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Background & aims: Anxiety can be related to reduced diet quality during pandemics such as COVID-19. However, it is not clear whether these relationships would be similar in inactive and physically active participants. The aim of this study was to analyze associations between anxiety and eating habits in physically active and inactive individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The sample consisted of 1826 adults (58.5% women) who were invited through social media to answer an online questionnaire. The instrument included questions related to physical activity, eating habits, health behavior, mental health (anxiety, depression, self-esteem, sadness and stress) and overall health. Anxiety, food habits (high food habits consumption ≥5 times per week) and physical activity (≥150 min per week) were assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between anxiety and eating habits according to levels of physical activity (inactive vs. active) was assessed using binary logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, education level, social isolation, and body mass index. Results: Among the inactive participants, anxiety was related with high consumption of sweets (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.11–1.83) and fast foods (OR = 2.23; 95% CI = 1.05–4.74) while quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic. No relationship was observed between anxiety and food consumption among physically active participants in the final model. Conclusion: Anxiety was associated with less desirable eating habits among physically inactive adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SummaryPlants and mycorrhizal fungi form close mutualistic relationships that affect how resources flow between organisms and within ecosystems. Common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) could facilitate preferential transfer of carbon and limiting nutrients but this preference remains difficult to predict. Do common mycorrhizal networks favor fungal growth at the expense of plant resource demands (a fungi-centric view), or are they passive channels through which plants regulate resource fluxes (a plant-centric view)? We used stable isotope tracers (13C and15N), plant traits, and fungal DNA, to quantify above- and belowground allocation and transfer of carbon and nitrogen between 18 plant species in restored prairie and introduced pasture systems in the Pacific Northwest, USA. We found that related plant species and connectivity with fungal communities did not predict resource flow. Instead, plant functional type and tissue stoichiometry were the most important predictors of interspecific resource transfer. Labeled “donor” plants assimilated isotopic tracers at similar rates; however, nitrogen was preferentially transferred to annual and forb “receiver” plants compared to perennial and grass receiver plants. This corresponded tissue stoichiometry differences. Our findings point to a simple mechanistic answer for long-standing questions regarding mutualism and transfer of resources between plants via mycorrhizal networks.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses between plants and fungi are essential to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems through maintaining soil stability, controlling nutrient cycles (e.g. C, N, P and K), and influencing competitive dynamics in plant communities. Despite the importance of AM symbioses, the ecological coassembly patterns of AM fungi-plant partners are not well characterized across environmental gradients. Further, it is unclear whether fungi forming associations with several plants of the same or different species – forming common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) – preferentially allocate limiting resources within natural plant communities at the local-scale. We used an experimental prairie-pasture grassland system in three sites along a latitudinal gradient ranging from cool/wet to warm/dry climates to investigate how environmental conditions, local plant diversity and drought shift AM fungal composition and plant-fungal coassembly patterns across spatial scales. We show that plant-AM fungal assembly patterns are hierarchically structured, with environmental variables driving differences in AM fungal communities at the largest spatial scale (across sites), and plant host identity and diversity governing AM assembly at the local scale (within plot). Bipartite interaction networks revealed evidence for preferential partner selection between plants and fungi, while there was no evidence for nested assembly of plant-fungal partners. At the plot-level, we applied stable isotopes (13C and15N) to illustrate CMN assembly and nutritional function. There was no significant correlation between increased resource transfer among plants in a plot that shared more AM fungal partners; however, we identified specific AM fungi that were indicator taxa for increased plant isotope enrichment. Further research integrating stable isotope probing of fungal DNA in plant roots is necessary to more clearly illustrate the form and function of CMNs in grasslands under different environmental and plant diversity conditions.

Background: The African spiny mouse (Acomys) is an emerging mammalian model for scar-free regeneration, and further study of Acomys could advance the field of regenerative medicine. Isolation of pluripotent stem cells from Acomys would allow for development of transgenic or chimeric animals and in vitro study of regeneration; however, the reproductive biology of Acomys is not well characterized, complicating efforts to derive embryonic stem cells. Thus, we sought to generate Acomys induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by reprogramming somatic cells back to pluripotency. Methods: To generate Acomys iPSCs, we attempted to adapt established protocols developed in Mus. We utilized a PiggyBac transposon system to genetically modify Acomys fibroblasts to overexpress the Yamanaka reprogramming factors as well as mOrange fluorescent protein under the control of a doxycycline-inducible TetON operon system. Results: Reprogramming factor overexpression caused Acomys fibroblasts to undergo apoptosis or senescence. When SV40 Large T antigen (SV40 LT) was added to the reprogramming cocktail, Acomys cells were able to dedifferentiate into pre-iPSCs. Although use of 2iL culture conditions induced formation of colonies resembling Mus PSCs, these Acomys iPS-like cells lacked pluripotency marker expression and failed to form embryoid bodies. An EOS-GiP system was unsuccessful in selecting for bona fide Acomys iPSCs; however, inclusion of Nanog in the reprogramming cocktail along with 5-azacytidine in the culture medium allowed for generation of Acomys iPSC-like cells with increased expression of several naïve pluripotency markers. Conclusions: There are significant roadblocks to reprogramming Acomys cells, necessitating future studies to determine Acomys-specific reprogramming factor and/or culture condition requirements. The requirement for SV40 LT during Acomys dedifferentiation may suggest that tumor suppressor pathways play an important role in Acomys regeneration and that Acomys may possess unreported cancer resistance.

Mammary tumors in female dogs are the most frequent and corresponds to half of the canine tumors. The objectives of this study were to determine the risk factors associated with the occurrence of mammary tumors in female dogs and to evaluate the macroscopic characteristics of these neoformations, using 386 dogs from the “Outubro Rosa Pets” events done within the cities of Uberlândia and Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in 2015 (n=194), 2016 (n=105) and 2017 (n=87). For the determination of risk factors, the binary logistic regression test (P5cm). At least 15.4% (14/91) of the dogs had one of the regional lymph nodes increased. In conclusion, the occurrence of mammary tumors in the evaluated population was 23.6% and that age, overweight and non-realization of ovariohysterectomy are risk factors associated with the development of mammary tumors.

Hovenia dulcis is a plant commonly used as a pharmaceutical supplement, having displayed important pharmacological properties such antigiardic, antineoplastic and hepatoprotective. The purpose of this work was investigate the cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic potential from fractions of Hovenia dulcis ethanolic extract on Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains FF18733 (wild type) and CD138 (ogg1). Ethanolic extract from Hovenia dulcis leaves was fractioned using organic solvents according to increasing polarity: Hexane (1:1), dichlorometane (1:1), ethyl acetate (1:1) and butanol (1:1). Three experimental assays were performed, such as (i) inactivation of cultures; (ii) mutagenesis (canavanine resistance system) and (iii) loss of mitochondrial function (petites colonies). The findings shown a decrease in cell viability in FF18733 and CD138 strains; all fractions of the extract were mutagenic in CD138 strain; only ethyl acetate and butanol fractions increased the rate of petites colonies for CD138 strains. Ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions induces mutagenicity, at the evaluated concentrations, in mitochondrial and genomic DNA in CD138 strain, mediated by oxidative lesions. In conclusion, it is possible to infer that the lesions caused by the extract fractions could be mediated by reactive oxygen species and might reach multiple molecular targets to cause cellular damage.

Dirofilaria immitis is a zoonotic filarid that mainly affects the domestic dog, causing a generally fatal chronic disease, known as heart worm disease. In addition to dogs, the parasite can affect wild canids, cats, and humans. Due to its importance to One Health, detection of parasitism by D. immitis in dogs can help the adoption of control measures that aim to reduce the occurrence of parasitosis in animals and humans. The detection of D. immitis is based on the use of parasitological, serological, and molecular methods, which vary in sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate and compare the efficiency and performance of parasitological, serological, and molecular tests in the detection of D. immitis in dogs in Northeastern Brazil. Whole blood and serum from 140 dogs from the municipality of Sousa were used, varying between males and females; aged one to 17 years; pure and mixed breeds; domiciled and stray. Three microscopic parasitological techniques (MPT) were used: capillary blood smear (CBS), peripheral (PBS) and modified Knott test (MK) associated with the morphometric diagnosis of the microfilariae. For the detection of D. immitis antigens, a rapid immunochromatographic test (RIT) (ALERE Dirofilariose AG Teste kit®, Seogu-dong, Korea) was used, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a molecular method. To evaluate the tests, PCR was considered the gold standard, and sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) values were calculated. To verify the agreement of the tests, the Kappa test was performed (p ≤ 0.05). From the 140 analyzed samples, 33.6% (48/140) presented microfilariae, antigen and/or parasitic DNA. 23.6% (33/140) were positive in the CBS; 25.7% (36/140) in the PBS; 29.3% (41/140) in the MK; 30% (42/140) in the RIT and 28.6% (40/140) in the PCR. All methods showed almost perfect agreement with PCR, high sensitivity (0.8-0.95), specificity (0.94-0.99), and values established with VPP (0.8571-0.9722) and VPN (0.9519-0.9797). The CBS and PBS showed less sensitivity and greater specificity. MK presented the highest sensitivity and RIT was the choice for hidden infections. Considering the occurrence of D. immitis in dogs in a non-coastal region of Northeastern Brazil, an epidemiological approach is recommended to identify risk factors for this zoonotic parasitosis.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of addition of gallic acid as the single antioxidant to the base medium for in vitro culture of sheep secondary follicles and if the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is involved in the action of gallic acid. Secondary follicles were isolated and cultured for 12 days in α-MEM supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA), insulin, glutamine, hypoxanthine, transferrin, selenium, and ascorbic acid (control medium: α-MEM+) or in α-MEM supplemented with BSA, insulin, glutamine, hypoxanthine and different concentrations of gallic acid (25, 50 or 100 μM), thus replacing transferrin, selenium and ascorbic acid in the medium. Follicle morphology, glutathione (GSH), and mitochondrial activity, and meiotic resumption were evaluated. Furthermore, inhibition of PI3K pathway was performed by pretreatment with LY294002. After 12 days of culture, the follicle survival in a medium containing 100 μM gallic acid was similar (P > 0.05) to α-MEM+ and greater (P

As plantas constituem a base dos ecossistemas e a necessidade de conservar a biodiversidade é imprescindível para a sociedade. O objetivo deste projeto foi conscientizar os alunos de uma escola pública de ensino médio do Rio de Janeiro desta realidade, gerando oportunidade para graduandos e pós-graduandos transmitirem conceitos de biotecnologia aplicada à conservação de plantas. A metodologia consistiu de palestras, documentários em vídeo e visita técnica aos laboratórios do Núcleo de Biotecnologia Vegetal da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, onde os alunos acompanharam a produção e a conservação de plantas in vitro. A avaliação baseou-se na frequência e na participação, além da comparação das respostas a um questionário aplicado no início e ao final do projeto. Foi detectada uma grande variação entre as turmas, tanto na frequência (41-68%), quanto no percentual de acertos nos questionários, inicial (42-57%) e final (53-68%). Contudo, todas as turmas avaliadas apresentaram maior rendimento após a participação no projeto, indicando um efeito positivo nas questões específicas de Biotecnologia e sua aplicação na conservação da Biodiversidade. Palavras-chave: Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Cultura In Vitro, Ensino de Biologia, Biotecnologia Vegetal In vitro conservation of plant biodiversity: approach in high school Abstract: Plants constitute the base of ecosystems and the need to conserve biodiversity is indispensable for society. The aim of this project was to raise awareness among students of a public high school in Rio de Janeiro, creating opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to transmit concepts of biotechnology applied to plants’ conservation. The methodology consisted of lectures, videos documentaries and a technical visit to laboratories of the Plant Biotechnology Center of the Rio de Janeiro State University where students saw in vitro production and conservation of plants. The evaluation was based on the attendance and participation, as well as the comparison of the answers to questionnaires applied in the beginning and the end of the project. A large variation in the results between the classes was detected both in the frequency (41-68%) and in the percentage of correct answers in the initial (42-57%) and final (53-68%) questionnaires. However, all evaluated classes showed higher performance after participating in the project, indicating a positive effect on specific issues of biotechnology and its application in biodiversity conservation. Keywords: Sustainable Development, In Vitro Culture, Biology Teaching, Plant Biotechnology Conservación in vitro de biodiversidad vegetal: enfoque en la enseñanza media Resumen: Las plantas constituyen la base de los ecosistemas y la necesidad de conservar la biodiversidad es imprescindible para la sociedad. El objetivo de este proyecto fue concientizar a los alumnos de la enseñanza media pública de esta realidad, generando oportunidad para graduandos y post-graduandos transmitir conceptos de biotecnología aplicada a la conservación de plantas. La metodología consistió de conferencias, vídeos y visita técnica a los laboratorios del Núcleo de Biotecnología Vegetal de la Universidad del Estado de Río de Janeiro, donde los alumnos acompañaron la producción y la conservación de plantas in vitro. La evaluación se basó en la comparación de las respuestas a un cuestionario aplicado al principio y al final del proyecto. Se detectó una gran variación en los resultados entre las clases, tanto en la frecuencia (41-68%), como en el porcentaje de aciertos en los cuestionarios inicial (42-57%) y final (53-68%). Sin embargo, todas las clases evaluadas presentaron mayor rendimiento después de la aplicación en el proyecto, indicando un efecto positivo en las cuestiones específicas de Biotecnología y su aplicación en la conservación de la Biodiversidad. Palabras-clave: Desarrollo Sostenible, Cultivo In Vitro, Enseñanza de Biología, Biotecnología Vegetal

Ethanol production in Brazil has two major drawbacks, related to the maximum product concentration and control of the process temperature. During the fermentation, yeast metabolism completely ceases when the ethanol concentration reaches 95 g.L−1, while high temperatures increase both the risk of bacterial contamination and the sensitivity of the yeast to ethanol toxicity. In order to address these problems, extractive ethanol fermentation with carbon dioxide stripping offers a way to overcome the toxic effect of ethanol on yeast cell growth, while also avoiding increase of the broth temperature during the fermentation. Although ethanol removal by gas stripping has a positive effect on ethanol volumetric productivity, the application of this technique for economization of cooling water during the ethanol fermentation process requires a technical analysis. Therefore, in the present work, evaluation was made of heat removal from the culture broth during extractive fermentation with ethanol stripping by CO2. First, ethanol fermentations were carried out using a 10-L bench-scale bubble column bioreactor. The mass and energy balances were used to obtain kinetic parameters, with the heat generated during fermentation being close to theoretical values. Extractive batch fermentations were performed using two carbon dioxide specific flow rates (0.5 and 1.0 vvm), resulting in efficient removal of heat from the fermentation broth, as well as reducing cooling water consumption by up to 62.7%. These results were then validated in a pilot-scale (100-L) extractive fed-batch fermentation performed at 1.0 vvm, resulting in a 63.1% reduction of cooling water consumption. In an industrial distillery, this lower consumption of cooling water would allow substantial savings of chemicals needed for cooling water treatment, making the ethanol production process in Brazil more competitive in the near future.

In this study, fifty driven piles located in the Santos Coastal Plain (“Baixada Santista”), Brazil, have been dynamically tested at various times after installation, indicating gain of capacity over time. The average side shear resistance, related to a low-OCR clayey layer – known as SFL soil , was evaluated over time, indicating side shear set-up within a relatively narrow range of values (between 2.0 and 2.5) approximately 20 days after installation. The cavity expansion theory, which considers an ideal cohesive soil, has been used to predict the effective radial stress over time, considering two main parameters: undrained shear strength and horizontal coefficient of consolidation. Finally, the average of measured pile shaft capacities were compared to the unit shear resistances predicted by the Method (effective stress method). The theoretical values of side shear set-up are fairly similar to the results of the analyzed load tests, which seems to support the viability of the presented method.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the ability of a portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer to detect adulteration in ground meat. NIR spectroscopy has been used in food science for 40 years. Miniaturization, however, is a recent approach that allows in situ analysis. In this study, samples of meat were adulterated in the range of 0–100 wt% in binary blends (chicken/beef; beef/pork; pork/chicken) and ternary blends (beef/chicken/pork). For the binary blends, values of R2c and R2p ranged from 0.78 to 0.99. Optimal results were achieved to predict the chicken content in beef blends (R2c = 0.98; R2p = 0.99; RMSEC = 4.5 wt%; RMSEP =3.5 wt%; LOD = 3.4 wt% and LOQ 11.2 wt%). For the ternary blends, the analytical performance was considered to be good only for the prediction of beef content, with the following values: R2c = 0.98, R2p = 0.93, RMSEC = 3.6 wt%, RMSEP =4.7 wt%, LOD =4.7 wt% and LOQ 15.7 wt%. Finally, in order to improve the analytical performance of the regression models developed thus far, the NIR spectra of the binary and ternary blends were grouped into a unique matrix. PLS and SVR regression models were constructed, and the SVR model resulted in performance parameters superior to the PLS. Nevertheless, the portable NIR spectrometer showed satisfactory performance for the quantification of beef in ground meat blends (chicken/beef, pork/beef, and chicken/beef/pork).

Com base na importância da biodiversidade vegetal enquanto recursos genéticos, aplicáveis à farmacologia e outras áreas econômicas, os métodos biotecnológicos de produção e conservação de plantas constituem importantes ferramentas para garantir o desenvolvimento sustentável. O objetivo geral do projeto foi conscientizar os jovens acerca da responsabilidade humana na destruição e consequentemente na conservação da biodiversidade vegetal, estimulando a discussão sobre esse importante tema, de forma contextualizada nas escolas. Para isso, foram estabelecidas metas visando estreitar relações entre a universidade e as escolas, e oferecendo alternativas didáticas para o ensino público, além de divulgar as oportunidades de trabalho no âmbito da Biotecnologia Vegetal. A metodologia constituiu-se de palestras e documentários apresentados na própria escola por estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação da UERJ. Além disso, os alunos acompanham a rotina de cultura de tecidos vegetais nos laboratórios do Núcleo de Biotecnologia Vegetal da UERJ. A avaliação do impacto tem sido baseada na frequência às atividades e na comparação das respostas dos alunos a um questionário sobre conhecimentos básicos e aplicados, direcionados à biotecnologia vegetal, respondido antes e ao final do projeto. Em três anos de avaliação, o projeto foi aplicado às turmas do 3º. ano do nível médio do Colégio Estadual João Alfredo e as respostas aos questionários, têm mostrado que, apesar da dificuldade de aprofundamento, em razão de uma deficiência crônica em biologia e fisiologia vegetal, observa-se uma aceitação rápida dos novos conceitos introduzidos. As razões para este fenômeno e as estratégias para contornar as dificuldades são discutidas neste artigo.

Despite being well established, a major limitation remains in ethanol fermentation processes: the presence of ethanol inhibits yeast activity, affecting the cell growth rate and, consequently, the ethanol production rate. For this reason, low ethanol concentrations of around 8–9% v/v are reached at the end of the fermentation, hence requiring the consumption of a significant amount of energy for recovery of the fermentation product, while generating large amounts of vinasse. This situation requires the use of large fermentation tanks in order to achieve satisfactory ethanol production. Additionally, due to the large amount of heat generated by the fermentation processes, the temperature control of industrial fermentation tanks is a great challenge in tropical regions such as Brazil. The goal of the present study was to analyze the influence of operating variables on the performance of ethanol stripping at bench and pilot scales, using carbon dioxide as the carrier gas, and to propose a model describing the changes in ethanol mass and solution temperature during the stripping process. Bench scale experiments were conducted using a 5-L bubble column filled with 10% v/v hydroalcoholic solution, and the pilot scale experiments were performed using a 95-L column filled with industrial fermented wine without yeast. A factorial design was applied to identify the most important operating variables for the following stripping performance parameters: entrainment factor, concentration factor, and temperature reduction factor. The results showed that both temperature and entrainment factor were positively influenced by initial solution temperature and specific CO2 flow rate, and negatively affected by height-to-diameter ratio. The temperature of the carbon dioxide did not affect either of these performance parameters. The simulation results revealed that the stripping model accurately described the decreases in ethanol mass and solution temperature during the stripping operation, with good agreement between the experimental and simulated data, and errors less than 5% in most cases.

The persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as organochlorine pesticides and PCBs, are ordinarily monitored in the aquatic environment or in soil in the environmental quality monitoring programs in Sao Paulo, Brazil. One of the core matrices proposed in the POPs Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) from the Stockholm Convention list is the ambient air, which is not a usual matrix for POPs monitoring in the country. In this study POP levels were evaluated in the air samples from an urban site in Sao Paulo City over five years, starting in 2010 as a capacity building project for Latin America and the Caribbean region for POP monitoring in ambient air using passive samplers. Furthermore, after the end of the Project in 2012, the monitoring continued in the same sampling site as means to improving the analytical capacity building and contribute to the GMP data. The POPs monitored were 17 congeners of 2,3,7,8 chloro-substituted PCDDs and PCDFs, dioxin-like PCBs, indicator PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and toxaphene. The results show a slight decrease in PCDD/F, dl-PCBs and indicator PCBs levels along the five years. The organochlorine pesticide endosulfan was present at its highest concentration at the beginning of the monitoring period, but it was below detection level in the last year of the monitoring. Some other organochlorine pesticides were detected close to or below quantitation limits. The compounds identified were dieldrin, chlordane, α-HCH, γ-HCH, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, hexachlorobenzene and DDTs. Toxaphene congeners were not detected. These results have confirmed the efficacy of passive sampling for POP monitoring and the capacity building for POP analysis and monitoring was established. However more needs to be done, including expansion of sampling sites, new POPs and studies on sampling rates to be considered in calculating the concentration of POPs in ambient air using a passive sampler.

Several species within the genus Theobroma have particularly high economic value, including T. cacao and T. grandiflorum. Other species in this genus, such as T. speciosum and T. subincanum, have potential value for use in the conservation of genetic diversity in breeding programs. These latter species could also be domesticated or improved to produce commercial products. Using 13 simple sequence repeat loci, the population structure and genetic diversity of T. speciosum and T. subincanum natural populations in the Juruena National Park, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, was studied. We sampled all individuals of each species (N = 25) present inside a designated research area established by the Program for Research on Biodiversity. The average number of alleles per locus was 5 for T. speciosum and 6.69 for T. subincanum, with average PIC values above 0.5 in both species. All evaluated individuals varied genetically. Seeds from the individuals analyzed will be useful for the development of germplasm banks and for establishment of breeding programs.

Adesivo dental; Citoxidade; Escherichia coli.

RESUMO – Na fermentacao alcoolica, o fenomeno da inibicao pelo produto limita a concentracao de etanol no vinho ao redor de 10 oGL, o que resulta em grande volume de vinhaca (ca. 12 Lvinhaca/Letanol) e alto consumo de vapor na etapa de destilacao (ca. 2,5 kgvapor/Letanol). Tecnologias para remover etanol do vinho vem sendo estudadas. Exemplo e a operacao de arraste de etanol por um gas, que alem da remocao de etanol, provoca tambem a reducao da temperatura do meio reacional devido a sua vaporizacao. Este fato e vantajoso, pois o controle da temperatura nas dornas industriais e um fator de dificil solucao por envolver grandes volumes. Neste contexto, o arraste de etanol por gas pode ser utilizado tanto no controle da concentracao de etanol e na reducao da temperatura do meio fermentativo, como pode ser utilizado apos a fermentacao para a extracao de etanol do vinho, sendo uma alternativa a destilacao, reduzindo o consumo de vapor da planta. Neste trabalho, avaliou-se o arraste de etanol do vinho delevedurado por CO2 (gerado no proprio processo industrial) em dorna de 95 L. Um planejamento fatorial foi utilizado para avaliar a influencia das variaveis, temperatura inicial do vinho (To) e vazao especifica de CO2 (ΦCO2) nos parâmetros de desempenho: Fator de Arraste (FA), Fator de Concentracao (FC) e Fator de Reducao de Temperatura (FT). Observou-se que o FA e o FT foram influenciados positivamente pelas variaveis To e ΦCO2 enquanto o FC foi influenciado negativamente, apenas pela variavel To.

An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora. Resumo Um levantamento atualizado das plantas com sementes e análises relevantes acerca desta biodiversidade são apresentados. Este trabalho se iniciou em 2010 com a publicação do Catálogo de Plantas e Fungos e, desde então vem sendo atualizado por mais de 430 especialistas trabalhando online. O Brasil abriga atualmente 32.086 espécies nativas de Angiospermas e 23 espécies nativas de Gimnospermas e estes novos dados mostram um aumento de 3% da riqueza em relação a 2010. A Amazônia é o Domínio Fitogeográfico com o maior número de espécies de Gimnospermas, enquanto que a Floresta Atlântica possui a maior riqueza de Angiospermas. Houve um crescimento considerável no número de espécies e nas taxas de endemismo para a maioria dos Domínios (Caatinga, Cerrado, Floresta Atlântica, Pampa e Pantanal), com exceção da Amazônia que apresentou uma diminuição de 2,5% de endemicidade. Entretanto, a maior parte das plantas com sementes que ocorrem no Brasil (57,4%) é endêmica deste território. A proporção de formas de vida varia de acordo com os diferentes Domínios: árvores são mais expressivas na Amazônia e Floresta Atlântica do que nos outros biomas, ervas são dominantes no Pampa e as lianas apresentam riqueza expressiva na Amazônia, Floresta Atlântica e Pantanal. Este trabalho não só quantifica a biodiversidade brasileira, mas também indica as lacunas de conhecimento e o desafio a ser enfrentado para a conservação desta flora.

It was demonstrated that tin, as stannous chloride (SnCl(2)), can facilitate the neuromuscular transmission by accelerating the transmitter release from the nerve terminals in the mouse. When this salt is injected into laboratory animals, it can produce stimulation or depression of the central nervous system. Because calcium (Ca(2+)) influx into the cytoplasm is indispensable to release the transmitter, it would be possible that SnCl(2) increases the Ca(2+) influx at the nerve terminals but not by blocking the K(+) channels. SnCl(2) is known to inhibit the immune response in rodents and to induce tumor generation in thyroid gland. There is no general agreement regarding its genotoxicity and it was discussed that the effects of this salt might depend on the physicochemical conditions and the route of its administration. SnCl(2) has been used in many sectors of human interest, such as food industry and nuclear medicine. This salt is directly administered to human beings endovenously, when it is used as a reducing agent to prepare 99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals which are also used for cerebral studies. SnCl(2) is capable to promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are responsible for the oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been related with aging and other neurological diseases. So, it is relevant to evaluate other biological effects of SnCl(2). We decided to study these effects using Escherichia coli mutant strains, deficient in DNA repair genes, and supercoiled plasmid DNA. We evaluated the influence of medicinal plants, metal chelating agents, and ROS scavengers against the SnCl(2) deleterious effects. Our results show that SnCl(2) produced lesions in vitro as well as in vivo. This inactivation may be due to the production of ROS. We observed that the genotoxic effect of SnCl(2) was partly inhibited or disappeared, when the treatments were done in the presence of medicinal plants, metal chelating agents, and ROS scavengers. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the SnCl(2) biological effects may be associated with the generation of ROS. Moreover, we can speculate that ROS could be associated with the detrimental effects in the brain due to exogenous or endogenous metals.

Cassia angustifolia Vahl. (senna) is commonly used in self-medication and is frequently used to treat intestine constipation. A previous study involving bacteria and plasmid DNA suggested the possible toxicity of the aqueous extract of senna (SAE). The aim of this study was to extend the knowledge concerning SAE genotoxicity mechanisms because of its widespread use and its risks to human health. We investigated the impact of SAE on nuclear DNA and on the stability of mitochondrial DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (wt, ogg1, msh6, and ogg1msh6) strains, monitoring the formation of petite mutants. Our results demonstrated that SAE specifically increased Can(R) mutagenesis only in the msh6 mutant, supporting the view that SAE can induce misincorporation errors in DNA. We observed a significant increase in the frequency of petite colonies in all studied strains. Our data indicate that SAE has genotoxic activity towards both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA.

As falhas em Prótese Parcial Fixa podem ocorrer de muitas maneiras, sendo a fratura da porcelana associada ao grupo de problemas mecânicos. Esta ocorrência pode ser reparada sem a necessidade de remoção da peça protética, embora a substituição da restauração seja considerada a solução ideal. Assim, diferentes tratamentos superficiais são utilizados para melhorar a força de união entre cerâmica – resina e viabilizar o reparo. Este estudo analisou a superfície cerâmica tratada com ácido fosfórico à 37% e ácido fluorídrico à 9,5% por meio da microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Quarenta amostras cerâmicas (VITA Zahnfabrik, Alemanha), foram confeccionadas a partir de uma matriz metálica circular, com dimensões de 10mmx3mm. As amostras foram divididas nos seguintes grupos, I) controle – sem tratamento; II) tratamento com ácido fluorídrico à 9,5% por 1 minuto; III) tratamento com ácido fluorídrico à 9,5% por 2 minutos; IV) tratamento com ácido fosfórico à 37% por 1 minuto; V) tratamento com ácido fosfórico à 37% por 2 minutos. Após os respectivos tratamentos, as amostras foram metalizadas (20Kv, 15mA, 2 minutos), no aparelho Denton Vaccum Desk II, sendo em seguida, analisadas no MEV (JEOL – JSM 5410). As superfícies tratadas com ácido fosfórico à 37% por 1 ou 2 minutos não apresentaram alterações morfológicas significativa, enquanto a superfície cerâmica tratada com ácido fluorídrico à 9,5% por 1 minuto já apresentou alteração morfológica significativa, sendo este achado mais evidente após 2 minutos de aplicação. Clinicamente este trabalho sugere um reparo mais eficiente quando a superfície cerâmica é tratada com ácido fluorídrico.

Papain, a phytotherapeutic agent, has been used in the treatment of eschars and as a debriding chemical agent to remove damaged or necrotic tissue of pressure ulcers and gangrene. Its benefits in these treatments are deemed effective, since more than 5000 patients, at the public university hospital at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have undergone papain treatment and presented satisfactory results. Despite its extensive use, there is little information about toxic and mutagenic properties of papain. This work evaluated the toxic and mutagenic potential of papain and its potential antioxidant activity against induced-H2O2oxidative stress inEscherichia colistrains. Cytotoxicity assay, Growth inhibition test, WP2-Mutoxitest and Plasmid-DNA treatment, and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to investigate if papain would present any toxic or mutagenic potential as well as if papain would display antioxidant properties. Papain exhibited negative results for all tests. This agent presented an activity protecting cells againstH2O2-induced mutagenesis.

The spatial structure of variables collected in forest inventory of commercial plantations in the region of Capao Bonito (Southeastern region of Brazil) was studied in this work. The variables of productivity demonstrated strong spatial dependence with a high level of adjustment. The interpolated maps display the productivity zones and quality of the studied population.

Obturators and facial prostheses are important not only in rehabilitation and aesthetics, but also in patient re-socialisation. The level of reintegration is directly related to the degree of satisfaction with rehabilitation. So, the maxillofacial prosthetics must provide patient satisfaction during treatment. This study aimed to search information in database and conduct a literature review on patient satisfaction with maxillofacial prosthesis. The problems experienced by these patients may decrease when specialists keep the patient on regular inspection. Rehabilitation through alloplasty or prosthetic restoration provides satisfactory conditions in aesthetics and well-being and reinstates individuals in familial and social environment.