Effects of olive oil and its minor phenolic constituents on obesity-induced cardiac metabolic changes

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

Influence of different routes of flush perfusion on the distribution of lung preservation solutions in parenchyma and airways

Objective: The present study was performed to investigate the influence of different routes of perfusion on the distribution of the preservation solutions in the lung parenchyma and upper airways. Methods: Pigs were divided into four groups: control (n = 6), pulmonary artery (PA) (n = 6), simultaneous PA + bronchial artery (BA) (n = 8), and retrograde delivery (n = 6). After preparation and cannulation, cardioplegia solution and Euro- Collins solution (ECS) for lung preservation were given simultaneously. After removal of the heart, the double lung bloc was harvested. Following parameters were assessed: total and regional perfusion (dye-labeled microspheres), tissue water content, PA, aorta, left atrial and left ventricular pressures, cardiac output and lung temperature. Results: Our data show that flow of the ECS in lung parenchyma did not reach control values (9.4 ± 1.0 ml/min per g lung wet weight) regardless of the route of delivery (PA 6.3 ± 1.5, PA + BA 4.8 ± 0.9, retrograde 2.7 ± 0.9 ml/min per g lung wet weight). However, flow in the proximal and distal trachea were significantly increased by PA + BA delivery (0.970 ± 0.4, respectively, 0.380 ± 0.2 ml/min per g) in comparison with PA (0.023 ± 0.007, respectively, 0.024 ± 0.070 ml/min per g), retrograde (0.009 ± 0.003, respectively, 0.021 ± 0.006 ml/min per g) and control experiments (0.125 ± 0.0018, respectively, 0.105 ± 0.012 ml/g per min). Similarly the highest flow rates in the right main bronchus were achieved by PA + BA delivery (1.04 ± 0.4 ml/min per g) in comparison with 0.11 ± 0.03 in control, 0.033 ± 0.008 in PA, and 0.019 ± 0.005 ml/min per g in retrograde group. Flows in the left main bronchus were 0.09 ± 0.02 ml/min per g in control, 0.045 ± 0.012 ml/min per g in PA, and 0.027 ± 0.006 ml/min per g in retrograde group. The flow rates were significantly (P = 0.001) increased by PA + BA delivery of the storage solution (0.97 ± 0.3 ml/min per g). Conclusions: Our data show that the distribution of ECS for lung preservation is significantly improved in airway tissues (trachea and bronchi) if a simultaneous PA + BA delivery is used.

Properties of BaBi2Ta2O9 thin films prepared by chemical solution deposition technique for dynamic random-access memory applications

We report on the properties of BaBi2Ta2O9 (BBT) thin films for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and integrated capacitor applications. Crystalline BBT thin films were successfully fabricated by the chemical solution deposition technique on Pt-coated Si substrates at a low annealing temperature of 650°C. The films were characterized in terms of structural, dielectric, and insulating properties. The electrical measurements were conducted on Pt/BBT/Pt capacitors. The typical measured small signal dielectric constant and dissipation factor, at 100 kHz, were 282 and 0.023, respectively, for films annealed at 700°C for 60 min. The leakage current density of the films was lower than 10-9 A/cm2 at an applied electric field of 300 kV/cm. A large storage density of 38.4 fC/μm2 was obtained at an applied electric field of 200 kV/cm. The high dielectric constant, low dielectric loss and low leakage current density suggest the suitability of BBT thin films as dielectric layer for DRAM and integrated capacitor applications.

Supersymmetric Born-Infeld from the pure spinor formalism of the open superstring

Classical BRST invariance in the pure spinor formalism for the open superstring is shown to imply the supersymmetric Born-Infeld equations of motion for the background fields. These equations are obtained by requiring that the left and right-moving BRST currents are equal on the worldsheet boundary in the presence of the background. The Born-Infeld equations are expressed in N = 1 D = 10 superspace and include all abelian contributions to the low-energy equations of motion, as well as the leading non-abelian contributions. © SISSA/ISAS 2003.

Multiresidue determination of herbicides in environmental waters from Primavera do Leste region (Middle West of Brazil) by SPE-GC-NPD

A study on the presence of herbicides, namely simazine, metribuzin, metolachlor, trifluralin, atrazine and two metabolites, deisopropylatrazine (DIA) and deethylatrazine (DEA), was performed in ground and surface waters from Primavera do Leste region, Mato Grosso state (Middle West of Brazil). The analytical procedure was based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) with Sep-Pak C18 disposable cartridges and ethyl acetate for elution solvent. Residue levels were determined by gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. For most of the pesticides average recoveries at different fortification levels were >with relative standard deviation < The recoveries of DIA and trifluralin in water were 25% and 56%, respectively, which were attributed to the incomplete retention of DIA and strong retention on the sorbing material and high volatility of trifluralin. Detection limits ranged from 0.023 to 0.088 μg L-1. This method was applied for the analysis of 5 superficial water samples and 28 groundwater samples, in places used for human consumption without previous treatment, collected in Primavera do Leste, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Results indicated that the highest level of contamination in a water sample was 1.732 μg L-1 for metolachlor, while metribuzin was the most frequently detected herbicide with maximum concentration of 0.351 μg L-1. ©2006 Sociedade Brasileira de Química.

Evaluation of bone ingrowth into porous titanium implant: Histomorphometric analysis in rabbits

A porous material for bone ingrowth with adequate pore structure and appropriate mechanical properties has long been sought as the ideal bone-implant interface. This study aimed to assess in vivo the influence of three types of porous titanium implant on the new bone ingrowth. The implants were produced by means of a powder metallurgy technique with different porosities and pore sizes: Group 1 = 30% and 180 μm; Group 2 = 30% and 300 μm; and Group 3 = 40% and 180 μm. Six rabbits received one implant of each type in the right and left tibiae and were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery for histological and histomor-phometric analyses. Histological analysis confirmed new bone in contact with the implant, formed in direction of pores. Histomorphometric evaluation demonstrated that the new bone formation was statistically significantly lower in the group G1 than in group G3, (P = 0.023). Based on these results, increased porosity and pore size were concluded to have a positive effect on the amount of bone ingrowth.

Acute antibody-mediated rejection of renal transplant associated with cellular crescents: First case report

Acute antibody-mediated rejection is characterized by histological abnormalities such as glomerulitis, capillaritis, or thrombosis associated with presence of C4d and specific anti-donor antibodies. Reports on the association of glomerular injuries with cellular crescents in antibody-mediated rejection are not found in the literature. We report a unique case of antibody-mediated rejection associated with cellular crescents and suggest that such histological abnormality should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute antibody-mediated rejection. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.

Measurements of inclusive W and Z cross sections in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV The CMS collaboration

Measurements of inclusive W and Z boson production cross sections in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV are presented, based on 2.9 pb-1 of data recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The measurements, performed in the electron and muon decay channels, are combined to give σ(pp → WX) × B(W → l?) = 9.95 ± 0.07 (stat.) ± 0.28 (syst.) ± 1.09 (lumi.) nb and σ(pp → ZX) × B(Z → l +l-) = 0.931 ± 0.026 (stat.) ± 0.023 (syst.) ± 0.102 (lumi.) nb, where l stands for either e or μ. Theoretical predictions, calculated at the next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD using recent parton distribution functions, are in agreement with the measured cross sections. Ratios of cross sections, which incur an experimental systematic uncertainty of less than 4%, are also reported.

Urea-induced unfolding of Glossoscolex paulistus hemoglobin, in oxy- and cyanomet-forms: A dissociation model

The urea effect on the giant extracellular hemoglobin of Glossoscolex paulistus (HbGp) stability was studied by analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). AUC data show that the sedimentation coefficient distributions curves c (S), at 1.0mol/L of urea, display a single peak at 57 S, associated to the undissociated protein. The increase in urea concentration, up to 4.0mol/L, induces the appearance of smaller species, due to oligomeric dissociation. The sedimentation coefficients and molecular masses are 9.2S and 204kDa for the dodecamer (abcd)3, 5.5S and 69kDa for the tetramer (abcd), 4.1S and 52kDa for the trimer (abc) and 2.0 S and 17kDa for the monomer d, respectively. SAXS data show initially a decrease in the I(0) values due to the oligomeric dissociation, and then, above 4.0mol/L of denaturant, for oxy-HbGp, and above 6.0mol/L for cyanomet-HbGp, an increase in the maximum dimension and gyration radius is observed, due to the unfolding process. According to AUC and SAXS data the HbGp unfolding is described by two phases: the first one, at low urea concentration, below 4.0mol/L, characterizes the oligomeric dissociation, while the second one, at higher urea concentration, is associated to the unfolding of dissociated species. Our results are complementary to a recent report based on spectroscopic observations. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Fatigue and rapid hamstring/quadriceps force capacity in professional soccer players

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fatigue induced by an exhaustive laboratory-based soccer-specific exercise on different hamstrings/quadriceps (H:Q) ratios of soccer players. Twenty-two male professional soccer players (23·1 ± 3·4 year) performed maximal eccentric (ecc) and concentric (con) contractions for knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) at 60° s-1 and 180° s-1 to assess conventional (Hcon:Qcon) and functional (Hecc:Qcon) ratios. Additionally, they performed maximal voluntary isometric contraction for KE and KF, from which the maximal muscle strength, rate of force development (RFD) and RFD H:Q strength ratio (RFDH:Q) were extracted. Thereafter, subjects were performed an exhaustive laboratory-based soccer-specific exercise and a posttest similar to the pretest. There was significant reduction in Hcon:Qcon (0·60 ± 0·06 versus 0·58 ± 0·06, P<0·05) and in Hecc:Qcon (1·29 ± 0·2 versus 1·16 ± 0·2, P<0·01) after the soccer-specific exercise. However, no significant difference between Pre and Post exercise conditions was found for RFDH:Q at 0-50 (0·53 ± 0·23 versus 0·57 ± 0·24, P>0·05) and 0-100 ms (0·53 ± 0·17 versus 0·55 ± 0·17, P>0·05). In conclusion, H:Q strength ratios based on peak force values are more affected by fatigue than RFDH:Q obtained during early contraction phase. Thus, fatigue induced by soccer-specific intermittent protocol seems not reduce the potential for knee joint stabilization during the initial phase of voluntary muscle contraction. copy; 2012 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine.

Spirituality: Do teachers and students hold the same opinion?

Background:  Few studies have investigated potential differences between the opinions of educators and undergraduates regarding spirituality in patient care. Understanding these differences, could lead to better strategies for educational proposes. Purpose:  To compare the opinions of medical teachers (MTs) and medical students (MSs) regarding spirituality training in a Brazilian medical school. Methods:  A cross-sectional study was conducted. MTs and MSs filled out a questionnaire containing the Duke Religion Index, and questions regarding spirituality in clinical practice and at medical school. A comparison between early-curriculum MSs, late curriculum MSs and MTs was carried out. Chi-square (categorical) and Mann-Whitney (continuous/ordinal) tests were used. Results:  A total of 475 MSs and 44 MTs were evaluated. Results showed that MSs did not address spirituality as frequently as MTs (p<0.001), and that most participants did not feel prepared to address this issue, and believe that Brazilian medical schools are not giving all the required information in this field. Nevertheless, they believe MSs should be prepared to discuss these issues. Late-curriculum MSs believed that spirituality plays a more positive role in patient health (p=0.027), and were more prone to address this issue than early-curriculum MSs (p=0.023). Conclusion:  These findings revealed some of the challenges faced by spirituality medical training in Brazil, and differences between MTs and MSs regarding this issue. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings in other countries. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2013.

Ethopharmacological evaluation of the rat exposure test: A prey-predator interaction test

The rat exposure test (RET) is a prey (mouse)-predator (rat) situation that activates brain defensive areas and elicits hormonal and defensive behavior in the mouse. Here, we investigated possible correlations between the spatiotemporal [time spent in protected (home chamber and tunnel) and unprotected (surface) compartments and frequency of entries into the three compartments] and ethological [e.g., duration of protected and unprotected stretched-attend postures (SAP), duration of contact with the rat's compartment] measures (Experiment 1). Secondly, we investigated the effects of systemic treatment with pro- or anti-aversive drugs on the behavior that emerged from the factor analysis (Experiment 2). The effects of chronic (21 days) imipramine and fluoxetine on defensive behavior were also investigated (Experiment 3). Exp. 1 revealed that the time in the protected compartment, protected SAP and rat contacts loaded on factor 1 (defensive behavior), while the total entries and unprotected SAP loaded on factor 2 (locomotor activity). Exp. 2 showed that alprazolam (but not diazepam) selectively changed the defensive factor. Caffeine produced a mild proaversive-like effect, whereas yohimbine only decreased locomotor activity (total entries). Fluoxetine (but not imipramine) produced a weak proaversive-like effect. 5-HT1A/5-HT2 receptor ligands did not change any behavioral measure. In Exp. 3, chronic fluoxetine (but not imipramine) attenuated the defensive behavior factor without changing locomotion. Given that the defensive factor was sensitive to drugs known to attenuate (alprazolam and chronic fluoxetine) and induce (caffeine) panic attack, we suggest the RET as a useful test to assess the effects of panicolytic and panicogenic drugs. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Estimación de la mortalidad infantil a partir de la historia clínica perinatal

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Differential expression of members of the IGF system in OPU-derived oocytes from Nelore (Bos indicus) and Holstein (Bos taurus) cows

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is related to quality of oocytes and embryos. The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA levels of IGF1 and IGF2 and their receptors, IGFR1 and IGFR2, as well as IGFBP2, IGFBP4, and PAPP-A in oocytes from Nelore compared to Holstein cows. Pools of oocytes (20 oocytes/pool) from Nelore (n=8 pools) and Holstein (n=4 pools) were obtained via ovum pick-up (OPU, 10 sessions) and cumulus cells and zona pellucida were removed. The pools were submitted to total RNA extraction. Expression of members of the IGF system was assessed by real time RT-PCR. The mRNA expression of IGF1 and IGF2, IGFR1 and IGFR2, IGFBP2 and IGFBP4 was significantly higher (P<0.01) in oocytes from Holstein whereas the expression of PAPP-A was significantly higher (P<0.05) in oocytes from Nelore cows. The high PAPP-A expression and the low expression of IGFBP2 and IGFBP4 are associated with more efficient degradation of IGFBPs, which results in greater bioavailability of IGF in Nelore oocytes when compared to the Holstein. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.