El césped del vecino es más verde: Flora de patios a través de un gradiente social

Urban backyards have considerable potential for biodiversity conservation and the enhancement of food security. However, these spaces are poorly planned, there is little information on the diversity of flora present in the backyards of different social clases. We quantified and compared plant diversity of the backyards of two neighborhoods in the metropolitan area of Maringa, by calculating diversity indices, bivariate correlations, the planting potencial, and outline planning guidelines, with the goal of increasing the presence of woody vegetation, strengthen the food security and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity, including the preservation of endangered plant speciesAgradecemos al Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente del gobierno español, por la financiación al Proyecto Ecología Urbana en Regiones Metropolitanas de Brasil: Paisaje, Calidad de Vida y Desarrollo Humano [Plan Nacional de I+D+i (CSO2009-12689)

La Libertad: La Libertad - Año XVI Número 4348 - 1934 febrero 23 (23/02/1934)

Um material adequado para a reconstrução óssea craniofacial deve ser simples de implantar, possuir forma adequada, resistência à fratura e à deformação similares ao osso original, ser eventualmente substituído por osso natural, ser largamente disponível e não possuir um custo muito elevado. Baseado no fato de que um material com todas estas características ainda não está disponível atualmente, tornase importante buscar novos materiais, novas composições e novas conformações. Diferentes biomateriais são utilizados atualmente para cirurgias de reconstrução craniofacial, cada um apresentando suas vantagens e limitações. Entre eles destacam-se o titânio, o polimetilmetacrilato e os cimentos de fosfato de cálcio. O titânio apresenta difícil conformação; o polimetilmetacrilato polimeriza-se por meio de uma reação exotérmica, podendo causar necrose de tecidos adjacentes ao implante; o cimento de fosfato de cálcio, por sua vez apresenta certa fragilidade, característica de alguns materiais cerâmicos. Neste sentido, este estudo examinou diferentes materiais utilizados para reconstrução craniofacial e suas propriedades mecânicas quando submetidos a ensaios de flexão, como o polimetilmetacrilato, o cimento de fosfato de cálcio e o cimento de fosfato de cálcio reforçado com titânio. Foi verificada a melhoria de propriedades mecânicas do cimento de fosfato de cálcio quando reforçado com malha de titânio. Além disso, este estudo apresenta uma técnica para o projeto e fabricação de implantes craniofaciais personalizados utilizando cimento de fosfato de cálcio reforçado com titânio, validada através de quatro casos de indicação cirúrgica de reconstrução craniofacial.A material suitable for craniofacial reconstruction must be easy to implant, have the appropriate shape, have the strength and deformation similar to the original bone, be eventually substituted for natural bone, be widely available and present affordable costs. As such as material, with all theses characteristics is still not available, it is important to search for new materials, new compositions and new design. Different biomaterials are used nowadays for craniofacial reconstruction surgeries, each one presenting its advantages and limitations. Among these materials are the titanium, the poli(methilmetacrilate) and the calcium phosphate cements. Titanium presents hard conformation; poli(methilmetacrilate)’s polymerization reaction is exothermic, which may cause necrosis of the adjacent tissues; calcium phosphate cement is brittle, an usual characteristic of ceramic materials. In this way, this study evaluated different materials used for craniofacial reconstruction and its mechanical properties when submitted to bending test, such as poli(methilmetacrilate), calcium phosphate cement and calcium phosphate cement reinforced with titanium. It was verified the improvement in the mechanical properties of the calcium phosphate cement when reinforced with titanium mesh. In addition, this study presents a method for design and manufacturing of customized craniofacial implants using calcium phosphate cement reinforced with titanium mesh, validated through four cases of craniofacial reconstruction surgery indication

Carbohydrate metabolic compensation coupled to high tolerance to oxidative stress in ticks

Abstract Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are natural byproducts of metabolism that have toxic effects well documented in mammals. In hematophagous arthropods, however, these processes are not largely understood. Here, we describe that Rhipicephalus microplus ticks and embryonic cell line (BME26) employ an adaptive metabolic compensation mechanism that confers tolerance to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at concentrations too high for others organisms. Tick survival and reproduction are not affected by H2O2 exposure, while BME26 cells morphology was only mildly altered by the treatment. Furthermore, H2O2-tolerant BME26 cells maintained their proliferative capacity unchanged. We evaluated several genes involved in gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, and pentose phosphate pathway, major pathways for carbohydrate catabolism and anabolism, describing a metabolic mechanism that explains such tolerance. Genetic and catalytic control of the genes and enzymes associated with these pathways are modulated by glucose uptake and energy resource availability. Transient increase in ROS levels, oxygen consumption, and ROS-scavenger enzymes, as well as decreased mitochondrial superoxide levels, were indicative of cell adaptation to high H2O2 exposure, and suggested a tolerance strategy developed by BME26 cells to cope with oxidative stress. Moreover, NADPH levels increased upon H2O2 challenge, and this phenomenon was sustained mainly by G6PDH activity. Interestingly, G6PDH knockdown in BME26 cells did not impair H2O2 tolerance, but generated an increase in NADP-ICDH transcription. In agreement with the hypothesis of a compensatory NADPH production in these cells, NADP-ICDH knockdown increased G6PDH relative transcript level. The present study unveils the first metabolic evidence of an adaptive mechanism to cope with high H2O2 exposure and maintain redox balance in ticks