Cytometric analysis, genetic manipulation and antibiotic selection of the snail embryonic cell line Bge from Biomphalaria glabrata, the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni.

The invertebrate cell line, Bge, from embryos of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, remains to date the only established cell line from any species of the Phylum Mollusca. Since its establishment in 1976 by Eder Hansen, few studies have focused on profiling its cytometrics, growth characteristics or sensitivity to xenobiotics. Bge cells are reputed to be challenging to propagate and maintain. Therefore, even though this cell line is a noteworthy resource, it has not been studied widely. With growing interest in functional genomics, including genetic transformation, to elucidate molecular aspects of the snail intermediate hosts responsible for transmission of schistosomiasis, and aiming to enhance the convenience of maintenance of this molluscan cell line, we deployed the xCELLigene real time approach to study Bge cells. Doubling times for three isolates of Bge, termed CB, SL and UK, were longer than for mammalian cell lines - longer than 40 h in complete Bge medium supplemented with 7% fetal bovine serum at 25 °C, ranging from ∼42 h to ∼157 h when 40,000 cells were seeded. To assess the potential of the cells for genetic transformation, antibiotic selection was explored. Bge cells were sensitive to the aminonucleoside antibiotic puromycin (from Streptomyces alboniger) from 5 μg/ml to 200 ng/ml, displaying a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ∼1.91 μg/ml. Sensitivity to puromycin, and a relatively quick kill time (<48 h in 5 μg/ml) facilitated use of this antibiotic, together with the cognate resistance gene (puromycin N-acetyl-transferase) for selection of Bge cells transformed with the PAC gene (puroR). Bge cells transfected with a plasmid encoding puroR were partially rescued when cultured in the presence of 5 μg/ml of puromycin. These findings pave the way for the development of functional genomic tools applied to the host-parasite interaction during schistosomiasis and neglected tropical trematodiases at large

Gradients from GOCE reveal gravity changes before Pisagua Mw = 8.2 and Iquique Mw = 7.7 large megathrust earthquakes

Considerable improvements in the measurement of the Earth gravity field from GOCE satellite mission have provided global gravity field models with homogeneous coverage, high precision and good spatial resolution. In particular, the vertical gravity gradient (Tzz), in comparison to the classic Bouguer anomaly, defines more accurately superficial mass heterogeneities. Moreover, the correction of these satellitederived data from the effect of Earth topographic masses by means of new techniques taking into account the Earth curvature, improves results in regional analyses. In a recent work we found a correlation between Tzz and slip distribution for the 2010 Maule Mw= 8.8 earthquake. In the present work, we derive the vertical gravity gradient from the last GOCE only model, corrected by the topographic effect and also by the sediments on depocenters of the offshore region at the PerueChile margin, in order to study a spatial relationship between different lobes of the gravity derived signal and the seismic sources of large megathrust earthquakes. In particular, we analyze this relation for the slip models of the 1996 Mw = 7.7 Nazca, 2001 Mw = 8.4 Arequipa, 2007 Mw = 8.0 Pisco events and for the slip models of the 2014 Mw = 8.2 Pisagua and Mw = 7.7 Iquique earthquakes from Schurr et al. (2014), including the previously analyzed 2010 Mw = 8.8 Maule event. Then we find a good correlation between vertical gravity gradients and main rupture zones, correlation that becomes even stronger as the event magnitude increases. Besides this, a gravity fall in the gravity gradient was noticed over the area of the main slip patches at least for the two years before 2014 Mw = 8.2 Pisagua and Mw = 7.7 Iquique earthquakes. Additionally, we found temporal variations of the gravity field after 2010 Mw = 8.8 Maule event, related to the main patches of the slip distribution, and coseismic deformation. Therefore, we analyzed vertical gravity gradient field variations as an indirect measure of the variable seismic coupling finding a potential relationship between Tzz and the seismic b-value. These relationships exemplify the strong potential of the satellite only derived models as a predictive tool to determine potential seismic energy released in a subduction segment, determining the potential size of a potential rupture zone, and in particular internal slip distribution that allows inferring coseismic displacement field at surface

Estimativa do potencial erosivo das chuvas em municípios no entorno a Flona Tapajós, Amazônia.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar o potencial erosivo das chuvas em municípios no entorno da Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, no estado do Pará para avaliar anos com maior ameaça a erosão dos solos. Foram utilizados dados de precipitação pluvial disponibilizados por órgãos de monitoramento meteorológico na região. Para garantir as avaliações de uma série longa de dados fez-se o cálculo do fator (R) considerando-se o maior período (1972 a 2012) em Belterra, período intermediário (1979 a 2009) em Santarém e na série homogênea, entre 1983 a 2002. Os dados evidenciaram que nos três municípios a distribuição anual do potencial erosivo das chuvas tem comportamentos semelhantes, sendo em Rurópolis as maiores flutuações. O ano de 1995 foi o que apresentou maior erosividade das chuvas anuais, no período de maior pluviosidade com 14.328,3 MJ mm ha-1 ano -1 em Santarém, 14.620,2 MJ mm ha-1 ano -1 em Belterra e 15.251,3 MJ mm ha-1 ano -1 em Ruropolis. Chuvas anuais com menores valores foram estimados em 1992, com 5.543,4 MJ mm ha-1ano-1 (Santarém), 5.830,9 MJ mm ha-1 ano-1 (Belterra) e 7.710,5 MJ mm ha-1ano-1 (Ruroplois). Esses dados evidenciam que as áreas cultivadas com grãos ou pastagens mal manejadas mais próximas ao município de Rurópolis são mais vulneráveis à erosão hídrica em relação a Belterra e Santarém. Práticas conservacionais devem ser adotadas para manter a capacidade produtiva dos solos nessa região

Condições agrometeorológicas e fenológicas do cafeeiro arábica nas regiões sul e alto Paranaíba do Estado de Minas Gerais no período de 2002-2004.

Neste trabalho é apresentada uma comparação entre os balanços hídricos seqüenciais decendiais dos municípios de Guaxupé e Monte Carmelo, MG, referentes ao período de 20022004. Além disso, é apresentada uma análise das condições agrometeorológicas ocorridas nas diferentes fases de desenvolvimento do cafeeiro arábica durante o período mencionado, em ambos os municípios. Pode-se verificar que o monitoramento agrometeorológico associado às fases fenológicas do cafeeiro arábica é uma ferramenta muito importante que poderá contribuir para a redução dos possíveis prejuízos provenientes de condições meteorológicas adversas, tais como, deficiências hídricas prolongadas e ocorrência de extremos de temperaturas do ar

Fenologia do cafeeiro: condições agrometeorológicas e balanço hídrico - ano agrícola 2002-2003.

Características fenológicas e agrometeorológicas do cafeeiro; Fenoliogia do cafeeiro; Exigências térmicas do cafeeiro; Exigências hídricas; Resenha agrometeorológica do ano agrícola 2002-2003; Monitoramento agrometeorológicas e informações climatológicas médias; Região sul; guaxupé; Região do Triângulo mineiro e Alto Paranaíba; Rio Paranaíba; Monte Carmelo; Estado de São Paulo; Região Mogiana; Campinas; Região Nordeste; Franca; Mococa; Rejgião da Paulista; Marília; Estado do Paraná; Região Norte; Londrina.bitstream/item/32753/1/Fenologia-do-cafeeiro-2002-2003.pd

Influência do processamento e defeitos do café na incidência e ocorrência de Ocratoxina A.

762 amostras de café (1kg) ? em sua maioria café arábica processado (beneficiado) oriundos de diferentes estágios da pré e pós colheita ? foram coletados em diferentes regiões do Brasil de acordo com um questionário sobre o histórico da amostra. 60 amostras, entre as 762, foram classificadas e separadas por defeitos, de acordo com a Classificação Brasileira, em 1317 tipos de defeitos: preto, ardido, brocado, brocado azulado, malformado, concha e miolo de concha, verde, melado, dentre outros. Todas as 762 amostras e as frações de defeitos (446 subamostras) foram analisadas para ocratoxina A e a influência e o impacto do processamento do café e a presença de defeitos na contaminação de ocratoxina A foram determinados

Towards accurate and precise T1 and extracellular volume mapping in the myocardium: a guide to current pitfalls and their solutions

Mapping of the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) and extracellular volume (ECV) offers a means of identifying pathological changes in myocardial tissue, including diffuse changes that may be invisible to existing T1-weighted methods. This technique has recently shown strong clinical utility for pathologies such as Anderson- Fabry disease and amyloidosis and has generated clinical interest as a possible means of detecting small changes in diffuse fibrosis; however, scatter in T1 and ECV estimates offers challenges for detecting these changes, and bias limits comparisons between sites and vendors. There are several technical and physiological pitfalls that influence the accuracy (bias) and precision (repeatability) of T1 and ECV mapping methods. The goal of this review is to describe the most significant of these, and detail current solutions, in order to aid scientists and clinicians to maximise the utility of T1 mapping in their clinical or research setting. A detailed summary of technical and physiological factors, issues relating to contrast agents, and specific disease-related issues is provided, along with some considerations on the future directions of the field. Towards accurate and precise T1 and extracellular volume mapping in the myocardium: a guide to current pitfalls and their solutions. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317548806_Towards_accurate_and_precise_T1_and_extracellular_volume_mapping_in_the_myocardium_a_guide_to_current_pitfalls_and_their_solutions [accessed Jun 13, 2017]