Características palinológicas de mieles de eucalipto (Eucalyptus sp.) y tréboles (Trifolium sp.) provenientes de la Provincia Fitogeográfica Pampeana Argentina

El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar el perfil polínico de mieles de tréboles y de eucalipto de la Provincia Fitogeográfica Pampeana Argentina, con el fin de contribuir a su caracterización palinológica. Se realizó un análisis polínico cualitativo y se aplicaron técnicas estadísticas descriptivas y multivariadas, para conocer la distribución de frecuencia de los pólenes y caracterizar cada origen floral, según los pólenes acompañantes y los años de cosecha. Se analizaron 81 muestras de miel, de cuatro cosechas diferentes. Se encontraron 41 tipos morfológicos de polen, cuya variación por muestra osciló entre dos y ocho. El taxón presente en más del 80% de las mieles fue Eucalyptus sp. Los principales pólenes acompañantes encontrados pertenecieron a los tipos Helianthus annuus y Carduus sp., para ambos orígenes florales estudiados, y a la familia de las Brassicaceae, para las mieles de tréboles. Los años de cosecha estudiados mostraron diferentes espectros polínicos.

El plan estratégico Argentina Apícola 2017 y su influencia en el sector apícola de la localidad de Tandil

By means of this paper is to critically analyze the current situation of beekeeping in the town of Tandil (Buenos Aires), from the objectives set out in the Strategic Plan Argentina Beekeeping 2017, approved in 2008, whose goal is aimed at that country from becoming a global market leader of value-added bee products, ensuring sustainable development in economic, environmental and social. At first briefly reviews the national bee scene, in which Argentina is known for being the third largest producer of honey, after China and the U.S., while competing with China for the first world exporter, a situation that contrasts with low domestic consumption. Then describes the strategic objectives that promotes the Plan, including: marketing, production, promotion and added value. Then we analyze the main characteristics of the honey industry in the area chosen, the town of Tandil, where the stage is characterized by a large number of small producers who are mostly engaged in the informal sale of honey for direct consumption but whose demand is low, compared to a small number of collectors, packers and exporters that dominate the international market. In general it is observed that, with few exceptions, the honey is exported in bulk, as a commodity, and its main use molasses to improve lower quality of recipient countries. Meanwhile the honey for local consumption, is usually of inferior quality because they generally are not subject to quality controls required by the circuit of export. To overcome the limitations of beekeeping above, highlights the collaborative efforts of government agencies such as the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the Faculty of Veterinary Science, National University Centre of the Province of Buenos Aires. As a preliminary conclusion, it is argued that the Strategic Plan Argentina Beekeeping is still valid as a tool for development of the sector, and is also essential to encourage the development of competitive products in terms of quality and differentiation, through the development of technology and knowledge sharing to ensure growth and sustainability of beekeeping in the town of Tandil

El plan estratégico Argentina Apícola 2017 y su influencia en el sector apícola de la localidad de Tandil

By means of this paper is to critically analyze the current situation of beekeeping in the town of Tandil (Buenos Aires), from the objectives set out in the Strategic Plan Argentina Beekeeping 2017, approved in 2008, whose goal is aimed at that country from becoming a global market leader of value-added bee products, ensuring sustainable development in economic, environmental and social. At first briefly reviews the national bee scene, in which Argentina is known for being the third largest producer of honey, after China and the U.S., while competing with China for the first world exporter, a situation that contrasts with low domestic consumption. Then describes the strategic objectives that promotes the Plan, including: marketing, production, promotion and added value. Then we analyze the main characteristics of the honey industry in the area chosen, the town of Tandil, where the stage is characterized by a large number of small producers who are mostly engaged in the informal sale of honey for direct consumption but whose demand is low, compared to a small number of collectors, packers and exporters that dominate the international market. In general it is observed that, with few exceptions, the honey is exported in bulk, as a commodity, and its main use molasses to improve lower quality of recipient countries. Meanwhile the honey for local consumption, is usually of inferior quality because they generally are not subject to quality controls required by the circuit of export. To overcome the limitations of beekeeping above, highlights the collaborative efforts of government agencies such as the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the Faculty of Veterinary Science, National University Centre of the Province of Buenos Aires. As a preliminary conclusion, it is argued that the Strategic Plan Argentina Beekeeping is still valid as a tool for development of the sector, and is also essential to encourage the development of competitive products in terms of quality and differentiation, through the development of technology and knowledge sharing to ensure growth and sustainability of beekeeping in the town of Tandil

El plan estratégico Argentina Apícola 2017 y su influencia en el sector apícola de la localidad de Tandil

By means of this paper is to critically analyze the current situation of beekeeping in the town of Tandil (Buenos Aires), from the objectives set out in the Strategic Plan Argentina Beekeeping 2017, approved in 2008, whose goal is aimed at that country from becoming a global market leader of value-added bee products, ensuring sustainable development in economic, environmental and social. At first briefly reviews the national bee scene, in which Argentina is known for being the third largest producer of honey, after China and the U.S., while competing with China for the first world exporter, a situation that contrasts with low domestic consumption. Then describes the strategic objectives that promotes the Plan, including: marketing, production, promotion and added value. Then we analyze the main characteristics of the honey industry in the area chosen, the town of Tandil, where the stage is characterized by a large number of small producers who are mostly engaged in the informal sale of honey for direct consumption but whose demand is low, compared to a small number of collectors, packers and exporters that dominate the international market. In general it is observed that, with few exceptions, the honey is exported in bulk, as a commodity, and its main use molasses to improve lower quality of recipient countries. Meanwhile the honey for local consumption, is usually of inferior quality because they generally are not subject to quality controls required by the circuit of export. To overcome the limitations of beekeeping above, highlights the collaborative efforts of government agencies such as the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the Faculty of Veterinary Science, National University Centre of the Province of Buenos Aires. As a preliminary conclusion, it is argued that the Strategic Plan Argentina Beekeeping is still valid as a tool for development of the sector, and is also essential to encourage the development of competitive products in terms of quality and differentiation, through the development of technology and knowledge sharing to ensure growth and sustainability of beekeeping in the town of Tandil

Schizosaccharomyces selective differential media

This study discusses the optimisation of a selectiv e and differential medium which would facilitate the isolation of Schizosaccharomyces (a genus with a low incidence compared to other microorganisms) to select individuals from this genus for industrial purposes, especially in light of the recent approval of the use of yeasts from this genus in the wine industry by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, or to detect the presence of such yeasts, for those many authors who consider them food spoilers. To this end, we studied various selective differential agents based on the main thephysiological characteristics of this species, such as its high resistance to high concentrations of sugar, sulfur dioxide, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, acetic acid or malo ethanolic fermentation. This selective medium is based on the resistance of the genus to the antibiotic actidione and its high resistance to inhibitory agents such as benzoic acid compared to possible microorganisms which can give rise to false positive results. Malic acid was used as a differential fact or due to the ability of this genus to metabolise it to ethanol, which allows detecting of the degradation of this compound. Lastly, the medium was successfully used to isolate strains of Schizosaccharomyces pombe from honey.

A Toolbox for Quantitative Gene Expression in Varroa destructor : RNA Degradation in Field Samples and Systematic Analysis of Reference Gene Stability

Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no. 613960 (SMARTBEES) (http://www.smartbees-fp7.eu/) and Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Project # VM0517) (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-medicines-directorate). CHM was supported by a Biosciences Knowledge Transfer Network Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (KTN-BBSRC CASE) Studentship (BB/L502467/1) (http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Acknowledgments We gratefully acknowledge Mr Sebastian Bacz’s expert help and advice with beekeeping.

Differences in frontal cortical activation by a working memory task after substitution of risperidone for typical antipsychotic drugs in patients with schizophrenia

Antipsychotic drug treatment of schizophrenia may be complicated by side effects of widespread dopaminergic antagonism, including exacerbation of negative and cognitive symptoms due to frontal cortical hypodopaminergia. Atypical antipsychotics have been shown to enhance frontal dopaminergic activity in animal models. We predicted that substitution of risperidone for typical antipsychotic drugs in the treatment of schizophrenia would be associated with enhanced functional activation of frontal cortex. We measured cerebral blood oxygenation changes during periodic performance of a verbal working memory task, using functional MRI, on two occasions (baseline and 6 weeks later) in two cohorts of schizophrenic patients. One cohort (n = 10) was treated with typical antipsychotic drugs throughout the study. Risperidone was substituted for typical antipsychotics after baseline assessment in the second cohort (n = 10). A matched group of healthy volunteers (n = 10) was also studied on a single occasion. A network comprising bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, and posterior parietal cortex was activated by working memory task performance in both the patients and comparison subjects. A two-way analysis of covariance was used to estimate the effect of substituting risperidone for typical antipsychotics on power of functional response in the patient group. Substitution of risperidone increased functional activation in right prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, and posterior parietal cortex at both voxel and regional levels of analysis. This study provides direct evidence for significantly enhanced frontal function in schizophrenic patients after substitution of risperidone for typical antipsychotic drugs, and it indicates the potential value of functional MRI as a tool for longitudinal assessment of psychopharmacological effects on cerebral physiology.

Immunoisolation and Characterization of a Subdomain of the Endoplasmic Reticulum That Concentrates Proteins Involved in COPII Vesicle Biogenesis

Rubella virus E1 glycoprotein normally complexes with E2 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to form a heterodimer that is transported to and retained in the Golgi complex. In a previous study, we showed that in the absence of E2, unassembled E1 subunits accumulate in a tubular pre-Golgi compartment whose morphology and biochemical properties are distinct from both rough ER and Golgi. We hypothesized that this compartment corresponds to hypertrophied ER exit sites that have expanded in response to overexpression of E1. In the present study we constructed BHK cells stably expressing E1 protein containing a cytoplasmically disposed epitope and isolated the pre-Golgi compartment from these cells by cell fractionation and immunoisolation. Double label indirect immunofluorescence in cells and immunoblotting of immunoisolated tubular networks revealed that proteins involved in formation of ER-derived transport vesicles, namely p58/ERGIC 53, Sec23p, and Sec13p, were concentrated in the E1-containing pre-Golgi compartment. Furthermore, budding structures were evident in these membrane profiles, and a highly abundant but unknown 65-kDa protein was also present. By comparison, marker proteins of the rough ER, Golgi, and COPI vesicles were not enriched in these membranes. These results demonstrate that the composition of the tubular networks corresponds to that expected of ER exit sites. Accordingly, we propose the name SEREC (smooth ER exit compartment) for this structure.

A novel multiple affinity purification tag and its use in identification of proteins associated with a cyclin–CDK complex

A novel multiple affinity purification (MAFT) or tandem affinity purification (TAP) tag has been constructed. It consists of the calmodulin binding peptide, six histidine residues, and three copies of the hemagglutinin epitope. This ‘CHH’ MAFT tag allows two or three consecutive purification steps, giving high purity. Active Clb2–Cdc28 kinase complex was purified from yeast cells after inserting the CHH tag into Clb2. Associated proteins were identified using mass spectrometry. These included the known associated proteins Cdc28, Sic1 and Cks1. Several other proteins were found including the 70 kDa chaperone, Ssa1.

O efeito imediato da estimulação elétrica neuromuscular na função de deglutição em indivíduos com câncer de cabeça e pescoço após terapia antineoplásica

A estimulação elétrica neuromuscular (EENM) é uma recente técnica terapêutica no tratamento das disfagias orofaríngeas. Poucos estudos utilizaram a EENM em casos oncológicos, havendo muitas dúvidas sobre o método de aplicação e os resultados de diferentes condições de estimulação nessa população. Este trabalho teve por objetivo verificar o efeito imediato da EENM sensorial e motora, nas fases oral e faríngea da deglutição, em pacientes após tratamento do câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Para isso foi realizado um estudo transversal intervencional que incluiu 11 pacientes adultos e idosos (mediana de 59 anos) acometidos por câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Todos os indivíduos foram submetidos ao exame de videofluoroscopia da deglutição, no qual, de modo randomizado, foram solicitadas deglutições de 5 ml de alimentos nas consistências líquida, mel e pudim em três condições distintas: sem estimulação, com EENM sensorial, com EENM motora. Foi classificado o grau da disfunção da deglutição por meio da escala DOSS (Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale), a presença de estase de alimentos (escala de Eisenhuber), de penetração laríngea, aspiração laringotraqueal (Penetration and Aspiration Scale - PAS), além da medida do tempo de trânsito oral e faríngeo (em segundos). Para a comparação dos resultados, considerando os três estímulos aplicados, na escala de resíduos, na escala de penetração aspiração, na escala DOSS e no tempo de trânsito oral e faríngeo foi aplicado o teste de Friedman ou a análise de variância para medidas repetidas (de acordo com a distribuição dos dados). Para todos os testes foi adotado nível de significância de 5%. Os resultados demonstraram que houve melhora com a estimulação sensorial e motora na escala DOSS e na escala PAS para um paciente tratado de câncer de boca e outro de laringe e piora, em ambas as escalas, para dois pacientes (câncer de boca), sendo um para a estimulação motora e outro na sensorial. A aplicação da escala de Eisenhuber permitiu verificar que a EENM, tanto em nível sensorial como motor, modificou de forma variável a presença de resíduos para os casos de câncer de boca, enquanto para o paciente com câncer de laringe houve redução de resíduos em valécula/raiz da língua para a estimulação sensorial e motora, além de aumento de resíduos em parede posterior da faringe com o estímulo motor. Além disso, não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante para o tempo de trânsito oral e faríngeo nas diferentes estimulações para todas as consistências testadas (p>0,05). Diante desses achados, concluiu-se que a EENM, em nível sensorial e motor, apresentou variável impacto imediato nas fases oral e faríngea da deglutição, podendo melhorar a função de deglutição de pacientes com significante disfagia após o tratamento para o câncer de cabeça e pescoço, no que se diz respeito ao grau da disfagia e à presença de penetração e aspiração.

Estudo da qualidade do mel de abelhas sem ferrão por análise por ativação neutrônica instrumental

O Brasil é um dos maiores produtores mundiais de mel, no qual sua produção é baseada principalmente na criação da espécie exótica Apis mellifera. A produção de mel da Apis mellifera é cerca de 10 vezes maior que das espécies de abelhas sem ferrão, contudo, o mel de abelhas nativas possui maior valor comercial. Embora pouco explorado, o mel de abelhas sem ferrão desperta interesse em indústrias de cosméticos e medicinas naturais. A sua produção se apresenta como uma ferramenta com grande potencial para agregar valor econômico aos ecossistemas brasileiros, em especial os florestais, de forma sustentável e com menor potencial de influências de contaminantes traços. A qualidade química do mel é um importante requisito comercial, principalmente o destinado à exportação. Como exemplo, a União Européia em 2006 decidiu suspender a importação do mel produzido no Brasil sob alegação de que o país não possuía equivalência ao bloco quanto as diretrizes para o controle de resíduos e qualidade do produto. Diante do potencial de produção comercial sustentável do mel de abelhas nativas brasileiras e a falta de conhecimento sobre possíveis resíduos encontrados em sua composição, em especial os elementos traços, como objetivo principal deste trabalho pretendeu-se caracterizar a composição de elementos químicos do mel de abelhas sem ferrão, comparar com o de Apis mellifera e verificar as possíveis variações causadas pelo ambiente. Este estudo investigou a composição química dos méis de abelhas sem ferrão de cinco estados brasileiros: Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Norte, Santa Catarina e São Paulo; compreendendo um total de 70 colméias de diferentes espécies: Melipona quadrifasciata, Melipona scutelaris, Melipona mandacaia, Melipona capixaba, Melipona rufiventris, Melipona compressipes, Melipona bicolor, Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Tetragona clavipes, Tetragonisca angustula e Scaptotrigona sp.. Pólen, a principal fonte de minerais para a colméia, e as próprias abelhas foram também coletadas para estudos de composição e correlação com os méis. A análise por ativação neutrônica instrumental permitiu a determinação de Br, Ca, Co, Cs, Fe, La, Na, Rb, Sc e Zn nos méis, Br, Ca, Co, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sc, Se e Zn nas amostras de pólen e As, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se e Zn em abelhas. Méis das abelhas da subtribo trigonina apresentaram maiores concentrações dos elementos alcalinos. Alta razão K/Na foram observadas nas amostras de mel e pólen. Pólen se apresentou como uma grande fonte de P e Se. Análises quimiométricas indicaram os méis e abelhas como bons indicadores de atividades antrópicas. Arsênio apareceu nas abelhas coletadas em áreas de maior atividade antrópica. Como resultado, este estudo tem demonstrado o potencial nutracêutico do mel e pólen meliponícola e o potencial das abelhas nativas como ferramentas de avaliação da qualidade ambiental. A proximidade a atividades antrópicas mostrou-se fator decisivo para concentrações mais elevadas de As mas abelhas

Mujeres mayas, abejas mayas

El cultivo de las abejas sin aguijón (meliponas) se ha practicado en la península de Yucatán (México) desde tiempos remotos como lo indican diversas evidencias arqueológicas y documentales. Llama la atención que en la gran mayoría de la vasta literatura histórica que aborda el tema, no se haga mención de la mujer como participante de esa práctica; acaso debido a que, al igual que otros trabajos del campo y de muchos otros ámbitos, ha estado reservado exclusivamente para el hombre. Es hasta tiempos muy recientes, que se dispone de registros de mujeres que incursionan en esta actividad. En el presente trabajo, se mencionan los casos de mujeres meliponicultoras, detectados en un censo efectuado en el estado de Campeche, México a partir del año 2009 y hasta el 2011. Tal participación adquiere especial relevancia, si se tiene en consideración que esta práctica tradicional ha decrecido de manera alarmante en los estados que conforman la península de Yucatán (Campeche, Quintana Roo y Yucatán), debido a diversos factores, entre los cuales sobresale una marcada preferencia de los colmeneros actuales, por la abeja de la especie Appis Melifera, introducida a la Nueva España desde la época colonial y cuyas características la ubican como más productiva.

Student lectures notes on chemistry and materia medica, and medical recipes, of Lyman Spalding, 1795-1799 (inclusive)

Contains notes taken by Harvard student Lyman Spalding during eleven chemistry lectures delivered by Harvard Professor Aaron Dexter (1750-1829) in the fall of 1795 and recipes prepared and used by Spalding in his medical practice in 1797. The recipes include elixir vitriol, containing liquor, Jamaica pepper, cinnamon, and ginger, and an electuary for a cough, containing oxymel squills (sea onion in honey), licorice, antimonium tartaricum potash (a compound of the chemical element antimony and a potassium-containing salt), and opium. The volume also contains writings about chemistry by Spalding, some of which appear transcribed from published sources, in undated entries, and a diary entry from 1799 regarding an experiment with water.

Commonplace book of Moses Appleton, 1791-1815 (inclusive)

Volume containing medicinal recipes, medical notes, poetry, and obituaries written by Dr. Moses Appleton (1773-1849). Many of the recipes were copied from medical texts or other publications. His "cure for the dropsy," taken from the New York Herald, contained stale cider, parsley, horseradish, oxymel squills (sea onion in honey), and juniper berries. For diarrhea, he prescribed a blackberry syrup. Several entries indicate Appleton practiced Thomsonian medicine, an alternative system based on use of botanicals. The medical notes include an account of his treatment of a man with smallpox in 1815, and entries on patients he inoculated with cowpox matter. Another entry dated in 1796 provides instructions from the Massachusetts Humane Society for "treatment to be used with persons apparently dead from drowning," which included blowing tobacco smoke in the victim's lungs and applying warm blankets for several hours. Appleton adds a note questioning whether or not the lungs also should be "often artificially inflated." There is additionally a history of prominent physicians dating from ancient Greece.