909 research outputs found
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
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
indivÃduos e 16 microssatélites, da população base ou de referência (PR) de Eucalyptus
globulus do RAIZ. Através da recombinação gamética in silico foram simulados 105
indivÃduos com diferentes graus de parentesco: descendentes de autopolinização, meiosirmãos,
irmãos completos e indivÃduos 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 crÃtico correspondente à intercepção das funções densidade
dos indivÃduos não aparentados e dos meios-irmãos. O estimador escolhido foi aplicado Ã
PR. Detectaram-se 4,4% de pares de indivÃduos 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
indivÃduos deverão ser evitados
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
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
Influência do sistema de poda no vigor e produção da videira, em condições naturais de deficiência hÃdrica, casta ‘Fernão Pires’
Apresentam-se alguns resultados de um ensaio instalado na Tapada da Ajuda,
em Lisboa, com a casta 'Fernão Pires'. Estuda-se o efeito do sistema de poda (Guyot vs
Royat), no vigor e produtividade da videira e na qualidade do mosto em condições
naturais de stress hÃdrico. O stress hÃdrico provocou uma senescência prematura das
folhas e induziu baixas taxas fotossintéticas que afectaram negativamente a maturação
e originaram uma progressiva redução do vigor. Durante a maturação, apesar dos
sistemas Royat terem apresentado potenciais hÃdricos foliares mais desfavoráveis
relativamente aos Guyot, a taxa fotossintética de folhas expostas não foi afectada. Em
geral, o sistema de poda não influenciou o rendimento e a qualidade do mosto mas os
Ãndices do vigor foram significativamente superiores nos sistemas Royat. Em 1992 foi
testado o efeito da rega tendo-se verificado uma influência positiva no comportamento
fisiológico, no crescimento vegetativo e no rendimento, sem afectar a qualidade do mostoinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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
Inclusion of shrimp waste meal in diet of free-range chickens
Shrimp waste meal (SWM) is a by-product from the processing of shrimp for human consumption. The value of SMW in feeding poultry is not well documented. The objective of this study was to determine the energy value and optimal inclusion level of SWM in the diet of growing chickens. A total of 180 one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to five treatments with 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg of SWM included in their diet. There were six replicates of six birds for each treatment. Dry matter intake (DMI) was not affected by the level of SWM that was fed. Retained dry matter varied from 72.39% in the diet that did not contain SWM to 66.97% in the diet with 200 g/kg of SWM. Nitrogen retention (NR) ranged from 54.70% to 70.10%; N ingested was between 18.71% and 24.03%. Energy intake ranged from 73.57% to 69.33% for the control and the diet with 200 g/kg of SWM, respectively. NR improved with increasing SWM inclusion levels. The apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and corrected apparent energy metabolizable (AMEn) ranged from 2928 to 2527 kcal/kg and 2774 to 2329 kcal/kg, respectively, relative to the control and 200 g/kg SWM diets. The energy consumption, in kcal/kg, of SWM consumed was AME = 2332-6.971 x SWM and AMEn = 2113-8.128 x SWM. High levels of SWM reduce the dry matter metabolization coefficient and metabolizable energy values in broilers during the growing phase, so it is recommended that up to 100 g/kg should be included, which would provide an AMEn of 1300.2 kcal/kg for free-range chickens in dry matter
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