ANATOMICAL STUDIES OF IN VITRO ORGANOGENESIS INDUCED IN LEAF-DERIVED EXPLANTS OF PASSIONFRUIT

With the aim of studying the organogenesis in vitro in Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg., the passionfruit, leaf-derived explants were cultured on media containing NAA or BAP and incubated either in continuous darkness or in light. The histological events leading to de novo organ formation were evaluated. Darkness induces rhizogenesis in the presence of NAA, whereas direct shoot regeneration is stimulated by light and BAP. This latter condition is recommended for passionfruit micropropagation as several adventitious shoot buds were formed from meristemoids of parenchymal origin.

Vitamin D3-induced calcemic and phosphatemic responses in the freshwater mud eel Amphipnous cuchia maintained in different calcium environments

Vitamin D3 (100 ng 100 g body weight-l day-l) was administered intraperitoneally (ip) to the freshwater mud eel Amphipnous cuchia kept in artificial freshwater, calcium-free freshwater, low-calcium freshwater (0.2 mmol/l CaCl2) or calcium-rich freshwater (13.4 mmol/l CaCl2) for 15 days. Analyses of serum calcium and phosphate levels were performed on days 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 after the beginning of the experiment (six eels from each group at each interval). Administration of vitamin D3 elevated the serum calcium [maximum elevation occurred at day 10 in artificial freshwater (vehicle: 10.55 ± 0.298, vitamin D: 13.90 ± 0.324), low-calcium freshwater (vehicle: 11.17 ± 0.220, vitamin D: 12.98 ± 0.297) and calcium-rich freshwater (vehicle: 11.24 ± 0.373, vitamin D: 14.24 ± 0.208) whereas it occurred at day 5 (vehicle: 8.42 ± 0.253, vitamin D: 11.07 ± 0.328) in calcium-free freshwater] and phosphate levels [maximum elevation at day 15 in artificial freshwater (vehicle: 4.39 ± 0.105, vitamin D: 5.37 ± 0.121), calcium-free freshwater (vehicle: 4.25 ± 0.193, vitamin D: 5.12 ± 0.181), low-calcium freshwater (vehicle: 3.93 ± 0.199, vitamin D: 5.28 ± 0.164) and calcium-rich freshwater (vehicle: 3.77 ± 0.125, vitamin D: 5.46 ± 0.151)] of the fish maintained in the above mentioned environmental media, but the responses were more pronounced in the fish kept in calcium-rich media

A time-dependent, two-step binding mode of the nitro dye flavianic acid to trypsin in acid media

Synthetic dyes bind to proteins causing selective coprecipitation of the complexes in acid aqueous solution by a process of reversible denaturation that can be used as an alternative method for protein fractionation. The events that occur before precipitation were investigated by equilibrium dialysis using bovine trypsin and flavianic acid as a model able to cause coprecipitation. A two-step mode of interaction was found to be dependent on the incubation periods allowed for binding, with pronounced binding occurring after 42 h of incubation. The first step seems to involve hydration effects and conformational changes induced by binding of the first dye molecule, following rapid denaturation due to the binding of six additional flavianate anions to the macromolecule.

Normal flow-mediated vasodilatation of the brachial artery and carotid artery intima-media thickness in subclinical hypothyroidism

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT) is a disease for which exact therapeutic approaches have not yet been established. Previous studies have suggested an association between SHT and coronary heart disease. Whether this association is related to SHT-induced changes in serum lipid levels or to endothelial dysfunction is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine endothelial function measured by the flow-mediated vasodilatation of the brachial artery and the carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in a group of women with SHT compared with euthyroid subjects. Triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoprotein A (apo A), apo B, and lipoprotein(a) were also determined. Twenty-one patients with SHT (mean age: 42.4 ± 10.8 years and mean thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels: 8.2 ± 2.7 µIU/mL) and 21 euthyroid controls matched for body mass index, age and atherosclerotic risk factors (mean age: 44.2 ± 8.5 years and mean TSH levels: 1.4 ± 0.6 µIU/mL) participated in the study. Lipid parameters (except HDL-C and apo A, which were lower) and IMT values were higher in the common carotid and carotid bifurcation of SHT patients with positive serum thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) (0.62 ± 0.2 and 0.62 ± 0.16 mm for the common carotid and carotid bifurcation, respectively) when compared with the negative TPO-Ab group (0.55 ± 0.24 and 0.58 ± 0.13 mm, for common carotid and carotid bifurcation, respectively). The difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that minimal thyroid dysfunction had no adverse effects on endothelial function in the population studied. Further investigation is warranted to assess whether subclinical hypothyroidism, with and without TPO-Ab-positive serology, has any effect on endothelial function.

Prevention of contrast induced nephropathy with sodium bicarbonate (the PROMEC study)

Introduction: Contrast-induced nephropathy is a common complication of radiographic procedures. Different measures have been used to avoid this damage, but the evidence is controversial. New investigations are required to clarify it. We investigated the efficacy and safety of sodium bicarbonate solution compared with sodium chloride solution to prevent contrast induced nephropathy in patients with or at risk of renal dysfunction. Methods: A prospective, single-center, randomized clinical trial conducted from May 1, 2007 to February 8, 2008. Inpatients in a tertiary center, scheduled to undergo a procedure with the nonionic radiographic contrast agent iohexol. There were 220 patients with serum creatinine levels of at least 1.2 mg/dL (106.1 µmol/L) and/or type 2 diabetics, who were randomized to receive an infusion of sodium chloride (n = 113) or sodium bicarbonate (n = 107) before and after contrast dye administration. The intervention were "A" group received 1 ml/kg/hour of normal saline solution, starting 12 hours before and continuing 12 hours after iohexol contrast. "B" group received 3 ml/kg of sodium bicarbonate solution (150 mEq/L) one hour prior to procedure and then drip rate was decreased to 1 ml/kg/hour until 6 hours post procedure. Our main outcome measure was change in serum creatinine. Results: The mean creatinine value after the procedure was 1.26 mg/dL in the saline group and 1.22 mg/dL in the bicarbonate group (mean difference: 0.036; CI 95%: -0.16 to 0.23, p = 0.865). The diagnosis of contrast-induced nephropathy, defined by increase in serum creatinine on 25% or more within 2 days after administration of radiographic contrast, was done in twelve patients (12%) in the bicarbonate group and eighth patients (7.1%) in the saline group (RR: 1.68, CI 95%: 0.72 to 3.94). Conclusion: Our investigation showed that there were no differences between normal saline solution (extended infusion) vs. bicarbonate solution for nephroprotection.

Computerized Tomography Contrast Induced Nephropathy (CIN) among adult inpatients

Introduction: Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) is one of the complications of the use of intravascular contrast agents, being defined as a reduction of the glomerular filtration rate caused by the iodinated contrast. Most CIN data derive from the cardiovascular literature, which identified as the most consistent risk factors pre-existing chronic renal insufficiency and diabetes mellitus. However, these studies limit their conclusions to a more specific patient population. Computerized tomography as a cause of CIN has been studied less often. Objective: To report on the incidence of computerized tomography contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) in an inpatient population of a tertiary general hospital, identifying potentially avoidable risk factors. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study with inpatients admitted at a tertiary hospital requiring contrast-induced CT. The primary outcome was the development of CIN, measure by the alteration of serum creatinine or glomerular filtration rate in 48 or 72 hours. Through clinical interview, we verified possible risk factors and preventive measures instituted by the medical team and their association with development of CIN. Results: Of a total of 410 patients, 35 (8.5%) developed CIN. There was a positive correlation between CIN and the presence of diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.15; 95%CI 1.35-4.06; p = 0.02), heart failure (OR = 2.23; 95%CI 1.18-8.8; p = 0.022), and renal failure (OR = 3.36; 95%CI 1.57- 7.17; p = 0.002) Conclusion: Incidence of CIN varies according to the population. Diabetes mellitus, heart failure and renal failure were independent risk factors for the development of CT-associated CIN. Further studies are needed to better understand and treat CT-associated CIN.

Contrast-induced nephropathy after computed tomography

Introduction: Contrast induced nephropathy is the third most prevalent preventable cause of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients. It defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine ≥ 0.5 mg/dL and relative ≥ 25% increase. Objective: We studied the risk factors to intravenous injection contrast nephropathy after computed tomography. Methods: We studied 400 patients prospectively. Results: The incidence of contrast induced nephropathy, with an absolute or a relative increase were 4.0% and 13.9%, respectively. Diabetes and cardiac failure were independent risk factors for CIN a relative increase de serum creatinine (O.R.: 3.5 [95% CI: 1.92-6.36], p < 0.01, 2.61 [95% CI: 1.14-6.03%], p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: We showed association between uses of intravenous injection contrast after computed tomography with acute injury renal, notably with diabetes and heart failure.

Sponsoring, brand value and social media

The increasing involvement of individuals in social media over the past decade has enabled firms to pursue new avenues in communication and sponsoring activities. Besides general research on either social media or sponsoring, questions regarding the consequences of a joint activity (sponsoring activities in social media) remain unexplored. Hence, the present study analyses whether the perceived image of the brand and the celebrity endorser credibility of a top sports team influence the perceived brand value of the sponsoring firm in a social media setting. Moreover, these effects are compared between existing customers and non-customers of the sponsoring firm. Interestingly, perceived celebrity endorser credibility plays no role in forming brand value perceptions in the case of the existing customers. Implications for marketing theory and practice are derived.

Transparency of the municipal public management: a study from the homepages of the large Brazilian municipalities

This study attempts to check the transparency level of information in public administration published in the homepages of 96 municipalities included among the 100 most populous in Brazil and what characteristics and socioeconomic indicators of the municipalities can contribute to explain the level of transparency observed. The level of transparency in public administration was established from a research model called Transparency Index Municipal Public Management (ITGP-M) constructed based on international codes of good governance and transparency, the Brazilian legislation and the experiences of previous studies of similar nature conducted in Brazil and abroad. The empirical evidence point to low levels of transparency, incompatible with the level of socioeconomic development of municipalities. Moreover, we can conclude that, overall, there is an association between the socioeconomic conditions of the municipalities and the levels of transparency in the disclosure of information about public administration observed in sites of large municipalities as in this study.

Factores que inciden en el habito de fumar de escolares de educación basica y media del Chile

INTRODUCCIÓN: Considerando la indiscutible evidencia de los efectos adversos del tabaco, para la salud, millones de personas continúan fumando. La situación es de mayor gravedad, ya que muchos de estos fumadores y la mayoría de los nuevos fumadores, tanto en Chile, como en otros países, son adolescentes. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar la prevalencia de tabaquismo en escolares chilenos y cuantificar el impacto relativo que ejercen factores socioeconómicos, socioculturales, familiares, de exposición a medios de comunicación de masas, demográficos, educacionales y psicosociales, sobre la prevalencia de tabaquismo. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Se seleccionó una muestra aleatoria, representativa de 2.967 escolares de educación básica y media de la Región Metropolitana de Chile, proporcional de acuerdo al curso(IV, VI, y VIII año básico y I y IV año medio), sexo, tipo de colegio y área geográfica. La prevalencia de tabaquismo se determinó mediante un cuestionario autoadministrado. El nivel socioeconómico(NSE) se midió por medio del método de Graffar modificado, midiéndose además, las condiciones familiares, la exposición a medios de comunicación de masas y factores psicosociales. El rendimiento escolar se determinó mediante un test de castellano y matemáticas, al mismo tiempo que se registraron otras variables educacionales. El análisis estadístico incluyó análisis de varianza, test de la t de Student y test de Scheffe para comparación de medias, correlación, regresión múltiple stepwise, chi-cuadrado y la metodología del enfoque de riesgo de OPS/OMS, para el cálculo del riesgo relativo simple (RR). RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de tabaquismo (10,6%) aumentó significativamente con la edad, de 1,3% en los escolares menores de 13 años, a 15,4% y 36,9%, en los adolescentes entre 13-15 años y ³ 16 años, respectivamente (p< 0,001), a la vez que fue mayor en los escolares de sexo femenino. El grado de placer(r=0,499 p<0,001), el grado de rebeldía(r=0,124 p<0,0001), el grado de recreación familiar (r=-0,131 p<0,0001) y el porcentaje de asistencia al colegio(r=-0,118 p< 0,0001), fueron las variables independientes con el mayor poder explicatorio en la varianza del tabaquismo (r²= 0,2860), pero el grado de placer fue la variable con el mayor poder explicatorio en la varianza explicada (89,2%) y con el mayor RR (34,3). El impacto relativo de las variables independientes sobre el tabaquismo experimentó diferencias de acuerdo a la edad, sexo y NSE. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados han demonstrado que el grado de placer, el grado de rebeldía, el grado de recreación familiar y el porcentaje de asistencia al colegio, fueron las variables independientes que mayormente contribuyeron a explicar el tabaquismo. Estos hallazgos podrían ser de utilidad para las políticas educacionales y de salud focalizadas a la población escolar, con el objeto de prevenir este importante factor de riesgo para la salud de la población.

Patterns of induced abortion in urban area of Southeastern region, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To assess the behavior of induced abortion as a function of certain demographic variables, for the population of fertile women (15 to 49 years old) residing in the Vila Madalena subdistrict S. Paulo (Brazil). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Two population samples were selected. One sample, with 996 women, investigated the incidence of induced abortions during 1987, using the RRT. In the other, involving 1,004 women, the same information was detected through a conventional approach. In both samples, the induced abortion occurring during the reproductive life was recorded in direct fashion. Though this analysis refers only to information about past abortions, that is by 2,000 women -, it should be noted that it is exactly the RRT that lends credibility to the found or results given results. CONCLUSION: The analysis furnishes evidence showing that single women, young women between the ages of 15 and 19, women who have not had live births, women who have a number of children below the expected ideal, women who use contraceptive methods (especially inefficient ones) and women who do not have any restrictions as to abortion constitute the categories most inclined to resort to induced abortion. This grouping suggests the existence of interrelationships between categories, that is, each of these categories is probably composed primarily of the same women, those who are at the beginning of their reproductive lives.

Contextual determinants of induced abortion: a panel analysis

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Analyze the contextual and individual characteristics that explain the differences in the induced abortion rate, temporally and territorially. METHODS We conducted an econometric analysis with panel data of the influence of public investment in health and per capita income on induced abortion as well as a measurement of the effect of social and economic factors related to the labor market and reproduction: female employment, immigration, adolescent fertility and marriage rate. The empirical exercise was conducted with a sample of 22 countries in Europe for the 2001-2009 period. RESULTS The great territorial variability of induced abortion was the result of contextual and individual socioeconomic factors. Higher levels of national income and investments in public health reduce its incidence. The following sociodemographic characteristics were also significant regressors of induced abortion: female employment, civil status, migration, and adolescent fertility. CONCLUSIONS Induced abortion responds to sociodemographic patterns, in which the characteristics of each country are essential. The individual and contextual socioeconomic inequalities impact significantly on its incidence. Further research on the relationship between economic growth, labor market, institutions and social norms is required to better understand its transnational variability and to reduce its incidence.

Trypanosoma cruzi: modification of alkaline phosphatase activity induced by trypomastigotes in cultured human placental villi

Human term placental villi cultured ''in vitro" were maintained with bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma cruzi during various periods of time. Two different concentrations of the parasite were employed. Controls contained no T. cruzi. The alkaline phosphatase activity was determined in placental villi by electron microscopy and its specific activity in the culture medium by biochemical methods. Results showed that the hemoflagellate produces a significant decrease in enzyme activity as shown by both ultracytochemical and specific activity studies and this activity was lower in cultures with high doses of parasites. The above results indicate that the reduction in enzyme activity coincides with the time of penetration and proliferation of T. cruzi in mammalian cells. These changes may represent an interaction between human trophoblast and T. cruzi.

Changes in pentobarbital induced sleeping-time in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni and immunosuppressed

To evaluate whether the intensity of the hepatic granulomatous response induced by S. mansoni eggs plays a role in drug metabolism, mice were infected with 40 cercariae and tested to assess the sodic pentobarbital induced sleeping-time. To decrease the inflammatory reaction the animals were irradiated with 400 Rad or received azathioprine, 20mg/kg, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks, respectively in or beginning in the 33th post-infection day. In infected animals receiving azathioprine the area of the hepatic granulomas was smaller and the sleeping-time was similar to that of non-infected ones (controls). In mice infected and irradiated the granuloma dimensions were similar to those of animals only infected, in these two latter groups of animals, the sleeping-time was more prolonged than that of the control animals. These results show that: 1) mice with unaltered hepatic granulomatous reaction show reduction in metabolism of sodic pentobarbital; 2) granulomatous response diminished by azathioprine does not interfere with the capacity of metabolism of the anesthetic drug.

Cardiac sympathetic-parasympathetic balance in rats with experimentally-induced acute chagasic myocarditis

To clarify the mechanism responsible for the transient sinus tachycardia in rats with acute chagasic myocarditis, we have examined the cardiac sympathetic-parasympathetic balance of 29 rats inoculated with 200,000 parasites (Trypanosoma cruzi). Sixteen infected animals and 8 controls were studied between days 18 and 21 after inoculation (acute stage). The remaining 13 infected animals and 9 controls were studied between days 60 and 70 after inoculation (sub-acute stage). Under anesthesia (urethane 1.25 g/kg), all animals received intravenous atenolol (5 mg/kg) and atropine (10 mg/kg). Acute stage: The baseline heart rate of the infected animals was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.0001). The magnitude of the negative chronotropic response to atenolol was 4 times that of the controls (P < 0.00001). This response correlated with the baseline heart rate (r= - 0.72, P < 0.001). The heart rate responses to the beta-blocker and to atropine, of the infected animals studied during the sub-acute stage, were not different from controls. These findings suggest that cardiac sympathetic activity is transiently enhanced and cardiac parasympathetic activity is not impaired, in rats with acute chagasic myocarditis. The transient predominance of cardiac sympathetic activity could explain, in part, the sinus tachycardia observed in the acute stage of experimentally-induced chagasic myocarditis.