Effect of metallic Ag growth on the electrical resistance of 3D flower‐like Ag4V2O7 crystals

In this communication, we report for the first time the nucleation and growth of metallic Ag nanoparticles on the surface of 3D flower‐like Ag₄V₂O₇ crystals, induced by accelerated electron beam irradiation. The growth of metallic Ag on the surfaces of Ag₄V₂O₇ crystals were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDXS). According to TEM images and EDXS analyses, exposure to the electron beam induces a reduction process and the growth of metallic Ag nanoparticles on the surface of Ag₄V₂O₇ crystals. Moreover, the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry measurements indicated an excess of Ag and V vacancies at Ag₄V₂O₇ lattice. Finally, it was observed that the electrical resistance varies considerably with the exposure time to electron beam irradiation.     

Effects of a Westernized Diet on the Reflexes and Physical Maturation of Male Rat Offspring During the Perinatal Period

This study evaluates the effects of a westernized diet during the perinatal period on the maternal performance and growth and development of rat offspring. Female Wistar rats were fed with either a control (C) diet, with casein as the protein source or a westernized (W) diet, during pregnancy and lactation. The pups were divided, eight per group, into the same diet groups as their dams. During lactation, the body weight (day 1, W = 6.85 ± 0.62 g, C = 5.81 ± 0.49, p < 0.05; day 21, W = 55.42 ± 3.78, C = 47.75 ± 3.45, p < 0.001) and somatic growth (body length day 1, W = 53.24 ± 2.16, C = 50.641 ± 1.79, p < 0.05; day 21, W = 124.8, C = 119.903 ± 3.71, p < 0.001) in the male offspring showed significant differences among the groups. The physical appearance and reflex maturation showed differences between day 1 and day 3. With the westernized diet, during the perinatal period, no alterations in maternal weight gain, gestation or performance were observed; however, changes in the coefficients of feed efficiency and energy during lactation were noted. Besides, blood glucose was found to be elevated at the end of lactation (C = 3.67 ± 0.35 mmol/l, W = 5.2 0 ± 0.49 mmol/l). At 21 days, the male pups from the dams on the westernized diet were 15 % heavier, and the maturation of the neural reflexes and physical characteristics were found to occur earlier. Therefore, the consumption of a westernized diet during the perinatal period was independent of maternal energy intake, and influenced the growth and development of offspring.     

Development of Fully Bio‐Based Lubricants from Agro‐Industrial Residues under Environmentally Friendly Processes

Biolubricants are becoming interesting alternatives to mineral lubricants. Despite their advantages, development of lubricants from vegetable oils may compete with food production, turning their use impractical due to socio‐economic aspects. Here, cardanol is used as raw material in the synthesis of novel biolubricants under environmentally friendly conditions. These compounds are characterized by NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermal‐oxidative studies show the elevated stability and higher onset oxidative temperatures. Tribological analyses performed under high‐frequency linear‐oscillation motion indicate lower coefficients of friction and wear rates compared to a synthetic oil. Therefore, cardanol, under simple, fast, and sustainable processes can be transformed into valuable alternatives for petroleum‐based lubricants. Practical Applications: The novel cardanol‐based biolubricants presented in this work show interesting chemical and lubricity properties superior to standard synthetic oils, which make them potential substitutes for the current oil‐based products used as lubricants. Additionally, the ecofriendly methodologies employed reduce significantly the reaction time as well as eliminating the need for catalysts or solvents, making these processes viable alternatives for the traditional methods reported in literature for the synthesis of this class of compounds.     

Characterization of Mutations Causing CYP21A2 Deficiency in Brazilian and Portuguese Populations

Deficiency of 21-hydroxylase enzyme (CYP21A2) represents 90% of cases in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), an autosomal recessive disease caused by defects in cortisol biosynthesis. Computational prediction and functional studies are often the only way to classify variants to understand the links to disease-causing effects. Here we investigated the pathogenicity of uncharacterized variants in the CYP21A2 gene reported in Brazilian and Portuguese populations. Physicochemical alterations, residue conservation, and effect on protein structure were accessed by computational analysis. The enzymatic performance was obtained by functional assay with the wild-type and mutant CYP21A2 proteins expressed in HEK293 cells. Computational analysis showed that p.W202R, p.E352V, and p.R484L have severely impaired the protein structure, while p.P35L, p.L199P, and p.P433L have moderate effects. The p.W202R, p.E352V, p.P433L, and p.R484L variants showed residual 21OH activity consistent with the simple virilizing phenotype. The p.P35L and p.L199P variants showed partial 21OH efficiency associated with the non-classical phenotype. Additionally, p.W202R, p.E352V, and p.R484L also modified the protein expression level. We have determined how the selected CYP21A2 gene mutations affect the 21OH activity through structural and activity alteration contributing to the future diagnosis and management of CYP21A2 deficiency.     

Potential of Milk Fat to Structure Semisolid Lipidic Systems: A Review

Food production and consumption patterns have changed dramatically in recent decades. The universe of oils and fats, in particular, has been changed due to the negative impacts of trans fatty acids produced industrially through the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Regulations prohibiting its use have led the industry to produce semisolid lipid systems using chemical methods for modification of oils and fats, with limitations from a technological point of view and a lack of knowledge about the metabolization of the modified fats in the body. Milk fat is obtained from the complex biosynthesis in the mammary gland and can be a technological alternative for the modulation of the crystallization processes of semi‐solids lipid systems, once it is naturally plastic at the usual processing, storage, and consumption temperatures. The natural plasticity of milk fat is due to its heterogeneous chemical composition, which contains more than 400 different fatty acids that structure approximately 64 million triacylglycerols, with a preferred polymorphic habit in β', besides other physical properties. Therefore, milk fat differs from any lipid raw material found in nature. This review will address the relationship between the chemical behavior and physical properties of semisolid lipids, demonstrating the potential of milk fat as an alternative to the commonly used modification processes.     

Association between SNPs in microRNAs and microRNAs-Machinery Genes with Susceptibility of Leprosy in the Amazon Population

Leprosy is a chronic neurodermatological disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. Recent studies show that SNPs in genes related to miRNAs have been associated with several diseases in different populations. This study aimed to evaluate the association of twenty-five SNPs in genes encoding miRNAs related to biological processes and immune response with susceptibility to leprosy and its polar forms paucibacillary and multibacillary in the Brazilian Amazon. A total of 114 leprosy patients and 71 household contacts were included in this study. Genotyping was performed using TaqMan Open Array Genotyping. Ancestry-informative markers were used to estimate individual proportions of case and control groups. The SNP rs2505901 (pre-miR938) was associated with protection against the development of paucibacillary leprosy, while the SNPs rs639174 (DROSHA), rs636832 (AGO1), and rs4143815 (miR570) were associated with protection against the development of multibacillary leprosy. In contrast, the SNPs rs10739971 (pri-let-7a1), rs12904 (miR200C), and rs2168518 (miR4513) are associated with the development of the paucibacillary leprosy. The rs10739971 (pri-let-7a1) polymorphism was associated with the development of leprosy, while rs2910164 (miR146A) and rs10035440 (DROSHA) was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing multibacillary leprosy.