Central Stimulation of the Vagi and Gastric Secretion

That gastric secretion may be centrally stimulated was first shown by Pavlov in 1890 (1). After first conditioning his animals to the environment of the laboratory, he was able to elicit a definite secretory response, high in acid and pepsin concentration, by sham-feeding a mixture of meat and water. He also showed that this response could be abolished by section of the vagi, proving that the efferent fibers conducting the impulses were located in the vagal trunk. | After the discovery, isolation and purefication of insulin by Banting and Best in 1922 (2), its physiological and pharmacological effects were studied by a multitude of workers. The gastric secretory effect of insulin hypoglycemia was shown by La Barre and de Cespedes in 1931 (3) by cross-circulation experiments in which the hypoglycemic blood of one dog was perfused into the carotid arteries of a second intact dog. Shortly afterwards, a definite increase in gastric secretion was observed in the intact animal. The effect could be shown to be by way of the vagi, since, following section of the vagal trunk the effect was abolished. La Barre and de Cespedes concluded that insulin hypoglycemia stimulated the vagal nucleus in the medulla which in turn stimulated the vagal trunk which increases the production of acid and pepsin in the fundus of the stomach. Thus an invaluable aid was discovered which has been of great importance in the field of gastroenterology.ProQuest Traditional Publishing Optio

An Open-Source Benchmark of IEEE Test Cases for Easily Testing a New Approach for Steady State Calculations in Power Systems

Power systems modeling and simulation are essential to conduct studies on the electrical transmission system and ensure its security. For this purpose, RTE, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO), is developing Dynaωo, a hybrid Modelica/C++ open-source suite of simulation tools for power systems. Most power systems models for Dynaωo are developed in the Modelica language using the Dynaωo Modelica library. This paper presents a full Modelica standard electrical power system benchmark implemented using the Dynaωo library. The IEEE 14-bus system benchmark is modeled here for steady-state calculation, with an approach that replaces the static load flow. Two test cases are simulated using the OpenModelica environment showing differences in the final steady-state result. We show flexibility in modeling with this library where different system behaviors can be observed and where models with different levels of details can be replaced depending on the application: steady-state calculation, long-term stability, or short-term stability

Um novo paradigma de assistência às vítimas de crimes e a proteção dos direitos humanos pela Defensoria Pública

The cases of violence in Brazil shows a serious threat to public security, they cause high costs to the state budget, and postpone economic and social development. At the same time, the Brazilian legal framework does not provide enough measures to restore the dignity of victims of crime. In this context, this article aims to demonstrate the essential need for the emergence of a new paradigm of public policy to assist victims of crime, based on the recognition of vulnerability. In addition, it seeks to establish possibilities of action of the Defensorship as an institution protecting human rights with a view to ensuring access to justice for this vulnerable group.Os casos de violência no Brasil revelam grave problema de segurança pública, provocam alto custo para o orçamento estatal e atrasam o desenvolvimento econômico e social. Ao mesmo tempo, o ordenamento jurídico brasileiro não prevê medidas suficientes para restabelecer a dignidade das vítimas de crimes. Nesse contexto, o presente artigo tem por finalidade demonstrar a imprescindibilidade do surgimento de um novo paradigma de política pública de assistência às vítimas de crimes e amparado no reconhecimento da vulnerabilidade. Para além, busca demonstrar as possibilidades de atuação da Defensoria Pública, como instituição protetora dos direitos humanos, com vistas a assegurar o acesso à justiça por esse grupo de vulneráveis

The structure of western Serra do Curral, Quadrilátero Ferrífero, and tectonic control of the high-grade iron hard bodies

The structure of western Serra do Curral, Quadrilátero Ferrífero, represents the partial exposure of a syncline that verges to NNW - Piedade Syncline. This regional structure has parasitic folds denominated as B1A which are refolded by folds B1B that also have vergence to NNW. Both of them have ENE-WSW direction, are non-cylindrical folds and configure an interference pattern that is similar to Type 3 from Ramsay. This refolding occur during progressive deformation. The occurrence of highgrade magnetitic-martitic accumulation (> 64% Fe) of medium size (~ 100 Mt) is controlled by the combination of these folds and high angle thrust fault, both with the same direction. Above these structures, there is a development of folds with NNWSSE direction and WSW vergence (B2 folds). These folds are restricted to the B1 limbs and they configure an interference pattern named "abbuting fold". The age obtained by U/Pb SHRIMP on monazite grains is 2034 ± 11 Ma. The monazite grains occur on textural balance with the iron oxide from high-grade accumulations. This age corresponds to the formation timing of the high-grade bodies and suggests that the mineralization process is contemporary to the regional metamorphic peak of Quadrilátero Ferrífero

Oesophageal Perforation: A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in a resource limited setting. A report of three cases

Oesophageal perforation is a condition associated with a high mortality. Its management is still controversial with operative treatment being favoured but a shift to conservative management is occurring. Very little exists in medical literature about its management in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the paucity of thoracic surgeons is compounded by limited diagnostic and therapeutic facilities. We report three cases of oesophageal perforation which were all treated conservatively with tube thoracostomy, nil by mouth with feeding gastrostomy, intravenous antibiotics and chest physiotherapy. Two patients achieved oesophageal healing but one died due to severe septicaemia. In a resource restricted setting, conservative management which includes enteral nutrition by feeding gastrostomy, tube thoracostomy to drain inter pleural contaminants, intravenous antibiotics and chest physiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for oesophageal perforations

The combination of an innovative dry powder for inhalation and a standard cisplatin-based chemotherapy in view of therapeutic intensification against lung tumours

peer reviewe

Targeted PEG-poly(glutamic acid) complexes for inhalation protein delivery to the lung

Pulmonary delivery is increasingly seen as an attractive, non-invasive route for the delivery of forthcoming protein therapeutics. In this context, here we describe protein complexes with a new ‘complexing excipient’ - vitamin B12-targeted poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(glutamic acid) copolymers. These form complexes in sub-200 nm size with a model protein, suitable for cellular targeting and intracellular delivery. Initially we confirmed expression of vitamin B12-internalization receptor (CD320) by Calu-3 cells of the in vitro lung epithelial model used, and demonstrated enhanced B12 receptor-mediated cellular internalization of B12-targeted complexes, relative to non-targeted counterparts or protein alone. To develop an inhalation formulation, the protein complexes were spray dried adopting a standard protocol into powders with aerodynamic diameter within the suitable range for lower airway deposition. The cellular internalization of targeted complexes from dry powders applied directly to Calu-3 model was found to be 2–3 fold higher compared to non-targeted complexes. The copolymer complexes show no complement activation, and in vivo lung tolerance studies demonstrated that repeated administration of formulated dry powders over a 3 week period in healthy BALB/c mice induced no significant toxicity or indications of lung inflammation, as assessed by cell population count and quantification of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α pro-inflammatory markers. Importantly, the in vivo data appear to suggest that B12-targeted polymer complexes administered as dry powder enhance lung retention of their protein payload, relative to protein alone and non-targeted counterparts. Taken together, our data illustrate the potential developability of novel B12-targeted poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(glutamic acid) copolymers as excipients suitable to be formulated into a dry powder product for the inhalation delivery of proteins, with no significant lung toxicity, and with enhanced protein retention at their in vivo target tissue

Evolutionary patterns of two major reproduction candidate genes (Zp2 and Zp3) reveal no contribution to reproductive isolation between bovine species

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has been established that mammalian egg zona pellucida (ZP) glycoproteins are responsible for species-restricted binding of sperm to unfertilized eggs, inducing the sperm acrosome reaction, and preventing polyspermy. In mammals, ZP apparently represents a barrier to heterospecific fertilization and thus probably contributes to reproductive isolation between species. The evolutionary relationships between some members of the tribe Bovini are complex and highly debatable, particularly, those involving <it>Bos </it>and <it>Bison </it>species for which interspecific hybridization is extensively documented. Because reproductive isolation is known to be a major precursor of species divergence, testing evolutionary patterns of ZP glycoproteins may shed some light into the speciation process of these species. To this end, we have examined intraspecific and interspecific genetic variation of two ZP genes (<it>Zp2 </it>and <it>Zp3</it>) for seven representative species (111 individuals) from the Bovini tribe, including five species from <it>Bos </it>and <it>Bison</it>, and two species each from genera <it>Bubalus </it>and <it>Syncerus</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A pattern of low levels of intraspecific polymorphism and interspecific divergence was detected for the two sequenced fragments each for <it>Zp2 </it>and <it>Zp3</it>. At intraspecific level, none of neutrality tests detected deviations from neutral equilibrium expectations for the two genes. Several haplotypes in both genes were shared by multiple species from <it>Bos </it>and <it>Bison</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Here we argue that neither ancestral polymorphism nor introgressive hybridization alone can fully account for haplotype sharing among species from <it>Bos </it>and <it>Bison</it>, and that both scenarios have contributed to such a pattern of haplotype sharing observed here. Additionally, codon-based tests revealed strong evidence for purifying selection in the <it>Zp3 </it>coding haplotype sequences and weak evidence for purifying selection in the <it>Zp2 </it>coding haplotype sequences. Contrary to a general genetic pattern that genes or genomic regions contributing to reproductive isolation between species often evolve rapidly and show little or no gene flow between species, these results demonstrate that, particularly, those sequenced exons of the <it>Zp2 </it>and the <it>Zp3 </it>did not show any contribution to reproductive isolation between the bovine species studied here.</p

The rheology of banded iron formation: constraints from axial compression experiments

Samples of Banded Iron Formation (BIF) with different quartz and hematite contents were deformed in axial compression experiments in a Griggs-type apparatus, at T = 900ºC, P =1.5 GPa and strain rates of 10-5 and 10-6 s-1. The aim is to investigate the mineral phase that controls the rheology of multi-phase rocks and to determine the processes that control the observed rock strength. BIF samples from Quadrilátero Ferrífero region-Brazil were cored perpendicular to the foliation, which is defined by parallel bands of quartz and iron oxide. Sample strength decreases with increasing hematite content and decreasing strain rate. At a strain rate of 10-5 s-1, samples with well-developed compositional banding showed higher strength. At the slower strain rate of 10-6 s-1 no difference between samples with or without compositional banding is observed. For comparison, at 10-6 s-1, the highest quartz content sample is as weak as the highest hematite content sample at 10-5 s-1. Strain is localized in hematite-rich layers. One intriguing observation is that quartz grains within the more deformed hematite-rich bands show more evidence for crystal-plastic deformation than grains in quartz-rich bands