Avaliação das atividades antioxidantes e citotóxicas de extratos ricos em polissacarídeos extraídos das hastes de mandacaru (Cereus Jamacaru de Candolle, Cactaceae)

The use of medicinal plants to cure and treat various diseases is a common practice in the world and in Brazil. In several regions of the Brazil´s Northeast, the cactus Cereus jamacaru, known as mandacaru, is used popularly as a treatment to many diseases, including those related to heart respiratory diseases, gastric ulcers, scurvy, and kidney diseases. However, there is a scarcity in the scientific literature that proves scientifically the popular application of this cactus. Like other plants, Cereus jamacaru synthesizes several potentially bioactive molecules, like as polysaccharides. In this work, three polysaccharides-rich aqueous extracts, MCA80, MPM and MCP60, were obtained from this plant and analyzed chemically, as well as their cytotoxic and antioxidant potential. The data showed that all extracts consist mainly of polysaccharides (89.42 to 95.76%), but also protein (> 2%) and phenolic (3 to 8.87%) contaminants were detected. All extracts are rich in galactose, glucose and mannose. In addition, glucuronic acid was found in MCA80 and MCP60. The extracts showed total antioxidant capacity ranged from 55.21 to 68.13 of ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE). Besides, they exhibited reducer power and cupric chelation in a dose-dependent manner. None of the extracts inhibited the MTT reduction in the presence of prostate tumor cells (PC-3). However, MCP60 was the most effective extract by preventing the reduction of MTT by about 80% in the presence of cells 786. Nuclear fragmentation tests showed that this extract induces cell death. The data indicated that mandacaru synthesizes bioactive polysaccharides with potential as antioxidant and antitumor agents. For future studies, it is intended to purify and characterize these polysaccharides and its antioxidant and antitumor mechanisms

Simulação de fluxo de fluidos em meios porosos desordenados uma análise de efeito de escala na estimativa da permeabilidade e do coeficiente de arrasto

The present study provides a methodology that gives a predictive character the computer simulations based on detailed models of the geometry of a porous medium. We using the software FLUENT to investigate the flow of a viscous Newtonian fluid through a random fractal medium which simplifies a two-dimensional disordered porous medium representing a petroleum reservoir. This fractal model is formed by obstacles of various sizes, whose size distribution function follows a power law where exponent is defined as the fractal dimension of fractionation Dff of the model characterizing the process of fragmentation these obstacles. They are randomly disposed in a rectangular channel. The modeling process incorporates modern concepts, scaling laws, to analyze the influence of heterogeneity found in the fields of the porosity and of the permeability in such a way as to characterize the medium in terms of their fractal properties. This procedure allows numerically analyze the measurements of permeability k and the drag coefficient Cd proposed relationships, like power law, for these properties on various modeling schemes. The purpose of this research is to study the variability provided by these heterogeneities where the velocity field and other details of viscous fluid dynamics are obtained by solving numerically the continuity and Navier-Stokes equations at pore level and observe how the fractal dimension of fractionation of the model can affect their hydrodynamic properties. This study were considered two classes of models, models with constant porosity, MPC, and models with varying porosity, MPV. The results have allowed us to find numerical relationship between the permeability, drag coefficient and the fractal dimension of fractionation of the medium. Based on these numerical results we have proposed scaling relations and algebraic expressions involving the relevant parameters of the phenomenon. In this study analytical equations were determined for Dff depending on the geometrical parameters of the models. We also found a relation between the permeability and the drag coefficient which is inversely proportional to one another. As for the difference in behavior it is most striking in the classes of models MPV. That is, the fact that the porosity vary in these models is an additional factor that plays a significant role in flow analysis. Finally, the results proved satisfactory and consistent, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the referred methodology for all applications analyzed in this study.

Características fisico-químicas e sensoriais da carne de bubalinos Murrah abatidos em diferentes períodos de confinamento

Objetivou-se avaliar as características físicas, químicas e sensoriais da carne de búfalos abatidos em diferentes períodos de confinamento. Foram utilizados 20 bubalinos da raça Murrah, castrados, descornados, com idade média inicial de 15 meses, abatidos aos 75, 100, 125 ou 150 dias de confinamento. Após o abate, as carcaças foram identificadas e resfriadas por 24 horas. Durante a desossa, foram colhidas amostras do contrafilé entre a 10ª e 11ª costelas para análise das características sensoriais e das perdas por cocção; entre a 11ª e 12ª costelas para avaliação da composição centesimal, do valor calórico, do pH e do índice de fragmentação miofibrilar (IFM); e entre a 12ª e 13ª costelas para a avaliação do escore de marmorização e da força de cisalhamento. A composição centesimal, o pH, a força de cisalhamento, o valor calórico, as perdas por cocção e o IFM não diferiram estatisticamente entre os períodos de confinamento. O grau de marmorização diferiu entre as idades de abate, uma vez os animais abatidos aos 75 dias de confinamento apresentaram escore de 1,25; os abatidos aos 100 e 125 dias, escore 2; e aqueles abatidos aos 150 dias de confinamento, escore 2,2. em todos os períodos de confinamento, a carne bubalina foi classificada como macia (média 3,94 kgf) e apresentou com características que não diferiram pelo painel sensorial entre os 75 e 150 dias de confinamento. O abate de bubalinos aos 75 e 150 dias de confinamento não influencia as características sensoriais sabor, aroma e cor da carne bubalina.

Estudo in silico da interação da albumina de soro humano com o ibuprofeno

Currently, computational methods have been increasingly used to aid in the characterization of molecular biological systems, especially when they relevant to human health. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory or broadband use in the clinic. Once in the bloodstream, most of ibuprofen is linked to human serum albumin, the major protein of blood plasma, decreasing its bioavailability and requiring larger doses to produce its antiinflamatory action. This study aimes to characterize, through the interaction energy, how is the binding of ibuprofen to albumin and to establish what are the main amino acids and molecular interactions involved in the process. For this purpouse, it was conducted an in silico study, by using quantum mechanical calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT), with Generalized Gradient approximation (GGA) to describe the effects of exchange and correlation. The interaction energy of each amino acid belonging to the binding site to the ligand was calculated the using the method of molecular fragmentation with conjugated caps (MFCC). Besides energy, we calculated the distances, types of molecular interactions and atomic groups involved. The theoretical models used were satisfactory and show a more accurate description when the dielectric constant ε = 40 was used. The findings corroborate the literature in which the Sudlow site I (I-FA3) is the primary binding site and the site I-FA6 as secondary site. However, it differs in identifying the most important amino acids, which by interaction energy, in order of decreasing energy, are: Arg410, Lys414, Ser 489, Leu453 and Tyr411 to the I-Site FA3 and Leu481, Ser480, Lys351, Val482 and Arg209 to the site I-FA6. The quantification of interaction energy and description of the most important amino acids opens new avenues for studies aiming at manipulating the structure of ibuprofen, in order to decrease its interaction with albumin, and consequently increase its distribution

Checklist dos mamíferos do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

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

Liofilização como ferramenta de preservação de sêmen humano

Liofilização é um método alternativo de preservação de espermatozóide, com vantagens sobre o criopreservado pelo baixo custo de armazenamento, facilidade no transporte pela não necessidade de containers e baixas taxas de contaminação. Esse estudo foi realizado no intuito e testar a eficácia de 5 açúcares na proteção do material cromossômico (DNA) de espermatozoides humanos liofilizados após reidratação. Para isso foram utilizados espermatozoides de indivíduos classificados como normozooespérmicos segundo OMS. Em eppendorfs foram colocados 1ml de sêmen que foram diluídos (1:1) em 1 ml de solução de Glicose, Lactose, Maltose, Manitol e Sorbitol, separadamente, nas concentrações 0.2M, 0.4M, 0.5M e 0.6M. Essas amostras foram analisadas em duas fases a primeira após congelamento observando a porcentagem de células com danos de membrana e outra análise após a liofilização, utilizando o Teste Cometa para detectar as taxas de fragmentação de DNA dos espermatozoides recuperadas após reidratação. O processo de liofilização de espermatozoides não foi capaz de recuperar a motilidade dos mesmos, mas foi capaz de manter 62.30 ± 13.76% de membrana plasmática intacta na presença de 0.6M manitol. As substâncias que melhor preservaram o DNA dessas células foram 0.2 lactose, 0.2M e 0.6M manitol e sorbitol, com apenas 4% de danos ao DNA. Esses resultados sugerem uma boa proteção ao DNA de espermatozoides humanos liofilizados, mas ainda requer testes adicionais para avaliar a fertilização e estudos que garantam a viabilidade da prole

A compreensão do corpo na formação profissional do fisioterapeuta

Physical therapy has suffered of a mechanistic influence, with the superspecialization and fragmentation of learning, which interfers directly in the professional s understanding of the body, besides affecting his therapeutic performance. Worried about this reality, this research analyzed perceptions of Physical therapy students from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte and Universidade Potiguar about the human body. This is a descriptive study where 167 students were evaluated through objective and subjective responses to questionnaires designited QUEB Questionnare of understanding body evaluation. Searching the complement of the datas the QUEB open-ended was created, which gives freedom to students to answer freely. This questionnnaire was applicated on a subgroup composed by 21 students of the Health Sociology subject of the Physical therapy course. The validation process of these questionnaires included strategies of a panel of experts and face validity. The theorical reference analyzed based on the studies which favor the rejoining of knowledge represented by transdisciplinary support. The analysis of the results were performed quantitativavely and qualitatively through categorization of the responses selectioning key-words and the most expressive discourses , besides using descritive statistics interpretation. According to the responses, the body thought only thought biologically, ignoring the understanding of man as a cultural and social construction, confirming the presence of the reductionist model, with overvalorization of early specialization, technical training and purely biological and mechanical considerations of the body and its mobility. Probably, the dialogic knowledge of the body human inside Physical Therapist s learning can promote a growth of health s concept and a true activeness of Physical therapy on it, being the body a link with social environment. So, through understanding of the body as a complex form, the physical therapy will be able to attend your patients considerating their biological characteristics, but so the religious, political, social and ethics. Finally, this reflection suggests a search for a less technical vision, which allows the professional to discern more than segments of the body and which will contribute to a wider understanding of the patient and his social context, leading to greater humanization of the body , improvement in services and consequently, in the quality of life of these patients

Diálogos com o homem imaginário: pensando o uso de imagens no ensino de sociologia

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Soil CO2 emission as related to incorporation of sugarcane crop residues and aggregate breaking after rotary tiller

O preparo do solo é um dos processos que aceleram a decomposição da matéria orgânica, transferindo carbono para atmosfera, principalmente na forma de CO2. Neste trabalho, investigou-se o efeito do preparo com enxada rotativa sobre as emissões de CO2 do solo durante 02 semanas após o preparo do solo, incluindo-se a presença de resíduos vegetais sobre a superfície. As emissões foram avaliadas por 15 dias após preparo em 3 parcelas: 1) sem preparo e sem palha superficial (SPs); 2) preparo com enxada rotativa sem a presença de palha na superfície (ERs), e 3) preparo com enxada rotativa com a presença de palha superficial (ERc). As emissões provenientes da ERc foram superiores às demais (0,777 g CO2 m-2 h-1), sendo as menores emissões registradas na parcela SPs (0,414 g CO2 m-2 h-1). As emissões totais indicaram que a diferença de C-CO2 emitida à atmosfera corresponde a 3% do total de carbono adicional presente na palha, na parcela ERc, quando comparado à parcela ERs. O aumento da emissão da parcela SPs para ERs foi acompanhado de uma modificação na distribuição do tamanho de agregados, especialmente aqueles com diâmetro médio inferior a 2 mm. O aumento da emissão da parcela ERs para ERc esteve relacionado a uma diminuição da massa de palha na superfície, com fragmentação e incorporação da mesma no interior do solo. Quando se analisa a correlação linear entre emissão de CO2 versus temperatura e umidade do solo, somente a emissão da ERc foi significativamente correlacionada (p<0,05) à umidade do solo.

A onda do turismo na cidade do sol: a reconfiguração urbana de Natal

Space reading of Natal City and its reconfiguration from the intensification of tourist activity and the expansion of the services' sector, transiting, primarily, through the geography, the social sciences, the economy, in one main approach that is unaware of science's traditional limitations and recognizes the complexity that involves current world. In face of this agreement it analyzes the social-economic implications that remodel the spaces under the new economic view of services' sector, commanded by the tourism, in an intense process of city's reconfiguration, concentrating in three great axles and their irrigation ways. These changes were about the public-private relation (by the public politics) in the formation of new spaces and in the remodeling of the city's old areas, which, together, had contributed to the tourist activity's appropriation, returning it in a social-economic mosaic that owns obvious reflexes in its space. This fragmentation in the urbane cloth of Natal is expressed by social nature and economic points and, in the scenery, is manifested through the modern forms of city's space occupation by the local elites and services' sector, evidencing their status' district, as well as selecting those areas with bigger capacity to reply to the capital

Avaliação histomorfométrica e ultra-estrutural da mucosa do cólon menor eqüino submetido a distensão

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

Democracia participativa e regulação econômica: uma questão de legitimidade

This work presents an analysis about the legitimation of independent regulatory commission`s rulemaking power by participation procedure. It is observed that political and administrative decentralization and fragmentation of State, with the purpose of approaching citizens and provide, more efficiently, the functions acquired by the passage of the Welfare State, leads to a deficit of legitimacy (democratic crisis), which is noticeable in the making of legal norms by directors of independent regulatory commission to regulate specific economic sector. However, we understand that this crisis stems from the observation of the contemporary world from dogmas and legal institutions of the eighteenth century, without their evolution and adaptation to the modern world. The legitimacy must be perceived as the justification of power, relation command /obedience, which, from the Modern State, has the democracy as standard. Therefore, just as the world has evolved and demanded political and administrative decentralization to accompany him, it is necessary to the development of the idea of representative democracy (formal legitimacy) to participatory democracy (legitimacy stuff). Legitimacy is not confused with the legality: as the legality is on observance to internal legal system, the "rules of play"; legitimacy, as inputs to be fed into this system, the selection of the different expectations in the environment. Nevertheless, the legitimacy will take place by legality, through introduction of rational and communicative procedures: procedures get fundamental importance because these will be the means to select the expectations to be introduced in the legal system in order to make decisions more fair, rational and qualified towards society. Thus, it is necessary to its opening to the environment for dialogue with the government. In this context, we try to make an analysis of constitutional norms based on systematic and teleological interpretation of these norms to build these arguments. According to the Constitution of 1988, participatory democracy is a result of the democratic principle (sole paragraph of art. 1 of the Constitution), and it is an expression of citizenship and political pluralism, both foundations of Republic (respectively Art. 1st, inc . V and II of the Constitution), as well as the national consciousness. From another point of view, that principle consists of an evolution in the management public affairs (principle of Republic). The right of interested participate in the rulemaking process derives both the principle of popular participation (part of the democratic principle) and the republican principle as the due process constitutional (art. 5, LIV and LV, CF/88) and the right to petition (Art . 5 °, inc. XXXIV, "a", CF/88), and it is the duty of the State not only be open to participation and encourage it. Ignoring stakeholder involvement in procedures and / or expressions compiled can be causes of invalidation of the rule of law produced by addiction of procedure, motive, motivation and/or because of the administrative act. Finally, we conclude that the involvement of stakeholders in the process of making rules within the independent regulatory commission is the legitimacy and the validity of rules; and that, despite of the expressions do not bind the decision making, they will enter the system as juridical fact, balancing the field of technical discretionary of agencies

Os crimes de mídia no paradigma democrático constitucional

The criminal responsibility of the media is analyzed when the criteria for production of news and events involving public safety are produced without considering the technical, legal and ethical practice of journalism in the media factors. Freedom of speech, expression of thought, necessary for professional qualifications and constitutional limits, reaching criminal constitutional principles and the possibilities of criminal liability for offenses practiced in the media are present as key factors legal dialogue in this work. The judgment of the Supreme Court on the unconstitutionality of Law nº. 5.250/67 called Media Law caused a gap in the national legal system, forcing the use of the criminal code to address issues that involve crimes produced in media professional performance. The presumption of innocence is ignored by the professional media during a police investigation where the information published does not respect, including constitutional guarantees: the right to privacy, honor and image. The right to information and the duty to inform media are worked in its constitutional aspect, considering that the same information should be produced is guided by the quality and guiding principles of truth. The constitutional concept of media is presented as information with the appropriate language of the news media, produced and disseminated through the vehicles of mass media, whether in print or digital platform. The presented model of the legal right to information is outlined from a constitutional hermeneutics, increasing the production of news as a result of the occupation of journalist in different news platforms, guaranteeing the quality of this prolific law. Under the Freedom of professional activity of the journalist, the constitutional limits are addressed in line with the reality of (non) regulation of their profession, considering the constitutional abuses committed in the exercise of that activity linked to communication fences. Jusphilosophic field reaches the limits of the duty of truth in journalism as a tool for spreading news, respect the audience and compatibility with the constitutional state. Using the conceptual and doctrinal aspects, this criminal offense is parsed from the journalistic practice and the publication of news involving public safety, with the hypothetical field consummation of that crime through the eventual intention. As a form of judgment against these crimes produced in honor media presents the court of the jury as a legitimate form of democratic decision

Estrutura genética populacional de Heliconius erato e Heliconius melpomene (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) em fragmentos de Mata Atlântica do Rio Grande do Norte

Extensive studies using molecular markers on butterflies have shown how a highly fragmented landscape may result in the reduction of gene flow among patches of habitat and, consequently, increase genetic differentiation among populations. However, little is known about Heliconius geographical structure and the effects of fragmentation on the connectivity of populations. Furthermore, findings on the effects of the population structure on the dynamics of mimicry evolution in Heliconius butterflies need to be tested in H. erato and H. melpomene specimens found in other locations other than Central and northern South Americas. For the present study, we had two motivations: (1) compare the population structure of H. erato and H. melpomene given the highly fragmented Brazil s Atlantic Forest habitat; and (2) studying population structure of co-mimics could give us insights into the dynamics of mimicry evolution. For this, we analysed the spatial structure and connectivity of eight populations of Heliconius butterflies, in a total of 137 H. erato specimens and 145 H. melpomene specimens, using nine microsatellites loci, 1144 AFLPs markers and 282 mitochondrial DNA sequences. In general, both species exhibited evidence of population subdivision but no isolation by distance indicating some extent of genetic differentiation among populations. Contrary to Kronforst & Gilbert s (2008) Costa Rican Heliconius, H. melpomene exhibited more genetic differentiation than H. erato based on nuclear markers. However, for mitochondrial DNA, H. erato populations showed more genetic differentiation than H. melpomene. Our results corroborate to other studies on Heliconius butterflies concerning the pronounced population subdivision and local genetic drift found in this genus. Nevertheless, the pattern of this differentiation varies significantly from the pattern found in studies conducted in Central America, where H. erato is generally more differentiated and structured than H. melpomene, based on nuclear markers. This different pattern may reflect different evolutionary histories of Heliconius species in Northeastern Brazil s Atlantic Forest

Análise dos remanescentes de mata atlântica do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte : uma perspectiva em alta resolução

The habitat loss and fragmentation are considered the main threats to the biodiversity. These threats operate at the landscape level, which drives the need to manage entire landscapes, not just its components. Although systematic monitoring of the Atlantic Forest biome has been ongoing since the late eighties, current data on forest fragmentation for the sub-region of Pernambuco are practically nonexistent. This study aimed to map out, with high spatial resolution, the remnants of Atlantic forest in Rio Grande do Norte, and conduct a landscape level analysis. The results show that the landscape is highly fragmented, where about 13.6% to 17% of biome remains. Most of the fragments is less than 10 ha, while a few fragments have area larger than 100 ha. Although the high degree of fragmentation, the average distance between fragments found was small (128 m), this estimate is lower than has been observed for the biome (1440m). There is evidence that abrupt changes in the quantification of landscape structure can occur when one observes the fragmentation at high spatial resolution. The results presented here can be used in management actions, in order to make the scenario more conducive to maintaining biodiversity.