Identification of regulatory variants associated with genetic susceptibility to meningococcal disease

Non-coding genetic variants play an important role in driving susceptibility to complex diseases but their characterization remains challenging. Here, we employed a novel approach to interrogate the genetic risk of such polymorphisms in a more systematic way by targeting specific regulatory regions relevant for the phenotype studied. We applied this method to meningococcal disease susceptibility, using the DNA binding pattern of RELA - a NF-kB subunit, master regulator of the response to infection - under bacterial stimuli in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. We designed a custom panel to cover these RELA binding sites and used it for targeted sequencing in cases and controls. Variant calling and association analysis were performed followed by validation of candidate polymorphisms by genotyping in three independent cohorts. We identified two new polymorphisms, rs4823231 and rs11913168, showing signs of association with meningococcal disease susceptibility. In addition, using our genomic data as well as publicly available resources, we found evidences for these SNPs to have potential regulatory effects on ATXN10 and LIF genes respectively. The variants and related candidate genes are relevant for infectious diseases and may have important contribution for meningococcal disease pathology. Finally, we described a novel genetic association approach that could be applied to other phenotypes

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection ar

Compostos nitrogenados e carboidratos em sorgo submetido à salinidade e combinações de nitrato e amônio

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of combinations of nitrate and ammonium in the medium, on the accumulation of nitrogen compounds and carbohydrates, in the presence and absence of salinity in sorghum plants. CSF 20 genotype sorghum seeds, were grown in the greenhouse and supplied with a nutritive solution at three different concentrations of nitrate and ammonium (100% NO3-: 0% NH4+, 75% NO3-: 25% NH4+ e 0% NO3-: 100% NH4+) both in the presence and absence of NaCl. Salinity reduced the nitrate concentration in both leaves and stalks in treatments at 100:0 and 75:25. The accumulation of ammonium was higher in those plants, in both leaves and stalk, in the presence of NaCl. The levels of free amino acids in the leaves showed no change, whereas those in the stalk increased in the presence of salt and with the increase of ammonium. The concentration of free proline in both leaves and stalk was higher in plants under salinity. The total nitrogen content was higher in the leaves without, however, showing much change in the presence of salt. The concentration of total soluble carbohydrates was higher in those plants treated with salt, except in the stalk 0:100. Sucrose levels in the leaves were lower in the presence of NaCl and the increase in ammonium, while they were higher in the stalk at 75:25 NaCl. The starch content did not alter much with the different levels of nitrogen and salinity. It is concluded that NO-3 and NH4+ combinations in the medium affect the accumulation of nitrogen compounds and carbohydrates in the leaves and stalks of sorghum plants, both in the presence and absence of salinity

Aclimatação ao estresse salino em plantas de arroz induzida pelo pré-tratamento com H<inf>2</inf>O<inf>2</inf>

The effect of exogenous application of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the acclimation to salt stress was studied on the basis of photosynthetic changes, indicators of oxidative stress and activity of antioxidant enzymes in leaves of rice plants. Two different concentrations of the H2O2 (1 and 10 μM) were used for the pre-treatment, these concentrations were applied in the nutrient solution two days before the induction of salt stress (100 μM NaCl). The photosynthetic and stomatal limitations after exposure to NaCl were alleviated when the plants were pretreated with 1 μM H2O2. Plants pretreated with H2O2 and submitted to salt stress showed membrane damage lower in compared to plants exposed to NaCl alone. TBARS and H2O2 content was reduced appreciable in plants pretreated with 1 μM H2O2 and exposed to NaCl in relation to not pretreated. The enzymatic antioxidative system in plants exposed to NaCl was mainly induced when there was the 1 μM H2O2 pretreatment. Data suggest that an anticipated exposure to H2O2 may result in more effective acclimation to salt stress

A respeito da materialidade do patrimônio imaterial: o caso do INRC Porongos

O colecionamento e a conservação de "bens culturais" vêm ganhando em complexidade pela inclusão de temas oriundos de minorias étnicas e econômicas. Apesar do consenso relativo ao conceito de patrimônio cultural proposto pela Unesco, a definição do que deve ser preservado e celebrado como "bem cultural" pode ser objeto de lutas políticas, jurídicas, econômicas e sociais. Visando refletir sobre as consequências dessas lutas, este artigo aborda o processo de inventário de referências culturais em torno do Massacre de Porongos, evento da Revolução Farroupilha (1835-1845) que vem servindo de apoio à configuração de uma identidade negra e gaúcha no Rio Grande do Sul. Segundo os autores, apesar de se apresentar no registro de "patrimônio imaterial", o processo de inventário possibilitou a fabricação de um "corpo" (de textos e imagens) e a delimitação de "lugares" (de memória) a partir dos quais os referentes culturais ditos "imateriais" vêm se inscrever.<br>The collection and conservation of "cultural objects" has been gaining in complexity with the inclusion of non-material associations regarding ethnic and economic minorities. Despite the consensus on the concept of cultural heritage proposed by Unesco, the definition of what should be preserved and celebrated as "cultural object" may be subject of political, legal, economic and social struggles. In order to reflect upon the consequences of these struggles, this article discusses the process of inventory of cultural references related to the Porongos Massacre, an event of the Farroupilha's Revolution (1835-1845). These cultural references are serving in the configuration of black people's and gauchos identities. According to the authors, althought relating to the "intangible heritage", the process of inventory has enabled the fabrication of a "body" (text and images) and the definition of "places" (from memory) from which the cultural references so-called "non-material" come subscribe

Adubação orgânica da batata com esterco e, ou, Crotalaria juncea: I - produtividade vegetal e estoque de nutrientes no solo em longo prazo Organic fertilization of potato with manure and, or, Crotalaria juncea: I - long term plant productivity and soil nutrient stocks

No Agreste paraibano, a batata (Solanum tuberosum L.) é importante cultura comercial, embora seja limitada pela variabilidade e escassez de chuvas e pela baixa fertilidade do solo. O esterco é a principal fonte de nutrientes utilizada para fertilização do solo, porém geralmente não é disponível em quantidade suficiente nas propriedades rurais para suprir a demanda das culturas agrícolas. Como alternativa tem sido recomendada a adubação verde com Crotalaria juncea L. Realizou-se um experimento, de 1996 a 2002, em um Neossolo Regolítico, com o objetivo de quantificar a produtividade da batata e o estoque de nutrientes no solo, após incorporações anuais de esterco e, ou, crotalária. Os tratamentos consistiram de: incorporação da crotalária (C), adição de 15 t ha-1 de esterco caprino (E), incorporação de crotalária + 7,5 t ha-1 de esterco (CE) e testemunha (T). No final do experimento, o tratamento E promoveu aumentos de 73, 45, 221 e 43 % nos teores de N total, P total, P e K extraíveis (Mehlich-1) do solo, respectivamente, em relação à testemunha. Os tratamentos C e CE aumentaram o N total do solo em 76 e 63 %, mas não aumentaram o teor dos outros nutrientes. Os acúmulos médios de massa seca, N, P e K na parte aérea da crotalária nos tratamentos, ao longo dos cinco anos, foram de 3.550, 69, 6 e 55 kg ha-1, respectivamente. As produtividades médias de tubérculos, ao longo dos cinco anos de colheita, foram de 15.204, 12.053, 11.085 e 7.926 kg ha-1 nos tratamentos CE, C, E e T, respectivamente. Apesar de a adição de 15 t ha-1 de esterco ter proporcionado os maiores aumentos nos nutrientes do solo, as maiores produtividades de tubérculos ao longo do período do estudo foram obtidas quando se combinou o plantio e a incorporação de crotalária com a adição de 7,5 t ha-1 de esterco.<br>Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important cash crop in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, Brazil. However, potato productivity is limited by low soil fertility and the limited and highly variable precipitation pattern of this region. Animal manure is the main nutrient source for soil fertility amelioration, but farm manure available is usually not enough to fertilize crops. A cover crop could decrease the demand for animal manure. The characteristics of Crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea L.) recommend it as green manure. A field experiment was conducted from 1996 to 2002 to quantify the effects of annual organic fertilization with animal manure and/or crotalaria on potato productivity and soil nutrient stocks. Treatments consisted of: crotalaria incorporation (C), goat manure, 15 t ha-1 (E), crotalaria incorporation + goat manure, 7.5 t ha-1 (CE), and control plots (T). At the end of the study period, treatment E increased soil total N, total P and available P and K by 73, 45, 221 and 43 %, compared to the control plots. Treatments C and CE increased soil total N by 76 and 63%, but had no effect on other soil nutrients. Overall 5-year averages of crotalaria aboveground accumulation of dry matter, N, P and K were 3550, 69, 6 and 55 kg ha-1, respectively. Average potato productivities for the 5-year period were 15204, 12053, 11085, and 7926 kg ha-1, for treatments CE, C, E and T, respectively. Despite the significant increases in soil nutrient stocks as a result of the annual manure addition of 15 t ha-1, potato productivity was consistently higher in the combination of crotalaria plus 7.5 t ha-1 manure treatment