Os efeitos do cigarro e do consumo de café sobre a formação óssea e a integração óssea de implantes de hidroxiapatita

The present study aims to assess the effects of cigarette smoke inhalation and/or coffee consumption on bone formation and osseous integration of a dense hydroxyapatite (DHA) implant in rats. For this study, 20 male rats were divided into four groups (n = 5): CT (control) group, CE (coffee) group, CI (cigarette) group and CC (coffee + cigarette) group. During 16 weeks, animals in the CI group were exposed to cigarette smoke inhalation equivalent to 6 cigarettes per day; specimens in the CE group drank coffee as liquid diet; and rats in the CC group were submitted to both substances. In the 6th week a 5 mm slit in the parietal bone and a 4 mm slit in the tibia were performed on the left side: the former was left open while the latter received a DHA implant. As soon as surgeries were finished, the animals returned to their original protocols and after 10 weeks of exposure they were euthanised (ethically sacrificed) and the mentioned bones collected for histological processing. Data showed that exposure to cigarette smoke inhalation and coffee consumption did not interfere in weight gain and that solid and liquid diet consumption was satisfactory. Rats in the CC group showed a decrease in bone neoformation around the tibial DHA implant (31.8 ± 2.8) as well as in bone formation in the parietal slit (28.6 ± 2.2). On their own, cigarette smoke inhalation or coffee consumption also led to diminished bone neoformation around the implant and delayed the bone repair process in relation to the CT group. However, reduction in the bone repair process was accentuated with exposure to both cigarette smoke inhalation and coffee consumption in this study.O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos do tabagismo e do consumo de café, isolada ou concomitantemente, sobre a formação óssea e a osseointegração de implantes hidroxiapatita densa. Foram utilizados 20 ratos machos, divididos em quatro grupos (n = 5): grupo CT (controle); grupo CA (café); grupo CI (cigarro), e grupo CC (cigarro + café). Durante 16 semanas, os animais do grupo CI foram expostos à fumaça de seis cigarros/dia; os animais do grupo CA consumiram café como dieta líquida, e os animais do grupo CC, ambas as substâncias. Após seis semanas de exposição, uma falha óssea de 5 mm foi produzida no osso parietal esquerdo e de 4 mm, na tíbia esquerda dos animais. A falha do parietal foi mantida aberta, enquanto na tíbia corpos cerâmicos de hidroxiapatita densa (HAD) foram implantados em cavidade produzida cirurgicamente. Após as cirurgias, os animais retornaram aos protocolos experimentais e, ao término de dez semanas, foram eutanasiados, sendo as tíbias e os parietais coletados para processamento histológico. A exposição à fumaça do cigarro e o consumo de café não interferiram no ganho de peso dos animais, e os consumos de dieta líquida e sólida foram satisfatórios entre os grupos. Os animais do grupo CC apresentaram menor volume de osso neoformado ao redor do implante de HAD na tíbia (31,8 ± 2,8) e menor osteogênese na falha produzida no osso parietal (28,6 ± 2,2). O café e o cigarro consumidos isoladamente provocam a diminuição do volume de osso ao redor do implante e o atraso no processo de reparação óssea. Observou-se que o consumo de café associado à exposição à fumaça do cigarro reduziu de forma acentuada o processo de reparação óssea, no presente estudo.17317

Fixed-time artificial insemination in beef cattle

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Background: The study was designed to test the effect of fixed-time artificial insemination (fixed-AI) after the slightly modified Ovsynch protocol on the pregnancy rate in beef cattle in Finnish field conditions. The modification was aimed to optimize the number of offsprings per AI dose. Methods: Ninety Charolais cows and heifers were entered into the program an average of 1.8 times. Thus, 164 animal cases were included. Animals were administered 10-12 μg of buserelin. Seven days later animals without a corpus luteum (CL) were rejected (20.7%) while the remaining 130 cases with a CL were administered prostaglandin F2α, followed 48 h later with a second injection of buserelin (8-10 μg). Fixed-AI was performed 16-20 hours after the last injection. Results: The pregnancy rate was 51.5 % (67/130). The pregnancy rate after a short interval (50-70 d) from calving to entering the program was significantly higher than that after a long interval (>70 d). Conclusion: This protocol seems to give acceptable pregnancy results in beef herds and its effect on saving labour is notable

Fatal Outcome in Bacteremia is Characterized by High Plasma Cell Free DNA Concentration and Apoptotic DNA Fragmentation: A Prospective Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have shown that apoptosis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. High plasma cell free DNA (cf-DNA) concentrations have been shown to be associated with sepsis outcome. The origin of cf-DNA is unclear. METHODS: Total plasma cf-DNA was quantified directly in plasma and the amplifiable cf-DNA assessed using quantitative PCR in 132 patients with bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, ß-hemolytic streptococcae or Escherichia coli. The quality of cf-DNA was analyzed with a DNA Chip assay performed on 8 survivors and 8 nonsurvivors. Values were measured on days 1-4 after positive blood culture, on day 5-17 and on recovery. RESULTS: The maximum cf-DNA values on days 1-4 (n = 132) were markedly higher in nonsurvivors compared to survivors (2.03 vs 1.26 ug/ml, p<0.001) and the AUCROC in the prediction of case fatality was 0.81 (95% CI 0.69-0.94). cf-DNA at a cut-off level of 1.52 ug/ml showed 83% sensitivity and 79% specificity for fatal disease. High cf-DNA (>1.52 ug/ml) remained an independent risk factor for case fatality in a logistic regression model. Qualitative analysis of cf-DNA showed that cf-DNA displayed a predominating low-molecular-weight cf-DNA band (150-200 bp) in nonsurvivors, corresponding to the size of the apoptotic nucleosomal DNA. cf-DNA concentration showed a significant positive correlation with visually graded apoptotic band intensity (R = 0.822, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma cf-DNA concentration proved to be a specific independent prognostic biomarker in bacteremia. cf-DNA displayed a predominating low-molecular-weight cf-DNA band in nonsurvivors corresponding to the size of apoptotic nucleosomal DNA

Vitamin E and selenium plasma concentrations in weanling pigs under field conditions in Norwegian pig herds

BACKGROUND: The status of α-tocopherol (vit E) and selenium (Se) has been shown to influence disease resistance in pigs, and may be important for the health of weanling pigs. METHODS: Plasma levels of both vit E and Se were followed in weanling pigs under field conditions in six Norwegian pig herds. Plasma vit E and Se were measured in 3 sows from each herd and 4 piglets in the litter of each sow at the day before weaning (day -1); and in the same piglets at days 4, 8 and 18 after weaning. RESULTS: Mean plasma vit E was 4.0 μg/ml in the sows and 2.6 μg/ml in the piglets at day -1, fell to 1.6 μg/ml in the weanling pigs at day 4, and remained low. Mean plasma Se was 0.22 μg/g in the sows and 0.08 μg/g in the piglets at day -1, rose to 0.10 μg/g in the weanlings at day 4, and continued rising. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that vit E and Se supplementation to piglets and weanling pigs in Norway may still be suboptimal, but that levels of the two nutrients partially compensate for each other in the weaning period

The clinicopathological and prognostic impact of 14-3-3 sigma expression on vulvar squamous cell carcinomas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>14-3-3 sigma (σ) promotes G2/M cell cycle arrest by sequestering cyclin B1-CDC2 complex in cytoplasm. Down-regulation of 14-3-3σ, which has been demonstrated in various carcinomas, may contribute to malignant transformation. However, the exact role of 14-3-3σ in the pathogenesis of vulvar carcinoma is not fully characterized, and the prognostic impact of 14-3-3σ protein expression is still unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the 14-3-3σ expression in a series of 302 vulvar squamous cell carcinomas using immunohistochemistry and its associations with clinicopathological factors and clinical outcome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In cytoplasm, nucleus and cytoplasm/nucleus of vulvar carcinomas high 14-3-3σ protein expression was found in 72%, 59% and 75% of the carcinomas, respectively, and low levels in 28%, 41% and 25% of the cases, respectively. High level of 14-3-3σ in cytoplasm, nucleus and cytoplasm/nucleus was significantly correlated to large tumor diameter (<it>p </it>= 0.001, <it>p </it>= 0.002 and <it>p </it>= 0.001, respectively) and deep invasion (<it>p </it>= 0.01, <it>p </it>= 0.001 and <it>p </it>= 0.007, respectively). Variations of 14-3-3σ protein expression were not associated to disease-specific survival.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicate that 14-3-3σ may be involved in the development of a subset of vulvar squamous cell carcinomas by down-regulation of 14-3-3σ protein. Neither cytoplasmic nor nuclear level of 14-3-3σ expression was associated with prognosis.</p

Distinct Neurobehavioural Effects of Cannabidiol in Transmembrane Domain Neuregulin 1 Mutant Mice

The cannabis constituent cannabidiol (CBD) possesses anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties. We have previously shown that transmembrane domain neuregulin 1 mutant (Nrg1 TM HET) mice display altered neurobehavioural responses to the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Here we investigated whether Nrg1 TM HET mice respond differently to CBD and whether CBD reverses schizophrenia-related phenotypes expressed by these mice. Adult male Nrg1 TM HET and wild type-like littermates (WT) received vehicle or CBD (1, 50 or 100 mg/kg i.p.) for 21 days. During treatment and 48 h after withdrawal we measured behaviour, whole blood CBD concentrations and autoradiographic receptor binding. Nrg1 HET mice displayed locomotor hyperactivity, PPI deficits and reduced 5-HT2A receptor binding density in the substantia nigra, but these phenotypes were not reversed by CBD. However, long-term CBD (50 and 100 mg/kg) selectively enhanced social interaction in Nrg1 TM HET mice. Furthermore, acute CBD (100 mg/kg) selectively increased PPI in Nrg1 TM HET mice, although tolerance to this effect was manifest upon repeated CBD administration. Long-term CBD (50 mg/kg) also selectively increased GABAA receptor binding in the granular retrosplenial cortex in Nrg1 TM HET mice and reduced 5-HT2A binding in the substantia nigra in WT mice. Nrg1 appears necessary for CBD-induced anxiolysis since only WT mice developed decreased anxiety-related behaviour with repeated CBD treatment. Altered pharmacokinetics in mutant mice could not explain our findings since no genotype differences existed in CBD blood concentrations. Here we demonstrate that Nrg1 modulates acute and long-term neurobehavioural effects of CBD, which does not reverse the schizophrenia-relevant phenotypes