Supplementation strategies for ewes during gestation and lactation.

Concentrated supplementation of ewes is a strategy to increase productivity. The objective was to evaluate the effects of supplementation in the diet of ewes before, during and in the final third of pregnancy and lactation on, the performance and production and composition of colostrum and milk. Forty animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, into the following treatments: CONT = control treatment with mineral salt supplementation only, SSREPRO = supplementation started 20 days before the estrus synchronization (ES) protocol, SSPREG = suplementação a partir da confirmação da gestação (60 days after ES), and SEPREG = supplementation in the third end of pregnancy (90 days after ES). Supplementation adoption changed (P < 0.05) the intake of organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, the percentage of total digestible nutrients, and digestibility of dry matter, acid detergent fiber, non-fiber carbohydrates, and ether extract with their respective intake, in addition to colostrum and milk production and composition and animal performance. No difference (P > 0.05) was observed for organic matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber digestibility and total digestible nutrient intake. Thus, supplementation in the final third of pregnancy may result in heavier lambs at weaning, reduction in slaughter time.

Maternal depression and anxiety predicts the pattern of offspring symptoms during their transition to adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Episodes of depression and anxiety (D&A) during the transition from late adolescence to adulthood, particularly when persistent, are predictive of long-term disorders and associated public health burden. Understanding risk factors at this time is important to guide intervention. The current objective was to investigate the associations between maternal symptoms of D&A with offspring symptoms during their transition to adulthood. METHOD: Data from a large population-based birth cohort study, in South Brazil, were used. Prospective associations between maternal D&A and offspring risk of these symptoms during the transition to adulthood (18/19, 24 and 30 years) were estimated. RESULTS: Maternal D&A in adolescence was associated with offspring symptoms across the transition to adulthood, associations were consistently stronger for females than for males. Daughters whose mothers reported D&A were 4.6 times (95% confidence interval 2.71-7.84) as likely to report D&A at all three time-points, than daughters of symptom-free mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal D&A is associated with persistent D&A during the daughter's transition to adulthood. Intervention strategies should consider the mother's mental health.

Lipid analysis in Haematococcuspluvialis to assess its potential use as a biodiesel feedstock.

The lipid content and composition of Haematococcuspluvialis exposed to stress conditions were analyzed to assess the potential of this microalga as a biodiesel feedstock. The total lipid content of control cells was 15.61% dw, whereas that of cells exposed to continuous high light intensity with nitrogen-sufficient medium (A-stress condition) or under continuous high light intensity with nitrogen-deprivation medium (B-stress condition) was 34.85% dw and 32.99% dw, respectively. The fatty acid profile was similar under all conditions and indicated that the main components were palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and linolelaidic acids. The neutral lipid fraction increased about 2-fold under both stress conditions. The percentage of saturated fatty acids in the neutral lipid fraction was 30.36% and 29.62% in cultures grown under A-stress and B-stress, respectively, and 27.81% under control conditions. The monounsaturated fatty acid content was not significantly different in control and A-stress cultures (20.07% and 19.91%, respectively), but was 18.96% under B-stress. The content of polyunsaturated fatty acids was 47.23% under B-stress and 43.15% under A-stress. Growth-rate was higher under A-stress compared to B-stress. This is the first study of H.pluvialis that provides a detailed characterization of its lipid content in relation to bioenergy. The results indicate the potential of this microalga as a biodiesel feedstock; however, culture conditions still have to be improved in order to achieve an adequate energy balance in mass culture.

Infección por Helicobacter pylori: Asociación a Patologías gástricas y Métodos de diagnóstico / Infection by Helicobacter pylori: Association to `gastric` Pathologies and Methods of diagnosis

La infección por helicobacter pylori está distribuida a nivel mundial, la prevalencia es del 50%. Esta infección está asociada a enfermedades como las gastritis, úlceras, cancer gástrico y linfoma de MALT. El objetivo es describir la relación existente entre enfermedad e infección por helicobacter pylori.

Actividad anti-helicobacter pylori de Plantago major, Clinopodium bolivianum, Caléndula officinalis y Piper angustifolium por el método de difusión de disco / Activity anti-Helicobacter pylori of Plantago major, Clinopodium bolivianum, Calendula officinalis and Piper angustifolium by the method of dissemination of disk

Helicobacter pylori es una bacteria asociada a patologías gástricas como gastritis, ulceras, cancer y linfoma de MALT. De acuerdo a estudios realizados en la ciudad de La Paz-Bolivia aproximadamente el 50% de la población esta infectada por esta bacteria.

Involvement of heterotrimeric G proteins in phagocytosis and recycling from the phagosomal compartment.

Phagocytosis is a receptor-mediated process by which specialized cell types engulf large extracellular particles. Phagosome maturation involves a series of intracellular membrane fusion and budding events resulting in the delivery of particles to compartments enriched in lysosomal hydrolases where they are digested. Substantial amounts of plasma membrane and many phagosomal proteins, such as receptors, rapidly recycle to the plasma membrane following phagosome formation. Despite the importance of this recycling pathway in phagosome maturation and in the retrieval of immunogenic peptides from phagosomes, the molecular machinery involved is largely unknown. To assess the participation of GTPases in phagocytosis and recycling from phagosomes we used aluminum fluoride (AIF(-)(4)), which activates the GDP-bound form of stimulatory and inhibitory trimeric G proteins. AlF(-)(4) inhibited both the uptake to and the recycling from the phagosomal compartment. Cholera toxin, which activates Galphas, and pertussis toxin, which uncouples Gi and Go from receptors, were effective inhibitors of phagocytosis. However, both toxins stimulated recycling from phagosomes. These results suggest that more than one GTP-binding protein participates either directly or indirectly not only in phagocytosis, but also in maturation and recycling from phagosomes, and thereby assign a role for heterotrimeric G proteins in controlling traffic through the phagocytic pathway.

Cardiovascular kinin-generating capability in hypertensive fructose-fed rats.

OBJECTIVE: The hypertensive state is often associated with metabolic abnormalities, including glucose intolerance. Tissue kallikrein, a potent kinin-generating enzyme, is present in the vascular wall and heart tissue. High dietary fructose consumption is reported to induce hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension. The objective of the present study was to examine the status of kallikrein in vascular and cardiac tissue from highly fructose-fed rats and to delineate the effect of kinins and the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril in this animal model of glucose intolerance. DESIGN AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats (350 g body weight) were divided into four groups of 10 rats each: (1) controls; (2) oral ramipril at 500 microg/kg per day for the last 2 study weeks; (3) fructose in drinking water as a 10% (w/v) solution for 4 weeks; and (4) fructose + ramipril, with fructose administered as in group 3 plus the administration of ramipril for the last 2 study weeks. Systolic blood pressure (tail-cuff method), glucose tolerance (2 g/kg body weight intraperitoneally) and metabolic parameters were recorded. Kallikrein activity in tail artery and heart tissue homogenates was estimated at the end of the 4th study week from measurements of kininogenase activity and kinins generated by a radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The area under the curve for the glucose tolerance test increased from 1265 +/- 103 mmol/l after 120 min in the control and 1152 +/- 36 mmol/l in the ramipril group (NS) to 2628 +/- 143 mmol/l in the fructose group (P<0.01). The administration of ramipril to fructose-treated rats in group 4 improved glucose tolerance (2160 +/- 100 mmol/l; P<0.05 versus group 3). Blood pressure increased significantly in fructose-fed rats but fell markedly in fructose-fed rats treated with ramipril (P<0.01). Kallikrein activity measured in the heart and vessels increased as a consequence of fructose administration (P<0.05), but the administration of ramipril increased this parameter to a much greater extent (P<0.01 versus control group), which correlated closely with the decrease in blood pressure and the improvement in glucose tolerance observed in the fructose + ramipril group. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of fructose as a solution in the drinking water induced glucose intolerance and increased blood pressure. Treatment with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril improved glucose tolerance and significantly diminished blood pressure. Cardiovascular kinin-generating capability increased in treated animals and this increase was even higher when rats were treated with ramipril, suggesting that kinins, acting as a paracrine hormonal system, can exert cardiovascular protection and contribute to the beneficial effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.

Physicians' prescribing behaviour for diarrhoea in children: an ethnoepidemiological study in Southern Brazil.

With the aim of implementing an intervention program on physician's prescribing behaviour for diarrhoea in children under five, an ethnoepidemiological study was conducted in Pelotas (Brazil), from February to April 1993. Information on prescription of drugs was obtained through record review of 381 cases of diarrhoea provided by 33 medical doctors from eight health centres. Trained field workers observed a total of 54 clinical consultations due to diarrhoea. Brief exit interviews with the mothers were performed just after the observations. Twenty-seven open-ended home interviews were made with the mothers the day after they had been observed. After all observations had been completed, open-ended interviews were conducted with 21 physicians. The results showed that there is a misunderstanding of the role of ORS in the treatment of diarrhoea: mothers want something to "cut" diarrhoea and they notice that ORS does not act in this way and doctors do not explain the action of ORS in diarrhoea management. Comparing with record reviews, during observations a child had a lower probability of receiving an antibiotic or antidiarrheal drug prescription. This finding indicates that other variables than technical skills are involved in doctor's prescribing behaviour. A lack of ability or of motivation to deal with "anxious or difficult mothers" led some doctors to enhance antibiotic or other non-recommended drugs to manage diarrhoea. Therefore, efforts to improve the quality of case management of diarrhoea, through intervention programmes in the government health sector, are needed in Pelotas.

Possible protective effects of kinins and converting enzyme inhibitors in cardiovascular tissues.

The main objective of this study was to determine if the components of the kallikrein-kinin system are released into the venous effluent from isolated perfused rat hearts. To assess the contribution of kinins and the vascular and cardioprotective effects of the ACE inhibitor ramipril, we determined the status of cardiac kallikrein (CKK), potent kinin-generating enzyme, in rats with right ventricular hypertrophy induced by chronic volume overload and left ventricular hypertrophy by aortic banding. CKK was measured as previously described (Nolly, H.L., Carbini, L., Carretero, O.A., Scicli, A.G., 1994). Kininogen by a modification of the technique of Dinitz and Carvalho (1963) and kinins were extracted with a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge and measured by RIA. CKK (169 +/- 9 pg Bk/30 min), kininogen (670 +/- 45 pg Bk/30 min) and immunoreactive kinins (62 +/- 10 pg Bk/30 min) were released into the perfusate. The release was almost constant over a 120 min period. Pretreatment with the protein synthesis inhibitor puromycin (10 mg i.p.) lowered the release of kallikrein (42 +/- 12 pg Bk/30 min, p < 0.001) and kininogen (128 +/- 56 pg Bk/30 min, p < 0.001). Addition of ramiprilat (10 micrograms/ml) increased kinin release from 54 +/- 18 to 204 +/- 76 pg Bk/30 min (p < 0.001). Aortic banding of rats increased their blood pressure (BP) (p < 0.001), relative heart weight (RHW) (p < 0.001) and CKK (p < 0.001). Ramipril treatment induced a reduction in BP (p < 0.05) and RHW (p < 0.005) while CKK remained elevated. Aortocaval shunts increased their ANF plasma levels (p < 0.05), RHW (p < 0.001) and CKK (p < 0.01). Ramipril treatment induced a reduction in RHW (p < 0.05), while CKK and ANF increased significantly (p < 0.05). The present data show that the components of the kallikrein-kinin system are continuously formed in the isolated rat heart and that ramipril reduces bradykinin breakdown with subsequent increase in bradykinin outflow. The experiments with aorta caval shunt and aortic banding show that cardiac tissues increase their kinin-generating activity and this was even higher in ramipril-treated animals. This may suggest that the actual level of kinins is finely tuned to the local metabolic demands. In this experimental model of cardiac hypertrophy. ACE inhibitors potentiate the actions of kinins and probably try to normalise endothelial cell function.

Vascular-derived kinins and local control of vascular tone.

The vascular wall itself, through a complex interplay of endocrine, neurocrine and autoparacrine mechanisms, plays an active role in vascular homeostasis. The endothelial cell senses humoral and hemodynamic changes and responds by secreting a variety of metabolically active substances that act locally causing either vasodilatation or vasoconstriction. Kallikrein (KK) and the mRNA for KK are present in arteries and veins. Vascular KK releases kinins from kininogen which circulate in plasma and is also present in vascular tissue. Vascular-derived kinins induce vasodilatation through the release of endothelial compounds (prostacyclin, EDRFs and cytochrome P-450). Disturbance in the delicate balance between vasodilators and vasoconstrictors may play a role in the development of hypertension. Vascular kallikrein (VKK) was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated after 2 weeks of development of renovascular and mineralocorticoid hypertension, and blood pressure was only slightly elevated. However, VKK decreased in both experimental models when blood pressure was increased. It is possible that the increase in VKK in the early stages resulted in increased local vasodilatory activity, thus counteracting the rise in blood pressure. As hypertension developed, KK was significantly decreased in arteries. The decrease in arterial KK during established hypertension is most likely secondary to high blood pressure. When the endothelium is damaged by high blood pressure, diabetes, excessive LDL cholesterol or cigarette smoking, a net imbalance favoring vasoconstriction, proliferation and migration of cells and increased lipid deposition predisposes to specific vascular diseases. Converting enzyme inhibitors (CEI) blunt the proliferative response of vascular smooth muscle cells after endothelial injury. The cardiovascular protective effects of CEI are mediated in part by the antihypertrophic, antihyperplastic and antithrombotic effects of kinins. The vascular kallikrein-kinin system has a promising role in the regulation of vascular homeostasis and some of the CEI effects may be explained by potentiation of the vascular-derived kinins.

Vascular-derived kinins and local control of vascular tone

The vascular itself, through a complex interplay of endocrine, neurocrine and autoparacrine mechanisms, plays an active role in vascular homeostasis. The endothelial cell senses humoral and hemodynamic changes and respondes by secreting a variety of metabolically active substances that act locally causing either vasodilatation or vasoconstriction. Kallikrein (KK) and the nRNA for KK are present in arteries and veins. Vascular KK releases Kinins from kininogen which circulate in plasma and is also present in vascular tissue. Vascular-derived kinins induce vasodilatation through the release of endothelial compounds ( prostacyclin, EDRFs and cytochrome P-450). Disturbance in the delicate balance between vasodilators and vasoconstrictiors may play a role in the development of hypertension. Vascular kallikrein (VKK) was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated after 2 weeks of development of renovascular and mineralocorticoid hypertension, and blood pressure was only slightly elevated. However, VKK decreased in both experimental models when blood pressure was incresed. It is possible that the increase in VKK in the early stages resulted in incresead local vasodilatory activity, thus counteracting the rise in blood pressure. As hypertension developed, KK was significantly decreased in arteries. The decrease in arterial KK during established hypertension is most likely secondary to high blood pressure....