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Genes encode risk for coronary disease, identifying how they function is critical to developing new therapies. In work reported the authors have identified one culprit gene, PDGFD, and studied how it functions to promote disease risk.

Brown seaweeds are known to present components with appealing bioactive properties eliciting great interest for industrial applications. However, their lipid content is generally disregarded beyond their fatty acid (FA) composition. This study thoroughly characterized the lipid profile of two brown seaweeds collected from Portuguese coast, the native Bifurcaria bifurcata and the invasive Sargassum muticum species, and bioprospecting for antioxidant activity. An integrated state-of-the-art approach including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC–ESI-MS/MS), allowed a comprehensive picture of FA and polar lipid content. Polar lipid profile of B. bifurcata and S. muticum included 143 and 217 lipid species respectively, distributed between glycolipids, phospholipids, and betaine lipids. Some of the lipid species found have been assigned biological activity and contain of n-3 and n-6 FA. Sargassum muticum presented the highest n-3 FA content. Low concentrations of extracts of both seaweeds displayed antioxidant activity, with S. muticum presenting more promising results. These findings contribute to the nutritional and industrial exploitation of both seaweeds, highlighting their relevance as viable sources of bioactive and added-value compounds. Sargassum muticum presented interesting lipid composition and bioactivity, which may represent an accessible opportunity for the exploitation of this invasive seaweed, especially taking advantage of Sargassum blooms.

The aquaculture of macroalgae for human consumption and other high-end applications is experiencing unprecedented development in European countries, with the brown algae Saccharina latissima being the flag species. However, environmental conditions in open sea culture sites are often unique, which may impact the biochemical composition of cultured macroalgae. The present study compared the elemental compositions (CHNS), fatty acid profiles, and lipidomes of S. latissima originating from three distinct locations (France, Norway, and the United Kingdom). Significant differences were found in the elemental composition, with Norwegian samples displaying twice the lipid content of the others, and significantly less protein (2.6%, while French and UK samples contained 6.3% and 9.1%, respectively). The fatty acid profiles also differed considerably, with UK samples displaying a lower content of n-3 fatty acids (21.6%), resulting in a higher n-6/n-3 ratio. Regarding the lipidomic profile, samples from France were enriched in lyso lipids, while those from Norway displayed a particular signature of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylcholine. Samples from the UK featured higher levels of phosphatidylethanolamine and, in general, a lower content of galactolipids. These differences highlight the influence of site-specific environmental conditions in the shaping of macroalgae biochemical phenotypes and nutritional value. It is also important to highlight that differences recorded in the lipidome of S. latissima make it possible to pinpoint specific lipid species that are likely to represent origin biomarkers. This finding is relevant for future applications in the field of geographic origin traceability and food control.

There is growing evidence that studying aquatic acoustic communities can provide ecologically relevant information. Understanding these communities may offer unique insights into species behaviour and ecology, while consolidating passive acoustic monitoring as a tool for mapping the presence of target species or estimating changes in aquatic biodiversity. Fish can be significant soundscape contributors, but most soniferous fish species are yet to be identified. Here, we crossed information of three key fish acoustic communities in the Lusitanian Province of the Temperate Northern Atlantic (the Madeira archipelago, the Azores archipelago and Arrábida in mainland Portugal) to unveil potential sources of unidentified fish sounds. We found that the three communities shared various sound types and we were able to narrow down the list of possible fish sound sources. Several sound types were suggested to be produced by species of the Pomacentridae, Scorpaenidae and Serranidae families. We also observed that the sound type /kwa/, associated with Scorpaena spp., exhibited more variations in the geographic area where more species of this genus are known to be present. This study showcases that, as databases of unidentified fish sounds continue to grow, future comparisons of multiple acoustic communities may provide insights into unknown fish sound sources and sound types.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the effect of including an emulsifier (soybean lecithin) and two lipid sources (soybean oil and chicken fat) on the performance and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 576 one-day-old Cobb® 500 male chicks were housed in a completely randomized design, with treatments divided in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (with and without emulsifier and two lipid sources – soybean oil or chicken fat), totaling four treatments with eight replications and 18 chicks per plot. The experimental diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isoproteic. The use of chicken fat improved the live weight at the starter rearing stage. However, the use of the emulsifier improved the live weight at the grower and finisher phases. No interaction effect was observed between treatments for performance. The intestinal morphology showed an increase in duodenal villus height with the use of chicken fat and emulsifier. The ileum had an increase in villus height in chickens fed the diet with soybean oil and emulsifier. Supplementation of the emulsifier resulted in positive results in the live weight of chickens at 35 and 42 days of age, in addition to increasing the villus height in the small intestine.

We use a sociolegal perspective to critically analyze how narratives supporting the need to reduce and punish corruption in Brazil, particularly the ones deployed in the course of the Car Wash Operation (CWO), influenced the weakening of the presumption of innocence rule. Originally deployed to investigate a criminal organization using a network of gas stations and car wash companies to “clean” illicit resources, the CWO was rapidly transformed in a major law enforcement operation, and it was used to unravel endemic corruption found in private and state-owned companies. Using a variety of communication resources, the Prosecutor office in charge of the operation developed a set of strategic tactics to promote the discourse that the rule of presumption of innocence was one of the main motives behind the high levels of corruption and impunity in Brazil. This narrative influenced the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court during the judgment of the case involving Brazilian former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The social pressure caused by the use of strategic communication tools were crucial to lead the court to overrule the meaning of presumption of innocence. The paper examines how these tools were able to promote social traction and how they can be used to influence and shape the meaning and effectiveness of legal rules. Utilizamos una perspectiva socio-jurídica para analizar críticamente cómo las narrativas que respaldan la necesidad de reducir y castigar la corrupción en Brasil, especialmente las desplegadas en el curso de la “Operação Lava Jato” (LJ – Operación Autolavado), influyeron en el debilitamiento de la presunción de inocencia. Originalmente implementada para investigar a una organización criminal que utilizaba una red de estaciones de servicio y empresas de lavado de autos para el lavado de dinero, LJ se transformó rápidamente en una importante operación de aplicación de la ley y se utilizó para desentrañar la corrupción endémica en empresas privadas y estatales. Utilizando diversos recursos de comunicación, la Fiscalía Federal a cargo de la operación desarrolló un conjunto de tácticas estratégicas para promover el discurso de que la presunción de inocencia era uno de los principales motivos detrás de los altos niveles de corrupción e impunidad en Brasil. Esta narrativa, por ejemplo, influyó en el Tribunal Supremo Federal (STF) de Brasil durante el juicio del caso que involucra al expresidente brasileño Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. La presión social causada por el uso de herramientas estratégicas de comunicación fue crucial para llevar al tribunal a revocar el significado de la presunción de inocencia. El artículo examina cómo estas herramientas pudieron generar tracción social y cómo pueden utilizarse para influir y dar forma al significado y la efectividad de las normas legales.

The composition of the intestinal microbiota can influence the metabolism and overall functioning of avian organisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three different probiotics and an antibiotic on the microbiomes of 1.400 male Cobb® broiler raised for 42 days. The experiment was conducted with the following treatments: positive control diet (basal diet + antibiotic); negative control diet (basal diet without antibiotic and without probiotic); basal diet + Normal Avian Gut Flora (NAGF); basal diet + multiple colonizing strain probiotics (MCSPs); and basal diet + non-colonizing single strain probiotics (NCSSPs). The antibiotic (enramycin—antibiotic growth promoter) and probiotics were administered orally during all experiment (1 to 42 days), mixed with broiler feed. To determine the composition of the microbiota, five samples of ileal digesta were collected from 42-day-old chickens of each experimental group. The alpha and beta diversity of the ileal microbiota showed differences between the groups. MCSPs presented greater richness and uniformity compared to the positive control, negative control, and NCSSPs treatments, while the negative control exhibited greater homogeneity among samples than NCSSPs. MCSPs also showed a higher abundance of the genus Enterococcus. There were differences between the groups for low-abundance taxa (

Marine lipids are recognized for their-health promoting features, mainly for being the primary sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and are therefore critical for human nutrition in an age when the global supply for these nutrients is experiencing an unprecedent pressure due to an ever-increasing demand. The seafood industry originates a considerable yield of co-products worldwide that, while already explored for other purposes, remain mostly undervalued as sustainable sources of healthy lipids, often being explored for low-value oil production. These co-products are especially appealing as lipid sources since, besides the well-known nutritional upside of marine animal fat, which is particularly rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, they also have interesting bioactive properties, which may garner them further interest, not only as food, but also for other high-end applications. Besides the added value that these co-products may represent as valuable lipid sources, there is also the obvious ecological upside of reducing seafood industry waste. In this sense, repurposing these bioresources will contribute to a more sustainable use of marine animal food, reducing the strain on already heavily depleted seafood stocks. Therefore, untapping the potential of marine animal co-products as valuable lipid sources aligns with both health and environmental goals by guaranteeing additional sources of healthy lipids and promoting more eco-conscious practices.

The bioactive conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA) can be microbiologically produced by different probiotic strains when in the presence of α-linolenic acid (α-LNA). Food matrices are a good vector, such as has been previously demonstrated with fermented milk enriched with microbial CLNA by Bifidobacterium breve DSM 20091 from lipase-hydrolyzed flaxseed oil. The aim of the present work was to further assess the nutritional, biochemical and organoleptic properties of the developed dairy product, as well as its storage stability throughout 28 days at 4 °C, proving its suitability for consumption. Milk lactose hydrolyzed into glucose (0.89 g/100 g) and galactose (0.88 g/100 g), which were further metabolized into lactic (0.42 g/100 g), acetic (0.44 g/100 g) and propionic (0.85 g/100 g) acids. Titratable acidity reached 0.69% and pH 4.93. Compared with the control (no CLNA), fat content was slightly higher (2.0 g/100 g). Acetic acid was the major volatile (83.32%), lacking important dairy flavor contributors, like acetaldehyde. Sensory analysis revealed predominant astringency and bitterness. No microbial concerns arose during storage, but the CLNA content increased, and some saturated fatty acids seemed to oxidize. In conclusion, the CLNA-enriched fermented milk revealed reasonable compositional properties, yet further improvements are needed for optimal consumer acceptance and a prolonged shelf-life.

Efficient protein secretion is a desirable trait for any recombinant protein expression system, together with simple, low-cost, and defined media, such as the typical media used for photosynthetic cultures of microalgae. However, low titers of secreted heterologous proteins are usually obtained, even with the most extensively studied microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, preventing their industrial application. In this study, we aimed to expand and evaluate secretory signal peptides (SP) for heterologous protein secretion in C. reinhardtii by comparing previously described SP with untested sequences. We compared the SPs from arylsulfatase 1 and carbonic anhydrase 1, with those of untried SPs from binding protein 1, an ice-binding protein, and six sequences identified in silico. We identified over 2000 unique SPs using the SignalP 4.0 software. mCherry fluorescence was used to compare the protein secretion of up to 96 colonies for each construct, non-secretion construct, and parental wild-type cc1690 cells. Supernatant fluorescence varied according to the SP used, with a 10-fold difference observed between the highest and lowest secretors. Moreover, two SPs identified in silico secreted the highest amount of mCherry. Our results demonstrate that the SP should be carefully selected and that efficient sequences can be coded in the C. reinhardtii genome. The SPs described here expand the portfolio available for research on heterologous protein secretion and for biomanufacturing applications.

Tendo por base uma recolha metódica, mas não exaustiva, das representações em azulejo com iconografia de São Tiago, e evidenciando os ciclos narrativos que caracterizaram o barroco português, o presente artigo começa por propor uma identificação precisa dos temas através do sistema Iconclass. A sistematização alcançada suporta um conjunto de leituras de cariz estatístico, que complementam as leituras iconográficas das composições azulejares, permitindo perceber quais os temas privilegiados na representação do apóstolo durante o período em análise. Ao mesmo tempo, foi possível identificar algumas fontes gravadas, abrindo caminho para uma rede iconográfica de cariz internacional, baseada na indexação rigorosa das representações.

O avanço da informatização da sociedade pós-industrial não revolucionou somente a vida cotidiana, mas também, teve seu uso desvirtuado. A criminalidade evoluiu e passou a utilizar os sistemas informatizados não apenas como meio para prática de crimes já conhecidos, mas acima de tudo, passou a lesionar os bens juridicos advindos do avanço tecnológico. Surgem os Crimes Informáticos. Diante dessa nova realidade criminosa discute-se o conceito de crime informático, seus objetivos, suas classificações e a aplicabilidade ou não das normas penais existentes a essas novas condutas.

Com o intuito de aumentar o consumo do mel, surge a proposta de desenvolver uma geleia mista de maçã e mel e por se tratar de um de produto diferenciado e inovador faz-se necessário realizar a avaliação de sua viabilidade através da aceitação sensorial e atitude de compra do consumidor perante a mesma. A geleia, que leva em sua formulação 60% de maçãs, 25% de sacarose; 14% de mel de abelha; 0,5% de pectina e 0,5% de ácido cítrico, apresentou teor de sólidos solúveis de 67 oBrix e pH de 3,5, características físico-químicas indicadas para formação de gel com rigidez considerada “ótima”, resultando num produto com consistência gelatinosa, brilho e aparência comum às geleias de frutas comerciais. Sua aceitação global sensorial apresentou média hedônica de 7,66 compreendida entre as notas 7 (gostei moderadamente) e 8 (gostei muito) e média de 4,43 com relação a atitude de compra do consumido, compreendida entre as notas 4 (provavelmente compraria) e 5 (certamente compraria), indicando que o produto foi bem aceito pelos provadores e apresenta potencial para ser inserido no mercado. No entanto os resultados mostraram que o produto apresentou características sensoriais em intensidade maior que a considerada como ideal pelos provadores, principalmente quanto ao atributo de textura, e que modificações na formulação podem ser feitas para que o produto atinja máxima aceitação sensorial pelos consumidores, garantindo assim o sucesso do produto no mercado.