Proteínas SAG1, SAG2, SAG3 de toxoplasma gondii como perspectivas para o desenvolvimento de protótipo vacinal contra a toxoplasmose

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, triggering dangerous complications in immunocompromised patients and pregnant women, as well as having great economic impact for the livestock. So far the control of toxoplasmosis is made primarily by chemotherapy. However, most drugs used routinely have some limitations. In order to control this disease, several research groups, including ours, has been working to develop a medical-veterinary vaccine based on parasite antigens, vectors and protocols of immunization. In this study were implemented and standardized methodologies for amplification and cloning of recombinant immunogens in the system for the development of a prototype vaccine, based on the surface antigens of T. gondii and recombinant adenovirus encoding these antigens. Genes encoding BAG1, GRA2 and SAG1 proteins were amplified. We established a strategy for cloning SAG1, SAG2, SAG3 and TgAMA1- genes in recombinant system. The genes encoding SAG1 and SAG2 were cloned and their sequences showed high similarity with sequences from GenBank. The virtual translation of these proteins showed polymorphisms in the amino acid sequence, which can be correlated with levels of antigenicity. Simultaneously, the adenovirus encoding the SAGs (HAdSAGs) were expanded, purificated and characterizated. Immunization of C57bl/6 mice, using viral supernatant was not enought to elicit immune responses at high levels, being required HAdSAGs titration for future immunizations. Therefore, this study allowed the cloning of the two genes important for the development of a prototype vaccine. Besides, implementations methodologies that permit advancements in the development of a vaccine against toxoplasmosis using adenovirus to express proteins of the parasite

O princípio constitucional da redução das desigualdades regionais e o transporte de gás natural

In a country of continental dimensions as Brazil, one of the top challenges to its economic growth is the logistic related to energetical demand supply. We live now in the era of environmental protection and, in this new context of priorizations, it passes trough the search for alternative energies for the energetic matrix, due the petroleum elevated costs in the global market (and its finitude), but also due its pollution over the environment. This attempt of substitution needs solutions related to the national reality, into a national long term developing plan and based at a juridical-economic analysis of its realization. This study will look for, also based in an economical analysis, the juridical legitimity of choosing natural gas as the new protagonist of national economic growth (as a substitute of petroleum) and the necessary boost that must be done by law, based on an economic policy focused strictly for that fact, as a modifying agent of this reality. This study, therefore, will always be turned to a constitutional aspect, respecting the principles of economic order and the goal of reducing regional inequalities, which must influence the making off of a developing plan. At the end, it will try to demonstrate the juridical viability of such undertaking, tuned in jus-economical criteria. Another goal is related to the analysis of the natural gas industry, due the regulation of its transport has a major importance for national energetic integration, not only because this activity be characterized as a net industry, still under control of a natural monopoly, but also because the competitive or cooperative profile that should be priorized at the beginning of the economic planning for this activity (such as investment policies and its own rules that will submit private agents)

A intervenção estatal no domínio econômico privado através da nova lei de recuperação de empresas e falências (lei 11.101/05)

Analysis of the elements of the Constitutional Order of the letter 1988 politics, with emphasis in the principles of this, a study on the intervention of the State in the private initiative by means of the Law of Recovery of Companies and Bankruptcies (law 11.101/05). New enterprise vision is admitted, over all in the interdependence between economic and social factors. Study on the globalization and the interdependence of economic and legal sciences in the construction of a legal optics in the search for the economic and social development, with the recognition of the interference of the Economy in the Right and its uneven importance. Still, we delineate the state intervention in the economic scope, of company and in the judicial recovery, as well as the consequences of such intervention in the involved credits in the judicial recovery and patrimony of the debtor in recovery. For such task, the elements of the Judicial Recovery, its principles and adequacy of these to the related ones in the chapter had been analyzed that turns on the national economic Order, describing the formal procedure for concession of the benefit of the Judicial Recovery and the principles in existing them. The forms of intervention of the State in the private economy were not disrespected, relating its direct and indirect performance as half of preservation of interests writings in the constitutional scope as public interest and preservation of the National economic Order. The regulating agencies as of direct state intervention were half not disrespected of the study for the relevance of the subject. It is revised national bibliography with incursions in French, Portuguese and North American comparative jurisprudence. One contributes in the aspect of the paper of the Judiciary Power in the protection of the companies in crisis and the social and economic impacts, over all in relation to the rights of the worked ones, credit and enterprise

O Papel do Estado na promoção do Desenvolvimento Nacional: a utilização do instrumento do planejamento na expansão da oferta energética

The progress of a nation is closely linked to the energy supply that it has to develop its economic capabilities. The dependence of contemporary society for energy requires the continued expansion of the use of renewable energy, and implies coordinated action of the Democratic State in the delimitation of the best ways to make full use of energy. In periods of rapid development, countries need an increment of energy supplies superior to those of periods of regular economic growth. Energy demand generated by the condition of Brazil as an emerging country reveals the need for orderly expansion of energy supply. In reverse, lack of energy planning effectively paralyzes a country and generates incalculable losses in national socioeconomic development. The Brazilian Constitution abandoned the notion of development tied to the simple increase in the gross domestic product. The respect for the environment, sovereignty, national development, and especially the constant and growing supply of energy, promotes the advancement of national economic agents, and quenches the simple accounting increase in energy supply. Constitutional principles condition the rational use of energy potentials, in ensuring adequate supply of energy for the entire national territory. The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy, through its agencies, government offices and companies, establishes and formulates policies and guidelines for energy in Brazil, playing an important role in national energy planning. National development is enhanced by the good performance of the state agencies responsible for planning the energy sector

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.