Agnus is a Czech hybrid hop cultivar and a statistically significant influence of depth and term of pruning on harvested hop cones yield and on alpha-bitter acids content in hop cones were found in this study. Evaluated agrotechnical measures, i.e. depth of pruning, term of pruning and number of trained bines, considerably influenced performance and quality of newly grown hop genotype. Every year, we found a positive influence of shallow pruning on yield (increase of dry hop cones yield in 2003 by 0.37 t/ha, in 2004 by 0.28 t/ha and in 2005 by 0.02 t/ha). The hop yield of plants treated with shallow pruning increased on average by 11.6% in three years. We proved a statistically significant influence of three-bines training system on one hop pole, i.e. 3 + 3 bines from each plant. We found that alpha-bitter acids content corresponds with cones yield and indicates a convenience of shallow pruning. Pruning term influenced alpha-bitter acids yield and dynamics of their formation (in the first pruning term yield it was 155 kg/ha, in the second pruning term it was 169 kg/ha, and in the third pruning term it was 175 kg/ha).

The ionization energy of one-electron ions can be calculated from a well-known equation that is based on quantum mechanics and on the Bohr model, but no theoretically justified equation is available for the calculation of the ionization energies of multi-electron ions. I report here simple empirical relationships between the ionization energies of one-, two- and three-electron ions of elements whose atomic numbers are Z, Z + 1 and Z + 2. On the basis of these relationships, an equation was constructed for the calculation of the ionization energies of two- and three-electron ions (IE₂el(Z) and IE₃el(Z), respectively) as a function of Z only: where N = the number of electrons, i.e. 2 or 3. For N = 3, this equation is only valid when Z > N, being inaccurate for the neutral Li atom. Graphs of the difference between calculated and experimental values of the ionization energies as a function of Z reveal inaccurate experimental results that are impossible to detect by inspection of the ionization energy itself. On the basis of the present results, more accurate values can be predicted for these ionization energies. A striking example is the inaccuracy of the traditional handbook value of IE₃el(Fe).

The Odontophrynus americanus species complex is widely distributed in South America and is formed of diploid and tetraploid cryptic species. We studied the meiotic prophase stages of two allopatric tetraploid population groups from southeastern and northwestern Argentina. These two allopatric population groups showed a bouquet polarization in zigotene and pachytene, and in the latter stage a complete synapsis of quadrivalents and bivalents. In diakinesis, the frequencies of the different elements per cell were recorded and compared with two theoretical distributions for an autotetraploid organism. Both model tests showed the same overall results. The frequency of quadrivalents did not depart significantly from the models in southeastern populations, and must be considered autotetraploid of recent origin. However, northwestern populations have a significantly reduced number of multivalents, which can be explained by diploidization or allotetraploidy. The reduction of quadrivalents is relatively low when compared with one of the models. Additionally, different chiasmatic frequencies were observed between bivalents and quadrivalents in both population groups. The presence of extra chromosomes detected in southeastern populations and the mitotic and meiotic irregularities reported from other populations, not observed in the present study, account for a high cytological variability between populations of the tetraploid frog Odontophrynus americanus, which can be ascribed to polyploidy. | Fil: Lanzone, Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina | Fil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina | Fil: Rosset, Sergio Daniel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina

Worldwide dietary data for nutrition monitoring and surveillance are commonly derived from food balance sheets (FBS) and household budgetsurveys (HBS).We have compared food supply from FBS and food availability data from HBS among eighteen European countries and have estimatedthe extent to which they correlate, focusing on food groups which are comparably captured by FBS and HBS and for which there is epidemiological evidencethat they can have a noticeable impact on population mortality. Spearman's correlation coefficient wasþ0·78 (P,1023) for vegetables (includinglegumes), þ 0·76 (P,1023) for fruits,þ0·69 (P,1023) for fish and seafood andþ0·93 (P,1023) for olive oil.With respect to meat andmeat products,the coefficient was lower at þ0·39 (P¼0·08). Moreover, we have examined whether the supply (FBS) or the availability (HBS) of food groups knownor presumed to have beneficial effect on the occurrence of CHD and total cancer can predict overall, coronary and cancer mortality in ecologicalanalyses. After controlling for purchasing power parity-adjusted gross domestic product and tobacco smoking we found that for vegetables, fruits, fishand seafood, as well as for olive oil, both the FBS and the HBS estimates were inversely associated with all three indicators of mortality, althoughthe number of countries with complete information on all study variables hindered formal statistical documentation (P.0·05 in some instances).FBS and HBS have their own strengths and weaknesses, but they may complement each other in dietary assessments at the population level.

Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of mortality in individuals aged 1-44 years, and brain injury significantly contributes to the outcome in nearly one half of all deaths from trauma. At the intestinal level, traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces profound effects, including gastrointestinal mucosa ischaemia and motility dysfunction. However, nothing is known concerning the effect of TBI on the intestinal absorption of glucose. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TBI on the intestinal absorption of glucose by investigating the effect of TBI on the jejunal mucosal-to-serosal apparent permeability (AP-to-BL P(app)) to two glucose model substrates, (3)H-2-deoxy-D-glucose ((3)H-DG) and (3)H-3-O-methyl-D-glucose ((3)H-OMG), and to (14)C-sorbitol. Additionally, we tested if gadopentetate dimeglumine administration could prevent any of the changes observed after TBI. Traumatic brain injury induced an increase in the AP-to-BL P(app) to (3)H-DG. After a 100-min. perfusion of the jejunum, the AP-to-BL P(app) to (3)H-DG in TBI rats was almost 70% higher than in the control rats. There was no change, however, in the AP-to-BL P(app) to neither (3)H-OMG nor (14)C-sorbitol. Interestingly enough, gadopentetate dimeglumine was able to prevent the increase in the AP-to-BL P(app) to (3)H-DG observed after TBI. Given the differences in transport characteristics between (3)H-DG and (3)H-OMG, our results point to the possibility of the Na(+)-independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) being activated by TBI (as the P(app) to (3)H-DG, a GLUT2 substrate, was increased) and the Na(+)-dependent glucose co-transporter (SGLT1) being inhibited by TBI (as the P(app) to (3)H-OMG, a GLUT2 and SGLT1 substrate, remained unchanged). Moreover, gadopentetate dimeglumine prevented these changes associated with TBI.

Contém um relatório de estágio curricular realizado no Serviço de Endocrinologia do Hospital S.João, Porto, no âmbito da licenciatura em Ciências da Nutrição pela Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto. O exemplar do relatório de estágio existe apenas em formato papel e está disponível para consulta na Biblioteca da FCNAUP | Tese de licenciatura em Ciências da Nutrição apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto | Resumo da tese: Introdução: A obesidade é vista actualmente como um problema de saúde pública, sendo considerada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) como a doença do século XXI. A definição de sucesso no tratamento da obesidade tem-se revelado um assunto de extrema importância devido à melhoria das doenças associadas mesmo com perdas reduzidas de peso. Perdas de peso na ordem dos 10% em seis meses de tratamento, são hoje consensualmente aceites como um sucesso na terapia da obesidade. O seu tratamento envolve várias abordagens, no entanto, os doentes que não respondem às manobras terapêuticas convencionais necessitam de uma intervenção mais eficaz. Neste contexto a cirurgia bariátrica é aceite, actualmente, como uma ferramenta, que se bem orientada, é eficaz no tratamento da obesidade mórbida. Objectivos: Caracterização e avaliação da evolução ponderal de uma amostra de doentes obesos seguidos na Consulta Externa de Nutrição do Hospital de S.João. Metodologia: Análise retrospectiva dos processos clínicos. Foram analisados todos os processos de Outubro de 2007 a Abril de 2008, nos quais o diagnóstico de obesidade estava presente, tendo sido admitidos todos os indivíduos de ambos os sexos com Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) 30,0 kg/m2 e com idade 18 anos, completados até à data da primeira consulta. Foram registadas variáveis bio-demográficas e antropométricas. A análise estatística efectuada consistiu no cálculo da média e desvio padrão (m±dp) para variáveis cardinais e da frequência para variáveis nominais. Foram utilizados os coeficientes de assimetria e achatamento para verificar a normalidade das distribuições das variáveis cardinais. Para a comparação de variáveis cardinais entre grupos, foi feita a análise da variância (ANOVA) sendo usado o teste t-student com correcção de Bonferroni para comparar pares de grupos. (...) | Thesis abstract: Background: Obesity is nowadays one of the major public health problems, being considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the XXI century disease. The definition of success on obesity’s treatment has been a subject of extreme importance, due to improvement of the related medical problems even with reduced weight losses. Weight loss of at least 10% in six months of treatment, is nowadays considered as a success in the obesity theraphy. It’s treatment involves several approaches, however, patients who do not response to conventional treatment, need a more efficient intervention. In this context bariatric surgery is currently accepted, if properly oriented, as one efficient tool in the treatment of morbid obese patients. Purpose: Weight evolution characterization and evaluation of a sample of obese patients followed at the Outpatients Clinic of Nutrition at S. João Hospital. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the medical records. There were analyzed all medical records between October 2007 to April 2008 in which obesity diagnosis were present, having been included all individuals of both gender with a Body Mass Index (BMI) 30,0 kg/m2 and age 18 years, completed before the first appointment date. We registered bio-demographic and anthropometrics variables. The statistical analysis consisted on the calculation of mean and standard deviation (m±dp) for scale variables, and frequency for nominal variables. We used the Skewness and Kurtosis to evaluate the normality of the distributions of the cardinal variables. To compare means of cardinal variables between groups we made the variance analysis (ANOVA), being used the t-student test with Bonferroni to compare post hoc pairs of groups. (...)

A key factor limiting the success of Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) is oocyte and embryo quality, usually assessed by their morphologic appearance. Due to the subjectivity and inaccuracy of such criteria, other predictors of oocyte and embryo quality would be welcome. Cumulus oophorus (c.o.) cells are eligible as oocyte quality predictors, due to their direct contact with it. In addition, ART success was also related to oxidative stress, whose effects in the porcine and bovine oocytes may be prevented by the presence of c.o. cells. Yet, it is unknown if a similar effect exists in humans due to the scarcity of studies employing human c.o. cells. (c) 2008 Microscopy Society of America.

A endotelina (ET)-1 foi identificada em 1988 como sendo um peptídeo vasoconstrictor produzido pelo endotélio vascular. Sabe-se, actualmente, que a nível cardiovascular a ET-1 pode ser sintetizada não só pelo endotélio (vascular e endocárdico), mas também por células miocárdicas. A activação dos receptores da ET-1 modula uma grande variedade de processos biológicos incluindo o tono e crescimento vasculares, bem como, a função contráctil miocárdica. Nos mamíferos, os seus efeitos são mediados por dois tipos de receptores, ETA e ETB. Os receptores ETA promovem vasoconstrição, aumento do inotropismo e mitogénese. Por outro lado, os receptores ETB induzem geralmente vasodilatação (mediada pela libertação do óxido nítrico e de prostaciclinas), inibição do crescimento e proliferação celular e depuração pulmonar da ET-1 circulante. É possível ainda subdividir os receptores ETBB em: ETB1 de localização endotelial e promotores de vasodilatação e efeitos inotrópicos negativos, e em ETB2 de localização muscular e promotores de vasoconstrição e efeitos inotrópicos positivos. Vários estudos têm descrito elevados níveis plasmáticos e tecidulares cardíacos de ET-1 na insuficiência cardíaca (IC) e fortes correlações positivas entre os níveis de ET-1, o desenvolvimento de disfunção cardíaca e severidade da IC. Este aspecto fez com que o antagonismo das acções da ET-1 se tornasse num alvo atraente sob o ponto de vista terapêutico, tendo resultado na procura incessante de antagonistas da ET (antagonistas dos receptores e inibidores das enzimas de conversão) pela indústria farmacêutica. O presente artigo constitui uma revisão acerca dos efeitos miocárdicos da ET-1 e dos mecanismos que lhes estão subjacentes. | Endothelin (ET)-1 was originally identified in 1988 as a vasoconstrictor peptide produced by vascular endothelial cells. It is now known that ET-1 can be produced by vascular and endocardial endothelium and by myocardial cells. Activation of endothelin receptors modulates a wide variety of biological processes including vascular tone, growth and myocardial contractile function. In mammals, ET-1's effects are mediated through binding to two types of receptors, ET(A) and ET(B). ET(A) receptor activation elicits vasoconstriction, positive inotropism and mitogenesis, and acutely increases myocardial distensibility. ET(B) receptor stimulation generally promotes vasodilatation, mediated by release of nitric oxide and prostacyclins, growth-inhibitory effects and clearance of ET-1 from the circulation. ET(B) receptors can be further subdivided into ET(B1), located in endothelial cells and responsible for vasodilatation and negative inotropic effects, and ET(B2), located in smooth muscle and myocardial cells and responsible for vasoconstriction and positive inotropic effects. Increased levels of cardiac and circulating ET-1 have been linked to development of cardiac dysfunction and severity of heart failure. This has fueled research into the development of endothelin antagonists (ET receptor and converting enzyme inhibitors) in view of the potential benefits that might derive from their use in clinical practice. The present review will focus on current understanding of the mechanisms mediating the myocardial actions of ET-1.