Marçal Henrique Amici Jorge

The effects of Cyclosporin A and Heteropterys tomentosa on the rat liver

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a widely employed immunosuppressive drug that is associated with several side effects, among then hepatotoxicity. Heteropterys tomentosa is a Brazilian plant efficient in reducing damage caused by CsA on the rat testis and prostate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of CsA and H. tomentosa (administered isolated or simultaneously) on the liver of Wistar rats. The animals were treated daily with water (control), CsA (15 mg/kg/day), H. tomentosa infusion or CsA+H. tomentosa, for 21 or 56 days. The treatments did not alter liver morphology or cause fibrosis. H. tomentosa administered for 21 days increased the number of hepatocyte nuclei and Kupffer cell volumetric proportion. After 56 days of treatment, H. tomentosa administration did not alter the parameters analyzed. Biochemical plasma dosages and liver stereology showed impairment caused by CsA-treatment after 21 days; these results were not observed after 56 days of treatment. The simultaneous treatment with CsA and H. tomentosa for 21 or 56 days did not alleviate nor accentuate CsA hepatic effects. The present study showed that the 21 days treatment with CsA caused more alteration to the liver than the 56 days treatment; this could be related to hepatic recovery after the long term treatment.

Guavira emergence and seedling production with substrates containing organic compost and soil under different screen environments

This study aimed to evaluate different proportions of organic compost and soil as a substrate for the guavira emergence and seedling formation under different protected environments, in the high Pantanal region of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The seeds were placed in polyethylene bags (15 x 25 centimeters) filled with four percentages of organic compost (0%, 20%, 80%, and 100% of total volume) mixed with soil. These substrates were tested in agro-nurseries covered with black screen and 50% thermo-reflecting shade cloths. The substrate with 20% soil and 80% organic compost and the black screen shade cloth promote the best performance in the seedling production.

Qualidade fisiológica e sanitária de sementes de milho colhidas e secas em espigas

Mechanical injuries during harvest and drying processes are considered major problems regarding maize seed quality. The aim of this work was to verify the effects of manual and mechanical harvest and husking of maize ears, simple hybrid 30F80, with hard endosperm, and drying temperatures with respect to sanitary and physiological quality of seed recently harvested and stored for seven months. The moisture content of ears at harvest was 29% and temperatures at drying was 35 oC and 42oC. The experimental design was completely randomized with 12 repetitions. Germination test was performed to assess the viability and the vigor was estimated through several tests: accelerated ageing, cold test, seedling emergence, seedling emergence rate and dry weight of aerial part of seedling. The harvest process of ears did not affect seed quality when the ears were dried at temperature of 35 oC, as shown by the tests applied. Nevertheless, the mechanical harvest and husking affected negatively the seeds when they were dried at the temperature of 42oC, as shown by the tests. Vigor effect on the seeds were detected in two occasions before storage and during germination after seven months of storage. As a conclusion, mechanical harvest and husking followed by drying at high temperatures affect the physiological quality of seeds.