Smoking exposure trajectories and pulmonary function in early adulthood in a Brazilian cohort.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate smoking trajectories and their association with pulmonary function (PF) and respiratory symptoms at age 22. METHODS: Data from a population-based cohort study of 3350 individuals and their spirometries were analysed. The outcomes were: forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flow at the mid expiratory phase (FEF25-75 %), FEV1/FVC and FEF25-75/FVC ratio. Smoking data were collected at perinatal follow-up (gestational exposure) and 15, 18 and 22 years. Group-based trajectory model was applied. RESULTS: Four groups were identified: no exposure (NE), gestational (GE), gestational and adulthood (GAE) and continuous (CE) exposure. Both CE and GAE trajectories were associated with lower values of FEV1/FVC (-1.77pp; p = 0.01 and -1.58 pp; p<0.001 respectively) and FEF25-75/FVC ratio (-7.27pp; p = 0.019 and -6.04pp; p<0.001 respectively) compared to the NE trajectory. Lower FEV1 and FEF25-75 % values were also related to the GAE trajectory (-68 ml; p = 0.03 and -253 ml/s;p<0.001 respectively). Compared to those who never smoked, individuals who smoked 10 or more cigarettes daily presented a reduction in the FEV1/FVC ratio by 1.37pp (p<0.001), FEF25-75 % by 126 ml (p = 0.012) and FEF25-75 %/FVC ratio by 3.62pp (p = 0.011). CE trajectory showed higher odds of wheezing (OR 4.14; p<0.001) and cough (OR 2.39; p = 0.002) compared to the non-exposed group. CONCLUSIONS: The in-uterus exposure to maternal smoking reduces PF later in life. However, the perpetuation of smoking behaviour throughout adolescence and early adulthood is determinant for PF main reduction and the emergence of respiratory-related symptoms.

The role of interleukins in vitiligo: a systematic review.

Vitiligo is a disorder of the skin that causes depigmentation and asymptomatic macules whose exact cause is still unclear. Although its aetiology is not fully elucidated, the main theory of its pathomechanism is that it is associated with the autoimmune process. There is few summarized information about the role of inflammatory mediators, as interleukins, in vitiligo, so our aim was to present a systematic review of the role of interleukins in vitiligo, focusing on interleukins. In this review, we included all studies assessing interleukin levels in vitiligo patients conducted up to June 2017. Quality assessment of these studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The interleukins mainly involved were IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-17. The studies highlight the crucial role of IL-17 in the onset and progression of the disease, and its synergistic action with IL-2, IL-6 and IL-33. Dysregulated levels of the interleukins were also correlated with the stage of disease, the affected skin surface area, and indicated as the main factor for lymphocyte infiltration found in depigmented regions. These findings illustrate the growing need for new therapies targeting vitiligo and further research into the role of interleukins as an area of particular interest.

Effect of low-level laser therapy on the gene expression of collagen and vascular endothelial growth factor in a culture of fibroblast cells in mice.

Low-level laser therapy treatment (LLLT) is widely used in rehabilitation clinics with the aim of accelerating the process of tissue repair; however, the molecular bases of the effect of LLLT have not been fully established. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the exposure of different doses of LLLT on the expression of collagen genes type I alpha 1 (COL1α1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the fibroblast cells of mice (L929) cultivated in vitro. Fibroblast cells were irradiated with a Gallium-Arsenide laser (904 nm) every 24 h for 2 consecutive days, stored in an oven at 37 °C, with 5% CO2 and divided into 3 groups: G1-control group, G2-irradiated at 2 J/cm(2), and G3-irradiated at 3 J/cm(2). After irradiation, the total RNA was extracted and used in the complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis. The gene expression was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The cells irradiated in G2 exhibited a statistically significant growth of 1.78 in the expression of the messenger RNA (mRNA) of the COL1α1 gene (p = 0.036) in comparison with G1 and G3. As for the VEGF gene, an increase in expression was observed in the two irradiated groups in comparison with the control group. There was an increase in expression in G2 of 2.054 and G3 of 2.562 (p = 0.037) for this gene. LLLT (904 nm) had an influence on the expression of the genes COL1α1 (2 J/cm(2)) and VEGF (2 e 3 J/cm(2)) in a culture of the fibroblast cells of mice.

Intrauterine exposure to smoking and wheezing in adolescence: the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort.

Previous studies have suggested an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and asthma symptoms such as wheezing during childhood. However, few have evaluated this association in adolescence, especially in populations with high prevalence of wheezing as in Brazil. Using the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort, a longitudinal study set in southern Brazil of 5249 urban live births, we aimed to evaluate the association between maternal and the partner's smoking during pregnancy and wheezing at 11 and 15 years of age. We evaluated smoking during pregnancy using number of cigarettes/day, and our main outcomes were as follows: wheezing in the last year and number of wheezing crises, at both 11 and 15 years of age, as well as persistent wheezing (having crises at 11 and 15 years of age) and medical asthma diagnosis at age 15. In addition, other socio-demographic variables were included as possible confounders and mediators of this association. We used Poisson regression models to evaluate crude and adjusted associations. Of the 5249 live births in 1993, 87.5% and 85.7% were followed-up to 11 and 15 years of age, respectively. Maternal smoking during pregnancy showed a dose-response association with number of wheezing crises at age 15 (P = 0.023), presence of persistent wheezing (P = 0.034) and asthma diagnosis (P = 0.023). Partner's smoking was not associated with any wheezing variables. Maternal smoking during pregnancy appears to exert an effect on respiratory morbidity of adolescents, evaluated by wheezing symptoms.

Dinâmica da população de coliformes durante a compostagem automatizada de dejetos líquidos de suínos / Population dynamics during composting of fecal automated pig slurry

Microrganismos presentes em dejetos de suínos podem contaminar o meio ambiente. Embora a compostagem seja preconizada como um método eficiente para reduzir este potencial poluidor dos dejetos, existem poucas informações de pesquisa sobre tal processo. O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar a eficiência da compostagem automatizada dos dejetos líquidos de suínos (DLS) na redução da população de coliformes, usados como indicadores de poluição fecal. Os DLS foram adicionados periodicamente, durante 106 dias, em substrato constituído pela mistura, em partes iguais, de maravalha e serragem. Foram efetuadas 14 adições de DLS, e em cada adição as leiras de compostagem eram revolvidas por meio de uma máquina especialmente desenvolvida para este fim. Foram avaliados dois tratamentos com três repetições, sendo um com e outro sem adição de ácido fosfórico aos dejetos, até pH 6,0. A adição de ácido visou reduzir as perdas de N por volatilização de amônia (NH3) durante a compostagem. A avaliação da população de coliformes foi feita pela técnica do número mais provável (NMP), com uso do caldo Fluorocult, incubado a 37ºC por 24h e posterior leitura em luz ultravioleta. A população de coliformes fecais não foi afetada pela adição de ácido fosfórico. O processo de compostagem automatizada foi eficiente na redução de coliformes fecais, cuja população original passou de 4,2x1010 para 1,2 x 105 ao final da compostagem (156 dias) sem adição de ácido e de 3,8x1010 para 2,3x104 na compostagem com adição de ácido. Essa remoção de coliformes fecais, promovida pela compostagem automatizada dos dejetos líquidos de suínos, corresponde a 99,99 por cento...

Microorganisms present in pig manure can contaminate the environment. Although composting is recommended as an efficient method to reduce the pollution potential of waste, there is little research information on this process. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of automated composting of pig slurry (PS) in reducing the population of coliforms, used as fecal pollution indicators. The PS was added periodically during 106 days in substrate, with a mixture, in equal parts, of wood shavings and sawdust. There were 14 additions of PS and at each addition the compost windrows were revolved through a machine especially developed for this purpose. Two treatments with three replications were evaluated, one with and one without the addition of phosphoric acid to the slurry up to pH 6.0. The acid addition aimed to reduce N losses through the volatilization of ammonia (NH3) during composting. Coliforms were evaluated by the technique of most probable number (MPN) using the Fluorocult broth, incubated at 37 ° C for 24 h and subsequent reading in ultra violet light. The population of fecal coliforms was not affected by the addition of phosphoric acid. The automated composting process was effective in reducing faecal coliforms, whose original population decreased from 4.2 x 1010 to 1.2 x 105 at the end of composting (156 days) without addition of acid and from 3.8 x1010 to 2,3 x104 in compost with added acid. This removal of faecal coliforms, promoted by automated composting of pig slurry, corresponds to 99.99 percent...

Carrier-Envelope Phase stabilization of a 20 W, grating based, chirped-pulse amplified laser, using electro-optic effect in a LiNbO3 crystal.

Using an original CEP stabilization technique based on the linear electro-optical effect in a specific crystal, we achieved long term CEP stabilization of a 20 W, 1 kHz laser with residual noise as low as 440 mrad (rms). At 3 W, the CEP shot to shot noise is kept as low as 320 mrad (rms) over half an hour.

Carrier-envelope phase control using linear electro-optic effect.

We present a new method to control the Carrier-Envelope Phase of ultra-short laser pulses by using the linear Electro-Optic Effect. Experimental demonstration is carried out on a Chirped Pulse Amplification based laser. Phase shifts greater than π radian can be obtained by applying moderate voltage on a LiNbO3 crystal with practically no changes to all other parameters of the pulse with the exception of its group delay. Time response of the Electro-Optic effect makes possible shaping at a high repetition rate or stabilization of the CEP of ultra short CPA laser systems.