ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effect of water salinity and environmental temperature on the nutrient consumption, digestibility, nitrogen balance, and mineral excretion of creole goats. Thirty-six males with an average age of 5.0±0.6 months and an average weight of 20.0±2.3kg were housed in metabolic cages. They are distributed in a completely randomized design, with a 2×3 type crossover (2 temperatures (T1 = 26±0.6ºC and T2 = 32±1.2ºC) and three levels of salinity (1.0, 6.0, and 12.0 dS m-1). The temperature influenced (P<0.05) the intake of water and ether (EE) extract, the digestibility of EE, organic matter and dry matter, and the concentrations of calcium and potassium in the urine of goats. There was no significant effect (P>0.05) of temperatures or water salinity levels; the animals consumed and retained averages of 10.31 and 4.19 g day-1 of nitrogen in the body, respectively. The different water salinity levels influenced (P<0.05) water intake and increased the excretions of potassium and sodium in urine. Total solids levels ranging from 640 to 9,600mg L-1 in water for goats increase water consumption, as does urine potassium and sodium excretion in urine.

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da salinidade da água e da temperatura ambiente sobre o consumo de nutrientes, a digestibilidade, o balanço de nitrogênio e a excreção mineral de caprinos crioulos. Trinta e seis machos, com idade média de 5,0 ± 0,6 meses e peso médio de 20,0±2,3kg, foram alojados em gaiolas metabólicas. O delineamento foi inteiramente ao acaso, com cruzamento do tipo 2 × 3 (duas temperaturas (T1 = 26±0,6ºC e T2 = 32±1,2ºC) e três níveis de salinidade (1,0, 6,0 e 12,0 dS m-1). A temperatura influenciou (P<0,05) a ingestão de água e o extrato etéreo (EE), a digestibilidade de EE, a matéria orgânica e a matéria seca, bem como as concentrações de cálcio e potássio na urina de caprinos. Não houve efeito significativo (P>0,05) das temperaturas ou dos níveis de salinidade da água; os animais consumiram e retiveram médias de 10,31 e 4,19g dia-1 de nitrogênio no corpo, respectivamente. Os diferentes níveis de salinidade da água influenciam (P<0,05) na ingestão de água e aumentam nas excreções urinárias de potássio e sódio; os teores de sólidos totais variando de 640 a 9.600mg L-1 na água para caprinos aumentam o consumo de água, assim como a excreção urinária de potássio e sódio.

RESUMO O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar as variáveis bioquímicas e hormonais de caprinos das raças Moxotó e Canindé, submetidos a duas temperaturas (26,0±0,6ºC e 32,0±1,2ºC), termoneutra e acima da zona de conforto térmico, respectivamente), consumindo água com três níveis de salinidade (1,0, 6,0 e 12,0dSm-1), utilizando-se 36 animais (18 de cada raça), com idade média de 5,0±0,6 meses e peso médio de 20,0±2,3kg, alojados em gaiolas metabólicas no interior de uma câmara climática. Os animais foram distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com esquema fatorial de 2 x 2 x 3 (2 raças, 2 temperaturas e 3 níveis de salinidade) e três repetições. A glicose e a ureia apresentaram efeito significativo (P<0,05) em função da salinidade da água. Glicose, colesterol, proteína, albumina, globulina, AST e hormônios (T4, T3 e cortisol) variaram conforme as temperaturas (P<0,05). Observou-se efeito significativo do horário sobre as variáveis hormonais (P<0,05). As variáveis bioquímicas e hormonais sofrem alterações em função da temperatura e do turno do dia, de modo que o metabolismo é reduzido em animais sob estresse térmico e acelerado quando os animais encontram-se na zona de conforto térmico.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the biochemical and hormonal variables of Moxotó and Canindé goats submitted to two temperatures - 26.0±0.6 (thermoneutral) and 32.0±1.2°C (above thermal comfort zone) - and consuming water with three levels of salinity (1.0, 6.0 and 12.0 dSm-1). Thirty-six animals (18 of each breed) were used, with an average age of 5.0±0.6months and an average weight of 20.0±2.3kg, housed in metabolic cages inside a climate chamber. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial scheme (2 breeds, 2 temperatures and 3 levels of salinity) and three replications. The glucose and urea had a significant effect (P>0.05) according to water salinity. Glucose, cholesterol, protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase and hormones (T4, T3 and cortisol) varied according to temperature (P<0.05). There was a significant effect of time on hormonal variables (P<0.05). Biochemical and hormonal variables changed according to temperature and day shift, so that metabolism was reduced in the animals under thermal stress and accelerated when animals were in the thermal comfort zone.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the interaction between two pest biological control agents, the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and the entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis (Bacillales: Bacillacea) (Bt). The aim of this study was to evaluate if the presence of Bt (formulated products Agree®, Dipel® and HD1 and HD11 strains) interferes in the oviposition preference of T. pretiosum to eggs of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Using an olfactometry test, the eggs of H. zea were bathed with the commercial formulations, with the Bt suspensions or distilled water, and offered to the parasitoid wasps in order to evaluate parasitism. The results showed that H. zea eggs sprayed with commercial formulations and Bt strains did not interfere in the choice made by the parasitoid. The parasitoid wasp is not able to distinguish between eggs with or without B. thuringiensis treatment, independently of strains suspension or commercial formulations. Therefore, these two control agents may be used together without negative interaction.

Cecropia pachystachya (embaúba) é uma planta da família Urticaceae, característica de margens de florestas. Possui rápido desenvolvimento e é abundante em todo o território brasileiro. Neste estudo, foram analisados os potenciais alelopáticos dos extratos metanólicos da casca, do tronco e das raízes da embaúba por meio de bioensaios de germinação e medida do desenvolvimento da parte aérea do capim-colonião (Panicum maximum). O maior efeito foi observado no extrato das raízes na concentração de 150 ppm. Os principais constituintes voláteis identificados por CG/EM foram: na casca: geranilacetona, ácido láurico, ácido palmítico, octadecanal e alcanos de cadeia longa; nas raízes: geranilacetona, farnesol, farnesilacetona, ácido palmítico, octadecanal e alcanos de cadeia longa; e no tronco: geranilacetona, ácido palmítico e alcanos de cadeia longa.

Cecropia pachystachya (embauba) is a tree of the Urticaceae family, typical of forest margins. It grows quickly and is abundant throughout Brazil. In this study, the allelophatic potential of the methanolic extracts from the bark, trunk and roots of Cecropia pachystachya cultivated in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil was analyzed through germination bioassays and growth measurements of the aerial part of Panicum maximum. The best effect was observed in the root extracts at 150 ppm concentration. The following main volatile constituents were identified by GC/MS: geranylacetone, lauric acid, palmitic acid, octadecanal and long chain alkenes in the bark; geranylacetone, farnesol, farnesylacetone, octadecanal, palmitic acid and long-chain alkenes in the root; and geranylacetone, palmitic acid and long-chain alkenes in the wood.

A alelopatia é um dos fenômenos pouco estudados no Cerrado. Trata-se de uma ocorrência natural, resultante da liberação de substâncias capazes de estimular ou inibir o desenvolvimento de outras plantas. Objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar a ação alelopática de extratos da sucupira-branca (Pterodon emarginatus) sobre a germinação e o desenvolvimento da raiz e parte aérea do capim-colonião (Panicum maximum). Bioensaios de germinação realizados em placas de Petri comprovaram que o extrato metanólico do tronco dessa planta, a 150 ppm, inibiu 83% do desenvolvimento da raiz, 75% da parte aérea e 30% da germinação de sementes de capim-colonião. Em casa de vegetação, os resultados de inibição foram de 83% para a parte aérea, 80% para a raiz e 63% para a germinação, mas somente na concentração de 400 ppm. Frações do extrato metanólico bruto obtidas por cromatografia de coluna cromatográfica não reproduziram os resultados de inibição obtidos inicialmente. A fração mais ativa (diclorometano/clorofórmio) foi analisada por CG/EM. Ela é constituída fundamentalmente por substâncias alifáticas de cadeia longa: fitol (13,5%), ácido oléico (12,8%), linoleiladato de metila (10,9%) e ácido palmítico (6,9%). Foram detectados, também, os compostos 1,2,4-trimetil e isopropilbenzenos (12,2%) e as cetonas isoméricas isopropenilmetilcetona e 3-penten-2-ona (7,3%). Três compostos desconhecidos também se destacaram: um de baixa massa molar (98 Da, 13,5%) e dois de massa molar elevada (13,6%).

Allelopathy is one of the natural phenomena little studied in the cerrado. It is the result of the release of substances capable of stimulating or inhibiting the growth of other plants. The objective of this work was to evaluate the allelophatic action of the white sucupira (Pterodon emarginatus) stem extract on the germination and development of colonião grass (Panicum maximum) under germination, root and aerial part development of colonião grass (Panicum maximum) root and aerial part. Germination assays carried out in Petri dishes confirmed that the methanolic (200 ppm) extract inhibited the growth of hypocotyl (75%), root (83%), and germination (30%) of colonião grass. The greenhouse results obtained were: hypocotyl 83%, root 80% and germination 63%, but at a concentration of 400 ppm. Methanolic extract fractions did not reproduce the results cited above. The most active fraction (dichloromethane/chloroform) was analyzed by GC/MS. It contains mainly long-chain aliphatic compounds such as phytol (13.5%), oleic acid (12.8%), methyl linolelaidate (10.9%) and palmitic acid (6.9%); 1,2,4-trimethyl- and isopropenylbenzene (12.2%); two isomeric ketones (isopropenyl methyl and 3-penten-2-one) (7.3%) were also detected. Three unknown compounds were also important: one with a low molecular weight (98 Da, 13.5%) and two of high molecular weight (13.6%).

O fitoterápico Calmatoss® é um xarope composto por tinturas de guaco (Mikania glomerata), grindélia (Grindelia robusta), copaíba (Copaifera officinalis), bálsamo de Tolú (Myroxylon toluifera), álcoolatura de agrião (Nasturtium officinale), própolis e mel. Sua principal indicação é para o tratamento de afecções do trato respiratório por suas ações antimicrobianas, antitussígenas, expectorantes e broncodilatadora. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a toxicologia clínica dessa preparação em voluntários saudáveis. Para isso realizou-se um ensaio clínico, não controlado com 24 voluntários de ambos os sexos, que receberam ambulatorialmente 15 mL do xarope quatro vezes ao dia, durante 21 dias ininterruptos. Os voluntários foram incluídos no estudo somente quando considerados saudáveis após avaliação clínica, exame físico e exames laboratoriais que antecederam o estudo. O xarope Calmatoss® foi bem tolerado pelos 24 voluntários não apresentando eventos adversos graves. Os exames clínicos, eletrocardiográficos e laboratoriais efetuados antes, durante e após o ensaio não evidenciaram sinais de toxicidade nos diversos órgãos e sistemas avaliados, confirmando a segurança da preparação para utilização em ensaios de eficácia terapêutica.

Calmatoss® is a phytomedicine used in several respiratory tract pathologies treatment composed of seven medicinal plants such as Mikania glomerata, Grindelia robusta, Copaifera officinalis, Myroxylon toluifera, Nasturtium officinale, as well as honey and propolis. The present study investigated the chronic administration of 15 mL Calmatoss® syroup four times a day during 21 days for any toxic effect on healthy volunteers. The clinical trial consisted of an open study with 24 volunteers included in the study only when considered healthy after clinical evaluation, physical examination and laboratory tests, which preceded the study. The laboratory tests included: heamatologic, biochemical and sorologic analysis. This evaluation was repeated after the first, second and third week of treatment and at post-study seven days after the last administration. Calmatoss® was well tolerated by the volunteers. Variations in the laboratory were observed and all of these laboratory changes returned to normal levels during or after the study. In spite of these variations none of the volunteers had their values out of the established normality limits for each parameter. In conclusion, clinical, electrocardiographic and laboratory tests did not show any evidence of toxic signals in the various organs and systems studied.

Apresenta-se um breve histórico dos passos que levaram à demonstração de que o espalhamento de elétrons pode fornecer padrões de difração. Segue-se uma descrição dos procedimentos inerentes à difração de elétrons de baixa energia, técnica que hoje, rotineiramente, vem a ser a mais empregada na determinação de estruturas de superfícies em escala atômica. Alguns exemplos ilustrativos são também apresentados.

We present a brief summary of the steps that lead to the demonstration that electron scattering can result in a diffraction pattern. We include a description of the intrinsic processes in low energy electron diffraction, a technique that, at present, is routinely used for surface structural determination in an atomic scale. We also present some illustrative examples.

Many pharmacological effects have been ascribed to extracts of Psidium guajava L. (guava) leaves. However, in spite of its widespread use in Brazilian folk medicine and a reasonable number of scientific reports about it, we could not find any study dealing with its action on the mammalian myocardium. In the present study, by measuring isometric force, we observed that the crude extract of P. guajava (water-alcohol extract obtained by macerating dry leaves) depresses the guinea pig atrial contractility in a concentration-dependent fashion (N = 8 hearts, 15 trials). The compound with cardiac activity was concentrated by extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus using 17 M glacial acetic acid after removing the less polar fractions (hexane, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and methanol), suggesting that this compound is a highly polar substance. In the isolated guinea pig left atrium the acetic acid fraction (10-800 mg/l) of P. guajava 1) reversibly decreased myocardial force in a concentration-dependent fashion (EC50 = 0.07g/l, N = 5 hearts, 9 trials, P<0.05), 2) increased the atrial relaxation time measured at 20% of the force amplitude up to 35% (91 ± 15 to 123 ± 30 ms, N = 3 hearts, 6 trials, P<0.05), 3) abolished the positive staircase effect (Bowditch phenomenon) in a concentration-dependent fashion suggesting a decrease of the cellular inward calcium current (N = 4 hearts, 8 trials, P<0.05), and 4) its inotropic effect was abolished by cholinergic receptor blockade with 1.5 mM atropine sulfate, indicating a cholinergic involvement in the mechanism of action of the extract (N = 7 hearts, 15 trials, P<0.05). The acetic acid extract was 20 times more potent than crude extract (EC50 = 1.4 g/l). The results showed that extracts from P. guajava leaves depress myocardial inotropism.

Studies that consider polymorphisms within the apolipoprotein B (apo B) gene as risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) have reported conflicting results. The aim of the present study was to search for associations between two DNA RFLPs (XbaI and EcoRI) of the apo B gene and CAD diagnosed by angiography. In the present study we compared 116 Brazilian patients (92 men) with CAD (CAD+) to 78 control patients (26 men) without ischemia or arterial damage (CAD-). The allele frequencies at the XbaI (X) and EcoRI (E) sites did not differ between groups. The genotype distributions of CAD+ and CAD- patients were different (chi²(1) = 6.27, P = 0.012) when assigned to two classes (X-X-/E+E+ and the remaining XbaI/EcoRI genotypes). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with the X-X-/E+E+ genotype presented a 6.1 higher chance of developing CAD than individuals with the other XbaI/EcoRI genotypes, independently of the other risk factors considered (sex, tobacco consumption, total cholesterol, hypertension, and triglycerides). We conclude that the X-X-/E+E genotype may be in linkage disequilibrium with an unknown variation in the apo B gene or with a variation in another gene that affects the risk of CAD.

In this work, we discuss the preliminary analysis of some disruptive plasma discharges in the TCABR tokamak, operating in the high density limit. The Fourier analysis of the MHD activity was greatly facilitated because the magnetic coils inside the TCABR were installed as to take into consideration the toroidal geometry of the system, in a straight forward manner. What we have observed is that the m = 3, 4 and 7 MHD components dominate during almost the whole discharge duration, whereas the m = 2 MHD mode increased substantially just before the occurrence of a major disruption. Also, we could estimate the angular velocity of the magnetic islands, which was observed to increase up to three times just before the major disruption.

The results of experiments on Alfvén wave current drive and plasma heating in the TCABR tokamak are analyzed with the help of a numerical code for simulation of the diffusion of the toroidal electric field. It permits to find radial distributions of plasma current density and conductivity, which match the experimentally measured total plasma current and loop voltage changes, and thus to study the performance of the RF system during Alfvén wave plasma heating and current drive experiments. Regimes with efficient RF power input in TCABR have been analyzed and revealed the possibility of noninductive current generation with magnitudes up to ~8 kA. The increase of plasma energy content due to RF power input is consistent with the diamagnetic measurements.