Estudo da diversidade genética de Arbutus unedo L. utilizando marcadores ISSR e RAPD

O Arbutus unedo L., espécie mediterrânico-atlântica da família Ericaceae, é popularmente conhecido em Portugal como medronheiro. Classificado como uma planta perene de porte mediano que cresce em forma de arbusto ou árvore. A. unedo possui importância ornamental, medicinal e económica, residida principalmente na produção de aguardente de medronho. Em Portugal, a área ocupada pelo medronheiro tem diminuído sobretudo devido a incêndios e à substituição deste por espécies florestais. Uma vez que não se conhece qualquer estudo no âmbito da avaliação da variabilidade genética do medronheiro, esta reveste-se assim de grande importância para o delineamento de programas de manejo e conservação da espécie. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar a diversidade genética de A. unedo no interior norte e centro de Portugal utilizando marcadores ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) e RAPD (Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA). Para tal foi extraído DNA de folhas de 38 indivíduos distribuídos em 9 populações (Bragança, Vinhais, Mirandela, Vila Real, Régua, Viseu, Braga, Lamego e Fundão). As reações de amplificação foram efetuadas com 9 sequências iniciadoras de RAPD e 12 de ISSR. Os dendogramas foram construídos pelo algoritmo UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages) utilizando o coeficiente de Jaccard, no programa computacional FreeTree. A correlação entre as distâncias genéticas obtidas pelos RAPD e ISSR foi calculada pelo teste de Mantel. Do total de iniciadores utilizados na análise RAPD e ISSR, seis e doze mostraram ser polimórficos, respectivamente. O elevado polimorfismo observado, com um número pequeno de marcadores, pode resultar do fato desta planta não ser domesticada. Os dendrogramas obtidos mostraram que existem indivíduos geneticamente distintos, não sendo possível contudo agrupá-los de acordo com a sua origem geográfica. Este aspecto foi sobretudo notório na análise RAPD. Verificou-se ainda que a correlação entre os dados RAPD e ISSR foram relativamente baixos. Os resultados obtidos serão úteis, visando a conservação e preservação da espécie

Fractional state space analysis of economic systems

This paper examines modern economic growth according to the multidimensional scaling (MDS) method and state space portrait (SSP) analysis. Electing GDP per capita as the main indicator for economic growth and prosperity, the long-run perspective from 1870 to 2010 identifies the main similarities among 34 world partners’ modern economic growth and exemplifies the historical waving mechanics of the largest world economy, the USA. MDS reveals two main clusters among the European countries and their old offshore territories, and SSP identifies the Great Depression as a mild challenge to the American global performance, when compared to the Second World War and the 2008 crisis

Strain field analysis of cancellous bone under compression by image correlation

Experimental mechanical analysis of cancellous bone has been performed to capture the global strain field of specimens under compression. One major objective is to assess the test procedure and obtain the cancellous bone mechanical properties. Now a day, several techniques are available for the experimental measurement of the field displacement. Among them, the Cross-Correlation is one of most simple’s techniques and can be applied to several studies cases. Based on the correlation of random speckle pattern between two images, the spatial displacement fields can be accessed. A simple digital camera or video recorder can be used without special light to capture the surface intensity pattern in each instant. If several images are taken during a test loading, the displacement field can be fallowed and subsequently the strain can be obtain by the spatial differentiation. Because of random surface pattern, the image can be divided in small areas, each of them pattern independent. By cross-correlating each of one between the two images, the relative displacement is obtained

Partition functions and elliptic genera from supergravity

We develop the spacetime aspects of the computation of partition functions for string/M-theory on AdS(3) xM. Subleading corrections to the semi-classical result are included systematically, laying the groundwork for comparison with CFT partition functions via the AdS(3)/CFT(2) correspondence. This leads to a better understanding of the "Farey tail" expansion of Dijkgraaf et. al. from the point of view of bulk physics. Besides clarifying various issues, we also extend the analysis to the N=2 setting with higher derivative effects included.Comment: 34 page

Auxiliares entomófagos capturados num olival da Terra Quente Transmontana

A valorização da acção dos factores de limitação natural dos inimigos das culturas e um dos princípios essenciais da Protecção Integrada e da Agricultura Biológica. Entre estes factores assume especial interesse a fauna auxiliar indígena, designadamente os parasitóides e predadores das espécies nocivas. Com o objectivo de contribuir para conhecer os principais elementos desta fauna associados a oliveira na Terra Quente Transmontana, realizaram-se amostragens quinzenais entre Julho de 1998 e Fevereiro de 1999, num olival situado em Valbom dos Figos, no concelho de Mirandela. As amostragens foram efectuadas pelo batimento de 50 ramos, através da técnica das pancadas usada em arboricultura. O material obtido foi separado em laboratório, a lupa binocular, tendo-se procedido, em cada data, ao registo do numero de indivíduos das ordens Araneae e Hymenoptera e das famílias Chrysopidae, Anthocoridae. Miridae, Coccinellidae e Formicidae por serem consideradas as de maior interesse na limitação das populações de espécies fitófagas da oliveira. As famílias mais representativas em termos de abundância, foram a Formicidae, com 520 exemplares, seguida da Coccinellidae, com 108 indivíduos. 0 maior numero de capturas, registou-se em Julho e Setembro

Thermogenesis induced by a high-carbohydrate meal in fasted lean and overweight young men: insulin, body fat, and sympathetic nervous system involvement

Objective This dietary trial was designed to evaluate the effect of an experimental short-term fasting period followed by a high-carbohydrate meal on energy expenditure, thermogenesis, and sympathetic nervous system activity in normal (body mass index 27 kg/m2) men who were healthy, non-diabetic or with no other endocrine disease, non-smokers, not taking oral prescription medications, and with a stable body weight for the previous 3 mo. Methods Fasting and fed energy expenditures and diet-induced thermogenesis were measured after a high-carbohydrate meal in seven overweight and six lean young male subjects by indirect calorimetry. Heart rate, urinary excretion of catecholamines, serum glucose, and insulin were also measured over the experimental fasting (7.5 h) and postprandial (4 h) periods. Results After carbohydrate intake, overweight men showed a significantly higher energy production (kJ/kg of fat-free mass) than did lean individuals, and the diet-induced thermogenesis (percentage of energy intake) was positively correlated with body fat (kg), percentage of body fat, fat-free mass (kg), and fasting pre-meal serum insulin levels. Postprandial cumulative energy expenditure was directly associated with postprandial insulin response and with mean postprandial heart rate values. No significant differences in urinary catecholamines were found between lean and overweight men at basal conditions or during the study period. Conclusions Overweight individuals showed similar short-term sympathetic nervous system responses induced by an experimental fasting period. Although diet-induced thermogenesis after carbohydrate intake was not statistically different between lean and overweight men, the postprandial insulin response and body fat content seemed to be involved in sympathetic nervous system activity

Effects of leptin resistance on acute fuel metabolism after a high carbohydrate load in lean and overweight young men

Objective: Six lean (BMI = 20.8 ± 0.7) and seven overweight (BMI = 30.8 ± 1.7) young men (18–27 years old) were studied to investigate the acute effect of a high-carbohydrate meal on leptin levels and its relation to energy expenditure as well as to protein, carbohydrate and fat oxidation. Methods: Study participants were given a high-carbohydrate meal (17% as protein, 80% as carbohydrates and 3% as lipids) covering 40% of their estimated daily energy requirements. Serum leptin, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids and triglycerides levels were measured before meal intake and during the four postprandial hours. Furthermore, energy expenditure (EE), protein, carbohydrate and lipid oxidation were measured in fasted and fed conditions. Results: Fasting leptin was found to be positively correlated with circulating insulin concentrations (r = .748; p = 0.011) and body fat in kg (r = .827; p = 0.001). During the measured postprandial period no statistically significant changes were found in leptin levels as compared with pre-meal values in either lean or overweight men, nor differences in leptin changes between both groups. After load intake, carbohydrate oxidation was lower in overweight individuals (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in protein oxidation. Cumulative lipid oxidation was found to be negatively associated with post-meal leptin values, being significantly lower in the overweight as compared with lean men (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that the acute postprandial fuel substrate utilization is altered in overweight men with a lower carbohydrate oxidation and a strong inhibition of lipid oxidation, which could be attributed to some leptin resistance. Conclusion: These data also suggest that short-term meal-related metabolic responses may explain the long-term body adiposity if they are sustained over long intervals

EROSÃO EM ÁREA RURAL NO MUNICÍPIO DE NOVA VENEZA (GO): ASPECTOS GEOMORFOLÓGICOS DA FAZENDA VARJÃO

A área de estudo está localizada na área rural do município de Nova Veneza (GO), onde a fazenda Varjão é pioneira na produção agrícola e na criação de gado. Esse estudo identificou os aspectos geomorfológicos da área em questão, tais aspectos demonstram uma suscetibilidade natural da área à processos erosivos, essa situação foi potencializada pela ação antrópica. A cobertura original foi retirada e em seu lugar implantaram pastagens e agricultura, favorecendo a ação da erosão