Effect of priming on germinability and salt tolerance in seeds and seedlings of Physalis peruviana L

In some species, pre-germination treatments such as priming can increase germinability and the speed of the process, besides conferring tolerance to abiotic stress. The central effect of priming is the slow and controlled absorption of water in seed tissues, allowing the membranes to reorganize and synthesize protective substances against stress. This study was performed to assess the effects of priming on the invigoration of seeds and seedlings of Physalis peruviana subjected to salt stress. Seeds of P. peruviana were primed in polyethylene glycol 6000 to -0.8 MPa and were germinated in solutions with different salt concentrations (0, 4, 8 and 12 dS m-1). In addition to the rate of radical emergence, post-seminal development was also evaluated until the emergence of the cotyledons. Germinability decreased with increasing salt solution concentrations in both types of seeds. Priming appeared to alleviate the effects of salt stress in the early stages of development of P. peruviana. Total dry mass of seedlings increased under saline conditions, suggesting possible physiological adjustments induced by priming.Keywords: Germination, priming, salt stress, SolanaceaeAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(19), 1955-196

Canonical correlations in elephant grass for energy purposes

Elephant grass has the potential to be used as a source for energy production. Besides dry matter yield, other characteristics related to biomass quality are important. The canonic correlation analysis is a multivariate statistical procedure that allows for discovering characteristic associations among groups. The objective of this study was to evaluate the canonic correlation existing between the groups of agronomic traits and biomass traits in elephant-grass genotypes aiming to identify possible associations between the groups of variables in order to use this information in breeding programs of elephant grass for energy. The experiment was conducted at Colégio Estadual Agrícola Antônio Sarlo, located in Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil. The evaluation cuts were made in June 2009 and February 2011; the first and third evaluation cuts, respectively. In the first cut, the following morpho-agronomic traits were evaluated: dry matter yield, percentage of dry matter, number of tillers, plant height, stem diameter, percentages of ash, cellulose, lignin, acid detergent fiber and crude protein and calorific value. In the third cut, in addition to the morpho-agronomic traits assessed in the first cut, the leaf-blade width and percentages of ash, cellulose, lignin, acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber were also evaluated. The experimental design was of randomized blocks with 40 genotypes. Variance analysis and canonic correlation were performed between the morpho-agronomic and biomass-quality traits for the cuts isolated. A positive correlation was found between the percentage of dry matter and the fiber content and the plant height and number of tillers and the percentage of crude protein.Keywords: Bioenergy, multivariate, Pennisetum purpureum.African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(31) 3666-367

Taxa de permanência hospitalar de pacientes reinternados em hospital psiquiátrico

OBJETIVO: Analisar a relação entre características sociodemográficas e taxa de permanência hospitalar, entendida como a razão entre a quantidade total de dias internado e o número total de internações, em 114 pacientes reinternantes em hospital psiquiátrico estadual. MÉTODOS: Os dados demográficos referentes a sexo, idade, estado civil, nível de instrução e cor foram levantados nos prontuários médicos dos pacientes. Já dados sobre os aspectos sociais referentes a situação ocupacional, recebimento de benefício, residência, acompanhantes, visitas e telefonemas durante a internação foram colhidos por meio da aplicação de um questionário aos profissionais do hospital. RESULTADOS: A análise estatística mostrou que os sujeitos que apresentaram maior taxa de permanência hospitalar foram do sexo feminino, entre 40 e 49 anos, viúvos ou divorciados, negros, que residiam com outras pessoas e que não recebiam visitas durante o período em que se encontravam internados. CONCLUSÃO: Esses achados apontam para a existência de relação entre características sociodemográficas e taxa de permanência, sugerindo a importância da rede de apoio social na reabilitação do pacientes com história de internações recorrentes

Constructing public oral health policies in Brazil: issues for reflection

This paper addresses the construction of public oral health policies in Brazil by reviewing the available literature. It includes a discussion of the social responses given by the Brazilian State to oral health policies and the relationship of these responses with the ideological oral health movements that have developed globally, and that have specifically influenced oral health policies in Brazil. The influence of these movements has affected a series of hegemonic practices originating from both Market Dentistry and Preventive and Social Dentistry in Brazil. Among the state activities that have been set into motion, the following stand out: the drafting of a law to regulate the fluoridation of the public water supply, and the fluoridation of commercial toothpaste in Brazil; epidemiological surveys to analyze the status of the Brazilian population's oral health; the inclusion of oral health in the Family Health Strategy (Estratégia de Saúde da Família - ESF); the drawing up of the National Oral Health Policy, Smiling Brazil (Brasil Sorridente). From the literature consulted, the progressive expansion of state intervention in oral health policies is observed. However, there remains a preponderance of hegemonic "dental" practices reproduced in the Unified Public Health Service (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) and the Family Health Strategy