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Both shape memory and self-healing polymers have received significant attention from the materials science community. The former, for their application as actuators, self-deployable structures, and medical devices; and the latter, for extending the lifetime of polymeric products. Both effects can be stimulated by heat, which makes resistive heating a practical approach to trigger these effects. Here we show a conductive polyketone polymer and carbon nanotube composite with cross-links based on the thermo-reversible furan/maleimide Diels–Alder chemistry. This approach resulted in products with efficient electroactive shape memory effect, shape reprogrammability, and self-healing. They exhibit electroactive shape memory behavior with recovery ratios of about 0.9; requiring less than a minute for shape recovery; electroactive self-healing behavior able to repair microcracks and almost fully recover their mechanical properties; requiring a voltage in the order of tens of volts for both shape memory and self-healing effects. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of electroactive self-healing shape memory polymer composites that use covalent reversible Diels–Alder linkages, which yield robust solvent-resistant polymer networks without jeopardizing their reprocessability. These responsive polymers may be ideal for soft robotics and actuators. They are also a step toward sustainable materials by allowing an increased lifetime of use and reprocessability.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected and endemic disease that affects poorest population mainly in developing countries. Thymus provides an essential complex environment for T cell maturation and differentiation during leishmania infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the pathological alterations of the Thymus during early Leishmania amazonensis murine infection. BALB/c mice were infected with 105 amastigotes for 24 h, 3 days, 7 days, 15 days or 30 days. At different times of infection, the relative weight of the Thymus was obtained, and the Thymus cellularity was determined by counting total cells of one thymic lobe. The thymic lobe was, alternatively, processed for standard Haematoxylin and Eosin protocol. Our results suggest thymic alteration during the early days of BALB/c mice infection with L. amazonensis. The thymic hypertrophy was accompanied by histological alterations in Thymus architecture with thickening cortex at 3 days p.i. and loss of an evident delimitation between the cortex and medulla at 7 days p.i. when compared to the control mice. That is the first time that Thymus hypertrophy was observed during the early leishmaniasis. However, how it may contribute to infection susceptibility requires further investigation.

In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of NiFe2O4 and CoFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) which are widely used in the biomedical area. There is still limited knowledge how the properties of these materials are influenced by different chemical routes. In this work, we investigated the effect of heat treatment over cytotoxicity of cobalt and niquel ferrites NPs synthesized by sol-gel method. Then the samples were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis (FTIR), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The average crystallite sizes of the particles were found to be in the range of 20–35 nm. The hemocompatibility (erythrocytes and leukocytes) was checked. Cytotoxicity results were similar to those of the control test sample, therefore suggesting hemocompatibility of the tested materials.

Among smart materials, self-healing is one of the most studied properties. A self-healing polymer can repair the cracks that occurred in the structure of the material. Polyketones, which are high-performance thermoplastic polymers, are a suitable material for a self-healing mechanism: a furanic pendant moiety can be introduced into the backbone and used as a diene for a temperature reversible Diels-Alder reaction with bismaleimide. The Diels-Alder adduct is formed at around 50 °C and broken at about 120 °C, giving an intrinsic, stimuli-responsive self-healing material triggered by temperature variations. Also, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is added to the polymer matrix (1.6–7 wt%), giving a reversible OFF-ON electrically conductive polymer network. Remarkably, the electrical conductivity is activated when reaching temperatures higher than 100 °C, thus suggesting applications as electronic switches based on self-healing soft devices.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effects of isoflavones from Glycine max (L.) Merr (soy) used topically as a vaginal gel on the induction of vascularization of the vaginal tissue in postm...

We report a direct, straightforward, and regioselective hydration of 1,4-enynes designed from Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts. Under smooth conditions and short reaction times, gold-catalyzed hydration of internal alkynes provides synthetically useful ketones as single regioisomers in yields higher than 90%. The synthetic usefulness of this protocol was demonstrated by the conversion of selected ketones into biologically valuable α-alkylidene-γ-lactones upon reduction with sodium borohydride. In the course of the scope evaluation, we discovered that this methodology could also furnish α-arylidene-β,γ-butenolides.

The objectives of this study were: 1) to compare the effects of live yeast (LY), yeast fermentation product (YFP), a mix of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Propionibacterium freudenreichii (MLP), and Lactobacillus plantarum included as additives in dairy cows’ diets on in vitro ruminal fermentation and gas production (GP); and 2) to evaluate the effects of L. plantarum as direct-fed microbials (DFM) in dairy cows’ diets on in vitro ruminal fermentation, GP, nutrient digestibility, and N metabolism. Three experiments were carried out: Exp. 1 had the objective to compare all additives regarding ruminal fermentation parameters: an Ankom GP system was used in a completely randomized design, consisting of four 48 h incubations, and eight replications per treatment. There were eight treatments: a basal diet without additive (CTRL) or with one of the following additives: LY, YFP, MLP, or L. plantarum at four levels (% of diet Dry Matter (DM)): 0.05% (L1), 0.10% (L2), 0.15% (L3), and 0.20% (L4). In Exp. 2, a batch culture was used to evaluate ruminal fermentation, and CO2 and CH4 production using the same treatments and a similar experimental design, except for having 16 replications per treatment. Based on Exp. 1 and 2 results, Exp. 3 aimed at evaluating the effects of the L. plantarum on ruminal true nutrient digestibility and N utilization in order to evaluate the use of L. plantarum as DFM. The treatments CTRL, MLP, L1, and L2 were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design using a dual-flow continuous culture system. Data were analyzed using linear and nonlinear regression; treatment means were compared through contrasts, and L treatments in Exp. 1 and 2 were tested for linear, quadratic, and cubic effects. In Exp. 1, all treatments containing additives tended to reduce OM digestibility as well as reduced total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration and total GP. The YFP had greater OM digestibility than LY, and MLP treatment had greater total VFA concentration compared to L. plantarum treatments. In Exp. 2, additives reduced CO2 production, and there were no major differences in CH4. In Exp. 3, all additives reduced NH3-N concentration. In conclusion, pH and lactate concentration were not affected in all three experiments regardless of additive tested, suggesting that these additives may not improve ruminal fermentation by pH modulation; and L. plantarum may improve ruminal N metabolism when used as DFM in high-producing dairy cows’ diets, mainly by reducing NH3-N concentration.

The nutritional composition and productivity of halophytes is strongly related to the biotic/abiotic stress to which these extremophile salt tolerant plants are subjected during their cultivation cycle. In this study, two commercial halophyte species (Inula crithmoides and Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum) were cultivated at six levels of salinity using a soilless cultivation system. In this way, it was possible to understand the response mechanisms of these halophytes to salt stress. The relative productivity decreased from the salinities of 110 and 200 mmol L−1 upwards for I. crithmoides and M.&nbsp, nodiflorum, respectively. Nonetheless, the nutritional profile for human consumption remained balanced. In general, I. crithmoides vitamin (B1 and B6) contents were significantly higher than those of M. nodiflorum. For both species, β-carotene and lutein were induced by salinity, possibly as a response to oxidative stress. Phenolic compounds were more abundant in plants cultivated at lower salinities, while the antioxidant activity increased as a response to salt stress. Sensory characteristics were evaluated by a panel of culinary chefs showing a preference for plants grown at the salt concentration of 350 mmol L−1. In summary, salinity stress was effective in boosting important nutritional components in these species, and the soilless system promotes the sustainable and safe production of halophyte plants for human consumption.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:45:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-06-03 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Universidade Estadual Paulista Aim: To evaluate the influence of physical training on myocardial function, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), at advanced stage of arterial hypertension, which precedes heart failure development. Methods: We studied four experimental groups: normotensive Wistar rats (W, n = 27), trained W (W-EX, n = 31), SHR (n = 27), and exercised SHR (SHR-EX, n = 32). At 13 months old, the exercise groups underwent treadmill exercise 5 days a week for 4 months. In vitro myocardial function was analyzed in left ventricular (LV) papillary muscle preparations. Antioxidant enzyme activity and energy metabolism were assessed by spectrophotometry. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity was analyzed by lucigenin reduction and protein expression by Western blot. Statistical analyzes: ANOVA and Tukey or Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn tests. Results: SHR-EX had a lower frequency of heart failure features than SHR. Myocardial function and antioxidant enzyme activity were better in SHR-EX than SHR. Lipid hydroperoxide concentration, and phosphorylated JNK and total IkB protein expression were higher in hypertensive than control groups. Malondialdehyde, NADPH oxidase activity, total JNK, phosphorylated p38, phosphorylated and total p65 NF-κB, and phosphorylated IkB did not differ between groups. Protein expression from total p38, and total and phosphorylated ERK were higher in SHR than W. Lactate dehydrogenase and phosphorylated ERK were lower and citrate synthase and β-hydroxyacyldehydrogenase were higher in SHR-EX than SHR. Conclusion: Exercise improves physical capacity, myocardial function, and antioxidant enzyme activity; reduces the frequency of heart failure features and ERK phosphorylation; and normalizes energy metabolism in SHR. Botucatu Medical School UNESP Sao Paulo State University Itapeva Social and Agrarian Sciences College FAIT Department of Cardiopneumology Medical School University of Sao Paulo (USP) Institute of Biosciences Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) Freshage Research Group Department of Physiology University of Valencia CIBERFES INCLIVA Botucatu Medical School UNESP Sao Paulo State University Institute of Biosciences Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)

The high PET consume, mainly as bottles, associated with rapid disposal and high resistance to ambient conditions and biological degradation lead to accumulation in the enviromental, constituting a worrying scenario in world level. Chemical recycle PET by glycolysis is an important alternative, once bis(hydroxiethyl)terephthalate (BHET), high added value monomer, can be obtained. In this context, this study approaches the use of titanate nanotubes (i.e. sodium/protonated titanate nanotubes) as catalyst for PET glycolysis. Reactional conditions, the origin and granulometry of PET flakes were evaluated (at 196 °C). Best results (BHET yield > 80%) were obtained for both catalyst in 3 h of reaction. The protonated titanate nanotubes catalyst were more efficient than sodium titanate nanotubes due to greater concentration of Brönsted and Lewis acid sites, indicated by TPD analyzes.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:33:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 The activity of carvacrol was evaluated in R. microplus female ticks by estimating the mean lethal concentration (LC 50 ) and the acaricidal efficacy. Ticks were subjected to the Adult Immersion Test (AIT) to calculate LC 50 . From this value, the AIT was performed again at the concentrations of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of the LC 50 . Two control groups were established: one treated with distilled water and one with the solvent (ethanol 50%). The following parameters were evaluated: female weight before oviposition, egg mass weight, pre-oviposition and incubation period, hatching percentage, egg production index, fecundity rate, estimated reproduction, reduction in oviposition and hatching, and product efficacy. The obtained LC 50 was 20.11 mg/mL. Egg mass weight, egg production index, pre-oviposition and fecundity rates of groups treated with 80% and 100% of LC 50 were statistically different when compared to control groups. The product efficacy in groups treated with 100% of LC 50 was 61.10%. Department of Veterinary Medicine Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) Department of Biology São Paulo State Unviversity (UNESP) Department of Zoology Federal Unviversity of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) Department of Mathematics and Statistics Federal University of Acre (UFAC) Department of Health Sciences Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) Department of Biology São Paulo State Unviversity (UNESP)

Xyloglucans are highly substituted and recalcitrant polysaccharides found in the primary cell walls of vascular plants, acting as a barrier against pathogens. Here, we reveal that the diverse and economically relevant Xanthomonas bacteria are endowed with a xyloglucan depolymerization machinery that is linked to pathogenesis. Using the citrus canker pathogen as a model organism, we show that this system encompasses distinctive glycoside hydrolases, a modular xyloglucan acetylesterase and specific membrane transporters, demonstrating that plant-associated bacteria employ distinct molecular strategies from commensal gut bacteria to cope with xyloglucans. Notably, the sugars released by this system elicit the expression of several key virulence factors, including the type III secretion system, a membrane-embedded apparatus to deliver effector proteins into the host cells. Together, these findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underpinning the intricate enzymatic machinery of Xanthomonas to depolymerize xyloglucans and uncover a role for this system in signaling pathways driving pathogenesis., Xyloglucans are polysaccharides found in plant cell walls. Here, the authors describe the xyloglucan depolymerization machinery of phytopathogenic Xanthomonas bacteria, and show that sugars released by this system induce the expression of key virulence factors driving pathogenesis.

Nanotechnology is a field that, over the years, has been growing in several research areas, such as medicine, agriculture and cosmetics, among others. As a result, there is a continuous increase in the production, use and disposal of these materials in the environment. The behaviour and (bio) activity of these materials in the atmosphere, water and soil are not fully studied. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of the risks of contamination, as well as the possible effects and impacts of nanoparticles (NPs) on the ecosystem. In an attempt to investigate these effects on plants, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on the seed germination process of Sesbania virgata. For this, the Sesbania virgata seeds were subjected to different concentration of CuO NPs (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mgL-1) and their germination and development were monitored by optical analysis (thermography and chlorophyll a fluorescence). The results show that the CuO NPs induced a reduction on the maximum emission of chlorophyll a, which was concentration-dependent. The data also showed that CuO NPs promoted an increase in the energy dissipated by non-photochemical pathways and the surface temperature of the seeds. Additionally, our findings revealed that CuO NPs caused a root growth inhibition. In summary, the present study demonstrates, for the first time, that CuO NPs can negatively affect the physiological status and development of the S. virgata plant, by altering the efficiency of the functioning of photosystem II in its initial developmental stage, depending on the concentration of CuO NPs.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:45:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 The current unprecedented coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is increasingly demanding advanced materials and new technologies to protect us and inactivate SARS-CoV-2. In this research work, we report the manufacture of Ag3PO4 (AP)/polypropylene (PP) composites using a simple method and also reveal their long-term anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. This composite shows superior antibacterial (against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) and antifungal activity (against Candida albicans), thus having potential for a variety of technological applications. The as-manufactured materials were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, AFM, UV-vis spectroscopy, rheology, SEM, and contact angle to confirm their structural integrity. Based on the results of first-principles calculations at the density functional level, a plausible reaction mechanism for the initial events associated with the generation of both hydroxyl radical •OH and superoxide radical anion •O2- in the most reactive (110) surface of AP was proposed. AP/PP composites proved to be an attractive avenue to provide human beings with a broad spectrum of biocide activity. CDMF LIEC Federal University of São Carlos - (UFSCar), São Paulo Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry University Jaume I (UJI) Chemistry Department Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Paulo Biomolecules and Microbiology Laboratory (LaMiB) Biotechnology Graduation Program Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Paulo School of Agriculture; São Paulo State University (Unesp), São Paulo Molecular Laboratory of Clinical Hospital of Botucatu Medical School; São Paulo State University (Unesp), São Paulo Institute of Chemistry State University of Campinas (Unicamp), São Paulo School of Agriculture; São Paulo State University (Unesp), São Paulo Molecular Laboratory of Clinical Hospital of Botucatu Medical School; São Paulo State University (Unesp), São Paulo

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:15:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-12-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Commercially available preparations of methionyl-human BMP-2 and CHO-derived hBMP-2, which belongs to the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily, were used for a complete characterization. This protein is an extremely efficient osteoinductor that plays an important role during bone regeneration and embryonic development. Characterization was carried out via SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, followed by reversed-phase HPLC, size-exclusion HPLC and MALDI-TOF-MS. The classical in vitro bioassay, based on the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity in C2C12 cells, confirmed that hBMP-2 biological activity is mostly related to the dimeric form, being ~ 4-fold higher for the CHO-derived glycosylated form when compared with the E. coli counterpart. The E. coli-derived met-hBMP-2 has shown, by MALDI-TOF-MS, a large presence of the bioactive dimer. A more complex molecular mass (MM) distribution was found for the CHO-derived product, whose exact MM has never been reported because of its variable glycosylation. A method based on RP-HPLC was set up, allowing a quantitative and qualitative hBMP-2 determination even directly on ongoing culture media. Considering that hBMP-2 is highly unstable, presenting moreover an extremely high aggregate value, we believe that these data pave the way to a necessary characterization of this important factor when synthesized by DNA recombinant techniques in different types of hosts. Biotechnology Center Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes 2242, Cidade Universitária Biosintesis P&D Department of Surgery and Integrated Clinic-Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho-UNESP School of Dentistry Immunopathology Laboratory Instituto Butantan Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology Institute of Biology Universidade Estadual de Campinas-UNICAMP Department of Surgery and Integrated Clinic-Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho-UNESP School of Dentistry FAPESP: 2015/15446-0 FAPESP: 2016/24724-6

This paper intends to contribute to the use of waste, as binder replacement, to lower the negative environmental impact of construction. Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) is an agricultural waste which has been reported as pozzolanic. However, the literature on the pozzolanic activity of SCBA is inconclusive. This paper attempts to establish the properties that determine reactivity the most, in an effort to standardise the material, to allow a wider intake into mainstream construction. The fineness, specific surface area, microstructure, composition and amorphousness of ashes from four producers in Brazil are studied, and the microstructure and kinetics of reactions in ash/hydrated-lime pastes investigated with SEM/EDS. The results evidence that, despite their high crystallinity and carbon content, the ashes are pozzolanic. Reactivity was proven with physical (activity index) and chemical tests (conductivity), and hydrates were evident at 7 days. Reactivity increased with rising specific surface area, amorphousness and fineness, but the specific surface area of the particles impacts reactivity the most. This was concluded form the following findings: Fineness is not vital for reactivity, as some coarse ashes produce similar strengths and combine comparable amounts of lime than much finer ashes. The presence of a significant amorphous fraction is not vital for reactivity, as the ashes are active despite consisting mostly of crystalline phases (quartz, corundum and hematite). High carbon contents do not eradicate reactivity, as the ashes with the greatest carbon are the most reactive, achieving the highest strengths and combining the most lime. Finally, all the SCB ashes present a marginal content of anions and alkalis capable of forming detrimental gels and salts, a desirable quality for any pozzolanic material.

Polymers crosslinked through thermo-reversible furan/maleimide Diels-Alder chemistry have been widely explored, since they stand as an ingenious design for reprocessable and self-healing thermosets and elastomers. For these polymeric products, crosslinking density plays a key role on the polymer thermo-reversibility. However, how this degree of network interconnectivity influences the kinetics of thermal reversibility has not yet been addressed. In order to tackle this problem, furan-grafted polyketones crosslinked by a bi-functional maleimide were prepared with different ratios between maleimide and furan groups. The thermo-reversible dynamics of the prepared polymers were then studied by rheology and differential scanning calorimetry. Here we show that, the thermo-reversible process occurs faster and at lower temperatures in polymers with lower crosslinking densities. Network mobility is responsible for this effect. It allows the formulations to rearrange their polymer network differently through the heating-cooling cycles. The results also indicate that the crosslinking density rather than the stereoisomerism of the Diels-Alder adducts plays a larger role in the reversible behavior of the system. Additionally, the thermo-reversible features of the polymer were shown to be dependent on its thermal history. This work impacts the development of reprocessable and self-healing crosslinked polymers, and the design of the corresponding reprocessing and healing procedures.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the structural changes of Aedes aegypti larvae submitted to treatment with a product based on Azadirachta indica, Melaleuca alternifolia, Carapa guianensis oils and Carica papaya fermented extract. The larvae were exposed for 24h to the experimental groups: product formulated in concentrations of 50% (G1), 25% (G2), and 12.5% (G3); and negative control groups based on water (CN1) and dimethyl sulfoxide (CN2). By the end of the experimental period, some larvae were fixed in 4% buffered glutaraldehyde solution to be processed for optical microscopy. Larvae exposed to G2 and G3 presented more structural damage of the mesentery, Malpighi tubules and nerve ganglia. We conclude that the product formulated in 12.5% and 25% concentrations can be used in the population control of the 3rd larvae stage of Aedes aegypti by causing lethal injuries and avoiding the larvae development.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:38:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-05-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) We compared the influence of aerobic and resistance exercise on cardiac remodelling, physical capacity and skeletal muscle oxidative stress in rats with MI-induced heart failure. Three months after MI induction, Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Sham; sedentary MI (S-MI); aerobic exercised MI (A-MI); and resistance exercised MI (R-MI). Exercised rats trained three times a week for 12 weeks on a treadmill or ladder. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test. Functional aerobic capacity was greater in A-MI and strength gain higher in R-MI. Echocardiographic parameters did not differ between infarct groups. Reactive oxygen species production, evaluated by fluorescence, was higher in S-MI than Sham, and lipid hydroperoxide concentration was lower in A-MI than the other groups. Glutathione peroxidase activity was higher in A-MI than S-MI and R-MI. Superoxide dismutase was lower in S-MI than Sham and R-MI. Gastrocnemius cross-sectional area, satellite cell activation and expression of the ubiquitin-proteasome system proteins did not differ between groups. In conclusion, aerobic exercise and resistance exercise improve functional capacity and maximum load carrying, respectively, without changing cardiac remodelling in infarcted rats. In the gastrocnemius, infarction increases oxidative stress and changes antioxidant enzyme activities. Aerobic exercise reduces oxidative stress and attenuates superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase changes. Botucatu Medical School Sao Paulo State University UNESP School of Physical Therapy Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul Institute of Biosciences Sao Paulo State University UNESP Botucatu Medical School Sao Paulo State University UNESP Institute of Biosciences Sao Paulo State University UNESP FAPESP: 2014/21972-3 FAPESP: 2014/23592-3 CNPq: 308557/2018-2 CNPq: 310876/2018-4

Lunasin is a 43-amino acid peptide from seeds and grains with bioavailability in humans and potent chemotherapeutic action against several cancer cell lines. Here, we investigate new information about the physicochemical and structural properties of lunasin using circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (ESI-IMS-MS), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), molecular dynamics (MD), and bioinformatics. CD analysis and disorder prediction obtained by PONDR indicate that lunasin has a mostly unordered structure. Double wavelength [θ]222nm x [θ]200nm plot data suggests that lunasin is an intrinsically disordered peptide (IDP) in a pre-molten globule-like (PMG-like) state, while CD spectrum deconvolution and MD simulation indicate small β-strand content. The presence of residual structure was supported by loss of CD signal at 222 nm after treatment with urea and by increasing fluorescence emission upon bis-ANS binding. Lunasin also demonstrated stability to heating up to the temperature of 100 °C, as verified by CD. MD and CD analyses in the presence of TFE and MoRFpred prediction indicated the helix propensity of lunasin. ESI-IMS-MS data revealed that lunasin shows a propensity to form disulfide bonds at the conditions used. MD data also indicated that disulfide bond formation affects the adopted structure, showing a possible role of aspartyl-end in structure stabilization and compaction. In conclusion, our data support a characterization of lunasin as a peptide with an intrinsic disorder in a PMG-like state and reveal new aspects about its structural stability and plasticity, as well as the effects of disulfide bond formation and electrostatic attractions.

Serine peptidases (SPs) are responsible for most primary protein digestion in Lepidoptera species. An expansion of the number of genes encoding trypsin and chymotrypsin enzymes and the ability to upregulate the expression of some of these genes in response to peptidase inhibitor (PI) ingestion have been associated with the adaptation of Noctuidae moths to herbivory. To investigate whether these gene family expansion events are common to other Lepidoptera groups, we searched for all genes encoding putative trypsin and chymotrypsin enzymes in 23 publicly available genomes from this taxon. Phylogenetic analysis showed that several gene family expansion events may have occurred in the taxon&rsquo, s evolutionary history and that these events gave rise to a very diverse group of enzymes, including proteins lacking the canonical SP catalytic triad. The expression profile of these enzymes along the midgut and the secretion mechanisms by which these enzymes enter the luminal content were also analyzed in Spodoptera frugiperda larvae using RNA-seq and proteomics. These results support the proposal of a midgut countercurrent flux responsible for the direction of these proteins to the anterior portion of the midgut and show that these enzymes reach the midgut lumen via both exocytosis and microapocrine secretion mechanisms.

the consumption of halophytes as healthy gourmet food has increased considerably in the past few years. However, knowledge on the nutritional profile of domesticated halophytes is scarce and little is known on which cultivation conditions can produce plants with the best nutritional and functional properties. In this context, Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods was cultivated in six different salt concentrations, ranging from 35 to 465 mM of NaCl. Both the nutritional profile, the antioxidant capacity, and microbial quality of the produced plants were evaluated including minerals and vitamins. Salt has a marked effect on growth, which decreases for salinities higher than 110 mM. Nonetheless, plants cultivated with intermediate levels of salinity (110 and 200 mM) revealed better antioxidant status with higher amounts of phenolic compounds. Overall, results from this paper indicated that soilless culture systems using low-intermediate salinities produces S. ramosissima plants fit for commercialization and human consumption. XtremeGourmet project [ALG-01-0247-FEDER-017676] FCT Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [CCMAR/Multi/04326/2019, MED/UIDB/05183/2020] FCT Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology European Commission [SFRH/BD/140143/2018] info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T16:06:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-02-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Universidade Estadual Paulista We evaluated the influence of aerobic exercise on cardiac remodelling during the transition from compensated left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy to clinical heart failure in aortic stenosis (AS) rats. Eighteen weeks after AS induction, rats were assigned into sedentary (AS) and exercised (AS-Ex) groups. Results were compared to Sham rats. Exercise was performed on treadmill for 8 weeks. Exercise improved functional capacity. Echocardiogram showed no differences between AS-Ex and AS groups. After exercise, fractional shortening and ejection fraction were lower in AS-Ex than Sham. Myocyte diameter and interstitial collagen fraction were higher in AS and AS-Ex than Sham; however, myocyte diameter was higher in AS-Ex than AS. Myocardial oxidative stress, evaluated by lipid hydroperoxide concentration, was higher in AS than Sham and was normalized by exercise. Gene expression of the NADPH oxidase subunits NOX2 and NOX4, which participate in ROS generation, did not differ between groups. Activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase was lower in AS and AS-Ex than Sham and glutathione peroxidase was lower in AS-Ex than Sham. Total and reduced myocardial glutathione, which is involved in cellular defence against oxidative stress, was lower in AS than Sham and total glutathione was higher in AS-Ex than AS. The MAPK JNK was higher in AS-Ex than Sham and AS groups. Phosphorylated P38 was lower in AS-Ex than AS. Despite improving functional capacity, aerobic exercise does not change LV function in AS rats. Exercise restores myocardial glutathione, reduces oxidative stress, impairs JNK signalling and further induces myocyte hypertrophy. Botucatu Medical School Internal Medicine Department Sao Paulo State University UNESP Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu Sao Paulo State University UNESP School of Physical Therapy Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul Botucatu Medical School Internal Medicine Department Sao Paulo State University UNESP Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu Sao Paulo State University UNESP FAPESP: 2014/21972-3

Different aluminum and calcium based particles, montmorillonite (MMT), zeolites (NaY), bayerite (BAY) and hydroxyapatite (CaHAp), were compared and evaluated for water defluorination. The effect of parameters such as temperature of the medium, concentration (mass of adsorbent), reaction time and pH on the defluorination capacity were studied for the particles with best performance. MMT and CaHAp adsorbents showed increased fluoride rejections in batch experiments (approximate to 45 and 100%). The defluorination capacity of MMT is influenced by the concentration and pH, while for CaHAp is independent of the evaluated parameters within the measured range. Further, polymer composite membranes based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and the adsorbents with higher defluorination capacity were prepared by thermally induced phase separation in order to produce active filters for fluoride removal from water. The composite membranes presented a homogeneous porous structure with degrees of porosity ranging between approximate to 20 and 76% and average pore size in the micron range. The permeability of the composite membranes ranged between 12,500 and 10,000 L/h.m(2).bar. A maximum fluoride rejection of 68% was obtained after 6 filtrations for the CaHAp/P(VDF-HFP) composite membranes. Thus, the composite membranes of P(VDF-HFP) with MMT and CaHAp show suitable performance for defluorination in water purification systems., This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2013. The funds provided by FCT through the Chemistry Research Centre of the University of Minho (UID/QUI/00686/2013 and UID/QUI/0686/2016) are also gratefully acknowledged. JNP wish to thank the financial support of the project Centro-01-0145-FEDER-000017 - EMaDeS - Energy, Materials and Sustainable Development, co-financed by the Portugal 2020 Program (PT 2020), within the Regional Operational Program of the Center (CENTRO 2020) and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The authors acknowledge funding by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through the project MAT2016-76039-C4-3-R (AEI/FEDER, UE) (including the FEDER financial support), and financial support from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK and HAZITEK program. PRS gratefully acknowledge DST Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) for the research grant SR/WOS-A/CS-91/2013., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The hypotensive and antihypertensive activities of the aqueous extract (AE) and butanolic fraction (ButF) isolated from Cecropia glaziovii Sneth have been demonstrated in previous studies in animal models. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanism of action responsible for the vasodilatory effect of procyanidins, flavanols, and flavonoids found in C. glaziovii in endothelial cell culture. For this purpose, we analyzed the effect of procyanidin B2 and B3 compounds, catechin, epicatechin, orientin, isoorientin, and isovitexin in the mobilization of Ca2+ in rat endothelial cell cultures. Parallel associations with different antagonists were examined by considering the following in vivo hypotensive mechanisms: blockage of L-type calcium channels, action on β-2 adrenergic receptors, and vasodilation via the nitric oxide pathway. All measurements of calcium mobilization were carried out by using the fluorescence measurement methodology in a Flexstation M3 spectrophotometer. The results indicate that some of the compounds have mixed actions, acting through different calcium mobilization pathways. The mobilization induced by such compounds significantly decreased when they were incubated with their corresponding antagonists. Taken together, our data suggest that the beneficial effects seen with the popular use of Cecropia glaziovii Sneth in pathological conditions, such as systemic arterial hypertension, seem to be related to the plant's hypotensive effect, very probably promoted by the actions of flavonols, flavonoids, and procyanidins, by different pathways of calcium mobilization.

A strain of embryonic human kidney cells (HEK293) was transiently co-transfected with the expression vectors coding for the α- and β-subunits of human thyroid-stimulating hormone (hTSH), and, for the first time, a human cell-derived recombinant hTSH was synthesized and extensively characterized. The purification strategy involving two steps provided an overall yield of 55% and a purity level > 90%. The purified material (hTSH-HEK) was analyzed and compared to a CHO-derived recombinant preparation (hTSH-CHO) and to a pituitary-derived (hTSH-Pit) preparation. The three preparations showed an equivalent purity (> 95%) with a hTSH-HEK molecular mass 2.1% lower than that of hTSH-CHO and 2.7% higher than that of hTSH-Pit. Remarkable differences were found in the carbohydrate moiety, the lowest sialic acid content and highest fucose content being observed in hTSH-HEK. In vivo biological activity was confirmed for the three preparations, the hTSH-HEK bioactivity being 39 and 16% lower than those of hTSH-CHO and hTSH-Pit, respectively. The hTSH-HEK circulatory half-life (t 1/2) was also shorter than those of hTSH-CHO (1.5-fold) and hTSH-Pit (1.2-fold). According to these findings, HEK-293-derived hTSH can be considered to be useful for clinical applications, in view as well of its human origin and particular carbohydrate composition.

The final destination of PET packaging is creating economic and environmental concerns. One of the alternatives to minimize this problem would be making use of chemical recycling of this material through glycolysis with the aim to produce bis(hydroxiethyl) terephthalate, BHET monomer. This reaction is well known, but it still presents problems as BHET purity since it makes necessary the development of new catalysts highly selective. In this context, the present work studied the catalytic activity of a nanostructured material, titanate nanotubes (TNT), and compared it to a commercial catalyst (zinc acetate), which is the most used for this glycolysis reaction according to literature researches, and analyzed the influence of PET type (virgin and post-consumer) in the depolymerization for reaction times of 2, 3 and 4 hours. Using TNT as catalyst, BHET production yield and values of turnover number for the evaluated reaction times were higher than the results using Zn(OAc)2 for virgin PET, proving itself as a promising catalyst.

CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) represent promising candidates for biomedical applications. However, in these systems, the knowledge over how various physical and chemical parameters influence their cytotoxicity remains limited. In this article, we investigated the effect of different calcination temperatures over cytotoxicity of CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 NPs, which were synthesized by a sol–gel proteic approach, toward L929 mouse fibroblastic cells. More specifically, we evaluated and compared CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 NPs presenting low crystallinity (that were calcined at 400 and 250 °C, respectively) with their highly crystalline counterparts (that were calcined at 800 °C). We found that the increase in the calcination temperature led to the reduction in the concentration of surface defect sites and/or more Co or Ni atoms located at preferential crystalline sites in both cases. A reduction in the cytotoxicity toward mouse fibroblast L929 cells was observed after calcination at 800 °C. Combining with induc...

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has implications for production performance, economic efficiency and for the emission of contaminants to the environment. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether high-concentrate diets with different levels (10 and 13% crude protein) and protein source can affect the NUE and nitrogen (N) excretion. The protein sources tested were urea, dried distillers grains (DDG) and corn gluten meal. Our hypothesis is that reducing the level of N in the diet associated with the use of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) could increase the NUE in high-concentrate diets. The hypotheses were tested using 6 cannulated Nellore steers, rumen, duodenum and ileum arranged in 6×6 Latin square designed in factorial (2 nitrogen levels and 3 protein sources) balanced for residues. The concentration of N in samples was analyzed using the Dumas combustion method. The statistical analysis was performed using the MIXED procedure of the statistical package SAS. The N intake and retention was not affected by level and protein source (P > 0.05). Fecal N excretion was not affected by the levels and protein sources tested (P > 0.05). However, there was effect of protein source (P < 0.001) and tendency to protein level in the diet (P < 0.10) on urinary N excretion. In the treatments containing the urea source, there was an increase in the urinary N excretion (46.8 g.dia-1) compared to the Gluten and DDG sources with 28.8 and 27.0 g of N excreted in the urine per day, respectively. The NUE was affected by the protein source (P < 0.05). Diets containing urea had lower NUE (31.8%) compared to corn gluten meal and DDG sources with NUE of 40.3 and 41.2%, respectively. Using RUP (DDG or Gluten) in high-concentrate diets can be a nutritional strategy for increase NUE and this response is partly attributable to decreased urinary N excretion.

Some halophyte plants are currently used in gourmet cuisine due to their unique organoleptic properties. Moreover, they exhibit excellent nutritional and functional properties, being rich in polyphenolics and vitamins. These compounds are associated to strong antioxidant activity and enhanced health benefits. This work compared the nutritional properties and antioxidant potential of three species (Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, Suaeda maritima and Sarcocornia fruticosa) collected in saltmarshes from Portugal and Spain with those of cultivated plants. the latter were generally more succulent and had higher contents of minerals than plants obtained from the wild and contained less fibre. All species assayed are a good source of proteins, fibres and minerals. Additionally, they are good sources of carotenoids and vitamins A, C and B-6 and showed good antioxidant potential particularly S. maritima. Chromatographic analysis of the phenolic profile revealed that ferulic and caffeic acids as the most relevant phenolic compounds detected in the halophytes tested. XtremeGourmet project [ALG-010247-FEDER-017676] FCT Foundation for Science and TechnologyPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UIDB/04326/2020] Portuguese National Budget FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyEuropean Commission [SFRH/BD/123658/2016, SFRH/BD/140143/2018, SFRH/BD/115325/2016, SFRH/BPD/86071/2012, UID/MULTI/00612/2013] info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The aim of this work was to study the effect of UV-C radiation on ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) of cherry tomato bioactive compounds. Cherry tomatoes were exposed to two UV-C radiation doses (0.5 and 1.0 J cm−2 ) and stored at 20 ± 0.5 oC for 7 days. Next, they were lyophilized, and the bioactive compounds were extracted by UAE at 20 KHz. To evaluate the effectiveness of the extraction process of the bioactive compounds, a CCRD (central composite rotational design) was used together with RSM (response surface methodology), for extraction times from 4 to 12 minutes and concentrations (g of lyophilized product / L of ethanol) of 1:10, 1:20 and 1:30. The extracts obtained from the irradiated tomatoes presented 5.8 times more lycopene content than the controls and higher antioxidant activity was obtained for 4 and 8 min, in the concentrations 1:10 and 1:20 (m v−1). Through numerical model optimization, optimal extraction conditions were obtained. The results demonstrated that by previously irradiating tomatoes with UV-C light, the UAE yielded considerably higher amounts of lycopene and other bioactives. CNPq (National Council of Technological and Scientific Development, Brazil), Erasmus Mundus action 2; Fellow Mundus Project; Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Engineering (UFSC - Brazil) and the Department of Food Engineering (UAlg - Portugal) . info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The first-line chemotherapy treatment for Glioblastoma (GBM) - the most aggressive and frequent brain tumor - is temozolomide (TMZ). The Sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway is involved with GBM tumorigenesis and TMZ chemoresistance. The role of SHH pathway inhibition in the potentiation of TMZ's effects using T98G, U251, and GBM11 cell lines is investigated herein. The combination of GANT-61 and TMZ over 72 hr suggested a synergistic effect. All TMZ-resistant cell lines displayed a significant decrease in cell viability, increased DNA fragmentation and loss of membrane integrity. For T98G cells, G2 /M arrest was observed, while U251 cells presented a significant increase in reactive oxygen species production and catalase activity. All the cell lines presented acidic vesicles formation correlated to Beclin-1 overexpression. The combined treatment also enhanced GLI1 expression, indicating the presence of select resistant cells. The selective inhibition of the SHH pathway potentiated the cytotoxic effect of TMZ, thus becoming a promising in vitro strategy for GBM treatment.

Disrupted neuronal intracellular trafficking is often related with protein aggregates present in the brain during neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Impairment of intracellular transport may be related to Rab proteins, a class of small GTPases responsible for trafficking of organelles and vesicles. Deficit in trafficking between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus mediated by Rab1 and 6 may lead to increased unfolded protein response (UPR) and ER stress and remodeling. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the levels of Rabs 1 and 6 in the hippocampus of aged rats and in vitro during protein aggregation promoted by exposure to rotenone. Levels of Rabs 1 and 6, ATF6 and CHOP were measured by western blotting. PDI immunolabeling and ER-Tracker were employed to study ER morphology. MTT was used to analyze cell metabolism. Rab1 levels and cell viability decreased, whereas Rab6, UPR proteins and ER remodeling increased during protein aggregation, which were restored to normal levels after exogenous expression of Rab1.These results suggest that decrease of Rab1 levels contributes to ER stress and remodeling, while maintaining the elevated expression of Rab1 prevented impairment of cell viability during protein aggregation. In conclusion, Rab1 is a significant player to maintain intracellular homeostasis and its expression may mitigate ER dysfunction in the context of neurodegeneration-related protein inclusions.

In this work, we prepared electrically conductive self-healing nanocomposites. The material consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) that are dispersed into thermally reversible crosslinked polyketones. The reversible nature is based on both covalent (Diels-Alder) and non-covalent (hydrogen bonding) interactions. The design allowed for us to tune the thermomechanical properties of the system by changing the fractions of filler, and diene-dienophile and hydroxyl groups. The nanocomposites show up to 1 &times, 104 S/m electrical conductivity, reaching temperatures between 120 and 150 &deg, C under 20&ndash, 50 V. The self-healing effect, induced by electricity was qualitatively demonstrated as microcracks were repaired. As pointed out by electron microscopy, samples that were already healed by electricity showed a better dispersion of MWCNT within the polymer. These features point toward prolonging the service life of polymer nanocomposites, improving the product performance, making it effectively stronger and more reliable.

Cytotoxic CD4+ T cells (CD4CTLs) have been described in humans and mice, but the mechanism leading to their differentiation is not fully understood and remains a fundamental question. Here, we investigate the generation of CD4CTLs during infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, an important human pathogen. We demonstrate the critical role of T-cell intrinsic IL-18R/MyD88 signaling for the development of CD4CTLs in infected mixed-BM chimeras: WT but not Myd88-/- CD4+ T cells display the CD4CTL gene signature and IL-18R deficiency phenocopied the absence of MyD88. Moreover, IL-12p40, but not IFN-γ, is required for CD4CTL differentiation. Functionally, degranulating CD4CTLs are massively present in the spleen and myocardium of infected mice, exhibit FasL-dependent antigen-specific cytotoxicity against macrophages in vitro, eliminate target cells in vivo and express important immunoregulatory molecules. The present work discloses a mechanistic framework required for the induction of a robust CD4CTL response to infection with an intracellular parasite.

Polysaccharide nanoparticles with potential to stabilize Pickering emulsions have been recently object of many research. Acetylated cashew gum with different degrees of substitution has been used in this work, in the pursuit of obtaining stable Pickering emulsions. Acetylated cashew gum was characterized by infrared and nuclear resonance spectroscopy. Effects of cashew gum derivative acetyl content, droplet size, ionic strength, zeta potential on emulsion properties were investigated. As a proof of concept, indomethacin was encapsulated in droplets and its release profile determined. Data obtained revealed droplet sizes in the range 269–312 nm, with unimodal size distribution and zeta potential values from −46 Mv to −48 Mv. Encapsulation efficiencies were in the range 26–52%, a steady release profile reached in 3 h, releasing maximal 75% IND.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of metabolizable energy (ME) on performance parameters and carcass characteristics in slow-growing (experiment 1) and fast-growing (experiment 2) broilers in a free-range system. Were evaluated broilers from 35 to 70 days old in experiment 1 and 28 to 49 days old in experiment 2. A completely randomized experimental design was employed in both experiments, with five treatments and four replicates totaling 20 experimental units containing 15 broilers each. The treatments consisted of rations that had increasing metabolizable energy levels obtained by the substitution of soybean oil in the basal diet for the inert sand ingredient. The metabolizable energy levels studied in experiment 1 were 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000 and 3100 kcal/kg, and in experiment 2, they were 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100 and 3200 kcal/kg. In experiment 1, there was a linear (P

Background Atrazine (ATZ; 6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine), a commonly used herbicide, is potentially harmful to animals and humans. Nanoencapsulation of ATZ within non-toxic, biodegradable poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) improves ATZ’s herbicidal activity 10-fold and reduces environmental persistence. These compounds can reach pulmonary alveoli following inhalation and may be toxic. Hypothesis Encapsulation of ATZ (NC-ATZ) subdues epithelial toxicity exhibited by ATZ alone. Objectives To compare cytotoxicity, bioreactivity and uptake of PCL nanocapsules (NC, control), ATZ and NC-ATZ in a human alveolar type 1 epithelial cell model (TT1 cells). Methods The concentration-dependent effect of NC-ATZ was compared to ATZ and NC alone, focusing on TT1 cell viability (MTT assay), LDH release (LDH assay), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (DHE and H2DCFDA assays) and inflammatory cytokine release (ELISAs); nanoparticle-TT1 cell interactions were visualised using fluorescently tagged particles (confocal microscopy). Results Nanoencapsulation of ATZ (NC-ATZ) prevented cytotoxicity seen at 10 ug/ml ATZ (˜75% at 24 hour, ***p 1 mg/ml after 48 hours, peaking at 5 µg/ml (to >3.5 fold that of unexposed control, **p 1 mg/ml NC-ATZ was pro-inflammatory, causing greatest mediator release at 48 hours (5 mg/ml peak: IL-6 ˜100 pg/ml; IL-8 ˜46.3 pg/ml) compared to 24 hours (5 mg/ml peak: IL-6 ˜9.4 pg/ml; IL-8 ˜5.45 pg/ml; **p Conclusion Although less overtly cytotoxic, NC-ATZ stimulated significantly more cell membrane damage and inflammatory mediator release than ATZ or NC alone, implying ATZ nanoencapsulation alters bioreactivity. The mechanisms require further investigation to optimise safety/use of the nanopesticide construct and exposure thresholds. Furthermore, it is important to establish possible bioreactivity and toxicity with other lung cells (e.g. AT2 cells and macrophages) and other exposed systems (e.g. dermal and gastrointestinal). Acknowledgments Dean LSN is part funded by National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards at Imperial College London in partnership with King’s College London and Public Health England. Fraceto LF and Lima R would like to thank Sao Paulo Science Foundation (Spring 16/50003–4).

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:42:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-11-01 Layer-by-Layer (LbL) films containing silk fibroin (SF) and the 40 aminoacid-long amyloid-β peptide (Aβ1-40) were prepared with the purpose of developing a new prototype of an electrochemical immunosensor. The film showed a satisfactory growth in quartz substrate and screen-printed carbon electrodes, as observed by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetric, respectively. The peptide immobilized in LbL films in junction with SF shows secondary structure induced, as shown by circular dichroism measurements, favoring the interaction SF/peptide LbL film with the specific antibody. Immunosensor showed a linear response in the presence of the antibody with concentrations from 0 to 10 ng mL- 1 both analyzed by current changes in 0.3 V and voltammogram area. This system can be applied as a new prototype for preliminary diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Instituto de Química Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho UNESP, Rua Professor Francisco Degni, 55 Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia Universidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Rua Talim, 330 Instituto de Química Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho UNESP, Rua Professor Francisco Degni, 55

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:26:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-02-01 Nanostructured films prepared by Layer-by-Layer technique and containing silk fibroin, antigenic peptide NS5A-1 derived from hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A protein and YVO4:Eu3+ luminescent nanoparticles, were utilized in sensing of hepatitis C. Detection system exploits the biorecognition between the antibody anti-HCV and the antigenic peptide NS5A-1 through changes in luminescence properties. Films deposition was monitored by UV-vis Absorption and Fluorescence Spectroscopy measurements at each bilayer deposited. The Eu3+ luminescence properties were evaluated in the presence of anti-HCV for optical detection of specific antibody and anti-HIV used as negative control. Significant changes in luminescence were observed in the presence of anti-HCV concentrations. A new immunosensor platform is proposed for optical detection of hepatitis C. Institute of Chemistry São Paulo State University UNESP, CP355 Institute of Science and Technology Federal University of São Paulo UNIFESP Institute of Chemistry São Paulo State University UNESP, CP355

A series of highly active hybrids were discovered as novel antiparasitic agents. Two heterocyclic scaffolds (1,2,4-oxadiazole and 3-hydroxy-2-oxindole) were linked, and the resulting compounds showed in vitro activities against intracellular amastigotes of two protozoan parasites, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania infantum. Their cytotoxicity was assessed using HFF-1 fibroblasts and HepG2 hepatocytes. Compounds 5b, 5d, 8h and 8o showed selectivity against L. infantum (IC50 values of 3.89, 2.38, 2.50 and 2.85 μM, respectively). Compounds 4c, 4q, 8a and 8k were the most potent against T. cruzi, exhibiting IC50 values of 6.20, 2.20, 2.30 and 2.20 μM, respectively. Additionally, the most potent anti-T. cruzi compounds showed in vitro efficacies comparable or superior to that of benznidazole. These easy-to-synthesize molecules represent novel chemotypes for the design of potent and selective lead compounds for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis drug discovery.

External sulfate attack in concrete comprises a series of interdependent processes resulting from the interaction of sulfate ions from the external environment and cement phases, resulting in matrix degradation. To obtain a sulfate-resisting matrix, C3A content in cement and water/cement ratio must be controlled. In sprayed concrete, accelerator type and dosage and the interaction between cement and accelerator are important parameters that control sprayed concrete strength and may influence the durability of the matrix. In this context, the objective of this study is to evaluate how accelerator type and dosage influence the durability of sprayed concrete exposed to a sulfate solution. Samples were analyzed by XRD, TGA, SEM, length change, US propagation velocity, compressive strength and water accessible porosity for 270 days. Results showed that sprayed concrete produced with accelerators presents a high deterioration rate due to sulfate attack. Kinetics of specimen expansion and reduction of compressive strength are directly related to the final SO3/Al2O3 ratio of the matrix. This study may be useful to understand how external sulfate attack occurs in sprayed concrete and to develop prediction models and guidelines.

This trial aimed to evaluate the fat color and myoglobin concentration of three cattle breeds, supplemented in two nutritional plans (NP) during the growing phase and finished in the intensive system on pasture or conventional feedlot. One hundred and nineteen bulls from three genetic groups: Nellore (N), ½ Angus x ½ Nellore (A) and ½ Senepol x ½ Nellore (S), were randomly assigned in two NP on growing phase: mineral (M) or concentrate (C, energy protein 0.3% BW). Following the growing phase, two replicates within each treatment were randomly assigned to one of two finishing systems: pasture (P, n = 59) and conventional feedlot (CF, n = 60). Bulls were supplemented daily with 2% BW of concentrate (16% CP and 78% TDN) and slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Steaks from longissimus muscle (LM) between 12th and 13th ribs each animal were collected for analysis of concentration myoglobin (MYO) and subcutaneous fat were removed for color analysis (parameters: L*, a*, b*, C* and h*). The data were analyzed by ANOVA using PROC MIXED procedures in SAS 9.4, with a 3×2×2 factorial arrangement. The muscle of Nellore showed greater (P = 0.006) concentration of MYO compared to Angus, however, Senepol had values similar to Nellore and Angus (4.43, 4.03 and 4.25, Nellore, Angus, and Senepol, respectively), and the muscle of animal finished on CF had lower concentration of MYO compared to pasture (P < 0.0001; 4.55 and 3.93, P and CF). The subcutaneous fat of animals finished on pasture showed high (P < 0.05) of L*, a*, b* and C* compared to CF. Therefore, the meat quality parameters were more affected by finished systems, the meat of animals from pasture had the lighter fat and amount of yellow pigmentation, and also presented meat with greater level of myoglobin.

Dystrophin deficiency caused by mutations of the related gene leads to muscle wasting in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Some patients with DMD also present with intellectual disability and various degrees of neurological disorders, which have been related to a decreased number of postsynaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) in the hippocampus (HPC) and cerebellum (CBL). The aim of this study was to examine the relevance of dystrophin in the presynaptic GABAergic function in brain regions in which this protein is normally abundant. [3H]-GABA release, induced by nicotinic receptor (nAChR) activation or K+ depolarization, and [3H]-GABA uptake were determined using synaptosomes extracted from the cortex (CTX), HPC, and CBL of littermate control and mdx mice. Superfusion of the synaptosomes with nicotine or high K+ solutions led to a concentration-dependent and Ca2+-dependent [3H]-GABA release in control and mdx synaptosomes. [3H]-GABA release induced by 10 μM nicotine in mdx CBL synaptosomes was 47% less than that in control mice. K+-induced [3H]-GABA release did not differ between control and mdx synaptosomes. α7-containing and β2-containing nAChRs were involved in nicotine-induced [3H]-GABA release in control and mdx synaptosomes. Kinetic analysis of [3H]-GABA uptake in mdx CBL synaptosomes showed a reduced (50%) half-maximal uptake time (t1/2) and increased (44%) rate of [3H]-GABA uptake (Vmax) compared to controls. The apparent transporter affinity (Km) for GABA was not altered. Our findings show that dystrophin deficiency in mdx mice is associated with significant changes in the release and uptake of GABA in the CBL. These presynaptic alterations may be related to the reported decrease in postsynaptic GABAAR in the same brain region. The results indicate possible dysfunction of GABAergic synapses associated with dystrophin deficiency in the CBL, which may contribute to the cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders in mdx mice and patients with DMD.