BackgroundThe neural mobilization technique is a noninvasive method that has proved clinically effective in reducing pain sensitivity and consequently in improving quality of life after neuropathic pain. The present study examined the effects of neural mobilization (NM) on pain sensitivity induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) in rats. The CCI was performed on adult male rats, submitted thereafter to 10 sessions of NM, each other day, starting 14 days after the CCI injury. Over the treatment period, animals were evaluated for nociception using behavioral tests, such as tests for allodynia and thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia. At the end of the sessions, the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal cord were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and Western blot assays for neural growth factor (NGF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).ResultsThe NM treatment induced an early reduction (from the second session) of the hyperalgesia and allodynia in CCI-injured rats, which persisted until the end of the treatment. On the other hand, only after the 4th session we observed a blockade of thermal sensitivity. Regarding cellular changes, we observed a decrease of GFAP and NGF expression after NM in the ipsilateral DRG (68% and 111%, respectively) and the decrease of only GFAP expression after NM in the lumbar spinal cord (L3-L6) (108%).ConclusionsThese data provide evidence that NM treatment reverses pain symptoms in CCI-injured rats and suggest the involvement of glial cells and NGF in such an effect.

Exercise is known to improve cognitive functions and to induce neuroprotection. In this study we used a short-term, moderate intensity treadmill exercise protocol to investigate the effects of exercise on usual markers of hippocampal synaptic and structural plasticity, such as synapsin I (SYN), synaptophysin (SYP), neurofilaments (NF), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), glutamate receptor subunits GluR1 and GluR2/3, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and real-time PCR were used. We also evaluated the number of cells positive for the proliferation marker 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU), the neurogenesis marker doublecortin (DCX) and the plasma corticosterone levels. Adult male Wistar rats were adapted to a treadmill and divided into 4 groups: sedentary (SED), 3-day exercise (EX3), 7-day exercise (EX7) and 15-day exercise (EX15). The protein changes detected were increased levels of NF68 and MAP2 at EX3, of SYN at EX7 and of GFAP at EX15, accompanied by a decreased level of GluR1 at EX3. Immunohistochemical findings revealed a similar pattern of changes. The real-time PCR analysis disclosed only an increase of MAP2 mRNA at EX7. We also observed an increased number of BrdU-positive cells and DCX-positive cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus at all time points and increased corticosterone levels at EX3 and EX7. These results reveal a positive effect of short-term, moderate treadmill exercise on hippocampal plasticity. This effect was in general independent of transcriptional processes and of BDNF upregulation, and occurred even in the presence of increased corticosterone levels.

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RESUMOO presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar a influência do número de pares de folhas e testar o efeito de diferentes concentrações de AIB (ácido indolbutírico) no enraizamento de estacas semilenhosas de oliveira. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em fatorial 4 x 3, sendo quatro concentrações de AIB (0, 1000, 2000, e 3000 mg L -1 ) e três tipos de estacas (sem folhas, com um par de folhas e com dois pares de folhas). As estacas foram padronizadas com 12 cm de comprimento. Após o preparo inicial, as estacas foram imersas nas soluções de AIB por cinco segundos e, em seguida, colocadas em bandejas de polipropileno contendo o substrato Plantmax ® e transportadas para casa-de-vegetação, com umidade e temperatura controladas, onde permaneceram por 90 dias. As variáveis analisadas foram: porcentagem de estacas enraizadas e brotadas, número de folhas, brotos e raízes emitidas por estaca e comprimento médio das brotações e das raízes. O AIB apenas promoveu influência ao sistema radicular; a concentração de 2000 mg L -1 de AIB promoveu maior enraizamento e a concentração de 3000 mg L -1 de AIB em estacas com dois pares de folhas promoveu melhores resultados para número de raízes por estacas e comprimento médio das raízes; estacas ausentes de folhas favoreceram maior brotação nas estacas.Termos para indexação: propagação, estaquia e AIB. ABSTRACTThe present work was developed with the objective to evaluate the influence of the number of leaves and test the effect of different concentrations of IBA (indolbutyric acid) in the cutting propagation of olive tree. The experimental design was complete randomized, in a two factors arrangement (4 x 3), with four different concentrations of IBA (0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg L -1 ) and three different types of cuttings (without leaves, one pair of leaves and two pairs of leaves). The cuttings were padronized with 12 cm of length and treated with IBA for five seconds. After that, they were taken to polysty rene trays filled with Plantmax ® and stayed under house green conditions for 90 days. Rooting and sprouting percentage, number of leaves, sprouts and roots, sprout and root length were evaluated. IBA only influenced the root system; the concentration of 2000 mg L -1 promoted best results for rooting percentage and the concentration of 3000 mg L -1 IBA in cuttings with two pairs of leaves promoted best results for number of roots and root length; cuttings of absent leaves favored larger sprouting in the cuttings.

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Salivary gland dysfunction is a feature in diabetes and hypertension. We hypothesized that sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) participates in salivary dysfunctions through a sympathetic- and protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated pathway. In Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), diabetic WKY (WKY-D), spontaneously hypertensive (SHR), and diabetic SHR (SHR-D) rats, PKA/SGLT1 proteins were analyzed in parotid and submandibular glands, and the sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) to the glands was monitored. Basal SNA was threefold higher in SHR ( P < 0.001 vs. WKY), and diabetes decreased this activity (∼50%, P < 0.05) in both WKY and SHR. The catalytic subunit of PKA and the plasma membrane SGLT1 content in acinar cells were regulated in parallel to the SNA. Electrical stimulation of the sympathetic branch to salivary glands increased (∼30%, P < 0.05) PKA and SGLT1 expression. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the observed regulations of SGLT1, revealing its location in basolateral membrane of acinar cells. Taken together, our results show highly coordinated regulation of sympathetic activity upon PKA activity and plasma membrane SGLT1 content in salivary glands. Furthermore, the present findings show that diabetic- and/or hypertensive-induced changes in the sympathetic activity correlate with changes in SGLT1 expression in basolateral membrane of acinar cells, which can participate in the salivary glands dysfunctions reported by patients with these pathologies.

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Physical exercise is known to enhance brain function in several aspects. We evaluated the acute effects of a moderate forced exercise protocol on synaptic proteins, namely synapsin I (SYN) and synaptophysin (SYP), and structural proteins (neurofilaments, NFs) in rat brain regions related to motor function and often affected by neurodegenerative disorders. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and real-time PCR were used to analyze the expression of those proteins after 3, 7 and 15days of exercise (EX3, EX7 and EX15). In the cerebellum, increase of SYN was observed at EX7 and EX15 and of NF68 at EX3. In the substantia nigra, increases of protein levels were observed for NF68 and NF160 at EX3. In the striatum, there was an increase of SYN at EX3 and EX7, of SYP at EX7 and of NF68 at EX3. In the cortex, decreased levels of NF68 and NF160 were observed at EX3, followed by an increase of NF68 at EX15. In the reticular formation, all NF proteins were increased at EX15. The mRNA data for each time-point and region also revealed significant exercise-related changes of SYN, SYP and NF expression. These results suggest that moderate physical exercise modulates synaptic and structural proteins in motor brain areas, which may play an important role in the exercise-dependent brain plasticity.