Evaluation of the double agar gel immunodiffusion test and of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento do Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of vitamin D supplementation alone on muscle function in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

The present study investigates the effects of vitamin D on muscle function in postmenopausal women. It has been shown that vitamin D supplementation in postmenopausal women with hypovitaminosis D provides significant protective factor against sarcopenia, with significant increases in muscle strength and control of progressive loss of lean mass. We aimed to evaluate the effect of supplementation of vitamin D (VITD) alone on muscle function in younger postmenopausal women. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 160 Brazilian postmenopausal women were randomized into two groups: VITD group consisting of patients receiving vitamin D3 1000 IU/day orally (n = 80) or placebo group (n = 80). Women with amenorrhea for more than 12 months and age 50-65 years, with a history of falls (previous 12 months), were included. The intervention time was 9 months, with assessments at two points, start and end. Lean mass was estimated by total-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and muscle strength by handgrip strength and chair rising test. The plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Statistical analysis was by intention to treat (ITT), using ANOVA, Student's t test, and Tukey's test. After 9 months, average values of 25(OH)D increased from 15.0 ± 7.5 to 27.5 ± 10.4 ng/ml (+45.4 %) in the VITD group and decreased from 16.9 ± 6.7 to 13.8 ± 6.0 ng/ml (-18.5 %) in the placebo group (p < 0.001). In the VITD group, there was significant increase in muscle strength (+25.3 %) of the lower limbs by chair rising test (p = 0.036). In women in the placebo group, there was considerable loss (-6.8 %) in the lean mass (p = 0.030). The supplementation of vitamin D alone in postmenopausal women provided significant protective factor against the occurrence of sarcopenia, with significant increases in muscle strength and control of progressive loss of lean mass.

Ki67/KIT double immunohistochemical staining in cutaneous mast cell tumors from Boxer dogs

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

Effectiveness of 6% hydrogen peroxide concentration for tooth bleaching-A double-blind, randomized clinical trial

The aim of this clinical randomized double-blind split-mouth study was to assess the effectiveness of a 6% hydrogen peroxide with nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide light activated bleaching agent. 31 patients were treated with: one upper hemiarcade with a 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent and the other hemiarcade with a 6% hydrogen peroxide. Two applications were completed each treatment session and three sessions were appointed, with one week interval between them. Tooth colour was registered each session and 1 week and 1 months after completing the treatment by spectrophotometer, registering parameters L*, a* and b*, and subjectively using VITA Classic guide. Tooth sensitivity was registered by VAS and patient satisfaction and self-perception result was determined using OHIP-14. Tooth colour variation and sensitivity were compared between both bleaching agents. Both treatment showed a change between baseline colour and all check-points with a ΔE=5.57 for 6% and of ΔE=7.98 for the 35% one month after completing the (p<0.05). No statistical differences were seen when subjective evaluations were compared. Also, no differences were seen in tooth sensitivity between bleaching agents. OHIP-14 questionnaire demonstrated a significant change for all patients after bleaching. A 6% hydrogen peroxide with nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide light activated agent is effective for tooth bleaching, reaching a ΔE of 5.57 one month after completing the treatment, with no clinical differences to a 35% agent neither in colour change or in tooth sensitivity. A low concentration hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent may reach good clinical results with less adverse effects.

Sodium bicarbonate supplementation improved MAOD but is not correlated with 200- and 400-m running performances: a double-blind, crossover, and placebo-controlled study

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of acute supplementation of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) on maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) determined by a single supramaximal effort (MAODALT) in running and the correlation with 200- and 400-m running performances. Fifteen healthy men (age, 23 ± 4 years; maximal oxygen uptake, 50.6 ± 6.1 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) underwent a maximal incremental exercise test and 2 supramaximal efforts at 110% of the intensity associated with maximal oxygen uptake, which was carried out after ingesting either 0.3 g·kg(-1) body weight NaHCO3 or a placebo (dextrose) and completing 200- and 400-m performance tests. The study design was double-blind, crossover, and placebo-controlled. Significant differences were found between the NaHCO3 and placebo conditions for MAODALT (p = 0.01) and the qualitative inference for substantial changes showed a very likely positive effect (98%). The lactic anaerobic contribution in the NaHCO3 ingestion condition was significantly higher (p < 0.01) and showed a very likely positive effect (99% chance), similar to that verified for peak blood lactate concentration (p < 0.01). No difference was found for time until exhaustion (p = 0.19) or alactic anaerobic contribution (p = 0.81). No significant correlations were observed between MAODALT and 200- and 400-m running performance tests. Therefore, we can conclude that both MAODALT and the anaerobic lactic metabolism are modified after acute NaHCO3 ingestion, but it is not correlated with running performance.

Linfomas Double-Hit em casuística de Linfomas Não-Hodgkin B de alto grau: estudo clínico, morfológico, imunoistoquímico e citogenético

Pós-graduação em Patologia - FMB

Chaos control and sensitivity analysis of a double pendulum arm excited by an RLC circuit based nonlinear shaker

In this paper the dynamical interactions of a double pendulum arm and an electromechanical shaker is investigated. The double pendulum is a three degree of freedom system coupled to an RLC circuit based nonlinear shaker through a magnetic field, and the capacitor voltage is a nonlinear function of the instantaneous electric charge. Numerical simulations show the existence of chaotic behavior for some regions in the parameter space and this behaviour is characterized by power spectral density and Lyapunov exponents. The bifurcation diagram is constructed to explore the qualitative behaviour of the system. This kind of electromechanical system is frequently found in robotic systems, and in order to suppress the chaotic motion, the State-Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) control and the Nonlinear Saturation control (NSC) techniques are analyzed. The robustness of these two controllers is tested by a sensitivity analysis to parametric uncertainties.

Double-Observer Line Transect Methods: Levels of Independence

Double-observer line transect methods are becoming increasingly widespread, especially for the estimation of marine mammal abundance from aerial and shipboard surveys when detection of animals on the line is uncertain. The resulting data supplement conventional distance sampling data with two-sample mark–recapture data. Like conventional mark–recapture data, these have inherent problems for estimating abundance in the presence of heterogeneity. Unlike conventional mark–recapture methods, line transect methods use knowledge of the distribution of a covariate, which affects detection probability (namely, distance from the transect line) in inference. This knowledge can be used to diagnose unmodeled heterogeneity in the mark–recapture component of the data. By modeling the covariance in detection probabilities with distance, we show how the estimation problem can be formulated in terms of different levels of independence. At one extreme, full independence is assumed, as in the Petersen estimator (which does not use distance data); at the other extreme, independence only occurs in the limit as detection probability tends to one. Between the two extremes, there is a range of models, including those currently in common use, which have intermediate levels of independence. We show how this framework can be used to provide more reliable analysis of double-observer line transect data. We test the methods by simulation, and by analysis of a dataset for which true abundance is known. We illustrate the approach through analysis of minke whale sightings data from the North Sea and adjacent waters.

Perturbative analysis of the triply differential cross section and circular dichroism in photo-double-ionization of He

We extend application of our lowest-order perturbative approach (in electron-electron correlation) for analysis of photo-double-ionization (PDI) of He [A.Y. Istomin et al., J. Phys. B 35, L543 (2002)] to excess energies up to 450 eV and to analysis of circular dichroism. We find that account of electron correlation in the final state to first order provides predictions for the triply differential cross section and circular dichroism that are in reasonable agreement with absolute data for excess energies up to 80 eV. For an excess energy of 450 eV, account of electron correlation in both initial and final states is necessary and the predicted triply differential cross sections are in agreement with absolute data only for large mutual ejection angles. We find that at excess energies of a few tens of eV, the PDI is dominated by the "virtual" knock-out mechanism, while the "direct" (on-shell) knock-out process gives only small contributions for large mutual ejection angles. As a result, we conclude that the circular dichroism effect at these energies originates from the nonzero electron Coulomb phase shifts.

Prefrontal cortex modulation using transcranial DC stimulation reduces alcohol craving: A double-blind, sham-controlled study

Background: Functional neuroimaging studies have shown that specific brain areas are associated with alcohol craving including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). We tested whether modulation of DLPFC using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could alter alcohol craving in patients with alcohol dependence while being exposed to alcohol cues. Methods: We performed a randomized sham-controlled study in which 13 subjects received sham and active bilateral tDCS delivered to DLPFC (anodal left/cathodal right and anodal right/cathodal left). For sham stimulation, the electrodes were placed at the same positions as in active stimulation; however, the stimulator was turned off after 30 s of stimulation. Subjects were presented videos depicting alcohol consumption to increase alcohol craving. Results: Our results showed that both anodal left/cathodal right and anodal right/cathodal left significantly decreased alcohol craving compared to sham stimulation (p < 0.0001). In addition, we found that following treatment, craving could not be further increased by alcohol cues. Conclusions: Our findings showed that tDCS treatment to DLPFC can reduce alcohol craving. These findings extend the results of previous studies using noninvasive brain stimulation to reduce craving in humans. Given the relatively rapid suppressive effect of tDCS and the highly fluctuating nature of alcohol craving, this technique may prove to be a valuable treatment strategy within the clinical setting. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Percolated non-Newtonian flow for silicone obtained from exfoliated bioinorganic layered double hydroxide intercalated with amino acid

A simple and scalable procedure was used to obtain thin, stable, homogeneous, and easy-to-handle films composed of silicone derived from dimethicones containing dispersed hydrotalcite-type materials previously organo-modified with amino acids. The absence of the typical X-ray pattern of the bioinorganic LDH filler suggested an exfoliation process that was further indirectly evidenced by a drastic change in the rheological behavior, which turned from a quasi-Newtonian behavior for the silicone free of LDH filler to an extensive developed gel-like structure for the nanocomposite derivatives. Visualized by the shear-thinning exponent of the complex viscosity in the low-frequency range, the percolation threshold was evident for filler loading as low as <5 w/W%, suggesting the presence of a largely developed interface between the filler and the polymer. The increase of more than one order of magnitude in viscosity was explained by the rather strong attrition phenomenon between the tethered amino acid anions and the silicone chains. UVB radiation absorption profiles make such bioinorganic polymer nanocomposites potentially applicable in skin protection. Thermo-gravimetric analysis revealed significant improvement in the thermal stability, especially in the final step of the polymer combustion, thus underlining the role of the hybrid material as a thermal retardant agent. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Double-Stranded RNA-Activated Protein Kinase Is a Key Modulator of Insulin Sensitivity in Physiological Conditions and in Obesity in Mice

The molecular integration of nutrient-and pathogen-sensing pathways has become of great interest in understanding the mechanisms of insulin resistance in obesity. The double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is one candidate molecule that may provide cross talk between inflammatory and metabolic signaling. The present study was performed to determine, first, the role of PKR in modulating insulin action and glucose metabolism in physiological situations, and second, the role of PKR in insulin resistance in obese mice. We used Pkr(-/-) and Pkr(+/+) mice to investigate the role of PKR in modulating insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and insulin signaling in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue in response to a high-fat diet. Our data show that in lean Pkr(-/-) mice, there is an improvement in insulin sensitivity, and in glucose tolerance, and a reduction in fasting blood glucose, probably related to a decrease in protein phosphatase 2A activity and a parallel increase in insulin-induced thymoma viral oncogene-1 (Akt) phosphorylation. PKR is activated in tissues of obese mice and can induce insulin resistance by directly binding to and inducing insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 serine307 phosphorylation or indirectly through modulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and inhibitor of kappa B kinase beta. Pkr(-/-) mice were protected from high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance and glucose intolerance and showed improved insulin signaling associated with a reduction in c-Jun N-terminal kinase and inhibitor of kappa B kinase beta phosphorylation in insulin-sensitive tissues. PKR may have a role in insulin sensitivity under normal physiological conditions, probably by modulating protein phosphatase 2A activity and serine-threonine kinase phosphorylation, and certainly, this kinase may represent a central mechanism for the integration of pathogen response and innate immunity with insulin action and metabolic pathways that are critical in obesity. (Endocrinology 153:5261-5274, 2012)

Minocycline benefits negative symptoms in early schizophrenia: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in patients on standard treatment

The onset and early course of schizophrenia is associated with subtle loss of grey matter which may be responsible for the evolution and persistence of symptoms such as apathy, emotional blunting, and social withdrawal. Such 'negative' symptoms are unaffected by current antipsychotic therapies. There is evidence that the antibiotic minocycline has neuroprotective properties. We investigated whether the addition of minocycline to treatment as usual (TAU) for 1 year in early psychosis would reduce negative symptoms compared with placebo. In total, 144 participants within 5 years of first onset in Brazil and Pakistan were randomised to receive TAU plus placebo or minocycline. The primary outcome measures were the negative and positive syndrome ratings using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Some 94 patients completed the trial. The mean improvement in negative symptoms for the minocycline group was 9.2 and in the placebo group 4.7, an adjusted difference of 3.53 (s.e. 1.01) 95% CI: 1.55, 5.51; p < 0.001 in the intention-to-treat population. The effect was present in both countries. The addition of minocycline to TAU early in the course of schizophrenia predominantly improves negative symptoms. Whether this is mediated by neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory or others actions is under investigation.