Contribuição ao estudo da composição química e digestibilidade do feno de siratro, Phaseolus stropurpureus

This paper deals with experiments carried out at the Bromatology Laboratory, E.S.A. "Luiz de Queiroz", USP, in order to assess the chemical composition and the digestion coefficients of siratro hay, Phaseolus atropurpureus. The field cured hay was analysed by standar methods usually employed, and two wethers were used in the digestibility trials. The results are summarised in tables I through II. Data from siratro hay were compared to those obtained with several tropical legumes used as hay. The nutritive value of siratro hay is discussed

Geometric Phases in Graphitic Cones

In this article we use a geometric approach to study geometric phases in graphitic cones. The spinor that describes the low energy states near the Fermi energy acquires a phase when transported around the apex of the cone, as found by a holonomy transformation. This topological result can be viewed as an analogue of the Aharonov-Bohm effect. The topological analysis is extended to a system with $n$ cones, whose resulting configuration is described by an effective defect.Comment: 4 pages, revtex

Use Of Autologous Fibrin Glue In Dermatologic Surgery: Application Of Skin Graft And Second Intention Healing.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficiency of biological sealant, an autologous fibrin glue, in dermatological surgery. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. SETTING: The Dermatology Service of Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP), referral center. PATIENTS: 14 patients with malign epithelial cutaneous tumors participated in the evaluation, each having two tumors, generally facial and symmetrical, in order to perform a comparative evaluation on the same individual. PROCEDURES: The glue was prepared beforehand with a sample of autologous blood. Surgical extirpation of the tumor was followed by grafts or second intention healing. OUTCOMES: The efficiency of the sealant was then evaluated in relation to hemostasis, adhesion, surgical time and evolution of the granulation tissue, clinically and histologically. RESULTS: Immediate hemostasis and graft adhesion, with a significant reduction of surgical time, and in the open wounds there was immediate hemostasis and a clinical increase in granulation tissue, but with no histological differences among the groups on the 7th day. CONCLUSION: It is an adjuvant resource in skin cancer surgery.11641747175

Antiproliferative effects of lectins from Canavalia ensiformis and Canavalia brasiliensis in human leukemia cell lines

AbstractThe antiproliferative activity of lectins Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) were studied using human leukemia MOLT-4 and HL-60 cell lines. It was revealed that both ConA and ConBr were markedly cytotoxic to cells using MTT and NAC assays. The IC50 values were approximately 3 and 20μg/mL for ConA and ConBr, respectively, for both MOLT-4 and HL-60 cells. However, in normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes, the lectins were not cytotoxic, even when tested at concentrations as high as 200μg/ml. Using comet assay, the lectins produced a rate of DNA damage exceeding 80% in MOLT-4 and HL-60 cells. Fluorescence analysis revealed the morphology characteristic of apoptosis, with low concentrations of apoptotic bodies and fragmented DNA (5μg/ml). Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated an accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 cell cycle that is characteristic of DNA fragmentation, and a decrease in membrane integrity at high concentrations. Lastly, we evaluated the alterations in mitochondrial potential that reduced after treatment with lectins. Our results indicate that ConA and ConBr inhibited cell proliferation selectively in tumor cells and that apoptosis was the main death mechanism. Therefore, lectins can be considered a class of molecules with a high antitumor activity potential

Imbalance of naive and memory T lymphocytes with sustained high cellular activation during the first year of life from uninfected children born to HIV-1-infected mothers on HAART

The immune consequences of in utero HIV exposure to uninfected children whose mothers were submitted to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) during gestation are not well defined. We evaluated 45 HIV-exposed uninfected (ENI) neonates and 45 healthy unexposed control (CT) neonates. All HIV-infected mothers received HAART during pregnancy, and the viral load at delivery was <50 copies/mL for 56.8%. Twenty-three ENI neonates were further evaluated after 12 months and compared to 23 unexposed healthy age-matched infants. Immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry in cord and peripheral blood. Cord blood lymphocyte numbers did not differ between groups. However, ENI neonates had a lower percentage of naive T cells than CT neonates (CD4+, 76.6 vs 83.1%, P < 0.001; CD8+, 70.9 vs 79.6%, P = 0.003) and higher percentages of central memory T cells than CT neonates (CD4+, 13.9 vs 8.7%, P < 0.001; CD8+, 8.6 vs 4.8%, P = 0.001). CD38 mean fluorescence intensity of T cells was higher in ENI neonates (CD4+, 62.2 vs 52.1, P = 0.007; CD8+, 47.7 vs 35.3, P < 0.001). At 12 months, ENI infants still had higher mean fluorescence intensity of CD38 on T cells (CD4+, 34.2 vs 23.3, P < 0.001; CD8+, 26.8 vs 19.4, P = 0.035). Despite effective maternal virologic control at delivery, HIV-exposed uninfected children were born with lower levels of naive T cells. Immune activation was present at birth and remained until at least 12 months of age, suggesting that in utero exposure to HIV causes subtle immune abnormalities.FAPESPCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

Classical self-forces in a space with a dispiration

We derive the gravitational and electrostatic self-energies of a particle at rest in the background of a cosmic dispiration (topological defect), finding that the particle may experience potential steps, well potentials or potential barriers depending on the nature of the interaction and also on certain properties of the defect. The results may turn out to be useful in cosmology and condensed matter physics.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, revtex4 fil

Seleção De Espécies E Procedências De Pinus Para Região De Assis, Estado De São Paulo

The objective of the study was the selection of Pinus species and provenances for the region of Assis, state of São Paulo. The species and provenance test was established at the Assis State Forest, using the randomized blocks design with treatments represented by species (Pinus oocarpa, P. maximinoi and P. tecunumanii) and provenances of the species, four blocks and square plots with 49 plants (7 × 7), at a spacing of 3 × 2.5 m. At 21 years after planting the traits were measured: diameter at breast height (DAP), total height (ALT), individual real volume (VOL) and the survival rate (SOBRE). Significant differences were observed between species and provenances of different species (p< 0.01) for SOBRE, indicating the possibility of selection among species and provenances. The genetic divergence between species varied between growth traits from zero to 0.141, and was 0.683 for SOBRE, indicating that most of the genetic variation is distributed within species for growth traits and between species for SOBRE. Genetic and phenotypic significant and positive correlations were observed between the DAP and VOL (minimum 0.926; p< 0.01) indicating that selection for the DAP will result in an increase in the VOL. The results indicate that there are genetic variations among Pinus species and provenances of different species for SOBRE and P. oocarpa is most suitable for commercial reforestation in environmental conditions of Assis.4411167568

PD-1 checkpoint inhibition enhances the antilymphoma activity of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells that retain their ability to prevent alloreactivity.

Relapse and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are the main causes of death after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Preclinical murine models and clinical data suggest that invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells prevent acute and chronic GVHD. In addition, iNKT cells are crucial for efficient immune responses against malignancies and contribute to reduced relapse rates after transplantation. Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) redirect effector cells to cell surface antigens and enhance killing of target cells. With this study, we aimed to combine enhanced cytotoxicity of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells against lymphoma cells with their tolerogenic properties. iNKT cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and transduced with an anti-CD19-CAR retrovirus. After in vitro expansion, the functionality of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells was assessed by flow cytometry, image stream analysis and multiplex analysis in single-stimulation or repeated-stimulation assays. Moreover, the immunoregulatory properties of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells were analyzed in apoptosis assays and in mixed lymphocyte reactions. The effect of checkpoint inhibition through nivolumab was analyzed in these settings. In this study, we could show that the cytotoxicity of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells was mediated either through engagement of their CAR or their invariant T-cell receptor, which may circumvent loss of response through antigen escape. However, encounter of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells with their target induced a phenotype of exhaustion. Consequently, checkpoint inhibition increased cytokine release, cytotoxicity and survival of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells. Additionally, they showed robust suppression of alloreactive immune responses. In this work, we demonstrate that CAR-iNKT cells are a powerful cytotherapeutic option to prevent or treat relapse while potentially reducing the risk of GVHD after allogeneic HCT