Contribution of plant phytochemicals to organic homeostasis: focus on the aging process and opportunistic infections

Aging process is conceived as a normal stage during human life cycle, but it is also considered a hot topic among scientists and medical community. Alarming rates of premature aging and oxidative stress-related diseases have increasingly affect human individuals. Stress, pollution and exposition to chemical substances are considered the main triggering factors for those conditions; in addition, they also suppress the immune system and, therefore, improve organic vulnerability and occurrence of opportunistic infections [I]. Apart from the associated morbidity and mortality, the increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance improve the severity of the clinical conditions [2]. Botanical preparations possess a multitude of bioactive properties, namely acting as antimicrobials, antioxidants, and homeostasis modulators. Thus, upcoming alternatives, mainly based in plant phytochemicals, are necessary to improve the wellbeing as also life expectancy of individuals. The present study aims to evaluate and to compare both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of plant extracts rich in phenolic compounds. Among the tested plants, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (licorice) evidenced the most pronounced free radicals scavenging and antimicrobial effects, followed by Salvia officina/is L. (sage), Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme) and Origanum vulgare L. (oregano). Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (blue gum) and Juglans regia L. (walnut) also showed a high effect, while Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk. (carqueja) and Rubus ulmifolius Schott (elm leaf blackberry) displayed moderate effects, and lastly, Tabebuia impetigirwsa (Mart. ex DC) Standley (pau d'arco), Foeniculum vulgare Miller (fennel), Rosa canina L. (rose hips) and Matricaria recutita L. (chamomile) gave only slight effects. In general, the most pronounced bioactivities were observed in the plant preparations (infusion>decoction>hydromethanolic extract) with higher levels of phenolic compounds (both flavonoids and phenolic acids). The observed synergisms between the phenolic compounds present in the extracts highlight the use of phytochemicals as future health promoters. However, further studies are necessary to understand the effective mode of action of individual phenolic constituents as also the existence of polyvalence relationships between them.

Contribution of plant-derived phenolic compounds to combat Candida species biofilms

Opportunistic fungal infections, namely involving Candida species, constitute a hot topic for scientific researchers. The present wor1( aims to access antifungal potential of plant-derived phenolic extrac:ls against planktonic cells and biofilms of Candida species. Eucalyptvs globulus Labill. (blue gum), Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (licorice), Juglans regia L. (walnut) and Salvia officina/is L. (sage) evidenced to be the most effective Candida growth inhibitors, using disc diffusion assay. Minmal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal fungicidal (MFC) concentrations, and chemical composition of extracts by using HPLC-DAO-ESVMS were also determined. Blue gum and walnut mainly exerted fungistatic potential, while sage exerted an interesting anti-Candida potential. However, the most prominent candidacidal potential was observed to licorice extract, being achieved the lowest MIC and MFC values. The candidacidal potential of these phenolic extracts was mainly attributed to their high abundance in flavonoids, mainly flavones: luteolin (sage) and apigen~ derivatives (licorice), and flavanones: liQuiritin derivatives (licorice). In order to deepen the knowledge on the most effective extract. its abiity to inhibit biofilm formation was evaluated. Overall, a double concentration of MFC value was necessary to achieve similar results in biofims. Row cytometry assays were also carried out, and the obtained results revealed that primary lesion of cellular membrane appear to be most relevant mode of action. Thus, plant derived phenolic compounds evidence a promising potential to combat Candida species biofilms, both individually or combined with conventional therapy.

Evaluar el crecimiento de estacas de veranera (Bouganvillea glabra choisy) bajo el efecto de biofertilizante liquido a base de estiercol vacuno

El presente trabajo se realizó en la finca “Las Mercedes”, propiedad de La Universidad Nacional Agraria (UNA), ubicada en el Municipio de Managua, en el período comprendido entre el mes de Octubre del 2006 a Marzo del 2007.Esta investigación se hizo con la finalidad de establecer una nueva alternativa para la propagación de veranera (Bougainvillea glabra) aplicando diferentes dosis de biofertilizante l��quido a base de estiércol vacuno y determinar como influye en el crecimiento. En el ensayo se utilizaron estacas de 30 centímetros sembradas directamente en las bolsas de polietileno y el sustrato utilizado para la propagación de la misma fue Compost en un 100%. La parcela experimental constó de 100 bolsas de polietileno de las cuales 36 bolsas fueron bordes y 64 al área útil, se tomaron 20 bolsas al azar a las cuales se les midió las variables en estudio. Para el estudio se recurrió a un diseño completamente azarizado (DCA) y en él se evaluaron diferentes tratamientos, (A) 2.0 litros (B) 1.5 litros (C) 1.0 litros de biofertilizante y (D) solamente agua, se analizaron las variables número de brotes, diámetro del brote, altura del brote, número de raíces y sobrevivencia de plantas. Se encontró diferencia significativa en el número de brotes en el tratamiento C (2.72) en el número de raíces el tratamiento A presento el mayor número (8) y la sobrevivencia el tratamiento A presentó el mayor porcentaje (87).

甘草属（Glycyrrhiza L.)的系统学研究——兼论与假甘草属（Glycyrrhizopsis Bosis.&Bal.)的关系

甘草属（Glycyrrhiza L.）隶属于豆科山羊豆族甘草亚族，各大洲均有分布。本文对甘草属进行了全面的系统学研究，重点分析了各形态相关性状的变异式样及变异范围，首次发现甘草属的龙骨瓣不合生、分离，中国植物志四十二卷记载龙骨瓣合生，则有误;认为荚果形态和叶片性状是较为可靠的分种依据，小叶数目、花序疏、密以及小花大小等性状对于属下种类的划分也具有重要的分类学意义。首次在扫描电镜下观察了13种甘草属植物花粉粒的微形态特征，发现甘草属植物花粉为球形或近球形、三孔沟、萌发沟通常比较宽、沟边缘不整齐、沟膜较明显、表面通常具有疣状、瘤状或颗粒状突起;外壁纹饰以小孔穴状纹饰为主，还有皱纹状纹饰。花粉的形状、大小、外壁纹饰在种间存在变异，反映了一定的种间关系，对目前的属下分类系统提供了一些证据。对种子形态观察表明，该属植物的种皮表面纹饰特征比较相近，除圆果甘草(G. squamulosa)表面纹饰为圆丘状突起外，其余种类均以各种条纹状或回纹状突起为主。从种皮表面纹饰特征所反映的种间关系来看，有些与传统的分类结果一致，有些则不一致，无规律可寻，对于进行甘草属分类和种间系统演化关系研究不具有更高价值。对甘草属植物进行了分子系统学研究，测定5种甘草属植物的ITS序列，并从Genebank中下载21种的ITS序列，包括了2种甘草属植物及山羊豆族内其它10个属的代表。以紫藤为外类群，进行简约性分析，构建甘草属及其临近类群的系统发育树状图，结果显示，所研究的甘草属植物聚为一支，而山羊豆族内的其余类群在系统树上聚为另一支，表明甘草属与山羊豆族内其余类群的关系相对稍远;甘草属植物作为一个单系类群得到了100％的支持。在包括了山羊豆族、车轴草族、蚕豆族、鹰嘴豆族、岩黄芪族和灰叶族植物的系统发育树状图上，甘草属植物与山羊豆族的其余类群则处于不同的分枝上，进一步表明它们亲缘关系较远，包括甘草属的山羊豆族不是一个单系类群，甘草属的分类位置还需进一步研究。 作者在研究了4000余份腊叶标本及进行了大量野外考察的基础上，结合孢粉学、种子形态及分子生物学的证据，首次采用综合手段对世界甘草属植物进行全面的分类学修订。确认甘草属含3个组、13个种、1个变种，其中处理一新组合;对17个名称进行了归并;重新界定了广布种乌拉甘草（G.uralensis）和欧亚甘草（G.glabra）的变异范围，澄清了上述两种长期存在的名实混乱;考证了属的正确模式及一些种的合法学名，发现被命名为胀果甘草（G. inflata）的类群其正确名称应是G. paucifoliolata，建议将长期使用的胀果甘草作为保留名。确立假甘草属Glycyrrhizopsis Boiss. & bal.的独立地位，并确认该属具有2种1变种，处理新组合一个。本文对每一个种进行了详细的形态描述，并附分布资料及地理分布图，还给出了分组、分种检索表。

Aislamiento y caracterización de metabolitos secundarios de Bougainvillea glabra, Choisy, (Nyctaginaceae); Leucophyllum frutescens, (Berl) I. M. Johnst, (Scrophulariaceae) y Eriobotrya japonica, Linsl (Rosaceae) [por] Eduardo Alberto Martínez Vega.

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Química de Productos Naturales) U.A.N.L.

Viabilidade de sementes de acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC): avaliação da vitalidade dos tecidos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morfoanatomia dos órgãos reprodutivos e da pl��ntula de Epiphyllum phyllanthus (L.) Haw. (Cactaceae)

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biol��gicas (Biologia Vegetal) - IBRC

Caracterização morfol��gica, citogenética e palinol��gica de genótipos de feijão-vagem (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) - Fabaceae

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Detecção de Meloidogyne enterolobii em mudas de amoreira (Morus nigra L.)

Trade seedlings without certification contributed to spread pests and diseases which can cause a large damage to grown plants. In Itapetininga (SP), was seized by Agricultural Defense staff, seedlings of barbados cherry, guava and mulberry, sold in trucks, all of that had galls on roots, typical symptom caused by Meloidogyne spp. Specie identification was made by morphology of female perineal pattern and male head, as well as characterization of esterase enzyme phenotype. It was confirmed the presence of M. enterolobii in the samples analyzed. This is the first report of M. enterolobii in mulberry seedlings in the world.

Towards executable specification : combining i* and AgentSpeak(L).

Agent-oriented conceptual modelling (AoCM) approaches in Requirements Engineering (RE) have received considerable attention recently. Semi-formal modeling frameworks such as i* assist analysts in requirements elicitation and reasoning of early-phase RE. AgentSpeak(L) is a widely accepted agent programming language. The Strategic Rationale (SR) model of the i* framework naturally lends itself to AgentSpeak(L) programs. Furthermore, the Strategic Dependency (SD) component of the i* framework prescribes the interaction between the agents in a multi-agent environment. This paper proposes a formal methodology for transforming a SR model to an AgentS- peak(L) agent. The constructed AgentSpeak(L) agents will then form the essential components of a multi-agent system, MAS.