Volatile compounds and palynological analysis from pollen pots of stingless bees from the mid-north region of Brazil

Samburá is the botanical pollen nectar agglutinated by salivary secretions of bees. Stingless bee pollen samples were collected in three periods of the year in Monsenhor Gil town, PI, Brazil, for extraction of volatile constituents by different techniques, analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the palynological analysis used to identify the dominant pollen. Among the volatile compounds identified, kaur-16-ene, methyl and ethyl hexadecanoate, methyl linoleate and heneicosane were identified more frequently in the studied parameters: period of sample collection and extraction techniques used. The palynological analysis identified the pollen of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. as the dominant pollen in all samples studied

Ethanolic extract of Copaifera, Croton and Lippia on the control of phytopathogenic fungi

The search for vegetable extracts for phytosanitary control has been expanded to find new active ingredients to control plant diseases. This study aimed to evaluate thein vitroeffect of the fixed constituents of Copaifera luetzelburgii, Croton zehntneriandLippia lasiocalycina, at the concentrations of 2, 20, 200 and 2,000 μg mL-1, on the percentage of mycelial growth inhibition of Colletotrichum siamense, C. truncatum,Fusarium sacchari,F.udum,Lasiodiplodia theobromaeandThielaviopsis ethacetica, as well as the conidium concentration ofC. siamense,F. sacchariandF. udum produced in culture medium with all the extracts. The tested ethanolic extract, especially at the highest concentration, inhibited the percentage of mycelial growth and/or conidium concentration of the evaluated fungi. The other concentrations showed low inhibitory effects or no activity against the fungi. The average values for percentage of mycelial growth inhibition of the ethanolic extract fromL. lasiocalycina,C. zehntneriandC. luetzelburgiiagainst the six fungi were 62.5, 53.4 and 51.0 %, respectively. The ethanolic extract of L. lasiocalycinashowed the most significant effect on the percentage of mycelial growth inhibition and conidia concentration. The fixed constituents ofC.luetzelburgii,C. zehntneriandL.lasiocalycina at 2,000 μg mL-1 showed to be efficient in inhibiting the mycelial growth of C. siamense,C. truncatum,F. sacchari, F.udum, L. theobromaeandT. ethacetica, and inhibit the conidia production ofC. siamense,F. sacchariandF.udum

Teor de fenóis e flavonoides, atividades antioxidante e citotóxica das folhas, frutos, cascas dos frutos e sementes de Piptadenia moniliformis Benth (Leguminosae – Mimosoideae)

Foram determinados o teor de fenóis e flavonoides, as atividades antioxidante e citotóxica dos extratos e frações de Piptadenia moniliformis. Essa é uma espécie melitófila comumente conhecida como "catanduba" ou "angico de bezerro". Das frações testadas, a fração aquosa das cascas dos frutos apresentou a maior atividade antioxidante, com valor comparável ao padrão, e no geral houve correlação do teor de fenóis e flavonoides com essa atividade. Os resultados do potencial antioxidante para essa espécie fornecem subsídios para futuros trabalhos que visem o desenvolvimento de fitoterápicos e cosméticos. Quanto à atividade citotóxica apenas o extrato hidroalcoólico e as frações diclorometano e acetato de etila demonstraram moderada citotoxicidade

Genetic variants in novel pathways influence blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk.

Blood pressure is a heritable trait influenced by several biological pathways and responsive to environmental stimuli. Over one billion people worldwide have hypertension (≥140 mm Hg systolic blood pressure or  ≥90 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure). Even small increments in blood pressure are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. This genome-wide association study of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which used a multi-stage design in 200,000 individuals of European descent, identified sixteen novel loci: six of these loci contain genes previously known or suspected to regulate blood pressure (GUCY1A3-GUCY1B3, NPR3-C5orf23, ADM, FURIN-FES, GOSR2, GNAS-EDN3); the other ten provide new clues to blood pressure physiology. A genetic risk score based on 29 genome-wide significant variants was associated with hypertension, left ventricular wall thickness, stroke and coronary artery disease, but not kidney disease or kidney function. We also observed associations with blood pressure in East Asian, South Asian and African ancestry individuals. Our findings provide new insights into the genetics and biology of blood pressure, and suggest potential novel therapeutic pathways for cardiovascular disease prevention

Measurement of the W-boson mass in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the mass of the W boson is presented based on proton–proton collision data recorded in 2011 at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, and corresponding to 4.6 fb−1 of integrated luminosity. The selected data sample consists of 7.8×106 candidates in the W→μν channel and 5.9×106 candidates in the W→eν channel. The W-boson mass is obtained from template fits to the reconstructed distributions of the charged lepton transverse momentum and of the W boson transverse mass in the electron and muon decay channels, yielding mW=80370±7 (stat.)±11(exp. syst.) ±14(mod. syst.) MeV =80370±19MeV, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second corresponds to the experimental systematic uncertainty, and the third to the physics-modelling systematic uncertainty. A measurement of the mass difference between the W+ and W−bosons yields mW+−mW−=−29±28 MeV

Synthesis and identification of biomarkers in oils of the Campos and Potiguar Basin: identification of 3-alkyl-steranes

Orientador: Francisco de Assis Machado ReisTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de QuimicaDoutoradoQuimica OrganicaDoutor em Quimic

Composição química e atividade antifúngica de plantas típicas da região nordeste do Brasil

Objective: to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oils of Croton blanchetianus (marmeleiro preto) and Aristolochia trillobata (Angelicó) against Candida species, as well as to identify the chemical components of these oils. Methods: This is an experimental research, of qualitative nature and descriptive approach. The oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer. The antifungal activity of these oils was determined for nine species of Candida using the disc diffusion method. Results: The Croton blanchetianus oil showed a yield of 0.85 (m/m) and the chromatographic analysis revealed 26 constituents, being the most abundant: αpinene, karyophylene, bicyclogermacrene and limonene, respectively. Already the oil of Aristolochia trilobata had a yield of 0.5 (m/m), being identified 66 constituents in which bicyclogermacrene, globulol and linalool were the compounds in greater quantity. Conclusion: This is the first report of the antifungal activity of the essential oils of Croton blanchetianus and Aristolochia trilobata, and both oils showed a good yield. Although the oils tested did not demonstrate an antifungal effect, C. blanchetianus proved to be a viable source for obtaining substances with duly proved antifungal effect, such as α-pineneObjetivo: avaliar a atividade antifúngica dos óleos essenciais do Croton blanchetianus (marmeleiro preto) e da Aristolochia trillobata (Angelicó) frente a espécies de Candida, assim como identificar os componentes químicos destes óleos. Métodos: Esta é uma pesquisa experimental, de cunho qualitativo e abordagem descritiva. Os óleos foram obtidos por hidrodestilação e analisado por cromatografia gasosa acoplado a espectrômetro de massas. A atividade antifúngica destes óleos foi determinada para nove espécies de Candida através do método disco difusão. Resultados: O óleo do Croton blanchetianus apresentou um rendimento de 0,85 (m/m) e a análise cromatográfica revelou 26 constituintes, sendo os mais abundantes: α-pineno, cariofileno, biciclogermacreno e limoneno, respectivamente. Já o óleo do Aristolochia trilobata teve um rendimento de 0,5 (m/m), sendo identificado 66 constituintes no qual biciclogermacreno, globulol e linalol foram os compostos em maior quantidade. Conclusão: Este é o primeiro relato da atividade antifúngica dos óleos essenciais do Croton blanchetianus e da Aristolochia trilobata, e ambos os óleos apresentaram um bom rendimento. Embora os óleos testados não tenham demonstrado efeito antifúngico, C. blanchetianus provou ser uma fonte viável para a obtenção de substâncias com potencial efeito antifúngico devidamente comprovados, como α-pineno.Objetivo: evaluar la actividad antifúngica de los aceites esenciales de Croton blanchetianus (marmeleiro preto) y Aristolochia trillobata (Angelicó) contra especies de Candida, así como identificar los componentes químicos de estos aceites. Métodos: Se trata de una investigación experimental, cualitativa con enfoque descriptivo. Los aceites se obtuvieron por hidrodestilación y se analizaron por cromatografía de gases acoplada a un espectrómetro de masas. La actividad antifúngica de estos aceites se determinó para nueve especies de Candida utilizando el método de difusión por disco. Resultados: El aceite de Croton blanchetianus mostró un rendimiento de 0.85 (m / m) y el análisis cromatográfico reveló 26 constituyentes, los más abundantes son: α-pineno, cariofileno, biciclogermacreno y limoneno, respectivamente. El aceite de Aristolochia trilobata, en cambio, tuvo un rendimiento de 0,5 (m / m), identificándose 66 constituyentes en los que biciclogermacreno, globulol y linalol fueron los compuestos en mayor cantidad. Conclusión: Este es el primer reporte de la actividad antifúngica de los aceites esenciales de Croton blanchetianus y Aristolochia trilobata, y ambos aceites mostraron un buen desempeño. Aunque los aceites probados no demostraron un efecto antifúngico, C. blanchetianus demostró ser una fuente viable para la obtención de sustancias con potencial efecto antifúngico, como el α-pinen

Electrical Impedance Measurements and Statistical Analysis of three varieties of Brazilian Oils

Electrical responses of three samples of Brazilian oil of the same farm field were analyzed by means of Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy. For each sample, duplicates with different heptane/oil ratios were analyzed and subsequently separated into two groups. Results were assessed througn the Paired t Test, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis. In samples B and C, a transition band was detected, due to the petroleum’s electric behavior change. This transition may be related to changes in the asphaltene micelles

Antibacterial activity and chemical composition of essential oil of Lippia microphylla Cham - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v33i2.5792

The essential oil from the fresh leaves of Lippia microphylla Cham. was obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Major constituents of the oil were 1.8-cineole (18.12%), β-ocimene (15.20%), bicyclogermacrene (11.63%) and caryophyllene oxide (8.32%). Antimicrobial activity of the oil against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was determined by gel diffusion method. The oil showed good antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes and very good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.The essential oil from the fresh leaves of Lippia microphylla Cham. was obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Major constituents of the oil were 1.8-cineole (18.12%), β-ocimene (15.20%), bicyclogermacrene (11.63%) and caryophyllene oxide (8.32%). Antimicrobial activity of the oil against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was determined by gel diffusion method. The oil showed good antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes and very good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus