Daily oscillations of skin temperature in military personnel using thermography.

INTRODUCTION: The human body makes many physiological adjustments throughout the day, including adjustments to body temperature. The purpose of this study was to determine oscillations in the skin temperature (Tsk-1-Tsk-25) at 25 body regions of interest (ROIs) over 1 day using infrared thermography. METHODS: Tsk values of 31 male (age 22.9±3.0 years) Brazilian Air Force members were evaluated from five thermograms collected at 7, 11, 15, 19 and 23 h (Tsk7,11,15,19,23) by a Fluke imager. We applied one-way analysis of variance for repeated measures for the different times of the day and Tukey's post hoc test to determine significant Tsk differences between ROIs (α=0.05), and the cosinor analysis was used to determine the midline estimating statistic of rhythm, amplitude and acrophase of Tsk during the 24 h period. RESULTS: The anterior hands showed the greatest Tsk variations throughout the day. In the lower limbs, scapula, abdomen, chest and lower back, Tsk-11, Tsk-15, Tsk-19 and Tsk-23 were significantly different (p<0.05) from Tsk-7. The lowest Tsk values were obtained in the early morning, with increases in the afternoon and levelling after 15:00. CONCLUSIONS: The Tsk at all ROIs and the averaged Tsk showed oscillations throughout the day, with the lowest values in the early morning (07:00). Temperature fluctuations depended on the specific ROI, with thermal stabilisation in some regions in the afternoon and a central upward trend throughout the day in the hands.

Produtividade de vinagreira, pimenta rosa e carobinha cultivadas em sucessão a mucuna preta e feijão de porco / Productivity of roselle, Brazilian peppertree, and carobinha grown in succession to black velvet bean and jack bean

RESUMO O uso de adubos verdes e/ou de plantas de cobertura é uma técnica que vem sendo difundida para o cultivo de espécies medicinais, por garantir a sustentabilidade do solo agrícola, ser flexível em seu uso e por melhorar a atividade biológica do solo. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o uso de culturas de cobertura para incrementar a produção de massa de plantas de vinagreira, pimenta rosa e carobinha. Foram avaliadas duas espécies de leguminosas tropicais (mucuna preta e feijão de porco) como cobertura do solo e uma testemunha (sem cultura de cobertura) e três espécies medicinais (vinagreira, pimenta rosa e carobinha). O experimento foi arranjado em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, tendo nas parcelas as coberturas vegetais e nas subparcelas, as plantas medicinais. As plantas para a cobertura vegetal foram propagadas por semeadura direta no local de cultivo, enquanto as medicinais foram transplantadas diretamente entre a palhada da cobertura vegetal. A produção da mucuna preta foi de 8,37 t ha-1 de massa seca e do feijão de porco, de 14,37 t ha-1 de massa seca. O uso das culturas de cobertura contribuiu para uma maior biomassa microbiana do solo. As produções de massas frescas de folhas, caules e frutos de vinagreira e de frutos da pimenta rosa foram maiores quando cultivadas em sucessão às coberturas vegetais do solo, independente da espécie. As produções da carobinha foram semelhantes quando cultivadas em áreas com ou sem a cobertura. Visando à maior produtividade da vinagreira e pimenta rosa, são indicadas as culturas antecessoras feijão de porco e mucuna preta.

ABSTRACT The use of green manure and/or cover crops is a technique that has been widespread for the cultivation of medicinal species, since it ensures the sustainability of agricultural soil, is flexible in its use, and improves biological activity in the soil. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of cover crops to increase biomass production of roselle, Brazilian peppertree, and carobinha plants. Two species of tropical legumes (black velvet bean and jack bean) were evaluated as ground covers, and also assessed were one control plot (without cover crops) and three medicinal species (roselle, Brazilian peppertree, and carobinha). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design, where the plots had cover crops and the subplots contained the medicinal plants. The plants for the cover crop were propagated by direct sowing in the growing site, while the medicinal ones were transplanted directly between the cover crop. The dry mass production of the velvet beans and jack beans were 8.37 t ha-1 and 14.37 t, respectively. The use of cover crops contributed to the increased microbial biomass of the soil. The production of dry mass of leaves, stems, and fruits of roselle and fruits of Brazilian peppertree were higher when grown in succession to the crop cover for the soil, regardless of the species. The production of carobinha was similar when grown in areas with or without the cover. To increase the yield of roselle and Brazilian peppertree, preceding crops of jack bean and black velvet bean are recommended.

Effects of ageing and pharmacological hypothyroidism on pituitary-thyroid axis of Dutch-Miranda and Wistar rats.

To evaluate the ability of the aged rat pituitary to increase TSH secretion in response to major decreases in serum thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism was induced by methimazole in young and old, male and female, Dutch-Miranda and Wistar rats. Before MMI-treatment there were no differences in serum TSH of young and old rats, but serum T(4) was significantly decreased in aged rats from both genders and strains, while serum T(3) was significantly decreased in aged male rats from both strains, and in old Wistar females. MMI treatment significantly decreased serum T(4) and T(3) in all treated animals, and progressively increased serum TSH in both male and female rats, but the increase was significantly smaller in the elder rats. The pituitary TSH content was higher in Wistar than in Dutch-Miranda rats, of both genders, and was not significantly affected by age. MMI treatment decreased the pituitary TSH in both young and old Dutch-Miranda rats, but in the Wistar strain only the old females had a significant decrease. Our results show that the ability of the pituitary thyrotrophs to increase hormonal secretion in response to decreased levels of thyroid hormones is impaired in the old rat, even when the thyroid hormone levels are dramatically reduced.

Thyroid function and aging: gender-related differences.

The effects of aging on human or animal thyroid function are still not well defined. We evaluated some aspects of thyroid function during aging using an animal model (young and old Dutch-Miranda rats). In old rats of both genders, serum thyroxine (T4) decreased but serum thyrotrophin (TSH) remained unaltered, suggesting a disturbance in the pituitary-thyroid feedback mechanism during aging. Serum tri-iodothyronine (T3) only decreased in old males, possibly because female rats are almost twice as efficient in hepatic T4 to T3 deiodination. Thyroidal T4-5'-deiodinase activity did not change much during aging, although it decreased slightly in males. Thyroidal iodothyronine-deiodinase type I mRNA expression but not total thyroidal enzymatic activity were higher in female than in male rats. Thus, ovarian/testicular hormones may modulate the expression and/or the activity of hepatic and thyroidal type I iodothyronine-deiodinase. Thyroperoxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (Tg) expression were higher in young male rats than in females. In males, TPO and Tg gene expression decreased with aging, suggesting that androgens might increase their expression. Our results showed that aging induces real changes in rat thyroid gland function and regulation, affecting at least pituitary, thyroid and liver functions. Furthermore, some of these changes were gender related, indicating that gonadal hormones may modulate thyroid gland function and regulation.

[Comparative study of immunoenzyme tests ELISA-G and ELISA-M, indirect immunofluorescence, and complement fixation in the diagnosis of human cysticercosis]. / Estudo comparativo dos testes immunoenzimáticos ELISA-G e ELISA-M, imunofluorescência indireta e fixação do complemento no diagnóstico da cisticercose humana.

A comparative study of four immunological tests used for anti-Cysticercus antibodies detection--Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay IgG (ELISA-G) and IgM (ELISA-M), indirect immunofluorescence (RIFI) and complement fixation (RFC)--was made in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). 539 patients with symptoms suggesting cysticercosis, 450 relatives of these patients and 133 normal people (control group) were examined. 1122 serum samples and 120 CSF samples were analysed by ELISA-G and RIFI, 83 sera and 60 CSF also by RFC, and 28 CSF by ELISA-M. 5.2% serum samples were reagent in ELISA-G and RIFI, and 3.5% of them had discordant results. All control group sera were negative. The same tests in CSF were positive in 16.7% and had discordant results in 7.5%. ELISA-G and RIFI in serum and CSF had concordant results in 89.6% (17.7% were positive). ELISA-G, RIFI and RFC had concordant results in 54.2% sera (16.9% positives) and in 81.7% CSF (11.7% positives). When ELISA-G and RIFI were negative, RFC was positive in 41.0% sera and 11.7% CSF. ELISA-G and ELISA-M had concordant results in 78.6% CSF. When these results were discordant ELISA-G was positive in 10.7% and ELISA-M in another 10.7%. It is necessary to use concomitantly several immunological tests for anti-Cysticercus antibodies detection in serum and in CSF, in attempting to reach correct diagnosis.