What Physical Aspects Influence Biochemical Activity in Soil in a Natural Landscape?

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of depth, seasonality and phytophysiognomies on the biochemical activity of soils in native Cerrado biome. Additionally, we listed which chemical parameters influence the activity of the microbiota and enzymatic activity in these environments. We selected eight sampling areas of Cerradão (Forest) and four areas of Cerrado (shrub land) and evaluated the chemical characteristics and biochemical activity. The depth, sampling site and seasonality directly affected soil metabolic activity. Microbial biomass carbon was influenced by interaction between soil depth and sampling site and the enzyme activity tends to be higher in the superficial layer of the soil. The analysis of redundancy showed strong influence of environmental variables (phosphorus and CTC) on the biological activity of the soil. Thus, the metabolic activity of microorganisms is highly influenced by intrinsic soil characteristics of each sampling site

Bone impairment assessed by lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS) and HR-pQCT in male ankylosing spondylitis patients

Objectives. Low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis diagnosis in AS patients is based on data using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which may be difficult to interpret due to the presence of syndesmophytes. The objective of this study is to evaluate bone mass and quality using areal (a) BMD, lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS) and HR-pQCT parameters in AS patients compared with healthy controls (HC). Methods. TBS and aBMD were evaluated using DXA. Volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), bone microarchitecture and stiffness were analyzed at the distal tibia and radius using HR-pQCT. Seventy-three AS male patients and 52 agematched HC were evaluated. Results. Lower TBS values were observed in AS patients compared with HC (1.314 ± 0.121 vs. 1.396 ± 0.070, p<0.001); however, no difference was observed in lumbar spine aBMD between these two groups (1.080 ± 0.193 vs. 1.041 ± 0.118 g/cm2 , p=0.11). Lower trabecular vBMD (162.1 ± 39.6 vs. 186.8 ± 39.9 mg HA/cm3 , p<0.001), lower structural parameters Tb.Th (0.074 ± 0.012 vs. 0.080 ± 0.013 mm, p=0,044) and Tb.Sp (0.497 ± 0.110 vs. 0.448 ± 0.086 mm, p=0,039) and lower strength parameters stiffness (254250.8 ± 48477.7 vs. 291770.3 ± 52858.4 N/mm, p<0.001) and F.Load (12098.6 ± 2240. vs 13770.2 ± 2388.1 N, p=0,001) were observed in the trabecular compartment at the distal tibia in AS patients compared to HC. Conclusion. The lumbar spine TBS and HR-pQCT imaging measurements are superior technologies to detect impairment of bone mass and quality in AS patients compared to healthy subjects

Memória e história na crônica “Tatuapé, o caminho do tatu”, de Daniel Mundukuru

O presente trabalho faz uma análise da crônica “Tatuapé, o caminho do tatu”, publicada no livro “Crônicas de São Paulo: um olhar indígena” (2004), do escritor indígena Daniel Mundukuru. Lançamos mão de alguns conceitos de memória formulados por importantes teóricos da temática e apresentamos a relevância da crônica para a educação nos dias atuais. A partir daí propomos contribuições da Estética da Recepção para a abordagem do texto de Mundukuru em sala de aula, acreditando que o método recepcional apresenta-se como um relevante subsídio para a formação do leitor crítico. Além disso, o estudo de tal texto no ensino fundamental torna-se um incentivo às crianças e aos adolescentes a respeitarem a cultura indígena, fugindo da imagem estereotipada do indígena na literatura escrita pelos brancos

Increased Serum Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Levels in Fabry Disease: Correlation with Disease Burden

OBJECTIVES: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal disease caused by variants of the GLA gene; the formation of defective alpha-galactosidase A contributes to the accumulation of substrates in several organs. Chronic inflammation is thought to contribute to organ damage in FD patients. METHODS: In total, 36 classic FD patients (15 men/21 women) and 25 healthy controls (20 men/8 women) were assessed. The Mainz Severity Score Index (MSSI) was established after conducting interviews with the patients and chart review. Serum IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels were evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: The mean age (years) for FD patients was 43.1±15.4 and that for the controls was 47.4±12.2 (p>0.05). Twenty-two patients (59.5%) were treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in FD patients than in the controls. Patients treated with ERT had higher serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels than those not treated with ERT. There was no difference in the serum IL-1β levels between patients treated with ERT and those who were not. The MSSI scores in the patients were correlated with serum levels of IL-6 (r=0.60, p<0.001) and TNF-α (r=0.45, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: FD was associated with elevated serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in this cohort. The FD patients treated with ERT, particularly, women, exhibited higher levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α than those not treated with ERT; the serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were correlated with the MSSI scores reflecting greater disease burden

Well-being and quality of life in a sample of bakers and confectioners from the central region

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Preparation and scale up of extended-release tablets of bromopride

A reprodutibilidade do processo de fabricação de comprimidos e o controle das suas propriedades farmacotécnicas depende da otimização dos aspectos de formulação e dos parâmetros de processo. O planejamento de experimentos como o Desenho de Experimentos (DOE) pode ser utilizado para acelerar a produção desta formulação, em particular, para a obtenção de comprimidos de liberação prolongada. Formulações de bromoprida são comercializadas sob a forma de péletes de liberação prolongada, o que torna o produto caro e de difícil fabricação. O objetivo deste estudo foi preparar novas formulações de bromoprida de liberação prolongada na forma de comprimidos e desenvolver modelos matemáticos visando ao escalonamento destas formulações, controlando o peso e a dureza dos comprimidos durante a fabricação, de acordo com a 34ª Edição da USP. Estudos de DOE foram realizados utilizando o software Minitab(tm). Diferentes combinações de excipientes foram avaliadas visando à obtenção dos comprimidos de liberação prolongada de bromoprida. No estudo de scale-up, coletaram-se e mediu-se a influência das variações nos parâmetros da máquina de compressão. Processaram-se os dados obtidos pelo software Minitab (tm), gerando equações matemáticas aptas para a previsão do comportamento de compactação do pó em escala industrial. Os comprimidos obtidos apresentavam características adequadas em termos de liberação sustentada, sendo a cinética de liberação estabelecida utilizando modelos matemáticos, indicando que esta formulação pode ser uma substituta aos péletes de bromoprida atualmente comercializados.Reproducibility of the tablet manufacturing process and control of its pharmaceutics properties depends on the optimization of formulation aspects and process parameters. Computer simulation such as Design of Experiments (DOE) can be used to scale up the production of this formulation, in particular for obtaining sustained-release tablets. Bromopride formulations are marketed in the form of extended-release pellets, which makes the product more expensive and difficult to manufacture. The aim of this study was to formulate new bromopride sustained release formulations as tablets, and to develop mathematical models to standardize the scale up of this formulation, controlling weight and hardness of the tablets during manufacture according to the USP 34th edition. DOE studies were conducted using Minitab(tm) software. Different excipient combinations were evaluated in order to produce bromopride sustained-release matrix tablets. In the scale-up study, data were collected and variations in tableting machine parameters were measured. Data were processed by Minitab(tm) software, generating mathematical equations used for prediction of powder compaction behavior, according to the settings of the tableting machine suitable for scale-up purposes. Bromopride matrix tablets with appropriate characteristics for sustained release were developed. The scale-up of the formulation with the most suitable sustained release profile was established by using mathematical models, indicating that the formulation can be a substitute for the pellets currently marketed