Optimizing the choice of microsatellite markers for fingerprinting eucalyptus

In this study we have analyzed the information provided by 17 publicly available Eucalyptus microsatellite (SSR) markers (Brondani et al. 1998, 2002; Jones et al. 2002; Steane et al. 2001) in the context of genetic identification within a sample of 140 individuals from an elite collection (denoted hereafter base) of RAIZ genetic improvement population

Molecular estimates of similarity in Eucalyptus globulus

The base populations used in most forest tree genetic improvement programs usually lack detailed pedigree information. Molecular markers, such as microsatellites (SSR), can be used to estimate individuals’ pairwise relatedness, which is based on the probabilities’ ratios of the identity in state between the individuals compared and the reference unrelated population These estimates can be very useful to infer the level of relationship among sub-populations of elite material and/or for the design of controlled crosses between putatively unrelated parents. Using 113 putatively unrelated individuals - genotyped with 18 SSR - self, full-sib, half-sib and unrelated were simulated, and four pairwise similarity coefficients were tested: Queller & Goodnight 1989; Li et al. 1993; Ritland 1996, and Lynch & Ritland 1999. The Lynch & Ritland (1999) coefficient was selected (Figure 1), for it displayed a better adjustment with the expected level of relatedness and narrower standard errors (SE). SE were calculated through Monte- Carlo techniques, to avoid unequal sample size bias, by using 105 simulations for each relatedness group. To illustrate the usefulness of molecular estimates of similarity in genetic improvement programs, a clustering (UPGMA) based on the pairwise Lynch & Ritland (1999) coefficient (LR) values was performed to infer about the putative relationship among individuals of the subgroups of E. globulus elite individuals. From that analysis at least two pairs might be related and a PCA analysis confirmed the clustering results

Estimativa do parentesco numa população de melhoramento de Eucalyptus globulus através de microsatélites nucleares

É situação comum desconhecer-se o grau de parentesco entre a população na origem da maioria dos programas de melhoramento genético de espécies florestais. Para resolver este problema, desenvolvemos um protocolo de avaliação do parentesco utilizando 125 indivíduos e 16 microssatélites, da população base ou de referência (PR) de Eucalyptus globulus do RAIZ. Através da recombinação gamética in silico foram simulados 105 indivíduos com diferentes graus de parentesco: descendentes de autopolinização, meiosirmãos, irmãos completos e indivíduos não aparentados. Por simulação Monte-Carlo foram calculados o valor médio e a variância associada à média dos diferentes grupos de parentesco, com quatro coeficientes de similaridade genética. Compararam-se as funções densidade dos diferentes grupos de parentesco, obtidas com quatro coeficientes de parentesco, utilizando o valor crítico correspondente à intercepção das funções densidade dos indivíduos não aparentados e dos meios-irmãos. O estimador escolhido foi aplicado à PR. Detectaram-se 4,4% de pares de indivíduos potencialmente aparentados, com um erro de tipo II de 8%. Inferimos também, o parentesco de um conjunto de 24 clones elite e encontrámos 4 pares que são potencialmente aparentados. Futuros cruzamentos entre estes indivíduos deverão ser evitados

Balanced scorecard performance assessment in a medical imaging department

The authors present and discuss the development of a strategic management model based on the Balanced Scorecard by Kaplan and Norton to implement in an imaging ward and the relations with Performance Measurement System that allows for the monitoring of the service's evolution, the alignment of objectives, and the evaluation of individual employees within the strategy of the ward and the hospital

A Palatable Hyperlipidic Diet Causes Obesity and Affects Brain Glucose Metabolism in Rats

Background We have previously shown that either the continuous intake of a palatable hyperlipidic diet (H) or the alternation of chow (C) and an H diet (CH regimen) induced obesity in rats. Here, we investigated whether the time of the start and duration of these feeding regimens are relevant and whether they affect brain glucose metabolism. Methods Male Wistar rats received C, H, or CH diets during various periods of their life spans: days 30-60, days 30-90, or days 60-90. Experiments were performed the 60th or the 90th day of life. Rats were killed by decapitation. The glucose, insulin, leptin plasma concentration, and lipid content of the carcasses were determined. The brain was sliced and incubated with or without insulin for the analysis of glucose uptake, oxidation, and the conversion of [1-14C]-glucose to lipids. Results The relative carcass lipid content increased in all of the H and CH groups, and the H30-60 and H30-90 groups had the highest levels. Groups H30-60, H30-90, CH30-60, and CH30-90 exhibited a higher serum glucose level. Serum leptin increased in all H groups and in the CH60-90 and CH30-90 groups. Serum insulin was elevated in the H30-60, H60-90, CH60-90, CH30-90 groups. Basal brain glucose consumption and hypothalamic insulin receptor density were lower only in the CH30-60 group. The rate of brain lipogenesis was increased in the H30-90 and CH30-90 groups. Conclusion These findings indicate that both H and CH diet regimens increased body adiposity independent treatment and the age at which treatment was started, whereas these diets caused hyperglycemia and affected brain metabolism when started at an early age

Cottage cheeses functionalized with fennel and chamomile extracts: comparative performance between free and microencapsulated forms

Globally, there is a trend for healthy food products, preferably incorporating natural bioactive ingredients, replacing synthetic additives. From previous screening studies, extracts of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) and Matricaria recutita L. (chamomile) maintained nutritional properties and improved the antioxidant activity of cottage cheese. Nevertheless, this effect was limited to 7 days. Accordingly, aqueous extracts of these plants were microencapsulated in alginate and incorporated into cottage cheese to achieve an extended bioactivity. Plain cottage cheese, and cheese functionalized by direct addition of free decoctions, were prepared and compared. Independently of plant species, "functionalization type" factor did not show a significant effect on the nutritional parameters, as also confirmed in the linear discriminant analysis, where these parameters were not selected as discriminating variables. Furthermore, samples functionalized with microencapsulated extracts showed higher antioxidant activity after the 7th day, thereby demonstrating that the main purpose of this experimental work was achieved.The authors are grateful for financial support to CIMO (Project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2014). Thanks are also due to FCT/MEC and FEDER under Program PT2020 for financial support to LSRE (Project UID/EQU/50020/2013). Also QREN, ON2 and FEDER (NORTE-07- 0124-FEDER-000014) and PRODER (Project n 46577- PlantLact) and to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for C. Caleja’s PhD Grant (SFRH/BD/93007/2013), João C.M. Barreira’s Post-Doc Grant (SFRH/BPD/72802/2010) and L. Barros’s research contract. The authors also thank Ms Clarinda Paixão, from Américo Duarte Paixão Lda, for providing the plant samples and Queijos Casa Matias, for providing the cottage cheese samples.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How gamma-rays and electron-beam irradiation would affect the antimicrobial activity of differently processed wild mushroom extracts?

Aims: The effects of irradiation (gamma-rays and electron-beams), up to 10 kGy, in the antimicrobial activity of mushroom species (Boletus edulis, Hydnum repandum, Macrolepiota procera and Russula delica) differently processed (fresh, dried, freeze) were evaluated. Methods and Results: Clinical isolates with different resistance profiles from hospitalized patients in Local Health Unit of Mirandela, Northeast of Portugal, were used as target micro-organisms. The mushrooms antimicrobial activity did not suffer significant changes that might compromise applying irradiation as a possible mushroom conservation technology. Conclusions: Two kGy dose (independently of using gamma-rays or electron-beams) seemed to be the most suitable choice to irradiate mushrooms. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provides important results in antimicrobial activity of extracts prepared from irradiated mushroom species.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and COMPETE/QREN/EU for financial support to CIMO (PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011), Â. Fernandes (SFRH/BD/76019/2011) and J.C.M. Barreira (SFRH/BPD/72802/2010). They also thank to the Local Health Unit of Mirandela, Northeast of Portugal, for all the support and to INCT - Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, in Warsaw, Poland for electron-beam irradiation

Evaluation of Arenaria montana L. hydroethanolic extract as a chemopreventive food ingredient: A case study focusing a dairy product (yogurt)

Natural ingredients are valuable options to be exploited in the design of innovative food formulations with health benefits. Therefore, it was evaluated the potential use of Arenaria montana L. hydroethanolic extract (rich in apigenin derivatives) as a chemopreventive agent in functional foods. Apigenin is recognized as inhibiting VEGFR-2, which is the key receptor involved in angiogenesis. The obtained extract was also able to inhibit the VEGFR-2 phosphorylation through an enzymatic assay (IC 50 = ~63 µg/mL). Thereafter, free and microencapsulated forms were incorporated in yogurt. The obtained products maintained the nutritional value along the tested 3 days of storage, as also free sugars and fatty acids profiles, in comparison with the control samples. Nevertheless, the VEGFR-2 phosphorylation inhibition was not exhibited as intended. Even this behavior for the microencapsulated forms can be attributed to the protecting effect of the alginate matrix, further studies are required in order to better understand the shown performance.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER for CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) financial support. To POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 (LA LSRE-LCM) funded by ERDF through POCI-COMPETE2020 and FCT. To NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000006, funded by NORTE 2020, under PT2020 through ERDF. L. Barros, R.C. Calhelha and J.C.M. Barreira acknowledge the FCT for their post-doctoral grants (SFRH/BPD/107855/2015, SFRH/BPD/68344/2010 and SFRH/BPD/72802/2010, respectively). The authors also thank Ana Maria Carvalho for providing Arenaria montana L. samples.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Rules, Standards, and the Internal Point of View

Large scale structure and cosmolog

Noncommutative massive Thirring model in three-dimensional spacetime

We evaluate the noncommutative Chern-Simons action induced by fermions interacting with an Abelian gauge field in a noncommutative massive Thirring model in (2+1)-dimensional spacetime. This calculation is performed in the Dirac and Majorana representations. We observe that in Majorana representation when $\theta$ goes to zero we do not have induced Chern-Simons term in the dimensional regularization scheme.Comment: Accepted to Phys. Rev. D; 9 pages, Revtex4, no figures, references added, minor improvements, Eq.31 correcte