The study of galactomannans with different molecular weights and their ability to form microparticles suitable for pulmonary delivery.

The influence of locust bean gum (LBG) galactomannans (GMs) molecular weight (Mw) to assemble microparticulate systems was evaluated, and carriers for deep lung delivery were developed. A commercial batch of LBG with a mannose/galactose (M/G) ratio of 2.4 (batch 1) was used to study the influence of different microwave partial acid hydrolysis conditions on carbohydrate composition, glycosidic linkages, and aqueous solutions viscosity. The microwave treatment did not affect the composition, presenting 4-Man (36-42 %), 4,6-Man (27-35 %), and T-Gal (24-25 %) as the main glycosidic linkages. Depolymerization led to a viscosity reduction (≤0.005 Pa·s) with no major impact on polysaccharide debranching. The structural composition of the LBG galactomannans were further elucidated with sequence-specific proteins using carbohydrate microarray technologies. A second batch of LBG (M/G 3.3) was used to study the impact of GMs with different Mw on microparticle assembling, characteristics, and insulin release kinetics. The low-Mw GMs microparticles led to a faster release (20 min) than the higher-Mw (40 min) ones, impacting the release kinetics. All microparticles exhibited a safety profile to cells of the respiratory tract. However, only the higher-Mw GMs allowed the assembly of microparticles with sizes suitable for this type of administration.

Interaction between residual feed intake and thermal environment on performance, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and carcass yield of dorper lambs.

Residual feed intake (RFI) is a nutritional variable used in genetic improvement programs, the relationship between the environment and the availability of energy and protein in the diet has not yet been explored. Thus, the aim was to evaluate interactions between RFI and thermal environment on performance, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and carcass yield of Dorper lambs receiving diets containing different concentrate levels. Dorper lambs (male, n = 64, 17.83 ± 2.43 kg and 110 ± 10 days of age) were confined individually for 40 days for RFI classification. Lambs were separated into positive RFI (n = 30) and negative RFI (n = 30) and remained confined for another 60 days. The animals were distributed in a randomized block design, with a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial scheme, with 2 confinement environments (full sun or shade), 2 groups of feed efficiency (RFI positive or RFI negative) and three diets containing different concentrate levels (30, 45 and 60%), with 5 replications in each treatment. Isolated effects of concentrate level were observed for dry matter intake and digestibility, feeding, rumination, idle and chewing times, feeding efficiency, ingested, excreted and absorbed nitrogen, and on cooling losses, hot and cold carcass yield (P < 0.05). There was an effect of environment × concentrate interaction on performance, retained nitrogen and nitrogen balance (P < 0.05). There was an effect of RFI × environment interaction on the dry matter rumination efficiency, hot and cold carcass weight (P < 0.05). Under experimental conditions, RFI did not influence the productive performance of Dorper lambs. Interactions between environment and diet indicate better performance for Dorper lamb confined in the shade and receiving a higher proportion of concentrate. Animals with negative RFI show better performance and carcass weight when confined in shade, while animals with positive RFI showed better responses to these variables when confined in full sun.

Non-invasive methods to quantify the carcass parameters of sheep: Interaction between thermal environment and residual feed intake.

The thermal environment is important in unit production because the perception of thermal stress can reduce fertility, and productive performance, therefore its management is necessary. The use of non-invasive methods, such as infrared thermography and real-time ultrasonography, are widely used to evaluate indicators in animal production, without the need to slaughter the animals. Thus, we aimed to assess the effect of the thermal environment on the physiological parameters and carcass characteristics of Dorper sheep with positive and negative residual feed intake (RFI) using infrared thermography and real-time ultrasonography techniques. Twenty uncastrated male Dorper sheep (17.8 ± 2.4 kg) were confined for 40 days for RFI classification. Sheep were separated into positive RFI (n = 10) and negative RFI (n = 10). The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 2 thermal environments (full sun or shade) and two feed efficiency groups (positive RFI or negative RFI), with 5 replications. The sheep remained in confinement for 60 days. The animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiment and the carcasses dissected for tissue separation. Rectal temperature (RT) and respiratory rate (RR) were measured at two times (14:00 h and 18:00 h) for periods of 5 days. The RR was determined by indirect auscultation of heart sounds at the level of the laryngotracheal region. The RT was measured introduced a digital clinical thermometer into the animal's rectum. Surface temperature (ST) was obtained using a thermographic infrared camera, collecting the temperatures of the eyeball and skin surface in the regions of the head, ribs, rump, flank and shin. Sheep confined in full sun showed higher RR (P = 0.0001), ST ribs (P = 0.0020), ST rumb (P = 0.0055), ST flank (P = 0.0001) and heat tolerance coefficient (HTC) (P = 0.0010). For sheep confined in full sun, a strong correlation was observed between the RR and the mean ST (MST; r = 0.6826; P = 0.0236) and between the final loin eye area (LEAf) with the real LEA (LEAr) (r = 0.9263; P = 0.0001) and slaughter body weight (SBW) (r = 0.7532; P = 0.0325). For negative RFI sheep, a positive correlation was observed between the RR and the ST rump (r = 0.7343; P = 0.0025) and ST ribs (r = 0.6560; P = 0.0178) and the MST (r = 0.7435; P = 0.0001), between the MST and the LEAr (r = 0.6837; P = 0.0025) and the final LEA (r = 0.6771; P = 0.0144), and between the final LEA and LEAr (r = 0.9942; P = 0.0001), BW (r = 0.8415; P = 0.0277) and MST (r = 0.6771; P = 0.0045). Positive RFI sheep confined to shade showed a high correlation between final LEA and LEAr (r = 0.9372; P = 0.0001). The use of shading in confined Dorper sheep, regardless of the RFI classification, reduces the effects of heat stress on physiological parameters.

Metagenomic analysis and performance of a mesophilic anaerobic reactor treating food waste at various load rates.

The performance of a demonstration-scale anaerobic reactor treating food waste was evaluated with an emphasis on microbial response to increasing organic loading rates (OLRs). The reactor exhibited a stable performance in terms of methane yield at OLR ranging from 1.0 to 2.4 kg VS L-1 day-1 (phases I and II), compared to that at phase III (OLR: 1.0-1.5 kg VS L-1 day-1) when the food waste exhibited greater acidity. Deep sequencing analysis revealed shifts in the microbial composition at each operational phase. The phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were favoured, whereas the abundance of Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi decreased at higher OLRs, indicating that fermenting-, hydrolytic- (and acidogenic) bacteria were selected under this condition. Changes were observed in the composition of methanogens, and not the abundance, in response to a shift in OLR. Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum dominated at low OLRs, indicating the importance of both acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens for methane production during this condition. Methanosaeta almost disappeared at high OLRs, whereas Methanoculleus was favoured. Syntrophic prokaryotes were in high abundance (>9%), indicating that syntrophic methane production was important in this reactor. Syntrophic interactions between hydrogen-producer (Syntrophomonas and Desulfosporosinus) and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were more evident at high OLR. These results indicate that hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis contributed significantly to methane production at higher OLRs than when the reactor was operated at low OLR.

Prevalência e fatores associados à incontinência urinária em mulheres idosas / Prevalence and factors associated with urinary incontinence in elderly women / Prevalencia y factores asociados a la incontinencia urinaria de mujeres mayores

Verificar a prevalência da queixa de Incontinência Urinária (IU) e os fatores associados em idosas no município de Petrolina/PE. Métodos: Estudo transversal e exploratório realizado em 2009 com 172 idosas nas quais se avaliaram características sociodemográficas, socioeconômicas e estilo de vida. Para investigar a IU utilizou-se o International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire ? Short Form? (ICIQ-SF) acrescido de questões obstétricas e de comorbidades. Dados trabalhados com intervalo de confiança a 95% utilizando o STATA® 9.0. Resultados: A queixa de IU esteve presente em 81 (47,1%) idosas. A faixa etária maior que 75 anos de idade estava associada à IU (RP 1,57 IC95% 1,57-11,09). Na associação com ocupação notou-se que tanto as idosas aposentadas (RP 4,64 IC95% 0,98-21,98) quanto as donas de casa (RP 6,25 IC95% 1,14-34,12) tinham maior ocorrência de referir IU, mas apenas a associação com a condição dona de casa foi significante. Quanto ao diabetes, idosas que tinham a doença (RP 1,57 IC95% 1,16-2,13) tinham maior frequência de referir queixa de IU quando comparadas às idosas sem diabetes. Conclusão: Encontrou-se uma elevada prevalência de Incontinência Urinária em idosas, correspondendo a quase metade das mulheres investigadas, estando associada às idosas de maior idade, donas de casa e diabéticas...

To verify the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) complaints and associated factors among elderly women in the municipality of Petrolina / PE. Methods: Exploratory cross-sectional study conducted in 2009 with 172 elderly women who were assessed regarding sociodemographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics. UI was assessed using The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQSF) in addition to questions on obstetrics and comorbidities. Data were computed with a 95% confidence interval using STATA 9.0. Results: The urinary incontinence was present in 81 (47.1%) elderly women. The age group older than 75 years was associated with UI (PR1.57 CI 95% 1.57 - 11.09). Regarding the association with occupation, it was verified that both the retired elders (PR 4.64 CI 95% 0.98 - 21.98) and housewives (PR 6.25 CI 95% 1.14 - 34.12) were more likely to report UI, but only the association with the housewife condition was significant. With regard to diabetes, elderly women who had the disease (PR 1.57 CI 95% 1.16 - 2.13) were more likely to report urinary incontinence when compared to elderly women without diabetes. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of urinary incontinence among elderly women, which accounted for almost half of the women assessed and was associated with older age, housewives and diabetes...

Verificar la prevalencia de queja de Incontinencia Urinaria (IU) y los factores asociados en mujeres mayores Del municipio de Petrolina/PE. Métodos: Estudio transversal y exploratorio realizado en 2009 con 172 mujeres mayores en lãs cuales se evaluaron las características socio demográficas, sócio económicas y el estilo de vida. Para investigar la IU se utilizo del International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire ? Short Form? (ICIQ-SF) y otras preguntas sobre obstetrícia y comorbilidades. Los datos fueron evaluados con intervalo de confianza del 95% utilizando el STATA® 9.0. Resultados: La queja de IU se presentó en 81 (47,1%) mujeres mayores. La franja de edad de mujeres mayores de 75 años estuvo asociada a la IU (RP 1,57 IC95% 1,57-11,09). Al asociar la IU y la ocupación se noto que las mujeres mayores jubiladas (RP 4,64 IC95% 0,98-21,98) y las amas de casa (RP 6,25 IC95% 1,14-34,12) refirieron más IU, sin embargo, solamente la asociación de la condición de ama de casa fue significativa. Respecto a la diabetes, las mujeres mayoresque tenían la enfermedad (RP 1,57 IC95% 1,16-2,13) presentaron mayor frecuencia de queja de IU al comparar con aquellas sin diabetes. Conclusión: Se encontró una elevada prevalencia de IU en mujeres mayores que corresponde casi a la mitad de lasmujeres investigadas con asociación entre las que tienen más edad, las amas de casa y diabéticas...

Do Brasil colônia de ontem ao Brasil nação de amanhã: "revolução da independência" e história do Brasil em Caio Prado Jr. / The colonial background of modern Brazil: "revolution of independence", and History of Brazil in Caio Prado Jr. / Du Brésil colonie d'Hier au Brésil nation de demain: "révolution de l'indépendance" et histoire du Brésil chez Caio Prado Jr.

This article aims to analyze key aspects of Brazil's historical formation as elaborated by Caio Prado Jr. in his main works on Brazilian history, Evolução Política do Brasil (1933), The Colonial Background of Modern Brazil (published in Portuguese in 1942; first English edition in 1967), and História Econômica do Brasil (1945). The author analyzes how Caio Prado Jr. engages in a dialogue with Marxist thought in his approach to the "revolution of independence" as a watershed in the historical development of Brazilian society.

Dans cet article, on examine certains aspects de l'image du processus de formation historique du Brésil, que Caio Prado Jr. élabore dans ses principaux travaux consacrés à l'histoire du pays: Évolution Politique du Brésil [Evolução Política do Brasil] (1933), Formation du Brésil Contemporain: Colonie [Formação do Brasil Contemporâneo: Colônia] (1942) et Histoire Économique du Brésil [História Econômica do Brasil] (1945). Ainsi, on cherche à relier le dialogue de Caio Prado Jr., penseur marxiste, à son approche de la "révolution de l'indépendance", une ligne de division dans le développement historique de la société brésilienne.

Sujeito e ordem: romantismo e decisionismo no pensamento de Carl Schmitt / Subject and order: romanticism and decisionism in the thinking of Carl Schmitt

The objective of this article is to discuss the link in the work of Carl Schmitt between the critique of romanticism and the reflection on the themes of sovereignty and decision. Based on an analysis of some key issues in the books Politische Romantik (Political Romanticism), Politische Theologie (Political Theology), and Die Diktatur (The Dictatorship), the article analyzes how, in Carl Schmitt, romanticism and decisionism represent counterpoised conceptual universes, which refer to each other in various aspects. The attempt is thus to highlight both the structurally controversial nature of the German juristÆs ideas and the close ties between his legal/political theory and his critique of the liberal-bourgeois order as a synthesis of modernity