923 resultados para Punitive damages


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

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Diagnostic insect damage to cocoa tree leaves and fruits were compared in situations with and without the presence of the little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata and the closely related and sympatric W. cf rochai. No significant differences in thrips, lepidopteran, or chrysomelid beetle damage to fruits, or to young and old leaves, were associated with these ants. However, significant increases of pseudococcids Planococcus citrii, associated with areas dominated by W. auropunctata, and to a lesser degree with W. cf rochai, were present. W. auropunctata has been reported to be a canopy mosaic dominant in cocoa farms, but the lack of reduced herbivore incidences and its lack of spatial permanence do not support favoring its populations for the management of phytophagous insect control.

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Fatigue crack initiation occurs at the surface, although sub surface nucleation has also been reported. Localized imperfections like inclusions close to surface and surface small pits can result in crack sources. Coatings are not always beneficial by fatigue point of view too. Mechanical properties of the covering material can change considerably the fatigue behavior of base metal due to residual surface stresses, to micro cracks or to hydrogen embrittlement. This paper is concerned with analysis of electrolytic etch on the fatigue resistance of a 35NCD16 high strength steel in a mechanical condition of (1760 - 1960) MPa, and analysis of electroplated hard chromium effects on the fatigue resistance in a strength condition of 989 MPa. Hardness impression was used as a reference parameter in case of electrolytic etch. In both cases, experimental data showed that fatigue strength of 35NCD16 steel was considerably reduced. Copyright © 2001 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the damage potential of Dasineura sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in the pepper cultivars and show its occurrence in Piracicaba, SP. This experiment was carried out from July to November 1998. The occurrence and damages pest in the fruits were determined by weekly evaluations of pepper hybrids, 'Magali R.' larvals were collected from floral buttons and adults were collected from the incubation of buttons in humidity chamber. Healthy and infested fruits were evaluated for damages caused by pest insects. The results indicated that the damages can reach 100% in some periods of evaluation and that the production losses are significantly high with no application of insecticides. The taxonomy study was performed at National Museum of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The insect species classification will be the object of study since there is a possibility of observing a specie not described yet.

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One of the critical problems in implementing an intelligent grinding process is the automatic detection of workpiece surface burn. This work uses fuzzy logic as a tool to classify and predict burn levels in the grinding process. Based on acoustic emission signals, cutting power, and the mean-value deviance (MVD), linguistic rules were established for the various burn situations (slight, intermediate, severe) by applying fuzzy logic using the Matlab Toolbox. Three practical fuzzy system models were developed. The first model with two inputs resulted only in a simple analysis process. The second and third models have an additional MVD statistic input, associating information and precision. These two models differ from each other in terms of the rule base developed. The three developed models presented valid responses, proving effective, accurate, reliable and easy to use for the determination of ground workpiece burn. In this analysis, fuzzy logic translates the operator's human experience associated with powerful computational methods.

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Petroleum and derivatives have been considered one of the main environmental contaminants. Among petroleum derivatives, the volatile organic compounds benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) represent a major concern due to their toxicity and easy accumulation in groundwater. Biodegradation methods seem to be suitable tools for the clean-up of BTEX contaminants from groundwater. Genotoxic and mutagenic potential of BTEX prior and after biodegradation process was evaluated through analyses of chromosomal aberrations and MN test in meristematic and F 1 root cells using the Allium cepa test system. Seeds of A. cepa were germinated into five concentrations of BTEX, non-biodegraded and biodegraded, in ultra-pure water (negative control), in MMS 4×10 -4M (positive control) and in culture medium used in the biodegradation (blank biodegradation control). Results showed a significant frequency of both chromosomal and nuclear aberrations. The micronucleus (MN) frequency in meristematic cells was significant for most of tested samples. However, MN was not present in significant levels in the F 1 cells, suggesting that there was no permanent damage for the meristematic cell. The BTEX effects were significantly reduced in the biodegraded samples when compared to the respective non-biodegraded concentrations. Therefore, in this study, the biodegradation process showed to be a reliable and effective alternative to treat BTEX-contaminated waters. Based on our results and available data, the BTEX toxicity could also be related to a synergistic effect of its compounds. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

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Background: Cimetidine, histamine H2 receptors antagonist, has caused adverse effects on the male hormones and reproductive tract due to its antiandrogenic effect. In the testes, peritubular myoid cells and muscle vascular cells death has been associated to seminiferous tubules and testicular microvascularization damages, respectively. Either androgen or histamine H2 receptors have been detected in the mucosa and smooth muscular layer of vas deferens. Thus, the effect of cimetidine on this androgen and histamine-dependent muscular duct was morphologically evaluated.Methods: The animals from cimetidine group (CMTG; n=5) received intraperitoneal injections of 100 mg/kg b.w. of cimetidine for 50 days; the control group (CG) received saline solution. The distal portions of vas deferens were fixed in formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Massońs trichrome-stained sections were subjected to morphological and the following morphometrical analyzes: epithelial perimeter and area of the smooth muscular layer. TUNEL (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling) method, NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa B) and AR (androgen receptors) immunohistochemical detection were also carried out. The birefringent collagen of the muscular layer was quantified in picrosirius red-stained sections under polarized light. The muscular layer was also evaluated under Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).Results: In CMTG, the mucosa of vas deferens was intensely folded; the epithelial cells showed numerous pyknotic nuclei and the epithelial perimeter and the area of the muscular layer decreased significantly. Numerous TUNEL-labeled nuclei were found either in the epithelial cells, mainly basal cells, or in the smooth muscle cells which also showed typical features of apoptosis under TEM. While an enhanced NF-kB immunoexpression was found in the cytoplasm of muscle cells, a weak AR immunolabeling was detected in these cells. In CMTG, no significant difference was observed in the birefringent collagen content of the muscular layer in comparison to CG.Conclusions: Cimetidine induces significant damages in the epithelium; a possible antiandrogenic effect on the basal cells turnover should be considered. The cimetidine-induced muscle cells apoptosis confirms the susceptibility of these cells to this drug. The parallelism between enhanced cytoplasmic NF-kB immunolabeling in the damaged muscular tissue and muscle cell apoptosis suggests that this drug may avoid the translocation of NF-kB to the nucleus and interfere in the control of NF-kB-mediated smooth muscle cell apoptosis. The decreased immunoexpression of ARs verified in the damaged muscular tissue reinforces this possibility. © 2013 Koshimizu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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Chronic consumption of ethanol causes morphological and physiological changes in the reproductive system of mammals. Vitamin C has an antioxidant role in organisms by neutralizing the ROS (reactive oxygen species) produced by oxidizing agents and this vitamin has an important function in the male reproductive system. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether vitamin C could prevent or attenuate the alterations in the male reproductive system caused by ethanol consumption. To test this hypothesis, male rats were divided into three experimental groups and treated by gavage for 63 days. The ethanol (E) and ethanol +vitamin C (EC) groups received 2 g/kg of ethanol (25% v/v) daily. In addition to ethanol, the EC group received vitamin C at a dose of 100 mg/day, diluted in water. The control group (C) received only the vehicle. On the 64th experimental day, the animals were anesthetized and euthanized, and blood was collected for plasmatic hormonal analysis. The testis, epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles were removed and weighed. Sperm from the vas deferens was submitted to morphological and motility analysis. The testis and epididymis were used for oxidative stress and histopathological analysis, sperm count, morphometric analysis of the testis, and stereological analysis of the epididymis. The results showed that vitamin C has a protective effect in the testes of adult male rats, entirely normalizing the parameters of sperm count, spermatogenesis kinetics, lipid peroxidation levels, and sperm motility, as well as partially normalizing the histopathological damage in the testis, epididymis, and sperm morphology. Thus, we concluded that lipid peroxidation is a major mechanism by which ethanol affects the testes and sperm, whereas no plasmatic testosterone alterations were found.

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There are few environmental studies using biomarkers for the species Atherinella brasiliensis in Brazil. In the present work, the presence of hepatic histopathological lesions and nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes were investigated in A. brasiliensis from Lamberto, a beach under influence of domestic wastes and marine activities. For comparison, fish were also sampled in Puruba, a non-polluted beach, located in the northeastern of Sao Paulo State. The frequency of lesions found in liver was in higher numbers in individuals from Lamberto than Puruba beach. The most critical injuries observed in A. brasiliensis were the presence of necrotic areas, leucocytes infiltration and piknotic nucleus. A high occurrence of cells with vacuolization was also observed. The hepatic lesion index of the fish from Lamberto beach showed significant high values (I(org)=13) when compared with fish from Puruba beach (I(org)=7) suggesting the influence of the several human activities in the studied site. Notched and blebed nucleous were observed in this study, and significant differences were found between the studied sites. However, these differences did not reflect the total nuclear alterations.

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Mycotoxins are contaminants of agricultural products both in the field and during storage and can enter the food chain through contaminated cereals and foods (milk, meat, and eggs) obtained from animals fed mycotoxin contaminated feeds. Mycotoxins are genotoxic carcinogens that cause health and economic problems. Ochratoxin A and fumonisin B1 have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1993, as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (class 2B). To control mycotoxins induced damages, different strategies have been developed to reduce the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi as well as to decontaminate and/or detoxify mycotoxin contaminated foods and animal feeds. Critical points, target for these strategies, are: prevention of mycotoxin contamination, detoxification of mycotoxins already present in food and feed, inhibition of mycotoxin absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, reduce mycotoxin induced damages when absorption occurs. Decontamination processes, as indicate by FAO, needs the following requisites to reduce toxic and economic impact of mycotoxins: it must destroy, inactivate, or remove mycotoxins; it must not produce or leave toxic and/or carcinogenic/mutagenic residues in the final products or in food products obtained from animals fed decontaminated feed; it must be capable of destroying fungal spores and mycelium in order to avoiding mycotoxin formation under favorable conditions; it should not adversely affect desirable physical and sensory properties of the feedstuff; it has to be technically and economically feasible. One important approach to the prevention of mycotoxicosis in livestock is the addition in the diets of the non-nutritionally adsorbents that bind mycotoxins preventing the absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Activated carbons, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), zeolites, bentonites, and certain clays, are the most studied adsorbent and they possess a high affinity for mycotoxins. In recent years, there has been increasing interest on the hypothesis that the absorption in consumed food can be inhibited by microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. Numerous investigators showed that some dairy strains of LAB and bifidobacteria were able to bind aflatoxins effectively. There is a strong need for prevention of the mycotoxin-induced damages once the toxin is ingested. Nutritional approaches, such as supplementation of nutrients, food components, or additives with protective effects against mycotoxin toxicity are assuming increasing interest. Since mycotoxins have been known to produce damages by increasing oxidative stress, the protective properties of antioxidant substances have been extensively investigated. Purpose of the present study was to investigate in vitro and in vivo, strategies to counteract mycotoxin threat particularly in swine husbandry. The Ussing chambers technique was applied in the present study that for the first time to investigate in vitro the permeability of OTA and FB1 through rat intestinal mucosa. Results showed that OTA and FB1 were not absorbed from rat small intestine mucosa. Since in vivo absorption of both mycotoxins normally occurs, it is evident that in these experimental conditions Ussing diffusion chambers were not able to assess the intestinal permeability of OTA and FB1. A large number of LAB strains isolated from feces and different gastrointestinal tract regions of pigs and poultry were screened for their ability to remove OTA, FB1, and DON from bacterial medium. Results of this in vitro study showed low efficacy of isolated LAB strains to reduce OTA, FB1, and DON from bacterial medium. An in vivo trial in rats was performed to evaluate the effects of in-feed supplementation of a LAB strain, Pediococcus pentosaceus FBB61, to counteract the toxic effects induced by exposure to OTA contaminated diets. The study allows to conclude that feed supplementation with P. pentosaceus FBB61 ameliorates the oxidative status in liver, and lowers OTA induced oxidative damage in liver and kidney if diet was contaminated by OTA. This P. pentosaceus FBB61 feature joined to its bactericidal activity against Gram positive bacteria and its ability to modulate gut microflora balance in pigs, encourage additional in vivo experiments in order to better understand the potential role of P. pentosaceus FBB61 as probiotic for farm animals and humans. In the present study, in vivo trial on weaned piglets fed FB1 allow to conclude that feeding of 7.32 ppm of FB1 for 6 weeks did not impair growth performance. Deoxynivalenol contamination of feeds was evaluated in an in vivo trial on weaned piglets. The comparison between growth parameters of piglets fed DON contaminated diet and contaminated diet supplemented with the commercial product did not reach the significance level but piglet growth performances were numerically improved when the commercial product was added to DON contaminated diet. Further studies are needed to improve knowledge on mycotoxins intestinal absorption, mechanism for their detoxification in feeds and foods, and nutritional strategies to reduce mycotoxins induced damages in animals and humans. The multifactorial approach acting on each of the various steps could be a promising strategy to counteract mycotoxins damages.

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In the last decades, medical malpractice has been framed as one of the most critical issues for healthcare providers and health policy, holding a central role on both the policy agenda and public debate. The Law and Economics literature has devoted much attention to medical malpractice and to the investigation of the impact of malpractice reforms. Nonetheless, some reforms have been much less empirically studied as in the case of schedules, and their effects remain highly debated. The present work seeks to contribute to the study of medical malpractice and of schedules of noneconomic damages in a civil law country with a public national health system, using Italy as case study. Besides considering schedules and exploiting a quasi-experimental setting, the novelty of our contribution consists in the inclusion of the performance of the judiciary (measured as courts’ civil backlog) in the empirical analysis. The empirical analysis is twofold. First, it investigates how limiting compensations for pain and suffering through schedules impacts on the malpractice insurance market in terms of presence of private insurers and of premiums applied. Second, it examines whether, and to what extent, healthcare providers react to the implementation of this policy in terms of both levels and composition of the medical treatments offered. Our findings show that the introduction of schedules increases the presence of insurers only in inefficient courts, while it does not produce significant effects on paid premiums. Judicial inefficiency is attractive to insurers for average values of schedules penetration of the market, with an increasing positive impact of inefficiency as the territorial coverage of schedules increases. Moreover, the implementation of schedules tends to reduce the use of defensive practices on the part of clinicians, but the magnitude of this impact is ultimately determined by the actual degree of backlog of the court implementing schedules.