Symmetry and asymmetry in fingerprints of three genera of South American monkeys in relation to morphological evolutionary problems

Fingerprints of South American monkeys of the genera Alouatta, Ateles and Cebus were studied. Dermatoglyphics were analysed in relation to pattern intensities; the distribution of symmetric and asymmetric designs was also determined. Results have been related to some aspects of the contribution of dermatoglyphics to the study of Primate morphological evolution.     

Reverse enzyme synthesis in microemulsion-based organo-gels.

Lipase from three different sources has been immobilised in microemulsion-based gels (MBGs) with retention of catalytic activity. Such lipase-containing MBGs prove to be novel solid-phase catalysts for use in apolar organic solvents such as n-heptane. Using these systems, preparative-scale synthesis of a wide variety of esters under mild conditions was possible with products easily isolated and obtained in high yield. Stereoselective esterification of octan-2-ol was observed for all three lipases with Chromobacterium viscosum (CV) lipase yielding product with an enantiomeric excess of 92%. Repeated usage of a CV lipase-containing MBG resulted in a visually unchanged gel whose activity was 75% of the initial value after 30 days. The sectioned MBGs were well suited for use in column flow reactors and were also found to be effective esterification catalysts at temperatures as low as -20 degrees C.     

Co-culture of human fibroblasts,smooth muscle and endothelial cells promotes osteopontin induction in hypoxia

Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are the preferred vascular access for haemodialysis of patients suffering from end-stage renal disease, a worldwide public health problem. However, they are prone to a high rate of failure due to neointimal hyperplasia and stenosis. This study aimed to determine if osteopontin (OPN) was induced in hypoxia and if OPN could be responsible for driving AVF failure. Identification of new factors that participate in remodelling of AVFs is a challenge. Three cell lines representing the cells of the three layers of the walls of arteries and veins, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, were tested in mono- and co-culture in vitro for OPN expression and secretion in normoxia compared to hypoxia after silencing the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1α, HIF-2α and HIF-1/2α) with siRNA or after treatment with an inhibitor of NF-kB. None of the cells in mono-culture showed OPN induction in hypoxia, whereas cells in co-culture secreted OPN in hypoxia. The changes in oxygenation that occur during AVF maturation up-regulate secretion of OPN through cell-cell interactions between the different cell layers that form AVF, and in turn, these promote endothelial cell proliferation and could participate in neointimal hyperplasia.     

Synthesis of 2-ethylhexyl oleate catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase immobilized on a magnetic polymer support in continuous flow

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - This study investigated the synthesis of 2-ethylhexyl oleate catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase immobilized on magnetic poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene)...     

Experimental models of maternal–fetal interface and their potential use for nanotechnology applications

During pregnancy, the placenta regulates the transfer of oxygen, nutrients, and residual products between the maternal and fetal bloodstreams and is a key determinant of fetal exposure to xenobiotics from the mother. To study the disposition of substances through the placenta, various experimental models are used, especially the perfused placenta, placental villi explants, and cell lineage models. In this context, nanotechnology, an area of study that is on the rise, enables the creation of particles on nanometric scales capable of releasing drugs aimed at specific tissues. An important reason for furthering the studies on transplacental transfer is to explore the potential of nanoparticles (NPs), in new delivery strategies for drugs that are specifically aimed at the mother, the placenta, or the fetus and that involve less toxicity. Due to the fact that the placental barrier is essential for the interaction between the maternal and fetal organisms as well as the possibility of NPs being used in the treatment of various pathologies, the aim of this review is to present the main experimental models used in studying the maternal–fetal interaction and the action of NPs in the placental environment.     

Success of active restoration in grasslands: a case study of birds in southern Brazil

Grasslands in southeastern South America have been extensively converted to various land uses such as agriculture, threatening regional biodiversity. Active restoration has been viewed as a management alternative for recovery of degraded areas worldwide, although most studies are conducted in forests and none has evaluated the effect of active restoration of grasslands in southeastern South America. From 2015 through 2017 we monitored a federally owned tract of grassland from the beginning of the active‐restoration process. We compared the bird community in this active‐restoration area (AR) with a reference area (NG) in Pampa grasslands in southern Brazil. We sampled birds by point counts and surveyed vegetation structure in plots. Over the 3 years of active restoration, bird species richness and abundance were higher in AR (30 species, 171 individuals) than NG (22 species, 154 individuals). The species composition also differed between the two habitats. Grassland bird species were present in both AR and NG. The vegetation structure differed between AR and NG in five attributes: height, short and tall grasses, herbs, and shrubs. Since it has been found that active restoration is useful in promoting species diversity, we encourage studies of the use of long‐term restoration efforts. Our study, even on a local scale, showed a rapid recovery of the bird community in the active‐restoration compared to native grassland, and suggests the potential for recovery of the degraded grasslands of the Brazilian Pampa biome.     

Passive restoration in Araucaria Forest: useful ecological indicators in monitoring successional advancement in exotic tree plantation landscapes

Monitoring successional advancement is a complex field involving a constant search for applied ecological indicators which facilitate monitoring of secondary forests for both active and passive restoration. In this study, the authors investigate the successional advancement of floristics and tree structure within Araucaria Forest (AF) fragments under passive restoration in a context where exotic tree plantations (mainly Pinus L. genus) dominate the landscape. The ecological indicators used were floristic dissimilarity (β‐diversity inferences), indicator species, ecological groups of species, basal area, and species abundance distribution (SAD) models (α‐diversity inferences). A total of 182 tree species belonging to 91 genera and 43 botanical families were identified. A high β diversity was verified for which each site has indicator species (for the locations CD—Dicksonia sellowiana; CO—Cryptocarya aschersoniana; and PG—Pinus taeda), where pioneer species contributed to much of the abundance. Different SAD models are useful for describing passive restoration sites in exotic tree plantation landscapes, namely Lognormal, Mandelbrot, and Zipf. SAD models together with basal area, taxonomic group (e.g. Myrtaceae assemblage), and tree abundance in ecological groups are strategic ecological indicators for monitoring successional advancement in AF.