Current advances in the bacterial toolbox for the biotechnological production of monoterpene-based aroma compounds

Monoterpenes are plant secondary metabolites, widely used in industrial processes as precursors of important aroma compounds, such as vanillin and (−)-menthol. However, the physicochemical properties of monoterpenes make difficult their conventional conversion into value-added aromas. Biocatalysis, either by using whole cells or enzymes, may overcome such drawbacks in terms of purity of the final product, ecological and economic constraints of the current catalysis processes or extraction from plant material. In particular, the ability of oxidative enzymes (e.g., oxygenases) to modify the monoterpene backbone, with high regio- and stereo-selectivity, is attractive for the production of “natural” aromas for the flavor and fragrances industries. We review the research efforts carried out in the molecular analysis of bacterial monoterpene catabolic pathways and biochemical characterization of the respective key oxidative enzymes, with particular focus on the most relevant precursors, β-pinene, limonene and β-myrcene. The presented overview of the current state of art demonstrates that the specialized enzymatic repertoires of monoterpene-catabolizing bacteria are expanding the toolbox towards the tailored and sustainable biotechnological production of values-added aroma compounds (e.g., isonovalal, α-terpineol, and carvone isomers) whose implementation must be supported by the current advances in systems biology and metabolic engineering approaches.This work was supported by the project VALEU (PTDC/EAM-AMB/30488/2017); by the strategic program UID/BIA/04050/2019 through the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) I.P.; and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE2020-Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI). The work was also supported by a Ph.D grant (grant number PD/BD/146184/2019) to F.S

Red alert: labile heme is an alarmin

This publication hasn't any creative commons license associated.This deposit is composed by the main article, and it hasn't any supplementary materials associated. There is no public supplementary material available.The deposited article is a pre-print version.Alarmins are a heterogeneous group of endogenous molecules that signal cellular damage when sensed extracellularly. Heme is an endogenous molecule that acts as a prosthetic group of hemoproteins, such as hemoglobin and myoglobin. When released from damaged red blood cells or muscle cells, oxidized hemoglobin and myoglobin release their prosthetic heme groups, respectively. This generates labile heme, which is sensed by pattern recognition receptors (PRR) expressed by innate immune cells and possibly regulatory T cells (TREG). The ensuing adaptive response, which alerts for the occurrence of red blood cell or muscle cell damage, regulates the pathologic outcome of hemolysis or rhabdomyolysis, respectively. In conclusion, we propose that labile heme is an alarmin.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia grants: (PTDC/SAU TOX/116627/2010, HMSP-ICT/0022/2010, RECI/IMI-IMU/0038/2012); Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa, INCTDengue, Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tissue damage control in disease tolerance

The deposited article is a prost-print version.This publication hasn't any creative commons license associated.This deposit is composed by the main article, and it hasn't any supplementary materials associated.Immune-driven resistance mechanisms are the prevailing host defense strategy against infection. By contrast, disease tolerance mechanisms limit disease severity by preventing tissue damage or ameliorating tissue function without interfering with pathogen load. We propose here that tissue damage control underlies many of the protective effects of disease tolerance. We explore the mechanisms of cellular adaptation that underlie tissue damage control in response to infection as well as sterile inflammation, integrating both stress and damage responses. Finally, we discuss the potential impact of targeting these mechanisms in the treatment of disease.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia grants: (PTDC/SAU-TOX/116627/2010, HMSP-ICT/0022/2010, SFRH/BPD/44256/2008); European Commission 7th Framework grant: (ERC-2011-AdG. 294709-DAMAGECONTROL); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant: (DFG WE 4971/3-1).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Disease tolerance and immunity in host protection against infection

The deposited article is a pre-print version.This publication hasn't any creative commons license associated.This deposit is composed by the main article which contains attached the supplementary materials.The immune system probably evolved to limit the negative effects exerted by pathogens on host homeostasis. This defence strategy relies on the concerted action of innate and adaptive components of the immune system, which sense and target pathogens for containment, destruction or expulsion. Resistance to infection refers to these immune functions, which reduce the pathogen load of an infected host as the means to preserve homeostasis. Immune-driven resistance to infection is coupled to an additional, and arguably as important, defence strategy that limits the extent of dysfunction imposed on host parenchymal tissues during infection, without exerting a direct negative effect on pathogens. This defence strategy, known as disease tolerance, relies on tissue damage control mechanisms that prevent the deleterious effects of pathogens and that uncouples immune-driven resistance mechanisms from immunopathology and disease. In this Review, we provide a unifying view of resistance and disease tolerance in the framework of immunity to infection.Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência; Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian; Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia grants: (PTDC/SAU-TOX/116627/2010, HMSP-ICT/0022/2010, PTDC/BEX-GMG/3128/2014); ERC grants: (ERC-2011-AdG 294709-DAMAGECONTROL, ERC-2014-CoG 647888-iPROTECTION).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Heme Cytotoxicity and the Pathogenesis of Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases

Heme, iron (Fe) protoporphyrin IX, functions as a prosthetic group in a range of hemoproteins essential to support life under aerobic conditions. The Fe contained within the prosthetic heme groups of these hemoproteins can catalyze the production of reactive oxygen species. Presumably for this reason, heme must be sequestered within those hemoproteins, thereby shielding the reactivity of its Fe-heme. However, under pathologic conditions associated with oxidative stress, some hemoproteins can release their prosthetic heme groups. While this heme is not necessarily damaging per se, it becomes highly cytotoxic in the presence of a range of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor. This can lead to tissue damage and, as such, exacerbate the pathologic outcome of several immune-mediated inflammatory conditions. Presumably, targeting “free heme” may be used as a therapeutic intervention against these diseases

Positive Psychological Capital as a Predictor of Satisfaction With the Fly-In Fly-Out Model

The flexibility of markets and international agreements have lured a growing number of companies to expand their business beyond frontiers in search for new markets and a bigger business network. Specifically, expatriates became keystones to implant and promote the so desired expansion into international markets, Particularly, Fly-in flyout (FIFO) flexpatriates. Although FIFO work practices are widely used, little is known about how to promote these professionals’ perceived job satisfaction (JS) across the course of their work cycles. That is why the goal of our research is to test the positive psychological capital (PsyCap) applicability to Portuguese FIFO flexpatriates. In the midst of the positive psychology theories, Luthans et al. (2007b) underline that workers are the psychological capital of any organization. Therefore, the development of the PsyCap becomes crucial and also contributes to the promotion of JS, nowadays a construct intertwined with well-being. As such, we developed and applied a HERO– (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism)–micro-intervention in order to assess whether it moderated the relationship between a FIFO flexpatriates PsyCap and their JS. The research took place over three distinct moments, both PsyCap and JS were measured before and after the HERO micro-intervention, and again 3 months later. The data collected shows that a positive correlation exists between FIFO flexpatriates PsyCap and JS. Moreover, our results pointed out that the micro-intervention enhanced FIFO flexpatriates PsyCap, and also showed that this increase lasted over (at least) 3 months.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

OptFlux3: an improved platform for in silico design of cellular factories

The rational design of cellular factories for industrial biotechnology aims to create optimized organisms for the production of bulk chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food ingredients and enzymes, among others. Metabolic engineering (ME) plays a key role in this process, supported by the latest advances in genetic engineering in combination with computational tools to define targets for strain improvement. OptFlux is an open-source reference computational platform for the optimization of cellular factories by the application of in silico ME methods, designed for non-computational experts by providing a user-friendly interface. It allows to load genome-scale models from several sources to be used in the prediction of cellular behavior and identification of metabolic targets for genetic engineering. Its latest version, OptFlux3, allows to perform the simulation of wild type and mutant strains (allowing the simulation of gene/ reaction deletion and over/under expression). Regarding strain optimization, the new architecture opts for a multi-objective framework, allowing users to easily add different goals as optimization targets in a flexible way. Specialized multi-objective algorithms, co-exist with traditional single objectives algorithms to be applied for each case. Also, OptFlux3 includes a new visualization framework for metabolic models and phenotype simulations and a new plug-in management interface that allows to install and remove plug-ins in execution time. Currently available plug-ins include the calculation and visualization of elementary modes, topological analysis and the ability to add reactions/ pathways to existing models. OptFlux is made freely available for all major operating systems, together with suitable documentation in www.optflux.org

Exploring the family caregiving phenomenon in nursing documentation

Background: Today, an increasing number of family members assume a great responsibility for taking care of a dependent person at home. Nurses must prepare the family caregiver for this transition—to be a caregiver, by providing the best solution for each case. Taking care of a dependent person is not an easy task; it involves cognitive and instrumental skills to perform this role. Aim: We intend to study the types and frequencies of nursing diagnosis related to the family caregiver, documented in the Nursing Information System (NIS) in use, in a District Hospital in Portugal. Method: The data were extracted from the Nursing Information System to a new database, and, after codification, we analyzed the nursing diagnosis related to the family caregiver. ICNP ® (International Classification for Nursing Practice) was used as referential terminology in data analysis. Findings: The analysis shows that more than 40% of patients admitted with nursing diagnosis are related to the family caregiver, even in readmissions cases. These nursing diagnoses are centered on the prevention of patient’s complications, such as pressure ulcer, replacement in self-care activities, i.e., feeding, optimization of the family caregiver role, and in the promotion of the therapeutic regimen management. The major skills that we found in diagnosis related to the family caregiver were associated with knowledge acquisition. Conclusion: We conclude that, in many readmissions cases, family caregivers continue to have many weaknesses, specifically related to their level of knowledge and skills learning. This finding opens a window of opportunity to develop solutions that will help these families take care of a dependent person at home, including web-based solutions that can be a tool to promote the continuity of care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Análisis de los diversos contenidos tecnológicos y de información para los pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica

Objetivo: Identificar tipos de suportes tecnológicos e conteúdos informacionais utilizados na promoção da gestão do regime terapêutico em pacientes com DPOC. Métodos: Estudo de abordagem quantitativa, exploratório transversal e descritivo, tendo como recurso um questionário baseado no modelo de aceitação da tecnologia, no modelo teórico dos determinantes da percepção da facilidade de utilização da mesma e na revisão da literatura. Resultados: Os pacientes com DPOC referiram maior necessidade de informação relacionada com as atividades do dia-a-dia e com os exercícios respiratórios. Pacientes com maior literacia e maior literacia tecnológica referem maior utilidade das tecnologias Web-based; pacientes com menor literacia e menor literacia tecnológica referem maior utilidade, intenção e facilidade para a utilização do telemóvel, livros e vídeos no acesso à informação. Conclusão: Os recursos informacionais podem adotar diferentes suportes tecnológicos, desde que disponibilizados em função da literacia e literacia tecnológica e adequados às necessidades informacionais dos pacientes.Objective: To identify types of technological support and information content utilized to promote therapeutic regimen management for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: In this study, which had a quantitative, exploratory, descriptive, and transversal approach, the authors used a questionnaire organized on the basis of a literature review and two models: One of acceptance of the technology and a theoretical one of the determinants for patients’ perceived ease of its use. Results: The patients with COPD reported need for more information related to their daily activities and breathing exercises. Patients who had higher literacy and higher technological literacy reported that web-based technologies were more useful. Those who had lower literacy and lower technological literacy reported higher usefulness, intention and ease of use of mobile phone books, and videos in the access to information. Conclusion: Information resources may use any technological support, provided information is available according to the literacy and technological literacy of the patients and tailored to their needs.Objetivo: Identificar tipos de soportes tecnológicos y contenidos informacionales utilizados en la promoción de la gestión del régimen terapéutico en pacientes con DPOC. Métodos: Estudio de abordaje cuantitativo, exploratorio transversal y descriptivo, teniendo como recurso a un cuestionario basado en el modelo de aceptación de la tecnología, en el modelo teórico de los determinantes de la percepción de la facilidad de utilización del mismo y en la revisión de la literatura. Resultados: Los pacientes con DPOC refirieron mayor necesidad de información relacionada con las actividades del dia a dia y con los ejercicios respiratorios. Pacientes con mayor literacia y mayor literacia tecnológica refieren mayor utilidad de las tecnología Web-based; pacientes con menor literacia y menor literacia tecnológica refieren mayor utilidad, intención y facilidad para la utilización del telemóvil, libros y videos en el acceso a la información. Conclusión: Los recursos informacionales pueden adoptar diferentes soportes tecnológicos, siempre y cuando estén disponibles en función de la literacia y literacia tecnológica y adecuados a las necesidades informacionales de los pacientes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Road Pavement Damage Detection using Computer Vision Techniques: Approaches, Challenges and Opportunities

The work presented in this paper is the result of a preliminary research aimed at using computer vision techniques for road pavement damage detection in the context of a smart city. It first introduces the related concepts. Then, it surveys the state of the art and existing solutions, presenting their main features, strengths and limitations. The most promising solutions are identified. Finally, it discusses open challenges and research directions in this area