Complementary study on the electrical and structural properties of poly(3-alkylthiophene) and its copolymers synthesized on ITO by electrochemical impedance and Raman spectroscopy

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Options for the Control of Disease 3: Targeting the Environment

Management of wildlife disease can be targeted at pathogens, hosts or vector populations, but may also focus on the environment. As constituent elements of any given environment, resident wildlife populations, and their pathogens, may be profoundly influenced by environmental change, in terms of their abundance, distribution and behavior. Hence, it is reasonable to expect that incorporation of environmental manipulation into a program to control wildlife diseases may potentially result in outcomes as effective as direct intervention aimed at hosts, pathogens and vectors.

DEVELOPMENTAL STATUS OF N-(3-CHLORO-4-METHYLPHENYL) ACETAMIDE AS A CANDIDATE BLACKBIRD/STARLING ROOST TOXICANT

Large winter roosts of blackbirds (Icteridae) and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) often cause conflicts, both real and imagined, between the birds and local human popula- tions. These conflicts may range from objections to the noise and odor engendered by thousands or millions of birds, to fear of epidemic human and livestock diseases, and the possibility of economic losses from crop depredations. Many people believe the most direct way to combat these conflicts is to reduce local roosting populations by kill- ing the birds. In response to this perceived need for a roost toxicant, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) developed PA-14, a surfactant which can be aerially applied to problem roosts for population reduction (Lefebvre and Seubert 1970). Successful use of this material, however, requires concurrent rainfall and low temperatures, conditions which may not occur sufficiently often to permit roost treatment at desired times or places. Because of this difficulty, and continued pressures from management person- nel and the agricultural community, the Service has continued its search for a safe, ef- fective roost toxicant usable without severe weather restrictions. One of the current candidate materials is N-(3-chloro-4-methylphenyl)acetamide (CAT, DRC-2698), a derivative of StarlicideR (DRC-1339). This compound was initially developed by S.A. Peoples of the University of California-Davis (Peoples et al. 1976). California researchers are still investigating the avicidal potential of CAT, mainly on baits and in wick perches, while FWS interest has centered thus far on its possible utility as an aerially applied roost treatment. This report is a summary of our investigations to date.

Optical properties of boron carbide (B5C) thin films fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition

Variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to determine the optical constants near the band edge of boron carbide (B5C) thin films deposited on glass and n-type Si(111) via plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition. The index of refraction n, the extinction coefficient k, and the absorption coefficient are reported in the photon energy spectrum between 1.24 and 4 eV. Ellipsometry analysis of B5C films on silicon indicates a graded material, while the optical constants of B5C on glass are homogeneous. Line shape analyses of absorption data for the films on glass indicate an indirect transition at approximately 0.75 eV and a direct transition at about 1.5 eV. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.

Production and characterization of poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) from recombinant Escherichia coli grown on cheap renewable carbon substrates

Although the biopolymer poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate), P[3HB], presents physicochemical properties that make it an alternative material to conventional plastics, its biotechnological production is quite expensive. As carbon substrates contribute greatly to P[3HB] production cost, the utilization of a cheaper carbon substrate and less demanding micro-organisms should decrease its cost. In the present study a 23 factorial experimental design was applied, aiming to evaluate the effects of using hydrolysed corn starch (HCS) and soybean oil (SBO) as carbon substrates, and cheese whey (CW) supplementation in the mineral medium (MM) on the responses, cell dried weigh (DCW), percentage P[3HB] and mass P[3HB] by recombinant Escherichia coli strains JM101 and DH10B, containing the P[3HB] synthase genes from Cupriavidus necator (ex-Ralstonia eutropha). The analysis of effects indicated that the substrates and the supplement and their interactions had positive effect on CDW. Statistically generated equations showed that, at the highest concentrations of HCS, SO and CW, theoretically it should be possible to produce about 2 g L(1) DCW, accumulating 50% P[3HB], in both strains. To complement this study, the strain that presented the best results was cultivated in MM added to HCS, SBO and CW ( in best composition observed) and complex medium (CM) to compare the obtained P[3HB] in terms of physicochemical parameters. The obtained results showed that the P[3HB] production in MM (1.29 g L(-1)) was approximately 20% lower than in CM (1.63 g L(-1)); however, this difference can be compensated by the lower cost of the MM achieved by the use of cheap renewable carbon sources. Moreover, using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry analyses, it was observed that the polymer produced in MM was the one which presented physicochemical properties (Tg and Tf) that were more similar to those found in the literature for P[3HB].

Modulation transfer function and optical quality after bilateral implantation of a+3.00 D versus a+4.00 D multifocal intraocular lens

PURPOSE: To determine whether the improvement in intermediate vision after bilateral implantation of an aspheric multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) with a +3.00 diopter (D) addition (add) occurs at the expense of optical quality compared with the previous model with a +4.00 D add. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. DESIGN: Prospective randomized double-masked comparative clinical trial. METHODS: One year after bilateral implantation of Acrysof Restor SN6AD1 +3.00 D IOLs or Acrysof Restor SN6AD3 +4.00 D IOLs, optical quality was evaluated by analyzing the in vivo modulation transfer function (MTF) and point-spread function (expressed as Strehl ratio). The Strehl ratio and MTF curve with a 4.0 pupil and a 6.0 mm pupil were measured by dynamic retinoscopy aberrometry. The uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuities at 4 m, uncorrected and distance-corrected near visual acuities at 40 cm, and uncorrected and distance-corrected intermediate visual acuities at 50 cm, 60 cm, and 70 cm were measured. RESULTS: Both IOL groups comprised 40 eyes of 20 patients. One year postoperatively, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in the MTF or Strehl ratio with either pupil size. There were no statistically significant between-group differences in distance or near visual acuity. Intermediate visual acuity was significantly better in the +3.00 D IOL group. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the improvement in intermediate vision in eyes with the aspheric multifocal +3.00 D add IOL occurred without decreasing optical quality over that with the previous version IOL with a +4.00 D add.

Nutrient Intake of Women 3 Years After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Nutritional deficiencies, especially micronutrient deficiencies, can occur in obese individuals. Surgical treatment may aggravate or cause these deficiencies, depending on the type of procedure, food intake and the use of multivitamins, minerals or other supplements. The objective of the study was to evaluate the nutrient intake of women who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. A cross-sectional, controlled study was conducted among 44 women after RYGB (operated-group, OG; mean years post-operation = 3.4) and a control group of 38 healthy women (non-operated group, NOG) matched by age and economic condition. The women reported their dietary intake using a 4-day record. The Dietary Reference Intakes was used as a reference. The macronutrient contributions to dietary energy intake presented an acceptable distribution for proteins and carbohydrates. Lipid intake was high among women in the OG and the NOG (43.2 and 55.3 %, respectively). In the evaluation of micronutrients, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups for iron, zinc and vitamins B1 and B12. Both groups were at high risk for inadequate calcium intake, and the OG was at risk for inadequate zinc, iron and vitamin B1 intake. The nutrient intake of women who had undergone RYGB is very similar to that of non-operated women, with the exception of a reduced intake of iron, zinc and vitamins B1 and B12, which may be due to the difficulty of consuming meat and a balanced diet. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of appropriate nutritional intervention and the regular use of multivitamin and mineral supplements for these patients.

Age-Related Expansion of Tim-3 Expressing T Cells in Vertically HIV-1 Infected Children

As perinatally HIV-1-infected children grow into adolescents and young adults, they are increasingly burdened with the long-term consequences of chronic HIV-1 infection, with long-term morbidity due to inadequate immunity. In progressive HIV-1 infection in horizontally infected adults, inflammation, T cell activation, and perturbed T cell differentiation lead to an "immune exhaustion'', with decline in T cell effector functions. T effector cells develop an increased expression of CD57 and loss of CD28, with an increase in co-inhibitory receptors such as PD-1 and Tim-3. Very little is known about HIV-1 induced T cell dysfunction in vertical infection. In two perinatally antiretroviral drug treated HIV-1-infected groups with median ages of 11.2 yr and 18.5 yr, matched for viral load, we found no difference in the proportion of senescent CD28(-)CD57(+)CD8(+) T cells between the groups. However, the frequency of Tim-3(+)CD8(+) and Tim-3(+)CD4(+) exhausted T cells, but not PD-1(+) T cells, was significantly increased in the adolescents with longer duration of infection compared to the children with shorter duration of HIV-1 infection. PD-1(+)CD8(+) T cells were directly associated with T cell immune activation in children. The frequency of Tim-3(+)CD8(+) T cells positively correlated with HIV-1 plasma viral load in the adolescents but not in the children. These data suggest that Tim-3 upregulation was driven by both HIV-1 viral replication and increased age, whereas PD-1 expression is associated with immune activation. These findings also suggest that the Tim-3 immune exhaustion phenotype rather than PD-1 or senescent cells plays an important role in age-related T cell dysfunction in perinatal HIV-1 infection. Targeting Tim-3 may serve as a novel therapeutic approach to improve immune control of virus replication and mitigate age related T cell exhaustion.

Electro-oxidation of ethanol on Pt/C, Rh/C, and Pt/Rh/C-based electrocatalysts investigated by on-line DEMS

The ethanol electro-oxidation reaction was studied on carbon-supported Pt, Rh, and on Pt overlayers deposited on Rh nanoparticles. The synthesized electrocatalysts were characterized by TEM and XRD. The reaction products were monitored by on-line DEMS experiments. Potentiodynamic curves showed higher overall reaction rate for Pt/C when compared to that for Rh/C. However, on-line DEMS measurements revealed higher average current efficiencies for complete ethanol electro-oxidation to CO2 on Rh/C. The average current efficiencies for CO2 formation increased with temperature and with the decrease in the ethanol concentration. The total amount of CO2, on the other hand, was slightly affected by the temperature and ethanol concentration. Additionally, the CO2 signal was observed only in the positive-going scan, none being observed in the negative-going scan, evidencing that the C-C bond breaking occurs only at lower potentials. Thus, the formation of CO2 mainly resulted from oxidative removal of adsorbed CO and CHx,ad species generated at the lower potentials, instead of the electrochemical oxidation of bulk ethanol molecules. The acetaldehyde mass signal, however, was greatly favored after increasing the ethanol concentration from 0.01 to 0.1 mol L-1, on both electrocatalysts, indicating that it is the major reaction product. For the Pt/Rh/C-based electrocatalysts, the Faradaic current and the conversion efficiency for CO2 formation was increased by adjusting the amount of Pt on the surface of the Rh/C nanoparticles. The higher conversion efficiency for CO2 formation on the Pt1Rh/C material was ascribed to its faster and more extensive ethanol deprotonation on the Pt-Rh sites, producing adsorbed intermediates in which the C-C bond cleavage is facilitated. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regioregular improvement on the oxidative polymerization of poly-3-octylthiophenes by slow addition of oxidant at low temperature

Many pathways can be used to synthesize polythiophenes derivatives. The polycondensation reactions performed with organometallics are preferred since they lead to regioregular polymers (with high content of heat-to-tail coupling) which have enhanced conductivity and luminescence. However, these pathways have several steps; the reactants are highly moisture sensitive and expensive. On the other hand, the oxidative polymerization using FeCl3 is a one-pot reaction that requires less moisture sensitive reactants with lower cost, although the most common reaction conditions lead to polymers with low regioregularity. Here, we report that by changing the reaction conditions, such as FeCl3 addition rate and reaction temperature, poly-3-octylthiophenes with different the regioregularities can be obtained, reaching about 80% of heat-to-tail coupling. Different molar mass distributions and polydispersivities were obtained. The preliminary results suggest that the oxidative polymerization process could be improved to yield polythiophenes with higher regioregularity degree and narrower molar mass distributions by just setting some reaction conditions. We also verified that it is possible to solvent extract part of the lower regioregular fraction of the polymer further improving the regioregularity degree. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

Clinical implication of 14-3-3 epsilon expression in gastric cancer

AIM: To evaluate for the first time the protein and mRNA expression of 14-3-3 epsilon in gastric carcinogenesis. METHODS: 14-3-3 epsilon protein expression was determined by western blotting, and mRNA expression was examined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR in gastric tumors and their matched non-neoplastic gastric tissue samples. RESULTS: Authors observed a significant reduction of 14-3-3 epsilon protein expression in gastric cancer (GC) samples compared to their matched non-neoplastic tissue, Reduced levels of 14-3-3 epsilon were also associated with diffuse-type GC and early-onset of this pathology. Our data suggest that reduced 14-3-3 epsilon may have a role in gastric carcinogenesis process. CONCLUSION: Our results reveal that the reduced 14-3-3 epsilon expression in GC and investigation of 14-3-3 epsilon interaction partners may help to elucidate the carcinogenesis process. (C) 2012 Baishideng. All rights reserved.

New insight into the mechanisms associated with the rapid effect of T-3 on AT1R expression

The angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy promoted by thyroid hormone. Recently, we demonstrated that triiodothyronine (T-3) rapidly increases AT1R mRNA and protein levels in cardiomyocyte cultures. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these rapid events are not yet known. In this study, we investigated the T-3 effect on AT1R mRNA polyadenylation in cultured cardiomyocytes as well as on the expression of microRNA-350 (miR-350), which targets AT1R mRNA. The transcriptional and translational actions mediated by T-3 on AT1R levels were also assessed. The total content of ubiquitinated proteins in cardiomyocytes treated with T-3 was investigated. Our data confirmed that T-3 rapidly raised AT1R mRNA and protein levels, as assessed by real-time PCR and western blotting respectively. The use of inhibitors of mRNA and protein synthesis prevented the rapid increase in AT1R protein levels mediated by T-3. In addition, T-3 rapidly increased the poly-A tail length of the AT1R mRNA, as determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends poly-A test, and decreased the content of ubiquitinated proteins in cardiomyocytes. On the other hand, T-3 treatment increased miR-350 expression. In parallel with its transcriptional and translational effects on the AT1R, T-3 exerted a rapid posttranscriptional action on AT1R mRNA polyadenylation, which might be contributing to increase transcript stability, as well as on translational efficiency, resulting to the rapid increase in AT1R mRNA expression and protein levels. Finally, these results show, for the first time, that T-3 rapidly triggers distinct mechanisms, which might contribute to the regulation of AT1R levels in cardiomyocytes. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology (2012) 49, 11-20

Preservation of Alpha-3 Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression in Sympathetic Ganglia After Brain Death

The goal of this study was to evaluate if the immunohistochemical expression of alpha-3 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit in sympathetic ganglia remains stable after brain death, determining the possible use of sympathetic thoracic ganglia from subjects after brain death as study group. The third left sympathetic ganglion was resected from patients divided in two groups: BD-organ donors after brain death and CON-patients submitted to sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis (control group). Immunohistochemical staining for alpha-3 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit was performed; strong and weak expression areas were quantified in both groups. The BD group showed strong alpha-3 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in 6.55% of the total area, whereas the CON group showed strong expression in 5.91% (p = 0.78). Weak expression was found in 6.47% of brain-dead subjects and in 7.23% of control subjects (p = 0.31). Brain death did not affect the results of the immunohistochemical analysis of sympathetic ganglia, and its use as study group is feasible.

Functional characterization and oligomerization of a recombinant xyloglucan-specific endo-beta-1,4-glucanase (GH12) from Aspergillus niveus

Xyloglucan is a major structural polysaccharide of the primary (growing) cell wall of higher plants. It consists of a cellulosic backbone (beta-1,4-linked glucosyl residues) that is frequently substituted with side chains. This report describes Aspergillus nidulans strain A773 recombinant secretion of a dimeric xyloglucan-specific endo-beta-1,4-glucanohydrolase (XegA) cloned from Aspergillus niveus. The ORF of the A. niveus xegA gene is comprised of 714 nucleotides, and encodes a 238 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular weight of 23.5 kDa and isoelectric point of 4.38. The optimal pH and temperature were 6.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively. XegA generated a xyloglucan-oligosaccharides (XGOs) pattern similar to that observed for cellulases from family GH12, i.e., demonstrating that its mode of action includes hydrolysis of the glycosidic linkages between glucosyl residues that are not branched with xylose. In contrast to commercial lichenase, mixed linkage beta-glucan (lichenan) was not digested by XegA, indicating that the enzyme did not cleave glucan beta-1,3 or beta-1,6 bonds. The far-UV CD spectrum of the purified enzyme indicated a protein rich in beta-sheet structures as expected for GH12 xyloglucanases. Thermal unfolding studies displayed two transitions with mid-point temperatures of 51.3 degrees C and 81.3 degrees C respectively, and dynamic light scattering studies indicated that the first transition involves a change in oligomeric state from a dimeric to a monomeric form. Since the enzyme is a predominantly a monomer at 60 degrees C. the enzymatic assays demonstrated that XegA is more active in its monomeric state. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.