Diallyl disulphide, a beneficial component of garlic oil, causes a redistribution of cell-cycle growth phases, induces apoptosis and enhances butyrate-induced apoptosis in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29)

Colon cancer is a leading and expanding cause of death worldwide. A major contributory factor to this disease is diet composition; some components are beneficial (e.g. dietary fibre) whilst others are detrimental (e.g. alcohol). Garlic oil is a prominent dietary constituent that prevents the development of colorectal cancer. This effect is believed to be mainly due to diallyl disulphide (DADS), which selectively induces redox stress in cancerous (rather than normal) cells which leads to apoptotic cell death. However, the detailed mechanism by which DADS causes apoptosis remains unclear. We show that DADS-treatment of colonic adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) initiates a cascade of molecular events characteristic of apoptosis. These include a decrease in cellular proliferation, translocation of phosphatidylserine to the plasma-membrane outer-layer, activation of caspase-3, genomic-DNA fragmentation and G2/M phase cell-cycle arrest. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly butyrate (abundantly produced in the gut by bacterial fermentation of dietary polysaccharides), enhance colonic cell integrity but, in contrast, inhibit colonic-cancer cell growth. Combining DADS with butyrate augmented the effect of butyrate on HT-29 cells. These results suggest that the anti-cancerous properties of DADS afford greater benefit when supplied with other favourable dietary factors (SCFA/polysaccharides) that likewise reduce colonic tumour development.

Report on IEA Task-14 activities on solar collector systems conference in Rome, 25-29 Jan. 1993

The memebers of IEA (International Energy Agency) Task 14 (Advaced Active Solar Systems) met in Rome during January 1993. The latest developments in several countries were presented and discussed during this meeting. This report describes briefly the recent work carried out on small scale systems in the Domestic Hot Water (DHW) working group of Task 14, as reported by the representatives from Canada, Denmark, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. Klaus Lorenz, SERC, attended the meeting as observer and presented our work on small-tube heat exchangers. Several participants expressed their interest. A summary of his presentation is included in this report.

Avaliação de políticas públicas: estudo do comportamento de indicadores relacionados com a saúde em municípios do estado de Pernambuco após a emenda Constitucional Nº 29

The Brazilian Public Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS), defined by the Constitution of 1988, is almost 20 years old and is a landmark for health public policies. In these 20 years, the law was altered several times with the objective of prioritizing the investment of public money in such a needy area as health. Among these changes, it is important to single out the Constitutional Amendment number 29, issued on 13th September 2000, which determined the minimum investment in health. According to this amendment, as from the year 2000, the municipalities should invest in health services a minimum of 7% of the revenue from taxes and transferences from the Federal and State governments. This value was to rise gradually to 15% by 2004. Since every public policy should be systematically evaluated and considering the assumption that, according to the incrementalist theory, more money invested in health would tend to solve the crisis in the health system, this dissertation consists of a study of a set of health indicators in some municipalities of the State of Pernambuco after the Amendment 29. The evaluation period spanned 4 years, from 2002 to 2005 and the area chosen for the study was located in southern agreste region of the state. Ten health indicators were selected, all of which included in the Administrative Rule no 493, of the Health Ministry. It was found that in the chosen period the average investment in health was greater than 15% of the municipalities¿ revenue since 2002. However, the value of the investment per capita, considering the municipality's share of it, which was half of the total investment, decreased from 2002 to 2004 and increased in 2005. It was also found that the municipalities with the lowest per capita income were the ones with the highest investment per capita in health. As regards children mortality in the region, it was on average 33 for every 1000 children born, which is classified as ¿medium¿ according to the above mentioned Administrative Rule no 493. No statistically significative correlation was found between the amount of money invested in health and children mortality.

Em busca de recursos para a saúde: a implantação da Emenda Constitucional nº 29

Desde sua criação, pela Constituição de 1988, o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) perseguiu a estabilidade e suficiência em seu financiamento. A crise de financiamento que se estabeleceu, já a partir do início dos anos 1990, levou ao surgimento de propostas relativas ao financiamento do SUS. Essas iniciativas culminaram com a aprovação da Emenda Constitucional no 29 (EC 29), em setembro de 2000, estabelecendo a vinculação de recursos para as três esferas de governo. A implantação do novo modelo de financiamento, no entanto, tem sido marcada por controvérsias na interpretação das disposições da EC 29. Este trabalho procurou, utilizando o referencial teórico proporcionado pelos estudos de Federalismo Fiscal, estudar o processo de implantação da vinculação de recursos para a saúde a partir da análise documental desenvolvida a partir, principalmente, do Conselho Nacional de Saúde e dos Tribunais de Contas da União, estados e municípios. Para os dados de receita e despesa das unidades da federação foram utilizadas as bases de dados da Secretaria do Tesouro Nacional e do Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde (SIOPS), do Ministério da Saúde. Concluiu-se que a EC 29 constituiu um avanço no financiamento do SUS. Algumas questões, todavia, permaneceram pendentes. O tratamento a ser dado à desigualdades e os mecanismos de redistribuição de recursos, entre as diversas unidades da federação, permaneciam em aberto, sem uma associação mais forte com o estabelecimento de metas de desempenho e divisão de responsabilidades. A previsão de revisão periódica das disposições da EC 29, todavia, oferece uma rara oportunidade de aperfeiçoamento do modelo de financiamento.

Efeito de glucanas do fungo Caripia montagnei em modelo de inflamação intestinal induzida por tnbs em ratos Wistar e em células de carcinoma de cólon humano HT-29

Compounds derived from fungi has been the subject of many studies in order to broaden the knowledge of their bioactive potential. Polysaccharides from Caripia montagnei have been described to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, glucans extracted from Caripia montagnei mushroom were chemically characterized and their effects evaluated at different doses and intervals of treatment. It was also described their action on colonic injury in the model of colitis induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), and its action on cells of the human colon carcinoma (HT-29). Compounds extracted of C. montagnei contain high level of carbohydrates (96%), low content of phenolic compounds (1.5%) and low contamination with proteins (2.5%). The (FT-IR) and (NMR) analysis showed that polysaccharides from this species of mushroom are composed of α- and β-glucans. The colonic damage was evaluated by macroscopic, histological, biochemical and immunologic analyses. The results showed a reduction of colonic lesions in all groups treated with the glucans of Caripia montagnei (GCM). GCM significantly reduced the levels of IL-6 (50 and 75 mg/kg, p < 0.05), a major inflammatory cytokine. Biochemical analyses showed that such glucans acted on reducing levels of alkaline phosphatase (75 mg/kg, p < 0.01), nitric oxide (p < 0.001), and myeloperoxidase (p < 0.001). These results were confirmed microscopically by the reduction of cellular infiltration. The increase of catalase activity suggest a protective effect of GCM on colonic tissue, confirming their anti-inflammatory potential. GCM displayed cytostatic activity against HT-29 cells, causing accumulation of cells in G1 phase, blocking the cycle cell progression. Those glucans also showed ability to modulate the adhesion of HT-29 cells to Matrigel® and reduced the oxidative stress. The antiproliferative activity against HT-29 cells displayed by GCM (p <0.001) can be attributed to its cytostatic activity and induction of apoptosis by GCM

Characterization of heat waves affecting mortality rates of broilers between 29 days and market age

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

External control of the public water supply in 29 Brazilian cities

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

RH maps of bovine chromosomes 15 and 29: conservation of human chromosomes 11 and 5

Comparative mapping data on evolutionary conserved coding sequences and synteny maps between human and cattle are insufficient to define the extent and distribution of conserved segments between these two species, because the order of loci is often rearranged. A 5000-rad cattle whole-genome radiation hybrid (WG-RH) panel was constructed to provide high-resolution comparative maps and also to integrate linkage maps of microsatellites with evolutionary conserved genes and transcripts in a single ordered map. We used the WG-RH panel to construct radiation hybrid maps of bovine Chromosomes (Chrs) 15 and 29 (BTA15 and BTA29), integrating microsatellites from published linkage maps with selected genes. The comprehensive map of BTA15 consists of 24 markers. 13 of which were placed in the framework map. Eleven molecular markers compose the comprehensive map of BTA29. seven of which were placed in the framework map. We identified the homologous regions between bovine Chr 15 (BTA15) and human Chrs 5 and 11 (HSA5 and HSA11), as well as between BTA29 and HSA11, the present study demonstrates that WG-RH mapping is an efficient method for integrating multiple genetic maps into one map and for incorporating monomorphic Type I loci into ordered maps for comparison between species.

Spectroscopy and electrochemical characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett and physical vapor thin films of 29-membered diazocrown ether 1 with two n-octyl substituents

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