Evaluation of pea seed vigor by the accelerated aging and controlled deterioration tests

Vigor tests were developed to detect differences in seed lots due to limitations of germination tests. The objective of this work was to investigate the efficiency of the accelerated aging and controlled deterioration tests to assess the vigor of pea seed lots. The water content and physiological quality of five pea lots cv. Aragon were determined using the germination and vigor tests (first count, electrical conductivity, seedling emergence and speed of emergence index, accelerated aging with the traditional system and with saturated NaCl solution at 41ºC for 48, 72 and 96 hours; and controlled deterioration test with 15, 20, 25% water content for 48, 72 and 96 hours at 42ºC). The accelerated aging test with saturated NaCl solution for 96 hours was efficient to categorize pea seeds lots. Combinations of 20% water for 72 hours and 25% water for 48 and 72 hours were efficient to categorize pea seed lots using the controlled deterioration test

Vigor of lentil seeds evaluated by the tests of accelerated aging and controlled deterioration / Vigor de sementes de lentilha avaliadas pelos testes de envelhecimento acelerado e deterioração controlada

The objective of this work was to investigate the efficiency of the accelerated aging and controlled deterioration tests in the evaluation of lentil seeds’ vigor. Water content was determined and the physiological quality was evaluated using germination and vigor tests (first count, seedling emergence, indices of germination speed and emergence, accelerated aging test with traditional method and with NaCl saturated solution at 41ºC and 45ºC for 24, 48, 72 hours and controlled deterioration with 20% and 24% water content for 24, 48 and 72 hours at 45ºC) in seven lots of lentil seeds cv Silvina. The use of traditional accelerated aging test and the NaCl saturated solution method at 41ºC for 48 hours were efficient to classify lentil seeds’ lots. The combination of 20% and 24% water for 48 hours exposure and of 20% water for 72 hours exposure were efficient to classify the lentil seed lots by the controlled deterioration test. 

DIÂMETRO FOLICULAR E TAXA DE PRENHEZ EM PROTOCOLO DE SINCRONIZAÇÃO COM GnRH OU BENZOATO DE ESTRADIOL NO DIA 0 EM VACAS DE CORTE

Neste trabalho objetivou-se avaliar a influência do diâmetro folicular sobre a taxa de prenhez utilizando benzoato de estradiol (BE) ou hormônio liberador de gonadotropinas (GnRH) no dia da colocação do implante de progesterona (D0) em vacas de corte em lactação. Foram testados dois grupos: G-BE (n=32) e G-GnRH (n=29), no D0 foi colocado implante de P4 (CIDR®) e aplicados 2 mL de BE (G-BE) ou 2,5 mL de GnRH (G-GnRH). No D9 foi retirado o implante, concomitante à administração de 2,5 mL de PGF2α e 0,25 mL de cipionato de estradiol (E.C.P.®) seguido de remoção dos bezerros. Após 48 horas todas as vacas foram inseminadas e os bezerros retornaram às mães. No D9 foi realizada ultra-sonografia para medir o diâmetro do folículo dominante (FD) presente no ovário. Não houve diferença (p>0,05) na taxa de prenhez entre os tratamentos, BE (55%) ou GnRH (41%), mas o diâmetro folicular foi significativamente maior (p0,05) entre as prenhes e vazias (11,6 mm vs 10,2 mm). Concluímos que o uso de GnRH no D0 não melhora a taxa de prenhez em vacas no pó-parto, mesmo aumentando o diâmetro folicular

Decomposition rates of coarse woody debris in undisturbed Amazonian seasonally flooded and unflooded forests in the Rio Negro-Rio Branco Basin in Roraima, Brazil

Estimates of carbon-stock changes in forest ecosystems require information on dead wood decomposition rates. In the Amazon, the lack of data is dramatic due to the small number of studies and the large range of forest types. The aim of this study was to estimate the decomposition rate of coarse woody debris (CWD) in two oligotrophic undisturbed forest formations of the northern Brazilian Amazon: seasonally flooded and unflooded. We analyzed 20 arboreal individuals (11 tree species and 3 palm species) with distinct wood-density categories. The mean annual decomposition rate of all samples independent of forest formation ranged from 0.044 to 0.963 yr−1, considering two observation periods (12 and 24 months). The highest rate (0.732 ± 0.206 [SD] yr−1) was observed for the lowest wood-density class of palms, whereas the lowest rate (0.119 ± 0.101 yr−1) was determined for trees with high wood density. In terms of forest formation, the rates values differ when weighted by the wood-density classes, indicating that unflooded forest (0.181 ± 0.083 [SE] yr−1; mean decay time 11–30 years) has a decomposition rate ∼19% higher than the seasonally flooded formations (0.152 ± 0.072 yr−1; 13–37 years). This result reflects the dominance of species with high wood density in seasonally flooded formations. In both formations 95% of the dead wood is expected to disappear within 30–40 years. Based on our results, we conclude that the CWD decomposition in the studied area is slower in forests on nutrient-poor seasonally flooded soils, where structure and species composition result in ∼40% of the aboveground biomass being in tree species with high wood density. Thus, it is estimated that CWD in seasonally flooded forest formations has longer residence time and slower carbon release by decomposition (respiration) than in unflooded forests. These results improve our ability to model stocks and fluxes of carbon derived from decomposition of dead wood in undisturbed oligotrophic forests in the Rio Negro-Rio Branco Basin, northern Brazilian Amazon. © 2017 The Author

REXISTÊNCIA DE COMUNIDADES TRADICIONAIS FRENTE ÀS INJUSTIÇAS AMBIENTAIS DAS AÇÕES DO COMPLEXO INDUSTRIAL PORTUÁRIO DE SUAPE-PE

As políticas desenvolvimentistas brasileiras têm como propósito a reprodução do capital, cuja justificativa está fundamentada no aumento de empregos através da instalação de grandes empreendimentos. Contudo, com a chegada dos megaprojetos, emergem situações de injustiças ambientais, muitas vezes em territórios de comunidades tradicionais devido à sua localização estratégica. É nesse contexto que está inserido o Complexo Industrial portuário de Suape (CIPS). O objetivo do artigo é analisar as injustiças ambientais reforçadas pela expansão do CIPS. A área de estudo compreende o território da comunidade Engenho Mercês. Como metodologia, foi utilizada a análise crítica do discurso, a fim de embasar os procedimentos metodológicos: revisão bibliográfica; visitas de campo; entrevistas; e registro fotográfico. Como resultado principal, o trabalho demonstrou que a chegada dos empreendimentos tem interferido na reprodução social das comunidades. É nesse sentido que os movimentos sociais têm atuado, identificando os problemas, articulando-se com as comunidades e empoderando-as

Asparaginase induces selective dose- and time- dependent cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and reduction of NFκB expression in oral cancer cells

Asparaginase is fundamental to the treatment of haematological malignancies. However, little has been studied on the effects that asparaginase could exert on solid tumours. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of asparaginase on an oral carcinoma cell line. The cytotoxicity of asparaginase in SCC- 9 (tongue squamous cell carcinoma) and HaCaT (human keratinocyte) cell lines was evaluated with MTT cell viability assay. The cells were treated with asparaginase at 0.04, 0.16, 0.63, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, and 5.0 IU/mL. Dose- response curves and IC50 values were obtained and the Tumour Selectivity Index (TSI) was calculated. The effect of asparaginase on procaspase- 3 and nuclear factor κB (NFκB) expression was evaluated with western blot because it was reported that the overexpression of NFκB has been shown to contribute to tumour cell survival, proliferation, and migration. Caspase 3/7 staining was performed to identify cell death using flow cytometry. Effective asparaginase concentrations were lower for SCC- 9 cells when compared to HaCaT cells. The cytotoxicity results at 48 and 72 hours were significantly different for SCC- 9 cells. The TSI indicated that asparaginase was selective for the tumour cells. A decrease in procaspase- 3 and NFκB protein levels was observed in SCC- 9 cells. Furthermore, asparaginase resulted in significant apoptosis after 48 and 72 hours. Based on these results, asparaginase was cytotoxic in a dose- and time- dependent manner, induces apoptosis, and reduces NFκB expression in oral cancer cells. These results encourage further studies on the effectiveness of this enzyme as a treatment for solid tumours, especially head and neck cancer.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154950/1/cep13256.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154950/2/cep13256_am.pd

Gender and hemispheric differences in temporal lobe epilepsy: A VBM study

Purpose: Gender differences are recognized in the functional and anatomical organization of the human brain. Differences between genders are probably expressed early in life, when differential rates of cerebral maturation occur. Sexual dimorphism has been described in temporal lobe epilepsy with mesial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS). Several voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies have shown that TLE-MTS extends beyond mesial temporal structures, and that there are differences in the extent of anatomical damage between hemispheres, although none have approached gender differences. Our aim was to investigate gender differences and anatomical abnormalities in TLE-MTS.Methods: VBM5 was employed to analyze gender and hemispheric differences in 120 patients with TLE-MTS and 50 controls.Results: VBM abnormalities were more widespread in left-TLE; while in women changes were mostly seen in temporal areas, frontal regions were more affected in men.Conclusions: Our study confirmed that gender and laterality are important factors determining the nature and severity of brain damage in TLE-MTS. Differential rates of maturation between gender and hemispheres may explain the distinct areas of anatomical damage in men and women. (C) 2013 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Unidade Pesquisa & Tratamento Epilepsias UNIPETE, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Lab Interdisciplinar Neurociencias Clin LiNC, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Diagnost Imagem, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Unidade Pesquisa & Tratamento Epilepsias UNIPETE, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Lab Interdisciplinar Neurociencias Clin LiNC, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Diagnost Imagem, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc