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Grapes and their derivatives have antioxidant and cardioprotective properties. Therefore, we hypothesized that grape juice (GJ) could improve vascular oxidative damage caused by chlorine radicals (OCl−), which are excessively produced in vascular tissue during cardiovascular diseases (mainly diabetes and hypertension). The antioxidant capacity of GJ was analyzed by an electrochemical method, followed by administration in rats (100 or 300 mg/kg/d, via the oral) for seven days. Then, rats were sacrificed, and their aortas were isolated and subjected to isometric recordings or immuno-histochemical analyses with or without exposure to OCl− (5, 20, or 100 μM, 60 min). Concentration-effect curves for acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were derived to analyze endothelium-dependent or independent vasore-laxation. The GJ presented with high antioxidant capacity, and treatment with GJ did not alter vascular relaxation induced by ACh or SNP. After exposure to OCl−, endothelium-denuded arteries showed preserved relaxation with SNP, whereas endothelium-intact arteries showed reduced relaxation with ACh. OCl− at various concentrations induced significantly decreased relaxation of arteries (80.6±4.2%, 55.4±4.7%, and 28.1±5.9%, respectively) vs. control arteries (96.8±2.4%). However, treatment with GJ prevented loss in relaxation caused by 5 and 20 μM OCl− and improved relaxation after exposure to 100 μM OCl−. Exposure to OCl− induced increased nitrotyrosine immunostaining of endothelial cell layers, which was improved by GJ treatment. Altogether, vascular damage caused by OCl− was prevented by treatment with GJ, and GJ prevented nitrosative stress in these vessels.

Food frauds present a major problem in the foodstuff industry. Arrowroot and cassava may be targeted in adulteration and falsification processes. Raman analysis combined with chemometric techniques was proposed to identify the mixing and adulteration of these foodstuffs in commercial products. 67 cassava and 5 arrowroot samples were prepared in laboratory. 21 cassava and 5 arrowroot commercial samples were purchased in local stores. Raman assays were performed in the range of 400 to 2300 cm−1. Principal component analysis with K-means clustering was used to identify the adulteration of these products. It was possible to observe the separation of three different groups in the data, these groups labelled group 1, 2 and 3 were correspondent to cassava-like samples, mixed samples, and arrowroot-like samples, respectively. Despite the visual analysis related to sensory characteristics and the visual analysis of each Raman spectrum of cassava and arrowroot not being able to differentiate these foodstuffs, the chemometric approaches with the Raman specters data were able to identify which samples were pure arrowroot, pure cassava and which were mixed products. The proposed approach showed to be an effective tool in the investigation of fraud for arrowroot and cassava.

Purpose: The development biosensing technologies capable of delivering fast and reliable analysis is a growing trend in drug quality control. Considering the emerging use of plant-based polyphenol oxidases (PPO) as biological component of electrochemical biosensors, this work reports the first Solanum lycocarpum PPO biosensor and its use in the pharmaceutical analysis of paracetamol in tablet formulations. Methods: The biosensor was optimized regarding fruit maturation (immature and mature-ripe), vegetal extract volume to be used in biosensor construction as well as optimal pH of electrochemical cell fluid. Results: Results evidenced that the extract which rendered the biosensor with best analytical performance was from immature fruits, and the biosensor produced using 100 µL of crude plant extract promoted better faradaic signal gathering. Moreover, when neutral pH media was used in the electrochemical cell, the biosensor showcased best faradaic signal output from the used redox probe (catechol), suggesting thence that the method presents high sensibility for phenolic compounds detection. Furthermore, the biosensor was able to quantify paracetamol in a linear range from 50 to 300 μM, showcasing LoD and LoQ of 3 μM and 10 μM, respectively. Conclusion: after careful evaluation, this biosensor might be a low-cost alternative for conventional pharmaceutical quality control methods.

Urban and industrial effluents, stormwater, road runoff, agricultural runoff, urban or mine waste deposits and fuel storage sites can lead to the contamination of water sources with compounds that are hard to biodegrade, such as heavy metals, whose removal requires advanced and expensive technologies. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the UN and the current requirements in terms of energy efficiency, reduction of carbon emissions, water reuse, waste valorization and preservation of public health, have led to a rethink concerning the typology of technologies for the treatment of water and the production of drinking water. Electrocoagulation (EC) stands out in this scenario due to its high efficiency in the removal of several pollutants, production of low sludge volumes and adaptability to the use of renewable energies. This is in addition to the ease with which it can be combined with other water treatment technologies. This work presents a literature review to systematize the use of EC for the removal of transition metals in water to produce drinking water, since these elements are present in several natural water sources and are parameters used in the legislation of many countries for the quality control of drinking water. The works found were analyzed in detail, and relationships between pre-set variables and categories were determined through regression analysis. Generally, it was found that EC is a highly efficient technology for the removal of transition metals in water (above 75% for most metals), specifically through parallel plates technologies with iron and aluminum electrodes with a minimum spacing of 1 cm and density minimum applied current of 10 A/m².

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:41:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-09-15 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline widely used in treatments of several cancers, so it has found in hospital effluents with a significant concentration (above 1 μg L −1 ). Electrochemical remediation is an alternative to promote its degradation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the ability of nanostructured graphite electrodes with metallic oxides to degrade DOX by electro-oxidation (EO). Graphite, TiO 2 @graphite and AuO-TiO 2 @graphite electrodes were used in medium with tap water or 10 mmol L −1 NaCl. DOX treatments at concentrations of 1.25–5 mg L −1 were carried out in a voltage source with 1.5–5 V. The cathode used was the platinum electrode. The treatment of DOX 1.25 mg L −1 with 10 mmol L −1 NaCl electrolyte using the AuO-TiO 2 @graphite electrode at 5 V and 1 mA was the best methodology to promote its degradation. Also, the modified electrode was efficient to DOX degradation after 17 cycles of reuse. An energy expenditure of 1.11 and 0.2 kWh m −3 were obtained for 3 and 50 mL of treatment, respectively. Fish embryo acute toxicity test with zebrafish (Danio rerio) were performed before and after treatment by EO using NaCl. This treatment caused no effect on embryo-larval development, however it induced significant damage in the DNA of the zebrafish larvae after 96 h of exposure, which emphasizes the importance of a depth ecotoxicological evaluation during the development of EO methodologies. Faculty of Pharmacy Federal University of Goias Institute of Chemistry Federal University of Goias National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM) UNESP Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 355 Department of Organic Chemistry University of Cordoba, Ctra Nnal IV-A, Km 396 Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM) UNESP Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 355 CNPq: 465571/2014-0 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás: 471109/2013-4

Purpose: Jenipapo fruit (Genipa americana L) is a natural source of polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) whose potential in pharmaceutical analysis is noteworthy. Henceforth, this work reports the electrochemical study of a low-cost PPO-based biosensor produced from the crude extract of Jenipapo fruits and accounts a practical approach to employ this biosensor in the determination of methyldopa and paracetamol in pharmaceutical samples. Methods: In order to investigate the electrochemical properties of the biosensor, theoretical and practical approaches were employed, and both samples and the biosensor were analyzed through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and voltammetric techniques, namely: differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Results: showcased that the biosensor presented good analytical features, as well as low detection limits (8 μmol L-1 for methyldopa and 5 μmol L-1 for paracetamol). The relative standard deviation was less than 5% mid-assay. Conclusion: The use of this biosensor is a reliable, low cost and useful alternative in the pharmaceutic determination of phenolic drugs (e.g. methyldopa and paracetamol).

Transition metals are highly sought after in electrode construction due their eventual electrocatalytic effects. In this context, this work presents the study of several metal oxide modified electrodes focusing in the evaluation of their electrochemical features through voltammetry and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Moreover, a predictive statistical model was also developed using LASSO regression. Henceforth, glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and carbon paste electrode (CPE) were used to establish correlations between the herein studied modifications, namely: PdO@CPE, TiO 2 @CPE and LaFeO 3 @CPE. Results evidence that metal oxide modified electrodes may increase signal detection through electrocatalytic effects, however the herein developed model evidenced that surface area plays a major role in electrode response through voltammetry.

Over the years, Electroanalysis has been widely applied to elucidate redox behavior of novel molecules. The selectivity and low cost are spotlight features in pharmacopeial methods of identification, that can be reached by voltammetric approaches. In this work, differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) profile and the slope of the linear regression obtained from calibration graphs along with the scan study are proposed as new perspective of identification assays. With the proposed methodology we were able to identify the similarities among DPV profile and the slopes obtained for each tablet. In addition, this new technology was successfully employed to identify the following chemicals: Paracetamol (PAR), Promethazine (PMZ), Diclofenac (DIC), Piroxicam (PRX), Indomethacin (IND) and Cyclobenzaprine (CBP) in pharmaceutical assays using Pencil Graphite Electrodes. Furthermore, our new methodology was effectively compared to Raman Spectroscopy for the analysis of the range of chemicals in the pharmaceutical assays.

Sanitary landfill leachate (LL) composition varies according to climate variables variation, solid waste characteristics and composition, and landfill age. Leachate treatment is essentially carried out trough biological and physicochemical processes, which have showed variability in efficiency and appear a costly solution for the management authorities. Electrocoagulation (EC) seems a suitable solution for leachate treatment taking into account the characteristics of the liquor. One of the problems of EC is the electrode passivation, which affects the longevity of the process. One solution to this problem could be the replacement of the electrode by one made of recyclable material, which would make it possible to change it frequently and at a lower cost. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the removal of heavy metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se and Zn) and coliforms from a LL by EC using electrodes made from steel swarf (SfE) up to 8 h. Removal efficiencies of detected heavy metals were 51%(Cr), 59%(As), 71%(Cd), 72%(Zn), 92%(Ba), 95%(Ni) and &gt, 99%(Pb). The microbial load of coliforms in leachate was reduced from 10.76 × 104 CFU/mL (raw leachate) to less than 1 CFU/mL (after treatment with SfE) (i.e., approximately 100% reduction). The use of SfE in EC of LL is very effective in removing heavy metals and coliforms and can be used as alternative treatment solution for such effluents.

In this work, we developed an enzymatic voltammetric biosensor for the determination of catechin and gallic acid in green tea and kombucha samples. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methodology was optimized regarding the amount of crude enzyme extract, incubation time in the presence of the substrates, optimal pH, reuse of the biosensor, and storage time. Samples of green tea and kombucha were purchased in local markets in the city of Goiânia-GO, Brazil. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric techniques were performed for the comparison of the analytical methods employed. In addition, two calibration curves were made, one for catechin with a linear range from 1 to 60 µM (I = −0.152 * (catechin) − 1.846), with a detection limit of 0.12 µM and a quantification limit of 0.38 µM and one for gallic acid with a linear range from 3 to 60 µM (I = −0.0415 * (gallic acid) − 0.0572), with a detection limit of 0.14 µM and a quantification limit of 0.42 µM. The proposed biosensor was efficient in the determination of phenolic compounds in green tea.

Hospital infections (HI) are a serious public health problem in many countries. Several studies have identified strains correlating to surgical site infections, many with multi-resistance. The goals of this study was to quantify, to identify and to verify the resistance profile of microorganisms collected at two hospitals settings, and to alert health professionals how environmental contamination can influence hospital infection rates. For air sampling in operating rooms, intensive care unit and materials sterilization center, the impaction method (Spin Air, IUL®) and passive sedimentation were used. For the isolation of bacteria on surfaces and uniforms contact plates (RODAC®) were used. Identification of the microorganisms was performed using Vitek® 2 Systems. The antibiograms were conducted according to the disk diffusion method recommended by CLSI. The surgical center of hospital B presented more than 500 CFU/m3 in aerial microbial load. In the aerial microbiota of the sampled areas of both hospitals, M. luteus, S. haemolyticus and S. hominis spp hominis were the prevalent microorganisms, with a percentage greater than 30%. On the surfaces and uniforms there was a prevalence of M. luteus (40%) and S. hominis spp hominis (20%) among others, and some of the resistant strains were isolated from environments with microbial load within the recommended limits.

Piroxicam (PRX) was determined in pharmaceutical capsules with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in a three electrode system consisting of a pencil graphite electrode (PGE) as working electrode, a Pt wire and a reference electrode of Ag/AgCl/KCl 3 M. An irreversible oxidation peak was observed in Epa c.a. 0.6 V, which correlates to the oxidation of PRX. The coefficient of linear correlation obtained was 0.9946, with limit of detection of 2.1 µM and limit of quantification of 4.7 µM. PGE assays showed good analytical performance compared to high performance liquid chromatography and spectrophotometry, showing the potential to be further developed and employed in quick and simple analyses.

Rituximab (RTX) is a specific monoclonal antibody for CD20 protein, which are mostly found in lymphocytes B. RTX is notably indicated for lymphomas, autoimmune disorders, leukemia and transplant rejections. A higher efficiency is achieved by adjusted doses, which is tailored by individual body weight and RTX pharmacokinetic parameters. Therefore, the individualized dosing is a usual practice to achieve the therapeutic success of this expensive drug. Therapeutic monitoring of RTX is commonly performed by chromatographic methods or immunoassays. These methods, however, suffer from lack of standardization in workflows, long turnaround times and high instrumentation costs with complex sample preparation. In this regard, immunosensors emerge as a feasible alternative to overcome these limitations. Herein, we developed an impedimetric immunosensor, which can detect RTX from both invasive and non-invasive samples, in this way our immunosensor is applicable in blood plasma and urine samples allowing a new analysis approach. A linear correlation between the charge transfer resistance and RTX from 2 to 14 μg ml−1 (r2 of 0.99) along with limit-of-detection and limit-of-quantification of 130 and 400 ng ml−1, respectively, was obtained. The immunosensor implemented proved to have sufficient precision and accuracy for on-site RTX detection in both blood serum and urine samples. Such affordable, label-free and highly sensitive electrochemical immunosensors could pave the way for on-site therapeutic drug monitoring, quality control and extended stability monitoring of different drugs, in a simple manner along with short turnaround times and low costs.

In this work, it was evaluated the phenolic content, redox behavior and antioxidant capacity of several selected teas and tisanes from Brazilian market. The samples were classified as simple (single herb) or composed (blend of two or more herbs). In addition, complementary multivariate statistical approaches were used to identify the correlation and interdependence between the amount of major phytocomponents, such as phenols and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant activity of the products. Results showed that the total polyphenol and total flavonoid concentrations are correlated to thermodynamic feasibility of reactive oxygen species reduction. The statistical modeling differentiated the results datasets in principal components, whose flavonoid content presented itself as the main parameter to segregate data between simple and composed products. On the other hand, the whole polyphenol content, in both teas and tisanes, was more relevant regarding their antioxidant capacity than the flavonoids content. Considering that the manufactures do not display the real amount of each herb in the labels of the composed products, it was not possible to confirm whether the blends of several species lead to a substantial enhancement on their antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the redox profile and overall polyphenol content suggest that the consumption of green and black teas as well as traditional yerba mate may be worthwhile in preventing ailments associated with oxidative stress in Brazilian population. Notwithstanding, further clinical studies are required to validate this hypothesis. Resumo Apresentamos o conteúdo fenólico, o comportamento redox e o potencial antioxidante de vários chás medicinais selecionados do mercado brasileiro. As amostras foram classificadas como simples (uma única erva) ou compostas (mistura de duas ou mais ervas). Abordagens estatísticas multivariadas complementares foram utilizadas para esclarecer as correlações e interdependências entre as características físico-químicas e antioxidantes dos produtos. No geral, as concentrações de polifenóis e flavonoides totais se correlacionaram com a viabilidade termodinâmica da redução de espécies reativas de oxigênio. A modelagem estatística diferenciou os conjuntos de dados em componentes principais, de modo que o teor de flavonoides se apresentou como o principal parâmetro para segregar dados entre produtos simples e compostos. Por sua vez, o conteúdo de polifenóis totais nos chás foi mais relevante em sua capacidade antioxidante do que o conteúdo de flavonoides. Uma vez que os fabricantes não exibem a quantidade real de cada erva nos rótulos dos chás compostos, não foi possível confirmar se as misturas de várias espécies levam a um incremento substancial em sua capacidade antioxidante. Considerando o perfil redox e o teor de polifenóis totais, o consumo racional dos chás verde e preto e da erva-mate tradicional pode contribuir na prevenção de doenças associadas ao estresse oxidativo na população brasileira. Porém, estudos clínicos são necessários para validar essa hipótese.

This study presents a new polymeric and multielectronic system, the poly-Alizarin Red S (PARS), obtained from the electropolymerization of Alizarin Red S (ARS) dye on an edge-plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (EPPGE) surface. During EPPGE/PARS electrochemical characterization, we identified seven stable and reversible redox peaks in acidic medium (0.10 mol L−1, pH 1.62 KH2PO4), which indicated its mechanisms underlying electropolymerization and electrochemical behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use an EPPGE/PARS electrode to detect oxandrolone (OXA) in artificial urine, where PARS acts as a synthetic receptor for OXA. The interactions of OXA with EPPGE/PARS as well as the properties of PARS were investigated using density functional theory (DFT). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize EPPGE/PARS, and it was found that the PARS polymer formed a semi-globular phase on the EPPGE surface. The limit of detection for OXA found by the sensor was close to 0.50 nmol L−1, with a recovery rate of approximately 100% in artificial urine. In addition to the application proposed in this study, EPPGE/PARS is a low-cost product that could be applied in several devices and processes, such as supercapacitors and electrocatalysis.

Electrochemical remediation is an innovative technique that utilizes electro-oxidation reactions to degrade micropollutants such as doxorubicin (DOX) that is a drug widely used to treat many types of cancer, and it is present in hospital effluents. The aim of this work is to evaluate the efficiency of active and non-active electrodes in DOX degradation during electrochemical treatments. AuO-TiO2@graphite, a nanostructured electrode, and BDD, a commercial electrode, were used as active and non-active electrodes respectively. DOX treatments were realized at concentration of 1.25 mmol L-1 in medium with 10 mmol L-1 NaCl as support electrolyte. Studies were realized in 5 V of voltage source. Results: The treatment of DOX with BDD promoted 100% of DOX degradation in 20 min, while the same result was obtained for the AuO-TiO2@graphite in 40 min of treatment. Also, the modified electrode presented an energy expenditure of 1.12 kWh m-3 and the BDD achieved 0.462 kWh m-3. Thus, the active and non-active electrodes were efficient to promote DOX degradation, and the BDD, the non-active electrode demonstrated a better performance. Keywords: Eletro-Oxidadion, Modified Graphite Anodes, BDD, Doxorubicin, Micropollutants

Carvedilol (CRV) is a non-selective blocker of &alpha, and &beta, adrenergic receptors, which has been extensively used for the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure. Owing to its poor biopharmaceutical properties, CRV has been incorporated into different types of drug delivery systems and this necessitates the importance of investigating their compatibility and stability. In this sense, we have investigated the applicability of several electroanalytical tools to assess CRV compatibility with lipid excipients. Voltammetric and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques were used to evaluate the redox behavior of CRV and lipid excipients. Results showed that Plurol&reg, isostearic, liquid excipient, and stearic acid presented the greatest anode peak potential variation, and these were considered suitable excipients for CRV formulation. CRV showed the highest stability at room temperature and at 50 &deg, C when mixed with stearic acid (7% w/w). The results also provided evidence that electrochemical methods might be feasible to complement standard stability/compatibility studies related to redox reactions.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:54:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-08-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Amoxicillin (AMX) is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics around the world to treat and prevent several diseases in both human and veterinary medicine. Incomplete removal of AMX during wastewater treatment contributes to its presence in water bodies and drinking water. AMX is an emerging contaminant since its impact on the environment and human health remains uncertain. This contribution was aimed to evaluate the electrochemical oxidation (EO) of AMX using different anodes in tap water, NaCl or Na2SO4 solutions and to evaluate the potential toxicity of remaining AMX and its by-products on zebrafish early-life stages. Chemical intermediates generated after EO were determined by mass spectrometry and their resulting antimicrobial activity was evaluated. AMX did not induce significant mortality in zebrafish during extended exposure but affected zebrafish development (increased body length) from 6.25 mg/L to 25 mg/L and inhibited enzymatic biomarkers. Carbon modified with titanium oxide (TiO2@C) anode achieved complete AMX removal in just a few minutes and efficiency of the supported electrolytes occurred in the following order: 0.1 M NaCl > 0.1 M Na2SO4 > 0.01 M NaCl > tap water. The order of potential toxicity to zebrafish early life-stages related to lethal and sublethal effects was as follows: 0.1 M Na2SO4 > 0.1 M NaCl >0.01 M NaCl = tap water. Additionally, the EO of AMX using TiO2@C electrode with 0.01 M NaCl was able to inhibit the antimicrobial activity of AMX, reducing the possibility of developing bacterial resistance. Faculty of Pharmacy Federal University of Goiás (UFG) Chemistry Institute Federal University of Goiás Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of São Paulo USP Department of Organic Chemistry University of Córdoba Biological Sciences Institute University of Brasília (UnB) National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (CNPq: INCT-DATREM) UNESP Institute of Chemistry National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (CNPq: INCT-DATREM) UNESP Institute of Chemistry CNPq: 465571/2014-0

The bioremediation and electro-oxidation (EO) processes are included among the most promising cleaning and decontamination mechanisms of water. The efficiency of bioremediation is dictated by the biological actuator for a specific substrate, its suitable immobilization and all involved biochemical concepts. The EO performance is defined by the anode efficiency to perform the complete mineralization of target compounds and is highlighted by the low or null use of reagent. Recently, the combination of both technologies has been proposed. Thus, the development of high efficient, low cost and eco-friendly anodes for sustainable EO, as well as, supporting devices for immobilization of biological systems applied in bioremediation is an open field of research. Therefore, the aim of this work was to promote the bio-electrochemical remediation of indigo carmine dye (widely common in textile industry), using new anode based on a microporous activated carbon fiber felt (ACFF) and ACFF with immobilized Laccase (Lcc) from Pycnoporus sanguineus. The results were discolorations of 62.7% with ACFF anode and 83.60% with ACFF-MANAE-Lcc anode, both for 60 min in tap water. This remediation rates show that this new anode has low cost and efficiency in the degradation of indigo dye and can be applied for other organic pollutant., The authors wish to thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (471109/2013-4) and Financiadora de Estudos e Pesquisas (FINEP)/Convênio 01.14.0140.00) for the financial support to this work. Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal (CAPES) for Garcia, L.F. scholarship. FAPEG and Programa Mobilidade Docente AUGM to assist the participation of events abroad.

O artigo descreve as metodologias analíticas atuais mais utilizadas na obtenção de enzimas vegetais para aplicações biotecnológicas. São relatados os métodos de isolamento e purificação parcial, que se resumem nas técnicas cromatográficas e eletroforéticas, enfatizando a importância dessas enzimas nas pesquisas em Biotecnologia, com foco nas suas aplicações, características e peculiaridades. No que se refere à aplicabilidade, o artigo traz diversos exemplos na produção de alimentos, na fabricação e produção de biossenssores para determinação de diversos analitos e na biorremediação, que que tem como objetivo a remoção de poluentes do ambiente natural e a sua conversão em produtos menos prejudiciais, utilizando, para isso, as enzimas vegetais. Interesses industriais também são discutidos.

This study shows the design, synthesis and antitumoral potential evaluation of a novel chalcone-like compound, (E)-3- (3, 5-di-ter-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1- (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one [LQFM064) (4)], against human breast adenocarcinoma MCF7 cells. Some toxicological parameters were also investigated. LQFM064) (4) exhibited cytotoxic activity against MCF7 cells (IC50=21μM), in a concentration dependent-manner, and triggered significant changes in cell morphology and biochemical/molecular parameters, which are suggestive of an apoptosis inductor. LQFM064) (4) (21μM) induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase with increased p53 and p21 expressions. It was also shown that the compound (4) did not interfere directly in p53/MDM2 complexation of MCF7 cells. In these cells, externalization of phosphatidylserine, cytochrome c release, increased expression of caspases-7, -8 and -9, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS overgeneration were also detected following LQFM064 (4) treatment. Further analysis revealed the activation of both apoptotic pathways via modulation of the proteins involved in the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways with an increase in TNF-R1, Fas-L and Bax levels and a reduction in Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, KIT proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase, insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA) were downregulated, while glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) and interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) expressions were increased by LQFM064 (4)-triggered cytotoxic effects in MCF7 cells. Moreover, it can be inferred that compound (4) has a moderate acute oral systemic toxicity hazard, since its estimated LD50 was 452.50mg/kg, which classifies it as UN GHS Category 4 (300mg/kg>LD50

The antioxidant properties of commercial beers were examined by spectrophotometric and electroanalytical methods. Moreover, such properties were correlated with their main phenolic compounds as well as vasodilatory effects. Ale group showed better antioxidant activity and Total Phenols Content (TPC) values than Lager group. The highest electrochemical Index (EI) was observed for LB10 and AB1. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) showed three groups, where group III confirm LB10 and AB1 like the best antioxidant potential. LB10, AB1 and AB6 showed vasodilatory effect of 92 ± 4, 88 ± 3 and 79 ± 3%, respectively. Both the vasodilator effect and the lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity may be associated with the presence of phenolic compounds as caffeic acid, catechin and isoxanthohumol, identified by mass spectrometry. The results showed here expand knowledge about beer, which might be helpful for further research on the health, sensory properties and quality parameter of this beverage worldwide consumed.

Sulfide released in the environment, due to high toxicity, even at low concentrations, may lead to serious environmental and health impacts. Therefore, is mandatory to develop highly sensitive, practical and inexpensive methods for detecting sulfide. Some of these analytical approaches are based on the methylene blue (MB) reaction, which has been successfully used in modified electrodes (MEs) development. MB-MEs hold promise as tools for detecting this electroactive anion. This study developed and characterized silica-niobiummethylene blue (SNMB) MEs, and evaluated their performance in sulfide determination through chronoamperometric and voltammetric techniques, under different experimental conditions. Within optimum conditions, the SNMB-MEs exhibited a linear response to sulfide anions from 7.6 to 63.4 μM, (r = 0.9979), whereas the detection and quantification limits were 2.03 mM and 6.77 mM, respectively. These results confirm the potential applicability of SNMB-ME for sulfide analysis and monitoring.