Análise de tronco digital: uma nova metodologia para a medição de anéis de crescimento.

Desenvolveu-se um método digital para medição de anéis de crescimento na análise de tronco, utilizando fotografia digital de fatias, processamento digital de imagens e sistemas de informações geográficas. Trinta fatias de Pinus elliottii, tomadas a diversas alturas no fuste, foram fotografadas com câmera digital ainda na floresta e, depois, transportadas ao laboratório para execução de medição convencional de análise de tronco. O método digital consistiu na transferência das fotos digitais para o computador, na aplicação de técnicas de realce de contraste e filtragens e da inserção das imagens das fatias em um sistema de informações geográficas. Os polígonos referentes a cada anel foram vetorizados por digitalização em tela e as áreas correspondentes foram estimadas pela aplicação de um fator de escala calculado usando-se a régua fotografada junto a cada fatia. Os volumes por idade estimados pelo procedimento convencional para as duas séries de dados (manual e digital) apresentaram uma diferença média de 7%

The role of RAS mutations in MLL-rearranged leukaemia: A path to intervention?

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with MLL rearrangement (MLL-r) is an aggressive disease still associated with a high mortality rate. Recent investigations have identified co-operating mutations in the RAS pathway and although the functional consequences of these mutations are not yet fully understood, aberrant regulation of RAS pathway signalling at both transcriptional and protein levels is observed. Studies investigating the efficacy of specific inhibitors of this pathway, e.g. MEK-inhibitors, have also achieved encouraging results. In this context, this mini-review summarizes the available data surrounding MLL-r infant ALL with RAS mutation in relation to other well-known features of this intriguing disease

t(10;11)(p12;q23) KMT2A/NEBL

Review on t(10;11)(p12;q23) KMT2A/NEBL, with data on clinics, and the genes involved

Environmentally friendly synthesis methods to obtain the misfit [Ca2CoO3-δ]0.62[CoO2] thermoelectric material

This work reports the microstructural and thermoelectric characterization of the misfit [Ca2CoO3-δ]0.62[CoO2] compound obtained by a solid-state synthesis using mollusk shells and a proteic sol-gel method, which uses gelatin as a polymerizing agent. The results clearly demonstrate the capability of these routes to produce pure Ca3Co4O9 with plate-like morphology. Sintered ceramic samples show randomly oriented grains and relative densities in the range of 63–67%. The obtained microstructures provide reasonable electrical properties and result in competitive thermoelectric performance for the material prepared by the proteic sol-gel synthesis (P.F. of 205 μW/K2 m at 700 °C).publishe

Mineral nutrition in penaeid shrimp

This review summarises the current knowledge of mineral nutrition for penaeid shrimp. It investigates how the aquatic environment and the lifecycle of shrimp affect requirements and the role that minerals play in shrimp health. Methods of supplying minerals via either water or to feed, and novel ways of supplementing minerals within feed, are discussed. The requirements for individual minerals are summarised with recommendations for minimum levels of dietary inclusion for semi-intensive and intensive commercial shrimp culture presented where data permits. Estimates of dietary requirement remain broad for most minerals for the main shrimp production species (Penaeus vannamei, Penaeus monodon and Penaeus japonicus), with some essential minerals remaining unstudied (Table 2 in Section 5.10). Mineral nutrition will become more important as intensification and diversification of production systems provide new challenges to shrimp aquaculture.</p

Distinctive genotypes in infants with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Infant T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (iT-ALL) is a very rare and poorly defined entity with a poor prognosis. We assembled a unique series of 13 infants with T-ALL, which allowed us to identify genotypic abnormalities and to investigate prenatal origins. Matched samples (diagnosis/remission) were analysed by single nucleotide polymorphism-array to identify genomic losses and gains. In three cases, we identified a recurrent somatic deletion on chromosome 3. These losses result in the complete deletion of MLF1 and have not previously been described in T-ALL. We observed two cases with an 11p13 deletion (LMO2-related), one of which also harboured a deletion of RB1. Another case presented a large 11q14·1-11q23·2 deletion that included ATM and only five patients (38%) showed deletions of CDKN2A/B. Four cases showed NOTCH1 mutations; in one case FBXW7 was the sole mutation and three cases showed alterations in PTEN. KMT2A rearrangements (KMT2A-r) were detected in three out of 13 cases. For three patients, mutations and copy number alterations (including deletion of PTEN) could be backtracked to birth using neonatal blood spot DNA, demonstrating an in utero origin. Overall, our data indicates that iT-ALL has a diverse but distinctive profile of genotypic abnormalities when compared to T-ALL in older children and adults

IKZF1 Deletions with COBL Breakpoints Are Not Driven by RAG-Mediated Recombination Events in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

IKZF1 deletion (ΔIKZF1) is an important predictor of relapse in both childhood and adult B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Previously, we revealed that COBL is a hotspot for breakpoints in leukemia and could promote IKZF1 deletions. Through an international collaboration, we provide a detailed genetic and clinical picture of B-ALL with COBL rearrangements (COBL-r). Patients with B-ALL and IKZF1 deletion (n = 133) were included. IKZF1 ∆1-8 were associated with large alterations within chromosome 7: monosomy 7 (18%), isochromosome 7q (10%), 7p loss (19%), and interstitial deletions (53%). The latter included COBL-r, which were found in 12% of the IKZF1 ∆1-8 cohort. Patients with COBL-r are mostly classified as intermediate cytogenetic risk and frequently harbor ETV6, PAX5, CDKN2A/B deletions. Overall, 56% of breakpoints were located within COBL intron 5. Cryptic recombination signal sequence motifs were broadly distributed within the sequence of COBL, and no enrichment for the breakpoint cluster region was found. In summary, a diverse spectrum of alterations characterizes ΔIKZF1 and they also include deletion breakpoints within COBL. We confirmed that COBL is a hotspot associated with ΔIKZF1, but these rearrangements are not driven by RAG-mediated recombination

Composição botânica do consórcio de leguminosas herbáceas com Pennisetum glaucum.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a massa e proporção de quatro leguminosas em cultivo consorciado com milheto para produção de forrage