Influence of diets supplemented with vitamins C and E on pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) blood parameters

This study evaluated the influence of diets supplemented with 500, 800, 1200 mg kg^− 1 of vitamin C (ascorbic acid or AA) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol or α-T) on the physiological responses of pirarucu fed for 2 months. Weight and mortality were not affected by dietary vitamin type or their concentrations. Significant increase (p < 0.05) on the red blood cells count was obtained on treatments with 800 and 1200 mg AA kg^− 1 and on the hemoglobin concentration on treatment with 500 mg α-T kg^− 1 relatively to control. Mean corpuscular volume presented a significant decrease (p < 0.05) on treatment with 800 and 1200 mg AA kg⁻¹ when compared to control. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was significantly high (p < 0.05) on treatment with 500 mg α-T kg^− 1. Only in vitamin C treatments, we noticed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the number of leucocytes relative to control. All fish in the vitamin-supplemented treatments, except 500 mg AA kg^− 1, had high total protein values compared to control. Fish treated with 800 or 1200 mg α-T kg^− 1 also showed increases in plasma glucose concentrations. Our results suggest that 800 and 1200 mg AA kg^− 1 are probably the most suitable concentrations for pirarucu diets, although high vitamin E diets are not necessary for quantitative leucocyte increases for this species.     

False positive galactomannan results in adult hematological patients treated with piperacillin-tazobactam

In this prospective study including 78 adult patients with haematological malignancy (90 episodes) we performed galactomannan (GM) (Platelia Aspergillus) screening twice weekly for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. There were five proven and four probable invasive aspergillosis cases. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were 100, 88, 47 and 100%, respectively. There were eight patients with false positive GM (10.2%). In six patients the false GM reactivity was due to the administration of piperacillin-tazobactam (P-T). A significant association was found between false positive GM (= or > 0.5) and the administration of P-T (p < 0.01). Two other patients with no invasive aspergillosis (2.5%) and false GM reactivity had graft versus host disease (GVHD) and one of them had also mucositis grade IV. The kinetic patterns of false positive GM due to P-T is discussed.     

Effects of moderate beer consumption on first-line immunity of healthy adults

Moderate alcohol consumption has shown to induce benefits on host specific (cell-mediated and humoral) immune system, but there is scarce literature regarding first-line immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in non-specific immunity after alcohol abstention and moderate beer consumption in healthy adults. After a 30 day-alcohol abstemious period, 57 healthy volunteers were submitted to a daily moderate consumption of beer (330 mL for women and 660 mL for men, respectively) during the following 30 days. White blood cell counts and phagocytic and oxidative burst activity were evaluated at three points: a) basal, b) abstemious, c) after moderate consumption of beer. Absolute values of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and basophiles (x10(9)/L) increased significantly in women from point b to point c (6.34 +/- 1.26 vs. 7.27 +/- 1.97, 3.43 +/- 0.88 vs. 4.13 +/- 1.53, 2.14 +/- 0.50 vs. 2.38 +/- 0.63, and 0.05 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.03, respectively; p < 0.05) as well as basophils in men (0.05 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.03). A significant increase of oxidative burst capacity was also observed after the moderate consumption of beer in both women (33.90 +/- 19.00 vs. 48.86 +/- 21.83) and men (27.39 +/- 18.13 vs. 39.25 +/- 24.53). In healthy adults, after 30 days of moderate beer consumption the parameter describing the non-specific immunity improved when compared to the basal situation. For several of these parameters, the response is more enhanced in women.     

Development of genetic maps of the citrus varieties ‘Murcott’ tangor and ‘Pêra’ sweet orange by using fluorescent AFLP markers

The progeny of 87 BC(1) hybrids of 'Murcott' tangor and 'Pera' sweet orange, genotyped with fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) markers, was used for the construction of genetic maps for both citrus varieties. Mapping strategies, considering the progeny as a result of backcrossing and cross-pollination, were exploited in Mapmaker 2.0 (LOD score >or= 3.0 and or= 3.0 and theta 相似文献   

Production and purification of functional truncated soluble forms of human recombinant L1 cell adhesion glycoprotein from Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells

L1 is a human cell adhesion glycoprotein involved in the development of the central nervous system that comprises six immunoglobulin-like domains (Ig1-Ig6), five fibronectin-type III (FN1-FN5) domains, a single transmembrane region and a cytoplasmic domain. It contains 20 potential N-glycosylation sites and is heavily glycosylated in a variety of cell types. In this work, seven truncated soluble forms including L1 ectodomain (L1/ECD) and Ig domains 5-6 (L1/Ig5-6) have been constructed by PCR and have been cloned, as well as the full-length form (L1), in the stable expression vector for insect cells pMIB/V5-His-TOPO. Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cell lines expressing the truncated forms have been obtained, and all proteins were successfully secreted. L1/ECD and L1/Ig5-6 were produced in shake flasks with productions of 3 and 32 mg/L on the third and fourth day of culture, respectively. When L1/Ig5-6 was produced for four days in 2L bioreactor 200 mg/L protein were recovered from the supernatants on the fourth day of culture. Affinity-purified L1/ECD and L1/Ig5-6 were immobilized on poly-d-lysine coated coverslips, and were shown to be active in inducing neurite outgrowth from human NT2N neurons. Therefore, correctly folded and functional truncated forms of human L1 have been produced in high amounts from insect cells using a stable expression system.     

Temporal and spatial variations of cell-free layer width in arterioles

Separation of red blood cells and plasma in microcirculatory vessels produces a cell-free layer at the wall. This layer may be an important determinant of blood viscosity and wall shear stress in arterioles, where most of the hydraulic pressure loss in the circulatory system occurs and flow regulatory mechanisms are prominent. With the use of a newly developed method, the width of the cell-free layer was rapidly and repeatedly determined in arterioles (10- to 50-microm inner diameter) in the rat cremaster muscle at normal arterial pressure. The temporal variation of the cell-free layer width was non-Gaussian, but calculated mean and median values differed by <0.2 microm. The correlation length of the temporal variations downstream (an indication of mixing) was approximately 30 microm and was independent of pseudoshear rate (ratio of mean velocity to vessel diameter) and of vessel diameter. The cell-free layer width was significantly different on opposite sides of the vessel and inversely related. Increasing red blood cell aggregability reduced this inverse relation but had no effect on correlation length. In the diameter range studied, the mean width of the cell-free layer increased from 0.8 to 3.1 microm and temporal variations increased from 30% to 70% of the mean width. Increased aggregability did not alter either relationship. In summary, the cell-free layer width in arterioles is diameter dependent and shows substantial non-Gaussian temporal variations. The temporal variations increase as diameter increases and are inversely related on opposite sides of the vessel.     

Development, characterization, and comparative analysis of polymorphism at common bean SSR loci isolated from genic and genomic sources.

Microsatellites or SSRs (single sequence repeats) have been used to construct and integrate genetic maps in crop species, including Phaseolus vulgaris. In the present study, 3 cDNA libraries generated by the Bean EST project (http://lgm.esalq.usp.br/BEST/), comprising a unigene collection of 3126 sequences and a genomic microsatellite-enriched library, were analyzed for the presence of SSRs. A total of 219 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were found to carry 240 SSRs (named EST-SSR), whereas 714 genomic sequences contained 471 SSRs (named genomic-SSR). A subset of 80 SSRs, 40 EST-SSRs, and 40 genomic-SSRs were evaluated for molecular polymorphism in 23 genotypes of cultivated beans from the Mesoamerican and Andean genetic pools, including Brazilian cultivars and 2 related species. Of the common bean genotypes, 31 EST-SSR loci were polymorphic, yielding 2-12 alleles as compared with 26 polymorphic genomic-SSRs, accounting for 2-7 alleles. Cluster analysis from data using both genic and genomic-SSR revealed a clear separation between Andean and Mesoamerican beans. The usefulness of these loci for distinguishing bean genotypes and genetic mapping is discussed.     

Modular architecture of protein structures and allosteric communications: potential implications for signaling proteins and regulatory linkages

Background  

Allosteric communications are vital for cellular signaling. Here we explore a relationship between protein architectural organization and shortcuts in signaling pathways.     

Multilocus phylogeography of the endemic and endangered angular angelshark (Squatina guggenheim) in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Hydrobiologia - The angular angelshark (Squatina guggenheim) is a coastal endangered angel shark from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean and one of the major bycatch victims. Despite major concerns about...     

Ploidy mosaics: does endopolyploidy in explants affect the cytogenetic stability of orchids regenerated from PLBs?

The induction and regeneration of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) is a morphogenetic pathway widely used for orchid micropropagation. As endopolyploidy, i.e., the coexistence of cells with different ploidy levels, is a common feature in orchid tissues, a natural question arises when using somatic tissues as explants for orchid micropropagation: does endopolyploidy in explants affect the cytogenetic stability of regenerated plantlets? To answer this question, Epidendrum fulgens was used as a model plant, and flow cytometry was used to analyze endopolyploidy in pollinia, petals, labella, leaf bases, leaf tips, root tips, and protocorm bases and apices, which were subsequently used as explants for PLB induction and plant regeneration. Ploidy screenings showed contrasting ploidy patterns in samples, endopolyploidy being detected in all tissues, with C-values ranging from 1 to 16C. Protocorm bases and root tips presented the highest proportion of endopolyploidy, while petals and protocorm apices showed the lowest proportion. Flower parts exhibited high oxidation for PLB induction and pollinia failed to produce PLB or callus. The highest induction rate occurred at 10 µM TDZ, with 92%, 22%, and 0.92% for protocorm bases, leaves, and root tips, respectively. Plantlets were more easily regenerated from PLBs induced from protocorm bases than from leaves and roots. Doubled ploidy levels were registered in a proportion of 11% and 33% for PLB-regenerated plantlets obtained from protocorm bases and leaf bases, respectively, which was not directly associated with the proportion of endopolyploid cells or cycle value of explants.