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Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in irreversible neurological impairment. After SCI, Ferritinophagy-induced free iron released from ferritin can lead to extensive lipid peroxidation and aggravate neurological damage. NRF2/HO-1 pathway is to endow cells with a protective effect against oxidative stress, and it plays an important role in the transcriptional activation of a series of antioxidant and detoxification genes. UAMC-3203 is a ferrostatin-1(Fer-1) analogue with better solubility and stability, which can more effectively inhibit ferroptosis after SCI. A rat SCI model was constructed, and the recovery of motor function was observed after treatment with UAMC-3203. ELISA was employed to assess the impact of UAMC-3203 on inflammation-related factors, while immunofluorescence was utilized to investigate the influence of UAMC-3203 on neuronal count as well as the activation of astrocytes and microglia/macrophages. Malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected to reflect the level of oxidation products. Western blot analysis was used to measure the level of ferroptosis markers and the expression of NRF2/HO-1. Our findings demonstrate that UAMC-3203 inhibits the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxides, preventing ferroptosis and reducing neuronal degeneration. Additionally, UAMC-3203 suppresses astrocyte proliferation and microglia/macrophage activation, as well as the release of ferroptosis-related inflammatory factors. These combined effects contribute to the preservation of spinal cord tissue and the facilitation of motor function recovery. UAMC-3203 maybe inhibit ferroptosis after SCI to promote functional recovery.

ObjectiveThe limited ability to regenerate axons after spinal cord injury (SCI) is influenced by factors such as astrocyte activation, reactive proliferation, and glial scar formation. The TGF-β/Smad (transforming growth factor-β/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog) pathway, associated with astrocytic scarring, plays a crucial role in recovery post-injury. This study aims to investigate how icariin (ICA) interacts with reactive astrocytes in the treatment of spinal cord injury.MethodsA rat SCI model was constructed, and the recovery of motor function was observed after treatment with ICA.HE staining, LFB staining, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blotting were employed to assess ICA's ability to inhibit astrocyte proliferation in rats following spinal cord injury by modulating YAP, as well as to evaluate the reparative effects of ICA on the injured spinal cord tissue. Primary astrocytes were isolated and cultured. Immunoprecipitation-Western Blot (IP-WB) ubiquitination and cytoplasm-nuclear separation were employed to assess PPM1B ubiquitination and nuclear translocation.ResultsThe CatWalk XT gait analysis, BBB (Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan) score, electrophysiological measurements, HE staining, and LFB staining collectively demonstrated that ICA promotes motor function and tissue recovery following spinal cord injury in rats. Immunofluorescence staining and Western Blot analyses revealed that ICA inhibits astrocyte proliferation in rats post-spinal cord injury by suppressing YAP activity. Furthermore, the activation of YAP by XMU-MP-1 was shown to compromise the efficacy of ICA in these rats after spinal cord injury. Additional immunofluorescence staining and Western Blot experiments confirmed that ICA inhibits TGFβ1-induced astrocyte activation through the regulation of YAP. The knockdown of PPM1B (protein phosphatase, Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent 1B) in astrocytes was found to inhibit TGFβ signaling. Additionally, YAP was shown to regulate PPM1B ubiquitination and nuclear translocation through immunoprecipitation-Western blot analysis, along with the segregation of cytoplasm and nucleus.ConclusionIcariin promotes functional recovery in rats after spinal cord injury by inhibiting YAP and regulating PPM1B ubiquitination to inhibiting the activation of reactive astrocytes.

Introdução: A Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) recomenda que 3% a 5% da população doe sangue anualmente para manter os estoques adequados, porém menos de 2% da população brasileira doa sangue regularmente. O aumento da demanda transfusional, aliada à insuficiência das doações, resulta em baixos estoques de hemocomponentes, o que gera a necessidade de medidas de fidelização dos doadores, ferramenta crucial para a estabilidade dos estoques. A qualidade do serviço, incluindo higienização, qualificação dos profissionais, eficácia no atendimento, garantem que o ambiente se torne acolhedor e projetos de reconhecimento como incentivo, são fatores importantes para a fidelização dos doadores. Objetivo: Analisar a taxa de doadores de repetição e comparar com o índice de resultados sorológicos reagentes no período de 2018 a 2023. Método: Foi realizado um levantamento de dados no período de janeiro de 2018 a dezembro de 2023, onde buscou-se o total de doadores de repetição no período, comparado ao índice de resultados sorológicos inicialmente reagentes. Resultado: Desde o ano de 2018, a instituição coletou em média anual de 27.355 doações de sangue, dentro desse número, aproximadamente 60% desses doadores retornaram para nova doação. Observamos que desde o ano de 2019, houve um acréscimo de 11% das doações realizadas e isso se manteve nos anos seguintes, apesar da pandemia da COVID-19 entre 2020 e 2022, o número de doadores de repetição se manteve acima de 70%. Paralelo a isso, a taxa de sorologia inicialmente reagente se manteve abaixo de 2%, inferior à média nacional apresentada nos boletins de produção hemoterápica. Discussão: A taxa de retorno de doadores no serviço de hemoterapia estudado é significativamente superior à média nacional brasileira, que no último boletim apresentado mostrou uma taxa de aproximadamente 44%, refletindo a eficácia das campanhas de conscientização e estratégias de fidelização adotadas pela instituição. Essa alta taxa de doadores de repetição contribui para uma redução nos descartes por sorologia reagente, sendo assim, os dados indicam que a regularidade no monitoramento dos doadores permite garantir a qualidade e segurança dos hemocomponentes produzidos. O retorno destes doadores possui vários motivos, muitos dos quais estão relacionados com experiências positivas, valores pessoais e o reconhecimento. Conclusão: A estratégia de recrutar doadores de sangue recorrentes é essencial para a sustentabilidade dos bancos de sangue. Incentivos à prática de doação e a criação de um ambiente acolhedor são fundamentais para uma alta taxa de retorno de doadores, não apenas assegura a estabilidade e qualidade dos estoques de sangue, mas também reduz a incidência de reações inerentes ao processo, contribuindo para a segurança dos pacientes que necessitam de suporte transfusional.

Introdução: A plasmaférese terapêutica é um procedimento que remove componentes patológicos do plasma, sendo indicada para uma variedade de doenças. A American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) classifica essas indicações em quatro categorias baseadas na eficácia e no suporte clínico disponível para cada condição. Na categoria I a plasmaférese é aceita como tratamento de primeira linha, na II é aceita como tratamento de segunda linha, na III não há evidências de benefício e na IV é ineficaz ou prejudicial. Objetivo: Analisar o perfil dos procedimentos de plasmaférese terapêutica realizados por um Hemocentro e comparar com a classificação da ASFA. Método: Estudo retrospectivo, descritivo com abordagem quantitativa. Realizou-se um levantamento dos dados obtidos a partir dos registros dos procedimentos de janeiro de 2022 a dezembro de 2023. As variáveis observadas foram sexo, número de procedimentos, líquido de reposição e diagnóstico. Os dados foram classificados de acordo com as categorias da ASFA para verificar a conformidade das indicações. Resultados: No período analisado foram realizados 768 procedimentos em 143 pacientes, sendo 50,4% do sexo masculino e 49,6% feminino. Observamos que 96% dos procedimentos foram realizados no âmbito hospitalar e 4% ambulatorial. O líquido de reposição mais utilizado foi solução salina com albumina, em 81% das sessões e o restante das sessões com plasma fresco. Os procedimentos foram separados em quatro grupos: doenças neurológicas, renais, hematológicas e outras, com a seguinte frequência: 53,8%, 21,6%, 18,2% e 6,4% respectivamente. Dentre as doenças neurológicas, a maioria dos pacientes apresentou neuromielite óptica (22%), esclerose múltipla (13%), ambas classificadas como categoria II, e encefalite autoimune (21%) classificada como categoria I pela ASFA. No grupo de doenças renais, a rejeição de transplante renal mediada por anticorpos foi à principal indicação, representando 73% dos casos, sendo classificada como categoria I, seguida da dessensibilização pós-transplante (categoria III) em 13% dos pacientes. Nas doenças hematológicas, predomina como indicação a púrpura trombocitopênica trombótica (42%) e a dessensibilização pré-transplante de medula óssea (15%), classificadas como categorias I e III, na ordem mencionada. Nas outras indicações destaca-se a hipertrigliceridemia (66%) e o lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (11%), classificados como categorias III e II, respectivamente. Discussão: : A plasmaférese oferece diversos benefícios terapêuticos, sendo eficaz para reduzir a inflamação sistêmica, no tratamento de doenças autoimunes e hematológicas, reduzindo a morbi-mortalidade dos pacientes. Em relação aos critérios de indicação, a maioria dos procedimentos está alinhada com as recomendações da ASFA, exceto a hipertrigliceridemia, a dessensibilização pré-transplante de medula óssea e pós-transplante renal. Conclusão: A análise do perfil dos pacientes mostrou que a maioria dos procedimentos está em conformidade com as categorias ASFA, ou seja, possuem suporte clínico e eficácia comprovada. A disponibilidade da plasmaférese terapêutica permite melhorar os desfechos clínicos dos pacientes com doenças graves e de alta complexidade, reforçando a importância da atuação de um hemocentro especializado.

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious condition that results in irreparable nerve damage and severe loss of motor or sensory function. Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihy- droxystilbene) is a naturally occurring plant-based polyphenol that has demonstrated powerful antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic pharmaceutical properties in previous studies. In the central nervous system, it promotes neuronal recovery and protects residual function. However, the role of resveratrol in SCI recovery remains elusive. In this study, the potential mechanisms by which resveratrol affect SCI in rats were assessed by constructing a contusion model of SCI. Resveratrol was intraperitoneally administered to rats. Behavioral scores and electrophysiological examinations were performed to assess functional recovery. After magnetic resonance imaging and staining with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Luxor Fast Blue (LFB), tissue recovery was analyzed. Immunofluorescence with NeuN and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was employed to evaluate neuronal survival and glial changes. TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to examine apoptotic rates. Moreover, network pharmacology was performed to identify relevant pathways of resveratrol for the treatment of SCI. Lastly, ELISA was performed to detect the expression levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-6. Our findings revealed that resveratrol dramatically improved the hindlimb locomotor function and their electrophysiological outcomes. Notably, lesion size was significantly reduced on magnetic resonance imaging. HE and LFB staining exposed increased sparseness of tissue and myelin. GFAP and NeuN immunofluorescence assays at the lesion site determined that resveratrol boosted neuronal survival and attenuated glial cell overgrowth. In addition, resveratrol reduced the density and number of TUNEL-positive cells in rats after injury. Additionally, gene ontology analysis revealed that the enriched differentially expressed protein was associated with the JNK/p38MAPK (c-jun N-terminal kinase/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway. Following resveratrol treatment, the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 were decreased. In summary, the administration of resveratrol protects motor function and neuronal survival in rats after SCI. Furthermore, resveratrol exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by blocking the JNK/p38MAPK signaling pathway.

Due to the complex pathological mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), its treatment remains a challenge. One of the major difficulties in treating AD is the difficulty for drugs to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) is a novel type of ultrasound with neuromodulation function. It has been widely reported that LIUS combined with intravenous injection of microbubbles (MB) can effectively, safely, and reversibly open the BBB to achieve non-invasive targeted drug delivery. However, many studies have reported that LIUS combined with MB-mediated BBB opening (LIUS + MB-BBBO) can improve pathological deposition and cognitive impairment in AD patients and mice without delivering additional drugs. This article reviews the relevant research studies on LIUS + MB-BBBO in the treatment of AD, analyzes its potential mechanisms, and summarizes relevant ultrasound parameters.

Introdução: A coleta de Células Progenitoras Hematopoéticas de Sangue Periférico (CPH-SP) é amplamente utilizada para o tratamento de pacientes acometidos por doenças hematológicas. A mobilização adequada de CD34+ depende de vários fatores, incluindo idade, sexo, diagnóstico, e o regime de mobilização utilizado. A coleta de CPH-SP é realizada de modo geral com fator de estimulação de colônia de granulócitos (G-CSF, 16 μg/kg/dia), uma glicoproteína que regula a produção e liberação de neutrófilos funcionais da medula óssea. No caso de mobilizações que não alcançaram o número de células desejadas (acima de 10×103/mLde CD34+) é inserido um antagonista do receptor de quimiocina 4 (Plerixafor, 0,24 mg/kg) para alcançar o mínimo de células necessárias para um transplante bem sucedido. Objetivo: Analisar a eficiência do protocolo de coleta de células progenitoras hematopoiéticas em dois serviços de hemoterapia em Curitiba-PR. Metodologia: Análise descritiva retrospectiva dos dados de coleta de CPH-SP autólogo do Instituto Pasquini e do Hemobancono período de janeiro de 2022 a março de 2023. Os parâmetros analisados foram a porcentagem de células CD34+ em sangue periférico de acordo agente mobilizador utilizado e a avaliação do produto final. Resultados: No período de janeiro de 2022 a março de 2023, foram analisados 96 pacientes que realizaram 135 coletas de CPH-SP autóloga seguindo o protocolo da instituição: processar três volemias do paciente, manter a taxa de infusão de AC abaixo de 1,2, podendo variar de acordo com a necessidade. Na instituição utiliza-se o protocolo com heparina (5.000 UI de heparina na bolsa ACD + 5.000 UI de heparina na bolsa do produto coletado), com objetivo de diminuir a proporção de Anticoagulante (ACD) levando a diminuição dos efeitos adversos associados à toxicidade do citrato. Desses pacientes, 58% necessitaram de mobilização com G-CSF e Plerixafor. A média de coletas dos pacientes que fizeram a estimulação combinada foi de 1,2, enquanto os pacientes que utilizaram somente G-CSF foi de 1,65. Os pacientes que realizaram a coleta somente com a estimulação por G-CSF apresentaram uma eficiência de coleta de 73,30%, enquanto os pacientes que receberam a estimulação combinada G-CSF + Plerixafor foi de 80,90%. Conclusão: O grupo de pacientes que necessitou de estimulação combinada apresentou um número de CD34+ circulante maior com essa estratégia, com uma redução de 27,2% na quantidade de coletas para atingir a contagem ideal de células no produto, o que fez com que os indivíduos fossem menos expostos aos riscos inerentes ao procedimento e apresentassem maior eficiência na coleta. Palavras-chave: CPH-SP Autólogo, Plerixafor, G-CSF, CD 34+, eficácia.

Background: Frailty represents a complex clinical syndrome of decreased physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors. Little is known regarding interaction between frailty status and outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Our study aims to assess the prevalence of frailty and its impact on in-hospital adverse outcomes of patients aged = 75 years admitted for acute coronary syndromes. Methods: In this retrospective, single centre, observational study were included patients aged = 75 years admitted for acute coronary syndromes between January 2011 and December 2015. Frailty was assessed using the Fried criteria. The primary endpoint was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Secondary endpoints included the occurrence of re-infarction, stroke and major bleeding. Results: Of the 502 patients included, 126 were classified as frail. These patients were older (mean age 78±5.5 vs. 76.2±5.5 years; p=0.020), more often male (68.3%) and had a higher risk profile according to GRACE (151.4±18.8 vs. 132.1±16.8; p<0.001), TIMI (4.3±1 vs. 3.1±1; p<0.001) and CRUSADE (34.6±9.4 vs. 25.8±9.5; p<0.001) scores at admission. All-cause in-hospital mortality was significantly more frequent in frail patients (11.9% vs. 5.6%; p<0.001), as well as re-infarction (7.4% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001), stroke (8.7% vs. 0.5%; p=0.002) and major bleeding (7.9% vs. 1.6%; p=0.002). On multivariate analysis, frailty remained independently associated with the primary endpoint (OR 5.63, [2.05-10.35]; p<0.001). Conclusion: Frailty, identified by Fried criteria, is frequent in elderly patients with acute coronary syndromes, and it is an independent prognostic predictor for in-hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveEpimedium (EPI) is a common Chinese herb with neuroprotective effects against a variety of central nervous system disorders, especially spinal cord injury (SCI). In this study, we performed network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses to reveal the mechanism underlying EPI treatment of SCI, then validated its efficacy using animal models.MethodsThe active ingredients and targets of EPI were screened by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) and their targets annotated on the UniProt platform. SCI-related targets were searched from OMIM, TTD, and GeneCards databases. We employed the STRING platform to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network then visualized the results using Cytoscape (3.8.2) software. We also subjected key EPI targets to ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, then docked the main active ingredients with the key targets. Finally, we established an SCI rat model to evaluate efficacy of EPI in treating SCI and validate the effects of different biofunctional modules predicted by network pharmacology.ResultsA total of 133 EPI targets were associated with SCI. GO terms and KEGG pathway enrichment results showed that EPI’s effect in treating SCI was significantly associated with inflammatory response, oxidative stress and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Molecular docking results indicated that EPI’s active ingredients have a high affinity for the key targets. Results from animal experiments revealed that EPI not only markedly improved Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores in SCI rats, but also significantly improved p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT ratio. Moreover, EPI treatment not only mediated a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) but also increased both superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH). However, this phenomenon was successfully reversed by LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor.ConclusionEPI improves behavioral performance in SCI rats through anti-oxidative stress, which may be mediated by activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Copyright of Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia is the property of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinaria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Associations between gut microbiota and colorectal cancer (CRC) have been widely investigated. However, the replicable markers for early-stage adenoma diagnosis across multiple populations remain elusive. Here, we perform an integrated analysis on 1056 public fecal samples, to identify adenoma-associated microbial markers for early detection of CRC. After adjusting for potential confounders, Random Forest classifiers are constructed with 11 markers to discriminate adenoma from control (area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.80), and 26 markers to discriminate adenoma from CRC (AUC = 0.89), respectively. Moreover, we validate the classifiers in two independent cohorts achieving AUCs of 0.78 and 0.84, respectively. Functional analysis reveals that the altered microbiome is characterized with increased ADP-l-glycero-beta-d-manno-heptose biosynthesis in adenoma and elevated menaquinone-10 biosynthesis in CRC. These findings are validated in a newly-collected cohort of 43 samples using quantitative real-time PCR. This work proves the validity of adenoma-specific markers across multi-populations, which would contribute to the early diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

Fracture of femur of new born is rare during normal delivery or caesarean section. It may occur in difficult delivery in new born or after caesarean section due to unnoticed trauma at the time of extraction of baby. Usually noticed immediately after birth as swelling of thigh. We report the case of a female new born caesarean section delivered with fracture of left femur in primipara with breech presentation.

The influence of rice, maize, and sorghum raw material particle size in extruded dry dog food on the digestibility of nutrients and energy and the fecal concentration of fermentation products was investigated. Three diets with similar nutrient compositions were formulated, each with 1 starch source. Before incorporation into diets, the cereals were ground into 3 different particle sizes (approximately 300, 450, and 600 μm); therefore, a total of 9 diets were in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement (3 cereals and 3 particle sizes). Fifty-four beagle dogs (12.0 ± 0.1 kg BW) were randomly assigned to the diets, with 6 dogs per diet. The digestibility was measured with the chromium oxide method. The data were evaluated with ANOVA considering the carbohydrate source, grinding effect, and interactions. The means were compared with the Tukey test and polynomial contrasts (P < 0.05). With the same grinding procedure, rice was reduced to smaller particles than other cereals. The cereal mean geometric diameter (MGD) was directly related to starch gelatinization (SG) during extrusion. For rice diets, the MGD and SG did not change nutrient digestibility (P > 0.05); only GE digestibility was reduced at the largest MGD (P < 0.01). For maize and sorghum diets, the total tract apparent nutrient digestibility was reduced for foods with greater MGD and less SG (P < 0.01). A linear reduction in nutrient digestibility according to cereal particle size was observed for sorghum (r2 < 0.72; P < 0.01). Higher concentrations of fecal total shortchain fatty acids (SCFA) were observed for sorghum diets (P < 0.05) than for other diets. The rice diets led to the production of feces with less lactate (P < 0.05). The increase in raw material MGD did not influence fecal SCFA for rice diets, but for the dogs fed maize and sorghum foods, an increase in propionate and butyrate concentrations were observed as MGD increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, for dogs fed different particle sizes of the cereal starches in the extruded diets, the digestibility and fecal characteristics were affected, and this effect was ingredient dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the composition of the natural gas on flow rate measurements in pressure relief flare systems, which is a legal requirement imposed by the Brazilian Regulator. The historical technical difficulties associated with collecting gas samples from flare systems, and the constant questions about the representativeness of the collected samples, are the main drivers motivating this study. The study indicated (i) a maximum error of 0.04% associated with ultrasonic measurement of gas flow rate when the actual gas composition was unknown; (ii) collected gas samples directly extracted from the flare systems do not necessarily represent the actual measured gas and (iii) the estimated maximum error associated with the totalization of the gas volume proved to be negligible when compared either to the total documented gas volume given by historical measurements or to the acceptable random errors that is inherent to this type of measurement system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource availability influences sexual selection within populations and determines whether behaviours such as territoriality or resource sharing are adaptive. In Thoropa taophora, a frog endemic to the Atlantic Coastal Rainforest of Brazil, males compete for and defend limited breeding sites while females often share breeding sites with other females; however, sharing breeding sites may involve costs due to cannibalism by conspecific tadpoles. We studied a breeding population of T. taophora to determine (i) whether this species exhibits polygynous mating involving female choice for territorial males and limited breeding resources; (ii) whether limited breeding resources create the potential for male-male cooperation in defence of neighbouring territories; and (iii) whether females sharing breeding sites exhibit kin-biased breeding site choice, possibly driven by fitness losses due to cannibalism among offspring of females sharing sites. We used microsatellites to reconstruct parentage and quantify relatedness at eight breeding sites in our focal population, where these sites are scarce, and in a second population, where sites are abundant. We found that at localities where the appropriate sites for reproduction are spatially limited, the mating system for this species is polygynous, with typically two females sharing a breeding site with a male. We also found that females exhibit negative kin-bias in their choice of breeding sites, potentially to maximize their inclusive fitness by avoiding tadpole cannibalism of highly related kin. Our results indicate that male territorial defence and female site sharing are likely important components of this mating system, and we propose that kinship-dependent avoidance in mating strategies may be more general than previously realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting in the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Brazil developed its own technology for the production of synchrotron light, designing and building UVX, a light source based on a 1.37 GeV electron storage ring with a circumference of 93 m and natural emittance of 100 nm.rad [1]. Over more than 15 years of routine operation for users, the expansion capabilities for this light source, either in terms of new beamlines or upgrades to its accelerators, have reached fundamental limits that can no longer be overcome. The first discussions about a new low-emittance light source for Brazil started in 2006 among the scientific and accelerator communities during the 16thLNLS Annual Users Meeting. In November 2008, a decision by the Brazilian Federal Government was taken to fund preliminary studies for this new source, leading to the final decision to fund the whole project in 2011. The proposed new synchrotron light source, Sirius, is based on a 3 GeV electron storage ring with a circumference of 518 m, a natural emittance of 0.28 nm.rad, and a total of 20 straight sections, of which 18 are for insertion devices. The new facility is being built at the same LNLS site as shown in Figure 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study the applicability of the fractal dimension as a parameter for describing retinal vessel patterns in ophthalmically normal dogs. Procedures The following strategy was adopted: (i) development of an experimental procedure to obtain digitalized photographs of the fundus; (ii) development of software to segment retinal vessel images and calculate the box-counting and radius of gyration fractal dimensions of the retinal vessels and diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA), a process with similar characteristics to retinal vessel morphology, and (iii) establishment of a standard curve for the fractal dimensions of segmented vessels. Results Digitalized photographs of the fundus showed an adequate contrast between the vessels and the rest of the fundus for numerical analysis. The software developed produced a binary image of the retinal vessels permitting calculation of the fractal dimension. The mean values of the fractal dimensions calculated by the methods of box-counting and radius of gyration for the DLA were significantly different ( t = –40.33, P  ≈ 0). The radius of gyration method was found to be more suitable for documenting the dimension of the DLA and, consequently, of the dog's retinal vessels. Conclusion This methodology may be useful to differentiate between normal and pathologic states of canine retinal vascularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was dealing with the chemiluminometric determination of the selective herbicide Fluometuron or 1,1-dimethyl-3-(α,α,α-trifluoro-m-tolyl)urea, (C10H11F3N2O) with a molecular weight 232.29 belongs to the phenyl urea herbicides family. The analytical strategy is based on the continuous-flow manifold, multicommutation and the analyte pre-treatment, the photo-degradation. The optimization of chemical (pH, medium, temperature, and organized media) and hydrodynamic parameters (volume of reagents and flow rate) was performed by univariant and multiparametric simplex procedure respectively. Analytical figures of merit and the effect of foreign substances were studied. The method resulted in quick, automated cost-effective and clean procedure to determine the herbicide in spiked different samples of water and a formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No abstract available.

Artificial insemination (AI) is currently the major biotechnique used worldwide to disseminate superior genetics and to improve reproductive efficiency in bovine herds. Conversely, reports from different parts of the world indicate low pregnancy rates in cattle submitted to AI, due to both mistakes in heat detection or a high incidence of anestrous. In dairy cattle, the use of AI following visual detection of estrus is relatively easier to be used because their routine of management is intense (milking two to three times a day), allowing a frequent contact with cows for estrus observation. However, for beef cattle, the implementation of AI programs based on estrus detection is harder to be used because of several management conditions. Beef cows are frequently raised extensively, with great walking distances between their pasture to the corral where the AI is performed, the number of employers designated for cattle management is reduced and they have several activities besides reproduction. Because of the necessity of at least two periods of estrus observation per day and the conduction of cattle to the corral around 12 h following estrus detection to be inseminated, the AI is somehow unfeasible in beef farms. The development of timed AI (TAI) enabled insemination of cows in commercial scale, because it allows the programmed AI of large number of cows in the same day without the need for estrus detection. Besides, the use of TAI in early postpartum dairy and beef females reduces the interval partum-conception and, consequently the interval between parturitions, which has a dramatic effect on farm economic return. For beef cattle, TAI also brings the advantages of concentrating around half of the conceptions at the first days of the breeding season and stimulating cyclicity and a synchronous estrus return in cows that did not become pregnant at TAI. Thus, the calving season is also concentrate in the best periods of the year to generate offspring with greater weight and potential of development. TAI programs are currently important tools of reproductive management to improve reproductive performance of cattle. The adequate incorporation of these programs has the potential to enhance reproductive efficiency of livestock and consequently increase overall productivity of the farm.

The removal efficiency of activated carbons prepared from rice husk and coconut shell in the adsorption of methylene blue (azo dye) from the synthetic industrial wastewater was investigated in a batch system. Rice husk and coconut shell were both processed into activated carbon by carbonizing at 600 oC and activated with 3.0 M H3PO4 at 80 oC for 3h. Synthetic solutions of methylene blue were prepared and the adsorption process was carried out by varying initial, methylene blue concentration, adsorbent dosage, and contact. The results showed that higher values of adsorbent dosage and contact time favored the adsorption of methylene blue from the simulated waste water. Activated carbon from coconut shell proved a better adsorbent compared to the activated carbon obtained from rice husk as coconut shell has the highest percentage removal for methylene blue.

Campylobacter jejuni is a bacterial human pathogen causing gastroenteritis and sequelae like irritable bowel syndrome. Epidemiologists count the human campylobacteriosis by C. jejuni as the most common foodborne zoonosis and bacterial diarrheal disease worldwide. Based on bioinformatics predictions for potential protective compounds in campylobacteriosis, the question was raised whether the plant-based polyphenol resveratrol is sufficient to attenuate intestinal epithelial damage induced by C. jejuni. We investigated this by performing experimental infection studies in an epithelial cell culture and the secondary abiotic IL-10−/− mouse model. In C. jejuni -infected human colonic HT-29/B6 cell monolayers, transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) was decreased and the paracellular marker flux of fluorescein (332 Da) increased. Concomitantly, the tight junction (TJ) proteins occludin and claudin-5 were re-distributed off the tight junction domain. This was accompanied by an increased induction of epithelial apoptosis, both changes contributing to compromised barrier function and the opening of the leak pathway induced by C. jejuni. In parallel, the recovery experiments with the application of resveratrol revealed a functional improvement of the disturbed epithelial barrier in both models in vitro and in vivo. During treatment with resveratrol, TJ localization of occludin and claudin-5 was fully restored in the paracellular domain of HT-29/B6 cells. Moreover, resveratrol decreased the rate of epithelial apoptosis. These resveratrol-induced molecular and cellular effects would therefore be expected to improve epithelial barrier function, thereby minimizing the so-called leaky gut phenomenon. In conclusion, the induction of the leak pathway by C. jejuni and the restoration of barrier function by resveratrol demonstrates its effectiveness as a potential preventive or therapeutic method of mitigating the leaky gut associated with campylobacteriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]