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Ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced gastrointestinal disorders are caused by free radicals, resulting in organ damage and functional disarrangement. This study aimed to investigate the healing effects of hydroalcoholic extracts from the leaves of Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) DC. (HEEP) in male and female Wistar rats with I/R-induced peptic injuries, and the role of antioxidants in improving this response. After I/R-induced gastric and duodenal injuries, male and female [intact (INT) and ovariectomized (OVZ)] rats were orally treated with HEEP for 6 days. Biochemical analysis was used to determine the catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, as well as malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels, to measure the gastric and duodenal healing process. Six days of HEEP treatment significantly decreased the I/R-induced gastric [male (73.68%), INT (52.83%), and OVZ (43.13%)] and duodenal damage [male (57.03%), INT (56.04%), and OVZ (54.83%)] in all groups. In OVZ rats, the healing effect of HEEP occurred because of the increased activity of SOD (2x) and CAT (1.16x) in the gastric mucosa. In the duodenal mucosa of INT rats, the extract reduced MPO (20.83%) activity. The 6-day HEEP treatment improved the healing of I/R-induced peptic ulcer injury, with the system acting differently in males and females. The antioxidant system is an important component of the HEEP activity during post-I/R mucosal recovery. This result revealed the importance of antioxidant compounds in minimizing the severity of I/R-related events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The care provided during labour and birth can have consequences in various ways on the life of women and their families. The aim of this study was to analyze the discourse of postpartum women about the care provided by obstetric nurses and nursing technicians during labour and birth. This qualitative study, which adopted the theoretical and analytical assumptions of the Discourse Analysis of the French pecheuxtian matrix. It was conducted in the municipality of Caruaru/PE, from June to September 2018 with twenty postpartum women interviewed. The discourses showed failures in care, lack of professional qualification, lack of privacy and disability in health education, in addition to identifying individualized and qualified care as a benefit. It is concluded by emphasizing the prioritization of professional qualification and health education to promote quality care and care throughout labour and birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the discourses of four teachers in two rural schools, considering the Articulated Action Plan (PAR) in Bragança-PA. The research methodology is qualitative. Data collection was done through a questionnaire and semi-structured interview, with a sample consisting of four teachers who work in two rural schools. The collected data were organized, tabulated and interpreted from the Discourse Analysis (AD), with the total or partial transcription of the discourses, considered more expressive. It is a fact that PAR investments for the Municipality of Bragança-PA present as a factor of transformation in the infrastructure of some schools of the field, however, this policy needs to adapt the specificities of the peasant communities and consider the opinions of the professionals who work. directly in these spaces, since infrastructure is an important factor that contributes to the quality of teaching and learning of students in the field in Bragança-PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the nationalist conflict in Catalonia and how it is lived and experienced by actors within it. It focuses on the people mobilised against independence who see themselves primarily as defenders of the Spanish Constitution and not of Spanish nationalism. Critics of civic nationalism in political theory and Nationalism Studies argue that anti‐nationalist rhetoric tends to be the expression of structural or hegemonic nationalism. Drawing on fieldwork carried out in Barcelona, I look at how the conflict has influenced discourse and language used in everyday life, how participants negotiate their identity, why people do (and do not) get involved in organisations that defend their political ideas, how they see themselves within the conflict and their perceptions of public space and its significance in relation to the constitution. An ethnographic approach explores these issues and discovers that although anti‐independence actors base their mobilisation in nationalism, civic nationalism cannot be reduced to just another form of nationalism. I aim to go beyond critics of civic nationalism to explore how my interlocutors act within and against nationalism, reproducing nationalist discourse in some aspect (boundaries of the nation) in order to challenge it in others (content and relevance of nationalism in everyday life). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was established in November 1946. Portugal was formally admitted to UNESCO on 1 March 1965. Since its entry as a Member State, the Portuguese government has been confronted with successive resolutions of the General Assembly and the Executive Council of UNESCO, which strongly condemned its colonial policy. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the organization would only be possible after the democratization of the Portuguese regime and the effective resolution of the colonial issue. Once all necessary procedures have been adopted, Portugal returned to UNESCO in September 1974. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corn-starch was able to reduce Pd(II) species under relatively low concentration (5.0 wt/vol) leading to the formation of a thermoresponsive palladium nanoparticles-containing hydrogel with D = 16.1 nm ± 6.4 nm. It was successfully applied to the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction step in neat water involved in the synthesis of (±)-N-acetyl-α-methyl-4-biphenylalanine ethyl ester, a direct precursor of an unnatural quaternary biarylalanine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After more than one hundred and thirty thousand protein structures determined by X-ray crystallography, the challenge of protein crystallization for 3D structure determination remains. In the quest for additives for efficient protein crystallization, inorganic materials emerge as an alternative. Magnetic particles (MPs) are versatile inorganic materials, easy to use, modify and manipulate in a wide range of biological assays. The potential of using functionalised MPs as crystallization chaperones for protein crystallization was shown in this work. MPs with distinct coatings were rationally designed to promote protein crystallization by affinity-triggered heterogeneous nucleation. Hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) and trypsin, were crystallized in the presence of MPs either bare or coated with a polysaccharide (chitin) or a protein (casein), respectively. The addition of MPs was characterized in terms of bound protein to the MPs, crystal morphology, time-lapse of crystal emergence, crystallization yield fold change and crystal diffraction quality for structure determination. The MPs additives have shown to bind to the respective target protein, and to promote nucleation and crystal growth without compromising crystal morphology. On the other hand, MPs addition led to faster detectable crystal emergence and up to 13 times higher crystallization yield, addressing some the challenges in protein crystallization, the main bottleneck of macromolecular crystallography. Structure determination of the protein crystallized in the presence of MPs revealed that the structural characteristics of the protein remained unchanged, as shown by the superposition with PDB annotated proteins. Moreover, and unlike most reported cases, it was possible to exclude the inhibitor benzamidine during trypsin crystallisation, which is a remarkable result opening new prospects in enzyme engineering and drug design. Our results show that MPs coated with affinity ligands to target proteins can be used as controlled and tailor-made crystallization inducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This State of the Art investigates Course Completion Works in the context of the Federal University of Pará, Campus Bragança, which deal with black children between 2009 and 2019, based on the Licentiate degrees in Pedagogy and History. The research is qualitative and quantitative, carried out by bibliographic survey and interpreted by the analysis of discourse of Bakhtin (2011). The results reveal that of the 502 researched productions, only 03 deal with black children, for which they demonstrate the presence of stereotypes, depletion and racism in the children's relationship. Therefore, it is necessary to consolidate research on this object, contributing to studies on black childhood and teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literacy is widely discussed and investigated, especially about the first stages of basic education in Brazil. However, the concept taken from a plural perspective, encompasses different modalities and levels of education, such as undergraduate and graduate courses. When entering higher education, most students find it difficult to understand and produce academic texts. On the other hand, teachers often expose the reading and writing difficulties of these students in relation to scientific writing. Therefore, the methodology chosen was bibliographic research, with the general objective of reflecting how literacies in higher education are constituted and it is justified as a reflection on the process of reading and writing formation of the student who enters this educational level. The results point to the multiple character of the concept of reading and writing skills, the resignification of the subject in the student trajectory and the need for more inclusive pedagogical practices, regarding scientific writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we isolated and selected oleaginous yeasts from rock field soils from two National Parks in Brazil (Caparaó and Serra dos Órgãos) with the potential to accumulate oil from xylose, the main pentose sugar found in lignocellulosic biomass. From the 126 isolates, two were selected based on their lipid contents. They were taxonomically identified as Papiliotrema laurentii (UFV-1 and UFV-2). Of the two, P. laurentii UFV-1 was selected as the best lipid producer. Under unoptimized conditions, lipid production by P. laurentii UFV-1 was higher in glucose than in xylose. To improve its lipid production from xylose, we applied response surface methodology (RSM) with a face-centered central composite design (CCF). We evaluated the effects of agitation rate, initial cell biomass (OD600), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio) and pH on lipid production. P. laurentii UFV-1 recorded the highest lipid content, 63.5% (w/w) of the cell dry mass, under the following conditions: C/N ratio = 100:1, pH value = 7.0, initial OD600 = 0.8 and agitation = 300 rpm. Under these optimized conditions, biomass, lipid titer and volumetric lipid productivity were 9.31 g/L, 5.90 g/L and 0.082 g/L.h, respectively. Additionally, we determined the fatty acid composition of P. laurentii UFV-1 as follows: C14:0 (0.5%), C16:0 (28.4–29.4%), C16:1 (0.2%), C18:0 (9.5–11%), C18:1 (58.6–60.5%), and C20:0 (0.7–0.8%). Based on this composition, the predicted properties of biodiesel showed that P. laurentii UFV-1 oil is suitable for use as feedstock in biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Byrsonima intermedia is a species of bush popularly used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastric ulcers, gastritis, and diarrhea. Previous studies have revealed that the methanolic crude extract of B. intermedia leaves has gastroprotective and healing properties. In this new study, we specifically investigated two purified partitions, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and water (AcoAq), obtained from the crude extract to characterize the antiulcer effects of these two partitions and the mechanisms of action of this medicinal plant. The healing effects of these partitions on the gastric and duodenal mucosa were assessed after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) or acetic acid-induced injury. The involvement of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and glutathione (GSH) levels were determined. The antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori was evaluated using microdilution methods. The phytochemical analysis of AcoAq revealed a predominance of oligomeric proanthocyanidins and galloyl quinic esters, whereas EtOAc was found to contain concentrated flavonoids. Both partitions led to a significant reduction in gastric lesions, but AcoAq was more effective than EtOAc with regard to anti- Helicobacter pylori activity in addition to protecting the gastric mucosa against ethanol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and duodenal mucosal damage induced by cysteamine. Additionally, both partitions were associated with a significant increase in gastric and duodenal healing and increased gastric mucosal GSH content after damage induced by acetic acid. On the other hand, after 6 days of treatment, EtOAc was more effective than AcoAq in ameliorating gastric damage upon initiation of the gastric I/R, which was accompanied by a significant reduction in the activity of gastric mucosal MPO, IL 1-β and TNF-alpha, as well as an elevation in IL-10 and GSH content. These results demonstrate that the oligomeric proanthocyanidins and galloyl quinic esters present in AcoAq were more effective in the prevention of gastric and duodenal ulcers due to the antioxidant effects of these compounds, whereas the flavonoids present in EtOAc were more effective due to their anti-inflammatory activity on the gastric and duodenal tissue. All these results confirm that the rich phytochemical diversity of B. intermedia contributes to the pharmacological actions of this medicinal plant on the gastrointestinal tract in addition to its activity against H. pylori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bacteria in the genus Salmonella are some of the most important foodborne pathogens worldwide. Despite their broad distribution, there are few records on these microorganisms in poikilothermic animals. Recently, Salmonella spp. were detected in the carcasses of native fish in Brazilian slaughterhouses, presenting the risk of foodborne-related salmonellosis. The aims of this study were to evaluate the occurrence, main serotypes, and genetic diversity of S. enterica in native farmed fish, as well as to determine appropriate control strategies. Five hundred and sixty-nine samples of rations, pond water, gill swabs, and feces of native fish were collected from commercial farms for bacteriological studies. The Salmonella isolates were identified using PCR and serotyped using a conventional method. Genetic diversity was evaluated by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Three orally administered products were tested to control Salmonella in experimentally infected fish: a probiotic; organic acids; and humic acid. Thirty-nine S. enterica isolates were obtained from water and fish samples. The isolates were classified as serotypes Brandenburg, Hadar, Heidelberg, Panama, and Saintpaul. One isolate could not be serotyped. Using MLST, the isolates were shown to represent 26 sequence types (STs), with 21 of these STs described here for the first time and five STs that were previously characterized. In the treatment trial, the groups of fish given feed with a probiotic and organic acids showed a 50% reduction in the number of fish positive for S. Hadar until the 20th day post-challenge. However, none of these products was able to clear S. Hadar from the guts of tambaqui. The strains of Salmonella enterica from fish showed high serotype and genetic diversity, which suggests multiple sources of infection and the absence of host-specific strains. The probiotic and organic acids might be used strategically prior to harvest to reduce Salmonella infection in fish herds, thereby decreasing the potential for carcass contamination. Highlights • First description of S. Brandenburg, S. Hadar, S. Heidelberg, and S. Saintpaul in farmed fish • First description of poultry and swine associated Salmonella serotypes in farmed fish • 19 new Salmonella enterica sequence types (ST) were described. • Probiotics and organic acids reduce the number of fish shedding in feces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Night biomass loss due to respiratory activity can significantly impact the phytoplankton biomass productivity and the yield of specific biomolecules. A decrease in biomass loss can be achieved by cyclic two-stage cultivation (CTSC) employing an organic carbon source during the dark phase of the photoperiod. Thus, sugarcane vinasse was used as carbon supply in CTSC to influence the Arthrospira maxima growth. The impact of carbon supply on CTSC was assessed and the results show that splitting the supplementation volume of 60 mL supplemented vinasse into three doses of 20 mL during the dark phase increased biomass productivity by 35.4%, although the maximum exponential growth rate was unaffected. The cyanobacterium also takes up CO2 (supplied in the light phase) as HCO3−, high concentrations of which increase biomass loss. Thus, carbon assimilation in CTSC is higher when the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon is reduced. Optimization of organic and inorganic carbon supply in CTSC with the response surface methodology resulted in an increased growth rate (from 0.73 to 1.18-1.62 day−1) and a reduction of cultivation time (from 7 to 5 days), thus producing a synergistic effect of reduced night biomass loss and vinasse treatment. After cultivating A. maxima for 5 days under optimal conditions (culture medium with 6.81 g L−1 of NaHCO3 and adding 1.5% (v/v) vinasse every 4 h during the dark phase), the reduction of chemical oxygen demand and electrical conductivity demonstrates that removal of organic matter present in the vinasse was due to cell growth during CTSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Rational design of triazine ligands for human serum albumin purification. • Mild binding and recovery with 98% purity and 100% yield. • Binding between human serum albumin and lead ligand stable at pH 7.4 and 6. • Putative binding site of lead ligand at the surface of human serum albumin domain II. Abstract Human serum albumin (HSA) in an important therapeutic agent and disease biomarker, with an increasing market demand. By proteins and drugs that bind to HSA as inspiration, a combinatorial library of 64 triazine-based ligands was rationally designed and screened for HSA binding at physiological conditions. Two triazine-based lead ligands (A3A2 and A6A5), presenting more than 50% HSA bound and high enrichment factors, were selected for further studies. Binding and elution conditions for HSA purification from human plasma were optimized for both ligands. The A6A5 adsorbent yielded a purified HSA sample with 98% purity at 100% recovery yield under mild binding and elution conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the applicability of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ 2,4-p) as a screening tool for mental health problems in preschoolers, in the context of Primary Health Care; to evaluate the mental health problems of the sample, comparing data from SDQ (2,4-p) and from the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL 1½-5 years). Methods: Cross-sectional observational study with a convenience sample of 31-50-month-old children, whose caretakers provided informational reports. In the first stage, professionals from the primary care health unit have applied the SDQ (2,4-p) during routine appointments. Subsequently, the CBCL (1½-5) was applied by a professional experienced in infant mental health. The SDQ and CBCL results were compared and the correlation between the scales was tested. Results: Among 280 questionnaires available to the health professionals, 48 were filled out and the CBCL was applied to 40 of the participants. Among the problems found with the SDQ, 18 cases (37.6% out of 48) have shown abnormal score in the "Total Difficulties" and 38 (80.9% out of 48) have shown normal score in the "Impact of Difficulty". Behavioral issues were highlighted by the percentage of abnormal scores (47.9%). The correlation between SQD and CBCL was positive for all scales, except for the pro-social behavior. Conclusions: Clinically important mental health problems were found in preschool children. Variables of the SDQ discriminate normal and abnormal scores according to the CBCL parameters, thus functioning as a good screening tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current chromatographic approaches used in protein purification are not keeping pace with the increasing biopharmaceutical market demand. With the upstream improvements, the bottleneck shifted towards the downstream process. New approaches rely in Anything But Chromatography methodologies and revisiting former techniques with a bioprocess perspective. Protein crystallization and precipitation methods are already implemented in the downstream process of diverse therapeutic biological macromolecules, overcoming the current chromatographic bottlenecks. Promising work is being developed in order to implement crystallization and precipitation in the purification pipeline of high value therapeutic molecules. This review focuses in the role of these two methodologies in current industrial purification processes, and highlights their potential implementation in the purification pipeline of high value therapeutic molecules, overcoming chromatographic holdups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorella vulgaris cultivation in two-stage process was applied to increase the lipid productivity without compromising the biomass productivity. At the first stage, microalgae was cultivated under nutrient sufficient conditions to obtain a maximized cell density; at the second stage, nitrate conditions are changed to trigger the accumulation of TAG. During first stage, the maximum biomass productivity (32 mg L −1 d −1 ) was observed after 13 days under nutrient sufficient conditions with 1.21 g L −1 NaNO 3 and 0.00449 g L −1 K 2 HPO 4 . Maximum lipid content (25.4% DW), lipid productivity (7.5 mg L −1 d −1 ) and TAG content (41.3% in total lipids) were favored by the nitrogen starvation conditions for more 4 days, at the second stage. Oil extracted at the second stage contained lower percentage of PUFAs being more suitable for the biodiesel production when compared with the oil extracted at the first stage. This two-stage phototrophic process is promising to provide a more efficient way for on a large-scale production of algal biomass and biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently most economical and technological bottlenecks in protein production are placed in the downstream processes. With the aim of increasing the efficiency and reducing the associated costs, various affinity ligands have been developed. Affitins are small, yet robust and easy to produce, proteins derived from the archaeal extremophilic “7 kDa DNA-binding” protein family. By means of combinatorial protein engineering and ribosome display selection techniques, Affitins have shown to bind a diversity of targets. In this work, two previously developed Affitins (anti-lysozyme and anti-IgG) were immobilized onto magnetic particles to assess their potential for protein purification by magnetic fishing. The optimal lysozyme and human IgG binding conditions yielded 58 mg lysozyme/g support and 165 mg IgG/g support, respectively. The recovery of proteins was possible in high yield (≥95%) and with high purity, namely ≥95% and 81%, when recovering lysozyme from Escherichia coli supernatant and IgG from human plasma, respectively. Static binding studies indicated affinity constants of 5.0 × 10 4 M −1 and 9.3 × 10 5 M −1 for the anti-lysozyme and anti-IgG magnetic supports. This work demonstrated that Affitins, which can be virtually evolved for any protein of interest, can be coupled onto magnetic particles creating novel affinity adsorbents for purification by magnetic fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of sugarcane vinasse as supplement in growth medium of Spirulina maxima was investigated. The cell was cultivated under autotrophic (no vinasse, 70 μmol photons m −2 s −1 ), heterotrophic (no light, culture medium supplemented with vinasse at 0.1% v/v and 1.0% v/v) and mixotrophic conditions (70 μmol photons m −2 s −1 , vinasse at 0.1% v/v and 1.0% v/v). These preliminary results suggested a cyclic two-stage cultivation – CTSC, with autotrophic condition during light phase of the photoperiod (12 h, 70–200 μmol photons m −2 s −1 ) and heterotrophic condition during dark phase (12 h, 3.0% v/v vinasse). The adopted CTSC strategy consisted in three cycles with 75% withdrawal of suspension and reposition of medium containing 3.0% v/v vinasse, separated by autotrophic rest periods of few days between cycles. Results show an increase of biomass concentration between 0.495 g L −1 and 0.609 g L −1 at the 7th day of each cycle and high protein content (between 74.3% and 77.3% w/w). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intertidal foreshore sediments from a 110 km stretch of the Thames Estuary were analysed for glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) to track soil organic matter (OM) input and evaluate the impact of coastal urbanisation on their distribution. Concentration of branched (br)GDGTs ranged from < 1 to 15 μg/g organic carbon (OC) and crenarchaeol ranged from 0.6 to 19 μg/g OC. An overall decrease in brGDGTs was observed from the inner Thames (Brentford) to the outer Thames (Isle of Grain), suggesting a drop in soil OM input towards the sea. In contrast, crenarchaeol concentration was highest around east London rather than towards the open sea. Such elevated crenarchaeol concentration occurred in the section of the river most influenced by anthropogenic pollution, such as discharge points for London’s major sewage treatment plants, docks and power plants. The non-systematic spatial distribution of crenarchaeol was also reflected in the branched isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) index. The highest BIT values occurred upstream and in close proximity to salt marshes (0.8–1), whereas the lowest values (0.3–0.5) were towards the sea. However, unusually low values (0.4) were observed in the river section that had high crenarchaeol concentration. In contrast, bulk δ 13 C values were insensitive to London’s anthropogenic influence. This suggests that the natural systematic decrease in BIT index in the estuary is overprinted by London’s anthropogenic activity between Deptford Creek and Tilbury. We therefore advise caution when interpreting the BIT index for sediments in close proximity to megacities discharging industrial and municipal waste that can become incorporated into the near surface sedimentary record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work addresses the feasibility of scaling-up phenylboronic acid (PBA) chromatography for the purification of human mAbs directly from Chinese Hamster Ovary cell culture supernatants. Column performance optimization regarding superficial velocity and feed volume was performed with the best results being achieved with superficial velocities of 5.1, 15.3 and 25 cm/min in the adsorption, wash and elution steps, respectively. The column volume was scale-up 100 times from 0.4 cm 3 (laboratory scale) to 4, 16 and 40 cm 3 (preparative scale). This 100-fold scale-up was successfully achieved with a recovery yield of 97.7% and a protein purity of 82.6%. Following purification, purified IgG fractions were characterized in terms of isoelectric point, size, CHO proteins and genomic DNA content. Overall results suggest that using ProSep®-PB for mAbs purification is simple, reproducible, robust and scalable without compromising the target molecule integrity and purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trypanosomiasis is an anthropozoonosis caused by a flagellated protozoan of the Trypanosoma genus. Dogs play a significant role in the transmission chain of these diseases, serving as hosts and reservoirs while developing symptoms similar to humans. The main representatives of this genus are T. cruzi and T. evansi, responsible for American trypanosomiasis, also known as Chagas disease, and "surra," recognized in equines as "mal das cadeiras." Chagas disease is transmitted through biological vectoring by hematophagous insects of the Triatoma genus, from the Triatominae subfamily, commonly known as kissing bugs. This work aimed to report a case of trypanosomiasis in a dog in São Luís, MA. A canine was attended to at a veterinary clinic in São Luís, showing a sudden onset of dyspnea, anorexia, adipsia, lethargy, and progressive weakness. The physical examination revealed pale mucous membranes, a low body condition score, and abdominal distension with tenderness on palpation. Hematological analysis identified normocytic and normochromic anemia with signs of regeneration, lymphocytosis, and left shift, accompanied by the presence of neutrophil rods. Blood smear examination revealed structures compatible with flagellated protozoa of the Trypanosoma genus. Despite a prompt diagnosis and initiation of therapeutic protocols, the animal succumbed on the same day as admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, phenylboronic acid (PBA) was thoroughly investigated as a synthetic ligand for the purification of an immunoglobulin G (IgG) from a clarified cell supernatant from Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell cultures. In particular, the study was focused on the development of a washing step and in the optimization of the elution step using a serum containing supernatant. From the different conditions tested, best recoveries - 99% - and purifications - protein purity of 81% and a purification factor of 16 out of a maximum of 20 - were achieved using 100mM d-sorbitol in 10mM Tris-HCl as washing buffer and 0.5M d-sorbitol with 150mM NaCl in 10mM Tris-HCl as elution buffer. The purification outcome was also compared with protein A chromatography that revealed a recovery of 99%, 87% protein purity and 29 out of a maximum of 33 purification factor. Following the main purification, purified IgG was characterized in terms of isoelectric point, size and activity. In the end, a proof of concept was performed using two different mAbs from serum-free CHO cell cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Radiolabeled metal complexes with thiosemicarbazones. • Radiolabeled metal complexes with bis (thiosemicarbazones). • Metal complexes with thiosemicarbazones in nuclear medicine. • Metal complexes with bis (thiosemicarbazones) in nuclear medicine. Metallic radionuclides possess a variety of half-lives, emission types, energies, and branching ratios, making it possible to apply them as diagnostic and/or therapeutic agents. Mono (thiosemicarbazones) and bis (thiosemicarbazones) show wide pharmacological profile and ability to chelate metals forming stable complexes. In the present work the behaviors of different radiometal complexes with mono (thiosemicarbazones) and bis (thiosemicarbazones) as diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical drug candidates are reported. In particular, the applications of metal complexes with bis (thiosemicarbazones) as diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals have mostly been focused on bis (thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) complexes, due to the success of the hypoxia-selective PET imaging agent 64Cu(ATSM), H 2 ATSM = diacetyl- bis (N 4-methylthiosemicarbazone). However, metal complexes with mono - and bis (thiosemicarbazones) have also been obtained with other radioisotopes, mainly 67/68Ga, 111/114mIn and 99mTc. Some of these complexes have shown promising results in the search for new radiopharmaceuticals with applications in diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial extinction of megafauna occurred in Australia between 50 and 45 kyr ago, a period that coincides with human colonization of Australia. Large shifts in vegetation also occurred around this time, but it is unclear whether the vegetation changes were driven by the human use of fire-and thus contributed to the extinction event-or were a consequence of the loss of megafaunal grazers. Here we reconstruct past vegetation changes in southeastern Australia using the stable carbon isotopic composition of higher plant wax n-alkanes and levels of biomass burning from the accumulation rates of the biomarker levoglucosan from a well-dated sediment core offshore from the Murray-Darling Basin. We find that from 58 to 44 kyr ago, the abundance of plants with the C4 carbon fixation pathway was generally high-between 60 and 70%. By 43 kyr ago, the abundance of C4 plants dropped to 30% and biomass burning increased. This transient shift lasted for about 3,000 years and came after the period of human arrival and directly followed megafauna extinction at 48.9-43.6 kyr ago. We conclude that the vegetation shift was not the cause of the megafaunal extinction in this region. Instead, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that vegetation change was the consequence of the extinction of large browsers and led to the build-up of fire-prone vegetation in the Australian landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims There is a great need to search for natural compounds with superior prebiotic, antioxidant and immunostimulatory properties for use in (food) applications. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) show such properties. Moreover, they contribute to stress tolerance in plants, acting as putative membrane stabilizers, antioxidants and signalling agents. Methods A large-scale soluble carbohydrate screening was performed within the plant kingdom. An unknown compound accumulated to a high extent in early-spring red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) but not in other RFO plants. The compound was purified and its structure was unravelled with NMR. Organs and organ parts of red deadnettle were carefully dissected and analysed for soluble sugars. Phloem sap content was analysed by a common EDTA-based method. Key Results Early-spring red deadnettle stems and roots accumulate high concentrations of the reducing trisaccharide manninotriose (Galα1,6Galα1,6Glc), a derivative of the non-reducing RFO stachyose (Galα1,6Galα1,6Glcα1,2βFru). Detailed soluble carbohydrate analyses on dissected stem and leaf sections, together with phloem sap analyses, strongly suggest that stachyose is the main transport compound, but extensive hydrolysis of stachyose to manninotriose seems to occur along the transport path. Based on the specificities of the observed carbohydrate dynamics, the putative physiological roles of manninotriose in red deadnettle are discussed. Conclusions It is demonstrated for the first time that manninotriose is a novel and important player in the RFO metabolism of red dead deadnettle. It is proposed that manninotriose represents a temporary storage carbohydrate in early-spring deadnettle, at the same time perhaps functioning as a membrane protector and/or as an antioxidant in the vicinity of membranes, as recently suggested for other RFOs and fructans. This novel finding urges further research on this peculiar carbohydrate on a broader array of RFO accumulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes important components of the reproductive biology of the Amazonian amphibian fish Copella arnoldi. The species sex ratio biased to female 1.8 to 1 male and the length‐weight relationship also shown differences between sexes (b value = 1.854 for females and 2.235 for males), although both presented allometric growth (b < 3), "being lighter for its length". The results also show the importance of the histological analysis to describe the gametogenesis and, consequently, define the reproductive cycle of a fish species. It showed both, males and females, spawning capable during a whole year, whereas the gonadosomatic index pointed spawning capable females during the winter and summer, and spawning capable males only in the autumn. The species presents the rare type of semicystic spermatogenesis and the spermatids complete their differentiation into the tubular lumen, forming a Type I spermatozoa. Both the characteristics are described for the first time for the Lebiasinidae family. Such data can contribute to the discussions about the position of the Lebiasinidae family within the Characiform order, which still does not have a conclusion. Moreover, understand the reproductive biology of a fish species helps its preservation in its habitat and may be applied in restoration programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Steryl alkyl ethers (SAEs) have been reported from marine sediments ranging from Holocene to Lower Cretaceous and their production has been linked to upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water. However, the lack of continuous stratigraphic records for them has complicated validation of the precise connection of their production, sedimentary distribution and survival to climatic conditions. Here, we report an SAE record that spans the last ca. 135ka from a core taken offshore southeastern Australia in the Murray Canyons Group region. The SAEs are composed predominantly of C27–C30 steroid moieties with one or two double bonds, ether-bound to C10–C11 alkyl moieties. Some of the SAEs are identical to those reported in marine sediments, whereas others have not been identified previously. They do not exhibit any systematic change in distribution over the past 110ka but sediments older than 110ka possess a different assemblage, with a higher amount of constituents containing a C11 alkyl moiety. The SAE accumulation rate increases rapidly during glacial episodes and for intervals characterized by a sharp decline in sea-surface temperature. The results suggest that SAEs may be related to marine eukaryotes that thrive when there is an influx of cold, deep waters in the Murray Canyons Group region, likely triggered by stronger westerlies over southeastern Australia forcing deeper water to reach the surface during glacials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reconstructions of primary productivity at low latitudes have been the focus of several studies to better understand how the export of nutrient-rich, intermediate Southern Ocean (SO) waters influences productivity at these latitudes. This was triggered by the general observation of minima in the planktonic foraminiferal δ13C values during deglaciations, which was interpreted as an isotopic signal of intermediate SO waters, together with a concomitant increase in diatom productivity at some equatorial sites. However, the impact of these SO waters on productivity at higher latitudes is not well constrained. Here, we compare a high-resolution planktonic foraminiferal δ13C record with total organic carbon and biomarker records for Proboscia diatoms and haptophytes in marine sediments from offshore Southeastern Australia. The planktonic foraminiferal δ13C record shows distinct minima during deglaciations and the Marine Isotope Stage 4/3 transition, tentatively suggesting that 13C-depleted SO waters reached the coast of Southeastern Australia. However, it did not result in increased productivity during these periods. Instead, the highest primary productivity period, as indicated by total organic carbon and alkenone accumulation rates, occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum while Proboscia diatoms mainly proliferated during interglacials and Marine Isotope Stage 3 matching periods of increased diatom productivity in some sites of the Eastern Equatorial Pacific. Our study suggests that increased primary productivity offshore Southeastern Australia was mainly due to stronger westerly winds during glacial periods while Proboscia diatom productivity was probably controlled by the transport of silicic acid to this area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between polymorphisms in the estrogen-metabolizing genes CYP17, CYP1B1, CYP1A1, and COMT and genomic instability in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 62 BC patients and 62 controls considering that increased or prolonged exposure to estrogen can damage the DNA molecule and increase the genomic instability process in breast tissue. Our data demonstrated increased genomic instability in BC patients and that individuals with higher frequencies of MN exhibited higher risk to BC when belonging Val/Met genotype of the COMT gene.We also observed that CYP17 and CYP1A1 polymorphisms can modify the risk to BC depending on the menopause status. We can conclude that the genetic background in estrogen metabolism pathway can modulate chromosome damage in healthy controls and patients and thereby influence the risk to BC. These findings suggest the importance to ally biomarkers of susceptibility and effects to estimate risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Changes in the strength of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) are known to have profound impacts on global climate. Coupled modelling studies have suggested that, on annual to multi-decadal time scales, a slowdown of AMOC causes a deepening of the thermocline in the tropical Atlantic. However, this process has been poorly constrained by sedimentary geochemical records. Here, we reconstruct surface (UK'' 37 Index) and thermocline (TEXH 86) water temperatures from the Guinea Plateau Margin (Eastern tropical Atlantic) over the last two glacial–interglacial cycles (~192 kyr). These paleotemperature records show that periods of reduced AMOC, as indicated by the δ13 C benthic foraminiferal record from the same core, coincide with a reduction in the near-surface vertical temperature gradient, demonstrating for the first time that AMOC-induced tropical Atlantic thermocline adjustment exists on longer, millennial time scales. Modelling results support the interpretation of the geochemical records and show that thermocline adjustment is particularly pronounced in the eastern tropical Atlantic. Thus, variations in AMOC strength appear to be an important driver of the thermocline structure in the tropical Atlantic from annual to multi-millennial time scales. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ethnopharmacological survey indicated leaves of Byrsonima fagifolia Nied. (Malpighiaceae) against gastrointestinal disorders. Aim of the study: The methanolic extract from the leaves of Byrsonima fagifolia (denominated BF) was evaluated for toxic, mutagenic, gastroprotective, antidiarrheal, antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities. Materials and methods: The preventive and healing action of BF against gastric ulcer was evaluated in experimental models in rodents. We evaluated immunomodulatory (by murine peritoneal macrophages), antidiarrheal (by induced diarrhea with castor oil and intestinal motility) and antibacterial action of BF against standard strain of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Helicobacter pylori. The safety of use of BF was also evaluated by mutagenic (Ames assay) and by analyses of toxicity parameters. Results: Phytochemical BF profile indicated the presence of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and radical-scavenging properties. BF significantly inhibited gastric lesions induced by ethanol and HCl/ethanol and endogenous mucosal sulphydryl groups (SHs) participated efficaciously in BF gastroprotection. BF blocked development of inflammation process and also has antidiarrheal actions. This extract accelerated the healing of the gastric ulcerated mucosa by stimulating proliferative factors and by increasing production of gastric mucus with no toxic action. The substances responsible for the protective action are concentrated in the ethyl acetate fraction that demonstrated no mutagenic action in vitro. Conclusions: Byrsonima fagifolia presents gastroprotective, healing and antidiarrheal activities supporting previous claims that its traditional use by Brazilians can treat these gastrointestinal ailments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Complexes [In(L1)Cl(H2O)] (1), [In(L2)Cl(H2O)]·3H2O (2), [In(L3)Cl(H2O)]·H2O (3), [In(L4)Cl(H2O)] (4), and [In(L5)Cl(H2O)] (5) with 2,6-diformylpyridine-bis(benzoylhydrazone) (H2L1), 2,6-diformylpyridine-bis(para-chloro-benzoylhydrazone) (H2L2), 2,6-diformylpyridine-bis(para-toluyl-benzoylhydrazone) (H2L3), 2,6-diacetylpyridine-bis(semicarbazone) (H2L4), and 2,6-diacetylpyridine-bis(thiosemicarbazone) (H2L5) were synthesized. The cytotoxic effects of selected compounds were tested on MCF-7 (estrogen-dependent mammary adenocarcinoma), MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative mammary adenocarcinoma), and MRC-5 (healthy human lung fibroblast) cells. H2L4, H2L5, and complexes 1, 3, 4, and 5 were cytotoxic against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent way, presenting IC50 values in the micromolar range. 1, 3, 4, and 5 were exposed to neutron activation to produce their 114mIn(III) analogs *1, *3, *4, and *5. Complex *3 was 13-fold more potent than its non-radioactive counterpart against both tumor cell lineages and complex *5 was 11-fold more potent than complex 5 against MCF-7 cells and 4-fold more potent than complex 5 against MDA-MB-231 cells. Radiotherapy with gamma radiation from a 60Co source combined with the treatment with complexes 1, 3, 4, and 5 improved the efficacy of radiotherapeutic doses in the range used for hypo-fractionated radiotherapy. Combined treatment with increasing concentrations of non-radioactive compounds and 1 Gy caused a 2.27- to 4.49-fold increase in the radiation enhancement factor (REF) (REF = % cell death due to combined therapy/% cell death due to radiation monotherapy) against MCF-7 cells. Interestingly, combination therapy was even more beneficial for treating triple-negative MDA-MB-231 tumor cells, with REF ranging from 5.27 to 7.53. The results demonstrate that the indium(III) complexes under study behave as potential multifunctional agents for treating breast cancer, due to their cytotoxic activities, radiosensitizer effects, and the possible ability of the 114mIn derivatives to be employed in targeted radionuclide therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have developed a novel method, based on high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, for the rapid and quantitative analysis of levoglucosan in geological samples. Compared with existing methods, it does not require derivatization or extensive work up, and requires less sample material. Its validity is demonstrated by way of application to soil samples collected from a burned dune area and a late Quaternary marine sediment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• n -alkane and brGDGT analysed to assess terrestrial C input in the Conwy Estuary. • Biomarkers in sediments showed a higher terrestrial influence compared to marine OC. • Molecular and bulk proxies compromised due to mixed source of compounds. • Similar concentration and fractional distribution of brGDGT in three UK estuaries. Owing to their restricted riverine flow and greater numbers, small estuaries (annual discharge < 2000 m3 s−1) are important sites of organic carbon (OC) storage in sediments. The Conwy Estuary is an exemplar small rural-agricultural catchment which delivers a diverse pool of terrestrial OC to the Irish Sea. Thirty-nine surface sediments, covering a distance of 10.5 km, were taken transversal as well as longitudinal to the estuary to examine local and distant catchment inputs. Biomarkers (branched Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers - brGDGTs, n -alkanes) and molecular and bulk proxies (BIT, P aq , TAR, δ13C, C/N), showed sediments were dominated by terrestrial inputs, with only sediments of the three most seaward sites showing stronger physical and geochemical characteristics of a marine influence (e.g., sandier sediments and lower BIT). Biomarker concentrations in the Conwy were comparable to the more urbanised Thames and the Clyde estuaries. The three estuaries showed similar fractional abundance of the brGDGTs, recording an inverse trend between the hexamethylated and the tetramethylated brGDGTs, and showing the pentamethylated brGDGTs as the dominant group. A systematic decrease in terrestrial biomarkers from bank to the main channel confirmed either a strong localised erosion/runoff process or a decrease in water velocity leading to a higher deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the difficulties of patients with senile cataract in the access to the facectomy by Unified Health System (SUS - Sistema Único de Saúde) in the Medical and Diagnostic Center (CEMED) of Aparecida de Goiânia. Methods: Cross-sectional and observational research with data collection from a standardized questionnaire applied preoperatively. Results: The sample consisted of 150 patients: 56% women and 44% men. The average age was 66.05 ± 9.21 years. Most (57.3%) had a previous diagnosis of cataract and, of these, 56.7% did not seek previous treatment. The reasons that prevented previous treatment were: difficulty in accessing the health service (43.5%), fear of surgery (18.8%) and lack of clinical condition for surgery (18.8%). 78.7% of patients would like to have surgery on the same day they are diagnosed with cataract. 21.3% were against this proposal, and the fear of surgery (65%) was the main reason for not performing the facectomy immediately. Regarding the impairment in activities of daily living (ADL), 20.6% could not read magazines and newspapers, in contrast, 20.6% reported no significant impairment in their ADL. Conclusion: The main difficulties in accessing senile cataract treatment were: difficulty in accessing the specialized health system, fear of the procedure, lack of clinical condition for surgery. Thus, it is necessary to promote good quality and affordable surgery; carrying out projects that facilitate diagnosis and treatment, that act in population education, promoting population awareness and stimulating the search for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislation governing strict-protection nature reserves in Brazil in principle precludes human habitation, but virtually all Amazon reserves are nonetheless inhabited. Historical ecology research reported herein assesses the impacts of occupation and resource use by beiradeiros (forest peasants) on the forests of a strictly designated nature reserve in the Iriri River basin (Brazilian Amazon). The hypothesis is that traditional beiradeiros activities are congruent with the aims of conservation of the reserve because their impacts are either neutral or enhance diversity of forest landscapes and biota. We designed the methodology underlying data collection to integrate forest inventory with archaeological techniques in two contrasting forest types (terra firme and seasonally inundated forest), faunal surveys, freelisting of tree terms by beiradeiros, and participant observation, in order to determine biological diversity indices, forest age and the parameters of traditional knowledge that encode such diversity in local vocabulary. Our research results lead us to reject the premise that traditional peasant activities lead to ecological degradation or impoverishment, and suggest that the rationale underpinning strictly protected nature reserves should be re-examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, nanogels based on polyetheramine–epoxide (PPO–DPEG) were developed, and two potential envisions for the nanocarriers were explored, for the first time, as controlled drug delivery systems and as stimulants for seed germination in agriculture. These nanogels can help reduce the use of hazardous chemicals and expensive instruments, with several advantages: (i) an easy route for their production; (ii) catalyst-free synthesis at low temperature; (iii) water as a unique solvent, which provides advantages in terms of sustainability and cost-effectiveness. First, this study provides a particular drug-polymer design for the sustained release of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Second, seed germination assays demonstrated that the nanogels could be used as novel materials to promote the germination and growth (root and shoot) of cucumber seeds. In this sense, the root length of cucumber seeds was improved by 39% compared to the negative control (water). The obtained polymeric gels were in depth characterized by various physicochemical techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS), and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μ-XRF). The cytotoxicity of PPO–DPEG gels was evaluated by XTT assays, confirming good biocompatibility after exposure to GM07492A cell line (normal human lung fibroblasts). The possibility to use these nanogels for agricultural science is novel, providing good carrier opportunities for embedded micronutrients (and mass production) for the development of an innovative and highly versatile platform for sustainable delivery systems in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The exploitation of lakes has led to large-scale contemporary impacts on freshwater systems, largely in response to catchment clearance. Such clearance is causing changes to carbon dynamics in tropical lakes which may have significance for wider carbon budgets, depending on the changes in carbon sequestration and mineralisation driven by changing roles of terrestrial and aquatic carbon in lakes over time. Despite increasing awareness of the pivotal role of carbon source in carbon dynamics, discriminating the source of carbon from a palaeolimnological record is rarely undertaken. Here we use novel geochemical techniques (brGDGTs, n -alkanes, Rock-Eval pyrolysis), paired with traditional analyses (diatoms, pollen), to elucidate changing sources of carbon through time and ecosystem response. Environmental changes at Lake Nyamogusingiri can be divided into three phases: Phase I (CE 1150–1275), a shallow and productive lake, where a diverse terrestrial environment is, initially, the main carbon source, before switching to an aquatic source; Phase II (CE 1275–1900), variable lake levels (generally in decline) with increasing productivity, and carbon is autochthonous in source; Phase III (CE 1900–2007), lake level declines, and the carbon is of a mixed source, though the terrestrially derived carbon is from a less diverse source. The organic geochemical analyses provide a wealth of data regarding the complexity of aquatic response to catchment and with-in lake changes. These data demonstrate that small, tropical lake systems have the potential to bury high quantities of carbon, which has implications for the disruption of local biogeochemical cycles (C, P, N, and Si) both in the past, and the future as human and climate pressures increase. Highlights • Novel organic geochemical techniques discriminate carbon sources through time. • Offers insight into the complexity and functionality of a lake system through time. • Organic geochemistry elucidates findings derived from diatom and pollen analyses. • Small tropical lakes have potential to bury large quantities of terrestrial carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructural characterization has been done for a medium carbon steel upon thermal treatments (tempered, cyclic and normalized) of reaustenitization at 20, 30, and 40 minutes by using optical microscopy technique. Preferential tendency to proeutectoid ferrite precipitation in the grain boundaries was detected. Proeutectoid ferrite amount was detected in the as-received sample and samples treated at 30 and 40 minutes of reaustenitization greater than that in the normalized sample at 20 minutes. Higher amount of proeutectoid ferrite precipitation on grain boundaries, part of this phase inside grains, and coarsely pearlite were observed in the samples treated at 30 and 40 minutes. Proeutectoid ferrite and coarsely pearlite were seen with greater amounts in the samples under cyclic treatment than those in the normalized sample at 20 minutes. Grain growth was detected and the hardness values were obtained and compared with the characteristics of the samples under the three reaustenitization periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In(iii) complexes [In(2Ac4oClPh)2]NO3 (1) and [In(2Ac4pFPh)2]NO3·1.5H2O (2) were obtained with N(4)-ortho-chlorophenyl-2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (H2Ac4oClPh) and N(4)-para-fluorophenyl-2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (H2Ac4pFPh). Neutron activation of complexes (1) and (2), and of previously prepared [In(2Ac4oClPh)Cl2(MeOH)] (3) and [In(2Ac4pFPh)Cl2(MeOH)] (4) resulted in the formation of 114mIn/115mIn analogues (*1–*4). The cytotoxic activities of the compounds under study were investigated on MCF-7 breast cancer cells as well as against non-malignant MRC-5 fibroblast cells. Upon coordination to In(iii) the cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells significantly increased in complexes (1–4), suggesting that complexation was a good strategy to improve the cytotoxic effect. While both non-radioactive and radioactive In(iii) salts were inactive against MCF-7 cells, the radioactive complexes (*1–*4) proved to be 102 to 104 times more potent than the non-radioactive analogues (1–4). For the non-radioactive In(iii) complexes (1–4) the selectivity indexes (SI), defined as IC50 MRC-5/IC50 MCF-7, were SI = 0.07–0.36, while high values of SI were found for the radioactive In(iii) analogues (*1–*4), SI = 46–4716, indicating that irradiation represented an interesting strategy for increasing the selectivity. Since cytotoxicity was evaluated following 48 h of treatment and 72 h after neutron activation, the observed cytotoxic effects were attributed mainly to 114mIn, the contribution of the 115mIn (t1/2 = 4.5 h) isomer being considered irrelevant. Complexes (*1–*4) induced higher levels of intracellular ROS in MCF-7 cells in comparison to the parent compounds. The results suggest that 114mIn complexes with thiosemicarbazones might show potential for application as radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate possible structural changes and thermal stability of the polyurea unloaded and loaded with diclofenac sodium, polyurea networks based on polyetheramine containing polypropylene oxide (PPO) or polyethylene oxide (PEO) and hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer-HDI were synthesized. The formation of the network was controlled by sol-gel reactions, and the obtained materials were then characterized by different techniques (FTIR, XRD, TGA). Moreover, the amount of diclofenac released could be modulated as a function of time, studying the water absorption or swelling capacity, the cytotoxicity of the material and the amount of drug released. A choice was therefore made on the hydrophilicity of PEO- or PPO-based polyetheramine (with similar molecular weight), and the release profile was hereafter correlated with the water absorption by the PEO/PPO polyurea matrix. Links could finally be established between the release of diclofenac and the polyurea matrices properties, such as the nature of polymer (PEO/PPO) and the hydrophilicity (water uptake). Our objective here is to identify challenges and opportunities for the development of innovative functional biomaterials for health applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elaborar una propuesta multidisciplinar de criterios de cribado de enfermedad pulmonar intersticial difusa (EPID) en pacientes con artritis reumatoide (AR) y, a la inversa, que sirvan de referencia en la derivación entre los servicios de Reumatología y Neumología para la detección precoz de estos pacientes. Se revisó de forma sistemática la literatura sobre factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de EPID en la AR, la utilidad de los distintos métodos diagnósticos para su identificación en pacientes con AR y las diferentes propuestas de criterios de derivación a Reumatología por sospecha de AR precoz. Basándose en la evidencia disponible y en su experiencia clínica, un comité científico formado por dos reumatólogos y dos neumólogos propuso unos criterios de cribado que fueron evaluados mediante el método Delphi por un panel de siete neumólogos y siete reumatólogos. Todos los participantes eran expertos en esta patología. Se han elaborado unos criterios para el cribado de EPID en pacientes diagnosticados de AR, y unos criterios para la detección precoz de AR en casos de EPID de causa no filiada. Se incluyen también propuestas sobre las pruebas complementarias a realizar en los diferentes escenarios clínicos considerados y sobre la periodicidad con la que debe repetirse el cribado. Se propone por primera vez una estrategia de cribado selectivo para el diagnóstico precoz de los pacientes con EPID-AR. Esta propuesta pretende resolver algunos interrogantes clínicos habituales y facilitar la toma de decisiones. Los criterios propuestos deben ser evaluados en futuros estudios de validación. To develop a joint proposal for screening criteria of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and vice versa, which serves as a guidelines in patient referral between the Rheumatology and Pneumology departments to early detection of these patients. A systematic literature review was carried out on the risk factors for the development of ILD in RA patients, and for the referral criteria to Rheumatology for suspected early RA. Based on the available evidence, screening criteria were agreed using the Delphi method by a panel of pneumologists and rheumatologists with expertise in these pathologies. Screening criteria for ILD in patients with RA and for the early detection of RA in cases with ILD of unknown etiology have been developed. In both cases, a detection strategy was based on clinical risk factors. Recommendations also included the complementary tests to be carried out in the different clinical scenarios and on the periodicity that screening should be repeated. A selective screening strategy is recommended for the first time in the early diagnosis of patients with ILD-RA. This multidisciplinary proposal aims to solve some common clinical questions and help decision-making, although its usefulness to identify these patients with good sensitivity must be confirmed in a validation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN Sustainable Development Goals highlight the myriad of socio-economic and environmental challenges occurring as a result of anthropogenic chemical pollution. Urban sediments from informal settlements (slums) on the Nairobi, Ngong and Mathare Rivers (n = 25), were evaluated for sediment quality. Microtox bioassay identified 8 sites as toxic, 9 as moderately toxic and 8 as non-toxic. Slum sediments were characterised by high total organic carbon and Rock-Eval pyrolysis revealed bound carbon from a mix of raw sewage and domestic refuse. Sediments from Kiambio, Kibera, Mathare and Kawangware slums contained high coprostanol at 55–298 μg/g and epicoprostanol at 3.2–21.7 μg/g confirming appreciable incorporation of untreated human faeces. Hormones, antianalgeiscs, antiinflamatories, antiepileptics and antibiotics most affected Mathare > Kiambio > Kibera > Mukuru > Kawangware slums. Carbamazepine, ibuprofen, diclofenac and acetaminophen concentrations are amongst the highest reported in Kenyan river sediments and were positively correlated with faecal steroids (sewage). Common persistent organic pollutants, such as organochlorine insecticides ΣDDT 1–59 μg/kg, mean 21.2 μg/kg, Σ16PAH 182–2218 μg/kg, mean 822 μg/kg and Σ30 PCB 3.1–157.1 μg/kg, mean of 21.4 μg/kg were between probable effect likely and unlikely sediment quality guidelines (SQG). PAH source ratios and parent to alkyl-PAH distribution suggested vehicle exhaust, power stations (heavy oil), kerosene (cooking oil) and other pollution sources. Trace metal concentrations As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Ni were below SQG whereas Pb exceeded the SQG. This multi-contaminant characterisation of sediment quality in Nairobi supports the development and implementation of policies to improve urban infrastructure to protect ecological and human health. It demonstrates the need for environmental geochemists to engage in the science-policy interface associated with both global and national development frameworks, with particular reference to the Sustainable Development Goals, New Urban Agenda, and Kenya's Vision 2030. • Urban slum river sediments of Nairobi are polluted with a mix of raw sewage and domestic refuse that presents a risk to human and ecological health. • Emerging pharmaceutical contamination (hormones, antibiotics antiinflamatories) are widespread. • PAH, PCB, DDT pollutants are ubiquitous but are between effect likely and unlikely sediment quality guidelines. • Nairobi slum sediments are toxic and contain a cocktail of organic contaminants but are low in most trace metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] β-Myrcene contributed to the maintenance of integrity of the gastric mucosa. [•] Significant decrease in the I/R-induced ulcerative lesions was ascribed by β-myrcene. [•] Increased lipid peroxidative damage in ulcer was attenuated by β-myrcene. [•] β-Myrcene and increasing GSH levels and prevented the depletion of GSH, GR and GPx. [•] The data define a potential role for β-myrcene against peptic ulcer disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present work, mesoporous silica SBA-16 nanoparticles with an innovative cubic mesoporous matrix, practically unexplored in terms of functionalization and in vitro studies, has been synthesized and functionalized using two different silanizing agents: 3-amino-propyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) and n-propyltriethoxysilane (PTES). The pure and functionalized silica nanoparticles were physicochemically and morphologically characterized, the results of which presented adequate characteristics for in vitro and in vivo applications. The influence of the functionalization process on the incorporation rate and kinetic release of a model drug (Atenolol) was also studied. These results revealed that samples functionalized with APTES presented a negligible release of Atenolol from the nanoparticles in simulated body fluid (SBF). This is an important result when seeking to avoid the premature release of chemotherapeutic agents or radioisotopes into the bloodstream until it reaches its final destination. Finally, the cytocompatibility in vitro tests were conducted in an MRC-5 cell line, human fetal lung fibroblast cells, at different concentrations. The results indicated no significant change in cell morphology, chromosomal changes, or increase of ROS in the MRC-5 cells related to the control group. All findings from this study reveal a potential application of mesoporous silica SBA-16 nanoparticles as new potential drugs or radioisotope nanocarriers to be applied in therapeutic or diagnostic procedures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present work describes the preparation, labeling, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro cytotoxic evaluation of long circulating pH-sensitive liposomes containing 159Gd-DTPA-BMA. These liposomes were successfully obtained and submitted to neutron irradiation for gadolinium labeling. Their size, distribution, and homogeneity were determined by photon correlation spectroscopy, while their zeta potential was determined by laser Doppler anemometry. The morphology and structural organization were evaluated by atomic force microscopy. The stability and release profiles of Gd-DTPA-BMA in the liposomes were determined in vitro in Dubelco''s Modified Eagle''s Medium and rat serum at 70%. The results showed that liposomes remained physically stable after 8h of irradiation and presented a low release profile of its content in two different biological mediums. The formulation of liposomes containing 159Gd and its respective controls were evaluated by in vitro cytotoxicity against tumor cells RT2. The results showed increased cytotoxic activity of approximately 1170 fold in relation to free Gd-DTPA-BMA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A very appropriate method for antigenotoxicity evaluation of antioxidants is the comet assay, since this analytical method detects initial DNA lesions that are still subject to repair; in other words, lesions that are very associated to damages resulting from the generation and subsequent action of reactive species. However, a solid evaluation should be developed in order to avoid inexact interpretations. In our study, besides the association of curcumin with cisplatin, curcumin and cisplatin agents were also tested separately. Classical genotoxic compounds, when tested by the comet assay, present an increase in the nucleoid tail; however, the cisplatin treatment has resulted in a decrease of DNA migration. This was an expected effect, as the cross-links between cisplatin and DNA decrease the DNA electrophoretic mobility. A similar effect was observed with the curcumin treatment, which decreased the nucleoid tail. Such effect was not expected and reinforced the necessity of including in the study, separate treatment groups with potentially antigenotoxic substances. The comet assay results have been analyzed using specific software for image analysis, as well as the classical visual analysis, and we have observed that the effect of decrease in DNA electrophoretic mobility was more easily observed when the data were analyzed by the software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Casearia sylvestris is used in Brazil as a popular medicine to treat ulcer, inflammation and tumour. Caseargrewiin F is a clerodane diterpene isolated from the ethanolic leaf extract of C.sylvestris. The aim of the study was to assess the capacity of the ethanolic extract of C.sylvestris leaves and caseargrewiin F to protect DNA and verify if both the compounds cause some DNA damage, using the micronucleus (MN) test and comet assay in mice. Balb-C mice were treated with the extract [3.13, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 75 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)] and caseargrewiin F (0.16, 0.32, 0.63, 1.3, 2.5 and 3.8 mg/kg b.w.) for 14 days. On day 15, DNA damage was induced by intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injection of cyclophosphamide (CP) (i.p.) at 50 mg/kg b.w. after the MN test and comet assay were performed. A protective effect of ethanolic extract was observed in MN test (6.25 and 12.5 mg/kg b.w.) and the comet assay (3.13 and 6.25, 12.5 and 25 mg/kg b.w.). Caseargrewiin F showed protective effect at 0.63, 1.3 and 2.5 mg/kg b.w. only in comet assay. We also tested the ability of compounds of C.sylvestris to induce MN and to increase the comet assay tail moment. The experimental design was similar to the DNA protection assay except that in test groups we omitted the CP challenge. We observed increased damage at 50 and 75 mg/kg b.w. of ethanolic extract of C.sylvestris and caseargrewiin F at 3.18 mg/kg b.w. in both the MN test and comet assay. We conclude that ethanolic extract of C. sylvestris and caseargrewiin F can protect cells against DNA damage induced by CP at low concentrations, but at high concentrations these compounds also induce DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The gallium(III) complexes [Ga(2Am4DH)2]NO3 (1), [Ga(2Am4Me)2]NO3 (2) and [Ga(2Am4Et)2]NO3 (3) were prepared with 2-pyridineformamide thiosemicarbazone (H2Am4DH) and its N(4)-methyl (H2Am4Me) and N(4)-ethyl (H2Am4Et) derivatives. The thiosemicarbazones were cytotoxic against malignant RT2 glioblastoma cells (expressing p53 protein) with IC50 values in the 7.3–360μM range, and against malignant T98 glioblastoma cells (expressing mutant p53 protein) with IC50 values in the 3.6–143μM range. Coordination to gallium strongly increased the cytotoxic potential in complexes 2 and 3, which showed IC50 values in the 0.81–9.57μM range against RT2 cells and in the 3.6–11.30μM range against T98 cells, and were 20-fold more potent than cisplatin. All thiosemicarbazones and gallium complexes were able to induce cell death by apoptosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]