Impactos do Carbon Dot Krill A32 na produtividade de biomassa da microalga Chlorella sorokiniana (LBA#39).

Há vários esforços para tornar o cultivo de microalgas economicamente viável. Isso porque esses organismos são fontes de diversas biomoléculas de valor econômico, como lipídios, proteínas e enzimas. Entretanto, há desafios na produção que dificultam a lucratividade da atividade. Alguns estudos indicam que tratamentos com carbon quantum dots podem incrementar a produtividade da biomassa microalgal produzida. Foram feitos três experimentos com diferentes concentrações do Carbon Dot Krill A32, que foram aplicadas em cultivos com a microalga Chlorella sorokiniana (LBA#39) para investigar os efeitos na produção de biomassa. Um teste inicial foi feito em biorreatores de 500 mL testando‑se 500 μg/L e 500 ng/L da nanopartícula. O segundo foi uma varredura em um volume de 1,5 L em que as concentrações investigadas foram 10 mg/L; 1 mg/L; 500 μg/L; 100 μg/L; 10 μg/L; 1 μg/L e 500 ng/L da nanopartícula. O terceiro foi uma validação em reatores de 2 L utilizando concentrações de 100 μg/L e 10 μg/L da nanopartícula. Os resultados da curva de crescimento dos cultivos não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas. Para os resultados de biomassa seca, com o aumento do volume de cultivo, os incrementos foram progressivamente menores e estatisticamente iguais ao controle. Os resultados sugerem que nas condições estudadas não há incremento na produtividade da biomassa. São necessárias análises sobre a qualidade da biomassa para melhor interpretação do observado

Temporal Coordination of Gene Networks by Zelda in the Early Drosophila Embryo

In past years, much attention has focused on the gene networks that regulate early developmental processes, but less attention has been paid to how multiple networks and processes are temporally coordinated. Recently the discovery of the transcriptional activator Zelda (Zld), which binds to CAGGTAG and related sequences present in the enhancers of many early-activated genes in Drosophila, hinted at a mechanism for how batteries of genes could be simultaneously activated. Here we use genome-wide binding and expression assays to identify Zld target genes in the early embryo with the goal of unraveling the gene circuitry regulated by Zld. We found that Zld binds to genes involved in early developmental processes such as cellularization, sex determination, neurogenesis, and pattern formation. In the absence of Zld, many target genes failed to be activated, while others, particularly the patterning genes, exhibited delayed transcriptional activation, some of which also showed weak and/or sporadic expression. These effects disrupted the normal sequence of patterning-gene interactions and resulted in highly altered spatial expression patterns, demonstrating the significance of a timing mechanism in early development. In addition, we observed prevalent overlap between Zld-bound regions and genomic “hotspot” regions, which are bound by many developmental transcription factors, especially the patterning factors. This, along with the finding that the most over-represented motif in hotspots, CAGGTA, is the Zld binding site, implicates Zld in promoting hotspot formation. We propose that Zld promotes timely and robust transcriptional activation of early-gene networks so that developmental events are coordinated and cell fates are established properly in the cellular blastoderm embryo

Identification and Characterization of a Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) Consensus Phosphorylation Motif

Mutations in LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) have been identified as major genetic determinants of Parkinson's disease (PD). The most prevalent mutation, G2019S, increases LRRK2's kinase activity, therefore understanding the sites and substrates that LRRK2 phosphorylates is critical to understanding its role in disease aetiology. Since the physiological substrates of this kinase are unknown, we set out to reveal potential targets of LRRK2 G2019S by identifying its favored phosphorylation motif. A non-biased screen of an oriented peptide library elucidated F/Y-x-T-x-R/K as the core dependent substrate sequence. Bioinformatic analysis of the consensus phosphorylation motif identified several novel candidate substrates that potentially function in neuronal pathophysiology. Peptides corresponding to the most PD relevant proteins were efficiently phosphorylated by LRRK2 in vitro. Interestingly, the phosphomotif was also identified within LRRK2 itself. Autophosphorylation was detected by mass spectrometry and biochemical means at the only F-x-T-x-R site (Thr 1410) within LRRK2. The relevance of this site was assessed by measuring effects of mutations on autophosphorylation, kinase activity, GTP binding, GTP hydrolysis, and LRRK2 multimerization. These studies indicate that modification of Thr1410 subtly regulates GTP hydrolysis by LRRK2, but with minimal effects on other parameters measured. Together the identification of LRRK2's phosphorylation consensus motif, and the functional consequences of its phosphorylation, provide insights into downstream LRRK2-signaling pathways

Predicting survival and morbidity-free survival to very old age

As life expectancy continually increases, it is imperative to identify determinants of survival to the extreme end of the lifespan and more importantly to identify factors that increase the chance of survival free of major morbidities. As such, the current study assessed 45 common disease factors as predictors of survival and morbidity-free survival to age 85 years. Within the Rotterdam Study, a population-based cohort, we evaluated morbidity-free participants who were able to attain age 85 within the study duration (n = 2,008). Risk factors were assessed at baseline (1990–1993), and mortality and morbidities were then collected continuously until mortality or the occurrence of their 85th birthday (average time of 7.9 years). Risk factors included demographic and lifestyle variables, health and morbidity indicators and physiological makers. Major morbidities examined included dementia, cancer, cerebrovascular accident, heart failure and myocardial infarction. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that many of the variables were independently predictive for survival and for morbidity-free ageing to 85 years. These included being female, absence of left ventricular abnormalities, stable body weight, unimpaired instrumental activities of daily living, lower C-RP levels and higher levels of femoral neck bone mineral density and albumin. Relative to non-survival, predictors were stronger for morbidity-free survival than for total survival or survival with morbidity. This suggests that lifespan and healthy survival to older age can be relatively well predicted. Understanding predictors of a long and healthy lifespan is vital for developing primary and secondary preventions to help improve the quality of life of older adults and for reducing the financial burden of the rapidly escalating ageing population

Nuevas de Indias

La revista es centra en la historiografía i la literatura espanyol i hispanoamericana colonial, que abasta, a grans trets, els segles XVI-XVIII, de manera que arreenca amb una perspectiva multidisciplinar. Les àrees de coneixement inclouen disciplines afins a la historia i la literatura com la filosofía, la ciencia política, el dret, la religió, l'antropologia o la mitología, l'arquitectura i l'urbanisme, l'arqueologia i l'ensenyament entre d'altres. També es prendrà en consideració el debat cultural comú a Espanya i Amèrica, l'herència europea al Nou Món i els enfocaments teòrics i metodològics per examinar la historia literaria de l'època colonial a la llum dels estudis culturals. Va adreçada, en primer lloc, als professors, investigadors i estudiants dels departaments de Filologia i Història Moderna i Contemporània; en segon lloc, als d'humanitats, dret, teología, antropología i altres disciplines relatives a la historia del llibre, arquitectura i urbanisme, geografía, iconografía i iconología, arqueología i música, als de les literatures en altres idiomes, especialment la francesa i l'anglesa. El seu objectiu principal és la publicació d'investigacions originals i de qualitat acadèmica, amb una política d'edició basada al compliment dels indicadors de qualitat més riguroso a escala estatal i internacional