Interferência de ondas curtas pulsadas na adesividade e na fagocitose de macrófagos em ratos com desnutrição neonatal

Tendo em vista a relação estabelecida entre desnutrição neonatal e atividade celular ligada ao sistema imune, macrófagos peritoniais de ratosWistar machos, desnutridos e recuperados, foram expostos à diatermia de ondas curtas pulsadas (DOCP) e a campo magnético (CM) alternado em freqüência ultrabaixa para verificar in vitro as possíveis alterações no índice de aderência e na atividade fagocítica. Foram submetidos a DOCPmodulada em 30 Hz, 50 Hz e 430 Hz na técnica de Schliephake e na técnica convencional em paralelo, e a um CM de 60 Hz. Foi constatadoaumento no índice de aderência celular nos grupos experimentais de 30 Hz e 50 Hz na técnica de Schliephake e ao CM de 60 Hz em relação aocontrole (p<0,05). A atividade fagocítica diminuiu apenas nos grupos de 30 Hz e 50 Hz na técnica de Schliephake e ao CM de 60 Hz em relação aocontrole (p<0,05). Assim, a DOCP de 30 Hz e 50 Hz na técnica de Schliephake e o CM aumentaram o índice de aderência e diminuíram aatividade fagocítica, o que pode ter aplicações em processos traumáticosagudos. Como macrófagos de animais desnutridos e recuperados mostraram responder a essas irradiações, e como estas são largamente utilizadas em fisioterapia, esses achados auxiliarão na escolha da modulação da DOCP durante o procedimento terapêutico, particularmente em casos que tenham sofrido desnutrição pregressa.In view of the established relationships between neonatal malnutrition and the immuno system, peritoneal macrophages of male Wistar rats were exposed to diatermic pulsate short waves (DPSW) and to alternated magnetic field on extreme low frequency, in order to verify in vitro adhesion index and phagocytic activity. The rats were submitted to malnutrition during the nursing period and to a recovery diet after weaning. The extracted peritoneal macrophages were exposed to DPSWmodulated at 30 Hz, 50 Hz and 430 Hz by using the Schliephake andconventional techniques in parallel, and to a magnetic filed of 60 Hz. Results show increased adhesion index only with the 30 Hz and 50 Hzexperimental groups using Schliephake technique and C M 60 Hz; phagocytic activity was reduced with 30 Hz and 50 Hz using Schliephaketechnique and C M 60 Hz, as compared to the control group (p<0,05).Since macrophages of malnourished and recovered animals responded to such irradiations, and since these are largely used in physical therapy, present results could be used to choose correct DPSW modulation in therapeutic process, particularly in cases who have previously suffered malnutrition

Descrição morfoquantitativa do tórus digital de bovinos

O tórus digital é caracterizado como um tecido subcutâneo modificado que atua na absorção do impacto durante a locomoção, auxilia o retorno venoso do casco e mantêm o suporte de uma considerável parte do peso corporal. Os tórus possuem particular importância nas patogêneses de casco, já que eles precisam trabalhar corretamente para prevenir compressões e traumas nos tecidos moles. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi quantificar e com isso determinar, como se arranjam estas estruturas, para tanto, foram estabelecidas as proporções dos tecidos conjuntivo, adiposo, vascular e ainda das fibras colágenas e dos tipos de colágenos encontrados nos tórus digitais palmares e plantares de bovinos. Foram utilizados membros torácicos e pélvicos de doze bovinos zebuínos adultos, de ambos os sexos, sendo onze machos e uma fêmea, com peso médio de carcaça com 269kg e sem afecções nos membros. Os fragmentos dos tórus foram submetidos à técnica histológica convencional, cortados em espessura de 4µm e corados com Picrosirius Red. Com o uso de microscópio óptico digital, o tecido conjuntivo e a diferenciação dos tipos de colágeno foram quantificados empregando-se o programa de análise de imagem Image Pro Plus® e para a quantificação dos tecidos adiposo e vascular foi utilizada o sistema teste de pontos. Através do programa GraphPad Prism 5.0 foram obtidas por meio de uma analise descritiva a media e o erro padrão da media, em seguida os dados foram submetidos à aplicação do teste de normalidade de Kolmogorov-Smirnov e ao teste "T" Student com nível de significância de 5% para a determinação da quantidade encontrada dos diferentes tecidos entre os membros torácicos e pélvicos dos animais estudados. Nos membros torácicos a média e o erro padrão da proporção de tecido conjuntivo foi de 50,10%+1,54, a de tecido adiposo foi de 21,34%+1,44 e a de tecido vascular foi de 3,43%+0,28. Os membros pélvicos apresentaram uma proporção de tecido conjuntivo de 61,61%+1,47, de tecido adiposo de 20,66%+1,53 e de tecido vascular de 3,06%+0,20. Verificou-se diferença estatística na proporção de tecido conjuntivo entre membros torácicos e pélvicos (p<0,001). As fibras colágenas tipo I e III apresentaram, respectivamente, uma proporção de 31,89% e 3,9% nos membros torácicos e 34,05% e 1,78% nos membros pélvicos. Os tórus digitais, de acordo com a metodologia utilizada, apresentaram diferenciação evidente em relação ao tecido adiposo entre membros torácicos e pélvicos.The digital cushion is characterized as a modified subcutaneous tissue that absorbs the shock during gait, assists venous return of the hoof and supports a considerable part of body weight. Digital cushions have particular importance in the pathogenesis of the hoof, since they need to properly work in order to prevent compression and traumas in soft tissues. This study aimed to measure and determine how is the arrangement of these structures, and for this it was established the proportions of connective, adipose, vascular tissues and collagen fibers and collagen types found in palmar and plantar digital cushion of bovine using fore and hindlimbs of twelve adult zebu cattle of both sexes, 11 male and one female, with 269kg average carcass weight and without limb disorders. Fragments of cushions were subjected to conventional histology, cut to a thickness of 4µm and stained with Red Picrosirius. With digital optical microscope, the quantification of the connective tissue and differentiation of types of collagen used the Image Pro Plus® software, and of adipose and vascular tissue, the test point system. The mean and standard error were estimated with the GraphPad Prism 5.0 software, and then data were subjected to Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test and Student's t-test with significance level set at 5% for determining the amount of different tissues between fore and hindlimbs of studied animals. In forelimbs the mean and standard error of the connective tissue proportion was 50.10%+1.54, of the adipose tissue was 21.34%+1.44, and of vascular tissue was 3.43%+0.28. Hindlimbs presented a proportion of connective tissue of 61.61%+1.47, 20.66%+1.53 of adipose tissue, and 3.06%+0.20 of vascular tissue. A significant difference (p<0.001) was detected in the connective tissue proportion between fore and hindlimbs. Types I and II collagen fibers have presented, respectively, a proportion of 31.89% and 3.9% in forelimbs and 34.05% and 1.78% in hindlimbs. According to the used methodology, digital cushions had a clear differentiation relative to adipose tissue between fore and hindlimbs

Fractional Distillation of Bio-Oil Produced by Pyrolysis of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea) Seeds

In this work, the seeds of açaí (Euterpe oleracea, Mart), a rich lignin-cellulose residue, has been submitted to pyrolysis to produce a bio-oil-like fossil fuels. The pyrolysis carried out in a reactor of 143 L, 450°C, and 1.0 atm. The morphology of Açaí seeds in nature and after pyrolysis is characterized by SEM, EDX, and XRD. The experiments show that bio-oil, gas, and coke yields were 4.38, 30.56, and 35.67% (wt.), respectively. The bio-oil characterized by AOCS, ASTM, and ABNT/NBR methods for density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value. The bio-oil density, viscosity, and acid value were 1.0468 g/cm3, 68.34 mm2/s, and 70.26 KOH/g, respectively. The chemical composition and chemical functions of bio-oil are determined by GC-MS and FT-IR. The GC-MS identified in bio-oil 21.52% (wt.) hydrocarbons and 78.48% (wt.) oxygenates (4.06% esters, 8.52% carboxylic acids, 3.53% ketones, 35.16% phenols, 20.52% cresols, 5.75% furans, and 0.91% (wt.) aldehydes), making it possible to apply fractional distillation to obtain fossil fuel-like fractions rich in hydrocarbons. The distillation of bio-oil is carried out in a laboratory-scale column, according to the boiling temperature of fossil fuels. The distillation of bio-oil yielded fossil fuel-like fractions (gasoline, kerosene, and light diesel) of 4.70, 28.21, and 22.35% (wt.), respectively

Case report: Urbanized non-human primates as sentinels for human zoonotic diseases: a case of acute fatal toxoplasmosis in a free-ranging marmoset in coinfection with yellow fever virus

Free-ranging non-human primates (NHP) can live in anthropized areas or urban environments in close contact with human populations. This condition can enable the emergence and transmission of high-impact zoonotic pathogens. For the first time, we detected a coinfection of the yellow fever (YF) virus with Toxoplasma gondii in a free-ranging NHP in a highly urbanized area of a metropolis in Brazil. Specifically, we observed this coinfection in a black-tufted marmoset found dead and taken for a necropsy by the local health surveillance service. After conducting an epidemiological investigation, characterizing the pathological features, and performing molecular assays, we confirmed that the marmoset developed an acute fatal infection caused by T. gondii in coinfection with a new YF virus South American-1 sub-lineage. As a result, we have raised concerns about the public health implications of these findings and discussed the importance of diagnosis and surveillance of zoonotic agents in urbanized NHPs. As competent hosts of zoonotic diseases such as YF and environmental sentinels for toxoplasmosis, NHPs play a crucial role in the One Health framework to predict and prevent the emergence of dangerous human pathogens

A low-cost HPV immunochromatographic assay to detect high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Objective To evaluate the reproducibility and accuracy of the HPV16/18-E6 test. Methods The study population was comprised of 448 women with a previously abnormal Pap who were referred to the Barretos Cancer Hospital (Brazil) for diagnosis and treatment. Two cervical samples were collected immediately before colposcopy, one for the hr-HPV-DNA test and cytology and the other for the HPV16/18-E6 test using high-affinity monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Women with a histologic diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 were considered to be positive cases. Different strategies using a combination of screening methods (HPV-DNA) and triage tests (cytology and HPV16/18-E6) were also examined and compared. Results The HPV16/18-E6 test exhibited a lower positivity rate compared with the HPV-DNA test (19.0% vs. 29.3%, p<0.001) and a moderate/high agreement (kappa = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.60-0.75). It also exhibited a significantly lower sensitivity for CIN2+ and CIN3+ detection compared to the HPV-DNA test and a significantly higher specificity. The HPV16/18-E6 test was no different from cytology in terms of sensitivity, but it exhibited a significantly higher specificity in comparison to ASCH+. A triage test after HPV-DNA detection using the HPV16/18-E6 test exhibited a significantly higher specificity compared with a triage test of ASCH+ to CIN2+ (91.8% vs. 87.4%, p = 0.04) and CIN3+ (88.6% vs. 84.0%, p = 0.05). Conclusion The HPV16/18-E6 test exhibited moderate/high agreement with the HPV-DNA test but lower sensitivity and higher specificity for the detection of CIN2+ and CIN3+. In addition, its performance was quite similar to cytology, but because of the structural design addressed for the detection of HPV16/18-E6 protein, the test can miss some CIN2/3+ lesions caused by other high-risk HPV types.Cancer Prevention Department, Center for the Researcher Support and Pathology Department of the Barretos Cancer Hospital. This study was supported by CNPq 573799/2008-3 and FAPESP 2008/57889-1info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio