Phytotoxicity associated to microcystins: a review

Microcystins (MC) are the most studied toxins of cyanobacteria since they are widely distributed and account for several cases of human and animal poisoning, being potent inhibitors of the serine/threonine protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A). The phosphatases PP1 and PP2A are also present in plants, which may also suffer adverse effects due to the inhibition of these enzymes. In aquatic plants, biomass reduction is usually observed after absorption of cyanotoxins, which can bioaccumulate in its tissues. In terrestrial plants, the effects caused by microcystins vary from inhibition to stimulation as the individuals develop from seedling to adult, and include reduction of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, oxidative stress, decreased photosynthetic activity and even cell apoptosis, as well as bioaccumulation in plant tissues. Thus, the irrigation of crop plants by water contaminated with microcystins is not only an economic problem but becomes a public health issue because of the possibility of food contamination, and this route of exposure requires careful monitoring by the responsible authorities.

Cumulative long-term safety, efficacy and patient-reported outcomes in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis treated with intravenous abatacept: up to 7 years of treatment

The long-term efficacy and safety of intravenous abatacept in patients (pts) with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have been reported previously from the Phase III AWAKEN trial ([1, 2]). Here, we report efficacy, safety and pt-reported outcomes from the open-label, long-term extension (LTE) of AWAKEN, with up to 7 years of follow-up. Pts entered the LTE if they were JIA ACR 30 non-responders (NR) at the end of the 4-month lead-in period (abatacept only), or if they received abatacept or placebo (pbo) in the 6-month double-blind (DB) period. The Child Health Questionnaire was used to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL); physical (PhS) and psychosocial (PsS) summary and pain scores were analyzed. Pain was assessed by parent global assessment using a 100 mm visual analog scale. Efficacy and HRQoL evaluations are reported up to Day 1765 (~ Year 5.5). Safety is presented for the cumulative period (lead-in, DB and LTE), for all pts who received abatacept during the LTE. Of the 153 pts entering the LTE (58 from DB abatacept group, 59 from DB pbo group, 36 NR), 69 completed the trial (29 abatacept, 27 pbo, 13 NR). For pts treated in the LTE, mean (range) exposure to abatacept was 53.6 (5.6–85.6) months. During the LTE, incidence rates of AEs and serious AEs per 100 pt-years were 209.1 and 5.6. Thirty pts (19.6%) had serious AEs; most were unrelated and were musculoskeletal (8.5%) or infectious events (6.5%). No malignancy was reported. There was one death (accidental; unrelated). At Day 169, JIA ACR 50 and 70 response rates were 79.3% and 55.2% in the abatacept group, and 52.5% and 30.5% in the pbo group; 31.0% and 10.2% of pts in the abatacept and pbo groups, respectively, had inactive disease. By Day 1765, JIA ACR 50 and 70 response rates were 93.9% and 78.8% in the abatacept group, and 80.0% and 63.3% in the pbo group; 51.5% and 33.3% had inactive disease. In the NR group, 69.2% and 53.8% of pts achieved JIA ACR 50 and 70 responses at Day 1765, and 30.8% had inactive disease. In pts who entered the LTE, mean baseline PhS scores were below the range for healthy children (abatacept 30.2, pbo 31.0, NR 29.5). At Day 169, 38.3% of pts had reached a PhS score >50 ((1). By the end of the LTE, 43.5% of pts had reached a PhS score >50. At baseline, mean PsS scores for those who entered the LTE were slightly lower than the mean for healthy children (abatacept 43.5, pbo 44.2, NR 47.0). At Day 169, 54.9% of pts had a PsS score >50 (1). By Day 1765, 58.1% of pts had reached a PsS score >50. At baseline, the mean pain score was 42.9. By Day 169, 13.9% of pts were considered pain free (pain score = 0); this was maintained over the LTE (1).

Influence of a dynamical gluon mass in the pp and (p)over-bar-p forward scattering

We compute the tree level cross section for gluon-gluon elastic scattering taking into account a dynamical gluon mass, and show that this mass scale is a natural regulator for this subprocess cross section. Using an eikonal approach in order to examine the relationship between this gluon-gluon scattering and the elastic pp and (p) over barp channels, we found that the dynamical gluon mass is of the same order of magnitude as the ad hoc infrared mass scale m(0) underlying eikonalized QCD-inspired models. We argue that this correspondence is not an accidental result, and that this dynamical scale indeed represents the onset of nonperturbative contributions to the elastic hadron-hadron scattering. We apply the eikonal model with a dynamical infrared mass scale to obtain predictions for sigma(tot)(pp,(p) over barp), rho(pp,(p) over barp), slope B-pp,B-(p) over barp, and differential elastic scattering cross section d sigma((p) over barp)/dt at Tevatron and CERN-LHC energies.

Comparative effects of fipronil and its metabolites sulfone and desulfinyl on the isolated rat liver mitochondria

Fipronil is an insecticide extensively used to control pests in crops and animals. There are relates of poisoning due to exposure of fipronil in mammals and the liver has been suggested as potential target. In this study, we evaluated the effects of fipronil and its metabolites sulfone and desulfinyl on the bioenergetics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and calcium efflux from mitochondria isolated from rat liver. Fipronil (5-25 μM) inhibited state-3 respiration in mitochondria energized with glutamate plus malate, substrates of complex I of the respiratory chain and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential resulting in inhibition of ATP synthesis. Fipronil also caused uncoupling in succinate-energized mitochondria and calcium efflux. The metabolites sulfone and desulfinyl also acted as mitochondrial inhibitors and uncouplers and caused calcium efflux, but with different potencies, being the sulfone the more potent one. These effects of fipronil and its metabolites on mitochondrial bioenergetics and calcium homeostasis may be related to toxic effects of the insecticide in the liver.

Proteômica como estratégia para estudos dos mecanismos de ativação de mastócitos de ratos causados pelo peptídeo Protopolybia MP-III

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

Cães e gatos: expressão das lesões em intoxicações criminais

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Espalhamento coulombiano relativístico próximo das condições de simetria de spin e pseudospin

Pós-graduação em Física - FEG

Toxicidade de imidacloprid e carbofuran para organismos aquáticos de diferentes níveis tróficos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Intoxicação por uréia em bovinos: revisão bibliográfica

This paper was developed with the purpose to guide the way for the use of non-proteic nitrogen sources for supplemental feeding of cattle, the epidemiological factors and determinantes of urea poisoning and actions for prevention and treatment of poisoning.

Raiz dentária impelida para o seio maxilar após exodontia: uma opção de tratamento

Introduction: Upper teeth, especially first premolars and molars, can have a close anatomical relationship with the floor of maxillary sinus. For this reason, accidental displacement of dental roots into the sinus could happen during exodontic procedures. Objective: Description the treatment performed to remove a tooth root within the maxillary sinus, displaced during an extraction procedure. Case Report: Female patient, 39 years of age, which reported being subjected to the extraction of the element 26 for about two months. The patient was reported by the practitioner who performed the extraction that a root was pushed into the maxillary sinus. The treatment plan included surgery to remove the root within the maxillary sinus. Final Comments: Clinicians should be careful during extractions, to prevent these accidents. However, if such complications occur, access to the maxillary sinus is the best treatment option.

Acesso, segurança e uso de medicamentos por usuários

The present study aims to identify families who have stock and are making use of medications, as well as assess the conditions of storage, security and use of these drugs. The study was conducted in a city of São Paulo, the interviews were conducted in households enrolled in one of ten units of the Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF) that the city provides and the sample was defined by means of stratified random sampling (134households, IC 95%). Data collection was conducted through interviews with a semistructured questionnaire during the first half of 2011. We interviewed 118 (88.0%) households, of which 112 (95.0%) had medications that were stored n insecure or inadequate places in 75.4% of households, non-prescription self-medication was a common practice in 46 (47 4%) households, and lack of identification and security of medications stored was observed in 60 (53.6%) households. Most households had stock of medicines, which were done improperly or unsecure, or have specialties with lack of identification and security, which can lead to poisoning or e ineffective therapy. The Pharmaceutical Assistance under SUS lacks social initiatives, with actions directed for medications users, which can be supplied by the presence of the pharmacist in the ESF, essential for the promotion of racional use of medicines, that, through the Pharmaceutical Care, can identify, correct and prevent possible problems related to drugs.

Relação entre os estilos parentais e o desempenho intelectual de crianças com pumblemia

This study investigated the children s intellectual development with high and low blood lead level with the parenting styles in the respective interactions with these children. The WISC-III and IEP (Parenting Styles Inventory) were used. Were studied 40 children, with ages among 7 to 13 years old, and 40 parents, who lived in a risk spot near the contamination area. The children were divided into two groups: G1 – 20 children with blood lead level above 10µg/dl; and G2 – 20 children with blood lead level lower than 10µg/dl. The results indicated damages on WISC-III for the children with Pb-S than10µg/dl and prevalence of practices educational negatives were found in both groups, with statistical difference (5%). The environmental stimulation can minimize the damages caused by the lead poisoning, and the parent s positive educative practice can contribute as modulator of the lead s effect.

Intoxicação crônica por chumbo e implicação no desenvolvimento escolar

To understand the implications of lead contamination contributes to more effective public politics to eliminate exposure to the metal and orientation of interventions that minimize their effects. In this paper we intended to evaluate the effects of lead contamination in children, with the Teste de Desempenho Escolar (TDE). In Study 1, transversal, aimed to evaluate the influence of blood lead levels in 28 participants of both sexes, of seven to fifteen years, divided into two groups according to the level of contamination. In Study 2, longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the effects of contamination on the school ,performance of 10 children at an interval of four years. Results showed significant underperformance for children with higher levels of contamination and that the level of academic performance remains significantly lower than expected for the series in which they find themselves. The data seem to indicate the deleterious effects of lead contamination in school performance.

Avaliação do desempenho escolar de crianças contaminadas por chumbo

The lead contamination in children has been the subject of research in the field of public health. This study evaluated the academic performance of 102 children from first to fourth grade. The subjects were divided into two groups. The first group was composed of 34 children without lead poisoning or with poison at levels lower than 5 µg/dl. The second group was composed of 68 children with blood lead levels between 10 and 40 µg/ dl. The instruments used to evaluate the academic performance were anamnesis and a scholarly performance test called Teste de Desempenho Escolar, TDE. The results indicated better academic performances from the second group with significant differences in arithmetic, reading and general scores. In a comparison between genders, the girls had better performances than the boys. These results were consistent with the parents’ perception in anamnesis. Although other variables were present, the data showed great academic damage for children with higher leadpoison. These outcomes require political policies to control contamination and intervention in this population.

Análise do efeito de inseticidas neonicotinóides sobre a orientação e coleta de alimento de operárias de Apis mellifera L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)