Distúrbios Do Metabolismo Da Glicose E Manifestações Vestibulares: Avaliação Pela Posturografia Dinâmica Computadorizada

Global sugar consumption has increased in the past 50 years; its abusive intake is responsible for peripheral insulin resistance, which causes the metabolic syndrome – obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. Objective To evaluate the effect of a fractionated diet without glucose as treatment for labyrinthine disorders associated with glucose–insulin index. Methods The study design was a prospective randomized controlled trial. Fifty-one patients were divided into two groups: the diet group (DG), which comprised subjects treated with a fractionated diet with glucose restriction, and the control group (CG), in which individuals were not counseled regarding diet. Patients underwent computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) and visual analog scale (VAS) on the first and 30th days of the study. Results There was improvement in the assessed posturographic conditions and VAS self-assessment in the DG group after 30 days when compared to the control group. Conclusion The fractionated diet with glucose restriction was effective for the treatment of vestibular dysfunction associated with glucose metabolism disorders. © 2015 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial82437237

IgY-Technology Applied to Studies of Toxoplasma gondii Infection

In this chapter, we describe relevant aspects of immunoglobulin Y (IgY) technology for Toxoplasma gondii applications, including comparison of avian IgY antibody with mammalian IgG antibody, egg yolk IgY production and isolation procedures, important applications for IgY antibody, and state of the art and perspectives for IgY‐technology in T. gondii studies. T. gondii is a worldwide public health problem. IgY‐technology provides an alternative antibody (IgY) to mammalian Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. IgY‐technology involves the chicken immunization, yolk IgY isolation, antibody characterization, and purified IgY application to several kinds of methods. Immunized chicken transfers a specific IgY from blood to egg yolk. Phylogenetic distance between chickens and mammals influences the generation of antibody repertoires recognizing an antigen profile. IgY is not bound to rheumatoid factor or mammalian complement protein and thus avoids the false‐positive results. Yolk IgY isolation is carried out by simple procedures that are accessible for any laboratory and, also, for IgY isolation at large‐scale production. IgY‐technology provides antibodies for proteomic studies, diagnostic assays, and immunotherapy. Although IgY‐technology is promising, there is a reduced number of investigations with IgY and T. gondii. Future perspectives involve the use of IgY‐technology for the screening of new T. gondii antigens for diagnostics, therapy, or vaccine, development of innovative techniques for toxoplasmosis diagnostics and may be an immunotherapy for toxoplasmosis

Training-induced inversion of spontaneous exchange bias field on La1.5Ca0.5CoMnO6

In this work we report the synthesis and structural, electronic and magnetic properties of La1.5Ca0.5CoMnO6 double-perovskite. This is a re-entrant spin cluster material which exhibits a non-negligible negative exchange bias effect when it is cooled in zero magnetic field from an unmagnetized state down to low temperature. X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and magnetometry results indicate mixed valence state at Co site, leading to competing magnetic phases and uncompensated spins at the magnetic interfaces. We compare the results for this Ca-doped material with those reported for the resemblant compound La1.5Sr0.5CoMnO6, and discuss the much smaller spontaneous exchange bias effect observed for the former in terms of its structural and magnetic particularities. For La1.5Ca0.5CoMnO6, when successive magnetization loops are carried, the spontaneous exchange bias field inverts its sign from negative to positive from the first to the second measurement. We discuss this behavior based on the disorder at the magnetic interfaces, related to the presence of a glassy phase. This compound also exhibits a large conventional exchange bias, for which there is no sign inversion of the exchange bias field for consecutive cycles

Dynamics of Counterion Condensation

Using a generalization of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation, dynamics of counterion condensation is studied. For a single charged plate in the presence of counterions, it is shown that the approach to equilibrium is diffusive. In the far from equilibrium case of a moving charged plate, a dynamical counterion condensation transition occurs at a critical velocity. The complex dynamic behavior of the counterion cloud is shown to lead to a novel nonlinear force-velocity relation for the moving plate.Comment: 5 pages, 1 ps figure included using eps

Distinct high-T transitions in underdoped Ba1−x_{1-x}Kx_{x}Fe2_{2}As2_{2}

In contrast to the simultaneous structural and magnetic first order phase transition $T_{0}$ previously reported, our detailed investigation on an underdoped Ba$_{0.84}$K$_{0.16}$Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ single crystal unambiguously revealed that the transitions are not concomitant. The tetragonal ($\tau$: I4/mmm) - orthorhombic ($\vartheta$: Fmmm) structural transition occurs at $T_{S}\simeq$ 110 K, followed by an adjacent antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition at $T_{N}\simeq$ 102 K. Hysteresis and coexistence of the $\tau$ and $\vartheta$ phases over a finite temperature range observed in our NMR experiments confirm the first order character of the structural transition and provide evidence that both $T_{S}$ and $T_{N}$ are strongly correlated. Our data also show that superconductivity (SC) develops in the $\vartheta$ phase below $T_{c}$ = 20 K and coexists with long range AFM. This new observation, $T_{S}\neq T_{N}$, firmly establishes another similarity between the hole-doped BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ via K substitution and the electron-doped iron-arsenide superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Compensation temperatures and exchange bias in La1.5Ca0.5CoIrO6

We report on the study of magnetic properties of the La1.5Ca0.5CoIrO6 double perovskite. Via ac magnetic susceptibility we have observed evidence of weak ferromagnetism and reentrant spin glass behavior on an antiferromagnetic matrix. Regarding the magnetic behavior as a function of temperature, we have found that the material displays up to three inversions of its magnetization, depending on the appropriate choice of the applied magnetic field. At low temperature the material exhibit exchange bias effect when it is cooled in the presence of a magnetic field. Also, our results indicate that this effect may be observed even when the system is cooled at zero field. Supported by other measurements and also by electronic structure calculations, we discuss the magnetic reversals and spontaneous exchange bias effect in terms of magnetic phase separation and magnetic frustration of Ir4+ ions located between the antiferromagnetically coupled Co ions.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures and supplemental materia

Effects of ON and OFF subthalamic nucleus-DBS on prefrontal cortex activation during a cognitive task: an fNIRS study

Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy is an effective treatment for the appendicular motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The STN contains multiple segregated circuits subserving motor, cognitive and mood functions through distinct connectivity to cortical regions. Therefore, we examined prefrontal cortical (PFC) effects of “ON” and “OFF” STN-DBS on executive function (Go/NoGo) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods Out of 8 PD STN-DBS patients, we present here preliminary analysis of a male (62y) PD patient with bilateral STN-DBS (unipolar, 180Hz, 3.5V). The patient was tested after 12h withdrawal of dopamine medications in both an “OFF” and “ON” DBS session separated by 30min. The subject performed a computerised GoNoGo task with 3 alternating Go/NoGo blocks of 30s duration (20 trials/block) interspersed with 30s rest. Reaction time (RT) and accuracy (omission-Om and commission-Cm errors) results were the average of the 3 Go/NoGo blocks. During performance of the Go/NoGo blocks, changes in oxygenated (O2Hb) and deoxygenated (HHb) haemoglobin concentrations were measured by a fNIRS system (Oxymon MkIII, Artinis Medical Systems) covering the bilateral PFC regions. Results/Discussion Clinical motor performance (UPDRSIII) improved from OFF (31) to ON (20). RT during Go and NoGo was ∼40ms faster in OFF (460 and 364ms) than ON (516 and 407ms). Furthermore, the NoGo condition increased misses (Om) in ON (7%) than OFF (0%); while false alarms (Cm) were similarly increased in ON (27%) and OFF (30%). The Go and NoGo conditions increased bilateral PFC activation (i.e., increase in O2Hb and decrease in HHb). However, there was a general decrease in PFC activation in OFF relative to ON, and this was more obvious in Go than NoGo (see Fig. 1) Conclusion These preliminary results indicate that STN-DBS modulates neurovascular responses in the bilateral PFC that are associated with response inhibition

Desempenho de bezerras leiteiras alimentadas com concentrado inicial contendo sais de ácidos orgânicos ou monesina.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da inclusão de butirato de sódio, monensina sódica e propionato de cálcio no concentrado inicial sobre o desempenho de bezerras leiteiras antes e após o desaleitamento. Vinte e quatro bezerras Holandesas recém-nascidas foram alocadas em abrigos individuais até a décima semana de vida tendo livre acesso à água, alimentadas com 4L de leite/dia, em duas refeições, sendo bloqueadas em função do peso ao nascer a um dos tratamentos, de acordo com o aditivo no concentrado: 1)Butirato de sódio (0,15%); 2)Monensina sódica (30 ppm); 3)Propionato de cálcio (0,15%). Durante 10 semanas os animais receberam concentrado inicial até 2 kg/d e receberam também feno de capim-coast-cross à vontade após o desaleitamento. Semanalmente, os animais foram pesados e avaliados quanto à altura da cernelha, largura do traseiro e perímetro torácico. Não foram observados efeitos significativos entre os tratamentos para o consumo de concentrado e de feno, peso vivo e ganho de peso diário dos animais (P>0,05), entretanto foram observados efeitos de idade (P0,05). A inclusão dos aditivos resultou em desempenho satisfatório de bezerras leiteiras antes e após o desaleitamento. A monensina sódica pode ser substituída por sais de ácidos orgânicos sem prejuízo ao desempenho de bezerros