Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, phosphorus and organic residues in Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub. seedlings.

Studies have underscored a growingdemand for innovative practices in the cultivation of seedlings from forest species, with a notable emphasis on the utilization of organic waste, inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and phosphate fertilization. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of organic residues, inoculation with AMF, and phosphorus on the growth and quality of Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.) Taub. seedlings. Two independent experiments were conducted. In Experiment I, treatments included inoculation with various AMF species: control (without inoculation), Clareoideoglomus etunicatum, Rhizophagus heterosporum, Rhizophagus clarum, and MIX (a combination of the three AMF species), all in conjunction with varying doses of phosphorus (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 mg kg-1 soil). In Experiment II, treatments comprised a control group (without AMF) and inoculation with Glomus clarum, Gigaspora margarita, Gigaspora albida, Clareoideoglomus etunicatum, and MIX (a combination of the four AMF species), each associated with four substrates: S1) soil + coarse sand - SCS, S2) SCS + poultry manure, S3) SCS + cattle manure, and S4) SCS + sheep manure. Peltophorum dubium seedlings exhibited heightened growth with the inoculation of R. heterosporum, R. clarum, and MIX. Positive responses were observed in seedlings when exposed to organic residues, particularly sheep manure, resulting in increased biomass production and enhanced Dickson quality index. The AMF inoculation, specifically with R. heterosporum, R. clarum, and MIX, provided optimal growth conditions for P. dubium seedlings. Remarkably, the utilization of organic residues, notably substrates with chicken manure and cattle manure, exerted substantial positive effects on both growth and quality of P. dubium seedlings.

Plant size, latitude, and phylogeny explain within-population variability in herbivory.

Interactions between plants and herbivores are central in most ecosystems, but their strength is highly variable. The amount of variability within a system is thought to influence most aspects of plant-herbivore biology, from ecological stability to plant defense evolution. Our understanding of what influences variability, however, is limited by sparse data. We collected standardized surveys of herbivory for 503 plant species at 790 sites across 116° of latitude. With these data, we show that within-population variability in herbivory increases with latitude, decreases with plant size, and is phylogenetically structured. Differences in the magnitude of variability are thus central to how plant-herbivore biology varies across macroscale gradients. We argue that increased focus on interaction variability will advance understanding of patterns of life on Earth.

Dual Effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the acute lung inflammation induced by intestinal ischemia and reperfusion: Action on anti- and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: It is unknown if pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators in acute lung inflammation induced by intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (i-I/R) can be modulated by low-level laser therapy (LLLT). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIAL AND METHODS: A controlled ex vivo study was developed in which rats were irradiated (660 nm, 30 mW, 0.08 cm² of spot size) on the skin over the right upper bronchus 1 hour post-mesenteric artery occlusion and euthanized 4 hours later. For pretreatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or IL-10 antibodies, the rats received either one of the agents 15 minutes before the beginning of reperfusion. METHODS: Lung edema was measured by the Evans blue extravasation and pulmonary neutrophils influx was determined by myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Both TNF and IL-10 expression and protein in lung were evaluated by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: LLLT reduced the edema (80.1 ± 41.8 µg g⁻¹ dry weight), neutrophils influx (0.83 ± 0.02 × 106 cells ml⁻¹), MPO activity (2.91 ± 0.60), and TNF (153.0 ± 21.0 pg mg⁻¹ tissue) in lung when compared with respective control groups. Surprisingly, the LLLT increased the IL-10 (0.65 ± 0.13) in lung from animals subjected to i-I/R. Moreover, LLLT (0.32 ± 0.07 pg ml⁻¹) reduced the TNF-α level in RPAECs when compared with i-I/R group. The presence of anti-TNF or IL-10 antibodies did not alter the LLLT effect on IL-10 (465.1 ± 21.0 pg mg⁻¹ tissue) or TNF (223.5 ± 21.0 pg mg⁻¹ tissue) in lung from animals submitted to i-I/R. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the LLLT attenuates the i-I/R-induced acute lung inflammation which favor the IL-10 production and reduce TNF generation.

Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-infected pregnant women and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women and to determine the association between serological profile and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis. The study, conducted in a public maternity ward from May 2002 to April 2005, included all HIV-infected women who delivered live infants during the 36 months, and, as a control group, all HIV-negative women that delivered live infants in the first 12 months of the study. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 1,624 of 2,421 HIV-negative women (67%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 65-69%) and in 121 of 168 HIV-infected patients (72%; 95% CI 65-79%). A total of 547 HIV-negative and 103 HIV-infected patients were tested at delivery and had positive T. gondii-specific IgG. In HIV-negative women, the median of the specific IgG concentration was 79 (interquartile range 38-160), and in HIV-infected patients, it was 283 (interquartile range 94-704) (P < 0.001). In the group of co-infected women, the only infant with congenital toxoplasmosis was born to a mother with acute toxoplasmosis infection acquired during pregnancy who did not have a high specific IgG concentration or a positive result for specific IgM. We concluded that high T. gondii-specific IgG values were much more frequent among HIV-infected pregnant women, but it did not translate into an increased risk of maternal-fetal transmission of toxoplasmosis.

Assessment of postural adjustments in persons with intellectual disability during balance on the seesaw.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinematic and electromyography strategy used by individuals with intellectual disability to keep equilibrium during anterior-posterior balance on seesaws with different degrees of instability. METHOD: Six individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and six control group individuals (CG) balanced on three seesaws. The movement of the hip, knee and ankle joints and electromyography activities of selected leg and trunk muscles were recorded. RESULTS: Both groups maintained their balance mainly at the ankle joint. Contrary to the CG, the individuals with DS adopted a pattern of co-contraction and were not able to modulate the magnitude of postural response with the seesaw's degree of instability. CONCLUSIONS: These unusual strategies used by individuals with DS, such as their inability to discriminate different levels of mechanical demands in terms of the seesaw's instability, can reflect deficits in the proprioceptive system. The integration at cerebellum level could be a good candidate.

Detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pediatric patients: is the cefoxitin disk diffusion test accurate enough?

We evaluated the performance of several methods for the detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus using 101 clinical S. aureus isolates from pediatric patients in a tertiary hospital in Brazil; 50 isolates were mecA-positive and 51 were mecA-negative. The Etest and oxacillin agar screening plates were 100% sensitive and specific for mecA presence. Oxacillin and cefoxitin disks gave sensitivities of 96 and 92%, respectively, and 98% specificity. Alterations of CLSI cefoxitin breakpoints increased sensitivity to 98%, without decreasing specificity. Our results highlight the importance of a continuing evaluation of the recommended microbiological methods by different laboratories and in different settings. If necessary, laboratories should use a second test before reporting a strain as susceptible, especially when testing strains isolated from invasive or serious infections. With the new (2007) CLSI breakpoints, the cefoxitin-disk test appears to be a good option for the detection of methicillin resistance in S. aureus.

Postural strategy to keep balance on the seesaw.

This work investigates the kinematic and electromyography (EMG) strategy used by the central nervous system (CNS) to keep equilibrium during anterior-posterior balance on seesaws with different degrees of instability. The movement of hip, knee, and ankle were reconstructed using a 3D motion-analysis system and the EMG activities of selected ankle, knee, and hip muscles were recorded. Balance was kept mainly at the ankle joint. The EMG patterns of the gastrocnemius and anterior tibialis alternated between agonist and antagonist bursts. The agonist burst started before the end of the lengthening phase and was prolonged until the end of the shortening phase. The EMG activities of the muscles crossing the knee and hip joints were characterized by a pattern of generalized co-activation. The movements at these two joints were very small, suggesting a neural or biomechanical constraint underlying the operations of the equilibrium control. Our results also indicate that the strategy to keep balance on the seesaw is qualitatively the same for the different levels of mechanical demands in terms of the seesaw's instability.

[Association of patterns of Escherichia coli adherence to HEp-2 cells with acute and persistent diarrhea]. / Associação de padrões de adesão de Escherichia coli às células HEp-2 com diarréia aguda e persistente.

In Brazil diarrhea is the cause of approximately 15% of death among infants. Enteropathogenic E coli is the most important bacterial agent causing acute diarrhea, which is defined as less than 14 days of duration. About 30% of these cases may evolve to persistent diarrhea, defined as lasting more than 14 days. In this work it was carried out a case-control study including 34 children under 2 years of age, and admitted to hospital facilities in São Paulo for rehydration therapy. Thirty-four age matched children hospitalized in the same facilities, and presenting no gastrointestinal symptoms were included as controls. Stool samples were analyzed for the presence of bacterial pathogens (diarrheagenic E coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter), protoparasytes, rotavirus, and enteric adenovirus. The E coli strains isolated were analyzed for their ability to adhere to HEp-2 cultured cells, in a 3 h adhesion assay. Search for homology with DNA probes for localized adherence (EAF, eaeA probes), AA (enteroagregative adherence) (AA probe), and diffuse adherence (F1845, AIDA-I probes) was carried out by the colony hybridization method. Twenty-four of the cases were acute diarrhea and 10 persistent diarrhea. Strains with localized adherence were associated with acute and persistent diarrhea. About 23.5% of E coli were associated with typical Enteropathogenic E coli strains (EAF+, eaeA+). Enteroaggregative E coli (EAggEC) (AA+) was isolated only from cases and in similar frequency for acute and persistent diarrhea. Diffusely adherent E coli (DAEC) which did not hybridize with the diffuse adherence probes were isolated among cases and controls. E coli eaeA+ with localized-like adherence was isolated from cases in a frequency three times higher than in controls, suggesting that it may really have a pathogenic potential.

The effect of galvanic vestibular stimulation on postural response of Down syndrome individuals on the seesaw.

In order to better understand the role of the vestibular system in postural adjustments on unstable surfaces, we analyzed the effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on the pattern of muscle activity and joint displacements (ankle knee and hip) of eight intellectually normal participants (control group--CG) and eight control group individuals with Down syndrome (DS) while balancing on seesaws of different heights. The CG individuals adopted a pattern of muscle activation characterized by alternation between ankle agonist and antagonist muscles. The individuals with DS adopted a pattern of muscle co-contraction. The GVS affected neither the ability of CG individuals to maintain balance nor their pattern of muscle contraction. On the other hand, the individuals with DS showed greater sensitivity to GVS while balancing on a seesaw and were not able to select the appropriate motor strategy to efficiently balance and compensate the effects of GVS. These increased vestibular sensitivities observed in individuals with DS can reflect deficits in the proprioceptive system.

[Maternal mortality in the Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto (USP) from 1957 to 1977. Pt. 1: Incidence (Author's transl)]. / Mortalidade materna no Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto (USP) no periodo 1957-1977. Pt.1: Incidencia.

PIP: A study was carried out from 1957-1977 which investigated the incidence of maternal mortality in the Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto. The yearly distribution of these deaths related to the resolution of pregnancy always showed predominance of the abortion group over the others (pregnant patients, normal delivery, and surgical delivery), with increased evidence starting at the beginning of the 1970's. When the deaths were distributed by relating pregnancy resolution to marital status, absolute predominance of married over single patients was observed, including the abortion group. When the site of the 21st obstetrical aid was considered, it was observed that in 17 of 68 cases studied, the patients were directed to another hospital or delivered at home assisted by a midwife. The mortality rate for the entire period studied was 22.04%. When the cases receiving 1st obstetrical aid outside the Hospital das Clinicas are subtracted, the rate drops to 16.53% and to 8.1% when the abortion group is also excluded. On the basis of these data, it was concluded that abortion is the greatest medical-social problem detected in this study.^ieng

A localized adherence-like pattern as a second pattern of adherence of classic enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to HEp-2 cells that is associated with infantile diarrhea.

Escherichia coli strains that cause nonbloody diarrhea in infants are known to present three distinct patterns of adherence to epithelial cells, namely, localized (LA), diffuse (DA), and aggregative (AA) adherence. Strains with LA (typical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli [EPEC]) are well recognized as a cause of secretory diarrhea, but the role of strains with DA (DAEC) is controversial, and strains with AA (EAEC) have been more frequently related to persistent diarrhea whereas its relationship with acute diarrhea is not well defined. To determine the relationship of the different types of E. coli adherence patterns with acute diarrhea (lasting less than 14 days) and persistent diarrhea (lasting more than 14 days) in São Paulo, Brazil, we studied stool specimens from 40 infants under 1 year of age with diarrhea and 40 age-matched control infants without any gastrointestinal symptoms. Twenty-eight (35.0%) of eighty cases yielded adherent E. coli (HEp-2 cells). Strains with localized and aggregative adherence were associated with acute and persistent diarrhea. A total of 11.2% of the adherent strains were typical EPEC serotypes and hybridized with the enteroadherence factor probe; 5.0% were EAEC and hybridized with the EAEC probe. DAEC strains were isolated from 10.0% of patients and 7.5% of controls and did not hybridize with the two probes used (daaC and AIDA-I). Strains with a localized adherence-like pattern (atypical EPEC) were found significantly more frequently (P = 0.028) in cultures from children with diarrhea (17.5%) than in controls (2.5%).

Energy expenditure after 2- to 3-hour elective surgical operations.

UNLABELLED: Energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry in 17 adult patients (8 women and 9 men) before surgery, 4 hours immediately after surgery, and 24 hours late after surgery in patients undergoing elective surgery of small-to-medium scope. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The total duration of surgery ranged from 2 to 3 hours. Repeated measures were performed on the same patient, so that each patient was considered to be his/her own control. All patients received a 5% dextrose solution (2000 mL/day) throughout the postoperative period. RESULTS: Men showed a reduction in CO2 production during the immediately after surgery period (257+/-42 mL/min) compared to before surgery (306+/-48 mL/min) and late after surgery (301+/-45 mL/min); this reduction was not observed in women. Energy expenditure was also lower in men during immediately after surgery (6.6 kJ/min). None of the other measurements, including substrate oxidation, showed significant differences. CONCLUSION: Therefore, elective surgery itself cannot be considered an important trauma that would result in increased energy expenditure. According to this study, it is not necessary to prescribe an energy supply exceeding basal expenditure during the immediate after-surgery period. The present results suggest that the energy supply prescribed during the postoperative period after elective surgery of small-to-medium scope should not exceed 5-7 kJ/min, so the patient does not receive a carbohydrate overload from energy supplementation.

Detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pediatric patients: is the cefoxitin disk diffusion test accurate enough?

We evaluated the performance of several methods for the detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus using 101 clinical S. aureus isolates from pediatric patients in a tertiary hospital in Brazil; 50 isolates were mecA-positive and 51 were mecA-negative. The Etest and oxacillin agar screening plates were 100 percent sensitive and specific for mecA presence. Oxacillin and cefoxitin disks gave sensitivities of 96 and 92 percent, respectively, and 98 percent specificity. Alterations of CLSI cefoxitin breakpoints increased sensitivity to 98 percent, without decreasing specificity. Our results highlight the importance of a continuing evaluation of the recommended microbiological methods by different laboratories and in different settings. If necessary, laboratories should use a second test before reporting a strain as susceptible, especially when testing strains isolated from invasive or serious infections. With the new (2007) CLSI breakpoints, the cefoxitin-disk test appears to be a good option for the detection of methicillin resistance in S. aureus.

Estudo do naftidrofuril como relaxante uterino na ameaca de parto prematuro. / Study of naftidrofuril as uterine relaxant in premature labor

Os autores estudaram o efeito do naftidrofuril - vasodilatador papaverinico - na reducao da contratilidade uterina em gestantes com ameaca de parto prematuro. Os resultados foram excelentes - 75% das pacientes apresentaram diminuicao acentuada da frequencia de contracoes uterinas cerca de tres horas a partir da infusao venosa de naftidrofuril. Os autores observaram que, nas demais pacientes (25%), que nao responderam ao tratamento e entraram em trabalho de parto, a media de idade gestacional era mais elevada do que no 1o grupo. Os autores demonstraram que o naftidrofuril e eficaz na paralisacao da ameaca de parto prematuro, sem causar efeitos colaterais circulatorios na mae ou no feto

Monitorizacao anteparto sem stress: um estudo comparativo entre escores de interpretacao. / Non-stressed antepartum monitoring: a comparative study between scores of interpretation

Com o objetivo de testar a validade dos escores de monitorizacao, foram analisados os ultimos 203 tracados de monitorizacao anteparto obtidos em pacientes com gravidez de alto risco. Os tracados foram interpretados de acordo com quatro classificacoes utilizadas en nosso meio (tres escores de monitorizacao e a classificacao "reativo" e "nao-reativo").Em cada classificacao, os resultados foram comparados com o desempenho dos recem-nascidos, no que se refere a presenca de mortalidade ou morbidade perinatal. Analisaram-se tambem a sensibilidade, a especificidade, os resultados falso-positivos e os falso-negativos de cada metodo. Os resultados evidenciaram que houve significancia estatistica somente quando os tracados foram interpretados pela classificacao proposta por Rochard (reativo e nao-reativo) e adaptacao no Brasil por Montenegro e cols.Mostraram tambem que alta incidencia de resultados falso-positivos foi encontrada em qualquer um dos metodos empregados