Monomorphic enantiostylous species produce flowers with a displacement of the style to the left (L) or right (R) on the same individual, and may exhibit different dynamics for the production of these ...floral types, which may influence levels of selfing. We investigated the production dynamics of L and R floral types in seven species and a variety of monomorphic enantiostylous species of the genera Senna and Chamaecrista. Our hypothesis was that most species present similar proportions of floral morphs each day. Individuals were classified daily over a period of 7 days according to the functional status, i.e. the proportion of floral morphs as functionally L, R or reciprocal (REC, i.e. similar proportions of the two floral morphs), and also according to the number of consecutive days in which they exhibited the same functional status. All species presented low daily flower production. Most species had individuals classified as functionally R, L and REC, and tend to repeat the same functional status over a few days, although they may change functional status during the flowering period. All species exhibited individuals that were classified as functionally reciprocal when both the daily and total number of flowers produced over 7 days was considered. The occurrence of different functional status has not yet been reported in the literature for enantiostylous species. The distinct strategies observed in the dynamics of floral morph production seemed likely to minimise geitonogamy and to favour cross-pollination between individuals (xenogamy).
•LaRPA-1 interacts with telomeric DNA only by its N-terminal OBF domain.•LaRPA-1 in silico models differs on tertiary structure compared to human and yeast RPA-1.•LaRPA-1 presents higher flexibility ...between OB-fold domains than human RPA-1.•Yeast Rfa1 DBDs in silico models provided relevant information about RPA-1 evolution.•LaRPA-1 is acandidate to Leishmania telomere end-binding protein (TEP).
Replication protein A-1 (RPA-1) is a single-stranded DNA-binding protein involved in DNA metabolism. We previously demonstrated the interaction between LaRPA-1 and telomeric DNA. Here, we expressed and purified truncated mutants of LaRPA-1 and used circular dichroism measurements and molecular dynamics simulations to demonstrate that the tertiary structure of LaRPA-1 differs from human and yeast RPA-1. LaRPA-1 interacts with telomeric ssDNA via its N-terminal OB-fold domain, whereas RPA from higher eukaryotes show different binding modes to ssDNA. Our results show that LaRPA-1 is evolutionary distinct from other RPA-1 proteins and can potentially be used for targeting trypanosomatid telomeres.
Diabetic-metabolic syndrome (MetS-D) has a high prevalence worldwide, in which an association with the rupture of the intestinal epithelium barrier function (IEBF) has been pointed out, but the ...functional and morphological properties are still not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acute hyperglycemia diabetes on intestinal tight junction proteins, metabolic failure, intestinal ion and water transports, and IEBF parameters. Diabetes was induced in male Rattus norvegicus (200-310 g) with 0.5 mL of streptozotocin (70 mg/kg). Glycemic and clinical parameters were evaluated every 7 days, and intestinal parameters were evaluated on the 14th day. The MetS-D animals showed a clinical pattern of hyperglycemia, with increases in the area of villi and crypts, lactulose:mannitol ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and intestinal tissue concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), but showed a reduction in reduced glutathione (GSH) when these parameters were compared to the control. The MetS-D group had increased secretion of Na+, K+, Cl-, and water compared to the control group in ileal tissue. Furthermore, we observed a reduction in mRNA transcript of claudin-2, claudin-15, and NHE3 and increases of SGLT-1 and ZO-1 in the MetS-D group. These results showed that MetS-D triggered intestinal tissue inflammation, oxidative stress, complex alterations in gene regulatory protein transcriptions of intestinal transporters and tight junctions, damaging the IEBF and causing hydroelectrolyte secretion.
To evaluate the effect of cationic coating of polymeric nanocapsules in sunscreen formulations on the in vitro skin penetration of benzophenone-3.
Benzophenone-3-loaded nanocapsules were prepared by ...the interfacial deposition of poly(ε-caprolactone) and coated by using a chitosan solution. The nanoparticles were characterized and incorporated in hydrogels. The presence of nanoparticles in hydroxyethyl cellulose gels was observed by transmission electron microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy. Penetration studies were carried out using Franz cells with porcine skin membranes.
Benzophenone-3-loaded chitosan-coated nanocapsules presented a mean size of 202 ± 7 nm and positive zeta potential (+21 ± 1 mV), while these values for the uncoated nanocapsules were 175 ± 1 nm and -8 ± 1 mV. Penetration profiles showed that a higher amount of benzophenone-3 remained at the skin surface and a lower amount was found in the receptor compartment after the application of the formulation containing chitosan-coated nanocapsules compared to a formulation containing its free form.
Hydrogel containing benzophenone-3 chitosan-coated nanocapsules represents an innovative formulation to overcome limitations of sunscreen daily use.
A pandemia SARS-CoV-2, conhecido como COVID-19, trouxe dificuldades importantes para as diversas áreas da saúde, especialmente no que se refere a doação de sangue, que foi reduzida a números ...preocupantes. Com isso, fez-se necessário instituir meios para amenizar os baixos estoques de sangue neste período. Assim, o Serviço de Hemoterapia do Hospital São Vicente de Paulo (SHHSVP) e o Programa de Extensão ComSaúde da Universidade de Passo Fundo, encontraram na Sétima Região Tradicionalista, que concentra em torno de 140 entidades (Centros Tradicionalistas Gaúcho e Piquetes de Laço), e na Academia Passo-Fundense de Letras (APL) apoiadores para realização de ações sobre doação de sangue com a temática: “Gaúcho doador: doe sangue, mostre seu valor”. As atividades da campanha incluíram lives educativas sobre o processo de doação sangue, bem como oficinas online de confecção de poesias, concurso de poesias gaudérias e grupos de doação de sangue.
O projeto gaúcho doador iniciou-se em setembro, mês de comemorações tradicionalistas, em especial do dia do gaúcho. A ideia surgiu da necessidade de doações de sangue devido aos baixos estoques nos bancos de sangue, e iniciou com a sensibilização de possíveis doadores na comunidade da Sétima Região Tradicionalista, que envolve 42 municípios e 140 entidades, através da educação e da cultura regional, neste período da pandemia. Além disso, desenvolver atividades de cidadania na comunidade de Passo Fundo e na região por meio de ações educativas em um ambiente virtual com disseminação das informações via redes sociais, a exemplo da live sobre doação de sangue, em que se explicou o funcionamento de todo processo de doação bem como respondeu dúvidas dos participantes, e oficina de produção de poesias com a ajuda das instituições responsáveis. A partir disso, foi lançado um desafio por meio de um concurso de poesias sobre o tema doação na linguagem gauchesca: “Gaúcho Doador. Doe sangue, Mostre Seu Valor”, em diferentes categorias, categorizadas por idade desde crianças a idosos, coordenada pela APL, que além da oficina sobre as regras do concurso elegeu os vencedores, que foram premiados em uma solenidade no dia 25 de novembro de 2020, também comemorado dia do doador, no SHHSVP, conduzido pela APL com a participação dos vencedores do concurso, autoridades, parceiros do projeto e o Hemozito pilchado, o qual foi confeccionado especialmente para o evento. Essa ação foi extremamente importante, visto que, por estarmos em um período de pandemia, as doações de sangue sofreram grande impacto negativo. Além de aumentar o número de doações espontâneas no SHHSVP esse projeto foi de suma importância para a interação da comunidade, uma vez que uniu cultura e educação em prol da saúde. Ademais, a campanha Gaúcho Doador trouxe visibilidade nas mídias sociais e nas entidades tradicionalistas para a importância da doação de sangue e inclusão de novos doadores, os quais são potenciais futuros doadores e disseminadores da importância dessa ação.
A doação de sangue é um ato que salva vidas, por isso sua carência gera preocupação. A campanha Gaúcho Doador atuou como uma alternativa para captar novos doadores e valorizar a cultura tradicionalista. Esta campanha proporcionou que os valores gaúchos impulsionassem a doação de sangue e assim, juntos, eles criaram uma nova tradição no coração dos gaúchos.
The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta, now a major pest of tomato crops worldwide, is primarily controlled using chemical insecticides. Recently, high levels of resistance to the insecticide spinosad ...have been described in T. absoluta populations in Brazil. Selection of a resistant field-collected strain led to very high levels of resistance to spinosad and cross-resistance to spinetoram, but not to other insecticides that target the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). In this study the mechanisms underlying resistance to spinosad were investigated using toxicological, biochemical and molecular approaches. Inhibition of metabolic enzymes using synergists and biochemical assessment of detoxification enzyme activity provided little evidence of metabolic resistance in the selected strain. Cloning and sequencing of the nAChR α6 subunit from T. absoluta, the spinosad target-site, from susceptible and spinosad-resistant strains were done to investigate the role of a target-site mechanism in resistance. A single nucleotide change was identified in exon 9 of the α6 subunit of the resistant strain, resulting in the replacement of the glycine (G) residue at position 275 observed in susceptible T. absoluta strains with a glutamic acid (E). A high-throughput DNA-based diagnostic assay was developed and used to assess the prevalence of the G275E mutation in 17 field populations collected from different geographical regions of Brazil. The resistant allele was found at low frequency, and in the heterozygous form, in seven of these populations but at much higher frequency and in the homozygous form in a population collected in the Iraquara municipality. The frequency of the mutation was significantly correlated with the mortality of these populations in discriminating dose bioassays. In summary our results provide evidence that the G275E mutation is an important mechanism of resistance to spinosyns in T. absoluta, and may be used as a marker for resistance monitoring in field populations.
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•Selection in laboratory of field T. absoluta population led to very high resistance to spinosad.•Metabolism plays a minor role in resistance of T. absoluta to spinosad.•The G275E mutation in the Taα6 confers high level of resistance to spinosad in T. absoluta.•The target-site alteration in Taα6 highly correlated with the susceptibility of field T. absoluta populations.
► Excited-state dynamics of porphyrin J-aggregates. ► Cross-sections, S
1 state lifetime, rates and quantum yields. ► Discrimination between internal conversion and intersystem crossing nonradiative ...processes.
The excited-state dynamics of free-base
meso-tetrakis(sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin J-aggregates obtained by the Z-scan technique in femto- and picosecond time scales, along with UV–Vis spectroscopy and flash photolysis is reported. Besides obtaining the S
1 state lifetime, the discrimination between internal conversion and intersystem crossing nonradiative processes from that state was also possible, and their rates and respective quantum yields were found. The aggregates present reverse saturable absorption at 532
nm for both singlet and triplet excited states. The data shown is important for several applications such as optical limiting, photodynamic therapy and others.
O presente estudo tem por objetivo relatar caso de doença hematológica extremamente rara e desafiadora - Linfoma/Leucemia Linfoblástica Aguda T gamma/delta (LLA-Tγδ).
Paciente masculino, 19 anos, ...previamente hígido, procurou atendimento por quadro de perda ponderal não especificada, sudorese noturna intermitente, febre vespertina há 30 dias, bem como tosse não produtiva e dispneia progressiva. Ao exame clínico, evidenciou-se murmúrio vesicular abolido em campos pulmonares à esquerda, bem como esplenomegalia marcada à palpação abdominal. Iniciou-se investigação, com leucocitose em hemograma, no total de 53560 leucócitos, destes 41000 constituídos por blastos, bem como plaquetopenia, anemia e LDH elevado. Em tomografias, presença de linfonodomegalias em cadeias cervicais, supra-clavicular a esquerda, mediastinais confluentes, esplenomegalia com dimensões de 26,8 cm no maior diâmetro e derrame pleural volumoso à esquerda. Em ecocardiograma, notou-se volumoso derrame pericárdico, com necessidade de pericardiocentese de urgência. Realizado aspirado e biópsia de medula óssea, com hipercelularidade medular, as custas de 68% de blastos, com expressão de cCD3, mCD3, TdT, CD10+ e TCRγδ em imunofenotipagem. Outrossim, em biópsia de linfonodo cervical, constatou-se, também, positividade para CD3, CD5, CD7, CD8 e CD99, além de CD4 e CD8 negativos, concluindo-se, assim, diagnóstico de Linfoma/Leucemia Linfoblástica Aguda T gamma/delta.
Os linfócitos T gamma/delta (γδ) representam 5% dos linfócitos totais, e são capazes de reconhecer antígenos não peptídicos, participando, assim, da imunidade inata. As neoplasias originadas a partir dessas células são extremamente raras e agressivas. Sabe-se que cerca de 20% das leucemias linfoblásticas agudas derivam da linhagem T, desta totalidade, estima-se que apenas 2% irão expressar receptores gamma/delta (γδ), o que a torna mais singular. A principal entidade que deve ser levada em consideração no diagnóstico diferencial é o Linfoma Hepatoesplênico de Células T gamma/delta (γδ), que costuma manifestar acometimento extra-nodal, inclusive com infiltração medular, porém linfonodomegalias são extremamente incomuns, ao contrário da apresentação da LLA-Tγδ. Dados na literatura são escassos, mas o que se sabe, até então, é que essa leucemia apresenta maiores índices de falha na indução, grande parte apresenta alterações citogenéticas complexas características de mau prognóstico e a sobrevida global após transplante alogênico é significativamente menor, com prognóstico frustro. Por fim, até os dias atuais, não existe padronização de tratamento para esta entidade.
A LLA-Tγδ revela-se como neoplasia hematológica singular, com curso agressivo, prognóstico reservado e ainda sem padronização de tratamento, sendo necessárias maiores investigações.
Species of the subtribe Cassiinae present a wide diversity of floral types. Until recently it was considered that this diversity did not extend to their reproductive mechanisms. However, studies have ...recorded some variations in the enantiostylous pattern in this plant group. This study aims to investigate the morphological and functional variations of enantiostyly in species of the subtribe Cassiinae. Additionally, it proposes the recognition of enantiostylous types (ET) based on pollen deposition and capture mode. Morphological data were collected in fresh and fixed (alcohol 70%) buds and flowers, and also using photos and rehydrated material from herbarium sheets, for a total of 59 species. The parameters used to establish the ETs were pollination type, nature of pollen deposition on the pollinator body, deposition type, number of petals involved in pollen deposition, and pollen pathway. Morpho-functional features allowed the recognition of seven enantiostylous types (Flexuosa, Cana, Macranthera, Martiana, Amiciella, Repens and Ramosa) that present several levels of complexity. The type Ramosa was the most common and the Cana type was the least common. The types Repens, Martiana and Flexuosa do not have reciprocal pollen deposition, thus species with these types may be considered atypical. The groups resulting from similarity analysis partially coincide with the clades proposed in phylogenetic studies of Cassiinae. The recognition of functional ETs is important for understanding the evolution of reproductive strategies of Cassiinae species, and indicates an interesting line of investigation of enantiostyly in other plant groups.
Total electron content (TEC) is extensively used to monitor the ionospheric behavior under geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. This subject is of greatest importance for space weather ...applications. Under disturbed conditions the two main sources of electric fields, which are responsible for changes in the plasma drifts and for current perturbations, are the short-lived prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs) and the longer-lasting ionospheric disturbance dynamo (DD) electric fields. Both mechanisms modulate the TEC around the globe and the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) at low latitudes. In this work we computed vertical absolute TEC over the low latitude of South America. The analysis was performed considering HILDCAA (high-intensity, long-duration, continuous auroral electrojet (AE) activity) events and geomagnetic storms. The characteristics of storm-time TEC and HILDCAA-associated TEC will be presented and discussed. For both case studies presented in this work (March and August 2013) the HILDCAA event follows a geomagnetic storm, and then a global scenario of geomagnetic disturbances will be discussed. Solar wind parameters, geomagnetic indices, O ∕ N2 ratios retrieved by GUVI instrument onboard the TIMED satellite and TEC observations will be analyzed and discussed. Data from the RBMC/IBGE (Brazil) and IGS GNSS networks were used to calculate TEC over South America. We show that a HILDCAA event may generate larger TEC differences compared to the TEC observed during the main phase of the precedent geomagnetic storm; thus, a HILDCAA event may be more effective for ionospheric response in comparison to moderate geomagnetic storms, considering the seasonal conditions. During the August HILDCAA event, TEC enhancements from ∼ 25 to 80 % (compared to quiet time) were observed. These enhancements are much higher than the quiet-time variability observed in the ionosphere. We show that ionosphere is quite sensitive to solar wind forcing and considering the events studied here, this was the most important source of ionospheric responses. Furthermore, the most important source of TEC changes were the long-lasting PPEFs observed on August 2013, during the HILDCAA event. The importance of this study relies on the peculiarity of the region analyzed characterized by high declination angle and ionospheric gradients which are responsible for creating a complex response during disturbed periods.
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