The Free Radical Scavenging Property of the Leaves, Branches, and Roots of Mansoa hirsuta DC: In Vitro Assessment, 3D Pharmacophore, and Molecular Docking Study.

In this work, a metabolic profile of Mansoa hirsuta was investigated, and in vitro assays and theoretical approaches were carried out to evaluate its antioxidant potential. The phytochemical screening detected saponins, organic acids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids in extracts of leaves, branches, and roots. Through LC-MS analysis, the triterpenes oleanolic acid (m/z 455 [M-H]-) and ursolic acid (m/z 455 [M-H]-) were identified as the main bioactive components. The extracts of the leaves, branches, and roots revealed moderate antioxidant potential in the DPPH test and all extracts were more active in the ABTS test. The leaf extracts showed better antioxidant capacity, displaying IC50 values of 43.5 ± 0.14, 63.6 ± 0.54, and 56.1 ± 0.05 µg mL-1 for DPPH, ABTS, and kinetics assays, respectively. The leaf extract showed higher total flavonoid content (TFC) (5.12 ± 1.02 mg QR/g), followed by branches (3.16 ± 0.88 QR/g) and roots (2.04 ± 0.52 QR/g/g). The extract of the branches exhibited higher total phenolic content (TPC) (1.07 ± 0.77 GAE/g), followed by leaves (0.58 ± 0.30 GAE/g) and roots (0.19 ± 0.47 GAE/g). Pharmacophore and molecular docking analysis were performed in order to better understand the potential mechanism of the antioxidant activity of its major metabolites.

Shortened derivatives from native antimicrobial peptide LyeTx I: In vitro and in vivo biological activity assessment.

In the continuing search for novel antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides are promising molecules, due to different mechanisms of action compared to classic antibiotics and to their selectivity for interaction with microorganism cells rather than with mammalian cells. Previously, our research group has isolated the antimicrobial peptide LyeTx I from the venom of the spider Lycosa erythrognatha. Here, we proposed to synthesize three novel shortened derivatives from LyeTx I (LyeTx I mn; LyeTx I mnΔK; LyeTx I mnΔKAc) and to evaluate their toxicity and biological activity as potential antimicrobial agents. Peptides were synthetized by Fmoc strategy and circular dichroism analysis was performed, showing that the three novel shortened derivatives may present membranolytic activity, like the original LyeTx I, once they folded as an alpha helix in 2.2.2-trifluorethanol and sodium dodecyl sulfate. In vitro assays revealed that the shortened derivative LyeTx I mnΔK presents the best score between antimicrobial (↓ MIC) and hemolytic (↑ EC50) activities among the synthetized shortened derivatives, and LUHMES cell-based NeuriTox test showed that it is less neurotoxic than the original LyeTx I (EC50 [LyeTx I mnΔK] ⋙ EC50 [LyeTx I]). In vivo data, obtained in a mouse model of septic arthritis induced by Staphylococcus aureus, showed that LyeTx I mnΔK is able to reduce infection, as demonstrated by bacterial recovery assay (∼10-fold reduction) and scintigraphic imaging (less technetium-99m labeled-Ceftizoxime uptake by infectious site). Infection reduction led to inflammatory process and pain decreases, as shown by immune cells recruitment reduction and threshold nociception increment, when compared to positive control group. Therefore, among the three shortened peptide derivatives, LyeTx I mnΔK is the best candidate as antimicrobial agent, due to its smaller amino acid sequence and toxicity, and its greater biological activity.

Distribuição de tipos moleculares de Cryptococcus gattiino Brasil: uma revisão bibliográfica / Distribution of Cryptococcus gattii molecular types in Brazil:a bibliographic review

Objetivo: Descrever a distribuição molecular do Cryptococcus gattii noBrasil por meio de revisão de estudos publicados até 2016.Fonte de dados: Revisão bibliográfica de estudos publicados até 2016no sítio DeCS‑BVS com os descritores nos idiomas português, Inglês eespanhol. O critério de inclusão foi: abordar resultados de caracterizaçãomolecular de C. gattii no Brasil. Critérios de exclusão: artigos sem textocompleto e artigos sem informações moleculares de C. gattii.Síntese de dados: Inclui‑se dez publicações entre 2008 e 2016 que con‑têm informações sobre a caracterização molecular de C. gattii de isoladosencontrados nas quatro regiões do Brasil.Conclusões: C. gattii é endêmico nas regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil,mas pode ser encontrado em fontes primárias nas demais regiões. Otipo molecular mais predominante foi o VGII, responsável por cercade 80% dos casos. VGII apresentou uma alta variabilidade genética. OVGII encontrado na região Nordeste é diferente do encontrado na re‑gião Norte.(AU)

Objective: Describe the distribution of Cryptococcus gattii moleculartypes in Brazil by reviewing studies published until 2016.Source of data: Review of studies published until 2016 in the DeCS‑BVSsite in Portuguese, English or Spanish. The inclusion criterion was de‑scription of molecular typing of C. gattii isolates obtained in Brazil.Manuscripts without full text and without molecular information on C.gattii were excluded.Synthesis of the collected data: We have included ten publicationsranging from 2008 to 2016 containing information about the molecu‑lar characterization of C. gattii isolates from the four geographic regionsof Brazil.Conclusions: C. gattii is endemic in the North and Northeast regionsof Brazil, but can also be found in the other regions. The predominantmolecular type was VGII, accounting for about 80% of the cases. VGIIhas very high genetic variability. VGII isolates from the Northeast regionare distinct from those found in the North.(AU)

Viabilidade econômica do uso do sistema de irrigação por gotejamento na cultura da cebola / Economic viability of the use of drip irrigation system on onion crop

Objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar a viabilidade econômica do uso do sistema de irrigação por gotejamento na cultura da cebola. O experimento foi conduzido em canteiros construídos a céu aberto, na área experimental do Departamento de Agricultura/ UFLA, no período de junho a outubro de 2008. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 2 x 6, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos constituíram-se de duas cultivares de cebola, cultivar híbrida Optima F1 e cultivar não híbrida Alfa Tropical, e seis tensões da água no solo, 15, 25, 35, 45, 60 e 75 kPa. A análise econômica da lavoura irrigada foi fundamentada na teoria dos custos de produção e, considerando-se a metodologia aplicada, conclui-se que as despesas com os recursos variáveis foram as que mais oneraram o custo final da cebola em todos os tratamentos estudados. Os custos totais médios foram, inversamente, proporcionais às produtividades dos tratamentos de tensão da água no solo, para ambas as cultivares, indicando uma resposta à escala de produção. Na condição do experimento, a recomendação é de que se adote, como momento de irrigar, a tensão da água no solo de 15 kPa e, como cultivar o híbrido Optima F1, para que se obtenha maior rentabilidade na atividade produtiva. A irrigação por gotejamento na cultura da cebola, adotando-se as tensões da água no solo e as cultivares estudadas neste trabalho, é uma técnica economicamente viável.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic feasibility of the use of drip irrigation system on onion crop. The experiment was set at open field beds in the experimental area of the Agricultural Department/UFLA, from June to October 2008. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 2 x 6, with four replicates. Treatments consisted of two onion cultivars, the hybrid Optima F1 and the non hybrid Alfa Tropical and six soil water tension values, 15, 25, 35, 45, 60 and 75 kPa. The economic analysis of the irrigated farming was based on the production costs theory and considering the used methodology it was concluded that, for all treatment, variable costs were the ones that most affected the final cost of onion harvest. The average total costs were inversely proportional to the yield. In all soil water tension treatments for both cultivars, indicating a scale effect on the economical result. At the conditions of this experiment, the recommendation is to use 15 kPa tension as an indicator of the moment for irrigation, and the hybrid cultivar Optima F1 for higher profitability. The drip irrigation on onion crop, using the soil water tension values tested and both cultivars is a viable economical technique.

Avaliação econômica da produção de alface americana em função de lâminas de irrigação / Economical evaluation of the crisphead lettuce production as a function of irrigation depths

Visando reduzir as dificuldades do produtor no cultivo da alface americana, especificamente quanto à falta de informações técnicas sobre o momento oportuno de irrigar e a quantidade de água a ser aplicada economicamente viável, objetivou-se estudar o efeito de diferentes lâminas de água sobre o comportamento produtivo e econômico da alface americana. O experimento foi realizado na Universidade Federal de Lavras, no período de março a maio de 2008 em casa de vegetação. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de cinco fatores de evaporação, correspondentes a 0,30, 0,60, 0,90, 1,20 e 1,50 EVm, baseado na lâmina evaporada de um minitanque. Os resultados permitiram concluir que, a máxima produtividade total e comercial, 65.578 e 35.308 kg ha-1, foram estimadas com aplicação de lâminas equivalentes a 203,9 e 204,3 mm, respectivamente, correspondente ao fator de reposição de 101 por cento. Considerando o preço do fator água (R$ 0,67 mm-1) e o preço da alface americana (R$ 0,90 kg-1), a lâmina economicamente ótima foi 203,9 mm, resultando em uma produtividade comercial praticamente igual à máxima física.

With the objective of minimize the difficulties faced by the producers on cultivating the crisphead lettuce, specifically those related with the lack of technical information regarding the ideal moment to irrigate and the amount of water to be applied, a study was performed in order to determine the effect of different water depths on production and economical behavior of crisphead lettuce. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse of the Universidade Federal de Lavras, between March and May 2008. A randomized block design with five treatments and four replicates was applied. The treatments, consisted of five evaporation factors 0.30, 0.60, 0.90, 1.20 and 1.50 EVm, based on an evaporated depth of a reduced pan. The results showed that the maximum total and commercial yield, 65.578 and 35.308 kg ha-1, were estimated by applying depths equivalent to 203.9 and 204.3 mm, respectively, corresponding to 101 percent replacement factor. Considering the water factor price (R$ 0.67 mm-1) and crisphead lettuce price (R$ 0.90 kg-1), the economically optimum depth was 203.9 mm, which resulted in a commercial yield equal to a physical maximum.