Coffee bean chemical compositions has been extensively studied. However, there is a small amount of research on other parts of the coffee plant, including leaves. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral profiles of Coffea arabica L. cv. IAPAR 59 leaf extracts from a simplex-centroid design were studied by principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the effect of solvent extractor on its metabolites. PCA indicated that the extractor solvents containing ethanol were the most suitable for this study. FTIR spectra in conjunction with orthogonal signal correction and partial least squares-discrimination analysis (OSC-PLS-DA) were used to classify and discriminate the leaves of irrigated and non-irrigated plants by bands related to carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids. Leaves receiving different intensities of solar radiation were also discriminated by bands corresponding to caffeine, carbohydrates and lipids. FTIR spectral profile analyzed with chemometric tools showed to be a useful, powerful and simple procedure to discriminate coffee leaves collected from different microclimate conditions.

The aim of this work was to assess the effectiveness of the probiotic strain Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 for the prevention of neonatal diarrhea in one to three day-old foals. Fecal samples from twenty foals divided randomly in experimental and control groups were studied. The experimental group (n=10) received E. faecalis CECT7121 (1 x 1010 CFU/ml) orally in the first day of life and for a 6 days period. The control group (n=10) received distilled water for the same period. In 4/10 of the foals from the control group diarrhea was observed, conversely diarrhea cases were not observed in any of the foals belonging to the experimental group. The differences between groups were statistically significant (p<0.001). E. faecalis CECT7121 was isolated in faeces from the second day of treatment until six days after the end of the probiotic administration. Therefore, E. faecalis CECT 7121 may be considered as a biological tool for the prevention of neonatal diarrhea in foals. Any adverse effects, at least under the conditions of this assay, but more efficacy studies should be performed to evaluate this organism in the prevention or treatment of diseases in foals

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del probiótico Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 en la prevención de la diarrea neonatal en potrillos de uno a tres días de edad. Se estudiaron muestras de materia fecal de veinte potrillos divididas al azar en grupos experimental y control. Los animales del grupo experimental (n=10) recibieron E. faecalis CECT7121 (1 x 1010 UFC/ml) por vía oral en el primer día de vida y por un período de 6 días. El grupo control (n=10) recibió agua destilada por el mismo período. Se observó que el 40% de los potrillos del grupo control presentaron diarrea, mientras que no se observaron casos de diarrea en ninguno de los potrillos pertenecientes al grupo experimental. Las diferencias entre los grupos fueron estadísticamente significativas (p<0,001). E. faecalis CECT7121 se aisló en heces desde el segundo día de tratamiento hasta seis días después del final de la administración del probiótico. Por lo tanto este hallazgo indicaría que E. faecalis CECT7121 podría ser considerado como una herramienta biológica para la prevención de la diarrea neonatal en potrillos sin ningún efecto adverso, al menos bajo las condiciones del presente ensayo, aunque más estudios de eficacia se deberían realizar para evaluar este organismo en la prevención o el tratamiento de enfermedades de los potrillos en los haras

Introduction: scientific studies have shown that Morinda citrifolia L. (noni) has antimicrobial activity against a large number of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. However, those studies report such activity in reference to the fruit, and there is little information about the leaves, roots and seeds of the plant. Objectives: evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro of various extracts from dry leaves and seeds of M. citrifolia L. (noni) and identify by thin layer chromatography the main secondary metabolites responsible for such antimicrobial activity. Methods: an evaluation was conducted of the antimicrobial activity in vitro of alcoholic, hexanic, chloroformic and ethyl acetate extracts from leaves and seeds of M. citrifolia L. (noni) against E. coli, S. aureus and Candida sp. strains using the Bauer-Kirby method. Thin layer chromatography was used to identify the metabolites responsible for antimicrobial activity on semi-preparative silica gel plates. Chromatographic profiles were observed under ultraviolet light (l=365 nm). Results: all the extracts evaluated of leaves and seeds of M. citrifolia L. (noni) had antimicrobial activity against the strains studied. The main secondary metabolites found were quinones, coumarins and flavonoids in the leaf extracts, and coumarins and flavonoids in the seed extracts. Conclusions: it was demonstrated that leaves and seeds of the M. citrifolia L. tree (noni) have antimicrobial activity, and that quinones and coumarins are the secondary metabolites responsible for such activity

Este artigo descreve a utilização da microscopia eletroquímica de varredura (SECM) no modo geração pelo substrato/coleta pela ponta (SG/TC), com o objetivo de elucidar aspectos mecanísticos da deposição eletrolítica e redissolução anódica de íons Pb2+ na presença de Cu2+, utilizando-se um eletrodo de carbono vítreo como substrato. Um pico anódico foi observado entre os principais picos correspondentes à redissolução dos metais puros. A posição, intensidade e forma deste pico foram investigadas e foi verificado que eram função da razão entre as concentrações de Pb2+ e Cu2+. Os resultados sugerem que o pico é devido à dissolução do chumbo depositado sobre cobre, resultante de uma deposição em regime de subtensão. A SECM forneceu informações adicionais para o entendimento dos mecanismos de redissolução que não seriam obtidas a partir da análise apenas da resposta voltamétrica.

This paper describes the application of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in the substrate-generation/tip-collection (SG/TC) mode to elucidate mechanistic aspects of the deposition and stripping of Pb2+ ions in the presence of Cu2+ into a glassy carbon substrate electrode. A stripping peak was observed between the main peaks corresponding to the pure metals. Its position, height and shape were investigated, and the peak intensity was found to depend on the Pb2+/Cu2+ concentration ratio. The results suggested that this peak was due to the dissolution of lead deposited in copper, as a result of an underpotential deposition. The scanning electrochemical microscope provided additional information towards the understanding of the stripping mechanisms in analytical studies. In particular, the SECM-tip response yielded direct evidence about the speciation of some of the compounds evolved during stripping. This information was not available from the voltammetric response of the substrate electrode alone.