The Atp-dependent Rna Helicase Hrpb Plays An Important Role In Motility And Biofilm Formation In Xanthomonas Citri Subsp. Citri

Background: RNA helicases are enzymes that catalyze the separation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) using the free energy of ATP binding and hydrolysis. DEAD/DEAH families participate in many different aspects of RNA metabolism, including RNA synthesis, RNA folding, RNA-RNA interactions, RNA localization and RNA degradation. Several important bacterial DEAD/DEAH-box RNA helicases have been extensively studied. In this study, we characterize the ATP-dependent RNA helicase encoded by the hrpB (XAC0293) gene using deletion and genetic complementation assays. We provide insights into the function of the hrpB gene in Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri by investigating the roles of hrpB in biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces and host leaves, cell motility, host virulence of the citrus canker bacterium and growth in planta. Results: The hrpB gene is highly conserved in the sequenced strains of Xanthomonas. Mutation of the hrpB gene (Δ;hrpB) resulted in a significant reduction in biofilms on abiotic surfaces and host leaves. Δ;hrpB also exhibited increased cell dispersion on solid medium plates. Δ;hrpB showed reduced adhesion on biotic and abiotic surfaces and delayed development in disease symptoms when sprayed on susceptible citrus leaves. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assays indicated that deletion of hrpB reduced the expression of four type IV pili genes. The transcriptional start site of fimA (XAC3241) was determined using rapid amplification of 5′-cDNA Ends (5′RACE). Based on the results of fimA mRNA structure predictions, the fimA 5′ UTR may contain three different loops. HrpB may be involved in alterations to the structure of fimA mRNA that promote the stability of fimA RNA. Conclusions: Our data show that hrpB is involved in adherence of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri to different surfaces. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a DEAH RNA helicase has been implicated in the regulation of type IV pili in Xanthomonas. © 2016 Granato et al.16

Hidrogenionic potential (pH) of the attractant, trap density and control threshold for Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: tephritidae) on Hamlin oranges in São Paulo central region, Brazil

This study evaluated the effect of initial pH values of 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5 of the attractant (protein bait) Milhocina® and borax (sodium borate) in the feld, on the capture of fruit flies in McPhail traps, using 1, 2, 4 and 8 traps per hectare, in order to estimate control thresholds in a Hamlin orange grove in the central region of the state of São Paulo. The most abundant fruit fly species was Ceratitis capitata, comprising almost 99% of the fruit flies captured, of which 80% were females. The largest captures of C. capitata were found in traps baited with Milhocina® and borax at pH 8.5. Captures per trap for the four densities were similar, indicating that the population can be estimated with one trap per hectare in areas with high populations. It was found positive relationships between captures of C. capitata and the number of Hamlin oranges damaged, 2 and 3 weeks after capture. It was obtained equations that correlate captures and damage levels which can be used to estimate control thresholds. The average loss caused in Hamlin orange fruits by C. capitata was 2.5 tons per hectare or 7.5% of production.Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: avaliar o efeito do pH inicial, 4.5; 6.5 e 8.5, do atrativo proteico Milhocina® e bórax (tetraborato de sódio) na captura de moscas-das-frutas em armadilhas McPhail; estudar densidades de armadilhas, 1; 2; 4 e 8 por hectare, para estimar níveis de controle em laranja cv. Hamlin, na região central de São Paulo. A espécie predominante, com 99% das moscas-das-frutas capturadas, foi Ceratitis capitata, sendo 80% de fêmeas. As maiores capturas de C. capitata ocorreram nas armadilhas com Milhocina® e bórax em pH 8.5. As capturas, nas 4 densidades, foram semelhantes, indicando que a população pode ser estimada com uma armadilha por hectare em áreas de altas populações. Houve relações positivas entre capturas de C. capitata e o número de frutos danificados, 2 e 3 semanas após a captura. Assim, foram obtidas equações que relacionam a captura e o dano, possibilitando estimar níveis de controle desse inseto. As perdas médias causadas por C. capitata em laranja cv. Hamlin chegaram a 2,5 toneladas de frutos por hectare ou 7,5% da produção.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Right circumcaval ureter and double right renal vein in the Brazilian shorthair cat (Felis catus): two case reports

Variations of the renal veins are well described in the literature, although variations concerning the ureter are considered a rare finding in cats. The circumcaval ureter is one of the rarest variations of the ureter and is characterised by a loop of the ureter posterior to the caudal vena cava. This variant is also known as preureteral vena cava and retrocaval ureter. It is thought to be caused by a deviation during embryonic development of the aforementioned vein. Due to its rarity, there are scarce reports of the circumcaval ureter in cats, and its association with two renal veins makes it less common as well. These variations should be preoperatively identified in order to avoid complications in kidney transplants, ureteral surgeries and cystoscopies, for instance. The present work aims to report two cases of a circumcaval ureter with two renal veins in two different Brazilian shorthair cats (Felis catus)

Experimental implementation of a NMR entanglement witness

Entanglement witnesses (EW) allow the detection of entanglement in a quantum system, from the measurement of some few observables. They do not require the complete determination of the quantum state, which is regarded as a main advantage. On this paper it is experimentally analyzed an entanglement witness recently proposed in the context of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments to test it in some Bell-diagonal states. We also propose some optimal entanglement witness for Bell-diagonal states. The efficiency of the two types of EW's are compared to a measure of entanglement with tomographic cost, the generalized robustness of entanglement. It is used a GRAPE algorithm to produce an entangled state which is out of the detection region of the EW for Bell-diagonal states. Upon relaxation, the results show that there is a region in which both EW fails, whereas the generalized robustness still shows entanglement, but with the entanglement witness proposed here with a better performance

Optimizing the Emitter Layer for Higher Efficiency Solar Cell Based SiGe Using AMPS1D

The thin-film SiGe is considered as promising candidate to meet the outstanding need for photovoltaic applications with enhanced adsorption characteristics and improved conversion efficiency [1-6]. In this paper, we simulated a solar cell type SiGe using AMPS1D (Analysis of Microelectronic and photonic structure) developed at Pennsylvania State University, to analyze emitter layer (thickness, doping) and we studied their influence on the photovoltaic solar cell. The simulation result shows that the maximum efficiency of 16.181 % has been achieved, with short circuit current density of 32.657 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage of 0.61 V and fill factor of 0.809. The obtained results show that the proposed design can be considered as a potential candidate for high performance photovoltaic applications

Consistency analysis of a nonbirefringent Lorentz-violating planar model

In this work analyze the physical consistency of a nonbirefringent Lorentz-violating planar model via the analysis of the pole structure of its Feynman propagators. The nonbirefringent planar model, obtained from the dimensional reduction of the CPT-even gauge sector of the standard model extension, is composed of a gauge and a scalar fields, being affected by Lorentz-violating (LIV) coefficients encoded in the symmetric tensor $\kappa_{\mu\nu}$. The propagator of the gauge field is explicitly evaluated and expressed in terms of linear independent symmetric tensors, presenting only one physical mode. The same holds for the scalar propagator. A consistency analysis is performed based on the poles of the propagators. The isotropic parity-even sector is stable, causal and unitary mode for $0\leq\kappa_{00}<1$. On the other hand, the anisotropic sector is stable and unitary but in general noncausal. Finally, it is shown that this planar model interacting with a $\lambda|\varphi|^{4}-$Higgs field supports compactlike vortex configurations.Comment: 11 pages, revtex style, final revised versio

3-amino-1,2,4-triazole induces quick and strong fat loss in mice with high fat-induced metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing epidemic with limited effective treatments and an important risk factor for several diseases such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (ATZ), an inhibitor of catalase and heme synthesis, in a murine model for MetS. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice with high-fat diet-induced MetS received ATZ (500 mg·kg(-1)·24 h(-1)) for 12 weeks. RESULTS: The HFD group showed increased blood pressure and body weight, enhanced fat deposition accompanied by an increase in adipocyte diameter, and decreased lipolysis in white adipose tissue (WAT). The expression of genes related to inflammation was increased in WAT of the HFD group. Concurrently, these mice exhibited an increase in leptin, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), insulin, and glucose in plasma, coupled with glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Strikingly, ATZ prevented the increase in blood pressure and the HFD-induced obesity as observed by lower body weight, WAT index, triglycerides, NEFA, and leptin in plasma. ATZ treatment also prevented the HFD-induced increase in adipocyte diameter and even induced marked atrophy and the accumulation of macrophages in this tissue. ATZ treatment also improved glucose metabolism by increasing glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, GLUT4 mRNA expression in WAT in parallel to decreased insulin levels. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of HFD-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome, the fat loss induced by ATZ is probably due to heme synthesis inhibition, which blocks adipogenesis by probably decreased RevErbα activity, leading to apoptosis of adipocytes and the recruitment of macrophages. As a consequence of fat loss, ATZ elicits a beneficial systemic antiobesity effect and improves the metabolic status

Recuperação da vegetação de caatinga após impacto em Assaré - CE

Recuperação da vegetação de caatinga apósimpacto em Assaré - C

Fitofiosionomia de uma caatinga no município de Milagres, CE

Fitofiosionomia de uma caatinga nomunicípio de Milagres, C

A new tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for genotyping bovine kappa-casein polymorphisms

[EN] Kappa-casein (κ-casein) is one of the most abundant milk proteins. Its main function is to avoid the aggregation of casein micelles, keeping them, and therefore calcium phosphate, in pockets in solution. In bovines, a κ-casein functional polymorphism has been associated with fat, calcium, and protein milk contents and faster curd contraction in cheese production. Quicker curd contraction reduces the loss of milk solids, enhancing cheese yield. This polymorphism induces a double amino acid substitution (Thr136Ile and Ala148Asp). The polymorphism is normally detected by PCR-RFLP, which is a laborious method. An interesting methodological alternative is the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (tetra-primer ARMS-PCR). A tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for the detection of this κ-casein polymorphism has been described. However, specificity was not achieved, probably due to problems with primer design. We developed a new tetra-primer ARMS-PCR for the detection of the κ-casein polymorphism. This new method was validated in a double-blind test, by comparison with the results obtained for 50 Guzerá bulls formerly genotyped by PCR-RFLP. This new method achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity. We conclude that this method is a useful, cost-efficient alternative for the detection of functional κ-casein polymorphismsSIResearch supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa (CNPq), Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa de Universidade Federal de Minas gerais (PRPq/UFMG), and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). MRSC, PASF, MAM, and RSV have CNPq fellowships. IRC has a CAPES fellowship. We are grateful to Professor Vânia Maldini Pena and Ms. Ariane Figueiredo Menicucci from Colégio Brasileiro de Criadores do Guzerá, for providing biological sample