α-Ketoisocaproic Acid Disrupts Mitochondrial Bioenergetics in the Brain of Neonate Rats: Molecular Modeling Studies of α-ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Subunits Inhibition.

Brain accumulation of the branched-chain α-keto acids α-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC), α-keto-β-methylvaleric acid (KMV), and α-ketoisovaleric acid (KIV) occurs in maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), an inherited intoxicating metabolic disorder caused by defects of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. Patients commonly suffer life-threatening acute encephalopathy in the newborn period and develop chronic neurological sequelae of still undefined pathogenesis. Therefore, this work investigated the in vitro influence of pathological concentrations of KIC (5 mM), KMV (1 mM), and KIV (1 mM) on mitochondrial bioenergetics in the cerebral cortex of neonate (one-day-old) rats.

Assessing radiation-induced enzyme activation in Aedes aegypti: Potential challenges for SIT-based vector management.

This study characterizes the Aedes aegypti population from Fernando de Noronha Island, Pernambuco, Brazil, prior to implementing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). The main objective was to assess changes in glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme activity, previously linked to cypermethrin resistance in this population, in 2010. GST activity was measured in both male and female mosquitoes, masse produced in lab, after exposure to ionizing radiation.

Embryonic dormancy in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae): a survival and dispersal mechanism.

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the main vectors of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika virus, and chikungunya. Ae. aegypti is a widely spread mosquito in tropical and subtropical regions, whereas Ae.

Growth hormone receptor in VGLUT2 or Sim1 cells regulates glycemia and insulin sensitivity.

Growth hormone (GH) has several metabolic effects, including a profound impact on glucose homeostasis. For example, GH oversecretion induces insulin resistance and increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus. Here, we show that GH receptor (GHR) ablation in vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2)-expressing cells, which comprise a subgroup of glutamatergic neurons, led to a slight decrease in lean body mass without inducing changes in body adiposity.

Prevalence of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and wheezing at 15 and 22 years of age: the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR), atopic dermatitis (AD), and wheezing, and to describe their patterns of co-occurrence according to different characteristics in adolescence and early adulthood.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses from the 15-year and 22-year follow-ups of the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. The outcomes were assessed based on self-reported data, and the patterns of co-occurrence were determined using cluster analysis.