Assessing the negative impact of chlorantraniliprole, isoxaflutole, and simazine pesticides on phospholipid membrane models and tilapia gill tissues.

The indiscriminate and, very often, incorrect use of pesticides in Brazil, as well as in other countries, results in severe levels of environmental pollution and intoxication of human life. Herein, we studied plasma membrane models (monolayer and bilayer) of the phospholipid Dioleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) using Langmuir films, and large (LUVs) and giant (GUVs) unilamellar vesicles, to determine the effect of the pesticides chlorantraniliprole (CLTP), isoxaflutole (ISF), and simazine (SMZ), used in sugarcane. CLTP affects the lipid organization of the bioinspired models of DOPC π-A isotherms, while ISF and SMZ pesticides significantly affect the LUVs and GUVs. Furthermore, the in vivo study of the gill tissue in fish in the presence of pesticides (2.0 × 10-10 mol/L for CLTP, 8.3 × 10-9 mol/L for ISF, and SMZ at 9.9 × 10-9 mol/L) was performed using optical and fluorescence images. This investigation was motivated by the gill lipid membranes, which are vital for regulating transporter activity through transmembrane proteins, crucial for maintaining ionic balance in fish gills. In this way, the presence of phospholipids in gills offers a model for understanding their effects on fish health. Histological results show that exposure to CLTP, ISF, and SMZ may interfere with vital gill functions, leading to respiratory disorders and osmoregulation dysfunction. The results indicate that exposure to pesticides caused severe morphological alterations in fish, which could be correlated with their impact on the bioinspired membrane models. Moreover, the effect does not depend on the exposure period (24h and 96h), showing that animals exposed to pesticides for a short period suffer irreparable damage to gill tissue. In summary, we can conclude that the harm caused by pesticides, both in membrane models and in fish gills, occurs due to contamination of the aquatic system with pesticides. Therefore, water quality is vital for the preservation of ecosystems.

Eco-Friendly Natural Rubber-Jute Composites for the Footwear Industry.

Nowadays, biocomposites represent a new generation of materials that are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, low-density, and not derived from petroleum. They have been widely used to protect the environment and generate new alternatives in the polymer industry. In this study, we incorporated untreated jute fibers (UJFs) and alkaline-treated jute fibers (TJFs) at 1-5 and 10 phr into TSR 10 natural rubber as reinforcement fillers. These composites were produced to be used in countersole shoes manufacturing. Untreated fibers were compared to those treated with 10% sodium hydroxide. The alkali treatment allowed the incorporation of fibers without compromising their mechanical properties. The TJF samples exhibited 8% less hardness, 70% more tensile strength, and the same flexibility compared to their pure rubber counterparts. Thanks to their properties and ergonomic appearance, the composites obtained here can be useful in many applications: construction materials (sound insulating boards, and flooring materials), the automotive industry (interior moldings), the footwear industry (shoe soles), and anti-static moldings. These new compounds can be employed in innovative processes to reduce their carbon footprint and negative impact on our planet. Using the Lorenz-Park equation, the loaded composites examined in this study exhibited values above 0.7, which means a competitive load-rubber interaction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology of the composites in detail.

Antioxidant and photoprotective role of latex C-serum from Hevea brasiliensis during 15-week UVB irradiation in male hairless SKH-1 mice.

It is known that UVB radiation induces several adverse skin alterations starting from simple photoaging to skin cancer. In addition, it was demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were found to be related to cancer development and progression. The aim of study was to examine whether male hairless (SKH-1) mice (Mus musculus) that were subchronically exposed to UVB radiation presented with actinic keratosis (AK) and squamous cell carcinoma lesions, and that treatment with latex C-serum cream significantly prevented abnormal skin development. Data demonstrated for the first time the photoprotective activity of latex C-serum extracted from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis var. subconcolor Ducke. Latex C-serum prevented the progression of AK to squamous cell carcinoma in SKH-1 mice, indicating that mice topically treated with latex C-serum presented only AK lesions and treatment with the highest concentration (10%) significantly reduced epidermal thickness, suggesting diminished cell proliferation. Latex C-serum protected the skin of mice against oxidative stress damage, increasing catalase (CAT) activity, regenerating glutathione (GSH) levels, lowering thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS) production and regenerating the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the skin. Evidence that UV radiation in skin induced systemic alterations and erythrocytic analysis indicated that latex C-serum increased CAT activity and GSH levels. Taken together these data indicate that latex C-serum plays an important antioxidant and photoprotective role, preventing serious damage to the skin following exposure to UVB radiation.

Biological responses to imazapic and methyl parathion pesticides in bioinspired lipid membranes and Tilapia fish.

Pesticide misuse has well-documented detrimental effects on ecosystems, with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) being particularly vulnerable. The current study focuses on the impact of widely used sugarcane crop pesticides, Imazapic (IMZ) and Methyl Parathion (MP), on tilapia gill tissues and their lipid membranes. This investigation was motivated by the specific role of the lipid membrane in transport regulation. Bioinspired cell membrane models, including Langmuir monolayers and liposomes (LUVs and GUVs), were utilized to explore the interaction of IMZ and MP. The results revealed electrostatic interactions between IMZ and MP and the polar head groups of lipids, inducing morphological alterations in the lipid bilayer. Tilapia gill tissue exposed to the pesticides exhibited hypertrophic increases in primary and secondary lamellae, total lamellar fusion, vasodilation, and lifting of the secondary lamellar epithelium. These alterations can lead to compromised oxygen absorption by fish and subsequent mortality. This study not only highlights the harmful effects of the pesticides IMZ and MP, but also emphasizes the crucial role of water quality in ecosystem well-being, even at minimal pesticide concentrations. Understanding these impacts can better inform management practices to safeguard aquatic organisms and preserve ecosystem health in pesticide-affected environments.

A flexible lab-on-a-chip for the synthesis and magnetic separation of magnetite decorated with gold nanoparticles.

Magnetite decorated with gold nanoparticles (Fe3O4-AuNPs) is a ferrimagnetic material with unprecedented applications in immunosensors, as a contrast agent for imaging diagnosis, and for the photothermal ablation of tumor cells. Here, we show the preparation of controlled amounts of Fe3O4-AuNPs without organic solvents, surfactants, or heat treatment. For this, we have developed a customized natural-rubber-based microfluidic device (NRMD) as a flexible lab-on-a-chip for the decoration of Fe3O4 with AuNPs. With a novel NRMD configuration, monodisperse Fe3O4-NPs (ϕ = 10 nm) decorated with AuNPs (ϕ = 4 nm) were readily obtained. The AuNPs were homogenous in terms of their size and their distribution on the Fe3O4-NP surfaces. Furthermore, the lab-on-a-chip was projected with an internal system for magnetic separation, an innovation in terms of aqueous/carrier phase separation. Finally, the nanomaterials produced with this NRMD are free of organic solvents and surfactants, allowing them to be used directly for medical applications.