Caracterização de microestruturas de cerâmicas a base de zirconia sinterizadas em diferentes temperaturas utilizando software livre imagej

A pesquisa desenvolvida para reconhecimento e definições das microestruturas dos materiais apresenta grande importância nos mais diversos seguimentos industrial. O objetivo desse trabalho foi desenvolver e aprimorar ferramentas do software livre ImageJ para caracterização de microestruturas de cerâmicas a base de zirconia sinterizadas em diferentes temperaturas. A pesquisa se deu de forma a validar as informações especificadas nas embalagens dos materiais produzidos pela empresa ProtMat Materiais Avançados em cerâmicas sinterizadas nas temperaturas e tempos de 1450 °C – 4h, 1500 °C – 2h e 1530 – 4h, utilizando micrografias obtidas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). O inicio da análise se deu utilizando o software livre ImageJ para definir a qualidade das imagens através da remoção de ruídos e identificação da região representativa para análise. Com a definição da qualidade da imagem foram desenvolvidas rotinas, e implementados novos plugins no software. Com o apoio de novas rotinas e plugins pode ser observados nos resultados, avanços significativos nas caracterizações das cerâ- micas em função das diferentes temperaturas e tempos de sinterizações utilizados. Os resultados mostraram deferentes tamanhos e quantidades de grãos por área nas amostras sinterizadas em diferente temperatura. Esses resultados convergem com os dados da literatura e constituem importantes avanços em caracterizações de cerâmicas a base de zirconia, com resultados gerados com rapidez e precisão

Variação no conteúdo de beta-glucanas em cultivares brasileiros de aveia Beta-glucan content variation in brasilian oat cultivars

Com o crescente interesse em alimentos funcionais e nutracêuticos, a aveia (Avena sativa L.) tem se destacado, devido ao seu teor de fibras alimentares e principalmente às beta-glucanas. As (1,3)(1,4)-beta-D-glucanas, fibras alimentares na maioria solúveis, atuam na redução do colesterol em indivíduos com hipercolesterolemia. Existem estudos para determinar as causas de variação do teor desta fibra em aveia, porém, pouco se sabe sobre a aveia cultivada no Brasil. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se existem diferenças no conteúdo de beta-glucanas entre cultivares brasileiros e se há variação na porcentagem desta fibra devido ao ano de cultivo. Os cultivares IAC7, UFRGS14, UPF16 e UPF17 (3 amostras de cada), e ainda três amostras do cultivar IAC7 para cada ano de cultivo (97 e 98), foram analisados segundo os métodos da AACC (American Association of Cereal Chemists). Os teores médios (peso seco) de beta-glucanas foram 6,50% (IAC7), 4,30% (UFRGS14), 3,51% (UPF16) e 3,78% (UPF17), com erro padrão de ±0,084 e coeficiente de variação de 7,89 %. Observou-se efeito significativo dos cultivares (p=0,03) e grande variabilidade entre as amostras (p=0,0001). O cultivar IAC7 apresentou média de beta-glucanas de 5,11% em 97 e 6,50 % em 98 (erro padrão ±0,14; CV=10,53%) e observou-se efeito significativo do ano de cultivo.<br>With the increasing interest in functional foods and nutraceuticals, oats (Avena sativa L.) have received special attention because of their dietary fiber contents, and specially of their beta-glucans. The mostly soluble dietary fibers (1,3)(1,4)-beta-D-glucans, reduce serum cholesterol in individuals with hypercholesterolemia. There are studies about the causes of variation in the contents of this fiber in oats, however, very little is known about Brazilian cultivars. The objective of this work was to verify if there were differences in the beta-glucan contents among brazilian cultivars and if there was variation in the percentage of this fiber due to the crop year. The cultivars IAC7, UFRGS14, UPF16 and UPF17 (3 samples each), and even three more samples of cultivar IAC7 for each year (97 and 98), were analyzed according to the AACC methods for beta-glucans. The mean content was 6.50% (IAC7), 4.30% (UFRGS14), 3.51% (UPF16) and 3.78% (UPF17), with standard error (S.E.) of ±0.084 and variation coefficient (C.V.) of 7.89%. A significant effect of the cultivars (p=0.03) and a great variability among the samples (p=0.0001) was observed. IAC7 had a mean beta-glucan content of 5.11% for 1997 and 6.50% for 1998 (S.E.±0.14; C.V.=10.53%) and a significant effect for the crop year was observed

Sugarcane fibre may prevents hairball formation in cats

Hair ingested by licking during cat grooming can eventually coalesce into solid masses in cat gastrointestinal tract. It is believed that dietary fibre might reduce formation of these trichobezoars (hairballs). The effects of two insoluble fibre sources added to kibble diets were evaluated with respect to trichobezoar faecal excretion. Thirty-two cats and four diets were used in a randomised block design: a control diet without additional fibre, 10 % added sugarcane fibre, 20 % added sugarcane fibre or 10 % added cellulose. Animals were fed for 42 d and during three separate periods (days 15-17, 25-27 and 40-42), the cats were housed individually in metabolic cages and their faeces were totally collected. The faeces were evaluated and the trichobezoars were isolated and classified into small (2·1 cm). Means were evaluated by repeated measures ANOVA and contrasts (P < 0·05). Cats fed sugarcane fibre shown a linear reduction of small and medium trichobezoar excretion (number per cat per day; P = 0·004) as well as a reduction in trichobezoar mass excretion (mg per cat per day; P < 0·01). The control group showed increased faecal excretion of large trichobezoars (P = 0·003), which were not present in the high sugarcane fibre group (P < 0·006). No effect of cellulose was observed for any evaluated trait. Therefore, long fibres (sugarcane fibre) may cause greater peristaltic stimulation, increasing the propulsion of hair through the gut, but further research is needed to validate this mechanism. In conclusion, sugarcane fibre reduced faecal hairball elimination in cats, which may have clinical applications for the prevention of health problems related to trichobezoars

Comparison of the digestive efficiency of extruded diets fed to ferrets (Mustela putorius furo), dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus)

The digestive tract of ferrets is anatomically simple, with no caecum, ileocolic valve or external differentiation between the transition of ileum and colon. The species has a short large intestine that provides minor contributions to the digestive process. Aiming to better understand the digestibility efficiency of ferrets, the present study compared the digestibility of extruded diets with different amounts of macronutrients fed to dogs, cats and ferrets. Three formulations for cat maintenance were used (values in % of DM basis): high carbohydrate (HC; nitrogen-free extract (NFE) = 54 %, protein = 31 % and fat = 8 %); moderate carbohydrate (MC; NFE = 37 %, protein = 41 % and fat = 10 %); and low carbohydrate (LC; NFE = 19 %, protein = 46 % and fat = 23 %). Apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility was determined by the method of total collection of faeces. Results were compared by ANOVA, considering the diet and species effects and their interactions. Means were compared by the Tukey's test (P < 0·05). Dogs and cats presented similar food intakes, but ferrets consumed almost two times more food (g/kg body weight). Species × diet interactions were verified for apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD; P < 0·05). Ferrets presented lower DM digestibility than dogs and cats for all three diets (P < 0·05), lower NFE digestibility than dogs for the three diets and lower NFE digestibility than cats for the HC and LC diets (P < 0·05). For crude protein (CP), ferrets presented lower ATTD than dogs and cats (P < 0·05), whereas for fat, dogs and ferrets presented similar ATTD, and higher values than those presented by cats (P < 0·05). Kibble diets had a lower DM, CP and NFE digestibility when fed to ferrets compared with dogs and cats. Fat digestibility was similar between dogs and ferrets and higher than that for cats

Alterations to oxidative stress markers in dogs after a short-term stress during transport

While methods to evaluate antioxidant capacity in animals exist, one problem with the models is induction of oxidative stress. It is necessary to promote a great enough challenge to induce measurable alterations to oxidative parameters while ensuring the protocol is compatible with animal welfare. The aim of the present study was to evaluate caged transport as a viable short-term stress that would significantly affect oxidative parameters. Twenty adult Beagle dogs, maintained on the same diet for 60 d prior to the transport, were included in the study. To simulate the stress, the dogs were housed in pairs in transport cages (1·0 m × 1·0 m × 1·5 m), placed on a truck coupled to a trailer and transported for a period of 15 min. Blood collection was performed immediately before and again 3 h after the transportation to evaluate oxidative parameters in blood serum, including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), sequestration activity of the radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•), protein carbonylation (PC), total sulfhydryl groups (SH), alpha-tocopherol (αToc) and retinol (Ret). PC, SH and αToc were not significantly changed in the study; however, TBARS, TAC and DPPH increased, whereas Ret decreased after the transport. Although the lack of a control group of dogs not submitted to transport is a limitation to be considered, we conclude that the transport model is effective in inducing an antioxidant response in dogs and relevant blood parameters show sensitivity to this proposed model

Tempol, an intracellular antioxidant, inhibits tissue factor expression, attenuates dendritic cell function, and is partially protective in a murine model of cerebral malaria

ANDRADE, Bruno Bezerril. “Documento produzido em parceria ou por autor vinculado à Fiocruz, mas não consta à informação no documento”.Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-02-22T13:03:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Francischetti I MB Tempol, an intracellular antioxidant.....pdf: 1419415 bytes, checksum: cb1fb31e6b27562042411511da3639c4 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-02-22T13:29:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Francischetti I MB Tempol, an intracellular antioxidant.....pdf: 1419415 bytes, checksum: cb1fb31e6b27562042411511da3639c4 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-22T13:29:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Francischetti I MB Tempol, an intracellular antioxidant.....pdf: 1419415 bytes, checksum: cb1fb31e6b27562042411511da3639c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Research Program of the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Immunogenetics. Rockville, MD, USAUniversity of São Paulo. Institute of Biomedical Sciences. Laboratory of Experimental Immunology. Department of Immunology. São Paulo, SP, BrazilNational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Immunogenetics. Rockville, MD, USANational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases. Bethesda, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Immunogenetics. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Immunogenetics. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. Rockville, MD, USANational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Immunogenetics. Rockville, MD, USAUniversity of São Paulo. Institute of Biomedical Sciences. Laboratory of Experimental Immunology. Department of Immunology. São Paulo, SP, BrazilNational Institutes of Health. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Laboratory of Immunogenetics. Rockville, MD, USA / University of Virginia. Department of Pathology. Charlottesville, Virginia, USAThe role of intracellular radical oxygen species (ROS) in pathogenesis of cerebral malaria (CM) remains incompletely understood. Methods and Findings: We undertook testing Tempol—a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic and pleiotropic intracellular antioxidant—in cells relevant to malaria pathogenesis in the context of coagulation and inflammation. Tempol was also tested in a murine model of CM induced by Plasmodium berghei Anka infection. Tempol was found to prevent transcription and functional expression of procoagulant tissue factor in endothelial cells (ECs) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This effect was accompanied by inhibition of IL-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) production. Tempol also attenuated platelet aggregation and human promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells oxidative burst. In dendritic cells, Tempol inhibited LPS-induced production of TNF-a, IL-6, and IL-12p70, downregulated expression of co-stimulatory molecules, and prevented antigen-dependent lymphocyte proliferation. Notably, Tempol (20 mg/kg) partially increased the survival of mice with CM. Mechanistically, treated mice had lowered plasma levels of MCP-1, suggesting that Tempol downmodulates EC function and vascular inflammation. Tempol also diminished blood brain barrier permeability associated with CM when started at day 4 post infection but not at day 1, suggesting that ROS production is tightly regulated. Other antioxidants— such as a-phenyl N-tertiary-butyl nitrone (PBN; a spin trap), MnTe-2-PyP and MnTBAP (Mn-phorphyrin), Mitoquinone (MitoQ) and Mitotempo (mitochondrial antioxidants), M30 (an iron chelator), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; polyphenol from green tea) did not improve survival. By contrast, these compounds (except PBN) inhibited Plasmodium falciparum growth in culture with different IC50s. Knockout mice for SOD1 or phagocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (gp91phox–/–) or mice treated with inhibitors of SOD (diethyldithiocarbamate) or NADPH oxidase (diphenyleneiodonium) did not show protection or exacerbation for CM. Conclusion: Results with Tempol suggest that intracellular ROS contribute, in part, to CM pathogenesis. Therapeutic targeting of intracellular ROS in CM is discussed

A Capsid Protein Fragment of a Fusagra-like Virus Found in <i>Carica papaya</i> Latex Interacts with the 50S Ribosomal Protein L17

Papaya sticky disease is caused by the association of a fusagra-like and an umbra-like virus, named papaya meleira virus (PMeV) and papaya meleira virus 2 (PMeV2), respectively. Both viral genomes are encapsidated in particles formed by the PMeV ORF1 product, which has the potential to encode a protein with 1563 amino acids (aa). However, the structural components of the viral capsid are unknown. To characterize the structural proteins of PMeV and PMeV2, virions were purified from Carica papaya latex. SDS-PAGE analysis of purified virus revealed two major proteins of ~40 kDa and ~55 kDa. Amino-terminal sequencing of the ~55 kDa protein and LC-MS/MS of purified virions indicated that this protein starts at aa 263 of the deduced ORF1 product as a result of either degradation or proteolytic processing. A yeast two-hybrid assay was used to identify Arabidopsis proteins interacting with two PMeV ORF1 product fragments (aa 321–670 and 961–1200). The 50S ribosomal protein L17 (AtRPL17) was identified as potentially associated with modulated translation-related proteins. In plant cells, AtRPL17 co-localized and interacted with the PMeV ORF1 fragments. These findings support the hypothesis that the interaction between PMeV/PMeV2 structural proteins and RPL17 is important for virus–host interactions

Tempol inhibits transcription and functional expression of tissue factor in endothelial cells, and cytokine production. A, Inhibition of tissue factor (TF) activity.

<p>MVEC were incubated overnight with Tempol (0, 1, and 3 mM) followed by washing the wells and addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (200 ng/mL). A mixture containing FX and FVIIa was then added to the cells, and FXa generation was estimated in the supernatant using chromogenic substrate (S2222), as described in Materials and Methods. B, Inhibition of TF generation. Cells were incubated overnight with Tempol (0, 1, and 3 mM) followed by washing of the wells and addition of LPS (200 ng/mL) for six hours. Wells were washed and cells were lysed with 0.1% Triton X-100. The supernatant was used to detect TF antigen by ELISA. C, Inhibition of TF transcription. Cells were incubated overnight with Tempol (0, 1, and 3 mM) followed by addition of LPS (200 ng/mL) for 2 h. Cells were washed and trypsinized for extraction of mRNA. Real-time PCR of the samples was evaluated as described in Materials and Methods. The figure shows a representative result from two independent experiments. D–F, Inhibition of cytokine generation. MVEC were incubated overnight with Tempol (0, 1, and 3 mM) followed by washing of the wells and addition of LPS (200 ng/mL). After six hours, the supernatant of the cells was collected and used for detection of D, IL-6, E, IL-8, and F, MCP-1 by ELISA (n = 8). *, P≤0.05 (analysis of variance, Bonferroni post-test).</p