Effects of Bisphenol A analogues and their mixture on the crab Carcinus aestuarii: Cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and damage, neurotoxicity, physiological responses, and bioaccumulation.

Bisphenol A (BPA) analogues are emerging contaminants, whose ecotoxicological profile for aquatic species, particularly marine ones, is little known. In this study, the effects of an environmentally realistic concentration (300 ng/L) of three BPA analogues (BPAF, BPF, and BPS) - alone or as a mixture (MIX) - were evaluated for the first time on the crab Carcinus aestuarii. A multibiomarker approach was adopted to assess the effects of 7 and 14 days of exposure on haemolymph parameters, gill and hepatopancreas biochemical parameters, and physiological responses of crabs.

Assessing the Effects of a Diet of BPA Analogue-Exposed Microalgae in the Clam .

In our previous study, we demonstrated that the microalgae can bioaccumulate bisphenol A analogues. Since this microalgae species is part of the diet of marine filter-feeding organisms, such as bivalves, in this study we tested the hypothesis that a diet based on exposed microalgae can exert negative effects on the clam . Microalgae were exposed for 7 days to 300 ng/L of bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS), alone or as a mixture (MIX), to allow bioaccumulation.

A multibiomarker approach to assess the effects of a BPA analogue-contaminated diet in the crab Carcinus aestuarii.

Bisphenol A analogues are largely used plasticisers that are going to replace bisphenol A in many sectors. Due to this replacement, their discharge and presence in the marine coastal areas are increasing, with unknown consequences for organisms and the trophic chain. This study assessed the effects of three different bisphenols (BPAF, BPF and BPS) - alone or as a mixture - provided via food (exposed clams) to the crab Carcinus aestuarii.

Antioxidant activity of Zuccagnia-type propolis: A combined approach based on LC-HRMS analysis of bioanalytical-guided fractions and computational investigation.

This study reports a combined approach to assess the antioxidant activity of Zuccagnia-type propolis. Fractions exhibiting the highest antioxidant activities evidenced by DPPH, a β-carotene bleaching and superoxide radical scavenging activity-non-enzymatic assays, were processed by LC-HRMS/MS to characterize the relevant chemical compounds. A computational protocol based on the DFT calculations was used to rationalize the main outcomes.

From a validated targeted method to a retrospective UHPLC-HRMS non-targeted analysis unveiling COVID-19-related contaminants in clams. Have we bias in marine model organisms for ecotoxicological studies?

This study explores a retrospective non-targeted analysis (NTA), based on Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS), to assess hidden chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in marine model organisms. Conventional ecotoxicological studies do not include evaluating the natural habitats of the collected organisms, missing the possibility of highlighting unexpected pollutants, and thus compromising the correctness and reliability of the experimental results. In this paper we reprocessed samples previously collected from the Venice Lagoon for ecotoxicological studies and used for targeted analysis of three bisphenols-related compounds (i.

Ultrastructural changes, pigment responses and bioaccumulation in the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin exposed to BPA analogues.

As well-known, microalgae have a pivotal role in aquatic environments, being the primary producer. In this study, we investigated the effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) analogues on cell ultrastructure, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and photosynthetic pigment responses in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Microalgae were exposed during both exponential and stationary growth phases to an environmental relevant concentration (300 ng/L) of three differing BPA analogues (BPAF, BPF, and BPS) and their mixture (100 ng/L of each compound).

Accurate pH Monitoring of Highly Concentrated Saline Aqueous Solutions (Seawater-like) with a pH Colorimetric Sensor Array.

A pH colorimetric sensor array (CSA) was prepared on a nitrocellulose membrane and used for accurate pH measurement in highly concentrated saline solutions. The CSAs consisted of sensing spots made of a suitable polymer prepared from organo-fluorinated-silane precursors and/or organosilane with tetraethyl orthosilicate hosting an acid-base indicator. Four CSAs were prepared: D, 1F, 2F, and 3F.

On the Fragmentation of Ni(II) β-Diketonate-Diamine Complexes as Molecular Precursors for NiO Films: A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation.

NiO-based nanomaterials have attracted considerable interest for different applications, which have stimulated the implementation of various synthetic approaches aimed at modulating their chemico-physical properties. In this regard, their bottom-up preparation starting from suitable precursors plays an important role, although a molecular-level insight into their reactivity remains an open issue to be properly tackled. In the present study, we focused on the fragmentation of Ni(II) diketonate-diamine adducts, of interest as vapor-phase precursors for Ni(II) oxide systems, by combining electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) with multiple collisional experiments (ESI-MS) and theoretical calculations.

Tailoring thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters for efficient electrochemiluminescence with tripropylamine as coreactant.

Using a unified metal-free procedure, a selection of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence (TADF) emitters has been synthesized and characterized. Different acceptor and donor moieties have been explored in order to develop red emitting dyes with reduction potentials suitable for the application in ECL using tri-propylamine as coreactant. The most promising compound shows terephthalonitrile as the acceptor and diphenylamines as donors, and it displayed an ECL efficiency that is double the one of the standard [Ru(bpy)](PF).

Seed Preparations: Antiradical Activity, Chemical Characterization, and In Silico ADMET Parameters of β-caryophyllene and Farnesol.

The study of medicinal plants and their active compounds is relevant to maintaining knowledge of traditional medicine and to the development of new drugs of natural origin with lower environmental impact. From the seeds of the Brazilian plant six different preparations were obtained: essential oil (EO), ethanol extract (EthE) prepared using the traditional method, and four extracts using solvents at different polarities, such as n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol (HexE, ChlE, EtAE, and MetE). Chemical characterization was carried out with gas chromatography, allowing the identification of several terpenoids as characteristic components.

Ecotoxicological effects and bioaccumulation of BPA analogues and their mixture in the clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

Bisphenol A is recognized as an endocrine disruptor that can affect several biological processes in marine species. Consequently, its use has been restricted and it has been replaced with other similar compounds named bisphenol A analogues (BPA analogues). BPA analogues are speculatively considered safer compounds than BPA and their usage is increasing with a consequent higher environmental release.

Drosophila Mpv17 forms an ion channel and regulates energy metabolism.

Mutations in are a major contributor to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndromes, a group of inherited genetic conditions due to mtDNA instability. To investigate the role of MPV17 in mtDNA maintenance, we generated and characterized a KO model showing that the absence of dMpv17 caused profound mtDNA depletion in the fat body but not in other tissues, increased glycolytic flux and reduced lifespan in starvation. Accordingly, the expression of key genes of glycogenolysis and glycolysis was upregulated in KO flies.

Interplay between coordination sphere engineering and properties of nickel diketonate-diamine complexes as vapor phase precursors for the growth of NiO thin films.

NiO-based films and nanostructured materials have received increasing attention for a variety of technological applications. Among the possible strategies for their fabrication, atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), featuring manifold advantages of technological interest, represent appealing molecule-to-material routes for which a rational precursor design is a critical step. In this context, the present study is focused on the coordination sphere engineering of three heteroleptic Ni(II) β-diketonate-diamine adducts of general formula [NiLTMEDA] [L = 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedionate (tfa), 2,2-dimethyl-6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-3,5-octanedionate (fod) or 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate (thd), and TMEDA = ,,','-tetramethylethylenediamine].

From Au to Au: Tailored Synthesis of Superatomic Di-NHC/PPh-Stabilized Molecular Gold Nanoclusters.

Herein, we report a new method to synthesize molecular gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) stabilized by phosphine (PR) and di-N-heterocyclic carbene (di-NHC) ligands. The interaction of di-NHC gold(I) complexes, with the general formula [(di-NHC)AuCl] with well-known [Au(PPh)Cl]Cl clusters provides three new classes of AuNCs through a controllable reaction sequence. The synthesis involves an initial ligand metathesis reaction to produce [Au(di-NHC)(PPh)Cl] (type clusters), followed by a thermally induced rearrangement/metal complex addition with the formation of Au clusters [Au(di-NHC)(PPh)Cl] (type clusters).

Improved Trimethylangelicin Analogs for Cystic Fibrosis: Design, Synthesis and Preliminary Screening.

A small library of new angelicin derivatives was designed and synthesized with the aim of bypassing the side effects of trimethylangelicin (TMA), a promising agent for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. To prevent photoreactions with DNA, hindered substituents were inserted at the 4 and/or 6 positions. Unlike the parent TMA, none of the new derivatives exhibited significant cytotoxicity or mutagenic effects.

Self-Emulsifying Formulations to Increase the Oral Bioavailability of 4,6,4'-Trimethylangelicin as a Possible Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis.

4,6,4'-trimethylangelicin (TMA) is a promising pharmacological option for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) due to its triple-acting behavior toward the function of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator. It is a poorly water-soluble drug, and thus it is a candidate for developing a self-emulsifying formulation (SEDDS). This study aimed to develop a SEDDS to improve the oral bioavailability of TMA.

Quantitative Analysis of Plant Cytosolic Calcium Signals in Response to Water Activated by Low-Power Non-Thermal Plasma.

Non-thermal plasma technology is increasingly being applied in the plant biology field. Despite the variety of beneficial effects of plasma-activated water (PAW) on plants, information about the mechanisms of PAW sensing by plants is still limited. In this study, in order to link PAW perception to the positive downstream responses of plants, transgenic seedlings expressing the Ca-sensitive photoprotein aequorin in the cytosol were challenged with water activated by low-power non-thermal plasma generated by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) source.

A Nutraceutical Formulation Containing Brown Algae Reduces Hepatic Lipid Accumulation by Modulating Lipid Metabolism and Inflammation in Experimental Models of NAFLD and NASH.

Recently, some preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of brown seaweeds in reducing the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Here, we analyzed the beneficial effect of a nutraceutical formulation containing a phytocomplex extracted from seaweeds and chromium picolinate in animal models of liver steatosis of differing severities (rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its complication, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)). This treatment led to a significant drop in hepatic fat deposition in both models (p < 0.

Design and experimental validation of an optimized microalgae-bacteria consortium for the bioremediation of glyphosate in continuous photobioreactors.

Glyphosate will be banned from Europe by the end of 2022, but its widespread use in the last decades and its persistence in the environment require the development of novel remediation processes. In this work, a bacterial consortium was designed de novo with the aim to remove glyphosate from polluted water, supported by the oxygen produced by a microalgal species. To this goal, bioinformatics tools were employed to identify the bacterial strains from contaminated sources (Pseudomonas stutzeri; Comamonas odontotermitis; Sinomonas atrocyanea) able to express enzymes for glyphosate degradation, while the microalga Chlorella protothecoides was chosen for its known performances in wastewater treatment.

Intestinal Absorption Study of a Granular Form of Ferric Pyrophosphate.

Iron deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders worldwide. The standard treatment involves iron supplementation, but this task is challenging because of poor solubility and organoleptic issues. Moreover, the need to increase iron bioavailability represents a challenge for treating iron-related disorders.

The Metabolic Activation of Sofosbuvir Is Impaired in an Experimental Model of NAFLD.

The effect of liver steatosis on drug metabolism has been investigated in both preclinical and clinical settings, but the findings of these studies are still controversial. We here evaluated the pharmacokinetic profile of the main sofosbuvir metabolite GS-331007 in healthy animals and rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after the oral administration of a single 400 mg/kg dose of sofosbuvir. The plasma concentration of GS-331007 was evaluated by HPLC-MS.

Single-Walled Carbon Nanohorns as Boosting Surface for the Analysis of Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds by SALDI-MS.

Limits of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) in the study of small molecules are due to matrix-related interfering species in the low range. Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNH) were here evaluated as a specific surface for the rapid analysis of amino acids and lipids by Surface-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (SALDI). The method was optimized for detecting twenty amino acids, mainly present as cationized species, with the [M+K] response generally 2-time larger than the [M+Na] one.

Mass spectrometry-based "omics" technologies for the study of gestational diabetes and the discovery of new biomarkers.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is one of the most common complications occurring during pregnancy. Diagnosis is performed by oral glucose tolerance test, but harmonized testing methods and thresholds are still lacking worldwide. Short-term and long-term effects include obesity, type 2 diabetes, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Derivatization, an Applicable Asset for Conventional HPLC Systems without MS Detection in Food and Miscellaneous Analysis.

One of the most valuable practices for analyzing not-so-analytical-friendly analytes in complex, heterogenous matrices is derivatization. Availability of numerous derivatizing reagents (DRs) makes the modification of analyte more exploitable in terms of an analytical perspective. A wide array of derivatization techniques like , , enzymatic, ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, photochemical derivatization has added much-needed methodological strength in analyzing intricate analytical matrices (food, water, and soil).