Characterization of the gene expression related to the process of DNA damage tolerance in Schistosoma mansoni

In the course of its complex life cycle, the parasite Schistosoma mansoni need to adapt to distinct environments, and consequently is exposed to various DNA damaging agents. The Schistosoma genome sequencing initiative has uncovered sequences from genes and transcripts related to the process of DNA damage tolerance as the enzymes UBC13, MMS2, and RAD6. In the present work, we evaluate the importance of this process in different stages of the life cycle of this parasite. The importance is evidenced by expression and phylogenetic profiles, which show the conservation of this pathway from protozoa to mammalians on evolution.

Parasitism in Kansas in the 1800s: a glimpse to the past through the analysis of grave sediments from Meadowlark cemetery

During the excavations of the XIX century Meadowlark cemetery (Manhattan, Kansas, US), samples of sediments were taken from around five skeletons, and analyzed to detect intestinal parasites. No helminth eggs were found, but immunological ELISA tests for Entamoeba histolytica were positive in three samples. The immunological techniques have been successfully used in paleoparasitology to detect protozoan infections. Amoebiasis could have been a severe disease in the past, especially where poor sanitary conditions prevailed, and there is evidence that this cemetery may have been used in a situation where poor sanitary conditions may have prevailed. The presence of this protozoan in US during the late XIX century gives information on the health of the population and provides additional data on the parasite's evolution since its appearance in the New World.

Comparative evaluation under routine conditions of the nitrate reduction assay, the proportion assay and the MGIT 960 assay for drug susceptibility testing of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The performance of the nitrate reductase assay (NRA) was compared with the proportion method (PM) on Lowenstein-Jensen medium and the BACTEC MGIT960 assay under routine conditions using 160 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a high proportion of resistant strains. The mean time to obtain results was 8.8 days and the overall agreements between NRA and PM and NRA and M960 were 95% and 94%, respectively. NRA was easy to perform and represents a useful tool for the rapid screening of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains in low-resource countries.

Stool sample storage conditions for the preservation of Giardia intestinalis DNA

Stool is chemically complex and the extraction of DNA from stool samples is extremely difficult. Haemoglobin breakdown products, such as bilirubin, bile acids and mineral ions, that are present in the stool samples, can inhibit DNA amplification and cause molecular assays to produce false-negative results. Therefore, stool storage conditions are highly important for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites and other microorganisms through molecular approaches. In the current study, stool samples that were positive for Giardia intestinalis were collected from five different patients. Each sample was stored using one out of six different storage conditions [room temperature (RT), +4ºC, -20ºC, 70% alcohol, 10% formaldehyde or 2.5% potassium dichromate] for DNA extraction procedures at one, two, three and four weeks. A modified QIAamp Stool Mini Kit procedure was used to isolate the DNA from stored samples. After DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was performed using primers that target the β-giardin gene. A G. intestinalis-specific 384 bp band was obtained from all of the cyst-containing stool samples that were stored at RT, +4ºC and -20ºC and in 70% alcohol and 2.5% potassium dichromate; however, this band was not produced by samples that had been stored in 10% formaldehyde. Moreover, for the stool samples containing trophozoites, the same G. intestinalis-specific band was only obtained from the samples that were stored in 2.5% potassium dichromate for up to one month. As a result, it appears evident that the most suitable storage condition for stool samples to permit the isolation of G. intestinalis DNA is in 2.5% potassium dichromate; under these conditions, stool samples may be stored for one month.

The work environment and leadership in nursing: an integrative review

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the work environment and leadership in nursing. Method: An integrative review of literature which was based on data from LILACS, PubMed, CINAHL and the SciELO portal for journals covering the period from January to April 2013. The inclusion criteria were: the indexing of research covering leadership exercised by nurses over a team and whether the research was available in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Results: The sample consisted of 12 articles that met the criteria. Conclusion: The results showed that leadership had an impact on the work environment. However, no studies were found that showed the influence of the working environment on leadership in nursing.

Overview of hospitalizations by ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the municipality of Cotia, Brazil

Objective To describe the profile of Hospitalizations by Amulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (HACSC), in the Municipality of Cotia, from 2008 to 2012. Method ecological, exploratory, longitudinal study with a quantitative approach. Data on HACSC, by age group and sex, were obtained from the Department of the Unified Health System. For data analysis descriptive statistics were used. Results During the period, there were 46,676 admissions, excluding deliveries, 7,753 (16.61%) by HACSC. The main causes were cerebrovascular diseases, 16.96%, heart failure, 15.50%, hypertension, 10.80% and infection of the kidney and urinary tract, 10.51%. Regarding gender, HACSC occurred predominantly in males. There was a greater number of HACSC at extreme age ranges, especially in the elderly. Conclusion Chronic diseases predominate among the leading causes of HACSC and there was no significant difference between sex.





Offshore work and the work of nurses on board: an integrative review

OBJECTIVETo know the production of theoretical approaches on issues related to offshore work and the work of offshore nurses.METHODIntegrative literature review conducted in the databases of LILACS, BDENF, MEDLINE, SciELO and Index PSI.RESULTSWe selected 33 studies published in national and international journals between 1997 and 2014. The thematic analysis corpus resulted in four central themes: offshore work environment; amid work adversities, an escape; structuring of offshore health and safety services; in search of safe practices.CONCLUSIONThis study contributes to the offshore work of nurses in relation to the nature of work, acting amid adversities and the restless search for safe practices in the open sea.

Influence of male nutritional conditions on the performance and alimentary selection of wild females of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart)(Diptera, Tephritidae)

Influence of male nutritional conditions on the performance and alimentary selection of wild females of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera, Tephritidae). The behavior of A. obliqua females is regulated by endogenous and exogenous factors and among these the presence of males. Experiments were carried out to investigate whether the presence of males and their nutritional condition may affect the behavior of self-selection feeding and the performance of A. obliqua females. Females were sorted in groups containing yeast-deprived females and males, and non-yeast-deprived females and males. The females were maintained apart from the males by a transparent plastic screen. Several yeast and sucrose combinations were offered to the females in a single diet block or in separate blocks. Ingestion, egg production, longevity and diet efficiency were determined. The non-yeast-deprived males positively influenced the females performance when the latter were fed with yeast and sucrose in distinct diet blocks. Performance was better in the groups without males and with yeast-deprived males where the females could not select the nutrient proportions (yeast and sucrose in a single diet block).

What is the importance of open habitat in a predominantly closed forest area to the dung beetle (Coleoptera, Scarabaeinae) assemblage?

What is the importance of open habitat in a predominantly closed forest to the dung beetle assemblage? The Atlantic Forest in Brazil is one of the most highly disturbed ecosystems and is mainly represented by fragmented areas. However, in places where human disturbances have ceased, certain areas are showing a natural regeneration pattern. The aim of the present study was to determine how the dung beetle assemblage responds to distinct habitat structures in a fragment of Atlantic Forest. For such, open and closed forest areas were sampled in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in the northeastern region of Brazil. Pitfall traps baited with excrement and carrion were used to collect the beetles. A total of 7,267 individuals belonging to 35 species were captured. Canthon chalybaeus and C. mutabilis were restricted to open areas. Nearly 90% of the individuals of C. aff. simulans and Deltochilum aff. irroratum were identified in these areas. A higher percentage (> 50%) of Canthon staigi, Dichotomius aff. depressicolis and D. aff. sericeus occurred in closed areas. Abundance differed between areas, with higher values in closed areas. Richness was not influenced by the habitat structure. NMDS ordination exhibited the segregation of areas and ANOSIM confirmed that this variable explained the assemblage of dung beetle species. The findings of the present study validate that open areas are associated to more restrictive conditions, limiting a higher abundance of dung beetle. Although situated near preserved fragments, the studied open areas increase the heterogeneity of the general landscape.

Soil water dynamics related to the degree of compaction of two brazilian oxisols under no-tillage

Soil water properties are related to crop growth and environmental aspects and are influenced by the degree of soil compaction. The objective of this study was to determine the water infiltration and hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil under field conditions in terms of the compaction degree of two Oxisols under a no-tillage (NT). Two commercial fields were studied in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: one a Haplortox after 14 years under NT; the other a Hapludox after seven years under NT. Maps (50 x 30 m) of the levels of mechanical penetration resistance (PR) were drawn based on the kriging method, differentiating three compaction degrees (CD): high, intermediate and low. In each CD area, the infiltration rate (initial and steady-state) and cumulative water infiltration were measured using concentric rings, with six replications, and the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K(θs)) was determined using the Guelph permeameter. Statistical evaluation was performed based on a randomized design, using the least significant difference (LSD) test and regression analysis. The steady-state infiltration rate was not influenced by the compaction degree, with mean values of 3 and 0.39 cm h-1 in the Haplortox and the Hapludox, respectively. In the Haplortox, saturated soil hydraulic conductivity was 26.76 cm h-1 at a low CD and 9.18 cm h-1 at a high CD, whereas in the Hapludox, this value was 5.16 cm h-1 and 1.19 cm h-1 for the low and high CD, respectively. The compaction degree did not affect the initial and steady-state water infiltration rate, nor the cumulative water infiltration for either soil type, although the values were higher for the Haplortox than the Hapludox.

Multivariate analysis applied to the study of the relationship between soil and plant properties in a peach orchard

In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the municipality of Pelotas is responsible for 90 % of peach production due to its suitable climate and soil conditions. However, there is the need for new studies that aim at improved fruit quality and increased yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship that exists between soil physical properties and properties in the peach plant in the years 2010 and 2011 by the technique of multivariate canonical correlation. The experiment was conducted in a peach orchard located in the municipality of Morro Redondo, RS, Brazil, where an experimental grid of 101 plants was established. In a trench dug beside each one of the 101 plants, soil samples were collected to determine silt, clay, and sand contents, soil density, total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, and volumetric water content in the 0.00-0.10 and 0.10-0.20 m layers, as well as the depth of the A horizon. In each plant and in each year, the following properties were assessed: trunk diameter, fruit size and number of fruits per plant, average weight of the fruit per plant, fruit pulp firmness, Brix content, and yield from the orchard. Exploratory analysis of the data was undertaken by descriptive statistics, and the relationships between the physical properties of the soil and of the plant were assessed by canonical correlation analysis. The results showed that the clay and microporosity variables were those that exhibited the highest coefficients of canonical cross-loading with the plant properties in the soil layers assessed, and that the variable of mean weight of the fruit per plant was that which had the highest coefficients of canonical loading within the plant group for the two years assessed.

Soybean cultivar BR-16-AHAS tolerance to the herbicide imazapyr

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the transgenic soybean BR-16-AHAS genetic constitution on the tolerance to the herbicide imazapyr. BR-16-AHAS was crossed with ten other genotypes. The experimental design was a complete randomized block, in a 2x12x3 factorial arrangement, with two sowing periods (winter and summer), twelve crossing groups and three plant positions (upper, mid and lower), with three replicates. The plants were treated with 100 g ha-1 a.i. of imazapyr at the V3/V4 stage. For each position of the plant (upper, mid and lower), the following variables were assessed: number of pods, number of seeds, seed weight, number of seeds per pod and the 100 seeds weight. The effect of the herbicide varied according to the more affected plant position (upper, mid and lower) of each genotype. The use of the same gene ahas of BR-16-AHAS, in various genotypes, results in materials with good tolerance to imazapyr; tolerance levels depend not only on the ahas gene, but also on the presence of other genes.

Trichogramma pretiosum attraction due to the Elasmopalpus lignosellus damage in maize

The objective of this work was to evaluate if corn plants damaged by the lesser cornstalk borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus) larvae release volatile organic compounds capable of attracting the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum. The treatments consisted of plants subjected to harm caused by E. lignosellus larvae, plants subjected to mechanical damage, and undamaged plants. The parasitoid was more attracted by the volatiles released by the insect damaged plants than to those released by undamaged corn plants, after 24 and 72 hours. The volatiles (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, β-pinene, β-myrcene, (E)-4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene, and benzothiazole were released in significantly larger quantities by damaged plants. Volatiles released by corn plants damaged by E. lignosellus larvae may act as an indirect defense, attracting by T. pretiosum.

Fusarium wilt incidence and common bean yield according to the preceding crop and the soil tillage system

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of preceding crops and tillage systems on the incidence of Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) yield. The cultivar BRS Valente was cultivated under center‑pivot irrigation in the winter seasons of 2003, 2004 and 2005, after several preceding crops established in the summer seasons. Preceding crops included the legumes Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea), Stylosanthes guianensis, and Crotalaria spectabilis; the grasses Pennisetum glaucum (millet), Sorghum bicolor (forage sorghum), Panicum maximum, and Urochloa brizantha; and a consortium of maize (Zea mays) and U. brizantha (Santa Fé system). Experiments followed a strip‑plot design, with four replicates. Fusarium wilt incidence was higher in the no‑tillage system. Higher disease incidences corresponded to lower bean yields in 2003 and 2004. Previous summer cropping with U. brizantha, U. brizantha + maize consortium, and millet showed the lowest disease incidence. Therefore, the choice of preceding crops must be taken into account for managing Fusarium wilt on irrigated common bean crops in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Reaction of sorghum genotypes to the anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola

The reactions of 22 sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genotypes to six previously identified races of the sorghum anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola, were evaluated under greenhouse and field conditions. Races were inoculated in separate tests in the greenhouse. In the field, spreader rows of a susceptible genotype were artificially inoculated with a mixture of the six races of the pathogen. In the greenhouse tests, nine genotypes showed resistance to all six races. In the field high levels of dilatory resistance was observed in the sorghum genotypes CMSXS169 and CMSXS373.