INTERACTION AMONG ZINC, GLUCOSE, AND INSULIN IN NORMAL INDIVIDUALS DURING GLUCOSE AND TOLBUTAMIDE PERFUSION

Reports in the literature have shown that acute or chronic zinc administration may cause hyperglycemia, with a fall in serum or insular insulin occurring in experimental animals. on the other hand, under conditions of both acute and chronic hyperglycemia, an increase, a decrease, or a normal level of blood zinc has been observed in studies conducted on humans. Thus, the objective of the investigation described here was to determine the relationship existing among zinc, glucose, and insulin under acute conditions. Thirty-six subjects of both sexes (mean age, 23 yr) were tested at 7:00 A.M. after a 12-h fast. Two antecubital veins of both forearms were punctured and maintained with physiological saline. Three experiments were performed in which zinc was administered orally, and hypertonic glucose and tolbutamid were administered intravenously. Blood samples were then collected over a period ranging from 93 to 240 min after the basal times of - 30 and 0 min. Hyperzincemia did not cause changes in plasma glucose or insulin either in the absence of or during perfusion of glucose. Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia did not modify serum zinc levels. These results demonstrate that acute zinc administration did not change carbohydrate metabolism and that sudden variations in glucose and insulin levels did not modify the serum profile of zinc.

FTY720 in combination with cyclosporine - an analysis of skin allograft survival and renal function

Acute and chronic nephrotoxicity caused by CsA Continuous administration impair kidney allograft survival. Several clinical and experimental protocols have shown benefits to the kidney after decreasing CsA dose, withdrawing the drug or delaying its introduction after transplantation.FTY720 is a new Compound that has immunosuppressive characteristics and increase allograft survival in animal models without causing the side effects of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). FTY720 described mechanism of action that consists to alter the lymphocyte migration pattern without impairment of the immune system response against pathogens.In our mice model, FTY720 administered alone or in combination with CsA during 21 days increased skin allograft survival in a fully mismatched strain combination and did not cause significant changes in renal function. Moreover, renal structure was normal in all groups suggesting that at low doses (10 mg/kg/day) CsA can be associated during short-term period to other immunosuppressive drugs, i.e. FTY720 without affecting the kidney.Combination of immunosuppressive compounds with FTY720 and/or delayed introduction of low cyclosporine dose Could prevent graft rejection and avoid nephrotoxicity. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noradrenergic response in vas deferens from rats submitted to acute and repeated stress

1. This work investigated the effects of androgens on the norepinephrine sensitivity of vasa deferentia from rats submitted to acute or repeated stress, as well as the participation of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in the response of intact and bisected vasa deferentia from adult normal rats submitted to acute or repeated stress.2. The acute stress produced subsensitivity to norepinephrine only in intact vasa deferentia from adult normal rats, which was prevented by lack of androgens, suggesting that the sensitivity may be dependent on the physiological level of androgen,3. No change was observed in intact vas deferens sensitivity to norepinephrine in repeated stress, suggesting the occurrence of adaptation to elevated norepinephrine levels or a mild decrease in androgen levers or both.4. The changes in sensitivity observed in acute and repeated stress may also be due to alterations in alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors that are located in the prostatic portion of the vas deferens. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V.

Anthracnose control and mango quality (Mangifera indica L.) cv. van dyke after hydrothermal and chemical treatment

Anthracnose causes severe damage to the mango skin. Therefore, there is need to do the post-harvest phytosanitary treatment of the fruits through soaking in fungicide solution, which associated with the hydrothermal treatment has resulted into improved benefits. The present work has aimed at studying anthracnose control and post-harvest quality of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.), cv. Van Dyke after hydrothermal treatment associated with chemical through the physical, physicochemical, chemical and phytopathologic analyses. The mangoes coming from the commercial orchard of the town of Jana ba-MG, of the 2000 crop, were harvested at the commercial maturation stage. After selection according to color uniformity, size and absence of mechanic and physiologic injuries, they were shipped in plastic boxes to the EPAMIG - CTNM - Nova Porteirinha - MG, fruit post-harvest laboratory, where the samples were submitted to the hydrothermal treatment in cold bath in solution containing the fungicides Thiabendazole (Tecto 400 mL/100L), Proclaraz (Sportak 10L/100L) and Imazalil (Magnate 200mL/100L). After air-drying, the fruits were packed in plastic trays and stored at room temperature (25 +/- 2 degrees C and RH 70%) for a 12-day period and evaluated as to the intrinsic quality characteristics every 4 days. The experiment was conducted a completely randomized with 8 treatments, 4 replicates and experimental unit consisting of 4 fruits. The variations of pH, total soluble solids, total titrable acidity and total soluble sugars have not endangered the organoleptic characteristics of mangoes cv. Van Dyke stored under room temperature (25 +/- 2 degrees C and RH 70%) till 8 days' storage. The association of the hydrothermal treatment with the chemical was efficient in fruit anthracnose control for till 12 days' storage. The fungicide Prochloraz (Sportak 110 mL/100L), associated with the hydrothermal treatment, completely inhibited the appearance of anthracnose symptoms.

Influence of preparation methods and thermal treatment in melt-solidified and cast films of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene) copolymers

This paper is aimed at addressing the differences observed in film properties when poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene) P(VDF-TrFE) films are fabricated using distinct methods. Samples were obtained either from casting a solution or by compression molding from a molten phase and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is shown that the main differences between melt-solidified and cast films arise from the thermal treatment inherent in the former samples.

The effect of drying and urea treatment on nutritional and anti-nutritional components of browses collected during wet and dry seasons

Fibre, crude protein and tannin concentrations were measured in browse species from the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil during the dry and wet seasons. The effects of oven-, sun- and shade-drying and of urea treatment were also determined. Crude protein (CP) content varied from 103 to 161 g/kg dry matter (DM) and the browses had similar CP content in the two seasons (during 2002) (102-161 and 107-153 g/kg DM in the wet and dry seasons, respectively). Total tannin concentrations ranged from 13 to 201 g/kg DM amongst the browses and were higher in the dry season. A 30-d treatment with urea reduced extractable tannins significantly (P < 0.05). The urea treatment was also most effective at reducing the in vitro effects of tannins compared to the other drying treatments. This was demonstrated by measuring the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on gas production. Addition of PEG increased gas production of oven- (81.4%), sun- (78.5%) and shade-dried (76.7%) samples much more compared to urea treated samples (10.9%). (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of interleukin-10 in the differential expression of interleukin-12p70 and its beta 2 receptor on patients with active or treated paracoccidioidomycosis and healthy infected subjects

Paracoccidioidomycosis patients present an antigen-specific Th1 immunosuppression. To better understand this phenomenon, we evaluated the interleukin (IL)-12 pathway by measuring IL-12p70 production and CD3(+) T cell expression of the IL-12 receptor (IL-12R)beta1/beta2 chains, induced with the main fungus antigen (gp43) and a control antigen, from Candida albicans (CMA). We showed that gp43-induced IL-12p70 production and IL-12Rbeta2 expression were significantly decreased in acute and chronic patients as compared to healthy subjects cured from PCM or healthy infected subjects from endemic areas. Interestingly, the healthy infected Subjects had higher gp43-induced IL12p70 production and beta2 expression than the cured subjects. The addition of a neutralizing anti-IL-10 antibody to the cultures increased IL12p70 levels and beta2 expression in acute and chronic patients to levels observed in Cured subjects. Conversely, addition of the cytokine IL-10 strongly inhibited both parameters in the latter group. In conclusion, we have shown that paracoccidioidomycosis-related Th1 immunosuppression is associated with down-modulation of the IL-12 pathway, that IL-10 may participate in this process, and that patients cured from paracoccidioidomycosis may not fully recover their immune responsiveness. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicologic evaluation of acute and subacute oral administration of Cucurbita maxima seed extracts to rats and swine

The extract prepared from dried seeds of Cucurbita maxima was administered to rats and pigs. Following a single dose or 4 weeks of daily oral administration, the extract produced no changes in serum glucose, urea, creatinine, total protein, uric acid, GOT, GPT, LDH or blood counts. Urine analysis (urea, uric acid, creatinine, total protein, Na and K), as well as histopathological investigation, showed no abnormalities. These results taken as a whole indicate that the seeds of C. maxima as used in Brazilian folk medicine are not toxic for rats and swine.

Determination and statistical treatment of short-circuit currents for faults on the lines of networks of 440 kV CESP system

The distribution of short-circuit current is investigated by means of two methods, one direct and the other analytic; both methods consider uniform probability distribution of line faults. In the direct method, the procedure consists of calculating fault currents at equidistant points along the line, starting from one of the end points and considering the other end open. The magnitude of the current is classified according to Brazilian standards (regulation NBR-7118). The analytic method assumes that the distribution of short-circuit currents through the busbar and the distribution of the line length connected to it are known, as well as the independence of values. The method is designed to determine the probability that fault currents through a line will surpass the pre-established magnitude, thus generating frequency distribution curves of short-circuit currents along the lines.