UV-Visible Spectroscopy Study of Oxidative Degradation of Sunflower Biodiesel

In this study, three antioxidants (blend (hydrogenated cardanol + 5-n-pentadecyl-2-tert-butylphenol), 5-n-pentadecyl-2-tert-butylphenol and ionol BF200) were evaluated for their potential to reduce the degree of oxidation of sunflower biodiesel under thermal stress condition. Each antioxidant was added at a concentration of 1000 ppm. The oxidative degradation was investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy and iodometry were used to monitor the changes using peroxide values. The results showed that, blend and 5-n-pentadecyl-2-tert-butylphenol possess significant potentiality when compared with ionol BF200. The blend and 5-n-pentadecyl-2-tert-butylphenol reduced the absorbance around 31%. The peroxide value showed that, the formulations: sunflower biodiesel/A2, sunflower biodiesel/A3 and sunflower biodiesel/AC showed better results when compared with sunflower biodiesel without antioxidant.Keywords: Antioxidants; Peroxide value; Accelerated oxidation tes

Anxiety and depression symptoms after pulmonary rehabilitation in people with interstitial lung disease: responders and non-responders

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective intervention for people with interstitial lung disease (ILD), as it improvesexercise capacity, quality of life and dyspnoea. Less is, however, known about other important and frequentsymptoms, such as anxiety and depression. This study explored the response of anxiety and depression symptomsto PR in people with ILD. Participants undertook a 12-week community-based PR programme. Anxiety and depression symptoms wereevaluated before and after PR with the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). The sample was stratified into2 groups according to the HADS score: ≥8 probable anxiety (PA) or depression (PD) and score <8 normal symptoms(NS). Responders were classified using the HADS minimal clinical important difference (≥1.5 points). 46 people with ILD (62±13 years; 63%♀; 75±20 FVC%; 56±18 DLCO%) participated. Number of responders inanxiety symptoms (73% PA; HADS-A pre: 12±3; mean change: 4±2; p<0.001 vs 25% NS; HADS-A pre: 6±2; meanchange: 2±0; p<0.001) was much higher than in depression symptoms (27% PD; HADS-D pre: 11±3; mean change:3±1; p=0.014 vs 13% NS; HADS-D pre: 5±2; mean change: 2±1; p=0.003). PR seems to improve anxiety symptoms, but it might not be as effective for depression symptoms in people with ILD.Future studies are needed to investigate the role of PR in the psychological health of people with ILD.publishe

Complete Genome Sequence of Avian Paramyxovirus (APMV) Serotype 5 Completes the Analysis of Nine APMV Serotypes and Reveals the Longest APMV Genome

Avian paramyxoviruses (APMV) consist of nine known serotypes. The genomes of representatives of all APMV serotypes except APMV type 5 have recently been fully sequenced. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the APMV-5 prototype strain budgerigar/Kunitachi/74.APMV-5 Kunitachi virus is unusual in that it lacks a virion hemagglutinin and does not grow in the allantoic cavity of embryonated chicken eggs. However, the virus grew in the amniotic cavity of embryonated chicken eggs and in twelve different established cell lines and two primary cell cultures. The genome is 17,262 nucleotides (nt) long, which is the longest among members of genus Avulavirus, and encodes six non-overlapping genes in the order of 3'N-P/V/W-M-F-HN-L-5' with intergenic regions of 4-57 nt. The genome length follows the 'rule of six' and contains a 55-nt leader sequence at the 3'end and a 552 nt trailer sequence at the 5' end. The phosphoprotein (P) gene contains a conserved RNA editing site and is predicted to encode P, V, and W proteins. The cleavage site of the F protein (G-K-R-K-K-R downward arrowF) conforms to the cleavage site motif of the ubiquitous cellular protease furin. Consistent with this, exogenous protease was not required for virus replication in vitro. However, the intracerebral pathogenicity index of APMV-5 strain Kunitachi in one-day-old chicks was found to be zero, indicating that the virus is avirulent for chickens despite the presence of a polybasic F cleavage site.Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences of the APVM-5 genome and proteins versus those of the other APMV serotypes showed that APMV-5 is more closely related to APMV-6 than to the other APMVs. Furthermore, these comparisons provided evidence of extensive genome-wide divergence that supports the classification of the APMVs into nine separate serotypes. The structure of the F cleavage site does not appear to be a reliable indicator of virulence among APMV serotypes 2-9. The availability of sequence information for all known APMV serotypes will facilitate studies in epidemiology and vaccinology

Zootherapeutics utilized by residents of the community Poço Dantas, Crato-CE, Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Animals have been used as a source of medicine in Brazil since ancient times, and have played a significant role in healing practices. Specifically in Northeast Brazil, zootherapy is a very common practice, and together with medicinal plants, it plays an important role as a therapeutic alternative. In the state of Ceara, no works have been carried out on rural communities with regard to use of zootherapeutics, even though the practice of zootherapy is common in this region. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the use of medicinal animals in a rural community (Poco Dantas) in the municipality of Crato, Ceara, Brazil.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The field survey was carried out from October 2008 to January 2009 by conducting interviews using structured questionnaires with 72 people (33 men and 39 women), who provided information on animal species used as remedies, body parts used to prepare the remedies, and ailments for which the remedies were prescribed. We calculated the informant consensus factor (ICF) to determine the consensus over which species are effective for particular ailments, as well as the species use value (UV) to determine the extent of utilization of each species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 29 species, distributed in 17 families were categorized as having some medicinal property. The taxa most represented were: mammals (9), insects (7), reptiles and birds (4). <it>Progne chalybea</it>, a species not previously recorded as being of medicinal use, was cited in the present work, where it is utilized in the treatment of alcoholism. The animals are used in the treatment of 34 diseases or symptoms, where sore throat, inflammations and cough are the ailments with the greatest number of citations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The data show that zootherapy represents an important therapeutic alternative for the inhabitants of the community. New studies on medicinal fauna should be conducted with the aim of determining the exploitation level of the species utilized, promoting sustainable development of medicinal species that are eventually threatened, and preserving and disseminating the knowledge developed by traditional individuals of the community.</p

Shock and stabilisation following long-term drought in tropical forest from 15 years of litterfall dynamics

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.1.Litterfall dynamics in tropical forests are a good indicator of overall tropical forest function, indicative of carbon invested in both photosynthesising tissues and reproductive organs such as flowers and fruits. These dynamics are sensitive to changes in climate, such as drought, but little is known about the long-term responses of tropical forest litterfall dynamics to extended drought stress. 2.We present a 15-year dataset of litterfall (leaf, flower and fruit, and twigs) from the world's only long-running drought experiment in tropical forest. This data set comprises one of the longest published litterfall time-series in natural forest, which allows the long-term effects of drought on forest reproduction and canopy investment to be explored. 3.Over the first four years of the experiment, the experimental soil moisture deficit created only a small decline in total litterfall and leaf fall (12% and 13% respectively), but a very strong initial decline in reproductive litterfall (flowers and fruits) of 54%. This loss of flowering and fruiting was accompanied by a de-coupling of all litterfall patterns from seasonal climate variables. However, following >10 years of the experimental drought, flower and fruiting re-stabilised at levels greater than in the control plot, despite high tree mortality in the drought plot. Litterfall relationships with atmospheric drivers were re-established alongside a strong new apparent trade-off between litterfall and tree growth. 4.Synthesis: we demonstrate that this tropical forest went through an initial shock response during the first four years of intense drought, where reproductive effort was arrested and seasonal litterfall patterns were lost. However, following >10 years of experimental drought this system appears to be re-stabilising at a new functional state where reproduction is substantially elevated on a per tree basis; and there is a new strong trade-off between investment in canopy production and wood production.This work is a product of UK NERC grant NE/J011002/1 to PM and MM, UK NERC independent fellowship grant NE/N014022/1 to LR, CNPQ grant 457914/2013-0/MCTI/CNPq/FNDCT/LBA/ESECAFLOR to ACLD, an ARC grant DP17010409to PM. It was previously supported by NERC NER/A/S/2002/00487, NERC GR3/11706, EU FP5-Carbonsink and EU FP7-Amazalert to PM and a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to Y

The global abundance of tree palms

Aim: Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosys-tems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evo-lutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon se-questration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quanti-fied global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change.Location: Tropical and subtropical moist forests.Time period: Current.Major taxa studied: Palms (Arecaceae).Methods: We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co-occurring non-palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure.Results: On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly asso-ciated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long-term climate stability. Life-form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non-tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above-ground biomass, but the mag-nitude and direction of the effect require additional work.Conclusions: Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also over-whelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests

The application of omics in ruminant production: a review in the tropical and sub-tropical animal production context

The demand for animal products (e.g. dairy and beef) in tropical regions is expected to increase in parallel with the public demand for sustainable practices, due to factors such as population growth and climate change. The necessity to increase animal production output must be achieved with better management and production technologies. For this to happen, novel research methodologies, animal selection and postgenomic tools play a pivotal role. Indeed, improving breeder selection programs, the quality of meat and dairy products as well as animal health will contribute to higher sustainability and productivity. This would surely benefit regions where resource quality and quantity are increasingly unstable, and research is still very incipient, which is the case of many regions in the tropics. The purpose of this review is to demonstrate how omics-based approaches play a major role in animal science, particularly concerning ruminant production systems and research associated to the tropics and developing countriesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Impacts of experimentally imposed drought on leaf respiration and morphology in an Amazon rain forest

1. The Amazon region may experience increasing moisture limitation over this century. Leaf dark respiration (R) is a key component of the Amazon rain forest carbon (C) cycle, but relatively little is known about its sensitivity to drought. 2. Here, we present measurements of R standardized to 25 C and leaf morphology from different canopy heights over 5 years at a rain forest subject to a large-scale through-fall reduction (TFR) experiment, and nearby, unmodified Control forest, at the Caxiuana˜ reserve in the eastern Amazon. 3. In all five post-treatment measurement campaigns, mean R at 25 C was elevated in the TFR forest compared to the Control forest experiencing normal rainfall. After 5 years of the TFR treatment, R per unit leaf area and mass had increased by 65% and 42%, respectively, relative to pre-treatment means. In contrast, leaf area index (L) in the TFR forest was consistently lower than the Control, falling by 23% compared to the pre-treatment mean, largely because of a decline in specific leaf area (S). 4. The consistent and significant effects of the TFR treatment on R, L and S suggest that severe drought events in the Amazon, of the kind that may occur more frequently in future, could cause a substantial increase in canopy carbon dioxide emissions from this ecosystem to the atmosphere