Effects of storage and solvent type in a lipophylic chemical profile of the seaweed Dictyota menstrualis

Os extratos brutos de espécimes da alga parda D. menstrualis, conhecida por produzir diterpenos como principais metabólitos secundários, foram analisados quanto ao modo de armazenamento antes da extração e tipo de solvente utilizado na obtenção do extrato bruto. Os solventes utilizados foram uma mistura diclorometano:metanol (2:1) e acetona. Os espécimes de D. menstrualis foram submetidos a três formas de armazenamento, denominados fresco, seco e congelado. Não foram observadas diferenças qualitativas nas amostras obtidas de quaisquer dos extratos brutos na análise por CG/EM, sendo compostas pelos diterpenos pachydictyol A (I), 6-hidroxi-dichotoma-3,14-dieno-1,17-dial (II), 6-hidroxi-2,7-cicloxenia-3,14-dieno-1,17-dial (III) e 6-acetoxi-dichotoma-3,14-dieno-1,17-dial (IV). Os resultados indicaram que a extração mais eficaz para os componentes de média polaridade de D. menstrualis foi obtida com o uso de acetona, que promoveu extração mais seletiva, mesmo apresentando menor rendimento em massa. Quanto à forma de armazenamento das algas, foi constatado que as metodologias não diferiram significativamente entre si, apesar da tendência de algas congeladas fornecerem o menor rendimento no total de diterpenos. Portanto, nos trabalhos envolvendo análises químicas de extratos brutos de macroalgas marinhas, a escolha do solvente de extração deve ser considerada como fator importante na varredura de substância bioativas.Crude extracts from specimens of the brown seaweed Dictyota menstrualis, known to produce diterpenes as their major secondary metabolites, were analyzed according to storage procedures before extraction, and the solvent types used to obtain the crude extracts. The specimens of D. menstrualis were submitted to three types of storage procedures, such as wet, dry, and frozen and were extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane:methanol (2:1) and acetone. Qualitative differences were not observed by GC/MS analyses of all crude extracts containing mainly the diterpenes pachydictyol A (I), 6-hydroxy-dichotoma-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (II), 6-hydroxy-2,7-cycloxenia-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (III), and 6-acetoxy-dichotoma-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (IV). The most efficient and selective extraction of the compounds with intermediate polarity produced by D. menstrualis was obtained using acetone, but with less mass production. In general, the storage procedures produced very similar results, but the frozen samples furnished low amount of total diterpenes. According to these results on chemical analysis of crude extracts of seaweeds, the choice of solvent to extraction should be considered as important aspect to better screening bioactive compounds

Embalagens para o transporte de caqui e seus efeitos em características sensoriais

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different packagings for the transportation of the Rama Forte persimmon (Diospyros kaki) cultivar on the sensory characteristics and consumer acceptance of the product during storage. Three types of packagings were evaluated: wooden crate; cardboard boxes; and a new packaging made of recycled polyethylene thermos-injected structure with 10% fodder fiber associated with a polypropylene tray, thermoformed in the exclusive design for persimmon. Check-all-that-apply (Cata) questions were used for the sensory characterization of fruits, revealing differences among samples throughout storage time regarding persimmon sensory attributes and consumer preference. Consumer acceptance of fruits from the wooden crate and cardboard box decreased from the first and fifth day onwards, respectively, as storage time progressed, differing from those from the new packaging, whose appearance was liked up to the ninth day. Persimmon transported in the new packaging showed superior quality throughout shelf life. The new packaging, with an appropriate design, maintains the sensory characteristics of persimmon for a longer time than the other studied packagings.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes embalagens utilizadas no transporte da cultivar Rama Forte de caqui (Diospyros kaki) sobre as características sensoriais e a aceitação do consumidor do produto durante seu armazenamento. Foram avaliados três tipos de embalagem: caixa de madeira tipo K; caixa de papelão ondulado; e nova opção de embalagem feita de polietileno reciclado com 10% de fibra de bucha e bandeja de polipropileno, modulada no formato exclusivo para frutos de caqui. As perguntas “check-all-that-apply” (Cata) foram usadas para caracterização sensorial dos frutos, tendo revelado diferenças entre as amostras ao longo do tempo de armazenamento quanto aos atributos sensoriais do caqui e à preferência do consumidor. A aceitação do consumidor dos frutos das caixas de madeira e de papelão diminuiu a partir do primeiro e do quinto dia, respectivamente, com o aumento do tempo de armazenamento, tendo diferido da dos frutos da nova embalagem, cuja apparência foi aceita até o nono dia. A qualidade dos caquis transportados na nova embalagem foi superior ao longo da vida útil. A nova embalagem, com design apropriado, mantém as características sensoriais do caqui por mais tempo do que as outras embalagens estudadas

Características produtivas de duas cultivares de pimentão em substratos alternativos

O aproveitamento de resíduos da agroindústria regional, ao mesmo tempo que diminui o custo de produção de cultivos hortícolas evita o descarte desses resíduos no meio ambiente. Neste trabalho se objetivou avaliar as características produtivas de três cultivares de pimentão utilizando substratos alternativos. O experimento foi conduzido em ambiente protegido, em delineamento de blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 3 x 6, com quatro repetições, sendo cada parcela composta por três vasos de 12 L. O primeiro fator foi constituído de três cultivares de pimentão (Nice, Sofia e Romeo) e o segundo de seis substratos para o cultivo (S1 - substrato comercial, S2 - composto orgânico, S3 - vermicomposto, S4 - composto orgânico e resíduo de aves na proporção 1:1 (V:V), S5 - vermicomposto e resíduo de aves na proporção 1:1 (V:V), S6 - composto orgânico, vermicomposto e resíduo de aves na proporção 1:1:1 (V:V:V). O resíduo de aves pode ser aplicado na formulação de substratos para cultivo de hortaliças. As cultivares Sofia e Nice são as mais adequadas

Ozone sensitivity assessment of 'Pedro Sato' guava

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a sensibilidade da goiabeira 'Pedro Sato' ao ozônio (O3), em comparação à cultivar Paluma, descrita como sensível. Oito plantas de cada cultivar foram submetidas separadamente a ar filtrado e a ar filtrado + O3, cinco horas por dia, durante quatro dias. Foram avaliadas fotossíntese (Asat), injúrias foliares visíveis e concentração de antocianinas e taninos. Plantas das duas cultivares também foram expostas, durante três meses, a condições ambientais em local contaminado por O3, tendo-se avaliado fotossíntese, injúrias foliares e crescimento. Plantas fumigadas com O3 apresentaram redução de Asat e da atividade fotoquímica, além de manifestação de injúrias foliares. 'Paluma' apresentou maior redução de Asat, injúrias foliares mais severas e redução de taninos. Quando exposta ao ambiente contaminado, 'Paluma' apresentou trocas gasosas mais altas, mas apresentou redução de Asat 30 dias antes que 'Pedro Sato'. O crescimento não foi afetado em 'Pedro Sato', cujas injúrias foliares tiveram menor incidência, severidade e precocidade do que em 'Paluma'. A menor taxa de crescimento de 'Paluma' indica maior sensibilidade ao O3. Apesar de responder com menor intensidade ao estresse induzido pelo O3, a cultivar Pedro Sato não pode ser considerada tolerante, pois apresenta danos fotoquímicos, injúrias foliares e alterações nos conteúdos de metabólitos secundários quando exposta a esse poluente.The objective of this work was to evaluate the sensitivity of 'Pedro Sato' guava to ozone (O3), in comparison to the cultivar Paluma, considered sensitive. Eight plants of each cultivar were subjected separately to filtered air and filtered air + O3 five hours per day, for four days. Photosynthesis (Asat), visible foliar injuries, and concentration of anthocyanin and tannin were evaluated. Plants of both cultivars were also exposed, during three months, to environmental conditions at a site polluted by O3, and growth, photosynthesis, and injuries were evaluated. Plants fumigated with O3 showed reduction of Asat and photochemical activity, besides foliar injury expression. 'Paluma' showed greater reduction of Asat, severe foliar injury and tannin reduction. When exposed to the polluted environmental conditions, 'Paluma' had higher gas exchange, but showed Asatt decrease 30 days before 'Pedro Sato'. Growth was not affected in 'Pedro Sato', whose foliar injuries had lower incidence, severity, and precocity than in 'Paluma'. The lower growth rate of 'Paluma' indicates greater O3 sensitivity. Although the cultivar Pedro Sato responded with less intensity to ozone-induced stress, it cannot be considered tolerant, since it is susceptible to photochemical damage, foliar injuries, and alterations in secondary metabolite content when exposed to this contaminant

New Natural Diterpene-Type Abietane from Tetradenia riparia Essential Oil with Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities

Tetradenia riparia (Hochstetter) Codd belongs to the Lamiaceae family and it was introduced in Brazil as an exotic ornamental plant. A previous study showed its antimicrobial, acaricidal and analgesic activities. Two compounds were isolated from essential oil of T. riparia leaves and identified as 9 beta, 13 beta-epoxy-7-abietene (1), a new one, and 6,7-dehydroroyleanone (2), already reported for another plant. The structure of these compounds was determined by spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with literature data. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil and compounds 1 and 2 were determined by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and by tumor cells MDA-MB-435 (human breast carcinoma), HCT-8 (human colon), SF-295 (human nervous system) and HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia). The essential oil and compound 1 showed high cytotoxic potential of the cell lines SF-295 (78.06% and 94.80%, respectively), HCT-8 (85.00% and 86.54%, respectively) and MDA-MB-435 (59.48% and 45.43%, respectively). Compound 2 had no cytotoxic activity. The antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), beta-carotene-linoleic acid system and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The inhibitory concentration (IC50 in mu g mL(-1)) for essential oil and compound 2 was, respectively 15.63 and 0.01 for DPPH; 130.1 and 109.6 for beta-carotene-linoleic acid and 1524 and 1024 for ABTS. Compound 1 had no antioxidant activity. By fractioning the oil, it was possible to identify two unpublished compounds: 1 with high cytotoxic potential and 2 with high antioxidant potential

Simulating land use changes, sediment yields, and pesticide use in the Upper Paraguay River Basin: Implications for conservation of the Pantanal wetland

As a consequence of accelerated and excessive use of pesticides in tropical regions, wilderness areas are under threat; this includes the Pantanal wetlands in the Upper Paraguay River Basin (UPRB). Using a Land Cover Land Use Change (LCLUC) modelling approach, we estimated the expected pesticide load in the Pantanal and the surrounding highlands region for 2050 under three potential scenarios: i) business as usual (BAU), ii) acceleration of anthropogenic changes (ACC), and iii) use of buffer zones around protected areas (BPA). The quantity of pesticides used in the UPRB is predicted to vary depending on the scenario, from an overall increase by as much as 7.4% in the UPRB in the BAU scenario (increasing by 38.5% in the floodplain and 6.6% in the highlands), to an increase of 11.2% in the UPRB (over current use) under the AAC scenario (increasing by 53.8% in the floodplain and 7.5% in the highlands). Much higher usage of pesticides is predicted in sub-basins with greater agricultural areas within major hydrographic basins. Changing the current trajectory of land management in the UPRB is a complex challenge. It will require a substantial shift from current practices, and will involve the implementation of a number of strategies, ranging from the development of new technologies to achieve changes in land use policies, to increasing dialogue between farmers, ranchers, the scientific community, and local or traditional communities through participatory learning processes and outreach

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt