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Polyurethanes (PUs) are among the most produced type of polymers in the world due to their wide field of applications. However, most commercial PUs are still prepared from non-renewable sources. In this study, we report for the first time, the preparation of PUs from the direct valorization of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) without any further purification. First, two polyols were synthesized through epoxidation of CNSL double bonds followed by ring-opening reaction, using ethanol and ethylene glycol. Then, PUs were prepared from the reaction between the synthesized polyols and toluene diisocyanate at different NCO:OH ratios (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0), and subsequently applied onto wood surfaces. All formulations were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gel content, and thermogravimetric analysis. The adhesion efficiency of PUs was investigated by lap shear strength test. The results showed that PUs with lower NCO:OH ratio presented the highest values of tensile strength. This study presents the direct usage of CNSL as an efficient and eco-friendly alternative towards the development of bio-based polyurethanes.

Water is one of the principal constituents by mass of living plant cell walls. However, its role and interactions with secondary cell wall polysaccharides and the impact of dehydration and subsequent rehydration on the molecular architecture are still to be elucidated. This work combines multidimensional solid-state 13C magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with molecular dynamics modeling to decipher the role of water in the molecular architecture of softwood secondary cell walls. The proximities between all main polymers, their molecular conformations, and interaction energies are compared in never-dried, oven-dried, and rehydrated states. Water is shown to play a critical role at the hemicellulose–cellulose interface. After significant molecular shrinkage caused by dehydration, the original molecular conformation is not fully recovered after rehydration. The changes include xylan becoming more closely and irreversibly associated with cellulose and some mannan becoming more mobile and changing conformation. These irreversible nanostructural changes provide a basis for explaining and improving the properties of wood-based materials.

Recent focus has been given on the effects of high-intensity infrasound (HII) exposure, and whether it induces changes in pancreatic morphology and glucose metabolism is still unknown. As such, we have studied the impact of HII exposure on glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic islet morphology, muscle GLUT4 and plasma insulin and corticosterone levels. Normal and glucose intolerant wild-type Wistar rats were randomly divided in two groups: one group not exposed to HII and the other continuously exposed to HII. Animals were sacrificed at three timepoints of exposure (1, 6 or 12 weeks). An intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was performed, blood samples were collected and the pancreas and the quadriceps femoris muscle were excised. Circulating insulin and corticosterone levels were determined and pancreatic and muscular tissue were routinely processed for histochemistry and immunohistochemistry with an anti-GLUT4 antibody. Animals exposed to HII had higher corticosterone levels than animals not exposed. No differences were found on insulin concerning HII exposure or glucose intolerance. Glucose intolerant animals had pancreatic islet fibrosis and no differences were found in GLUT4 ratio concerning HII exposure. In conclusion, we found that continuous exposure to HII increases stress hormone levels without inducing glucose intolerance in rats.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T06:02:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-04-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) In this study, silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) was successfully prepared through a simple precipitation method, and its structural, optical, and morphological properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence measurements, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Thereafter, the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye and the antibacterial effect against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were analyzed. Ag3PO4 was highly photocatalytic, degrading approximately 100% of the RhB after 25 min of visible light exposure. The photocatalytic mechanism was evaluated by trapping experiments indicating that photogenerated holes and superoxide radicals were the principal species present in the photocatalytic system. In addition, Ag3PO4 is a potential bacterial agent as it reduced the MRSA population even at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Morphological changes of the MRSA cells exposed to Ag3PO4 powder were investigated by the FE-SEM analysis, and a possible mechanism involving the release of dissolved Ag+, together with the production of reactive photocatalytic oxygen species is proposed based on the experimental results. Department of Environmental Chemistry Federal University of Tocantins, P.O. Box 66 Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics São Paulo State University, P.O. Box 355 INCTMN-UFSCar Federal University of São Carlos, P.O. Box 676 Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics São Paulo State University, P.O. Box 355 CNPq: 147001/2013-7 FAPESP: 2013/07296-2 FAPESP: 2015/11917-8 FAPESP: 2016/23663-3 FAPESP: 2017/12594-3

In rats, lisdexamfetamine (LDX) induces manic-like behaviors such as hyperlocomotion and increases in appetitive 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USV), which are prevented by antimanic drugs, such as lithium. Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) and antioxidant activity have been associated with antimanic effects. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible antimanic-like effects of andrographolide (ANDRO), a GSK3β inhibitor, on LDX-induced hyperlocomotion and 50-kHz USV increases. In addition, the effect of ANDRO was studied on LDX-induced oxidative stress. Lithium was used as positive control. Adult Wistar rats were treated with vehicle, lithium (100 mg/kg i.p., daily) or ANDRO (2 mg/kg i.p., 3 times a week) for 21 days. On the test day, either 10 mg/kg LDX or saline was administered i.p. and USV and locomotor activity were recorded. LDX administration increased the number of 50-kHz calls, as well as locomotor activity. Repeated treatment with lithium or ANDRO prevented these effects of LDX on 50-kHz USV and locomotor activity. LDX increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in rat striatum and both lithium and ANDRO prevented this effect. LPO levels in rat striatum were positively correlated with increases in 50-kHz USV emission as well as hyperlocomotion. In conclusion, the present results indicate that ANDRO has antimanic-like effects, which may be mediated by its antioxidant properties.

DNA-binding proteins from starved cells (Dps) are members of the ferritin family of proteins found in prokaryotes, with hollow rounded cube-like structures, composed of 12 equal subunits. These protein nanocages are bifunctional enzymes that protect the cell from the harmful reaction of iron and peroxide (Fenton reaction), thus preventing DNA damage by oxidative stress. Ferrous ions are oxidized at specific iron-binding sites in the presence of the oxidant and stored in its cavity that can accommodate up to ca. 500 iron atoms. DNA-binding properties of Dps are associated with the N-terminal, positive charge rich, extensions that can promote DNA binding and condensation, apparently by a cooperative binding mechanism. Here, we describe the binding and protection activities of Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus Dps using Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Essays (EMSA), and synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) spectroscopy. While no DNA condensation was observed in the tested conditions, it was possible to determine a Dps–DNA complex formation with an apparent dissociation constant of 6.0 ± 1.0 µM and a Hill coefficient of 1.2 ± 0.1. This interaction is suppressed by the inclusion of a single negative charge in the N-terminal region by point mutation. In Dps proteins containing a ferric mineral core (above 96 Fe/protein), DNA binding was impaired. SRCD data clearly showed that no significant modification existed either in secondary structure or protein stability of WT, Q14E variant and core containing proteins. It was, however, interesting to note that, in our experimental conditions, thermal denaturation induced protein aggregation that caused artifacts in thermal denaturation curves, which were dependent on radiation flux and vertical arrangement of the CD cell.

Superconductivity under pressure is a very important research path for finding new superconductors, and electrides have been shown to present superconductivity under pressure. In the present work, ...

There are no formal guidelines for choosing among different bariatric surgery procedures for obesity treatment. So, our aim was to evaluate whether post-absorptive metabolite and hormone profiles could aid the surgeon decision when considering bariatric surgery interventions. Subjects (N=38) previously submitted to biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS, n=9), single anastomosis duodenal–ileum bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S, n= 9), long biliopancreatic limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB-M, n= 11), and classic RYGB (RYGB-C, n= 9) underwent a mixed meal test to evaluate post-absorptive glucose, total amino acid (AA), insulin, and GLP-1 profiles. Glucose, AA, insulin, and GLP-1 excursions were lower after BPD-DS when compared to other surgeries. SADI-S resulted in lower glucose but similar AA and insulin excursions when compared to RYGB-M. The highest GLP-1 excursion was observed after RYGB-M. There were no significant differences in glucose or AA post-prandial excursions between RYGB procedures, yet insulin excursion was higher after RYGB-C when compared to RYGB-M. Post-prandial metabolite excursions diverge across bariatric procedures being lowest after BPD-DS, intermediate after SADI-S, and highest after RYGB, in parallel with the anti-diabetic efficacy and malabsorption risk reported for each type of intervention. SADI-S and RYGB-M seem to elicit similar post-prandial hormonal profiles, with potentially lower risk of protein malnutrition when compared to BPD-DS. Post-absorptive metabolite and hormone profiles could provide a rationale as decision-aid when choosing among bariatric surgery interventions, as long as these findings are validated in future trials.

Structured lipids (SL) represent a new generation of lipids, considered bioactive compounds. Medium-chain, oleic (18:1n-9), and medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) structured lipids (MOM-SL) were produced by acidolysis reaction in solvent-free medium with capric (10:0) and lauric (12:0) free fatty acids (FFAs) and triolein or olive oil, using Yarrowia lipolytica lipase as biocatalyst. MCFAs were rapidly incorporated into sn-1,3 SL in acidolysis reactions with triolein and olive oil, up until 30% of incorporation efficiency of capric and lauric acids in SLs. The kinetics of MCFA incorporation in MOM-SL was influenced by the FFA:TAG molar ratio, and for reactions between triolein and lauric acid, increasing FFA:TAG from 2:1 to 4:1 enhanced MCFA incorporation in SL. Y. lipolytica lipase showed a strictly 1,3-regioselective profile in acidolysis reaction, confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Immobilization of this lipase by microencapsulation in chitosan-alginate beads resulted in similar incorporation efficiency for lauric acid with olive oil TAG and this reaction could be performed for 5 cycles without catalytic activity loss. This lipase showed promising properties as a potential biocatalyst that may be effectively used in production of bioactive structured lipids, which might be applied for prevention of metabolic and inflammatory disorders related to obesity.

Essential oils (EO) from aromatic and medicinal plants generally perform a diverse range of biological activities because they have several active constituents that work in different mechanisms of action. EO from Citrus peel have an impressive range of food and medicinal uses, besides other applications. EO from Citrus reticulata, C. sinensis and C. deliciosa were extracted from fruit peel and analyzed by GC-MS. The major constituent of EO under evaluation was limonene, whose concentrations were 98.54%, 91.65% and 91.27% for C. sinensis, C. reticulata and C. deliciosa, respectively. The highest potential of inhibition of mycelial growth was observed when the oil dose was 300 μL. Citrus oils inhibited fungus growth in 82.91% (C. deliciosa), 65.82% (C. sinensis) and 63.46% (C. reticulata). Anti-Sclerotinia sclerotiorum activity of 90% pure limonene and at different doses (20, 50, 100, 200 and 300 μL) was also investigated. This monoterpene showed to be highly active by inhibiting 100% fungus growth even at 200 and 300 μL doses. This is the first report of the in vitro inhibitory effect of natural products from these three Citrus species and its results show that there is good prospect of using them experimentally to control S. sclerotiorum, in both greenhouse and field conditions.

Nitrogen is the most demanded element with the most complex management and with the highest responses in productivity in the corn crop, of the principal source of nitrogen supplies, but the urea is inefficient due to its volatilization. The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance and the efficiency of the urease inhibitor in formulations containing urea, applied in five different commercial corn hybrids in Sinop - MT. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in a 3 x 5 factorial scheme with three replications. The first factor consisted of three cover fertilizations: control (without application of fertilizer); fertilization with 250 kg ha-1 of urea and fertilization with 250 kg ha-1 of urea with the presence of the urease inhibitor (UREMAX®) NBPT. The second factor was five corn hybrids: 2B433, DKB255, DKB335, NS45 and SYN522. It was found that all hybrids had greater growth and productivity when they received the urease inhibitor, in relation to the treatment without coverage. The hybrids DKB 255, 2B433 and SYN 522, the treatment with UREMAX® reached the highest productivity. The most prominent hybrid in productivity was DKB 255, which reached 9600 kg ha-1, with UREMAX® in cover fertilization, about 31% more than the treatment without urea coverage, and with gains of 18% in relation to urea.

Enzymes are versatile biomolecules with broad applications. Since they are biological molecules, they can be easily destabilized when placed in adverse environmental conditions, such as variations in temperature, pH, or ionic strength. In this sense, the use of protective structures, as polymeric capsules, has been an excellent approach to maintain the catalytic stability of enzymes during their application. Thus, in this review, we report the use of polymeric materials as enzyme encapsulation agents, recent technological developments related to this subject, and characterization methodologies and possible applications of the formed bioactive structures. Our search detected that the most explored methods for enzyme encapsulation are ionotropic gelation, spray drying, freeze-drying, nanoprecipitation, and electrospinning. α-chymotrypsin, lysozyme, and β-galactosidase were the most used enzymes in encapsulations, with chitosan and sodium alginate being the main polymers. Furthermore, most studies reported high encapsulation efficiency, enzyme activity maintenance, and stability improvement at pH, temperature, and storage. Therefore, the information presented here shows a direction for the development of encapsulation systems capable of stabilizing different enzymes and obtaining better performance during application.

BackgroundCD47 is a cell surface protein expressed on tumors that binds SIRPα on macrophages and dendritic cells resulting in a ”don’t eat me” signal that allows tumors to evade phagocytosis. The highly differentiated monoclonal antibody, AO-176 directly targets CD47 and blocks this signal. AO-176 is currently being tested in phase 1 clinical trials in solid tumors and multiple myeloma. The purpose of this study was to assess in vivo efficacy of AO-176 in solid tumor models as a single agent and in combination with multiple classes of therapeutics including chemotherapeutics, monoclonal antibodies and T-cell checkpoint inhibitors.MethodsCD47 expression levels on solid tumor types were assessed by immunohistochemistry using a tumor tissue microarray. Cell-based binding was performed using flow cytometry under acidic and physiologic pH conditions to characterize the functional activity of AO-176 in the two pH environments representing tumor and normal physiologic environments. In vivo studies were performed using models of solid cancers.ResultsAll 12 solid tumor indications assessed were positive for cell membrane localized CD47 (3.3–98.6 H-scores). Cell-based binding of AO-176 to solid cancer cell lines was significantly greater (1.6–25-fold decrease in EC50, 11–39% increase in Bmax) in acidic conditions as compared to a neutral pH environment, demonstrating improved binding in the lower pH environments associated with solid tumors. AO-176 treatment in solid tumor xenograft models resulted in potent anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy (40–58% TGI) and in combination with paclitaxel in an ovarian model (99% TGI), cisplatin in an ovarian model (84% TGI), cisplatin in a gastric model (76% TGI), and an anti-VEGFR-2 in a gastric model (86% TGI). In vivo efficacy of CD47 blockade alone (~33% TGI) and in combination with anti-PD-1 (74% TGI) and anti-PD-L1 (80% TGI) T-cell checkpoint inhibitors was observed in a syngeneic model of colon cancer using a surrogate anti-CD47 blocking antibody.ConclusionsAO-176 is a differentiated anti-CD47 agent that in addition to blocking the don’t eat me signal, directly kills cancer cells, shows lower binding to normal cells such as RBCs and demonstrates increased binding activity in acidic conditions as found in the microenvironment of solid tumors. AO-176 also elicits potent anti-tumor activity in xenograft and syngeneic models as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapies, monoclonal antibodies and T-cell checkpoint inhibitors. AO-176 is currently in clinical trials as a single agent and in combination in patients with select solid cancers (NCT03834948) and in multiple myeloma (NCT04445701).

Magnetic tissue engineering is one of the rapidly emerging and promising directions of tissue engineering and biofabrication where the magnetic field is employed as temporal removal support or scaffold. Iron oxide nanoparticles are used to label living cells and provide the desired magnetic properties. Recently, polymer microcapsules loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles have been proposed as a novel approach to designing magnetic materials with high local concentrations. These microcapsules can be readily internalized and retained intracellularly for a long time in various types of cells. The low cytotoxicity of these microcapsules was previously shown in 2D cell culture. This paper has demonstrated that cells containing these nontoxic nanomaterials can form viable 3D tissue spheroids for the first time. The spheroids retained labeled fluorescent microcapsules with magnetic nanoparticles without a detectable cytotoxic effect. The high concentration of packed nanoparticles inside the microcapsules enables the evident magnetic properties of the labeled spheroids to be maintained. Finally, magnetic spheroids can be effectively used for magnetic patterning and biofabrication of tissue-engineering constructs.

Methane seeps are highly productive deep‐sea ecosystems reliant on chemosynthetic primary production. They are increasingly affected by direct human activities that threaten key ecosystem services. Methane seepage often generates precipitation of authigenic carbonate rocks, which host diverse microbes, and a dynamic invertebrate community. By providing hard substrate, even after seepage ceases, these rocks may promote a long‐lasting ecological interaction between seep and background communities. We analyzed community composition, density, and trophic structure of invertebrates on authigenic carbonates at Mound 12, a seep on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica, using one mensurative and two manipulative experiments. We asked whether carbonate macrofaunal communities are able to survive, adapt, and recover from changes in environmental factors (i.e., seepage activity, chemosynthetic production, and food availability), and we hypothesized a key role for seepage activity in defining these communities and responses. Communities on in situ carbonates under different seepage activities showed declining density with increasing distance from the seep and a shift in composition from gastropod dominance in areas of active seepage to more annelids and peracarid crustaceans that are less dependent on chemosynthetic production under lesser seepage. Response to changing environmental context was evident from altered community composition following (1) a natural decline in seepage over successive years, (2) transplanting of carbonates to different seepage conditions for 17 months, and (3) defaunated carbonate deployments under different seepage regimes over 7.4 yr. Seep faunas on transplants to lesser seepage emerge and recover faster than transition fauna (characterized by native seep and background faunas, respectively) and are able to persist by adapting their diets or by retaining their symbiotic bacteria. The macrofaunal community colonizing defaunated carbonates deployed for 7.4 yr developed communities with a similar successional stage as in situ rocks, although trophic structure was not fully recovered. Thus, macrofaunal successional dynamics are affected by habitat complexity and the availability of microbial chemosynthetic productivity. This multi‐experiment study highlights the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors at methane seeps at different time scales along a spatial gradient connecting seep and surrounding deep‐sea communities and offers insight on the resilience of deep‐sea macrofaunal communities.

Anticoagulants are associated with clinical benefit against the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), preventing COVID-19 associated coagulopathy. Blood coagulation factor Xa (FXa) and SARS-CoV-2 major protease (Mpro) share over 80% homology at the three-dimensional protein level. Thus, it is worth interrogating whether there is crosstalk between inhibitors and substrates between these enzymes. Here, we found that the clinically-approved FXa inhibitor apixaban targets SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with a 21-fold higher potency than boceprevir (GC376). Apixaban displayed a non-competitive mechanism of inhibition towards Mpro, since it targets the enzyme/substrate complex and the allosteric site onto the viral protease. Enzymatic assays were further validated in infected Calu-3 cells, which reveal that apixaban decreases the production of infectious viral particles in a dose-dependent manner, with an inhibitory potency in the micromolar range. Our results are in line with the proposed early use of anticoagulants, including FXa inhibitors, to improve clinical outcome of COVID-19 patients. In this context, apixaban may display a dual mechanism of action by targeting FXa to prevent coagulopathy and, at some level, SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.

Cellulose possesses considerable potential for a wide range of sustainable applications. Nanocellulose-based material properties are primarily dependent on the structural surface characteristics of its crystalline planes. Experimental measurements of the affinity of crystalline nanocellulose surfaces with water are scarce and challenging to obtain. Therefore, the relative hydrophilicity of different cellulose allomorphs crystalline planes is often inferred from qualitative assessments of their surface and the exposition of polar groups to the solvent. This work investigates the relative hydrophilicity of cellulose surfaces using molecular dynamics simulations. The behavior of a water droplet laid on different crystal planes was used to determine their relative hydrophilicity. The water molecules fully spread onto highly hydrophilic surfaces. However, a water droplet placed on less hydrophilic surfaces equilibrates as an oblate spheroidal cap allowing the measurement of a contact angle. The results indicate that the Iα (010), Iα (11̅0), Iβ (010), and Iβ (110) faces, as well as the faces of human-made celluloses II and III_I (100), (11̅0), (010), and (110) are all highly hydrophilic. They all have a contact angle value inferior to 11°. Not unexpectedly, the Iα (001) and Iβ (100) surfaces are less hydrophilic with contact angles of 48 and 34°, respectively. However, the Iβ (11̅0) plane, often referred to as a hydrophilic surface, forms a contact angle of about 32°. The results are rationalized in terms of structure, exposure of hydroxyl groups to the solvent, and degree of cellulose-cellulose versus cellulose-water hydrogen bonds on each face. The simulations also show that the surface oxidation degree tunes the surface hydrophilicity in a nonlinear manner due to cooperative effects involving water-cellulose interactions. Our study helps us to understand how the degree of hydrophilicity of cellulose emerges from specific structural features of each crystalline surface.

Menaquinones (MK) are hydrophobic molecules that consist of a naphthoquinone headgroup and a repeating isoprenyl side chain and are cofactors used in bacterial electron transport systems to generate cellular energy. We have previously demonstrated that the folded conformation of truncated MK homologues, MK-1 and MK-2, in both solution and reverse micelle microemulsions depended on environment. There is little information on how MKs associate with phospholipids in a model membrane system and how MKs affect phospholipid organization. In this manuscript, we used a combination of Langmuir monolayer studies and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe these questions on truncated MK homologues, MK-1 through MK-4 within a model membrane. We observed that truncated MKs reside farther away from the interfacial water than ubiquinones are are located closer to the phospholipid tails. We also observed that phospholipid packing does not change at physiological pressure in the presence of truncated MKs, though a difference in phospholipid packing has been observed in the presence of ubiquinones. We found through MD simulations that for truncated MKs, the folded conformation varied, but MKs location and association with the bilayer remained unchanged at physiological conditions regardless of side chain length. Combined, this manuscript provides fundamental information, both experimental and computational, on the location, association, and conformation of truncated MK homologues in model membrane environments relevant to bacterial energy production.

In this research work, iron-doped tin dioxide nanoparticles were successfully produced by high-energy ball-milling and their structural and magnetic properties were evaluated by means of room temperature X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. In order to evaluate the thermal stability of the compounds, samples were subjected to a thermal treatment and their structural and magnetic properties were studied. The nanoparticles were produced by processing SnO2 commercial powders together with doping amounts of Fe2O3 commercial powder in a high-energy planetary ball-mill. X-ray diffraction showed the presence of a single crystalline structure (that of the host compound) in all samples. Mossbauer spectroscopy confirmed that Fe3+ ions substitute for Sn4+. It was also used to show the disorder induced by the incorporation of iron ions in the structure of the host matrix. Magnetic measurements showed the coexistence of paramagnetism and a weak ferromagnetism. The interaction between singly ionized oxygen vacancies and doping Fe ions is the suggested reason behind the ferromagnetic ordering observed in this research work. The observed ferromagnetism is interpreted in terms of the bound magnetic polaron model and the charge transfer model. The insertion of the transition metal Fe into SnO2 matrix resulted in ferromagnetism at room temperature even at high dopant concentrations.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T00:57:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-11-15 Fast, inexpensive, and efficient methods to determine polyphenols content are of interest to the food industry. Here, we propose an easy and fast sensor for the determination of polyphenol content in tea samples from a green and roasted mate. The screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) were modified with iron tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine (FeTsPc) solutions prepared at different pHs (2.5, 6.0, and 9.0). The modification in different pHs showed only small changes on catechol oxidation. However, all modified electrodes decreased the oxidation potential of catechol in comparison with unmodified SPCE. The SPCE/FeTsPc was evaluated as a sensor in catechol standard solution, showing a limit of detection and quantification of 0.6 and 2.0μ mol/L, respectively. The determination of polyphenols in the tea samples is in agreement with the Folin-Ciocalteu method; both methods used catechol as standard. The statistics results indicate SPCE modified with FeTsPc showed a high level of confidence to the application as a sensor for polyphenol content in mate tea samples. School of Technology and Applied Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Technology and Applied Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP)

The silver-based metal oxides have been considered good photocatalysts for the removal of organic dyes in wastewater treatments. In our knowledge, for the first time, the photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties of silver pyrophosphate (Ag4P2O7) synthesized by the precipitation method have been investigated. The long- and short-range structural ordering was analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction and, Raman and infrared spectroscopies, respectively. The broadband photoluminescence spectrum revealed a typical profile arising from electronic transitions involving intermediary energy levels in the band gap. The photocatalytic efficiency of Ag4P2O7 was monitored for the degradation of rhodamine B and 6G under ultraviolet light irradiation. The reusability and stability of this material as photocatalyst were checked by recycling tests. Different radical scavengers were introduced into reaction medium to detect the main active species involved in the degradation process of rhodamine 6G. Based on our results, a photodegradation mechanism for this synthetic organic dye by using Ag4P2O7 photocatalyst was proposed in detail.

Extracellular lipase from Yarrowia lipolytica was immobilized by ionotropic gelation with alginate and chitosan as encapsulating agents. Photomicrographs revealed a collapsed and heterogeneous surface of these microcapsules due to freeze-drying process. The optimum reaction temperature for the microencapsulated lipase (40 °C) was higher than for free lipase (35 °C) as well as the optimum pH (8.0 and 7.5, respectively). The study of the reaction kinetics showed that a higher maximum reaction rate (Vmax) (221.1 U/mg) for the free lipase in comparison to the immobilized form (175.3 U/mg). A protective effect of the microcapsule was detected in the storage of the enzyme at room temperature, as after 75 days 35% of activity was maintained for the microcapsules, while no activity remained after 15 days with the free enzyme. Lower values for inactivation constant (kd) and increase in half-life for immobilized lipase showed that lipase microencapsulation favored the thermostability of this enzyme.

Possessing a simulated sensor device to identify explosives is of extreme interest to the area of public security to fight against terrorism. In light of this, a carbon armchair nanotube was modeled under the action of an external, longitudinal and uniform electric field at an initial temperature of 1 mK simulation, causing the explosive molecules under analysis to rotate through the carbon nanotube, due to an evanescent effect generated from the action of an electric current and magnetic field induced in this system, and thus behaving as a selective temperature sensor and spinning radius for the molecules. For this, molecular dynamics was used to study the physicochemical properties of the molecules' interactions with a carbon nanotube. The following physical properties, as well as the kinetic, potential, and total energy were calculated for the 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), triacetone triperoxide (TATP), hexogen (RDX), hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), octogen (HMX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) explosives: thermodynamic conditions such as temperature; entropy variation; and distance between the molecules' center of mass from an armchair type carbon nanotube.

1,2-Limonene oxide was synthesized for the first time via epoxidation reactions of (R)-(+)-limonene mediated by a new immobilized preparation with low-cost material from Candida antarctica lipase f...

We present a 3D study of nanostructural features of a bioprinted tissue spheroid interacting with polyurethane dual-scale biocompatible scaffold manufactured by three-dimensional printing and electrospinning. Three-dimensional analysis of fibroblasts interacting with electrospun polyurethane fibers was conducted using scanning probe nanotomography with an experimental setup combining ultramicrotome and a scanning probe microscope. Three-dimensional reconstruction demonstrates direct visualization of cell membrane protrusions and coherent cell-fiber interfaces, the formation of which is a prerequisite for an efficient tissue engineered implant. Analysis of obtained 3D data allows for quantitative calculation of the important morphological parameters of adhered cells, scaffolds, and cell-scaffold interfaces. The proposed method may be successfully applied to investigate 3D cell-scaffold constructs at nanoscale.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-based products are effective in tooth whitening; however, their safety is controversial as they may harm patient tissues/cells. These effects are suggested to be concentration-dependent; nonetheless, to date, there are no reports on H2O2-mediated oxidative damage in the gingival tissue, and neither whether this can be detected in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples. We hypothesize that H2O2 whitening products may cause collateral oxidative tissue damage following in office application. Therefore, H2O2 and nitric oxide (NO) levels were investigated in GCF samples obtained from patients undergoing dental bleaching with H2O2 at different concentrations, in a randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial. A proteomic analysis of these samples was also performed. H2O2-based whitening products promoted inflammation which was detected in GCF samples and lasted for longer following 35% H2O2 bleaching. This included time-dependent changes in NO levels and in the abundance of proteins associated with NO synthesis, oxidative stress, neutrophil regulation, nucleic acid damage, cell survival and/or tissue regeneration. Overall, H2O2-based products used in office promote inflammation irrespective of their concentration. As the inflammation caused by 35% H2O2 is longer, patients may benefit better from using lower concentrations of this bleaching product, as they may result in less tissue damage.

Project BIA2017-83526-R UID/QUI/50006/2020 The large increase in the world population has resulted in a very large amount of construction waste, as well as a large amount of waste glycerol from transesterification reactions of acyl glycerides from oils and fats, in particular from the production of biodiesel. Only a limited percentage of these two residues are recycled, which generates a large management problem worldwide. For that reason, in this study, we used crude glycerol as a carbon source to cultivate polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-producing mixed microbial cultures (MMC). Two bioproducts derived from these cultures were applied on the surface of concrete with recycled aggregate to create a protective layer. To evaluate the effect of the treatments, tests of water absorption by capillarity and under low pressure with Karsten tubes were performed. Furthermore, SEM-EDS analysis showed the physical barrier caused by biotreatments that produced a reduction on capillarity water absorption of up to 20% and improved the impermeability of recycled concrete against the penetration of water under pressure up to 2.7 times relative to the reference. Therefore, this bioproduct shown to be a promising treatment to protect against penetration of water to concrete surfaces increasing its durability and useful life. publishersversion published

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) are a class of anti-hypertensive drugs that act by blocking aldosterone action. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the MRAs spironolactone and eplerenone influence adrenal cortical physiology and morphology. Spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR, n = 18) and normotensive rats (WKY, n = 18) were randomly exposed to a daily dose of spironolactone (n = 6), eplerenone (n = 6), or no drug (n = 6) over 28 days. After that, aldosterone, corticosterone, and 11-deoxycorticosterone plasma concentrations were quantified. Adrenal glands were subjected to morphological analysis to assess lipid droplets content, capsular width, cell proliferation, and steroidogenic proteins expression. The adrenal cortex in untreated SHR showed higher lipid droplet content as than in WKY. In SHR, MRA treatment was associated with higher circulating aldosterone levels and Ki-67 expression in aldosterone-secreting cells. In WKY, the only difference observed after MRA spironolactone treatment was a narrower capsule. There was no difference in abundance of steroidogenic enzyme between groups. In conclusion, MRAs modify adrenal gland function and morphology in SHR. The effects observed within the adrenal glomerulosa with aldosterone-secreting cell proliferation and higher circulating aldosterone levels suggests that MRA treatment provokes activation of the renin angiotensin system. The prognostic value of hyperaldosteronism secondary to MRAs blockade requires further investigation.

A synthetic medium containing glucose, glycerol, yeast extract (YE), and ammonium sulfate (AS) was compared to several low-cost media in their ability to produce high emulsification index (EI). The goal was to reduce the production costs of an emulsifier with application in food oil-in-water emulsions. To this end, agro-industrial by-products were screened for bioemulsifier production from Yarrowia lipolytica. The statistical analysis showed that the EIs of media containing residual frying oil from palm oil (RFO_palm) or soybean oil (RFO_soy), residual liquid from butter production (butter whey, BWhey) or cheese production (cheese whey, CWhey), supplemented with YE and AS were similar to the EI of the synthetic medium. The replacement of YE by corn steep liquor (CSL) also resulted in similar EI, except for RFO_soy. BWhey was tested with CSL without AS and similar EI (66.8%) was detected in comparison to that of the same medium with AS (66.3%). The cell-free broth obtained after Y. lipolytica growth in BWhey+CSL was successfully used to obtain vegetable oil-in-water emulsions indicating its potential application in food products. RESUMO: O meio sintético contendo glicose, glicerol, extrato de levedura (YE) e sulfato de amônio (AS) foi comparado a meios de baixo custo para produzir alto índice de emulsificação (EI). Para este fim, os subprodutos agroindustriais foram rastreados quanto à produção de bioemulsificante por Yarrowia lipolytica. A análise estatística mostrou que EI de meios contendo óleo de fritura residual de óleo de palma (RFO_palm) ou óleo de soja (RFO_soy), líquido residual da produção de manteiga (soro de manteiga, BWhey) ou da produção de queijo (soro de queijo, CWhey), suplementado com YE e AS foram semelhantes ao EI do meio sintético. A substituição do YE por milhocina (CSL) também resultou em EI semelhante, exceto no RFO_soy. O BWhey foi testado com CSL sem AS e EI semelhante (66,8%) foi detectado em comparação com o mesmo meio com AS (66,3%). O meio isento de células obtido após o crescimento de Y. lipolytica no meio BWhey + CSL foi utilizado com sucesso para obter emulsões de óleo vegetal em água, indicando sua potencial aplicação em produtos alimentícios.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:56:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2021-07-15T14:35:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S0001-37652021000101221.pdf: 1051619 bytes, checksum: 56f099ee0f807664f4f76b9567a64e3e (MD5) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Eletrônica Orgânica Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) The immobilization of the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr) in lipid matrices can be explored to produce biosensors for detecting polyphenols, which is relevant for the food industry. Herein, we shall demonstrate the importance of the lipid composition to immobilize the enzyme tyrosinase in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Tyr could be incorporated into Langmuir monolayers of arachidic acid (AA), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1’-rac-glycerol) (sodium salt) (DPPG), having as the main effect an expansion in the monolayers. Results from polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) pointed to electrostatic interactions between the charged residues of Try and the lipid headgroups, in addition to changes in the order of lipid chains. The interaction between Tyr and DPPC in Langmuir monolayers can be correlated with the superior performance of DPPC/Tyr LB films used as biosensors to detect catechol by cyclic voltammetry. The molecular-level interactions assessed via PM-IRRAS are therefore believed to drive an immobilization process for Tyr in the lipid LB matrix and may serve as a general criterion to identify matrices that preserve enzyme activity. Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia Departamento de Física, Rua Roberto Símonsen, 305, Centro Educacional, Caixa Postal 467 Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP Faculdade de Ciências e Letras Departamento de Biotecnologia, Av. Dom Antônio, 2100, Parque Universitário, Caixa Postal 65 Universidade de São Paulo/USP Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, Parque Arnold Schimidt, Caixa Postal 369 Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia Departamento de Física, Rua Roberto Símonsen, 305, Centro Educacional, Caixa Postal 467 Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP Faculdade de Ciências e Letras Departamento de Biotecnologia, Av. Dom Antônio, 2100, Parque Universitário, Caixa Postal 65 FAPESP: 2013/14262-7 FAPESP: 2017/15019-0

Ethylene is a gaseous hormone with a well-established role in the regulation of plant growth and development. However, its role in the modulation of carbon assimilation and central metabolism remains unclear. Here, we investigated the morphophysiological and biochemical responses of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) following the application of ethylene in the form of ethephon (CEPA - 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid), forcing the classical triple response phenotype. CEPA-treated plants were characterized by growth inhibition, as revealed by significant reductions in both shoot and root dry weights, coupled with a reduced number of leaves and lower specific leaf area. Growth inhibition was associated with a reduction in carbon assimilation due to both lower photosynthesis rates and stomatal conductance, coupled with impairments in carbohydrate turnover. Furthermore, exogenous ethylene led to the accumulation of cell wall compounds (i.e., cellulose and lignin) and phenolics, indicating that exposure to exogenous ethylene also led to changes in specialized metabolism. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that exogenous ethylene disrupts plant growth and leaf structure by affecting both central and specialized metabolism, especially that involved in carbohydrate turnover and cell wall biosynthesis, ultimately leading to metabolic responses that mimic stress situations.

The waste produced by petrochemical industries has a significant environmental impact. Biotechnological approaches offer promising alternatives for waste treatment in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. Microbial consortia potentially clean up the wastes through degradation of hydrocarbons using biosurfactants as adjuvants. In this work, microbial consortia were obtained from a production water (PW) sample from a Brazilian oil reservoir using enrichment and selection approaches in the presence of oil as carbon source. A consortium was obtained using Bushnell-Haas (BH) mineral medium with petroleum. In parallel, another consortium was obtained in yeast extract peptone dextrose (YPD)-rich medium and was subsequently compared to the BH mineral medium with petroleum. Metagenomic sequencing of these microbial communities showed that the BH consortium was less diverse and predominantly composed of Brevibacillus genus members, while the YPD consortium was taxonomically more diverse. Functional annotation revealed that the BH consortium was enriched with genes involved in biosurfactant synthesis, while the YPD consortium presented higher abundance of hydrocarbon degradation genes. The comparison of these two consortia against consortia available in public databases confirmed the enrichment of biosurfactant genes in the BH consortium. Functional assays showed that the BH consortium exhibits high cellular hydrophobicity and formation of stable emulsions, suggesting that oil uptake by microorganisms might be favored by biosurfactants. In contrast, the YPD consortium was more efficient than the BH consortium in reducing interfacial tension. Despite the genetic differences between the consortia, analysis by a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector showed few significant differences regarding the hydrocarbon degradation rates. Specifically, the YPD consortium presented higher degradation rates of C12 to C14 alkanes, while the BH consortium showed a significant increase in the degradation of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These data suggest that the enrichment of biosurfactant genes in the BH consortium could promote efficient hydrocarbon degradation, despite its lower taxonomical diversity compared to the consortium enriched in YPD medium. Together, these results showed that cultivation in a minimal medium supplemented with oil was an efficient strategy in selecting biosurfactant-producing microorganisms and highlighted the biotechnological potential of these bacterial consortia in waste treatment and bioremediation of impacted areas.

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is an engineering thermoplastic having a high degree of sensibility to crack, which affects long-term mechanical behavior. This study evaluates the crack-sensitive of PVDF for one commercial-grade through the development of a numerical model. Firstly, tensile tests using DIC were performed on both uncrack and pre-crack specimens to get experimental tensile as DIC-displacement, displacement-control, and load data. For pre-crack specimens, it was proposed two values of depth: 1.0 and 1.5 mm, opened by razor blade. All specimens were uniaxial tests at 23°C under 5 mm/min. Secondly, tensile tests using extensometer were implemented for uncrack samples to determine material parameters for calibration of the numerical model and comparison with DIC-displacement. Finally, a numerical model based on the FE was implemented using ANSYS-student that inputs PVDF’s material properties, which considered the elastic-plastic behavior in simulation tests. The PVDF demonstrated significant crack sensitivity, as it can be seen in experimental and numerical data. And, the numerical model developed based on MKHP was successfully agreement against experimental data obtained by Blue Hill 3 software. Therefore, the results allowed us to observe that pre-crack acts as a stress concentration and the numerical model got well simulates this influence on the PVDF mechanical behavior.

Cytoskeleton systems, actin microfilaments, microtubules (MTs) and intermediate filaments (IFs) provide the biomechanical stability and spatial organization in cells. To understand the specific contributions of each cytoskeleton systems to intrinsic properties of spheroids, we've scrutinized the effects of the cytoskeleton perturbants, cytochalasin D (Cyto D), nocodazole (Noc) and withaferin A (WFA) on fusion, spreading on adhesive surface, morphology and biomechanics of chondrospheres (CSs). We confirmed that treatment with Cyto D but not with Noc or WFA severely affected CSs fusion and spreading dynamics and significantly reduced biomechanical properties of cell aggregates. Noc treatment affected spheroids spreading but not the fusion and surprisingly enhanced their stiffness. Vimentin intermediate filaments (VIFs) reorganization affected CSs spreading only. The analysis of all three cytoskeleton systems contribution to spheroids intrinsic properties was performed for the first time.

Previous experimental studies show that exposure to noise with high and audible frequencies causes multiple metabolic alterations, such as increased liver glycogen and triglycerides. However, the effect of exposure to sound with lower frequencies, such as high-intensity infrasound (frequency 90 dB), on the liver lipid content is still unclear. As such, we aimed to study the effect of exposure to high-intensity infrasound of both normal and glucose intolerant rats on the liver lipid content. For this study, 79 wild-type male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: G1, no treatment, and G2, induced glucose intolerance. Each of these two groups was randomly divided in two subgroups: s (animals kept in silence) and i (animals continuously exposed to high-intensity infrasound noise). At three noise-exposure time-points (1, 6 and 12 weeks) the rats were sacrificed, the liver was excised and hepatic lipids extracted. Data analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05). No significant effects due to interactions between the several factors exist on the liver lipid content (p=0.077). Moreover, no significant effects due to infrasound exposure (p=0.407) or glucose tolerance status (p=0.938) were observed. Our study shows that continuous exposure to high-intensity infrasound has no influence on the lipid content of the liver of both normal and glucose intolerant animals. This finding reinforces the need for further experimental studies on the physiological effects of infrasound due to its possible hazardous effects on human health., Infrasound; Glucose intolerance; Liver lipids; Liver steatosis; Rat; Environmental health; Diabetes; Obesity; Hepatobiliary system; Endocrine system; Metabolic disorder; Endocrinology

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:45:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-06-28 Organic thin films are an essential component of the structure of optical and electronic devices. However, the optical and electrical properties of these films depend on their supramolecular architecture, which may vary according to the techniques used to manufacture them. Here, the correlation between conductivity and supramolecular architecture was investigated. The supramolecular architecture was analyzed in terms of the molecular organization and J- or H-aggregation established during the fabrication of perylene tetracarboxylic diimide (PTCD) nanometric films. Three deposition techniques, Langmuir-Schaefer (LS), Langmuir-Blodgett (LB), and Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), were evaluated. The UV-vis absorption spectra indicated that LS, LB, and PVD films grow homogeneously. Also, the presence of J and H aggregates was observed for all films, the H aggregates prevailing for the LB film. The FTIR measurements suggested that the molecular organization is similar for LS and LB films, with a tendency to form head-on organization onto a solid substrate. For the PVD film, the perylene macrocycles are inclined approximately 45° relative to the substrate. AFM measurements indicated a homogenous surface for all films. In terms of electrical conductivity, the highest conductivity was found for LS, followed by LB and PVD. The conductivity values were interpreted in terms of molecular organization and J- or H-aggregate formation. School of Technology and Applied Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) Department of Applied Physics Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics University of Campinas - Unicamp School of Technology and Applied Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP)

A green approach has been developed for the synthesis of a series of benzylidene acrylate 3(a-p) from differently substituted aromatic/heterocyclic aldehydes and ethyl cyanoacetate in excellent yields (90-98%), and employing silica bonded N-(Propylcarbamoyl)sulfamic acid as a recyclable catalyst under solvent-free condition. The molecular structure of compounds 3b, 3d and 3i were well supported by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. The present protocol bears wide substrate tolerance and is believed to be more practical, efficient, eco-friendly, and compatible as compared to existing methods. In-silico approaches were implemented to find the biochemical and physiological effects, toxicity, and biological profiles of the synthesized compounds to determine the expected biological nature and confirm a drug-like compound. A molecular docking study of the expected biologically active compound was performed to know the hypothetically binding mode with the receptor. Also, reverse docking is applied to recognize receptors from unknown protein targets for drug-like compounds to explain poly-pharmacology and binding postures with different receptors.

We introduce and exactly solve a spin-1/2 Ising-Heisenberg chain that captures some relevant aspects of the heterotrimetallic coordination compound [ Cu II Mn II ( L 1 )] [ Fe III (bpb)(CN)2] · ClO 4 · H 2 O to be further abbreviated as Fe-Mn-Cu. The magnetic backbone of the coordination polymer Fe-Mn-Cu forms a regular alternation of Fe3+ and Mn2+ ions, whereas Cu 2 + ions are laterally attached to Mn2+ ions. The exchange coupling between Fe3+and Mn2+ ions is assumed to be Ising-like, while the exchange coupling between Cu 2 + and Mn2+ ions is assumed to be an anisotropic XXZ Heisenberg interaction. The gyromagnetic factors of all three metal ions are adjusted so as to obtain proper magnetic moment of individual metal ions when they are treated as spin-1/2 carriers. The ground-state phase diagram exhibits four distinct phases, whereas two of them display a quantum entanglement between spin states of Cu 2 + and Mn2+ ions. It is shown that the magnetization continuously varies with the magnetic field within two quantum ground states due to the mismatch between the magnetic moments and it also exhibits interesting field-driven phase transitions. The degree of quantum entanglement between the spin states of Cu 2 + and Mn2+ ions is quantified by the concurrence, which unveils that the entanglement becomes optimal at finite magnetic fields within one of the quantum ground states. The concurrence may exhibit non-monotonous dependences on the magnetic field and temperature.

Recent studies have reported that phthalates are capable of causing mutations and other changes in the genetic material. This study aimed to investigate the molecular interactions between phthalate di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and its metabolites monobutyl phthalate (MBP) and monoethyl phthalate (MEP), interacting with DNA. The research was conducted using molecular modeling techniques such as molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Molecular docking revealed that the DEHP, MBP, and MEP are able to establish hydrogen interactions with various nucleotide bases. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that these molecules interacted with the DNA, and the binding free energy results demonstrated that the DNA-ligand interaction has favorable free energy. The values for free binding energy were as follows: DNA–DEHP, –21.66 kcal/mol; DNA–MBP, –17.29 kcal/mol; and DNA–MEP, –20.13 kcal/mol. For these three systems, the contributions of van der Waals, electrostatic, and nonpolar solvation energy were favorable for the interaction. The van der Waals interactions contributed the major energy to the intercalation of the binders.

Aniba canelilla (Kunth) Mez, popularly known as "casca preciosa" (precious bark), falsa canela (cinnamon-scented) Casca-do-maranhao (bark of maranhao), and Folha-preciosa (precious leaf), is an aromatic species of the Lauraceae family, widely distributed in the Amazon region. In traditional medicine, it is indicated for the treatment of a great diversity of diseases, including digestive, respiratory, inflam]matory, painful, and central nervous system disorders, it is administered mainly in the form of tea or decoction orally. Its essential oil is referred to as a natural antioxidant for food preservation and disease control, showing great potential for use in the cosmetics, perfumery, and pharmaceutical products sector. The present review aimed to discuss critically and comprehensively the ethnobotanical characteristics, phytochemical constitution, and scientifically tested biological properties of A. canelilla, systematizing the knowledge about the species and proposing new perspectives for research and development. The chemical composition of A. canelilla includes 1-nitro-2-phenylethane, metyleugenol, eugenol, safrol, anabasin, anbin, tannin, α-pinene, b-pinene, b-felandren, b-caryophyllene, b-sesquifelandren, p-cymene, linalool, α-copaene, and spatulenol. Researches with ethanolic extracts, essential oils, and major constituents (1-nitro-2-phenylethane and metyleugenol) have revealed antioxidant, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, cardio-modulating, hypotensive (vasorelaxant), hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticholinesterase, and antibiotic properties (trypanomicidal, leishmanicidal, and antifungal). Some of these effects are potentially beneficial for aging-related diseases treatment, such as cardio and cerebrovascular, chronic inflammatory, neurological, and degenerative diseases. However, it is necessary to advance in the research of its clinical use and development of therapeutic products.

Dps proteins (DNA-binding protein from starved cells) are hollow-sphere-shaped, dodecameric enzymes found in bacteria and archaeal species. They can oxidize ferrous iron in a controlled manner using hydrogen peroxide or molecular oxygen as co-substrate, and most of them confer physical protection through DNA binding. Oxidized iron is stored, as a mineral core, in a central cavity. Direct evidence is now provided that, furthermore, Dps proteins containing small mineral cores can oxidize and mineralize toxic ferrous ions in anaerobic conditions and in the absence of any additional aqueous oxidant co-substrate. Dps proteins containing cores of 24 irons per dodecamer can oxidize about 5 ferrous irons per dodecamer, with that number approximately doubling for protein particles containing in average 96 irons per protein. This additional activity carries importance as it can be a detoxification mechanism present during anaerobic or oxygen-limited growth conditions.

In this work, a 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative, named 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde 2-furoyl hydrazone (HQFUH), was obtained. The respective compound was successfully synthesized as well as its respective Zn(II) coordination compound. Both compounds were structurally characterized, by experimental and theoretical IR and Raman spectra, XRD. Single crystal XRD showed that Zn(II) adopts a tetrahedral geometry, in which the neutral chelating ligand coordinates bidentaded by two N-atoms and the neutrality charge is achieved by two coordinated chloride ions. Topological analysis using Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) was performed to investigate ligand interaction through O-atoms. This investigation is important regarding the determination of complex formation constant. The crystal structures of the ligand and complex are arranged according to an orthorhombic system with P212121 and Aea2 space groups, respectively. Ligand displays a E configuration around to C10 = N2 bond, while after the coordination of metal, a Z configuration is observed. Besides molecular structure description of complex, the intermolecular environment was analyzed by Hirshfeld Surface.

The oil drilling process generates large volumes of waste with inadequate treatments. Here, oil drilling waste (ODW) microbial communities demonstrate different hydrocarbon degradative abilities when exposed to distinct nutrient enrichments as revealed by comparative metagenomics. The ODW was enriched in Luria Broth (LBE) and Potato Dextrose (PDE) media to examine the structure and functional variations of microbial consortia. Two metagenomes were sequenced on Ion Torrent platform and analyzed using MG-RAST. The STAMP software was used to analyze statistically significant differences amongst different attributes of metagenomes. The microbial diversity presented in the different enrichments was distinct and heterogeneous. The metabolic pathways and enzymes were mainly related to the aerobic hydrocarbons degradation. Moreover, our results showed efficient biodegradation after 15 days of treatment for aliphatic hydrocarbons (C8-C33) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with a total of about 50.5% and 46.4% for LBE and 44.6% and 37.9% for PDE, respectively. The results obtained suggest the idea that the enzymatic apparatus have the potential to degrade petroleum compounds.

The interaction between mannan polysaccharides and cellulose microfibrils contributes to cell wall properties in some vascular plants, but the molecular arrangement of mannan in the cell wall and the nature of the molecular bonding between mannan and cellulose remain unknown. Previous studies have shown that mannan is important in maintaining Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seed mucilage architecture, and that Cellulose Synthase-Like A2 (CSLA2) synthesizes a glucomannan backbone, which Mannan α-Galactosyl Transferase1 (MAGT1/GlycosylTransferase-Like6/Mucilage Related10) might decorate with single α-Gal branches. Here, we investigated the ratio and sequence of Man and Glc and the arrangement of Gal residues in Arabidopsis mucilage mannan using enzyme sequential digestion, carbohydrate gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry. We found that seed mucilage galactoglucomannan has a backbone consisting of the repeating disaccharide [4)-β-Glc-(1,4)-β-Man-(1,], and most of the Man residues in the backbone are substituted by single α-1,6-Gal. CSLA2 is responsible for the synthesis of this patterned glucomannan backbone and MAGT1 catalyses the addition of α-Gal. In vitro activity assays revealed that MAGT1 transferred α-Gal from UDP-Gal only to Man residues within the CSLA2 patterned glucomannan backbone acceptor. These results indicate that CSLAs and galactosyltransferases are able to make precisely defined galactoglucomannan structures. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested this patterned galactoglucomannan is able to bind stably to some hydrophilic faces and to hydrophobic faces of cellulose microfibrils. A specialization of the biosynthetic machinery to make galactoglucomannan with a patterned structure may therefore regulate the mode of binding of this hemicellulose to cellulose fibrils.

The effects of excipients on the accuracy of tablet subdivision are severely underinvestigated. In this study, placebo tablets were prepared using a combined mixture design of fillers and binders to evaluate the effect of these excipients on subdivision accuracy. The responses assessed were mass loss, mass variation, tablet fragmentation, and increased friability. Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCP) gave rise to more uniform and denser tablets than microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), thus resulting in greater subdivision accuracy. The binder type, hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), did not affect the subdivision of DCP tablets. On the contrary, the structural similarity between HPC and MCC led to improved subdivision accuracy for MCC tablets. A less accurate subdivision was observed in tablets prepared with a DCP-MCC combination; this finding could be attributed to irregular binder distribution in this matrix. An optimized response was built using desirability analysis. This study helps to illuminate the relationship between fillers and binders to guide formulation scientists in the development of tablets with better subdivision performance.

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FCSs) and sulfated fucans (SFs) are conspicuous components of the body wall of sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea). FCSs are composed of a central core of chondroitin sulfate (CS) decorated with branches of mono- or both mono- and disaccharides of α-fucose (FCS types I and II, respectively). FCSs type II have heterogeneous and irregularly distributed α-fucose branches; however, the novel FCS type II from Holothuria lentiginosa described herein via solution nuclear magnetic resonance has strikingly homogeneous α-fucose branches neatly distributed along its CS core. This FCS is built up of three distinct sequential units composed of the typical CS disaccharides of FCSs, rich in β-galactosamine-4,6diS, decorated with branches of α-Fucp-2,4diS, α-Fucp-3,4diS or α-Fucp[1→3]α-Fucp-4S[1→ linked to the position 3- of the β-glucuronic acid. Conformational analyses of these repetitive units revealed a fairly rigid structure despite of the high sulfate content of their α-fucose branches. We also determined the structure of the SF from H. lentiginosa as a repetitive tetrasaccharide sequence composed of →3]α-Fucp-2,4diS[1→3]α-Fucp[1→3]α-Fucp-2S[1→3]α-Fucp-2S[1→. Furthermore, we determined that the nonsulfated α-fucose units present in FCS type II did not interfere with their anticoagulant potencies and affinities to calcium. FCS is an autapomorphic molecular character of the class Holothuroidea and the composition of their α-fucose branches differs in a species-specific manner. Branches containing α-Fucp-2,4diS are the most common within the extant holothurians, being found in 90% of the FCSs characterized thus far.

In this study, we used in situ spectral remote sensing reflectance data, Rrs (λ), coincident with chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) measurements obtained by the Brazilian High Latitude Oceanography Group (GOAL, FURG) and provided by the SeaWiFS Bio-Optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS) in the northern Antarctic Peninsula (NAP). These data span the period between 2002 and 2010. The objective of this work was to evaluate the existing MODIS/Aqua chlorophyll algorithms and show an alternative atmospheric correction scheme based on the near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave near-infrared (SWIR) bands that could be used in the turbid coastal waters of the NAP. The current OC2M and OC3M empirical and GSM01 semi-analytical algorithms tend to underestimate Chla, which was determined by using Chla estimated by either high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or fluorometry. The GSM01 algorithm showed the best performance. The NIR-SWIR atmospheric correction scheme ( Wang et al., 2009 ) was applied for the northern Antarctic Peninsula (NAP) in the presence of sea ice and deicing waters and showed an increase in Chla in the range from 0.75 to 2.5 mg m−3 and a slight decrease in the values above 2.5 mg m−3. Regional empirical chlorophyll algorithms based on the 3-band OC3M operational algorithm were derived and showed better performance in estimating Chla than the global algorithms.

This study evaluated the optimum inclusion of a feed oil additive chemically extracted from cashew nuts in lamb diets on the physicochemical and sensory attributes of burgers produced from their meat. Forty lambs (26 ± 2.4 kg of initial BW and 5 months of age) were used in a block randomized design with ten experimental units per treatment. Lambs were fed a total mixed ration containing cashew nut shell liquid (tCNSL) at levels of 0, 7.5, 15 and 22.5 g/kg g/kg of dietary dry matter. Lambs were slaughtered, and the meat was processed for burger production. The addition of tCNSL to the diets promoted a quadratic increase in DMI (P = 0.034), ADG (P = 0.016) and slaughter BW (P = 0.002). However, the addition of tCNSL to the lamb diet did not change (P >0.05) the concentrations of moisture, protein, lipids, crude ash and cooking losses; water holding capacity or hardness and color index a* of the lamb meat burgers. There was a linear decrease (P 0.05) in the sensory attributes of the lamb meat burgers. All variables scored between 7 and 8, being considered by the tasters as moderately liked and very liked, obtaining a good overall acceptance. However, the preference (P = 0.042) ranking of the panellists was for burgers from the meat of lambs fed with tCNSL, regardless of the level of inclusion, compared to treatment without tCNSL. It is recommended to include up to 15 g tCNSL/kg DM as antioxidant in the lamb’s diet because it improves growth performance, color index and physical quality, and reduces the elasticity, chewability, lipid peroxidation and metmyoglobins, and increasing the preference of lamb meat burgers.