Chemical and physical attributes and calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus in the soil of murundu fields in Brazil

Fields of murundus (FM) are wetlands that provide numerous ecosystem services. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the chemical [organic carbon (OC), P, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+ and H+Al] and physical [texture and bulk density (Bd)] soil attributes and calculate the organic matter (OM) and nutrient stock (P, Ca, Mg, and K) in soils of FM located in the Guapore River basin in Mato Grosso. Thirty-six sampling points were selected, and soil samples were collected from two environments: the murundu and plain area surrounding (PAS). At each sampling point, mini trenches of 0.5 × 0.5 × 0.4 m were opened and disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected at depths of 0-0.1, 0.1-0.2, and 0.2-0.4 m. In the Principal Component Analysis the variables H+Al (49%) and OM (4%) were associated with the F1 component and sand content (47%) with the F2 component. The FM had lower pH values and higher concentrations of K+, P, and H+Al than PAS at all depths (p < 0.05). Additionally, FM stocked up to 433, 360, 205, and 11 kg ha-1 of Ca, Mg, K, and P, respectively, for up to a depth of 0.2 m. The murundu stored two times more K and three times more P than that in the PAS. Our results show that the FM has high sand content and Bd greater than 1.5 Mg m-3, high acidity, low OC content, and low nutrient concentrations. Thus, special care must be taken to preserve FM such that human intervention does not trigger environmental imbalances.

Clinical impact of transesophageal echocardiography in patients with stroke without clinical evidence of cardiovascular sources of emboli

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of transeophageal echocardiography on management of patients at low-risk for cardiogenic embolism to prevent new potential cardiovascular sources of emboli. METHODS: We studied 69 patients with ischemic stroke at low-risk for cardiogenic embolism. Transeophageal echocardiography was performed to access: left atrium enlargement; communication or aneurysm of the interatrial septum; patent foramen ovale; spontaneous echo contrast or intracavitary thrombi; the presence of intraaortic atherosclerotic plaques or thrombi; significant valvar morphologic alteration or dysfunction; left ventricle enlargement, hypertrophy, or contractile abnormality. Transesophageal echocardiography altered clinical management, and we adopted anticoagulant therapy or another procedure apart from the use of acetylsalicylic acid. RESULTS: Transeophageal echocardiography detected at least one abnormality in 40 cases (58%). Clinical conduct was adjusted after the performance of transesophageal echocardiography in 11 patients (15.9%); anticoagulation was added in 10 cases and surgical correction in one patient. CONCLUSION: Transeophageal echocardiography was a very useful tool in the secondary prevention for stroke in patients at low risk for cardiogenic embolism.

Process of fixation, imobilization and mineralization of ammonium in soil using N-15

The organic and inorganic forms of soil nitrogen and how they participate in the process of fixation, immobilization and mineralization of ammonium in soils were evaluated, after different periods of incubaton, utilizing two soils, a Lithic Haplustoll and a Typic Eutrorthox. The results obtained permit to suggest that : 1) The method for determination of the ammonium fixing capacity based on the extraction with 2N KC1, is considered to be subject to interferences of other soil fractions capable of retaining ammonium. 2) The increase in exchangeable ammonium content is related to the decrease in amino acids and hydrolyzable ammonium. 3) The immobilization and mineralization processes are still held under mil microbial. The forms more affected by this condition are amino acids and hydrolyzable ammonium.

Doses and methods of distribution of potassium chloride on soybean crop (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) in a red latosol, affecting soil salinity, grain production and chemical composition of leaves

The present work deal t wi th an experiment under field conditions and a laboratory test of soil incubation the objectives were as follows: a. to study effects on soybean grain product ion and leaf composition of increasing doses of potassium chloride applied into the soil through two methods of distribution; b. to observe chemical modifications in the soils incubated with increasing doses of potassium chloride; and, c. to correlate field effects with chemical alterations observed in the incubation test, The field experiment was carried out in a Red Latosol (Haplustox) with soybean cultivar UFV - 1. Potassium chloride was distributed through two methods: banded (5 cm below and 5 cm aside of the seed line) and broadcasted and plowed-down. Doses used were: 0; 50; 100 and 200 kg/ha of K2O. Foliar samples were taken at flowering stage. Incubation test were made in plastic bags with 2 kg of air dried fine soil, taken from the arable layer of the field experiment, with the following doses of KC1 p,a. : 0; 50; 100; 200; 400; 800; 1,600; 3.200; 6,400 and 12,800 kg/ha of K(2)0. In the conditions observed during the present work, results allowed the following conclusions: A response by soybean grain production for doses of potassium chloride, applied in both ways, banded or broadcasted, was not observed. Leaf analysis did not show treatment influence over the leaf contents for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and CI, Potassium chloride salinity effects in both methods of distribution for all the tested closes were not observed.

Soil invertebrates in southern Brazilian Araucaria forest - grassland mosaic: differences between disturbed and undisturbed areas

Soil invertebrate distribution in Araucaria forest, grassland and edge habitats was studied in both disturbed and undisturbed areas in southern Brazil. Mean-density and taxa compositions were verified. Invertebrate densities differed between grassland and the other two habitats in the undisturbed area but not across the disturbed one. At the disturbed area taxa differed between the grassland and the other two habitats. The undisturbed area, on the other hand, presented taxa differences only between the grassland and the forest habitats. Acari, Arachnida and Collembola were the most sensitive taxa for detecting differences across habitats in both areas. At the disturbed area, these taxa presented densities lowering from the forest to the grassland. At the undisturbed area the same taxa increased from the forest to the grassland. Coleoptera and Formicidae (Insecta) presented no difference between habitats at the studied taxonomic level.

The isolation of the perfect form of Microsporum Gypseum, Nannizzia Gypsea, Stockdale, 1963, from brazilian soil

Our work is on the isolation from brazilian soil of the perfect stage of Microsporum gypseum, Nannizzia gypsea, Stock., 1963, using cut sterilized children hair as bait.

Nonhemocyte sources of selected lysosomal enzymes in Biomphalaria glabrata, B. tenagophila and B. straminea (Mollusca: Pulmonata)

The specific activities of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, β-glucuronidase, lysozymes, glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase and glutamate-pyruvate transaminate were determined in the head-foot and digestive gland of Brazilian Biomphalaria glabrata (Touros), B. tenagophila (Caçapava) and B. straminea (Monsenhor Gil). All six enzymes were detected inthe 3000g supernatant. Both cytoplasmic enzymes, glutamate-oxalacetate and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase exhibited the highest specific activities. In the case of the four hydrolytic enzymes assayed, β-glucuronidase exhibited the highest specific activity while lysozyme showed the lowest activity. All six enzymes are thought to be produced by cells within the head-foot and digestive gland of B. glabrata, B. tenagophila and B. straminea.

Comparative studies on the growth and reproductive performances of Rhodnius prolixus reared on different blood sources

Host blood source was found to affect both the development and the reproductive performance of Rhodnius prolixus. The insects were reared on citrated human, rabbit, chicken, sheep and horse blood sources, through a membrane feeder, during an entire life cycle, from eggs to adults. Development and reproduction in terms of the number of unfed insects, number of moulting, mortality intermoulting period, number of egg/female, conversion of blood into egg (mg meal/egg) and percentage of hatch as effective physiological parameters were investigated. Our results showed that human or rabbit blood meals were more nutritionally efficient than the other blood samples used because (i) the insects developed faster, presented low mortality and about 80% of them reached the adult stage; and (ii) females oviposited an average of at least 100% more eggs. The inefficiency of chicken and horse blood sources as diets for R. prolixus was manifested in (i) a decrease of the amount of ingested blood and (ii) only a reasonable nutritional quality. The inadequacy of sheep blood was observed by a mortality extremely high, poor moulting response and drastic reduction in egg production.

Potential sources of biodynamically active natural products in Brazil

In contrast to China where vegatation is predominantly herbaceous, vegetation in Brazil is commonly arboreous. This fact may explain why Chinese drugs are usually acetate derived, while actual and potential natural therapeutic agents from Brazil are mostly shikimate derived. Only relatively few compounds isolated from Brazilian plants have been submitted to adequate pharmacological testing