Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

About: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais is a education organization based out in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Immune system. The organization has 41631 authors who have published 75688 publications receiving 1249905 citations.

Annexin A1 modulates natural and glucocorticoid-induced resolution of inflammation by enhancing neutrophil apoptosis.

Abstract: This study aimed at assessing whether AnxA1, a downstream mediator for the anti-inflammatory effects of GCs, could affect the fate of immune cells in tissue exudates, using LPS-induced pleurisy in BALB/c mice. AnxA1 protein expression in exudates was increased during natural resolution, as seen at 48-72 h post-LPS, an effect augmented by treatment with GC and associated with marked presence of apoptotic neutrophils in the pleural exudates. The functional relevance of AnxA1 was determined using a neutralizing antibody or a nonspecific antagonist at FPR/ALXRs: either treatment inhibited both spontaneous and GC-induced resolution of inflammation. Injection of Ac2-26 (100 μg, given 4 h into the LPS response), an AnxA1-active N-terminal peptide, promoted active resolution and augmented the extent of neutrophil apoptosis. Such an effect was prevented by the pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk. Mechanistically, resolution of neutrophilic inflammation was linked to cell apoptosis with activation of Bax and caspase-3 and inhibition of survival pathways Mcl-1, ERK1/2, and NF-κB. These novel in vivo data, using a dynamic model of acute inflammation, provide evidence that AnxA1 is a mediator of natural and GC-induced resolution of inflammation with profound effects on neutrophil apoptosis.

Instrumental Analysis Study of Iron Species Biosorption by Sargassum Biomass

Abstract: The mechanism of iron uptake by the dry biomass of the brown seaweed Sargassum fluitans was investigated at the molecular level using different instrumental techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the chemical microanalysis by electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) of the biomass exposed to iron solutions confirmed the deposition of the metal mainly in the cell wall. The analysis of the Fe(II)-exposed biomass by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated the presence of Fe in two states of oxidation in the biomass exposed to ferrous iron solution, whereas only Fe(III) was present in ferric iron-exposed biomass, suggesting a partial oxidation of Fe(II) when in contact with the biomass. In both Fe(II)- and Fe(III)-exposed samples, XPS indicated iron complexation with sulfate groups in the biomass. The FTIR analysis of metal-loaded biomass samples revealed the chelating character of the ion complexation to carboxyl groups as well as the complexation of Fe(III) with sulfur of sulfonate gr...

O percurso da linha do cuidado sob a perspectiva das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis

Abstract: Este trabalho caracteriza a linha do cuidado (LC) segundo as perspectivas micro e macropoliticas ou de gestao. Toma-se o exemplo das Doencas Cronicas Nao Transmissiveis (DCNT), pela sua magnitude, e suas caracteristicas: doenca de longa duracao, demandando intensa atuacao de cuidadores, projetos terapeuticos, acesso aos servicos e acoes integradas. O trabalho discute a perspectiva da LC centrada no campo de necessidades dos usuarios e pressupoe a existencia do cuidador, uso da tecnologia leve, projeto terapeutico adequado, existencia da rede de servicos que suporte as acoes necessarias, o acesso aos recursos assistenciais disponiveis, alem da atuacao nos determinantes sociais e no processo regulatorio. Discute-se o desenvolvimento de politicas de promocao, prevencao, vigilância e assistencia de DCNT, articulando acoes no campo da micropolitica e macropolitica, integrando intervencao nos determinantes sociais, legislacao, tecnologias e instrumentos.

Insights into Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease: From Biomarkers to Anti-Inflammatory Based Therapies

Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, being characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Among several putative factors that may contribute to PD pathogenesis, inflammatory mechanisms may play a pivotal role. The involvement of microglial activation as well as of brain and peripheral immune mediators in PD pathophysiology has been reported by clinical and experimental studies. These inflammatory biomarkers evaluated by imaging techniques and/or by biological sample analysis have become valuable tools for PD diagnosis and prognosis. Regardless of the significant increase in the number of people suffering from PD, there are still no established disease-modifying or neuroprotective therapies for it. There is growing evidence of protective effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on PD development. Herein, we reviewed the current literature regarding the central nervous system and peripheral immune biomarkers in PD and advances in diagnostic and prognostic tools as well as the neuroprotective effects of anti-inflammatory therapies.

Constructions and their acquisition: Islands and the distinctiveness of their occupancy

Abstract: This paper presents a psycholinguistic analysis of constructions and their acquisition. It investigates effects upon naturalistic second language acquisition of type/token distributions in the islands comprising the linguistic form of English verb-argument constructions (VACs: VL verb locative, VOL verb object locative, VOO ditransitive) in the ESF corpus (Perdue, 1993). Goldberg (2006) argued that Zipfian type/token frequency distribution of verbs in natural language might optimize construction learning by providing one very high frequency exemplar that is also prototypical in meaning. Ellis & Ferreira-Junior (2009) confirmed that in the naturalistic L2A of English, VAC verb type/token distribution in the input is Zipfian and learners first acquire the most frequent, prototypical and generic exemplar (e.g. put in VOL, give in VOO, etc.). This paper further illustrates how acquisition is affected by the frequency and frequency distribution of exemplars within each island of the construction (e.g. [Subj V Obj Oblpath/loc]), by their prototypicality, and, using a variety of psychological and corpus linguistic association metrics, by their contingency of form-function mapping.