Antimicrobial activity and constituents of Coccoloba acrostichoides     

Cota BB  de Oliveira AB  de Souza-Filho JD  Braga FC 《Fitoterapia》2003,74(7-8):729-731

The ethanol extract and fractions from Coccoloba acrostichoides aerial parts were assayed for in vitro antimicrobial activity. The extract was active against the assayed bacteria while most of the fractions also inhibited fungal growth, especially the n-hexane and EtOAc fractions. The isolated beta-sitosterol and betulin were tested, being the last one active against Fusarium oxysporum.  相似文献   

Bursatella leachii from Mar Menor as a Source of Bioactive Molecules: Preliminary Evaluation of the Nutritional Profile,In Vitro Biological Activities,and Fatty Acids Contents     

Tiago Braga  Maria João Rodrigues  Hugo Pereira  João Varela  Luísa Barreira  Mercedes González-Wangüemert 《Journal Of Aquatic Food Product Technology》2017,26(10):1337-1350

Marine invertebrates contain nutritionally important elements that make them suitable to be included in the human diet, and they are considered an outstanding source of secondary metabolites with multiple biotechnological uses. The sea hare Bursatella leachii is an invasive species in Mar Menor that can be managed through the control of its reproduction and/or by massive biomass removal. In this context, this work evaluated the possible use of biomass from B. leachii in the food and cosmetics industries. Biomass was appraised for nutritional properties, and extracts were prepared and evaluated in vitro for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity, cholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibition, and for total contents in different phenolic groups. It had a moderate moisture level, low ash and fat levels, and an adequate protein amount and protein/lipid ratio. The fatty acids (FA) profile was mainly saturated, dominated by palmitic acid. The methanol extract had the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition. The acetone extract had the strongest capacity to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reduce iron, inhibit tyrosinase, decrease nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia cells, and the upmost levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins. Our results suggest multiple biotechnological applications for B. leachii biomass in different economic areas.  相似文献   

Heavy Metals Contamination in Century-Old Manmade Technosols of Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula     

Marcelo Braga Bueno Guerra  Carlos Ernesto G. R. Schaefer  Paula de Freitas Rosa  Felipe N. B. Simas  Thiago T. C. Pereira  Edenir Rodrigues Pereira-Filho 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2011,222(1-4):91-102

Technosols are anthropogenic soils that may be strongly impacted by heavy metal deposition, which have not yet been described in Antarctica. In this paper, we present a chemical study of what is supposedly the oldest manmade soil from Antarctic Peninsula, developed in the vicinity of Trinity House and Nordenskjold Hut at Hope Bay. Chemical and morphological soil attributes indicate that a former ornithogenic site (penguin rookery) was further subjected to human disturbance, following local exploration since 1903. We detected very high amounts of heavy metals such as Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. For the most impacted site, pseudototal concentrations of these elements reach 47, 2,082, 19,381, and 5,225 mg kg^?1, respectively. Enrichment factors were calculated using Zr as reference element, and high values were found for these contaminated sites, qualifying some of them as extremely polluted. Also, both the mobilizable and mobile fraction of Cd and Pb indicate the need of intervention in the affected area. These findings are all consistent with the human impacts and strong contamination. Strong positive correlation between the pseudototal concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn indicates a similar source of pollution. These soils may represent the oldest Technosols in Antarctic Continent.  相似文献   

Sexual Maturation in the Bull     

N Rawlings  ACO Evans  RK Chandolia  ET Bagu 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2008,43(S2):295-301

In this review, we describe the process of sexual maturation in the bull calf. The testes of the bull grow relatively slowly until approximately 25 weeks of age and then a rapid phase of growth occurs until puberty, at 37–50 weeks of age. During the early postnatal phase of slower growth of the testis pre-spermatogonia and some spermatogonia are established, adult Leydig cells appear and undifferentiated Sertoli cells are produced. The rapid testicular growth, after 25 weeks of age, consists of marked increases in the diameter and length of the seminiferous tubules, dramatic proliferation and differentiation of germ cells, with mature spermatozoa occurring between 32 and 40 weeks of age. The adult Leydig cell population is largely in place by 30 weeks of age and that of Sertoli cells by 30–40 weeks of age. Serum concentrations of LH increase from 4 to 5 weeks of age, to an early postnatal peak at 12–16 weeks of age, followed by a decline to 25 weeks of age. Serum FSH concentrations are high postnatally, declining to approximately 25 weeks of age. Serum testosterone concentrations increase during the phase of rapid testicular growth. Hypothalamic opioidergic inhibition may abate transiently to allow the early postnatal increase in LH secretion, while testicular androgenic negative feedback probably contributes to the decline in gonadotropin secretion to 25 weeks of age. Several lines of study have led us to suggest that early postnatal gonadotropin secretion is pivotal in initiating the process of sexual maturation in the bull calf.  相似文献   

Reliability of wood grain orientation measurements using laser illumination     

Rafael de Oliveira Faria  Roberto Alves Braga Jr.  Antnio Elizeu da Rocha Neto  Ndia Trindade  Fbio Akira Mori  Graham William Horgan 《Biosystems Engineering》2008,100(4):479-483

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Gill denervation eliminates the barostatic reflex in a neotropical teleost,the tambaqui (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colossoma macropomum</Emphasis>)     

Vinicius Araújo Armelin  Victor Hugo da Silva Braga  Mariana Teodoro Teixeira  Francisco Tadeu Rantin  Luiz Henrique Florindo  Ana Lúcia Kalinin 《Fish physiology and biochemistry》2016,42(4):1213-1224

The baroreflex is one of the most important regulators of cardiovascular homeostasis in vertebrates. It begins with the monitoring of arterial pressure by baroreceptors, which constantly provide the central nervous system with afferent information about the status of this variable. Any change in arterial pressure relative to its normal state triggers autonomic responses, which are characterized by an inversely proportional change in heart rate and systemic vascular resistance and which tend to restore pressure normality. Although the baroreceptors have been located in mammals and other terrestrial vertebrates, their location in fish is still not completely clear and remains quite controversial. Thus, the objective of this study was to locate the baroreceptors in a teleost, the Colossoma macropomum. To do so, the occurrence and efficiency of the baroreflex were both analyzed when this mechanism was induced by pressure imbalancements in intact fish (IN), first-gill-denervated fish (G1), and total-gill-denervated fish (G4). The pressure imbalances were initiated through the administration of the α₁-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine (100 µg kg^?1) and the α₁-adrenergic antagonist prazosin (1 mg kg^?1). The baroreflex responses were then analyzed using an electrocardiogram that allowed for the measurement of the heart rate, the relationship between pre- and post-pharmacological manipulation heart rates, the time required for maximum chronotropic baroreflex response, and total heart rate variability. The results revealed that the barostatic reflex was attenuated in the G1 group and nonexistent in G4 group, findings which indicate that baroreceptors are exclusively located in the gill arches of C. macropomum.  相似文献   

Insecticide resistance, mixture potentiation and fitness in populations of the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais)     

A.S. Corrêa  E.J.G. Pereira  E.M.G. Cordeiro  L.S. Braga  R.N.C. Guedes 《Crop Protection》2011,30(12):1655-1666

High levels of pyrethroid resistance and emerging organophosphate resistance in Brazilian populations of the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) led to the registration of esfenvalerate + fenitrothion against them. Thus, a survey of physiological and behavioural resistance was carried out in 27 insect populations for two pyrethroids, esfenvalerate and permethrin, and the esfenvalerate + fenitrothion mixture. Physiological resistance to fenitrothion was also assessed, as was the potentiation of the mixture. The potential fitness cost associated with insecticide resistance was also investigated. The resistance levels were low to fenitrothion (<14.1-fold), low to moderate to the pyrethroids (1.6–70.0-fold) and low to the pyrethroid-organophosphate mixture (<5-fold) with a high heterogeneity of response among populations. The potentiation of insecticidal activity achieved with the insecticide mixture was very high (>350-fold) reinforcing its usefulness for managing weevils. There was little variation in walking behaviour (and insecticide avoidance) among populations; there was no significant variation in fitness, body mass and respiration rate among the populations of the insect. These however, displayed variable rates of grain consumption and activity of amylase and lipase. A decrease in insecticide resistance in maize weevil populations was observed relative to previous studies, but with an initial development of resistance to the insecticide mixture. Behavioural and physiological resistance were not correlated and not associated with fitness cost. Our results support the use of esfenvalerate + fenitrothion against the maize weevil, which is likely to have reduced the levels of pyrethroid resistance in field populations. However, resistance to this mixture seems to be evolving, justifying concerns regarding its use.  相似文献   

Detecting reproductive system abnormalities of broiler breeder roosters at different ages          下载免费PDF全文

MA Lagares  R Ecco  NRS Martins  LJC Lara  JSR Rocha  DAR Vilela  VM Barbosa  PF Mantovani  JFV Braga  IS Preis  VA Gheller  PC Cardeal  NC Baião 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2017,52(1):67-75

The objective of this study was to detect the reasons of rooster's fertility decrease at 50 weeks of age. Therefore, the reproductive system of broiler breeder roosters was laparoscopic, macroscopic and histopathology evaluated, and a comparison of the anatomical aspect with the sperm analysis and birds’ age was realized. Cobb roosters (n = 59) were distributed into two groups (30 and 50 weeks). Evaluations were performed with laparoscopy, macroscopy and histopathology, and seminal quality, blood serum testosterone concentration and weight were also determined. The old roosters presented smaller testicle size, higher intensity epididymal lithiasis and lower testicle sperm production, compared to the young roosters. The use of the endoscope could easily distinguish a normal‐sized testicle than an atrophic one. Four old roosters with severe testicular atrophy did not show spermatogenesis, although three still had sperm in the ejaculate. This would falsely indicate a wrong diagnosis of normal fertility before the testicular atrophy took place. In conclusion, in addition to the weight increase with age, the testicular atrophy and impairment of sperm production seemed to be the main reason to the decrease in the rooster's fertility at 50 weeks of age. Therefore, the use of the laparoscopy as a way to detect the roosters with testicular atrophy before 50 weeks of age and their removal from them flock could be useful as a diagnostic tool to prevent the birds’ fertility loss.  相似文献   

Destruction of Anoplocephala perfoliata Eggs by the Nematophagous Fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia     

Andr R. Silva PhD  Jackson V. Araújo PhD  Fbio R. Braga PhD  Camila D.F. Alves VMD  Jos D.R. Filho PhD 《Journal of Equine Veterinary Science》2010,30(12):701-704

The in vitro effect of an isolate of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC1) on the eggs of Anoplocephala perfoliata was evaluated. The eggs were morphologically analyzed for their integrity using light microscopy (10× objectives), plated on 9.0-cm diameter petri dishes containing 2% WA culture medium with and without fungal isolate (control), grown for 10 days, and 10 replicates were prepared per group. In all, 1000 eggs of A perfoliata were plated on petri dishes containing 2% water agar culture medium with (VC1) and without the fungal isolate (control). After 3, 5, 7, and 10 days, approximately 100 eggs were removed from each plate and classified on the basis of the following parameters: without alteration; type 1, lytic effect without morphological damage to eggshell; type 2, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell; and type 3, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell, in addition to hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization and destruction. The P chlamydosporia fungus demonstrated ovicidal activity (P < .05) on the eggs of A perfoliata in the studied intervals presenting type 3 effects of 35%, 42.5%, 53.83%, and 71.17% for the intervals 3, 5, 7, and 10 days, respectively. P chlamydosporia is a potential biological control agent for the eggs of A perfoliata.  相似文献   

Anthelmintic activity of Cocos nucifera L. on intestinal nematodes of mice     

C.T.C. Costa  S.M. Morais  A.L.F. Camurça-Vasconcelos  M.V. Maciel  R.R. Braga  L.M.B. Oliveira 《Research in veterinary science》2010,88(1):101-103

In this study, we evaluated the anthelmintic activity of the liquid extracted from the bark of the green coconut (LBGC), as well as butanol extract obtained from LBGC, on mouse intestinal nematodes. Thirty-six naturally infected mice were distributed into six groups receiving the following treatments: Group I: 1000 mg/kg of LBGC; Group II: 2000 mg/kg of LBGC; Group III: 500 mg/kg of butanol extract; Group IV: 1000 mg/kg of butanol extract; Group V: 0.56 mg/kg febendazole; and Group VI: 3% dimethylsulfoxide. The chemical composition of the LBGC and its butanol extract was determined by phytochemical tests. A dose of 1000 mg/kg of butanol extract had 90.70% efficacy in reducing the mouse worm burden (p < 0.05). Phytochemical tests revealed the presence of triterpens, saponnins and condensed tannins in the LBGC and butanol extracts. These results suggest that Cocos nucifera extracts may be useful in the control of intestinal nematodes.  相似文献