Leaf-Level Field Spectroscopy to Discriminate Invasive Species (Psidium guajava L. and Hovenia dulcis Thunb.) from Native Tree Species in the Southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Invasive species are known to have potential advantages over the native community and can be expressed in their leaf functional traits. Thus, leaf-level traits with spectral reflectance can provide valuable insights for distinguishing invasive trees from native trees in complex forest environments. We conducted field spectroscopy measurements in a subtropical area, where we also collected trait data for 12 functional traits of invasive (Psidium guajava and Hovenia dulcis), and native species (Psidium cattleianum and Luehea divaricata). We found that photosynthetic pigments were responsible for the greatest interspecific variability, especially in the green region of the spectrum at 550 nm, therefore contributing to detection of invasive species. In addition, according to LDA and stepwise procedures, the most informative reflectance spectra were concentrated in the visible range that is closely related to pigment absorption features. Furthermore, we aimed to understand the leaf optical properties of the target invasive species by using a combination of narrow bands and linear regression models. P. guajava showed high correlations with specific leaf area, Car/Chl and relative water content. H. dulcis had a strong correlation with water content, specific leaf area and Chla/Chlb. Overall, this methodology proved to be appropriate for discriminating invasive trees, although parameterization by species is necessary

Microbial quality of soil from the Pampa biome in response to different grazing pressures

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different grazing pressures on the activity and diversity of soil bacteria. We performed a long-term experiment in Eldorado do Sul, southern Brazil, that assessed three levels of grazing pressure: high pressure (HP), with 4% herbage allowance (HA), moderate pressure (MP), with 12% HA, and low pressure (LP), with 16% HA. Two reference areas were also assessed, one of never-grazed native vegetation (NG) and another of regenerated vegetation after two years of grazing (RG). Soil samples were evaluated for microbial biomass and enzymatic ( -glucosidase, arylsulfatase and urease) activities. The structure of the bacterial community and the population of diazotrophic bacteria were evaluated by RFLP of the 16S rRNA and nifH genes, respectively. The diversity of diazotrophic bacteria was assessed by partial sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene. The presence of grazing animals increased soil microbial biomass in MP and HP. The structures of the bacterial community and the populations of diazotrophic bacteria were altered by the different grazing managements, with a greater diversity of diazotrophic bacteria in the LP treatment. Based on the characteristics evaluated, the MP treatment was the most appropriate for animal production and conservation of the Pampa biome

Infecção respiratória aguda por adenovirus: comparação dos métodos de PCR e imunofluorescência indireta para o seu diagnóstico e dados clínicos dos pacientes infectados

Infecções respiratórias por Adenovírus (ADV) são geralmente descritas associadas com alta mortalidade. O diagnóstico laboratorial é essencial para o estabelecimento da terapêutica adequada e para orientar a implantação de medidas preventivas evitando a propagação da infecção. Com o objetivo de analisar a sensibilidade e a especificidade dos métodos de avaliação de diagnóstico laboratorial, foi comparada a detecção de antígeno por imunofluorescência indireta (IF) com a reação em cadeia da polimerase específica (PCR) para detectar AdV em amostras respiratórias coletadas de pacientes internados com doença respiratória aguda. As amostras com resultados positivos foram inoculadas em cultura celular. Foram analisadas 381 amostras da secreção nasofaríngea coletadas durante o ano de 2008, das quais 2,6% foram positivas pela IF e 10% pela PCR, isolamento positivo foi obtido em 40% e 26% dos casos positivos pelos testes anteriores, respectivamente. A maioria dos pacientes infectados eram crianças com menos de seis meses de idade, e apesar do fato de que um número significativo de pacientes necessitou de cuidados intensivos, a taxa de mortalidade foi baixa (5%). Em conclusão, os métodos moleculares são úteis para o diagnóstico rápido de infecções por adenovírus com maior sensibilidade do que a detecção do antígeno, a sua introdução na rotina permitiu um aumento significativo no diagnóstico de infecções por adenovírus.Adenovirus (AdV) respiratory infections are usually described as being associated with high mortality rates. Laboratory diagnosis is essential for the establishment of the appropriate therapy, and for guiding the implementation of preventive measures in order to prevent the spread of the infection. Aiming to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of the laboratorial diagnosis methods available, we compared antigen detection by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IF), and a specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to detect AdV in respiratory samples collected from patients admitted to hospital with acute respiratory disease. Positive samples were inoculated into a cell culture to confirm the results. We analyzed 381 samples from the nasopharyngeal aspirates collected during the year 2008; of these, 2.6% tested were positive for adenovirus through IF and 10% through PCR; positive isolation was obtained in 40% and 26% of these cases, respectively. Most infected patients were children under six months of age, and despite of the fact that a significant number of patients required intensive care, the mortality rate was low (5%). In conclusion, molecular methods were found to be useful for rapid diagnosis of adenovirus infections with higher sensitivity than antigen detection; their introduction permitted a significant increase in diagnoses of adenovirus infections

Chronopharmacological effects of growth hormone on the executive function and oxidative stress response in rats

Objective(s): to investigate the chronopharmacological effects of growth hormone on executive function and the oxidative stress response in rats. Materials and Methods: Fifty male Wistar rats (36-40 weeks old) had ad libitum access to water and food and were separated into four groups: diurnal control, nocturnal control, diurnal GH-treated, and nocturnal GH-treated animals. Levels of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD), and superoxide release by spleen macrophages were evaluated. For memory testing, adaptation and walking in an open field platform was used. GH-treated animals demonstrated better performance in exploratory and spatial open-field tests. Results: The latency time in both GH-treated groups was significantly lower compared with the latency time of the control groups. The diurnal GH treatment did not stimulate superoxide release but increased the CuZn-SOD enzyme levels. The nocturnal GH treatment did not influence the superoxide release and CuZn-SOD concentration. GH treatment also resulted in heart atrophy and lung hypertrophy. Conclusion: Growth hormone treatment improved the performance of executive functions at the cost of oxidative stress triggering, and this effect was dependent on the circadian period of hormone administration. However, GH treatment caused damaging effects such as lung hypertrophy and heart atrophy

Antimicrobial activity of Alternanthera brasiliana Kuntze (Amaranthaceae): a biomonitored study

In an attempt to identify new antimicrobial compounds with potential to be used as a bactericidal/ fungicidal agent, a biomonitored study of extracts of Alternanthera brasiliana, which is used in Brazilian folk medicine as bactericidal, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, was developed. Different techniques of evaluation have been used in the partitioned extracts of the antimicrobial activity associated with chromatographic methodologies. The work led to the isolation of two substances in the ethyl acetate extract, identified as quercetin and sitosterol glycoside and the antibacterial evaluation of these substances demonstrated that the flavonoid presented antibacterial action against S. aureus. Further studies intend to identify new substances with antibacterial activity in extracts of A. brasiliana.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Vitamin D3 as adjuvant in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: modulation of genomic and biochemical instability

Erratum in - Corrigendum: Vitamin D3 as adjuvant in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: modulation of genomic and biochemical instability. Fagundes GE, Macan TP, Rohr P, Damiani AP, Da Rocha FR, Pereira M, Longaretti LM, Vilela TC, Ceretta LB, Mendes C, Silveira PCL, Teixeira JPF, de Andrade VM. Mutagenesis. 2019 May 29;34(2):215. doi: 10.1093/mutage/gez006.Type 2 diabetes mellitus has undergone a worldwide growth in incidence in the world and has now acquired epidemic status. There is a strong link between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D deficiency. Because vitamin D has beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of vitamin D3 supplementation on the modulation of glycaemic control and other metabolic effects, as well as modulation of genomic instability in patients with type 2 diabetes. We evaluated 75 patients with type 2 diabetes, registered in the Integrated Clinics of the University of Southern Santa Catarina. Participants received 4000 IU of vitamin D3 (25(OH)D) supplementation daily for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and at the end of the supplementation, and 4 weeks after the end of supplementation. The glycidic and lipid profiles [total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides], oxidative stress, DNA damage and 25(OH)D levels were evaluated. Vitamin D3 supplementation for 8 weeks showed enough to significantly increase blood levels of 25(OH)D. A significant difference in lipid profile was observed only in non-HDL cholesterol. Significant changes were observed in glucose homeostasis (fasting glucose and serum insulin) and, in addition, a reduction in the parameters of oxidative stress and DNA damage. There was a significant reduction in the values of 25(OH)D 4 weeks after the end of the supplementation, but levels still remained above baseline. Use of vitamin D supplementation can be an ally in the health modulation of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitusThis work was supported by grants from Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC) and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde/ Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Communication in health practices: integrative literature review

Objectivethis study aims to describe the main thematic axes explored in the communication field in health practices in the scenarios of the Unified Health System (SUS). Methodintegrative literature review conducted by means of search for articles in the databases Latin American Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS), International Literature on Health Sciences (MedLine), and Science Direct, using the descriptors: health communication or communication. A crossing of the descriptors communication and health education was provided. Resultfour themes were constructed: 1) communication to establish relationships between health professionals and users; 2) (in)communication: barriers to the communicative act, 3) communication and health professional education; and 4) communicative health models: search for the dialogic model. Conclusionby understanding dialogic communication, which must be observed in communication, the new requirements posed by the legalization of SUS have shown weaknesses of the single-line and vertical communication model and the need to provide health professionals, since the undergraduate course, with knowledge that enable dialogic communication practices. The challenge of reflective and participatory experiences in the various health care settings still remains, in order to promote a sharing of knowledge that leads to understanding between the interlocutors involved in the communicative act.Objetivoeste artigo tem por objetivo descrever os principais eixos temáticos explorados no campo da comunicação nas práticas em saúde nos cenários do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Métodorevisão integrativa da literatura realizada a partir da busca de artigos nas bases de dados Literatura Latino-Americana em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs), Literatura Internacional em Ciências da Saúde (MedLine) e Science Direct, utilizando os descritores: comunicação em saúde ou comunicação. Procedeu-se ao cruzamento dos descritores comunicação e educação em saúde. Resultadoforam construídas quatro temáticas: 1) a comunicação no estabelecimento de relações entre profissionais da saúde e usuários; 2) (des)comunicação: barreiras ao ato comunicativo; 3) comunicação e formação do profissional da saúde; e 4) modelos comunicativos em saúde: a busca pelo modelo dialógico. Conclusãoa partir do entendimento da comunicação dialógica, que deve estar presente na comunicação, as novas demandas da legalização do SUS vêm mostrando fragilidades do modelo unilinear e verticalizado de comunicação e a necessidade de instrumentalizar os profissionais da saúde, desde a graduação, com saberes que proporcionem práticas comunicativas dialógicas. Persiste o desafio de vivências reflexivas e participativas nos vários cenários de assistência à saúde, de forma a promover um compartilhamento de saberes que conduza ao entendimento entre os interlocutores envolvidos no ato comunicativo.Universidade Federal de PernambucoUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco Departamento de FonoaudiologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Centro de Desenvolvimento do Ensino Superior em SaúdeUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco Departamento de EnfermagemUNIFESP, Centro de Desenvolvimento do Ensino Superior em SaúdeSciEL