The influence of N-alkyl chains in benzoyl-thiourea derivatives on urease inhibition: Soil studies and biophysical and theoretical investigations on the mechanism of interaction.

Ureases are enzymes produced by fungi, plants, and bacteria associated with agricultural and clinical problems. The urea hydrolysis in NH and CO leads to the loss of N-urea fertilizers in soils and changes the human stomach microenvironment, favoring the colonization of H. pylori.

Understanding the multifunctionality of pyroligneous acid from waste biomass and the potential applications in agriculture.

Efforts have been directed to the development of environmentally friendly processes and manufacturing of green products, use of renewable energy and more sustainable agricultural practices. Pyroligneous acid (PA) is a byproduct of biomass pyrolysis that consists of a complex mixture of bioactive substances. The complexity and richness of PA composition have opened a window for PA application in agriculture and mitigation of environmental pollution.

Interplay between gasotransmitters and potassium is a Key factor during plant response to abiotic stress.

Carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (HS) are gasotransmitters known for their roles in plant response to (a)biotic stresses. The crosstalk between these gasotransmitters and potassium ions (K) has received considerable attention in recent years, particularly due to the dual role of K as an essential mineral nutrient and a promoter of plant tolerance to abiotic stress. This review brings together what it is known about the interplay among NO, CO, HS and K in plants with focus on the response to high salinity.

Does oxidative stress determine the thermal limits of the regeneration niche of Vriesea friburgensis and Alcantarea imperialis (Bromeliaceae) seedlings?

The predicted environmental changes may be detrimental to initial seedling growth, particularly the expected increase in air temperature. We therefore investigated the thermal limits for growth and development of Vriesea friburgensis and Alcantarea imperialis seedlings in the context of oxidative stress. The optimal temperatures for the growth of V.

Highly functionalized piperidines: Free radical scavenging, anticancer activity, DNA interaction and correlation with biological activity.

Twenty-five piperidines were studied as potential radical scavengers and antitumor agents. Quantitative interaction of compounds with ctDNA using spectroscopic techniques was also evaluated. Our results demonstrate that the evaluated piperidines possesses different abilities to scavenge the radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the anion radical superoxide (O).

Physiological traits and antioxidant metabolism of leaves of tropical woody species challenged with cement dust.

Tropical woody species occurring in limestone outcrops are frequently exposed to particulate material from cement factories. The effects of 60-day cement dust exposure on physiological traits and enzymatic antioxidant system of young plant leaves of Guazuma ulmifolia Lam., Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão and Trichilia hirta L.

Salinity-induced accumulation of endogenous HS and NO is associated with modulation of the antioxidant and redox defense systems in Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Havana.

Salinity is one of the abiotic factors that most affect crop growth and production. This study focused on the effect of high salinity on the endogenous levels of the signaling molecules hydrogen sulfite (HS) and nitric oxide (NO) in Nicotiana tabacum leaves and the extent of these for the biochemically-driven plant tolerance to such abiotic stress. The NaCl treatment for 10days led to an expressive augment of HS and NO levels.

Quinolines: Microwave-assisted synthesis and their antifungal, anticancer and radical scavenger properties.

An efficient method for the synthesis of quinolines using microwave irradiation was developed providing 28 quinolines with good yields. The reaction procedures are environmentally friendly, convenient, mild and of easy work-up. Quinolines were evaluated for their antifungal, anticancer and antioxidant properties and exhibited high activities in all tests performed.

Impact of cement dust pollution on Cedrela fissilis Vell. (Meliaceae): A potential bioindicator species.

Considering the impacts caused to vegetation in the vicinity of cement factories, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of cement dust on the structural organization and physiological/biochemical traits of Cedrela fissilis leaflets, a woody species native to tropical America. Plants were exposed to 2.5 or 5 mg cm-2 cement dust applied to the leaf surface, to the soil or simultaneously to the leaf surface and the soil.

Leaf structural traits of tropical woody species resistant to cement dust.

Cement industries located nearby limestone outcrops in Brazil have contributed to the coating of cement dust over native plant species. However, little is known about the extent of the response of tropical woody plants to such environmental pollutant particularly during the first stages of plant development and establishment. This work focused on the investigation of possible alterations in leaf structural and ultrastructural traits of 5-month-old Guazuma ulmifolia Lam.

Stressing conditions as tools to boost the biosynthesis of valuable plant natural products.

There is a consensus that plants are great sources of metabolites with a broad variety of functions. This is particularly important because plants cannot run away from environmental conditions that can threat their existence. The numerous biological activities exhibited by plant natural products prompted humanity to use such substances or their derivatives for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases.

Synthesis, kinetic studies and molecular modeling of novel tacrine dimers as cholinesterase inhibitors.

This study presents the synthesis of 15 new tacrine dimers as well as the Ki and IC50 results, studies of the kinetic mechanism, and molecular docking analysis of the dimers in relation to the cholinesterases hAChE, hBChE, EeAChE and eqBChE. In addition to spectroscopic characterization, X-ray structure determination was performed for two of the new compounds. These new dimers were found to be mixed nanomolar inhibitors of the evaluated targets with a broad and significant selectivity profile, and these properties are dependent on both the type of the linker and the volume of the hydroacridine alicyclic ring.

Cryptococcus gattii: in vitro susceptibility to photodynamic inactivation.

Cryptococus gattii is an emergent primary human pathogen that causes meningismus, papilledema, high intracranial pressure and focal involvement of the central nervous system in immunocompetent hosts. Prolonged antifungal therapy is the conventional treatment, but it is highly toxic, selects for resistant strains, contributes to therapy failure and has a poor prognosis. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) offers a promising possibility for the alternative treatment of cryptococcosis.

Nitric oxide synthase-mediated phytoalexin accumulation in soybean cotyledons in response to the Diaporthe phaseolorum f. sp. meridionalis elicitor.

Phytoalexin biosynthesis is part of the defense mechanism of soybean (Glycine max) plants against attack by the fungus Diaporthe phaseolorum f. sp. meridionalis (Dpm), the causal agent of stem canker disease.