Carbono orgânico e atributos microbiológicos em solo agrícola com diferentes níveis de produtividade de soja em sistema de plantio direto.

Atributos microbiológicos e bioquímicos do solo são geralmente negligenciados ao se relacionar a fertilidade do solo e a produtividade das culturas, em que o carbono orgânico (C) apresenta papel chave. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar alguns bioindicadores de qualidade de solo e relacioná-los com o teor de C do solo em áreas de produção comercial com diferentes níveis de produtividade de soja sob sistema de plantio direto. Amostras compostas de solo foram obtidas na profundidade 0-10 cm, em 6 áreas agrícolas em Ponta Grossa, PR. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de correlação de Pearson e regressão múltipla. A regressão múltipla mostrou que a produtividade é influenciada principalmente pelo teor de C orgânico no solo, e a correlação simples de Pearson mostrou-se significativa entre o C orgânico e a biomassa microbiana de carbono (BMC), biomassa microbiana de nitrogênio (BMN), capacidade de troca de cátions (CTC) e atividades enzimáticas. Conclui-se que há uma relação entre a produtividade de grãos de soja e a atividade microbiana no solo, em que o C orgânico apresenta papel chave.Fertbio

The tight groupoid of an inverse semigroup

In this work we present algebraic conditions on an inverse semigroup S (with zero) which imply that its associated tight groupoid G_tight(S) is: Hausdorff, essentially principal, minimal and contracting, respectively. In some cases these conditions are in fact necessary and sufficient.The first-named author was partially supported by CNPq. The second-named author was partially supported by PAI III grants FQM-298 and P11-FQM-7156 of the Junta de Andalucía and by the DGI- MICINN and European Regional Development Fund, jointly, through Project MTM2011-28992-C02-02

Beyond microarrays: Finding key transcription factors controlling signal transduction pathways

BACKGROUND: Massive gene expression changes in different cellular states measured by microarrays, in fact, reflect just an "echo" of real molecular processes in the cells. Transcription factors constitute a class of the regulatory molecules that typically require posttranscriptional modifications or ligand binding in order to exert their function. Therefore, such important functional changes of transcription factors are not directly visible in the microarray experiments. RESULTS: We developed a novel approach to find key transcription factors that may explain concerted expression changes of specific components of the signal transduction network. The approach aims at revealing evidence of positive feedback loops in the signal transduction circuits through activation of pathway-specific transcription factors. We demonstrate that promoters of genes encoding components of many known signal transduction pathways are enriched by binding sites of those transcription factors that are endpoints of the considered pathways. Application of the approach to the microarray gene expression data on TNF-alpha stimulated primary human endothelial cells helped to reveal novel key transcription factors potentially involved in the regulation of the signal transduction pathways of the cells. CONCLUSION: We developed a novel computational approach for revealing key transcription factors by knowledge-based analysis of gene expression data with the help of databases on gene regulatory networks (TRANSFAC(® )and TRANSPATH(®)). The corresponding software and databases are available at

Efeitos das deficiências de macronutrientes em duas variedades de soja (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), Santa rosa e UFV-1, cultivadas em solução nutritiva

Two soybean varieties were grown in nutrient solution in the presence and in conditions of deficiency of macronutrients (supplied at 1 tenth of full strength level). During the life cycle samples were taken for leaf analyses, as well as for the determination of the activity of nitrate reductase (NO3R). At the end of the pod filling, periodical mineral analyses were carried out in all the organs of the plants under the "complete" tratment; only leaves were analysed in teh remaining plants. The main conclusion were the following (1) symptoms of deficiency which showed up (N, P, K and Ca) are in agreement with those described in the literature; (2) plants deficient in N,P, K or Ca did not produce any pods; (3) there was a differential response in quantitative terms, of the two varieties to the deficiency of elements in the substrate; (4) the adequate levels of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S are not the same for the two varieties; (5) quick tests provided and indication of the nutritional status; (6) NO3R activity reflected the level of N in the nutrient solution.Duas variedades de soja, Santa Rosa e UFV-1 foram cultivadas em solução nutritiva deficiente em macronutrientes. Foi possível obter sintomas de carência, verificar o efeito das deficiências no crescimento, composição mineral e produção de vagens. Fez-se a diagnose foliar no caso de N, P e K e verificou-se o efeito do nivel de N na solução sobre a atividade da redutase de nitrato