September 2017

Polymorphism of -308 G/A TNF-α gene correlated with the concentration of TNF-α and lipid profile in obese subject of Javanese population

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is an adipokine produced in adipocytes which acts as a marker of inflammation. Increased levels of TNF-α have been associated with obesity and abnormal lipid profile. This study aimed to examine the relationship between polymorphism in -308 G/A TNF-α with concentrations of TNF-α, lipid profile and obesity in a Javanese population. The study consisted of 200...

Author(s): Pramudji Hastuti, Demes Chornelia Martantiningtyas, Dewi Karita, Tasmini and Ahmad Hamim Sadewa

September 2017

Production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and biofilm by Azospirillum brasilense aiming at the development of liquid inoculants with high performance

Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 have been broadly and successfully used in commercial inoculants in Brazil, for both non-legumes and legumes, contributing to increases in grain yields with reduced applications of chemical fertilizers. Azospirillum survival, however, may be very low in liquid inoculant formulations and strategies such as the enrichment with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and biofilm may help...

Author(s): Mariana Sanches Santos, Mariangela Hungria, and Marco Antonio Nogueira

September 2017

Biodegradation and toxicity of waste from anaerobic fermentation of stillage

Several studies have been carried out to produce biofuels by anaerobic digestion of stillage from ethanol fermentation. This type of process, known as ABE Fermentation, generates by-products such as acetone, butanol and ethanol. This fermentation can use pure or mixed cultures of anaerobic bacteria, mainly of the genus Clostridium. In this context, there is the need for deeper studies for proper disposal of the residue...

Author(s): Mariane Aparecida Messetti, Ariovaldo José da Silva, Graciete Mary dos Santos, José Silvio Govone and Dejanira Franceschi de Angelis

September 2017

Objective assessment of bull sperm motility parameters using computer vision algorithms

The quality control of frozen semen samples from cattle is established by parameters such as percentage of progressive motility (% MP) because it is related to the fertilization capacity of bulls. Nowadays, sperm quality test is performed by direct visual inspection of sperm through a microscope in andrology laboratories. However, there is a high subjectivity in the observation and assessment depending on the observer;...

Author(s): Daniel Rodríguez-Montaña and Edgar Roa-Guerrero,