Identification of folding intermediates of streblin, the most stable serine protease: biophysical analysis

Streblin, a serine proteinase from plant Streblus asper, has been used to investigate the conformational changes induced by pH, temperature, and chaotropes. The near/far UV circular dichroism activities under fluorescence emission spectroscopy and 8-aniline-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) binding have been carried out to understand the unfolding of the protein in the presence of denaturants. Spectroscopic studies reveal that streblin belongs to the alpha+beta class of proteins and exhibits stability towards chemical denaturants, guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl). The pH-induced transition of this protein is noncooperative for transition phases between pH 0.5 and 2.5 (midpoint, 1.5) and pH 2.5 and 10.0 (midpoint, 6.5). At pH 1.0 or lower, the protein unfolds to form acid-unfolded state, and for pH 7.5 and above, protein turns into an alkaline denatured state characterized by the absence of ANS binding. At pH 2.0 (1M GuHCl), streblin exists in a partially unfolded state with characteristics of amolten globule state. The protein is found to exhibit strong and predominant ANS binding. In total, six different intermediate states has been identified to show protein folding pathways.

Impact of Probing the Reproductive Tract During Early Pregnancy on Fertility of Beef Cows

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

The independence of adaptations: the metanarrativity and metafictionality of Ian McEwan´s Atonement adapted for the cinema

Conceiving of cinematographic adaptations as being independent of their source material has come to be the standard approach for most specialists in this area. The stress on fidelity has made way for many other approaches, such as those focused on intertextuality, on the dilemma of form v. content, or on questions of genre and gender. The objective of this article is to present an overview of the principal theories which have been developed in the area as from 2000 in order to support this notion of independence, which will be exemplified by an exposition of the strategies used to adapt the metafictional and metanarrative elements in Atonement (2001) for the cinema.

Effects of uremic solutes on reactive oxygen species in vitro model systems as a possibility of support the renal function management

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The importance of retesting the hearing screening as an indicator of the real early hearing disorder

Early diagnosis of hearing loss minimizes its impact on child development. We studied factors that influence the effectiveness of screening programs. To investigate the relationship between gender, weight at birth, gestational age, risk factors for hearing loss, venue for newborn hearing screening and pass and fail results in the retest. Prospective cohort study was carried out in a tertiary referral hospital. The screening was performed in 565 newborns through transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in three admission units before hospital discharge and retest in the outpatient clinic. Gender, weight at birth, gestational age, presence of risk indicators for hearing loss and venue for newborn hearing screening were considered. Full-term infants comprised 86% of the cases, preterm 14%, and risk factors for hearing loss were identified in 11%. Considering the 165 newborns retested, only the venue for screening, Intermediate Care Unit, was related to fail result in the retest. Gender, weight at birth, gestational age and presence of risk factors for hearing loss were not related to pass and/or fail results in the retest. The screening performed in intermediate care units increases the chance of continued fail result in the Transient Otoacoustic Evoked Emissions test.

Review of The Elemental Prairie: Sixty Tallgrass Plants (Watercolors and introduction) by George Olson

The Elemental Prairie provides a general discussion of the Great Plains and the tallgrass prairie for the general reader. Its botanically accurate plant drawings render a beautiful and artistic view into prairie plants. George Olson writes a compelling introduction about "Prairie Elements," painting a graphic verbal description about his trip into the prairie with noted prairie author John Madson. The introduction draws readers into the book and prepares them for John Madson's essay "The Running Country," an eloquent portrayal of the history of the tallgrass prairie. We are led into the hearts and minds of the pioneers who crossed the immense expanse of the Great Plains. Madson's descriptions of prairie plants help us visualize how the Great Plains looked prior to settlement, stirring us to see not only the allure of the prairies, but also the solitude and sometimes the loneliness. Madson mixes his personal experiences with current scientific theory of the formation of the prairies across the region, offering a way of seeing how the present fits into the past.

Review of The Science, Impacts and Monitoring of Drought in Western Canada: Proceedings of the 2004 Prairie Drought Workshop Edited by Dave Sauchyn, Madhav Khandekar, and E. Ray Garnett

Drought is not an unusual phenomenon on the Canadian prairies or the U.S. Great Plains. There were many short-term droughts in the prairies during the 20th century that generally lasted one to two years (e.g., 1961, 1988). The Canadian prairies multi-year drought event (1999-2003+) has been considered similar in severity to the 1930s drought years. The 2004 Prairie Drought Workshop resulted in 76 scientists and resource managers gathering in Calgary, Alberta, to share information on drought science, impacts, and monitoring. Presenters examined the impacts on agriculture, stream flow, forests, and ground water, including potential impacts under a changed climate. Though focused on the Canadian prairies, the information presented could be applied to many parts of the U.S. Great Plains.

Review of The Search for a Common Language: Environmental Writing and Education Edited by Melody Graulich and Paul Crumbley

This edited collection grew out of a symposium held at Utah State University in Logan in 2002. According to the editors, the symposium's purpose was to "publicly explore the particular ways environmental writing educates the public through a fusion of science and literary expression." The Search for a Common Language achieves that purpose by including short prose pieces-ranging from memoirs, essays on specific locations, and scientific papers - as well as poetry on natural themes. The range of topics and genres and the inclusion of poetry provide a variety of ways to talk about the environment and reach out to different audiences to educate them about the natural world.

Review of The Real Roadrunner by Martha Anne Maxon

This lively little book is the ninth installment in the Animal Natural History Series published by University of Oklahoma Press. Its author, Martha Maxon, has aptly chosen to reveal the true nature of the greater roadrunner, a veritable icon of southwestern bird life. Perhaps no one is better able to accomplish this: Maxon arguably possesses greater intimate knowledge of roadrunners' private lives than any other ornithologist.

Review of The Biology of Freshwater Wetlands: Biology of Habitats by Arnold G. van der Valko

Wetland ecology is a relatively new field that developed from an initial interest in a few direct benefits that wetlands provide to society. Consequently, much early scientific work was stimulated by economic returns from specific wetland services, such as production of peat and provision of habitat for economically valuable wildlife (e.g., waterfowl and furbearers). Over time, societal interest in wetlands broadened, and these unique habitats are now valued for many additional services, including some that bear non market value. Common examples include carbon sequestration, flood reduction, water purification, and aesthetics. The increased recognition of the importance of wetlands has generated a diversity of job opportunities in wetland ecology and management. Despite the increased knowledge base and enhanced job market, I am not aware of any institutions that offer specialty degrees in this new discipline. Indeed, relatively few institutions offer specific wetland ecology classes, with Arnold G. van der Valk and a few of his peers at other universities being notable exceptions.

Review of The Other Alberta: Decoding a Political Enigma by Doreen Barrie

Doreen Barrie should have subtitled this book "Advocating a Different Identity" because this is its basic thrust. In Barrie's view, today's wealthy, modern, and expansive Alberta should abandon its historic grievances and hostility towards Ottawa. Instead, it should embrace a new narrative emphasizing "the positive qualities Albertans possess . . . the contributions the province has made to the country . . . and that Albertans share fundamental Canadian values with people in other parts of Canada and are eager to playa larger role on the national stage."

Review of: Solving the Mysteries of the Dead Sea Scrolls: New Light on the Bible, by Edward M. Cook

Edward M. Cook's new book makes an excellent addition to the growing list of "introductions" to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Aimed primarily at a Christian lay and clerical audience, it succeeds admirably in leading its readers through the labyrinthine world of Scroll scholarship and controversy. The book divides itself into two uneven parts. In the first part, chapters 1-4, Cook deals with the discovery of the Scrolls in 1947 and the subsequent history of their decipherment and (often delayed) publication. Cook's treatment of this controversial topic is the most fair and evenhanded I have ever read; he has done meticulous research, reading many accounts of the Scrolls, from Edmund Wilson's in the 1950's to the latest journal articles from 1993. The result is a highly readable account of the finding and purchase of the Scrolls, the appointment of an international team of scholars to decipher and publish them, the delays in publication (including the results of the Six Day War in 1967, when most of the Scroll fragments fell into Israeli hands), and the controversy surrounding then editor-in-chief John Strugnell and the release of the photographs in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Cook is objective and fair throughout, but particularly striking is his sympathetic portrayal of the original seven member editorial team.

Characterization of the motor performance in infants with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy in process of rehabilitation: the importance of the proactivity of caregivers

Introduction: The progress in technology, associated to the high survival rate in premature newborn infants in neonatal intensive care units, causes an increase in morbidity. Individuals with CP present complex motor alterations, with primary deficits of abnormal muscle tone affecting posture and voluntary movement, alteration of balance and coordination, decrease of force, and loss of selective motor control with secondary problems of contractures and bone deformities. Objective: The aim of this work is to describe the spontaneous movement and strategies that lead infants with cerebral palsy to move. Methods: Seven infants used to receive assistance at the Essential Stimulation Center of CIAM (Israeli Center for Multidisciplinary Support - Philanthropic Institution), with ages ranging between six and 18 months with diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (CP) were assessed. Results: The results show the difficulty presented by the infants with respect to the spontaneous motor functions and the necessity of help from the caregiver in order to perform the functional activity (mobility). Prematurity prevails as the major risk factor among the complications. Conclusion: The child development can be understood as a product of the dynamic interactions involving the infant, the family, and the context. Thus, the social interactions and family environment in which the infant live may encourage or limit both the acquisition of skills and the functional independence.

Antinociceptive effect of stimulating the zona incerta with glutamate in rats

The zona incerta (ZI) is a subthalamic nucleus connected to several structures, some of them known to be involved with antinociception. The 21 itself may be involved with both antinociception and nociception. The antinociceptive effects of stimulating the ZI with glutamate using the rat tail-flick test and a rat model of incision pain were examined. The effects of intraperitoneal antagonists of acetylcholine, noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine, or opioids on glutamate-induced antinociception from the ZI in the tail-flick test were also evaluated. The injection of glutamate (7 mu g/0.25 mu l) into the ZI increased tail-flick latency and inhibited post-incision pain, but did not change the animal performance in a Rota-rod test. The injection of glutamate into sites near the ZI was non effective. The glutamate-induced antinociception from the ZI did not occur in animals with bilateral lesion of the dorsolateral funiculus, or in rats treated intraperitoneally with naloxone (1 and 2 m/kg), methysergide (1 and 2 m/kg) or phenoxybenzamine (2 m/kg), but remained unchanged in rats treated with atropine, mecamylamine, or haloperidol (all given at doses of 1 and 2 m/kg). We conclude that the antinociceptive effect evoked from the ZI is not due to a reduced motor performance, is likely to result from the activation of a pain-inhibitory mechanism that descends to the spinal cord via the dorsolateral funiculus, and involves at least opioid, serotonergic and a-adrenergic mechanisms. This profile resembles the reported effects of these antagonists on the antinociception caused by stimulating the periaqueductal gray or the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geochemical constraints on blueschist- and amphibolite-facies rocks of the Central Cordillera of Colombia: the Andean Barragan region

Subduction zones are one of the most characteristic features of planet Earth. Convergent plate junctions exert enormous influence on the formation and recycling of continental crust, and they are also responsible for major mineral resources and earthquakes, which are of crucial importance for society. A subduction-related geologic unit containing high-pressure rocks occurs in the Barragan area (Valle del Cauca Department) on the western flank of the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. Blueschists and amphibolites, serpentinized meta-ultramafic rocks, graphite-chlorite-muscovite-quartz schists, protocataclasites, and graphite-chlorite-andalusite-andesine-garnet-muscovite +/- titanite schists are exposed in this region. In spite of the petrotectonic importance of blueschists, the high-pressure metamorphism of the Central Cordillera of Colombia has been rarely studied. New geochemical data indicate that protoliths of the blueschist- and amphibolite-facies rocks possessed normal mid-ocean ridge basalt bulk compositions. Ar-40/Ar-39 geochronology for a metapelite rock associated with the blueschists shows a plateau age of similar to 120 million years. We suggest that high-P/T conditions were present from similar to 150 to 125 Ma, depending on the model of generation and exhumation considered.