105 research outputs found
Surface enhanced resonance Raman detection of a catalytic intermediate of DyP-type peroxidase
Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.We report herein the vibrational spectroscopic characterisation of a catalytic intermediate formed by the reaction of H2O2 with DyP-type peroxidase immobilised on a biocompatible coated metal support. The SERR spectroscopic approach is of general applicability to other peroxidases which form relatively stable catalytic intermediates.DFG, EXC 314, Unifying Concepts in Catalysi
Inclusion of soy oil levels on the acceptability and digestibility of diets for equines
The effects of different quantities and types of dietary fats on the digestibility of feeds for equines are complicated and not fully understood. The present work was undertaken to evaluate the acceptability and digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), and neutral and acid detergent fibers (NDF, ADF), upon increasing inclusion levels of soybean oil (SBO) (5, 10, 15 and 20%) in the concentrate portion of diets composed of equal parts of grass hay and concentrate. The total collection of feces method was used with four yearling colts. The experimental design was 4 x 4 Latin square and the data were analyzed by simple polynomic regression. The SBO showed good acceptability as all of the concentrates offered were consumed. Level of SBO inclusion in the concentrate affected (P < 0.05) OM digestibility, there being and initial increase up to a maximum of 66.7% at the 10.74% inclusion level and decreasing digestibility thereafter; in analogous fashion the digestibilities of NDF and ADF increased to maxima of 51.8% and 45.5% at SBO inclusion levels of 9.5% and 10.56%, respectively. The lower digestibilities at higher inclusion levels were presumably due to inhibitory effects of added lipid on the cecal cellulolytic microflora. Level of SBO inclusion did not significantly affect the digestibilities of DM, CP and EE, although DM digestion followed a quadratic tendency (P = 0.08) very similar to that observed for OM
Bacterial cellulose-lactoferrin as an antimicrobial edible packaging
Bacterial cellulose (BC) films from two distinct sources (obtained by static culture with Gluconacetobacter xylinus ATCC 53582 (BC1) and from a commercial source (BC2)) were modified by bovine lactoferrin (bLF) adsorption. The functionalized films (BC+bLF) were assessed as edible antimicrobial packaging, for use in direct contact with highly perishable foods, specifically fresh sausage as a model of meat products. BC+bLF films and sausage casings were characterized regarding their water vapour permeability (WVP), mechanical properties, and bactericidal efficiency against two food pathogens, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Considering their edibility, an in vitro gastrointestinal tract model was used to study the changes occurring in the BC films during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the BC films against 3T3 mouse embryo fibroblasts was evaluated.
BC1 and BC2 showed equivalent density, WVP and maximum tensile strength. The percentage of bactericidal efficiency of BC1 and BC2 with adsorbed bLF (BC1+bLF and BC2+bLF, respectively) in the standalone films and in inoculated fresh sausages, was similar against E. coli (mean reduction 69 % in the films per se versus 94 % in the sausages) and S. aureus (mean reduction 97 % in the films per se versus 36 % in the case sausages). Moreover, the BC1+bLF and BC2+bLF films significantly hindered the specific growth rate of both bacteria. Finally, no relevant cytotoxicity against 3T3 fibroblasts was found for the films before and after the simulated digestion. BC films with adsorbed bLF may constitute an approach in the development of bio-based edible antimicrobial packaging systems.The authors would like to acknowledge Portuguese Foundation
for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia)
for the research grants: Jorge Padrão SFRH/BD/64901/2009, Sara
Gonçalves SFRH/BD/63578/2009, João Pedro Silva SFRH/BPD/
64958/2009, Ana Cristina Pinheiro SFRH/BPD/101181/2014. V.
Sencadas thanks support from the COST Action MP1206: “Electrospun
nano-fibres for bio inspired composite materials and innovative
industrial applications” and MP1301: “New Generation
Biomimetic and Customized Implants for Bone Engineering”. The
authors would also like to thank the co-funded by the Programa
Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 e O Novo Norte), QREN,
FEDER Projects “BioHealth e Biotechnology and Bioengineering
approaches to improve health quality”, Ref. NORTE-07-0124-
FEDER-000027; “BioInd e Biotechnology and Bioengineering for
improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes”, REF. NORTE-07-
0124-FEDER-000028; Strategic Project PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2014;
Matepro eOptimizing Materials and Processes”, ref. NORTE-07-
0124-FEDER-000037; Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013
and project ref. RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (project number FCOMP-
01-0124-FEDER-027462). Finally, the authors thank the Fundação
para a Ciência e Tecnologia for the strategic funding from the UID/
BIO/04469/2013 unit
Genotype and phenotype landscape of MEN2 in 554 medullary thyroid cancer patients: the BrasMEN study
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) is an autosomal dominant genetic disease caused by RET gene germline mutations that is characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) associated with other endocrine tumors. Several reports have demonstrated that the RET mutation profile may vary according to the geographical area. In this study, we collected clinical and molecular data from 554 patients with surgically confirmed MTC from 176 families with MEN2 in 18 different Brazili an centers to compare the type and prevalence of RET mutations with those from other countries. The most frequent mutations, classified by the number of families affected, occur in codon 634, exon 11 (76 families), followed by codon 918, exon 16 (34 families: 26 with M918T and 8 with M918V) and codon 804, exon 14 (22 families: 15 with V804M and 7 with V804L). When compared with other major published series from Europe, there are several similarities and some differences. While the mutations in codons C618, C620, C630, E768 and S891 present a similar prevalence, some mutations have a lower prevalence in Brazil, and others are found mainly in Brazil (G533C and M918V). These results reflect the singular proportion of European, Amerindian and African ancestries in the Brazilian mosaic genome83289298CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL - FAPERGSSem informaçãoSem informação2006/60402-1; 2010/51547-1; 2013/01476-9; 2014/06570-6; 2009/50575-4; 2010/51546-5; 2012/21942-116/2551-0000482-
Avaliação de políticas públicas de segurança alimentar e combate à fome no período 1995-2002: 4 - Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar
Geographic patterns of tree dispersal modes in Amazonia and their ecological correlates
Aim: To investigate the geographic patterns and ecological correlates in the geographic distribution of the most common tree dispersal modes in Amazonia (endozoochory, synzoochory, anemochory and hydrochory). We examined if the proportional abundance of these dispersal modes could be explained by the availability of dispersal agents (disperser-availability hypothesis) and/or the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits (resource-availability hypothesis).
Time period: Tree-inventory plots established between 1934 and 2019.
Major taxa studied: Trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 9.55 cm.
Location: Amazonia, here defined as the lowland rain forests of the Amazon River basin and the Guiana Shield.
Methods: We assigned dispersal modes to a total of 5433 species and morphospecies within 1877 tree-inventory plots across terra-firme, seasonally flooded, and permanently flooded forests. We investigated geographic patterns in the proportional abundance of dispersal modes. We performed an abundance-weighted mean pairwise distance (MPD) test and fit generalized linear models (GLMs) to explain the geographic distribution of dispersal modes.
Results: Anemochory was significantly, positively associated with mean annual wind speed, and hydrochory was significantly higher in flooded forests. Dispersal modes did not consistently show significant associations with the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits. A lower dissimilarity in dispersal modes, resulting from a higher dominance of endozoochory, occurred in terra-firme forests (excluding podzols) compared to flooded forests.
Main conclusions: The disperser-availability hypothesis was well supported for abiotic dispersal modes (anemochory and hydrochory). The availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits seems an unlikely explanation for the distribution of dispersal modes in Amazonia. The association between frugivores and the proportional abundance of zoochory requires further research, as tree recruitment not only depends on dispersal vectors but also on conditions that favour or limit seedling recruitment across forest types
Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities
AimAmazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types.LocationAmazonia.TaxonAngiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots).MethodsData for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran's eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny.ResultsIn the terra firme and várzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igapó and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R2 = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R2 = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types.Main ConclusionNumerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions
Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities
Aim: Amazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types.
Location: Amazonia.
Taxon: Angiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots).
Methods: Data for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran\u27s eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny.
Results: In the terra firme and várzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igapó and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types.
Main Conclusion: Numerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions
Mapping density, diversity and species-richness of the Amazon tree flora
Using 2.046 botanically-inventoried tree plots across the largest tropical forest on Earth, we mapped tree species-diversity and tree species-richness at 0.1-degree resolution, and investigated drivers for diversity and richness. Using only location, stratified by forest type, as predictor, our spatial model, to the best of our knowledge, provides the most accurate map of tree diversity in Amazonia to date, explaining approximately 70% of the tree diversity and species-richness. Large soil-forest combinations determine a significant percentage of the variation in tree species-richness and tree alpha-diversity in Amazonian forest-plots. We suggest that the size and fragmentation of these systems drive their large-scale diversity patterns and hence local diversity. A model not using location but cumulative water deficit, tree density, and temperature seasonality explains 47% of the tree species-richness in the terra-firme forest in Amazonia. Over large areas across Amazonia, residuals of this relationship are small and poorly spatially structured, suggesting that much of the residual variation may be local. The Guyana Shield area has consistently negative residuals, showing that this area has lower tree species-richness than expected by our models. We provide extensive plot meta-data, including tree density, tree alpha-diversity and tree species-richness results and gridded maps at 0.1-degree resolution
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