Interaction between Apis mellifera L. and Baccharis dracunculifolia DC, that favours green propolis production in Minas Gerais

In Minas Gerais, green propolis is produced from the collection of resinous substance found in shoot apices of Baccharis dracunculifolia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological parameters associated with the interaction Apis mellifera x Baccharis dracunculifolia, to elucidate the supply of resin for green propolis production in Minas Gerais. We selected male and female individuals of two populations of Baccharis dracunculifolia located on São Judas Tadeu Farm - FSJT, in the municipality of Betim, MG and the Experimental Garden of the Ezequiel Dias Foundation - HORTO, located in an urban area in Belo Horizonte, MG. We made weekly observations, from June 2007 to June 2008, and evaluated in both populations: richness and abundance of insect visitors; resin collecting visits of Apis mellifera; presence of Baccharopelma dracunculifoliae galls; growth of individuals and phenological phases. Statistical analyses were made using R software. The rainy season showed the highest number of visitors. A. mellifera collected resin in shoot apices of Baccharis dracunculifolia from August to April, only in the FSJT population, where galls of B. dracunculifoliae were also present. Ovoposition of gall inductor on host plants occurs during the rainy season, when there is a peak of visitants and resin collecting visits of honeybees. This fact stimulates plant defense strategies against parasitoids and predators, which includes the production of several secondary metabolites, and ultimately reduces competition for food by inhibiting the attack of other phytophagous insects, not adapted to the chemical environment of plant tissues. Green propolis production in Minas Gerais is related to the abundant supply of resin by Baccharis dracunculifolia, when they are parasitised by B. dracunculifoliae galls. They induce plant production of defense exudates, which attract Apis mellifera bees to collect resin and consequently favour the production of green propolis

Interaction between Apis mellifera L. and Baccharis dracunculifolia DC, that favours green propolis production in Minas Gerais

In Minas Gerais, green propolis is produced from the collection of resinous substance found in shoot apices of Baccharis dracunculifolia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological parameters associated with the interaction Apis mellifera x Baccharis dracunculifolia, to elucidate the supply of resin for green propolis production in Minas Gerais. We selected male and female individuals of two populations of Baccharis dracunculifolia located on São Judas Tadeu Farm - FSJT, in the municipality of Betim, MG and the Experimental Garden of the Ezequiel Dias Foundation - HORTO, located in an urban area in Belo Horizonte, MG. We made weekly observations, from June 2007 to June 2008, and evaluated in both populations: richness and abundance of insect visitors; resin collecting visits of Apis mellifera; presence of Baccharopelma dracunculifoliae galls; growth of individuals and phenological phases. Statistical analyses were made using R software. The rainy season showed the highest number of visitors. A. mellifera collected resin in shoot apices of Baccharis dracunculifolia from August to April, only in the FSJT population, where galls of B. dracunculifoliae were also present. Ovoposition of gall inductor on host plants occurs during the rainy season, when there is a peak of visitants and resin collecting visits of honeybees. This fact stimulates plant defense strategies against parasitoids and predators, which includes the production of several secondary metabolites, and ultimately reduces competition for food by inhibiting the attack of other phytophagous insects, not adapted to the chemical environment of plant tissues. Green propolis production in Minas Gerais is related to the abundant supply of resin by Baccharis dracunculifolia, when they are parasitised by B. dracunculifoliae galls. They induce plant production of defense exudates, which attract Apis mellifera bees to collect resin and consequently favour the production of green propolis

Chromatic and luminance contrast sensitivities in asymptomatic carriers from a large Brazilian pedigree of 11778 Leber hereditary optic neuropathy

PURPOSE. To determine whether asymptomatic 11778 LHON carriers demonstrated impairments in ( 1) chromatic red/green (R/G) and blue/yellow (B/Y) contrast sensitivity functions (CSF) and in ( 2) luminance contrast sensitivity functions in the spatial CSF (SCSF) and temporal CSF ( TCSF) domains.METHODS. Twenty-five carriers ( 8 male, 17 female; 34.1 +/- 15.1 years of age) of homoplasmic 11778 LHON from the same well-described family and 30 age-matched controls ( 17 male, 13 female; 29.2 +/- 7.1 years of age) were tested in one eye, randomly selected. of the 25 eyes tested, 18 had normal fundus, 5 had swelling and microangiopathy, and 2 had temporal pallor. the R/G and B/Y CSFs were obtained after equiluminance correction with bichromatic horizontal sinusoidal gratings at 0.3, 0.7, and 2 cycles per degree (cpd); the SCSFs were obtained with achromatic gratings at 0.3, 2, 6, and 12 cpd; and the TCSFs were obtained at 2, 10, 20, and 33 Hz with sinusoidal modulation of a 2.7 field with a superimposed spatial Gabor function.RESULTS. Differences between carriers and controls were statistically significant for all spatial frequencies of chromatic and luminance SCSFs, but not for the TCSFs. R/G equiluminance settings of carriers differed from those of controls ( P < 0.001), requiring higher luminance in the green; B/Y equiluminance settings were not statistically different in carriers and controls. Fundus findings did not correlate with CS results.CONCLUSIONS. Luminance and chromatic spatial CS losses that affected all tested spatial frequencies, are reported in LHON asymptomatic carriers with the mtDNA 11778 mutation. No losses were found in the temporal CSF. An intriguing finding is that the blue system is substantially spared in this LHON family. These represent subclinical visual impairments in otherwise asymptomatic LHON carriers.Univ São Paulo, Inst Psicol, Dept Expt Psychol, BR-05508900 São Paulo, BrazilUniv So Calif, Keck Sch Med, Los Angeles, CA USAUniv Bologna, Bologna, ItalyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilOsped S Giovanni Evangelista, Rome, ItalyAzienda Osped San Camillo Forlanini, Rome, ItalyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Perfil da condição bucal de idosas do Distrito Federal Oral health status of elderly women from the Brazilian Federal District

Os trabalhos realizados no Brasil a respeito das principais afecções bucais dos gerontes mostram situação preocupante. O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a frequência de edentulismo, analisar o uso e a necessidade de prótese, calcular o índice CPOD e verificar a condição periodontal de idosas residentes no Distrito Federal. Cento e quarenta mulheres com idade igual ou superior a sessenta anos foram examinadas. A condição de cada prótese foi avaliada observando presença de prejuí­zo estético ou funcional. Em seguida, foi realizado exame clínico para detectar a presença de cárie, restaurações e dentes perdidos para cálculo do índice CPOD. O exame periodontal incluiu a verificação do índice de placa visível, índice de sangramento gengival, medidas de profundidade de sondagem clínica, perda de inserção clínica e mobilidade dental de todos os dentes presentes. Os resultados revelaram péssimas condições bucais dos pacientes examinados. A taxa de edentulismo mostrou-se elevada, o índice CPOD foi alto (29,8), com predomínio do componente extraído (87,1%) e a condição periodontal foi considerada grave. A partir destes dados, pode-se concluir que o perfil da condição bucal das idosas representadas neste estudo é precário, o que reflete a necessidade de se elaborar programas de promoção de saúde e de reabilitação para este segmento da população.<br>Data from Brazilian researches that evaluated oral health of elderly people show a worrisome situation. The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of edentulism, analyze both the use and need profiles of prosthesis, calculate the DMFT index and check the condition of periodontal elderly residents in the Federal District. One hundred and forty women aged 60 years or above were examined. The condition of each prosthesis was evaluated to detect the presence of functional or aesthetic damage. Then, clinical examination was carried out to detect the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in order to calculate the DMFT index. The periodontal examination included the index of visible plaque, bleeding index, measurement of clinical probing depth, measurement of clinical attachment level and teeth mobility. The results showed poor oral conditions of the patients. The rate of edentulism was high, the DMFT index was elevated (29.8) with a predominance of the extracted component (87.1%) and periodontal condition was considered severe. From these data we can conclude that the oral condition of elderly represented in this study is precarious and reflects the need for health promotion and rehabilitation programs for this segment of the population