ABSTRACT The pre-harvest application of the bioprotective agent Cladosporium cladosporioides is an alternative to inhibit these fermentative processes that might occur in coffee beans that were either their storing bag or exposed to simulated rain, because a controlled amount of water was applied to the coffee. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fresen) de Vries in the physical-chemical and sensory of the coffee beans. The study was conducted in an arabica coffee plantation, in the municipality of Inconfidentes, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In this study used four different doses of the bioprotector and three different pos-harvest conditions. The sour defective coffee beans, electrical conductivity, total titratable acidity, soluble solids, color and it was determined the general quality of coffee of both the left-in-bag and rainfall-exposed variants were positively influenced by the bioprotector. The bioprotector promoted an increase in the quality of the physical and chemical composition and sensory quality of rainfall and left-in-bag coffees compared to coffee beans without bioprotector. The bioprotector also maintained quality in rainfall and left-in-bag coffee when compared with the yard-grown variant. The sensory quality of the yard-grown coffeed was not influenced by the bioprotector. preharvest pre harvest rain Fresen (Fresen physicalchemical plantation Inconfidentes Gerais Brazil posharvest pos conditions conductivity acidity solids leftinbag left rainfallexposed yardgrown yard grown variant

ABSTRACT Objective: Staphylococcus aureus infections remain associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in both hospitals and the community. There is little information regarding the role of ovarian hormones in infections caused by S. aureus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ovariectomy in the immune response induced by S. aureus. Methods: Female mice BALB/c were ovariectomized (OVX) to significantly reduce the level of ovarian hormones. We also used sham-operated animals. The mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with S. aureus. Blood samples were collected for leukocyte count and bacterial quantification. The uterus and spleen were removed and weighed to calculate the uterine and splenic indexes. Lungs were removed and fractionated for immunohistochemical analysis for macrophage detection (anti-CD68) and relative gene expression of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α by RT-PCR. Results: Ovariectomy enlarged spleen size and generally increased circulating lymphocytes. OVX females experienced a continuation of the initial reduction of lymphocytes and a monocyte and neutrophil late response compared to shams (p ≥ 0.05). Moreover, OVX females showed neutropenia after 168 h of infection (p ≥ 0.05). Macrophage response in the lungs were less pronounced in OVX females in the initial hours of infection (p ≥ 0.01). OVX females showed a higher relative gene expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the lung at the beginning of the infection compared to sham females (p ≥ 0.01). Among the uninfected females, the OVX control females showed a higher expression of IL-6 in the lung compared to the sham control females (p ≥ 0.05). In this model, the lack of ovarian hormones caused a minor increase in circulating leukocytes during the initial stage of infection by S. aureus and increased pulmonary gene expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Ovariectomy alone enlarged the spleen and increased circulating lymphocytes. Ovarian hormones acted as immunoprotectors against S. aureus infection.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial pathogens have many strategies for infecting and persisting in host cells. Adhesion, invasion and intracellular life are important features in the biology of mollicutes. The intracellular location ofUreaplasma diversum may trigger disturbances in the host cell. This includes activation or inhibition of pro and anti-apoptotic factors, which facilitate the development of host damage. The aim of the present study was to associate U. diversum infection in HEp-2 cells and apoptosis induction. Cells were infected for 72hs with four U. diversum clinical isolates and an ATCC strain. The U. diversuminvasion was analyzed by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and gentamicin invasion assay. The apoptosis was evaluated using pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic gene expression, and FITC Annexin V/Dead Cell Apoptosis Kit. RESULTS: The number of internalized ureaplasma in HEp-2 cells increased significantly throughout the infection. The flow cytometry analysis with fluorochromes to detect membrane depolarization and gene expression for caspase 2, 3 and 9 increased in infected cells after 24 hours. However, after 72 hours a considerable decrease of apoptotic cells was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggests that apoptosis may be initially induced by some isolates in association with HEp-2 cells, but over time, there was no evidence of apoptosis in the presence of ureaplasma and HEp-2 cells. The initial increase and then decrease in apoptosis could be related to bacterial pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMPS). Moreover, the isolates of U. diversum presented differences in the studied parameters for apoptosis. It was also observed that the amount of microorganisms was not proportional to the induction of apoptosis in HEp-2 cells.

A banana é uma das frutas tropicais mais consumidas no mundo, respondendo por, aproximadamente, 10% do comércio mundial de frutas. O mal-do-panamá, causado por Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. cubense (E.F. Smith), é uma das principais doenças da bananeira. Os marcadores moleculares RAPD têm sido extremamente úteis para estudos de identificação taxonômica, análise de variabilidade da virulência em fungos fitopatogênicos, caracterização de raças e variabilidade inter e intraespecifica de populações de diferentes regiões. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a variabilidade genética de 36 culturas monospóricas de isolados de F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense por meio de marcadores moleculares do tipo RAPD. Foram selecionados 13 primers RAPD, e a análise de dados foi realizada utilizando-se do coeficiente de similaridade de Nei e Li. A partir da amplificação dos primers, foram obtidas 178 bandas, sendo que 167 (93,82%) apresentaram polimorfismo entre, pelo menos, dois isolados e apenas 11 (6,18%) apresentaram monomorfismo, demonstrando alta variabilidade entre os isolados. As distâncias genéticas variaram de 5,7 a 54,6%, sendo a distância média de 30,2%, e a distância média relativa, de 55,3%. De acordo com a análise de agrupamento (UPGMA), não foram observadas correlações entre os isolados estudados. Os resultados sugerem alta variabilidade genética entre os isolados avaliados, não ocorrendo agrupamento de acordo com a origem geográfica de coleta.

Banana is one of the most consumed tropical fruits in the world, accounting for approximately 10% of world trade in fruits. Panama disease, caused by Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. cubense is a major disease of banana. RAPD marker have been used for taxonomic studies, analysis of variability of virulence in pathogenic fungi, characterization of races and variability inter and intra-specific populations from different regions. The objective of present study was to evaluate the genetic variability of 36 isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense using RAPD marker. Thirteen RAPD primers were selected and data analysis was performed using the similarity coefficient of Nei and Li. A total of 178 bands were obtained, of which 167 (93.82%) showed polymorphism at least two isolates and only 11 (6.18%) showed monomorphism, demonstrating the high variability among isolates. The genetic distances ranged from 5.7 to 54.6%, and the average distance of 30.2%. According to cluster analysis (UPGMA) no correlation among isolates were found. The results suggest a high genetic variability among isolates and no correlation between molecular groupings and their geographical origin were observed.

Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o uso de diferentes invólucros nos frutos de atemoieira e pinheira na qualidade físico-química dos frutos e na incidência da broca-dos-frutos, Cerconota anonella. Os experimentos foram instalados em dois pomares comerciais: um de atemoieira no município de Matias Cardoso e outro de pinheira no município de Verdelândia, Norte de Minas Gerais. Os tratamentos para a atemoieira consistiram em: 1) Testemunha (sem ensacamento); 2) Saco plástico leitoso; 3) Saco de TNT (tecido-não-tecido) branco sem fundo e 4) Saco de TNT branco com fundo. Para a pinheira foi modificado apenas o tratamento 2 para saco de papel pardo. Avaliaram-se número de dias da polinização à colheita, número de dias da colheita ao amadurecimento, ocorrência de injúrias e brocas e características físico-químicas dos frutos. Observam-se maior número de dias entre a colheita e o amadurecimento e mais firmeza nos frutos de pinheira não-ensacados. O uso do plástico leitoso controlou a broca em frutos de atemoieira. As características físico-químicas: massa, comprimento, diâmetro dos frutos e teor de sólidos solúveis totais da polpa não foram influenciados pelo uso dos invólucros.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect from using different involucres for fruits of the atemoya and sweetsop upon either physiochemical quality of the fruits and incidence of the fruit borer Cerconota anonella. The experiments were set up in two commercial orchards: one with atemoya at Matias Cardoso county and the other one with sweetsop at Verdelândia on northern Minas Gerais state. The treatments for atemoya consisted of: 1) Control (without bagging); 2) Milky plastic bag; 3) White, bottomless, tissue-non-tissue (TNT) bag; and (4) With bottom TNT bag. For the sweetsop, only treatment 2 was modified to brown paper bag. The following evaluation were performed: the number of days from pollination to harvest, number of days from harvest to ripening, occurrence of injuries and borers, and the physiochemical characteristics of the fruits. The no-bagged sweetsop fruits showed higher number of days between the harvest and ripening and higher firmness. The use of the milky plastic controlled the borer in atemoya fruits. The following physiochemical characteristics were not affected by the use of those involucres: weight, length, fruit diameters, and the content of the total soluble solids in the pulp.

A banana é uma das frutas tropicais mais consumidas no mundo, respondendo por, aproximadamente, 10% do comércio mundial de frutas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento e a produção de três cultivares de bananeira sob três sistemas de plantio, em dois ciclos de produção, no período compreendido entre março de 2004 e outubro de 2006, em Janaúba, Minas Gerais. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados e duas análises estatísticas: Primeira: 'Prata-Anã' em seis diferentes sistemas de plantio; Segunda: fatorial 2 x 2 + 1, com as variedades Caipira e Thap Maeo, em três diferentes sistemas de plantio, com quatro repetições e seis plantas úteis por parcela. Foram avaliadas as seguintes características: altura de planta, circunferência do pseudocaule, número total de folhas, número de folhas vivas na colheita, número de dias do plantio à colheita, massa do cacho, produtividade, número de pencas e número de frutos por cacho. As características avaliadas foram submetidas à análise de variância com desdobramentos das interações significativas, tendo os efeitos dos tratamentos comparados pelo teste de Tukey, a 5 % de probabilidade. A mistura de cultivares e o uso de bordaduras não influenciaram na maioria das características de crescimento, nas três cultivares estudadas. A cultivar Thap Maeo foi superior à 'Caipira' na maioria das características avaliadas, no primeiro e segundo ciclos. Para os sistemas de plantio, foi superior o plantio com uma bordadura. A análise da variedade Prata-Anã dentro dos seis sistemas de plantio apresentou diferença significativa para as características de número de folhas vivas na colheita, no segundo ciclo, número de pencas/cacho e número de frutos/cacho.

Banana is one of the tropical fruits more consumed in the world, answering for approximately 10% of the world trade of fruits. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the growth and production of three banana cultivars under three planting systems, in two production cycles, in the period from March 2004 to October 2006, in Janaúba, Minas Gerais. The experimental design was in randomized blocks and two statistical analyses: first: Prata Anã in six different planting systems; second: factorial 2 x 2 + 1, with four repetitions and six useful plants per parcel. The evaluated characteristics were: plant height, pseudostem circumference, total number of leaves, number of green leaves in the crop, number of days from planting to harvest, bunch weight, productivity, number of hands and fingers per bunch. The appraised characteristics were submitted to the variance analysis, being the treatments effects compared by the test of Tukey to 5% of probability. The cultivar mixture and the usage of borders did not influence most of the growth characteristics on the three studied cultivars. The cultivar Thap Maeo was superior to the Caipira in most of the appraised characteristics in the first and second cycles. The planting system with one border was superior. The analysis of the cultivar Prata Anã presented significant difference for the characteristics of green leaves number in the crop in the second cycle, number of hands/ bunch and number of fingers/bunch inside of the six planting systems.