High removal of volatile organic compounds on hierarchical carbons prepared from agro-industrial waste of banana fruit production for air decontamination.

Activated carbons were prepared from residues from agro-industrial banana production (banana pseudostem) and evaluated in the capture of five different volatile organic compounds (VOCs): dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, hexane, and cyclohexane. The biomass was first submitted to a hydrothermal treatment in the presence of KOH or ZnCl as activating agents, followed by a dry pyrolysis. This new advance in methodology contributes to producing activated carbons with hierarchical porosity and high surface areas (701-1312 m g), promoting increased interest in managing waste from banana fruit agricultural production.

Microwave extraction and molecular imprinted polymer isolation of bergenin applied to the dendrochronological chemical study of Peltophorum dubium.

This study describes methodologies for extracting and isolating bergenin, a C-glucoside of 4-O-methylgallic acid found in some plants and it presents various in vitro and in vivo biological activities. Bergenin was previously obtained from the Pelthophorum dubim (Fabaceae) roots with a good yield. Conventional chromatographic procedures of the CHCl soluble fraction of the MeOH extract gave 3.

Temporal pattern of humoral immune response in mild cases of COVID-19.

Background: Understanding the humoral response pattern of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the essential factors to better characterize the immune memory of patients, which allows understanding the temporality of reinfection, provides answers about the efficacy and durability of protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and consequently helps in global public health and vaccination strategy. Among the patients who became infected with SARS-CoV-2, the majority who did not progress to death were those who developed the mild COVID-19, so understanding the pattern and temporality of the antibody response of these patients is certainly relevant.

Aim: To investigate the temporal pattern of humoral response of specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) in mild cases of COVID-19.

A new thioglycolic ester β-cyclodextrin/PdCl in water: An accessible catalyst for the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction.

A novel, easily prepared and accessible water-soluble supramolecular catalyst for the Suzuki-Miyaura CC coupling reaction was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR, XRD, SEM, and HR-TEM. An inexpensive Pd(II) source added to the resulting aqueous solution of thioglycolic ester β-cyclodextrin (1-TGA-SH-β-CD/PdCl) showed Pd nanoclusters and efficient catalytic activity for Suzuki-Miyaura CC coupling reactions of aryl halides with aryl boronic acids, employing KCO as base, in an environmentally benign aqueous solution prepared in open flasks. Organic aryl halides including chlorides can produce moderate to excellent yields with aryl boronic acids and a small catalytic amount (0.

Function of a multimodal signal: A multiple hypothesis test using a robot frog.

Multimodal communication may evolve because different signals may convey information about the signaller (content-based selection), increase efficacy of signal processing or transmission through the environment (efficacy-based selection), or modify the production of a signal or the receiver's response to it (inter-signal interaction selection). To understand the function of a multimodal signal (aggressive calls + toe flags) emitted by males of the frog Crossodactylus schmidti during territorial contests, we tested two hypotheses related to content-based selection (quality and redundant signal), one related to efficacy-based selection (efficacy backup), and one related to inter-signal interaction selection (context). For each hypothesis we derived unique predictions based on the biology of the study species.

First record of growth rings for 11 native subtropical anuran species of South America.

Skeletochronology is the most accurate method to estimate a population age structure. The methodology is based on the analysis of secondary bone tissue in order to count growth rings. This study aimed to provide initial data, allowing researchers to further work out in the age of individuals and populations, sampling evidence of the presence of growth rings in 11 native species (representing nine families) of a subtropical region of southern Brazil.

Sunlight-induced genotoxicity and damage in keratin structures decrease tadpole performance.

The increased incidence of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, an environmental genotoxic agent, due to ozone depletion or deforestation may help to explain the enigmatic decline of amphibian populations in specific localities. In this work, we evaluated the importance of DNA repair performed by photolyases to maintain the performance of treefrog tadpoles after acute and chronic treatments with environmental-simulated doses of solar UVB and UVA radiation. Immediately after UV treatments, tadpoles were exposed to a visible light source to activate photolyases or kept in dark containers.

Identification of influential events concerning the Antarctic ozone hole over southern Brazil and the biological effects induced by UVB and UVA radiation in an endemic treefrog species.

The increased incidence of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) due to ozone depletion has been affecting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and it may help to explain the enigmatic decline of amphibian populations in specific localities. In this work, influential events concerning the Antarctic ozone hole were identified in a dataset containing 35 years of ozone measurements over southern Brazil. The effects of environmental doses of UVB and UVA radiation were addressed on the morphology and development of Hypsiboas pulchellus tadpole (Anura: Hylidae), as well as on the induction of malformation after the conclusion of metamorphosis.

Diversity and associations between coastal habitats and anurans in southernmost Brazil.

This study aimed to verify the relationship between habitat and the composition of anuran species in dune and restinga habitats in southernmost Brazil. The habitats were sampled between April 2009 and March 2010 using pitfalls with drift fence. We have captured 13,508 individuals of 12 anuran species.

Bioequivalence study of two formulations of 100 mg capsule of itraconazole. Quantification by tandem mass spectrometry.

The purpose of this study is to compare the bioavailability of two itraconazole (CAS 84625-61-6) capsule formulations. An open, randomized, two-period crossover study with a 7-day washout interval was conduced in 32 healthy volunteers. The plasma samples were obtained up to 96 h after drug administration.

Validation of a liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of scopolamine butylbromide in human plasma: application of the method to a bioequivalence study.

A sensitive and specific LC/MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of scopolamine butylbromide in human plasma. Scopolamine butylbromide and propanolol (internal standard) were extracted from the plasma by liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane as the extraction solvent and separated on a C18 analytical column (50 x 4.6 mm id) maintained at 40 degrees C.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method for determination of tetracycline in human plasma: application to bioequivalence study.

A fast, sensitive, and specific liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for determination of tetracycline in human plasma. Tetracycline and oxytetracycline [internal standard (IS)] were extracted from the plasma by protein precipitation. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-formic acid 0.