Limitation of electron mobility in modulation-doped In0.53Ga0.47As/InP quantum wells at low temperatures

The low-temperature electron mobility is investigated here for electrons confined in modulation-doped In0.53Ga0.47As/InP single symmetric quantum wells. The subband structure calculation is developed via variational method, both Schrodinger and Poisson equations being solved simultaneously with adequate heterointer- ¨ face matching conditions. With this in hands, the main electron scattering rates are computed, namely alloy disorder, remote ionized impurity, and interface roughness. As a result, interesting interchanges in these scattering rates were found by varying the well width and the spacer width, which show that some scattering mechanisms can surpass the alloy disorder scattering rate and come to limit the electron mobility, a behavior not reported in the literature

Integrated environmental assessment of Hemocentro Ceara (Blood Center): sustainability and space quality guidelines

The inclusion of sustainability and humanization in Health Care Facilities is critical for the welfare of staff and users. These elements are part of rehabilitation programs undertaken by the Ministry of Health of the Brazilian Federal Government, in partnership with the University of Brasilia, developed by the Laboratory for Applied Sustainability to Architecture and Urbanism, LaSUS, for the network of blood centers in Brazil. In this sense, this article discusses the presentation of the methods used in integrated environmental assessment of the building from the Blood Center of Ceará (HemoCE) to improve environmental quality and energy use of the building. Results obtained confirm the validity of these integration methods in the construction of guidelines for the rehabilitation design of the building, in order to enhance environmental quality and humanization of space. Finally, through the guidelines identified for the HemoCE building, intervention solutions were proposed for specific areas, according to its peculiarities, as well as for the building as a whole, based on sustainability and humanization

Oligomerization, Membrane Association, and in Vivo Phosphorylation of Sugarcane UDP-glucose Pyrophosphorylase

Sugarcane is a monocot plant that accumulates sucrose to levels of up to 50% of dry weight in the stalk. The mechanisms that are involved in sucrose accumulation in sugarcane are not well understood, and little is known with regard to factors that control the extent of sucrose storage in the stalks. UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase; EC 2.7.7.9) is an enzyme that produces UDP-glucose, a key precursor for sucrose metabolism and cell wall biosynthesis. The objective of this work was to gain insights into the ScUGPase-1 expression pattern and regulatory mechanisms that control protein activity. ScUGPase-1 expression was negatively correlated with the sucrose content in the internodes during development, and only slight differences in the expression patterns were observed between two cultivars that differ in sucrose content. The intracellular localization of ScUGPase-1 indicated partial membrane association of this soluble protein in both the leaves and internodes. Using a phospho-specific antibody, we observed that ScUGPase-1 was phosphorylated in vivo at the Ser-419 site in the soluble and membrane fractions from the leaves but not from the internodes. The purified recombinant enzyme was kinetically characterized in the direction of UDP-glucose formation, and the enzyme activity was affected by redox modification. Preincubation with H2O2 strongly inhibited this activity, which could be reversed by DTT. Small angle x-ray scattering analysis indicated that the dimer interface is located at the C terminus and provided the first structural model of the dimer of sugarcane UGPase in solution.Fil: Soares, Jose Sergio M.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes; BrasilFil: Gentile, Agustina. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes; BrasilFil: Scorsato, Valeria. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Química. Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Cristalografia; BrasilFil: Lima, Aline da C.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Química. Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Cristalografia; BrasilFil: Kiyota, Eduardo. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Química. Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Cristalografia; BrasilFil: Santos, Marcelo Leite Dos . Universidade Federal do Sergipe. Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia. Núcleo de Química; BrasilFil: Piattoni, Claudia Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnologia del Litoral; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Huber, Steven C.. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, and Department of Plant Biology; Estados UnidosFil: Aparicio, Ricardo. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Química. Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Cristalografia; BrasilFil: Menossi, Marcelo. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes; Brasi

Consumer perception of risk towards new sustainable non-thermal food processing technologies: a cross-cultural study between Portugal, Germany, and the UK

Consumers are interested in sustainable and safe food with positive sensory attributes, either minimally processed or incorporating sustainable processes. However, the introduction of new food technologies may generate concern among consumers. This study aims to identify ways to decrease consumers' risk perception of new technologies: High pressure, Non-thermal Plasma, Pulsed Electric Field, and Ultrasound. This cross-cultural study was conducted in three contrasting countries: Portugal, Germany, and the United Kingdom, recruiting over 400 consumers per country. The survey presented twelve constructs based on the Ecological Framework, which was used to predict perceived risk. Factors affecting such perception varied both for technologies and countries, as shown by a multiple regression model. Food technology neophobia, perceived relative severity, and trust were common factors across all countries. This study demonstrates that developing and producing new products using non-thermal technologies should consider the country's consumers' risk perception factors

Transcriptome analysis of the oil-rich seed of the bioenergy crop Jatropha curcas L

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To date, oil-rich plants are the main source of biodiesel products. Because concerns have been voiced about the impact of oil-crop cultivation on the price of food commodities, the interest in oil plants not used for food production and amenable to cultivation on non-agricultural land has soared. As a non-food, drought-resistant and oil-rich crop, <it>Jatropha curcas </it>L. fulfils many of the requirements for biofuel production.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have generated 13,249 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from developing and germinating <it>Jatropha </it>seeds. This strategy allowed us to detect most known genes related to lipid synthesis and degradation. We have also identified ESTs coding for proteins that may be involved in the toxicity of <it>Jatropha </it>seeds. Another unexpected finding is the high number of ESTs containing transposable element-related sequences in the developing seed library (800) when contrasted with those found in the germinating seed library (80).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The sequences generated in this work represent a considerable increase in the number of sequences deposited in public databases. These results can be used to produce genetically improved varieties of <it>Jatropha </it>with increased oil yields, different oil compositions and better agronomic characteristics.</p

Chronic Sleep Restriction during Pregnancy - Repercussion on Cardiovascular and Renal Functioning of Male Offspring

Changes in the maternal environment can induce fetal adaptations that result in the progression of chronic diseases in the offspring. the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of maternal chronic sleep restriction on blood pressure, renal function and cardiac baroreflex response on male offspring at adult age. Female 3-month-old Wistar rats were divided in two experimental groups: control (C) and chronic sleep restricted (CSR). Pregnancy was confirmed by vaginal smear. Chronic sleep restricted females were subjected to sleep restriction by the multiple platform technique for 20 h daily, between the 1st and 20th day of pregnancy. After birth, the litters were reduced to 6 rats per mother, and were designated as offspring from control (OC) and offspring from chronic sleep restricted (OCSR). Indirect blood pressure (BPi tail cuff) was measured by plethysmography in male offspring at 3 months old. Following, the renal function and cardiac baroreflex response were analyzed. Values of BPi in OCSR were significantly higher compared to OC [OC: 127 +/- 2.6 (19); OCSR: 144 +/- 2.5 (17) mmHg]. the baroreflex sensitivity to the increase of blood pressure was reduced in OCSR [Slope: OC: -2.6 +/- 0.15 (9); OCRS: -1.6 +/- 0.13 (9)]. Hypothalamic activity of ACE2 was significantly reduced in OCSR compared to OC [OC: 97.4 +/- 15 (18); OSR: 60.2 +/- 3.6 (16) UAF/min/protein mg]. Renal function alteration was noticed by the increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) observed in OCSR [OC: 6.4 +/- 0.2 (10); OCSR: 7.4 +/- 0.3 (7)]. Chronic sleep restriction during pregnancy caused in the offspring hypertension, altered cardiac baroreflex response, reduced ACE-2 activity in the hypothalamus and renal alterations. Our data suggest that the reduction of sleeping time along the pregnancy is able to modify maternal homeostasis leading to functional alterations in offspring.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Associacao Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa (AFIP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Fisiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biociencias, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Fisiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psicobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biociencias, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: FAPESP-10/51665-4Web of Scienc

LC‐HRMS for the Identification of β‐Carboline and Canthinone Alkaloids Isolated from Natural Sources

β-carboline and canthinone alkaloids are widely distributed in the Angiosperms. Due to their diverse biological activities, the structures of these alkaloids have been used as important models for the synthesis of novel therapeutic drugs. Combining high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has provided a valuable tool in the analysis of these alkaloids in, for example, plants, insects, marine creatures, human tissues and body fluids. In this review, we summarized the main β-carboline and canthinone alkaloids studied by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) associated with mass analyzers, molecular weight information, mass fragmentation and biological activities, presenting an overview of increasing interest for carboline alkaloids study by LC-HRMS

Dectin-1 Activation Exacerbates Obesity and Insulin Resistance in the Absence of MyD88

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, grant numbers 11/15682-4, 12/02270-2, 15/18121-4), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Regenera INCT Process Grant 465656/2014-5). JL is funded by the NIH/NIDDK R01DK106210. GDB is funded by the Wellcome Trust and the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology. Open access journalPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Alpinia

Species of the genus Alpinia are widely used by the population and have many described biological activities, including activity against insects. In this paper, we describe the bioactivity of the essential oil of two species of Alpinia genus, A. zerumbet and A. vittata, against Rhodnius nasutus, a vector of Chagas disease. The essential oils of these two species were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The main constituent of A. zerumbet essential oil (OLALPZER) was terpinen-4-ol, which represented 19.7% of the total components identified. In the essential oil of A. vittata (OLALPVIT) the monoterpene β-pinene (35.3%) was the main constituent. The essential oils and their main constituents were topically applied on R. nasutus fifth-instar nymphs. In the first 10 min of application, OLALPVIT and OLALPZER at 125 μg/mL provoked 73.3% and 83.3% of mortality, respectively. Terpinen-4-ol at 25 μg/mL and β-pinene at 44 μg/mL provoked 100% of mortality. The monitoring of resistant insects showed that both essential oils exhibited antifeedant activity. These results suggest the potential use of A. zerumbet and A. vittata essential oils and their major constituents to control R. nasutus population