A Study of Sponge Symbionts from Different Light Habitats

The amount of available light plays a key role in the growth and development of microbial communities. In the present study, we tested to what extent sponge-associated prokaryotic communities differed between specimens of the sponge species Cinachyrella kuekenthali and Xestospongia muta collected in dimly lit (caves and at greater depths) versus illuminated (shallow water) habitats. In addition to this, we also collected samples of water, sediment, and another species of Cinachyrella, C. alloclada. Overall, the biotope (sponge host species, sediment, and seawater) proved the major driver of variation in prokaryotic community composition. The light habitat, however, also proved a predictor of compositional variation in prokaryotic communities of both C. kuekenthali and X. muta. We used an exploratory technique based on machine learning to identify features (classes, orders, and OTUs), which distinguished X. muta specimens sampled in dimly lit versus illuminated habitat. We found that the classes Alphaproteobacteria and Rhodothermia and orders Puniceispirillales, Rhodospirillales, Rhodobacterales, and Thalassobaculales were associated with specimens from illuminated, i.e., shallow water habitat, while the classes Dehalococcoidia, Spirochaetia, Entotheonellia, Nitrospiria, Schekmanbacteria, and Poribacteria, and orders Sneathiellales and Actinomarinales were associated with specimens sampled from dimly lit habitat. There was, however, considerable variation within the different light habitats highlighting the importance of other factors in structuring sponge-associated bacterial communities.

A comparison of free-living and sponge-associated bacterial communities from a remote oceanic island with a focus on calcareous sponges

Calcareous sponges are an often overlooked element of sponge communities. In contrast to most other sponges, calcareous sponges produce calcium carbonate spicules, as opposed to the siliceous spicules of most sponges. Here, we investigated the bacterial communities of 17 sponge species, including type and paratype specimens of recently described calcareous species, sampled off the remote island of Rodrigues, in the Indian Ocean. The main axis of variation in a PCO analysis of all samples separated noncalcareous sponge species, including Axinyssa aplysinoides, Cinachyrella aff. australiensis, Petrosia seychellensis, Ircinia aff. variabilis, Spongia ceylonensis, Plakinastrella aff. clipptertonensis, Agelas aff. ceylonica, Agelas aff. mauritiana, and Hyrtios erectus from calcareous sponges, the noncalcareous Biemna tubulata, sediment, and seawater. Overall, the bacterial communities of calcareous sponges revealed unique prokaryotic profiles with low abundances of several bacterial phyla, and relatively high abundances of other taxa, for example, the phyla Fibrobacterota, Proteobacteria, and the SAR324 clade, the class Alphaproteobacteria, and orders Cytophagales and Cyanobacteriales, although there was considerable variation among species. Calcareous sponges also had a high dominance of unknown bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Considering the unique nature of these communities, further studies are needed to better understand the environmental and ecological drivers of calcareous sponge-associated bacterial communities and their relevance as potential sources of novel microbes of biotechnological interest.

In vitro study of the modulatory effects of heat-killed bacterial biomass on aquaculture bacterioplankton communities

Recent studies have shown that the addition of non-viable microbial biomass or their components (postbiotics) to fish feed can modulate the gut microbiome and positively influence fish health in aquaculture systems. However, no information was hitherto available on the use of non-viable microbial biomass to manipulate aquaculture bacterioplankton communities. To fill this gap, here we used an in vitro model to assess the effects of heat-killed biomasses of an antagonistic strain Pseudoalteromonas rubra SubTr2 and a non-antagonist strain Escherichia coli DH5α on bacterioplankton communities of a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Our results showed that these biomasses can have generalist and species-specific effects on aquaculture bacterioplankton structure and function. In addition, they enriched the abundance of bacterial predators, reduced bacterial load and potentially influenced nutrient cycling and pathogen development in aquaculture water. Despite its preliminary nature, for the first time, this study showed that heat-killed microbial biomass has potential application as an in situ modulator of bacterioplankton in aquaculture systems.

Optical fiber thermo-refractometer

This work presents the implementation of a thermo-refractometer, which integrates the measurement of both refractive index and temperature in a single optical fiber structure. To this purpose, a lossy mode resonance (LMR)-based refractometer is obtained by means of the deposition of a titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin film onto a side-polished (D-shaped) single mode fiber. Measurement and subsequent temperature compensation are achieved by means of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscribed in the core of the D-shaped region. The LMR wavelength shift is monitored in transmission while the FBG (FBG peak at 1533 nm) displacement is observed in reflection. The LMR is sensitive to both the surrounding refractive index (SRI), with a sensitivity of 3725.2 nm/RIU in the 1.3324-1.3479 range, and the temperature (- 0.186 nm/°C); while the FBG is only affected by the temperature (32.6 pm/°C in the 25°C - 45°C range). With these values, it is possible to recover the SRI and temperature variations from the wavelength shifts of the LMR and the FBG, constituting a thermo-refractometer, where it is suppressed the effect of the temperature over the refractometer operation, which could cause errors in the fourth or even third decimal of the measured SRI value.

Sealing Behavior in Transcatheter Bicuspid and Tricuspid Aortic Valves Replacement Through Patient-Specific Computational Modeling

Background: Patient-specific computer simulation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) can provide unique insights in device-patient interaction. Aims: This study was to compare transcatheter aortic valve sealing behavior in patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valves (TAV) through patient-specific computational modeling. Methods: Patient-specific computer simulation was retrospectively performed with FEops HEARTguide for TAVR patients. Simulation output was compared with postprocedural computed tomography and echocardiography to validate the accuracy. Skirt malapposition was defined by a distance larger than 1 mm based on the predicted device-patient interaction by quantifying the distance between the transcatheter heart valve (THV) skirt and the surrounding anatomical regions. Results: In total, 43 patients were included in the study. Predicted and observed THV frame deformation showed good correlation (R 2 ≥ 0.90) for all analyzed measurements (maximum diameter, minimum diameter, area, and perimeter). The amount of predicted THV skirt malapposition was strongly linked with the echocardiographic grading of paravalvular leakage (PVL). More THV skirt malapposition was observed for BAV cases when compared to TAV cases (22.7 vs. 15.5%, p < 0.05). A detailed analysis of skirt malapposition showed a higher degree of malapposition in the interleaflet triangles section for BAV cases as compared to TAV patients (11.1 vs. 5.8%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patient-specific computer simulation of TAVR can accurately predict the behavior of the Venus A-valve. BAV patients are associated with more malapposition of the THV skirt as compared to TAV patients, and this is mainly driven by more malapposition in the interleaflet triangle region.

Variation in the Phenolic Composition of Cork Stoppers from Different Geographical Origins

Cork stopper granulates from five geographical origins from Portugal and six from Spain were analyzed regarding polyphenol composition by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS and geographical discrimination studied by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The phenolic composition of the eleven origins ranged from 30 to 52 mg/g cork granulates, with vescavaloninic acid, castalagin, sanguisorbic acid dilactone, vescalagin, castavaloninic acid, dehydrated tergallic-C-Glc, and ellagic acid being the major compounds. NIRS revealed to be a powerful tool to discriminate origins and predict the concentration of polyphenols. However, polyphenols do not fully explain the discrimination of geographical origins. Variability in the polyphenol composition of cork stoppers is not significantly influenced by geographical location but probably may be more related to the plant genetics, tree age, and phytosanitary and edaphoclimatic conditions.

Does SARS-Cov-2 invade the brain? Translational lessons from animal models

The current coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) outbreak, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has raised the possibility of potential neurotropic properties of this virus. Indeed, neurological sequelae of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection have already been reported and highlight the relevance of considering the neurological impact of coronavirus (CoV) from a translational perspective. Animal models of SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome, caused by structurally similar CoVs during the 2002 and 2012 epidemics, have provided valuable data on nervous system involvement by CoVs and the potential for central nervous system spread of SARS‐CoV‐2. One key finding that may unify these pathogens is that all require angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 as a cell entry receptor. The CoV spike glycoprotein, by which SARS‐CoV‐2 binds to cell membranes, binds angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 with a higher affinity compared with SARS‐CoV. The expression of this receptor in neurons and endothelial cells hints that SARS‐CoV‐2 may have higher neuroinvasive potential compared with previous CoVs. However, it remains to be determined how such invasiveness might contribute to respiratory failure or cause direct neurological damage. Both direct and indirect mechanisms may be of relevance. Clinical heterogeneity potentially driven by differential host immune‐mediated responses will require extensive investigation. Development of disease models to anticipate emerging neurological complications and to explore mechanisms of direct or immune‐mediated pathogenicity in the short and medium term is therefore of great importance. In this brief review, we describe the current knowledge from models of previous CoV infections and discuss their potential relevance to COVID‐19.

Corrigendum to "Chemical characterization of cork, phloem and wood from different Quercus suber provenances and trees" [Heliyon Volume 5, Issue 12, December 2019, Article e02910]

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02910.].

FORMULAE FEED FORMULATION SOFTWARE®: UMA FERRAMENTA PARA FORMULAÇÃO DE RAÇÕES

Este trabalho descreve o desenvolvimento e funcionamento de um software de formulação de rações para diferentes espécies de animais (ruminantes e não-ruminantes). O software foi elaborado para auxiliar no treinamento de habilidades básicas de formulação de rações e, portanto, é um software não comercial. Está registrado na Revista da Propriedade Industrial n° 2525, processo BR 51 2019 000953-3, código 730. O FORMULAE: Feed Formulation Software® utiliza programação linear para obter a solução de menor custo, respeitando restrições impostas pelo usuário. O programa é dividido em quatro Submenus: Nutrientes, Ingredientes Rações e Avaliação, resultando numa interface amigável e intuitiva que facilita o manuseio. As saídas podem ser visualizadas no ambiente do programa e também em planilhas eletrônicas. A versão atual permite ao usuário gerar gráficos que facilitam a visualização de aspectos técnicos das rações, auxiliando na compreensão dos resultados. O FORMULAE pode ser operado em três línguas: português, inglês e espanhol. O software disponibiliza uma interface amigável e intuitiva ao usuário, sendo possível calcular dietas balanceadas para os animais, com base no mínimo custo.

Chemical characterization of cork, phloem and wood from different Quercus suber provenances and trees

Sustainability of cork oak (Quercus suber) forests is threatened by biotic and abiotic factors and characterization of potentially differing genetic resources has therefore gained importance. This work addresses the chemical variation of the three tissues of cork oak stems – cork, phloem and wood – in relation to tree and provenance, looking for genetic chemical diversity and for physiological derived differences. The three tissues differ with cork clearly differentiating regarding summative composition, component ratios and monomeric composition. Cork is the only tissue where suberin is present (42.3% o.d. mass) as the main cell wall component, and it has a high content of extractives (11.7%) with significant proportion of lipophilic compounds. Phloem is more lignified than wood (38.0% vs. 23.4%) and has less polysaccharides (49.1% vs. 64.6%) with glucose-to-other sugars relation of 1:1.3 in phloem and 1:0.7 in wood. Analytical pyrolysis showed that lignification is a heterogeneous process and the lignin monomeric composition depends on tissue and cell type: cork lignin has a H:G:S ratio of 1:2.5:0.3 and S/G ratio of 0.12, while phloem and wood lignins have mainly G and S units with a S/G ratio of respectively 1.1 and 2.3. No significant differences were found between the three provenances, but some chemical variation occurred between the trees within a provenance. NIR spectroscopy and principal component analysis differentiated cork, phloem and wood, while the dispersion within each group highlighted the significant tree variability, while provenances were a non-significant factor of chemical variation.

Microcosm evaluation of the impact of oil contamination and chemical dispersant addition on bacterial communities and sediment remediation of an estuarine port environment

AIM

To evaluate the interactive effects of oil contamination and chemical dispersant application on bacterial composition and sediment remediation of an estuarine port environment.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A multifactorial controlled microcosm experiment was set up using sediment cores retrieved from an estuarine port area located at Ria de Aveiro lagoon (Aveiro, Portugal). An oil spill with and without chemical dispersant addition was simulated. Sediment oil hydrocarbon concentrations and benthic bacterial community structure were evaluated by GC-MS and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing respectively. Although initially (first 10 days) chemical dispersion of oil enhanced the concentrations of the heavier polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and of the C₂₂ -C₃₀ alkane group, with time (21 days), no significant differences in hydrocarbon concentrations were detected among treatments. Moreover, no significant changes were detected in the structure of sediment bacterial communities, which mainly consisted of operational taxonomic units related to hydrocarbon-contaminated marine environments. We hypothesize that the environmental background of the sampling site preconditioned the communities' response to additional contamination.

CONCLUSION

This experimental microcosm study showed that the chemical dispersion of oil did not influence sediment remediation or bacterial community composition.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Our study showed that chemical dispersion of oil may not improve the remediation of port sediments. Further studies are needed to investigate the impact of chemical dispersants in combination with bioremediation strategies on the process of sediment remediation in port areas.

High irisin levels in overweight/obese children and its positive correlation with metabolic profile, blood pressure, and endothelial progenitor cells

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Irisin is involved in the compensatory mechanisms for metabolic regulation and appears to be associated with glucose homeostasis and lipid profile. However, it's possible implications on obesity-associated cardiometabolic complications have not been completely elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the association between irisin level and anthropometric data, metabolic parameters, blood pressure, and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) level among children with overweight/obesity.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study included 24 children with overweight/obesity (9 girls and 15 boys) and 63 children with normal weight (25 girls and 38 boys). The anthropometric data, blood pressure, blood biochemistry, EPCs and irisin levels were evaluated. Children with overweight/obesity had significantly higher circulating irisin and EPCs levels than those with normal weight (P < 0.001). Additionally, we found that irisin level was positively correlated with BMI (rho = 0.407), waist circumference (rho = 0.449), triglycerides (rho = .334), glucose (rho = 0.226), insulin (rho = 0.533), HOMA (rho = 0.545), and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol level (rho = -0.218). Importantly, we also found that irisin levels were significantly correlated with systolic (rho = 0.420), diastolic (rho = 0.331) blood pressure and circulating EPCs level (rho = 0.391).

CONCLUSION

Our study provides evidence that overweight/obese children had elevated circulating levels of both irisin and EPCs and address the gap in the literature with regard to the understanding of the implications of irisin on obesity-related cardiometabolic complications among these children and also highlight the possible involvement of irisin regulation on insulin resistance and endothelial function in childhood overweight and obesity.

Model for the separate collection of packaging waste in Portuguese low-performing recycling regions

Separate collection of packaging waste (glass; plastic/metals; paper/cardboard), is currently a widespread practice throughout Europe. It enables the recovery of good quality recyclable materials. However, separate collection performance are quite heterogeneous, with some countries reaching higher levels than others. In the present work, separate collection of packaging waste has been evaluated in a low-performance recycling region in Portugal in order to investigate which factors are most affecting the performance in bring-bank collection system. The variability of separate collection yields (kg per inhabitant per year) among 42 municipalities was scrutinized for the year 2015 against possible explanatory factors. A total of 14 possible explanatory factors were analysed, falling into two groups: socio-economic/demographic and waste collection service related. Regression models were built in an attempt to evaluate the individual effect of each factor on separate collection yields and predict changes on the collection yields by acting on those factors. The best model obtained is capable to explain 73% of the variation found in the separate collection yields. The model includes the following statistically significant indicators affecting the success of separate collection yields: i) inhabitants per bring-bank; ii) relative accessibility to bring-banks; iii) degree of urbanization; iv) number of school years attended; and v) area. The model presented in this work was developed specifically for the bring-bank system, has an explanatory power and quantifies the impact of each factor on separate collection yields. It can therefore be used as a support tool by local and regional waste management authorities in the definition of future strategies to increase collection of recyclables of good quality and to achieve national and regional targets.

Chlorinated drinking water for lightweight laying hens

ABSTRACT The study aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of chlorine in drinking water of laying hens on zootechnical performance, eggs shell quality, hemogasometry levels and calcium content in tibia. 144 Hy-Line laying hens, 61 weeks old, were used distributed in 24 metabolism cages. They were subjected to water diets, for a period of 28 days, using sodium hypochlorite as a chlorine source in order to obtain the following concentrations: 5ppm (control), 20ppm, 50ppm, and 100ppm. Their performance was evaluated through water consumption, feed intake, egg production and weight, egg mass, feed conversion. Shell quality was measured by specific gravity. At the end of the experiment, arterial blood was collected for blood gas level assessment and a poultry of each replicate was sacrificed to obtain tibia and calcium content measurement. There was a water consumption reduction from 20ppm of chlorine and feed intake reduction in poultry receiving water with 100ppm of chlorine. The regression analysis showed that the higher the level of chlorine in water, the higher the reduction in consumption. There were no differences in egg production and weight, egg mass, feed conversion, specific gravity, tibia calcium content, and hemogasometry levels (hydrogenionic potential, carbon dioxide partial pressure, oxygen partial pressure, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, carbon dioxide total concentration, anion gap and oxygen saturation). The use of levels above 5ppm of chlorine is not recommended in the water of lightweight laying hens.

Quantification of maceration changes using post mortem MRI in fetuses

BACKGROUND

Post mortem imaging is playing an increasingly important role in perinatal autopsy, and correct interpretation of imaging changes is paramount. This is particularly important following intra-uterine fetal death, where there may be fetal maceration. The aim of this study was to investigate whether any changes seen on a whole body fetal post mortem magnetic resonance imaging (PMMR) correspond to maceration at conventional autopsy.

METHODS

We performed pre-autopsy PMMR in 75 fetuses using a 1.5 Tesla Siemens Avanto MR scanner (Erlangen, Germany). PMMR images were reported blinded to the clinical history and autopsy data using a numerical severity scale (0 = no maceration changes to 2 = severe maceration changes) for 6 different visceral organs (total 12). The degree of maceration at autopsy was categorized according to severity on a numerical scale (1 = no maceration to 4 = severe maceration). We also generated quantitative maps to measure the liver and lung T2.

RESULTS

The mean PMMR maceration score correlated well with the autopsy maceration score (R(2) = 0.93). A PMMR score of ≥4.5 had a sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 64%, for detecting moderate or severe maceration at autopsy. Liver and lung T2 were increased in fetuses with maceration scores of 3-4 in comparison to those with 1-2 (liver p = 0.03, lung p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a good correlation between PMMR maceration score and the extent of maceration seen at conventional autopsy. This score may be useful in interpretation of fetal PMMR.

Convergent evidences from human and animal studies implicate angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity in cognitive performance in schizophrenia

In schizophrenia (SCZ), higher angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) levels have been reported in patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Hereby, we propose to explore whether the ACE activity levels are associated to cognitive performance in SCZ. Seventy-two patients with SCZ or schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, and 69 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a cognitive battery with parallel collection of peripheral blood samples to measure ACE activity. Significant higher ACE activity levels were confirmed in the plasma of SCZ patients compared with HCs (Student's t=-5.216; P<0.001). ACE activity significantly correlated to Hopkins delayed recall measures (r=-0.247; P=0.004) and Hopkins total (r=-0.214; P=0.012). Subjects grouped as high ACE activity (above average) had worse performance compared with low ACE activity level group for Hopkins delayed recall measure, even after correction for clinical condition, age, gender and years of education (P=0.029). The adjusted R squared for this final model was 0.343. This result was evident only comparing extreme groups for ACE activity, when splitting the sample in three groups with similar number of subjects. To clarify this finding, we performed an evaluation of the cognitive performance of transgenic mice with three copies of ACE gene in novel object recognition (NOR) test, which showed that such animals presented impairment in NOR (P<0.05) compared with two copies of wild-type animals. The results observed in SCZ patients and animal model suggest both the association of ACE to cognitive deficits in SCZ. This finding may support the evaluation of novel treatment protocols and/or of innovative drugs for specific intervention of cognitive deficits in SCZ envisioning concomitant ACE activity and behavior evaluations.

Hospital food waste and environmental and economic indicators--A Portuguese case study

This study presents a comprehensive characterization of plate waste (food served but not eaten) at an acute care hospital in Portugal and elaborates on possible waste reduction measures. Even though waste prevention is a priority in Europe, large amounts of food are still being wasted every day, with hospitals giving rise to two to three times more food waste than other foodservice sectors. For this work the plate waste arising at the ward level was audited during 8 weeks, covering almost 8000 meals, using a general hospital as case study. Weighing the food served to patients and that returned after the meal allowed calculating plate waste for the average meal, as well as for individual meal items. Comparison of food waste arising showed that differences exist among wards, with some generating more waste than others. On average each patient throws away 953 g of food each day, representing 35% of the food served. This equates to 8.7 thousand tonnes of food waste being thrown away each year at hospitals across Portugal. These tonnes of food transformed into waste represent economic losses and environmental impacts, being estimated that 16.4 thousand tonnes of CO2 (equivalent) and 35.3 million euros are the annual national indicators in Portugal. This means that 0.5% of the Portuguese National Health budget gets thrown away as food waste. Given the magnitude of the food problem five measures were suggested to reduce food waste, and their potential impact and ease of implementation were discussed. Even though food waste is unavoidable the results obtained in this work highlight the potential financial and environmental savings for Portuguese hospitals, providing a basis to establish future strategies to tackle food waste.

Diets Containing α-Linolenic (ω3) or Oleic (ω9) Fatty Acids Rescues Obese Mice From Insulin Resistance

Subclinical systemic inflammation is a hallmark of obesity and insulin resistance. The results obtained from a number of experimental studies suggest that targeting different components of the inflammatory machinery may result in the improvement of the metabolic phenotype. Unsaturated fatty acids exert antiinflammatory activity through several distinct mechanisms. Here, we tested the capacity of ω3 and ω9 fatty acids, directly from their food matrix, to exert antiinflammatory activity through the G protein-coupled receptor (GPR)120 and GPR40 pathways. GPR120 was activated in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissues, reverting inflammation and insulin resistance in obese mice. Part of this action was also mediated by GPR40 on muscle, as a novel mechanism described. Pair-feeding and immunoneutralization experiments reinforced the pivotal role of GPR120 as a mediator in the response to the nutrients. The improvement in insulin sensitivity in the high-fat substituted diets was associated with a marked reduction in tissue inflammation, decreased macrophage infiltration, and increased IL-10 levels. Furthermore, improved glucose homeostasis was accompanied by the reduced expression of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes and reduced body mass. Thus, our data indicate that GPR120 and GPR40 play a critical role as mediators of the beneficial effects of dietary unsaturated fatty acids in the context of obesity-induced insulin resistance.

Substrate specificity of mitochondrial intermediate peptidase analysed by a support-bound peptide library

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A synthetic support-bound FRET peptide library was constructed.

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This was used to investigate the substrate specificity of recombinant human mitochondrial intermediate peptidase (hMIP).

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Polar uncharged residues at P₁ and P₁′ are preferred by this enzyme.

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hMIP can hydrolyse peptides shorter than 8 residues.

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The importance of F/L/I at P₈ and T/S/G at P₅, in natural substrates of hMIP was not seen with this peptide library.

The substrate specificity of recombinant human mitochondrial intermediate peptidase (hMIP) using a synthetic support-bound FRET peptide library is presented. The collected fluorescent beads, which contained the hydrolysed peptides generated by hMIP, were sequenced by Edman degradation. The results showed that this peptidase presents a remarkable preference for polar uncharged residues at P₁ and P₁′ substrate positions: Ser = Gln > Thr at P₁ and Ser > Thr at P₁′. Non-polar residues were frequent at the substrate P₃, P₂, P₂′ and P₃′ positions. Analysis of the predicted MIP processing sites in imported mitochondrial matrix proteins shows these cleavages indeed occur between polar uncharged residues. Previous analysis of these processing sites indicated the importance of positions far from the MIP cleavage site, namely the presence of a hydrophobic residue (Phe or Leu) at P₈ and a polar uncharged residue (Ser or Thr) at P₅. To evaluate this, additional kinetic analyses were carried out, using fluorogenic substrates synthesized based on the processing sites attributed to MIP. The results described here underscore the importance of the P₁ and P₁′ substrate positions for the hydrolytic activity of hMIP. The information presented in this work will help in the design of new substrate-based inhibitors for this peptidase.

Cytotoxicity and expression of genes involved in the cellular stress response and apoptosis in mammalian fibroblast exposed to cotton cellulose nanofibers

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) have mechanical properties that make them very attractive for applications in the construction of polymeric matrices, drug delivery and tissue engineering. However, little is known about their impact on mammalian cells. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of CNF and their effect on gene expression of fibroblasts cultured in vitro. The morphology of CNF was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and the surface charge by Zeta potential. Cell viability was analyzed by flow cytometry assay and gene expression of biomarkers focused on cell stress response such as Heat shock protein 70.1 (HSP70.1) and Peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1) and apoptosis as B-cell leukemia (BCL-2) and BCL-2 associated X protein (BAX) by RT-PCR assay. Low concentrations of CNF (0.02-100 μg ml(-1)) did not cause cell death; however, at concentrations above 200 μg ml(-1), the nanofibers significantly decreased cell viability (86.41 ± 5.37%). The exposure to high concentrations of CNF (2000 and 5000 μg ml(-1)) resulted in increased HSP70.1, PRDX1 and BAX gene expression. The current study concludes that, under the conditions tested, high concentrations (2000 and 5000 μg ml(-1)) of CNF cause decreased cell viability and affect the expression of stress- and apoptosis-associated molecular markers.

Composição química e valores energéticos de alimentos alternativos para leitões

O presente experimento foi realizado para determinar a composição química e os valores energéticos de resíduo de bolacha (RB), resíduo de wafer (RW), resíduo de chocolate caramelizado (RCC) e resíduo de bombons e chocolates (RBC) para leitões. Foram utilizados 10 leitões castrados, com peso médio inicial de 7,40±0,97kg, alojados individualmente em gaiolas de metabolismo e distribuídos em cinco tratamentos: 1) dieta referência (DR); 2) 60% DR + 40% RB; 3) 60% DR + 40% RW; 4) 80% DR + 20% RCC; e 5) 80% DR + 20% RBC. O experimento foi repetido em três períodos consecutivos, com duração de 12 dias cada um, sendo sete destinados à adaptação e cinco destinados à coleta. Foi utilizada a metodologia de coleta total de fezes e urina e o óxido férrico como marcador fecal. O delineanento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, sendo o período utilizado como bloco. Os teores de proteína bruta foram de 7,96, 10,78, 6,33 e 4,01% para RB, RW, RCC e RBC, respectivamente. O conteúdo de extrato etéreo do RB e do RW foi de 11,7 e 9,4%, respectivamente. Já o do RCC e o do RBC apresentaram valores mais elevados, sendo 24,7 e 34,3%, respectivamente. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade dos nutrientes e energia e o coeficiente de metabolizabilidade da energia foram semelhantes (P>0,05) entre os alimentos estudados. Os valores de energia digestível e metabolizável foram de 3914 e 3745; 4040 e 3767; 4454 e 4200; e 4937 e 4790kcal/kg para resíduo de bolachas, resíduo de wafer, resíduo de chocolate caramelizado e resíduo de bombons e chocolates, respectivamente. Conclui-se que os alimentos resíduo de bolachas, resíduo de wafer, resíduo de chocolate caramelizado e resíduo de bombons e chocolates apresentam potencial para serem incluídos em dietas pré-inicias e inicias de leitões.

Artrodese interfalângica: eficácia e retorno laboral com fios Kirschner e parafuso Acutrak®

A artrodese interfalângica (IF) é um procedimento osteoarticular frequente e os fios de Kirschner são os mais usados. Outras técnicas descritas são parafusos compressivos ou, recentemente, parafuso sem cabeça, completamente roscado, Acutrak® (Acumed LLC, Hillsboro, OR). Os autores propuseram comparar duas técnicas de artrodese IF: com fios Kirschner e parafusos Acutrak®. Trata-se de um estudo retrospectivo de 2009 a 2012 englobando 67 artrodeses. Destes foram excluídos doentes com infecção, osteopenia ou perda óssea como artrite reumatóide. Obteve-se um total de 53 artrodeses: 22 com fios Kirschner (grupo I) e 31 com parafusos Acutrak® (grupo II). Foi determinada a taxa e tempo de fusão, complicações e tempo de retorno laboral. Os resultados foram analisados pelo SPSS® 20 Statistics (p<0.05). No grupo I, verificou-se 77.3% de fusão com 9% de complicações menores. No grupo II ocorreu consolidação em 100%, na ausência de complicações. O tempo médio de fusão foi 9.6 (r: 6-14) semanas no grupo I e 5.1 (r: 4-8) semanas no grupo II. O retorno laboral foi às 11.5 semanas e 5.4 semanas, respectivamente. O parafuso Acutrak® permite uma artrodese mais eficaz que os fios Kirschner e retorno laboral precoce.

Impact of sampling depth and plant species on local environmental conditions, microbiological parameters and bacterial composition in a mercury contaminated salt marsh

We compare the environmental characteristics and bacterial communities associated with two rushes, Juncus maritimus and Bolboschoenus maritimus, and adjacent unvegetated habitat in a salt marsh subjected to historical mercury pollution. Mercury content was higher in vegetated than unvegetated habitat and increased with sampling depth. There was also a significant relationship between mercury concentration and bacterial composition. Habitat (Juncus, Bolboschoenus or unvegetated), sample depth, and the interaction between both, however, explained most of the variation in composition (~70%). Variation in composition with depth was most prominent for the unvegetated habitat, followed by Juncus, but more constrained for Bolboschoenus habitat. This constraint may be indicative of a strong plant-microbe ecophysiological adaptation. Vegetated habitat contained distinct bacterial communities associated with higher potential activity of aminopeptidase, β-glucosidase and arylsulphatase and incorporation rates of (14)C-glucose and (14)C-acetate. Communities in unvegetated habitat were, in contrast, associated with both higher pH and proportion of sulphate reducing bacteria.

Milho inteiro e moído em diferentes sistemas de alimentação para poedeiras semipesadas

Avaliaram-se o desempenho e a qualidade de ovos de poedeiras semipesadas alimentadas com dietas com diferentes granulometrias do milho em dois sistemas de alimentação (fatorial 4x2) utilizando-se 256 aves em 32 gaiolas, a partir da 46ª semana de idade. As granulometrias do milho utilizadas foram: milho inteiro, milho com 3.198µm, milho com 1254µm e milho com 663µm de diâmetro geométrico médio, e os dois sistemas de alimentação: completo e de livre escolha. O experimento teve duração de quatro períodos de 28 dias. Avaliaram-se consumo de ração (g/ave/dia), produção de ovos (%ovos/ave/dia), peso dos ovos (g), densidade específica (g/cm³), massa de ovos (g), consumo energético (kcal/ave/dia) e consumo proteico (g/ave/dia). No método de livre escolha, as diferentes granulometrias não influenciaram o desempenho. A qualidade do ovo não foi afetada pelas diferentes granulometrias do milho e pelos sistemas de alimentação. No método de livre escolha, houve redução no consumo proteico, com exceção do milho inteiro. Nas granulometrias média e grossa, o sistema completo resultou em maior número de ovos em relação ao de livre escolha.