Training biochemistry undergraduate students to be teachers

In the last few decades the economic revolution has contributed for significant changes in  the  global  scene.  The  speed  and  mobility  of  the  information  have  fortified  the competition and increased the competitiveness through the knowledge applied to the science and technological innovation. In this context, in 2008, a graduation course of Biochemistry at UFSJ was created, with the objective to form professionals to research and education in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. One of the tools used to develop the skills of education of our students is their participation in an optional discipline aiming at  developing  and  implementing  practical  and  theoretical  winters  courses  for  High School students. The content of the discipline consists of choosing themes, selecting and  organizing  the  topics,  preparing  written  material,  establishing  the  methodological strategies, planning the evaluation tools and, finally, as teachers, conducting the course. In the last two years the themes consisted in free radicals, bioactives, bioenergy, DNA, biotechnology  of  microorganisms,  genetics  of  cancer,  cellular  therapy,  and  medicinal chemistry. The evaluation of the experience by biochemistry and high school students was very positive. Biochemistry students considered this experience to be unique and recommended it to their schoolmates; the high school students gave very high scores to the courses and the teachers. In conclusion this course was a great experience for both undergraduate students that might become teachers and for high school students that have rare opportunity to participate in science and technology practical classes, which are normally insufficient in their formation

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Sesquiterpene Lactone Inhibitors Of Phospholipase A2 From Bothrops Jararacussu

Several sesquiterpene lactone were synthesized and their inhibitive activities on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from Bothrops jararacussu venom were evaluated. Compounds Lac01 and Lac02 were efficient against PLA2 edema-inducing, enzymatic and myotoxic activities and it reduces around 85% of myotoxicity and around 70% of edema-inducing activity. Lac05-Lac08 presented lower efficiency in inhibiting the biological activities studied and reduce the myotoxic and edema-inducing activities around only 15%. The enzymatic activity was significantly reduced. The values of inhibition constants (KI) for Lac01 and Lac02 were approximately 740 μM, and for compounds Lac05-Lac08 the inhibition constants were approximately 7.622-9.240 μM. The enzymatic kinetic studies show that the sesquiterpene lactones inhibit PLA2 in a non-competitive manner. Some aspects of the structure-activity relationships (topologic, molecular and electronic parameters) were obtained using ab initio quantum calculations and analyzed by chemometric methods (HCA and PCA). The quantum chemistry calculations show that compounds with a higher capacity of inhibiting PLA2 (Lac01-Lac04) present lower values of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy and molecular volume (VOL) and bigger values of hydrophobicity (LogP). These results indicate some topologic aspects of the binding site of sesquiterpene lactone derivatives and PLA2. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.571100108Arantes, F.F.P., Barbosa, L.C.B., de Alvarenga, E.S., Demuner, A.J., Bezerra, D.P., Ferreira, J.R.O., Costa-Lotufo, L.V., Moraes, M.O., Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of α-santonin derivatives (2009) Eur. J. Med. 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Synthesis and evaluation of sesquiterpene lactone inhibitors of phospholipase A2 from bothrops jararacussu

Several sesquiterpene lactone were synthesized and their inhibitive activities on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from Bothrops jararacussu venom were evaluated. Compounds Lac01 and Lac02 were efficient against PLA2 edema-inducing, enzymatic and myotoxic activities and it reduces around 85% of myotoxicity and around 70% of edema-inducing activity. Lac05–Lac08 presented lower efficiency in inhibiting the biological activities studied and reduce the myotoxic and edema-inducing activities around only 15%. The enzymatic activity was significantly reduced. The values of inhibition constants (KI) for Lac01 and Lac02 were approximately 740 μM, and for compounds Lac05–Lac08 the inhibition constants were approximately 7.622–9.240 μM. The enzymatic kinetic studies show that the sesquiterpene lactones inhibit PLA2 in a non-competitive manner. Some aspects of the structure–activity relationships (topologic, molecular and electronic parameters) were obtained using ab initio quantum calculations and analyzed by chemometric methods (HCA and PCA). The quantum chemistry calculations show that compounds with a higher capacity of inhibiting PLA2 (Lac01–Lac04) present lower values of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy and molecular volume (VOL) and bigger values of hydrophobicity (LogP). These results indicate some topologic aspects of the binding site of sesquiterpene lactone derivatives and PLA2571100108CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS - FAPEMIGFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPnão temnão temnão temnão te

Synthesis and evaluation of sesquiterpene lactone inhibitors of phospholipase A 2 from Bothrops jararacussu

Several sesquiterpene lactone were synthesized and their inhibitive activities on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from Bothrops jararacussu venom were evaluated. Compounds Lac01 and Lac02 were efficient against PLA2 edema-inducing, enzymatic and myotoxic activities and it reduces around 85% of myotoxicity and around 70% of edema-inducing activity. Lac05–Lac08 presented lower efficiency in inhibiting the biological activities studied and reduce the myotoxic and edema-inducing activities around only 15%. The enzymatic activity was significantly reduced. The values of inhibition constants (KI) for Lac01 and Lac02 were approximately 740 μM, and for compounds Lac05–Lac08 the inhibition constants were approximately 7.622–9.240 μM. The enzymatic kinetic studies show that the sesquiterpene lactones inhibit PLA2 in a non-competitive manner. Some aspects of the structure–activity relationships (topologic, molecular and electronic parameters) were obtained using ab initio quantum calculations and analyzed by chemometric methods (HCA and PCA). The quantum chemistry calculations show that compounds with a higher capacity of inhibiting PLA2 (Lac01–Lac04) present lower values of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy and molecular volume (VOL) and bigger values of hydrophobicity (LogP). These results indicate some topologic aspects of the binding site of sesquiterpene lactone derivatives and PLA2

Criopreservação do sêmen testicular do teleósteo piau-açu Leporimus macrocephalus Testicular sperm cryopreservation of the teleost 'piau-açu' Leporinus macrocephalus

Avaliaram-se metodologias de criopreservação para o sêmen do piau-açu Leporinus macrocephalus (Teleostei, Anostomidae). O volume de sêmen coletado diretamente dos testículos de seis peixes (446,7±165,1g de peso corporal) foi de 0,4±0,2 ml. Testou-se a toxicidade dos crioprotetores dimetilsulfóxido (DMSO), dimetilacetamida, propilenoglicol, etilenoglicol e metanol nas concentrações de 5%, 10% e 15%. DMSO, dimetilacetamida e propilenoglicol foram os menos tóxicos e, por isso, utilizados na criopreservação do sêmen. Para este teste, o sêmen foi diluído 1:8 (v:v) em soluções de cada crioprotetor(8,9%, concentração final) às quais adicionaram-se gema de ovo de galinha (8,9%, concentração final), glicose (5%) e água destilada (75%). A mistura foi então envasada em palhetas de 5ml de capacidade e imediatamente colocada em botijão de vapor de nitrogênio líquido. A taxa de motilidade espermática pós-descongelamento mais alta (40,8<FONT FACE=Symbol>&plusmn;</FONT> 13,6 %) foi obtida com sêmen criopreservado em diluente contendo DMSO e ativado em solução de NaHCO3 119mM. A taxa de fertilização, correspondente a 84,3±9,4% do controle, foi obtida com ovócitos de piau-açu fertilizados com sêmen congelado em solução de DMSO (8%, concentração final).<br>Methods for cryopreservation of 'piau-açu' Leporinus macrocephalus (Teleostei, Anostomidae) sperm were evaluated. Sperm collected directly from the testes of six fish (446.7±165.1g of body weight) yielded 0.4±0.2 ml. The toxicity of the cryoprotectants dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), dimethyl acetamide, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and methanol, at concentrations of 5%, 10% and 15%, was tested. DMSO, dimethyl acetamide and propylene glycol were the least toxic and were used to freeze the sperm. Sperm was diluted 1:8 (v:v) in solutions made of 8.9% (final concentration) of one of those crioprotectants to which 8.9% (final concentration) of chicken yolk egg, 5% glucose and 75% distilled water were added. The mixture was then poured into 0.5-ml capacity straws and immediately deepened into a cryogenic shipper containing only liquid nitrogen vapor. The highest frozen/thawed sperm motility rate (40.8<FONT FACE=Symbol>&plusmn;</FONT> 13.6 %) was obtained with sperm cryopreserved in the DMSO containing diluent and activated in 119 mM NaHCO3. Piau-açu eggs fertilized with sperm previously cryopreserved in solution containing 8% (final concentration) DMSO yielded a rate of fertilization of 84.3 ± 9.4% of the control