370 research outputs found

    Oral and maxillofacial lesions in older individuals and associated factors : a retrospective analysis of cases retrieved in two different services

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    Studies on the oral and maxillofacial lesions (OMLs) in older people usually assess data of laboratory services and data from oral medicine clinic have been poorly described. The aim of this study was to describe and to compare OMLs in older individuals considering two data sources, besides to assess associated factors with the three most frequent lesions. A retrospective study was conducted with individuals aged 60 years or older. Data of individuals and lesions reported in both services were collected. Univariate analysis was used to test the association between the occurrence of the lesion and the independent variables. The level of significance was set at 5%. A total of 1,695 (37.3%) records were from the Oral Medicine clinic and 2,848 (62.7%) from the Laboratory service. Inflammatory/reactive lesion group was the most frequent in both services (40.4% in Oral Medicine Clinic and in 44.2% Laboratory). The second and third groups of lesions in the Oral Medicine clinic were infectious diseases (18.5%), and variations of normality (10.8%), while in the laboratorial service were the malignant neoplasms (17.6%) and potentially malignant disorders (13.3%). Differences between services regarding the frequency of lesion groups occurred (p<0.05), except for pigmented (p=0.054) and infectious (p=0.054) groups. Females (OR: 2.08; CI: 1.81?2.39) and individuals who wore a removable prosthesis (OR: 3.99; CI: 2.83?5.62) were also likely to have inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia. Old?old individuals (OR: 1.70; CI: 1.30?2.21), male (OR: 3.63; CI: 3.00?4.39), smoking (OR: 6.05; CI: 4.84?7.56) or alcohol use (OR: 3.95; CI: 3.12?5.01) were likely to have squamous cell carcinoma. The results showed different frequencies of OMLs in older individuals according to the data sources and age group. The findings are important to direct public policies for this age group

    GQ-16, a TZD-derived partial PPARγ agonist, induces the expression of thermogenesis- related genes in brown fat and visceral white fat and decreases visceral adiposity in obese and hyperglycemic mice

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    Background Beige adipocytes comprise a unique thermogenic cell type in the white adipose tissue (WAT) of rodents and humans, and play a critical role in energy homeostasis. In this scenario, recruitment of beige cells has been an important focus of interest for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat obesity. PPARγ activation by full agonists (thiazolidinediones, TZDs) drives the appearance of beige cells, a process so-called browning of WAT. However, this does not translate into increased energy expenditure, and TZDs are associated with weight gain. Partial PPARγ agonists, on the other hand, do not induce weight gain, but have not been shown to drive WAT browning. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of GQ-16 on BAT and on browning of WAT in obese mice. Methods Male Swiss mice with obesity and hyperglycemia induced by high fat diet were treated with vehicle, rosiglitazone (4 mg/kg/d) or the TZD-derived partial PPARγ agonist GQ-16 (40 mg/ kg/d) for 14 days. Fasting blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lipid profile were measured. WAT and brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots were excised for determination of adiposity, relative expression of Ucp-1, Cidea, Prdm16, Cd40 and Tmem26 by RT-qPCR, histological analysis, and UCP-1 protein expression analysis by immunohistochemistry. Liver samples were also removed for histological analysis and determination of hepatic triglyceride content. Results GQ-16 treatment reduced high fat diet-induced weight gain in mice despite increasing energy intake. This was accompanied by reduced epididymal fat mass, reduced liver triglyceride content, morphological signs of increased BAT activity, increased expression of thermogenesis- related genes in interscapular BAT and epididymal WAT, and increased UCP-1 protein expression in interscapular BAT and in epididymal and inguinal WAT. Conclusion This study suggests for the first time that a partial PPARγ agonist may increase BAT activity and induce the expression of thermogenesis-related genes in visceral WAT. General Significance These findings suggest that PPARγ activity might be modulated by partial agonists to induce WAT browning and treat obesity

    Hippocampal Astrocytes in Migrating and Wintering Semipalmated Sandpiper

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    Seasonal migratory birds return to the same breeding and wintering grounds year after year, and migratory long-distance shorebirds are good examples of this. These tasks require learning and long-term spatial memory abilities that are integrated into a navigational system for repeatedly locating breeding, wintering, and stopover sites. Previous investigations focused on the neurobiological basis of hippocampal plasticity and numerical estimates of hippocampal neurogenesis in birds but only a few studies investigated potential contributions of glial cells to hippocampal-dependent tasks related to migration. Here we hypothesized that the astrocytes of migrating and wintering birds may exhibit significant morphological and numerical differences connected to the long-distance flight. We used as a model the semipalmated sandpipe

    Heritability of cardiovascular risk factors in a Brazilian population: Baependi Heart Study

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The heritability of cardiovascular risk factors is expected to differ between populations because of the different distribution of environmental risk factors, as well as the genetic make-up of different human populations.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate genetic and environmental influences on cardiovascular risk factor traits, using a variance component approach, by estimating the heritability of these traits in a sample of 1,666 individuals in 81 families ascertained randomly from a highly admixed population of a city in a rural area in Brazil.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Before adjustment for sex, age, age<sup>2</sup>, and age × sex interaction, polygenic heritability of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were 15.0% and 16.4%, waist circumference 26.1%, triglycerides 25.7%, fasting glucose 32.8%, HDL-c 31.2%, total cholesterol 28.6%, LDL-c 26.3%, BMI 39.1%. Adjustment for covariates increased polygenic heritability estimates for all traits mainly systolic and diastolic blood pressure (25.9 and 26.2%, respectively), waist circumference (40.1%), and BMI (51.0%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Heritability estimates for cardiovascular traits in the Brazilian population are high and not significantly different from other studied worldwide populations. Mapping efforts to identify genetic loci associated with variability of these traits are warranted.</p

    Localization of coated iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles on tomato seeds and their effects on growth

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    IFood demand due to the growing population globally has been stretching the agriculture sector to the limit. This demands the cultivation of plants in shrinking land areas which makes the search for highly effective systems for plant nutrition and pest control important. In this context, the application of nanoparticles (NPs) in agriculture can have a transformative effect on food production techniques as it can enable the delivery of bioactive agents (including growth factors, pesticides and fungicides) directly to plants. Herein we report the application of unfunctionalized as well as amine-functionalized and polycaprolactone-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NP) to seed treatment and plant growth. The study reveals that the treatment has no side effects on plant germination and development. Furthermore, the penetration of NPs in tomato seeds (Solanum Lycopersicum) and their translocation in tomato seedlings post-treatment depends on the level of the NPs functionalization. The research also demonstrates that a fraction of NP is preferentially translocated to tomato seedling roots and shoots, however, uptake is lower for functionalized NPs (both amine and PCL). Thus, the results suggest that the functionalization of NPs can act as a versatile platform for delivering of active compounds, such as fungicides and growth factor agents

    Occurrence of postural deviations in children of a school of Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil

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    OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the posture of students from a public school in Brazil and to identify the differences between normal deviation during growth and compensatory alterations. METHODS: Students from first to fourth grade of a public school in the city of Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated. The students were positioned at sagital anterior and posterior coronal planes for postural assessment. Kendall points were used as the normal reference. RESULTS: 247 students were evaluated, 131 boys and 116 girls, and the main postural deviations found were: shoulder unbalance (50.2%), protracted shoulder (39.7%), abducted scapula (40.5%), knock-knee (29.6%), pelvic unbalance (21.5%), pelvic anteversion (19%), knee hyperextension (19%), medial rotation of hip (12.9%), protracted cervical (11.7%), head tilt (15.4%), thoracic hyperkyphosis (9.7%) and lumbar hyperlordosis (26.3%). CONCLUSIONS: A high incidence of postural alterations was detected in school children. Some of the postural alterations, such as abducted scapula, unbalance and protraction of the shoulders, knock-knee and lumbar hiperlordosis, normally occur and they are naturally corrected during growth. However, some postural problems, such as protraction and inclination of the cervical spine, were also prevalent and they require early intervention.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a postura de escolares do ensino público fundamental e diferenciar as alterações que fazem parte do crescimento normal das compensatórias. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo analítico, descritivo, de corte transversal, no qual se realizou avaliação postural em escolares de primeira a quarta série de uma escola pública da cidade de Jaguariúna, situada no interior do Estado de São Paulo. Cada aluno foi avaliado nos planos coronal-anterior, coronal-posterior e sagital, utilizando-se o método de Kendall como referência de alinhamento postural normal. RESULTADOS: A avaliação postural de 247 escolares (131 masculinos e 116 femininos) identificou a seguinte incidência de alterações: desnível (50,2%) e protrusão de ombro (39,7%), escápula alada (40,5%), aumento do ângulo valgo de joelho (29,6%), inclinação (21,5%) e anteroversão pélvica (19%), hiperextensão de joelho (19%), rotação de fêmur (12,9%), protrusão (11,7%) e inclinação cervical (15,4%), cifose torácica (9,7%) e hiperlordose lombar (26,3%). CONCLUSÕES: Houve elevada incidência de escápula alada, desnível e protrusão de ombro, aumento do ângulo valgo de joelho e hiperlordose lombar, consideradas normais durante o desenvolvimento da criança. As inclinações e a protrusão cervical, alterações que necessitam de intervenção precoce, também foram identificadas.748

    Combinations of Metarhizium anisopliae with chemical insecticides and their effectiveness in Mahanarva fimbriolata (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) control on sugarcane

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    Some insecticides can be used jointly with entomopathogenic fungi, and therefore the combi- nation of chemical and biological control measures can be a safe and effective method to con- trol insect pests. The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs and efficacy of combinations of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) with thiameth- oxam and imidacloprid on spittlebug (Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål); Hemiptera: Cercopidae) control on sugarcane. The experiment was conducted as a randomized block design (RBD) with 10 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments included a control (untreated), thia- −1 −1 12 −1 methoxam (250 g ha ), imidacloprid (700 g ha ), M. anisopliae (M. a.) (3 × 10 conidia ha ), A1 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 65 g ha −1 of thiamethoxam), A2 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 125 g ha −1 of thiamethoxam), A3 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 187.5 g ha −1 of thiamethoxam), A4 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 175 g ha −1 of imidacloprid), A5 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 350 g ha −1 of imidacloprid), and A6 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 525g ha −1 of imidacloprid). The reductions in the numbers of M. fimbriolata nymphs per treatment compared to the control were similar at 15 DAT (days after treatment) in all treatments except combination A5 (M. anisopliae and thiamethoxam). At 30 DAT, the numbers of nymphs were significantly reduced in all treatments except A3, and their effectiveness ranged from 14.28% to 92.85%. At 45 DAT the numbers of M. fimbriolata nymphs per treatment were significantly reduced in the following treatments: imidacloprid alone at 700g ha -1 , A1, A2, A3, A4 and A6; and the combinations A1 and A2 caused the lowest M. fimbriolata nymph infestations and effectiveness rates of 77.41 and 87.09 %, respectively. At 75 DAT the 2 best control efficacies occurred in treatments A1 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha -1 of + 65g ha -1 of thiamethoxam) (82.1%) and A5 (78.6%) (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha −1 + 350 g ha −1 of imidacloprid). At 90 DAT the number of nymphs in the control had increased 2.8 fold over the number at 75 DAT. Very good control efficacies at 90 DAT occurred in all treatments with the combination of the fungus with an insecticide. At 105 DAT the numbers of nymphs had surged in all treatments, and no treatment provided effective control. The treatments with the highest earnings per hectare were A1 (3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha -1 + 65 g thiamethoxam) and M. anisopliae alone at the recommended dose of 3 × 10 12 M. a. conidia ha -1 . Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of using either thiamethoxam or imidacloprid in combination with M. anisopliae to control M. fimbriolata nymphs on sugarcane, but greater net earnings per hectare occurred with the lowest rate of the thiamethoxam combination than with any of the imidacloprid combinations.Algunos insecticidas se puede utilizar con hongos entomopatógenos y por lo tanto, la aso- ciación de los controles químico y biológico puede ser una estrategia segura y eficaz para el control de insectos-plaga. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los costos y eficacia de combinaciones de Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavi- cipitaceae) con insecticidas thiamethoxam e imidacloprid para el control de la chicharrita (Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål); Hemiptera: Cercopidae) en caña de azúcar . El experimento fue conducido en un delineamiento en bloques casualizados (DBC), con 10 tratamientos y 4 repeticiones. Los tratamientos que incluidos el control (sin tratamiento), thiamethoxam (250 g ha −1 ), imidacloprido (700 g ha −1 ), M. anisopliae (M.a.) (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 ), A1 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. + 65 g ha −1 de thiamethoxam), A2 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. + 125g ha −1 de thiamethoxam), A3 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. + 187.5 g ha −1 de thiamethoxam), A4 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M.a + 175 g ha −1 de imidacloprido), A5 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. + 350 g ha −1 de imidacloprido) y A6 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. + 525g ha −1 de imidacloprido). Las reducciones en el número de ninfas M. fimbriolata por tratamiento en comparación con el control fueron similares a los 15 DAT (días pos tratamiento) en todos los tratamientos excepto A5 combinación (M. anisopliae y thiamethoxam). A los 30 DAT, el número de ninfas se redujeron significativamente en todos los tratamientos, excepto A3, y su eficacia varió de 14,28% para 92,85%. A los 45 DAT, los números de ninfas M. fimbriolata por tratamiento se redujeron significativamente en los siguientes tratamientos: imidacloprido solo en 700 g ha -1 , A1, A2, A3, A4 y A6; y las combinaciones de A1 y A2 causaron la más bajo infestaciones de ninfas M. fimbriolata y sus tasas de eficacia fueron de 77,41 y 87,09%, respectivamente. A los 75 DAT, los 2 mejores eficacias de control se produjeron en tratamientos A1 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. + 65 g ha −1 de thiamethoxam) y A5 (78.6%) (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a.+ 350 g ha −1 de imidacloprido). A los 90 DAT, el número de ninfas en el control había aumentado 2,8 veces más el número a 75 DAT. Muy buenas eficacias de control en 90 DAT, se produjo en todos los tratamientos con la combinación del hongo con un insecticida. A los 105 DAT, el número de ninfas habían aumentado en todos los tratamientos, y ningún tratamiento había proporcionado un control efectivo. Los tratamientos con los mayores rendimientos hectárea fueron A1 (3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a.+ 65 g de thiamethoxam) y M. anisopliae solo a la dosis recomendada de 3×10 12 conidios ha −1 de M. a. Nuestros resultados demuestran la eficacia de thiamethoxam y imidacloprido en combinación con M. anisopliae para el control de ninfas M. fimbriolata en caña de azúcar, pero mayores beneficio neto por hectárea se produjeron con la tasa más baja de la combinación de thiamethoxam que con cualquiera de las combinaciones de imidacloprid
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