Ceramic raw materials from the State of Maranhao, Brazil. Part 1: chemical and mineralogical characterization and technological properties of clays from Sao Luis, Rosario, Pinheiro and Mirinzal

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudos ecológicos em taxocenoses helmínticas de Chaunus ictericus (Spix, 1824) e C. schneideri (Werner, 1894) (Anura: Bufonidae) simpátricos, capturados no distrito de São Cristóvão, Município de Três Barras, Santa Catarina.

Fifty eight Chaunus ictericus and 42 C. schneideri specimens were collected on São Cristóvão district, Três Barras, SC for helminthological studies. Fourteen helminth species were diagnosed, from which only five species were found on both hosts. Chaunus ictericus showed higher values of species richness (2,8448+/-1,1516) and diversity (H = 1,374), with mild dominance (1-D = 0,642, J = 0,5528), in comparison with C. schneideri (0,6428+/-1,007; H = 1,165; 1-D = 0,5822 e J = 0,5985). Also, descriptors of helminthic infection were superior in the former host. Little number of shared species between the analyzed toad species suggests parasitic host-specificity.

Grupo itararé (P - C da bacia do Paraná) nas regiões de Limeira e Piracicaba - SP: Contribuição ao estudo das litofácies

The Permian-Carboniferous Itararé Group is one complexe lithostratigraphic unit of the Paraná Basin, southeastern Brazil, typically marked by discontinuity of its lithofacies. Under the exploratory point of view, the unit represents one of the most significant intervals of the basin, since several occurrences of mineral and energetic resources are associated to it, as groundwater, petroleum and coal. The prospection and exploitation of these resources depend on a good understanding of the stratigraphic architecture and the paleogeography. There are many contributions on the specialized literature which deal with this subject, although the regions of Limeira and Piracicaba (superior portion of the unit) still lack new investigations, which may contribute to the understanding of its lithofacies and related sedimentary processes. It was analyzed the sedimentary sets pilling up, followed by stratigraphic correlations between the two regions. Moreover, from sedimentary structures, it was made paleocurrent measurement with the purpose of obtaining indicative patterns of the sedimentary polarity, contributing for the comprehension of the paleogeography. Recent studies in the Domo de Pitanga region (between Rio Claro and Piracicaba cities) and in the Corumbataí river drainage basin, were taken also as basis for possible correlations. It was obtained a frame of the lithofacies arrangement, their vertical and lateral relations, as well as their depositional polarities.

O plantio associado entre banana (Musa acuminata Cultivar Cavendish "Grande Naine") e feijão-de-porco (Canavalia ensiformis (L.) D. C.): uma avaliação agronômica dos efeitos da competição por água, nitrogênio e energia luminosa

Nas regiões de clima tropical, o monocultivo da banana vem causando conseqüências ambientais desastrosas e, muitas vezes, impedindo uma exploração continuada de uma mesma área. A redução do rendimento é devido principalmente as limitações físico-químicas do solo e a rápida degradação do sistema radicular, agravada pela ação de parasitas do solo (nematóides, fungos, etc.). Em virtude destas limitações, várias iniciativas vem sendo buscadas para a minimização das perdas agronômicas e ambientais, destacando-se o melhoramento e a modificação genética, e a associação deste cultivo com espécies leguminosas. Porém uma das grandes dificuldades de avaliarmos os novos sistemas de cultivo alternativos concentra-se na falta de referenciais agronômicos relacionados principalmente com o funcionamento de sistemas de cultivos associados, especialmente relacionados aos fatores e condições que interferem diretamente na definição do rendimento da espécie principal. O presente estudo testou , em campo experimental, o uso de plantas de serviço associada a bananeira e seus efeitos na produção de biomassa durante seu o ciclo vegetativo. Isto porque é durante esta fase que a bananeira constrói sua capacidade de reservas de fotoassimilados e, consequentemente, define o potencial de produção e enchimento dos frutos. Além do monocultivo, definiu-se mais duas parcelas associadas com o feijão-de- porco: 1) o plantio simultâneo das duas espécies e; 2) o plantio de feijão-de-porco e, após 2 meses, a introdução da banana. Além de acompanhamento semanal das parcelas, realizou-se, bimensalmente, coletas destrutivas de dados sobre produção de matéria seca, superfície foliar e análise nutricional das plantas. Após a análise agronômica da fase vegetativa, aplicou-se a modelização dos sistemas de cultivo estudados e comparou-se os possíveis cenários sobre o rendimento final da bananeira, além de outros indicadores sobre os fatores de crescimento das plantas. Após o acompanhamento dos 7 primeiros meses do ciclo vegetativo, concluiu-se que a data de estabelecimento da associação foi determinante para o sucesso do cultivo associado. Podemos destacar que a associação entre a bananeira e o feijão-de-porco não causou limitações na produção de biomassa (4,2 ton/ha), quando comparada com o monocultivo (4,5 ton/ha). A redução do número de capinas também foi um indicador animador deste sistema de cultivo alternativo. Por outro lado, quando a bananeira foi plantada 60 dias após a leguminosa, a mesma representou uma séria limitação na produção de biomassa (2,7 ton/ha). Esta limitação deveu-se ao estado de forte competição devido a agressividade com que o feijão-de-porco recobria toda a parcela e alcançando uma altura (74 cm) superior que a muda de banana (29 cm). Em relação a primeira parte da metodologia aplicada - o diagnóstico agronômico -, a mesma foi eficiente para a avaliação do ciclo vegetativo da associação estudada, ficando a necessidade da continuidade do acompanhamento do ciclo reprodutivo, para a confirmação dos resultados em termos de formação e produção de frutos. Na fase de modelização, chegou-se a uma leitura dos resultados próxima dos resultados obtidos no campo. Em termos de rendimento em frutos, o monocultivo com adubação (400 kg/ha de nitrogênio) e irrigação (133 mm) teve um aumento na ordem de 50% no rendimento final (28 ton/ha) Quando comparada com a parcela nas condições reais do experimento (19,6 ton/ha). Já o rendimento em frutos da associação, apresentou o mesmo resultado com e sem adubação e irrigação (16 ton/ha). No tocante a contrução dos cenários, confirmou-se novamente algumas das vantagens da associação, principalmente na redução da adubação nitrogenada aplicada nos sistemas convencionais de cultivo. Finalmente, podemos imaginar a construção de várias formas de testar e otimizar o uso destes sistemas associados (cenários). Porém, confirma-se que a construção de novos referenciais agronômicos sobre sistemas de cultivo mais complexos (os cultivos associados) torna-se ainda muito necessário para a realização de avaliações mais precisas sobre estas alternativas. E, com estes novos referenciais técnicos, podemos imaginar, a médio e longo prazo, alguns dos benefícios das leguminosas sobre as propriedades físico-químicas do solo cultivado (cobertura viva, adubo verde, redução de adventícias, etc) e sobre a manutenção do rendimento dos cultivos (adubação verde).

The plants by Daniel Rolander (c. 1723-1793) in Diarium Surinamicum (1754-1765) and herbaria

The manuscripts of Diarium Surinamicum by Daniel Rolander practically remained ignored and unpublished for over 240 years, till the recent publication of its translation into English, which occurred in 2008. In this, the names of species described and/or cited by Rolander were faithfully retained, hence preserving the indication of them without authorship, for the vast majority. In the present work, all the names of plants that were treated by Rolander in his journal, about 664, including by tradition the fungi and algae, are contextualised in relation to the authorship, reference to the publication of the protologue, pagination of citations/descriptions in the manuscripts and in the published translation, indication of probable misidentifications with possible alternative names, vernacular names, and related literature. Additionally, we searched for the vouchers collected by Rolander, scattered in several herbaria, which have been linked to the probable names and descriptions in the diary. Given the considerable time till the publication of these names, and by the lack of indication of their nomenclatural types in the English version, the great majority of the new species described by Rolander, which would have priority if published in due time, became invalid names according to the ICN. Nevertheless, the list of Rolandrian species here presented, from his work that has finally taken a place in the history of natural sciences, shows that he was also a competent botanist, besides being a skilled entomologist, having recognised and detailedly described many of the Surinamese plants hitherto unknown to science.

Análise de corrosão, dureza e fratura de conjuntos implantes / componentes protético de Titânio c.p., após serem submetidos a ciclos de fadiga em um meio fluoretado com diferentes PH

Atualmente o titânio é empregado como biomaterial devido à sua biocompatibilidade e resistência à corrosão. Entretanto, íons fluoretos, freqüentemente empregados em dentifrícios bucais, podem interferir no processo de corrosão. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a influência de um meio fluoretado com diferentes pH nas propriedades mecânicas e na resistência à corrosão dos conjuntos implantes/componentes protéticos à base de Ti c.p., a partir dos testes de fadiga, microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e dureza. Foram simulados cinco anos de uso regular de meios de higiene oral com conteúdo de 1500 ppm de NaF, com dois diferentes pH, 7,4 e 5,3, mediante imersão das amostras nesses meios durante 184 horas e também em água destilada, grupo controle. As amostras foram testadas num durômetro Micromet 2001 (500gf/30s). Os dados dos testes de dureza foram analisados pelo teste de Wilcoxon, demonstrando que as amostras sofreram influência negativa na dureza após a ação dos íons fluoreto. Entretanto, essa influência não ocorreu nos testes de fadiga realizados em uma máquina de ensaios mecânicos MTS-810, fixada a 100.000 ciclos, 15Hz e programada com força de fadiga a 150 N. Pela análise de MEV foram constatadas evidências de corrosão na superfície das amostras após ação de íons fluoretos, entretanto pelo EDS não se verificou incorporação de íons fluoretos sobre a superfície dos conjuntos. Concluiu-se que a concentração de flúor e o pH das soluções não exerceram influência nas propriedades mecânicas.

Isotopic Discrimination Factors (Delta C-13 and Delta N-15) between Tissues and Diet of the Broad-Snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris)

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

Correspondência de cor de diferentes marcas e sistemas de resina c omposta em relação à escala vita classical

The objective of this study was to compare different resins and determine their matching color with Vita shade, also investigating the possibility of substitution among them and the correlation between the visual and spectrophotometry methods of color selection. The composite resin Tetric N-Ceram® shade A1 was used as light-control and color A4 as dark-control. For each material were prepared five 10 x 2 mm disks. Analyses were performed in a metamerism box by volunteers who ordered the specimens from the lightest to the darkest. The spectrophotometry was carried out using the spectrophotometer Vita Easyshade®. ∆E values were subjected to analysis of variance with 5% significance level. The Fisher exact test showed that there was no color match among the materials and the reference Vita shade. The possibility of substitution among the composites could not be established. The two methods are able to correctly differentiate the control resin A4 as distinct from the other resins shade A2.

Gestational protein malnutrition impairs c-myc and p63 protein expression, increases prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia incidence and prostatitis aggressiveness in adult male offspring subjected to hormonal handling

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men; however its etiology remains unknown. Previous studies have shown that environmental adverse factors, such as maternal nutritional status during pregnancy, can influence fetal development and predispose people to diseases in adult life. The feeding of low-protein diets to pregnant rats result in fetal growth disturbance, androgen/estrogen unbalance and changes in the expression and sensibility of hormone receptors in male offspring. These alterations can promote permanent changes in androgen dependent organs, such as in the prostate. In this sense, we hypothesized that the hormonal unbalance that occurs during aging can lead to an increase in the susceptibility to prostatic disorders. Aim: To evaluate our hypothesis, malnourished male rat offspring were submitted to simultaneous estrogen and testosterone exposure in adulthood, to drive lesions in the rat ventral prostate gland (VP). Methods: 17 week-old Wistar rats (n=48) that received in utero normal protein diet (NP group, AIN93G=17% protein) or low protein diet (RP group, AIN93G modified=6% protein) were given implants with 17β-estradiol plus testosterone administration (NPH and RPH groups) for 17 weeks. The animals were killed at the age of 34 weeks and the VP were excised, weighted and processed for histopathological, immunohistochemical (Ki67, AR, p63, e-caderin, laminin, c-myc and GSTP), biochemical and ultrastructural analysis. Results: Both absolute and relative VP weight from NPH animals were about 30% higher than RPH. Serological data showed that estradiol levels were similar in both groups, but testosterone levels were lower in the RPH male offspring. The steroid hormone exposure in adult life promoted prostate lesions in both RPH and NPH offspring associated with reactive stroma. VP from RPH group exhibited heightened susceptibility to prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mainly cribriform and signet ring-cell patterns) and increased the incidence and aggressiveness of prostatitis. In this group, a higher proportion of basal cells, increased proliferation index, lower expression ofthe androgen receptor and increased focus of collagenous micronodules closely associated to epithelial neoplasias were also observed. Conclusion:These observations suggest that maternal protein restriction alters adult prostate response to androgen/estrogen handling and increases susceptibility to prostate diseases. Ethical protocol:CEEA,476/2013 IBB-UNESP; Funding Support: 2009/50204-6 and 2013/09649-0.

Predicting vasospasm after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage with C reactive protein levels

Aim: The interest of inflammatory marker increased in the last years, even in preventing clinical outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Our objective was to study the relationships between C-reactive protein levels and clinical outcome and the development of cerebral vasospasm after aneurismal SAH. Methods: One hundred adult patients with aneurismal SAH were prospectively evaluated. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, Hunt and Hess grade, Fisher grade, CT scans, digital subtraction angiography studies, transcranial doppler (TCD) and daily neurological examinations were recorded. Serial serum CRP measurements were obtained on daily between admission and 10th days. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were used to predict outcome. Results: A progressive increase in the CRP levels from the admission to the 3rd postictal day was observed, followed by a slow decrease until the 9th day. Hemodynamic changes in TCD were associated with higher serum CRP levels. Patients with lower GCS scores presented with increased CRP levels. Patients with higher Hunt and Hess grades on admission developed significantly higher CRP serum levels. Patients with higher admission Fisher grades showed increased levels of CRP. A statistically significant inverse correlation was established in our series between CRP serum levels and GOS and mRS scores on discharge and CRP levels. Conclusion: Increased CRP levels were strongly associated with poor clinical outcome. CRP levels can predict cerebral vasospasm and delayed ischemic deficits with higher statistic significance. There are relationships between hemodynamic chances in TCD and higher CRP levels.

Fluorescence polarization assay, competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA-C) and indirect ELISA for the diagnosis of brucellosis in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The objective of the present study was to compare the performance of three serological tests for diagnosis of Brucella abortus infections in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Serum samples collected from 696 adult females were submitted to the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAC), (I-ELISA), fluorescence polarization test (FPA), 2-mercaptoethanol test (2-ME) and complement fixation test (CFT). The gold standard was the combination of CFT and 2-ME, considering as positive the reactors in both CFT and 2-ME, and as negative those non-reactors. ROC analyses were done for C-ELISA, I-ELISA and FPA and the Kappa agreement index were also calculated. The best combinations of relative sensitivity (SEr) and relative specificity (SPr) and Kappa were given by C-ELISA (96.9%, 99.1%, and 0.932, respectively) and FPA (92.2%, 97.6 and 0.836, respectively). The C-ELISA and FPA were the most promising confirmatory tests for the serological diagnosis of brucellosis in buffaloes, and for these tests, cut-off values for buffaloes may be the same as those used for bovines.

The use of Mitomycin-C to reduce synechia in middle meatus in sinus surgery: preliminary results

Synechia is the most frequent complication after sinus surgery and has been reported in up to 36% of cases. Several types of materials have been used to reduce the incidence of synechia, including Mitomycin C (MMC). Objective: This prospective study aimed to assess the effectiveness of topical MMC in the prevention of synechia after sinus surgery in humans. Methods: At the end of surgery, MMC solution (1.0 mg/ml) was topically applied randomly to one of the middle meatuses (MMC group) of 14 patients while saline solution was applied to the contralateral meatus (control group). The author remained blind to the medicated side. Synechiae were classified as partial or total. Results: Three patients had middle meatus synechia in the MMC group (21.43%) versus nine (64.29%) in the control group (p = 0.054). In the MMC group, all three middle meatus synechia were partial, while in the control group there were four partial (28.57%) and five total (35.71%) cases of synechia (p = 0.025). Conclusions: Mitomycin C was not effective in preventing middle meatus synechia, but reduced the probability of total synechia formation.

In vitro expression and antiserum production against the movement protein of Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C)

Citrus leprosis, caused by Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C), is currently considered the most important viral disease in the Brazilian citrus industry due to the high costs required for the chemical control of its vector, the mite Brevipalpus phoenicis. The pathogen induces a non-systemic infection and the disease is characterized by the appearance of localized lesions on citrus leaves, stems and fruits, premature fruit and leaf drop and dieback of stems. Attempts were made to promote in vitro expression of the putative cell-to-cell movement protein of CiLV-C in Escherichia coli and to produce a specific polyclonal antibody against this protein as a tool to investigate the virus-plant-vector relationship. The antibody reacted strongly with the homologous protein expressed in vitro by ELISA, but poorly with the native protein present in leaf lesion extracts from sweet orange caused by CiLV-C. Reactions from old lesions were more intense than those from young lesions. Western blot and in situ immunolocalization assays failed to detect the native protein. These results suggest low expression of the movement protein (MP) in host tissues. Moreover, it is possible that the conformation of the protein expressed in vitro and used to produce the antibody differs from that of the native MP, hindering a full recognition of the latter.