Second-harmonic Generation Microscopy Used To Evaluate The Effect Of The Dimethyl Sulfoxide In The Cryopreservation Process In Collagen Fibers Of Differentiated Chondrocytes

Cartilaginous lesions are a significant public health problem and the use of adult stem cells represents a promising therapy for this condition. Cryopreservation confers many advantages for practitioners engaged in cell-based therapies. However, conventional slow freezing has always been associated with damage and mortality due to intracellular ice formation, cryoprotectant toxicity, and dehydration. The aim of this work is to observe the effect of the usual Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) cryopreservation process on the architecture of the collagen fiber network of chondrogenic cells from mesenchymal stem cells by Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy. To perform this study we used Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) derived from adipose tissue which presents the capacity to differentiate into other lineages such as osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages. Mesenchymal stem cells obtained after liposuction were isolated digested by collagenase type I and characterization was carried out by differentiation of mesodermic lineages, and flow cytometry using specific markers. The isolated MSCs were cryopreserved by the DMSO technique and the chondrogenic differentiation was carried out using the micromass technique. We then compared the cryopreserved vs non-cryopreserved collagen fibers which are naturally formed during the differentiation process. We observed that noncryopreserved MSCs presented a directional trend in the collagen fibers formed which was absent in the cryopreserved MSCs. 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Correlation between sperm characteristics and testosterone in bovine seminal plasma by direct radioimmunoassay

The objectives of this study were to validate a non-extractive RIA for seminal testosterone and quantify the hormone using a solid-phase commercial kit, and study the correlation between testosterone in seminal plasma and sperm characteristics. Parallelism showed a correlation index r = 0.992 (Y = -5.47 + 1.073X; R² = 0.985), indicating that the non-extractive method presented is indicated particularly for assessment of testosterone when establishing comparisons between samples. Overall mean (±SD) of testosterone level was 0.60±0.65 ng/mL. Correlation was only found between the seminal concentrations of testosterone and pH of the semen

Promoção da amamentação em localidade urbana da região sul do Brasil: estudo de intervenção randomizado A randomized intervention trial to increase breast-feeding prevalence in southern Brazil

Foi realizado em Pelotas, RS, Brasil, estudo de intervenção randomizado, para a promoção do aleitamento materno. Grupo de 450 mães e lactentes foram visitados em casa aos 5, 10 e 20 dias após o nascimento, e comparados com um grupo-controle do mesmo número. Noventa e dois por cento das famílias no grupo de intervenção receberam as três visitas planejadas. A avaliação do padrão de aleitamento materno e causas de desmame aconteceu seis meses depois do nascimento para ambos os grupos. Noventa e quatro por cento do grupo de intervenção e noventa e dois por cento do grupo-controle foram encontrados na visita de avaliação. A intervenção aumentou a duração do aleitamento (mediana de 120 dias no grupo de intervenção, contra 105 dias no grupo-controle; p=0,03) e retardou a introdução do leite artificial (mediana de idade de 90 dias no grupo de intervenção e 60 dias no grupo-controle; p=0,01). As causas de desmame foram classificadas como subjacentes, intermediárias, e imediatas. A causa subjacente mais comum foi "o bebê chora muito", sugerindo que as mães devem ser instruídas a respeito dos padrões normais de comportamento do lactente nas primeiras semanas de vida, em particular da necessidade que a criança tem de chorar e o fato de que isto, não necessariamente, significa fome.<br>A randomized intervention trial to promote breast-feeding was carried out in southern Brazil. A group of 450 mothers and babies was visited at home 5, 10 and 20 days after birth and compared to a non-visited control group of the same size. Ninety-two per cent of the families visited received the three home visits planned. The evaluation of breast-feeding patterns and reasons for weaning took place 6 months after birth for both groups. Ninety-four per cent of the group visited and 92% of the non-visited controls group were traced on the occasion of the assessment. The intervention increased the duration of breastfeeding (median duration of 120 days in the group visited and 105 days in the controls; p=0.03) and delayed the introduction of milk bottles (median age of introduction of 90 days in the group visited and 60 days in the controls; p=0,01), Causes of weaning were classified as underlying, intermediate and immediate. The most common underlying cause of weaning was "the baby cried too much", which suggests that mothers should be taught about normal patterns of infant behaviour in the first weeks of life, particularly the need for crying, and the fact that this not necessarily reflects hunger

Pseudorapidity densities of charged particles with transverse momentum thresholds in pp collisions at √ s = 5.02 and 13 TeV

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles with minimum transverse momentum (pT) thresholds of 0.15, 0.5, 1, and 2 GeV/c is measured in pp collisions at the center of mass energies of √s=5.02 and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector. The study is carried out for inelastic collisions with at least one primary charged particle having a pseudorapidity (η) within 0.8pT larger than the corresponding threshold. In addition, measurements without pT-thresholds are performed for inelastic and nonsingle-diffractive events as well as for inelastic events with at least one charged particle having |η|2GeV/c), highlighting the importance of such measurements for tuning event generators. The new measurements agree within uncertainties with results from the ATLAS and CMS experiments obtained at √s=13TeV.

Underlying-event properties in pp and p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV

We report about the properties of the underlying event measured with ALICE at the LHC in pp and p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The event activity, quantified by charged-particle number and summed-pT densities, is measured as a function of the leading-particle transverse momentum (ptrigT). These quantities are studied in three azimuthal-angle regions relative to the leading particle in the event: toward, away, and transverse. Results are presented for three different pT thresholds (0.15, 0.5, and 1 GeV/c) at mid-pseudorapidity (|η|10 GeV/c, whereas for lower ptrigT values the event activity is slightly higher in p−Pb than in pp collisions. The measurements are compared with predictions from the PYTHIA 8 and EPOS LHC Monte Carlo event generators