Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira, which can cause lipid changes in the erythrocyte membrane. Optical tweezers were used to characterize rheological changes in erythrocytes from patients with leptospirosis in the late stage. Biochemical methods were also used for quantification of plasma lipid, erythrocyte membrane lipid, and evaluation of liver function. Our data showed that the mean elastic constant of erythrocytes from patients with leptospirosis was around 67% higher than the control (healthy individuals), indicating that patient’s erythrocytes were less elastic. In individuals with leptospirosis, several alterations in relation to control were observed in the plasma lipids, however, in the erythrocyte membrane, only phosphatidylcholine showed a significant difference compared to control, increasing around 41%. With respect to the evaluation of liver function of individuals with leptospirosis, there was a significant increase in levels of alanine transaminase (154%) and aspartate transaminase (150%), whereas albumin was 43.8% lower than control (P<0.01). The lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase fractional activity was 3.6 times lower in individuals with leptospirosis than in the healthy individuals (P<0.01). The decrease of the erythrocyte elasticity may be related to the changes of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids composition caused by disturbances that occur during human leptospirosis, with phosphatidylcholine being a strong candidate in the erythrocyte rheological changes.

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the effects of a specific pre-season planning on physical performance, recovery-stress state, hormonal and muscle damage markers in high-level futsal players. Method: Fifteen male futsal players, members of a high level Brazilian futsal team participated in this study. Before and after four weeks of pre-season, blood samples were collected, the Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes was applied, and vertical jump tests and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 2 tests were performed. The Internal Training Load was measured in all training sessions. Repeated measure ANOVA was used to compare the Total Weekly Training Load between different weeks. To compare the differences between pre- and post-training of all other dependent variables (except the Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes scales) the Student's t-test and the magnitude based inference were used. Results: The futsal pre-season improved performance in the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 2 and Squat Jump tests. The improvement in performance tests was accompanied by an increase in testosterone, creatine kinase, testosterone/creatine kinase ratio and in the majority of the Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes scales. Cortisol and the social recovery and general well-being of Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes scales decreased during the futsal pre-season. Conclusions: In summary, players improved their performance in the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 2 and Squat Jump tests in response to a futsal pre-season. Furthermore, the Internal Training Load behavior of the futsal training promoted a favorable hormonal anabolic environment and did not promote a negative disturbance in creatine kinase or stress/recovery balance, suggesting that futsal players did not report fatigue accumulation after this pre-season design.

Resumo Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar os efeitos de um planejamento específico da pré-temporada no desempenho físico, estado de estresse-recuperação, marcadores hormonais e de danos musculares em jogadores de futsal de alto nível. Método: Quinze jogadores de futsal do sexo masculino, membros de uma equipe brasileira de futsal de alto nível participaram do estudo. Antes e após quatro semanas de pré-temporada, foram coletadas amostras de sangue, foi aplicado o Questionário de Estresse e Recuperação para Atletas, além da realização de testes de saltos verticais e do Yo-Yo Intermitente Recovery Test Nível 2. A carga interna de treinamento foi mensurada em todas as sessões. Para análise dos dados, foi utilizada uma análise de variância para medidas repetidas a fim de comparar a carga de treinamento semanal total entre as diferentes semanas. O teste T de Student foi realizado para comparar as diferenças entre o pré e pós de todas as outras variáveis dependentes (exceto as escalas Questionário de Estresse e Recuperação para Atletas), além da magnitude baseada em inferência. Resultados: A pré-temporada de futsal melhorou o desempenho no Yo-Yo Intermitente Recovery Test Nível 2 e no teste Squat Jump. A melhoria nos testes de desempenho foi acompanhado por um aumento nos níveis de testosterona, creatina quinase, testosterona/creatina quinase quociente e na maioria das escalas Questionário de Estresse e Recuperação para Atletas. O cortisol e as escalas de recuperação social e bem-estar geral do Questionário de Estresse e Recuperação para Atletas diminuíram durante a pré-temporada. Conclusões: Em resumo, os jogadores melhoraram seu desempenho no Yo-Yo Intermitente Recovery Test Nível 2 e no teste Squat Jump em resposta à pré-temporada. Além disso, o comportamento das cargas de treinamento promoveram um ambiente hormonal anabólico favorável e não geraram um distúrbio negativo na creatina quinase ou no equilíbrio estresse/recuperação, fato que sugere que os jogadores de futsal não relataram fadiga acumulada após uma pré-temporada com este desenho de periodização.

Resumen Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar los efectos de una planificación específica de pretemporada en el rendimiento físico, el estado de estrés-recuperación, marcadores hormonales y de daño muscular en jugadores de fútbol sala de alto nivel. Método: Quince jugadores masculinos de fútbol sala, miembros de un equipo brasileño de fútbol sala de alto nivel participaron en el estudio. Antes y después de cuatro semanas de pretemporada, se recogieron muestras de sangre, se utilizó el Cuestionario de estrés y recuperación para atletas, además de la realización de la prueba de salto vertical y Yo-Yo Intermitent Recovery Test Nivel 2. La carga interna de entrenamiento se midió en todas las sesiones de entrenamiento. Se utilizó un análisis de varianza para medidas repetidas para comparar la carga total semanal de entrenamiento entre las diferentes semanas. Para comparar las diferencias entre antes y después del entrenamiento de todas las demás variables dependientes (excepto escalas del cuestionario de estrés y recuperación para atletas), se usaron el test T de Student y la magnitud basada en la inferencia. Resultados: La pretemporada de fútbol sala mejoró el rendimiento en el Yo-Yo Intermitent Recovery Test Nivel 2 y en el test Squat Jump. La mejora en las pruebas de rendimiento fue acompañada por un aumento en los niveles de testosterona, creatina quinasa, cociente testosterona/creatina quinasa y en la mayoría de las escalas del cuestionario de estrés y recuperación para atletas. El cortisol y la recuperación social y el bienestar general del cuestionario de estrés y recuperación para atletas disminuyeron durante la pretemporada de fútbol sala. Conclusiones: En resumen, los jugadores mejoraron su rendimiento en el Yo-Yo Intermitent Recovery Test Nivel 2 y en el test Squat Jump, en respuesta a la pretemporada. Además, el comportamiento de la carga interna de entrenamiento de la pretemporada promovió un entorno hormonal anabólico favorable y no generó una perturbación negativa en la creatina quinasa o en el equilibrio estrés/recuperación, lo que sugiere que los jugadores de fútbol sala no informaron de acumulación de fatiga después de este diseño de pretemporada.

Understanding the effects of radiation and its possible influence on the nervous system are of great clinical interest. However, there have been few electrophysiological studies on brain activity after exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). A new methodological approach regarding the assessment of the possible effects of IR on brain activity is the use of linear and nonlinear mathematical methods in the analysis of complex time series, such as brain oscillations measured using the electrocorticogram (ECoG). The objective of this study was to use linear and nonlinear mathematical methods as biomarkers of gamma radiation regarding cortical electrical activity. Adult Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: 1 control and 2 irradiated groups, evaluated at 24 h (IR24) and 90 days (IR90) after exposure to 18 Gy of gamma radiation from a cobalt-60 radiotherapy source. The ECoG was analyzed using power spectrum methods for the calculation of the power of delta, theta, alpha and beta rhythms and by means of the α-exponent of the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). Using both mathematical methods it was possible to identify changes in the ECoG, and to identify significant changes in the pattern of the recording at 24 h after irradiation. Some of these changes were persistent at 90 days after exposure to IR. In particular, the theta wave using the two methods showed higher sensitivity than other waves, suggesting that it is a possible biomarker of exposure to IR.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi observar a influência do campo magnético (CM) de baixa frequência na membrana do saco vitelínico (MSV) e no desenvolvimento do embrião de codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica) em 72 horas de incubação. Ovos fertilizados foram expostos a nove horas consecutivas de CM, sendo um grupo a partir das 48 horas e o outro a partir das 63 horas de incubação. A quantificação da vascularização da MSV foi determinada pela obtenção da dimensão fractal por meio dos métodos de box-counting e de dimensão de informação, enquanto o peso corporal e o percentual de comprimento cefálico dos embriões foram utilizados como parâmetros de desenvolvimento embrionário. O CM não causou diferenças significativas na densidade vascular da MSV nem no desenvolvimento embrionário, quando comparados ao grupo controle.

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of the low frequency magnetic field (MF) on the yolk sac membrane (YSM) and embryonic development of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) in 72 hours of incubation. Fertilized eggs were exposed to 9 consecutive hours of MF, with a group from 48 hours and the second group from 63 hours of incubation. The evaluation of YSM vascularization was determined by the fractal dimensions obtained through box-counting method and information dimension, while body weight of the embryo and percentage of cephalic length were used as parameters for embryo development. The MF caused no significant differences in vessel density in the YSM, nor in the embryonic development considering the body weight and percentage cephalic length, when were compared to the control group.

Titanium and its alloys have been used in biomedical applications because of their satisfactory mechanical properties, biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. Their high corrosion resistance has been attributed to the formation of a thermodynamically stable titanium oxide layer on the surface of these materials. In the present work, the corrosion behavior of Ti-9Mo (wt %) alloy, doped with oxygen, was evaluated in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. The results showed a small decrease in the corrosion potential and a reduction in the corrosion rate with the oxygen doping, indicating a higher corrosion resistance is desirable for biomedical applications.

Verificou-se o efeito de diferentes fontes de ácidos graxos essenciais ômega-3 e ômega-6 sobre o perfil lipídico de codornas japonesas e sobre o crescimento vascular na membrana vitelina dos embriões de aves suplementadas com óleo de peixe, 2% e 4%, e óleo de soja, 2% e 4%, em relação à dieta-controle, sem suplementação lipídica. Foi usado o método enzimático com reação colorimétrica para estimar o perfil lipídico sérico de colesterol total, triglicerídeos e HDL das aves. A vascularização na membrana vitelina foi quantificada por meio da dimensão fractal, utilizando-se o método de box-counting. A concentração de colesterol dos grupos controle e tratados não diferiu entre si. Para o HDL, o grupo que recebeu maior proporção de óleo de peixe, 4%, diferiu dos outros grupos. Os níveis de triglicerídeos das codornas suplementadas com óleo de peixe foram superiores aos dos demais grupos. A dimensão fractal da vascularização da membrana vitelina dos embriões de codornas dos grupos que receberam 4% de óleo de peixe e 4% de óleo de soja foi significativamente menor que a dos demais grupos, indicando efeitos antiangiogênicos no processo de formação vascular.

The effect of different sources of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids on serum lipid profile in Japanese quails and on vascular growth in the embryos vitelline membrane was verified. The birds were supplemented with fish oil, 2% and 4%, and soybean oil, 2% and 4%, and one control diet, without lipid supply. The enzymatic method with colorimetric reaction was used to estimate the profile of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL of the birds. Vitelline membrane vascularization was measured using the box-counting fractal dimension. The cholesterol concentration of the treated and control groups showed no difference. For HDL, the group treated with a higher proportion of fish oil, 4%, differed from other groups. The triglycerides levels of quails supplemented with fish oil were higher than the other groups. The fractal dimension of quail embryos vitelline membrane from the groups treated with 4% fish oil and 4% soybean oil was lower than the other groups, indicating antiangiogenic effects on the vascular formation process.

The fractal dimension has been employed as a useful parameter in the diagnosis of retinal disease. Avakian et al. (Curr Eye Res 2002; 24: 274-280), comparing the vascular pattern of normal patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), found a significant difference between them only in the macular region. This significant difference in the box-counting fractal dimension of the macular region between normal and mild NPDR patients has been proposed as a method of precocious diagnosis of NPDR. The aim of the present study was to determine if fractal dimensions can really be used as a parameter for the early diagnosis of NPDR. Box-counting and information fractal dimensions were used to parameterize the vascular pattern of the human retina. The two methods were applied to the whole retina and to nine anatomical regions of the retina in 5 individuals with mild NPDR and in 28 diabetic but opthalmically normal individuals (controls), with age between 31 and 86 years. All images of retina were obtained from the Digital Retinal Images for Vessel Extraction (DRIVE) database. The results showed that the fractal dimension parameter was not sensitive enough to be of use for an early diagnosis of NPDR.