Se reduces cellular inflammation and lipid peroxides; therefore, its association with CVD and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been studied. We aimed to investigate the association between Se intake ...and the MetS and its parameters (high waist circumference, hyperglycaemia, high blood pressure, high TAG and low HDL-cholesterol) in Brazilian adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. This research is part of the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a Brazilian nationwide school-based study with regional and national relevance. We assessed: (1) socio-demographic data (sex, age, type of school and maternal education) using a self-administered questionnaire; (2) dietary intake using a 24-h recall applied for the whole sample and a second one applied to a subsample to allow within-person variability adjustment; (3) anthropometric data (weight, height, waist circumference) and blood pressure using standardised procedures; and (4) biochemical analyses (fasting glucose, TAG and HDL-cholesterol). Logistic regression was applied, basing the analysis on a theoretical model. Median Se intake was 98·3 µg/d. Hypertension and hyperglycaemia were more prevalent among boys, while a high waist circumference was more frequent in girls, and low HDL-cholesterol levels were higher among private school students. The prevalence of the MetS was 2·6 %. No association between the MetS and its parameters and Se intake was found. This lack of association could be due to an adequate Se intake in the studied population.
Background and Purpose
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin protein. We have previously demonstrated ...that the cell signalling of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is altered in a mouse model of HD. Although mGluR5‐dependent protective pathways are more activated in HD neurons, intracellular Ca2+ release is also more pronounced, which could contribute to excitotoxicity. In the present study, we aim to investigate whether mGluR5 positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) could activate protective pathways without triggering high levels of Ca2+ release and be neuroprotective in HD.
Experimental Approach
We performed a neuronal cell death assay to determine which drugs are neuroprotective, Western blot and Ca2+ release experiments to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in this neuroprotection, and object recognition task to determine whether the tested drugs could ameliorate HD memory deficit.
Key Results
We find that mGluR5 PAMs can protect striatal neurons from the excitotoxic neuronal cell death promoted by elevated concentrations of glutamate and NMDA. mGluR5 PAMs are capable of activating Akt without triggering increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration (Ca2+i); and Akt blockage leads to loss of PAM‐mediated neuroprotection. Importantly, PAMs' potential as drugs that may be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases is highlighted by the neuroprotection exerted by mGluR5 PAMs on striatal neurons from a mouse model of HD, BACHD. Moreover, mGluR5 PAMs can activate neuroprotective pathways more robustly in BACHD mice and ameliorate HD memory deficit.
Conclusions and Implications
mGluR5 PAMs are potential drugs that may be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases, especially HD.
Water and wastewater treatment is a global challenge that requires innovative solutions. Electrospinning is a versatile and simple technique that allows the generation of ultrathin fibers of numerous ...compositions. Titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst with applications in several technological fields. Thus, the use of electrospinning to produce TiO
2
nanofibers is an approach that may bring new insights for the treatment of contaminated water. In this review, it is aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of electrospinning technique and electrospun TiO
2
nanofibers production, as well as their application in water and wastewater treatment. First, it is provided a brief introduction to the development of electrospinning-related processes, followed by a discussion of its principle, apparatus, methods and materials commonly used. In the sequence, it is presented the current and potential methods for electrospun TiO
2
nanofibers and some aspects related to experimental conditions, catalysts immobilization, metal and nonmetal doping, characterization techniques and applications. The effects of processing parameters on properties as catalyst band gap, adsorption capacity and catalytic efficiency are also discussed. Afterward, the application of electrospun TiO
2
nanofibers for pollutants removal from water through photodegradation is highlighted by focusing on some representative examples. Finally, the perspectives are presented regarding challenges, opportunities, and new directions for the application of electrospun TiO
2
fibers.
Graphical abstract
Background
Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by α‐L‐iduronidase deficiency, resulting in accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAG). Ophthalmological ...manifestations are common in MPS I patients and often lead to visual impairment. Accumulation of GAG in corneal or retinal tissues reduces vision causing corneal opacity and neurosensory complications. One available treatment for MPS I patients is enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), but the results of such treatment on eye disease are still debatable. Therefore, we aimed to determine the progression of ocular manifestations as well as the effectiveness of intravenous ERT in MPS I.
Methods
Corneal and retinal analyses were perform in eyes from 2‐ to 8‐month normal and MPS I mice. Some MPS I mice received ERT (1.2 mg/kg of laronidase) every 2 weeks from 6 to 8 months and histological findings were compared with controls. Additionally, cornea from two MPS I patients under ERT were evaluated.
Results
Mouse corneal tissues had GAG accumulation early in life. In the retina, we found a progressive loss of photoreceptor cells, starting at 6 months. ERT did not improve or stabilize the histological abnormalities. MPS I patients, despite being on ERT for over a decade, presented GAG accumulation in the cornea, corneal thickening, visual loss and needed corneal transplantation.
Conclusion
We provide data on the time course of ocular alteration in MPS I mice. Our results also suggest that ERT is not effective in treating the progressive ocular manifestations in MPS I mice and fails to prevent corneal abnormalities in patients.
The use of cork granules for cleaning up crude oil or oil derivative spills and further oil recovery appears as a promising option due to their unique properties, which allow a high oil sorption ...capacity, low water pickup and excellent reuse. The present work reports the effect of oil viscosity on cork sorption capacity by using five types of oils (lubricating oil, 5.7 g
oil
g
cork
−1
; heavy oil, 4.2 g
oil
g
cork
−1
; light oil, 3.0 g
oil
g
cork
−1
; biodiesel, 2.6 g
oil
g
cork
−1
; and diesel, 2.0 g
oil
g
cork
−1
). The cork sorption capacity for light petroleum was also evaluated as a function of temperature and sorbent particle size. Additionally, improvements on oil recovery from cork sorbents by a mechanical compression process have been achieved as a result of a design of experiments (DOE) using the response surface methodology. Such statistical technique provided remarkable results in terms of cork sorbent reusability, as the oil sorption capacity was preserved after 30 cycles of sorption-squeezing steps. The sorbed oils could be removed from the sorbent surface, collected simply by squeezing the cork granules and further reused. The best operational region yielded near 80% oil recovery, using a cork mass of 8.85 g (particle size of 2.0–4.0 mm) loaded with 43.5 mL of lubricating oil, at 5.4 bar, utilising two compressions with a duration of 2 min each.
Graphical abstract
Statement of problem There are no established clinical procedures for bonding zirconia to tooth structure using resin cements. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of metal ...primers, resin cements, and aging on bonding to zirconia. Material and methods Zirconia was treated with commercial primers developed for bonding to metal alloys (Metaltite, Metal Primer II, Alloy Primer or Totalbond). Non-primed specimens were considered as controls. One-hundred disk-shaped specimens (19 × 4 mm) were cemented to composite resin substrates using Panavia or RelyX Unicem (n=5). Microtensile bond strength specimens were tested after 48 hours and 5 months (150 days), and failure modes were classified as type 1 (between ceramic/cement), 2 (between composite resin/cement) or 3 (mixed). Data were analyzed by 3-way ANOVA and Multiple Comparison Tukey test (α=.05). Results The interactions primer/luting system ( P =.016) and luting system/storage time ( P =.004) were statistically significant. The use of Alloy Primer significantly improved the bond strength of RelyX Unicem ( P <.001), while for Panavia, none of the primers increased the bond strength compared to the control group. At 48 hours, Panavia had statistically higher bond strength ( P =.004) than Unicem (13.9 ± 4.4MPa and 10.2 ± 6.6MPa, respectively). However, both luting systems presented decreasing, statistically similar, values after aging (Panavia: 3.6 ± 2.2MPa; Unicem: 6.1 ± 5.3MPa). At 48 hours, Alloy Primer/Unicem had the lowest incidence of type 1 failure (8%). After aging, all the groups showed a predominance of type 1 failures. Conclusions The use of Alloy Primer improved bond strength between RelyX Unicem and zirconia. Though the initial values obtained with Panavia were significantly higher than RelyX Unicem, after aging, both luting agents presented statistically similar performances.
Abstract Target spot is a disease that has caused serious damage to cotton crops. This study was carried out to examine if different cotton genotypes, plant heights and fungicide treatments can be ...used as tools of an integrated control methods of target spot. The experiment was carried out in the 2014/15 crop season, in cerrado biome of Chapadão do Sul - MS, Brazil. It was used a randomized block design in a 2 × 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with four replicates. The factors were two plant heights (1 and 1.5 m), three cultivars (FMT 701, FM 975, and FM 944), and three fungicide treatments (control, FT1, and FT2). Fungicide treatments consisted of sequential applications of different fungicides of the triazole, strobilurin, and carboxamide groups. Cultivar FM 944 showed lower susceptibility to target spot. The shorter plants exhibited lower disease severity. The fungicides pyraclostrobin + fluxapyroxad and trifloxystrobin + prothioconazole reduced the severity of target spot. Cultivar FM 975 had the highest yield. A higher yield was obtained in the upper stratum than in the lower stratum of the plant.
Around 80% of the food consumed worldwide is provided by agriculture, and almost 30% of these products are affected by phytopathogenic agents, which cause numerous plant diseases.Microorganisms have ...been used as biocontrol agents to eliminate or decrease damage caused by phytopathogens.For the application of biocontrol agents, such as strains of Bacillus velezensis, several parameters need to be considered, including their habitat and molecular and biochemical conditions, such as plant growth promotion and antifungal activity.B. velezensis strains also have potential as control agents against nematodes in greenhouse cultivation, as probiotic supplements for feed, to pretreat lignocellulosic materials, or in wastewater treatments through the enzymes they produce.
Many microorganisms have been reported as bioagents for producing ecofriendly, cost-effective, and safe products. Some Bacillus species of bacteria can be used in agricultural applications. Bacillus velezensis in particular has shown promising results for controlling destructive phytopathogens and in biofungicide manufacturing. Some B. velezensis strains can promote plant growth and display antibiotic activities against plant pathogen agents. In this review, we focus on the often-overlooked potential properties of B. velezensis as a bioagent for applications that will extend beyond the traditional agricultural uses. We delve into its versatility and future prospects, the challenges such uses may encounter, and some drawbacks associated with B. velezensis-based products.
Many microorganisms have been reported as bioagents for producing ecofriendly, cost-effective, and safe products. Some Bacillus species of bacteria can be used in agricultural applications. Bacillus velezensis in particular has shown promising results for controlling destructive phytopathogens and in biofungicide manufacturing. Some B. velezensis strains can promote plant growth and display antibiotic activities against plant pathogen agents. In this review, we focus on the often-overlooked potential properties of B. velezensis as a bioagent for applications that will extend beyond the traditional agricultural uses. We delve into its versatility and future prospects, the challenges such uses may encounter, and some drawbacks associated with B. velezensis-based products.
Aims
To determine the effects of cytochalasin E, isolated from the extremophile fungus Aspergillus felis, on the cells of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pb18.
Methods and Results
Cytochalasin E showed ...a minimal inhibitory concentration of 3·6 μmol l−1 and minimum fungicidal concentration of 7·2 μmol l−1 on P. brasiliensis by in vitro microdilution and IC50 >964·0 μmol l−1 on murine macrophages. Its selectivity index (>263) indicated that this compound has selectivity for fungal cells. Morphological alterations were determined by optical and fluorescence microscopy, as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cytochalasin E affected P. brasiliensis bud‐forming pseudohyphae, cell morphology, cell walls and cell membranes; caused the release of cellular material; and resulted in the production of reactive oxygen species. In murine macrophages, it affected cytoskeletal actin and inhibited phagocytosis.
Conclusion
Cytochalasin E may be useful as an antifungal prototype against P. brasiliensis and in studies on phagocytosis.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Paracoccidioides spp. are the etiological agents of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). Treatment is prolonged to control the clinical manifestations and prevent relapse. The study on the effects of cytochalasin E in P. brasiliensis is important because it can be used as a prototype for new antifungal drugs and consequently, broadens the treatment options for PCM.
Hunting wild animals is essential for nutrition, clothing, predator control and disease treatment. As part of a system based on food choices and uses, it is influenced by ecological, economic and ...sociocultural patterns. In this context, the aim is to identify the game fauna of interest in the Brazilian semiarid region; indicate the methods, uses, patterns of choices and cultural importance of the fauna and identify which sociodemographic variables influence the knowledge and use of faunal resources.
Information on hunting and fauna use was obtained through semi-structured interviews, complemented with free interviews and informal conversations. The cultural importance of the species was calculated through the current use value. The generalized linear model was created to verify whether the sociodemographic profile of hunters influences the knowledge and use of game species.
The results showed a representativeness of 56 species. The group of birds was the most representative in terms of taxonomic richness (48.2%), followed by the group of mammals (26.8%), reptiles (21.4%) and amphibians (3.6%). The animals mentioned are used for food, trade, control hunting (slaughter of animals considered invaders of property or harmful to humans), pets, zootherapy and ornamentation. Sociodemographic variables shaped the knowledge of faunal resources, in which the age of hunters showed a negative correlation with the number of known species.
The meaning and forms of use attributed to each species depend on ecological, economic and sociocultural factors, which dictate the relationship between human communities and natural resources. Socioeconomic variables shape hunting patterns in all its aspects, whether in perception that hunters have of the resources, forms of use and utilization of hunting strategies.
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