Economic Botany of an Endemic Palm Species (Butia catariensis Noblick & Lorenzi) in Southern Brazil

Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi is an endemic palm that occurs on sandy soils in coastal areas of southern Brazil, where its fruit are used as food. The objective of this study is to analyze the production chain aspects of B. catarinensis and to identify different stakeholders involved in its production in order to better understand the relationship between local people and this palm. The focus of this research is the Areais da Ribanceira, a common area where local residents harvest B. catarinensis fruit. The fruit are used on a domestic scale to produce B. catarinensis rum, and at an industrial scale to produce ice cream and popsicles, which are commercialized locally and in nearby municipalities. These products also reach the capital of Santa Catarina State, 80km from the harvesting area. The practice of this low impact activity can provide environmental, economic and social sustainability for the local community

Etnobotânica e estrutura populacional do butiá, Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi (Arecaceae) na comunidade dos Areais da Ribanceira de Imbituba/SC

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Florianópolis, 2011Os Areais da Ribanceira de Imbituba/SC correspondem a uma área de uso comum caracterizada como um mosaico de restinga, capoeiras e roças. É uma área de grande interesse conservacionista, na qual a comunidade local propôs junto ao Ministério do Meio Ambiente a criação de uma Unidade de Conservação de uso sustentável. O principal motivo dessa proposta é a permanência no local dos agricultores que têm como principal atividade a agricultura em pequena escala baseada em uso e pousio da terra, sendo seus principais cultivos as variedades locais de mandioca, milho e melancia. Como uma das consequências deste tipo de atividade está o aumento da agrobiodiversidade e a manutenção da biodiversidade da região. Entre as plantas da restinga que permanecem neste local está o Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi, uma espécie recém descrita como endêmica da restinga do sul do Brasil, que apresenta forte relação com os moradores da região. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar o conhecimento ecológico e botânico local dos agricultores dos Areais da Ribanceira sobre a B. catarinensis, bem como suas formas e finalidades de uso, formas de coleta e manejo; buscou reunir informações sobre a cadeia produtiva; e buscou entender como o manejo da forma que é feito atualmente pode influenciar na reposição de indivíduos dessa população. No total foram 38 entrevistas, sendo 31 com agricultores, cinco com sorveterias, uma com um intermediário e uma com uma produtora de Florianópolis. Foram registradas informações quanto à nomenclatura específica para as partes da planta do butiá, variedades locais reconhecidas, épocas de floração e frutificação, 18 diferentes finalidades de usos, 23 diferentes animais/grupos de animais que se alimentam do butiá, e 14 diferentes visitantes florais. Foram registradas três formas principais de coleta: uma para fim alimentício imediato, outro para fim alimentício da unidade familiar e o terceiro para fins comerciais. Sobre a cadeia produtiva: o butiá extraído da região dos Areais da Ribanceira é comercializado tanto in natura quanto na forma de sorvetes e picolés no município de Florianópolis. Atingindo os mais variados públicos uma vez que as sorveterias de Imbituba apresentam mais de 300 quiosques ao longo do trajeto Imbituba - Florianópolis, assim como a fabrica de Florianópolis comercializa seus produtos dentro dos três maiores shoppings centers da ilha. Sobre a estrutura populacional da espécie, as seis diferentes áreas amostradas apresentaram diferentes padrões de distribuição. Não houve correlação entre altura e produtividade, mas foi verificada correlação negativa entre densidade de adultos e produção de cachos. Percebe-se uma forte relação da comunidade com o ambiente de restinga e com o butiá. Também se percebe o grande potencial de mercado de produtos provenientes desta planta como um todo. Deste modo estimula-se o manejo local da agrobiodiversidade através da manutenção e permanência de pequenos agricultores, seja através de agricultura familiar ou comunitária, que em conjunto com o manejo esclarecido e monitorado da biodiversidade nativa da Mata Atlântica e sua coleta em baixa escala permite a permanência de pequenas comunidades em locais de interesse conservacionista

Influência da despolpa do fruto e do choque térmico na germinação de Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi

Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi is a palm tree endemic to the coast of southern Brazil, with socio-economic importance for local people who collect Butia fruits. This research presents a test of germination of B. catarinensis from 12 different matrices from the sandy banks of Areais da Ribanceira of Imbituba, Santa Catarina. We selected 600 fruits with no signals of predation, which were separated into three treatments: (T1) entire fruit, with epicarp and mesocarp (control); (T2) no pulp, or fruits which epicarp and mesocarp were removed; and (T3) no pulp with thermal shock of 60 oC for 1 minute; with four replications for each treatment. The germination of the seeds occurred after the 12th month of the experiment and after 18 months of monitoring it had positive results in the following percentages: 7.5% control, 3.5% no pulp and 1.0% no pulp with thermal shock. Contrary to what was expected, the control treatment had a higher germination percentage than the other two treatments.Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi é uma palmeira endêmica do litoral sul do Brasil, possuindo uma grande importância sócio-econômica com a população local que coleta seus frutos. Este trabalho apresenta um teste de germinação de sementes de B. catarinensis obtidas de 12 matrizes diferentes da região de restinga dos Areais da Ribanceira de Imbituba, Santa Catarina. Foram selecionados 600 frutos, sem sinais de predação, distribuídos em três tratamentos: (T1) fruto inteiro, com epicarpo e mesocarpo (controle); (T2) fruto despolpado (retirada do epicarpo e do mesocarpo); e (T3) despolpado (retirada do epicarpo e do mesocarpo) com choque térmico de um minuto imerso em água a 60 °C, com quatro repetições para cada tratamento. A geminação das sementes ocorreu somente no 12º mês do experimento e após 18 meses o tratamento controle apresentou uma taxa de germinação de 7,5%, seguido pelo fruto despolpado (3,5%) e o fruto despolpado com choque térmico (1,0%). Ao contrário do que era esperado, o tratamento controle teve uma maior porcentagem de germinação quando comparado aos outros dois tratamentos

The occurrence of milkfish Chanos chanos fry in Pandan Bay, Antique, from 21 May to 25 June, 1975

Milkfish fry were collected at the Pandan shoreline and 500 meters offshore. While shore-caught fry were uniform in size those captured offshore varied in size and stage of development

Alterações cutâneas com ziprasidona

Os antipsicóticos podem estar associados a alterações cutâneas adversas. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente do sexo feminino, 47 anos, em acompanhamento ambulatorial com o diagnóstico de esquizofrenia. Estava em uso de ziprasidona há sete semanas. Prescrita inicialmente na dose de 80 mg ao dia, a medicação foi aumentada para 120 mg após seis semanas. Sete dias após o aumento da dose, a paciente apresentou quadro de prurido associado a lesões eritematosas em alvo, acometendo tronco, membros superiores e inferiores. Após a suspensão do antipsicótico, houve remissão do quadro dermatológico. Embora haja menção prévia a efeitos colaterais de natureza cutânea durante o uso desta medicação, não encontrou-se na literatura relatos de associação entre eritema multiforme e ziprasidona.There are descriptions of skin reactions secondary to antipsychotic use. We reported a case of erythema multiform associated with ziprasidone use in a 47-year-old female patient diagnosed with schizophrenia. The patient was receiving the medication (80 mg/day) for seven weeks, and the dose was increased to 120 mg/day. Seven days after the dose change, the patient presented pruritus and erythematosus lesions in trunk, upper and lower members. The medication was discontinued and there was a complete improvement of the lesions. We were unable to find previous reports of association between erythema multiform and ziprasidone

Disentangling the Evolution of Electrons and Holes in photoexcited ZnO nanoparticles

The evolution of charge carriers in photoexcited room temperature ZnO nanoparticles in solution is investigated using ultrafast ultraviolet photoluminescence spectroscopy, ultrafast Zn K-edge absorption spectroscopy and ab-initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The photoluminescence is excited at 4.66 eV, well above the band edge, and shows that electron cooling in the conduction band and exciton formation occur in <500 fs, in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. The X-ray absorption measurements, obtained upon excitation close to the band edge at 3.49 eV, are sensitive to the migration and trapping of holes. They reveal that the 2 ps transient largely reproduces the previously reported transient obtained at 100 ps time delay in synchrotron studies. In addition, the X-ray absorption signal is found to rise in ~1.4 ps, which we attribute to the diffusion of holes through the lattice prior to their trapping at singly-charged oxygen vacancies. Indeed, the MD simulations show that impulsive trapping of holes induces an ultrafast expansion of the cage of Zn atoms in <200 fs, followed by an oscillatory response at a frequency of ~100 cm-1, which corresponds to a phonon mode of the system involving the Zn sub-lattice

DNA Damage during G2 Phase Does Not Affect Cell Cycle Progression of the Green Alga Scenedesmus quadricauda

DNA damage is a threat to genomic integrity in all living organisms. Plants and green algae are particularly susceptible to DNA damage especially that caused by UV light, due to their light dependency for photosynthesis. For survival of a plant, and other eukaryotic cells, it is essential for an organism to continuously check the integrity of its genetic material and, when damaged, to repair it immediately. Cells therefore utilize a DNA damage response pathway that is responsible for sensing, reacting to and repairing damaged DNA. We have studied the effect of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, zeocin, caffeine and combinations of these on the cell cycle of the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda. The cells delayed S phase and underwent a permanent G2 phase block if DNA metabolism was affected prior to S phase; the G2 phase block imposed by zeocin was partially abolished by caffeine. No cell cycle block was observed if the treatment with zeocin occurred in G2 phase and the cells divided normally. CDKA and CDKB kinases regulate mitosis in S. quadricauda; their kinase activities were inhibited by Wee1. CDKA, CDKB protein levels were stabilized in the presence of zeocin. In contrast, the protein level of Wee1 was unaffected by DNA perturbing treatments. Wee1 therefore does not appear to be involved in the DNA damage response in S. quadricauda. Our results imply a specific reaction to DNA damage in S. quadricauda, with no cell cycle arrest, after experiencing DNA damage during G2 phase

Understanding the limitations of radiation-induced cell cycle checkpoints

The DNA damage response pathways involve processes of double-strand break (DSB) repair and cell cycle checkpoint control to prevent or limit entry into S phase or mitosis in the presence of unrepaired damage. Checkpoints can function to permanently remove damaged cells from the actively proliferating population but can also halt the cell cycle temporarily to provide time for the repair of DSBs. Although efficient in their ability to limit genomic instability, checkpoints are not foolproof but carry inherent limitations. Recent work has demonstrated that the G1/S checkpoint is slowly activated and allows cells to enter S phase in the presence of unrepaired DSBs for about 4–6 h post irradiation. During this time, only a slowing but not abolition of S-phase entry is observed. The G2/M checkpoint, in contrast, is quickly activated but only responds to a level of 10–20 DSBs such that cells with a low number of DSBs do not initiate the checkpoint or terminate arrest before repair is complete. Here, we discuss the limitations of these checkpoints in the context of the current knowledge of the factors involved. We suggest that the time needed to fully activate G1/S arrest reflects the existence of a restriction point in G1-phase progression. This point has previously been defined as the point when mitogen starvation fails to prevent cells from entering S phase. However, cells that passed the restriction point can respond to DSBs, albeit with reduced efficiency

Ethnobotanical and ethnoecological study of Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi: contributions to the conservation of an endangered area in southern Brazil

Butia catarinensis Noblick & Lorenzi is a small palm (approximately 2 m high when full-grown) endemic to the southern coast of Brazil. Local farmers use the fruit and pulp for various purposes, and this extractive activity complements their income. The objective of this study was to understand the relationships between local people and B. catarinensis in its natural environment. Ethnobotanical and ethnoecological data were collected through participant observation, participatory research tools and semi-structured interviews. The density of B. catarinensis was measured in two areas, each containing twelve 10 m × 20 m plots. Interviewees recognized different varieties of the palm, its phenological stages, as well as potential pollinators and seed dispersers. Eighteen different uses for the palm were registered and three different collection practices were observed, depending on the purpose for which the fruit was used. The mean density in the two areas studied ranged from 38.6 to 7.9 adults per plot. The rate of production (per hectare) can be as high as 927 kg of fruit and 190 kg of pulp. The local community can contribute to the conservation of this coastal ecosystem through extractive activities of some scale, with potential environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability