Betulinic Acid Nanogels: Rheological, Microstructural Characterization and Evaluation of their Anti-inflammatory Activity.

Background: Betulinic Acid (BA) is a lipophilic compound with proven beneficial results in topical inflammation. Nanogels (NG) are carriers of bioactive compounds with properties that make them good candidates to treat skin diseases.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of BA carried in NG.

Nest-site selection and nest size influence the incubation temperature of Morelet's crocodiles.

In oviparous tetrapods, the nesting-site selection by females is related to the habitat characteristics, which influences nest incubation temperature. Females can directly influence the incubation temperature by choosing certain construction materials or by building nests of different sizes. There are few studies focusing on these aspects in crocodilians that build mound nests.

Exploratory study on the presence of bisphenol A and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the Santa Catarina River in Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.

The current problem related to the supply of drinking water for the metropolitan area of Monterrey, which comprises of five million inhabitants, and the important role played by the El Cuchillo Dam, found downstream of the Santa Catarina River basin as a surface source of drinking water for the city, renders this river an interesting site for assessment. This work evaluates the degree to which the surface water and the subsoil of the river are affected by emerging organic pollutants due to their existence, even at low concentrations, representing a toxic risk enhanced by the absence of stricter standards for regulating these substances. Based on fieldwork, three discharge points that could affect the quality of the surface water were selected: two points on the river stream, and three groundwater wells.

Synthesis of 1,4-Biphenyl-triazole Derivatives as Possible 17β-HSD1 Inhibitors: An Study.

Triazoles occupy an important position in medicinal chemistry because of their various biological activities. The structural features of 1,2,3-triazoles enable them to act as a bioisostere of different functional groups such as amide, ester, carboxylic acid, and heterocycle, being capable of forming hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions or coordinate metal ions with biological targets. In this work, the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives via copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is reported.

Antidiabetic Activity of Leaves.

This research evaluated the potential of using the methanol extract of (L.) Burm.f (AVM) to prevent the formation of AGEs by means of the BSA/glucose assay, BSA-methylglyoxal assay, arginine-methylglyoxal assay, fructosamine, N-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML), thiol groups, and carbonyl protein .

Spherical harmonic projections of the static structure factor of the dipolar hard sphere model: Theory vs simulations.

We investigate the static correlations of a dipolar fluid in terms of the irreducible coefficients of the spherical harmonic expansion of the static structure factor. To this end, we develop a theoretical framework based on a soft-core version of Wertheim's solution of the mean spherical approximation (MSA), which renders the analytical determination of such coefficients possible. The accuracy of this approximation is tested by a comparison against the results obtained with the assistance of extensive molecular dynamics simulations at different regimes of concentration and temperature.

Connectivity and hydrological efficiency dynamics at active volcanoes, Mexico.

Connectivity is an emergent property that describes how complex topography favors or impedes sediment transfer processes. In active volcanic areas, high connectivity may lead to extremely efficient processes, such as lahars. The aim of the present study is to examine the behavior (activation-deactivation) of sub-basins affected by volcanic and anthropogenic processes by studying the changes in connectivity and hydrological efficiency.

Corrosion Behavior of AISI 304 Stainless Steel Reinforcements in SCBA-SF Ternary Ecological Concrete Exposed to MgSO.

In this study, ternary ecological concrete (TEC) mixtures were produced with partial substitution of the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) by 10%, 20%, and 30% of sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) and silica fume (SF); a control mixture (100% OPC) was prepared according to ACI 211.1 standard. The studied TEC specimens were reinforced with AISI 304 stainless steel and AISI 1018 carbon steel rebars.

Phylogeny, genetics, and the partial life cycle of in the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite the diversity and ecological importance of cestodes, there is a paucity of studies on their life stages (i.e., complete lists of intermediate, paratenic, and definitive hosts) and genetic variation.

Biodegradation of recalcitrant compounds and phthalates by culturable bacteria isolated from Liometopum apiculatum microbiota.

Liometopum apiculatum is a species of ants widely distributed in arid and semi-arid ecosystems where there is a relative food shortage compared with tropical ecosystems. L. apiculatum has established an ecological balance involving symbiotic interactions, which have allowed them to survive through mechanisms that are still unknown.

Potential of Mean Force Calculations for an S2 Fluorination Reaction in Five Different Imidazolium Ionic Liquid Solvents Using Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

The use of ionic liquids (ILs) as both catalysts and solvents in a wide range of chemical reactions has received considerable attention over the last few years due to their positive effects in enhancing reaction rates and selectivities. In this work, hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) molecular dynamics simulations were carried out in conjunction with umbrella-sampling techniques to study the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S2) fluorination reaction between propyl-mesylate and potassium fluoride using five ILs as solvents, specifically, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium mesylate ([Cmim][OMs]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Cmim][BF]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate ([Cmim][CFCOO]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Cmim][Br]), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Cmim][Cl]) at 373.15 K.

Emerging pollutants (EPs) in Latin América: A critical review of under-studied EPs, case of study -Nonylphenol.

Emerging contaminants (EPs) represent a significant risk to human, ecological and environmental health. Although progress has been made in establishing monitoring in environmental matrices, health effects, legislation and control, there are still problems associated with regional bias and the types of EPs commonly assessed, which may underestimate the risk to health. In Latin America there are limited reports on environmental monitoring of EPs and it is generally focused on wastewater.

Cell-free scaffold from jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria; Scyphozoa) for skin tissue engineering.

Disruption of the continuous cutaneous membrane in the integumentary system is considered a health problem of high cost for any nation. Several attempts have been made for developing skin substitutes in order to restore injured tissue including autologous implants and the use of scaffolds based on synthetic and natural materials. Current biomaterials used for skin tissue repair include several scaffold matrices types, synthetic or natural, absorbable, degradable or non-degradable polymers, porous or dense scaffolds, and cells capsulated in hydrogels or spheroids systems so forth.

ANS Interacts with the Ca-ATPase Nucleotide Binding Site.

The binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) to the nucleotide binding domain (N-domain) of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA) was studied. Molecular docking predicted two ANS binding modes (BMI and BMII) in the nucleotide binding site. The molecular interaction was confirmed as the fluorescence intensity of ANS was dramatically increased when in the presence of an engineered recombinant N-domain.

A Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Versatile PEGylated Platinum Nanoflowers and Their Application in Radiation Therapy.

Nanomedicine has stepped into the spotlight of radiation therapy over the last two decades. Nanoparticles (NPs), especially metallic NPs, can potentiate radiotherapy by specific accumulation into tumors, thus enhancing the efficacy while alleviating the toxicity of radiotherapy. Water radiolysis is a simple, fast and environmentally-friendly method to prepare highly controllable metallic nanoparticles in large scale.

Development of Head Space Sorptive Extraction Method for the Determination of Volatile Compounds in Beer and Comparison with Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction.

A headspace sorptive extraction method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HSSE-GC-MS) was developed for the determination of 37 volatile compounds in beer. After optimization of the extraction conditions, the best conditions for the analysis were stirring at 1000 rpm for 180 min, using an 8-mL sample with 25% NaCl. The analytical method provided excellent linearity values ( > 0.

Nutritional Quality of Fast Food Kids Meals and Their Contribution to the Diets of School-Aged Children.

International data indicate that children and adolescents obtain around one third of their daily food intake from products consumed outside their home. Food products from restaurants are usually higher in calories and lower in nutritional value than those prepared home. We evaluated the nutritional quality in kids' meals from three fast food chains and two movie theaters and compared them with nutritional recommendations for Mexican school-age population.

IPA-1 a Putative Chromatin Remodeler/Helicase-Related Protein of Plays Important Roles in Antibiosis Against and Induction of Systemic Disease Resistance.

spp. are filamentous fungi that colonize plant roots conferring beneficial effects to plants, either indirectly through the induction of their defense systems or directly through the suppression of phytopathogens in the rhizosphere. Transcriptomic analyses of spp.

Glass coatings to enhance the interfacial bond strength between veneering ceramic and zirconia.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the tensile bond strength (TBS) and shear bond strength (SBS) between a zirconia core and fluoroapatite-pressed ceramic after the application of glass 46SP6 and AP40 via the ISO-17095:2013 methodology. Sintered zirconia beams (n = 120) were divided into four groups: (a) control: no treatment; (b) ZirL: IPS-E max ceram ZirLiner coating; (c) glass AP40 coating; and (d) glass 46SP6 coating. A fluoroapatite ceramic (IPS e.

Management of the oral hemangiomas in infants and children: Scoping review.

Background: Pediatric oral hemangiomas are benign vascular tumors that can be seen from birth, particularly in females. Hemangiomas are most frequent located in the lips and usually regress spontaneously, thus they do not require any type of treatment in most cases. The present scoping review pretended to synthesize the most relevant and currently available information from the international dental literature published in the last 25 years, regarding the management of pediatric oral hemangiomas.

Rapid analysis of 4-nonylphenol by solid phase microextraction in water samples.

Alquilphenols are considered to be endocrine disruptors and are mainly found as 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in ecosystems. A chromatographic analytical method was developed using solid phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the extraction and quantification of 4-NP in sources of water in Mexico to establish environmental concentrations. A derivatization process with N-Methyl-bis(trifluoroacetamide) (MBTFA) was carried out in order to increase sensitivity in the method.

Synthesis, structural characterization and Cu(ii) adsorption behavior of manganite (γ-MnOOH) nanorods.

New alternatives for the removal of transition metal ions that present an environmental risk are required. The chemical adsorption of these ions on surfaces with chemisorbent properties represents a promising area of research. In this work, manganite (γ-MnOOH) nanorods were synthesized, with a surface area of 20.

Effect of Silica Fume and Fly Ash Admixtures on the Corrosion Behavior of AISI 304 Embedded in Concrete Exposed in 3.5% NaCl Solution.

The use of supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash, slag, and silica fume improve reinforced concrete corrosion performance, while decreasing cost and reducing environmental impact compared to ordinary Portland cement. In this study, the corrosion behavior of AISI 1018 carbon steel (CS) and AISI 304 stainless steel (SS) reinforcements was studied for 365 days. Three different concrete mixtures were tested: 100% CPC (composite Portland cement), 80% CPC and 20% silica fume (SF), and 80% CPC and 20% fly ash (FA).