Curcumin antifungal and antioxidant activities are increased in the presence of ascorbic acid

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Karyotype description and evidence of multiple sex chromosome system X1X1X2X2/X1X2Y in Potamotrygon aff. motoro and P. falkneri (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) in the upper Paraná River basin, Brazil

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

The role of branchial and orobranchial O-2 chemoreceptors in the control of aquatic surface respiration in the neotropical fish tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum): progressive responses to prolonged hypoxia

The present study examined the role of branchial and orobranchial O-2 chemoreceptors in the cardiorespiratory responses, aquatic surface respiration (ASR), and the development of inferior lip swelling in tambaqui during prolonged (6 h) exposure to hypoxia. Intact fish (control) and three groups of denervated fish (bilateral denervation of cranial nerves IX+X (to the gills), of cranial nerves V+VII (to the orobranchial cavity) or of cranial nerves V alone), were exposed to severe hypoxia (Pw(O2) = 10 mmHg) for 360 min. Respiratory frequency (fR) and heart rate (fH) were recorded simultaneously with ASR. Intact (control) fish increased fR, ventilation amplitude (V-AMP) and developed hypoxic bradycardia in the first 60 min of hypoxia. The bradycardia, however, abated progressively and had returned to normoxic levels by the last hour of exposure to hypoxia. The changes in respiratory frequency and the hypoxic bradycardia were eliminated by denervation of cranial nerves IX and X but were not affected by denervation of cranial nerves V or V+VII. The VAMP was not abolished by the various denervation protocols. The fH in fish with denervation of cranial nerves V or V+VII, however, did not recover to control values as in intact fish. After 360 min of exposure to hypoxia only the intact and IX+X denervated fish performed ASR. Denervation of cranial nerve V abolished the ASR behavior. However, all (control and denervated (IX+X, V and V+VII) fish developed inferior lip swelling. These results indicate that ASR is triggered by O-2 chemoreceptors innervated by cranial nerve V but that other mechanisms, such as a direct effect of hypoxia on the lip tissue, trigger lip swelling.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the woolly mouse opossum, Micoureus paraguayanus (Marsupialia : Didelphimorphia)

Five microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized within the woolly mouse opossum (Micoureus paraguayanus), a Neotropical marsupial, using an enrichment cloning procedure. Between four and seven alleles were detected per locus, with expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.358 to 0.560. These microsatellites should provide useful markers in a variety of genetic analyses to examine parentage, inbreeding, population structure and population dynamics in fragmented forest habitats.

DISTRIBUTION AND SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF RHODOPHYTA IN THE PRETO RIVER BASIN, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Distribution and seasonal dynamics of freshwater Rhodophyta were investigated in the Preto River basin, located in northwestern São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Twenty-two sites were sampled, six monthly during one year, four bimonthly during two years, and 12 twice (hot-rainy and cool-dry seasons) during the study period (May 1989 through March 1991). Red algal representatives were found in 19 sites (86.4%). Four species occurred in the basin with varying frequencies: Batrachospermum delicatulum (54.5%), Compsopogon coeruleus (36.4%), B. bicudoi (13.6%) and B. virgatum (4.5%). In addition, 'Chantransia' stage of the batrachospermalean species was found in 17 sites (77.3%). B. bicudoi, B. virgatum and C. coeruleus occurred only in large stream segments (greater-than-or-equal-to 3-order), generally in the main river, whereas B. delicatulum was more frequent in small streams (less-than-or-equal-to 3-order). The stream variables most closely related to the species distribution in the basin were specific conductance, pH and oxygen. B. bicudoi and B. delicatulum showed a marked seasonality: gametophytes were observed from late fall to early spring, while the 'Chantransia' stage generally occurred throughout the year. C. coeruleus was observed throughout the year in most sites, but the populations were generally more abundant from late fall to early spring. The combination of lower temperature and reduced turbidity resulting in increased illumination to the benthic algae during the dry winter months promotes the gametophytic growth of the batrachospermalean species, whereas current velocity was found to be the most influential stream variable for C. coeruleus. The persistance of the 'Chantransia' stage throughout the year as well as its tolerance to wider environmental conditions are key factors in the efficiency of the batrachospermalean life history strategy in lotic ecosystems.

SPATIAL-ORGANIZATION OF FORAGING ACTIVITY AND COLONIZATION BY COLONY EMIGRATION IN THE PHARAOH ANT, MONOMORIUM-PHARAONIS

Using food bait stations and colony trap nests, the spatial relation between the foraging activity of established colonies of the polygynous and unicolonial exotic pharaoh's ant, Monomorium pharaonis, and colonization by colony fragments was studied over an 8 month period in a large institutional setting in Brazil. Both foraging activity and colonizations demonstrated significant spatial clumping. However, colonizations were significantly negatively clumped spatially with respect to foraging activity. This suggests that the colonization strategy of this species under the studied conditions was that of complete habitat domination.

Isolation and sequence determination of peptides in the venom of the spider wasp (Cyphononyx dorsalis) guided by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry

Micro-scale (sub-pmol) isolation and sequence determination of three peptides from the venom of the solitary spider wasp Cyphononyx dorsalis is described. We isolated two novel peptides Cd-125 and Cd-146 and a known peptide Thr(6)-bradykinin from only two venom sacs of solitary spider wasp Cyphononyx dorsalis without bioassay-guided fractionation. but instead guided by MALDI-TOF MS. The MALDI-TOF MS analysis of each fraction showed the purity and molecular weight of the components, which led to the isolation of the peptides virtually without loss of sample amount. The sequences of the novel peptides Cd-125 (Asp-Thr-Ala-Arg-Leu-Lys-Trp-His) and Cd-146 (Ser-Glu-Thr-Gly-Asn-Thr-Val-Thr-Val-Lys-Gly-Phe-Ser-Pro-Leu-Arg) were determined by Edman degradation together with mass spectrometry. and finally corroborated by solid-phase synthesis. The known peptide Thr(6)-bradykinin (Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-Thr-Pro-Phe-Arg) was identified by comparison with the synthetic authentic specimen. This is the first example for any kinins to be found in Pompilidae wasp venoms. The procedure reported here can be applicable to studies on many other components of solitary wasp venoms with limited sample availability. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of diet on assimilation and turnover of C-13 in the tissues of broiler chickens

1. The C-13 turnover rates of the liver and thoracic pectoral muscle of growing broilers were determined by feeding diets with varying C-13 content.2. Male chicks ( 1- d- old) were subjected to treatments based on free choice of 5 different mixes of energy and protein sources from plants with C-3 and C-4 photosynthetic pathways that had differing C-13 content. Rice bran ( R) and soybean meal ( S) were the C-3 sources, while maize ( C) and maize gluten meal ( G) were the C-4 sources. Choices were R + S, C + G, R + G, C + S or R + C +G + S. The 6th treatment was a complete feed ( CF) that was similar to a commercial broiler feed.3. The isotopic composition of the birds' tissues was representative of the isotopic composition of the diets. The assimilation was faster for C-3, in both liver and muscle, than for C-4 diets, and give the delta per mil difference between the diet and tissues.4. The liver is the most active metabolic tissue and gave more rapid isotope turnover than in muscle.

Expression and variability of molecular chaperones in the sugarcane expressome

Molecular chaperones perform folding assistance in newly synthesized polypeptides preventing aggregation processes, recovering proteins from aggregates, among other important cellular functions. Thus their study presents great biotechnological importance. The present work discusses the mining for chaperone-related sequences within the sugarcane EST genome project database, which resulted in approximately 300 different sequences. Since molecular chaperones are highly conserved in most organisms studied so far, the number of sequences related to these proteins in sugarcane was very similar to the number found in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome. The Hsp70 family was the main molecular chaperone system present in the sugarcane expressome. However, many other relevant molecular chaperones systems were also present. A digital RNA blot analysis showed that 5'ESTs from all molecular chaperones were found in every sugarcane library, despite their heterogeneous expression profiles. The results presented here suggest the importance of molecular chaperones to polypeptide metabolism in sugarcane cells, based on their abundance and variability. Finally, these data have being used to guide more in deep analysis, permitting the choice of specific targets to study. (c) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Development and energy balance of sugarcane in the norte fluminense, Brazil

The growing concern for renewable and cleaner energy sources has increased the demand for biofuels, pointing out the ethanol from sugarcane. The aim of this study was quantify the partition of energy balance components and monitor the physiological development indexes of the sugarcane, relating them to water availability conditions of climate and soil in Campos dos Goytacazes, Norte Fluminense, Brazil. To this end, a micrometeorological station was settled in an area of 13 ha in commercial cultivation. The culture was regularly monitored at 85, 102, 128, 149, 174, 194, 215, 235, 255 and 280 days after cutting (DAC). The variations in water availability directly influenced the rates of crop growth and energy balance. Under the conditions studied most of the available energy (53%) was consumed by the latent heat flux.

Comparative Study of the Mechanical Resistance of 2 Separate Plates and 2 Overlaid Plates Used in the Fixation of the Mandibular Condyle: An In Vitro Study

Purpose: The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative evaluation of the mechanical resistance of 2 rigid internal fixation techniques for fractures of the mandibular condyle using miniplates.Materials and Methods: Fort), polyurethane resin replicas of human hemimandibles were used. The hemimandibles were sectioned to simulate a high subcondylar fracture and then stabilized with 2 fixing techniques using 2.0-mm system plates and screws. The fixation techniques were 2 separate 4-hole plates with 8 screws, and 2 overlaid 4-hole plates with 4 screws. Each system was submitted to load tests, with the application of the load in mediolateral and anteroposterior directions in an Instron 4411 universal assay machine (Instron, Norwood, MA).Results: Load values and peak displacement were measured. Means and standard deviations were evaluated by analysis of variance (P < .05) and Tukey tests, in which it was verified that the anteroposterior peak load value was affected by the arrangement of the plates on the models, although no differences were observed between the groups for the mediolateral peak load. The arrangement of the plates did not have any influence on peak displacement. Similarly, the final value of the mediolateral load was not affected by the arrangement of the plates on the model.Conclusion: The experimental model with 2 separate plates was statistically superior to the model with 2 overlaid plates only in relation to anteroposterior peak load. Despite showing superiority in mediolateral peak load and peak displacement, there was no statistical difference between the groups for these parameters. (C) 2009 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Progesterone (PR), Oestrogen (ER-alpha and ER-beta) and Oxytocin (OTR) Gene Expression in the Oviduct and Uterus of Pregnant and Non-pregnant Bitches

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