Efeito acaricida in vitro de extratos de plantas do Pantanal no carrapato de bovinos, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

Estudou-se a ação acaricida dos extratos brutos etanólicos de 14 plantas do Pantanal sobre fêmeas ingurgitadas do carrapato-do-boi. Os bioensaios foram realizados em triplicatas pelo método de imersão das teleóginas e estimadas a produção de ovos, a eclodibilidade e a eficácia dos extratos. Extratos do lenho da raiz e da casca da raiz de Annona dioica, da raiz e da casca do caule de Simarouba versicolor, da raiz de Annona cornifolia e de Duguetia furfuracea tiveram atividade acaricida entre 50% e 100% e resposta dose-dependente. Extratos de Dimorphandra mollis, Magonia pubescens, Protium heptaphyllum, Hyptis crenata, Sebastiana hispida, Aspidosperma australe, Senna occidentalis e de Elyonurus muticus mostraram atividade acaricida baixa ou ausente (0% a 10%). Extratos da parte aérea de A. cornifolia, da planta inteira de Croton glandulosus e da casca do caule de Stryphnodendron obovatum mostraram atividade acaricida intermediária (10% a 20%). A alta atividade acaricida observada nos extratos de A. dioica, A. cornifolia e D. furfuracea indica ação de acetogeninas, moléculas naturais com várias atividades farmacológicas já descritas e presentes, principalmente, nas plantas da família Annonaceae.

Parametros biológicos y morfología de estados juveniles de Adurgoa gonagra (Klug) (Hym.., Argidae)

p.189-192

Variabilidad estructural de una comunidad forestal sobre suelos vérticos de la Provincia de Entre Ríos

p.123-130

A comparison of Agiolax and lactulose in elderly patients with chronic constipation

In a double-blind crossover study the efficacies of Agiolax, a combination of fibre and senna pod, and lactulose were compared in 77 long-stay elderly patients with chronic constipation. Mean daily bowel frequency, stool consistency and ease of evacuation were significantly greater with Agiolax than lactulose. The recommended dose was exceeded more frequently with lactulose than Agiolax (chi 2 = 8.38, p <0.01). Adverse effects were not different for the 2 treatments. In long-stay elderly patients with chronic constipation Agiolax and lactulose were well tolerated, but Agiolax proved a more effective treatment.

L’allégorie nationale à l’épreuve du cinéma : le cas d’Iracema

Cette étude s’inscrit dans un questionnement entourant les notions d’identité nationale et de construction allégorique. Elle s’inscrit également dans une problématique touchant les questions de la matérialité de la littérature et du cinéma. Dans la première partie de cette recherche, nous allons d’abord définir les notions d’allégorie et d’allégorie nationale. Par la suite, à partir de l’histoire d’Iracema, nous allons questionner deux œuvres qui travaillent la rencontre entre une autochtone et un blanc de manière distincte. La première œuvre est Iracema : lenda do Ceará de José de Alencar, un écrivain connu du XIXe siècle au Brésil. Véritable allégorie nationale de fondation, cette œuvre cherche à unir allégoriquement les différences sociales pour fonder une identité qui serait brésilienne. Le film Iracema : uma transa amazônica reprend cette histoire de construction nationale dans un contexte de dictature et montre ses contradictions et ses limites. En mettant l’accent sur les travailleurs et les marginalisés de l’imaginaire national, le film altère la sensibilité visuelle des spectateurs. Puisque l'oeuvre de Bodansky et Senna se situe à la limite entre le documentaire et la fiction, nous avons posé notre regard sur les résistances qu’offrent des images documentaires à l’interprétation allégorique de la nation.

La educación en Brasil y sus múltiples supuestos : desafíos de la educación intercultural.

El interés por los valores subraya la ineludible dimensión ética de la educación. Así, los valores son aquello que propicia la consecución de una vida plena, cumplida; aquello que hace que la vida merezca la pena vivirla. Y al hablar de valores de lo que se trata es de la formación del carácter, una auténtica necesidad si se quiere hablar de educación en sentido pleno. Cuando se trata de hablar de valores inclinarse sobre uno u otro es tener una preferencia subjetiva, no justificable racionalmente, ni por tanto compatible, ya que todas las opciones son legítimas. Pero es difícil ser neutral y en la discusión ética es más difícil lograr el consenso. Las preferencias brotarán de la herencia recibida , de la digestión, del tiempo que haya y de la asociación de ideas. Esos contenidos valiosos se nos desvelan poco a poco, sólo en la medida en que uno aprende a objetivar sus intereses. Por eso la formación, la creación de intereses objetivos, el conocimiento de los valores de la realidad, es un elemento esencial para una vida lograda si uno está dispuesto a someterse a los valores, aumenta su capacidad de conocerlos; y a la inversa. Ese conocimiento de los valores no se adquiere por el discurso o la enseñanza, sino por la experiencia o la práctica. Por otro lado, el carácter apremiante de los valores está casi siempre en razón inversa de su altura: los más altos los que producen más gozo. En esta captación de los valores dos obstáculos principales: la apatía y la ceguera de la pasión.

A morte do General Sanjurjo : análise do tratamento da Imprensa Escrita Portuguesa da época relativo ao acontecimento público

Esta Dissertação tem por objetivo investigar o tratamento que a imprensa escrita portuguesa deu à morte do general Sanjurjo, à época do acontecimento, com vista a saber se deixou ela de noticiá-la, tendo em conta que operava então, sob censura prévia. Ou melhor: se esteve preocupada em omitir e, inclusive, deturpar informações que estivessem em desalinho com o regime português. Com isso pretende-se traçar uma radiografia da linha editorial dos jornais daquele período em relação ao salazarismo. Este trabalho também tem por escopo lançar luz sobre o oficial espanhol, trazendo-o novamente para o centro das atenções, conquanto, desta vez, acadêmicas na sua maioria, já que ele permanece, contraditoriamente, uma figura histórica desconhecida, até mesmo em Portugal. Perifericamente, analisa-se, igualmente, a configuração mediática do «corpus» em questão à luz da teoria dos «Media events», visto que as dissertações de mestrado devem não só trazer informações científicas originais como também constituir um exercício acadêmico. Para ambas as análises, a abordagem adotada é a que trata das modalidades da construção jornalística, ou seja, que estuda as condições de produção do discurso, ao passo que a metodologia, a da Análise Crítica do Discurso.

Decomposition and phosphorus release from organic residues as affected by residue quality and added inorganic phosphorus

The combined use of organic residue and inorganic fertiliser-phosphorus (P) is appropriate in meeting both the short and long-term P requirement of crops. To assess the influence of added inorganic fertiliser-P on the processes of decomposition and P release from the residue and the relationships with quality, prunings of Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephela, Senna siamea, Acacia mangium and Paraserienthus falcataria were incubated without and with added inorganic fertiliser-P for 56 days. Soil was added only as inoculum. Decomposition rate and amounts of acid extractable-P (P release) were in the same order: G. sepium > S. siamea > L. leucocepheta > P falcataria > A. mangium. Unlike the other residues, A. mangium released no P despite the loss of half its mass during the 8 weeks of incubation. The residue P content correlated with P release. However, decomposition rate did not correlate with residue P content but with the lignin, polyphenol and cellulose content, and ratios to P. These ratios were negatively correlated with P release suggesting that lignin and polyphenol contents influence P release more when the residue-P content is low. Results suggest that rate of decomposition influences the release of P. The critical residue P content for P release was estimated to be 0.12% < P < 0.19%. Added P had no effect on decomposition and P release from the residues.

Competition in tree row agroforestry systems. 3. Soil water distribution and dynamics

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that soil water content would vary spatially with distance from a tree row and that the effect would differ according to tree species. A field study was conducted on a kaolinitic Oxisol in the sub-humid highlands of western Kenya to compare soil water distribution and dynamics in a maize monoculture with that under maize (Zea mays L.) intercropped with a 3-year-old tree row of Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. Ex R. Br. (grevillea) and hedgerow of Senna spectabilis DC. (senna). Soil water content was measured at weekly intervals during one cropping season using a neutron probe. Measurements were made from 20 cm to a depth of 225 cm at distances of 75, 150, 300 and 525 cm from the tree rows. The amount of water stored was greater under the sole maize crop than the agroforestry systems, especially the grevillea-maize system. Stored soil water in the grevillea-maize system increased with increasing distance from the tree row but in the senna-maize system, it decreased between 75 and 300 cm from the hedgerow. Soil water content increased least and more slowly early in the season in the grevillea-maize system, and drying was also evident as the frequency of rain declined. Soil water content at the end of the cropping season was similar to that at the start of the season in the grevillea-maize system, but about 50 and 80 mm greater in the senna-maize and sole maize systems, respectively. The seasonal water balance showed there was 140 mm, of drainage from the sole maize system. A similar amount was lost from the agroforestry systems (about 160 mm in the grevillea-maize system and 145 mm in the senna-maize system) through drainage or tree uptake. The possible benefits of reduced soil evaporation and crop transpiration close to a tree row were not evident in the grevillea-maize system, but appeared to greatly compensate for water uptake losses in the senna-maize system. Grevillea, managed as a tree row, reduced stored soil water to a greater extent than senna, managed as a hedgerow.

Chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of common tree forages in the semi-arid rangelands of Swaziland

Browse plants play an important role in providing feed for livestock in semi-arid rangelands of Africa. Chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of leaves collected from Acacia burkei, Acacia tortilis, Acacia nilotica, Dichrostachys cinerea and Ehretia obtusifolia in communal grazing lands in the lowveld of Swaziland is presented. Leaves were collected from trees located on two soil types (i.e., lithosol and vertisol) in the communal land but it had no effect on the chemical composition of tree leaves. The NDFom and ADFom content were highest in D. cinerea and A. burkei and lowest in E. obtusifolia and A. nilotica. Crude protein (CP) contents ranged between 108 g/kg and 122 g/kg DM. D. cinerea had the highest Ca and Mg content, while A. tortilis had the lowest. There were marked variations in K level amongst browse species, with A. tortilis (9.1 g/kg DM) having the highest value. The P, Zn and Fe did not differ between browse species. Soil type and tree species interaction impacted in vitro fermentation parameters. Extent of fermentation, as measured by 48 h cumulative gas production, and organic matter degradability was highest in E. obtusifolia leaves and lowest in D. cinerea leaves within soil type. Fermentation efficiency, as measured by partitioning factors, was highest in A. nilotica leaves. Leaves of E. obtusifolia could be a valuable supplementary feedstuff for ruminant livestock due to its in vitro fermentation characteristics as well as low fibre and moderate CP levels. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anti-proliferative effect of rhein, an anthraquinone isolated from Cassia species, on Caco-2 human adenocarcinoma cells

Objective: In recent years the use of anthraquinone laxatives, in particular senna, has been associated with damage to the intestinal epithelial layer and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. In the present study we evaluated the cytotoxicity of rhein, the active metabolite of senna, on human colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) and its effect on cell proliferation. Methods: Cytotoxicity studies were performed using MTT, NR and TEER assays whereas 3H-thymidine incorporation and western blot analysis were used to evaluate the effect of rhein on cell proliferation. Moreover, for genoprotection studies Comet assay and oxidative biomarkers measurement (malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species) were used. Results: Rhein (0.1-10μg/ml) had no significant cytotoxic effect on proliferating and differentiated Caco-2 cells. Rhein (0.1 and 1 μg/ml) significantly reduced cell proliferation as well as MAP kinase activation; by contrast, at the high concentration (10μg/ml) rhein significantly increased cell proliferation and ERK phosphorylation. Moreover, rhein (0.1-10μg/ml) (i) did not adversely affect the integrity of tight junctions and hence epithelial barrier function, (ii) did not induce DNA damage rather it was able to reduce H2O2-induced DNA damage and (iii) significantly inhibited the increase in malondialdehyde and ROS levels induced by H2O2/Fe2+. Conclusions: Rhein, was devoid of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in colon adenocarcinoma cells. Moreover, at concentrations present in the colon after a human therapeutic dosage of senna, rhein inhibited cell proliferation via a mechanism which seems to involve directly the MAP kinase pathway. Finally, rhein prevents the DNA damage probably via an anti-oxidant mechanism.

Women’s Popular Cinema in Greece: the case of Olga Malea

This thesis examines the film comedies directed by Olga Malea and released between 1997 and 2007 in Greece, in order to make a claim for the study of women’s popular cinema in Greece and beyond. Women’s popular cinema refers to films which are thematically associated with women’s cinema while operating in popular forms, such as genre. Olga Malea and her work make for a useful case study, in that they encapsulate the relationship between these two broad categories of women’s cinema and popular cinema. In addition, this thesis claims that the two categories inflect one another in interesting ways, and their intersections act as a productive framework for the analysis of women’s cinema as popular cinema, effecting a popularisation of usually marginalised themes. The introduction to this work primarily outlines the theoretical frameworks for the argument that follows, namely: women’s cinema and feminist theory; discussions around popular cinema; and considerations about authorship. The concept of national film cultures and its possible meaning in relation to Greece is also alluded to as a contextual factor. Each subsequent chapter advances the argument for women’s popular cinema through close textual analysis of the films in chronological order of their release. In particular, the analysis identifies recurrent strands and motifs in the director’s oeuvre, such as tensions between tradition and modernity, and the pervasive nature of patriarchy in informing national gender discourses. Having established the argument that women’s popular cinema is productive in popularising women’s cinema itself, the thesis concludes that, in the work of Olga Malea, its themes are conceived of, represented and perceived as prominent in the country during the period examined – and one can finally address women’s cinema as popular.

Composition and antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei and Cryptococcus neoformans of essential oils from leaves of Piper and Peperomia species

This study was addressed to investigate the composition and antifungal activity of essential oils from leaves of Piperaceae species (Piper aduncum, Piper amalago, Piper cernuum, Piper diospyrifolium, Piper crassinervium, Piper gaudichaudianum, Piper solmsianum, Piper regnellii, Piper tuberculatum, Piper umbelata and Peperomia obtusifolia) against Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei and Cryptococcus neoformans. The essential oils from P. aduncum, P. gaudichaudianum and P. solmsianum showed the highest antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans with the MIC of 62.5, 62.5 and 3.9 mg.mL-1, respectively. The oil from P. gaudichaudianum showed activity against C. krusei with MIC of 31.25 mg.mL-1.

Absolute Configuration and Selective Trypanocidal Activity of Gaudichaudianic Acid Enantiomers

Gaudichaudianic acid, a prenylated chromene isolated from Piper gaudichaudianum, has been described as a potent trypanocidal compound against the Y-strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. We herein describe its isolation as a racemic mixture followed by enantiomeric resolution using chiral HPLC and determination of the absolute configuration of the enantiomers as (+)-S and (-)-R by means of a combination of electronic and vibrational circular dichroism using density functional theory calculations. Investigation of the EtOAc extract of the roots, stems, and leaves from both adult specimens and seedlings of P. gaudichaudianum revealed that gaudichaudianic acid is biosynthesized as a racemic mixture from the seedling stage onward. Moreover, gaudichaudianic acid was found exclusively in the roots of seedlings, while it is present in all organs of the adult plant. Trypanocidal assays indicated that the (+)-enantiomer was more active than its antipode. Interestingly, mixtures of enantiomers stowed a synergistic effect, with the racemic mixture being the most active.

Remuneração dos executivos das empresas do setor de energia elétrica da região sudeste do Brasil

Dissertação apresentada ao Programa de Mestrado em Administração, da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul - USCS