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Tadalafil, a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor 5 (PDE-5), is commonly used for the management of erectile dysfunction. However, its therapeutic potential extends beyond this indication. This study aimed to investigate the impact of tadalafil on the recovery of testicular parenchyma in male Wistar rats exposed to testicular thermal stress. Fifty-four Wistar rats were subjected to testicular thermal stress and randomly assigned to receive either tadalafil treatment (TAD) or no treatment (control). TAD was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of either 0.9 mg/kg or 1.8 mg/kg. Biometric parameters, histopathological assessment of the testis, serum testosterone levels, oxidative stress, and interleukin levels were evaluated on days 7, 15, and 30 after thermal shock. The animals were euthanized at the end of each experimental period, and samples were collected. TAD treatment maintained testicular weight and reduced the testicular degenerative process up to day 7 post-injury. However, despite TAD therapy, serum testosterone levels were decreased in the treated groups at days 7 and 15 post-thermal stress. TAD also decreased TNF-α and NO levels at different doses but had no effect on IL-6. The treatment with TAD after heat shock demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties but did not prevent the aggravation of testicular lesions in subsequent periods, even with the systematic reduction in TNF-α and NO levels. Therefore, this selective PDE-5 inhibitor, at the dosages used, did not have a positive impact on testosterone levels during the post-thermal stress period, which could compromise the resumption of the spermatogenic process.

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CONTEXT: Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a water-soluble micronutrient considered to be a precursor of the nucleotides flavin adenine dinucleotide and flavin mononucleotide. This vitamin makes up mitochondrial complexes and participates as an enzymatic cofactor in several mechanisms associated with energy metabolism. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review collected and discussed the most relevant results on the role of riboflavin in the energy metabolism of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was carried out in the PubMed-Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases using the PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study design) strategy. DATA EXTRACTION: The screening of studies went through 2 stages following predefined eligibility criteria. The information extracted covered reference details, study design, population characteristics, experimental model, treatment parameters and dosage, route of administration, duration of treatment, and results found. DATA ANALYSIS: The risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE Risk of Bias (RoB) tool for in vivo studies and the QUIN tool adapted for in vitro studies, utilizing 10 domains, including selection bias, performance bias, detection bias, attrition bias, reporting bias, and other biases, to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. CONCLUSION: This review concludes that riboflavin regulates energy metabolism by activating primary metabolic pathways and is involved in energy balance homeostasis.

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PURPOSE: The decline in physical performance, assessed by physical tests such as the timed up and go (TUG) test, is a consequence of reduced physiological reserves at higher levels of a hierarchical process. This occurs due to changes in muscle architecture, including atrophy and fat infiltration into the muscles, which in turn lead to changes in muscle function, resulting in reduced muscle strength and power and, consequently, affecting physical performance. This study investigated predictive factors for physical performance in breast cancer survivor (BCS), focusing on intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), quadríceps muscle area (QMA), and muscular power. METHODS: This observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study included 23 women without a history of cancer (age, 58.5 ± 8.3 years; BMI, 27.2 ± 5.1 kg/m2) and 56 BCS (age, 58.5 ± 8.3 years; BMI, 27.2 ± 5.1 kg/m2). QMA and IMAT were assessed using computed tomography images. Muscular power and physical performance were measured using the 5-repetition sit-to-stand and TUG tests, respectively. RESULTS: IMAT (r = 0.4, P < 0.01) and muscular power (r = - 0.4, P < 0.01) were associated with TUG performance in BCS, whereas QMA (r = - 0.22, P = 0.10) showed no significant association. QMA (r = 0.55, P < 0.01) was associated with muscular power, while no significant association was found between IMAT and muscular power (r = - 0.05, P = 0.73). Age explained 19% (P < 0.01) of TUG performance variability. Adding muscular power increased explanatory power by 12% (P < 0.01), and including IMAT further increased it by 7% (P = 0.02) for TUG performance. Collectively, age, muscular power, and IMAT accounted for 38% of the performance variance in the TUG test (age, B = 0.06, P = 0.043; muscular power, B = - 0.01, P = 0.002; IMAT, B = - 0.05, P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that IMAT and muscular power predict the physical performance of BCS, while QMA does not have the same predictive capability.

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Biosurfactants encompass structurally and chemically diverse molecules with surface active properties, and a broad industrial deployment, including pharmaceuticals. The interest is growing mainly for the low toxicity, biodegradability, and production from renewable sources. In this work, the optimized biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa BM02, isolated from the soil of a mining area in the Brazilian Amazon region was assessed, in addition to its antiviral, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities. The optimal conditions for biosurfactant production were determined using a factorial design, which showed the best yield (2.28 mg/mL) at 25 °C, pH 5, and 1% glycerol. The biosurfactant obtained was characterized as a mixture of rhamnolipids with virucidal properties against Herpes Simplex Virus, Coronavirus, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus, in addition to antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium), at 50 µg/mL. The antitumor activity of BS (12.5 µg/mL) was also demonstrated, with potential selectivity in reducing the proliferation of breast tumor cells, after 1 min of exposure. These results demonstrate the importance of studying the interconnection between cultivation conditions and properties of industrially important compounds, such as rhamnolipid-type biosurfactant from P. aeruginosa BM02, a promising and sustainable alternative in the development of new antiviral, antitumor, and antimicrobial prototypes.

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Com o surgimento da pandemia causada pelo vírus da severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), necessitou-se implementar medidas de controle hospitalar, a fim de evitar a propagação e reinfecção dos pacientes acometidos. Assim, objetivou-se identificar as estratégias adotadas pela enfermagem no enfrentamento da covid-19, mediante revisão integrativa da literatura nas bases de dados: SciELO, LILACS e BVS, de 2019 a 2022. Selecionou-se palavras-chave seguindo os Descritores de Ciências da Saúde (DeCS) e operadores booleanos. A transmissão do novo coronavírus ocorre de pessoa para pessoa, por inalação ou contato com gotículas respiratórias do indivíduo infectado com incubação de dois a 14 dias. Os sintomas variam entre febre, tosse, dor de garganta, dificuldade respiratória, e outros. A alta transmissibilidade do vírus alastrou-se de forma rápida e frequente, sendo necessário se atentar à segurança dos profissionais de saúde e dos pacientes, por meio da correta utilização dos equipamentos de proteção individual (EPI) e da sistematização da assistência de enfermagem, na qual o enfermeiro direciona e coordena, de forma individualizada, a prestação da assistência ao paciente na unidade de saúde, observando os sinais e sintomas para determinar a gravidade do quadro clínico e prestar todos os cuidados necessários. Este trabalho proporcionou uma visão ampla das estratégias adotadas pelos profissionais de enfermagem, destacando a atuação corajosa, ativa e contínua deles na linha de frente do enfrentamento da pandemia, com prestação da assistência integral de qualidade aos pacientes.

The emergence of the pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus (SARS-CoV-2) required implementing hospital control measures to prevent the spread and reinfection of affected patients. Thus, this study analyzes practices used by nurses to combat COVID-19 by means of an integrative literature review. Bibliographic search was conducted in the SciELO, LILACS and BVS databases from 2019 to 2022 using DeCS descriptors and Boolean operators. COVID-19 transmission occurs from person to person through inhalation or contact with respiratory droplets from infected individuals with incubation of 2 to 14 days. Symptoms range from fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing to more severe reactions. Its high transmissibility lead to a quick and frequent spread, demanding better attention to professional and patient safety through the correct use of PPEs and the systematization of nursing care, in which nurses direct and coordinate the provision of individualized care to patients the health unit, observing signs and symptoms to determine clinical severity and provide all necessary care. The present work gave a broad view of the strategies adopted by nursing professionals, highlighting their courageous, active and continuous actions on the front line to combat the pandemic, providing comprehensive quality care to patients.

La pandemia provocada por el virus del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo (SARS-CoV-2) requirió la implementación de medidas de control hospitalario para evitar la propagación y reinfección de los pacientes afectados. En este contexto, se pretende identificar las estrategias de afrontamiento de la covid-19 utilizadas por la enfermería; para ello, se realizó una revisión integradora de la literatura en las bases de datos SciELO, LILACS y BVS en el período de 2019 a 2022. Las palabras clave se seleccionaron siguiendo los Descriptores de las Ciencias de la Salud (DeSC) y los operadores booleanos. El nuevo coronavirus se propaga de persona a persona mediante la inhalación o contacto con gotículas respiratorias de la persona infectada en un período de incubación de 2 días a 14 días. Los síntomas van desde fiebre, tos, dolor de garganta, dificultad para respirar, entre otros. La propagación del virus se dio de manera rápida y frecuente, por lo que se requirió prestar atención a la seguridad de los profesionales de la salud y de los pacientes, mediante el uso correcto de los equipos de protección individual (EPI) y la sistematización de los cuidados de enfermería, en que el enfermero dirige y coordina, de manera individualizada, la atención al paciente en la unidad de salud, observando sus signos y síntomas para determinar la gravedad del cuadro clínico y brindarle los cuidados necesarios. Este trabajo proporciona una visión amplia de las estrategias adoptadas por los profesionales de enfermería, con su acción valiente, activa y continua en primera línea en el afrontamiento a la pandemia, brindando una atención integral de calidad a los pacientes.

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OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of muscle strength and physical performance tests in women older than 40 years. METHODS: A total of 113 women, aged 58 ± 11 years (82% postmenopausal women), with a body mass index of 28.5 ± 5.8 kg/m 2 , participated in this study. One-repetition maximum (1RM) tests were conducted for seven strength exercises: 45° leg press, bench press, leg extension, pec deck, wide-grip lateral pull-down, leg curl, and seated cable row, with a retest after 48 hours. Timed Up and Go (TUG), 6-minute walk, and 30-second sit-to-stand tests were performed on the same day and retested after 72 hours. The tests and retests were administered by the same evaluators. Relative reliability (consistency of participant rank between test-retest) was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient for consistency and agreement, and absolute reliability (precision of score) was assessed using the MDC based on the standard error of prediction. RESULTS: The 1RM and performance tests exhibited excellent reliability: 45° leg press (consistency, 0.99; agreement, 0.98), bench press (consistency, 0.96; agreement, 0.96), leg extension (consistency, 0.93; agreement, 0.91), pec deck (consistency, 0.90; agreement, 0.88), wide-grip lateral pull-down (consistency, 0.91; agreement, 0.89), leg curl (consistency, 0.84; agreement, 0.83), seated cable row (consistency, 0.92; agreement, 0.94), TUG (consistency, 0.87; agreement, 0.87), 6-minute walk (consistency, 0.96; agreement, 0.95), and 30-second sit to stand (consistency, 0.85; agreement, 0.80). These tests showed meaningful MDC values, particularly for the 1RM test performed on the machine and the 30-second sit-to-stand test: 45° leg press, 22.2 kg (15%); bench press, 4.9 kg (19%); leg extension, 9.2 kg (35%); pec deck, 8.8 kg (44%); wide-grip lateral pull-down, 9.4 kg (31%); leg curl, 9.2 kg (51%); seated cable row, 11.4 kg (29%); TUG, 1.4 seconds (20%); 6-minute walk, 50.9 m (10%); and 30-second sit to stand, 4.6 reps (30%). CONCLUSIONS: Although the muscle strength and physical performance tests demonstrate excellent relative reliability in women older than 40 years, they exhibit low absolute reliability, particularly the 1RM test performed on the machine and the 30-second sit-to-stand test. Therefore, although these tests show good consistency in the positioning of women within the group after repeated measures, their precision measure is relatively low (high fluctuation). Changes in these tests that are smaller than the MDC may not indicate real changes in women at middle age and older.

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Acmella oleracea (L.) is a plant popularly known as jambu in the Brazilian Amazon. This species has several biological properties, such as anaesthetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, among others. However, there is limited information on its anticancer activity. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the effects of the hydroethanolic extract of jambu and its active compound (spilanthol) on gastric cancer cells. Hydroethanolic jambu inflorescence extract was obtained, and spilanthol was isolated by HPLC. Biological cytotoxicity assays were determined using MTT tests. In addition, an in silico study using molecular docking evaluated the inhibitory properties of spilanthol against JAK1 and JAK2 proteins. The results showed that the hydroethanolic extract and the isolated compound spilanthol exhibited cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Molecular docking revealed that spilanthol has inhibitory potential for JAK1 and JAK2 proteins. Thus, extract of jambu and spilanthol can be a possible candidate for the treatment of gastric carcinoma.

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O objetivo deste artigo foi descrever os aspectos relacionados à segurança alimentar e nutricional entre indivíduos com sobrepeso e obesidade residentes em um território de abrangência de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde de um município do interior da Paraíba. Estudo transversal, descritivo com amostra intencional, realizado em janeiro de 2020 no município de Nova Floresta, Paraíba. Utilizou-se questionário estruturado com dados socioeconômicos; avaliação de segurança alimentar através da Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar; padrão de consumo; e avaliação antropométrica. Observa-se que a maior parte dos entrevistados eram do sexo feminino, com casa própria quitada, sabendo ler e escrever com facilidade e sem renda fixa. A prevalência foi maior para a insegurança alimentar e seus diferentes níveis, bem como, principalmente entre as mulheres, com mais baixo nível de escolaridade e com excesso de peso. Durante a semana, a maioria dos entrevistados realiza refeições em casa e com outras pessoas, sentado à mesa; ao seu término acham que comeram de forma suficiente. Os alimentos mais consumidos todos os dias ou duas vezes na semana são alimentos básicos da cultura alimentar brasileira. Os entrevistados consomem com menor frequência alimentos processados e ultraprocessados.

overweight and obese individuals residing in a territory covered by a Basic Health Unit in a county in the interior of Paraíba. Cross-sectional, descriptive study with an intentional sample carried out in January 2020 in the county of Nova Floresta, Paraíba. A structured questionnaire with socioeconomic data was used; food security assessment through the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale; consumption pattern; anthropometric assessment. It is observed that most of the interviewees were female, with their own house paid off, knowing how to read and write easily and without a fixed income. The prevalence was higher for food insecurity and its different levels, as well as, mainly among women, with lower educational level and overweight. During the week, most respondents have meals at home and with other people, sitting at the table; at its end they think they have eaten enough. Every day or twice a week, the most consumed food are basic food of Brazilian food culture. The interviewees less frequently consume processed and ultra-processed food.

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Plectranthus ornatus is a medicinal and aromatic plant used in traditional and alternative medicine. In this study, leaves of P. ornatus were collected in two cities of the state of Pará, "Quatipuru" and "Barcarena", and were used with the objective of analyzing, through morphoanatomical data and histochemical and phytochemical studies of essential oil, the samples present structural differences and differences in their chemical composition. Anatomical and histochemical analyses were performed by transverse, using longitudinal sections of 8 µm to 10 µm to perform epidermal dissociation, diaphonization, and tests to identify classes of secondary metabolites. The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation, and the identification of the chemical composition was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The anatomical study shows that there is no difference between specimens collected in different locations, and stellate trichomes were identified. The histochemical study detected total lipids and acids, terpenes, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, tannins, alkaloids, and calcium oxalate. The low essential oil yield may be related to the low density of secretory cells (glandular trichomes), the unidentified compounds in the highest concentration in the essential oil were in relation to the chemical composition of the essential oils, and the major compounds were α-pinene, sabinene, (E)-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, and oct-1-en-3-ol. The results provide new information about the anatomy and histochemistry of P. ornatus.

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Biotransformations are reactions mediated by microorganisms, such as fungi. These bioreactions have high chemo- and stereoselectivity on organic substrates and can be applied in the search for new bioactive compounds. In this study, acanthoic acid (AA) was biotransformed using the fungus Xylaria sp., giving the novel compound 3ß,7ß-dihydroxyacanthoic acid (S1). Both the AA and the product S1 were tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. To identify and validate possible biological targets as enzymes or proteins involved in the activity observed in vitro, we used the molecular docking method. Hydroxylation at the C-3 and C-7 positions of the biotransformation product enhanced its activity against Escherichia coli as well as its binding affinity and interactions with superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1; PDB ID 4A7G). Based on our results, the SOD1 enzyme was suggested to be a possible target for the antioxidant activity of product S1.

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CONTEXT: Natural products and their biotransformation procedures are a powerful source of new chromophores with potential applications in fields like biology, pharmacology and materials science. Thus, this work discusses about the extraction procedure of 1-nitro-2-phenylethane (1N2PE) from Aniba canelilla, its biotransformation setup into 2-phenylethanol (2PE) using four fungi, Lasiodiplodia caatinguensis (phytopathogenic fungus from Citrus sinensis), Colletotrichum sp. (phytopathogenic fungus from Euterpe oleracea), Aspergillus flavus and Rigidoporus lineatus isolated from copper mining waste located in the interior of the Brazilian Amazon. A detailed experimental and theoretical vibrational analysis (IR and Raman) have allowed us to perform some charge transfer effects on the title compounds (push-pull effect) by monitoring specific vibrational modes of their electrophilic and nucleophilic molecular sites. The solvent interactions promote molecular conformations that affect the vibrational spectra of the donor and acceptor groups, as can be seen comparatively in the gas and aqueous solution spectra, an effect possibly related to the bathochromic shift in the calculated optical spectrum of the compounds. The nonlinear optical behavior shows that while the solvent reduces the response of 1N2PE, the response of 2PE increases the optical parameters, which presents low refractive index (n) and first hyperpolarizability. ([Formula: see text]) is almost eight times that reported for urea (42.79 a.u.), a common nonlinear optical material. Furthermore, the bioconversion goes from an electrophilic to a nucleophilic compound, affecting its molecular reactivity. METHODS: 1N2PE was obtained from Aniba canelilla, whose essential oil is constituted of [Formula: see text] of 2PE. The A. canelilla essential oil was extracted under hydrodistillation. The biotransformation reactions were performed in autoclaved liquid media (100 mL) composed of malt extract (2%) in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask. Each culture was incubated in an orbital shaker (130 rpm) at [Formula: see text]C during 7 days and after that, 50 mg of 1N2PE (80%) were diluted in 100 [Formula: see text]L of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and added to the reactions flasks. Aliquots (2 mL) were removed using ethyl acetate (2 mL) and analyzed by GC-MS (fused silica capillary col1umn, Rtx -5MS 30 m [Formula: see text] 0.25 mm [Formula: see text] 0.25 [Formula: see text]m) in order to determine the amount of 1N2PE biotransformation. FTIR 1N2PE and 2PE spectra were obtained by attenuated total reflectance (ATR), using a Agilent CARY 630 spectrometer, in the spectral region 4000-650 cm[Formula: see text]. The quantum chemical calculations were carried out in the Gaussian 09 program while the DICE code was used to perform the classical Monte Carlo simulations and generate the liquid environment using the classical All-Atom Optimized parameters for Liquid Simulations (AA-OPLS). All nonlinear optical properties, reactive parameters, and electronic excitations were calculated using the Density Functional Theory framework coupled to the standard 6-311++G(d,p) basis set.

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Probiotics are associated with health benefits to the host. However, their application can be limited due to a decrease in cell viability during processing, storage, and passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Microencapsulation is a simple and efficient alternative to improve the physical protection and stability of probiotics. The present study aimed to produce and characterize alginate or gelatin-based microparticles containing Lactobacillus acidophilus NRRL B-4495 or Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NRRL B-4496 by oil-in-water (O/W) emulsification and to evaluate the stability under storage conditions. The results showed that L. acidophilus and L. plantarum encapsulated in gelatin (LAEG and LPEG) presented diameters of 26.08 ± 1.74 µm and 21.56 ± 4.17 µm and encapsulation efficiencies of 89.6 ± 4.2% and 81.1 ± 9.7%, respectively. However, those encapsulated in alginate (LAEA and LPEA) showed an encapsulation efficiency of <1.0%. Furthermore, LAEG was stable for 120 days of storage at 5 °C and 25 °C. Therefore, encapsulation in gelatin by O/W emulsification is a promising strategy for protecting and stabilizing probiotic bacteria, enabling future application in foods.

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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated by photosensitizers loaded in nanostructures as solid lipid nanoparticles has been pinpointed as an effective and safe treatment against different skin cancers. Amazon butters have an interesting lipid composition when it comes to forming solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). In the present report, a new third-generation photosensitizing system consisting of aluminum-phthalocyanine associated with Amazon butter-based solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN-AlPc) is described. The SLN was developed using murumuru butter, and a monodisperse population of nanodroplets with a hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 40 nm was obtained. The study of the permeation of these AlPc did not permeate the analyzed skin, but when incorporated into the system, SLN-AlPc allowed permeation of almost 100% with 8 h of contact. It must be emphasized that SLN-AlPc was efficient for carrying aluminum-phthalocyanine photosensitizers and exhibited no toxicity in the dark. Photoactivated SLN-AlPc exhibited a 50% cytotoxicity concentration (IC50) of 19.62 nM when applied to B16-F10 monolayers, and the type of death caused by the treatment was apoptosis. The exposed phospholipid phosphatidylserine was identified, and the treatment triggered a high expression of Caspase 3. A stable Amazon butter-based SLN-AlPc formulation was developed, which exhibits strong in vitro photodynamic activity on melanoma cells.

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In this paper, we evaluated the drug-receptor interactions responsible for the antimicrobial activity of thymol, the major compound present in the essential oil (EO) of Lippia thymoides (L. thymoides) Mart. & Schauer (Verbenaceae). It was previously reported that this EO exhibits antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Therefore, we used molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and free energy calculations to investigate the interaction of thymol with pharmacological receptors of interest to combat these pathogens. We found that thymol interacted favorably with the active sites of the microorganisms' molecular targets. MolDock Score results for systems formed with CYP51 (C. albicans), Dihydrofolate reductase (S. aureus), and Dihydropteroate synthase (E. coli) were -77.85, -67.53, and -60.88, respectively. Throughout the duration of the MD simulations, thymol continued interacting with the binding pocket of the molecular target of each microorganism. The van der Waals (ΔEvdW = -24.88, -26.44, -21.71 kcal/mol, respectively) and electrostatic interaction energies (ΔEele = -3.94, -11.07, -12.43 kcal/mol, respectively) and the nonpolar solvation energies (ΔGNP = -3.37, -3.25, -2.93 kcal/mol, respectively) were mainly responsible for the formation of complexes with CYP51 (C. albicans), Dihydrofolate reductase (S. aureus), and Dihydropteroate synthase (E. coli).

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The present study evaluated the cytotoxicity, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial effect on the antibiotic activity modulation of gelatin nanoparticles containing buriti oil (OPG). The cytotoxicity analysis was performed on Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (CHO) using a MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] test. The antioxidant potential of buriti oil and OPG was determined by total antioxidant capacity, reducing power, and the ABTS (2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) test. The modulating antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) concentration against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, gentamicin and norflaxacillin. The nanoformulation of OPG did not show a cytotoxic effect on CHO cells and had a higher antioxidant potential than free buriti oil (p<0.05). The combination of antibiotics with free buriti oil and OPG was more efficient in inhibiting E. coli and P. aeruginosa than isolated norfloxacillin and gentamicin (p<0.05). Regarding the inhibition of S. aureus, OPG in combination with norfloxacillin reduced MIC by 50%. Nanoencapsulation was a viable alternative to enhance functionality and adding commercial value to buriti oil.

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Mass testing for the diagnosis of COVID-19 has been hampered in many countries owing to the high cost of genetic material detection. This study reports on a low-cost immunoassay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 within 30 min using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The immunosensor comprises 50-nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, whose bioconjugation was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS). The specific binding of the bioconjugates to the spike protein led to an increase in bioconjugate size, with a limit of detection (LOD) 5.29 × 103 TCID50/mL (Tissue Culture Infectious Dose). The immunosensor was also proven to be selective upon interaction with influenza viruses once no increase in size was observed after DLS measurement. The strategy proposed here aimed to use antibodies conjugated to AuNPs as a generic platform that can be extended to other detection principles, enabling technologies for low-cost mass testing for COVID-19.

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Penicillium setosum represents a Penicillium species recently described, with little up-to-date information about its metabolic and biological potential. Due to this scenario, we performed chemical and biological studies of P. setosum CMLD18, a strain isolated from Swinglea glutinosa (Rutaceae). HRMS-MS guided dereplication strategies and anti-leukemia assays conducted the isolation and characterization of six compounds after several chromatographic procedures: 2-chloroemodic acid (2), 2-chloro-1,3,8-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)-anthraquinone (7), 7-chloroemodin (8), bisdethiobis(methylthio)acetylaranotine (9), fellutanine C (10), and 4-methyl-5,6-diihydro-2H-pyran-2-one (15). From the assayed metabolites, (10) induced cellular death against Kasumi-1, a human leukemia cell line, as well as good selectivity for it, displaying promising cytotoxic activity. Here, the correct NMR signal assignments for (9) are also described. Therefore, this work highlights more detailed knowledge about the P. setosum chemical profile as well as its biological potential, offering prospects for obtaining natural products with anti-leukemia capabilities.

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In the present study, the essential oil (EO) of Annona exsucca DC. or Rollinia exsucca was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the identification and quantification of volatile compounds were performed by GC-MS and GC-FID. A. exsucca leaves were collected from the Magalhães Barata, northeast of the State of Pará (Brazil) in March and September of 2019. Moreover, we used computational approaches to evaluate possible biological targets for the major compounds of the EO. In the sample obtained in March, 50 compounds were identified, with hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes being the predominant ones with the content of 80.52%. In the sample collected in September, 58 compounds were identified, and the chemical class of hydrocarbon monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were the dominant ones with contents of 43.36 and 31.29%, respectively. Computational methods demonstrated that some major compounds have potential biological activity against some strains of pathogenic bacteria, as well as against molecular targets involved in cancer development.

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Eugenia florida DC. belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which is present in almost all of Brazil. This species is popularly known as pitanga-preta or guamirim and is used in folk medicine to treat gastrointestinal problems. In this study, two specimens of Eugenia florida (Efl) were collected in different areas of the same region. Specimen A (EflA) was collected in an area of secondary forest (capoeira), while specimen B (EflB) was collected in a floodplain area. The essential oils (EOs) were extracted from both specimens of Eugenia florida by means of hydrodistillation. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify the volatile compounds present, and the antioxidant capacity of the EOs was determined by antioxidant capacity (AC-DPPH) and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant (TEAC) assay. For E. florida, limonene (11.98%), spathulenol (10.94%) and α-pinene (5.21%) were identified as the main compounds of the EO extracted from sample A, while sample B comprised selina-3,11-dien-6α-ol (12.03%), eremoligenol (11.0%) and γ-elemene (10.70%). This difference in chemical composition impacted the antioxidant activity of the EOs between the studied samples, especially in sample B of E. florida. This study is the first to report on the antioxidant activity of Eugenia florida DC. essential oils.

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Leaves of Lippia thymoides (Verbenaceae) were dried in an oven at 40, 50 and 60 °C and the kinetic of drying and the influence of the drying process on the chemical composition, yield, and DPPH radical scavenging activity of the obtained essential oils were evaluated. The composition of the essential oils was determined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection analyses. The influence of drying on the chemical composition of the essential oils of L. thymoides was evaluated by multivariate analysis, and their antioxidant activity was investigated via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The Midilli model was the most appropriate to describe the behavior of drying kinetic data of L. thymoides leaves. Thymol was the major compound for all analyzed conditions; the maximum content was obtained from fresh leaves (62.78 ± 0.63%). The essential oils showed DPPH radical scavenging activity with an average of 73.10 ± 12.08%, and the fresh leaves showed higher inhibition (89.97 ± 0.31%). This is the first study to evaluate the influence of drying on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of L. thymoides essential oils rich in thymol.

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