The purpose of this study was to examine exercise responses during acute and chronic administration of BB, Beta Blockade. Twenty-eight healthy males performed maximal treadmill exercise tests after 1 day and 9 days of 3 double-blind, randomized conditions: a placebo (Pl), propanolol (Pr) 80 mg bid, and atenolol (At) 100 mg daily. Maximal heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO₂), ventilation (VE), and treadmill time (TT) were significantly reduced by Pr and At after an acute and chronic dose. An acute dose of Pr and At caused a greater decrease in maximal HR compared to chronic administration (143.1 ± 5.0 b min⁻¹ at day 1 vs. 147.7 ± 4.2 b min⁻¹ at day 9). However, the overall exercise response was not effected by the change in HR in either the TR or UT subjects. These data indicate that there is no difference in exercise response to acute and chronic BB in young healthy males. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

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Tumour protein D52 is hypothesised to be involved in regulated secretion in the pancreatic acinar cell, indicated by rapid phosphorylation in response to secretagogue stimulation. The phosphorylation status of TPD52 in response to glucose stimulation in the pancreatic β cell was analysed by an <i>in vitro</i> method involving the incorporation of  ³²P-ATP into the TPD52 protein. Limitations of the system prevented the full confirmation of the rapid phosphorylation of TPD52 in response to glucose stimulation, however preliminary data suggested this was likely to occur. Bio-informatic phosphorylation site prediction was used and we hypothesised that CaMKII was the key enzyme phosphorylating TPD52 in the β cell at the serine phosphorylation site within the motif SPTFKsFEEKV. Proteomic analysis of the phosphorylated TPD52 isoform confirmed the novel identification of the motif phosphorylated by CaMKII. To determine the effect of TPD52 on regulated secretion we reduced TPD52 RNA levels using vector based siRNA. Two stable knockdown cell lines were created  showing a 50 % and 80 % reduction in RNA levels. No difference was observed in glucose stimulated insulin secretion between TPD52 knockdown and control cells. Patch clamp experiments also showed no significant difference in capacitance changes following depolarisation between knockdown and control clones. Quantification of insulin granule number and size from TEM pictures confirmed a high level of inter-clonal variation. Focus shifted to explore the previously published protein interaction between TPD52 and MAL2 as both proteins have been identified within the β cell. The original interaction between MAL2 and TPD52 was confirmed; however, when natural isoforms with shorter N-terminal regions were substituted for TPD52 and MAL2 the interaction was diminished slightly. This suggests that the N-terminal regions are not integral to the interaction between the proteins, but are perhaps required for stability of the complex.

The class of beta regression models is commonly used by practitioners to model variables that assume values in the standard unit interval (0, 1). It is based on the assumption that the dependent variable is beta-distributed and that its mean is related to a set of regressors through a linear predictor with unknown coefficients and a link function. The model also includes a precision parameter which may be constant or depend on a (potentially different) set of regressors through a link function as well. This approach naturally incorporates features such as heteroskedasticity or skewness which are commonly observed in data taking values in the standard unit interval, such as rates or proportions. This paper describes the betareg package which provides the class of beta regressions in the R system for statistical computing. The underlying theory is briefly outlined, the implementation discussed and illustrated in various replication exercises. / Series: Research Report Series / Department of Statistics and Mathematics

Neste trabalho foi avaliado a seletividade de reações biocatalisadas por fungos basidiomicetos frente a compostos bifuncionalizados com os grupos cetona e seleneto (1-2) ou cetona e sulfeto (3-4). Os compostos 1-4 foram sintetizados de acordo com metodologias descritas na literatura. Na síntese dos padrões racêmicos dos &#946;-hidróxi-selenetos 1a-2a e &#946;-hidróxi-sulfetos 3a-4a observou-se que a redução química utilizando NaBH4 levou a formação preferencial dos estereoisômeros cis-(1a-4a). Enquanto que a redução promovida na utilização dos fungos basidiomicetos levou a formação preferencial do estereoisômero trans-(1a-4a). Desta forma duas metodologias complementares para a preparação de &#946;-hidróxi-selenetos e &#946;-hidróxi-sulfetos foram estabelecidas. Cinco linhagens destes fungos (Irpex lacteus CCB 196, Trametes rigida CCB 285, Pycnoporus sanguineus CCB 501, Trametes byssogenum CCB 203, Trametes versicolor CCB 202 ) foram testadas visando à obtenção de &#946;-hidróxi-selenetos (1a-2a) e &#946;-hidróxi-sulfetos (3a-4a) na forma enantiomericamente pura ou enriquecida. Um estudo qualitativo indicou que o fungo Trametes rigida CCB 285 apresentou alta seletividade frente aos compostos utilizados levando aos produtos cis-(1a-4a) e trans-(1a-4a) com elevados valores de excessos enantioméricos (e.e. 99 %). Posteriormente, um estudo quantitativo permitiu o isolamento dos produtos, a determinação dos rendimentos isolados e também a configuração absoluta para os compostos isolados. Na segunda parte deste trabalho avaliou-se a aplicação de fungos Aspegillus terreus em reações de desmetilação/desalquilação de aminas terciárias. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os estes fungos apresentam grande potencial para reações de desmetilação de aminas terciárias aromáticas, sendo que as reações conduzidas em meio neutro (pH = 7) levaram aos produtos desmetilados com bons valores de conversão. No entanto, não foram observadas reações de desalquilação com grupos etila nas condições utilizadas. / In this work was considered the selectivity of reactions biocatalysted by basidiomycetes fungi with bifuncionalized compounds with ketone and selenide groups (1-2) or ketone and thio groups (3-4). The compounds 1-4 were prepared in according with methodologies from literature. During the synthesis of standard racemic &#946;-hydroxyselenides 1a-4a and &#946;-hydroxysulfides 3a-4a we noticed that chemical reduction using NaBH4 led to the preferential formation of the cis-(1a-4a) isomers. On the other hand, the bioreduction promoted by basidiomycetes fungi led to the preferential formation of trans-(1a-4a) isomers. Therefore, two complementary methodologies for preparation of &#946;-hydroxyselenides and &#946;-hydroxysulfides were established. Five strains of basidiomycetes fungi (Irpex lacteus CCB 196, Trametes rigida CCB 285, Pycnoporus sanguineus CCB 501, Trametes byssogenum CCB 203, Trametes versicolor CCB 202) were examined to aim at the preparation of &#946;-hydroxyselenides and &#946;-hydroxysulfides on the enantiomerically pure form. A qualitative study indicated that cells of T. rigida CCB 285 showed high selectivity led to the products cis-(1a-4a) and trans-(1a-4a) in high enantiomeric excess (ca 99 %). After that, a quantitative study allowed us to determine the isolated yields and the absolute configuration for the compounds cis-(1a-4a) and trans-(1a-4a). In the second part of this work was considered the application of Aspergillus terreus fungi in demethylation/dealkylation reactions by tertiary amines. The results indicated that those fungi showed a big potencial for demethylation reaction of aromatic tertiary amines. The reaction done on the pH = 7 led to the demethylated products with good values of conversion. Dealkylation reactions were not observed.

As glicosidases são enzimas que apresentam uma grande variedade de enovelamentos, assim como uma alta especificidade frente a diferentes substratos. Estas enzimas têm em comum a presença de dois resíduos catalíticos, responsáveis pela clivagem das ligações glicosídicas. O uso de glicosidases nas indústrias têxtil e alimentícia, no processamento de polpa de papel e na síntese de oligossacarídeos tem incentivado a engenharia destas proteínas no sentido de melhorar suas propriedades catalíticas e estabilidade. Estudos estruturais das glicosidases têm aumentado nosso entendimento de seus mecanismos de ação catalitica, assim como dos processos de interação proteína-carboidrato. Neste trabalho apresentamos os estudos cristalográficos de duas glicosidases de fungos, sendo elas a beta-galactosidase de Penicillium sp. e a Exo-inulinase de Aspergillis awamori, assim como estudos por espalhamento de raios-X a baixos ângulos (SAXS) da beta-xylosidase de Trichoderma reesei. As estruturas cristalográficas da beta-galactosidase e de seu complexo com galactose foram determinadas pela técnica de substituição isomórfa simples com espalhamento anômalo (SIRAS) até 1.9 A angstron de resolução para a estrutura sem substrato e 2.0 angstron de resolução para o complexo. A estrutura do complexo com galactose foi usada para identificar os resíduos catalíticos, sendo o resíduo Glu 200 identificado como doador de próton e o resíduo Glu 299 como o nucleófílo. As estruturas cristalográficas da Exo-inulinase de Aspergillus awamori e de seu complexo com frutose foram também determinadas pela técnica de substituição isomórfa simples com espalhamento anômalo (SIRAS) até 1.55 angstron e 1.8 angstron de resolução, respectivamente. A partir da estrutura do complexo foi possível identificar os resíduos Asp41 e Glu241 como o nucleófilo e o doador de próton, respectivamente. Além disto, foi possível verificar que o Asp189, o qual faz parte do motivo conservado Arg-Asp-Pro (RDP), é importante no reconhecimento do substrato através de duas pontes de hidrogênio. Com o intuito de obter informações estruturais sobre a P-xylosidase seu envelope foi determinado a partir dos dados do espalhamento de raios-X a baixos ângulos. O envelope da p-xylosidase em solução foi calculado a 20 A de resolução, sendo o raio de giro e a dimensão máxima 36.9 angstron e 90 angstron, respectivamente. Usando algoritmos de reconhecimento de possíveis domínios foi determinado que esta proteína apresenta, além dos dois domínios característicos da família GHF3, um barril TIM e um domínio alfa/beta, um terceiro domínio. A predição da estrutura secundária e os dados de dicroísmo circular indicam que este terceiro domínio apresentaria um enovelamento tipo beta. / Glycosidases belong to a group of enzymes displaying a great variety of protein folds and substrate specificities. Two critically located acidic residues make up the catalytic machinery of these enzymes, responsible for the cleavage of glycosidic bonds. The applications of glycosidases in textile, food, and pulp processing, as well as in catalysts and oligosaccharide synthesis have encouraged the engineering of these proteins in order to obtain improved catalytic properties and stability. Furthermore, structural studies extend our understanding of the catalytic mechanism and the role of glycosidases in the recognition processes of their different substrates. In this work, we describe crystallographic studies of two fungi glycosidases, beta-galactosidase from Penicillium sp and Exo-inulinase from Aspergillis awamori, and the small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) studies of another glycosidase, beta-xylosidase (from Trichoderma reesei). The crystallographic structures of j3-galactosidase its complex with galactose were solved by single isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering (SIRAS) using the quick cryo-soaking technique, at 1.90 angstron and 2.10 angstron resolution, respectively . The X-ray structure of the enzyme-galactose complex was useful in identifying the residue Glu 200 as the proton donor and residue Glu 299 as the nucleophile involved in catalysis. The x-ray structure of exo-inulinase and its complex with fructose were also solved by SIRAS using the quick cryo-soaking technique at 1.55 angstron and 1.8 angstron resolutions, respectively. The solved structure of the enzyme-fructose complex revealed two catalytically important residues, Asp41 and Glu241, as nucleophile and proton donor, respectively. It was also possible to see that residue Asp189, which belongs to the Arg-Asp-Pro motif, provides hydrogen bonds important for substrate recognition. In order to gain structurai insights about the beta-Xylosidase from Trichoderma reesei, we calculated their SAXS envelope. The low resolution shape of this enzyme in solution was obtained fiom synchrotron x-ray scattering data at 20 angstron resolution. The radii of gyration and the maximum dimension of the beta-Xylosidase were calculated to be 36.9 angstron and 90 angstron, respectively. In contrast to the fold of the only structurally characterized member of GHF-3, the beta-D-glucan exohydrolase, which has two distinct domains, the shape of the beta-xylosidase indicates the presence of three domains located in the same plane. Domain recognition algorithms were used to show that the C-terminal part of the mino acid sequence of the protein forms the third domain. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and secondary structure prediction programs show that this additional domain adopts predominantly the B-conformation.