Hypothalamic disconnection caudal to paraventricular nucleus affects cardiovascular and drinking responses to central angiotensin II and carbachol

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

Fenvalerate, A Pyrethroid Insecticide, Adversely Affects Sperm Production and Storage in Male Rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Perinatal lead exposure affects nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase pathways in aorta of weaned rats

Perinatal Pb exposure may modulate arterial tone through nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase products. To investigate this, Wistar dams received 1000 ppm of Pb or sodium acetate (control) in drinking water during pregnancy and lactation. Curves were constructed in phenylephrine-precontracted intact and/or denuded rings of thoracic aortas of weaned (23-day-old) male pups from their responses to N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, NO synthase inhibitor) and ACh in the absence or presence of indomethacin (10(-5)M, cyclooxygenase inhibitor) or L-NAME (3 x 10(-7)M and 3 x 10(-4)M). Blood lead concentration and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were higher in intoxicated than control pups (blood lead mu g/dl: control < 3.0, Pb 58.7 +/- 6.5*; SBP mmHg: control 111.4 +/- 2.3, Pb 135.5 +/- 2.4*). In L-NAME-treated rings maximal responses increased in Pb-exposed rats, and were higher in intact than in denuded aortas (contraction [% of phenylephrine] intact: control 184.3 +/- 23.7, Pb 289.1 +/- 18.3*; denuded: control 125.1 +/- 4.5, Pb 154.8 +/- 13.3*). ACh-induced relaxation in intact aortas from Pb-exposed rats presented rightward shift in L-NAME presence (EC50 x 10(-7)M: control 1.32 [0.33-5.18], Pb 4.88 [3.56-6.69]*) but moved left under indomethacin (EC50 x 10(-7)M: control 8.95 [3.47-23.07], Pb 0.97 [0.38-2.43]*). *p < 0.05 significant relative to the respective control; N = 7-9. Endothelium removal abolished ACh-induced relaxation. Perinatal Pb exposure caused hypertension associated with alterations in the production and/or release of basal and stimulated endothelium-derived relaxing factors-NO and constricting cyclooxygenase products. These findings may help explain the contribution of NO and cyclooxygenase products to the etiology and/or maintenance of Pb-induced hypertension and could ultimately lead to therapeutic advantages in plumbism.

The ACB technique: a biomagentic tool for monitoring gastrointestinal contraction directly from smooth muscle in dogs

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Foraging by the omnivorous crab Pachygrapsus transversus affects the structure of assemblages on sub-tropical rocky shores

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

Impacto das atividades de aqüicultura e sistemas de tratamento de efluentes com macrófitas aquáticas – relato de caso

Aquaculture effluents are enriched by nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter and contribute to increase eutrophication of the receiving water bodies and reduction or change in biodiversity. To reduce effluent loading is important to formulate highly digestible diets with lower nutrient levels. In addition, it is necessary to treat effluents to attend to new legislation demands and the pressure of environmentalist. This review of the aquaculture activities and its impacts on the environmental is divided into fourth main subjects. The first is the way in which aquaculture affects the environmental through the consumption of materials and energy. The second is how aquaculture can affect the environmental directly, particularly through the effluents. The third is on the systems for treatment of aquaculture effluents with aquatic macrophytes. The fourth part is how aquaculture can be developed of sustainable form is on the systems for treatment of aquaculture effluents with aquatic macrophytes.

POSITIONING DURING RESISTANCE ELBOW FLEXOR EXERCISE AFFECTS ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ACTIVITY, HEART RATE, and PERCEIVED EXERTION

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Heavy-intensity aerobic exercise affects the isokinetic torque and functional but not conventional hamstrings:quadriceps ratios

Running exercises are frequently related to muscular injuries, which may be a result of muscular imbalance. The present study aimed to verify the effects of heavy-intensity continuous running exercise on the functional and conventional hamstrings: quadriceps ratios, and also in the knee flexors and extensors EMG activity in active non-athletic individuals. Sixteen active males performed maximal isokinetic concentric and eccentric knee flexions and extensions at 60 degrees s(-1) and 180 degrees s(-1). In another session, the same procedure was conducted after a continuous running exercise at 95% onset of blood lactate accumulation. Torque and electromyographic ratios were calculated from peak torque and integrated electromyographic activity (knee flexor and extensors). Creatine kinase was measured before and 24 h after running exercise. Eccentric torque (knee flexion and extension) decreased significantly after running only at 180 degrees s(-1) (p < 0.05). No differences were found for the conventional torque ratios (p > 0.05), however, the functional torque ratios at 180 degrees s(-1) decreased significantly after running (p < 0.05). No effects on the electromyographic activity and electronnyographic ratios were found (p > 0.05). Creatine kinase increased slightly 24 h after running (p < 0.05). Heavy-intensity continuous running exercise decreased knee flexor and extensor eccentric torque, and functional torque ratios under fast velocities (180 degrees s(-1)), probably as result of peripheral fatigue. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling a spatially restricted distribution in the Neotropics: How the size of calibration area affects the performance of five presence-only methods

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Habitat simplification affects nuclear-follower foraging association among stream fishes

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

Fermi acceleration with memory-dependent excitation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Functional Characterization of an Aspergillus fumigatus Calcium Transporter (PmcA) that Is Essential for Fungal Infection

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

Palm harvesting affects seed predation of Euterpe edulis, a threatened palm of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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

Water deficit affects photosynthetic induction in Bauhinia forficata Link (Fabaceae) and Esenbeckia leiocarpa Engl. (Rutaceae) growing in understorey and gap conditions

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

Classificação climática de Köppen e de Thornthwaite e sua aplicabilidade na determinação de zonas agroclimáticas para o estado de são Paulo

O clima pode ser entendido como as condições atmosféricas médias em uma certa região. Ele influencia diretamente a maioria das atividades humanas, em especial a agricultura na qual define o nível de produtividade agrícola, condicionado principalmente pela disponibilidade hídrica regional. Entretanto, os sistemas de classificações climáticas (SCC) são pouco utilizados no âmbito de estudos agrícolas pois, normalmente, considera-se sua escala de atuação muito abrangente. Dessa forma, valores médios mensais de temperatura máxima e mínima do ar de 27 estações termométricas e de 427 postos pluviométricos do Estado de São Paulo foram utilizados na atualização e melhoria do mapeamento dos SCC de Köppen modificado e de Thornthwaite, além da avaliação de potenciais aplicações em estudos de zoneamento agroclimáticos para o Estado de São Paulo. A utilização de dados de 427 localidades propiciou um mapeamento mais acurado do Estado pelas duas classificações. Avaliou-se a aplicabilidade das classificações em estudos agroclimáticos pela capacidade de separação dos climas pelos dois sistemas em relação aos elementos meteorológicos e componentes do balanço hídrico normal, com análises de dispersão dos dados, testes de separação de médias de Tukey e análises de cluster com dados independentes. O SCC de Köppen foi eficiente apenas na macroescala e com baixa capacidade de separação de tipos de climas em relação aos elementos meteorológicos (temperatura do ar, chuva) e elementos resultantes do balanço hídrico (evapotranspiração, deficiência e excedente hídrico). Conseqüentemente, não deve ser utilizado em estudos agrometeorológicos. O SCC de Thornthwaite permitiu separar eficientemente os climas na topoescala ou mesoescala, pois conseguiu resumir eficientemente as informações geradas por balanços hídricos normais, demonstrando capacidade para determinação de zonas agroclimáticas. Foram também feitas discussões sobre épocas de semeadura e qualidade de produtos agrícolas relacionadas com os SCC considerados.