Lectins constitute a complex group of proteins found in different organisms. These proteins constitute an important field for research, as their structural diversity and affinity for several ...carbohydrates makes them suitable for numerous biological applications. This review addresses the classification and insecticidal activities of plant lectins, providing an overview of the applicability of these proteins in crop protection. The likely target sites in insect tissues, the mode of action of these proteins, as well as the use of lectins as biotechnological tools for pest control are also described. The use of initial bioassays employing artificial diets has led to the most recent advances in this field, such as plant breeding and the construction of fusion proteins, using lectins for targeting the delivery of toxins and to potentiate expected insecticide effects. Based on the data presented, we emphasize the contribution that plant lectins may make as tools for the development of integrated insect pest control strategies.
The octosilicate Na-RUB-18 has the ability to exchange its original sodium with cetyltrimethylammonium cations. This procedure leads to interlayer space expansion, with the aim of obtaining ...inorganic–organic nanostructured hybrids by chemical modification reactions. The silylating agent 3-trimethoxysilylpropylurea was attached to the inorganic layer using heterogeneous methodology. The new organofunctionalized material was characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction,
13C and
29Si nuclear magnetic resonances in the solid state, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The amount of silylating agent immobilized on surface was 2.03
mmol
g
−1, with a basal distance of 2.43
nm. Nuclear magnetic resonance of
13C and
29Si nuclei evidenced covalent bond formation between organosilyl and silanol groups at the surface. The new synthesized nanostructured layered material was able to remove the textile dye Reactive Black 5 from aqueous solution, followed through a batchwise process. The effects of stirring time, adsorbent dosage and pH on the adsorption capacity demonstrated that 150
min is enough to reach equilibrium at 298
±
1
K at pH 3.0. Based on error function values the data were best fitted to fractional-order kinetic models and compared to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and chemisorption kinetic models. The equilibrium data were better fitted to the Sips isotherm models.
In this work, we prepared electrically conductive self-healing nanocomposites. The material consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) that are dispersed into thermally reversible crosslinked ...polyketones. The reversible nature is based on both covalent (Diels-Alder) and non-covalent (hydrogen bonding) interactions. The design allowed for us to tune the thermomechanical properties of the system by changing the fractions of filler, and diene-dienophile and hydroxyl groups. The nanocomposites show up to 1 × 10
S/m electrical conductivity, reaching temperatures between 120 and 150 °C under 20-50 V. The self-healing effect, induced by electricity was qualitatively demonstrated as microcracks were repaired. As pointed out by electron microscopy, samples that were already healed by electricity showed a better dispersion of MWCNT within the polymer. These features point toward prolonging the service life of polymer nanocomposites, improving the product performance, making it effectively stronger and more reliable.
Clinical trials with direct administration of synthetic mRNAs encoding tumor antigens demonstrated safety and induction of tumor-specific immune responses. Their proper delivery to dendritic cells ...(DCs) requires their protection against RNase degradation and more specificity for dose reduction. Lipid-Polymer-RNA lipopolyplexes (LPR) are attractive mRNA delivery systems and their equipment with mannose containing glycolipid, specific of endocytic receptors present on the membrane of DCs is a valuable strategy. In this present work, we evaluated the capacity of LPR functionalized with a tri-antenna of α-d-mannopyranoside (triMN-LPR) concerning (i) their binding to CD209/DC-SIGN and CD207/Langerin expressing cell lines, human and mouse DCs and other hematopoietic cell populations, (ii) the nature of induced immune response after in vivo immunization and (iii) their therapeutic anti-cancer vaccine efficiency. We demonstrated that triMN-LPR provided high induction of a local inflammatory response two days after intradermal injection to C57BL/6 mice, followed by the recruitment and activation of DCs in the corresponding draining lymph nodes. This was associated with skin production of CCR7 and CXCR4 at vaccination sites driving DC migration. High number of E7-specific T cells was detected after E7-encoded mRNA triMN-LPR vaccination. When evaluated in three therapeutic pre-clinical murine tumor models such as E7-expressing TC1 cells, OVA-expressing EG7 cells and MART-1-expressing B16F0 cells, triMN-LPR carrying mRNA encoding the respective antigens significantly exert curative responses in mice vaccinated seven days after initial tumor inoculation. These results provide evidence that triMN-LPR give rise to an efficient stimulatory immune response allowing for therapeutic anti-cancer vaccination in mice. This mRNA formulation should be considered for anti-cancer vaccination in Humans.
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Ayahuasca is an Amazonian botanical hallucinogenic brew which contains dimethyltryptamine, a 5-HT2A receptor agonist, and harmine, a monoamine-oxidase A inhibitor. Our group recently reported that ...ayahuasca administration was associated with fast-acting antidepressive effects in 6 depressive patients. The objective of the present work was to assess the antidepressive potentials of ayahuasca in a bigger sample and to investigate its effects on regional cerebral blood flow. In an open-label trial conducted in an inpatient psychiatric unit, 17 patients with recurrent depression received an oral dose of ayahuasca (2.2 mL/kg) and were evaluated with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Young Mania Rating Scale, and the Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale during acute ayahuasca effects and 1, 7, 14, and 21 days after drug intake. Blood perfusion was assessed eight hours after drug administration by means of single photon emission tomography. Ayahuasca administration was associated with increased psychoactivity (Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale) and significant score decreases in depression-related scales (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale) from 80 minutes to day 21. Increased blood perfusion in the left nucleus accumbens, right insula and left subgenual area, brain regions implicated in the regulation of mood and emotions, were observed after ayahuasca intake. Ayahuasca was well tolerated. Vomiting was the only adverse effect recorded, being reported by 47% of the volunteers. Our results suggest that ayahuasca may have fast-acting and sustained antidepressive properties. These results should be replicated in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.
Magnetoresistive sensors have been enthusiastically selected for applications requiring magnetic field detection with small footprint sensors. The optimisation of the sensor response includes using ...soft magnetic free layers, based on CoFeB and NiFe alloys. Here we report the TMR and noise performance of magnetically saturated in-plane MTJ sensors including CoFeBTa and CoFeSiB soft magnetic films as free layers (FL). Assessing magneto-crystalline anisotropy μ0Hk values of 2.1 and 0.7 mT in CoFeB 2.5 (nm)/Ru 0.2/CoFeBTa 4 and CoFeB 3/Ru 0.2/CoFeSiB 4 compared to 1.7 mT in CoFeB 2.5/Ru 0.2/NiFe 4, together with an improved magnetoresistance of 230% in CoFeBSi comparing with 170% (NiFe) with superior noise characteristics, with Hooge parameter of αH = 7 × 10−11 μm2.
•Firefighters were supplemented with resveratrol (100mg) and applied a fitness test.•RES increased glucose and triglycerides in firefighters after the fitness test.•IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased in ...the RES group after the fitness test.•Fitness test applied was not sufficient to challenge the antioxidant defense systems.•100mg of RES for three months did not induce significant effects.
The purpose of this study was to determine the plasma metabolic response and certain indicators of oxidative stress (antioxidant system and oxidative stress biomarkers) in plasma and erythrocytes of Brazilian military firefighters supplemented or not with resveratrol (RES) for 90days (100mg/day). The analyses were performed before and after a typical physical fitness test (FT) used to induce oxidative stress.
In this placebo-controlled double-blinded study, we observed that RES supplementation did not present hepatic consequences compared with the placebo group following analysis of AST, ALT and GGT plasma activities. Plasma glucose and triglycerides levels were increased after the FT in firefighters supplemented with RES but were not elevated at baseline. Neither total nor cholesterol fractions were modified by RES supplementation. CK levels were increased after the firefighters performed the FT; however, no differences were determined between the placebo and RES groups. Ferric-reducing ability of plasma as well as uric acid was increased after the FT, but was not modified by RES supplementation. Plasma oxidative stress biomarkers, such as thiol content, 8-isoprostane and 8OHdG, showed no modifications, while IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased in the RES group after the FT. Among antioxidant enzyme activities determined in erythrocytes from the firefighters, only GPx activity was reduced by RES supplementation both before and after the FT.
In summary, the most pronounced effect of RES supplementation is its anti-inflammatory effect, which reduced IL-6 and TNF-α level. The FT applied to Brazilian military firefighters was not sufficient to challenge the antioxidant defense systems, and, therefore, 100mg of RES for three months did not induce significant effects.
Ayahuasca (AYA), a natural psychedelic brew prepared from Amazonian plants and rich in dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine, causes effects of subjective well-being and may therefore have ...antidepressant actions. This study sought to evaluate the effects of a single dose of AYA in six volunteers with a current depressive episode.
Open-label trial conducted in an inpatient psychiatric unit.
Statistically significant reductions of up to 82% in depressive scores were observed between baseline and 1, 7, and 21 days after AYA administration, as measured on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Anxious-Depression subscale of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). AYA administration resulted in nonsignificant changes in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) scores and in the thinking disorder subscale of the BPRS, suggesting that AYA does not induce episodes of mania and/or hypomania in patients with mood disorders and that modifications in thought content, which could indicate psychedelic effects, are not essential for mood improvement.
These results suggest that AYA has fast-acting anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in patients with a depressive disorder.
Instream wood plays important chemical, physical and ecological functions in aquatic systems, benefiting biota directly and indirectly. However, human activities along river corridors have disrupted ...wood recruitment and retention, usually leading to reductions in the amount of instream wood. In the tropics, where wood is believed to be more transient, the expansion of agriculture and infrastructure might be reducing instream wood stock even more than in the better studied temperate streams. However, research is needed to augment the small amount of information about wood in different biomes and ecosystems of neotropical streams. Here we present the first extensive assessment of instream wood loads and size distributions in streams of the wet-tropical Amazon and semi-humid-tropical Cerrado (the Brazilian savanna). We also compare neotropical wood stocks with those in temperate streams, first comparing against data from the literature, and then from a comparable dataset from temperate biomes in the USA. Contrary to our expectations, Amazon and Cerrado streams carried similar wood loads, which were lower than the world literature average, but similar to those found in comparable temperate forest and savanna streams in the USA. Our results indicate that the field survey methods and the wood metric adopted are highly important when comparing different datasets. But when properly compared, we found that most of the wood in temperate streams is made-up of a small number of large pieces, whereas wood in neotropical streams is made up of a larger number of small pieces that produce similar total volumes. The character of wood volumes among biomes is linked more to the delivery, transport and decomposition mechanisms than to the total number of pieces. Future studies should further investigate the potential instream wood drivers in neotropical catchments in order to better understand the differences and similarities here detected between biomes and climatic regions.
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