Thyroid hormone profile in breast cancer patients in postmenopause

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine thyroid hormone (TH) profile in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer (BC). Subjects and methods: 12 CaM patients stages I or II, without interventions that could interfere with tumor progression were selected, as well as and a control group with 18 postmenopausal women without CaM. We measured serum anti-thyroperoxidase antibody (TPOAB), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (T4L), estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), before and after surgery, besides immunohistochemistry for estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors. Results: Four patients with CaM showed changes in thyroid hormone profile: two had hyperthyroidism, one hypothyroidism, and one was positive for TPO-AB. All of them positive for ER and PR.TSH levels in breast cancer patients were not different from levels found in the control group (1.89 +/- 1.56 vs. 2.86 +/- 3.12 mIU/mL), but the levels of T4L in patients with CaM were statistically higher than those of the control group (1.83 +/- 0.57 vs. 1.10 +/- 0.20 ng/dL). Conclusion: These results reinforce the need for assessment of thyroid status in CaM patients, since in the absence of E2, changes in clinical HTs can act in E2-controlled processes. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(4):238-43

Photoinduced orientation in natural rubber

Azobenzene molecules and their derivatives have been widely investigated for their potential applications in optical and electrooptical devices. We have prepared a new guest-host system from natural rubber (NR) impregnated with azobenzene derivative Sudan Red B (SRB). The effects of stretching and immersion time on photoinduced orientation were investigated by birefringence signal measurements. We have found that the molecular orientation increase when the samples are stretched and decrease with the increase of immersion time. The first behavior was explained by using the random coil model and the latter was attributed to increase of the aggregation of SRB into NR matrix. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Muscle Atrophy and Functional Deficits of Knee Extensors and Flexors in People With Chronic Stroke

Background. Further clarification is needed with regard to the degree of atrophy in individual muscle groups and its possible relationship to joint torque deficit poststroke. Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate quadriceps and hamstring muscle volume and strength deficits of the knee extensors and flexors in people with chronic hemiparesis compared with a control group. Design. This was a cross-sectional study. Methods. Thirteen individuals with hemiparesis due to chronic stroke (hemiparetic group) and 13 individuals who were healthy (control group) participated in this study. Motor function, quadriceps and hamstring muscle volume, and maximal concentric and eccentric contractions of the knee extensors and flexors were assessed. Results. Only the quadriceps muscle of the paretic limb showed reduced muscle volume (24%) compared with the contralateral (nonparetic) limb. There were no differences in muscle volume between the hemiparetic and control groups. The peak torque of the paretic-limb knee extensors and flexors was reduced in both contraction modes and velocities compared with the nonparetic limb (36%-67%) and with the control group (49%-75%). The nonparetic limb also showed decreased extensor and flexor peak torque compared with the control group (17%-23%). Power showed similar deficits in strength (12%-78%). There were significant correlations between motor function and strength deficits (.54-.67). Limitations. Magnetic resonance imaging coil length did not allow measurement of the proximal region of the thigh. Conclusions. There were different responses between quadriceps and hamstring muscle volumes in the paretic limb that had quadriceps muscle atrophy only. However, both paretic and nonparetic limbs showed knee extensor and flexor torque and power reduction.

Effect of Plastic Deformation on the Excess Loss of Electrical Steel

The interpretation of the effect of plastic deformation on the calculated excess loss component (anomalous-loss) supports the concept of loss separation. Magnetic losses and Barkhausen noise of nonoriented electrical steel sheets were measured on Epstein strips taken from a single coil of 0.8% Si nonoriented electrical steel. Sheets were extracted in the annealed condition, without any skin pass and with a grain size of 18 mu m. This material was cold rolled in order to obtain sets of samples with true strain from 2% up to 29%. X-ray diffraction was used to estimate the dislocation density. The analysis of magnetic properties was performed by Barkhausen noise measurements and also by analyzing the hysteresis loops obtained from Epstein frame measurements for different inductions and different frequencies (including the quasi-static regime for hysteresis loss measurements). These data allowed us to observe that most of the well known total loss increase with plastic deformation is due to an increase in the hysteresis loss component, while excess loss decreases to become negligible. This behavior can be explained if it is assumed that the plastic deformation lead to an increase in the number of domain walls per unit volume, thereby decreasing the excess loss. Barkhausen peak area increases with plastic deformation, reproducing results taken from samples of different silicon content.

Protective immunity to DENV2 after immunization with a recombinant NS1 protein using a genetically detoxified heat-labile toxin as an adjuvant

The dengue virus non-structural 1 (NS1) protein contributes to evasion of host immune defenses and represents a target for immune responses. Evidences generated in experimental models, as well as the immune responses elicited by infected individuals, showed that induction of anti-NS1 immunity correlates with protective immunity but may also result in the generation of cross-reactive antibodies that recognize platelets and proteins involved in the coagulation cascade. In the present work, we evaluated the immune responses, protection to type 2 dengue virus (DENV2) challenges and safety parameters in BALB/c mice vaccinated with a recombinant NS1 protein in combination with three different adjuvants: aluminum hydroxide (alum), Freund's adjuvant (FA) or a genetically detoxified derivative of the heat-labile toxin (LTG33D), originally produced by some enterotoxigenic Escherichia coil (ETEC) strains. Mice were subcutaneously (s.c.) immunized with different vaccine formulations and the induced NS1-specific responses, including serum antibodies and T cell responses, were measured. Mice were also subjected to lethal challenges with the DENV2 NGC strain. The results showed that maximal protective immunity (50%) was achieved in mice vaccinated with NS1 in combination with LIG33D. Analyses of the NS1-specific immune responses showed that the anti-virus protection correlated mainly with the serum anti-NS1 antibody responses including higher avidity to the target antigen. Mice immunized with LTG33D elicited a prevailing IgG2a subclass response and generated antibodies with stronger affinity to the antigen than those generated in mice immunized with the other vaccine formulations. The vaccine formulations were also evaluated regarding induction of deleterious side effects and, in contrast to mice immunized with the FA-adjuvanted vaccine, no significant hepatic damage or enhanced C-reactive protein levels were detected in mice immunized with NS1 and LTG33D. Similarly, no detectable alterations in bleeding time and hematological parameters were detected in mice vaccinated with NS1 and LTG33D. Altogether, these results indicate that the combination of a purified recombinant NS1 and a nontoxic LT derivative is a promising alternative for the generation of safe and effective protein-based anti-dengue vaccine. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Ozone and Chlorine in Low Concentrations as Sanitizing Agents of Chicken Carcasses in the Water Immersion Chiller

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the use of chlorine or ozone as sanitizing agents in the water of chicken immersion chilling, using the residual levels usually applied in Brazil (1.5 ppm), comparing the effects of these treatments on the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of carcasses. Chicken carcasses were chilled in water (4 degrees C) with similar residual levels of ozone and chlorine until reaching temperatures below 7 degrees C (around 45 min). The stability of carcasses was assessed during 15 days of storage at 2 +/- 1 degrees C. Microbiological, surface color (L*, a*, b* parameters), pH value, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index), and sensory evaluation (on a 9-point hedonic scale for odor and appearance) analyses were carried out. The presence of Salmonella was not detected, coagulase-positive staphylococci counts were below 10(2) CFU/ml of rinse fluid, and Escherichia coil and total coliform counts were below 10(5) CFU/ml of rinse fluid until the end of the storage period for both treatments. Psychrotrophic microorganism counts did not differ (P > 0.05) between chlorine and ozone treatments, and both values were near 10(9) CFU/ml of rinse fluid after 15 days at 4 +/- 1 degrees C. pH values did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05) or during the storage period (P > 0.05). In addition, neither chlorine nor ozone treatment showed differences (P > 0.05) in the lipid oxidation of carcasses; however, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index of both treatments increased (P <= 0.05) during the storage period, reaching values of approximately 0.68 mg of malonaldehyde per kg. Samples from both treatments did not differ (P > 0.05) in their acceptance scores for odor and overall appearance, but in the evaluation of color, ozone showed an acceptance score significantly higher (P <= 0.05) than that for the chlorine treatment. In general, under the conditions tested, ozone showed results similar to the results for chlorine in the disinfection of chicken carcasses in the immersion chilling, which may indicate its use as a substitute for chlorine in poultry slaughterhouses.

Texture analysis of high resolution MRI allows discrimination between febrile and afebrile initial precipitating injury in mesial temporal sclerosis

A computational pipeline combining texture analysis and pattern classification algorithms was developed for investigating associations between high-resolution MRI features and histological data. This methodology was tested in the study of dentate gyrus images of sclerotic hippocampi resected from refractory epilepsy patients. Images were acquired using a simple surface coil in a 3.0T MRI scanner. All specimens were subsequently submitted to histological semiquantitative evaluation. The computational pipeline was applied for classifying pixels according to: a) dentate gyrus histological parameters and b) patients' febrile or afebrile initial precipitating insult history. The pipeline results for febrile and afebrile patients achieved 70% classification accuracy, with 78% sensitivity and 80% specificity [area under the reader observer characteristics (ROC) curve: 0.89]. The analysis of the histological data alone was not sufficient to achieve significant power to separate febrile and afebrile groups. Interesting enough, the results from our approach did not show significant correlation with histological parameters (which per se were not enough to classify patient groups). These results showed the potential of adding computational texture analysis together with classification methods for detecting subtle MRI signal differences, a method sufficient to provide good clinical classification. A wide range of applications of this pipeline can also be used in other areas of medical imaging. Magn Reson Med, 2012. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oral health and access to dental care services in relation to the Health Necessities Index. Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2008

The Health Department of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has developed a Health Necessities Index (HNI) to identify priority areas for providing health assistance. In 2008, a survey of the status of oral health was conducted. The objective of this ecological study was to analyze the status of oral health in relation to the HNI. The variables, stratified by the age of 5, 12 and 15 years old were: percentage of individuals with difficulty of access to dental care services; DMFT and DMFS; prevalence of the need for tooth extraction and treatment of dental caries. Data were analyzed for the 25 Health Technical Supervision Units (HTS). The Statistical Covariance Test was used as well as the Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression model. A positive correlation was observed between high scores of the HNI and difficulty of access to services. In the HTS with high scores of HNI a higher incidence of dental caries was observed, a greater need for tooth extractions and low caries-free incidence. In order to improve health conditions of the population it is mandatory to prioritize actions in areas of social deprivation.

Enhancing spiral-wound ultrafiltration performance for direct drinking water treatment through operational procedures improvement: A feasible option for the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region

This work aimed to evaluate the influence of specific operational conditions on the performance of a spiral-wound ultrafiltration pilot plant for direct drinking water treatment, installed at the Guarapiranga's reservoir, in the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region. Results from operational tests showed that the volume of permeate produced in the combination of periodic relaxation with flushing and chlorine dosage procedures was 49% higher than the volume obtained when these procedures were not used. Two years of continuous operation demonstrated that the ultrafiltration pilot plant performed better during fall and winter seasons, higher permeate flow production and reduced chemical cleanings frequency. Observed behavior seems to be associated with the algae bloom events in the reservoir, which are more frequent during spring and summer seasons, confirmed by chlorophyll-a analysis results. Concentrate clarification using ferric chloride was quite effective in removing NOM and turbidity, allowing its recirculation to the ultrafiltration feed tank. This procedure made it possible to reach almost 99% water recovery considering a single 54-hour recirculation cycle. Water quality monitoring demonstrated that the ultrafiltration pilot plant was quite efficient, and that potential pathogenic organisms, Escherichia coil and total coliforms, turbidity and apparent color removals were 100%, 95.1%, and 91.5%, respectively. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Angiographic Results in Intracranial Aneurysms Treated with Inert Platinum Coils

This study was designed in an attempt to identify the risk factors that could be significantly associated with angio graphic recurrences after selective endovascular treatment of aneurysms with inert platinum coils. A retrospective analysis of all patients with selective endovascular coil occlusion of intracranial aneurysms was prospectively collected from 1999 to 2003. There were 455 aneurysms treated with inert platinum coils and followed by digital subtraction angiography. Angio graphic results were classified according Roy and Raymond's classification. Recurrences were subjectively divided into minor and major. The most significant predictors for angio graphic recurrences were determined by ANOVAs logistic regression, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test, Fisher exact probability. Short-term (4.3 +/- 1.4 months) follow-up angiograms were available in 377 aneurysms, middle-term (14.1 +/- 4.0 months) in 327 and long-term (37.4 +/- 11.5 months) in 180. Recurrences were found in 26.8% of treated aneurysms with a mean of 21 +/- 15.7 months of follow-up. Major recurrences needing retreatment were present in 8.8% during a mean period follow-up of 17.9 +/- 12.29 months after the initial endovascular treatment. One patient (0.2%) experienced a bleed during the follow-up period. Recurrences after endovascular treatment of aneurysms with inert platinum coils are frequent, but hemorrhages are unusual. Single aneurysm, ruptured aneurysm, neck greater than 4 mm and time of follow-up were risk factors for recurrence after endovascular treatment. The retreatment of recurrent aneurysm decreases the risk of major recurrences 9.8 times. Long-term angiogram monitoring is necessary for the population with significant recurrence predictors.

Development of cellulose-based bactericidal nanocomposites containing silver nanoparticles and their use as active food packaging

The use of nanomaterials, including metallic as active fillers in polymeric nanocomposites for food packaging has been extensively investigated. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), in particular, have been exploited for technological applications as bactericidal agents. In this paper, AgNPs were incorporated into a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) matrix for applications as food packaging materials. The average sizes of the silver nanoparticles were 41 nm and 100 nm, respectively. Mechanical analyses and water vapor barrier properties of the HPMC/AgNPs nanocomposites were analysed. The best results were observed for films containing smaller (41 nm) AgNPs. The antibacterial properties of HPMC/AgNPs thin films were evaluated based on the diameter of inhibition zone in a disk diffusion test against Escherichia coli (E. coil) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The disk diffusion studies revealed a greater bactericidal effectiveness for nanocomposites films containing 41 nm Ag nanoparticles. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole-body MRI: comprehensive evaluation on a 48-channel 3T MRI system in less than 40 minutes. Preliminary results

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a comprehensive MRI protocol that investigates for cancer, vascular disease, and degenerative/inflammatory disease from the head to the pelvis in less than 40 minutes on a new generation 48-channel 3T system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All MR studies were performed on a 48-channel 3T MR scanner. A 20-channel head/neck coil, two 18-channel body arrays, and a 32-channel spine array were employed. A total of 4 healthy individuals were studied. The designed protocol included a combination of single-shot T2-weighted sequences, T1-weighted 3D gradient-echo pre- and post-gadolinium. All images were retrospectively evaluated by two radiologists independently for overall image quality. RESULTS: The image quality for cancer was rated as excellent in the liver, pancreas, kidneys, lungs, pelvic organs, and brain, and rated as fair in the colon and breast. For vascular diseases ratings were excellent in the aorta, major branch vessel origins, inferior vena cava, portal and hepatic veins, rated as good in pulmonary arteries, and as poor in the coronary arteries. For degenerative/inflammatory diseases ratings were excellent in the brain, liver and pancreas. The inter-observer agreement was excellent. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive and time efficient screening for important categories of disease processes may be achieved with high quality imaging in a new generation 48-channel 3T system.