Abstract Essential oils from plants have remarkable biological properties, for example as insecticides and acaricides. Here we provide chemical analysis and evaluate the toxicity of the essential oil of Mentha piperita (Lamiaceae) and its main constituent menthol against Tetranychus urticae Kogan 1836 (Acari: Tetranychidae), a polyphagous pest present in agricultural landscapes. The essential oil was obtained from M. piperita leaves via hydrodistillation. Subsequently, concentration-response bioassays in adult females (fumigation and contact) were conducted to evaluate the lethal effect on the mite with three exposure intervals. We also evaluated the reproductive performance of females after exposure. Both substances were lethal in the fumigation bioassay, in addition, the essential oil was about 6-fold more toxic than menthol after 24 and 48 h of exposure. The fecundity of T. urticae females decreased inversely proportional to the increase of the used concentrations. Essential oil contact tests showed sublethal effects, with low mortality and reproductive stimulation of T. urticae females. Therefore, menthol and M. piperita essential oil can be considered potential acaricides for T. urticae by fumigant exposure due to the deleterious effect in adults and reduction in the number of individuals in subsequent generations, that represents a promising management tool.

Abstract Due to rising concerns for environmental and human health, many toxic compounds, such as auxin-based herbicides, have been tested in relation their toxicity effect. Especially cyto- and phytotoxic assays have been performed on a number monocot and eudicot plant species. In these approaches the toxicity level of the auxin is compared to a positive control – usually a commercial compound with known effects and chemical similarity to the target compound. However, many target compounds still lack an indication of an adequate positive control. Here, we evaluate the phytotoxic and cytotoxic effect of the auxins 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba, and picloram in order test their potential use as positive controls. All tested auxinic herbicides showed clastogenic and aneugenic effect mechanisms. The results indicate 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid as the most phyto- and cytotoxic in the discontinuous method in Lactuca sativa L. and Allium cepa L., and also in the continuous method in A. cepa. Thus, we suggest 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid as a positive control for future mutagenesis studies involving new auxins. For studies with L. sativa in continuous method, we recommend the auxin picloram as positive control as this one was the only one which allowed the development of roots.

Abstract Herbicides are agrochemicals applied in the control of weeds. With the frequent and repetitive use of these substances, serious problems have been reported. Compounds of natural origin and their derivatives are attractive options to obtain new compounds with herbicidal properties. By aiming to develop compounds with potentiated herbicidal activity, phenoxyacetic acids were synthesized from eugenol and guaiacol. The synthesized compounds were characterized and the herbicidal potential of phenoxyacetic acids and precursors was evaluated through bioassays regarding the germination and initial development of Lactuca sativa and Sorghum bicolor seedlings, with the induction of DNA damage. The induction of changes in the mitotic cycle of meristematic cells of roots of L. sativa was also analyzed. At the concentration of 3 mmol L-1, phenols and their respective phenoxyacetic acids presented phytotoxic and cytotoxic activities in L. sativa and S. bicolor. Eugenol and guaiacol also presented genotoxic action in L. sativa. The toxic effect of eugenoxyacetic acid was more pronounced in L. sativa than in S. bicolor, similar to the commercial 2,4-D herbicide. Molecular properties of the phenols and their derivatives phenoxyacetic acids were compared with the ones obtained for the herbicide 2,4-D, where it was found a correlation between their molecular properties and bioactivity.

Abstract The objective of the present work was the molecular characterization of 11 parents and 101 hybrid progenies of conilon coffee, obtained through diallel crosses from the breeding program of the Instituto Capixaba de Pesquisa, Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (Incaper, ES, Brazil). The analyses were performed with 18 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) molecular markers, obtaining a total of 32 alleles. SSR markers were classified as moderately informative (PIC = 0.37), being efficient in characterizing individuals. High genetic diversity was verified in the 112 genotypes, based on the greater values of observed heterozygosity about to the expected heterozygosity (0.55 and 0.44, respectively), negative values for the fixation index (F) (-0.14), and the formation of distinct groups by UPGMA. These results indicate high genetic variability among the conilon coffee genitors, which remained similar and persisting in the progenies. The average dissimilarity between parents was 0.29 and between progenies 0.34. The progenies 38 and 40 and the parent P11 were considered the most divergent in the study. The genetic variability found can be explored in the genetic breeding of the conilon coffee and guide crossings between diversified and compatible genetic materials, for the composition of novel cultivars for the state of Espírito Santo.

Considering the broad spectrum of biological activity of gamma-butyrolactone derivatives, we presented the synthesis of 3,4-dihalo-5-arylidenefuran-2(5H)-ones (17-21) and analogues (24-28) of the natural product nostoclide (7,8). Furanones 17-21 were synthesized from the condensation of aromatic aldehydes with lactones 14 and 15, that were obtained from mucobromic and mucochloric acids. Lactone 15 was converted into the intermediate 23 in 36% overall yield. Compound 23 was then transformed into the nostoclide analogues 24-28. Some of the compounds prepared showed antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus comparable to commercial antibiotics.

We classified the estrous cycle of the Mongolian gerbil and described the structures and relations of the uterine tube in the pelvic abdominal cavity and the histology of its coating epithelium. From 19 adult female Mongolian gerbils the uterine tube has been investigated by anatomy and histology using intact tissue. A polyestrous and irregular cycle was observed, with five different phases: proestrus, estrus I, estrus II, metaestrus, and diestrus. Estrus I is characterized by a smaller number of dispersed keratinized cells compared to estrus II. The uterine tube is related to the distal extremity of the uterine horn and to the ovary and presents an outer serosal covering (peritoneal visceral lamina), a muscular tunica media consisting of smooth circular fibers and a mucosal layer with simple covering epithelium composed of secretory and ciliated cylindric cells. Histologically, it is divided into four different areas: intramural, isthmus, ampulla and infundibulum. The gerbil is not an ideal model for the study of the estrous cycle due to its irregularity. The anatomy and histology of the uterine tube is similar to that of rodents used as laboratory animals

Fue clasificado el ciclo estral del gerbo de Mongolia y descritas las estructuras y relaciones de la tuba uterina en la cavidad abdomino-pélvica, así como la histología de su epitelio de revestimiento. Las tubas uterinas de 19 hembras adultas del gerbo de Mongolia fueron investigadas a través de técnicas de anatomía e histología. Fue observado el ciclo estral poliéstrico e irregular, con cinco fases: proestro, estro I, estro II, metaestro y diestro. El estro I se caracterizaba por presentar células queratinizadas, esparcidas y en menor número con respecto al estro II. La tuba uterina presentaba relaciones con la extremidad distal del cuerno uterino y con el ovario. La tuba presenta serosa de revestimiento externo (lámina visceral del peritoneo), túnica media muscular de fibras circulares lisas y túnica mucosa con epitelio de revestimiento simple, constituido de células cilíndricas ciliadas y secretoras. Anatómicamente las tubas uterinas, se dividen en cuatro regiones: intramural, istmo, ampolla e infundíbulo. El gerbo no constituye modelo ideal para estudios del ciclo estral debido a su irregularidad. La anatomía e histología de la tuba uterina son semejantes a la presentada por los roedores usados como animales de laboratorio

The three-dimensional structure of the lingual papillae and the connective tissues of the tongue of chinchila were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The NaOH cell maceration method were used to remove the epithelial layer to visualize the connective tissue architecture. The dorsum of the tongue is covered by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium and possessed four types of papillae: filiform, fungiform, foliate and vallate. SEM images demonstrated the epithelial cell surfaces with microridges, distinct intercellular borders and taste pores. The connective tissue core of filiform papillae of the anterior and intermediate part of the tongue consisted of two or three rod-like protrusions while on the posterior part demonstrated large base with several apical protrusions. The lamina propria of the fungiform papillae were columnar and vallate papillae presented a central groove surrounded by numerous connective tissue papillae; the foliate papillae demonstrated elliptical holes surrounded by small connective tissue papillae

A través de la microscopía electrónica de barrido se observó la estructura tridimensional de las papilas linguales y el tejido conectivo de la lengua de chinchilla. Se utilizó la técnica de maceración celular con NaOH para remover la capa epitelial y visualizar la arquitectura del tejido conectivo. El dorso de la lengua está cubierto por epitelio escamoso estratificado queranitizado y posee cuatro tipos de papilas: filiformes, fungiformes, foliadas y valadas. Las imágenes de microscopía de barrido mostraron superficies de las células epiteliales con micropuentes distintos de los bordes intercelulares y poros linguales. El tejido conectivo central de las papilas filiformes de las partes anterior e intermedia de la lengua, presentaban dos o tres protrusiones semejantes a vástagos, mientras que en la parte posterior se observó una amplia base con varias protrusiones apicales. La lámina propia de las papilas fungiformes era columnar y las papilas valadas presentaron una muesca central rodeada por numeroso tejido conectivo papilar; las papilas foliadas presentaban orificios elípticos rodeados por escaso tejido conectivo papilar

Las características morfológicas del epitelio y tejido conjuntivo de las papilas valadas del oposum fueron observadas a través de los microscopios de luz y electrónico de barrido. Fue utilizado el método de maceración de las células con NaOH para visualizar la arquitectura del tejido conjuntivo. El dorso posterior de la lengua del oposum posee dos papilas valadas. Las secciones histológicas mostraron que la cubierta epitelial de estas papilas es del tipo escamoso, estratificado, queratinizado y asociadas con yemas gustativas y papilas pequeñas. Estas estructuras gustativas mostraron formas circulares u ovales. Imágenes al SEM mostraron la superficie de las células epiteliales con microcrestas, diferentes de los márgenes intercelulares y poros gustativos. El tejido conjuntivo denso está compuesto por unas redes de fibras colágenas y mostró papilas de diferentes formas. La arquitectura de lámina propia de las papilas valadas es de forma de un cono