Antagonic effect of the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide on the mortality of mice acutely infected with Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis

Sepsis, the leading cause of death in intensive care units, is associated with overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) due to inducible NO synthase (iNOS), responsible for some of the pathologic changes. Aminoguanidine (AG) is a selective iNOS inhibitor with reported inconsistent actions in sepsis. To investigate the influence of iNOS, we studied models of acute bacterial sepsis using acute challenges with aerobic (Escherichia coli) and anaerobic (Bacteroides fragilis) bacteria in the presence of AG. Six-week-old, 23 g, male and female BALB/c and C57Bl/6j mice, in equal proportions, were inoculated (ip) with bacteria in groups of 4 animals for each dose and each experiment in the absence or presence of AG (50 mg/kg, ip, starting 24 h before challenge and daily until day 6) and serum nitrate was measured by chemiluminescence. Both types of bacteria were lethal to mice, with an LD50 of 6 nephelometric units (U) for E. coli and 8 U for B. fragilis. Nitrate production peaked on the second day after E. coli inoculation with 8 and 6 U (P < 0.05), but was absent after non-lethal lower doses. After challenge with B. fragilis this early peak occurred at all tested doses after 24 h, including non-lethal ones (P < 0.05). AG-treated mice challenged with E. coli presented higher survival (P < 0.05) and increased LD50. AG-treated mice challenged with B. fragilis had lower LD50 and higher mortality. Control AG-treated animals presented no toxic effects. The opposite effect of iNOS blockade by AG in these models could be explained by restriction of oxygen for immune cells or an efficient action of NO in anaerobic localized infections. The antagonic role of NO production observed in our bacterial models could explain the reported discrepancy of NO action in sepsis

Ametryn leaching on Red-Yellow Latosol and Red-Yellow Ultisol with different pH values

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o potencial de lixiviação do ametryn num Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo e num Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo utilizados com pastagens no Brasil, com diferentes valores de pH. Para isso, foram avaliados 120 tratamentos (quatro solos associados a três intensidades de chuva e 10 profundidades), em parcela subdividida no delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. Colunas de PVC de 50 cm de comprimento por 10 cm de diâmetro foram preenchidas com os solos e umedecidas; em seguida, aplicou-se o herbicida e simularam-se chuvas no topo delas, nas intensidades especificadas de acordo com o tratamento. Após 72 horas, todas as colunas foram dispostas na posição horizontal e abertas longitudinalmente, coletando-se amostras dos solos a cada intervalo de 5 cm de profundidade, para posterior extração e quantificação do herbicida e análise por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência - CLAE. Posteriormente, no restante das amostras de solo, semeou-se ao longo de cada coluna a espécie indicadora Cucumis sativus. Concluiu-se que solos com baixo teor de matéria orgânica e/ou pH mais elevado apresentaram maiores índices de lixiviação do ametryn. Além disso, o método do bioensaio foi mais eficiente na confirmação da lixiviação do ametryn em comparação à CLAE.The objective of this work was to evaluate ametryn leaching potential in soil used for pasture in Brazil (Red-Yellow Latosol (LVA) and Red-Yellow Ultisol (PVA)) with different pH values. Thus, 120 treatments were evaluated (four soils related to three rainfall intensities and 10 soil column depths). The experiments were arranged in a completely randomized design in split-plots and three replications. PVC columns of 10 cm diameter by 50 cm length were filled with the soil samples, moistened and placed upright for 48 hours to drain the excess water. The herbicide was applied and rainfall was simulated on top of the columns at intensities specified according to the treatment. After 72 hours, the columns were opened longitudinally, placed in a horizontal position and soil samples were collected at each 5 cm interval depth for posterior herbicide extraction and quantification by liquid chromatography (HPLC). The remaining soil columns were sown with the indicator species (Cucumis sativus) in the substrate along the opening to evaluate ametryn leaching. After 21days of emergence, evaluations were conducted to verify the intoxication symptoms caused by ametryn in the plants. It was concluded that soils with low organic matter content and/or higher pH showed higher ametryn leaching rates, and that the bioassay method was more efficient in confirming ametryn leaching than liquid chromatography

Research of Gravitation in Flat Minkowski Space

In this paper it is introduced and studied an alternative theory of gravitation in flat Minkowski space. Using an antisymmetric tensor, which is analogous to the tensor of electromagnetic field, a non-linear connection is introduced. It is very convenient for studying the perihelion/periastron shift, deflection of the light rays near the Sun and the frame dragging together with geodetic precession, i.e. effects where angles are involved. Although the corresponding results are obtained in rather different way, they are the same as in the General Relativity. The results about the barycenter of two bodies are also the same as in the General Relativity. Comparing the derived equations of motion for the $n$-body problem with the Einstein-Infeld-Hoffmann equations, it is found that they differ from the EIH equations by Lorentz invariant terms of order $c^{-2}$.Comment: 28 page

Effect of environmental temperature during the of brooding period on growing period of pullets viscera and tibia

ArticlePoultry production in subtropical and tropical regions faces many problems, one of which is the high air temperature causing thermal stress, particularly dangerous in high-producing birds. Thus, the negative effects caused by heat stress (HS) must be managed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of four different levels of HS in viscera and tibia of pullets. A total of 648 chicks (Lohmann LSL Lite) were used in this study in two different phases. The pre-experimental phase (PEP) was from day 1 through 6 weeks of age. The birds were reared with three different environmental temperatures: thermal comfort, hot and cold. The experimental phase (EP) was conducted from the 7th to the 17th week. Pullets from each thermal environment of the PEP were submitted to: 20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C. At the end of the 17th week of age 120 pullets were euthanatized and the organs, heart, liver, spleen and gizzard were weighed, as also their tibias. Effects of PEP, and its interaction with EP, were not significant (P < 0.05) for viscera and tibia weight. However, a significant increase (P < 0.05) in heart weight with the decrease of the environmental temperature was observed, being the pullets subject to 20ºC and 25 °C with the heaviest weights. For the liver, pullets subject to the 35 °C had the lowest weight and were different (P < 0.05) from the other three treatments. For gizzard, the difference (P < 0.05) was between the treatments 20ºC and 35 °C. These results indicate that brooding temperatures tested during the first 6 weeks of life did not affect the viscera and bone weight during the growing phase

Estudos sobre a nutrição mineral do cafeeiro: XXXI - influência do cobre do substrato no crescimento e composição mineral do cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L.) var. Mundo Novo e Catuaí

This work was designed to study the effect of copper in the medium on growth and mineral composition of the coffee plant, bearing in mind the possibility of accumulation of toxic residues in the soil as a consequence of the treatments against rust. - Young plants of the varieties Mundo Novo and Catuaí were grown in nutrient solution in the presence of Cu concentrations from 0.02 to 200 ppm. Toxic effects were found to be darkening and cessation of root growth; wilt, necrosis and leaf drop; abnormalities in the epidermis, parenchyma and chloroplasts. The threshold level for copper toxicity in around 30 ppm in the leaves. Mundo Novo seems to be more sensitive to copper toxicity. - Under soil conditions it was found that the joint use of lime and stable manure eliminates the toxicity of an application of 200 ppm of copper.A sensibilidade das variedades Catuaí e Mundo Novo ao nível de cobre no substrato foi estudada em condições controladas. Em solução nutritiva verificou-se que a primeira variedade parece ser mais resistente à toxidez. Ensaios com três tipos de solos mostraram que a elevação do pH a 6,5 e a adição conjunta de matéria orgânica neutralizam a toxidez correspondente a 200 ppm do elemento no meio

Computational fluids dynamics (CFD) in the spatial distribution of air velocity in prototype designed for animal experimentation in controlled environments

ArticleMaintaining a comfortable and productive thermal environment is one of the major challenges of poultry farming in tropical and hot climates. The thermal environment encompasses a number of factors that interact with each other and reflect the actual thermal sensation of the animals. These factors characterize the microclimate inside the facilities and influence the behaviour, performance and well-being of the birds. Thus, the objective of this study is to propose and validate a computational model of fluid dynamics to evaluate the spatial distribution of air velocity and the performance of a system designed to control air velocity variation for use in experiments with birds in controlled environment. The performance of the experimental ventilation prototype was evaluated based on air velocity distribution profiles in cages. Each prototype consisted of two fans coupled to a PVC pipe 25 cm in diameter, one at each end of the pipe, with airflow directed along the entire feeder installed in front of the cages. The contour conditions considered for the simulation of airflow inside the cage were air temperature of 35 °C at the entrance and exit of the cage; air velocity equal to 2.3 m s -1 at the entrance of the cage; pressure of 0 Pa. The model proposed in this study was representative when compared to the experimental measurements, and it can be used in the study of air flow behaviour and distribution for the improvement of the prototype design for later studies

The quadratic spinor Lagrangian is equivalent to the teleparallel theory

The quadratic spinor Lagrangian is shown to be equivalent to the teleparallel / tetrad representation of Einstein's theory. An important consequence is that the energy-momentum density obtained from this quadratic spinor Lagrangian is essentially the same as the ``tensor'' proposed by Moller in 1961.Comment: 10 pages, RevTe

Identifying and managing patient–ventilator asynchrony: An international survey.

Objective: To describe the main factors associated with proper recognition and management of patient ventilator asynchronies (PVA). Design: Analytical cross-sectional study. Setting: International study conducted in 20 countries through an online survey. Participants: Physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses and physiotherapists that are currently working at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Main variables of interest: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to establish associations between all variables (profession, training in mechanical ventilation, type of training program, years of experience and ICU characteristics) with the ability of HCPs to correctly identify and manage 6 PVA. Results: A total of 431 HCPs answered a validated survey. The main factors associated with the proper recognition of PVA were: specific training program in mechanical ventilation (MV) (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.14-4.52; p = 0.019), courses with more than 100 hours completed (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.29-4.03; p = 0.005) and the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds (OR 1.037; 95% CI 1.01-1.06; p = 0.005). The main factor that influenced PVA management was recognizing 6 PVA correctly (OR 118.98; 95%CI 35.25-401.58; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Identifying and managing PVA using ventilator waveform analysis is influenced by many factors including specific training programs in MV, number of ICU beds and the recognized number of PVA.pre-print169 K

Modelling Land Use Change in Brazil: 2000–2050

The input and output land cover dataset across all modelled time periods (2000-2050) and scenarios resulting from the work of the REDD-PAC project in Brazil. Please consult the data section of the REDD-PAC website (http://redd-pac.org/new_page.php?contents=data1.csv) to access a data visualization tool and to obtain the dataset in WFS format. This dataset can be accessed and displayed using GIS software such as QGIS. Please consult the metadata file for further instruction