Isoenzimas no monitoramento da deterioração de sementes de Euterpe espiritosantensis Fernandes

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

Recuperação de solos degradados na exploração mineral de cassiterita: biomassa microbiana e atividade da desidrogenase

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

Toxicological evaluation of long-term intravenous administration of amitraz in horses

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

Seasonal fluctuations of bacterial population and microbial activity in soils cultivated with eucalyptus and pinus

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

Carcinogênese de cabeça e pescoço: impacto do polimorfismo MTHFD1 G1958A

OBJETIVO: Investigar o polimorfismo MTHFD1 G1958A envolvido no metabolismo do folato no risco para o câncer de cabeça e pescoço e verificar a associação entre esse polimorfismo com fatores de risco e características clínico-histopatológicas. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo que avaliou o polimorfismo MTHFD1 G1958A em 694 indivíduos (240 pacientes e 454 controles), por meio da técnica de análise de polimorfismo de comprimento de fragmento de restrição. Para análise estatística foram utilizados os testes de regressão logística múltipla e qui-quadrado. RESULTADOS: Tabagismo e idade superior a 42 anos foram preditores da doença (p < 0,05). Os genótipos MTHFD1 1958GA ou AA foram associados ao tabagismo (p = 0,04) e etilismo (p = 0,03) e estão presentes em maior proporção em tumores com estádios mais avançados (p = 0,04) e em pacientes com menor sobrevida (p = 0,03). CONCLUSÃO: A presença do polimorfismo MTHFD1 G1958A associada aos hábitos tabagista e etilista aumenta o risco para desenvolvimento de câncer de cabeça e pescoço.

Isoenzymatic polymorphism in Citrus spp. and Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. (Rutaceae)

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

Nitrogen assimilation in Citrus based on CitEST data mining

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Parâmetros bioquímicos de equinos submetidos à simulação de prova de enduro recebendo dietas com adição de óleo de soja

Com o objetivo de verificar o efeito da adição de níveis crescentes de óleo no concentrado sobre a atividade plasmática das enzimas creatina quinase (CK), aspartato aminotransferase (AST) e lactato desidrogenase (LDH) como indicativo de metabolismo energético, foram fornecidas dietas experimentais compostas de cinco níveis de óleo (controle, 6, 12, 18 e 24% do concentrado). Utilizaram-se 20 equinos da raça Árabe, peso médio de 400 kg, submetidos a prova de enduro de 80 km em esteira rolante. O enduro foi dividido em quatro anéis de 20 km, com duração média de 1 hora e dez minutos. A adição de óleo e a distância percorrida tiveram efeitos sobre as variáveis AST, CK e LDH, que apresentaram as respectivas expressões: AST (7,045-0,2292x+0,007991x2+0,008517z- 0,0003282xz), CK (8,06-,07020x+0,05546x2-0,001262x3+0,01204z+0,0006207xz) e LDH (6,624-0,3522x+0,03448x2-0,0008382x3+0,02401z-0,0007489xz) . O óleo é uma importante e bem aproveitada fonte de energia para equinos em exercício, pois sua adição na dieta de animais submetidos a prova de enduro promoveu alteração metabólica que favorece a produção de energia. O metabolismo animal poupou suas reservas energéticas oriundas da glicose, favorecendo a utilização do óleo. A menor atividade plasmática das enzimas AST, CK e LDH com a adição de óleo nas dietas indica direcionamento do metabolismo energético para a β-oxidação. Como apresentam várias isoenzimas, as enzimas estudadas atuam amplamente no metabolismo energético, favorecendo a constante reposição de ATP ao longo do exercício.

Microbial populations and activities in sewage sludge and phosphate fertilizer-amended soil

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the number of microbial populations and activities in sewage sludge and phosphate fertilizer-amended dark red latosoil for cultivation of tomato plants. Sewage sludge was applied at doses of 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 t ha(-1), and phosphate (P2O5) at doses of 0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 kg ha(-1). The bacterial populations increased as a function of sewage sludge and phosphate application. Fungal populations were not affected by the application of phosphate alone but were increased by the application of sewage sludge. Phosphate doses higher than 100-200 kg ha(-1) in combination with sewage sludge inhibited both bacterial and fungal growth. The responses determined by microbial counts were reflected in the microbial biomass values, with a more significant effect of sewage sludge than of phosphate or of a combination of both. These results confirm the need for a carbon and energy source (represented here by sewage sludge) for microbial growth in a soil poor in organic matter. Dehydrogenase and urease activities reflected the results of the microbial populations due to the effect of sewage sludge and phosphate, but no satisfactory result was obtained for phosphatase. Urease activity was expressed by a linear regression equation as the result of the effect of sewage sludge, and by a quadratic regression equation as the result of the effect of phosphate. All parameters investigated showed a significant correlation with bacterial counts but not with fungal counts, indicating a greater effect of sewage sludge and phosphate on bacteria than on fungi.

Evolution and population structure of africanized honey bees in Brazil: Evidence from spatial analysis of morphometric data

In recent years, studies based on isoenzymatic patterns of geographic variation have revealed that what is usually called the Africanized honey bee does not constitute a single population. Instead, several local populations exist with various degrees of admixture with European honey bees. In this paper, we evaluated new data on morphometric patterns of Africanized honey bees collected at 42 localities in Brazil, using univariate and multivariate (canonical) trend surface and spatial autocorrelation analyses. The clinal patterns of variation found for genetically independent characters (wing size characters and some wing venation angles) are concordant with previous studies of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) allelic frequencies and support the hypothesis that larger honey bees in southern and southeastern Brazil originated by racial admixture in the initial phases of African honey bee colonization. Geographic variation patterns of Africanized honey bee populations reflect a demic diffusion process in which European genes were gradually lost because of the higher fitness of the African gene pool in Neotropical environmental conditions.

Walker 256 tumour growth causes marked changes of glutamine metabolism in rat small intestine

The effect of Walker 256 tumour growth on the metabolism of glucose and glutamine in the small intestine of rats was examined. Walker 256 tumour has been extensively used as an experimental model to induce cancer cachexia in rats. Walker 256 tumour growth decreased body weight and small intestine weight and length. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphate-dependent glutaminase were reduced in the proximal, median and distal portions of the intestine. Glutamine oxidation was reduced in the proximal portion only. The decrease in glutaminase activity was not due to a low synthesis of the protein as indicated by Western blotting analysis. Hexokinase and citrate synthase activities were not changed by the tumour. These findings led us to postulate that tumour growth impairs glutamine metabolism of small intestine but the mechanism involved remains to be elucidated. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Solid-state compounds of 4-methoxybenzylidenepyruvate and cinnamylidenepyruvates with thorium (IV) - Preparation and thermal studies

By close control of experimental variables affecting precipitation, solid-state compounds of the type Th(OH)(m)L4-m.nH(2)O, where L stands for 4-methoxy-benzylidenepyruvate, cinnamylidenepyruvate or 4-dimethylaminocinnamylidene-pyruvate; m=0 to 3 and n=0.5-3 were isolated. Chemical analysis, TG, DTG, DSC and X-ray powder diffractometry have been employed to characterize and to study the thermal behavior of these compounds in dynamic air atmosphere. In all cases, hydration water is slowly lost between 30 and 160degreesC; a continuous, slow rate, mass loss is observed thereafter and beyond 280-400degreesC the rate of decomposition/oxidation increased rapidly, to give ThO2 as the final product, beginning at 412-510degreesC. The results associated with the hydroxo-compounds indicate that the loss of constitution water (OH ions) and the decomposition / oxidation of the organic moieties occur as simultaneous process.

Environmental cadmium exposure and metabolic responses of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

The contamination of water by metal compounds is a worldwide environmental problem. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of short-term cadmium exposure on metabolic patterns of the freshwater fish Oreochromis niloticus. The fish were exposed to 320, 640, 1280 and 2560 mug/l sublethal concentrations of Cd++ (CdCl2) in water for 7 days. The specific activities of the enzymes phosphofructo kinase (PFK-E.C.2.7.1.11.), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-E.C.1.1.1.27.) and creatine kinase (CK-E.C.2.7.3.2.) were decreased in white muscle after cadmium treatments, indicating decreases in the capacity of glycolysis in this tissue. Cadmium exposure induced increased glucose concentration in white muscle of fish. on the other hand, cadmium exposure at sublethal concentrations increased phosphofructo kinase and LDH in red muscle of fish. Cadmium significantly decreased total protein concentrations in liver and white muscle regardless of tissue glycogen levels. The data suggest that cadmium acts as a stressor, leading to metabolic alterations similar to those observed in starvation. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential/combined effect of water contamination with cadmium and nickel on tissues of rats

The contamination of water by metal compounds is a worldwide environmental problem. Concentrations of metals are widely related to biochemical values which are used in disease diagnosis due to environmental toxicity. The acute combined effects of cadmium and nickel on biochemical parameters were determined and compared with those of Cd2+ or Ni2+ alone in rats. Male adult rats were given drinking solutions of CdCl2 [Cd(II) cation, 100 mg/liter] or NiSO4 [Ni(II) cation, 100 mg/liter]. For the combined treatment, the animals (Ni+Cd) received both Ni(II)) cation (100 mg/liter) and Cd(II) cation (100 mg/liter). Nickel treatment induced increased alanine transaminase (ALT) activity and hepatotoxicity, but not renal injury. In contrast, cadmium exposure produced hepatic, renal and myocardial damage, characterized by increased creatinine, total and direct bilirubin concentrations and increased ALT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. The combined effect Ni-Cd is less toxic than cadmium alone, suggesting antagonism between these toxicants. The toxicity of nickel and cadmium, alone and in combination, decreased Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and increased lipoperoxide formation. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiological responses of pressed baker's yeast cells pre-treated with citric, malic and succinic acids

The dough-leavening power of baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is strongly influenced by conditions under which the pressed yeast is maintained prior to bread dough preparation. In this study, the influence of the yeast cell's pre-treatment with organic acids (malic, succinic, and citric acids) was investigated at a wide range of pH values when the pressed yeast samples were exposed to 30 degrees C. Increased fermentative activity was observed immediately after pre-treatment of the cells with organic acids. When the pH of the pressed yeast containing added citric acid was raised from 3.5 to 7.5, increases in both fermentative and maltase activities were obtained. Improvements in viability and levels of total protein were also observed during storage in the presence of citric acid, notably at pH 7.5. Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and levels of internal glycerol also increased in the presence of citrate. on the other hand, pressed yeast samples containing succinic acid at pH 7.5 showed decreased viability during storage despite the maintenance of high levels of fermentative activity, similar to pressed yeast containing malic acid at pH 4.5 and 7.5. Decreases in intracellular levels of trehalose were observed during storage in all cases. Overall, the results of this study revealed the potential benefits of adding organic acids to pressed yeast preparations for baking purposes.