Manejo e conservação genética In Situ, Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. Ex Mart. no pontal do Paranapanema

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS

Estudo da diversidade genética e química e produção do epímero do ácido caurenóico em calos de croton antisyphiliticus mart

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

Estudo da diversidade genética e química e produção do epímero do ácido caurenóico em calos de croton antisyphiliticus mart

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

A new HPLC-DAD-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of major compounds in the crude extract of Lychnophora salicifolia Mart. (Brazilian arnicao) leaves: Application to chemical variability evaluation

Lychnophora salicifolia Mart., which occurs in the Brazilian Cerrado in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais as well as in the southeast of the state of Goias, is the most widely distributed and also the most polymorphic species of the genus. This plant is popularly known to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. In this work, we have studied the variation in terms of polar metabolites of ninety-three Lychnophora salicifolia Mart, specimens collected from different regions of the Brazilian Cerrado. Identification of the constituents of this mixture was carried out by analysis of the UV spectra and MS data after chromatographic separation. Twenty substances were identified, including chlorogenic acid derivatives, a flavonoid C-glucoside, and other sesquiterpenes. The analytical method was validated, and the reliability and credibility of the results was ensured for the purposes of this study. The concentration range required for analysis of content variability within the analyzed group of specimens was covered with appropriate values of limits of detection and quantitation, as well as satisfactory precision and recovery. A quantitative variability was observed among specimens collected from the same location, but on average they were similar from a chemical viewpoint. In relation to the study involving specimens from different locations, there were both qualitative and quantitative differences among plants collected from different regions of Brazil. Statistical analysis revealed that there is a correlation between geographical localization and polar metabolites profile for specimens collected from different locations. This is evidence that the pattern of metabolites concentration depends on the geographical distribution of the specimens. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic diversity of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville determined by AFLP molecular markers

Bark extracts of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart) Coville a Leguminosae species, well known in Brazil as barbatimao, are popularly used as healing agent. The objective of this work was to determine the genetic diversity of S. adstringens populations and to correlate genetic distances to the production of tannins. S. adstringens accessions from populations found in Cerrado regions in the states of Goias, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo were analyzed using the AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) technique. A total of 236 polymorphic bands were scored and higher proportion of genetic diversity was found inter populations (70.9%), rather than intra populations (29.1%). F-ST value was found to be significantly greater than zero (0.2906), demonstrating the complex genetic structure of S. adstringens populations. Accessions collected in Cristalina, GO, showed higher percentage of polymorphic loci (87.3%) and the highest genetic diversity. The lowest genetic variability was detected among accessions from the population growing in Caldas Novas, GO. The genetic distance among populations was estimated using the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA), which grouped populations into 3 clusters. Moreover, chemotypes with tannin concentration above 40% showed higher genetic similarity. AFLP analysis proved to be an efficient gene mapping technique to determine the genetic diversity among remaining populations of S. adstringens. Obtained results may be employed to implement further strategies for the conservation of this medicinal plant. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Erysothrine, an alkaloid extracted from flowers of Erythrina mulungu Mart. ex Benth: Evaluating its anticonvulsant and anxiolytic potential

In this study, we isolated the alkaloid erysothrine from the hydroalcoholic extract of flowers from E. mulungu and screened for its anticonvulsant and anxiolytic actions based on neuroethological and neurochemical experiments. Our results showed that the administration of erysothrine inhibited seizures evoked by bicuculline, PTZ, NMDA and most remarkably, kainic acid. Also, erysothrine induced an increase in the number of entries but not in the time spent in the open arms of the EPM. However, we did not notice any alterations in the light-dark choice or in the open-field tests. In preliminary neurochemistry tests, we also showed that erysothrine (0.001-10 mu g/mL) did not alter the GABA or glutamate synaptossomal uptake and binding. Altogether, our results describe an alkaloid with anticonvulsant activity and mild anxiolytic activity that might be considered well tolerated as it does not alter the general behavior of the animals in the used doses. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Soil-mediated effects on potential Euterpe edulis (Arecaceae) fruit and palm heart sustainable management in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Euterpe edulis is an endangered species due to palm heart overharvesting, the most important non-timber forest product of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and fruit exploitation has been introduced as a low impacting alternative. However, E. edulis is a keystone species for frugivores birds, and even the impact of fruit exploitation needs to be better investigated. Since this species occurs over contrasting habitats, the establishment of site-specific standards and limits for exploitation may also be essential to achieve truly sustainable management. In this context, we sought to investigate how soil chemical composition would potentially affect E. edulis (Arecaceae) palm heart and fruit exploitation considering current standards of management. We studied natural populations found in Restinga Forest and Atlantic Rainforest remnants established within Natural Reserves of Sao Paulo State, SE Brazil, where 10.24 ha permanent plots, composed of a grid of 256 subplots (20 m x 20 m), were located. In each of these subplots, we evaluated soil chemical composition and diameter at breast height of E. edulis individuals. Additionally, we evaluated fruit yield in 2008 and 2009 in 20 individuals per year. The Atlantic Rainforest population had a much higher proportion of larger diameter individuals than the population from the Restinga Forest, as a result of habitat-mediated effects, especially those related to soil. Sodium and potassium concentration in Restinga Forest soils, which have strong negative and positive effect on palm growth, respectively, played a key role in determining those differences. Overall, the number of fruits that could be exploited in the Atlantic Rainforest was four times higher than in Restinga Forest. If current rules for palm heart and fruit harvesting were followed without any restriction to different habitats, Restinga Forest populations are under severe threat, as this study shows that they are not suitable for sustainable management of both fruits and palm heart. Hence, a habitat-specific approach of sustainable management is needed for this species in order to respect the demographic and ecological dynamics of each population to be managed. These findings suggest that any effort to create general management standards of low impacting harvesting may be unsuccessful if the species of interest occur over a wide range of ecosystems. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differential seed germination of a keystone palm (Euterpe edulis) dispersed by avian frugivores

FAPESP (BIOTA Program) [2007/03392-6, 2010/04927-3]

Viability of recently harvested and stored Xylopia aromatica (Lam.) Mart. (Annonaceae) seeds

Xylopia aromatica is a native species from Brazil's "Cerrado", recommended for restoration ecology and also as a medicine. Its seeds have embryos with morphophysiological dormancy, making nursery propagation difficult. The objective of this study was to verify the efficiency of X-ray and tetrazolium tests for evaluating the viability of three seed lots, stored for different periods. All seeds were X-rayed (13 kV, 350 seconds) and samples used for tetrazolium and germination tests. In the tetrazolium test, seeds were submitted to six treatments at two temperatures (25 and 30 °C) with imbibition in distilled water and immersion in three concentrations of tetrazolium solution (0.5, 0.75 and 1%) at the two imbibition temperatures. Seeds for the germination test were placed for imbibition in distilled water and a 500 ppm Promalin® (6-Benzyladenine + GA4 + GA7) solution and later sown in sterilized sand. The embryo could not be observed with the X-ray test. However, those seeds observed with an undamaged endosperm did not differ in the percentages of seeds with firm and stained endosperms observed in the tetrazolium test for all the lots. The tetrazolium test is efficient for evaluating seed viability, principally if imbibed at 30 °C and immersed in a 0.5% solution at 30 °C.

Carlos Mart�� Arís e i suoi eteronimi. Vocazione all'anonimo

Questa ricerca indaga la prospettiva investigativa di Carlos Mart�� Arís. È stato assunto il campo d’azione da lui prediletto, ovvero l’articolato rapporto che in architettura si instaura tra teoria e pratica, comprensivo delle svariate ricadute nel mondo dell’arte e della produzione umana in genere, che fanno del progetto architettonico un campo disciplinare complesso. La sua figura è però assunta in modo strumentale, come grimaldello per addentrarsi in un articolato ambito culturale, che se da un lato coincide con la sua città, Barcellona, dall’altro la trascende grazie a quei “ponti della conoscenza” che CMA interrottamente ha teso al suo intorno. Ci riferiamo alla sua costruzione teorica destinata a consolidare la storica reciprocità tra Italia e Spagna, le cui tematiche urbane e tipologiche ne sono la base, Milano e Barcellona ne sono gli estremi. Ci riferiamo al suo sguardo sull’esperienza del Movimento Moderno e il relativo tema della residenza. Ci riferiamo alla sua naturale vocazione al silenzio, che si oppone al fragoroso rumore della contemporaneità e affianca la discreta parola del mestiere: un modo per porsi all’ascolto. All’ascolto dell’altro e del mondo. Ci riferiamo, insomma, alla sua idea di architettura intesa come «territorio dissodato da tempi remoti»; come trama di corrispondenze sincroniche tra terre, tempi, fatti, uomini, vicini e lontani: condizione ideale per chi voglia disciogliere il proprio lavoro nei labirintici sentieri del mondo, indifferente al rischio di perdersi nell’oblio. Oggi, in cui il progetto architettonico risulta sempre più spesso veicolo di soggettive e arbitrarie sperimentazioni formali, la lezione di CMA indica una via d’uscita: un mo(n)do condiviso che all’arroganza opponga la discrezione, che persuada a celarsi nella tradizione e a porsi umilmente all’ombra dei maestri. Tradizione e Maestri, Eteronimi e Nomi, complementarità a cui CMA affida il suo progetto di anonimato, sovrapersonale e ostinatamente teso a rilevarne le relazioni inedite.