Fourier transform infrared as a powerful technique for the identification and characterization of filamentous fungi and yeasts

Fourier transform infrared is considered a powerful technique for characterizing chemical compositions of complex probes such as microorganisms. It has successfully been applied to fungal identification. In this paper, the current state of identification and characterization of filamentous fungi and yeasts by Fourier transform infrared is reviewed.European Community - Seventh Framework Program (FP7,2007-2013)Research Infrastructures Action -grant agreement No. FP7-228310 (EMbaRC project

A relevância do trabalho em equipe num caso de uma equipe interdisciplinar de docentes de primeiro ano de um curso de engenharia

This paper presents part of a broader research and aims to identify and analyze the perceptions of teachers involved with active methodologies, relating to PBL - Project-Based Learning, and the relevance of teamwork in this context. The research presents an exploratory qualitative approach, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers who applied active methodologies since 2004. The interview results showed that the implementation of interdisciplinary projects has proven an effective method for increasing student motivation and consequently to increase their commitment with the learning process, which results in an effective development of technical transversal competences. Collaborative teaching work was considered fundamental for achieving the learning goals defined in the process, and as an opportunity for students to realize the interaction between teachers, tutors and researchers of education, showing that PBL encompasses multiple areas and persons to interact in the project throughout the semester. The teamwork involved strengthens and enhances the results.Este artigo apresenta um recorte de uma investigação mais ampla e tem o objetivo de identificar e analisar a percepção de professores envolvidos com metodologias ativas quanto a relevância em trabalhar com metodologias de aprendizagem baseada em projetos interdisciplinares (PBL – Project-Based Learning) e a relevância em trabalhar em equipa neste contexto. A pesquisa apresentou uma abordagem qualitativa de caráter exploratório, com coleta de dados através de entrevistas semiestruturadas com professores que desde 2004 aplicavam metodologias ativas. Os resultados das entrevistas evidenciaram que a implementação de projetos interdisciplinares tem-se mostrado uma metodologia eficaz para ampliar a motivação dos alunos e o consequente aumento do compromisso com a aprendizagem, que resulta na eficácia do desenvolvimento de competências técnicas e competências transversais. O trabalho colaborativo docente foi apontado como de fundamental importância para atingir os objetivos e também como uma vivência para os alunos perceberem a interação entre professores, tutores e investigadores da educação, pois PBL abarca várias disciplinas a interatuar no projeto durante todo o semestre letivo. O trabalho em equipe fortalece os envolvidos e potencializa os resultados

Projetos interdisciplinares no ensino superior : análise do ensino e aprendizagem do Cálculo no 1º semestre do 1º ano

This paper objective is to identify and analyze the activities developed by Integrated Master of Industrial Engineering and Management students in a context of Project‐Based Learning (PBL) in the Calculus curricular unit and discusses learning during the interdisciplinary project development thru the first semester of 2012/2013. This research is based on a case study developed in the context of one program of School of Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal. To accomplish this case study were collected and analyzed documents produced by the students such as preliminary and final reports, preliminary and final presentations and feedback reports. The results indicate that Calculus contents were applied a content during the interdisciplinary project. Additionally, it can be said that contents of curricular unit give support to the decisions taken by the students in the production system design (the students’ project objective), showing interest and more contents integration relevance

A polyphasic approach for black Aspergillus identification using MALDI-TOF MS

The Aspergillus section Nigri is among the best studied fungi, having different commercial applications, but also causing biodeterioration of commodities and food spoilage. Although being well studied, their identification is not straightforward, and, recently, new species have been described in this section. These new species were not only separated from their relatives in the section by morphological distinction but also from molecular point of view. Recently, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been used to generate spectrum of protein masses in a range of 2000 to 20000 Da that is a taxon specific fingerprinting. This approach could be employed as an alternative to the molecular techniques

COMPARISON BETWEEN ANALYTICAL PYROLYSIS AND NITROBENZENE OXIDATION FOR DETERMINATION OF SYRINGYL/GUAIACYL RATIO IN Eucalyptus spp. LIGNIN

Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) was applied to measure the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio in E. dunni, E. grandis, E. nitens, E. urograndis, and E. urophylla woods. A total of 41 compounds were identified, of which 11 were derived from carbo-hydrates and 30 from lignins. The S/G ratio was calculated on the basis of the areas of peaks recorded in the pyrograms and compared with the results obtained by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation. The values of S/G found by pyrolysis were similar for all the species using the compounds guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 4-vinylguaiacol, vanillin, 4-ethylsyringol, 4-vinylsyringol, homosyringaldehyde, acetosyringone, and syringylacetone, as lignin markers. The selected markers were efficient for the deter-mination of S/G ratio in eucalyptus wood by Py-GC-MS. The Py-GC-MS technique produced results that are comparable to the nitrobenzene oxidation method, with the advantage of requiring small wood samples and a short analysis time

Glutathione status and antioxidant enzymes in a crocodilian species from the swamps of the Brazilian Pantanal

AbstractIn a previous study oxidative damage markers – lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation – were determined in organs of wild Caiman yacare captured in winter-2001 and summer-2002 at various developmental stages. An increase in oxidative damage occurred in the hatchling-juvenile transition (but not in the juvenile-adult transition) and winter–summer transition (in juveniles), suggesting that oxidative stress is associated with development and season. Herein the effect of development and season on glutathione (GSH) metabolism and the effect of development on the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase) and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were analyzed. The ratio GSSG:GSH-eq increased in lung, liver, kidney and brain by 1.8- to 4-fold in the embryo/hatchling to juvenile transition. No changes occurred in juvenile–adult transition. GSSG:GSH-eq across seasons was significantly elevated in summer. Total-glutathione content was mostly stable in various organs; in liver it increased in the embryo–juvenile transition. Enzyme activities were only determined in summer-animals (embryos, hatchlings and juveniles). For most antioxidant enzymes, activities increased from embryo/hatchling to juvenile in liver and Kidney. In lung, there was an inverse trend for enzyme activities and total glutathione content. Thus, increased metabolic rates during early caiman growth – in embryo–juvenile transition – appears to be related to redox imbalance as suggested by increased GSSG:GSH-eq and activation of antioxidant defenses. Differences in oxidative stress across seasons were related with summer–winter nocturnal temperatures. These results, as a whole, were interpreted in the context of ecological biochemistry

Removal of S. Mansoni in patients with hepatosplenig schistosomiasis: An estimate of the Parasitological load by means of quantitative coproscopy

32 Patients with an average age of 18.9 years suffering from schistosomiasis mansoni in its compensated hepatosplenic from who never taken schistosomicidal drugs 'were studied. All the patients were submitted to splenectorrry and filtration of the portal blood for the removal of S. mansoni. A study was made of the relationship between the average number of eggs per gram of faeces obtained from the ana{ysis of 10 successive samples of each patient's faeces b¡r the Kato.,Ifutz method and the number of worms removed from the portal blood. The statistical procedure used revealed a significant relationship between the parameters studied, permitting the establishment of the respective regression equations designed to estimate the numbers of female worms, pairs of ,worms and total worms. From the results and the application of a technique for the constitution of extremé subgroups, the authors propose a classification of the intensity of infection; a) light parasitic load: average number of eggs per gram of faeces less than B0B, corresponding to an estimated parasitic load of less than 226 female worms; b) moderate parasitic load: average number of eggs per gram of faeces between B0B and 3968, corresponding to an estimated. parasitic load. of between 226 and.528 female worms; c) Íntense parasitic load: average number of eggs per gram of faeces greater than 3968, corresponding to an estimated parasitic load greater than 528 female worms. On the basis of the proposed. classification the Authors discuss the indication of specific treatment for schistosomiasis mansoni in patients with the hepatosplenic form of the disease

The tadpole of Hypsiboas atlanticus (Anura, Hylidae) from northeastern Brazil

The tadpole of Hypsiboas atlanticus (Caramaschi & Velosa, 1996) is described from the municipality of Maceió, State of Alagoas, Brazil. At stage 36 the larvae have an overall elliptical body in lateral and dorsal views, oral disc anteroventral, spiracular tube sinistral, and labial tooth row formula 2(1,2)/3(1). The oral disc is surrounded, almost completely (anterior medial gap present) by a single row of marginal papillae. Described tadpoles of the H. punctatus species group can be differentiated by a combined disc oral features. Additional descriptions of H. punctatus (Schneider, 1799) tadpoles from populations throughout South America may be helpful in determining the status of these populations

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