The visual plankivorous feeding behaviour of the shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) was investigated by means of a flow tank operated at various current speeds. Artemia salina was used as prey. In a second set of experiments, Artemia was darkened with black ink, to compare the visually mediated behaviour of C. aggregata while feeding on dark prey vs feeding on natural (i.e. semi-transparent)...

From the ethyl acetate and methanol extract of the aerial parts of Satureja atropatana Bonge, which belongs to the Lamiaceae family, four flavonoids were isolated. Their structures were determined to be 5,6,3'-trihydroxy-7,8,4'-trimethoxyflavone (1), 5,6-dihydroxy-7,8,3',4'-tetramethoxyflavone or 5-desmethoxynobiletin (2), 5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,8,3'-trimethoxyflavone or thymonin (3) and luteolin ...

In this study, we screened sixty medicinal plant species from the Brazilian savanna ("cerrado") that could contain useful compounds for the control of tropical diseases. The plant selection was based on existing ethnobotanic information and interviews with local healers. Plant extracts were screened for: (a) molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata, (b) toxicity to brine shrimp (Art...

Four new quinazolinone alkaloids, namely, aniquinazolines A-D (1-4), were isolated and identified from the culture of Aspergillus nidulans MA-143, an endophytic fungus obtained from the leaves of marine mangrove plant Rhizophora stylosa. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and their absolute configurations were determined on the basis of chiral HPLC an...

A free cytoplasmic 22 S ribonucleoprotein particle exhibiting a major template activity in rabbit reticulocyte system has been identified in the cryptobiotic gastrulae of Artemia salina. This particle contains non-polyadenylated 9 S messenger RNA which codes primarily for a non-histone basic protein with an apparent molecular weight of 26 000 daltons. We have previously demonstrated the presenc...

Juice processing by non-thermal technology has been extensively studied, aiming at microbial inactivation and quality improvement. However, the knowledge about possible toxic effects that those technologies can produce in foodstuffs due to production of reactive oxygen species is still unknown. In this study, sapota-do-Solimões juice processed ultrasound (2, 6, 10 min) was evaluated a toxicity ...

Coconut water is widely consumed and appreciated due its sensory, nutritional, functional characteristics. Despite being consumed, this beverage has a short shelf life that can be improved through processing technologies including non-thermal technologies. Although promising, it also generate toxic bioactive compounds of natural synthetic origin. Their safety been long discussed, concern for hu...

In addition to 13 known compounds, four new bisabolane sesquiterpenes, okamurenes A-D (1-4), a new chamigrane derivative, okamurene E (5), and a new C₁₂-acetogenin, okamuragenin (6), were isolated from the marine red alga Laurencia okamurai. The structures of these compounds were determined through detailed spectroscopic analyses. Of these, okamurenes A and B (1 and 2) are the first examples of...