Early atypical malignant transformation of diffuse low-grade astrocytoma: The importance of genotyping

Diffuse astrocytoma (WHO grade II) has classically been considered a slow growing tumour, typically affecting young adults, with tendency for late malignant conversion. We describe a case of early atypical malignant transformation of diffuse astrocytoma seventeen months after complete surgical removal, as an intraventricular high-grade glioma (HGG). Retrospective laboratory findings for the presence of IDH 1/2 (isocitrate dehydrogenase) mutations were negative. There is growing evidence that IDH-wildtype (wt) astrocytomas behave more aggressively, therefore identifying IDH-mutation status should be mandatory in order to determine disease prognosis and guide treatment course.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploração mecanizada da floresta tropical úmida sem babaçu.

bitstream/item/33767/1/CPATU-CirTec9.pd

Diffusion over a saddle with a Langevin equation

The diffusion problem over a saddle is studied using a multi-dimensional Langevin equation. An analytical solution is derived for a quadratic potential and the probability to pass over the barrier deduced. A very simple solution is given for the one dimension problem and a general scheme is shown for higher dimensions.Comment: 13 pages, use revTeX, to appear in Phys. Rev. E6

Feedback control of chromosome separation by a midzone Aurora B gradient

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis requires the physical separation of sister chromatids before nuclear envelope reassembly (NER). However, how these two processes are coordinated remains unknown. Here, we identified a conserved feedback control mechanism that delays chromosome decondensation and NER in response to incomplete chromosome separation during anaphase. A midzone-associated Aurora B gradient was found to monitor chromosome position along the division axis and to prevent premature chromosome decondensation by retaining Condensin I. PP1/PP2A phosphatases counteracted this gradient and promoted chromosome decondensation and NER. Thus, an Aurora B gradient appears to mediate a surveillance mechanism that prevents chromosome decondensation and NER until effective separation of sister chromatids is achieved. This allows the correction and reintegration of lagging chromosomes in the main nuclei before completion of NER.We thank all colleagues who provided reagents and P. Sampaio for technical help with FRET. H. M. is funded by FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-015941 (PTDC/SAU-ONC/112917/2009) through COMPETE and Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia of Portugal, the Human Frontier Science Program, and PRECISE grant from the European Research Council. Data described can be found in the main figures and supplementary materials. The authors declare no conflict of interests

Caracterização agronômica e tecnológica de linhagens comerciais de café selecionadas pelo IAC.

Estudos sobre a diversidade genética de espécies com finalidade de melhoramento genético representam importante preocupação dos melhoristas. Diversas técnicas moleculares têm permitido revelar uma diversidade genética presente no genoma que até então era desconhecida pelos cientistas. Muitas espécies de interesse agronômico têm sido alvo de estudos que abordam a diversidade genética em nível molecular. De uma maneira geral, os resultados obtidos a partir do uso dos marcadores têm sido bastante satisfatórios, principalmente para aquelas espécies que apresentam ampla base genética e insuficiente número de descritores botânicos para diferenciação de genótipos, como é o caso da mandioca. A base genética formada pelos cultivares de C. arabica, principal espécie cultivada, é considerada estreita. Em relação ao Brasil, principal produtor mundial desta cultura, a própria história explica em parte a ausência de variação genética nos materiais atualmente em cultivo. Historicamente, as primeiras plantações de café formaram-se há mais de dois séculos a partir de poucas plantas, constituindo material muito uniforme e de pouca variabilidade genética. De fato, estudos sobre a diversidade genética de cafeeiros em cultivo realizados no IAC utilizando descritores botânicos e agronômicos têm revelado baixo nível de variação genética entre as diferentes linhagens que compõem um cultivar. Entre diferentes cultivares esta variação é mais notória, mão não tão acentuada como se pensava, mesmo quando diferentes espécies participam da genealogia destes cultivares. Desta maneira, este trabalho teve como objetivo principal a avaliação das técnicas de RAPD e AFLP para a identificação e caracterização de diversas linhagens comerciais de C. arabica selecionadas pelo IAC. Os resultados obtidos com estes marcadores confirmam os dados obtidos anteriormente de que a variabilidade genética entre as linhagens é pequena. Além disso, os dados sugerem que a técnica de RAPD não é eficiente para a identificação e determinação da distância genética entre as linhagens avaliadas, apesar de representar uma ferramenta adequada para avaliação da variabilidade no cafeeiro. No entanto, embora o nível de variação observado através dos marcadores moleculares seja baixo, sabe-se que estas linhagens apresentam comportamento agronômico bastante diferenciado. Isso nos leva a pensar que poucos genes diferenciam os principais materiais genéticos de cafeeiro de importância agronômica e que o uso de marcadores moleculares para estudos de diversidade genética e localização de genes de interesse agronômico deve ser repensada

Changes in metabolic profiling of sugarcane leaves induced by endophytic diazotrophic bacteria and humic acids.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and humic acids (HA) have been used as biostimulants in field conditions. The complete genomic and proteomic transcription of Herbaspirillum seropedicae and Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus is available but interpreting and utilizing this information in the field to increase crop performance is challenging. The identification and characterization of metabolites that are induced by genomic changes may be used to improve plant responses to inoculation. The objective of this study was to describe changes in sugarcane metabolic profile that occur when HA and PGPB are used as biostimulants. Inoculum was applied to soil containing 45-day old sugarcane stalks. One week after inoculation, the methanolic extracts from leaves were obtained and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry; a total of 1,880 compounds were observed and 280 were identified in all samples. The application of HA significantly decreased the concentration of 15 metabolites, which generally included amino acids. HA increased the levels of 40 compounds, and these included metabolites linked to the stress response (shikimic, caffeic, hydroxycinnamic acids, putrescine, behenic acid, quinoline xylulose, galactose, lactose proline, oxyproline and valeric acid) and cellular growth (adenine and adenosine derivatives, ribose, ribonic acid and citric acid). Similarly, PGPB enhanced the level of metabolites identified in HA-treated soils; e.g., 48 metabolites were elevated and included amino acids, nucleic acids, organic acids, and lipids. Co-inoculation (HACPGPB) boosted the level of 110 metabolites with respect to non-inoculated controls; these included amino acids, lipids and nitrogenous compounds. Changes in the metabolic profile induced by HA+PGPB influenced both glucose and pentose pathways and resulted in the accumulation of heptuloses and riboses, which are substrates in the nucleoside biosynthesis and shikimic acid pathways. The mevalonate pathway was also activated, thus increasing phytosterol synthesis. The improvement in cellular metabolism observed with PGPB+HA was compatible with high levels of vitamins. Glucuronate and amino sugars were stimulated in addition to the products and intermediary compounds of tricarboxylic acid metabolism. Lipids and amino acids were the main compounds induced by co-inoculation in addition to antioxidants, stress-related metabolites, and compounds involved in cellular redox. The primary compounds observed in each treatment were identified, and the effect of co-inoculation (HACPGPB) on metabolite levels was discussed

Scientific determination and wood anatomical features of species know in Brazilian Amazonia as matá-matá (Eschweilera spp.).

Despite the large diversity, logging on Brazilian Amazon is restricted to a small number of species. On relating the local biodiversity to the density, region of occurrence and logging of traditional species, we verified the increment of their shortage. One way to minimize this problem is by introducing new species in the market. Based on these considerations, we sought to identify in the field, woods known as matá-matá (Eschweilera Mart. Ex DC. ? Lecythidaceae) of high frequency in the Brazilian Amazon. For this, eleven trees were collected for scientific identification, and for anatomical, physical and chemical analyses. During the identification, we verified the presence of six species (Eschweilera amazonica, Eschweilera coriacea, Eschweilera grandiflora, Eschweilera idatimon, Eschweilera ovata and Eschweilera sp.) which may be identified in the forest by their rytidomes and live bark characteristics. By organoleptic properties, we grouped the woods into three groups with distinct colours, which permitted the identification of two species by their characteristics of taste and smell. Macroscopically, all woods seemed similar, while microscopically, the species presented few differences which made their partial separation possible

Dimensional and temperature dependence of metal insulator transition in correlated and disordered systems

We study the dimensional dependence of the interplay between correlation and disorder in two dimension at half filling using 2D $t-t'$ disordered Hubbard model with deterministic disorder both at zero and finite temperatures. Inclusion of $t'$ without disorder leads to a metallic phase at half filling below a certain critical value of $U$. Above this critical value $U_c$ correlation favours antiferromagnetic phase. Since disorder leads to double occupancy over the lower energy site, the competition between Hubbard $U$ and disorder leads to the emergence of a metallic phase, which can be quantified by the calculation of Kubo conductivity, gap at half-filling, density of states, spin order parameter, Inverse participation ratio (IPR) and bandwidth. We have studied the effect of disorder on the system in a very novel way through a deterministic disorder which follows a Fibonacci sequence. Behaviour of different parameters show interesting features on going from a two to quasi one dimensional system.Comment: 6 Pages, 16 figure

Relevance of additive and non-additive genetic relatedness for genomic prediction in rice population under recurrent selection breeding

In genomic recurrent selection programs of self-pollinated crops, additive genetic effects (breeding values) are effectively relevant for selection of superior progenies as new parents. However, considering additive and nonadditive genetic effects can improve the prediction of genome-enhanced breeding values (GEBV) of progenies, for quantitative traits. In this study, we assessed the magnitude of additive and nonadditive genetic variances for eight key traits in a rice population under recurrent selection, using marker-based relationship matrices. We then assessed the goodness-to-fit, bias, stability and accuracy of prediction for breeding values and total (additive plus nonadditive) genetic values, in five genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) models, ignoring or not nonadditive genetic effects. The models were compared using 6174 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers from 174 S1:3 progenies evaluated in field yield trial. We found dominance effects accounting for a substantial proportion of the total genetic variance for the key traits in rice, especially for days to flowering. In average of the traits, the component of variance additive, dominance, and epistatic contributed to about 34%, 14% and 9% for phenotypic variance. Additive genomic models, ignoring nonadditive genetic effects, showed better fit to the data and lower bias, in addition to greater stability and accuracy for predict GEBV of progenies. These results improve our understanding of the genetic architecture of the key traits in rice, evaluated in early-generation testing. Clearly, this study highlighted the advantages of additive models using genome-wide information, for genomic prediction applied to recurrent selection in a self-pollinated crop

Relação entre a mancha parda (Bipolaris oryzae) na folha bandeira e a mancha de grão em genótipos de arroz.

A mancha de grãos é causada por um complexo de patógenos e vem sendo considerada como um dos principais problemas no cultivo de arroz. O objetivo do trabalho foi investigar a relação entre a resistência à mancha parda na folha bandeira e a mancha de grãos em condições controladas de casa de vegetação.Apresentação oral - graduação