Avaliação da espectrometria de absorção atômica com nebulização térmica em tubo aquecido em chama (TS-FF-AAS) para determinação de Cd, Cu, Pb e Zn em álcool combustível e óleo diesel

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Síntese de novos derivados híbridos do Ácido Acetil Salicílico (AAS)

A aterosclerose é uma doença caracterizada pela perda de elasticidade e espessamento da parede arterial, sendo iniciada pelo acúmulo de lípides, células inflamatórias e elementos fibrosos na parede das artérias. Esses elementos, ao longo do tempo, darão origem a placas ateroscleróticas ou ateromas que podem por ventura se romper, ocasionando no extravasamento de seu conteúdo lipídico central. Tal situação promoverá a adesão e a agregação plaquetária com conseqüente formação de trombo. As doenças cardiovasculares (DCVs) são a principal causa de morte no mundo, sendo por isso bastante estudadas. Entre os recursos terapêuticos disponíveis se podem citar os antiagregantes plaquetários. A terapia com antiagregantes plaquetários apresenta alguns inconvenientes, que vão desde a ineficácia terapêutica em alguns indivíduos até efeitos adversos deletérios, como hemorragia e transtornos gastrointestinais. É devido a esses fatores, acrescidos à elevada prevalência dessas doenças, que se busca a síntese de novos antiagregantes plaquetários, mais efetivos e menos tóxicos para a prevenção e o tratamento das DCVs, sendo o ácido acetilsalicílico (AAS) um dos fármacos de primeira escolha para tratamento. Nesse projeto, usando a hibridação como estratégia de modificação molecular, planejou-se compostos derivados do AAS espaçados pela subunidade N-acilhidrazona contendo ainda uma subunidade doadora de óxido nítrico representado pelos furoxanos e benzofuroxanos. Esses híbridos constituem uma alternativa à “resistência” ao AAS por atuarem em diferentes vias bioquímicas potenciais para inibição da agregação plaquetária

Metalloproteomic profile determination of muscle samples from nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using AAS and ESI-MS/MS after 2D-PAGE separation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Analytical procedures for cadmium determination in facial make-up samples by graphite furnace AAS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reduction capability of soil humic substances from the Rio Negro basin, Brazil, towards Hg(II) studied by a multimethod approach and principal component analysis (PCA)

This paper characterizes humic substances (HS) extracted from soil samples collected in the Rio Negro basin in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, particularly investigating their reduction capabilities towards Hg(II) in order to elucidate potential mercury cycling/volatilization in this environment. For this reason, a multimethod approach was used, consisting of both instrumental methods (elemental analysis, EPR, solid-state NMR, FIA combined with cold-vapor AAS of Hg(0)) and statistical methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and a central composite factorial planning method. The HS under study were divided into groups, complexing and reducing ones, owing to different distribution of their functionalities. The main functionalities (cor)related with reduction of Hg(II) were phenolic, carboxylic and amide groups, while the groups related with complexation of Hg(II) were ethers, hydroxyls, aldehydes and ketones. The HS extracted from floodable regions of the Rio Negro basin presented a greater capacity to retain (to complex, to adsorb physically and/or chemically) Hg(II), while nonfloodable regions showed a greater capacity to reduce Hg(II), indicating that HS extracted from different types of regions contribute in different ways to the biogeochemical mercury cycle in the basin of the mid-Rio Negro, AM, Brazil. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dietary supplementation of lysine and/or methionine on performance, nitrogen retention and excretion in pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus reared in cages

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Proposta conceitual de colhedoras autopropelidas de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) para a região amazônica

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Nandrolone Decanoate and Physical Effort: Histological and Morphometrical Assessment in Adult Rat Uterus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Thermoplastic starch/natural rubber blends

Thermoplastic starch/natural rubber polymer blends were prepared using directly natural latex and cornstarch. The blends were prepared in an intensive batch mixer at 150 degreesC, with natural rubber content varying from 2.5 to 20%. The blends were characterised by mechanical analysis (stress-strain) and by scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed a reduction in the modulus and in tensile strength, becoming the blends less brittle than thermoplastic starch alone. Phase separation was observed in some compositions and was dependent on rubber and on plasticiser content (glycerol). Increasing plasticiser content made possible the addition of higher amounts of rubber. The addition of rubber was, however, limited by phase separation the appearance of which depended on the glycerol content. Scanning electron microscopy showed a good dispersion of the natural rubber in the continuos phase of thermoplastic starch matrix. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Análise dos traçados de ondas da agregação plaquetária em pacientes com doenças cardiovasculares em uso do ácido acetil salicílico comparados a doadores de sangue

A agregação plaquetária avalia a função das plaquetas através de diferentes vias de ativação plaquetária in vitro, fornecendo traçados de ondas equivalentes à propriedade física dessa agregação. Sabendo-se que a aspirina acetila irrever­sivelmente a enzima cicloxigenase prevenindo a geração de tromboxana A2, potente ativador da agregação plaquetária, esta droga tem sido analisada há mais de trinta anos na clínica médica em pacientes com doenças cardiovasculares como uma potente droga antitrombótica. Foram nossos objetivos obter traçados de ondas correspondentes às fases da agregação plaquetária para nossa padronização utilizando nosso grupo controle de doadores de sangue e compará-las com nosso grupo estudo, frente a diferentes agentes agonistas em diferentes concentrações: ADP 1µM e 3µM; AA, 0,5mM; ADR, 0,05 mg/mL, 0,025 mg/mL e 0,010 mg/mL. Os grupos analisados foram constituídos por 41 cardíacos e 40 doadores de sangue considerados controle. Dos cardíacos, 33 faziam uso regular do AAS na concentração de 200 mg/dia e oito na concentração de 100 mg/dia, sendo todos considerados hipertensos. A padronização da agregometria estava na dependência do encontro de traçados correspondentes a ondas de agregação, sendo esses obtidos em porcentagem no tempo de cinco minutos estandartizados pelo aparelho utilizado. Comparando os resultados entre os pacientes e o grupo controle, foi possível observar que, na presença dos agentes agregantes ADP 1µM e ADP 3 µM, ADR 0,05 mg/mL, 0,025mg/mL e 0,010 mg/mL, os pacientes apresentaram 1ª onda, mas não 2ª onda. Por sua vez, no caso do AA 0,5 mM não houve o encontro de traçados de ondas.

Nandrolone androgenic hormone presents genotoxic effects in different cells of mice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

GROWTH HORMONE ATTENUATES MYOCARDIAL FIBROSIS IN RATS WITH CHRONIC PRESSURE OVERLOAD-INDUCED LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY

1. The role of growth hormone (GH) in cardiac remodelling and function in chronic and persistent pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy has not been defined. The aim of the present study was to assess short-term GH treatment on left ventricular function and remodelling in rats with chronic pressure overload-induced hypertrophy.2. Twenty-six weeks after induction of ascending aortic stenosis (AAS), rats were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of recombinant human GH (1 mg/kg per day; AAS-GH group) or saline (AAS-P group) for 14 days. Sham-operated animals served as controls. Left ventricular function was assessed by echocardiography before and after GH treatment. Myocardial fibrosis was evaluated by histological analysis.3. Before GH treatment, AAS rats presented similar left ventricular function and structure. Treatment of rats with GH after the AAS procedure did not change bodyweight or heart weight, both of which were higher in the AAS groups than in the controls. After GH treatment, posterior wall shortening velocity (PWSV) was lower in the AAS-P group than in the control group. However, in the AAS-GH group, PWSV was between that in the control and AAS-P groups and did not differ significantly from either group. Fractional collagen (% of total area) was significantly higher in the AAS-P and AAS-GH groups compared with control (10.34 +/- 1.29, 4.44 +/- 1.37 and 1.88 +/- 0.88%, respectively; P < 0.05) and was higher still in the AAS-P group compared with the AAS-GH group.4. The present study has shown that short-term administration of GH to rats with chronic pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy induces cardioprotection by attenuating myocardial fibrosis.

Growth hormone attenuates skeletal muscle changes in experimental chronic heart failure

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of growth hormone (GH) on morphology and myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) gene expression in skeletal muscle of rats with ascending aortic stenosis (AAS) induced chronic heart failure.Design: Male 90-100 g Wistar rats were subjected to thoracotomy. AAS was created by placing a stainless-steel clip on the ascending aorta. Twenty five weeks after surgery, rats were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of recombinant human GH (2 mg/kg/day; AAS-GH group) or saline (AAS group) for 14 days. Sham-operated animals served as controls. Left ventricular (LV) function was assessed before and after treatment. IGF-1 serum levels were measured by ELISA. After anesthesia, soleus muscle was frozen in liquid nitrogen. Histological sections were stained with HE and picrosirius red to calculate muscle fiber cross-sectional area and collagen fractional area, respectively. MRF myogenin and MyoD expression was analyzed by reverse transcription PCR.Results: Body weight was similar between groups. AAS and AAS-GH groups presented dilated left atrium, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LV mass index: Control 1.90 +/- 0.15; AAS 3.11 +/- 0.44; AAS-GH 2.94 +/- 0.47 g/kg; p < 0.05 AAS and AAS-GH vs. Control), and reduced LV posterior wall shortening velocity. Soleus muscle fiber area was significantly lower in AAS than in Control and AAS-GH groups; there was no difference between AAS-GH and Control groups. Collagen fractional area was significantly higher in MS than Control; AAS-GH did not differ from both Control and AAS groups. Serum IGF-1 levels decreased in AAS compared to Control. MyoD mRNA was significantly higher in AAS-GH than AAS; there was no difference between AAS-GH and Control groups. Myogenin mRNA levels were similar between groups.Conclusion: In rats with aortic stenosis-induced heart failure, growth hormone administration increases MyoD gene expression above non-treated animal levels, preserves muscular trophism and attenuates interstitial fibrosis. These results suggest that growth hormone may have a potential role as an adjuvant therapy for chronic heart failure. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of an acidic phospholipase A(2) complexed with p-bromophenacyl bromide and alpha-tocopherol inhibitors at 1.9-and 1.45-A resolution

An acidic phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom was crystallized with two inhibitors: alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) and p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB). The crystals diffracted at 1.45- and 1.85-Angstrom resolution, respectively, for the complexes with alpha-tocopherol and p-bromophenacyl bromide. The crystals are not isomorphous with those of the native protein, suggesting the inhibitors binding was successful and changes in the quaternary structure may have occurred. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.