Structural characterization of Botryosphaeran: a (1 -> 3;1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucan produced by the ascomyceteous fungus, Botryosphaeria sp.

The exopolysaccharide, Botryosphaeran, produced by the ligninolytic, ascomycetcous fungus Botryosphaeria sp., was isolated from the extracellular fluid by precipitation with ethanol, and purified by gel permeation chromatography to yield a carbohydrate-rich fraction (96%) composed mainly of glucose (98%). Infra-red and C-13 NMR spectroscopy showed that all the glucosidic linkages were in the beta-configuration. Data from methylation analysis and Smith degradation indicated that Botryosphaeran was a (1 --> 3)-beta-(D)-glucan with approx 22% side branching at C-6. The products obtained from partial acid hydrolysis demonstrated that the side branches consisted of single (1 --> 6)-beta-linked glucosyl, and (1 --> 6)-beta-linked gentiobiosyl residues.[GRAPHICS](C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Modification of Botryosphaeran: Structural Characterization and Anticoagulant Activity of a Water-Soluble Sulfonated (1 -> 3)(1 -> 6)-beta-D-Glucan

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evaluation of the beta-glucanolytic enzyme complex of Trichoderma harzianum Rifai for the production of gluco-oligosaccharide fragments by enzymatic hydrolysis of 1,3;1,6-beta-D-glucans

Botryosphaeran, a new exopolysaccharide from the endophytic fungus Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05, and algal laminarin were hydrolyzed by partially-fractionated enzymes of the beta-glucanolytic complex from Trichoderma harzianum Rifai. beta-Glucanase fractions (F-I and F-II) separated by gel permeation chromatography presented different modes of attack on botryosphaeran and laminarin. Botryosphaeran was hydrolyzed to the extent of 66% (F-I) and 98% (F-II) within 30 min, and its main hydrolysis products were gluco-oligosaccharides of DP >= 4, with lesser amounts of glucose, di- and tri-saccharides. The action of enzyme fractions I and II on laminarin resulted in 15% conversion to glucose, while the percentage of saccharification was radically different (70% for F-I and 25% for F-II). The different product arrays within the polysaccharide hydrolysates can be explained by the difference in the enzymes' specificities within each enzyme fraction, and the molecular structures of the polysaccharides and their complexity.

Triple helix conformation of botryosphaeran, a (1 -> 3;1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucan produced by Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Projeto de um monopolo Hi para aplicações no sistema brasileiro de TV digital

A presente pesquisa trata o projeto e análise de uma antena monopolo planar com geometria modificada visando sua utilização para recepção do sinal de TV digital operante no Brasil na faixa de 470 MHz a 806 MHz. Faixa essa contida no espectro de UHF – Ultra High Frequency (300 MHz a 3 GHz). Para desenvolvimento desse trabalho foi tomado como referência à antena denominada “The Hi Monopole”. Que originalmente foi apresentada para operar em sistemas UWB (Ultra Wide Band) em 3,1 a 10,6 GHz. Para o desenvolvimento do trabalho proposto, diferentes técnicas de adequação da antena podem ser utilizadas para operação em banda larga, tais como: modificação na estrutura da antena, carregamento resistivo, chaveamento, utilização de elementos parasitas e estruturas de casamento. O projeto de antenas banda larga pode ser realizado a partir de três abordagens diferentes: domínio do tempo, domínio da frequência e método de expansão por singularidades. O método no domínio da frequência foi empregado neste trabalho para o projeto da antena proposta, algumas das técnicas supracitadas foram analisadas almejando o aumento da largura de banda, sendo confeccionado um protótipo da antena para validar os conceitos empregados. A antena foi então projetada para a faixa de 470 MHz a 890 MHz. O protótipo construído para essa mesma faixa apresentou bons resultados, o que valida à técnica empregada. Aspectos positivos e negativos do uso desta técnica são discutidos ao longo do trabalho. O programa computacional comercial CST® MICROWAVE STUDIO, baseado na Técnica da Integração Finita (FIT), foi usado para simulações no domínio da frequência.

Efeito do 1,3/1,6 beta-glucano no sistema imune de cadelas submetidas a ovário-histerectomia

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Effects of β-(1→3,1→6)-d-glucan and density of diets on the blood profiles of immunologically challenged weaned piglets

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of two levels of the β-(1→3,1→6)-d-glucan (0 and 500ppm) from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and two levels of energy (3300 and 3450kcalMEkg(-1)) on the hematological, immunological and, biochemical profiles of thirty-six 21-days-old weaned piglets, challenged with 150μgkg(-1) of BW lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli serotype 055:B5. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with nine replicates per treatment and, one animal per experimental unit. The data were analyzed in accordance with the multivariate analysis procedure of SAS and, the treatment means of parametric and non-parametric data were compared by Bonferroni's test (P<0.05) and, by Dunn's test (P<0.05), respectively. The data of the blood profiles of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and, creatinine showed that LPS did not cause kidney or liver damage in the animals. The addition of beta-glucan in the diets did not prove the robustness of its effect and biological relevance when provided with low nutrient-density. However, its addition combined with the high-nutrient-density diets showed less marked hypoglobulinemia in piglets, which may have contributed to the decreasing of the synthesis of inflammatory mediators.

Retrieval of tropospheric water vapour by using spectra of a 22 GHz radiometer

In this paper, we present an approach to retrieve tropospheric water vapour profiles from pressure broadened emission spectra at 22 GHz, measured by a ground based microwave radiometer installed in the south of Bern at 905 m. Classical microwave instruments concentrating on the troposphere observe several channels in the center and the wings of the water vapour line (20–30 Ghz), whereas our retrieval approach uses spectra with a bandwidth of 1 GHz and a high resolution around the center of the 22 GHz water vapour line. The retrieval is sensitive up to 7 km with a vertical resolution of 3–5 km. Comparisons with profiles from operational balloon soundings, performed at Payerne, 40 km away from the radiometer location, showed a good agreement up to 7 km with a correlation of above 0.8. The retrievals shows a wet bias of 10–20% compared to the sounding.

Within-plant distribution of 1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones contributes to herbivore niche differentiation in maize

Plant defences vary in space and time, which may translate into specific herbivore-foraging patterns and feeding niche differentiation. To date, little is known about the effect of secondary metabolite patterning on within-plant herbivore foraging. We investigated how variation in the major maize secondary metabolites, 1,4-benzoxazin-3-one derivatives (BXDs), affects the foraging behaviour of two leaf-chewing herbivores. BXD levels varied substantially within plants. Older leaves had higher levels of constitutive BXDs while younger leaves were consistently more inducible. These differences were observed independently of plant age, even though the concentrations of most BXDs declined markedly in older plants. Larvae of the well-adapted maize pest Spodoptera frugiperda preferred and grew better on young inducible leaves irrespective of plant age, while larvae of the generalist Spodoptera littoralis preferred and tended to grow better on old leaves. In BXD-free mutants, the differences in herbivore weight gain between old and young leaves were absent for both species, and leaf preferences of S. frugiperda were attenuated. In contrast, S. littoralis foraging patterns were not affected. In summary, our study shows that plant secondary metabolites differentially affect performance and foraging of adapted and non-adapted herbivores and thereby likely contribute to feeding niche differentiation