Molecular discrimination of pouched four-eyed opossums from the Mamirauá Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon

Previous cytochrome B (CytB) mtDNA studies have suggested four species for the opossum genus Philander (four-eyed opossums), three (P. mcilhennyi, P. andersoni and P. opossum) from the Amazon and one (P. frenata) from the Brazilian Atlantic forest. During a faunal survey nine specimens of Philander sp. and four of Didelphis marsupialis were collected in the Mamirauá Sustainable Reserve, Amazonas State, Brazil. Preliminary analyses based on morphology and geographical distributions were not conclusive, suggesting that Philander specimens could belong to either P. andersoni or P. opossum. In order to elucidate the relationship of this taxon to the remaining Amazonian taxa, seven Philander and two Didelphis specimens animals were sequenced for the cytB mtDNA gene and compared to other previously studied taxa. The maximum likelihood (ML), neighbor-Joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP) consensus bootstrap trees depicted six groups: Didelphis., P. frenata, P andersoni, P. mcilhennyi, P.o. opossum and Philander sp. and Philander canus in a common assemblage supported by significant bootstrap values, suggesting that the Philander sp. from Mamiraua in fact belongs to the species Philander canus

A karyological study of Geoemyda punctularia punctularia (Daudin, 1802) from the Amazon region of Brazil (Chelonia, Emydidae)

Geoemyda punctularia punctularia has a diploid number of 56 and fundamental number of 72. Six pairs of chromosomes are metacentric, 2 are submetacentric, 3 are acrocentric and the rest are microchromosomes. There are 28 bivalents in diakinesis and 28 chromosomes in metaphase II. There is no sexual heteromorphism.Geoemyda punctularia punctularia tem número diplóide de 56 cromossomos e número fundamental 72. O cariótipo mostra seis pres de cromossomos metacêntricos, dois pares submetacêntricos, três pares acrocêntricos e 34 microcromossomos. Na meiose do macho visualiza-se 28 bivalentes em diacinese e 28 cromossomos em metafase II. Não foi evidenciado heteromorfismo sexual

APLICABILIDADES DO BARU (DIPTERYX ALATA VOGEL) NA SAÚDE HUMANA: REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Dipteryx alata Vogel, o baru, é uma espécie do Cerrado que possui papel relevante para a alimentação humana e animal, bem como para uso fitoterápico. Diferentes partes dessa planta podem ser utilizadas com diversos fins. Essa espécie tem sofrido efeitos deletérios devido à intensa ocupação agrícola vivenciada no Cerrado, sobretudo, porque há irrisórias áreas de conservação com a presença de D. alata. O objetivo deste trabalho é salientar os potenciais de utilização do baru para a saúde humana. Os bancos de dados consultados para esta revisão foram: Periódico Capes, Pubmed, Lilacs e Scielo. As amêndoas do baru são sementes comestíveis, quando submetidas à prévia torrefação e nelas são encontrados os ácidos graxos insaturados linolênico, oléico, gadoleico, fítico e erúcico. O ácido linoléico extraído da amêndoa do baru pode ser convertido em ácido araquidônico e eicosanoides que são metabolizados em substâncias pró-inflamatórias e estimuladoras de agregação plaquetária. Porém outros ácidos graxos insaturados encontrados no baru têm demonstrado ação anti-inflamatória no sistema cardiovascular, auxiliando na diminuição das concentrações de colesterol sanguíneo. Também apresenta papel anti-inflamatório relevante na prevenção do envelhecimento cutâneo e na proteção tecidual ao estresse oxidativo

Supplier development practices and their challenges: a roadmap proposal / Práticas de desenvolvimento de fornecedores e seus desafios: proposta de um roadmap

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), when focusing on their core business, outsource non-essential processes to their supplier base, a strategy that makes them dependent on their suppliers’ performance. The purpose of this paper is to propose a practical roadmap based on the post-relevant supplier development practices, barriers to be avoided by the managers, and critical success factors identified by the literature reviewed and in five Brazilian companies in the automotive segment. Although supplier development (SD) is widely acknowledged, there is no roadmap to guide the organizational managers when applying it. The roadmap aims to direct managers' activities when developing their suppliers to obtain better results. The method used was a qualitative research and its strategy was a multiple case study with an exploratory character. Data collection was obtained through a semi-structured interview. The research identified 17 relevant practices of supplier development. These practices of supplier development identified by the literature reviewed, coupled with the manager's speech, have enabled the researcher to figure out an empirical roadmap to assist organizational managers in planning and conducting development actions on their supplier base in a structured manner. The results obtained by the managers' speech indicated that OEMs want creative and innovative solutions from their suppliers to be applied to the new generations of their vehicles, far beyond the products or services usually delivered until now. Another important result for the successful supplier development was the top team’s commitment to implement the changes resulting from development practices combined with a preventive rather than corrective posture

Immunomodulatory activity of Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom on human T lymphocytes

Abstract\ud \ud Background\ud \ud Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom (TsV) contains toxins that act on K+ and Na+ channels and account for the venom’s toxic effects. TsV can activate murine peritoneal macrophages, but its effects on human lymphocytes have been poorly investigated. Considering that lymphocytes may play an important role in envenomation, we assessed whether TsV affects the expression of phenotypic (CD3, CD4, and CD8) and activation (CD69, CD25, and HLA-DR) markers, cell proliferation, and cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.\ud \ud \ud Methods\ud Cytotoxicity of TsV was evaluated via the MTT assay. Cell proliferation, expression of phenotypic and activation markers, and release of cytokines were assessed using flow cytometry, after treatment with non-cytotoxic concentrations of TsV. The combined use of carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester and monoclonal antibodies against phenotypic and activation markers enabled us to simultaneously assess cell proliferation extent and cell activation status, and to discriminate among cell subpopulations.\ud \ud \ud Results\ud TsV at concentrations of 25 to 100 μg/mL were not cytotoxic towards peripheral blood mononuclear cells. TsV did not induce significant changes in lymphocyte subpopulations or in the expression of activation markers on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. TsV inhibited the phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation, particularly in the CD8+ CD25+ T lymphocyte subset. TsV alone, at 50 and 100 μg/mL, did not induce peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation, but elicited the production and release of IL-6, a proinflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in innate and adaptive immune responses.\ud \ud \ud Conclusions\ud TsV is a potential source of molecules with immunomodulatory action on human T lymphocytes.The authors would like to thank the Nucleus for Research on Animal Toxins\ud (NAP-TOXAN-USP, grant n. 12–125432.1.3), the State of São Paulo Research\ud Foundation (FAPESP, grant n. 2011/23236-4), the Coordination for the\ud Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, ACM, JCP and SMB\ud grants) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological\ud Development (CNPq, SMB grant) for their funding of this research. We also\ud thanks to T. M. Casare-Ogasawara for the technical support. Thanks are also\ud due to the Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP)\ud of UNESP for enabling the publication of this special collection (CNPq\ud process 469660/2014-7)

INFLUENCE OF LOW-LEVEL LASER APPLICATION ON ROOT RESORPTION AND PULP ALTERATIONS DURING TOOTH MOVEMENT

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/223658345042The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of low-level laser (LLL) irradiation on root resorption and dental pulp during experimental tooth movement. Five groups were delineated: a control group without orthodontic force or LLL application, 2 other controls in which orthodontic force was applied for 2 and 7 days respectively, and two experimental groups with orthodontic force and LLL application for 2 and 7 days respectively. To induce experimental tooth movement in rats, orthodontic force of 40 cN was applied to the left first molars. In irradiated groups, Ga-Al-As diode laser (830 nm) was applied on 3 areas around the experimental maxillary molar: mesial, buccal and palatal. Two microscopic analyses were performed with HE staining: a quantitative for root resorption and a qualitative for pulp tissue reactions. Quantitative analysis showed that root resorptions were evident on day 7 of tooth movement. The irradiated group presented twice the amount of root resorption than the orthodontic control group, but this difference was not verified statistically (P=0.073). The qualitative pulp evaluation showed no significant alterations when orthodontic force or LLL were applied. Root resorption was verified when LLL was applied and no undesired effects on pulp tissue were observed. KEY WORDS: laser therapy, low-level; tooth movement; root resorption; dental pul