The nonracemic amino acids of meteorites provide the only natural example of molecular asymmetry measured so far outside the biosphere. Because extant life depends on chiral homogeneity for the ...structure and function of biopolymers, the study of these meteoritic compounds may offer insights into the establishment of prebiotic attributes in chemical evolution as well as the origin of terrestrial homochirality. However, all efforts to understand the origin, distribution, and scope of these amino acids' enantiomeric excesses (ee) have been frustrated by the ready exposure of meteorites to terrestrial contaminants and the ubiquitous homochirality of such contamination. We have analyzed the soluble organic composition of a carbonaceous meteorite from Antarctica that was collected and stored under controlled conditions, largely escaped terrestrial contamination and offers an exceptionally pristine sample of prebiotic material. Analyses of the meteorite diastereomeric amino acids alloisoleucine and isoleucine allowed us to show that their likely precursor molecules, the aldehydes, also carried a sizable molecular asymmetry of up to 14% in the asteroidal parent body. Aldehydes are widespread and abundant interstellar molecules; that they came to be present, survived, and evolved in the solar system carrying ee gives support to the idea that biomolecular traits such as chiral asymmetry could have been seeded in abiotic chemistry ahead of life.
This study examined the influence of birth date, salivary testosterone sT concentration, sexual maturity status, and general strength on the selection process of an elite Brazilian soccer club during ...a 12-month period, which was a 2
phase of a 24-month selection process. The stature, body mass, sT, sexual maturity status Tanner scale, and hand grip strength were assessed for 143 players during 2 weeks. From these 143 players, 100 players were dismissed DIS and 43 players were selected to integrate the club's under-14 squad. Following 1-year training period, the under-14 team was assembled with 9 players designated as starters STA, and then, comparisons were conducted taking into account a group of non-starters (selected; SEL = 34 players) and STA (n = 09). The DIS, SEL, STA players, and reference population, were compared for birth distribution. A greater proportion of players was born in the first trimester in the STA 75.0%, SEL 57.1% and DIS 50.0% groups compared to the reference population 25.8%. One-way ANOVA showed a higher sT for STA group 516.0 ± 129.9 pmol·L
, compared to SEL 415.5 ± 117.9 pmol·L
and DIS groups 390.9 ± 84.9 pmol·L
; p = 0.003), and Kruskall-Wallis test showed a higher gonadal development for STA compared to DIS p = 0.001. The current findings suggest a strong influence of birth date and biological maturation on young soccer players selection process. Soccer coaches should consider these influences when making decisions about player selection of elite youth players.
In chronic schistosomiasis, liver fibrosis is linked to portal hypertension, which is a condition associated with high mortality and morbidity. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was originally ...described as a nuclear protein that functions as a structural co-factor in transcriptional regulation. However, HMGB1 can also be secreted into the extracellular milieu under appropriate signal stimulation. Extracellular HMGB1 acts as a multifunctional cytokine that contributes to infection, injury, inflammation, and immune responses by binding to specific cell-surface receptors. HMGB1 is involved in fibrotic diseases. From a clinical perspective, HMGB1 inhibition may represent a promising therapeutic approach for treating tissue fibrosis. In this study, we demonstrate elevated levels of HMGB1 in the sera in experimental mice or in patients with schistosomiasis. Using immunohistochemistry, we demonstrated that HMGB1 trafficking in the hepatocytes of mice suffering from acute schistosomiasis was inhibited by Glycyrrhizin, a well-known HMGB1 direct inhibitor, as well as by DIC, a novel and potential anti-HMGB1 compound. HMGB1 inhibition led to significant downregulation of IL-6, IL4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17A, which are involved in the exacerbation of the immune response and liver fibrogenesis. Importantly, infected mice that were treated with DIC or GZR to inhibit HMGB1 pro-inflammatory activity showed a significant increase in survival and a reduction of over 50% in the area of liver fibrosis. Taken together, our findings indicate that HMGB1 is a key mediator of schistosomotic granuloma formation and liver fibrosis and may represent an outstanding target for the treatment of schistosomiasis.
Abstract
Understanding forest dynamics is crucial to addressing climate change and reforestation challenges. Plant anatomy can help predict growth rates of woody plants, contributing key information ...on forest dynamics. Although features of the water-transport system (xylem) have long been used to predict plant growth, the potential contribution of carbon-transporting tissue (phloem) remains virtually unexplored. Here, we use data from 347 woody plant species to investigate whether species-specific stem diameter growth rates can be predicted by the diameter of both the xylem and phloem conducting cells when corrected for phylogenetic relatedness. We found positive correlations between growth rate, phloem sieve element diameter and xylem vessel diameter in liana species sampled in the field. Moreover, we obtained similar results for data extracted from the Xylem Database, an online repository of functional, anatomical and image data for woody plant species. Information from this database confirmed the correlation of sieve element diameter and growth rate across woody plants of various growth forms. Furthermore, we used data subsets to explore potential influences of biomes, growth forms and botanical family association. Subsequently, we combined anatomical and geoclimatic data to train an artificial neural network to predict growth rates. Our results demonstrate that sugar transport architecture is associated with growth rate to a similar degree as water-transport architecture. Furthermore, our results illustrate the potential value of artificial neural networks for modeling plant growth under future climatic scenarios.
This study aimed to evaluate the PAH distribution, sources, seasonal variations and ecological risk assessment in superficial water from the Japaratuba River, Brazil. PAH concentrations ranged from 4 ...to 119ngL−1. It was observed that the PAH total concentrations and profiles showed significant differences when comparing the dry season (summer) with the rainy season (winter). Furthermore, most of the PAH originated from pyrogenic sources in the winter, whereas a mixture of sources was observed in the summer. PAH concentration levels found in this study were considered lower than those obtained in other estuarine systems. Ecological risk assessment was determined for individual PAH, based on the risk quotient (RQ) to evaluate the risk of aquatic biota's exposure to PAH. Results suggested that the Japaratuba River has achieved a moderate degree of ecological risk for high molecular weight, showing the importance of identifying these carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds in aquatic systems.
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•The composition profiles of PAH indicated seasonal variations.•4-ring PAH were the most abundant components in the winter season, while 2-rings were the most abundant in the summer season.•The source PAH were mainly from pyrogenic sources.•A method was proposed to assess the ecological risk of ΣPAH and individual PAH.•4-ring PAH accounted for much more ecological risk than 2-ring, 5-ring and 6-ring PAH, mainly in the winter season.
A new long‐snouted Corydoras species is described from two tributaries of the río Manuripe and a tributary of the río Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin, Peru. Corydoras fulleri can be distinguished ...from its congeners by having the following features: (a) branch of the temporal sensory canal at sphenotic, which gives rise to the supraorbital canal, with two pores; (b) upper tooth plate of branchial arch with three series of teeth; (c) area at the corner of the mouth, ventral to the maxillary barbel, with a small fleshy flap; (d) two moderate‐sized dark‐brown or black blotches on caudal‐fin base, one on its lateral portion and another one on its dorsal portion, blotches variably diffuse and/or fused with each other; (e) absence of a dark‐brown or black stripe transversally crossing the orbit; (f) a longitudinal dark‐brown or black stripe on the postdorsal region of flank midline, variably fused with the lateral peduncular blotch, some specimens with slender, longitudinally elongated, dark‐brown or black blotch on flank midline, forming a dash‐like marking, stripe or dash‐like blotch diffuse in some specimens; and (g) region around dorsal‐fin origin generally lacking dark brown or black blotch, or displaying diffuse blotch.
Pendimethalin herbicide is widely used and persists in the environment as a contaminant causing negative impacts, including for human health. Microorganisms have the capacity to remove many ...contaminants from the environment. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of soil bacterial species prospected by molecular modelling of cytochrome P450 in to degrade pendimethalin. Strains of Burkholderia sp. and Methylobacterium radiotolerans were cultivated in a mineral saline medium enriched with 281 mg/L pendimethalin (MSPEN) and another containing glucose 1.0 g/L as extra carbon source (MSPENGLI). Both strains were able to degrade pendimethalin under the two conditions experienced. Burkholderia sp. F7G4PR33-4 was more efficient in degrading 65% of the herbicide in MSPEN medium, with 49.3% in MSPENGLI; while Methylobacterium radiotolerans A6A1PR46-4 degraded 55.4% in MSPEN and 29.8% in MSPENGLI mediums. These findings contribute to the expansion of knowledge on the competence of isolates of these two bacterial genera in degrading herbicidal xenobiotics and biotechnological potential for pendimethalin degradation and bioremediation.
The individual concentrations, total amount and sources of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in sediments collected along of the Poxim River, Aracaju, Brazil, were for the first time ...determined. The ΣPAH ranged between 2.2±1.5ngg−1 and 28.4±6.9ngg−1, with a mean value of 14.4±9.3ngg−1. The Pearson correlation test and Principal component analysis (PCA) were used to assess the correlation between the PAH, organic matter and grain size; and to differentiate the sampling stations. Diagnostic ratios presented predominance of pyrogenic sources. Therefore, the PAH quantified showed the influence of anthropogenic activities near of the Poxim River.
•Distribution and source apportionment of 16 PAH in the Poxim River sediments were for the first time accessed.•The PAH input to the sediments was found to be mainly from pyrogenic sources.•Low values for ΣPAH may be attributed to the negative correlations between the pH, organic matter (%OM) and grain size (%mud).•5–6 rings PAH were dominant in the sediments.
This study conducted in Sergipe State, Brazil, aimed to investigate the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the surface water of five rivers, determining their sources, spatial and ...temporal variations, and ecotoxicological risks. Correlation and principal component analyses were utilized to identify the relationship between PAH concentrations and water sample properties. Results indicated higher PAH concentrations during the rainy season, attributed to increased run-off and sediment resuspension. The composition of PAHs suggested a main petroleum source with organic material combustion in minor scale. Ecological risk assessment revealed potential risks to the ecosystem, emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring of PAHs pollution. This study highlights the importance of understanding and mitigating PAHs contamination in rivers to protect aquatic ecosystems.
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•Investigated contamination levels and component features of USEPA 16 PAHs in water•PAHs compositions indicated seasonal variations, with most abundant the LMW PAHs.•Only São Francisco showed a correlation between PAHs and environmental properties.•Diagnostic ratio and PCA indicated a predominance of petrogenic PAHs source.
The Sergipe River estuary has been subjected to a range of anthropogenic activities including food, plastic, textile, ceramic and metallurgical production plants along with domestic sewage inputs, ...all of which are of environmental concern. In this study, the levels of fecal coliforms (FC) in surface water samples and sterols in superficial sediment samples collected from the Sergipe River estuary were determined. Based on the FC concentrations, 58% of the water samples were considered Water Potentially Unusable (WPU) according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Concentrations of coprostanol ranged from 13 to 1072 ng g−1, indicating a significant input of sewage at some points in the estuary. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that there is no clear correlation between the coprostanol and coliform data, which may be due to the high resistance to degradation of coprostanol in sediments and to recent inputs of sewage at the water sample collection points.
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•The distribution of sterols in sediments was compared to fecal coliforms in water samples.•High concentrations of coprostanol provided evidences of sewage contamination.•Diagnostic ratios between sterols enhanced the identification of sewage contamination.•PCA showed that there is no clear correlation between the coprostanol and coliforms.
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