Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN

NASCIMENTO, H. G. ; FERNANDES, L. C. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN. Publica , v. 2, p. 39-48, 2006.

Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN

NASCIMENTO, H. G. ; FERNANDES, L. C. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN. Publica , v. 2, p. 39-48, 2006.

Ketamine alters oscillatory coupling in the hoppocampus

Recent studies show that higher order oscillatory interactions such as cross-frequency coupling are important for brain functions that are impaired in schizophrenia, including perception, attention and memory. Here we investigated the dynamics of oscillatory coupling in the hippocampus of awake rats upon NMDA receptor blockade by ketamine, a pharmacological model of schizophrenia. Ketamine (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg i.p.) increased gamma and high-frequency oscillations (HFO) in all depths of the CA1-dentate axis, while theta power changes depended on anatomical location and were independent of a transient increase of delta oscillations. Phase coherence of gamma and HFO increased across hippocampal layers. Phase-amplitude coupling between theta and fast oscillations was markedly altered in a dose-dependent manner: ketamine increased hippocampal theta-HFO coupling at all doses, while theta-gamma coupling increased at the lowest dose and was disrupted at the highest dose. Our results demonstrate that ketamine alters network interactions that underlie cognitively relevant theta-gamma coupling.

Estudo do crescimento, eficiência de biofiltração e cinética de absorção de nutrientes (N-NH, N-NO e P-PO4³) da macroalga Gracilaria cervicornis (Turner) J. Agardh

The objective of this study was to examine the growth of Gracilaria cervicornis cultured in a shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) pond and to determine the absorption efficiency and the kinetics parameters (Vmax, Ks e Vmax:Ks) of this macroalgae for the nutrients N-NO3-, N-NH4+ and P-PO4-3, aiming at its use as bioremediatory of eutrophicated environments. For this study, two experiments (field and laboratory) were developed. In the field study, the seaweed was examined in relation to the growth and the biomass. In the laboratory experiment, the absorption efficiency of G. cervicornis was measured through the monitoring of the concentration of the three nutrients (N-NO3-, N-NH4+ e P-PO4-3) during 5 hours and the kinetic parameters were determined through the formula of Michaelis-Menten. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that G. cervicornis benefited from the available nutrients in the pond, increasing 52.4% of its biomass value after 30 days of culture. It was evidenced that the variability of the biomass could be explained through the salinity, availability of light (transparency and solid particle in suspension) and concentration of N-NO3- in the environment. In the laboratory experiment, the highest absorption efficiency was found in the treatments with low concentration (5 µmol.L-1), being evidenced a reduction of up to 85,3%, 97,5% and 81,2% of N-NH4+, N-NO3- and P-PO43-, respectively. Regarding the kinetic parameters, G. cervicornis presented better ability in absorbing N-NH4+ in high concentrations (Vmax = 158,5 µmol g-1 dry wt h-1) and P-PO43- in low concentrations (Ks = 5 µmol.L-1 e Vmax:Ks = 10,3). The results of this study show that G. cervicornis could be cultivated in shrimp ponds, presents a good capacity of absorption for the tested nutrients and is a promising candidate for biorremediation in shrimp pond effluent

Estádios larvais e ocorrência saxonal de imaturos de Psaroniocompsa incrustata (Lutz,1910)(Diptera:Smimuliidae) no Rio Pium, município de Nísia Floesta, RN

The larval instars, seasonal occurrence and environmental factors influence on Psaroniocompsa incrustata (Lutz, 1910) (Diptera: Simuliidae) immature were studied according to its physical and chemical aspects of breeding water. Four collects were made at vegetal substrate from margin, middle and floating on the Pium river, city of Nísia Floresta, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil at dry and wet season. Some of larval characters were used to determinate the larval instars number like lateral length of cephalic capsulae, antennae and the distance among cephalic apodema, as well as pH, water temperature, width, depth, stream velocity, discharge and pluviometric precipitation were used for physical factors. Seven larval instars were determined for this P. incrustata community being the lateral length of cephalic capsulae as the best structure with this meaning propose. The seasonality immature abundance of this species were found in dry season and a positive correlation with pH, stream velocity and precipitation

Abundância das formas imaturas de Psaroniocompsa incrustata ( Lutz, 1910) (Diptera: Simuliidae) em um criadouro natural no rio Pium/RN, e sua fauna associada

The species psaroniocompsa incrustata (Lutz, 1910) was studied in relation to its abundance in different and seasonal periods, the physico-chemical of the breending ground and the fauna predation added to the immature of the species. The study was developed during eight months, from April to July, 2005 (rainy season) and from October, 2005 to January, 2006 (drought season), in one natural breending ground situated in the Pium river, that is part of the hydrographical basin of the Pirangi river in Rio Grande do Norte. The immature of Simuliidae were collected manually in vegetal substrate. At the same place, it was made one sampling of the associated fauna using Suber collectors and the measurement of the environment variants. It was also made one analysis of the stomach content of possible enemies of the simulídeos, to observe the predation of the associated fauna. It was collected 7.713 samples, all from de species P. Incrustata, it was observed a bigger abundance in the drought season, and the entomologic fauna associated totalizing 20.1314 species, distributed in the kinds: Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Trichoptera, e Hemiptera, with a bigger representativity of Dipteros. The analysis of the stomach content of the species from the families Libellulidae and Hydropsychidae showed the presence of the simulídeos in only 4% of the material analysed, therefore it was not confirmed the presence of one efficient biological control of the simulídeos in this breending ground

Potencialidades de cultivo de macroalgas no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte (NE, Brasil): uma perspectiva de integração de dados ambientais em sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG)

Since centuries ago, the Asians use seaweed as an important source of feeding and are their greatest world-wide consumers. The migration of these peoples for other countries, made the demand for seaweed to increase. This increasing demand prompted an industry with annual values of around US$ 6 billion. The algal biomass used for the industry is collected in natural reservoirs or cultivated. The market necessity for products of the seaweed base promotes an unsustainable exploration of the natural banks, compromising its associated biological balance. In this context, seaweed culture appears as a viable alternative to prevent the depletion of these natural supplies. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide space and produce information that can facilitate the evaluation of important physical and socio-economic characteristics for the planning of seaweed culture. This objective of this study is to identify potential coastal areas for seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, from the integration of social-environmental data in the SIG. In order to achieve this objective, a geo-referred database composed of geographical maps, nautical maps and orbital digital images was assembled; and a bank of attributes including physical and oceanographical variables (winds, chains, bathymetry, operational distance from the culture) and social and environmental factors (main income, experience with seaweed harvesting, demographic density, proximity of the sheltered coast and distance of the banks) was produced. In the modeling of the data, the integration of the space database with the bank of attributes for the attainment of the map of potentiality of seaweed culture was carried out. Of a total of 2,011 ha analyzed by the GIS for the culture of seaweed, around 34% or 682 ha were indicated as high potential, 55% or 1,101 ha as medium potential, and 11% or 228 ha as low potential. The good indices of potentiality obtained in the localities studied demonstrate that there are adequate conditions for the installation of seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte

Análise proteômica de Chromobacterium violaceum: acúmulo estacionário e diferencial após exposição à luz UVC

Chromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacillus, Gram-negative commonly found in water and sand of tropical and subtropical regions. One of its main characteristic it's the ability to produce the purple pigment named violacein, that shows countless biological activities. In 2003, the genome of this organism was totally sequenced and revealed important informations about the physiology of this bacteria. However, few post-genomics studies had been accomplished. This work evaluated the protein profile of C. violaceum cultivated in LB medium at 28ºC that allowed the identification and characterization of proteins related to a possible secretion system that wasn't identified and characterized yet in C. violaceum, to the quorum sensing system, to regulatory process of transcription and translation, stress adaptation and biotechnological potential. Moreover, the response of the bacteria to UVC radiation was evaluated. The comparison of the protein profile, analyzed through 2-D electrophoresis, of the control group versus the treatment group allowed the identification of 52 proteins that arose after stress induction. The obtained results enable the elaboration of a stress response pathway in C. violaceum generated by the UVC light. This pathway, that seems to be a general stress response, involves the expression of proteins related to cellular division, purine and pirimidine metabolism, heat chock or chaperones, energy supply, regulation of biofilm formation, transport, regulation of lytic cycle of bacteriophages, besides proteins that show undefined function. Despite the response present similarities with the classic SOS response of E. coli, we still cannot assert that C. violaceum shows a SOS-like response, mainly due to the absence of characterization of a LexA-like protein in this organism

Avaliação de parâmetros de estresse oxidativo em plantas de cana-de-açúcar tratadas com peróxico de hidrogênio

The genus Saccharum belongs to Poaceae family. Sugarcane has become important monocultures in Brazil due to their products: ethanol and sugar. The production may change between different regions from Brazil. This difference is related to soil, climatic conditions and temperature that promotes oxidative stress that may induce an early flowering. The aim of this work was to identify the effects of oxidative stress. In order to analyse this, sugarcane plants were submitted to oxidative stress using hydrogen peroxide. After this treatment, the oxidative stress were analyzed Then, the plant responses were analyzed under different approaches, using morphophysiological, biochemical and molecular tools. Thus, sugarcane plants were grown under controlled conditions and until two months they were subjected first to a hydroponics condition for 24 hours in order to acclimation. After this period, these plants were submitted to oxidative stresse using 0 mM, 10 mM, 20 mM and 30 mM hydrogen peroxide during 8 hours. The histomorphometric analysis allowed us to verify that both root and leaf tissues had a structural changes as it was observed by the increased in cell volume, lignin accumulation in cell walls. Besides, this observation suggested that there was a change in redox balance. Also, it was analyzed the activity of the SOD, CAT and APX enzymes. It was observed an increase in the SOD activity in roots and it was also observed a lipid peroxidation in leaves and roots. Then, in order to identify proteins that were differently expressed in this conditions it was used the proteomic tool either by bidimensional gel or by direct sequencing using the Q-TOF EZI. The results obtained with this approach identified more than 3.000 proteins with the score ranging from 100-5000 ions. Some of the proteins identified were: light Harvesting; oxygenevolving; Thioredoxin; Ftsh-like protein Pftf precusor; Luminal-binding protein; 2 cys peroxiredoxin e Lipoxygenase. All these proteins are involved in oxidative stress response, photsynthetic pathways, and some were classified hypothetical proteins and/or unknown (30% of total). Thus, our data allows us to propose that this treatment induced an oxidative stress and the plant in response changed its physiological process, it made changes in tissue, changed the redox response in order to survival to this new condition

Modelo matemático para predição do VO2máx em cicloergômetro baseado na análise dos gases expirados

Existem diversas equações para predição do VO2máx a partir de variáveis dentro do teste ergométrico em vários ergômetros, no entanto equação semelhante utilizando os limiares ventilatórios na ergoespirometria em teste sub-máximo no cicloergômetro não está disponível. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a precisão de modelos de predição do VO2máx com base em indicadores de esforço sub-máximo. Neste sentido foram testados em protocolo incremental máximo no cicloergômetro 7.877 voluntários, sendo 4640 indivíduos do sexo feminino e 3147 do sexo masculino, todos saudáveis não atletas, com idades acima de 20 anos, divididos randomicamente em dois grupos: A de estimação e B de validação. A partir das variáveis independentes massa corporal (MC) em kg, carga de trabalho no limiar 2 (WL2) e freqüência cardíaca no limiar 2 (FCL2) foi possível construir um modelo de regressão linear múltipla para predição do VO2máx. Os resultados demonstram que em indivíduos saudáveis não atletas de ambos os sexos é possível predizer o VO2máx com um erro mínimo (EPE = 1,00%) a partir de indicadores submáximos obtidos em teste incremental. O caráter multidisciplinar do trabalho pôde ser caracterizado pelo emprego de técnicas que envolveram pneumologia, educação física, fisiologia e estatística

Voleibol infanto-juvenil brasileiro: Somatotipia, qualidades físicas e marcadores genéticos dos atletas em diferentes níveis de qualificação esportiva

The elaboration of profiles with characteristics that can be parameters in the different categories of sports modalities and the investment in scientific studies have revealed a significant importance in the development of new generations of athletes. Based in the exposed, the purpose of this study was to identify and compare the somatotype characteristics, physical qualities and genetic markers of Brazilian male volleyball players in the 14-17 category playing at different levels (international, national and regional). We used a scale, stadiometer, pachymeter, and adipometer to evaluate somatotype, attack and block reach test, medicine ball toss, 30-meter agility test , the AAHPER -30 test to evaluate basic physical qualities and the dermatoglyphic method to identify genetic markers. The results show the superiority of the national team over the other squads in the somatotype component (ectomorphy), and in the level of basic physical qualities. We found no significant difference in genetic markers among the teams studied. We conclude that Brazilian volleyball players at different performance levels have characteristics peculiar to the sport, with height and physical qualities being significantly different among these teams. The results confirm de necessity of knowing the athletes specific characteristics when dealing with high performance teams using nutrition, medicine, physiology and genetics specific knowledges to achieve a better sportive development

O renascimento do parto e da (reinvenção da) emancipação social na blogosfera brasileira: contra o desperdício das experiências

The birth models of care are discussed, in the light of classical and contemporary social science theoretical background, emphasizing the humanistic model. The double spiral of the sociology of absences and the sociology of emergences is detailed, being based, on one hand, on the translation of experiences of knowledge, and, on the other, on the translation of experiences of information and communication, by revealing the movement articulated by Brazilian women on blogs that defend and bring into light initiatives aiming to recover natural and humanized birth. A cartography of the thematic ideas in birth literature is produced, resulting in the elaboration of a synthetic map on obstetric models of care in contemporaneity, pointing out the consequences of the obstetric model that has become hegemonic in contemporary societies, and comparing that model to others that work more efficaciously to mothers and babies. A symbolic cartography of the activism for humanizing birth on the Brazilian blogosphere is configured by the elaboration of an analytical map synthetizing the main mottos defended by the movement: Normal humanized birth; Against obstetrical violence; and Planned home birth. The superposition of the obstetric models of care s map and the rebirth of birth s analytical map indicates it is necessary to reinforce three main measures in order to make a paradigmatic turn in contemporary birth models of care possible: pave the way for the humanistic care of assistance in normal birth, by defending and highlighting practices and professionals that act in compliance with evidence based medicine, respecting the physiology of birth; denaturalize obstetric violence, by showing how routine procedures and interventions can be means of aggression, jeopardizing the autonomy, the protagonism and the respect towards women; and motivate initiatives of planned home birth, the best place for the occurrence of holistic experiences of birth. It is concluded that Internet tools have allowed a pioneer mobilization in respecting women s reproductive rights in Brazil and that the potential of the crowd s biopower that resides on the blogosphere can turn blogs into a hegemonic alternative way to reach more democratic forms of social organization. In that condition of being virtually hegemonic in contesting the established power, these blogs can be understood, therefore, as potentially great contra-hegemonic channels for the rebirth of birth and for the reinvention of social emancipation, as their author s articulate and organize themselves to strive against the waste of experience, trying to create reciprocal intelligibility amongst different experiences of world

Modelo de avaliação de risco : São o crescimento e a estequiometria dos girinos afetados pelo efeito interativo entre a presença do predador e da densidade de coespecíficos?

Many prey organisms change their phenotype to reduce the predation risk. However, such changes are associated with trade-offs, and can have negative effects on prey growth or reproduction. Understand how preys assess the predation risk is essential to evaluate the adaptive value of predator-induced phenotypic and its ecological consequences. In this study, we performed a mesocosm experiment to test: i) if growth and stoichiometry of Lithobates catesbeianus tadpoles is altered in response to giant water bug presence (Belostoma spp.); ii) if these responses depend on tadpoles density in environment. Here, we show that tadpoles growth and stoichiometry are not changed by predator presence, neither in low nor in high densities. Our results suggest that tadpoles exposed to predation risk regulate their physiology to preserve the elemental stoichiometric homeostase of their body and excretion. Further, point out to need for future studies that elucidate under what conditions growth and stoichiometry are changed in response to predation risk

Mens sana in corpore sano: compreensões de corpo, saúde e educação

This thesis proposes that the idea expressed in Juvenal s quotation Mens Sana in Corpore Sano, produced in the Ancient Greek-Roman civilization includes undestandings of body, heath and education that were reapropriated and reorganized by scientific and pedagogical theories in the XIX and XX centuries. These theories, especially the ones that received contributions from the biomedical sciences, have influenced Physical Education in the search of becoming a science. In order to realize this reapropriation, we have analyzed the transformations in the concepts of body, health and education produced in the area discourse, aiming at pointing out elements to the configuration of a theory that is being called Corpore Sano. The theory constitutes in possible systematization of scientific, philosophical and pedagogical concepts, and as such, an understanding of the scientific fundaments of Physical Education. The corpus of this analysis was composed by 148 articles that were published in Revista Brasileira de Ciências do Esporte digitalized in the period between 1979 and 2003 and selected according to theme: body, biology, physical activity, effort physiology and health. The analysis of the content and the referential interpretation allowed the combination of philosophical reflection with attention to the empiric field as a comprehensive dimension. Based on the corpus of the analysis it is possible to configure meta-arguments about the concepts of body, health and education in the scientific production of Physical Education. As a metaresearch. Our study did not intend to judge the analyzed production, but look for theoretical elements that may generate a reflection about the scientific rationality in Physical Education and developments in the pedagogical field and in body practices. Such a reflection might be recognized as a theory of the living body, susceptible to modifications and interrogations that are proper of knowledge and practices of Physical Education. It is a theory rejects the idea of the complete truth and holds the comprehension that the truth is built historically through relations among different kinds of knowledge and Physical Education practices

A cooperação em crianças de rede pública de Natal/RN:uma abordagem evolucionista

Cooperation is a well known behavior and influenced by all cultures. Probably selective pressures brought advantages to individuals that cooperate, and then this behavior is current in human societies. Most of it is studied about cooperation and natural selection was understood by the game theory, a mathematical approach that helps to understand the conflict and cooperation. We believe that natural selection and game theory could facilitate understanding these behaviors and two theoretical articles were written regarding this view. It was also found that most of data about cooperation was obtained in (with) adults. Since game theory is effective to understand this phenomenon, and to be used and understood, two games were used with five and eleven year old children: the common pool and public goods games. The results are presented in four empirical articles. We found that children respond to social dilemmas of game theory like the adults do. They adjust their rounds regarding the feedback obtained of their partness; in the beginning they cooperate and reduce the degree of cooperation along (throughout) the following session; in the absence of punition the level of opportunism increased, mainly in larger groups; boys and girls behave differently when donate. This research suggest that cooperation has an evolutionary basis in human and it is since earlier in the behavioral pattern shown by adults.