A volatolomic approach using cerumen as biofluid to diagnose bovine intoxication by Stryphnodendron rotundifolium

An innovative volatolomic approach employs the detection of biomarkers present in cerumen (earwax) to identify cattle intoxication by Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart., Fabaceae (popularly known as barbatimão). S. rotundifolium is a poisonous plant with the toxic compound undefined and widely distributed throughout the Brazilian territory. Cerumen samples from cattle of two local Brazilian breeds (‘Curraleiro Pé-Duro’ and ‘Pantaneiro’) were collected during an experimental intoxication protocol and analyzed using headspace (HS)/GC–MS followed by multivariate analysis (genetic algorithm for a partial least squares, cluster analysis, and classification and regression trees). A total of 106 volatile organic metabolites were identified in the cerumen samples of bovines. The intoxication by S. rotundifolium influenced the cerumen volatolomic profile of the bovines throughout the intoxication protocol. In this way, it was possible to detect biomarkers for cattle intoxication. Among the biomarkers, 2-octyldecanol and 9-tetradecen-1-ol were able to discriminate all samples between intoxicated and nonintoxicated bovines. The cattle intoxication diagnosis by S. rotundifolium was accomplished by applying the cerumen analysis using HS/GC–MS, in an easy, accurate, and noninvasive way. Thus, the proposed bioanalytical chromatography protocol is a useful tool in veterinary applications to determine this kind of intoxication.     

In Vivo Biological Behavior of Polymer Scaffolds of Natural Origin in the Bone Repair Process

Autologous bone grafts, used mainly in extensive bone loss, are considered the gold standard treatment in regenerative medicine, but still have limitations mainly in relation to the amount of bone available, donor area, morbidity and creation of additional surgical area. This fact encourages tissue engineering in relation to the need to develop new biomaterials, from sources other than the individual himself. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of an elastin and collagen matrix on the bone repair process in critical size defects in rat calvaria. The animals (Wistar rats, n = 30) were submitted to a surgical procedure to create the bone defect and were divided into three groups: Control Group (CG, n = 10), defects filled with blood clot; E24/37 Group (E24/37, n = 10), defects filled with bovine elastin matrix hydrolyzed for 24 h at 37 °C and C24/25 Group (C24/25, n = 10), defects filled with porcine collagen matrix hydrolyzed for 24 h at 25 °C. Macroscopic and radiographic analyses demonstrated the absence of inflammatory signs and infection. Microtomographical 2D and 3D images showed centripetal bone growth and restricted margins of the bone defect. Histologically, the images confirmed the pattern of bone deposition at the margins of the remaining bone and without complete closure by bone tissue. In the morphometric analysis, the groups E24/37 and C24/25 (13.68 ± 1.44; 53.20 ± 4.47, respectively) showed statistically significant differences in relation to the CG (5.86 ± 2.87). It was concluded that the matrices used as scaffolds are biocompatible and increase the formation of new bone in a critical size defect, with greater formation in the polymer derived from the intestinal serous layer of porcine origin (C24/25).     

Mössbauer study of spin-glass Fe x Zn1−x F2 system

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect measurements in the diluted Ising antiferromagnet Fe _x Zn_1?x F₂ withx=0.25 andx=0.57 at temperatures between 4.2 and 55 K, are reported. DC suceptibility measurements show a spin-glass (SG) phase at low temperatures forx≤0.31. Our Mössbauer spectra show a phase transition to a SG state with antiferromagnetic order (AFSG) forx=0.25 and only antiferromagnetic order forx=0.57.     

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear polarization applied to evaluation of porosity of phosphate conversion coatings on electrogalvanized steels

In this work, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear polarization are used in determining porosity of zinc phosphates, and of nickel and manganese modified zinc phosphates on electrogalvanized steel. The porosity of the phosphate layers ranges from 0.1% for the manganese-modified hopeite to 8% for hopeite, using the linear polarization and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The porosity values measured using the two techniques were in agreement. All impedance spectra of coated samples showed two steps, with two capacitive arcs and an inductive looping.     

Mechanosynthesis of YIG and GdIG: A Structural and Mössbauer Study

We have investigated the mechanosynthesis of gadolinium and yttrium iron garnets by high-energy ball-milling of α-Fe₂O₃ and Gd₂O₃ or α-Fe₂O₃ and Y₂O₃, respectively, followed by short thermal annealings conducted at moderate temperatures. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy, in order to determine the influence of the milling time and annealing conditions on the final products. For as-milled samples of each rare-earth system, the results revealed the formation of perovskite phases, in relative amounts that depend on the milling time. The formation of garnet phases was observed in as-annealed samples treated at 1000°C for 2 h or 1100°C for 3 h, i.e., at very modest annealing requirements when compared with ordinary solid-state-reaction processes performed without previous high-energy milling. Also, the occurrence was verified of a milling time for which the relative amount of garnet phases formed by annealing was maximized. This time depends on the rare-earth composing the garnet phase and on the annealing temperature.     

An electrochemically synthesized sulfonated polyaniline layer for positive charge carrier injection improvement in conjugated polymer devices

We report the use of sulfonated polyaniline, SPAN, as a positive charge transporting layer in organic electronic devices, demonstrating that it can be used to significantly improve injection into conjugated polymers. The introduction of an intermediate SPAN layer improves device rectification, even when low-work-function anode materials such as tin oxide are used.     

On the regiochemistry of the methylphenylcyclopropenone dimer. A reinvestigation

The regiochemistry of the previously reported dimer of methyhlphenylcyclopropenone is corrected through analysis of the long-range ¹H, ¹³C correlated (COLOC) 2D nmr spectrum.     

New designs for inhibitors of the NF-κB: DNA binding

We present a series of new inhibitors of the association between nuclear factor kappa B (NF-B) and the corresponding B site in DNA. They were designed using the lead compound 15-deoxy-^12,14 -prostaglandin J₂ (PGJ2), which is a natural product with demonstrated inhibitory efficiency for this system. First, the binding mode of PGJ2 to NF-B was unraveled by GOLD docking calculation. Subsequently, substitutions were made to PGJ2 to optimize its association with NF-B. Care was taken not to strongly increase the reactivity of the new compounds, and to keep the overall shape, size and hydrophilicity of the lead compound, which should render them a similar bioavailability. Molecular mechanics calculations were performed to decide on the suitability of the substitutions, and to evaluate the energies of association with NF-B. Density functional theory calculations were performed also to study the overall reactivity of the substituted drugs towards NF-B. Important general conclusions were obtained, concerning the improvement of these natural inhibitors; namely, a set of rational methodologies were deduced to improve the association between the PGJ2 derivatives and NF-B, and their efficiency demonstrated by generating a set of substituted complexes, some of them with a very much increased affinity for NF-B, opening new doors to enlarge the therapeutic capabilities of this class of drugs.