Resistence of Radish Biotypes to Iodosulfuron and Alternative Control

The repetitive use of iodosulfuron for the control of weeds in winter cereals in the south of Brazil has favored the emergence of resistant Raphanus sativus biotypes. The objective of this study was to evaluate: the response of Raphanus sativus biotypes susceptible and resistant to different dosages of iodosulfuron; the control of biotypes with alternative registered herbicides for the control of the species in crops of wheat, corn and soybean; and the existence of cross-resistance of the biotypes. Thus, four experiments were done in a greenhouse, with a completely randomized design and four replicates. The experimental units were composed of vases with a volumetric capacity of 0.75 L filled with substrate, containing a plant each. For the dose-response curve, three biotypes (factor A) and nine doses of the iodosulfuron herbicide (factor B) were used. For the alternative control, the recommendation was herbicides in pre or postemergence of the crops, and the crossed-resistance was evaluated by using herbicides that inhibit the ALS enzyme of different chemical groups. The analyzed variables were control and shoot dry matter. GR50 of the susceptible biotype (B1) was 0.11 g a.i. ha-1, whereas GR50 of resistant biotypes (B4 and B13) was 102.9 and 86.8 g a.i. ha-1 of the iodosulfuron herbicide, respectively. The resistant biotypes presented crossed resistance to herbicides that inhibit the ALS enzyme, where the control can be efficient with the use of herbicides with different action mechanisms.

THE INTERNATIONAL GROWTH OF A SOCIAL BUSINESS: A CASE STUDY

ABSTRACTIn developing countries, initiatives have often been undertaken in order to fight social and environmental problems. Since the 1990s, an increase can be seen in corporate social responsibility actions, as well as increasingly strong activities by civil society organizations. Tweenty years ago, companies and civil society organizations stood wide apart from each other, with often conflicting agendas and resistance to mutual collaboration. This reality has changed significantly. Besides the phenomenon of cross-sector partnerships, we can also observe the expansion of a particular organization type, i.e., the social business, which combines two objectives that were previously seen as incompatible: financial sustainability and the generation of social value. This article aims to discuss the factors that influence the results of a social business operating in three countries: Botswana, Brazil and Jordan. The results allow understanding the challenges involved in constructing social businesses in developing countries as well as a better understanding of the very nature of those businesses, considering the social realities where they operate.

Transparency of the municipal public management: a study from the homepages of the large Brazilian municipalities

This study attempts to check the transparency level of information in public administration published in the homepages of 96 municipalities included among the 100 most populous in Brazil and what characteristics and socioeconomic indicators of the municipalities can contribute to explain the level of transparency observed. The level of transparency in public administration was established from a research model called Transparency Index Municipal Public Management (ITGP-M) constructed based on international codes of good governance and transparency, the Brazilian legislation and the experiences of previous studies of similar nature conducted in Brazil and abroad. The empirical evidence point to low levels of transparency, incompatible with the level of socioeconomic development of municipalities. Moreover, we can conclude that, overall, there is an association between the socioeconomic conditions of the municipalities and the levels of transparency in the disclosure of information about public administration observed in sites of large municipalities as in this study.

Campylobacter intestinal carriage among stray and pet dogs

The natural distribution of thermotolerant Campylobacter sp. in dogs (150 stray animals and 64 pets) was studied. Campylobacters were more frequently isolated (p<0.01) from stray dogs (51.3%) rather than from pet dogs (21.9%). All the biotypes described by Lior for C. jejuni and C. coli were found among stray animals, whereas only C. jejuni biotypes I and II and C. coli biotype II were found among pet dogs. The need for more studies related to the role of environmental sanitary conditions in the spreading of Campylobacter species is noted.

Evaluation of an in-house specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) avidity ELISA for distinguishing recent primary from long-term human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection

This article describes the standardization and evaluation of an in-house specific IgG avidity ELISA for distinguishing recent primary from long-term human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. The test was standardized with the commercial kit ETI-CYTOK G Plus (Sorin Biomedica, Italy) using 8 M urea in phosphate-buffered saline to dissociate low-avidity antibodies after the antigen-antibody interaction. The performance of the in-house assay was compared to that of the commercial automated VIDAS CMV IgG avidity test (bioMérieux, France). Forty-nine sera, 24 from patients with a recent primary HCMV infection and 25 from patients with a long-term HCMV infection and a sustained persistence of specific IgM antibodies, were tested. Similar results were obtained with the two avidity methods. All 24 sera from patients with recently acquired infection had avidity indices compatible with acute HCMV infection by the VIDAS method, whereas with the in-house method, one serum sample had an equivocal result. In the 25 sera from patients with long-term infection, identical results were obtained with the two methods, with only one serum sample having an incompatible value. These findings suggest that our in-house avidity test could be a potentially useful tool for the immunodiagnosis of HCMV infection.

Candiduria in a public hospital of São Paulo (1999-2004): characteristics of the yeast isolates

The study involved 100 yeast isolates, obtained from urine samples provided by a Public Pediatric Hospital of São Paulo, Brazil, from 1999 to 2004. The most frequent species was Candida albicans, followed by C. tropicalis, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis. In regard to virulence, 97% of the isolates showed index 3 for proteinase and 63% index 2 for phospholipase. The most frequent killer biotypes were 511 and 888.

Sporothrix schenckii COMPLEX: SUSCEPTIBILITIES TO COMBINED ANTIFUNGAL AGENTS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ENZYMATIC PROFILES

SUMMARY Sporothrix schenckiiwas reclassified as a complex encompassing six cryptic species, which calls for the reassessment of clinical and epidemiological data of these new species. We evaluated the susceptibility of Sporothrix albicans (n = 1) , S. brasiliensis (n = 6) , S. globosa (n = 1), S. mexicana(n = 1) and S. schenckii(n = 36) to terbinafine (TRB) alone and in combination with itraconazole (ITZ), ketoconazole (KTZ), and voriconazole (VRZ) by a checkerboard microdilution method and determined the enzymatic profile of these species with the API-ZYM kit. Most interactions were additive (27.5%, 32.5% and 5%) or indifferent (70%, 50% and 52.5%) for TRB+KTZ, TRB+ITZ and TRB+VRZ, respectively. Antagonisms were observed in 42.5% of isolates for the TRB+VRZ combination. Based on enzymatic profiling, the Sporothrix schenckii strains were categorized into 14 biotypes. Leucine arylamidase (LA) activity was observed only for S. albicans and S. mexicana. The species S. globosaand S. mexicanawere the only species without β-glucosidase (GS) activity. Our results may contribute to a better understanding of virulence and resistance among species of the genus Sporothrixin further studies.

Reproductive biology of Bellucia (MELASTOMATACEAE)

The reproductive biology of five of the seven species of Bellucia (Melastomataceae), a genus of shrubs and small trees, was investigated in Amazonia. Sucessful fruit-set by Bellucia requires floral visitation by bees. The flowers are produced continuously all year, and are visited by a wide variety of female bees, the principal pollinators being Xylocopa, Centris, Ptilotopus, Epicharis, Eulaema, Bombus, and Oxaea. The floral attractants are color and the odor produced by the pollen, stamens, and petals; the reqard is pollen. Three species of Bellucia are self-incompatible. Indiscriminate visitor behavior and lack of phenological, morphological, or genetic barriers lead to hybridization between sympatric species of Bellucia, and no more than two species occupy the same habitat at anu one locality. Bellucia produces berries with numerous small seeds, and is dispersed by birds, bats, monkeys, tapirs, turtles, and ants. Seedling establisment requires full sunlight, and occurs on a variety of soil types. The reproductive strategy is interpreted as that of a pioneer species.

A new species of Dichaea (Orchidaceae) for northern Brazil

Dichaea is the largest genus of the subtribe Zygopetalinae and holds it's the highest species diversity in South America. Therefore, this study aims to describe a new species of Dichaea, which occurs in northern Brazil, Dichaea bragae Valsko, Krahl & Holanda. The new species was collected in the north of Manaus in an area of ombrophilous forest and flowered when cultivated. The epithet honors Dr. Pedro Ivo Soares Braga (in memoriam), orchidologist who conducted several studies in the Brazilian Amazon. This new species show a affinity with Dichaea tenuis C. Schweinf., however it is differentiated both vegetatively and on labellum morphology.

Polinização de Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa (Passiflorales, Passifloraceae), por abelhas (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae) em Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro

The yellow passion Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg. is allogamous, self incompatible, and it depends of insects pollinators to disseminate the pollen grains. The field work was conducted at Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from October 17 to November 9 and December 12 to 21, 1995. It was analyzed 1565 flower buds, from which 423 showed well developed ovaries, five days after opening, this represents 27% of fruit set by natural pollination. It was observed 76,86 % of completely curved flowers, 21,22 % of partially curved flowers, and 1,92 % flowers without curvature. Five species of bees where observed on the flowers, from which two were the effective pollinator of yellow passion flower: Xylocopa (Megaxylocopa) frontalis (Olivier, 1789) and X. (Neoxylocopa) ordinaria Smith, 1874.

Transport pathways in the malaria-infected erythrocyte: characterization and their use as potential targets for chemotherapy

The intraerythrocytic malarial parasite is involved in an extremely intensive anabolic activity while it resides in its metabolically quiescent host cell. The necessary fast uptake of nutrients and the discharge of waste product, are guaranteed by parasite-induced alterations of the constitutive transporters of the host cell and the production of new parallel pathways. The membrane of the host cell thus becomes permeable to phospholipids, purine bases and nucleosides, small non-electrolytes, anions and cations. When the new pathways are quantitatively unimportant, classical inhibitors of native transporters can be used to inhibit parasite growth. Several compounds were found to effectively inhibit the new pathways and consequently, parasite growth. The pathways have also been used to introduce cytotoxic agents. The parasitophorous membrane consists of channels which are highly permeable to small solutes and display no ion selectivity. Transport of some cations and anions across the parasite membrane is rapid and insensitive to classical inhibitors, and in some cases it is mediated by specific antiporters which respond to their respective inhibitors. Macromolecules have been shown to reach the parasitophorous space through a duct contiguous with the host cell membrane, and subsequently to be endocytosed at the parasite membrane. The simultaneous presence of the parasitophorous membrane channels and the duct, however, is incompatible with experimental evidences. No specific inhibitors were found as yet that would efficiently inhibit transport through the channels or the duct.

Diversity of Campylobacter Isolates from Three Activated Sludge Systems

Thermophilic campylobacters were isolated from three sewage plants in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil and identified. Laboratory analysis of 390 sewage samples showed the presence of 169 thermophilic strains. The results demonstrated that human and animal pathogenic biotypes could be isolated from activated sludge during the initial processing steps. The aeration tank could be considered a barrier to Campylobacter survival. C. jejuni was the prevalent species isolated (40.8%).The most common biotypes were C. jejuni biotype I (21.3%), C. coli biotype I (16%) and C. jejuni biotype II ( 14.8%).

The Amazonia Variant of Vibrio cholerae: Molecular Identification and Study of Virulence Genes

The pathogenic O1 Amazonia variant of Vibrio cholerae has been shown previously to have a cytotoxin acting on cultured Vero and Y-1 cells, and to lack important virulence factors such as the cholera toxin (Coelho et al. 1995a). This study extends the molecular analysis of the Amazonia strains, detecting the presence of the toxR gene, with a very similar sequence to that of the El Tor and classical biotypes. The outer membrane proteins are analyzed, detecting a variation among the group of Amazonia strains, with three different patterns found. As a by-product of this work a polymerase chain reaction fragment was sequenced, reading part of the sequence of the Lon protease of the Amazonia strains. This gene was not previously described in V. cholerae, but its sequence is present in the TIGR database specific for this species.

Evaluation of adherence, hemagglutination, and presence of genes codifying for virulence factors of Acinetobacter baumannii causing urinary tract infection

Acinetobacter baumannii is a strictly aerobic bacterium which causes severe infections, however its pathogenic characteristics are not well defined. Thirteen A. baumannii strains isolated from urine of hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients with different ages were investigated for the presence of virulence factors. The isolates belonged to biotypes 2, 6, and 9 and were sensitive to imipenem. The majority of them showed resistance to amikacin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, norfloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. None of A. baumannii strains presented genes codifying for 17 different virulence factors previously described in uropathogenic Escherichia coli, when tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nine isolates agglutinated human group AB erythrocytes, in presence of mannose, but none of them agglutinated group O erythrocytes. Adherence to polystyrene was observed in 7 isolates, and this result did not correlate with that obtained in hemagglutination assay. All the isolates were able to grow in iron-limiting conditions, showing that A. baumannii produces some type of siderophore. However, the genes iutA and fyuA, from iron uptake system of E. coli and Yersinia sp., respectively, were not present in the isolates, suggesting the presence of a different type of siderophore. The fimbriae of A. baumannii strains that mediates the adherence are possibly mannose-resistant, eventhough the mechanism of adherence to human epithelial cells still remains to be elucidated.

Biomphalaria tenagophila potencial vector of Schistosoma mansoni in the Paraná River basin (Argentina and Paraguay)

Susceptibility and compatibility experiments were carried out with 700 Biomphalaria tenagophila from the Paraná River basin exposed to infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Individual infection was performed with 10 miracidia of SJ2 strain from the Paraiba valley (Brazil) originally infective to B. tenagophila. These snails were laboratory-breed progeny of B. tenagophila collected from six localities of Argentina and one from Paraguay. From Argentina: Rincón de Vences (7%) and Posadas (11%) became infected with S. mansoni and the calculation of Frandsen's index (TCP/100) shows that they were Class II poorly compatible. Those snails from Goya (22%), Maloyas (5%), and Berón de Astrada (3%) were Class III compatible to the S. mansoni. None of the 100 snails exposed from Caá-Catí became infected (Class 0 incompatible). Tested samples from Paraguay (Encarnación) were infected (20%) and compatible (Class III). It was also studied the persistence of the infection in 244 snails of the first generation (F1) of those that were susceptible from three places. It was demonstrated an increment of the susceptibility in the F1 from Maloyas (chi2 = 27.22; p = 0.0001) and Posadas (chi2 = 4.24; p = 0.04). The results point out the possibility that schistosomiasis might be able to spread into the Paraná River basin where B. tenagophila exists.