Topology and Fragility in Cosmology

We introduce the notion of topological fragility and briefly discuss some examples from the literature. An important example of this type of fragility is the way globally anisotropic Bianchi V generalisations of the FLRW $k=-1$ model result in a radical restriction on the allowed topology of spatial sections, thereby excluding compact cosmological models with negatively curved three-sections with anisotropy. An outcome of this is to exclude chaotic mixing in such models, which may be relevant, given the many recent attempts at employing compact FLRW $k=-1$ models to produce chaotic mixing in the cosmic microwave background radiation, if the Universe turns out to be globally anisotropic.Comment: 12 pages, LaTex file, to appear in Gen. Rel. Grav. (1998

Vitamin D3 as adjuvant in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: modulation of genomic and biochemical instability

Erratum in - Corrigendum: Vitamin D3 as adjuvant in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: modulation of genomic and biochemical instability. Fagundes GE, Macan TP, Rohr P, Damiani AP, Da Rocha FR, Pereira M, Longaretti LM, Vilela TC, Ceretta LB, Mendes C, Silveira PCL, Teixeira JPF, de Andrade VM. Mutagenesis. 2019 May 29;34(2):215. doi: 10.1093/mutage/gez006.Type 2 diabetes mellitus has undergone a worldwide growth in incidence in the world and has now acquired epidemic status. There is a strong link between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D deficiency. Because vitamin D has beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of vitamin D3 supplementation on the modulation of glycaemic control and other metabolic effects, as well as modulation of genomic instability in patients with type 2 diabetes. We evaluated 75 patients with type 2 diabetes, registered in the Integrated Clinics of the University of Southern Santa Catarina. Participants received 4000 IU of vitamin D3 (25(OH)D) supplementation daily for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and at the end of the supplementation, and 4 weeks after the end of supplementation. The glycidic and lipid profiles [total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides], oxidative stress, DNA damage and 25(OH)D levels were evaluated. Vitamin D3 supplementation for 8 weeks showed enough to significantly increase blood levels of 25(OH)D. A significant difference in lipid profile was observed only in non-HDL cholesterol. Significant changes were observed in glucose homeostasis (fasting glucose and serum insulin) and, in addition, a reduction in the parameters of oxidative stress and DNA damage. There was a significant reduction in the values of 25(OH)D 4 weeks after the end of the supplementation, but levels still remained above baseline. Use of vitamin D supplementation can be an ally in the health modulation of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitusThis work was supported by grants from Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC) and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde/ Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation

BACKGROUND: Constipation is a frequent complaint and the combination of a prebiotic and probiotics could have a potentially synergic effect on the intestinal transit. The present study therefore aims to investigate the combination of polydextrose (Litesse®), L. acidophilus NCFM® and B. lactis HN019 in a yogurt on intestinal transit in subjects who suffer from constipation. METHODS: Patients with constipation were randomly divided into two groups, Control Group (CG) and Treatment Group (TG), and had to eat 180 ml of unflavored yogurt every morning for 14 days. Those in the CG received only yogurt, while the TG received yogurt containing polydextrose, L. acidophilus NCFM® (ATCC 700396) and B. lactis HN019 (AGAL NM97/09513). RESULTS: Favourable clinical response was assessed since Agachan score had a significant reduction at the end of the study in both groups and tended to be better in the TG. The subjects in the treatment group also had a shorter transit time at the end of the intervention compared to the control group (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The product containing yogurt with polydextrose, B. lactis HN019 and L. acidophilus NCFM® significantly shortened colonic transit time after two weeks in the TG compared to CG and may be an option for treatment of constipation

Radiation Damping in FRW Space-times with Different Topologies

We study the role played by the compactness and the degree of connectedness in the time evolution of the energy of a radiating system in the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) space-times whose $t=const$ spacelike sections are the Euclidean 3-manifold ${\cal R}^3$ and six topologically non-equivalent flat orientable compact multiply connected Riemannian 3-manifolds. An exponential damping of the energy $E(t)$ is present in the ${\cal R}^3$ case, whereas for the six compact flat 3-spaces it is found basically the same pattern for the evolution of the energy, namely relative minima and maxima occurring at different times (depending on the degree of connectedness) followed by a growth of $E(t)$. Likely reasons for this divergent behavior of $E(t)$ in these compact flat 3-manifolds are discussed and further developments are indicated. A misinterpretation of Wolf's results regarding one of the six orientable compact flat 3-manifolds is also indicated and rectified.Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX, 5 figures, To appear in Phys. Rev. D 15, vol. 57 (1998

In vitro leishmanicidal, antibacterial and antitumour potential of anhydrocochlioquinone A obtained from the fungus Cochliobolus sp

The bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the fungus Cochliobolus sp. highlighted leishmanicidal activity and allowed for anhydrocochlioquinone A (ANDC-A) isolation. MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra of this compound were in agreement with those published in the literature. ANDC-A exhibited leishmanicidal activity with EC50value of 22.4 \uc2\ub5g/mL (44 \uce\ubcM) and, when submitted to the microdilution assay against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, showed a minimal inhibitory concentration against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25295 of 128 \uce\ubcg/mL (248.7 \uce\ubcM). It was also active against five human cancer cell lines, showing IC50values from 5.4 to 20.3 \uce\ubcM. ANDC-A demonstrated a differential selectivity for HL-60 (SI 5.5) and THP-1 (SI 4.3) cell lines in comparison with Vero cells and was more selective than cisplatin and doxorubicin against MCF-7 cell line in comparison with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. ANDC-A was able to eradicate clonogenic tumour cells at concentrations of 20 and 50 \uce\ubcM and induced apoptosis in all tumour cell lines at 20 \uce\ubcM. These results suggest that ANDC-A might be used as a biochemical tool in the study of tumour cells biochemistry as well as an anticancer agent with durable effects on tumours

Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor Plays a Role in Lung Injury and Death Caused by Influenza A in Mice

Influenza A virus causes annual epidemics which affect millions of people worldwide. A recent Influenza pandemic brought new awareness over the health impact of the disease. It is thought that a severe inflammatory response against the virus contributes to disease severity and death. Therefore, modulating the effects of inflammatory mediators may represent a new therapy against Influenza infection. Platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor (PAFR) deficient mice were used to evaluate the role of the gene in a model of experimental infection with Influenza A/WSN/33 H1N1 or a reassortant Influenza A H3N1 subtype. The following parameters were evaluated: lethality, cell recruitment to the airways, lung pathology, viral titers and cytokine levels in lungs. The PAFR antagonist PCA4248 was also used after the onset of flu symptoms. Absence or antagonism of PAFR caused significant protection against flu-associated lethality and lung injury. Protection was correlated with decreased neutrophil recruitment, lung edema, vascular permeability and injury. There was no increase of viral load and greater recruitment of NK1.1+ cells. Antibody responses were similar in WT and PAFR-deficient mice and animals were protected from re-infection. Influenza infection induces the enzyme that synthesizes PAF, lyso-PAF acetyltransferase, an effect linked to activation of TLR7/8. Therefore, it is suggested that PAFR is a disease-associated gene and plays an important role in driving neutrophil influx and lung damage after infection of mice with two subtypes of Influenza A. Further studies should investigate whether targeting PAFR may be useful to reduce lung pathology associated with Influenza A virus infection in humans