Telomerase activity in the vaginal margins of radical hysterectomy in patients with carcinoma of the cervix: Correlation with histology and human papillomavirus

This study was undertaken to evaluate the telomerase activity both in the tumor and in the vaginal margins of radical hysterectomy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. Thirty-three patients with SCC of the cervix (study group) and 13 patients with uterine myoma (control group) were prospectively studied. Tissue samples were taken from the tumor or cervix, anterior vaginal margin (AVM), and posterior vaginal margin (PVM). The specimens were analyzed by histopathology, by a telomerase PCR-TRAP-ELISA kit, and by polymerase chain reaction using human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. The telomerase activity was significantly higher in the tumor than in the benign cervix (P < 0.001). There was no difference in telomerase activity in the AVM and PVM in patients with cervical carcinoma compared to the control group. Telomerase activity was associated with the presence of histologic malignancy in the PVM of patients submitted to radical hysterectomy (P = 0.03). This association was not observed with the presence of HPV in AVM or PVM in the study group. Telomerase activity is a marker of histologic malignancy in patients with SCC of the cervix. There was no association between the telomerase activity and the presence of HPV in vaginal margins of patients submitted to radical hysterectomy. © 2006, Copyright the Authors.

Myeloperoxidase inhibitory and radical scavenging activities of flavones from Pterogyne nitens

Two new flavone glucosides, nitensosides A and B (1, 2), together with four known compounds, sorbifolin (3), sorbifolin 6-O-β-glucopyranoside (4), pedalitin (5), and pedalitin 6-O-β-glucopyranoside (6) were isolated from Pterogyne nitens. Their structures were elucidated from 1D and 2D NMR analysis, as well as by high resolution mass spectrometry. All the isolated flavones were evaluated for their myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibitory activity. The most active compound, pedalitin, exhibited IC 50 value of 3.75 nM on MPO. Additionally, the radical-scavenging capacity of flavones 1-6 was evaluated towards ABTS and DPPH radicals and compared to standard compounds quercetin and Trolox®. © 2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.

The role of membranous urethral afferent autonomic innervation in the continence mechanism after nerve sparing radical prostatectomy: a clinical and prospective study

Purpose: We evaluated the somatic and autonomic innervation of the pelvic floor and rhabdosphincter before and after nerve sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy using neurophysiological tests and correlated findings with clinical parameters and urinary continence. Materials and Methods: From February 2003 to October 2005, 46 patients with prostate cancer were enrolled in a controlled, prospective study. Patients were evaluated before and 6 months after nerve sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy using the UCLA-PCI urinary function domain and neurophysiological tests, including somatosensory evoked potential, and the pudendo-urethral, pudendo-anal and urethro-anal reflexes. Clinical parameters and urinary continence were correlated with afferent and efferent innervation of the membranous urethra and pelvic floor. We used strict criteria to define urinary continence as complete dryness with no leakage at all, not requiring any pads or diapers and with a UCLA-PCI score of 500. Patients with a sporadic drop of leakage, requiring up to 1 pad daily, were defined as having occasional urinary leakage. Results: Two patients were excluded from study due to urethral stricture postoperatively. We evaluated 44 patients within 6 months after surgery. The pudendo-anal and pudendo-urethral reflexes were unchanged postoperatively (p = 0.93 and 0.09, respectively), demonstrating that afferent and efferent pudendal innervation to this pelvic region was not affected by the surgery. Autonomic afferent denervation of the membranous urethral mucosa was found in 34 patients (77.3%), as demonstrated by a postoperative increase in the urethro-anal reflex sensory threshold and urethro-anal reflex latency (p <0.001 and 0.0007, respectively). Six of the 44 patients used pads. One patient with more severe leakage required 3 pads daily and 23 showed urinary leakage, including 5 who needed 1 pad per day and 18 who did not wear pads. Afferent autonomic denervation at the membranous urethral mucosa was found in 91.7% of patients with urinary leakage. Of 10 patients with preserved urethro-anal reflex latency 80% were continent. Conclusions: Sensory and motor pudendal innervation to this specific pelvic region did not change after nerve sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy. Significant autonomic afferent denervation of the membranous urethral mucosa was present in most patients postoperatively. Impaired membranous urethral sensitivity seemed to be associated with urinary incontinence, particularly in patients with occasional urinary leakage. Damage to the afferent autonomic innervation may have a role in the continence mechanism after nerve sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Specialist tool for monitoring the measurement degradation process of induction active energy meters

This paper presents a methodology and a specialist tool for failure probability analysis of induction type watt-hour meters, considering the main variables related to their measurement degradation processes. The database of the metering park of a distribution company, named Elektro Electricity and Services Co., was used for determining the most relevant variables and to feed the data in the software. The modeling developed to calculate the watt-hour meters probability of failure was implemented in a tool through a user friendly platform, written in Delphi language. Among the main features of this tool are: analysis of probability of failure by risk range; geographical localization of the meters in the metering park, and automatic sampling of induction type watt-hour meters, based on a risk classification expert system, in order to obtain information to aid the management of these meters. The main goals of the specialist tool are following and managing the measurement degradation, maintenance and replacement processes for induction watt-hour meters. © 2011 IEEE.

Indicators of soil degradation in urban forests: Physical and chemical parameters

The fragmentation of forest habitats in urban areas has aroused increasing interest in recent years according to the growing environmental problems. The fragmentation of theses ecosystems is caused, in general, by the pressure of housing, agriculture and industry, causing losses in biodiversity and problems of soil degradation in the border areas of theses remnants. The establishment of indicators of soil degradation becomes essential for the implementation of conservation and reclamation. This study analyzes physical and chemical characteristics of soil under different forms of vegetation in the forest surrounding the Quilombo Forest, located in Campinas/SP - Brazil, and examines the possibility of using these indices as indicators of environmental degradation in urban remnants. The parameters analyzed were: specific weight natural (γn), specific weight of solids (γs) Ca, P, K, Mg, pH, organic matter, H + Al, Sum of Base (SB) Percent Base Saturation (V%), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). The study shows that in general the different forms of land used in the study area significantly changed (or according to) the physical aspects of soil The porosity and voids of the soil stood out as the best indicators of soil physical degradation in the layer 0-20 cm deep. In relation to chemical indices, the soil under the cultivation of cane sugar had a significantly higher pH, K, Ca, Mg and sum of bases. The areas of forest showed higher levels of phosphorus, organic matter and CEC, indicating the importance of maintaining vegetation and replacement for the cycling of organic matter.

Influence of the degradation on the stress cracking values of high density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes after different exposures

This paper presents results from stress cracking (SC) tests performed in both fresh and exposed high density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes (GM). The HDPE GMs were exposed to ultraviolet radiation, thermal aging (air oven) and tested for chemical compatibility with sodium hydroxide. Stress cracking tests in both fresh and degraded samples were performed in accordance to ASTM D5397: Notched Constant Tensile Load Test (NCTL) and Single Point-Notched Constant Tensile Load Test (SP-NCTL). The results of the NCTL showed that the geomembrane degradation process can be considered to be a catalyst for the phenomenon of SC because it caused a 50% to 60% reduction in stress crack resistance. The most resistance reduction was observed for the sample under chemical compatibility with sodium hydroxide. For the SP-NCTL, the results showed that the samples maintain the same trend verified in the NCTL. The largest resistance reduction was evidenced in samples undergoing ultraviolet degradation. © 2012 ejge.

Effect of phosphoric acid on the degradation of human dentin matrix

This study determined if dentin proteases are denatured by phosphoric acid (PA) used in etch-and-rinse dentin adhesives. Dentin beams were completely demineralized with EDTA for 30 days. We acid-etched experimental groups by exposing the demineralized dentin beams to 1, 10, or 37 mass% PA for 15 sec or 15 min. Control beams were not exposed to PA but were incubated in simulated body fluid for 3 days to assay their total endogenous telopeptidase activity, by their ability to solubilize C-terminal crosslinked telopeptides ICTP and CTX from insoluble dentin collagen. Control beams released 6.1 ± 0.8 ng ICTP and 0.6 ± 0.1 ng CTX/mg dry-wt/3 days. Positive control beams pre-incubated in p-aminophenylmercuric acetate, a compound known to activate proMMPs, released about the same amount of ICTP peptides, but released significantly less CTX. Beams immersed in 1, 10, or 37 mass% PA for 15 sec or 15 min released amounts of ICTP and CTX similar to that released by the controls (p > 0.05). Beams incubated in galardin, an MMP inhibitor, or E-64, a cathepsin inhibitor, blocked most of the release of ICTP and CTX, respectively. It is concluded that PA does not denature endogenous MMP and cathepsin activities of dentin matrices. © 2013 International & American Associations for Dental Research.

Evaluation of the effects of nicorandil and its molecular precursor (without radical NO) on proliferation and apoptosis of 786-cell

Nicorandil is a nitric oxide (NO) donor used in the treatment of angina symptoms. It has also been reported to protect cells and affect the proliferation and death of cells in some tissues. The molecules that interfere with these processes can cause dysfunction in healthy tissues but can also assist in the therapy of some disorders. In this study we examined the effect of nicorandil and of the molecular precursor that does not have the NO radical (N-(beta-hydroxyethyl) nicotinamide) on the cell proliferation and death of human renal carcinoma cells (786-O) under normal oxygenation conditions. The molecular precursor was used in order to analyze the effects independents of NO. In the cytotoxicity test, nicorandil was shown to be cytotoxic at very high concentrations and it was more cytotoxic than its precursor (cytotoxic at concentrations of 2,000 and 3,000 μg/mL, respectively). We propose that the lower cytotoxicity of the precursor is due to the absence of the NO radical. In this study, the cells exposed to nicorandil showed neither statistically significant changes in cell proliferation nor increases in apoptosis or genotoxicity. The precursor generated similar results to those of nicorandil. We conclude that nicorandil causes no changes in the proliferation or apoptosis of the cell 786-O in normal oxygenation conditions. Moreover, the lack of NO radical in the precursor molecule did not show a different result, except in the cell cytotoxicity. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Free radical scavenging activity of Kielmeyera variabilis (Clusiaceae)

As part of our ongoing research on antioxidant agents from Brazilian flora, we screened the free radical scavenging activity of two extracts and eight fractions of Kielmeyera variabilis (Clusiaceae) using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl-hydrate) and ABTS+ [2,2'-azinobis(3- ethylenebenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] colorimetric assays. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of the leaves of K. variabilis displayed the strongest activity (IC50 of 3.5 ± 0.3 and 4.4 ± 0.2 μg mL -1 for DPPH and 6.6 ± 0.4 and 3.1 ± 0.1 μg mL -1 for ABTS+, respectively). Chromatographic fractionation of the most potent fractions led to identification of three flavonols with previously described antioxidant activity, quercitrin (1), quercetin-3-O- glucoside (3), and quercetin-3-O-galactoside (4), and of one biflavone, podocarpusflavone A (2). This is the first time that the presence of these flavonoids in Kielmeyera variabilis has been reported. © 2013 by the authors.

Modified radical mastectomy: A pilot clinical trial comparing the use of conventional electric scalpel and harmonic scalpel

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the rates of local postoperative complications among women undergoing modified radical mastectomy with an electric scalpel (ES) or a harmonic scalpel (HS). It is thought that HS use has less postoperative complications, mainly seroma formation. Methods: This study was a prospective non-randomised clinical trial (NCT01391988) among consecutive patients, performed in parallel. Patients underwent modified radical mastectomy using an HS or ES. We analysed the following operative variables: time, blood loss and seroma volume drainage. Postoperative complications, including seroma, flap necrosis, haematoma and infection were evaluated on the 7th and 14th days. Results: Forty-six patients underwent a MRM with ES and 49 with HS; no differences were observed between the groups. The rate of local complications was 29% in the HS group and 52% in the ES group (p=0.024). The rates of seroma (16.3% versus 28.3%; p=0.161), necrosis (4.1% vs. 21.7%; p=0.013; OR=0.15), haematoma (2.0% vs. 8.7%; p=0.195) and infection (2.0% vs. 6.5%; p=0.351) were lower in the HS group. Adding the findings of all comparative studies using HSs in MRM to the seroma rates in the current study, the seroma rate, expressed as a categorical variable, did not decrease with HS. Seroma was present in 60/219 cases using an HS and in 69/239 cases utilising an ES (p=0.72). Based on a multivariate analysis, HS decreased the risk of skin necrosis (p=0.015). Conclusions: HSs do not decrease the seroma rate. However, this method may be useful in skin sparing mastectomy because it decreases skin flap necrosis. © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd.

Photo-Fenton degradation kinetics of low ciprofloxacin concentration using different iron sources and pH

The aim of the present study was to compare the degradation kinetics of low (1 mg L-1) and high (25 mg L-1) concentrations of ciprofloxacin (CIP) aiming to decrease the concentration of additives and evaluate the pH limitation by the use of low iron concentrations and organic ligands. A parameterized kinetic model was satisfactorily fitted to the experimental data in order to study the performance of photo-Fenton process with specific iron sources (iron citrate, iron oxalate, iron nitrate) under different pH medium (2.5, 4.5, 6.5). The process modeling allowed selecting those process conditions (iron source, additives concentrations and pH medium) which maximize the two performance parameters related to the global equilibrium conversion and kinetic rate of the process. For the high CIP concentration, degradation was very influenced by the iron source, resulting in much lower efficiency with iron nitrate. At pH 4.5, highest TOC removal (0.87) was achieved in the presence of iron citrate, while similar CIP conversions were obtained with oxalate and citrate (0.98 after 10 min). For the low CIP concentration, much higher conversion was observed in the presence of citrate or oxalate in relation to iron nitrate up to pH 4.5. This behavior denotes the importance of complexation also at low dosages. Appropriate additives load (320 μM H 2O2; 6 μM Fe) resulted in a CIP conversion of 0.96 after10 min reaction with citrate up to pH 4.5. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the nanoparticles performance in the photocatalytic degradation of a styrene-butadiene rubber nanocomposite

Much has been talking about the advantages of polymeric nanocomposites, but little is known about the influence of nanoparticles on the stability of these materials. In this sense, we studied the influence of both oxides of zirconium and titanium, known to have photocatalytic properties, as well as the influence of synthetic clay Laponite on the photodegradation of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). SBR nanocomposites were prepared by the colloidal route by mixing commercial polymer lattices and nanometric anatase TiO2, monoclinic ZrO2 or exfoliated Laponite clays colloidal suspensions. To better understand the degradation mechanisms that occur in these nanocomposites, the efficiency of different photocatalysts under ultraviolet radiation was monitored by FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopies and by differential scanning calorimetric. It was observed that TiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles undoubtedly acted as catalysts during the photodegradation process with different efficiencies and rates. However, when compared to pure SBR samples, the polymer degradation mechanism was unaffected. Unlike studies with nanocomposites montmorillonite, exfoliated laponite clay effectively acts as a photostabilizer of polymer UV photodegradation. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degradation promoted by nanoparticulate zerovalent iron (nZVI) in aerobic suspensions

Reactive species generated by Fe0 oxidation promoted by O2 (catalyzed or not by ligands) are able to degrade contaminant compounds like the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The degradation of 2,4-D was influenced by the concentrations of zero valent iron (ZVI) and different ligands, as well as by pH. In the absence of ligands, the highest 2,4-D degradation rate was obtained at pH 3, while the highest percentage degradation (50%) was achieved at pH 5 after 120 min of reaction. Among the ligands studied (DTPA, EDTA, glycine, oxalate, and citrate), only ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) significantly enhanced oxidation of 2,4-D. This increase in oxidation was observed at all pH values tested (including neutral to alkaline conditions), indicating the feasibility of the technique for treatment of contaminated water. In the presence of EDTA, the oxidation rate was greater at pH 3 than at pH 5 or 7. Increasing the EDTA concentration increased the rate and percentage of 2,4-D degradation, however increasing the Fe0 concentration resulted in the opposite behavior. It was found that degradation of EDTA and 2,4-D occurred simultaneously, and that the new methodology avoided any 2,4-D removal by adsorption/coprecipitation. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Degradation analysis of the SnO2 and ZnO-based varistors using electrostatic force microscopy

The degradation phenomena of ZnO and SnO2-based varistors were investigated for two different degradation methods: DC voltage at increased temperature and degradation with 8/20 μs pulsed currents (lightning type). Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) was used to analyze the surface charge accumulated at grain-boundary regions before and after degradation. Before the degradation process, 85% of the barriers are active in the SnO2 system, while the ZnO system presents only 30% effective barriers. Both systems showed changes in the electrical behavior when degraded with pulses. In the case of the ZnO system, the behavior after pulse degradation was essentially ohmic due to the destruction of barriers (about 99% of the interfaces are conductive). After the degradation with 8/20 μs pulsed currents, the SnO2 system still presents nonohmic behavior with a significant decrease in the quantity of effective barriers (from 85% to 5%). However, when the degradation is accomplished with continuous current, the SnO2 system exhibits minimum variation, while the ZnO system degrades from 30% to 5%. This result indicates the existence of metastable defects of low concentration and/or low diffusion in the SnO2 system. High energy is necessary to degrade the barriers due to defect annihilation in the SnO2 system. © 2013 The American Ceramic Society.

Evaluation of mechanical and thermal properties after chemical degradation of PVC and HDPE geomembranes

Chemical compatibility between geomembranes and site-specific waste liquids should be assessed since the waste liquids are highly complex mixtures. This paper presents some considerations about the chemical compatibility of geomembranes and some results of mechanical tests in HDPE and PVC geomembranes that were exposed to leachate and chemical residue (niobium). PVC and HDPE geomembranes of two thicknesses were tested: 1.0, 2.0 mm (PVC) and 0.8, 2.5 mm (HDPE). The results obtained show that after exposure the PVC geomembranes (1.0, 2.0 mm) were more rigid and stiffer than fresh samples. The HDPE geomembranes, on the other hand, when exposed to leachate and niobium residue presented increases in deformation. Melt flow index (MFI) tests were also carried out to verify the oxidation. © 2013 ejge.