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Abstract We report the results of a comprehensive copy number variant (CNV) reanalysis of 9171 exome sequencing datasets from 5757 families affected by a rare disease (RD). The data reanalysed was extremely heterogeneous, having been generated using 28 different enrichment kits by 42 different research groups across Europe partnering in the Solve-RD project. Each research group had previously undertaken their own analysis of the data but failed to identify disease-causing variants. We applied three CNV calling algorithms to maximise sensitivity, and rare CNVs overlapping genes of interest, provided by four partner European Reference Networks, were taken forward for interpretation by clinical experts. This reanalysis has resulted in a molecular diagnosis being provided to 51 families in this sample, with ClinCNV performing the best of the three algorithms. We also identified partially explanatory pathogenic CNVs in a further 34 individuals. This work illustrates the value of reanalysing ES cold cases for CNVs.

Abstract Background Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a malformation of cortical development that causes medical refractory seizures, and one of the main treatments may be surgical resection of the affected area of the brain. People affected by FCD may present with seizures of variable severity since childhood. Despite many medical treatments available, only surgery can offer cure. The pathophysiology of the disease is not yet understood; however, it is known that several gene alterations may play a role. The WNT/β-catenin pathway is closely related to the control and balance of cell proliferation and differentiation in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to explore genes related to the WNT/β-catenin pathway in lesional and perilesional brain tissue in patients with FCD type II. Methods Dysplastic and perilesional tissue from the primary dysplastic lesion of patients with FCD type IIa were obtained from two patients who underwent surgical treatment. The analysis of the relative expression of genes was performed by a qRT-PCR array (super array) containing 84 genes related to the WNT pathway. Results Our results suggest the existence of molecular alteration in some genes of the WNT pathway in tissue with dysplastic lesions and of perilesional tissue. We call this tissue of normal-appearing adjacent cortex (NAAC). Of all genes analyzed, a large number of genes show similar behavior between injured, perilesional and control tissues. However, some genes have similar characteristics between the perilesional and lesional tissue and are different from the control brain tissue, presenting the perilesional tissue as a molecularly altered material. Conclusion Our results suggest that the perilesional area after surgical resection of tissue with cortical dysplasia presents molecular changes that may play a role in the recurrence of seizures in these patients. The perilesional tissue should receive expanded attention beyond the somatic mutations described and associated with FCD, such as mTOR, for example, to new signaling pathways that may play a crucial role in seizure recurrence.

Abstract Introduction The transformation of data into information is important to support decision making and, thus, to induce improvements in healthcare services. The regionalized organization of healthcare systems is necessary to ensure the integrity of citizen care. From this perspective, the creation of mechanisms to guide and assess the behavior of a healthcare services network becomes necessary. However, these mechanisms must consider the interaction between different municipalities. The objective of this study is to apply network analysis as a supporting tool in the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde—SUS) management. Methods The stages of the proposed method are described and applied in a real situation, analyzing the intermunicipal interaction network for cardiovascular surgery in the municipality of Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil, from 2008 to 2020. The metrics analyzed were journeys indices, flow of patients and distance of the journeys, considering the journeys from and to the municipality in focus. Result There was an increase of the incoming flow and in-degree indices combined with a decrease in outgoing flow, showing the growing importance of this municipality as a provider of these services. Conclusion The method used in the study has potential to be adopted as a management tool to assess the behavior of the interactions network of the selected service, aiding the regionalized organization of the healthcare system.

Judo is a sport that requires multiple high-intensity moments during the fight and high neuromuscular performance. Although not often, the explosive actions of the lower limbs can be decisive to winning in combat. This study aims to identify the differences in the neuromuscular features of the range of movements of the upper and lower limbs between the top-elite and elite male judo athletes. This cross-sectional study included 63 high-level male judo athletes, who were classified into two level groups: (i) top-elite (n = 30; age: 23.5 ± 3.2 years) and (ii) elite (n = 33; age: 22.6 ± 2.9 years). All the participants went to the laboratory for neuromuscular evaluations in the bench press (BP), prone row (PR), and repeated jump in 30 s (RJ30) tests. The results show that the top-elite judo athletes are superior in all the upper-body neuromuscular attributes studied. These differences were significantly superior in (i) BP peak velocity (p < 0.01), maximum load 1RM, power (peak and mean), force (peak and mean), force mean to peak power, and rate of force development (RFD) (all, p < 0.001); and (ii) RP maximum load 1RM (p < 0.01), power load (kg, p < 0.001; % 1RM, p < 0.05), peak power (p = 0.010), power mean (absolute, p < 0.01; relative, p < 0.05), force mean (p < 0.05), force mean to peak power (absolute, p < 0.05) and RFD (p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were observed in the BP and PR time to peak force, time to peak power, and time between peaks (power and force). In the RJ30, it was observed that the initial contact time (T1) of top-elite athletes is significantly lower than that of elite athletes (p < 0.05) and that power at 15 (T2) and 30 (T3) seconds is significantly higher in top-elite athletes (T2, p < 0.05; T3, p < 0.01). The main effect of the performance group was significant in contact time (p < 0.05), and the main effect of time was statistically significant in jump height (p < 0.001), power (p < 0.001), force (p < 0.001) and velocity (p < 0.01). In addition, jump height (p < 0.01; η2p = 0.088) and power (p < 0.05; η2p = 0.068) showed a significant interaction between time and performance group. These results suggested that the observed superiority of the top-elite judo athletes in neuromuscular attributes can determine success in judo competitions. This observation reinforces that neural and metabolic profiles must be considered to increase the effectiveness of maximal power training for the upper and lower body.

BackgroundPostural instability is a debilitating cardinal symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Its onset marks a pivotal milestone in PD when balance impairment results in disability in many activities of daily living. Early detection of postural instability by non-expensive tools that can be widely used in clinical practice is a key factor in the prevention of falls in widespread population and their negative consequences.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a two-dimensional balance assessment to identify the decline in postural control associated with PD progression.MethodsThis study recruited 55 people with PD, of which 37 were men. Eleven participants were in stage I, twenty-three in stage II, and twenty-one in stage III. According to the Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) rating scale, three clinical balance tests (Timed Up and Go test, Balance Evaluation Systems Test, and Push and Release test) were carried out in addition to a static stance test recorded by a two-dimensional movement analysis software. Based on kinematic variables generated by the software, a Postural Instability Index (PII) was created, allowing a comparison between its results and those obtained by clinical tests.ResultsThere were differences between sociodemographic variables directly related to PD evolution. Although all tests were correlated with H&Y stages, only the PII was able to differentiate the first three stages of disease evolution (H&Y I and II: p = 0.03; H&Y I and III: p = 0.00001; H&Y II and III: p = 0.02). Other clinical tests were able to differentiate only people in the moderate PD stage (H&Y III).ConclusionBased on the PII index, it was possible to differentiate the postural control decline among the first three stages of PD evolution. This study offers a promising possibility of a low-cost, early identification of subtle changes in postural control in people with PD in clinical practice.

Aim: In this study, we analyze the relationship between the functional profile of older people admitted to long-term care units in Portugal and some demographic variables such as education level, sex, and age as well as the emotional state of mind.Methods: A sample of 59,516 older people from the National Network of Integrated Continuous Care of Portugal were analyzed in this longitudinal study. All the retrospective data of the older people were collected during the period of hospitalization at the long-term care units. The database records of these units were analyzed, and a functional profile spanning the period of hospitalization was calculated.Results: Activities of daily living and cognitive states improved, in the first 90 days of hospitalization, while mobility and instrumental activities of daily living worsened for the same period of 90 days. Generally, there was a decline in all domains after 450 days of hospitalization. The older women that did not attend school, those over 85 years old, and those who suffered from anxiety were pre-dominantly placed in the group of those with greater dependence (severe/complete dependence).Conclusion: The participants hospitalized between 90 and 360 days presented the best results in the long-term care units of the National Network of Integrated Continuous Care of Portugal. With this study, we highlight the importance of evaluating the functional status of persons in long-term hospitalizations and the influence exerted by the level of education on the recovery and rehabilitation of dependence.

IntroductionPrevious studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of therapeutic repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to treat pharmacoresistant depression. Nevertheless, these trials have primarily focused on the therapeutic and neurophysiological effects of rTMS following a long-term treatment course. Identifying brain-based biomarkers of early rTMS therapeutic response remains an important unanswered question. In this pilot study, we examined the effects of rTMS on individuals with pharmacoresistant depression using a graph-based method, called Functional Cortical Networks (FCN), and serial electroencephalography (EEG). We hypothesized that changes in brain activity would occur early in treatment course.MethodsA total of 15 patients with pharmacoresistant depression underwent five rTMS sessions (5Hz over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 120%MT, up to 4,000 pulses/session). Five participants received additional rTMS treatment, up to 40 sessions. Resting EEG activity was measured at baseline and following every five sessions, using 64-channel EEG, for 10 minutes with eyes closed. An FCN model was constructed using time-varying graphs and motif synchronization. The primary outcome was acute changes in weighted-node degree. Secondary outcomes included serial FFT-based power spectral analysis and changes in depressive symptoms measured by the 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptoms-Self Report (IDS-SR).ResultsWe found a significant acute effect over the left posterior area after five sessions, as evidenced by an increase in weighted-node degree of 37,824.59 (95% CI, 468.20 to 75,180.98) and a marginal enhancement in the left frontal region (t (14) = 2.0820, p = 0.056). One-way repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant decrease in absolute beta power over the left prefrontal cortex (F (7, 28) = 2.37, p = 0.048) following ten rTMS sessions. Furthermore, a significant clinical improvement was observed following five rTMS sessions on both PHQ-9 (t (14) = 2.7093, p = 0.017) and IDS-SR (t (14) = 2.5278, p = 0.024) and progressed along the treatment course.DiscussionOur findings suggest that FCN models and serial EEG may contribute to a deeper understanding of mechanisms underlying rTMS treatment. Additional research is required to investigate the acute and serial effects of rTMS in pharmacoresistant depression and assess whether early EEG changes could serve as predictors of therapeutic rTMS response.

BackgroundGait is one of the activities most affected by the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and may show a linear decline as the disease progresses. Early assessment of its performance through clinically relevant tests is a key factor in designing efficient therapeutic plans and procedures, which can be enhanced using simple and low-cost technological instruments.ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of a two-dimensional gait assessment to identify the decline in gait performance associated with Parkinson’s disease progression.MethodsOne hundred and seventeen people with Parkinson’s disease, classified between early and intermediate stages, performed three clinical gait tests (Timed Up and Go, Dynamic Gait Index, and item 29 of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale), in addition to a six-meter gait test recorded by a two-dimensional movement analysis software. Based on variables generated by the software, a gait performance index was created, allowing a comparison between its results with the results obtained by clinical tests.ResultsThere were differences between sociodemographic variables directly related to the evolution of Parkinson’s disease. Compared to clinical tests, the index proposed to analyze gait showed greater sensitivity and was able to differentiate the first three stages of disease evolution (Hoehn and Yahr I and II: p = 0.03; Hoehn and Yahr I and III: p = 0.00001; Hoehn and Yahr II and III: p = 0.02).ConclusionBased on the index provided by a two-dimensional movement analysis software that uses kinematic gait variables, it was possible to differentiate the gait performance decline among the three first stages of Parkinson’s disease evolution. This study offers a promising possibility of early identification of subtle changes in an essential function of people with Parkinson’s disease.

Objective: To develop a collaborative, multidisciplinary care model for older adults that improves interdisciplinary teamwork and increases access to specialized services for frail patients, helping solve management problems in the Brazilian Unified Health System. In the state of Bahia, the health care network for older adults requires better interaction and integration with the Unified Health System and the Unified System of Social Assistance to improve patient flow in the network. Methods: We used a co-creation and participatory action research approach based on reflection, data collection, interaction, and feedback with participants and stakeholders. Data was collected from health professionals, representatives of health agencies, and older adults through collective and individual interviews, reflective diaries, and direct communication. Results: An action plan involving members of the older adult care network was developed to put the new model into practice. A pilot study with a multidisciplinary team allowed adjustments and implementation of the model at our institution. Conclusions: The new model improved both the internal management of the State Reference Center for Older Adult Health Care (Centro de Referência Estadual de Atenção à Saúde do Idoso - CREASI) and its interaction with primary care, optimizing patient flow and establishing rules for shared management between CREASI and primary care institutions. In view of this, restructuring the care model reorganized relations between the agencies, expanding CREASI's role in the management and systematization of older adult health.

Abstract In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in the impact of electric fields generated in the brain. Transmembrane ionic currents originate electric fields in the extracellular space and are capable of affecting nearby neurons, a phenomenon called ephaptic neuronal communication. In the present work, the Quadratic Integrated-and-Fire model (QIF-E) underwent an adjustment/improvement to include the ephaptic entrainment behavior between neurons and electric fields. Indeed, the aim of our study is to validate the QIF-E model, which is a model to estimate the influence of electric fields on neurons. For this purpose, we evaluated whether the main properties observed in an experiment by Anastassiou et al. (Nat Neurosci 14:217–223, 2011), which analyzed the effect of an electric field on cortical pyramidal neurons, are reproduced with the QIF-E model. In this way, the analysis tools are employed according to the neuronal activity regime: (i) for the subthreshold regime, the circular statistic is used to describe the phase differences between the input stimulus signal (electrode) and the modeled membrane response; (ii) in the suprathreshold regime, the Population Vector and the Spike Field Coherence are used to estimate phase preferences and the entrainment intensity between the input stimulus and Action Potentials. The results observed are (i) in the subthreshold regime the values of the phase differences change with distinct frequencies of the input stimulus; (ii) in the supra-threshold regime the preferential phase of Action Potentials changes for different frequencies. In addition, we explore other parameters of the model, such as noise and membrane characteristic-time, in order to understand different types of neurons and extracellular environment related to ephaptic communication. Such results are consistent with results observed in empirical experiments based on ephaptic phenomenon. In addition, the QIF-E model allows further studies on the physiological importance of ephaptic communication in the brain, and its simplicity may open a door to simulate the ephaptic response in neuronal networks and assess the impact of ephaptic communication in such scenarios.

We report the first record of two teleost species from two archipelagos in the western equatorial Atlantic. We recorded the occurrence of Cantherhines pullus (Ranzani, 1842) (Monacanthidae, Tetraodontiformes) from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, a group of volcanic islands 345 km off the northeastern coast of Brazil. We also report the first regional record of Hemiramphus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hemiramphidae, Beloniformes) from the Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s Archipelago, which is a small and isolated group of rocky islands 520 km from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Gastric cancer (GC) pathogenesis is complex and heterogeneous, reflecting morphological, molecular and genetic diversity. Diffuse gastric cancer (DGC) and intestinal gastric cancer (IGC) are the major histological types. GC may be sporadic or hereditary; sporadic GC is related to environmental and genetic low‐risk factors and hereditary GC is caused by inherited high‐risk mutations, so far identified only for the diffuse histotype. DGC phenotypic heterogeneity challenges the current understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis. The definition of a DGC‐specific mutational profile remains controversial, possibly reflecting the heterogeneity of DGC‐related histological subtypes [signet‐ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) and poorly cohesive carcinoma not otherwise specified (PCC‐NOS)]. Indeed, DGC and DGC‐related subtypes may present specific mutational profiles underlying the particularly aggressive behaviour and dismal prognosis of DGC vs IGC and PCC‐NOS vs SRCC. In this systematic review, we revised the histological presentations, molecular classifications and approved therapies for gastric cancer, with a focus on DGC. We then analysed results from the most relevant studies, reporting mutational analysis data specifying mutational frequencies, and their relationship with DGC and IGC histological types, and with specific DGC subtypes (SRCC and PCC‐NOS). We aimed at identifying histology‐associated mutational profiles with an emphasis in DGC and its subtypes (DGC vs IGC; sporadic vs hereditary DGC; and SRCC vs PCC‐NOS). We further used these mutational profiles to identify the most commonly affected molecular pathways and biological functions, and explored the clinical trials directed specifically to patients with DGC. This systematic analysis is expected to expose a DGC‐specific molecular profile and shed light into potential targets for therapeutic intervention, which are currently missing.

Codes of practices and standards for products and activities are available regulations for global sectors, although they are dedicated to national scopes such as civil construction in Brazil. These regulations align with industry compliance as they establish mandatory or voluntary issues. Brazilian developers must properly regard construction regulations, which mostly dedicated to concrete and steel buildings but rarely to timber buildings. Through construction regulations, the production of timber buildings can become more standardized and scalable to ensure the steady quality of finished products. From this perspective, this paper evaluated Brazil’s timber housing production sector’s utilization and access to procedures, standards, guidelines, certifications, and seals. A standardized questionnaire was designed and refined to analyze this local perspective. Face-to-face interviews with sampled companies were conducted using a randomized sampling procedure. The margin of error was obtained using significant sampling of this sector. The findings evinced that most Brazilian developers underuse timber building regulations in their production and management practices and still need to familiarize themselves with this important subject. The codes must establish requirements for each timber construction technique to represent different technologies and also specify particularities and added performances to suit varied projects.

Oil spill detection and mapping using deep learning (OSDMDL) is crucial for assessing its impact on coastal and marine ecosystems. A novel approach was employed in this study to evaluate the scientific literature in this field through bibliometric analysis and literature review. The Scopus database was used to evaluate the relevant scientific literature in this field, followed by a bibliometric analysis to extract additional information, such as architecture type, country collaboration, and most cited papers. The findings highlight significant advancements in oil detection at sea, with a strong correlation between technological evolution in detection methods and improved remote sensing data acquisition. Multilayer perceptrons (MLP) emerged as the most prominent neural network architecture in 11 studies, followed by a convolutional neural network (CNN) in 5 studies. U-Net, DeepLabv3+, and fully convolutional network (FCN) were each used in three studies, demonstrating their relative significance too. The analysis provides insights into collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and research methodology and contributes to the development of more effective policies, strategies, and technologies for mitigating the environmental impact of oil spills in OSDMDL.

Abstract Background The aging population and its associated health needs require specific nursing care. The aim of this study was to draw an epidemiological profile of Portuguese elderly adults attending in residential homes and day centers and to evaluate the association between the functioning and cognition of these older adults and their sociodemographic characteristics and presence of multimorbidity. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 613 older adults. Functioning was assessed using the Elderly Nursing Core Set, and cognition was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. Results The mean age was 85.73 years; the majority of the participants were female (69.3 %), widowed (67.0 %) and over 85 years old (60.4 %). A total of 68.2 % of the sample presented multimorbidity. A total of 54.5 % had cognitive impairment, and the average functional profile was classified as “moderate difficulty”. Institutionalized older adults had more diseases than those who attended the day center. Women, those who were illiterate, those who were institutionalized and older adults who had diseases of the nervous system had a worse functional profile and greater cognitive impairment. Those with multimorbidity had a worse functional profile, and those without a spouse had greater cognitive impairment. Conclusions Given the functional and cognitive profile of older adults, it is necessary to adopt care practices focused on the rehabilitation/maintenance of self-care and affective relationships. This care must be provided by highly qualified professionals. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the ratio of nurses per older adult in these institutions.

O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o acesso à cirurgia cardiovascular a partir de índices das redes no estado da Bahia. Para isso, foram selecionadas as internações por cirurgia cardiovascular no SIH-SUS, de 2008 a 2018, dos municípios da Bahia-Brasil. Os índices da rede utilizados foram: grau de entrada, grau de saída, fluxo de saída e tamanho médio da aresta de saída. Para a caracterização da macrorregião foram utilizados os seguintes indicadores: (i) taxa de internações por cirurgia cardiovascular, (ii) proporção de municípios com grau de saída igual a zero e (iii) tamanho médio da aresta de saída.A metodologia utilizada evidenciou o aumento da taxa de cirurgia cardiovascular que passou de 1,3 em 2008 para 1,97 por 10.000 habitantes em 2018; houve desconcentração do acesso às internações à este tipo de cirurgia; diminuição da quantidade de municípios sem registro de realização de cirurgia cardiovascular (24,9%) e também diminuição da distância percorrida por usuários em busca destes procedimentos (18,7%). Houve avanços no acesso à cirurgia cardiovascular no estado, com mudanças significativas no padrão do deslocamento intermunicipal durante a série histórica. Inicialmente, os melhores resultados, como a queda da proporção de municípios com grau de saída igual a zero e queda do tamanho médio da aresta de saída, estavam atrelados às macrorregiões que tem dentro de seu território geográfico um município de referência para realização destes procedimentos. A partir de 2016 houve outra mudança nos padrões de deslocamentos, onde, a queda da proporção de municípios com grau de saída igual a zero caiu, inclusive, para macrorregiões que não tem esse serviço dentro de sua macrorregião.

Lysosomes are highly dynamic organelles involved in the breakdown and recycling of macromolecules, cell cycle, cell differentiation, and cell death, among many other functions in eukaryotic cells. Recently, lysosomes have been identified as cellular hubs for the modulation of intracellular signaling pathways, such as the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Here we analyzed morphological and functional characteristics of lysosomes in muscle and non-muscle cells during chick myogenesis, as well as their modulation by the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Our results show that (i) muscle and non-muscle cells show differences in lysosomal size and its distribution, (ii) lysosomes are found in spherical structures in myoblasts and fibroblasts and tubular structures in myotubes, (iii) lysosomes are found close to the plasma membrane in fibroblasts and close to the nucleus in myoblasts and myotubes, (iv) lysosomal distribution and size are dependent on the integrity of microtubules and microfilaments in myogenic cells, (v) alterations in lysosomal function, in the expression of LAMP2, and in Wnt/beta-catenin pathway affect the distribution and size of lysosomes in myogenic cells, (vi) the effects of the knockdown of LAMP2 on myogenesis can be rescued by the activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, and (vii) the chloroquine Lys05 is a potent inhibitor of both the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway and lysosomal function. Our data highlight the involvement of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in the regulation of the positioning, size, and function of lysosomes during chick myogenesis.

Objetivo: Descrever conforto para pacientes em serviço de emergência e implicações no cuidado de enfermagem. Método: Estudo exploratório descritivo qualitativo, realizado em hospital do Norte do Ceará referência para 55 municípios, com amostra de 85 pacientes, internados de 12 a 24 horas no Serviço de Emergência, investigados através de formulário, entre novembro de 2014 a fevereiro de 2015, com dados foram tratados segundo análise temática de Minayo. CEP 793.626 e CAAE 30640114.7.0000.5053. Resultados: No aspecto físico, a dor é o principal desconforto; no contexto psicoespiritosociocultural, a espera por atendimento; nos aspectos ambientais, os leitos. Conclusão: Os profissionais da enfermagem foram citados como os que mais contribuem para amenizar o desconforto dos pacientes.

Abstract Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a group of vascular diseases that produce right ventricular dysfunction, heart failure syndrome, and death. Although the majority of patients appear idiopathic, accumulated research work combined with current sequencing technology show that many gene variants could be an important component of the disease. However, current guidelines, clinical practices, and available gene panels focus the diagnosis of PAH on a relatively low number of genes and variants associated with the bone morphogenic proteins and transforming Growth Factor-β pathways, such as the BMPR2, ACVRL1, CAV1, ENG, and SMAD9. Methods To provide an expanded view of the genes and variants associated with PAH, we performed a systematic literature review. Facilitated by a web tool, we classified, curated, and annotated most of the genes and PubMed abstracts related to PAH, in which many of the mutations and variants were not annotated in public databases such as ClinVar from NCBI. The gene list generated was compared with other available tests. Results Our results reveal that there is genetic evidence for at least 30 genes, of which 21 genes shown specific mutations. Most of the genes are not covered by current available genetic panels. Many of these variants were not annotated in the ClinVar database and a mapping of these mutations suggest that next generation sequencing is needed to cover all mutations found in PAH or related diseases. A pathway analysis of these genes indicated that, in addition to the BMP and TGFβ pathways, there was connections with the nitric oxide, prostaglandin, and calcium homeostasis signalling, which may be important components in PAH. Conclusion Our systematic review proposes an expanded gene panel for more accurate characterization of the genetic incidence and risk in PAH. Their usage would increase the knowledge of PAH in terms of genetic counseling, early diagnosis, and potential prognosis of the disease.

A new occurrence each of Batrachoides surinam­ensis and Canthidermis maculata is reported in the northeastern coast of Brazil. This report adds to the known records for both species and increases the regional marine fish richness to 461 species. Following these records, 1.6 tons of C. maculata were landed from May 2016 to January 2017, representing more than 1,500 individuals caught monthly. While it sheds light on the importance of C. maculata, the economic and social role of B. surinamensis remains unknown. Likewise, their conservation status is currently uncertain and further investigation is warranted.

The establishment of physical training programs for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) has several benefits. The study aimed to analyze the effect of resistance training using prediction of intensity by subjective perception of effort (SPE) on body composition, muscle strength, and TCD4+ lymphocyte levels in PLWHA. This a randomized controlled trial study. Participants (11 men and 8 women), were divided in two groups: exercise group (EG) and control group (CG). The EG was submitted to 12 weeks of a resistance-training program based in the prediction of intensity by SPE. Body mass percentages were evaluated using tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance and skinfold methods. We used Flow Cytometry to quantify CD4+ T lymphocytes. Patients showed significant changes in Body Fat Percentage (Δ%=-6.23%), Lean Body Mass (Δ%=2.45%), and CD4T lymphocytes levels (Δ%=15.77%). They also showed significant increase in muscular strength presented in the test for one repetition maximum in all the evaluated exercises. Our data suggest that exercising program prescribed by SPE is capable of improving immune function, body composition, and muscular strength in PLWHA.

Abstract Higher education has joined affirmative action and promoted the coexistence between different social groups at universities. This study evaluated the interaction pattern between 926 affirmative action and regular students from 25 different undergraduate programs from a public university using an informal social networks questionnaire. Homophily was the parameter chosen to measure intergroup relations. This behavior was evaluated according to the student’s term, yield rate (percentage of admitted students who enroll), field of knowledge and nature of relationship. The results showed a low degree of integration between groups in highly competitive undergraduate programs. The group of regular students showed a greater tendency for endogeneity. These results point to need to create a culture of inclusion that provides a distribution of resources between different social groups.

Kava extract, an aqueous rhizome emulsion of the plant Piper methysticum, has been used for centuries by Pacific Islanders as a ceremonial beverage, and has been sold as an anxiolytic agent for some decades. Kavalactones are a major constituent of kava extract. In a previous investigation, we had identified three kavalactones that inhibit larval development of Haemonchus contortus in an in vitro-bioassay. In the present study, we synthesized two kavalactones, desmethoxyyangonin and yangonin, as well as 17 analogues thereof, and evaluated their anthelmintic activities using the same bioassay as employed previously. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies showed that a 4-substituent on the pendant aryl ring was required for activity. In particular, compounds with 4-trifluoromethoxy, 4-difluoromethoxy, 4-phenoxy, and 4-N-morpholine substitutions had anthelmintic activities (IC50 values in the range of 1.9 to 8.9 µM) that were greater than either of the parent natural products—desmethoxyyangonin (IC50 of 37.1 µM) and yangonin (IC50 of 15.0 µM). The synthesized analogues did not exhibit toxicity on HepG2 human hepatoma cells in vitro at concentrations of up to 40 µM. These findings confirm the previously-identified kavalactone scaffold as a promising chemotype for new anthelmintics and provide a basis for a detailed SAR investigation focused on developing a novel anthelmintic agent.

O fluxo de origem e destino é um fenômeno que pode ser modelado como uma rede. A teoria dos grafos é uma ferramenta matemática para caracterizar uma rede, desta forma, é possível estudar as propriedades topológicas e o desenvolvimento temporal e espacial de um conjunto de elementos relacionados. Este artigo tem como objetivo estimar a evolução topológica da rede intermunicipal de partos normais. Para tanto, foram selecionadas as internações do Sistema de Informação Hospitalar do Sistema Único de Saúde com o procedimento de parto normal, de 2008 a 2014, das residentes no Estado da Bahia, Brasil. Foram aplicados os índices: grau de entrada (de quantos municípios chegam), grau de saída (para quantos municípios saem), fluxo de entrada (quantas pessoas chegam), fluxo de saída (quantas pessoas saem) e o tamanho médio da aresta de saída (distância percorrida). As análises entre as macrorregiões foram realizadas por meio dos indicadores: proporção de partos normais realizados fora do município de residência e tamanho médio da aresta de saída. Os resultados indicam que houve aumento de partos realizados fora do município de residência, além da permanência da concentração de partos nos municípios sede da Região de Saúde, e aumento da distância entre o município de residência e o município de ocorrência do parto. A organização das redes para parto normal ainda é um desafio a ser superado. É importante analisar o fluxo realizado pelas gestantes, a fim de apoiar a definição das referências intermunicipais com o propósito de garantir o parto e o nascimento seguros. Concluiu-se que é necessário desenvolver uma rede regionalizada para atender às demandas das gestantes nos territórios de forma universal e equânime.

Abstract Social and sexual contact networks between men who have sex with men (MSM) play an important role in understanding the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In Salvador (Bahia State, Brazil), one of the cities in the survey Behavior, Attitudes, Practices, and Prevalence of HIV and Syphilis among Men Who Have Sex with Men in 10 Brazilian Cities, data were collected in 2008/2009 from a sample of 383 MSM using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS). Network analysis was used to study friendship networks and sexual partner networks. The study also focused on the association between the number of links (degree) and the number of sexual partners, in addition to socio-demographic characteristics. The networks’ structure potentially facilitates HIV transmission. However, the same networks can also be used to spread messages on STI/HIV prevention, since the proximity and similarity of MSM in these networks can encourage behavior change and positive attitudes towards prevention.

An updated and reviewed checklist of coastal fishes of the Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern coast of Brazil, is presented. Between 2003 and 2013 the occurrence of fish species were recorded through collection of specimens, landing records of the artisanal fleet, literature reviews and from specimens deposited in ichthyological collections. A total of 459 species from 2 classes, 26 orders, 102 families and 264 genera is listed, with 83 species (18% of the total number) recorded for the first time in the study area. Additionally, Halichoeres radiatus, Lachnolaimus maximus and Canthigaster james­tyleri are reported for the first time in the Brazilian coast and nine other species have their geographic distribution extended.

ABSTRACT The hunting tactics of lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, are described from underwater and cliff-top observations in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, western equatorial Atlantic, Brazil. Two main tactics were observed in the shallow waters of sandy beaches and reefs environments: (i) “substrate inspection” of crevices and holes over rocky and reef bottoms, and (ii) “sardine blitz”, which refer to striking schools of fishes (mainly sardines) in the surf zone. The first tactic was restricted to juveniles up to 2 m of total length, whereas subadult and adult sharks with total length larger than 2 m displayed the second. As lemon sharks use waters less than 5 m depth to hunt, perform social behaviours and predator avoidance, results highlight the importance of properly managing these habitats for their conservation, especially in areas where tourism has increased substantially.

This document presents a revised translation to the English language work developed more than 40 years ago by the first author. It further summarizes a common misinterpretation of the method and succinctly describes a graphical procedure to correctly determine the derived displacement volume of a pump or a motor. The original work contains a directive for the determination of the derived displacement volume of hydrostatic positive displacement pumps and motors, from volumetric (flow and speed) measurements. The procedure is based on the definition of the derived displaced volume, defined as: The volumetric flow pushed or admitted by hydrostatic positive displacement pumps and motors per (shaft) revolution, at zero internal and external leakage flow conditions.

Patients with chronic pain due to neuropathy or musculoskeletal injury frequently exhibit reduced alpha and increased theta power densities. However, little is known about electrical brain activity and chronic pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). For this purpose, we evaluated power densities of spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) band frequencies (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) in females with persistent pain due to RA. This was a cross-sectional study of 21 participants with RA and 21 healthy controls (mean age = 47.20; SD = 10.40). EEG was recorded at rest over five minutes with participant's eyes closed. Twenty electrodes were placed over five brain regions (frontal, central, parietal, temporal, and occipital). Significant differences were observed in depression and anxiety with higher scores in RA participants than healthy controls (p = .002). Participants with RA exhibited increased average absolute alpha power density in all brain regions when compared to controls (F (1.39) = 6.39, p = .016), as well as increased average relative alpha power density (F (1.39) = 5.82, p = .021) in all regions, except the frontal region, controlling for depression/anxiety. Absolute theta power density also increased in the frontal, central, and parietal regions for participants with RA when compared to controls (F(1,39) = 4.51, p = .040), controlling for depression/anxiety. Differences were not exhibited on beta and delta absolute and relative power densities. The diffuse increased alpha may suggest a possible neurogenic mechanism for chronic pain in individuals with RA.

The main objective of this study is to review and summarize recent findings on electroencephalographic patterns in individuals with chronic pain. We also discuss recent advances in the use of quantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG) for the assessment of pathophysiology and biopsychosocial factors involved in its maintenance over time. Data collection took place from February 2014 to July 2015 in PubMed, SciELO and PEDro databases. Data from cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies, as well as clinical trials involving chronic pain participants were incorporated into the final analysis. Our primary findings related to chronic pain were an increase of theta and alpha EEG power at rest, and a decrease in the amplitude of evoked potentials after sensory stimulation and cognitive tasks. This review suggests that qEEG could be considered as a simple and objective tool for the study of brain mechanisms involved in chronic pain, as well as for identifying the specific characteristics of chronic pain condition. In addition, results show that qEEG probably is a relevant outcome measure for assessing changes in therapeutic studies.

Metastatic involvement of gastrointestinal tract from breast cancer is a rare event. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman presenting with bowel obstruction, related to metastasis of a primary breast cancer she had 12 years earlier (a triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma treated with surgery and chemotherapy). Bowel obstruction was caused by a 20-centimeter tumor in the jejunum, involving also the transverse colon. The patient underwent en bloc resection of tumor with jejunum and transverse bowel segment and received adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel. Twenty months later, she was alive without disease recurrence.

El Evangelio según Van Hutten (1999) de l’écrivain argentin Abelardo Castillo propose une nouvelle version de la Passion du Christ, basée sur la remise en question des interprétations canoniques et surnaturelles. Le texte appartient à la catégorie du thriller ésotérique qui a contribué aux plus considérables des succès de l’industrie culturelle. Cependant, le sous-genre possède une origine intellectuelle plus savante et moins conventionnelle qu’on ne pourrait le supposer. Nous nous intéresserons donc aux sources ayant pu inspirer Abelardo Castillo – depuis les códices anciens jusqu’à La dernière tentation (1951) de Nikos Kazantzaki, en passant par « Tres versiones de Judas » de Jorge Luis Borges – avant de décrire la nature du principe narratif qui gouverne le texte de l’auteur argentin, principe qui oscille entre le récit d’aventures, le récit psychologique et l’essai.

O presente artigo descreve o processo de constituição do Geoparque Araripe, localizado no sul do estado do Ceará, sendo que, juntamente com Geoparque Stonehammer, em New Brunswick, no Canadá são praticamente os dois únicos geoparques no Continente Americano fazer parte da Rede Global de Geoparques, ligado a UNESCO. Constituindo-se assim, em um território de diversidade de conhecimentos, de modo especial o conhecimento científico, presente nas pesquisas geológicas, paleontológicas e históricas, e culturais. Portanto, serão objetivos do presente artigo, os seguintes itens: analisar os processos de gestão em redes de conhecimentos, e como estes contribuem para o processo de constituição do Geoparque Araripe em um território de difusão do conhecimento; a análise das relações de cooperação entre as organizações presentes no território do Geoparque Araripe, especialmente no que diz respeito ao apoio entre elas e o compartilhamento de informações; a caracterização e mapeamento dos órgãos, públicos e privados, que estão localizados no território do Geoparque e que direta e indiretamente contribuem para a consolidação do respectivo geoparque. Assim, para um melhor entendimento, o artigo a seguir apresenta a seguinte estrutura: após a introdução, é feita uma caracterização do Geoparque Araripe, procurando definir o conceito de geoparque, a rede global de geoparque, descrição dos geosítios que compõe o Geoparque Araripe. Logo após, na seção três, é apresentada a metodologia utilizada no artigo, justificando-se a opção pela Análise de Redes Sociais, seguida de uma breve revisão da literatura. Por fim, são apresentados os resultados parciais seguidos das referências.

The aging of the population has increased the research efforts focused on eldercare. In this area, nutrition is a topic of particular interest. A significant number of problems related with aging have their origin in a deficient nutrition. Many elders suffer changes in their nutritional patterns and these changes can cause serious deterioration of their physical condition. Therefore, to be able to address nutritional problems in the elderly, their nutritional patterns must be recorded and analyzed in an easy and efficient way. From a technological point of view, numerous works focus on monitoring the food intake, not only of elders but also of the general population. However, these works usually do not take into account the problems associated with an aging population. In this paper we present a survey of existing technological solutions for monitoring food intake. The analyzed solution are categorized based on their technological implementation and their adaptation to the needs of an aging population.

Se hace mención a algunos de los problemas físicos y filosóficos de la ciencia moderna y luego, haciendo alusión a un trabajo publicado en 1972, se presentan algunas de las consecuencias filosóficas que se obtienen de la teoría del Protilo, para después, con base en una ecuación de transformación, llegar al espacio de fase; con esto se muestra que el tensor g», tiene propiedades inerciales. Con base en lo cual, al definir una componente espacio-inercial, se llega a la ecuación similar a la de la geodésica parametrizada con el tiempo, mostrando que en ella, existiendo condiciones para una función armónica, se establece esta; luego se muestra cómo esta ecuación está ligada con las ecuaciones del grupo de las cuádricas en las que existen funciones elípticas o de partícula, o hiperbólicas o de propagación. También se muestra cómo a partir de la misma ecuación de transformación se puede llegar a la ecuación de onda de D'Alembert. Como conclusión se presenta la ecuación similar a la geodésica parametrizada con el tiempo como la ecuación de onda-partícula.

O mecanismo de transmissão dos impulsos elétricos em uma célula nervosa é muito diferente do mecanismo da condução eletrônica nos metais. A física, apesar disso, tem uma importante função na explicação deste processo. Neste trabalho, são estudadas algumas características destas células especializadas. Para isto, faremos uso do modelo de equações diferenciais de FitzHugh-Nagumo, especialmente para a análise dos pontos fixos, estabilidades e bifurcações. As características fundamentais do mecanismo de propagação do pulso sináptico em um neurônio, são mostradas em um simples cenário possibilitando a compreensão do fenômeno de excitabilidade, em um contexto geométrico. Portanto, a análise do espaço de fases apresenta-se como um item fundamental para a compreensão visual da dinâmica da propagação do impulso nervoso.

Lychnophora ericoides Mart., comumente conhecida como arnica, vegeta em regiões de campos rupestres e pertence à família Asteraceae. No aspecto fármaco-terapêutico é empregada como antiinflamatório e anestésico, entre outras aplicações. Com o objetivo de encontrar o melhor período para a colheita, surgiu a necessidade de traçar o perfil sazonal do conteúdo do óleo essencial dessa planta, até o momento não identificado. Para isso, foram escolhidas duas áreas preservadas nos municípios de Cristalina e de Vianópolis, ambos situados no Estado de Goiás, Brasil. As coletas foram efetuadas no período entre julho de 2001 e julho de 2002. As amostras de cada acesso foram submetidas a extração por hidrodestilação, tendo sido encontrados 71 componentes no óleo essencial dessa planta. As amostras de óleo essencial extraídas foram analisadas por cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massa (CG-EM). As plantas coletadas em Cristalina apresentaram maiores teores de óleo em comparação com as de Vianópolis, com as maiores porcentagens nos meses de setembro de 2001 e novembro de 2001. Não se observou diferença significativa no teor de óleo das plantas em Vianópolis.

Sementes de jurubeba (Solanum paniculatum) foram colhidas de bagas maduras de arbustos matrizes, cultivados em Goiânia (GO), em novembro de 2002. Destes frutos, foram separadas amostras de sementes puras, que foram submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: lavagem das sementes em água corrente por cinco minutos; lavagem das sementes em água corrente por cinco minutos, mais imersão em solução de detergente (15 mL/100 mL H2O) por cinco minutos, seguida de lavagem em água corrente por dois minutos; lavagem das sementes em água corrente por cinco minutos, imersão em solução de detergente (15 mL/100 mL H2O) por cinco minutos, seguida de imersão em solução de hipoclorito de sódio (15 mL NaClO/100 mL H2O) durante cinco minutos e de lavagem em água corrente por dois minutos; testemunha (sementes intactas). A seguir, as sementes foram submetidas ao teste de germinação, utilizando-se quatro repetições de 25 sementes por tratamento, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Concluiu-se que o emprego de detergente e hipoclorito de sódio aumenta a porcentagem de germinação das sementes, embora os tratamentos com estes produtos não diferiram (p > 0.05) da simples lavagem das sementes em água corrente. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Tecnologia de sementes; dormência. Seeds from ripe jurubeba berries (Solanum paniculatum) were collected from mother shrubs at the Alternative Medicine Hospital, in Goiânia, Goiás State, Brazil, in November 2002. Samples of pure seeds were detached from the collected fruits and submitted to the following treatments: 1- washing under running water for five minutes; 2- washing under running water for five minutes, immersion in domestic detergent solution (15 mL/100 mL H2O) for five minutes, and washing under running water for two minutes; 3- washing under running water for five minutes and immersion in domestic detergent solution (15 mL/100 mL H2O) for five minutes, followed by immersion in sodium hypochlorite solution (15 mL NaClO/100 mL H2O) for five minutes, and washing under running water for two minutes; 4- control (intact seeds). Four replications of 25 seeds per treatment were submitted to a germination test. A completely randomized design was used for statistical analysis. It was possible to conclude that the use of detergent and sodium hypochlorite increases the germination percentage in jurubeba, although it does not differ significantly (p > 0,05) from washing the seeds under running water. KEY-WORDS: Seed technology; dormancy.

O feijão bravo-do-ceará é um dos adubos verdes mais promissores para os cerrados. Essa espécie fornece nitrogênio às culturas subseqüentes e possui excelente produção de matéria seca. Por outro lado, mesmo sob condições ambientais favoráveis, muitas sementes não germinam devido ao tegumento impermeável, o que dificulta o estabelecimento de culturas. Este trabalho objetivou identificar formas de superar a dormência das sementes, por diversos métodos de escarificação: a) remoção manual da porção distal das sementes (com e sem embebição em água destilada); b) imersão das sementes em água a 1000ºC por 30, 60, 180, 300 e 600 segundos; c) imersão das sementes em H2SO4 P.A. por 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 e 60 minutos; d) choque térmico (24 horas a 250ºC, seguido de 24 horas a 50ºC ou 400ºC, com retorno a 250ºC; e) imersão das sementes em álcool por 5, 15, 30 e 60 minutos; e testemunha. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, com oito repetições. Os tratamentos mais eficientes foram remoção da parte distal do tegumento (com e sem embebição), imersão em ácido sulfúrico por 60 minutos e imersão em água a 1000ºC por 60 e 30 segundos, com germinações, respectivamente, de 96,6%, 99,2%, 95,9%, 95,1% e 94,8%. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Leguminosa; adubo verde; cerrado. Canavalia brasiliensis has a great potential as green manure in Brazilian Savanna. The species gives nitrogen to subsequent crops and produces excellent dry matter. On the other side, even under suitable environment conditions, several seeds don’t germinate due to the impermeable seed coat. This trial aimed to identify different treatments for dormancy breaking. Some scrub methods were tried: a) manual removal of distal portion of the seed, with or without distilled water soaking; 19 seed immersion on boiling water for 30, 60, 180, 300 and 600 seconds; e) seed immersion on H2SO4 for 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes; d) thermal impact (24 h at 25 0C followed by 24 h at 5°C or 40°C, then returning to 25°C); e) alcohol immersion for 5, 15, 30 and 60 min.; f) control. Treatments that provided better germination were: removal of distal portion with and without water soaking (99.6 and 99.2% germination, respectively), H2SO4 for 60 min. (95.9%) and boiling water for 60 and 30 sec (97.7 and 94.8% germination, respectively). KEY-WORDS: Green manure; savanna; leguminosae.

Com o objetivo de superar a dormência das sementes de pimenta-do-reino (Piper nigrum), levou-se a efeito um ensaio com sementes colhidas em outubro de 2000 no horto de plantas medicinais do Hospital de Medicina Alternativa em Goiânia (GO) e conduzidas ao Laboratório de Análise de Sementes da Escola de Agronomia de Universidade Federal de Goiás. Os tratamentos empregados no ensaio foram: (1) testemunha (sementes com casca); (2) sementes sem casca; (3) sementes sem casca e lavadas em água corrente por cinco minutos; (4) sementes sem casca, lavadas em água corrente por cinco minutos, imersas em solução 50% de detergente (Alquilbenzeno sulfonato de sódio) e lavadas em água corrente por dois minutos; (5) sementes sem casca, lavadas em água corrente por cinco minutos e imersas em hipoclorito de sódio a 20% por cinco minutos, e depois lavadas em água corrente por dois minutos. Depois de tratadas, as sementes foram submetidas ao teste-padrão de germinação. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Após o término do ensaio, aos 21 dias, observou-se que não houve germinação na testemunha. No tratamento 2 a germinação foi de 56%. Os tratamentos 3 e 5 apresentaram 58% e 60% de germinação, respectivamente, mas não foram diferentes, estatisticamente, do tratamento 2. A maior germinação (73%) foi observada no tratamento 4, muito embora não tenha diferido estatisticamente dos tratamentos 3 e 5. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Sementes; dormência; pimenta-do-reino. The black pepper fruits are largely used in culinary for its aroma but also useful for cosmetics, insect control and for its medicinal properties. Grafting has been used for propagation due to the period (six months) and irregular seed germination. To overcome the dormancy and reduce time for seedling production na experiment was carried out with seeds collected at the Alternative Medical Hospital in Goiânia, Brazil, at October 2000 and subject to the following treatments: a) peeled seeds, b) peelled seeds washed in running water for five minutes, c) peelled seeds washed in running water for five minutes and soaked in a 50% detergent solution and then washed in running water for two minutes, d) peelled seeds washed in running water for five minutes, then soaked in hypochloeite solution then washed for two minutes, e) control. Four replications were used in a completely randomized design. After 21 days it was observed no germination in the control treatment. Pelling increased germination to 56%. The peeled and water washed seed treatments, and those with washed and then hypochlorite soaked seeds caused germination rate increase, but did not differ significantly from those which just the seed peel was removed (58 and 56% germination rate, respectively). The higher germination rate (73%) was observed with peeled and washed seeds that were soaked in detergent solution, however no significant differences were found as compared to the water washed and hypochlorite soaked seed treatments. KEY-WORDS: Seeds; dormancy; black pepper.

This study evaluated the influence of edaphic factors on total phenols and tannins yield of two species of barbatimão (S. adstringens and S. polyphyllum). Data were collected in four ";cerrado"; locations in Goiás State, Brazil, during the dry (July 2001) and rainy season (February 2002). S. adstringens specimens (trees) were sampled in the municipalities of Rio Verde, Bela Vista de Goiás and Silvânia, and specimens of S. polyphyllum were sampled in Rio Verde, Bela Vista de Goiás and Abadia de Goiás; five specimens were collected from each county, totaling thirty specimens. The collected material consisted of one bark sample per specimen and season, and soil samples at two depths (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) in the dry season. Bark total phenols and tannins were determined by Hagerman & Butler method, and soil analyses followed the current methods recommended by Embrapa. Data was statistically analyzed by principal component analysis. It was showed that low chemical fertility soils were associated with the highest total phenols and tannins, particularly for S. polyphylum. Higher yields of these metabolic products were observed in the rainy season. In the dry season, sandy soils were positively correlated with total phenols and tannins yields, while soil aluminum saturation was more correlated with total phenols and tannins in the rainy season. KEY-WORDS: Medicinal herb; cerrado; tannin; phenol. Neste estudo avaliou-se a influência de fatores edáficos sobre a produção de fenóis totais e taninos em duas espécies de barbatimão (S. adstringens e S. polyphyllum). Os dados foram coletados em quatro localidades da região de cerrado, em Goiás, nas estações seca (julho de 2001) e chuvosa (fevereiro de 2002). Foram amostrados indivíduos (árvores) de S. adstringens nos municípios de Rio Verde, Bela Vista de Goiás e Silvânia, e indivíduos de S. polyphyllum, em Rio Verde, Bela Vista de Goiás e Abadia de Goiás; cinco de cada município, totalizando trinta indivíduos. O material coletado constou de uma amostra de casca por espécime e estação, e amostras de solo tomadas em duas profundidades (0-20 cm e 20-40 cm), na estação seca. Fenóis totais e taninos na casca foram determinados pelo método de Hagerman & Butler, e as análises do solo, segundo o método atualmente preconizado pela Embrapa. Os dados foram tratados estatisticamente por análise de componentes principais. Observou-se que solos com baixa fertilidade química estão associados com maiores níveis de fenóis totais e taninos, mormente para S. polyphyllum. Maiores produções desses metabólitos foram observadas no período chuvoso. A produção de fenóis totais e taninos, na estação seca, esteve positivamente correlacionada à textura arenosa dos solos; enquanto, na estação chuvosa, mostrou-se mais associada com a saturação por alumínio no solo. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Planta medicinal; cerrado; taninos; fenóis.

Researches of many South American countries point the zero tillage system of crop production for little farmers as a responsible factor for best soil and water conservation, less costs of production and best profits to improve the rural way of life. The treatments usually include the application of herbicides. To find agricultural systems that allow zero tillage without herbicide or with reduced usage has been considered a challenge by the researchers. This experiment was carried out in order to evaluate the effects of different mulches on the control of unwished plants in maize crop (Zea mays). Plants such as sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea), millet (Pennisetum americanum) and sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) cv. Stanzuela and V 2000 were grown in 100 m² areas. The sowing was made at the second April fortnight and, after sixty days, the zero tillage system with maize was established by using a manual planting machine. Just after, the plants grown in the plots were manually cut and used as mulch. The soil fertility was corrected according to the laboratorial analyses and the plant population adopted was around 60,000 plants per hectare. No weed control was made. At the maize flowering, the seed weeds grown in the plots were collected by using two samples of 1 m² plot (two replications). The plant material was dried till constant weight. Statistical analyses obtained from the data indicated the millet mulch as the best treatment to the weed control. KEY-WORDS: Mulches; uwished plants; maize crop. Pesquisas em diversos países sul-americanos apontam o plantio direto para pequenos produtores como responsável por melhor conservação do solo e água, menores custos de produção e maiores rendimentos, melhorando o nível de vida dos produtores e propiciando sua permanência no meio rural. Os tratamentos normalmente incluem a aplicação de herbicidas e considera-se um desafio à pesquisa encontrar sistemas que viabilizem o plantio direto sem uso, ou com uso reduzido, de herbicidas. Objetivando avaliar os efeitos de diferentes coberturas mortas sobre o controle de plantas indesejáveis na cultura do milho (Zea mays), conduziu-se o presente trabalho, cujos tratamentos foram constituídos pelo cultivo de áreas de cem metros quadrados com as seguintes plantas: crotalária (Crotalaria juncea), milheto (Pennisetum americanum) e girassol (Helianthus annus L.), cultivares Stanzuela e V 2000. A semeadura foi efetuada na segunda quinzena do mês de abril e, decorridos sessenta dias, foi feito o plantio direto do milho, com matraca. Imediatamente após, as plantas constantes nas parcelas foram cortadas manualmente, constituindo-se em cobertura morta. Fez-se adubação de acordo com a análise do solo e a população adotada foi de 60.000 plantas por hectare. Não houve controle de plantas daninhas. Por ocasião do florescimento do milho, coletaram-se as plantas daninhas presentes nas parcelas, mediante amostragens de 1 m² (duas repetições). O material foi seco até peso constante. A análise estatística dos dados obtidos indicou a cobertura morta proporcionada pelo milheto como o tratamento que melhor controlou a presença de plantas indesejáveis. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Cobertura morta; plantas daninhas; cultura de milho.