Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from a wide range of species from the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil

The Neotropical Atlantic Forest is considered one of the world´s richest biome in plant and animal diversity, with high frequency of endemic species. In this work we studied the chemical composition of the essential oils from 41 plants, belonging to 13 botanical families, from distinct locations of the Atlantic rainforest in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and their compositions were determined by GC-MS. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of the oils was investigated by growth-inhibition agar-diffusion assays, in the case of four bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Corynebacterium xerosis and Escherichia coli), while minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined for both bacteria and fungi. For the inhibition halo analyses, Melaleuca sp. essential oil and cefotaxime were used as positive controls, whereas sterile mineral oil was used as the negative control. The analyses showed that the most abundant compounds were mono- and sesquiterpenes, although Lauraceae and Myrtaceae species oils also contained phenylpropanoids and methyl ketones, respectively. Hierarchical clustering analyses demonstrated that the mono- and sesquiterpene composition of the investigated oils was not significantly determined by the botanical family, forest location or seasonality alone; alternatively, the combination of these factors determines the chemical phenotype. The vast majority of the isolated essential oils exhibited an in vitro activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial species and the composition of the bacterial cell wall is the principal factor affecting the extent of the biological activity of the investigated essential oils. The contents of the detected monoterpenes positively correlated with the observed biological activity against the given bacterial strains. Elevated contents of α- and β-pinene positively correlated with the increased inhibition of Staphylococci growth, whereas increased levels of germacrene D were associated with the antibacterial activity against C. xerosis

Genome of Herbaspirillum seropedicae Strain SmR1, a Specialized Diazotrophic Endophyte of Tropical Grasses

The molecular mechanisms of plant recognition, colonization, and nutrient exchange between diazotrophic endophytes and plants are scarcely known. Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic bacterium capable of colonizing intercellular spaces of grasses such as rice and sugar cane. The genome of H. seropedicae strain SmR1 was sequenced and annotated by The Paraná State Genome Programme—GENOPAR. The genome is composed of a circular chromosome of 5,513,887 bp and contains a total of 4,804 genes. The genome sequence revealed that H. seropedicae is a highly versatile microorganism with capacity to metabolize a wide range of carbon and nitrogen sources and with possession of four distinct terminal oxidases. The genome contains a multitude of protein secretion systems, including type I, type II, type III, type V, and type VI secretion systems, and type IV pili, suggesting a high potential to interact with host plants. H. seropedicae is able to synthesize indole acetic acid as reflected by the four IAA biosynthetic pathways present. A gene coding for ACC deaminase, which may be involved in modulating the associated plant ethylene-signaling pathway, is also present. Genes for hemagglutinins/hemolysins/adhesins were found and may play a role in plant cell surface adhesion. These features may endow H. seropedicae with the ability to establish an endophytic life-style in a large number of plant species

Tree species sprouting from root buds in a semideciduous forest affected by fires

Tree species which sprouted from root buds were identified in a 3.6ha area of a Semideciduous Seasonal Forest fragment in Campinas, São Paulo State (22° 55' S and 47° 05' W), affected by several fires. Connection between sprouts and main trunk root system was confirmed by digging and root exposure. Twenty seven tree species with root buds were identified, with a high proportion of Leguminosae species. The majority of identified species (45%) were characteristic of initial secondary succession stages. Distances between sprouts and main trunks varied from 0.6m (Guettarda viburnioides Cham. and Schltdl- Rubiaceae.) to 14.0m (Colubrina glandulosa Perkins- Rhamnaceae). These results lead discussions about natural and/or human-made disturbances influence on the sprouting from root buds, and its possible consequences in forest dynamics, besides the spatial occupation, and structure of populations of tree species which present their potential capacity of regeneration.Foram identificadas as espécies arbóreas que rebrotaram a partir de raízes gemíferas em 3,6ha de um fragmento de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual em Campinas, São Paulo, alvo de freqüentes incêndios. A identificação foi feita através de transectos de 100 metros de extensão no trecho de floresta selecionado e da exposição do sistema subterrâneo para verificar a ligação entre os brotos e seus troncos principais. Foram registradas 27 espécies que rebrotaram a partir de raízes, a maioria Leguminosae. Grande parte das espécies é característica de estádios iniciais da sucessão secundária. As distâncias máximas entre brotos e os troncos principais variaram de 0,6m (Guettarda viburnioides Cham. and Schltdt.- Rubiaceae) a 14m (Colubrina glandulosa Perkins- Rhaminaceae). Com os resultados obtidos, discute-se a relação da rebrota a partir de raízes e a ação dos distúrbios, além da influência da rebrota na ocupação espacial e na estrutura de espécies arbóreas com este potencial de regeneração.127133Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia in OCD patients: Clinical profile and possible treatment implications

Objective: Panic Disorder (PD) and agoraphobia (AG) are frequently comorbid with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), but the correlates of these comorbidities in OCD are fairly unknown. the study aims were to: 1) estimate the prevalence of PD with or without AG (PD), AG without panic (AG) and PD and/or AG (PD/AG) in a large clinical sample of OCD patients and 2) compare the characteristics of individuals with and without these comorbid conditions.Method: A cross-sectional study with 1001 patients of the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders using several assessment instruments, including the Dimensional Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders. Bivariate analyses were followed by logistic regression models.Results: the lifetime prevalence of PD was 15.3% (N = 153), of AG 4.9% (N = 49), and of PD/AG 20.2% (N = 202). After logistic regression, hypochondriasis and specific phobia were common correlates of the three study groups. PD comorbidity was also associated with higher levels of anxiety, having children, major depression, bipolar I, generalized anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders. Other independent correlates of AG were: dysthymia, bipolar 11 disorder, social phobia, impulsive compulsive internet use, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Patients with PD/AG were also more likely to be married and to present high anxiety, separation anxiety disorder, major depression, impulsive compulsive internet use, generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress and binge eating disorders.Conclusions: Some distinct correlates were obtained for PD and AG in OCD patients, indicating the need for more specific and tailored treatment strategies for individuals with each of these clinical profiles. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ Estadual Paulista, Botucatu Med Sch, Dept Neurol Psychol & Psychiat, São Paulo, BrazilHlth Sci Fed Univ Porto Alegre, Dept Psychiat, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Psychiat, BR-05508 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Psychiat, Anxiety & Depress Res Program, BR-21941 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2005/55628-8CNPq: 573974/2008-0Web of Scienc

Early Onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder With and Without Tics

Introduction: Research suggests that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not a unitary entity, but rather a highly heterogeneous condition, with complex and variable clinical manifestations. Objective: The aims of this study were to compare clinical and demographic characteristics of OCD patients with early and late age of onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS); and to compare the same features in early onset OCD with and without tics. The independent impact of age at onset and presence of tics on comorbidity patterns was investigated. Methods: Three hundred and thirty consecutive outpatients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for OCD were evaluated: 160 patients belonged to the ""early onset"" group (EOG): before 11 years of age, 75 patients had an ""intermediate onset"" (IOG), and 95 patients were from the ""late onset"" group (LOG): after 18 years of age. From the 160 EOG, 60 had comorbidity with tic disorders. The diagnostic instruments used were: the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (DY-BOCS), Yale Global Tics Severity Scale; and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-patient edition. Statistical tests used were: Mann-Whitney, full Bayesian significance test, and logistic regression. Results: The EOG had a predominance of males, higher frequency of family history of OCS, higher mean scores on the ""aggression/violence"" and ""miscellaneous"" dimensions, and higher mean global DY-BOCS scores. Patients with EOG without tic disorders presented higher mean global DY-BOCS scores and higher mean scores in the ""contamination/cleaning"" dimension. Conclusion: The current results disentangle some of the clinical overlap between early onset OCD with and without tics. CNS Spectr. 2009; 14(7):362-370Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquiso do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[04/11462-6]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquiso do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[2005-55628-8]Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquiso do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[06/61459-7]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPQ)[521369/96-7]Porto Alegre Institute of the South Methodist UniversityPorto Alegre Institute of the South Methodist University[6600023