Maize (Zea mays L) cultivars nutrients concentration in leaves and stalks

There is pressure for crop residue removal for use as biofuel, animal feed, animal bedding and many other func¬tions which may increase nutrient export. However, there is little information about nutritional composition of maize stover considering the wide variability of cultivars used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of maize cultivar on macronutrient (P, K, Ca, and Mg), micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) and Na concentration in leaves and stalks. We selected five pairs of cultivars, ranging from creole to high potential hybrid (creole, commer¬cial variety, single, double and triple cross hybrid). The cultivars were cropped under field conditions in high fertile Rhodic Ferralsol Eutric during two growing seasons. The first was characterized by severe drought (2005/2006) while the second with an abundant water supply (2006/2007). The leaf and stalk concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Na, Zn, Cu, and C/P ratio were quantified at maturation stage. The results indicated that the P concen¬tration in leaves and stalks was inversely related to the technological level when simple hybrid was compared to creole cultivars. Similar behavior was observed for K in the leaf and stalk tissues. For Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Na, it was not possible to establish the influence of maize selection. The C/P ratio of leaves and stalks underwent influence of the technological level with high values for simple hybrids. Maize selection seems to decrease P and K concentration for two major residue fractions, leaves and stalks

COMPARAÇÃO ENTRE OS MEIOS DE CULTURA PARA CONTAGEM DE FUNGOS NO CONTROLE MICROBIOLÓGICO DE ERVA-MATE

A contagem de bolores e leveduras é uma das análises realizadas no controle de qualidade de alimentos com intuito de estimar a vida útil de determinado produto alimentício. Embora considerada indicadora de contaminação, quantificar estes fungos é fundamental na avaliação da qualidade de produtos armazenados, principalmente cereais e preparados para infusões, em virtude do potencial micotoxigênico de algumas espécies de bolores. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo comparar o número de unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC) de fungos, obtidas a partir de três marcas de ervamate, semeadas em quintuplicata em ágar batata dextrosado, ágar dicloran rosa de bengala cloranfenicol e meio para bolores e leveduras ­ SIMPLATE. O ágar batata dextrosado e o ágar dicloran rosa de bengala cloranfenicol são rotineiramente empregados em laboratórios de análise, necessitando após inoculação, de cinco dias para leitura dos resultados. O meio para bolores e leveduras ­SIMPLATE é um método novo, baseado na atividade metabólica, que permite efetuar a leitura em dois dias após a inoculação, reduzindo significativamente o prazo analítico. Os resultados obtidos foram avaliados estatisticamente por meio da análise de variância e Teste de Tukey. Na prática laboratorial o melhor método é aquele que recupera maior número de unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC). Na amostra que apresentou contagem de até 10.000 UFC/g não se constatou diferença significativa entre os meios de cultura testados, porém nas amostras com contagens superiores a 10.000 UFC/g o ágar dicloran rosa de bengala cloranfenicol e o meio para bolores e leveduras ­SIMPLATE revelaramse estatisticamente mais eficazes que o ágar batata dextrosado. Abstract The mould and yeasts counting is one of the analyses accomplished in the control of quality of foods with an aim to estimate the useful life of certain nutritious product. Although considered indicative of contamination, to quantify these fungi is fundamental in the evaluation of the quality of stored products, mainly cereals and prepared for infusions, by virtue of the toxicant potential of some mould species. The present work had for objective to compare the number of forming colonies units (FCU) of fungi, obtained from three mate marks, sowed five fold in potato dextrose agar, dichloranrosebengal medium and medium for mould and yeasts ­ SIMPLATE. The potato dextrose agar and the dichloranrosebengal medium are routinely employed in analysis laboratories, needing after inoculation, of five days for reading of the results. The medium for mould and yeasts ­SIMPLATE is a new method, based on the metabolic activity, that allows to make the reading in two days after the inoculation, reducing the analytic period significantly. The obtained results were appraised statistically by means of the variance analysis and Test of Tukey. In the laboratory practical the best method is that which recovers larger number of forming colonies units (FCU). In the sample that presented counting of up to 10.000 UFC/g significant difference was not verified among the tested culture mediums, even so in the samples with superior counting to 10.000 UFC/g the dichloranrosebengal medium and the medium SIMPLATE were revealed statistically more effective than the potato dextrose agar

ESTIMATIVAS DE PARÂMETROS RELACIONADOS AO MELHORAMENTO GENÉTICO DA ERVA-MATE: POSSIBILIDADE DE SELEÇÃO PRECOCE

An 8x8 balanced lattice, with 9 repetitions and 6 plants per plot, performing a total of 3,456 plants (64 half-sib progenies of erva-mate - Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. - distributed among 5 populations from different sites in the States of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul), was set up at the Canguiri farm of UFPR. The distances between plants and rows were 1,6 m and 2,5 m respectively. The aim of this trial is to genetically improve these populations as well as to develop other studies considered important for the culture. The traits evaluated were mortality rate at the age of 4 and 12 months, and plant height at 12 months, from the date the trial was set up. The results showed that mortality rate at 4 months was not affected by progenies nor by populations. At twelve months, on the other hand, some progenies and mainly populations showed a higher mortality rate. Significant effects for plant height were detected for populations and progenies within them. Barão de Cotegipe site showed the highest individual narrow sense heritability, the highest average for plant height, and the lowest mortality rate.No final de julho de 1997 foi montado, na Estação Experimental do Canguiri/UFPR, um experimento com erva-mate, latice 8x8 (64 progênies de meios irmãos originadas de cinco procedências), com nove repetições balanceadas e seis plantas por parcela, perfazendo um total de 3456 plantas, num espaçamento de 1,6 m entre plantas e 2,5 m entre fileiras. Por se tratar de uma espécie perene, os objetivos deste experimento são enfocados em um longo prazo, durante o qual pretende-se promover o melhoramento genético desta espécie, bem como desenvolver outros estudos de importância para a sua exploração. Os caracteres analisados foram taxa de mortalidade aos quatro e 12 meses da data de plantio e altura de planta aos 12. Os resultados permitiram concluir que a distribuição de mortalidade aos quatro meses não foi influenciada por progênies ou procedências. Aos 12 meses, entretanto, houve evidências de maior suscetibilidade à mortalidade de certas progênies e, principalmente, procedências. Efeitos significativos, para o caráter altura de planta, foram observados para procedências e progênies dentro destas. Estimativas da herdabilidade no sentido restrito e no nível de indivíduos variaram entre as procedências. As progênies de Barão de Cotegipe, além de apresentarem a menor taxa de mortalidade, mostraram também a maior média e a maior variância genética aditiva para o caráter altura de planta

Stimulation of lymphocyte anti-melanoma activity by co-cultured macrophages activated by complex homeopathic medication

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, and the most rapidly expanding cancer in terms of worldwide incidence. Chemotherapeutic approaches to treat melanoma have been uniformly disappointing. A Brazilian complex homeopathic medication (CHM), used as an immune modulator, has been recommended for patients with depressed immune systems. Previous studies in mice have demonstrated that the CHM activates macrophages, induces an increase in the number of leukocytes and improves the murine response against Sarcoma-180.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here we studied the interaction of mouse lymph node lymphocytes, co-cultured <it>in vitro </it>with macrophages in the presence or absence of the CHM, with B16F10 melanoma cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Lymphocytes co-cultured with macrophages in the presence of the CHM had greater anti-melanoma activity, reducing melanoma cell density and increasing the number of lysed tumor cells. There was also a higher proportion of activated (CD25⁺) lymphocytes with increased viability. Overall, lymphocytes activated by treatment destroyed growing cancer cells more effectively than control lymphocytes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Co-culture of macrophages with lymphocytes in the presence of the CHM enhanced the anti-cancer performance of lymphocytes against a very aggressive lineage of melanoma cells. These results suggest that non-toxic therapies using CHMs are a promising alternative approach to the treatment of melanomas. In addition, they are attractive combination-therapy candidates, which may enhance the efficacy of conventional medicines by improving the immune response against tumor cells.</p

The evolution of the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus found on healthcare workers correlated with local consumption of antibiotics

OBJECTIVE: Correlate the evolution of the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus collected from healthcare workers with the local consumption of antibiotics. MATERIAN AND METHODS: Open prospective research.Study Site. General Reference Hospital with 200 beds in a 700,000 inhabitant region, in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil. RESULTS: Two collections (samples) of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were obtained from healthcare-workers during an approximate four-year interval. Samples 1 (n= 200) and 2 (n= 270) had this bacterium in 63 (32%) and 90 (33%) of the patients, respectively. At the same time, the annual consumption of antibiotics in DDD/1,000 patient-days was determined. The variation of resistance was significantly smaller (m.s.d.=12.11) for gentamycin (p<0.01) and (m.s.d.=9.22) for Tobramycin (p<0.05). The correlation between variation in resistance and antibiotic consumption was not significant. Workers studied in the two samples showed a significant (p<0.01) frequency (c²=10.44) for persistent nasal carriage and for non carriage. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was found in 12 (6%) patients of sample 1 and 11 patients (4%) of sample 2. CONCLUSION: Stability of resistance allows us to maintain therapeutic outlines. The variation in bacterial resistance in the twice-sampled population (n=105) indicated the selection pressure of the hospital environment. The resistance that was found is representative of the hospital microbiota; this relationship represents a biological model, based on the healthcare-workers' interaction with colonizing bacteria and nosocomial infections. New studies could improve this model for other bacteria, to determine the tendency for resistance and help guide the antibiotic use

Metais pesados em solos de área de mineração e metalurgia de chumbo: II - formas e disponibilidade para plantas

As formas e a disponibilidade dos metais pesados em solos contaminados definem o potencial de absorção pelas plantas e de contaminação das águas por lixiviação. Neste trabalho, foram usados diferentes métodos de extrações químicas com o objetivo de identificar as formas de Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni e Zn e avaliar a disponibilidade desses poluentes para girassol (Helianthus annuus L.), aveia-preta (Avena strigosa Schreber) (exóticas) e grama-batatais (Paspalum notatum Flügge) (nativa) como espécies indicadoras em solos de área de mineração e metalurgia de Pb, no município de Adrianópolis (PR). Foram coletadas amostras (0 a 40 cm) em quatro ambientes da área: solo 1 - referência (mata nativa); solo 2 - pequena ocorrência de rejeitos no perfil; solo 3 - próximo da chaminé da fábrica (aporte de material particulado); solo 4 - intenso descarte de resíduos finos. Os métodos de extração empregados foram: DTPA-TEA pH 7,3; Ca(NO3)2 0,5 mol L-1; HNO3 0,5, 1,0 e 4,0 mol L-1 e água régia (HNO3/HCl concentrados - 3:1). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação, com três repetições. Houve intenso incremento nos teores pseudototais, trocáveis e não trocáveis de metais pesados com a mineração; os teores máximos de Pb e Zn extraídos pela água régia foram de 9.678,2 e 894,8 mg kg-1, respectivamente. Os extratores HNO3 0,5, 1,0 e 4,0 mol L-1 e água régia correlacionaram entre si quanto à extração de metais pesados nos solos. O extrator com princípio de quelação (DTPA-TEA pH 7,3) não foi eficiente na predição da disponibilidade desses metais para as plantas. As extrações nítricas devem ser preferidas para se estabelecer a fitodisponibilidade de Pb e Zn nos solos da área

Establishment of experimental conditions for preserving samples of fish blood for analysis with both comet assay and flow cytometry

When environmental analysis is performed, the high number of samples required and handling conditions during the transport of these samples to the laboratory are common problems. The comet assay is a useful, highly sensitive tool in biomonitoring. Some studies in the literature aim to preserve slides in lysis solution for use in the comet assay. Until now, however, no efficient methodology for preserving blood samples for this assay has been described. Because of this, the present report aimed to establish the proper conditions for samples maintenance prior to comet assay analysis. Samples were conserved in three different solutions: a high protein concentration solution (fetal bovine serum-FBS), an anticoagulant agent (a calcium chelator - ethylenediaminetetracetic acid - EDTA), and a salt buffered solution (phosphate buffered saline-PBS). Therefore, peripheral blood samples of Rhamdia quelen specimens were collected and maintained in these solutions until testing at 72 h. Analyses of DNA fragmentation via the comet assay and cell viability via flow cytometry were performed at intervals of 24 h. The results showed that samples maintained in FBS were preserved better; this was followed by those preserved in PBS and then last by those preserved in EDTA. In conclusion, blood samples from freshwater fish can be preserved up to 48 h in fetal bovine serum at 4 °C in the absence of light. In this period, no DNA fragmentation occurs. We thus describe an excellent method of sample conservation for subsequent analysis in the laboratory