Chemical investigation of a biologically active schinus molle L. leaf extract

The pepper tree Schinus molle L. is an evergreen ornamental plant belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, native to South America and widespread throughout the world. It has biological activities and is used in folk medicine. This paper aims to contribute to a deeper knowledge of its chemical composition and biological properties. S. molle leaf extracts were obtained by sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities and subsequently tested on the HL-60 human leukaemia cell line to define a possible cytotoxic activity. Among the investigated extracts, the petroleum ether extract revealed a high cytotoxic activity, and its chemical composition was further investigated. By a silica column chromatography, eight fractions were obtained, and their compositions were determined by GC-MS analysis. Compounds and relative abundance differed widely among the fractions; sesquiterpenes resulted the main component and alcoholic sesquiterpenes the most abundant

Influence of biological maturation on postural control in young soccer players

Biological maturation does not follow a linear development path; the process presents inter- individual differences concerning the timing of psychophysical development. The nonlinear nature of the biological maturation process often results in sudden and rapid modifications that can influence the sensorimotor functions, in particular when the peak height velocity (PHV) is approaching. Static standing balance and postural control are fundamental skills, both for daily living and sport performance, that can be strongly affected by PHV. We examined the influence of biological maturation on the performance of static standing balance, an index for sensorimotor control. Two-hundred and 38 young healthy soccer players (U9 to U17), playing in a sub-\ue9lite club (at least two training sessions and an official match per week), were evaluated. After anthropometric measurement, standing balance was assessed using a baropodometric platform (BTS P-Walk, Italy). Subjects stood barefooted on the platform and were recorded at 20 Hz during two 30-s tests, the first with eyes open and the second keeping eyes closed. Participants were split into six groups based on the Maturity Offset (MO), representing the estimated time to/from the PHV and calculated according to Mirwald et al1. The body center of pressure (CoP) sway area and velocity were calculated. Differences between MO groups were tested using a 2-factor (MO and condition) ANOVA with repeated measures on the condition factor (eyes open/closed). The sway area showed a decreasing trend as the MO increased, in particular in MO<-1.5 was higher than in MO>0.5 (p<0.001). Likewise, CoP velocity presented a similar pattern (p<0.001), with a marked decline in groups with MO>0.5. The results suggest that biological maturation is associated with changes in standing balance control. The reduction of CoP sway area and velocity as the MO increase represents the improved efficiency of the postural control system

Uso de produtos naturais para proteção de mudas na arborização de pastagens.

Os sistemas de produção convencional têm esgotado os recursos ambientais, o que torna o agroecossistema frágil e insustentável. Sistemas silvipastoris podem ser alternativas viáveis na recuperação de pastagens degradadas. Este estudo foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar produtos naturais na implantação de espécies arbóreas em pastagens com presença constante de bovinos, sem proteção física das mudas. O experimento foi conduzido na Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, no período de 02/02/2005 a 28/03/2005. O delineamento utilizado foi de parcelas subdivididas inteiramente ao acaso, com dez repetições. As parcelas foram: 1) fezes bovinas ao redor da muda, 2) sangue bovino seco, 3) ovo sem casca e 4) testemunha sem proteção. As subparcelas foram cinco especies arbóreas: Myroxylon peruiferum (Bálsamo), Dipteryx alata (Cumbaru), Schizolobium parahyba (Guapuruvu), Genipa americana (Jenipapo) e Mimosa caesalpineaefolia (Sansão do campo). A herbivoria foi intensa em todos os tratamentos. A S. parahyba apresentou taxa de sobrevivência de 72,5%, enquanto 100% das plantas da M. caesalpineafolia morreram. Há indícios de que a maior proteção, embora parcial, foi dada pela aplicação de fezes ao redor da muda. As aspersões de sangue ou de ovo não ofereceram proteção às árvores jovens. A concentração e a freqüência de aplicação das fezes é uma alternativa que merece maiores estudos

The meaning of religious beliefs for a group of cancer patients during rehabilitation

Este estudo exploratório teve o objetivo de identificar como a religião influencia a sobrevivência de um grupo de pacientes oncológicos. Consistiu em estudo de caso etnográfico, com a participação de seis laringectomizados, de ambos os sexos, na faixa etária de 51 a 72 anos, operados de dois a cinco anos. Os dados foram coletados por entrevistas semi-estruturadas e analisados segundo os conceitos de cultura e religião. Sintetizou-se os resultados em três categorias descritivas: a representação moral do câncer, as crenças religiosas na trajetória do câncer e a negociação com a religião para a sobrevivência. O significado que emerge - "a expectativa por uma segunda chance" - enfatiza a importância da religião como parte das redes de apoio que se articulam com o enfrentamento do estigma do câncer, com a expectativa da cura e com as formas de organizar a vida cotidiana, na sobrevivência.La finalidad de este estudio exploratorio fue identificar cómo la religión influencia la supervivencia de un grupo de pacientes oncológicos. Consistió en un estudio de caso etnográfico con la participación de seis laringectomizados, de ambos sexos, con edad de 51 a 72 años, que habían sido operados de dos a cinco años antes. Los datos fueron recogidos por entrevistas semi-estructuradas y analizados según los conceptos de cultura y religión. Sintetizamos los resultados en tres categorias descriptivas: la representación moral del cáncer, las creencias religiosas en el trayecto del cáncer y la negociación con la religión por la supervivencia. El significado que resulta - "la expectativa por una segunda oportunidad" - enfatiza la importancia de la religión como parte de las redes de apoyo que se encadenan con la conciliación con el estigma del cáncer, con la expectativa de cura y con las formas de arreglar la vida cotidiana, en la supervivenvia.The objective of this exploratory study was to identify how religion influences the survival of a group of cancer patients. The study consisted of an ethnographic case with the participation of six laryngectomized male and female patients between 51 and 72 years old, who had been operated on two to five years earlier. Data were collected by semistructured interviews and analyzed on the basis of the concepts of culture and religion. The results were synthesized into three descriptive categories: the moral representation of cancer, religious beliefs about the cancer trajectory, and negotiation with religion for survival. These categories give rise to the meaning "the hope for a second chance", which emphasizes the importance of religion as part of the support networks that articulate with the patient's coping with the stigma of cancer, with the hope for cure, and with the ways of organizing everyday life, during survival

Morphological diversity of cassava accessions of the south-central mesoregion of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Genetic variability of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Brazil is wide, being this the result of natural and cultural selection during pre- and post-domestication of the species in different environments. Given the number of species of the genus found in the region (38 of a total of 98 species), the central region of Brazil was defined as the primary center of cassava diversity. Therefore, genetic diversity characterization of cassava accessions is fundamental, both for farmers and for plant breeders, because it allows the organization of genetic resources and better utilization of available genetic diversity. This research aims to assess genetic divergence of cassava accessions from the south-central region of the State of Mato Grosso, based on multi-categorical morphological traits. For this purpose, 38 qualitative and quantitative morphological descriptors were used. Genetic diversity was expressed by the genetic similarity index, with subsequent clustering of accessions by the modified Tocher?s procedure and UPGMA. Of 38 descriptors, only growth habit of stem showed no variability. Tocher and UPGMA methods were efficient and corroborated on group composition. Both methods were able to group accessions of different localities in distinct group consistency

Genetic variability of garlic accessions as revealed by agro-morphological traits evaluated under different environments.

The cultivated garlic (Allium sativum L.) displays a wide phenotypic diversity, which is derived from natural mutations and phenotypic plasticity, due to dependence on soil type, moisture, latitude, altitude and cultural practices, leading to a large number of cultivars. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic variability shown by 63 garlic accessions belonging to Instituto Agronômico de Campinas and the Escola Superior de Agricultura ?Luiz de Queiroz? germplasm collections. We evaluated ten quantitative characters in experimental trials conducted under two localities of the State of São Paulo: Monte Alegre do Sul and Piracicaba, during the agricultural year of 2007, in a randomized blocks design with five replications. The Mahalanobis distance was used to measure genetic dissimilarities. The UPGMA method and Tocher?s method were used as clustering procedures. Results indicated significant variation among accessions (P < 0.01) for all evaluated characters, except for the percentage of secondary bulb growth in MAS, indicating the existence of genetic variation for bulb production, and germplasm evaluation considering different environments is more reliable for the characterization of the genotypic variability among garlic accessions, since it diminishes the environmental effects in the clustering of genotypes

Antiproliferative properties of papaver rhoeas ovule extracts and derived fractions tested on HL60 leukemia human cells

Papaver rhoeas plant is common in many regions worldwide and contributes to the landscape with its red flower. In the present study we first carried out morphological investigation by optical and scanning electron microscopy of the ovules within the ovary. After ovules’ isolation we prepared extracts to test possible cytotoxic activities on HL60 leukemia human cells and investigated the extracts using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). P. rhoeas ovules showed an elongated, round shape and the presence of ordered sculptures on the ovule surface. The ovule extracts showed cytotoxic activity on HL60 human cells mainly found in some TLC-isolated spots. Compounds consisting of active spots were identified by GC-MS investigations. Our findings on the P. rhoeas ovule compounds open perspectives for further investigations of TLC-isolated spots on other human cancer cell lines

Competição de cultivares de brócolos tipo cabeça única em Campo Grande.

O experimento foi conduzido na horta da UNIDERP, Campo Grande-MS, de junho a setembro de 2005. Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho de diferentes cultivares de brócolos tipo cabeça única disponíveis no mercado para as condições edafoclimáticas de Campo Grande. Foram avaliadas oito cultivares comerciais: BRO68 (Rogers), Marathon (Sakata), Green Parasol (Takii), Centenário (Takii), Legacy (Asgrow), Magestic Crown (Asgrow), AF649 (Sakata) e Brócolis de Cabeça (Topseed). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados completos, com quatro repetições, sendo cada parcela composta por dez plantas. Foram realizadas seis colheitas, a partir de 89 dias após a semeadura, de acordo com formação da inflorescência e o ponto de colheita, independente do tamanho. Foram avaliadas as características massa fresca (g) e diâmetro da inflorescência (cm) e produtividade (t ha-1). Para cultivo em Campo Grande, as cultivares Centenário, AF649, BRO68 e Marathon são as mais indicadas para plantio entre junho a setembro, pela maior produtividade

Interactions of melatonin with mammalian mitochondria. Reducer of energy capacity and amplifier of permeability transition.

Melatonin, a metabolic product of the amino acid tryptophan, induces a dose-dependent energy drop correlated with a decrease in the oxidative phosphorylation process in isolated rat liver mitochondria. This effect involves a gradual decrease in the respiratory control index and significant alterations in the state 4/state 3 transition of membrane potential (ΔΨ). Melatonin, alone, does not affect the insulating properties of the inner membrane but, in the presence of supraphysiological Ca2+, induces a ΔΨ drop and colloid-osmotic mitochondrial swelling. These events are sensitive to cyclosporin A and the inhibitors of Ca2+ transport, indicative of the induction or amplification of the mitochondrial permeability transition. This phenomenon is triggered by oxidative stress induced by melatonin and Ca2+, with the generation of hydrogen peroxide and the consequent oxidation of sulfydryl groups, glutathione and pyridine nucleotides. In addition, melatonin, again in the presence of Ca2+, can also induce substantial release of cytochrome C and AIF (apoptosis-inducing factor), thus revealing its potential as a pro-apoptotic agent

BEVERAGE LIGHTLY CARBONATED WITH LEMONGRASS

In recent years, there is a growing interest in nutraceuticals which provide health benefits and are alternative to modern medicine. Nutrients, herbals and dietary supplements are major constituents of nutraceuticals which make them instrumental in maintaining health, act against various disease conditions and thus promote the quality of life. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) has been used as a modulator of mood and cognitive function, with anxiolytic and antibacterial effect.  The aim of this work was to develop an innovative, non-dairy, functional beverage using herbal Lemon Balm extract as a natural ingredient which would also be antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity. It was used for the preparation of based a lemongrass infusion. Several based grouts were tested to produce a drink with a reduced sugar content. a pickle basis of sucrose and sucralose, which was prepared with heating at 85°C /15min was used. As additives were used malic acid, ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate. It was added to ice water cooling until it reaches 0˚C. We analyze physicochemical property, microbiological for 35 days and sensory evaluation on the 21 days of the final product. Thus, from the results, the product was characterized: total acidity = 0.01g/100mL, pH 3.9, soluble solids: 8.6 °Brix and absence of microbiological standard. The sensory results of this beverage showed greater preference and acceptability index. Given the general acceptance of the product, technical feasibility and quality, it is considered timely to enter the same market