Serological screening and evaluation of exposure factors for

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo a elaboração de um mapa de zoneamento de riscos de incêndios florestais para a fazenda experimental do Canguiri, localizada no município de Pinhais (PR), pertencente à UFPR. Com o auxilio do SIG, foram produzidos mapas de riscos referentes à declividade, à exposição das encostas, à altimetria, à rede viária, à hidrografia e ao uso do solo. Esses parâmetros foram integrados por uma somatória em que todas as variáveis receberam o mesmo peso. A sobreposição dessas informações gerou o mapa de zoneamento de riscos de incêndios florestais, cujos resultados apontaram risco baixo para 12,7% da área, moderado para 52%, alto para 29,9%, muito alto para 5,8%. Não foi observado risco extremo na área da fazenda. Esses percentuais foram considerados aceitáveis, uma vez que a ocupação do perímetro da fazenda é predominantemente agrossilvipastoril, com utilização do fogo como ferramenta de manejo.

SUMMARYPurpose: In the present study we decided to investigate whether physical exercise protects against the electrographic, oxidative, and neurochemical alterations induced by subthreshold to severe convulsive doses of pentyltetrazole (PTZ). Methods: The effect of swimming training (6 weeks) on convulsive behavior induced by PTZ (30, 45, and 60 mg/kg, i.p.) was measured and different electrographic electroencephalography (EEG) frequencies obtained from freely moving rats. After EEG recordings, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, nonprotein sulfhydryl (NPS), protein carbonyl, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), Na + , K + -ATPase activity, and glutamate uptake were measured in the cerebral cortex of rats. Results: We showed that physical training increased latency and attenuated the duration of generalized seizures induced by administration of PTZ (45 mg/kg). EEG recordings showed that physical exercise decreased the spike amplitude after PTZ administration (all doses). Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that protection of physical training against PTZ-induced seizures strongly correlated with NPS content, Na + , K + -ATPase activity, and glutamate-uptake maintenance. Physical training also increased SOD activity, NPS content, attenuated ROS generation per se, and was effective against inhibition of Na + , K + -ATPase activity induced by a subthreshold convulsive dose of PTZ (30 mg/kg). In addition, physical training protected against 2¢,7¢-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) oxidation, TBARS and protein carbonyl increase, decrease of NPS content, inhibition of SOD and catalase, and inhibition glutamate uptake induced by PTZ. Conclusions: These data suggest that effective protection of selected targets for free radical damage, such as Na + , K + -ATPase, elicited by physical training protects against the increase of neuronal excitability and oxidative damage induced by PTZ.

This study followed up 2,126 pregnant women cared for at SUS day-care clinics (Public Health Insurance System) of the northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. After serological screening we performed a follow up of all pregnant women and their babies. Serologic tests included: IgG, IgM, IgA and IgG avidity levels, mice inoculation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) also placentas and umbilical materials were tested using immunoperoxidase as well as clinical evaluation. Of all the pregnant women screened, 74.5% were reactive to toxoplasmosis, and 3.6% presented IgM seropositivity. At ophthalmic evaluation ten women had ocular lesions and one infant presented eye lesions and brain calcification. The presence of anti-T.gondii specific IgM throughout the entire pregnancy did not characterize acute phase infection, for this, complementary tests were necessary. The importance is underscored for attendance of the newborn of mothers presenting serology compatible with this infection even in the absence of signs and symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Increasing evidence suggests that plant-derived extracts and their isolated components are useful for treatment of seizures and, hence, constitute a valuable source of new antiepileptic drugs with improved efficacy and better adverse effect profile. β-Caryophyllene is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that occurs in a wide range of plant species and displays a number of biological actions, including neuroprotective activity. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that β-caryophyllene displays anticonvulsant effects. In addition, we investigated the effect of β-caryophyllene on behavioral parameters and on seizure-induced oxidative stress. Adult C57BL/6 mice received increasing doses of β-caryophyllene (0, 10, 30, or 100mg/kg). After 60 min, we measured the latencies to myoclonic and generalized seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 60 mg/kg). We found that β-caryophyllene increased the latency to myoclonic jerks induced by PTZ. This result was confirmed by electroencephalographic analysis. In a separate set of experiments, we found that mice treated with an anticonvulsant dose of β-caryophyllene (100mg/kg) displayed an improved recognition index in the object recognition test. This effect was not accompanied by behavioral changes in the open-field, rotarod, or forced swim tests. Administration of an anticonvulsant dose of β-caryophyllene (100mg/kg) did not prevent PTZ-induced oxidative stress (i.e., increase in the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances or the decrease in nonprotein thiols content). Altogether, the present data suggest that β-caryophyllene displays anticonvulsant activity against seizures induced by PTZ in mice. Since no adverse effects were observed in the same dose range of the anticonvulsant effect, β-caryophyllene should be further evaluated in future development of new anticonvulsant drugs.

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