The antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions of six vegetal species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest were determined. The total antioxidant activity was assessed based on the scavenging activity of the stable DPPH free radical. Eight extracts or fractions of plants showed significant DPPH scavenging activity (IC 50 10.0 mg=mL) compared with the values obtained for ascorbic acid (IC 50 ¼ 8.4 mg=mL) and gallic acid (IC 50 ¼ 2.6 mg=mL). The extracts or fractions were as follows: ethanol extracts of leaves, flowers, and stems of Baccharis illinita DC., ethanol extracts of leaves and stems of B. platypoda DC., hydroalcoholic extract and ethyl acetate fraction of leaves of Cyathea phalerata Mart. and hydroalcoholic extract of bark of Trichilia catigua A. Juss. Seven flavonoids present in the plant extracts were also investigated. The most active compounds were taxifolin, quercetin, and luteolin, which possess the catechol group 3 0 ,4 0 -diOH. In addition, the total phenolic or flavonoid contents of these extracts and fractions were evaluated. The phenolic content of the sample was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and varied from 489.07 to 11.29 mg=g dry weight expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). The total flavonoid concentrations, detected using 2% aluminum chloride, varied from 61.82 to 5.6 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)=g dry weight. These results suggest that the level of antioxidant activity in these plants varies by a great extent. They also suggest that the phenolic content in these plants provides substantial antioxidant activity. The flora of Brazil appears to be a rich and interesting source for supplementary ethnomedical and phytochemical studies.

Chlorella and Spirulina are the two of the most well-known microalgae genus. Both microalgae genus have a significant content of proteins, vitamins, pigments, fatty acids, sterols, among others, which make their production/application by the food industry quite interesting. Chlorella genus is a eukaryotic microorganism, whereas Spirulina genus (cyanobacteria) is a prokaryotic microorganism. The aim of this review was to provide an overview on Chlorella and Spirulina microalgae, particularly as an alternative source of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and food supplements, in which the following compound groups were addressed: (I) Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids; (II) Phenolic Compounds; (III) Volatile Compounds; (IV) Sterols; (V) Proteins, Amino Acids, Peptides; (VI) Vitamins; (VII) Polysaccharides; (VIII) Pigments and (IX) Food. Chlorella and Spirulina microalgae and their derivatives are concluded not to be widely commercially exploited. However, they are remarkable sources of functional foods, nutraceuticals and food supplements.

The study highlights the variability in estimates of depression prevalence in COPD. It could be explained by methodological differences across the included studies. This suggests that a standardization is critical to improve precision of the estimates.

Over the past few decades, a high number of pharmaceuticals have been detected in surface, ground and drinking waters. This contamination comes from domestic sewage, livestock, hospitals and chemicalpharmaceutical industries. Typical examples of these pollutants are the fluoroquinolones -powerful antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine. The presence of fluoroquinolones in the environment can pose a serious threat to the ecosystem and to human health due to their high consumption globally: in 1998, around 120 tons were produced. Even at low environmental concentrations, antibiotics stimulate bacterial resistance. The consequences of the presence of fluoroquinolones in the environment are not fully understood, but are known to be toxic to plants and aquatic organisms. Approximately 85% of the fluoroquinolones present in influents can be removed by conventional wastewater treatment plants, but the removed fraction is frequently accumulated in the sludge, which is sometimes used as fertilizer, representing an additional input route into the environment. The removal of fluoroquinolones by biological treatment is ineffective, and it is believed that only advanced oxidation technologies are able to destroy these emerging pollutants.Uniterms: Fluoroquinolones/waste/environmental impact. Fluoroquinolones/waste/environmental contamination. Environmental contamination. Advanced oxidation processes/wastewater treatment.Nas últimas décadas, um grande número de fármacos tem sido identificado em águas superficiais, subterrâneas e potáveis. Tal contaminação advém do esgoto doméstico, hospitais, criação de animais e das indústrias químico-farmacêuticas. Exemplos típicos desses poluentes são as fluoroquinolonaspotentes antibióticos empregados na medicina humana e veterinária. A presença de fluoroquinolonas no meio ambiente pode representar uma séria ameaça para o ecossistema e para a saúde humana devido ao alto consumo mundial: em 1998 foram produzidas, aproximadamente, 120 toneladas. Mesmo em baixas concentrações, antibióticos podem estimular a resistência bacteriana. As consequências da presença de fluoroquinolonas no ambiente não são completamente compreendidas, mas sabe-se que são tóxicas para plantas e organismos aquáticos. Aproximadamente 85% das fluoroquinolonas presentes em efluentes podem ser removidos em estações de tratamento de efluentes convencionais, porém a fração removida é frequentemente acumulada no lodo, muitas vezes usado como fertilizante, o que representa uma rota adicional de entrada desses compostos no ambiente. A remoção de fluoroquinolonas por meio de tratamento biológico não é eficiente, e acredita-se que somente as tecnologias de oxidação avançada sejam capazes de degradar esses poluentes emergentes.Uniterms: Fluorquinolonas/resíduos/impacto ambiental. Fluorquinolonas/resíduos/contaminação ambiental. Contaminação ambiental. Processos oxidativos avançados/tratamento de águas residuais.