Comparação entre a concentração atmosférica de Phl p5 e as contagens polínicas de gramíneas

A exposição a alergenos de gramíneas é actualmente calculada a partir de contagens polínicas dos respectivos tipos polínicos, efectuadas em amostras de ar atmosférico segundo uma metodologia normalizada e assente em equipamentos tipo HIRST. Não existe ainda suficiente evidência de que tais contagens representem uma boa estimativa da exposição aos aeroalergenos deste tipo polínico pelo que, neste estudo, se procurou analisar a relação entre tais contagens e a concentração de um dos alergenos polínicos mais importantes

Systematic Review of Laser and Other Light Therapy for the Management of Oral Mucositis in Cancer Patients

Background The aim of this study was to review the available literature and define clinical practice guidelines for the use of laser and other light therapies for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis. Methods A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology. The body of evidence for each intervention, in each cancer treatment setting, was assigned an evidence level. Based onthe evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: recommendation, suggestion, and no guideline possible. Results A new recommendation was made for low-level laser (wavelength at 650 nm, power of 40 mW, and each square centimeter treated with the required time to a tissue energy dose of 2 J/cm2 (2 s/point)) for the prevention of oral mucositis in adult patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation conditioned with high-dose chemotherapy, with or without total body irradiation. A new suggestion was made for low-level laser (wavelength around 632.8 nm) for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiotherapy, without concomitant chemotherapy, for head and neck cancer. No guideline was possible in other populations and for other light sources due to insufficient evidence. Conclusions The increasing evidence in favor of low-level laser therapy allowed for the development of two new guidelines supporting this modality in the populations listed above. Evidence for other populations was also generally encouraging over a range of wavelengths and intensities. However, additional well-designed research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of laser and other light therapies in various cancer treatment settings

Diversity of plant growth-promoting bacteria associated with sugarcane

The sugarcane (Saccharum spp) presents economic importance, mainly for tropical regions, being an important Brazilian commodity. However, this crop is strongly dependent on fertilizers, mainly nitrogen (N). This study assessed the plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) associated with sugarcane that could be used as a potential inoculant to the crop. We evaluated the genetic diversity of PGPB in the plant tissue of sugarcane varieties (RB 867515, RB 1011, and RB 92579). The primer BOX-A1R was used to differentiate the similar isolated and further sequencing 16S rRNA ribosomal gene. The 16S rRNA gene showed the presence of seven different genera distributed into four groups, the genus Bacillus, followed by Paenibacillus (20%), Burkholderia (14%), Herbaspirillum (6%), Pseudomonas (6%), Methylobacterium (6%), and Brevibacillus (3%). The molecular characterization of endophytic isolates from sugarcane revealed a diversity of bacteria colonizing this plant, with a possible biotechnological potential to be used as inoculant and biofertilizers

A novel three-phase multi-objective unified power quality conditioner

The decarbonization of the economy and the increasing integration of renewable energy sources into the generation mix are bringing new challenges, requiring novel technological solutions in the topic of smart grids, which include smart transformers and energy storage systems. Additionally, power quality is a vital concern for the future smart grids; therefore, the continuous development of power electronics solutions to overcome power quality problems is of the utmost importance. In this context, this paper proposes a novel three-phase multi-objective unified power quality conditioner (MO-UPQC), considering interfaces for solar PV panels and for energy storage in batteries. The MO-UPQC is capable of compensating power quality problems in the voltages (at the load side) and in the currents (at the power grid side), while it enables injecting power into the grid (from the PV panels or batteries) or charging the batteries (from the PV panels or from the grid). Experimental results were obtained with a three-phase four-wire laboratory prototype, demonstrating the feasibility and the large range of applications of the proposed MO-UPQC.(undefined

Effect of chronic ethanol exposure on rat ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia

OBJECTIVE: The effect of chronic ethanol exposure on chemoreflexes has not been extensively studied in experimental animals. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that known ethanol-induced autonomic, neuroendocrine and cardiovascular changes coincide with increased chemoreflex sensitivity, as indicated by increased ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were subjected to increasing ethanol concentrations in their drinking water (first week: 5% v/v, second week: 10% v/v, third and fourth weeks: 20% v/v). At the end of each week of ethanol exposure, ventilatory parameters were measured under basal conditions and in response to hypoxia (evaluation of peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity) and hypercapnia (evaluation of central chemoreflex sensitivity). RESULTS: Decreased respiratory frequency was observed in rats exposed to ethanol from the first until the fourth week, whereas minute ventilation remained unchanged. Moreover, we observed an increased tidal volume in the second through the fourth week of exposure. The minute ventilation responses to hypoxia were attenuated in the first through the third week but remained unchanged during the last week. The respiratory frequency responses to hypoxia in ethanol-exposed rats were attenuated in the second through the third week but remained unchanged in the first and fourth weeks. There was no significant change in tidal volume responses to hypoxia. With regard to hypercapnic responses, no significant changes in ventilatory parameters were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data are consistent with the notion that chronic ethanol exposure does not increase peripheral or central chemoreflex sensitivity

A validated predictive biomarker and a potential therapeutic strategy in breast cancer

Funding Information: Funding: This work was supported by Terry Fox Research Grant 2019 from Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro; Clinical Research Prize 2018 from Consortium Tagus Tank; Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (PD/BD/114023/2015 for DPS and SFRH/BD/148422/2019 for RS) and iNOVA4Health (UIDB/04462/2020, DAI/2019/46). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is common in breast cancer (BC) treatment, though more than half of the patients lack an effective response. Therefore, new predictive biomarkers and alternative therapies are crucial. Previously, we proposed HLA-DR-expressing cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) as a potential biomarker of the response to NACT. To validate this observation and further investigate these cells, 202 BC patients were enrolled. Flow cytometry analyses were performed in 61 biopsies and 41 blood samples pre-NACT and 100 non-NACT tumor samples. All the patients were followed up for 34 months. Blood-isolated immune cells were cultured with BC cell lines in a 3D system. We confirmed that HLA-DR level in CTLs is a highly sensitive, specific, and independent biomarker to predict response to NACT and developed a predictive probability model. This biomarker was also associated with progression-free survival, regardless of the treatment. The clinical observations are substantiated by the anti-tumor properties of HLA-DR-expressing CTLs. Intriguingly, HLA-DR level in CTLs can be modulated ex vivo, boosting their capacity to kill tumor cells synergistically with doxorubicin. Thus, HLA-DR expression in CTLs is a validated tool to select patients that will actually benefit from NACT, and its stimulation might be a novel therapeutic approach for BC.publishersversionpublishe

WATER AND SEDIMENT ANALYSIS OF TOURISTIC PLACES IN GUARAPUAVA, PR USING A PORTABLE EDXRF SYSTEM

ABSTRACT The use of the Energy Dispersive X Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) have increasingly been applied for in situ trace metal analysis in different kinds of samples. Results of a monitoring sampling, in the winter and summer of 2008, respectively, from 6 touristic places in Guarapuava, PR city are presented. The work consisted on the use of a portable EDXRF system constituted by a X-ray tube to excite the samples, a Si-Pin detector, a holder for the excitation-detection system and samples positioning, with the standard data acquisition electronics to register the spectra. The water samples were filtered in membranes for suspended particulate matter retention. After this, APDC precipitation methodology was applied for sample preconcentration with posterior filtering in membranes. So, the dissolved and non dissolved metal fractions were determined separately. Sediment samples were dried at 60 C for 24h and sieved through 60 mesh. Micromatter standards were used for sensitivity determination for membranes samples. For sediments 5 multi-element standards were used and calibration curves were constructed. For water membrane measurements, Fe concentration was quantified from 0.026±0.004 to 5.1±1.0, in mg L -1 . For sediments, considering all the sampling locations, Mn, Cu, Sr, Y and Nb were identified qualitatively, and it was possible to quantify the following range of elements and concentrations, mg Kg and . The performance of the equipment was very good and the results are quite satisfactory for portable equipment

Índice comprimento/largura da folha no melhoramento do feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

O índice comprimento/largura do folíolo central da folha composta originada no quarto nó da planta é um dos descritores referidos à proteção de cultivares de feijão (a determinação na folha do quarto nó é estabelecida por analogia com a determinação da cor do referido folíolo contida no formulário ?Descritores mínimos de feijão?, do Serviço Nacional de Proteção de Cultivares- SNPC)

March1-dependent modulation of donor MHC II on CD103+ dendritic cells mitigates alloimmunity.

In transplantation, donor dendritic cells (do-DCs) initiate the alloimmune response either by direct interaction with host T cells or by transferring intact donor MHC to host DCs. However, how do-DCs can be targeted for improving allograft survival is still unclear. Here we show CD103+ DCs are the major do-DC subset involved in the acute rejection of murine skin transplants. In the absence of CD103+ do-DCs, less donor MHC-II is carried to host lymph nodes, fewer allogenic T cells are primed and allograft survival is prolonged. Incubation of skin grafts with the anti-inflammatory mycobacterial protein DnaK reduces donor MHC-II on CD103+DCs and prolongs graft survival. This effect is mediated through IL-10-induced March1, which ubiquitinates and decreases MHC-II levels. Importantly, in vitro pre-treatment of human DCs with DnaK reduces their ability to prime alloreactive T cells. Our findings demonstrate a novel therapeutic approach to dampen alloimmunity by targeting donor MHC-II on CD103+DCs