Development of 22 Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci for the Critically Endangered Morato's Digger Toad, Proceratophrys moratoi

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

Utilização da relação potência-tempo até exaustão em testes de caminhada para avaliação da aptidão aeróbia

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a aptidão aeróbia em testes de caminhada com carga externa aplicada por meio da inclinação da esteira, a partir da relação não linear entre inclinação da esteira e tempo até a exaustão em velocidade fixa. Doze indivíduos do gênero masculino com 23,2 ± 2,7 anos de idade, 74,0 ± 7,9kg de massa corporal e 23,7 ± 2,5kg·(m²)-1 de IMC, realizaram duas etapas de testes de caminhada em esteira ergométrica com velocidade fixa de 5,5km·h-1 em todos os testes e sobrecarga de intensidade aplicada por meio de inclinação da esteira (%). A etapa 1 consistiu de três testes retangulares até a exaustão voluntária, nas intensidades de 18%, 20% e 22% de inclinação, para determinação dos parâmetros do modelo de potência crítica por dois modelos lineares e um hiperbólico. A etapa 2 consistiu na determinação da intensidade correspondente ao máximo estado estável de lactato sanguíneo (MEEL). ANOVA demonstrou que o modelo hiperbólico (15,4 ± 1,1%) resultou em estimativa significativamente menor que os outros dois modelos lineares inclinação-tempo-1 (16,0 ± 1,0%) e hiperbólico linearizado tempo-1-inclinação (15,9 ± 1,0%), porém, houve alta correlação entre os modelos. Os dois modelos lineares superestimaram a intensidade do MEEL (14,1 ± 1,4%), e o modelo hiperbólico, mesmo sem diferença estatística, apresentou fraca correlação, com baixa concordância em relação ao MEEL. Conclui-se que a relação inclinação-tempo até a exaustão, em testes de caminhada, não permitem a estimativa de intensidade de exercício suportável por longo período de tempo.

Chromosome banding in three species of Hypsiboas (Hylidae, Hylinae), with special reference to a new case of B-chromosome in anuran frogs and to the reduction of the diploid number of 2n=24 to 2n=22 in the genus

The chromosomes of hylids Hypsiboas albopunctatus, H. raniceps, and H. crepitans from Brazil were analyzed with standard and differential staining techniques. The former species presented 2n = 22 and 2n = 23 karyotypes, the odd diploid number is due to the presence of an extra element interpreted as B chromosome. Although morphologically very similar to the small-sized chromosomes of the A complement, the B was promptly recognized, even under standard staining, on the basis of some characteristics that are usually attributed to this particular class of chromosomes. The two other species have 2n = 24, which is the chromosome number usually found in the species of Hypsiboas karyotyped so far. This means that 2n = 22 is a deviant diploid number, resulted from a structural rearrangement, altering the chromosome number of 2n = 24 to 2n = 22. Based on new chromosome data, some possibilities were evaluated for the origin of B chromosome in Hypsiboas albopunctatus, as well as the karyotypic evolution in the genus, leading to the reduction in the diploid number of 2n = 24 to 2n = 22.

Genomic imbalances in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma identified by molecular cytogenetic techniques

This review summarizes the chromosomal changes detected by molecular cytogenetic approaches in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the ninth most common malignancy in the world. Whole genome analyses of ESCC cell lines and tumors indicated that the most frequent genomic gains occurred at 1, 2q, 3q, 5p, 6p, 7, 8q, 9q, 11q, 12p, 14q, 15q, 16, 17, 18p, 19q, 20q, 22q and X, with focal amplifications at 1q32, 2p16-22, 3q25-28, 5p13-15.3, 7p12-22, 7q21-22, 8q23-24.2, 9q34, 10q21, 11p11.2, 11q13, 13q32, 14q13-14, 14q21, 14q31-32, 15q22-26, 17p11.2, 18p11.2-11.3 and 20p11.2. Recurrent losses involved 3p, 4, 5q, 6q, 7q, 8p, 9, 10p, 12p, 13, 14p, 15p, 18, 19p, 20, 22, Xp and Y. Gains at 5p and 7q, and deletions at 4p, 9p, and 11q were significant prognostic factors for patients with ESCC. Gains at 6p and 20p, and losses at 10p and 10q were the most significant imbalances, both in primary carcinoma and in metastases, which suggested that these regions may harbor oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Gains at 12p and losses at 3p may be associated with poor relapse-free survival. The clinical applicability of these changes as markers for the diagnosis and prognosis of ESCC, or as molecular targets for personalized therapy should be evaluated.

Constraints on two-neutron separation energy in the Borromean C-22 nucleus

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

Modos de aplicação de regulador vegetal no algodoeiro, cultivar IAC-22, em diferentes densidades populacionais e níveis de nitrogênio em cobertura

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido nos anos agrícolas de 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99 e 1999/00, em experimentos de campo nas localidades de Ribeirão Preto, Tietê, Guaíra, Campinas e Ilha Solteira, no Estado de São Paulo. O delineamento experimental empregado foi o de blocos ao acaso com doze tratamentos arranjados em um esquema fatorial 3 x 2 x 2, visando estudar densidade de plantas (6 ; 10 e 14 plantas por metro); doses de nitrogênio em cobertura (40 e 60 kg.ha-1 de N) e modos de aplicação de regulador vegetal, com aplicação única, no início do florescimento ou parcelada em 4 vezes, desde o desbaste. O sistema de aplicação parcelada propiciou altura média de planta inferior e massa média de capulhos superior àquele obtido com a aplicação única do regulador. A aplicação da maior dose de N implicou obtenção dos maiores valores de N foliar e produtividade de algodão em caroço, bem como menor porcentagem de fibra. O aumento da densidade de plantas de 6 para 10 e 14 plantas por metro, ocasionou redução da porcentagem de fibra e da massa de capulhos.

Morphological and biomechanical study of abdominal aorta of rats submitted to experimental chronic alcoholism

OBJETIVO: avaliar a influência do alcoolismo crônico experimental na morfologia e biomecânica da artéria aorta de ratos. MÉTODOS:ratos Wistar foram divididos em dois grupos de 22 animais. Grupo alcoolista: os ratos receberam água com concentração crescente de etanol e ração ad libitum durante 6 meses. Grupo controle: os animais receberam água e ração ad libitum pelo mesmo período. Os animais foram sacrificados com overdose de pentobarbital e as aortas abdominais foram excisadas para realização de histologia (hematoxilina-eosina, tricrômio de Masson, Calleja, Picrosirius red), histomorfometria e avaliação biomecânica (carga máxima, alongamento na carga máxima, limite de proporcionalidade, alongamento no limite de proporcionalidade e coeficiente de rigidez). RESULTADOS: A histologia e a histomorfometria não mostraram diferenças significantes na morfologia da aorta em ambos os grupos. A avaliação biomecânica mostrou aumento do alongamento no limite de proporcionalidade no grupo alcoolista (p<0.05). CONCLUSÃO: o alcoolismo crônico experimental não provocou alterações morfológicas na parede da aorta, mas causou aumento da sua elasticidade, sem modificar as outras propriedades mecânicas avaliadas.

On Ti-18Si-6B and Ti-7.5Si-22.5B powder alloys prepared by high-energy ball milling and sintering

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

Sunflower meal for broilers of 22 to 42 days of age

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

Structural and functional characterization of neuwiedase, a nonhemorrhagic fibrin(ogen)olytic metalloprotease from Bothrops neuwiedi snake venom

A fibrino(geno)lytic nonhemorrhagic metalloprotease (neuwiedase) was purified from Bothrops neuwiedi snake venom by a single chromatographic step procedure on a CM-Sepharose column, Neuwiedase represented 4.5% (w/w) of the crude desiccated venom, with an approximate Mr of 20,000 and pI 5.9, As regards the amino acid composition, neuwiedase showed similarities with other metalloproteases, with high proportions of Asx, Glx, Leu, and Ser, Atomic absorption spectroscopy showed that one mole of Zn2+ and one mole of Ca2+ were present per mole olf protein. The cDNA encoding neuwiedase was isolated by RT-PCR from venom gland RNA, using oligonucleotides based on the partially determined amino-acid sequences of this metalloprotease. The fall sequence contained approximately 594 bp, which codified the 198 amino acid residues with an estimated molecular weight of 22,375. Comparison of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of neuwiedase with those of other snake venom metalloproteases showed a high level of sequential similarity, Neuwiedase has two highly conserved characteristics sequences H(142)E(143)XXH(146)XXG(140)XXH(152) and C164I165M166. The three-dimensional structure of neuwiedase was modeled based on the crystal structure of Crotalus adamanteus Adamalysin II. This model revealed that the zinc binding site region showed a I high structural similarity with other metalloproteases,, the proteolyitc specificity, using the B beta-chain of oxidized insulin as substrate, was shown to be directed to the Ala(14)-Leu(15) and Tyr(16)-Leu(17) peptide bonds which were preferentially hydrolyzed. Neuwiedase is a A alpha,B beta fibrinogenase, Its activity upon the A alpha chain of fibrinogen was detected within 15 min of incubation. The optimal temperature and pH for the degradation of both A alpha and B beta chains were 37 degrees C and 7.4-8.0, respectively. This activity was inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenantroline, Neuwiedase also showed proteolytic activity upon fibrin and some components of the extracellular matrix. However, it did not show TAME esterase activity and was not able to inhibit platelet aggregation. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

Quantitative determination of maitenin and 22 beta-hydroxymaitenin in callus of Maytenus aquifolium (Celastraceae) by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography

Explants of Maytenus aquifolium were induced to form callus and, subsequently, suspension cultures. The isolation of natural products from callus led to the identification of the cytotoxic triterpene quinonemethides, maitenin (1) and 22 beta-hydroxymaitenin (2), A rapid, sensitive and reliable reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed using a Cls column and isocratic elution for the determination of 1 and 2, the elaborated method gave well-resolved peaks for these compounds with good detection response and linearity in the range of 0.08-72.0 mu g. The quantification of 1 and 2 was performed by an external standard method. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DETECTION OF SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM IN A BROILER CHICKEN FLOCK

An outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium in a commercial broiler chicken flock is reported. The signs of the disease started on the 5th day-old. The symptoms, the gross alterations and the damage to the birds and to the farm are discussed.

Solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates trapped in a double-well potential

We investigate, analytically and numerically, families of bright solitons in a system of two linearly coupled nonlinear Schrodinger/Gross-Pitaevskii equations, describing two Bose-Einstein condensates trapped in an asymmetric double-well potential, in particular, when the scattering lengths in the condensates have arbitrary magnitudes and opposite signs. The solitons are found to exist everywhere where they are permitted by the dispersion law. Using the Vakhitov-Kolokolov criterion and numerical methods, we show that, except for small regions in the parameter space, the solitons are stable to small perturbations. Some of them feature self-trapping of almost all the atoms in the condensate with no atomic interaction or weak repulsion is coupled to the self-attractive condensate. An unusual bifurcation is found, when the soliton bifurcates from the zero solution with vanishing amplitude and width simultaneously diverging but at a finite number of atoms in the soliton. By means of numerical simulations, it is found that, depending on values of the parameters and the initial perturbation, unstable solitons either give rise to breathers or completely break down into incoherent waves (radiation). A version of the model with the self-attraction in both components, which applies to the description of dual-core fibers in nonlinear optics, is considered too, and new results are obtained for this much studied system. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monosomy 22 and del(10)(p12) in an ameloblastoma previously diagnosed as an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland

Short-term cultures of a collagenase disaggregated ameloblastoma previously diagnosed as an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland were shown by cytogenetic analysis to have the clonal karyotype 45,XY,del(10)(p12), -22. The data may indicate that the loss of genes of chromosome 22, as well as of 10p, could be a critical event in the evolutionary pattern of odontogenic neoplasias. (C) Elsevier B.V., 1996