Componentes químicos associados à resistência de Lycopersicon hirsutum f. typicum a Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Este trabalho foi conduzido em casa de vegetação no Campus da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil de maio a setembro de 1997 e objetivou estudar a resistência do acesso LA 1777 de Lycopersicon hirsutum f. typicum a Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) e os prováveis compostos químicos envolvidos na resistência. Utilizaram-se as cultivares de Santa Clara (tomate para consumo in natura) e IPA-5 (tomate industrial) de Lycopersicon esculentum como padrões de suscetibilidade à praga. Avaliaram-se os números de minas pequenas (comprimento 0,5 cm); sobrevivência, estádio de desenvolvimento do inseto, peso de pupas, proporção sexual, fertilidade de adultos e a taxa de eclosão de larvas. Foram identificados picos nas correntes de íons do extrato hexânico das folhas e as prováveis substâncias associadas a estes utilizando-se cromatógrafo a gás acoplado a espectrômetro de massa. L. hirsutum f. typicum apresentou resistência à traça do tomateiro em relação a L. esculentum, o que refletiu em menor número de minas grandes/folha e maiores duração da fase larval, mortalidade de larvas e número de minas pequenas de T. absoluta. Foram identificados 14 picos nas correntes de íons, com tempos de 10,43 (pico 1) a 26,03 min. (pico 14). Os picos 8, 9, 10 e 12 estiveram relacionados com a resistência de L. hirsutum f. typicum a T. absoluta. O pico 14 ocorreu apenas na cultivar Santa Clara e esteve associado ao aumento da suscetibilidade do tomateiro a T. absoluta. Os prováveis compostos associados ao pico oito foram os sesquiterpenos 2,5,5-trimetil-1,3,6-heptatrieno, (+) canfeno, farneseno ou santalol. As prováveis substâncias associadas ao pico nove foram os sesquiterpenos α-bergamoteno, farneseno, β-sinesal e farnesol. Não foram encontradas substâncias prováveis associadas aos picos 10, 12 e 14.This work was carried out in a greenhouse at the Universidade Federal de Viçosa "Campus", Minas Gerais, Brazil, between May and September 1997 and its objective was study the resistance of the accession LA 1777 of Lycopersicon hirsutum f. typicum to Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and the compounds possibly involved in the resistance. The varieties Santa Clara (tomato for in natura consumption) and IPA-5 (industrial tomato) of Lycopersicon esculentum were used as pest susceptibility standards. The number of small and large mines ( 0.5 cm long, respectively); survival; development stage; pupa weight; sexual proportion; fertility, and rate of larvae eclosion were assessed. Peaks of the ion current of hexane extract of tomato leaves and the possible compounds associated with them were identified using a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. L. hirsutum f. typicum showed resistance to the tomato leafminer in comparison with L. esculentum, what was reflected by the smaller number of large mines/ leaf and greater length of larval phase, mortality of larvae and number of small mines of T. absoluta. Fourteen peaks were identified in the total ion current with retention times ranging from 10.43 (peak 1) to 26.03 min (peak 14). The peaks 8, 9, 10 and 12 were associated with T. absoluta resistance in L. hirsutum f. typicum. The peak 14 occurred only in the variety Santa Clara with an increased tomato susceptibility to T. absoluta. The probable compounds associated with peak 8 were the sesquiterpenes 2,5,5-trimethyl-1,3,6-heptatriene, (+) camphene, farnesene or santalol. The probable substances associated with peak 9 were the sesquiterpenes α-bergamotene, farnesene, β-sinesal, or farnesol. No substance associated with peaks 10, 12 and 14 were found

Modulatory effect of BclI GR gene polymorphisms on the obesity phenotype in Brazilian patients with Cushing's disease

OBJECTIVES: Patients with Cushing's disease exhibit wide phenotypic variability in the severity of obesity, diabetes and hypertension. In the general population, several glucocorticoid receptor genes (NR3C1) and HSD11B1 polymorphisms are associated with altered glucocorticoid sensitivity and/or metabolism, resulting in an increased or reduced risk of an adverse metabolic profile. Our aim was to analyze the association of NR3C1 and HSD11B1 gene variants with the severity of some clinical and hormonal features of Cushing's disease. METHODS: Sixty-four patients presenting with Cushing's disease were diagnosed based on adrenocorticotrophic hormone levels, high-dose dexamethasone suppression tests and/or inferior petrosal sinus sampling and magnetic resonance imaging. The A3669G, ER22/23EK, N363S BclI-NR3C1 and HSD11B1-rs12086634 variants were screened. RESULTS: The BclI, HSD11B1-rs12086634 and A3669G variants were found in 36%, 19.5% and 14% of alleles, respectively. The N363S and ER22/23EK polymorphisms were identified in heterozygosis once in only two patients (1.5% of alleles). There were no differences in the weight gain or prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the patients carrying the abovementioned alleles compared to the wild-type carriers. Interestingly, the mean body mass index (BMI) of the BclI carriers was significantly higher than the non-carriers (34.4±7 kg/m2 vs. 29.6±4.7 kg/m2, respectively). None of the polymorphisms were associated with the basal adrenocorticotrophic hormone, FU levels or F level after dexamethasone suppression testing. CONCLUSION: Although Cushing's disease results from increased glucocorticoid secretion, we observed that interindividual variability in the peripheral glucocorticoid sensitivity, mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor, could modulate the obesity phenotype

Informações e Política Econômica: um teste para aperfeiçoamento de erros de previsão a partir da utilização do GOOGLE TRENDS

Este artigo tem por objetivo replicar os testes de Choi & Varian (2009a) para variáveis da economia brasileira analisando modelos de previsão de séries temporais do tipo ARIMA e avaliando se a inclusão dos índices de pesquisas do Google Trends aos modelos pode reduzir os erros de previsão, ou seja, poderiam ser usados como leading indicators. Para isto, foram utilizadas séries relacionadas ao mercado de trabalho e de crédito. Para o mercado de trabalho, a previsão da série de requerimentos de benefícios do seguro-desemprego foi aprimorada a partir da inclusão do Google Trends aos modelos. O mesmo não foi observado no caso da previsão da taxa de desemprego. No mercado de crédito, foram testadas duas séries: concessão de financiamentos vinculados a cartões de crédito e de financiamentos imobiliários, sendo que nenhuma delas teve a previsão aprimorada pelo Google Trends

Insights into milk-clotting activity of latex peptidases from <i>Calotropis procera</i> and <i>Cryptostegia grandiflora</i>

Latex fractions from Calotropis procera, Cryptostegia grandiflora, Plumeria rubra, and Himatanthus drasticus were assayed in order to prospect for new plant peptidases with milk-clotting activities, for use as rennet alternatives. Only C. procera and C. grandiflora latex fractions exhibited proteolytic and milk-clotting activities, which were not affected by high concentrations of NaCl and CaCl2. However, pre-incubation of both samples at 75 °C for 10 min eliminated completely their activities. Both proteolytic fractions were able to hydrolyze k-casein and to produce peptides of 16 kDa, a similar SDS-PAGE profile to commercial chymosin. RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses of the k-casein peptides showed that the peptidases from C. procera or C. grandiflora hydrolyzed k-casein similar to commercial chymosin. The cheeses made with both latex peptidases exhibited yields, dry masses, and soluble proteins similar to cheeses prepared with commercial chymosin. In conclusion, C. procera and C. grandiflora latex peptidases with the ability to coagulate milk can be used as alternatives to commercial animal chymosin in the cheese manufacturing process.Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetale

Insights into milk-clotting activity of latex peptidases from <i>Calotropis procera</i> and <i>Cryptostegia grandiflora</i>

Latex fractions from Calotropis procera, Cryptostegia grandiflora, Plumeria rubra, and Himatanthus drasticus were assayed in order to prospect for new plant peptidases with milk-clotting activities, for use as rennet alternatives. Only C. procera and C. grandiflora latex fractions exhibited proteolytic and milk-clotting activities, which were not affected by high concentrations of NaCl and CaCl2. However, pre-incubation of both samples at 75 °C for 10 min eliminated completely their activities. Both proteolytic fractions were able to hydrolyze k-casein and to produce peptides of 16 kDa, a similar SDS-PAGE profile to commercial chymosin. RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses of the k-casein peptides showed that the peptidases from C. procera or C. grandiflora hydrolyzed k-casein similar to commercial chymosin. The cheeses made with both latex peptidases exhibited yields, dry masses, and soluble proteins similar to cheeses prepared with commercial chymosin. In conclusion, C. procera and C. grandiflora latex peptidases with the ability to coagulate milk can be used as alternatives to commercial animal chymosin in the cheese manufacturing process.Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetale

Insights into milk-clotting activity of latex peptidases from <i>Calotropis procera</i> and <i>Cryptostegia grandiflora</i>

Latex fractions from Calotropis procera, Cryptostegia grandiflora, Plumeria rubra, and Himatanthus drasticus were assayed in order to prospect for new plant peptidases with milk-clotting activities, for use as rennet alternatives. Only C. procera and C. grandiflora latex fractions exhibited proteolytic and milk-clotting activities, which were not affected by high concentrations of NaCl and CaCl2. However, pre-incubation of both samples at 75 °C for 10 min eliminated completely their activities. Both proteolytic fractions were able to hydrolyze k-casein and to produce peptides of 16 kDa, a similar SDS-PAGE profile to commercial chymosin. RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses of the k-casein peptides showed that the peptidases from C. procera or C. grandiflora hydrolyzed k-casein similar to commercial chymosin. The cheeses made with both latex peptidases exhibited yields, dry masses, and soluble proteins similar to cheeses prepared with commercial chymosin. In conclusion, C. procera and C. grandiflora latex peptidases with the ability to coagulate milk can be used as alternatives to commercial animal chymosin in the cheese manufacturing process.Centro de Investigación de Proteínas Vegetale

A review of Cushing’s disease treatment by the Department of Neuroendocrinology of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism

The treatment objectives for a patient with Cushing’s disease (CD) are remission of hypercortisolism, adequate management of co-morbidities, restoration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, preservation of fertility and pituitary function, and improvement of visual defects in cases of macroadenomas with suprasellar extension. Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is the main treatment option for the majority of cases, even in macroadenomas with low probability of remission. In cases of surgical failure, another subsequent pituitary surgery might be indicated in cases with persistent tumor imaging at post surgical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or pathology analysis of adrenocorticotropic hormone-positive (ACTH+) positive pituitary adenoma in the first procedure. Medical treatment, radiotherapy and adrenalectomy are the other options when transsphenoidal pituitary surgery fails.There are several options of medical treatment, although cabergoline and ketoconazole are the most commonly used alone or in combination. Novel treatments are also addressed in this review. Different therapeutic approaches are frequently needed on an individual basis, both before and, particularly, after surgery, and they should be individualized. The objective of the present review is to provide the necessary information to achieve a more effective treatment for CD. It is recommended that patients with CD be followed at tertiary care centers with experience in treating this condition

Neuroplasticidade e estilo de vida: qual a relação?

RESUMO: Essa revisão teve como fundamento o gradativo rompimento do pensamento de que o cérebro é um conjunto de multiestruturas isoladas permitiu a estruturação de um novo conceito: o cérebro é um órgão dinâmico e adaptável frente às exigências impostas ao mesmo. Diante desse cenário, a neuroplasticidade ganha relevância, posto que, de acordo com C. H. Phelp (1990), trata-se de uma mudança adaptativa estrutural e funcional do sistema nervoso, que “ocorre em qualquer estágio da ontogenia, como função de interações com o ambiente interno ou externo ou, ainda, como resultado de injúrias, de traumatismos ou de lesões que afetam o ambiente neural”. Teve como objetivo revisar possíveis associações entre neuroplasticidade e estilo de vida. Apresntou como metodologia a busca de livros e artigos, nacionais e internacionais, utilizando a Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde – BVS MS e o PubMed. Ultilizou-se como descritores: plasticidade neuronal, exercícios aeróbicos, yoga, e estilo de vida. 12 artigos foram selecionados e revisados, mas apenas 7 foram incluídos. Teve como resultados mais significativos encontradas referentes à estilo de vida, yoga e exercícios aeróbicos, ao lado da demonstração da relação entre neuroplasticidade e patologia de Alzheimer. Conclui-se que há relação entre neuroplasticidade e estilo de vida, porém, há diminuta amostragem de estudos sobre a temática. Ainda, os mecanismos que demonstram o vínculo descrito são pouco compreendidos, inferindo e demandando maior volume de estudos esclarecedores sobre a temática. &nbsp