Production of serine protease inhibitors by mutagenesis and their effects on the mortality of Aedes aegypti L. larvae

BACKGROUND: Dengue, transmitted primarily by the bites of infected Aedes aegypti L., is transmitted to millions of individuals each year in tropical and subtropical areas. Dengue control strategies are primarily based on controlling the vector, using insecticides, but the appearance of resistance poses new challenges. Recently, highly selective protease inhibitors by phage display were obtained for digestive enzymes of the 4th instar larvae (L4) midgut. These mutants were not confirmed as a larvicide due to the low yield of the expression of these inhibitors. In the present study, chimera molecules were constructed based on the mutations at positions P1-P4’ selected previously. The T6, T23 and T149 mutants were mixed with another Kunitz inhibitor, domain 1 of the inhibitor boophilin (D1). METHODS: The chimeras T6/D1, T149/D1 and T23/D1 were expressed at high levels in P. pastoris yeast, purified by ionic exchange chromatography and their homogeneity was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The chimera inhibitors were assayed against larval trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase using specific chromogenic substrates. The inhibitors were assayed for their larvicide potential against L4. RESULTS: The chimeras exhibited strong inhibitory activities against the larval digestive enzymes in a dose-dependent manner. T6/D1, T149/D1 and T23/D1 exhibited strong larvicidal activity against L4 of Ae. aegypti with inhibitor concentrations in the μM range. A synergistic increase in mortality was observed when a mixture of the three chimeric inhibitors was tested. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy for constructing the chimeric inhibitors was successful. The chimeras showed strong larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti. In the future, our findings can be used to design synthetic inhibitors for larvae digestive enzymes as an alternative method to control the dengue vector

Knowledge on the HPV vaccine among university students

The objective is to evaluate knowledge on HPV vaccine and its use among university students. This is a cross-sectional study with 301 participants, of which 202 medical students from UERJ and UNIFESO (101 freshmen = M1 and 101 from the 6th year = M2) and 99 UERJ literature students (50 freshmen = L1 and 49 of the last year = L2). Information was obtained by questionnaires. Input and statistical analysis were carried out with the EPI-INFO 3.5.2 Program. Results showed that, among medical students, 21% of M1 and 16% of M2 used the HPV vaccine (p=0.35), mostly adopted by women (M1=29.7% and M2=21.3%) than men (M1=5.4% and M2=7.5%). Similarly, female students showed more interest in using the vaccine (M1=85.1% and M2=80%) than male (M1=56.2% and M2=20.5%). Among literature students, only women received the vaccine (L1=6.5% and L2=22.2%) and no men were vaccinated (p=0.04). More women expressed interest in receiving the vaccine than men (♀ L1=76%, L2=65% and ♂ L1=47%, L2=40%). Comparison among genders regardless of the course showed that the vaccination rate is higher among women (p<0.001), as is the interest in being vaccinated (p=0.004). We concluded that the majority of male university students know less about the HPV vaccine than the female ones, use less and are less interested in being vaccinated, in all the groups interviewed. Vaccination coverage is low among the university population and is higher among medical students

Spectroscopic and Thermooxidative Analysis of Organic Okra Oil and Seeds from Abelmoschus esculentus

With changes in human consumption from animal fats to vegetable oils, the search for seed types, often from unconventional vegetable sources has grown. Research on the chemical composition of both seed and oil for Brazilian Okra in South America is still incipient. In this study, flour and oil from organic Okra seeds (Abelmoschus esculentus L Moench), grown in northeastern Brazil were analyzed. Similar to Okra varieties from the Middle East and Central America, Brazilian Okra has significant amounts of protein (22.14%), lipids (14.01%), and high amounts of unsaturated lipids (66.32%), especially the oleic (20.38%) and linoleic acids (44.48%). Oil analysis through PDSC revealed an oxidation temperature of 175.2°C, which in combination with low amounts of peroxide, demonstrates its resistance to oxidation and favors its use for human consumption

RELAÇÃO SOLO/PAISAGEM E SUA VARIAÇÃO TEMPORAL EM UMA ESTAÇÃO EXPERIMENTAL DE SILVICULTURA

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509818467The characterization of landscape components and their relationships for the Forestry Experimental Station of Santa Maria,Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, and the monitoring of soil-landscape temporal variation between the years 1987 and 2009 (22 years) were performed by means of field surveys and digital mapping vegetation, soil and topography. Crossed the historical information of use and occupation of transects conducted in 2009, the digital terrain model, maps of land cover for 1987 and 2009 and soil, thus deriving a transitory component landscape, between the plateau border Southern and Central Depression of Rio Grande do Sul state, with a distortion of the natural vegetation types and conflicts of land use, as well as the influence of topography and soil genesis on the vegetation development. There was expansion in 22 years of Eucalyptus and Pinus crops and the natural forest on the anthropic field, especially in areas with Argissolos Bruno-Acinzentados and Argissolos Vermelhos.http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509818467A caracterização de componentes da paisagem e de suas relações na Estação Experimental de Silvicultura de Santa Maria - RS e o monitoramento da variação temporal solo/paisagem entre os anos de 1987 e 2009 (22 anos) foram realizados, por meio de levantamentos de campo e mapeamento digital da cobertura vegetal, relevo e solos. Cruzaram-se informações do histórico de uso e ocupação do solo, de transecções realizadas em 2009, do modelo numérico do terreno, de mapas de cobertura vegetal para 1987 e 2009 e de solos.  Derivou-se assim um caráter transitório dos componentes da paisagem, entre o Rebordo do Planalto Sul-Riograndense e a Depressão Central do Rio Grande do Sul, com uma descaracterização das fitofisionomias naturais e existência de conflitos de uso do solo, bem como a influência do relevo e da gênese dos solos sobre o desenvolvimento fitofisionômico. Houve expansão, em 22 anos, dos cultivos de Eucalyptus e Pinus, e da floresta nativa sobre o campo antrópico, principalmente em áreas com Argissolos Bruno-Acinzentados e Argissolos Vermelhos.

The role of Kisspeptin in bovine in vitro embryo production

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Kisspeptin (Kp) on the medium used in different stages of in vitro production of bovine embryo (IVEP), evaluating cleavage (CR) and blastocyst (BR) rates. The study was divided into three experiments that analyzed, respectively, the action of Kp on in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and in vitro culture (IVC) of bovine embryos. In experiment 1, the oocytes were matured in IVM medium and distributed into the following treatments: maturation (IVM Control, n = 102), maturation with addition of 10-7 M Kp (Kp 10-7 IVM, n = 90), and hormone-free maturation luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) with the addition of 10-7M Kp (No hormones + Kp 10-7, n = 84), following maturation to normal stages of IVEP. In experiment 2, the oocytes were fertilized in IVF medium, in the following treatments: TALP-FERT without Kp (Control IVF, n = 103) and TALP-FERT with the addition of 10-7M Kp (Kp 10-7 IVF, n = 119), usually following the other steps. Finally, in the third experiment, the oocytes passed through all phases and were divided into IVC in two treatments: SOF medium without Kp (Control IVC, n = 109) and SOF medium with the addition of 10-7M Kp (Kp 10-7, N = 106). The data were analyzed by PROC GLIMMIX of the SAS program. In experiment 1, the means of CR and BR were similar (P > 0.05) between treatments (IVM Control76.47% and 37.25%, Kp 10-7 MIV80% and 33.33%, and No hormones + Kp 10-770.24% and 30.95%, respectively). In experiment 2, the means of CR were similar for the IVF Control and Kp 10-7 IVF groups (P > 0.05), 76.70% and 86.55% respectively. But, the mean of the BR of the group Kp 10-7 IVF was 38.66%, which was higher (P 0.05) were similar between the IVC Control and Kp 10-7 IVC groups (CR 83.50% and 78.30%, and BR 26.60% and 23.60%, respectively). Although at this concentration of 10-7M during IVC no change in embryo production is seen, Kp presents the same performance as both gonadotrophins in oocyte maturation and modulates the fertilization process, providing more blastocysts. With these findings, it can be seen that Kp presents a regulatory action on bovine reproduction, and can be an excellent tool to maximize IVEP indexes