Effects of a novel fermented soy product on the serum lipids of hypercholesterolemic rabbits

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Pharmacological and local toxicity studies of a liposomal formulation for the novel local anaesthetic ropivacaine

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Isolation and characterization of ten novel microsatellite loci in the red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens, Tinamiformes, Aves) and cross-amplification in other tinamous

We describe the isolation and characterization of ten microsatellite loci from the red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens) and also evaluated the cross-amplification of these loci and other ten loci previously developed for the great tinamou (Tinamus major) in other tinamous. Genetic variability was assessed using 24 individuals. Six loci were polymorphic with moderate to high number of alleles per locus (2-12 alleles) and showed expected heterozygosity (HE) ranging from 0.267 to 0.860. All loci conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg expectation and linkage disequilibrium was not significant for any pair of loci. This battery of polymorphic loci showed high paternity exclusion probability (0.986) and low genetic identity probability (4.95 x 10(-5)), proving to be helpful for parentage tests and population analyses in the red-winged tinamou. The cross-amplification was moderate where of the 160 locus/taxon combinations, 46 (28.75%) successfully amplified.

Dependence of the electrical conductivity and elastomeric properties on sample preparation of blends of polyaniline and natural rubber

Blend films (free-standing) containing 20% in volume of polyaniline (PANI) in 80% of natural rubber (NR) were fabricated by casting in three different ways: (1) adding PANI-EB (emeraldine base) dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) to the latex (NRL), (2) adding PANI-EB dissolved in in-cresol to NR dissolved in xylol (NRD), (3) overlaying the surface of a pure NR cast film with a PANI layer grown by in situ polymerization (NRO). All the films were immersed into HCl solution to achieve the primary doping (protonation) of PANI before the characterization. The main goal here was to investigate the elastomeric and electrical conductivity properties for each blend, which may be applied as pressure and deformation sensors in the future. The characterization was carried out by optical microscopy, dc conductivity, vibrational spectroscopy (infrared absorption and Raman scattering), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and tensile stress-strain curves. The results suggest that the NRL blend is the most suitable in terms of mechanical and electrical properties required for applications in pressure and deformation sensors: a gain of conductivity without losing the elastomeric property of the rubber. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structure and antimycobacterial activity of the novel organometallic [Pd(C-bzan)(SCN)(dppp)] compound

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Screening of Formulation Variables for the Preparation of Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) Nanocapsules Containing the Local Anesthetic Benzocaine

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mass spectrometric characterization of two novel inflammatory peptides from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista

The social wasp P. paulista is relatively common in southeast Brazil causing many medically important stinging incidents. The seriousness of these incidents is dependent on the amount of venom inoculated by the wasps into the victims, and the characteristic envenomation symptoms are strongly dependent on the types of peptides present in the venom. In order to identify some of these naturally occurring peptides available in very low amounts, an analytical protocol was developed that uses a combination of reversed-phase and normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of wasp venom for peptide purification, with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight post-source decay mass spectrometry (MALDI-Tof-PSD-MS) and low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (QTof-MS/MS) instrument for peptide sequencing at the sub-picomole level. The distinction between Leu and Ile was achieved both by observing d-type fragment ions obtained under CID conditions and by comparison of retention times of the natural peptides and their synthetic counterparts (with different combinations of I and/or L at N- and C-terminal positions). To distinguish the isobaric residues K and Q, acetylation of peptides was followed by Q-Tof-MS analysis. The primary sequences obtained were INWLKLGKMVIDAL-NH2 (MW 1611.98Da) and IDWLKLGKMVMDVL-NH2 (MW 1658.98Da). Micro-scale bioassay protocols characterized both peptides as presenting potent hemolytic action, mast cell degranulation, and chemotaxis of poly-morphonucleated leukocyte (PMNL) cells. The primary sequences and the bioassay results suggest that these toxins constitute members of a new sub-class of mastoparan toxins, directly involved in the occurrence of inflammatory processes after wasp stinging. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Structural and functional characterization of two novel peptide toxins isolated from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Structural and biological characterization of three novel mastoparan peptides from the venom of the neotropical social wasp Protopolybia exigua (Saussure)

The venom of the Neotropical social wasp Protopolybia exigua(Saussure) was fractionated by RP-HPLC resulting in the elution of 20 fractions. The homogeneity of the preparations were checked out by using ESI-MS analysis and the fractions 15, 17 and 19 (eluted at the most hydrophobic conditions) were enough pure to be sequenced by Edman degradation chemistry, resulting in the following sequences:Protopolybia MPI I-N-W-L-K-L-G-K-K-V-S-A-I-L-NH2 Protopolybia-MP II I-N-W-K-A-I-I-E-A-A-K-Q-A-L-NH2 Protopolybia-MP III I-N-W-L-K-L-G-K-A-V-I-D-A-L-NH2All the peptides were manually synthesized on-solid phase and functionally characterized. Protopolybia-MP I is a hemolytic mastoparan, probably acting on mast cells by assembling in plasma membrane, resulting in pore formation; meanwhile, the peptides Protopolybia-MP II and -MP III were characterized as a non-hemolytic mast cell degranulator toxins, which apparently act by virtue of their binding to G-protein receptor, activating the mast cell degranulation. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural and biological characterization of two novel peptides from the venom of the neotropical social wasp Agelaia pallipes pallipes

The venom of the neotropical social wasp Agelaia pallipes pallipes was fractionated by RP-HPLC resulting in the elution of seven fractions; the last two were re-fractionated under RP-HPLC by using isocratic elution conditions and the purity of the fractions were confirmed by using ESI-MS analysis. Both fractions are constituted of peptide components, which were sequenced by Edman degradation chemistry, resulting in the following sequences:Protonectin I-L-G-T-I-L-G-L-L-K-G-L-NH2Agelaia-MP I-N-W-L-K-L-G-K-A-I-I-D-A-L-NH2Both peptides are manually synthesized on solid-phase and functionally characterized by using Wistar rats cells. Protonectin is a non-hemolytic chemotactic peptide for polymorphonucleated leukocytes (PMNL), presenting some mast cell degranulating activity and potent antimicrobial action both against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Agelaia-MP was characterized as a hemolytic mast cell degranulator toxin, presenting a poor antimicrobial action and no chemotaxis for PMNL. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of two novel polyfunctional mastoparan peptides from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Intermolecular interactions and characterization of the novel factor Xa exosite involved in macromolecular recognition and inhibition: Crystal structure of human Gla-domainless factor Xa complexed with the anticoagulant protein NAPc2 from the hematophagous nematode Ancylostoma caninum

NAPc2, an anticoagulant protein from the hematophagous nematode Ancylostoma caninum evaluated in phase-II/IIa clinical trials, inhibits the extrinsic blood coagulation pathway by a two step mechanism, initially interacting with the hitherto uncharacterized factor Xa exosite involved in macromolecular recognition and subsequently inhibiting factor VIIa (K-i = 8.4 pM) of the factor VIIa/tissue factor complex. NAPc2 is highly flexible, becoming partially ordered and undergoing significant structural changes in the C terminus upon binding to the factor Xa exosite. In the crystal structure of the ternary factor Xa/NAPc2/selectide complex, the binding interface consists of an intermolecular antiparallel beta-sheet formed by the segment of the polypeptide chain consisting of residues 74-80 of NAPc2 with the residues 86-93 of factor Xa that is additional maintained by contacts between the short helical segment (residues 67-73) and a turn (residues 26-29) of NAPc2 with the short C-terminal helix of factor Xa (residues 233-243). This exosite is physiologically highly relevant for the recognition and inhibition of factor X/Xa by macromolecular substrates and provides a structural motif for the development of a new class of inhibitors for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and angioplasty. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural basis for branching-enzyme activity of glycoside hydrolase family 57: Structure and stability studies of a novel branching enzyme from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus Kodakaraensis KOD1

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Preparation of the Ca-diclofenac complex in solid state

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Preparation of different basic Si-MCM-41 catalysts and application in the Knoevenagel and Claisen-Schmidt condensation reactions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)