A class of rigid linker-bearing glucosides for membrane protein structural study

Sadaf, A.,Mortensen, J.,Capaldi, S.,Tikhonova, E.,Hariharan, P.,Ribeiro, O.,Loland, C.,Guan, L.,Byrne, B.,Chae, P. THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY 2016 Chemical Science Vol.7 No.3

<P>Membrane proteins are amphipathic bio-macromolecules incompatible with the polar environments of aqueous media. Conventional detergents encapsulate the hydrophobic surfaces of membrane proteins allowing them to exist in aqueous solution. Membrane proteins stabilized by detergent micelles are used for structural and functional analysis. Despite the availability of a large number of detergents, only a few agents are sufficiently effective at maintaining the integrity of membrane proteins to allow successful crystallization. In the present study, we describe a novel class of synthetic amphiphiles with a branched tail group and a triglucoside head group. These head and tail groups were connected via an amide or ether linkage by using a tris(hydroxylmethyl) aminomethane (TRIS) or neopentyl glycol (NPG) linker to produce TRIS-derived triglucosides (TDTs) and NPG-derived triglucosides (NDTs), respectively. Members of this class conferred enhanced stability on target membrane proteins compared to conventional detergents. Because of straightforward synthesis of the novel agents and their favourable effects on a range of membrane proteins, these agents should be of wide applicability to membrane protein science.</P>

A quality by design approach in oral extended release drug delivery systems: where we are and where we are going?

Sousa A. S.,Serra J.,Estevens C.,Costa R.,Ribeiro A. J. 한국약제학회 2023 Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation Vol.53 No.2

Background Oral extended release (ER) delivery systems have quickly gained increasing importance because of their ability to maintain drug levels in the blood more consistently, reducing side effects and improving patient compliance. The complexity of ER formulation leads to additional development challenges in the fulfilment of quality-related regulatory requirements. Despite their challenging properties, the potential of ER system formulation and process development can be better exploited by applying quality by design (QbD) approaches and advanced modeling techniques such as machine learning (ML). Area covered This review provides a comprehensive overview of QbD concepts applied to oral ER delivery systems, clarifying the impact of raw materials and process variables on critical quality attributes (CQAs). Moreover, data science coupled with ML algorithms is also elucidated in this article as a potential tool for predicting and optimizing ER formulation design and manufacturing processes. Expert opinion QbD, as a scientific and risk-based approach, provides a comprehensive understanding of oral ER drug delivery systems improving product quality and reducing postapproval changes. Enabling QbD with ML-driven pharmaceutical development can provide an opportunity to move toward risk mitigation for efficient ER tablet formulation and process development. However, there are some barriers to overcome in the way of adopting QbD concepts. The key issues are the lack of understanding and the gap between industries and regulatory authorities concerning the scientific principles and terms beyond QbD, which can create an obstacle during the approval process. Furthermore, it is generally believed that the resources and time invested in applying QbD tools are not cost-effective during constant and continuous improvement. Today, it is time to realize that a multidisciplinary understanding of the formulation and manufacturing process is as important as achieving the final result.

Comparison of Outcomes in Immediate ImplantBased Breast Reconstruction: Acellular Dermal Matrix versus Inferior Dermal Flap

Mata Ribeiro Luís,Meireles Rita P.,Brito Irís M.,Costa Patrícia M.,Rebelo Marco A.,Barbosa Rui F.,Choupina Miguel P.,Pinho Carlos J.,Ribeiro Matilde P. 대한성형외과학회 2022 Archives of Plastic Surgery Vol.49 No.2

Background Implant-based breast reconstruction has evolved tremendously in the last decades, mainly due to the development of new products and techniques that make the procedure safer and more reliable. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes in immediate one-stage breast reconstruction between acellular dermal matrix (ADM) and inferior dermal flap (IDF).Methods We conducted a retrospective comparative study of patients submitted to immediate breast reconstructions with an anatomical implant and ADM or IDF in a single center between 2016 and 2018. Outcomes evaluated included major complications, early complications, reinterventions, readmissions, and reconstruction failure. Simple descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were performed.Results A total of 118 breast reconstructions (85 patients) were included in the analysis. Patients in the IDF group had a higher body mass index (median = 27.0) than patients in the ADM group (median = 24). There were no statistically significant differences among both groups regarding immediate major complication, early complications, readmissions, and reinterventions.Conclusion There are no significant differences in complications between the ADM and IDF approach to immediate implant breast reconstruction. In patients with higher body mass index and large, ptotic breasts, we recommend an immediate implant reconstruction with IDF.

Comparison of Outcomes in Immediate ImplantBased Breast Reconstruction: Acellular Dermal Matrix versus Inferior Dermal Flap

Mata Ribeiro Luís,Meireles Rita P.,Brito Irís M.,Costa Patrícia M.,Rebelo Marco A.,Barbosa Rui F.,Choupina Miguel P.,Pinho Carlos J.,Ribeiro Matilde P. 대한성형외과학회 2022 Archives of Plastic Surgery Vol.49 No.1

Background Implant-based breast reconstruction has evolved tremendously in the last decades, mainly due to the development of new products and techniques that make the procedure safer and more reliable. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes in immediate one-stage breast reconstruction between acellular dermal matrix (ADM) and inferior dermal flap (IDF).Methods We conducted a retrospective comparative study of patients submitted to immediate breast reconstructions with an anatomical implant and ADM or IDF in a single center between 2016 and 2018. Outcomes evaluated included major complications, early complications, reinterventions, readmissions, and reconstruction failure. Simple descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were performed.Results A total of 118 breast reconstructions (85 patients) were included in the analysis. Patients in the IDF group had a higher body mass index (median = 27.0) than patients in the ADM group (median = 24). There were no statistically significant differences among both groups regarding immediate major complication, early complications, readmissions, and reinterventions.Conclusion There are no significant differences in complications between the ADM and IDF approach to immediate implant breast reconstruction. In patients with higher body mass index and large, ptotic breasts, we recommend an immediate implant reconstruction with IDF.

Nitrogen Metabolism in Lactating Goats Fed with Diets Containing Different Protein Sources

Santos, A.B.,Pereira, M.L.A.,Silva, H.G.O.,Pedreira, M.S.,Carvalho, G.G.P.,Ribeiro, L.S.O.,Almeida, P.J.P.,Pereira, T.C.J.,Moreira, J.V. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2014 Animal Bioscience Vol.27 No.5

This study aimed to evaluate urea excretion, nitrogen balance and microbial protein synthesis in lactating goats fed with diets containing different protein sources in the concentrate (soybean meal, cottonseed meal, aerial part of cassava hay and leucaena hay). Four Alpine goats whose mean body weight was $42.6{\pm}6.1kg$ at the beginning of the experiment, a mean lactation period of $94.0{\pm}9.0days$ and a production of $1.7{\pm}0.4kg$ of milk were distributed in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square with four periods of 15 days. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, containing 103.0 g/kg of CP, 400 g/kg of Tifton 85 hay and 600 g/kg of concentrate. Diet containing cottonseed meal provided (p<0.05) increased excretion of urea and urea nitrogen in the urine (g/d and mg/kg of BW) when compared with leucaena hay. The diets affected the concentrations of urea nitrogen in plasma (p<0.05) and excretion of urea nitrogen in milk, being that soybean meal and cottonseed meal showed (p<0.05) higher than the average aerial part of the cassava hay. The use of diets with cottonseed meal as protein source in the concentrate in feeding of lactating goats provides greater nitrogen excretion in urine and negative nitrogen balance, while the concentrate with leucaena hay as a source of protein, provides greater ruminal microbial protein synthesis.

Non-conventional formulations for the finite element method

de Freitas, J.A. Teixeira,de Almeida, J.P. Moitinho,Peraira, E.M.B. Ribeiro Techno-Press 1996 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.4 No.6

The paper reports on alternative hybrid/mixed formulations being developed by the Structural Analysis Research Group of Institute Superior T$\acute{e}$cnico. These formulations open the scope and increase the power of the finite element method by allowing different fields to be independently approximated, within certain consistency criteria, and by enhancing the use of a wide range of approximation functions. They have been applied to the analysis of 2-D problems, laminar structures and solids, using different constitutive relations, both in quasi-static and dynamic regimes. The fundamental properties of the formulations are identified and assessed and their performance is illustrated using simple, linear applications.

Strong Light-Matter Interactions in Heterostructures of Atomically Thin Films

Britnell, L.,Ribeiro, R. M.,Eckmann, A.,Jalil, R.,Belle, B. D.,Mishchenko, A.,Kim, Y.-J.,Gorbachev, R. V.,Georgiou, T.,Morozov, S. V.,Grigorenko, A. N.,Geim, A. K.,Casiraghi, C.,Neto, A. H. Castro,Nov American Association for the Advancement of Scienc 2013 Science Vol.340 No.6138

<P><B>Atomic Layer Heterostructures—More Is More</B></P><P>The isolation of stable layers of various materials, only an atom or several atoms thick, has provided the opportunity to fabricate devices with novel functionality and to probe fundamental physics. <B>Britnell <I>et al.</I></B> (p. 1311, published online 2 May; see the Perspective by <B>Hamm and Hess</B>) sandwiched a single layer of the transition metal dichalcogenide WS<SUB>2</SUB> between two sheets of graphene. The photocurrent response of the heterostructure device was enhanced, compared to that of the bare layer of WS<SUB>2</SUB>. The prospect of combining single or several-atom-thick layers into heterostructures should help to develop materials with a wide range of properties.</P>

Nanoscale Chemical Analyses of Biochar from Ancient Amazonian Anthrosoils

B. S. Archanjo,J. R. Araujo,A. M. Silva,R. B. Capaz,E.h. Martins-Ferreira,D. L. Baptista,N. P. S. Falcao,J. Ribeiro-Soares,L. G. Cancado,A. Jorio,C. A. Achete 한국토양비료학회 2014 한국토양비료학회 학술발표회 초록집 Vol.2014 No.6

Diets Based on Sugar Cane Treated with Calcium Oxide for Lambs

Carvalho, G.G.P.,Garcia, R.,Pires, A.J.V.,Silva, R.R.,Detmann, E.,Filho, A. Eustaquio,Ribeiro, L.S.O.,Carvalho, L.M. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.2

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the intake, nutrient apparent digestibility and the effect of total collection days (two and four days) on apparent digestibility estimates for lambs fed diets containing sugar cane treated with calcium oxide (CaO). Eight Santa In$\hat{e}$s castrated male lambs with a $16.6{\pm}1.8$ kg body weight were used. The lambs were distributed in two $4{\times}4$ Latin squares, with four experimental periods of 14 d each. The animals were kept in 1.2 $m^2$ individual pens, and the intake and digestibility evaluations were performed during the last four days of each period. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, containing 14% crude protein (CP), and presenting 70% sugar cane treated with 0, 0.75, 1.5 or 2.25% of CaO (as-fed basis), corrected with 1% urea, and 30% concentrate. The sugar cane with added CaO was chopped, treated, and offered to the animals after 24 h of storage. The sugar cane with CaO increased the DM, OM, CP, NDF, NDFap, TC, NFCap and TDN intake (kg/d), when compared to natural sugar cane, and produced the same intake expressed as a percentage of body weight (% BW). The NFCap digestibility of the CaO-treated sugar cane was inferior to the NFCap digestibility in natural sugar cane. There was a linear increase in the DM intake with the CaO-added sugar cane, but the DM and NDF digestibility and the TDN content decreased linearly. The chemical treatment of sugar cane with CaO increases the intake but does not improve the nutrient digestibility. Two days of total fecal collection were found to be sufficient to estimate the total apparent digestibility in lambs.

Genistein at Maximal Physiologic Serum Levels Induces G0/G1 Arrest in MCF-7 and HB4a Cells, But Not Apoptosis

Marcela S. Tsuboy,Juliana C. Marcarini,Alecsandra O. de Souza,Nata´lia A. de Paula,Daniel J. Dorta,Ma´rio S. Mantovani,Lucia R. Ribeiro 한국식품영양과학회 2014 Journal of medicinal food Vol.17 No.2

Several studies have demonstrated that a balanced diet can contribute to better human health. For this reason, soy-based food and pure isoflavones (pills) are one of the most consumed. The association of this consumption and lower risks of chronic diseases and cancer is well established for the Asian population and has been attracting thw attention of people worldwide, especially women at menopause who seek to alleviate the symptoms associated with the lack of estrogen. Despite positive epidemiological data, concerns still exist because of conflicting results found in scientific literature with relation to the role of isoflavones in breast and hormone-related cancers. The aim of our study was to investigate the cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and changes in apoptosis-related genes of maximal physiological serum levels of the isoflavone genistein (Gen) in MCF-7 tumoral cells and in HB4a non-tumoral cells. In addition, induction of cell cycle arrest was also investigated. Only supraphysiological levels of Gen (50 and 100 lM) were cytotoxic to these cell lines. Concentrations of 10 and 25 lM did not induce apoptosis and significant changes in expression of the studied genes. Positive results were found only in cell cycle analysis: G0/G1 delay of MCF-7 cells in both concentrations of Gen and at 25 lM in HB4a cells. It is the first study investigating effects of Gen in the HB4a cell line. Thus, despite the lack of apoptosis induction (generally found with high concentrations), Gen at physiologically relevant serum levels still exerts chemopreventive effects through the modulation of cell cycle.