Overview of stimuli-responsive mesoporous organosilica nanocarriers for drug delivery

The application of nanomaterials is regarded nowadays as a highly promising approach for overcoming the limitations of the currently available cancer treatments, contributing for the creation of more effective, precise, and safer therapies. In the last years, organosilica nanoparticles arisen as alternatives to the most common mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The organosilica nanoparticles combine the advantages of the mesoporous silica, such as structural stability and mesoporous structure, with the increased biocompatibility and biodegradability of organic materials. Therefore, the variety of organic bridges that can be incorporated into the silica matrix allowed the development of new and exciting compositions, properties, and functions for improving the therapeutic effectiveness of the anticancer nanomedicines. In this review, the strategies that have been explored to create stimuli-responsive organosilica-based drug delivery systems are highlighted, describing the practical approaches and mechanisms controlling the drug release. Additionally, the organosilica nanoparticles surface modifications aimed for increasing the blood circulation time and the tumor targeting are also described.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

La ocurrencia de fenilpropanoides en las savias de seis especies de Piper (Piperaceae) de Brasil

Las especies de la familia Piperaceae son ampliamente investigadas debido a su importancia biológica, económica y ecológica. Sin embargo, los estudios químicos con las savias de la familia de las Piperaceae no han recibido tanta atención como la mayoría de otras especies de plantas. El presente estudio demostró la presencia de fenilpropanoides en la savia de seis especies de Piperaceae. Este estudio contribuye significativamente al conocimiento químico de la savia vegetal, hasta el momento poco explorado

Avaliação da composição corporal de jogadores de futebol sub-20 da cidade de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais

Introduction: Football depends on several variables to be performed at its highest performance, among these variables, one of the most important is body composition, as it is related to the athlete's physical capacity and sports performance, which can influence the team's results. Objective: To evaluate the body composition of young soccer athletes, in an under-20 team. Methodology: Sixteen soccer players from a sub-20 team, aged 18 to 20 years, were evaluated. Weight and height were measured; in addition, they performed the electrical bioimpedance test to assess the parameters of body composition, mainly muscle mass and fat percentage. From the muscle mass, the muscle mass index (BMI) was calculated, dividing the total muscle mass by height in meters squared. Result: Most athletes were above the ideal fat percentage (n = 12), however, most individuals had values close to the ideal, which may have been a variation of the body composition assessment method itself. We observed that 4 individuals had an adequate percentage of fat. Regarding the IMM, the average values were within the normal range (10.9 ± 0.6 kg / m2), with only 4 athletes having little muscle mass. Conclusion: Almost all athletes had muscle mass within the normal range, while the majority had values above the adequate percentage of fat. These results show that future nutritional interventions should be carried out in these athletes, focusing mainly on reducing the percentage of fat.Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação)Introdução: O futebol depende de diversas variáveis para ser realizado no seu mais alto rendimento, entre essas variáveis, uma das mais importantes é a composição corporal, pois está relacionada com a capacidade física e desempenho esportivo do atleta, podendo influenciar nos resultados da equipe. Objetivo: Avaliar a composição corporal de jovens atletas de futebol, em uma equipe sub-20. Metodologia: Foram avaliados 16 atletas de futebol de campo de uma equipe sub-20, com idade de 18 a 20 anos. Foram mensurados peso e estatura; além disso, fizeram o exame de bioimpedância elétrica para avaliar os parâmetros de composição corporal, principalmente massa muscular e percentual de gordura. A partir da massa muscular, foi calculado o índice de massa muscular (IMM), dividindo a massa muscular total pela altura em metros ao quadrado. Resultado: A maioria dos atletas estava acima do percentual de gordura ideal (n= 12), entretanto, a maior parte dos indivíduos apresentava valores próximos ao ideal, o que pode ter sido uma variação do próprio método de avaliação da composição corporal. Observamos que 4 indivíduos apresentavam percentual de gordura adequado. Em relação ao IMM, os valores médios estavam dentro da normalidade (10,9 ± 0,6 kg/m2 ), sendo que apenas 4 atletas apresentavam pouca massa muscular. Conclusão: Quase todos os atletas apresentaram massa muscular dentro da normalidade, enquanto que a maioria apresentou valores acima do adequado de percentual de gordura. Estes resultados mostram que devem ser realizadas futuras intervenções nutricionais nestes atletas, focando principalmente na redução do percentual de gordura

Purification, characterization and structural determination of chitinases produced by Moniliophthora perniciosa

The enzyme chitinase from Moniliophthora perniciosa the causative agent of the witches' broom disease in Theobroma cacao, was partially purified with ammonium sulfate and filtration by Sephacryl S-200 using sodium phosphate as an extraction buffer. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimum pH and temperature conditions. Four different isoenzymes were obtained: ChitMp I, ChitMp II, ChitMp III and ChitMp IV. ChitMp I had an optimum temperature at 44-73ºC and an optimum pH at 7.0-8.4. ChitMp II had an optimum temperature at 45-73ºC and an optimum pH at 7.0-8.4. ChitMp III had an optimum temperature at 54-67ºC and an optimum pH at 7.3-8.8. ChitMp IV had an optimum temperature at 60ºC and an optimum pH at 7.0. For the computational biology, the primary sequence was determined in silico from the database of the Genome/Proteome Project of M. perniciosa, yielding a sequence with 564 bp and 188 amino acids that was used for the three-dimensional design in a comparative modeling methodology. The generated models were submitted to validation using Procheck 3.0 and ANOLEA. The model proposed for the chitinase was subjected to a dynamic analysis over a 1 ns interval, resulting in a model with 91.7% of the residues occupying favorable places on the Ramachandran plot and an RMS of 2.68

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ