RESUMEN

Despite their relatively poorly investigated phytochemistry, species of the genus Chuquiraga are widely commercialized. The present study reports the use of a high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach coupled with exploratory and supervised multivariate statistical analyses for species classification and chemical marker identification of four species of Chuquiraga (C. jussieui, C. weberbaueri, C. spinosa, and Chuquiraga sp.) from Ecuador and Peru. Based on these analyses, a high percentage of correct classifications (87% to 100%) allowed the prediction of the taxonomic identity of Chuquiraga species. Through the metabolite selection process, several key constituents with the potential to be chemical markers were identified. Samples of C. jussieui displayed alkyl glycosides and triterpenoid glycosides as discriminating metabolites, while Chuquiraga sp. displayed high concentrations of p-hydroxyacetophenone, p-hydroxyacetophenone 4-O-glucoside, p-hydroxyacetophenone 4-O-(6-O-apiosyl)-glucoside, and quinic acid ester derivatives as the main metabolites. Caffeic acid was characteristic for C. weberbaueri samples, whereas C. spinosa displayed higher concentrations of the following new phenylpropanoid ester derivatives: 2-O-caffeoyl-4-hydroxypentanedioic acid (24), 2-O-p-coumaroyl-4-hydroxypentanedioic acid (34), 2-O-feruloyl-4-hydroxypentanedioic acid (46), 2,4-O-dicaffeoylpentanedioic acid (71), and 2-O-caffeoyl-4-O-feruloylpentanedioic acid (77).

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Subtribe Galipeinae (tribe Galipeeae) is the most diverse group of Rutaceae (the orange family) in the Neotropics, with 27 genera and ca. 130 species. The largest genus in the subtribe is Conchocarpus, with ca. 50 species, distributed from Central America to southern Brazil, and is particularly diverse in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The circumscription of the genus was recently changed to accommodate the species of Almeidea. However, even with this inclusion, Conchocarpus did not appear as monophyletic because the position of C. concinnus, which appeared in a clade with the other genera of Galipeinae rather than in the clade with the other species of Conchocarpus. The objective of the present study is to investigate the phylogenetic position of four other species of Conchocarpus (hereafter called "C. gauchaudianus group") that share morphological traits and geographical distribution with C. concinnus suggesting a close phylogenetic affinity. Phylogenetic analyses were based on morphological and molecular data from nuclear regions ITS-1 and ITS-2 as well as plastid regions trnL-trnF and rps-16, and were conducted with parsimony and Bayesian inference as optimization criteria. Results showed Conchocarpus as polyphyletic with its species divided in two clades, one, herein called "the Conchocarpus sensu stricto group," includes the type species C. macrophyllus, and the other "the Conchocarpus gaudichaudianus group" includes C. concinnus. The latter group is here recognized as a new genus, Dryades, the name given by Carl Friederich von Martius (1794-1868) to the Domain of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, inspired by the tree nymphs in Greek mythology. Floral structure and leaf morphology provided further support to the findings of phylogenetic analysis. A description of the new genus, new combinations, a key to the species of the new genus, discussions of the affinities of the species are also provided, as well as data on the conservation status of the species of Dryades. Additionally, new data on floral structure of C. heterophyllus, C. macrophyllus and C. minutiflorus (all from the Conchocarpus sensu stricto group) are provided.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Dasyphyllum Kunth is the most diverse genus of the South American subfamily Barnadesioideae (Asteraceae), comprising 33 species that occur in tropical Andes, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, and Chaco. Based on distribution, variation in anther apical appendages, and leaf venation pattern, it has traditionally been divided into two subgenera, namely, Archidasyphyllum and Dasyphyllum. Further, based on involucre size and capitula arrangement, two sections have been recognized within subgenus Dasyphyllum: Macrocephala and Microcephala (=Dasyphyllum). Here, we report a phylogenetic analysis performed to test the monophyly of Dasyphyllum and its infrageneric classification based on molecular data from three non-coding regions (trnL-trnF, psbA-trnH, and ITS), using a broad taxonomic sampling of Dasyphyllum and representatives of all nine genera of Barnadesioideae. Moreover, we used a phylogenetic framework to investigate the evolution of the morphological characters traditionally used to recognize its infrageneric groups. Our results show that neither Dasyphyllum nor its infrageneric classification are currently monophyletic. Based on phylogenetic, morphological, and biogeographical evidence, we propose a new circumscription for Dasyphyllum, elevating subgenus Archidasyphyllum to generic rank and doing away with the infrageneric classification. Ancestral states reconstruction shows that the ancestor of Dasyphyllum probably had acrodromous leaf venation, bifid anther apical appendages, involucres up to 18 mm in length, and capitula arranged in synflorescence.

RESUMEN

Leprosy is a neglected disease. We point up the need of recognizing the unusual clinical presentations of the disease in order to make early diagnosis and proper treatment possible, and break the transmission chain. The authors report a rare type of multibacillary leprosy: histoid leprosy and present images of numerous well-circumscribed indurated papules and nodules distributed throughout the entire body.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Necropsy findings in three cases of naturally occurring toxoplasmosis in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) obtained as wild catches from the Amazon region were described. Histopathological evaluation of the liver, spleen, kidneys and mesenteric lymph nodes showed multiple foci of inflammation and necrosis. Typical, well-defined morphologic Toxoplasma gondii cysts and free forms of the parasite were found by immunoperoxidase staining within inflammatory infiltrates. The presence of T. gondii in the studied colony could severely influence the results of experiments performed in the animals.

Achados de necropsia em três casos de toxoplasmose ocorridos naturalmente em macacos-de-cheiro (Saimiri sciureus) obtidos de capturas na região Amazônica foram descritos. A avaliação histopatológica do fígado, baço, rins e linfonodos mesentéricos mostrou múltiplos focos de inflamação e necrose. Cistos morfológicos típicos e bem definidos de Toxoplasma gondii e formas livres foram detectados pelo método da imunoperoxidase com infiltrados inflamatórios. A presença de T. gondii na colônia de primatas estudada pode influenciar severamente os resultados de experimentos realizados nos animais.

RESUMEN

Necropsy findings in three cases of naturally occurring toxoplasmosis in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) obtained as wild catches from the Amazon region were described. Histopathological evaluation of the liver, spleen, kidneys and mesenteric lymph nodes showed multiple foci of inflammation and necrosis. Typical, well-defined morphologic Toxoplasma gondii cysts and free forms of the parasite were found by immunoperoxidase staining within inflammatory infiltrates. The presence of T. gondii in the studied colony could severely influence the results of experiments performed in the animals.

Achados de necropsia em três casos de toxoplasmose ocorridos naturalmente em macacos-de-cheiro (Saimiri sciureus) obtidos de capturas na região Amazônica foram descritos. A avaliação histopatológica do fígado, baço, rins e linfonodos mesentéricos mostrou múltiplos focos de inflamação e necrose. Cistos morfológicos típicos e bem definidos de Toxoplasma gondii e formas livres foram detectados pelo método da imunoperoxidase com infiltrados inflamatórios. A presença de T. gondii na colônia de primatas estudada pode influenciar severamente os resultados de experimentos realizados nos animais.

RESUMEN

Necropsy findings in three cases of naturally occurring toxoplasmosis in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) obtained as wild catches from the Amazon region were described. Histopathological evaluation of the liver, spleen, kidneys and mesenteric lymph nodes showed multiple foci of inflammation and necrosis. Typical, well-defined morphologic Toxoplasma gondii cysts and free forms of the parasite were found by immunoperoxidase staining within inflammatory infiltrates. The presence of T. gondii in the studied colony could severely influence the results of experiments performed in the animals.

Achados de necropsia em três casos de toxoplasmose ocorridos naturalmente em macacos-de-cheiro (Saimiri sciureus) obtidos de capturas na região Amazônica foram descritos. A avaliação histopatológica do fígado, baço, rins e linfonodos mesentéricos mostrou múltiplos focos de inflamação e necrose. Cistos morfológicos típicos e bem definidos de Toxoplasma gondii e formas livres foram detectados pelo método da imunoperoxidase com infiltrados inflamatórios. A presença de T. gondii na colônia de primatas estudada pode influenciar severamente os resultados de experimentos realizados nos animais.

RESUMEN

We developed a simple methodology for labeling sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in adult Drosophila melanogaster and studied some aspects of the biosynthesis and metabolism of these polymers during development. Adult D. melanogaster flies were fed with Na(2)(35)SO(4) for 72 h. During this period, (35)S-sulfate was incorporated into males and females and used to synthesize (35)S-sulfate-heparan sulfate (HS) and (35)S-sulfate-chondroitin sulfate (CS). The incorporation of (35)S-sulfate into HS was higher when compared to CS. In a pulse-chase experiment, we observed that (35)S-sulfate incorporated into adult female was recovered in embryos and used for the synthesis of new (35)S-sulfate-GAGs after 2 h of embryonic development. The synthesis of CS was higher than that of HS, indicating a change in the metabolism of these glycans from adult to embryonic and larval stages. Analysis of the CS in embryonic and larval tissues revealed the occurrence of nonsulfated and 4-sulfated disaccharide units in embryos, L1 and L2. In L3, in addition to these disaccharides, we also detected significant amount of 6-sulfated units that are reported here for the first time. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that HS and CS were present in nonequivalent structures in adult and larval stages of the fly. Overall, these results indicate that (35)S-sulfate-precursors are transferred from adult to embryonic and larval tissues and used to assemble different morphological structures during development.

Asunto(s)