Produção de biomassa de adubos verdes no assentamento Paiolzinho, Corumbá, MS.

O experimento foi conduzido no assentamento Paiolzinho, em Corumbá, MS, com o objetivo de avaliar a produção de biomassa de espécies de adubos verdes. Foram 8 tratamentos constando de 5 espécies de adubos verdes, com mucuna-anã em dois espaçamentos, um coquetel com as 5 variedades e pousio como testemunha, tendo 5 repetições, num delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado. Foram medidos a altura das plantas, a matéria seca da biomassa dos adubos verdes e das plantas espontâneas. O experimento foi instalado em consórcio com mandioca, sendo o plantio dos adubos verdes feito 60 dias após o plantio da mandioca, no final do verão e desenvolvendo-se no outono. Os resultados mostram que a maior produção de biomassa e altura foram obtidas pelo coquetel de adubos verdes.Disponível também em: Cadernos de Agroecologia, V. 5, n.1, 2010

The relationship between fatty acids and fish: lesser-known aspects and the need for increasingly efficient analytical techniques

When we associate the word fatty acids with fish, most people identify fish as sources of fatty acids from the omega families. This relationship is always present in the valuation of nutritional quality of fish. However, fatty acids have many other crucial functions in fish. The oldest studies related to fatty acids focused essentially on their role as sources metabolic energy in the form of ATP through β-oxidation. Many studies referred the fatty acid role for migrations, energy production during growth and egg formation, among others. Soon fatty acids quickly began to be studied from the point of view of source of essential nutrients for several physiological processes and integral components of biological membranes. The high content of highly polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish is related to the fact that they are poikilothermic. In the presence of various temperature scenarios, fish can effectively exploit a wide chemical diversity of membrane fatty acid profiles, to defend their physical properties, such as fluidity. In the last decades, fatty acids have been used as either biomarkers because they are limited to certain taxa and they can be transferred conservatively from primary producers to higher trophic level or stock identifiers because the fatty acid composition of phospholipids in some body tissues have a stable genetics basis. In the last decades multiple techniques have been used for fatty acid analysis. As a rule, before the instrumental analysis, the sample requires 2 previous steps. These comprise extraction of lipids from the matrix and derivatization. The combination of these two stages generates multiple methodologies that are not always standardized. Soon, the analysis of fatty acids tends to reduce and standardize these previous analyses while the instrumental analysis should solve problems related to similar mass spectra of the isomers and coelution between fatty acidsFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for a PhD scholarship UI/BD/153381/2022.This work was funding by National Funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project PTDC/BIA-BMA/030517/2017 and the Portuguese Science Foundation through the strategy plan for MED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development), via project UIDB/05183/2020, for MARE (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre), via project UIDB/04292/2020, UID/50006/2020, and under the project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET; and for LAQV-REQUIMTE, via project UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/202

Neuroimmunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects of the flavonoid apigenin in in vitro models of neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease

Neurodegenerative disorders (ND) are characterized by the progressive and irreversible loss of neurons. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most incident age-related ND, in which the presence of a chronic inflammatory compound seems to be related to its pathogenesis. Different stimuli in the central nervous system (CNS) can induce activation, proliferation, and changes in phenotype and glial function, which can be modulated by anti-inflammatory agents. Apigenin (4,5,7–trihydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables, that has shown important effects upon controlling the inflammatory response. This study evaluated the neuroprotective and neuroimmunomodulatory potential of apigenin using in vitro models of neuroinflammation associated with AD. Co-cultures of neurons and glial cells were obtained from the cortex of newborn and embryonic Wistar rats. After 26 days in vitro, cultures were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 μg/ml), or IL-1β (10 ng/ml) for 24 h, or to Aβ oligomers (500 nM) for 4 h, and then treated with apigenin (1 μM) for further 24 h. It was observed that the treatment with apigenin preserved neurons and astrocytes integrity, determined by Rosenfeld’s staining and immunocytochemistry for β-tubulin III and GFAP, respectively. Moreover, it was observed by Fluoro-Jade-B and caspase-3 immunostaining that apigenin was not neurotoxic and has a neuroprotective effect against inflammatory damage. Additionally, apigenin reduced microglial activation, characterized by inhibition of proliferation (BrdU+ cells) and modulation of microglia morphology (Iba-1 + cells), and decreased the expression of the M1 inflammatory marker CD68. Moreover, as determined by RT-qPCR, inflammatory stimuli induced by IL-1β increased the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and CCL5, and decreased the mRNA expression of IL-10. Contrary, after treatment with apigenin in inflammatory stimuli (IL-1β or LPS) there was a modulation of the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, and reduced expression of OX42, IL-6 and gp130. Moreover, apigenin alone and after an inflammatory stimulus with IL-1β also induced the increase in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an effect that may be associated with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Together these data demonstrate that apigenin presents neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and might represent an important neuroimmunomodulatory agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions

Dinâmica de amônio e nitrato no solo em sistemas agroflorestais sob cultivo de dendezeiro na Amazônia Oriental.

A agricultura das ultimas décadas tem causando grandes alterações no solo, resultando na perda de produtividade e sustentabilidade dos sistemas de produção. Na Amazônia vem crescendo a procura pela matéria-prima do dendê (Elaeis guineenses) para a produção de biodiesel. O presente estudo objetivou analisar a dinâmica de amônio (NH4+) e nitrato (NO3-) em diferentes manejos do solo a fim de melhor compreender a ciclagem de nitrogênio em sistemas agroflorestais sob cultivo de dendê. Foi desenvolvido no município de Tomé-Açu, Pará, onde foram coletadas amostras de solo de 0-10 cm, no tratamento Adubadeiras (T1) e Biodiverso Mecanizado (T2), e, na área de referência. Em todos os tratamentos, o amônio foi mais abundante que o nitrato, podendo estar relacionado com a baixa disponibilidade de N, a uma preferência e captura dos microrganismos e vegetais por nitrato ou lixiviação desse. A taxa de mineralização tendeu a ser mais elevada quando comparada com a de nitrificação, em ambos os períodos de coleta, porém, sua maior atividade se deu na seca. Pode-se considerar que durante o período chuvoso, o excesso de água no solo pode inibir a ação dos microrganismos, diminuindo a mineralização do N. A aeração do solo durante o período seco e a acidez do solo podem ter retardado o processo de nitrificação. Conclui-se que a sazonalidade e o manejo do solo são potenciais fatores determinantes quanto à disponibilização de nutrientes aos sistemas, e, os sistemas aparentam deficiência no processo de nitrificação.Editores técnicos: Roberto Porro, Milton Kanashiro, Maria do Socorro Gonçalves Ferreira, Leila Sobral Sampaio e Gladys Ferreira de Sousa

Influência do ácido indolbutirico na propagação vegetativa de Croton campestris A. St. Hil.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influência de diferentes concentrações de ácido indol butírico (AIB) e tempo de exposição na auxina na propagação vegetativa de velame

A genetic study of a Brazilian cohort of patients with X-linked hypophosphatemia reveals no correlation between genotype and phenotype

AimX-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is the most common inherited form of rickets, and it is caused by pathogenic inactivating variants of the phosphate-regulating endopeptidase homolog X-linked (PHEX) gene. The main purpose of this study is to identify the presence of a genotype–phenotype correlation in a cohort of XLH patients.MethodsThis is a retrospective study including patients diagnosed with hypophosphatemic rickets, confirmed by clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings. Medical records were reviewed for phenotypic analyses. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood lymphocytes, and PHEX sequencing was performed by exomic NGS sequencing. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and the two-tailed Fisher's exact test were employed for the statistical analyses of this study.ResultsA total of 41 patients were included in this study, and 63.41% (26/41) of the patients were female. The mutation analyses identified 29.27% missense variants and 29.72% nonsense variants, most of them were considered deleterious (66.41%). Six novel deleterious variants in the PHEX gene were detected in seven patients. The median concentrations of pretreatment serum calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were not significantly different among patients with different genotypes. An orthopedic surgery due to bone deformity was required in 57.69%.ConclusionsOur analysis did not identify any specific genotype as a predictor. No significant genotype–phenotype correlation was found, suggesting that the recognition of subjacent pathogenic mutation in the PHEX gene may have limited prognostic value. Despite this finding, genetic testing may be useful for identifying affected individuals early and providing appropriate treatment

Reducing occurrence of Giardia duodenalis in children living in semiarid regions: impact of a large scale rainwater harvesting initiative.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, about two million people living in rural semiarid regions were benefited with the construction of rainwater cement cisterns, as an initiative from the program "One Million Cisterns" (P1MC). Nevertheless, few epidemiological studies have been conducted to assess health risks or protection effects associated with consumption of this water source. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether access to rainwater harvesting cisterns is associated with the decrease in the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis infections in children, compared to other children living in households supplied by other water sources. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A quasi-experimental study with two concurrent cohorts was developed in two rural municipalities of the semiarid region of Brazil. A sample of 664 children, aged between 4 months and 5 years old, was followed up, of which 332 had access to rainwater cisterns (cistern group) and 332 did not, having water supplied from alternative sources (comparison group). In a period of approximately one year (2010) intestinal parasites were investigated in feces three times. The prevalence of G. duodenalis in children from the cistern group ranged from 4.8 to 10.5%, while the prevalence in the comparison group ranged from 7.6 to 16.7%. Multivariate analysis (GEE) showed a higher risk of G. duodenalis infection in children who did not have access to rainwater cisterns, when compared to children who did (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.14-2.59). The other variables associated with G. duodenalis infection were: number of rooms per house (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.80-0.99); family income (OR0.48; 95% CI 0.26-0.88); birth order (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.17-2.51); preterm children (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.19-2.43); and improper hand hygiene prior to food preparation (OR 4.78; 95% CI 1.95-11.76). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Ownership of a rainwater cistern is associated with a lower prevalence of G. duodenalis infection in children after adjustment for environmental and family-related factors. Nevertheless, the study suggests the necessity to complement physical interventions with actions related to personal and domestic hygiene to enable further reductions in parasite infections affecting mainly the underprivileged populations

Resultados preliminares da extração de óleos essenciais de plantas aromáticas nativas da Caatinga em diferentes épocas do ano.

O estudo das plantas odoríferas resultou na descoberta de vários óleos essenciais de potencial importância econômica. Com o presente trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar o rendimento desses óleos em sete plantas nativas da Caatinga, em duas épocas distintas. A coleta foi realizada em populações naturais, localizadas nos estados de Pernambuco e Sergipe. O processo de extração do óleo essencial foi realizado por hidrodestilação, utilizando-se folhas frescas. As amostras obtidas foram armazenadas em recipientes de vidro, identificadas e mantidas em ambiente refrigerado. Os resultados preliminares mostraram que há diferença do padrão de rendimento para as sete espécies. Para a aroeira, a baraúna, a maria-pretinha e o marmeleiro não foram registradas diferenças nas quantidades produzidas nas duas coletas. Porém, para o beton, o quebra-faca e o velame, verificou-se que a produção de óleo foi maior na coleta realizada em 2011, sendo essa diferença mais acentuada na última espécie, com uma produção três vezes maior. Assim, é possível observar que a variação dos teores de óleos indica a necessidade de maior estratificação das épocas de coleta, idade das plantas e folhas, horários ao longo do dia e coleta em populações distintas. Os teores observados também indicam que as espécies do gênero Croton têm grande potencial em termos de produção de óleo