The institutional approach about of the international trade in counterpoint to theory of the comparative advantages: the japanese system of innovations

The present work analyzes the institutional vision regarding the participation of a nation in international trade - and the impact that changes in long-term institutional end up taking on the global technology leadership in counterpoint the Theory of comparative advantage - when dealing this issue. The argumentation advocated here, based on a history / bibliographical research, it is that the institutional view can give a consistent answer to explain the changes in recent decades in the position of countries like Japan, for example, while players in the arena of international trade in high value-added products. This occurs due to the fact of the Institutional Economics take account the diversity of factors that affect the performance of a nation, like for example, the investment in education

Antiobesity Effects of Hydroethanolic Extract of Jacaranda decurrens

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that reduces life expectancy; therefore, the search for new alternative and effective treatments is ongoing. The aim of the present investigation was to identify the chemical compounds in the hydroethanolic extract of leaves of Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata and to evaluate their toxicity and antiobesity effects. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify the chemical constituents, and acute toxicity was evaluated in rats treated with doses of 2 and 5 g·kg−1 body mass. The antiobesity effect was determined in rats with hypercaloric diet-induced obesity. Our results revealed the presence of compounds, such as jacaric, ursolic, and oleic acids, as well as luteolin, quercetin, and kaempferol, in the extract. The acute toxicity tests revealed that rats treated with elevated doses of the extract showed no signs of toxicity. The extract induced reduction in total body mass and the white adipose tissue depots. The obese rats treated with the extract showed an increased fluid intake and feces excretion while their serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased compared to those in the controls, without any hematological changes. Taken together, the results showed that the constituents of J. decurrens extracts included phenolic compounds and exhibited antiobesity effects with no toxicity

Termos de Compromisso de Estágios de 2011 (B)

Neste arquivo contém os TCEs de 8 (oito) estagiários no período de 01/02/11 à 15/03/11.UFS

Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activity of Hydroethanolic Extract from Jacaranda decurrens Leaves

Background and Purpose: Leaves of Jacaranda decurrens are used in traditional Brazilian medicine to treat metabolic diseases related to increased reactive oxygen species. the present study evaluated the antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of hydroethanolic extract from the leaves of Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata.Experimental Approach: Phenolic compounds, flavonoids and saponins were evaluated in an ethanol: water (80: 20, v/v) extract from the leaves of Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata (E-Jds). the antioxidant activity of E-Jds was investigated by assessing the following: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity; protection against 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced hemolysis of erythrocytes; in vitro and in vivo malondialdehyde dosage; and the ability to activate antioxidant enzymes. K562 leukemia cells were used for the cytotoxic evaluation of E-Jds and for the assessment of the cell death profile through flow cytometry.Key Results: Phenolic and flavonoid compounds were quantified as 14.38% and 2.15%, respectively, of E-Jds. These phenolic and flavonoid compounds proved to be able to scavenge DPPH free radicals with an IC50 of 9.3 +/- 3.3 mu g/mL, to protect up to 50% of erythrocytes against AAPH-induced hemolysis and to reduce in vitro and in vivo malondialdehyde levels up to 84% and 22%, respectively. E-Jds also increased glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity, with a concomitant decrease in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, and exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic activity on K562 erythroleukemia cells with cell death occurring via both late apoptosis and necrosis.Conclusions: E-Jds exhibits in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential, which may be the mechanism mediating the metabolic activities reported in folk medicine. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity identified in this study contributes with the knowledge of antiproliferative activities that have been described in the literature for the genus Jacaranda

Activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (A), superoxide dismutase (B), and catalase (C) in human erythrocyte lysates incubated with E-Jds at different concentrations.

<p>* P<0.05 and *** P<0.001 <i>vs.</i> Control.</p

Hemolysis assessment at 2.5% (He) incubated with different concentrations of E-Jds for 240 min.

<p>E-Jds  =  hydroethanolic extract from the leaves of <i>Jacaranda decurrens</i> subsp. <i>Symmetrifoliolata</i>. The data no are statistically different.</p

AAPH-induced lipid peroxidation of erythrocytes. Concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) at 180 min after adding the AAPH hemolysis inducer in 2.5% erythrocytes incubated with different concentrations of ascorbic acid and hydroethanolic extract of <i>Jacaranda decurrens</i> subsp. <i>symmetrifoliolata</i> (E-Jds) leaves compared with 5% He + AAPH.

<p>*** P < 0.001 <i>vs.</i> He+AAPH.</p

Hemolysis assessment at (A) 60, (B) 120, (C) 180 and (D) 240 min after addition of AAPH in erythrocytes at 2.5% incubated with different concentrations of ascorbic acid and E-Jds.

<p>*** P<0.001 <i>vs.</i> HE+AAPH.</p

Malondialdehyde serum concentration in Wistar rats fed a high-fructose diet (66% fructose), treated with water (control) or hydroethanolic extract from the leaves of <i>Jacaranda decurrens</i> subsp. <i>symmetrifoliolata</i> (E-Jds, 200 mg/Kg), for 60 days by gavage.

<p>*P<0.05 <i>vs.</i> E-Jds.</p