Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that removes protein aggregates and damaged organelles maintaining cellular integrity. It seems to be essential for cell survival during stress, starvation, hypoxia, and consequently to the placenta implantation and development. Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by the onset of hypertension associated or not with proteinuria and other maternal complications. Considering that the placenta seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of PE, the objective of the present study was to evaluate protein levels of light chain protein (LC3), beclin-1, and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the placenta of pregnant women with PE. Placental tissues collected from 20 women with PE and 20 normotensive (NT) pregnant women were evaluated for LC3, beclin-1, and mTOR expression by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA for LC3 and beclin-1 were significantly lower, while mTOR gene expression was significantly higher in the placenta of pregnant women with PE than in the NT group. Placentas of PE women showed significantly decreased protein expression of LC3-II and beclin-1, whereas mTOR was significantly increased compared with the NT pregnant women. There was a negative correlation between protein expression of mTOR and LC3-II in the placental tissue of PE women. In conclusion, the results showed autophagy deficiency suggesting that failure in this degradation process may contribute to the pathogenesis of PE; however, new studies involving cross-talk between autophagy and inflammatory molecular mechanisms might help to better understand the autophagy process in this obstetric pathology.

Background: The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), mainly in tropical countries has increased in large proportions. The identification of suspicious lesions and those directly related to the skin cancer is made by colleagues of many medical specialities. Objectives: Study the characteristics of the frequency of NMSC and their relation with certain risk factors in the Hospital José María Cullen, city of Santa Fe, capital of the province of the same name, Argentina. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, not experimental, descriptive and transversal cut study. The sample was composed by 61 patients of both sexs and from 1 to 83 years old. A complete clinical history of patients with suspected lesions were developed. After the biopsy collection, the Department of Pathology analyze them. A descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS 11.5 program; Chi-square test and contingency tables were used to relate variables and compare data. It stablished a statistically significant association when it founded a value of p<0,05. Results: We observed that the frequency of NMSC was 29.5%, affecting mostly male (72.2%). Statistically significant difference were found (p=0,008), with respect to the female gender. Patients between 61 and 70 years were the most afected age group with a frequency of 38.9% (p=0,001).The most common type of NMSC was basal cell carcinoma (77.8%) and the most frequent location was head and neck (61.1%). The risk factor found most frequently (94.4%) was the photoexposure (p=0,00) and the skin phototype most affected was the type II (61.1%). Conclusion: The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer is high.

Antecedentes: la incidencia del cáncer no melanoma de piel (CNMP), principalmente en países tropicales ha aumentado en grandes proporciones. La identificación de lesiones sospechosas y aquellas relacionadas directamente con el cáncer de piel es efectuada en ocasiones por colegas de muchas especialidades médicas. Objetivos: estudiar las características de la frecuencia del CNMP en relación con ciertos factores de riesgo en el Hospital José María Cullen, de la ciudad de Santa Fe, capital de la provincia del mismo nombre, Argentina. Materiales y métodos: estudio retrospectivo, no experimental, descriptivo y de corte transversal. La muestra quedó conformada por 61 pacientes de ambos sexos y de 1 a 83 años. Se confeccionó una historia clínica completa de los pacientes candidatos a la toma de biopsia, que luego fue analizada por el Servicio de Anatomía Patológica. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo utilizando el programa SPSS 11.5, mediante el cual se usó la prueba de Chi cuadrado y tablas de contingencia para relacionar las variables y comparar los datos. Se estableció una asociación estadísticamente significativa cuando se halló un valor de p<0,05. Resultados: Se observó que la frecuencia del CNMP fue del 29,5%, afectando mayormente al sexo masculino (72,2%). Se halló diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p=0,008), con respecto al género femenino. Los pacientes entre 61 y 70 años fueron los más afectados con el 38,9% de frecuencia entre las demás edades (p=0,001). El tipo más frecuente de CNMP fue el carcinoma basocelular (77,8%), y la localización más frecuente fue en cabeza y cuello (61,1%). El factor de riesgo encontrado con mayor frecuencia (94,4 %) fue la foto-exposición solar (p=0,00) y el fototipo de piel más afectado fue el II (61,1%). Conclusión: la frecuencia del cáncer no melanoma de piel es alta.

Na região Sul do Brasil há carência de opções economicamente viáveis para uso do solo durante os meses de maio a setembro. Nesse período, uma alternativa é o cultivo de pastagens em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes formas de uso do solo no inverno sobre a infestação de plantas daninhas na cultura de milho semeada em sucessão. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos entre maio de 2006 e abril de 2007. Avaliaram-se cinco formas de uso do solo no inverno: 1) consórcio de aveia-preta + azevém + ervilhaca + trevo-vesiculoso manejado sem pastejo e sem adubação nitrogenada (consórcio cobertura); 2) o mesmo consórcio, com pastejo e com adubação nitrogenada de cobertura - 100 kg ha-1 de N (pastagem com N); 3) o mesmo consórcio, com pastejo e sem adubação nitrogenada (pastagem sem N); 4) nabo forrageiro, sem pastejo e sem adubação nitrogenada (nabo forrageiro); e 5) pousio, sem pastejo e sem adubação nitrogenada (pousio). A utilização do solo no inverno com cultivo consorciado de espécies para cobertura do solo permite alta produção de palha para proteção do solo no verão, reduzindo a infestação de plantas daninhas. Nas condições em que foi realizado o trabalho, o uso do solo no inverno com pastagens anuais permite elevada infestação de plantas daninhas no verão, pois a quantidade de palha remanescente é pequena.

Economically viable alternatives for winter soil use in southern Brazil are scarce. During this period, pasture cultivated under crop-livestock system is an alternative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different winter soil uses on weed infestation in maize cultivated in succession. Two experiments were carried out from May, 2006 to April, 2007. Five alternatives of winter soil use were investigated: 1) multi-cropping with black oat + ryegrass + vetch + arrow leaf clover without grazing and nitrogen fertilization (multi-cropping cover);2) the same multi-cropping, with grazing and nitrogen fertilization, 100 kg ha-1 of N (pasture with N); 3) the same multi-cropping, with grazing and without nitrogen fertilization (pasture without N); 4) oil seed radish, without grazing and nitrogen fertilization (oil seed radish); and 5) natural vegetation, without grazing and nitrogen fertilization (fallow). Cover crop in the winter, cultivated without grazing, produces a high amount of straw, reducing weed summer infestation. Under the experimental conditions, winter soil use with pasture allows high weed summer infestation, due to the low amount of straw that stays on the soil.

No período de agosto de 1996 a dezembro de 1997, foram capturados 293 exemplares de dourado, S. maxillosus (Valencienes, 1840), de vários tamanhos, no Rio Mogi-Guaçu, Cachoeira das Emas, para estudos hematológicos. De cada indivíduo foram tomados os dados de peso total (Wt - em gramas) e comprimento total (Lt - em cm). Com as amostras de sangue foram confeccionadas extensões utilizadas na identificação e contagem diferencial de leucócitos (linfócitos, neutrófilos, monócitos, eosinófilos, células granulocíticas especiais e células imaturas). As médias das porcentagens de leucócitos foram analisadas por sexo e por estádio de maturação gonadal (imaturo, em maturação, maduro, esgotado e repouso). Apenas para as células granulocíticas especiais foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre machos e fêmeas. Na análise por estádio de desenvolvimento gonadal somente as fêmeas apresentaram diferenças significativas entre as porcentagens médias dos linfócitos, neutrófilos, monócitos e eosinófilos.

From August, 1996 to December, 1997, 293 of ''dourado'' specimens, Salminus maxillosus (Valencienes, 1840), of various sizes, were caught in Mogi-Guaçu River, Emas Falls, for hematologic studies. Total weight (Wt in g) and length (Lt in cm) were taken for each individual animal. Smears were prepared from blood samples and utilized for differential leukocyte counts (lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, special granulocytic cell and immature cells). The mean percentages of leukocytes were determined according to sex and stage of gonadal maturation (immature, in maturation, mature, spent and resting). Significant differences between male and female occurred only for the special granulocytic cell. In analyzing the leukocyte profile during gonadal development, only female showed significant differences in mean percentages of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and eosinophils.

A chuva e a enxurrada, combinadas, são os agentes ativos na erosão hídrica, a qual também é influenciada pela cobertura, rugosidade, tipo de cultura e sistema de preparo do solo. Os preparos de solo conservacionistas reduzem a erosão hídrica em relação aos preparos convencionais, visto que são menos intensos e mantêm o solo coberto por maior período de tempo e, às vezes, proporcionam aumento da rugosidade na superfície do solo. Para avaliar as perdas de solo e água causadas pela erosão hídrica sob chuva natural, realizou-se um experimento em Chapecó (SC), num Latossolo Vermelho aluminoférrico, com declividade média de 0,09 m m-1, entre 1994 e 1999. Estudaram-se os tratamentos: preparo convencional, cultivo mínimo, rotação de preparos e semeadura direta, executados no sentido paralelo ao declive, com duas repetições, com algumas combinações de rotação de culturas no inverno e no verão. O tratamento-testemunha constou de preparo de solo convencional, sem cultivo (parcela-padrão da Equação Universal de Perda de Solo - EUPS). A semeadura direta com rotação de culturas reduziu as perdas de solo em 45 % em relação ao preparo de solo convencional no verão e semeadura direta no inverno, com rotação de culturas e, em relação ao preparo de solo convencional sem cultura, esta redução foi de 99 %. Nos preparos de solo conservacionistas, as perdas de solo foram reduzidas em 80 % em relação aos preparos de solo convencionais, na média dos tratamentos que envolveram culturas e dos anos de cultivo. Nos tratamentos de semeadura direta, as perdas de solo foram duas vezes maiores na primavera/verão do que no outono/inverno, enquanto, nos demais tratamentos, essas perdas foram 3,3 vezes maiores no outono/inverno, na média dos tratamentos e dos anos de cultivo. As perdas de água foram pequenas e se comportaram de maneira semelhante às perdas de solo, diferindo quanto à magnitude.

Rainfall and runoff together are the active agents of water erosion, furthermore influenced by soil cover and roughness, crop and soil tillage. Compared to conventional tillage, water erosion is reduced in soil conservation tillage because this method is less intensive, preserves the cover longer, and sometimes increases soil roughness. Erosion losses (soil and water) of a clayey Hapludox with a slope of 0.09 m m-1 were evaluated in Chapecó, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, from November 1994 to October 1999 under natural rainfall. The treatments, in two replications, consisted of the following downslope soil tillage systems: no-tillage, conventional tillage, minimum tillage, and tillage rotation, with some summer and winter crop rotation combinations, and conventional tillage without crop (standard unit of the Universal Soil Loss Equation-USLE) as control. In no-tillage with crop rotation there was a soil loss reduction of 45 % in relation to summer conventional tillage and to winter no-tillage crop rotation systems, and of 99 % in relation to bare soil. Conservation tillage reduced the mean soil loss by 80 % in relation to conventional tillage. Mean soil losses were twice as high during the spring/summer as in the fall/winter period in no-tillage treatments, while in the other treatments average losses of the crop years were 3.3 higher in fall/winter. Water losses were small, with a behavior similar to that of the soil losses, in spite of the quantity difference.

The blood cells of fish Salminus maxillosus were studied by means of light microscopy and citochemistry techniques. For citochemistry analisis, we used specific methods for detection of 4 basic macromolecules types, that had different chemistry nature: carbohidrates, lipids, proteins enzimatics and structural. Cells that were differentiated were: erythrocytes, thrombocytes, monophils, lymphocytes, neutrophils type I and II and eosinophils. The thrombocytes, and neutrophils type I and II shows glicogen in the cytoplasm. The neutrophils type II revealed sudanophils and mieloperoxid positive granules and difuse weak reaction for proteins in the cytoplasm. The eosinophils shows strong reaction in cytoplasmic granules.

Las características morfológicas de sangre periférica del pez Salminus maxillosus fueron descritas usando microscopía de luz. Para demostrar el comportamiento citoquímico de las células sanguíneas del pez en estudio, fueron aplicados métodos específicos para la detección de cuatro tipos básicos de componentes macromoleculares, de naturaleza química diferente: carbohidratos, lípidos, proteínas enzimáticas y estructurales. Fueron observados 6 tipos de células: eritrocitos, trombocitos, monocitos, linfocitos, neutrófilos de los tipos I y II y eosinófilos. Los trombocitos y los neutrófilos de los tipos I y II presentaron glucógeno en el citoplasma. Los neutrófilos del tipo II presentan gránulos sudanófilos y mieloperoxidasa. Además presentan, reacción difusa intensa para proteínas en el citoplasma. Los eosinófilos muestran reacción intensa en sus gránulos.