Characterizing fruit ripening in plantain and Cavendish bananas: A proteomics approach

The fruit physiology of banana cultivars other than Cavendish is poorly understood. To study the ripening process, samples were taken daily from plantain and Cavendish bananas and the ripening stages were determined. We present data from the green to the fully mature stage. By analyzing the protein abundances during ripening we provide some new insights into the ripening process and how plantains fruits are different. Multivariate analysis of the proteins was performed correlated to the starch dynamics. A drop in sucrose synthase and a rise of acid invertase during ripening indicated a change in the balance of the sucrose fate. During ripening, sugars may no longer be available for respiration since they are stored in the vacuoles, making citrate the preferred respiratory substrate. We found significant cultivar specific differences in granule-bound starch synthase, alpha- and beta amylases and cell wall invertase when comparing the protein content at the same ripening stage. This corroborates the difference in starch content/structure between both banana types. Differences in small heat shock proteins and in the cell wall-modifying enzyme xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase support respectively the presumed higher carotenoid content and the firmer fruit structure of plantains

Effects of Liposomes Contained in Thermosensitive Hydrogels as Biomaterials Useful in Neural Tissue Engineering

Indexación: Scopus.Advances in the generation of suitable thermosensitive hydrogels for the delivery of cells in neural tissue engineering demonstrate a delicate relationship between physical properties and capabilities to promote cell proliferation and differentiation. To improve the properties of these materials, it is possible to add liposomes for the controlled release of bioactive elements, which in turn can affect the physical and biological properties of the hydrogels. In the present investigation, different hydrogels based on Pluronic F127 have been formulated with the incorporation of chitosan and two types of liposomes of two different sizes. The rheological and thermal properties and their relation with the neurite proliferation and growth of the PC12 cell line were evaluated. Our results show that the incorporation of liposomes modifies the properties of the hydrogels dependent on the concentration of chitosan and the lipid type in the liposomes, which directly affect the capabilities of the hydrogels to promote the viability and differentiation of PC12 cells. © 2017 by the authors.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/10/10/112

Rehabilitation of postural stability in ataxic/hemiplegic patients after stroke

Purpose. This study assesses the postural stability and the effect of balance training using a force platform visual biofeedback among outpatients with postural disturbances following stroke. Method. A tilting multiaxial force platform was used to assess bilateral postural stability in 38 outpatients (mean age 69.50 +/- 8.57 years) with hemiplegia and/or ataxia after stroke. Stability indexes were obtained. Afterwards, a subgroup of 12 patients with the poorest overall stability index (OASI) started a balance training programme in the force platform. Postural control training consisted of a 30-min training session once a week for a 15-week period. The test was then repeated. Results. In the 38 outpatients sample, the mean OASI was 4.7 +/- 2.0 and 42.1% of the patients used their hands for support. In the 12 outpatients group, the initial OASI was 5.8 +/- 2.3 and half of the patients used their hands for support. The final OASI was 3.3 +/- 1.0 (p = 0.005) and only two of the patients used their hands for support (p = 0.046). Conclusion. Our results suggest that a training programme using force platform visual biofeedback improves objective measures of bilateral postural stability in patients with hemiplegia and/or ataxia after stroke

QCD spectroscopy with three light quarks

We report about a simulation using three dynamical Wilson quarks and on the progress in going to small quark masses.Comment: Lattice2001(spectrum), 3 pages, 4 figure

Cell death induced by the application of alternating magnetic fields to nanoparticle-loaded dendritic cells

In this work, the capability of primary, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) to uptake iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is assessed and a strategy to induce selective cell death in these MNP-loaded DCs using external alternating magnetic fields (AMFs) is reported. No significant decrease in the cell viability of MNP-loaded DCs, compared to the control samples, was observed after five days of culture. The amount of MNPs incorporated into the cytoplasm was measured by magnetometry, which confirmed that 1 to 5 pg of the particles were uploaded per cell. The intracellular distribution of these MNPs, assessed by transmission electron microscopy, was found to be primarily inside the endosomic structures. These cells were then subjected to an AMF for 30 min, and the viability of the blank DCs (i.e., without MNPs), which were used as control samples, remained essentially unaffected. However, a remarkable decrease of viability from approximately 90% to 2-5% of DCs previously loaded with MNPs was observed after the same 30 min exposure to an AMF. The same results were obtained using MNPs having either positive (NH2+) or negative (COOH-) surface functional groups. In spite of the massive cell death induced by application of AMF to MNP-loaded DCs, the amount of incorporated magnetic particles did not raise the temperature of the cell culture. Clear morphological changes at the cell structure after magnetic field application were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Therefore, local damage produced by the MNPs could be the main mechanism for the selective cell death of MNP-loaded DCs under an AMF. Based on the ability of these cells to evade the reticuloendothelial system, these complexes combined with an AMF should be considered as a potentially powerful tool for tumour therapy.Comment: In Press. 33 pages, 11 figure

Patogenicidade de Gracilacus latescens a mudas de freijó (Cordia goeldiana).

Publicado também em: Fitopatologia Brasileira, v. 11, n. 3, p. 471-478, out. 1986

Sistema de Controle da Pesca de Mato Grosso do Sul SCPESCA/MS-5-1998.

Neste estudo encontram-se as informacoes sobre a pesca profissional e esportiva coletadas e analisadas pelo Sistema de Controle da Pesca de Mato Grosso do Sul (SCPESCA/MS), para o ano de 1998. Essas informacoes foram obtidas para todo o pescado capturado na Bacia do Alto Paraguai (BAP), oficialmente vistoriado pela Policia Militar Ambiental/MS e desembarcado no Estado. Foi registrado um total de 1.539 t de pescado, do qual 19,6% correspondem a pesca profissional e 80,4% a esportiva. As especies mais capturadas foram: pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (363 t, 25,4%), pintado Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (230 t, 16,1%), piavucu Leporinus macrocephalus (162 t, 11,4%), dourado Salminus maxillosus (160 t, 11,2%), barbado Pinirampus pirinampu (101 t, 7,1%) e cachara Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (79 t, 5,5%). Os rios que mais contribuiram foram: Paraguai (718 t, 50,2%) e Miranda (411 t, 28,9%). Um total de 56.713 pescadores esportivos visitaram o Estado, com maior concentracao nos meses de julho a outubro, provenientes principalmente de Sao Paulo (67,8%), Parana (13,5%) e Minas Gerais (8,8%). Em mediana, mensalmente, os pescadores profissionais realizaram viagens de pesca com duracao de cinco a nove dias, capturando entre 55,53 kg/pescador/viagem e 102,3 kg/pescador/viagem e entre 6,35 kg/pescador/dia e 22,5 kg/pescador/dia; os pescadores esportivos realizaram viagens de pesca com duracao de cinco dias, capturando entre 19,9 kg/pescador/viagem e 23,3 kg/pescador/viagem e entre 4,1 e 4,8 kg/pescador/dia. Comparando-se os dados dos anos de 1994 a 1998, obteve-se um perfil da pesca, identificando-se algumas tendencias. Por meio do modelo sintetico de Schaefer, efetuou-se a avaliacao do nivel de exploracao dos estoques pesqueiros para as treze especies mais importantes, indicando sobreexploracao somente para os estoques do pacu e, talvez, inicio para o jau. Ajustou-se a seguinte equacao para o pacu: Y = 6 . f - 2,059 . 10 -5 - f2 (n = 5, r = 0,86, P = 0,060), onde Y = captura anual em quilogramas e f = numero de pescadores x numero de dias de pescaria. Sua captura maxima sustentavel (Ymsy) foi estimada em 437 toneladas/ano, sujeita a um esforco de pesca (fMSY) de 146.000 pescadores x dias de pesca, valores ultrapassados em 1998 em que foram capturadas 231 toneladas de pecu mediante um esforco de pesca de 308.000 pescadores x dias de pescaria. Em funcao desses resultados, foram feitos aconselhamentos para aumentar o tamanho minimo de captura de jau e pacu, a fim de diminuir o esforco de pesca, que foram discutidos e acatados pelo recem-criado Conselho Estadual de Pesca de MS, modificando-se a legislacao

Sistema de Controle da Pesca de Mato Grosso do Sul SCPESCA/MS - 6 - 1999.

Neste estudo encontram-se informações sobre a pesca profissional e esportiva, oficialmente vistoriadas pela Polícia Militar Ambiental/MS na Bacia do Alto Paraguai, coletadas e analisadas pelo Sistema de Controle da Pesca de Mato Grosso do Sul (SCPESCA/MS), no ano de 1999. Foram capturados 1.537 t de pescado sendo 20,8% pela pesca profissional e 79,2% pela esportiva. As espécies mais capturadas foram: pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (361 t, 25,6%) e pintado Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (206 t, 14,9%), sobretudo nos rios Paraguai e Miranda. Um total de 58.966 pescadores esportivos visitaram o Estado, oriundos principalmente de São Paulo (66,1%). Em mediana, os pescadores profissionais capturaram entre 54 e 90 kg/pescador.viagem e os pescadores esportivos entre 19 e 24 kg/pescador.viagem. Efetuou-se a avaliação do nível de exploração dos estoques para as treze espécies mais importantes, indicando sobrexploração somente para os estoques do pacu e, talvez, início para o jaú. Para o pacu, a captura máxima sustentável (YMSY) foi estimada em 405 toneladas/ano, sujeita a um esforço de pesca (fMSY) de 156.700 pescadores x dias de pesca.bitstream/item/37417/1/BP35.pd

S wave velocity structure below central Mexico using high-resolution surface wave tomography

Shear wave velocity of the crust below central Mexico is estimated using surface wave dispersion measurements from regional earthquakes recorded on a dense, 500 km long linear seismic network. Vertical components of regional records from 90 well-located earthquakes were used to compute Rayleigh-wave group-velocity dispersion curves. A tomographic inversion, with high resolution in a zone close to the array, obtained for periods between 5 and 50 s reveals significant differences relative to a reference model, especially at larger periods (>30 s). A 2-D S wave velocity model is obtained from the inversion of local dispersion curves that were reconstructed from the tomographic solutions. The results show large differences, especially in the lower crust, among back-arc, volcanic arc, and fore-arc regions; they also show a well-resolved low-velocity zone just below the active part of the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) suggesting the presence of a mantle wedge. Low densities in the back arc, inferred from the low shear wave velocities, can provide isostatic support for the TMVB