17 research outputs found
Brewers' spent grain as substrates for production of cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes by different Aspergillus species
Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is the major by-product of the brewing industry, representing around 85% of the
total by-products generated. It is a lignocellulosic material containing about 38% cellulose, 29%
hemicellulose, chiefly arabinoxylans, and 13% lignin. The production of cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic
enzymes using this material as substrate represent an eco-friendly strategy for the lignocellulosic biomass
hydrolysis, generating fermentable sugars that can be converted into high- added value products, such as
bioethanol, lactic acid, xylitol and others. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the potential of cellulolytic and
hemicellulolytic enzymes production by some Aspergillus species cultivated in BSG. Fungi were grown in
minimum media, pH 6.5, with 1% BSG and inoculum was done with 107spores/mL, cultivated at 30°C, 120
rpm, for 5 days. Every 24 hours 2 mL of the samples were collected. The enzymatic activity was performed
after the incubation of the crude extract with 1% Linear arabinan, Xylan from beechwood, Xyloglucan, Locust
bean gum and CMC, at 50°C for 60 minutes and the reducing sugars were determined using dinitrosalicylic
acid (DNS). Synthetic substrates (2 mM of PNP--L-arabinofuranoside, PNP--D-xylopyranoside, PNP--Dglucopyranoside
and PNP--D-cellobioside) were also used at the same conditions. The extract from A.
niveus showed the best arabinanase (0.284 U/mL) and -glucosidase (0.126 U/mL) activities after 48 and 96
hours of cultivation, respectively. On the other hand, the extract from A. brasiliensis presented the best
activities of -L-arabinofuranosidase (0.129 U/mL), -xylosidase (0.265 U/mL) and xylanase (2.15 U/mL)
when cultivated for 48 hours. After 72 hours, this fungus also showed the best activities for xyloglucanase
(1.06 U/mL), mannanase (0.617 U/mL) and endoglucanase (0.254 U/mL). The extract produced by A. flavus
presented the best cellobiohydrolase activity with 0.113 U/mL after 120 hours of cultivation. It is important to
mention that A. awamori, A. clavatus and A. terreus also showed good levels of different enzymes produced
but they were not the best producers. These data suggest the great potential of different cellulolytic and
hemicellulolytic enzymes production using BSG as substrate, which represents an eco-friendly destination
for the residues and can generate high-added value products with great biotechnological application.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Institutos Nacionais de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
May Measurement Month 2018: a pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the International Society of Hypertension
Aims
Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries.
Methods and results
Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension.
Conclusion
May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk
Increasing women's political representation : law into politics
EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
Expression, localization, and functional coupling of the somatostatin receptor subtype 2 in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy
Purpose. In the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), somatostatin-14 (SRIF) acting at the SRIF receptor subtype 2 (sst(2)) inhibits angiogenic responses to hypoxia through a downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor. Information about where SRIF-sst(2) interactions take place is lacking, and downstream effectors mediating SRIF-sst(2) antiangiogenic actions are unknown. Methods. In the OIR model, retinal expression of SRIF was evaluated with RT-PCR and radioimmunoassay. The bindings of [(125)I]LTT-SRIF-28 and [(125)I]Tyr(3)-octreotide were measured in coronal sections of the eye. With Western blot analysis, the authors evaluated the levels of sst(2A) and the expression and activity of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3. The analysis of STAT3 was performed in hypoxic mice treated with the sst(2) agonist octreotide or with the sst(2) antagonist D-Tyr(8) cyanamid 154806 (CYN). Retinal localization of sst(2A) was assessed by single and double immunohistochemistry with an endothelial cell marker. Results. In the hypoxic retina, both SRIF and sst(2) levels as well as [(125)I]Tyr(3)-octreotide binding were downregulated. In addition, sst(2A) immunostaining was decreased in the neuroretina but was increased in capillaries. Hypoxia increased both the expression and the activity of STAT3. This increase was inhibited by octreotide but was strengthened by CYN. Conclusions. These data suggest that sst(2) expressed by capillaries may be responsible for the antiangiogenic effects of SRIF and that downstream effectors in this action include the transcription factor STAT3. These results support the possibility of using sst(2)-selective ligands in the treatment of proliferative retinopathies and indicate STAT3 as an additional target for a novel therapeutic approach
Perinatal regulation of aging through a neuroendocrine mechanism in mice
International audienc
The functional development of the somatotropic axis depends on hypothalamic IGF-1R in mice
International audienc
Preserved memory capacities in aged Lou/C/Jall rats
International audienc