Efecto de distintos niveles de salinidad en germinación de semillas de Selliera radicans cav.

39 p.Selliera radicans es una especie de la familia Goodeniaceae. Es nativa de Chile, Nueva Zelandia y Australia. En nuestro país está presente desde la Región de Atacama hasta la Región de Aysén. Es una planta halófita y perenne, que presenta crecimiento rastrero y forma un tapiz vegetal. Habita en la vegetación de las marismas y pantanos salinos, estuarios, canales lagos y lagunas asociados al mar.Con el propósito de contribuir a su estudio como planta ornamental con tolerancia a condiciones salinas o riego con aguas grises, es que se estudió su capacidad germinativa en soluciones salinas. Se evaluó el efecto del humedecimiento del medio de germinación con 6 niveles de NaCl (0, 70, 140, 210, 280 y 350 mM) sobre el porcentaje de germinación, el tamaño de los cotiledones y la absorción de agua en semillas de S. radicans recolectadas en Vichuquén.El porcentaje de germinación se afectó negativamente con el incremento de las concentraciones salinas, y el valor máximo de Czabator mostró que también se redujo la velocidad de germinación. El mayor porcentaje de germinación se obtuvo con el control (agua destilada) y fue de 86,4 %, similar al obtenido bajo una solución salina de 70 mM de NaCl (82,4 %). En las concentraciones de 210 y 280 mM, la capacidad germinativa se vio drásticamente reducida en relación al control, mientras que en la mayor concentración salina evaluada (350 mM de NaCl) se inhibió completamente la germinación. El tamaño de los cotiledones disminuyó en longitud a medida que aumentó la concentración de sal. El experimento de absorción de agua no mostró resultados concluyentes.Palabras claves: Selliera radicans, porcentaje de germinación, salinidad, valor máximo de Czabator./ABSTRACT: Selliera radicans is a species that belongs to the Goodeniaceae family. It is native to Chile, New Zealand and Australia. In Chile, it grows between the Atacama and the Aysén regions. It is a perennial and halophytic plant that has creeping growth and forms a ground cover. It inhabits the marsh vegetation, salt marshes, and estuaries, canals, lakes and lagoons associated to the sea. In order to contribute to the study of the species as an ornamental plant with tolerance to saline conditions or irrigation with gray waters, the germination capacity under saline conditions was studied. The effect of 6 levels of NaCl (0, 70, 140, 210, 280 and 350 mM) over the germination percentage, cotyledon size and water uptake in S. radicans seeds collected in Vichuquén were assessed. The germination percentage was negatively affected with the increase of the saline concentrations, and the Czabator maximum value showed that there was also a decrease in the germination velocity. The highest germination (86,4%) was achieved in the control (distilled water), similar to the germination under 70 mM NaCl (82.4%). Compared to the control, the germination under 210 and 280 mM NaCl was drastically reduced, and with the highest salt concentration (350 mM NaCl), the germination was completely inhibited. Germination percentage was negatively affected by increased salt concentrations. The cotyledons decreased in length with increased salt concentrations. The water uptake experiment results were inconclusive. Key words: Selliera radicans, germination percentage, salinity, Czabator maximum valu

Grounding Evaluation Capacity Development in Systems Theory

While “systemic thinking” is popular in the context of capacity development and evaluation, there is currently a lack of understanding about the benefits to employing systems theory in evaluation capacity development. Systems theory provides a useful orientation to the work involved in complex systems (e.g. national evaluation systems). This article illustrates how evaluation capacity development practitioners can use systems theory as a conceptual tool to gain a better understanding of the functional aspects and interrelationships present within a given evaluation system. Specifically, the systems theory perspective can help elucidate the reasons for the success or failure of a given evaluation capacity development program or activity. With the goal of motivating evaluation capacity development practitioners to use systems theory in their work, this article presents a systems theory framework for evaluation capacity development and offers practical examples of how it can be adopted

Phenotypic differentiation in love song traits among sibling species of the lutzomyia longipalpis complex in Brazil

Brazilian populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis may constitute a complex of cryptic species, and this report investigates the distribution and number of potential sibling species. One of the main differences observed among Brazilian populations is the type of acoustic signal produced by males during copulation. These copulation song differences seem to be evolving faster than neutral molecular markers and have been suggested to contribute to insemination failure observed in crosses between these sibling species. In previous studies, two main types of copulation songs were found, burst-type and pulse-type. The latter type can, in turn, be further subdivided into five different patterns. Methods We recorded male song from 13 new populations of the L. longipalpis complex from Brazil and compared the songs with 12 already available. Results Out of these 25 populations, 16 produce burst-type and 9 produce pulse-type songs. We performed a principal component analysis in these two main groups separately and an additional discriminant analysis in the pulse-type group. The pulse-type populations showed a clear separation between the five known patterns with a high correspondence of individuals to their correct group, confirming the differentiation between them. The distinctiveness of the burst-type subgroups was much lower than that observed among the pulse-type groups and no clear population structure was observed. This suggests that the burst-type populations represent a single species. Conclusion Overall, our results are consistent with the existence in Brazil of at least six species of the L. longipalpis complex, one with a wide distribution comprising all the populations with burst-type songs, and five more closely related allopatric siblings with different pulse-type song patterns and more restricted distribution ranges8CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPSem informaçãoSem informaçãoSem informaçã

Ancient role of vasopressin/oxytocin-type neuropeptides as regulators of feeding revealed in an echinoderm.

BACKGROUND: Vasopressin/oxytocin (VP/OT)-type neuropeptides are well known for their roles as regulators of diuresis, reproductive physiology and social behaviour. However, our knowledge of their functions is largely based on findings from studies on vertebrates and selected protostomian invertebrates. Little is known about the roles of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in deuterostomian invertebrates, which are more closely related to vertebrates than protostomes. RESULTS: Here, we have identified and functionally characterised a VP/OT-type signalling system comprising the neuropeptide asterotocin and its cognate G-protein coupled receptor in the starfish (sea star) Asterias rubens, a deuterostomian invertebrate belonging to the phylum Echinodermata. Analysis of the distribution of asterotocin and the asterotocin receptor in A. rubens using mRNA in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry revealed expression in the central nervous system (radial nerve cords and circumoral nerve ring), the digestive system (including the cardiac stomach) and the body wall and associated appendages. Informed by the anatomy of asterotocin signalling, in vitro pharmacological experiments revealed that asterotocin acts as a muscle relaxant in starfish, contrasting with the myotropic actions of VP/OT-type neuropeptides in vertebrates. Furthermore, in vivo injection of asterotocin had a striking effect on starfish behaviour-triggering fictive feeding where eversion of the cardiac stomach and changes in body posture resemble the unusual extra-oral feeding behaviour of starfish. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a comprehensive characterisation of VP/OT-type signalling in an echinoderm, including a detailed anatomical analysis of the expression of both the VP/OT-type neuropeptide asterotocin and its cognate receptor. Our discovery that asterotocin triggers fictive feeding in starfish provides important new evidence of an evolutionarily ancient role of VP/OT-type neuropeptides as regulators of feeding in animals

Micropropagación de caña de azúcar en Ecuador

Ecuador is a country where sugar cane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) exceeds 82 000 ha for sugar production. The Research Center of the National Union of sugar cane farming in Ecuador (UNCE) is plotted as objective to obtain plants of different varieties by micropropagation, to multiply quickly and efficiently, genotypes with excellent performance under the conditions of production and result in a high quality certified seed and plant genetics. It were used as initial explants shoots, of the varieties ‘Cenicaña 1985-1992’ (CC85-92), ‘Ragnar’, ‘BJ 7046’, ‘CR 74-250’, ‘SP70-1143’, ‘PCG 12 745’ ‘RD7511’ and ‘Mexico 73-0523’. The obtained seedlings were multiplied, rooted and acclimatised. Then be planted in areas where sugar cane is grown in the country. In the case of the variety ‘Ragnar’ planted an area of approximately 0.3 ha, which was determined yield (ton/ha). Micropropagation of selected varieties allowed to obtain 268 600 plants in 12 months. It was found that the varieties showed differences in their rates of multiplication. The survival of plants in the acclimatization phase was higher than 88.0%. The harvest for the experimental plot planted with the variety ‘Ragnar’ contributed 55 tons. This equates to an output of 183 ton/ha. These values are much higher than the national average. The results confirmed the non-appearance of diseased plants or Scalding RSD. These results are one of the first reports for Ecuador from the use of biotechnological methods, being the pioneers in the mass propagation of sugarcane plants.Keywords: mass propagation, Saccharum spp. hybrid, seedEcuador es un país donde la caña de azúcar (Saccharum spp. híbrido) supera las 82 000 ha dedicadas a la producción de azúcar. El Centro de Investigación de la Unión Nacional de Cañicultores del Ecuador (UNCE) se trazó como objetivo obtener plantas de diferentes variedades por micropropagación, que permitiera multiplicar de manera rápida y eficaz, genotipos con excelente comportamiento en las condiciones de producción y que resultaran en una semilla certificada de alta calidad genética y fitosanitaria. Se emplearon como explantes iniciales meristemos apicales de las variedades ‘CeniCaña 85-92’ (CC85-92),‘Ragnar’, ‘BJ 7046’, ‘CR 74-250’, ‘SP70-1143’, ‘PCG 12745’, ‘RD7511’ y ‘México 73-0523’. Las plántulas obtenidas se multiplicaron, enraizaron y aclimatizaron. Posteriormente, se sembraron en áreas donde se cultiva caña de azúcar en el país. En el caso de la variedad ‘Ragnar’ se plantó un área de aproximadamente 0.3 ha, en la cual se determinó el rendimiento (t/ha). La micropropagación de las variedades seleccionadas permitió obtener 268 600 plantas en 12 meses. Se comprobó que las variedades mostraron diferencias en sus coeficientes de multiplicación. La supervivencia de las plantas en la fase de aclimatización fue superior al 88.0%. La cosecha correspondiente a la parcela experimental sembrada con la variedad ‘Ragnar’ aportó 55 t. esto equivale a una producción de 183 t/ha. Estos valores son muy superiores a la media nacional. Los resultados confirmaron la no aparición de plantas enfermas por RSD o Escaldadura. Estos resultados constituyen uno de los primeros informes para Ecuador de la utilización de métodos biotecnológicos, siendo los pioneros en la propagación masiva de plantas de caña de azúcar.Palabras clave: propagación masiva, Saccharum spp. híbrido, semill

Coping Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Peru

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has subjected people around the world to severe stress, evoking a variety of coping responses. Coping responses can be broadly classified into four strategies: 1) problem-focused coping; 2) emotion-focused coping; 3) socially supported coping; and 4) avoidance. While there is a wide variability of individual coping responses, to some extent they are also culturally specific. Objective. This study aimed to compare the differences in the prevalence and factor structure of coping responses during COVID-19 pandemic in three countries: Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Peru. Design. The sample included 501 participants from Russia, 456 participants from Kyrgyzstan, and 354 participants from Peru. The mean age of participants was 28 years in Russia (SD = 13.5); 24 years in Kyrgyzstan (SD = 10.0); and 30 years in Peru (SD = 12.3). In Russia and Kyrgyzstan, coping strategies were assessed with an abbreviated Russian adaptation of the COPE (Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced) questionnaire. In Peru, coping responses were assessed using the Spanish version of the Brief COPE questionnaire. The average scores from fifteen COPE scales were used as the input data for linear modelling and factor analysis. Results. The coping scores varied substantially within each country. Differences between countries accounted for 17.7% of the total variability in religious coping; 15.8% in acceptance; 13.9% in mental disengagement; and less than 7% in the other coping strategies. No difference in the prevalence of coping responses was found between Russian and Kyrgyz participants after accounting for age and gender. In all three countries the coping responses were associated with the same four coping domains: problem-focused coping, socially supported coping, avoidance, and emotion-focused coping. Four factors explained up to 44% of the total variation in the COPE scores. Religious coping and mental disengagement were classified into different coping domains in the three countries. Conclusion. The results suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, people from different countries apply the full range of coping responses within the four universal coping strategies. Religious coping and mental disengagement differed the most across the countries, suggesting that some coping behaviors can take on different roles within the system of coping responses to stressful events. We attribute these differences to differing cultural and socioeconomic characteristics, and the different measures taken by governments in response to COVID-19

Evaluation of prevalence of Haller cells and their relationship with maxilofacial changes

Introdução: As células de Haller são descritas como células etmoidais aeradas, localizadas na margem inferior da órbita, próximas aos óstios dos seios maxilares. A tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico (TCFC) tem amplo uso na odontologia, permitindo aquisição de imagens da região craniofacial. Objetivo: Identificar, em exames de TCFC, a relação da célula de Haller com as seguintes condições: sinusopatia, desvio de septo nasal ósseo, tratamento endodôntico e lesões periapicais. Materiais e métodos: Foram utilizados 99 exames de TCFC, sendo 51 incluídos nos critérios da pesquisa. As imagens foram analisadas no software Xelis Dental®, de maneira a identificar a presença ou não da célula de Haller, bem como sua relação com as condições citadas. Resultados: Dentre os 51 exames de TCFC avaliados, 35,3% apresentaram célula de Haller do lado direito e 23,5% no lado esquerdo. Levando-se em conta a relação das células de Haller com uma ou mais alterações aqui citadas, no lado direito a tivemos em 72% dos casos, enquanto no lado esquerdo tal relação se fez presente em 75% dos casos. Conclusão: Exames de TCFC que apresentam a margem infraorbital permitem verificar a presença ou ausência da célula de Haller. Nessa amostra, verificamos maior presença de casos de endodontia, desvio de septo e sinusopatia nos indivíduos que apresentaram células de Haller.Introduction: The Haller Cells are described as aerated ethmoidal cells, located in the inferior margin of the orbit, near the ostia of the maxillary sinuses. The Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is widely used in dentistry, allowing acquisition of images of the craniofacial region. Objective: to identify in CBCT exams the Haller´s cell relationship with the following conditions: sinus disease, bony nasal septum deviation, endodontic treatment and periapical lesions. Materials and methods: 99 CBCT exams were used, from which 51 were included in the research criteria. The images were analyzed in the Xelis Dental® software to identify the presence or absence of the Haller Cell, as well as the relationship with the mentioned conditions. Results: Among the 51 CFCT exams evaluated, 35.3% presented Haller´s Cell on the right side and 23.5% on the left side. Whereas the relationship of the Haller Cells with one or more alterations mentioned here, on the right side we had it in 72% of the cases, while on the left side such relationship was present in 75% of the cases. Conclusion: CBCT exams that present the infraorbital margin allow to verify the presence or absence of the Haller Cell. In this sample, we verified a greater presence of endodontic cases, bony nasal septum deviation and sinus disease cases in individuals who presented Haller Cells