The human gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic community of microorganisms living in our intestines and has emerged as an important factor for colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC). The purpose of our study was to investigate the microbiota composition in Brazilian CRC patients compared with a local control population (CTL) to find out which changes could be considered universal or regional features in CRC microbiota. Fecal samples were obtained from 28 CRC and 23 CTL individuals. The 16S rRNA gene was used for metagenomic analysis. In addition to the anthropometric variables, the clinical stage (TNM 2018) was considered. Patients with CRC had a significant increase in alpha diversity and a higher percentage of genus Prevotella and a decreased proportion of Megamonas and Ruminococcus. Additionally, the proportion of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was associated with a better prognosis in the first stages of CRC, and Fusobacterium nucleatum proved to be an important marker of colorectal carcinogenesis and tumor aggressiveness. Although regional differences influence the composition of the microbiota, in the case of CRC, the microhabitat created by the tumor seems to be a major factor. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the carcinogenic process, and even in different environments, some factors appear to be characteristic of the microbiota of patients with CRC.

The term inflammaging is now widely used to designate the inflammatory process of natural aging. During this process, cytokine balance is altered, presumably due to the loss of homeostasis, thus contributing to a greater predisposition to disease and exacerbation of chronic diseases. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between pro-inflammatory markers and age in the natural aging process of healthy individuals. One hundred and ten subjects were divided into 5 groups according to age (22 subjects/group). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were quantified using the ELISA method. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was analyzed by turbidimetry according to laboratory procedures. The main findings of this study were: a positive correlation between hsCRP and IL-6 as a function of age (110 subjects); women showed stronger correlations; the 51–60 age group had the highest values for hsCRP and IL-6; women presented higher values for hsCRP in the 51–60 age group and higher values for IL-6 in the 61–70 age group; and men showed higher values in the 51–60 age group for hsCRP and IL-6. In conclusion, the natural aging process increased IL-6 and hsCRP levels, which is consistent with the inflammaging theory; however, women presented stronger correlations compared to men (IL-6 and hsCRP) and the 51–60 age range seems to be a key point for these increases. These findings are important because they indicate that early preventive measures may minimize the increase in these inflammatory markers in natural human aging.

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a utilização periódica de testes de diagnóstico mais sensíveis aliados às práticas de manejo, visando ao controle eficaz da artrite encefalite caprina (CAE). Foram realizadas oito coletas de sangue em matrizes e reprodutores. Da primeira à sétima análise, as coletas foram quadrimestrais, utilizando-se os testes de imunodifusão em gel de agarose (IDGA), ensaio imunoenzimático indireto (ELISA-i) e Western Blot (WB). A oitava coleta aconteceu seis meses após a sétima, utilizando-se o WB e a reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR). A prevalência da CAE foi de 6,8%, 14,9% e 39,2% no IDGA, ELISA-i e WB, respectivamente. Na última análise, foram detectados 0,9% de animais positivos pelo WB e 10,8% pela PCR. Apesar de não erradicarem a CAE, as medidas adotadas, aliadas à utilização periódica dos testes sorológicos e à combinação com a PCR, foram importantes para reduzir significativamente os animais soropositivos no rebanho.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the periodic use of more sensitive diagnostic tests associated to management practices for the effective control of caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE). We carried out eight blood samples in does and bucks. From the first to the seventh analysis, the samples were quarterly, using Agarose Gel Immunodiffusion (AGID), Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) and Western Blot (WB) tests. The eighth collection was made six months after the seventh, using the WB and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The prevalence of CAE was 6.8%, 14.9% and 39.2% in the AGID, i-ELISA and WB respectively. The last analysis detected 0.9% of animals positive by WB and 10.8% by PCR. Although they do not eradicate CAE, steps taken together with the periodic use of serological tests and the combination with PCR were important to significantly reduce positive animals in the herd.

As palmeiras são um dos elementos típicos das florestas tropicais. No Paraná, Arecaceae está representada por 23 espécies, distribuídas por todas as formações vegetais. Este estudo objetiva o levantamento das palmeiras nativas do município de Campo Mourão, Paraná, promovendo mais informações sobre a biologia das espécies confirmadas. O estudo foi realizado em áreas de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual e Floresta Ombrófila Mista e remanescentes de Cerrado, além da consulta dos acervos dos herbários FUEL, HCF, MBM e SP. Foram confirmadas sete espécies: Acrocomia hassleri; Allagoptera campestris; Butia microspadix, B. paraguayensis; Euterpe edulis; Geonoma schottiana e Syagrus romanzoffiana. O elevado número de representantes das Arecaceae encontrados deve-se à diversidade florística proporcionada pelas três diferentes tipologias de vegetação do município. Tendo em vista o alto grau de destruição do Cerrado em Campo Mourão, alerta-se sobre o risco de extinção de A. hassleri e B. paraguayensis no Paraná. Butia microspadix não foi reencontrada nos remanescentes, estando provavelmente extinta no município. Acrocomia emensis, não teve sua ocorrência confirmada para o Paraná. Dentre as espécies florestais, E. edulis e G. schottiana também apresentam número reduzido de populações e necessitam ações que garantam sua proteção.

Palms a typical element of tropical forests. In Paraná state, Arecaceae is represented by 23 species, distributed in all vegetation types. This study aimed to survey the native palms in Campo Mourão, Paraná, and provide more information on the biology of confirmed species. The study was conducted in areas of Subtropical Seasonal Forest, Subtropical Mixed Forest (with Araucaria) and Tropical Savanna remnants (Cerrado), as well as collections from the herbaria FUEL, HCF, MBM and SP. Seven species were confirmed: Acrocomia hassleri (Barb. Rodr.) W.J. Hahn; Allagoptera campestris (Mart.) Kuntze; Butia microspadix Burret, B. paraguayensis (Barb. Rodr.) L.H. Bailey; Euterpe edulis Mart.; Geonoma schottiana Mart. and Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman. The three different vegetation types found in Campo Mourão are the source of the high number of Arecaceae species found. Due to the great degree of destruction of the Cerrado in Campo Mourão, A. hassleri and B. paraguayensis are at risk of extinction. Butia microspadix was not found in the remnants and was considered extinct in the municipality. One species, Acrocomia emensis (Toledo) Lorenzi, was not been confirmed for Paraná state. Among the forest species, E. edulis and G. schottiana also have a small number of populations and require action to ensure protection.

We investigated the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and ulcerogenic activity of a zinc-diclofenac complex (5.5 or 11 mg/kg) in male Wistar rats (180-300 g, N = 6) and compared it to free diclofenac (5 or 10 mg/kg) and to the combination of diclofenac (5 or 10 mg/kg) and zinc acetate (1.68 or 3.5 mg/kg). The carrageenin-induced paw edema and the cotton pellet-induced granulomatous tissue formation models were used to assess the anti-inflammatory activity, and the Hargreaves model of thermal hyperalgesia was used to assess the antinociceptive activity. To investigate the effect of orally or intraperitoneally (ip) administered drugs on cold-induced gastric lesions, single doses were administered before exposing the animals to a freezer (-18ºC) for 45 min in individual cages. We also evaluated the gastric lesions induced by multiple doses of the drugs. Diclofenac plus zinc complex had the same anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects as diclofenac alone. Gastric lesions induced by a single dose administered per os and ip were reduced in the group treated with zinc-diclofenac when compared to the groups treated with free diclofenac or diclofenac plus zinc acetate. In the multiple dose treatment, the complex induced a lower number of the most severe lesions when compared to free diclofenac and diclofenac plus zinc acetate. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that the zinc-diclofenac complex may represent an important therapeutic alternative for the treatment of rheumatic and inflammatory conditions, as its use may be associated with a reduced incidence of gastric lesions.

In this work, the application of the X-ray multiple diffraction technique using synchrotron radiation at Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS) to study KDP phase transition induced by electric field is discussed. A Huber three-axis (omega, phi, 2theta) diffractometer mounted on a table which rotates around the incident beam allows to measure Renninger scans (RS) at the XRD station of LNLS using the adequate polarization for the experiments. Prior results indicated (080) as the best choice for the KDP primary reflection and the (440)(<img src="http:/img/fbpe/mr/v4n1/quatro.gif" alt="quatro.gif (94 bytes)"> 40) four-beam case for the secondary. Two Bragg-surface diffraction (BSD) reflections, where the secondary beam is propagated parallel to the sample surface, are involved in this multiple diffraction case. A RS interval of 3.3° around phi = 0° position was measured while the electric field was increased up to 6 kV/cm. At this value, a phase transition was observed and the secondary peaks became narrower and changed their RS position indicating possible occurrence of a metastable ferroelectric phase.