Coffee and Caffeine Protect against Liver Injury Induced by Thioacetamide in Male Wistar Rats

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

An acqueous extract of Bidens pilosa L. protects liver from cholestatic disease: experimental study in young rats

OBJETIVO: Testar o efeito hepatoprotetor do extrato aquoso de Bidens pilosa L. (EBP) na doença hepática induzida pela ligadura e ressecção do ducto biliar comum (LRDBC) em ratos jovens. MÉTODOS: Estudamos ratos Wistar com 21º. dia de vida (P21) divididos em quatro grupos de 10 animais, Grupo SA: operação simulada e água; Grupo SD: operação simulada e EBP (160mg de folhas frescas/100g de peso corporal/dia); Grupo LA: LRDBC e água e Grupo LD: LRDBC e EBP diariamente. O tempo de sono por pentobarbital (TSP), aspartato (AST) e alanina (ALT) aminotransferase foram determinadas após o sacrifício (P70). O Score de Ruwart (SR) para fibrose hepática foi atribuído para cada animal. Foi realizada análise de variância com dois fatores e pelo teste de Tukey para comparações múltiplas ou por teste não paramétrico. RESULTADOS: Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre LA e LD nas variáveis: TSP (médias LA=390; LD=173), AST (médias LA=8, LD=5), ALT (medianas LA=2; LD=1) e SR (medianas LA=2; LD=1). CONCLUSÃO: EBP poderá ser empregado na fitoterapia da doença hepática induzida pela colestase obstrutiva crônica, pois protege a função hepática, diminui a velocidade de necrose e a intensidade da fibrose hepática na obstrução biliar extra-hepática.

Medidas de associação em estudo transversal com delineamento complexo: razão de chances e razão de prevalência

O objetivo deste estudo foi apresentar e discutir a utilização das medidas de associação: razão de chances e razão de prevalências, em dados obtidos de estudo transversal realizado em 2001-2002, utilizando-se amostra estratificada por conglomerados em dois estágios (n=1.958). As razões de chances e razões de prevalências foram estimadas por meio de regressão logística não condicional e regressão de Poisson, respectivamente, utilizando-se o pacote estatístico Stata 7.0. Intervalos de confiança e efeitos do desenho foram considerados na avaliação da precisão das estimativas. Dois desfechos do estudo transversal com diferentes níveis de prevalência foram avaliados: vacinação contra influenza (66,1%) e doença pulmonar referida (6,9%). Na situação em que a prevalência foi alta, as estimativas das razões de prevalência foram mais conservadoras com intervalos de confiança menores. Na avaliação do desfecho de baixa prevalência, não se observaram grandes diferenças numéricas entre as estimações das razões de chances e razões de prevalência e erros-padrão obtidos por uma ou outra técnica. O efeito do desenho maior que a unidade indicou que a amostragem complexa, em ambos os casos, aumentou da variância das estimativas. Cabe ao pesquisador a escolha da técnica e do estimador mais adequado ao seu objeto de estudo, permanecendo a escolha no âmbito epidemiológico.

Regulation and action of fibroblast growth factor 17 in bovine follicles

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

Sealability of MTA and calcium hydroxide-containing sealers

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the apical sealability of Fillapex (R), Endo-CPM-Sealer (R) and Sealapex (R). Material and Methods: Ninety-four freshly extracted single-rooted teeth were selected and decoronated. All teeth were radiographed to confirm the existence of a single and straight root canal, which was prepared using Protaper Universal and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite. The teeth were randomly divided in groups of 10 specimens each according to the sealer, and the canals were filled using the single cone technique and one of the sealers. Four additional teeth were used as controls. The teeth were submitted to dye leakage with Rhodamine B for 24 h but using vacuum on the initial 15 min. Thereafter, they were cut longitudinally and the leakage was measured in a linear fashion from apex to crown. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's tests at 5% significance level. Results: Fillapex (R) and Sealapex (R) showed significantly less dye leakage than Endo-CPM-Sealer (R) (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was concluded that Fillapex (R) and Sealapex (R) were able to prevent apical dye leakage differently from Endo-CPM-Sealer (R).

Disparity between Multilocus Enzyme Electrophoresis, Microsatellite Markers and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis in epidemiological tracking of Candida albicans

Various molecular systems are available for epidemiological, genetic, evolutionary, taxonomic and systematic studies of innumerable fungal infections, especially those caused by the opportunistic pathogen C. albicans. A total of 75 independent oral isolates were selected in order to compare Multilocus Enzyme Electrophoresis (MLEE), Electrophoretic Karyotyping (EK) and Microsatellite Markers (Simple Sequence Repeats - SSRs), in their abilities to differentiate and group C. albicans isolates (discriminatory power), and also, to evaluate the concordance and similarity of the groups of strains determined by cluster analysis for each fingerprinting method. Isoenzyme typing was performed using eleven enzyme systems: Adh, Sdh, M1p, Mdh, Idh, Gdh, G6pdh, Asd, Cat, Po, and Lap (data previously published). The EK method consisted of chromosomal DNA separation by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using a CHEF system. The microsatellite markers were investigated by PCR using three polymorphic loci: EF3, CDC3, and HIS3. Dendrograms were generated by the SAHN method and UPGMA algorithm based on similarity matrices (S(SM)). The discriminatory power of the three methods was over 95%, however a paired analysis among them showed a parity of 19.7-22.4% in the identification of strains. Weak correlation was also observed among the genetic similarity matrices (S(SM)(MLEE) x S(SM)(EK) x S(SM)(SSRs)). Clustering analyses showed a mean of 9 +/- 12.4 isolates per cluster (3.8 +/- 8 isolates/taxon) for MLEE, 6.2 +/- 4.9 isolates per cluster (4 +/- 4.5 isolates/taxon) for SSRs, and 4.1 +/- 2.3 isolates per cluster (2.6 +/- 2.3 isolates/taxon) for EK. A total of 45 (13%), 39(11.2%), 5 (1.4%) and 3 (0.9%) clusters pairs from 347 showed similarity (Si) of 0.1-10%, 10.1-20%, 20.1-30% and 30.1-40%, respectively. Clinical and molecular epidemiological correlation involving the opportunistic pathogen C. albicans may be attributed dependently of each method of genotyping (i.e., MLEE, EK, and SSRs) supplemented with similarity and grouping analysis. Therefore, the use of genotyping systems that give results which offer minimum disparity, or the combination of the results of these systems, can provide greater security and consistency in the determination of strains and their genetic relationships. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of 0.05% sodium fluoride solutions on microhardness of resin-modified glass ionomer cements

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of fluoride-containing mouthrinse solutions (Fluorgard and Oral B) on the superficial microhardness of two resin-modified glass ionomer cements (Vitremer and Fuji II LC). Fifteen discs-shaped specimens of each glass ionomer cement (0 10 mm; 2 mm thick) were prepared, thereby forming two groups. After 24-hour storage in artificial saliva, the microhardness was measure and the data were recorded. Next, each group was divided into three subgroups (n = 5), according to the solution to be immersed in. Control specimens were kept in artificial saliva along the whole experiment. The test specimens were kept in mouthrinse solution for 30 days. Vickers surface microhardness was analyzed at predetermined evaluation periods: 24 h, 48 h, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days after specimens' preparation. Data were subjected to three-way ANOVA and to Tukey test (p < 0.05). A better behavior of Fuji II LC was observed and Fluorgard affected most the characteristics of the tested materials. It may be concluded that fluoride-containing solutions influenced the tested characteristics of materials, mainly of Vitremer.

Regulador vegetal e bioestimulante na indução floral do maracujazeiro-amarelo em condições de entressafra

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de regulador vegetal e de bioestimulante na indução floral do maracujazeiro-amarelo em condições não-indutivas, em Araguari-MG. Foram identificados e podados 12 ramos terciários por parcela (02-04-05), sendo 6 deles expostos de um lado da espaldeira, com luminosidade predominante pela manhã e 6 do outro lado da espaldeira, com luminosidade à tarde. O delineamento experimental foi em parcelas subdivididas, com 7 tratamentos principais (parcelas): 0mg L-1 (testemunha); 100mg L-1; 200mg L-1 e 300mg L-1 de regulador vegetal GA3 (i.a.); 2,08 mL L-1; 4,17mL L-1 e 6,25mL L-1 de bioestimulante Stimulate® (i.a.), em duas aplicações foliares (09-04-02 e 09-05-02), acrescidas de espalhante adesivo Silwett® a 0,05%. Além desses, foram utilizados 2 tratamentos secundários (subparcelas): exposição dos ramos à luminosidade da manhã e da tarde, com 4 repetições de 3 plantas por parcela. Cada subparcela foi um dos dois lados da espaldeira. As médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey, a 5% de probabilidade. Realizou-se, aos 75 dias, a avaliação nos dois lados da espaldeira do comprimento dos ramos e entrenós, número de nós, de folhas e de botões florais. As variáveis estudadas não foram influenciadas pelo uso de GA3 e Stimulate®, no entanto houve diferença quando os ramos ficaram expostos à luminosidade da manhã em relação àqueles com luminosidade à tarde.

Sex ratio and dynamic behavior in populations of the exotic blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Resistance of Santa Ines and crossbred ewes to naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematode infections

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

Tree population and community dynamics in a Brazilian tropical semideciduous forest

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Social organization of marine Tucuxi dolphins, Sotalia guianensis, in the Cananeia Estuary of southeastern Brazil

Social organization is an important component of the population biology of a species that influences gene flow, the spatial pattern and scale of movements, and the effects of predation or exploitation by humans. An important element of social structure in mammals is group fidelity, which can be quantified through association indices. To describe the social organization of marine tucuxi dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) found in the Cananeia estuary, southeastern Brazil, association indices were applied to photo-identification data to characterize the temporal stability of relationships among members of this population. Eighty-seven days of fieldwork were conducted from May 2000 to July 2003, resulting in direct observations of 374 distinct groups. A total of 138 dolphins were identified on 1-38 distinct field days. Lone dolphins were rarely seen, whereas groups were composed of up to 60 individuals (mean +/- 1 SD = 12.4 +/- 11.4 individuals per group). A total of 29,327 photographs were analyzed, of which 6,312 (21.5%) were considered useful for identifying individuals. Half-weight and simple ratio indices were used to investigate associations among S. guianensis as revealed by the entire data set, data from the core study site, and data from groups composed of <= 10 individuals. Monte Carlo methods indicated that only 3 (9.3%) of 32 association matrices differed significantly from expectations based on random association. Thus, our study suggests that stable associations are not characteristic of S. guianensis in the Cananeia estuary.

Families of special Weierstrass points

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

Triple helix conformation of botryosphaeran, a (1 -> 3;1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucan produced by Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)