Near Infrared Raman Spectroscopy To Detect The Calcification Of The Annular Mitral Valve

Cardiac valves are subjected to high repetitive mechanical stresses, particularly at the hinge points of the cusps and leaflets d ue to the over 40 millions cardiac cycles per year. These delicate structures can suffer cumulative lesions, complicated by the deposition of calcium phosphate mineral, which may lead to clinically important disease. Near Infrared Raman Spectroscopy gives important information about biological tissues composition and it is being used for diagnosis of some pathologies. The aim of this work was to detect trough the use of the Raman Spectroscopy technique the mitral annular calcification. A Ti:saphire laser operating at the near infrared wavelength of 785 nm was used for the excitation of the valve samples and the Raman radiation was detected by an optical spectrometer with a CCD liquid nitrogen cooled detector. In all, ten samples of normal and pathologic tissues were studied. They were approximately squared with the lateral size of 5 mm. It was observed that the Raman spectrum of the calcified mitral valve showed different behavior, when compared to normal tissues. Results indicate that this technique could be used to detect the deposition of the calcium phosphate mineral over the mitral valve.5622PART 16266Christensen, G., Cardiovascular and renal effects of atrial natriuretic factor (1993) Scand J. Clin Lab Invest, 53, pp. 203-207Peters, N.S., Cardiac arrhythmogenesis and the gap junction (1995) J Mol Cell Cardiol., 27, pp. 37-40Hanlon, E.B., Prospect for "in vivo" Raman spectroscopy (2000) Phys. Med. Biol., 45, pp. R1-59Lucas, A., Development of an avian model for restenosis (1996) Atherosclerosis, 119, pp. 17-41Sathaiah, S., Silveira Jr., L., Pasqualucci, C.A., Zangaro, R.A., Chavantes, M.C., Mtt, P., Correlated diagnosis of atherosclerosis with non-invasive Raman spectroscopy and pathological techniques (1996) International Laser Congress, p. 72. , GreeceSathaiah, S., Pasqualucci, C.A., Mtt, P., Application of near Infrared Raman spectroscopy for less invasive diagnosis of atherosclerosis (1997) Proc. International Conference on Lasers, 97. , U.S.AManoharan, R., UV resonance Raman spectroscopy for detection of colon cancer (1995) Lasers in Life Sci., 6, pp. 217-249Boustany, N.N., Analysis of normal and diseased colon mucosa using ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy (1996) Proceedings of SPIE, 2679, pp. 66-70. , Advances in Lasers and Light Spectroscopy to Diagnose Cancer and other Diseases III: Optical Biopsy, San Jose CAPilotto, S., Mtt, P., Silveira Jr., L., Balbin Villaverde, A., Zangaro, R.A., Analysis of near-infrared Raman Spectroscopy as a new technique for a transcutaneous non-invasive diagnosis of blood components (2001) Laser Med. Sci, 16, pp. 2-9Jianan, Y., Wilson, B.C., Suria, D., Concentration measurements of multiple analytes in human sera by near-infrared laser Raman spectroscopy (1999) Appl Opt, 38 (25), pp. 5491-5497Berger, A., Koo, T.W., Itzhan, I., Horowitz, G., Feld, M.S., Multicomponent blood analysis by near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (1999) Appl Opt, 38 (13), pp. 2916-2916Otero, E.U., Sathaiah, S., Silveira Jr., L., Pma, P., Cag, P., Raman spectroscopy for diagnosis of calcification in human heart valves (2004) Spectroscopy: An International Journal, 18 (1), pp. 75-84Stone, N., Near-infrared Raman Spectroscopy for classification of epithelial pre-cancers and cancers (2002) J. Raman Spectrosc, 33, pp. 564-57

Use of electrical bioimpedance analysis to evaluate the quality of bovine raw milk

The objective of the present study was to use electrical bioimpedance analysis (BIA) as an alternative method of evaluating the quality of bovine raw milk. Fourteen lactating purebred Dutch cows were used. For the analyses of milk quality and electrical bioimpedance, 140 ml milk per mammary quarter and a homogeneous sample of each animal were collected, totalling 70 samples. The criteria used to evaluate milk quality consisted of somatic cell count (CCS), total bacterial count (CBT), fat, protein, lactose, total solids (ST) and non-greasy solids (SNG) as required by IN No 62/2011. A monofrequential 50 kHz and 800 μA alternating current generator was used for electrical BIAs. The temperature of the raw milk was 5 °C for all samples. Primary resistance and reactance readings were obtained. From these values, the values of impedance, conductance and phase angle were obtained. Correlation analyses were performed to determine the variables used by the regression analyses. The regression analysis was performed using raw milk components as dependent variables and BIA measurements as independent variables. Lactose, ST and SNG were the components of milk that correlated best and presented moderate prediction equations in relation to BIA variables. The prediction equations using resistance showed R2 of 0.42 and 0.45 for ST and SNG, respectively. In the prediction equation for ST and SNG, the conductance resulted in R2 of 0.45, and 0.45, respectively. Regarding impedance, the R2 of 0.42 and 0.45 were obtained for the predicted equations ST and SNG, respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that BIA has the potential to estimate the composition and quality of bovine raw milk.Keywords: conductance, impedance, milk compositio

Heavy metals and micronutrients in soils under dairy grazing right on top of the river Paranaíba basin in the state of Goiás, Brazil

In Brazil, the agricultural activity is among the most competitive sectors of national economy, in which milk production has a very significant contribution. Concern about environmental contamination by this activity is related to the fact that dairy cattle manure heavy metals present in the constitution; the creation of such animals in the grazing system directly questions the possibility of any contamination by these metals in the watery, area where these animals congregate at certain times of day for drinking water and where they defecate. This study aimed to evaluate the content of copper, iron, manganese, zinc, cadmium, lead and chromium in watery areas and in conservation areas (control) of 28 properties, grouped into six “otto-basins” forming the upper basin of the Paranaíba River in the State of Goiás. The simple soil samples were collected at three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) obtained from such a composite sample for each depth in the areas watered and preserved. The analysis of PCA metals pollutants in soils watery areas analyzed did not indicate the occurrence of contamination in these environments when compared to the preserved area. Observed random distribution of average levels of metals in the three studied depths in all treatments, which complicates the definition of the potential for soil contamination by feces of dairy farming originated in watery areas, under rotational grazing.A preocupação quanto à contaminação do ambiente por meio da atividade leiteira está relacionada ao fato dos dejetos destes bovinos apresentarem metais poluentes em sua constituição; na criação desses animais no sistema de pastejo direto questiona-se a possibilidade da ocorrência de contaminação por estes metais nas aguadas, área onde esses animais se aglomeram em determinados períodos do dia para beberem água e onde defecam. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar os teores dos metais cobre, ferro, manganês, zinco, cádmio, chumbo e cromo em áreas de aguadas e em áreas preservadas (testemunha) de 28 propriedades, agrupadas em seis Ottobacias hidrográficas formadoras do alto da bacia do Rio Paranaíba, no Estado de Goiás. As amostras simples de solos foram coletadas em três profundidades (0-10, 10-20 e 20-30 cm), a partir destas foram obtidas uma amostra composta para cada profundidade nas áreas de aguadas e preservadas. Pela análise de PCA os metais poluentes analisados nos solos de aguada não indicou a ocorrência de contaminação nestes ambientes quando comparados à área preservada. A distribuição aleatória dos teores médios dos metais nas três profundidades estudadas em todos os tratamentos dificulta a definição do potencial de contaminação do solo pelos dejetos originados da atividade leiteira em áreas de aguadas, sob pastejo direto3052582590Alvarenga, M.I.N., Davide, A.C., Características físicas e químicas de um Latossolo Vermelho-Escuro e a sustentabilidade de agroecossistemas (1999) Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, 23 (4), pp. 933-942. , ViçosaByers, H.L., Cabrera, M.L., Matthews, M., Franklin, D.H., Andrae, J.G., Radcliffe, D.E., McCann, M.A., Calvert Jr, V.H., Phosphorus, sediment and Escherichia coli loads in unfenced streams of the Georgia Piedmont, USA (2005) Journal of Environmental Quality, 34 (11), pp. 2293-2300. , MadisonCorreia, P.R.M., Ferreira, M.M.C., Reconhecimento de padrões por métodos não supervisionados: Explorando procedimentos quimiométricos para o tratamento de dados analíticos (2007) Revista Química Nova, 30 (2), pp. 48-487. , São PauloEMBRAPA-Embrapa Informação Tecnológica, (2003) Pesquisa, desenvolvimento e inovação para o agronegócio brasileiro: Cenários 2002-2012, 92p. , Embrapa/Secretaria de Gestão e Estratégia. Brasília: Embrapa Informação TecnológicaIBGE-Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Indicadores: Produção pecuária, , http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/mapa_site/mapa_site.php, Disponível em, Acesso em: 02 abr. 2012McGechan, M.B., Topp, C.F.E., Modelling environmental impacts of deposition of excreted nitrogen by grazing dairy cows (2004) Agriculture, Ecossystems e Environment, 103 (1), pp. 149-164. , AmsterdamMoura, M.C.S., Lopes, A.N.C., Moita, G.C., Moita Neto, J.M., Estudo multivariado de solos urbanos da cidade de Teresina (2006) Revista Química Nova, 29 (3), pp. 429-435. , São PauloOliver, M.A., Soil and human health: A review (1997) Journal Science Soil, 48 (4), pp. 573-592. , OxfordPereira, A.A., Borges, J.D., Leandro, W.M., Metais poluentes e micronutrientes no solo e em folhas de brachiaria decumbens às margens de rodovias (2010) Bioscience Journal, 26 (3), pp. 347-357. , UberlândiaPfafstetter, O., (1989) Classificação de bacias hidrográficas: Metodologia de codificação, 19p. , Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Departamento Nacional de Obras de Saneamento (DNOS), Trabalho não publicadoQuaggio, J.A., van Raij, B., Comparação de métodos rápidos para determinação da matéria orgânica em solo (1979) Revista Brasileira de. Ciência do Solo, 3 (3), pp. 184-187. , CampinasSEPIN-Superintendência de Pesquisa e Informação, (2012) Anuário Estatístico do Estado de Goiás-2005, , http://www.segplan.go.gov.br/, Disponível em: Acesso em: 22 junWijewardena, J.D.H., Gunaratne, S.P., Heavy metal in commonly used animal manure (2004) Annals of the Sri Lanka Dapartment of agriculture, 6 (2), pp. 245-253. , BombuwelaIn Brazil, the agricultural activity is among the most competitive sectors of national economy, in which milk production has a very significant contribution. Concern about environmental contamination by this activity is related to the fact that dairy cattle manure heavy metals present in the constitution; the creation of such animals in the grazing system directly questions the possibility of any contamination by these metals in the watery, area where these animals congregate at certain times of day for drinking water and where they defecate. This study aimed to evaluate the content of copper, iron, manganese, zinc, cadmium, lead and chromium in watery areas and in conservation areas (control) of 28 properties, grouped into six “otto-basins” forming the upper basin of the Paranaíba River in the State of Goiás. The simple soil samples were collected at three depths (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm) obtained from such a composite sample for each depth in the areas watered and preserved. The analysis of PCA metals pollutants in soils watery areas analyzed did not indicate the occurrence of contamination in these environments when compared to the preserved area. Observed random distribution of average levels of metals in the three studied depths in all treatments, which complicates the definition of the potential for soil contamination by feces of dairy farming originated in watery areas, under rotational grazin

Radiating black hole solutions in arbitrary dimensions

We prove a theorem that characterizes a large family of non-static solutions to Einstein equations in $N$-dimensional space-time, representing, in general, spherically symmetric Type II fluid. It is shown that the best known Vaidya-based (radiating) black hole solutions to Einstein equations, in both four dimensions (4D) and higher dimensions (HD), are particular cases from this family. The spherically symmetric static black hole solutions for Type I fluid can also be retrieved. A brief discussion on the energy conditions, singularities and horizons is provided.Comment: RevTeX 9 pages, no figure

Vitamin E-analog Trolox prevents endoplasmic reticulum stress in frozen-thawed ovarian tissue of capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella)

Ovarian fragments were exposed to 0.5 M sucrose and 1 M ethylene glycol (freezing solution; FS) with or without selenium or Trolox. Histological and ultrastructural analyses showed that the percentages of normal follicles in control tissue and in tissue after exposure to FS+50 μM Trolox were similar. Trolox prevented endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related vacuolization, which is commonly observed in oocytes and stromal tissue after exposure to FS. From the evaluated stress markers, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was up-regulated in ovarian tissue exposed to FS+10 ng/ml selenium. Ovarian fragments were subsequently frozenthawed in the presence of FS with or without 50 μM Trolox, followed by in vitro culture (IVC). Antioxidant capacity in ovarian fragments decreased after freeze-thawing in Troloxfree FS compared with FS+50 μMTrolox. Although freezing itself minimized the percentage of viable follicles in each solution, Trolox supplementation resulted in higher rates of viable follicles (67 %), even after IVC (61 %). Furthermore, stress markers SOD1 and ERp29 were up-regulated in ovarian tissue frozen-thawed in Trolox-free medium. Relative mRNA expression of growth factors markers was evaluated after freeze-thawing followed by IVC. BMP4, BMP5, CTGF, GDF9 and KL were down-regulated independently of the presence of Trolox in FS but down-regulation was less pronounced in the presence of Trolox. Thus, medium supplementation with 50 μMTrolox prevents ER stress and, consequently, protects ovarian tissue from ER-derived cytoplasmic vacuolization. ERp29 but not ERp60, appears to be a key marker linking stress caused by freezing-thawing and cell vacuolization.http://link.springer.com/journal/441hb201

Impact of a Tutored Theoretical-Practical Training to Develop Undergraduate Students’ Skills for the Detection of Caries Lesions: Study Protocol for a Multicenter Controlled Randomized Study

Background: Tutored laboratorial activities could be a manner of improving the competency development of students. However, its impact over conventional theoretical classes has not yet been tested. Additionally, different university contexts could influence this issue and should be explored. Objective: To assess the impact of a tutored theoretical-practical training for teaching undergraduate students to detect caries lesions as compared with theoretical teaching activities. The impact of these teaching/learning activities will be assessed in terms of efficacy, cost/benefit, retention of knowledge/acquired competences, and student acceptability. Methods: Sixteen centers (7 centers from Brazil and 9 centers from other countries throughout the world) are involved in the inclusion of subjects for this protocol. A randomized controlled study with parallel groups will be conducted. One group (control) will be exposed to a 60- to 90-minute conventional theoretical class and the other group (test) will be exposed to the same theoretical class and also a 90-minute laboratory class, including exercises and discussions based on the evaluation of a pool of images and extracted teeth. The mentioned outcomes will be evaluated immediately after the teaching activities and also in medium- and long-term analyses. To compare the long-term outcomes, students who enrolled in the university before the participating students will be interviewed for data collection and these data will be used as a control and compared with the trained group. This stage will be a nonrandomized phase of this study, nested in the main study. Appropriate statistical analysis will be performed according to the aims of this study. Variables related to the centers will also be analyzed and used to model adjustment as possible sources of variability among results. Results: This ongoing study is funded by a Brazilian national funding agency (CNPq- 400736/2014-4). We expect that the tutored theoretical-practical training will improve the undergraduate students’ performance in the detection of caries lesions and subsequent treatment decisions, mainly in terms of long-term retention of knowledge. Our hypothesis is that tutored theoretical-practical training is a more cost-effective option for teaching undergraduate students to detect caries lesions. Conclusions: If our hypothesis is confirmed, the use of laboratory training in conjunction with theoretical classes could be used as an educational strategy in Cariology to improve the development of undergraduate students’ skills in the detection of caries lesions and clinical decision-making

Theory and Applications of Non-Relativistic and Relativistic Turbulent Reconnection

Realistic astrophysical environments are turbulent due to the extremely high Reynolds numbers. Therefore, the theories of reconnection intended for describing astrophysical reconnection should not ignore the effects of turbulence on magnetic reconnection. Turbulence is known to change the nature of many physical processes dramatically and in this review we claim that magnetic reconnection is not an exception. We stress that not only astrophysical turbulence is ubiquitous, but also magnetic reconnection itself induces turbulence. Thus turbulence must be accounted for in any realistic astrophysical reconnection setup. We argue that due to the similarities of MHD turbulence in relativistic and non-relativistic cases the theory of magnetic reconnection developed for the non-relativistic case can be extended to the relativistic case and we provide numerical simulations that support this conjecture. We also provide quantitative comparisons of the theoretical predictions and results of numerical experiments, including the situations when turbulent reconnection is self-driven, i.e. the turbulence in the system is generated by the reconnection process itself. We show how turbulent reconnection entails the violation of magnetic flux freezing, the conclusion that has really far reaching consequences for many realistically turbulent astrophysical environments. In addition, we consider observational testing of turbulent reconnection as well as numerous implications of the theory. The former includes the Sun and solar wind reconnection, while the latter include the process of reconnection diffusion induced by turbulent reconnection, the acceleration of energetic particles, bursts of turbulent reconnection related to black hole sources as well as gamma ray bursts. Finally, we explain why turbulent reconnection cannot be explained by turbulent resistivity or derived through the mean field approach.Comment: 66 pages, 24 figures, a chapter of the book "Magnetic Reconnection - Concepts and Applications", editors W. Gonzalez, E. N. Parke