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Abstract  Recent reports suggest increased incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile-associated diseases. These facts have raised the need for additional clarification of pathogenesis and for a search for new therapeutic strategies. This study evaluated the effects of the polysaccharide fucoidin, an L-selectin blocker, on toxin-A-induced mouse enteritis. Fucoidin (25 mg/kg) or saline (0.1 ml) were injected systemically (ocular plexus) 5 min prior to local challenge with toxin A (5 μg/ileal loop) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Intestinal fluid volume/length and ileal loop weight/length ratios were calculated 3 h later. Ileal tissues were collected for histopathology and measurement of myeloperoxidase and adenosine deaminase activity. Fucoidin significantly (P P  [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract.Objective??Previous studies have found that sildenafil produces antinociception in experimental models. This work was undertaken to determine the participation of the NO/cGMP/KATPpathway in the antinociception induced by sildenafil.Methods and results??The antinociceptive effect of sildenafil was determined in the zymosan-induced writhing response in mice. Sildenafil (1?30?mg/kg; i. p.), given 30?min before zymosan (1?mg/animal; i. p.), inhibited the writhing response (5.0 ? 1.3 versus 26.6 ? 2.7; p < 0.001) in a dose-dependent manner. L-NAME (30?mg/kg; s. c.) significantly (p < 0.05) reversed this effect (16.6 ? 3.1 versus 6.4 ? 1.6) and L-arginine (200?mg/kg; i. p.) prevented the L-NAME effect (6.8 ? 0.8 versus 16.6 ? 3.1; p < 0.05). ODQ (0,3?1?mg/kg; i. p.) and glybenclamide (0.3?1?mg/kg; p. o.) pre-treatment significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited the antinociceptive effect of sildenafil (18.0 ? 1.7 versus 2.1 ? 1.0 and 5.5 ? 0.7 versus 1.6+0.7, respectively). Diazoxide (10?mg/kg; s. c) significantly (p < 0.001) abolished the glybenclamide effect (1.6 ? 0.8 versus 14 ? 1.2).Conclusions??The data indicate that the antinociceptive effect of sildenafil is dependent on the activation of the NO/cGMP/ KATPpathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected in the coming decades mainly due to the need to achieve carbon neutrality until 2050. However, predicting electric mobility's future is challenging due to three main factors: technological advancements, regulatory policies, and consumer behaviour. The projections presented in this study are based on several scenarios driven mainly from reports published by public entities and consultants. It considers the evolution of electric road mobility by defined targets in the electrification of the transport sector. Therefore, the gathered data addresses different horizon times regarding EV penetration in the World, Europe, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia. Thus, an extensive literature review and estimating approach for EV forecast was conducted concerning EV markets, charging infrastructure, and electricity demand. Also, the dataset aims to provide a demand projection by 2050 and serving as a critical input to further work on EV mass deployment in the context of the project Electric Vehicles Management for carbon neutrality in Europe (EV4EU) and other works related to this field., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background & Aims: O -GlcNAcylation is a reversible post-translational modification controlled by the activity of two enzymes, O -GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O -GlcNAcase (OGA). In the liver, O -GlcNAcylation has emerged as an important regulatory mechanism underlying normal liver physiology and metabolic disease., Methods: To address whether OGT acts as a critical hepatic nutritional node, mice with a constitutive hepatocyte-specific deletion of OGT (OGT LKO ) were generated and challenged with different carbohydrate- and lipid-containing diets., Results: Analyses of 4-week-old OGT LKO mice revealed significant oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, and DNA damage, together with inflammation and fibrosis, in the liver. Susceptibility to oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis was also elevated in OGT LKO hepatocytes. Although OGT expression was partially recovered in the liver of 8-week-old OGT LKO mice, hepatic injury and fibrosis were not rescued but rather worsened with time. Interestingly, weaning of OGT LKO mice on a ketogenic diet (low carbohydrate, high fat) fully prevented the hepatic alterations induced by OGT deletion, indicating that reduced carbohydrate intake protects an OGT-deficient liver., Conclusions: These findings pinpoint OGT as a key mediator of hepatocyte homeostasis and survival upon carbohydrate intake and validate OGT LKO mice as a valuable model for assessing therapeutical approaches of advanced liver fibrosis., Impact and Implications: Our study shows that hepatocyte-specific deletion of O -GlcNAc transferase (OGT) leads to severe liver injury, reinforcing the importance of O -GlcNAcylation and OGT for hepatocyte homeostasis and survival. Our study also validates the Ogt liver-deficient mouse as a valuable model for the study of advanced liver fibrosis. Importantly, as the severe hepatic fibrosis of Ogt liver-deficient mice could be fully prevented upon feeding on a ketogenic diet ( i.e. very-low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet) this work underlines the potential interest of nutritional intervention as antifibrogenic strategies., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details., (.)

Avulsions of mandible are among the most devastating lesions observed in cranio-maxillofacial traumas. They present an important health problem because of the high risk of morbidity related to deformities that cause functional limitations and esthetic changes. The avulsions commonly result from high-energy effects, which cause complete or partial separation of the mandibular bone of the face. As a result of the intense aggression, the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the bone are usually removed, affecting muscles, fascia, blood vessels, and the surrounding nerves. This article aimed to present a case of partial avulsion of mandible caused by car accident. Here, we emphasize the importance of correctly performing patient stabilization and maintenance of the airways, damage control, and facial reconstruction. Finally, we proceeded with a literature review to discuss standard protocols and controversies in the treatment of these lesions.

Background: Venoms represent a still underexplored reservoir of bioactive components that might mitigate or cure diseases in conditions in which conventional therapy is ineffective. The bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs) comprise a class of angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. The BPPs usually consist of oligopeptides with 5 to 13 residues with a high number of proline residues and the tripeptide Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP-tripeptide) in the C-terminus region and have a conserved N-terminal pyroglutamate residue. As a whole, the action of the BPPs on prey and snakebite victims results in the decrease of the blood pressure. The aim of this work was to isolate and characterize novel BPPs from the venom of Bitis gabonica rhinoceros ., Methods: The crude venom of B. g. rhinoceros was fractionated by size exclusion chromatography and the peptide fraction (<7 kDa) was separated by reverse phase chromatography (RP-HPLC) and analyzed by ESI-IT-TOF-MS/MS. One new BPP was identified, synthetized and assayed for ACE inhibition and, in vivo, for edema potentiation., Results: Typical BPP signatures were identified in three RP-HPLC fractions. CID fragmentation presented the usual y-ion of the terminal P-P fragment as a predominant signal at m/z 213.1. De novo peptide sequencing identified one Bothrops -like BPP and one new BPP sequence. The new BPP was synthesized and showed poor inhibition over ACE, but displayed significant bradykinin-induced edema potentiation., Conclusions: So far, few BPPs are described in Viperinae, and based on the sequenced peptides, two non-canonical sequences were detected. The possible clinical role of this new peptides remains unclear.

Introduction. Inguinal hernia is a common disorder with an estimated prevalence of 1.2% of the entire population and it is 12 times more common in males. Objective. To describe a case of appendix with signs of inflammation in the hernia sac, condition that is rare and difficult to diagnose, and to perform literature review, describing the most relevant aspects and the main controversies. Method. Report of a case and search in PubMed on June 1, 2015, using the terms "Appendix" [MeSH term] AND "hernia, inguinal" [MeSH term]. Results. The search resulted in 38 articles in total, and after deleting the articles that were not part of the inclusion criteria, there were 26 case reports remaining. Discussion. The search resulted in a total of 38 articles and after deleting the articles that were not part of the inclusion criteria, there were 26 case reports remaining. Conclusion. Amyand's hernia is a rare and difficult to diagnose condition, being commonly found occasionally in surgical procedures. It should be remembered in the presence of cases of incarcerated hernia, due to its possible complications if not diagnosed.