Protective effect of ions against cell death induced by acid stress in Saccharomyces

Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic used to prevent or treat antibiotic-induced gastrointestinal disorders and acute enteritis. For probiotics to be effective they must first be able to survive the harsh gastrointestinal environment. In this work, we show that S. boulardii displayed the greatest tolerance to simulated gastric environments compared with several Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains tested. Under these conditions, a pH 2.0 was the main factor responsible for decreased cell viability. Importantly, the addition of low concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) protected cells in acidic conditions more effectively than other salts. In the absence of S. boulardii mutants, the protective effects of Na 1 in yeast viability in acidic conditions was tested using S. cerevisiae Na 1 -ATPases (ena1-4), Na 1 /H 1 antiporter (nha1D) and Na 1 /H 1 antiporter prevacuolar (nhx1D) null mutants, respectively. Moreover, we provide evidence suggesting that this protection is determined by the plasma membrane potential, once altered by low pH and low NaCl concentrations. Additionally, the absence or low expression/activity of Ena proteins seems to be closely related to the basal membrane potential of the cells

Erythrina velutina Willd. alkaloids: Piecing biosynthesis together from transcriptome analysis and metabolite profiling of seeds and leaves

Introduction: Natural products of pharmaceutical interest often do not reach the drug market due to the associated low yields and difficult extraction. Knowledge of biosynthetic pathways is a key element in the development of biotechnological strategies for plant specialized metabolite production. The scarce studies regarding non-model plants impair advances in this field. Erythrina spp. are mainly used as central nervous system depressants in folk medicine and are important sources of bioactive tetracyclic benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, which can act on several pathology-related biological targets. Objective: Herein the purpose is to employ combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses (seeds and leaves) of a non-model medicinal Fabaceae species grown in its unique arid natural habitat. The study tries to propose a putative biosynthetic pathway for the bioactive alkaloids by using an omic integrated approach. Methods: The Next Generation Sequencing-based transcriptome (de novo RNA sequencing) was carried out in a Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. Regarding the targeted metabolite profiling, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to a micrOTOF-QII, High Resolution Mass Spectrometer, were used. Results: This detailed macro and micromolecular approach applied to seeds and leaves of E. velutina revealed 42 alkaloids by metabolome tools. Based on the combined evidence, 24 gene candidates were put together in a putative pathway leading to the singular alkaloid diversity of this species. Conclusion: These results contribute by indicating potential biotechnological targets Erythrina alkaloids biosynthesis as well as to improve molecular databases with omic data from a non-model medicinal plant. Furthermore, they reveal an interesting chemical diversity in Erythrina velutina harvested in Caatinga. Last, but not least, this data may also contribute to tap Brazilian biodiversity in a rational and sustainable fashion, promoting adequate public policies for preservation and protection of sensitive areas within the Caatinga

Precarização do trabalho docente e os impactos na saúde – o professor no seu limite.

O objetivo do presente artigo é fazer uma análise do trabalho docente nas Universidades Federais a partir do fenômeno da precarização social do trabalho e de seus impactos na saúde. Descreve as dimensões fundamentais desse processo tais como: intensificação do trabalho a partir da multiplicidade de tarefas, os obstáculos e significados da captação de recursos para a pesquisa,as contradições entre a formação e as demandas do sistema universitário, a degradação da sociabilidade acadêmica e o consequente afastamento dos movimentos coletivos de reivindicação, o excesso de controle externo à Universidade, a ilusão de autonomia e finalmente a perda da saúde.A análise dos dados demonstra que a principal contradição vivida pelo docente é o fato de que a autonomia percebida pelo mesmo não é a exercida, uma vez que está submetido a diversos controles internos e externos do sistema meritocrático, cujas exigências ultrapassam a capacidade física e psíquica do professor para responder adequadamente, pressionando o seu limite bio-psico-social. Entretanto, compreender o processo de precarização e alienação é a base para a transformação e emancipação daqueles que possuem o papel fundamental de desenvolver as capacidades humanas e que, precisam de qualidade de vida no trabalho, de um trabalho decente

A trajetória da criação dos Bacharelados Interdisciplinares na Universidade Federal da Bahia

Resumo A presente pesquisa tem como proposta investigar as bases históricas da Universidade e analisar suas influências para o surgimento dos cursos Bacharelados Interdisciplinares na Universidade Federal da Bahia. Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura com o objetivo de compreender com maior clareza as novas contingências políticas, sociais e educacionais brasileiras que demandaram uma reformulação na arquitetura curricular e pedagógica, adequando-as à realidade do ensino superior no século XXI. A criação dos Bacharelados Interdisciplinares, pautada no sistema de ciclos, almeja responder as atuais demandas contemporâneas que necessitam, cada vez mais, de uma integração entre as várias áreas do conhecimento. Neste sentido, este estudo aponta para a necessidade de construção de uma nova Universidade, através da restruturação dos currículos universitários e do processo de autonomia do graduando em seu percurso formativo, fundamentado na epistemologia interdisciplinar com pilares coerentes com as novas demandas da atualidade

Neurologic manifestations in emerging arboviral diseases in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil, 2015-2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION Dengue has affected Rio de Janeiro City since the 1980s. The sequential Zika and chikungunya virus introductions during 2015 aggravated the health scenario, with 97,241 cases of arboviral diseases reported in 2015-2016, some with neurological disorders. METHODS Arbovirus-related neurologic cases were descriptively analyzed, including neurological syndromes and laboratory results. RESULTS In total, 112 cases with non-congenital neurologic manifestations (Guillain-Barré syndrome, 64.3%; meningoencephalitis, 24.1%; acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis, 8%) were arbovirus-related; 43.7% were laboratory-confirmed, of which 57.1% were chikungunya-positive. CONCLUSIONS Emerging arbovirus infections brought opportunities to study atypical, severe manifestations. Surveillance responses optimized case identification and better clinical approaches

Protective effect of ions against cell death induced by acid stress in Saccharomyces.

Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic used to prevent or treat antibiotic-induced gastrointestinal disorders and acute enteritis. For probiotics to be effective they must first be able to survive the harsh gastrointestinal environment. In this work, we show that S. boulardii displayed the greatest tolerance to simulated gastric environments compared with several Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains tested. Under these conditions, a pH 2.0 was the main factor responsible for decreased cell viability. Importantly, the addition of low concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) protected cells in acidic conditions more effectively than other salts. In the absence of S. boulardii mutants, the protective effects of Na1 in yeast viability in acidic conditions was tested using S. cerevisiae Na1-ATPases (ena1-4), Na1/H1 antiporter (nha1D) and Na1/H1 antiporter prevacuolar (nhx1D) null mutants, respectively. Moreover, we provide evidence suggesting that this protection is determined by the plasma membrane potential, once altered by low pH and low NaCl concentrations. Additionally, the absence or low expression/activity of Ena proteins seems to be closely related to the basal membrane potential of the cells