Quantifying responses of dung beetles to fire disturbance in tropical forests:the importance of trapping method and seasonality

Understanding how biodiversity responds to environmental changes is essential to provide the evidence-base that underpins conservation initiatives. The present study provides a standardized comparison between unbaited flight intercept traps (FIT) and baited pitfall traps (BPT) for sampling dung beetles. We examine the effectiveness of the two to assess fire disturbance effects and how trap performance is affected by seasonality. The study was carried out in a transitional forest between Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) and Amazon Forest. Dung beetles were collected during one wet and one dry sampling season. The two methods sampled different portions of the local beetle assemblage. Both FIT and BPT were sensitive to fire disturbance during the wet season, but only BPT detected community differences during the dry season. Both traps showed similar correlation with environmental factors. Our results indicate that seasonality had a stronger effect than trap type, with BPT more effective and robust under low population numbers, and FIT more sensitive to fine scale heterogeneity patterns. This study shows the strengths and weaknesses of two commonly used methodologies for sampling dung beetles in tropical forests, as well as highlighting the importance of seasonality in shaping the results obtained by both sampling strategies

Assessment of the Mutagenic Activity of Extracts of Brazilian Propolis in Topical Pharmaceutical Formulations on Mammalian Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Propolis possesses various biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anesthetic and antioxidant properties. A topically applied product based on Brazilian green propolis was developed for the treatment of burns. For such substance to be used more safely in future clinical applications, the present study evaluated the mutagenic potential of topical formulations supplemented with green propolis extract (1.2, 2.4 and 3.6%) based on the analysis of chromosomal aberrations and of micronuclei. In the in vitro studies, 3-h pulse (G1 phase of the cell cycle) and continuous (20 h) treatments were performed. In the in vivo assessment, the animals were injured on the back and then submitted to acute (24 h), subacute (7 days) and subchronic (30 days) treatments consisting of daily dermal applications of gels containing different concentrations of propolis. Similar frequencies of chromosomal aberrations were observed for cultures submitted to 3-h pulse and continuous treatment with gels containing different propolis concentrations and cultures not submitted to any treatment. However, in the continuous treatment cultures treated with the 3.6% propolis gel presented significantly lower mitotic indices than the negative control. No statistically significant differences in the frequencies of micronuclei were observed between animals treated with gels containing different concentrations of propolis and the negative control for the three treatment times. Under the present conditions, topical formulations containing different concentrations of green propolis used for the treatment of burns showed no mutagenic effect in either test system, but 3.6% propolis gel was found to be cytotoxic in the in vitro test

Extensive Cryptic Diversity Within the Physalaemus cuvieri - Physalaemus ephippifer Species Complex (Amphibia, Anura) Revealed by Cytogenetic, Mitochondrial, and Genomic Markers

Previous cytogenetic and phylogenetic analyses showed a high variability in the frog taxa Physalaemus cuvieri and Physalaemus ephippifer and suggested the presence of undescribed diversity in this species complex. Here, by 1) adding specimens from the Brazilian Amazon region, 2) employing sequence-based species delimitation approaches, and 3) including RADseq-style markers, we demonstrate that the diversity in the P. cuvieri–P. ephippifer species complex is even greater than previously suspected. Specimens from Viruá and Western Pará, located at the Guiana Amazonian area of endemism, were recovered as distinct from all previously identified lineages by the phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and RAD markers, a PCA from RAD data, and cytogenetic analysis. The sequence-based species delimitation analyses supported the recognition of one or two undescribed species among these Amazonian specimens and also supported the recognition of at least three other species in the P. cuvieri–P. ephippifer species complex. These new results reinforce the need for a comprehensive taxonomic revision.Fil: Nascimento, Juliana. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biología; BrasilFil: Lima, Jucivaldo D.. Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá; BrasilFil: Suarez, Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Andrade, Gilda V.. Universidade Federal Do Maranhao.; BrasilFil: Pierson, Todd W.. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: Fitzpatrick, Benjamin M.. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: Baptista Haddad, Célio Fernando. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Recco Pimentel, Shirlei M.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biología; BrasilFil: Lourenço, Luciana B.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biología; Brasi

Poultry shelf-life enhancing potential of nanofibers and nanoparticles containing Porphyra dioica extracts

Aqueous extracts of commercially available red macroalgae Porphyra dioica were integrated as inner coatings of food-grade polypropylene (PP) films through use of electrospinning and electrospraying technologies. Two coating formulations (A = 5 wt% P. dioica extract and 7.5 wt% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); B = 1 wt% P. dioica extract, 1 wt% PVA, and 17% gelatine) were evaluated as to their capacity to delay spoilage of minced chicken breasts, through monitoring of microbial growth (total mesophile aerobic colony counts), colour stability, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)), and sensory analysis over a 4-day refrigerated storage. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging revealed an increased nanofiber and nanoparticle density on extract-enriched fibers, without compromise to their morphology or the homogeneity of the coatings. Total microbial counts on coating B samples was significantly (p < 0.001) reduced compared to uncoated plastic wraps. The coated samples also exhibited fewer colour degradation, though the coatings did not di er substantially from uncoated plastic wrap. Sensory analysis test subjects successfully distinguished the raw samples based on their treatment and gave a positive approval rating (66.7%) to the extract-enriched coatings when asked about edibility post storage.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Co-ingestion of amatoxins and isoxazoles-containing mushrooms and successful treatment: A case report

Mushroom poisonings occur when ingestion of wild mushrooms containing toxins takes place, placing the consumers at life-threatening risk. In the present case report, an unusual multiple poisoning with isoxazoles- and amatoxins-containing mushrooms in a context of altered mental state and poorly controlled hypertension is presented. A 68-year-old female was presented to São João hospital (Portugal) with complaints of extreme dizziness, hallucinations, vertigo and imbalance, 3 h after consuming a stew of wild mushrooms. The first observations revealed altered mental state and elevated blood pressure. The examination of cooked mushroom fragments allowed a preliminary identification of Amanita pantherina. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed the presence of muscimol in urine. Moreover, through high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) analysis of the gastric juice, the presence of α-amanitin was found, showing that amatoxins-containing mushrooms were also included in the stew. After 4 days of supportive treatment, activated charcoal, silybin and N-acetylcysteine, the patient recovered being discharged 10 days post-ingestion with no organ complications. The prompt and appropriate therapy protocol for life-threatening amatoxins toxicity probably saved the patient's life as oral absorption was decreased and also supportive care was immediately started.This work received financial support from the European Union (FEDER funds through COMPETE) and National Funds (FCT, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) through project Pest-C/EQB/LA0006/2013. Juliana Garcia and Vera Marisa Costa thank FCT e Foundation for Science and Technology e for their PhD grant (SFRH/BD/74979/2010) and Post-doc grant (SFRH/BPD/63746/2009), respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anthocyanins content and chemical composition of the essential oil of three blackberry cultivars from southern Brazil

In this work, fruits of three cultivars, Caingangue, Cherokee and Guarani, originated from collections from Embrapa, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, were analyzed concerning the anthocyanin content and the essential oils composition. The anthocyanin content were determined by spectrophotometry, resulting in 0.606 ± 0.018 g/ 100 g, 0.728 ± 0.020 g/100 g and 0.854 ± 0.065 g/ 100 g expressed as cyanidin-3- glucoside, for the three cultivars, respectively. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and the chemical characterization was performed by GC-FID and GCMS. The oil composition of Caingangue cultivar presented predominance of monoterpenes, especially piperitone (50.5%) and camphor (15.5%). The oil fractions of Cherokee and Guarani cvs. were characterized by sesquiterpenes. Cherokee fruits presented high amount of β-caryophyllene (29.6%) followed by the hexadecanoic acid (11.7%), whereas in Guarani fruits spathulenol (22.4%), globulol (16.9%), epi-globulol (11.3%), δ-cadinene (10.0%) and α-cadinene (10.0%) were the main constituents.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire