Ovarian activity and plasma concentrations of progesterone and estradiol during pregnancy in jennies

The objectives of this study were to determine ovarian activity (with ultrasound) and plasma concentrations of progesterone and estradiol during pregnancy in jennies. There was considerable ovarian activity during the second month of pregnancy. Secondary corpora lutea (total of 2 to 7 per jenny) were formed (mainly by luteinization) starting on Day 41.8 +/- 1.0 (range Days 38 to 46; ovulation = Day 0). The echogenicity of the primary and secondary corpora lutea gradually decreased during pregnancy. Plasma progesterone concentrations increased between Days 0 and 10 (0.9 and 19.9 ng/mL, respectively), gradually decreased to Day 30 (12.1 ng/mL), increased between Days 30 and 40 (plateau, at approximately 17 ng/mL), gradually declined from Days 110 to 160 (nadir of approximately 6 ng/mL), and remained nearly constant until increasing again just before parturition. Plasma estradiol concentrations increased gradually from Day 65, peaked (1.2 ng/mL) on Day 165 (greater than or equal to 1 ng/mL on Days 150 to 210), and decreased thereafter, with very low concentrations during the last 20 d before parturition. Ovarian function and hormone profiles were generally similar to those previously reported during pregnancy in mares. (C) 1998 by Elsevier B.V.

Dental fluorosis: Exposure, prevention and management

Dental fluorosis is a developmental disturbance of dental enamel, caused by successive exposures to high concentrations of fluoride during tooth development, leading to enamel with lower mineral content and increased porosity. The severity of dental fluorosis depends on when and for how long the overexposure to fluoride occurs, the individual response, weight, degree of physical activity, nutritional factors and bone growth. The risk period for esthetic changes in permanent teeth is between 20 and 30 months of age. The recommended level for daily fluoride intake is 0.05 - 0.07 mg F/Kg/day, which is considered of great help in preventing dental caries, acting in remineralization. A daily intake above this safe level leads to an increased risk of dental fluorosis. Currently recommended procedures for diagnosis of fluorosis should discriminate between symmetrical and asymmetrical and/or discrete patterns of opaque defects. Fluorosis can be prevented by having an adequate knowledge of the fluoride sources, knowing how to manage this issue and therefore, avoid overexposure.

Nanocellulose from Curava Fibers and their Nanocomposites

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

Genetic population data from Araraquara region (SP State, Brazil) using PowerPlex® 16 Systems

In the present study, allele frequency distributions for the 15 STR loci included in the PowerPlex® 16 Systems (Promega) were obtained from a sample of 55 unrelated individuals living in Araraquara region (SP, Brazil). The frequency of each allele for each locus tested, the exact test and the forensic and paternity parameters were calculated using POWERSTATS ver. 1.2 (Promega) and GENEPOP ver. 3.2 software. All loci are in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and they reached a combined power discrimination of 0.999999999999999973 and combined power exclusion of 0.99999987, showing to be a powerful tool for paternity testing and individual identification in the population analyzed. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

As imagens da Espanha em A jangada de pedra (1986), de José Saramago

Pós-graduação em Letras - FCLAS

Do clássico ao comezinho: intertextualidade e ironia em Papéis avulsos, de Machado de Assis

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

Mitologia dantesca: a referência aos mitos greco-romanos na divina comédia pelo viés da (re)criação poética de Dante Alighieri

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

As referências mitológicas e a construção do humorismo em Racconti surrealisti e satirici, de Alberto Moravia

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

O realismo mágico e seus desdobramentos em romances de José Saramago

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A construção do espaço da escrita na ficção contemporânea

Pós-graduação em Estudos Literários - FCLAR

Diálogos contemporâneos com Eça de Queiroz e Fradique Mendes

Pós-graduação em Letras - FCLAS

Brazilian green propolis induced apoptosis in human lung cancer A549 cells through mitochondrial-mediated pathway

Propolis effect on the growth and apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma (A549 cells) was investigated as well as its mechanisms. Cells were incubated with propolis for 72 h, and 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assays were employed to assess cell viability and the inhibitory concentration (IC). Apoptosis was detected by Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining after 24 and 48 h of incubation with ¼ IC50 of propolis by testing the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and the expression of apoptosis-related genes (p53, Caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL , Noxa, Puma and p21) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Propolis displayed antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on A549 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but it did not suppress the growth of normal Vero cells. An enhanced apoptosis was seen in A549 propolis-treated cells after 48 h compared with the control cells. Propolis decreased mitochondrial membrane potential by overexpression of pro-apoptotic genes (Bax and Noxa) and reduction of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-XL . The expression level of other genes remained unchanged (p53, Caspse-3 and Bax), whereas p21 expression was increased. Propolis induced caspase-independent apoptosis through a p53-independent mitochondrial pathway, and cell cycle arrest by upregulation of p21. Although propolis induces apoptosis mainly by p53-independent manner, it may be induced by another pathway, and new insights may arise for preventing or treating lung cancer.