Efeitos de ethephon e uréia na maturação de frutos e abscisão foliar do cafeeiro (Coffea arábica L.)

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of ethephon and urea on ripening of fruits and leaf abscission of coffee plant. Ethephon (2-chloroethane phosphonic acid) sprays were applied to green Coffea arábica berries 26 days before counting date in concentrations of 0.5 and 0.25 ml/1 from Ethrel (240 a.i./l). The chemical accelerated the onset of fruit ripening at both concentrations. The efficacy of ethephon was increased adding urea. Ethephon 0.5 ml/1 promoted abscission of leaves and low concentration reduced shedding of leaves. The treatments did not affect the growth and production on the next harvest.Como o ethephon pode melhorar a uniformidade na maturação dos frutos e uréia pode aumentar a eficácia do regulador vegetal, estes compostos foram utilizados no estudo da maturação e abscisão foliar em cafeeiro. E-thephon (ácido 2-cloroetilfosfônico) foi pulverizado em Coffea arábica cv. CatuaT Vermelho com frutos verdes, nas dosagens de 0,5 e 0,25 ml/l de Ethrel (240g i.a./l). 0 regulador vegetal acelerou a maturação dos frutos em ambas dosagens e adicionando-se uréia 2%, conforme determinações realizadas 26 dias após os tratamentos. A eficiência do ethephon foi incrementada com adição de uréia. Ethephon 0,5 ml/l provocou absci são foi iar, sendo que a dosagem de 0,25 ml/1 reduziu a queda das folhas do cafeeiro. Os tratamentos não afetaram o desenvolvimento dos ramos e a frutificação na safra seguinte

Learning and memory and its relationship with the lateralization of epileptic focus in subjects with temporal lobe epilepsy

Background : In medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), previous studies addressing the hemispheric laterality of epileptogenic focus and its relationship with learning and memory processes have reported controversial findings. Objective : To compare the performance of MTLE patients according to the location of the epileptogenic focus on the left (MTLEL) or right temporal lobe (MTLER) on tasks of episodic learning and memory for verbal and visual content. Methods : One hundred patients with MTLEL and one hundred patients with MTLER were tested with the following tasks: the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and the Logical Memory-WMS-R to evaluate verbal learning and memory; and the Rey Visual Design Learning Test (RVDLT) and the Visual Reproduction-WMS-R to evaluate visual learning and memory. Results : The MTLEL sample showed significantly worse performance on the RAVLT (p < 0.005) and on the Logical Memory tests (p < 0.01) than MTLER subjects. However, there were no significant between-group differences in regard to the visual memory tests. Discussion : Our findings suggest that verbal learning and memory abilities are dependent on the structural and functional integrity of the left temporal lobe, while visual abilities are less dependent on the right temporal lobe.Contexto : Estudos anteriores abordando a lateralidade hemisférica de foco epiléptico na epilepsia do lobo temporal mesial (ELTM) e sua relação com os processos de aprendizagem e memória têm relatado resultados controversos. Objetivo : Comparar o desempenho de pacientes com ELTM de acordo com a localização do foco epiléptico à esquerda (ELTME) ou à direita (ELTMD) em tarefas de aprendizagem e memória episódica para conteúdo verbal e visual. Métodos: Cem pacientes com ELTME e cem pacientes com ELTMD foram avaliados com os seguintes testes: Teste de Aprendizagem Auditiva Verbal de Rey (RAVLT) e Memória Lógica – WMS-R para avaliar aprendizagem e memória verbal e o Teste de Aprendizagem Visual para Desenhos de Rey (RVDLT) e Reprodução Visual – WMS-R para avaliar a aprendizagem e memória visual. Resultados : A amostra com ELTME mostrou desempenho significativamente pior no RAVLT (p < 0,005) e na Memória Lógica (p < 0,01) em comparação aos indivíduos ELTMD. No entanto, não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos no que diz respeito aos testes de aprendizagem e memória visual. Conclusão : Nossos resultados sugerem que a aprendizagem e a memória verbais são dependentes da integridade estrutural e funcional do lobo temporal esquerdo, enquanto as capacidades de aprendizagem e memória visual são menos dependentes do lobo temporal direito

Detecção de padrões espaciais na ocorrência do tripes (Thrips tabaci) na cultura da cebola

Onion (Allium cepa) is one of the most cultivated and consumed vegetables in Brazil and its importance is due to the large laborforce involved. One of the main pests that affect this crop is the Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci), but the spatial distribution of this insect, although important, has not been considered in crop management recommendations, experimental planning or sampling procedures. Our purpose here is to consider statistical tools to detect and model spatial patterns of the occurrence of the onion thrips. In order to characterize the spatial distribution pattern of the Onion Thrips a survey was carried out to record the number of insects in each development phase on onion plant leaves, on different dates and sample locations, in four rural properties with neighboring farms under different infestation levels and planting methods. The Mantel randomization test proved to be a useful tool to test for spatial correlation which, when detected, was described by a mixed spatial Poisson model with a geostatistical random component and parameters allowing for a characterization of the spatial pattern, as well as the production of prediction maps of susceptibility to levels of infestation throughout the area.A cebola é uma das hortaliças mais cultivadas e consumidas no Brasil e sua importância social se deve à grande demanda por mão-de-obra. Uma das principais pragas que afeta essa cultura é o tripes do prateamento (Thrips tabaci) e sua distribuição espacial, embora importante, não tem sido considerada nas recomendações de manejo da cultura, planejamento de experimentos ou estudos amostrais. O objetivo desse artigo foi considerar métodos estatísticos para detectar e modelar padrões espaciais na ocorrência do tripes do prateamento da cebola. Para caracterizar o padrão espacial da dispersão do tripes do prateamento da cebola foi feito um levantamento anotando-se o número de insetos por fase de desenvolvimento em folhas de plantas de cebola, em diferentes datas e pontos amostrais dentro de quatro propriedades com fazendas vizinhas apresentando diferentes níveis de infestação e métodos de plantio. O teste de aleatorização de Mantel mostrou-se útil para testar a presença de padrão espacial, que quando detectado foi descrito por um modelo de Poisson misto espacial com componente aleatório geoestatístico com parâmetros que possibilititam a caracterização do padrão espacial, bem como a obtenção de mapas de predição dos níveis de susceptibilidade à infestação na área.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

Spatial pattern detection modeling of thrips (Thrips tabaci) on onion fields

Onion (Allium cepa) is one of the most cultivated and consumed vegetables in Brazil and its importance is due to the large laborforce involved. One of the main pests that affect this crop is the Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci), but the spatial distribution of this insect, although important, has not been considered in crop management recommendations, experimental planning or sampling procedures. Our purpose here is to consider statistical tools to detect and model spatial patterns of the occurrence of the onion thrips. In order to characterize the spatial distribution pattern of the Onion Thrips a survey was carried out to record the number of insects in each development phase on onion plant leaves, on different dates and sample locations, in four rural properties with neighboring farms under different infestation levels and planting methods. The Mantel randomization test proved to be a useful tool to test for spatial correlation which, when detected, was described by a mixed spatial Poisson model with a geostatistical random component and parameters allowing for a characterization of the spatial pattern, as well as the production of prediction maps of susceptibility to levels of infestation throughout the area.A cebola é uma das hortaliças mais cultivadas e consumidas no Brasil e sua importância social se deve à grande demanda por mão-de-obra. Uma das principais pragas que afeta essa cultura é o tripes do prateamento (Thrips tabaci) e sua distribuição espacial, embora importante, não tem sido considerada nas recomendações de manejo da cultura, planejamento de experimentos ou estudos amostrais. O objetivo desse artigo foi considerar métodos estatísticos para detectar e modelar padrões espaciais na ocorrência do tripes do prateamento da cebola. Para caracterizar o padrão espacial da dispersão do tripes do prateamento da cebola foi feito um levantamento anotando-se o número de insetos por fase de desenvolvimento em folhas de plantas de cebola, em diferentes datas e pontos amostrais dentro de quatro propriedades com fazendas vizinhas apresentando diferentes níveis de infestação e métodos de plantio. O teste de aleatorização de Mantel mostrou-se útil para testar a presença de padrão espacial, que quando detectado foi descrito por um modelo de Poisson misto espacial com componente aleatório geoestatístico com parâmetros que possibilititam a caracterização do padrão espacial, bem como a obtenção de mapas de predição dos níveis de susceptibilidade à infestação na área

Brazilian Version of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ-Br): Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Evaluation of Measurement Properties

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire into Brazilian-Portuguese and to assess its measurement properties. INTRODUCTION: This instrument is an outcome measure with 10 domains with scores ranging from 0-100, worst to best, respectively. The translated instrument will improve the examinations and foot care of rheumatoid arthritis patients. METHODS: The questions were translated, back-translated, evaluated by a multidisciplinary committee and pre-tested (n = 40 rheumatoid arthritis subjects). The new version was submitted to a field test (n = 65) to evaluate measurement properties such as test-retest reliability, internal consistency and construct validity. The Health Assessment Questionnaire, Numeric Rating Scale for foot pain and Sharp/van der Heijde scores for foot X-rays were used to test the construct validity. RESULTS: The cross-cultural adaptation was completed with minor wording adaptations from the original instrument. The evaluation of measurement properties showed high reliability with low variation coefficients between interviews. The a-Cronbach coefficients varied from 0.468 to 0.855, while correlation to the Health Assessment Questionnaire and Numeric Rating Scale was statistically significant for five out of eight domains. DISCUSSION: Intra- and inter-observer correlations showed high reliability. Internal consistency coefficients were high for all domains, revealing higher values for less subjective domains. As for construct validity, each domain revealed correlations with a specific group of parameters according to what the domains intended to measure. CONCLUSION: The FHSQ was cross-culturally adapted, generating a reliable, consistent, and valid instrument that is useful for evaluating foot health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Low-Cost Gas Sensors Produced by the Graphite Line-Patterning Technique Applied to Monitoring Banana Ripeness

A low-cost sensor array system for banana ripeness monitoring is presented. The sensors are constructed by employing a graphite line-patterning technique (LPT) to print interdigitated graphite electrodes on tracing paper and then coating the printed area with a thin film of polyaniline (PANI) by in-situ polymerization as the gas-sensitive layer. The PANI layers were used for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including ethylene, emitted during ripening. The influence of the various acid dopants, hydrochloric acid (HCl), methanesulfonic acid (MSA), p-toluenesulfonic acid (TSA) and camphorsulfonic acid (CSA), on the electrical properties of the thin film of PANI adsorbed on the electrodes was also studied. The extent of doping of the films was investigated by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and tests showed that the type of dopant plays an important role in the performance of these low-cost sensors. The array of three sensors, without the PANI-HCl sensor, was able to produce a distinct pattern of signals, taken as a signature (fingerprint) that can be used to characterize bananas ripeness

Controle cognitivo associado à indução de irritabilidade: um estudo de RMf usando recordações autobiográficas

OBJECTIVE: Despite the relevance of irritability emotions to the treatment, prognosis and classification of psychiatric disorders, the neurobiological basis of this emotional state has been rarely investigated to date. We assessed the brain circuitry underlying personal script-driven irritability in healthy subjects (n = 11) using functional magnetic resonance imaging. METHOD: Blood oxygen level-dependent signal changes were recorded during auditory presentation of personal scripts of irritability in contrast to scripts of happiness or neutral emotional content. Self-rated emotional measurements and skin conductance recordings were also obtained. Images were acquired using a 1,5T magnetic resonance scanner. Brain activation maps were constructed from individual images, and between-condition differences in the mean power of experimental response were identified by using cluster-wise nonparametric tests. RESULTS: Compared to neutral scripts, increased blood oxygen level-dependent signal during irritability scripts was detected in the left subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and in the left medial, anterolateral and posterolateral dorsal prefrontal cortex (cluster-wise p-value < 0.05). While the involvement of the subgenual cingulate and dorsal anterolateral prefrontal cortices was unique to the irritability state, increased blood oxygen level-dependent signal in dorsomedial and dorsal posterolateral prefrontal regions were also present during happiness induction. CONCLUSION: Irritability induction is associated with functional changes in a limited set of brain regions previously implicated in the mediation of emotional states. Changes in prefrontal and cingulate areas may be related to effortful cognitive control aspects that gain salience during the emergence of irritability.OBJETIVO: Apesar da relevância de emoções de irritabilidade para o tratamento, prognóstico e classificação dos transtornos psiquiátricos, as bases neurobiológicas deste tipo de estado emocional foram raramente investigadas até hoje. Este estudo avaliou os circuitos cerebrais subjacentes à irritabilidade induzida por scripts pessoais em voluntários saudáveis (n = 11) usando ressonância magnética funcional. MÉTODO: Mudanças no sinal dependente do nível de oxigenação sanguínea (blood-oxygen level dependent signal) foram registradas durante a apresentação por via auditiva de scripts pessoais de irritabilidade em contraste com scripts de felicidade ou de conteúdo emocional neutro. Escores em escalas de autoavaliação emocional e medidas de condutância da pele também foram obtidos. A aquisição de imagens foi realizada em aparelho de ressonância magnética de 1,5 T. Os mapas de ativação cerebral foram construídos a partir das imagens individuais, e as diferenças entre as condições experimentais foram investigadas utilizando testes não-paramétricos baseados em permutações. RESULTADOS: Em comparação com scripts neutros, a apresentação de scripts de irritabilidade levou a aumentos de sinal dependente do nível de oxigenação sanguínea na porção subgenual do giro do cíngulo anterior esquerdo e nas porções medial, ântero-lateral e póstero-lateral do córtex pré-frontal dorsal (cluster-wise p-valor < 0,05). Enquanto o envolvimento do cíngulo anterior subgenual e do córtex pré-frontal dorsal antero-lateral surgiu apenas em associação com o estado de irritabilidade, aumentos do sinal dependente do nível de oxigenação sanguínea nas porções dorso-medial e dorsal póstero-lateral do córtex pré-frontal também estiveram presentes durante indução de felicidade. CONCLUSÃO: Indução de irritabilidade está associada a mudanças de atividade funcional num conjunto restrito de regiões cerebrais previamente implicadas na mediação de estados emocionais. Mudanças na atividade de porções do giro do cíngulo e pré-frontais podem estar relacionadas a esforço de controle cognitivo associado à expressão de emoções de irritabilidade

"Toward a Clearer Definition of Confounding" Revisited With Directed Acyclic Graphs

In a 1993 paper (Am J Epidemiol. 1993;137(1):1–8), Weinberg considered whether a variable that is associated with the outcome and is affected by exposure but is not an intermediate variable between exposure and outcome should be considered a confounder in etiologic studies. As an example, she examined the common practice of adjusting for history of spontaneous abortion when estimating the effect of an exposure on the risk of spontaneous abortion. She showed algebraically that such an adjustment could substantially bias the results even though history of spontaneous abortion would meet some definitions of a confounder. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) were introduced into epidemiology several years later as a tool with which to identify confounders. The authors now revisit Weinberg's paper using DAGs to represent scenarios that arise from her original assumptions. DAG theory is consistent with Weinberg's finding that adjusting for history of spontaneous abortion introduces bias in her original scenario. In the authors' examples, treating history of spontaneous abortion as a confounder introduces bias if it is a descendant of the exposure and is associated with the outcome conditional on exposure or is a child of a collider on a relevant undirected path. Thoughtful DAG analyses require clear research questions but are easily modified for examining different causal assumptions that may affect confounder assessment

A strategy for the rapid identification of fungal metabolites and the discovery of the antiviral activity of pyrenocine a and harzianopyridon

The isolation and identification of bioactive metabolites from complex extracts obtained from microbial growth media is a time consuming, costly, and labor-intensive task. A strategy to rapidly identify secondary metabolites isolated from extracts obtained from the culture media of marine-derived and endophytic fungal strains is described. Identification was achieved by HPLC-UV-MS and 1H NMR analyses in combination with data obtained from the Dictionary of Natural Products. Among the compounds identified, (-)-naphthoquinoneimine, citreorosein, emodin, pyrenocine A and harzianopyridone displayed moderate to potent antiviral activity. (-)-Naphthoquinoneimine was isolated as the enantiomer of its previously reported dextrorotatory congener, while 6,7-dihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-4-chromanone is herein reported for the first time as a natural product396720731CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPBEX 4498-14-32010/50190-2; 2013/50228-8; 2011/08064-2; 2008/00331-9; 2013/23153-

Aromatic amine N-oxide organometallic compounds: Searching for prospective agents against infectious diseases

In search of prospective agents against infectious diseases, 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene pyridine-2-thiolato-1-oxide M(II) hexafluorophosphate compounds [M(mpo)(dppf)](PF6), where M = palladium or platinum, were synthesized and fully characterized in the solid state and in solution using experimental and DFT computational techniques. The compounds are isomorphous and the M(II) transition metal ions are in a nearly planar trapezoidal cis-coordination bound to the pyridine-2-thiolato-1-oxide (mpo) and to the 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene molecules, both acting as bidentate ligands. Both compounds showed high cytotoxic activity on Trypanosoma cruzi and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and acceptable selectivities towards MTB, but good to excellent selectivity index values as anti-T. cruzi compounds. The inclusion of the ferrocene moiety (dppf ligand) improved the selectivity towards the parasite when compared to the previously reported [M(mpo)2] complexes. Related to the probable mechanism of action of the complexes, molecular docking studies on modelled T. cruzi NADH-fumarate reductase (TcFR) predicted that both be very good inhibitors of the enzyme. The effect of the compounds on the enzyme activity was experimentally confirmed using T. cruzi protein extracts. According to all obtained results, both [M(mpo)(dppf)](PF6) compounds could be considered prospective anti-trypanosomal agents that deserve further research.Fil: Rodríguez Arce, Esteban. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Mosquillo, M. Florencia. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Pérez Díaz, Leticia. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Echeverría, Gustavo Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Piro, Oscar Enrique. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Merlino, Alicia. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Coitiño, E. Laura. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Maríngolo Ribeiro, Camila. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Leite, Clarice Q. F.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Pavan, Fernando R.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Otero, Lucía. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Gambino, Dinorah. Universidad de la República; Urugua