Exercise Ameliorates Endocrine Pancreas Damage Induced by Chronic Cola Drinking in Rats

Purpose: This study evaluates whether the daily practice of an exercise routine might protect from endocrine pancreas damage in cola drinking rats. Methods: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups depending on a) beverage consumption ad libitum, water (W) or cola beverage (C), and b) physical activity, sedentary (S) or treadmill running (R). Accordingly, 4 groups were studied: WS (water sedentary), WR (water runner), CS (cola sedentary) and CR (cola runner). Body weight, nutritional data, plasma levels of glucose, creatinine, total cholesterol and cholesterol fractions, and triglycerides (enzymocolorimetry), and systolic blood pressure (plethysmography) were measured. After 6 months, euthanasia was performed (overdose sodium thiopental). Pancreatic tissue was immediately excised and conventionally processed for morphometrical and immunohistochemical determinations. Results: The effects of running and chronic cola drinking on pancreas morphology showed interaction (p<0.001) rather than simple summation. Cola drinking (CS vs WS) reduced median pancreatic islet area (-30%, 1.8 104 μm2 vs 2.58 104 μm2, p<0.0001) and median β-cell mass (-43%, 3.81 mg vs 6.73 mg, p<0.0001), and increased median α/β ratio (+49%, 0.64 vs 0.43, p< 0.001). In water drinking rats (WR vs WS), running reduced median α-cell mass (-48%, 1.48 mg vs 2.82 mg, p<0.001) and α/β ratio (-56%, 0.19 vs 0.43, p<0.0001). Differently, in cola drinking rats (CR vs CS), running partially restored median islet area (+15%, 2.06 104 μm2 vs 1.79 104 μm2, p<0.05), increased median β-cell mass (+47%, 5.59 mg vs 3.81 mg, p <0.0001) and reduced median α/β ratio (-6%, 0.60 vs 0.64, p<0.05). Conclusion: This study is likely the first reporting experimental evidence of the beneficial effect of exercise on pancreatic morphology in cola-drinking rats. Presently, the increase of nearly 50% in β cells mass by running in cola drinking rats is by far the most relevant finding. Moderate running, advisably indicated in cola consumers and patients at risk of diabetes, finds here experimental support.Fil: Otero-Losada, Matilde Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Julian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Muller, Maria Angelica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Ottaviano, Graciela Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Cao, Gabriel Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Azzato, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Ambrosio, Giuseppe. Università di Perugia; ItaliaFil: Milei, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; Argentin

Engenharia de Produção e Design Thinking, coexistem? Um estudo de caso aplicado na elaboração de layouts.

Digital transformation is a process in which has influenced the way of buying and consuming products and services. In this sense, the retailer has a challenge, which is to attract customers to their physical establishments to offer a unique and personalized shopping experience. This work was developed in the commercial sector of a Commercial Exhibitors and Commercial Equipment Industry, located in the south of Brazil, in order to compare the lead time of the current layout design method in relation to the lead time of the process by applying Design Thinking to retail layout development. The methodology from the point of view of its nature is applied, in relation to its objectives was descriptive, regarding the approach: qualitative and as a case study. Based on the comparison between the current and future models, it was possible to reduce the lead time and increase the value added of 7.17% from the application of Design Thinking in the conduct of retail store layout projects.Diante da mudança de hábito de compra do usuário e de velocidade em que o mercado de varejo muda, é preciso se ter um método de elaboração de layout de varejo que acompanhe essas mudanças na mesma velocidade. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido no setor comercial de uma Indústria de Expositores e Equipamentos comerciais para o varejo, situada no Sul do Brasil, com o objetivo de comparar o lead time do método atual de elaboração de projeto de layout em relação ao lead time do processo ao aplicar o Design Thinking como metodologia na condução do desenvolvimento de projetos no ambiente estudado. A metodologia do ponto de vista de sua natureza é aplicada, em relação aos seus objetivos foi descritiva, quanto a abordagem: qualitativa e como procedimento um estudo de caso. A partir da comparação entre os modelos atual e o futuro, obteve-se a diminuição do lead time e incremento da agregação de valor de 7,17% a partir da aplicação do Design Thinking na condução dos projetos de layout de lojas de varejo

Cardiorenal Involvement in Metabolic Syndrome Induced by Cola Drinking in Rats: Proinflammatory Cytokines and Impaired Antioxidative Protection

We report experimental evidence confirming renal histopathology, proinflammatory mediators, and oxidative metabolism induced by cola drinking. Male Wistar rats drank ad libitum regular cola (C, = 12) or tap water (W, = 12). Measures. Body weight, nutritional data, plasma glucose, cholesterol fractions, TG, urea, creatinine, coenzyme Q10, SBP, and echocardiograms (0 mo and 6 mo). At 6 months euthanasia was performed. Kidneys were processed for histopathology and immunohistochemistry (semiquantitative). Compared with W, C rats showed (I) overweight (+8%, < 0.05), hyperglycemia (+11%, < 0.05), hypertriglyceridemia (2-fold, < 0.001), higher AIP (2-fold, < 0.01), and lower Q10 level (−55%, < 0.05); (II) increased LV diastolic diameter (+9%, < 0.05) and volume (systolic +24%, < 0.05), posterior wall thinning (−8%, < 0.05), and larger cardiac output (+24%, < 0.05); (III) glomerulosclerosis (+21%, < 0.05), histopathology (+13%, < 0.05), higher tubular expression of IL-6 (7-fold, < 0.001), and TNF (4-fold, < 0.001). (IV) Correlations were found for LV dimensions with IL-6 (74%, < 0.001) and TNF (52%, < 0.001) and fully abolished after TG and Q10 control. Chronic cola drinking induced cardiac remodeling associated with increase in proinflammatory cytokines and renal damage. Hypertriglyceridemia and oxidative stress were key factors. Hypertriglyceridemic lipotoxicity in the context of defective antioxidant/anti-inflammatory protection due to low Q10 level might play a key role in cardiorenal disorder induced by chronic cola drinking in rats.Fil: Otero-Losada, Matilde Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Gómez Llambí de Oromí, Hernán Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Ottaviano, Graciela Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Cao, Gabriel Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Muller, Maria Angelica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Azzato, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Ambrosio, Giuseppe. Università di Perugia; ItaliaFil: Milei, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; Argentin

The Programmer's Assistant: Conversational Interaction with a Large Language Model for Software Development

Large language models (LLMs) have recently been applied in software engineering to perform tasks such as translating code between programming languages, generating code from natural language, and autocompleting code as it is being written. When used within development tools, these systems typically treat each model invocation independently from all previous invocations, and only a specific limited functionality is exposed within the user interface. This approach to user interaction misses an opportunity for users to more deeply engage with the model by having the context of their previous interactions, as well as the context of their code, inform the model's responses. We developed a prototype system -- the Programmer's Assistant -- in order to explore the utility of conversational interactions grounded in code, as well as software engineers' receptiveness to the idea of conversing with, rather than invoking, a code-fluent LLM. Through an evaluation with 42 participants with varied levels of programming experience, we found that our system was capable of conducting extended, multi-turn discussions, and that it enabled additional knowledge and capabilities beyond code generation to emerge from the LLM. Despite skeptical initial expectations for conversational programming assistance, participants were impressed by the breadth of the assistant's capabilities, the quality of its responses, and its potential for improving their productivity. Our work demonstrates the unique potential of conversational interactions with LLMs for co-creative processes like software development.Comment: 43 pages, 3 figures. To be published in IUI 202

Percutaneous closure of mitral paravalvular leaks: Focus on imaging and technique

Symptomatic prosthetic paravalvular leakage is a rare clinical condition occurring in up to 5% of patients after valve surgery. Symptoms include haemolytic anaemia, heart failure or both. Leaks tend to be more common in the mitral compared to the aortic position. Three dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D TOE) is essential prior and during percutaneous leak closure. This imaging technique allows to qualify and quantify the leak and to judge feasibility of a percutaneous approach. It also enables the choice of the most appropriated closure device prior to intervention. During the procedure, 3D TOE guides adequate crossing of the leak and device deployment. It also fi nally allows assessment of the acute procedural result. Percutaneous closure should be considered as the fi rstchoice therapy if closure is judged feasible based on 3D TOE assessment. This procedure is currently performed in a limited number of patients by relatively few operators and is characterised by a long learning curve. Currently, literature data are scarce and reported acute procedural success is roughly around 70 to 80%. Intervention is mostly performed with vascular plugs or ventricular septum defect closure devices. Recently, dedicated implants have been made available. Their role has been limited to hybrid procedures from a transapical retrograde approach

Rumen Bacterial Community Composition in Holstein and Jersey Cows Is Different under Same Dietary Condition and Is Not Affected by Sampling Method

The rumen microbial community in dairy cows plays a critical role in efficient milk production. However, there is a lack of data comparing the composition of the rumen bacterial community of the main dairy breeds. This study utilizes 16S rRNA gene sequencing to describe the rumen bacterial community composition in Holstein and Jersey cows fed the same diet by sampling the rumen microbiota via the rumen cannula (Holstein cows) or esophageal tubing (both Holstein and Jersey cows). After collection of the rumen sample via esophageal tubing, particles attached to the strainer were added to the sample to ensure representative sampling of both the liquid and solid fraction of the rumen contents. Alpha diversity metrics, Chao1 and observed OTUs estimates, displayed higher (P = 0.02) bacterial richness in Holstein compared to Jersey cows and no difference (P \u3e 0.70) in bacterial community richness due to sampling method. The principal coordinate analysis displayed distinct clustering of bacterial communities by breed suggesting that Holstein and Jersey cows harbor different rumen bacterial communities. Family level classification of most abundant (\u3e1%) differential OTUs displayed that OTUs from the bacterial families Lachnospiraceae and p-2534- 18B5 to be predominant in Holstein cows compared to Jersey cows. Additionally, OTUs belonging to family Prevotellaceae were differentially abundant in the two breeds. Overall, the results from this study suggest that the bacterial community between Holstein and Jersey cows differ and that esophageal tubing with collection of feed particles associated with the strainer provides a representative rumen sample similar to a sample collected via the rumen cannula. Thus, in future studies esophageal tubing with addition of retained particles can be used to collect rumen samples reducing the cost of cannulation and increasing the number of animals used in microbiome investigations, thus increasing the statistical power of rumen microbial community evaluations

Low-Level Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers: A Systematic Review

Recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAUs) are the most common lesion found in the oral cavity. There is no definitive cure for RAUs and current treatments are aimed at minimizing symptoms. Since low-level laser therapy (LLLT) modulates inflammatory responses, and promotes pain reduction and cellular biostimulation, LLLT can be suggested as an alternative treatment for RAUs. The literature concerning the potential of LLLT in the treatment of RAUs was evaluated. A systematic literature review identified 22 publications, of which only 2 studies were adopted. The eligibility criteria consisted of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Both RCTs achieved significant results concerning LLLT and pain-level reductions and reduced healing times. Despite the variance in irradiation conditions applied in both studies, very similar wavelengths were adopted. There is accordingly strong evidence that wavelength plays an important role in RAU treatment. Taking into account the different parameters applied by selected RCTs, it is not possible to suggest that a specific protocol should be used. However, in light of the significant results found in both studies, LLLT can be suggested as an alternative for RAU treatment. Additional RCTs should be performed in order to reach a clinical protocol and better understand the application of LLLT in RAU treatment