The toxicological effects of Eryngium foetidum extracts on zebrafish embryos and larvae depend on the type of extract, dose, and exposure time.

Eryngium foetidum is a herbaceous plant found in tropical and subtropical regions. In vivo pharmacological parameters show that leaf extracts of this plant have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities due to their bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenols. Despite the evidence for several bioactivities of E. foetidum, information on its safety and tolerability is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the effect and concentration of different extracts of E. foetidum on the development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. To study the impact of aqueous (AE), ethanolic (EE), and methanolic (ME) extracts, the embryos were exposed to 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg mL-1 for up to 120-h postfertilization to assess embryonic developmental toxicity and then to 0.039, 0.078, 0.156, 0.312, and 0.625 mg mL-1 to assess the antioxidant responses of the enzymes superoxide dismutase catalase, glutathione S-transferase (GST), and cell apoptosis. The results showed that, depending on the extraction solvent, concentration used, and exposure time, E. foetidum extracts caused mortality, altered the hatching time, and promoted changes in enzymatic activities. Delays in development and increased GST activity were found in all treatments. Apoptosis was not observed in any of the treatments. In conclusion, AE, EE, and ME concentrations above 0.625 mg mL-1 can cause adverse effects on the early stages of zebrafish development.

Machine learning in classification and identification of nonconventional vegetables.

Vegetables are important in economic, social, and nutritional matters in both the Brazilian and international scenes. Hence, some researches have been carried out in order to encourage the production and consumption of different species such as nonconventional vegetables. These vegetables have an added value because of their nutritional quality and nostalgic appeal due to the reintroduction of these species. For this reason, this article proposes the use of the machine learning technique in the construction of models for supervised classification and identification in an experiment with five leafy special of nonconventional vegetables (Tropaeolum majus, Rumex acetosa, Stachys byzantina, Lactuca cf. indica e Pereskia aculeata) assessing the characteristics of the macro and micro nutrients. In order to evaluate the classifiers' performance, the cross-validation procedure via Monte Carlo simulation was considered to confirm the model. In ten replications, the success and error rates were obtained, considering the false positive and false negative rates, sensibility, and accuracy of the classification method. Thus, it was concluded that the use of machine learning is viable because it allows the classification and identification of nonconventional vegetables using few nutritional attributes and obtaining a success rate of over 89% in most of the classifiers tested.

Genetic diversity of Lippia rotundifolia Cham. in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Lippia rotundifolia is an aromatic species, endemic from Campos rupestres and isolated by mountains. We aimed with the research to study the genetic variability of chá-de-pedestre (Lippia rotundifolia Cham.) with natural occurrence in ten places of the State of Minas Gerais, from molecular markers of ISSR type. The places of collection were: Parque Estadual de Serra Nova; Parque Estadual Veredas do Peruaçu; Abóboras community; Gigante community; edge of Rio do Peixe; environmental preservation area of Olhos d´água; private property in Joaquim Felício; Parque Estadual do Rio Preto; São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras and brook of Rio Tigre. After the establishment of the extraction and amplification of DNA fragments with primers ISSR, an array of genetic distance was built. From this matrix, we analyzed the genetic diversity index as the allelic frequency (Na and Ne), Shannos´s index (H´), polymorphism (PLP), heterozygosity (He) and gene flow (Nm). The result showed higher genetic variability within the population (93%). The genetic diversity index was low (He = 0.132; H´= 0.214; Na = 1.111; Ne = 1.183; PLP = 56.67%). In general the species have low genetic diversity. The greatest diversity in populations occurred with an average temperature of 20°C. The Rio Tigre showed higher genetic distance and isolation.

Energy balance of biodiesel production from canola / Balanço energético da cultura de canola visando à produção de biodiesel

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to estimate the energy balance (output/input ratio) of the canola crop for biodiesel production, under Brazilian conditions. Fossil energy expended in the production of 600kg of oil per hectare was 7,146,537kcal. The estimated energy yield per hectare was 9,930,000kcal from the production of 1,500kg ha-1 of seeds (40% oil and 60% oil cake), which resulted in an energy balance of 1.39. Results indicated the viability of biofuel production from canola, but also showed the need to improve the technology used to increase the energy and economic balance ratios.

RESUMO: O objetivo do trabalho foi estimar o balanço energético (razão output/input) da cultura da canola, nas condições brasileiras, para a produção de biodiesel. A energia fóssil dispendida na produção de 600kg de óleo por hectare foi de 7.146.537kcal. O rendimento energético estimado por hectare foi de 9.930.000kcal, a partir da produtividade de 1.500kg ha-1 de grãos (40% de óleo e 60% de torta), resultando no valor do balanço energético de 1,39. Os resultados indicam a viabilidade da produção do biocombustível com base na respectiva cultura, mas demonstram também a necessidade de aperfeiçoamento das tecnologias empregadas para que se aumentem os índices dos balanços energético e econômico.

Physical and physiological quality of the Lippia rotundifolia seeds according to the osmotic conditioning and electrical conductivity / Qualidade física e fisiológica das sementes de Lippia rotundifolia em função do condicionamento osmótico e condutividade elétrica

ABSTRACT: Lippia rotundifolia is a native species of the Cerrado, endemic to the chain backbone and highly aromatic, whose essential oil has medicinal properties of high pharmacological value, but because it is a non-domesticated species, little is known about its spread. Due to its importance, the objective was to evaluate the effect of the osmotic conditioning on the physical and physiological quality of seeds. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications of 100 seeds, being treatments consisted of two kinds of seeds (with and without tegument) subjected to ten days of immersion in water (0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours). After each period, the seeds were submitted to the electrical conductivity test and germination. Electrical conductivity and germination there is a directly proportional relationship, while the best osmotic conditioning time is achieved with the seed husk and immersed in water for 48 hours.

RESUMO: Lippia rotundifolia é uma espécie nativa do Cerrado, endêmica da cadeia do espinhaço e altamente aromática, cujo óleo essencial possui propriedades medicinais de alto valor farmacológico, mas, por tratar-se de uma espécie não domesticada, pouco se sabe quanto a sua propagação. Devido a sua importância, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do condicionamento osmótico sobre a qualidade física e fisiológica de suas sementes. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições de 100 sementes, sendo que os tratamentos consistiram em dois tipos de sementes (com e sem tegumento) submetidas a dez tempos de embebição em água (0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 e 120 horas). Após cada período, as sementes foram submetidas ao teste de condutividade elétrica e de germinação. Entre a condutividade elétrica e a porcentagem de germinação há relação diretamente proporcional, enquanto o melhor tempo de condicionamento osmótico é alcançado nas sementes com tegumento e imersas em água, durante 48 horas.

Variabilidade genética de acessos de araçazeiro e goiabeira suscetíveis e resistentes a Meloidogyne enterolobii / Genetic variability of araça and guava accessions susceptible and resistant Meloidogyne enterolobii

A goiabeira representa uma importante atividade frutícola no Brasil, com mercado cada vez maior. Porém, desde 1989 vêm sendo relatados severos danos à cultura, causados pelo nematóide Meloidogyne enterolobii. Uma das alternativas para solucionar esse problema é a utilização de porta-enxertos com resistência a este patógeno. Este trabalho teve por objetivo a caracterização molecular, com marcadores RAPD, de acessos de Psidium testados quanto à resistência a M. enterolobii e quanto à compatibilidade como porta-enxertos para as goiabeiras comerciais. Foram testados 30 primers, dos quais 19 forneceram resultados nítidos para a amplificação. Foram gerados 163 fragmentos, dos quais 86 polimórficos (63,0%). Em média, cada iniciador produziu 8,6 fragmentos, dos quais 5,4 apresentaram polimorfismo. A análise de agrupamento foi realizada por espécie, os acessos de Psidium sp apresentaram a formação de dois grupos, um formado pelo acesso A-UFLA e o segundo subdividido em quatro subgrupos, sendo os acessos com maiores distâncias genéticas A-Ufla, resistente a M. enterolobii, A-Ufla4 e A-Ufla5, ambos suscetíveis ao nematoide em questão, todos coletados em Lavras-MG, com similaridade aproximada de 66%. Na análise de agrupamento, dos treze acessos de P.cattleyanum, foi possível constatar a formação de dois grandes grupos. Um formado por três acessos suscetíveis a M. enterolobii (A-20.2, A-10.1 e A-9.2) e outro grupo formado por dez acessos. Os acessos se agruparam, conforme a região de origem, em seis grupos, sendo que o mais divergente é originário da região de Lavras - MG, com 0,65 de similaridade, onde as distâncias genéticas variaram de 0,88 a 0,65. Dos treze acessos de P. guineense, todos suscetíveis a M. enterolobii, sendo 12 oriundos de Recife e um de Pelotas (A-14.1) e agruparam-se em dois grupos com similaridades variando de 0,59 a 0,83. Quanto ao estudo de diversidade entre os acessos de goiabeiras, a maior distância genética foi detectada entre o acesso G-Ufla com 0,71 Lavras-MG.

Guava culture stands for an important fruit-growing business in Brazil, with a greater and greater market. But, since 1989 severe damages to the culture caused by the nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii, have been reported. One the alternatives to solve this problem is the use of rootstocks with resistance to this nematode. This research aimed at the molecular characterization, with RAPD markers, of Psidium accessions susceptible to be utilized as rootstocks for the commercial guava trees. 30 primers were tested, from which 19 supplied distinct results for the amplification. The primers generated 163 polymorphic marks, resulting into a mean of 8,6 polymorphic bands per primer. The cluster analysis was performed per species, the accessions of Psidium sp presented the formation of two groups, one formed by A-UFLA accession and the other subdivided into four subgroups, that is, the accession with increased genetic distances, A-Ufla, resistant to M. enterolobii, A-Ufla4 and A-Ufla5, both susceptible to the nematode in issue, all collected in Lavras-MG with a similarity of about 66%. In the cluster analysis of the thirteen accessions of P.cattleyanum, it was possible to found the formation of two great groups. One made up by three accessions susceptible to M. enterolobii (A-20.2, A-10.1 and A-9.2) and the other group formed by ten accessions. The accessions grouped together according to the region of origin in six groups, the most divergent being that native to region of Lavras - MG, with 0.65 of similarity, where the genetic distances ranged from 0.88 to 0.65. The thirteen accessions of P. guineense, all susceptible to M. enterolobii, namely, 12 coming from Recife and one proceeding from Pelotas (A-14.1), grouped themselves together and two groups with similarity ranging from 0.59 to 0.83. As to the diversity study among the guava tree accessions, the greatest genetic distances were detected between the accessions G.P.S and G-Ufla with 0,71 Lavras-MG.