SummaryGranulomas are the hallmark of mycobacterial disease. Here, we demonstrate that both the cell recruitment and the increased glucose consumption in granulomatous infiltrates during Mycobacterium avium infection are highly dependent on interferon-c (IFN-c). Mycobacterium aviuminfected mice lacking IFN-c signalling failed to developed significant inflammatory infiltrations and lacked the characteristic uptake of the glucose analogue fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). To assess the role of macrophages in glucose uptake we infected mice with a selective impairment of IFN-c signalling in the macrophage lineage (MIIG mice). Although only a partial reduction of the granulomatous areas was observed in infected MIIG mice, the insensitivity of macrophages to IFNc reduced the accumulation of FDG. In vivo, ex vivo and in vitro assays showed that macrophage activated by IFN-c displayed increased rates of glucose uptake and in vitro studies showed also that they had increased lactate production and increased expression of key glycolytic enzymes. Overall, our results show that the activation of macrophages by IFN-c is responsible for the Warburg effect observed in organs infected with M. avium.

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The objective of this study was to analyze thoraco-abdominal kinematics in obese children in seated and supine positions during spontaneous quiet breathing. An observational study of pulmonary function and chest wall volume assessed by optoelectronic plethysmography was conducted on 35 children aged 8-12 years that were divided into 2 groups according to weight/height ratio percentiles: there were 18 obese children with percentiles greater than 95 and 17 normal weight children with percentiles of 5-85. Pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1); forced vital capacity (FVC); and FEV1/FVC ratio), ventilatory pattern, total and compartment chest wall volume variations, and thoraco-abdominal asynchronies were evaluated. Tidal volume was greater in seated position. Pulmonary and abdominal rib cage tidal volume and their percentage contribution to tidal volume were smaller in supine position in both obese and control children, while abdominal tidal volume and its percentage contribution was greater in the supine position only in obese children and not in controls. No statistically significant differences were found between obese and control children and between supine and seated positions regarding thoraco-abdominal asynchronies. We conclude that in obese children thoraco-abdominal kinematics is influenced by supine posture, with an increase of the abdominal and a decreased rib cage contribution to ventilation, suggesting that in this posture areas of hypoventilation can occur in the lung.

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Objective: To evaluate how the lipid profile associates with apolipoprotein (apo) E gene polymorphism, plasma adiponectin level, and body mass index (BMI) z score in Portuguese youth.

In this work, bottle-grade poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET R ), kraft lignin (KL), and chemically modified lignin (ML) were used to form blends to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of pure PET. The PET/KL and PET R /ML blends were produced with 0.5, 1, 3, and 5 wt.% of lignin via melt extrusion and injection molding. The produced blends and PET R were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and mechanical properties testing. The FTIR measurements confirmed the chemical modifications of the ML samples, while the TGA results showed KL to be thermally more stable than ML. The glass transition temperature of PET R changed as a function of the amount of lignin, as revealed by the DSC measurements. The PET/KL blends demonstrated their potential for use as an engineering material due to their improved thermal and mechanical properties compared to those of PET R .

Studies on bird assemblage structure in pioneer environments allow us to understand the use of space, distribution patterns, ecosystem services, and population dynamics of these ephemeral habitats. However, studies on the bird community related to these types of habitats in the southwest of the Brazilian Amazon are rare. We compared the bird assemblage structure of an area dominated by embaúbada-várzea (Cecropia membranacea Trécul) with the adjacent alluvial rainforest along the Chandless River, a right-margin tributary of the Purus River, in the southwest Brazilian Amazon. Birds were captured with mist nets and banded (with a metal ring) along trails in both habitats. The following environmental variables were measured: temperature, humidity, and canopy openness. Understory bird assemblage was similar in the two habitats, with no influence from the environmental variables sampled. Average similarity of understory species composition between the two habitats was 77.6%, Pipra fasciicauda being the species that most contributed to this similarity (10.76%). Despite their almost homogeneous canopy and inconspicuous understory composed of short life cycle plants, due to the impact of river dynamics, areas dominated by C. membranacea have an understory bird assemblage composition similar to that of the adjacent alluvial rainforest. Understory species move horizontally and easily between these two habitats. Habitats dominated by C. membranacea on the lower Chandless River, contrary to expected, harbor a rich bird fauna. Given its importance to biodiversity maintenance, the protection of this habitat is recommended, as well as the undertaking of further biological studies on this unique Amazonian ecosystem.RESUMEN. Los estudios sobre la estructura del ensamble de aves en ambientes pioneros nos permiten comprender el uso del espacio, los patrones de distribución, los servicios ecosistémicos y la dinámica poblacional de estos hábitats efímeros. Sin embargo, son raros los estudios sobre la comunidad de aves relacionada con este tipo de hábitats en el suroeste de la Amazonia brasileña. Comparamos la estructura del ensamble de aves de un área dominada por embaúba-da-várzea (Cecropia membranacea Trécul) con la selva aluvial adyacente a lo largo del río Chandless, un afluente del margen derecho del río Purus, en el suroeste de la Amazonia brasileña. Las aves fueron capturadas con redes de niebla y anilladas (con un anillo metálico) a lo largo de senderos en ambos hábitats. Se midieron las siguientes variables ambientales: temperatura, humedad y apertura del dosel. El ensamble de aves del sotobosque fue similar en los dos hábitats, sin influencia de las variables ambientales muestreadas. La similitud media de la composición de especies del sotobosque entre ambos hábitats fue del 77,6%, siendo Pipra fasciicauda la especie que más contribuyó a esta similitud (10,76%). A pesar de tener un dosel casi homogéneo y un sotobosque poco visible compuesto por plantas de ciclo vital corto, debido al impacto de la dinámica fluvial, las áreas...