Lycopene induces bone marrow lymphopoiesis and differentiation of peritoneal IgA-producing cells.

Lycopene is a hydrocarbon-carotenoid commonly found in red fruits intake with major function correlated to antioxidative capacity in several pathological conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, lycopene has been associated with hematopoiesis, although the effects on B lymphocyte differentiation and antibody production are poorly understood. In this work, the principal aim was to investigate whether lycopene affects B lymphopoiesis and terminal differentiation into plasma cells.

Influence of a Biomass-Burning Event in PM Concentration and Air Quality: A Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo.

Severe biomass burning (BB) events have become increasingly common in South America in the last few years, mainly due to the high number of wildfires observed recently. Such incidents can negatively influence the air quality index associated with PM (particulate matter, which is harmful to human health). A study performed in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) took place on selected days of July 2019, evaluated the influence of a BB event on air quality.

Assessing the presence of endocrine disruptors and markers of anthropogenic activity in a water supply system in northeastern Brazil.

Several chemical substances known as micropollutants are used in daily activities, and they pose risks to both human health and the environment. Some of these substances disrupt the endocrine system in addition to being responsible for major public health issues and for endangering some aquatic species. The aim of this research is to investigate the frequency of endocrine disruptors and anthropogenic activity markers in a Water Supply System (SAA) in Sergipe State, Brazil.

Pre-feasibility Study for Establishing Radioisotope and Radiopharmaceutical Production Facilities in Developing Countries.

Background: A significant number of developing countries have no facilities to produce medical radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals.

Objective: In this paper we show that access to life-saving radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals and the geographical distribution of corresponding infrastructure is highly unbalanced worldwide.

Methods: We discuss the main issues which need to be addressed in order to establish the production of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals, which are especially important for developing countries as newcomers in the field.

Fabrication of electrospun HPGL scaffolds via glycidyl methacrylate cross-linker: Morphology, mechanical and biological properties.

Electrospinning is a suitable method to produce scaffolds composed of nanoscale to microscale fibers, which are comparable to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPGL) is a highly biocompatible polyether polyol potentially useful for the design of fibrous scaffolds mimicking the ECM architecture. However, scaffolds developed from HPGL have poor mechanical properties and morphological stability in the aqueous environments required for tissue engineering applications.

Lack of galectin-3 up-regulates IgA expression by peritoneal B1 lymphocytes during B cell differentiation.

Galectin-3 is a β-galactoside-binding protein with an inhibitory role in B cell differentiation into plasma cells in distinct lymphoid tissues. We use a model of chronic schistosomiasis, a well-characterized experimental disease hallmarked by polyclonal B cell activation, in order to investigate the role of galectin-3 in controlling IgA production through peritoneal B1 cells. Chronically infected, galectin-3-deficient mice (Lgals3(-/-)) display peritoneal fluid hypercellularity, increased numbers of atypical peritoneal IgM(+)/IgA(+) B1a and B1b lymphocytes and histological disturbances in plasma cell niches when compared with Lgals3(+/+) mice.