Obtaining microalgae biomass tolerant to herbicides for production of bio-fertilizers: a review based on methodi ordinatio methodology

The objective of this work was to use a systematic review of the literature on the cultivation of microalgae resistant to herbicide using the Method Methodi Ordinatio, which assists the search, selection, collection and classification of scientific articles. Initially, research was done on the databases Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science, using the keywords “microalgae” and “herbicide”. The results were imported to the Mendeley bibliographic reference manager. Subsequently, the index In Ordinatio index was applied, which works with the three most important factors in a scientific article: The impact factor, the year of publication and the number of citations of the research. This index turns it is possible to classify the most important articles in the area of herbicide-tolerant microalgae and note the importance of this method, which made it possible to find current studies and demonstrate the relevance of this research theme. In order to show the dynamics of the methodology, a research with the theme is presented, comprising works from years 2008 to 2018. The results indicate that the methodology is effective in relation to the objectives proposed, and the most relevant work on the cultivation of herbicide resistant microalgae are used to construct the scenario in this theme.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Efeito da aplicação de biofertilizante em hortaliças: uma meta-análise

A grande demanda de alimentos para uma população em constante crescimento é uma das preocupações atuais. O desafio está na produção de produtos sustentáveis que visem a diminuição ou erradicação do uso de fertilizantes químicos. Como alternativa aos fertilizantes sintéticos, estão sendo desenvolvidos os biofertilizantes, pois melhoram a disponibilidade de nutrientes para o vegetal, promovem o crescimento da planta, são menos agressivos ao solo e ao meio ambiente além de apresentam custo de produção menor. O objetivo deste trabalho foi a realização de uma meta-análise da literatura, identificando estudos que avaliaram os efeitos de biofertilizantes aplicados em culturas de hortaliças. Com base no banco de dados do Google Scholar tendo como base as palavras-chave “biofertilizante” E “alface” E “altura” OU “massa seca” OU “massa fresca”, foram selecionados nove artigos sobre o tema. Os parâmetros analisados foram: Altura, massa seca de folhas e massa fresca de folhas. A busca na literauta permitiu o acesso de 23 referências bibliográficas, porém somente nove foram selecionadas, visto que, as demais não preenchiam os critérios de validação para inclusão em uma meta-análise. Os estudos analisados foram realizados no Brasil entre os anos de 2004 e 2017 em sete estados brasileiros. Utilizou-se como ferramenta de análise o Software MetaWin, o qual forneceu através do Hedges’d o tamanho dos efeitos e a variância de cada estudo avaliado pelo modelo aleatório. Após análises elaborou-se para cada parâmetro para melhor visualização dos resultados os gráficos Forest plot e Funil plot, sendo que este último indica em uma análise subjetiva o viés de publicação e quanto menor for o número de amostras, menor a percepção de determinar um funil. A análise foi feita usando modelo aleatório, pois os modelos de efeito fixo apresentaram heterogeneidade elevada e probabilidade nula. Os dados apontaram que as plantas submetidas aos tratamentos de origem orgânica apresentaram maior desempenho, evidenciando assim a possibilidade de substituição de soluções químicas na produção de mudas de alface.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

17β-Estradiol replacement in young, adult and middle-aged female ovariectomized rats promotes improvement of spatial reference memory and an antidepressant effect and alters monoamines and BDNF levels in memory- and depression-related brain areas

Clinical and experimental evidence suggest that estrogens have a major impact on cognition, presenting neurotrophic and neuroprotective actions in regions involved in such function. In opposite, some studies indicate that certain hormone therapy regimens may provoke detrimental effects over female cognitive and neurological function. Therefore, we decided to investigate how estrogen treatment would influence cognition and depression in different ages. For that matter, this study assessed the effects of chronic 17β-estradiol treatment over cognition and depressive-like behaviors of young (3 months old), adult (7 months old) and middle-aged (12 months old) reproductive female Wistar rats. These functions were also correlated with alterations in the serotonergic system, as well as hippocampal BDNF. 17β-Estradiol treatment did not influence animals’ locomotor activity and exploratory behavior, but it was able to improve the performance of adult and middle-aged rats in the Morris water maze, the latter being more responsive to the treatment. Young and adult rats displayed decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test, suggesting an effect of 17β-estradiol also over such depressive-like behavior. This same test revealed increased swimming behavior, triggered by serotonergic pathway, in adult rats. Neurochemical evaluations indicated that 17β-estradiol treatment was able to increase serotonin turnover rate in the hippocampus of adult rats. Interestingly, estrogen treatment increased BDNF levels from animals of all ages. These findings support the notion that the beneficial effects of 17β-estradiol over spatial reference memory and depressive-like behavior are evident only when hormone therapy occurs at early ages and early stages of hormonal decline

17 beta-Estradiol replacement in young, adult and middle-aged female ovariectomized rats promotes improvement of spatial reference memory and an antidepressant effect and alters monoamines and BDNF levels in memory- and depression-related brain areas

Clinical and experimental evidence suggest that estrogens have a major impact on cognition, presenting neurotrophic and neuroprotective actions in regions involved in such function. In opposite, some studies indicate that certain hormone therapy regimens may provoke detrimental effects over female cognitive and neurological function. Therefore, we decided to investigate how estrogen treatment would influence cognition and depression in different ages. For that matter, this study assessed the effects of chronic 17 beta-estradiol treatment over cognition and depressive-like behaviors of young (3 months old), adult (7 months old) and middle-aged (12 months old) reproductive female Wistar rats. These functions were also correlated with alterations in the serotonergic system, as well as hippocampal BDNF. 17 beta-Estradiol treatment did not influence animals' locomotor activity and exploratory behavior, but it was able to improve the performance of adult and middle-aged rats in the Morris water maze, the latter being more responsive to the treatment. Young and adult rats displayed decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test, suggesting an effect of 17 beta-estradiol also over such depressive-like behavior. This same test revealed increased swimming behavior, triggered by serotonergic pathway, in adult rats. Neurochemical evaluations indicated that 17 beta-estradiol treatment was able to increase serotonin turnover rate in the hippocampus of adult rats. Interestingly, estrogen treatment increased BDNF levels from animals of all ages. These findings support the notion that the beneficial effects of 17 beta-estradiol over spatial reference memory and depressive-like behavior are evident only when hormone therapy occurs at early ages and early stages of hormonal decline. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Maternal Omega-3 Supplement Improves Dopaminergic System in Pre- and Postnatal Inflammation-Induced Neurotoxicity in Parkinson's Disease Model

Evidence suggests that idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is the consequence of a neurodevelopmental disruption, rather than strictly a consequence of aging. Thus, we hypothesized that maternal supplement of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) may be associated with neuroprotection mechanisms in a self-sustaining cycle of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-model of PD. To test this hypothesis, behavioral and neurochemical assay were performed in prenatally LPS-exposed offspring at postnatal day 21. To further determine whether prenatal LPS exposure and maternal omega-3 PUFAs supplementation had persisting effects, brain injury was induced on PN 90 rats, following bilateral intranigral LPS injection. Pre- and postnatal inflammation damage not only affected dopaminergic neurons directly, but it also modified critical features, such as activated microglia and astrocyte cells, disrupting the support provided by the microenvironment. Unexpectedly, our results failed to show any involvement of caspase-dependent and independent apoptosis pathway in neuronal death mechanisms. On the other hand, learning and memory deficits detected with a second toxic exposure were significantly attenuated in maternal omega-3 PUFAs supplementation group. In addition, omega-3 PUFAs promote beneficial effect on synaptic function, maintaining the neurochemical integrity in remaining neurons, without necessarily protect them from neuronal death. Thus, our results suggest that omega-3 PUFAs affect the functional ability of the central nervous system in a complex way in a multiple inflammation-induced neurotoxicity animal model of PD and they disclose new ways of understanding how these fatty acids control responses of the brain to different challenges.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Fundacao Araucaria - Governo do Estado do Parana fellowshipCNPq fellowshipUniv Fed Parana, Dept Fisiol, Lab Neurofisiol, Setor Ciencias Biol, Ave Francisco H dos Santos S-N, BR-81531990 Curitiba, PR, BrazilUniv Fed Parana, Dept Patol Basica, Lab Neurobiol, Curitiba, PR, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Dept Fisiol & Farmacol, Ctr Ciencias Biol, Lab Neurofisiol, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Functional diversity mediates macroecological variation in plant-hummingbird interaction networks

Aim: Species interaction networks are known to vary in structure over large spatial scales. We investigated the hypothesis that environmental factors affect interaction network structure by influencing the functional diversity of ecological communities. Notably, we expect more functionally diverse communities to form interaction networks with a higher degree of niche partitioning. Locatio

Functional diversity mediates macroecological variation in plant–hummingbird interaction networks

Aim: Species interaction networks are known to vary in structure over large spatial scales. We investigated the hypothesis that environmental factors affect interaction network structure by influencing the functional diversity of ecological communities. Notably, we expect more functionally diverse communities to form interaction networks with a higher degree of niche partitioning. Locatio