Distribution of sewage input in marine sediments around a maritime Antarctic research station indicated by molecular geochemical indicators

Sediments from Admiralty Bay, Antarctica were collected during the austral summers of 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 in order to assess the distribution and concentration of sewage indicators originating from Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Antarctic Station. Fecal sterols (coprostanol + epicoprostanol) and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) ranged from <0.01 to 0.95 mu g g(-1) and <1.0 to 23 ng g(-1) dry weight, respectively. In general, the higher concentrations were found only locally in the vicinity of Ferraz station at Martel Inlet. Baseline values for fecal sterols and coprostanone were calculated as 0.19 and 0.40 mu g g(-1), respectively. According to fecal sterols concentrations, sewage contribution to Martel Inlet has increased more than twice since 1997, as result of the increase in the number of researchers at the station especially during the last decade. A low correlation was found between total LABs and fecal steroids, which could be attributed to the contribution of the natural sources of steroids. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of teeth adjacent to implants installed immediately into extraction sockets: an experimental study in the dog

Aim: To evaluate the influence of the presence of both adjacent teeth on the level of alveolar bony crest at sites where implants were installed into the socket immediately after tooth extraction. Material and methods: Six Labrador dogs were used. Extractions of all teeth from the second premolar to the first molar were performed in the right side of the mandible, after full-thickness flap elevation. In the left side of the mandible, an endodontic treatment of the mesial root of the third and fourth premolars was performed. Full-thickness flaps were elevated, the teeth hemisected, and the distal roots removed. Immediately after, implants were bilaterally installed with the margin flush to the buccal bony crest. The implants were placed in the center of the alveolus at the third premolars and toward the lingual bony plate of the alveolus at the fourth premolars. After 3 months of healing, the animals were euthanized. Results: All implants were integrated in mature bone. More bone resorption was observed at the test compared to the control sites. At the buccal aspect, a resorption of 2.8 +/- 0.5 and 1.6 +/- 0.4 mm at the third premolars and of 2.4 +/- 0.6 and 0.8 +/- 0.7 mm at the fourth premolars were found, at the test and control sites, respectively. At the lingual aspect, the bony crest was apically located in relation to the implant shoulder 1.5 +/- 0.3 and 0.5 +/- 0.5 mm at the third premolars and 1.6 +/- 0.6 and 0.3 +/- 1.1 mm at the fourth premolars, at the test and control sites, respectively. A lower buccal bone resorption was found at the control implants placed lingually. Conclusion: Multiple extractions of teeth adjacent to a socket into which implants were installed immediately after, tooth extraction induced more alveolar bone recession compared to sites where the adjacent teeth were preserved. Moreover, an implant placed more lingually yielded less recession of the buccal aspect of the implant.

Isothermal seed germination of Adenanthera pavonina

(Isothermal seed germination of Adenanthera pavonina). This work reports aspects of seed germination at different temperatures of Adenanthera pavonina L., a woody Southeast Asian Leguminosae. Germination was studied by measuring the final percentages, the rate, the rate variance and the synchronisation of the individual seeds calculated by the minimal informational entropy of frequencies distribution of seed germination. Overlapping the germinability range with the range for the highest values of germination rates and the minimal informational entropy of frequencies distribution of seed germination, we found that the best temperature for the germination of A. pavonina seeds is 35 degrees C. The slope mu of the Arrhenius plot of the germination rates is positive for T < 35 degrees C and negative for T > 35 degrees C. The activation enthalpies, estimated from closely-spaced points, shows that vertical bar Delta H-vertical bar < 12 Cal mol(-1) occur for temperatures in the range between 25 degrees C and 40 degrees C. The ecological implication of these results are that this species may germinate very fast in tropical areas during the summer season. This may be an advantage to the establishment of this species under the climatic conditions in those areas.

Duration of dual antiplatelet therapy and outcomes after coronary stenting with the genous (TM) bio-engineered R stent (TM) in patients from the e-healing registry

Objective: We investigated the relation between duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and clinical outcomes up to 12 months after Genous (TM) endothelial progenitor cell capturing R stent (TM) placement in patients from the e-HEALING registry. Background: Cessation of (DAPT) has been shown to be associated with the occurrence of stent thrombosis (ST). After Genous placement, 1 month of DAPT is recommended. Methods: Patients were analyzed according to continuation or discontinuation of DAPT at a 30-day and 6-month landmark, excluding patients with events before the landmark. Each landmark was a new baseline, and outcomes were followed up to 12 months after stenting. The main outcome for our current analysis was target vessel failure (TVF), defined as target vessel-related cardiac death or myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization. Secondary outcomes included ST. (Un)adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for TVF were calculated with Cox regression. Results: No difference was observed in the incidence of TVF [HR: 1.03; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.651.65, P = 0.89] in patients continuing DAPT (n = 4,249) at 30 days versus patients stopped (n = 309), and HR: 0.82 (95% CI: 0.551.23, P = 0.34) in patients continuing DAPT (n = 2,654) at 6 months versus patients stopped [n = 1,408] DAPT). Furthermore, no differences were observed in ST. Even after addition of identified independent predictors for TVF, adjusted TVF hazards were comparable. Conclusions: In a post-hoc analysis of e-HEALING, duration of DAPT was not associated with the occurrence of the outcomes TVF or ST. The Genous stent may be an attractive treatment especially in patients at increased risk for (temporary) cessation of DAPT or bleeding. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pyridine Alkaloids from Senna multijuga As Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

As part of an ongoing research project on Senna and Cassia species, five new pyridine alkaloids, namely, 12'-hydroxy-7'-multijuguinol (1), 12'-hydroxy-8'-multijuguinol (2), methyl multijuguinate (3), 7'-multijuguinol (4), and 8'-multijuguinol (5), were isolated from the leaves of Senna multijuga (syn. Cassia multijuga). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. Mass spectrometry was used for confirmation of the positions of the hydroxy groups in the side-chains of 1, 2, 4, and 5. All compounds exhibited weak in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity as compared with the standard compound physostigmine.

Restoration of the rabbit corneal surface after total epithelial debridement and complete limbal excision

How is the corneal epithelium restored when all of it plus the limbus have been eliminated? This investigation explored the possibility that this may be achieved through the conjunctival epithelium. The corneal epithelium of the right eye of 12 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was totally scraped followed by surgical excision of the limbus plus 1.0-1.5 mm of the adjacent conjunctiva. Antibiotics and corticosteroids were applied for 1 week after surgery. Histological and immunohistochemical techniques were used to monitor the events taking place on the eye surface 2 weeks and 1, 3 and 6 months thereafter. Initially, the corneal surface was covered by conjunctival-like epithelium. After 1 month and more prominently at 3 and 6 months an epithelium displaying the morphological features of the cornea and reacting with the AE5 antibody was covering the central region. It is likely that the corneal epithelium originated from undifferentiated cells of the conjunctiva interacting with the corneal stroma.

Indices representing landscape as a support for pedological survey in GIS environment

Mapping of soil has been highlighted in the scientific community, because as alertness about the environment increases, it is necessary to understand more and more about the distribution of the soil in the landscape, as well as its potential and its limitations for the use. In that way the main aim of this study was to apply indices representing landscape with the use of geoprocessing to give support in the delimitation of different compartments of landscape. Primary indices used were altitude above channel network (AACN) and secondary channel network base level (CNBL), multiresolution index of valley bottom flatness (MRVBF) and Wetness index (ITW), having as object of study the Canguiri Experimental Farm, located in Pinhais, Curitiba's Metropolitan region. To correlate the chemical attributes and granulometric ones in sampling groups, totalizing 17 points (Sugamosto, 2002), a matrix of a simple linear correlation (Pearson) with the indices of the landscape were generated in the Software Statistica. The conclusion is that the indices representing the landscape used in the analysis of groupings were efficient as support to map soil at the level of suborder of Brazilian Soil Classification System.

Chronic Pain and Depression in the Quality of Life of Women With Migraine - A Controlled Study

Background. Migraine is comorbid to depression and widespread chronic pain (WCP), but the influence of these conditions on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of individuals with episodic (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) is poorly understood. Objective.-To assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and WCP in individuals with EM and CM, as well as to estimate the joint impact of these conditions on the HRQoL of these individuals. Methods.-All women aged 18 to 65 years with a first diagnosis of EM or CM from September of 2006 to September of 2008 seen in an outpatient headache service were invited to participate. They were asked to attend a separate appointment in the service, and to bring another woman of similar age that also agreed to participate. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory. Questions about WCP followed the protocol of the American College of Rheumatology. HRQoL was assessed using the Short-Form 36 (SF-36). Multivariate analysis modeled HRQoL as a function of headache status, depressive symptoms, and pain, using quantile regression. Results.-Sample consisted of 179 women, 53 in the EM group, 37 in the CM group and 89 in control group. Groups did not differ by demographics. Mean scores of SF-36 were 53.6 (standard deviation [SD] = 23.5) for EM, 44.2 (SD = 18.5) for CM and 61.8 (SD = 21.5) for controls. In multivariate analysis, SF-36 scores were predicted by a CM status (P =.02; -10.05 [95% CI -18.52; -1.58]) and by a Beck Depression Inventory score (P <.01; -1.27 [95% CI -1.55; -0.99]). The influence of WCP in the SF-36 scores approached significance (P =.08; -0.78 [95% CI -1.64; 0.88]). Age did not contribute to the model. Conclusion.-Women with migraine are at an increased chance of WCP, and the chance increases as a function of headache frequency. Both depressive symptoms and CM independently predict HRQoL status.

Analog of the susceptibility spectrum for levitation forces between a superconductor and a permanent magnet

We report on the measurements of both vertical and lateral levitation forces between a permanent magnet NdFeB and a polycrystalline YBa4Cu6O7-delta superconductor. The analysis of the obtained results revealed an interesting correlation between the behavior of the forces in the field-cooled and zero-field-cooled regimes, resembling the structure of the so-called susceptibility spectrum chi ''(chi'). Such force-force diagrams can be useful for identifying flux distribution structure inside a superconducting material. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4743006]

The Differential Clinical Impact of Human Coronavirus Species in Children With Cystic Fibrosis

We investigated the clinical impact of human coronaviruses (HCoV) OC43, 229E, HKU1 and NL63 in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) during routine and exacerbation visits. A total of 408 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were obtained from 103 patients over a 1-year period. Samples positive for HCoV were submitted for nucleotide sequencing to determine the species. Nineteen samples (4.65%) were positive for HCoV, of which 8 were positive for NL63, 6 for OC43, 4 for HKU1, and 1 for 229E. Identification of HCoV was not associated with an increased rate of respiratory exacerbations, but NL63-positive patients had higher exacerbation rates than patients who were positive for other HCoV species.

Cancer-related deaths among different treatment options in chronic coronary artery disease: results of a 6-year follow-up of the MASS II study

Introduction The primary end points of randomized clinical trials evaluating the outcome of therapeutic strategies for coronary artery disease (CAD) have included nonfatal acute myocardial infarction, the need for further revascularization, and overall mortality. Noncardiac causes of death may distort the interpretation of the long-term effects of coronary revascularization. Materials and methods This post-hoc analysis of the second Medicine, Angioplasty, or Surgery Study evaluates the cause of mortality of patients with multivessel CAD undergoing medical treatment, percutaneous coronary intervention, or surgical myocardial revascularization [coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG)] after a 6-year follow-up. Mortality was classified as cardiac and noncardiac death, and the causes of noncardiac death were reported. Results Patients were randomized into CABG and non-CABG groups (percutaneous coronary intervention plus medical treatment). No statistical differences were observed in overall mortality (P = 0.824). A significant difference in the distribution of causes of mortality was observed among the CABG and non-CABG groups (P = 0.003). In the CABG group, of the 203 randomized patients, the overall number of deaths was 34. Sixteen patients (47.1%) died of cardiac causes and 18 patients (52.9%) died of noncardiac causes. Of these, seven deaths (20.6%) were due to neoplasia. In the non-CABG group, comprising 408 patients, the overall number of deaths was 69. Fifty-three patients (77%) died of cardiac causes and 16 patients (23%) died of noncardiac causes. Only five deaths (7.2%) were due to neoplasia. Conclusion Different treatment options for multivessel coronary artery disease have similar overall mortality: CABG patients had the lowest incidence of cardiac death, but the highest incidence of noncardiac causes of death, and specifically a higher tendency toward cancer-related deaths. Coron Artery Dis 23:79-84 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Effect of Complete Revascularization on 10-Year Survival of Patients With Stable Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease MASS II Trial

Background-The importance of complete revascularization remains unclear and contradictory. This current investigation compares the effect of complete revascularization on 10-year survival of patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) who were randomly assigned to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methods and Results-This is a post hoc analysis of the Second Medicine, Angioplasty, or Surgery Study (MASS II), which is a randomized trial comparing treatments in patients with stable multivessel CAD, and preserved systolic ventricular function. We analyzed patients who underwent surgery (CABG) or stent angioplasty (PCI). The survival free of overall mortality of patients who underwent complete (CR) or incomplete revascularization (IR) was compared. Of the 408 patients randomly assigned to mechanical revascularization, 390 patients (95.6%) underwent the assigned treatment; complete revascularization was achieved in 224 patients (57.4%), 63.8% of those in the CABG group and 36.2% in the PCI group (P = 0.001). The IR group had more prior myocardial infarction than the CR group (56.2% X 39.2%, P = 0.01). During a 10-year follow-up, the survival free of cardiovascular mortality was significantly different among patients in the 2 groups (CR, 90.6% versus IR, 84.4%; P = 0.04). This was mainly driven by an increased cardiovascular specific mortality in individuals with incomplete revascularization submitted to PCI (P = 0.05). Conclusions-Our study suggests that in 10-year follow-up, CR compared with IR was associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality, especially due to a higher increase in cardiovascular-specific mortality in individuals submitted to PCI.

Fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool to detect and evaluate glucocorticoid-induced skin atrophy

Topical glucocorticoid (GC) therapy has been successfully used in the treatment of several common cutaneous diseases in clinical practice for a long time, and skin atrophy is one of the most typical cutaneous side effects of this therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of noninvasive fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) technique in the detection and classification of GC-induced skin atrophy. A total of 20 male Wistar rats were used in the experimental protocol under controlled environmental conditions and with free access to food. One group received topical application of clobetasol propionate 0.05% for 14 days to induce cutaneous atrophy (atrophic group) and the other (control) group received only vehicle application following the same protocol and schedule. Histological analyses and FS measurements with laser excitation at both 532 nm and 408 nm were obtained on days 1 and 15. The FS results were classified as "normal" or "atrophic" according by histological analysis. Fluorescence spectra obtained with excitation at 408 nm allowed a clear distinction between the control and atrophic groups, and were more informative than the those obtained at 532 nm. Our results reveal that, if correctly applied, FS allows noninvasive evaluation of corticosteroid-induced skin atrophy, and thus represents an important step towards better monitoring of undesirable side effects of cutaneous therapy.

Mating Behavior of the Coffee Berry Borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

The mating behavior of the coffee berry borer, (Ferrari), was observed under laboratory conditions. Pairs of adult virgin male and female beetles were placed in the wells of a polystyrene microtiter plate, one pair per well. The mating activity of each pair was recorded for 24 h. The mating behavior of the coffee berry borer was similar to that of other Scolytinae and was clearly divided into precopulatory, copulatory and postcopulatory phases. The beetles started to mate within a few hours of emergence. Repeated mating occurred during the 24-hour period and increased in frequency with age. However, we cannot address multiple matings in , since we did not simulate the female-biased sex ratio of this species and the experimental design did not allow females to avoid additional mating attempts by males. In addition, further studies are necessary that focus on the effectiveness of sperm transmission and direct and indirect effects of multiple matings on the ei females and their offspring.

The use of Open Reading frame ESTs (ORESTES) for analysis of the honey bee transcriptome

Abstract Background The ongoing efforts to sequence the honey bee genome require additional initiatives to define its transcriptome. Towards this end, we employed the Open Reading frame ESTs (ORESTES) strategy to generate profiles for the life cycle of Apis mellifera workers. Results Of the 5,021 ORESTES, 35.2% matched with previously deposited Apis ESTs. The analysis of the remaining sequences defined a set of putative orthologs whose majority had their best-match hits with Anopheles and Drosophila genes. CAP3 assembly of the Apis ORESTES with the already existing 15,500 Apis ESTs generated 3,408 contigs. BLASTX comparison of these contigs with protein sets of organisms representing distinct phylogenetic clades revealed a total of 1,629 contigs that Apis mellifera shares with different taxa. Most (41%) represent genes that are in common to all taxa, another 21% are shared between metazoans (Bilateria), and 16% are shared only within the Insecta clade. A set of 23 putative genes presented a best match with human genes, many of which encode factors related to cell signaling/signal transduction. 1,779 contigs (52%) did not match any known sequence. Applying a correction factor deduced from a parallel analysis performed with Drosophila melanogaster ORESTES, we estimate that approximately half of these no-match ESTs contigs (22%) should represent Apis-specific genes. Conclusions The versatile and cost-efficient ORESTES approach produced minilibraries for honey bee life cycle stages. Such information on central gene regions contributes to genome annotation and also lends itself to cross-transcriptome comparisons to reveal evolutionary trends in insect genomes.