Injured bone tissues can be healed with bone grafts, but this procedure may cause intense pain to the patient. A slow and localized delivery of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could help to reduce the pain without affecting bone regeneration. The objective of the present study was to use [Mg-Al]-layered double hydroxide (LDH) as a matrix for controlled release of sodium naproxen (NAP). This system could be applied in biomaterial formulations (such as bone grafts) to achieve a local delivery of naproxen. [Mg-Al]-LDH successfully incorporated up to 80% (w/w) of naproxen by the structural reconstruction route, with the [Mg-Al]-LDH interlayer space increasing by 0.55 nm, corresponding to the drug molecule size. The evaluation of the naproxen release kinetics showed that 40% of the drug was delivered over 48 h in aqueous medium (pH 7.4 ± 0.1), indicating the potential of [Mg-Al]-LDH/NAP for local release of naproxen at adequate concentrations. Kinetic modeling showed that the naproxen release process was closely related to the Higuchi model, which considers the drug release as a diffusional process based on Fick’s law. The chemical stability of NAP after the release tests was verified by 1H NMR. The [Mg-Al]-LDH/NAP also exhibited low cytotoxicity toward fibroblast cells (L929 cell line), without modifications in their morphology and adhesion capacity. These results describe a suitable approach for preparing efficient systems for local delivery of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for biomedical applications.

Morphological studies concerning the digestive system can further information on animal diets, thus aiding in the understanding of feeding behavior. Given the scarcity of information on sea turtle digestive system morphology, the aim of the present study was to describe the digestive tube (DT) morphology of Eretmochelys imbricata hatchlings to further understand the diet of these individuals in the wild. DT samples from 10 stillborn turtles (undefined sex) were analyzed at the macro and microscopic levels. The esophagus, stomach, small intestine (SI), and large intestine (LI) are described. Histologically, the DT is formed by four tunics, the mucosa, submucosa, muscular, and adventitia or serosa. The esophagus is lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, while the remainder of the DT is lined by a simple columnar epithelium. The esophagus mucosa is marked by conical, pointed papillae. The stomach comprises three regions, the cardiac, fundic, and pyloric and is covered by neutral mucous granular cells. The intestinal mucosa presents absorptive cells with microvilli, neutral and acidic goblet cells, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. The SI is significantly longer than the LI (p value = 0.006841). These morphological findings are strong indications of adaptations to a carnivorous diet in this hawksbill turtle age group.

Pancreatic eurytrematosis (PE) is an under diagnosed and neglected parasitosis in goats and sheep in the Americas. Clinical and pathological features of PE are not well defined in small ruminants worldwide. Natural cases of PE in small ruminants were detected in the Federal District, Brazil. A survey of necropsy records, including epidemiological and clinicopathological data, in goats and sheep was conducted. Most cases of PE occurred during the rainy season in adult females, with an incidence of 12.9% in goats and 0.8% in sheep. Clinical signs varied from asymptomatic infections to anorexia, lethargy, weakness, marked weight loss and death in some goats. Overall, most cases of PE in goats and sheep were incidental necropsy findings with minor pancreatic lesions. Three goats, however, showed severe chronic pancreatitis, dilation of major pancreatic ducts with numerous trematodes present and marked abdominal fat necrosis. Morphological and molecular characterization of flukes detected Eurytrema coelomaticum. Our findings shed light on the prevalence of E. coelomaticum infections in small ruminants in the region and highlight the possibility of severe and lethal cases in goats. PE must be further investigated in small ruminant populations in relevant livestock production regions of the Americas.

Ten new species of Trypetheliaceae are described: Astrothelium bullatothallinum from Venezuela, which is close to A. aeneum but differs by the bullate thallus with a thick cortex, intermixed in a mosaic with the prothallus; A. cayennense from French Guiana, which is similar to A. flavomegaspermum but with a yellow pigment in the pseudostroma near the ostioles; A. diaphanocorticatum from Papua New Guinea, which has a bullate thallus with a thick hyaline cortex and 3-septate ascospores of 25–28×10–12 μm; A. macroeustomum from French Guiana, with joint lateral ostioles, UV+ yellow ostiolar region and 5-septate ascospores of 50–55×12–17 μm; A. minicecidiogenum from Costa Rica, with muriform ascospores of 70–90×20–25 μm, without pseudostromata, with solitary ascomata, lateral ostioles and an inspersed hamathecium; A. palaeoexostemmatis from Thailand, which is similar to A. exostemmatis but with larger, I+ blue ascospores; A. quasimamillanum from Brazil, with muriform ascospores of 30–33×9·5–10·5 μm, without pseudostromata, with solitary ascomata, lateral ostioles and an inspersed hamathecium; A. studerae from Brazil, with astrothelioid ascomata, lichexanthone only in the pseudostromata, 3-septate ascospores of 21·5–23·0×6·5–7·5 μm; A. tanianum from Malaysia, with a bullate thallus, solitary ascomata, covered by the thallus, (9–)11(–15)-septate ascospores, 75–100×20–22 μm; and Pseudopyrenula miniflavida from Brazil, with a yellow-inspersed hamathecium, the inspersion dissolving in KOH without colour change, and 3-septate ascospores, 15–17×5·5–6·5 μm. The unusually thick, hyaline cortical layer of the thallus of Astrothelium diaphanocorticatum, through which the individual algal cells are clearly visible, is discussed. Furthermore, 30 species are reported from 34 countries in which they had previously been unrecorded; one (Astrothelium inspersaeneum) is from a new continent, Asia.

Eight new species of Pyrenulaceae are described as new to science from Brazil, Guyana and Puerto Rico. Pyrenula sanguineomeandrata Aptroot & Mercado Diaz (with a thallus with red, KOH+ purple pigmentation of lines or a reticulum, simple ascomata with vertical ostioles, a deep red inspersed, KOH+ orange hamathecium, and dark brown 3-septate ascospores 25–29×10–12 μm) and P. sanguineostiolata Aptroot & Mercado Diaz (with a thallus with deeply immersed simple ascomata with vertical ostioles, which are superficial and bright red, and 3-septate ascospores 25–28×9–12 μm) are described from submontane evergreen forests in Puerto Rico. Pyrenula biseptata Aptroot & M. Cáceres (with simple ascomata with vertical ostioles, an inspersed hamathecium and 2-septate ascospores 11–12×4·5–5·0 μm) and P. xanthinspersa Aptroot & M. Cáceres (with an ecorticate thallus containing lichexanthone, simple ascomata with vertical ostioles, not inspersed hamathecium and 3-septate ascospores 14–17×6·0–7·5 μm) are described from rainforest in Amazonian Brazil. Pyrenula subvariabilis Aptroot & Sipman (with fused ascomata with lateral ostioles and submuriform ascospores 17–20(–25)×6–9 μm) and Sulcopyrenula biseriata Aptroot & Sipman (with a thallus containing lichexanthone, simple ascomata with lateral ostioles and lozenge-shaped ascospores with 8 locules, (13–)15–17(–20)×8–10 (width)×6–7 (thickness) μm) are described from savannahs in Guyana. Special attention is paid to the genus Pyrgillus: two new species from the 3-septate core group of this small genus are described from Brazil, viz. P. aurantiacus Aptroot & M. Cáceres (with a corticate thallus containing lichexanthone, mazaedium with orange, KOH+ violet, UV+ red pruina and ascospores of 13–16×6·0–7·5 μm) and P. rufus Aptroot & M. Cáceres (with a corticate thallus containing lichexanthone, mazaedium with dark red, KOH+ orange, UV+ red pruina and ascospores of 15·0–17·5×5·0–6·5 μm). An updated key to the 3-septate species of Pyrgillus is provided.

The following 16 new species of Trypetheliaceae are described from Brazil: Astrothelium aeneoides Aptroot, differing from A. aeneum by the absence of pigment on the thallus, but medulla of pseudostroma K+ blood red and ascospores 3-septate, lumina diamond-shaped; A. curvatum Aptroot & M. Cáceres with immersed pyriform ascomata with lateral ostioles and bent, muriform ascospores, 74–90×25–34 μm; A. globosum Aptroot & M. Cáceres with immersed ascomata, thallus consisting of nearly globose warts and ascospores 3-septate, 35–40×11–13 μm; A. graphicum Aptroot & S. M. A. Martins with an extended, reticulate pseudostroma, which is lower than the slightly bullate thallus, orange pruina on the thallus and pseudostroma and ascospores muriform, 60–66×12–16 µm; A. longisporum Aptroot, J. R. Silva & M. Cáceres, which differs from A. megaspermum by the eccentric ostioles and the 8 instead of 4 ascospores per ascus; A. macrostomum Aptroot which is similar to A. eustomum (Mont.) Müll. Arg., but differing by the 5–7-septate ascospores 65–85×16–19 μm.; A. megeustomum Aptroot & Fraga Júnior which is similar to Astrothelium eustomum, but with muriform ascospores 117–125×17–21 μm; A. pictum Aptroot with 5-septate ascospores, red crystals in the pseudostroma medulla and lichexanthone in the thallus; A. rubrocrystallinum Aptroot & M. Cáceres which is similar to A. annulare, but with copious red crystals in a thick layer around the ascomata and ascospores 22–27×7–9 μm; A. simplex Aptroot & S. M. A. Martins with 3-septate ascospores and a very rough thallus, differing from A. sinuosum by the lack of lichexanthone; A. sinuosum Aptroot & Gumboski with an ostiolar UV+ yellow reaction, bullate thallus and a wavy gelatinous sheath around the ascospores; A. tetrasporum Aptroot & M. Cáceres which is similar to A. puiggarii, but differs by the non-inspersed hamathecium and the ascus that contains only 4 ascospores; Polymeridium endoflavens Aptroot, D. S. Andrade & M. Cáceres with yellow oil inspersion in the hamathecium and 5–7-septate ascospores 32–37×10–13 μm; P. longiflavens Aptroot, Mendonça & M. Cáceres with yellow oil inspersion in the hamathecium, an apical ostiole and 9–11-septate ascospores 57–70×12–14 μm; Trypethelium luteolucidum Aptroot, Mendonça & M. Cáceres which is similar to T. regnellii, but differs by the presence of anthraquinone crystals in the pseudostromata; and Viridothelium leptoseptatum Aptroot & M. Cáceres, resembling Astrothelium aeneum but with no pigment on the thallus, a thin to absent thallus cover on the ascomata and thin-walled, constricted ascospores with lumina of a similar shape to the ascospore cell walls. Most are known only from Brazil, but a few are also known from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and/or Guyana. North-eastern Brazil is the centre of diversity of the genus Polymeridium, with 33 species now known.

Leaves of Anacardium humile are used in Brazilian traditional medicine for the treatment of intestinal disturbances and skin lesions. This study aimed to define leaf diagnostic structural characters, to propose a new method of phytochemical analysis of secretions, prospect flavonoids and alkaloids, and to evaluate their inhibitory activity on Candida albicans. Common anatomical, phytochemical, and microbiological methods were used. Leaves of Anacardium occidentale were used as a reference for the structural analyses. The main structural characters were closed vascular system, absence of ducts at the medulla, bilateral mesophyll, absence of bundle sheath extension, and secretory idioblasts at the xylem. The ducts present schizogenous origin, and secreting activity is restricted to the initial phases of leaf blade expansion. The proposed new phytochemical method is practical and inexpensive and has potential for wide application. The abundance of tannins and flavonoids is related to medicinal use. A single peak in high-performance liquid chromatography indicated the presence of a pure substance not previously reported. The extract had a strong inhibitory effect on C. albicans. The obtained results confirm the potential of A. humile for the prospection of new bioactive compounds.

The following new corticolous species are described. Thelopsis cruciata Aptroot & M. Cáceres, with an olive-green thallus, immersed red-brown perithecia and c. 50–100 cruciate ascospores per ascus, 7–10×4–7 µm, from Brazil. Topelia argentinensis Aptroot, L. I. Ferraro & M. Cáceres, with a verrucose, partly almost isidiate, greenish grey thallus, immersed pinkish perithecia and 8 uniseriate muriform ascospores per ascus, 12–17×7–11 µm, from Argentina. Topelia tetraspora Aptroot & M. Cáceres, with a c. 0·1–0·6 mm thick layer of coralloid to usually flattened, irregularly palmately branched isidia c. 0·05 mm diam., ascospores 15–19×2–6-septate, muriform, ellipsoid, 39–50×11–16 µm, only up to 4 per ascus maturing, from Brazil. Thelopsis inordinata is reported for the first time from South America, from Guyana. A key is given to all currently known species of Topelia and Thelopsis. The distinction between these genera has become arbitrary with the recent addition of more or less intermediate species.

The new species Byssoloma catillariosporum and Porina isidioambigua are described from NE Brazil. The first is reminiscent of B. leucoblepharum but differs by the consistently uniseptate ascospores. The second is characterized by tiny isidia and black perithecia with relatively large, 3-septate ascospores. Both species were found at the Área de Proteço Ambiental (APA) Morro do Urubu, an area of c. 214 hectares in the large (500 000 inhabitants) city of Aracaju. It is the only urban Mata Atlântica remnant in Aracaju, with mesophytic deciduous and semi-deciduous forest, and cerrado enclaves in isolated points.

The new species Cryptothecia fabispora and C. lichexanthonica are described from NE Brazil. The first has domed asci with two large, reniform ascospores and the thallus contains psoromic acid. The second contains lichexanthone and has globose asci. Cryptothecia fabispora was found at the Serra de Itabaiana National Park which represents one of the few rainforest remnants in the state, and is a transitional area with Mata Atlantica influence and also open vegetation spots like Caatinga. It was also found in Caxiuaná in Amazonian Para and may well occur elsewhere. Cryptothecia lichexanthonica was collected at Vale do Catimbau National Park in Pernambuco, which is in a Caatinga area.

The new species Pyrenula reginae and P. rubromamillana are described from NE Brazil. Both have a conspicuous red or orange thallus, an inspersed hamathecium and relatively small ascospores, but they differ clearly in colour and ascoma organization.

Trichostatin A (TSA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that induces histone hyperacetylation and increases gene expression levels. The aim of the present study was to establish a suitable condition for the use of TSA in in vitro cultures of bovine embryos, and to determine whether TSA would increase blastocyst rates by improvement of chromatin remodelling during embryonic genome activation and by increasing the expression of crucial genes during early development. To test this hypothesis, 8-cell embryos were exposed to four concentrations of TSA for different periods of time to establish adequate protocols. In a second experiment, three experimental groups were selected for the evaluation of embryo quality based on the following parameters: apoptosis, total cell number and blastocyst hatching. TSA promoted embryonic arrest and degeneration at concentrations of 15, 25 and 50 nM. All treated groups presented lower blastocyst rates. Exposure of embryos to 5 nM for 144 h and to 15 nM for 48 h decreased blastocyst hatching. However, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay (TUNEL) assay revealed similar apoptosis rates and total cell numbers in all groups studied. Although, in the present study, TSA treatment did not improve the parameters studied, the results provided background information on TSA supplementation during in vitro culture of bovine embryos and showed that embryo quality was apparently not affected, despite a decrease in blastocyst rate after exposure to TSA.