Understanding the Structure, Activity and Inhibition of Chorismate Synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

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

Structure, properties and applications of rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa L2-1 from cassava wastewater

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

Population structure, distribution and abundance patterns of the patagonian smoothhound Musmlus schmitti springer, 1939 (Chondrichthyes,Elasmobranchii, Triakidae) in the rio de la plata and inner continental shelf, SW Atlantic ocean (34 degrees-30'-39 degrees-30's)

A total number of 4824 Mustelus schmitti was sampled. Females ranged from 25 to 93 em in spring and from 28 to 90 cm in summer. Males ranged from 34 to 82 and from 28 to 77 cm, respectively. Length composition of the population showed significant differences between spring and summer being females larger than males. Total length distribution did not show significant differences between cruises. Males density varied significantly between cruises while for the females no significant variation was observed. In the spring cruise, both sexes occurred at depths lower than 50 in. Females occurred in the whole area with adult occurrence only above 35 degrees 30'S. Mature males occurred throughout the area, immature males occurring in two trawls in Samborombon Bay. The summer cruise showed a discontinuous distribution of the species along the study area resulting in spatial segregation in two groups with immature females predominating in both of them.

Influence of ultrasound and physical activity on bone healing

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

Serum homocysteine and physical exercise in patients with Parkinson's disease

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a major risk factor for cerebral and peripheral vascular diseases, as well as cortical and hippocampal injury, including an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. Elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have been treated with levodopa; however, physical exercises can help reduce Hcy concentrations. The aim of the present study was to compare serum Hcy levels in patients with PD who partook in regular physical exercises, sedentary PD patients, and healthy controls.Methods: Sixty individuals were enrolled in the present study across three groups: (i) 17 patients who did not partake of any type of exercise; (ii) 24 PD patients who exercised regularly; and (iii) 19 healthy individuals who did not exercise regularly. All participants were evaluated by Hoehn and Yahr scale, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Schwab and England scale (measure daily functionality). The serum levels of Hcy were analyzed by blood samples collected of each participant. An analysis of variance and a Tukey's post hoc test were applied to compare and to verify differences between groups. Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to consider the association between several variables.Results: Mean plasma Hcy concentrations in individuals who exercised regularly were similar to those in the healthy controls and significantly lower than those in the group that did not exercise at all (P = 0.000). In addition, patients who did not exercise were receiving significantly higher doses of levodopa than those patients who exercised regularly (P = 0.001). A positive relationship between levodopa dose and Hcy concentrations (R(2) = 0.27; P = 0.03) was observed in patients who did not exercise, but not in those patients who exercised regularly (R(2) = 0.023; P = 0.15).Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that, even with regular levodopa therapy, Hcy concentrations in PD patients who exercise regularly are significantly lower than in patients who do not exercise and are similar Hcy concentrations in healthy controls.

Population structure, feeding and reproductive aspects of Serrapinnus heterodon (Characidae, Cheirodontinae) in a Mogi Guaçu reservoir (SP), upper Paraná River basin

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Structure, histochemistry, and ultrastructure of the epithelium and stroma in the gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) female prostate

The female prostate has aroused scientific interest because it is subjected to the same diseases compromising the male prostate during aging. The objective of this work was to characterize structurally, cytochemically, and ultrastructurally the tissue compartments of the normal adult female prostate of Meriones unguiculatus gerbils. The morphological analyses showed that the gerbil's female prostate is constituted of a cluster of glands and ducts inserted in a musculofibrous stroma. The alveolar epithelium is differentiated and consisted of basal proliferating cells, intermediary cells, and secretory cells. The secretory cells are the most numerous cell type and continuously secrete glycoproteins. The basal cells are the source of the secretory cells and they are then responsible for the alveolus renovation. The prostatic stroma is abundant and rich in elastic and collagen fibers, which are closely associated with smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. The results showed that the gerbil's female prostate shows morphological and ultrastructural homology to the human female prostate (Skene's gland), and despite being a small organ, it is a mature and physiologically active gland. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New insights regarding HCV-NS5A structure/function and indication of genotypic differences

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

The nucleon structure function and the quark effective potential

By considering a statistical model for the quark content of the nucleon, where the quark levels are generated by a Dirac equation with a harmonic scalar-plus-vector potential, we note that a good fit for the ratio between the structure functions of the neutron and proton, F-2(n)/F-2(p), can be obtained if different strengths are used for the effective confining potentials of the up and down quarks.

Freezing of the QCD coupling constant and the pion form factor

The possibility that the QCD coupling constant (alpha(s)) has an infrared finite behavior (freezing) has been extensively studied in recent years. We compare phenomenological values of the frozen QCD running coupling between different classes of solutions obtained through non-perturbative Schwinger-Dyson Equations. With these solutions were computed QCD predictions for the asymptotic pion form factor which, in turn, were compared with experiment.

Analysis of the Hb(b)over-bar coupling constant and CP-violation effects at the future e(+)e(-) collider

The e(+)e(-)-->b (B) over bar nu(ν) over bar process, where nu is an electron, muon, or tau-lepton neutrino, is analyzed in detail for the general form of the coupling constant of a Higgs boson with b quarks, with the (m(b)/v)(a + igamma(5)b) parameterization of the Hb (b) over bar interaction. This process is shown to be highly sensitive to this coupling constant. Experiments at the future with roots = 500-GeV linear collider will provide limits of 2 and 20% for deviations of the parameters a and b, respectively, from their Standard Model values. Results concerning the e(+)e(-)-->b (b) over bar nu(ν) over bar process in combination with the independent measurements of the partial width Gamma(H --> b (b) over bar) can testify to the CP origin of the Higgs sector of the theory. (C) 2003 MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica.

Cosmological constant and the speed of light

By exploring the relationship between the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a gravitational field and the light propagation in a refractive medium, it is shown that, in the presence of a positive cosmological constant, the velocity of light will be smaller than its special relativity value. Then, restricting again to the domain of validity of geometrical optics, the same result is obtained in the context of wave optics. It is argued that this phenomenon and the anisotropy in the velocity of light in a gravitational field are produced by the same mechanism.

Red Mud from Brazil: Thermal Behavior and Physical Properties

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

A polaronic stacking fault defect model for CaCu3Ti4O12 material: an approach for the origin of the huge dielectric constant and semiconducting coexistent features

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)