Seletividade de herbicidas sobre Anadenanthera peregrina (Angico-Vermelho).

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a seletividade de herbicidas utilizados em áreas de Eucalyptus, sobre o crescimento de Anadenanthera peregrina. O trabalho foi conduzido em casa de vegetação em duas épocas diferentes em 2003 e 2004, tendo 5 tratamentos com 4 doses de herbicidas em cada um e 6 repetições. Os tratamentos foram: haloxyfop-methyl nas doses (0,00 ; 120, 240 e 480 g.ha-1); sulfentrazone (0,00, 300, 600 e 1.200 g.ha-1); isoxaflutole (0,00, 150, 300 e 600 g.ha-1); oxyfluorfen (0,00, 720, 1.440 e 2.880 g.ha-1); e glyfhosate (0,00, 720, 1.440 e 2.880 g.ha-1). Em ambos os experimentos foram avaliados: efeitos fitotóxicos do produto, número de folíolos, altura de plantas, diâmetro de caule e biomassa seca da parte aérea; e no segundo foram feitas ainda a análise de clorofila a e b, e de carotenóides. O herbicida que apresentou maior fitoxicidade e que comprometeu o desenvolvimento do angico foi o glyphosate, com altos graus de fitotoxicidade, queda de folhas e redução da biomassa, sendo, portanto, não recomendado para o controle de invasoras em áreas de plantio de angico. Os outros herbicidas não comprometeram o desenvolvimento do angico, podendo ser usados no plantio de A. peregrina

Tolerance of Anadenanthera peregrina to Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus grandis essential oil as condition for mixed plantation.

With the purpose of selecting the species of woody Caatinga for mixed plantations with Eucalyptus spp., the allelophatic effects of E. camaldulensis and E. grandis essential oil were studied on the growth activities of Anadenanthera peregrina. The plants were closed in glass chambers in the presence of volatile oil of E. camaldulensis or E. grandis at the concentration of 13 nl.cm-3. The number of leaves, height and diameter at soil lever were compared before, immediately after and after 30 days. Chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids and dry mass were evaluated after the treatment application. There was no inhibitory effect of E. camaldulensis and E. grandis oils on A. peregrina. E. camaldulensis, which was more adapted to semi-arid conditions, was planted in mixture stands with two native legume species, inoculated with Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. E. camaldulensis did not inhibit native species growth after two years of cultivation

Mechanical analysis of the ENEA TF coil proposal for the EU DEMO fusion reactor

The design of the superconducting magnet system of the European DEMO fusion reactor is currently being pursued in the framework of the EUROfusion Magnets Work Package (WPMAG). Three alternative winding pack (WP) options for the Toroidal Field Coils (TFCs) are being proposed by different research units, each featuring a different conductor manufacturing technology (react-and-wind vs. wind-and-react) or winding layout (layer vs. pancake). One of the options (namely, WP#2), proposed by Italian ENEA, features a layer-wound WP design adopting a wind-and-react conductor with rectangular cross section with high aspect ratio, obtained squeezing an initially circular conductor. In order to assess the capability of all the TFC components to withstand the electromagnetic loads due to the huge Lorentz forces without any structural failure during the magnet lifetime, the mechanical analysis of the 2016 version of the WP#2 design option is performed here applying a hierarchical approach herein defined as the Stress Recovery Tool (SRT): the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of a whole magnet (including the casing) is performed at a low computational cost adopting a coarse WP model with smeared (homogenized) properties. The displacements computed on the smeared WP are then used as boundary conditions for a refined FEA of some WP slices, located in selected (critical) poloidal positions, where all the conductors detailed features (jacket, insulations) are properly accounted for

Fruit quality characterization of new sweet cherry cultivars as a good source of bioactive phenolic compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective potential

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are highly appreciated fruits for their taste, color, nutritional value, and beneficial health effects. In this work, seven new cultivars of sweet cherry were investigated for their main quality traits and nutraceutical value. The phytochemical profile of three classes of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of the new cultivars were investigated through high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and spectrophotometric assays, respectively, and compared with those of commonly commercialized cultivars. Cyanidine-3-O-rutinoside was the main anthocyanin in all genotypes, and its levels in some new cultivars were about three-fold higher than in commercial ones. The ORAC-assayed antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with the total anthocyanin index. The nutraceutical value of the new cultivars was investigated in terms of antioxidant/neuroprotective capacity in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells. Results demonstrated that the new cultivars were more effective in counteracting oxidative stress and were also able to upregulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a pro-survival neurotrophin, suggesting their potential pleiotropic role in counteracting neurodegenerations

Decomposition of Arachis pintoi and Hyparrhenia rufa litters in monoculture and intercropped systems under lowland soil.

ABSTRACT - Tropical grasslands under lowland soils are generally underutilized and the litter of forage legumes may be used to recover these degraded pastures. The objective of this work was to study the dynamics of litter decomposition of Arachis pintoi (pinto peanut), Hyparrhenia rufa (thatching grass) and a mixture of both species in a lowland soil. These treatments were analyzed in three areas: grass monoculture, legume monoculture and legume intercropped with the grass during the dry and wet seasons. Litter bags containing the legume, grass or a mixture of both species were incubated to estimate the decomposition rate and microorganism colonization. Decomposition constants (K) and litter half-lives (T1/2) were estimated by an exponential model whereas number of microorganisms in specific media were determined by plate dilution. The decomposition rate, release of nutrients and microorganisms number, especially bacteria, increased when pinto peanut was added to thatching grass, influenced by favorable lignin/N and C/N ratios in legume litter. When pinto peanut litter was incubated in the grass plots, 50% N and P was released within about 135 days in the dry season and in the wet season, the equivalent release occurred within 20 days. These results indicate that A. pintoi has a great potential for nutrient recycling via litter and can be used to recover degraded areas. RESUMO - Pastagens tropicais sobre solos de várzea são geralmente subutilizadas. A serrapilheira de leguminosas forrageiras pode ser usada para a recuperação destas pastagens. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a dinâmica de decomposição de Arachis pintoi (arachis), Hyparrhenia rufa (capim jaraguá) e da mistura destas espécies, em solo de várzea. Estes tratamentos foram analisados em três áreas: monocultivo da gramínea; monocultivo da leguminosa e no consórcio entre as espécies durante as estações seca e chuvosa. Sacos de decomposição contendo a serrapilheira da leguminosa ou da mistura das espécies foram incubados para estimar a taxa de decomposição e colonização microbiana. A taxa de decomposição e o tempo de meia-vida (T1/2) foram estimados por um modelo exponencial, e o número de microrganismos foi determinado por meio de diluição em placas em meios específicos. A liberação de nutrientes, a taxa de decomposição, e o número de microrganismos, especialmente bactérias, aumentaram quando arachis foi adicionado ao capim jaraguá, com influência da relação favorável de lignina/N e C/N do resto desta cultura. Quando arachis foi incubado em parcelas de monocultivo da gramínea, 50% do total de N e P foi liberado em 135 dias na estação seca e em 20 dias na estação chuvosa. Estes resultados indicam que A. pintoi tem um grande potencial para ciclagem de nutrientes e pode ser uma estratégia na recuperação de áreas degradadas

TERT Extra-Telomeric Roles: Antioxidant Activity and Mitochondrial Protection

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is the catalytic subunit of telomerase holoenzyme, which adds telomeric DNA repeats on chromosome ends to counteract telomere shortening. In addition, there is evidence of TERT non-canonical functions, among which is an antioxidant role. In order to better investigate this role, we tested the response to X-rays and H2O2 treatment in hTERT-overexpressing human fibroblasts (HF-TERT). We observed in HF-TERT a reduced induction of reactive oxygen species and an increased expression of the proteins involved in the antioxidant defense. Therefore, we also tested a possible role of TERT inside mitochondria. We confirmed TERT mitochondrial localization, which increases after oxidative stress (OS) induced by H2O2 treatment. We next evaluated some mitochondrial markers. The basal mitochondria quantity appeared reduced in HF-TERT compared to normal fibroblasts and an additional reduction was observed after OS; nevertheless, the mitochondrial membrane potential and morphology were better conserved in HF-TERT. Our results suggest a protective function of TERT against OS, also preserving mitochondrial functionality

Diversidade metabólica de microrganismos em rizosfera de linhagens e híbridos de milho contrastantes para fósforo - campo.

A avaliacao da diversidade microbiana e um bom indicador da qualidade dos solos e de diferencas existentes entre solos de rizosfera de plantas. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a diversidade metabolica de microrganismos totais da rizosfera, pelo sistema BIOLOG. O solos rizosferico de genotipos de milho, eficientes (E) e ineficientes (I) para fosforo, em alta e baixo P foram coletados na Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Sete Lagoas, MG, Os hibridos avaliados foram: HT, HS1, HS2, eficientes e L22, ineficientes. Como amostras testemunhas: cerrado natural (mata), plantio direto e solo nao rizosferico dos hibridos e linhagens. As comunidades microbianas tivera, perfil distinto de utilizacao das fontes de carbono, conforme a analise de agrupamento e PCA. Amostras de rizosfera de hibridos e linhagens eficientes sob estresse de P tenderam a se agrupar, indicando que os microrganismos tiveram utilizacao semelhante de fontes de carbono, principalmente acidos carboxílicos. L3, L228 e HT HS2 foram perfil microbiano totalmente distinto quando sob alta dose de P. A diversidade microbiana em solos nao rizosfericos foi menor principalmente em alto P. O genotipos eficientes apresentaram, alta diversidade microbiana quando comparados com o cerrado natural