Biocompatible Solvents and Ionic Liquid-Based Surfactants as Sustainable Components to Formulate Environmentally Friendly Organized Systems

In this review, we deal with the formation and application of biocompatible water-in-oil microemulsions commonly known as reverse micelles (RMs). These RMs are extremely important to facilitate the dissolution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds for biocompatibility in applications in drug delivery, food science, and nanomedicine. The combination of two wisely chosen types of compounds such as biocompatible non-polar solvents and ionic liquids (ILs) with amphiphilic character (surface-active ionic liquids, SAILs) can be used to generate organized systems that perfectly align with the Green Chemistry concepts. Thus, we describe the current state of SAILs (protic and aprotic) to prepare RMs using non-polar but safe solvents such as esters derived from fatty acids, among others. Moreover, the use of the biocompatible solvents as the external phase in RMs and microemulsions/nanoemulsions with the other commonly used biocompatible surfactants is detailed showing the diversity of preparations and important applications. As shown by multiple examples, the properties of the RMs can be modified by changes in the type of surfactant and/or external solvents but a key fact to note is that all these modifications generate novel systems with dissimilar properties. These interesting properties cannot be anticipated or extrapolated, and deep analysis is always required. Finally, the works presented provide valuable information about the use of biocompatible RMs, making them a green and promising alternative toward efficient and sustainable chemistryFinancial support was received from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (PIP CONICET 112-2015-0100283), Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (PPI-UNRC 2016–2019, 2020–2022), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Técnica (PICT 2015-0585, PICT 2018-0508), and Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, Gobierno de la Provincia de Córdoba (PID 2018) is gratefully acknowledged. R.D.F., N.M.C. and J.J.S. hold a research position at CONICET. N.D. and C.M.O.L. thank CONICET for a research fellowship. L.G.-R. thanks the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad of Spain (project CTQ2017-84354-P), Xunta de Galicia (GR 2007/085; IN607C 2016/03 and Centro singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2016–2019, ED431G/09), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is gratefully acknowledgedS

Influence of the AOT counterion chemical structure in the generation of organized systems

The impact of the imidazolium counterion structure on the organized systems formed by the surfactant 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, AOT, both in aqueous solutions and in nonpolar solvents is investigated. With this in mind, we investigated if the ionic liquid-like (IL-like) surfactant 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, emim-AOT, forms direct micelles or vesicles in water. Dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, conductivity, fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy measurements were performed to characterize the organized systems in aqueous solutions. We also studied the self-aggregation of emim-AOT, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, bmim-AOT, and of 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, hmim-AOT, in nonpolar solvents. The results obtained showed that the IL-like surfactant emim-AOT forms direct micelles in water, as sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (Na-AOT) does. However, emim-AOT aggregates are larger, have a lower surface charge, are more stable, and have a more polar and less fluid micellar interface than Na-AOT micelles. It was also observed that emim-AOT and hmim-AOT form reverse micelles in nonpolar solvents. The size of the imidazolium cations dramatically influences the size of the reverse micelles and their ability to solubilize water.Fil: Lépori, Cristian Marcelo Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Correa, Nestor Mariano. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Silber, Juana J.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Falcone, Ruben Dario. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: López-López, Manuel. Universidad de Huelva; EspañaFil: Moyá, María Luisa. Universidad de Sevilla; Españ

Polyclonal antibody production anti Pc_312-324 peptide: Its potential use in electrochemical immunosensors for transgenic soybean detection

A new polyclonal antibody that recognizes the CP4 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (CP4-EPSPS), which provides resistance to glyphosate in soybean (Roundup Ready®, RR soybean), was produced. New Zealand rabbits were injected with a synthetic peptide (Pc_312-324, (PEP)) present in the soybean CP4-EPSPS protein. The anti-PEP antibodies production was evaluated by electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed in order to study their specificity. The ELISA showed that the polyclonal antibody was specific to PEP. In addition, the anti- PEP was immobilized onto a gold disk electrode and the antigen-antibody interaction was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Moreover, the EIS showed that the electron transfer resistance of the modified electrode increased after incubation with solutions containing CP4-EPSPS protein from RR transgenic soybean, while no changes were detected after incubation with no-RR soybean proteins. These results suggest that the CP4-EPSPS was immobilized onto the electrode, due to the specific interaction with the anti-PEP. These results show that this antigen-antibody interaction can be detected by electrochemical techniques, suggesting that the anti-PEP produced can be used in electrochemical immunosensors development to quantify transgenic soybean.Fil: Farias, Marcos Ezequiel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Marani, Mariela Mirta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; ArgentinaFil: Ramirez, Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Niebylski, Ana Maria. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Biotecnología Ambiental y Salud - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Biotecnología Ambiental y Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Correa, Nestor Mariano. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Molina, Patricia Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentin

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

A transcriptomic analysis of gene expression in the venom gland of the snake Bothrops alternatus (urutu)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genus <it>Bothrops </it>is widespread throughout Central and South America and is the principal cause of snakebite in these regions. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies have examined the venom composition of several species in this genus, but many others remain to be studied. In this work, we used a transcriptomic approach to examine the venom gland genes of <it>Bothrops alternatus</it>, a clinically important species found in southeastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay, northern Argentina and eastern Paraguay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cDNA library of 5,350 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) was produced and assembled into 838 contigs and 4512 singletons. BLAST searches of relevant databases showed 30% hits and 70% no-hits, with toxin-related transcripts accounting for 23% and 78% of the total transcripts and hits, respectively. Gene ontology analysis identified non-toxin genes related to general metabolism, transcription and translation, processing and sorting, (polypeptide) degradation, structural functions and cell regulation. The major groups of toxin transcripts identified were metalloproteinases (81%), bradykinin-potentiating peptides/C-type natriuretic peptides (8.8%), phospholipases A₂(5.6%), serine proteinases (1.9%) and C-type lectins (1.5%). Metalloproteinases were almost exclusively type PIII proteins, with few type PII and no type PI proteins. Phospholipases A₂were essentially acidic; no basic PLA₂were detected. Minor toxin transcripts were related to L-amino acid oxidase, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, dipeptidylpeptidase IV, hyaluronidase, three-finger toxins and ohanin. Two non-toxic proteins, thioredoxin and double-specificity phosphatase Dusp6, showed high sequence identity to similar proteins from other snakes. In addition to the above features, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, microsatellites, transposable elements and inverted repeats that could contribute to toxin diversity were observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>Bothrops alternatus </it>venom gland contains the major toxin classes described for other <it>Bothrops </it>venoms based on trancriptomic and proteomic studies. The predominance of type PIII metalloproteinases agrees with the well-known hemorrhagic activity of this venom, whereas the lower content of serine proteases and C-type lectins could contribute to less marked coagulopathy following envenoming by this species. The lack of basic PLA₂agrees with the lower myotoxicity of this venom compared to other <it>Bothrops </it>species with these toxins. Together, these results contribute to our understanding of the physiopathology of envenoming by this species.</p

The global abundance of tree palms

Aim Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change. Location Tropical and subtropical moist forests. Time period Current. Major taxa studied Palms (Arecaceae). Methods We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co‐occurring non‐palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure. Results On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long‐term climate stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non‐tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above‐ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work. Conclusions Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge, it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost