Enhancing Production of Bio-Isoprene Using Hybrid MVA Pathway and Isoprene Synthase in E. coli

The depleting petroleum reserve, increasingly severe energy crisis, and global climate change are reigniting enthusiasm for seeking sustainable technologies to replace petroleum as a source of fuel and chemicals. In this paper, the efficiency of the MVA pathway on isoprene production has been improved as follows: firstly, in order to increase MVA production, the source of the “upper pathway” which contains HMG-CoA synthase, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase and HMG-CoA reductase to covert acetyl-CoA into MVA has been changed from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Enterococcus faecalis; secondly, to further enhance the production of MVA and isoprene, a alanine 110 of the mvaS gene has been mutated to a glycine. The final genetic strain YJM25 containing the optimized MVA pathway and isoprene synthase from Populus alba can accumulate isoprene up to 6.3 g/L after 40 h of fed-batch cultivation

Use of segmental multifrequency bioimpedance spectroscopy in hemodialysis

Whole body bioimpedance (131) appears to be accurate and reproducible in the assessment of body composition, but does not appear useful for estimation of dry weight, Segmental BI has been used for the assessment of muscle mass in body segments, Such asarms or legs and may be useful for rehabilitation studies. A promising new development is the application of segmental BI for dry weight determination. Changes in extracellular Volume of the calf are recorded continuously during HD, thereby allowing the detection of a timepoint at which no further volume is removed from the calf despite ongoing ultrafiltration (UF). Continuation of UF beyond this point is associated with an increased risk of intradialytic hypotension. This new technology may help optimizing the prescription of dry weight and UF rates in hemodialysis patients

Nódulos com sinal do halo na aspergilose pulmonar angioinvasiva: correlação da tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução com a anatomopatologia Halo sign nodules in angioinvasive pulmonary aspergillosis: correlation of high-resolution computed tomography findings with anatomopathology

O objetivo do trabalho é apresentar os achados precoces da aspergilose angioinvasiva na tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução e correlacioná-los com a anatomopatologia. Foram analisadas as tomografias computadorizadas de alta resolução de dois pacientes com aspergilose angioinvasiva, ambos com leucemia, e feita a correlação com os achados de necropsia. Os nódulos corresponderam a infartos hemorrágicos, com necrose de coagulação, permeados por hifas dos fungos. O halo em vidro fosco correspondeu a hemorragia intra-alveolar. Os nódulos com sinal do halo observados na tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução de pacientes com aspergilose angioinvasiva apresentaram estreita correlação com os aspectos anatomopatológicos. As alterações dos nódulos com sinal do halo demonstradas à anatomia patológica explicam claramente as características da lesão à tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução.<br>The aim of this study was to correlate the early findings observed on high-resolution computed tomography with anatomopathology results of patients with angioinvasive aspergillosis. The authors studied two patients with leukemia. The nodules seen on high-resolution computed tomography corresponded to areas of hemorrhagic infarction, necrotic coagulation and fungal hyphae infiltration whereas ground glass halo corresponded to intraalveolar hemorrhage. Nodules with halo sign were closely correlated with anatomopathology findings. We concluded that the anatomopathology findings can clearly explain the image features of the lesions observed on high-resolution computed tomography

Efeitos do flavonóide quercetina e dos corantes bixina e norbixina sobre parâmetros sanguíneos de coelhos Effects of the flavonoid quercetin and the natural dyes bixin and norbixin on blood parameters of rabbits

Avaliou-se a ação terapêutica da quercetina, bixina e norbixina, na dose diária de 0,01mol/kg, em coelhos hiperlipidêmicos induzidos por colesterol a 0,5% e ácido cólico a 0,1%, durante o período de vinte e oito dias, após o qual foram dosados colesterol, colesterol-HDL, triacilgliceróis, uréia, creatinina, ácido úrico, proteínas totais, cálcio, aspartato aminotransferase e alanina aminotransferase. Estes estudos são importante para se verificarem os efeitos de flavonóides e corantes sobre o metabolismo destas substâncias, permitindo a interpretação de desordens hepáticas ou renais. Os resultados mostraram que os teores de colesterol foram menores para os animais tratados com bixina (-4,03%) e quercetina (-35,07%), enquanto sua associação reduziu o nível de uréia em 5,73%. Nenhuma das substâncias testadas apresentou efeitos deletérios, todavia, não é possível demonstrar a inocuidade destes compostos.<br>The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic action of quercetin, bixin and norbixin, in the daily dose of 0,01mol/kg, in hyperlipidemic rabbits induced by cholesterol at 0.5% and colic acid at 0.1%, during the period of twenty-eight days, after which they were anesthetized and samples of blood were collected, in order to determine cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, urea, creatinine, uric acid, total proteins, calcium, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. These researchs are important to verify the effects of flavonoids and natural dyes on the metabolism of these constituents, in order to study hepatic or renal disorders. The results showed that cholesterol was reduced by bixin (-44.03%) and by quercetin (-35.07%), while the association reduced urea in 5.73%. None of the constituents analyzed in this study presented deleterious effects and it was not possible to demonstrate the innocuity of these compounds