Obesity Incidence According to Branched-Chain Amino Acid Intake and Plant-Based Diet Index Among Brazilian Adults: A Six-Year Follow-Up of the CUME Study.

Background: Few studies have evaluated the impact of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) intake on the risk of obesity in adults. The results are contradictory, and the causality has not been explored. This study assessed the association between BCAA intake and obesity incidence among Brazilian adults and investigated the potential moderating role of the plant-based index (PDI) in this relationship.

Multiplexed Dilute-and-Shoot Liquid Chromatography-Multiple-Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry Clinical Assay for Metanephrines and Catecholamines in Human Urine.

Quantifying urinary catecholamines and metanephrines is essential for the clinical screening and diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumours. HPLC with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) is commonly used for this type of analysis but requires extensive sample cleanup. Simple and rapid dilute-and-shoot LC-multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM)-MS assays have been developed for quantitating these analytes in urine but have not yet been validated according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.

Polarization-Dependent Plasmon-Induced Doping and Strain Effects in MoS Monolayers on Gold Nanostructures.

Monolayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides, such as MoS, have attracted significant attention for their exceptional electronic and optical properties, positioning them as ideal candidates for advanced optoelectronic applications. Despite their strong excitonic effects, the atomic-scale thickness of these materials limits their light absorption efficiency, necessitating innovative strategies to enhance light-matter interactions. Plasmonic nanostructures offer a promising solution to overcome those challenges by amplifying the electromagnetic field and also introducing other mechanisms, such as hot electron injection.

Cascade reservoirs affect mercury concentrations in fish from Teles Pires river, Brazilian Amazon.

Hydroelectric reservoirs favor mercury contamination in biota, but the contamination in cascade reservoirs is not yet clear. We investigated total mercury (THg) contamination in fish in four cascade reservoirs in the Brazilian Amazon between August 2022 and April 2023. Overall, downstream predatory fish showed higher mercury concentrations than those upstream.

Assessing the Interactions between Snake Venom Metalloproteinases and Hydroxamate Inhibitors Using Kinetic and ITC Assays, Molecular Dynamics Simulations and MM/PBSA-Based Scoring Functions.

species are the main cause of snake bites in rural communities of tropical developing countries of Central and South America. Envenomation by snakes is characterized by prominent local inflammation, hemorrhage and necrosis as well as systemic hemostatic disturbances. These pathological effects are mainly caused by the major toxins of the viperidae venoms, the snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs).