Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias最新文献

Mentha pulegium L., a medicinal plant, has been known for producing bioactive essential oils (EOs) that exhibit antibacterial, antifebrile and digestive properties. Thus, this study aimed at determining, for the first time, activities of essential oil from Mentha pulegium (EO-MP) against Xylella fastidiosa - which causes Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC) - and Xanthomonas citri - which causes citrus canker. Antibacterial activities of EO-MP were evaluated and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined by the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. Cytotoxic activity of EO-MP was evaluated at concentrations ranging from 31.25 to 1000 µg/mL in tumor and non-tumor human cell lines. EO-MP was active against X. fastidiosa (MIC = 20 µg/mL) and X. citri (MIC = 50 µg/mL). EO-MP showed no cytotoxic activity to human fibroblast cell line (GM07492A) with IC50 equivalent to 1024.87 µg/mL and was potentially toxic against cell lines HeLa, MCF-7, and U-251MG (with all IC50 = 100 µg/mL). GC-MS analyses revealed that pulegone (51.3%), 1,8-cineole (16.5%), menthone (11.2%), and menthol (10.0%) were its major constituents in EO-MP. In silico studies highlighted that 1,8-cineole was more active against X. fastidiosa and pulegone against X. citri. In sum, further in vivo investigations and the ones conducted in a greenhouse are needed.

Aerobic exercise boosts antioxidant defenses, but intense acute exercise can increase oxidative stress, reducing performance and accelerating muscle fatigue, especially in untrained individuals. Acute swimming is often used to model such stress, making it ideal for evaluating antioxidant interventions. With rising interest in natural antioxidants, pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus), rich in polyphenols and betacyanins, presents a promising alternative. This study assessed the effects of pitaya pretreatment on mice subjected to acute swimming. Mice were divided into: Control, Exercise, Pitaya, and Pitaya + Exercise groups, with the latter two receiving 200 µl of pitaya juice daily for 30 days. After an acute swimming protocol, animals were euthanized for biochemical analysis. Glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), TBARS, reactive species (RS), glutathione levels (GSH), and activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and related enzymes were measured. In our results, the Pitaya + Exercise group showed a significant reduction in RS compared to Pitaya, and the Exercise group increased CAT and GST activity, while Pitaya pretreatment attenuated these effects and elevated GSH. ALP was significantly higher only in the Exercise group. These results suggest that pitaya pretreatment has antioxidant potential in acute exercise, though further research is needed to explore additional mechanisms.

More than fifty years after the first discoveries of pterosaurs in the Araripe Basin, this sedimentary unit remains one of the most informative windows into the diversity and biology of these fantastic flying reptiles. With dozens of proposed species from two different Lagerstätten, the exceptional preservation of Araripe fossils offers a detailed view of the anatomy, function, and ecology of Cretaceous pterosaurs. These fossils reveal complex faunal assemblages populated by these animals, providing rare snapshots of ancient ecosystems. Today, Araripe pterosaur diversity appears to have reached a plateau, with fewer new taxa and more specimens assigned to known species. This situation calls for a comprehensive reassessment of Araripe pterosaur diversity. Here, we present an in-depth, richly illustrated taxonomic review of all taxa proposed for the basin, along with a synthesis of available paleobiological data. This work aims to establish a solid foundation for future research and proposes guidelines for advancing our understanding of Araripe pterosaurs, especially from biostratigraphic and paleoecological perspectives-areas severely affected by the ongoing threat of illegal collecting and fossil trade.

The increase in mushroom production is driven by the versatility of these fungi to develop in various substrates. This study compared the macronutrients, micronutrients, total phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of Button, Portobello, Shiitake, and Oyster mushrooms cultivated on different commercial substrates. Results were expressed on a dry weight basis. Proteins (16-22%), carbohydrates (30-51%), and fiber (17-43%) were the predominant macronutrients, while lipids, total sugars, and ash were present in smaller amounts. Major elements included phosphorus (509-1004 mg/100 g), magnesium (107-154 mg/100 g), and calcium (14-48 mg/100 g). Button showed the highest phosphorus, copper (2.55 mg/100 g), caloric value (1253 kJ/100 g), carbohydrates, and the lowest fiber. Portobello had higher ash content (13%), while Shiitake exhibited the highest fiber, magnesium, manganese (2.34 mg/100 g), zinc (7.22 mg/100 g), and lower carbohydrate. Oyster was distinguished by its high protein and iron content (8.77 mg/100 g). Button had the highest phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity (ABTS+, DPPH-, and FRAP). All mushrooms were rich in proteins, fiber, elements, and phenolic, with distinct profiles influenced by substrates. These results highlight their potential as sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds for the functional food industry, contributing to sustainable plant-based diets as antioxidant-rich options.

Tupandactylus imperator, a striking tapejarid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation (Araripe Basin), is renowned for its extraordinary cranial crest, one of the proportionally largest among pterosaurs and, indeed, also among all living and extinct vertebrates. This species is known from six specimens, showing different degrees of completeness. Here we describe a new material (MN 7852-V) that represents the most complete skull and articulated lower jaw of Tupandactylus imperator to date, presenting an exceptionally well-preserved cranial crest composed of bone and extensive soft-tissue. Uniquely, the soft-tissue portion of the crest has a sinuous dorsoposterior margin, contrasting with previously reconstructions that suggested a convex or concave profile. The new specimen also shows several new anatomical features such as a free descending process of the nasal and several unfused elements of the lower jaw. It further displays a well-developed dentary crest and a pronounced retroarticular process, differing from previous interpretations. The specimen also displays plant material in direct contact with the mandible, which may be taphonomic or could tentatively be seen as an indication of a herbivorous feeding habit for this species.

Antarctica provides a unique opportunity to understand changes in permafrost and global climate. Four monitoring sites were selected between maritime Antarctica and the Peninsula to study the temporal trend, air and soil temperature, and dynamics of the active soil layer. The Mann-Kendall method was used to determine the presence of a trend (complete series, seasonal and annual), the Sen-Slope test to check the degree of slope of the trend, and the Pettitt test to determine the exact date of the sudden change in the trend line. The thickness of the active layer - ALT - was estimated using the monthly maximum temperature. The local effects of each site influenced the dynamics of the active layer and the thermal regime. Deception heat balance was influenced primarily by geothermal activity, mainly at depth. In summer and autumn, the isotherm increases with depth at Low Head, Deception and Hope Bay. The Mann-Kendall test was significant for all sites studied. The ALT was thicker near the peninsula than in places in Shetland. Global warming causes increasingly frequent and intense extreme events, added to natural variability and the effect of local and regional climate factors.

In this work, polyurethane foams from post-consumer mattresses were recycled through surface modifications and reused to recover oils spilled in seawater. The surface modifications included grafting zinc oxide followed by coating with hexadecanoic acid, which enhanced the foams' hydrophobicity and oil affinity. Sorption tests simulating oil spills were conducted on three systems involving seawater and oil (diesel, S46 lubricating, or 20W40 engine). The modifications led to increased oil sorption capacity, achieving up to 950% in the seawater-20W40 engine oil system. Additionally, the modification reduced the seawater sorption by up to 72% in the seawater-diesel system. The findings indicated that viscosity significantly affects mass transport between the adsorbate and adsorbent. Verhuls' kinetic model was the best fit for the sorption of diesel, S46 lubricating, and 20W40 engine oil (R² = 0.99). The pseudo-second-order model was also suitable for diesel and S46 lubricating oil (R² > 0.98). The desorption kinetics and reuse tests demonstrated that the foams effectively retained over 83% of absorbed oil after 30 minutes in suspension and maintained this capacity for over 50 cycles. This study highlights the successful application of one residue as an effective agent for the removal of another, demonstrating its potential for sustainable remediation strategies.

A critical review of the impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases (VBDs) was carried out. The systems Chagas-Triatominae as hemimetabolous insect and leishmaniasis-Phlebotominae as holometabolous with terrestrial larval stages were taken as examples and both were considered for their diversity of vector species, reservoirs and socio-environmental settings of transmission. Results from the literature were discussed in relation to: a) the multiplicity of causes, targets and consequences from the perspective of multilevel eco-epidemiology; b) assumptions of linearity of predictive models rather than chaos and complexity of the systems involved; c) the assumption of species with fixed biological characteristics, rather than species that, under external pressure, can adapt and change their natural nidality, and pathogens that can change host species (Stockholm paradigm); d) consistency between stated objectives and conclusions. Most of the reviewed articles refer to the medium- and long-term impacts of climate change on the transmission of VBDs, and advocate for emission reductions. However, based on the conceptual and operational arguments discussed, recommendations are proposed to develop a strategy for preventive monitoring of VBDs, in line with public health needs in the short term and at the local level, transferable to programmes for timely decision-making.

Several studies pointed out that skeletal abnormalities, although widespread among species, are rare in wild populations. There is a gap in the knowledge of such anomalies on endangered fish species regarding types of deformities, geographical distribution, and possible consequences on key behaviors. Here, we describe new records of skeleton deformities in the endangered Atlantic Goliath Grouper (AGG), Epinephelus itajara, based on 20 years of scientific dives and collections focused on studing AGG spawning aggregations and movement using telemetry in Florida (U.S.) and along the Brazilian coast. Five different deformities were recorded (pughead, shorttail, pughead no-eye, finless, and shorttail-pughead). We also compiled and discussed previous records from the literature and the challenges posed by these deformities. We proposed hypotheses related to the challenges imposed by each type of deformity on wild juvenile AGG. Despite the low frequencies in wild populations, abnormal individuals may have a higher survival rate in aquaculture facilities.

The Early Cretaceous pterosaur Sinopterus atavismus, from Northeast China, belongs to the Tapejaridae. The furrowed structure of its wing phalanges is relatively primitive, possibly indicative of atavism. New information of Sinopterus atavismus is therefore of great interest in studies of evolution among Tapejaridae, especially for interpreting some anatomical features of the holotype. In this paper, the distribution patterns and characteristics of chemical elements in the holotype specimen were analyzed by non-destructive micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF). The chemical mapping results show that the element Ca was significantly associated with pterosaur bones, showing residual traces of the left lower part of the humerus; Sr replaced Ca and the distribution was uniform, suggesting that phosphate recrystallization occurred in the specimen; Fe is concentrated in the soft tissue parts of the pterosaur fossil, which may be related to pyritization, and Mn appears as the alteration phase of the original iron-rich phase. The elemental migration and sedimentary environment of the fossil require further study. The XRF elemental imaging study of Sinopterus atavismus is helpful for explorations of the development and evolution of Tapejaridae, and also provides more chemical information on the taphonomy of the Jehol Biota.