Evaluation of the genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects after acute and subacute treatments with acai pulp (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) on mice using the erythrocytes micronucleus test and the comet assay

Acai, the fruit of a palm native to the Amazonian basin, is widely distributed in northern South America, where it has considerable economic importance. Whereas individual polyphenolics compounds in Acai have been extensively evaluated, studies of the intact fruit and its biological properties are lacking. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the in vivo genotoxicity of Acai and its possible antigenotoxicity on doxorubicin (DXR)-induced DNA damage. The Acai pulp doses selected were 3.33, 10.0 and 16.67 g/kg b.w. administered by gavage alone or prior to DXR (16 mg/kg b.w.) administered by intraperitoneal injection. Swiss albino mice were distributed in eight groups for acute treatment with acai pulp (24 h) and eight groups for subacute treatment (daily for 14 consecutive days) before euthanasia. The negative control groups were treated in a similar way. The results of chemical analysis suggested the presence of carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolic. and flavonoids in Acai pulp. The endpoints analyzed were micronucleus induction in bone marrow and peripheral blood cells polychromatic erythrocytes, and DNA damage in peripheral blood, liver and kidney cells assessed using the alkaline (pH > 13) comet assay. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the negative control and the groups treated with the three doses of Acai pulp alone in all endpoints analyzed, demonstrating the absence of genotoxic effects. The protective effects of Acai pulp were observed in both acute and subacute treatments, when administered prior to DXR. In general, subacute treatment provided greater efficiency in protecting against DXR-induced DNA damage in liver and kidney cells. These protective effects can be explained as the result of the phytochemicals present in Acai pulp. These results will be applied to the developmental of food with functional characteristics, as well as to explore the characteristics of Acai as a health promoter. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superconducting Correlations in Metallic Nanoparticles: Exact Solution of the BCS Model by the Algebraic Bethe Ansatz

Superconducting pairing of electrons in nanoscale metallic particles with discrete energy levels and a fixed number of electrons is described by the reduced Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer model Hamiltonian. We show that this model is integrable by the algebraic Bethe ansatz. The eigenstates, spectrum, conserved operators, integrals of motion, and norms of wave functions are obtained. Furthermore, the quantum inverse problem is solved, meaning that form factors and correlation functions can be explicitly evaluated. Closed form expressions are given for the form factors and correlation functions that describe superconducting pairing.

A review of the use of the basic cation saturation ratio and the "ideal" soil

The use of 'balanced' Ca, Mg, and K ratios, as prescribed by the basic cation saturation ratio (BCSR) concept, is still used by some private soil-testing laboratories for the interpretation of soil analytical data. This review aims to examine the suitability of the BCSR concept as a method for the interpretation of soil analytical data. According to the BCSR concept, maximum plant growth will be achieved only when the soil’s exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K concentrations are approximately 65 % Ca, 10 % Mg, and 5 % K (termed the ‘ideal soil’). This ‘ideal soil’ was originally proposed by Firman Bear and co-workers in New Jersey (USA) during the 1940s as a method of reducing luxury K uptake by alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). At about the same time, William Albrecht, working in Missouri (USA), concluded through his own investigations that plants require a soil with a high Ca saturation for optimal growth. Whilst it now appears that several of Albrecht’s experiments were fundamentally flawed, the BCSR (‘balanced soil’) concept has been widely promoted, suggesting that the prescribed cationic ratios provide optimum chemical, physical, and biological soil properties. Our examination of data from numerous studies (particularly those of Albrecht and Bear, themselves) would suggest that, within the ranges commonly found in soils, the chemical, physical, and biological fertility of a soil is generally not influenced by the ratios of Ca, Mg, and K. The data do not support the claims of the BCSR, and continued promotion of the BCSR will result in the inefficient use of resources in agriculture and horticulture.

Instantaneous outbursts in underground coal mines: An overview and association with coal type

Instantaneous outbursts in underground coal mines have occurred in at least 16 countries, involving both methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The precise mechanisms of an instantaneous outburst are still unresolved but must consider the effects of stress, gas content and physico-mechanical properties of the coal. Other factors such as mining methods (e.g., development heading into the coal seam) and geological features (e.g., coal seam disruptions from faulting) can combine to exacerbate the problem. Prediction techniques continue to be unreliable and unexpected outburst incidents resulting in fatalities are a major concern for underground coal operations. Gas content thresholds of 9 m(3)/t for CH4 and 6 m(3)/t for CO2 are used in the Sydney Basin, to indicate outburst-prone conditions, but are reviewed on an individual mine basis and in mixed as situations. Data on the sorption behaviour of Bowen Basin coals from Australia have provided an explanation for the conflicting results obtained by coal face desorption indices used for outburst-proneness assessment. A key factor appears to be different desorption rates displayed by banded coals, which is supported by both laboratory and mine-site investigations. Dull coal bands with high fusinite and semifusinite contents tend to display rapid desorption from solid coal, for a given pressure drop. The opposite is true for bright coal bands with high vitrinite contents and dull coal bands with high inertodetrinite contents. Consequently, when face samples of dull, fusinite-or semifusinite-rich coal of small particle size are taken for desorption testing, much gas has already escaped and low readings result. The converse applies for samples taken from coal bands with high vitrinite and/or inertodetrinite contents. In terms of outburst potential, it is the bright, vitrinite-rich and the dull, inertodetrinite-rich sections of a coal seam that appear to be more outburst-prone. This is due to the ability of the solid coal to retain gas, even after pressure reduction, creating a gas content gradient across the coal face sufficient to initiate an outburst. Once the particle size of the coal is reduced, rapid gas desorption can then take place. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science.

Risk premiums and benefit measures for generalized-expected-utility theories

Standard tools for the analysis of economic problems involving uncertainty, including risk premiums, certainty equivalents and the notions of absolute and relative risk aversion, are developed without making specific assumptions on functional form beyond the basic requirements of monotonicity, transitivity, continuity, and the presumption that individuals prefer certainty to risk. Individuals are not required to display probabilistic sophistication. The approach relies on the distance and benefit functions to characterize preferences relative to a given state-contingent vector of outcomes. The distance and benefit functions are used to derive absolute and relative risk premiums and to characterize preferences exhibiting constant absolute risk aversion (CARA) and constant relative risk aversion (CRRA). A generalization of the notion of Schur-concavity is presented. If preferences are generalized Schur concave, the absolute and relative risk premiums are generalized Schur convex, and the certainty equivalents are generalized Schur concave.

Conformations of cyclic octapeptides and the influence of heterocyclic ring constraints upon calcium binding

A comparison is made between the structures and calcium binding properties of four cyclic octapeptides that differ in the number of heterocyclic thiazole and oxazoline ring constraints. The conformations of the naturally occurring cyclic octapeptides ascidiacyclamide 1 and patellamide D 2, which each contain two oxazoline and two thiazole rings, are compared by H-1 NMR spectroscopy with the analogues cyclo(Thr-D-Val(Thz)-Ile)(2) 3 with just two thiazoles, and cyclo(Thr-D-Val-alpha Abu-Ile)(2) 4, with no 5-membered rings. The conformations observed in the solid state for ascidiacyclamide (saddle) and patellamide D (twisted figure of eight) were retained in solution, whilst peptide 3 was found to have a chair shape and peptide 4 displayed a range of conformations. The solid state structure of 4 revealed that the peptide takes a relatively planar conformation with a number of transannular hydrogen bonds, which are apparently retained in solution. Complexation studies utilising H-1 NMR and CD spectroscopy yielded 1∶1 calcium-peptide binding constants (log K) for the four peptides (2.9 (1), 2.8 (2), 4.0 (3) and 5.5 (4)) as well as a 1 : 2 metal-peptide binding constant for 3 (log K = 4.5). The affinity for Ca2+ thus decreases with increasing number of 5-membered ring constraints in the macrocycle (4 > 3 > 2 approximate to 1).

Analysis of soil wetting and solute transport in subsurface trickle irrigation

The increased use of trickle or drip irrigation is seen as one way of helping to improve the sustainability of irrigation systems around the world. However, soil water and solute transport properties and soil profile characteristics are often not adequately incorporated in the design and management of trickle systems. In this paper, we describe results of a simulation study designed to highlight the impacts of soil properties on water and solute transport from buried trickle emitters. The analysis addresses the influence of soil hydraulic properties, soil layering, trickle discharge rate, irrigation frequency, and timing of nutrient application on wetting patterns and solute distribution. We show that (1) trickle irrigation can improve plant water availability in medium and low permeability fine-textured soils, providing that design and management are adapted to account for their soil hydraulic properties, (2) in highly permeable coarse-textured soils, water and nutrients move quickly downwards from the emitter, making it difficult to wet the near surface zone if emitters are buried too deep, and (3) changing the fertigation strategy for highly permeable coarse-textured soils to apply nutrients at the beginning of an irrigation cycle can maintain larger amounts of nutrient near to and above the emitter, thereby making them less susceptible to leaching losses. The results demonstrate the need to account for differences in soil hydraulic properties and solute transport when designing irrigation and fertigation management strategies. Failure to do this will result in inefficient systems and lost opportunities for reducing the negative environmental impacts of irrigation.

Differences in the early biomechanical effects of hyperopic and myopic laser in situ keratomileusis

PURPOSE: To compare changes in corneal hysteresis (CH) and the corneal resistance factor (CRF) in myopic and hyperopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and evaluate their relationship to the number of photoablative pulses delivered, a surrogate for ablation volume. SETTING: Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. METHODS: Preoperative and 1-week postoperative Ocular Response Analyzer measurements in eyes that had femtosecond-assisted LASIK were studied retrospectively. Changes in CH and CRF were compared and tested for correlation with the number of excimer laser pulses. RESULTS: Thirteen myopic eyes and 11 hyperopic eyes were evaluated. Preoperative corneal thickness, CH, CRF, programmed correction magnitude, flap thickness, and total number of fixed spotsize photoablative pulses were similar in the 2 groups (P>.1). Decreases in CH and CRF were greater after myopic LASIK than after hyperopic LASIK (P<.005), and changes in CRF were correlated with the number of excimer laser pulses in the myopic group only (r = -0.63, P = .02). Regardless of ablation profile, changes in CH were more strongly correlated with preoperative CH values than with attempted ablation volume. CONCLUSIONS: With comparable flap thickness and attempted ablation volumes, myopic photoablation profiles were associated with greater decreases in CRF and CH than hyperopic profiles. Results indicate that preoperative corneal biomechanical status, ablation volume, and the spatial distribution of ablation are important factors that affect corneal resistance and viscous dissipative properties differently. Preferential tissue removal in the natively thicker paracentral cornea in hyperopia may partially account for the rarity of ectasia after hyperopic LASIK.

In vivo biological performance of a novel highly bioactive glass-ceramic (Biosilicate (R)): A biomechanical and histomorphometric study in rat tibial defects

This study aimed to investigate bone responses to a novel bioactive fully crystallized glass-ceramic of the quaternary system P(2)O(5)-Na(2)O-CaO-SiO(2) (Biosilicates (R)). Although a previous study demonstrated positive effects of Biosilicate (R) on in vitro bone-like matrix formation, its in vivo effect was not studied yet. Male Wistar rats (n = 40) with tibial defects were used. Four experimental groups were designed to compare this novel biomaterial with a gold standard bioactive material (Bioglass (R) 45S5), unfilled defects and intact controls. A three-point bending test was performed 20 days after the surgical procedure, as well as the histomorphometric analysis in two regions of interest: cortical bone and medullary canal where the particulate biomaterial was implanted. The biomechanical test revealed a significant increase in the maximum load at failure and stiffness in the Biosilicate group (R) (vs. control defects), whose values were similar to uninjured bones. There were no differences in the cortical bone parameters in groups with bone defects, but a great deal of woven bone was present surrounding Biosilicate (R) and Bioglass (R) 45S5 particulate. Although both bioactive materials supported significant higher bone formation; Biosilicate (R) was superior to Bioglass (R) 45S5 in some histomorphometric parameters (bone volume and number of osteoblasts). Regarding bone resorption, Biosilicate (R) group showed significant higher number of osteoclasts per unit of tissue area than defect and intact controls, despite of the non-significant difference in the osteoclastic surface as percentage of bone surface. This study reveals that the fully crystallized Biosilicate (R) has good bone-forming and bone-bonding properties. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 978: 139-147, 2011.

Zipping up transcription factors: Rational design of anti-Jun and anti-Fos peptides

Various members of the bZip and bHLH-Zip families of eukaryotic transcription factors, including Jun, Fos, and Myc, have been identified as oncoproteins; mutation or deregulated expression of these proteins leads to certain types of cancer. These proteins can only bind to their cognate DNA enhancer sites following homodimerization, or heterodimerization with another family member, via their leucine zipper domain. Thus, a novel anticancer strategy would be to inhibit dimerization of these proteins, thereby blocking their DNA binding and transactivation functions. In this paper we show that it is possible to rationally design leucine zipper peptides that bind with high affinity to the leucine zipper dimerization domains of c-Jun and c-Fos, thus preventing the formation of functional c-Jun homodimers and c-Jun:c-Fos heterodimers; we refer to such peptides as superzippers (SZs). In vivo, c-Jun:SZ and c-Fos:SZ heterodimers should be nonfunctional as they lack one of the two basic domains that are essential for DNA binding. While the transport of a peptidic agent into cells often poses a severe obstacle to its therapeutic use, we show that a 46-residue leucine zipper peptide can be transported into HeLa cells by coupling it to a 17-residue carrier peptide from the Antennapedia homeodomain, thus paving the way for detailed studies of the therapeutic potential of superzipper peptides.

Galectin-3 plays a modulatory role in the life span and activation of murine neutrophils during early Toxoplasma gondii infection

Galectins are beta-galactoside-binding lectins involved in several biological processes and galectin-3 (Gal-3) is related to modulation of immune and inflammatory responses. This study aimed to evaluate the role of Gal-3 in the life span and biological functions of murine neutrophils during in vitro infection by virulent Toxoplasma gondii RH strain. Inflammatory peritoneal neutrophils (N phi) from C57BL/6 wildtype (WT) and Gal-3 knockout (KO) mice were cultured in the presence or absence of parasites and analyzed for phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure and cell death using Annexin-V and propidium iodide staining, and cell viability by MU assay. Cell toxicities determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), degranulation by lysozyme release, and cytokine production were measured in NO culture supernatants. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)- or zymosan-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured in N phi cultures. Our results demonstrated that Gal-3 is involved in the increase of the viable Not. number and the decrease of PS exposure and cell death following T. gondii infection. We also observed that Gal-3 downmodulates gondii-induced N phi toxicity as well as N phi degranulation regardless of infection. Furthermore, Gal-3 expression by N phi was associated with increased levels of IL-10 in the beginning and decreased levels of TNF-alpha later on, regardless of parasite infection, as well as with decreased levels of IL-6 and increased IL-12 levels, following early parasite infection. Our results also showed that Gal-3 suppresses PMA- but not zymosan-induced ROS generation in N phi following T. gondii infection. In conclusion, Gal-3 plays an important modulatory role by interfering in N phi life span and activation during early T gondii infection. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Profiles of functional deficits in mild cognitive impairment and dementia: benefits from objective measurement

The magnitude Of functional impairment that may indicate the threshold between MCI and incipient Alzheimer`s disease (AD) has not been clearly defined. The objective was to examine the pattern of functional impairment in the continuum MCI-AD. Eighty-nine older adults (32 cognitively unimpaired, 31 MCI, and 26 AD patients) were examined with the Brazilian version of the Direct Assessment of Functional Status (DAFS-BR) at a University-based memory clinic. MCI patients were sub-divided according to the progression to AD upon follow-up, and had baseline cognitive, functional and biological variables analyzed. MCI patients displayed mild deficits in functional abilities, with intermediate scores as compared to controls and AD. The DAFS-BR items that differentiated MCI from controls involved the ability to deal with finances and shopping skills. At baseline, scores obtained by MCI patients who converted to AD were not significantly different from scores of nonconverters. The magnitude of functional deficits was associated with AD-like pathological findings in the CSF. In conclusion, MCI patients present with early functional changes in complex, instrumental abilities that require the integrity of memory and executive functions. The objective measurement of the functional state may help identify older adults with increased risk of developing dementia in the MCI-AD continuum. (JINS, 2010, 16, 297-305.)

Extracellular matrix components and regulators in the airway smooth muscle in asthma

There is an intimate relationship between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and smooth muscle cells within the airways. Few studies have comprehensively assessed the composition of different ECM components and its regulators within the airway smooth muscle (ASM) in asthma. With the aid of image analysis, the fractional areas of total collagen and elastic fibres were quantified within the ASM of 35 subjects with fatal asthma (FA) and compared with 10 nonfatal asthma (NFA) patients and 22 nonasthmatic control cases. Expression of collagen I and III, fibronectin, versican, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, -2, -9 and -12 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and -2 was quantified within the ASM in 22 FA and 10 control cases. In the large airways of FA cases, the fractional area of elastic fibres within the ASM was increased compared with NFA and controls. Similarly, fibronectin, MMP-9 and MMP-12 were increased within the ASM in large airways of FA cases compared with controls. Elastic fibres were increased in small airways in FA only in comparison with NFA cases. There is altered extracellular matrix composition and a degradative environment within the airway smooth muscle in fatal asthma patients, which may have important consequences for the mechanical and synthetic functions of airway smooth muscle.

Continence, potency and oncological outcomes after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: early trifecta results of a high-volume surgeon

OBJECTIVE center dot To evaluate early trifecta outcomes after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) performed by a high-volume surgeon. PATIENTS AND METHODS center dot We evaluated prospectively 1100 consecutive patients who underwent RARP performed by one surgeon. In all, 541 men were considered potent before RARP; of these 404 underwent bilateral full nerve sparing and were included in this analysis. center dot Baseline and postoperative urinary and sexual functions were assessed using self-administered validated questionnaires. center dot Postoperative continence was defined as the use of no pads; potency was defined as the ability to achieve and maintain satisfactory erections for sexual intercourse > 50% of times, with or without the use of oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors; Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined as two consecutive PSA levels of > 0.2 ng/mL after RARP. center dot Results were compared between three age groups: Group 1, < 55 years, Group 2, 56-65 years and Group 3, > 65 years. RESULTS center dot The trifecta rates at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after RARP were 42.8%, 65.3%, 80.3%, 86% and 91%, respectively. center dot There were no statistically significant differences in the continence and BCR-free rates between the three age groups at all postoperative intervals analysed. center dot Nevertheless, younger men had higher potency rates and shorter time to recovery of sexual function when compared with older men at 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months after RARP (P < 0.01 at all time points). center dot Similarly, younger men also had a shorter time to achieving the trifecta and had higher trifecta rates at 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months after RARP compared with older men (P < 0.01 at all time points). CONCLUSION center dot RARP offers excellent short-term trifecta outcomes when performed by an experienced surgeon. center dot Younger men had a shorter time to achieving the trifecta and higher overall trifecta rates when compared with older men at 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months after RARP.

Some results on holomorphic generalized functions

In this note, we present three independent results within generalized complex analysis (in the Colombeau sense). The first of them deals with non-removable singularities; we construct a generalized function u on an open subset Omega of C(n), which is not a holomorphic generalized function on Omega but it is a holomorphic generalized function on Omega\S, where S is a hypersurface contained in Omega. The second result shows the existence of a holomorphic generalized function with prescribed values in the zero-set of a classical holomorphic function. The last result states the existence of a compactly supported solution to the (partial derivative) over bar operator.