The fungus Botrytis cinerea is an opportunistic pathogen on a wide variety of crops, causing disease known as grey mould through infections via wounds or dead plant parts. Synthetic fungicides for controlling this disease are fast becoming ineffective due to the development of resistance. This, coupled with consumers world wide becomng increasingly conscious of potential environment and health problems associated with the build up of toxic chemicals, (particularly in food products), have resulted in pressure to reduce the use of chemical pesticide volumes as well as its residues. An emerging alternative to random synthesis is the study and exploitation of naturally occurring products with fungicidal properties. There have been reports on the uses of synthetic fungicides for the control of plant pathogenic fungi. When utilized in two-way mixtures, such fungicides may maintain or enhance the level of control of a pathogen at reduced rates for both components utilized in combinations, or alone at normal rates. For this study it was hypothesize that the addition of plant extracts may enhance the antifungal efficacy of the synthetic strobilurin fungicide, kresoxim-methyl against Botrytis cinerea.

The fungus Botrytis cinerea is an opportunistic pathogen on a wide variety of crops, causing disease known as grey mould through infections via wounds or dead plant parts. Synthetic fungicides for controlling this disease are fast becoming ineffective due to the development of resistance. This, coupled with consumers world wide becomng increasingly conscious of potential environment and health problems associated with the build up of toxic chemicals, (particularly in food products), have resulted in pressure to reduce the use of chemical pesticide volumes as well as its residues. An emerging alternative to random synthesis is the study and exploitation of naturally occurring products with fungicidal properties. There have been reports on the uses of synthetic fungicides for the control of plant pathogenic fungi. When utilized in two-way mixtures, such fungicides may maintain or enhance the level of control of a pathogen at reduced rates for both components utilized in combinations, or alone at normal rates. For this study it was hypothesize that the addition of plant extracts may enhance the antifungal efficacy of the synthetic strobilurin fungicide, kresoxim-methyl against Botrytis cinerea.

The intravascular administration of iodine-based contrast media is a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). This study investigated whether changes in the urinary concentration of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) before and after coronary angiography they are able to predict the development of AKI independently of previously established absolute cut-off values. A total of 125 outpatients undergoing elective coronary angiography were enrolled and divided into 2 subgroups: G1 (n = 103), patients with changes in their serum creatinine after coronary angiography of < 0.3 mg/dL, and G2 (n = 22), patients with changes in their serum creatinine after coronary angiography &#8805; 0.3 mg/dL. The primary study endpoint was AKI defined as AKI network stages 1. uNGAL was measured before coronary arteriography and 2 and 4 hours afterwards. To determine the sensitivity and specificity for the absolute and relative variations of uNGAL, a receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Based on the ROC curve for the relative difference in uNGAL before and after coronary angiography, a 50% increase in the uNGAL value over baseline was 60% sensitive and 81% specific for AKI. The area under the curve for relative differences 2 hours after coronary angiography was 0.82. The percentage variations in the concentration of uNGAL detected the early stages of AKI regardless of the absolute cut-off established. / A administração intravascular dos meios de contraste à base de iodo é uma causa comum da injúria renal aguda. Este estudo investigou se mudanças na concentração da Lipocalina Urinária Associada com Gelatinase de Neutrófilos Humanos (NGALu), antes e após angiografia coronariana eletiva, são capazes de prever o desenvolvimento da injúria renal aguda, independentemente de pontos de corte previamente estabelecidos. Foram avaliados 125 pacientes ambulatoriais submetidos a cinecoronariografia eletiva. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois subgrupos; G1 (n=103), pacientes com alterações nos valores da creatinina sérica < 0,3 mg/dL e G2 (n=22), aqueles em que a creatinina sérica se elevou &#8805; 0,3 mg/dL. O endpoint primário dessa pesquisa foi a injúria renal aguda definida pelo acute kidney injury network estágio 1. Foram realizadas dosagens da Lipocalina urinária Associada com Gelatinase de Neutrófilos imediatamente antes, 2 e 4 horas após a cinecoronariografia. Para determinar a sensibilidade e especificidade das variações absolutas e relativas de NGALu utilizamos receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Com base na curva ROC para diferença relativa no NGALu antes e após a angiografia coronariana eletiva, um aumento de 50% no valor do NGALu após o procedimento, foi 60% sensível e 81% específico para detecção da injúria renal aguda. A área sob a curva para diferença relativa 2 horas após a cinecoronariografia foi 0,82. Variações percentuais na concentração de NGALu foram capazes de prever a injúria renal aguda 2 horas após a angiografia coronariana independentemente de pontos de corte estabelecido em valores absolutos. / Mestre em Ciências da Saúde