Abstract Tijuca National Park (Parque Nacional da Tijuca - PNT), in the Carioca Hills, Rio de Janeiro, faces often landslides. This threatens the environment and the infrastructure, such as Estrada do Redentor, which connects the Paineiras Visitor Center (CVP) to the Floresta Visitor Center Sector. Due to the lithological-structure characteristics and the status of urban protection area, many methodologies are not suitable for risk mapping and management. Therefore, a methodological adjustment was developed to identify landslide-prone areas by quantifying, understanding, and spatializing events and conditioning factors. Using GIS tools, we collected data on geological structures and infrastructure to assess risk. As a result, a concentration of high-risk areas was identified near the CVP. Medium risk areas are centralized, while from the middle of the road to Alto da Boa Vista, the predominant areas range from low to medium risk. The most common factors are cracks in the road, loose blocks on the slopes, and cuts in the road. Therefore, on Redeemer Road, there is a combination of factors affecting safety, such as lithological-structure and geomorphological aspects, rainfall, slope and lack of maintenance of existing structures.

Resumo O Parque Nacional da Tijuca (PNT), na Serra da Carioca, Rio de Janeiro, enfrenta deslizamentos frequentes. Isso ameaça o meio ambiente e a infraestrutura, como a Estrada do Redentor, que conecta o Centro de Visitantes das Paineiras (CVP) ao Centro de Visitantes do Setor Floresta. Devido às características geológicas e ao status de área de proteção urbana, muitas metodologias não se adequam ao mapeamento e gerenciamento de riscos. Por isso, foi desenvolvida uma adaptação metodológica para mapear com ultra detalhes áreas propensas a deslizamentos, por meio da quantificação, compreensão e espacialização de eventos e fatores condicionantes. Usando ferramentas SIG, coletou-se dados sobre estruturas geológicas e infraestrutura para avaliar o risco. Como resultado, identificou-se uma concentração de áreas de alto risco próximo ao CVP. As áreas de risco médio estão centralizadas, enquanto do meio da estrada até o Alto da Boa Vista, as áreas predominantes variam de baixo a médio risco. Os fatores mais comuns são fissuras na pista, blocos soltos nas encostas e cortes na estrada. Portanto, na Estrada do Redentor, há uma combinação de fatores que afetam a segurança, como aspectos geológicos, geomorfológicos, pluviosidade, declividade e falta de manutenção nas estruturas existentes.

Plutella xylostella cause considerable harm to the production of broccoli, Chinese cabbage, cabbage and cauliflower. The control of P. xylostella is mainly performed using commercial insecticides, which have even led to the emergence of resistant populations. Two easily available natural products found in different plants essential oil, thymol and eugenol, stand up as possible novel agents to control this pest. In this work a series of alkylated and acylated derivatives of eugenol and thymol were synthesized and screened for antifeedant, larvicidal and ovicidal activities against P. xylostella. The results of biological activities assays suggest that the novel 1,1’-[1,8-octanediylbis(oxy)]-bis(4-allyl-2-methoxy-benzene) (5) was the most toxic in the larvicidal test. Compounds 1-butoxy-2-isopropyl-5-methyl-benzene (8) and hexanedioic acid 1,6-bis(2-isopropyl-5-methyl-phenyl)-ester (10) were the most toxic in the ovicidal assay. The compound 8 presented the most antifeedant activity. Most of the compounds obtained were more active than commercially available insecticidal deltamethrin and azadirachtin.

Essential oils from the leaves, stems, flowers and fruits of Melaleuca leucadendra growing in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effects of the oils and their major constituent were evaluated on the agricultural pests Tetranychus urticae and Plutella xylostella in different stages of development. The analysis revealed a M. leucadendra chemotype rich in (E)-nerolidol (81.78 ± 0.90 to 95.78 ± 1.20%). P. xylostella was more susceptible to the oils and major constituent than T. urticae. The fruit oil was 1.5-fold more toxic than the leaf oil to T. urticae eggs. (E)-Nerolidol was 5.5-fold and 4.5-fold more toxic to T. urticae adults than the leaf and fruit oils, respectively. Azamax® used as the positive control was more efficient than the oils and (E)-nerolidol against T. urticae. However, the oils and (E)-nerolidol were more toxic to P. xylostella than Azamax®.

Abstract The Commelina erecta L. (C. erecta) also known as erva-de-santa-luzia is reported by local population to have medical properties against some pathological conditions. In this study, two extracts of C. erecta leaves (aqueous and ethanolic) were phytochemically analysed and evaluated for their in-vitro antioxidant activities by DPPH, TBARS, NO assays and cell viability assays. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography followed by tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of rutin and caffeic acid in aqueous and ethanolic extract. The total polyphenols in aqueous and ethanolic extracts found were 142.7 ± 3.0 and 123.1 ± 5.8 μg/mL of GAE, respectively. The ethanolic extract (5 mg/mL) inhibits TBARS by 33.8%, and the aqueous extract (5 mg/mL) exhibited scavenger property against nitric oxide derivatives to an extent of 77.8%. In cell culture, both extracts improved cell survivability under H2O2 induced oxidative stress. Thus, C. erecta extract is a good candidate to become a phytotherapic medicine.

ABSTRACT Hepatic disorders such as steatosis and alcoholic steatohepatitis are common diseases that affect thousands of people around the globe. This study aims to identify the main phenol compounds using a new HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS method, to evaluate some oxidative stress parameters and the hepatoprotective action of green dwarf coconut water, caffeic and ascorbic acids on the liver and serum of rats treated with ethanol. The results showed five polyphenols in the lyophilized coconut water spiked with standards: chlorogenic acid (0.18 µM), caffeic acid (1.1 µM), methyl caffeate (0.03 µM), quercetin (0.08 µM) and ferulic acid (0.02 µM) isomers. In the animals, the activity of the serum γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (γ-GT) was reduced to 1.8 I.U/L in the coconut water group, 3.6 I.U/L in the ascorbic acid group and 2.9 I.U/L in the caffeic acid groups, when compared with the ethanol group (5.1 I.U/L, p<0.05). Still in liver, the DNA analysis demonstrated a decrease of oxidized bases compared to ethanol group of 36.2% and 48.0% for pretreated and post treated coconut water group respectively, 42.5% for the caffeic acid group, and 34.5% for the ascorbic acid group. The ascorbic acid was efficient in inhibiting the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the liver by 16.5% in comparison with the ethanol group. These data indicate that the green dwarf coconut water, caffeic and ascorbic acids have antioxidant, hepatoprotective and reduced DNA damage properties, thus decreasing the oxidative stress induced by ethanol metabolism.