Lipase and esterase - to what extent can this classification be applied accurately?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Enzyme technology is an ever-growing field of knowledge and, in recent years, this technology has raised renewed interest, due to the search for new paradigms in several productive processes. Lipases, esterases and cutinases are enzymes used in a wide range of processes involving synthesis and hydrolysis reactions. The objective of this work was to investigate and compare the specific lipase and esterase activities of five enzymes - four already classified as lipases and one classified as cutinase - in the presence of natural and synthetic substrates. All tested enzymes presented both esterase and lipase specific activities. The highest specific esterase activity was observed for Aspergillus 1068 lipase in natural substrate and for F. oxysporum cutinase in synthetic substrate, while the highest specific lipase activity was observed for Geotrichum sp. lipase in natural substrate and for F. oxysporum cutinase in synthetic substrate. These results display some interface-independent lipolytic activity for all lipases tested. This is in accordance with the rationale that a new and broader definition of lipases may be necessary.313608613Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Thresholds of riparian forest use by terrestrial mammals in a fragmented Amazonian deforestation frontier

Species persistence in fragmented landscapes is intimately related to the quality, structure, and context of remaining habitat remnants. Riparian vegetation is legally protected within private landholdings in Brazil, so we quantitatively assessed occupancy patterns of terrestrial mammals in these remnants, examining under which circumstances different species effectively use them. We selected 38 riparian forest patches and five comparable riparian sites within continuous forest, at which we installed four to five camera-traps per site (199 camera-trap stations). Terrestrial mammal assemblages were sampled for 60 days per station during the dry seasons of 2013 and 2014. We modelled species occupancy and detection probabilities within riparian forest remnants, and examined the effects of patch size, habitat quality, and landscape structure on occupancy probabilities. We then scaled-up modelled occupancies to all 1915 riparian patches throughout the study region to identify which remnants retain the greatest potential to work as habitat for terrestrial vertebrates. Of the ten species for which occupancy was modelled, six responded to forest quality (remnant degradation, cattle intrusion, palm aggregations, and understorey density) or structure (remnant width, isolation, length, and area of the patch from which it originates). Patch suitability was lower considering habitat quality than landscape structure, and virtually all riparian remnants were unsuitable to maintain a high occupancy probability for all species that responded to forest patch quality or structure. Beyond safeguarding legal compliance concerning riparian remnant amount, ensuring terrestrial vertebrate persistence in fragmented landscapes will require curbing the drivers of forest degradation within private landholdings

QCD and strongly coupled gauge theories : challenges and perspectives

We highlight the progress, current status, and open challenges of QCD-driven physics, in theory and in experiment. We discuss how the strong interaction is intimately connected to a broad sweep of physical problems, in settings ranging from astrophysics and cosmology to strongly coupled, complex systems in particle and condensed-matter physics, as well as to searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. We also discuss how success in describing the strong interaction impacts other fields, and, in turn, how such subjects can impact studies of the strong interaction. In the course of the work we offer a perspective on the many research streams which flow into and out of QCD, as well as a vision for future developments.Peer reviewe

Epigenetics provides a new generation of oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes

Cancer is nowadays recognised as a genetic and epigenetic disease. Much effort has been devoted in the last 30 years to the elucidation of the ‘classical' oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes involved in malignant cell transformation. However, since the acceptance that major disruption of DNA methylation, histone modification and chromatin compartments are a common hallmark of human cancer, epigenetics has come to the fore in cancer research. One piece is still missing from the story: are the epigenetic genes themselves driving forces on the road to tumorigenesis? We are in the early stages of finding the answer, and the data are beginning to appear: knockout mice defective in DNA methyltransferases, methyl-CpG-binding proteins and histone methyltransferases strongly affect the risk of cancer onset; somatic mutations, homozygous deletions and methylation-associated silencing of histone acetyltransferases, histone methyltransferases and chromatin remodelling factors are being found in human tumours; and the first cancer-prone families arising from germline mutations in epigenetic genes, such as hSNF5/INI1, have been described. Even more importantly, all these ‘new' oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes provide novel molecular targets for designed therapies, and the first DNA-demethylating agents and inhibitors of histone deacetylases are reaching the bedside of patients with haematological malignancies

Analysis of Nursing Dissertations and Theses on Mental Health, Brazil, 1979-2007

This bibliographic study analyzes scientific texts published in the CEPEn database in the mental health field (1979-2007). A total of 280 abstracts were investigated, of which 208 were Master’s theses. The individuals investigated in these studies were professionals (57), patients (50), and professors and/or students (18). Among the themes addressed between 2000 and 2007 were the following: Nursing Care in Mental Health (40), Perception in Mental Health (37); and Transversality in Mental Health Care (27). This study provided an overview of the scientific research produced in the mental health field in Brazilian nursing graduate programs. We expect this study to elicit reflections concerning mental health care practice and enable new approaches for nursing promoting health and the prevention of diseases in order to enable patients to recover their citizenship, autonomy and quality of life.Se trata de un estudio bibliográfico, con el objetivo de analizar los textos científicos divulgados en la base de datos CEPEn en el área de salud mental (1979-2007). El total de resúmenes estudiados fueron 280, de los cuales 208 eran disertaciones de maestría. Los sujetos que se destacaron fueron los profesionales (57) y pacientes (50). Entre las temáticas abordadas se evidenciaron (2000-2007): el Cuidado de Enfermería en Salud Mental (40) y la Percepción en Salud Mental (37). Este trabajo posibilitó obtener una visión panorámica sobre la producción científica en salud mental en los cursos de Posgraduación en Enfermería en Brasil. Esperamos que el estudio incentive la reflexión sobre las prácticas de cuidado en salud mental y posibilite nuevos abordajes en enfermería con el objetivo de promover la salud y prevenir daños, de forma a favorecer la ciudadanía, la autonomía y la calidad de vida de los sujetos envueltos.Trata-se de estudo bibliográfico, com o objetivo de analisar os textos científicos, divulgados na base de dados CEPEn, na área de saúde mental (1979-2007). O total de resumos estudados foi 280, dos quais 208 constituíam-se de dissertações de mestrado. Os sujeitos que se destacaram foram os profissionais (57) e pacientes (50). Dentre as temáticas abordadas evidenciaram-se (2000-2007): o cuidado de enfermagem em saúde mental (40) e a percepção em saúde mental (37). Este trabalho possibilitou visualização panorâmica acerca da produção científica em saúde mental nos cursos de pós-graduação em enfermagem, no Brasil. Espera-se, aqui, que o estudo suscite reflexões acerca das práticas de cuidado em saúde mental e possibilite novas abordagens em enfermagem, com vistas à promoção da saúde e prevenção de agravos que favoreçam a cidadania, autonomia e qualidade de vida dos sujeitos envolvidos

Histone modifications as markers of cancer prognosis: a cellular view

Alterations in modifications of histones have been linked to deregulated expression of many genes with important roles in cancer development and progression. The effects of these alterations have so far been interpreted from a promoter-specific viewpoint, focussing on gene–gene differences in patterns of histone modifications. However, recent findings suggest that cancer tissues also display cell–cell differences in total amount of specific histone modifications. This novel cellular epigenetic heterogeneity is related to clinical outcome of cancer patients and may serve as a valuable marker of prognosis

Concepts of epigenetics in prostate cancer development

Substantial evidence now supports the view that epigenetic changes have a role in the development of human prostate cancer. Analyses of the patterns of epigenetic alteration are providing important insights into the origin of this disease and have identified specific alterations that may serve as useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Examination of cancer methylation patterns supports a stem cell origin of prostate cancer. It is well established that methylation of GSTpi is a marker of prostate cancer, and global patterns of histone marking appear to be linked to cancer prognosis with levels of acetylated histones H3K9, H3K18, and H4K12, and of dimethylated H4R3 and H3K4, dividing low-grade prostate cancer (Gleason 6 or less) into two prognostically separate groups. Elevated levels of several components of the polycomb group protein complex, EZH2, BMI1, and RING1, can also act as biomarkers of poor clinical outcome. Many components of the epigenetic machinery, including histone deacetylase (whose expression level is linked to the TMPRSS2: ERG translocation) and the histone methylase EZH2, are potential therapeutic targets. The recent discovery of the role of small RNAs in governing the epigenetic status of individual genes offers exciting new possibilities in therapeutics and chemoprevention

Translational studies in the complex role of neurotransmitter systems in anxiety and anxiety disorders

Discovery of innovative anxiolytics is severely hampering. Existing anxiolytics are developed decades ago and are still the therapeutics of choice. Moreover, lack of new drug targets forecasts a severe jeopardy in the future treatment of the huge population of CNS-diseased patients. We simply lack the knowledge on what is wrong in brains of anxious people (normal and diseased). Translational research, based on interacting clinical and preclinical research, is extremely urgent. In this endeavor, genetic and genomic approaches are part of the spectrum of contributing factors. We focus on three druggable targets: serotonin transporter, 5-HT1A, and GABAA receptors. It is still uncertain whether and how these targets are involved in normal and diseased anxiety processes. For serotonergic anxiolytics, the slow onset of action points to indirect effects leading to plasticity changes in brain systems leading to reduced anxiety. For GABAA benzodiazepine drugs, acute anxiolytic effects are found indicating primary mechanisms directly influencing anxiety processes. Close translational collaboration between fundamental academic and discovery research will lead to badly needed breakthroughs in the search for new anxiolytics.</p