This study aims to produce, characterize, and assess the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of polymer blends based on chitosan (CT) and fish collagen (COL) produced by different precipitation ...methods. Polymer blends were obtained in alkaline (NaOH), saline (NaCl), and alkaline/saline (NaOH/NaCl) solutions with different CT:COL concentration ratios (20:80, 50:50, and 80:20). The polymer blends were characterized by various physicochemical methods and subsequently evaluated in terms of their in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity. In this study, the degree of chitosan deacetylation was 82%. The total hydroxyproline and collagen content in the fish matrix was 47.56 mg. g
−1
and 394.75 mg. g
−1
, respectively. The highest yield was 44% and was obtained for a CT:COL (80:20) blend prepared by precipitation in NaOH. High concentrations of hydroxyproline and collagen in the blends were observed when NaOH precipitation was used. Microbiological analysis revealed that the strains used in this work were sensitive to the biomaterial; this sensitivity was dose-dependent and increased with increasing chitosan concentration in the products. The biocompatibility test showed that the blends did not reduce the viability of fibroblast cells after 48 h of culture. An analysis of the microbiological activity of the all-polymer blends showed a decrease in the values of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) for
S. aureus
and
P. aeruginosa
. The blends showed biocompatibility with NIH-3T3 murine fibroblast cells and demonstrated their potential for use in biomedical applications such as wound healing, implants, and scaffolds.
Key points
Different precipitation methods do not change the biological properties of polymer blends.
Gram-positive bacterias and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
were sensitive to polymer blends.
The blends produced showed biocompatibility in NIH-3T3 murine fibroblast cells.
•The animal model showed a better adjustment for age at first calving.•Presence of complex genotype-environment interaction for scrotal circumference.•Scale effect as a form of genotype-environment ...interaction for gestation length.•Approximately 80% of the bulls were classified as extremely robust genotypes.•Bulls classified as extremely robust showed higher average number of progeny.
The research aim was to evaluate the genotype-environment interactions (GxE) through a study of the reaction norms of Nellore cattle raised in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil at the age at first calving (AFC), with scrotal circumference at 365 and 450 days of age (SC365 and SC450), gestation length (GL) and accumulated productivity (ACP). Bayes hierarchical models with defined parameters at structured levels or stages were used. The Markov chain Monte Carlo method was used to obtain genetic parameter estimates. The environmental gradient of each trait was defined using a 99% credibility interval of the contemporary group's solutions. The animal model showed a better fit for AFC data, and the two-step reaction norms model was the best for the other characteristics. Heritabilities were 0.21 ± 0.01 for AFC; and ranged from 0.27 ± 0.04 to 0.58 ± 0.02, 0.26 ± 0.05 to 0.57 ± 0.02, 81 ± 0.03 to 0.03 ± 0.02, 0.05 ± 0.02 to 0.86 ± 0.03 along the environmental gradient for SC365, SC450, GL and ACP, respectively. Correlations between intercept and slope of the reaction norms allied with reaction norms graphic plots of the ten sires with the greatest number of calves suggest the presence of GxE complex for SC365 and SC450, and GxE scale effect for GL and ACP. However, high correlations between the environments indicate that the GxE for SC450 and ACP is of a low magnitude and its inclusion in genetic evaluations would not influence the population selection.
Sodium overload during childhood impairs baroreflex sensitivity and increases arterial blood pressure and heart rate in adulthood; these effects persist even after high-salt diet (HSD) withdrawal. ...However, the literature lacks details on the effects of HSD during postnatal phases on cardiac ischemia/reperfusion responses in adulthood. The current study aimed to elucidate the impact of HSD during infancy adolescence on isolated heart function and cardiac ischemia/reperfusion responses in adulthood. Male 21-day-old Wistar rats were treated for 60 days with hypertonic saline solution (NaCl; 0.3M; experimental group) or tap water (control group). Subsequently, both groups were maintained on a normal sodium diet for 30 days. Subsequently, the rats were euthanized, and their hearts were isolated and perfused according to the Langendorff technique. After 30 min of the basal period, the hearts were subjected to 20 min of anoxia, followed by 20 min of reperfusion. The basal contractile function was unaffected by HSD. However, HSD elevated the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during reperfusion (23.1 ± 5.2 mmHg vs. 11.6 ± 1.4 mmHg;
< 0.05) and increased ectopic incidence period during reperfusion (208.8 ± 32.9s vs. 75.0 ± 7.8s;
< 0.05). In conclusion, sodium overload compromises cardiac function after reperfusion events, diminishes ventricular relaxation, and increases the severity of arrhythmias, suggesting a possible arrhythmogenic effect of HSD in the postnatal phases.
There is a great diversity of microorganisms that participate in biological, biochemical and biogeochemical processes responsible for the formation and maintenance of soil physical structure, quality ...and fertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inoculation of encapsulated plant growth promoting microorganisms on plant growth, microbial biomass carbon, soil nitrogen and phosphorus, and to estimate the microbial activity in the substrate used for the formation of fruit species seedlings. Microbial inoculum contained the following species: 'Azospirillum brasilense, Burkolderia cepacia, Bacillus thuringienses, B. megaterium, B. cereus, B. subtilis, Tricoderma' spp. and Isolate 411. Fruit species evaluated were: 'Myrciaria glazioviana, Myrciaria dubia, Annona muricata.; Chrysophyllum cainito.; and Litchi chinensis'. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme (control, sodium alginate and clay) (presence and absence of microbial inoculum) with five replicates (one seedling per replicate), for ninety days. Each plant specie was analyzed separately according to each treatment. At the end of the experimental period, the following parameters were evaluated in soil samples: dehydrogenase enzymatic activity (DEA), ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-), bicarbonate-soluble phosphate (BSP), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and total number of bacteria (CFU). The results of the present study showed no effective action of encapsulation in promoting plant growth. However, some soil parameters such as ammonium content were positively affected for 'Myrciaria dubia'.
Objetivos: Analisar as notificações de morte encefálica (ME) recebidas pela Central de Transplantes (CET) do estado de Roraima (RR) de 2017 a 2021. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo transversal, ...quantitativo e observacional no qual foram analisadas todas as notificações recebidas pela CET no período de 2017 a 2021, resultando em 120 pacientes, dos seguintes centros de saúde: Hospital Geral de Roraima (HGR), Hospital Confederação Nacional das Cooperativas Médicas (UNIMED), Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio (HCSA), Hospital das Clínicas (HC) e Hospital Lotty Íris (HLI). Os dados foram coletados do sistema de gerenciamento de dados da central e repassados para a ficha de coleta desenvolvida pela pesquisadora. Resultados: Este estudo analisou 119 notificações após a exclusão de uma devido a dados conflitantes. Houve predominância do sexo masculino (58%), com trauma cranioencefálico sendo a causa mais frequente de ME. Ao todo, foram realizadas seis captações de órgãos, todas no HGR. Este estudo não encontrou associações significativas entre a captação de órgãos e sexo, idade, local de internação e ano. Conclusão: Há grandes desafios em relação à doação de órgãos em RR, com uma taxa de captação baixa ao longo de 5 anos. Apenas o HGR obteve sucesso em realizar captações de órgãos, diferentemente de outros hospitais notificadores. São necessárias melhorias, destacando a importância de se realizarem mais estudos para uma análise mais aprofundada dos dados.
Thymol and eugenol derivatives as anti-leishmanial agents
In Northeastern Brazil visceral leishmaniasis is endemic with lethal cases among humans and dogs. Treatment is toxic and 5–10% of humans die ...despite treatment. The aim of this work was to survey natural active compounds to find new molecules with high activity and low toxicity against Leishmania infantum chagasi. The compounds thymol and eugenol were chosen to be starting compounds to synthesize acetyl and benzoyl derivatives and to test their antileishmanial activity in vitro and in vivo against L. i. chagasi. A screening assay using luciferase-expressing promastigotes was used to measure the growth inhibition of promastigotes, and an ELISA in situ was performed to evaluate the growth inhibition of amastigote. For the in vivo assay, thymol and eugenol derivatives were given IP to BALB/c mice at 100mg/kg/day for 30days. The thymol derivatives demonstrated the greater activity than the eugenol derivatives, and benzoyl-thymol was the best inhibitor (8.67±0.28μg/mL). All compounds demonstrated similar activity against amastigotes, and acetyl-thymol was more active than thymol and the positive control drug amphotericin B. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the presence of Leishmania amastigote only in the spleen but not the liver of mice treated with acetyl-thymol. Thus, these synthesized derivatives demonstrated anti-leishmanial activity both in vitro and in vivo. These may constitute useful compounds to generate new agents for treatment of leishmaniasis.
The present study reports the effects of a high-fat (HF) diet of over 8 weeks on the Fe status of growing rats. Tissue Fe levels were analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and whole-body ...adiposity was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Histopathology and morphometry of adipose tissue were performed. Liver homogenates were used for measuring ferroportin-1 protein levels by immunoblotting, and transcript levels were used for Fe genes measured by real-time PCR. Tissue Fe pools were fit to a compartmental biokinetic model in which Fe was assessed using fourteen compartments and twenty-seven transfer constants (kj,i from tissue 'i' to tissue 'j') adapted from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 69. Ten kj,i were calculated from the experimental data using non-linear regression, and seventeen were estimated by allometry according to the formula ${k_{i,j}} = a \times {M^b}$. Validation of the model was carried out by comparing predicted and analysed Fe pool sizes in erythrocytes, the liver and the spleen. Body adiposity was negatively associated with serum Fe levels and positively associated with liver Fe stores. An inferred increase in Fe transfer from bone marrow to the liver paralleled higher hepatic Fe concentrations and ferritin heavy-chain mRNA levels in the HF diet-fed animals, suggesting that liver Fe accumulation occurred at least in part due to a favoured liver erythrocyte uptake. If this feeding condition was to be prolonged, impaired Fe decompartmentalisation may occur, ultimately resulting in dysmetabolic Fe overload.
The present study describes the expression of genes in the
Longissimus dorsi
muscle related to meat quality of hair lambs finished in an Integration Crop-Livestock system. Twenty-eight non-castrated ...lambs of two breeds, Somalis Brasileira and Santa Inês, at 120 ± 15 days of age, with an average initial live weight of 18 ± 3.1 kg, were kept in a pasture-based finishing system with supplementation. Upon reaching 28 kg body weight, animals were sent for slaughter. Samples of the
Longissimus dorsi
and
Biceps femoris
muscle were harvested for analyses of gene expression and physicochemical properties. Significant differences were detected between the breeds for tissue and chemical composition, whereas the physical aspects did not differ. We observed the expression of six genes related to lipid synthesis (acetyl-CoA carboxylase
ACACA
, fatty acid synthase
FAS
, stearoyl-CoA desaturase
SCD
, lipoprotein lipase
LPL
, cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector A
CIDEA
, and thyroid hormone responsive
THRSP
) and six genes related to molecular synthesis (myostatin
MSTN
, growth differentiation factor 8
GDF8
, insulin-like growth factor 1 I
GF1
, insulin-like growth factor 2
IGF2
, delta-like 1 homolog
DLK1
, and growth hormone receptor
GHr
) in both breeds. The Santa Inês breed and the Somalis Brasileira showed similar expression patterns of genes related to lipogenesis and myogenesis of the Longissimus dorsi muscle, with the exception of the THRSP gene, in which the Somalis Brasileira have more receptors for the action of thyroid hormones, which resulted in greater thickness of fat in the carcass (subcutaneous fat) and higher lipid content in the chemical composition of the meat.
There is a great diversity of microorganisms that participate in biological, biochemical and biogeochemical processes responsible for the formation and maintenance of soil physical structure, quality ...and fertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inoculation of encapsulated plant growth promoting microorganisms on plant growth, microbial biomass carbon, soil nitrogen and phosphorus, and to estimate the microbial activity in the substrate used for the formation of fruit species seedlings. Microbial inoculum contained the following species: 'Azospirillum brasilense, Burkolderia cepacia, Bacillus thuringienses, B. megaterium, B. cereus, B. subtilis, Tricoderma' spp. and Isolate 411. Fruit species evaluated were: 'Myrciaria glazioviana, Myrciaria dubia, Annona muricata.; Chrysophyllum cainito.; and Litchi chinensis'. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme (control, sodium alginate and clay) (presence and absence of microbial inoculum) with five replicates (one seedling per replicate), for ninety days. Each plant specie was analyzed separately according to each treatment. At the end of the experimental period, the following parameters were evaluated in soil samples: dehydrogenase enzymatic activity (DEA), ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-), bicarbonate-soluble phosphate (BSP), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and total number of bacteria (CFU). The results of the present study showed no effective action of encapsulation in promoting plant growth. However, some soil parameters such as ammonium content were positively affected for 'Myrciaria dubia'.
•WD6.0 showed a toxic effect similar to PTX and higher than other treatments after 2 and 6 days.•WD6.0 reduced the cell proliferating compared to PTX or WD3.0.•Chemotherapeutic agents (PTX and WD) ...don’t alter the expression of ABCB1.
The Withanolide D is a chemotherapeutic potential against the human tumor cell. However, there is no report on the effect of this compound on ovarian function, especially on preantral folliculogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of a new candidate to anticancer drug, Withanolide D (WD) on morphologic integrity, development (activation and granulosa cell proliferation) and gene expression of ABCB1 protein of caprine preantral follicles. Ovarian fragments were cultured in vitro for 2 or 6 days in α-MEM or α-MEM added with paclitaxel (PTX −0.1 μg/mL; negative control) and different concentrations of WD (WD1.5, WD3.0 or WD6.0). The higher dose of WD showed a toxic effect similar to PTX and higher (P < 0.05) than other treatments after 2 and 6 days. In addition, WD6.0 reduced the cell proliferating compared to PTX or mild dose. The expression of ABCB1 remained unchanged in the presence of the chemotherapeutic agents (PTX and WD) throughout the culture period. In conclusion, WD exerted a toxic effect observed by decreasing follicular survival and cell proliferation, on the preantral caprine follicles similar to PTX, whose negative effect on folliculogenesis is already widely known.