Use of DNA technology in forensic dentistry

The established importance of Forensic Dentistry for human identification, mainly when there is little remaining material to perform such identification (e.g., in fires, explosions, decomposing bodies or skeletonized bodies), has led dentists working with forensic investigation to become more familiar with the new molecular biology techniques. The currently available DNA tests have high reliability and are accepted as legal proofs in courts. This article presents a literature review referring to the main studies on Forensic Dentistry that involve the use of DNA for human identification, and makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in forensic sciences

Constituintes químicos, fenóis totais e atividade antioxidante de Sterculia striata St. Hil. et Naudin Chemical constituents, total phenolics and antioxidant activity of Sterculia striata St. Hil. et Naudin

A investigação fitoquímica das cascas do caule de Sterculia striata St. Hil. et Naudin, através de métodos cromatográficos, conduziu ao isolamento dos esteróides sitosterol, estigmasterol e sitosterol-3-O-&#946;-D-glicopiranosídeo, além de quatro triterpenóides pentacíclicos, o lupeol, 3-&#946;-O-acil lupeol, lupenona e ácido betulínico. As estruturas desses compostos foram identificadas por análise dos espectros de RMN ¹H e 13C e comparações com dados da literatura. Para determinação do teor de fenóis totais do extrato etanólico de S. striata utilizou-se o reativo Folin Ciocalteu, enquanto na avaliação da atividade antioxidante empregou-se o radical livre DPPH. Este é o primeiro trabalho descrevendo o estudo químico com as cascas do caule desta espécie.<br>The phytochemical investigation of the stem bark of Sterculia striata St. Hil. et Naudin by chromatographic methods led to the isolation of sitosterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol-3-O-&#946;-D-glucopyranoside, besides pentacyclic triterpenoids, lupeol, 3-&#946;-O-acyl-lupeol, lupenone and betulinic acid. The structures of these compounds were identified by ¹H and 13C NMR spectral data analysis and comparison with literature data. For determining of the phenolic content of the etanolic extract of Sterculia striata we used the Folin Ciocalteu reagent, and for the evaluation of antioxidant activity, we utilized the DPPH free radical. This is the first work reporting the chemical study with the stem bark of this species

Spawning of migratory fish species between two reservoirs of the upper Uruguay River, Brazil

This study investigated the migratory fish spawning within the reservoirs of the Machadinho and Itá dams (upper Uruguay River, Brazil) and its relationship to environmental variables. Sampling was conducted in the lotic region of the river in two sites between the dams' reservoirs: Uruguay (main river) and Ligeiro (tributary). Sampling included nine consecutive reproductive periods (RP) spanning the period from 2001 to 2010 and was conducted at night on the water surface using cylindrical-conical plankton nets (0.5 mm mesh); environmental variables were also recorded. The spawning of the migratory species Salminus brasiliensis, Prochilodus lineatus, and Steindachneridion scriptum was registered: S. brasiliensis and P. lineatus spawned in the tributary river at the end of spring/beginning of summer, during flooding and during periods of high water temperature. Steindachneridion scriptum spawned in the main river at the beginning of spring. The study showed that S. brasiliensis, P. lineatus, and S. scriptum are able to spawn in small lotic river stretches within two reservoirs, but only under very specific and not common environmental conditions