Ecosapentanoic acid (EPA) does not affect cell kinetics in peripheral lymphocites from patients with Crohn's disease (CD) according to IL6 174G/C polymorphism

Rationale: Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to be of potential benefit in patients with CD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether EPA can modulate the inflammatory response according to different genotypes of IL6G174G/C polymorphism. Methods: Peripheral blood cells were collected from CD patients with different genotypes for IL6 174G/C (GG, n = 16, GC, n = 8, CC, n = 7), and lymphocytes were established in culture media. Replicates with the addition of EPA (25 mM) were analysed in a period of 24h, 48h and 72h. Expression of IL6 e a PGE2 was assessed by ELISA. Apoptosis and cellular proliferation was determined by flow cytometry.

O diário enquanto instrumento regulador da interação social e do desenvolvimento das competências sociais

Relatório da Prática Profissional Supervisionada Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar

Seroprevalencia de rubeola en Colombia: un análisis por cohorte de nacimiento

OBJETIVO : Estimar la seroprevalencia de rubéola y factores asociados. METODOS : Estudio de seroprevalencia poblacional con una muestra aleatoria de 2.124 individuos de seis a 64 años, representativa por edad, sexo y área en Medellín, Colombia, 2009. Se analizó la asociación de variables biológicas y socioeconómicas con la seroprotección para rubéola, según la cohorte del año de nacimiento antes (1954 a 1990) y después (1991 a 2003) del inicio de la vacunación universal. Se determinaron los títulos de IgG con pruebas de alta sensibilidad (AxSYM ® Rubella IgG – Laboratorio Abbott) y especificidad (VIDAS RUB IgG II ® – Laboratorio BioMerieux). Se estimaron proporciones y promedios ponderados derivados de un muestreo complejo incluyendo un factor de corrección por las diferencias en la participación por sexo. Se analizó la asociación de la protección por grupos de variables biológicas y sociales con un modelo de regresión logística, según la cohorte de nacimiento. RESULTADOS : Los títulos promedio de IgG fueron más altos en los nacidos antes del inicio de la vacunación (media 110 UI/ml; IC95% 100,5;120,2) que en los nacidos después (media 64 UI/ml; IC95% 54,4;72,8), p = 0,000. La proporción de protección fue creciente de 88,9% en los nacidos en 1990-1994, de 89,2% en 1995-1999 y de 92,1% en 2000 a 2003, posiblemente relacionado con la administración del refuerzo desde 1998. En los nacidos antes del inicio de la vacunación, la seroprotección estuvo asociada con el antecedente de contacto con casos (RD 2,6; IC95% 1,1;5,9), el estado de salud (RD 2,5; IC95% 1,05;6,0), el nivel de escolaridad (RD 0,2; IC95% 0,08;0,8) y los años de residencia del hogar en el barrio (RD 0,96; IC95% 0,98;1,0), luego de ajustar por todas las variables. En los nacidos después se asoció con el tiempo de sueño efectivo (RD 1,4; IC95%1,09;1,8) y el estado de salud (RD 5,5; IC95%1,2;23,8). CONCLUSIONES : La vacunación masiva generó un cambio en el perfil de seroprevalencia, siendo mayores los títulos en quienes nacieron antes del inicio de la vacunación. Se recomienda monitorear el sostenimiento del nivel de protección a largo plazo y concertar acciones para el mejoramiento de las condiciones socioeconómicas potencialmente asociadas.

Avaliação da situação nacional em matéria de gestão de REEE

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão e Sistemas Ambientais

Determinação do teor de compostos aromáticos policíclicos de óleos minerais isolantes para transformadores

Mestrado em Engenharia Química - Ramo Optimização Energética na Indústria Química

Preservação de fungos e actinomicetos de interesse médico em água destilada

Diferentes processos têm sido utilizados para preservação de fungos, todos eles apresentando vantagens e desvantagens. A escolha do método depende das disponibilidades do laboratório, longevidade da preservação, estabilidade genética das culturas e outros fatores. Apresentamos os resultados obtidos pela utilização do método de Castellani (preservação em água destilada) na manutenção de algumas amostras (174) da Micoteca do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo. Após 6, 12, 18 e 24 meses, essas amostras foram analisadas em relação à sua viabilidade, levando-se em consideração a taxa de crescimento e contaminação. A menor e a maior porcentagem de viabilidade foram apresentadas, respectivamente, pelos actinomicetos (aproximadamente 80%) e leveduras (em torno de 100%). Como já descrito por outros autores, o método, além de simples e economicamente viável para laboratórios de pequeno porte, apresenta bons resultados

Characterization of the [NiFe] Hydrogenase from the sulfate reducer Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

The [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough was isolated from the cytoplasmic membranes and characterized by EPR spectroscopy. It has a total molecular mass of 98.7 kDa (subunits of 66.4 and 32.3 kDa), and contains 1 nickel and 12 Fe atoms per heterodimer. The catalytic activities for hydrogen consumption and production were determined to be 174 and 89 umol H2 min-1 mg -1, respectively. As isolated, under aerobic conditions, this hydrogenase exhibits EPR signals characteristic of the nickel centers in [NiFe] hydrogenases (Ni-A signal at gx,y,z=2.32, 2.23 and ~2.0 and Ni-B signal at gx,y,z=2.33, 2.16 and ~2.0) as well as an intense quasi-isotropic signal centered at g=2.02 due to the oxidized [3Fe-4S] center. The redox profile under hydrogen atmosphere is remarkably similar to that of other [NiFe] hydrogenases. The signals observed for the oxidized state disappear, first being substituted by the Ni-C type signal (gx,y,z=2.19, 2.14, ~2.01), which upon long incubation under hydrogen yields the split Ni-C signal due to interaction with the reduced [4Fe-4S] centers.

Catalytic oxidation of alcohols: recent advances

This review concerns metal-catalyzed reactions of oxidation of alcohols to the respective products, mainly ketones and aldehydes, mostly within the period of 2010–2014. Both conventional and unconventional systems, not only with usual reagents, but also with uncommon and prospective ones, are overviewed, with recently achieved developments.

Eficiência energética no sector dos transportes rodoviários: metodologia para quantificação do excesso de energia consumida devido ao factor comportamental na condução de veículos automóveis ligeiros

Dissertação apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Energia e Bioenergia

Cytotoxicity in L929 fibroblasts and inhibition of herpes simplex virus type 1 Kupka by estuarine cyanobacteria extracts

The cyanobacteria are known to be a rich source of metabolites with a variety of biological activities in different biological systems. In the present work, the bioactivity of aqueous and organic (methanolic and hexane) crude extracts of cyanobacteria isolated from estuarine ecosystems was studied using different bioassays. The assessment of DNA damage on the SOS gene repair region of mutant PQ37 strain of Escherichia coli was performed. Antiviral activity was evaluated against influenza virus, HRV-2, CVB3 and HSV-1 viruses using crystal violet dye uptake on HeLa, MDCK and GMK cell lines. Cytotoxicity evaluation was performed with L929 fibroblasts by MTT assay. Of a total of 18 cyanobacterial isolates studied, only the crude methanolic extract of LEGE 06078 proved to be genotoxic (IF > 1.5) in a dose-dependent manner and other four were putative candidates to induce DNA damage. Furthermore, the crude aqueous extract of LEGE 07085 showed anti- herpes type 1 activity (IC50 = 174.10 μg dry extract mL−1) while not presenting any cytotoxic activity against GMK cell lines. Of the 54 cyanobacterial extracts tested, only the crude methanolic and hexane ones showed impair on metabolic activity of L929 fibroblasts after long exposure (48–72 h). The inhibition of HSV-1 and the strong cytotoxicity against L929 cells observed emphasizes the importance of evaluating the impact of those estuarine cyanobacteria on aquatic ecosystem and on human health. The data also point out their potential application in HSV-1 treatment and pharmacological interest.

Three-Dimensional Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Pulmonary Angiography in the Study of Pulmonary Vascular Pathology

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of performing pulmonary angiography using MRI with contrast enhancement in patients with pulmonary vascular disease. METHODS: We present our experience in ten individuals, two controls and eight patients who underwent the exam after injection of a gadolinium-based contrast agent on a 1 Tesla MR scanner using a time-of-flight sequence and breath-holding during injection of contrast. RESULTS: Pathology in the main pulmonary artery and its major branches was detected easily while resolution at the segmental and subsegmental levels was inadequate. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance pulmonary angiography is feasible on a 1 Tesla MR scanner for the study of pathology of the main pulmonary artery and its major branches, like massive pulmonary embolism. However its ability to detect and define distal vessel pathology as found in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and small pulmonary emboli is limited.

Queimadura com Exposição Óssea dos Membros Inferiores: Reconstrução com Matriz de Regeneração Dérmica

Introdução: As soluções reconstrutivas das queimaduras dos membros inferiores com exposição óssea (transferência de tecidos vascularizados) e dos defeitos do escalpe, não susceptíveis de encerramento com retalhos locais (expansão tecidual), são complexas, morosas e, por vezes, inviáveis. O recurso a substitutos cutâneos biológicos, como a matriz de regeneração dérmica, constitui uma importante alternativa às soluções reconstrutivas tradicionais. Relato dos casos: Estudo retrospectivo de 246 doentes com queimaduras dos membros inferiores, admitidos na Unidade de Queimados/Serviço de Cirurgia Plástica do nosso Centro Hospitalar, entre Janeiro de 2007 e Dezembro de 2008. Os autores apresentam 2 casos clínicos com queimaduras bilaterais das pernas e com exposição óssea. Nos dois casos, realizou-se desbridamento tangencial e encerramento das áreas cruentas com um substituto cutâneo, a matriz de regeneração dérmica. Na 4ª semana após a aplicação da matriz, o componente externo da membrana bilaminar foi substituído por enxerto de pele parcial. Obteve-se cobertura estável das áreas cruentas, sem necessidade de procedimentos cirúrgicos adicionais. Conclusões: A utilização de substitutos dérmicos expande as opções reconstrutivas nos casos de queimaduras com exposição óssea dos membros inferiores. A utilização da matriz biológica permitiu a preservação dos membros nos dois pacientes. A matriz de regeneração dérmica possibilitou uma cobertura estável de estruturas vitais, sem necessidade de transferência ou expansão tecidual e com morbilidade mínima.

Molecular detection of HPV 16 and 18 in cervical samples of patients from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of HPV infection and the types 16 and 18 in cervical samples from patients attended at two public health services of the city of Belo Horizonte, MG. METHODS: Cervical samples from 174 patients were collected for cytopathological and molecular tests. HPV infection was searched by PCR utilizing MY09 and MY11 primers or HPV 16 and HPV 18 specific primers. RESULTS: Amongst the 174 samples analyzed, 20.7% presented squamous intraepithelial and/or invasive lesions detected on cytopathological analysis and of those, 94.4% were infected by HPV. HPV 16 was found in 20% of the cases of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and in 40% and 50% of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and squamous invasive carcinoma, respectively. HPV 18 was detected in 6.7% of the low-grade lesion samples and in two HPV16 co-infected samples. In 50% of the cases of high-grade lesion, the HPV type was not determined. CONCLUSION: The HPV 16 was the virus type more frequently detected. However, more than 50% of the positive samples at the cytopathological analysis were negative for HPV 16 and 18, indicating that possibly other virus types are present in relative high frequencies in the studied population.

Impact of Donor and Recipient Cytokine Genotypes on Renal Allograft Outcome

Allelic differences in gene promoter or codifying regions have been described to affect regulation of gene expression, consequently increasing or decreasing cytokine production and signal transduction responses to a given stimulus. This observation has been reported for interleukin (IL)-10 (-1082 A/G; -819/-592 CT/CA), transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta (codon 10 C/T, codon 25 G/C), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (-308 G/A), TNF-beta (+252 A/G), interferon (IFN)-gamma (+874 T/A), IL-6 (-174 G/C), and IL-4R alpha (+1902 G/A). To evaluate the influence of these cytokine genotypes on the development of acute or chronic rejection, we correlated the genotypes of both kidney graft recipients and cadaver donors with the clinical outcome. Kidney recipients had 5 years follow-up, at least 2 HLA-DRB compatibilities, and a maximum of 25% anti-HLA pretransplantation sensitization. The clinical outcomes were grouped as follows: stable functioning graft (NR, n = 35); acute rejection episodes (AR, n = 31); and chronic rejection (CR, n = 31). The cytokine genotype polymorphisms were defined using PCR-SSP typing. A statistical analysis showed a significant prevalence of recipient IL-10 -819/-592 genotype among CR individuals; whereas among donors, the TGF-beta codon 10 CT genotype was significantly associated with the AR cohort and the IL-6 -174 CC genotype with CR. Other albeit not significant observations included a strong predisposition of recipient TGF-beta codon 10 CT genotype with CR, and TNF-beta 252 AA with AR. A low frequency of TNF-alpha -308 AA genotype also was observed among recipients and donors who showed poor allograft outcomes.