Adequação da infraestrutura, dos equipamentos, das acomodações e das condições ambientais dos laboratórios da Embrapa à norma ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17.025:2005.

Editores técnicos: Joseani Mesquita Antunes, Ana Lídia Variani Bonato, Márcia Barrocas Moreira Pimentel

Superação de dormência de sementes de capim Sudão.

Editores técnicos: Joseani Mesquita Antunes, Ana Lídia Variani Bonato, Márcia Barrocas Moreira Pimentel

Criação de Grapholita molesta (Busck, 1916) (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae) em laboratório para estudos de diapausa.

A Grapholita molesta é uma das principais pragas da maçã e frutas de caroço. A criação da praga em laboratório permite avaliar aspectos relativos ao seu comportamento e controle de forma contínua, proporcionando estudos tanto no período vegetativo quanto na entressafra, quando a população não está disponível no campo. O objetivo da criação foi fornecer material para os estudos referentes ao comportamento da praga no inverno/primavera (diapausa)

Avaliação de feromônios sexuais e atrativo alimentar para o monitoramento de Grapholita molesta em pomares de macieira.

A macieira é um dos principais pilares econômicos em municípios da serra gaúcha e catarinense. Entre as dificuldades com o controle de pragas que atacam a cultura, destaca-se a mariposa oriental Grapholita molesta (Busck, 1916), a qual é considerada uma praga primária na maçã. O controle é realizado com base no monitoramento e aplicação de inseticidas e através da aplicação da técnica da confusão sexual. Essa estratégia faz uso de feromônios sexuais, promovendo a desorientação do macho no pomar. Em ambos os métodos o conhecimento do índice de infestação é fundamental, sendo que na confusão sexual as armadilhas com feromônio sexual perdem a efetividade

Avaliação da técnica da confusão sexual aplicada em duas épocas para o controle de Grapholita molesta em pomares comerciais de macieira.

A grafolita (Grapholita molesta) é uma das principais pragas da macieira no Brasil. O seu controle é baseado no monitoramento com armadilhas e aplicação de inseticidas. A técnica da confusão sexual é uma alternativa recente no Brasil e visa reduzir aspectos relacionados à resistência da praga aos produtos utilizados para o manejo. O objetivo deste estudo é observar a resposta do produto quanto ao controle da praga em duas épocas da fenologia da macieira e da praga, descrevendo-se como aplicação cedo e tarde. Os liberadores de feromônio foram aplicados em três áreas experimentais (pomares comercias)

Rare and common genetic variations in the Keap1/Nrf2 antioxidant response pathway impact thyroglobulin gene expression and circulating levels, respectively.

Nuclear factor, erythroid 2-like 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that has been gaining attention in the field of pharmacology and especially in the chemoprevention of diseases such as cancer, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, etc. This is because natural compounds such as sulforaphane, which is found in broccoli sprout extracts, can activate Nrf2. The repertoire of the roles of Nrf2 is ever increasing; besides its traditional antioxidant and cytoprotective effects, Nrf2 can have other functions as a transcription factor. We have recently shown that Nrf2 directly regulates the expression of thyroglobulin (Tg), which is the most abundant thyroidal protein and the precursor of thyroid hormones. Two functional binding sites for Nrf2 (antioxidant response elements, AREs) were identified in the regulatory region of the TG gene. Interestingly, we then observed that one of these AREs harbors a rare single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Also recently, we performed the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) for common SNPs that impact the circulating levels of Tg. Based on these investigations, we were triggered (i) to investigate whether common SNPs in the Nrf2 pathway correlate with circulating Tg levels; and (ii) to examine whether the rare SNP in one of the TG regulatory AREs may affect gene expression. To address the first question, we analyzed GWAS data from a general population and its two subpopulations, one with thyroid disease and/or abnormal thyroid function tests and the other without, in which circulating Tg levels had been measured. Statistically significant associations with Tg levels were observed in the genes encoding Nrf2 and Keap1, including, notably, a known functional SNP in the promoter of the gene encoding Nrf2. Regarding the rare SNP (rs778940395) in the proximal ARE of the TG enhancer, luciferase reporter gene expression studies in PCCL3 rat thyroid follicular cells showed that this SNP abrogated the basal and sulforaphane- or TSH-induced luciferase activity, behaving as a complete loss-of-function mutation. Thus, both rare and common genetic variation in the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway can impact TG expression and Tg circulating levels, respectively

Multi-trait analysis characterizes the genetics of thyroid function and identifies causal associations with clinical implications.

To date only a fraction of the genetic footprint of thyroid function has been clarified. We report a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of thyroid function in up to 271,040 individuals of European ancestry, including reference range thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free and total triiodothyronine (T3), proxies for metabolism (T3/FT4 ratio) as well as dichotomized high and low TSH levels. We revealed 259 independent significant associations for TSH (61% novel), 85 for FT4 (67% novel), and 62 novel signals for the T3 related traits. The loci explained 14.1%, 6.0%, 9.5% and 1.1% of the total variation in TSH, FT4, total T3 and free T3 concentrations, respectively. Genetic correlations indicate that TSH associated loci reflect the thyroid function determined by free T3, whereas the FT4 associations represent the thyroid hormone metabolism. Polygenic risk score and Mendelian randomization analyses showed the effects of genetically determined variation in thyroid function on various clinical outcomes, including cardiovascular risk factors and diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In conclusion, our results improve the understanding of thyroid hormone physiology and highlight the pleiotropic effects of thyroid function on various diseases

Multi-trait analysis characterizes the genetics of thyroid function and identifies causal associations with clinical implications

To date only a fraction of the genetic footprint of thyroid function has been clarified. We report a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of thyroid function in up to 271,040 individuals of European ancestry, including reference range thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free and total triiodothyronine (T3), proxies for metabolism (T3/FT4 ratio) as well as dichotomized high and low TSH levels. We revealed 259 independent significant associations for TSH (61% novel), 85 for FT4 (67% novel), and 62 novel signals for the T3 related traits. The loci explained 14.1%, 6.0%, 9.5% and 1.1% of the total variation in TSH, FT4, total T3 and free T3 concentrations, respectively. Genetic correlations indicate that TSH associated loci reflect the thyroid function determined by free T3, whereas the FT4 associations represent the thyroid hormone metabolism. Polygenic risk score and Mendelian randomization analyses showed the effects of genetically determined variation in thyroid function on various clinical outcomes, including cardiovascular risk factors and diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In conclusion, our results improve the understanding of thyroid hormone physiology and highlight the pleiotropic effects of thyroid function on various diseases