Research on Candida dubliniensis in a Brazilian yeast collection obtained from cardiac transplant, tuberculosis, and HIV-positive patients, and evaluation of phenotypic tests using agar screening methods

The aim of this study was to research Candida dubliniensis among isolates present in a Brazilian yeast collection and to evaluate the main phenotypic methods for discrimination between C. albicans and C. dubliniensis from oral cavity. A total of 200 isolates, presumptively identified as C. albicans or C. dubliniensis obtained from heart transplant patients under immunosuppressive therapy, tuberculosis patients under antibiotic therapy, HIV-positive patients under antiretroviral therapy, and healthy subjects, were analyzed using the following phenotypic tests: formation and structural arrangement of chlamydospores on corn meal agar, casein agar, tobacco agar, and sunflower seed agar; growth at 45 degrees C; and germ tube formation. All strains were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In a preliminary screen for C. dubliniensis, 48 of the 200 isolates on corn meal agar, 30 of the 200 on casein agar, 16 of the 200 on tobacco agar, and 15 of the 200 on sunflower seed agar produced chlamydoconidia; 27 of the 200 isolates showed no or poor growth at 45 degrees C. All isolates were positive for germ tube formation. These isolates were considered suggestive of C. dubliniensis. All of them were subjected to PCR analysis using C. dubliniensis-specific primers. C. dubliniensis isolates were not found. C. dubliniensis isolates were not recovered in this study done with immunocompromised patients. Sunflower seed agar was the medium with the smallest number of isolates of C. albicans suggestive of C. dubliniensis. None of the phenotypic methods was 100% effective for discrimination between C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of dietary fats in modulating cardiometabolic risk during moderate weight gain : a randomized double-blind overfeeding trial (LIPOGAIN study)

BACKGROUND: Whether the type of dietary fat could alter cardiometabolic responses to a hypercaloric diet is unknown. In addition, subclinical cardiometabolic consequences of moderate weight gain require further study. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a 7-week, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, 39 healthy, lean individuals (mean age of 27±4) consumed muffins (51% of energy [%E] from fat and 44%E refined carbohydrates) providing 750 kcal/day added to their habitual diets. All muffins had identical contents, except for type of fat; sunflower oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA diet) or palm oil rich in saturated fatty acids (SFA diet). Despite comparable weight gain in the 2 groups, total: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein:HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B:AI ratios decreased during the PUFA versus the SFA diet (-0.37±0.59 versus +0.07±0.29, -0.31±0.49 versus +0.05±0.28, and -0.07±0.11 versus +0.01±0.07, P=0.003, P=0.007, and P=0.01 for between-group differences), whereas no significant differences were observed for other cardiometabolic risk markers. In the whole group (ie, independently of fat type), body weight increased (+2.2%, P<0.001) together with increased plasma proinsulin (+21%, P=0.007), insulin (+17%, P=0.003), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, (+9%, P=0.008) fibroblast growth factor-21 (+31%, P=0.04), endothelial markers vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin (+9, +5, and +10%, respectively, P<0.01 for all), whereas nonesterified fatty acids decreased (-28%, P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Excess energy from PUFA versus SFA reduces atherogenic lipoproteins. Modest weight gain in young individuals induces hyperproinsulinemia and increases biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction, effects that may be partly outweighed by the lipid-lowering effects of PUFA. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01427140.

A cultura do girassol como estratégia de competitividade para o agronegócio regional e nacional: importância para a agroenergia e a alimentação

Equacionar aquecimento global, escassez de alimentos e a crescente necessidade energética, tornou-se, atualmente, o grande desafio mundial. Existem diversas culturas agrícolas que podem ser exploradas de maneira estratégica e assim colaborar com a solução deste problema. Dentre elas, pode-se destacar a cultura do girassol (Helianthus Annuus). O girassol é uma das quatro maiores culturas oleaginosas no mundo, cultivado com sucesso nos cinco continentes, ocupando uma área de cultivo superior a 22 milhões de hectares. A participação do Brasil nesse montante é inferior a 1%. Acredita-se que essa pequena participação se deva a fatores sócio-econômicos e tecnológicos. Salienta-se, porém que o Brasil, por suas vantagens comparativas naturais e vantagens competitivas construídas possui condições favoráveis para seu desenvolvimento. Diante dos fatos, o objetivo deste trabalho é aprofundar o conhecimento da cadeia produtiva do girassol e através de sua utilização como estratégia de competitividade, avaliar de maneira sistêmica os impactos na matriz agrícola do País. Dentre as inúmeras vantagens dessa cultura, pode-se destacar: características agronômicas, físicas, químicas, organolépticas e versatilidade, que permitem a utilização e otimização dos fatores de produção já disponíveis; época de plantio (adaptabilidade a diferentes condições edafoclimáticas), podendo ser cultivado desde o Rio Grande do Sul até o Estado de Roraima; sistema radicular (raiz pode chegar a dois metros de profundidade), permitindo o melhor aproveitamento dos nutrientes e da água do solo e promovendo a reciclagem de nutrientes; alto teor de óleo nas sementes (30% a 55%) e; alto valor comercial dos co-produtos. Esse conjunto de características é analisado sob a ótica da teoria das vantagens competitivas e das economias de escala e escopo, demonstrando que com inteligência e pragmatismo, a cultura do girassol pode repetir, com vantagens, o que a soja representou para o agronegócio brasileiro.

Regulação da mobilização de lipídios e proteinas por hormônios, fontes de carbono e nitrogênio durante o crescimento pos-germinativo em girassol

The mobilization of food reserves in storage tissues and allocation of their hydrolysis products in the growing axis are critical processes for the establishment of seedlings after germination. Therefore, it is crucial for mobilization of reserves to be synchronized with the growing axis, so that photosynthetic activity can be started before depletion of reserves. For this, integrative approaches involving different reserves, different hydrolysis products and interaction between storage and growing axis tissues, either through hormones or metabolites with signaling role, can contribute greatly to the elucidation of the regulation mechanisms for reserve mobilization. In this study, was hypothesized that hormones and metabolites have different actions on reserve mobilization, and there must be a crossed effect of sugars on the mobilization of proteins and amino acids on lipids and starch mobilization in sunflower seedlings. This study was conducted with seeds of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrid Helio 253 using in vitro culture system. Seeds were germinated on Germitest® paper and grown on agar-water 4 g/L without addition of nutrients during 9 days after imbibition (DAI) for growth curve. To verify the effect of metabolites and hormones, seedlings were transferred in the 2nd DAI to agar-water 4 g/L supplemented with increasing concentrations of sucrose or L-glutamine, abscisic acid, gibberellic acid or indolebutyric acid. The results of this study confirm that the mobilization of lipids and storage proteins occurs in a coordinated manner during post-germination growth in sunflower, corroborating the hypothesis that the application of external carbon (sucrose) and nitrogen (L-glutamine) sources can delay the mobilization of these reserves in a crossed way. Moreover, considering the changes in the patterns of reserve mobilization and partition of their products in seedlings treated with different growth regulators, it is evident that the effects of metabolites and hormones must involve, at least in part, distinct mechanisms of action

Influência do sistema anteoxidante da catalase no ciclo do glioxilato durante o estabelecimento pós-germinativo de cártamo (Carthamus tinctorius L.) e de girassol (Helianthus annuus L.)

Oilseeds are a high-value natural resource, due to its use as a substitute for petroleum. However, the storage time can reduce seed viability and oil quality. Therefore, scientific efforts have been made to provide a increment of storage time, germination rates and plant establishment of high-value oilseeds. The seedling establishment depends of the plant pass over the functional transition stage, characterized by a metabolic change from heterotrophic condition to autotrophic one. The storage oil mobilization is performed by β-oxidation process and the glyoxylate cycle. Also, the functional transition involves acclimation to photosynthetic condition, which generally includes the participation of antioxidant system and the reactive oxygen species, the latter are produced in various reactions of primary and secondary metabolism. In the present study, Catalase was inhibited during the functional transition of sunflower and safflower, after were performed many analyzes to elucidate the effects caused on the SOD and APX antioxidant systems. Also, were checked the changes in expression pattern of the glyoxylate cycle enzymes markers, ICL and MLS. It was observed that after CAT inhibition, the SOD and APX antioxidant systems allow the seedling establishment. Besides, was verified that both oilseeds can be accelerate the reverse mobilization and the photosynthetic establishment when Catalase activity has dramatically decreased

Conversão térmica e termocatalítica à baixa temperatura do óleo de girassol para obtenção de bio-óleo

The use of biofuels remotes to the eighteenth century, when Rudolf Diesel made the first trials using peanut oil as fuel in a compression ignition engine. Based on these trials, there was the need for some chemical change to vegetable oil. Among these chemical transformations, we can mention the cracking and transesterification. This work aims at conducting a study using the thermocatalytic and thermal cracking of sunflower oil, using the Al-MCM-41 catalyst. The material type mesoporous Al-MCM-41 was synthesized and characterized by Hydrothermical methods of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption, absorption spectroscopy in the infrared and thermal gravimetric analysis (TG / DTG).The study was conducted on the thermogravimetric behavior of sunflower oil on the mesoporous catalyst cited. Activation energy, conversion, and oil degradation as a function of temperature were estimated based on the integral curves of thermogravimetric analysis and the kinetic method of Vyazovkin. The mesoporous material Al-MCM-41 showed one-dimensional hexagonal formation. The study of the kinetic behavior of sunflower oil with the catalyst showed a lower activation energy against the activation energy of pure sunflower oil. Two liquid fractions of sunflower oil were obtained, both in thermal and thermocatalytic pyrolisis. The first fraction obtained was called bio-oil and the second fraction obtained was called acid fraction. The acid fraction collected, in thermal and thermocatalytic pyrolisis, showed very high level of acidity, which is why it was called acid fraction. The first fraction was collected bio-called because it presented results in the range similar to petroleum diesel

Avaliação térmica dos resíduos da destilação atmosférica das blendas - biodiesel/diesel

The worldwide concern regarding the use of sustainable energy and preserving the environment are determining factors in the search for resources and alternative sources of energy and therefore fuel less aggressive nature. In response to these difficulties Biodiesel has emerged as a good solution because it is produced from renewable sources, produces burns cleaner and is easily reproducible. This work was synthesized with biodiesel oil, sunflower via homogeneous catalysis in the presence of KOH, with and without the use of BHT and subsequently added to the blends BX (a proportion of biodiesel X = 5, 10, 15 and 20 %). Atmospheric distillation of the analysis, performed in blends with and without BHT were collected residue generated by each sample and performed a study heat from the thermogravimetric analysis at a heating rate of 10 °C*min-1, nitrogen atmosphere and heating to 600 °C. According to the specifications of Resolution N 7/2008 for biodiesel, it was found that the synthesized material was in accordance with the specifications. For blends showed that the samples are in accordance with the Resolution of ANP N 42/2009. From the TG / DTG curves of the samples of biodiesel, blends and waste can be seen that these show a single loss of thermal decomposition concerning constituents present in each sample. The blends without BHT with ratios of 5%, 10% and 15% biodiesel showed a lower amount of waste (1,07%; 1,09% e 1,10%) to mineral diesel (1,15%). Therefore, it is concluded that the addition of biodiesel with diesel mineral can improve some physico-chemical parameters, but also, depending on the added amount, decreasing the amount of waste generated. This fact is of great importance because the carbonaceous residue can cause problems in mechanical equipment and parts for vehicles, causing more frequent maintenance, and this is not desirable

Análise de cDNAs identificados em bibliotecas substrativas de cDNA para floração de variedades de cana-de-açúcar cultivadas no Rio Grande do Norte(RN): fator de transição NAC, Calmodulina e Fosfatidiltransferase

The flowering is a physiological process that it is vital for plants. This physiological process has been well studied in the plant model Arabidopsis, but in sugarcane this process is not well known. The transition of the shoot apical meristem from vegetative to flowering is a critical factor for plant development. At Brazil northeastern region, the transition to flowering in sugarcane has an important effect as it may reduce up to 60% its production. This is a consequence of the sugar translocation from stalks to the shoot apical meristem which is necessary during the flowering process. Therefore, the aim of this work was to explore and analyze cDNAs previously identified using subtractive cDNA libraries. The results showed that these cDNAs showed differential expression profile in varieties of sugarcane (early x late flowering). The in silico analysis suggested that these cDNAs had homology to calmodulin, NAC transcription factor and phosphatidylinositol, a SEC14, which were described in the literature as having a role in the process of floral development. To better understand the role of the cDNA homologous to calmodulin, tobacco plants were transformed with overexpression cassettes in sense and antissense orientation. Plants overexpressing the cassette in sense orientation did not flowered, while plants overexpressing the cassette in the antissense orientation produced flowers. The data obtained in this study suggested the possible role from CAM sequence, SEC14 and NAC in the induction/floral development pathway in sugarcane, this is the first study in order to analyze these genes in the sugarcane flowering process.

Crescimento e produção de antúrio cultivado sob diferentes malhas de sombreamento

O uso de malhas ou filmes plásticos de diferente naturezas ou cores pode alterar a qualidade espectral da radiação e, como consequência, o crescimento e a produção de uma cultura vegetal. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar aspectos do crescimento e da produção de Anthurium andraeanum 'Apalai' sob diferentes malhas de sombreamento. Para tal, mudas micropropagadas foram plantadas em canteiros sob quatro malhas com 70% de sombreamento (azul, vermelha, preta e termo-refletora). O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos e quatro repetições de quatro plantas úteis por parcela. As avaliações foram realizadas durante 12 meses, sendo iniciadas após a produção de hastes florais comercializáveis. A malha preta se sobressaiu em relação às demais, proporcionando a melhor condição para crescimento e produção do antúrio, bem como as maiores dimensões da haste floral, que são consideradas atributos de qualidade para flor de corte.

Desenvolvimento de emulsões contendo óleos vegetais para uso cosmético

The fat acid esters and tocopherolic derivatives are of great economic interest in many industries. The sunflower oil, which had its rich constitution in these composites, is a very interesting raw material source for the job in some sectors as bio-carburants, bio-lubrificants, bio-surfactants, dispersing agents, food industries, medicines and cosmetics. A system emulsified steady from this oil can wide be used in the therapeutical one, therefore it is of easy acceptance for the patient, for being pharmaceutical forms that allow a better medicine administration. The chemical composition characteristics, rich in unsaturad fat acid and tocopherolic derivatives, the sunflower oil, make of the emulsified systems contend this oil a proposal promising for formularizations of pharmaceutical and cosmetic use with antirust and photoprotection. The general objective of this work was to apply the HLB beddings to determine the sunflower oil critical HLB and, from this, to be able to evaluate the ideal mixture of the constituent of this system through the study of the ternary diagrams for the determination of the ratio of constituent that will generate the emulsion most steady

Influência de subprodutos de oleaginosas sobre parâmetros ruminais e a degradação da matéria seca e da proteína bruta

Avaliou-se o efeito da adição de subprodutos de oleaginosas na dieta de ovinos em substituição ao farelo de soja. Foram distribuídos quatro ovinos Santa Inês, com peso corporal de, aproximadamente, 40kg, canulados no rúmen, em quadrado latino (4x4), com quatro dietas e quatro períodos, analisados por regressão para a avaliação da degradação ruminal, dos valores de pH e das concentrações de nitrogênio amoniacal in vivo. Os subprodutos foram as tortas de amendoim, girassol e soja, em dietas isonitrogenadas, com 70% de concentrado e 30% de volumoso (feno de tifton). Não foi observado efeito da interação tempo x dieta para os valores de pH e concentração ruminal de nitrogênio amoniacal (P>0,05). O pH apresentou valor médio de 6,2. As concentrações ruminais de nitrogênio amoniacal não foram afetadas, com valor médio de 29,9mg/dL. Não foram observadas diferenças (P>0,05) nas taxas de degradação da matéria seca e na degradabilidade potencial.

Variabilidade espacial de populações de Diatraea saccharalis em canaviais e sugestão de método de amostragem

A broca Diatraea saccharalis é uma das mais importantes pragas da cana-de-açúcar no Brasil. O manejo de áreas infestadas está embasado no controle biológico com Cotesia flavipes, cujas liberações são feitas em função da população de lagartas da praga em campo. Por esta razão, a estimativa desta população é de fundamental importância para o sucesso do programa de manejo. Assim, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi estudar a variabilidade espacial de D. saccharalis em canaviais e sugerir um método de amostragem que permitisse uma estimativa adequada das populações em campo. Seis campos de aproximadamente 1 ha cada um foram amostrados, em grid retangular de aproximadamente 10 x 10 m, com ilhas. Cada ponto de amostragem foi representado pela coleta das formas biológicas da praga no interior dos colmos em 2 m de sulco. Na maioria das áreas, as populações de formas imaturas de D. saccharalis distribuíram-se de forma contagiosa, com alcance do semivariograma variando de 18 a 80 m. Com base no alcance médio, estimou-se em seis o número médio de pontos de amostragem por hectare que deveriam ser feitos para representar adequadamente a área. Este número foi menor do que o estimado utilizando parâmetros da estatística clássica. Sugere-se que, para estimativa das formas imaturas de D. saccharalis em canaviais, a amostragem seja feita em grid de 40 x 40 m, o que resulta em aproximadamente seis pontos de amostragem por hectare e permitirá, na maioria das áreas, efetuar levantamentos com independência e coeficientes de variação menores que 50%.

Avaliação econômica e desempenho de machos e fêmeas Canchim em confinamento alimentados com dietas à base de silagem de milho e concentrado ou cana-de-açúcar e concentrado contendo grãos de girassol

Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos do fornecimento de dietas com silagem de milho ou com cana-de-açúcar + grãos de girassol e a influência da condição sexual do animal sobre o desempenho de bovinos jovens em confinamento e os resultados econômicos desse sistema de produção. Foram utilizados 30 animais Canchim (dez machos não-castrados, dez machos castrados e dez novilhas), com 15 meses de idade e 289 kg de peso corporal (PC), mantidos em baias individuais durante 105 dias. Todos os animais foram pesados no início do experimento e a cada 35 dias e, ao final do confinamento, foram abatidos em frigorífico comercial para realização das medidas de características de carcaça. Os machos não-castrados apresentaram maior ingestão de nutrientes em comparação às fêmeas, tanto em valores absolutos quanto em valores relativos ao PC. Os machos castrados apresentaram valores intermediários e não diferiram dos não-castrados e das fêmeas. Os machos não-castrados apresentaram maior ganho de peso diário e desenvolvimento muscular, representado pela maior área de olho-de-lombo. Também foram mais eficientes quanto à conversão alimentar e ao rendimento de carcaça. Não houve efeito das dietas sobre a ingestão de nutrientes, à exceção do EE, que foi maior para a dieta com cana-de-açúcar + semente de girassol, com mais teor desse nutriente. As dietas também não influenciaram o desempenho dos animais. A dieta com silagem de milho mostrou-se economicamente mais viável para terminação de bovinos jovens em confinamento. Os machos não-castrados são os mais adequados para exploração de bovinos jovens em confinamento, independentemente da dieta.

Infestação de girassol pela lagarta Chlosyne lacinia saundersii em duas épocas de cultivo

Verificou-se o comportamento de cultivares de girassol em relação ao ataque de Chlosyne lacinia saundersii em condições de campo, avaliando-se o número de lagartas por planta, numero de lagartas por metro linear de plantas, porcentagem de plantas atacadas e porcentagem de desfolha. Concluiu-se que: a) os métodos mais adequados para a avaliação da infestação desse inseto foram a porcentagem de plantas atacadas e o número de lagartas por metro linear de plantas; b) as cultivares de girassol menos infestadas pela praga foram 'Cargill-33', 'Contissol', 'Issanka-P, 'PIGB', 'Uruguai' e 'Contissol-621', enquanto 'Contissol-711% 'Contissol-112' e 'Rumano-P4' foram as mais infestadas e, c) a ocorrência de C. lacinia saundersii foi maior na segunda época de cultivo (fevereiro a junho) do que na primeira (outubro a fevereiro).

Selectivity of the plant growth regulators trinexapac-ethyl and sulfometuron-methyl to cultivated species

The aerial spraying of plant ripeners on sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) crops causes often the contamination of neighboring areas, which subsidizes formal complaints from the neighbors. These contaminations are due to spraying taking place during inadequate environmental conditions or from technical mistakes during the application. One of the most important causes of this contamination is the susceptibility of the species being cultivated surrounding sugar cane. In order to evaluate the effects of sugar cane plant ripeners trinexapac-ethyl and sulfometuron-methyl on peanuts, cotton, potato, coffee, citrus, beans, sunflower, cassava, rubber, soybean, and grapes, eleven experiments - one for each species - were carried out from May 2009 to Jan. 2010. The field experiment was set according to a completely random design with five treatments and four replications. Just before or during flowering, a single treatment of trinexapac-ethyl at 100 or 200 g ha-1 and sulfometuron-methyl at 7.5 or 15 g ha-1 was applied to plants. A control treatment (plants not treated) for each species was part of each experiment. Trinexapac, at the doses of 100 and 200 g ha-1, showed selectivity to peanuts, cotton, potato, coffee, citrus, sunflower, cassava, rubber, soybean, and grape. At the lowest dose (100 g ha-1), it was selective for bean. Sulfometuron, at the dose of 7.5 g ha-1, was selective for peanuts and, at the two studied doses (7.5 and 15 g ha-1), it was selective for coffee, citrus, cassava, and rubber.