Serum Inflammatory and Prooxidant Marker Levels in Different Periodontal Disease Stages

[Abstract] Background: Periodontitis has been associated to systemic diseases and this association could be due to an increase in circulating inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in the periodontal disease. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between inflammatory and pro-oxidant markers according to different stages of periodontitis. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 70 subjects who were divided into three groups according to periodontitis stage: stage II (n = 22), stage III (n = 30), and stage IV (n = 18). We evaluated periodontal parameters and levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in urine. Results: Serum hsCRP and fibrinogen levels were associated with periodontitis severity, which were higher in stage IV than in stages III and II of periodontitis (p = 0.003 and p = 0.025, respectively). We observed a slight yet insignificant increase in MDA levels related to periodontitis severity. Probing depth and clinical attachment loss were associated with serum fibrinogen and hsCRP levels. However, there were no significant associations between periodontal variables and MDA and 8-OHdG levels. Conclusion: Our data support an association between periodontitis and systemic inflammation, which increases with periodontal disease severity. This indicates the importance of the early diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease to avoid the development or worsening of systemic inflammatory diseases

Session B9: Influence of Biometric Parameters, Flow Condition and Water Temperature on Iberian Fish Sprinting Behavior: Volitionally Swimming Performance

Abstract: Knowing the swimming ability of fish is important to detect movement limitations through hydraulic structures: fish passes weirs and slots, gauging stations, culverts, bridges foundations and other. All these obstacles are collectively referred to velocity barriers . Fish behavior will determine the passage of these structures through combination of fish swimming performance and motivation. Once the fish decides to enter the barrier, must swim faster than the speed of the flow to advance. Thus, the swimming performance depends on the fish speed and fatigue time. To estimate these values, we experimented in an open channel flow with fish samples of different size, swimming volitionally against several high-velocity flows and water temperature range. The movement of fish was controlled by PIT telemetry systems and video record. The information obtained (fish speed, ascend time and distance traveled) was processed using survival analysis techniques and the results can be applied to practical problem solving velocity barriers. We have worked with two species of Iberian fish: Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) and Northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense). The biometrics parameters, flow velocity and water temperature have a significant influence in fish behavior. Endurance and swimming ability of these species do not differ greatly between them and is much higher than the values which are obtained using other methods as respirometers. The results challenge established fish passage guidelines, suggesting that in some cases these species are capable of passing much higher velocities than was previously believed

TECTONISMO EM PERFÍS DE ALTERAÇÃO DA SERRA DE ITAQUERI (SP): ANÁLISE ATRAVÉS DE INDICADORES CINEMÁTICOS DE FALHAS

The Itaqueri Formation, Tertiary, is located in Itaqueri Hill, Southeast of Brazil. It is composed of sediments deposited in an alluvial-fan environment under semi-arid conditions. The study involved recognition and analysis of paleosoils, and tectonic features that affect them, as well as, their relationship. Cenozoic tectonic motions uplifted and lowered the area successively and led to relief inversion, partial destruction of the sediments and paleosoils, and exposures in different altitudes along the area. The NW and NE normal fault zones form horsts and grabens along the Itaqueri Hill. Such displacements are responsible by the completeness of lateritic profile in some places and deep erosion or even absence in others. The analysis of the faults indicates two distinct episodes of extensional tectonic motion in the hill, both affecting the lateritic profile: an episode with 1 NE/subvertical, 3 NW/sub-horizontal and 2 NE/sub-horizontal, followed by other with 1 NW/sub-vertical, 3 NE/sub-horizontal and 2 NW/sub-horizontal. These extensional motions are related to the neotectonic activity of strike-slip regional regime, which occurred preferentially along NE and NW normal faults by reactivation of the pre-existing structures.A Formação Itaqueri, terciária, está localizada na serra homônima no Sudeste do Brasil, sendo constituída por sedimentos depositados em ambientes de leques aluviais sob condições semi-áridas. Este estudo envolveu reconhecimento e análise de paleossolos e de feições tectônicas presentes, bem como suas inter-relações. As feições morfotectônicas e paleopedológicas caracterizam uma evolução cenozóica complexa, envolvendo mudanças climáticas significativas, diferentes pulsos de movimentação tectônica e eventos deposicionais distintos. Movimentações tectônicas cenozóicas soergueram e abateram a área sucessivamente, implicando inversão de relevo, destruição parcial dos sedimentos e dos paleossolos e desnivelamento de blocos. Tais movimentações são responsáveis pelo fato de que os perfis lateríticos apresentam-se completos em alguns locais e em outros, profundamente erodidos ou mesmo ausentes. A análise das falhas e de seus respectivos indicadores cinemáticos nos perfis lateríticos indicam dois pulsos distintos de movimentação tectônica distensiva: um pulso com 1 NE subvertical, 3 NW suborizontal e 2 NE suborizontal, e outro pulso com 1 NW subvertical, 3 NE suborizontal e 2 NW suborizontal. Tal movimentação pode estar relacionada à atividade neotectônica regional de caráter transcorrente, gerando, na área, zonas de falhas distensivas predominantemente NE e NW ao longo de lineamentos preexistentes

‘URS Campestre’ seedless orange: a new mutant with female sterility

Seedlessness in fruit is a trait that is much sought after by juice making industries. Close to the city of São Sebastião do Caí, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, a new mutant orange originating from natural mutation was identified and selected as a seedless material. To determine the mechanisms involved in the absence of seeds, the reproductive structures of this new mutant by comparison with a Valencia sweet orange as control, a cultivar with a profusion of seeds, was analyzed in terms of meiotic behavior, meiotic index, pollen viability, in vitro germination, and ovule features to determine the grounds for seed absence. Other morphological analyzes allowed for visualizing the structures of normal appearance and size in both cultivars. Meiotic analysis identified chromosome normal pairing with a predominance of bivalents at diakinesis and metaphase 1. URS Campestre flowers at different developmental stages had anthers and ovaries whose dimensions are typical while pollen grain analysis pointed to a standard developmental pattern, normal meiosis, high viability (84 %) and elevated in vitro pollen tube germination rates (63 %). The cv. Valencia and URS Campestre ovules had a similar shape and morphology, sharing an anatropous orientation, and two integuments. In the internal ovule analyses of Valencia sweet oranges, normal embryo sac cells were identified: presence of one egg cell and two synergids, three antipodes and a bigger and central cell containing two polar nuclei. However, the analysis of ovules from URS Campestre reveals an apparent senescence or non-formation of an embryo sac, where only a few highly stained and collapsed cells could be identified. These results led to the conclusion that female sterility in URS Campestre, with a total absence of a female gametophyte, is the limiting factor for fertilization and seed production

A bi-objective optimization model to plan vaccination campaigns

Vaccination campaigns have saved thousands of lives, reaching the farthest places in the world. These campaigns have required substantial investments and accurate coordination between several actors within the vaccine supply chain. Despite these successful strategies, the outbreak of COVID-19 has altered the objectives and rules of undertaking vaccine campaigns. Then, it is essential to consider two new facts in planning vaccination campaigns. First, some groups of infected people by the virus are more vulnerable to severe illness. Second, the virus is exceptionally contagious; sometimes, no symptoms are apparent. Accordingly, we propose a bi-objective optimization model that allows healthcare decision-makers to design effective vaccination campaigns by considering these COVID-19 characteristics and controlling the associated costs. Careful utilization of temporary and traditional vaccination centers is crucial to creating a more robust strategy. Located in suitable places, temporary centers help increase the probability of reaching groups difficult to be vaccinated while simultaneously avoiding crowd congestion and reducing the risk of spreading infections in dispensing vaccination centers. Experiments were conducted using data from an area in Santiago, Chile. The results show the model allows us to manage the resources by providing a variety of vaccination plans according to the prioritization level of each objective

Evaluation of the relationship between pharmacokinetics and the safety of aripiprazole and its cardiovascular effects in healthy volunteers

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the possible relationship between pharmacokinetics and the safety of aripiprazole as well as its influence on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and corrected QT (QTc) interval. Methods: The study population comprised 157 healthy volunteers from 6 bioequivalence clinical trials. Subjects were administered a single 10-mg oral dose of each formulation separated by a 28-day washout period. Plasma concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Blood pressure was measured at the following times: predose and 0.5, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours postdose. An electrocardiogram was recorded at predose, 4, and 8 hours postdose. Results: Area under the curve (AUC), maximum plasma concentration, half-life, and distribution volume corrected for weight were higher in women. Aripiprazole treatment produced a decrease of BP (9.3 mm Hg on systolic and 6.2 mm Hg on diastolic pressure) and an increase in HR (12.1 beats per minute) and QTc interval (9.1 milliseconds). There were sex differences in BP, HR, and QTc interval. Women and subjects with higher AUC and maximum plasma concentration values were more prone to experience adverse drug reactions and gastrointestinal adverse reactions. The AUC was related with systolic BP and diastolic BP decrease and HR increase but there was no relationship between aripiprazole concentrations and QTc increase. Conclusions: Aripiprazole decreases BP and increases HR and QTc interval. Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of aripiprazole are affected by sex. There is a directly proportional relationship between pharmacokinetic parameters and adverse drug reactions and effect on BP and HRThis study was partially funded by Fundación Teófilo Hernando and Foundation for Biomedical Research at Hospital Universitario de La Princes

Microburst detection with the WRF model: effective resolution and forecasting indices

Microbursts are meteorological phenomena in the lower troposphere which can produce damaging surface winds and pose a severe risk to aircraft flying close to the ground. As these events usually span less than 4 km and 15 min, the spatiotemporal resolution is a challenge for numerical simulations. Although research of microburst using operative mesoscale models is scarce, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model has been used in the diagnosis of this phenomenon. In this paper, such model is used to simulate several microburst conducive days using two different boundary conditions. The energy spectra of the simulations are computed to evaluate the effective resolution of the model. The results are in line with previous studies and produce no notable differences among the boundary conditions. Nonetheless, the energy spectra show an overenergetic troposphere at microscale resolutions, rendering the effective resolution inadequate for microburst forecasting using the simulated physics variables. Thus, mesoscale indices are analyzed as a prognostic tool. The wind index, the wet microburst severity index and the microburst windspeed potential index do not show high forecasting performances, even though improving the results of climatology. Also, notable differences among the boundary conditions can be seen. The most consistent results are achieved by the wet microburst severity index

Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación en la Docencia Universitaria y la brecha digital

Se ha realizado un estudio de carácter documental cuyo objetivo principal es determinar el empleo de las tecnologías de información y comunicación dentro de la docencia universitaria y las barreras que pudieran presentarse como parte de la brecha digital generacional, en la adquisición y desarrollo de los conocimiento