Sulforaphane loaded hyaluronic acid poloxamer hybrid hydrogel enhances cartilage protection in osteoarthritis models

Sulforaphane SFN is an isothiocyanate with anti arthritic and immuno regulatory activities, supported by the downregulation of NF amp; 954;B pathway, reduction on metalloproteinases expression and prevention of cytokine induced cartilage degeneration implicated in OA progression. SFN promising pharmacological effects associated to its possible use, by intra articular route and directly in contact to the site of action, highlight SFN as promising candidate for the development of drug delivery systems. The association of poloxamers PL and hyaluronic acid HA supports the development of osteotrophic and chondroprotective pharmaceutical formulations. This study aims to develop PL HA hybrid hydrogels as delivery systems for SFN intra articular release and evaluate their biocompatibility and efficacy for osteoarthritis treatment. All formulations showed viscoelastic behavior and cubic phase organization. SFN incorporation and drug loading showed a concentration dependent behavior following HA addition. Drug release profiles were influenced by both diffusion and relaxation of polymeric chains mechanisms. The PL407 PL338 HA SFN hydrogel did not evoke pronounced cytotoxic effects on either osteoblast or chondrosarcoma cell lines. In vitro ex vivo pharmacological evaluation interfered with an elevated activation of NF amp; 954;B and COX 2, increased the type II collagen expression, and inhibited proteoglycan depletion. These results highlight the biocompatibility and the pharmacological efficacy of PL HA hybrid hydrogels as delivery systems for SFN intra articular release for OA treatmen

Cinética digestiva e eficiência de síntese de proteína microbiana em novilhos alimentados com farelo de girassol e diferentes fontes energéticas Digestion kinetics and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis on beef steers fed sunflower meal and different energy sources

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da substituição parcial do milho pela casca de soja e pelo farelo de gérmen de milho sobre a produção e eficiência de síntese de proteína microbiana e sobre as taxas de diluição e passagem ruminal. Foram utilizados três novilhos de corte, mestiços, canulados no rúmen e no duodeno, distribuídos em dois delineamentos em quadrado latino 3 x 3. As dietas experimentais, à base de silagem de milho (60%), apresentavam como fonte de proteína farelo de girassol e, como fonte de energia, milho (MI) ou sua substituição parcial pela casca de soja (CS) ou pelo farelo de gérmen de milho (FGM). Para o isolamento da massa microbiana, foram coletadas amostras de conteúdo ruminal às 3, 6, 9 e 12 horas após a alimentação. Utilizaram-se RNA como marcador microbiano e dicromato de sódio e Co-EDTA como indicadores das taxas de passagem e de diluição, respectivamente. A composição dos microrganismos ruminais não foi influenciada pelas dietas experimentais ou pelos horários de coleta. Não houve diferenças significativas no fluxo de matéria orgânica, carboidratos totais, nitrogênio e nitrogênio microbiano para o duodeno e na eficiência de síntese de proteína microbiana. As taxas de diluição foram semelhantes entre as dietas, com média de 13,4%/h. A taxa de passagem da silagem de milho mordentada foi menor, com tendência de menor taxa de passagem também para o farelo de girassol na dieta MI. A casca de soja e o farelo de gérmen de milho podem substituir parcialmente o milho, proporcionando ambiente ruminal adequado ao desenvolvimento da flora microbiana e conseqüente produção de proteína microbiana ruminal em novilhos confinados.<br>The objective of this trial was to evaluate the partial replacement of ground corn with soybean hulls or corn germ meal on ruminal microbial protein synthesis and efficiency and ruminal dilution and passage rates. Three crossbreed steers fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were assigned to two 3 x 3 Latin squares. The experimental diets contained: corn silage (60%), sunflower meal and ground corn (GC diet) that was partially replaced with soybean hulls (SBH diet) or corn germ meal (CGM diet). Ruminal fluid was collected at 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours after feeding for isolation of ruminal microbes. RNA was used as the microbial marker while sodium dicromate and Co-EDTA were used as passage and dilution rate markers, respectively. Ruminal microbial composition was not affected by diets and time after feeding in the present trial. Moreover, duodenal flows of organic matter, total carbohydrates, nitrogen (N), and microbial N as well as microbial efficiency were all not significantly changed across diets. Fluid dilution rate also did not differ and averaged 13.4%/h among diets. Ruminal passage rate of mordant corn silage was lower and a trend for lower passage rate of sunflower meal on GC diet also was observed. Soybean hulls and corn germ meal can partially replace ground corn on diets for confined steers because they provided adequate ruminal environment for microbial growth and microbial protein synthesis

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora