High cholesterol intake modifies chylomicron metabolism in normolipidemic young men

Whether the consumption of egg yolk, which has a very high cholesterol content without excess saturated fats, has deleterious effects on lipid metabolism is controversial. Absorbed dietary cholesterol enters the bloodstream as chylomicrons, but the effects of regular consumption of large amounts of cholesterol on the metabolism of this lipoprotein have not been explored even though the accumulation of chylomicron remnants is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated the effects of high dietary cholesterol on chylomicron metabolism in normolipidemic, healthy young men. The plasma kinetics of a chylomicron-like emulsion, doubly-labeled with 14C-cholesteryl ester ( 14C-CE) and 3H-triolein ( 3H-TG) were assessed in 25 men (17-22 y old, BMI 24.1 ± 3.4 kg/m 2). One group (n = 13) consumed 174 ± 41 mg cholesterol/d and no egg yolk. The other group (n = 12) consumed 3 whole eggs/d for a total cholesterol intake of 804 ± 40 mg/d. The nutritional composition of diets was the same for both groups, including total lipids and saturated fat, which comprised 25 and 7%, respectively, of energy intake. Serum LDL and HDL cholesterol and apoprotein B concentrations were higher in the group consuming the high-cholesterol diet (P < 0.05), but serum triacylglycerol, apo AI, and lipoprotein (a) did not differ between the 2 groups. The fractional clearance rate (FCR) of the 14C-CE emulsion, obtained by compartmental analysis, was 52% slower in the high-cholesterol than in the low-cholesterol group (P < 0.001); the 3H-TG FCR did not differ between the groups. Finally, we concluded that high cholesterol intakes increase the residence time of chylomicron remnants, as indicated by the 14C-CE kinetics, which may have undesirable effects related to the development of CAD. © 2006 American Society for Nutrition.

Electromyographyc evaluation of movements of lower limb in double pulley system equipment: Comparison between gastrocnemius (caput laterale) and gluteus maximus

It was evaluated movements of lower limb in the double pulley system equipment on ten male volunteers during contraction of gastrocnemius (caput laterale ) and gluteus maximus muscles in the following movements: 1) hip extension with extended knee and erect trunk, 2) hip extension with flexed knee and erect trunk, 3) hip extension with flexed knee and erect trunk, 3) hip extension with extended knee and inclined trunk, 5) hip abduction along the midline, 7) hip abduction with extension beyond the midline, 8) adduction with hip flexion beyond the midline, 8) adduction with hip flexion beyond the midline, and 9) adduction with hip extension beyond the midline. Myoelectric signals were taken up by Lec Tec surface electrodes connected to a 6-channel Lynx electromyographic signal amplifier coupled with a computer equipped with a model CAD 10/26 analogue digital conversion board and with a specific software for signal recording and analysis. We observed weak gastrocnemius muscle activity for all movements studied. In the case of gluteus maximus, the most important potentials were observed for movement 2, while for the remaining movements the actions were of reasonable intensity. Compared to gluteus, gastrocnemius was less required for all movements.

Development of a micro heat exchanger made with ceramic multi-layers (LTCC) and its setup to gas flow measurements

A green ceramic tape micro heat exchanger was developed using LTCC technology. The device was designed by using a CAD software and 2D and 3D simulations using a CFD package (COMSOL Multiphysics) to evaluate the fluid behavior in the microchannels. The micro heat exchanger is composed of five thermal exchange plates in cross flow arrangement and two connecting plates; heat exchanger dimensions are 26 × 26 × 6 mm3. Preliminary tests were carried out to characterize the device both in atmospheric pressure and in vacuum. The same techniques used in vacuum technology were applied to check the rotameters and to prevent device leakages. Thermal performance of the micro heat exchanger was experimentally tested. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Digestibilidade de uma dieta caseira e dois alimentos comerciais, econômico e super-prêmio, para cães

They were compared the coefficients of apparent digestibility (CAD) and the fecal quality of dogs fed a home-made diet and two dog foods, standard and super-premium. Six adult dogs were distributed in a double latin square desing (3 × 3), with three treatments and three periods, in a total of six replications per treatment. Tukey's test was used to compare the means. The home-made diet presented the highest CAD, not differing only of the CAD of acid ether extract of the super-premium food. The standard food was the lowest digestive, producting more feces. Fecal dry matter of dogs fed home-made diet was lower than in the standard and super-premium foods, which did not differ among then. Fecal score presented low variability among treatments, remaining in the considered ideal range. Home-made diet can be an alternative in the feeding of dogs.

Tridimensional modeling of the cardiac wall

The advance in the graphic computer's techniques and computer's capacity of processing made possible applications like the human anatomic structures modeling, in order to investigate diseases, surgical planning or even provide images for training of Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD). On this context, this work exhibits an anatomical model of cardiac structures represented in a tridimensional environment. The model was represented with geometrical elements and has anatomical details, as the different tunics that compose the cardiac wall and measures that preserves the characteristics found on real structures. The validation of the anatomical model was made through quantitative comparations with real structures measures, available on specialized literature. The results obtained, evaluated by two specialists, are compatible with real anatomies, respecting the anatomical particularities. This degree of representation will allow the verification of the influence of radiological parameters, morphometric peculiarities and stage of the cardiac diseases on the quality of the images, as well as on the performance of the CAD. © 2010 IEEE.

DNA repair gene polymorphism is associated with the genetic basis of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease

Background: Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial process that appears to be caused by the interaction of environmental risk factors with multiple predisposing genes. It is nowadays accepted that increased levels of DNA damage induced by xenobiotics play an important role in the early phases of atherogenesis. Therefore, in this study, we focus on determining whether genetic variations in xenobiotic-metabolizing [glutathione-S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1), glutathione-S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1), cytochrome P450 IIEI (CYP2E1)] and DNA repair [X-ray cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1)] genes might be associated with increased risk for CAD. Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 400 individuals who underwent subjected to coronary angiography. A total of 299 were patients diagnosed with effective coronary atherosclerosis (case group; >20% obstructive lesion), and 101 (control group) were individuals diagnosed as negative for CAD (<20% obstructive lesions). The polymorphism identifications for GSTM1 and GSTT1, and for CYP2E1 and XRCC1 genes were performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and by PCR-RFLP, respectively. Results and conclusions: The XRCC1 homozygous wild-type genotype Arg/Arg for codon 399 was statistically less pronounced in the case subjects (21.4%) than in controls (38.5%); individuals with the variant XRCC1 genotype had a 2.3-fold increased risk for coronary atherosclerosis than individuals with the wild-type genotype (OR=2.3, 95% CI=1.13-4.69). Conversely, no association between GSTM1, GSTT1, and CYP2E1gene polymorphisms and coronary atherosclerosis was detected. The results provide evidence of the role of DNA damage and repair in cardiovascular disease. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Razão triglicérides/HDL-C e proteína C reativa de alta sensibilidade na avaliação do risco cardiovascular

Introduction: Calculated indexes from laboratory measurements and the determination of plasma markers are commonly used in cardiovascular risk assessment. Objective: To use triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, estimate of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels to the clinical and laboratorial assessment of coronary risk among patients with coronary disease. Material and methods: Sixty patients were chosen accordingly, 36 female (F) (65 ± 9 years of age) and 24 male (M) (55 ± 10 years of age) diagnosed with stable ischemic cardiopathy at Ana Neri Hospital, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The investigation was carried out at the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory of the College of Pharmacy at Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). Blood samples were collected after a 12-hour fast to determine hs-CRP, lipid profile and risk indicators. All data were assessed through Syncron LX®20 Beckman Coulter. The inferential analysis results were considered significant when p ≤ 5%. Data analysis was carried out with GraphPad Prism® (4.03 version) software. Results: Data analysis showed a positive correlation between hs-CRP and triglycerides/HDL-C ratio only among women (r = 0.4; p = 0.0442), n = 36. The analysis of other parameters did not show any significance. Conclusion: The triglycerides/HDL-C ratio and hs-CRP may be used as indicators of increase in cardiovascular risk among women with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Effect of hydrofluoric acid etching duration on the roughness and flexural strength of a lithium disilicate-based glass ceramic

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different acid etching times on the surface roughness and flexural strength of a lithium disilicate-based glass ceramic. Ceramic bar-shaped specimens (16 mm x 2 mm x 2 mm) were produced from ceramic blocks. All specimens were polished and sonically cleaned in distilled water. Specimens were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=15). Group A (control) no treatment. Groups B-E were etched with 4.9% hydrofluoric acid (HF) for 4 different etching periods: 20 s, 60 s, 90 s and 180 s, respectively. Etched surfaces were observed under scanning electron microscopy. Surface profilometry was used to examine the roughness of the etched ceramic surfaces, and the specimens were loaded to failure using a 3-point bending test to determine the flexural strength. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α=0.05). All etching periods produced significantly rougher surfaces than the control group (p<0.05). Roughness values increased with the increase of the etching time. The mean flexural strength values were (MPa): A=417 ± 55; B=367 ± 68; C=363 ± 84; D=329 ± 70; and E=314 ± 62. HF etching significantly reduced the mean flexural strength as the etching time increased (p=0.003). In conclusion, the findings of this study showed that the increase of HF etching time affected the surface roughness and the flexural strength of a lithium disilicate-based glass ceramic, confirming the study hypothesis.

Methodology analysis of a computational tool used in electronic circuit design

This paper considers the importance of using a top-down methodology and suitable CAD tools in the development of electronic circuits. The paper presents an evaluation of the methodology used in a computational tool created to support the synthesis of digital to analog converter models by translating between different tools used in a wide variety of applications. This tool is named MS 2SV and works directly with the following two commercial tools: MATLAB/Simulink and SystemVision. Model translation of an electronic circuit is achieved by translating a mixed-signal block diagram developed in Simulink into a lower level of abstraction in VHDL-AMS and the simulation project support structure in SystemVision. The method validation was performed by analyzing the power spectral of the signal obtained by the discrete Fourier transform of a digital to analog converter simulation model. © 2011 IEEE.

Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of linear and nonlinear indices of heart rate variability in stable angina patients

Background: Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) is related to higher morbidity and mortality. In this study we evaluated the linear and nonlinear indices of the HRV in stable angina patients submitted to coronary angiography. Methods. We studied 77 unselected patients for elective coronary angiography, which were divided into two groups: coronary artery disease (CAD) and non-CAD groups. For analysis of HRV indices, HRV was recorded beat by beat with the volunteers in the supine position for 40 minutes. We analyzed the linear indices in the time (SDNN [standard deviation of normal to normal], NN50 [total number of adjacent RR intervals with a difference of duration greater than 50ms] and RMSSD [root-mean square of differences]) and frequency domains ultra-low frequency (ULF) ≤ 0,003 Hz, very low frequency (VLF) 0,003 - 0,04 Hz, low frequency (LF) (0.04-0.15 Hz), and high frequency (HF) (0.15-0.40 Hz) as well as the ratio between LF and HF components (LF/HF). In relation to the nonlinear indices we evaluated SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2, approximate entropy (-ApEn), α1, α2, Lyapunov Exponent, Hurst Exponent, autocorrelation and dimension correlation. The definition of the cutoff point of the variables for predictive tests was obtained by the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC). The area under the ROC curve was calculated by the extended trapezoidal rule, assuming as relevant areas under the curve ≥ 0.650. Results: Coronary arterial disease patients presented reduced values of SDNN, RMSSD, NN50, HF, SD1, SD2 and -ApEn. HF ≤ 66 ms§ssup§2§esup§, RMSSD ≤ 23.9 ms, ApEn ≤-0.296 and NN50 ≤ 16 presented the best discriminatory power for the presence of significant coronary obstruction. Conclusion: We suggest the use of Heart Rate Variability Analysis in linear and nonlinear domains, for prognostic purposes in patients with stable angina pectoris, in view of their overall impairment. © 2012 Pivatelli et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Retention and processing methods of nasal prosthesis

Patients with congenital malformations, traumatic or pathological mutilation and maxillofacial developmental disorders can be restored aesthetically and emotionally by the production and use of facial prostheses. The aim of this study was to review the literature about the retention and processing methods of facial prostheses, and discuss their characteristics. A literature review on Medline (PubMed) database was performed by using the keywords maxillofacial prosthesis, silicone, resin, pigment, cosmetic, prosthetic nose, based on articles published from 1956 to 2010. Several methods of retention, from adhesives to the placement of implants, and different processing methods such as laser, CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping technologies have been reported. There are advantages and disadvantages of each procedure, and none can be classified as better compared to others.

Influence of polishing procedures on the surface roughness of dental ceramics made by different techniques

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of 2 different surface polishing procedures - glazing (GZ) and manual polishing (MP) - on the roughness of ceramics processed by computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and conventional systems (stratification technique). Eighty ceramic discs (diameter: 8 mm, thickness: 1 mm) were prepared and divided among 8 groups (n = 10) according to the type of ceramic disc and polishing method: 4 GZ and 4 MP. Specimens were glazed according to each manufacturer's recommendations. Two silicone polishing points were used on the ceramic surface for manual polishing. Roughness was measured using a surface roughness tester. The roughness measurements were made along a distance of 2 mm on the sample surface and the speed of reading was 0.1 mm/s. Three measurements were taken for each sample. The data (μm) were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). Qualitative analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mean (± SD) roughness values obtained for GZ were: 1.1 ± 0.40 μm; 1.0 ± 0.31 μm; 1.6 ± 0.31 μm; and 2.2 ± 0.73 μm. For MP, the mean values were: 0.66 ± 0.13 μm; 0.43 ± 0.14 μm; 1.6 ± 0.55 μm; and 2.0 ± 0.63 μm. The mean roughness values were significantly affected by the ceramic type (P = 0.0001) and polishing technique (P = 0.0047). The SEM images confirmed the roughness data. The manually polished glass CAD/CAM ceramics promoted lower surface roughness than did the glazed feldspathic dental ceramics.

Influence of convergence angle of tooth preparation on the fracture resistance of Y-TZP-based all-ceramic restorations

Objective: To investigate the influence of the convergence angle of tooth preparation on the fracture load of Y-TZP-based ceramic (YZ-Vita YZ) substructure (SB) veneered with a feldspathic porcelain (VM9-Vita VM9). Methods: Finite element stress analysis (FEA) was performed to examine the stress distribution of the system. Eighty YZ SB were fabricated using a CAD-CAM system and divided into four groups (n = 20), according to the total occlusal convergence (TOC) angle: G6-6° TOC; G12-12° TOC; G20-20° TOC; and G20MOD-20° TOC with modified SB. All SB were veneered with VM9, cemented in a fiber reinforced epoxy resin die, and loaded to failure. Half of the specimens from each group (n = 10) were cyclic fatigued (106 cycles) before testing. Failure analysis was performed to determine the fracture origin. Data were statistically analyzed using Anova and Tukey's tests (α = 0.05). Results: The greatest mean load to fracture value was found for the G20MOD, which was predicted by the FEA. Cyclic fatigue did not significantly affect the load of fracture. Catastrophic failure originating from the internal occlusal surface of the SB was the predominant failure mode, except for G20MOD. Significance: The YZ-VM9 restorations resisted greater compression load than the usual physiological occlusal load, regardless of the TOC angle of preparations. Yet, the G20MOD design produced the best performance among the experimental conditions evaluated. © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Classification of masses in mammographic image using wavelet domain features and polynomial classifier

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. In CAD systems, several studies have investigated the use of wavelet transform as a multiresolution analysis tool for texture analysis and could be interpreted as inputs to a classifier. In classification, polynomial classifier has been used due to the advantages of providing only one model for optimal separation of classes and to consider this as the solution of the problem. In this paper, a system is proposed for texture analysis and classification of lesions in mammographic images. Multiresolution analysis features were extracted from the region of interest of a given image. These features were computed based on three different wavelet functions, Daubechies 8, Symlet 8 and bi-orthogonal 3.7. For classification, we used the polynomial classification algorithm to define the mammogram images as normal or abnormal. We also made a comparison with other artificial intelligence algorithms (Decision Tree, SVM, K-NN). A Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Our system is evaluated using 360 digitized mammograms from DDSM database and the result shows that the algorithm has an area under the ROC curve Az of 0.98 ± 0.03. The performance of the polynomial classifier has proved to be better in comparison to other classification algorithms. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probiótico na alimentação do pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus): avaliação hematológica, bioquímica, imunológica e desempenho produtivo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)