Abstract Fish local knowledge is important to recognize species and contribute to conservation and management strategies. Thus, our aim was to provide diagnostic information for the rapid identification of Mugilidae species in Caeté-Taperaçu Extractive Reserve in Bragança (PA) in northern Brazil. A total of 28 fishers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Most of the interviewees have lived in their resident village since birth and have been involved in artisanal fishers for at least 12 years. Eight generic folk taxa were identified, including ‘tainha’, which was the vernacular name most used to define the Mugil genus. Each scientific species had at least two folk generic taxa and one species. Mugil curema, M. rubrioculus, and M. trichodon were all included in the same ethnospecies, ‘tainha chata’. Most of the scientific species were referred to at least once as the ethnospecies ‘caica’, this name was applied most often to Mugil brevirostris, which is the smallest species found in northern Brazil. The principal characteristics used by the fishers were morphological traits, however, some behavioral characteristics were also taken into account. These findings should contribute to the elaboration of ethnotaxonomic keys that facilitate the rapid identification of Mugil harvested by the region’s artisanal and industrial fisheries.

Resumo O conhecimento local sobre peixes é importante para reconhecer espécies e contribui para estratégias de conservação e manejo. Nosso objetivo foi fornecer informações diagnósticas para a rápida identificação das espécies de Mugilidae da região da Reserva Extrativista Marinha Caeté Taperaçu (PA), Norte do Brasil. Um total de 28 pescadores foi entrevistado por meio de questionários semiestruturados. A maioria dos entrevistados vive na sua aldeia residente desde o nascimento e está envolvida na pesca artesanal há pelo menos 12 anos. Oito táxons populares genéricos foram identificados por esses pescadores, incluindo ‘tainha’, que era o nome vernacular mais usado para definir o gênero Mugil. Cada espécie científica tinha pelo menos dois táxons genéricos populares e uma espécie. Mugil curema, M. rubrioculus e M. trichodon foram todos incluídos na mesma etnoespécie, ‘tainha chata’. A maioria das espécies científicas foi referida pelo menos uma vez como etnoespécie ‘caica’, este nome foi aplicado mais frequentemente a Mugil brevirostris, que é a menor espécie encontrada no Norte do Brasil. As principais características utilizadas pelos pescadores foram os traços morfológicos, porém, algumas características comportamentais também foram levadas em consideração. Esses achados devem contribuir para a elaboração de chaves etnotaxonômicas que facilitem a rápida identificação de Mugil capturadas pela pesca artesanal e industrial da região.

The high prevalence of diabetes and obesity encourages research for the development of α-glucosidase inhibitors from natural sources. This study evaluated the activity of fractions obtained from Protium spruceanum branches. Anti-α-glucosidase activity was investigated in vitro using 4-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside as the substrate, while free-radical scavenging activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azinobis-3-ethylbenzotiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. Furthermore, a model of oxidative stress promoted by H2O2 in fibroblasts was employed, and cell viability was determined by sulforhodamine B. Fractions inhibited α-glucosidase activity effectively, highlighting the hydromethanolic fraction (HMF). Quercitrin, isolated from the HMF, was identified by spectroscopy and quantified by a validated high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method and exhibited free radical scavenging activity comparable to the HMF. However, this flavonoid showed low anti-α-glucosidase effect, suggesting a synergism effect among several components of the HMF. This proposal is also supported by the docking results obtained by PyRx software. The compounds present in the HMF showed a noncompetitive inhibition at the in silico simulation. Finally, the HMF also protected fibroblasts against cell death induced by oxidative stress. This is the first evidence of the capacity of P. spruceanum branches to inhibit α-glucosidase activity and to counteract oxidative stress. These results encourage the use of this Brazilian plant against hyperglycemia-correlated diseases.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to quantify damage and yield losses in lettuce parasitized by Meloidogyne javanica, as well as the growth characteristics of naturally cultivated field plants infested by this pathogen. The experimental area consisted of four seedbeds of 10.0x1.60 m cultivated with 160 plants in each, totaling 640 plants. The damages and yield loss were quantified in four evaluations (Ev1, Ev2, Ev3, and Ev4), with each evaluation corresponding to a cultivation cycle. The four plantings were made in the consecutive form. The fresh mass weight and dry mass weight (FMW and DMW, respectively), gall number (GN), and final population of the nematodes (FP) were evaluated. The population increase of M. javanica caused a reduction in the FMW and DMW in all evaluations. In Ev1 and Ev2, 100% of the plants were commercialized. In Ev3 and Ev4, 7% and 65% of the plants, respectively, could not be commercialized. The Ev4 was completely unviable since the produce had losses of U$ 7.42; U$ 23.19 and U$ 1,484.10 for the cultivation of 640; 2,000 and 128,000 plants, respectively. The economic threshold in Ev4 was 10,151 nematodes/plant or 109 galls/plant.

RESUMEN El objetivo de este trabajo fue cuantificar el daño agronómico en un cultivo de lechugas parasitadas por Meloidogyne javanica y caracterizar el crecimiento de plantas cultivadas en un campo infestado por este patógeno. El estudio se hizo en cuatro camas de 10.0 x 1.60 m cultivadas con 160 plantas en cada una, totalizando 640 plantas por cada ciclo de cultivo. Se hicieron cuatro tratamientos (Ev1, Ev2, Ev3 y Ev4), correspondientes a un ciclo de cultivo. Las cuatro plantaciones se realizaron de forma consecutiva y se seleccionaron 100 plantas al azar para cuantificar el efecto del nematodo en las lechugas. Los parámetros evaluados fueron peso fresco (PMF), peso seco (PMS), número de agallas (NG) y la población final de nematodos (PF). El aumento de la población de M. javanica provocó una reducción de PMF y PMS en todas las evaluaciones. En Ev1 y Ev2 se vendió el 100% de las plantas. En Ev3 y Ev4 hubo un 7% y un 65% de las plantas, respectivamente, que no pudieron venderse. El cuarto ciclo de cultivo (Ev4) resultó completamente inviable, ya que las pérdidas fueron de U $ 7,42; U $ 23,19 y U $ 1.484,10 para el cultivo de 640, 2.000 y 128.000 plantas, respectivamente. El umbral económico en Ev4 fue de 10.151 nematodos /planta o 109 agallas /planta.

RESUMO Taninos condensados são compostos oriundos do metabolismo secundário das plantas. Eles são de especial interesse devido à sua ampla gama de aplicações e usos tecnológicos. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi extrair, quantificar e caracterizar por espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR) os taninos da casca de quatro espécies cultivadas na região Nordeste do Brazil: Acacia mangium, Azadirachta indica, Mimosa tenuiflora (‘jurema preta’) e Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (‘sabiá’ ou ‘sansão-do-campo). Amostras de 5 árvores de cada espécie foram coletadas, moídas e extraídas com água quente, determinandose os rendimentos de extração. A partir dos extratos foram determinados o teor de sólidos totais (TST), o índice de Stiasny (IS) e o teor de taninos condensados (TTC). Os espectros de FTIR foram adquiridos a partir de amostras de taninos imobilizados em pastilhas de brometo de potássio. Dentre as quatro espécies, M. tenuiflora teve o mais alto TTC igual a 23,4% e o extrato bruto mais puro com IS de 91,27%. Com base na caracterização por FTIR, os taninos das cascas de M. caesalpiniifolia, A. indica e A. mangium foram classificados como proantocianidinas e os da casca de M. tenuiflora como prodelfinidinas.

ABSTRACT Condensed tannins are chemical compounds derived from the secondary metabolism of plants. They are of particular interest due to their broad range of technological uses and applications. The objective of this study was to extract, quantify, and characterize by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) the bark tannins of four forest species grown in Northeast Brazil: Acacia mangium, Azadirachta indica, Mimosa tenuiflora, and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia. Bark samples were collected from 5 trees of each species grown in a five-year-old forest stand. Samples were collected, grounded, and submitted to extraction with hot water, then measured to determine total solids content (TSC), Stiasny number (SN), and condensed tannins content (CTC). FTIR spectra were acquired from tannin samples fixed in potassium bromide pellets. Among the four species, M. tenuiflora presented the highest CTC, equal to 23.4%, and the purest crude hot-water extract with SN of 91.27%. Based on FTIR characterization, tannins from M. caesalpiniifolia, A. indica, and A. mangium barks were classified as proanthocyanidins and those from M. tenuiflora bark as prodelphinidins.

Abstract This work aimed to develop and validate individual SNP molecular markers previously identified in a genetic association study of resistance to Meloidogyne incognita in soybean using a microarray panel. The markers identified in the array were converted in single TaqMan® markers. The single markers were used to create an SNP genotyping protocol and establish a marker-assisted selection (MAS) routine associated with resistance to M. incognita in soybean. Out of the eight TaqMan® assays tested, three were validated for use in MAS. The MAS protocol developed in this study uses sequential selection. Initially, molecular markers are used to identify susceptible plants; subsequently, the phenotypic evaluation of plants expressing resistance genotype for the markers is carried out, resulting in the accurate identification of resistant plants. The accuracy of this approach for MAS sequential for M. incognita varied from 94 to 96%.

ABSTRACT Introduction/Aim: The gut has shown to have a pivotal role on the pathophysiology of metabolic disease. Food stimulation of distal intestinal segments promotes enterohormones secretion influencing insulin metabolism. In diabetic rats, oral insulin has potential to change intestinal epithelium behavior. This macromolecule promotes positive effects on laboratorial metabolic parameters and decreases diabetic intestinal hypertrophy. This study aims to test if oral insulin can influence metabolic parameters and intestinal weight in obese non-diabetic rats. Methods: Twelve weeks old Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups: control (CTRL) standard chow group; high fat diet low carbohydrates group (HFD) and HFD plus daily oral 20U insulin gavage (HFD+INS). Weight and food consumption were weekly obtained. After eight weeks, fasting blood samples were collected for laboratorial analysis. After euthanasia gut samples were isolated. Results: Rat oral insulin treatment decreased body weight gain (p<0,001), fasting glucose and triglycerides serum levels (p<0,05) an increased intestinal weight of distal ileum (P<0,05). Animal submitted to high fat diet presented higher levels of HOMA-IR although significant difference to CT was not achieved. HOMA-beta were significantly higher (p<0.05) in HFD+INS. Visceral fat was 10% lower in HFD+INS but the difference was not significant. Conclusions: In non-diabetic obese rats, oral insulin improves metabolic malfunction associated to rescue of beta-cell activity.

Os óleos essenciais de folhas e inflorescências de Lippia origanoides Kunth apresentam potencial aromático e medicinal e têm sido utilizados no tratamento de diversas doenças, incluindo melanoma. No Brasil, L. origanoides é comumente encontrada no campo cerrado e no cerrado stricto sensu, fisionomias caracterizadas principalmente pelas diferentes condições de luminosidade às quais as plantas de médio e pequeno porte estão sujeitas. Nosso objetivo foi investigar a densidade de tricomas glandulares e o rendimento e a composição química do óleo essencial em folhas e inflorescências de L. origanoides do campo cerrado e do cerrado stricto sensu. Para análise de densidade glandular, folhas e inflorescências foram processadas segundo técnicas convencionais em microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Os óleos essenciais de folhas e inflorescências foram obtidos por hidrodestilação e identificados com cromatografia gasosa. Brácteas e sépalas mostraram a maior densidade glandular, seguidas por pétalas e folhas. A densidade glandular na face abaxial do limbo foliar foi maior em indivíduos do campo cerrado. Em ambas as fisionomias, o rendimento de óleos essenciais foi maior nas inflorescências em comparação com folhas. A composição química dos óleos essenciais variou entre os indivíduos de diferentes áreas e entre indivíduos da mesma população. Nossos resultados demonstraram a plasticidade química de L. origanoides sugerindo a importância do monitoramento de seu uso popular.

The essential oils from leaves and inflorescences of Lippia origanoides Kunth present aromatic and medicinal potential and have been used to treat several diseases, including melanoma. In Brazil, L. origanoides is commonly found in campo cerrado and cerrado stricto sensu, physiognomies featured mainly by the differential light conditions to which short and medium-sized plants are subjected. Our aim was to investigate the glandular trichome density and the yield and chemical composition of the essential oils in leaves and inflorescences of L. origanoides from campo cerrado and cerrado stricto sensu. For glandular density analysis, leaves and inflorescences were processed according to conventional techniques for scanning electron microscopy. The essential oils of leaves and inflorescences were obtained by hydrodistillation and identified with gas chromatography. Bracts and sepals showed the highest glandular density, followed by petals and leaves. The glandular density in the abaxial leaf surface was higher in individuals from the campo cerrado. In both populations the essential oil yield was higher in inflorescences than in leaves. The chemical composition of the essential oils varied among individuals from different areas and inside a same population. Our results demonstrated the chemical plasticity of L. origanoides suggesting the importance of monitoring its popular use.

O presente estudo descreve a acentuada atividade citotóxica da nor-β-lapachona, seus derivados arilamino substituídos, naftoquinonas iodadas e metilada, além de nor-β-lapachonas 1,2,3-triazólicas, contra quatro linhagens de células de leucemia humana (HL-60, K562, Molt-4 e Jurkat). Nor-β-lapachonas arilamino substituídas foram identificadas com potente atividade, revelando-se como potenciais protótipos contra as linhagens tumorais descritas. Estudos utilizando o ensaio cometa evidenciaram danos ao ácido desoxirribonucleico (ADN) causado pelos derivados arilamino substituídos devido o aumento dos níveis intracelulares de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ERO's). Células de HL-60 foram selecionadas para a continuidade dos estudos de mecanismos moleculares subjacentes e apoptose induzida pelos derivados quinoidais foi observada por análise de citometria de fluxo. Cepas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae foram utilizadas para uma investigação preliminar sobre o mecanismo de ação em topoisomerases de ADN. Os estudos sugerem que, aparentemente, a citotoxidade dos compostos não envolve a inibição de topoisomerases, mas que o tratamento prejudica a atividade de reparação do ADN, provocando assim a morte celular. A capacidade em induzir apoptose e aberrações cromossômicas em fibroblastos de pulmão de hamster chinês (células V79) também foi investigada. Núcleos apoptóticos foram observados e nossos estudos indicam uma correlação entre dano ao ADN e apoptose.

The current study describes that nor-β-lapachone and its arylamino derivatives, iodinated and methylated naphthoquinones and nor-β-lapachone-based 1,2,3-triazoles exhibited pronounced cytotoxic effects against four human leukemia cell lines (HL-60, K562, Molt-4 and Jurkat). Nor-β-lapachones arylamino substituted with potent activity were identified, revealing themselves as potential prototypes against tumor cell lines. Moreover, cells treated with these compounds showed DNA damage according to the standard comet assay, a finding that was, at least in part, due to increased intracellular levels of ROS. HL-60 cells were chosen to study the underlying molecular mechanisms of cytotoxicity. Drug-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells was observed by flow cytometry analyses. Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used for a preliminary investigation into the mechanism of drug action on DNA topoisomerases. These results suggested that the cytotoxicity of these compounds apparently does not involve topoisomerase inhibition, but that treatment impairs DNA repair activity, thus triggering cell death. Considering their pro-oxidant properties, we investigated the ability of these compounds to induce apoptosis and chromosomal aberrations as micronuclei in Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79 cells). Morphological apoptotic nuclei and micronuclei induction following drug treatment were observed, suggesting a correlation between DNA damage and apoptosis.

A anatomia e ultra-estrutura do pulvino primário de Pterodon pubescens foram estudadas para verificar se os movimentos lentos de suas folhas estão associados às características celulares do pulvino. Amostras de pulvinos provenientes de folhas com folíolos abertos e fechados foram preparadas segundo técnicas usuais em microscopia de luz e eletrônica. O pulvino é constituído por epiderme unisseriada recoberta por cutícula espessa e tricomas tectores, córtex com diversas camadas de células parenquimáticas (ou motoras), feixe vascular central rodeado por bainha de fibras septadas e medula reduzida. As características das células motoras variam de acordo com o grau de turgescência do pulvino, ocorrendo alterações no tamanho e forma das células, na espessura das paredes celulares, na freqüência e organização dos plasmodesmos, no conteúdo e número de vacúolos e na densidade do citoplasma. Fibras septadas ao redor do floema estão sendo descritas pela primeira vez em pulvinos. A ampla ocorrência de plasmodesmos, a ausência de barreiras apoplásticas e a escassez de lignificação (presente unicamente nos vasos do xilema) indicam uma continuidade, simplástica e apoplástica, desde a epiderme até o tecido vascular do pulvino. Em P. pubescens, as características do pulvino primário são compatíveis com as de pulvinos que apresentam movimentos lentos; as características compartilhadas com pulvinos de movimentos rápidos são a presença de vacúolos com substâncias fenólicas nas células corticais e amiloplastos na endoderme. Os movimentos promovidos pelo pulvino primário de P. pubescens estão associados a mudanças nos compartimentos apoplástico (dobramentos das paredes celulares) e simplástico (reorganização vacuolar).

The anatomy and ultrastructure of Pterodon pubescens primary pulvinus were studied to verify if slow leaf movements are associated with pulvinus cells features. Pulvini samples deriving from leaf with open and closed leaflets were prepared following usual techniques using light and electron microscopy. The pulvinus has a unisseriated epidermis covered by a thick cuticle and many trichomes, cortex with several layers of parenchyma cells (motor cells), a central vascular core surrounded by septate fibers, and a reduced pith. Cortical cells features change with the turgescence degree, showing alteration in the cell size and shape, cell wall thickness, frequency and arrangement of plasmodesmata, vacuole content and number and cytoplasm density. Septate fibers around the phloem were described for the first time in pulvini. The wide occurrence of plasmodesmata, the apoplastic barriers absence and the lignification scarcity (only present in xylem vessels) indicate a continuity, both simplastic and apoplastic, from the epidermis to the vascular tissue of the pulvinus. In Pterodon pubescens, primary pulvinus features are compatible with slow movement pulvini; the features shared to speedy movement pulvini are the presence of vacuoles with phenolic substances in the cortical cells and amiloplasts in the endodermal cells. Movements caused by P. pubescens primary pulvinus are associated with changes in both the apoplastic (wall infoldings) and symplastic (vacuolar reorganization).