Baccharis subgen. Molina (Asteraceae) no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Baccharis compreende ca. 340 espécies distribuídas nas Américas. O indumento em tufos diminutos, formado por tricomas com uma única célula basal, e as flores funcionalmente unissexuais são caracteres diagnósticos do gênero. No estado do Rio de Janeiro ocorrem 55 espécies de Baccharis. O trabalho apresenta os resultados de estudos taxonômicos de Baccharis subgen. Molina (Pers.) Heering para a flora fluminense. No estado, o subgênero está representado por 18 espécies pertencentes a quatro seções - Caulopterae (8 spp.), Molinae (4 spp.), Baccharidastrum (3 spp.) e Trinervatae (3 spp.). É apresentada uma chave para a identificação das seções e espécies e descrições morfológicas, ilustrações, dados de distribuição geográfica e ecologia. Três espécies são novos registros e cinco são excluídas da lista de espécies do Rio de Janeiro.

ENSINO DE ENFERMAGEM EM CENTRO CIRÚRGICO: TRANSFORMAÇÕES DA DISCIPLINA NA ESCOLA DE ENFERMAGEM DA USP (BRASIL)

Este artigo tem por objetivos apresentar uma síntese da evolução do conteúdo de bloco cirúrgico na Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade de São Paulo (EEUSP) e uma reflexão sobre as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem (DCN). O estudo se desenvolveu a partir de um breve histórico do desenvolvimento da enfermagem em centro cirúrgico na prática profissional e sua inserção no currículo de graduação da EEUSP. As Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais têm seu mérito ao assegurar às instituições de ensino superior a liberdade na composição da carga horária a ser cumprida para a integralização dos currículos e na especificação das unidades de estudo a serem ministradas, porém, as competências e habilidades propostas são inespecíficas. Entendemos que o enfermeiro generalista é aquele que tem oportunidades de aprendizado teórico prático para atuar em todos os cenários de cuidado, área e níveis de atenção em saúde.

Ensino de enfermagem em centro cirúrgico: transformações da disciplina na Escola de Enfermagem da USP (Brasil)

Este artigo tem por objetivos apresentar uma síntese da evolução do conteúdo de bloco cirúrgico na Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade de São Paulo (EEUSP) e uma reflexão sobre as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem (DCN). O estudo se desenvolveu a partir de um breve histórico do desenvolvimento da enfermagem em centro cirúrgico na prática profissional e sua inserção no currículo de graduação da EEUSP. As Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais têm seu mérito ao assegurar às instituições de ensino superior a liberdade na composição da carga horária a ser cumprida para a integralização dos currículos e na especificação das unidades de estudo a serem ministradas, porém, as competências e habilidades propostas são inespecíficas. Entendemos que o enfermeiro generalista é aquele que tem oportunidades de aprendizado teórico prático para atuar em todos os cenários de cuidado, área e níveis de atenção em saúde.

Reflexões sobre a influência de Maquiavel na educação e na formação do Estado Moderno

Este texto tem como objetivo analisar algumas formulações de Nicolau Maquiavel sobre a teoria política, bem como refletir sobre a contribuição de suas ideias, expostas na obra O Príncipe, para a formação do Estado Moderno Absoluto. Essa obra foi resultado de suas reflexões sobre os problemas do seu tempo: séculos XV e XVI, na Itália. O Príncipe expressava o desenvolvimento dos Estados Nacionais, a dessacralização do político, a independência do poder temporal em relação ao poder religioso e a primazia do Estado frente à religião. Consideramos que a obra de Maquiavel é de suma relevância para a história das ideias, principalmente, no campo da ciência política. Dessa forma, destacamos a importância do estudo de seu pensamento sob a perspectiva da Educação, o qual nos possibilita a compreensão dos fundamentos políticos da modernidade e, por conseguinte, o entendimento da formação do homem político-moderno.

Lufaxin, a Novel Factor Xa Inhibitor From the Salivary Gland of the Sand Fly Lutzomyia longipalpis Blocks Protease-Activated Receptor 2 Activation and Inhibits Inflammation and Thrombosis In Vivo

Objective-Blood-sucking arthropods' salivary glands contain a remarkable diversity of antihemostatics. The aim of the present study was to identify the unique salivary anticoagulant of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis, which remained elusive for decades. Methods and Results-Several L. longipalpis salivary proteins were expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells and screened for inhibition of blood coagulation. A novel 32.4-kDa molecule, named Lufaxin, was identified as a slow, tight, noncompetitive, and reversible inhibitor of factor Xa (FXa). Notably, Lufaxin's primary sequence does not share similarity to any physiological or salivary inhibitors of coagulation reported to date. Lufaxin is specific for FXa and does not interact with FX, Dansyl-Glu-Gly-Arg-FXa, or 15 other enzymes. In addition, Lufaxin blocks prothrombinase and increases both prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed that FXa binds Lufaxin with an equilibrium constant approximate to 3 nM, and isothermal titration calorimetry determined a stoichiometry of 1:1. Lufaxin also prevents protease-activated receptor 2 activation by FXa in the MDA-MB-231 cell line and abrogates edema formation triggered by injection of FXa in the paw of mice. Moreover, Lufaxin prevents FeCl3-induced carotid artery thrombus formation and prolongs activated partial thromboplastin time ex vivo, implying that it works as an anticoagulant in vivo. Finally, salivary gland of sand flies was found to inhibit FXa and to interact with the enzyme. Conclusion-Lufaxin belongs to a novel family of slow-tight FXa inhibitors, which display antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory activities. It is a useful tool to understand FXa structural features and its role in prohemostatic and proinflammatory events. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2012;32:2185-2196.)

Nuclear rainbow in the O-16+(27)AL system: The role of couplings at energies far above the barrier

High precision elastic and inelastic angular distributions have been measured for the O-16 + Al-27 system at a beam energy of 100 MeV. The data analysis confirms a rainbow formation as already predicted by parameter-free Coupled Channel calculations. It also helps to reveal the crucial role of inelastic couplings in the rainbow formation for heavier systems even at energies far above the Coulomb barrier. This feature, well known in atomic/molecular scattering, is experimentally studied for the first time in Nuclear Physics. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Brazil Nut Supplementation on Plasma Levels of Selenium in Hemodialysis Patients: 12 Months of Follow-up

Background: Large amounts of reactive oxygen species are produced in hemodialysis (HD) patients, and, at higher concentrations, reactive oxygen species are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. It has been proposed that selenium (Se) may exert an antiatherogenic influence by reducing oxidative stress. The richest known food source of Se is the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa, family Lecythidaceae), found in the Amazon region. Objective: The objective of this work was to determine if Se plasma levels in HD patients submitted to a program of supplementation during 3 months with 1 Brazil nut by day could be sustained after 12 months. Methods: A total of 21 HD patients (54.2 +/- 15.2 years old; average time on dialysis, 82.3 +/- 51.6 months; body mass index, 24.4 +/- 3.8 kg/m(2)) from the RenalCor Clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were followed up 12 months after the supplementation study ended. The Se plasma levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with hydride generation. Results: The Se Plasma levels (17.3 +/- 19.9 mg/L) were below the normal range (60 to 120 mu g/L) before nut supplementation, and after 3 months of supplementation, the levels increased to 106.8 +/- 50.3 mu g/L (P < .0001). Twelve months after supplementation, the plasma Se levels decreased to 31.9 +/- 14.8 mu g/L (P < .0001). Conclusions: The data showed that these patients were Se deficient and that the consumption of Brazil nut was effective to increase the Se parameters of nutritional status. Se levels 12 months after the supplementation period were not as low as presupplementation levels but yet significantly lower, and we needed to motivate patients to adopt different dietary intake patterns. (C) 2012 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.

Taxonomic and distributional notes on Telebasis Selys, 1865, with a redescription of T. pallida Machado, 2010, and an evaluation of the T. racenisi Bick & Bick, 1995 "complex" of species (Odonata, Coenagrionidae)

A full checklist of the species of Telebasis Selys, 1865, housed in the Brazilian collections Colecao Entomologica Prof. Jose Alfredo Pinheiro Dutra, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio do Janeiro (DZRJ), and Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de Sao Paulo (MZSP) is presented. A total of 325 specimens representing 19 species were studied. Ten new records for Brazilian States were found for T. carmesina Calvert, 1909 (Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul), T. corallina (Selys, 1876) (Pernambuco), T. demarara (Williamson, 1917) (Maranhao), T. filiola (Perty, 1834) (Paraiba and Santa Catarina), T. gigantea Daigle, 2002 (Sao Paulo), T. inalata (Calvert, 1961) (Mato Grosso do Sul), T. pallida Machado, 2010 (Goias) and T. obsoleta (Selys, 1876) (Mato Grosso do Sul), as well as a new record of T. carminita Calvert, 1909 for Suriname. Telebasis pallida Machado, 2010 is redescribed and diagnosed based on 14 males collected near the type locality, and its genital ligula is described and illustrated for the first time. Furthermore, the status of the three species of the Telebasis racenisi Bick & Bick, 1995 complex is evaluated. Of these, Telebasis pareci Machado, 2010 syn. n. is proposed as junior subjective synonym of Telebasis lenkoi Machado, 2010, and a possible synonymy among the three species is discussed under T. racenisi. ((c) 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Purification and characterization of Hb 98-114: A novel hemoglobin-derived antimicrobial peptide from the midgut of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

The antimicrobial activity of hemoglobin fragments (hemocidins) has been reported in a variety of models. The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is a blood sucking arthropod from where the first in vivo-generated hemocidin was characterized (Hb 33-61). In the present work we identified a novel antimicrobial peptide from the midgut of fully engorged R. (B.) microplus females, which comprises the amino acids 98-114 of the alpha subunit of bovine hemoglobin, and was designated Hb 98-114. This peptide was active against several yeast and filamentous fungi, although no activity was detected against bacteria up to 50 mu M of the synthetic peptide. Hb 98-114 was capable of permeabilizing Candida albicans cell membrane and had a fungicidal effect against this yeast. Circulardichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments showed that Hb 98-114 has a random conformation in aqueous solution but switches to an alpha-helical conformation in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). This alpha helix adopts an amphipathic structure which may be the mechanism of cell membrane permeabilization. Importantly, Hb 98-114 may play an important role in defending the tick midgut against fungal pathogens and is the first hemocidin with specific antifungal activity to be characterized. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rhodolith Beds Are Major CaCO3 Bio-Factories in the Tropical South West Atlantic

Rhodoliths are nodules of non-geniculate coralline algae that occur in shallow waters (<150 m depth) subjected to episodic disturbance. Rhodolith beds stand with kelp beds, seagrass meadows, and coralline algal reefs as one of the world's four largest macrophyte-dominated benthic communities. Geographic distribution of rhodolith beds is discontinuous, with large concentrations off Japan, Australia and the Gulf of California, as well as in the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, eastern Caribbean and Brazil. Although there are major gaps in terms of seabed habitat mapping, the largest rhodolith beds are purported to occur off Brazil, where these communities are recorded across a wide latitudinal range (2 degrees N - 27 degrees S). To quantify their extent, we carried out an inter-reefal seabed habitat survey on the Abrolhos Shelf (16 degrees 50' - 19 degrees 45'S) off eastern Brazil, and confirmed the most expansive and contiguous rhodolith bed in the world, covering about 20,900 km(2). Distribution, extent, composition and structure of this bed were assessed with side scan sonar, remotely operated vehicles, and SCUBA. The mean rate of CaCO3 production was estimated from in situ growth assays at 1.07 kg m(-2) yr(-1), with a total production rate of 0.025 Gt yr(-1), comparable to those of the world's largest biogenic CaCO3 deposits. These gigantic rhodolith beds, of areal extent equivalent to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, are a critical, yet poorly understood component of the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. Based on the relatively high vulnerability of coralline algae to ocean acidification, these beds are likely to experience a profound restructuring in the coming decades.

Evaluation of the biocide activity of phosphorylated and sulfophosphorylated resins

Phosphorylated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) copolymers prepared by aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction with PCl3/AlCl3 were reacted with carbon dissulfite in order to introduce sulfophosphorylated groups into copolymers. These modifications were characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, spectrophotometry, optical and scanning electron microscopy. The antibacterial activities of the phosphorylated and sulfophorylated copolymers were assessed against Escherichia coli ATCC25922 suspensions (10(3)-10(7) cells mL(-1)) using a column system. The unmodified copolymers did not have antibacterial activity against the E. coil suspensions but the phosphorylated and sulfophorylated copolymers showed significant bactericidal action for all E. coli concentrations. The sulfophosphorylated copolymers had higher antibacterial activity than the phosphorylated ones, mainly for high concentrations of E. coli cells. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Physical-chemical and microbiological changes in Cerrado Soil under differing sugarcane harvest management systems

Background: Sugarcane cultivation plays an important role in Brazilian economy, and it is expanding fast, mainly due to the increasing demand for ethanol production. In order to understand the impact of sugarcane cultivation and management, we studied sugarcane under different management regimes (pre-harvest burn and mechanical, unburnt harvest, or green cane), next to a control treatment with native vegetation. The soil bacterial community structure (including an evaluation of the diversity of the ammonia oxidizing (amoA) and denitrifying (nirK) genes), greenhouse gas flow and several soil physicochemical properties were evaluated. Results: Our results indicate that sugarcane cultivation in this region resulted in changes in several soil properties. Moreover, such changes are reflected in the soil microbiota. No significant influence of soil management on greenhouse gas fluxes was found. However, we did find a relationship between the biological changes and the dynamics of soil nutrients. In particular, the burnt cane and green cane treatments had distinct modifications. There were significant differences in the structure of the total bacterial, the ammonia oxidizing and the denitrifying bacterial communities, being that these groups responded differently to the changes in the soil. A combination of physical and chemical factors was correlated to the changes in the structures of the total bacterial communities of the soil. The changes in the structures of the functional groups follow a different pattern than the physicochemical variables. The latter might indicate a strong influence of interactions among different bacterial groups in the N cycle, emphasizing the importance of biological factors in the structuring of these communities. Conclusion: Sugarcane land use significantly impacted the structure of total selected soil bacterial communities and ammonia oxidizing and denitrifier gene diversities in a Cerrado field site in Central Brazil. A high impact of land use was observed in soil under the common burnt cane management. The green cane soil also presented different profiles compared to the control soil, but to at a lesser degree.

Is zinc-alpha 2-glycoprotein a cardiovascular protective factor for patients undergoing hemodialysis?

Background: Zinc-alpha 2-glycoprotein (ZAG) is a lipid mobilizing factor. Its anti-inflammatory action and expression pattern suggest that ZAG could act by protecting against the obesity-associated disorders. In hemodialysis (HD) patients, ZAG levels were described to be elevated but its effects on markers of inflammation and LDL oxidation are still unclear. We investigated the relationship between ZAG and markers of systemic inflammation and LDL atherogenic modification profile in HD patients. Methods: Forty-three patients regularly on HD were studied and compared to 20 healthy subjects. Plasma ZAG, adiponectin, electronegative LDL [LDL(-)], an atherosclerotic negatively charged LDL subtraction, and anti-LDL(-) autoantibodies levels were measured by ELISA. Markers of inflammation and atherogenic cell recruitment (TNF-alpha, interleukin-6, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MCP-1 and PAI-1) were also determined. Results: Inflammatory markers and atherogenic cell recruitment were higher in HD patients when compared to healthy subjects. ZAG levels were also higher in HD patients (151.5 +/- 50.1 mg/l vs 54.6 +/- 23.0 mg/l; p<0.0001) and its levels were negatively correlated with TNF-alpha (r= -0.39; p = 0.001) and VCAM-1 (r= -0.52; p<0.0001) and, positively correlated with anti-LDL(-) autoantibodies (r = 038; p = 0.016). On multivariate analyses, plasma ZAG levels were independently associated with VCAM-1 (p = 0.01). Conclusion: ZAG is inversely associated with markers of pro-atherogenic factors linked to systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Thus, this adipokine may constitute a novel marker of a favorable metabolic profile regarding cardiovascular risk factors in HD population. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exposure of luminal membranes of LLC-PK1 cells to ANG II induces dimerization of AT(1)/AT(2) receptors to activate SERCA and to promote Ca2+ mobilization

Ferrao FM, Lara LS, Axelband F, Dias J, Carmona AK, Reis RI, Costa-Neto CM, Vieyra A, Lowe J. Exposure of luminal membranes of LLC-PK1 cells to ANG II induces dimerization of AT(1)/AT(2) receptors to activate SERCA and to promote Ca2+ mobilization. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 302: F875-F883, 2012. First published January 4, 2012; doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00381.2011.-ANG II is secreted into the lumens of proximal tubules where it is also synthesized, thus increasing the local concentration of the peptide to levels of potential physiological relevance. In the present work, we studied the effect of ANG II via the luminal membranes of LLC-PK1 cells on Ca2+-ATPase of the sarco(endo) plasmic reticulum (SERCA) and plasma membrane (PMCA). ANG II (at concentrations found in the lumen) stimulated rapid (30 s) and persistent (30 min) SERCA activity by more than 100% and increased Ca2+ mobilization. Pretreatment with ANG II for 30 min enhanced the ANG II-induced Ca2+ spark, demonstrating a positively self-sustained stimulus of Ca2+ mobilization by ANG II. ANG II in the medium facing the luminal side of the cells decreased with time with no formation of metabolites, indicating peptide internalization. ANG II increased heterodimerization of AT(1) and AT(2) receptors by 140%, and either losartan or PD123319 completely blocked the stimulation of SERCA by ANG II. Using the PLC inhibitor U73122, PMA, and calphostin C, it was possible to demonstrate the involvement of a PLC -> DAG(PMA)-> PKC pathway in the stimulation of SERCA by ANG II with no effect on PMCA. We conclude that ANG II triggers SERCA activation via the luminal membrane, increasing the Ca2+ stock in the reticulum to ensure a more efficient subsequent mobilization of Ca2+. This first report on the regulation of SERCA activity by ANG II shows a new mechanism for Ca2+ homeostasis in renal cells and also for regulation of Ca2+-modulated fluid reabsorption in proximal tubules.