Immune-Pineal Axis: Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) Mediates the Shift in the Melatonin Source from Pinealocytes to Immune Competent Cells

Pineal gland melatonin is the darkness hormone, while extra-pineal melatonin produced by the gonads, gut, retina, and immune competent cells acts as a paracrine or autocrine mediator. The well-known immunomodulatory effect of melatonin is observed either as an endocrine, a paracrine or an autocrine response. In mammals, nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) blocks noradrenaline-induced melatonin synthesis in pinealocytes, which induces melatonin synthesis in macrophages. In addition, melatonin reduces NF-κB activation in pinealocytes and immune competent cells. Therefore, pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns transiently switch the synthesis of melatonin from pinealocytes to immune competent cells, and as the response progresses melatonin inhibition of NF-κB activity leads these cells to a more quiescent state. The opposite effect of NF-κB in pinealocytes and immune competent cells is due to different NF-κB dimers recruited in each phase of the defense response. This coordinated shift of the source of melatonin driven by NF-κB is called the immune-pineal axis. Finally, we discuss how this concept might be relevant to a better understanding of pathological conditions with impaired melatonin rhythms and hope it opens new horizons for the research of side effects of melatonin-based therapies.     

Degradation of an Azo Dye (Ponceau 4R) and Treatment of Wastewater from a Food Industry by Ozonation

Experiments for degradation of the extensively marketed Ponceau 4R dye in aqueous solution and for oxidation of raw wastewater from a confectionary industry have been carried out by using ozone. All the experiments were performed in a cylindrical semi-batch reactor at approximately 20 ^oC for 7200 s. A mass flow rate of 1.158?×?10^?6 kg s^?1 of ozone was continuously fed in the reactor. The pH of the azo dye aqueous solution (distilled water + Ponceau 4R) was always kept at approximately 5.8, while in the case of the raw wastewater the same factor was changed from 4.7 to 9.4 in two different experimental runs. Absorbance measurements at 508 nm show that the investigated azo dye found in the azo dye aqueous solution was completely degraded after only 600 s. At this initial period a substantial fall of TOC (Total Organic Carbon) (up to 45%) was noticed, but the rate was exponentially decreased at longer reaction times up to a TOC removal no higher than 60%. The ozonation was also responsible for reducing the apparent color of the raw wastewater to almost 10% of its initial value at the optimum pH (9.4 ± 1.5). The effect of pH was important on apparent color, but it had absolutely no influence on the kinetics results of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), which were kept constant over the entire period of reaction.     

A transcultural study on stirred strawberry yogurt: consumer acceptability versus sensory quality with trained panel

The present work was designed in order to obtain the cut off point, to be used in a shelf life study on whole stirred strawberry yogurt. The study was simultaneously carried out in Argentina, Chile and Costa Rica, assaying the same kind of product, elaborated in each one of the countries. The sensory quality parameters obtained from trained panelists and the consumers acceptability, were correlated by using the cut off point methodology through a quality evaluation by the Karlsruhe scale. According to preliminary studies, the storage at 42 degrees C produced considerable damage on parameters such as pH, acidity (volumetric assay), viscosity and sensory quality. For each sample, the cut off point was determined. This value corresponds to the threshold score for the sensory quality, where the consumer starts to perceive negative changes in the product, when comparing with the fresh product. The rejection percentage was also calculated according to the cut off point. The cut off points and the percentage of rejection obtained by the three participating countries were similar. Data obtained from Costa Rica showed changes in color, acidity and rancidity. Argentinean yogurts developed acidity that had a negative effect on texture, appearance and residual flavors. Chilean samples presented a sensory quality that remains almost without change through the studied time. The differences of the deterioration pattern amongst the three countries, demonstrates that the products are different in formulation and elaboration process, in spite of been the same kind of yogurt. This could be explained by differences specified in the regulation of each country.     

Off-line optimization and control for real time integration of a three-phase hydrogenation catalytic reactor

In order to develop and test the integration procedure, in this paper a real time process integration involving the optimization and control of the process is presented, in this case, with the two-layer approach. The used optimization algorithms were Levenberg–Marquardt and SQP that solve a non-linear least square problem subject to bounds on the variables. The two-layer approach is a hierarchical control structure where an optimization layer calculates the set points and manipulated variables to the advanced controller, which is based on the dynamic matrix control with constraints (QDMC). The non-isothermal dynamic model of the three-phase slurry catalytic reactor with appropriate solution procedure was utilized in this work (Vasco de Toledo, E. C., Santana, P. L., Maciel, M. R. W., & Maciel Filho, R. (2001). Dynamic modeling of a three-phase catalytic slurry reactor. Chemical Engineering Science, 56, 6055–6061). The model consists on mass and heat balance equations for the catalyst particles as well as for the bulk phases of gas and liquid. The model was used to describe the dynamic behavior of hydrogenation reaction of o-cresol to obtain 2-methil-cyclohexanol, in the presence of a catalyst Ni/SiO₂.     

Development of New Sulphonyl Resin from Modification of Commercial Resin

Summary This article deals with the handy synthesis of sulfonyl resins, which were produced by the treatment of a commercial sulfonic resin (Lewatit VPOC1812^® based at divinylbenzene (DVB) and styrene (STY). The preliminary chemical modification was based on the reaction of the Lewatit VPOC1812^® with thionyl chloride aiming to produce the sulfonyl chloride groups. The best conditions to obtain the sulfonyl chloride groups were: SOCl₂/SO₃H (molar ratio) =13 at 79 °C during 72 h. The resin chlorinated was afterward treated with urea, thiourea or guanidine. The functionalized resins with urea, thiourea or guanidine were produced with 56, 68 and 93% yield, respectively. The commercial and modified resins were characterized by apparent density, swelling degree, elemental analysis (CHNS), FTIR, optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).     

In Vitro Activity of Copper(II) Complexes,Loaded or Unloaded into a Nanostructured Lipid System,against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused mainly by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), presenting 9.5 million new cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2014. The aim of this study was to evaluate a nanostructured lipid system (NLS) composed of 10% phase oil (cholesterol), 10% surfactant (soy phosphatidylcholine, sodium oleate), and Eumulgin^® HRE 40 ([castor oil polyoxyl-40-hydrogenated] in a proportion of 3:6:8), and an 80% aqueous phase (phosphate buffer pH = 7.4) as a tactic to enhance the in vitro anti-Mtb activity of the copper(II) complexes [CuCl₂(INH)₂]·H₂O (1), [Cu(NCS)₂(INH)₂]·5H₂O (2) and [Cu(NCO)₂(INH)₂]·4H₂O (3). The Cu(II) complex-loaded NLS displayed sizes ranging from 169.5 ± 0.7095 to 211.1 ± 0.8963 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) varying from 0.135 ± 0.0130 to 0.236 ± 0.00100, and zeta potential ranging from −0.00690 ± 0.0896 to −8.43 ± 1.63 mV. Rheological analysis showed that the formulations behave as non-Newtonian fluids of the pseudoplastic and viscoelastic type. Antimycobacterial activities of the free complexes and NLS-loaded complexes against Mtb H₃₇Rv ATCC 27294 were evaluated by the REMA methodology, and the selectivity index (SI) was calculated using the cytotoxicity index (IC₅₀) against Vero (ATCC^® CCL-81), J774A.1 (ATCC^® TIB-67), and MRC-5 (ATCC^® CCL-171) cell lines. The data suggest that the incorporation of the complexes into NLS improved the inhibitory action against Mtb by 52-, 27-, and 4.7-fold and the SI values by 173-, 43-, and 7-fold for the compounds 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The incorporation of the complexes 1, 2 and 3 into the NLS also resulted in a significant decrease of toxicity towards an alternative model (Artemia salina L.). These findings suggest that the NLS may be considered as a platform for incorporation of metallic complexes aimed at the treatment of TB.     

Imazalil Degradation upon Applying Ozone—Transformation Products,Kinetics, and Toxicity of Treated Aqueous Solutions

The elimination of the pesticide imazalil (IMZ) spiked into ultrapure water as well as into wastewater applying ozone (O₃) and the identification of transformation products was investigated. O₃ under hydroxyl radical suppression conditions reacted rapidly with the aliphatic double bond or the imidazole ring in IMZ, yielding several transformation products by partial oxidation. The structures of four oxidation products not yet described were characterized and identified after liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution, high mass accuracy, mass and tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS and -MSⁿ) in ultrapure water. For two identified transformation products, generated via direct ozone attack on IMZ, formation pathways were proposed. In wastewater, only two of those transformation products were observed. Kinetics studies for the reaction of IMZ with O₃, evaluated by the competition kinetic method, resulted in a second-order rate constant k_O3,IMZ ～ (1.02 ± 0.03)?×?10⁵ M^?1 s^?1 at pH 6.6 ± 0.2, indicating that IMZ is completely transformed during the ozonation process. Tests of acute toxicity were performed applying a solution of IMZ in ultrapure water or treated wastewater to Daphnia magna. In both cases the decrease of toxicity was observed after ozone treatment.     

Preparation,structure, and properties of montmorillonite/cellulose II/natural rubber nanocomposites

In this work, sodium montmorillonite clay was added, as filler, to nanocomposites of natural rubber (NR) and cellulose II (regenerated cellulose) in amounts varying from 0 to 5 phr (per hundred resin). Natural rubber (NR)/cellulose II/montmorillonite nanocomposites were prepared by co‐coagulating NR latex, montmorillonite aqueous suspension and cellulose xanthate. The clay was previously exfoliated in water, and the resulting suspension was then added to the mixture of NR latex with cellulose xanthate. Morphological, rheometric, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical properties were evaluated, and an increase in these properties was observed upon the addition of cellulose and clay nanomaterials to the rubber matrix. The results show the advantage in using cellulose as a nanopolymer as well as MMT as nanofiller. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Styrene–butadiene rubber/cellulose II/clay nanocomposites prepared by cocoagulation—mechanical properties

In this work, nanocomposites of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), cellulose II, and clay were prepared by cocoagulation of SBR latex, cellulose xanthate, and clay aqueous suspension mixtures. The incorporated amount of cellulose II was 15 phr, and the clay varied from 0 to 7 phr. The influence of cellulose II and clay was investigated by rheometric, mechanical, physicochemical, and morphological properties. From the analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dispersion in nanometric scale (below 100nm) of the cellulosic and mineral components throughout the elastomeric matrix was observed. XRD analysis suggested that fully exfoliated structure could be obtained by this method when low loading of silicate layers (up to 5 phr) is used. The results from mechanical tests showed that the nanocomposites presented better mechanical properties than SBR gum vulcanizate. Furthermore, 5 phr of clay is enough to achieve the best tensile properties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Modification of porous copolymers network based on acrylonitrile

Summary The preparation of a chelating ion-exchange network based on acrylonitrile was carried out by chemical modification with hydroxylamine. The beads of resin were synthesized by aqueous suspension copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN), styrene (STY) and divinylbenzene (DVB). The influence of diluent used in the suspension polymerization on the structure of the resulting copolymers was evaluated. The diluents employed were heptane (HEP), toluene (TOL) and anisole (ANI). It was found that the AN incorporation into copolymer structure was dependent on the diluent used. Conversion of nitrile groups into the amidoxime was conducted by treatment with hydroxylamine under alkaline solution. The resins were characterized by apparent density, surface area, average pore diameter, elemental analysis (CHN), FTIR and optical microscopy. Based on the results obtained, it was possible to control the porosity by diluent employed in the synthesis and to modify chemically a resin containing nitrile groups by hydroxylamine reaction. Received: 6 October 2001/Revised version: 2 April 2002/ Accepted: 11 April 2002