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Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol, has shown promising neuroprotective effects in several in vivo and in vitro experimental models. However, the mechanisms by which resveratrol mediates these effects are not fully understood. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain; however, excessive extracellular glutamate levels can affect neural activity in several neurological diseases. Astrocytes are the glial cells that maintain brain homeostasis and can attenuate excitotoxicity by actively participating in glutamate neurotransmission. This study aimed to investigate the glioprotective effects of resveratrol against glutamate-induced cellular dysfunction in hippocampal slices and primary astrocyte cultures, with a focus on the role of heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1). Glutamate impaired glutamate uptake activity through a glutamate receptor-dependent mechanism, in addition to altering other important astroglial parameters, including glutamine synthetase activity, glutathione levels and cystine uptake, which were normalized by resveratrol. Resveratrol also prevented glutamate-induced disruption in antioxidant defenses, as well as in trophic and inflammatory functions, including the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) transcriptional activity. Most of the effects of resveratrol, mainly in astrocytes, were dependent on the HO-1 signaling pathway, as they were abrogated when HO-1 was pharmacologically inhibited. Resveratrol also increased HO-1 mRNA expression and its transcriptional regulator, nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2). Finally, resveratrol prevented glutamate-induced p21 senescence marker, indicating an anti-aging effect. Therefore, we demonstrated that the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 system in astrocytes by resveratrol represents an astrocyte-targeted neuroprotective mechanism in neurodegeneration, with glutamate excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation as common neurochemical alterations., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Animal Care and Use Committee (process number 21215). Consent to Participate: Not applicable. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Ovarian cryopreservation is an alternative for the preservation of fertility, and the subcutaneous transplantation site is considered one of the most promising. Studies evaluating the follicular growth and its relationship with gene expression and vascular perfusion are essential for improving this technique and its clinical application. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of subcutaneous autotransplantation and vitrification on follicular growth and atresia and their relationship with vascular perfusion and gene expression. Therefore, female mice were ovariectomized, and the ovaries were divided in two experimental groups (1) vitrified (treatment, n = 97) and (2) not vitrified (control, n = 97) and subsequently were transplanted. Then grafts, from both groups, were recovered after 1, 12, or 23 days (D1, D12, D23) and subjected to follicular quantification, morphometry, and qPCR. Non-transplanted ovaries (D0) were also used. The estrous cycle and vascular perfusion were monitored throughout the experiment. On D9, 100% of the animals had reestablished their estrous cycles (p > 0.05). Blood perfusion at the transplant site was similar for both treatments (p > 0.05), with greater perfusion at the site of vitrified transplants only on D1 (p < 0.05). A drastic reduction in the number of antral follicles and an increased number of atretic follicles were observed on D1 (p < 0.0001), associated with upregulation of Casp3, Fshr, and Igf1r; and downregulation of Bax, Acvr1, Egfr, and Lhcgr (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that the first day after subcutaneous transplantation is a critical period for follicular survival, with intense follicular atresia independent of Bax upregulation., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society for Reproductive Investigation.)

Owls are outstanding environmental quality bioindicators due to their position at the top of the food chain and susceptibility to pollutant accumulation. Exposure to chemical contaminants is often a risk for these animals. Moreover, studies addressing the bioaccumulation of trace elements and pesticide residues in tropical nocturnal raptor species are scarce. We analyzed the 26 organs (heart, liver, and kidney) of Tyto furcata (n=3), Megascops spp. (n=5), Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana (n=1), and Asio stygius (n=1) carcasses, collected from June 2018 to May 2019 in the Southern region of Brazil. The original vegetation consisted of areas of Araucaria forests and grassy-woody steppes with gallery forests, which were greatly modified by the introduction of agriculture. In four animals and eight organs, the pesticides abamectin, atrazine, chlorpyrifos-ethyl, and diurom were analyzed through high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a mass detector. In six animals and eighteen organs, the trace elements cadmium, lead, chromium, and nickel were identified via atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Chlorpyrifos-ethyl was detected in the livers of the genus Megascops. Chromium was found at high concentrations in all matrices analyzed for this trace element. Moreover, P. koeniswaldiana presented lead levels indicative of high exposure. The bioaccumulation of these toxics in owls described here can impact the population levels of these species, impact on its ecological function, and consequently unbalance the ecosystem. Moreover, owls are considered bioindicators; therefore, the occurrence of bioaccumulation indirectly gives us information about the quality of the environment., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The health of family farmers is at risk due to occupational exposure to pesticides. The aims of the current study were to investigate the level of farmers' perception of risks associated with pesticide use and to assess their health condition based on biochemical and immunological tests. Family farmers living in a vegetable-producing region in Southern Brazil were selected to participate in the study. More than 70% of the family farmers were often exposed to more than one type of pesticides; 41.2% were intensively using several pesticides for more than one decade and 74.4% were not using personal protective equipment (PPE) at the time of pesticide handling due to low perception of the risks posed by these chemicals. Enzymatic analysis performed in participants' blood samples showed changes in catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) activity, in lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and carbonylated protein levels, as well as in chemoattractant (IL-8) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) interleukin expression. Low perception of health-related risks posed by pesticides can be attributed to factors such as low schooling and lack of information, which put farmers' health at risk, as evidenced by blood biochemical and immunological changes.

The use of different types of zeolites (X, Na-P1, and 4A) synthesized by different methods and scales were tested in this work to adsorb nutrients present in synthetic solutions and industrial effluents for later application as fertilizer. Modifications with calcium chloride were performed on the zeolite with the best performance to increase its adsorption capacity. The best performing zeolite was type X (ZXH) produced on a pilot scale by the hydrothermal process. Its adsorption capacity without modification was 149 mg P-PO 4 /g zeolite and 349 mg K/g zeolite. With the change, there was a fourfold increase in these results, which were up to threefold higher than reported in the literature. The kinetic model that best characterized the adsorption process was the intraparticle diffusion model, and the equilibrium isotherm was that of Freundlich. The adsorption tests performed with industrial effluent showed high removal of the nutrients of interest (> 90% for PO 4 3- and > 95% for K + ). The desorption tests with zeolites nutrient-loaded from synthetic solutions showed 13 to 24% PO 4 3- and 14 to 47% K + release within 24 h, while for zeolite nutrient-loaded from effluent the release were 7 and 100% for PO 4 3- and K + , respectively. The results we obtained in this work indicated the potential use of zeolites in the treatment of effluent and its application as a fertilizer.

Aim: This study aimed to assess whether the habitual intake of macronutrients by older women associates with circulating levels of important inflammaging mediators by means of a cross-sectional design with 229 Brazilian elderly women., Methods: Laboratory tests determined serum IL1α, IL1β, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12 and TNFα by specific immunoassays. Food records of three alternate days were decomposed into usual intake of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids (and fractions), as well as total energy value (TEV) per patient. Moreover, the study has identified and controlled results for metabolic conditions known to influence the inflammatory profile: hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and diabetes., Results and Discussion: Pearson's correlation test revealed that log10IL8 expressed a positive association with levels of saturated fatty acid (FA) (r = 0.173; p = 0.009) and total cholesterol intake (r = 0.223; p = 0.001). Similar analysis of the other mediators revealed no association with dietary intake., Conclusion: Higher intakes of total cholesterol and saturated FA seem to correlate with increased serum IL8 levels, being a possible mechanism by which this pro-atherogenic intake pattern may increase the risk of age-related chronic diseases with important inflammatory contribution.

Aim: To evaluate habitual macronutrient intake and its association with common cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian elderly women., Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study with 293 subjects. Carbohydrate, protein and lipid intakes were determined based on a non-consecutive three-day dietary record. The following conditions were evaluated: dyslipidemia, systemic arterial hypertension, and type 2 diabetes., Results: Anthropometric, clinical and biochemical data revealed an elevated prevalence of classic cardiovascular risk factors in the sample. Higher energy intake from omega-3 fatty acid was associated with elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05), whereas a diet pattern with a relatively lower energy content from monounsaturated fatty acids was associated with the presence of type 2 diabetes (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Results corroborate experimental reports and contribute by suggesting that the usual diet, independently of supplementation, may be valuable in promoting health and preventing chronic diseases of aging.

Studies show that genetic polymorphisms in apolipoproteins, which are in charge of lipid transport, predispose to atherogenic dyslipidemia. This study aimed to investigate the impact of apolipoprotein E, A5, and B genotypes and dietary intake on lipid profile in a sample of elderly women in Brazil. Two hundred and fifty-two women (60 years or older) living in the outskirts of the Brazilian Federal District underwent clinical and laboratory assessments to characterize glycemic and lipidemic variables, and also to exclude confounding factors (smoking, drinking, hormone replacement, cognitive impairment, physical activity). Three-day food records were used to determine usual dietary intake, whereas genotypic evaluations were in accordance to established methodologies. Genotype frequencies were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Prior to adjustment, individuals carrying the epsilon2 allele showed higher serum levels of triglycerides (P<0.05) and VLDL (P<0.005) compared to epsilon4 carriers, whereas LDL levels were considerably elevated in epsilon4 compared to epsilon2 carriers. In the presence of high intake of total fat or a low ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid, epsilon4 carriers lost protection against hypertriglyceridemia. There was no association of the apolipoprotein A5 and B genotypes with lipidemic levels independently of the fat intake regimen. Results are suggestive of a dysbetalipoproteinemic-like phenotype in postmenopausal women, with remarkable gene-diet interaction.