Reduced venous endothelial responsiveness after oral lipid overload in healthy volunteers

The aim of this study was to investigate endothelial venous function, mflammatory markers, and systemic oxidative stress after an oral lipid overload (OLO). We studied 18 healthy adults (9 men; age, 29.2 +/- 0.9 years; body mass index, 22.3 +/- 0.4 kg/m(2)). Blood samples were collected in the fasting state and 3, 4, and 5 hour after the OLO (1000 kcal, 58% fat) for metabolic variables, oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, adiponectin, and resistin. Changes in vein diameter to phenylephrine, acetylcholine, and sodium nitroprusside (dorsal hand vein technique) were measured before and after the OLO. Oral lipid overload increased triglycerides (61 +/- 6 vs 134 +/- 17 mg/dL, P <.001), insulin (7.2 +/- 0.8 vs 10.7 +/- 1.3 mu U/mL, P <.05), and resistin (5.38 +/- 0.5 vs 6.81 +/- 0.7 ng/mL, P <.05) and reduced antioxidant capacity (plasma total antioxidant capacity: 186.7 +/- 56 vs 161.8 +/- 50 U Trolox per microliter plasma, P <.01), vascular reactivity (171.3 +/- 85 vs 894.4 +/- 301 ng/mL, P <.001), and maximum acetylcholine venodilation (105.9% +/- 9% vs 61.0% +/- 7%, P <.05). No changes were observed for sodium nitroprusside. Post-OLO triglycerides were positively correlated with phenylephrine dose (rho = 0.38, P <.05) and resistin (rho = 0.43, P <.01) and negatively correlated with the maximum acetylcholine venodilation (rho = -0.36, P <.05). In conclusion, an OLO impaired venoconstriction responsiveness in healthy subjects, probably because of a reduction in the antioxidant capacity. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity as indicator of sympathetic activity: simultaneous evaluation in different tissues of hypertensive rats

Burgi K, Cavalleri MT, Alves AS, Britto LRG, Antunes VR, Michelini LC. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity as indicator of sympathetic activity: simultaneous evaluation in different tissues of hypertensive rats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 300: R264-R271, 2011. First published December 9, 2010; doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00687.2009.-Vasomotor control by the sympathetic nervous system presents substantial heterogeneity within different tissues, providing appropriate homeostatic responses to maintain basal/stimulated cardiovascular function both at normal and pathological conditions. The availability of a reproducible technique for simultaneous measurement of sympathetic drive to different tissues is of great interest to uncover regional patterns of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). We propose the association of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (THir) with image analysis to quantify norepinephrine (NE) content within nerve terminals in arteries/arterioles as a good index for regional sympathetic outflow. THir was measured in fixed arterioles of kidney, heart, and skeletal muscle of WistarKyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) (123 +/- 2 and 181 +/- 4 mmHg, 300 +/- 8 and 352 +/- 8 beats/min, respectively). There was a differential THir distribution in both groups: higher THir was observed in the kidney and skeletal muscle (similar to 3-4-fold vs. heart arterioles) of WKY; in SHR, THir was increased in the kidney and heart (2.4- and 5.3-fold vs. WKY, respectively) with no change in the skeletal muscle arterioles. Observed THir changes were confirmed by either: 1) determination of NE content (high-performance liquid chromatography) in fresh tissues (SHR vs. WKY): +34% and +17% in kidney and heart, respectively, with no change in the skeletal muscle; 2) direct recording of renal (RSNA) and lumbar SNA (LSNA) in anesthetized rats, showing increased RSNA but unchanged LSNA in SHR vs. WKY. THir in skeletal muscle arterioles, NE content in femoral artery, and LSNA were simultaneously reduced by exercise training in the WKY group. Results indicate that THir is a valuable technique to simultaneously evaluate regional patterns of sympathetic activity.

Rhenium chelate complexes with maltolate or kojate

Novel rhenium complexes containing the maltolate (mal) or kojate (koj) anions as chelating ligands have been synthesized: [ReOCl(mal)(2)] (1), [ReOCl(2)(mal)(PPh(3))] (2), [ReOBr(2)(mal)(PPh(3))] (3), [ReOCl2(koj)(PPh(3))] (4) and [ReOBr(2)(koj)(PPh(3))] (5). The products have been characterized by MR, (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P NMR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. The crystal and molecular structures of all complexes were determined. Complex I crystallizes monoclinic, space group C2/c, Z = 8. It contains two O, O`-bidentate maltolate ligands and one chloro ligand at the (ReO)(3+) unit, so that a distorted octahedral geometry is adopted by the six-coordinated rhenium(V) center. The chloro ligand occupies a cis position to the oxo ligand. Complexes 2 and 3 are isostructural and crystallize orthorhombic, space group Pbca and Z = 8. The isostructural complexes 4 and 5 crystallize monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n and Z = 4. In complexes 2-5, the (ReO)(3+) unit is coordinated by a monoanionic O,O-bidentate unit of the maltolate (2 and 3) or kojate (41 and 5) ligand, one triphenylphosphine and two halogeno ligands (Cl in 2 and 4; Br in 3 and 5), with the rhenium(V) center in a distorted octahedral environment. The halide ligands are in cis positions to each other. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

En studie av Idre Fjälls webbplats med fokus på användbarhet

Idre Fjäll currently has not full control of how visitors experience their site or if it has good usability. I have helped the company to do a usability test on their website to see how and where any improvements can be made on the page before the winter season 2010. I have also done a survey to investigate how users perceive Idre Fjälls website. Ten people of various ages participated in the survey. All test subjects was recorded with both audio and screen activity during the tests. The test consisted of five different tasks to be solved over the internet at Idre fjälls website. Nr 1, 3, 4 and 5 was solved for most without problem. In nr 2, where a booking of a house would be done, here arose a problem in nine tests out of ten. The results show that the site has very good graphic design and information design, but some weaknesses in interaction design. I have worked out proposals on the most significant problems identified during the test.

Monetary arrangements for emerging economies

In this paper we look at various alternatives for monetary regimes: dollarization, monetary union and local currency. We use an extension of the debt crisis model of Cole and Kehoe ([3], [4] and [5]), although we do not necessarily follow their sunspot interpretation. Our focus is to appraise the welfare of a country which is heavily dependent on international capital due to low savings, for example, and might suffer a speculative attack on its external public debt. We study the conditions under which countries will be better off adopting each one of the regimes described above. If it belongs to a monetary union or to a local currency regime, a default may be avoided by an ination tax on debt denominated in common or local currency, respectively. Under the former regime, the decision to inate depends on each member country's political inuence over the union's central bank, while, in the latter one, the country has full autonomy to decide about its monetary policy. The possibility that the government inuences the central bank to create ination tax for political reasons adversely affects the expected welfare of both regimes. Under dollarization, ination is ruled out and the country that is subject to an external debt crisis has no other option than to default. Accordingly, one of our main results is that shared ination control strengthens currencies and a common-currency regime is superior in terms of expected welfare to the local-currency one and to dollarization if external shocks that member countries suffer are strongly correlated to each other. On the other hand, dollarization is dominant if the room for political ination under the alternative regime is high. Finally, local currency is dominant if external shocks are uncorrelated and the room for political pressure is mild. We nish by comparing Brazil's and Argentina's recent experiences which resemble the dollarization and the local currency regimes, and appraising the incentives that member countries would have to unify their currencies in the following common markets: Southern Common Market, Andean Community of Nations and Central American Common Market.

O efeito da carga compressiva repetitiva sobre a placa de crescimento : estudo experimental em ratos

Os impactos repetitivos decorrentes do esporte podem interferir no crescimento ósseo. Com o objetivo de tentar elucidar o efeito mecânico dos impactos repetitivos sobre a placa de crescimento ósseo, da tíbia proximal, um estudo experimental em ratos foi realizado. Inicialmente, foi desenvolvida uma máquina para a produção de impactos repetitivos na tíbia dos ratos. Os impactos repetitivos foram produzidos na tíbia direita em uma amostra de 60 ratos wistar, divididos em 6 grupos de 10 cada, sendo a esquerda o controle. A magnitude de impacto foi de aproximadamente 3,5 vezes a massa corporal dos ratos. Após os dias de impacto, os ratos foram sacrificados e as tíbias foram medidas. Em seguida um estudo histológico da placa de crescimento foi realizado. Foram medidas, a espessura total da placa de crescimento, a espessura da zona de repouso, de proliferação e hipertrófica e de calcificação juntas. Os resultados mostraram diferença significativa no comprimento da tíbia nos testes intra-grupos para os grupos 3, 4,e 5 (p≤0,05), e intergrupos para a tíbia direita e esquerda (p≤0,05). A placa de crescimento mostrou uma menor espessura significativa na tíbia direita (p≤0,05). Na esquerda não houve alteração significativa da espessura da placa (p=0,109). As zonas de repouso e proliferativa da placa da tíbia direita, e o número médio de células nas colunas da zona proliferativa apresentaram diferenças significativas intergrupos (p= 0,013, p=0,042 e p=0,017, respectivamente). As zonas hipertrófica e de calcificação apresentaram diferença significativas nas tíbias direita e esquerda (p 0,048 e 0=0,020, respectivamente). As análises múltiplas confirmaram que não existiram evidências de calcificação precoce da placa, com a magnitude de impacto produzida. Não houve mudança significativa nas zonas hipertrófica e de calcificação. A conclusão é de que os impactos repetitivos diminuem a espessura da placa de crescimento proximal da tíbia durante a puberdade, principalmente quando o tempo de impacto ultrapassa a metade do período de puberdade. Com a interrupção de 10 dias na produção dos impactos, permaneceu a diminuição da espessura da placa proximal da tíbia. A cargas de impactos de aproximadamente 3,5 vezes a massa corporal não são suficientes para exibir evidências de calcificação precoce da placa de crescimento.

O gerenciamento de impressões e a qualidade dos serviços nos hotéis da Paraíba

The present study has got as its aim to show how the impressions management is being used by the hotels in Paraiba State. For that, the dramma or role play perspective has been adopted as a model for service management. From the theater metaphor, the physical environment and its components can be seen as a scenery of the service show. We conduct the reader to notice the importance of the consummer about the service quality demand and its influence on his satisfaction. A methodology with exploring and qualifying nature has been adopted by using the analyses of content technique in interviews applied to hotel managers lebeled as having 4 and 5 stars in the State, trying to check how impression management takes place, identifying impression management tools used in relation to the physical evidences and to contacting people, as well as checking managers views in the survey about the use of impression management for client satisfaction make. The information revealed that managers, maybe for being unaware about impression management theory, haven t considered neither the physical evidences yet, nor contacting people as marketing tools. About the physical evidences, we could see that hotels take actions in a pulverized way referring to environment decoration and colors, however there isn t a global usage of physical evidences to highlight the service. Contacting people by their turn, receive better importance and attention. It was possible to make sure that managers are aware about the influence of the employee over the attendance quality. This way, we may come into a conclusion that impression management at Paraiba hotels has been under used, as long as managers seem to be, most times, turned to actions related to contacting people, not having realized the planning importance and national-wide use of service scenery in a genaral way yet

Estudo de sistemas vítreos para infiltração em alumina

The system in-Ceram Alumina, produced by VITA, consists in a technique of prepare of a substructure of ceramics to dental crowns. First burning is made in the alumina decanted by slip casting process under a stone die that reproduces the tooth prepared to receive a crown. In a second burning, alumina is infiltrated by vitreous system, giving to this set a high mechanic resistance. In this work, it s made a study of the composition of a new infiltrating material more used nowadays, giving to alumina desirable mechanics proprieties to its using like substructure of support to ceramic s crown used in the market today. The addition of Lanthanum oxide (frit A) and calcium oxide (frit B) was made in attempt to increase the viscosity of LZSA and to reduce fusion temperature. The frits were put over samples of alumina and took to the tubular oven to 1400ºC under vacuum for two groups (groups 1 and 2). For another two groups (groups 3 and 4) it was made a second infiltration, following the same parameters of the first. A fifth group was utilized like group of control where the samples of pure alumina were not submitted to any infiltrating process. Glasses manifested efficient both in quality and results of analysis of mechanic resistance, being perfectly compatible with oral environment in this technical requisite. The groups that made a second infiltration had he best results of fracture toughness, qualify the use in the oral cavity in this technical question. The average of results achieved for mechanic resistance to groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were respectively 98 MPa, 90 MPa, 144 MPa, 236 MPa and 23 MPa

Revestimentos a base de Ta/Al2O3 produzidos por aspersão térmica sobre substrato metálico

Metal substrates were coated by thermal spraying plasma torch, they were positioned at a distance of 4 and 5 cm from the nozzle exit of the plasma jet. The starting materials were used for deposition of tantalum oxide powder and aluminium. These two materials were mixed and ground into high-energy mill, then immersed in the torch for the production of alumina coating infused with particles of tantalum with nano and micrometric size. The spraying equipment used is a plasma torch arc not transferred, which operating in the range of 250 A and 80 V, was able to produce enough heat to ignite aluminothermic between Ta2O5 and aluminum. Upon reaching the plasma jet, the mixing powders react with the heat of the blaze, which provides sufficient energy for melting aluminum particles. This energy is transferred through mechanisms of self-propagating to the oxide, beginning a reduction reaction, which then hits on the surface of the substrate and forms a coating on which a composite is formed by a junction metal - ceramic (Ta +Al2O3). The phases and quantification of each were obtained respectively by X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld method. Morphology by scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis by energy dispersive spectroscopy EDS. It was also performed measurements of the substrate roughness, Vickers microhardness measurements in sprays and determination of the electron temperature of the plasma jet by optical emission spectroscopy EEO. The results confirmed the expectation generated around the end product of spraying the mixture Ta2O5 + Al, both in the formation of nano-sized particles and in their final form. The electron excitation temperature was consistent with the purpose of work, in addition, the thermodynamic temperature was efficient for the reduction process of Ta2O5. The electron excitation temperature showed values of 3000, 4500 and 8000 K for flows10, 20 and 30 l / min respectively, these values were taken at the nozzle exit of the plasma jet. The thermodynamic temperature around 1200 ° C, was effective in the reduction process of Ta2O5

Estudo da incorporação da cal em composições binárias de solo-cimento para produção de tijolos maciços

The use of binders in the soil for the production of solid bricks is an old construction technique that has been used by several civilizations over time. At the same time, the need for environmental preservation and the tendency of scarcity of natural resources make the construction invest in researching new concepts, methods and materials for building systems for the sustainability of their economic activities. Thus arises the need to obtain building materials with low power consumption, capable of reducing the growing housing shortage of rural and urban population. Currently, research has been conducted on this topic to better understand the cementitious and pozzolanic reactions that occur in the formation of the microstructure of the soil-cement when added to other materials such as, for example, lime, and the relationship between microstructure and formed interfaces with the physical, mechanical and chemical analysis in compounds made from these ternary compositions. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the results of the influence of the incorporation of lime to the soil-cement to form a ternary mixture to produce soil-cement bricks and mortar without structural purposes. From the inclusion of contents of 6 %, 8 %, 10% and 12% lime to the soil, and soil-cement mixes in amounts of 2 %, 3 %, 4 % and 5 % were shaped-bodies of -cylindrical specimens to determine the optimum moisture content and maximum dry apparent specific weight. Then they were cured, and subjected to the tests of compressive strength, absorption and durability modified. Compositions obtained the best results in the tests performed on the bodies-of-proof cylindrical served as a parameter for molding of solid bricks, which underwent the same experimental methodology previously cited. The raw materials used, as well as compositions in which the bricks were molded solid, were characterized by physical and chemical tests, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results obtained in the study indicate that the compositions studied, that showed the best results in terms of compressive strength, water absorption and durability ternary composition was soil, 10 % cement and 2 % lime

Efeitos da calagem do solo no crescimento inicial e absorção de macronutrientes por plantas de trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis)

A presente pesquisa foi conduzida visando estudar os efeitos da calagem do solo sobre o crescimento inicial e absorção de macronutrientes por plantas de trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis L.). A fase experimental foi conduzida em casa de vegetação, em vasos de cinco litros e o substrato foi coletado na camada arável de um Latossolo Vermelho Escuro, distrófico, classe textural franco-argilo-arenosa e valor original de pH igual a 3,8. O experimento foi instalado no delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições e os tratamentos constaram da incorporação de quantidades correspondentes às doses 0, I, 2, 3, 4 e 5 t/ha de calcário dolomítico calcinado. Foi efetuada uma incubação por 15 dias antes do plantio das mudas da trapoeraba. Os resultados foram avaliados 49 dias após o transplante. A planta daninha respondeu intensamente à calagem incrementando a área foliar e os acúmulos de matéria seca e de N, P, Ca, Mg e S. Os padrões de distribuição dos diferentes macronutrientes nas diversas estruturas morfológicas da planta foram alterados. O acúmulo de K cresceu até a dose de 2 t/ha de calcário e depois decresceu, possivelmente devido ao antagonismo com Mg, adicionado através do calcário.

Efeito da época sobre a emergência de Sida rhombifolia e Solanum viarum em diferentes profundidades de semeadura

O conhecimento da profundidade ideal de germinação de sementes de plantas daninhas é importante para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de manejo eficientes, seguras e econômicas. Com o objetivo de estudar a emergência de plântulas de Sida rhombifolia L. e Solanum viarum Dunal, em resposta à época (setembro de 2008 e janeiro de 2009) e às profundidades de semeadura (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 cm), foram realizados dois experimentos em casa de vegetação. Sida rhombifolia mostrou-se sensível às variações de temperatura, em decorrência das épocas de semeadura, e os maiores percentuais de emergência ocorreram nas profundidades entre 1 e 4 cm. Para S. viarum, observou-se forte influência da temperatura sobre a sua emergência, sendo, observado o máximo de emergência, nas profundidades de 1 a 5 cm e sua redução para as sementes locadas na superfície do solo.

Emergência de sida rhombifolia l. em diferentes épocas e profundidades de semeadura

The major problems in pasture areas are weed management. Sida rhombifolia L. is a major weed of these areas, causing serious problems for the farmers. This research aimed to understand the importance of Sida rhombifolia L. seed depth in the soil profile to increase the germination rate and seedling emergence potential. During the month of September 2008 (spring) and January 2009 (summer), two assays were carried out under greenhouse conditions and the seeds were sown at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 cm from the soil surface. The experiment was conducted in pots, 5 L, with 5 replicates containing 50 seeds per pot. In both seasons, the emergence percentage and germination speed were increasing until the 17th day after sowing, and the depths of one, two and three centimeters were those which obtained higher emergencies and germination speed. In one cm depth, the germination was 28% and 32% in spring and summer, respectively, statistically different from the other depths. however, five depths centimeters; the germination was only 8% and 13% respectively.

Abordagem multivariada envolvendo características físicas e morfológicas do sêmen bovino, idade dos touros e época de colheita de sêmen

Avaliaram-se as relações entre características físicas e morfológicas do sêmen de bovinos das subespécies Bos taurus taurus e Bos taurus indicus com a idade dos touros e a época de colheita do sêmen. Utilizaram-se observações feitas durante o período de 1993 a 1999, em 42 touros com 12 a 174 meses de idade, divididos em cinco classes: Bos taurus taurus - 12 a 36 meses; 37 a 60 meses; 61 a 84 meses; 85 a 108 meses; e 109 a 138 meses; e Bos taurus indicus - 12 a 42 meses; 43 a 72 meses; 73 a 102 meses; 103 a 132 meses; e 133 a 174 meses. As características analisadas foram: volume, turbilhonamento espermático, concentração espermática, motilidade espermática, vigor espermático, anormalidades espermáticas e integridade do acrossoma. No processamento das análises, utilizaram-se as médias das características em cada classe de idade e o mês de colheita de sêmen durante o período de 1993 a 1999. As técnicas estatísticas multivariadas de componentes principais e de agrupamento hierárquico mostraram resultados que podem contribuir na escolha de sêmen de melhor qualidade. As classes 103 a 132 meses e 133 a 174 meses para a subespécie Bos taurus indicus e a classe de idade 109 a 138 meses para a subespécie Bos taurus taurus foram as mais contrastantes. Para ambas as subespécies, nos meses mais úmidos, o sêmen apresentou menor qualidade, principalmente na subespécie Bos taurus taurus. As características do sêmen mais contrastantes no estudo por classes e no período de coleta de sêmen foram: vigor espermático, motilidade espermática, concentração espermática, integridade do acrossoma e anormalidades terciárias no sêmen.

Acceleration of the decomposition of Sicilian lemon leaves as an auxiliary measure in the control of citrus black spot

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