Effects of chronic exposure to coal in wild rodents (Ctenomys torquatus) evaluated by multiple methods and tissues

Rio Grande do Sul (RS) coal is low quality and typically obtained by strip mining. In a recent study concerning 2 years of biomonitoring in coal regions, we demonstrated the genotoxicity of coal and related products on blood cells of native rodents, from RS, Brazil. With the goal of studying the variations in the effects of RS coal on different tissues of the same rodent, we utilized, besides the single cell gel (SCG) and micronucleus (MN) assay on blood, histological analyses and SCG assay of bone marrow, spleen, kidney, liver and lung cells, and MN assay of bone marrow and spleen cells. In addition, to identify agents that can potentially influence the results, concentrations of several heavy metals were analyzed in livers and in soil, and the total concentration of hydrocarbons in the soil was determined. Rodents exposed to coal were captured at two different sites, Butiá and Candiota, in RS. Reference animals were obtained from Pelotas, where there is no coal mining. This report provides chemical and biological data from coal regions, indicating the possible association between Zn, Ni, Pb and hydrocarbons in the induction of DNA damage (e.g. single strand-breaks and alkali-labile sites) determined by the alkaline SCG assay in cells from Ctenomys torquatus. The results of the present SCG study indicate that coal and by-products not only induce DNA damage in blood cells, but also in other tissue cells, mainly liver, kidney and lung. Neither the MN assay nor histopathological observations showed significant differences; these analyses may be useful under circumstances where genotoxicity is higher. In conclusion we believe that the in vivo genotoxicity of coal can be biomonitored by the SCG assay, and our studies suggest that wild rodents, such as C. torquatus are useful for monitoring genotoxic damage by both methods, the SCG assay and the MN test.     

What kind of message does IL-12/IL-23 bring to macrophages and dendritic cells?

The present review illustrates the current knowledge on the autocrine effect of IL-12, and the putative contribution of IL-23, on macrophages and dendritic cells, focusing on cell activation and microbicidal activity. Here, we present convincing evidence that IL-12 is not only a connective element between accessory cells and lymphocytes, but it is also a key molecule for programming the macrophage and dendritic cell functions.     

Physical fitness differences between prepubescent boys and girls

The purpose of this study was to analyze in which physical capabilities boys and girls are closer or distant. An additional objective was to find which of the body fat, physical activity, and somatotype factors have a greater effect on prepubescent children's physical fitness. This was a cross-sectional study involving 312 children (10.8 ± 0.4 years). The physical fitness assessment employed sets of aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility, speed, agility, and balance. The boys presented higher values in all selected tests, except tests of balance and flexibility, in which girls scored better. Gender differences in the physical fitness were greatest in the explosive strength of upper (p ≤ 0.01, η(p)(2) = 0.09) and lower limbs (p ≤ 0.01, η(p)(2) = 0.08), although with a medium-size effect of gender, and smaller in the abdominal (p > 0.05, η(p)(2) = 0.007) and upper limbs (p > 0.05, η(p)(2) = 0.003) muscular endurance, and trunk extensor strength and flexibility (p > 0.05, η(p)(2) = 0.001). The endomorphic (p ≤ 0.01, η(p)(2) = 0.26) in the girls, and the ectomorphic (p ≤ 0.01, η(p)(2) = 0.31) and mesomorphic (p ≤ 0.01, η(p)(2) = 0.26) in the boys, had the high-sized effect on the physical fitness. The physical activity in the girls, and the endomorphic and body fat in the boys, did not have a significant effect. These findings can help in the planning of activities that take into account the success and motivation of both boys and girls and thus increase levels of physical activity and physical fitness at school. However, in prepubescent children, one cannot neglect the influence of genetic determinism, observed from the morphoconstitutional point of view.     

Use of transgenic seeds in Brazilian agriculture and concentration of agricultural production to large agribusinesses

We identified the commercial releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Brazil, their characteristics, the types of genetic transformation used, and the companies responsible for the development of these GMOs, classifying them into two categories: private companies, subdivided into multinational and national, and public institutions. The data came from the data bank of the national registration of cultivars and the service of national protection of cultivars of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Supply (MAPA). This survey was carried out from 1998 to February 12, 2011. Until this date, 27 GMOs had been approved, including five for soybean, 15 for maize and seven for cotton cultivars. These GMOs have been used for the development of 766 cultivars, of which, 305 are soybean, 445 are maize, and 13 are cotton cultivars. The Monsato Company controls 73.2% of the transgenic cultivars certified by the MAPA; a partnership between Dow AgroSciences and DuPont accounts for 21.4%, and Syngenta controls 4.96%. Seed supply by these companies is almost a monopoly supported by law, giving no choice for producers and leading to the fast replacement of conventional cultivars by transgenic cultivars, which are expensive and exclude small producers from the market, since seeds cannot be kept for later use. This situation concentrates production in the hands of a few large national agribusiness entrepreneurs.     

Polymorphisms in Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein (CSP) Influence Parasite Burden and Cytokine Balance in a Pre-Amazon Endemic Area from Brazil

Mechanisms involved in severe P. vivax malaria remain unclear. Parasite polymorphisms, parasite load and host cytokine profile may influence the course of infection. In this study, we investigated the influence of circumsporozoite protein (CSP) polymorphisms on parasite load and cytokine profile in patients with vivax malaria. A cross-sectional study was carried out in three cities: São Luís, Cedral and Buriticupu, Maranhão state, Brazil, areas of high prevalence of P. vivax. Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-6, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, interferon gamma (IFN-γ and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β were quantified in blood plasma of patients and in supernatants from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures. Furthermore, the levels of cytokines and parasite load were correlated with VK210, VK247 and P. vivax-like CSP variants. Patients infected with P. vivax showed increased IL-10 and IL-6 levels, which correlated with the parasite load, however, in multiple comparisons, only IL-10 kept this association. A regulatory cytokine profile prevailed in plasma, while an inflammatory profile prevailed in PBMC culture supernatants and these patterns were related to CSP polymorphisms. VK247 infected patients showed higher parasitaemia and IL-6 concentrations, which were not associated to IL-10 anti-inflammatory effect. By contrast, in VK210 patients, these two cytokines showed a strong positive correlation and the parasite load was lower. Patients with the VK210 variant showed a regulatory cytokine profile in plasma, while those infected with the VK247 variant have a predominantly inflammatory cytokine profile and higher parasite loads, which altogether may result in more complications in infection. In conclusion, we propose that CSP polymorphisms is associated to the increase of non-regulated inflammatory immune responses, which in turn may be associated with the outcome of infection.     

Antifungal Susceptibility,Morphological and Molecular Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lasiodiplodia theobromae</Emphasis> Isolated from a Patient with Keratitis

Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a rare ocular pathogen. We report a patient with fungal keratitis caused by L. theobromae. The patient was a 75-year-old male, a farmer with diabetes type II, and no previous history of ocular trauma. Histopathology analysis revealed the presence fungi invading Descemet’s membrane of the cornea. The fungus was characterized by septate, highly bulged fungal filaments involving full corneal thickness in the corresponding histopathology specimens. A dematiaceous mold was isolated and initally identified as L. theobromae by microscopic and macroscopic morphology, and further confirmed by PCR-based determination of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA. Antifungal susceptibility tests showed sensitivity to amphotericin B (AMB) and voriconazole ( VRC), and resistance to other azoles, including itraconazole (ITC) and fluconazole (FLC). Corneal transplant was performed. Despite in vitro itraconazole resistance, the patient was successfully treated with oral itraconazole, topical voriconazole and natamycin, combined with ocular injections of amphotericin B and voriconazole.     

Effects of temperature on the life cycle,expansion, and dispersion of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in three cities in Paraiba,Brazil

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue and is common throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Its distribution is modulated by environmental factors, such as temperature. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of temperature on the life cycle and expansion of Ae. aegypti populations in the cities of Campina Grande, João Pessoa, and Patos. Samples of Ae. aegypti were collected in the three cities and raised in the laboratory. We assessed the life cycles of the three Ae. aegypti populations under six constant temperatures (16, 22, 28, 33, 36, and 39°C), selected on the basis of historical temperature tendencies of each city. We also used existing climate data to calculate projected temperature increases for all three areas. Our results suggest that Campina Grande, João Pessoa, and Patos will experience, respectively, maximum temperature increases of 0.030°C/year, 0.069°C/year, and 0.061°C/year, and minimum temperature increases of 0.019°C/year, ?0.047°C/year, and ?0.086°C/year. These projected increases will result in temperatures favorable to the Ae. aegypti life cycle, causing rapid population growth. Therefore, Ae. aegypti populations are likely to expand in the mesoregions represented by these cities.     

Stigma Diversity in Tropical Legumes with Considerations on Stigma Classification

The great stigma diversity in angiosperms implies a choice of criteria for stigma classification, which nowadays is characterized as dry (= little or no secretory surface and exudate retained by the cuticle and/or protein pellicle), wet (= conspicuous secretory surface, abundant in fluid exudate) and semidry (exudate retained by cuticle and/or protein pellicle). Despite being a very species-rich family, whose representatives exhibit a wide floral variation, no comparative studies of stigma diversity have been done for the whole Leguminosae. In order to assess the stigma morphological diversity in legumes and to evaluate the criteria used in the main classifications of the stigma, we compared the stigma morphology in 15 distinct legume lineages. In addition, we evaluated the stigma classification in other 152 legume species whose morphology was already described in the literature. Stigmas were removed from floral buds and flowers and processed for analyses under scanning electron and light microscopes. The stigma of the study legumes exhibits quite variable morphology, mainly concerning the diameter, the occurrence of an orifice or a furrow, the coating, the cellular composition, and the occurrence, chemical nature and release mechanism of the exudate. This diversity appears to be related mainly to the evolutionary history of the group and also to the selective pressures exerted by different types of pollen and pollinator. More conflicting criteria for stigma classification lie in defining the semidry type, found mostly in papilionoids. For better stigma classification we suggest that stigma morphology be evaluated at the time prior to anthesis, when the cuticle is not yet broken and the exudate is not exposed or drained. In addition, several techniques should be employed for a better classification.     

Carbon Tetrachloride Increases the Pro-inflammatory Cytokines Levels in Different Brain Areas of Wistar Rats: The Protective Effect of Acai Frozen Pulp

Neurochemical Research - Acai offers health benefits associated with its high antioxidante capacity, phytochemical composition, nutritional and sensory value. Therefore, the objective of this study...