Carbohydrate and glutamine supplementation modulates the Th1/Th2 balance after exercise performed at a simulated altitude of 4500 m

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of carbohydrate or glutamine supplementation, or a combination of the two, on the immune system and inflammatory parameters after exercise in simulated hypoxic conditions at 4500 m.Methods: Nine men underwent three sessions of exercise at 70% VO2(peak) until exhaustion as follows: 1) hypoxia with a placebo; 2) hypoxia with 8% maltodextrin (200 mL/20 min) during exercise and for 2 h after; and 3) hypoxia after 6 d of glutamine supplementation (20 g/d) and supplementation with 8% maltodextrin (200 mL/20 min) during exercise and for 2 h after. All procedures were randomized and double blind. Blood was collected at rest, immediately before exercise, after the completion of exercise, and 2 h after recovery. Glutamine, cortisol, cytokines, glucose, heat shock protein-70, and erythropoietin were measured in serum, and the cytokine production from lymphocytes was measured.Results: Erythropoietin and interleukin (IL)-6 increased after exercise in the hypoxia group compared with baseline. IL-6 was higher in the hypoxia group than pre-exercise after exercise and after 2 h recovery. Cortisol did not change, whereas glucose was elevated post-exercise in the three groups compared with baseline and pre-exercise. Glutamine increased in the hypoxia + carbohydrate + glutamine group after exercise compared with baseline. Heat shock protein-70 increased post-exercise compared with baseline and pre-exercise and after recovery compared with pre-exercise, in the hypoxia carbohydrate group. No difference was observed in IL-2 and IL-6 production from lymphocytes. IL-4 was reduced in the supplemented groups.Conclusion: Carbohydrate or glutamine supplementation shifts the T helper (Th)1/Th2 balance toward Th1 responses after exercise at a simulated altitude of 4500 m. The nutritional strategies increased in IL-6, suggesting an important anti-inflammatory effect. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Record of Argyrodiaptomus bergi (Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida) after 36 years and first record in Brazil

The first record of Argyrodiaptomus bergi (Richard, 1897) from a small roadside pool at high altitude in the southern region of Brazil is presented. This is the ninth record of this species in South America (previously known from Argentina and Uruguay) since its original description, and a new occurrence after 36 years, extending its known distribution to the northeast. The environments where this species was found differ sharply, and possible explanations include the loss of habitat, high species selectivity or deficient sampling efforts. An additional description is provided, with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photomicrographs and line drawings. Similarly to other species of Argyrodiaptomus, such as Argyrodiaptomus falcifer (Daday, 1905), Argyrodiaptomus denticulatus (Pesta, 1927) and Argyrodiaptomus granulosus (Brehm, 1933), this species shows a restricted distribution in the lower stretches of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, particularly in small pools. The importance of better understanding the dynamics and diversity of small water bodies is discussed.

Morfoanatomia do sistema subterrâneo de Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. & Endl.) H. Robinson (Asteraceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

POPULATIONAL STUDY OF CHROMOSOME POLYMORPHISM IN ZONOTRICHIA-CAPENSIS (EMBERIZIDAE, PASSERIFORMES, AVES)

The karyotypes of 328 specimens of Zonotrichia capensis from four regions, three in the state of Parana and one in the state of São Paulo (Brazil), were studied. This species presents a chromosomal polymorphism due to pericentric inversion, involving the 3rd and 5th chromosome pairs. Chromosome 3 exists in the 3st and 3sm conditions and chromosome 5, in 5st and 5m conditions. Mitotic metaphase spreads were obtained from bone-marrow material of colchicine-treated animals.At all collection sites the frequency of chromosome 5m was considerably lower than that of the inverted chromosome 3sm.The present work tried to establish a correlation between the frequencies of the 3rd and 5th chromosome pairs with the climatical and geographical parameters at the collecting regions.Data show that the frequency of chromosome 5m is higher in regions with low temperature and high altitude.

Os Répteis do Município de São Paulo: Diversidade e ecologia da fauna pretérita e atual

The reptile fauna in the municipality of São Paulo is well sampled due to intensive collection in the last 100 years. In the present work we provide a checklist of reptile species in São Paulo municipality based on preserved specimens in scientific collections. The reptile fauna was also characterized by three ecological parameters: habitat use, substrate use, and diet. We recorded a total of 97 reptile species (two turtles, one crocodilian, 19 lizards, seven amphisbaenians, and 68 snakes). Approximately 70% of the lizards and 40% of the snakes are typical of forest habitats of the Serra do Mar mountain range. Other squamates are typical of open formations that occur mainly on inland Cerrado habitats. All turtles and the crocodilian are associated to riparian habitats. Approximately 63% of the lizards are predominantly terrestrial, and the remaining species are arboreal. Most species of snakes are terrestrial (38%) or subterranean/criptozoic (25%) whereas a smaller proportion are arboreal (18%) or aquatic (9%). Lizards feed upon arthropods. Almost 50% of the snake species are specialized or feed mainly upon anuran amphibians. Other important items consumed by snakes are mammals (24%), lizards (18%), subterranean vertebrates (10%), and invertebrates (earthworms, mollusks and arthropods; 15%). A total of 51 reptile species have not been recorded for the last six years. Probably many of these species are extinct in the region due the intense local urbanization and habitat loss. The survey of species collected in São Paulo municipality and received in the Instituto Butantan in recent years allowed the identification of 10 lizards at least 42 snake species already occurring in the region. The high species richness of the original fauna seems related to the geographic location of the municipality, in a contact zone between forested areas of the Atlantic Forest (ombrophilous forest) and open formations (savannas, high-altitude grassland). Thus, the original habitat composition probably allowed sympatry among different species pools typical of both open and forested formations. The extant snake fauna recorded in the last three years indicates a higher loss of the species in open formations when compared to the forested areas.

Revisitação de Bromeliaceae na APA Santuário ecológico da Pedra Branca Caldas, MG

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da utilização do atual Diesel (combustível) comercial brasileiro (ano de referência 2003-2004) para motores com gerenciamento eletrônico de combustível e sistema de recirculação de gases de escape (EGR), certificados pela legislação EPA, 2004

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Fenologia reprodutiva e vegetativa de arbustos endêmicos de campo rupestre na Serra do Cipó, Sudeste do Brasil

The Brazilian campos rupestres (high-altitude grasslands) are very important on the world conservation scenario because of high species richness and endemism. These grasslands are regarded as threatened ecosystems due to intense, on-going disruption by man's activities. The aim of this study was to describe the reproductive and vegetative phenological patterns of six shrub species endemic to these grasslands in the Espinhaço Range, sympatric in Serra do Cipó, MG. We tested the relationship between species phenophases and local climate seasonality. We expect that the species phenophases are strongly correlated with variations of the dry and wet seasons. Observations were conducted monthly on reproductive (flowering, fruit production and dispersal) and vegetative (leaf fall and budding) phenophases. Given the combination of reproductive phenology, vegetative phenology, and seasonality, we observed four phenological strategies for the six species. Therefore this study revealed great diversity in phenological patterns, even when considering the small number of species sampled. Moreover, all species showed a significant seasonal pattern for the reproductive phenophases, with high concentrations of species reproducing during a given season, suggesting a key role of climate in defining phenological patterns in the campo rupestre grasslands.

Persea pumila (Lauraceae), a New Species from the Brazilian Serra da Mantiqueira Mountain Range

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Reproductive biology and pollination of Utricularia reniformis A.St.-Hil. (Lentibulariaceae)

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

Produção de partículas secundárias em reações de “spallation” induzidas por prótons

Cosmic radiation has been identi ed as one of the main hazard to crew, aircraft and sensitive equipments involved in long-term missions and even high-altitude commercial ights. Generally, shields are used in spatial units to avoid excessive exposure, by holding the incident radiation. Unfortunatelly, shielding in space is problematic, especially when high-energy cosmic particles are considered, due to the production of large number of secondary particles, mainly neutrons, protons and alpha particles, caused by spallation reactions and quasi-elastic processes of the corpuscular radiation with the shield. Good parameters for checking the secondary particle production at target material are diferential cross section and energy deposited in the shield. Addition experiments, some computer codes based on Monte Carlo method show themselves a suitable tool to calculate shield parameters, due to have evaluated nuclear data libraries implemented on the algorithm. In view of this, the aim of this work is determining the parameters evaluated in shielding materials, by using MCNPX code, who shows good agreement with experimental data from literature. Among the materials, Aluminium had lower emission and production of secondary particles

Diurnal effects on mentha canadensis oil concentration and composition at two different harvests

Japanese cornmint, also known as menthol mint (Mentiza canadensis L. syn M. arvensis L.), is an essential oil crop cultivated in several countries in Asia and South America. The plant is currently the only commercially viable source for natural menthol as a result of the high concentration of menthol in the oil compared with other crops. The hypothesis of this study was that harvesting at regular intervals within a 24-hour period would have an effect on essential oil concentration and composition of Japanese cornmint grown at high altitude in northern Wyoming. Flowering plants were harvested every 2 hours on 7 to 8 Aug. and on 14 to 15 Aug. and the essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The effects of harvest date (Harvest 1 and Harvest 2) and harvest time (12 times within a 24-hour period) were significant on oil concentration and yield of menthol, but only harvest date was significant on the concentration of menthol in the oil. The interaction effect of harvest date and harvest time was significant on water content and on the concentrations of menthol and menthofuran in the oil and on the yield of limonene, menthol, and menthofuran. Overall, the oil concentration in grams per 100 g dried material for the two harvests (1.26 and 1.45, respectively), the concentration of menthol in the oil (67.2% and 72.9%, respectively), and menthol yield (1066 to 849 mg/100 g dried biomass) were higher in plants at Harvest 2 as compared with plants at Harvest 1. The oil concentration was higher in plants harvested at 1100 HR or at 1300 am and lowest in the plants harvested at 1500 BR. Menthol yield was the highest in plants harvested at 1300 HR and lowest in the plants harvested at 0700 HR, 1900 am, or at 0300 HR. This study demonstrated that harvesting time within a 24-hour period and harvest date (maturity of the crop) may affect essential oil concentration and composition of Japanese cornmint grown at high altitude in northern Wyoming.

Filogeografia do complexo Ischnocnema lactea e Ischnocnema holti (Anura, Brachycephalidae), sudeste do Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

High frequency of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus): an ecological study

The fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis has been isolated from nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in different regions where paracoccidiodomycosis (PCM) is endemic. The link between PCM and these animals has provided the first valuable clue in the effort to elucidate the ecological niche of P. brasiliensis. The present study was aimed at correlating P. brasiliensis infection in armadillos with local ecological features and, if possible, the presence of the fungus in the soil in the Botucatu hyperendemic area of PCM. In this region the mean temperature ranges from 14.8 to 25.8degreesC and the annual average precipitation is 1520 mm. The sites where 10 infected animals (positive group) were collected were studied and compared with the sites where five uninfected animals were found. The occurrence of the fungus in soil samples collected from the positive armadillos' burrows and foraging sites was investigated by the indirect method of animal inoculation. Environmental data from the sites of animal capture, such as temperature, rainfall, altitude, vegetation, soil composition, presence of water and proximity of urban areas, were recorded. All 37 soil samples collected from the sites had negative fungal cultures. Positive animals were found much more frequently in sites with disturbed vegetation, such as riparian forests and artificial Eucalyptus Or Pinus forests, in altitudes below 800 m, near water sources. The soil type of the sites of positive animals was mainly sandy, with medium to low concentrations of organic matter. The pH was mainly acidic at all the sites, although the concentrations of aluminum cations (H+Al) were lower at the sites where positive animals were found. Positive armadillos were also captured in sites very close to urban areas. Our data and previous studies indicate that P. brasiliensis occurs preferentially in humid and shady disturbed forests in a strong association with armadillos.

Alternative paths for insertion of probes into high inclination lunar orbits

The dynamics of the restricted three-body Earth-Moon-particle problem predicts the existence of direct periodic orbits around the Lagrangian equilibrium point L1. From these orbits, we derive a set of trajectories that form links between the Earth and the Moon and are capable of performing transfers between terrestrial and lunar orbits, in addition to defining an escape route from the Earth-Moon system. When we consider a more complex and realistic dynamical system - the four-body Sun-Earth-Moon-particle (probe) problem - the trajectories have an expressive gain of inclination when they penetrate in the lunar influence sphere, thus allowing the insertion of probes into low-altitude lunar orbits with high inclinations, including polar orbits. In this study, we present these links and investigate some possibilities for performing an Earth-Moon transfer based on these trajectories. (C) 2007 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.