Extensor pollicis et indicis communis with triple slips in a bilateral case of accessory muscles of the hand.

The presence and disposition of supernumerary tendons in the fourth extensor compartment of the wrist have been described by several authors. The aim of this communication was to describe a finding in a study of an anatomical dissection of an adult cadaver that presents a rare disposition of extensor tendons in the fourth extensor compartment of both wrists. In the right wrist, we found an extensor pollicis et indicis communis with three slips: two toward the index finger and one toward the thumb.

Protein phosphatases decrease their activity during capacitation: a new requirement for this event.

There are few reports on the role of protein phosphatases during capacitation. Here, we report on the role of PP2B, PP1, and PP2A during human sperm capacitation. Motile sperm were resuspended in non-capacitating medium (NCM, Tyrode's medium, albumin- and bicarbonate-free) or in reconstituted medium (RCM, NCM plus 2.

The effects of interday rest on adaptation to 6 weeks of plyometric training in young soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of short-term plyometric training interposed with 24 or 48 hours of rest between training sessions on explosive and endurance adaptations in young soccer players. A total of 166 players, between 10 and 17 years of age, were randomly divided into 3 groups: a control group (CG; n = 55) and 2 plyometric training groups with 24 hours (PT24; n = 54) and 48 hours (PT48; n = 57) of rest between training sessions. Before and after intervention, players were measured in squat jump, countermovement jump, 20 (RSI20) cm drop jump reactive strength index, broad long jump, 20-m sprint time, 10 × 5-m agility time, 20-m multistage shuttle run test, and sit-and-reach test.

Effects of plyometric training on endurance and explosive strength performance in competitive middle- and long-distance runners.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a short-term plyometric training program on explosive strength and endurance performance in highly competitive middle- and long-distance runners. Athletes were randomly assigned to a control group (CG, n = 18, 12 men) and an explosive strength training group (TG, n = 18, 10 men). Drop jump (DJ) from 20 (DJ20) and 40 cm (DJ40), countermovement jump with arms (CMJA), 20-m sprint time, and 2.

Aromatic glycosyl disulfide derivatives: evaluation of their inhibitory activities against Trypanosoma cruzi.

Aromatic oligovalent glycosyl disulfides and some diglycosyl disulfides were tested against three different Trypanosoma cruzi strains. Di-(β-D-galactopyranosyl-dithiomethylene) benzenes 2b and 4b proved to be the most active derivatives against all three strains of cell culture-derived trypomastigotes with IC50 values ranging from 4 to 11 μM at 37 °C. The inhibitory activities were maintained, although somewhat lowered, at a temperature of 4 °C as well.

Extensor pollicis et indicis communis or extensor indicis radialis muscle.

Anatomical variations of the fingers extensor tendons are not uncommon and have been described by several authors. Participation of intertendinous band of fascia in this kind of variation can change muscle functionality. However, this element is scarcely described in the literature.

Virulence factors of Trypanosoma cruzi: who is who?

The aim of this review is to gather the current knowledge of Trypanosoma cruzi's virulence factors described to date in an integrative way, relating these with the parasite's life cycle and trying to elucidate their importance in each process. Several aspects relevant for the parasite's survival, such as invasion, resistance to oxidative damage, escape from the phagolysosomal vacuole and differentiation, among others, will be discussed. However, there is still a lot to learn about what virulence really means in T.

A protein phosphatase 1 gamma (PP1γ) of the human protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is involved in proliferation and cell attachment to the host cell.

In this work, evidence for a critical role of Trichomonas vaginalis protein phosphatase 1 gamma (TvPP1γ) in proliferation and attachment of the parasite to the mammalian cell is provided. Firstly, proliferation and attachment of T. vaginalis parasites to HeLa cells was blocked by calyculin A (CA), a potent PP1 inhibitor.

Urinary excretion of platinum, arsenic and selenium of cancer patients from the Antofagasta region in Chile treated with platinum-based drugs.

Background: Arsenic exposure increases the risk of non-cancerous and cancerous diseases. In the Antofagasta region in Chile, an established relationship exists between arsenic exposure and the risk of cancer of the bladder, lung and skin. Platinum-based drugs are first-line treatments, and many works recognise selenium as a cancer-fighting nutrient.

Kinases, phosphatases and proteases during sperm capacitation.

Fertilization is the process by which male and female haploid gametes (sperm and egg) unite to produce a genetically distinct individual. In mammals, fertilization involves a number of sequential steps, including sperm migration through the female genital tract, sperm penetration through the cumulus mass, sperm adhesion and binding to the zona pellucida, acrosome exocytosis, sperm penetration through the zona and fusion of the sperm and egg plasma membranes. However, freshly ejaculated sperm are not capable of fertilizing an oocyte.

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.

The laminin-induced acrosome reaction in human sperm is mediated by Src kinases and the proteasome.

The aim of this work was to determine whether laminin (Ln), an extracellular matrix protein, induces the intracellular events that may be involved in producing the acrosome reaction in human sperm. To this end, we evaluated the effect of Ln on tyrosine phosphorylation, intracellular calcium concentration, proteasome activity, and phosphorylation in human sperm. Aliquots of highly motile sperm selected with a Percoll gradient, were incubated with different concentrations of Ln (0-20 μg/ml) for different periods (0-18 h).

An approach to the arsenic status in cardiovascular tissues of patients with coronary heart disease.

Among non-cancer effects of arsenic, cardiovascular diseases have been well documented; however, few are known about the arsenic fate in cardiovascular tissues. We studied the analytic bioinorganic arsenic behaviour in cardiovascular tissues from an arsenic exposure coronary heart disease patient group from Antofagasta-Chile against a small unexposed arsenic coronary heart patient group. Total arsenic concentrations were measured in pieces of cardiovascular tissues of the arsenic-exposed and unexposed coronary heart patient groups by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS); speciation analysis was made by high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS).

Marine Bacillus spp. associated with the egg capsule of Concholepas concholepas (common name "loco") have an inhibitory activity toward the pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

The pandemic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus, isolated from seawater, sediment, and marine organisms, is responsible for gastroenteric illnesses in humans and also cause diseases in aquaculture industry in Chile and other countries around the world. In this study, bacterial flora with inhibitory activity against pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus were collected from egg capsules of Concholepas concholepas and evaluated.

Effect of intermittent hypoxia on the reproduction of rats exposed to high altitude in the Chilean Altiplano.

Environmental parameters such as the large day-night temperature differences, high light radiation, and low humidity may have a synergistic effect with low oxygen pressure. To evaluate the effects of the exposure to intermittent chronic hypobaric hypoxia (ICHH) in nature on rat reproduction, a group of rats was alternately moved to a location at 3400 meters over sea level (moml) for 7 days and returned the subsequent week to sea level; this procedure was repeated six times. Hematological and reproductive parameters were measured and analyzed.

Molecular characterization and intracellular distribution of the alpha 5 subunit of Trypanosoma cruzi 20S proteasome.

Three different monoclonal antibodies were produced against Trypanosona cruzi proteasomes. These antibodies were shown to react with a single 27-kDa band on immunoblots of purified proteasomes. Using a 7E5 monoclonal antibody (IgG1) that recognized the alpha5 subunit of protozoan protease we have studied the intracellular distribution of the T.

Participation of the human sperm proteasome in the capacitation process and its regulation by protein kinase A and tyrosine kinase.

The proteasome is a multicatalytic cellular complex present in human sperm that plays a significant role during several steps of mammalian fertilization. Here, we present evidence that the proteasome is involved in human sperm capacitation. Aliquots of highly motile sperm were incubated with proteasome inhibitors MG132 or epoxomicin.

Calcineurin B of the human protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is involved in cell invasion.

During Trypanosoma cruzi cell invasion, signal transduction pathways are triggered in parasite and host cells, leading to a rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. We posed the question whether calcineurin (CaN), in particular the functional regulatory subunit CaNB, a Ca2+-binding EF-hand protein, was expressed in T. cruzi and whether it played a role in cell invasion.

Proteasome activity and its relationship with protein phosphorylation during capacitation and acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa.

We have shown that the proteasome is present in mammalian sperm and plays a role during fertilisation. In this work we studied the relationship between protein phosphorylation and proteasomal activity in human sperm. Aliquots of motile sperm were incubated for 0, 5 and 18 h at 37 degrees C, 5% CO2, with different concentration of the kinase inhibitors genistein, H89 or tamoxifen.

Azorellane diterpenoids from Laretia acaulis inhibit nuclear factor-kappa B activity.

Transcription factor NF-kappaB plays a key role in the inducible expression of genes mediating proinflammatory effects, and is thus an important target for the development of antiinflammatory drugs. Laretia acaulis (Cav.) Gill et Hook (Apiaceae) is a medicinal plant used in the high Andes mountains for different ailments such as diabetes, inflammation and for general pain.

Effect of fibronectin on proteasome activity, acrosome reaction, tyrosine phosphorylation and intracellular calcium concentrations of human sperm.

Background: Previously we showed that the human sperm proteasome plays significant roles during mammalian fertilization. Here we studied the effect of fibronectin (Fn), an extracellular matrix protein present in the cumulus oophorus of the oocyte, on proteasome activity, acrosome reaction, intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) and protein tyrosine phosphorylation of human sperm.

Methods: Aliquots of motile sperm were incubated for 15 min (T0), 5 h (T5) and 18 h (T18), at 37 degrees C, 5% CO(2) and 95% air with Fn (0-100 microg/ml).

Crystal and molecular structures of diglycosyl disulfide derivatives.

The crystal and molecular structures of S-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucopyranosyl)-S'-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-d-galactopyranosyl)disulfide (1) and the mono-sulfoxide (3) of bis(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucopyranosyl)disulfide (2) are described. Comparison of 2 and 3, containing -S-S- and -S-S(O)- bonds, respectively, allows to delineate structural differences brought about by the different oxidation states of one of the sulfur atoms in carbohydrate disulfides.

Experimental antihyperglycemic effect of diterpenoids of llareta Azorella compacta (Umbelliferae) Phil in rats.

Aqueous or ethanol infusions of Azorella compacta (llareta) in common with many other plants have been used as antidiabetic in the popular medicine in the altiplanic region of Chile. In order to determine if the diterpenic compounds chemically elucidated and isolated from this plant are responsible for this effect, streptozotocin diabetic rats (507 +/- 67 mg/mL glucose) were injected with two injections of diterpenic compounds mulinolic acid, azorellanol, and mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic acid at 180 mg/mL. Glycemia of animals treated with mulinolic acid and azorellanol was decreased to 243 +/- 2 and 247 +/- 14 mg/mL respectively, values very close to those reached by chlorpropamide injection used in controls.

N-(triphenylmethylsulfanyl)phthalimide.

The title compound, C27H19NO2S, contains chains of fused R(2)(2) (19) rings formed by intermolecular C-H...

Role of the sperm proteasome during fertilization and gamete interaction in the mouse.

In this work, we have investigated the role of the sperm proteasome during in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gamete interaction in the mouse. Proteasome activity was measured in extract and intact sperm using a specific substrate. In addition, sperm were treated with specific proteasome inhibitors and evaluated during IVF, binding to the zona pellucida, and progesterone- and zona pellucida-induced acrosome reactions.