Comparative proteomic analysis of pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains from the swine pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae </it>is a highly infectious swine pathogen and is the causative agent of enzootic pneumonia (EP). Following the previous report of a proteomic survey of the pathogenic 7448 strain of swine pathogen, <it>Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae</it>, we performed comparative protein profiling of three <it>M. hyopneumoniae </it>strains, namely the non-pathogenic J strain and the two pathogenic strains 7448 and 7422.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In 2DE comparisons, we were able to identify differences in expression levels for 67 proteins, including the overexpression of some cytoadherence-related proteins only in the pathogenic strains. 2DE immunoblot analyses allowed the identification of differential proteolytic cleavage patterns of the P97 adhesin in the three strains. For more comprehensive protein profiling, an LC-MS/MS strategy was used. Overall, 35% of the <it>M. hyopneumoniae </it>genome coding capacity was covered. Partially overlapping profiles of identified proteins were observed in the strains with 81 proteins identified only in one strain and 54 proteins identified in two strains. Abundance analysis of proteins detected in more than one strain demonstrates the relative overexpression of 64 proteins, including the P97 adhesin in the pathogenic strains.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate the physiological differences between the non-pathogenic strain, with its non-infective proliferate lifestyle, and the pathogenic strains, with its constitutive expression of adhesins, which would render the bacterium competent for adhesion and infection prior to host contact.</p

Graphene Oxide Thin Films with Drug Delivery Function

Funding Information: Funding: Funding was obtained through the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through the projects iNOVA4Health, Translational Medicine program—UIDB/Multi/04462/2020; UIDB/50008/2020 and PTDC/CTM-REF/2679/2020.Graphene oxide has been used in different fields of nanomedicine as a manager of drug delivery due to its inherent physical and chemical properties that allow its use in thin films with biomedical applications. Several studies demonstrated its efficacy in the control of the amount and the timely delivery of drugs when it is incorporated in multilayer films. It has been demonstrated that oxide graphene layers are able to work as drug delivery or just to delay consecutive drug dosage, allowing the operation of time-controlled systems. This review presents the latest research developments of biomedical applications using graphene oxide as the main component of a drug delivery system, with focus on the production and characterization of films, in vitro and in vivo assays, main applications of graphene oxide biomedical devices, and its biocompatibility properties.publishersversionpublishe

Método para determinação da atividade de tanase em derivados imobilizados.

Relatar um método para a determinação da atividade de tanase imobilizada covaletemente a suportes inertes insolúveis, adaptado a partir do equivalente para enzima livre.bitstream/CNPAT-2010/9615/1/Ct-110.pd

Case-case study on comparative vaccine effectiveness against Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infections

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Retina and Choroid of Diabetic Patients Without Observed Retinal Vascular Changes: A Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE: To identify changes in choroidal thickness (CT) and all retinal layers of diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (DR) after 1 year of follow-up. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. METHODS: Overall, 125 diabetic patients without DR were included. Two visits were scheduled: the first visit (V1) and a second visit after 12 months (V2). At both visits, patients received a complete ophthalmologic evaluation that included OCT. Each retinal layer thickness was calculated for 9 ETDRS sectors, and CT was measured at 13 locations. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used. RESULTS: Of the 125 patients, 103 completed the study, and 9 of the 103 developed DR (8.7%). CT was significantly higher at V2 than at V1, with an average value of 10-17 μm at almost half the locations (500, 1000, and 1500 μm temporal; 500 and 1000 μm nasal; and 1000 μm superior to the fovea) (P < .001-.003). The thicknesses of the ganglion cell layer (I3 and N6 sectors), inner plexiform layer (S6 and N6 sectors), inner nuclear layer (T6 and N6 sectors), and outer plexiform layer (S6 sector), as well as the overall retinal thickness (RT) (S3, N3, I3, S6, and T6 sectors), were decreased at V2 (P < .001). Visible retinopathy was negatively associated with overall RT (central, S3, T3, I3, and N3 sectors, P = .004-.024) and the thickness of the ONL (T6 and I6 sectors, P = .007 and P = .009) and photoreceptor layer (N6 sector, P = .038). The presence of DR decreased the overall RT by 13.04-16.63 μm. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic patients without DR showed a thicker choroid and a thinner retina, particularly in inner layers, after 1 year of follow-up. These structural changes may correspond to the early neurodegenerative phase of DR.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genetic diversity of Pilocarpus microphyllus accessions using leaf traits.

Jaborandi (Pilocarpus microphyllus) is a medicinal species that produces pilocarpine, which is used to treat glaucoma, to stimulate lacrimal and salivary glands and in hair treatments. The objective was to study the genetic variation in a jaborandi genebank of Embrapa Eastern Amazon through quantitative traits and multivariate approaches. Leaves of 152 individuals from 13 natural populations from the states of Maranhao and Para plus a commercial one were collected in two seasons. Six leaf traits were evaluated. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed the existence of genetic differentiation among sample areas. In the dispersion graph the accessions did not group according to their sample area. The first two principal components explained 79.9% of the total variation and the six original traits were highly correlated with them, so no variable was discarded.

Marine Operations with the SWORDFISH Autonomous Surface Vehicle

IEEE Robótica 2007 - 7th Conference on Mobile Robots and Competitions, Paderne, Portugal 2007This paper describes the design and development of the Swordfish Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) system. The work focuses the sensors, actuators, communications and C4I of an unmanned vehicle for marine operations. SWORDFISH is an autonomous surface vehicle used as the central communications link between air, undersea, and terrestrial robotic vehicles of a network centric operation. It is used as a test bed platform for deployment and testing of advanced control and operational concepts for multi-vehicles systems. This new unmanned marine vehicle was done in the context of the PISCIS project. The PISCIS project concerns the development, test and evaluation of new vehicles and new concepts of operation for networked vehicle systems in oceanographic data collection. The PISCIS system includes two autonomous underwater vehicles, the Swordfish ASV, an acoustic navigation system, acoustic and radio communications and a distributed command and control system

Critical success factors of University-Industry R&D collaborations

University-industry R&D collaborations (UICs) play a vital role in stimulating open innovation that leads to new products, processes, and services that creates value for customers and broader societal impact. UICs, however, commonly fail to meet these stakeholders’ benefits. This study identifies thirty-four critical success factors (CSFs) for improving UIC success. The study includes a systematic literature review and a longitudinal UIC case study between Bosch Car Multimedia in Portugal and University of Minho, a multi-million Euro R&D collaboration from 2013 to 2021. The importance of the CSFs is discussed in the context of the UIC lifecycle. A survey among researchers and industry practitioners involved in R&D collaborative projects was completed to confirm the analysis of the empirical results. This paper provides UIC managers with CSFs, which, when addressed competently, can provide a basis for successful UIC projects and sustainable university-industry collaborationsThe authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020), SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021), ALGORITMI60 (UIDB/00319/2020) and CEMMPRE (UIDB/00285/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio