Sexuality and quality of life of breast cancer patients post mastectomy

Aim: To evaluate the sexual functioning of breast cancer patients post mastectomy and its association with their quality of life, the personal characteristics of women and their partners, breast reconstruction, cancer staging and adjuvant therapies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a University hospital located in the SouthEast of Brazil. A total of 100 women were included in the study. The parameters evaluated were sexual functioning, which was assessed based on the Sexual Quotient Female Version (SQ-F), quality of life (QoL), evaluated by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form (SF-36), cancer staging, breast reconstruction, adjuvant therapies and the personal characteristics of patients (age, years of study and years of marriage) and their partners (age, years of study). Results: The majority (40.48%) of women had an unfavorable to regular SQ-F score. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) was found between the SQ-F score and years of education (p = 0.03), and the following SF-36 domains: functional capacity (p = 0.03), vitality (p = 0.06), emotional limitations (p = 0.00) and mental health (p = 0.03). A significant negative correlation was found between SQ-F score and the age of the partners (p = 0.03). SQ-F mean value was significantly higher (p = 0.04) among women who underwent breast reconstruction. Conclusions: Women with low educational level, who have older partners, and who did not have a breast reconstruction should receive special attention with respect to their sexuality, and the effects of mastectomy on the sexuality of patients should be assessed. Oncology nurses are best qualified to recognize issues related to sexuality and quality of life, and can offer specific and meaningful support for breast cancer patients. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exercise training changes IL-10/TNF-alpha ratio in the skeletal muscle of post-MI rats

Heart failure (HF) is associated with changes in the skeletal muscle (SM) which might be a consequence of the unbalanced local expression of pro- (TNF-alpha) and anti- (IL-10) inflammatory cytokines, leading to inflammation-induced myopathy, and SM wasting. This local effect of HF on SM may, on the other hand, contribute to systemic inflammation, as this tissue actively secretes cytokines. Since increasing evidence points out to an anti-inflammatory effect of exercise training, the goal of the present study was to investigate its effect in rats with HF after post-myocardial infarction (MI), with special regard to the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-10 in the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL), muscles with different fiber composition. Wistar rats underwent left thoracotomy with ligation of the left coronary artery, and were randomly assigned to either a sedentary (Sham-operated and MI sedentary) or trained (Sham-operated and MI trained) group. Animals in the trained groups ran on a treadmill (0% grade at 13-20 m/min) for 60 min/day, 5 days/week, for 8-10 weeks. The training protocol was able to reverse the changes induced by MI, decreasing TNF-alpha protein (26%, P < 0.05) and mRNA (58%, P < 0.05) levels in the soleus, when compared with the sedentary MI group. Training also increased soleus IL-10 expression (2.6-fold, P < 0.001) in post-MI HF rats. As a consequence, the IL-10/TNF-alpha ratio was increased. This ""anti-inflammatory effect"" was more pronounced in the soleus than in the EDL, suggesting a fiber composition dependent response. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-concurrent exercise hemodynamics and cardiac autonomic modulation

Concurrent training is recommended for health improvement, but its acute effects on cardiovascular function are not well established. This study analyzed hemodynamics and autonomic modulation after a single session of aerobic (A), resistance (R), and concurrent (A + R) exercises. Twenty healthy subjects randomly underwent four sessions: control (C:30 min of rest), aerobic (A:30 min, cycle ergometer, 75% of VO(2) peak), resistance (R:6 exercises, 3 sets, 20 repetitions, 50% of 1 RM), and concurrent (AR: A + R). Before and after the interventions, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and HR variability were measured. Systolic BP decreased after all the exercises, and the greatest decreases were observed after the A and AR sessions (-13 +/- 1 and -11 +/- 1 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05). Diastolic BP decreased similarly after all the exercises, and this decrease lasted longer after the A session. CO also decreased similarly after the exercises, while systemic vascular resistance increased after the R and AR sessions in the recovery period (+4.0 +/- 1.7 and +6.3 +/- 1.9 U, respectively, P < 0.05). Stroke volume decreased, while HR increased after the exercises, and the greatest responses were observed after the AR session (SV, A = -14.6 +/- 3.6, R = -22.4 +/- 3.5 and AR = -23.4 +/- 2.4 ml; HR, A = +13 +/- 2, R = +15 +/- 2 vs. AR = +20 +/- 2 bpm, P < 0.05). Cardiac sympathovagal balance increased after the exercises, and the greatest increase was observed after the AR session (A = +0.7 +/- 0.8, R = +1.0 +/- 0.8 vs. AR = +1.2 +/- 0.8, P < 0.05). In conclusion, the association of aerobic and resistance exercises in the same training session did not potentiate postexercise hypotension, and increased cardiac sympathetic activation during the recovery period.

Post-resistance exercise hypotension in spontaneously hypertensive rats is mediated by nitric oxide

1. Postexercise hypotension (PEH) plays an important role in the non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension. It is characterized by a decrease in blood pressure (BP) after a single bout of exercise in relation to pre-exercise levels. 2. The present study investigated the effect of a single session of resistance exercise, as well as the effect of nitric oxide (NO) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), in PEH in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). 3. Catheters were inserted into the left carotid artery and left jugular vein of male SHR (n = 37) for the purpose of measuring BP or heart rate (HR) and drug or vehicle administration, respectively. Haemodynamic measurements were made before and after acute resistance exercise. The roles of NO and the ANS were investigated by using N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 15 mg/kg, i.v.) and hexamethonium (20 mg/kg, i.v.) after a session of acute resistance exercise. 4. Acute resistance exercise promoted a pronounced reduction in systolic and diastolic BP (-37 +/- 1 and -8 +/- 1 mmHg, respectively; P < 0.05), which was suppressed after treatment with L-NAME. The reduction in systolic BP caused by exercise (-37 +/- 1 mmHg) was not altered by the administration of hexamethonium (-38 +/- 2 mmHg; P > 0.05). After exercise, the decrease in diastolic BP was greater with hexamethonium (-26 +/- 1 mmHg; P < 0.05) compared with the decrease caused by exercise alone. 5. The results suggest that acute resistance exercise has an important hypotensive effect on SHR and that NO plays a crucial role in this response.

Post-eccentric exercise blunted hGH response

The purpose of the present study was to test if a previous acute concentric exercise bout blunts hGH response after an eccentric exercise bout. Nine healthy untrained male university students (25.4 +/- 0.5 yr, 176.5 +/- 1.2 cm, and 79.4 +/- 2.0 kg) performed a concentric exercise bout followed by an eccentric exercise bout one week later. Serum human growth hormone (hGH), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate were measured before, immediately and up to 32 h after both exercise bouts. Higher lactate values were observed immediately, 5 and 10 min after the concentric bout (70%, 119%, and 142%, respectively, p < 0.05) than the eccentric bout. There was a CK main time effect at 8 and 32 h after the exercise bouts compared to baseline values (p < 0.002). However, peak serum CK effect size was higher after the concentric than the eccentric exercise bout, 1.3 and 0.9, respectively. hGH increased after both exercise bouts, however it reached significance only at immediately (207%), 5 min (256%), 10 min (276%), 20 min (300%), and 40 min (168%) after the concentric exercise bout (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that a previous concentric exercise bout may blunt the anabolic response expected after an eccentric exercise bout.

Regulating industrial forest concessions in Central Africa and South America

Tropical countries face special specific problems in implementing sustainable forest management (SFM). In many countries, questions are raised on whether tropical forests should be publicly, commonly or privately owned and managed in order to enhance sustainability. Other debates also focus on whether small-scale enterprises are better positioned than large-scale industrial concessions to reduce poverty and attain sustainable management. In countries where large tracts of forest are state-owned, concessions are viewed as a means of delivering services of public and collective interest through an association of private investment and public regulation. However, the success of an industrial concession model in countries with large forest resource endowment to achieve multiple goals such as sustainable forest management and local/regional development depends on two critical assumptions. First, forest functions and services should be managed and maintained as public goods. In many cases, additional uses - and corresponding rights - can take place alongside logging activities. Industrial concessions can be more efficient than other tenure models (such as community-based forest management and small-scale enterprises) in achieving SFM, add value to raw material and comply with growing environmental norms. This is especially the case in market-remote areas with low population density and poor infrastructure. Secondly, to achieve these different outcomes, any concession system needs to be monitored and regulated, especially in contexts dominated by asymmetrical information between regulating authorities and concessionaires. New institutional responses have recently been put forward in several countries, providing valuable materials to design a renewed policy mix which associates public and private incentives. This paper provides a survey of the experience of forest concessions in several Central African and South American countries. The concession system is examined in order to clarify the issues involved, the problems encountered, and what can be learned from the shared experience of these countries in the last decade. This paper argues that despite a sometimes patchy record, concessions can help promote SFM so long as they are packaged with a certain number of specific measures. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An alternative application to the Portuguese agro-industrial residue: Wheat straw

The effects of alkaline treatments of the wheat straw with sodium hydroxide were investigated. The optimal condition for extraction of hemicelluloses was found to be with 0.50 mol/l sodium hydroxide at 55C for 2 h. This resulted in the release of 17.3% of hemicellulose (% dry starting material), corresponding to the dissolution of 49.3% of the original hemicellulose. The yields were determined by gravimetric analysis and expressed as a proportion of the starting material. Chemical composition and physico-chemical properties of the samples of hemicelluloses were elucidated by a combination of sugar analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and thermal analysis. The results showed that the treatments were very effective on the extraction of hemicelluloses from wheat straw and that the extraction intensity (expressed in terms of alkali concentration) had a great influence on the yield and chemical features of the hemicelluloses. The FTIR analysis revealed typical signal pattern for the hemicellulosic fraction in the 1,200-1,000 cm(-1) region. Bands between 1,166 and 1,000 cm(-1) are typical of xylans.

Screening of Food Grade Lipases to be Used in Esterification and Interesterification Reactions of Industrial Interest

Seven food grade commercially available lipases were immobilized by covalent binding on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (POS-PVA) hybrid composite and screened to mediate reactions of industrial interest. The synthesis of butyl butyrate and the interesterification of tripalmitin with triolein were chosen as model reactions. The highest esterification activity (240.63 mu M/g min) was achieved by Candida rugosa lipase, while the highest interesterification yield (31%, in 72 h) was achieved by lipase from Rhizopus oryzae, with the production of about 15 mM of the triglycerides C(50) and C(52). This lipase also showed a good performance in butyl butyrate synthesis, with an esterification activity of 171.14 mu M/g min. The results demonstrated the feasibility of using lipases from C. rugosa for esterification and R. oryzae lipase for both esterification and interesterification reactions.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis: a strategy to obtain xylitol monoesters

BACKGROUND: Fatty acid sugar esters are used as non-ionic surfactants in cosmetics, foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals. In particular, monoesters of xylitol have attracted industrial interest due to their outstanding biological activities. In this work, xylitol monoesters were obtained by chemoenzymatic synthesis, in which, first, xylitol was made soluble in organic solvent by chemo-protecting reaction, followed by enzymatic esterification reaction using different acyl donors. A commercial immobilized Candida antartica lipase was used as catalyst, and reactions with pure xylitol were carried out to generate data for comparison. RESULTS: t-BuOH was found to be the most suitable solvent to carry out esterification reactions with both pure and protected xylitol. The highest yields were obtained for reactions carried out with pure xylitol, but in this case by-products, such as di- and tri-esters isomers were formed, which required a multi-step purification process. For the systems with protected xylitol, conversions of 86%, 58% and 24% were achieved using oleic, lauric and butyric acids, respectively. The structures of the monoesters were confirmed by (13)C- and (1)H-NMR and microanalysis. CONCLUSION: The chemoenzymatic synthesis of xylitol monoesters avoided laborious downstream processing when compared with reactions performed with pure xylitol. Monoesters production from protected xylitol was shown to be a practical, economical, and clean route for this process, allowing a simple separation, because there are no other products formed besides xylitol monoesters and residual xylitol. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Industrial challenges in grinding

This keynote paper aims at analyzing relevant industrial demands for grinding research. The chosen focus is to understand what are the main research challenges in the extensive industrial use of the process. Since the automotive applications are the most important driving forces for grinding development, the paper starts with an analysis on the main trends in more efficient engines and the changes in their components that will affect the grinding performance. A view from 23 machine tool builders is also presented based on a survey made in interviews and during the EMO and IMTS machine tool shows. Case studies received by the STC G members were used to show how research centers and industries are collaborating. A view from the authors and the final conclusions show hot topics for future grinding research. (C) 2009 CIRP.

Post-treatment of effluents from the sulfate reduction process by anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactors

The main objective of this research was to evaluate the potential use of a bench-scale anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR) containing mineral coal as inert support for removal Of Sulfide and organic matter effluents from an ASBBR (1.2 m(3)) utilized for treatment of sulfate-rich wastewater. The cycle time was 48 h, including the steps of feeding (2 h), reaction with continuous liquid recirculation (44 h) and discharge (2 h). COD removal efficiency was up to 90% and the effluents total sulfide concentrations (H(2)S, HS(-), S(2-)) remained in the range of 1.5 to 7.5 mg.l(-1) during the 50 days of operation (25 cycles). The un-ionized Sulfide and ionized sulfides were converted by biological process to elemental sulfur (S(0)) under oxygen limited conditions. The results obtained in the bench-scale reactor were used to design an ASBBR in pilot scale for use in post-treatment to achieve the emission standards (sulfide and COD) for sulfate reduction. The pilot-scale reactor, with a total volume of 0.43 m(3), the COD and total sulfide removal achieved 88% and 57%, respectively, for a cycle time of 48 h (70 days of operation or 35 cycles).

Treatment of industrial effluents of recalcitrant nature using ozone, hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet radiation

Currently diverse industries have high pollution potential because their productive processes generate great volumes of refractory effluents. These effluents are problematic, mainly due to the presence of recalcitrant compounds that are detrimental in wastewater treatment plants using biological systems in their processes. In general, biological treatments do not remove refractory elements. Also, in most cases these compounds can inhibit the yield or are toxic for biota responsible to remove the polluting agents. The Advanced Oxidative Processes (AOPs) represent a technological alternative with a great potential for treatment of no biodegradable effluents. In this paper a review of the use of advanced oxidatives processes: Ozone (O(3)), peroxide of hydrogen (H(2)O(2)) and ultraviolet radiation (UV) is presented applied to the treatment of recalcitrant effluents.

Monitoring Services for Industrial Applications

Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in Brazil

Urban upgrading interventions and engaging residents in fuzzy management: Case studies from Novos Alagados, Salvador, Brazil

International theory and practice have promoted state-assisted upgrading of `informal` urban areas worldwide since the late 1970s, with various forms of monitoring and assessment of impact. Two independent studies of how residents perceive and evaluate such interventions have recently been undertaken for neighbouring parts of the upgraded area of Novos Alagados on the Itapagipe peninsula in the northwestern part of Salvador, Brazil`s third largest city. These studies start from different premises and have been implemented in very different ways, but both have the objective of permitting the `voice` of the residents to be heard concerning the upgrading process. Comparing them helps highlight the essential `fuzzy` nature of values concerning urban interventions of this nature and leaves us with thought-provoking questions concerning the role of local society in relation to the state in urban development, and the potential this has for on-going forms of urban management in cities which are emerging globally. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-processing and visualization techniques in 2D boundary element analysis

Most post-processors for boundary element (BE) analysis use an auxiliary domain mesh to display domain results, working against the profitable modelling process of a pure boundary discretization. This paper introduces a novel visualization technique which preserves the basic properties of the boundary element methods. The proposed algorithm does not require any domain discretization and is based on the direct and automatic identification of isolines. Another critical aspect of the visualization of domain results in BE analysis is the effort required to evaluate results in interior points. In order to tackle this issue, the present article also provides a comparison between the performance of two different BE formulations (conventional and hybrid). In addition, this paper presents an overview of the most common post-processing and visualization techniques in BE analysis, such as the classical algorithms of scan line and the interpolation over a domain discretization. The results presented herein show that the proposed algorithm offers a very high performance compared with other visualization procedures.