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The expansion of economic activities in coastal areas has significantly increased chemical contamination, leading to major environmental challenges. Contaminants enter the human body through the food chain, particularly via seafood and water consumption, triggering biomagnification and bioaccumulation processes. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) acts as a selective barrier, protecting against chemical pollutants and maintaining homeostasis through a complex network of cells and immune responses. This study assessed impact of tributyltin (TBT), a highly toxic organometallic compound used in antifouling coatings for ships, on the GIT and myenteric neural plasticity in young rats. TBT exposure leads to histopathological changes, including epithelial detachment and inflammatory foci, especially at lower environmental doses. The study found that TBT causes significant reductions in villi height, increases in goblet cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes, and disrupts the myenteric plexus, with higher densities of extraganglionic neurons in exposed animals.

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Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) represents a culture of economic, social, and ecological importance for the cultivation regions. Due to the chemical, physical, and biological variations that occur in the different soils where yerba mate is economically exploited, the symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) guarantee the plant's ability to absorb nutrients. The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify the occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in different environments of yerba mate cultivation. The research was performed in four areas located in the rural area of the municipality of Seberi/RS: Environment with production of yerba mate in the conventional system, silvopastoral system, organic system, and native forest. The normality of residuals and homogeneity of variances assumptions were verified using the Lilliefors and Chi-square tests and the averages compared by the Tukey's test at 5% probability of error. In addition to calculations of diversity, equivalent species, and evenness indices. The presence of AMF spores showed a direct relationship with the phosphorus (P) availability in each treatment, with a count reduction in the organic system, with P content lower than 3 mg kg-1 of soil. The species with the highest predominance were the Acaulosporaceae (Acaulospora colombiana, A. delicata, and A. tuberculata), followed by the Glomaceae (Glomus ambisporum and Glomus pansihalos) in the conventional and silvopastoral systems. The silvopastoral and conventional systems showed the highest levels of Shannon-Weaver diversity (H') and Pielou's evenness, demonstrating greater diversity and consequently greater richness and uniformity.

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The aims of this study were to evaluate the doxorubicin concentration that induces toxic effects on in vitro culture of isolated mouse secondary follicles and to investigate whether resveratrol can inhibit or reduce this toxicity. Secondary follicles were isolated and cultured for 12 days in control medium (α-MEM+) or in α-MEM+ supplemented with doxorubicin (0.1 µg/ml) or different concentrations of resveratrol (0.5, 2, or 5 µM) associated with doxorubicin (0.1 µg/ml) (experiment 1). For experiment 2, follicles were cultured in α-MEM+ alone or supplemented with doxorubicin (0.3 µg/ml) or different concentrations of resveratrol (5 or 10 µM) associated or not with doxorubicin (0.3 µg/ml) (experiment 2). The endpoints analyzed were morphology (survival), antrum formation, follicular diameter, mitochondrial activity, glutathione (GSH) levels and DNA fragmentation. In the first experiment, doxorubicin (0.1 µg/ml) maintained survival and antrum formation similar to the control, while 5 µM resveratrol showed increased parameters, maintained mitochondrial activity and increased GSH levels compared to the control. In the second experiment, doxorubicin (0.3 µg/ml) reduced survival, antrum formation and follicular diameter compared to the control. Resveratrol at a concentration of 10 µM attenuated the damage caused by doxorubicin by improving follicular survival and did not present DNA fragmentation. In conclusion, supplementation of the in vitro culture medium with 0.3 µg/ml doxorubicin reduced the survival and impaired the development of mouse-isolated preantral follicles. Resveratrol at 10 µM reduced doxorubicin-induced follicular atresia, without DNA fragmentation in the follicles.

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We report the dynamic effects of magnetic inhomogeneity on the temperature evolution of the Raman modes in polycrystalline La2CoMnO6 (LCMO) films. The LCMO films were obtained via chemical solution deposition and annealed at different temperatures, 700, 800 and 900 °C. Temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopic studies uncover anomalous phonon energy behaviors, associated with strong spin-phonon couplings revealed even at ambient conditions. This effect, which is observed to occur well above ferromagnetic ordering temperature is ascribed to short-range Mn4+/Co2+ ferromagnetic clusters. Moreover, our study has shown that spin-phonon coupling strength is governed by competing antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) interactions. These results significantly enhance the understanding of the complex spin-phonon coupling mechanism to provide insights into magnetic inhomogeneity in systems with two or more magnetic sublattices. These findings suggest the presence of similar effects in other double perovskites within the RE2CoMnO6 (RE = rare earths) family, which exhibit analogous magnetic sublattice and order-disorder defects.

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Baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) is recognized as a widespread Brazilian tree species, and its almonds and pulp have gained commercial prominence due to their nutritional value. All parts of the baru are important for the environment and are used by traditional communities to treat various diseases. This review provides a comprehensive and current overview of the nutritional composition, human food applications, ethnopharmacological uses, and chemical and biological properties of Dipteryx alata, "baru" (Fabaceae). This study followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Studies were searched in the Medline (PubMed), Scopus, SciELO, and ScienceDirect databases using the descriptors "Dipteryx alata" OR "baru nut" OR "baru almond" OR "cumaru" OR "Coumarouna". The exclusion criteria included duplicate articles, review articles, case reports, short communications, conference documents, incomplete access to the text, and articles not related to the objective of this review. The initial search yielded 822 results, 127 of which met the inclusion criteria. The almond was the most extensively studied part (59.8%), whereas leaves received the least attention (1.6%). Baru almond is a rich source of proteins (19 to 30 g.100 g-1), unsaturated fatty acids (75 to 81%), and essential amino acids, while the pulp is rich in carbohydrates (22.5 to 75.4%), dietary fiber (4.4 to 41.6 g.100 g-1) and vitamin C (113.48 and 224.5 mg.100 g-1). Phenolic compounds were the main metabolites, with a greater content in the almond (3.1 to 1.306,34 mg GAE g-1) than in the pulp (186 to 477 mg GAE g-1). Terpenes were also detected in the almond, pulp, and bark. The most evaluated biological activity was the antioxidant activity (n = 32.1%), followed by effects on oxidative stress (n = 12.5%). Therefore, emphasis on baru cultivation and bioprospecting could benefit human nutrition and health, strengthen family farming in various regions of the country and favour the achievement of Zero Hunger and Sustainable Agriculture and Health and Well-Being in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

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The biometric differences between fruits and seeds are useful characteristics that can provide important data for the investigation and preservation of the species and may be linked to environmental and genetic influences. In this sense, considering the importance of this species and the need for conservation, the objective was to carry out physical characterization of the fruits and seeds of Hymenaea martiana as well as to determine the seed imbibition curve. The experiment was conducted at the Seed Analysis Laboratory at the Agricultural Sciences Center at the Federal University of Paraíba in Areia, PB. The evaluations carried out were as follows: biometry of fruits and seeds, number of seeds per fruit, colorimetry of fruits and seeds, percentage of damaged seeds, weight of a thousand seeds, seed water content, mass and imbibition curve. The biometric data were subjected to descriptive analysis to determine the minimum, maximum, average value, standard deviation, asymmetry, and kurtosis of the fruits and seeds. In terms of the biometric characteristics of the fruits and seeds of H. martiana, there was a marked variation, with average fruit lengths of 90.28 mm, widths of 46.83 mm, thicknesses of 34.69 mm, weights of 65.86 g and four seeds per fruit. The average length, width, thickness and weight of the seeds were 23.75 mm, 18.34 mm, 12.71 g and 4.13 g, respectively. The fruits were darker than the seeds, and both the fruits and seeds had red tones. Compared with nonscarified seeds, scarified seeds absorb a greater amount of water.

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Fusarium oxysporum is a cross-kingdom pathogen that infects humans, animals, and plants. The primary concern regarding this genus revolves around its resistance profile to multiple classes of antifungals, particularly azoles. However, the resistance mechanism employed by Fusarium spp. is not fully understood, thus necessitating further studies to enhance our understanding and to guide future research towards identifying new drug targets. Here, we employed an untargeted proteomic approach to assess the differentially expressed proteins in a soil isolate of Fusarium oxysporum URM7401 cultivated in the presence of amphotericin B and fluconazole. In response to antifungals, URM7401 activated diverse interconnected pathways, such as proteins involved in oxidative stress response, proteolysis, and lipid metabolism. Efflux proteins, antioxidative enzymes and M35 metallopeptidase were highly expressed under amphotericin B exposure. Antioxidant proteins acting on toxic lipids, along with proteins involved in lipid metabolism, were expressed during fluconazole exposure. In summary, this work describes the protein profile of a resistant Fusarium oxysporum soil isolate exposed to medical antifungals, paving the way for further targeted research and discovering new drug targets.

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Halide perovskites are a class of materials of consolidated optoelectronic and electrochemical applications, reaching efficiencies compared to established materials in respective fields. In this scenario, the design and understanding of composition-structure-property relations is imperative. In solid solutions containing mixed cations, some direct relations between the sizes of the substituents and the properties of perovskites are generally observed. However, in several cases, these relations are not observed, implying that other characteristics of these cations play a major role. Despite its importance, this understanding has not been comprehensively deepened. To address this issue, we synthesized and characterized the structure, electrical behavior, and stability of methylammonium lead iodide-based perovskites with equal amounts of the substituents guanidinium, ethylammonium, and acetamidinium. These three large organic cations have essentially equal sizes but other remarkably different characteristics, such as the number of N-H bonds, intrinsic dipole moment, and order of C-N bonds. Herein, we show that these cations have dramatically different effects over important fundamental and applied properties of resulting perovskites, including the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal and tetragonal-to-cubic phase transitions, microstructural development, ionic conductivity, I-V hysteresis, electronic carrier mobility, and stability against light-induced degradation. These effects are correlated with the characteristics of the large substituent cations and help pave the way for a better rational chemical design of halide perovskites.

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Hepatozoon spp. are the most common haemoparasites reported from reptiles around the world, however, only six species have been described infecting crocodilians. In Brazil, Hepatozoon caimani Carini, 1909 is currently the only recognized species from the caiman hosts. This study provides new data on the diversity of species of Hepatozoon infecting Caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus) using molecular data and phylogenetic analysis, with additional support of morphological data of developmental stages from host blood and tissue. Forty-four individuals were collected and screened for haemogregarines, and blood and tissue samples were analysed by light microscopy with 31 (70.45%) infected. Hepatozoon spp. blood developmental stages included immature and mature gamonts with or without cytoplasmic vacuoles and free gamonts. Additionally, merogonic developmental stages were found in the liver and spleen of infected hosts. Based on the morphological and molecular data, this study identified two possible different species of Hepatozoon, being one of them the H. caimani with intragenotypic divergence.

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PURPOSE: In patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) vitamin D deficiency has been associated with more severe presentations. Our aim was to investigate the effects of Vitamin D supplementation on mineral homeostasis and related hormones in individuals with and without PHPT. METHODS: Individuals with and without PHPT (CTRL) received 14,000 IU/week of oral vitamin D3 for 12 weeks. At baseline and endpoint, blood samples were collected to measure 1,25(OH)2vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), intact Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23), 25OHD, Parathormone, and other biochemical markers. The 1,25(OH)2D measurement was performed using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). RESULTS: 70 PHPT patients and 75 CTRL were included, and 55 PHPT and 64 CTRL completed the 12-week protocol. After the intervention, there were significant increases in the FGF23 levels (PHPT: 47.9 ± 27.1 to 76.3 ± 33.3; CTRL: 40.5 ± 13.9 to 59.8 ± 19.8 pg/mL, p < 0.001), and significant decreases in 1,25(OH)2D levels (PHPT: 94.8 ± 34.6 to 68.9 ± 25.3; CTRL: 68.7 ± 23.5 to 56.4 ± 20.7 pg/mL, p < 0.001). The reduction of 1,25(OH)2D was inversely associated with the increase of FGF23 in both the PHPT (r = -0.302, p = 0.028) and CTRL (r = -0.278, p = 0.027). No changes in plasmatic or uninary calcium concentrations were observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: The weekly administration of 14,000 IU of Vitamin D3 was safe and efficient to increase in 25OHD levels in both groups. However, a paradoxical decrease in 1,25(OH)2D levels measured by LC-MS/MS was associated with a significant increase in FGF23 levels in both groups. This phenomenon might represent a defense against hypercalcemia after vitamin D supplementation and paves the way for new studies in this regard.

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Magnetic systems with competing anisotropies generally exhibit asymmetry between the maximum amplitudes of the right and left maxima in a magnetoimpedance curve. Small errors in positioning the samples at the experimental setup may also produce such asymmetry. In this work, we present a study on the sources of the asymmetry between magnetoimpedance peaks in systems that present the exchange bias phenomenon, by comparing a phenomenological model to experimental data. A set of samples with different repetitions of the NiFe/FeMn exchange-biased bilayer was used in this study. From the frequency evolution of the asymmetry, together with magnetization curves, we were able to identify the sources for the observed magnetoimpedance asymmetry found on our experimental data.

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Variability in snake venom composition is well-documented and crucial for understanding snake ecology and predicting snakebites. In this study, we characterize the venom composition and biological activities of newborn female and male Bothrops moojeni and their mother. Our results reveal significant differences between the venom of newborn females and males, demonstrating a broad and diverse range of proteins. The venoms of newborn females showed higher serine protease effects, increased hemorrhagic activity, and greater lethality compared to the venom of newborn males. However, no differences were observed in phospholipase A2 and coagulant activity. The differences in protein composition and toxic activities between maternal and neonatal venom, as well as between the venoms of newborn females and males, contribute to understanding the diverse outcomes of snakebites. These results underscore the importance of considering sex and ontogeny in understanding venom composition in snakes.

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Salinity reduces feijão-caupi production, and the search for tolerant varieties becomes important within the agricultural context, as, in addition to being used in the field, they can be used in genetic improvement. The objective was to for a identify variety that is tolerant to salinity considering the physiological quality of seeds and seedling growth. A 2 × 4 factorial scheme was used, referring to the varieties Pingo-de-ouro and Coruja, and four electrical conductivities of water (0; 3.3; 6.6 and 9.9 dS m-1). The physiological quality of seeds and the growth of seedlings were analyzed, in addition to the cumulative germination. The Pingo-de-ouro variety showed no germination, length of the shoot and root, dry mass of the shoot and root compromised up to electrical conductivity of 6 dS m-1 in relation to 0.0 dS m-1. On the other hand, the Coruja variety showed reduced germination, increased shoot and root length. The creole variety Pingo-de-ouro proved to be tolerant to salinity.

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During an ecological study with a near-endangered anuran in Brazil, the Schmidt's Spinythumb frog, Crossodactylus schmidti Gallardo, 1961, we were given a chance to analyze the gastrointestinal tract of a few individuals for parasites. In this paper, we describe a new species of an allocreadiid trematode of the genus Creptotrema Travassos, Artigas & Pereira, 1928, which possesses a unique trait among allocreadiids (i.e., a bivalve shell-like muscular structure at the opening of the ventral sucker); the new species represents the fourth species of allocreadiid trematode parasitizing amphibians. Besides, the new species is distinguished from other congeners by the combination of characters such as the body size, ventral sucker size, cirrus-sac size, and by having small eggs. DNA sequences through the 28S rDNA and COI mtDNA further corroborated the distinction of the new species. Phylogenetic analyses placed the newly generated sequences in a monophyletic clade together with all other sequenced species of Creptotrema. Genetic divergences between the new species and other Creptotrema spp. varied from 2.0 to 4.2% for 28S rDNA, and 15.1 to 16.8% for COI mtDNA, providing robust validation for the recognition of the new species. Even though allocreadiids are mainly parasites of freshwater fishes, our results confirm anurans as hosts of trematodes of this family. Additionally, we propose the reallocation of Auriculostoma ocloya Liquin, Gilardoni, Cremonte, Saravia, Cristóbal & Davies, 2022 to the genus Creptotrema. This study increases the known diversity of allocreadiids and contributes to our understanding of their evolutionary relationships, host-parasite relationships, and biogeographic history.

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Parkinson's disease is a degenerative, chronic and progressive disease, characterized by motor dysfunctions. Patients also exhibit non-motor symptoms, such as affective and sleep disorders. Sleep disorders can potentiate clinical and neuropathological features and lead to worse prognosis. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of sleep deprivation (SD) in mice submitted to a progressive pharmacological model of Parkinsonism (chronic administration with a low dose of reserpine). Male Swiss mice received 20 injections of reserpine (0.1 mg/kg) or vehicle, on alternate days. SD was applied before or during reserpine treatment and was performed by gentle handling for 6 h per day for 10 consecutive days. Animals were submitted to motor and non-motor behavioral assessments and neurochemical evaluations. Locomotion was increased by SD and decreased by reserpine treatment. SD during treatment delayed the onset of catalepsy, but SD prior to treatment potentiated reserpine-induced catalepsy. Thus, although SD induced an apparent beneficial effect on motor parameters, a delayed deleterious effect on alterations induced by reserpine was found. In the object recognition test, both SD and reserpine treatment produced cognitive deficits. In addition, the association between SD and reserpine induced anhedonic-like behavior. Finally, an increase in oxidative stress was found in hippocampus of mice subjected to SD, and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity was reduced in substantia nigra of reserpine-treated animals. Results point to a possible late effect of SD, aggravating the deficits in mice submitted to the reserpine progressive model of PD.

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Despite recent efforts to search for biomarkers for the pre-symptomatic diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), the presence of risk factors, prodromal signs, and family history still support the classification of individuals at risk for this disease. Human epidemiological studies are useful in this search but fail to provide causality. The study of well-known risk factors for PD in animal models can help elucidate mechanisms related to the disease's etiology and contribute to future prevention or treatment approaches. This narrative review aims to discuss animal studies that investigated four of the main risk factors and/or prodromal signs related to PD: advanced age, male sex, sleep alterations, and depression. Different databases were used to search the studies, which were included based on their relevance to the topic. Although still in a reduced number, such studies are of great relevance in the search for evidence that leads to a possible early diagnosis and improvements in methods of prevention and treatment.

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The treatment of arterial hypertension (AH) contributes to the reduction of morbidity and mortality. Gender differences are likely to play a role, as non-treatment is associated with clinical and sociodemographic aspects. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with non-treatment of AH and gender differences in hypertensive individuals from the ELSA-Brasil cohort. The study was conducted with 5,743 baseline hypertensive cohort participants. AH was considered if there was a previous diagnosis or if systolic blood pressure (SBP) was ≥140 and/or diastolic BP (DBP) was ≥90 mmHg. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data, lifestyle, comorbidities, and use of antihypertensive medications were evaluated through interviews and in-person measurements. Treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) or other antihypertensive medications and non-treatment were evaluated with multivariate logistic regression. Non-treatment was observed in 32.8% of hypertensive individuals. Of the 67.7% treated individuals, 41.1% received RAASi. Non-treatment was associated with alcohol consumption in women (OR=1.41; 95%CI: 1.15-1.73; P=0.001), lowest schooling level in men (OR=1.70; 95%CI: 1.32-2.19; P<0.001), and younger age groups in men and women (strongest association in males aged 35-44 years: OR=4.58, 95%CI: 3.17-6.6, P<0.001). Among those using RAASi, a higher proportion of white, older individuals, and with more comorbidities was observed. The high percentage of non-treatment, even in this civil servant population, indicated the need to improve the treatment cascade for AH. Public health policies should consider giving special attention to gender roles in groups at higher risk of non-treatment to reduce inequities related to AH in Brazil.

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The treatment of arterial hypertension (AH) contributes to the reduction of morbidity and mortality. Gender differences are likely to play a role, as non-treatment is associated with clinical and sociodemographic aspects. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with non-treatment of AH and gender differences in hypertensive individuals from the ELSA-Brasil cohort. The study was conducted with 5,743 baseline hypertensive cohort participants. AH was considered if there was a previous diagnosis or if systolic blood pressure (SBP) was ≥140 and/or diastolic BP (DBP) was ≥90 mmHg. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data, lifestyle, comorbidities, and use of antihypertensive medications were evaluated through interviews and in-person measurements. Treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) or other antihypertensive medications and non-treatment were evaluated with multivariate logistic regression. Non-treatment was observed in 32.8% of hypertensive individuals. Of the 67.7% treated individuals, 41.1% received RAASi. Non-treatment was associated with alcohol consumption in women (OR=1.41; 95%CI: 1.15-1.73; P=0.001), lowest schooling level in men (OR=1.70; 95%CI: 1.32-2.19; P<0.001), and younger age groups in men and women (strongest association in males aged 35-44 years: OR=4.58, 95%CI: 3.17-6.6, P<0.001). Among those using RAASi, a higher proportion of white, older individuals, and with more comorbidities was observed. The high percentage of non-treatment, even in this civil servant population, indicated the need to improve the treatment cascade for AH. Public health policies should consider giving special attention to gender roles in groups at higher risk of non-treatment to reduce inequities related to AH in Brazil.

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The phosphate ester monomer 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP) is capable of bonding to hydroxyapatite and, for this reason, is a key component of several self-etch adhesives. In this study, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate particles (DCPD; CaHPO4.2H2O) were functionalized with 10-MDP and used to formulate an experimental composite with 50 vol% inorganic content (3:1 DCPD:silanated barium glass ratio) dispersed in a BisGMA/TEGDMA matrix. The tested hypothesis was that DCPD functionalization would improve the composite's mechanical performance without compromising Ca2+ release. Composites containing nonfunctionalized DCPD or only reinforcing glass (in both cases, with or without 10-MDP mixed in the resin phase) were used as controls. Materials were tested for degree of conversion (DC; by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), water sorption (WS) and solubility (SL; according to ISO 4049), biaxial flexural strength (BFS)/modulus (FM) after 24 h and 5 mo in water, and 28-d Ca2+ release in water (by plasma-coupled optical emission spectroscopy). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance/Tukey test (alpha: 5%). DCPD functionalization did not interfere with DC. The composite containing functionalized DCPD showed significantly lower WS and SL in comparison with the material formulated with nonfunctionalized particles. The presence of 10-MDP (as a functionalizing agent or dispersed in the resin phase) reduced the composite's initial BFS and FM. After 5 mo in water, the composite with functionalized DCPD and both glass-only composites were able to maintain their mechanical properties at levels statistically similar to what was observed after 24 h. Ca2+ release was significantly reduced in both formulations containing 10-MDP. In conclusion, DCPD functionalization with 10-MDP increased the composite's resistance to hydrolytic degradation, improving its mechanical stability after prolonged water storage. However, the impaired water transit at the particle-matrix interface led to a reduction in Ca2+ release.

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Pesticides have been pointed out as hormone disruptors and may significantly affect the prognosis of hormone-dependent diseases such as breast cancer (BC). Here, we investigated the impact of occupational pesticide exposure on systemic cortisol levels in female rural workers diagnosed with BC. Occupational exposure was assessed by interviews with a standardized questionnaire. Plasma samples (112 from pesticide-exposed women and 77 from unexposed women) were collected in the afternoon, outside the physiological cortisol peak, and analyzed by a chemiluminescent paramagnetic immunoassay for the quantitative determination of cortisol levels in serum and plasma. The results from both groups were categorized according to patients' clinicopathological and exposure data. BC pesticide-exposed women presented higher levels of cortisol than the unexposed. Higher cortisol levels were also detected in the exposed group with more aggressive disease (triple-negative BC), with tumors over 2 cm, with lymph node metastases, and with high risk of disease recurrence and death. These findings demonstrated that there is an association between pesticide exposure and BC that affected cortisol levels and correlated to poor disease prognosis.

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