Uma cidade em transformação: a influência da atividade do crediário nas mudanças da paisagem urbana de Tenente Ananias-RN

Studies on the urban landscape and on the changes of the urban space are relevant, since they reveal the economic dynamics and the way of life in the cities. Research on small towns, in particular, can display particular aspects and by so doing broaden the comprehension of this theme. The purpose of this research is to analyze the changes in the urban landscape and in the way of life of the inhabitants of the town of Tenente Ananias-RN that have been taking place since the 1990s up to the present (2013) and which result mainly from the commercial activity of crediário. The study is, therefore, a reflection on the impact of crediário economy on the urban landscape and on the way of life of a small town located in the hinterland of the State of Rio Grande do Norte. For this reason, it was necessary to study the landscape and the way of life found in Tenente Ananias in two moments: a) before the rise of the crediário, a period of time ranging from the town‟s initial emergence until the beginning of the 1990s; b) during the progress of crediário activity, from the beginning of the 1990s, when it starts, up to the present (2013). For this research, primary data (interviews, local survey visits) and secondary data (books, articles, reports, census data) were used. As a result of this study, it was possible to conclude that crediário plays a fundamental role for the explanation of the changes taking place in Tenente Ananias-RN, especially in the urban landscape and in the way of life of people. We have attempted, through this research, to contribute to the studies of a historical, social and economic process related to the urban landscape and space of a small town in the State of Rio Grande do Norte

Efeito de glucanas do fungo Caripia montagnei em modelo de inflamação intestinal induzida por tnbs em ratos Wistar e em células de carcinoma de cólon humano HT-29

Compounds derived from fungi has been the subject of many studies in order to broaden the knowledge of their bioactive potential. Polysaccharides from Caripia montagnei have been described to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, glucans extracted from Caripia montagnei mushroom were chemically characterized and their effects evaluated at different doses and intervals of treatment. It was also described their action on colonic injury in the model of colitis induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), and its action on cells of the human colon carcinoma (HT-29). Compounds extracted of C. montagnei contain high level of carbohydrates (96%), low content of phenolic compounds (1.5%) and low contamination with proteins (2.5%). The (FT-IR) and (NMR) analysis showed that polysaccharides from this species of mushroom are composed of α- and β-glucans. The colonic damage was evaluated by macroscopic, histological, biochemical and immunologic analyses. The results showed a reduction of colonic lesions in all groups treated with the glucans of Caripia montagnei (GCM). GCM significantly reduced the levels of IL-6 (50 and 75 mg/kg, p < 0.05), a major inflammatory cytokine. Biochemical analyses showed that such glucans acted on reducing levels of alkaline phosphatase (75 mg/kg, p < 0.01), nitric oxide (p < 0.001), and myeloperoxidase (p < 0.001). These results were confirmed microscopically by the reduction of cellular infiltration. The increase of catalase activity suggest a protective effect of GCM on colonic tissue, confirming their anti-inflammatory potential. GCM displayed cytostatic activity against HT-29 cells, causing accumulation of cells in G1 phase, blocking the cycle cell progression. Those glucans also showed ability to modulate the adhesion of HT-29 cells to Matrigel® and reduced the oxidative stress. The antiproliferative activity against HT-29 cells displayed by GCM (p <0.001) can be attributed to its cytostatic activity and induction of apoptosis by GCM