Analysis of aliphatic and phenolic compounds present in industrial black liquors using HPLC-DAD and IC-MS/MS methods.

Carboxylic acids and aromatic compounds are essential building blocks and starting materials for the production of a wide range of fine chemicals and materials. Their recovery from kraft black liquor, an industrial effluent from pulp and paper mills, is a promising way to produce alternative bio-based chemicals. Reliable methods are needed to identify and quantify the molecules of interest in complex mixtures such as black liquors.

Production Process Optimization of Recombinant l-Asparaginase II in Fed-Batch Cultures and Analysis of Antileukemic Potential.

The aims of this work were to optimize the production of l-asparaginase II enzyme in by different fed-batch cultivation strategies using a benchtop bioreactor and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the recombinant enzyme against different acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines. The highest enzyme activities (∼98,000 U/L) were obtained in cultures using the DO-stat feeding strategy with induction in 18 h of culture. Under these experimental conditions, the maximum values for recombinant l-asparaginase II (rASNase) yield per substrate, rASNase yield per biomass, and productivity were approximately 1204 U/g, 3660 U/g, and 3260 U/(L·h), respectively.

Effect of lateral septum vasopressin administration on reward system neurochemistry and amphetamine-induced addictive-like behaviors in female rats.

The chronic use of psychostimulants increases the risk of addiction and, there is no specific pharmacologic treatment for psychostimulant addiction. The vasopressin (AVP) system is a possible pharmacological target in drug addiction. Previous results obtained in our laboratory showed that amphetamine (AMPH) treatment decreases lateral septum (LS) AVP levels in male rats, and AVP microinjection in LS decreases addictive-like behavior.

Psychostimulants and social behaviors.

Mounting evidence from animal models and human studies indicates that psychostimulants can significantly affect social behaviors. This is not surprising considering that the neural circuits underlying the regulation and expression of social behaviors are highly overlapped with those targeted by psychostimulants, which in most cases have strong rewarding and, consequently, addictive properties. In the present work, we provide an overview regarding the effects of illicit and prescription psychostimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, methylphenidate or modafinil, upon social behaviors such as social play, maternal behavior, aggression, pair bonding and social cognition and how psychostimulants in both animals and humans alter them.