A new method for inoculation of fruit with Guignardia citricarpa, the causal agent of citrus black spot

Citrus black spot (CBS) is a fungal disease, caused by Guignardia citricarpa, that has a high economic impact on citrus. Although G. citricarpa has been associated with black spot of citrus, an adequate pathogenicity test is still not available. Thus, our objective was to develop and evaluate a simple, safe, and practical pathogenicity test. We used fruits from Pera-Rio and Valencia sweet orange trees from two different orchards, located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Inoculation was performed by placing six disks colonized by G. citricarpa, onto the peel of healthy fruits, previously bagged. In the Pera-Rio sweet orange grove, initial symptoms of the false melanose type resulting from the inoculations were observed 55 days after inoculation (dai). In the Valencia grove, initial symptoms also of the false melanose type resulting from the inoculations occurred 73 dai. A total of 92.8% and 86.6% of the Pera Rio and Valencia fruits inoculated, respectively, showed symptoms of CBS. Citrus black spot symptoms were not observed in any of the control fruits.

A defective mutant of Salmonella enterica Serovar Gallinarum in cobalamin biosynthesis is avirulent in chickens

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

Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Validação de uma metodologia de ensaio de resistência ao cisalhamento para avaliação da aderência de interfaces revestimento metálico-bainha de cimento aplicada a poços de petróleo

Improving the adherence between oilwell metallic casing and cement sheath potentially decrease the number of corrective actions present/y necessary for Northeastern wells submitted to steam injection. In addition to the direct costs involved in the corrective operations, the economic impact of the failure of the primary cementing aIso includes the loss in the production of the well. The adherence between casing and cement is current/y evaluated by a simple shear tests non standardized by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Therefore, the objective of the present is to propose and evaluate a standardized method to assess the adherence of oilwell metallic casing to cement sheath. To that end, a section of a cemented oilwell was simulated and used to test the effect of different parameters on the shear stress of the system. Surface roughness and different cement compositions submitted or not to thermal cycling were evaluated. The results revealed that the test geometry and parameters proposed yielded different values for the shear stress of the system, corresponding to different adherent conditions between metallic casing and cement sheath

Custos e benefícios de um programa de exercício aeróbios na doença pulmonar obstrutica crônica: ensaio cliníco aleatório controlado

Pulmonary Rehabilitation, especially due to aerobic exercise, positive impact in reducing morbidity/mortality of patients with COPD, however the economic impact with costs of implementing simple programs of aerobic exercise are scarce. This is a blind randomized clinical trials, which aimed to evaluate the costs and benefits of a simple program of aerobic exercise in individuals with COPD, considering the financial costs of the Public Health System and its secondary endpoints. We evaluated lung function, the distance walked during six minutes of walking, the respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, quality of life related to health (QLRH), body composition and level of activity of daily living (ADL) before and after eight weeks of an aerobic exercise program consisting of educational guidance for both groups, control and intervention and supervised walks to the intervention group. The health costs generated in both groups were calculated following table Brazilian Public Health System. The sample consisted of forty patients, two being excluded in the initial phase of desaturation during the walk test six minutes. Were randomized into control and intervention group thirty-eight patients, three were excluded from the control group and one was excluded from the intervention group. At the end, thirty-four COPD comprised the sample, 16 in the control group and 18 in the intervention group (FEV1: 50.9 ± 14% pred and FEV1: 56 ± 0.5% pred, respectively). After for intervention, the intervention group showed improvement in meters walked, the sensation of dyspnea and fatigue at work, BODE index (p <0.01) in QLRH, ADL level (p <0.001) as well as increased strength lower limbs (p <0.05). The final cost of the program for the intervention group was R $ 148.75, including: assessments, hiking supervised by a physiotherapist and reassessments. No patient had exacerbation of IG, while 2 patients in the CG exacerbated, generating an average individual cost of R $ 689.15. The aerobic exercises in the form of walking showed significant clinical benefits and economic feasibility of its implementation, due to low cost and easy accessibility for patients, allowing them to add their daily practice of aerobic exercises

Novel insights into the genomic basis of citrus canker based on the genome sequences of two strains of Xanthomonas fuscans subsp aurantifolii

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

Study of Toxoplasma infection in Brazilian wild mammals: Serological evidence in Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 and Euphractus sexcinctus Wagler, 1830

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide distributed zoonosis that affects man and most warm-blooded animals, with a great economic impact in animal and public health. Serum samples from nine 9-banded armadillos, three 6-banded armadillos, three coatimundis, two opossums and one nutria were submitted for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody detection by means of a modified direct agglutination method. Encephalic tissue of three 6-banded armadillos, one 9-banded armadillo, one coatimundi and one nutria were digested in acid pepsin solution and inoculated into Swiss mice for parasite isolation. Only one serum sample from a nine-banded armadillo and two from six-banded armadillos reacted producing titers equal to 256, 512 and 512, respectively. T gondii was isolated in two 6-banded armadillos, one of which was not positive in the serological test. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Importância do Staphylococcus aureus nas mastites subclínicas: pesquisa de enterotoxinas e toxina do choque tóxico, e a relação com a contagem de células somáticas

O Staphylococcus aureus é um dos principais agentes das mastites consideradas contagiosas, apresentando elevada incidência na maioria dos rebanhos leiteiros em vários países. Além de perdas econômicas é importante salientar o aspecto de saúde pública para cepas produtoras de enterotoxinas e da toxina do choque tóxico. A enterotoxina A, relacionada com maior ênfase nos casos de toxinfecções alimentares, pode ser veiculada pelo leite cru, pasteurizado e subprodutos lácteos. A síndrome do choque tóxico é determinada mais freqüentemente pela toxina do choque tóxico, porém as enterotoxinas do tipo B e C também podem ser implicadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a ocorrência de S.aureus produtores de enteroxinas e da toxina do choque tóxico em amostras de leite de animais com mastite subclínica, e correlacionar estes resultados com a contagem de células somáticas; utilizando a técnica de celofane over agar para detecção da TNAase, kit comercial para identificação das enterotxinas e contagem eletrônica de células somáticas. Avaliod]MORENO, B.[u-se 209 amostras de leite oriundas de vacas com mastite subclínica por S.aureus, e dentre estas, 209 (98,86%) produziram TNAse, nove amostras (4,39%) foram produtoras de enterotoxinas, sendo que uma (0,49%) dentre elas foi produtora de EED, três (1,46%) de EEC, e três (1,46%) de EEB. em uma amostra (0,49%), detectou-se concomitantemente EEA e EEB e em outra EEB e EEC. A toxina do choque tóxico não foi encontrada nas cepas avaliadas neste estudo, assim como não houve aumento estatisticamente significativo, na contagem de células somáticas, das amostras de cepas produtoras de enteroxinas.

Structural bioinformatics study of PNP from Schistosoma mansoni

The parasite Schistosoma mansoni lacks the de novo pathway for purine biosynthesis and depends on salvage pathways for its purine requirements. Schistosomiasis is endemic in 76 countries and territories and amongst the parasitic diseases ranks second after malaria in terms of social and economic impact and public health importance. The PNP is an attractive target for drug design and it has been submitted to extensive structure-based design. The atomic coordinates of the complex of human PNP with inosine were used as template for starting the modeling of PNP from S. mansoni complexed with inosine. Here we describe the model for the complex SmPNP-inosine and correlate the structure with differences in the affinity for inosine presented by human and S. mansoni PNPs. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pitiose em animais de produção no Pantanal Matogrossense

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estimativa da probabilidade do evento extremo de precipitação de janeiro de 2000 no Vale do Paraíba, baseada na distribuição generalizada de pareto

Um evento extremo de precipitação ocorreu na primeira semana do ano 2000, de 1º a 5 de janeiro, no Vale do Paraíba, parte leste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, causando enorme impacto socioeconômico, com mortes e destruição. Este trabalho estudou este evento em 10 estações meteorológicas selecionadas que foram consideradas como aquelas tendo dados mais homogêneos do Que outras estações na região. O modelo de distribuição generalizada de Pareto (DGP) para valores extremos de precipitação de 5 dias foi desenvolvido, individualmente para cada uma dessas estações. Na modelagem da DGP, foi adotada abordagem não-estacionaria considerando o ciclo anual e tendência de longo prazo como co-variaveis. Uma conclusão desta investigação é que as quantidades de precipitação acumulada durante os 5 dias do evento estudado podem ser classificadas como extremamente raras para a região, com probabilidade de ocorrência menor do que 1% para maioria das estações, e menor do que 0,1% em três estações.

Force-versus-time curves during collisions between two identical steel balls

We describe a numerical procedure for plotting the force-versus-time curves in elastic collisions between identical conducting balls. A system of parametric equations relating the force and the time to a dimensionless parameter is derived from the assumption of a force compatible with Hertz's theory of collision. A simple experimental arrangement consisting of a mechanical system of colliding balls and an electrical circuit containing a crystal oscillator and an electronic counter is used to measure the collision time as a function of the energy of impact. From the data we can determine the relevant parameters. The calculated results agree very well with the expected values and are consistent with the assumption that the collisions are elastic. (C) 2006 American Association of Physics Teachers.

Consórcio de espécies nativas da floresta estacional semidecidual com mandioca (Manihot sculenta Crantz) para restauração de mata ciliar

Intercropping of trees and annual crops could be an important alternative for promoting forest restoration in small farms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intercropping of cassava (Manihot sculenta Crantz) with native trees for restoration of natural forest in riparian areas in the western São Paulo State, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six replications for comparing two restoration systems: pure afforestation and afforestation intercropped with cassava. It was evaluated the variables related to seedling development (height, crown diameter, crown cover, and height/crown diameter ratio), mortality and the economic impact were assessed for using cassava. No differences were found between treatments for any dendrometrical variable and mortality. Economic impact of the intercroppoing treatment was positive because costs for establishment of intercropped system were partially reduced by the income from the cassava crop, which covered 32% of total costs. Cassava income made final costs 19% lesser than restoration in the pure afforestation system.

Swarming and incipient colonies of Coptotermes havilandi (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

Coptotermes havilandi Holmgren is an oriental species introduced into Brazil. Despite its economic impact as structural pest, very little is known about the biology of this termite. This paper describes observations of C. havilandi swarming in the city of Rio Claro (SP, Brazil), and reports the first data on incipient colonies reared in a laboratory in Brazil. The preoviposition period lasted about a week after pairing; oviposition began in most of the incipient colonies during the second week. Antennal mutilation occurred on all reproductives. The mean number of the first batch of eggs was 13. In general, first instar brood hatched 60-70 days after set up of the colonies. After two years of pairing there was a small population (less than 100 individuals) and limited soldier production (n=2) in incipient colonies of C. havilandi.

Preliminary studies on agonistic behavior between colonies of Coptotermes havilandi (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) in laboratory bioassays

Intercolonial aggression is being used to delimit foraging territory in termite species of subterranean termites. The advance of the introduced pest termite Coptotermes havilandi Holmgren in the interior of São Paulo State is increasing its economic impact as well as its interspecific and intraspecific competition in Brazil. In order to evaluate the intraspecific agonism among different colonies collected in urban areas of Sȧo Paulo State were set up a series of preliminary bioassays. Different combination of nestmates from field colonies of C. havilandi of Rio Claro city showed lack of agonistic behavior. Nevertheless, encounters among individuals from São Paulo and Rio Claro cities showed agonistic behaviors. These preliminary results suggest that caution should be taken in using intercolonial aggression to delimit the foraging territory of C. havilandi colonies in São Paulo State.