Abdominoplasty Combined with Hip Expansion by Fat Grafting: An Evolution in Waistline Contouring.

Background: Recent sociocultural trends show numerous patients requesting more curvaceous profiles. Abdominoplasty techniques had evolved into a combination of fascial plication with liposuction of the lateral torso, but often left patients with "boxy" profiles. The senior author performs 360-degree liposuction of abdomen and back, hip expansion with structural fat grafting, excision of redundant soft tissue, and wide plication of abdominal fascia to create the desired profile.

Exploring perceptions of extreme environments and extremophiles in Chilean schoolchildren: an ethnographic study.

Chile is unique because of its diverse extreme environment, ranging from arid climates in the north to polar climates in Patagonia. Microorganisms that live in these environments are called extremophiles, and these habitats experience intense ecosystem changes owing to climate warming. Most studies of extremophiles have focused on their biotechnological potential; however, no study has examined how students describe extremophiles.

Perinatal N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester administration decreases anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in adult mice.

Objective: We hypothesized that perinatal manipulations of the nitrergic system would affect adult animal behaviors.

Methods: We tested this hypothesis by perinatally administering N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a non-specific antagonist of nitric oxide synthase for 15 days and assessed anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in adult mice. At 70 days of age, the mice were subjected to a battery of tests consisting of the open-field, light/dark box, forced swim, and tail-flick tests.

Perinatal environmental enrichment changes anxiety-like behaviours in mice and produces similar intergenerational benefits in offspring.

Environmental enrichment implemented in early life is able to induce long-term changes in gene expression, synaptic function and behavioural responses. In this study, we evaluated the adult behavioural effects of perinatal environment enrichment in male and female mice (PEE), as well as the males and females of PEE male offspring (OPEE). For this purpose, animals were submitted to the following battery of behavioural analyses: elevated plus maze, open field test, light-dark box and novelty suppression feeding test.

Evaluation of the systemic and spinal antinociceptive effect of a new hybrid NSAID tetrahydropyran derivative.

Pain is responsible for inducing physical and mental stress, interfering negatively in patients' quality of life. Classic analgesic drugs, such as opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are known for their wide range of adverse effects, making it important to develop new drugs. Thus, this study aimed to analyse the action of the hybrid compound cis- (±) -acetate of 4-chloro-6- (naphthalene-1-yl) -tetrahydro-2h-pyran -2-yl) methyl2- (2- [2,6-dichlorophenylamine] phenyl (LS19) under acute nociceptive conditions, and deepened the understanding of the responsible mechanisms.

Lipid-Raft-Targeted Molecular Self-Assembly Inactivates YAP to Treat Ovarian Cancer.

The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a major oncoprotein responsible for cell proliferation control. YAP's oncogenic activity is regulated by both the Hippo kinase cascade and uniquely by a mechanical-force-induced actin remodeling process. Inspired by reports that ovarian cancer cells specifically accumulate the phosphatase protein ALPP on lipid rafts that physically link to actin cytoskeleton, we developed a molecular self-assembly (MSA) technology that selectively halts cancer cell proliferation by inactivating YAP.

Chemical Oscillation and Morphological Oscillation in Catalyst-Embedded Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Gels.

Liquid crystalline gels offer promising means in generating smart materials due to programmable mechanics and reversible shape changes in response to external stimuli. We demonstrate a simple and convenient method of constructing catalyst-embedded lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) gels and achieve chemomechanical oscillator by converting chemical waves in Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. We observe the directed chemical oscillations on LLC sticks accompanied by small-scale oscillatory swellings-shrinkages that are synchronized with the chemical waves of an LLC stick.

Constructing Cross-Linked Nanofibrous Scaffold via Dual-Enzyme-Instructed Hierarchical Assembly.

To explore the potential of step-by-step assembly in the fabrication of biological materials, we designed and synthesized two peptide-based molecules for enzyme-instructed hierarchical assembly. Upon the treatment of alkaline phosphatase, one molecule undergoes enzyme-instructed self-assembly forming uniformed nanofibers. The other one that can self-assemble into vesicles undergoes enzyme-induced transformation of self-assembly converting vesicles into irregular aggregates upon the treatment of carboxylesterase.

Mechanoresponsive Alignment of Molecular Self-Assembled Negatively Charged Nanofibrils.

Inspired by the mechanoresponsive orientation of actin filaments in cell, we introduce a design paradigm of synthetic molecular self-assembling fibrils that respond to external mechanical force by transforming from a macroscopically disorder state to a highly ordered uniaxial aligned state. The incorporation of aromatic-containing amino acids and negatively charged amino acids lead to self-assembly motifs that transform into uniform nanofibrils in acidic solution. Adjusting the pH level of aqueous solution introduces optimal negative charge to the surface of self-assembling nanofibrils inducing long-range electrostatic repulsion forming a nematic phase.

Selenium supplementation during pregnancy and lactation promotes metabolic changes in Wistar rats' offspring.

Epidemiological and animal studies have demonstrated a strong association between selenium (Se) supplementation and metabolic disorders, we aimed to evaluate whether maternal Se supplementation was able to change metabolic parameters in rats' offspring. Moreover, as Se is a deiodinase (DIO) cofactor, we decided to investigate how thyroid hormones (THs) would be involved in such metabolic changes. Thereby, two groups (n = 6, ~250 g) of female Wistar rats underwent isotonic saline or sodium selenite (1 mg/kg, p.

Pharmacological evaluation underlying the antinociceptive activity of two new hybrids NSAIDs tetrahydropyran derivatives.

The development of analgesic drugs is still a necessity due to the inefficiency of the current treatments for some pathological conditions and also due to the adverse effects produced by these drugs. The aim of this study was to deepen the pharmacological study of two new hybrids NSAIDs tetrahydropyran derivatives, regarding their antinociceptive effects on acute pain in mice. Male swiss mice were evaluated in the acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, formalin, tail-flick, open-field, glutamate- and capsaicin-induced paw licking tests, and in vitro Cox inhibition assay, besides the acute toxicological evaluation.

Heterophilic antibodies in sera from individuals without loxoscelism cross-react with phospholipase D from the venom of and spiders.

Background: Loxoscelism is a severe human envenomation caused by spider venom. To the best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the presence of antibodies against venom in loxoscelism patients without treatment with antivenom immunotherapy. We perform a comparative analysis for the presence of antibodies capable of recognizing venom in a group of patients diagnosed with loxoscelism and in a group of people without loxoscelism.

Evaluation of the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of piperic acid: Involvement of the cholinergic and vanilloid systems.

Piperin is the active compound of black pepper (Piper nigrum). From the piperine was obtained the molecule of the piperic acid (PAC). The objective of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory of the compound.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of leaf extracts from Annona tomentosa R.E.Fr.

Objective: Annona tomentosa R.E.Fr is a species not endemic to Brazil that belongs to the phytogeographic areas of the Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal.

Tryptophan and aspartic acid residues present in the glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase (GDPD) domain of the Loxosceles laeta phospholipase D are essential for substrate recognition.

It is known that the family of phospholipases D (PLD) from spiders of the genus Loxosceles, hydrolyze the substrates sphingomyelin and lisophosphatidylcholine, by their catalytic acid-base action which involves two histidines. However, little is known about the amino acids that participate on substrate recognition. In this study we identified highly conserved amino acids of the glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase (GDPD) domain of recombinant LlPLD1, which interact with the substrate sphingomyelin.

Social stress-induced hypothyroidism is attenuated by antidepressant treatment in rats.

Although serotonergic system has been classically implicated in mood modulation, there has been relatively little study on the relationship between this system and thyroid hormones (TH) economy in stress models. When TH are studied, the effects of stress on thyroid function seems to be complex and depend on the kind and time of stress which counts for the elusiveness of mechanisms underlying changes in TH economy. Herein, we hypothesized that serum TH are affected in a time-dependent fashion after repeated social stressful stimuli and serotonergic system is implicated in these changes.

Two new phospholipase D isoforms of Loxosceles laeta: cloning, heterologous expression, functional characterization, and potential biotechnological application.

Toxin phospholipases-D present in the venom of Loxosceles spiders is the principal responsible for local and systemic effects observed in the loxoscelism. In this study, we describe the cloning, expression, functional evaluation, and potential biotechnological application of cDNAs, which code for two new phospholipase D isoforms, LIPLD1 and LIPLD2, of the spider Loxosceles laeta. The recombinant protein rLIPLD1 had hydrolytic activity on sphingomyelin and in vitro hemolytic activity on human red blood cells, whereas rLIPLD2 was inactive.

Application of micro-computed tomographic scanning to characterize patterns of murine cranial suture fusion.

Background: In the murine model of suture fusion, it is widely accepted that the posterior frontal suture progresses from a state of patency on day 25 through complete fusion by day 45. The present study was performed to evaluate the process of normal posterior frontal suture fusion and to quantitate patterns of suture morphology in prefusion and postfusion mouse calvariae.

Methods: The calvariae of mice euthanized on day 25 (n = 7) and day 45 (n = 7) of postnatal life were analyzed by micro-computed tomography with 21-mm sections from each posterior frontal suture and analyzed by a nonblinded investigator for patency or fusion in the ectocranial, central, and endocranial segments.

Tetracycline and penicillin resistant Clostridium perfringens isolated from the fangs and venom glands of Loxosceles laeta: its implications in loxoscelism treatment.

The venom of Loxosceles spiders produces severe dermonecrotic damage, intravascular hemolysis, systemic alterations and risk of death. Clostridium perfringens is present in the microbial flora of the fangs and venom glands of Loxosceles intermedia. Its inoculation with the venom may infect the wound site and exacerbate the dermonecrotic damage.

Refinements of tissue expansion for pediatric forehead reconstruction: a 13-year experience.

Background: Reconstruction of the forehead in children when 25 percent or more of the forehead is involved presents a complex reconstructive challenge because of the confluence of highly visible aesthetic units. The present study was performed to develop an algorithm for lesions involving 25 percent or more of the forehead.

Methods: A 13-year retrospective review was performed of all pediatric patients who completed reconstruction for lesions involving at least 25 percent of the forehead by a single surgeon (A.

Behavioural changes induced by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition during pregnancy and lactation in adult offspring rats.

1. The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors during pregnancy is contraindicated because of their association with increased risks of fetopathy, including central nervous systems malformations. In addition, some reports have shown that renin-angiotensin system components are expressed differently during embryonic development and adulthood in the rat.

[Effectiveness of a repellent paint against the spider Loxosceles laeta].

Background: Loxoscelism is a severe reaction to the bite of the spider Loxosceles laeta. In recent years, a paint with repellent properties has been promoted in the commerce. However, there are no reports of experiments evaluating its effectiveness.

Ectopic scalp replantation: a case report.

Temporary ectopic implantation with secondary replantation at the anatomic site is useful in salvage of extremities or organs [Godina M, Bajec J, Baraga A. Salvage of the mutilated upper extremity with temporary ectopic implantation of the undamaged part. Plast Reconstr Surg 1986;78: 295-99; Chernofsky MA, Sauer PF.