Aspectos clínicos, histopatológicos e moleculares da dermatosparaxia em ovinos White Dorper

Dermatosparaxia em animais é uma doença autossômica recessiva do tecido conjuntivo caracterizada por fragilidade e hiperextensibilidade cutânea. A doença em ovinos White Dorper é provocada pela mutação c.421G>T no gene ADAMmetalopeptidase com trombospondina tipo 1 motif, 2 (ADAMTS2). O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever os achados clínicos, moleculares e histopatológicos da dermatosparaxia em ovinos White Dorper de um rebanho localizado no Centro-Oeste Paulista. O rebanho era composto por nove animais, sendo um reprodutor, quatro matrizes e seus respectivos borregos. Dos nove animais examinados, dois apresentavam sinais clínicos compatíveis com dermatosparaxia. O exame histopatológico de amostras cutâneas das lesões destes dois animais revelou também achados compatíveis com dermatosparaxia, sendo caracterizados por epiderme e anexos cutâneos preservados e sem características atípicas; colágeno displásico arranjado em feixes pequenos, fragmentados e com focos de degeneração, anexos cutâneos proeminentes e na região da derme foco hemorrágico intenso associado a moderado infiltrado neutrofílico na derme profunda. Com o objetivo de realizar o diagnóstico molecular da enfermidade, uma PCR foi padronizada utilizando primers específicos desenhados para amplificar a região do gene ADAMTS2 que continha a mutação c.421G>T e o DNA obtido de amostras de sangue de todos os animais do rebanho. O sequenciamento direto dos produtos da PCR, comprovou que os dois animais clinicamente afetados possuíam a mutação responsável pela dermatosparaxia. A metodologia descrita neste estudo possibilitou o diagnóstico definitivo da doença. Segundo a literatura consultada, esta é a primeira vez que a dermatosparaxia é descrita em ovinos White Dorper no Brasil. A metodologia aqui descrita poderá ser empregada em estudos futuros que avaliem a prevalência desta mutação no Brasil, possibilitando a adoção de medidas que previnam a disseminação dessa mutação no rebanho brasileiro de ovinos White Dorper.

Circular Spectropolarimetric Studies of DQ White Dwarfs

This thesis summarizes studies of a class of white dwarfs (WDs) called DQ WDs. White dwarfs are the remnants of ordinary stars like our Sun that have run out of nuclear fuel. WDs are classified according to the composition of their atmosphere and DQ WDs have an atmosphere made of helium and carbon. The carbon comes in either atomic or molecular form and in some cases the strong spectral absorption features cover the entire optical wavelength region. The research presented here utilizes spectropolarimetry, which is an observational technique that combines spectroscopy and polarization. Separately these allow to study the composition of a target and the inhomogeneous distribution of matter in the target. Put together they form a powerful tool to probe the physical properties in the atmosphere of a star. It is espacially good for detecting magnetic fields. The papers in this thesis describe efforts to do a survey of DQ white dwarfs with spectropolarimetry in order to search for magnetic fields in them. Paper I describes the discovery of a new magnetic cool DQ white dwarf, GJ841B. Initial modeling of molecular features on DQ WDs showed inconsistencies with observations. The first possible solution to this problem was stellar spots on these WDs. To investigate the matter, two DQ WDs were monitored for photometric variability that could arise from the presence of such spots. Paper II summarizes this short campaign and reports the negative results. Paper III reports observations of the rest of the objects in our survey. The paper includes the discovery of polarization from another cool DQ white dwarf, bringing the total of known magnetic cool DQs to three. Unfortunately the model used in this thesis cannot, in its present state, be used to model these objects nor are the observations of high enough spectroscopic resolution to do so.

Prevalence study of SNP c.421G>T in the ADAMTS2 gene responsible for dermatosparaxis in White Dorper sheep in Brazil

Abstract: Dermatosparaxis is an autosomal recessive disorder of connective tissue; the disorder is clinically characterized by skin fragility and hyperextensibility. Dermatosparaxis in White Dorper sheep is caused by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (c.421G>T) in the ADAM metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif, 2 (ADAMTS2) gene. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of this SNP in a White Dorper herd in São Paulo state, Brazil. In this study, we collected blood DNA samples from 303 White Dorper sheep and performed polymerase chain reaction to amplify the SNP region. The samples were sequenced to determine the presence of the SNP in the ADAMTS2 gene. The SNP prevalence in the studied population was 15.5%; this finding indicates that more effective control measures should be used to prevent the inheritance of SNP c.421G>T in the ADAMTS2 gene in Brazilian White Dorper herds.

CHEMICAL CONTROL OF WHITE CLOVER IN SOYBEAN CROPS

ABSTRACTWhite clover is tolerant to many herbicides, making difficult a chemical control of this species during soybean crop establishments. The objective of this research was to select herbicides applied postemergence to control white clover in soybean and know the effects of this control on soybean yield. Seven herbicides were assessed, applied postemergence, with or without sequential application of glyphosate, and two control treatments (no control and total control of white clover). Glyphosate (with two sequential applications), fomesafen (with a sequential application of glyphosate), chlorimuron-ethyl and lactofen have shown a satisfactory control of white clover (above 80%). The lower control efficiency has resulted in lower production of soybeans.

Holstein white coat color and performance: phenotypic, genetic and environmental correlations

Correlations of measures of percentages of white coat color, five measures of production and two measures of reproduction were obtained from 4293 first lactation Holsteins from eight Florida dairy farms. Percentages of white coat color were analyzed as recorded and transformed by an extension of Box-Cox procedures. Statistical analyses were by derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood (DFREML) with an animal model. Phenotypic and genetic correlations of white percentage (not transformed) were with milk yield, 0.047 and 0.097; fat yield, 0.002 and 0.004; fat percentage, -0.047 and -0.090; protein yield, 0.024 and 0.048; protein percentage, -0.070 and -0.116; days open, -0.012 and -0.065; and calving interval, -0.007 and -0.029. Changes in magnitude of correlations were very small for all variables except days open. Genetic and phenotypic correlations of transformed values with days open were -0.027 and -0.140. Modest positive correlated responses would be expected for white coat color percentage following direct selection for milk, fat, and protein yields, but selection for fat and protein percentages, days open, or calving interval would lead to small decreases.

Reliability and validity of the interactive observation scale for psychiatric inpatients applied by nursing aides in daily ward practice

The main characteristic of the nursing Interactive Observation Scale for Psychiatric Inpatients (IOSPI) is the necessity of interaction between raters and patients during assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale in the "real" world of daily ward practice and to determine whether the IOSPI can increase the interaction time between raters and patients and influence the raters' opinion about mental illness. All inpatients of a general university hospital psychiatric ward were assessed daily over a period of two months by 9 nursing aides during the morning and afternoon shifts, with 273 pairs of daily observations. Once a week the patients were interviewed by a psychiatrist who filled in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). The IOSPI total score was found to show significant test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.83) and significant correlation with the BPRS total score (r = 0.69), meeting the criteria of concurrent validity. The instrument can also discriminate between patients in need of further inpatient treatment from those about to be discharged (negative predictive value for discharge = 0.91). Using this scale, the interaction time between nursing aides and patients increased significantly (t = 2.93, P<0.05) and their opinion about the mental illness changed. The "social restrictiveness" factor of the opinion scale about mental illness showed a significant reduction (t = 4.27, P<0.01) and the "interpersonal etiology" factor tended to increase (t = 1.98, P = 0.08). The IOSPI was confirmed as a reliable and valid scale and as an efficient tool to stimulate the therapeutic attitudes of the nursing staff.

Late-life depression, heart failure and frontal white matter hyperintensity: a structural magnetic resonance imaging study

The relevance of the relationship between cardiac disease and depressive symptoms is well established. White matter hyperintensity, a bright signal area in the brain on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans, has been separately associated with cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac disease and late-life depression. However, no study has directly investigated the association between heart failure, major depressive symptoms and the presence of hyperintensities. Using a visual assessment scale, we have investigated the frequency and severity of white matter hyperintensities identified by magnetic resonance imaging in eight patients with late-life depression and heart failure, ten patients with heart failure without depression, and fourteen healthy elderly volunteers. Since the frontal lobe has been the proposed site for the preferential location of white matter hyperintensities in patients with late-life depression, we focused our investigation specifically on this brain region. Although there were no significant group differences in white matter hyperintensities in the frontal region, a significant direct correlation emerged between the severity of frontal periventricular white matter hyperintensity and scores on the Hamilton scale for depression in the group with heart failure and depression (P = 0.016, controlled for the confounding influence of age). There were no significant findings in any other areas of the brain. This pattern of results adds support to a relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and depressive symptoms, and provides preliminary evidence that the presence of white matter hyperintensities specifically in frontal regions may contribute to the severity of depressive symptoms in cardiac disease.

Pressure-assisted cold denaturation of hen egg white lysozyme: the influence of co-solvents probed by hydrogen exchange nuclear magnetic resonance

COSY proton nuclear magnetic resonance was used to measure the exchange rates of amide protons of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) in the pressure-assisted cold-denatured state and in the heat-denatured state. After dissolving lysozyme in deuterium oxide buffer, labile protons exchange for deuterons in such a way that exposed protons are substituted rapidly, whereas "protected" protons within structured parts of the protein are substituted slowly. The exchange rates k obs were determined for HEWL under heat treatment (80ºC) and under high pressure conditions at low temperature (3.75 kbar, -13ºC). Moreover, the influence of co-solvents (sorbitol, urea) on the exchange rate was examined under pressure-assisted cold denaturation conditions, and the corresponding protection factors, P, were determined. The exchange kinetics upon heat treatment was found to be a two-step process with initial slow exchange followed by a fast one, showing residual protection in the slow-exchange state and P-factors in the random-coil-like range for the final temperature-denatured state. Addition of sorbitol (500 mM) led to an increase of P-factors for the pressure-assisted cold denatured state, but not for the heat-denatured state. The presence of 2 M urea resulted in a drastic decrease of the P-factors of the pressure-assisted cold denatured state. For both types of co-solvents, the effect they exert appears to be cooperative, i.e., no particular regions within the protein can be identified with significantly diverse changes of P-factors.

Isolation and Characterization of Ovomucin - a Bioactive Agent of Egg White

The hen’s egg is a source of new life. Therefore, it contains many biologically active compounds. In addition to being a very nutritious food and also commonly used in the food industry due to its many techno-functional properties, the egg can serve as a source of compounds used as nutra-, pharmaand cosmeceuticals. One such interesting compound is ovomucin, an egg white protein responsible for the gel-like properties of thick egg white. Previous studies have indicated that ovomucin and ovomucin-derived peptides have several different bioactive properties. The objectives of the present study were to develop isolation methods for ovomucin, to characterize the structure of ovomucin, to compare various egg fractions as sources of ovomucin, to study the effects of various dissolving methods for ovomucin, and to investigate the bioactive properties of ovomucin and ovomucin-derived peptides. A simple and rapid method for crude ovomucin separation was developed. By using this method crude ovomucin was isolated within hours, compared to the 1-2 days (including a dialysis step) needed when using several other methods. Structural characterization revealed that ovomucin is composed of two subunits, α- and β-ovomucin, as egg white protein formerly called α1-ovomucin seemed to be ovostatin. However, it might be possible that ovostatin is associated within β- and α-ovomucin. This interaction could even have some effect on the physical nature of various egg white layers. Although filtration by-product fraction was a very prominent source of both crude and β-ovomucin, process development has reduced its amount so significantly that it has no practical meaning anymore. Thus, the commercial liquid egg white is probably the best option, especially if it generally contains amounts of β-ovomucin as high as were found in these studies. Crude ovomucin was dissolved both by using physical and enzymic methods. Although sonication was the most effective physical method for ovomucin solubilisation, colloid milling seemed to be a very promising alternative. A milk-like, smooth and opaque crude ovomucin suspension was attained by using a colloid mill. The dissolved ovomucin fractions were further tested for bioactive properties, and it was found that three dissolving methods tested produced moderate antiviral activity against Newcastle disease virus, namely colloid milling, enzymatic hydrolysis and a combination of sonicaton and enzymatic hydrolysis. Moreover, trypsin-digested crude ovomucin was found to have moderate antiviral activity against avian influenza virus: both subtype H5 and H7.

Inviting the Audience – Interactive, Participatory, and Social Television in Finland

The television and the ways it has invited the audience to take part have been changing during the last decade. Today’s interaction, or rather participation, comes from multiplatform formats, such as TV spectacles that combine TV and web platforms in order to create a wider TV experience. Multiplatform phenomena have spread television consumption and traditional coffee table discussions to several different devices and environments. Television has become a part of the bigger puzzle of interconnected devices that operates on several platforms instead of just one. This thesis examines the Finnish television (2004–2014) through the notion of audience participation and introduces the technical, thematic, and social linkages as three different phases, interactive, participatory, social, and their most characteristic features in terms of audience participation. The aim of the study is also to focus on the idea of a possible change by addressing the possible and subtler variations that have taken place through the concept of digital television. Firstly, Finnish television history has gone through numerous trials, exploring the interactive potential of television formats. Finnish SMS-based iTV had its golden era around 2005, when nearly 50% of the television formats were to some extent interactive. Nowadays, interactive television formats have vanished due to their negative reputation and this important part of recent history is mainly been neglected in the academic scope. The dissertation focuses also on the present situation and the ways television content invites the audience to take part. “TV meets the Internet” is a global expression that characterises digital TV, and the use of the Web combined with television content is also examined. Also the linkages between television and social media are identified. Since television can nowadays be described multifaceted, the research approaches are also versatile. The research is based on qualitative content analysis, media observation, and Internet inquiry. The research material also varies. It consists of primary data: taped iTV formats, website material, and social media traces both from Twitter and Facebook and secondary data: discussion forums, observations from the media and Internet inquiry data. To sum up the results, the iTV phase represented, through its content, a new possibility for audiences to take part in a TV show (through gameful and textual features) in real-time. In participatory phase, the most characteristic features from TV-related content view, is the fact that online platform(s) were used to immerse the audience with additional material and, due to this, to extend the TV watching enjoyment beyond the actual broadcast. During the Social (media) phase, both of these features, real-timeness, and extended enjoyment through additional material, are combined and Facebook & Twitter, for example, are used to immerse people in live events (in real-time) via broadcast-related tweets and extra-material offered on a Facebook page. This thesis fills in the gap in Finnish television research by examining the rapid changes taken place on the field within the last ten years. The main results is that the development of Finnish digital television has been much more diverse and subtle than has been anticipated by following only the news, media, and contemporary discourses on the subject of television. The results will benefit both practitioners and academics by identifying the recent history of Finnish television.

Ethnicity as a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea: comparison of Japanese descendants and white males in São Paulo, Brazil

Some studies showed that Asians with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are thinner than Caucasians. Because obesity is a major risk factor for OSA, it was concluded that Asians are predisposed to OSA. However, body fat composition varies for a same body mass index (BMI) according to ethnicity. We firstly compared anthropometric characteristics, symptoms and associated disorders in all consecutive male Japanese descendants and white males with OSA referred for polysomnography. In a second analysis, all Japanese descendants were compared to a subgroup of white males, matched for apnea/hypopnea index and age. In the first analysis, age, symptoms, OSA severity and co-morbidities were similar among Japanese descendants (N = 54) and white patients (N = 466). However, Japanese descendants had a lower BMI than white patients: 27.1 (25.5-28.4) vs 29.4 (26.5-33.0) kg/m², respectively (P < 0.001). In the second analysis, Japanese descendants had a lower BMI than white patients (P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression considering the entire group revealed that age, BMI, neck circumference, Epworth sleepiness scale, ethnicity and %REM sleep were independent predictors for apnea/hypopnea index (P < 0.001). Ethnicity was no longer significantly associated with OSA severity when we adopted the World Health Organization criteria for obesity (≥25 and 30 kg/m² among Japanese descendants and white males, respectively). Japanese descendants with OSA have a lower BMI than white subjects of similar severity. However, ethnicity was not associated with OSA severity when an ethnical difference in obesity criteria was respected. Our data suggest that Japanese descendants are not predisposed to OSA.