Cardiac Over-Expression of Creatine Kinase Improves Function in Failing Myocytes

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Minimum sample sizes for population genomics: an empirical study from an Amazonian plant species

High-throughput DNA sequencing facilitates the analysis of large portions of the genome in nonmodel organisms, ensuring high accuracy of population genetic parameters. However, empirical studies evaluating the appropriate sample size for these kinds of studies are still scarce. In this study, we use double-digest restriction associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to recover thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for two physically isolated populations of Amphirrhox longifolia (Violaceae), a nonmodel plant species for which no reference genome is available. We used resampling techniques to construct simulated populations with a random subset of individuals and SNPs to determine how many individuals and biallelic markers should be sampled for accurate estimates of intra- and interpopulation genetic diversity. We identified 3646 and 4900 polymorphic SNPs for the two populations of A. longifolia, respectively. Our simulations show that, overall, a sample size greater than eight individuals has little impact on estimates of genetic diversity within A. longifolia populations, when 1000 SNPs or higher are used. Our results also show that even at a very small sample size (i.e. two individuals), accurate estimates of FST can be obtained with a large number of SNPs (≥1500). These results highlight the potential of high-throughput genomic sequencing approaches to address questions related to evolutionary biology in nonmodel organisms. Furthermore, our findings also provide insights into the optimization of sampling strategies in the era of population genomics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136081/1/Nazareno et al. 2017a.pdfDescription of Nazareno et al. 2017a.pdf : Main articl

Avaliação da resistência à ferrugem em progênies de cafeeiro F4 obtidas por cruzamentos de 'icatu' com catimor.

Com o objetivo de selecionar progênies de cafeeiro resistentes à ferrugem foram instalados e conduzidos experimentos em Três Pontas, São Sebastião do Paraíso e Machado. Foram avaliadas 17 progênies desenvolvidas pelo programa de Melhoramento Genético do Cafeeiro em Minas Gerais, coordenado pela EPAMIG e obtidas pelo cruzamento ?Icatu? x Catimor, e a cultivar Rubi MG 1192 utilizada como testemunha. O delineamento foi o de blocos casualizados com três repetições. Foram analisadas as características incidência da ferrugem no primeiro semestre de 2006.Os resultados obtidos permitem verificar que as progênies avaliadas apresentam variabilidade para a resistência a ferrugem, isso é confirmado pelas estimativas da herdabilidade que foram de boa magnitude, chegando até o valor de 92,8%. Essa condição aliada à baixa incidência da doença apresentada por algumas progênies, demonstrou que é possível selecionar progênies superiores em relação à resistência a ferrugem na população estudada

Aldose Reductase Inhibition or Activation of Transketolase Offset Adverse Metabolic Remodeling Improving Function in Type 2 Diabetes Myocytes Exposed to Hyperglycemia

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Time evolution of the Partridge-Barton Model

The time evolution of the Partridge-Barton model in the presence of the pleiotropic constraint and deleterious somatic mutations is exactly solved for arbitrary fecundity in the context of a matricial formalism. Analytical expressions for the time dependence of the mean survival probabilities are derived. Using the fact that the asymptotic behavior for large time $t$ is controlled by the largest matrix eigenvalue, we obtain the steady state values for the mean survival probabilities and the Malthusian growth exponent. The mean age of the population exhibits a $t^{-1}$ power law decayment. Some Monte Carlo simulations were also performed and they corroborated our theoretical results.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, 1 postscript figure, published in Phys. Rev. E 61, 5664 (2000

Estudio de las Variables de Reacción de la Transesterificación Asistida por Microondas

La irradiación de microondas es una fuente de energía no convencional que viene siendo utilizada para un gran número de reacciones químicas, comprobando que éstas pueden ser aceleradas bajo condiciones de irradiación de microondas. Debido a que la reacción de transesterificación contiene tanto componentes polares como iónicos, el calentamiento con microondas se compara favorablemente con los métodos convencionales. En este trabajo se realizaron estudios de los efectos de la irradiación de microondas en la síntesis de biodiesel con aceite de algodón y metanol usando hidróxido de sodio como catalizador. Se ha comprobado mediante ensayos de laboratorio que utilizando las mismas condiciones que con el método convencional de calentamiento se pueden alcanzar los mismos rendimientos, incluso mayores, que utilizando la irradiación microonda como fuente de energía, con la ventaja de una considerable reducción del tiempo de reacción

Cobalt-Protoporphyrin Improves Heart Function by Blunting Oxidative Stress and Restoring NO Synthase Equilibrium in an Animal Model of Experimental Diabetes

Myocardial dysfunction and coronary macro/microvascular alterations are the hallmarks of diabetic cardiomyopathy and are ascribed to increased oxidative stress and altered nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. We hypothesize that pre-treatment by cobalt-protoporphyrin IX (CoPP) ameliorates both myocardial function and coronary circulation in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Isolated hearts from diabetic rats in Langendorff configuration displayed lower left ventricular function and higher coronary resistance (CR) compared to hearts from control animals. CoPP treatment of diabetic animals (0.3 mg/100 g body weight i.p., once a week for 3 weeks) significantly increased all the contractile/relaxation indexes (p < 0.01), while decreasing CR (p < 0.01). CoPP enhanced HO-1 protein levels and reduced oxidative stress in diabetic animals, as indicated by the significant (p < 0.05) decrease in heart % GSSG, O2− and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. CoPP increased adiponectin levels and phosphorylation of AKT and AMPK and reversed the eNOS/iNOS expression imbalance observed in the untreated diabetic heart. Furthermore, after CoPP treatment, a rise in malonyl-CoA as well as a decrease in acetyl-CoA was observed in diabetic hearts. In this experimental model of diabetic cardiomyopathy, CoPP treatment improved both cardiac function and coronary flow by blunting oxidative stress, restoring eNOS/iNOS expression balance and increasing HO-1 levels, thereby favoring improvement in both endothelial function and insulin sensitivity

Trypanocidal Activity of Smallanthus sonchifolius. Identification of Active Sesquiterpene Lactones by Bioassay-Guided Fractionation.

In order to find novel plant-derived biologically active compounds against Trypanosoma cruzi, we isolated, from the organic extract of Smallanthus sonchifolius, the sesquiterpene lactones enhydrin (1), uvedalin (2), and polymatin B (3) by bioassay-guided fractionation technique. These compounds showed a significant trypanocidal activity against the epimastigote forms of the parasite with IC50 values of 0.84 μM (1), 1.09 μM (2), and 4.90 μM (3). After a 24 h treatment with 10 μg/mL of enhydrin or uvedalin, parasites were not able to recover their replication rate. Compounds 1 and 2 showed IC50 values of 33.4 μM and 25.0 μM against T. cruzi trypomastigotes, while polymatin B was not active. When the three compounds were tested against the intracellular forms of T. cruzi, they were able to inhibit the amastigote replication with IC50 of 5.17 μM, 3.34 μM, and 9.02 μM for 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated in Vero cells obtaining CC50 values of 46.5 μM (1), 46.8 μM (2), and 147.3 μM (3) and the selectivity index calculated. According to these results, enhydrin and uvedalin might have potentials as agents against Chagas disease and could serve as lead molecules to develop new drugs.Fil: Frank, Fernanda Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientiâ­ficas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral "profesor R. A. Margni"; ArgentinaFil: Ulloa, Jerónimo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (i); ArgentinaFil: Cazorla, Silvia Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientiâ­ficas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral "profesor R. A. Margni"; ArgentinaFil: Maravilla, G.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (i); ArgentinaFil: Malchiodi, Emilio Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientiâ­ficas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral "profesor R. A. Margni"; ArgentinaFil: Grau, A.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Martino, Virginia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (i); ArgentinaFil: Catalan, Cesar Atilio Nazareno. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Instituto de Quimica del Noroeste; ArgentinaFil: Muschietti, Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (i); Argentin

First report of Phytophthora infestans self fertile genotypes in southern Brazil.

During the autumn of 2011 and 2012, leaf and stem samples of potato plants infected with P. infestans were collected in southern Brazil. Monosporangial isolates of P. infestans were obtained from the samples and mating types were determined. Each isolate was paired with the A2 and A1 mating types of P. infestans and self-paired on Petri plates containingV8 juice agar. After this, the plates were kept at 18°C in darkness for 20 days. Three isolates collected in Paraná State (municipalities of Ponta Grossa 25°12'26''S, 50°07'11''W; Contenda 25°38'52''S, 49°34'26''W; and Castro 24°51'50''S, 49°53'50''W) formed oospores when paired with both mating type isolates and also when self-paired