Desenvolupament de metodologia analítica per a la determinació de glifosat i adjuvants

El glifosat és un herbicida no selectiu àmpliament utilitzat en cultius agrícoles i zones no agrícoles que requereixen un control de la vegetació. Tot i la baixa toxicitat del glifosat en si mateix, la seva aplicació es realitza emprant formulacions comercials que contenen substàncies auxiliars que milloren l'eficàcia de l'herbicida, però modifiquen la toxicitat del producte final.Aquest treball s'ha centrat en la determinació de components de formulacions comercials d'herbicides i el seu comportament en el sòl. La primera part del treball s'ha dedicat al desenvolupament de mètodes d'anàlisi per a la determinació de glifosat i el seu principal metabòlit, AMPA, en matrius aquoses i sòls. A continuació s'ha desenvolupat un mètode d'anàlisi per les substàncies auxiliars addicionades freqüentment en les formulacions comercials, tensioactius no iònics. Finalment s'ha estudiat la mobilitat de l'herbicida en sòls de la zona mediterrània, incidint en els processos d'adsorció i degradació. També s'ha comparat el comportament de diversos herbicides comercials que contenen glifosat.

What have dendritic cells ever done for adjuvant design? Cellular and molecular methods for the rational development of vaccine adjuvants

Our new molecular understanding of immune priming states that dendritic cell activation is absolutely pivotal for expansion and differentiation of naïve T lymphocytes, and it follows that understanding DC activation is essential to understand and design vaccine adjuvants. This chapter describes how dendritic cells can be used as a core tool to provide detailed quantitative and predictive immunomics information about how adjuvants function. The role of distinct antigen, costimulation, and differentiation signals from activated DC in priming is explained. Four categories of input signals which control DC activation – direct pathogen detection, sensing of injury or cell death, indirect activation via endogenous proinflammatory mediators, and feedback from activated T cells – are compared and contrasted. Practical methods for studying adjuvants using DC are summarised and the importance of DC subset choice, simulating T cell feedback, and use of knockout cells is highlighted. Finally, five case studies are examined that illustrate the benefit of DC activation analysis for understanding vaccine adjuvant function.

Haematologic and immunologic parameters of bullfrogs, Lithobates catesbeianus, fed probiotics

The effects of two probiotics (P(1) - Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Enterococcus faecium and P(2) - Bacillus subtilis) supplemented to commercial feed (40% crude protein) on the haematological and immunological parameters of the bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus were studied. Two doses of each probiotic (5 and 10 g kg-1 of food) were added to the diets and fed to frogs, totalling five treatments over 112 days. Haematological analyses consisted of total and differential leucocyte counts, erythrocyte and thrombocyte counts, haematocrit, haemoglobin levels and RBC indices (mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin - and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) and the immunological parameters included phagocytic capacity and phagocytic index of peritoneal phagocytes. The results showed that the probiotics did not significantly influence any of the haematological parameters measured. However, immunological assays showed that the probiotics had an immunostimulating effect. The greatest effects were seen with probiotic P(1) fed at a dose of 10 g kg-1 of diet and probiotic P(2) fed at 5 g kg-1 of diet.

Plant growth regulator losses in cotton as affected by adjuvants and rain

Nas maiores regiões algodoeiras no Brasil, chove mais de 1.500mm anuais, existindo risco de ocorrer lavagem de reguladores de crescimento aplicados às folhas do algodoeiro, antes que sejam absorvidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a lavagem dos reguladores de crescimento cloreto de mepiquat e cloreto de chlormequat de folhas de algodoeiro por chuva, ocorrendo em diferentes momentos após a aplicação. O trabalho foi realizado em casa de vegetação. Ambos os reguladores foram aplicados no aparecimento do primeiro botão floral, na dose de 15g ha-1 de i.a. com e sem adjuvante siliconado, e chuva simulada foi aplicada aos 0, 0,75; 1,5; 3,0; 6,0; 12,0 e 24 horas após a aplicação dos reguladores, mais um tratamento sem chuva. A adição de adjuvante siliconado melhorou a absorção dos produtos. A ocorrência de chuva até mesmo 24 horas após a aplicação dos reguladores pode lavar parte dos produtos das plantas de algodoeiro, com maior intensidade para o tratamento sem adjuvante. A redução da absorção do produto leva à necessidade de reaplicá-lo para que possa haver a sua ação, sem comprometer sua função.

Pediatric Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Clinical and Immunologic Features of 121 Patients in an International Registry

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to obtain data on the association of antiphospholipid antibodies with clinical manifestations in childhood and to enable future studies to determine the impact of treatment and long-term outcome of pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome.PATIENTS and METHODS. A European registry extended internationally of pediatric patients with antiphospholipid syndrome was established as a collaborative project of the European Antiphospholipid Antibodies Forum and Lupus Working Group of the Pediatric Rheumatology European Society. To be eligible for enrollment the patient must meet the preliminary criteria for the classification of pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome and the onset of antiphospholipid syndrome must have occurred before the patient's 18th birthday.RESULTS. As of December 1, 2007, there were 121 confirmed antiphospholipid syndrome cases registered from 14 countries. Fifty-six patients were male, and 65 were female, with a mean age at the onset of antiphospholipid syndrome of 10.7 years. Sixty (49.5%) patients had underlying autoimmune disease. Venous thrombosis occurred in 72 (60%), arterial thrombosis in 39 (32%), small-vessel thrombosis in 7 (6%), and mixed arterial and venous thrombosis in 3 (2%). Associated nonthrombotic clinical manifestations included hematologic manifestations (38%), skin disorders (18%), and nonthrombotic neurologic manifestations (16%). Laboratory investigations revealed positive anticardiolipin antibodies in 81% of the patients, anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I antibodies in 67%, and lupus anticoagulant in 72%. Comparisons between different subgroups revealed that patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome were younger and had a higher frequency of arterial thrombotic events, whereas patients with antiphospholipid syndrome associated with underlying autoimmune disease were older and had a higher frequency of venous thrombotic events associated with hematologic and skin manifestations.CONCLUSIONS. Clinical and laboratory characterization of patients with pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome implies some important differences between antiphospholipid syndrome in pediatric and adult populations. Comparisons between children with primary antiphospholipid syndrome and antiphospholipid syndrome associated with autoimmune disease have revealed certain differences that suggest 2 distinct subgroups. Pediatrics 2008; 122: e1100-e1107

Short-term clinical and immunologic effects of scaling and root planing with Er : YAG laser in chronic periodontitis

Background: Recently, the erbium-doped:yttrium, aluminum, and garnet (Er:YAG) laser has been used for periodontal therapy. This study compared Er:YAG laser irradiation (100 mJ/pulse, 10 Hz, 12.9 J/cm(2)) with or without conventional scaling and root planing (SRP) to SRP only for the treatment of periodontal pockets affected with chronic periodontitis.Methods: Twenty-one subjects with pockets from 5 to 9 mm in non-adjacent sites were studied. In a split-mouth design, each site was randomly allocated to a treatment group: SRP and laser (SRPL), laser only (L), SRP only (SRP), or no treatment (C). The plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and interleukin (IL)-1 beta levels in crevicular fluid were evaluated at baseline and at 12 and 30 days postoperatively, whereas probing depth (PD), gingival recession (GR), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were evaluated at baseline and 30 days after treatment. A statistical analysis was conducted (P<0.05).Results: Twelve days postoperatively, the PI decreased for SRPL and SRP groups (P<0.05); the GI increased for L, SRP, and C groups but decreased for the SRPL group (P<0.05); and BOP decreased for SRPL, L, and SRP groups (P<0.01). Thirty days postoperatively, BOP decreased for treated groups and was lower than the C group (P<0.05). PD decreased in treated groups (P<0.001), and differences were found between SRPL and C groups (P<0.05). CAL gain was significant only for the SRP group (P<0.01). GR increased for SRPL and L groups (P<0.05). No difference in IL-1 beta was detected among groups and periods.Conclusion: Er:YAG laser irradiation may be used as an adjunctive aid for the treatment of periodontal pockets, although a significant CAL gain was observed with SRP alone and not with laser treatment.

Immunologic aspects of West syndrome and evidence of plasma inhibitory effects on T cell function

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o perfil da deficiência imune em um grupo bem definido de epilepsia: crianças com síndrome de West (SW) e seus padrões EEG de evolução, idade-dependentes, como os complexos onda-aguda- onda lenta generalizadas da síndrome de Lenox-Gastaut (SLG) e as pontas multifocais independentes (PMI). MÉTODO: Um grupo de 50 crianças, 33 com SW, 10 com SLG, 7 com PMI e 20 crianças sadias (controle) foram avaliadas em relação aos seguintes parâmetros:determinação de subpopulações de linfócitos T (CD1, CD3, CD4 e CD8), relação CD4/CD8 e resposta proliferativa de linfócitos frente a fitohemaglutinina (PHA), na presença de plasma autólogo ou de plasma AB (homólogo). A prova cutânea de sensibilização ao Dinitroclorobenzeno (DNCB) foi realizada apenas nos pacientes. Os níveis séricos de IgG, IgA e IgM foram comparados aos valores normais em crianças Brasileiras, em diferentes faixas etárias. RESULTADOS: A resposta ao DNCB foi ausente ou fracamente reativa em 76% dos pacientes. Níveis séricos elevados de IgG (45,7%) e de IgM (61,4%) e baixos de IgA (23,9%) foram detectados nos pacientes. A determinação das subpopulações de linfócitos T em sangue periférico mostrou: deficiência nas proporções de células CD3+ (p<0,05) e de CD4+ (p<0,05), aumento de CD8+ (p<0,01) e diminuição da relação CD4 / CD8 (p<0,001). A proporção de células CD1+ no grupo controle manteve-se menor que 3%, enquanto que em 18% dos pacientes esses níveis variaram entre 3 e 11%. A resposta proliferativa de linfócitos frente a PHA revelou índices blastogênicos significativamente mais baixos apenas quando células dos pacientes foram cultivadas na presença do próprio plasma (plasma autólogo). Quando estas células foram cultivadas na presença de plasma AB, não se evidenciou diferença significativa em relação ao grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: A imunodeficiência na SW caracterizou-se por: anergia, alteração de imunidade mediada por células e dos níveis de imunoglobulinas, presença de timócitos imaturos na circulação periférica e deficiência funcional de linfócitos T induzida por fatores plasmáticos inibidores. Discutem-se as principais evidências de disfunção imune como imunodeficiência e autoimunidade.

Dispersion and evaporation of droplets amended with adjuvants on soybeans

Quantification of the effects of adjuvants on droplet behaviour on plant surfaces is needed to improve pesticide spray application efficiency for soybeans. Dispersion and evaporation of single 300-μm diameter droplets amended with each of four spray adjuvants at five concentrations were investigated for four soybean plant surfaces (abaxial and adaxial leaflet surfaces, petiole, basal stem). The four adjuvants were a crop oil concentrate (COC), a modified seed oil (MSO), a non-ionic surfactant (NIS) and an oil surfactant blend (OSB). A single-droplet generator was used to produce and deposit 300-μm diameter droplets on target surfaces under controlled environmental conditions. Adjuvants significantly increased the dispersion (or wetted area) of droplets on plant surfaces. Droplet-wetted areas increased with increased adjuvant concentrations but not in direct proportion. The average increases of wetted areas across the four soybean plant surfaces were 443, 462, 416, or 343% when the spray mixture was amended with COC, MSO, NIS or OSB at the manufacturer-recommended concentrations, respectively. Among the four surfaces, the largest wetted area was on the abaxial surface, followed by the adaxial surface, the petiole and then the basal stem. Droplet evaporation times were inversely proportional to the wetted areas. The evaporation time of 300-μm diameter droplets ranged from 36 to 142. s on the four surfaces when the spray mixture was amended with an adjuvant, whereas the water-only droplets ranged from 161 to 190. s. The results demonstrated that use of adjuvants offers great potential to improve the homogeneity of sprayed pesticides, to increase spray coverage and to reduce pesticide application rates on soybean plants. These effects could benefit farmers economically and reduce environmental contamination by pesticides. © 2012.

Potential of adjuvants to reduce drift in agricultural spraying

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of adjuvants on the amount of air included in droplets generated by spray nozzles

The air included in droplets generated by spray nozzles directly int0erferes in transport, deposition and retention of the droplets after its impact on the target. The objective of this study was to analyze the interference of adjuvants in the amount of air included in droplets generated by spray nozzles. The treatments were composed by four spray solutions containing mineral oil, vegetable oil, surfactant and water, and three spray nozzles, two air induction type and one pre-orifice. The air included was calculated by the difference between the volume of spray mix (air plus liquid) and only the liquid, which was made by means of sprayed samples captured in a funnel and collected in a graduated cylinder. The surface tension was estimated by the gravimetric method using a precision scale and a graduated pipette. The surfactant provided the largest percentage of air included in the spray. For the surface tension, the mineral oil and the surfactant had the lowest values. It was concluded that the use of adjuvants had a direct influence on the percentage of air included. In addition, products with greater ability to reduce surface tension and to form homogeneous solutions provided the increase in the percentage of air included in the droplet.

Phytase production by Rhizopus microsporus var. microsporus biofilm: characterization of enzymatic activity after spray drying in presence of carbohydrates and nonconventional adjuvants

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

Adjuvants and delivery systems for antifungal vaccines: Current state and future developments

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)