Conversion of immunosuppressive monotherapy from cyclosporin A to tacrolimus reverses bone loss in rats

Tacrolimus is used for transplant patients with refractory graft rejection and those with intolerance to cyclosporin (CsA), without the disfiguring adverse effects frequently attributed to CsA therapy. Since we have shown that CsA-associated bone loss can also affect alveolar bone, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of conversion of monotherapy from CsA to tacrolimus on alveolar bone loss in rats. Groups of rats were treated with either CsA (10 mg/kg/day, s.c.), tacrolimus (I mg/kg/day, s.c.), or drug vehicle for 60 and 120 days, and an additional group received CsA for 60 days followed by conversion to tacrolimus for a further 60-day period. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), tartrate-resistent acid phosphatase (TRAP-5b), calcium (Ca2+), interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations were evaluated in the serum. Analyses of bone volume, bone surface, number of osteblasts, and osteoclasts were performed. Treatment with CsA for either 60 or 120 days was associated with bone resorption, represented by lower bone volume and increased number of osteoclasts; serum BALP, TRAP-5b, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were also higher in these animals. After conversion from CsA to tacrolimus, all the altered serum markers returned to control values in addition to a significant increase of bone volume and a lower number of osteoclasts. This study shows that conversion from CsA to tacrolimus therapy leads to a reversal of the CsA-induced bone loss, which can probably be mediated by downregulation of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha production.

Methane and carbon dioxide seasonal cycles at urban Brazilian inland sites

Methane and carbon dioxide seasonal cycles during years 1998 and 1999 at two Brazilian urban and inland sites are presented. The mixing ratio averages over the studied period of time were 1.80 ppm CH4 and 384.7 ppm CO2. A comparison is made between continental averages and the averages of the three nearest global network background sites of NOAA-CMDL comprising Ascension Island, Namibia and Easter Island. Inland sites had 0.08 ppm or 4.9% more CH4 and 19.0 ppm or 4.9% more CO2 than background over the same time span. The CH4 summer minimum observed in remote sites was also detected inland. During the month of October 98 and 99 inland mixing ratios were frequently similar to background.

Greenhouse gas balance due to the conversion of sugarcane areas from burned to green harvest in Brazil

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

Greenhouse gas balance due to the conversion of sugarcane areas from burned to green harvest, considering other conservationist management practices

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Violet-blue emissions due to frequency up-conversion in Nd3+-doped fluoroindate glasses

We report the observation of intense frequency up-conversion in Nd3+-doped fluoroindate glasses pumped by the second harmonic of a cw mode-locked Nd: YAG laser. Mechanisms for generating the observed emissions are discussed.

Two-Way Selection for Daily Gain and Feed Conversion in a Composite Rabbit Population

We conducted a two-way selection experiment in a composite rabbit population to investigate the responses to selection for postweaning ADG and feed conversion (FC). Two generations of crossing, followed by four generations of random pair matings, preceded three generations of selection. Selection was practiced within four lines: high-feed conversion (HFC), low-feed conversion (LFC), high gain (HG), and low gain (LG). Data on 1,446 rabbits from the random mating and selection generations were fitted to an animal model to estimate heritabilities of and the genetic correlation between ADG and FC. The two-trait model included rabbit and common litter random effects and line, generation, and sex fixed effects. Estimates of heritability of ADG and FC were .48 and .29, respectively, and the genetic correlation between them was -.82. Common litter environmental effects accounted for a proportion of .11 and . 13 of the phenotypic variation of the two traits, respectively. For ADG (in g/d) the regressions of mean breeding values on generation number during the selection period were 1.23 ± .12 (P < .01) in the HG line and -.86 ± .12 (P < .01) in the LG line; the regressions for FC (in g feed/g gain) were -.07 ± .01 (P < .01) in the HFC line and .03 ± .01 (P < .05) in the LFC line. Selection for ADG was effective in improving ADG and FC.

Synthesis and characterization of the mer-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] isomer. X-ray structures of fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppm)], cis-[RuCl2(dppm)2] and mer-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] [dppm=1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino)methane and dppb=1,4-Bis(diphenylphosphino)butane]

The fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppm)] (1) and cis-[RuCl2(dppm)2] (2) complexes were obtained with co-crystallization in the solid state from the reaction of RuCl3(NO) with the diphosphine in dichloromethane. mer-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] (3) was obtained from [RuCl3(dppb)(H2O)] by bubbling NO for 30 min in the same solvent. The crystal and molecular structures of these three compounds have been determined from X-ray studies. © Elsevier Science Ltd.

Estudio de viabilidad tecnico-economica para la conversion de hornos electricos en hornos a gas natural

Technical and economic feasibility of using natural gas as a non-polluting energy source was studied. Conversion of electric ovens to gas-fired ovens for the preparation of aluminum plates for laminations was used as an example of this application. Four cases were evaluated for the use of heat derived from residual gases following combustion of the natural gas. Additionally, two possibilities are included for the use of systems of co-generation; one using an internal combustion engine, and second using a gas turbine. Results suggested that it was technically and economically feasible to convert the electric ovens considered to natural gas-operated ovens.

Remark on the muonium to antimuonium conversion in a 3-3-1 model

Here we analyze the relation between the search for muonium to antimuonium conversion and the 3-3-1 model with doubly charged bileptons. We show that the constraint on the mass of the vector bilepton obtained by experimental data can be evaded even in the minimal version of the model since there are other contributions to that conversion. We also discuss the condition for which the experimental data constraint is valid. ©2000 The American Physical Society.

Remark on the Neves-Wotzasek constraints conversion method

In this work we give an alternative way which generalizes the recently implemented Neves-Wotzasek method of conversion from second to first-class systems. We have proved that this generalization is correct reproducing the results given in the literature using the case of a sphere with an antisymmetric generator as an example. ©2000 The American Physical Society.

Improved activity and stability of Ce-promoted Ni/γ-A1 2O3 catalysts for carbon dioxide reforming of methane

The CO2 reforming of CH4 was carried out over Ni catalysts supported on γ-Al2O3 and CeO 2-promoted γ-Al2O3. The catalysts were characterized by means of surface area measurements, TPR, CO2 and H2 chemisorption, XRD, SEM, and TEM. The CeO2 addition promoted an increase of catalytic activity and stability. The improvement in the resistance to carbon deposition is attributed to the highest CO2 adsorption presented by the CeO2 addition. The catalytic behavior presented by the samples, with a different CH4/CO2 ratio used, points to the CH4 decomposition reaction as the main source of carbon deposition.

Degree of conversion and molecular weight of one denture base and three reline resins submitted post-polymerization treatments

The effect of post-polymerization treatments (MW-microwave irradiatron and WB-water-bath) on the degree of conversion (DC) of three reline resins (Ufi Gel hard-U, Kooliner-K, and Tokuso Rebase Fast-T) and one denture base resin (Lucitone 550-L), submitted to two polymerization cycles (LS-short and LL-long), was evaluated by using FT-Raman spectroscopy (n = 5). The molecular weight (Mw) of the powder of all materials and of K polymerized specimens (control; MW; and WB; n = 3) was analyzed using GPC. DC data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test (α = .05). For control specimens, there were no significant differences between U (68%) and LL (77%) and among LL, K (81%), and T (84%). LS (92%) had the highest DC (P<0.05). Only material K exhibited an increased DC after WB (P<0.05). All powders had Mw from 4.0 × 105 to 6.5 × 105 and narrow Mw distributions (2.1 to 3.6). Polymerization and post-polymerization produced K specimens with Mw similar to that of K powder.

Changes on degree of conversion of dual-cure luting light-cured with blue LED

The indirect adhesive procedures constitute recently a substantial portion of contemporary esthetic restorative treatments. The resin cements have been used to bond tooth substrate and restorative materials. Due to recently introduction of the self-bonding resin luting cement based on a new monomer, filler and initiation technology has become important to study the degree of conversion of these new materials. In the present work the polymerization reaction and the filler content of dual-cured dental resin cements were studied by means of infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetry (TG). Twenty specimens were made in a metallic mold (8 mm diameter × 1 mm thick) from each of 2 cements, Panavia® F2.0 (Kuraray) and RelyX™ Unicem Applicap (3M/ESPE). Each specimen was cured with blue LED with power density of 500 mW/cm 2 for 30 s. Immediately after curing, 24 and 48 h, and 7 days DC was determined. For each time interval 5 specimens were pulverized, pressed with KBr and analyzed with FT-IR. The TG measurements were performed in Netzsch TG 209 under oxygen atmosphere and heating rate of 10°C/min from 25 to 700°C. A two-way ANOVA showed DC (%) mean values statistically significance differences between two cements (p < 0.05). The Tukey's test showed no significant difference only for the 24 and 48 h after light irradiation for both resin cements (p > 0.05). The Relx-Y™ Unicem mean values were significantly higher than Panavia® F 2.0. The degree of conversion means values increasing with the storage time and the filler content showed similar for both resin cements. © 2009 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.

Effect of pre-heating resin composite and light-curing units on monomer conversion

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-heating resin composite photo-cured with light-curing units (LCU) by FT-IR. Twenty specimens were made in a metallic mold (4 mm diameter × 2 mm thick) from composite resin-Tetric Ceram® (Ivoclar/Vivadent) at room temperature (25°C) and pre-heated to 37, 54, and 60°C. The specimens were cured with halogen curing light (QTH) and light emitted by diodes (LED) during 40 s. Then, the specimens were pulverized, pressed with KBr and analyzed with FT-IR. The data were submitted to statistical analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test. Study data showed no statistically significant difference to the degree of conversion for the different light curing units (QTH and LED) (p > 0.05). With the increase of temperature there was significant increase in the degree of conversion (p < 0.05). In this study were not found evidence that the light curing unit and temperature influenced the degree of conversion. © 2010 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.