Utilization of Marine Fungal Nodulisporium SP. Kt29 Metabolites to Improve the Production Performance of Marine Culture of White Shrimp

This study aimed to determine the best dose of administration of marine fungal Nodulisporium sp. KT29 metabolites to improve the production performance of marine culture of white shrimp. The experimental animals used were white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae 12, which were reared in the sea using floating net cages with a stocking density of 700 post larvae/net. Experimental design used was a completely randomized design consisting of 3 treatments with 3 replications; control without the administration of Nodulisporium sp. KT29 metabolites, dietary of feed containing Nodulisporium sp. KT29 metabolites at doses of 20 mL/kg of feed and 40 mL/kg of feed. The results showed that survival rate, absolute length growth, weight gain, daily growth rate and feed conversion ratio in treatment groups were better than the control (P<0.05). The administration of marine fungal Nodulisporium sp. KT29 metabolites at a dose of 20 mL/kg of feed could improve the production performance of white shrimp cultivated in the sea with survival rate, daily growth rate and feed conversion ratio: 66.61±6.94%, 20.18±0.39 %/day and 3.20±0.22, respectively

Characterization of Crude Cellulase of Seagrass Endophytic Fungus

In this study, cellulase was produced by endophytic fungus isolated from seagrass. Substrate used for incubating the fungus was the waste of agar industry. The objectives of this study were to optimize cellulase production and to characterize the highest activity of fungal crude cellulase. In our previous study, the EN isolate (isolated from Enhalus sp.) showed the highest cellulolytic index. Therefore, in this research we focused on cellulase activity of the isolate. Cellulase activity was determined based on endoglucanase activity, total cellulase activity, and β-glucosidase activity. The highest activity was then used to determine cellulase activity in enzyme characterization. The fungus was cultured in different concentration of agar extraction algal wastes. The fungal culture was incubated for 3-21 days with 120 rpm orbital shaker. The results showed that endoglucanase activity was 0.019-0.031 U/mL, total cellulase activity was 0.007-0.013 U/mL, and β-glucosidase activity was 0.00012-0.00361 U/mL. The highest endoglucanase and total cellulase activity were obtained from the fungal culture after 9 days incubation, β-glucosidase was obtained from the fungal culture after 15 days incubation with 1.5% of algal waste as substrate. The optimum pH and temperature were determined as 4 and 60 oC, maximum reaction rate (Vmax) and Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) for endoglucanase activity was determined as 0.044 U/mL and 0.103% respectively

Racism, gun ownership and gun control: Biased attitudes in US whites may influence policy decisions

Objective: Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty). This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and opposition to gun controls in US whites. Method: The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US whites. Explanatory variables known to be related to gun ownership and gun control opposition (i.e., age, gender, education, income, conservatism, anti-government sentiment, southern vs. other states, political identification) were entered in logistic regression models, along with measures of racism, and the stereotype of blacks as violent. Outcome variables included; having a gun in the home, opposition to bans on handguns in the home, support for permits to carry concealed handguns. Results: After accounting for all explanatory variables, logistic regressions found that for each 1 point increase in symbolic racism there was a 50% increase in the odds of having a gun at home. After also accounting for having a gun in the home, there was still a 28% increase in support for permits to carry concealed handguns, for each one point increase in symbolic racism. The relationship between symbolic racism and opposition to banning handguns in the home (OR1.27 CI 1.03,1.58) was reduced to non-significant after accounting for having a gun in the home (OR1.17 CI.94,1.46), which likely represents self-interest in retaining property (guns). Conclusions: Symbolic racism was related to having a gun in the home and opposition to gun control policies in US whites. The findings help explain US whites' paradoxical attitudes towards gun ownership and gun control. Such attitudes may adversely influence US gun control policy debates and decisions

Socio-economic status and overall and cause-specific mortality in Sweden

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have reported discrepancies in cause-specific mortality among groups of individuals with different socio-economic status. However, most of the studies were limited by the specificity of the investigated populations and the broad definitions of the causes of death. The aim of the present population-based study was to explore the dependence of disease specific mortalities on the socio-economic status in Sweden, a country with universal health care. Another aim was to investigate possible gender differences.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using the 2006 update of the Swedish Family-Cancer Database, we identified over 2 million individuals with socio-economic data recorded in the 1960 national census. The association between mortality and socio-economic status was investigated by Cox's proportional hazards models taking into account the age, time period and residential area in both men and women, and additionally parity and age at first birth in women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed significant associations between socio-economic status and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, to cancer and to endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases. The influence of socio-economic status on female breast cancer was markedly specific: women with a higher socio-economic status showed increased mortality due to breast cancer.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Even in Sweden, a country where health care is universally provided, higher socio-economic status is associated with decreased overall and cause-specific mortalities. Comparison of mortality among female and male socio-economic groups may provide valuable insights into the underlying causes of socio-economic inequalities in length of life.</p

Daldinia eschscholzii (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae) isolado na Amazônia brasileira: características taxonômicas e condições de crescimento micelial

The Amazon has a high diversity of fungi, including species of the genus Daldinia (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae), which produce secondary metabolites with recognized nematicidal and antimicrobial activity. The ecological role of Daldinia is important, as stromata serve as refuges to many insects and arthropodes, and the fungi contribute to the degradation of vegetable organic matter. The aim of this study was to analyze the taxonomic features and mycelial growth conditions in vitro of a Daldinia specimen collected in the Brazilian Amazon. Morphological and molecular studies of the fungus identified it as D. eschscholtzii. To evaluate mycelial growth, we cultivated the fungus at 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 °C in malt extract-peptone agar (MEPA), malt extract-peptone (MEP), potato dextrose (PD), and minimum medium (MM). The best mycelial growth occurred at 35 °C, although the greatest amount of biomass was obtained at 25 °C and 30 °C. PD proved to be the best medium for biomass production.A Amazônia apresenta alta diversidade de fungos, incluindo Daldinia (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae), cujas espécies produzem metabólitos secundários com reconhecida atividade antimicrobiana e nematicida. O papel ecológico é importante, visto que estromas servem de abrigo para muitos insetos e artrópodes, além de contribuir na degradação da matéria orgânica vegetal. O objetivo desse estudo foi analizar as características taxonômicas e as condições do crescimento micelial in vitro de um espécime de Daldinia coletado na Amazônia brasileira. Estudos morfológicos e moleculares do fungo o indetificaram como D. eschscholtzii. Para avaliação do crescimento micelial o fungo foi cultivado nas temperaturas de 20, 25, 30, 35 e 40 °C e nos meios de cultura extrato de malte-peptona ágar (EMPA), extrato de malte-peptona (EMP), batata dextrose (BD) e meio mínimo (MM). O melhor crescimento micelial ocorreu a 35 °C, entretanto, a maior quantidade de biomassa foi obtida a 25 e 30 °C. O meio BD provou ser o melhor meio para produção de biomassa

Acute Toxicity Water Extract of Meretrix Meretrix Linnaeus in Vivo on Sprague Dawley Rats

Meretrix meretrix empirically has been widely believed by the public to a wide variety of health benefits. It is necessary to do an analysis of the level of toxicity of Meretrix meretrix extract. The experiment was carried out extraction sample with water (1;4) (w/v), analysis of acute toxicity Meretrix meretrix extract with the OECD method 403:2009. Based on the results of water extract of Meretrix meretrix no effect on physical observations of test animals with LD50&gt; 15 g/kg BW. Histopathological observation on the liver and kidneys, there is necrosis of the liver cells and some cell degeneration in the kidneys, but on the whole network under normal conditions appropriate control grou

Dereplication strategy for antimicrobial metabolite using thin-layer chromatography-bioautography and LC-PDA-MS analysis

Rapid identification of known compounds, i.e., dereplication, has become a strategically important area for the natural-product chemists involved in bioprospecting of microbes for novel bioactive metabolites. Among microbial biodiversity, endophytic fungi represent an abundant and dependable source of structurally diverse bioactive metabolites. During the course of screening for antimicrobial secondary metabolites from endophytic fungi, an antimicrobial metabolite was identified from the ethyl acetate extract obtained from the culture broth of Xylaria sp., an endophytic fungus from Ficus pumila Linn. (Moraceae) that exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against human and phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi. Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate fraction using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) bioautography and LC-hyphenated techniques led to the identification of a known benzoic acid derivative. Here, we describe the application of analytical strategies (TLC-bioautography) and hyphenated spectroscopic techniques (liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector-mass spectrometry LC-PDA-MS) for the dereplication of antimicrobial metabolites

Dereplication strategy for antimicrobial metabolite using thin-layer chromatography-bioautography and LC-PDA-MS analysis

Rapid identification of known compounds, i.e., dereplication, has become a strategically important area for the natural-product chemists involved in bioprospecting of microbes for novel bioactive metabolites. Among microbial biodiversity, endophytic fungi represent an abundant and dependable source of structurally diverse bioactive metabolites. During the course of screening for antimicrobial secondary metabolites from endophytic fungi, an antimicrobial metabolite was identified from the ethyl acetate extract obtained from the culture broth of Xylaria sp., an endophytic fungus from Ficus pumila Linn. (Moraceae) that exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against human and phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi. Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate fraction using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) bioautography and LC-hyphenated techniques led to the identification of a known benzoic acid derivative. Here, we describe the application of analytical strategies (TLC-bioautography) and hyphenated spectroscopic techniques (liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector-mass spectrometry LC-PDA-MS) for the dereplication of antimicrobial metabolites