O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar diferentes níveis de controle econômico de Enneothrips flavens, na cultura do amendoim ereto, nas épocas de cultivo "das águas" e "da seca ". O estudo foi realizado na área experimental do Departamento de Fitossanidade da FCAV/UNESP - Campus de Jaboticabal, SP, em 2007/2008. Para a avaliação, foram realizadas amostragens a partir dos 17 dias após a emergência das plantas (DAE), coletando-se dez folíolos fechados por parcela. Determinaram-se a produção de grãos em casca e a massa seca de 100 sementes. Determinadas a produção e o número de aplicações de thiametoxam + lambda-cialotrina, foram obtidos o ganho de produção e a variação no rendimento líquido. Concluiu-se no estudo que as plantas de amendoim foram mais infestadas dos 17 aos 30 e dos 47 aos 74 (DAE) para o plantio na época "da seca" e dos 32 aos 53 (DAE) na época "das águas"; o tratamento controle total obteve as maiores produções e variação no rendimento líquido em relação à testemunha com 26,43 sacas. ha-1 e R$ 585,66 para o plantio realizado na época "da seca", e com 53,88 sacas. ha-1 e R$ 1354,26 para o plantio realizado na época "das águas". O controle de E. flavens com 20% dos folíolos atacados para os cultivos rea-lizados foi o mais próximo do controle total na produção (sacas.ha-1) e variação do rendimento líquido; o inseticida thiametoxam + lambda-cialotrina mostrou-se eficiente no controle da praga resultando em acréscimo na produção de amendoim nas duas épocas de cultivo.

The present work was aimed to evaluate different economic control levels of Enneothrips flavens in upright peanut plants, during the "dry" and "wet" seasons. The experiments were carried out at the Departamento de Fitossanidade, FCAV/UNESP - Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, in 2007/2008. To evaluate the different E. flavens infestation levels, samplings were carried out at 17 days after plant emergence (DAE), collecting 10 closed leaflets per parcel. Peeled grain production (kg ha-1), and 100-seed dry mass (g) were also determined. Once the production and thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin spraying times were determined, the production gain (25 kg bags and kg.ha-1) and net profit variation were obtained. It was concluded that the peanut plants were more infested from 17 to 30 DAE and from 47 to 74 DAE for the "dry" cultivation and 32 to 53 DAE for the "wet" cultivation; the total-control treatment presented higher production and net profit variation as compared to the control plot with 26.43 bags.ha-1 and R$ 585.66 for the planting season held in "drought," and 53.88 bags.ha-1 and R$ 1,354.26 for the planting done during the "wet" time; E. flavens control with 20% of leaflets attacked in both seasons was the closest to total control in the production (bags.ha-1) and net profit variation; the insecticide thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin was effective to control the pest, resulting in increased the peanut production in both cultivation seasons.

Devido a sua ampla distribuição e aos danos acarretados, Enneothrips flavens Moulton destaca-se como a principal praga do amendoim no Brasil. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar, em condições de campo, o comportamento de quatro cultivares de amendoim de hábito de crescimento rasteiro sob infestação natural de E. flavens. Os experimentos foram desenvolvidos na área experimental do Departamento de Fitossanidade da FCAV/UNESP - Campus de Jaboticabal, SP. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos em seis repetições. Foram utilizadas os cultivares IAC Caiapó, IAC 125, IAC 147 e IAC Runner-886. Foram avaliados o número de ninfas e adultos de E. flavens, porcentagem de folíolos atacados, sintomas de intensidade de ataque, número de brotos apicais por planta, massa seca das plantas, produção de grãos em casca (kg ha-1) e a massa seca de 100 sementes (g). Os cultivares não diferiram quanto ao nível de infestação de ninfas e adultos de E. flavens. O período de maior infestação de ninfas ocorreu entre 15 e 41 DAE, e de adultos entre 15 e 48 DAE. Analisando-se a produção, o cultivar IAC Caiapó comportou-se como portador de resistência do tipo tolerância ao ataque de E. flavens.

Due to its widespread distribution and known damages, Enneothrips flavens Moulton is considered the major pest of the peanut crop in Brazil. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the behavior of four runner peanut cultivars under natural field infestation of this insect. The experiments were carried out in the experimental area of FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal, state of São Paulo, Brazil, using a completely randomized block design with 4 treatments and 6 replications. The cultivars studied were IAC Caiapó, IAC 125, IAC 147 and Runner IAC 886. Insect infestation and damage, as well as plant behavior were evaluated as to the number of nymphae and adults, percentage of attacked leaflets, symptoms of attack intensity, number of apical buds/plant, plant dry weight, yield of unshelled pods/plant and 100 kernel weight. No significant difference was noted between cultivars regarding the level of E. flavens (adult and nymphae) infestation. The largest nymphae infestation was recorded at the 15-41 DAE (days after emergency) period. As for the adults, the largest infestation occurred between 15 and 48 days after emergence. The evaluation of yield performance under thrips (E. flavens) infestation suggested that the cultivar IAC Caiapó behaved as tolerant to the attack of this insect.

RESUMO A resistência de cultivares de arrozao ataque do percevejo-do-colmo, Tibraca limbativentris Stal, 1860 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), foi avaliada em experimento conduzido em casa-de-vegetação na Embrapa Arroz e Feijão no período de dezembro de 2004 a fevereiro de 2005, em delineamento experimental de blocos aumentados de Federer com dez repetições. Na avaliação foram considerados sete caracteres de resistência ao ataque do inseto. Foram utilizados 64 cultivares de arroz, sendo 60 considerados tradicionais e quatro cultivares mais atuais como testemunhas: Cica 8, Bonança, Primavera e BR IRGA 409. Os resultados obtidos apontaram que os cultivares Nenenzinho, Miúdo Branco, Lageado Ligeiro, Guabirú, Branco Tardão, Agulhinha do Seco, Arroz do Governo, Arroz Misturado, Vermelho Trinca Ferro, Vermelhão, Chatão, Cutião, Vermelho, Bacaba Branco, Catetão, Buriti, Bacaba, Agulha, Arroz Comum, Vermelho, Pingo D’Água, Marabá Branco, Come Cru Vermelho e Agulhão destacaram-se como resistentes possivelmente do tipo antibiose, enquanto os cultivares Pela Mão, Arroz do Governo, Cana Roxa, Come Cru Branco, Bico Preto, Pingo de Ouro, Matão, Gojobinho, Buriti, Rabo de Burro, Poupa Preguiça, Vermelho Trinca Ferro, Miúdo Branco, Ligeiro Curto, Vermelho Agulha, Agulhão, Marabá Branco, Gojoba\75 Dias\Ligeiro, Pingo D’Água, Arroz Comum e Vermelho mostraram-se provavelmente como tolerantes ao ataque do percevejo-do-colmo podendo, portanto, ser devidamente explorados em programas de melhoramento para resistência a T. limbativentris.

ABSTRACT Rice cultivars were evaluated in regard to their resistance to attack by the stem bug Tibraca limbativentris Stal, 1860 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in an experiment carried out in the greenhouse at Embrapa Arroz and Feijão, Brazil, in randomized augmented Federer blocks with ten replications. Seven traits related to plant resistance were evaluated. A total of 64 rice cultivars were used, 60 of which were considered traditional, and 4 of which were more recent cultivars, used as controls: Cica 8, Bonança, Primavera and BR IRGA 409. The results showed that the cultivars Nenenzinho, Miúdo Branco, Lageado Ligeiro, Guabirú, Branco Tardão, Agulhinha do Seco, Arroz do Governo, Arroz Misturado, Vermelho Trinca Ferro, Vermelhão, Chatão, Cutião Vermelho, Bacaba Branco, Catetão, Buriti, Bacaba, Agulha, Arroz Comum, Vermelho, Pingo D’Água, Marabá Branco, Come Cru Vermelho and Agulhão stood out as resistant, possibly of the antibiosis type, while the cultivars Pela Mão, Arroz do Governo, Cana Roxa, Come Cru Branco, Bico Preto, Pingo de Ouro, Matão, Gojobinho, Buriti, Rabo de Burro, Poupa Preguiça, Vermelho Trinca Ferro, Miúdo Branco, Ligeiro Curto, Vermelho Agulha, Agulhão, Marabá Branco, Gojoba\75 Dias\Ligeiro, Pingo D’Água, Arroz Comum and Vermelho were revealed as probably tolerant to attack of the stem bug and therefore should be explored in breeding programs for resistance to T. limbativentris.

RESUMO O percevejo-do-colmo (Tibraca limbativentris Stal, 1860) é uma importante praga do arroz no Brasil. O uso de variedades resistentes a esse inseto é uma ferramenta importante para o seu controle. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação na Embrapa Arroz e Feijão. Foi avaliada resistência tipo antibiose em ninfas de T. limbativentris em 16 variedades de arroz em delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados em oito repetições. Os caracteres utilizados para detectar indícios de resistência do tipo antibiose foram: número de ninfas vivas, massa seca (mg)/ninfas, superfície corporal/mm2, índice de sobrevivência e desenvolvimento e dias de vida das ninfas. Realizaram-se três tipos de análises: a) considerando somente os dados obtidos nas repetições avaliadas aos 7, 13, 21 e 26 dias após a infestação; b) considerando somente os dados das quatro repetições avaliadas aos 35 dias após a infestação e c) considerando os dados obtidos conjuntamente nas oito repetições. Conclui-se que as variedades Arroz Comum e Desconhecido Branco, principalmente a primeira, evidenciam possuir características que lhes confere determinado grau de resistência do tipo antibiose a ninfas de T. limbativentris.

ABSTRACT The stem bug (Tibraca limbativentris Stal, 1860) is one of the most harmful rice pests in Brazil. Resistant varieties can be an important method for controlling this pest. The present experiment was carried out in the greenhouse at Embrapa Arroz e Feijão. Evaluation was made of the antibiosis to nymphs of T. limbativentris in 16 rice varieties in an experimental design of randomized blocks in 8 replications. The parameters evaluated were the number of live nymphs, dry matter-mg, body surface-mm2, nymphs survival and development index, and insect days of life. There were three types of tests: a) considering only the data obtained in replications evaluated at 7, 13, 21 and 26 days after the infestation; b) considering only the data from 4 replications evaluated at 35 days after the infestation and; c) considering the data together on 8 replications. It was concluded that the varieties Arroz Comum and Desconhecido Branco, especially the former, showed some degree of antibiosis resistance to nymphs of T. limbativentris.

Hyperhomocystinemia has been related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in several studies. The C677T polymorphism for the gene that encodes the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase enzyme (MTHFR) and low plasma folate levels are common causes of hyperhomocystinemia. Due to differences in nutritional patterns and genetic background among different countries, we evaluated the role of hyperhomocystinemia as a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor in a Brazilian population. The relation between homocysteine (Hcy) and the extent of CAD, measured by an angiographic score, was determined. A total of 236 patients referred for coronary angiography for clinical reasons were included. CAD was found in 148 (62.7%) patients and 88 subjects had normal or near normal arteries. Patients with CAD had higher Hcy levels [mean (SD)] than those without disease (14 (6.8) vs 12.5 (4.0) µM; P = 0.04). Hyperhomocystinemia (Hcy >17.8 µM) prevalence was higher in the CAD group: 31.1 vs 12.2% (P = 0.01). After adjustment for major risk factors, we found an independent association between hyperhomocystinemia and CAD (OR = 2.48; 95% CI = 1.02-6.14). Patients with a more advanced coronary score had a higher frequency of hyperhomocystinemia and tended to have higher mean Hcy levels. An inverse relation between plasma folate and Hcy levels was found (r = -0.14; P = 0.04). Individuals with the MTHFR C677T polymorphism had a higher prevalence of hyperhomocystinemia than those without the mutated allele. We conclude that hyperhomocystinemia is independently associated with CAD, with a positive association between Hcy level and disease severity.

Carboxypeptidase M (CPM) is an extracellular glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol-anchored membrane glycoprotein, which removes the C-terminal basic residues, lysine and arginine, from peptides and proteins at neutral pH. CPM plays an important role in the control of peptide hormones and growth factor activity on the cell surface. The present study was carried out to clone and express human CPM in the yeast Pichia pastoris in order to evaluate the importance of this enzyme in physiological and pathological processes. The cDNA for the enzyme was amplified from total placental RNA by RT-PCR and cloned in the vector pPIC9, which uses the methanol oxidase promoter and drives the expression of high levels of heterologous proteins in P. pastoris. The cpm gene, after cloning and transfection, was integrated into the yeast genome, which produced the active protein. The recombinant protein was secreted into the medium and the enzymatic activity was measured using the fluorescent substrate dansyl-Ala-Arg. The enzyme was purified by a two-step protocol including gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography, resulting in a 1753-fold purified active protein (16474 RFU mg protein-1 min-1). This purification protocol permitted us to obtain 410 mg of the purified protein per liter of fermentation medium. SDS-PAGE showed that recombinant CPM migrated as a single band with a molecular mass similar to that of native placental enzyme (62 kDa), suggesting that the expression of a glycosylated protein had occurred. These results demonstrate for the first time the establishment of a method using P. pastoris to express human CPM necessary to the development of specific antibodies and antagonists, and the analysis of the involvement of this peptidase in different physiological and pathological processes

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the non-invasive detection of coronary abnormalities and specifically the remodeling process in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). MRI was performed in 10 control healthy subjects and 26 patients with angiographically proven CAD of the right coronary (RCA) or left anterior descending (LAD) artery; 23 patients were within two months of acute coronary syndromes, and 3 had stable angina with a positive test for ischemia. Wall thickness (WT), vessel wall area (VWA), total vessel area (TVA), and luminal area (LA) were measured. There were significant increases in WT (mean ± SEM, RCA: 2.62 ± 0.75 vs 0.53 ± 0.15 mm; LAD: 2.21 ± 0.69 vs 0.62 ± 0.24 mm) and in VWA (RCA: 30.96 ± 17.57 vs 2.1 ± 1.2 mm²; LAD: 19.53 ± 7.25 vs 3.6 ± 2.0 mm²) patients compared to controls (P < 0.001 for each variable). TVA values were also greater in patients compared to controls (RCA: 44.56 ± 21.87 vs 12.3 ± 4.2 mm²; LAD: 31.89 ± 11.31 vs 17.0 ± 6.2 mm²; P < 0.001). In contrast, the LA did not differ between patients and controls for RCA or LAD. When the LA was adjusted for vessel size using the LA/TVA ratio, a significant difference was found: 0.33 ± 0.16 in patients vs 0.82 ± 0.09 in controls (RCA) and 0.38 ± 0.13 vs 0.78 ± 0.06 (LAD) (P < 0.001). As opposed to normal controls, positive remodeling was present in all patients with CAD, as indicated by larger VWA. We conclude that MRI detected vessel wall abnormalities and was an effective tool for the noninvasive evaluation of the atherosclerotic process and coronary vessel wall modifications, including positive remodeling that frequently occurs in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

There are few reports concerning the biological role and the mechanisms of interaction between proteinases and carbohydrates other than those involved in clotting. It has been shown that the interplay of enzymes and glycosaminoglycans is able to modulate the activity of different proteases and also to affect their structures. From the large number of proteases belonging to the well-known protease families and also the variety of carbohydrates described as widely distributed, only few events have been analyzed more deeply. The term "family" is used to describe a group of proteases in which every member shows an evolutionary relationship to at least one other protease. This relationship may be evident throughout the entire sequence, or at least in that part of the sequence responsible for catalytic activity. The majority of proteases belong to the serine, cysteine, aspartic or metalloprotease families. By considering the existing limited proteolysis process, in addition to the initial idea that the proteinases participate only in digestive processes, it is possible to conclude that the function of the enzymes is strictly limited to the cleavage of intended substrates since the destruction of functional proteins would result in normal tissue damage. In addition, the location as well as the eventual regulation of protease activity promoted by glycosaminoglycans can play an essential role in the development of several physiopathological conditions.