Clonally transmissible cancers are tumour lineages that are transmitted between individuals via the transfer of living cancer cells. In marine bivalves, leukemia-like transmissible cancers, called hemic neoplasia, have demonstrated the ability to infect individuals from different species. We performed whole-genome sequencing in eight warty venus clams that were diagnosed with hemic neoplasia, from two sampling points located more than 1,000 nautical miles away in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea Coasts of Spain. Mitochondrial genome sequencing analysis in tumour tissues from neoplastic animals revealed the coexistence of haplotypes from two different clam species. Phylogenies estimated from mitochondrial and nuclear markers confirmed this leukemia originated in striped venus clams and later transmitted to clams of the species warty venus, in which it survives as a contagious cancer. The analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences supports all studied tumours belong to a single neoplastic lineage that spreads in the Seas of Southern Europe.

This study investigated the similarities between Echinodorus macrophyllus and Echinodorus grandiflorus, plant species that are traditionally used in Brazil to treat rheumatism and arthritis, whose anti-inflammatory effects are supported by scientific evidence. The contents of cis- and trans-aconitic acid, homoorientin, chicoric acid, swertisin, caffeoyl-feruloyl-tartaric acid, and di-feruloyl-tartaric acid were quantified by UPLC-DAD in various hydroethanolic extracts from the leaves, whereas their anti-oxidant activity and their effect on TNF release by LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells were assessed to evaluate potential anti-inflammatory effects. The 50% and 70% ethanol extracts showed higher concentrations of the analyzed markers in two commercial samples and a cultivated specimen of E. macrophyllus, as well as in a commercial lot of E. grandiflorus. However, distinguishing between the species based on marker concentrations was not feasible. The 50% and 70% ethanol extracts also exhibited higher biological activity, yet they did not allow differentiation between the species, indicating similar chemical composition and biological effects. Principal component analysis highlighted comparable chemical composition and biological activity among the commercial samples of E. macrophyllus, while successfully distinguishing the cultivated specimen from the commercial lots. In summary, no differences were observed between the two species in terms of the evaluated chemical markers and biological activities.

O biodiesel e o etanol são os dois produtos com maior destaque na Agroenergia. Ambos apresentam vantagens ambientais em relação ao uso dos combustíveis fósseis, contribuindo para o alcance das metas anuais de redução de emissões de gases causadores do efeito estufa para a comercialização de combustíveis e em consonância com a Política Nacional dos Biocombustíveis, o RenovaBio. Nos últimos anos a indústria do biodiesel cresceu apoiada na elevação obrigatória da porcentagem de mistura no diesel, elevando a pressão por terras para cultivo da soja, que é a principal matéria prima do biodiesel brasileiro. Neste contexto, este estudo analisou o uso da macaúba como matéria prima para o biodiesel, de modo a contribuir com a matriz agroenergética brasileira. O estudo é exploratório e descrito por utilizar da pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, descrevendo os objetos de estudos e seus contextos, visando relacionar fatos, dados, contextos e teoria para explicar a importância da biodiversidade da matriz energética brasileira, ampliando o uso da cadeia produtiva da macaúba para a produção de biodiesel.