The effects of quercetin supplementation in NADH-diaphorase positive (NADH-d) neurons of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was carried in this study. Fifteen male rats were divided into three groups: normoglycemic (N), diabetic (D) and diabetic supplemented with quercetin (DQ). Whole mount preparations of the muscular layer of the ileum underwent NADH-d histochemistry for evidencing the NADH-d neuronal subpopulation. Quantitative analyzes were performed on 30 random fields, and morphometric analyzes in 100 neuronal bodies and nuclei per animal. The supplementation promoted a 44 % reduction in the neuronal density in D group when compared to N group (p <0.001); a 24.5 % reduction was observed in the DQ group when compared to N (p <0.01). Animals in D group presented an 18.7 % increase in the cell body areas of myenteric neurons when compared to N (p <0.001); DQ group showed a 14.2 % decrease in neuronal areas when compared to D (p <0.01); the nuclear area were similar among the three groups. We conclude that quercetin supplementation was positive for animals with diabetes mellitus.

Se estudiaron los efectos de la suplementación con quercetina en neuronas NADH-diaforasa positiva (NADH-d) de ratas diabéticas inducidas por estreptozotocina. Quince ratas machos se dividieron en tres grupos: normoglicémico (N), diabéticos (D) y diabéticos suplementados con quercetina (DQ). Las cortes montados de la capa muscular del íleon fueron sometidos a histoquímica de NADH-d para evidenciar la subpoblación neuronal NADH-d. Se realizaron análisis cuantitativos en 30 campos aleatorios y análisis morfométricos en 100 cuerpos y núcleos neuronales, por animal. La suplementación promovió una reducción del 44 % en la densidad neuronal en el grupo D cuando se comparó con el grupo N (p <0,001). Se observó una reducción del 24,5 % en el grupo DQ en comparación con N (p <0,01). Los animales del grupo D presentaron un aumento del 18,7 % en las áreas del cuerpo celular de las neuronas mientéricas cuando se compararon con N (p <0,001). El grupo DQ mostró una disminución de 14,2 % en las áreas neuronales en comparación con D (p <0,01). El área nuclear fue similar entre los tres grupos. Se concluye que la suplementación con quercetina fue positiva para animales con diabetes mellitus.

ABSTRACT Gout is a destructive arthritis with a high prevalence worldwide. However, the available therapy is not able to increase life quality in many patients. Campomanesia velutina (Cambess) O. Berg, Myrtaceae, is used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat pain, inflammation and rheumatism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of ethanolic and aqueous extracts from C. velutina leaves to treat hyperuricemia and inflammation in gout arthritis model. Ethanolic extract of leaves and aqueous extract of leaves were in vitro assayed on xanthine oxidase inhibitory effect and in vivo on an experimental model of oxonate-induced hyperuricemia in mice, liver xanthine oxidase inhibition and monosodium urate crystal-induced paw edema model. The extracts at both tested doses (100 and 300 mg/kg) reduced serum urate levels. They were also able to inhibit xanthine oxidase in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating that this might be the mechanism of action underlying the urate-lowering effects. In addition, the extracts showed significant anti-inflammatory activity on monosodium urate crystal-induced paw edema, especially aqueous extract (100 and 300 mg/kg) that reduced edema at all evaluated times. Rutin and myricitrin were identified in ethanolic and in aqueous extracts. In this study, myricitrin was able to reduce serum uric acid levels and inhibit liver xanthine oxidase at the dose of 15 mg/kg. The anti-hyperuricemic activity of rutin has been previously reported. Thus, rutin and myricitrin seem to contribute to the observed effects of ethanolic and aqueous extracts. The results demonstrated the ability of aqueous and ethanolic extracts to lower serum urate levels and to reduce edema induced by monosodium urate crystals. Therefore, they may contribute to the management of gout in the future.

Species of the Lychnophora genus are plants native to Brazil, popularly known as "Brazilian arnica" and used in folk medicine as alcoholic and hydro-alcoholic preparations for the treatment of bruises, inflammation, pain, rheumatism and insect bites. The present study aimed to evaluate the safety of the use of Lychnophora pinaster Mart., Asteraceae. Acute toxicity of the crude ethanolic extract was evaluated by administration of the extract by oral route to male and female Swiss mice. A single extract dose of 125, 250 or 500 mg/kg was administered and the effects on spontaneous locomotor activity, exploratory behavior, muscle strength, body weight, food and water consumption, relative organ weight, histology, as well as hematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The three doses administered to the animals did not cause muscle tone alterations, but doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg induced a significant inhibition of the spontaneous locomotor activity and exploratory behavior of the animals in open-field test. There was no alteration to hematological parameters and consumption of water and food, body weight variation and organs relative weight. Changes were observed in AST and ALT during assessment of biochemical parameters. The histopathological evaluation showed that the extract provoked cellular alterations, such as vacuolar degeneration and inflammation in kidneys and liver at all doses. Liver morphometric analyses of male and female mice showed that the extract did not have dose-dependent effects. Although females showed a significant increase in inflammatory cells, the effect was not dose-dependent.

O presente estudo visou apresentar o biovolume de cianobactérias e algas fitoplanctônicas e perifíticas de reservatórios com diferentes estados tróficos do Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. O estudo inclui uma proposta para determinação do biovolume de formas coloniais de Cyanobacteria como, por exemplo, Microcystis e Sphaerocavum. A lista de biovolume auxiliará os estudos sobre ecologia de algas, permitindo a aplicação dessa informação em trabalhos nessa área de estudo, além de servir de modelo comparativo em outros ecossistemas de região tropical. A lista inclui o biovolume de 568 táxons, incluindo informações sobre suas respectivas classes taxonômicas, máxima dimensão linear e razão superfície/volume.

The present study aimed at presenting the biovolume of planktonic and periphytic cyanobacteria and algae from reservoirs with different trophic status at Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil. The study includes a proposal for determining the biovolume of colonial forms of Cyanobacteria such as Microcystis and Sphaerocavum. The list of biovolume will contribute to algal ecology studies, allowing the application of this information to research in this area of knowledge, besides serving as a comparative model for other tropical ecosystems. The list comprises the biovolume of 568 taxa, including information on their taxonomic classes, maximum linear dimension and surface/volume ratio.

The species of the genus Lychnophora, Asteraceae, are popularly known as "arnica" and are native from Brazilian savana (Cerrado). They are widely used in Brazilian folk medicine as anti-inflammatory, to treat bruise, pain, rheumatism and for insect bites. For evaluation of acute toxicity, the ethanolic extract was given to albino female and male mice. In open-field test, the extract of Lychnophora trichocarpha (Spreng.) Spreng. (0.750 g/kg) induced a significant inhibition of the spontaneous locomotor activity and exploratory behavior of the animals were observed 1 and 4 h after administration. In traction test, the same dose reduced the muscular force 1 h after administration. The exploratory behavior reduced significantly in the group that received 0.50 g/kg, 1 and 4 h after administration of the extract. The animals that received the doses of 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 g/kg did not show any change of blood biochemical parameters comparing to control group and showed some histopathological changes such as congestion and inflammation of kidney and liver. The dose of 1.5 g/kg caused the most serious signs of toxicity. Histopathological changes observed was hemorrhage in 62.5% and pulmonary congestion in 100% of the animals. Brain and liver congestion was found in 62.5% of the animals.

Six pentacyclic triterpenes were isolated from hexane extract of stems of Maytenus salicifolia Reissek, Celastraceae: 30-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one (1), 3,16-dioxofriedelane (2), friedeline (3), lupeol (4), betuline (5) and lup-20(29)-en-3,30-diol (6). The structure each one was established on the basis of detailed ¹H and 13C NMR spectral investigation and by comparison with the respective literature values. For compound 1, the complete 2D NMR (HMBC, HMQC and NOESY) spectral data were herein reported for the first time. Compounds 1, 2, 5 and 6 were isolated for the first time from this plant. Antioxidant activity is described for some extracts from species of the Celastraceae family, then, the extracts from aerial parts of M. salicifolia were evaluated in relation to antioxidant potential using the DPPH method. Compared to quecertin, the AcEt extract (EAF) from leaves, AcEt (EAPF) and MeOH (EMPF) from pulp fruit and AcEt (EAT) and MeOH (EMT) from stems showed significant antioxidant property.

Este artigo apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa de levantamento sobre as práticas e tendências da gestão do processo de desenvolvimento de produto em empresas da indústria brasileira de autopeças. De um universo identificado no país, de cerca de 120 empresas do setor (considerando pequenas, médias e grandes empresas) que em 2003 realizavam atividades de desenvolvimento de produto locais, conseguiu-se visitar e entrevistar 32 empresas, mas se obteve dados completos (questionários aproveitáveis) em uma amostra de 23 empresas. Essas empresas foram visitadas pela equipe de pesquisadores (normalmente por dois pesquisadores), ocasião em que se aplicou pessoalmente o questionário junto ao responsável pela área de Desenvolvimento de Produto. Alguns dos principais resultados sobre as práticas encontradas são: tem havido um crescimento da adoção de modelos de referência para estruturação e gerenciamento do PDP pelas empresas do setor, os quais muitas vezes estão apenas parcialmente implementados; métodos e técnicas de gestão do PDP são aplicados pelas empresas, mas em diferentes graus de intensidade, maturidade e integração; normalmente os projetos são conduzidos por times de desenvolvimento, embora a presença da estrutura organizacional funcional ainda seja significativa; os projetos do tipo follow-source são os mais comuns, mas os projetos do tipo plataforma também são relevantes, representando cerca de um quarto do número médio de projetos conduzidos pelas empresas da amostra; e as empresas sistemistas são as que mais utilizam práticas de padrão internacional de gestão no PDP. Acerca das tendências identificou-se que: a busca da redução do ciclo de inovação deverá exigir uma alocação maior de recursos para aumento da velocidade do desenvolvimento de novos produtos e possivelmente um uso mais intensivo de técnicas de gestão no PDP (tais como Lean - Seis Sigma, DFMA- Design for Manufacturing and Assembling, além de técnicas de simulação do produto em desenvolvimento); e é esperado que as unidades locais consigam mais autonomia em relação às matrizes, particularmente para condução das atividades que possuem competência para participar mais efetivamente de desenvolvimentos conjuntos com as montadoras e/ou sistemistas, seja para fornecimento local ou mais global.

This paper presents the empirical findings of survey on practices and management trends of product development process management in the Brazilian auto-parts industry. Thirty two companies, from 120 companies which carry out product development activities, answered the questionnaire, each of theses 32 companies was visited and the interviews were conduced with the managers of PDP, by members of the group of researchers. The final sample consisted of 23 responses since 9 questionnaires were incomplete. Some of the main findings on the practices are: widespread dissemination and use of reference models for PDP partially implemented; methods and techniques for PDP Management are applied with weak inter functional integration; development team carries out the PDP activities; functional structure is still widely used; the follow-source projects are the most common type, while platform projects were also identified (average of 25% of carry out projects); and the first tier suppliers are the ones that more use practices of international pattern of PDP management. Regarding the trends, the reduction of the innovation cycle will require more resources to increase product development speed, and local units expect to reach more autonomy in product development activities which they are capable in order to take part effectively of co-development with the automakers.

Realizou-se o levantamento florístico das Coscinodiscophyceae, Fragilariophyceae e Bacillariophyceae (Achnanthales) dos rios Ivaí, São João e dos Patos, pertencentes à bacia hidrográfica do rio Ivaí, município de Prudentópolis, Paraná. Quarenta e uma amostras foram coletadas em março, junho e julho/2002 e janeiro/2003, e analisadas. As coletas fitoplanctônicas foram feitas através de arrasto superficial com rede de plâncton (25 µm) e as perifíticas através da coleta de porções submersas de macrófitas aquáticas, rochas, cascalho, sedimento ou substrato arenoso. Foram identificados, nove táxons pertencentes à classe Coscinodiscophyceae, oito à classe Fragilariophyceae e quinze à ordem Achnanthales (Bacillariophyceae). Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) Fryxell & Hasle, Achnanthidium sp., Planothidium biporomum (Hohn & Hellerman) Lange-Bertalot e Cocconeis placentula var. pseudolineata Geitler consistiram em novas citações para o estado do Paraná.

A floristic study of Coscinodiscophyceae, Fragilariophyceae and Bacillariophyceae (Achnanthales) in the Ivaí, São João and Patos rivers from the upper Ivaí river basin, located at Prudentópolis, Paraná State, Brazil is presented. Forty-one samples were collected in March, June and July/2002 and January/2003, and analysed. Phytoplankton samples were collected with a plankton net (25 µm mesh); periphyton was collected by removing the attached material from submerged portions of aquatic macrophytes, rocks, sediment or the sandy substratum. Nine species of the class Coscinodiscophyceae, eight of the class Fragilariophyceae and fourteen of the order Achnanthales were identified. Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) Fryxell & Hasle, Achnanthidium sp., Planothidium biporomum (Hohn & Hellerman) Lange-Bertalot and Cocconeis placentula var. pseudolineata Geitler were new diatom records for Paraná State.

Estudos florísticos e taxonômicos envolvendo diatomáceas são escassos para a região amazônica. As publicações existentes incluem registros de diatomáceas da Amazônia brasileira, do Equador, da Colômbia e do Peru e comumente mostram que Eunotia e Actinella (Eunotiaceae) são gêneros bem representados nessa região. A maioria dos igarapés amazônicos costuma apresentar potencial hidrogeniônico (pH) ácido, característica aquática que promove o desenvolvimento de uma comunidade típica de diatomáceas, dominada por espécimes de Eunotiaceae. O objetivo deste trabalho foi providenciar um levantamento florístico das espécies de Eunotiaceae presentes em igarapés da Amazônia Central brasileira e registrar os morfotipos de algumas espécies. Amostras fitoplanctônicas e perifíticas foram coletadas em cinco igarapés na rodovia BR-174, em Manaus e Presidente Figueiredo, em setembro e outubro de 1996 e fevereiro e março de 1997. Lâminas permanentes foram preparadas de acordo com a técnica de oxidação lenta para o estudo qualitativo. Vinte e três espécies pertencentes ao gênero Eunotia e seis ao gênero Actinella foram determinadas. Chaves dicotômicas de identificação, descrição detalhada, comentários relevantes e ilustrações foram providenciadas para cada táxon determinado. Morfotipos foram documentados para Eunotia zygodon. Espécies raramente citadas na literatura foram registradas, tais como, Eunotia falcifera e Eunotia rostellata.

Floristic and taxonomical studies about diatoms to Amazonian region are commonly well represented by Eunotia and Actinella (Eunotiaceae). The available works include diatom assemblage from Brazilian, Ecuadorian, Colombian and Peruvian Amazonia. The local streams often present acid pH which provides environmental conditions to develop a very particular diatom community dominated by specimens of Eunotiaceae. Thus, the aim of this paper is to give a floristic survey of Eunotiaceae from central Amazonian rivers and to register the typical morphologic frustule variations of some species. Planktonic and periphytic samples were collected from five rivers located at the BR-174 highway, near Manaus and Presidente Figueiredo districts, during 1996 and 1997. Slides were prepared in accordance with the technique of slow oxidation for the qualitative determination. Twenty-three species of Eunotia and six of Actinella were identified. Dicotomic keys, taxonomic comments and photographic illustrations were added. Morphotypes of Eunotia zygodon were registered. Species scarcelly mentioned on diatom literature were registered, such as, Eunotia falcifera and Eunotia rostellata.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a eficiência da solubilização de quatro detergentes comercialmente disponíveis, ASB 14, SB 3-10, CHAPS e Triton X100, na extração de proteínas de membrana da bactéria Xylella fastidiosa para estudos proteômicos. Estas proteínas foram solubilizadas em duas etapas em tampões diferenciados pelos detergentes e submetidas à eletroforese bidimensional (2-DE) em uma faixa de pH não linear de 3-10. Os detergentes ASB 14 e SB 3-10 foram os mais efecientes, revelando 221 e 157 proteínas, respectivamente, enquanto que o CHAPS e o Triton X100 resultaram somente 72 e 43 proteínas, respectivamente. A identificação das proteínas foi feita por 'peptide mass fingerprinting' em espectrometria de massa MALDI-TOF, através de peptídeos obtidos por digestão com tripsina in gel. Os 18 spots de proteínas do gel com tratamento com ASB 14 mostrou que 83% eram proteínas de membrana. Este estudo concluiu que o detergente ASB-14 foi o mais eficiente na solubilização de proteínas de membrana de Xylella fastidiosa.

Four different detergents, ASB 14, SB 3-10, CHAPS and Triton X100, were utilized to determine the optimal detergent for the solubilization of membrane proteins from the phytopathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. These proteins were differentially solubilized in distinct buffers containing the detergent and subjected to bidimensional electrophoresis within the non-linear pH range of 3-10. The detergents ASB 14 and SB 3-10 were the most effective revealing 221 and 157 spots, respectively. CHAPS and Triton X100 were less effective and revealed only 72 and 43 spots, respectively. MALDI-TOF tryptic peptide mass fingerprinting of 18 excised proteins from the ASB 14 treatment revealed that 83% were membrane proteins and that the theoretical efficiency of solubilization for ASB 14 was estimated to be 87%. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the detergent ASB 14 for the solubilization of membrane proteins from the bacterium X. fastidiosa.