ESCOLAS PÚBLICAS E PRIVADAS EM TAUÁ-CE: COMO ANDA O ENSINO DE QUÍMICA?

O processo ensino-aprendizagem tem revelado muitos desafios para a maioria dos professores de todos os níveis escolares, pois não existe um único ou o melhor caminho a ser trilhado pelo professor. O Ensino de Química deve possibilitar o desenvolvimento da capacidade de tomada de decisão, o que implica a necessidade de vinculação do conteúdo trabalhado com o seu contexto social. Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar e avaliar o perfil dos professores do Ensino Público e Privado na Cidade de Tauá-CE e saber como interagem com os alunos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Foram entrevistados três professores do Ensino Público e dois professores do Ensino Particular via questionário semi-estruturado, composto de nove questões de múltipla escolha e quatro subjetivas e descritivas. A partir da análise dos resultados foram construídos gráficos sobre a realidade enfrentada em cada instituição. Os professores concordaram que o Ensino de Química é para formar cidadão, no entanto, algumas de suas práticas não permitem que atinjam esse objetivo. Em suma este trabalho foi considerado importante, visto que foi possível traçar o perfil dos educadores de Tauá-CE de forma narrativa e reflexiva, além de fornecer um conhecimento sobre as práticas e assuntos de química abordados na sala de aula

Contribution of the carbohydrate-binding ability of Vatairea guianensis lectin to induce edematogenic activity

Vatairea guianensis lectin (VGL), Dalbergiae tribe, is a N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc)/Galactose (Gal) lectin previously purified and characterized. In this work, we report its structural features, obtained from bioinformatics tools, and its inflammatory effect, obtained from a rat paw edema model. The VGL model was obtained by homology with the lectin of Vatairea macrocarpa (VML) as template, and we used it to demonstrate the common characteristics of legume lectins, such as the jellyroll motif and presence of a metal-binding site in the vicinity of the carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD). Protein-ligand docking revealed favorable interactions with N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, D-galactose and related sugars as well as several biologically relevant N- and O-glycans. In vivo testing of paw edema revealed that VGL induces edematogenic effect involving prostaglandins, interleukins and VGL CRD. Taken together, these data corroborate with previous reports showing that VGL interacts with N- and/or O-glycans of molecular targets, particularly in those presenting galactosides in their structure, contributing to the lectin inflammatory effect. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM

Silicon via fertigation with and without potassium application, improve physiological aspects of common beans cultivated under three water regimes in field

Abstract Frequent droughts have led to an expansion of irrigated common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivation areas. An effective strategy to enhance water use efficiency and optimize crop growth is the application of silicon (Si) and potassium (K). However, the interaction between Si dosage, water regimes, and plant potassium status, as well as the underlying physiological mechanisms, remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the effects of Si doses applied via fertigation under various water regimes, in the presence and absence of potassium fertilization, on gas exchange, water use efficiency, and growth of Common beans in field conditions. Two experiments were conducted, one with and one without K supply, considering that the potassium content in the soil was 6.4 mmolc dm-3 in both experiments and a replacement dose of 50 kg ha was applied in the with K treatment, with the same treatments evaluated in both potassium conditions. The treatments comprised a 3 × 4 factorial design, encompassing three water regimes: 80% (no deficit), 60% (moderate water deficit), and 40% (severe water deficit) of soil water retention capacity, and four doses of Si supplied via fertigation: 0, 4, 8, and 12 kg ha−1. Where it was evaluated, content of photosynthetic pigments, fluorescence of photosynthesis, relative water content, leaf water potential and electrolyte extravasation, dry mass of leaves, stems and total. The optimal doses of Si for fertigation application, leading to increased Si absorption in plants, varied with decreasing soil water content. The respective values were 6.6, 7.0, and 7.1 kg ha−1 for the water regimes without deficit, with moderate water deficit, and with severe water deficit. Fertigation application of Si improved plant performance, particularly under severe water deficit, regardless of potassium status. This improvement was evident in relative water content, leaf water potential, and membrane resistance, directly impacting pigment content and gas exchange rates. The physiological effects resulted in enhanced photosynthesis in water-deficient plants, mitigating dry mass production losses. This research demonstrates, for the first time in common bean, the potential of Si to enhance irrigation efficiency in areas limited by low precipitation and water scarcity

Lectins applied to diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer and benign hyperplasia : a review

Environmental factors, as well as genetic factors, contribute to the increase in prostate cancer cases (PCa), the second leading cause of cancer death in men. This fact calls for the development of more reliable, quick and lowcost early detection tests to distinguish between malignant and benign cases. Abnormal cell glycosylation pattern is a promising PCa marker for this purpose. Proteins, such as lectins can decode the information contained in the glycosylation patterns. Several studies have reported on applications of plant lectins as diagnostic tools for PCa considering the ability to differentiate it from benign cases. In addition, they can be used to detect, separate and differentiate the glycosylation patterns of cells or proteins present in serum, urine and semen. Herein, we present an overview of these studies, showing the lectins that map glycans differentially expressed in PCa, as well as benign hyperplasia (BPH). We further review their applications in biosensors, histochemical tests, immunoassays, chromatography, arrays and, finally, their therapeutic potential. This is the first study to review vegetable lectins applied specifically to PCa

Biochemical and structural properties of a lectin purified from seeds of the legume Parkia nitida Miq.

As the main carbohydrate-binding proteins, lectins are responsible for several biological functions, although their specific roles are still being unveiled. In the current work, a jacalin-related lectin from the seeds of Parkia nitida (Fabaceae family, Mimosoideae subfamily) was isolated by a combination of saline precipitation, mannose affinity chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. The lectin, henceforth designated as PNL, demonstrated remarkable similarity to other Parkia lectins at the biochemical and structural levels. Overall, PNL is a stable lectin with a molecular mass of 48,760.3 Da, composed of 451 amino acid residues that fold into 3 side-by-side β-prism domains, each with its own carbohydrate-recognition domain specific to mannosides. Additionally, PNL displays a degree of toxicity against Artemia sp., albeit weaker than similar lectins. In conclusion, a representative of the Mimosoideae subfamily of legumes could be purified and characterized. This represents an advance in the understanding of Mimosoideae lectins, a group of unique proteins that receive significantly less focus in the plant lectin field