Role of PPAR-gamma in the Modulation of CD36 and FcgammaRII induced by LDL with Low and High Degrees of Oxidation During the Differentiation of the Monocytic THP-1 Cell Line

Scavenger or Fc gamma receptors are important for capture and clearance of modified LDL particles by monocytes/macrophages. Uptake via scavenger receptors is not regulated by intracellular levels of cholesterol and in consequence, macrophages develop into foam cells in the arterial intima. The levels of scavenger receptor CD36 are increased in atherosclerotic lesions and there is evidence that some components of oxLDL auto-regulate the expression of this receptor. Fc gamma receptor expression is increased in cardiovascular diseases but it is not known weather their expression is regulated by oxLDL. The biological properties of oxLDLs vary depending on the degree of oxidation. In the present study we investigated the effect of LDL particles showing extensive or low oxidation (HoxLDL and LoxLDL) on the expression of CD36 and Fc gamma RII in a human monocytic cell line (THP-1), differentiated or not to macrophage, and the involvement of PPAR gamma. It was found that both forms of oxLDL are able to increase the expression of CD36 and Fc gamma RII and that this effect is dependent on the degree of oxidation and of the stage of cell differentiation ( monocyte or macrophage). We also showed that the increased expression of Fc gamma RII is dependent on PPAR. whereas that of the CD36 is independent of PPAR gamma. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

Crucial cytokine interactions in nitric oxide production induced by Mycoplasma arthritidis superantigen

Mycoplasma arthritidis causes autoimmune arthritis in rodents. It produces a superantigen (MAM) that simultaneously activates antigen presenting cells and T cells inducing nitric oxide and cytokine release. Nitric oxide is a key inducer and regulator of the immune system activation. Here, we investigated nitric oxide and cytokine production and interactions of these molecules in MAM-stimulated co-cultures of macrophages (J774A.1 cell line) with spleen lymphocytes. We found that: a) MAM-induced nitric oxide, interferon-gamma, membrane-associated tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-2 production in co-cultures of macrophages with lymphocytes from BALB/c and C3H/HePas but not from C57B1/6 mice; b) production of nitric oxide was dependent on interferon-gamma whereas that of interferon-gamma was dependent on interleukin-2 and membrane-associated tumor necrosis factor; c) these cytokines up regulated MAM-induced nitric oxide production. Unraveling the mechanisms of cell activation induced by MAM might be helpful to design strategies to prevent immune system activation by superantigens and therefore in seeking amelioration of associated immunopathologies. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Solvent assisted decomposition of the tetrahedral intermediate of the transesterification reaction to biodiesel production. A density functional study

B3LYP/6-31 + G(d) calculations were employed to investigate the mechanism of the transesterification reaction between a model monoglyceride and the methoxide and ethoxide anions. The gas-phase results reveal that both reactions have essentially the same activation energy (5.9 kcal mol(-1)) for decomposition of the key tetrahedral intermediate. Solvent effects were included by means of both microsolvation and the polarizable continuum solvation model CPCM. Both solvent approaches reduce the activation energy, however, only the microsolvation model is able to introduce some differentiation between methanol and ethanol, yielding a lower activation energy for decomposition of the tetrahedral intermediate in the reaction with methanol (1.1 kcal mol(-1)) than for the corresponding reaction with ethanol (2.8 kcal mol(-1)), in line with experimental evidences. Analysis of the individual energy components within the CPCM approach reveals that electrostatic interactions are the main contribution to stabilization of the transition state. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A technological innovation for capsicums production in Peru: the mechatronics arms

Peru agricultural exports have increased in recent years due to (i) free trade agreements with many countries (United States, Canada, European Union, China, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Chile, among others), (ii) an increasing international demand for healthy products, (iii) country´s economic development and (iv) more private investments in this sector (Velazco 2012). Also, if we can compare among Peru three main regions (Coast, Andean highlands and the Jungle), It is the Coast (western region) that has a developed agricultural production due to unique weather conditions, private investments, public infrastructure, transport costs and quality of land (Gomez, 2008). This country development is also related to the production of non-traditional products for export like asparagus, artichokes, capsicums, bananas, grapes, among others; produced by agro industrial companies and small farmers and that are mainly labor intensive (Gomez, 2008 and Velazco, 2012). This very successful export diversification and self-discovery process was the result of a combination of strong natural comparative advantages (mainly excellent agro climatic conditions) and a significant innovation effort. It meant the introduction and expansion of new products and markets, the entry of new firms, and experimental research and the adoption of new techniques and process technologies developed abroad (in irrigation, crop management, post-harvesting, sanitary control, storage and packing) to produce high-quality, niche (gourmet) and higher value-added products, in line with consumer trends in sophisticated food markets. In products such as asparagus, mango, organic coffee and capsicums, Peru has become a leading world exporter (OECD). For this reason one of the government main tasks for the next years is to meet urgent agriculture producer’s needs in the areas of technological Innovation and business management (MINAG). In this context, this thesis analyzes the applicability of a new technology – the mechatronic arms – specifically to capsicums production sector in Peru. We chose Capsicums production sector (paprika, chilli pepper) because is mainly labor intensive and is the sector where my family company (DIROSE SAC) operates. This innovation consists in a 40 arms mechatronic combine, and it was first created in order to improve the efficiency on the labor intensive phase of harvest for this kind of agriculture products. It is estimated that a laborer with brief training operating the machine would be equivalent to 40 people that not only would work during daytime, but also on the night shift as well. Also, using this new technology can allow a company to make additional crops that would increase their yields and annual revenues. This thesis was developed as a business plan to make this new product available for other agriculture companies that operates in the capsicums production sector in Peru; however, this new technology has the potential to be modified in order to be available to other kind of agriculture products, in Peru and other countries.

Weed interference on coffee fruit production during a four-year investigation after planting

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

Egg production curve fitting using nonlinear models for selected and nonselected lines of White Leghorn hens

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

Fractal dimension and anisotropy of soil CO2 emission in a mechanically harvested sugarcane production area

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

FITOTOXICIDADE DE FUNGICIDAS, ACARICIDAS E INSETICIDAS, SOBRE O MAMOEIRO (Carica papaya L.) CULTIVAR SUNRISE SOLO IMPROVED LINE 72/12 em CONDIÇÕES DE CAMPO

A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar os efeitos fitotóxicos de fungicidas, acaricidas e inseticidas e algumas associações entre eles, em plantas de mamoeiros (Carica papaya L.) cv. Sunrise Solo Improved Line 72/12, em condições de campo, no município de São Mateus -- ES, pertencente à maior região produtora do Estado. O experimento foi arranjado em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com 4 repetições e 03 plantas úteis por parcela. Foram utilizados os seguintes produtos, com as respectivas doses, para cada 100 L de água: chlorothalonil (Daconil PM-200g); mancozeb (Dithane PM -- 200g); oxicloreto de cobre (Reconil -- 400g); thiabendazole (Tecto 450 -- 100ml); dicofol + tetradifon (Carbax -- 200ml); triazophós (Hostathion 400 BR -- 150ml); óxido de fenbutatina (Torque 500 SC -- 60ml); e abamectin (Vertimec 18 CE -- 50ml): Analisou-se a fitotoxicidade dos produtos testados, em relação à altura da planta, nº de folhas, número de flores e frutos ; diâmetro do caule e queimaduras ou injúrias foliares. As datas das avaliações foram: 01 dia antes das pulverizações, 15 dias e 30 dias após as mesmas. Os fungicidas Daconil BR, Reconil e Tecto 450; o fungicida acaricida Dithane PM; os acaricidas Carbax e Torque 500 SC; e o inseticida-acaricida Vertimec 18 CE, aplicados isoladamente, não afetaram o crescimento e a produção das plantas, nem causaram injúrias nas folhas das mesmas. A associação de fungicidas e fungicida-acaricida, com os acaricidas, ou inseticida-acaricida, não mostrou nenhum efeito fitotóxico sobre os parâmetros de crescimento avaliados, nem causaram queimaduras ou injúrias foliares.

Controle on-line para o número de não-conformidades em um ítem inspecionado

The on-line processes control for attributes consists of inspecting a single item at every m produced ones. If the examined item is conforming, the production continues; otherwise, the process stops for adjustment. However, in many practical situations, the interest consist of monitoring the number of non-conformities among the examined items. In this case, if the number of non-conformities is higher than an upper control limit, the process needs to be stopped and some adjustment is required. The contribution of this paper is to propose a control system for the number of nonconforming of the inspected item. Employing properties of an ergodic Markov chain, an expression for the expected cost per item of the control system was obtained and it will be minimized by two parameters: the sampling interval and the upper limit control of the non-conformities of the examined item. Numerical examples illustrate the proposed procedure

Ajuste preventivo versus ajuste corretivo no controle on-line de processo do número de não-conformidades num item inspecionado

In production lines, the entire process is bound to unexpected happenings which may cost losing the production quality. Thus, it means losses to the manufacturer. Identify such causes and remove them is the task of the processing management. The on-line control system consists of periodic inspection of every month produced item. Once any of those items is quali ed as not t, it is admitted that a change in the fraction of the items occurred, and then the process is stopped for adjustments. This work is an extension of Quinino & Ho (2010) and has as objective main to make the monitoramento in a process through the control on-line of quality for the number of non-conformities about the inspected item. The strategy of decision to verify if the process is under control, is directly associated to the limits of the graphic control of non-conformities of the process. A policy of preventive adjustments is incorporated in order to enlarge the conforming fraction of the process. With the help of the R software, a sensibility analysis of the proposed model is done showing in which situations it is most interesting to execute the preventive adjustment

Effect of the calcium level and limestone particle size on the performance of semi-heavy layers in the second cycle of egg production

An experiment was carried out at the Research and Development Unit of Brotas aiming at evaluating dietary calcium level and limestone particle size on the production performance of commercial (Hy-Line Brown) layers in the second lay cycle. Experiment duration was 112 days. A total number of 288 hens, with 83 weeks of age in the beginning of the experiment, were used in a completely randomized experimental design in a factorial arrangement of 2x3, with two calcium levels (3.5 and 4.0%) and three limestone particle size compositions: 100% fine limestone (FL), 30% coarse limestone (CL) + 70% fine limestone (FL), and 50% (CL) + 50% (FL), with six replicates of eight birds each. Egg weight (g), egg production (%), egg mass (%), feed intake (g), feed conversion ratio (kg/dz and kg/kg), mortality (%), and egg loss (%) were evaluated. The analysis of variance did not detect significant differences (p>0.05) among treatments on any of the evaluated performance parameters. It was concluded that the tested calcium levels and limestone particle composition did not influence the performance of semi-heavy layers in second production cycle.

Z(gamma) production and limits on anomalous ZZ(gamma) and Z(gamma gamma) couplings in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s 1.96 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Production and body composition traits of broilers in relation to breast weight evaluated by path analysis

O peso do peito possui grande importância econômica na indústria de frangos, podendo estar associado a outras variáveis passíveis de seleção. Estimaram-se correlações fenotípicas entre características de desempenho (peso vivo aos 7, 28 dias e ao abate e profundidade de músculo peitoral por ultra-sonografia), carcaça (peso eviscerado e de pernas) e composição corporal (peso do coração, do fígado e da gordura abdominal), em uma linhagem de frangos, e quantificou-se a influência direta e indireta destas variáveis sobre o peso do peito. Para tanto, utilizou-se a análise de trilha, desdobrando-se a matriz de correlações parciais em coeficientes que forneceram a influência direta de uma variável sobre a outra, independentemente das demais. A manutenção das variáveis peso vivo ao abate e peso eviscerado na matriz de correlações pode ser prejudicial à análise estatística que envolve os sistemas de equações normais, como a análise de trilha, devido à multicolinearidade observada. O peso vivo ao abate e a profundidade do músculo peitoral por ultra-sonografia apresentaram efeitos diretos importantes sobre o peso de peito e foram identificadas como as principais responsáveis pela magnitude dos coeficientes de correlação obtidos. Assim, uma pré-seleção individual para estas características pode favorecer um aumento no peso de peito nesta linhagem, se mantidas as condições ambientais de criação dos frangos, uma vez que o peso vivo ao abate e a profundidade de músculo peitoral por ultra-sonografia afetam fenotipicamente e diretamente o peso de peito.

Níveis de lisina digestível para poedeiras Hy-Line W-36 em produção

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic characterization of egg weight, egg production and age at first egg in quails

O objetivo neste estudo foi obter estimativas de parâmetros genéticos para as características peso do ovo, produção de ovos em 189 dias de postura e dia do primeiro ovo em codornas de três linhagens de postura e uma de corte. Os dados foram analisados por meio de procedimentos bayesianos usando amostragem de Gibbs. As estimativas de herdabilidade para peso do ovo, produção de ovos em 189 dias de postura e dia do primeiro ovo foram, respectivamente, para a linhagem amarela, 0,31; 0,84 e 0,53; azul, 0,14; 0,82 e 0,60; vermelha, 0,70; 0,96 e 0,75; e de corte, 0,73; 0,96 e 0,72. As correlações genéticas entre peso do ovo e produção de ovos em 189 dias de postura, peso do ovo e dia do primeiro ovo e, produção de ovos em 189 dias de postura e dia do primeiro ovo foram, para amarela, 0,58; -0,77; e -0,90; azul, 0,09; -0,01; e -0,95; vermelha, 0,09; 0,03; e -0,76; e de corte, -0,18; 0,19 e -0,91. A partir das probabilidades de superposição das distribuições posteriories dos parâmetros, as linhagens dividem-se em dois grupos distintos: um com as linhagens amarela e azul e outro com as linhagens vermelha e de corte.