Caatinga, Amazon and Atlantic Forest as natural sources for microbial lignocellulolytic enzymes.

Brazilian biomes are important sources for environmental microorganisms, including efficient metabolic machineries, like actinomycetes. These bacteria are known for their abilities to produce many bioactive compounds, including enzymes with multiple industrial applications. The present work aimed to evaluate lignocellulolytic abilities of actinomycetes isolated from soil and rhizosphere samples collected at Caatinga, Atlantic and Amazon Forest. Laccase (Lac), lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and cellulase were evaluated for their efficiency. These enzymes have an essential role in lignin decomposition, through oxidation of phenolic and non-phenolic compounds, as well as enzymatic hydrolysis of vegetal biomass. In this sense, a total of 173 actinomycetes were investigated. Eleven (11) of them were selected by their enzymatic performance. The actinomycete AC166 displayed some activity in all analysed scenarios in terms of Lac, MnP and LiP activity, while AC171 was selected as the most promising strain, showing the following activities: 29.7 U.L-1 for Lac; 2.5 U.L-1 for LiP and 23 U.L-1 for MnP. Cellulolytic activities were evaluated at two pH conditions, 4.8 and 7.4, obtaining the following results: 25 U.L-1 and 71 U.L-1, respectively. Thermostability (4, 30 and 60 o C) and salinity concentrations (0 to 4 M) and pH variation (2.0 to 9.0) stabilities of the obtained LiP and Lac enzymatic extracts were also verified. The actinomycete strain AC171 displayed an adaptable response in distinct pH and salt profiles, indicating that bacterial LiP was some halophilic type. Additionally, the strain AC149 produced an alkali and extreme halophilic lignin peroxidase, which are promising profiles for their future application under lignocellulosic biomass at bioethanol biorefineries.

Foliar Selenium Application to Reduce the Induced-Drought Stress Effects in Coffee Seedlings: Induced Priming or Alleviation Effect?

This study aimed to investigate the role of Se supply in improving osmotic stress tolerance in coffee seedlings while also evaluating the best timing for Se application. Five times of Se foliar application were assessed during induced osmotic stress with PEG-6000 using the day of imposing stress as a default, plus two control treatments: with osmotic stress and without Se, and without osmotic stress and Se. Results demonstrated that osmotic stress (OS) promoted mild stress in the coffee plants (ψw from -1.5MPa to -2.5 MPa). Control plants under stress showed seven and five times lower activity of the enzymes GR and SOD compared with the non-stressed ones, and OS was found to further induce starch degradation, which was potentialized by the Se foliar supply. The seedlings that received foliar Se application 8 days before the stress exhibited higher CAT, APX, and SOD than the absolute control (-OS-Se)-771.1%, 356.3%, and 266.5% higher, respectively. In conclusion, previous Se foliar spray is more effective than the Se supply after OS to overcome the adverse condition. On the other hand, the post-stress application seems to impose extra stress on the plants, leading them to reduce their water potential.

Physical Attributes of Tree Holes in the Atlantic Forest Edges: Evaluating Their Association with the Presence and Abundance of Immature Haemagogus leucocelaenus.

Sylvatic yellow fever (SYF) was recently a health issue in Brazil (2016-2019) because transmission was facilitated by a high density of vectors, amplifying hosts, and low vaccine coverage of the human population, especially in urban forests in the Southeast Region of Brazil. Moreover, urban forest edges are more likely to have contact between human and sylvatic vector mosquito populations. Here, we show the association between abiotic and biotic features of tree holes as Haemagogus leucocelaenus rearing sites in Cantareira State Park in Atlantic Forest edges. The analyzed physical features of the tree holes were diameter at breast height, tree hole opening diameter, depth, trunk diameter, tree hole volume, collected volume, height (varying from 0.02 to 4.2 m above ground), and the presence of Culicidae species other than Hg. leucocelaenus. We analyzed 105 positive and 68 negative water samples for larval presence and found no differences between them, suggesting the lack of specific physical characteristics in these categories. Hg. leucocelaenus larval abundance was correlated with the collected volume and opening diameter of tree holes. The tree species that most represented negative breeding sites were Euplassa cantareirae, Guarea macrophylla, Psychotria suterella, and Tibouchina pulchra. Four significant clusters as areas with a high risk of SYV were identified by Get-Ordis spatial analysis. Although Hg. leucocelaenus larvae were found in tree holes with high water levels, their occurrence was regulated by that of other mosquito species. Our findings contribute to clarifying immature vector ecology in tree holes related to human exposure to SYF in urban forest edges.

Influence of CBCT parameters on image quality and the diagnosis of vertical root fractures in teeth with metallic posts: an ex vivo study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of peak kilovoltage (kVp) and a metal artifact reduction (MAR) tool on image quality and the diagnosis of vertical root fracture (VRF) in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Twenty single-rooted human teeth filled with an intracanal metal post were divided into 2 groups: control (n = 10) and VRF (n = 10). Each tooth was placed into the socket of a dry mandible, and CBCT scans were acquired using a Picasso Trio varying the kVp (70, 80, 90, or 99), and the use of MAR (with or without). The examinations were assessed by 5 examiners for the diagnosis of VRF using a 5-point scale. A subjective evaluation of the expression of artifacts was done by comparing random axial images of the studied protocols. The results of the diagnoses were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance and the Tukey post hoc test, the subjective evaluations were compared using the Friedman test, and intra-examiner reproducibility was evaluated using the weighted kappa test (α = 5%). Results: The kVp and MAR did not influence the diagnosis of VRF (p > 0.05). According to the subjective classification, the 99 kVp protocol with MAR demonstrated the least expression of artifacts, while the 70 kVp protocol without MAR led to the most artifacts. Conclusions: Protocols with higher kVp combined with MAR improved the image quality of CBCT examinations. However, those factors did not lead to an improvement in the diagnosis of VRF.

Importance of depth and temperature variability as drivers of coral symbiont composition despite a mass bleaching event.

Coral reefs are iconic examples of climate change impacts because climate-induced heat stress causes the breakdown of the coral-algal symbiosis leading to a spectacular loss of color, termed 'coral bleaching'. To examine the fine-scale dynamics of this process, we re-sampled 600 individually marked Montipora capitata colonies from across Kane'ohe Bay, Hawai'i and compared the algal symbiont composition before and after the 2019 bleaching event. The relative proportion of the heat-tolerant symbiont Durusdinium in corals increased in most parts of the bay following the bleaching event. Despite this widespread increase in abundance of Durusdinium, the overall algal symbiont community composition was largely unchanged, and hydrodynamically defined regions of the bay retained their distinct pre-bleaching compositions. We explain ~ 21% of the total variation, of which depth and temperature variability were the most significant environmental drivers of Symbiodiniaceae community composition by site regardless of bleaching intensity or change in relative proportion of Durusdinium. We hypothesize that the plasticity of symbiont composition in corals may be constrained to adaptively match the long-term environmental conditions surrounding the holobiont, despite an individual coral's stress and bleaching response.

Dengue Exposure and Wolbachia wMel Strain Affects the Fertility of Quiescent Eggs of Aedes aegypti.

(1) Background: The deployment of the bacterium Wolbachia to reduce arbovirus transmission is ongoing in several countries worldwide. When Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti are released and established in the field, females may feed on dengue-infected hosts. The effects of simultaneous exposure on life-history traits of Ae. aegypti to Wolbachia wMel strain and dengue-1 virus DENV-1 remain unclear. (2) Methods: We monitored 4 groups (mosquitoes with either DENV-1 or Wolbachia, coinfected with DENV-1 and Wolbachia, as well as negative controls) to estimate Ae. aegypti survival, oviposition success, fecundity, collapsing and fertility of quiescent eggs for 12 weeks. (3) Results: Neither DENV-1 nor Wolbachia had a significant impact on mosquito survival nor on mosquito fecundity, although the last parameter showed a tendency to decrease with ageing. There was a significant decrease in oviposition success in individuals carrying Wolbachia. Wolbachia infection and storage time significantly increased egg collapse parameter on the egg viability assay, while DENV-1 had a slight protective effect on the first four weeks of storage. (4) Conclusions: Despite limitations, our results contribute to better understanding of the tripartite interaction of virus, bacteria and mosquito that may take place in field conditions and aid in guaranteeing the Wolbachia strategy success.

CRISPR-Cas engineering in food science and sustainable agriculture: recent advancements and applications.

The developments in the food supply chain to support the growing population of the world is one of today's most pressing issues, and to achieve this goal improvements should be performed in both crops and microbes. For this purpose, novel approaches such as genome editing (GE) methods have upgraded the biological sciences for genome manipulation and, among such methods, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) are the main exciting innovations since the Green Revolution. CRISPR/Cas systems can be a potent tool for the food industry, improvement of agricultural crops and even for protecting food-grade bacteria from foreign genetic invasive elements. This review introduces the history and mechanism of the CRISPR-Cas system as a genome editing tool and its applications in the vaccination of starter cultures, production of antimicrobials and bioactive compounds, and genome editing of microorganisms.

Nanoparticles in association with antimicrobial peptides (NanoAMPs) as a promising combination for agriculture development.

Antimicrobial peptides are small molecules, up to 10 kDa, present in all kingdoms of life, including in plants. Several studies report that these molecules have a broad spectrum of activity, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and insecticidal activity. Thus, they can be employed in agriculture as alternative tools for phytopathogen and pest control. However, the application of peptides in agriculture can present challenges, such as loss of activity due to degradation of these molecules, off-target effects, and others. In this context, nanotechnology can offer versatile structures, including metallic nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, nanofibers, and others, which might act both in protection and in release of AMPs. Several polymers and biomaterials can be employed for the development of nanostructures, such as inorganic metals, natural or synthetic lipids, synthetic and hybrid polymers, and others. This review addresses the versatility of NanoAMPs (Nanoparticles in association with antimicrobial peptides), and their potential applications in agribusiness, as an alternative for the control of phytopathogens in crops.

Community composition of coral-associated Symbiodiniaceae differs across fine-scale environmental gradients in Kane'ohe Bay.

The survival of most reef-building corals is dependent upon a symbiosis between the coral and the community of Symbiodiniaceae. Montipora capitata, one of the main reef-building coral species in Hawai'i, is known to host a diversity of symbionts, but it remains unclear how they change spatially and whether environmental factors drive those changes. Here, we surveyed the Symbiodiniaceae community in 600 M. capitata colonies from 30 sites across Kane'ohe Bay and tested for host specificity and environmental gradients driving spatial patterns of algal symbiont distribution. We found that the Symbiodiniaceae community differed markedly across sites, with M. capitata in the most open-ocean (northern) site hosting few or none of the genus Durusdinium, whereas individuals at other sites had a mix of Durusdinium and Cladocopium. Our study shows that the algal symbiont community composition responds to fine-scale differences in environmental gradients; depth and temperature variability were the most significant predictor of Symbiodiniaceae community, although environmental factors measured in the study explained only about 20% of observed variation. Identifying and mapping Symbiodiniaceae community distribution at multiple scales is an important step in advancing our understanding of algal symbiont diversity, distribution and evolution and the potential responses of corals to future environmental change.

Employment of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to improve cellulase production in Trichoderma reesei.

Trichoderma reesei has been explored intensively in the laboratory and on an industrial scale for its highly potent cellulase secretion machinery since its characterization over 70 years ago. Emergence of new genetic tools over the past decade has strengthened the understanding of mechanism involved in transcription of cellulase genes in fungi and provided a boost to edit them at molecular level. Since several transcriptional factors work synergistically for cellulase expression in fungi; engineering of cellulase secretome for enhanced cellulase titer require combined manipulation of these factors. In the same context, CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as a powerful, versatile genetic engineering tool for multiplex gene editing in fungi. It is true that considerable efforts with CRISPR technologies have largely developed fungal genetic engineering, but its application in fungi is still challenging and limited. The present review illustrates the precision, strengths and challenges of using CRISPR/Cas9 technology for cellulase engineering in T. reesei, highlighting key strategies that could be employed for strain improvement.

Priming of defense-related genes in Brassica oleracea var. capitata using concentrated metabolites produced by Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899.

To verify the potential of metabolites extracted from Rhizobium tropici to trigger the priming of defense responses in cruciferous plants, we analyzed the expression of defense-related genes by qRT-PCR. Brassica oleracea var. capitata, susceptible to Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, were grown in greenhouse conditions. At 18 days after sowing, plants were inoculated with 1 mL of 1% concentrated metabolites produced by R. tropici (CM-RT) in the root. In a second experiment, leaves were sprayed with 1 mL of a solution containing 1% CM-RT. Aerial and root tissue were collected separately at 0 (non-treated control condition), 24, and 48 h after application, submitted to RNA extraction and gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR. The results showed that, after root treatment with CM-RT, most evaluated genes were upregulated at 24 h after application and downregulated at 48 h after application in roots, while in leaves, genes were downregulated both at 24 and 48 h after application. On the other hand, leaf treatment with CM-RT showed that most evaluated genes in leaves and roots were upregulated at 24 and 48 h after application. These results indicate that the effect of CM-RT applied in roots seems restricted to the applied region and is not sustained, while the application in leaves results in a more systemic response and maintenance of the effect of CM-RT for a longer period. The results obtained in this study emphasize the biotechnological potential of using metabolites of R. tropici as an elicitor of active defense responses in plants.

Screening for cysteine-stabilized scaffolds for developing proteolytic-resistant AMPs.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are present in all organisms and can present several activities and potential applications in human and animal health. Screening these molecules scaffolds represents a key point for discovering and developing novel biotechnological products, including antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer drugs candidates and insecticidal molecules with potential applications in agriculture. Therefore, considering the amount of biological data currently deposited on public databases, computational approaches have been commonly used to predicted and identify novel cysteine-rich peptides scaffolds with known or unknown biological properties. Here, we describe a step-by-step in silico screening for cysteine-rich peptides employing molecular modeling (with a core focus on comparative modeling) and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Moreover, we also present the concept of additional tools aiming at the computer-aided screening of new Cs-AMPs based drug candidates. After the computational screening and peptide chemical synthesis, we also provide the reader with a step-by-step in vitro activity evaluation of these candidates, including antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral assays.

Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cerebral Venous Thrombosis and Mortality / 대한뇌졸중학회지

Background@#and Purpose Recent studies suggested an increased incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We evaluated the volume of CVT hospitalization and in-hospital mortality during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the preceding year. @*Methods@#We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective study of 171 stroke centers from 49 countries. We recorded COVID-19 admission volumes, CVT hospitalization, and CVT in-hospital mortality from January 1, 2019, to May 31, 2021. CVT diagnoses were identified by International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) codes or stroke databases. We additionally sought to compare the same metrics in the first 5 months of 2021 compared to the corresponding months in 2019 and 2020 (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04934020). @*Results@#There were 2,313 CVT admissions across the 1-year pre-pandemic (2019) and pandemic year (2020); no differences in CVT volume or CVT mortality were observed. During the first 5 months of 2021, there was an increase in CVT volumes compared to 2019 (27.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24.2 to 32.0; P<0.0001) and 2020 (41.4%; 95% CI, 37.0 to 46.0; P<0.0001). A COVID-19 diagnosis was present in 7.6% (132/1,738) of CVT hospitalizations. CVT was present in 0.04% (103/292,080) of COVID-19 hospitalizations. During the first pandemic year, CVT mortality was higher in patients who were COVID positive compared to COVID negative patients (8/53 [15.0%] vs. 41/910 [4.5%], P=0.004). There was an increase in CVT mortality during the first 5 months of pandemic years 2020 and 2021 compared to the first 5 months of the pre-pandemic year 2019 (2019 vs. 2020: 2.26% vs. 4.74%, P=0.05; 2019 vs. 2021: 2.26% vs. 4.99%, P=0.03). In the first 5 months of 2021, there were 26 cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), resulting in six deaths. @*Conclusions@#During the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic, CVT hospitalization volume and CVT in-hospital mortality did not change compared to the prior year. COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with higher CVT in-hospital mortality. During the first 5 months of 2021, there was an increase in CVT hospitalization volume and increase in CVT-related mortality, partially attributable to VITT.

Acute response of prefrontal cortex in institutionalized older adults undergoing a single exergames session.

Virtual reality-based exercise (exergames) improves cognition of the elderly but the neurophysiological effects are poorly understood. The hypothesis herein established is that an ultrafast neurophysiological adaptation occurs in prefrontal cortex of elderly after completion of a single exergames session. To reinforce the aforementioned hypothesis, individuals living in a Long-Term Care Home (LTCH) participated in the study and were randomly allocated into two groups (Virtual Reality Group, VRG, n = 5; and Active Control Group, ACG n = 5). VRG performed six exercises with exergames and ACG performed exercises with the same VRG movements but with no virtual reality. Assessment of frontal cortical activity at rest and during cognitive testing via electroencephalographic activity (EEG) was performed before and immediately after the intervention. Significant decrease in relative power of EEG (RPEEG) Beta brainwave (-29 ± 18%) in the left prefrontal cortex of VRG compared to ACG (4 ± 9%) (p = 0.007). A slight improvement on semantic fluency in VRG (ES=0.21) was noted. An ultrafast prefrontal cortical adaptation may occur as an effect of a single exergames session, causing a small improvement on cognition of institutionalized elderly.

Antimicrobial peptides used as growth promoters in livestock production.

Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) have been administered in livestock for decades to improve food digestion in growing animals, while also contributing to the control of microbial pathogens. The long-term and indiscrimate use of AGPs has generated genetic modifications in bacteria, leading to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which can be disseminated to commensal and pathogenic bacteria. Thus, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are used to replaced AGPs. AMPs are found in all domains of life, and their cationic characteristics can establish electrostatic interactions with the bacterial membrane. These molecules used as growth promoters can present benefits for nutrient digestibility, intestinal microbiota, intestinal morphology, and immune function activities. Therefore, this review focuses on the application of AMPs with growth promoting potential in livestock, as an alternative to conventional antibiotic growth promoters, in an attempt to control AMR. KEY POINTS: • The long-term and indiscriminate use of AGPs in animal food can cause AMR. • AMPs can be used as substitute of antibiotics in animal food suplementation. • Animal food suplementated with AMPs can provied economic efficiency and sustainable livestock production.

CRISPR Genome Editing Technology: A Powerful Tool Applied to Developing Agribusiness.

The natural increase of the world's population implies boosting agricultural demand. In the current non-optimistic global scenario, where adverse climate changes come associated with substantial population growth, the main challenge in agribusiness is food security. Recently, the CRISPR/Cas system has emerged as a friendly gene editing biotechnological tool, enabling a precise manipulation of genomes and enhancement of desirable traits in several organisms. This review highlights the CRISPR/Cas system as a paramount tool for the improvement of agribusiness products and brings up-to-date findings showing its potential applications in improving agricultural-related traits in major plant crops and farm animals, all representing economic-relevant commodities responsible for feeding the world. Several applied pieces of research have successfully demonstrated the CRISPR/Cas ability in boosting interesting traits in agribusiness products, including animal productivity and welfare, crop yield growth, and seed quality, reflecting positive impacts in both socioeconomics and human health aspects. Hence, the CRISPR/Cas system has revolutionized bioscience and biotechnology, and its concrete application in agribusiness goods is on the horizon.

High larvicidal efficacy of yeast-encapsulated orange oil against Aedes aegypti strains from Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Botanical substances such as essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated insecticidal properties and are a valid option for vector control. However, free EOs are unreliable as mosquito larvicides due their easy degradation by environmental exposure to ultraviolet light and higher temperatures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a mosquito larvicide based on orange oil in a yeast-based delivery system against Aedes aegypti strains with different resistance status towards chemical neurotoxic insecticides. This larvicide preparation was physicochemically characterized in a previous report. METHODS: Larvae of four Ae. aegypti strains from different regions of Brazil and different resistance profiles for deltamethrin (pyrethroid) and temephos (organophosphate) were tested against yeast-encapsulated orange oil (YEOO) in laboratory conditions for measurement of LC50 and LC90 values. The same assays were performed with the Belo Horizonte strain under environmental conditions (natural light and temperature). The resistance profiles of these strains were compared to the Rockefeller reference strain in all conditions. RESULTS: YEOO was found to be a highly active larvicide (LC50 < 50 mg/L) against all Ae. aegypti strains tested in both laboratory conditions (LC50 = 8.1-24.7 mg/L) and environmental conditions with natural light and temperature fluctuation (LC50 = 20.0-49.9 mg/L). Moreover, all strains were considered susceptible (RR < 5) to YEOO, considering resistance ratios calculated based on the Rockefeller strain. The resistance ratios were only higher than 2.5 for LC90-95 of Belo Horizonte in the laboratory, probably due the higher heterogeneity associated with older egg papers (> 5 months). CONCLUSION: YEOO demonstrates high larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti strains with resistant phenotypes for deltamethrin (PY) and temephos (OP). This larvicidal activity suggests the potential for the development of YEOO as an alternative intervention to synthetic insecticides in integrated vector management programs, for populations with resistance to commonly used insecticides.

Efeito do treinamento resistido na sobrevida de camundongos c57bl/6 com caquexia associada ao melanoma cutâneo / Effect of resisted training on survival of c57bl / 6 mice with cachexia associated with cutaneous melanoma

OBJETIVO: O objetivo desse estudo foi verificar o efeito do treinamento resistido na sobrevida de camundongos C57BL/6 com caquexia associada ao melanoma cutâneo. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: A amostra foi constituída por 64 (camundongos C57BL/6 fêmeas, com idade entre 10 e 12 semanas, com cerca de 50 ± 5 gramas de peso corporal. Os camundongos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em quatros grupos: i. camundongos controle, com indução de tumor, inativos fisicamente (Controle, n = 16); ii. camundongos submetidos ao treinamento resistido diário somente antes da indução tumoral (Treino 1, n = 16); iii. camundongos submetidos ao treinamento resistido diário antes e após da indução tumoral (Treino 2, n = 16); iv. camundongos submetidos ao treinamento resistido diário após a indução tumoral e apresentado quadro caquético (Treino 3, n = 16). No procedimento para treinamento resistido (TR) com choque, foi utilizada uma escada com 110 cm de altura, 18 cm de largura, 2 cm entre os degraus e 80 graus de inclinação. No procedimento para TR com choque, foi utilizada uma escada 110 cm de altura, 18 cm de largura, 2 cm entre os degraus e 80 graus de inclinação. O exercício resistido baseia-se na subida dos camundongos. Na plataforma de saída, aplicava-se um choque elétrico como estímulo para subir as escadas, nesta etapa era aplicada o choque nas quatro patas do animal com uma tensão elétrica de 20 volts a uma frequência de 45 Hertz durante seis séries de oito repetições, cada uma com noventa segundos de intervalo entre as séries. Os grupos de camundongos foram submetidos a acompanhamento por no máximo 15 dias após o diagnóstico da caquexia a fim de comparar a sobrevida geral relacionada ao câncer entre os grupos de estudo. As curvas de sobrevivência de KaplanMeier foram estimadas para cada evento e as curvas dos diferentes grupos foram comparadas usando o teste de Log-rank. O tempo de sobrevida proposta foi de 25 dias após inoculação. RESULTADOS: Os resultados apresentados nesse estudo mostraram que não houve diferença significativa (p <0,05) entre as propostas de treino. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve diferença na sobrevida de animais com caquexia associada ao modelo tumoral singênico de melanoma cutâneo com intervenção de exercício resistido ou sedentários.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to verify the effect of resistance training on the survival of C57BL / 6 mice with cachexia associated with cutaneous melanoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 64 (female C57BL/6 mice, aged between 10 and 12 weeks, with approximately 50 ± 5 grams of body weight. The mice were randomly distributed into four groups: i. control mice, with tumor induction, physically inactive (Control, n = 16); ii. mice submitted to daily resistance training only before tumor induction (Training 1, n = 16); iii. Mice submitted to daily resistance training before and after tumor induction (Training 2, n = 16); iv. Mice submitted to daily resistance training after tumor induction and presented a cachectic condition (Training 3, n = 16). In the resistance training procedure (RT) with shock, a 110 cm high, 18 cm wide, 2 cm between the steps, and 80 degrees inclination ladder was used. In the procedure for shock resistance training (TR), a ladder 110 cm high, 18 cm wide, 2 cm between the rungs, and 80 degrees of inclination was used. The resisted exercise is based on the climbing of the mice. On the exit platform, an electric shock was applied as a stimulus to climb the stairs. In this step, the shock was applied to the four legs of the animal with an electric voltage of 20 volts at a frequency of 45 Hertz during six series of eight repetitions, each with ninety-seconds intervals between the series. The mice groups underwent follow-up for no more than 15 days after diagnosis of cachexia to compare overall cancer-related survival between the study groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were estimated for each event, and the curves of the different groups were compared using the Log-rank test. The proposed survival time was 25 days after inoculation. RESULTS: The results presented in this study showed no significant difference (p <0.05) between the training proposals. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in animals' survival with cachexia associated with the syngeneic melanoma skin tumor model with either resistance exercise or sedentary intervention.

A reabilitação de um paradigma perdido: a psicologia política(*) / The rehabilitation of a lost paradigm: political psychology / La rehabilitación de un paradigma perdido: la psicología política

Observamos uma grave crise epistemológica nas ciências humanas e sociais. As diversas disciplinas conflitam em múltiplas microteorias auto-reprodutoras. A falta de um paradigma comum dificulta abordagens multidisciplinares. Nesse sentido a reabilitação da psicologia política tem um papel unificador configurando-se como uma abordagem heurística transversal, onde variáveis políticas e sociológicas são compreendidas como um todo histórico e cultural. Além disto, a Psicologia Política é capaz de analisar com uma visão de conjunto os principais problemas da sociedade contemporânea e inaugurar novos campos de pesquisa sobre as debilidades democráticas e o congelamento das elites políticas.

Abstract We observe a serious epistemological crisis in the human and social sciences. The different disciplines conflict in multiple self-reproducing micro-theories. The lack of a common paradigm makes multidisciplinary approaches difficult. In this sense, the rehabilitation of political psychology has a unifying role, configuring itself as a transversal heuristic approach, where political and sociological variables are understood as a historical and cultural whole. In addition, Political Psychology is able to analyze the main problems of contemporary society with an overview and to inaugurate new fields of research on democratic weaknesses and the freezing of political elites.

Observamos una grave crisis epistemológica en las ciencias humanas y sociales. Las diferentes disciplinas entran en conflicto en múltiples microteorías que se reproducen a sí mismas. La falta de un paradigma común dificulta los enfoques multidisciplinarios. En este sentido, la rehabilitación de la psicología política tiene un rol unificador, configurándose como un enfoque heurístico transversal, donde las variables políticas y sociológicas se entienden como un todo histórico y cultural. Además, la Psicología Política es capaz de analizar los principales problemas de la sociedad contemporánea con una visión de conjunto e inaugurar nuevos campos de investigación sobre las debilidades democráticas y el congelamiento de las élites políticas.

Biotechnological applications of versatile plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs).

Plant AMPs are usually cysteine-rich, and can be classified in several classes, including lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). LTPs are small plant cationic peptides, and can be classified in two subclasses, LTP1 (9-10 kDa) and LTP2 (7 kDa). They have been identified and isolated from various plant species and can be involved in a number of processes, including responses against several phytopathogens. LTP1 presents 4 parallel α- helices and a 310-helix fragment. These structures form a tunnel with large and small entrances. LTP2 presents 3 parallel α- helices, which form a cavity with triangular structure. Both LTP subclasses present a hydrophobic cavity, which makes interaction with different lipids and general hydrophobic molecules possible. Several studies report a broad spectrum of activity of plant LTPs, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antitumoral, and insecticidal activity. Thus, these molecules can be employed in human and animal health as an alternative to the conventional treatment of disease, well as providing the source of novel drugs. However, employing peptides in human health can present challenges, such as the toxicity of peptides, the difference between the results found in in vitro assays and in pre-clinical or clinical tests and their low efficiency against Gram-negative bacteria. In this context, plant LTPs can be an interesting alternative means by which to bypass such challenges. This review addresses the versatility of plant LTPs, their broad spectrum of activities and their potential applications in human and animal health and in agricultural production, and examines challenges in their biotechnological application.