Genetic correlations estimate between meat tenderness, growth and carcass traits in a population of polled nellore cattle in Brazil.

Growth, carcass and tenderness data from 415 Polled Nellore animals were analyzed in order to estimate the genetic correlations between tenderness (WBSF) and growth (ILW, FLW and ADG) and carcass (BF, RF and LMA) traits. The covariance components and genetic parameters were estimated using the Gibbs Sampling method. The heritability estimated for WBSF was of low magnitude (0.11 ± 0.022). The genetic correlations between WBSF and the other traits were of low magnitude, with values of - 0.15; -0.18; -0.13; 0.10; -0.12 and 0.18, between WBSF and ILW, FLW, ADG, BF, RF and LMA, respectively. The results support the conclusion that selection for improved tenderness will not affect genetic progress in other economic traits and vice-versa, but more studies are required for a better knowledge of the genetic relationships between meat tenderness and other traits for Polled Nellore cattle

Mechanical pruning and soil organic amendments in vineyards of Syrah: effects on grape composition

Aim: The interaction of mechanized pruning systems and soil organic amendment can increase vine productivity. However, since the increase in p roductivity may affect grape composition, this study aimed to understand the effects of the interaction between these two practices. Methods and materials: Two field trials were implemented in Shiraz vineyards in two different wine regions. Mechanical hedge pruning was compared with hand spur pruning and four different organic amendments were tested: biochar, municipal solid waste compost, cattle manure and sewage sludge. Results: Mechanical pruning reduced the total soluble solids (TSS) and pH of the grapes, but had no effects on the other variables. Organic amendments also reduced TSS, especially sewage sludge, and tended to reduce total anthocyanins and total phenols. The effect of the interaction between both factors on grape composition was never significant. A negative relationship between yield and TSS was observed, while titratable acidity had no relationship with yield. Total anthocyanins were also negatively related to yield. A positive relation between TSS and total anthocyanins was also observed. Conclusions: The results show that the combination of mechanical pruning and soil organic amendment is a powerful tool for increasing productivity, but it has some effects on grape composition. Significance and impact of study: The reduction in some fruit composition variables showed that, while mechanical pruning does not significantly affect grape composition, the choice of type and amount of organic amendment will depend on the destination of the grapesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Role of Yeast and Lactic Acid Bacteria in the Production of Fermented Beverages in South America

Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation in the world. In South America, most fermented beverages are nondairy products featuring several other food raw materials such as cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Generally, natural fermentations are carried out by yeast and lactic acid bacteria forming a complex microbiota that acts in cooperation. Yeast have a prominent role in the production of beverages, due to the ability to accumulate high levels of ethanol and to produce highly desirable aroma compounds, but lactic acid bacteria are particularly important in fermentation because they produce desirable acids, flavor compounds, and peptides that inhibit the growth of undesirable organisms. Among the South America beverages based on cereals and vegetables, the fermented beverages chicha, caxiri, cauim and champús, and cachaça, a fermented and distilled beverage, could be cited. Genetic and physiological analyses of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from cachaça have been shown to present interesting traits for beer production, such as flocculation and production of aroma compounds, fundamental to high-quality beer. The study of these traditional beverages allows the identification of new microorganism strains displaying enhanced resistance or new flavor and aroma profiles that could lead to applications in several industries and ultimately new products

Oral tolerance to cancer can be abrogated by T regulatory cell inhibition

Oral administration of tumour cells induces an immune hypo-responsiveness known as oral tolerance. We have previously shown that oral tolerance to a cancer is tumour antigen specific, non-cross-reactive and confers a tumour growth advantage. We investigated the utilisation of regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion on oral tolerance to a cancer and its ability to control tumour growth. Balb/C mice were gavage fed homogenised tumour tissue – JBS fibrosarcoma (to induce oral tolerance to a cancer), or PBS as control. Growth of subcutaneous JBS tumours were measured; splenic tissue excised and flow cytometry used to quantify and compare systemic Tregs and T effector (Teff) cell populations. Prior to and/or following tumour feeding, mice were intraperitoneally administered anti-CD25, to inactivate systemic Tregs, or given isotype antibody as a control. Mice which were orally tolerised prior to subcutaneous tumour induction, displayed significantly higher systemic Treg levels (14% vs 6%) and faster tumour growth rates than controls (p<0.05). Complete regression of tumours were only seen after Treg inactivation and occurred in all groups - this was not inhibited by tumour feeding. The cure rates for Treg inactivation were 60% during tolerisation, 75% during tumour growth and 100% during inactivation for both tolerisation and tumour growth. Depletion of Tregs gave rise to an increased number of Teff cells. Treg depletion post-tolerisation and post-tumour induction led to the complete regression of all tumours on tumour bearing mice. Oral administration of tumour tissue, confers a tumour growth advantage and is accompanied by an increase in systemic Treg levels. The administration of anti-CD25 Ab decreased Treg numbers and caused an increase in Teffs. Most notably Treg cell inhibition overcame established oral tolerance with consequent tumor regression, especially relevant to foregut cancers where oral tolerance is likely to be induced by the shedding of tumour tissue into the gut

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a platform for Immunoglobulin G attachment

Nanomaterials have been extensively used in different applications due to their peculiar characteristics and nanoscale dimensions. Among nanoparticles, carbon-based nanomaterials are becoming highly attractive for biomedical applications such as diagnosis, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biosensing. The conjugation of carbon-based nanomaterials with antibodies combines the properties of these materials with the specific and selective recognition ability of the antibodies to antigens. The present work proposes a process intensification approach for immunoglobulin G (IgG present in rabbit serum) attachment on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in a single step. The effect of several parameters, namely MWCNTs external diameter, rabbit serum concentration, MWCNTs functionalization and pH value, on the IgG attachment yield was evaluated. The dilution of rabbit serum decreased other protein attachment, namely rabbit serum albumin (RSA), while increasing the IgG yield to 100%. The interaction mechanisms between IgG and MWCNTs were evaluated at pH 5.0 to 8.0. The protonation of IgG amino acids indicates that N-term are the most reactive amino acids in the antibody structure. The identification of the N-term reactivity at pH 8.0 allows to indicate a possible orientation of the antibody over the MWCNTs surface, described as “end-on”. Since the amount of RSA attached to MWNT decreased with the increase in serum dilution, the IgG orientation and amine activity was not affected. This orientation demonstrates that the IgG attachment over the surface of the MWCNTs could be an effective strategy to maintain the antigen recognition by the antibody, and to be used for biomedical applications.publishe

HIP 10725: The first solar twin/analogue field blue straggler

Context. Blue stragglers are easy to identify in globular clusters, but are much harder to identify in the field. Here we present the serendipitous discovery of one field blue straggler, HIP 10725, that closely matches the Sun in mass and age, but with a metallicity slightly lower than solar. Aims. We characterise the solar twin/analogue HIP 10725 to assess whether this star is a blue straggler. Methods. We employed spectra with high resolution (R ~ 105) and high signal-to-noise ratio (330) obtained with UVES at the VLT to perform a differential abundance analysis of the solar analogue HIP 10725. Radial velocities obtained by other instruments were also used to check for binarity. We also studied its chromospheric activity, age, and rotational velocity. Results. HIP 10725 is severely depleted in beryllium ([ Be/H ] ≤ −1.2 dex) for its stellar parameters and age. The abundances relative to solar of the elements with Z ≤ 30 show a correlation with condensation temperature, and the neutron capture elements produced by the s-process are greatly enhanced, while the r-process elements seem normal. We found its projected rotational velocity (vsini = 3.3 ± 0.1 km s-1) to be significantly higher than solar and incompatible with its isochrone-derived age. Radial velocity monitoring shows that the star has a binary companion. Conclusions. Based on the high s-process element enhancements and low beryllium abundance, we suggest that HIP 10725 has been polluted by mass transfer from an AGB star that probably had an initial mass of about 2 M⊙. The radial velocity variations suggest the presence of an unseen binary companion, probably the remnant of a former AGB star. Isochrones predict a solar-age star, but this disagrees with the high projected rotational velocity and high chromospheric activity. We conclude that HIP 10725 is a field blue straggler, rejuvenated by the mass-transfer process of its former AGB companion

Imunoterapia Ativa Específica e imunoquimioterapia Adotiva em Tumores Experimentais. Ação da “interleukin-2”

Uma preparação de proteínas de membrana plasmática de células tumorais obtida por processo original de vesiculação de membrana celular é usada como antígeno especifico do tumor. Em sistema singênico protegeu 80% dos camundongos contra inóculo tumoral. Inóculo tumoral já estabelecido, em início de crescimento, é curado em 70 a 80% com inoculação de antigeno de membrana com adjuvante, em tumores experimentais de camundongo: A imunoterapia adotiva específica, isto é, a transferência de linfócitos pré-sensibilizados, não protegeu camundongos contra tumor já desenvolvido. A imunoquimioterapia adotiva, transferência de linfócitos de baço de animal Imunizados pelo tumor + 1 dose de ciclofosfamida foi eficiente, curando 80% dos animais com tumor singênico já estabelecido, sendo que a cidofosfamida apenas retarda temporariamente o crescimento tumoral. Este projeto não tem aplicação clínica, pois para o doente não se dispõe de linfócitos isogênicos sensibilizados especificamente contra seu câncer. Está sendo tentada a substituição de linfócitos T sensibilizados por "lnterleukin-2" + cidofosfamida. A "lnterleukin-2" é obtida in vitro por ação de macrófago + Hnfódto T helper + concanavalina A. Experiências preliminares em tumores experimentais deram nítido retardamento do crescimento dos mesmos. Este produto está sendo purificado e concentrado e produzido especificamente com antígeno do próprio tumor