On the synthesis and structures of the complexes [RuCl(L)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) (L = CO, py or 4-NH(2)py; dppb=1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane; N-N=2,2 `-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline) and [(dppb)(CO)Cl(2)-Ru-pz-RuCl(2)(CO)(dppb)] (pz = pyrazine)

The ""Ru(P-P)"" unit (P-P = diphosphine) is recognized to be an important core in catalytic species for hydrogenation of unsaturated organic substrates. Thus, in this study we synthesized six new complexes containing this core, including the binuclear complex [(dppb)(CO)Cl(2)Ru-pz-RuCl(2)(CO)(dPPb)] (pz = pyrazine) which can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of cationic carbonyl species of general formula [RuCl(CO)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) (N-N = diimine). Complexes with the formula (RuCl(py)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) were synthesized by exhaustive electrolysis of these carbonyl compounds or from the precursors [RuCl(2)(dppb)(N-N)]. The new complexes were characterized by microanalysis, conductivity measurements, IR and (31)P{(1)H)} NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray crystallography. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization of human polyomavirus JC in Brazilian AIDS patients with and without progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Background: JC virus (JCV), the causative agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), is classified in 8 different genotypes. Previous reports have suggested a positive association between specific genotypes and PML. Objective: To compare genotypes and adaptive mutations of JCV strains from Brazilian AIDS patients with and without PML. Study design: The VP1 region of JCV was amplified by polymerase chain reaction from cerebrospinal fluid samples from 51 patients with PML and from urine samples of 47 patients with AIDS without central nervous system disease. Genotyping was done by phylogenetic analysis. Amino acid replacement and selection pressures were also investigated. Results: JCV genotype frequency distributions showed that genotypes 2 (32.7%), 1 (26.5%) and 3 (23.5%) were the most prevalent. Genotype 1 had a positive association (p < 0.0001) and genotype 3 showed an inverse association (p < 0.001) with PML. A previously undescribed point mutation at residue 91 (L/I or L/V) and (L/P), non-genotype-associated, was found in 5/49 (10.2%) and 2/47 (4.3%) JCV sequences from PML and non-PML patients, respectively. This mutation was under positive selection only in PML patients. A previously described substitution of T-A in position 128 showed a significant difference between PML and non-PML cases (70% versus 16%, respectively, p < 0.0005). Conclusion: In Brazilian patients with AIDS, JCV genotype 1 showed a strong association with PML (p < 0.0001) and JCV genotype 3 showed an inverse association with PML. The possible association of aminoacids substitution in residues 91 and 128 with PML in patients with AIDS must be further investigated. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two New Ternary Complexes of Copper(II) with Tetracycline or Doxycycline and 1,10-Phenanthroline and Their Potential as Antitumoral: Cytotoxicity and DNA Cleavage

This paper reports on the synthesis and characterization of two new ternary copper(II) complexes: [Cu(doxy-cycline)(1,10-phenanthroline)(H(2)O)(ClO(4))](ClO(4)) (1) and [Cu(tetracycline)(1,10-phenanthroline)(H(2)O)(ClO(4))](ClO(4)) (2). These compounds exhibit a distorted tetragonal geometry around copper, which is coordinated to two bidentate ligands, 1,10-phenanthroline and tetracycline or doxycyline, a water molecule, and a perchlorate ion weakly bonded in the axial positions. In both compounds, copper(II) binds to tetracyclines`. via the oxygen of the hydroxyl group and oxygen of the amide group at ring A and to 1,10-phenanthroline via its two heterocyclic nitrogens. We have evaluated the binding of the new complexes to DNA, their capacity to cleave it, their cytotoxic activity, and uptake in tumoral cells. The complexes bind to DNA preferentially by the major groove, and then cleave its strands by an oxidative mechanism involving the generation of ROS. The cleavage of DNA was inhibited by radical inhibitors and/or trappers such as superoxide dismutase, DMSO, and the copper(I) chelator bathocuproine. The enzyme T4 DNA ligase was not able to relegate the products of DNA cleavage, which indicates that the cleavage does not occur via a hydrolytic mechanism. Both complexes present an expressive plasmid DNA cleavage activity generating single- and double-strand breaks, under mild reaction conditions, and even in the absence of any additional oxidant or reducing agent. In the same experimental conditions, [Cu(phen)(2)](2+) is approximately 100-fold less active than our complexes. These complexes are among the most potent DNA cleavage agents reported so far. Both complexes inhibit the growth of K562 cells With the IC(50) values of 1.93 and 2.59 mu mol L(-1) for compounds I and 2, respectively. The complexes are more active than the free ligands, and their cytotoxic activity correlates with intracellular copper concentration and the number of Cu-DNA adducts formed inside cells.

Metal transport parameters of a gneiss saprolitic silty soil for liner design

Diffusion coefficients and retardation factors of two metal cations (Cd2+ and Pb2+) were measured for a compacted Brazilian saprolitic soil derived from gneiss, aiming to assess its geoenvironmental performance as a liner for waste disposal sites. This soil occurs extensively all over the country in very thick layers, but has not been used in liners because of its hydraulic conductivity, higher than 10(-9) m/s when compacted at optimum water content of standard Proctor energy, but which can be reduced by means of appropriate compaction techniques or additives. Batch, column, and diffusion tests were carried out with monospecies synthetic solutions at pH 1, 3, and 5.5. Measured diffusion coefficients varied between 0.5 and 4 X 10(-10) m(2)/s. Retardation factors show that cadmium, a very mobile cation, is not adsorbed at pH I but is significantly retained at pH 3 and pH 5.5, whereas lead is retained at all tested pH values though slightly at pH 1. Estimated retardation factors from batch tests were 1.3-2.3 times those resulting from column tests and at its highest when obtained by diffusion tests; whereas batch tests allow a more complete exposure of the soil grains to the solution, time-dependent nonspecific adsorption may take longer to occur. The importance of contact time was observed and should be considered in further investigations. Its significant retention of metals suggests a promising utilization of this soil as a bottom liner for wastes landfills.

The impact of big-boxes on local retail : What happens when IKEA comes to town?

The development of large discount retailers, or big-boxes as they are sometimes referred to, are often subject to heated debate and their entry on a market is greeted with either great enthusiasm or dread. For instance, the world’s largest retailer Wal-Mart (Forbes 2014) has a number of anti- and pro-groups dedicated to its being and the event of a Wal-Mart entry tends to be met with protests and campaigns (Decamme 2013) but also welcomed by, for instance, consumers (Davis & DeBonis 2013). Also in Sweden, the entry of a big box is a hot topic and before IKEA’s opening i Borlänge 2013, the first in Sweden in more than five years, great expectations were mixed with worry (Västerbottens-Kuriren 2011).The presence of large scale discount retailers is not, however, a novel phenomenon but a part of a long-term change in retailing that has taken place globally over the past couple of decades (Taylor & Smalling, 2005). As noted by Dawson (2006), the trend in Europe has over the past few decades gone towards an increasing concentration of large firms along with a decrease of smaller firms.This trend is also detectable in the Swedish retail industry. Over the past decade, the retailing industry in Sweden has increased by around 190 Billion SEK, and its share of GDP has risen from 2,7% to 2,9%, while the number of employees have increased from 200 000 to 250 000 (HUI 2013). This growth, however, has not been distributed evenly but rather it has been oriented mainly towards out-of-town retail clusters. Parallel to this development, the number of large retailers has risen at the expense of market shares of smaller independent firms (Rämme et al 2010). Thereby, the presence of large scale retailers is simply part of a changing retail landscape.The effects of this development, where large scale retailing agents relocate shopping to out-of-town shopping areas, have been heavily debated. On the one hand, the big-boxes are accused of displacing independent small retail businesses in the city-centers and the residential areas, resulting in, to some extent, reduced employment opportunities and less availability for the consumers - especially the elderly (Ljungberg et al 2006). In addition, as access to shopping now tends to require some sort of a motorized vehicle, environmental aspects to the discussion have emerged. Ultimately these types of concerns have resulted in calls for regulations against this development (Olsson 2010). On the other hand, the proponents of the new shopping landscape argue that this evolution implies productivity gains, the benefits of lower prices and an increased variety of products (Maican & Orth 2012). Moreover it is argued that it leads to, for instance, better services (such as longer opening hours) and a creative destruction transformation pressure on retailers, which brings about a renewal of city-centerIIretail and services, increasing their attractivity (Bergström 2010). The belief in benefits of a big box entry can be exemplified by the attractivity of IKEA, and the fact that municipalities are prepared to commit to expenses amounting up to hundreds of millions in order to attract the entry of this big-box. Borlänge municipality, for instance, agreed to expenses of about 350 million SEK in order to secure the entry of IKEA, which opened in 2013 (Blomgren 2009).Against this backdrop, the overall effects of large discount retailers become important: Are the economic benefits enough to warrant subsidies or are there, on the contrary, some very compelling grounds for regulations against these types of establishments? In other words; how is overall retail in a region where a store like IKEA enters affected? And how are local retail firms affected?In order to answer these questions, the purpose of this thesis is to study how entry of a big-box retailer affects the entry region. The object of this study is IKEA - one of the world’s largest retailers, with 345 stores, active in over 40 countries and with profits of about 3.3 billion (IKEA 2013; IKEA 2014). By studying the effects of IKEA-entry, both on an aggregated level and on firm level, this thesis intends to find indications of how large discount retail establishments in general can be expected to affect the economic development both in a region overall, but also on the local firm level, something which is of interest to both policymakers as well as the retailing industry in general.The first paper examines the effects of IKEA on retail revenues and employment in the municipalities that IKEA chose to enter between 2000 and 2011; Gothenburg, Haparanda, Kalmar and Karlstad. By means of a matching method we first identify non-entry municipalities that have a similar probability of IKEA entry as the true entry municipalities. Then, using these non-entry municipalities as a control group, the causal effects of IKEA entry can be estimated using a treatment-control approach. We also extend the analysis to examine the spatial impact of IKEA by estimating the effects on retail in neighboring municipalities. It is found that a new IKEA store increases revenues in durable goods trade with 20% in the entry municipality and the number of employees with 17%. Only small, and in most cases statistically insignificant, negative effects were found in neighboring municipalities.It appears that there is a positive net effect on durables retail sales and employment in the entry municipality. However, the analysis is based on data on an aggregated municipality level and thereby it remains unclear if and how the effects vary within the entry municipalities. In addition, the data used in the first study includes the sales and employment of IKEA itself, which could account for the majority of the increases in employment and retail. Thereby the potential spillover effects on incumbent retailers in the entry municipalities cannot be discerned in the first study.IIITo examine effects of IKEA entry on incumbent retail firms, the second paper in this thesis analyses how IKEA entry affects the revenues and employment of local retail firms in three municipalities; Haparanda, Kalmar and Karlstad, which experienced entry by IKEA between 2000 and 2010. In this second study, we exclude Gothenburg due to the fact that big-box entry appears to have weaker effects in metropolitan areas (as indicated by Artz & Stone 2006). By excluding Gothenburg we aim to reduce the geographical heterogeneity in our study. We obtain control municipalities that are as similar as possible to the three entry municipalities using the same method as in the previous study, but including a slightly different set of variables in the selection equation. Using similar retail firms in the control municipalities as our comparison group, we estimate the impact of IKEA entry on revenues and employment for retail firms located at varying distances from the IKEA entry site.The results generated in this study imply that entry by IKEA increases revenues in incumbent retail firms by, on average, 11% in the entry municipalities. In addition, we do not find any significant impact on retail revenues in the city centers of the entry municipalities. However, we do find that retail firms within 1 km of the IKEA experience increases in revenues of about 26%, which indicates large spillover effects in the area nearby the entry site. As expected, this impact decreases as we expand the buffer zone: firms located between 0-2 km experiences a 14% increase and firms in 2-5 km experiences an increase of 10%. We do not find any significant impacts on retail employment.

What aspects of rehabilitation provision contribute to self-reported met needs for rehabilitation one year after stroke - amount, place, operator or timing?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To a large extent, people who have suffered a stroke report unmet needs for rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to explore aspects of rehabilitation provision that potentially contribute to self-reported met needs for rehabilitation 12 months after stroke with consideration also to severity of stroke. METHODS: The participants (n = 173) received care at the stroke units at the Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden. Using a questionnaire, the dependent variable, self-reported met needs for rehabilitation, was collected at 12 months after stroke. The independent variables were four aspects of rehabilitation provision based on data retrieved from registers and structured according to four aspects: amount of rehabilitation, service level (day care rehabilitation, primary care rehabilitation and home-based rehabilitation), operator level (physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist) and time after stroke onset. Multivariate logistic regression analyses regarding the aspects of rehabilitation were performed for the participants who were divided into three groups based on stroke severity at onset. RESULTS: Participants with moderate/severe stroke who had seen a physiotherapist at least once during each of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd-4th quarters of the first year (OR 8.36, CI 1.40-49.88 P = 0.020) were more likely to report met rehabilitation needs. CONCLUSION: For people with moderate/severe stroke, continuity in rehabilitation (preferably physiotherapy) during the first year after stroke seems to be associated with self-reported met needs for rehabilitation.

Optical Characterization and Optimization of Display Components : Some Applications to Liquid-Crystal-Based and Electrochromics-Based Devices

This dissertation is focused on theoretical and experimental studies of optical properties of materials and multilayer structures composing liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and electrochromic (EC) devices. By applying spectroscopic ellipsometry, we have determined the optical constants of thin films of electrochromic tungsten oxide (WOx) and nickel oxide (NiOy), the films’ thickness and roughness. These films, which were obtained at spattering conditions possess high transmittance that is important for achieving good visibility and high contrast in an EC device. Another application of the general spectroscopic ellipsometry relates to the study of a photo-alignment layer of a mixture of azo-dyes SD-1 and SDA-2. We have found the optical constants of this mixture before and after illuminating it by polarized UV light. The results obtained confirm the diffusion model to explain the formation of the photo-induced order in azo-dye films. We have developed new techniques for fast characterization of twisted nematic LC cells in transmissive and reflective modes. Our techniques are based on the characteristics functions that we have introduced for determination of parameters of non-uniform birefringent media. These characteristic functions are found by simple procedures and can be utilised for simultaneous determination of retardation, its wavelength dispersion, and twist angle, as well as for solving associated optimization problems. Cholesteric LCD that possesses some unique properties, such as bistability and good selective scattering, however, has a disadvantage – relatively high driving voltage (tens of volts). The way we propose to reduce the driving voltage consists of applying a stack of thin (~1µm) LC layers. We have studied the ability of a layer of a surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal coupled with several retardation plates for birefringent color generation. We have demonstrated that in order to accomplish good color characteristics and high brightness of the display, one or two retardation plates are sufficient.

Effect of density on population development in the Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum

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

Postoperative analgesic effects of epidural administration of neostigmine alone or in combination with morphine in ovariohysterectomized dogs

Objective-To evaluate analgesic effects of epidurally administered neostigmine alone or in combination with morphine in dogs after ovariohysterectomy.Animals-40 healthy bitches.Procedures-After acepromazine premedication, anesthesia was induced. Dogs randomly received 1 of the following 4 epidural treatments 30 minutes before ovariohysterectomy (n = 10/group): saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control), morphine (0.1 mg/kg), neostigmine (10 pg/kg), or morphine-neostigmine (0.1 mg/kg and 10 pg/kg, respectively). Analgesia was assessed for 24 hours after surgery by use of a visual analogue.scale (VAS; scale of 0 to 10) or numeric descriptive scale (NDS; scale of 0 to 24) and by the need for supplemental analgesia (morphine [0.5 mg/kg, IM] administered when VAS was >= 4 or NDS was >= 8).Results-Significantly more control dogs (n = 8) received supplemental analgesia, compared with the number of neostigmine-treated dogs (1); no dogs in the remaining groups received supplemental analgesia. Compared with values for the control dogs, the NDS scores were lower for morphine-neostigmine-treated dogs (from 2 to 6 hours and at 12 hours) and for morphine-treated dogs (all time points). The NDS scores were lower for morphine-treated dogs at 3, 12, and 24 hours, compared with values for neostigmine-treated dogs. The VAS was less sensitive than the NDS for detecting differences among groups.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Epidurally administered neostigmine reduced the use of supplemental analgesia after ovariohysterectorny in dogs. However, analgesic effects were less pronounced than for epidurally administered morphine or morphine-neostigmine. Adding neostigmine to epidurally administered morphine did not potentiate opioid-induced analgesia.

Performance and hematology of pacu fed diets supplemented with vitamins C and/or E

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

Detection of Leishmania (L.) chagasi in canine skin

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

Performance and carcass characteristics of Nellore young bulls fed different sources of oils, protected or not from rumen degradation

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

Best site for embryo transfer: the upper or lower half of endometrial cavity?

BACKGROUND: the objective of the present study was to determine the importance of the site of embryo transfer (upper or lower half endometrial cavity) on implantation and clinical pregnancy rates. METHODS: A total of 400 transfers guided by ultrasound were randomly assigned to two groups according to the distance between the uterine fundus and the catheter tip at the time of embryo placement. Group I (n=200) consisted of transfers corresponding to a distance of <50% of the endometrial cavity length (ECL), i.e. transfer in upper half of the cavity; and group II (n=200) consisted of transfers corresponding to a distance of greater than or equal to50%, of the ECL, i.e. transfer in lower half of cavity. The Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test and Fisher's exact test were used where appropriate. RESULTS: the general characteristics of the study population and the main transfer cycle characteristics had an equal distribution (P>0.05) between groups I and II. No significant difference in implantation or pregnancy rates was observed between groups I and II. CONCLUSION: the implantation or pregnancy rates were similar whether the embryos were deposited in the upper or lower half of the endometrial cavity.

Lesions (ulcers and/or erosions) and desquamations location in the gastric mucosa from asymptomatic Quarter Horse foals: endoscopic survey

A úlcera gástrica figura como uma importante causa de desconforto abdominal em eqüinos jovens. de acordo com a localização das lesões na mucosa gástrica, a presença ou ausência de sinais clínicos e possíveis complicações resultantes de sua ocorrência, quatro síndromes clínicas são freqüentemente descritas em potros: 1) Úlceras assintomáticas ou silenciosas; 2) Úlceras sintomáticas ou ativas; 3) Úlceras perfuradas; e 4) Obstruções gástrica ou duodenal. Com o objetivo de se verificar a distribuição de lesões gástricas (úlceras e/ou erosões) e descamações do epitélio aglandular no estômago de eqüinos jovens assim como uma possível relação entre as alterações mencionadas (lesão/descamação) sessenta potros da raça Quarto de Milha não-portadores de sinais clínicos compatíveis com úlceras gástricas foram submetidos à gastroscopia. Os potros foram divididos em quatro faixas etárias de 15 animais cada uma, sendo: 1 a 30 dias, 31 a 60 dias, 61 a 90 dias e 91 a 120 dias de idade. As lesões ocorreram em ordem decrescente de freqüência nas regiões aglandular próximo ao margo plicatus ao longo da curvatura maior, aglandular próximo à cárdia ao longo da curvatura menor, fundo glandular e aglandular e antro. As descamações do epitélio aglandular ocorreram de forma similar nas regiões de fundo e margo plicatus. Não houve associação entre a ocorrência de lesões e descamações.

Effects of methadone, alone or in combination with acepromazine or xylazine, on sedation and physiologic values in dogs

Objective To evaluate the effects of methadone, administered alone or in combination with acepromazine or xylazine, on sedation and on physiologic values in dogs.Study design Randomized cross-over design.Animals Six adult healthy mixed-breed dogs weighing 13.5 +/- 4.9 kg.Methods Dogs were injected intramuscularly with physiologic saline (Control), or methadone (0.5mg kg(-1)) or acepromazine (0.1 mg kg(-1)) or xylazine (1.0 mg kg(-1)), or acepromazine (0.05 mg kg(-1)) plus methadone (0.5 mg kg(-1)) or xylazine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) plus methadone (0.5 mg kg(-1)) in a randomized cross-over design, with at least 1-week intervals. Sedation, pulse rate, indirect systolic arterial pressure, respiratory rate (RR), body temperature and pedal withdrawal reflex were evaluated before and at 15-minute intervals for 90 minutes after treatment.Results Sedation was greater in dogs receiving xylazine alone, xylazine plus methadone and acepromazine plus methadone. Peak sedative effect occurred within 30 minutes of treatment administration. Pulse rate was lower in dogs that received xylazine either alone or with methadone during most of the study. Systolic arterial pressure decreased only in dogs receiving acepromazine alone. When methadone was administered alone, RR was higher than in other treatments during most of the study and a high prevalence of panting was observed. In all treatments body temperature decreased, this effect being more pronounced in dogs receiving methadone alone or in combination with acepromazine. Pedal withdrawal reflex was absent in four dogs receiving methadone plus xylazine but not in any dog in the remaining treatments.Conclusions Methadone alone produces mild sedation and a high prevalence of panting. Greater sedation was achieved when methadone was used in combination with acepromazine or xylazine. The combination xylazine-methadone appears to result in better analgesia than xylazine administered alone. Both combinations of methadone/sedative were considered effective for premedication in dogs.