Soybean glycinin (11S) increases HDL-cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic rats

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of isolated soy glycinin (11S) on lipid metabolism in animals subjected to a hypercholesterolemic diet. Design/methodology/approach: Male Wistar rats were kept in individual cages under appropriate conditions. The animals were divided into three groups (n=9): normal diet (STD) given a diet containing casein as protein source, recommended in AIN-93M; hypercholesterolemic (HC) fed a normal diet with 1 per cent cholesterol and 0.5 per cent cholic acid; and hypercholesterolemic+glycinin (HC+11S), fed a hypercholesterolemic diet, plus 11S soy protein (300 mg/kg/day), dissolved in saline and administered by gavage. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed and blood and liver removed for biochemical analysis of total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) in the plasma, hepatic TC and TG. Findings: A single daily dose of glycinin given to the hypercholesterolemic group demonstrated its functional role, particularly in raising HDL-C and reducing triglycerides in the liver. Originality/value: This study demonstrates the action of the 11S globulin in soybean as a serum lipid lowering agent, in addition to its nutritional properties, especially in raising the HDL-C. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

A nonzero gap two-dimensional carbon allotrope from porous graphene

Graphene has been one of the hottest topics in materials science in the last years. Because of its special electronic properties graphene is considered one of the most promising materials for future electronics. However, in its pristine form graphene is a gapless semiconductor, which poses some limitations to its use in some transistor electronics. Many approaches have been tried to create, in a controlled way, a gap in graphene. These approaches have obtained limited successes. Recently, hydrogenated graphene-like structures, the so-called porous graphene, have been synthesized. In this work we show, based on ab initio quantum molecular dynamics calculations, that porous graphene dehydrogenation can lead to a spontaneous formation of a nonzero gap two-dimensional carbon allotrope, called biphenylene carbon (BC). Besides exhibiting an intrinsic nonzero gap value, BC also presents well delocalized frontier orbitals, suggestive of a structure with high electronic mobility. Possible synthetic routes to obtain BC from porous graphene are addressed. © 2012 Materials Research Society.

Toxicological and histopathological effects of hydramethylnon on Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers

The leaf-cut ants are important agricultural pest, because they can cause intense defoliation in plants and destroy large areas cultivated. Although there are several works for the control of these insects by examining the toxicity of natural chemical compounds on various species of ants, few are focused on analyses of morphological changes caused in the affected organs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hydramethylnon on Atta sexdens rubropilosa workers through toxicological bioassays and morphological analysis of the post-pharyngeal glands, midgut, and Malpighian tubules of these ants. Hydramethylnon dissolved either in acetone (HA) or in a mixture of acetone and soy oil (HAO) was added to the artificial diet at a concentration of 200 μg/mL. The workers fed daily with the diet containing hydramethylnon showed higher mortality than the controls, especially when HAO was used. Moreover, light and electron microscopy revealed morphological alterations in the midgut and Malpighian tubules of workers treated with HA, whereas alterations of the post-pharyngeal glands were observed in the HAO-treated group. These results indicated that the presence of soy oil provided an alternate route for the ingestion of the formicide's active ingredient and corroborated previous studies that suggested a role for the post-pharyngeal glands in lipid metabolism. Our findings suggest that the oil may carry hydramethylnon to the gland lumen, resulting in lower quantity of the active ingredient in the intestinal lumen and Malpighian tubules that explains the lower degree of morphological alterations in these structures in the workers treated with HAO. These results may provide insight into the toxicological effects of hydramethylnon on leaf-cutting ants and the use of vegetable oil as an adjuvant in baits to control ants. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Chemoprotective activity of the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein on mutagenicity induced by direct and indirect mutagens in cultured HTC cells

Isoflavones are phenolic compounds widely distributed in plants and found in a high percentage in soybeans. They have important biological properties and are regarded as potential chemopreventive agents. The aim of this study was to verify the preventive effect of two soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) by a micronucleus assay, analysis of GST activity, and real-time RT-PCR analysis of GSTa2 gene expression. Mutagens of direct (doxorubicin) and indirect (2-aminoanthracene) DNA damage were used. Hepatoma cells (HTC) were treated with genistein or daidzein for 26 h at noncytotoxic concentrations; 10 μM when alone, and 0.1, 1.0 and 10 μM when combined with genotoxic agents. The micronucleus test demonstrated that both isoflavones alone had no genotoxic effect. Genistein showed antimutagenic effects at 10 μM with both direct and indirect DNA damage agents. On phase II enzyme regulation, the current study indicated an increase in total cytoplasmic GST activity in response to genistein and daidzein at 10 μM supplementation. However, the mRNA levels of GSTa2 isozymes were not differentially modulated by genistein or daidzein. The results point to an in vitro antimutagenic activity of genistein against direct and indirect DNA damage-induced mutagenicity. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems for treatment of hyperproliferative skin diseases - a review

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

Resistência de genótipos de soja ao nematoide reniforme em ambiente controlado

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Corneal Absorption of a New Riboflavin-Nanostructured System for Transepithelial Collagen Cross-Linking

Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) has been described as a promising therapy for keratoconus. According to standard CXL protocol, epithelium should be debrided before treatment to allow penetration of riboflavin into the corneal stroma. However, removal of the epithelium can increase procedure risks. In this study we aim to evaluate stromal penetration of a biocompatible riboflavin-based nanoemulsion system (riboflavin-5-phosphate and riboflavin-base) in rabbit corneas with intact epithelium. Two riboflavin nanoemulsions were developed. Transmittance and absorption coefficient were measured on corneas with intact epithelia after 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes following exposure to either the nanoemulsions or standard 0.1% or 1% riboflavin-dextran solutions. For the nanoemulsions, the epithelium was removed after measurements to assure that the riboflavin had passed through the hydrophobic epithelium and retained within the stroma. Results were compared to de-epithelialized corneas exposed to 0.1% riboflavin solution and to the same riboflavin nanoemulsions for 30 minutes (standard protocol). Mean transmittance and absorption measured in epithelialized corneas receiving the standard 0.1% riboflavin solution did not reach the levels found on the debrided corneas using the standard technique. Neither increasing the time of exposure nor the concentration of the riboflavin solution from 0.1% to 1% improved riboflavin penetration through the epithelium. When using riboflavin-5-phosphate nanoemulsion for 240 minutes, we found no difference between the mean absorption coefficients to the standard cross-linking protocol (p = 0.54). Riboflavin nanoemulsion was able to penetrate the corneal epithelium, achieving, after 240 minutes, greater stromal concentration when compared to debrided corneas with the standard protocol (p = 0.002). The riboflavin-5-phosphate nanoemulsion diffused better into the stroma than the riboflavin-base nanoemulsion. © 2013 Bottos et al.

Optimal single-embryo mass spectrometry fingerprinting

In pre-implantation embryos, lipids play key roles in determining viability, cryopreservation and implantation properties, but often their analysis is analytically challenging because of the few picograms of analytes present in each of them. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) allows obtaining individual phospholipid profiles of these microscopic organisms. This technique is sensitive enough to enable analysis of individual intact embryos and monitoring the changes in membrane lipid composition in the early stages of development serving as screening method for studies of biology and biotechnologies of reproduction. This article introduces an improved, more comprehensive MALDI-MS lipid fingerprinting approach that considerably increases the lipid information obtained from a single embryo. Using bovine embryos as a biological model, we have also tested optimal sample storage and handling conditions before the MALDI-MS analysis. Improved information at the molecular level is provided by the use of a binary matrix that enables phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, phosphatidylserines, phosphatidylinositols and phosphoethanolamines to be detected via MALDI(±)-MS in both the positive and negative ion modes. An optimal MALDI-MS protocol for lipidomic monitoring of a single intact embryo is therefore reported with potential applications in human and animal reproduction, cell development and stem cell research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantificação de ácidos graxos de alevinos de tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) alimentados com diferentes fontes de óleos vegetais

The present work aimed to quantify the fatty acids in total lipids of Nile tilapia fingerlings (Oreochromis niloticus) fed with different sources of vegetable oils mechanically extracted. Were used 320 tilapias (O. niloticus) with average initial weight and average total initial length of 2.55±0.57 g and 5.59±0.43 cm, respectively, fed for a period of 60 days, in a randomized block design with eight treatments and four replications. The diets were prepared with 320 g/kg crude protein and 3.500 kcal of digestible energy per kg of feed enriched with eight different oils: sunflower, canola, sesame, linseed, peanut, Para's nut soy and macadamia, with an addition of 4%. Among the major fatty acids the oleic, palmitic, linolenic and linoleic were obtained in higher concentration (mg/g of LT) in fish from all treatments. The sums of polyunsaturated fatty acids after 60 days of cultivation had increased in all treatments compared to the 30 days of the experiment. This is due to the addition of oils with high contents of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. The fatty acids in the carcass are a reflection of the energy source of oil used. As a conclusion it is recommended the use of linseed oil in the diet of tilapia fingerlings due to great improvement in the relationship between n-6/n-3.

Low-temperature structural effects in the (TMTSF)2PF6 and AsF6 Bechgaard salts

We present a detailed low-temperature investigation of the statics and dynamics of the anions and methyl groups in the organic conductors (TMTSF) 2PF6 and (TMTSF)2AsF6 (TMTSF: tetramethyl-tetraselenafulvalene). The 4 K neutron-scattering structure refinement of the fully deuterated (TMTSF)2PF6-D12 salt allows locating precisely the methyl groups at 4 K. This structure is compared to the one of the fully hydrogenated (TMTSF)2PF6-H12 salt previously determined at the same temperature. Surprisingly, it is found that deuteration corresponds to the application of a negative pressure of 5×102 MPa to the H12 salt. Accurate measurements of the Bragg intensity show anomalous thermal variations at low temperature both in the deuterated PF 6 and AsF6 salts. Two different thermal behaviors have been distinguished. Small Bragg-angle measurements reflect the presence of low-frequency modes at characteristic energies θE = 8.3 K and θE = 6.7 K for the PF6-D12 and AsF6-D12 salts, respectively. These modes correspond to the low-temperature methyl group motion. Large Bragg-angle measurements evidence an unexpected structural change around 55 K, which probably corresponds to the linkage of the anions to the methyl groups via the formation of F...D-CD2 bonds observed in the 4 K structural refinement. Finally we show that the thermal expansion coefficient of (TMTSF)2PF6 is dominated by the librational motion of the PF6 units. We quantitatively analyze the low-temperature variation of the lattice expansion via the contribution of Einstein oscillators, which allows us to determine for the first time the characteristic frequency of the PF6 librations: θE ≈ 50 K and θE = 76 K for the PF6-D12 and PF6-H12 salts, respectively. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Spatial Distribution of Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Soybean

Soybean bugs are major crop pests that cause significant reduction in harvest yield and influence grain quality. The aim of this study was to verify the spatial distribution of Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in conventional and transgenic soybean cultivars. The experiment was conducted during the 2010-2011 crop season in UNESP/FCAV, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, in two fields of 10,000-m2 area that were subdivided into 100 plots (10 m × 10 m). The cultivars sown were M 7908 RR and its isoline M-SOY 8001. The number of the first to fifth instars and the number of adults were determined. To evaluate insect dispersion in the area, the following indices were used: variance/mean ratio, Morisita index, Green coefficient, and the k exponent of the negative binomial distribution. To study probabilistic models to describe the spatial distribution of the insects, the adjustments of the Poisson and negative binomial distributions were tested. The first to third instars showed aggregated spatial distribution, whereas the fourth and fifth instars, and adults, isolated or grouped, showed variation in the arrangement, ranging from moderately aggregated to randomly dispersed. During the adjustment of probability distributions, the negative binomial distribution model showed adjustment for the first to third instars, fourth and fifth instars, adults, and fourth and fifth instars plus adults. © 2013 Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.

Toxicity of hydramethylnon to the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa forel (hymenoptera: Formicidae)

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

Densidade e época de semeadura de duas espécies de Brachiaria sobre a cultura da soja

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and yield of soybean cultivar M-8766 in consortium with Brachiaria brizantha. BRS Piata and Brachiaria ruziziensis at different densities and sowing dates. The experimental design was randomized blocks with treatments arranged in a factorial 2 × 2 × 3 with four replications. Used as factors grass species (Brachiaria brizantha Piata and Brachiaria ruziziensis BRS) intercropped with soybean M-8766, sowing dates (12 and 24 days after soybean emergence) and three seeding rates (0, 5, 10 kg ha-1 of seed). At 71 days after soybean emergence were evaluated plant height, stem diameter, dry mass of leaves, stems and shoots, and 4 months after sowing determined the weight of 100 grains and soybean yield. The results showed that when seeded at a density of 10 kg ha-1 at 12 and 24 DAE soy, Brachiaria brizantha. BRS Piata caused reduction in yield in the order of 6.71% and 3.03% respectively, while the Brachiaria ruziziensis was one that caused a greater reduction in productivity in the order of 13.42 and 16.23%, respectively, of these values expression when considering the price of soybean sack. B. ruziziensis expressed less competitive with soybean. However, the large biomass production of this grass provides deployment system till the next harvest.

Optical, mechanical and surface properties of amorphous carbonaceous thin films obtained by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition

Diverse amorphous hydrogenated carbon-based films (a-C:H, a-C:H:F, a-C:H:N, a-C:H:Cl and a-C:H:Si:O) were obtained by radiofrequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIIID). The same precursors were used in the production of each pair of each type of film, such as a-C:H, using both PECVD and PIIID. Optical properties, namely the refractive index, n, absorption coefficient, α, and optical gap, ETauc, of these films were obtained via transmission spectra in the ultraviolet-visible near-infrared range (wavelengths from 300 to 3300 nm). Film hardness, elastic modulus and stiffness were obtained as a function of depth using nano-indentation. Surface energy values were calculated from liquid drop contact angle data. Film roughness and morphology were assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The PIIID films were usually thinner and possessed higher refractive indices than the PECVD films. Determined refractive indices are consistent with literature values for similar types of films. Values of ETauc were increased in the PIIID films compared to the PECVD films. An exception was the a-C:H:Si:O films, for which that obtained by PIIID was thicker and exhibited a decreased ETauc. The mechanical properties - hardness, elastic modulus and stiffness - of films produced by PECVD and PIIID generally present small differences. An interesting effect is the increase in the hardness of a-C:H:Cl films from 1.0 to 3.0 GPa when ion implantation is employed. Surface energy correlates well with surface roughness. The implanted films are usually smoother than those obtained by PECVD. ©2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ion beam analysis of a-C:H films on alloy steel substrate

An a-C:H thin film deposited by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition on alloy steel (16MnCr5) was analyzed using a self-consistent ion beam analysis technique.In the self-consistent analysis, the results of each individual technique are combined in a unique model, increasing confidence and reducing simulation errors.Self-consistent analysis, then, is able to improve the regular ion beam analysis since several analyses commonly used to process ion beam data still rely on handling each spectrum independently.The sample was analyzed by particle-induced x-ray emission (for trace elements), elastic backscattering spectrometry (for carbon), forward recoil spectrometry (for hydrogen) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (for film morphology).The self-consistent analysis provided reliable chemical information about the film, despite its heavy substrate.As a result, we could determine precisely the H/C ratio, contaminant concentration and some morphological characteristics of the film, such as roughness and discontinuities.© 2013 Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.