Biossolubilização de fonolito por microrganismos do solo solubilizadores de potássio.

A produção nacional de fertilizantes potássicos atende somente 10% da demanda do agronegócio brasileiro. Como os solos brasileiros, em geral, possuem baixa fertilidade, verifica-se a necessidade de pesquisas visando novas fontes deste nutriente para a produção agrícola. Neste estudo, procurou-se avaliar o potencial de diferentes estirpes de microrganismos pertencentes à coleção de Microrganismos Multifuncionais da Embrapa Milho e Sorgo quanto à biossolubilização de potássio a partir da rocha fonolito in vitro. Testaram-se 13 isolados, sendo três bactérias e dez fungos quanto à taxa de solubilização em meio de cultura líquido, após 10 dias de agitação, sob temperatura de 28°C. Os teores de potássio foram determinados nos sobrenadantes das culturas enriquecidas após a filtração. Os resultados mostraram que a biodisponibilidade de potássio nos meios de cultura variaram significativamente em função dos isolados. A bactéria B30 foi a estirpe mais eficiente na solubilização de K, com incremento de 70% de solubilização, em relação ao controle não inoculado. Observou-se uma correlação negativa entre os valores do pH no meio de cultura e taxa de solubilização das estirpes. Estes resultados sugerem que os microrganismos avaliados podem ser utilizados para otimizar a biodisponibilidade de potássio a partir de rochas silicáticas

Biossolublização de fosfatos naturais e crescimento de milheto (Pennisetum americanum).

O setor agrícola no país vem ganhando espaço devido sua contribuição ao desenvolvimento econômico nacional. Porém, grande parte dos solos brasileiros possui baixa disponibilidade de fósforo (P), acabando por limitar este crescimento e gerando uma dependência elevada de fertilizantes fosfatados, em sua maioria importados. Este fato justifica estudos para uso de fontes alternativas de fósforo, como os fosfatos naturais de rocha. Neste trabalho, buscou-se avaliar a liberação de P por microrganismos a partir de fosfatos de Araxá e de Itafós, em dois cultivos consecutivos de milheto em casa de vegetação. Foram conduzidos dois ensaios, utilizando-se duas bactérias previamente selecionadas como biossolubilizadoras de P in vitro (CMMSB70 e CMMSB30), sendo um com inoculante bioprocessado e outro com rochas não-bioprocessado, no total de 12 tratamentos cada, duas estirpes de bactérias combinadas com três fontes de P (duas rochas e supertriplo), além de tratamentos controle (fontes de P sem bactéria; sem rocha sem bactérias). Os tratamentos foram dispostos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Após a coleta em cada cultivo, avaliou-se a produção de massa seca da parte aérea na fase de pré-florescimento. No segundo cultivo, houve ganho de cerca de 20% de massa seca para o tratamento de Rocha Araxá e Itafós com inoculação de B32 e B70 respectivamente, com relação ao tratamento com a rocha, sem microrganismos. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, pode-se, de forma preliminar, inferir que a adição de microrganismos selecionados pode agregar valor aos fertilizantes fosfatos de rocha

Social theory and the politics of big data and method

This article is an intervention in the debate on big data. It seeks to show, firstly, that behind the wager to make sociology more relevant to the digital there lies a coherent if essentially unstated vision and a whole stance which are more a symptom of the current world than a resolute endeavour to think that world through; hence the conclusion that the perspective prevailing in the debate lacks both the theoretical grip and the practical impulse to initiate a much needed renewal of social theory and sociology. Secondly, and more importantly, the article expounds an alternative view and shows by thus doing that other possibilities of engaging the digital can be pursued. The article is thus an invitation to widen the debate on big data and the digital and a call for a more combative social theory

Targeting cancer cells with folic acid-iminoboronate fluorescent conjugates.

Herein we present the synthesis of fluorescent 2-acetylbenzeneboronic acids that undergo B-N promoted conjugation with lysozyme and N-(2-aminoethyl) folic acid (EDA-FA), generating conjugates that are selectively recognized and internalized by cancer cells that over-express folic acid receptors

Specialized active leprosy search strategies in an endemic area of the Brazilian Amazon identifies a hypermutated Mycobacterium leprae strain causing primary drug resistance

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, remains a public health concern in endemic countries, particularly in Brazil. In this study, we conducted an active surveillance campaign in the hyperendemic city of Castanhal in the northeastern part of the state of Pará using clinical signs and symptoms combined with serological and molecular tools to diagnose new cases and to identify drug resistance of circulating M. leprae strains and their distribution in the community. METHODS: During an active surveillance of one week, we enrolled 318 individuals using three different strategies to enroll subjects for this study: (i) an active survey of previously treated cases from 2006 to 2016 found in the Brazil National Notifiable Disease Information System database (n = 23) and their healthy household contacts (HHC) (n = 57); (ii) an active survey of school children (SC) from two primary public schools in low-income neighborhoods (n = 178), followed by visits to the houses of these newly diagnosed SC (n = 7) to examine their HHC (n = 34) where we diagnosed additional new cases (n = 6); (iii) and those people who spontaneously presented themselves to our team or the local health center with clinical signs and/or symptoms of leprosy (n = 6) with subsequent follow-up of their HHC when the case was confirmed (n = 20) where we diagnosed two additional cases (n = 2). Individuals received a dermato-neurological examination, 5 ml of peripheral blood was collected to assess the anti-PGL-I titer by ELISA and intradermal earlobe skin scrapings were taken from HHC and cases for amplification of the M. leprae RLEP region by qPCR. RESULTS: Anti-PGL-I positivity was highest in the new leprosy case group (52%) followed by the treated group (40.9%), HHC (40%) and lowest in SC (24.6%). RLEP qPCR from SSS was performed on 124 individuals, 22 in treated cases, 24 in newly diagnosed leprosy cases, and 78 in HHC. We detected 29.0% (36/124) positivity overall in this sample set. The positivity in treated cases was 31.8% (7/22), while in newly diagnosed leprosy cases the number of positives were higher, 45.8% (11/23) and lower in HHC at 23.7% (18/76). Whole genome sequencing of M. leprae from biopsies of three infected individuals from one extended family revealed a hypermutated M. leprae strain in an unusual case of primary drug resistance while the other two strains were drug sensitive. DISCUSSION: This study represents the extent of leprosy in an active surveillance campaign during a single week in the city of Castanhal, a city that we have previously surveyed several times during the past ten years. Our results indicate the continuing high transmission of leprosy that includes fairly high rates of new cases detected in children indicating recent spread by multiple foci of infection in the community. An unusual case of a hypermutated M. leprae strain in a case of primary drug resistance was discovered. It also revealed a high hidden prevalence of overt disease and subclinical infection that remains a challenge for correct clinical diagnosis by signs and symptoms that may be aided using adjunct laboratory tests, such as RLEP qPCR and anti-PGL-I serology