Implementação das Práticas de Governança e Compliance da Lei de Responsabilidade das Estatais no Estado do Rio de Janeiro

O objetivo deste estudo é investigar o processo de implementação da Lei n. 13.303, que estabelece mecanismos de governança corporativa nas empresas estatais, públicas e sociedades de economia mista, no âmbito do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Para tanto, foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa de campo por meio da aplicação de questionários a quinze empresas estatais ativas cujo controle acionário pertence ao governo do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Subsequentemente, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com 47 participantes do processo de implementação nessas estatais. O estudo sugere que, apesar de empenhadas na implementação da chamada Lei de Responsabilidade das Estatais, as empresas públicas controladas pelo estado do Rio de Janeiro encontravam sérias dificuldades na sua implementação, especialmente pela escassez de recursos financeiros e de pessoal, o que se dá não somente pela situação econômica geral, mas também pela crise financeira gerada pela corrupção sem medida de agentes públicos ocorrida no estado. O andamento da implementação foi agravado pela publicação tardia e o teor do decreto estadual de regulamentação, podendo gerar atraso e o não cumprimento integral das determinações da lei. O artigo inova ao estudar o processo de implementação durante sua ocorrência e antes da data-limite para entrada em vigor dos dispositivos da Lei 13.306/2016

Selection and association of resistent varieties of corn with Beauveria bassiana for control of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Este trabalho teve como objetivo associar estratégias de controle visando minimizar os danos provocados por Sitophilus zeamais em milho. Cultivares de milho resistentes e suscetíveis ao inseto foram submetidas aos testes com e sem chance de escolha. Posteriormente, as selecionadas foram associadas ao fungo Beauveria bassiana (isolados Unioeste 4 e Esalq 643), previa e posteriormente à infestação por S. zeamais. Verificou-se que a cultivar CD 3121 apresentou resistência, aumentando a duração do ciclo ovo-adulto, diminuindo o número de insetos emergidos e diminuindo a perda de peso dos grãos, e não-preferência para alimentação pelo inseto, ao contrário da cultivar CD 307. A associação mostrou-se positiva para o controle dos insetos, pois causou aumento na duração do ciclo ovo-adulto, diminuição no número de insetos emergidos, diminuição na porcentagem de grãos danificados e diminuição na perda de peso, tanto para a cultivar CD 3121 quanto para a cultivar CD 307, para ambos isolados. Contudo, a associação dos isolados com a cultivar CD 3121 foi mais efetiva para o controle de S. zeamais.This work had as objective to associate control strategies to minimize the damage caused by Sitophilus zeamais in corn. Corn cultivars, resistant and susceptible to insect, were submitted to tests, with and without choice. Then, the selected cultivars were associated with the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Unioeste 4 and Esalq 643 isolates), before and after S. zeamais infestation. It was verified that the cultivar CD 3121 presented resistence, increasing the duration of the egg-adult cicle, decreasing the number of emerged insects and decreasing the weight loss of the grains, and showed non-preference to feeding by the insect, when compared to cultivar CD 307. The association caused an increase in the duration of the egg-adult cycle, decreasing of the number of emerged insects, decreasing percentage damaged grains and decreasing weight loss, for both cultivars CD 3121 and CD 307, and for both isolates. On the other hand, the isolates association with cultivars CD 3121 had a better control of S. zeamais

Effect of propolis extract on the parasite load of Nile tilapias reared in cages

Due to increase in demand for healthy and chemical residue-free products, natural therapeutic substances are being enhanced in fish cultivation. Current study evaluates in an unprecedented way (he effect of propolis on the parasite charge of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in fish cages. Six hundred male Nile tilapia (200g) conditioned in ten 1 m3 cages were used. Two treatments with five replications each were provided: TCON: control (extruded meal without propolis) and TPRO: extruded meal with 4% propolis extract. Parasite collection occurred on 0, 35, 70 and 105 days. At the same time, fillet was weighed and fish standard length measured. Temperature was kept within the comfort range for the species during the experimental period ( > 25ºC). Trichodinids and Monogenoids (Dactylogyridae) were detected in the two treatments. There was no statistical difference (p > 0.05) in mean parasite intensity (total parasites/specimens with parasites) and abundance (total parasites/examined specimens) among treatments in the four evaluation periods. Lowest parasite prevalence occurred after 70 days in TPRO (26.66%). There was no statistical difference (p > 0.05) among treatments with regard to fillet weight and standard length of fish. Results show that propolis extract 4% did not significantly affect parasite load, fillet weight and standard length of Nile tilapia

The use of biodiversity as source of new chemical entities against defined molecular targets for treatment of malaria, tuberculosis, and T-cell mediated diseases: a review

The modern approach to the development of new chemical entities against complex diseases, especially the neglected endemic diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, is based on the use of defined molecular targets. Among the advantages, this approach allows (i) the search and identification of lead compounds with defined molecular mechanisms against a defined target (e.g. enzymes from defined pathways), (ii) the analysis of a great number of compounds with a favorable cost/benefit ratio, (iii) the development even in the initial stages of compounds with selective toxicity (the fundamental principle of chemotherapy), (iv) the evaluation of plant extracts as well as of pure substances. The current use of such technology, unfortunately, is concentrated in developed countries, especially in the big pharma. This fact contributes in a significant way to hamper the development of innovative new compounds to treat neglected diseases. The large biodiversity within the territory of Brazil puts the country in a strategic position to develop the rational and sustained exploration of new metabolites of therapeutic value. The extension of the country covers a wide range of climates, soil types, and altitudes, providing a unique set of selective pressures for the adaptation of plant life in these scenarios. Chemical diversity is also driven by these forces, in an attempt to best fit the plant communities to the particular abiotic stresses, fauna, and microbes that co-exist with them. Certain areas of vegetation (Amazonian Forest, Atlantic Forest, Araucaria Forest, Cerrado-Brazilian Savanna, and Caatinga) are rich in species and types of environments to be used to search for natural compounds active against tuberculosis, malaria, and chronic-degenerative diseases. The present review describes some strategies to search for natural compounds, whose choice can be based on ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies, and screen for their ability to bind to immobilized drug targets and to inhibit their activities. Molecular cloning, gene knockout, protein expression and purification, N-terminal sequencing, and mass spectrometry are the methods of choice to provide homogeneous drug targets for immobilization by optimized chemical reactions. Plant extract preparations, fractionation of promising plant extracts, propagation protocols and definition of in planta studies to maximize product yield of plant species producing active compounds have to be performed to provide a continuing supply of bioactive materials. Chemical characterization of natural compounds, determination of mode of action by kinetics and other spectroscopic methods (MS, X-ray, NMR), as well as in vitro and in vivo biological assays, chemical derivatization, and structure-activity relationships have to be carried out to provide a thorough knowledge on which to base the search for natural compounds or their derivatives with biological activity