Benchtop SS-OCT – layout and performance evaluation

 Abstract1— Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive biomedical imaging technique that provides high speed and high resolution three dimensional and cross sectional images of biological samples, in vivo and in situ. OCT applications targeting small animals is believed to bring developments in medical techniques, instruments, diagnosis and therapies for a number of human diseases as always have been the case of animal experimentation. With the swept source OCT (SS-OCT) system presented in this work, we were able to achieve performance parameters that meet the requirements to image the retina of small animals. Performance characteristics include 105 dB for system sensitivity, a roll-off below 1 dB/mm over 3 mm depth and an axial resolution of 8 μm. We describe the layout and acquisition/processing solutions towards fast imaging of in vivo samples

Recomendação de Baveno VI Sobre Evicção da Endoscopia de Rastreio em Doentes com Cirrose: Já Lá Estamos?

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies assessed the predictive value of liver transient elastography, combined or not with platelet count, for the presence of esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis, and multiple cutoffs have been proposed. The Baveno VI consensus states that patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease, liver stiffness 150,000 have a very low risk of having varices requiring treatment and can avoid screening endoscopy. We aimed to validate this recommendation in a cohort of cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all patients evaluated at the Gastroenterology Department (Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central) between September 2009 and October 2015 with a liver stiffness (FibroScan®) compatible with liver cirrhosis as well as upper endoscopy and blood tests within 12 months from elastography. Patients on propranolol ≥80 mg/day or carvedilol ≥12.5 mg/day, as well as those with previous variceal bleeding, variceal endoscopic treatments, or cirrhosis decompensations were excluded. We validated the new Baveno VI recommendation and explored alternative cutoffs. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients were analyzed, 76.3% (74/97) male, mean age 54.3 ± 11.2 years. Most patients (55.7%) had no varices and 14.4% had varices requiring treatment. Most patients (78.4%) had cirrhosis related to chronic hepatitis C. If the new Baveno VI recommendation had been applied to this cohort, upper endoscopy would have been avoided in 11.3% (11/97) of patients, none of them with esophageal varices requiring treatment: specificity 100%, sensitivity 13.3%, positive predictive value 100%, and negative predictive value 16.3% for absence of varices requiring treatment. If screening endoscopy had been avoided in those patients with liver stiffness <30 kPa and platelet count ≥120,000, endoscopy would have been avoided in 27.8% (27/97) of patients, none of whom with esophageal varices requiring treatment: specificity 100%, sensitivity 32.5%, positive predictive value 100%, and negative predictive value 20% for absence of varices requiring treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The new Baveno VI criteria identified compensated cirrhotic patients without varices requiring treatment in whom screening endoscopy could have been avoided safely. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and potentially explore more ambitious but still safe cutoffs for those criteria.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anorectal Complications in Patients with Haematological Malignancies

Background: Anorectal complications are common in patients with haematological malignancies. Objectives: The objectives are to characterize anorectal complications in these patients, identify risk factors and shed light on treatment, morbidity and mortality rates. Patients and methods: A retrospective, observational study that included 83 inpatients with haematological malignancies and proctological symptoms from January 2010 to September 2015 was conducted. Clinical outcomes were obtained through a detailed review of medical records. Results: The median age was 56 years, and 52 (62.7%) patients were men. Fifty-six (67.5%) patients had nonseptic anorectal complications and 27 (32.5%) patients had septic anorectal complications. Risks factors: Patients with septic anorectal complications were more commonly male, older, and had lower absolute neutrophil counts, but the differences were not statistically significant (P=0.79, 0.67 and 0.89, respectively). In positive blood cultures [23/70 (32.9%)], Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Escherichia coli were the most common isolated agents. Treatment: In nonseptic anorectal complications, conservative treatments/minor proctological procedures were adopted, and patients with septic anorectal complications were treated with antibiotics±major proctological procedures and/or surgical drainage/debridement. Results of treatment: Forty-eight (85.7%) patients in the nonseptic complications group improved compared with 23 (85.2%) patients in the septic complications group. The overall mortality rate was 2.4% (n=2), with one (1.2%) death related to perianal sepsis. Conclusion: Enterococcus spp. were more commonly identified in this study and can be increasing in this specific population. In contrast to other reports, we did not identify an association between septic anorectal complications and possible risk factors such as male sex, younger age or a low absolute neutrophil count. Most patients had nonseptic anorectal complications. A major proctological procedure/surgical debridement should always be applied in septic complications, which have better prognoses now than in the past.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Agronomic characteristics of tomato genotypes ('Salad' type) during winter season, in Araguari, Minas Gerais

O trabalho foi desenvolvido em Araguari (MG), na época de inverno, com o objetivo de verificar o desempenho agronômico de genótipos de tomateiro tipo 'Salada'. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados com 18 tratamentos e quatro repetições. As colheitas iniciaram 76 dias após o transplante, de 03/08/1996 a 05/10/1996, para a maioria dos genótipos, sendo feito um total de 18 colheitas. Como resultado os genótipos T-8, T-10, Barão Vermelho AG-561, Carmen, Agora e Olimpo superaram significativamente as demais em produtividade comercial, variando de 125,3 t/ha (Olimpo) a 142,6 t/ha (T-8), sendo portanto recomendáveis para a região, no período de inverno. Mais de 60% dos genótipos tiveram frutos com peso médio superior a 200 g, com destaque para Barão Vermelho AG-561 (259,50 g) e Sunbolt (255,75 g) que apresentaram mais de 30% de frutos do tipo extra AA, sendo superados apenas pelo genótipo Carmen, porém com padrão de fruto bem diferente em tamanho. Com mais de 44% de frutos tipo extra A destacaram-se os genótipos Super Marmande, T-8, Sunbeam e AG-233. O genótipo Agora destacou-se com frutos do tipo primeira (59,70%).A field trial was carried out in Araguari, Brazil, during the winter season, to evaluate the agronomic potential of eighteen tomato genotypes ('Salad' type). A randomized blocks design with four replications was used. A total of 18 harvests were carried out, beginning 76 days after transplanting, from August, 3rd to October, 5th, 1996. In general, the genotypes T-8, T-10, Barão Vermelho AG-561, Carmen, Agora and Olimpo presented higher yields, varying from 125.3 t/ha (Olimpo) to 142.6 t/ha (T-8). These genotypes can be cultivated in this region, during the winter season. More than 60% of the tomato genotypes presented fruits with 200 g, the outstanding one being the Barão Vermelho AG-561 (259,50 g) and Sunbolt (255,75g), with more than 30% of type extra AA. 'Carmen' was superior, indeed the fruits were very irregular in size. Genotypes Super Marmande, T-8, Sunbeam and AG-233 presented more than 44% of extra A fruits. Genotype Agora (59,70%) was outstanding, equal to the first type

Differential modulation of cancellous and cortical distal femur by fructose and natural mineral-rich water consumption in ovariectomized female sprague dawley rats

Bone mineral density (BMD) and microstructure depend on estrogens and diet. We assessed the impact of natural mineral-rich water ingestion on distal femur of fructose-fed estrogen-deficient female Sprague Dawley rats. Ovariectomized rats drank tap or mineral-rich waters, with or without 10%-fructose, for 10 weeks. A sham-operated group drinking tap water was included (n = 6/group). Cancellous and cortical bone compartments were analyzed by microcomputed tomography. Circulating bone metabolism markers were measured by enzyme immunoassay/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or multiplex bead assay. Ovariectomy significantly worsened cancellous but not cortical bone, significantly increased circulating degradation products from C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL), and significantly decreased circulating osteoprotegerin and osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio. In ovariectomized rats, in cancellous bone, significant water effect was observed for all microstructural properties, except for the degree of anisotropy, and BMD (neither a significant fructose effect nor a significant interaction between water and fructose ingestion effects were observed). In cortical bone, it was observed a significant (a) water effect for medullary volume and cortical endosteal perimeter; (b) fructose effect for cortical thickness, medullary volume, cross-sectional thickness and cortical endosteal and periosteal perimeters; and (c) interaction effect for mean eccentricity. In blood, significant fructose and interaction effects were found for osteoprotegerin (no significant water effect was seen). For the first time in ovariectomized rats, the positive modulation of cortical but not of cancellous bone by fructose ingestion and of both bone locations by natural mineral-rich water ingestion is described.This work was supported by FEDER—Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (through NORTE 2020 Programa Operacional Regional do Norte—NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012), Unicer Bebidas, S.A., Portugal and by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (SFRH/BDE/33798/2009 to CP; SFRH/BD/71149/2010 to EP; SFRH/BD/79716/2011 to NS and UID/BIM/04293/2013 to Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (Projeto Estratégico)). When considering the funding by Unicer Bebidas, S.A., it should be mentioned that the study here presented was developed, in its full extent, both in scientific terms and research equipment conditions, independently of the beverage company

Tratamento de Livros Infestados por Broca (família Anobídeo) (ordem Coleóptera) com a Utilização de Nitrogênio (N2) Líquido.

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Efeito da aplicação de biochar sobre propriedades químicas do solo e produtividade de feijoeiro comum irrigado.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi demonstrar o efeito do biochar nas variáveis da fertilidade do solo, produção de massa seca e produtividade do feijoeiro comum (Phaseolus vulgaris) irrigado.CONAFE

Obtention of plant peroxidase and its potential for the decolorization of the reactive dye Remazol Turquoise G 133%

Peroxidases can be used in the decolorization process. There is a growing interest for new sources of this enzyme and for obtaining economically viable processes. In this work, a low-cost vegetable peroxidase extraction process is proposed; the resulting enzyme is characterized to determine its optimum pH, temperature, and stability conditions, and it is then applied in the decolorization of reactive dye Remazol Turquoise G 133%. The turnip peroxidase (TP) was utilized as an enzymatic source. This enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH 7.0, and it was active in the temperature range of 30 to 50 °C, which favors its use in industrial processes. Acetone was the most efficient solvent to induce precipitation. The removal of Remazol Turquoise G 133% was 56.0% complete after 50 min, while 41.0% of the same dye was removed with the commercial horseradish peroxidase enzyme in 50 min. TP presents potential as a viable alternative in the decolorization of textile wastewaters

Modelos aplicados a cultura da cana-de-açúcar: CANEGRO e outros.

Modelo matemático-fisiológico de estimativa de produtividade, descrito por Barbieri, 1993. Modelo matemático de Balanço de Carbono, descrito por Pereira, 1987. Modelo de acúmulo de matéria seca, descrito por Inman-Bamber and Thompson, 1989. Modelo CANEGRO, descrito por Inman-Bamber, Culverwell, McGlinchey, 1993. Evolução para a programação modular, descrito por International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications - ICASA. Modelo de Transferência de metais pesados no sistema solo-cana-de-açúcar, descrito por Fábio César da Silva, Laércio Luis Vendite, Alessandra Fabíola Bergamasco, 2000. Modelo de Crescimento de Índice de Área Foliar (IAF) de cana-de-açúcar, descrito por Teruel, 1996

Sistemas de suporte à decisão em produção agroflorestal.

Em reunião técnica, realizada no dia 25/11/98, no II Congresso Brasileiro de Sistemas Agroflorestais no Contexto da Qualidade Ambiental e Competitividade, foi apresentada uma proposta de diretrizes para a estruturação de sistemas de suporte à decisão que poderiam ser aplicadas aos sistemas agroflorestais, o que seria um ponto de partida para discussões sobre o tema. Este texto resume o que foi discutido naquela oportunidade e registra também opiniões relevantes para a melhoria da proposta. A equipe apresentou seqüencialmente cinco aspectos considerados estratégicos que deveriam ser considerados na organização de projetos futuros em Modelagem e Simulação (M&S) em sistemas agroflorestais