A network analysis of positive psychosocial factors and indication of suboptimal HIV care outcomes among Black women living with HIV.

Black women living with HIV (BWLWH) face barriers that impact health outcomes. However, positive psychosocial indicators may influence HIV care outcomes. Among this cross-sectional study of 119 BWLWH, a network analysis was utilized to examine relationships between positive psychosocial factors and HIV-related health outcomes. A preliminary polychoric analysis was conducted to examine correlations between the variables, and the network analyzed connections between resilience, self-efficacy, self-esteem, perceived social support, religious coping, post-traumatic growth, and an indicator variable for suboptimal HIV care outcomes (low medication adherence, detectable viral load, and missed HIV-related health visits) and determined the centrality measures within the network. Seven significant associations were found among the factors: self-efficacy and self-esteem, post-traumatic growth and resilience, post-traumatic growth and self-efficacy, post-traumatic growth and religious coping, perceived social support and resilience, self-esteem and resilience, self-esteem and perceived social support (bootstrapped 95% CI did not contain zero). Self-efficacy was the strongest indicator associated with the other factors. Although not statistically significant, the indicator for suboptimal HIV care outcomes was negatively associated with perceived social support and religious coping. Future interventions incorporating self-efficacy may be beneficial to the overall well-being of Black women.

Protective effects of Yerba mate (IIex paraguariensis) on prostate cancer development.

OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common adenocarcinoma in men >50 y of age. It has a long latency period, which provides time for preventive strategies like incorporating healthy eating habits. Yerba mate (YM) intake has been associated with numerous health benefits. Since YM is one of the most popular infusions in Argentina, the of this study was to examine the influence of YM on PCa development. METHODS: We carried out an in vivo model of PCa through subcutaneous inoculation of transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate-C1 cells in C57BL/6 mice. Subsequently, the animals were divided into two groups: mate (25 mg/mL of YM in drinking water, n = 15), and control (only drinking water, n = 15). We also developed an in vitro model to study the direct effects of YM on three human PCa cell lines: lymph node carcinoma of the prostate (LNCaP), PC-3, and DU-145. RESULTS: Our in vivo model showed that YM intake slightly reduced body weight, increased the latency of tumor appearance (P <0.01), and diminished the tumor volume (P <0.05) compared with the control group. In agreement, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and nuclear estrogen receptor α were lower in the tumors of the mate animals (P <0.05). In vitro, YM decreased the viability, proliferation, and adhesion of the three tumor cell lines (P < 0.001) and retarded the migration of LNCaP (P <0.05) and DU-145 (P <0.005), without modifying the migration of PC-3 cells. CONCLUSIONS: YM showed anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo and were more effective on the androgen-sensitive cell line (LNCaP).

Application of multivariate analysis to assess stress by Cd, Pb and Al in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) using caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, total phenolics, total flavonoids and total dry mass in response.

Basil is an edible, aromatic plant, which makes the study of the ecotoxicity of metals in plant metabolism relevant. Given the above, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of metals, aluminum, lead, and cadmium, in the synthesis of phenolic compounds and in the dry mass of basil plants (O. basilicum L.) grown in a hydroponic system. The plants were subjected to four different concentrations of cadmium (0.2, 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 mmol L-1), lead and aluminum (0.04, 0.08, 0.12, and 0.16 mmol L-1), and compared with the control. After desiccation of the plant material, the total dry mass was obtained and then, hydroethanolic extracts (43% distilled water and 57% ethanol) were made for biochemical analyzes, which consisted of the determination of caffeic acid (CA) and rosmarinic acid (RA) by high performance liquid chromatography analysis with a diode detector (HPLC-DAD); total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) by spectrophotometry. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and multivariate analysis (principal component analysis-PCA and hierarchical cluster analysis-HCA) was applied for data association. The phenolic compounds showed a high positive correlation with each other, and the total dry mass showed low and negative correlations with the analyzed variables. The results showed that the metals aluminum, lead, and cadmium promoted a stress condition in basil plants, which resulted in the reduction of the dry matter mass and an increase in the synthesis of phenolic compounds, according to the type and concentration of the metal.

Brand new Dual Absorption and Emission Smartphone-Based Spectrophotometer (DAESS) for the study of the role of water in the preparation of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) are highly important for Green Chemistry principles and can be used instead of harmful organic solvents. Indeed, nowadays smartphone-based analytical devices can replace some traditional laboratory equipment. In the present work, a smartphone based dual spectrophotometer and spectrofluorometer device was designed, 3D manufactured, and validated. A resolution of 0.241 ± 0.010 pixel.nm-1 and a stability comparable with commercial instruments were obtained. Using the proposed device it was possible, for the first time, to study the role of water in NADES (fructose:urea:water) preparation, by testing the influence of structural and dilution water. In this sense, it was observed that when water was added before NADES preparation (integrated into the superstructure of the solvent), fluorescence and absorbance intensities sharply decayed (up to 90% and 95%, respectively). In contrast, dilution water had minor effects on spectroscopic features of the eutectic system, which was expressed as 29% and 23% of diminution of signal intensities for both techniques. The obtained results suggest that the moment the water is added plays a significant role in NADES properties.

Taking the leap between analytical chemistry and artificial intelligence: A tutorial review.

The last 10 years have witnessed the growth of artificial intelligence into different research areas, emerging as a vibrant discipline with the capacity to process large amounts of information and even intuitively interact with humans. In the chemical world, these innovations in both hardware and algorithms have allowed the development of revolutionary approaches in organic synthesis, drug discovery, and materials' design. Despite these advances, the use of AI to support analytical purposes has been mostly limited to data-intensive methodologies linked to image recognition, vibrational spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry but not to other technologies that, albeit simpler, offer promise of greatly enhanced analytics now that AI is becoming mature enough to take advantage of them. To address the imminent opportunity of analytical chemists to use AI, this tutorial review aims to serve as a first step for junior researchers considering integrating AI into their programs. Thus, basic concepts related to AI are first discussed followed by a critical assessment of representative reports integrating AI with various sensors, spectroscopies, and separation techniques. For those with the courage (and the time) needed to get started, the review also provides a general sequence of steps to begin integrating AI into their programs.

ß-Cyclodextrin complex improves the bioavailability and antitumor potential of cirsiliol, a flavone isolated from Leonotis nepetifolia (Lamiaceae).

Cirsiliol is a flavone found in many Lamiaceae species with high cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines. Although cirsiliol is being used in cancer therapy, its pharmacological potential is limited by its low solubility and bioavailability. In this paper, a cirsiliol-ß-cyclodextrin inclusion complex was developed in order to increase its solubility and bioavailability. The formation of inclusion complex was proved by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and solubility increment was verified through the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) method. The cytotoxic effect against tumor cells (PC3, HCT-116 and HL-60 human cell lines, and S-180 murine cell line) and the antitumor activity in mice bearing sarcoma S-180 were also investigated. The inclusion complex was obtained with 71.45% of total recovery and solubility 2.1 times higher compared to the compound in its free form. This increment in solubility was responsible by a tumor growth inhibition potentiation (1.5 times greater compared to compound in its free form). In addition, this study showed that cirsiliol and its inclusion complex in ß-cyclodextrin have strong antitumor potential at low doses without promoting side effects commonly observed for conventional drugs as doxorubicin.

Onion Hybrid Seed Production: Relation with Nectar Composition and Flower Traits.

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the main vegetable crops. Pollinators are required for onion seed production, being honeybees the most used. Around the world, two types of onion varieties are grown: open pollinated (OP) and hybrids. Hybrids offer numerous advantages to growers, but usually have lower seed yields than OP cultivars, which in many cases compromise the success of new hybrids. As pollination is critical for seed set, understanding the role of floral rewards and attractants to pollinator species is the key to improve crop seed yield. In this study, the correlation of nectar-analyzed compounds, floral traits, and seed yield under open field conditions in two experimental sites was determined. Nectar composition was described through the analysis of sugars, phenol, and alkaloid compounds. Length and width of the style and tepals of the flowers were measured to describe floral traits. Floral and nectar traits showed differences among the studied lines. For nectar traits, we found a significant influence of the environment where plants were cultivated. Nonetheless, flower traits were not influenced by the experimental sites. The OP and the male-sterile lines (MSLs) showed differences in nectar chemical composition and floral traits. In addition, there were differences between and within MSLs, some of which were correlated with seed yield, bringing the opportunity to select the most productive MSL, using simple determinations of morphological characters like the length of the style or tepals size.

Grapevine tissues and phenology differentially affect soluble carbohydrates determination by capillary electrophoresis.

Soluble carbohydrates distribution depends on plant physiology and, among other important factors, determines fruit yield and quality. In plant biology, the analysis of sugars is useful for many purposes, including metabolic studies. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) proved to be a powerful green separation technique with minimal sample preparation, even in complex plant tissues, that can provide high-resolution efficiency. Matrix effect refers to alterations in the analytical response caused by components of a sample other than the analyte of interest. Thus, the assessment and reduction of the matrix factor is fundamental for metabolic studies in different matrices. The present study evaluated the source and levels of matrix effects in the determination of most abundant sugars in grapevine tissues (mature and young leaves, berries and roots) at two phenological growth stages. Sucrose was the sugar that showed the least matrix effects, while fructose was the most affected analyte. Based on plant tissues, young leaves presented the smaller matrix effects, irrespectively of the phenology. These changes may be attributed to considerable differences at chemical composition of grapevine tissues with plant development. Therefore, matrix effect should be an important concern for plant metabolomics.

Arginine and Polyamines Fate in Leishmania Infection.

Leishmania is a protozoan parasite that alternates its life cycle between the sand fly and the mammalian host macrophages, involving several environmental changes. The parasite responds to these changes by promoting a rapid metabolic adaptation through cellular signaling modifications that lead to transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression regulation and morphological modifications. Molecular approaches such as gene expression regulation, next-generation sequencing (NGS), microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling, in cell Western blot analyses and enzymatic activity profiling, have been used to characterize the infection of murine BALB/c and C57BL/6 macrophages, as well as the human monocytic cell-lineage THP-1, with Leishmania amazonensis wild type (La-WT) or arginase knockout (La-arg - ). These models are being used to elucidate physiological roles of arginine and polyamines pathways and the importance of arginase for the establishment of the infection. In this review, we will describe the main aspects of Leishmania-host interaction, focusing on the arginine and polyamines pathways and pointing to possible targets to be used for prognosis and/or in the control of the infection. The parasite enzymes, arginase and nitric oxide synthase-like, have essential roles in the parasite survival and in the maintenance of infection. On the other hand, in mammalian macrophages, defense mechanisms are activated inducing alterations in the mRNA, miRNA and enzymatic profiles that lead to the control of infection. Furthermore, the genetic background of both parasite and host are also important to define the fate of infection.

Irregular Astigmatism After Corneal Transplantation--Efficacy and Safety of Topography-Guided Treatment.

PURPOSE: To analyze the efficacy and safety of topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy (TG-PRK) to treat irregular astigmatism after corneal transplantation. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational case series. Eyes with irregular astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty treated with TG-PRK (Allegretto Wave Eye-Q) with the topography-guided customized ablation treatment protocol were included. All treatments had been planned to correct the topographic irregularities, as well as to reduce the refractive error after neutralizing the induced refractive change. Clinical records, treatment plan, and the examinations performed were reviewed and the following data were collected: corrected and uncorrected distance visual acuities; manifest refraction; topographic parameters, and corneal endothelial cell count. RESULTS: We included 31 eyes [30 patients; mean age 45.0 ± 13.4 (SD) years]. At the last postoperative follow-up (mean 9.2 ± 8.2 months), we observed a significant improvement in corrected (P = 0.001) and uncorrected distance visual acuities (P < 0.001). There was a gain of ≥1 uncorrected distance visual acuity line in 96.8% (n = 30) of the eyes. Similarly, the refractive parameters also improved (cylinder P < 0.001; spherical equivalent P = 0.002). At the last visit, 54.8% (n = 17) of the patients presented a spherical equivalent of ±1 D. The 3-mm topographic irregularity also decreased significantly (P < 0.001). There was no significant variation of the corneal endothelial cell count. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest case series of TG-PRK to treat irregular astigmatism in postcorneal transplantation eyes. Our results confirm that TG-PRK is an efficient treatment, associated with significant improvements of both visual acuity and refractive parameters.

Natural products as inhibitors of recombinant cathepsin L of Leishmania mexicana.

Cysteine proteinases (cathepsins) from Leishmania spp. are promising molecular targets against leishmaniasis. Leishmania mexicana cathepsin L is essential in the parasite life cycle and a pivotal in virulence factor in mammals. Natural products that have been shown to display antileishmanial activity were screened as part of our ongoing efforts to design inhibitors against the L. mexicana cathepsin L-like rCPB2.8. Among them, agathisflavone (1), tetrahydrorobustaflavone (2), 3-oxo-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (3), and quercetin (4) showed significant inhibitory activity on rCPB2.8 with IC50 values ranging from 0.43 to 18.03 µM. The mechanisms of inhibition for compounds 1-3, which showed Ki values in the low micromolar range (Ki = 0.14-1.26 µM), were determined. The biflavone 1 and the triterpene 3 are partially noncompetitive inhibitors, whereas biflavanone 2 is an uncompetitive inhibitor. The mechanism of action established for these leishmanicidal natural products provides a new outlook in the search for drugs against Leishmania.

Anthocyanins as markers for the classification of Argentinean wines according to botanical and geographical origin. Chemometric modeling of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data.

A study of Argentinean red wines was performed by direct injection of untreated wine samples into a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system, processing the collected data with two chemometric algorithms: multivariate curve resolution with alternating least-squares and discriminant unfolded partial least-squares (D-UPLS). The objectives were: (1) the chemometric resolution of profiles in the modes represented by elution time and m/z ratio, (2) the discrimination of samples according to varietal and/or geographical origin, and (3) the identification of key compounds helping to perform sample discrimination. The results indicate that all wine varietals can be adequately discriminated, and also three wine producing regions (located in the east, south and north of the Cuyo region) were differentiated from the remaining regions. The applied chemometric models allowed the tentative identification of anthocyanin compounds as responsible for both type of discriminations, in the case of D-UPLS by employing the concept of variables importance in the projection.

Structures and bioactivities of dihydrochalcones from Metrodorea stipularis.

Metrodorea stipularis stem extracts were studied in the search for possible antichagastic, antimalarial, and antitumoral compounds using cruzain from Trypanosoma cruzi, Plasmodium falciparum, and cathepsins B and L, as molecular targets, respectively. Dihydrochalcones 1, 2, 3, and 4 showed significant inhibitory activity against all the targets. Compounds 1-4 displayed IC50 values ranging from 7.7 to 21.6 µM against cruzain; dihydrochalcones 2 and 4 inhibited the growth of three different strains of P. falciparum in low micromolar concentrations; and against cathepsins B and L these compounds presented good inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.0 to 14.9 µM. The dihydrochalcones showed good selectivity in their inhibitory activities against the cysteine proteases.

Molecular and kinetic characterization of two extracellular Xylanases isolated from Leucoagaricus gongylophorus.

In this work, the xylanolytic profile of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus was studied, and two extracellular enzymes with xylanolytic activity (XyLg1 and XyLg2) were isolated, purified, and characterized. XyLg1 has a molecular mass of about 38 kDa and pI greater than 4.8. For beechwood xylan substrate, XyLg1 showed an optimum temperature of 40 °C, optimum pH between 8.5 and 10.5, and Km = 14.7 ± 7.6 mg mL(-1). Kinetic studies of the XyLg1 using polygalacturonic acid as substrate were developed, and the enzyme showed optimum pH 5.5, optimum temperature between 50 and 60 °C, and Km = 2.2 ± 0.5 mg mL(-1). XyLg2 has molecular weight of about 24 kDa and pI less than 4.8, and thus is an acid protein. Parameters such as optimum temperature (70 °C) and pH (4.0), as well as the kinetic parameters (Km = 7.4 ± 2.0 mg mL(-1)) using beechwood xylan as substrate, were determined for XyLg2. This enzyme has no activity for polygalacturonic acid as substrate. XyLg1 and XyLg2 are the first native xylanases isolated and characterized from L. gongylophorus fungi and, due to their biochemistry and kinetic features, they have potential to be used in biotechnological processes.

Unusual 2(1H)-pyrazinones isolated from a culture of a Brazilian marine-derived Streptomyces sp.

Four new secondary metabolites, giovaninones A-D (1-4), were isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of a culture of a marine-derived Streptomyces strain designated SS99BA-2. Chemical analysis was completely conducted in a coupled automated LC-SPE system with the use of a cryogenic NMR probehead and HRMS. The application of this system to identify, purify and elucidate all the structures is described.

Nectar and flower traits of different onion male sterile lines related to pollination efficiency and seed yield of F1 hybrids.

Honey bees are the main pollinators of onion crops for seed production, but owing to low attractiveness of flowers, pollination is often inadequate. Pollination problems result in low seed yields. This problem is accentuated when male sterile lines (MSL) are used to produce hybrid onion seeds. In this study, the effect of floral attributes and nectar composition on the preference of honey bees of four MSLs and one onion open pollinated cultivar were assessed. The chemical composition of nectar was described through the analysis of sugars, trace elements, volatile organic compounds, and phenol compounds. The samples studied showed qualitative and quantitative differences in the analyzed traits of flowers and nectar among the different lines. Furthermore, field observations showed a great difference on the number of bee visits and seed yield among the onion lines analyzed. For the first time, this study demonstrates that there are marked differences in the chemical composition of nectar and floral morphology between open pollinated and MSLs and also within MSLs. In addition, these differences were correlated with the number of visits and seed yield. Therefore, it would be possible to select indirectly the most promising productive MSL using simple determinations of chemical compounds or floral morphological characters.

Analytical characterization of wine and its precursors by capillary electrophoresis.

The accurate determination of marker chemical species in grape, musts, and wines presents a unique analytical challenge with high impact on diverse areas of knowledge such as health, plant physiology, and economy. Capillary electromigration techniques have emerged as a powerful tool, allowing the separation and identification of highly polar compounds that cannot be easily separated by traditional HPLC methods, providing complementary information and permitting the simultaneous analysis of analytes with different nature in a single run. The main advantage of CE over traditional methods for wine analysis is that in most cases samples require no treatment other than filtration. The purpose of this article is to present a revision on capillary electromigration methods applied to the analysis of wine and its precursors over the last decade. The current state of the art of the topic is evaluated, with special emphasis on the natural compounds that have allowed wine to be considered as a functional food. The most representative revised compounds are phenolic compounds, amino acids, proteins, elemental species, mycotoxins, and organic acids. Finally, a discussion on future trends of the role of capillary electrophoresis in the field of analytical characterization of wines for routine analysis, wine classification, as well as multidisciplinary aspects of the so-called "from soil to glass" chain is presented.

Melatonin levels, determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS, fluctuate during the day/night cycle in Vitis vinifera cv Malbec: evidence of its antioxidant role in fruits.

The identification of melatonin in plants has inspired new investigations to understand its biological function and which endogenous and external factors control its levels in these organisms. Owing to the therapeutical and nutraceutical properties of melatonin, it should be important to develop reliable analytical methods for its quantification in vegetal matrices containing this indoleamine, such as grape and wine. The main objectives of the present study were to test whether melatonin levels fluctuate during the day in berry skins of Vitis vinifera L. cv Malbec, thereby possibly relating its abundance to its putative antioxidant function, to determine whether daylight reaching clusters negatively controls melatonin levels, and to evaluate whether total polyphenols and anthocyanins also change through a 24-hr period. Grapes were harvested throughout the day/night to determine the moment when high levels of these components are present in grapes. The presence of melatonin in grapes was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. It is shown for the first time that melatonin levels fluctuate during the day/night cycle in plants grown under field conditions in a fruit organ of the species Vitis vinifera. We also determined that the diurnal decay of melatonin in berry skins is induced by sunlight, because covered bunches retained higher melatonin levels than exposed ones, thus explaining at least part of the basis of its daily fluctuation. Evidence of melatonin's antioxidant role in grapes is also suggested by monitoring malondialdehyde levels during the day.

Optimization of ultrasound assisted-emulsification-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction by experimental design methodologies for the determination of sulfur compounds in wines by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A new method was developed for analyzing sulfur compounds in the aroma of white wines using ultrasound assisted-emulsification-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection. In the present work, the analytical method for simultaneous determination of seven sulfur compounds (methylmercaptoacetate, methyl(methylthio)acetate, 2-methylthioethanol, 3-methylthiopropanol, 3-methylthiohexanol, 4-methylthio-4-methyl-2-pentanone and hexanethiol) is reported. Parameters that affect the efficiency of the methodology such as extracting and dispersing solvents, sample volume, ion strength, cavitation time and centrifugation time were investigated using a fractionated factorial 2(6-1) (R=V) screening design. Then, the factors presenting significant positive effects on the analytical response (extracting volume, ion strength, cavitation time and centrifugation time) were considered in a further central composite design to optimize the operational conditions for the ultrasound assisted-emulsification-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure. Additionally, multiple response simultaneous optimization by using the desirability function was used to find the optimum experimental conditions. The best results were obtained using pH sample 4.25, extractant volume 150µL, ionic strength 8.75% NaCl, cavitation time 20s and centrifugation time 50s. The use of the optimized ultrasound assisted-emulsification-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction technique allowed to obtain the best extraction results with the minimum interference from other substances from the matrix, and it allowed to quantify the analytes in white wine samples by calibration graphs. Recoveries ranging from 91.99% to 125.87% for all sulfur compounds proved the accuracy of the proposed method in white wine samples. Method detection limits were in the range of 0.36-1.67ngmL(-1) and limits of quantitation were between 0.63 and 3.02ngmL(-1) for sulfur compounds in white wine samples. The proposed methodology was successfully applied for the determination concentrations of sulfur compounds in different commercial Chardonnay wine samples from Mendoza, Argentine.