Ionic liquids as entrainers for terpenes fractionation and other relevant separation problems

This work discusses the potential of two phosphonium-based ionic liquids (ILs), [P6,6,6,14]Cl and [P6,6,6,14][(C8H17)2PO2], and one methylimidazolium-based IL, [C4mim][OAc], as entrainers in the fractionation of terpene mixtures, in the desulfurization and denitrification of fuel oils, and in the separation of aromatics from aliphatic hydrocarbons. To this aim, the activity coefficients at infinite dilution of 45 solutes were obtained by gas-chromatography in the temperature range (333.15–458.15) K. Selectivities and capacities were calculated showing that [P6,6,6,14]Cl is adequate for the fractionation of (−)-menthone/L-(−)-menthol mixture, being also a suitable option for the deterpenation of citrus essential oil, and the removal of thiophene and pyridine from aliphatic hydrocarbons. To complement the experimental measurements COSMO-RS model was tested, demonstrating good potential to screen separation agents and give insights for several important separation problems, including the removal of contaminants from fuels and the isolation, fractionation and purification of terpenes mixtures.This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECOAveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020 & UIDP/50011/2020, and CIMO-Mountain Research Center, UIDB/00690/2020, both financed by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology/MCTES. Sérgio M. Vilas-Boas also thanks FCT for the Ph.D. grant (SFRH/BD/138149/2018).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vitamin D Modulates Hematological Parameters and Cell Migration into Peritoneal and Pulmonary Cavities in Alloxan-Diabetic Mice

Background/Aims. The effects of cholecalciferol supplementation on the course of diabetes in humans and animals need to be better understood. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of short-term cholecalciferol supplementation on biochemical and hematological parameters in mice. Methods. Male diabetic (alloxan, 60mg/kg i.v., 10 days) and non diabetic mice were supplemented with cholecalciferol for seven days. The following parameters were determined: serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, phosphorus, calcium, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, red blood cell count, white blood cell count (WBC), hematocrit, hemoglobin, differential cell counts of peritoneal lavage (PeL), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids and morphological analysis of lung, kidney, and liver tissues. Results. Relative to controls, cholecalciferol supplementation increased serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell counts and decreased leukocyte cell counts of PeL and BAL fluids in diabetic mice. Diabetic mice that were not treated with cholecalciferol had lower serum calcium and albumin levels and hemoglobin, WBC, and mononuclear blood cell counts and higher serum creatinine and urea levels than controls. Conclusion. Our results suggest that cholecalciferol supplementation improves the hematological parameters and reduces leukocyte migration into the PeL and BAL lavage of diabetic mice.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Pro-reitoria de Pesquisa da Universidade de Sao Paulo (PRP/USP, Projeto I and Novos Docentes)Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Clin & Toxicol Anal, Lab Immunoendocrinol,FCF, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med, Rheumatol Div, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilDepartment of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2010/02272-0FAPESP: 2012/23998-4FAPESP: 2013/20904-1FAPESP: 2014/05214-1FAPESP: 2017/05100-4CNPq: 470523/2013-1CNPq: 301617/2016-3Web of Scienc

The radial arrangement of the human chromosome 7 in the lymphocyte cell nucleus is associated with chromosomal band gene density

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ Springer-Verlag 2008.In the nuclei of human lymphocytes, chromosome territories are distributed according to the average gene density of each chromosome. However, chromosomes are very heterogeneous in size and base composition, and can contain both very gene-dense and very gene-poor regions. Thus, a precise analysis of chromosome organisation in the nuclei should consider also the distribution of DNA belonging to the chromosomal bands in each chromosome. To improve our understanding of the chromatin organisation, we localised chromosome 7 DNA regions, endowed with different gene densities, in the nuclei of human lymphocytes. Our results showed that this chromosome in cell nuclei is arranged radially with the gene-dense/GC-richest regions exposed towards the nuclear interior and the gene-poorest/GC-poorest ones located at the nuclear periphery. Moreover, we found that chromatin fibres from the 7p22.3 and the 7q22.1 bands are not confined to the territory of the bulk of this chromosome, protruding towards the inner part of the nucleus. Overall, our work demonstrates the radial arrangement of the territory of chromosome 7 in the lymphocyte nucleus and confirms that human genes occupy specific radial positions, presumably to enhance intra- and inter-chromosomal interaction among loci displaying a similar expression pattern, and/or similar replication timing

XPR1 mediates the pancreatic B-cell phosphate flush

Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion is the hallmark of the pancreatic β-cell, a critical player in the regulation of blood glucose concentration. In 1974, the remarkable observation was made that an efflux of intracellular inorganic phosphate (P ) accompanied the events of stimulated insulin secretion. The mechanism behind this "phosphate flush," its association with insulin secretion, and its regulation have since then remained a mystery. We recapitulated the phosphate flush in the MIN6m9 β-cell line and pseudoislets. We demonstrated that knockdown of XPR1, a phosphate transporter present in MIN6m9 cells and pancreatic islets, prevented this flush. Concomitantly, XPR1 silencing led to intracellular P accumulation and a potential impact on Ca signaling. XPR1 knockdown slightly blunted first-phase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in MIN6m9 cells, but had no significant impact on pseudoislet secretion. In keeping with other cell types, basal P efflux was stimulated by inositol pyrophosphates, and basal intracellular P accumulated following knockdown of inositol hexakisphosphate kinases. However, the glucose-driven phosphate flush occurred despite inositol pyrophosphate depletion. Finally, while it is unlikely that XPR1 directly affects exocytosis, it may protect Ca signaling. Thus, we have revealed XPR1 as the missing mediator of the phosphate flush, shedding light on a 45-year-old mystery

Perfil do sono de pacientes em hemodiálise: um estudo transversal no Distrito Federal

Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil do sono de pacientes em hemodiálise (HD). Métodos: Estudo transversal com pacientes em hemodiálise de duas clínicas no Distrito Federal, Brasil. Durante a sessão de HD houve a aplicações dos questionários de Índice de Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburgh e Escala de Sonolência de Epworth. Resultados: Foram incluídos 65 pacientes (56,9% homens e 61,4 ± 16,4 anos). Os resultados demonstraram qualidade do sono irregular em 57,6% da amostra. A presença de sonolência diurna excessiva compreendeu 34,6% dos pacientes. Conclusão: Nossos achados mostram um perfil do sono prejudicado em pacientes em HD, evidenciando um preocupante cenário, que pode ser avaliado e identificado com facilidade por meio de instrumentos de rastreio

Use of a non-homologous end-joining-deficient strain (delta-ku70) of the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma virens to investigate the function of the laccase gene lcc1 in sclerotia degradation

The aim of this study was to apply a generated Δtku70 strain with increased homologous recombination efficiency from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma virens for studying the involvement of laccases in the degradation of sclerotia of plant pathogenic fungi. Inactivation of the non-homologous end-joining pathway has become a successful tool in filamentous fungi to overcome poor targeting efficiencies for genetic engineering. Here, we applied this principle to the biocontrol fungus T. virens, strain I10, by deleting its tku70 gene. This strain was subsequently used to delete the laccase gene lcc1, which we found to be expressed after interaction of T. virens with sclerotia of the plant pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Lcc1 was strongly upregulated at early colonization of B. cinerea sclerotia and steadily induced during colonization of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia. The Δtku70Δlcc1 mutant was altered in its ability to degrade the sclerotia of B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum. Interestingly, while the decaying ability for B. cinerea sclerotia was significantly decreased, that to degrade S. sclerotiorum sclerotia was even enhanced, suggesting the operation of different mechanisms in the mycoparasitism of these two types of sclerotia by the laccase LCC1

Isolation of Proteinase K-Sensitive Prions Using Pronase E and Phosphotungstic Acid

Disease-related prion protein, PrPSc, is classically distinguished from its normal cellular precursor, PrPC, by its detergent insolubility and partial resistance to proteolysis. Molecular diagnosis of prion disease typically relies upon detection of protease-resistant fragments of PrPSc using proteinase K, however it is now apparent that the majority of disease-related PrP and indeed prion infectivity may be destroyed by this treatment. Here we report that digestion of RML prion-infected mouse brain with pronase E, followed by precipitation with sodium phosphotungstic acid, eliminates the large majority of brain proteins, including PrPC, while preserving >70% of infectious prion titre. This procedure now allows characterization of proteinase K-sensitive prions and investigation of their clinical relevance in human and animal prion disease without being confounded by contaminating PrPC