Occurrence Of Isoflavonoids In Brazilian Common Bean Germplasm (phaseolus Vulgaris L.).

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is present in the daily diet of various countries and, as for other legumes, has been investigated for its nutraceutical potential. Thus, 16 genotypes from different gene pools, representing seven types of seed coats and different responses to pathogens and pests, were selected to verify their isoflavone contents. The isoflavonoids daidzein and genistein and the flavonols kaempferol, myricetin, and quercetin were found. Grains of the black type showed the highest concentrations of isoflavonoids and were the only ones to exhibit daidzein. IAC Formoso, with high protein content and source of resistance to anthracnose, showed the greatest concentration of genistein, representing around 11% of the content present in soybean, as well as high levels of kaempferol. Arc 1, Raz 55, and IAC Una genotypes showed high content of coumestrol. The results suggest the use of IAC Formoso to increase the nutraceutical characteristics in common bean.

Influence Of The Stage Of Ripeness On The Composition Of Iridoids And Phenolic Compounds In Genipap (genipa Americana L.).

Genipap fruits, native to the Amazon region, were classified in relation to their stage of ripeness according to firmness and peel color. The influence of the part of the genipap fruit and ripeness stage on the iridoid and phenolic compound profiles was evaluated by HPLC-DAD-MS(n), and a total of 17 compounds were identified. Geniposide was the major compound in both parts of the unripe genipap fruits, representing >70% of the total iridoids, whereas 5-caffeoylquinic acid was the major phenolic compound. In ripe fruits, genipin gentiobioside was the major compound in the endocarp (38%) and no phenolic compounds were detected. During ripening, the total iridoid content decreased by >90%, which could explain the absence of blue pigment formation in the ripe fruits after their injury. This is the first time that the phenolic compound composition and iridoid contents of genipap fruits have been reported in the literature.

Auxin And Physical Constraint Exerted By The Perianth Promote Androgynophore Bending In Passiflora Mucronata L. (passifloraceae).

The androgynophore column, a distinctive floral feature in passion flowers, is strongly crooked or bent in many Passiflora species pollinated by bats. This is a floral feature that facilitates the adaptation to bat pollination. Crooking or bending of plant organs are generally caused by environmental stimulus (e.g. mechanical barriers) and might involve the differential distribution of auxin. Our aim was to study the role of the perianth organs and the effect of auxin in bending of the androgynophore of the bat-pollinated species Passiflora mucronata. Morpho-anatomical characterisation of the androgynophore, including measurements of curvature angles and cell sizes both at the dorsal (convex) and ventral (concave) sides of the androgynophore, was performed on control flowers, flowers from which perianth organs were partially removed and flowers treated either with auxin (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; 2,4-D) or with an inhibitor of auxin polar transport (naphthylphthalamic acid; NPA). Asymmetric growth of the androgynophore column, leading to bending, occurs at a late stage of flower development. Removing the physical constraint exerted by perianth organs or treatment with NPA significantly reduced androgynophore bending. Additionally, the androgynophores of plants treated with 2,4-D were more curved when compared to controls. There was a larger cellular expansion at the dorsal side of the androgynophores of plants treated with 2,4-D and in both sides of the androgynophores of plants treated with NPA. This study suggests that the physical constraint exerted by perianth and auxin redistribution promotes androgynophore bending in P. mucronata and might be related to the evolution of chiropterophily in the genus Passiflora.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Of Capsaicinoids From Malagueta Pepper (capsicum Frutescens L.) Assisted By Ultrasound.

Extracts from malagueta pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) were obtained using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) assisted by ultrasound, with carbon dioxide as solvent at 15MPa and 40°C. The SFE global yield increased up to 77% when ultrasound waves were applied, and the best condition of ultrasound-assisted extraction was ultrasound power of 360W applied during 60min. Four capsaicinoids were identified in the extracts and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. The use of ultrasonic waves did not influence significantly the capsaicinoid profiles and the phenolic content of the extracts. However, ultrasound has enhanced the SFE rate. A model based on the broken and intact cell concept was adequate to represent the extraction kinetics and estimate the mass transfer coefficients, which were increased with ultrasound. Images obtained by field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that the action of ultrasonic waves did not cause cracks on the cell wall surface. On the other hand, ultrasound promoted disturbances in the vegetable matrix, leading to the release of extractable material on the solid surface. The effects of ultrasound were more significant on SFE from larger solid particles.

Improvement Of The Physical Performance Is Associated With Activation Of No/pgc-1α/mttfa Signaling Pathway And Increased Protein Expressions Of Electron Transport Chain In Gastrocnemius Muscle From Rats Supplemented With L-arginine.

To examine the influence of l-arginine supplementation in combination with physical training on mitochondrial biomarkers from gastrocnemius muscle and its relationship with physical performance. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control sedentary (SD), sedentary supplemented with l-arginine (SDLA), trained (TR) and trained supplemented with l-arginine (TRLA). Supplementation of l-arginine was administered by gavage (62.5mg/ml/day/rat). Physical training consisted of 60min/day, 5days/week, 0% grade, speed of 1.2km/h. The study lasted 8weeks. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial enriched fraction as well as cytoplasmic fractions were obtained for Western blotting and biochemical analyses. Protein expressions of transcriptor coactivator (PGC-1α), transcriptor factors (mtTFA), ATP synthase subunit c, cytochrome oxidase (COXIV), constitutive nitric oxide synthases (eNOS and nNOS), Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and manganese-SOD (Mn-SOD) were evaluated. We also assessed in plasma: lipid profile, glycemia and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The nitrite/nitrate (NOx(-)) levels were measured in both plasma and cytosol fraction of the gastrocnemius muscle. 8-week l-arginine supplementation associated with physical training was effective in promoting greater tolerance to exercise that was accompanied by up-regulation of the protein expressions of mtTFA, PGC-1α, ATP synthase subunit c, COXIV, Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD. The upstream pathway was associated with improvement of NO bioavailability, but not in NO production since no changes in nNOS or eNOS protein expressions were observed. This combination would be an alternative approach for preventing cardiometabolic diseases given that in overt diseases a profound impairment in the physical performance of the patients is observed.

Otimização do processo de extração e isolamento do antimalárico artemisinina a partir de Artemisia annua L.

Malaria is still one of the major diseases in the world, causing physical and economic problems in tropical regions. Artemisinin (Qinghaosu), a natural compound identified in Artemisia annua L. , is an effective drug mainly against cerebral malaria. The action of this drug is immediate and parasitaemia in the treatment of drug-resistant malaria is rapidily reduced, justifying the industrial production of artemisinin. This article focuses on the industrial production of this potent antimalarial drug, including strategies for enhancing yield using inexpensive and easy steps.

Synthesis, characterization, DFT and Td-dfT study of the [Fe(mnt)(L)(t-BuNC) 2] octahedral complex (L = phen, bipy)

FeBr2 has reacted with an equivalent of mnt2- (mnt = cis-1,2-dicyanoethylene-1,2-dithiolate) and the α-diimine L (L = 1,10'-phenantroline, 2,2'-bipyridine) in THF solution, and followed by adding of t-butyl-isocyanide to give [Fe(mnt)(L)(t-BuNC)2] neutral compound. The products were characterized by infrared, UV-visible and Mössbauer spectroscopy, besides thermogravimetric and conductivity data. The geometry in the equilibrium was calculated by the density functional theory and the electronic spectrum by the time-dependent. The experimental and theoretical results in good agreement have defined an octahedral geometry with two isocyanide neighbours. The π→π* intraligand electronic transition was not observed for cis-isomers in the near-IR spectral region.

Desenvolvimento e caracterização de nanocápsulas de poli (L-lactídeo) contendo benzocaína

In this paper we describe the preparation poly (L-lactide) (PLA) nanocapsules as a drug delivery system for the local anesthetic benzocaine. The characterization and in vitro release properties of the system were investigated. The characterization results showed a polydispersity index of 0.14, an average diameter of 190.1± 3 nm, zeta potential of -38.5 mV and an entrapment efficiency of 73%. The release profile of Benzocaine loaded in PLA nanocapsules showed a significant different behavior than that of the pure anesthetic in solution. This study is important to characterize a drug release system using benzocaine for application in pain treatment.

Condutividade e difusividade térmica do figo (Ficus carica L.) Roxo de Valinhos

The post harvest cooling and/or freezing processes for horticultural products have been carried out with the objective of removing the heat from these products, allowing them a bigger period of conservation. Therefore, the knowledge of the physical properties that involve heat transference in the fig fruit Roxo de Valinhos is useful for calculating projects and systems of food engineering in general, as well as, for using in equations of thermodynamic mathematical models. The values of conductivity and thermal diffusivity of the whole fig fruit-rami index were determined, and from these values it was determined the value of the specific heat. For these determination it was used the transient method of the Line Heat Source. The results shown that the fig fruit has a thermal conductivity of 0.52 W m-1°C, thermal diffusivity of 1.56 x 10-7 m² s-1, pulp density of 815.6 kg m-3 and specific heat of 4.07 kJ kg-1 °C.

Influência da temperatura do ar de secagem no calor latente de vaporização de água em feijão macassar (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), variedade sempre-verde

In order to determine the energy needed to artificially dry an agricultural product the latent heat of vaporization of moisture in the product, H, must be known. Generally, the expressions for H reported in the literature are of the form H = h(T)f(M), where h(T) is the latent heat of vaporization of free water, and f(M) is a function of the equilibrium moisture content, M, which is a simplification. In this article, a more general expression for the latent heat of vaporization, namely H = g(M,T), is used to determine H for cowpea, always-green variety. For this purpose, a computer program was developed which automatically fits about 500 functions, with one or two independent variables, imbedded in its library to experimental data. The program uses nonlinear regression, and classifies the best functions according to the least reduced chi-squared. A set of executed statistical tests shows that the generalized expression for H used in this work produces better results of H for cowpea than other equations found in literature.

Mapeamento de semeaduras de soja (Glycine max (L.)Merr.) mediante dados MODIS/Terra E TM/Landsat 5: um comparativo

The objective of this work was to compare the soybean crop mapping in the western of Parana State by MODIS/Terra and TM/Landsat 5 images. Firstly, it was generated a soybean crop mask using six TM images covering the crop season, which was used as a reference. The images were submitted to Parallelepiped and Maximum Likelihood digital classification algorithms, followed by visual inspection. Four MODIS images, covering the vegetative peak, were classified using the Parallelepiped method. The quality assessment of MODIS and TM classification was carried out through an Error Matrix, considering 100 sample points between soybean or not soybean, randomly allocated in each of the eight municipalities within the study area. The results showed that both the Overall Classification (OC) and the Kappa Index (KI) have produced values ranging from 0.55 to 0.80, considered good to very good performances, either in TM or MODIS images. When OC and KI, from both sensors were compared, it wasn't found no statistical difference between them. The soybean mapping, using MODIS, has produced 70% of reliance in terms of users. The main conclusion is that the mapping of soybean by MODIS is feasible, with the advantage to have better temporal resolution than Landsat, and to be available on the internet, free of charge.

Caracterização morfológica das sementes e plântulas de seis espécies invasoras do gênero Solanum L

Morphological caracterization of the seeds and seedlings of six weed especies of the genus Solanum L. The seeds of the genus Solanum are very similar, however, the association of their external characteristics with the anatomical features, such as hilum shape, the texture and the type of the seed coat sculptures, as well as the curved (circulated or coiled) shape of the embryo, are parameters of great importance in the taxonomical identification at the species level. It is are presented the morphological descriptions of the genus Solanum and a more detailed description of each studied species in terms of seed and seedling structures, including illustrations and taxonomical keys for the identification of Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq., S. americanum Mill., S. ciliatum Lam., S. sisymbriifolium Lam., S. sordidum Sendt. e S. viarum Dunal. There are also indications of the common names, the type of reproduction and dispersion, the crops in which the species is considered as a weed and the agricultural seeds in which it is found as a weed seed.

Formação das substâncias de reserva durante o desenvolvimento de sementes de urucum (Bixa orellana L. - Bixaceae)

Annatto seeds do not germinate during early stages of their development because of insufficient reserve substances. In situ analysis showed that the principal reserves are proteins and starch, deposited in endosperm cells. During the early stages of development, the starch grains were elliptic, because amylose was the minor component. During development, these grains became more spherical due to an increase in amylose relative to amylopectin. Endosperm cells do not contain protein bodies, but they accumulate proteins dispersed in the cytoplasm. At the final stage of development the proteins became compacted due to the dehydration of the seeds wich is part of the global process of orthodox seeds maturation. Natural fluorescence revealed aromatic amino acids, principally tryptophan and tyrosine in the proteins. The seeds reached their maximum dry weight after moisture contents had declined to around 60%. At this point the seeds presented maximum germination capacity.

Abundância de ramos reprodutivos e produção de sementes em populações de Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br. na Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brasil

The variation in the proportion of reproductive branches, fruit, and seed production of Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br. (Convolvulaceae) were evaluated at ten beaches on Santa Catarina Island, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Three patches per beach of Ipomoea pes-caprae were monitored, involving two reproductive cycles. Ipomoea pes-caprae presented initially an average length of patches of 14 m, with 9.6 branches/m² and 39% of reproductive branches. The proportion of reproductive branches varied between the cycles, but there was not noticed an alternation of reproductive effort between the subsequent cycles. There was a reduction in the percentage of reproductive branches at six localities. In four beaches where Ipomoea pes-caprae populations declined, occurred reduction in the reproductive vigor, and in the seed production, being these declines associated to strong sea erosion. In another hand, in one beach with population increase, there were little reproductive branches due to the occurrence of young stolons. Four patches never maturated fruits, being three of these located at small beaches. The fruit and seed productions in the patches showed values up to 40 fruits/m² and up to 140 seeds/m², respectively. Populations with great seed production were localized in areas adjacent to great coastal plains, which may represent potential seed sources for areas with small seed production in the island.