The Occurrence of the Freshwater Bryozoan Pottsiella Erecta (Potts) 1884 (Gymnolaemata: Paludicellidae) in Lake Erie

Author Institution: Great Lakes Fishery Laboratory, U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and WildlifeThe collection of Pottsiella erecta in western Lake Erie in August 1972 represents the first reported occurrence of this species in the Great Lakes and a 110 km northward extension of its known range

The application of high-density genetic maps of rye for the detection of QTLs controlling morphological traits

The development of genetic maps is, nowadays, one of the most intensive research activities of plant geneticists. One of the major goals of genome mapping is the localisation of quantitative trait loci (QTLs). This study was aimed at the identification of QTLs controlling morphological traits of rye and comparison of their localisation on genetic maps constructed with the use of genetically different germplasms. For QTL analyses, two high-density consensus maps of two populations (RIL-S and RIL-M) of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) were applied. Plant height (Ph), length of spikes (Sl) and the number of spikelets per spike (Sps) were studied in both populations. Additionally, the number of kernels per spike under isolation (Kps), the weight of kernels per spike (Kw) and thousand kernel weight (Tkw) were assessed in the RIL-M population. Except for Tkw, the majority of the traits were correlated to each other. The non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis (K-W) test and composite interval mapping (CIM) revealed 18/48 and 24/18 regions of rye chromosomes engaged in the determination of Ph, Sl and Sps in the RIL-S and RIL-M populations, respectively. An additional 18/15 QTLs controlling Kps, Kw and Tkw were detected on a map of the RIL-M population. A numerous group of QTLs detected via CIM remained in agreement with the genomic regions found when the K-W test was applied. Frequently, the intervals indicated by CIM were narrower. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13353-013-0186-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Evaluation of pre-PCR processing approaches for enumeration of Salmonella enterica in naturally contaminated animal feed

Three pre-PCR processing strategies for the detection and/or quantification of Salmonella in naturally contaminated soy bean meal were evaluated

A atuação estatal na produção da cidade informal: análise espacial em Florianópolis

The thesis that the Brazilian state tolerates and encourages urban squatting as a response to its own inability to provide popular housing and to guarantee jobs that enable the acquisition of housing in the real estate market is tested in this article through the case study of Florianópolis. We studied irregularity and two indications of municipal action in its consolidation in Florianópolis: implementation of community facilities and issuance of construction permits. We found that construction permits are limited only by registration restrictions, not by the existence or not of land ownership, and that the municipality works actively in the production of health, education, and transport facilities, but not of leisure facilities in these areas.A tese de que o estado brasileiro tolera e fomenta as ocupações urbanas irregulares como resposta à sua própria incapacidade de prover habitação popular e de garantir empregos que permitam a aquisição de habitação no mercado imobiliário é testada neste artigo, por meio do estudo do caso de Florianópolis. Estudou-se a irregularidade no município e dois indicativos de atuação municipal na sua consolidação: implementação de equipamentos comunitários e emissão de alvarás de construção. Verificou-se que os alvarás de construção em ocupações irregulares são limitados somente por restrições registrais, mas não pela existência ou não de propriedade da terra e que o município trabalha ativamente na produção de equipamentos de saúde, educação e transporte, mas não de lazer nessas áreas

Tumor growth suppression induced by biomimetic silk fibroin hydrogels

Protein-based hydrogels with distinct conformations which enable encapsulation or differentiation of cells are of great interest in 3D cancer research models. Conformational changes may cause macroscopic shifts in the hydrogels, allowing for its use as biosensors and drug carriers. In depth knowledge on how 3D conformational changes in proteins may affect cell fate and tumor formation is required. Thus, this study reports an enzymatically crosslinked silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel system that can undergo intrinsic conformation changes from random coil to β-sheet conformation. In random coil status, the SF hydrogels are transparent, elastic, and present ionic strength and pH stimuli-responses. The random coil hydrogels become β-sheet conformation after 10 days in vitro incubation and 14 days in vivo subcutaneous implantation in rat. When encapsulated with ATDC-5 cells, the random coil SF hydrogel promotes cell survival up to 7 days, whereas the subsequent β-sheet transition induces cell apoptosis in vitro. HeLa cells are further incorporated in SF hydrogels and the constructs are investigated in vitro and in an in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane model for tumor formation. In vivo, Angiogenesis and tumor formation are suppressed in SF hydrogels. Therefore, these hydrogels provide new insights for cancer research and uses of biomaterials.The authors would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) project grants OsteoCart (PTDC/CTM-BPC/115977/2009) and Tissue2Tissue (PTDC/CTM/105703/2008) which supported this study. Research leading to these results has also received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no REGPOT-CT2012-316331-POLARIS. Le-Ping Yan was awarded a PhD scholarship from FCT (SFRH/BD/64717/2009). We also would like to thank FCT for the distinction attributed to J.M. Oliveira under the Investigador FCT program (IF/00423/2012). The authors also like to acknowledge Dr. Mariana B. Oliveira for technical assistance on the dynamic mechanical analysis of the cell-laden hydrogels

A Review of the Preclinical and Clinical Efficacy of Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, and Lopinavir-Ritonavir Treatments against COVID-19

In December of 2019, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus flared in Wuhan, the capital city of the Hubei Province, China. The pathogen has been identified as a novel enveloped RNA beta-coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a disease characterized by severe atypical pneumonia known as coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Typical symptoms of this disease include cough, fever, malaise, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal symptoms, anosmia, and, in severe cases, pneumonia.1 The high-risk group of COVID-19 patients includes people over the age of 60 years as well as people with existing cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes mellitus. Epidemiological investigations have suggested that the outbreak was associated with a live animal market in Wuhan. Within the first few months of the outbreak, cases were growing exponentially all over the world. The unabated spread of this deadly and highly infectious virus is a health emergency for all nations in the world and has led to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a pandemic on March 11, 2020. In this report, we consolidate and review the available clinically and preclinically relevant results emanating from in vitro animal models and clinical studies of drugs approved for emergency use as a treatment for COVID-19, including remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir-ritonavir combinations. These compounds have been frequently touted as top candidates to treat COVID-19, but recent clinical reports suggest mixed outcomes on their efficacies within the current clinical protocol frameworks