ABSTRACT The study evaluated the average return on invested capital (ROIC) in function of the variations in the historical prices of beef cattle and the odds of return on that capital gain within the system of beef cattle fattening on a farm in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2004 to 2007. To calculate the risk of ROIC, monthly data of beef cattle prices (BM&F) were used from July 1997 to December 2013, revised by the General Price Index of the Fundação Getúlio Vargas in December 2013. The corrected data were divided into five classes that correspond to the risk scenarios. In light of these classes, the observed frequencies and their respective probabilities were calculated. The cumulative and updated ROIC were -3.02 and 0.24%, respectively. The odds for obtaining returns above 8.4% (Brazilian Selic Rate) per year were median, corresponding to 32.0 and 34.94% for the calculation of operating profit (ROIC OP) and total profit (ROIC TP), respectively. The expected average annual return was 6.26 and 7.66% for ROIC OP and ROIC TP, respectively. The standard deviation and coefficient of variation showed a high risk of ROIC because the scale and extent of dispersion per unit of expected return were elevated in the accumulation period and the risk for 2013 was reduced according to the price of beef cattle. The expected risk of ROIC was considered high between 2004 and 2007 and average for 2013. The probability of return on capital invested in the intensification of fattening beef cattle is a function of the selling price of cattle and purchase of inputs, in which the high scenario ranching provides greater probability of getting a return above the bank interest rates.

Malaria is responsible for more deaths around the world than any other parasitic disease. Due to the emergence of strains that are resistant to the current chemotherapeutic antimalarial arsenal, the search for new antimalarial drugs remains urgent though hampered by a lack of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of artemisinin resistance. Semisynthetic compounds derived from diterpenes from the medicinal plant Wedelia paludosawere tested in silico against the Plasmodium falciparumCa2+-ATPase, PfATP6. This protein was constructed by comparative modelling using the three-dimensional structure of a homologous protein, 1IWO, as a scaffold. Compound 21 showed the best docking scores, indicating a better interaction with PfATP6 than that of thapsigargin, the natural inhibitor. Inhibition of PfATP6 by diterpene compounds could promote a change in calcium homeostasis, leading to parasite death. These data suggest PfATP6 as a potential target for the antimalarial ent-kaurane diterpenes.

Utilizando a classificação dos cistos congênitos de colédoco, imagens de vários tipos de cistos foram selecionadas para compor um ensaio iconográfico sobre esta doença pouco frequente na prática clínica, mas que faz parte do diagnóstico diferencial das lesões mais comuns da via biliar. Os cistos de colédoco possuem clínica inespecífica e baixa prevalência. O diagnóstico correto por meio dos exames de imagem é uma ferramenta importante para evitar as complicações e auxiliar na conduta e tratamento definitivo.

Based on the classification of congenital choledochal cysts, images of different cyst types were selected to compose a pictorial essay about this disease, which is not frequently observed in the medical practice, but is included in the differential diagnosis of most common lesions of the biliary tract. Choledochal cysts present nonspecific symptoms and low prevalence. The correct diagnosis based on imaging findings is mandatory to avoid complications, and to aid in the approach and definite treatment.

Uma recente reinvestigação das partes aéreas de Wedelia paludosa D.C. é descrita e relata, pela primeira vez, o isolamento do ácido iso-caurenóico desta espécie.

A recent reinvestigation of aerial parts of Wedelia paludosa D.C. is described and reports, for the first time, the isolation of iso-kaurenoic acid from this species.

Wedelia paludosa D.C. (Asteraceae) é uma planta ornamental facilmente encontrada em várias regiões do Brasil, principalmente nos estados de Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Bahia e Pernambuco. Objetivando descobrir novas substâncias citotóxicas a partir desta espécie, o extrato hidrometanólico de W. paludosa (HME) e as frações diclorometânica (FD) e aquosa (FA) resultantes de sua partição em CH2Cl2-H2O foram avaliados utilizando-se o bioensaio em Artemia salina. A fração diclorometânica (FD) apresentou a maior atividade citotóxica (CL50 = 140,6 μg/mL), e sua análise por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência empregando-se fase reversa (FR-CLAE) revelou os ácidos caurenóico (1, 6,22 ± 0,23%) e grandiflorênico (2, 3,22 ± 0,31%) como constituintes majoritários. As amostras HME (CL50 = 980 μg/mL), FD (CLC50 = 140,6 μg/mL), 1 (CL50 = 15,9 μg/mL) e 2 (CL50 = 29,8 μg/mL) foram citotóxicas contra A. salina, enquanto que a fração aquosa (FA, CL50 >> 1000 μg/mL) mostrou-se inativa. Conclui-se que a citotoxidade observada para HME e FD pode ser atribuída à presença dos ácidos caurenóico (1) e grandiflorênico (2) nestes extratos.

Wedelia paludosa D.C. (Asteraceae) is an ornamental species occurring in many regions of Brazil. Aiming to find new cytotoxic compounds, the hydromethanol extract of W. paludosa (HME), as well as the dichloromethane (DF) and water (WF) fractions resulting from its partition, were submitted to the brine shrimp lethality bioassay (BSLB) in order to evaluate their cytotoxicity. Dichloromethane fraction (DF) was shown to be the most cytotoxic fraction (LC50 = 140.6 μg/mL), and its analysis by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) revealed ent-kaurenoic (1, 6.22 ± 0.23%) and grandiflorenic (2, 3.22 ± 0.31%) acids as important constituents. HME (LC50 = 980 μg/mL), DF (LC50 = 140.6 μg/mL), 1 (LC50 = 15.9 μg/mL) and 2 (LC50 = 29.8 μg/mL) were found to be cytotoxic, while the water fraction (WF, LC50 >> 1000 μg/mL) was inactive. As conclusion, the cytotoxicity observed for HME and DF is mainly due to the presence of 1 and 2 in their constitution.

Novos derivados oxidados ent-caurânicos e ent-norcaurânicos foram sintetizados a partir do ácido caurenóico. Todos os produtos obtidos foram caracterizados espectroscopicamente.

New oxidized ent-kaurane and ent-norkaurane derivatives were synthezised starting from kaurenoic acid. The spectroscopic characterization of all compounds is reported.

A diversidade genética em cacau (Theobroma cacao L.), embasada em dados morfológicos e em marcadores moleculares, tem sido avaliada com fins de manejo de germoplasma e uso no melhoramento genético. Dados de genealogia de cacau, embora disponíveis, não têm sido utilizados. Foi analisada a diversidade genética em uma amostra de 30 acessos clonais de cacau da série CEPEC, com base em marcadores RAPD e informações de genealogia. Vinte destes acessos são descendentes de TSA-644, material Alto Amazônico, e os dez restantes, derivados de outros cruzamentos envolvendo materiais Amazônicos e Trinitários. Para obtenção dos marcadores RAPD foram utilizados 16 primers e as informações de pedigree obtidas no "International Cocoa Genetic Database". A diversidade genética encontrada foi relativamente baixa, devido ao grande relacionamento genético entre a maioria dos materiais estudados. Verificaram-se nos acessos descendentes de TSA-644 maior diversidade, o que pode ser atribuído à origem deste parental, derivado de um cruzamento entre acessos altamente divergentes. O nível de associação entre similaridades genéticas e coeficientes de paternidade (COP), foi muito baixo, provavelmente devido à homogeneidade do material estudados quanto à genealogia. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho podem auxiliar na definição de novos cruzamentos para o desenvolvimento de híbridos ou variedades clonais.

Genetic diversity in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) has been assessed based on morphological and molecular markers for germplasm management and breeding purposes. Pedigree data is available in cocoa but it has not been used for assessing genetic relatedness. The geneitic diversity of 30 clonal cocoa accessions resistant to witche´ broom disease, from the CEPEC series, were studied on the basis of RAPD data and pedigree information. Twenty of these accessions descend from the TSA-644 clone, originated from a cross between the Upper Amazon germplasm called Scavina-6, the main source of resistance to witches' broom disease, and IMC-67. The ten remaining clones come from different sources including Amazon and Trinitario germplasm. RAPD data was collected using 16 primers and pedigree information was obtained from the International Cocoa Germplasm Database. Genetic similarities, genetic distances and coefficient of parentage were calculated using available software. Relatively low genetic diversity was observed in this germplasm set, probably because of great genetic relatedness amongst accessions studied and the poor representation of the germplasm. The TSA-644 descendants were more diverse than the other accessions used in the study. This might be due to the origin of the TSA clone, which was derived from highly divergent genotypes. Association between genetic similarities based on RAPD data and coefficient of parentage, based on pedigree data, was very low, probably due to the homogeneity of the breeding stocks and poor pedigree information. These findings are useful to cocoa breeders in planning crosses for the development of hybrid and clonal cultivars.