Films of a poly(fluorene-bisthiophene) derivative, named PFBT, were electrodeposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes and their electrochromic and fluorescence properties were investigated. Such films displayed color variation from yellow, in the neutral state, to green, in the oxidized state, as shown by tracking of the CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) 1931 xy chromaticity coordinates. PFBT films are fluorescent in the neutral state (E = 0.0 V vs. Ag/Ag+) with emission at 532 nm; however, upon oxidation at 0.85 V the photoluminescence intensity is significantly decreased. A solid-state electrochromic device was assembled using PFBT and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) films and a polymer electrolyte. The device presented color variation from transmissive greenish-yellow to blue and reversible fluorescent properties upon switching between -1.5 to 1.5 V vs. PEDOT. Thus, the high contrast and stability both in electrochromism and electrofluorescence of the PFBT film and its device make them suitable for application in multifunctional optical devices.

ABSTRACT The organic extracts from stems, roots and leaves of Tephrosia egregia Sandwith, Fabaceae, provided a new flavone, 5-hydroxy-8-(1",2"-epoxy-3"-hydroxy-3"-methylbutyl)-7-methoxyflavone (1), in addition to eleven known compounds: pongaflavone (2), praecansone B (3), 12a-hydroxyrotenone (4), praecansone A, 2',6'-dimethoxy-4',5'-(2",2"-dimethyl)-pyranochalcone, pongachalcone, maackiain, β-sistosterol and its glucoside, p-cumaric acid and cinnamic acid. The structures of all compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods, mainly 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS, involving comparison with literature data. Cytotoxicity of compounds 1–4 was evaluated against AGP-01 (cancerous ascitic fluid), HCT-116 (colon adenocarcinoma), HL-60 (leukemia), PC-3 (prostate carcinoma), SF-295 (glioblastoma) and SKMEL 28 (melanoma) cell lines.

RESUMO Policultivos de folhosas com tuberosas estão sendo utilizados nos sistemas de produção de hortaliças na região semiárida Potiguar. O desafio é determinar se esses sistemas são produtivamente viáveis quando fertilizados com matéria orgânica produzida por espécies espontâneas do bioma Caatinga. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho agroeconômico de policultivos de rúcula (R), cenoura (C) e coentro (Co) adubados com biomassa de jitirana incorporada no solo sob diferentes densidades populacionais entre as culturas componentes. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos completos casualizados com quatro repetições, com os tratamentos arranjados em esquema fatorial 4 x 4, provenientes da combinação de quatro quantidades de biomassa de jitirana incorporadas ao solo (7,5; 15,0; 22,5 e 30,0 t ha-1 em base seca) com quatro densidades populacionais (20R-50C-20Co; 30R-50C-30Co; 40R-50C-40Co e 50R-50C-50Co (%) da população recomendada no cultivo solteiro - PRCS). A eficiência dos policultivos foi avaliada através de índices e indicadores agroeconômicos. O desempenho agroeconômico mais produtivo foi obtido com uma biomassa de 18,21 t ha-1 de jitirana incorporada ao solo e uma densidade populacional de 50R-50C-50Co (%).

ABSTRACT Polycultures from broadleaves with tuberoses are being used in vegetable crop production systems in the semiarid region of Potiguar. The challenge is to determine whether these systems are productively viable when fertilized with organic matter produced by spontaneous species of the Caatinga biome. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agro-economic performance of arugula (A), carrot (C), and coriander (Co) polycultures fertilized with hairy woodrose biomass incorporated into the soil under different population densities among the component crops. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications, with the treatments arranged in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme, from the combination of four amounts of hairy woodrose biomass incorporated into the soil (7.5, 15.0, 22.5, and 30.0 t ha-1 on a dry matter basis), with four population densities (20A-50C-20Co%, 30A-50C-30Co%, 40A-50C-40Co%, and 50A-50C-50Co% of the recommended population in the single crop). The efficiency of polycultures was evaluated through indexes and agro-economic indicators. The most productive agro-economic performance was obtained with a biomass of 18.21 t ha-1 of hairy woodrose incorporated in the soil and a population density of 50A-50C-50Co%.

Ureaplasma diversum é um patógeno oportunista asso ciado com inflamação uterina, implantação do embrião prejudicada, infertilidade, abortos, nascimento prema turo de bezerros e pneumonia neonatal em gado. Tem sido sugerido que infecções causadas por Ureaplasma diversum podem causar alterações vasculares que impedem o sucesso da gravidez. Portanto, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar as alterações intrauterinas em camundongos A/J na fase de estro ou proestro inoculados com Ureaplasma diversum. A infecção foi avaliada após 24, 48 e 72 horas pela metodologia de PCR para detectar Ureaplasma no sítio de inoculação e o perfil de células sanguíneas circulantes. Alterações morfológicas, intensidade da inflamação e a produção de citocinas foram comparadas. Os camundongos infectados mostraram inflamação local pela produção de IFN-γ e TNF-α. Infecções por Ureaplasma diversum no trato reprodutivo dos camundongos estudados mostraram estar associadas com a produção de citocinas pró-inflamatórias no parênquima uterino. As concentrações de TNF-α nos camundongos infectados foram dependentes da carga bacteriana de Ureaplasma inoculado. Infecções uterinas experimentais por Ureaplasma diversum ainda não foram descritas e aqui nós apresentamos o primeiro relato de um modelo de infecção intrauterina em camundongos.

Ureaplasma diversum is an opportunistic pathogen associated with uterine inflammation, impaired embryo implantation, infertility, abortions, premature birth of calves and neonatal pneumonia in cattle. It has been suggested that the intra-uterine infection by Ureaplasma diversum can cause vascular changes that hinder the success of pregnancy. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of intrauterine site of A/J mice in estrus or proestrus phase inoculated with Ureaplasma diversum. The infection was monitored at 24, 48 and 72 hours by the PCR methodology to detect the Ureaplasma in the inoculation site and the profile of circulating blood cells. Morphological changes, intensity of inflammation and the production of cytokines were compared. The infected mice showed local inflammation through the production of IFN-γ and TNF-α. Ureaplasma diversum infections in the reproductive tract of studied mice seemed to be associated with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in uterine parenchyma. The levels of TNF-α of infected mice were dependent on the bacterial load of inoculated Ureaplasma. Uterine experimental infections by Ureaplasma diversum have not been mentioned yet and herein we presented the first report of an intrauterine infection model in mice.

RESUMOA produção de frutos de qualidade constitui um fator necessário para a adaptação e produção de frutas com viabilidade econômica. Assim, o presente experimento foi conduzido de julho de 2012 a janeiro de 2013 com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade física e química de frutos das macieiras ‘Eva’ e ‘Princesa’, em função da adubação nitrogenada em Petrolina-PE. Adotou-se delineamento em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 2 x 4, correspondentes a Cultivares de macieira (Eva e Princesa) e doses de nitrogênio em cobertura (40; 80; 120 e 160 kg de N ha-1) com quatro repetições e três plantas por parcela. As características dos frutos massa dos frutos, a coloração da casca (luminosidade, cromaticidade, e ângulo de cores), tamanho, firmeza da polpa, acidez titulável (AT), sólidos solúveis (SS) e a razão SS/AT foram avaliadas. Não houve influência de doses de N nos atributos qualitativos de frutos da macieira, cultivares Eva e Princesa. A qualidade das maçãs difere entre as cultivares avaliadas: firmeza, razão SS/AT, massa do fruto e diâmetro dos frutos são superiores para a “Princesa”, enquanto que o comprimento da “Eva” é superior.

ABSTRACTThe production of high quality fruits is a necessary factor for the adaptation and production of plant species with economic viability. Thus, an experiment was conducted from July 2012 to January 2013 to evaluate the fruit quality of the ‘Eva’ and ‘Princesa’ apple cultivars as a function of nitrogen fertilization in Petrolina, PE, Brazil. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with treatments distributed in a factorial arrangement 2 x 4, corresponding to apple cultivars (Eva and Princesa) and nitrogen doses (40; 80; 120 and 160 kg of N ha-1), with four replications and three plants in each plot. The fruit characteristics, such as fruit mass, skin color (luminosity, chromaticity, and colour angle), size (width and length), pulp firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS) and the SS/TA ratio, were recorded. Nitrogen doses do not affect fruit quality of studied apple cultivars. The fruit quality attributes are different between apple cultivars: fruit firmness, SS/TA ratio, fruit mass and fruit diameter are superior for Princesa cultivar, while the fruit length for Eva cultivar is superior.

SiO2/TiO2 nanostructured composites with three different ratios of Si:Ti were prepared using the sol-gel method. These materials were characterized using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, Raman with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the specific surface area. The band gaps of materials were determined by diffuse reflectance spectra, and the values of 3.20 ± 0.01, 2.92 ± 0.02, and 2.85 ± 0.01 eV were obtained as a result of the proportional increases in the amount of Ti within the composite. The materials exhibit only the anatase (TiO2) crystalline phase and have crystalline domains ranging from 4 to 5 nm. The photodegradation process of methylene blue, royal blue GRL, and golden yellow GL dyes were studied with respect to their contact times, pH variations within the solution, and the variations in the dye concentration of the solution in response to only sunlight. The maximum amount of time for the mineralization of dyes was 90 min. The kinetics of the process follows an apparently first order model, in which the obtained rate constant values were 5.72 × 10-2 min-1 for methylene blue, 6.44 × 10-2min-1 for royal blue GRL, and 1.07 × 10-1min-1 for golden yellow.

Objetivo: Pacientes com doença de Wilson (DW) podem desenvolver uma ampla variedade de sintomas neuropsiquiátricos, mas existem poucos relatos de disfunção autonômica. Aqui, nós descrevemos evidência de disfunção de fibras finas/autonômica em 4 pacientes com DW e parkinsonismo responsivo à levodopa. Método: Nós revisamos os prontuários de 4 pacientes com DW que foram submetidos a avaliação neuromuscular e ao teste de quantificação do enrugamento cutâneo (TEC). Resultados: Dois homens e 2 mulheres (33±3,5 anos) com DW foram avaliados. Todos apresentaram parkinsonismo durante o curso de sua doença. Parkinsonismo no paciente 4 quase completamente desapareceu com tratamento da DW. Dois pacientes apresentaram queixas sensitivas e 2 apresentaram queixas autonômicas significativas incluindo episódios de síncope. Eletroneuromiografia foi normal em todos e TEC foi anormal em metade deles (score do TEC nos 4 dedos de 0,25 e 1). Discussão: Um subgrupo de pacientes com DW apresenta evidência de TEC anormal (neuropatia de fibras finas).

Objective: Patients with Wilson’s disease (WD) may develop a wide variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms, but there are few reports of autonomic dysfunction. Here, we described evidence of small fiber and/or autonomic dysfunction in 4 patients with WD and levodopa-responsive parkinsonism. Method: We reviewed the charts of 4 patients with WD who underwent evaluation for the presence of neuromuscular dysfunction and water-induced skin wrinkling test (SWT). Results: Two men and 2 women (33±3.5 years) with WD were evaluated. They all had parkinsonism at some point during their disease course. Parkinsonism on patient 4 almost completely subsided with treatment of WD. Two patients had significant sensory and 2 significant autonomic complaints, including syncopal spells. NCS/EMG was normal in all but SWT was abnormal in half of them (mean 4-digit wrinkling of 0.25 and 1). Discussion: A subset of patients with WD exhibit evidence of abnormal skin wrinkling test (small fiber neuropathy).

Avaliou-se o efeito da salinidade da água de irrigação, através dos níveis de condutividade elétrica (CEa) de 0,5; 1,5; 3,0; 4,5 e 6,0 dS m-1, sobre a germinação de sementes e algumas variáveis de crescimento, durante a formação de mudas de quatro cultivares de goiabeira (Psidium guajava L.) Pentecoste, Paluma, Surubim e IPA B-38. A salinidade da água inibiu a germinação, o crescimento em altura, diâmetro do caule, área foliar e fitomassa das raízes, caules e folhas das plantas, independente da cultivar. Após a germinação, as plântulas não sobreviveram aos efeitos salinos das águas de condutividade elétrica CEa 4,5 e 6,0 dS m-1. Ao final do ensaio, 180 dias após a semeadura, não se obtiveram mudas com qualidade agronômica nos tratamentos irrigados com água de salinidade superior a 1,5 dS m-1. A ordem de produção de matéria seca pelos distintos órgãos das plantas, foi: folhas > raízes > caules, mas sem diferir entre cultivares, principalmente quando irrigadas com água de maior salinidade > 3,0 dS m-1.

The present study was carried in order to evaluate the effect of saline water irrigation with electrical conductivity (ECw) of 0.5; 1.5; 3.0; 4.5 and 6.0 dS m-1, on germination and some growth variables during the seedling formation process of four guava cultivars (Psidium guajava L.): Pentecoste, Paluma, Surubim and IPA B-38. Water salinity inhibited the germination process, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area and dry matter production of roots, stems and leaves, independently of cultivar. After germination, the seedlings did not survive due to saline water effects of ECw 4.5 and 6.0 dS m-1. After 180 days of sowing, the seedlings irrigated with ECw more than 1.5 dS m-1 did not present agronomic quality for planting. Dry matter production sequence of different parts of plants was as follows: leaves > roots > stems, without significant differences among cultivars especially when irrigated with saline water of ECw > 3.0 dS m-1.

OBJETIVO: Analisar a contribuição dos fatores psicossociais para a ocorrência do transtorno de déficit de atenção/hiperatividade (TDAH). MÉTODO: Este é um estudo retrospectivo de casos-controles que analisou 403 alunos de uma escola pública primária. Preencheram-se o questionário de sintomas do DSM-IV e um questionário psicossocial específico e realizaram-se anamnese e exames físico e neurológico completos. RESULTADOS: O fator psicossocial estatisticamente significativo foi "brigas conjugais no passado" (odds ratio = 11,66, p = 0,044). Observaram-se assassinatos de 29 parentes próximos das crianças, e esta variável foi estatisticamente relevante. CONCLUSÃO: As crianças expostas a "brigas conjugais no passado" entre os pais correram risco 11,66 vezes mais alto de ter o diagnóstico de TDAH. Os autores propõem que a exposição à violência comunitária seja acrescentada aos indicadores de adversidade de Rutter, os quais predispõem à ocorrência de TDAH e outros transtornos neuropsiquiátricos na infância.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the contribution of psychosocial risk factors for the diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHOD: This is a retrospective, case-control study that analyzed 403 pupils from a public elementary school. DSM-IV symptom questionnaire and a specific psychosocial questionnaire were filled out, and a history and complete physical and neurological examinations were performed. RESULTS: The most statistically significant psychosocial risk factor was "marital discord in the past" (odds ratio = 11.66, p = 0.044). A total of 29 murders of subjects' close relatives were observed, and this variable was statistically relevant. CONCLUSION: Children that were exposed to marital discord in the past between parents underwent a 11.66-fold increase in the risk of ADHD diagnosis. Authors suggest that exposure to community violence be included among Rutters's indicators of adversity, which predispose infants and children to the future occurrence of ADHD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Salivary glad lysates of the sand fly Lutzomia longipalpis have been shown to enhance the infectivity of Leishmania in mice. As shown herein, the simultaneous inoculation of Leishmania chagasi stationary-phase promastigotes and L. longipalpis salivary gland by the intradermal route in a group of mongrel dogs induced a statistically significant eosinophilia, in relation to dogs inoculated with Leishmania or with salivary gland lysate only. These dogs had no evidence of infection, in spite of the infectivity of the promastigotes when inoculated by the intravenous route.

O imipenem é um novo antibiótico Beta lactâmico, carbapenêmico, altamente potente e com amplo espectro de atividade antimicrobiana. Com intuito de comprovar a eficácia "in vitro" deste fármaco em patógenos mais freqüentes em nosso meio, descrevem os autores, os resultados das provas de suscetibilidade por discos e/ou a correspondência por provas de diluição para determinação da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) em 1230 cepas compreendendo 41 diferentes espécies bacterianas recém-isoladas, principalmente de pacientes hospitalares em 5 diferentes centros médicos de Sáo Paulo, Rio de Janeiro e Salvador. Nossos resultados preliminares com o antibiótico, em fase final de experimentação clínica e laboratorial, em nosso meio, foram muito promissores, com 96.79% de cepas suscetíveis pela prova do disco (10 μg de imipenem) e 92,31% de correspondência pela determinação do CIM (concentrações de até 4μg/ml). Das 9 espécies bacterianas mais freqüentemente isoladas, correspondendo a 1008 (82%) das 1230 cepas de nosso material, as sensibilidades pela prova do disco foram de 99% (E. coli), 93% (Pseudomonas aeruginosas), 87% (Staphylococcus aureus), 100% (Klebsiella pneumoniae), 98% (Klebsiella sp) e 100% (Streptococcus faecalis) com boa correspondência pela determinação do CIM até 8μg/ml; e 100% para o anaeróbio Bacteróides sp (CIM até 4μg/ml). Ressaltam os autores a eficácia "in vitro" contra patógenos hospitalares que apresentam elevados índices de resistência à grande maioria de antibióticos como o Pseudomonas aeruginosa e para anaeróbios, notadamente o Bacteróides sp.

Imipenem is a β lactam antibiotic, a highly potent new carbapenem with broad antibacterial spectrum. To test the "in vitro" efficacy of this antimicrobial agent in pathogens more frequent in several Medical Centers in Brazil, susceptibility testing with 10 meg imipenem disks and, or corresponding MIC were carried out with 1231 recent isolates of 41 different bacterial species, obtained mainly from hospitalized patients in 5 different medical centers of the cities of S. Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Our preliminary results with this antibiotic, in final phases of clinical and laboratorial experimentation in this country, are very promissing with, 96.79% of susceptibility of test isolates to 10 mcg imipenem disks and corresponding MIC correlation of up to 4 μg/ml. (92.31%). Of the 9 bacterial species more frequently isolated totaling 1108 (82%) of the 1230 test isolates, disk susceptibility was 99% (E. coli), 93% (Pseudomonas aeruginosas), 87% (Staphylococcus aureus), 100% (Klebsiella pneumoniae), 98% (Klebsiella sp), 97% (Proteus mirabiles), 94% (Enterobacter sp), 100% (Streptococcus faecalis) with good MIC correlation (up to 8 mcg/ml) and 100% for the anaerobic species Bacteroides sp (MIC up to 4 μg/ml). "In vitro" efficacy to hospital pathogens with high frequency of resistance to most antibiotics as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to anaerobes notably Bacteroides sp is emphasized.