Publications by authors named "Jeferson L Franco"

Palm oil is the world's second most consumed vegetable oil, sourced from the tropical palm tree Elaeis guineensis. Its consumption has been associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, largely due to its elevated palmitic acid content, however those studies are contradictory and inconclusive. Wishing to contribute to this issue, the present study aims to investigate the molecular and toxicological effects of this oil and the involvement of oxidative stress, given its role in metabolic dysfunctions using Drosophila melanogaster.

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Article Synopsis
  • The insecticide chlorpyrifos (CP) inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE), leading to neurological issues and affecting organ functions across the body.
  • This study assessed various oxime compounds as potential reactivators of AChE to combat CP’s harmful effects, using a new model organism to address ethical concerns in drug screening.
  • Results showed that oximes, particularly pralidoxime and K048, effectively reactivated AChE, improved locomotor function, and reduced mortality in CP-exposed organisms, suggesting promising new therapeutic options for AChE-related disorders.
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Prenatal iron (Fe) exposure has been associated with learning and cognitive impairments, which may be linked to oxidative stress resulting from elevated Fe levels and harm to the vulnerable brain. Drosophila melanogaster has contributed to our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in neurological conditions. This study aims to explore Fe toxicity during D.

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Hypoxia plays a significant role in the development of various cerebral diseases, many of which are associated with the potential risk of recurrence due to mitochondrial damage. Conventional drug treatments are not always effective for hypoxia-related brain diseases, necessitating the exploration of alternative compounds. In this study, we investigated the potential of diphenyl diselenide [(PhSe)] to ameliorate locomotor impairments and mitigate brain mitochondrial dysfunction in zebrafish subjected to hypoxia.

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Copper (Cu) is a naturally occurring metal with essential micronutrient properties. However, this metal might also pose increased adverse environmental and health risks due to industrial and agricultural activities. In Brazil, the maximum allowable concentration of Cu in drinking water is 2 mg/L.

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Sleep disorders are catching attention worldwide as they can induce dyshomeostasis and health issues in all animals, including humans. Circadian rhythms are biological 24-hour cycles that influence physiology and behavior in all living organisms. Sleep is a crucial resting state for survival and is under the control of circadian rhythms.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The study observed that older flies showed reduced movement and balance, alongside increased oxidative stress markers, indicating ferroptosis is occurring in relation to aging.
  • * An increase in iron levels and a decrease in protective molecules like glutathione were found in older flies, suggesting that these factors contribute to age-related behavioral impairments and oxidative stress.
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Mancozeb is a widely used fungicide whose toxicity has been reported in non-target organisms, being considered to have high or very high acute toxicity to aquatic organisms. However, the toxicity of this compound is not well characterized in the developmental stages of fish. In this study, Danio rerio with 4-, 5-, and 6-days post fertilization (dpf) was exposed to MZ at non-lethal concentrations for 24, 48, or 72 h and subsequently, behavioral alterations, oxidative stress parameters and ERK, p38, and Akt phosphorylation were analyzed.

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Mancozeb (MZ), a manganese/zinc containing ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate, is a broad-spectrum fungicide. Chronic exposure to MZ has been related to several organisms' neurological, hormonal, and developmental disorders. However, little is known about the post-natal effects of developmental exposure to MZ.

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Fungal pollution of indoor environments contributes to several allergic symptoms and represents a public health problem. It is well-established that 1-octen-3-ol, also known as mushroom alcohol, is a fungal volatile organic compound (VOC) commonly found in damp indoor spaces and responsible for the typical musty odor. Previously it was reported that exposure to 1-octen-3-ol induced inflammations and disrupted mitochondrial morphology and bioenergetic rate in .

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Negative impacts on amphibians have been reported due to contamination by agrochemicals. However, until now, no study has tested the effect of the fungicide mancozeb (MZ) on thermal tolerance and its relationship with the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs). MZ is the best-selling broad-spectrum fungicide in the world, which negatively affects non-target organisms.

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Mancozeb (MZ) is a broad-spectrum fungicide used worldwide in several crops. Neurological disorders in humans and animals have been associated with exposure to this compound by mechanisms still not fully understood. represents a reliable model in toxicological studies, presenting genetic and biochemical similarities with mammals.

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Hepatic encephalopathy is a pathophysiological complication of acute liver failure, which may be triggered by hepatotoxic drugs such as acetaminophen (APAP). Although APAP is safe in therapeutic concentration, APAP overdose may induce neurotoxicity, which is mainly associated with oxidative stress. Caffeine is a compound widely found in numerous natural beverages.

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As agriculture expands to provide food and wellbeing to the world's growing population, there is a simultaneous increasing concern about the use of agrochemicals, which can harm non-target organisms, mainly in the aquatic environment. The fungicide Mancozeb (MZ) has been used on a large-scale and is a potent inducer of oxidative stress. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of more sensitive biomarkers designed to earlier biomonitoring of this compound.

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Fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprise a group of compounds commonly found in damp or water-damaged indoor places affecting air quality. Indoor fungal pollution is a severe threat to human health, contributing to the onset of allergic diseases. The compound 1-octen-3-ol, known as "mushroom alcohol", is the most abundant VOC and confers the characteristic mold odor.

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A. St-Hill popularly known as "velame do campo" is a native species of the savannah from northeastern Brazil, being used in folk medicine due to its beneficial effects in the treatment of many diseases, inflammation, detoxification, gastritis, and syphilis; however, its potential use as an antidote against organophosphorus compound poisoning has not yet been shown. Here, the protective effect of the methanolic fraction of A.

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Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue in the human body and mechanical injuries are common; these are frequently of mechanical origins, such as contusion. However, the immediate mitochondrial response to injury and energetic substrate utilisation is still unclear. We evaluated the acute response in mitochondrial function after a single muscle contusion, either in fast twitch fibres (glycolytic metabolism), fast and slow twitch (oxidative and glycolytic metabolism), or slow twitch fibres (oxidative metabolism).

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Article Synopsis
  • Permethrin (PM) is a common insecticide that can harm non-target organisms, particularly during their early development, prompting research on its effects on larval zebrafish.
  • Exposure to PM caused anxiety-like behaviors and increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), linked to cellular damage and oxidative stress.
  • The study found that PM exposure disrupted mitochondrial function and bioenergetic capacity in zebrafish, indicating potential mechanisms behind developmental damage and oxidative stress linked to PM.
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Ethanol (EtOH) is a socially-accepted drug, whose consumption is a risk factor for non-intentional injuries, development of pathologies, and addiction. In the brain, EtOH affects redox signaling and increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production after acute and chronic exposures. Here, using a high-resolution respirometry assay, we investigated whether changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics play a role in both acute and chronic EtOH-mediated neurochemical responses in zebrafish.

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Mitochondria play an important role in cell life and in the regulation of cell death. In addition, mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to a wide range of neuropathologies. The nucleoside Guanosine (GUO) is an endogenous molecule, presenting antioxidant properties, possibly due to its direct scavenging ability and/or from its capacity to activate the antioxidant defense system.

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Mancozeb (MZ), a manganese- and zinc-containing ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate, is a broad-spectrum fungicide. Harmful effects of this fungicide have been reported in nontarget organisms via a not fully understood mechanism. has provided remarkable contributions for toxicological studies.

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Mancozeb (MZ), a manganese/zinc-containing ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate (EBCD) fungicide has been claimed to present low acute toxicity and short environmental persistence, however, its effects on embryogenesis in non-target organisms is unclear. Here, we used zebrafish embryos (5 hpf) to assess the potential embryotoxic effects induced by MZ (up to 72 hpf) as well as the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process by pre-treatment with a classical antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine, NAC). Markers of reactive oxygen species production (ROS), glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity were measured along with genotoxicity (comet assay), cell death (Acridine Orange) and behavioral parameters (spontaneous movement, touch stimulation and swimming response), in order to determine potential mechanisms of embryotoxicity.

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Many studies have shown the effects of sleep deprivation in several aspects of health and disease. However, little is known about how mitochondrial bioenergetics function is affected under this condition. To clarify this, we developed a simple model of short-term sleep deprivation, in which fruit-flies were submitted to a nocturnal light condition and then mitochondrial parameters were assessed by high resolution respirometry (HRR).

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Manganese (Mn)-containing dithiocarbamates such as Mancozeb (MZ) have been shown to induce oxidative stress-related toxicity in rodents and humans. However, little is known about the neurotoxic effects induced by MZ in fish. In this study, carp (Cyprinus carpio) were exposed to non-lethal waterborne concentrations of MZ, and oxidative stress parameters as well as metal accumulation in fish brains were evaluated.

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Maternal obesity and metabolic diseases are two of the most important potential dangers to offspring, given that impaired offspring may cause deficiencies that impair the adult life and health. This study evaluated the oxidative damage, the enzymatic antioxidant defenses, and the enzymes of fatty acid metabolism, such as Acyl-CoA Synthetase and Acetyl-CoA Synthetase (mRNA expression levels), as well as the modulation of cell stress signaling pathway, as Hsp83, and gene expression and insulin-like peptide DILP6 in Drosophila melanogaster models that received a high fat diet (HFD) (10% and 20% of coconut oil) throughout their development period. After 7 days, the progenitor flies were removed and, the remaining eggs were monitored daily, until the eclosion.

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