Digital Images Analysis on a Mobile Device to Estimate Surface Area and Volume of Mango Fruit (Mangifera indica L.)

Objective: To develop a technique based on the partition method, to estimate the surface area and volume of mango fruit (Mangifera indica L. cv. “Ataulfo”) using two digital orthogonal images, obtained and processed on a mobile device with the Android® operating system, segmented by different discriminants. Design/Methodology/Approach: A technique was developed to estimate the surface area and volume of “Ataulfo” mango fruit based on digital images and was implemented directly on a smartphone with the Android® operating system. Three discriminants were evaluated for segmentation (red channel, green channel, and HIS intensity) and applied in n=30 fruits. The precision and accuracy of the technique was determined. Results: The surface area and volume of the fruit when estimated using the red channel presented a coefficient of variation of less than 2.0% in both variables and the estimation error was less than 3% for surface area and less than 5% for volume. Study Limitations/Implications: This technique was limited to fruit with an elliptical cross-section and smooth surface. Findings/Conclusions: The proposed technique is a non-destructive alternative to estimate the surface area and volume of “Ataulfo” mango fruit with a reasonable margin of error and can be implemented directly on an Android® device using only the red channel as a segmentation discriminant

Actividad antiestafilocóccica y antibiopelícula de los extractos de Juglans netropica DIELS, Piper lineatum RUIZ&PAV. Y Terminalia catappa L.

In this study, was investigated the antistaphylococcal activity in vitro of ethanol and hydroalcoholic extracts of 3 peruvian medicinal plants: Juglans neotropica Diels (bark), Piper lineatum Ruiz & Pav. (leaves) and Terminalia catappa L. (leaves). The species were collected in the regions of Amazonas and Cajamarca, in Peru. Antistaphylococcal activity was assessed by microdilution method. The organisms used were bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228. All extracts investigated showed significant activity against both bacteria with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 to 500 μg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus, with increased activity of the ethanol extract of Juglans neotropica Diels, and of 250 to 500 μg/mL for Staphylococcus epidermidis, having greater activity the hydroalcoholic extract of Piper lineatum Ruiz & Pav. Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of terpene compounds, flavonoids and alkaloids on 6 extracts studied. The determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Biofilm (MICB) was performed by the plate microdilution method modified, using clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm producing. Only hydroalcoholic and ethanolic extracts of leaves of Piper lineatum L. have significant activity with CMIB 500 μg/mL for both strains. The ethanol and hydroalcoholic extracts of Piper lineatum L may be good candidates to search of metabolites useful to combat biofilm-associated infections by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.En este estudio, se investigó la actividad antiestafilocóccica in-vitro de los extractos etanólicos e hidroalcohólicos de 3 plantas medicinales peruanas: Juglans neotropica Diels (corteza), Piper lineatum Ruiz & Pav. (hojas) y Terminalia catappa L. (hojas); recolectadas en las regiones de Amazonas y Cajamarca, en el Perú. La actividad antiestafilocóccica se evaluó mediante el método de microdilución. Los microorganismos utilizados fueron las bacterias Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 y Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228. Los extractos investigados presentaron actividad significativa frente a ambas bacterias, con una Concentración Mínima Inhibitoria (CMI) de 125 a 500 μg/mL para Staphylococcus aureus, teniendo mayor actividad el extracto etanólico de Juglans neotropica Diels, y de 250 a 500 μg/mL para Staphylococcus epidermidis, teniendo mayor actividad el extracto hidroalcohólico de Piper lineatum Ruiz & Pav. El análisis fitoquímico confirmó la presencia de compuestos terpénicos, flavonoides y alcaloides en los 6 extractos estudiados. La determinación de la Concentración Mínima Inhibitoria de Biopelícula (CMIB) se efectuó por el método de microdilución en placa modificado, utilizando cepas clínicas de Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis productoras de biopelícula. Solamente los extractos etanólicos e hidroalcohólicos de las hojas de Piper lineatum L. poseen actividad significativa con CMIB de 500 μg/mL para ambas cepas. Los extractos etanólicos e hidroalcohólicos de Piper lineatum L. pueden ser buenos candidatos para la búsqueda de metabolitos que sirvan para combatir infecciones asociadas a biopelículas de Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis

A new vanilla species from Costa Rica closely related to V. planifolia (Orchidaceae)

International audienceWe describe a new vanilla species growing in sympatry with Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews (Orchidaceae) in the province of Limón, Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The morphology of the reproductive and vegetative organs observed on vines cultivated under shade-house, the nuclear (Internal Transcribed Spacer) and plastid (matK) nucleotide sequences, as well as the contents of aromatic compounds measured in ripe fruits, show that this species is close to but distinct from V. planifolia. The name V. sotoarenasii M.Pignal, Azofeifa-Bolaños & Grisoni sp. nov. is proposed for this new Vanilla species endemic in Costa Rica. It is especially distinguished from V. planifolia by a reduction of about 30% of the size of the fruits and flowers, by a divergence of ITS sequences for at least two species-conserved nucleotides compared to seven other species of the V. planifolia group, and by the presence of anisic compounds and low content of phenolic compounds (including vanillin) in the fruits. These results confirmed the extension of the area of distribution of V. planifolia southward to Costa Rica, where a recent speciation process occurred. Because of its particular agronomic and aromatic properties, V. sotoarenasii sp. nov. could represent a valuable biological resource for the vanilla industry

Phylogenetic systematics of subtribe Spiranthinae (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae: Cranichideae) based on nuclear and plastid DNA sequences of a nearly complete generic sample

Subtribe Spiranthinae is the most species-rich lineage of terrestrial Neotropical orchids, encompassing > 500 species and 40 genera. We conducted maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data of plastid matK-trnK and trnL-trnF and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences for 36 genera and 182 species of Spiranthinae plus appropriate outgroups. The results strongly support monophyly of Spiranthinae (minus Discyphus, Discyphinae and Galeottiella, Galeottiellinae) and five major lineages, namely monospecific Cotylolabium (sister to the remaining Spiranthinae) and the Eurystyles, Pelexia, Spiranthes and Stenorrhynchos clades. Eighteen of the 27 genera of Spiranthinae for which more than one species was included in our analyses are monophyletic. Paraphyly of large genera, such as Cyclopogon and Sarcoglottis, resulted from segregation of particular species or groups of species exhibiting minor modifications of structures directly involved in pollination (e.g. nectary, rostellum and viscidium). Conversely, polyphyly has resulted from convergent evolution of floral attributes in distantly related species (e.g. Mesadenus). Some of the morphological characters used traditionally for generic delimitation and in nonmolecular cladistic analyses of Spiranthinae are discussed against the evolutionary framework set by our molecular trees, emphasizing putative synapomorphies and problems derived from inappropriate character coding or incorrect homology assessments. Our ancestral area analysis indicates that Spiranthinae originated in eastern South America, with subsequent migrations and secondary radiations in Mesoamerica and North America, plus a derived migration from the latter region to the Old World (Spiranthes).Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México/[]/UNAM/MéxicoAmerican Orchid Society/[]/AOS/Estados UnidosConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología/[]/CONACYT/MéxicoUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Jardín Botánico Lankester (JBL

Eponyms are important tools for biologists in the Global South

Guedes et al. argue that eponymous scientific names, despite their long tradition in biology, have no place in the modern world. They want to erase eponyms assigned to species in the past and want scientists to stop naming new species after people. Both of these proposals would hurt science, and disproportionately hurt science in the Global South — the region that is supposed to be the primary beneficiary of their proposal.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Jardín Botánico Lankester (JBL

Compilación de Proyectos de Investigacion de 1984-2002

Instituto Politecnico Nacional. UPIICS