atividade física moderada ou intensa pode modular o escore de Framingham e assim como idade, sexo, tabagismo, hipertensão arterial e níveis séricos de colesterol total e HDL, deve ser considerada entre os fatores de risco de doenças cardiovasculares.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for a high degree of morbidity and mortality in the world population. In healthy populations, the estimated cardiovascular risk has been calculated from predictive models derived from prospective and observational studies. The Framingham score is an algorithm traditionally used as a primary strategy to prevent cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic patients over a period of 10 years. Some risk factors are considered to determine this score such as serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, smoking and age of patients. Objective: To evaluate if the practice of physical activity is an important variable capable of modulating cardiovascular risk obtained by the Framingham score. Methods: Data from 1004 individuals, divided into adults (18 to 59 years) and elderly (>60 years) were considered using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for statistical analyses and the significance level was established at 5% (P<0.05) for all tests applied. Results: The correlation between age, sex, smoking, hypertension and serum levels of HDL and the Framingham score was confirmed in both the adult and elderly group. Additionally, our analyses demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between the practice of physical activity and the risk calculated by this score, making it clear that adult or elderly individuals who practice moderate or intense physical activity have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease within 10 years. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that moderate or intense physical activity can modulate the Framingham score and, as well as the age, sex, smoking, hypertension and serum levels of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, should be considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

RESUMEN Introducción: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son responsables de un alto grado de morbilidad y mortalidad en la población mundial. En las poblaciones sanas, la estimación del riesgo cardiovascular se ha calculado a partir de modelos de predicción derivados de estudios prospectivos y de observación. La puntuación de Framingham es un algoritmo usado tradicionalmente como una estrategia primaria para la prevención de la enfermedad cardiovascular en personas asintomáticas en un período de 10 años. Para determinar esta puntuación son considerados factores de riesgo como los niveles de colesterol total, colesterol HDL, presión arterial sistólica, diabetes mellitus, tabaquismo y edad de los pacientes. Objetivo: Evaluar si la actividad física es una variable importante que puede modular el riesgo obtenido por la puntuación de Framingham. Métodos: Se consideraron los datos de 1004 sujetos, divididos en adultos (18-59 años) y ancianos (> 60 años) utilizando el software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) para el análisis estadístico, siendo adoptado el nivel de significación estadística del 5% (P < 0,05) para todas las pruebas. Resultados: La correlación entre los factores edad, sexo, tabaquismo, hipertensión y niveles séricos de HDL y la puntuación de Framingham fue confirmada tanto en el grupo de adultos como en los ancianos. Además, nuestro análisis mostró una correlación estadísticamente significativa entre la actividad física y el riesgo calculado por esta puntuación, dejando claro que los adultos o ancianos que practican actividad física moderada o intensa tienen menor riesgo de desarrollar enfermedad cardiovascular en un periodo de 10 años. Conclusión: Nuestros datos demuestran que la práctica de actividad física moderada o intensa puede modular la puntuación de Framingham y, así como edad, sexo, tabaquismo, hipertensión y los niveles séricos de colesterol total y HDL, debe ser considerada entre los factores de riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular.

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The use of light emitting diodes (LED) as a therapeutic resource for wound healing has increased over the last years; however, little is still known about the molecular pathways associated to LED exposure. In the present study, we verified the effects of LED therapy on DNA methylation and expression of the DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) genes, Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a, in an in vivo model of epithelial wound healing. Male Wistar rats were submitted to epithelial excision in the dorsal region and subsequently distributed within the experimental groups: group 1, animals that received irradiation of 0.8 J/cm(2) of LED (604 nm); group 2, animals that received 1.6 J/cm(2) of LED (604 nm); control (CTL), animals not submitted to therapeutic intervention. LED applications were performed during 7 days, and tissues from the periphery of the wound area were obtained for molecular analysis. The Image-J software was used for analysis of the wound area. DNA methylation was evaluated by ELISA-based method and gene expressions were quantified by real-time PCR. Decrease on global DNA methylation profile was observed in all experimental groups (CTL, 1, and 2) revealing the participation of DNA methylation in the healing process. Significant decrease in the wound area accompanied by increase in the Dnmt3a expression was associated to group 2. Based on our findings, we propose that DNA methylation is an important molecular mechanism associated to wound healing and that irradiation with 1.6 J/cm(2) of LED evokes an increase in the expression of the Dnmt3a that might associates to the efficiency of the epithelial wound healing.

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[Purpose] This study aimed to assess the exercise capacity and muscle strength in elderly people using drugs for angiotensin-II blockage. [Subjects and Methods] Four hundred and seven older adults were recruited for this study. Data about comorbidities and medication use were recorded and the individuals were divided into three groups: control group- elderly people with normal exercise capacity (n=235); angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor group - individuals using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (n=140); and angiotensin-II receptor blocker group- patients using angiotensin-II receptor blockers (n= 32). Exercise capacity was evaluated by a 6-minute walking test and muscle strength was measured using a handgrip dynamometer. [Results] Patients from the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor group (mean: 99 ± 12%) and the angiotensin-II receptor blocker group (mean: 101 ± 14%) showed higher predicted values in the 6-minute walking test than the control group patients (mean: 96 ± 10%). Patients from the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor group (mean: 105 ± 19%) and the angiotensin-II receptor blocker group (mean: 105.1 ± 18.73%) showed higher predicted values of muscle strength than control group patients (mean: 98.15 ± 18.77%). [Conclusion] Older adults using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor blockers have better functional exercise capacity and muscle strength.

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AIMS: The dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (dPAG) is involved in the integration of behavioral and cardiovascular responses caused by fear and anxiety situations. Some studies suggest an involvement of noradrenergic neurotransmission in the dPAG in anxiety modulation, however, there is no evidence about its role in panic attacks. The goal of this work was to study the effect of NA microinjection in dPAG in rats submitted to the elevated T-maze (ETM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar had a cannula implanted in the PAG where it was injected NA in the doses of 1, 3, 15, 45nmol/50nl or artificial cerebrospinal fluid previous the ETM test. KEY FINDINGS: NA intra-dPAG decreased inhibitory avoidance behavior in the ETM without changing escape, indicating only an anxiolytic-like effect. Furthermore, the microinjection of NA did not change the general exploratory activity of the animals submitted to the open field test, suggesting that the anxiolytic-like effect is not due to an increase in exploratory activity. SIGNIFICANCE: The results indicate an involvement of noradrenergic neurotransmission in the dPAG in defensive reactions associated with generalized anxiety, but not as main mechanisms for the panic, in rats submitted to the elevated T-maze providing support for other research aimed at improving the treatment of generalized anxiety.

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Calcium channel blockers such as conotoxins have shown a great potential to reduce brain and spinal cord injury. MVIIC neuroprotective effects analyzed in in vitro models of brain and spinal cord ischemia suggest a potential role of this toxin in preventing injury after spinal cord trauma. However, previous clinical studies with MVIIC demonstrated that clinical side effects might limit the usefulness of this drug and there is no research on its systemic effects. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the potential toxic effects of MVIIC on organs and to evaluate clinical and blood profiles of rats submitted to spinal cord injury and treated with this marine toxin. Rats were treated with placebo or MVIIC (at doses of 15, 30, 60 or 120 pmol) intralesionally following spinal cord injury. Seven days after the toxin administration, kidney, brain, lung, heart, liver, adrenal, muscles, pancreas, spleen, stomach, and intestine were histopathologically investigated. In addition, blood samples collected from the rats were tested for any hematologic or biochemical changes.

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Calcium channel blockers such as conotoxins have shown a great potential to reduce brain and spinal cord injury. MVIIC neuroprotective effects analyzed in in vitro models of brain and spinal cord ischemia suggest a potential role of this toxin in preventing injury after spinal cord trauma. However, previous clinical studies with MVIIC demonstrated that clinical side effects might limit the usefulness of this drug and there is no research on its systemic effects. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the potential toxic effects of MVIIC on organs and to evaluate clinical and blood profiles of rats submitted to spinal cord injury and treated with this marine toxin. Rats were treated with placebo or MVIIC (at doses of 15, 30, 60 or 120 pmol) intralesionally following spinal cord injury. Seven days after the toxin administration, kidney, brain, lung, heart, liver, adrenal, muscles, pancreas, spleen, stomach, and intestine were histopathologically investigated. In addition, blood samples collected from the rats were tested for any hematologic or biochemical changes.

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A growing body of evidence has drawn the attention of the scientific community by indicating the potential vulnerability to environmental changes of epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression. Being critical components of normal development, the importance of epigenetic mechanisms for normal biology is illustrated by the fact that abnormal epigenetic patterns have increasingly been linked to the aetiology of various diseases including cancer, paediatric syndromes, autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders and even the molecular process of ageing. It is estimated that the degree of vulnerability to changes in epigenetic patterns is high during early embryonic development, a period of life in which epigenetic patterns are established and cell differentiation is intense. Moreover, increasing amounts of relevant data and information reveal that the environment might potentially impact on epigenetic patterns at every period of life. Within this context, in this study we will review the principles of epigenetic vulnerability to environmental changes, the impacts on development, the association with the origin of common diseases and also speculate about the potential of lifestyle changes to modulate epigenetic patterns and contribute to preventing common diseases.

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Fluoxetine (FLX) is commonly used to treat anxiety and depressive disorders in pregnant women. Since FLX crosses the placenta and is excreted in milk, maternal treatment with this antidepressant may expose the fetus and neonate to increased levels of serotonin (5-HT). Long-term behavioral abnormalities have been reported in rodents exposed to higher levels of 5-HT during neurodevelopment. In this study we evaluated if maternal exposure to FLX during pregnancy and lactation would result in behavioral and/or stress response disruption in adolescent and adult rats. Our results indicate that exposure to FLX influenced restraint stress-induced Fos expression in the amygdala in a gender and age-specific manner. In male animals, a decreased expression was observed in the basolateral amygdala at adolescence and adulthood; whereas at adulthood, a decrease was also observed in the medial amygdala. A lack of FLX exposure effect was observed in females and also in the paraventricular nucleus of both genders. Regarding the behavioral evaluation, FLX exposure did not induce anhedonia in the sucrose preference test but decreased the latency to feed of both male and female adolescent rats evaluated in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. In conclusion, FLX exposure during pregnancy and lactation decreases acute amygdalar stress response to a psychological stressor in males (adolescents and adults) as well as influences the behavior of adolescents (males and females) in a model that evaluates anxiety and/or depressive-like behavior. Even though FLX seems to be a developmental neurotoxicant, the translation of these findings to human safe assessment remains to be determined since it is recognized that not treating a pregnant or lactating woman may also impact negatively the development of the descendants.

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BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence has revealed the involvement of epigenetic alterations in the etiology of astrocytomas. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association of DNA methylation of histone deacetylase genes (HDAC) with the etiology of astrocytoma, and the implications for epigenetic therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methylation of the HDAC4, HDAC5 and HDAC6 genes was assessed in 29 tumor samples (astrocytomas grades I, III, and IV) and in the glioblastoma cell lines U87, U251, U343, SF188, and T98G by methylation-specific quantitative PCR (MSED-qPCR). RESULTS: Significantly increased methylation of the HDAC5 gene was observed in astrocytomas when compared to non-neoplastic brain samples (p=0.0007) and to glioblastomas cell lines (p=0.001). A heterogenic methylation pattern was evidenced when compared to the glioblastoma cell lines. Distinct effects on methylation and gene expression were observed after in vitro treatment of the different cell lines with decitabine. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that abnormal methylation of HDAC genes is involved in the etiology of astrocytomas and indicate that loci-specific epigenetic interindividualities might be associated to the differential responses to treatment with decitabine.

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Dantrolene has been shown to be neuroprotective by reducing neuronal apoptosis after brain injury in several animal models of neurological disorders. In this study, we investigated the effects of dantrolene on experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). Forty-six male Wistar rats were laminectomized at T13 and divided in six groups: GI (n = 7) underwent SCI with placebo and was euthanized after 32 h; GII (n = 7) underwent laminectomy alone with placebo and was euthanized after 32 h; GIII (n = 8) underwent SCI with dantrolene and was euthanized after 32 h; GIV (n = 8) underwent SCI with placebo and was euthanized after 8 days; GV (n = 8) underwent laminectomy alone with placebo and was euthanized after 8 days; and GVI (n = 8) underwent SCI with dantrolene and was euthanized after 8 days. A compressive trauma was performed to induce SCI. After euthanasia, the spinal cord was evaluated using light microscopy, TUNEL staining and immunochemistry with anti-Caspase-3 and anti-NeuN. Animals treated with dantrolene showed a smaller number of TUNEL-positive and caspase-3-positive cells and a larger number of NeuN-positive neurons, both at 32 h and 8 days (P ≤ 0.05). These results showed that dantrolene protects spinal cord tissue after traumatic SCI by decreasing apoptotic cell death.

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Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a congenital overgrowth disorder of complex and heterogeneous etiology involving alterations in genomic imprinting. The cause of isolated hemihyperplasia (IHH) is unknown but might be due to partial or incomplete expression of BWS because both these conditions share predisposition for the same types of neoplasias. We investigated the methylation pattern of the putative imprinting control region H19DMR using peripheral blood from 12 patients, six with clinical features of BWS and six with IHH. All the patients had normal karyotypes and paternal uniparental disomy (UPD) was excluded in 10 informative cases. The normal H19DMR methylation pattern was found in eight informative patients, indicating that H19DMR methylation was not related to their condition. We suggest that the absence of neoplasias in the BWS and IHH patients studied might be related to the absence of UPD and to the presence of normal H19DMR methylation.

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CONTEXT: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome is a complex and heterogeneous overgrowth syndrome with genetic and epigenetic alterations, involving genomic imprinting and cancer predisposition. Isolated hemihyperplasia is of unknown cause, and it may represent a partial or incomplete expression of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. OBJECTIVES: A clinical and molecular review and proposal of the use of an experimental protocol to provide a practical approach for the physician. DATA SYNTHESIS: This review demonstrates the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms involved in the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and isolated hemihyperplasia, and the candidate genes. To our knowledge, this is the first Brazilian protocol for research into these disorders. The results have been used at the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, to elucidate the basis of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and isolated hemihyperplasia, and have been applied at the Hospital Universitário of the Faculdade de Medicina. CONCLUSIONS: Elucidation of the etiological mechanisms and use of a laboratory protocol to detect alterations in these disorders may be useful for guiding the management of such patients and genetic counseling of the families.

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CONTEXT: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome is a complex and heterogeneous overgrowth syndrome with genetic and epigenetic alterations, involving genomic imprinting and cancer predisposition. Isolated hemihyperplasia is of unknown cause, and it may represent a partial or incomplete expression of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. OBJECTIVES: A clinical and molecular review and proposal of the use of an experimental protocol to provide a practical approach for the physician. DATA SYNTHESIS: This review demonstrates the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms involved in the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and isolated hemihyperplasia, and the candidate genes. To our knowledge, this is the first Brazilian protocol for research into these disorders. The results have been used at the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeiräo Preto, Universidade de Säo Paulo, to elucidate the basis of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and isolated hemihyperplasia, and have been applied at the Hospital Universitário of the Faculdade de Medicina. CONCLUSIONS: Elucidation of the etiological mechanisms and use of a laboratory protocol to detect alterations in these disorders may be useful for guiding the management of such patients and genetic counseling of the families

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