Avaliação do arranjo de plantas de girassol.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os componentes da produção de girassol em função do espaçamento e da população de plantas, na região de Chapadão do Sul, MS. O experimento foi instalado em área de Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico, na safrinha de 2008, com o híbrido de girassol Aguará 4. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em parcelas subdivididas e o delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, com seis repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de três espaçamentos entrelinhas, nas parcelas (45, 70 e 90 cm) e quatro populações de plantas, nas sub-parcelas (30.000, 40.000, 50.000 e 60.000 plantas ha-1). A adubação foi realizada conforme a indicação técnica para a cultura. No estádio de maturação fisiológica, avaliou-se a produtividade, o número de aquênios por capítulo, a massa de 1000 aquênios e a altura de planta. Para todas as variáveis, houve efeito significativo a 5% de probabilidade tanto para a população de plantas, quanto para o espaçamento, contudo, a interação entre esses fatores não foi significativa. As maiores produtividades, número de aquênios por planta e massa de 1000 aquênios foram verificados, independente do espaçamento utilizado, nas menores populações de plantas, ao passo que, o espaçamento de 70 cm foi o que resultou na maior produtividade média, diferindo estatisticamente dos demais pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade.. Os componentes da produção do girassol apresentaram melhor desempenho para os arranjos de plantas em espaçamentos variando de 58 a 74 cm e populações entre 31.000 a 45.000 plantas ha-1. EVALUATION OF PLANT DESIGN IN SUNFLOWER. The aim of this study was to evaluate yield components as a function of row spacing and plant population in Chapadão do Sul, MS, Brazil. The experiment was carried out in a Rhodic Haplodox, in 2008 growing season, with sunflower hybrid Aguará 4. Treatments were arranged in split plots and experimental design was in completely randomized blocks, with six replications. Three row spacing (45, 70 and 90 cm) and four plant population (30,000, 40,000, 50,000 and 60,000 plants ha-1) were tested. Yield, number of achenes per plant, 1000-seed weight and plant height were evaluated at physiological maturity stage. Significant effect was observed for plant population in each row spacing, for all variables. Higher yields, number of achenes per plant and 1000-seed weight were verified regardless of row spacing in lower plant populations. Yield components of sunflower showed better performance for plant design with row spacing ranging from 58 to 74 cm and plant population between 31,000 and 45,000 plants ha-1

Fósforo na cultura de girassol.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os componentes da produção de girassol cultivado em sistema de semeadura direta, em resposta aos teores de fósforo (P) no solo. O híbrido de girassol Agrobel 960 foi semeado em fevereiro de 2009, em área de Latossolo Vermelho- Amarelo distrófico (LVAd), em experimento de longa duração conduzido em Ponta Grossa, PR. Durante a condução do experimento, as parcelas foram adubadas com 0; 60; 120; 240 e 480 kg ha-1 de P2O5, criando-se uma curva de resposta ao fósforo. No estádio de maturação fisiológica, avaliou-se a produtividade, o número de aquênios por capítulo, o peso de 1000 aquênios e a altura de planta. Os teores de fósforo no solo variaram significativamente em função das doses do nutriente aplicadas no solo. As respostas ao aumento dos teores de P no solo foram semelhantes para todas as variáveis avaliadas. A obtenção de 90 % da produção máxima de grãos foi conseguida quando o teor de P no solo foi de 8,2 mg dm-3. Esse teor de fósforo no solo pode ser considerado o nível crítico do nutriente em latossolos de origem sedimentar do Paraná, para o girassol cultivado na safrinha. Phosporus on sunflower crop. The aim of this study was to evaluate yield components of sunflower grown under notillage system, in response to phosphorus (P) in soil. Sunflower hybrid Agrobel 960 was sown in February 2009 in a dystrophic Typic Hapludoxin long-term experiment runned in Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil. During the experiment, the plots were fertilized with 0, 60,120, 240 and 480 kg ha-1 P2O5, creating a response curve to phosphorus. At physiological maturity stage, we evaluated yield, number of achenes per head, 1000-seed weight and plant height. The levels of phosphorus in the soil varied significantly depending on the applied rates of the nutrient in the soil. All evaluated parameters present similar reponses to the increase of soil P levels. 90% of the maximum yield was achieved when the P content in soil was 8.2 mg dm-3. This phosphorus content in soil can be considered the critical level of nutrient in oxysols originating from sedimentary rocks in Parana State, for sunflower grown during off-season

Adubação com níquel na soja: teores nos grãos e produtividade.

O objetivo foi verificar a influencia do Ni aplicado via solo na produtividade da soja e a relação com os teores nos grãos, em condições controladas. O cultivar de soja BRS 360 RR foi cultivado em dois Latossolos (LVef e LVd) submetidos às doses de 0,0; 0,2; 0,4; 0,8; 1,0 e 5,0 mg dm-3 de Ni. Foi avaliado ao final do ciclo (R9) a produtividade e o teor de Ni nos grãos. O delineamento experimental adotado foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Foi realizada análise de variância (Teste F) e quando significativos foram ajustados modelos de regressão. As variáveis analisadas foram correlacionadas pelo teste linear de Pearson. O fornecimento de Ni não proporcionou aumento da produtividade, provavelmente devido o teor inicial da semente de aproximadamente 0,78 mg kg-1 de Ni ter suprido as exigências das plantas. A aplicação das maiores doses, 1,0 e 5,0 mg dm-3 de Ni, reduziram a produtividade das plantas cultivadas no solo LVef, com ocorrência de sintomas de toxidez. A redução da produtividade apresentou correlação negativa com os teores de Ni nos grãos ao final do ciclo de crescimento

Gene expression analysis of cell death induction by Taurolidine in different malignant cell lines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The anti-infective agent Taurolidine (TRD) has been shown to have cell death inducing properties, but the mechanism of its action is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to identify potential common target genes modulated at the transcriptional level following TRD treatment in tumour cell lines originating from different cancer types.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Five different malignant cell lines (HT29, Chang Liver, HT1080, AsPC-1 and BxPC-3) were incubated with TRD (100 μM, 250 μM and 1000 μM). Proliferation after 8 h and cell viability after 24 h were analyzed by BrdU assay and FACS analysis, respectively. Gene expression analyses were carried out using the <it>Agilent </it>-microarray platform to indentify genes which displayed conjoint regulation following the addition of TRD in all cell lines. Candidate genes were subjected to <it>Ingenuity Pathways Analysis </it>and selected genes were validated by qRT-PCR and Western Blot.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>TRD 250 μM caused a significant inhibition of proliferation as well as apoptotic cell death in all cell lines. Among cell death associated genes with the strongest regulation in gene expression, we identified pro-apoptotic transcription factors (EGR1, ATF3) as well as genes involved in the ER stress response (PPP1R15A), in ubiquitination (TRAF6) and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways (PMAIP1).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This is the first conjoint analysis of potential target genes of TRD which was performed simultaneously in different malignant cell lines. The results indicate that TRD might be involved in different signal transduction pathways leading to apoptosis.</p

Comparative study of fungal cell disruption—scope and limitations of the methods

Simple and effective protocols of cell wall disruption were elaborated for tested fungal strains: Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Rhodotorula gracilis. Several techniques of cell wall disintegration were studied, including ultrasound disintegration, homogenization in bead mill, application of chemicals of various types, and osmotic shock. The release of proteins from fungal cells and the activity of a cytosolic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, in the crude extracts were assayed to determine and compare the efficacy of each method. The presented studies allowed adjusting the particular method to a particular strain. The mechanical methods of disintegration appeared to be the most effective for the disintegration of yeast, R. gracilis, and filamentous fungi, A. fumigatus and P. citrinum. Ultrasonication and bead milling led to obtaining fungal cell-free extracts containing high concentrations of soluble proteins and active glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase systems

Histo-Blood Group Antigens Act as Attachment Factors of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Infection in a Virus Strain-Dependent Manner

Rabbit Hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), a calicivirus of the Lagovirus genus, and responsible for rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), kills rabbits between 48 to 72 hours post infection with mortality rates as high as 50–90%. Caliciviruses, including noroviruses and RHDV, have been shown to bind histo-blood group antigens (HBGA) and human non-secretor individuals lacking ABH antigens in epithelia have been found to be resistant to norovirus infection. RHDV virus-like particles have previously been shown to bind the H type 2 and A antigens. In this study we present a comprehensive assessment of the strain-specific binding patterns of different RHDV isolates to HBGAs. We characterized the HBGA expression in the duodenum of wild and domestic rabbits by mass spectrometry and relative quantification of A, B and H type 2 expression. A detailed binding analysis of a range of RHDV strains, to synthetic sugars and human red blood cells, as well as to rabbit duodenum, a likely gastrointestinal site for viral entrance was performed. Enzymatic cleavage of HBGA epitopes confirmed binding specificity. Binding was observed to blood group B, A and H type 2 epitopes in a strain-dependent manner with slight differences in specificity for A, B or H epitopes allowing RHDV strains to preferentially recognize different subgroups of animals. Strains related to the earliest described RHDV outbreak were not able to bind A, whereas all other genotypes have acquired A binding. In an experimental infection study, rabbits lacking the correct HBGA ligands were resistant to lethal RHDV infection at low challenge doses. Similarly, survivors of outbreaks in wild populations showed increased frequency of weak binding phenotypes, indicating selection for host resistance depending on the strain circulating in the population. HBGAs thus act as attachment factors facilitating infection, while their polymorphism of expression could contribute to generate genetic resistance to RHDV at the population level

Justice: Greater Access, Lower Costs

Litigation imposes large costs on society; this justifies settlement considerations. In any case, access to justice is critical to socioeconomic development; as such, it needs to be balanced with litigation minimization. This study examines the tradeoff between litigation and access to justice and explicitly elucidates their relationship. In considering access issues, this study finds that the outcomes of policies that affect parties’ litigation decisions partially depart from those in the standard literature. For instance, increasing parties’ litigation costs does not necessarily promote settlement in the shadow of the court. Rather, effects depend on the elasticity of the demand for legal remedies. Furthermore, even while pushing litigation, enhancing access to justice is efficient as long as the claimant’s marginal propensity to litigate is smaller than the social opportunity-cost of access to justice. This finding offers further insight into the suitability of litigation subsidization through legal aid