Signalling by tips

New molecules, including protein kinases, lipids and molecules that have neurotransmitter activities in animals have emerged as important players in tip-growing cells. Transcriptomics analysis reveals that the largest single class of genes expressed in pollen tubes encode signal transducers, reflecting the necessity to decode complex and diverse pathways that are associated with tip growth. Many of these pathways may use common intracellular second messengers, with ions and reactive oxygen species emerging as two major common denominators in many of the processes involved in tip growth. These second messengers might influence the actin cytoskeleton through known interactions with actin-binding proteins. In turn, changes in the dynamic properties of the cytoskeleton would define the basic polarity events needed to shape and modify tip-growing cells

Particle Pair Production in Cosmological General Relativity

The Cosmological General Relativity (CGR) of Carmeli, a 5-dimensional (5-D) theory of time, space and velocity, predicts the existence of an acceleration a_0 = c / tau due to the expansion of the universe, where c is the speed of light in vacuum, tau = 1 / h is the Hubble-Carmeli time constant, where h is the Hubble constant at zero distance and no gravity. The Carmeli force on a particle of mass m is F_c = m a_0, a fifth force in nature. In CGR, the effective mass density rho_eff = rho - rho_c, where rho is the matter density and rho_c is the critical mass density which we identify with the vacuum mass density rho_vac = -rho_c. The fields resulting from the weak field solution of the Einstein field equations in 5-D CGR and the Carmeli force are used to hypothesize the production of a pair of particles. The mass of each particle is found to be m = tau c^3 / 4 G, where G is Newton's constant. The vacuum mass density derived from the physics is rho_vac = -rho_c = -3 / (8 pi G tau^2). The cosmic microwave background (CMB) black body radiation at the temperature T_o = 2.72548 K which fills that volume is found to have a relationship to the ionization energy of the Hydrogen atom. Define the radiation energy epsilon_gamma = (1 - g) m c^2 / N_gamma, where (1-g) is the fraction of the initial energy m c^2 which converts to photons, g is a function of the baryon density parameter Omega_b and N_gamma is the total number of photons in the CMB radiation field. We make the connection with the ionization energy of the first quantum level of the Hydrogen atom by the hypothesis epsilon_gamma = [(1 - g) m c^2] / N_gamma = alpha^2 mu c^2 / 2, where alpha is the fine-structure constant and mu = m_p f / (1 + f), where f= m_e / m_p with m_e the electron mass and m_p the proton mass.Comment: 14 pages, 0 figures. The final publication is available at springerlink.co

Adubação não radicular com duas fontes de zinco em Coffea arábica L. "mundo novo" (B.Rodr.) Choussy

A trial was carried out on an eight old coffee plantation with visible zinc problems. The plantation was situated nearly the city of Jaú (22º30'S, 48º30'W). State of São Paulo, Brazil. The soil is classified as medium texture Oxisol of low base saturation (Latossol Vermelho Amarelo - fase arenosa). The pulverization program started in november 1977, followed in march and July 1978 (heavy harvest) and ended in march and July 1979 (light harvest). Is should be mentioned that a well reconized characteristic of arábica coffe is its habit of biennial bearing, a very heavy harvest is most often followed by a light load the next year. The following treatments and amounts of chemicals per cova hole (4 trees) were tested in accordance with a random block design: 1. 1 g of zinc (zinc sulphate, 0.5%) 2. 3 g of nitrogen (urea, 1.3%) 3. 1 g of zinc + 3 g of nitrogen (zinc sulphate 0.5% + urea 1.3%) 4. 0.25 g, 0.50 g, 1.00 g, 2.00 g of zinc plus 0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g and 6.00 of nitrogen (correspondent to NZN* 15-0-0-5 as 0.75%, 1-5%, 3.0% and 6.0% by v/v). Foliar absorption data were obtained by collecting the 3rd and 4th pairs of the coffee leaves and analysed them for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. The main results may be summarized as follows: 1. The maximum calculated yields of clean coffee were obtained by the applications of 5.84 1 of NZN (1.13%) per hectare. 2. The applications of zinc sulphate (0.5%) and urea (1.3%) together or separate did not affected the coffee bean production. 3. The applications of 15.0 1 of NZN per hectare reduced the coffee yields. 4. Leaf damages and burning symptoms were observed by the applications of urea (1.3%) plus zinc sulphate (0.5%) and larger doses than 7.5 1 of NZN per hectare. 5. Leaf tissue analysis show that the concentrations of the elements were affecred by the age of the leaves and by the yields of the coffee trees. 6. The applications of increasing doses of NZN causes an increase in the concentration of zinc, manganese and boron in the leaves and decreased the concentration in calcium and potassium the leaves. 7. The concentration of zinc in the leaves associated with the heavy harvest, in July, was 70.0 ppm.Em cafezal com 8 anos de idade, com deficiência visível de zinco, situado em um Latossol Amarelo - fase arenosa, do município de Jaú, SP, procederam-se pulverizações em novembro, março e julho de 1978 (grande safra) e março e julho de 1979 (pequena safra), O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso e constou dos seguintes tratamentos, nas doses por planta: lg de zinco (sulfato de zinco 0,5%), 3g de nitrogênio (uréia 1,3%), lg de zinco + 3g de nitrogênio (sulfato de zinco 0,5% + uréia 1,3%) e 0,25g, 0,50g, 1 ,00g e 2,00g de zinco juntamente com 0,75g, l,50g, 3,00g e 6,00g de nitrogênio (respectivamente NZN 15-0-0-5 * a 0,75%, 3,00% e 6,00% v/v). Na época das pulverizaçoes foram coletadas amostras de 3º e 4º pares de folhas, e determinados os teores de nitrogênio, fósforo, potássio, cálcio, magnésio, boro, cobre, ferro, manganês e zinco. Os resultados mostraram que: a) a produção máxima calculada de café beneficiado foi 3-009,4 kg/ha, obtida com pulverizaçao de 5,84 1 de NZN por hectare (NZN 1 ,17%) ; b) o sulfato de zinco e a uréia, juntos ou isoladamente, não afetaram a produção; c) a dose de 15,0 1 de NZN por hectare diminuiu a produção; d) as aplicações de uréia (1,3%) + sulfato de zinco (0,5%) e de doses de NZN superiores a 7,51/ha provocaram injúrias visíveis nas folhas. Esse efeitos se agravaram com dosagens de 15 1 e 30 1 de NZN por hectare; e) as concentrações dos nutrientes nas folhas foram afetadas de maneira diferente pelas épocas de amostragem e pela produção do cafeeiro; f) a aplicação de doses crescentes de NZN provocou aumento nas concentrações de zinco, manganês e boro e diminuição nas de cálcio e potássio nas folhas, em determinadas épocas da grande ou pequena safra; g) a concentração de zinco em julho, relacionada com a maior produção do cafeeiro, foi 70 ppm

Comportamento de variedades de arroz de sequeiro em diferentes populações de plantas, com e sem irrigação suplementar

Four experiments were carried out in a cerrado soil to study the effect of row spacing and seed density on rice (Oryza sativa) yield and some byometric characteristics, with and without supplemental sprinkler irrigation. Two experiments used the Araguaia variety and the other two, the Guarani variety. Irrigation enhanced in 90 and 35% the yield of the varieties Araguaia and Guarani, respectively. Irrigation significantly affected biometric characteristics. The highest yield of Guarani v. was obtained with 30 cm row spacing and density of 130 seeds per m², and its harvest index (HI) was linearly and positively correlated with grain yield. The highest yield of Araguaia v. was obtained with 40 cm spacing, independently of the density and presence of irrigation. The variety Guarani showed to be more competitive than the Araguaia, having smaller HI and its grain yield being more affected by plant population.Visando determinar os efeitos do espaçamento entre linhas (30, 40 e 50 cm) e da densidade de semeadura (50, 100 e 150 sementes/m²) sobre o rendimento de grãos e algumas características biométricas de duas variedades de arroz (Oryza sativa L.), com e sem irrigação suplementar, foram conduzidos quatro experimentos em solo de cerrado, sendo dois com a variedade Araguaia e os outros com a 'Guarani'. A irrigação propiciou incremento de 90 e 35% no rendimento de grãos das v. Araguaia e Guarani, respectivamente, influenciando significativamente todas as características biométricas estudadas. A v. Guarani apresentou maior produção de grãos no menor espaçamento e na densidade de 130 sementes por m², e o seu índice de colheita (IC) foi correlacionado linear e positivamente com o rendimento de grãos. Na v. Araguaia, o maior rendimento de grãos foi observado no espaçamento de 40 cm, independente da irrigação e da densidade de semeadura. A 'Guarani' mostrou ser uma variedade mais competitiva que a 'Araguaia', apresentando menor IC e maior influência da densidade de semeadura, sobre o rendimento de grãos

Rendimento de cultivares de soja em resposta ao manejo da fertilidade do solo

Two field experiments were performed at the EEA/UFRS, Guaíba, RS, in a São Jerônimo (Ultisol, Paleudult) type, soil during the 1981/82 growing season. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cultivars Ivorá, Planalto, Década, BR-4, União, LC 72-749, BR-3, lvaí Hardee and Cobb were tested, with and without maintenance fertilization. Irrigation was used to provide and environment for high grain yield production. Without irrigation the-yield levels attained were the normal for the year, with good management. Without irrigation, there was no difference between fertilized and not fertilized plots, in a year with water stress. When moisture was not limiting, even with high levels of P and K, in the average, the yields with fertilization increased by 195 kg/ha. There was significant difference among cultivars with and without irrigation. BR-4, Cobb, Hardee and Ivaí had the highest seed yield in all situations. The results showed that, in a soil similar to the one utilized once limed and corrected for P and K, in a way that the nutrient levels have reached or are above the critical levels, its possible to reduce the maintenance fertilization, at least for one year, since the crop grown during the winter had received the recommended maintenance fertilization.Em 1981/82, na EEA, FA-UFRS, Guaíba - RS, foi avaliado o desempenho das cultivares de soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), Ivorá, Planalto, Década, BR-4, União, LC 72-749, BR-3, Ivaí, Hardee e Cobb, em solo "São Jerônimo", com uso, ou não, de adubação de manutenção. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos: um, irrigado, objetivando simular um ano com quantidade e distribuição hídrica adequada para obtenção de rendimentos elevados e grande extração de nutrientes; o outro, não irrigado. Sem irrigação, não houve, na média, resposta à adubação de manutenção, em ano com deficiência hídrica. Com altos níveis de P e K e suplementação hídrica adequada, houve, na média, aumento de 195 kg/ha com a adubação de manutenção. Entre as cultivares houve diferenças significativas no rendimento, tanto com como sem irrigação. BR-4, Cobb, Hardee e Ivaí, apresentaram o melhor desempenho em qualquer das situações. Os resultados mostram que em solo semelhante ao que foi utilizado, corrigido de maneira que os teores de P e K estejam próximos ou acima dos níveis considerados suficientes para alcançar 90 a 95% do rendimento máximo, é possível reduzir a adubação de manutenção, ao menos por um ano, desde que a cultura de estação fria tenha recebido a adubação de manutenção recomendada

Generalized Species Sampling Priors with Latent Beta reinforcements

Many popular Bayesian nonparametric priors can be characterized in terms of exchangeable species sampling sequences. However, in some applications, exchangeability may not be appropriate. We introduce a {novel and probabilistically coherent family of non-exchangeable species sampling sequences characterized by a tractable predictive probability function with weights driven by a sequence of independent Beta random variables. We compare their theoretical clustering properties with those of the Dirichlet Process and the two parameters Poisson-Dirichlet process. The proposed construction provides a complete characterization of the joint process, differently from existing work. We then propose the use of such process as prior distribution in a hierarchical Bayes modeling framework, and we describe a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler for posterior inference. We evaluate the performance of the prior and the robustness of the resulting inference in a simulation study, providing a comparison with popular Dirichlet Processes mixtures and Hidden Markov Models. Finally, we develop an application to the detection of chromosomal aberrations in breast cancer by leveraging array CGH data.Comment: For correspondence purposes, Edoardo M. Airoldi's email is [email protected]; Federico Bassetti's email is [email protected]; Michele Guindani's email is [email protected] ; Fabrizo Leisen's email is [email protected]. To appear in the Journal of the American Statistical Associatio

Fatores ecofisiológicos que afetam o comportamento do milho em semeadura tardia (safrinha) no Brasil Central

The objective of this work was to evaluate the source-sink relationships, as well as the effects of morphophysiological factors that limit the grain yield of maize plants of different cycles (normal, early and very early) planted in late summer ("safrinha"). This trial included three plant populations (33, 55 and 77 thousand plants/hectare). Hybrid efficiencies related to duration of growth and yield were evaluated, in the vegetative and reproductive phases. The grain yield varied among hybrids and populations, and the best yields were found in the highest plant population for all hybrids. The maximum values for leaf area index within hybrids resulted in high grain yields and contributed greatly to total dry matter accumulation in the plant and grain. All the hybrids had incomple grain filling, which indicates low offer of assimilates during this stage, especially for very early hybrids. This suggests that the source was lower than the capacity of the sink and in this case, besides grain yield, other vegetative parts were injured in their development. Environmental conditions for cultivating in late summer are not the best for the development of the maize plant, mainly for hybrids of very early cycle.O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar as relações entre fonte de assimilados e grão-dreno, bem como o comportamento de fatores morfo-fisiológicos que limitam o rendimento de grãos em plantas de milho de diferentes ciclos (normal, precoce e superprecoce), cultivadas em semeadura tardia (safrinha), com três densidades (33 mil, 55 mil e 77 mil plantas/ha). Verificou-se a eficiência de híbridos de milho quanto à duração do crescimento e rendimento, nas fases vegetativa e reprodutiva. Os rendimentos em grãos variaram entre os híbridos e entre as densidades e foram significativamente superiores nas maiores densidades de cultivo, para os três híbridos avaliados. Valores máximos de índice de área foliar, dentro de híbrido, resultaram em maiores rendimentos de grãos e contribuíram para explicar a variação do acúmulo de matéria seca total e do grão. Todos os híbridos tiveram o enchimento de grãos incompleto, indicando inadequada oferta de assimilados durante essa fase, principalmente para o híbrido superprecoce. Isto sugere que a oferta foi inferior à capacidade de armazenamento na espiga e, nesse caso, além do rendimento de grãos, outros órgãos vegetativos ficaram prejudicados em seu desenvolvimento. As condições ambientais de cultivo de safrinha são subótimas para o desenvolvimento do milho, principalmente para os híbridos com características e comportamento de precocidade acentuada

Background Thermal Contributions in Testing the Unruh Effect

We consider inertial and accelerated Unruh-DeWitt detectors moving in a background thermal bath and calculate their excitation rates. It is shown that for fast moving detectors such a thermal bath does not affect substantially the excitation probability. Our results are discussed in connection with a possible proposal of testing the Unruh effect in high energy particle accelerators.Comment: 13 pages, (REVTEX 3.0), 3 figures available upon reques

Influência do butralin como anti-brotante em cultura de fumo (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. 'Goiano')

Com a finalidade de se evitar a operação de desbrota manual em plantas de fumo (Nicotiana tabacum L.), controlando a brotação axilar, conduziu-se um experimento, em Piracicaba (SP), em condições de campo, utilizando-se um inibidor de brotação, o 4-(1,1-dimetiletil)-N-(1-metilpropil)-2,6-dinitrobenzenamina (butralin), nas concentrações de 1, 2 e 3% do produto comercial, na dose de 20 ml da emulsão por planta, aplicada logo após a retirada da inflorescência principal, na extremidade superior da haste atingindo as gemas axilares uniformemente. Os resultados mostram que o butralin, nas concentrações utilizadas, em comparação com o controle, promove a inibiçao no desenvolvimento dos meristemas das gemas axilares, sem afetar o desenvolvimento das folhas. A concentração de 2% do produto comercial, foi a que proporcionou maior peso de matéria seca de folhas e menor de matéria seca de brotos. Os resultados mostram que o butralin, nas concentrações utilizadas, em comparação com o controle, promove a inibiçao no desen volvimento dos meristemas das gemas axila-res, sem afetar o desenvolvimento das folhas. A concentração de 2% do produto comercial, foi a que proporcionou maior peso de materia seca de folhas e menor de materia seca de brotos.An experiment to verify the possibility in reducing manual bud pruning in tobacco (Nicoticma tabacum L.) by controlling axilary buds with an inhibitor of axillary bud growth was conducted, Butralin, at 1, 2 and 3% of commercial product, using 20 ml per plant, applied just after removing the principal inflorescence on upper stem end was used. The results have showed that all concentrations of butralin promoved inhibition of axillary sprout meristem developments, without affecting leaf growth. The concentration of 2% of commercial product gave the highest leaf dry matter and the lowest axillary sprout dry matter weight