Ambuic acid (AA) is a highly-modified cyclohexenone and known as a promising inhibitor of quorum sensing in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and is thus a candidate as an antivirulence drug. This molecule is mainly produced by the species of Pestalotiopsis and, since its discovery twenty years ago, only a restricted amount of AA-derivatives have been described. Despite being a promising subject, methods for the analysis of modified AA-analogues via mass spectrometry remain unexplored. In order to adress this question, the marine fungus Pestalotiopsis sp. 4A11 associated with the ascidian Didemnum perlucidum was grown in a solid rice medium and its crude extract was chemically studied. From this extract, AA and 10-hydroxy ambuic acid (10-HAA) were isolated and identified using NMR spectroscopy with the aim of obtaining model compounds for the MS analysis. These served as reference compounds (seeds) to guide the dereplication of other AA-analogues via LC-MS/MS-based molecular networking. Based on the manual interpretation of the fragmentation pathways of the seeds and related compounds observed in the networks, six AA-derivatives were dereplicated in the extract. Furthermore, three analogues with unprecedented chemical formulas were proposed as putative unprecedented AA-derivatives. The fragmentation annotation proposed represents a fast and feasible method for characterizing AA-derivatives.

The emergence of antibiotic resistance among microbial pathogens is a serious public health problem, resulting in a constant need of discovering new antibiotics. For this purpose, we synthetized and determined the antimicrobial activity of copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and tin (Sn) complexes coordinated with scorpionate ligand in a tridentate mode against microorganisms of clinical importance. New complexes with the sodium hydrotris(2-mercaptothiazolyl)borate ligand were characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques (UV-vis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR). Moreover, their antimicrobial activity was evaluated using microdilution broth method. Cytotoxicity was determined in Vero cells and the selectivity index (SI) was calculated. The coordination with metals increased the ligand antimicrobial activity, which showed no activity when evaluated alone (MIC>1,080 µM). Cu-complex (1) had activity against Candida albicans and C. krusei, with MICs of 130 and 66 µM, respectively. The compounds had low toxicity on Vero cells and chemo-informatics assays corroborated a low systemic toxic effect. The SI revealed that the compound 1 was 16 times more selective for C. krusei and 8 times more selective for C. albicans in relation to Vero cells. The Cu-complex stands out as a potential prototype for the development of new antifungal agents.

RESUMO: Este estudo avaliou o status do cálcio sérico em 39 vacas com deslocamento de abomaso (DA), provenientes de 30 propriedades leiteiras selecionadas, na região de Campos Gerais no Paraná. O diagnóstico do deslocamento de abomaso foi realizado por percussão auscultatória, além dos sinais clínicos e informações da anamnese. Previamente ao procedimento cirúrgico, amostras de sangue foram coletadas para a mensuração dos níveis sanguíneos de cálcio, albumina, proteína e glicose. Como grupo controle, amostras de sangue foram coletadas de vacas hígidas que se encontravam em semelhante período de lactação. Das 39 vacas com deslocamento de abomaso, 35 apresentaram hipocalcemia e no grupo controle, apenas um animal. Concentrações sanguíneas de glicose e proteína foram inferiores nos animais com DA, quando comparados com animais do grupo controle.

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the status of serum calcium in 39 Holstein cows with displacement of the abomasum (DA), from 30 dairy farms selected in the region of Campos Gerais, Paraná state, Brazil.. The diagnosis of abomasal displacement was performed by auscultation and percussion, besides the clinical signs and history information. Before surgery, blood samples were collected to measure blood levels of calcium, albumin, protein and glucose. As a control group, blood samples were collected from healthy cows that were in similar period of lactation. Of the 39 cows with abomasal displacement, 35 had hypocalcemia and in the control group only one cow. Blood glucose and protein concentrations were lower in the animals with DA when compared with the control group.

A adoção do plantio direto, com a inclusão de espécies gramíneas de relação C/N alta, poderá minimizar a degradação estrutural do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da inclusão da braquiária na rotação de culturas nas propriedades físico-hídricas e no conteúdo de matéria orgânica de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico em plantio direto. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, em parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. As parcelas foram compostas por quatro sistemas de rotação, e as subparcelas, por quatro profundidades de amostragem (0-10; 10-20; 20-40, e 40-60 cm). As culturas utilizadas foram: arroz (A); feijão irrigado (F); milho (M); soja (S), e arroz (A+B), milho (M+B) e soja (S+B) consorciados com braquiária. Os sistemas de rotação foram: S1 - A/F/M/F/S/F; S2 - A+B/F/M+B/F/S+B/F; S3 - M/F/S/F/S/F, e S4 - M+B/F/S+B/F/S+B/F. Uma área de mata nativa, situada a 500 m do experimento, foi considerada como controle. A inclusão da braquiária na rotação de culturas não afetou a densidade, a macroporosidade e a capacidade de água disponível do solo. A porosidade total e o teor de matéria orgânica do solo foram favorecidos pelas rotações que incluíam maior número de cultivos de soja. A associação de soja com a braquiária contribuiu para a estabilidade dos agregados, e a de gramíneas de verão com a braquiária, para a diminuição da resistência do solo à penetração.

The adoption of no-tillage system, with the inclusion of grass species of high C/N relationship, can minimize the structural degradation of the soil. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of including Brachiaria in crop rotation systems on the physical-hydric properties and the organic matter content in a Dystrophic Oxisol under no-tillage. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, in split plots, with four replications. The plots were composed by four systems of crop rotation and the subplots by four sampling depths (0-10; 10-20; 20-40, and 40-60 cm). The crops were: rice (R); irrigated dry bean (DB); corn (C); soybean (S); rice (R+B), corn (C+B), and soybean (S+B) intercropped with Brachiaria. The crop rotation systems were: S1 - R/DB/C/DB/S/DB; S2 - R+B/DB/C+B/DB/S+B/DB; S3 - C/DB/S/DB/S/DB; and S4 - C+B/DB/S+B/DB/S+B/DB. It was considered a native forest, located at 500 m from the experiment, as reference. The inclusion of Brachiaria in crop rotation systems did not affect soil bulk density, macroporosity, and available soil water capacity. Total soil porosity and organic matter content of the soil were favored in the crop rotations that included more number of soybean cultivations. The association of soybean with Brachiaria contributed to the stability of the aggregates and the summer grasses with Brachiaria to reduce the soil resistance to penetration.

The 1,2,3-triazole, known since the end of 19th century, is a very widely used heterocyclic system present in many synthetic substances and commercial pharmaceutical compounds. In fact, 1,2,3-triazoles show several applications in many areas especially as medicines against many diseases like cancer, AIDS, Parkinson and Alzheimer. Nowadays there is a large variety of known methods to obtain these heterocyclic compounds comprising mainly three synthetic routes. Nevertheless, there is no article that gives an objective overview of the synthetic methods for obtaining these kinds of azoheterocycles. This paper presents a brief history of this class of compounds, and a synthetic discussion concerning the main synthetic methods for its preparation, such as cyclization through hydrazones, concerted cycloadditon [2+3] and pseudopericyclic cyclization - and some others of restricted application, but also important. Finally, this paper also provides a brief overview on pharmacological applications of some 1,2,3-triazoles.

A eficácia da vacina Sabin foi determinada em 106 crianças normais e subnutridas da Amazônia, após a administração de uma e duas doses de vacina oral (trivalente). Após a aplicação de uma dose de vacina, verificou-se que apenas 9% das crianças com subnutrição pregressa (crônica) e 43% das crianças normais formaram anticorpos neutralizantes (protetores) contra dois ou três tipos de poliovírus (p = 0,04). Após duas doses de vacina, os níveis de imunidade dos dois grupos de crianças estudadas acusaram, respectivamente, 32% e 75% (p = 0,001). Estes resultados mostram que a resposta imunitária à vacina Sabin foi sensivelmente inferior no grupo das crianças subnutridas, do que no das crianças normais. Em decorrência disto, será necessário administrar um número maior de doses de vacina oral àquelas crianças, a fim de que níveis satisfatórios de imunidade contra a poliomielite sejam atingidos em toda a população infantil.

Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the diminished efficacy of the oral polio vaccine in underdeveloped tropical regions. In this study, the influence of mild to moderate chronic malnutrition on the development of antibodies to the 3 types of polioviruses was investigated in Brazilian Amazonian children. Vaccines were administered to 106 normal and stunted children, between 5 to 14 months of age, who were not suffering from acute malnutrition (wasting), in poor peri-urban slum areas of Manaus (AM) and São Luis (MA) during the National Poliomyelitis Vaccination Campaigns of 1981 and 1982. Two weeks after vaccination, blood was collected by digital puncture and the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies for the 3 types of polioviruses was determined in serum at a dilution of 1:8. In children who had received one dose of the vaccine, 43% of normal children had antibodies to 2 or 3 types of polioviruses, against only 9% of stunted children (p = .04). In children who had received 2 doses of vaccine, 75% of normal children but only 32% of stunted children had formed antibodies to 2 or 3 types of polioviruses (p = .001). These results suggest that mildly to moderately stunted children have an impaired immune response to the oral poliomyelitis vaccine and that more than 2 doses of vaccine are necessary to achieve satisfactory immunity levels in poor tropical communities where such malnutrition is common.

A eficácia da vacina Sabin foi determinada em 106 crianças normais e subnutridas da Amazônia, após a administração de uma e duas doses de vacina oral (trivalente). Após a aplicação de uma dose de vacina, verificou-se que apenas 9% das crianças com subnutrição pregressa (crônica) e 43% das crianças normais formaram anticorpos neutralizantes (protetores) contra dois ou três tipos de poliovírus (p = 0,04). Após duas doses de vacina, os níveis de imunidade dos dois grupos de crianças estudadas acusaram, respectivamente, 32% e 75% (p = 0,001). Estes resultados mostram que a resposta imunitária à vacina Sabin foi sensivelmente inferior no grupo das crianças subnutridas, do que no das crianças normais. Em decorrência disto, será necessário administrar um número maior de doses de vacina oral àquelas crianças, a fim de que níveis satisfatórios de imunidade contra a poliomielite sejam atingidos em toda a população infantil.

Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the diminished efficacy of the oral polio vaccine in underdeveloped tropical regions. In this study, the influence of mild to moderate chronic malnutrition on the development of antibodies to the 3 types of polioviruses was investigated in Brazilian Amazonian children. Vaccines were administered to 106 normal and stunted children, between 5 to 14 months of age, who were not suffering from acute malnutrition (wasting), in poor peri-urban slum areas of Manaus (AM) and São Luis (MA) during the National Poliomyelitis Vaccination Campaigns of 1981 and 1982. Two weeks after vaccination, blood was collected by digital puncture and the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies for the 3 types of polioviruses was determined in serum at a dilution of 1:8. In children who had received one dose of the vaccine, 43% of normal children had antibodies to 2 or 3 types of polioviruses, against only 9% of stunted children (p = .04). In children who had received 2 doses of vaccine, 75% of normal children but only 32% of stunted children had formed antibodies to 2 or 3 types of polioviruses (p = .001). These results suggest that mildly to moderately stunted children have an impaired immune response to the oral poliomyelitis vaccine and that more than 2 doses of vaccine are necessary to achieve satisfactory immunity levels in poor tropical communities where such malnutrition is common.