UTILIZAÇÃO DE EQUIPAMENTOS DE PROTEÇÃO INDIVIDUAL E AGROTÓXICOS POR AGRICULTORES DE MUNICÍPIO DO RECÔNCAVO BAIANODOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5892/ruvrd.v15i1.3309

Considerando o elevado potencial tóxico dos pesticidas, o seu emprego exige a utilização de Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPI). A região do município de Governador Mangabeira-BA, apresenta diversos cultivos com expressivo uso de agrotóxicos. Desta forma, para avaliar a utilização de agrotóxicos e EPIs pelos agricultores deste município, ações como visitas a campo, observação e aplicação de questionário a 60 agricultores foram realizadas em agosto de 2013. Dentre os produtos fitossanitários utilizados 13,5 % são considerados extremamente tóxicos e 5,1% altamente tóxicos e 65% dos entrevistados armazena esses produtos em local inadequado, aumentando a chance da exposição direta. Apenas 33,3% dos entrevistados descartam corretamente as embalagens, 80% não realizam a leitura da bula antes da aplicação e 76,7% não utiliza o conjunto básico de EPIs, demonstrando a grave falta de cuidados na manipulação dos produtos fitossanitários. Sintomas comuns em exposições crônicas a agrotóxicos foram observados, sendo os principais a dor de cabeça (33,3%), tontura (18,3%) e enjoo (8,3%). Esses resultados demonstram a necessidade de intervenção por órgãos responsáveis visando à prevenção de intoxicações, pois essas podem acarretar problemas irreversíveis na saúde dos agricultores e demais envolvidos na aplicação dos agrotóxicos

8-Methoxypsoralen is a competitive inhibitor of glutathioneS-transferase P1-1

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is known to protect healthy brain cells from potentially dangerous chemical agents, but there are many evidences supporting the idea that this protective action is extended to tumor cells. Since the process of angiogenesis in brain tumors leads to BBB breakdown, biochemical characteristics of the BBB seem to be more relevant than physical barriers to protect tumor cells from chemotherapy. In fact, a number of resistance related factors were already demonstrated to be component of both BBB and tumor cells. The enzyme glutathione S-transferases (GST) detoxify electrophilic xenobiotics and endogenous secondary metabolites formed during oxidative stress. A role has been attributed to GST in the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. This study characterized 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) as a human GST P1-1 (hGST P1-1) inhibitor. To identify and characterize the potential inhibitory activity of 8-MOP, we studied the enzyme kinetics of the conjugation of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) with GSH catalyzed by hGST P1-1. We report here that 8-MOP competitively inhibited hGST P1-1 relative to CDNB, but there was an uncompetitive inhibition relative to GSH. Chromatographic analyses suggest that 8-MOP is not a substrate. Molecular docking simulations suggest that 8-MOP binds to the active site, but its position prevents the GSH conjugation. Thus, we conclude that 8-MOP is a promising prototype for new GST inhibitors pharmacologically useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and the resistance of cancer to chemotherapy

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved