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Levodopa is the most effective symptomatic therapy for Parkinson's disease, but its chronic use could lead to chronic adverse outcomes, such as motor fluctuations, dyskinesia and visual hallucinations. HOMER1 is a protein with pivotal function in glutamate transmission, which has been related to the pathogenesis of these complications. This study investigates whether polymorphisms in the HOMER1 gene promoter region are associated with the occurrence of the chronic complications of levodopa therapy. A total of 205 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease were investigated. Patients were genotyped for rs4704559, rs10942891 and rs4704560 by allelic discrimination with Taqman assays. The rs4704559 G allele was associated with a lower prevalence of dyskinesia (prevalence ratio (PR)=0.615, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.426-0.887, P=0.009) and visual hallucinations (PR=0.515, 95% CI 0.295-0.899, P=0.020). Our data suggest that HOMER1 rs4704559 G allele has a protective role for the development of levodopa adverse effects.

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Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. All. é uma espécie pertencente à família Anacardiaceae, cuja planta pode ser utilizada como medicinal, na indústria de curtimento de couro, na arborização de ruas e praças, produzindo madeira de grande resistência mecânica. Diante disso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as melhores condições e períodos de armazenamento para conservação da viabilidade e vigor das sementes de M. urundeuva. As embalagens utilizadas para acondicionamento das sementes foram sacos de papel Kraft, algodão e de polietileno transparente, bem como folhas de papel alumínio. Em seguida as sementes foram armazenadas em ambiente natural de laboratório (25 ± 2ºC), freezer (-20 ± 2ºC), câmara fria (8 ± 2ºC) e geladeira (6 ± 2ºC). Em intervalos pré-determinados (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 e 240 dias) avaliou-se o teor de água das sementes, porcentagem de emergência, índice de velocidade de emergência, comprimento e massa seca de plântulas. No ambiente de laboratório não houve conservação do vigor das sementes de M. urundeuva. A melhor condição para conservação de sementes de M. urundeuva foi obtida com o acondicionamento em sacos de papel Kraft, pano de algodão, plástico ou papel alumínio e manutenção em geladeira ou freezer, podendo também ser conservadas embaladas em papel ou alumínio, quando estocadas em câmara fria, por 240 dias. Alteração no vigor de sementes dessa espécie é primeiramente identificada pela redução da velocidade de emergência.

Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. All. is a species belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, which can be utilized as a medicinal plant, or in the leather tanning industry, urban afforestation, and the production of wood with great mechanic resistance. The objective of this study was to determine the best conditions and storage periods for preserving the viability and vigor of M. urundeuva. Seeds conditioned in bags of Kraft paper, cotton, polyethylene or aluminum foil of mesh polyethylene were stored at room temperature (25 ± 2ºC), freezer (-20 ± 2ºC), cold (8 ± 2ºC) and refrigerator (6 ± 2ºC). At 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 days they were evaluated for seed moisture content, percentage of emergence, emergence speed index (ESI), seedling length and seedling dry matter. In the natural environment of the laboratory, there was no conservation of seed vigor M. urundeuva. The best M. urundeuva seed conservation condition was obtained with bags of Kraft paper, cotton, polyethylene or aluminum foil of mesh polyethylene in the refrigerator or freezer. M. urundeuva seeds can also be kept in paper bags or aluminum foil when stored in a refrigerated chamber, for 240 days. Seed vigor change in this species is initially identified by decrease in the speed emergence.

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Toad poisoning is frequent in dogs, but has been infrequently addressed in published case reports and review articles. Dogs can be poisoned when they bite a toad or otherwise ingest the venom. The venom effects manifest soon after the accident, since the toxin is rapidly absorbed by the mucous membrane of the digestive system. Hospital records of three dogs, diagnosed with toad poisoning, were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to July 2007. Poisoned dogs may present only local irritation or systemic signs in the gastrointestinal, cardiac and neurological systems. All three cases presented herein had clinical signs of gastrointestinal alterations including vomiting, sialorrhea and diarrhea. Two dogs developed abnormal cardiac rhythm and two exhibited neurological signs. A poisoned animal requires emergency care and symptomatic therapy with intense monitoring of its clinical parameters. Although there have been reports on the low mortality of dogs poisoned by toads, one animal died even after appropriate therapy. The severity of clinical signs and the risk of death must be considered by the veterinarian.

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Toad poisoning is frequent in dogs, but has been infrequently addressed in published case reports and review articles. Dogs can be poisoned when they bite a toad or otherwise ingest the venom. The venom effects manifest soon after the accident, since the toxin is rapidly absorbed by the mucous membrane of the digestive system. Hospital records of three dogs, diagnosed with toad poisoning, were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to July 2007. Poisoned dogs may present only local irritation or systemic signs in the gastrointestinal, cardiac and neurological systems. All three cases presented herein had clinical signs of gastrointestinal alterations including vomiting, sialorrhea and diarrhea. Two dogs developed abnormal cardiac rhythm and two exhibited neurological signs. A poisoned animal requires emergency care and symptomatic therapy with intense monitoring of its clinical parameters. Although there have been reports on the low mortality of dogs poisoned by toads, one animal died even after appropriate therapy. The severity of clinical signs and the risk of death must be considered by the veterinarian.(AU)

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PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To assess factors that may influence functional gain of patients with chronic sequelae of stroke. RESEARCH DESIGN: Prospective study of 290 stroke patients consecutively admitted to a rehabilitation setting. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Functional Independence Measure Scale (FIM) was used to assess functional capacity. Functional improvement registered during hospitalization (FIM-gain score) was compared to demographic data, stroke sub-type, vascular risk factors, motor deficit, visual hemineglect, aphasia, level of response and sphincter control. FIM-gain score was classified as high-gain (=22) and low-gain (<22). MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-two patients who had no prior rehabilitation and were capable of completing the rehabilitation programme were studied (average age 58.4+/-13.9 years; 42.9% women). The mean time from stroke onset to admission was 271.5 days. Average FIM score at admission was 58.8 and at discharge was 81.6. Average FIM Gain was 23.6. The 38% patients admitted later than 6 months after stroke had an average FIM Gain of 19 vs 26 for patients admitted prior to 6 months. Significant predictors of functional improvement were time from stroke onset, age, sitting balance and level of responsiveness. CONCLUSION: The functional improvement scores in persons with stroke beginning a rehabilitation programme at a later stage are 73% of the scores obtained by patients beginning treatment in the first 6 months. FIM score improvement can be predicted by time since stroke onset, age, sitting balance and level of responsiveness.

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The thiol activated endo-oligopeptidases A and B were studied in the soluble fraction of human hypothalamus and various endocrine glands. For the identification, characterization and purification of the enzymes, Z-Gly-Pro-NH-Np and bradykinin were used as substrates. Endo-oligopeptidase B showed a molecular mass ranging from 55.5 to 65.5 kDa and isoelectric point from 4.7 to 4.95. Its activity in tissues was highest in the testis, with intermediate levels in the thyroid, neurohypophysis, adenohypophysis and hypothalamus and the lowest activity in the pineal gland. Endo-oligopeptidase A, 467-fold purified by immunoaffinity chromatography, exhibited a molecular mass of 65.5 kDa in the adenohypophysis but 58.5 kDa in other tissues. The isoelectric point ranged from 5.22 to 5.50. High endo-oligopeptidase A activity was observed in the adenohypophysis, testis and hypothalamus with lesser activity in the neurohypophysis and thyroid and the lowest in the pineal gland. Endo-oligopeptidase A cleaved the bonds Phe-Ser of bradykinin, Met-Arg of BAM-12P and Arg-Arg of neurotensin as described for rabbit brain and heart and bovine brain enzymes. This work shows that endo-oligopeptidase A also hydrolysed the bonds Tyr-Gly of LH-releasing hormone, Pro-Phe of angiotensin I and Tyr-Ile of angiotensin II.

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Trinta e oito casos de paracoccidiodomicose, com diagnostico histopatologico, foram observados em Teresina (PI), entre junho de 72 e setembro de 81. O material mais frequentemente enviado para exame foi linfonodo (44,8%) e quase metade dos pacientes (47,5%) eram do Maranhao, onde a doenca e, provavelmente, endemica

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