PSEN1 and PSEN2 Gene Expression in Alzheimer's Disease Brain: A New Approach

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

Comunicação interna: uma questão de qualidade

Internal Communications, a central theme of this project, it is essential to support a transparent and effective cooperation between organization and em ployee. In companies with Quality Management System, as certified in ISO 9001, need to adhere to the quality not only in its management policy, but as in all of its processes and the various agencies in which there is interaction, especially the internal. This paper aims to reflect on the interaction with the internal audience, paying attention to the fact that the information required and the strategic management of public relations positively interfere in the relationship between organization and employe e and the resulting benefits that these entail in quality management. The demonstration of the policies employed by the company Vien a Grafica & Editora as the basis for developing a model suggestive of internal communication in business quality. Thus, we intend to understand how effective communication arouses feelings of motivation and engagement among employees, so there is the realization of quality in all organizational sectors

Genetic relationship among reproductive traits in Nellore cattle

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

Monitoring the process of densification of 3D and 4D (tridirectional and tetradirectional) carbon/carbon composites

Carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites can be made by iterative liquid impregnation or gas phase carbon deposition routes. In both cases, at the final processing stage the carbon fiber is embedded in carbon matrix which results in unique properties such as low density, high thermal conductivity and thermal shock resistance, low thermal expansion and high modulus, in relation to other refractory materials. In the present study assembled three-directional and four-directional preforms, having 50% volume of pores, were densified by iterative cycles of thermoset resin impregnation followed by pyrolysis under inert atmosphere, until appropriate densities were achieved. The thermoset resin is converted in a carbon matrix during pyrolysis. The iterative manufacturing process of the carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites is evaluated by means of nondestructive techniques based on X-ray computed tomography and electrical resistivity. X-ray computed tomography gives a general mapping view of the filling pores of the preforms which impacts results of the electrical resistivity. After six processing cycles and heat treatments up to 2000?, the final densities of the three-directional and four-directional carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites were 1.16g/cm(3) and an electrical resistivity of approximate to 0.07m. The configuration of preforms, three-directional or four-directional, did not alter the densification profile, in terms of increasing density and reducing porosity during the processing cycles.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the glucagon-like peptide-1 analog liraglutide in healthy cats

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an intestinal hormone that induces glucose-dependent stimulation of insulin secretion while suppressing glucagon secretion. Glucagon-like peptide-1 also increases beta cell mass and satiation while decelerating gastric emptying. Liraglutide is a fatty-acid derivative of GLP-1 with a protracted pharmacokinetic profile that is used in people for treatment of type II diabetes mellitus and obesity. The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of liraglutide in healthy cats. Hyperglycemic clamps were performed on days 0 (HGC) and 14 (LgHGC) in 7 healthy cats. Liraglutide was administered subcutaneously (0.6 mg/cat) once daily on days 8 through 14. Compared with the HGC (mean +/- standard deviation; 455.5 +/- 115.8 ng/L), insulin concentrations during LgHGC were increased (760.8 +/- 350.7 ng/L; P = 0.0022), glucagon concentrations decreased (0.66 +/- 0.4 pmol/L during HGC vs 0.5 +/- 0.4 pmol/L during LgHGC; P = 0.0089), and there was a trend toward an increased total glucose infused (median [range] = 1.61 (1.11-2.54) g/kg and 2.25 (1.64-3.10) g/kg, respectively; P = 0.087). Appetite reduction and decreased body weight (9% +/- 3%; P = 0.006) were observed in all cats. Liraglutide has similar effects and pharmacokinetics profile in cats to those reported in people. With a half-life of approximately 12 h, once daily dosing might be feasible; however, significant effects on appetite and weight loss may necessitate dosage or dosing frequency reductions. Further investigation of liraglutide in diabetic cats and overweight cats is warranted. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gastrointestinal nematode infections in sheep raised in Botucatu, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

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

Phytotoxicity associated to microcystins: a review

Microcystins (MC) are the most studied toxins of cyanobacteria since they are widely distributed and account for several cases of human and animal poisoning, being potent inhibitors of the serine/threonine protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A). The phosphatases PP1 and PP2A are also present in plants, which may also suffer adverse effects due to the inhibition of these enzymes. In aquatic plants, biomass reduction is usually observed after absorption of cyanotoxins, which can bioaccumulate in its tissues. In terrestrial plants, the effects caused by microcystins vary from inhibition to stimulation as the individuals develop from seedling to adult, and include reduction of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, oxidative stress, decreased photosynthetic activity and even cell apoptosis, as well as bioaccumulation in plant tissues. Thus, the irrigation of crop plants by water contaminated with microcystins is not only an economic problem but becomes a public health issue because of the possibility of food contamination, and this route of exposure requires careful monitoring by the responsible authorities.

Energy values of traditional ingredients and sugarcane yeast for laying hens

An experiment was conducted to determine the chemical composition and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance (AMEn) values of corn, soybean meal (SBM), soybean oil (SO) and sugarcane yeast (SY) (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). A metabolism trial was performed with 120 Dekalb White laying hens at 65 weeks of age, using the method of total excreta collection. Birds were housed in metabolism cages and distributed according to a completely randomized design into five treatments with, six replicates of four birds each. The experimental period consisted of four days of adaptation and four days of excreta collection. The experimental diets included: a reference diet based on corn and SBM and four test diets containing 40% corn, 30% SBM, 10% SO or 30 % SY. The chemical compositions of the tested ingredients, expressed on "as-is" basis were: 86.9, 87.29, 87.32 and 99.5% dry matter; and 3.51, 2.08, 99.31 and 0.03 ether extract for corn, SBM, SO and SY, respectively. Corn, SBM, and SO presented 7.33, 43.61 and 24.64% crude protein, and 0.58, 5.07 and 6.77% ash, respectively; and crude fiber contents of corn and SBM were, respectively, 2.24% and 3.56%. The following AME and AMEn (kcal/kg dry matter) values were obtained: 3,801 and 3,760 kcal/kg for corn, 2,640 and 2,557 kcal/kg for SBM, 8,952 and 8,866 kcal/kg for SO, and 1,023 and 925 kcal/kg for sugarcane yeast, respectively.

Lipid structural information from a single equine embryo by MALDI-MS

O objetivo deste trabalho foi relatar o potencial da técnica de MALDI-MS para caracterizar espécies de lipídios presentes em um único embrião equino e estudar algumas estruturas lipídicas detectadas por dissociação induzida por colisão (CID). No espectro de modo íon positivo, pudemos observar espécies, principalmente, protonadas e sodiadas de esfingomielinas (SM), fosfatidileolinas (PC) e triacilgliceróis (TAG). No modo negativo, observamos fosfatidiletanolaminas (PE) e fosfatidilinositos (PI). Espectros de íons de lípidos com maior intensidade foram utilizados para demonstrar o potencial da informação estrutural por MALDI-MS/MS. O espectro no modo positivo de m/z (massa sobre carga) 760,6 (atribuída como PC34:1) apresentou características de fragmentos PC de m/z 184,1 (denominada cabeça polar de colina), além de perda neutral (NL) de m/z 183 (fosforilcolina). Para o íon de m/z 766,6 (atribuída como PE38:5), observou-se a NL de 140, característica do PE. Para o íon de m/z 808,7 (38,5 atribuído como PC), além do fragmento m/z 184,1 na NL de 183, foi possível observar a perda de trimetilamina (íon de m/z 749,6) e o ciclofosfano (íon de m/z 147,0). Finalmente, para o modo de íon negativo, foram isolados e fragmentados o íon de m/z 863,6 que foi atribuído como PI36:1, devido à presença de m/z 153 (fosfato de glicerol – H2O-H ), 223 (inositol fosfo - 2H2O-H) , 241 (fosfoinositol – H2O-H), 281 (ácido oleico) e 581,3 (lisofosfoinositol – H2O+H). Concluímos que a MALDI - MS permite a detecção de uma ampla gama de espécies de PC, SM, PE, PI e TAG lipídicas, bem como a caracterização rápida e confiante de estruturas lipídicas a partir de um único embrião equino.

Comportamento biomecânico dos sistemas de retenção de overdentures

Objective: to the purpose of this study was to compare the stress distribution in the peri-implant hard tissue on different attachment systems for mandibular or maxillary implant-retained overdentures. Material and methods: the search for published studies was performed on PubMed/Medline database covering the period of January 2000 to April 2014. The selection of the eligible studies was performed according to including and excluding criteria. Results: a total of 140 studies were screened and according to the search strategy, 21 studies were selected for this review. Eight studies perfomed strain-gauge analysis, 5 evaluated the stress distribution though photoelastic test and 7 performed tridimensional finite element analysis. Only one study in vivo was included. Non-splinted O-rings showed better stress distribution than other bar-clip attachment systems. Conclusions: the present study did not find sufficient evidences regarding the most indicated attachment system for overdentures with better stress distribution for the peri-implant hard tissue. The methodologies analyzed should be complemented with other tests and used as a tool for further clinical studies.

Borreliosis in horses: epidemiology, experimental infection and therapeutic

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

A percepção visual visando a continuação gráfica na repetição modular do design de superfície

This article narrates from experiences in the classroom, the use of visual perception in the search for the solution of a basic problem of modular repetition, embodied by the lack of continuity in the elements that shape the design surface. Although Wong (1998) approach emphasizes the intuitive and intellectual approach as different parameters for building visual compositions, we list both as participants in the same focus, where the solution starts from the sensory stimulation.

Caracterização filogenética de percevejos terrestres das famílias Coreidae e Pentatomidae (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha) por meio de marcadores moleculares

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Evaluation of Blood Assays for Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Michigan

Surveillance and control activities related to bovine tuberculosis (TB) in free-ranging, Michigan white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been underway for over a decade, with significant progress. However, foci of higher TB prevalence on private lands and limited agency ability to eliminate them using broad control strategies have led to development and trial of new control strategies, such as live trapping, testing, and culling or release. Such strategies require a prompt, accurate live animal test, which has thus far been lacking. We report here the ability of seven candidate blood assays to determine the TB infection status of Michigan deer. Our aims were twofold: to characterize the accuracy of the tests using field-collected samples and to evaluate the feasibility of the tests for use in a test-and-cull strategy. Samples were collected from 760 deer obtained via five different surveys conducted between 2004 and 2007. Blood samples were subjected to one or more of the candidate blood assays and evaluated against the results of mycobacterial culture of the cranial lymph nodes. Sensitivities of the tests ranged from 46% to 68%, whereas specificities and negative predictive values were all .92%. Positive predictive values were highly variable. An exploratory analysis of associations among several host and sampling-related factors and the agreement between blood assay and culture results suggested these assays were minimally affected. This study demonstrated the capabilities and limitations of several available blood tests for Mycobacterium bovis on specimens obtained through a variety of field surveillance methods. Although these blood assays cannot replace mass culling, information on their performance may prove useful as wildlife disease managers develop innovative methods of detecting infected animals where mass culling is publicly unacceptable and cannot be used as a control strategy.

A study of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in risk groups in the city of Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Monitoring the extent of and trends in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a priority of the Brazilian National Tuberculosis Control Programme. The current study aimed to estimate the incidence of MDR-TB, describe the profile of TB drug resistance in risk groups and examine whether screening for MDR-TB adhered to the recommended guidelines. A descriptive study that examined diagnosed cases of pulmonary TB was conducted in the city of Santos, Brazil, between 2000-2004. Of the 2,176 pulmonary TB cases studied, 671 (30.8%) met the criteria for drug sensitivity testing and, of these cases, 31.7% (213/671) were tested. Among the tested cases, 9.4% were resistant to one anti-TB drug and 15% were MDR. MDR was observed in 11.6% of 86 new TB cases and 17.3% of 127 previously treated cases. The average annual incidence of MDR-TB was 1.9 per 100,000 inhabitants-years. The extent of known MDR-TB in the city of Santos is high, though likely to be underestimated. Our study therefore indicates an inadequate adherence to the guidelines for MDR-TB screening and suggests the necessity of alternative strategies of MDR-TB surveillance.