Criação em larga escala de Biomphalaria tenagophila

An efficient method for breeding Biomphalaria tenagophila (Taim lineage/RS) was developed over a 5-year-period (2005-2010). Special facilities were provided which consisted of four cement tanks (9.4 x 0.6 x 0.22 m), with their bottom covered with a layer of sterilized red earth and calcium carbonate. Standard measures were adopted, as follows: each tank should contain an average of 3000 specimens, and would be provided with a daily ration of 35,000 mg complemented with lettuce. A green-house effect heating system was developed which constituted of movable dark canvas covers, which allowed the temperature to be controlled between 20 - 24 ºC. This system was essential, especially during the coldest months of the year. Approximately 27,000 specimens with a diameter of 12 mm or more were produced during a 14-month-period. The mortality rates of the newly-hatched and adult snails were 77% and 37%, respectively. The follow-up of the development system related to 310 specimens of B. tenagophila demonstrated that 70-day-old snails reached an average of 17.0 ± 0.9 mm diameter. The mortality rates and the development performance of B. tenagophila snails can be considered as highly satisfactory, when compared with other results in literature related to works carried out with different species of the genus Biomphalaria, under controlled laboratory conditions.Foi desenvolvido um método eficiente de criação em larga escala de Biomphalaria tenagophila (linhagem Taim/RS) durante o período de 2005-2010. Foi concebida uma instalação que consiste de quatro tanques de alvenaria (9,4 x 0,6 x 0,22) com fundos recobertos por uma mistura constituída de terra vermelha esterilizada e carbonato de cálcio. Foi padronizado que cada tanque de criação conteria em média 3.000 exemplares e receberia diariamente 35.000 mg de ração e alface como complemento. O desenvolvimento de um sistema de aquecimento por efeito estufa constituído de lonas escuras móveis permitiu controlar a temperatura entre 20 a 24 ºC, sistema essencial principalmente nos meses mais frios. Durante o período de 14 meses foram produzidos aproximadamente 27.000 exemplares com diâmetros superiores a 12 mm. As taxas de mortalidade dos caramujos recém-eclodidos e adultos foram de 77% e 37%, respectivamente. O acompanhamento do ritmo de crescimento de 310 B. tenagophila demonstrou que caramujos com 70 dias de idade alcançaram em média 17,0 ± 0,9 mm de diâmetro. As taxas de mortalidade e o desempenho de crescimento de caramujos do gênero B. tenagophila podem ser considerados altamente satisfatórios, comparando-se com os resultados da literatura realizados com espécies do gênero Biomphalaria em condições controladas de laboratório

Anatomical study and phytochemical screening of leaves from Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage

O óleo essencial das folhas de Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage, espécie de elevada resistência ao frio, contém α-pineno como constituinte majoritário. Este trabalho avaliou a anatomia foliar de E. benthamii e realizou um screening fitoquímico para investigar a presença de outros metabólitos secundários nas folhas desse táxon. A partir do material botânico fixado, foram conduzidas as análises anatômicas, utilizando os métodos usuais de microscopia fotônica e eletrônica. O screening fitoquímico foi desenvolvido por meio de reações específicas para triterpenos/esteróides, alcalóides, antraquinonas, cumarinas, flavonóides, saponinas e taninos. A anatomia foliar evidenciou estômatos anomocíticos em ambas as faces do limbo foliar, mesofilo heterogêneo simétrico isobilateral, nervura mediana plano-convexa e sistema vascular do tipo bicolateral em arco aberto. Também foram visualizados idioblastos contendo cristais de oxalato de cálcio, cavidades secretoras com conteúdo lipofílico e súber cicatricial. O estudo fitoquímico revelou a presença de triterpenos e/ou esteróides, glicosídeos flavônicos, glicosídeos saponínicos e taninos.Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage is a species with remarkable cold tolerance. Its essential oil showed α-pinene as the major constituent. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the anatomy of leaves from E. benthamii. Also a phytochemical screening of others secondary metabolites was investigated. The anatomical analyses of previously fixed leaves from E. benthamii were performed by the usual light and scanning microtechniques. Phytochemical study was carried out by qualitative reactions for triterpenes/steroids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins and tannins. Anomocytic stomata were observed on both surfaces of leaves from E. benthamii. Foliar blade showed a heterogeneous and symmetrical mesophyll as isobilateral arrange. The midrib showed plain-convex cross-section and was traversed by a bicollateral vascular bundle in open arc. Idioblasts with calcium oxalate prisms, secretory cavities with oil content and lenticel-like structures were also reported. The phytochemical screening revealed triterpenes/steroids, flavonoid glycosides, saponin glycosides and tannins.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

AVALIAÇÃO DA ATIVIDADE ALELOPÁTICA DE Ruta graveolens L. (Rutaceae) NA GERMINAÇÃO E CRESCIMENTO DE SEMENTES DE Lactuca sativa cv. Babá.

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar propriedades alelopáticas do extrato metanólico e das frações hexano e diclorometano das partes aéreas de Ruta graveolens sobre germinação e crescimento de sementes de Lactuca sativa. Para controle utilizaram-se água destilada, metanol, hexano e diclorometano. O extrato metanólico e respectivas frações apresentaram resultados significativos

Playing Darwin. Part B. 20 years of domestication in Drosophila subobscura

Adaptation to a new environment (as well as its underlying mechanisms) is one of the most important topics in Evolutionary Biology. Understanding the adaptive process of natural populations to captivity is essential not only in general evolutionary studies but also in conservation programmes. Since 1990, the Group of Experimental Evolution (CBA/FCUL) has been performing long-term, real-time evolutionary studies, with the characterization of laboratory adaptation in populations of Drosophila subobscura founded in different times and from different locations. Initially, these experiments involved phenotypic assays and more recently were expanded to studies at the molecular level (microsatellite and chromosomal polymorphisms) and with different population sizes. Throughout these two decades, a clear pattern of evolutionary convergence to long-established laboratory populations has been consistently observed in several life-history traits. However, contingencies across foundations were also found during the adaptive process. In characters with complex evolutionary trajectories, the data suggested that the comparative method lacked predictive capacity relative to real-time evolutionary trajectories (experimental evolution). Microsatellite analysis revealed general similarity in gene diversity and allele number between studied populations, as well as an unclear association between genetic variability and evolutionary potential. Nevertheless, ongoing studies in all foundations are being carried out to further test this hypothesis. A comparison between recently introduced and long-term populations (founded from the same natural location) has shown higher degree of chromosomal polymorphism in recent ones. Finally, our findings suggest higher heterogeneity between small-sized populations, as well as a slower evolutionary rate in characters close to fitness (such as fecundity and mating behaviour). This comprehensive study is aimed at better understanding the processes and patterns underlying adaptation to captivity, as well as its genetic basis

CONTRIBUIÇÃO AO ESTUDO ALELOPÁTICO DE ÁGUA RECUPERADA DE [Chamomilla recutita (L.) RAUSCHERT]

Este trabalho buscou analisar a influência alelopática de águas recuperadas de [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert] sobre o crescimento e germinação de sementes de Lactuca sativa. Os resultados demonstraram que apesar da composição das águas recuperadas após 3 horas, 6 horas e 9 horas de secagem a 70°C ser diferente, esta variação não se mostrou representativa nos resultados alelopáticos. Em todos os tempos de secagem, a água recuperada influenciou o crescimento do hipocótilo e a germinação das sementes de Lactuca sativa

Effects of selective bile duct ligation on liver parenchyma in young animals: histologic and molecular evaluations

Background/Purpose: The mechanisms of increased collagen production and liver parenchyma fibrosis are poorly understood. These phenomena are observed mainly in children with biliary obstruction (BO), and in a great number of patients, the evolution to biliary cirrhosis and hepatic failure leads to the need for liver transplantation before adolescence. However, pediatric liver transplantation presents with biliary complications in 20% to 30% of cases in the postoperative period. Intra-or extrahepatic stenosis of bile ducts is frequent and may lead to secondary biliary cirrhosis and the need for retransplantation. It is unknown whether biliary stenosis involving isolated segments or lobes may affect the adjacent nonobstructed lobes by paracrine or endocrine means, leading to fibrosis in this parenchyma. Therefore, the present study aimed to create an experimental model of selective biliary duct ligation in young animals with a subsequent evaluation of the histologic and molecular alterations in liver parenchyma of the obstructed and nonobstructed lobes. Methods: After a pilot study to standardize the surgical procedures, weaning rats underwent ligation of the bile ducts of the median, left lateral, and caudate liver lobes. The bile duct of the right lateral lobe was kept intact. To avoid intrahepatic biliary duct collaterals neoformation, the parenchymal connection between the right lateral and median lobes was clamped. The animals were divided into groups according to the time of death: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 weeks after surgical procedure. After death, the median and left lateral lobes (with BO) and the right lateral lobe (without BO [NBO]) were harvested separately. A group of 8 healthy nonoperated on animals served as controls. Liver tissues were subjected to histologic evaluation and quantification of the ductular proliferation and of the portal fibrosis. The expressions of smooth muscle alpha-actin (alpha-SMA), desmin, and transforming growth factor beta 1 genes were studied by molecular analyses (semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and real-time polymerase chain reaction, a quantitative method). Results: Histologic analyses revealed the occurrence of ductular proliferation and collagen formation in the portal spaces of both BO and NBO lobes. These phenomena were observed later in NBO than BO. Bile duct density significantly increased 1 week after duct ligation; it decreased after 2 and 3 weeks and then increased again after 4 and 8 weeks in both BO and NBO lobes. The portal space collagen area increased after 2 weeks in both BO and NBO lobes. After 3 weeks, collagen deposition in BO was even higher, and in NBO, the collagen area started decreasing after 2 weeks. Molecular analyses revealed increased expression of the alpha-SMA gene in both BO and NBO lobes. The semiquantitative and quantitative methods showed concordant results. Conclusions: The ligation of a duct responsible for biliary drainage of the liver lobe promoted alterations in the parenchyma and in the adjacent nonobstructed parenchyma by paracrine and/or endocrine means. This was supported by histologic findings and increased expression of alpha-SMA, a protein related to hepatic fibrogenesis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.CNPQ [478407/2008-4]CNP

ATIVIDADE DO EXTRATO, FRAÇÕES E SUBSTÂNCIAS ISOLADAS DAS CASCAS DE Geissospermum vellosii ALLEMÃO (APOCYNACEAE) SOBRE Artemia salina LEACH

O extrato, frações e substâncias isoladas das cascas de G. vellosii foram submetidos ao teste de bioatividade sobre A. salina. Os dados foram analisados pelo método Probitos e determinados os valores de DL50 e 95% de intervalos de confiança. As amostras foram consideradas ativas quando DL50 < 1000 µg.mL-1. Todas as amostras testadas demonstraram bioatividade contra A. salina, destacando-se F4 e F9, as quais apresentaram valores de DL50 de 7,60 e 29,48 µg.mL-1, respectivamente. Os resultados demonstram o potencial biotecnológico da espécie, pois segundo literatura este bioensaio pode ser utilizado como avaliação prévia de possível atividade antitumora

A presença de Microlobius foetidus causa alteraçõess na defesa antioxidante de Urochloa decumbens?

Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R. D. Webster (Poaceae) is an exotic species with has spread rapidly through the Cerrado area of Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. It has covered the soil aggressively turning it into cultivated pastures. Thus, it has become a challenge to protect native areas due its capacity of exclusion of native species. It has been observed that Microlobius foetidus (Jacq.) M.Sousa & G.Andrade species (Fabaceae) shows a dominant pattern over the development of U. decumbens. This work shows that M. foetidus interfere on the natural growth of U. decumbens within 10 m ratio. Between 15 and 20 m, it was observed an increase of Importance Value index (IVI) and Relative cover (RC) values. It was also observed a variation on the antioxidant defense system of U. decumbens within 10m ratio from M. foetidus. The enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase present higher levels of activity then those found for glutathione reductase. This data indicates that M. foetidus may have an effect on U. decumbens, increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This effect probably happens as means to neutralize the toxic effects of the oxygen generated due to the presence of allelochemicals, which increases oxidative stress. © 2015, Instituto Internacional de Ecologia. All Rights Reserved