Universidade Estadual de Londrina

About: Universidade Estadual de Londrina is a education organization based out in Londrina, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Toxoplasma gondii. The organization has 13052 authors who have published 19291 publications receiving 212123 citations.

Reprodutibilidade e validade do Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física em adolescentes

Abstract: RESUMENReprodutibilidad de la validez de la Encuesta Internacional deActividad Fisica en adolescentes La Encuesta Internacional de Actividad Fisica (IPAQ) se desarro-llo originalmente con proposito de estimar el nivel de practica habi-tual de actividad fisica de poblaciones de paises diferentes. Losobjetivos del estudio fueron analizar al reproducibilidad y la validezde la version corta de IPAQ en adolescentes. La muestra fue cons-tituida por 161 adolescentes (92 muchachas y 69 muchachos) conedades entre 12 y 18 anos. Reproducibilidad se obtuvo a traves delas contestaciones en la aplicacion de la encuesta, con intervalo dedos semanas, involucrando coeficiente de correlacion de Spear-man (Rs) y tecnica de Bland y Altman (B-A). La validacion fue reali-zada por medio de las comparaciones entre el tiempo dispensadoen las actividades periodicas por los adolescentes por medio deIPAQ y para el instrumento del retrospectivo de auto-recordacionde las actividades diarias (R-24h). Para ello, se uso el R

Capsaicin: Current Understanding of Its Mechanisms and Therapy of Pain and Other Pre-Clinical and Clinical Uses

Abstract: In this review, we discuss the importance of capsaicin to the current understanding of neuronal modulation of pain and explore the mechanisms of capsaicin-induced pain. We will focus on the analgesic effects of capsaicin and its clinical applicability in treating pain. Furthermore, we will draw attention to the rationale for other clinical therapeutic uses and implications of capsaicin in diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, cancer, airway diseases, itch, gastric, and urological disorders.

Taking stock of the Brazilian "zero-till revolution": a review of landmark research and farmers' practice

Abstract: Two decades of extensive research and experimentation with zero‐till methods has allowed “ideal” zero‐till systems to emerge in Brazil, involving no soil turning, maintenance of a permanent vegetative cover, and rotations of both cash and cover crops. By exploiting rapid successions of suitable crops, for example, as well as through careful temporal and spatial planning, Brazilian examples show that it is possible to continuously cover soil, gradually increase soil organic matter (SOM) stocks, integrate livestock, move surface‐applied lime through the soil profile, break compact soil layers, and reduce reliance on agrochemicals in zero‐till, all under a variety of edaphic and climatic conditions, and levels of mechanization/farm sizes. Various such technologies and systems are reviewed in this chapter. However, we also note that among smallholder zero‐till farmers, for example, the adaptations of “ideal” zero‐till systems are manifold and complex, partial adoption of certain components and technologies rather than full adoption of zero‐till systems being the norm. By examining farmers' experiences and practice, we ascertain that in many cases there is perhaps a divorce between the ideal, originating mainly from individual technology research on agricultural research stations, and farmers' reality, given the complexity of socioeconomical constraints facing the latter. We conclude that although there is a wealth of valuable zero‐till experience and technologies precipitating from the Brazilian zero‐till “revolution,” numerous challenges in zero‐till research, especially in respect to resource‐poor smallholder farmers, still remain, and perhaps more holistic, participatory and adaptive on farm‐research is necessary in future. © 2006, Elsevier Inc.

Azospirillum: benefits that go far beyond biological nitrogen fixation.

Abstract: The genus Azospirillum comprises plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), which have been broadly studied. The benefits to plants by inoculation with Azospirillum have been primarily attributed to its capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but also to its capacity to synthesize phytohormones, in particular indole-3-acetic acid. Recently, an increasing number of studies has attributed an important role of Azospirillum in conferring to plants tolerance of abiotic and biotic stresses, which may be mediated by phytohormones acting as signaling molecules. Tolerance of biotic stresses is controlled by mechanisms of induced systemic resistance, mediated by increased levels of phytohormones in the jasmonic acid/ethylene pathway, independent of salicylic acid (SA), whereas in the systemic acquired resistance—a mechanism previously studied with phytopathogens—it is controlled by intermediate levels of SA. Both mechanisms are related to the NPR1 protein, acting as a co-activator in the induction of defense genes. Azospirillum can also promote plant growth by mechanisms of tolerance of abiotic stresses, named as induced systemic tolerance, mediated by antioxidants, osmotic adjustment, production of phytohormones, and defense strategies such as the expression of pathogenesis-related genes. The study of the mechanisms triggered by Azospirillum in plants can help in the search for more-sustainable agricultural practices and possibly reveal the use of PGPB as a major strategy to mitigate the effects of biotic and abiotic stresses on agricultural productivity.