Multiple genetic resistances in Capsicum spp.

This study aimed to identify Capsicum genotypes with resistance to bacterial spot (BS), anthracnose and Pepper yellow mosaic virus (PepYMV). Fifty-four genotypes of Capsicum spp were evaluated. Resistance reaction against BS was evaluated using three replicates, testing hypersensitivity and quantitative resistance in leaves. After evaluation, inoculated leaves were detached from the plants, being then cultivated until reproductive stage for evaluations anthracnose resistance in immature and mature fruit, totalizing 18 fruits per genotype. For PepYMV resistance was performed with five replications. Each genotype reaction was evaluated by a scoring scale, using the area under the disease progress curve for each pathosystem, and incubation period for the three systems. The latent period was evaluated only for the pathosystem Capsicum-Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Means were grouped by the Scott-Knott test. Measures of dissimilarity matrix among the genotypes were obtained by Gower's algorithm and the grouping was obtained by the UPGMA clustering method. The accessions belonging to the Capsicum frutescens were the most susceptible to the three diseases. At least one genotype of Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum, Capsicum annuum, and Capsicum chinense showed resistance potential to BS and PepYMV, for use in breeding programs. The accession UENF 1381 (C. annuum) was resistant to the three pathogens.

Quality of Mezilaurus itauba seedlings inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum under doses of organomineral fertilizer from cupuaçu residues.

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma spp have been related to the production of hormones or correlated with growth factors, promoting greater efficiency in the use of some nutrients, thus allowing greater availability and absorption by plants. In this context, the objective of this study was to determine the dose of organomineral fertilizer from cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) residues and the efficiency of Trichoderma harzianum on the initial growth and morphophysiological quality of Mezilaurus itauba seedlings in the northern Amazon. Dose of 50% of the organomineral fertilizer from cupuaçu residues (ORFCup) with Trichoderma harzianum promotes better quality and robustness in Mezilaurus itauba seedlings. The presence of Trichoderma harzianum + 50% ORFCup promotes positive gains in the root biomass of Mezilaurus itauba seedlings. The presence of Trichoderma harzianum promotes an increase in chlorophylls a and b contents in Mezilaurus itauba seedlings. For the production of Mezilaurus itauba seedlings, it is recommended to use Trichoderma harzianum + 50% ORFCup, as it promoted increments in all physiological and morphological indices under the conditions of the present study.

Efficiency of organomineral fertilizer and doses of Azospirillum brasilense on the morphophysiological quality of Mezilaurus itauba seedlings.

The present study was conducted to determine the efficiency of organomineral fertilizer from cupuaçu residues (ORFCup) and dose of maximum technical efficiency of Azospirillum brasilense on the initial growth and morphophysiological quality of Mezilaurus itauba seedlings in the northern Amazon. The variables evaluated were: shoot height (H, cm), stem diameter (SD, mm), shoot dry mass (SDM, g plant-1), root dry mass (RDM, g plant-1) total dry mass (TDM, g plant-1), Dickson quality index (DQI), net assimilation rate (NAR, g m-2 day-1), leaf relative growth rate (RGR, g m-2 day-1), leaf area ratio (LAR, m2 g-1), leaf relative growth rate (RGR, g m-2 day-1), leaf area ratio (LAR, m2 g-1), specific leaf area (SLA, cm2 g-1), and leaf mass ratio (LMR, g g-1). Organomineral fertilizer from cupuaçu residues promotes better quality and robustness in M. itauba seedlings at the dose of maximum technical efficiency of 0.45 mL. L-1 of A. brasilense.

Biometric aspects of fruits and seeds and determination of the absorption curve of Hymenaea martiana Hayne seeds.

The biometric differences between fruits and seeds are useful characteristics that can provide important data for the investigation and preservation of the species and may be linked to environmental and genetic influences. In this sense, considering the importance of this species and the need for conservation, the objective was to carry out physical characterization of the fruits and seeds of Hymenaea martiana as well as to determine the seed imbibition curve. The experiment was conducted at the Seed Analysis Laboratory at the Agricultural Sciences Center at the Federal University of Paraíba in Areia, PB. The evaluations carried out were as follows: biometry of fruits and seeds, number of seeds per fruit, colorimetry of fruits and seeds, percentage of damaged seeds, weight of a thousand seeds, seed water content, mass and imbibition curve. The biometric data were subjected to descriptive analysis to determine the minimum, maximum, average value, standard deviation, asymmetry, and kurtosis of the fruits and seeds. In terms of the biometric characteristics of the fruits and seeds of H. martiana, there was a marked variation, with average fruit lengths of 90.28 mm, widths of 46.83 mm, thicknesses of 34.69 mm, weights of 65.86 g and four seeds per fruit. The average length, width, thickness and weight of the seeds were 23.75 mm, 18.34 mm, 12.71 g and 4.13 g, respectively. The fruits were darker than the seeds, and both the fruits and seeds had red tones. Compared with nonscarified seeds, scarified seeds absorb a greater amount of water.

Genetic diversity based on multivariate techniques in elephant grass genotypes for bioenergy.

The use of biomass for energy production constitutes a promising strategy that warrants the search for new sources of biomass. Elephant grass has been gaining notoriety due to its high dry matter yield and rapid growth. The present study was carried out to quantify the genetic divergence of nine elephant grass half-sib families in order to identify genotypes with greater genetic divergence and productive potential for hybridization, using the hierarchical clustering methodology based on principal components. Half-sib families were generated using genotypes from the Active Germplasm Bank of Elephant Grass. The experiment was laid out in a randomized-block design with nine half-sib families, three replicates, and eight plants per plot. A total of 216 genotypes of elephant grass were evaluated. Principal component (PC), biplot, and hierarchical clustering analyses for diversity estimation were conducted using R software. The first two PCs of biplot analysis accounted for 64% of the cumulative variation. Dry matter yield was the most important trait for genotype discrimination (0.89), followed by plant height (0.67) and stem diameter (0.61) in PC1. In this analysis, the distances between accessions were considered and there were no family links, which indicates the existence of wide variability within the evaluated families, since genotypes belonging to the same family were not grouped together, but rather distributed into different groups. Crosses between genotypes of group three and genotypes of groups one and two are recommended for the development of high-yielding genotypes when aiming at energy production.

First Report on the Association Between Ceratocystis fimbriata, an Agent of Mango Wilt, Xyleborus affinis, and the Sawdust Produced During Beetle Colonization in Brazil.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an economically important fruit crop in many tropical and subtropical regions. Recently, the wilt disease caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata has limited mango production in Brazil and other countries (3). There are reports that Hypocryphalus mangifera (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a vector of Ceratocystis spp. and that other beetles, such as Xyleborus affinis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), may attack mango trees and excavate gallery burrows, thereby producing sawdust (1,3). In March 2011, X. affinis was found colonizing diseased mango trees located in Itaperuna, Rio de Janeiro State (21°12'23″ S, 41°53'23″ W). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether both the beetle and the sawdust produced in colonized trees would be associated with C. fimbriata. In March 2011, three isolates of C. fimbriata were collected: CF01 in sawdust from 'Espada' trees with wilt symptoms (yellowish to dried leaves, dried stems, and gum exudation from the stem) in Itaperuna; CF02 from X. affinis colonizing wilted trees in Itaperuna; and CF03 from wilted 'Palmer' trees in Frutal, Minas Gerais State (20°1'11″ S, 48°55'10″ W). To obtain the isolates, fragments of sawdust, beetles, and mango stem were set between carrot disks and incubated in a wet chamber at 25°C with 12 h of light (4). After 10 days, the ascospores produced in perithecia in the carrot tissue were directly transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA) in 9-cm petri dishes and incubated at 25°C with 12 h of light. After 10 days, 1-cm mycelial disks were taken from the borders of actively growing colonies. In each of 20 seedlings of 8-month-old 'Espada,' growing in 18 × 25 cm plastic pots with a soil-sand-cow manure mixture (3:1:1, v/v), a 1-cm diameter wound in the stem was made with a cork borer (20 cm above the soil surface). A mycelial disk was placed in each wound (a plain PDA disk was placed in control plants). After inoculation, a wet cotton plug was placed on the wound, which was then wrapped with Parafilm. Five plants were inoculated in each treatment. The seedlings were checked weekly for up to 56 days after inoculation. All three isolates were pathogenic, causing typical disease symptoms on the plants, beginning 7 days after inoculation: gum exudation (60, 60, and 0%); and yellowish and wilt (80, 100, and 80%). The % values are for isolates CF01, CF02, and CF03, respectively. No disease symptoms were observed in the control seedlings. After reisolating, the three isolates were confirmed as being C. fimbriata: perithecia (110 to 250 µm wide, 120 to 250 µm tall), base dark, globose, and long dark necks (440 to 770 µm long, 28 to 40 µm wide); ascospores hyaline, one-celled, galeate (5.0 to 7.5 µm long, 3.5 to 5.0 µm wide), exuded in sticky and cream colored mass at the apex of the perithecium neck (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of an association between C. fimbriata and both X. affinis and the sawdust produced during beetle colonization. Therefore, both the beetle and the sawdust are potential dispersal agents of C. fimbriata in mango orchards. This finding is epidemiologically important, and the disease spread related to both sawdust and beetle is being followed in the field. References: (1) A. O. Al Adawi et al. Eur. J. Plant. Pathol. 135:243, 2013. (2) C. J. B. Engelbrecht and T. C. Harrington. Mycologia 97:57, 2005. (3) A. Masood et al. Pakistan J. Zool. 44:1545, 2012. (4) W. J. Moller and J. E. De Vay. Phytopathology 58:123, 1968.

First Report of Cercospora coffeicola Causing Cercospora Leaf Spot of Castor Beans in Brazil.

In a coffee (Coffea arabica) farm located in Ervália, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, we observed castor bean (CB; Ricinnus communis) plants growing as weeds. Currently, there is increasing interest in CB as a crop in Brazil because it is an alternative source for biofuel production, but there is little knowledge on CB diseases. According to reports from Costa Rica (2) and Malawi (3), Cercospora coffeicola can cause leaf spots in CB plants. Considering the increasing importance of Cercospora leaf spot on coffee and the expansion of CB plantings in Brazil, in 2008 we evaluated whether CB plants were susceptible to C. coffeicola. Healthy seedlings of an unknown CB cultivar were collected from the experimental coffee area in Ervália, transplanted to pots, and kept under greenhouse conditions. Each of two C. coffeicola isolates from coffee, obtained from the collection of the Departamento de Fitopatologia, was inoculated on two CB plants and three 'Catuaí Vermelho' coffee plants, each with four fully expanded leaves. Conidia were produced following a standard protocol (4). A suspension with 1 × 104 conidia ml-1 was sprayed with a DeVilbiss atomizer on both leaf surfaces until runoff, dispensing approximately 3 ml per leaf. As controls, two CB and three coffee plants were sprayed with distilled water. All treated plants were kept in a dew chamber at >90% relative humidity, 25°C, and with 12 h per day of light. After 48 h, the plants were placed in a greenhouse with natural lighting and an average temperature of 25 ± 3°C. Plants were checked at 3-day intervals for disease symptoms. On average, the incubation period (time between inoculation and appearance of the first leaf symptom) was 9 days and the latent period (time between inoculation and visualization of the first leaf sporulating lesion) was 12 days for the disease in CB. Both C. coffeicola isolates were pathogenic to all inoculated CB plants, in which approximately 20 spots developed per leaf. Control plants did not develop any symptoms. Leaf spots in CB plants were similar to those previously described (2): necrotic lesions that were black and purple with a yellowish halo and a pale white center. There was intense sporulation at the lesion center, and the conidia were hyaline, acicular to obclavate, nearly straight with truncate to subtruncate bases and acute tips, multiseptate, 2 to 4 × 40 to 150 µm and were produced in fascicles of conidiophores that were pale to medium brown, septate, and 4 to 6 × 20 to 275 µm (1,4). The pathogen was reisolated from the CB leaf spots, grown on potato dextrose agar medium, and the morphology of the colonies was similar to the colonies of the isolates from the C. coffeicola collection. The reisolated cultures were set to sporulate and reinoculated onto new healthy coffee and CB leaves, on which leaf spots developed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of castor beans as a host of C. coffeicola in Brazil. Considering the expansion of CB crops in Brazil, studies are needed to evaluate the susceptibility of the commercial CB cultivars that are grown in the country, particularly those planted close to coffee-production areas where Cercospora leaf spot is endemic and important. References: (1) C. Chupp. A Monograph of the Fungus Genus Cercospora. Charles Chupp, Ithaca, NY, 1954. (2) E. Echandi. Turrialba 9:54, 1959. (3) M. A. Siddiqi. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 54:415, 1970. (4) A. G. C. Souza et al. J. Phytopathol. 159:6, 2011.

Innovative process for obtaining modified nanocellulose from soybean straw.

In the present research, soybean straw was used to prepare nanocellulose (NC) via a ball mill, in different milling times (6, 9, and 12 h) and in-situ modified with an anionic surfactant. NCs were characterized for their chemical structure, surface composition, dimension and stability, morphology, crystalline structure, and thermal stability. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated a cellulosic structure for NCs and a physical interaction due to the electronic attractions between nanocellulose hydroxyls and surfactant end chain groups. The dynamic light scattering, Zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the in situ modified samples showed smaller sizes and good electrostatic stability. Besides, while ball mill resulted in nanofibers, the in situ modified-NC showed a nanocrystal shape, indicating that the surfactant alters the milling process and cellulose scale reduction. The modified-NC showed lower crystallinity and crystal size than unmodified nanocelluloses due to the surfactant chains' addition and influence during the milling process. The modified-NC showed slightly superior thermal stability. The NC-12S showed smaller particle sizes, high electrostatic, and thermal stability and indicated that 12 h is adequate to prepare modified nanocellulose via in situ modification. The prepared samples could be potentially used as coatings, emulsifiers, and nanocomposites reinforcing agents.

Unlocking the Potential of Electronic Health Records for Health Research.

Electronic health records (EHRs), originally designed to facilitate health care delivery, are becoming a valuable data source for health research. EHR systems have two components, both of which have various components, and points of data entry, management, and analysis. The "front end" refers to where the data are entered, primarily by healthcare workers (e.g. physicians and nurses). The second component of EHR systems is the electronic data warehouse, or "back-end," where the data are stored in a relational database. EHR data elements can be of many types, which can be categorized as structured, unstructured free-text, and imaging data. The Sunrise Clinical Manager (SCM) EHR is one example of an inpatient EHR system, which covers the city of Calgary (Alberta, Canada). This system, under the management of Alberta Health Services, is now being explored for research use. The purpose of the present paper is to describe the SCM EHR for research purposes, showing how this generalizes to EHRs in general. We further discuss advantages, challenges (e.g. potential bias and data quality issues), analytical capacities, and requirements associated with using EHRs in a health research context.

Isolation and acetylation of cellulose nanostructures with a homogeneous system.

A homogeneous system for nanocellulose acetylation was investigated. Cellulose nanostructures (CNS) were obtained from microcrystalline cellulose, and modification was conducted to increase hydrophobicity and physico-chemical properties of the nanoparticles. Sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid were used for the isolation. The CNS were characterized with dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, atomic force microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, degree of substitution (DS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis. Nanostructures obtained with sulfuric acid showed lower particle sizes and lower thermal stability. After modification, the results indicated the substitution of OH groups in cellulose structure by acetyl groups. The XRD patter was considerably modified and it was verified that acetylation increased the thermal stability. Different methods were used to calculate the DS, and the differences between the methodologies were explained. The acetylated samples play an important role in the nanocomposites field, since the hydrophobic surface increase its applications.

[Coronary angioplasty in a 12-year-old child]. / Angioplastia coronária em uma criança de 12 anos de idade.

Coronary artery disease is seldom reported in patients under 20 years of age. We present here the case of a 12 years old male, with systemic high blood pressure who had 2 episodes of typical chest pain. He underwent a submaximal exercise treadmill test which was negative. He then underwent cinecoronarography that revealed a 78% (measured by the caliper) obstruction in the proximal segment of the circumflex coronary artery with 3 mm of extension. The left coronary artery and the left ventricle were normal. The patient was subjected to a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, which was successful and left a 12% (measured by caliper) residual stenosis. The late angiographic restudy (5 months after the procedure) showed the maintenance of the immediate success of the procedure.

[Angioplasty of the anterior descending artery with abnormal origin: use of a new low-profile catheter balloon. A case report]. / Angioplastia da artéria descendente anterior de origem anômala: aplicação de novo cateter-balão de baixo perfil. Relato de caso.

It is possible to perform transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA) in thin vessels presenting severe obstructions. One of the achievements that made such procedure possible is the development of a new generation of balloon catheters. In this case report the TCA was performed in a very thin left anterior descending artery with an anomalous origin, a quite rare situation that represents a major problem to the traditional dilator system. The catheter used was a Probe (USCI), which differs of the traditional balloons in a number of characteristics. The authors consider the procedure in detail pointing out the advantages of using of the new generations and discuss the impact that newer technological developments will have in enlarging the indications for TCA and improving the results.

Morfometria e população de folículos pré-antrais de vacas Nelore vazias, gestantes e de fetos nos terços inicial, médio e final da gestação / Morphometry and population of preantral follicles of not pregnant Nelore cows, pregnant and fetus in the initial, medium and final third of pregnancy

The aim of this study was to describe population and morphological characteristics of preantral follicles of not pregnant cows, pregnant cows and fetus. Ten ovaries of non-pregnant Nelore cows, eighteen ovaries of pregnant cows and eighteen ovaries of fetus were used. For pregnant cows, six ovaries from each third (initial, middle and final) were evaluated, acquired from a slaughterhouse. For fetus, the same methodology and proportion of ovaries were used. Ovaries were washed, fixed and embedded in paraffin. They were then sectioned in longitudinal sections and stained by the Hematoxylin-Eosin method. Preantral follicles were classified according to morphology (primordial, primary and secondary) and degree of viability (intact and in initial, moderate and marked atresia). Descriptive and statistical analyzes were performed through KS300 image analysis program and Tukey's test. A greater proportion of primordial follicles were found in all categories. Secondary follicles were not observed in ovaries of fetus and cows in the initial third of pregnancy. All the ovary dimensions were higher in non-pregnant cows and in the final third of cows' pregnancy, and lower in final third of pregnancy fetus. It was concluded that follicle isolation was effective in describing population and morphological characteristics of preantral follicles of cows and fetus.(AU)

Eco-epidemiological study on sandflies and environmental aspects related to the transmission of leishmaniasis in a municipality of Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2015-2016 / Estudo eco-epidemiológico da fauna flebotomínica e dos aspectos ambientais relacionados à transmissão das leishmanioses em um município de Minas Gerais, Brasil, 2015 - 2016

Diante da escassez de dados sobre a topografia e a sintopia das vísceras abdominopélvicas do tamanduá-bandeira (Myrmecophage tridactyla - Linnaeus, 1758), o presente estudo teve como objetivo elucidar essas características e compará-las com as demais espécies animais, mormente as domésticas. Utilizaram-se três espécimes, dois machos e uma fêmea, provenientes de doação da Polícia Militar Ambiental de Franca ao Laboratório de Anatomia Veterinária da Universidade de Franca, após óbitos por atropelamentos. Os animais foram fixados e mantidos em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10%, seguidos de dissecação convencional das cavidades abdominopélvicas para posterior inspeção direta e descrição topográfica das vísceras, visando a análises comparativas com outras espécies, cujo posicionamento e cujas particularidades já são bem estabelecidos na literatura. Observou-se que a maioria das vísceras dessas cavidades possuem localização e sintopia similares aos animais domésticos, exceto os rins e os testículos. Diante da metodologia estabelecida e dos resultados obtidos, admite-se que mais espécimes de tamanduás-bandeiras, de ambos os gêneros, devam ser avaliados e registrados cientificamente, visando à confirmação dos dados da atual pesquisa e à preconização anatômica da cavidade abdominopélvica, visto que variações anatômicas individuais são passíveis entre animais da mesma espécie.(AU)

Objetivou-se avaliar a fauna vetorial e os aspectos ambientais e climáticos relacionados à transmissão das leishmanioses. Foi realizado um estudo eco-epidemiológico prospectivo de coleta sistemática de flebotomíneos e inquérito censitário sorológico canino em áreas de um município do Brasil. Para determinar a taxa de prevalência de LVC, foram examinadas amostras de sangue de 1752 cães. Na avaliação entomológica, foram instaladas 24 armadilhas luminosas em 12 residências distribuídas, instaladas no ambiente de peridomicílio e intradomicílio durante 12 meses. Para análise dos aspectos climáticos, utilizou-se a correlação simples de Spearman e para análise espacial foram utilizadas a Lógica Fuzzy e a Função K. A taxa de prevalência em cães foi de 4,1% e 7,1%. No estudo entomológico, foram capturados 431 flebotomíneos. A maior parte (74%) dos espécimes foi capturada no peridomicílio. Em relação à infecção natural, 5,6 % das amostras analisadas por biologia molecular apresentaram positividade à infecção por Leishmania spp.. Em 100% das amostras positivas, encontrou-se infecção por Leishmania infantum. Na análise espacial uma Área apresentou maior concentração de pontos de sobreposição de alta densidade de Lutzomyia longipalpis e cães sororreagentes, indicando maior risco na ocorrência concomitante dos dois eventos. Os resultados mostram que a interface parasito-reservatório-vetor está ativa nas áreas estudadas.(AU)

Prevenção de nefropatia induzida por contraste após intervenções coronárias percutâneas com uso de contraste isosmolar / Prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy after percutaneous coronary interventions using isosmolar contrast

INTRODUÇÃO: A despeito dos benefícios da angiografia coronária, para fins diagnósticos e/ou terapêuticos, esse método requer a injeção de contraste iodado, o que em alguns pacientes pode induzir a nefropatia induzida por contraste (NIC). METODOLOGIA: Foram avaliadas de maneira consecutiva todas as intervenções coronárias percutâneas (ICP) realizadas em hospital público terciário, entre janeiro e dezembro de 2016, buscando os pacientes de maior risco para NIC. Incluímos aqueles que utilizaram como contraste, o ioxaglato (baixa osmolaridade) ou iodixinol (isosmolar) e excluímos pacientes que utilizaram outros tipos de contraste ou já realizava hemodiálise. Objetivou-se determinar a taxa de NIC, definida como a elevação da creatinina acima de 25% ou aumento de 0,5mg/dL em relação ao valor basal. Secundariamente, avaliou-se também a mortalidade e necessidade de diálise nos primeiros 30 dias após a ICP. RESULTADOS: De um total de 1219 angioplastias, 382 pacientes fora incluídos em nossa análise. Todos os pacientes receberam hidratação padrão (0,5 a 1ml/kg/h de soro fisiológico 0,9%) pré e pós-procedimento. Contraste de baixa osmolaridade foi usado em 280 (73,2%) casos. Oito pacientes foram excluídos da análise, 5 por já realizarem hemodiálise e 3 por não apresentarem dados de creatinina após procedimento...(AU)

Emotional behavior in middle-aged rats: Implications for geriatric psychopathologies.

Clinical findings reveal that middle-aged patients are more susceptible to suffer from psychiatric disorders than older ones. However, little is known about the emotional behavior of aging rodents. This study aimed to investigate behavioral alterations in male middle-aged Wistar rats in the open-field (OF) test (at illuminated and dimly light conditions), elevated plus maze (EPM), forced swimming (FST) and inhibitory avoidance task (IA). In the EPM, middle-aged rats displayed reduced percentages of the time spent in and entries into open arms. The ambulatory activity measured in the OF under dimly light conditions was identical among groups. However, under illuminated conditions, a reduction in the number of crossings was detected in older rats, reinforcing that aged animals display a genuine anxiogenic-like phenotype. Additionally, aged rats showed an increase in the immobility time in the FST, and a reduction in the latency to step down the platform in the IA. A negative correlation was found between the immobility time and latency to step down the platform, suggesting a relationship between depressive-behavior and cognitive impairment in old rats. Altogether, male middle-aged rats are more anxious, depressed, and display aversive memory impairments. These observations contribute to investigate biological mechanisms and therapeutic interventions for geriatric anxiety and depression.

Calagem e adubação fosfatada favorecem o crescimento do capim-limão, Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf / Liming and phosphate fertilization promote lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. growth

O capim-limão, Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf., é uma planta utilizada para fins medicinais e aromáticos, porém pouco se conhece sobre as exigências nutricionais. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da elevação do pH do solo e da adubação com fósforo (P) na disponibilidade de nutrientes e no crescimento inicial do capim-limão. O experimento foi conduzido em Lages, SC, de abril a dezembro de 2008, em casa de vegetação. Foi utilizado um esquema fatorial, incluindo quatro níveis de pH (4,1; 5,5; 6,0 e 6,5) e três doses de P (0, 50 e 100 mg kg-1 de solo), com quatro repetições (correspondendo a um vaso com duas plantas). A correção do pH aumentou o Ca e Mg e diminuiu o Al, Mn, Fe, Cu e Zn no solo. A aplicação de 100 mg kg-1 de P elevou em mais de 250% a concentração deste nutriente no solo, independente do pH. A aplicação de P e, principalmente, a elevação do pH do solo incrementaram todos os atributos avaliados nas plantas de capim limão (massa seca da parte aérea e do sistema radicular, número de folhas e altura de plantas), sendo que a interação entre pH e dose de P somente foi significativa para o número de folhas. O maior crescimento das plantas ocorreu no tratamento com pH 6,5, associado à adição de 100 mg kg-1 de P.

Lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf., is a plant with medicinal and aromatic uses. However, little is known about its nutrition requirements. This work was carried out to investigate the effects of pH and phosphorus levels on nutrients availability and the initial growth of lemongrass. The experiment was carried out in Lages (SC, Brazil) from April tol December 2008, in greenhouse conditions. The experiment followed a factorial design, with four levels of pH (4.1, 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5), three doses of phosphorus (0, 50, and 100 mg kg-1 of soil), and four replicates (each replicate corresponding to a pot with two plants). The correction of pH increased Ca and Mg, and reduced Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn in the soil. The addition of 100 mg kg-1 P increased by more than 250% the P in the soil, irrespective of pH. The addition of P and the correction of pH, specially the last one, increased all growth attributes of lemongrass (dry matter of shoot and root parts, number of leaves, and plant height), with a significant interaction between pH and the dose of P only for the number of leaves. The highest plant growth was achieved by correcting the soil pH to 6.5, with the addition of 100 mg kg-1 P.

Transcatheter embolization of congenital coronary arterial fistulas in adults.

In this report, we describe our experience with transcatheter occlusion of congenital coronary arterial fistulas in adults. From November 1992 to November 1996, 5 symptomatic patients, aged from 47 to 70 years, underwent transcatheter occlusion of fistulas using a retrograde arterial approach. All had chest pain or dyspnea on exertion. Detachable balloons were used in 4 patients, and Gianturco coils in 1. Detachable balloons were implanted through a Debrun system, while the coils were implanted through a 5 French right coronary Judkins catheter. Both were passed through an 8 French guiding catheter (Amplatz II). Each patient had a single fistula. The fistulas originated from the right coronary artery in 3 patients, and from the circumflex artery in 2. They drained into the pulmonary trunk in 3 patients, into the right atrium in 1, and into a bronchial artery in the other. All fistulas were occluded completely in the catheterization laboratory, and the procedures were uncomplicated. At follow up, 3 patients underwent coronary angiography, and there was no evidence of recanalization. Transcatheter embolization in adults of single congenital coronary fistulas with detachable balloons and coils is safe and effective and can be regarded as an acceptable alternative to surgery.