Spermidine-induced improvement of reconsolidation of memory involves calcium-dependent protein kinase in rats.

In this study, we determined whether the calcium-dependent protein kinase (PKC) signaling pathway is involved in the improvement of fear memory reconsolidation induced by the intrahippocampal administration of spermidine in rats. Male Wistar rats were trained in a fear conditioning apparatus using a 0.4-mA footshock as an unconditioned stimulus.

Effect of vitamin D3 on behavioural and biochemical parameters in diabetes type 1-induced rats.

Diabetes is associated with long-term complications in the brain and reduced cognitive ability. Vitamin D3 (VD3 ) appears to be involved in the amelioration of hyperglycaemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Our aim was to analyse the potential of VD3 in avoiding brain damage through evaluation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), Na(+) K(+) -adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and delta aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) activities and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels from cerebral cortex, as well as memory in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Spermidine improves fear memory persistence.

Persistence is the most characteristic attribute of long-term memory (LTM). For memory persistence, a second late event of consolidation, that occurs around 12h after the acquisition, is necessary. Although the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has been involved in the persistence of memory, whether endogenous modulators of the NMDA receptor actually modulate memory persistence is unknown.

Polyaminergic agents modulate the reconsolidation of conditioned fear.

When consolidated memories are reactivated, they become labile and, to persist, must undergo a new stabilization process called reconsolidation. During reactivation, memory is susceptible to pharmacological interventions that may improve or impair it. Spermidine (SPD) is an endogenous polyamine that physiologically modulates the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in mammals by binding on the polyamine-binding site at the NMDA receptor.

The Penicillium echinulatum secretome on sugar cane bagasse.

Plant feedstocks are at the leading front of the biofuel industry based on the potential to promote economical, social and environmental development worldwide through sustainable scenarios related to energy production. Penicillium echinulatum is a promising strain for the bioethanol industry based on its capacity to produce large amounts of cellulases at low cost. The secretome profile of P.

Clinical course of 63 children with hereditary spherocytosis: a retrospective study.

Background: Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is an inherited hemolytic anemia that is caused by deficiency or dysfunction of erythrocyte cytoskeletal proteins.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical course of hereditary spherocytosis in patients treated in the Pediatric Hematology Unit, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

Methods: Sixty-three under 16-year-old patients with hereditary spherocytosis were retrospectively evaluated between January 1988 and December 2007.

Protective effects of anthocyanins on the ectonucleotidase activity in the impairment of memory induced by scopolamine in adult rats.

Aims: We investigated whether the treatment with anthocyanins prevents the scopolamine-induced memory deficits and whether ectonucleotidase activities and purine levels are altered in the cerebral cortex (CC) and hippocampus (HC) in this model of mnemonic deficit in rats.

Main Methods: The animals were divided into 4 experimental groups: control (vehicle), anthocyanins (Antho), scopolamine (SCO), and scopolamine plus anthocyanins (SCO+Antho). After seven days of treatment, they were tested in the inhibitory avoidance task and open field test and submitted to euthanasia.

The small heat shock proteins from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans: gene expression, phylogenetic analysis, and structural modeling.

Background: Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an acidophilic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium that has been successfully used in metal bioleaching. In this study, an analysis of the A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 genome revealed the presence of three sHSP genes, Afe_1009, Afe_1437 and Afe_2172, that encode proteins from the HSP20 family, a class of intracellular multimers that is especially important in extremophile microorganisms.

Gene expression modulation by heat stress in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LR.

During bioleaching, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is subjected to different types of stress, including heat stress, which affect bacterial growth. In this work, real time quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of heat shock genes, as well as genes that encode proteins related to several functional categories in A. ferrooxidans.

Functional characterization and target discovery of glycoside hydrolases from the digestome of the lower termite Coptotermes gestroi.

Background: Lignocellulosic materials have been moved towards the forefront of the biofuel industry as a sustainable resource. However, saccharification and the production of bioproducts derived from plant cell wall biomass are complex and lengthy processes. The understanding of termite gut biology and feeding strategies may improve the current state of biomass conversion technology and bioproduct production.

Heat and phosphate starvation effects on the proteome, morphology and chemical composition of the biomining bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a Gram negative, acidophilic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium that plays an important role in metal bioleaching. During bioleaching, the cells are subjected to changes in the growth temperature and nutrients starvation. The aim of this study was to gather information about the response of the A.

Substrate cleavage pattern, biophysical characterization and low-resolution structure of a novel hyperthermostable arabinanase from Thermotoga petrophila.

Arabinan is a plant structural polysaccharide degraded by two enzymes; alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase and endo-1,5-alpha-l-arabinanase. These enzymes are highly diversified in nature, however, little is known about their biochemical and biophysical properties. We have characterized a novel arabinanase (AbnA) isolated from Thermotoga petrophila with unique thermostable properties such as the insignificant decrease of residual activity after incubation up to 90 degrees C.