Evaluation of Estrogenic Potential of Flavonoids Using a Recombinant Yeast Strain and MCF7/BUS Cell Proliferation Assay

Phytoestrogens are of interest because of their reported beneficial effects on many human maladies including cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Furthermore, there is a search for compounds with estrogenic activity that can replace estrogen in hormone replacement therapy during menopause, without the undesirable effects of estrogen, such as the elevation of breast cancer occurrence. Thus, the principal objective of this study was to assess the estrogenic activity of flavonoids with different hydroxylation patterns: quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, fisetin, chrysin, galangin, flavone, 3-hydroxyflavone, 5-hydroxyflavone and 7-hydroxyflavone via two different in vitro assays, the recombinant yeast assay (RYA) and the MCF-7 proliferation assay (E-screen), since the most potent phytoestrogens are members of the flavonoid family. In these assays, kaempferol was the only compound that showed ERα-dependent transcriptional activation activity by RYA, showing 6.74±1.7 nM EEQ, besides acting as a full agonist for the stimulation of proliferation of MCF-7/BUS cells. The other compounds did not show detectable levels of interaction with ER under the conditions used in the RYA. However, in the E-screen assay, compounds such as galangin, luteolin and fisetin also stimulated the proliferation of MCF-7/BUS cells, acting as partial agonists. In the evaluation of antiestrogenicity, the compounds quercetin, chrysin and 3-hydroxyflavone significantly inhibited the cell proliferation induced by 17-β-estradiol in the E-screen assay, indicating that these compounds may act as estrogen receptor antagonists. Overall, it became clear in the assay results that the estrogenic activity of flavonoids was affected by small structural differences such as the number of hydroxyl groups, especially those on the B ring of the flavonoid. © 2013 Resende et al.

Otimização de um forno de reaquecimento a óleo - controle de emissões e crédito de carbono

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Taxonomic assessment and biotechnological potential of yeasts hold at the Unesp - Central for microbial resources

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Microbiologia Aplicada) - IBRC

Efeito do preparo do solo e resíduo da colheita de cana-de-açúcar sobre a emissão de CO2

The soil is one of the main C pools in terrestrial ecosystem, capable of storing significant C amounts. Therefore, understanding the factors that contribute to the loss of CO2 from agricultural soils is critical to determine strategies reducing emissions of this gas and help mitigate the greenhouse effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soil tillage and sugarcane trash on CO2 emissions, temperature and soil moisture during sugarcane (re)planting, over a study period of 15 days. The following managements were evaluated: no-tillage with crop residues left on the soil surface (NTR); without tillage and without residue (NTNR) and tillage with no residue (TNR). The average soil CO2 emission (FCO2) was lowest in NTR (2.16 µmol m-2 s-1), compared to the managements NTNR (2.90 µmol m-2 s-1) and TNR (3.22 µmol m-2 s-1), indicating that the higher moisture and lower soil temperature variations observed in NTR were responsible for this decrease. During the study period, the lowest daily average FCO2 was recorded in NTR (1.28 µmol m-2 s-1), and the highest in TNR (6.08 µmol m-2 s-1), after rainfall. A loss of soil CO2 was lowest from the management NTR (367 kg ha-1 of CO2-C) and differing significantly (p<0.05) from the managements NTNR (502 kg ha-1 of CO2-C) and TNR (535 kg ha-1 of CO2-C). Soil moisture was the variable that differed most managements and was positively correlated (r = 0.55, p<0.05) with the temporal variations of CO2 emission from NTR and TNR. In addition, the soil temperature differed (p<0.05) only in management NTR (24 °C) compared to NTNR (26 °C) and TNR (26.5 °C), suggesting that under the conditions of this study, sugarcane trash left on the surface induced an average rise in the of soil temperature of 2 ºC.

Assessment of the physiological potential of spinach seeds (Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze)

The efficiency of vigor tests in assessing the physiological potential of seeds depends on their standardization for different species. In this context, the research aimed to study specific methodologies to evaluate the vigor of spinach seeds (Tetragonia tetragonoides). For this purpose, five lots of spinach seed cv. New Zealand were submitted to germination, first count of germination, seedling emergence in the field, accelerated aging (with and without use of saturated solution of NaCl at 41and 45 ºC for 24,48 and 72 hours), controlled deterioration (18,21 and 24% seed water content adjustments for 24 hours at 45 ºC) and electrical conductivity tests with variations inwater volume (25, 50 and 75 mL), seed quantity (25 and 50) and soaking period (1, 2, 4, 8,12, 16 and 24 hours) at 25 ºC. The first count test allowed obtaining preliminary information about seed vigor, and other tests in general showed similarity with seedling emergence in the field. Thus, it was concluded that traditional accelerated aging test 24 h /41 ºC and accelerated aging test with saturated salt solution for 24 h at 41 ºC and 45 ºC, and controlled deterioration test with 21% seed water content / 24 h / 45 ºC were all efficient for evaluating the physiological potential of spinach seeds.

Role of the reactive atmosphere during the sol-gel synthesis on the enhancing of the emission quantum yield of urea cross-linked tripodal siloxane-based hybrids

Transparent monoliths and films of urea cross-linked tripodal siloxane-based hybrids (named tri-ureasils) were prepared by the sol-gel process, under controlled atmosphere (inside a glove box) and ambient conditions and their structure and optical features were compared. X-ray diffraction data point out that all the materials are essentially amorphous and Si-29 NMR reveal an increase in the condensation degree (0.97) for the hybrids prepared under controlled atmosphere relatively to that found for those prepared under ambient conditions (0.84-0.91). The tri-ureasils are white light emitters under UV/Visible excitation (from 250 to 453 nm) being observed for the composites prepared inside the glove box a significant enhancement (60-80 %) of the absorption coefficient and higher emission quantum yield values (similar to 0.27 and similar to 0.20 for monoliths and films, respectively) relatively to those synthesized under ambient condition.

A phylogenetic analysis of Pseudopaludicola (Anura) providing evidence of progressive chromosome reduction

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

The potential of novel primers and universal adhesives to bond to zirconia

Objectives: To investigate the adhesive potential of novel zirconia primers and universal adhesives to surface-treated zirconia substrates.Methods: Zirconia bars were manufactured (3.0 mm x 3.0 mm x 9.0 mm) and treated as follows: no treatment (C); air abrasion with 35 mu m alumina particles (S); air abrasion with 30 mu m silica particles using one of two systems (Rocatec or SilJet) and; glazing (G). Groups C and S were subsequentially treated with one of the following primers or adhesives: ZP (Z-Prime Plus), AZ (AZ Primer); MP (Monobond Plus); SU (ScotchBond Universal) and; EA (an Experimental Adhesive). Groups Rocatec and SilJet were silanized prior to cementation. Samples form group G were further etched and silanized. Bars were cemented (Multilink) onto bars of a silicate-based ceramic (3.0 mm x 3.0 mm x 9.0 mm) at 90 degrees angle, thermocycled (2.500 cycles, 5-55 degrees C, 30 s dwell time), and tested in tensile strength test. Failure analysis was performed on fractured specimens to measure the bonding area and crack origin.Results: Specimens from group C did not survive thermocycling, while CMP, CSU and CEA groups survived thermocycling but rendered low values of bond strength. All primers presented a better bond performance after air abrasion with Al2O3 particles. SilJet was similar to Rocatec, both presenting the best bond strength results, along with SMP, SSU and CEA. G promoted intermediate bond strength values. Failure mode was predominately adhesive on zirconia surface combined to cohesive of the luting agent.Conclusions: Universal adhesives (MP, SU, EA) may be a considerable alternative for bonding to zirconia, but air abrasion is still previously required. Air abrasion with silica particles followed by silane application also presented high bond strength values. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the potential of partial replacing of artemia by practical inert diet in the larviculture of the Amazon River prawn

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Insecticidal potential of the annonaceae family plants

The use of plants compounds for the control of insects has increased worldwide. This occurs because the vegetal insecticides contains biodegradable compounds, nontoxic products and potentially suitable for use in pest control. Plants of the family Annonaceae are standing out as biopesticides because they are bioactive naturally in addition to presenting cytotoxic activity, antitumor, vermifuge, antimicrobial, immunosuppressive, anti-emetic, inhibiting appetite, antimalarial and also insecticide. The insecticidal activity of Annonaceae is due to the presence of acetogenins, substances that act on mitochondria inhibiting the NADH -ubiquinone oxidoreductase, causing the death of insects. In this review we report the use of Annonaceae in insect control, showing that so far, only 42 species of Annonaceae have information insecticidal activity against just over 60 species of insect pests. This information shows that much research is still needed, especially to get to know the insecticidal activity of other Annonaceae species, in addition to its effects on insect pests not yet studied. So we will have as an alternative to sustainable development, new vegetal insecticides such as those obtained from different Annonaceae species, which can act as an additional tool to balance the excesses of agriculture chemical or conventional.

Distributional potential of the Triatoma brasiliensis species complex at present and under scenarios of future climate conditions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of manganese supplementation on the membrane integrity and the mitochondrial potential of the sperm of grazing Nelore bulls

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

Evaluation of the biotechnological potential of Rhizobium tropici strains for exopolysaccharide production

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

Potential of bamboo organosolv pulp as a reinforcing element in fiber-cement materials

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Modelling the maximum potential of nitrogen deposition and requirements of lysine for broilers

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