Discovery potential for supersymmetry at a high luminosity upgrade of LHC14

After completion of the LHC8 run in 2012, the plan is to upgrade the LHC for operation close to its design energy root s = 14 TeV, with a goal of collecting hundreds of fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The time is propitious to begin thinking of what is gained by even further LHC upgrades. In this report, we compute an LHC14 reach for supersymmetry in the mSUGRA/CMSSM model with an anticipated high luminosity upgrade. We find that LHC14 with 300 (3000) fb(-1) has a reach for supersymmetry via gluino/squark searches of m((g) over tilde) similar to 3.2 TeV (3.6 TeV) for m((q) over tilde) similar to m((g) over tilde), and a reach of m((g) over tilde) similar to 1.8 TeV (2.3 TeV) for m((q) over tilde) >> m((g) over tilde). In the case where m((q) over tilde) >> m((g) over tilde), then the LHC14 reach for chargino-neutralino production with decay into the Wh + 6 is not an element of(T) final state reaches to m((g) over tilde) similar to 2.6 TeV for 3000 fb(-1).

Preliminary Characterization of Novel Extra-cellular Lipase from Penicillium crustosum Under Solid-State Fermentation and its Potential Application for Triglycerides Hydrolysis

Current studies about lipase production involve the use of agro-industrial residues and newly isolated microorganisms aimed at increasing economic attractiveness of the process. Based on these aspects, the main objective of this work is to perform the partial characterization of enzymatic extracts produced by a newly isolated Penicillium crustosum in solid-state fermentation. Lipase extract presented optimal temperature and pH of 37 A degrees C and 9-10, respectively. The concentrated enzymatic extract showed more stability at 25 A degrees C and pH 7. The enzymes kept 100% of their enzymatic activity until 60 days of storage at 4 and -10 A degrees C. The stability under calcium salts indicated that the hydrolytic activity presented decay with the increase of calcium concentration. The specificity under several substrates indicated good enzyme activities in triglycerides from C4 to C18.

The Selection Exerted by Oil Contamination on Mangrove Fungal Communities

Mangrove ecosystems are tropical environments that are characterized by the interaction between the land and the sea. As such, this ecosystem is vulnerable to oil spills. Here, we show a culture-independent survey of fungal communities that are found in the sediments of the following two mangroves that are located on the coast of Sao Paulo State (Brazil): (1) an oil-spill-affected mangrove and (2) a nearby unaffected mangrove. Samples were collected from each mangrove forest at three distinct locations (transect from sea to land), and the samples were analyzed by quantitative PCR and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based PCR-DGGE analysis. The abundance of fungi was found to be higher in the oil-affected mangrove. Visual observation and correspondence analysis (CA) of the ITS-based PCR-DGGE profiles revealed differences in the fungal communities between the sampled areas. Remarkably, the oil-spilled area was quite distinct from the unaffected sampling areas. On the basis of the ITS sequences, fungi that are associated with the Basidiomycota and Ascomycota taxa were most common and belonged primarily to the genera Epicoccum, Nigrospora, and Cladosporium. Moreover, the Nigrospora fungal species were shown to be sensitive to oil, whereas a group that was described as "uncultured Basidiomycota" was found more frequently in oil-contaminated areas. Our results showed an increase in fungal abundance in the oil-polluted mangrove regions, and these data indicated potential fungal candidates for remediation of the oil-affected mangroves.

The fungal metabolite eugenitin as additive for Aspergillus niveus glucoamylase activation

Endophytic microorganisms live inside tissues of host plants apparently do not causing warning to them, and area promising source of bioactive molecules as antimicrobial and antitumoral drugs. In this work, we report the isolation of eugenitin from cultures of the endophyte Mycoleptodiscus indicus and its potential as additive for Aspergillus niveus glucoamylase activation. The glucoamylase hydrolytic activity increased twofold using 5 mM of eugenitin and this activation could be explained by the binding mode of eugenitin with the three-dimensional structure of glucoamylase. The in silica prediction of ligand binding sites revealed at least 9 possible interaction sites able to accommodate eugenitin on glucoamylase from Hypocrea jecorina. Besides, we evaluated the effect of pH and temperature on activity and stability, as well as in the hydrolysis of different substrates and kinetic parameters either in presence or absence of eugenitin. The results displayed by eugenitin as additive to glucoamylase activation are promising and provide novel perspectives for applications of fungal metabolites. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical and metabolic profiles of Trichoderma strains isolated from common bean crops in the Brazilian Cerrado, and potential antagonism against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Some species of Trichoderma have successfully been used in the commercial biological control of fungal pathogens, e.g., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, an economically important pathogen of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The objectives of the present study were (1) to provide molecular characterization of Trichoderma strains isolated from the Brazilian Cerrado; (2) to assess the metabolic profile of each strain by means of Biolog FF Microplates; and (3) to evaluate the ability of each strain to antagonize S. sclerotiorum via the production of cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), volatile antibiotics, and dual-culture tests. Among 21 isolates, we identified 42.86 % as Trichoderma asperellum, 33.33 % as Trichoderma harzianum, 14.29 % as Trichoderma tomentosum, 4.76 % as Trichoderma koningiopsis, and 4.76 % as Trichoderma erinaceum. Trichoderma asperellum showed the highest CWDE activity. However, no species secreted a specific group of CWDEs. Trichoderma asperellum 364/01, T. asperellum 483/02, and T. asperellum 356/02 exhibited high and medium specific activities for key enzymes in the mycoparasitic process, but a low capacity for antagonism. We observed no significant correlation between CWDE and antagonism, or between metabolic profile and antagonism. The diversity of Trichoderma species, and in particular of T. harzianum, was clearly reflected in their metabolic profiles. Our findings indicate that the selection of Trichoderma candidates for biological control should be based primarily on the environmental fitness of competitive isolates and the target pathogen. (C) 2012 The British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endophytic fungi from Vitis labrusca L. ('Niagara Rosada') and its potential for the biological control of Fusarium oxysporum

We investigated the diversity of endophytic fungi found on grape (Vitis labrusca cv. Niagara Rosada) leaves collected from Salesopolis, SP, Brazil. The fungi were isolated and characterized by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, followed by sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA. In addition, the ability of these endophytic fungi to inhibit the grapevine pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp herbemontis was determined in vitro. We also observed that the climatic factors, such as temperature and rainfall, have no effect on the frequency of infection by endophytic fungi. The endophytic fungal community that was identified included Aporospora terricola, Aureobasidium pullulans, Bjerkandera adusta, Colletotrichum boninense, C. gloeosporioides, Diaporthe helianthi, D. phaseolorum, Epicoccum nigrum, Flavodon flavus, Fusarium subglutinans, F. sacchari, Guignardia mangiferae, Lenzites elegans, Paraphaeosphaeria pilleata, Phanerochaete sordida, Phyllosticta sp, Pleurotus nebrodensis, Preussia africana, Tinctoporellus epiniltinus, and Xylaria berteri. Among these isolates, two, C. gloeosporioides and F. flavus, showed potential antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum f. sp herbemontis. We suggest the involvement of the fungal endophyte community of V. labrusca in protecting the host plant against pathogenic Fusarium species. Possibly, some endophytic isolates could be selected for the development of biological control agents for grape fungal disease; alternatively, management strategies could be tailored to increase these beneficial fungi.