COMPARISON OF ISOKINETIC FORCE OF THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ROTATORS OF THE SHOULDERS BETWEEN SWIMMERS OF ALTERNATE AND SIMULTANEOUS TECHNIQUES

The aim of this study was to compare the peak torque and the strength ratio between the external and internal swimmers’ right and left shoulder rotators between alternate and simultaneous swimming techniques. Sixteen competitive swimmers (3 females and 13 males) were divided equally into two groups, alternate and simultaneous swimming techniques. The experimental protocol consisted of three maximum concentric repetitions of internal rotation and external rotation of the shoulder at an angular velocity of 60°/s and twenty repetitions at a velocity of 180°/s, with a two minutes interval between speeds and four minutes in the change of laterality of the upper limbs on a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex System 4.0, Biodex Corp., Shirley, NY, EUA).The peak torque and the strength ratio between the external and internal swimmers’ right and left shoulder rotators were measured. No difference was obtained between swimming techniques for peak torque and the strength ratio between the external and internal swimmers’ right and left shoulder rotators (p \u3e 0.05), except for the right shoulder internal rotation at 180º/s (alternate: 44.13 ± 11.58; simultaneous: 56.25 ± 8.83; p \u3c 0.05). Based on our results, peak torque and the strength ratio between the external and internal swimmers’ right and left shoulder rotators do not seem to be influenced by the athlete\u27s predominant swimming technique, with alternate (front crawl and backstroke) or simultaneous (breast and butterfly) strokes. The main findings of this study show that the balance relationships between the ER/IR rotators of the shoulders do not seem to be differentiated by the alternate and simultaneous swimming techniques. However, observing only the PT/IR at a speed of 180°/s of the right shoulders, there was a significant difference between the groups and, therefore, the ER/IR balance ratio was at the maximum limit of normality. Regardless of the specialization of the swimming technique, that is, alternate or simultaneous, swimmers can present imbalances in the internal and external rotators of the shoulders, which reveal the need for compensatory strength training focused on the rotator muscles of the shoulder

Enhancement of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC

Escherichia coli is known to produce enterotoxins whose properties and its role in diarrheal disease has been extensively investigated. Some species of Staphylococcus are often recognized as etiological agents of many animal and human opportunistic infections. This study is the first test of change in resistance of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC. against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the hexane and methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC. were tested for antibacterial activity alone and in combination with aminoglycosides against bacterial strains. The synergy of the methanolic and hexane were verified by microdilution method. A synergistic effect of both extracts combined with the aminoglycosides was demonstrated. It is therefore suggested that the extracts from Cordia verbenacea DC. could be used as a source of natural products derived from this plant with resistance-modifying antibacterial activity, providing a new weapon against the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Internet of things for a smart campus : on-line monitoring of water consumption in university buildings.

Water and energy are among the greatest expenses of University buildings and therefore the monitoring of its consumption is of capital importance. In this work it is proposed a monitoring system based on the Internet of Things (IoT), consisting in a network of physical sensors embedded with electronics and software that allow getting real-time data of any measurable parameters such as level, flow, pressure, or power and make them available online. Such system can be a powerful tool for building managers and maintenance teams, helping to the optimization of water and energy use. An IoT system based on the premise of real-time monitoring with a public access internet interface is being developed for the Polytechnic School in Salvador, Bahia. The objective is to monitor a series of water meters as well as the level of the water tanks, creating a fastresponse leakage detection system. These data will be deployed in a user-friendly interface that, as an additional feature, will also be able to show real-time data of electricity consumption as well as the renewable energy generated in the building through a series of solar panels and one small wind turbine. This system must be reliable and scalable in order to create a Smart Campus for the whole UFBA. In this paper, the architecture of such a system is presented together with the developed prototypes and the results of the monitoring of this particular building

Enhancement of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC

Escherichia coli is known to produce enterotoxins whose properties and its role in diarrheal disease has been extensively investigated. Some species of Staphylococcus are often recognized as etiological agents of many animal and human opportunistic infections. This study is the first test of change in resistance of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC. against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the hexane and methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC. were tested for antibacterial activity alone and in combination with aminoglycosides against bacterial strains. The synergy of the methanolic and hexane were verified by microdilution method. A synergistic effect of both extracts combined with the aminoglycosides was demonstrated. It is therefore suggested that the extracts from Cordia verbenacea DC. could be used as a source of natural products derived from this plant with resistance-modifying antibacterial activity, providing a new weapon against the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Amerindian genetic ancestry and INDEL polymorphisms associated with susceptibility of childhood B-cell Leukemia in an admixed population from the Brazilian Amazon

AbstractAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant tumor common in children. Studies of genetic susceptibility to cancer using biallelic insertion/deletion (INDEL) type polymorphisms associated with cancer development pathways may help to clarify etymology of ALL. In this study, we investigate the role of eight functional INDEL polymorphisms and influence of genetic ancestry to B-cell ALL susceptibility in children of Brazilian Amazon population, which has a high degree of inter-ethnic admixture. Ancestry analysis was estimated using a panel of 48 autosomal ancestry informative markers. 130 B-cell ALL patients and 125 healthy controls were included in this study. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were adjusted for confounders. The results indicated an association between the investigated INDEL polymorphisms in CASP8 (rs3834129), CYP19A1 (rs11575899) e XRCC1 (rs3213239) genes in the development of B-cell ALL. The carriers of Insertion/Insertion (Ins/Ins) genotype of the polymorphism in CASP8 gene presented reduced chances of developing B-cell ALL (P=0.001; OR=0.353; 95% CI=0.192–0.651). The Deletion/Deletion (Del/Del) genotype of the polymorphism in CYP19A1 gene was associated to a lower chance of developing B-cell ALL (P=3.35×10−6; OR=0.121; 95% CI=0.050–0.295), while Del/Del genotype of the polymorphism in XRCC1 gene was associated to a higher chance of developing B-cell ALL (P=2.01×10−4; OR=6.559; 95% CI=2.433–17.681). We also found that Amerindian ancestry correlates with the risk of B-cell ALL. For each increase of 10% in the Amerindian ancestry results in 1.4-fold chances of developing B-cell ALL (OR=1.406; 95% IC=1.123–1.761), while each increase of 10% in the European ancestry presents a protection effect in the development of B-cell ALL (OR=0.666; 95% IC=0.536–0.827). The results suggest that genetic factors influence leukemogenesis and might be explored in the stratification of B-cell ALL risk in admixed populations

"Antarctic yeasts as a source of L-asparaginase: Characterization of a glutaminase-activity free L-asparaginase from psychrotolerant yeast Leucosporidium scottii L115"

"Microorganisms from extreme environments, such as the Antarctic ecosystems, have a great potential to produce enzymes with novel characteristics. Within this context, L-asparaginase (ASNase) obtained from yeast species has been poorly studied. In this study, yeasts isolated from samples collected at Admiralty Bay (King George Island, Antarctica) were tested to produce ASNase. From an initial screening of 40 strains, belonging to 13 different species, Leucosporidium scottii L115 produced an ASNase activity (LsASNase activity: 6.24 U g-1 of dry cell weight) with the lowest glutaminase activity. The LsASNase was purified 227-fold, with a specific activity of 137.01 U mg-1 at 37 ◦C, without glutaminase activity. Moreover, the maximum enzyme activity was observed at pH 7.5 and at a temperature of 55 ◦C. The enzyme is a multimer of 462 kDa, presenting a single band of 53 kDa molecular mass in reduced conditions; after PGNase F treatment, a single band of 45 kDa was observed. The enzymatic kinetic evaluation revealed an allosteric regulation of the enzyme and the kinetic parameters were determined at 37 ◦C, pH 7.0 as substrate affinity constant, K0.5 = 233 μM, kcat = 54.7 s − 1 and Hill coefficient, nH = 1.52, demonstrating positive cooperativity by the enzyme and the substrate. This is the first study to report L. scottii as a source of glutaminase-activity free L-asparaginase, an acute lymphoblastic leukemia drug feature suitable for the treatment of asparagine synthetase negative cancer cells.

Enhancement of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC

Escherichia coli is known to produce enterotoxins whose properties and its role in diarrheal disease has been extensively investigated. Some species of Staphylococcus are often recognized as etiological agents of many animal and human opportunistic infections. This study is the first test of change in resistance of antibiotic activity by Cordia verbenacea DC. against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, the hexane and methanol extract of Cordia verbenacea DC. were tested for antibacterial activity alone and in combination with aminoglycosides against bacterial strains. The synergy of the methanolic and hexane were verified by microdilution method. A synergistic effect of both extracts combined with the aminoglycosides was demonstrated. It is therefore suggested that the extracts from Cordia verbenacea DC. could be used as a source of natural products derived from this plant with resistance-modifying antibacterial activity, providing a new weapon against the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

ATIVIDADE ANTIFÚNGICA DE EXTRATOS VEGETAIS E ANIMAIS DA REGIÃO DO CARIRI

Fungos dermatofíticos são patógenos oportunistas, cujos agentes etiológicos pertencem aos gêneros Trichophyton, Microsporum e Epidermophyton. O gênero Trichophyton é composto por diversas espécies, dentre as quais Trichophyton rubrum se destaca pela frequência com que é isolado, podendo produzir praticamente todos os quadros clínicos de dermatofitose. Suas características principais são a tendência à cronicidade e a resistência aos tratamentos convencionais. Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito antifúngico através da técnica de diluição em HIA de extratos de Croton campestris A., Ocimum gratissimum L. e produtos naturais de Rhinella jimi. Os extratos de C. campestris e O. gratissimum demonstraram atividade antifúngica, assim como os extratos, frações e solução de R. jimi, com exceção da fração hexânica do extrato metanólico. Estes resultados indicam que os organismos testados devem ser estudados como uma possível fonte de produtos naturais com atividade antifúngica, principalmente contra dermatófitos

Loss of Developmental Diapause as Prerequisite for Social Evolution in Bees

Diapause is a physiological arrest of development ahead of adverse environmental conditions and is a critical phase of the life cycle of many insects. In bees, diapause has been reported in species from all seven taxonomic families. However, they exhibit a variety of diapause strategies. These different strategies are of particular interest since shifts in the phase of the insect life cycle in which diapause occurs have been hypothesized to promote the evolution of sociality. Here we provide a comprehensive evaluation of this hypothesis with phylogenetic analysis and ancestral state reconstruction (ASR) of the ecological and evolutionary factors associated with diapause phase. We find that social lifestyle, latitude and voltinism are significant predictors of the life stage in which diapause occurs. ASR revealed that the most recent common ancestor of all bees likely exhibited developmental diapause and shifts to adult, reproductive, or no diapause have occurred in the ancestors of lineages in which social behaviour has evolved. These results provide fresh insight regarding the role of diapause as a prerequisite for the evolution of sociality in bees

Comparison of respiratory muscle strength between fragility subgroups in community elderly

A fragilidade ? composta por um trip? constitu?do por: sarcopenia, disfun??o imunol?gica e desregula??o neuroend?crina. A sarcopenia ? definida como uma diminui??o na for?a e na pot?ncia muscular, sendo que os m?sculos respirat?rios tamb?m s?o afetados. O objetivo foi comparar a for?a muscular respirat?ria (FMR) em idosas residentes na comunidade, classificadas como n?o fr?geis (NF), pr?-fr?geis (PF) e fr?geis (F) e correlacionar a FMR com a for?a de preens?o manual (FPM). O estudo foi do tipo transversal, com uma amostra de conveni?ncia composta por 106 idosas. As participantes foram classificadas quanto ao fen?tipo de fragilidade. A FMR foi avaliada por meio da press?o inspirat?ria m?xima (PIm?x) e da press?o expirat?ria m?xima (PEm?x). Foram encontradas diferen?as significativas da FMR entre os grupos NF e F (PIm?x: p=0,001 e PEm?x: p<0,001) e entre os grupos PF e F (PIm?x: p<0,001 e PEm?x: p<0,001). Em rela??o ? FPM, foram observadas diferen?as significativas entre todos os grupos (p<0,001). Houve correla??o entre FMR e FPM apenas no grupo fr?gil. Desta forma, a FPM pode ser importante na pr?tica cl?nica para diferenciar os subgrupos de fragilidade e identificar a perda de for?a muscular, incluindo a perda da FMR.Funda??o de Amparo ? Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecu?ria de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq)Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES)The fragility consist in a tripod comprising: sarcopenia, immune dysregulation, and neuroendocrine dysfunction. Sarcopenia is defined as a decrease in strength and muscle power, so that the respiratory muscles are also affected. The aim was to compare respiratory muscle strength (RMS) in elderly community residents, classified as nonfrail (NF), pre frail (PF) and frail (F), and correlate RMS with the handgrip strength (HS). The study was cross-sectional, with a convenience sample of 106 elderly women. Participants were classified according to the phenotype of frailty. The RMS was assessed by maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). Significant differences were found in RMS between groups NF and F (MIP: p=0.001 and MEP: p<0.001) and between groups PF and F (MIP: p<0.001 and MEP: p<0.001). In relation to HS, significant differences were observed between all groups (p<0.001). There was correlation between HS and RMS only in the frail group. Thus, the HS may be important in the clinical evaluation to differentiate subgroups of fragility and identify the loss of muscle strength, including the loss of RMS