Sistemas de preparo de solo e acúmulo de metais pesados no solo e na cultura do pimentão (Capsicum Annum L.) Systems preparation of soil and accumulation of heavy metals in the soil and in the culture of pepper (Capsicum Annum L.)

Este trabalho teve por objetivos determinar a influência de diferentes métodos de preparo do solo sobre as perdas por erosão de metais pesados e na contaminação do solo e de frutos de pimentão (Capsicum annuum L.) com esses elementos. A avaliação foi realizada durante os meses de dezembro de 1999 a março de 2000, no ciclo de cultivo do Pimentão (Capsicum annuum L.). Foram utilizadas parcelas do tipo Wischmeier, de tamanho de 22,0 x 4,0m. Os tratamentos utilizados foram os seguintes: (i) aração com trator morro abaixo e queima dos resíduos vegetais (MAQ); (ii) aração com trator morro abaixo e não queima dos resíduos vegetais (MANQ); (iii) aração com tração animal em nível, faixas de capim colonião a cada 7,0m (AA) e (iv) cultivo mínimo, com preparo de covas em nível (CM). As perdas mais elevadas de metais pesados por erosão foram verificadas no tratamento MAQ, típico da região. A concentração de Pb no fruto in natura, nos quatros sistemas de preparo do solo, e de Cd no CM estiveram acima dos limites permitidos para alimentos in natura, estando impróprios para o consumo humano Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho permitem concluir que o uso intensivo de agroquímicos associados às elevadas perdas de solo por erosão pode determinar sérios riscos de contaminação do solo, água e alimentos produzidos.<br>The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of different soil tillage methods on the loss of heavy metals by erosion, and to evaluate the level of contamination of soil and food in Paty do Alferes County, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The experiment was conducted from December of 1999 to March of 2000, and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) was the cultivated crop. Four Wichmeier plots were installed, with an area of 22 x 4m. The treatments utilized were the following: (i) tillage with machinery and operation down hill and burning of the grassland (MAQ); (ii) tillage with machinery and operation down and without burning of grassland between lines of crop (MANQ); (iii) tillage with animal traction and following the natural contour of the hill, strip cropping grass each 7m (AA); and minimum tillage, (CM). The highest losses of heavy metals by erosion were in the MAQ treatment. The minimum tillage showed greater accumulation of heavy metals than others soil tillage methods, due to lower erosion losses in this trial. The concentration of Pb in fruits in natura, in the four soil tillage methods, was above the levels allowed to food consumption. The results obtained in this work allow to conclude that the intensive use of agrochemistrys associated the high soil losses by erosion can determine serious risks of contamination of soil, water and foods

Mapping of Protein-Protein Interactions: Web-Based Resources for Revealing Interactomes

Background: The significant number of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) discovered by harnessing concomitant advances in the fields of sequencing, crystallography, spectrometry and two-hybrid screening suggests astonishing prospects for remodelling drug discovery. The PPI space which includes up to 650 000 entities is a remarkable reservoir of potential therapeutic targets for every human disease. In order to allow modern drug discovery programs to leverage this, we should be able to discern complete PPI maps associated with a specific disorder and corresponding normal physiology. Objective: Here, we will review community available computational programs for predicting PPIs and web-based resources for storing experimentally annotated interactions. Methods: We compared the capacities of prediction tools: iLoops, Struck2Net, HOMCOS, COTH, PrePPI, InterPreTS and PRISM to predict recently discovered protein interactions. Results: We described sequence-based and structure-based PPI prediction tools and addressed their peculiarities. Additionally, since the usefulness of prediction algorithms critically depends on the quality and quantity of the experimental data they are built on; we extensively discussed community resources for protein interactions. We focused on the active and recently updated primary and secondary PPI databases, repositories specialized to the subject or species, as well as databases that include both experimental and predicted PPIs. Conclusion: PPI complexes are the basis of important physiological processes and therefore, possible targets for cell-penetrating ligands. Reliable computational PPI predictions can speed up new target discoveries through prioritization of therapeutically relevant protein–protein complexes for experimental studies

Prevalence and risk factors for Enterobacteriaceae in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

Background and objective Enterobacteriaceae (EB) spp. family is known to include potentially multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms, and remains as an important cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) associated with high mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and specific risk factors associated with EB and MDR-EB in a cohort of hospitalized adults with CAP. Methods We performed a multinational, point-prevalence study of adult patients hospitalized with CAP. MDR-EB was defined when &gt;= 3 antimicrobial classes were identified as non-susceptible. Risk factors assessment was also performed for patients with EB and MDR-EB infection. Results Of the 3193 patients enrolled with CAP, 197 (6%) had a positive culture with EB. Fifty-one percent (n = 100) of EB were resistant to at least one antibiotic and 19% (n = 38) had MDR-EB. The most commonly EB identified were Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 111, 56%) and Escherichia coli (n = 56, 28%). The risk factors that were independently associated with EB CAP were male gender, severe CAP, underweight (body mass index (BMI) &lt; 18.5) and prior extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) infection. Additionally, prior ESBL infection, being underweight, cardiovascular diseases and hospitalization in the last 12 months were independently associated with MDR-EB CAP. Conclusion This study of adults hospitalized with CAP found a prevalence of EB of 6% and MDR-EB of 1.2%, respectively. The presence of specific risk factors, such as prior ESBL infection and being underweight, should raise the clinical suspicion for EB and MDR-EB in patients hospitalized with CAP