Biocatalytic conversion of renewable feedstocks for production of value-added chemicals

Biocatalytic processes using transketolase have previously been developed in order to produce polyalcohols; an important class of chiral molecule, often used for the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Transketolase catalyses asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation by transferring a two-carbon moiety between a ketose and an aldose sugar. Nowadays, there is a focus on sustainable processes, based on the use of renewable feedstocks, in order to reduce energy consumption and waste production. The aim of this study was to establish novel methods for the evaluation and optimisation of the transketolase-catalysed upgrading of L-arabinose and D-galacturonic acid, the major pectin components of sugar beet pulp, a by-product obtained from sugar beet bio-refineries, and to explore their subsequent amination. The first objective involved transketolase production, activity evaluation and the development of a detailed kinetic model for the bioconversion of L-arabinose to L-glucoheptulose using cell lysates. Optimising cell growth and protein expression for the H461Y transketolase mutant and using clarified lysate as biocatalyst, an initial reaction rate of 51 µmol L-1 min-1 was reached. This is the highest initial reaction rate for the production of L-glucoheptulose reported to date. It was found that the high Michaelis constant of L-arabinose determines the rate of the overall reaction, and that Lithium hydroxypyruvate is inhibitory at concentrations > 1 mM. Screening of a library of transaminase enzymes identified a transaminase that could convert L-glucoheptulose to (2S,3S,4S,5R)-6-aminoheptane-1,2,3,4,5,7-hexaol. A kinetic model for the L-arabinose bioconversion using pure H461Y transketolase as biocatalyst was also generated. Comparison of the kinetic parameters of the purified and lysate forms of the enzyme indicated that there is no significant difference between the two enzyme preparations. A second objective was to assess the utilisation of transketolase for the upgrading of D-galacturonic acid. Mutant H461Y was identified as also being able to achieve the bioconversion of D-galacturonic acid into 2,3,4,5,6,8-hexahydroxy-7-oxooctanoic acid. A detailed kinetic model of this bioconversion was also established. This showed that H461Y transketolase presents higher affinity for D-galacturonic acid than for L-arabinose since D-galacturonic acid bioconversions reached completion in less than 12 hours. The model showed that Lithium hydroxypyruvate exhibits inhibition to the reaction at concentrations > 1 mM. This is consistent with the L-arabinose bioconversion study. Optimum conditions for 2,3,4,5,6,8-hexahydroxy-7-oxooctanoic acid synthesis would involve the use of high D-galacturonic acid and low Lithium hydroxypyruvate concentrations. Based on the insights of the kinetic model for the lysate TK, options to improve the productivity of the bioconversion process were finally explored. The most productive conditions for the synthesis of L-glucoheptulose in a fed-batch process at preparative scale involved using high L-arabinose (111 mM) and low Lithium hydroxypyruvate (>10 mM) concentrations. Under the optimised conditions the maximum L-glucoheptulose productivity achieved was 56.8 mg L-1h-1. Overall, this work has established the foundations for the biocatalytic upgrading of L-arabinose and D-galacturonic acid from SBP as a sustainable feedstock. The products formed have potential applications in hypoglycaemia and cancer treatment

Actualización catastral de un distrito urbano ubicado en el municipio de Catarina Departamento de Masaya de Agosto a Octubre del 2014

El presente estudio del proyecto catastral, se hizo con el propósito de completar todas aquellas actividades destinadas a la actualización catastral municipal, recopilando la información a través de un levantamiento y encuesta catastral que se recogen por medio de formularios donde se plasman las características físicas de la propiedad; Una vez tomada la información se procesa a través de un software el que genera una series de reportes que sirven para la planificación del Municipio, es decir se generó un diagnostico. Para realizar el levantamiento y encuesta catastral de cada uno de los predios, se efectúo un trabajo de campo en el sitio donde se desarrolló el estudio y material cartográfico del municipio, trabajo en estrecha colaboración con la Alcaldía y la población afectada por el proyecto. Sin embargo, el equipo de trabajo de la Unidad Técnica de Catastro de la Municipalidad de Catarina, tomará la responsabilidad única de las conclusiones a que llegue el estudio y las recomendaciones que se formule una vez concluido este levantamiento Catastra

Rheological Characterization of Commercial Sweetened Condensed Milk

The present study have analyzed samples of sweetened condensed milk of five brands sold in the Brazilian market regarding their rheological behavior and viscoelasticity. The products presented pseudoplastic fluid behavior, illustrated by the experimental data of shear stress versus strain rate, with adjustments made to fit the Power Law and Casson models. The effect of temperature on apparent viscosity of the products followed the Arrhenius model, with activation energy values ranging from 33.8 to 40.9 kJ mol-1. The products showed loss modulus (G’’) greater than storage modulus (G ‘), indicating a semi-liquid material behavior

Zika Virus Disrupts Molecular Fingerprinting Of Human Neurospheres

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Zika virus (ZIKV) has been associated with microcephaly and other brain abnormalities; however, the molecular consequences of ZIKV to human brain development are still not fully understood. Here we describe alterations in human neurospheres derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells infected with the strain of Zika virus that is circulating in Brazil. Combining proteomics and mRNA transcriptional profiling, over 500 proteins and genes associated with the Brazilian ZIKV infection were found to be differentially expressed. These genes and proteins provide an interactome map, which indicates that ZIKV controls the expression of RNA processing bodies, miRNA biogenesis and splicing factors required for self-replication. It also suggests that impairments in the molecular pathways underpinning cell cycle and neuronal differentiation are caused by ZIKV. These results point to biological mechanisms implicated in brain malformations, which are important to further the understanding of ZIKV infection and can be exploited as therapeutic potential targets to mitigate it.7Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP)National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)Foundation for Research Support in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [14/21035-0, 14/14881-1, 13/08711-3, 14/10068-4]Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Putting into action the REGCM4.6 regional climate model for the study of climate change, variability and modeling over Central America and Mexico

What: International experts and attendees from several countries of Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean (CAM), and South America (SA) met to discuss regional issues on climate variability and climate change to learn the use of the non-hydrostatic version of the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) RegCM4.6 model, and to establish a regional modeling scientific community for understanding the physics of climate processes and the generation of regional climate change scenarios. When: 14-18 November 2016. Where: Center for Geophysical Research (CIGEFI in Spanish) and School of Physics, University of Costa Rica (UCR), San José, Costa Rica.Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones/[FI-0015-16]/MICITT/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B0-065]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-A8-606]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B0-130]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-A9-224]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-A7-002]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B0-402]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B3-600]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B4-227]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B5-296]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[808-A9-180]/UCR/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigaciones Geofísicas (CIGEFI

Dietary factors associated with metabolic syndrome in Brazilian adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is defined as the association of numerous factors that increase cardiovascular risk and diet is one of the main factors related to increase the MS in the population. This study aimed to evaluate the association of diet on the presence of MS in an adult population sample.</p> <p>Methodology</p> <p>305 adults were clinically screened to participate in a lifestyle modification program. Anthropometric assessments included waist circumference (WC), body fat and calculated BMI (kg/m²) and muscle-mass index (MMI kg/m²). Dietary intake was estimated by 24 h dietary recall. Fasting blood was used for biochemical analysis. MS was diagnosed using NCEP-ATPIII (2001) criteria with adaptation for glucose (≥ 100 mg/dL). Logistic regression (Odds ratio) was performed in order to determine the odds ratio for developing MS according to dietary intake.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An adequate intake of fruits, OR = 0.52 (CI:0.28-0.98), and an intake of more than 8 different items in the diet (variety), OR = 0.31 (CI:0.12-0.79) showed to be a protective factor against a diagnosis of MS. Saturated fat intake greater than 10% of total caloric value represented a risk for MS diagnosis, OR = 2.0 (1.04-3.84).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Regarding the dietary aspect, a risk factor for MS was higher intake of saturated fat, and protective factors were high diet variety and adequate fruit intake.</p

Testagem, Quarentena e Telemonitoramento Da Covid-19 na Atenção Básica: Reflexões das Experiências da Gestão e Assistência

The initial cases of Covid-19, originating in China, triggered a pandemic, exposing deficiencies in the healthcare system. The project "Expansion of Testing, Quarantine, and Telemonitoring Strategies to Contribute to Confronting the Covid-19 Pandemic in Brazil" emerged in response to this crisis. This article aims to recount the project's experience in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic in primary healthcare. Monitors operated between June 2022 and February 2023 in Family Health Units and Basic Health Units in Salvador, Bahia. Their activities included supporting the implementation of the strategy, resource organization, conducting sociobehavioral research, and providing guidance to healthcare workers and users. The participation of monitors as intermediaries between healthcare professionals, bureaucratic demands, and users facilitated communication, testing, and research. Outreach strategies, such as meetings, local radio broadcasts, social media, and the distribution of pamphlets, resulted in increased community adherence to testing and participation in the research. However, challenges emerged due to insecurity in certain neighborhoods, impacting access to healthcare services. The contribution of monitors to the expansion of the strategy strengthened the research, enabling the systematization of care, dynamic operations, and ensuring qualified and safe attention.Los primeros casos de Covid-19, originados en China, desencadenaron una pandemia, evidenciando deficiencias en el sistema de salud. El proyecto "Expansión de Estrategias de Pruebas, Cuarentena y Telemonitoreo para Contribuir en la Enfrentamiento de la Pandemia de Covid-19 en Brasil" surgió como respuesta a esta crisis. Este artículo busca relatar la experiencia del proyecto en la lucha contra la pandemia de Covid-19 en la atención primaria de la salud. Los monitores trabajaron entre junio de 2022 y febrero de 2023 en Unidades de Salud de la Familia y Unidades Básicas de Salud en Salvador, Bahía. Sus actividades incluyeron apoyo a la implementación de la estrategia, organización de recursos, aplicación de investigaciones sociocomportamentales y orientación a trabajadores de la salud y usuarios. La participación de los monitores como mediadores entre profesionales de la salud, demandas burocráticas y usuarios facilitó la comunicación, la realización de pruebas y la investigación. Estrategias de divulgación, como reuniones, radios locales, redes sociales y distribución de folletos, resultaron en una mayor adhesión comunitaria a las pruebas y en la participación en la investigación. Sin embargo, surgieron desafíos debido a la inseguridad en ciertos barrios, afectando el acceso a los servicios de salud. La contribución de los monitores en la expansión de la estrategia fortaleció la investigación, permitiendo la sistematización de la asistencia, operaciones dinámicas y garantizando atención calificada y segura.Os primeiros casos de Covid-19, originados na China, desencadearam uma pandemia, evidenciando deficiências no sistema de saúde. O projeto "Expansão das Estratégias de Testagem, Quarentena e Telemonitoramento para Contribuir no Enfrentamento da Pandemia de Covid-19 no Brasil" surgiu como resposta a essa crise. Este artigo busca relatar a experiência dos de projeto no enfrentamento da pandemia de Covid-19 na atenção básica à saúde. Os monitores atuaram entre junho de 2022 e fevereiro de 2023 em Unidades de Saúde da Família e Unidades Básicas de Saúde em Salvador, Bahia. Suas atividades incluíram apoio à implementação da estratégia, organização de recursos, aplicação de pesquisas sociocomportamentais e orientação a trabalhadores da saúde e usuários. A participação dos monitores como mediadores entre profissionais de saúde, demandas burocráticas e usuários facilitou a comunicação, a realização de testes e a pesquisa. Estratégias de divulgação, como reuniões, rádios locais, redes sociais e distribuição de folhetos, resultaram em maior adesão comunitária aos testes e na participação na pesquisa. Contudo, desafios surgiram devido à insegurança em determinados bairros, impactando o acesso aos serviços de saúde. A contribuição dos monitores na expansão da estratégia fortaleceu a pesquisa, permitindo a sistematização da assistência, operações dinâmicas e garantindo atenção qualificada e segura

AI is a viable alternative to high throughput screening: a 318-target study

: High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, high-quality X-ray crystal structures, or manual cherry-picking of compounds. We show that the molecules selected by the AtomNet® model are novel drug-like scaffolds rather than minor modifications to known bioactive compounds. Our empirical results suggest that computational methods can substantially replace HTS as the first step of small-molecule drug discovery

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ