Oxygen uptake of active and aestivating earthworm Glosso scolex pa ulistus (Oligochaeta, Glossoscolecidae)

1. 1. The onset of or reactivation from aestivation in the earthworm Glossoscolex paulistus were dependent upon soil moisture. No evidence of temperature effect in the process was found either in field or laboratory data. 2. 2. Oxygen uptake measured in active and aestivating groups revealed remarkable reduction for aestivating earthworms at various temperatures studied. 3. 3. No evidences of temperature compensation in oxygen uptake was found in both groups of earthworms, indicating that reduction in oxygen uptake is the only adaptation for the aestivating G. paulistus. © 1985.

Short-period variation of cosmic-ray intensity and ozone density observed in the stratosphere

The energy deposition by slowing-down of energetic ionizing particles in the atmosphere enhances the production of constituent concentration which perturbs and eventually destroys the ozone (OZ) layer. Near the Brazilian anomaly region the cosmic-ray (CR) intensity varies greatly due to the magnetic activity in that region. In order to study these variations, stratospheric balloons were launched to measure, simultaneously, the CR and OZ fluxes in the atmosphere. The Fourier-analysed data collected during the flight on April 22, 1989 show evidences of a short-period variation for both fluxes measured. Attempts to verify the physical mechanisms which associate the CR change with the OZ one are not conclusive due to limited data observed on that event. © 1993 Società Italiana di Fisica.

White light emission of Eu3+-based hybrid xerogels

The luminescence spectra and extended x-ray-absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) measurements of a series of Eu3+-based organic/inorganic xerogels were reported and related to the local coordination of the lanthanide cations. The hybrid matrix of these organically modified silicates, classed as U(2000) ureasils, is a siliceous network to which short organic chains containing oxyethylene units are covalently grafted by means of urea bridges. The luminescent centers were incorporated as europium triflate, Eu(CF3SO3)3, and europium bromide, EuBr3, with concentrations 200≥n≥20 and n=80, 40, and 30, respectively - where n is the number of ether oxygens in the polymer chains per Eu3+ cation. EXAFS measurements were carried out in some of the U(2000)nEu(CF3SO3)3 xerogels (n=200, 80, 60, and 40). The obtained coordination numbers N ranging from 12.8, n=200, to 9.7, n=40, whereas the average Eu3+ first neighbors distance R is 2.48-2.49 Å. The emission spectra of these multiwavelength phosphors superpose a broad green-blue band to a series of yellow-red narrow 5D0→7F0-4 Eu3+ lines and to the eye the hybrids appeared to be white, even at room temperature. The ability to tune the emission of the xerogels to colors across the chromaticity diagram is achieved by changing the excitation wavelength and the amount of salt incorporated in the hybrid host. The local environment of Eu3+ is described as a continuous distribution of closely similar low-symmetry network sites. The cations are coordinated by the carbonyl groups of the urea moieties, water molecules, and, for U(2000)nEu(CF3SO3)3, by the SO3 end groups of the triflate anions. No spectral evidences have been found for the coordination by the ether oxygens of the polyether chains. A mean radius for the first coordination shell of Eu3+ is calculated on the basis of the emission energy assignments. The results obtained for U(2000)nEu(CF3SO3)3, 2.4 Å for 90 ≥n≥40 and 2.6 and 2.5 Å for n=30 and 20, respectively, are in good agreement with the values calculated from EXAFS measurements. The energy of the intraconfigurational charge-transfer transitions, the redshift of the 5D0→7F0 line, with respect to the value calculated for gaseous Eu3+, and the hypersensitive ratio between the 5D0→7F2 and 5D0→7F1 transitions, point out a rather low covalency nature of the Eu3+ first coordination shell in these xerogels, comparing to the case of analogous polymer electrolytes modified by europium bromide. ©1999 The American Physical Society.

Acao antioxidante de extratos de alecrim (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) em files de peixes da especie pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg)

The antioxidant effect of plant extract has been an interesting issue for many researchers in past few years. Spices have been identified as products with large amounts of antioxidants, and rosemary is one the most studied spice. Studies have shown evidences that population with high intake of these substances have less incidence of coronary heart disease. The objective of this work was verify the antioxidant action of the commercial rosemary oleoresin Herbalox® (used to feed the pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) fish. The juveniles pacu were fed with isocaloric and isoproteic diets, for two groups the lipid source was soybean oil and for the another it was corn oil. For each group of the different lipid sources, rosemary extract Herbalox® (were added in one lot and on the other which was used as control. The results showed that the addition of rosemary extracts to the ration protected them against peroxidation, when compared with the control, the lipid source also have influence on these protection.

Thermal Behavior and Spectroscopic Study of Neutral and Cationic Mononuclear Cyclopalladated Compounds

The reactions of the precursor [Pd(N,C-dmba)(MeCN)2](NO 3) (1) (dmba = N,N-dimethylbenzylamine), with the proligands 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (Hdmpz), 2-quinolinethiol (qnSH) and 1,1′- bis(diphenylphosphine)ferrocene (dppf) afforded the compounds [Pd(N,C-dmba)(Hdmpz)(ONO2)]0.5CH2Cl2 (2), [Pd(N,C-dmba)(qnSH)(ONO2)] 0.5CH2Cl2 (3) and [Pd(N,C-dmba)(dppf)](NO3) (4), respectively. The mononuclear species 2,3 and 4 were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, NMR and thermogravimetric analysis. The IR spectra show bands which are consistent with terminal monodentate nitrate group for 2-3 and ionic nitrate for 4. The 1H and 13C NMR data confirm that coordination of the organic ligands has occurred and the 31P{1H} NMR data for 4 clearly evidences the occurrence in solution of three cyclopalladated species with the dppf acting as a bridging ligand in two cases and as a chelate in one. The thermal behavior of compounds 1-4 suggests that complex 2 is the most stable. The X-ray diffractometry results show the formation of PdO from 1 and 2, Pd2OSO4 from 3, and of a mixture of PdO and Fe 2(PO4)3 from 4, as final decomposition products.

Insulin secretion in monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rats submitted to aerobic exercise training

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise training on glucose tolerance and insulin secretion of obese male Wistar rats (monosodium glutamate [MSG] administration, 4mg/g-body weight, each other day, from birth to the 14th day). Fourteen weeks after the drug administration, the rats were separated into two groups: MSG-S (sedentary) and MSG-T (T = swimming, 1 h/day, 5 days/week, with an overload of 5% body weight for 10 weeks). Rats of the same age and strain injected with saline were used as control (C) and subdivided into two groups: C-S and C-T. Insulin and glucose responses during an oral glucose tolerance test (GTT) were evaluated by the estimation of the total areas under serum insulin (AI) and glucose (AG) curves. Glucose-induced insulin secretion by isolated pancreatic islets was also evaluated. MSG-S rats showed higher AI than C-rats while MSG-T rats presented lower AI than MSG-S rats. No differences in AG were observed among the 4 groups. Pancreatic islets from MSG-rats showed higher insulin secretion in response to low (2.8) and moderate (8.3 mM) concentrations of glucose than those from their control counterparts and no differences were observed between MSG-S and MSG-T rats. These results provide evidences that the hyperinsulinemia at low or moderate glucose concentrations observed in MSG-obese rats is, at least in part, a consequence of direct hypersecretion of the B cells and that chronic aerobic exercise is able to partially counteract the hyperinsulinemic state of these animals without disrupting glucose homeostasis.

Conformation and lytic activity of eumenine mastoparan: A new antimicrobial peptide from wasp venom

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Electrochemical reduction and voltammetric determination of diloxanide furoate in non-aqueous medium

The electrochemical reduction of diloxanide furoate (DF) in acetonitrile on glassy carbon electrode was studied in this work. It was observed that DF is reduced after a reversible one-electron transfer followed by an irreversible chemical reaction, diagnosed as C-Cl bond cleavage. Its reduction was followed by linear (LSV), differential pulse (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). Analytical curves were obtained for DF determination using all the investigated voltammetric techniques. For LSV was obtained a linear range (LR) from 5.0 × 10-4 to 1.0 × 10-2 mol L-1, with detection limit (DL) of 1.5 × 10-4 mol L-1 and sensitivity (S) of 2.1 × 104 μA mol-1 L. The analytical parameters obtained by DPV were: LR = 5.0 × 10-4 to 2.2 × 10-3 mol L-1, DL = 7.8 × 10-5 mol L-1, S = 3.7 × 104 μA mol-1 L. For SWV were obtained a LR = 7.5 × 10-6 to 1.2 × 10 -3 mol L-1, DL = 5.5 × 10-6 mol L -1 and S = 2.8 × 105 μA mol-1 L. Thus, the SWV was the most sensible technique, which can be used for DF determination at low concentration levels. Statistics methods were used to evaluate the analytical procedure, where recovery around to 100% was obtained for all voltammetric techniques. Relative standard deviations were lower than 5.0% (N=5). The obtained t values evaluating all the three voltammetric methods were less than the tabulated ones, indicating that there are no evidences of systematic error. ©2005 Sociedade Brasileira de Química.

O espectro médio de longo termo na pesquisa e na clínica fonoaudiológica.

BACKGROUND: One of the great difficulties in evaluating a voice is the judgment of quality through the perceptual auditive analysis--although frequently used--, as it is influenced by socioeconomic and cultural aspects as well as individual preferences. Many are the adjectives and methods used in this assessment, especially because of the subjectivity involved in the process, leading to incompatibilities between listeners and difficulties in reaching a consensus on the use of this or that terminology. In such a context, the voice laboratory and more specifically the acoustic computerized analysis, has guided and complemented speech-language treatments. Among the several possibilities of spectrographic analysis, the (Long-Term Average Spectrum--LTAS) quantifies the quality of voices, pointing differences between gender, age, professional--spoken and sang--and dysphonic voices. The LTAS has been used a lot in researches that investigate voice. As it evidences the contribution of the glottic source and of resonance to the quality of voice, it provides objective parameters for the evaluation of this aspect which usually depends on our auditive perception. AIM: to demonstrate how LTAS can be applied in voice research and in the speech-language therapy practice, describing both the technical aspects required for the production and interpretation of results, and its limitations. CONCLUSION: The area of voice research has developed a lot in these last two decades especially because of the advent of the voice and speech laboratory. For this reason, the knowledge about the applicability of more tools for voice analysis, as the LTAS, as well as the existing need for more studies in this area, will most certainly contribute for the creation of new research areas not only in the field of professional voice but also in the field of therapy.

Gravity and the quantum: Are they reconcilable?

General relativity and quantum mechanics are not consistent with each other. This conflict stems from the very fundamental principles on which these theories are grounded. General relativity, on one hand, is based on the equivalence principle, whose strong version establishes the local equivalence between gravitation and inertia. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, is fundamentally based on the uncertainty principle, which is essentially nonlocal. This difference precludes the existence of a quantum version of the strong equivalence principle, and consequently of a quantum version of general relativity. Furthermore, there are compelling experimental evidences that a quantum object in the presence of a gravitational field violates the weak equivalence principle. Now it so happens that, in addition to general relativity, gravitation has an alternative, though equivalent, description, given by teleparallel gravity, a gauge theory for the translation group. In this theory torsion, instead of curvature, is assumed to represent the gravitational field. These two descriptions lead to the same classical results, but are conceptually different. In general relativity, curvature geometrizes the interaction while torsion, in teleparallel gravity, acts as a force, similar to the Lorentz force of electrodynamics. Because of this peculiar property, teleparallel gravity describes the gravitational interaction without requiring any of the equivalence principle versions. The replacement of general relativity by teleparallel gravity may, in consequence, lead to a conceptual reconciliation of gravitation with quantum mechanics. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Genetic alterations in benign lesions: Chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer

Aim: To investigate the occurrence of chromosome 3, 7, 8, 9, and 17 aneuploidies, TP53 gene deletion and p53 protein expression in chronic gastritis, atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcer, and their association with H pylori infection. Methods: Gastric biopsies from normal mucosa (NM, n = 10), chronic gastritis (CG, n = 38), atrophic gastritis (CAG, n = 13) and gastric ulcer (GU, n = 21) were studied using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemical assay. A modified Giemsa staining technique and PCR were used to detect H pylori. An association of the gastric pathologies and aneuploidies with H pylori infection was assessed. Results: Aneuploidies were increasingly found from CG (21%) to CAG (31%) and to GU (62%), involving mainly monosomy and trisomy 7, trisomies 7 and 8, and trisomies 7, 8 and 17, respectively. A significant association was found between H pylori infection and aneuploidies in CAG (P = 0.0143) and GU (P = 0.0498). No TP53 deletion was found in these gastric lesions, but p53-positive immunoreactivity was detected in 45% (5/11) and 12% (2/17) of CG and GU cases, respectively. However, there was no significant association between p53 expression and H pylori infection. Conclusion: The occurrence of aneuploidies in benign lesions evidences chromosomal instability in early stages of gastric carcinogenesis associated with H pylori infection, which may confer proliferative advantage. The increase of p53 protein expression in CG and GU may be due to overproduction of the wild-type protein related to an inflammatory response in mucosa. © 2006 The WJG Press. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of the natural polyphenol chlorogenic acid

Phenolic compounds are numerous and ubiquitous in the plant kingdom, being particularly present in health-promoting foods. Epidemiological evidences suggest that the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods reduces the incidence of cancer, coronary heart disease and inflammation. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is one of the most abundant polyphenol compounds in human diet. Data obtained from in vivo and in vitro experiments show that CGA mostly presents antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic activities. However, the effects of CGA on the inflammatory reaction and on the related pain and fever processes have been explored less so far. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of CGA in rats. In comparison to control, CGA at doses 50 and 100 mg/kg inhibited carrageenin-induced paw edema beginning at the 2nd hour of the experimental procedure. Furthermore, at doses 50 and 100 mg/kg CGA also inhibited the number of flinches in the late phase of formalin-induced pain test. Such activities may be derived from the inhibitory action of CGA in the peripheral synthesis/release of inflammatory mediators involved in these responses. On the other hand, even at the highest tested dose (200 mg/kg), CGA did not inhibit the febrile response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rats. Additional experiments are necessary in order to clarify the true target for the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of CGA. © 2006 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.

Variabilidade clínica na determinação da dose tóxica oral em intoxicação experimental por fluoroacetato de sódio em gatos

The sodium monofluoroacetate (FAC) or compound 1080 is a potent rodenticide used for a rodents and vertebrate pest control. It was prohibited in many countries because of its high toxicity, but in Brazil exist evidences of ilegal use causing the intoxication in children and domestic animals. The fluoroacetate metabolite, fluorocitric acid, blocks body energy production by inhibit the Krebs cycle, resulting in neurological and cardiacs signs. In the present study, four group of oral toxic dosis of the FAC were compared in cats. The best oral toxic dose for clinical signs presentation, without cause acute lethality, was 0,45mg/kg. The clinical variability was dosis dependent and its intensity, in crescent order, was: light signs (dose 1: 0,3mg/kg), light to moderate (dose 2: 0,4mg/kg), moderate to severe (dose 3: 0,45mg/ kg) and severe (dose 4: 0,5mg/kg). There was individual clinical variability between animals that received the same oral toxic dose.

Treatment of atherosclerotic renovascular disease

Treatment of atherosclerotic renovascular disease is controversial and revascularization is not a beneficial approach to all patients. Conditions as progressive deterioration of renal function, refractory hypertension or accelerated cardiovascular disease, especially recurrent pulmonary edema, could profit from renal angioplasty with stent placement. Surgical revascularization is a good option for patients who will need concomitant surgical corrections of abdominal aortic lesions. Treatment of all other patients must be individualized. Medical therapy is indicated for all patients with atherosclerotic renovascular disease. Observational studies pointed out to the beneficial effect of controlling blood pressure (<130/80 mm Hg), glucose and lipids profile, lifestyle modifications, specific use of platelet antiaggregant therapy, Angiotensin Conversion Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEI) and statins. All others cardiovascular risk factors must be controlled. The evaluation and management of other systemic atherosclerotic vascular lesions is important, especially coronary, carotid and abdominal aortic. This paper presents a review of evidences to rationale the atherosclerotic renovascular disease treatment. © 2008 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.

Exercise training improves relaxation response and SOD-1 expression in aortic and mesenteric rings from high caloric diet-fed rats

Background. Obesity has been associated with a variety of disease such as type II diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. Evidences have shown that exercise training promotes beneficial effects on these disorders, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical preconditioning prevents the deleterious effect of high caloric diet in vascular reactivity of rat aortic and mesenteric rings. Methods. Male Wistar rats were divided into sedentary (SD); trained (TR); sedentary diet (SDD) and trained diet (TRD) groups. Run training (RT) was performed in sessions of 60 min, 5 days/week for 12 weeks (70-80% VO2max). Triglycerides, glucose, insulin and nitrite/nitrate concentrations (NOx -) were measured. Concentration- response curves to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were obtained. Expression of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) was assessed by Western blotting. Results. High caloric diet increased triglycerides concentration (SDD: 216 ± 25 mg/dl) and exercise training restored to the baseline value (TRD: 89 ± 9 mg/dl). Physical preconditioning significantly reduced insulin levels in both groups (TR: 0.54 ± 0.1 and TRD: 1.24 ± 0.3 ng/ml) as compared to sedentary animals (SD: 0.87 ± 0.1 and SDD: 2.57 ± 0.3 ng/ml). On the other hand, glucose concentration was slightly increased by high caloric diet, and RT did not modify this parameter (SD: 126 ± 6; TR: 140 ± 8; SDD: 156 ± 8 and TRD 153 ± 9 mg/dl). Neither high caloric diet nor RT modified NO x - levels (SD: 27 ± 4; TR: 28 ± 6; SDD: 27 ± 3 and TRD: 30 ± 2 μM). Functional assays showed that high caloric diet impaired the relaxing response to ACh in mesenteric (about 13%), but not in aortic rings. RT improved the relaxing responses to ACh either in aortic (28%, for TR and 16%, to TRD groups) or mesenteric rings (10%, for TR and 17%, to TRD groups) that was accompanied by up-regulation of SOD-1 expression and reduction in triglycerides levels. Conclusion. The improvement in endothelial function by physical preconditioning in mesenteric and aortic arteries from high caloric fed-rats was directly related to an increase in NO bioavailability to the smooth muscle mostly due to SOD-1 up regulation. © 2008 de Moraes et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.