Is it up to them? Individual leverages for sufficiency

Sufficiency is one important strategy for sustainable development. At an individual level, we need a better understanding of the relationship between sufficiency attitude and CO2 footprint. In this paper, we analyze sufficiency as a psychological determinant of low-carbon lifestyles and introduce an empirical measurement scale for individual sufficiency attitudes. Sufficiency aims at a total reduction of resource consumption, which is urgently needed to achieve our climate and sustainable development goals. This paper explores individual attitude towards a sufficiency-oriented lifestyle as a driver of a low carbon footprint. Survey data of 310 participants was analyzed to test whether individual sufficiency attitude manifests in people’s carbon footprint. The results provide evidence for this relationship but its strength varies between behavioral domains ‐ that is, heating, electricity, food consumption, everyday mobility, air travel. Potential structural and individual barriers to reducing CO2 emissions are discussed as possible factors that could explain differences between the behavioral domains. We argue that intrapersonal factors matter for sustainable lifestyles but that policy-making and structural change should complement and facilitate voluntary endeavors to achieve low-carbon lifestyles

Xylanase from Fusarium heterosporum: Properties and influence of thiol compounds on xylanase activity

The properties of xylanase purified from Fusarium heterosporum that was grown in barley-brewing residue under solid-state fermentation and the effects of thiol compounds on the reactivation of the metal ion-inhibited xylanase were investigated. Xylanase was purified to homogeneity by ion exchange chromatography, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 19.5 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimum pH for the xylanase was 5.0, and it was stable in acidic pH (4.5 to 5.5), where it retained more than 87% of its activity after 24 h. The optimum temperature was 50°C, and it had a half-life of 53 min at 45°C. The apparent Km and Vmax values for the xylanase were 5.63 mg/ml and 800 μmol/mg/min, respectively. Ba2+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and the thiol compounds β-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol (DTT) enhanced xylanase activity, while Hg2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ strongly inhibited enzyme activity. Furthermore, this xylanase had an alternative mode of regulation in the presence of thiol compounds because the enzyme was able to recover its catalytic activity after inhibition by heavy metal ions.Keywords: Hemicellulase, fungus, solid-state fermentation, barley brewing residue, thiol compoundsAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(9), pp. 1047-1055, 26 February, 201

Monitoring fish communities through environmental DNA metabarcoding in the fish pass system of the second largest hydropower plant in the world

The Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant is the second largest in the world in power generation. The artificial barrier created by its dam imposes an obstacle for fish migration. Thus, in 2002, a fish pass system, named Piracema Channel, was built to allow fish to access areas upstream of the reservoir. We tested the potential of environmental DNA metabarcoding to monitor the impact of both the dam and associated fish pass system in the Paraná River fish communities and to compare it with traditional monitoring methods. Using a fragment of the 12S gene, we characterized richness and community composition based on amplicon sequence variants, operational taxonomic units, and zero-radius OTUs. We combined GenBank and in-house data for taxonomic assignment. We found that different bioinformatics approaches showed similar results. Also, we found a decrease in fish diversity from 2019 to 2020 probably due to the recent extreme drought experienced in southeastern Brazil. The highest alpha diversity was recorded in the mouth of the fish pass system, located in a protected valley with the highest environmental heterogeneity. Despite the clear indication that the reference databases need to be continuously improved, our results demonstrate the analytical efficiency of the metabarcoding to monitor fish species

A thermostable xylanase from a new strain of Aspergillus fumigatus presents high ability to hydrolyze hemicellulose from corn straw / Uma xilanase termoestável de uma nova estirpe de Aspergillus fumigatus apresenta elevada capacidade de hidrolisar hemicelulose a partir de palha de milho

ABSTRACTIn order to optimize the production of xylanase from a new thermophilic strain of Aspergillus fumigatus (OI-1R-T), Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and central composite rotational design (CCRD) were performed. The response surface plots indicated a trend for increased xylanase biosynthesis with increasing concentrations of corn straw. The optimized xylanase activity was 530 U mL-1 in the presence of 6.5% (w/v) of the residual biomass, which was 11 times (1,157%) higher than that obtained with only the PBD (45.8 U mL-1). Interestingly, xylanase thermostability was maintained at 90% at 50 °C for 6 h. Enzymatic hydrolysis assays conducted for 96 h with 2 U mL-1 of xylanase and crude corn straw, pre-treated corn straw (hemicellulose) and xylan from beechwood, resulted in the net production of 3.89, 20.96 and 21.64 µmol mL-1of reducing sugars, respectively. Thus, A. fumigatus xylanase was equally able to hydrolyzes hemicellulose from corn straw and xylan from beechwood. The present data indicate that the xylanase activity of A. fumigatus could be applied to the production of low molecular weight sugars for use by pentose-fermenting yeast for the production of fuels and chemicals, among other products. 

Gender differences in patients with dizziness and unsteadiness regarding self-perceived disability, anxiety, depression, and its associations

BACKGROUND: It is known that anxiety and depression influence the level of disability experienced by persons with vertigo, dizziness or unsteadiness. Because higher prevalence rates of disabling dizziness have been found in women and some studies reported a higher level of psychiatric distress in female patients our primary aim was to explore whether women and men with vertigo, dizziness or unsteadiness differ regarding self-perceived disability, anxiety and depression. Secondly we planned to investigate the associations between disabling dizziness and anxiety and depression. METHOD: Patients were recruited from a tertiary centre for vertigo and balance disorders. Participants rated their global disability as mild, moderate or severe. They filled out the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and the two subscales of the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). The HADS was analysed 1) by calculating the median values, 2) by estimating the prevalence rates of abnormal anxiety/depression based on recommended cut-off criteria. Mann-Whitney U-tests, Chi-square statistics and odds ratios (OR) were calculated to compare the observations in both genders. Significance values were adjusted with respect to multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Two-hundred and two patients (124 women) mean age (standard deviation) of 49.7 (13.5) years participated. Both genders did not differ significantly in the mean level of self-perceived disability, anxiety, depression and symptom severity. There was a tendency of a higher prevalence of abnormal anxiety and depression in men (23.7%; 28.9%) compared to women (14.5%; 15.3%). Patients with abnormal depression felt themselves 2.75 (95% CI: 1.31-5.78) times more severely disabled by dizziness and unsteadiness than patients without depression. In men the OR was 8.2 (2.35-28.4). In women chi-square statistic was not significant. The ORs (95% CI) of abnormal anxiety and severe disability were 4.2 (1.9-8.9) in the whole sample, 8.7 (2.5-30.3) in men, and not significant in women. CONCLUSIONS: In men with vertigo, dizziness or unsteadiness emotional distress and its association with self-perceived disability should not be underestimated. Longitudinal surveys with specific pre-defined co-variables of self-perceived disability, anxiety and depression are needed to clarify the influence of gender on disability, anxiety and depression in patients with vertigo, dizziness or unsteadiness

ECMO for COVID-19 patients in Europe and Israel

Since March 15th, 2020, 177 centres from Europe and Israel have joined the study, routinely reporting on the ECMO support they provide to COVID-19 patients. The mean annual number of cases treated with ECMO in the participating centres before the pandemic (2019) was 55. The number of COVID-19 patients has increased rapidly each week reaching 1531 treated patients as of September 14th. The greatest number of cases has been reported from France (n = 385), UK (n = 193), Germany (n = 176), Spain (n = 166), and Italy (n = 136) .The mean age of treated patients was 52.6 years (range 16–80), 79% were male. The ECMO configuration used was VV in 91% of cases, VA in 5% and other in 4%. The mean PaO2 before ECMO implantation was 65 mmHg. The mean duration of ECMO support thus far has been 18 days and the mean ICU length of stay of these patients was 33 days. As of the 14th September, overall 841 patients have been weaned from ECMO support, 601 died during ECMO support, 71 died after withdrawal of ECMO, 79 are still receiving ECMO support and for 10 patients status n.a. . Our preliminary data suggest that patients placed on ECMO with severe refractory respiratory or cardiac failure secondary to COVID-19 have a reasonable (55%) chance of survival. Further extensive data analysis is expected to provide invaluable information on the demographics, severity of illness, indications and different ECMO management strategies in these patients

Seleção de linhagens de basidiomicetos resistentes aos herbicidas atrazina e diurom -produção de enzimas ligninolíticas e degradação dos compostos

A introdução de moléculas xenobióticas no ambiente muitas vezes ocorre sem que sejam conhecidos muitos de seus aspectos bioquímicos e toxicológicos fundamentais. A presença anéis aromáticos na estrutura molecular muitas vezes é o fator determinante da toxicidade, recalcitrância e propriedades mutagênicas associadas e muitos destes compostos. O papel dos insumos agrícolas neste processo é de particular relevância, devido ao seu caráter de liberação intencional no ambiente e dos crescentes volumes aplicados em todo o mundo. Neste trabalho, foram selecionadas linhagens de basidiomicetos com base na sua tolerância aos herbicidas atrazina e diurom, para estudo detalhado do potencial de degradação e do papel desempenhado pelas enzimas ligninolíticas no processo. A tolerância não se mostrou relacionada à degradação dos xenobióticos; esta foi muito eficiente para algumas linhagens estudadas, chegando a 38% da atrazina e 96% do diurom, por MCA 17 agaricales e SXS 320 P. cubensis, respectivamente, após 20 dias de cultivo. As linhagens mais tolerantes à atrazina, Pluteus cubensis SXS 320 e Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11, e ao diurom, Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 e Dacryopinax elegans SXS 323, foram empregadas em ensaios mais detalhados para a degradação e produção de enzimas. Os efeitos de diferentes concentrações do diurom e da atrazina como única fonte de carbono ou em presença de fontes alternativas como glicose ou bagaço de cana (1%), foram determinados para os microrganismos tolerantes. Apenas Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 e Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11 produziram lacases, única enzima do sistema ligninolítico detectada nas culturas. No caso de Pycnoporus sanguineus, as lacases foram constitutivamente produzidas em meio contendo glicose, atingindo 283 U.l-1. A lacase de P. tenuiculus, por sua vez, foi produzida apenas em presença de constituintes...The introduction of xenobiotic molecules in the environment often occurs without the knowledge about many basic aspects related to biochemistry and toxicology. The aromatic ring presence in their molecular structure many times is the determinant feature for toxicity, recalcitrance and mutagenic properties associated with those compounds. The role of agricultural chemicals in this process has particular relevance, due to their intentional release on environment and the crescent volumes employed worldwide. In this work, basidiomycete strains were chosen based on their tolerance to herbicides atrazine and diuron, for detailed study of the fungi’s degradative potential and the role developed by ligninolytic enzymes in this process. The tolerance was not related to xenobiotic’s degradation, which was very efficient for many strains, reaching 38% for atrazine and 96% for diuron, by MCA 17 Agaricales and SXS 320 Pluteus cubensis, respectively, after 20 days in culture. Those ones more tolerant to atrazine, Pluteus cubensis SXS 320 and Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11, and for diuron, Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 and Dacryopinax elegans SXS 323, were employed in assays focusing on degradation and enzyme production. The effect of different concentrations of diuron and atrazine as sole carbon source or in presence of alternative sources, like glucose and sugarcane bagasse (1%), were determined for tolerant microorganisms. Only Pycnoporus sanguineus MCA 16 and Polyporus tenuiculus MCA 11 have produced laccases, the unique enzyme of ligninolytic system detected in cultures. For Pycnoporus sanguineus, the laccases were constitutively produced in medium containing glucose, reaching 238 U.l-1. The laccase from P. tenuiculus was released only with the presence of lignocellulosic constituents in culture medium, resulting in 1,219 U.l-1 in medium containing wheat bran. The biochemical properties... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP