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Sulfated polysaccharides (SPs), especially those with immunostimulant effects on shrimp and fish, are bioactive compounds with potential use in aquaculture. In this study, Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) were fed diets containing 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, or 2.0% crude extracts from the microalga Porphyridium cruentum for 30 days. After dietary supplementation, the shrimp were exposed to Vibrio alginolyticus, allowing the assessment of phenoloxidase activity (PO) and total hemocyte count (THC) pre- and post-challenge, as well as shrimp survival rates. Shrimp that received the 1.0% treatment had greater survival (90%) at 48 h post-challenge, while the 0% and 2.0% treatments had survival rates close to 63% in the same period. Furthermore, at 48 h post-challenge, THC was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the shrimp that received crude extract supplementation compared to that in shrimp of the control group (0%). PO showed a proportional increase according to crude extract inclusion levels. Such dose-dependency in response to PO increases became significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the 2.0% treatment group compared to that in the 0% treatment group in the pre-challenge period and that in the 0% and 0.5% treatment groups in the post-challenge period. These results showed that crude extracts from P. cruentum could be considered immunostimulants by increasing the resistance of P. vannamei exposed to V. alginolyticus, potentially representing a major breakthrough for marine shrimp farming.

A study was conducted to test the inclusion of Aurantiochytrium sp. meal in the rearing of Penaeus vannamei grown in a clear water system and at a suboptimal temperature of 22 °C. The doses tested were 0 (control), 1, 2, 3, and 4% at a stocking density of 100 shrimp/m3. Rearing was carried out with aeration and individual heaters, and seawater temperature was controlled with a chiller. After nine weeks, shrimp were weighed and hemolymph was collected for hemato-immunological tests, and growth performance were calculated. Shrimp raised at 22 °C and fed a 1% of dietary supplementation of Aurantiochytrium sp. meal were superior in immunological parameters. After the dietary assay, a total of 42 shrimps (10.9 ± 0.06 g) per treatment were infected with White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV). They were orally infected with 2.6 ± 106 virus particles per g of the animal, maintained at a suboptimal temperature of 22 °C for 108 h, and acclimated to an optimal temperature of 28 °C for an additional 48 h. At 7 days post infection, surviving shrimp were collected for hemato-immunological analysis. Cumulative mortality results showed that shrimp fed diets containing 3% and 4% Aurantiochytrium sp. meal had higher survival than other treatments when challenged with WSSV.

The unrestricted consumption of fossil fuels negatively impacts the economic, social and environmental aspects, observed from a sustainable perspective. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and adopt skills that enable the monitoring and mitigation of risks to the environment. In view of this, we propose a method with multiple approaches emphasizing a three-dimensional perspective of energy consumption by diesel engines, which represent one of the main pollutants emitters in transport. As a methodology, fuzzy logic was adopted, together with a recognition system, in order to mitigate the uncertainties inherent to the applied data. The procedure was applied to the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with information collected from seven toll plazas and a radar with volumetric counting. The results indicate a good adherence of the sustainability index to real cases, allowing a better observation of changes in environmental criteria and a more efficient inspection in the application of good practices, in addition to enabling greater participation of society in the inspection and adoption of environmental criteria in transport.

This work aimed to evaluate Nannochloropsis spp. as feed additive in the diet of Pacific white shrimp for their effect on midgut microbiology, thermal shock resistance and immunological parameters. Initially, the digestibility of the microalgae meal was assessed, and the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) was determined. The ADC was, in general, high in lipids (78.88%) and eicosapentaenoic fatty acid (73.86%). Then, Nannochloropsis spp. were included in diets at four levels (0, 0.5, 1 and 2% inclusion). The shrimp were reared in 500 L clear water tanks containing 20 shrimp per tank with an initial weight of 6.05 ± 0.06 g and fed four times a day. Shrimp fed with supplemented diets containing Nannochloropsis spp. (0.5 and 2%) presented higher resistance to thermal shock when compared to the non-supplemented group (control). Shrimp fed with 1 and 2% of algae inclusion had a higher production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when compared to other treatments. No statistical difference was observed in the immunological parameters and microbiology of the intestinal tract. Thus, the inclusion of Nannochloropsis spp. in shrimp diets at 0.5 and 2% levels increases resistance to thermal shock and ROS production in shrimp.

In the modern world, noise pollution continues to be a major problem that impairs people’s health, and road traffic is a primary contributor to noise emissions. This article describes an environmental impact study of the noise generated by the reconstruction of an urban section of a highway. Noise maps were calculated, and an environmental impact matrix was generated to determine the environmental impact of this reconstruction. The implementation of noise barriers was simulated based on these noise maps, and the effectiveness of the barriers was evaluated using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) combined with Design of Experiments (DoE). A functional variable significance analysis was then made for two parameters, namely, the coefficient of absorption of the barrier material and the barrier height. The aim was to determine the influence of these parameters on sound attenuation and on the formation of acoustic shadows. The results obtained from the ANNs and DoE were consistent in demonstrating that the absorption coefficient strongly influences the noise attenuation provided by noise barriers, while barrier height is correlated with the formation of larger areas of acoustic shadow. The environmental impact matrix also indicates that the existence of noise pollution has a negative effect on the environment, but that this impact can be reversed or minimized. The application of simulated noise barriers demonstrated that noise levels can be reduced to legally acceptable levels.

Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage produced from a diluted solution of honey and yeast activity. The objectives of this study were to produce a potentially probiotic mead through mixed fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii and kombucha microorganisms and to evaluate fermentation kinetics, microbial cell survival and their in vitro resistance to simulated gastrointestinal transit, color parameters and the phenolic and antioxidant potential of the product. The main results of this study show that in order to develop a potentially probiotic mead utilizing the mixed fermentation of S. boulardii and kombucha microorganisms, the best condition was a concentration of 25 mL/L (v/v) of kombucha and 0.75 g/L (w/v) of S. boulardii with fermentation for 9 days at a temperature of 25 °C. In addition, at the end of fermentation, mead with kombucha and S. boulardii presented physicochemical characteristics with a pH of 3.48, 0.67% total acidity, 18.76 °Brix soluble solids and 4.77% alcohol content. The S. boulardii and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in the mead survived conditions reproducing those of the gastrointestinal tract, with counts of more than 6 Log10 CFU/mL for both microorganisms after the intestinal phase. In the color analysis, the mead with kombucha and S. boulardii had a yellow color with the b* parameter corresponding to 35.93, luminosity (L*) equal to 76.09 and 1.82 for a*. In addition, the mead we produced contains quantities of phenolics and antioxidants. In conclusion, kombucha and S. boulardii are presented as alternative microbial sources for obtaining potentially probiotic mead.

Zwitterionic compounds such as pyridine-containing tellurenyl compounds are interesting building blocks for heterometallic assemblies. They can act as ambiphilic donor/acceptors as is shown by the products of reactions of the zwitterions HpyTeCl2 or HCF3pyTeCl2 with the rhenium(V) complex [ReOCl3(PPh3)2]. The products have a composition of [ReO2Cl(pyTeCl)(PPh3)2] and [ReO2Cl(CF3pyTeCl)(PPh3)2] with central {O=Re=O…Te(Cl)p⏠y}+ units. The Re-O bonds in the products are elongated by approximately 0.1 Å compared with those to the terminal oxido ligands and establish Te…O contacts. Thus, the normally easily assigned concept of oxidation states established at the two metal ions becomes questionable (ReV/TeII vs. ReIII/TeIV). A simple bond length consideration rather leads to a description with the coordination of a mesityltellurenyl(II) chloride unit to an oxido ligand of the Re(V) center, but the oxidation of the tellurium ion and the formation of a tellurinic acid chloride cannot be ruled out completely from an analysis of the solid-state structures. DFT calculations (QTAIM, NBO analysis) give clear support for the formation of a Re(V) dioxide complex donating into an organotellurium(II) chloride and the alternative description can at most be regarded as a less favored resonance structure.

The present work describes the development of a hybrid and pH-responsive system for rifampicin using the clay mineral ‘montmorillonite’ as a nanocarrier. The influence of operational variables on the drug incorporation process was evaluated using 24 factorial designs. Under optimized conditions, the experiment allowed an incorporated drug dose equivalent to 98.60 ± 1.21 mg/g. Hybrid systems were characterized by different characterization techniques (FTIR, XRD, TGA, DSC, and SEM) to elucidate the mechanism of interaction between the compounds used. Through in vitro release studies, it was possible to verify the efficacy of the pH-dependent system obtained, with approximately 70% of the drug released after sixteen hours in simulated intestinal fluid. The adjustment of the experimental release data to the theoretical model of Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas indicated that the release of rifampicin occurs in a prolonged form from montmorillonite. Elucidation of the interactions between the drug and this raw clay reinforces its viability as a novel carrier to develop an anti-TB/clay hybrid system with good physical and chemical stability.

Annona muricata Linn. is a common plant found in the warmest regions of South and Central America and its use in traditional medicine has been reported for the treatment of various illnesses. In the current study, we investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of crude extract and fractions from A. muricata L. leaves in isolated murine phagocytic immune cells as well as experimental LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI). In a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay, we showed that ethyl acetate (EtOAc.f) and n-butanol (BuOH.f) fractions—both rich in polyphenols—reduced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils stimulated with opsonized zymosan; similar results were found in culture of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). By evaluating anti-inflammatory activity in BMDMs, EtOAc.f and BuOH.f reduced secretion of IL-6 and expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD40. Furthermore, in LPS-induced ALI, oral administration of EtOAc.f reduced myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue. In addition, on a mechanism dependent on glutathione levels, the oxidative damage was also attenuated. These findings revealed direct antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of polyphenols-rich fractions of A. muricata L. leaves on neutrophils and macrophages. Moreover, the reduced oxidative damage and levels of inflammatory markers in experimental ALI suggest that these fractions might be explored for the development of new therapies for inflammatory conditions.

Triacylglycerols (TAGs), which consist of three fatty acids bound to a glycerol backbone, are major storage lipids that accumulate in developing seeds, flower petals, pollen grains, and fruits of innumerous plant species. These storage lipids are of great nutritional and nutraceutical value and, thus, are a common source of edible oils for human consumption and industrial purposes. Two metabolic pathways for the production of TAGs have been clarified: an acyl¬ CoA-dependent pathway and an acyl-CoA-independent pathway. Lipid metabolism, specially the pathways to fatty acids and TAG biosynthesis, is relatively well understood in plants, but poorly known in algae. It is generally accepted that the basic pathways of fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis in algae are analogous to those of higher plants. However, unlike higher plants where individual classes of lipids may be synthesized and localized in a specific cell, tissue or organ, the complete pathway, from carbon dioxide fixation to TAG synthesis and sequestration, takes place within a single algal cell. Another distinguishing feature of some algae is the large amounts of very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC- PUFAs) as major fatty acid components. Nowadays, the focus of attention in biotechnology is the isolation of novel fatty acid metabolizing genes, especially elongases and desaturases that are responsible for PUFAs synthesis, from different species of algae, and its transfer to plants. The aim is to boost the seed oil content and to generate desirable fatty acids in oilseed crops through genetic engineering approaches. This paper presents the current knowledge of the neutral storage lipids in plants and algae from fatty acid biosynthesis to TAG accumulation.