Effects of interactions between algal densities and cadmium concentrations on Ceriodaphnia dubia fecundity and survival

The influence of different densities of the algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata on the chronic toxicity of cadmium to Ceriodaphnia dubia was investigated. The importance of algal cells as a source of metal to zooplankton was studied by exposing P. subcapitata cells to free cadmium ions and supplying the algae as food to C. dubia. The results of a bifactorial analysis (metal versus food levels) showed that metal toxicity to zooplankton was dependent on food level. Significant toxic effects on the fecundity and survival of C. dubia were observed at low metal concentrations with high algal density. Algae contaminated with Cd2+ were less toxic to cladoceran than was the Cd2+ in solution. Green algae retained cadmium and released low metal concentration in the test medium. We concluded that algal cells are an important route of exposure to metal and a factor that has an appreciable influence on the expression of metal toxicity to daphnids. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation Between Autofluorescence Intensity and Tumor Area in Mice Bearing Renal Cell Carcinoma

Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is a porphyrin derivative that is accumulated in cancerous tissue in consequence of the tumor-specific metabolic alterations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of PpIX in mice bearing renal cell carcinoma by spectroscopy analysis. A total of 24 male Balb/c mice, 6 weeks old, were divided into six groups: Normal (without inoculation of tumor cells) and 4, 8, 13, 16, and 20 days after inoculation of tumor cells. The orthotopic tumor model of renal cancer was used. Murine renal cell carcinoma (Renca cells) were inoculated into the subcapsular space of the kidney. Normal and tumor-bearing kidneys in different progression stages were removed and analyzed by ex-vivo spectroscopy and by microscopy, for tumor histometric analysis. Emission spectra were obtained by exciting the samples at 405 nm. Significant differences between normal and tumor-bearing kidneys in autofluorescence shape occurred in the 600-700 nm spectral region. A good correlation was found between emission band intensity at 635 nm and the tumor area.

Characterization of interactions between polyphenolic compounds and human serum proteins by capillary electrophoresis

The interaction of ten natural polyphenolic compounds (chlorogenic acid, apigenin, catechin, epicatechin, flavanone, flavone, quercetin, rutin, vicenin-2 and vitexin) with human serum albumin and mixtures of human serum albumin and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein under near physiological conditions is studied by capillary electrophoresis-frontal analysis. Furthermore, the binding of these polyphenolic compounds to total plasmatic proteins is evaluated using ultrafiltration and capillary electrophoresis. In spite of the relatively small differences in the chemical structures of the compounds studied, large differences were observed in their binding behaviours to plasmatic proteins. The hydrophobicity, the presence/absence of some functional groups, steric hindrance and spatial arrangement seem to be key factors in the affinity of natural polyphenols towards plasmatic proteins.

Interaction between Normative Systems and Cognitive Agents in Temporal Modal Defeasible Logic

While some recent frameworks on cognitive agents addressed the combination of mental attitudes with deontic concepts, they commonly ignore the representation of time. An exception is [1]that manages also some temporal aspects both with respect to cognition and normative provisions. We propose in this paper an extension of the logic presented in [1]with temporal intervals.

The link between prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory behaviour: The role of ingroup norms

In the present research, a reconceptualisation of the role of norms in the link between prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory behaviour — along the lines suggested by the social identity perspective — was tested. In the first study, group salience and group norm were manipulated. As expected, participants ascribed negative traits to significantly fewer Asian university students when they had received consensus information along these lines from a salient ingroup rather than from a salient outgroup. These results were replicated on a measure of strength of motivation to appear nonprejudiced. In a second study, group salience and norm were once again manipulated and strength of attitude and perceived group threat were measured. As predicted, people's negative attitudes towards globalisation were more likely to predict congruent behavioural responses to the extent that the group norm supported the attitude and group salience was high, particularly when high levels of group threat were perceived.

Relationships between pet ownership and health: Asking questions and passing criticisms

The literature examining purported relationships between ownership of companion animals and health is extremely heterogeneous. While much of the descriptive literature tends to support benefits of animal companionship, large scale, controlled research yields inconsistent and even contradictory findings on several issues, including associations with cardiovascular disease, mood and wellbeing. In an analysis of a large longitudinal data-set from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, a prospective study of a nationally representative sample of more than 12,000 older women, difficulties with disentangling the effects of powerful demographic variables and age-related factors from the specific effects of pet ownership became apparent. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses demonstrated that associations between mental and physical health and pet ownership as well as changes in pet ownership over time were weak and inconsistent compared to the large effects of living arrangements and other demographic variables. As sociodemographic variables relate strongly to both health and opportunities for pet ownership, this high level of confounding means it is unlikely that the impact of the specific variable of pet ownership on health can be ascertained from such studies. Rather, well-designed experimental studies, wherein the majority of such confounding variables can be held constant or at least somewhat controlled, are needed.

The association between air pollution and blood pressure in traffic controllers in Santo Andre, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Background: Urban air pollutants are associated with cardiovascular events. Traffic controllers are at high risk for pollution exposure during outdoor work shifts. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between air pollution and systemic blood pressure in traffic controllers during their work shifts. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 19 male traffic controllers from Santo Andre city (Sao Paulo, Brazil) who were 30-60 years old and exposed to ambient air during outdoor work shifts. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings were measured every 15 min by an Ambulatory Arterial Blood Pressure Monitoring device. Hourly measurements (lags of 0-5 h) and the moving averages (2-5 h) of particulate matter (PM(10)), ozone (O(3)) ambient concentrations and the acquired daily minimum temperature and humidity means from the Sao Paulo State Environmental Agency were correlated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Statistical methods included descriptive analysis and linear mixed effect models adjusted for temperature, humidity, work periods and time of day. Results: Interquartile increases of PM(10) (33 mu g/m(3)) and O(3) (49 mu g/m(3)) levels were associated with increases in all arterial pressure parameters, ranging from 1.06 to 2.53 mmHg. PM(10) concentration was associated with early effects (lag 0), mainly on systolic blood pressure. However, O(3) was weakly associated most consistently with diastolic blood pressure and with late cumulative effects. Conclusions: Santo Andre traffic controllers presented higher blood pressure readings while working their outdoor shifts during periods of exposure to ambient pollutant fluctuations. However, PM(10) and O(3) induced cardiovascular effects demonstrated different time courses and end-point behaviors and probably acted through different mechanisms. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between ADAMTS13 polymorphisms and risk of cardiovascular events in chronic coronary disease

Introduction: Association between ADAMTS13 levels and cardiovascular events has been described recently. However, no genetic study of ADAMTS13 in coronary patients has been described. Materials and Methods: Based on related populations frequencies and functional studies, we tested three ADAMTS13 polymorphisms: C1342G (Q448E), C1852G (P618A) and C2699T (A900V) in a group of 560 patients enrolled in the Medical, Angioplasty, or Surgery Study II (MASS II), a randomized trial comparing treatments for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and preserved left ventricular function. The incidence of the 5-year end-points of death and death from cardiac causes, myocardial infarction, refractory angina requiring revascularization and cerebrovascular accident was determined for each polymorphim`s allele, genotype and haplotype. Risk was assessed with the use of logistic regression and Cox proportional-hazards model and multivariable adjustment was employed for possible confounders. Results: Clinical characteristics and received treatment of each genotype group were similar at baseline. In an adjusted model for cardiovascular risk variables, we were able to observe a significant association between ADAMTS13 900V variant and an increased risk of death (OR: 1,92 CI: 1,14-3,23, p = 0,015) or death from cardiac cause (OR: 2,67, CI: 1,59-4,49, p = 0,0009). No association between events and ADAMTS13 Q448E or P618A was observed. Conclusions: This first report studying the association between ADAMTS13 genotypes and cardiovascular events provides evidence for the association between ADAMTS13 900V variant and an increased risk of death in a population with multi-vessel CAD. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abnormally increased effective connectivity between parahippocampal gyrus and ventromedial prefrontal regions during emotion labeling in bipolar disorder

Emotional liability and mood dysregulation characterize bipolar disorder (BID), yet no study has examined effective connectivity between parahippocampal gyrus and prefrontal cortical regions in ventromedial and dorsal/lateral neural systems subserving mood regulation in BD. Participants comprised 46 individuals (age range: 18-56 years): 21 with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BID, type I currently remitted; and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). Participants performed an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm, viewing mild and intense happy and neutral faces. We employed dynamic causal modeling (I)CM) to identify significant alterations in effective connectivity between BD and HC. Bayes model selection was used to determine the best model. The right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) and right subgenual cingulate gyrus (sgCG) were included as representative regions of the ventromedial neural system. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) region was included as representative of the dorsal/lateral neural system. Right PHG-sgCG effective connectivity was significantly greater in BD than HC, reflecting more rapid, forward PHG-sgCG signaling in BD than HC. There was no between-group difference in sgCG-DLPFC effective connectivity. In BD, abnormally increased right PHG-sgCG effective connectivity and reduced right PHG activity to emotional stimuli suggest a dysfunctional ventromedial neural system implicated in early stimulus appraisal, encoding and automatic regulation of emotion that may represent a pathophysiological functional neural mechanism for mood dysregulation in BD. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of the number of biopsy cores on the concordance between prostate biopsy and prostatectomy Gleason score - A prostate volume-controlled study

Context.-Studies analyzing the concordance of biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) Gleason scores have limitations. Some included 2 or more centers, used historical controls from the early prostate specific antigen era or lacked a clear definition of the biopsy schemes. Furthermore, most did not control the results for prostate volume. Objective.-To confirm whether prediction of RP Gleason score can be optimized by taking more biopsy cores in a contemporary series of patients, with pathologic samples analyzed by the same pathologist, and controlling these results for prostate volume. Design.-The study comprised a retrospective case-control analysis of 393 patients with prostate cancer treated with RP. Patients were divided into 3 groups: those in group 1 underwent a 6-core biopsy; group 2, an 8-core biopsy; and group 3, a 10 or more-core biopsy. Concordance rates between biopsy and RP Gleason scores, as well as the rates of undergrading and overgrading, were determined for each biopsy scheme. Results.-Concordance rates were 60.9%, 58.3%, and 64.6% for patients from groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P = .18). When we analyzed patients with prostate volumes of less than 50 cm(3), concordance rates were 58.3%, 58.3%, and 65.1% for each group, respectively (P = .03). Among patients with prostate volumes of 50 cm3 or more, concordance rates were 70%, 58.1%, and 63.6%, respectively (P = .66). Conclusions.-Taking 10 or more cores can improve the prediction of RP Gleason score in patients with prostate volumes of less than 50 cm3. For patients with prostate volumes of 50 cm3 or more, increasing the biopsy cores to 10 or more did not improve prediction of RP Gleason score.

Relationship between plasma cells and hepatic stellate cells in autoimmune hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis is an inflammatory chronic disease of the liver, which frequently results in cirrhosis. The present study aimed to verify the relationship between plasma cells and stellate cells in autoimmune hepatitis. Thirty-three pre-treatment, 11 post-treatment, and 10 normal liver biopsies were reviewed. Sirius Red staining (for semi-quantitative analysis of hepatic fibrosis) and immunohistochemistry were carried out: double staining for smooth muscle alpha-actin and plasma cell marker (for detection and localization of activated hepatic stellate cells and plasma cells, respectively); and single staining for glial fibrillary acid protein (for detection of hepatic stellate cells). We found an increase in the stellate cell population, mainly with an activated phenotype in autoimmune hepatitis, compared to the control group (liver specimens with no histological evidence of liver disease, obtained from patients undergoing hepatic resection for benign liver mass). A positive significant correlation was observed between stellate cells and scores of fibrosis (measured by Sirius Red) and the number of plasma cells. Additionally, there was a co-localization of plasma cells and activated stellate cells. We also observed a reduction in the number of plasma cells, hepatic stellate cells, and fibrosis in patients who had successfully been treated and had a second liver biopsy post-treatment. Our findings support that the number of plasma cells can be a surrogate marker for the severity of liver disease, reflecting the number of hepatic stellate cells and the amount of fibrosis. It remains to be seen if this is a result of a direct interaction between the plasma cells and hepatic stellate cells or the response to the same stimulus that affects both cellular types. (c) 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Pain and distress reactivity and recovery as early predictors of temperament in toddlers born preterm

Background: Pain reactivity may reflect underlying mechanisms of constitutional aspects of temperament. Aim: To examine whether the neonatal biobehavioral reactivity and recovery responses from pain and distress, as well as the gestational age, the illness severity and the amount of painful procedures undergone the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) stay, predict temperament later in toddlerhood, in vulnerable children born preterm. Study design: Prospective-longitudinal study. Subjects: Twenty-six preterm and very low birth weight infants followed from birth to toddlerhood. Outcome measures: Illness severity was assessed with the Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB) score. The medical charts were reviewed prospectively for obtaining the amount of pain exposure in NICU. For assessing the behavioral and cardiac reactivity and recovery from pain and distress, the neonates were evaluated during routine blood collection in the NICU in the first 10 days of life. Pain and distress reactivity and recovery was measured using the Neonatal Facial Coding System score, the duration of crying. and the magnitude of average heart rate. At toddlerhood, mothers answered the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire. Results: Higher biobehavioral reactivity to pain and distress predicted higher temperamental Negative Affect, above and beyond gestational age, illness severity and amount of pain exposure in NICU. However, we did not find a predictive relation between gestational age, CRIB score and number of painful procedures undergone NICU and toddler`s temperament. Conclusions: The findings highlight the relevance of the neonatal individual characteristics of reactivity for identifying more vulnerable infants for future problems in biobehavioral regulation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation between mastitis occurrence and the count of microorganisms in bulk raw milk of bovine dairy herds in four selective culture media

Milk is the normal secretion of the mammary gland, practically free of colostrum and obtained by the complete milking of oil(? or more healthy animals. Mastitis is all inflammatory process of the mammary gland and it may cause alterations in the milk. The present work aimed to verify whether it is possible, by means of the counts of microorganism in the bulk raw milk ill four selective culture media, to establish a correlation with the occurrence of mastitis and therefore, to monitor this disease in bovine dairy herds. The following selective culture media were Used: KF Streptococcus Agar, Edwards Agar, Baird-Parker Agar, Blood Agar plus potassium tellurite. Spearman`s correlation coefficient was calculated in order to compare the Occurrence of mastitis (percentage) in each herd with respective selective culture media counts of microorganisms in bulk raw milk. Thirty-six possibilities were analysed (Tamis and CMT-positive rates were compared with the log-transformed count in four selective Culture media) and there was a negative correlation between Tamis 3 and the Baird-Parker Agar plate count. The total results of microbiological tests showed that there were three correlations of the counts in selective culture media. Fifty-two possibilities were analysed and there was a negative correlation between no-bacteria I-growth mastitis rates and log(10) of KF Streptoccocus Agar plate Count and there were two positive correlations between coagulase-positive staphylococci and log(10) of Baird-Parker Agar plate count and Blood Agar plus potassium tellurite plate count.

Comparative Analysis between Chamomilla recutita and Corticosteroids on Wound Healing. An In Vitro and In Vivo Study

The comparison of chamomile and corticosteroids for treating ulcers was done in vitro and in vivo. The experimental groups were: control; chamomile recutita; triamcinolone acetonide and clobetasol propionate. For the in vitro study the cell viability of fibroblasts cultured for 24 h in media conditioned by the substances was obtained by the MITT reduction analysis. For the in vivo study, 125 male rats were submitted to experimental ulcers treated or not (control) by the substances tested. At 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days later 5 animals of each group were sacrificed. The lesions were analyzed by means of clinical observation and histological wound-healing grading. Data were compared by ANOVA (p <= 0.05). All experimental groups presented positive cell viability in 24 h. The cultures treated with chamomile presented the smallest cell viability. All animals of the chamomile group exhibited complete wound healing 9 days before the other groups. Complete repaired lesions were observed after 5 days of treatment only in the chamomile group. Animals treated with chamomile presented significantly faster wound healing in comparison to those treated with corticosteroids. Based on the conditions of this study, we concluded that chamomile in comparison to corticosteroids promotes faster wound healing process. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.