Abstract Pancreatic alpha and beta cells release the main hormones involved in blood glucose regulation: glucagon and insulin, respectively. Based on the observation that metabolic oscillations are related to electrical activity and, in turn, to insulin secretion in beta cells, in the present work we use a mathematical modelling approach to explore the contribution of glycolytic oscillations to electrical activity in alpha cells. Due to lack of data about metabolism in alpha cells and taking into account that pancreatic cells comes from a common progenitor, we used a previous model of pancreatic beta cells and focus on the main differences between both cell types. The main finding contrasts with beta cells since electrical activity in alpha cells could be triggered independently of glycolic oscillations. It suggests that alpha cells are stimulated by blood glucose through a different pathway, which is in agreement with the role of alpha cells during hypoglycemia.

Resumen Las células alfa y beta de páncreas secretan las dos hormonas más importantes para la regulación de la glucosa en sangre: el glucagón y la insulina, respectivamente. Dado que en células beta se ha observado la presencia de oscilaciones metabólicas relacionadas con su actividad eléctrica y, por tanto, con la secreción de insulina, en este trabajo se presenta un estudio de la posible relación entre las oscilaciones glicolíticas y la actividad eléctrica en células alfa mediante un enfoque de modelación matemática. Debido a la falta de información sobre el metabolismo en las células alfa y tomando en cuenta que las células pancreáticas provienen de un progenitor común, se utilizó un modelo previamente propuesto de células beta y se tomaron en cuenta las principales diferencias entre ambos tipos celulares para el análisis. Nuestros resultados muestran que, a diferencia de las células beta, la actividad eléctrica en células alfa puede dispararse independientemente de la presencia de oscilaciones glicolíticas, lo cual sugiere que estas células son estimuladas por la glucosa a través de una ruta metabólica diferente a la propuesta para células beta, lo cual es congruente con su papel regulador durante periodos de baja glucosa.

Resumo O cimento Portland é considerado o componente de base com o maior impacto ambiental na construção civil, em termos de emissões de CO2. Quanto aos agregados, o processo de cominuição das rochas, além da areia artificial, gera pó de pedra que acaba sendo armazenado ao ar livre, gerando impactos ambientais. Assim, a substituição do cimento por pó de pedra aparece como uma alternativa atraente em direção à dosagem de concretos sustentáveis. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do presente trabalho é determinar a máxima densidade de empacotamento de partículas em pastas compostas por cimento Portland, sílica ativa e pó de pedra, buscando determinar o teor ótimo de substituição do cimento pelo pó de pedra. Além disso, pretende-se verificar a influência do excesso de água na consistência das pastas produzidas. A substituição do cimento por pó de pedra foi feita em teores iguais a 0%, 7%, 14% e 21%, em volume, sendo determinada a densidade de empacotamento analiticamente, pelo modelo CPM. As combinações foram reproduzidas experimentalmente. A consistência das pastas foi verificada com auxílio do mini cone de Kantro. Os resultados demonstraram que o maior teor de substituição do cimento pelo pó de pedra apresentou a maior densidade de empacotamento, experimental e analítica, e a maior trabalhabilidade, permitindo vantagens econômicas e ambientais. Analisando cada material individualmente, o pó de pedra apresentou a maior densidade de empacotamento e a sílica ativa a menor. Partículas finas resultam em menor densidade de empacotamento, devido à maior superfície específica, a qual demanda mais água. A aglomeração aumenta os vazios entre os grãos. Além disso, a fluidez das pastas produzidas aumentou com o acréscimo do teor de pó de pedra. Como o excesso de água é o responsável pela lubrificação da pasta, uma densidade de empacotamento mais elevada colabora para o aumento da fluidez quando o volume de água permanece fixo.

Abstract Cement is considered the basic component with the highest environmental impact in construction, in terms of CO2 emissions. As for the aggregates, the process of comminution of rocks, in addition to artificial sand, generates stone powder that ends up being stored outdoors, generating environmental damages. Thus, the replacement of cement by stone powder appears as an attractive alternative towards the sustainable concretes. In this context, the objective of this paper is to determine the maximum packing density in Portland cement, silica fume and stone dust pastes, to determine the optimal cement substitution content for the stone powder. In addition, it is intended to verify the influence of excess water on the consistency of the mixtures produced. The substitution was done in contents equal to 0%, 7%, 14% and 21% by volume and, for each content, the packing density was determined analytically by CPM model and combinations were reproduced experimentally. Excess water was checked by the mini Kantro cone test. The results showed that the higher cement substitution content of the stone powder obtained the higher packing density, experimental and analytical, and the higher workability, allowing economic and environmental advantages. Analyzing each material, the stone powder resulted in the highest packing density and silica fume is the lowest one. Therefore, finer particles resulted in lower packaging densities, due to the greater specific surface area, which demands more water. The agglomeration resulted in more empty gaps between the grains. In addition, mixtures flowability increased with the increase of the stone powder content. As the excess water is responsible for mixture lubrication, a higher packing density for a given volume of water improves the flowability.

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are intestinal disorders that comprise the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). These disorders have a significant effect on the quality of life of affected patients and the increasing number of IBD cases worldwide is a growing concern. Because of the overall burden of IBD and its multifactorial etiology, efforts have been made to improve the medical management of these inflammatory conditions. The classical therapeutic strategies aim to control the exacerbated host immune response with aminosalicylates, antibiotics, corticosteroids, thiopurines, methotrexate and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biological agents. Although successful in the treatment of several CD or UC conditions, these drugs have limited effectiveness, and variable responses may culminate in unpredictable outcomes. The ideal therapy should reduce inflammation without inducing immunosuppression, and remains a challenge to health care personnel. Recently, a number of additional approaches to IBD therapy, such as new target molecules for biological agents and cellular therapy, have shown promising results. A deeper understanding of IBD pathogenesis and the availability of novel therapies are needed to improve therapeutic success. This review describes the overall key features of therapies currently employed in clinical practice as well as novel and future alternative IBD treatment methods.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic disorder that affects thousands of people around the world. These diseases are characterized by exacerbated uncontrolled intestinal inflammation that leads to poor quality of life in affected patients. Although the exact cause of IBD still remains unknown, compelling evidence suggests that the interplay among immune deregulation, environmental factors, and genetic polymorphisms contributes to the multifactorial nature of the disease. Therefore, in this review we present classical and novel findings regarding IBD etiopathogenesis. Considering the genetic causes of the diseases, alterations in about 100 genes or allelic variants, most of them in components of the immune system, have been related to IBD susceptibility. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota also plays a role in the initiation or perpetuation of gut inflammation, which develops under altered or impaired immune responses. In this context, unbalanced innate and especially adaptive immunity has been considered one of the major contributing factors to IBD development, with the involvement of the Th1, Th2, and Th17 effector population in addition to impaired regulatory responses in CD or UC. Finally, an understanding of the interplay among pathogenic triggers of IBD will improve knowledge about the immunological mechanisms of gut inflammation, thus providing novel tools for IBD control.

Objective: To determine the association between nutritional status and body image perception among university students from Chile and Panamá. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 792 students of both sexes, ages 18 to 30 years, from University Santo Tomás of Viña del Mar, Chile, University Autónoma of Chile and University Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT) of Panama. We determined the real BMI and the perceived BMI. Afterward, the two were compared to each other. Results: In a sample of 792 students, 480 from Chile (51,4% females) and 312 from Panamá (56,7% females), the perceived BMI is higher than the real one in the Chileans, men and women (60%). Instead, in Panamá the over-estimation is less than 50% in both sexes. The percentage is the same in both countries and both sexes that perceive themselves as they really are (20%). There is concordance between BMI and body image in half of Chilean men and a third of Chilean women. However, a better concordance is observed in overweight students (69% in men, 90,5% in women). In Panamanians, there is a concordance observed of40% in men and 19,9% in women. Conclusion: There is a tendency for overestimation in normal weight students of both countries. However the obese students tended to underestimate their weight.

Objetivo: Determinar la concordancia entre el estado nutricional y la percepción de la imagen corporal en universitarios chilenos y panameños. Métodos: Estudio observacional transversal en 792 estudiantes de ambos sexos, de 18 a 30 años de edad de la Universidad Santo Tomás de Vina del Mar en Chile, la Universidad Autónoma de Chile y la Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT) de Panamá. Se determinó el IMC real y el IMC percibido y luego éstos fueron comparados. Resultados: De 792 estudiantes evaluados, 480 eran de Chile (51,4% mujeres) y 312 de Panamá (56,7% mujeres). El IMC percibido por los chilenos fue mayor al real, en hombres y mujeres (60%); en cambio, los panameños presentan una sobreestimación menor al 50% en ambos sexos. En ambos países y para ambos sexos el porcentaje de estudiantes que se perciben igual es similar (20%). Hay concordancia diagnóstica entre el IMC y la imagen corporal en la mitad de los alumnos chilenos y en un tercio de las alumnas, pero la mejor concordancia se observó en personas con sobrepeso (69% y 90,5% respectivamente). En los panameños se observó concordancia diagnóstica de 40% en varones y 19,2% en mujeres; la mejor concordancia se observó en hombres con sobrepeso (83%). Conclusión: En los estudiantes con normopeso de ambos países existe una tendencia a sobreestimar el peso, mientras que por el contrario los obesos tienden a subestimarlo.

The use of tandem mass spectrometry for the diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism has the potential to expand the newborn screening panel to include a vast number of diseases. This technology allows the detection, in the same spot of dried blood on filter paper and during one single analytical run, of different metabolic diseases. Tandem mass spectrometry is rapidly replacing the classical screening techniques approach of one-metabolite detected per analysis per disease by its ability of simultaneous quantification of several metabolites as markers of many diseases, such as acylcarnitines and amino acids. It is clear that a single metabolite can be a biomarker for several diseases, so the multiplex approach of using tandem mass spectrometry enhances, on average, the sensitivity and specificity of the screening. However, there are differences for particular metabolites and the diseases they detect within the same method. Disorders such as the tyrosinemias and among the organic acidemias, the methylmalonic acidemias, have a substantially higher false-positive rate than other more common metabolic diseases such as medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency and phenylketonuria. Before introducing this technology into routine newborn screening programs it is necessary to consider the frequency of each disease, as well as the response to early treatment or variables related to the collection of the sample.

Intimal hyperplasia development is largely the most important cause of vascular access failure in patients submitted to hemodialysis. Differences in the biomechanical properties between the vascular substitutes and the native vessels have been related to the development of intimal hyperplasia. This work aim was to characterize the biomechanical behavior of arteries, veins, cryopreserved arteries and ePTFE prostheses. Fresh and cryopreserved human arteries and veins and ePTFE conduits were in-vitro studied in order to analyze their viscoelastic properties. Our results show that ePTFE has an elastic index, which is significantly different from that of the other conduits. This determines a high elastic mismatch that has been involved as a cause of intimal hyperplasia development. We conclude that the biomechanical study of tubular segments to be used as vascular accesses demonstrate viscoelastic differences that could be an important determinant of access viability.

A profundidade de plantio dos cormilhos influi na produção e qualidade do material de propagação. Em maiores profundidades, o peso médio por unidade produzida é maior. Para produzir bulbos dos tipos jumbo até o tipo 5, a profundidade de 7,3 cm foi a melhor. A profundidade de 5,6 cm foi melhor para quantidade. Maiores profundidades produzem menor cormilhos.

The depth of planting cormels has influence on production and quality of propagation material. In bigger depth the average weight per unity planted is bigger. For production of corms type: jumbo untill type 5 the depth of 7.3 cm was the best one. The depth of 5.6 cm was the best for quality. Bigger depth produce less cormels.

Bulbos de mesmo ciclo, com pesos e tamanhos próximos, apresentaram comportamentos semelhantes para a produção de flores, bulbos e cormilhos. Os bulbos maiores, tipos 1 e 2, tiveram melhor rendimento de flores, bulbos e cormilhos que os demais tipos, decrescendo esse rendimento com a redução do tamanho dos bulbos por unidade plantada. Em função do peso plantado, as unidades menores apresentaram melhor desempenho.

Corms of the same cycle, with near weight and size, presented resembling behaviour for production of flowers, corms and cormels. Greater corms, type 1and 2showed better profit of flowers, corms and cormels than others types, decreasing this profit with the reduction of the size of corms per unity planted. In function of planted weight, the smallest units showed better profit.

Bulbos de 2° ciclo, tipo jumbo, com 84 g/unidade e tipo 1, com 35 g/unidade, foram comparados. Verificou-se que: o tipo jumbo teve melhor rendimento de: peso de bulbos; número de bulbos; comprimento da haste floral; comprimento da espiga floral e hastes florais de melhor qualidade. Otipo 1 apresentou melhor rendimento para peso de bulbos plantados por peso de bulbos e cormilhos colhidos.

Corms of 2nd cycle, type jumbo with 84 g/unity and type 1 with 35 g/unity were compared. It was verified that: type jumbo had better profit in the production of: weight of corms, number of corms, lenght of stipe, lenght of spike and stipe of better quality. The type number 1 showed better profit for weight of corms planted by weight of corms and cormels harvest.

Os cormilhos tipo 7 produziram bulbos e cormilhos dos tipos de 1 a 8 em maior quantidade que o tipo 8 e os bulbos tipos 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 mais pesados. Os cormilhos tipo 8 também produziram bulbos e cormilhos dos tipos 1 a 8, porém seus cormilhos foram mais pesados que os cormilhos produzidos pelo tipo 7.

Cormels type 7 produced corms and cormels type 1 to 8 in greater quantity than type number 8 and corms type 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were heavier. Cormels type 8 also produced corms and cormels type 1 to 8, however their cormels were heavier than cormels produzed by type 7.

Bulbos de 2º ciclo dos , cultivares: Havaii, Snowprincess, Han Van Megeren, Alfred Nobel, Aristocrat, Happy end e Rosa de Lima, foram cultivados a 5 e 15 cm de profundidade em latossol vermelho escuro de boa fértilidade na ESALQ - Piracicaba, SP. Os resultados foram analisados para: quantidade e peso médio dos bulbos e cormilhos; quantidade e qualidade das hastes e espigas florais. Verificou-se que: a profundidade de 15 cm foi a melhor; a profundidade de 5 cm causa excessivo tombamento; apresentou alguma vantagem somente na produção de cormilhos; é significativa a diferença de performance entre os cultivares .

Corms of second cycle from the following cultivars: Havaii, Snowprincess, Han Van Megeren, Alfred Nobel, Aristocrat, Happy End, and Rosa de Lima, were cultivated in 5 and 15 centimetre depth in dark red "latossol" of good fertility in ESALQ - Piracicaba - SP. The results were analysed as: quantity and average weight of corms and cormels; quantity and quality of stipe and spike floral. It was verified: The depth of 15 centimetre was the best. The depth of 5 centimetre causes excessive stumbling and it presented some advantages on the prodution of cormels. It is significant the difference of performance among the cultivars.

Com o objetivo de ampliar o uso dos ensaios com parcelas subdivididas na pesquisa agropecuária, realizou-se um estudo de tais ensaios delineados em blocos incompletos balanceados. Adotou-se, para tanto, o modelo tradicionalmente usado no delineamento completo. Optou-se pela existência de correlação constante entre subparcelas distintas. A obtenção das estimativas para efeitos de blocos ocorreu como nos ensaios em blocos incompletos balanceados, enquanto que as estimativas para efeitos de tratamentos secundários e para a interação tratamentos principais x tratamentos secundários portaram-se como nos ensaios com parcelas subdivididas em blocos (completos), casualizados.

This paper deals with the study of split plot design in balanced incomplete blocks in order to increase the usage of such designs in the agricultural research. The mathematical model adopted was the one traditionally used in the complete design. The presence of constant correlation between two subplots of the same plot and the subplots of distinct plots were considered as well. The estimates of the main treatments adjusted by block effects were analogous to those found in the literature of the balanced incomplete block design, while the other estimates were analogous to the correspondent ones in the split plot randomized block design.

Objetivou-se conhecer, na época normal de colheita, as quantidades de matéria seca acumuladas, as concentrações dos elementos essenciais às plantas, mais as de cobalto, alumínio e sódio na matéria fresca e seca de 50 cultivares de hortaliças num total de 35 espécies. As amostras, normalmente constituídas de produtos da colheita, foram na sua maioria procedentes da região de Campinas, Estado de São Paulo e separadas em: melancia - em casca + polpa branca, polpa vermelha e semente; melão - em casca + polpa e semente; ervilha - em vagem e grão; berinjela - em fruto e pedúnculo; couve-flor - em folha e inflorescência; beterraba, cenoura, nabo e rabanete - em folha e raiz; alcachofra - em folha + caule e inflorescência. Das demais hortaliças foram utilizados o fruto todo, as folhas ou os bulbos sem separação. Verificou-se que as leguminosas extraíram maiores quantidades de N, P, K, Mg, Cu, Mo, Zn e Co; as tuberosas, de Cl, Fe e Mn; as amarilidáceas, de S, B e Al; as folhosas, de Ca e Na. As cucurbitáceas extraíram menores quantidades da maioria dos nutrientes.

This work reports the dry matter accumulation, the nutrient, Co, Al and Na - concentrations, and the removal of nutrients and Co, Al and Na per metric ton of fresh material of 35 species of vegetables by the harvest. The samples mostly came from the region of Campinas, State of São Paulo and consisted of the products removed from the field, fractioned in their several parts: watermelon in epicarp + white pulp, red pulp and seeds; eggplant in fruit and stalk; melon in epicarp + pulp and seeds; pea in shell and seeds; cauliflower in leaf and inflorescence; sugar beet, carrot, turnip and radish in leaf and root; artichoke in leaf + stalk and inflorescence. The whole fruit was utilized in the case of edible fruit bearing vegetables; the leaves in the case of the leafy vegetables; and the bulbous root in the case of the iffy-like vegetables. In general, the leguminous vegetables extracted the greatest amounts of N, P, K, Mg, Cu, Mo, Zn and Co; the tuberous vegetables, Cl, Fe and Mn; the lily-like vegetables, S, B and Al; leafy vegetables, Ca and Na. Cucurbits extracted the lowest amounts of nutrients.