Hydroxylation of a hederagenin derived saponin by a Xylareaceous fungus found in fruits of Sapindus saponaria

During our screening of tropical plants for endophyte microorganisms, a Xylareaceous fungus was found living on the internal part of Sapindus saponaria fruits. The fruits of S. saponaria accumulate great amounts of triterpenoidal and sesquiterpenoidal saponins. The saponin 3-O-(β-D-xylopyranosyl)-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-hederagenin was isolated using chromatographic methods, after alkaline hydrolysis of the crude extract obtained from S. saponaria fruits and added to the culture medium used to grows the fungus. A new saponin was isolated from this experiment by preparative scale HPLC and characterized as a 22α-hydroxy derivative. The structure of this hydroxylated saponin was elucidated based on interpretation of MS/MS data and NMR spectra

Carbohydrates plus protein reduces oxidative stress after single bout of aerobic exercise

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CPA in muscle damage and oxidative stress induced by aerobic exercise. Participate in the study ten healthy young (24 ± 4 years), eutrophic (23.2 ± 1 kg/m2),VO2max = 44.9 ± 10 ml/kg/min, four women performed three aerobic exercise sessions lasting 50 minutes randomly supplemented with water (WAT), isolated carbohydrate (CHO) or carbohydrate associated with proteins and antioxidants (CPA) every 10 minutes of exercise. Blood samples were taken before, immediately and 24 hours after each exercise session for analysis markers of muscle damage creatine kinase (CK) and oxidative stress malondialdehyde (MDA). Blood glucose was measured before, during and after the exercise. After testing the data for normality and homogeneity through the Shapiro-Wilk and Levine tests, one-way ANOVA or two-way analyses were made to compare the initial and the answers to the experimental procedure respectively, or their corresponding non-parametric. CHO and CPA resulted in maintaining or increasing glucose, respectively, during exercise, whereas WAT resulted in glycemia reduction. CHO or CPA did not affect CK post exercise concentration. MDA values were very similar immediately after exercise between CHO and CPA, however occurred significant reduction from post exercice to 24 hours after exercise in CPA procedure (4.8 ± 1.8 to 2.5 ± 0.8, p <0,05), while CHO (5.1 ± 0.8 to 4.6 ± 0.9) and WAT (4.9 ± 0.9 to 5.1 ± 0.6) did not promotes the same phenomenon. This study revealed that carbohydrates associated with proteins and antioxidants have ergogenic effect by increasing blood glucose during a single bout of aerobic exercise and accelerate the restoration of oxidative stress

Mental health and physical inactivity during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study nested in the BRISA cohort study

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between mental health and physical inactivity in 1,447 pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy. Subjects answered the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Symptoms of depression and anxiety, and stress levels were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale, respectively. The rate of physical inactivity was low (39.8%). The prevalence rates of symptoms of severe depression and severe levels of anxiety were 28.8% and 16.9%, respectively. The average perceived stress score was 24.9. An association was found between physical inactivity and not living with a partner (OR = 1.28), having a manual occupation (OR = 0.71) and, unexpectedly, normal and low levels of anxiety (OR = 1.46 and OR = 1.44, respectively). No association was observed between physical inactivity and symptoms of severe depression and perceived stress. It is plausible to assume that the majority of physical activity practiced by these women was attributable to housework or occupation which may in turn be associated with high levels of anxiety

Desenvolvimento de mudas de Moringa oleífera (LAM) submetida a diferentes níveis de água salina / Development of Moringa oleífera (LAM) seedlings subjected to diferente saline water levels

A salinidade é um dos principais problemas enfrentados pela agricultura irrigada no semiárido, com impactos negativos no crescimento das plantas em função do efeito osmótico e toxidade dos íons. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o desenvolvimento moringa submetidas à diferentes concentrações de sais na água de irrigação. O trabalho foi realizado na área experimental do CCAB - UFCA, localizada no município de Crato-CE. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos e cinco repetições. Com os níveis de salinidade 0,24; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5 e 10 dS.m-1. Foram avaliados a altura de plantas (AP), diâmetro do caule (DC), número de ramos secundários (NRS), comprimento da raiz principal (CRP), massa fresca da parte aérea (MFA), massa seca da parte aérea (MSA), massa fresca da raiz (MFR), massa seca da raiz (MSR) e massa seca total (MST). Concentrações de águas salinas acima de 1,5 dS.m-1 interfere negativamente no desenvolvimento de mudas de Moringa Oleífera Lam

Estudo em raiz e ráquis foliar de spathelia excelsa: fitoquímica e atividade frente ao fungo Moniliophthora perniciosa associado ao cupuaçuzeiro (Theobroma grandiflorum)

The chemical composition of Spathelia excelsa (Krause) R. S. Cowan & Brizicky was investigated and the limonoids harrisonin (1) and deacetylspathelin (2), alkaloids folinin and casimiroin mixture (3a, b), plus a further casimiroin (3b) were identified in methanol extract from root. The CH2Cl2 extract from the rachis yielded protolimonoid 3β-angeloyl-21,24-epoxy-7α,21α,23α,25-tetrahydroxy-4α,4β,8β,10β-tetramethyl-25-dimethyl-14,18-cyclo-5α,13α,14α,17α-cholestane (4), and methanol extract, the limonoids limonin diosphenol (5) and perforatin (6), as well as the chromone biflorin (7). Harrisonin and biflorin were isolated for the first time in this genus. On the antifungal assay against witches' broom (Moniliophthoraperniciosa) compound 3b was found to be active

A didactic proposal for the construction of the ellipse

The purpose of the present is to propose the construction of the ellipse in a didactic way in which the work deals with the exposure of a specific methodology for the 3rd year of high school when dealing with ellipse content. Followed by the results of the realization of a workshop aimed at the construction of the ellipse in a didactic way, constructed with low cost material, thereby proposing the teaching of mathematics in a more pleasant and effective way, where the ellipse equations were defined with the theoretical concept and afterwards, the gardener\u27s method was used to construct this curve in a terrain, using ropes and civil construction fasteners, so that the student could concretize and apply this content in practice. After that, it was used for construction in the classroom using thread threads or thin strings to make the tracing and to finish it used the Geogebra software to finish the work showing the perfection of the curve explained in the classroom. The didactic process carried out showed a real interest of the students mainly with the use of the field practice. In conclusion, teaching mathematics in a didactic and interactive way provides a favorable environment for learning, stimulating students with a critical sense and an investigative spirit