Buriti oil as an alternative to the use of antimicrobials in broiler diets.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects and economic viability of diets containing different levels of antibiotic and buriti oil (BO) on performance, carcass and cut yields, and relative weight of organs of broilers. A total of 432 one- to 42-day-old male chicks were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with six treatments, each consisting of six replicates of 12 birds. The treatments consisted of one diet with antibiotic without BO, one diet without antibiotic (DWA) without BO, and four DWA containing increasing levels of BO (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8%). Average weight and weight gain (WG) of broilers fed with DWA + BO were similar to those of birds fed control diet. Feed intake and feed conversion (FC) were not different among treatments. Relative weight of pancreas linearly increased in the birds fed diets containing BO. The inclusion of 0.45 and 0.40% of BO in the diets promoted the improvement of WG and FC, respectively. Cost of feed management, ratio, gross margin, and gross income did not differ among treatments. It was concluded that the inclusion of 0.45% of BO in diets without antibiotics is economically feasible and allows recovering the performance of broilers.

Effect of Makeup Use on Depressive Symptoms: An Open, Randomized and Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Depression is one of the most disabling diseases globally, with a high disease burden that generates high direct and indirect costs. The incidence of depression is twofold higher in adult women than in men. Biological and psychosocial factors constitute the pathophysiological bases of the condition and due to the complexity of the condition, current understanding is that the "treatment strategy must be multimodal". The objective of this study was to measure the effect of introducing the frequent use of makeup on improving depressive symptoms in adult women of medium-low purchasing power METHODS: Participants with the targeted profile who did not frequently use makeup were selected and randomised to receive (test group) or not (control group) stimuli and makeup products intended for encouraging the frequent use of makeup. The Zung Depression Self-Assessment Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms, with additional assessments on self-image perception using the mirror test and salivary cortisol level. RESULTS: The results demonstrated a sustained reduction in depressive symptoms (8.3 percentage points reduction in the Average Zung Index; P < 0.05), with a significant improvement in self-image perception (25% increase in the average score obtained in the mirror test; P < 0.05) and a specific influence on salivary cortisol levels (55% reduction in salivary cortisol concentration; P < 0.05) after the first makeup application. CONCLUSION: The results show that encouraging the frequent use of makeup, a practice that can be achieved by most people and which is simple and inexpensive to implement, can contribute to effective and sustainable improvement in the well-being and mental health of a significant portion of the population.

Neuroprotective effects of platinum nanoparticle-based microreactors in bicuculline-induced seizures.

Epilepsy designates a group of chronic brain disorders, characterized by the recurrence of hypersynchronous, repetitive activity, of neuronal clusters. Epileptic seizures are the hallmark of epilepsy. The primary goal of epilepsy treatment is to eliminate seizures with minimal side effects. Nevertheless, approximately 30% of patients do not respond to the available drugs. An imbalance between excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmission, that leads to excitotoxicity, seizures, and cell death, has been proposed as an important mechanism regarding epileptogenesis. Recently, it has been shown that microreactors composed of platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NP) and glutamate dehydrogenase possess in vitro and in vivo activity against excitotoxicity. This study investigates the in vivo effects of these microreactors in an animal model of epilepsy induced by the administration of the GABAergic antagonist bicuculline. Male Wistar rats were administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with the microreactors or saline and, five days later, injected with bicuculline or saline. Seizure severity was evaluated in an open field. Thirty min after behavioral measurements, animals were euthanized, and their brains processed for neurodegeneration evaluation and for neurogenesis. Treatment with the microreactors significantly increased the time taken for the onset of seizures and for the first tonic-clonic seizure, when compared to the bicuculline group that did not receive the microreactor. The administration of the microreactors also increased the time spent in total exploration and grooming. Treatment with the microreactors decreased bicuculline-induced neurodegeneration and increased neurogenesis in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. These observations suggest that treatment with Pt-NP-based microreactors attenuates the behavioral and neurobiological consequences of epileptiform seizure activity.

COVID-19 as a chronic stressor and the importance of individual identity: A data-driven look at academic productivity during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted personal and professional life. For academics, research, teaching, and service tasks were upended and we all had to navigate the altered landscape. However, some individuals faced a disproportionate burden, particularly academics with minoritized identities or those who were early career, were caregivers, or had intersecting identities. As comparative endocrinologists, we determine how aspects of individual and species-level variation influence response to, recovery from, and resilience in the face of stressors. Here, we flip that framework and apply an integrative biological lens to the impact of the COVID-19 chronic stressor on our endocrine community. We address how the pandemic altered impact factors of academia (e.g., scholarly products) and relatedly, how factors of impact (e.g., sex, gender, race, career stage, caregiver status, etc.) altered the way in which individuals could respond. We predict the pandemic will have long-term impacts on the population dynamics, composition, and landscape of our academic ecosystem. Impact factors of research, namely journal submissions, were altered by COVID-19, and women authors saw a big dip. We discuss this broadly and then report General and Comparative Endocrinology (GCE) manuscript submission and acceptance status by gender and geographic region from 2019 to 2023. We also summarize how the pandemic impacted individuals with different axes of identity, how academic institutions have responded, compile proposed solutions, and conclude with a discussion on what we can all do to (re)build the academy in an equitable way. At GCE, the first author positions had gender parity, but men outnumbered women at the corresponding author position. Region of manuscript origin mattered for submission and acceptance rates, and women authors from Asia and the Middle East were the most heavily impacted by the pandemic. The number of manuscripts submitted dropped after year 1 of the pandemic and has not yet recovered. Thus, COVID-19 was a chronic stressor for the GCE community.

Innovative Approaches for Maintaining and Enhancing Skin Health and Managing Skin Diseases through Microbiome-Targeted Strategies.

The skin microbiome is crucial in maintaining skin health, and its disruption is associated with various skin diseases. Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers and compounds found in certain foods that promote the activity and growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut or skin. On the other hand, live microorganisms, known as probiotics, benefit in sustaining healthy conditions when consumed in reasonable quantities. They differ from postbiotics, which are by-product compounds from bacteria that release the same effects as their parent bacteria. The human skin microbiome is vital when it comes to maintaining skin health and preventing a variety of dermatological conditions. This review explores novel strategies that use microbiome-targeted treatments to maintain and enhance overall skin health while managing various skin disorders. It is important to understand the dynamic relationship between these beneficial microorganisms and the diverse microbial communities present on the skin to create effective strategies for using probiotics on the skin. This understanding can help optimize formulations and treatment regimens for improved outcomes in skincare, particularly in developing solutions for various skin problems.

A Novel Handrub Tablet Loaded with Pre- and Post-Biotic Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Combining Virucidal Activity and Maintenance of the Skin Barrier and Microbiome.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a holobiont tablet with rapid dispersibility to provide regulation of the microbiota, virucidal activity, and skin barrier protection. METHODS: A 23 factorial experiment was planned to define the best formulation for the development of the base tablet, using average weight, hardness, dimensions, swelling rate, and disintegration time as parameters to be analyzed. To produce holobiont tablets, the chosen base formulation was fabricated by direct compression of prebiotics, postbiotics, and excipients. The tablets also incorporated solid lipid nanoparticles containing postbiotics that were obtained by high-pressure homogenization and freeze-drying. The in vitro virucidal activity against alpha-coronavirus particles (CCoV-VR809) was determined in VERO cell culture. In vitro analysis, using monolayer cells and human equivalent skin, was performed by rRTq-PCR to determine the expression of interleukins 1, 6, 8, and 17, aquaporin-3, involucrin, filaggrin, FoxO3, and SIRT-1. Antioxidant activity and collagen-1 synthesis were also performed in fibroblast cells. Metagenomic analysis of the skin microbiome was determined in vivo before and after application of the holobiont tablet, during one week of continuous use, and compared to the use of alcohol gel. Samples were analyzed by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. RESULTS: A handrub tablet with rapid dispersibility was developed for topical use and rinse off. After being defined as safe, the virucidal activity was found to be equal to or greater than that of 70% alcohol, with a reduction in interleukins and maintenance or improvement of skin barrier gene markers, in addition to the reestablishment of the skin microbiota after use. CONCLUSIONS: The holobiont tablets were able to improve the genetic markers related to the skin barrier and also its microbiota, thereby being more favorable for use as a hand sanitizer than 70% alcohol.

From mechanism to ecosystem: building bridges between ecoimmunology, psychoneuroimmunology and disease ecology.

Historically, the fields of ecoimmunology, psychoneuroimmunology and disease ecology have taken complementary yet disparate theoretical and experimental approaches, despite sharing critical common themes. Researchers in these areas have largely worked independently of one another to understand mechanistic immunological responses, organismal level immune performance, behavioral changes, and host and parasite/disease population dynamics, with few bridges across disciplines. Although efforts to strengthen and expand these bridges have been called for (and occasionally heeded) over the last decade, more integrative studies are only now beginning to emerge, with critical gaps remaining. Here, we briefly discuss the origins of these key fields, and their current state of integration, while highlighting several critical directions that we suggest will strengthen their connections into the future. Specifically, we highlight three key research areas that provide collaborative opportunities for integrative investigation across multiple levels of biological organization, from mechanisms to ecosystems: (1) parental effects of immunity, (2) microbiome and immune function and (3) sickness behaviors. By building new bridges among these fields, and strengthening existing ones, a truly integrative approach to understanding the role of host immunity on individual and community fitness is within our grasp.

Responding to infection affects more than just the host.

An infection triggers a dramatic suite of changes in host physiology and behavior. While seemingly localized, the host response affects many other organisms, both within and beyond the boundaries of the host's body, with far-reaching ecological implications. Here, I call for more awareness and integration of those potential 'off-host' effects.

Understanding Job Satisfaction and Occupational Stressors of Distinctive Roles in Zoos and Aquariums.

For professionals caring for humans or non-human animals, many joys are to be found in working towards what an individual believes to be their calling, especially as they contribute to purposeful, meaningful work consistent with and intrinsic to their own values and beliefs. However, there can be downfalls. Empathic strain, conflict between co-workers, dissatisfaction with upper management, lack of opportunities to make positive changes, limited or no access to level and experience-appropriate professional development, and other stressors are all risks carried by organisations concerned with animal welfare. In the present study, a survey on job satisfaction and workplace stressors was completed by 311 zoo and aquarium professionals working in a range of roles from junior animal care staff to curator. Respondent profiles were created using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and four distinct clusters were identified through Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC), highlighting common themes in different levels of experience and in job roles regarding stressors, satisfaction, and feelings about their work and workplaces. Overall, many zoo professionals were concerned with lacking the ability to feel empowered to do their best for animal welfare, and they described a link between the staff welfare and their perceptions of the welfare of the animals they cared for. Through identifying and understanding where organisations can better support their staff it is possible to target and reduce the number of common stressors faced by zoo professionals, leading to increased staff retention, higher job satisfaction, and an improved ability to perform at their best for animal welfare.

New copper(I) complexes of bulky 5-substituted-2-iminopyrrolyl ligands as catalysts for azide-alkyne cycloaddition.

Five dinuclear copper(I) complexes of the type [Cu{κN,κN'-5-R-NC4H2-2-C(H)N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)}]2 (1a-e; R = 2,4,6-iPr3C6H2 (a), R = 2,6-Me2C6H3 (b), R = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3 (c), R = 2,6-(OMe)2C6H2 (d), R = CPh3 (e)) were prepared by the reaction of the respective 5-R-2-iminopyrrolyl potassium salts KLa-e and [Cu(NCMe)4]BF4 in moderate yields. These new copper(I) complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and, in selected cases, by single crystal X-ray diffraction and their structural and electronic features further analyzed by DFT calculations and cyclic voltammetry, respectively. X-ray diffraction studies reveal dimeric Cu structures assembled by 2-iminopyrrolyl bridging ligands adopting a transoid conformation (complexes 1a and 1d), while complexes 1c and 1e displayed a cisoid conformation of those moieties, with respect to the Cu(I) centers. Additionally, VT-1H NMR and 1H-1H NOESY NMR experiments on complexes 1a-e exhibited complex fluxional processes in solution, assigned to a conformational inversion of the respective Cu2N4C4 metallacycles in all complexes but 1c, accompanied by a cisoid-transoid isomerization in the cases of complexes 1d,e. The Cu(I) complexes were also analyzed by cyclic voltammetry, where all complexes exhibit two oxidation processes, where the first oxidation is reversible, with the exception of 1b and 1c, which also show the highest oxidation potentials. The oxidation potentials follow clear trends related to the structural parameters of the complexes, in particular the Cu⋯Cu distance and the Cu2N4C4 macrocycles torsion angles. All new 5-substituted-2-iminopyrrolyl Cu(I) complexes 1a-e served as catalysts for azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions, being able to generate the respective 1,2,3-triazole products in yields as high as 82% and turnover frequencies (TOFs) as high as 859 h-1, after optimizing the conditions. The activity, as measured by the TOF, is in accordance with the oxidation potential of the corresponding complexes, the easier the oxidation, the higher the TOF value. Complex 1-H, where R = H, proved to be a poor catalyst for the same reactions, indicating that the 5-substitution in the ligand framework is crucial in stabilizing any potential catalytic species.

Consensus guide on CT-based prediction of stopping-power ratio using a Hounsfield look-up table for proton therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Studies have shown large variations in stopping-power ratio (SPR) prediction from computed tomography (CT) across European proton centres. To standardise this process, a step-by-step guide on specifying a Hounsfield look-up table (HLUT) is presented here. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The HLUT specification process is divided into six steps: Phantom setup, CT acquisition, CT number extraction, SPR determination, HLUT specification, and HLUT validation. Appropriate CT phantoms have a head- and body-sized part, with tissue-equivalent inserts in regard to X-ray and proton interactions. CT numbers are extracted from a region-of-interest covering the inner 70% of each insert in-plane and several axial CT slices in scan direction. For optimal HLUT specification, the SPR of phantom inserts is measured in a proton beam and the SPR of tabulated human tissues is computed stoichiometrically at 100 MeV. Including both phantom inserts and tabulated human tissues increases HLUT stability. Piecewise linear regressions are performed between CT numbers and SPRs for four tissue groups (lung, adipose, soft tissue, and bone) and then connected with straight lines. Finally, a thorough but simple validation is performed. RESULTS: The best practices and individual challenges are explained comprehensively for each step. A well-defined strategy for specifying the connection points between the individual line segments of the HLUT is presented. The guide was tested exemplarily on three CT scanners from different vendors, proving its feasibility. CONCLUSION: The presented step-by-step guide for CT-based HLUT specification with recommendations and examples can contribute to reduce inter-centre variations in SPR prediction.

Association Between Frequent Use of Makeup and Presence of Depressive Symptoms-Population-Based Observational Study, Including 2400 Participants.

INTRODUCTION: The increased prevalence of depression is a global phenomenon, with an estimated 320 million cases worldwide. In Brazil, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that there are about 12 million cases or more, mainly among adult women with lower socioeconomic status, leading to a high consumption of health resources. Studies suggest a positive association of measures related to appearance care on depressive symptoms, but usually with no objective methodology. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in adult Brazilian women with lower purchasing power and to verify the association between the intensity of symptoms and the use of makeup. METHODS: A national sample of 2400 cases from all regions of the country, drawn randomly from an online panel representative of the Brazilian population, was studied using an online questionnaire accessible via computer or smartphone, from which the frequency of use of makeup was surveyed, and the Zung Depressive Self-Rating Scale was applied for the inventory of symptoms. RESULTS: A prevalence of 61.4% (0.59-0.63) of depressive symptoms was identified. The association between frequent use of makeup and a lower prevalence of cases with a Zung index suggestive of mild depression was confirmed. Association between frequent use of makeup and lower intensity of depressive symptoms was also identified among cases with a Zung index suggestive of absence of depression. Additionally, an association was identified between the habit of frequent use of makeup and higher economic class as well as the younger age group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the hypothesis that use of makeup may contribute both to a lower prevalence of mild depression and less expressive symptoms when index of absence of depression is observed.

The social environment alters neural responses to a lipopolysaccharide challenge.

Sick animals display drastic changes in their behavioral patterns, including decreased activity, decreased food and water intake, and decreased interest in social interactions. These behaviors, collectively called "sickness behaviors", can be socially modulated. For example, when provided with mating opportunities, males of several species show reduced sickness behaviors. While the behavior is known to change, how the social environment affects neural molecular responses to sickness is not known. Here, we used a species, the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata, where males have been shown to decrease sickness behaviors when presented with novel females. Using this paradigm, we obtained samples from three brain regions (the hypothalamus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the nucleus taeniae) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or control treated males housed under four different social environments. Manipulation of the social environment rapidly changed the strength and co-expression patterns of the neural molecular responses to the immune challenge in all brain regions tested, therefore suggesting that the social environment plays a significant role in determining the neural responses to an infection. In particular, brains of males paired with a novel female showed muted immune responses to LPS, as well as altered synaptic signaling. Neural metabolic activity in response to the LPS challenge was also affected by the social environment. Our results provide new insights into the effects of the social environment on brain responses to an infection, thereby improving our understanding of how the social environment can affect health.

Macrophage Galactose Lectin Contributes to the Regulation of FVIII (Factor VIII) Clearance in Mice-Brief Report.

BACKGROUND: Although most plasma FVIII (Factor VIII) circulates in complex with VWF (von Willebrand factor), a minority (3%-5%) circulates as free-FVIII, which is rapidly cleared. Consequently, 20% of total FVIII may be cleared as free-FVIII. Critically, the mechanisms of free-FVIII clearance remain poorly understood. However, recent studies have implicated the MGL (macrophage galactose lectin) in modulating VWF clearance. METHODS: Since VWF and FVIII share similar glycosylation, we investigated the role of MGL in FVIII clearance. FVIII binding to MGL was assessed in immunosorbent and cell-based assays. In vivo, FVIII clearance was assessed in MGL1-/- and VWF-/-/FVIII-/- mice. RESULTS: In vitro-binding studies identified MGL as a novel macrophage receptor that binds free-FVIII in a glycan-dependent manner. MGL1-/- and MGL1-/- mice who received an anti-MGL1/2 blocking antibody both showed significantly increased endogenous FVIII activity compared with wild-type mice (P=0.036 and P<0.0001, respectively). MGL inhibition also prolonged the half-life of infused FVIII in FVIII-/- mice. To assess whether MGL plays a role in the clearance of free FVIII in a VWF-independent manner, in vivo clearance experiments were repeated in dual VWF-/-/FVIII-/- mice. Importantly, the rapid clearance of free FVIII in VWF-/-/FVIII-/- mice was significantly (P=0.012) prolonged in the presence of anti-MGL1/2 antibodies. Finally, endogenous plasma FVIII levels in VWF-/- mice were significantly increased following MGL inhibition (P=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Cumulatively, these findings demonstrate that MGL plays an important role in regulating macrophage-mediated clearance of both VWF-bound FVIII and free-FVIII in vivo. We propose that this novel FVIII clearance pathway may be of particular clinical importance in patients with type 2N or type 3 Von Willebrand disease.

Development of a Nanotechnology Matrix-Based Citronella Oil Insect Repellent to Obtain a Prolonged Effect and Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy.

Mosquito-borne diseases affect millions of people worldwide each year, and the use of a topically applied insect repellent is an economically viable preventative health practice. The general objective of this work was to encapsulate citronella oil (CO) in a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) to formulate a topical repellent with a long duration of efficacy on the skin and a good safety profile based on minimizing skin penetration. In the studied CO, the main chemical constituents of geraniol, citronellal, and citronellol were identified and subsequently used as markers for the in vitro skin permeation testing (IVPT). An optimal NLC encapsulating CO formulation was developed and had an average particle size of 350 nm. The NLC was then formulated in combination with CO at ratios of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 CO:NLC-CO as oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions and compared to CO in the same O/W emulsion base (all at 10% CO in the final O/W topical formulation). The markers geraniol, citronellol, and citronellal were detected in all samples tested F1 (10% CO in O/W emulsion) and F3 (10% CO/NLC-CO 1:1 in O/W emulsion). Even the percentages of F3 markers were higher than F1. The recovery of the percentage balance (based on the total remaining on the skin surface, on the skin, and penetrated through the skin to the receptor) of geraniol, citronellol, and citronellal markers for F1 and F3 was 7.70% and 11.96%; 25.51% and 31.89%; and 5.09% and 4.40%, respectively. The nanoparticle lipid solid forms a repellent reservoir on the skin surface, releasing the active ingredients slowly through volatilization, extending the repellent action, and reducing permeation through the skin. It is possible to assume that the remaining 92.30% and 88.03%; 74.49% and 68.11%; and 94.10% and 95.60% of geraniol, citronellol, and citronellal markers of F1 and F3, respectively, were lost to evaporation. In the in vivo efficacy test carried out with the Aedes aegypti mosquito, F3 was the optimal formulation, providing the greatest repellent action compared to free oil in O/W emulsion. Thermal analysis showed that the NLC-CO raised the boiling point of the encapsulated CO compared to the free oil, suggesting that the controlled release of the CO was a possible mechanism for its prolonged effect. We concluded that the nanocarriers developed with CO were stable and provided improved mosquito-repellent efficacy with minimal skin penetration of the CO actives over 24 h. Indeed, regardless of whether the CO was applied as free oil, a 1:1 mixture of CO (pure/free oil) or NLC-CO applied in an O/W emulsion can be considered safe for topical application due to minimal skin penetration.

Aloe vera and copaiba oleoresin-loaded chitosan films for wound dressings: microbial permeation, cytotoxicity, and in vivo proof of concept.

Chitosan films are commonly used for wound dressing, provided that this polymer has healing, mucoadhesiveness and antimicrobial properties. These properties can be further reinforced by the combination of chitosan with polysaccharides and glycoproteins present in aloe vera, together with copaiba oleoresin's pharmacological activity attributed to sesquiterpenes. In this work, we developed chitosan films containing either aloe vera, copaiba oil or both, by casting technique, and evaluated their microbial permeation, antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and in vivo healing potential in female adult rats. None of the developed chitosan films promoted microbial permeation, while the cytotoxicity in Balb/c 3 T3 clone A31 cell line revealed no toxicity of films produced with 2 % of chitosan and up to 1 % of aloe vera and copaiba oleoresin. Films obtained with either 0.5 % chitosan or 0.5 % copaiba oleoresin induced cell proliferation which anticipate their potential for closure of wound and for the healing process. The in vivo results confirmed that tested films (0.5 % copaiba-loaded chitosan film and 0.5 % aloe vera-loaded chitosan film) were superior to a commercial dressing film. For all tested groups, a fully formed epithelium was seen, while neoformation of vessels seemed to be greater in formulations-treated groups than those treated with the control. Our work confirms the added value of combining chitosan with aloe vera and copaiba oil in the healing process of wounds.

The effect of infection risk on female blood transcriptomics.

Defenses against pathogens can take on many forms. For instance, behavioral avoidance of diseased conspecifics is widely documented. Interactions with these infectious conspecifics can also, however, lead to physiological changes in uninfected animals, an effect that is much less well understood. These changes in behavior and physiology are particularly important to study in a reproductive context, where they can impact reproductive decisions and offspring quality. Here, we studied how an acute (3 h) exposure to an immune-challenged male affected female blood transcriptomics and behavior. We predicted that females paired with immune-challenged males would reduce eating and drinking behaviors (as avoidance behaviors) and that their blood would show activation of immune and stress responses. We used female Japanese quail as a study system because they have been shown to respond to male traits, in terms of their own physiology and egg investment. Only two genes showed significant differential expression due to treatment, including an increase in the threonine dehydrogenase (TDH) transcript, an enzyme important for threonine breakdown. However, hundreds of genes in pathways related to activation of immune responses showed coordinated up-regulation in females exposed to immune-challenged males. Suppressed pathways revealed potential changes to metabolism and reduced responsiveness to glucocorticoids. Contrary to our prediction, we found that females paired with immune-challenged males increased food consumption. Water consumption was not changed by treatment. These findings suggest that even short exposure to diseased conspecifics can trigger both behavioral and physiological responses in healthy animals.

Flow cytometry as an alternative method to evaluate genotoxicity of natural cosmetic actives.

Alternative in vitro methods are important, as there is a call to ban the use of animals in cosmetics research. AIM: To suggest the expansion of the use of in vitro safety techniques recommended by the OECD guidelines and to propose the use of the automation of the in vitro mammalian micronucleus test method by flow cytometry to assess the genotoxic potential of Centella asiatica, Horse Chestnut, Witch Hazel, Blend, Ecoblend, and Caffeine extracts due to their widespread use in commercial products. METHODS: Flow cytometer analysis was performed using the Accuri™ C6 equipment and analyzed using the FlowJo software. Cytotoxicity tests followed OECD 129 guidelines and Phototoxicity followed OECD/GD 432 guidelines. RESULTS: The results showed that the cytotoxicity assay presented a decrease in cell viability when cells were exposed to Centella asiatica from a concentration of 5.0%, horse chestnut 2.5%, Witch hazel 2.5%, Blend 3.13%, and Caffeine 3%, while Ecoblend at the tested concentrations did not show cytotoxicity. In the phototoxicity test, the samples at the tested concentrations showed a PIF <2 being considered potentially non-phototoxic. Finally, in the genotoxicity automated assay, samples were considered potentially non-genotoxic. CONCLUSION: In vitro methods are of paramount importance for the development of pre-clinical tests and the use of test automation helps to reduce the time for analysis and dissemination of results, being a determining factor for the prospect of new compounds.