The Microbacterium sp. LEMMJ01 isolated from Antarctic soil does not belong to any of the nearest species identified in the RDP database. Under UV radiation (A, B and C wavebands) the survival ...fractions of Microbacterium sp. cells were much higher compared with wild-type E. coli K12A15. Especially remarkable for an Antarctic bacterium, an expressive resistance against high UV-B doses was observed. The increased survival of DNA repair-proficient E. coli grown overnight added of 0.1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of the whole pigment extract produced by Microbacterium sp. revealed that part of the resistance of Microbacterium sp. against UV-B radiation seems to be connected with photoprotection by its pigments. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that UV-A and UV-B ensued membrane alterations only in E. coli. The APCI-MS fingerprints revealed the diagnostic ions for neurosporene (m/z 580, 566, 522, 538, and 524) synergism for the first time in this bacterium by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. Carotenoids also were devoid of phototoxicity and cytotoxicity effects in mouse cells and in human keratinocytes and fibroblasts.
Based on literature review and malacological collections, 168 native freshwater bivalve and five invasive species have been recorded for 52 hydrographic regions in South America. The higher species ...richness has been detected in the South Atlantic, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Amazon Brazilian hydrographic regions. Presence or absence data were analysed by Principal Coordinate for Phylogeny-Weighted. The lineage Veneroida was more representative in hydrographic regions that are poorer in species and located West of South America. The Mycetopodidae and Hyriidae lineages were predominant in regions that are richest in species toward the East of the continent. The distribution of invasive species Limnoperna fortunei is not related to species richness in different hydrographic regions there. The species richness and its distribution patterns are closely associated with the geological history of the continent. The hydrographic regions present distinct phylogenetic and species composition regardless of the level of richness. Therefore, not only should the richness be considered to be a criterion for prioritizing areas for conservation, but also the phylogenetic diversity of communities engaged in services and functional aspects relevant to ecosystem maintenance. A plan to the management of this fauna according to particular ecological characteristics and human uses of hydrographic regions is needed.
Chronic exposure to solar radiation could contribute to premature skin aging and skin cancer. Skin presents its own antioxidant defense, however when defenses are out of balance, reactive oxygen ...species could damage biological structures. In the present work, an oil-in-water photoprotective emulsion was developed and Bauhinia microstachya var. massambabensis Vaz, Fabaceae, extracts at 1% (obtained by extraction with different solvents) were added to this emulsion. In vitro and in vivo efficacy and safety of the formulations were evaluated. Spectrophotometric methods and in vivo Colipa test were performed to evaluated efficacy of the formulations, through sun protection factor (SPF) determination and UVA protection factor assessment. To the in vitro safety assessment HET-CAM, CAM-TBS and Red Blood Cell tests were performed. Results showed that both extracts contributed to a higher in vivo photoprotection (SPF 18) when compared to the formulation without extract (SPF 13), this result could be attributed to the antioxidant activity of the plant extracts that act by capturing reactive oxygen species. Concerning safety, all formulations were considered non-irritant according to in vitro tests. Formulations containing extracts could be considered efficient and safe for cosmetic use since they presented higher sun protection factor and passed the toxicity tests.
This article presents a new qualitative method to detect enzyme activity replacing the conventional Agar-Petri dishes. This new method is a simple rapid and low-cost technique that uses 24-well ...microplates. The detection of hydrolases producing microorganisms in bioprospecting studies by qualitative methods is time consuming, costly and requires a large quantity of strains or enzymatic extracts. Tests with different substrate concentrations (0 to 20 g/L) in agar solution for the enzymatic hydrolysis analysis were performed to determine the best substrate concentrations in 24-well microplates. Other quantitative and analytical methods, such as enzymatic assays and thin layer chromatography, were performed to validate this new method and to compare the relationship between enzymatic activity and substrate degradation. Statistically relevant results were observed for amylase, endoglucanase and polygalacturonase enzymes, even when there was a low substrate concentration in agar, where the halo diameter was high. The results also indicated that the concentrations for efficient enzyme index measurements were 4 g/L carboxymethylcellulose for endoglucanase detection and 8 g/L for amylase and polygalacturonase assays. The results were presented according to the traditional methods for detection of enzymatic activity. This new method can be used as a general test for the detection of important industrial hydrolases. It is a faster and less costly alternative for screening microbial enzyme producing microorganisms and is useful for studying the production of microbial enzymes under different growing conditions.
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•Qualitative enzyme activity tests can be performed successfully in 24-well-plates•This work proposes a simple qualitative enzymatic test for a large number of samples•The general costs of conventional enzyme detection experiments can be reduced•Endoglucanases, polygalacturonases and amylases activities were detected•This micromethod has multiuse applications, such as bioprospection and enzyme screening among others
Bivalves are important components of freshwater ecosystems; however, they are also one of the most threatened animal groups, especially members of the order Unionida. The main threats to freshwater ...bivalves are habitat modification and invasive species. Protected areas are a common way to minimize impacts and preserve native species, but they are rarely designated with a focus on freshwater invertebrates.
The main goal of this article was to describe the distribution of freshwater bivalves in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the relationship between these species and bioclimatic areas, land use and protected areas.
Five native and two invasive bivalve species have been reported in Rio de Janeiro. They occur mainly in bioclimatic areas related to the Paraíba do Sul River and Campista Lowlands. The few records of bivalves inside protected areas are in areas of sustainable use that offer a lower level of protection, and frequently in sympatry with invasive bivalves.
Thus, the established protected areas in Rio de Janeiro are not adequately effective for freshwater bivalve conservation, and some species remain under threat even within them. Freshwater bivalves thus remain largely unprotected in the state.
The development of new protected areas and management plans should consider other faunal groups that are usually ignored, such as freshwater bivalves, to achieve more inclusive and effective protection.
ABSTRACT Diplodon granosus was one of the first freshwater mussels to be described for South America. However, the status of the species was confusing for a long time, receiving different taxonomic ...treatments. In this paper, we redescribe the shell, with new data on the soft parts and information on the distribution and conservation of D. granosus, a rarely recorded species. The shell is thin, not inflated; the macrosculpture is composed only by granules that cover the whole shell, not forming bars; the microsculpture comprises short spikes. In the soft parts we highlight the few, weak and irregularly distributed lamellar connections of the outer demibranch and some features of the stomach, such as the distally enlarged minor typhlosole. There are records of D. granosus over a large area of South America, from Guiana to Argentina. However, most of these records are related to other species and the distribution of D. granosus is restricted to the north of South America in the basins of the Amazonas and Orinoco rivers, and coastal rivers in between. Despite this wide distribution, the species occurs in specific habitats, mainly streams (igarapés), resulting in an extremely fragmented occurrence. Thus, any disturbance to these habitats can threat this freshwater mussel.
RESUMO Diplodon granosus foi um dos primeiros bivalves de água doce descritos para a América do Sul. Contudo, o status dessa espécie foi confuso por um longo tempo, recebendo diferentes tratamentos taxonômicos. Neste estudo, apresentamos a redescrição da concha, assim como novos dados da anatomia das partes moles, e informações acerca da distribuição e conservação desta espécie raramente avistada. A concha é fina, não-inflada; a macroescultura é composta somente por grânulos que cobrem toda a concha, e não formam raios; a microescultura é composta por espinhos curtos. Nas partes moles, destacamos as poucas, fracas e irregularmente distribuídas conexões interlamelares da demibrânquia externa, assim como algumas características do estômago, como a tiflossole menor distalmente aumentada. Existem registros de D. granosus em uma grande área da América do Sul, da Guiana até a Argentina. Contudo, muitas destas ocorrências são relacionadas com outras espécies, estando D. granosus restrita às bacias dos rios Amazonas e Orinoco, e a rios costeiros entre essas duas bacias. Apesar desta aparente ampla distribuição, a espécie ocorre em habitats específicos, principalmente riachos (igarapés), resultando em uma distribuição fragmentada. Assim, qualquer modificação nestes ambientes pode ameaçar esta espécie.
South America is a high biodiversity continent with five out of 13 countries considered megadiverse. Many major groups within this fauna exhibit high diversity, including non-marine molluscs. With at ...least 1401 known species, South American molluscs are seriously understudied. The aim of this paper is to review the conservation status of non-marine molluscs in South America, pointing out significant gaps in knowledge and suggesting possible future directions. According to the most recent IUCN Red List only 231 South American non-marine molluscs have been evaluated, with 84 (36%) categorized as Data Deficient. The main knowledge gaps are in taxonomic inventory, especially in unexplored areas, information about current and historic distributions and population sizes, and basic ecological information. Implementation of integrative taxonomy, ecological and distributional studies, exploration of areas and groups as yet largely ignored, development of researcher networks and improvement of public and political awareness and concern about these important and diverse animals are necessary actions for conservation of non-marine molluscs in South America to have any chance of success.
Human beings are actively exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is associated with skin cancer. This has encouraged the continuous search for more effective and safer photoprotective ...formulations. Along with the application of traditional organic sunscreens, there is a growing interest in "green products" containing natural compounds such as plant extracts and oils. This trend is combined with the use of nanotechnology as a tool for optimizing the vehicles of such compounds. Nanoemulsions (NEs) are suitable for the encapsulation of natural compounds, which improves topical treatment. Therefore, we have developed oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions containing 3% buriti oil (BO), incorporated in a 10% vegetal extract of
(AV) by means of ultrasonic processing to improve the chemical characteristics of this component and, consequently, its efficacy and safety in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. The composition of the formulation was initially defined in a preliminary study on surfactants where the concentrations of Tween
80 and Span
20 were evaluated in relation to particle size and the polydispersity index (PDI). The nanoemulsion was prepared and then chemical sunscreens were incorporated with the aim of developing a sunscreen nanoemulsion called NE-A19. This nanoemulsion was found to be the best formulation due to its stability, droplet size (146.80 ± 2.74), and PDI (0.302 ± 0.088), with a monomodal size distribution. The stability was evaluated over 90 days and showed a low growth in particle size at the end of the study. NE-A19 exhibited good viscosity and organoleptic properties, in addition to an occlusion factor indicating an interesting and higher water holding capacity when compared with a NE without AV (
< 0.05). The in vitro efficacy and safety studies of NE-19A were promising. Its average in vitro sun protection factor value was 49, with a critical wavelength (λ
) of 369.7 nm, satisfactory UVA protection, and a UVA/UVB ratio of 0.40, indicating broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB radiation. Furthermore, NE-19A displayed a good safety profile in dermal keratinocytes. It can be concluded that NE-19A is a promising formulation for carrying natural products, such as buriti oil and AV, associated with synthetic filters in lower concentrations.
Sunscreens and photoprotection tools along with consumer habits and behaviors, can mitigate the skin damage caused by excessive solar radiation. For example, protecting oneself in the shade, avoiding ...inadequate sun exposure at times of higher incidence of UVB radiation (between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.), wearing clothes with sun protection factors, applying sunscreens at the correct amounts and intervals, and wearing glasses with anti-UVA and UVB lenses are effective measures for protecting an individual. Therefore, the objective of this review was to highlight the importance of photoprotection for all skin phototypes, as skin cancer is a worldwide public health problem. In this review of the scientific literature on the Scopus platform between 2015 and 2022, we addressed the most common behaviors among different individuals and their phototypes, the importance of clarifying population habits against solar radiation, and the use of sunscreens and photoprotection tools to provide advice on healthy and safe sun exposure.
During a pilot survey, sponges and mollusks were sampled from the bottom of the middle Xingu River (rapids) and lower Xingu River (ria) via hand-picking in shallows and trawling and surface-supplied ...dives in deeper waters. The survey revealed a benthic community composed of eight sponge species in four genera and three families, and added six species to the Xingu Basin fauna. Sponges exhibited distinct variation in body shape corresponding to local environmental conditions such as water depth, current velocity and available substrates. Sponges inhabiting rocky bottoms in swift currents (rapids) typically formed crusts. Those in the deeper, calmer waters of the ria attained massive and elaborate forms while attached to infaunal bivalves. Oncosclera navicella and Drulia cristata exhibited crusts and massive forms as adaptations to rapids and ria, respectively. In the middle to lower Xingu, sponges encrusted the shells of eleven species of bivalves (seven infaunal, three epifaunal, and one infaunal/epifaunal) and one infaunal/epifaunal gastropod. Bivalves provide key substrates for supporting sponges above the sand, mud and detritus of the Xingu ria. Potential impacts of the Belo Monte Dam complex on the sponge fauna of the middle Xingu rapids are discussed.
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