Early Aggregation of Amyloid-β(1-42) Studied by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting cognitive and memory abilities and is believed to be linked to the formation and accumulation of neurotoxic aggregates of the Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). In particular, it is the formation of soluble pre-fibrillar oligomers within the early stage of Aβ aggregation which is thought to represent a key step in the development of AD, thus underlining the interest in characterizing the aggregation process and the nature of these aggregates. In this context, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has emerged as a valuable alternative for the study of these systems in solution.

Adsorption of an anionic dye (Congo red) from aqueous solutions by pine bark.

Pinus pinaster bark, an abundant by-product from the timber industry, has been studied as a potential low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Congo red (CR) dye from wastewaters. Surface morphological and physico-chemical characteristics of pine bark were analysed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), determination of the point of zero charge (pH) and elemental analysis. Assays were performed to determine the wavelength for the maximum absorbance and the stability with time of CR solutions depending on concentration and/or pH, which resulted to be a very significant parameter.

Critical aggregation concentration for the formation of early Amyloid-β (1-42) oligomers.

The oligomers formed during the early steps of amyloid aggregation are thought to be responsible for the neurotoxic damage associated with Alzheimer's disease. It is therefore of great interest to characterize this early aggregation process and the aggregates formed, especially for the most significant peptide in amyloid fibrils, Amyloid-β(1-42) (Aβ42). For this purpose, we directly monitored the changes in size and concentration of initially monomeric Aβ42 samples, using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy.

Antihypertensive Effect of Syzygium cumini in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

This study evaluated the in vivo potential antihypertensive effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Syzygium cumini leaves (HESC) in normotensive Wistar rats and in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), as well as its in vitro effect on the vascular reactivity of resistance arteries. The hypotensive effect caused by intravenous infusion of HESC (0.01-4.

Towards ratiometric sensing of amyloid fibrils in vitro.

The aggregation of amyloid-β peptide and its accumulation in the human brain has an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. Thioflavin T has been widely used as a fluorescent marker for these amyloid aggregates. Nevertheless, its complex photophysical behavior, with strong wavelength dependencies of all its fluorescence properties, requires searching for new fluorescent probes.

Role of electrostatic and hydrophobic forces in the interaction of ionic dyes with charged micelles.

The nature and strength of the interactions between a cationic fluorophore, Rhodamine 123 (R123), and surfactants of different head charge are investigated. Series of absorption and fluorescence emission spectra and of fluorescence decays are measured. R123 does not interact with the monomers of both nonionic and cationic surfactants but it presents affinity to their micelles.

Chestnut shell as heavy metal adsorbent: optimization study of lead, copper and zinc cations removal.

The influence of initial cation concentration, temperature and pH was investigated to optimize Pb(2+), Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) removal from aqueous solutions using acid formaldehyde pre-treated chestnut shell as adsorbent. Experiments were planned according to an incomplete 3(3) factorial experimental design. Under the optimal conditions selected, the metal ion adsorption equilibrium was satisfactorily described by the Langmuir isotherm model.

In vivo inhibition of gastric acid secretion by the aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis L. in rodents.

The freeze-dried aqueous extract (AE) from the aerial parts of Scoparia dulcis was tested for its effects on experimental gastric hypersecretion and ulcer in rodents. Administration of AE to animals with 4h pylorus ligature potently reduced the gastric secretion with ED(50)s of 195 mg/kg (rats) and 306 mg/kg (mice). The AE also inhibited the histamine- or bethanechol-stimulated gastric secretion in pylorus-ligated mice with similar potency suggesting inhibition of the proton pump.

Uptake of phenol from aqueous solutions by adsorption in a Pinus pinaster bark packed bed.

The adsorption of phenol from aqueous solutions using a column packed with pre-treated Pinus pinaster bark was studied. The influence of the inlet phenol concentration (0.01 or 0.

[Effect of ropivacaine on neuronal norepinephrine reuptake in smooth muscle.].

Background And Objectives: In addition to local anesthetic action, ropivacaine has clinically significant vasoconstrictor effects, which may be observed at infiltrative anesthesia, making it an important anesthetic for field blockade. This study aimed at characterizing the constrictor mechanism of ropivacaine on smooth muscles.

Methods: Norepinephrine concentration-effect curves in the absence or presence of ropivacaine were plotted on isolated preparations of vas deferens of rats.

Hypotensive and vasorelaxant effects of ethanolic extract from Jatropha gossypiifolia L. in rats.

The present work was carried out to examine the hypotensive effects of ethanolic extract (EE) from Jatropha gossypiifolia L. The oral administration of EE (125 or 250 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) caused a significant and dose-dependent reduction of the systolic blood pressure. The concentration-response curves to norepinephrine (NE) or Ca(2+) were non-parallelly shifted to the right and the maximum contractile responses were concentration dependently depressed by EE (0.