ABSTRACT The present research aimed to verify the effect of 10 weeks of structured FT grouped by muscular actions (GFT) or alternating actions (AFT) on scapular and lumbar-pelvic girdle stability. One hundred and twenty adults (60 men; 60 women) were allocated into three groups, GFT (n= 40) that performed the actions in sequence (squat - squat - pull - pull), AFT (n= 40) that performed alternate actions (squat - pull - squat - pull) and the control group (CG, n= 40). The shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle stability were assessed using the Octobalance Upper Body Test. The GFT increased stability after the intervention and compared to the CG (p= 0.003) as assessed by the relative range of the right (ES= 0.53) and left (ES= 0.57) hemispheres. Besides, most results were within the instrument’s error value and the magnitude of the effect was moderate to trivial among the experimental groups. Therefore, ten weeks of functional training performed in a grouped sequence promoted improvements in scapular and lumbar-pelvic girdle stability.

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi prospectar fontes de resistência ao nematoide-das-galhas Meloidogyne enterolobii em espécies silvestres de Solanum e híbridos com potencial para serem utilizados como porta-enxertos para solanáceas cultivadas. Vinte e três acessos de sete espécies de Solanum, bem como 35 híbridos de dois cruzamentos interespecíficos, foram caracterizados quanto à resistência a M. enterolobii. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação em Brasília-DF, Brasil, em delineamento de blocos inteiramente casualizados, com quatro repetições de uma planta por vaso inoculada com ovos do nematoide, avaliadas quanto às variáveis nematológicas: índice de massa de ovos, índice de galhas, número de ovos por grama de raiz e fator de reprodução. Todos os acessos de Solanum torvum, S. paludosum e S. paniculatum apresentaram alta resistência. No caso de S. crinitum, S. macrocarpon e S. sisymbriifolium, as reações foram variadas, com seis de sete, dois de cinco e um de três acessos resistentes, respectivamente. Vinte e três dos 24 híbridos interespecíficos entre S. stramonifolium var. inerme e S. stramonifolium, e cinco híbridos interespecíficos de S. stramonifolium e S. aethiopicum gr. gilo, entre onze, também foram resistentes. Esses resultados são de interesse prático para o controle do nematoide-das-galhas, uma vez que solanáceas cultivadas resistentes a M. enterolobii são de difícil obtenção por meio de melhoramento convencional. Por isso, a identificação de resistência em espécies de Solanum compatíveis com as espécies cultivadas pode ser importante para permitir o uso como porta-enxertos.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to prospect sources of resistance to the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii in wild Solanum species and hybrids to be used as potential rootstocks for cultivated Solanaceae. Twenty-three accessions of seven Solanum species, as well as 35 interspecific hybrids of two crosses, were characterized for their resistance to M. enterolobii. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse in Brasília-DF, Brazil, in a completely randomized block design with four replications of one plant per pot. Plants were inoculated with egg masses and evaluated for the nematological variables egg mass index, galls index, number of eggs per root gram and reproduction factor. Solanum torvum, S. paludosum, and S. paniculatum presented high levels of resistance. Six among seven accessions of S. crinitum were resistant, as well as two accessions among five of S. macrocarpon, and one among three of S. sisymbriifolium. Except one, the 24 interspecific hybrids among S. stramonifolium var. inerme and S. stramonifolium, as well as five interspecific hybrids of S. stramonifolium and S. aethiopicum gr. gilo, among eleven were resistant. These results are relevant, since cultivated Solanaceae species of economic importance resistant to M. enterolobii are difficult to obtain by conventional breeding. Therefore, the identification of resistance in Solanum species compatible for grafting with cultivated species can be important to enable their use as rootstocks for disease control.

Abstract This study aimed to verify the action of bioactive compounds from Brazilian plants on the leader genes involved in the SARS-CoV-2 pathway. The main human genes involved were identified in GeneCards and UNIPROT platforms, and an interaction network between leader genes was established in the STRING database. To design chemo-biology interactome networks and elucidate the interplay between genes related to the disease and bioactive plant compounds, the metasearch engine STITCH 3.1 was used. The analysis revealed that SMAD3 and CASP3 genes are leader genes, suggesting that the mechanism of action of the virus on host cells is associated with the molecular effects of these genes. Furthermore, the bioactive plant compounds, such as ascorbate, benzoquinone, ellagic acid, and resveratrol was identified as a promising adjuvant for the treatment inhibiting CASP3-mediated apoptosis. Bioactive plant compounds were verified as the main pathways enriched with KEGG and related to viral infection, assessments/immune/infections, and cell proliferation, which are potentially used for respiratory viral infections. The best-ranked molecule docked in the CASP3 binding site was rutin, while the SMAD3 binding site was resveratrol. In conclusion, this work identified several bioactive compounds from Brazilian plants showing potential antiviral functions that can directly or indirectly inhibit the new coronavirus.

Croton grewioides Baill. popularly known as “canelinha” or “canelinha-de-cheiro” has been used for the treatment of influenza, antitussive, febrifuge and headache; however, the study of its phytochemical composition is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the extraction method and seasonality through leaf extracts of four accessions of Croton grewioides by fingerprint chromatograms aided by principal component analysis to analyze the differences and similarities among the samples. We aimed also to provide chemical characterization of isolated secondary metabolites using semi-preparative liquid chromatography. The results showed that only the chemical profile of the methanolic extracts of accessions 101 and 113 were influenced by the seasonality. For the first time, four flavonoids were isolated through semi-preparative chromatography in this species, characterized as quercetin 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside-(1→6)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), quercetin 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-apiopyranoside-(1→6)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), quercetin 3-O-glucopyranoside (3) and 3-O-methyl-quercetin (4), the flavonoid (2) has been recognized as a new triglycosylated derivative.

The pyrolysis of waste tire has been proposed as an alternative route to its recycling producing residual oils that can be used as fuels. In this work, a physicochemical process to obtain carbon-based dots (CBD) from carbon black (CBL) derivatives of tires is described. For this, the CBL was treated with different acids to produce CBL1 and CBL2 particles suspension. The pH of the suspension was adjusted to 5.6 to precipitate remaining impurities. Afterwards, the supernatant was ultra-centrifuged and the yellow pale solid, the purified CBD obtained by roto evaporation, was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), photoluminescence (PL) at 320-380 nm, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared microscopy (mFTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This material showed the typical excitation wavelength dependent emission and a PL quantum yield of 19.29% and was constituted by a well-defined spherical shaped and single sheets of “graphene quantum dots” with undefined shape, with potential applications in optoelectronic and fluorescence imaging devices.

The methodology developed in this study through the acquisition of fingerprint chromatograms by liquid chromatography-diode array detector (LC-DAD), aided by principal component analysis, made it possible to assess, in a rational way, the chemical differences between six accessions of Lippia alba and to verify the influence of the method of extraction, the seasonality and the individuality of each accession on chemical composition of its extracts. Among all extracts analyzed against cancer cell lines, eight of them showed to be more promising against a human leukemia cell line (HL-60), displaying cell growth inhibition percentage ranging between 40.0 and 52.0%. In the inhibitory activity assays against acetylcholinesterase enzyme, all extracts showed weak inhibitory effect, with highlight only for six of them, which displayed inhibition ranging between 27.0 and 32.0%.

Objective: Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the non-psychotomimetic compounds of Cannabis sativa, causes anxiolytic-like effects in animals, with typical bell-shaped dose-response curves. No study, however, has investigated whether increasing doses of this drug would also cause similar curves in humans. The objective of this study was to compare the acute effects of different doses of CBD and placebo in healthy volunteers performing a simulated public speaking test (SPST), a well-tested anxiety-inducing method. Method: A total of 57 healthy male subjects were allocated to receive oral CBD at doses of 150 mg (n=15), 300 mg (n=15), 600 mg (n=12) or placebo (n=15) in a double-blind procedure. During the SPST, subjective ratings on the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) and physiological measures (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate) were obtained at six different time points. Results: Compared to placebo, pretreatment with 300 mg of CBD significantly reduced anxiety during the speech. No significant differences in VAMS scores were observed between groups receiving CBD 150 mg, 600 mg and placebo. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the anxiolytic-like properties of CBD and are consonant with results of animal studies describing bell-shaped dose-response curves. Optimal therapeutic doses of CBD should be rigorously determined so that research findings can be adequately translated into clinical practice.

RESUMO: A detecção de Salmonella é um ponto crucial para a segurança alimentar, devido a frequente associação deste patógeno com infecções alimentares em humanos. O método padrão para detecção de Salmonella é o bacteriológico, mas o tempo requerido para o processamento das amostras e o diagnóstico final é longo, por isso existe a necessidade de desenvolvimento de métodos alternativos que visem acelerar esta etapa. Para isto utilizamos a separação imunomagnética associada ao bacteriófago P22 como técnica de detecção rápida para os seguintes sorovares de Salmonella: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sorovar Heidelberg (S. Heidelberg), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sorovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) e Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sorovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), os quais foram inoculados artificialmente em lavados de sobre-coxas de frango nas seguintes concentrações: 5, 10 e 100 UFC/25mL. A eficiência da técnica, representada pelo tempo requerido para detecção de amostras positivas ou negativas, foi comparado com os testes rotineiramente utilizados para detecção de Salmonella, o exame bacteriológico e a reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). Este estudo confirmou a capacidade do teste de separação imunomagnética associado a bacteriófago, o qual identificou 99,6% das amostras positivas para Salmonella, dos três sorovares testados. Já o bacteriológico e PCR identificaram respectivamente 95,1% e 98,5% das amostras positivas.

ABSTRACT: Salmonella detection is a key point in food safety testing, because of the frequent association of this pathogen with food poisoning in humans. The standard bacteriological tests currently used for Salmonella-detection are time-consuming; therefore, there is a need to develop alternative methods to accelerate the detection. In order to accelerate Salmonella diagnosis, we used the immunomagnetic separation assay associated with bacteriophage P22 for the rapid detection of the following Salmonella serovars in chicken rinses of drumsticks, artificially contaminated with 5, 10, and 100 CFU/25mL of bacteria: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Heidelberg (S. Heidelberg), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). The efficiency of the technique, represented by the time required for detection of positive and negative samples, was compared with that of the standard diagnostic tests used for this pathogen, the bacteriological assay and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based test. This study confirmed the ability of the bacteriophage-associated immunomagnetic separation assay to identify 99.6% of Salmonella-positive samples of the three serovars tested. In contrast, the bacteriological assay and PCR-based test detected 95.1% and 98.5% of the Salmonella-positive samples respectively.

A phytochemical investigation from aerial parts of Casearia arborea (Rich.) Urb. (Salicaceae) led to isolation and identification of: sitosterol, 4-en-stigmast-3-one, 13-hydroxy-trans-ent-cleroda-3,14-diene,3-hydroxy-2-oxo-trans-ent-cleroda-3,14-diene (kolavelone), a mixture of 13-hydroxy-trans-ent-cleroda-3,14-diene and an ester ethyl hexadecanoate, kaempferol-3-O-a-L-arabinofuranoside and 4',5,7-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavone (tricin). The compounds have been described for the first time in this species. Five trihydroxy-flavone-hexoside derivatives have been identified by LC-ESI-HR-MS. The antimicrobial activity of kolavelone was evaluated against strains of Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Shigella and Candida spores, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. The results showed the antimicrobial activity of kolavelone against several bacteria and Candida tropicalis indicating its potential use as antimicrobial agent.

RESUMO: Com o objetivo de testar diferentes formas de controle de Senecio madagascariensis foram realizados três experimentos. No primeiro, 40 ovinos foram colocados em uma área de quatro hectares por 90 dias, com infestação média e alta por S. madagascariensis. A área após este período foi dessecada com glifosato (Roundup®) e semeada com Lotus corniculatus L. (cornichão), Trifolium repens (trevo branco), Medicago sativa (alfafa) e Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (festuca) por plantio direto. Os ovinos, após oito meses, retornaram a área por mais 90 dias. O segundo experimento foi realizado com 10 ovinos em pastejo por 30 dias com 60 dias de descanso em três áreas de 0,5 hectares cada uma, com infestação baixa, média e alta por S. madagascariensis. O terceiro experimento foi realizado utilizando-se dessecação, aração e plantio de pastagens (leguminosas e gramíneas) por três vezes consecutivas, sem utilização de ovinos em uma área invadida pela planta. Para o controle de S. brasiliensis e outras espécies do gênero, um quarto experimento foi realizado em uma propriedade rural com histórico de intoxicação por Senecio spp. em bovinos. Foram utilizados 86 ovinos, que permaneceram em uma área de 90 hectares durante um ano. Os resultados destes experimentos demonstraram que os ovinos consomem S. madagascariensis e diminuem a quantidade de planta em áreas infestadas. Por outro lado, evidenciou-se também que S. madagascariensis para ser controlado de forma eficiente necessita de pastejo contínuo com pelo menos quatro ovinos por ha. As práticas como dessecação com herbicidas, aração e plantio de pastagem podem auxiliar na eliminação da planta a longo prazo. Em áreas de infestação por S. brasiliensis a roçagem pode ser uma prática eficiente, principalmente pelo porte alto da planta, pois facilita o consumo pelos ovinos.

ABSTRACT: In order to test different technics to control Senecio madagascariensis, three experiments were carried out. In the first, 40 sheep were placed in an area of four hectares for 90 days, with medium/high levels of infestation by the plant. The area after this period was desiccated with glyphosate (Roundup®) and seeded with Lotus corniculatus L., Trifolium repens, Medicago sativa and Festuca arundinacea Schreb. by direct seeding. After eight months, sheep returned to the area for another 90 days. The second experiment was conducted with 10 sheep grazing for 30 days and 60 days’ rest, in three areas of 0.5 hectares each, with low, medium and high levels of S. madagascariensis infestation. The third experiment was carried out using drying, plowing and cultivated pasture (legumes and grasses) for three consecutive times without the use of sheep in an area infested by the plant. For the control of S. brasiliensis and other species of the genus, a fourth experiment was performed on a farm with history of intoxication by Senecio spp. in cattle. Eighty-six sheep were used in an area of 90 hectares for a year. The results of these experiments demonstrated that sheep consume and decrease the amount of S. madagascariensis in infested areas. Furthermore, it also indicated that S. madagascariensis to be efficiently controlled requires continuous grazing with at least four sheep per hectare. Practices as drying the pastures with herbicides, tillage and pasture planting can help eliminate the plant in long-term plan. In areas with S. brasiliensis infestation mowing can be an effective practice, mainly due to the high size of the plant, since it facilitates consumption by sheep.

ABSTRACT The milk and meat from animals with a pasture-based diet have higher proportions of CLA and C18:3 and lower omega-6:omega-3 ratios than products from animals with diets based on corn silage and concentrate. However, most of the published studies have evaluated fatty acid profiles in temperate climate grasses and the literature with tropical grasses is scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological and fatty acid compositions in the vertical strata of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) swards subjected to grazing heights (90 or 120 cm pre-grazing heights) and levels of defoliation (50% or 70% removal of the initial pre-grazing height). There were no interactions among pre-grazing height, the level of defoliation and grazing stratum. However, higher proportion of C18:3 (58% and 63%) was found in the 90-cm swards and in the half upper stratum. A higher proportion of C18:3 was associated with a higher leaf proportion and crude protein content. Thus, the upper stratum of sward or a grazing management scheme (e.g. first-last stocking) resulting in a higher proportion of leaves and crude protein both provide higher proportions of C18:3 to animals grazing in elephant grass swards.

RESUMO: O presente estudo teve como objetivo registrar a ocorrência de Rickettsia sp. em roedores e marsupiais nativos da Estação Experimental Rafael Fernandes da UFERSA, Mossoró/RN. O trabalho consistiu em uma pesquisa de campo, com roedores e marsupiais silvestres, com os dados expressos em frequência simples e porcentagem através do programa estatístico IBM SPSS (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.), versão 22.0. Coletaram-se amostras de plasma sanguíneo de marsupiais (36) e de roedores (5). Destes, 64 continham Amblyomma auricularium, 7 Amblyomma parvum e 12 Amblyomma sp. As amostras de plasma sanguíneo foram analisadas através da técnica de Reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta. Exemplares de A. auricularium e a A. parvum foram macerados e submetidos a Técnica de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase. Das amostras de plasma testadas, 17,60% apresentaram soropositividade para Rickettsia amblyommii. Oito exemplares de A. auricularium estavam positivos para R. amblyommii na análise de fragmentos dos genes gltA (350 bp) e ompA (587 pb), com 100% de similaridade com Candidatus R. amblyommii estirpe Bahia e AaPE, correspondendo a uma baixa circulação do agente dentre os vetores e hospedeiros. Esta pesquisa registra pela primeira vez a ocorrência de R. amblyommii em marsupiais Gracilinanus agilis e Monodelphis domestica pertencentes a Família Didelphidae, e roedores das Famílias Echimyidae e Cricetidae, cujas espécies foram Thrichomys sp. e Wiedomys sp., respectivamente, em Mossoró, estado do Rio Grande do Norte.

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to register the occurrence of Rickettsia sp. in rodents and marsupials native of the Rafael Fernandes Experimental Station of UFERSA, Mossoró/RN, Brazil. The study consisted of field research on small wild mammals, with data expressed in simple frequency and percentage through IBM SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), version 22.0. Samples of blood plasma from 36 marsupials and 5 rodents were collected. From these, 64 contained Amblyomma auricularium, 7 Amblyomma parvum and 12 Amblyomma sp. All blood plasma samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence technique, and 16 macerated specimens of A. auricularium and 3 of A. parvum were analyzed by reaction technique Polymerase Chain. From the tested plasma samples 17.60% were seropositive for Rickettsia amblyommii, 8 were positive for A. auricularium e R. amblyommii in gene gltA analysis of the fragments (350 bp) and ompA (587 bp) with 100% similarity with Candidatus R. amblyommii Bahia and AAPE strain, what corresponded to a low circulation of the agent from the vectors and hosts. This study registers for the first time the occurrence of R. amblyommii in marsupials Gracilinanus agilis and Monodelphis domestica belonging to the Didelphidae family, and in rodents of the Echimyidae and Cricetidae families, the species of which were Thrichomys sp. and Wiedomys sp. respectively, in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte.

BACKGROUND The association between Staphylococcus haemolyticus and severe nosocomial infections is increasing. However, the extent to which fomites contribute to the dissemination of this pathogen through patients and hospital wards remains unknown. OBJECTIVES In the present study, sphygmomanometers and thermometers were evaluated as potential fomites of oxacillin-resistant S. haemolyticus (ORSH). The influence of oxacillin and vancomycin on biofilm formation by ORSH strains isolated from fomites was also investigated. METHODS The presence of ORSH on swabs taken from fomite surfaces in a Brazilian hospital was assessed using standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined by the disk diffusion method, and clonal distribution was assessed in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) assays. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of oxacillin and vancomycin were evaluated via the broth microdilution method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were performed to detect the mecA and icaAD genes. ORSH strains grown in media containing 1/4 MIC of vancomycin or oxacillin were investigated for slime production and biofilm formation on glass, polystyrene and polyurethane catheter surfaces. FINDINGS ORSH strains comprising five distinct PFGE types were isolated from sphygmomanometers (n = 5) and a thermometer (n = 1) used in intensive care units and surgical wards. ORSH strains isolated from fomites showed susceptibility to only linezolid and vancomycin and were characterised as multi-drug resistant (MDR). Slime production, biofilm formation and the survival of sessile bacteria differed and were independent of the presence of the icaAD and mecA genes, PFGE type and subtype. Vancomycin and oxacillin did not inhibit biofilm formation by vancomycin-susceptible ORSH strains on abiotic surfaces, including on the catheter surface. Enhanced biofilm formation was observed in some situations. Moreover, a sub-lethal dose of vancomycin induced biofilm formation by an ORSH strain on polystyrene. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Sphygmomanometers and thermometers are fomites for the transmission of ORSH. A sub-lethal dose of vancomycin may favor biofilm formation by ORSH on fomites and catheter surfaces.

Abstract The respiratory system has been described as a limiting factor in the performance of athletes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the respiratory muscle strength (RMS) and aerobic performance of wheelchair basketball players (WCBPs). We evaluated 19 male WCBPs who were divided into two groups: trunk control group (TCG) and without trunk control group (WTCG). All participants underwent a pulmonary function test, evaluation of maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures, and an aerobic performance test. The MIP of both groups and the MEP values of TCG exceeded the predicted values for age and gender. No differences were observed in the MIP and aerobic performance between the groups although a difference was observed in the MEP values. Positive correlations were observed between MIP/MEP and the aerobic performance for both groups. These results suggested that the overall RMS of this group of WCBPs fell within or above the predicted values. Hence, the study concluded that RMS can positively influence the aerobic performance of WCBP.

Cromatografia gasosa bidimensional abrangente acoplada à espectrometria de massas por tempo de voo (GC×GC-TOFMS) é uma técnica apropriada para a elucidação da composição molecular de amostras petroquímicas, como óleos biodegradados. Biomarcadores foram separados, identificados e razões de biomarcadores convencionais foram determinados usando cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (GC-MS) e GC×GC-TOFMS. No cromatograma de íons extraídos m/z 123 + 177 + 191, coeluições entre terpanos tricíclicos, hopanos e 25-nor-hopanos com secohopanos foram resolvidas usando GC×GC-TOFMS. GC×GC-TOFMS permitiu a identificação da série completa dos 25-nor-hopanos, nor-gamacerano, C29 28-nor-espergulano e oleanano, que não foram identificados por GC-MS. A avaliação dos parâmetros geoquímicos dos óleos estudados indicou uma origem marinha e um ambiente deposicional sob condições anóxicas. A alta resolução cromatográfica e sensibilidade alcançada usando GC×GC-TOFMS permitiram sugerir três novos parâmetros geoquímicos para a caracterização de óleos altamente biodegradados. Estes resultados demonstram a superioridade da técnica GC×GC-TOFMS na separação e identificação de compostos individuais e não-alvos em óleos severamente biodegradados

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) is an appropriate technique for the elucidation of molecular composition of petrochemical samples, such as biodegraded oils. Biomarkers were separated and identified, and conventional biomarker ratios were determined via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC×GC-TOFMS. In the extracted ion chromatogram m/z 123 + 177 + 191, coelutions between tricyclic terpanes, hopanes and 25-nor-hopanes with secohopanes were resolved by GC×GC-TOFMS. GC×GC-TOFMS allowed the identification of complete series of 25-nor-hopanes, nor-gammacerane, C29 28-nor-spergulanes and oleanane not identified by using GC-MS. The biomarker ratios from the studied oils indicated that they derived from marine source rock deposited under anoxic conditions. The higher chromatographic resolution and sensitivity achieved by using GC×GC-TOFMS allowed for three new parameters to characterize biodegraded oils. These results indicated the superiority of GC×GC-TOFMS for separation and identification of individual and non-target compounds in severely biodegraded oils.