O solo é um ambiente bastante heterogêneo que permite o estabelecimento de diversas populações de microrganismos, cujo equilíbrio é afetado por fatores bióticos e abióticos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de doses dos herbicidas mesotrione e fluazifop-p-butil e duas épocas de avaliação na atividade e biomassa microbiana do solo cultivado com o cultivar de mandioca Cacau-UFV, bem como a colonização das raízes por fungos micorrízicos arbusculares. Dois ensaios foram realizados em ambiente protegido, constituindo-se da aplicação em pós-emergência do mesotrione nas doses de 72, 108, 144 e 216 g ha-1 e do fluazifop-p-butil nas doses de 100, 150, 200 e 300 g ha-1, além de uma testemunha sem aplicação. Aos 30 e 60 dias após a aplicação (DAA) dos herbicidas, amostras de solo foram coletadas para determinação da taxa respiratória do solo (TR), do carbono da biomassa microbiana (CBM) e do quociente metabólico (qCO2), sendo também avaliada a colonização das raízes por fungos micorrízicos arbusculares. O fluazifop-p-butil aumentou a TR, o CBM e a porcentagem de raízes de mandioca colonizada por fungos micorrízicos na avaliação realizada aos 60 DAA. Já os maiores efeitos do mesotrione sobre os indicadores microbiológicos do solo foram até os 30 DAA, e aos 60 DAA as alterações foram minimizadas. Conclui-se que os herbicidas alteram os indicadores microbianos do solo, sendo os efeitos dependentes do produto, da dose aplicada e também da época de avaliação.

Soil is a very heterogeneous environment that allows the establishment of wide range of microorganisms populations, whose balance is affected by biotic and abiotic factors. This study has aimed to assess the effect of doses of mesotrione and fluazifop-p-butyl herbicides and two assessment periods on microbial activity and biomass of soil cultivated with cassava Cacau-UFV cultivar, besides the root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Two trials were conducted in a protected environment where was realized post-emergence application of mesotrione in the doses of 72, 108, 144 and 216 g ha-1 and fluazifop-p-butyl in the doses of 100, 150, 200 and 300 g ha-1, besides a control without application. Soil samples were collected for determination of soil respiratory rate (RR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), metabolic quotient (qCO2), and colonization of roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at the 30 and 60 days after applications (DAA) of the herbicides. Fluazifop-p-butyl increased the RR, MBC and the percentage of cassava roots colonized by mycorrhizal fungi in the assessment performed at 60 DAA. The larger effects of mesotrione on soil microbial indicators were up to 30 DAA, being the changes minimized at 60 DAA. It is concluded that the herbicides alter the soil microbial indicators, with effects dependent of the product, of dose applied and also of the period of assessment.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is rare in the pediatric population, accounting for 2-3% of childhood leukemia cases, with an annual incidence of one case per million children. The low toxicity profile of imatinib mesylate has led to its approval as a front-line therapy in children for whom interferon treatment has failed or who have relapsed after allogeneic transplantation. We describe the positive responses of 2 children (case 1 - from a 7-year-old male since May 2005; case 2 - from a 5-year-old female since June 2006) with Philadelphia-positive chromosome CML treated with imatinib (300 mg/day, orally) for up to 28 months, as evaluated by morphological, cytogenetic, and molecular approaches. Our patients are alive, are in the chronic phase, and are in continuous morphological complete remission.

Extracellular matrix proteins and cell adhesion receptors (integrins) play essential roles in the regulation of cell adhesion and migration. Interactions of integrins with the extracellular matrix proteins lead to phosphorylation of several intracellular proteins such as focal adhesion kinase, activating different signaling pathways responsible for the regulation of a variety of cell functions, including cytoskeleton mobilization. Once leukocytes are guided to sites of infection, inflammation, or antigen presentation, integrins can participate in the initiation, maintenance, or termination of the immune and inflammatory responses. The modulation of neutrophil activation through integrin-mediated pathways is important in the homeostatic control of the resolution of inflammatory states. In addition, during recirculation, T lymphocyte movement through distinct microenvironments is mediated by integrins, which are critical for cell cycle, differentiation and gene expression. Disintegrins are a family of low-molecular weight, cysteine-rich peptides first identified in snake venom, usually containing an RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) motif, which confers the ability to selectively bind to integrins, inhibiting integrin-related functions in different cell systems. In this review we show that, depending on the cell type and the microenvironment, disintegrins are able to antagonize the effects of integrins or to act agonistically by activating integrin-mediated signaling. Disintegrins have proven useful as tools to improve the understanding of the molecular events regulated by integrin signaling in leukocytes and prototypes in order to design therapies able to interfere with integrin-mediated effects.

The alpha2ß1 integrin is a major collagen receptor that plays an essential role in the adhesion of normal and tumor cells to the extracellular matrix. Alternagin-C (ALT-C), a disintegrin-like protein purified from the venom of the Brazilian snake Bothrops alternatus, competitively interacts with the alpha2ß1 integrin, thereby inhibiting collagen binding. When immobilized in plate wells, ALT-C supports the adhesion of fibroblasts as well as of human vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and does not detach cells previously bound to collagen I. ALT-C is a strong inducer of HUVEC proliferation in vitro. Gene expression analysis was done using an Affimetrix HU-95A probe array with probe sets of ~10,000 human genes. In human fibroblasts growing on collagen-coated plates, ALT-C up-regulates the expression of several growth factors including vascular endothelial growth factor, as well as some cell cycle control genes. Up-regulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor gene and other growth factors could explain the positive effect on HUVEC proliferation. ALT-C also strongly activates protein kinase B phosphorylation, a signaling event involved in endothelial cell survival and angiogenesis. In human neutrophils, ALT-C has a potent chemotactic effect modulated by the intracellular signaling cascade characteristic of integrin-activated pathways. Thus, ALT-C acts as a survival factor, promoting adhesion, migration and endothelial cell proliferation after binding to alpha2ß1 integrin on the cell surface. The biological activities of ALT-C may be helpful as a therapeutic strategy in tissue regeneration as well as in the design of new therapeutic agents targeting alpha2ß1 integrin.

Utilizaram-se 3.063 registros de classificação linear de 2.593 vacas, obtidos entre 1997 e 1999, para estudar características de úbere, escore final de tipo e produções de leite e gordura por meio de modelo animal de repetibilidade para características múltiplas tomadas três a três. As médias das características de úbere variaram de 3,79 para colocação das tetas anteriores a 5,81 para altura do úbere posterior. A média do escore final para tipo foi 80 e para produções de leite e gordura foram, respectivamente, 7.019±1.817kg e 236±60kg. As repetibilidades variaram de 0,46 para profundidade do úbere a 0,76 para escore final de tipo, e as herdabilidades de 0,11 para ligamento suspensório mediano a 0,40 para escore final. Em geral, as correlações genéticas entre as características lineares de úbere foram altas e positivas. O maior valor foi entre altura e profundidade do úbere (0,71), seguida da correlação entre inserção anterior e profundidade do úbere (0,69). Ao envolver características produtivas e de úbere, o maior valor foi 0,46, obtido entre produção de leite e largura do úbere posterior. A correlação entre produção de gordura e largura do úbere foi moderada (0,23). Algumas correlações foram negativas e em geral as fenotípicas foram, em valores absolutos, inferiores às genéticas.

Data on 3,063 linear classification records from 2,593 cows, from 1997 to 1999, were used in these analyses. A multiple trait animal model for three simultaneous trait was used to obtain correlations between pairs of the linear udder traits, final score, and milk and fat yields. Averages for udder traits ranged from 3.79 for fore teat placement to 5.81 for fore udder height. The average of final score was 80 and for milk and fat yields were 7,019±1,817 kg and 236±60kg, respectively. Repeatabilities ranged from 0.46 for udder depth to 0.76 for final score and heritabilities ranged from 0.11 for udder cleft to 0.40 for final score. Genetic correlations among linear udder traits were generally high and positive. The highest genetic correlation for linear udder traits occurred between udder height and udder cleft (0.71), followed by the correlation between fore udder attachment and udder cleft (0.69). Genetic correlation that included production and udder traits showed that the highest value was 0.46 between milk yield and rear udder width. Fat yield was moderately correlated with rear udder width (0.23). Some negative relationships were found. Estimates of phenotypic correlations were generally lower in absolute values than their corresponding genetic correlations.

Para comparar as produções de leite e gordura e a duração da lactação de animais de cinco "graus de sangue" (1/2, 3/4, 7/8, 15/16 e 31/32) originados de cruzamentos entre Holandês e Gir foram formados três conjuntos de dados. O conjunto 1 foi constituído de 9.817 lactações, 3.012 registros de primeira lactação e 122 rebanhos; o conjunto 2, de 7.839 lactações, 2.334 registros de primeira lactação e 75 rebanhos; e o conjunto 3, de 5.236 lactações, 1.468 registros de primeira lactação e 38 rebanhos. As médias da produção de leite, de gordura e da duração da lactação de todas as lactações nos conjuntos 1, 2 e 3 foram, respectivamente: 4.532±17kg, 157±1kg e 290±1 dias; 4.514±18kg, 157±1kg e 292 ± 1 dias; e 4.495 ± 22kg, 156 ± 1kg e 293 ± 1 dias. Os animais de "grau de sangue" 31/32 foram superiores aos demais quanto à produção de leite, à de gordura e à duração da lactação. Os animais 7/8 e 15/16 tiveram desempenho semelhante e os 1/2 apresentaram o pior desempenho.

Milk yield, fat yield and lactation length of five crossbred (Holstein x Gir) groups (1/2, 3/4, 7/8, 15/16 e 31/32) were studied. Data were divided in three groups, that holded the following number of records and number of herds: group 1- 9,817 lactation records, 3,012 first lactation records and 122 herds; group 2- 7,839 lactation records, 2,334 first lactation records and 75 herds: group 3- 5,236 lactation records, 1,468 first lactation records and 38 herds. The means for milk yield, fat yield and length of lactation in groups 1, 2 and 3, for all lactation records were, respectively: 4,532±17kg, 157±1kg and 290±1 days, 4,514±18kg, 157±1kg and 292±1 days, and 4,495±22kg, 156±1kg, and 293±1 days. The 31/32 crossbred group showed better performance than the other groups in milk yield, fat yield and length of lactation. The 7/8 and 15/16 crossbred groups presented intermediary performance and 1/2 crossbred group showed the lowest performance.