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

Somatic embryogenesis in coffee: the evolution of biotechnology and the integration of omics technologies offer great opportunities

One of the most important crops cultivated around the world is coffee. There are two main cultivated species, Coffea arabica and C. canephora. Both species are difficult to improve through conventional breeding, taking at least 20 years to produce a new cultivar. Biotechnological tools such as genetic transformation, micropropagation and somatic embryogenesis (SE) have been extensively studied in order to provide practical results for coffee improvement. While genetic transformation got many attention in the past and is booming with the CRISPR technology, micropropagation and SE are still the major bottle neck and urgently need more attention. The methodologies to induce SE and the further development of the embryos are genotype-dependent, what leads to an almost empirical development of specific protocols for each cultivar or clone. This is a serious limitation and excludes a general comprehensive understanding of the process as a whole. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of which achievements and molecular insights have been gained in (coffee) somatic embryogenesis and encourage researchers to invest further in the in vitro technology and combine it with the latest omics techniques (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and phenomics). We conclude that the evolution of biotechnology and the integration of omics technologies offer great opportunities to (i) optimize the production process of SE and the subsequent conversion into rooted plantlets and (ii) to screen for possible somaclonal variation. However, currently the usage of the latest biotechnology did not pass the stage beyond proof of potential and needs to further improve

Perfiles metabólicos y su relación con infertilidad en bovinos.

Se hace una descripción de acuerdo con las investigaciones nacionales e internacionales de los diferentes trastornos metabólicos y su efecto sobre la fertilidad en el ganado lechero. Las deficiencias nutricionales y más específicamente los imbalances nutricionales ejercen un efecto adverso sobre el estado fisiológico y reproductivo especialmente del bovino dedicado a la producción láctea. Algunos de estos imbalances hacen parte importante de síndromes caracterizados y algunos en estudio en el país, como son el síndrome del hígado graso y la vaca caída, además de la presentación de trastornos en la fertilidad que inciden en forma importante en los días abiertos y en el número de partos durante la vida reproductiva del hato. Esta patología adquiere más importancia entre mayor selección se busque en condiciones inadecuadas de control reproductivo, sanitario, rotación y fertilización de praderasGanado de leche-Ganadería lech

In vitro culture of Annona emarginata: a rootstock for commercial annonaceae species

Annona emarginata is a native fruit tree in the Brazilian Cerrado which, unlike the commercial species, does not present a high fruit quality. On the other hand, it stands out based on its rootstock value. However, there are some problems that hinder the largescale production of Annona emarginata seedlings for use as a rootstock. In order to overcome these difficulties, micropropagation has become a viable alternative for the rapid and efficient propagation of Annona spp, but Annona emarginata micropropagation has not yet been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to initiate Annona emarginata in vitro growth. For axillary shoot proliferation, in vitro nodal segments of 0.5 cm were transferred to MS or WPM supplemented with BA at different concentrations. Nodal segments were also cultured on WPM medium with ranging concentrations of different plant growth regulators, aiming for either shoot elongation or rooting. The results showed that the use of 1 µM BA in WPM medium is recommended for in vitro multiplication of Annona emarginata. This is based on the low adventitious shoot formation, combined with a higher number of buds and leaves. The use of GA3 at any concentration tested induced the formation of malformed plants. Root formation could not be stimulated, regardless the duration of auxin treatment

Calculation Of The Giant Magnetocaloric Effect In The Mnfep 0.45as0.55 Compound

We report the theoretical investigations on the giant magnetocaloric compound MnFeP0.45As0.55. The magnetic state equation used takes into account the magnetoelastic effect that leads the magnetic system to order under first order paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition. The model parameters were determined from the magnetization data adjustment and used to calculate the magnetocaloric thermodynamic quantities. The theoretical calculations are compared with the available experimental data.709944101-094410-5Yu, B.F., Gao, Q., Zhang, B., Mang, X.Z., Chen, Z., (2003) Int. J. Refrig., 26, p. 622Gschneidner Jr., K.A., Pecharsky, V.K., (1997) Rare Earths: Science, Technology and Application III, , edited by R. C. Bautista, C. O. Bounds, T. W. Ellis, and B. T. Kilbourn The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, WarendaleBrown, G.V., (1976) J. Appl. Phys., 47, p. 3673Pecharsky, V.K., Gschneidner Jr., K.A., (1997) Phys. Rev. Lett., 78, p. 4494Tegus, O., Brück, E., Buschow, K.H.J., De Boer, F.R., (2002) Nature, 415, p. 150. , LondonMorellon, L., Algarabel, P.A., Ibarra, M.R., Blasco, J., García-Landa, B., Arnold, Z., Albertini, F., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 58, pp. R14721Rodbell, D.S., (1961) Phys. Rev. Lett., 7, p. 1Bean, C.P., Rodbell, D.S., (1961) Phys. Rev., 126, p. 104Bacmann, M., Soubeyroux, J.-L., Barrett, R., Fruchart, D., Zach, R., Niziol, S., Fruchart, R., (1983) J. Magn. Magn. Mater., 134, p. 59Brück, E., Tegus, O., Li, X.W., Deboer, F.R., Buschow, K.H.J., (2003) Physica B, 327, p. 431Tegus, O., Brück, E., Zhang, L., Dagula, Buschow, K.H.J., De Boer, F.R., (2002) Physica B, 319, p. 174Zach, R., Guillot, M., Tobola, J., (1998) J. Appl. Phys., 83, p. 7237Tegus, O., (2003) Novel Materials for Magnetic Refrigeration, , PhD thesis, Van der Waals-Zeeman Instituut, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Printer Partners Ipskamp B. V., ISBN: 9057761076, OctoberVon Ranke, P.J., Grangeia, D.F., Caldas, A., De Oliveira, N.A., (2003) J. Appl. Phys., 93, p. 4055Wada, H., Tanabe, Y., (2001) Appl. Phys. Lett., 79, p. 3302Wada, H., Morikawa, T., Taniguchi, K., Shibata, T., Yamada, Y., Akishige, Y., (2003) Physica B, 328, p. 11

The Magnetic And Magnetocaloric Properties Of Gd 5ge 2si 2 Compound Under Hydrostatic Pressure

The Gd5 Ge2 Si2 compound presents a giant magnetocaloric effect with transition temperature at around 276 K and is a very good candidate for application as an active regenerator material in room temperature magnetic refrigerators. Recently it has been shown that pressure induces a colossal magnetocaloric effect in MnAs, a material that presents a giant magnetocaloric effect and a strong magnetoelastic coupling, as also happens with the Gd5 Ge2 Si2 compound. This motivated a search of the colossal effect in the Gd5 Ge2 Si2 compound. This work reports our measurements on the magnetic properties and the magnetocaloric effect of Gd5 Ge2 Si2 under hydrostatic pressures up to 9.2 kbar and as a function of temperature. Contrary to what happens with MnAs, pressure increases the Curie temperature of the compound, does not affect the saturation magnetization and decreases markedly its magnetocaloric effect. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.9710Pecharsky, V.K., Gschneidner Jr., K.A., (1977) Phys. Rev. Lett., 78, p. 4494Pecharsky, V.K., Gschneidner Jr., K.A., (2001) Adv. Mater. (Weinheim, Ger.), 13, p. 683Morellon, L., Algarabel, P.A., Ibarra, M.R., Blasco, J., García-Landa, B., Arnold, Z., Albertini, F., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 58, p. 14721Del Moral, A., Algarabel, P.A., Arnaudas, J.I., Benito, L., Ciria, M., De La Fuente, C., García-Landa, B., De Teresa, J.M., (2002) J. Magn. Magn. Mater., 242-245, p. 788Pecharsky, A.O., Gschneidner Jr., K.A., Pecharsky, V.K., (2003) J. Magn. Magn. Mater., 267, p. 60Pecharsky, A.O., Gschneidner Jr., K.A., Pecharsky, V.K., (2003) J. Appl. Phys., 93, p. 4722Gama, S., De Campos, A., Carvalho Magnus, A.G., Coelho, A.A., Gandra, F.C.G., Von Ranke, P.J., De Oliveira, N.A., (2004) Phys. Rev. Lett., 93, p. 237202Von Ranke, P.J., De Oliveira, N.A., Gama, S., (2004) J. Magn. Magn. Mater., 277, p. 78Pecharsky, V.K., Gschneidner Jr., K.A., (1998) Adv. Cryog. Eng., 43, p. 1729Menyuk, N., Kafalas, J.A., Dwight, K., Goodenough, J.B., (1969) Phys. Rev., 177, p. 942Morellon, L., Arnold, Z., Algarabel, P.A., Magen, C., Ibarra, M.R., Skorodhod, Y., (2004) J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, 16, p. 162

Multiorder coherent Raman scattering of a quantum probe field

We study the multiorder coherent Raman scattering of a quantum probe field in a far-off-resonance medium with a prepared coherence. Under the conditions of negligible dispersion and limited bandwidth, we derive a Bessel-function solution for the sideband field operators. We analytically and numerically calculate various quantum statistical characteristics of the sideband fields. We show that the multiorder coherent Raman process can replicate the statistical properties of a single-mode quantum probe field into a broad comb of generated Raman sidebands. We also study the mixing and modulation of photon statistical properties in the case of two-mode input. We show that the prepared Raman coherence and the medium length can be used as control parameters to switch a sideband field from one type of photon statistics to another type, or from a non-squeezed state to a squeezed state and vice versa.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

An Integrated TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource to Drive High-Quality Survival Outcome Analytics

For a decade, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program collected clinicopathologic annotation data along with multi-platform molecular profiles of more than 11,000 human tumors across 33 different cancer types. TCGA clinical data contain key features representing the democratized nature of the data collection process. To ensure proper use of this large clinical dataset associated with genomic features, we developed a standardized dataset named the TCGA Pan-Cancer Clinical Data Resource (TCGA-CDR), which includes four major clinical outcome endpoints. In addition to detailing major challenges and statistical limitations encountered during the effort of integrating the acquired clinical data, we present a summary that includes endpoint usage recommendations for each cancer type. These TCGA-CDR findings appear to be consistent with cancer genomics studies independent of the TCGA effort and provide opportunities for investigating cancer biology using clinical correlates at an unprecedented scale. Analysis of clinicopathologic annotations for over 11,000 cancer patients in the TCGA program leads to the generation of TCGA Clinical Data Resource, which provides recommendations of clinical outcome endpoint usage for 33 cancer types