Secoiridoides en semillas de aceituna: caracterización de nuzenida y 11-metil oleósidos por cromatografía líquida con batería de diodo y espectrometría de masas

The seed extracts of olive tree cultivars were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC with diode array detection and mass spectrometry. HPLC hyphenation with mass spectrometry (ESI source) in both polarity modes enabled the identification in olive seeds of nüzhenide and nüzhenide 11-methyl oleoside, among other 11-methyl oleosides, by means of MSn. The methods used allowed us to obtain olive seed profiles of phenolic components and to conclude that they are mainly secoiridoids. The quantification of detected phenolic secoiridoids was also achieved using ultraviolet detection (λ = 240 nm) which enabled comparison of the samples. Nüzhenide and nüzhenide 11-methyl oleoside were the major components detected in olive seeds of all the cultivars studied, but variations in individual components of olive seeds were verified among the cultivars. The results also support the existence of di and tri(11-methyl oleosides) of nüzhenide.Extractos de semillas de tres cultivos fueron analizados por HPLC en fase reversa con detector de diodos y espectrometría de masas. La unión del HPLC con la especrometría de masas (modo ESI) en ambas polaridades permitió la identificación de nuzenida y 11-metil oleósido de nuzenida entre otros 11-metil oleósidos. El método usado nos permitió obtener los perfiles de los compuestos fenólicos en las semillas de aceitunas y concluir que ellos son secoiridoides. La cuantificación de los secoiridoides fenólicos detectados fue también llevada a cabo usando detección por ultravioleta (λ = 240 nm) lo que permitió la comparación de las muestras. Nuzenida y el 11-metil oleósido de nuzenida fueron los principales componentes detectados en semillas de aceitunas en todos los cultivos estudiados, aunque variaciones en los componentes individuales de las semillas de aceitunas fueron verificados entre los cultivos. Los resultados también apoyan la existencia de di y tri(11-metil oleósidos) de nuzenida

Clinical-epidemiological profile, diagnostic criteria and treatment of patients with hairy cell leukemia in the State of Pernambuco: analysis of 50 consecutive cases in 12 years

Study’s model: series of cases. Problem’s relevance: Describing the clinical-epidemiological profile, standard diagnostics and hairy cell leukemia’s (HCL) treatment inside a reference service of hematology in the state of Pernambuco/Brazil, considering that HCL is a little common condition in the related statethat, when suspected, is forwarded to Pernambuco’s Foundation of Hematology and Hemotherapy (HEMOPE).Thereby, a study about HCL will permit the elaboration of investigation’s protocols about the clinic as well as premature and therapeutic diagnostics, according to the laboratory and clinical-epidemiological characters of the patients of the state of Pernambuco/Brazil, propitiating a better assistance to them. Comments: It was realizeda retrospective and descriptive study involving all patients with HCL attended at HEMOPE from January 2002 to April 2014. More than 50 (fifty) cases were analysed. The age group was 54,3± 12,3 (16% women and 84% men). The symptonsverified were dizziness, hemorrhage, asthenia, anorexia, nightly sweat, recurrent infection, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly and adenomegaly. It was observed macrocytosis (22,0%), anemia (88,0%) and thrombocytopenia (98%).In the standard diagnostics, there were hairy cells in the peripheral blood of all patients and the reaction of the phosphatase’s tartar resistant was positive in 81,8% of the cases.The bone marrow’s biopsy revealed hairy cells infiltration in all patients and reticulin fibrosis in 92,0% of the cases. In the immunophenotyping, was found CD11 in 57,1% of the cases, CD25 in 89,8%, CD103 in 77,5%, FMC7 in 81,6%, Kappa in 24,5% and Lambda in 18,3%.As initial treatment, it was realized splenectomy + interferon (4,0%), splenectomy (4,0%), interferon (3,5%) and cladribine (58,0%)Modelo do estudo: Série de casos. Importância do problema: Esse estudo objetiva descrever o perfil clínico-epidemiológico, critérios diagnósticos e tratamento de pacientes com leucemia de células pilosas (HCL - Hairy-cell leucemia,) num serviço de referência em hematologia no Estado de Pernambuco, pois a HCL é uma condição pouco frequente no Estado e quando suspeitada é encaminha ao serviço de referência no Estado que é a Fundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE) – Recife/PE, logo um estudo sobre a HCL permitirá elaboração de protocolos de investigação sobre a clínica, diagnóstico precoce e terapêutico de acordo com as características clínicas-epidemiológicas e laboratoriais dos pacientes da região, promovendo uma melhor assistência. Comentários: Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo, descritivo, tipo série de casos de todos os pacientes com HCL atendidos no HEMOPE de jan/2002 a abr/2014. Foram analisados 50 casos. A média de idade foi 54,3±12,3 (16% mulheres e 84% homens). Os sinais/sintomas presentes foram tontura, hemorragias, astenia, anorexia, sudorese noturna, infecção recorrente, esplenomegalia, hepatomegalia e adenomegalia. Observou-se macrocitose (22,0%), anemia (88,0%) e plaquetopenia (98,0%). Nos critérios diagnósticos, houve tricoleucócitos no sangue periférico em todos e a reação de fosfatase tártaro-resistente foi positiva em 81,8% dos casos. A biopsia de medula óssea revelou a infiltração de tricoleucócitos em todos e fibrose reticulínica em 92,0% pacientes. No imunofenotipagem, foi constada: CD11 em 57,1%, CD25 em 89,8%, CD103 em 77,5%, FMC7 81,6%, Kappa em 24,5% e lambda em 18,3% dos pacientes. Como tratamento inicial, foi realizado esplenectomia + interferon (4%), esplenectomia (4%), interferon (35%) e cladribina (58%

Sex role similarity and sexual selection predict male and female song elaboration and dimorphism in fairy-wrens

Historically, bird song complexity was thought to evolve primarily through sexual selection on males; yet, in many species, both sexes sing and selection pressure on both sexes may be broader. Previous research suggests competition for mates and resources during short, synchronous breeding seasons leads to more elaborate male songs at high, temperate latitudes. Furthermore, we expect male–female song structure and elaboration to be more similar at lower, tropical latitudes, where longer breeding seasons and year-round territoriality yield similar social selection pressures in both sexes. However, studies seldom take both types of selective pressures and sexes into account. We examined song in both sexes in 15 populations of nine-fairy- wren species (Maluridae), a Southern Hemisphere clade with female song. We compared song elaboration (in both sexes) and sexual song dimorphism to latitude and life-history variables tied to sexual and social selection pressures and sex roles. Our results suggest that song elaboration evolved in part due to sexual competition in males: male songs were longer than female songs in populations with low male survival and less male provisioning. Also, female songs evolved independently of male songs: female songs were slower paced than male songs, although only in less synchronously breeding populations. We also found male and female songs were more similar when parental care was more equal and when male survival was high, which provides strong evidence that sex role similarity correlates with male–female song similarity. Contrary to Northern Hemisphere latitudinal patterns, male and female songs were more similar at higher, temperate latitudes. These results suggest that selection on song can be sex specific, with male song elaboration favored in contexts with stronger sexual selection. At the same time, selection pressures associated with sex role similarity appear to favor sex role similarity in song structure

The Portuguese Society of Rheumatology position paper on the use of biosimilars

Biotechnological drugs have become a fundamental resource for the treatment of rheumatic patients. Patent expiry of some of these drugs created the opportunity for biopharmaceutical manufacturers to develop biosimilar drugs intended to be as efficacious as the originator product but with a lower cost to healthcare systems. Due to the complex manufacturing process and highly intricate structure of biologicals, a biosimilar can never be an exact copy of its reference product. Consequently, regulatory authorities issued strict preclinical and clinical guidelines to ensure safety and efficacy equivalence and, in September 2013, the biosimilar of infliximab was the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody to be authorized for use in the European Union. The current document is a position statement of the "Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia" (Portuguese Society of Rheumatology) on the use of biosimilar drugs in rheumatic diseases. Two systematic literature reviews were performed, one concerning clinical trials and the other one concerning international position papers on biosimilars. The results were presented and discussed in a national meeting and a final position document was discussed, written and approved by Portuguese rheumatologists. Briefly, this position statement is contrary to automatic substitution of the originator by the biosimilar, defends either a different INN or the prescription by brand name, supports that switching between biosimilars and the originator molecule should be done after at least 6 months of treatment and based on the attending physician decision and after adequate patient information, recommends the registration of all biosimilar treated patients in Reuma.pt for efficacy, safety and immunogenicity surveillance, following the strategy already ongoing for originators, and opposes to extrapolation of indications approved to the originator to completely different diseases and/or age groups without adequate pre-clinical, safety or efficacy data.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The grapevine uncharacterized intrinsic protein 1 (VvXIP1) is regulated by drought stress and transports glycerol, hydrogen peroxide, heavy metals but not water

A MIP (Major Intrinsic Protein) subfamily called Uncharacterized Intrinsic Proteins (XIP) was recently described in several fungi and eudicot plants. In this work, we cloned a XIP from grapevine, VvXIP1, and agrobacterium-mediated transformation studies in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed that the encoded aquaporin shows a preferential localization at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Stopped-flow spectrometry in vesicles from the aqy-null yeast strain YSH1172 overexpressing VvXIP1 showed that VvXIP1 is unable to transport water but is permeable to glycerol. Functional studies with the ROS sensitive probe CM-H(2)DCFDA in intact transformed yeasts showed that VvXIP1 is also able to permeate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Drop test growth assays showed that besides glycerol and H2O2, VvXIP1 also transports boric acid, copper, arsenic and nickel. Furthermore, we found that VvXIP1 transcripts were abundant in grapevine leaves from field grown plants and strongly repressed after the imposition of severe water-deficit conditions in potted vines. The observed downregulation of VvXIP1 expression in cultured grape cells in response to ABA and salt, together with the increased sensitivity to osmotic stress displayed by the aqy-null yeast overexpressing VvXIP1, corroborates the role of VvXIP1 in osmotic regulation besides its involvement in H2O2 transport and metal homeostasis.This work was supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/COMPETE Operational Competitiveness Programme) and Portuguese national Funds (FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology): KBBE-2012-6-3117 "Inovinne", FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-022692 and PTDC/AGR-ALI/100636/2008. HN (SFRH/BD/74257/2010) and APM (SFRH/BD/65046/2009) were supported by PhD grants from FCT. The Interuniversity Attraction Poles Programme-Belgian Science Policy (IAP7/29) and the Belgian French community ARC11/16-036 project.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploring the three PIPs and three TIPs of grapevine for transport of water and atypical substrates through heterologous expression in aqy-null yeast

Aquaporins are membrane channels that facilitate the transport of water and other small molecules across the cellular membranes. We examined the role of six aquaporins of Vitis vinifera (cv. Touriga nacional) in the transport of water and atypical substrates (other than water) in an aqy-null strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Their functional characterization for water transport was performed by stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy. The evaluation of permeability coefficients (Pf) and activation energies (Ea) revealed that three aquaporins (VvTnPIP2;1, VvTnTIP1;1 and VvTnTIP2;2) are functional for water transport, while the other three (VvTnPIP1;4, VvTnPIP2;3 and VvTnTIP4;1) are non-functional. TIPs (VvTnTIP1;1 and VvTnTIP2;2) exhibited higher water permeability than VvTnPIP2;1. All functional aquaporins were found to be sensitive to HgCl2, since their water conductivity was reduced (24–38%) by the addition of 0.5 mM HgCl2. Expression of Vitis aquaporins caused different sensitive phenotypes to yeast strains when grown under hyperosmotic stress generated by KCl or sorbitol. Our results also indicate that Vitis aquaporins are putative transporters of other small molecules of physiological importance. Their sequence analyses revealed the presence of signature sequences for transport of ammonia, boron, CO2, H2O2 and urea. The phenotypic growth variations of yeast cells showed that heterologous expression of Vitis aquaporins increased susceptibility to externally applied boron and H2O2, suggesting the contribution of Vitis aquaporins in the transport of these speciesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio