Experimental evaluation on the applicability of necrobiome analysis in forensic veterinary science

Despite the wide usage of animals as models in forensic studies, the investigations of fundamental legal questions involving domesticated and nondomesticated animals were always given marginal attention compared to "human forensic," and only recently the interest in the discipline is increasing. Our research focuses on the effect of the fur coat on the activity and development of microbial decomposers. In order to test this variable never assessed before, rabbit carcasses were used and results show that: (i) distinct and significant temporal changes in terms of metabolic activity and taxa distribution can be tracked over the decomposition process; (ii) the richness and the diversity of the bacterial communities does not significantly vary over time, but it does not mean that the species Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) do not change; (iii) the presence/absence of the fur on the carcasses does not significantly affect either the bacterial communities' functional activity or the diversity intra- and intercommunity, neither at phylum nor at family resolution; (iv) the functional activity and the ecological diversity of the bacterial communities are significantly affected by the body region, while the relative abundance is not. Obtained data confirm previous observations and provide new insight in the Forensic Veterinary field in terms of equally using them in order to derive a statistical model for the PMI estimation. As a future perspective, a contribution to the Forensic Entomology approach will be given in legal investigations when domestic or wild animals are involved, regardless of the presence of a hair layer

TACE treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma: What should we do now?

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Effects of Monacolin K in Nondiabetic Patients with NAFLD: A Pilot Study

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver condition with significant risk of progression to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Therapeutic strategies in NAFLD include lifestyle changes mainly related to dietary interventions and use of drugs or nutritional components that could improve plasma lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity and decrease the local inflammatory response. In this study, we tested the effects of monacolin K, an inhibitor of HMCoA reductase. In a prospective, uncontrolled, open study, we treated 24 patients with NAFLD and mild hypercholesterolemia with 10 mg/day of monacolin K. At baseline and after 26 weeks, we measured in plasma liver tests, lipids, malondialdehyde, and oxidized glutathione, and assessed biochemical steatosis scores, liver elastography, and body composition with bioimpedance analysis. Monacolin K significantly reduced plasma alanine aminotransferase, cholesterol, triglycerides and the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index that indicated improved insulin sensitivity. No significant changes were found in body fat mass and visceral fat, nor in liver elastography, while the fatty liver index (FLI) was significantly decreased. Plasma levels of both malondialdehyde and oxidized glutathione were markedly reduced by monacolin K treatment, suggesting a reduction in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In summary, this pilot study suggests possible benefits of monacolin K use in NAFLD patients that could be linked to a reduction in oxidative stress. This hypothesis should be further investigated in future studies

Influência da época de semeio e da população de plantas na produtividade de cultivares de sorgo granifero no sudoeste goiano.

Os experimentos foram instalados em Rio Verde-GO (Sudoeste Goiano), durante duas safras consecutivas (2013 e 2014), em condições de safrinha após a colheita da soja. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados em parcelas sub-subdivididas, sendo as parcelas 3 épocas de semeadura (primeira quinzena de fevereiro; segunda quinzena de fevereiro; primeira quinzena de março), as subparcelas 2 cultivares50A70 e A9735R) e as sub-subparcelas 4 populações de plantas (98.000, 131.000, 154.000, 175.000 plantas por hectare), com 4 repetições. As características avaliadas no dia da colheita foram: altura da planta e rendimentos de grãos. Foi possível observar que: a cultivar A9735R apresentou maiores alturas de plantas; para o semeio na primeira quinzena de fevereiro, a cultivar 50A70 foi a mais produtiva em 2013, em condição climática de maior pluviometria, já a cultivar A9735R foi mais a produtiva em 2014, em condição climática de menor pluviometria; as maiores produtividades de sorgo granífero são obtidas no semeio realizado na primeira quinzena de fevereiro; para os maiores rendimentos de grãos, na primeira quinzena de fevereiro, as cultivares 50A70 e A9735R devem ser semeadas utilizando a população de plantas de 131.000 e 154.000 plantas por hectare, respectivamente, e os semeios realizados tardios podem ser realizados com populações de plantas de 98.000 plantas por hectare, sem perdas significativas na produtividade de grãos.bitstream/item/139348/1/bol-121.pd

Years of life that could be saved from prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes premature death and loss of life expectancy worldwide. Its primary and secondary prevention can result in a significant number of years of life saved. AIM: To assess how many years of life are lost after HCC diagnosis. METHODS: Data from 5346 patients with first HCC diagnosis were used to estimate lifespan and number of years of life lost after tumour onset, using a semi-parametric extrapolation having as reference an age-, sex- and year-of-onset-matched population derived from national life tables. RESULTS: Between 1986 and 2014, HCC lead to an average of 11.5 years-of-life lost for each patient. The youngest age-quartile group (18-61 years) had the highest number of years-of-life lost, representing approximately 41% of the overall benefit obtainable from prevention. Advancements in HCC management have progressively reduced the number of years-of-life lost from 12.6 years in 1986-1999, to 10.7 in 2000-2006 and 7.4 years in 2007-2014. Currently, an HCC diagnosis when a single tumour <2 cm results in 3.7 years-of-life lost while the diagnosis when a single tumour 65 2 cm or 2/3 nodules still within the Milan criteria, results in 5.0 years-of-life lost, representing the loss of only approximately 5.5% and 7.2%, respectively, of the entire lifespan from birth. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence results in the loss of a considerable number of years-of-life, especially for younger patients. In recent years, the increased possibility of effectively treating this tumour has improved life expectancy, thus reducing years-of-life lost

Cultivares de sorgo granífero em safrinha no Sudoeste Goiano.

A definição de épocas de semeadura constitui uma importante tecnologia visando o alcance da sustentabilidade produtiva do sorgo. Objetivou-se avaliar, durante duas safras agrícolas, o desempenho agronômico de cultivares de sorgo em segunda safra na região do Sudoeste do Estado de Goiás. As cultivares 50A70, A9735R, BRS 330, AG 1080, 50A10 e A9721R foram avaliadas durante safrinha de 2013 e 2014 em duas épocas de semeadura (primeira e segunda quinzenas de fevereiro), em experimentos em delineamento de blocos casualizados com 4 repetições. Realizou-se a análise conjunta dos experimentos visando avaliar o comportamento das cultivares. Observaram-se comportamentos diferenciados dos genótipos de sorgo aos ambientes de produção. As maiores produtividades foram observadas na safra 2013/14, tendo nesse ano, em média, rendimentos 27% (1.355,7 kg ha-1) superiores ao segundo ano. O comportamento produtivo das cultivares foi variável conforme o ano de estudo e a época de semeio. Sendo que, no primeiro ano de estudo, as cultivares mais produtivas foram 50A70 (9.090,91 kg ha-1) e AG1080 (8.337,26 kg ha-1), para o semeio na primeira quinzena de fevereiro. Já no segundo ano de estudo, para a maioria das cultivares estudadas, as produtividades foram muito similares entre si.bitstream/item/142539/1/bol-129.pd