Roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases and angiotensin II in renal development

Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that angiotensin II (AII) participates in renal development. Renal AII content is several-fold higher in newborn rats and mice than in adult animals. AII receptors are also expressed in higher amounts in the kidneys of newborn rats. The kidneys of fetuses whose mother received a type 1 AII receptor (AT1) antagonist during gestation present several morphological alterations. Mutations in genes that encode components of the renin-angiotensin system are associated with autosomal recessive renal tubular dysgenesis. Morphological changes were detected in the kidneys of 3-week-old angiotensin-deficient mice. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are important mediators that transduce extracellular stimuli to intracellular responses. The MAPK family comprises three major subgroups, namely extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), and p38 MAPK (p38). Important events in renal growth during nephrogenesis such as cellular proliferation and differentiation accompanied by apoptosis on a large scale can be mediated by MAPK pathways. A decrease in glomerulus number was observed in embryos cultured for 48 and 120 h with ERK or p38 inhibitors. Many effects of AII are mediated by MAPK pathways. Treatment with losartan during lactation provoked changes in renal function and structure associated with alterations in AT1 and type 2 AII (AT2) receptors and p-JNK and p-p38 expression in the kidney. Several studies have shown that AII and MAPKs play an important role in renal development. However, the relationship between the effects of AII and MAPK activation on renal development is still unclear.FAPESPCNP

A life cycle inventory of microalgae-based biofuels production in an industrial plant concept

6th International Conference on Energy and Environment Research, ICEERMicroalgae have been reported as a promising alternative for biofuels production. However, the use of microalgae for biofuels is still a challenge due to the intense energy use and the generation of a significant amount of biomass residues in the process. In order to analyze the environmental impacts of different technological processes for the production of biodiesel from microalgae, several studies have been published making use of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which allows the recognition of the process bottlenecks and supports the identification of alternatives for a more efficient use of the feedstock. Therefore, in this study, a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) is compiled, based on real pilot-scale process data, which was scaled-up to a microalgae biomass industrial plant for biofuel production. Values of energy, nutrients, water, and materials consumption are used to create an inventory of inputs and outputs for biomass cultivation and biodiesel production, in order to acquire data to conduct a complete LCA modeling in future studies. According to this model, to produce 1 kg of biodiesel it is necessary about 12 kg of dried algae biomass. This study supports the decision-making process in biofuel production to promote the development of sustainable pilot and large-scale algae-based industry, through the identification of critical factors.This work was funded by: project IF/01093/2014/CP1249/CT0003 and research grants IF/01093/2014 and SFRH/BPD/112003/2015 funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES, Portugal, and project UID/EQU/00305/2013 – Center for Innovation in Engineering and Industrial Technology – CIETI. This work was financially supported by: project UID/EQU/00511/2019 – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy – LEPABE funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES, Portugal (PIDDAC); Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006939 (Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy – LEPABE, UID/EQU/00511/2013) funded by FEDER through COMPETE2020-POCI and by national funds through FCT, Portugal ; Project “LEPABE-2-ECO-INNOVATION” – NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000005, funded by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Program (NORTE 2020), under PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) . Authors also acknowledge the “Grupo Interdisciplinario de Biotecnología Marina (GIBMAR) and “Convenio de Desempeño Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Bioeconomía” from University of Concepción, Chile, for supporting the experimental data collection at the pilot-plant in Concepción, Chile, during the Research Visit of M. Branco-Vieira.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sustainability evaluation of a Portuguese “terroir” wine

The challenges of sustainability are transversal to all human activities, and the wine sector has its own role to play in the march for a more sustainable development. The proper definition of the most adequate measures and/or policies must be based on an objective and quantitative evaluation of the sustainability of a product or process. In this work the sustainability of a “terroir” wine is assessed taking into account its life cycle and using the following indicators: carbon and water footprint, material intensity, solid waste generated, worker turnover rate, investment in H&S training and EBITDA. All indicators are expressed per functional unit of 0.75 L of wine. The evaluation used data from the company complemented with data/information from the literature or life cycle inventory databases. To account for climatic variability, data from three consecutive years was used. Average values of 3.51 kgCO2eq and 481.4 L per functional unit were obtained for the carbon and water footprint respectively, both values within the range of values reported in the literature.To Sogrape Vinhos, S.A. for funding Project PP-IJUP2014-SOGRAPE. To FCT, for funding project IF/01093/2014/CP1249/CT0003, research grants IF/01093/2014 and SFRH/BPD/112003/2015, and Center for Innovation in Engineering and Industrial Technology - CIETI, UID/EQU/00305/2013. Financial support of POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006939 (Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy - LEPABE, UID/EQU/00511/2013) funded by FEDER through COMPETE2020-POCI and by national funds through FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of artificial shading on performance and reproductive parameters of semi-confined young Brangus bulls

Thirty Brangus bulls were used in a 90-d study to assess the effect of artificial shading on the performance and reproductive characteristics of semi-confined cattle. Animals were kept in four one-ha paddocks in two groups of eight for shade treatment (5 m²/animal of 80% solar block shade cloth) and two groups of seven animals in no-shade treatment. Each treatment had two homogeneous groups, each divided into heavy-bulls (351-450 kg) and light-bulls (300-350 kg). Time spent under shade, time standing, average daily gain, testicular development and sperm quality were investigated. Animals spent 24% of the daylight under the shade and no-shaded bulls spent more time standing (P 0.05) and testicular development between shaded and no-shaded animals. However, scrotal perimeter was higher for shaded light animals compared to no-shaded light bulls (P < 0.10). Sperm motility increase during the experimental period for shaded animals (P < 0.05) and sperm abnormalities were higher for the shaded ones (P < 0.05). Although the results did not indicate pronounced benefits on cattle performance, this resource was an important alternative because it appears to provide an improvement in some reproductive parameters and ensure a better thermal comfort to the animals

tackling malaria

Malaria is an infectious disease that affects over 216 million people worldwide, killing over 445,000 patients annually. Due to the constant emergence of parasitic resistance to the current antimalarial drugs, the discovery of new drug candidates is a major global health priority. Aiming to make the drug discovery processes faster and less expensive, we developed binary and continuous Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) models implementing deep learning for predicting antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of untested compounds. Then, we applied the best models for a virtual screening of a large database of chemical compounds. The top computational predictions were evaluated experimentally against asexual blood stages of both sensitive and multi-drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Among them, two compounds, LabMol-149 and LabMol-152, showed potent antiplasmodial activity at low nanomolar concentrations (EC50 <500 nM) and low cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. Therefore, the computational approach employing deep learning developed here allowed us to discover two new families of potential next generation antimalarial agents, which are in compliance with the guidelines and criteria for antimalarial target candidates.publishersversionpublishe

Uso De Extensores Flexíveis Na Derriça Em Lavouras De Café De Primeira Safra

The coffee harvest of the first crop can be benefited by the use of rubber extenders at the end of the stems. This because their malleable constitution acquires oscillatory motion increasing the stem contact area with the fruits. However, the coffee varieties have big morphological and physiological differences that can influence the mechanical harvesting. This study had a goal to test two of coffee harvesters (conventional and adapted to the harvest of the first crop plantations) in the absence and presence of rubber extenders in two cultivars (Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144 and Tupi IAC 1669-33). The design was randomized blocks in five plants per plot. Evaluated the amount of fallen coffee, remaining harvested, picked and operational defoliation. Evaluated the amount of fallen coffee, remaining harvested and operational defoliation. There was obtained that the use of rubber extenders increases the amount of coffee collected in 16.6%. The first crop coffee harvest should be made with harvester adapted to this situation. The Cultivar Tupi IAC 1669-33 has high difficulty to be mechanically harvested the first crop, should be taken with two mechanized operations. © 2016, Editora UFLA. All rights reserved.11218719

Cosmic Acceleration in Brans-Dicke Cosmology

We consider Brans-Dicke theory with a self-interacting potential in Einstein conformal frame. We show that an accelerating expansion is possible in a spatially flat universe for large values of the Brans-Dicke parameter consistent with local gravity experiments.Comment: 10 Pages, 3 figures, To appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio