Phytotoxicity of Tagetes erecta L. and Tagetes patula L. on plant germination and growth

This study evaluated the phytotoxic potential and antioxidant activity of Tagetes patula and Tagetes erecta, and total phenols and flavonoids of the extracts were quantified. Laboratory bioassays for both pre- and post-emergence were performed in Lactuca sativa L. seeds and in the Allium cepa seeds test. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power of iron, besides total phenols and flavonoids quantification in the extracts. Thus, was observed a reduction in the mitotic index when in compared with the negative control. Was observed also a reduction the germination and development of tested seedlings and was verified a considerable antioxidant potential and presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the extracts. According to these results, it is possible to conclude that T. erecta and T. patula have phytotoxic compounds that may enhance and expand their use in the management of organic agriculture, mainly in vegetables.

Produção de ácidos orgânicos por cepas leveduras assimiladoras de xilose

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Seleção, avaliação e utilização de uma levedura personalizada para a produção de etanol

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia - IBILCE

Expressão diferencial de mRNA em células de cultivo infectadas ple herpesvírus bovino 5

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Chitosan nanoparticles loaded the herbicide paraquat: The influence of the aquatic humic substances on the colloidal stability and toxicity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genotoxic potential of the latex from cotton-leaf physicnut (Jatropha gossypiifolia L.)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genotoxicity evaluation of environmental pollutants using analysis of nucleolar alterations

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Qualidade de cebola minimamente processada em diferentes tipos de cortes

The high perishability of the onion has limited its conservation period and caused great post-harvest losses. The need of consuming fresh products has led the market of minimally processed products to considerably rise. Cut operations during the minimal processing may not only cause important biochemical reactions in the onion tissues, but also affect its sensorial quality, resulting in a drastic reduction in the post-harvest life of the product. In this study the influence of different cut types was assessed on the quality of minimally processed onions. 'Baia Periforme'onions were transported to the laboratory, where they were selected, cleaned, classified, peeled, minimally processed into slices, grated and chopped, and subsequently sanitized for 10 minutes in sodium hypochlorite at 100 mg L-1. The product was kept on polystyrene trays covered with plastic film (PVC) as 80 g portions and conserved in a cold chamber at 5 +/- 1 degrees C and 85 +/- 5% RH, during 6 days. Physical, chemical and physico-chemical assays were carried out. Statistical design was completely randomized with 3 treatments and 3 replications (plot group) and 5 replicationss for the control group. For sensorial analysis (aspect and smell), 10 replications were used. To compare means, Tukey test at 5% significance was adopted. During the refrigerated conservation, sliced onions kept more stable levels of soluble solids, titratable acidity, total sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars. The grated onion was superior considering the sensorial characteristics, indicating that the cut types interfered in these features and the grated onion was more accepted by evaluators.

Effect of a spray formulation on the reproductive parameters of a susceptible population of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

The number of studies emphasizing the possible damage that acaricidal spray formulations can cause on engorged female ticks'reproductive parameters is small. The present study evaluated the deleterious effects of a spray formulation (dichlorvos 60% + chlorpyrifos 20%) on the reproductive parameters of a susceptible population of Rhipicephalus (B.) microplus females, using the Stall Test. The ticks were allocated randomly to treatments according to the mean numbers of females detached from each cow on days -3, -2 and -1 and the cattle pen location. The numbers of engorged female ticks that naturally detached from the cattle were counted daily from day 1 to day 30. For each group, 20 detached engorged female ticks or the available number collected daily were evaluated regarding reproductive parameters. Associations of organophosphates demonstrated elevated acaricidal efficacy, as well as deleterious effects on the reproductive parameters of R. (B.) microplus females. The engorged female weight (days 1 to 7), weight of egg masses (days 5 to 10) and larval hatching percentage (days 5 to 19) were decreased (P <= 0.05). It is possible that a formulation can lead to deleterious effects on R. (B.) microplus females when the tick population analyzed shows elevated sensitivity towards a particular formulation. However, further studies need to be conducted.

A flow cytometry method for testing the susceptibility of Cryptococcus spp. to amphotericin B

Human fungal infections have increased at an alarming rate in recent years, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Cryptococcosis is the second most prevalent systemic fungal infection worldwide, and the most prevalent systemic infection in immunocompromised individuals, representing more than 70% of cases. The incidence of cryptococcosis is high in people with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with recent estimates indicating that there are one million cases of cryptococcal meningitis globally per year in AIDS patients. The aim of this research was to develop a rapid flow cytometric antifungal susceptibility test and to compare the results with the standard methods. A reference strain and clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii were tested for susceptibility to amphotericin B by flow cytometry using propidium iodide as indicator of viability. Flow cytometry (FC) results were compared with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values determined by microdilution. The antifungal activity of amphotericin B ranged from MICs of 0.06 to 2μg/ml for the 11 isolates studied. The same results were found by FC. The FC method allows same-day results, assisting in the selection of appropriate antifungal therapies. These results demonstrate an excellent correlation between FC and the classic methods of testing for susceptibility to antifungal agents. This rapid diagnosis method makes it possible to quickly administer effective therapeutic interventions, often saving lives.

Avaliação Histológica e histomorfométrica do reparo ósseo em tíbias osteotomizadas de ratos (rattus novergicus albinus), submetidos a tratamento com ultrassom, frente à presença e ausência de carga

The response of bone metabolism is directly related to hormonal factors and mechanical stimuli that the bone is exposed. The ultrasonic energy on bone healing have been shown to be crucial for the stimulation and improvement in quality of newly formed tissue. The aim of this study was to analyze the action of low intensity ultrasound on bone healing of tibial osteotomy in rats subjected to tail suspension, through histological analysis and histomorphometry. Eighteen Rattus norvegicus albinos, Wistar, adults were divided into three groups, arranged as follows: G1 (n = 6), who remained free for a period of 15 days, G2 (n = 5), suspended by the tail for a period of 15 days and G3 (n = 7), suspended by the tail for a period of 36 days. In all three groups, both tibias were subjected to mono-cortical bone injury 4X2 mm in the medial region of the diaphysis, and the left limb was used as control and the right limb undergoing treatment with ultrasound (U.S.). The right tibia was treated with pulsed ultrasound at a frequency of 1.5 MHz, duty cycle 1:4, 30mW/cm2, for 12 sessions of 20 minutes each. Samples of tibia were subjected to histological analysis, blindly, with light microscopy and histomorphometric analysis by specific software Image-Pro 6.1. The average percentage of new bone formation were subjected to analysis of variance in subdivided parcels and multiple comparison test "Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK), with a significance level of 5%. The average values and standard deviations of the percentage of newly formed bone for the groups showed the least amount of bone repair G1t (13.62% ± 4.88%) - G1c (8.68% ± 4.16%) compared G2t groups (27.17% ± 11.36%) - G2c (10.10% ± 7.90%) and G3t (23.19% ± 5.61%) - G3c (15.74% ± 7 08%). However, the mean values and standard deviations of the percentage of newly formed bone repair in the tibia treated G2t and G3t were significantly higher when compared to the repair of tibia in the control group (G2c and G3c). Consequently, we conclude that ultrasound has helped to accelerate bone repair in both the presence and absence of cargo.

Experimentally induced anachoresis in the periapical region after root canal filling

Anachoresis is the phenomenon through which blood-borne bacteria, dyes, pigments and other materials are attracted and fixed to circumscribed areas of inflammation. This study evaluated the occurrence of anachoresis in the periapical region of dogs submitted to root canal fillings. One hundred and four roots from four dogs were endodontically treated and root canals were filled with zinc-oxide-eugenol cement. Fifty percent were filled up to the dentinocemental junction and the others were overfilled. At 120 days after root canal treatment, experimental bacteremia was induced by intravenous inoculation of 105 CFU Streptococcus pyogenes. The dogs were sacrificed 48 hours and 30 days after the bacteremia. Culture and DNA amplification by PCR revealed the presence of the inoculated bacteria just in periapical tissues of dogs sacrificed 48 hours after bacteremia and not in animals sacrificed after 30 days. AP-PCR fingerprints of recovered colonies of S. pyogenes and the presence of genetic markers of resistance to antimicrobials were similar to the inoculated strain. Endodontically treated periapices seemed to be prone to the occurrence of anachoresis and there was no relationship between the phenomenon and the level of root canal filling.

Transmissão congênita em cabras reinfectadas com Toxoplasma gondii

This study evaluated the potential of congenital transmission in goats experimentally infected and reinfected with Toxoplasma gondii, in three gestational stages (initial, intermediate and final). Of the 25 non-pregnant females negative for T. gondii, 20 were orally inoculated with 2.5 x 103 T. gondii ME49 oocysts. Of these, 15 pregnant females chronically infected were reinoculated, via oral, with 2.5 x 103 T. gondii VEG oocysts. Five experimental groups were formed (n=5): I, II and III (reinoculations in the initial, intermediate and final gestational stage, respectively), IV (inoculation) and V (no inoculation). Clinical and serological exams (IgG IFAT [indirect immunofluorescence antibody test]) in different days of evaluation, and bioassay and PCR were performed in all goats. In the infected goats with T. gondii a peak of 40.2°C (IV) at nine, seroconversion (IgG≥64) at 21 and stabilization (IgG<1024) at 119 days postinoculation were observed. In the reinfected goats with T. gondii occurred an increase in IgG titers (≥1,024) at 28 (I), 7 (II) and 3 (III) days post-reinoculation. During kidding were observed only in the reinfected groups: dystocia, malformation body, stillbirth and weakness, and IgG anti-Toxoplasma were detected in all and in some offsprings of the reinfected and infected goats, respectively. Tissue parasitism by T. gondii was diagnosed by bioassay and PCR in infected and reinfected goats and in their offspring. The congenital toxoplasmosis was possible in goats chronically infected and reinfected with T. gondii. The primary infection with T. gondii did not protect the pregnant goats against congenital disease resulting from toxoplasmic reinfection, in different gestational stages (initial, intermediate and final).

Using Pichia pastoris to produce recombinant glycerol kinase

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Development and validation of a rapid turbidimetric assay to determine the potency of ampicillin sodium in powder for solution for injection

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)