Color and genomic ancestry in Brazilians: a study with forensic microsatellites

The population of Brazil, formed by extensive admixture between Amerindians, Europeans and Africans, is one of the most variable in the world. We have recently published a study that used ancestry-informative markers to conclude that in Brazil, at an individual level, color, as determined by physical evaluation, was a poor predictor of genomic ancestry, estimated by molecular markers. To corroborate these findings we undertook the present investigation based on data from 12 commercially available forensic microsatellites that were utilized to estimate the personal genomic origin for each of 752 individuals from the city of S?o Paulo, belonging to different Brazilian color categories (275 Whites, 192 Intermediates and 285 Blacks). The genotypes permitted the calculation of a personal likelihood-ratio estimator of African or European ancestry. Although the 12 marker set proved capable of discriminating between European and African individuals, we observed very significant overlaps among the three color categories of Brazilians. This was confirmed quantitatively using a Bayesian analysis of population structure that did not demonstrate significant genetic differentiation between the three color groups. These results corroborate and validate our previous conclusions using ancestry-informative markers that in Brazil at the individual level there is significant dissociation of color and genomic ancestry.     

Synthetic nanoemulsion resembling a protein-free model of 7-ketocholesterol containing low density lipoprotein: In vitro and in vivo studies

7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) differs from cholesterol by a functional ketone group at C7. It is an oxygenated cholesterol derivative (oxysterol), commonly present in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Oxysterols are generated and participate in several physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. For instance, the cytotoxic effects of oxidized LDL have been widely attributed to bioactive compounds like oxysterols. The toxicity is in part due to 7-KC. Here we aimed to demonstrate the possibility of incorporating 7-KC into the synthetic nanoemulsion LDE, which resembles LDL in composition and behavior. This would provide a suitable artificial particle resembling LDL to study 7-KC metabolism. We were able to incorporate 7-KC in several amounts into LDE. The incorporation was evaluated and confirmed by several methods, including gel filtration chromatography, using radiolabeled lipids. The incorporation did not change the main lipid composition characteristics of the new nanoparticle. Particle sizes were also evaluated and did not differ from LDE. In vivo studies were performed by injecting the nanoemulsion into mice. The plasma kinetics and the targeted organs were the same as described for LDE. Therefore, 7-KC-LDE maintains composition, size and some functional characteristics of LDE and could be used in experiments dealing with 7-ketocholesterol metabolism in lipoproteins.     

Antimicrobial activity of silymarin mediated zinc oxide and hydroxy apatite nanoparticles against oral pathogens

The nanoparticles such as hydroxyapatite, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and zirconium nanoparticles have application in dentistry. Therefore, it is of interest to document the antimicrobial activity of silymarin mediated zinc oxide and hydroxy apatite nanoparticles against oral pathogens. Hence, we synthesized hydroxyapatie and zinc oxide nanoparticles with silymarin and characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometer. Data shows that silymarin mediated HAP and ZnO nanoparticles have antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens such as Pseudomonas sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans.     

A new Sphagesaurus (Mesoeucrocodylia: Notosuchia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Monte Alto City (Bauru Group,Brazil), and a revision of the Sphagesauridae

Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates were assessed for Terebratulina retusa (L.) held under 3 different regimes of temperature and food availability. These were: 5.6?C, no food (cold, starved); 5.8?C, food present (cold, fed) and 10.7?C food present (warm, fed), which simulated winter conditions, summer conditions and an intermediate treatment. Regressions of oxygen consumption on ash‐free dry weight (AFDW) had slopes which were not significantly different from each other and ranged from 0.953 to 0.999. A common slope of 0.976 was calculated and intercepts based on the common slope used to compare oxygen consumption in each treatment. The rise from cold, starved conditions to warm, fed was 24.5 per cent and this was significant (P < 0.05). Other differences were not significant (P > 0.05) but the cold, fed result was 12.6 per cent higher than cold, starved. Therefore feeding and temperature probably account for equivalent proportions of the rise in metabolism from winter to summer. Ammonia production data were much more variable. Excretion rates of a 50 mg AFDW individual (in ng‐at NH₃‐N.h^‐1) were as follows: cold, starved: 30.2 cold, fed: 7.1; and warm, fed: 22.9. Oxygen to nitrogen (O:N) ratios reflected these results. Mean O:N ratios were: cold, starved: 8.0; cold, fed: 42.4; warm, fed: 16.3. This shows that the simulated winter group relied heavily on protein to fuel their metabolism, the simulated summer group were less dependent on protein and the intermediate group probably used lipids and carbohydrates to fuel metabolic demands. This possibly reflected a trade off between food supply and increased metabolism from treatment to treatment, demonstrating a flexibility which could have been a contributing factor in the ecological tolerance and geological longevity of some brachiopods.     

The Diversity of Flower Flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Colombia and Their Neotropical Distribution

In Colombia, like most Neotropical countries, faunistic studies on flower flies have been occasional and most of them have been primarily focused on taxonomy. Colombia is the second-most species-rich country in flower fly diversity in the Neotropics after Brazil, and has one of the highest numbers of species per unit area (2.49 per 10,000?km²), based on a review of literature and national collections. Including new data presented here, a total of 47 genera and 300 species are recorded in Colombia. The genera Scaeva Fabricius and Lycastrirhyncha Bigot, as well as 101 species are recorded here for the first time. The altitudinal range and the distribution of the flower fly genera in Colombia are presented. A preliminary comparison of the fauna of Colombia with that of other Neotropical countries is given. A historical perspective is also provided in order to illustrate how Colombian Syrphidae knowledge has progressed over the last 168?years. Information presented here will be useful for ongoing and future biodiversity research as well as conservation projects on Syrphidae in the Neotropical region.     

Impact of transgenic Bt-cotton on the diversity of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs

Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFMs) are one of the beneficial proteobacteria commonly found in phyllosphere, rhizosphere and as endophytes in cotton. To assess the impact of transgenic Bt-cotton on changes in the diversity and community profile of PPFMs by comparing with its non-transgenic cotton, a polyphasic approach including differential carbon-substrate utilization profiling and DNA fingerprinting techniques like ARDRA, RISA, BOX-PCR and ERIC-PCR were studied. PPFMs from phyllosphere, rhizoplane and internal tissues of the stem of both Bt-cotton and non-Bt-cotton were isolated and analysed in this study. All the results suggested that the diversity richness of PPFMs present in the phyllosphere, rhizoplane and internal tissues did not differ between Bt- and non-Bt-cotton. In this study, there was no evidence to indicate any adverse effects of Bt-cotton on the diversity of plant-associated methylobacteria.     

Tolerability and efficacy of single dose albendazole,diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) or co-administration of albendazole with DEC in the clearance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wuchereria bancrofti</Emphasis>in asymptomatic microfilaraemic volunteers in Pondicherry,South India: a hospital-based study

Background  

The tolerability and efficacy of single dose albendazole (400 mg), diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) (6 mg/kg bodyweight) or co-administration of albendazole (400 mg) + DEC (6 mg/kg bodyweight) was studied in 54 asymptomatic Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemic volunteers in a double blind hospital-based clinical study.     

7-Ketocholesterol and cholestane-triol increase expression of SMO and LXRα signaling pathways in a human breast cancer cell line

Oxysterols are 27-carbon oxidation products of cholesterol metabolism. Oxysterols possess several biological actions, including the promotion of cell death. Here, we examined the ability of 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC), cholestane-3β-5α-6β-triol (triol), and a mixture of 5α-cholestane-3β,6β-diol and 5α-cholestane-3β,6α-diol (diol) to promote cell death in a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). We determined cell viability, after 24-h incubation with oxysterols. These oxysterols promoted apoptosis. At least part of the observed effects promoted by 7-KC and triol arose from an increase in the expression of the sonic hedgehog pathway mediator, smoothened. However, this increased expression was apparently independent of sonic hedgehog expression, which did not change. Moreover, these oxysterols led to increased expression of LXRα, which is involved in cellular cholesterol efflux, and the ATP-binding cassette transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1. Diols did not affect these pathways. These results suggested that the sonic hedgehog and LXRα pathways might be involved in the apoptotic process promoted by 7-KC and triol.