This paper describes a new gas-chrormatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD) method for determination of some pyrethroids in milk samples. The extraction of the pyrethroids was carried out ...by liquid–liquid extraction with clean-up by precipitation at low temperature, without additional stages for removal of fat interferences. The method was efficient with recoveries of 93.0
±
0.1% for cipermethrin and 84.0
±
0.3% for deltamethrin. The quantification limits were 0.75
μg
L
−1 for both pyrethroids. The method was simple, of easy execution, and used only small quantities of organic solvent. After optimization and validation, the method was used for the determination of residues of the pyrethroids cipermethrin and deltamethrin in milk and in lactea drink commercialized in Viçosa (MG, Brazil). Some samples presented contamination with deltamethrin at levels below the maximum contamination limits established by the FAO.
Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae) is commonly known as the cashew tree. It is native to tropical America and extracts of the leaves, bark, roots, chestnut net and exudate have been ...traditionally used in northeast Brazil for the treatment of various diseases. The exudate of the cashew tree (cashew gum) has been exploited by locals since ancient times for multiple applications, including the treatment of diarrheal diseases.
The primary aim of the present study is to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of cashew gum (CG), a complex heteropolysaccharide from the exudate of the cashew tree, using various models.
The antidiarrheal activity of cashew gum (CG) against acute diarrhea was investigated using the castor oil-induced diarrhea model. The effects of CG on gastrointestinal transit and castor oil- and PGE2- induced enteropooling were also examined in rodents. In addition, the effect of CG against secretory diarrhea was investigated using a model of fluid secretion in cholera toxin-treated intestinal closed loops in live mice.
Cashew gum (30, 60, and 90mg/kg, p.o.) showed a significant (P<0.05–0.01) antidiarrheal effect in rats with castor oil-induced diarrhea, inhibiting the total amount of stool and diarrheal stools. The 60mg/kg dose of CG exhibited excellent antidiarrheal activity and significantly reduced the severity of diarrhea (diarrhea scores) in rats. CG (60mg/kg) significantly (P<0.05) decreased the volume of castor oil- and PGE2-induced intestinal fluid secretion (enteropooling). In addition, similar to loperamide (standard drug, 5mg/kg, p.o.), CG treatment reduced the distance traveled by a charcoal meal in the 30-min gastrointestinal transit model by interacting with opioid receptors. In cholera toxin-induced secretory diarrhea, CG (60mg/kg) significantly inhibited the intestinal fluid secretion and decreased Cl− ion loss in the cholera toxin-treated isolated loops model of live mice by competitively binding to cholera toxin-GM1 receptors.
In conclusion, our results indicate that a complex heteropolysaccharide extracted from the exudate of A. occidentale L. has antidiarrheal activity in acute, inflammatory, and secretory diarrhea models, which could justify its traditional use in the treatment of diarrhea in northeast Brazil. The antidiarrheal activity might be explained by the capacity of CG to inhibit gastrointestinal motility and thereby reduce the accumulation of intestinal fluid and the secretion of water and chloride ions in the lumen of the intestine.
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The production of edible rainforest fruits is characterized by fluctuating and seasonal patterns that require frugivores to flexibly adjust their ranging behaviour. We investigated whether ...significant changes in a forager's travel direction can inform us about the importance of the nutritional and energetic aspects of different food sources for a wild animal's diet. We recorded the ranging patterns of five adult female chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus, for a total of 275 full days in the Taï National Park in Côte d’Ivoire and designed two models that predicted their directional changes at, and on the way to, fruit-bearing feeding trees. In both models, directional change was significantly influenced by the density of the feeding tree species and the crude fat content of that species' fruit. Female chimpanzees were more likely to change their travel direction for rarer trees, at which they fed on fruits that contained higher amounts of fat. In addition, directional changes tended to be positively influenced by the content of nonstructural (‘easy energy’) and structural carbohydrates (NDF) in that species' fruit. We did not detect any effect of sensory cues or social factors on the directional changes, in either model. The amount of fruit available and the time since the start of the fruiting season positively influenced directional change in the second model, which suggests that chimpanzees were updating their knowledge of the fruit availability in individual trees over time. Our results indicate that the nutrient content of fruit and its abundance exerted a significant impact on the shape of chimpanzee female travel paths, which opens up a new avenue for investigation of food preferences in wild animals through analyses of their ranging patterns.
•We explore a new way to study food preferences by analysing animal ranging patterns.•We followed five adult female chimpanzees for a total of 275 full days.•Females changed travel direction for rarer trees with fruits with high fat content.•They also tended to change direction for fruits with more sugars and fibres.•Travel direction analyses may reveal value of food's nutrition for an animal's diet.
Although mitochondrial disorders are clinically heterogeneous, they frequently involve the central nervous system and are among the most common neurogenetic disorders. Identifying the causal genes ...has benefited enormously from advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies; however, once the defect is known, researchers face the challenge of deciphering the underlying disease mechanism. Here we characterize large biallelic deletions in the region encoding the ATAD3C, ATAD3B and ATAD3A genes. Although high homology complicates genomic analysis of the ATAD3 defects, they can be identified by targeted analysis of standard single nucleotide polymorphism array and whole exome sequencing data. We report deletions that generate chimeric ATAD3B/ATAD3A fusion genes in individuals from four unrelated families with fatal congenital pontocerebellar hypoplasia, whereas a case with genomic rearrangements affecting the ATAD3C/ATAD3B genes on one allele and ATAD3B/ATAD3A genes on the other displays later-onset encephalopathy with cerebellar atrophy, ataxia and dystonia. Fibroblasts from affected individuals display mitochondrial DNA abnormalities, associated with multiple indicators of altered cholesterol metabolism. Moreover, drug-induced perturbations of cholesterol homeostasis cause mitochondrial DNA disorganization in control cells, while mitochondrial DNA aggregation in the genetic cholesterol trafficking disorder Niemann-Pick type C disease further corroborates the interdependence of mitochondrial DNA organization and cholesterol. These data demonstrate the integration of mitochondria in cellular cholesterol homeostasis, in which ATAD3 plays a critical role. The dual problem of perturbed cholesterol metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction could be widespread in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
The Brazilian species Pustulatirus ogum and Hemipolygona beckyae were examined, and certain morphological characters were described. Both species were originally assigned to the genus Latirus, ...considered as a heterogeneous complex. The radulae of both species are like that which characterizes Latirus, in which the innermost cusp of the rachidian tooth is well developed but always smaller than the other cusps. This feature differs from Leucozonia, in which this cusp is reduced or absent. The penis tapers terminally, and the tapered part may be long (more than half the total penis length), as in H. beckyae, or very short (less than half the total penis length), as in P. ogum. The anatomical data observed in both species are discussed under the framework of fasciolariid systematics and they appear to be widespread among other fasciolariid species. For this reason, to date, the soft-part features here provided and those known from previously studied species of Latirus are not useful for delineating precise generic diagnoses.
The analgesic activity of (−)-linalool (LIN), a monoterpene present in essential oils of
Lamiaceae
species, has been previously demonstrated in rodents. However, its possible use in the treatment of ...fibromyalgia (FM) was never demonstrated. Additionally, as a short half-life is a limitation for the LIN medicinal application, the employment of drug delivery systems has been used to improve pharmaceutical properties of this compound. We investigated the anti-nociceptive effect of LIN, isolated or in β-cyclodextrin complex (LIN–CD), in an animal model of chronic non-inflammatory muscle pain (a FM animal model), as well as its effect on the central nervous system (CNS). Male Swiss mice were subjected to two injections of acidic saline (pH 4; 20 μL/gastrocnemius) and were treated on alternate days, with LIN–CD (25 mg/kg, p.o.), LIN (25 mg/kg, p.o.), tramadol (TRM 4 mg/kg, i.p.), or vehicle (neutral saline). After 60 min, they were screened for mechanical hyperalgesia (von Frey), motor coordination (rotarod), and muscle strength (grip strength meter) for 27 days. The CNS areas involved in the anti-hyperalgesic activity were evaluated by immunofluorescence. LIN or LIN–CD produced a significant reduction (
p
< 0.001) of mechanical hyperalgesia on chronic non-inflammatory muscle pain model, which remained for 24 h only in LIN–CD, and these compounds significantly (
p
< 0.05) activated neurons of the locus coeruleus, nucleus raphe magnus, and periaqueductal gray areas. So, our results suggest that LIN–CD improved analgesic profile of LIN, with a probable involvement of descending pain pathways and the anti-nociceptive effect of linalool in an animal model of chronic non-inflammatory muscle pain. So far, only the investigations in animal models of inflammatory pain and supraspinatus were published.
Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease, yet immunization can wane over time to non-protective levels. We have developed a low-cost, miniaturized electroanalytical biosensor to quantify ...anti-diphtheria toxin (DTx) immunoglobulin G (anti-DTx IgG) antibody to minimize the risk for localized outbreaks. Two epitopes specific to DTx and recognized by antibodies generated post-vaccination were selected to create a bi-epitope peptide, biEP, by synthesizing the epitopes in tandem. The biEP peptide was conjugated to the surface of a pencil-lead electrode (PLE) integrated into a portable electrode holder. Captured anti-DTx IgG was measured by square wave voltammetry from the generation of hydroquinone (HQ) from the resulting immunocomplex. The performance of the biEP reagent presented high selectivity and specificity for DTx. Under the optimized working conditions, a logarithmic calibration curve showed good linearity over the concentration range of 10
-10
IU mL
and achieved a limit of detection of 5 × 10
IU mL
. The final device proved suitable for interrogating the immunity level against DTx in actual serum samples. Results showed good agreement with those obtained from a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, the flexibility for conjugating other capture molecules to PLEs suggests that this technology could be easily adapted to the diagnoses of other pathogens.
Using a 2
3 experimental design, liquid–liquid extraction with low temperature partitioning (LLE-LTP) was optimized and validated for analysis of three carbamates (aldicarb, carbofuran and carbaryl) ...in water samples. In this method, 2.0
mL of sample is placed in contact with 4.0
mL of acetonitrile. After agitation, the sample is placed in a freezer for 3
h for phase separation. The organic extract is analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). For validation of the technique, the following figures of merit were evaluated: accuracy, precision, detection and quantification limits, linearity, sensibility and selectivity. Extraction recovery percentages of the carbamates aldicarb, carbofuran and carbaryl were 90%, 95% and 96%, respectively. Even though extremely low volumes of sample and solvent were used, the extraction method was selective and the detection and quantification limits were between 5.0 and 10.0
μg
L
−1, and 17.0 and 33.0
μg
L
−1, respectively.
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