Metallochaperones are key proteins for the safe transport of metallic ions inside the cell. HIPPs (heavy metal‐associated isoprenylated plant proteins) are metallochaperones that contain a metal ...binding domain (HMA) and a C–terminal isoprenylation motif. In this study, we provide evidence that proteins of this family are found only in vascular plants and may be separated into five distinct clusters. HIPPs may be involved in (a) heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification mechanisms, especially those involved in cadmium tolerance, (b) transcriptional responses to cold and drought, and (c) plant–pathogen interactions. In particular, our results show that the rice (Oryza sativa) HIPP OsHIPP41 gene is highly expressed in response to cold and drought stresses, and its product is localized in the cytosol and the nucleus. The results suggest that HIPPs play an important role in the development of vascular plants and in plant responses to environmental changes.
Metallochaperones are key proteins for the safe transport of metallic ions inside the cell. HIPPs are metallochaperones that contain a metal binding domain (HMA) and an isoprenylation motif. They are found only in vascular plants and can be separated into five clusters. HIPPs may be involved in: heavy metal homeostasis mechanisms; transcriptional responses to cold and drought, and plant‐pathogen interactions
In recent years, noteworthy research has been performed around lipids from microalgae. Among lipids, glycolipids (GLs) are quite abundant in microalgae and are considered an important source of fatty ...acids (FAs). GLs are rich in 16- and 18-carbon saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and often contain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like n-3 α-linolenic (ALA 18:3), eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5) and docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6). GLs comprise three major classes: monogalactosyldiacyl glycerolipids (MGDGs), digalactosyl diacylglycerolipids (DGDGs) and sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerolipids (SQDGs), whose composition in FA directly depends on the growth conditions. Some of these lipids are high value-added compounds with antitumoral, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities and also with important nutritional significance. To fully explore GLs' bioactive properties it is necessary to fully characterize their structure and to understand the relation between the structure and their biological properties, which can be addressed using modern mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomic approaches. This review will focus on the up-to-date FA composition of GLs identified by MS-based lipidomics and their potential as phytochemicals.
Rhodnius prolixus is a Triatominae insect species and a primary vector of Chagas disease. The genome of R. prolixus has been recently sequenced and partially assembled, but few transcriptome analyses ...have been performed to date. In this study, we describe the stage-specific transcriptomes obtained from previtellogenic stages of oogenesis and from mature eggs. By analyzing ~ 228 million paired-end RNA-Seq reads, we significantly improved the current genome annotations for 9206 genes. We provide extended 5' and 3' UTRs, complete Open Reading Frames, and alternative transcript variants. Strikingly, using a combination of genome-guided and de novo transcriptome assembly we found more than two thousand novel genes, thus increasing the number of genes in R. prolixus from 15,738 to 17,864. We used the improved transcriptome to investigate stage-specific gene expression profiles during R. prolixus oogenesis. Our data reveal that 11,127 genes are expressed in the early previtellogenic stage of oogenesis and their transcripts are deposited in the developing egg including key factors regulating germline development, genome integrity, and the maternal-zygotic transition. In addition, GO term analyses show that transcripts encoding components of the steroid hormone receptor pathway, cytoskeleton, and intracellular signaling are abundant in the mature eggs, where they likely control early embryonic development upon fertilization. Our results significantly improve the R. prolixus genome and transcriptome and provide novel insight into oogenesis and early embryogenesis in this medically relevant insect.
Yamada, 1941, is a red seaweed widely used for food in Japan and Korea which was recorded on the Atlantic Coast of Europe about twenty years ago. This seaweed presents eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and ...other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in its lipid fraction, a feature that sparked the interest on its potential applications. In seaweeds, PUFAs are mostly esterified to polar lipids, emerging as healthy phytochemicals. However, to date, these biomolecules are still unknown for
. The present work aimed to identify the polar lipid profile of
, using modern lipidomics approaches based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The health benefits of polar lipids were identified by health lipid indices and the assessment of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The polar lipids profile identified from
included 205 lipid species distributed over glycolipids, phospholipids, betaine lipids and phosphosphingolipids, which featured a high number of lipid species with EPA and PUFAs. The nutritional value of
has been shown by its protein content, fatty acyl composition and health lipid indices, thus confirming
as an alternative source of protein and lipids. Some of the lipid species assigned were associated to biological activity, as polar lipid extracts showed antioxidant activity evidenced by free radical scavenging potential for the 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS
) radical (IC
ca. 130.4 μg mL
) and for the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH
) radical (IC
ca. 129.1 μg mL
) and anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme (IC
ca. 33 µg mL
). Both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were detected using a low concentration of extracts. This integrative approach contributes to increase the knowledge of
as a species capable of providing nutrients and bioactive molecules with potential applications in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries.
To evaluate personal and institutional factors related to depression and anxiety prevalence of students from 22 Brazilian medical schools.
The authors performed a multicenter study (August 2011 to ...August 2012), examining personal factors (age, sex, housing, tuition scholarship) and institutional factors (year of the medical training, school legal status, location and support service) in association with scores of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
Of 1,650 randomly selected students, 1,350 (81.8 %) completed the study. The depressive symptoms prevalence was 41 % (BDI > 9), state-anxiety 81.7 % and trait-anxiety in 85.6 % (STAI > 33). There was a positive relationship between levels of state (r = 0,591, p < 0.001) and trait (r = 0,718, p < 0.001) anxiety and depression scores. All three symptoms were positively associated with female sex and students from medical schools located in capital cities of both sexes. Tuition scholarship students had higher state-anxiety but not trait-anxiety or depression scores. Medical students with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms disagree more than their peers with the statements "I have adequate access to psychological support" and "There is a good support system for students who get stressed".
The factors associated with the increase of medical students' depression and anxiety symptoms were female sex, school location and tuition scholarship. It is interesting that tuition scholarship students showed state-anxiety, but not depression and trait-anxiety symptoms.
Marine edible macroalgae have functional proprieties that might improve human health and wellbeing. Lipids represent a minor fraction of macroalgae, yet with major interest as main carriers of omega ...3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and intrinsic bioactive properties. In this study, we used lipid extracts from the green macroalgae
and
; the red
and
and the brown
, produced in a land-based integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) system. We determined the lipid quality indices based on their fatty acid profiles and their bioactivities as putative antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative agents. The results reveal to be species-specific, namely
displayed the lowest atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices.
and
lipid extracts displayed the lowest inhibitory concentration in the free radical scavenging antioxidant assays.
and
inhibited COX-2 activity by up to 80%, while
and
extracts showed the highest cytotoxic potential in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. This work enhances the valorization of macroalgae as functional foods and promising ingredients for sustainable and healthy diets and fosters new applications of high-valued algal biomass, in a species-specific context.
Macroalgae (seaweeds) are the subject of increasing interest for their potential as a source of valuable, sustainable biomass in the food, feed, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Compared with ...microalgae, the pace of knowledge acquisition in seaweeds is slower despite the availability of whole-genome sequences and model organisms for the major seaweed groups. This is partly a consequence of specific hurdles related to the large size of these organisms and their slow growth. As a result, this basic scientific field is falling behind, despite the societal and economic importance of these organisms. Here, we argue that sustainable management of seaweed aquaculture requires fundamental understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms controlling macroalgal life cycles – from the production of germ cells to the growth and fertility of the adult organisms – using diverse approaches requiring a broad range of technological tools. This Viewpoint highlights several examples of basic research on macroalgal developmental biology that could enable the step-changes which are required to adequately meet the demands of the aquaculture sector.
Resumo O artigo aborda o aprofundamento de estudos sobre as Diretrizes Curriculares da ABEPSS e a questão racial como elemento fundamental à compreensão da vida social na particularidade brasileira ...e, por conseguinte, na formação e no trabalho profissional em serviço social. Considerando a lógica do projeto de formação profissional construído nos últimos 40 anos da Virada e ruptura do conservadorismo o debate racial vem ganhando expressão, ainda que com lacunas e silêncios a serem superados. Nesta direção, visa contribuir com aspectos teórico-metodológicos que possam subsidiar a superação do debate étnico-racial restrito à temática identitária ou de política pública que ocasionam a sua secundarização, fragmentação e distanciamento. Os estudos realizados no pós doutoramento permitiram constatar que a indissociabilidade dos núcleos de fundamentação evidenciam como o debate racial contribui fundamentalmente para as aproximações do real na perspectiva marxista da totalidade histórica, sendo assim, força motriz para seu movimento de resistência, rebeldia e superação.
Abstract Regards to the deepening of the studies about the ABEPSS’s Curricula Guidelines and the racial matter as fundamental element to understanding social life on brazilian particularity, on professional formation and social work. Considering the logic of professional formation built over the last 40 years, from the Turn and rupture from conservatism, racial debate has been gaining expression, even though with gaps and silences yet to be overcome. In this direction, it aims to contribute to some theorical-methodological aspects that may subsidize ethnic-racial debates overcoming identity issues or public policies the lead to its marginalization, fragmentation and distancing. Studies on post-doctoral level have permitted to verify the inseperable nature of fundamentals of racial debate contributes to approximations on reality under marxist perspective of historical totality thus, powerful propellent to resistance movements, rebbelion and overcoming.
Sporotrichosis in immunocompromised patients has a high morbidity and may cause deaths. Particularly, patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with low T CD4 counts develop a chronic ...disease, with severe and widespread forms. Recently, the ability of
Sporothrix brasiliensis
, the main agent of zoonotic sporotrichosis, to increase its virulence in a diabetic patient without HIV infection was described. Since it was a unique finding, it is not known how often this occurs in patients with chronic and refractory sporotrichosis. The aim of this study is to compare sequential
Sporothrix
isolates obtained from patients with sporotrichosis and AIDS in order to detect changes in virulence-related phenotypes and acquisition of antifungal resistance during the evolution of the disease. Fungal growth in different substrates, antifungal susceptibility, thermotolerance, resistance to oxidative stress, and production of hydrolytic enzymes were evaluated. Correlations were assessed between clinical and phenotypic variables. Sixteen isolates, all identified as
S. brasiliensis
, obtained from five patients were studied. They grew well on glucose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, but poorly on lactate. Except from isolates collected from two patients, which were non-wild type for terbinafine, they were considered wild type for the antifungal drugs tested. Thermotolerance of the isolates was moderate to high. Except for phytase and phospholipase, isolates were able to produce virulence-related enzymes on different levels. Changes in all studied phenotypes were observed during the course of the disease in some patients. The results show that the HIV-driven immunosuppression is more relevant than fungal phenotypes on the unfavorable outcomes of disseminated sporotrichosis.
Algae have been consumed for millennia in several parts of the world as food, food supplements, and additives, due to their unique organoleptic properties and nutritional and health benefits. Algae ...are sustainable sources of proteins, minerals, and fiber, with well-balanced essential amino acids, pigments, and fatty acids, among other relevant metabolites for human nutrition. This review covers the historical consumption of algae in Europe, developments in the current European market, challenges when introducing new species to the market, bottlenecks in production technology, consumer acceptance, and legislation. The current algae species that are consumed and commercialized in Europe were investigated, according to their status under the European Union (EU) Novel Food legislation, along with the market perspectives in terms of the current research and development initiatives, while evaluating the interest and potential in the European market. The regular consumption of more than 150 algae species was identified, of which only 20% are approved under the EU Novel Food legislation, which demonstrates that the current legislation is not broad enough and requires an urgent update. Finally, the potential of the European algae market growth was indicated by the analysis of the trends in research, technological advances, and market initiatives to promote algae commercialization and consumption.
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