Este artigo relata o processo de construção e aplicação de modelos de baixo custo na área de biologia celular e molecular. O caráter microscópico das estruturas estudadas nos conteúdos destas disciplinas torna a abordagem de ensino muitas vezes abstrata, dificultando o processo de aprendizagem. Ao mesmo tempo, a falta de laboratórios ou equipamentos em muitas escolas compromete o ensino destas disciplinas. Neste contexto, estudantes do curso de ciências biológicas da Universidade Federal de Alfenas (Unifal-MG) desenvolveram e aplicaram sete modelos em alunos do ensino médio, como material didático de apoio para a disciplina Biologia. Os resultados foram bastante positivos tanto para os estudantes do ensino médio, quanto para a equipe de graduandos. Palavras-chave: modelos tridimensionais, ensino médio, biologia celular, biologia molecular, ensino de biologia.

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The traditional use of propolis does not necessarily guarantee its safety. The evaluation of the safety of bioactive natural products should always be considered together with the evaluation of the activity.

Four new species [Ln(dipicNH)] (Ln = La, Eu, Gd, Tb), with the ligand dipicNH (dipic = dipicolinato), were synthesized. Incubation of the Eu complex with glioma NG97 and pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells showed that it penetrates the cell membrane and can be used to image the cells, while also being moderately cytotoxic.

Neglected agricultural products (NAPs) are defined as discarded material in agricultural production. Corn cobs are a major waste of agriculture maize. Here, a methanolic extract from corn cobs (MEC) was obtained. MEC contains phenolic compounds, protein, carbohydrates (1.4:0.001:0.001). We evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential of MEC. Furthermore, its antiproliferative property against tumor cells was assessed through MTT assays and proteins related to apoptosis in tumor cells were examined by western blot. MEC showed no hydroxyl radical scavenger capacity, but it showed antioxidant activity in Total Antioxidant Capacity and DPPH scavenger ability assays. MEC showed higher Reducing Power than ascorbic acid and exhibited high Superoxide Scavenging activity. In tumor cell culture, MEC increased catalase, OPEN ACCESSMolecules 2014, 19 5361 metallothionein and superoxide dismutase expression in accordance with the antioxidant tests. In vivo antioxidant test, MEC restored SOD and CAT, decreased malondialdehyde activities and showed high Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity in animals treated with CCl 4 . Furthermore, MEC decreased HeLa cells viability by apoptosis due an increase of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase 3 active. Protein kinase C expression increased was also detected in treated tumor cells. Thus, our findings pointed out the biotechnological potential of corn cobs as a source of molecules with pharmacological activity.

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