The International Symposium on Fungal Stress - ISFUS

Fungi play central roles in many biological processes, influencing soil fertility, decomposition, cycling of minerals, and organic matter, plant health, and nutrition. They produce a wide spectrum of molecules, which are exploited in a range of industrial processes to manufacture foods, food preservatives, flavoring agents, and other useful biological products. Fungi can also be used as biological control agents of microbial pathogens, nematodes or insect pests, and affect plant growth, stress tolerance, and nutrient acquisition. Successful exploitation of fungi requires better understanding of the mechanisms that fungi use to cope with stress as well as the way in which they mediate stress tolerance in other organisms. It is against this backdrop that a scientific meeting on fungal stress was held in São José dos Campos, Brazil, in October 2014. The meeting, hosted by Drauzio E. N. Rangel and Alene E. Alder-Rangel, and supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), brought together more than 30 young, mid-career, and highly accomplished scientists from ten different countries. Here we summarize the highlights of the meeting.

Mode of Action of Pulegone on the Urinary Bladder of F344 Rats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effects of limonene and essential oil from Citrus aurantium on gastric mucosa: Role of prostaglandins and gastric mucus secretion

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

Toxicity of hypercaloric diet and monosodium glutamate: oxidative stress and metabolic shifting in hepatic tissue.

The present study examines the effects of a hypercaloric diet on hepatic glucose metabolism of young rats, with and without monosodium glutamate (MSG) administration, and the association of these treatments with evaluating markers of oxidative stress. Male weaned Wistar rats (21 days old) from mothers fed with a hypercaloric diet or a normal diet, were divided into four groups (n=6): control (C) fed with control diet; (MSG) treated with MSG (4 mg/g) and control diet; (HD) fed with hypercaloric diet and (MSG-HD) treated with MSG and HD. Rats were sacrificed after the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), at 45 days of treatments. Serum was used for insulin determination. Glycogen, hexokinase(HK), glucose-6-phosphatase(G6PH), lipid hydroperoxide, superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) were determined in liver. HD rats showed hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and high hepatic glycogen, HK and decreased G6PH. MSG and MSG-HD had hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, decreased HK and increased G6PH in hepatic tissue. These animals had impaired OGTT. HD, MSG and MSG-HD groups had increased lipid hydroperoxide and decreased SOD in hepatic tissue. Hypercaloric diet and monosodium glutamate administration induced alterations in metabolic rate of glucose utilization and decreased antioxidant defenses. Therefore, the hepatic glucose metabolic shifting induced by HD intake and MSG administration were associated with oxidative stress in hepatic tissue.

Excipientes de medicamentos e as informações da bula

Aim: To evaluate the presence of preservatives, dyes, sweeteners and flavouring substances in 73 pharmaceutical preparations of 35 medicines for oral administration, according to drug labeling information about the excipients. Methods: 35 medications were selected, both over-the-counter and prescription durgs, marketed in Brazil. The sample included: analgesic/antipyretic, antimicrobial, mucoregulatory, cough and cold, decongestant, antihistamine, bronchodilator, corticosteroid, antiinflammatory and vitamin medications. We collected data on 73 preparations of these drugs, according to drug labeling information regarding preservatives, dyes, sweeteners and flavourings. Results: Methylparaben and propylparaben were the most common preservatives found (43% and 35.6% respectively). The most common sweeteners were: sucrose (sugar) (53.4%), sodium saccharin (38.3%) and sorbitol (36.9%). Twenty-one medicines (28,7%) contained two sweeteners. Colourless medicines predominated (43.8%), followed by those with sunset yellow dye (FD&C yellow no. 6) (15%). Five products (6.8%) contained more than one colour agent. Tartrazine (FD&C yellow no. 5) was present in seven preparations (9.5%). Fruit was the most common flavouring found (83%). Labelings of drugs which contained sugar frequently omitted its exact concentration (77%). Of the four labelings of medicines which contained aspartame, two did not warn patients regarding phenylketonuria. Conclusions: Omission and inacuracy of drug labeling information on pharmaceutical excipients may expose susceptible individuals to adverse reactions caused by preservatives and dyes. Complications of inadvertent intake of sugar-containing medicines by diabetics, or aspartame intake by patients with phenylketonuria may also occur.

Fluoride intake from regular and low fluoride dentifrices by 2-3-year-old children: Influence of the dentifrice flavor

This study evaluated the fluoride intake from dentifrices with different fluoride concentrations ([F]) by children aged 24-36 months, as well as the influence of the dentifrice flavor in the amount of fluoride ingested during toothbrushing. Thirty-three children were randomly divided into 3 groups, according to the [F] in the dentifrices: G-A (523 μgF/g), G-B (1,062 μgF/g) and G-C (1,373 μgF/g). Dentifrices A and B are marketed for children, while dentifrice C is a regular product. The amount of F ingested was indirectly obtained, subtracting the amount expelled and the amount left on the toothbrush from the amount initially loaded onto the brush. The results were analyzed by ANOVA, Tukey's test and linear regression analysis (p < 0.05). Children ingested around 60% of the dentifrice loaded onto the brush, but no significant differences were seen among the groups (p > 0.05). Mean daily fluoride intake from dentifrice for G-A, G-B and G-C was 0.022 a, 0.032 a and 0.061 b mg F/kg body weight, respectively (p < 0.01). There was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001) between the amount of dentifrice used and the amount of fluoride ingested during toothbrushing. The results indicate the need for instructing children's parents and care givers to use a small amount of dentifrice (< 0.3 g) to avoid excessive ingestion of fluoride. The use of low-[F] dentifrices by children younger than 6 years also seems to be a good alternative to minimize fluoride intake. Dentifrice flavor did not influence the percentage of fluoride intake.

Caracterização analítica de sucos e néctares de laranja adoçados com sacarose e edulcorantes

Objective: To characterize physically and chemically, non-sweetened orange juices and orange nectars sweetened with sucrose or sweet flavoring agents, with respect to their pH, titratable acidity (TA) and total soluble solids content (TSSC), as well as to evaluate the correlation of the latter property with the others. Method: Aliquots of three lots of two orange juices and two orange nectars containing sucrose and two containing sweet flavoring agents were evaluated. Mineral water was used as a control. The TSSC was determined using an Abbe refractometer. The pH was recorded using a digital pH meter, while TA was quantified by titrating samples of the beverages with 0.1 M NaOH until reaching pHs 5.5 and 7.0. Data were subjected to Pearson's correlation test, regression analysis, analysis of variance and Tukey's test (α=0.05). Results: TSSC values presented a strong correlation with TA, and these properties exhibited a quadratic relationship. Although the pH values were not dependent on the presence of sucrose or sweet flavoring agents, a significantly greater amount of base was necessary to reach pHs 5.5 and 7.0 in the beverages without sucrose or flavoring agents. Conclusion: Orange juices and nectars presented similar pH values, which was not associated with the presence of sucrose or sweet flavoring agents in the beverages. Higher TA values were obtained for the juice and lower for the nectars, regardless of containing sucrose or sweet flavoring agents. The increase of TSSC did not implicate in decrease of TA in the beverages.

Healing Actions of Essential Oils from Citrus aurantium and d-Limonene in the Gastric Mucosa: The Roles of VEGF, PCNA, and COX-2 in Cell Proliferation

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