Efeitos de dietas contendo Leucaena leucocephala e Saccharomyces cerevisiae sobre a fermentação ruminal e a emissão de gás metano em bovinos

Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do uso de leucena e levedura em dietas para bovinos sobre o metabolismo ruminal, incluindo o pH e as produções de ácido graxos voláteis (AGV), amônia e gás metano. Quatro bovinos machos com 800 kg e fistulados no rúmen foram mantidos em quadrado latino 4 × 4, em arranjo fatorial 2 × 2, composto de dois níveis de leucena (20 e 50% MS) e feno de capim coast-cross na presença ou ausência de levedura. Não houve influência das dietas nos valores médios de pH (média 6,82) e nas concentrações de amônia no rúmen, que variaram de 18 a 21 mg/100 mL. Houve interação entre níveis de leucena e levedura na concentração total de AGV. As dietas não diferiram quanto à concentração de ácido acético, mas os animais alimentados com a dieta com 50% de leucena e contendo levedura apresentaram maiores concentrações médias de ácido propiônico (média 19,14 mM). A emissão de metano reduziu em12,3% em relação à mesma dieta sem levedura e em 17,2% quando os animais foram alimentados com 20% de leucena com levedura. Verificou-se efeito associativo de leucena, quando fornecida em alto nível na dieta (50% MS), e levedura na redução da emissão de metano e na melhoria no padrão de fermentação no rúmen, o que pode reduzir as perdas de energia e melhorar eficiência energética do animal.

Responsiveness to exercise training in juvenile dermatomyositis: a twin case study

Background: Patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) often present strong exercise intolerance and muscle weakness. However, the role of exercise training in this disease has not been investigated. Purpose: this longitudinal case study reports on the effects of exercise training on a 7-year-old patient with JDM and on her unaffected monozygotic twin sister, who served as a control. Methods: Both the patient who was diagnosed with JDM as well as her healthy twin underwent a 16-week exercise training program comprising aerobic and strengthening exercises. We assessed one repetition-maximum (1-RM) leg-press and bench-press strength, balance, mobility and muscle function, blood markers of inflammation and muscle enzymes, aerobic conditioning, and disease activity scores. As a result, the healthy child had an overall greater absolute strength, muscle function and aerobic conditioning compared to her JDM twin pair at baseline and after the trial. However, the twins presented comparable relative improvements in 1-RM bench press, 1-RM leg press, VO(2peak), and time-to-exhaustion. The healthy child had greater relative increments in low-back strength and handgrip, whereas the child with JDM presented a higher relative increase in ventilatory anaerobic threshold parameters and functional tests. Quality of life, inflammation, muscle damage and disease activity scores remained unchanged. Results and Conclusion: this was the first report to describe the training response of a patient with non-active JDM following an exercise training regimen. The child with JDM exhibited improved strength, muscle function and aerobic conditioning without presenting an exacerbation of the disease.

Lack of Antilipoprotein Lipase Antibodies in Takayasu's Arteritis

Background. Antilipoprotein lipase (anti-LPL) antibodies were described in rheumatic diseases. In systemic lupus erythematosus they were highly associated with inflammatory markers and dyslipidemia, and may ultimately contribute to vascular damage. The relevance of this association in Takayasu's arteritis, which is characterized by major inflammatory process affecting vessels, has not been determined. Objectives. To analyze the presence of anti-LPL antibodies in patients with Takayasu's arteritis and its association with inflammatory markers and lipoprotein risk levels. Methods. Thirty sera from patients with Takayasu's arteritis, according to ACR criteria, were consecutively included. IgG anti-LPL was detected by a standard ELISA. Lipoprotein risk levels were evaluated according to NCEP/ATPIII. Inflammatory markers included ESR and CRP values. Results. Takayasu's arteritis patients had a mean age of 34 years old and all were females. Half of the patients presented high ESR and 60% elevated CRP. Lipoprotein NCEP risk levels were observed in approximately half of the patients: 53% for total cholesterol, 43% for triglycerides, 16% for HDL-c and 47% for LDL-c. In spite of the high frequency of dyslipidemia and inflammatory markers in these patients no anti-LPL were detected. Conclusions. The lack of anti-LPL antibodies in Takayasu's disease implies distinct mechanisms underlying dyslipidemia compared to systemic lupus erythematosus. Copyright (C) 2009 Jozelio Freire de Carvalho et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Infliximab Induces Increase in Triglyceride Levels in Psoriatic Arthritis Patients

Objectives. To evaluate lipid profile changes after anti-TNF therapy in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods. Fifteen PsA patients (eight polyarticular, four oligoarticular, two axial, and one mutilating) under infliximab were included. None had dyslipoproteinemia or previous statin use. Total cholesterol (TC) and its fractions, inflammatory markers, and prednisone use were evaluated. Results. The comparisons of lipid levels between baseline and after three months (3M) of anti-TNF therapy showed that there was a significant increase in mean triglycerides (117.8 +/- 49.7 versus 140.1 +/- 64.1 mg/dL, P = 0.028) and VLDL-c (23.6 +/- 10.5 versus 28.4 +/- 13.7 mg/dL, P = 0.019) levels. In contrast, there were no differences in the mean TC (P = 0.28), LDL-c (P = 0.42), and HDL-c (P = 0.26) levels. Analysis of the frequencies of each lipid alteration at baseline and at 3M were alike (P > 0.05). Positive correlations were found between VLDL-c and CRP (r = 0.647, P = 0.009) and between triglycerides and CRP (r = 0.604, P = 0.017) levels at 3M. ESR reduction was observed after 3M (P = 0.04). Mean prednisone dose remained stable at beginning and at 3M (P = 0.37). Conclusion. This study demonstrated that anti-TNF may increase TG and VLDL-c levels in PsA patients after three months.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase II Study of Vandetanib Plus Docetaxel/Prednisolone in Patients with Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

Vandetanib (ZACTIMA(TM)) is a once-daily oral anticancer drug that selectively inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, and rearranged during transfection signaling. This randomized (1: 1), double-blind study evaluated vandetanib (100mg/day) or placebo in combination with docetaxel (D; 75mg/m(2) every 3 weeks) and prednisolone (P; 2 x 5 mg/day) in 86 patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC). The primary assessment was prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response (confirmed reduction of >= 50% from baseline) and a greater number of patients showed a PSA response with placebo + DP (67%) versus vandetanib + DP (40%); hazard ratio = 2.23 (one-sided 80% confidence limit = 2.90; one-sided p = 0.99). More patients experienced progression events (disease progression or death from any cause) with vandetanib + DP (65%) versus placebo + DP (60%); hazard ratio = 1.13 (one-sided 80% confidence limit = 1.44; one-sided p = 0.67). The overall incidence of adverse events was similar in both groups, although more patients experienced adverse events, leading to permanent discontinuation with vandetanib + DP (28%) versus placebo + DP (12%). However, the safety and tolerability profile for vandetanib was similar to that previously reported; adverse events that occurred more frequently in the vandetanib + DP arm were hypertension (14% vs. 2%), erythematous rash (14% vs. 2%), and exfoliative rash (12% vs. 2%). In this study of patients with mHRPC, vandetanib + DP did not demonstrate any efficacy benefit, compared with placebo + DP.

Collagen V-induced nasal tolerance downregulates pulmonary collagen mRNA gene and TGF-beta expression in experimental systemic sclerosis

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate collagen deposition, mRNA collagen synthesis and TGFbeta expression in the lung tissue in an experimental model of scleroderma after collagen V-induced nasal tolerance. Methods: Female New Zealand rabbits (N = 12) were immunized with 1 mg/ml of collagen V in Freund's adjuvant (IM). After 150 days, six immunized animals were tolerated by nasal administration of collagen V ( 25 mu g/day) (IM-TOL) daily for 60 days. The collagen content was determined by morphometry, and mRNA expressions of types I, III and V collagen were determined by Real-time PCR. The TGF-beta expression was evaluated by immunostaining and quantified by point counting methods. To statistic analysis ANOVA with Bonferroni test were employed for multiple comparison when appropriate and the level of significance was determined to be p < 0.05. Results: IM-TOL, when compared to IM, showed significant reduction in total collagen content around the vessels (0.371 +/- 0.118 vs. 0.874 +/- 0.282, p < 0.001), bronchioles (0.294 +/- 0.139 vs. 0.646 +/- 0.172, p < 0.001) and in the septal interstitium (0.027 +/- 0.014 vs. 0.067 +/- 0.039, p = 0.026). The lung tissue of IM-TOL, when compared to IM, showed decreased immunostaining of types I, III and V collagen, reduced mRNA expression of types I (0.10 +/- 0.07 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.528, p = 0.002) and V (1.12 +/- 0.42 vs. 4.74 +/- 2.25, p = 0.009) collagen, in addition to decreased TGF-beta expression ( p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Collagen V-induced nasal tolerance in the experimental model of SSc regulated the pulmonary remodeling process, inhibiting collagen deposition and collagen I and V mRNA synthesis. Additionally, it decreased TGF-beta expression, suggesting a promising therapeutic option for scleroderma treatment.

Prognostic evaluation of early rheumatoid arthritis

The progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is quite variable, ranging from very mild or subclinical forms (approx. 10%) to rapidly progressing and debilitating forms (10-15%). The majority of patients present with an intermediate stage with episodes of exacerbation separated by periods of relative inactivity, which evolves to progressive functional losses. To optimise the therapeutic management of early RA it is necessary to perform periodic evaluations of the clinical and laboratory test responses to the treatment instituted, as well as the parameters indicating disease prognosis. Composite measures are frequently used to evaluate the disease activity score (DAS), including the response criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), the response criteria and the DAS according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and the composite indices of disease activity (CIDsA): DAS, the index of disease activity based on 28 joints (DAS 28), the simplified disease activity index (SDAI) and the clinical disease activity index (CDAI). The evaluation of prognosis includes investigation of the absence or occurrence of disease and joint damage remission. Due to the multifaceted nature of RA, no single clinical or laboratory parameter is able to describe satisfactorily the level of inflammatory activity or the disease prognosis at any given time.

Prolactin May Not Play a Role in Primary Antiphospholipid (Hughes') Syndrome

The relationship between prolactin (PRL) and the immune system has been demonstrated in the last two decades and has opened new windows in the field of immunoendocrinology. However, there are scarce reports about PRL in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (pAPS). The objective of this study was to evaluate PRL levels in patients with pAPS compared to healthy controls and to investigate their possible clinical associations. Fifty-five pAPS patients according to Sapporo criteria were age- and sex-matched with 41 healthy subjects. Individuals with secondary causes of hyperprolactinemia (HPRL) were excluded; demographic, biometric, and clinical data, PRL levels, antiphospholipid antibodies, inflammatory markers, and other routine laboratory findings were analyzed. PRL levels were similar between pAPS and healthy controls (8.94 +/- 7.02 versus 8.71 +/- 6.73 ng/mL, P = .876). Nine percent of the pAPS patients and 12.1% of the control subjects presented HPRL (P = .740). Comparison between the pAPS patients with hyper- and normoprolactinemia revealed no significant differences related to anthropometrics, clinical manifestations, medications, smoking, and antiphospholipid antibodies (P > .05). This study showed that HPRL does not seem to play a role in clinical manifestations of the pAPS, differently from other autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Research Smad2 and Smad6 as predictors of overall survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background: To test if the expression of Smad1-8 mRNAs were predictive of survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Patients and Methods: We analyzed, prospectively, the expression of Smad1-8, by means of Ribonuclease Protection Assay in 48 primary, operable, oral SCC. In addition, 21 larynx, 10 oropharynx and 4 hypopharynx SCC and 65 matched adjacent mucosa, available for study, were also included. For survival analysis, patients were categorized as positive or negative for each Smad, according to median mRNA expression. We also performed real-time quantitative PCR (QRTPCR) to asses the pattern of TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2, TGF beta 3 in oral SCC. Results: Our results showed that Smad2 and Smad6 mRNA expression were both associated with survival in Oral SCC patients. Cox Multivariate analysis revealed that Smad6 positivity and Smad2 negativity were both predictive of good prognosis for oral SCC patients, independent of lymph nodal status (P = 0.003 and P = 0.029, respectively). In addition, simultaneously Smad2(-) and Smad6(+) oral SCC group of patients did not reach median overall survival (mOS) whereas the mOS of Smad2(+)/Smad6(-) subgroup was 11.6 months (P = 0.004, univariate analysis). Regarding to TGF beta isoforms, we found that Smad2 mRNA and TGF beta 1 mRNA were inversely correlated (p = 0.05, R = -0.33), and that seven of the eight TGF beta 1(+) patients were Smad2(-). In larynx SCC, Smad7(-) patients did not reach mOS whereas mOS of Smad7(+) patients were only 7.0 months (P = 0.04). No other correlations were found among Smad expression, clinico-pathological characteristics and survival in oral, larynx, hypopharynx, oropharynx or the entire head and neck SCC population. Conclusion: Smad6 together with Smad2 may be prognostic factors, independent of nodal status in oral SCC after curative resection. The underlying mechanism which involves aberrant TGF beta signaling should be better clarified in the future.

Casimir interaction between a perfect conductor and graphene described by the Dirac model

We adopt the Dirac model for graphene and calculate the Casimir interaction energy between a plane suspended graphene sample and a parallel plane perfect conductor. This is done in two ways. First, we use the quantum-field-theory approach and evaluate the leading-order diagram in a theory with 2+1-dimensional fermions interacting with 3+1-dimensional photons. Next, we consider an effective theory for the electromagnetic field with matching conditions induced by quantum quasiparticles in graphene. The first approach turns out to be the leading order in the coupling constant of the second one. The Casimir interaction for this system appears to be rather weak. It exhibits a strong dependence on the mass of the quasiparticles in graphene.

Finite-temperature Casimir effect for graphene

We adopt the Dirac model for quasiparticles in graphene and calculate the finite-temperature Casimir interaction between a suspended graphene layer and a parallel conducting surface. We find that at high temperature, the Casimir interaction in such system is just one-half of that for two ideal conductors separated by the same distance. In this limit, a single graphene layer behaves exactly as a Drude metal. In particular, the contribution of the TE mode is suppressed, while the contribution of the TM mode saturates at the ideal-metal value. The behavior of the Casimir interaction for intermediate temperatures and separations accessible in experiments is studied in some detail. We also find an interesting interplay between two fundamental constants of graphene physics: the fine-structure constant and the Fermi velocity.

Resistance Training with Vascular Occlusion in Inclusion Body Myositis: A Case Study

GUALANO, B., M. NEVES JR, F. R. LIMA, A. L. PINTO, G. LAURENTINO, C. BORGES, L. BAPTISTA, G. G. ARTIOLI, M. S. AOKI, A. MORISCOT, A. H. LANCHA JR, E. BONFA, and C. UGRINOWITSCH. Resistance Training with Vascular Occlusion in Inclusion Body Myositis: A Case Study. Med Sci. Spot-is Exerc., Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 250-254, 2010. Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a rare idiopathic inflammatory myopathy that produces remarkable muscle weakness. Resistance training with vascular occlusion has been shown to improve muscle strength and cross-sectional area in other muscle wasting conditions. Purpose: We evaluated the efficacy of a moderate-intensity resistance training program combined with vascular occlusion by examining functional capacity, muscle morphology, and changes in the expression of genes related to muscle protein synthesis and proteolysis in a patient with IBM. Methods: A 65-yr-old man with IBM resistant to all proposed treatments underwent resistance training with vascular occlusion for 12 wk. Leg press one-repetition maximum; thigh cross-sectional area; balance, mobility, and muscle function; quality of life; and blood markers of inflammation and muscle damage were assessed at baseline and after the 12-wk program. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of mechanogrowth factor, mammalian target of rapamycin, atrogin-1, and muscle RING finger-1 were also quantified. Results: After the 12-wk training program, the patient`s leg press one-repetition maximum, balance and mobility function, and thigh cross-sectional area increased 15.9%, 60%, and 4.7%, respectively. All Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire subscales demonstrated improvements as well, varying from 18% to 600%. mRNA expression of mechanogrowth factor increased 3.97-fold, whereas that of atrogin-1 decreased 0.62-fold. Muscle RING finger-1 and mammalian target of rapamycin mRNA levels were only slightly altered, 1.18- and 1.28-fold, respectively. Importantly, the exercise did not induce disease flare. Conclusions: We describe a novel, and likely the first, nonpharmacological therapeutic tool that might be able to counteract the muscle atrophy and the declining strength that usually occur in IBM.

Integrating structural and input design of a 2-DOF high-speed parallel manipulator: A flexible model-based approach

This paper discusses the integrated design of parallel manipulators, which exhibit varying dynamics. This characteristic affects the machine stability and performance. The design methodology consists of four main steps: (i) the system modeling using flexible multibody technique, (ii) the synthesis of reduced-order models suitable for control design, (iii) the systematic flexible model-based input signal design, and (iv) the evaluation of some possible machine designs. The novelty in this methodology is to take structural flexibilities into consideration during the input signal design; therefore, enhancing the standard design process which mainly considers rigid bodies dynamics. The potential of the proposed strategy is exploited for the design evaluation of a two degree-of-freedom high-speed parallel manipulator. The results are experimentally validated. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytical formulae for electromechanical effective properties of 3-1 longitudinally porous piezoelectric materials

A unidirectional fiber composite is considered here, the fibers of which are empty cylindrical holes periodically distributed in a transversely isotropic piezoelectric matrix, The empty-fiber cross-section is circular and the periodicity is the same in two directions at an angle pi/2 or pi/3. Closed-form formulae for all electromechanical effective properties of these 3-1 longitudinally periodic porous piezoelectric materials are presented. The derivation of such expressions is based on the asymptotic homogenization method as a limit of the effective properties of two-phase transversely isotropic parallel fiber-reinforced composites when the fibers properties tend to zero. The plane effective coefficients satisfy the corresponding Schulgasser-Benveniste-Dvorak universal type of relations, A new relation among the antiplane effective constants from the solutions of two antiplane strains and potential local problems is found. This relation is valid for arbitrary shapes of the empty-fiber cross-sections. Based on such a relation, and using recent numerical results for isotropic conductive composites, the antiplane effective properties are computed for different geometrical shapes of the empty-fiber cross-section. Comparisons with other analytical and numerical theories are presented. (c) 2008 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and Characterization of Novel Wear Resistant Multilayer CVD Coatings with Improved Adhesion Between Al(2)O(3) and Ti(C,N)

Multilayer CVD coatings for high speed cutting applications were designed to achieve high wear and heat resistance during machining of steel alloys. In this work the microstructure and cutting performance of these novel multilayer CVD coatings are investigated and compared with standard CVD multilayer coatings. 3D-FIB tomography is used to characterize the microstructure of the layers, especially the transition between the Ti(C,N) and the Al(2)O(3) layer. The 3D reconstruction of the surface of the Ti(C,N) layer shows the formation of protruded Ti(C,N) grains with a very particular architecture, which penetrate into the Al(2)O(3) top-layer, providing a mechanical anchoring between both layers. Cemented carbides coated with the novel CVD multilayer present reduced crater and flank wear as well as improved adherence between the Al(2)O(3) top-layer and the Ti(C,N) layer leading to a dramatic improvement of cutting performance.