Search

Cells are continuously exposed to physical forces and the central nervous system (CNS) is no exception. Cells dynamically adapt their behavior and remodel the surrounding environment in response to forces. The importance of mechanotransduction in the CNS is illustrated by exploring its role in CNS pathology development and progression. The crosstalk between the biochemical and biophysical components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are here described, considering the recent explosion of literature demonstrating the powerful influence of biophysical stimuli like density, rigidity and geometry of the ECM on cell behavior. This review aims at integrating mechanical properties into our understanding of the molecular basis of CNS disease. The mechanisms that mediate mechanotransduction events, like integrin, Rho/ROCK and matrix metalloproteinases signaling pathways are revised. Analysis of CNS pathologies in this context has revealed that a wide range of neurological diseases share as hallmarks alterations of the tissue mechanical properties. Therefore, it is our belief that the understanding of CNS mechanotransduction pathways may lead to the development of improved medical devices and diagnostic methods as well as new therapeutic targets and strategies for CNS repair., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Rocha, Carvalho, Relvas, Oliveira and Pêgo.)

Introduction: The type of service offered by the nutrition and dietetics service (NDS) of a hospital has a direct impact on food waste., Objective: To evaluate waste in the transition from a simple to a mixed cafeteria service., Methodology: The study was carried out in a NDS of a University Hospital during 60 days (30 days for each type of service). The meals prepared and distributed and the leftovers of lunch and dinner were weighed., Results: Per capita values of non-usable leftovers were below the acceptable range (7-25 g), not varying with the service transition (p = 0.3) at lunch. At dinner, on the contrary, values were above the acceptable range, with a median of 190 g and 202 g, also showing no difference with the service modification (p = 0.5). At lunch, with the transition, there was a reduction in the plate waste-ingestion (p < 0.0001), percentage of plate waste-ingestion (p < 0.0001) and percentage of non-usable foods (p = 0.007). At dinner, there was a reduction in the plate waste-ingestion (p < 0.0001) and in the percentage of plate waste-ingestion (p = 0.0001)., Conclusion: The modification of the service type was effective in reducing the plate waste-ingestion, but did not lead to operational modifications of the service, since the amount of non-usable leftovers remained high at dinner. Greater control of the production and distribution of meals is suggested, as well as training of food handlers and supervisors, implementation of standardized operating procedures and cost control in order to reduce waste, which has an economic, social and political impact.

Mammalian central nervous system (CNS) neurons do not regenerate after injury due to the inhibitory environment formed by the glial scar, largely constituted by myelin debris. The use of biomaterials to bridge the lesion area and the creation of an environment favoring axonal regeneration is an appealing approach, currently under investigation. This work aimed at assessing the suitability of three candidate polymers - poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(trimethylene carbonate-co-ε-caprolactone) (P(TMC-CL)) (11∶89 mol%) and poly(trimethylene carbonate) - with the final goal of using these materials in the development of conduits to promote spinal cord regeneration. Poly(L-lysine) (PLL) coated polymeric films were tested for neuronal cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth. At similar PLL film area coverage conditions, neuronal polarization and axonal elongation was significantly higher on P(TMC-CL) films. Furthermore, cortical neurons cultured on P(TMC-CL) were able to extend neurites even when seeded onto myelin. This effect was found to be mediated by the glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) signaling pathway with impact on the collapsin response mediator protein 4 (CRMP4), suggesting that besides surface topography, nanomechanical properties were implicated in this process. The obtained results indicate P(TMC-CL) as a promising material for CNS regenerative applications as it promotes axonal growth, overcoming myelin inhibition.

Introduction: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is an important side effect of this specific class of drugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of probiotics in the treatment of AAD., Methods: A group of hospitalized patients, who contracted diarrhea during or after 7 days of suspension of antimicrobial medication, was blindly randomized to receive a standardized diet associated with the use of the probiotics (Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium breve) or its corresponding placebo, three times a day., Results: Seventy patients were studied. For the experimental (n=35) and control (n=35) groups, respectively, the average time of treatment was 5.06±2.18 and 5.49±3.17 days (p=0.95), and the average duration of diarrhea, among those who were healed, was 4.87±2.13 and 4.52±2.55 days (p=0.36). Four (11.4%) patients who received probiotics and ten (28.6%) who received the placebo were not cured (p=0.13), and relapse rates were similar between both groups. Seven patients from each group, in addition to diarrhea, presented cases of bloating and/or abdominal cramps and/or vomiting (p=1.00)., Conclusions: In this light, it is concluded that L. casei associated with B. breve, in the administered dosage and frequency, has no effect on the antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Similar studies need to be conducted with higher doses of these or other probiotics.