Parasitismo de Pupas de Argon lota Hewitson (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) por Brachymeria pandora (Crawford) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) no Rio Grande do Sul.

This note reports the first record of parasitism of Argon lota Hewitson pupae by the facultative gregarious parasitoid Brachymeria pandora (Crawford). Up to six adults (three males and three females) of B. pandora were observed to emerge from a single A. lota pupa

Cromatografia de extratos de Solanum habrochaites com o primeiro registro de etil docosanoato, hexadecanoato e octadecanoato nesta planta e em Solanaceae

The increasing need for sustainable alternatives to synthetic insecticides has driven the analysis of extracts from Solanum habrochaites, a wild tomato, through fractionated column chromatography. Potential bioactive compounds for pest management, a clean and promising biotechnological solution, have been reported from this plant. The objective is to provide detailed gas chromatography data, including peaks, structural formulas, and retention indices for the extracts of S. habrochaites aerial parts. Column chromatographic analysis was conducted with five fractions (F1, F2, F5, F3, and F4) of S. habrochaites extracts. Long-chain hydrocarbons such as hexadecanoic acid and docosano were identified in the F1 fraction; fatty acid esters, including hexadecanoate and octadecenoate ethyls in the F2 and methyl ketones, with tridecan-2-one as the major component in the F5, while no identifiable compounds were disclosed in the F3 and F4 fractions. The column chromatography provided valuable insights into compounds in the F1, F2, and F5 fractions of S. habrochaites extracts, highlighting fatty acid esters, long-chain hydrocarbons, and methyl ketones. The bioactive compounds, from extracts of this plant, including the first record of the docosanoate, hexadecanoate and octadecanoate ethyls in S. habrochaites and Solanaceae, reinforces their promising biological application in different areas of science.A crescente necessidade por alternativas sustentáveis no manejo de pragas motivou a análise de extratos de plantas do tomate silvestre, Solanum habrochaites, por cromatografia em coluna de fração. O objetivo foi detalhar resultados da cromatografia gasosa, incluindo picos, fórmulas estruturais e índices de retenção para compostos de extratos de partes aéreas de S. habrochaites. A análise cromatográfica em coluna foi realizada para cinco frações (F1, F2, F5, F3 e F4) dos extratos de S. habrochaites. Hidrocarbonetos de cadeia longa, como ácidos hexadecanóico e docosanoato, foram identificados na fração F1; ácidos graxos, incluindo hexadecanoato de etila e octadecanoato de etila na F2 e metilcetonas, com tridecan-2-ona como o composto majoritário, na F5 e nenhum composto nas frações F3 e F4. A análise dos extratos de S. habrochaites, por cromatografia em coluna, identificou compostos nas frações F1, F2 e F5, desta planta, destacando ésteres de ácidos graxos, metilcetonas e hidrocarbonetos de cadeia longa e o primeiro relato dos docosanoato, hexadecanoato e octadecanoato nessa planta e em Solanaceae.Fil: Santos, C. A. M.. Universidade Federal de Viçosa; BrasilFil: Teixeira, D. L.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria; BrasilFil: Salgado Neto, G.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Wilcken, C. F.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Lemes, P. G.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Tavares, W. S.. PT. Itci Hutani Manunggal; IndonesiaFil: Sabattini, Julian Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Zanuncio, J. C.. Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Brasi

Do hypoxia/normoxia culturing conditions change the neuroregulatory profile of Wharton Jelly mesenchymal stem cells secretome?

Introduction: The use of human umbilical cord Wharton Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs) has been considered a new potential source for future safe applications in regenerative medicine. Indeed, the application of hWJ-MSCs into different animal models of disease, including those from the central nervous system, has shown remarkable therapeutic benefits mostly associated with their secretome. Conventionally, hWJ-MSCs are cultured and characterized under normoxic conditions (21 % oxygen tension), although the oxygen levels within tissues are typically much lower (hypoxic) than these standard culture conditions. Therefore, oxygen tension represents an important environmental factor that may affect the performance of mesenchymal stem cells in vivo. However, the impact of hypoxic conditions on distinct mesenchymal stem cell characteristics, such as the secretome, still remains unclear. Methods: In the present study, we have examined the effects of normoxic (21 % O2) and hypoxic (5 % O2) conditions on the hWJ-MSC secretome. Subsequently, we address the impact of the distinct secretome in the neuronal cell survival and differentiation of human neural progenitor cells. Results: The present data indicate that the hWJ-MSC secretome collected from normoxic and hypoxic conditions displayed similar effects in supporting neuronal differentiation of human neural progenitor cells in vitro. However, proteomic analysis revealed that the use of hypoxic preconditioning led to the upregulation of several proteins within the hWJ-MSC secretome. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the optimization of parameters such as hypoxia may lead to the development of strategies that enhance the therapeutic effects of the secretome for future regenerative medicine studies and applications. © 2015 Teixeira et al.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (Ciência 2007 program and IF Development Grant (AJS); and pre-doctoral fellowships to FGT (SFRH/69637/ 2010) and SIA (SFRH/BD/81495/2011); Canada Research Chairs (LAB) and a SSE Postdoctoral Fellowship (KMP); The National Mass Spectrometry Network (RNEM) (REDE/1506/REM/2005); co-funded by Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), ao abrigo do Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN), através do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Micromechanical Properties of Injection-Molded Starch–Wood Particle Composites

The micromechanical properties of injection molded starch–wood particle composites were investigated as a function of particle content and humidity conditions. The composite materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The microhardness of the composites was shown to increase notably with the concentration of the wood particles. In addition,creep behavior under the indenter and temperature dependence were evaluated in terms of the independent contribution of the starch matrix and the wood microparticles to the hardness value. The influence of drying time on the density and weight uptake of the injection-molded composites was highlighted. The results revealed the role of the mechanism of water evaporation, showing that the dependence of water uptake and temperature was greater for the starch–wood composites than for the pure starch sample. Experiments performed during the drying process at 70°C indicated that the wood in the starch composites did not prevent water loss from the samples.Peer reviewe

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). METHODS/DESIGN: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH2O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure 6430 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration metho

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

Racism as a determinant of health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Despite a growing body of epidemiological evidence in recent years documenting the health impacts of racism, the cumulative evidence base has yet to be synthesized in a comprehensive meta-analysis focused specifically on racism as a determinant of health. This meta-analysis reviewed the literature focusing on the relationship between reported racism and mental and physical health outcomes. Data from 293 studies reported in 333 articles published between 1983 and 2013, and conducted predominately in the U.S., were analysed using random effects models and mean weighted effect sizes. Racism was associated with poorer mental health (negative mental health: r = -.23, 95% CI [-.24,-.21], k = 227; positive mental health: r = -.13, 95% CI [-.16,-.10], k = 113), including depression, anxiety, psychological stress and various other outcomes. Racism was also associated with poorer general health (r = -.13 (95% CI [-.18,-.09], k = 30), and poorer physical health (r = -.09, 95% CI [-.12,-.06], k = 50). Moderation effects were found for some outcomes with regard to study and exposure characteristics. Effect sizes of racism on mental health were stronger in cross-sectional compared with longitudinal data and in non-representative samples compared with representative samples. Age, sex, birthplace and education level did not moderate the effects of racism on health. Ethnicity significantly moderated the effect of racism on negative mental health and physical health: the association between racism and negative mental health was significantly stronger for Asian American and Latino(a) American participants compared with African American participants, and the association between racism and physical health was significantly stronger for Latino(a) American participants compared with African American participants.<br /

Connectivity and zebra mussel invasion offer short‐term buffering of eutrophication impacts on floodplain lake landscape biodiversity

Aim To investigate if connectivity and zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) occurrence can mitigate effects of eutrophication in a lowland lake landscape. Location Upper Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, UK. Methods Data on environment, macrophytes and invertebrates were assembled for three basins of a large central lake and its satellite floodplain lakes via field surveys and palaeolimnological analyses. Space–time interaction analyses of palaeoecological data were compared pre‐1950 and post‐1950. Multivariate analyses examined how connectivity, environment and zebra mussels influenced contemporary lake communities, and explain their divergence from historical communities in the past. Results Pre‐1950, we found high community variation across sites and low within‐lake variation in macrophytes, but progressive eutrophication accentuated within‐lake community variation after 1950. Partitioning analysis showed larger effects of connectivity than nutrient enrichment on contemporary macrophyte composition, while local effects structured invertebrate communities. Three clusters of lakes were revealed according to variation in macrophyte composition, isolation from the central lake and nutrient enrichment: Group 1– the central lake and six nearby lakes were meso‐eutrophic (TP = 66.7 ± 47.6 μg/L; TN = 0.79 ± 0.41 mg/L) and had the highest zebra mussel abundances and organismal biodiversity; Group 2– Eight eutrophic (TP = 112±36.6 μg/L; TN = 1.25 ± 0.5 mg/L) and connected lakes; Group 3– Seven isolated and hypertrophic (TP = 163.2 ± 101.5 μg/L; TN = 1.55 ± 0.3 mg/L) lakes. Pre‐1950 palaeolimnological data for macrophytes and invertebrates for 5 lakes and a basin in the central lake most resembled extant lake communities of Group 1. However, palaeo‐records revealed that macrophytes and invertebrates subsequently converged towards those of Groups 2 and 3. Main conclusions Our study reveals that the central “mother” lake acts as a hub for preserving biodiversity via shared hydrological connectivity with satellite lakes and high zebra mussel abundances. These may buffer the impoverishing effects of eutrophication and sustain unexpectedly high biodiversity in the short term. Such protective buffering, however, cannot be relied upon indefinitely to conserve biodiversity