(Table 2) Abundance of Radiolaria species in sediment samples from Core AMK4-340

Over the past 13 kyr the most significant natural changes in the Reykjanes ridge region took place within 13-7.8 kyr B.P. They resulted from alternating intensifications of the influence of the Labrador (LWM) and Norwegian-Greenland (NGWM) water masses. During 13-11.7 kyr B.P. natural conditions were governed by influence of LWM with sea surface temperature (SST) 3-5°C lower present one. During 11.7-10.3 kyr B.P. NGWM with SST 6-7°C lower present one predominated. During 10.3-9.5 kyr B.P. oceanographic conditions were rapidly transforming and approaching present ones controlled by interaction between LWM and North Atlantic water masses; SST abruptly increased almost to the present value. During 9.5-8.3 kyr B.P. intensification of NGWM led to small decrease of SST (1.5-2.5°C below present value; between 8.3 and 7.8 kyr B.P. natural conditions had approximated present ones and later on remained relatively stable; SST fluctuated with an amplitude of about 1.5°C.

340,000-year centennial-scale marine record of southern hemisphere climatic oscillation

In order to investigate rapid climatic changes at mid-southern latitudes, we have developed centennial-scale paleoceanographic records from the southwest Pacific that enable detailed comparison with Antarctic ice core records. These records suggest close coupling of mid-southern latitudes with Antarctic climate during deglacial and interglacial periods. Glacial sections display higher variability than is seen in Antarctic ice cores, which implies climatic decoupling between mid- and high southern latitudes due to enhanced circum-Antarctic circulation. Structural and temporal similarity with the Greenland ice core record is evident in glacial sections and suggests a degree of interhemispheric synchroneity not predicted from bipolar ice core correlations.

Antiproliferative Activity Of Synthetic Fatty Acid Amides From Renewable Resources.

In the work, the in vitro antiproliferative activity of a series of synthetic fatty acid amides were investigated in seven cancer cell lines. The study revealed that most of the compounds showed antiproliferative activity against tested tumor cell lines, mainly on human glioma cells (U251) and human ovarian cancer cells with a multiple drug-resistant phenotype (NCI-ADR/RES). In addition, the fatty methyl benzylamide derived from ricinoleic acid (with the fatty acid obtained from castor oil, a renewable resource) showed a high selectivity with potent growth inhibition and cell death for the glioma cell line-the most aggressive CNS cancer.

Guia para a determinação da estabilidade de produtos químicos

Companies worldwide are reviewing their working process to avoid waste, become aligned with environmental management standards and to fulfill specifications defined for national and international regulations. In this context, it is important that Brazilian Chemical companies have a specific stability guide for their products. The main purpose of this work is to present a stability guide for chemical products based on the existing guides of the Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics segments. Furthermore, this work proposes to offer an additional period of shelf life for chemical products, provided they meet certain prerequisites.

Efeito da temperatura e do teor de umidade na iniciação e desenvolvimento do rizoma de Kohleria eriantha (Benth.) Hanst. (Gesneriaceae)

Kohleria eriantha (Benth.) Hanst is a plant belonging to the family Gesneriaceae, with an underground organ, which is associated with vegetative reproduction. This organ is a rhizome, whose stem bears buds covered with modified leaves that store up starch. In small sections of this rhizome, containing six buds (1.5 to 2.0cm long), only one bud sprouted. The sprouted bud could be differentiated into two morphological pattern: aerial part or rhizome. Sprouting of the rhizome pattern occurred in sections kept on substrate with low water content (1mL of water), or lacking water, whereas sprouting of the aerial part pattern occurred in sections on substrate with high water content (12mL of water). Temperature at 20ºC also stimulated sprouting of the rhizome pattern, regardless of the water volume in the substrate. Sprouting of the rhizome pattern occurred still in sections on substrate to which polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG) solution was added at the concentrations of 161.2, 235.2 and 340.0g/L, resulting in potentials of -3, -6 and -12 MPa, respectively. Sections kept on substrate with low water content (1 ml of water) showed a reduction in the dry matter content and high osmotic concentration in comparison with those on substrate with high water content. The results obtained revealed that forming of the rhizome pattern was influenced by water content and temperature. It is suggested that sprouting of the rhizome pattern was induced by the low water potential in the sections, when kept on substrate with low water content. Moreover, it was observed that the rhizome buds of Kohleria eriantha showed a high degree of plasticity.

Metformina interage com o treinamento físico diminuindo a glicemia e aumentando o armazenamento de glicogênio em ratos diabéticos

INTRODUCTION: Like in humans, lower amounts of glycogen are present in tissues of diabetic rats. However, training or drugs that lower glycemia can improve the metabolic control. Metformin increased glycogen while decreased glycemia in normal rats stressed by exercise. OBJECTIVE: In this work we investigated if regular exercise and metformin effects improve the metabolism of diabetic rats. METHODS: Alloxan diabetic Wistar rats treated with metformin (DTM) or not (DT) were trained. Training consisted of 20 sessions of 30 min, 5 days a week. Sedentary diabetic rats served as control (SD and SDM). Metformin (5.6 µg/g) was given in the drinking water. After 48 h resting, glucose (mg/dl) and insulin (ng/mL) was measured in plasma and glycogen (mg/100 mg of wet tissue) in liver, soleus and gastrocnemius. RESULTS: Glycemia decreased in DM group from 435±15 to 230±20, in DT group to 143±8.1 and in DTM group to 138±19 mg/dl. DM group had proportional increase in the hepatic glycogen from 1.69±0.22 to 3.53±0.24, and the training increased to 3.36 ± 0.16 mg/100 mg. Metformin induced the same proportional increase in the muscles (soleus from 0.21±0.008 to 0.42±0.03 and gastrocnemius from 0.33±0.02 to 0.46±0.03), while the training promoted increase on gastrocnemius to 0,53 ± 0,03, only. A high interaction was observed in liver (glycogen increased to 6.48±0.34). CONCLUSION: Very small oral doses of metformin and/or, partially restored glycemia in diabetic rats and decreased glycogen in tissues. Its association with an exercise program was beneficial, helping lower glycemia further and increase glycogen stores on liver of diabetic rats.

Cirurgias odontológicas em usuários de anticoagulantes orais

Em razão do crescimento do número de indivíduos submetidos à terapêutica anticoagulante também nos consultórios odontológicos, realizamos um levantamento retrospectivo de prontuários de pacientes anticoagulados com derivados cumarínicos e uma revisão sobre os protocolos de atendimento, a fim de procurar estabelecer diretrizes para um tratamento cirúrgico-odontológico adequado e seguro. A avaliação do paciente com relação ao seu nível de anticoagulação através do Índice Normatizado Internacional (INR) ou Tempo de Protrombina (TP) e a classificação da amplitude do trauma cirúrgico são fatores importantes a serem avaliados antes do procedimento cirúrgico. Nosso levantamento mostrou que, em 47 cirurgias, sem alteração da medicação sistêmica, apenas um caso apresentou hemorragia pós-operatória, controlada por manobras de hemostasia local. Desse modo, observamos que, dentre os vários protocolos propostos na literatura, a manutenção da terapia anticoagulante, com a utilização de hemostáticos locais se necessário, parece o mais adequado à maioria dos casos cirúrgicos ambulatoriais.

Candida albicans in patients with oronasal communication and obturator prostheses

Patients using obturator prostheses often present denture-induced stomatitis. In order to detect the presence of oral Candida albicans in patients with oronasal communications and to evaluate the effectiveness of a topical antifungal treatment, cytological smears obtained from the buccal and palatal mucosa of 10 adult patients, and from the nasal acrylic surface of their obturator prostheses were examined. A therapeutic protocol comprising the use of oral nystatin (Mycostatin®) and prosthesis disinfection with sodium hypochlorite was prescribed for all patients. Seven patients were positive for C. albicans in the mucosa, with 1 negative result for the prosthetic surface in this group of patients. Post-treatment evaluation revealed the absence of C. albicans on prosthesis surface and on the oral mucosa of all patients. The severity of the candidal infection was significantly higher in the palatal mucosa than in the buccal mucosa, but similar in the palatal mucosa and prosthesis surface, indicating that the mucosa underlying the prosthesis is more susceptible to infection. The therapeutic protocol was effective in all cases, which emphasizes the need for denture disinfection in order to avoid reinfection of the mucosa.

Enhanced response of the fricke solution doped with hematoporphyrin under X-rays irradiation

The vials filled with Fricke solutions were doped with increasing concentrations of Photogem®, used in photodynamic therapy. These vials were then irradiated with low-energy X-rays with doses ranging from 5 to 20 Gy. The conventional Fricke solution was also irradiated with the same doses. The concentration of ferric ions for the Fricke and doped-Fricke irradiated solutions were measured in a spectrophotometer at 220 to 340 nm. The results showed that there was an enhancement in the response of the doped-Fricke solution, which was proportional to the concentration of the photosensitizer. The use of such procedure for studying the radiosensitizing property of photosensitizers based on the production of free radicals is also discussed.