Characterization of suspension poly(vinyl chloride) resins and narrow polystyrene standards by size exclusion chromatography with multiple detectors: Online right angle laser-light scattering and differential viscometric detectors

This work reports the utilization of a multi-detector size chromatography for the characterization of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) resins prepared by suspension polymerization in the range of temperatures between 21 and 75 °C. The chromatography equipment offers the possibility of analyzing the samples in terms of their absolute molecular mass using a combination of three detectors (TriSEC): right angle light scattering (RALLS), a differential viscometer (DV) and refractive index (RI). The PVC resins were fully characterized concerning the molecular weight distribution (MWD), its dependence with intrinsic viscosity ([eta]) and molecular sizes (radius of gyration, Rg and hydrodynamic radius, Rh). Additionally, it is also presented the characterization of polystyrene narrow standards serving as reference polymers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TWW-4HHGNVH-4/1/170871b80274a89470f2a790d3ed999

Emoções no desporto: importância da sua identificação, compreensão e gestão no futebol de formação

It is visible to anyone participating or just watching sports competitions that emotional factors of athletes can change their performance, as in a sense of reduction, or in a sense of increase. Through this study, the main goal is to balance a view of the emotions experienced by young football players, through a logic of understanding of emotional influence in promoting or loss of athletic performance. The study lies within 16 athletes from two youth football teams, in Youth league (born between 1999-2000) and Juniors league (born between 1997-1998), the Academic Football Martim Club, affiliated with the Football Association of Braga, competing in the District Championship of Braga, during the period 2015/2016. The study had led to identifying emotions felt with greater intensity in pre and post sports competition contexts; realize the facilitator character or debilitating emotions in sports performance, as well as comparisons between the two group leagues.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efecto del número de partos en la producción de la oveja Pelibuey Cubana bajo condiciones de crianza comercial

The effect of delivery number on Cuban creole sheep (Pelibuey) performance was studied under commercial raising conditions including free grazing with supplementation. Sixty female sheeps were sampled and distributed by a completely randomized design into three groups with 20 individuals each according to delivery number, i.e., one, two, or three deliveries, respectively. A three-year study comprising the correlation between milk production and offspring growth, as well as the food supplementation (during the last third of the pregnancy period) effect on offspring liveweight at birth and on post-weaning growth was carried out. Female sheep weight at third delivery (38,5 kg) was higher than weight at first and second deliveries, showing significant differences (P<0,05) among them. Milk production and offspring growth showed the same trend in relation to delivery number. Milk production levels from female sheep at first, second, and third deliveries were 436,58 mL/day, 487,27 mL/day, and 544,5 mL/day, respectively. Offspring birthweight was higher as delivery number increased, and their average weaning weight ranged from 18,81 kg to 14,44 kg when born from ewes at their third or first delivery, respectively.Se estudió el efecto del número de partos en el comportamiento de la oveja Pelibuey Cubana bajo condiciones de crianza comercial con pasto naturalizado y suplementos. Se utilizaron 60 animales en tres grupos de 20, con uno, dos o tres partos, respectivamente, en un diseño completamente al azar. Durante tres años se evaluó la relación de la producción de leche con el crecimiento de las crías; así como el efecto de la suplementación —durante el último tercio de la gestación—, en el peso vivo de las crías al nacer y en su crecimiento posdestete. Las hembras de tercer parto manifestaron un mayor peso (38,5 kg), indicador donde hubo diferencias significativas (P < 0,05) entre los animales con diferente número de partos. Igual nivel de significación se observó en la producción de leche y crecimiento de la cría, que también aumentaron con la cantidad de partos. Las crías procedentes de reproductoras de tres partos pesaron al destete como promedio 18,81 kg; mientras que las nacidas de ovejas de primer parto alcanzaron 14,44 kg . La producción de leche fue de 436,58; 487,27 y 544,5 mL/día para 1ro, 2do. y 3er. partos, respectivamente. El peso de las crías al nacer fue superior cuando mayor fue el número de partos de la reproductora

Resultados del metabolismo energético del ovino Pelibuey bajo las condiciones de Cuba

The present study was carried out at the Institute for Agricultural Research Jorge Dimitrov, Granma province, Cuba, with the objective of determining creole sheep (Pelibuey) energy requirements under the conditions of Cuba. Forty-eight growing-fattening creole male sheep were distributed into four treatments to evaluate feeding level effect on energy metabolism, through the gassy exchange technique. Nutritional level and day time for rainy and dry seasons significantly influenced heat production and other physiologic indicators. The lowest heat production values were registered in morning hours, while the highest values were detected at noon. This same index showed a 125,70 ± 8,9 kJ/kgw0,75/day value when animals were kept off feeding for a 96-hour period. These findings are consistent with the breathing coefficient (0,65) which clearly indicates the reliability of animals’ fast condition; at the same time, this value represents a heat production value almost in agreement with the basal metabolic rate. Maintenance energy was 206,28 kJ/kgw075, higher than the values indicated by the Nutrient Requirements of Seep (1995), for temperate climate sheep.El trabajo se desarrolló en el Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias Jorge Dimitrov, provincia Granma, Cuba, con el objetivo de determinar los requerimientos energéticos del ovino Pelibuey en las condiciones del país. Se utilizaron 48 carneros criollos en crecimiento-ceba, distribuidos en cuatro tratamientos para evaluar el efecto de niveles de alimentación en el metabolismo energético, determinado por la técnica de intercambio gaseoso. El nivel nutricional y la hora del día para lluvia y seca influyeron significativamente en la producción de calor y demás indicadores fisiológicos. En el horario de la mañana se encontró la menor producción de calor del día y durante el mediodía el nivel más alto. A las 96 horas de privación de los alimentos la producción de calor encontrada fue de 125,7 ± 8,9 kJ/kgw0,75/día, con un cociente respiratorio de 0,65, valor que representa la producción de calor en un estado próximo al metabolismo basal. Se encontró que la energía de mantenimiento es de 206,28 kJ/kgw075, la que resulta superior a los valores indicados por Nutrient Requirements of Sheep, EE. UU., de 1995, para ovinos de razas de países de climas templados

Sentimento de proteção em relação ao HIV/AIDS: o que dizem estudantes do ensino médio de Manaus (Amazonas, Brasil)

Atitudes de combate e prevenção ao HIV/AIDS não resultam somente de informações e conhecimento científicos sobre o HIV e a AIDS. O objetivo desse estudo foi compreender o sentimento de proteção e/ou vulnerabilidade de estudantes em relação ao HIV/AIDS. Participaram da pesquisa 72 estudantes do Ensino Médio (média de 16,8 anos) de duas escolas de Manaus – AM, que responderam a um questionário. Para este trabalho, foram analisadas apenas duas questões sobre o sentimento de proteção em relação a AIDS. A maioria dos estudantes se sente protegida, porque utilizam métodos de prevenção, usam ou têm intenção de fazer uso do preservativo, acreditam que as informações são suficientes e não convivem com pessoas que possuem a doença. Os que não se sentem protegidos afirmam entre outros, não saber quem possui AIDS e que, há outros meios de transmissão do HIV. O sentimento de proteção ou vulnerabilidade ao HIV/AIDS depende de vários fatores, dentre esses, o conhecimento é importante para a conscientização e atitudes de prevenção contra a HIV/AIDS, mas não é o único e nem o mais importante.Fundos nacionais através da FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) no âmbito do projeto do CIEC (Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança) da Universidade do Minho, com a referência UID/CED/00317/201

An integrated in vitro approach unveils the biocompetence and glutathiolomic profile of a human hepatocyte-like cell 3d model

Funding: This work was supported by FCT (Portugal) through the research grant PTDC/MED-TOX/29183/2017. Acknowledgments: The authors thank ECBio S.A. for providing the hnMSCs and F.A. Beland (NCTR, Jefferson, AR, USA) for the kind donation of nevirapine. FCT (UID/DTP/04138/2019, UID/QUI/00100/2019, RECI/QEQ-MED/0330/2012, SFRH/BD/144130/2019 to J.S.R., SFRH/BD/110945/2015 to P.F.P. and CEECIND/02001/2017 to A.M.M.A) are also acknowledged.The need for competent in vitro liver models for toxicological assessment persists. The differentiation of stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells (HLC) has been adopted due to its human origin and availability. Our aim was to study the usefulness of an in vitro 3D model of mesenchymal stem cell-derived HLCs. 3D spheroids (3D-HLC) or monolayer (2D-HLC) cultures of HLCs were treated with the hepatotoxic drug nevirapine (NVP) for 3 and 10 days followed by analyses of Phase I and II metabolites, biotransformation enzymes and drug transporters involved in NVP disposition. To ascertain the toxic effects of NVP and its major metabolites, the changes in the glutathione net flux were also investigated. Phase I enzymes were induced in both systems yielding all known correspondent NVP metabolites. However, 3D-HLCs showed higher biocompetence in producing Phase II NVP metabolites and upregulating Phase II enzymes and MRP7. Accordingly, NVP-exposure led to decreased glutathione availability and alterations in the intracellular dynamics disfavoring free reduced glutathione and glutathionylated protein pools. Overall, these results demonstrate the adequacy of the 3D-HLC model for studying the bioactivation/metabolism of NVP representing a further step to unveil toxicity mechanisms associated with glutathione net flux changes.publishersversionpublishe

Human-umbilical cord matrix mesenchymal cells improved left ventricular contractility independently of infarct size in swine myocardial infarction with reperfusion

Funding Information: This work was funded by: i) national funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the scope of the Cardiovascular R&D Center - UnIC (UIDB/00051/2020 and UIDP/00051/2020); ii) “la Caixa” Banking Foundation and FCT under the project code LCF/PR/HP17/52190002”; iii) the QREN project 2013/30196; and iv) the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), under the Lisbon Portugal Regional Operational Program and National Funds through FCT [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030985]. RNG and TLL were funded by the FCT individual fellowships [SFRH/BD/144490/2019] and [PD/BD/127997/2016], respectively. Funding sources had no interference in the design of the study, study governance, data collection and analysis, nor in manuscript writing or its scientific and intellectual content. Publisher Copyright: 2023 Raposo, Cerqueira, Leite, Moreira-Costa, Laundos, Miranda, Mendes-Ferreira, Coelho, Gomes, Pinto-do-Ó, Nascimento, Lourenço, Cardim and Leite-Moreira.Background: Human umbilical cord matrix-mesenchymal stromal cells (hUCM-MSC) have demonstrated beneficial effects in experimental acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Reperfusion injury hampers myocardial recovery in a clinical setting and its management is an unmet need. We investigated the efficacy of intracoronary (IC) delivery of xenogeneic hUCM-MSC as reperfusion-adjuvant therapy in a translational model of AMI in swine. Methods: In a placebo-controlled trial, pot-belied pigs were randomly assigned to a sham-control group (vehicle-injection; n = 8), AMI + vehicle (n = 12) or AMI + IC-injection (n = 11) of 5 × 105 hUCM-MSC/Kg, within 30 min of reperfusion. AMI was created percutaneously by balloon occlusion of the mid-LAD. Left-ventricular function was blindly evaluated at 8-weeks by invasive pressure-volume loop analysis (primary endpoint). Mechanistic readouts included histology, strength-length relationship in skinned cardiomyocytes and gene expression analysis by RNA-sequencing. Results: As compared to vehicle, hUCM-MSC enhanced systolic function as shown by higher ejection fraction (65 ± 6% vs. 43 ± 4%; p = 0.0048), cardiac index (4.1 ± 0.4 vs. 3.1 ± 0.2 L/min/m2; p = 0.0378), preload recruitable stroke work (75 ± 13 vs. 36 ± 4 mmHg; p = 0.0256) and end-systolic elastance (2.8 ± 0.7 vs. 2.1 ± 0.4 mmHg*m2/ml; p = 0.0663). Infarct size was non-significantly lower in cell-treated animals (13.7 ± 2.2% vs. 15.9 ± 2.7%; Δ = −2.2%; p = 0.23), as was interstitial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in the remote myocardium. Sarcomere active tension improved, and genes related to extracellular matrix remodelling (including MMP9, TIMP1 and PAI1), collagen fibril organization and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis were downregulated in animals treated with hUCM-MSC. Conclusion: Intracoronary transfer of xenogeneic hUCM-MSC shortly after reperfusion improved left-ventricular systolic function, which could not be explained by the observed extent of infarct size reduction alone. Combined contributions of favourable modification of myocardial interstitial fibrosis, matrix remodelling and enhanced cardiomyocyte contractility in the remote myocardium may provide mechanistic insight for the biological effect.publishersversionpublishe

The RNA-binding protein hnRNP K mediates the effect of BDNF on dendritic mRNA metabolism and regulates synaptic NMDA receptors in hippocampal neurons

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important mediator of long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. The local effects of BDNF depend on the activation of translation activity, which requires the delivery of transcripts to the synapse. In this work, we found that neuronal activity regulates the dendritic localization of the RNA-binding protein heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) in cultured rat hippocampal neurons by stimulating BDNF-Trk signaling. Microarray experiments identified a large number of transcripts that are coimmunoprecipitated with hnRNP K, and about 60% of these transcripts are dissociated from the protein upon stimulation of rat hippocampal neurons with BDNF. In vivo studies also showed a role for TrkB signaling in the dissociation of transcripts from hnRNP K upon high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of medial perforant path-granule cell synapses of male rat dentate gyrus (DG). Furthermore, treatment of rat hippocampal synaptoneurosomes with BDNF decreased the coimmunoprecipitation of hnRNP K with mRNAs coding for glutamate receptor subunits, Ca2+- and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIβ (CaMKIIβ) and BDNF. Downregulation of hnRNP K impaired the BDNF-induced enhancement of NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated mEPSC, and similar results were obtained upon inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide. The results demonstrate that BDNF regulates specific populations of hnRNP-associated mRNAs in neuronal dendrites and suggests an important role of hnRNP K in BDNF-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity.publishe

Use of water-Cherenkov detectors to detect Gamma-Ray-Bursts at the Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO)

The Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO) project aims at the detection of high energy photons from Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) using the single particle technique in ground-based water-Cherenkov detectors (WCD). To reach a reasonable sensitivity, high altitude mountain sites have been selected in Mexico (Sierra Negra, 4550 m a.s.l.), Bolivia (Chacaltaya, 5300 m a.s.l.) and Venezuela (Me´ rida, 4765 m a.s.l.). We report on detector calibration and operation at high altitude, search for bursts in 4 months of preliminary data, as well as search for signal at ground level when satellites report a burst.Fil: Allard, D.. Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7; FranciaFil: Allekotte, Ingomar. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, C.. Facultad de Ciencias Fısico-Matematicas; MéxicoFil: Asorey, Hernán Gonzalo. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Barros, H.. Universidad Simon Bolivar; VenezuelaFil: Bertou, Xavier Pierre Louis. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Burgoa, O.. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicas; BoliviaFil: Gomez Berisso, Mariano. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, O.. Facultad de Ciencias Fısico-Matematicas; MéxicoFil: Miranda Loza, P.. Instituto de Investigaciones Fısicas; BoliviaFil: Murrieta, T.. Facultad de Ciencias Fısico-Matematicas; MéxicoFil: Perez, G.. Facultad de Ciencias Fısico-Matematicas; MéxicoFil: Rivera, H.. Instituto de Investigaciones Fısicas; BoliviaFil: Rovero, Adrian Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Saavedra, O.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Salazar, H.. Facultad de Ciencias Fısico-Matematicas ; MéxicoFil: Tello, J. C.. Universidad Simon Bolıvar; VenezuelaFil: Ticona Peralda, R.. Instituto de Investigaciones Fısicas; BoliviaFil: Velarde, A.. Instituto de Investigaciones Fısicas; BoliviaFil: Villaseñor, L.. Universidad de Michoacan; MéxicoFil: Areso, Omar Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Arnaldi, Luis Horacio. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Dasso, Sergio Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, M.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Gulisano, Adriana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Martin, R.. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Masías Meza, Jimmy Joel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Sidelnik, Iván Pedro. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, W.. Universidad de San Carlos; GuatemalaFil: The LAGO Collaboration