Comparative study of reserve lipid accumulation during somatic and zygotic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acca sellowiana</Emphasis> (O. Berg.) Burret embryogenesis

Somatic embryogenesis is an in vitro morphogenetic route in which isolated cells or a small group of somatic cells give rise to bipolar structures resembling zygotic embryos. Lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins are major compounds in plant and animal metabolism. Comparative analysis along different developmental stages of Acca sellowiana (Myrtaceae) zygotic and somatic embryos, revealed a progressive increase in levels of total lipids. A high degree of similarity could be found in the total lipids composition between A. sellowiana somatic and zygotic embryos. High lipid levels were found in zygotic embryos in the torpedo and cotyledonary stages, and these levels increased according to the progression in the developmental stages. Somatic embryos obtained through direct embryogenesis route showed higher levels of lipids than in indirect somatic embryogenesis. The compounds most frequently were linoleic acid (C18:2), palmitic (C16:0) and oleic (C18:1). These results indicate a high similarity degree of accumulation of total lipids, regardless of zygotic or somatic embryogenesis.     

Genome sequence of Paenibacillus terrae HPL-003, a xylanase-producing bacterium isolated from soil found in forest residue

This article reports on the full genome sequence of Paenibacillus terrae HPL-003, which is a gram-positive, endospore-forming, xylanase-producing bacterium isolated from soil found in forest residue on Gara Mountain. The strain HPL-003 contains 6,083,395 bp with a G+C content of 46.77 mol%, 2,633 protein-coding genes, and 117 structural RNAs.     

Discovery of a novel series of 4-quinolone JNK inhibitors

A novel series of highly selective JNK inhibitors based on the 4-quinolone scaffold was designed and synthesized. Structure based drug design was utilized to guide the compound design as well as improvements in the physicochemical properties of the series. Compound (13c) has an IC₅₀ of 62/170 nM for JNK1/2, excellent kinase selectivity and impressive efficacy in a rodent asthma model.     

Biflavonoids from Daphne linearifolia Hart.

Two new biflavonoids, 2″-hydroxygenkwanol A (1) and 4′-methylgenkwanol A (2), together with fourteen known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Daphne linearifolia Hart. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive NMR spectral studies, as well as by ESI-MS analysis. The affinity of all compounds towards Hsp90, one of the most promising targets for the modern anti-cancer therapy, by surface plasmon resonance was tested. Achieved results demonstrated that 1 efficiently interacts with the protein, also allowing some structure–activity relationship evaluations.     

A fully implicit finite element method for bidomain models of cardiac electrophysiology

This work introduces a novel, unconditionally stable and fully coupled finite element method for the bidomain system of equations of cardiac electrophysiology. The transmembrane potential Φ(i)-Φ(e) and the extracellular potential Φ(e) are treated as independent variables. To this end, the respective reaction-diffusion equations are recast into weak forms via a conventional isoparametric Galerkin approach. The resultant nonlinear set of residual equations is consistently linearised. The method results in a symmetric set of equations, which reduces the computational time significantly compared to the conventional solution algorithms. The proposed method is inherently modular and can be combined with phenomenological or ionic models across the cell membrane. The efficiency of the method and the comparison of its computational cost with respect to the simplified monodomain models are demonstrated through representative numerical examples.     

Effects of cereal β-glucans and enzyme inclusion on the porcine gastrointestinal tract microbiota

This study was designed to evaluate the effect barley-based diets vs. oats based diets on levels of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Enterobacterium in the porcine gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In addition the effect of enzyme supplementation in both diets was explored. Twenty-eight boars were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement and were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: barley-based (B) diet; barley-based diet plus an enzyme supplement (B + ES); oat-based (O) diet or oat-based diet plus an enzyme supplement (O + ES). The enzyme supplement contained endo-1,3-β-glucanase and endo-1,4-β-xylanase. Faecal samples were collected from the pigs prior to initiations of the experiment and at slaughter. At slaughter digesta samples were collected from the stomach, ileum, caecum, proximal and distal colon. Alterations in Lactobacillus species composition in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were analysed by genus-specific PCR – denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). DGGE profiles indicated that cereal source provoked shifts in Lactobacillus population. The most diverse populations of lactobacilli emerged after feeding the O diets. Enzymes inclusion altered the composition of Lactobacillus species prevalent throughout the GIT in animals fed the B diet, causing a shift in the dominant lactobacilli present in the caecum and proximal colon. No such effect was evident in animals fed the enzyme supplemented O + ES diet. Microbial plate counts revealed that the O diets gave rise to higher counts of Lactobacillus in the caecum and colon and Bifidobacterium counts in the ileum, caecum and colon than the B diets. The O diet caused a 2 log increase in Enterobacterium counts in the proximal colon, no such effects were observed in animals fed the B, the B + ES or the O + ES diets. Overall both O diets had a more positive influence on the counts of the beneficial microorganisms and richness of the Lactobacillus population in the porcine GIT.     

Genome-wide analysis in brazilian xavante indians reveals low degree of admixture

Characterization of population genetic variation and structure can be used as tools for research in human genetics and population isolates are of great interest. The aim of the present study was to characterize the genetic structure of Xavante Indians and compare it with other populations. The Xavante, an indigenous population living in Brazilian Central Plateau, is one of the largest native groups in Brazil. A subset of 53 unrelated subjects was selected from the initial sample of 300 Xavante Indians. Using 86,197 markers, Xavante were compared with all populations of HapMap Phase III and HGDP-CEPH projects and with a Southeast Brazilian population sample to establish its population structure. Principal Components Analysis showed that the Xavante Indians are concentrated in the Amerindian axis near other populations of known Amerindian ancestry such as Karitiana, Pima, Surui and Maya and a low degree of genetic admixture was observed. This is consistent with the historical records of bottlenecks experience and cultural isolation. By calculating pair-wise F(st) statistics we characterized the genetic differentiation between Xavante Indians and representative populations of the HapMap and from HGDP-CEPH project. We found that the genetic differentiation between Xavante Indians and populations of Ameridian, Asian, European, and African ancestry increased progressively. Our results indicate that the Xavante is a population that remained genetically isolated over the past decades and can offer advantages for genome-wide mapping studies of inherited disorders.     

Gastrotricha: a marine sister for a freshwater puzzle

Background

Within an evolutionary framework of Gastrotricha Marinellina flagellata and Redudasys fornerise bear special interest, as they are the only Macrodasyida that inhabit freshwater ecosystems. Notwithstanding, these rare animals are poorly known; found only once (Austria and Brazil), they are currently systematised as incertae sedis. Here we report on the rediscovery of Redudasys fornerise, provide an account on morphological novelties and present a hypothesis on its phylogenetic relationship based on molecular data.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Specimens were surveyed using DIC microscopy and SEM, and used to obtain the 18 S rRNA gene sequence; molecular data was analyzed cladistically in conjunction with data from 42 additional species belonging to the near complete Macrodasyida taxonomic spectrum. Morphological analysis, while providing new information on taxonomically relevant traits (adhesive tubes, protonephridia and sensorial bristles), failed to detect elements of the male system, thus stressing the parthenogenetic nature of the Brazilian species. Phylogenetic analysis, carried out with ML, MP and Bayesian approaches, yielded topologies with strong nodal support and highly congruent with each other. Among the supported groups is the previously undocumented clade showing the alliance between Redudasys fornerise and Dactylopodola agadasys; other strongly sustained clades include the densely sampled families Thaumastodermatidae and Turbanellidae and most genera.

Conclusions/Significance

A reconsideration of the morphological traits of Dactylopodola agadasys in light of the new information on Redudasys fornerise makes the alliance between these two taxa very likely. As a result, we create Anandrodasys gen. nov. to contain members of the previously described D. agadasys and erect Redudasyidae fam. nov. to reflect this novel relationship between Anandrodasys and Redudasys. From an ecological perspective, the derived position of Redudasys, which is deeply nested within the Macrodasyida clade, unequivocally demonstrates that invasion of freshwater by gastrotrichs has taken place at least twice, in contrast with the single event hypothesis recently put forward.     

Early endothelial progenitor cells in bone marrow are a biomarker of cell therapy success in patients with critical limb ischemia

Background aimsEndothelial progenitor cells (EPC) have been proposed for autologous angiogenic therapy. The objectives of this study were to quantify EPC in the peripheral blood and bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) of patients with critical limb ischemia that had received BM-MNC as a cell therapy product, and to study the putative relationship between the presence of EPC and the process of neovascularization in toe or transmetatarsal amputation specimens.MethodsEarly and late endothelial progenitor cells (CFU-EC and ECFC) were cultivated and quantified according to published methods in peripheral blood and BM-MNC from patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI; n = 11) enrolled in the OPTIPEC trial (http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00377897) to receive BM-MNC as a cell therapy product.ResultsEight out of the 11 patients had undergone amputations. Three of the patients displayed a neoangiogenic process that was associated with a higher number of CFU-EC in BM-MNC, while CD3⁺, CFU-GM and CD34⁺ in BM-MNC, and EPC in peripheral blood, did not correlate with the appearance of newly formed vessels. As expected, circulating CFU-EC and ECFC counts were significantly lower in CLI patients compared with age-matched controls.ConclusionsIn patients with critical limb ischemia, EPC in peripheral blood were decreased compared with healthy individuals. However, in BM-MNC we found that relative numbers of CFU-EC could be used as an indicator to discriminate patients with neoangiogenic processes. These results need to be confirmed in a randomized study.