In silico and expression analyses of fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins reveal functional conservation during embryo and seed development

Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins (FLAs) are a subclass of arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), which contain fasciclin-like domains in addition to typical AGP domains. FLAs are present across all embryophytes, and despite their low overall sequence similarity, conserved regions that define the fasciclin functional domain (FAS) have been identified, suggesting that the cell adhesion property is also conserved. FLAs in Arabidopsis have been organized into four subgroups according to the number and distribution of functional domains. Recent studies associated FLAs with cell wall-related processes where domain organization seemed to be related to functional roles. In Arabidopsis, FLAs containing a single FAS domain were found to be important for the integrity and elasticity of the plant cell wall matrix, and FLAs with two FAS domains and two AGP domains were found to be involved in maintaining proper cell expansion under salt stress conditions. The main purpose of the present work was to elucidate the expression pattern of selected FLA genes during embryo and seed development using RT-qPCR. AtFLA8 and AtFLA10, two Arabidopsis genes that stood out in previous microarray studies of embryo development, were further examined using promoter-driven gene reporter analyses. We also studied the expression of cork oak FLA genes and found that their expression partially parallels the expression patterns of the putative AtFLA orthologs. We propose that the functional organization of FLAs is conserved and may be related to fundamental aspects of embryogenesis and seed development across angiosperms. Phylogenetic studies were performed, and we show that the same basic four-subgroup organization described for Arabidopsis FLA gene classification is valid for most Arabidopsis FLA orthologs of several plant species, namely poplar, corn and cork oak

A network model for the complex behavior of the rate of profit: Exploring a simulation model with overlapping technological revolutions

This article proposes a network model to replicate the behaviour of the profit rate in the long run. Specifically, it accounts for the results of an empirical investigation of the profit rate in the US, which show that it has fractal properties and its complexity changes over time. The starting point of the model is Marx’s insights on the interplay between the tendency of the rate to fall and its countertendencies. It combines these insights with the persistent generation of new commodities – inventions – and a specific set of new branches of production that triggers technological revolutions. A simulation running this network model successfully replicates historical features of the system.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Brazil), grant (BEX 0840/14-9

A comparative study of elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by boron, aluminum and gallium trihalides

In this paper we present integral, differential and momentum transfer cross sections for elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by some metal-halogen molecular compounds, namely, BF3, BCl3, BBr3, BI3, AlF3, AlCl3, AlBr3, AlI3, GaF3, GaCl3, GaBr3, and GaI3. The pseudopotential based calculations were carried out with the Schwinger multichannel method at the static-exchange level of approximation. It is the purpose of this work to make a comparative study of the scattering processes involving aluminum and gallium trihalides with previous results for the boron ones [M. H. F. Bettega, Phys. Rev. A 61, 042703 (2000)]. We find through direct comparison of the elastic cross sections that, at low energies, the scattering processes are mainly dominated by the halogen atoms. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.1181758

Thermal stability of the essential oils isolated from Tunisian Thymus capitatus Hoff. et Link.: Effect on the chemical composition and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities

The chemical composition, the antioxidant and the antibacterial activities of essential oils, isolated from the aerial parts of Tunisian Thymus capitatus during the flowering phase, and stored in the dark during 37 days in the oven, at 60 degrees C were evaluated. Samples taken periodically were used to evaluate the chemical composition, the antioxidant and the antibacterial activities. With some fluctuations, carvacrol (68-74%) was the major component of the oil independent of the storage period. alpha-Terpinene and gamma-terpinene decreased over time, whereas p-cymene increased in the same period. Despite the thirty-seven days of storage at 60 degrees C, T. capitatus essential oil still showed high antioxidant and stable antimicrobial activity

Informática em enfermagem: desenvolvimento de software livre com aplicação assistencial e gerencial

O presente estudo teve como objetivo desenvolver um sistema de informação em enfermagem com aplicação na assistência de enfermagem e no gerenciamento do serviço. O SisEnf - Sistema de Informação em Enfermagem - é um software livre composto pelo módulo assistencial de enfermagem: histórico, exame clínico e plano de cuidados; o módulo gerencial compõe-se de: escala de serviço, gestão de pessoal, indicadores hospitalares e outros elementos. O sistema foi implementado na Clínica Médica do Hospital Universitário Lauro Wanderley, da Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Tendo em vista a necessidade de aproximação entre usuário e desenvolvedor, e a constante mudança de requisitos funcionais durante o processo iterativo, foi adotado o método do processo unificado. O SisEnf foi desenvolvido sobre plataforma WEB e com emprego de software livre. Portanto, o trabalho desenvolvido procurou auxiliar o processo de trabalho da enfermagem que agora terá oportunidade de incorporar a tecnologia da informação na sua rotina de trabalho.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo desarrollar un sistema de información de enfermería con aplicación en la atención y en el gerenciamiento del servicio. El SisEnf -Sistema de Información en Enfermería- es un software libre compuesto por: a) el módulo asistencial de enfermería: historias clínicas, exámenes clínicos y plan de atención; y b) el módulo de gerenciamiento, que se compone de: escala de servicio, gestión de personal, indicadores hospitalarios y otros elementos. El sistema se puso en práctica en Clínica Médica en el Hospital Universitario Lauro Wanderley de la Universidad Federal de Paraíba. En vista de la necesidad de aproximación entre usuarios y desarrolladores y del cambio constante de las necesidades funcionales durante el proceso iterativo, fue adoptado el método de proceso unificado. El SisEnf fue desarrollado sobre una plataforma WEB con empleo de software libre. En conclusión, el trabajo desarrollado procura brindar auxilio en el proceso de trabajo de enfermería, que ahora tendrá la oportunidad de incorporar a la tecnología de la información en su rutina de trabajo.This study aimed at developing an information system in nursing with the implementation of nursing care and management of the service. The SisEnf - Information System in Nursing - is a free software module that comprises the care of nursing: history, clinical examination and care plan; the management module consists of: service shifts, personnel management, hospital indicators and other elements. The system was implemented at the Medical Clinic of the Lauro Wanderley University Hospital, at Universidade Federal da Paraiba. In view of the need to bring user and developer closer, in addition to the constant change of functional requirements during the interactive process, the method of unified process was used. The SisEnf was developed on a WEB platform and using free software. Hence, the work developed aimed at assisting in the working process of nursing, which will now have the opportunity to incorporate information technology in their work routine

Propanil Exposure Induces Delayed but Sustained Abrogation of Cell-Mediated Immunity through Direct Interference with Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Effectors

The postemergent herbicide propanil (PRN; also known as 3,4-dichloropropionanilide) is used on rice and wheat crops and has well-known immunotoxic effects on various compartments of the immune system, including T-helper lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and macrophages. It is unclear, however, whether PRN also adversely affects cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), the primary (1°) effectors of cell-mediated immunity. In this study we examined both the direct and indirect effects of PRN exposure on CTL activation and effector cell function to gauge its likely impact on cell-mediated immunity. Initial experiments addressed whether PRN alters the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) pathway for antigen processing and presentation by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), thereby indirectly affecting effector function. These experiments demonstrated that PRN does not impair the activation of CTLs by PRN-treated APCs. Subsequent experiments addressed whether PRN treatment of CTLs directly inhibits their activation and revealed that 1° alloreactive CTLs exposed to PRN are unimpaired in their proliferative response and only marginally inhibited in their lytic activity. Surprisingly, secondary stimulation of these alloreactive CTL effectors, however, even in the absence of further PRN exposure, resulted in complete abrogation of CTL lytic function and a delayed but significant long-term effect on CTL responsiveness. These findings may have important implications for the diagnosis and clinical management of anomalies of cell-mediated immunity resulting from environmental exposure to various herbicides and other pesticides

Foodways in transition: food plants, diet and local perceptions of change in a Costa Rican Ngäbe community

Background Indigenous populations are undergoing rapid ethnobiological, nutritional and socioeconomic transitions while being increasingly integrated into modernizing societies. To better understand the dynamics of these transitions, this article aims to characterize the cultural domain of food plants and analyze its relation with current day diets, and the local perceptions of changes given amongst the Ngäbe people of Southern Conte-Burica, Costa Rica, as production of food plants by its residents is hypothesized to be drastically in recession with an decreased local production in the area and new conservation and development paradigms being implemented. Methods Extensive freelisting, interviews and workshops were used to collect the data from 72 participants on their knowledge of food plants, their current dietary practices and their perceptions of change in local foodways, while cultural domain analysis, descriptive statistical analyses and development of fundamental explanatory themes were employed to analyze the data. Results Results show a food plants domain composed of 140 species, of which 85 % grow in the area, with a medium level of cultural consensus, and some age-based variation. Although many plants still grow in the area, in many key species a decrease on local production–even abandonment–was found, with much reduced cultivation areas. Yet, the domain appears to be largely theoretical, with little evidence of use; and the diet today is predominantly dependent on foods bought from the store (more than 50 % of basic ingredients), many of which were not salient or not even recognized as ‘food plants’ in freelists exercises. While changes in the importance of food plants were largely deemed a result of changes in cultural preferences for store bought processed food stuffs and changing values associated with farming and being food self-sufficient, Ngäbe were also aware of how changing household livelihood activities, and the subsequent loss of knowledge and use of food plants, were in fact being driven by changes in social and political policies, despite increases in forest cover and biodiversity. Conclusions Ngäbe foodways are changing in different and somewhat disconnected ways: knowledge of food plants is varied, reflecting most relevant changes in dietary practices such as lower cultivation areas and greater dependence on food from stores by all families. We attribute dietary shifts to socioeconomic and political changes in recent decades, in particular to a reduction of local production of food, new economic structures and agents related to the State and globalization