Investigação de parasitoses e/ou comensais intestinais em manipuladores de alimentos de escolas públicas

The objective of this work was to identify intestinal parasites and/or commensals among food handlers of public schools in the city of Patos of Minas (MG). The fecal samples were analyzed by Lutz's method (1919). The positive results were 21.7% (13 cases) for parasites and/or commensal. The frequence of intestinal parasites and/or commensal of food handlers in the public schools showed low positive, probably as a result of good habits of personal hygiene and prophylactic treatment of parasitic.

Gingival metastasis from salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland

Background: This article reports a rare case of metastasis of salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland to the gingiva and reviews the occurrence of metastatic processes to the oral mucosa.Methods: A 67-year-old white male presented with a chief complaint of a painless nodular tissue growth on the gingiva with reportedly 5 months of evolution. The intraoral examination revealed a reddish, superflcially ulcerated nodular lesion (similar to 2 cm in diameter) on the right mandibular buccal attached gingiva, and the clinical aspect was that of a benign reactive lesion. The patient had undergone a parotidectomy for removal of a salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland almost 1 year before. A biopsy of the gingival lesion was performed, and the biopsied tissue was forwarded for histopathologic examination.Results: The analysis of the histopathologic sections of the gingival lesion revealed histomorphologic characteristics very similar to those of the primary parotid gland tumor. The definitive diagnosis was gingival metastasis from a salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland. The patient died of complications of a pulmonary metastasis I month after the diagnosis of the oral metastatic lesion.Conclusions: Gingival lesions that mimic reactive and hyperplastic lesions may be metastases from malignant neoplasias of diverse origins. An accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial to establish proper and immediate treatment of the metastatic tumor and possibly identify an occult primary malignant neoplasia.

Biodiversity, Species Interactions and Ecological Networks in a Fragmented World

Biodiversity is organised into complex ecological networks of interacting species in local ecosystems, but our knowledge about the effects of habitat fragmentation on such systems remains limited. We consider the effects of this key driver of both local and global change on both mutualistic and antagonistic systems at different levels of biological organisation and spatiotemporal scales.There is a complex interplay of patterns and processes related to the variation and influence of spatial, temporal and biotic drivers in ecological networks. Species traits (e.g. body size, dispersal ability) play an important role in determining how networks respond to fragment size and isolation, edge shape and permeability, and the quality of the surrounding landscape matrix. Furthermore, the perception of spatial scale (e.g. environmental grain) and temporal effects (time lags, extinction debts) can differ markedly among species, network modules and trophic levels, highlighting the need to develop a more integrated perspective that considers not just nodes, but the structural role and strength of species interactions (e.g. as hubs, spatial couplers and determinants of connectance, nestedness and modularity) in response to habitat fragmentation.Many challenges remain for improving our understanding: the likely importance of specialisation, functional redundancy and trait matching has been largely overlooked. The potentially critical effects of apex consumers, abundant species and supergeneralists on network changes and evolutionary dynamics also need to be addressed in future research. Ultimately, spatial and ecological networks need to be combined to explore the effects of dispersal, colonisation, extinction and habitat fragmentation on network structure and coevolutionary dynamics. Finally, we need to embed network approaches more explicitly within applied ecology in general, because they offer great potential for improving on the current species-based or habitat-centric approaches to our management and conservation of biodiversity in the face of environmental change.

Preparation and properties as positive electrodes of PANI-LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 nanocomposites

PANI-LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 nanocomposite material with improved properties as positive electrode was prepared by a new synthesis method. In a first step, LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 mixed oxide in the form of a fine powder was dispersed in aniline and this suspension was sprayed on the surface of an aqueous solution of HCl and ammonium peroxodisulfate. The resulting PANI-LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 nanocomposite is spontaneously formed by polymerization of the aniline molecules present in the drops together with small particles of the oxide. This method induces the formation of nanocomposites showing a better distribution of the oxide particles in the polymer matrix than that observed in related PANI-LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 microcomposites prepared under ultrasound irradiation to disperse the oxide particles during PANI polymerization. Measurements of electrical conductivity and zeta potential, as well as structural characterization of PANI-LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 nanocomposites, reveal the existence of relatively strong interactions between the conducting polymer and the oxide particles. This feature determines higher values of the electrical conductivity (0.5 S cm(-1)) and of the average operative voltage (3.6 V), as well as of other technological parameters of the nanocomposite when it is used as the positive electrode of rechargeable lithium batteries, in comparison to those of the related microcomposite materials already reported.

The genome sequence of the gram-positive sugarcane pathogen Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli

The genome sequence of Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli, which causes ratoon stunting disease and affects sugarcane worldwide, was determined. The single circular chromosome of Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli CTCB07 was 2.6 Mb in length with a GC content of 68% and 2,044 predicted open reading frames. The analysis also revealed 307 predicted pseudogenes, which is more than any bacterial plant pathogen sequenced to date. Many of these pseudogenes, if functional, would likely be involved in the degradation of plant heteropolysaccharides, uptake of free sugars, and synthesis of amino acids. Although L. xyli subsp. xyli has only been identified colonizing the xylem vessels of sugarcane, the numbers of predicted regulatory genes and sugar transporters are similar to those in free-living organisms. Some of the predicted pathogenicity genes appear to have been acquired by lateral transfer and include genes for cellulase, pectinase, wilt-inducing protein, lysozyme, and desaturase. The presence of the latter may contribute to stunting, since it is likely involved in the synthesis of abscisic acid, a hormone that arrests growth. Our findings are consistent with the nutritionally fastidious behavior exhibited by L. xyli subsp. xyli and suggest an ongoing adaptation to the restricted ecological niche it inhabits.

Genetic divergence in sesame based on morphological and agronomic traits

The evaluation of diversity in germplasm collections is important for both plant breeders and germplasm curators to optimize the use of the variability available. Diversity can be estimated by different genetic markers. The purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic divergence of 30 morphological and agronomic traits in 108 sesame genotypes by multivariate analysis. The Cole-Rodgers index was used to establish the dissimilarity matrices. The principal component analysis identified the traits that contributed most to the divergence and the genotypes were clustered by Tocher's optimization. Despite the narrow genetic basis, the markers were efficient to characterize the genotypes and identify the most similar groups or duplicate and divergent genotypes. Greatest variation was found for the traits number of capsules per plant and grain yield.

Dificuldades e alternativas encontradas por licenciandos para o planejamento de atividades de ensino de óptica para alunos com deficiência visual

Partial outcomes of a study aimed to verify future High School teachers performance during the development of a Teaching Practice undergraduate course. The student teachers were asked to plan, elaborate and teach, in a classroom situation, optics topics to a class which included visual handicapped pupils. Data analysis shows that the main difficulties found by the student physics' teachers are related to which approach will be used to perceive phenomena dependent on vision and also to the need to break away from traditional pedagogy.. On the other hand, as alternatives, future teachers have shown creativity in order to overcome passive aptitudes related to this educational problem, working out methodological strategies that do not require the knowing/seeing relation, as well as, emphasizing oral communication within the physics teaching context. Copyright by the Sociedade Brasileira de Física.

Efeito da ingestão crônica de álcool na progressão de periodontite induzida em ratos da linhagem Fischer-344

Objective: Understand the effect of chronic alcohol on the progression of periodontitis induced in Fischer-344 rats. Methods: For the study, 22 Fischer-344 rats, two months old were used, divided into groups: alcohol (n=8), ligature (n=7) and control (n=7). On the first day, the animals in the alcohol group were exposed to ingestion of a water solution containing 20% alcohol (size/size), up to day 90. After thirty days from the beginning of the experiment, the animals in the alcohol group and the ligature group were submitted to the placement of a silk thread around the right maxillary second molar. Nothing was performed on the left side, serving as control. All the groups were submitted to euthanasia 60 days after ligature placement. To assess the destruction of periodontitis, a radiographic exam was used to measure the destruction of bone height. Results: The results of the study showed that on the side in which periodontitis was induced, the group that ingested alcohol suffered an increase in destruction, with statistical differences when compared with the ligature and control groups and increased bone destruction in the ligature group when compared to control. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, it was concluded that chronic alcohol consumption by Fischer-344 rats led to greater progression of induced periodontitis.

Utilization of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the acute phase of ankle immobilization at 90°: Study in rats

Objective: To evaluate the skeletal muscle glycogen content and plasmatic concentration of interleukin -6 (IL-6), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in rats submitted to electrical stimulation sessions during the first three days of ankle immobilization at the position of 90°. Methods: Albinomale Wistar rats(3-4 months) were maintained in vivarium. conditions with food and water ad libitum, Submitted to 12 h photoperiodic cycles of light/dark, and distributed into 7 experimental groups (n = 6): control(C), immobilized 1 day(I1) immobilized 1 day and electrically stimulated(IE1) immobilized 2 days(12), immobilized 2 days and electrically stimulated(IE2), immobilized 3 days(13) and immobilized 3 days and electrically stimulated(IE3). Groups I utilized an acrylic resin orthesis model and groups electrically stimulated (IE) utilized the orthesis and a session of electrotherapy by a Dualpex 961 (biphasic quadratic pulse, 10 Hz, 0.4 ms, 5.0 mA, one 20 min session a day). After the experimental period, the rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium(40 mg/kg) and a blood sample was colleted to evaluate the plasmatic concentration of interleukins by means of the radioimmunoassay method. The soleus and the white portion of the gastrocnemius muscle were colleted for glycogen reserves analysis(GLY). Other groups of rats were used to apply the glucose tolerance test(GTT) and insulin tolerance test(ITT). For statistical analysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test followed by ANOVA and the Tukey tests were utilized, with a critical level established at 5%. Results: In ITT test, groups IE enhanced the skeletal muscle glucose uptake, but no changes were observed in GTT after the therapy session, which indicates that electrical stimulation is a sensibilizing method to augment skeletal muscle glucose uptake. The GLY reserves were reduced in I groups, which indicate that disuse altered insulin sensitivity and compromised energetic homeostasis. However. the IE groups displayed an augment in GLY content, suggesting that electrical stimulation restores the enzymatic pathways altered by immobilization. The improvement in GLY was accompanied by an elevation of the plasmatic concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α, showing the participation of these interleukins in the control of metabolic profile. Plasmatic concentrations of IL-10 were elevated only after 3 days of IE while IL-4 did not display any modifications. Conclusion: The results suggest that neuromuscular electricaf stimulation is an important toot in the maintenance of energetic, conditions of musculature submitted to immobilization, and presents multifactor mechanisms linked to interleukins action that converge to maintain the energetic equilibrium of the tissue in disuse.

Razão triglicérides/HDL-C e proteína C reativa de alta sensibilidade na avaliação do risco cardiovascular

Introduction: Calculated indexes from laboratory measurements and the determination of plasma markers are commonly used in cardiovascular risk assessment. Objective: To use triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, estimate of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels to the clinical and laboratorial assessment of coronary risk among patients with coronary disease. Material and methods: Sixty patients were chosen accordingly, 36 female (F) (65 ± 9 years of age) and 24 male (M) (55 ± 10 years of age) diagnosed with stable ischemic cardiopathy at Ana Neri Hospital, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The investigation was carried out at the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory of the College of Pharmacy at Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). Blood samples were collected after a 12-hour fast to determine hs-CRP, lipid profile and risk indicators. All data were assessed through Syncron LX®20 Beckman Coulter. The inferential analysis results were considered significant when p ≤ 5%. Data analysis was carried out with GraphPad Prism® (4.03 version) software. Results: Data analysis showed a positive correlation between hs-CRP and triglycerides/HDL-C ratio only among women (r = 0.4; p = 0.0442), n = 36. The analysis of other parameters did not show any significance. Conclusion: The triglycerides/HDL-C ratio and hs-CRP may be used as indicators of increase in cardiovascular risk among women with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Quebra de dormência em sementes de Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers

Forest species with hard seeds often pose considerable problems to nursery managers because their hard and impermeable seed coats hinder and delay germination. Therefore, this work aimed to determine the most efficient, practical and low cost methodology to overcome dormancy in Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. Seed, a specie with potential for recovery of degraded areas. The seeds were submitted to chemical scarification by immersion in sulfuric acid during a period of 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes, mechanical scarification and heat treatment. After the scarification the seeds were submitted to germ test in germination chambers at 25oC and photoperiod of 14 h. Treatment with mechanical scarification showed the highest germination percentage (98%), followed by chemical scarification for 30 minutes (57%). The heat treatment in spite of obtaining a higher germination percentage than the controls had abnormal development of seedlings and is not therefore recommended for seeds of S. virgata. From the parameters utilized in this study, we recommend the use of the mechanical scarification to overcome dormancy of S. virgata seeds.