Text and context about artistic practices : a teaching learning proposal developed in PARFOR

We present in this article called “Text and Context about Artistic Practices: A Teaching Learning Proposal Developed in PARFOR”, the result of the activities performed in Visual Arts stage in a Public School of Chapecó - SC - Brazil. The research topic aims knowing, valuing and disseminating what is being produced in art in Chapecó and regioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characterization of coffee (coffea sp.) genes induced during coffee leaf miner (leucoptera coffeella) infestation

Orientador: Marcelo Menossi TeixeiraTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: O café é um dos principais produtos agrícolas mundiais. O Brasil é um dos maiores países produtores e consumidores de café. Assim sendo, a cafeicultura possui extrema importância econômica em nosso país. Um dos principais fatores que causam prejuízo à lavoura do café é o ataque do bicho mineiro (Leucoptera coffeella), pois Coffea arabica, principal espécie cultivada do café, é suscetível a essa praga. O Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC) empreende um projeto de melhoramento de Coffea arabica, visando a resistência ao bicho mineiro, através de cruzamentos com C. racemosa, espécie naturalmente resistente a L. coffeella.Neste trabalho isolamos genes diferencialmente expressos durante o ataque do bicho mineiro a plantas de uma progênie híbrida derivada de cruzamentos entre Coffea arabica e C. racemosa. Foram construídos macroarranjos de DNA contendo 1536 ESTs de bibliotecas de subtração enriquecidas em genes preferencialmente expressos em plantas resistentes infestadas. Membranas foram hibridadas com sondas de cDNA obtidas a partir de RNA total de folhas suscetíveis e resistentes ao bicho mineiro, em diferentes momentos da infestação (controle não infestado, pósoviposição e pós-eclosão). Após análises estatísticas e clusterização hierárquica, 21 cDNAs induzidos em pelo menos um tratamento foram selecionados como diferencialmente expressos durante a infestação do bicho mineiro. A expressão diferencial de cinco genes (PR-8, CAX9, SPC25, psaH, BEL) foi confirmada através de RNA blot contendo RNA de um segundo experimento de infestação, demonstrando a eficiência dos macroarranjos de DNA na seleção de genes diferencialmente expressos. O padrão de expressão dos cinco genes citados foi verificado em diferentes órgãos do cafeeiro e durante o desenvolvimento do fruto do café. Nossos resultados sugerem que o mecanismo de resistência ao bicho mineiro é derivado de uma maior expressão basal de genes relacionados a defesa em plantas resistentes do que em plantas suscetíveis, e que plantas resistentes possuem um mecanismo de sinalização de defesa disparado pela oviposição de L. coffeella. Dentre os cDNAs selecionados, destacamos SSH101B04, cuja proteína deduzida é similar a inibidores de protease do tipo Kunitz STI (Soybean Trypsin Inhibitor). Devido a sua alta similaridade com proteínas do tipo miraculina, esse gene foi denominado CoMir (Coffea Miraculin). CoMir foi induzido após a oviposição em plantas resistentes, mas não foi induzido após a eclosão da lagarta do minador em plantas resistentes nem em plantas suscetíveis. Através de ensaios de RNA blot foi verificado que CoMir é expresso em folhas, botões florais verdes e brancos e em frutos verdes imaturos. Ensaios de hibridação in situ demonstraram que CoMir é expresso no metaxilema de folhas, de pétalas e do estigma, e no estômio, endotécio, tapete e feixe vascular da antera. Ensaios de localização subcelular demonstraram que a proteína CoMir localizou-se preferencialmente no apoplasma e no citoplasma de células de epiderme de cebola (Allium cepa). Nossos resultados sugerem que CoMir é uma proteína reguladora de proteólise durante o desenvolvimento do café, que é mobilizada para defesa após a oviposição de L. coffeellaAbstract: Coffee is one of the most important crops in the world. Brazil is one of the biggest coffee producer and consumer countries. Therefore, coffee plantations have great relevance in our country. One of the main factors that affect coffee plantations is the attack of the coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella). This is due to the susceptibility of Coffea arabica, the main cultivated species. The Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC) develops a Coffea arabica breeding program aiming the resistance to the infestation of coffee leaf miner, using crosses with C. racemosa, a resistant species. In this work, we have isolated differentially expressed genes during L. coffeella attack to plants of a hybrid progenie between C. arabica and C. racemosa. We have produced cDNA arrays containing ESTs from subtracted cDNA libraries enriched in genes preferentially expressed in infested resistant plants. Arrays were probed with samples from susceptible and resistant leaves, in different treatments (control noninfested, after oviposition and after caterpillar eclosion). After statistical analysis and hierarchical clustering, 21 cDNA clones induced in at least one treatment were selected as differentially expressed during coffee leaf miner infestation. The differential expression of five genes (PR-8, CAX9, SPC25, psaH, BEL) was confirmed by RNA blot containing samples from a second infestation experiment, demonstrating the efficiency of DNA arrays in the identification of differentially expressed genes. The expression profile of these five genes was verified in different organs of coffee plants and during coffee fruit development. Our results suggest that the resistance mechanism against coffee leaf miner is derived from a higher basal expression of defense/stress genes in resistant plants, and that resistant plants have a defense signaling mechanism triggered by L. coffeella oviposition. Among the selected cDNAs, we identified SSH101B04, which deduced protein is similar to Kunitz STI (Soybean Trypsin Inhibitor) protease inhibitors. The gene was named CoMir due to its high similarity to miraculin-like proteins. CoMir was induced after oviposition in resistant plants, but it was not induced after larval eclosion in susceptible and resistant plants. RNA-blot experiments showed that CoMir was expressed in leaves, green flower buds, white flower buds and early green fruits. In situ hybridization showed that CoMir is expressed in the metaxylem vessels of leaves, petals and stigma and in the stomium, endothecium and vascular bundles of anthers. Subcellular localization assays demonstrated that CoMir was localized in the apoplasm and citoplasm of onion (Allium cepa) epidermal cells. Our results suggest that CoMir is a protein that regulates proteolysis during coffee development that is mobilized to defense after L. coffeella ovipositionDoutoradoGenetica Vegetal e MelhoramentoDoutor em Genetica e Biologia Molecula

A hipótese do citocromo P450 na etiologia do suicídio

Dissertação de mestrado em Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, apresentada à Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Coimbra.O comportamento suicida é um grave problema de saúde pública e uma das principais causas de morte em todo o mundo. É considerado uma doença complexa e heterogénea estando associado a doenças psiquiátricas, estimando-se que entre 10% a 15% da população em geral sofre um episódio depressivo clínico durante a sua vida. Os genes da família do citocromo P450 estão envolvidos no metabolismo e eliminação de uma variedade de xenobióticos, carcinogénios e fármacos utilizados na prática clínica para o tratamento de doenças do foro psiquiátrico. Alterações nos genes que codificam as enzimas responsáveis pela metabolização dos fármacos podem afetar a resposta terapêutica. Antipsicóticos atípicos têm contribuído para diminuir o risco de suicídio em indivíduos com doenças psiquiátricas. Assim, estudou-se o envolvimento de SNPs dos genes CYP1A2 (C734A) e CYP2E1 (-1053C>T e 7632T>A) na etiopatogenia do suicídio numa amostra da população Portuguesa. Para a realização deste estudo utilizou-se amostras de vítimas de suicídio da população Portuguesa obtidas no decorrer de autópsias Médico-Legais, realizadas nos Gabinetes e Delegações do Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses. Os polimorfismos genéticos dos genes CYP1A2 e CYP2E1 foram analisados por PCR-RFLP. Os resultados obtidos para as frequências genotípicas (χ2=1,24; df=2; p=0,54) e alélicas (χ2=0,93; df=1; p=0,33) do gene CYP1A2 não revelaram associação entre o polimorfismo C734A e o suicídio. No gene CYP2E1 estudaram-se dois polimorfismos genéticos, o -1053C>T localizado na região reguladora 5’ e o 7632T>A presente no intrão 6 e não foi observada associação entre estes e o suicídio [(distribuição genotípica para o polimorfismo -1053C>T: χ2=0,226; df=2; p=0,634; distribuição alélica para o polimorfismo -1053C>T: χ2=0,219; df=1; p=0,639); (distribuição genotípica para o polimorfismo 7632T>A : χ2=0,065; df=2; p=0,968; distribuição alélica para o polimorfismo7632T>A: χ2=0,004; df=1; p=0,952)]. No seu conjunto, os nossos resultados não revelaram associação entre os polimorfismos dos genes do sistema do citocromo P450 estudados e o suicídio

HISTORICIZANDO O ENSINO SECUNDÁRIO

A supremacia atribuída à condição de sábio, justificada pelo domínio da oratória e retórica são condições necessárias à sustentação de uma educação ideal. Nessas condições o filósofo grego Aristóteles (384 – 322 a.C), buscando subsidiar a formação intelectual, cria sua própria escola: Liceu, fundamentando a formação do dirigente, a qual acreditamos ser uma das contribuições desta escola em sua história. Esta se apoiou em uma prática educacional de formação literária, evidenciando a separação estabelecida entre o mundo dasideias, como já defendia Platão (427 – 348 a. C), e o mundo do trabalho, este tido de menor importância. Além do que a escola é uma das condições fundamentais para sustentar as bases de uma nação. Nessas condições é que na contemporaneidade a França ao organizar um sistema nacional de ensino, tem no Liceu uma escola preparatória para acesso a academia. Daí a nossa incursão pela implantação do ensino secundário e nos faz percorrer um pouco sobre a história da Antiguidade, espaço de seu advento. Por isso os significadosdo passado no tempo presente se constituem referências para a historiografia de um modo geral e para a historiografia da educação em especial. A análise que orienta a construção do nosso texto encontra-se apoiada no pensamento althuseriano, que concebe a escola como um aparelho ideólogo de Estado.Palavras-chave: Instituição de Ensino. Liceu. Ensino Secundário. Intelectual.ABSTRACTThe supremacy attributed to condition of wise, justified by the domination of the eloquence and rhetoric is necessary conditions to supporting of an ideal education. In these conditions the greek philosopher Aristoteles (384 – 322 B.C), searching to subsidy the intellectual education created his ownschool: Liceu, lasing the teaching of the ruling which we believe to be one of the contributions from this school in its history. This supported in an educational practice of literature studies giving emphases the separation established between the ideas world defended by Plato (427 – 348 B.C) and the word world, this seen with few importance. Besides that the school isone of the fundamental conditions to support the bases of the people. In these conditions on contemporariness France when organizes a national education system has on Liceu a preparatory school to admittance at the academy. From then our interest by the introduction of the high school thatmade us to investigate a little about the ancient history, space of its coming. So the meaning of the past in nowadays constitute references to historical studies of a general way and historical studies about education. The analysis that support the construction of our next is based on the Alghusserian thought that conceives the school like a State Ideology Institution.Keywords: Teaching Institution. Liceu. High School. Intellectual

Homeologous regulation of Frigida-like genes provides insights on reproductive development and somatic embryogenesis in the allotetraploid Coffea arabica

Coffea arabica is an allotetraploid of high economic importance. C. arabica transcriptome is a combination of the transcripts of two parental genomes (C. eugenioides and C. canephora) that gave rise to the homeologous genes of the species. Previous studies have reported the transcriptional dynamics of C. arabica. In these reports, the ancestry of homeologous genes was identified and the overall regulation of homeologous differential expression (HDE) was explored. One of these genes is part of the FRIGIDA-like family (FRL), which includes the Arabidopsis thaliana flowering-time regulation protein, FRIGIDA (FRI). As nonfunctional FRI proteins give rise to rapid-cycling summer annual ecotypes instead of vernalization-responsive winter-annuals, allelic variation in FRI can modulate flowering time in A. thaliana. Using bioinformatics, genomic analysis, and the evaluation of gene expression of homeologs, we characterized the FRL gene family in C. arabica. Our findings indicate that C. arabica expresses 10 FRL homeologs, and that, throughout flower and fruit development, these genes are differentially transcribed. Strikingly, in addition to confirming the expression of FRL genes during zygotic embryogenesis, we detected FRL expression during direct somatic embryogenesis, a novel finding regarding the FRL gene family. The HDE profile of FRL genes suggests an intertwined homeologous gene regulation. Furthermore, we observed that FLC gene of C. arabica has an expression profile similar to that of CaFRL genes9FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2013/17544-

An Experimental and Computational Study of β-AgVO3: Optical Properties and Formation of Ag Nanoparticles

This article aims to gather together in one place and for first time the formation process of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on β-AgVO3 crystals, driven by an accelerated electron beam from an electronic microscope under high vacuum. Synthesis and optical properties of β-AgVO3 are reported, and the relationship between structural disorder and photoluminescence emissions is discussed. First principle calculations, within a QTAIM framework, have been carried out to provide a deeper insight and understanding of the observed nucleation and early evolution of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on β-AgVO3 crystals. The Ag nucleation and formation is a result of structural and electronic changes of the [AgO5] and [AgO6] clusters, consistent with Ag metallic formation.The authors are grateful to PrometeoII/2014/022 and ACOMP/2014/270 (GeneralitatValenciana), Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Spain), CTQ2012-36253-C03-02 and PRX15/00261, Spanish Brazilian program (PHBP14-00020), FAPESP (FAPESP-CDMF: 2013/07296-2), CNPq and CAPES (for financially supporting this research), and special thanks to Dr. Alan Silva de Menezes of Department of Physics of Universidade Federal do Maranhão for the by Rietveld refinement. L.G. acknowledges Banco Santander (Becas Iberoamérica: Jóvenes profesores e investigadores). J.A. acknowledges Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, “Salvador Madariaga” program, PRX15/00261. We also acknowledge Servei Informática, Universitat Jaume I, for the generous allotment of computer time

An EST-based analysis identifies new genes and reveals distinctive gene expression features of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora

Background: Coffee is one of the world’s most important crops; it is consumed worldwide and plays a significant role in the economy of producing countries. Coffea arabica and C. canephora are responsible for 70 and 30% of commercial production, respectively. C. arabica is an allotetraploid from a recent hybridization of the diploid species, C. canephora and C. eugenioides. C. arabica has lower genetic diversity and results in a higher quality beverage than C. canephora. Research initiatives have been launched to produce genomic and transcriptomic data about Coffea spp. as a strategy to improve breeding efficiency. Results: Assembling the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of C. arabica and C. canephora produced by the Brazilian Coffee Genome Project and the Nestlé-Cornell Consortium revealed 32,007 clusters of C. arabica and 16,665 clusters of C. canephora. We detected different GC3 profiles between these species that are related to their genome structure and mating system. BLAST analysis revealed similarities between coffee and grape (Vitis vinifera) genes. Using KA/KS analysis, we identified coffee genes under purifying and positive selection. Protein domain and gene ontology analyses suggested differences between Coffea spp. data, mainly in relation to complex sugar synthases and nucleotide binding proteins. OrthoMCL was used to identify specific and prevalent coffee protein families when compared to five other plant species. Among the interesting families annotated are new cystatins, glycine-rich proteins and RALF-like peptides. Hierarchical clustering was used to independently group C. arabica and C. canephora expression clusters according to expression data extracted from EST libraries, resulting in the identification of differentially expressed genes. Based on these results, we emphasize gene annotation and discuss plant defenses, abiotic stress and cup quality-related functional categories. Conclusion: We present the first comprehensive genome-wide transcript profile study of C. arabica and C. canephora, which can be freely assessed by the scientific community at http://www.lge.ibi.unicamp.br/ coffea. Our data reveal the presence of species-specific/prevalent genes in coffee that may help to explain particular characteristics of these two crops. The identification of differentially expressed transcripts offers a starting point for the correlation between gene expression profiles and Coffea spp. developmental traits, providing valuable insights for coffee breeding and biotechnology, especially concerning sugar metabolism and stress tolerance

Crystal structure of MpPR-1i, a SCP/TAPS protein from Moniliophthora perniciosa , the fungus that causes witches’ broom disease of cacao

The pathogenic fungi Moniliophthora perniciosa causes Witches’ Broom Disease (WBD) of cacao. The structure of MpPR-1i, a protein expressed by M. perniciosa when it infects cacao, are presented. This is the first reported de novo structure determined by single-wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing upon soaking with selenourea. Each monomer has flexible loop regions linking the core alpha-beta-alpha sandwich topology that comprise ~50% of the structure, making it difficult to generate an accurate homology model of the protein. MpPR-1i is monomeric in solution but is packed as a high ~70% solvent content, crystallographic heptamer. The greatest conformational flexibility between monomers is found in loops exposed to the solvent channel that connect the two longest strands. MpPR-1i lacks the conserved CAP tetrad and is incapable of binding divalent cations. MpPR-1i has the ability to bind lipids, which may have roles in its infection of cacao. These lipids likely bind in the palmitate binding cavity as observed in tablysin-15, since MpPR-1i binds palmitate with comparable affinity as tablysin-15. Further studies are required to clarify the possible roles and underlying mechanisms of neutral lipid binding, as well as their effects on the pathogenesis of M. perniciosa so as to develop new interventions for WBD

Plant pathogenesis-related proteins of the cacao fungal pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa differ in their lipid-binding specificities

Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causative agent of witches' broom disease, which devastates cacao cultures in South America. This pathogenic fungus infects meristematic tissues and derives nutrients from the plant apoplast during an unusually long-lasting biotrophic stage. In order to survive, the fungus produces proteins to suppress the plant immune response. Proteins of the Pathogenesis Related 1 (PR- 1)/CAP superfamily have been implicated in fungal virulence and immune suppression. The genome of M. perniciosa encodes eleven homologues of plant PR-1 proteins, designated MpPR-1 proteins, but their precise mode of action is poorly understood. In this study, we expressed MpPR-1 proteins in a yeast model lacking endogenous CAP proteins. We show that some members of the MpPR-1 family bind and promote secretion of sterols whereas others bind and promote secretion of fatty acids. Lipid-binding by purified MpPR-1 occurs with micromolar affinity and is saturable in vitro. Sterol binding by MpPR-1 requires the presence of a flexible loop region containing aromatic amino acids, the caveolin-binding motif. Remarkably, MpPR-1 family members that do not bind sterols can be converted to sterol binders by a single point mutation in the caveolin-binding motif. We discuss the possible implications of the lipid-binding activity of MpPR-1 family members with regard to the mode of action of these proteins during M. perniciosa infections