Eukaryotic cells have developed intricate mechanisms for biomolecule transport, particularly in stressful conditions. This interdisciplinary study delves into unconventional protein secretion (UPS) ...pathways activated during starvation, facilitating the export of proteins bypassing most of the components of the classical secretory machinery. Specifically, we focus on the underexplored mechanisms of the GRASP's role in UPS, particularly in biogenesis and cargo recruitment for the vesicular‐like compartment for UPS. Our results show that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays a key role in the coacervation of Grh1, the GRASP yeast homologue, under starvation‐like conditions. This association seems a precursor to the Compartment for Unconventional Protein Secretion (CUPS) biogenesis. Grh1's self‐association is regulated by electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen‐bonding interactions. Importantly, our study demonstrates that phase‐separated states of Grh1 can recruit UPS cargo under starvation‐like situations. Additionally, we explore how the coacervate liquid‐to‐solid transition could impact cells' ability to return to normal post‐stress states. Our findings offer insights into intracellular protein dynamics and cell adaptive responses to stress.
The concept of Ecosystem Services (ES) defines the nature benefits in an anthropocentric way for sustainable development goals. However, a conservation dilemma arises from the question of how much ...the ES cost and which ES should be prioritized in effective landscape planning. Thus, we test how the balance of economic and ecological values can be useful for improved conservation outcomes. Under a comprehensive meta-analytical approach, we address the monetary values of ES and incorporate habitat quality maps for setting national conservation targets in mainland Portugal. As a practical pathway to achieve sustainability from local to macro scales, we design an integrative approach showing that prioritization models focused on ES can encompass economic and ecological values in balance with the landscape. We find 72 studies with 167 economic estimates based on biophysical, socio-cultural and environmental features. Our results indicate that ES values in Portugal can represent about 12% of its total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which in turn can ensure key conservation sites for multiple ecosystems. Combining the trade-offs and synergies between ecological and economic benefits of ES, we suggest an integrative strategy to save ecosystems and protect services through cost-effective conservation models. Given the economic and ecological interface of this approach, our findings can be helpful to bridge the gap between environmental economics and conservation science, following three main components – most economic benefits, best habitat quality and less land requirements. This would bring market values on realistic scales, where stakeholders are expecting positive returns.
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•ES valuation is key to achieve sustainable development practices.•Ecological and economic trade-offs are proposed at national-scale planning.•ES values can represent 12% of the GDP and cost-effective conservation outcomes.•Most economic benefits, best habitat quality and less land requirements are provided.•An integrative modelling approach can save unique ecosystems for multiple ES.
•Low-cost electrochemical exfoliation by cyclic voltammetry for GO synthesis.•Background electrolyte, high scan rate and cycle numbers are important for synthesis.•Enhanced performance when compared ...to commercial drop casted ERGO and CRGO.•Reproducible performance and easy surface renewal and storage.
In this study we propose an in situ low-cost electrochemical treatment by cyclic voltammetry (CV) for graphene oxide (GO) synthesis on the surface of graphite/ABS composite electrodes. Higher efficiencies were achieved while CV treatments were carried out in alkaline (KOH) background electrolyte, applying an elevated number of successive cycles (1000) under high scan rate (2000 mV s−1), being the oxidation potential observed at +1.5 V. After treatment, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images pointed to an increase on both surface area and roughness; the results for Raman spectroscopy and FT-IR complemented the elucidation, demonstrating structural changes to the electrode after treatment, and confirming the formation of GO. Moreover, a relevant decrease in charge transfer resistance was observed by EIS (Rct, 275 to 50 Ω) and a 5-fold higher heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k0, 1.50 × 10−4 cm s−1) were verified after surface electrode treatment, indicating the faster transfer of electrons to redox probes on this surface. Such a surface treatment was thus effective and reproducible (RSD = 5.5%; n = 10) allowing an easy surface renewal just by smooth polishing. Treated electrodes were applied to dopamine (DP) quantification, showing stable amperometric responses, higher peak current intensities (3-fold) and improved detectability of DP when compared to modified electrodes obtained by drop casting (CRGO or ERGO modifications), which indicates that the proposed treatment is simpler and more appropriate. Wide linear range, higher sensitivity and precision were observed in the analytical methods developed for DP via BIA-AMP and SWV.
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The aim of the present study is to experimentally measure the volume and composition of biogas produced from the anaerobic biodigestion of laying-hen manure from poultry farms in Itanhandu-MG, ...Brazil, so that the biogas can be used to generate energy. Two experiments (E1 and E2) were used to characterise the biogas quantities and compositions at room temperature and at a controlled temperature of 36 °C, respectively. The biogas production and calculated net power from the exploitation of biogas energy were compared with the results obtained from methods proposed by the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB, an acronym in Portuguese) using the ‘Biogas: Generation and energy use – effluent and rural waste’ software 1.0, Brasília-DF, Brazil. In addition, after a time equal to the hydraulic retention time subsequent to biodigester loading, the parameters were analysed and correlated with the organic matter content in the substrates. The effluents were subsequently compared with verify the degree of degradability. The biogas volumes were estimated to be 0.143 m3 kg VTS-1 for E1 and 0.283 m3 kg VTS-1 for E2. If the poultry farm considered in this case study uses manure to generate energy, then the estimated energy generation based on the data from experiments E1 and E2 will result in net energy values of 683 MW h y-1 and 27,160 MW h y-1, given 620 MW h y-1 for sludge heating in E2. The energy production values from the simulations of the E1 and E2 experiments did not demonstrate economic viability under the studied conditions.
The tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) crop has great economic relevance, being one of the most processed agricultural products worldwide. Some pesticides are chemically stable and can remain in food ...even after processing. In this context, the objective of this work was to analyze food products derived from tomatoes (extract, sauce and ketchup), regarding the levels of pesticide residues. Fifteen samples were acquired from Vale do Jaguaribe, Ceará, Brazil. Six pesticides (bifenthrin, chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, cyfluthrin, pyriproxyfen, trifluralin) authorized by Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Anvisa) for tomato cultivation were selected for the study. QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used in method validation, according to the recommendations of SANTE 11312/2021 guidelines. Statistical analyzes of linearity show that the six pesticides studied were classified as heterocesdastic. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) values (0.01-0.03 and 0.03-0.10 mg kg-1, respectively) were below the established maximum residue limits (MRLs) for tomatoes. Accuracy and precision (78-121 and 2.3-16.7%, respectively) were satisfactory. The results indicated that among the 15 analyzed samples, one active ingredient was detected (0.05 mg kg-1) in a tomato sauce sample, lower than MRLs (Anvisa 0.15 mg kg-1 and FAO 0.3 mg kg-1). The results show the relevance of monitoring pesticide residues in tomato-derived products and the validation of new methodologies for food control.
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a neurotropic flavivirus that can persist in several tissues. The late consequences of ZIKV persistence and whether new rounds of active replication can occur, remain ...unaddressed. Here, we investigated whether neonatally ZIKV-infected mice are susceptible to viral reactivation in adulthood. We found that when ZIKV-infected mice are treated with immunosuppressant drugs, they present increased susceptibility to chemically induced seizures. Levels of subgenomic flavivirus RNAs (sfRNAs) were increased, relative to the amounts of genomic RNAs, in the brains of mice following immunosuppression and were associated with changes in cytokine expression. We investigated the impact of immunosuppression on the testicles and found that ZIKV genomic RNA levels are increased in mice following immunosuppression, which also caused significant testicular damage. These findings suggest that ZIKV can establish new rounds of active replication long after acute stages of disease, so exposed patients should be monitored to ensure complete viral eradication.
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•Immunosuppression late after ZIKV infection increases seizures in mice•Immunosuppression leads to viral replication late after ZIKV infection•Immunosuppression increases ZIKV sfRNA levels late after ZIKV infection•Immunosuppression leads to testicular damage late after ZIKV infection
Neuroscience; Immunology; Virology
Mushrooms are a source of primary and secondary metabolites. Little is known about the most suitable conditions for production of mushrooms by submerged fermentation. This article reports antioxidant ...and cytotoxic assays, in addition to quantitatively evaluating the content of proteases with fibrinolytic action in the crude extracts of two species of edible mushrooms produced in different formulations, as well as evaluating the recovery of these enzymes by aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). The mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus eryngii, at concentration of 100 µg/mL, displayed inhibition of DPPH and ABTS radicals below 50%. In the cytotoxicity test, the cells human fibroblast cell lines (MRC-5) showed cell viability greater than 80%. Concerning fibrinolytic activity, P. eryngii presented 226.47 ± 7.26 U/mL, therefore being more efficient than P. ostreatus (71.5 ± 0.56 U/mL). In the recovery of the P. eryngii extract by ATPS, the fibrinolytic protease was partitioned in the salt phase (30.25 U/mL). The molecular mass of the proteases was between 75 and 100 kDa. These results prove the low cytotoxicity of the extracts produced and that fermentation in supplemented malt broth favored the excretion of fibrinolytic proteases compared to the other evaluated media.
We present a synthesis of anuran diversity and distribution in the Mantiqueira Mountain Range, one of the largest mountain ranges occurring within the Atlantic Forest biome of Brazil. We assembled a ...species list based on the examination of 16,893 specimens housed in 10 herpetological collections and data compiled from the literature. We developed minimum convex polygons for each species to determine their degree of association with the mountain range, and assessed distribution patterns considering species presence–absence in nearby geomorphological units. The northern and southern sectors of the mountain range were examined for differences in species composition, accounting for possible effects of the main vegetation types of the range. We recorded 234 anuran species (∼23% of total anuran richness for Brazil), including 143 core species, 89 species of marginal occurrence, and 2 species with an undetermined degree of association because of taxonomic uncertainties. Of these species, 91 were widespread and occur throughout the Atlantic Forest and in other regions, 53 were not widespread but range into neighboring geomorphological units, and 88 were endemic species. The northern and southern sectors of the mountain range differed in species composition, which was influenced by the different vegetation types. Thirty-nine endemic species were restricted to the southern sector, whereas 45 occurred only in the northern sector, indicating that these sectors potentially represent distinct biogeographic units with regard to the anurans. We found 14 species that are listed among the categories of both global and national lists of threatened species and 10 species whose most recent records date from at least 30 yr ago. Our study confirms that the Mantiqueira Range is a critical region for anuran endemism and conservation in the Atlantic Forest, and provides a baseline for future biogeographic, taxonomic, and macroecological studies.
Background
Hypoxia pathways are deregulated in clear renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) because of the loss of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor function. Quantitative PCR is a powerful tool for ...quantifying differential expression between normal and cancer cells. Reliable gene expression analysis requires the use of genes encoding housekeeping genes. Therefore, in this study, eight reference candidate genes were evaluated to determine their stability in 786-0 cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.
Methods and Results
Four different tools were used to rank the most stable genes—geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and Comparative Ct (ΔCt), and a general ranking was performed using RankAggreg. According to the four algorithms, the
TFRC
reference gene was identified as the most stable. There was no agreement among the results from the algorithms for the 2nd and 3rd positions. A general classification was then established using the RankAggreg tool. Finally, the three most suitable reference genes for use in 786-0 cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions were
TFRC
,
RPLP0
, and
SDHA
.
Conclusions
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify reliable genes that can be used for gene expression analysis in ccRCC in a hypoxic environment.
The high incidence of dengue in Brazil and re-emergence of DENV-3 in São Paulo after a 15-year absence, coupled with the potential risk for DENV-4, may be the results from changing climate patterns ...favouring Aedes mosquito proliferation, allied by the resuming of domestic and international travels.
