Estudo Estatístico sobre Saldos de Caixa de Empresas Portuguesas

The cash balances of businesses have recently become one of the main topics of interest in the financial area. As a result of this interest, several studies and theories have been applied to this field, mainly to larger companies, and with a lesser application to the universe of small businesses. Portuguese business context is mainly composed by owner managed companies of the small businesses. The theoretical support that was considered most appropriate to back the analysis was the trade-off theory. The trade-off theory, in general terms, explains the amount of cash reported by companies on their balance sheets. This study is based on a sample of Portuguese manufacturing firms. It uses a methodology of econometric nature, based on models that were constructed to test if the tradeoff theory can explain the amount of cash held by these companies. The modeling considered four key variables (determinants) significant in the explanation of such amounts: the "net working capital", the "debt", the "size" and "cash flow". Moreover, after a closer analysis, the results indicate that there are significant differences when if there is or not an auditor that certifies the accounts of the companies is added as control.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Establishment of cultures in vitro of Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lemmaire and initial studies about biosynthesis of alkaloid pilocarpine

Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lemmaire (Rutaceae) é uma espécie nativa que ocorre nas regiões Sul, Sudeste, Centro-Oeste e Nordeste do Brasil, e é popularmente conhecida por jaborandi. Essa e outras espécies de Pilocarpus encontram-se em risco de extinção devido ao extrativismo (uso como planta medicinal) e ao desmatamento. O cultivo in vitro de P. pennatifolius foi realizado como uma alternativa para a produção de pilocarpina (princípio ativo do jaborandi). A cultura de células foi obtida em meio MS semi-sólido, suplementado com sacarose, como fonte de carbono, e tendo como reguladores de crescimento BAP, IAA e NAA. O tempo de duplicação da cultura de calos foi de 22 dias. A concentração do alcalóide, determinada por técnicas cromatográficas, foi de aproximadamente 0,1 µg/ mg de biomassa. Os ensaios enzimáticos referentes à biossíntese da pilocarpina tiveram como objetivo elucidar a etapa inicial de formação do anel imidazólico, além da localização desta reação na planta. Os experimentos realizados indicaram a presença da enzima histidina amino-transferase (HAT, EC 2.6.1.38) cuja atividade catalítica foi de 46,09 nKat/ mg de proteína, apenas no extrato protéico das raízes de P. pennatifolius. A determinação da composição do óleo essencial por CG e CG/EM indicou como constituintes majoritários os hidrocarbonetos tridecano (56,8 %) e pentadecano (25,5 %). Os sesquiterpenos não oxigenados constituíram cerca de 15 % do óleo obtido.Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lemmaire (Rutaceae) is a native Brazilian species which is commonly known as jaborandi. This species is endangered due to its exploitation as medicinal plant and the increasingly deforestation. A callus culture of P. pennatifolius was established as an alternative source for pilocarpine production (the active compound of jaborandi). The cell culture was obtained in a semi-solid media, supplemented with sucrose as carbon source and as growth regulators, BAP, IAA e NAA. The doubling time for the callus culture was determined as 22 days. The concentration of the alkaloid, obtained by chromatographic techniques was ca. 0.1 µg/ mg dry weight. The enzymatic assays related to pilocarpine biosynthesis were carried out with the aim to elucidate the imidazole ring formation beyond identify the site were this reaction takes place. The results indicated the presence of the enzyme histidine ammonia transferase (HAT, EC 2.6.1.38) only in the protein extract obtained from the roots of P. pennatifolius. The catalytic activity for this enzyme was 46.09 nKat/ mg protein. Volatile constituents from the leaves were analyzed by GC and GC/MS and the major compounds were determined as the hydrocarbons tridecane (56.8 %) and pentadecane (25.5 %). Almost 15 % of the total composition was constituted of non-oxygenated sesquiterpenes

Establishment of cultures in vitro of Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lemmaire and initial studies about biosynthesis of alkaloid pilocarpine

Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lemmaire (Rutaceae) é uma espécie nativa que ocorre nas regiões Sul, Sudeste, Centro-Oeste e Nordeste do Brasil, e é popularmente conhecida por jaborandi. Essa e outras espécies de Pilocarpus encontram-se em risco de extinção devido ao extrativismo (uso como planta medicinal) e ao desmatamento. O cultivo in vitro de P. pennatifolius foi realizado como uma alternativa para a produção de pilocarpina (princípio ativo do jaborandi). A cultura de células foi obtida em meio MS semi-sólido, suplementado com sacarose, como fonte de carbono, e tendo como reguladores de crescimento BAP, IAA e NAA. O tempo de duplicação da cultura de calos foi de 22 dias. A concentração do alcalóide, determinada por técnicas cromatográficas, foi de aproximadamente 0,1 µg/ mg de biomassa. Os ensaios enzimáticos referentes à biossíntese da pilocarpina tiveram como objetivo elucidar a etapa inicial de formação do anel imidazólico, além da localização desta reação na planta. Os experimentos realizados indicaram a presença da enzima histidina amino-transferase (HAT, EC 2.6.1.38) cuja atividade catalítica foi de 46,09 nKat/ mg de proteína, apenas no extrato protéico das raízes de P. pennatifolius. A determinação da composição do óleo essencial por CG e CG/EM indicou como constituintes majoritários os hidrocarbonetos tridecano (56,8 %) e pentadecano (25,5 %). Os sesquiterpenos não oxigenados constituíram cerca de 15 % do óleo obtido.Pilocarpus pennatifolius Lemmaire (Rutaceae) is a native Brazilian species which is commonly known as jaborandi. This species is endangered due to its exploitation as medicinal plant and the increasingly deforestation. A callus culture of P. pennatifolius was established as an alternative source for pilocarpine production (the active compound of jaborandi). The cell culture was obtained in a semi-solid media, supplemented with sucrose as carbon source and as growth regulators, BAP, IAA e NAA. The doubling time for the callus culture was determined as 22 days. The concentration of the alkaloid, obtained by chromatographic techniques was ca. 0.1 µg/ mg dry weight. The enzymatic assays related to pilocarpine biosynthesis were carried out with the aim to elucidate the imidazole ring formation beyond identify the site were this reaction takes place. The results indicated the presence of the enzyme histidine ammonia transferase (HAT, EC 2.6.1.38) only in the protein extract obtained from the roots of P. pennatifolius. The catalytic activity for this enzyme was 46.09 nKat/ mg protein. Volatile constituents from the leaves were analyzed by GC and GC/MS and the major compounds were determined as the hydrocarbons tridecane (56.8 %) and pentadecane (25.5 %). Almost 15 % of the total composition was constituted of non-oxygenated sesquiterpenes

Evaluating the impact of methionine-enriched diets in the liver of European seabass through label-free shotgun proteomics

Plant protein sources play an essential role in aquaculture by reducing the use of fish meal to sustainable levels, although further supplementation is needed to fulfill fish nutritional requirements. This work addressed fish growth performance and proteome changes to dietary methionine in European seabass juveniles. A dose-dependent response to methionine (Met) was observed on fish growth consistent with proteomic analyses, suggesting Met requirement >= 0.9% (w/w). Fish fed at 0.77% (w/w) exhibited reduced growth and an enrichment in proteins involved in cellular homeostasis. Proteomics data suggest an optimal nutritional status at 1.36% Met (w/w), together with putative beneficial effects on the immune system up to 1.66% Met (w/w). The response to dietary Met involved the convergence of different metabolic and signalling pathways implicated in cell growth and immune response e.g., mTOR, Hedgehog or the T Cell receptor signalling, coupled with a fine-tuning regulation of amino acid metabolism and translation.European Union through FEDER, COMPETE 2020; CRESC Algarve 2020; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Portugal); European Social FundsEuropean Social Fund (ESF) [UIDB/04326/2020, IF/00482/2014/CP1217/CT0005]; [ALG-01-0247-FEDER-3520

How tryptophan levels in plant-based aquafeeds affect fish physiology, metabolism and proteome

Fish meal replacement by plant-protein sources is a priority in aquaculture feeds. Within this framework, dietary supplementation with essential amino acids (EAA), as tryptophan (TRP), is strategic to ensure that the individual nutritional needs are met, besides promoting enhanced immunological status. The purpose of this study was to examine the beneficial effects of TRP incorporation in plant-protein source diets on fish growth performance and nutritional status. We tested diets with 20% lower (LTRP) and 27% higher (HTRP) of the putative requirements of TRP for seabream (Sparus aurata) and assessed its impact on fish physiology and liver metabolism and proteome. After 12 weeks, growth performance, body proximate, hepatic composition and liver metabolic profiling were similar between diets. Nevertheless, liver proteome analysis indicated a higher accumulation of proteins involved in acute-phase responses, typically triggered by infection, inflammation or trauma, in fish fed with HTRP diet as compared with those fed with LTRP. The overall results obtained suggest a potential beneficial effect of TRP supplementation in terms of immune stimulation, without compromising growth or feed intake. Moreover, proteomics and metabolic profiling demonstrate to be valuable tools in this endeavour. Significance: Nutritional needs are hard to assess in aquaculture fisheries, and many times controversial depending on the methodology employed. The estimated amino acid requirements depend on both fish species and stage development, making it extremely hard to standardise. On the other hand, the substitution of fish-based to plant-based protein sources diets towards a sustainable aquaculture, may imbalance these requirements, being necessary further studies to assess the impact on fish growth and development. Finally, the incorporation of crystalized amino acids such as TRP into diets aims global better performance both at fish health/immune condition and growth development. This work focused on the potential beneficial effects of TRP supplementation into diets with a plant-based protein source, addressing the effects on the liver metabolism and proteome, and on growth performance of Gilthead seabream juveniles, a species with special relevance and economical importance in the Mediterranean region. The present study by employing proteomics together with metabolic profiling shows that TRP supplementation at the tested doses, does not compromise growth performance, and seems to stimulate the immune system. Our findings can contribute to the development of new feed formulations for Gilthead seabream species, therefore, reinforcing the resilience and competitiveness of the on-growing aquaculture industry and impact directly the sustainability of living resources with the decrease of the fisheries needs to fulfil the human search for quality proteins consume.European Union through FEDER [ALG-01-0247-FEDER3520]European Union through COMPETE 2020 [ALG-01-0247-FEDER3520]European Union through CRESC Algarve 2020 [ALG-01-0247-FEDER3520]Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UIDB/04326/2020]Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through COMPETE ProgrammePortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through Operational Human Potential Programmeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

TRAIL-R3-related apoptosis: Epigenetic and expression analyses in women with ovarian neoplasia

Objective. To assess the expression of TRAIL-R3 and the methylation of a CpG island within the TRAIL-R3 promoter both in cystadenoma tumors and primary and metastatic epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC).Methods. RNA was obtained from women with normal ovarian (NO) tissues (n = 18), ovarian serous cystadenoma tumors (n = 11) and EOC (n = 16) using Trizol (R). Quantitative PCR (gRT-PCR) was performed to quantify the relative levels of TRAIL-R3. The methylation frequency of the CpG island in the TRAIL-R3 promoter was assessed using the methylation-specific PCR (MSP) assay after DNA bisulfite conversion. The differences between the groups were evaluated using the chi-square, Student's t, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon or Kruskal-Wallis tests as indicated. The survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results. Cystadenoma and metastatic EOC tumors expressed significantly more TRAIL-R3 mRNA than primary EOC tumors. Methylation of the TRAIL-R3 promoter was absent in NO tissues, while hemimethylation of the TRAIL-R3 promoter was frequently found in the neoplasia samples with 45.4% of the cystadenoma tumors, 8.3% of the primary EOC samples and 11.1% of the metastatic EOC samples showing at least partial methylation (p = 0.018). Neither the expression of TRAIL-R3 nor alterations in the methylation profile were associated to cumulative progression-free survival or the overall survival in EOC patients.Conclusions. Primary EOC is associated to a lower TRAIL-R3 expression, which leads to a better understanding of the complex disease and highlighting potential therapeutic targets. Promoter DNA methylation was not related to this finding, suggesting the presence of other mechanisms to transcriptional control. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Life and death in aluminium-exposed cultures of rat lactotrophs studied by flow cytometry

Prolonged exposure to aluminium may impact health. Aluminium's deleterious effects are mostly attributed to its selective accumulation in particular organs and cell types. Occupational exposure to aluminium is allied with a reduced level of serum prolactin, a stress peptide hormone mainly synthesised and secreted by the anterior pituitary lactotrophs. Our aim was to study the effect of aluminium on the viability of rat lactotrophs in primary suspension cultures where multicellular aggregates tend to form, comprising approximately two thirds of the total cell population as confirmed by confocal microscopy. Flow cytometric light scattering of calcein acetoxymethyl ester and ethidium homodimer-1 labelled cells was used to define subpopulations of live and dead cells in heterogeneous suspensions comprised of single cells and multicellular aggregates of distinct size. Concentration-dependent effects of AlCl(3) were observed on aggregate size and cell survival. After 24-h exposure to 3 mM AlCl(3), viability of single cells declined from 5% to 3%, while in multicellular aggregates, viability declined from 23% to 20%. The proportion of single cells increased from 30% to 42% within the same concentration range, while in large aggregates, the proportion remained approximately constant representing 35% of the cell suspension. In large aggregates, cell viability (75%) remained unaltered after exposure to AlCl(3) concentrations up to 300 mu M, while in single cells, viability was halved at 30 mu M. In conclusion, our finding indicates that prolonged exposure to aluminium may lead to significant loss of pituitary cells.Ministry of Higher Education, Sciences and Technology of the Republic of SloveniaP3 310 381Z3 7476 1683BI-PT/06-07-002FCTSFRH/BD/41217/2007SFRH/BD27467/2006SFRH/BPD/14677/2003GRICES - MCTES (4.1.1 Eslovénia