Thermooxidative study of raw natural rubber from Brazilian IAC 300 series clones

The improvement of rubber tree species is of key importance due to the worldwide market demand of this renewable material essential for several types of industries. The thermal performance of natural rubber produced from new clones of IAC 300 series, and the Malaysian RRIM 600 clone (used as control) have been evaluated using DSC and TGA/DTG techniques in air and nitrogen atmospheres. The results have shown that in oxidative atmosphere, the thermal stability of the Brazilian clones was slightly better than that of the Malaysian clone RRIM 600, and that, in an inert atmosphere, there are no significant differences in the thermal behavior among them. The natural rubbers from IAC clones have shown good thermal stability up to 300 °C in inert and oxidative atmospheres, which is important for several industrial applications. The decomposition changes from a one step process to a three step process, when moving from an inert to an oxidative atmosphere. The index of thermal stability has shown that the natural rubbers have higher thermal stability in inert atmosphere.     

Chemical composition of tomato seeds affected by conventional and organic production systems

Tomato is amongst the most consumed vegetables in the world, not only for its culinary versatility but also for its high nutritional value. In the last years, consumers have shown an increased concern regarding food origin and safety. The organic tomato production has been a promising alternative for the consumer offering a safer food in relation to environmental, social and nutritional aspects. This study assessed the chemical composition of tomato seeds produced in both conventional and organic systems by INAA. The results showed significant differences (p≤0.05) in the mass fractions of Br, Cs, Eu, Fe, K, Mo, Na, Rb and Sm between both systems, indicating influence of the crop management adopted in the different tomato production systems.     

Chemical characterization of agricultural supplies applied to organic tomato cultivation

The agricultural supplies used in the organic system to control pests and diseases as well as to fertilize soil are claimed to be beneficial to plants and innocuous to human health and to the environment. The chemical composition of six agricultural supplies commonly used in the organic tomato culture, was evaluated by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Results were compared to the maximum limits established by the Environment Control Agency of the São Paulo State (CETESB) and the Guidelines for Organic Quality Standard of Instituto Biodinâmico (IBD). Concentrations above reference values were found for Co, Cr and Zn in compost, Cr and Zn in cattle manure and Zn in rice bran.     

Purification of a PHA-Like Chitin-binding Protein from Acacia farnesiana Seeds: A Time-dependent Oligomerization Protein

A lectin-like protein from the seeds of Acacia farnesiana was isolated from the albumin fraction, characterized, and sequenced by tandem mass spectrometry. The albumin fraction was extracted with 0.5 M NaCl, and the lectin-like protein of A. farnesiana (AFAL) was purified by ion-exchange chromatography (Mono-Q) followed by chromatofocusing. AFAL agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes and did not agglutinate human ABO erythrocytes either native or treated with proteolytic enzymes. In sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis under reducing and nonreducing conditions, AFAL separated into two bands with a subunit molecular mass of 35 and 50 kDa. The homogeneity of purified protein was confirmed by chromatofocusing with a pI = 4.0 +/- 0.5. Molecular exclusion chromatography confirmed time-dependent oligomerization in AFAL, in accordance with mass spectrometry analysis, which confers an alteration in AFAL affinity for chitin. The protein sequence was obtained by a liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight experiment and showed that AFAL has 68% and 63% sequence similarity with lectins of Phaseolus vulgaris and Dolichos biflorus, respectively.     

Authenticity study of commercial samples of St. John's wort by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry and chemometric tools

Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's wort) is one of the world's most consumed medicinal plants for treating depression and psychiatric disorders. Counterfeiting can occur in the medicinal plant trade, either due to the lack of active ingredients or the addition of substances not mentioned on the labels, often without therapeutic value or even harmful to health. Hence, 43 samples of St. John's wort commercially acquired in different Brazilian regions and other countries were analyzed by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PS-MS) and modeled by principal component analysis. Hence, samples (plants, capsules, and tablets) were extracted with ethanol in a solid–liquid extraction. For the first time, PS-MS analysis allowed the detection of counterfeit H. perforatum samples containing active principles typical of other plants, such as Ageratum conyzoides and Senna spectabilis. About 52.3% of the samples were considered adulterated for having at least one of these two species in their composition. Furthermore, out of 35 samples produced in Brazil, only 13 were deemed authentic, having only H. perforatum. Therefore, there is a clear need to improve these drugs' quality control in Brazil.     

Influence of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine on the dissolution of Brazilian chrysotile

It is known that Brazilian chrysotile is rapidly removed from the lungs, but quantitative studies about the influence of lung surfactants on chrysotile dissolution have not been investigated. In this work, the chemical behavior of chrysotile and its dissolution in the presence of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) were investigated in physiological conditions. The dissolution was investigated through quantification of magnesium and silicon released by chrysotile. At 37 degrees C, the magnesium concentration is similar to control (without DPPC), which is about 2.0x10(-4)molL(-1), meaning that the dissolution process is not affected by the presence of this surfactant. The same was observed for silicon. The silicon concentration released by chrysotile is similar in all media tested. It is known that the dissolution mechanisms of brucite and tridymite layers are different. From our results, we propose that under physiological conditions, the mechanism of brucite dissolution is based on its interaction with hydrogen ions and that the mechanism of tridymite dissolution is based on a hydrolysis process.     

Theoretical Exploitation of 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexachloro- and 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexafluorocyclohexane Isomers as Biologically Active Compounds

Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) have been widely explored as biological compounds during the last century. However, most of them were banned due to their potential toxicity in humans, animals, and the environment. Revisiting HCHs to explore their biological activity while improving key features is valuable and may lead to a new class of pesticides that utilizes the biological response of HCHs without their toxic characteristics. In this sense, the fluorine atom can be a possible alternative since a large number of therapeutics and agrochemicals have been developed with this halogen in their structure. We have evaluated herein the conformational behavior of HCHs and their bioisosteric fluorinated compounds, namely, hexafluorocyclohexanes (HFHs), through quantum-chemical calculations. We also explored the potential of the HCH and HFH isomers as biological compounds by docking them inside three possible targets. It was demonstrated that HCH and HFH have similar ligand-protein interactions with three pockets: the picrotoxin and barbiturate sites of the GABA_A receptor and the ryanodine receptor. The results support HFHs as possible alternatives for HCHs since the replacement of Cl with F does not forfeit the main ligand-protein interactions. Finally, we demonstrated that HFHs have a lower log P than HCHs by almost two logarithmic units. This result highlights the role of fluorine in distribution and bioaccumulation.     

Synthesis,characterization, and structural determination of copper(II) complexes with alkyl derivatives of hydroxybenzophenones

Four mononuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu(LFQM-115)₂] (1), [Cu(LFQM-116)₂] (2), [Cu(LFQM-117)₂] (3) and [Cu(octyloxy)₂] (4) [LFQM-115 = 2-hydroxy-4-O-methylbenzophenone (C₁₄H₁₁O₃), LFQM-116 = 2-hydroxy-4-O-butylbenzophenone (C₁₇H₁₈O₃), LFQM-117 = 2-hydroxy-4-O-(33-dimethylallyl)benzophenone (C₁₈H₁₈O₃) and octyloxy = 2-hydroxy-4-O-octylbenzophenone (C₂₁H₂₅O₃)], have been prepared and investigated by infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Even though the synthesis and infrared analysis of 1, 2, and 4 have been reported previously, their crystal structures were elucidated for the first time here. In addition, the crystal structures of LFQM-116 and LFQM-117 were also determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The pseudo-translational symmetry found in LFQM-116 and the isomorphism between LFQM-115 and LFQM-117 are discussed. The complexes were prepared from a reaction of copper(II) nitrate trihydrate and the respective ligand in a (1:2) molar ratio in methanol (for 1 and 2) or THF (for 3 and 4) with addition of NaOH. Furthermore, crystallographic studies show that each copper(II) exhibits a square planar geometry, coordinated by four oxygens of two ligands. The nature and crystal packing of the intermolecular interactions are discussed. Compounds 2 and 3 are isomorphic crystals and all structures have the same supramolecular synthon.     

Purification of Plasma-Derived Coagulation Factor VIII by Immobilized-Zn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and -Co<Superscript>2+</Superscript> Affinity Chromatography

Coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) is a glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in the clotting cascade. Replacement therapies with recombinant and plasma-derived concentrates of FVIII are used for treatment of hemophilia A. We have previously purified the human plasma FVIII by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) using Cu²⁺ as the metal ligand. In this work we report the purification of FVIII using Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺, two metal ions that bind proteins more weakly. Human plasma was directly applied to the anion-exchange ANX Sepharose FF column and the eluate was used as starting material for the studies in IMAC columns. Using imidazole as desorbing agent, FVIII was recovered with 65% activity in the IMAC-Zn²⁺ column and with 74% activity in the IMAC-Co²⁺ column. Purification factors were 4 and 9, respectively. Using a pH gradient, FVIII was eluted at pH 5.0 with 17% activity in the IMAC-Zn²⁺ and 77% activity in the IMAC-Co²⁺. Vitamin K-dependent proteins, a family of proteins that includes Prothrombin and coagulation factor IX, coeluted with FVIII in the ANX Sepharose FF column and were recovered with the unbound proteins on both IMAC columns. Therefore, Co²⁺ and Zn²⁺ columns were as effective as the Cu²⁺ column in separating FVIII from vitamin K-dependent proteins. Finally, we have shown that FVIII remained complexed with the von Willebrand factor.