AN Group Research Articles

Redundancy effect on retention of vocabulary words using multimedia presentation

This study was designed to examine the effect of the redundancy principle in a multimediapresentation constructed for foreign language vocabulary learning on undergraduate students’retention. During the experiment, students received a multimedia presentation on Turkishvocabulary and answered questions on retention test. Some students received animation, con-current narration and concurrent text (ANT group); other students received only animation andconcurrent narration (AN group). According to the

P02.153. Effectiveness of biofield therapy for patients with sickle cell disease in Africa

Purpose Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Africa have a high risk of premature death, mainly due to insufficient medical services. Some SCD patients in the first author’s clinic experienced symptomatic improvement after administration of biofield therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of biofield therapy for SCD patients over a 4-year period. Methods We adopted Okada Purifying Therapy (OPT) as an intervention in this study. We formed ag roup of 20 SCD patients aged 3-36 years (OPT group), and a control group (n=20) of a matching age/gender profile from regular patients at the clinic. OPT was administered by certified practitioners approved by MOA International Corporation (http://www.moainternational.or.jp/) every weekday for one year. We examined participating patients’ blood tests at the beginning and end of the 1-year period and ran a follow-up survey after 4 years. Results During the 1-year study period, the OPT group showed a significant improvement in the blood data: hemoglobin [median value from 6.3g/dl (25-75 percentile: 6.1-7.2) to 10.1g/dl (9.4-11.1), p<0.001], total bilirubin [from 9.3mg/dl (6.5-9.4) to 3.2mg/dl (2.2-4.1), p<0.001], and creatinine [from 1.1mg/dl (0.9-1.7) to 0.7mg/dl (0.6-0.8), p<0.001]. The control group had less improvement in hemoglobin [from 6.3g/dl (6.0-7.0) to 7.1g/dl (6.4-7.9), p=0.015] and total bilirubin [from 9.1mg/dl (6.8-9.3) to 6.8mg/dl (6.27.6), p=0.004] than the OPT group (p<0.001); creatinine increased from 0.9mg/dl (0.8-1.1) to 1.2mg/dl (1.0-1.5) (p<0.001). Three patients in the OPT group and all of the control group needed hospitalization once or more

RESTING PLASMA AgRP LEVELS RESPONSE TO EXERCISE-CONJUGATED DIET AND ONLY DIET IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SEDENTARY FEMALES

Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) is an orexigenic neuropeptide produced mainly in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus, which leads to positive energy balance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the resting plasma AgRP levels' response to exercise-conjugated diet and only diet in overweight and obese sedentary female college students. Thirty subjects were randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group. Experimental group 1 experienced 12 days of researchers' proposed diet (D), experimental group 2 experienced 12 days of researchers' proposed diet (every day) with 12-day running training (the intensity was 60 to 70% heart rate maximum for 50 minutes) every other day (AED) and the control group remained sedentary with a normal diet in this period. Blood samples were collected 24 hours before and after the enforced protocol. Body fat percentage (BF%) of subjects was measured using the 3-point method. Plasma AgRP levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The data were analysed by Leven, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post-hoc test. At the end of the protocols, the resting plasma AgRP in the D group increased significantly (p 0.05). Body weight and BMI were significantly reduced for both experimental groups (P<0.001). Body fat percentage in the AED group was decreased (p<0.001) and no change was observed in the D group. The present results indicate that the AED is better than the D protocol because it leads to stability of AgRP, which may prevent lipogenesis and ultimately reduce body fat percentage.

Influence of genetic type and level of concentrate in the finishing diet on carcass and meat quality traits in beef heifers

Carcass and meat quality traits of thirty-six feedlot beef heifers from different genetic groups (GG) fed at two concentrate levels (CL) were evaluated using 12 - Nellore (NE), 12 - ½Angus x ½Nellore (AN) and 12 - ½Simmental x ½Nellore (SN) animals. Six heifers of each GG were randomly assigned into one of two treatments: concentrate at 0.8% or 1.2% of body weight (BW). Heifers fed concentrate at 0.8% of BW had greater (P<0.05) dressing percentage. None of the proximate analysis components of the beef were affected (P>0.05) by either CL or GG. Heifers from the AN group had higher (P<0.05) carcass weights, 12th rib fat thickness and lower dressing percentage (P<0.05) compared to the other groups. NE heifers had greater WBSF values (P<0.05) than the other genetic groups. Data suggest that the concentrate level can be reduced without compromising meat quality traits.

Fertility and prenatal attitudes towards pregnancy in women with eating disorders: results from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

To study the effects of eating disorders (EDs) on fertility and attitudes to pregnancy. A longitudinal prospective birth cohort. Avon area, UK. A cohort of 14,663 women who enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Singleton and live births were included across four groups of women: lifetime anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 171); lifetime bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 199), lifetime anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (AN + BN; n = 82); and the general population (n = 10,636). Fertility problems, conception time and attitudes to pregnancy were investigated in women with AN, BN and AN + BN, compared with the remaining sample (general population). Having seen a doctor for fertility problems, time taken to conceive (>12 months, and >6 months), unplanned pregnancies, and attitudes to pregnancy at 12 and 18 weeks of gestation. Women with AN (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.5; P < 0.021) and women with AN + BN (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.4; P < 0.020) were more likely to have seen a doctor for lifetime fertility problems, and women with AN + BN were also more likely to take longer than 6 months to conceive (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0-3.5; P < 0.04), and to have conceived the current pregnancy with fertility treatment. Unplanned pregnancies were more common in the AN group compared with the general population. All ED groups more frequently experienced negative feelings upon discovering their pregnancy, which remained higher in the AN + BN group at 18 weeks of gestation. Lifetime EDs are associated with fertility problems, unplanned pregnancies and negative attitudes to pregnancy. Health professionals should be aware of EDs when assessing fertility and providing treatment for this.

The effect of inorganic and organically bound forms of selenium on glutathione peroxidase activity in the blood of goats

The goal of the experiment was to compare the effect of supplementation of inorganic and the new organically bound (lactate-protein selenium complex) form of selenium (Se) in feed for goats. The 31 goats were split into three groups: control (C) without Se supplementation, AN group administered sodium selenite, ORG group administered lactate-protein selenium complex (Selene Chelate, Agrobac, Czech Republic) produced by cultivation of Lactobacillus acidophilus on a substrate containing natrium selenite. The total Se intake in goats was 0.15 mg in group C, and 0.43 mg in the groups AN and ORG. The effect of Se supplementation was assessed based on the determination of Se concentration and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in whole blood. Samples were taken before the beginning of Se supplementation, 14 and 30 days after the start of supplementation, and then two and three months after the beginning of supplementation. Average Se concentrations in the blood of goats in individual groups (C, AN, ORG) before the start of supplementation were 109.6 &amp;plusmn; 34.3, 117.5 &amp;plusmn; 34.7, and 105.4 &amp;plusmn; 43.6 &amp;mu;g/l respectively, and the activity of GSH-Px in whole blood was 745.3 &amp;plusmn; 289.2, 810.7 &amp;plusmn; 280.4, and 791.0 &amp;plusmn; 398.1 &amp;mu;kat/l respectively. While in group C goats neither the Se concentration nor the GSH-Px activity changed substantially during the experiment, in the goats in the experimental groups there was a statistically significant increase (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in both Se concentrations and the GSH-Px activities. At the end of the experiment Se concentrations in the blood of AN and ORG groups amounted to 168.5 &amp;plusmn; 12.2 and 168.8 &amp;plusmn; 26.8 &amp;mu;g/l. The GSH-Px activities in goats supplemented with Se also increased significantly over the course of the experiment (at the end of the experiment it was 1178.0 &amp;plusmn; 127.3 in the AN group and 1030.1 &amp;plusmn; 152.3 &amp;mu;kat/l in the ORG group), and the difference between the groups was significant (P = 0.038). Regarding the dynamics of GSH-Px activity changes during the monitored period, a markedly quicker increase in GSH-Px activity was recorded in the AN group &amp;ndash; one month after the beginning of Se supplementation, compared to three months after the beginning of Se supplementation in the ORG group. The results thus show that the effects of supplementation with selenite and the lactate-protein selenium complex are similar with regard to Se status, but that the increase in GSH-Px activity occurred much faster with selenite, which therefore appears to be a more biologically available form of selenium for creation of biologically active selenoproteins.

The efficacy of paravertebral block using a catheter technique for postoperative analgesia in thoracoscopic surgery: a randomized trial☆

The analgesic scheme combining paravertebral block (PVB) and intravenous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) has proven to be effective for postoperative pain control after thoracotomy. The hypothesis tested in this study was that this policy was also suitable to improve pain control after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). This was a prospective randomized study on 40 patients submitted to three-ports' VATS for pneumothorax or solitary pulmonary nodule. The sample size was calculated to detect one point of minimum pain score difference with 80% statistical power. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: (1) paravertebral block group (PVB) (n=20) - At the end of surgery, a catheter was placed in patients in the thoracic paravertebral space under camera control; they received a bolus of 15 ml of local anesthetic (ropivacaine 0.2%) every 6h, combined with endovenous metamizol (1g); and (2) alternate NSAIDs group (AN) (n=20) - They were treated with paracetamol (1g) combined with metamizol (1g) every 6h. Subcutaneous meperidine (synthetic opioid) was employed as rescue drug. Both groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, pathology, and co-morbidity. Pain level was measured with the visual analog scale (VAS) at 1, 6, 24, and 48 h. No side effects related to any of the two analgesic techniques were noted. Two patients needed rescue meperidine in the AN group, and none in the PVB group. VAS scores were the following: PVB group, VAS 1h: 1.4±0.8, VAS 6h: 3.4±1.2, VAS 24h: 2.6±1.0, VAS 48 h: 2.2±0.9, and mean VAS: 2.4±1.3; AN group, VAS 1h: 2.8±1.0, VAS 6h: 4.9±1.3, VAS 24h: 3.9±1.4, VAS 48 h: 3.3±1.0, and mean VAS: 3.8±1.4. VAS scores were significantly lower at any time in the PVB patients (p<0.01). The analgesic regimen combining PVB and NSAID provided an excellent level of pain control. Thoracoscopy assisted positioning of the paravertebral catheter is simple and effective, and allows direct visualization of correct delivery of local anesthetic. It represents a valuable addition to any VATS procedure.

Involvement of anticentromere antibody in interference with oocyte meiosis and embryo cleavage

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of anticentromere antibody (ACA) among types of antinuclear antibody (ANA) in the properties of oocytes retrieved from infertile women. The rate of metaphase II oocytes or embryo cleavage was significantly decreased in patients with positive ACA compared with patients with negative ACA, suggesting that ACA is an essential marker for flawed oocytes in infertile women with any type of ANA.

Prevalência da alexitimia na anorexia nervosa e sua associação com variáveis clínicas e sociodemográficas

OBJETIVO: Analisar a prevalência da alexitimia numa amostra de pacientes com anorexia nervosa e sua relação com variáveis do foro clínico e sociodemográfico, em concreto, índice de massa corporal, duração da doença, idade, escolaridade e nível socioeconômico. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 2 grupos de participantes do sexo feminino, com idades compreendidas entre os 13 e os 34 anos. Um grupo foi composto por 80 participantes com anorexia nervosa (Grupo AN) e o outro por 80 participantes saudáveis (Grupo Controle). A versão portuguesa da Toronto Alexithymia Scale - 20 items - foi aplicada a ambos os grupos. RESULTADOS: A prevalência da alexitimia no Grupo AN foi 62,5% e no Grupo Controle, 12,5%. Os valores médios de alexitimia não diferiram significativamente entre os dois subtipos de AN, e ambos apresentaram valores estatisticamente superiores aos do Grupo Controle. A alexitimia não se correlacionou às variáveis clínicas e sociodemográficas consideradas, à exceção da escolaridade, cuja associação com a alexitimia foi positiva e baixa. CONCLUSÃO: Os pacientes com anorexia nervosa apresentaram, com elevada frequência, dificuldades na regulação dos afetos, independentemente de seu peso, tempo de evolução da doença, idade e nível socioeconômico. O tratamento deve privilegiar uma intervenção sistematizada no domínio das emoções.

Comparison of Doxorubicin Plus Docetaxel Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with Doxorubicin Plus Vinorelbine in Primary Breast Cancer

PurposeThis study was performed to compare the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of doxorubicin plus docetaxel neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) with doxorubicin plus vinorelbine NC.MethodsFifty-three patients underwent 4 cycles of NC consisted of intravenous injection of doxorubicin (50 mg/m2) plus docetaxel (75 mg/m2) administered every 3 weeks (AD), while 49 patients underwent 4 cycles of NC consisted of intravenous injection of doxorubicin (50 mg/m2) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m2) administered every 3 weeks (AN). Response rate and treatment-related toxicities were analyzed by administered chemotherapeutics. Response to NC was also analyzed according to clinicobiological characteristics of the primary tumors.ResultsClinical response was observed in 66% with AN and 81.6% with AD chemotherapy. A complete pathologic response (pCR) was confirmed in 6 patients (11.3%) with AN and in 7 patients (14.3%) with AD after the surgery. Response rate was significantly higher in AD compared with AN (p=0.038), but there was no significant difference between the two group regard to pCR rate. Breast conserving surgery (BCS) was performed in 35.8% of AN group, whereas 20 patients (40.8%) of AD group underwent BCS. The patients with HER2-amplified tumor showed significantly increased response to both types of NC. Pathologic complete response was confirmed in 9 (39.1%) out of 23 HER2-amplified tumors, whereas only 4 (5.1%) of 79 HER2-nonamplified tumors showed pathologic complete response. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 22.6% of total 212 cycles in AN and 38.8% of total 196 cycles in AD. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was observed in 39.6% in AN and 43.9% in AD. Grade 3 mucositis was observed in 26.4% with AN and in 40.8% with AD.ConclusionThere was no significant increase of pCR by AD compared with AN. Long-term follow-up results of our study indicate that clinical outcome after NC was significantly associated with initial response to NC regardless of therapeutic regimens.

E0219 Study on the Role of CD4+CD25+treg on Atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- Mice

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of CD4+CD25+treg in atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice.Methods28 weeks-old male ApoE−/− mice were randomly divided into two groups feeding high-fat diet (AH) or normal diet (AN). Ten...

Differences in Neonatal Outcome in Fetuses with Absent versus Reverse End-Diastolic Flow in Umbilical Artery Doppler

Objectives: It was the aim of this study to evaluate differences in the prognosis of fetuses with absent (AED) and reverse end-diastolic (RED) flow in the umbilical artery based on neonatal outcomes. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study based on the records of 143 patients attending at Assis Chateaubriand Teaching Maternity between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2005. Patients were classified according to diagnosis as having either fetal centralization (FC), AED or RED. Obstetrical findings and perinatal outcomes were compared for the 3 groups and between AED and RED by Fisher’s exact test. Perinatal outcomes were analyzed quantitatively with logistic or multinomial regression. Odds ratios were calculated for significant risk factors. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in gestational age at diagnosis, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min, Capurro score, use of surfactant and mechanical ventilation, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, perinatal and neonatal death. When comparing RED with AED, the odds of neonatal intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, use of surfactant, neonatal mortality and perinatal mortality were 3.2, 1.4, 1.0, 5.1 and 5.3 times higher for RED. Only perinatal mortality kept statistically significant with odds of 5.2 (p = 0.043) when adjusted by gestational age (multivariate analysis). Conclusion: The incidence of perinatal mortality was observed to increase with the severity of Doppler findings, with significant differences between the AED and RED groups.

A body-related dot-probe task reveals distinct attentional patterns for bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.

We investigated body-related attentional biases in eating disorders by testing whether individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN, n = 19) and bulimia nervosa (BN, n = 18) differ from healthy controls (HC, n = 21) in their bias for attending to a photo of their own body (self-photo) relative to a photo of a matched control participant's body (other photo). In a modified dot-probe task, self- and other photos served as cues on the left and the right of the screen. After 1 of 2 time intervals, 1 of the photos was singled out by a surrounding frame, and participants had to saccade toward it. Saccade latency was used as an index of covert attention to the cue photos. In the AN group, saccades were faster when the self-photo was the target than when the other photo was the target. In the BN group, there was a numerically opposite but nonsignificant pattern. Cues did not affect saccade latencies in healthy controls. The bias for self-photos correlated with body dissatisfaction in the AN group. This is the first evidence of an attentional bias for self-photos over other photos in the AN group and for fundamental attentional differences between AN and BN.

Defibrillation and resuscitation in a piglet model of pediatric ventricular fibrillation following AHA 2005 guidelines

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of defibrillation on children according to AHA 2005 recommendations Pig resembles human in the chest configuration, anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. Piglets weighing 7.0 Kg ± 1.4kg, 14.0kg ± 2.8kg, 25.0kg ± 5.0kg respectively, which represented children 1 to 8 yr old were induced ventricular fibrillation (VF). An adult biphasic AED was used in conjunction with pediatric attenuating electrodes which could deliver 50-J shock for 2 min and two min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately followed it. If VF did not reverse, 70-J shock combined with CPR was used, and the protocol was repeated five times. If an organized cardiac rhythm with mean aortic pressure more than 60 mmHg persisted for an interval of 5 minutes, the animal was regarded as successfully resuscitated. If the AED recognized a "non-shockable" rhythm, CPR was also performed immediately for 2 min. The same resuscitation program was exercised on piglets of manual defibrillator group. Neurologic alertness score, hemodynamic and myocardial functions were evaluated, autopsy was routinely performed to document possible injuries. In the AED group, 14 out of 15 animals, were successfully resuscitated, among them 11 piglets were resuscitated by 50-J defibrillation combined with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and other three recovered to normal by 1 or 2 times of 70-J shocks and CPR. All animals in manual defibrillator group were successfully resuscitated by 50-J shocks and CPR. Left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional area change were reduced significantly during 3-4 hr post-resuscitation (P<0.05) and returned to baseline ranges at the end of 72 hr. There was no evidence of myocardial and pulmonary damage during autopsy, and neurologic recovery was also normal. Data of blood gas analysis, blood electrolytes and myocardial enzymes does not show any statistically significant difference (P> 0.05) in the groups. 50 J biphasic dose defibrillation combined with effective CPR, successfully terminated VF without adverse effects on myocardial function and survival in a piglet defibrillation model for young children 1 to 8 yr of age. The new guidelines recommendation that one shock immediately followed by CPR is reasonable. Adults AED combined with pediatric electrodes is feasible to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric VF model. But the user should not rely too much on AED's "automatic" function, but should accumulate and integrate his experience with AED technology.

Alcohol exposure and outcomes in trauma patients

ObjectiveTo determine the injury patterns, complications, and mortality after alcohol consumption in trauma patients.MethodsThe Trauma Registry at an American College of Surgeons (ACS) level I center was queried for all patients with a toxicology screen admitted between 1st January 2002 and 31st December 2005. Alcohol-positive (AP) patients were matched to control patients who had a completely negative screen (AN) using age, gender, mechanism, Injury Severity Score (ISS), head Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), chest AIS, abdominal AIS, and extremity AIS. Injuries and outcomes were compared between the groups.ResultsAs many as 5,317 patients had toxicology data, of which 471 (8.9%) had a positive alcohol screen (AP). A total of 386 AP patients were then matched to 386 control (AN) patients. The AP group had a significantly higher mortality than the AN group overall (23 vs. 13%; p < 0.001), and by ISS stratification: ISS < 16 (6 vs. 0.4%; p < 0.001), ISS 16–25 (53 vs. 28%; p = 0.01), and ISS > 25 (90 vs. 67%; p = 0.01). AP patients had a higher incidence of admission systolic blood pressure < 90 (18 vs. 10%; p < 0.001) and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤ 8 (25 vs. 17%; p = 0.002). AN patients had a significantly higher incidence of hemopneumothorax (11 vs. 7%; p = 0.03), while AP patients had a higher incidence of cardiac arrest (8 vs. 3%; p = 0.004). There was no difference in intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay.ConclusionIn a mixed population of trauma patients, an AP screen is associated with an increased incidence of admission hypotension and depressed GCS score. In this case-matched study, alcohol exposure appeared to increase mortality after injury.

Sequential Changes of Serum Aminotransferase Levels in Severely Obese Patients after Losing Weight through Enrollment in a Behavioral Weight Loss Program

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is very prevalent in obese patients. However, increases in serum aminotransferase levels after weight loss have raised clinical concerns. This study documented sequential changes of serum aminotransferase levels for severely obese patients who lost a substantial amount of weight in a behavioral weight loss program. One hundred three severely obese patients who lost > 45.5 kg were treated in our clinic's weight management program. The prevalence of all risk factors except diabetes was higher among those with elevated (AE) baseline serum alanine transferase (ALT) levels than those with normal levels (AN). Weight losses at 8 and 24 weeks were 19.8 and 43.5 kg in the AN group (n = 79 patients) and 21.8 and 45.5 kg in the AE group (n = 24 patients), respectively. Total weight losses after completion of the program were 58.4 kg in the AN group and 57.6 kg in the AE group. The baseline levels for the AN group were: ALT, 25.4 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ALT ratio, 0.87. The baseline levels for the AE group were: ALT, 68.0 U/L and AST/ALT ratio, 0.61. Peak ALT levels were 75.4 U/L in the AN group and 94.0 U/L in the AE group. The final serum ALT levels were 23.7 U/L and 27.3 U/L in the AN and AE groups, respectively. This severely obese population had a very high frequency of ALT elevations with weight loss, but elevations were transient; values usually returned to below baseline levels after substantial weight loss.

Effects of naloxone and flumazenil on antinociceptive action of acetaminophen in rats

Background: Studies of acetaminophen suggest that multiple nociceptive pathways are involved in the drug's analgesic action. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether naloxone and flumazenil were able to modify or antagonize the antinociceptive effect of acetaminophen in rats. Methods: Adult albino Wistar rats were used in the study and randomly allocated to 1 of 4 groups. The acetaminophen group (A group) was administered IP saline and then 300 mg/kg IP acetaminophen 5 minutes thereafter. The acetaminophen + naloxone group (AN group) was pretreated with 1 mg/kg IP naloxone, followed by 300 mg/kg IP acetaminophen 5 minutes later. The acetaminophen + flumazenil group (AF group) was pretreated with 1 mg/kg IP flumazenil, followed by 300 mg/kg IP acetaminophen 5 minutes later. The control group received 2.5 mL IP saline, followed by an additional 2.5 mL IP injection of saline 5 minutes later. The paw-withdrawal latency period of the rats was assessed by an investigator blinded to treatment using the hot-plate test at 30, 45, 60, and 90 minutes after administration of acetaminophen. Results: Thirty-two rats were evenly randomized by envelope method into 4 groups of 8 rats each. Baseline values for the A, AN, AF, and control groups were not significantly different (9.1 [2.3], 10.5 [2.7], 9.8 [3.0], and 8.9 [1.4] sec, respectively). In the AF group, flumazenil appeared to antagonize the analgesic effect exerted by the acetaminophen in the hot-plate test (30 min, 10.3 [3.7] sec; 45 min, 11.7 [5.1] sec; 60 min, 12.1 [5.1] sec; and 90 min, 12.2 [4.9] sec) and values were not significantly different from those obtained in the control group (30 min, 9.8 [2.2] sec; 45 min, 9.0 [1.6] sec; 60 min, 9.2 [1.6] sec; and 90 min, 8.5 [2.0] sec). In the AN group, naloxone did not significantly affect the values observed in the hot-plate test (30 min, 18.0 [4.5] sec; 45 min, 21.5 [7.8] sec; 60 min, 20.5 [5.9] sec; and 90 min, 22.3 [7.4] sec) and values at all time points were not significantly different from those obtained in the A group (30 min, 17.8 [7.6] sec; 45 min, 20.9 [6.9] sec; 60 min, 21.5 [7.3] sec; and 90 min, 23.8 [8.6] sec). All postbaseline values in the A and AN groups were significantly increased versus baseline and versus the control group values (all, P < 0.05). All postbaseline values in the A group were significantly greater than those in the AF group (all, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Flumazenil antagonized the analgesic effect exerted by acetaminophen, while naloxone had no significant effect on acetaminophen's antinociceptive action in this pain model in rats.

Hörmander type multiplier theorem on complex Iwasawa AN groups

We prove that, for a distinguished laplacian on an Iwasawa AN group corresponding to complex semisimple Lie group, a Hormander type multiplier theorem holds. Our argument is based on Littlewood- Paley theory.

Gastrointestinal nematode infection in beef cattle of different genetic groups in Brazil

Resistance to natural infection by gastrointestinal nematodes was compared in 67 female calves of the following genetic groups: Nelore (NX); 1/2 Senepol + 1/2 Nelore (SN); and 1/2 Aberdeen Angus + 1/2 Nelore (AN). The NX ( n = 26), SN ( n = 23) and AN ( n = 18) animals were monitored for 14 months, during which they remained without treatment, allowed to graze in a tropical environment. Eggs per gram of feces (EPG), coprocultures and packed cell volume (PCV) were carried out monthly. No significant effects of the interaction between the genetic groups and month/year of collection and the genetic group on the EPG were found, but there was a significant influence of the month of collection ( P < 0.01). The monthly PCV measurements did not differ for the animals of the three genetic groups and there was no association found between the EPG and PCV. The animals of the SN and NX groups showed similar numbers of EPG with results zero, while for the AN group these numbers were significantly lower ( P < 0.05). Although the NX group had a large number of EPG with results zero, it also contained many animals with high counts, meaning this group had higher averages during the entire study period. The following nematode genera were found in the coprocultures: Haemonchus, Cooperia, Oesophagostomum and Trichostrongylus, the latter in smallest proportion. There was no significant difference between the genetic groups for averages of all parasites identified, except Cooperia, which were present in higher numbers in the animals of the NX group ( P < 0.05). The results obtained in this experiment suggest that the use of Bos taurus × Bos indicus crossbreeds can be a good strategy to reduce the use of chemical control in Brazil.

Lifetime co-morbidity with different subtypes of eating disorders in 148 females with bipolar disorders

Objectives To evaluate the impact of Eating Disorders (EDs) lifetime co-morbidity among female with Bipolar Disorders (BDs) and to compare clinical and cognitive features among EDs subgroups. Method A hundred and forty eight women with a lifetime history of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV)-defined Bipolar-I, Bipolar-II and/or Cyclothymia, were consecutively enrolled to determinate the prevalence of co-morbid DSM-IV-defined Anorexia Nervosa [AN], Bulimia Nervosa [BN] or Binge Eating Disorder [BED]. Measures included the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) rating scale, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and BMI record. Results Forty six patients (31%) reported lifetime history of at least one ED: AN was the most common ED ( n = 23, 15.5%), followed by BED ( n = 21, 14.2%), and BN ( n = 8, 5.4%); 6 patients (4.1%) reported multiple lifetime EDs. As expected, BMI was highest in BED patients and lowest in those with AN. Clinical characteristics were similar in the 3 groups, while rapid cycling and co-morbid drug abuse were more common in BED compared to AN or No-ED group. As expected cognitive eating symptoms assessed by the EDE-Q were all more represented in AN than in No-ED patients. AN and BED only differed in restricting behavior and weight concerns. Conclusions Our results prompt for the recognition of co-morbid EDs among bipolar patients, indicating that BED, along with other EDs, may influence in different ways both clinical characteristics and course of the illness. Further perspective studies are necessary to better define the relationships between different EDs and Bipolar Spectrum disorders.