Ecological intensification with soil health practices demonstrates positive impacts on multiple soil properties: A large-scale farmer-led experiment

Improving soil health is critical to reversing trends of soil degradation and is of increasing interest to a range of stakeholders including policymakers, agricultural industry leaders, food companies, and farmers. Crop and soil management practices focused on ecological functions can be effective in restoring fundamental biological, chemical and physical soil properties. The call for ecological intensification of agricultural systems has the potential to improve soil health and input-use efficiency. In this study, we developed a framework to classify spatial and temporal ecological intensification with soil health practices: tillage, crop rotation, cover crop, organic amendment, and crop-livestock integration. We applied this framework in a statewide soil health project featuring collaboratively designed on-farm research. We found that ecological intensification affected all properties commonly used in soil health assessments, but the sensitivity of different practices to impact changes varied among the soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The use of cover crops had the greatest impact on driving changes in soil properties, in particular those closely related to organic matter and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Soil-test biological activity and its association with soil-test predicted N release in cropping systems intensified with cover crop use was found to reduce predicted nutrient fertility needs substantially compared to less intensified systems. Evaluating the potential of existing agricultural systems to undergo ecological intensification at a farm scale provides insights about management options to enhance soil health, particularly in regards to nutrient cycling, biological activity, and input-use efficiency

A neuroevolutionary approach to feature selection using multiobjective evolutionary algorithms

Feature selection plays a central role in predictive analysis where datasets have hundreds or thousands of variables available. It can also reduce the overall training time and the computational costs of the classifiers used. However, feature selection methods can be computationally intensive or dependent of human expertise to analyze data. This study proposes a neuroevolutionary approach which uses multiobjective evolutionary algorithms to optimize neural network parameters in order to find the best network able to identify the most important variables of analyzed data. Classification is done through a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier where specific parameters are also optimized. The method is applied to datasets with different number of features and classes.FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia in the scope of the projects: PEst-OE/EEI/UI0319/2014, UID/MAT/00013/2013, UID/CEC/ 00319/2019 and the European project MSCA-RISE-2015, NEWEX, with reference 734205

Motor function evaluation in merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy children

Congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by early onset of hypotonia and weakness. Almost 50% of the cases are caused by primary deficiency of a protein named merosin (MD), and present a homogenous phenotype with a severe motor and respiratory involvement. Eleven children with clinical and histological diagnosis of CMD-MD, aged of 3 to 15 years, were studied using the manual muscle testing (Medical Research Council), goniometric analysis, motor ability and day life activities (Barthel index) scales, with the objective to characterize the main motor function limitations. The muscular groups most affected were cervical flexors, paravertebral and proximal portions of limbs. The muscular groups of upper limbs were as affected as the lower limbs, and the extensors were more affected than the flexors groups. All children had severe muscular retractions on the hip, knee and elbow. Other frequent deformities were scoliosis and equinus-varum feet. No children presented the motor ability to walk, stand up and crawl; and all of them were classified as dependents or semi-dependents in the day life activities scale. Our findings confirm the severe and diffuse involvement of skeletal muscle in CMD-MD patients, producing serious motor limitations and deformities.A distrofia muscular congênita (DMC) compõe um grupo de miopatias caracterizadas por hipotonia e fraqueza muscular notadas até o primeiro ano de vida. Em torno de 40% a 50% dos casos são decorrentes de deficiência primária da proteína merosina (DM), os quais apresentam um fenótipo mais homogêneo, com grave comprometimento motor e respiratório. Foram avaliadas neste estudo onze crianças com diagnóstico clínico e histológico de DMC-DM, com idade de 3 a 15 anos, através de exame de força muscular (Medical Research Council), análise goniométrica, avaliação das habilidades motoras e das atividades de vida diária (AVDs) (indicador de Barthel), com o objetivo de caracterizar as principais limitações funcionais motoras. Os grupos musculares mais comprometidos foram os flexores cervicais, paravertebrais e proximais dos membros. Os grupos musculares dos membros superiores estavam tão comprometidos quanto os dos membros inferiores, enquanto que os extensores encontravam-se mais comprometidos que os flexores. Todas as crianças apresentavam importantes retrações musculares nos quadris, joelhos e cotovelos. Outras deformidades freqüentes foram escoliose e pés eqüino-varo. Nenhuma criança possuía a habilidade motora necessária para engatinhar, ficar de pé ou andar; e todas foram classificadas como dependentes ou semidependentes para a maioria das AVDs estudadas. Nossos achados confirmam o envolvimento difuso e intenso da musculatura esquelética na DMC-DM, acarretando graves limitações funcionais motoras e deformidades músculo-esqueléticas.Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente Clínica de Doenças NeuromuscularesUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Changes in the Benchmark Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Biovar Equi Exoproteome after Passage in a Murine Host

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi is the etiologic agent of ulcerative lymphangitis. To investigate proteins that could be related to the virulence of this pathogen, we combined an experimental passage process using a murine model and high-throughput proteomics with a mass spectrometry, data-independent acquisition (LC-MSE) approach to identify and quantify the proteins released into the supernatants of strain 258_equi. To our knowledge, this approach allowed characterization of the exoproteome of a C. pseudotuberculosis equi strain for the first time. Interestingly, the recovery of this strain from infected mouse spleens induced a change in its virulence potential, and it became more virulent in a second infection challenge. Proteomic screening performed from culture supernatant of the control and recovered conditions revealed 104 proteins that were differentially expressed between the two conditions. In this context, proteomic analysis of the recovered condition detected the induction of proteins involved in bacterial pathogenesis, mainly related to iron uptake. In addition, KEGG enrichment analysis showed that ABC transporters, bacterial secretion systems and protein export pathways were significantly altered in the recovered condition. These findings show that secretion and secreted proteins are key elements in the virulence and adaptation of C. pseudotuberculosis. Collectively, bacterial pathogenesis-related proteins were identified that contribute to the processes of adherence, intracellular growth and evasion of the immune system. Moreover, this study enhances our understanding of the factors that may influence the pathogenesis of C. pseudotuberculosis.Fil: Marques Da Silva, Wanderson. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Brasil. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Carvalho, Rodrigo D. De Oliveira. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; BrasilFil: Dorella, Fernanda A.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Folador, Edson L.. Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Centro de Biotecnologia; BrasilFil: Souza, Gustavo H. M. F.. Waters Corporation; BrasilFil: Pimenta, Adriano M. C.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; BrasilFil: Figueiredo, Henrique C. P.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Le Loir, Yves. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Silva, Artur. Universidade Federal do Pará; BrasilFil: Azevedo, Vasco. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Brasi

Tuberculose orbitária diagnosticada por imunohistoquímica

PURPOSE: To describe three cases of orbital tuberculosis, with their clinical characteristics and respective diagnostic procedures, showing the importance of histopathology for the correct diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three patients diagnosed and treated for orbital tuberculosis, in the "Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo" during the years of 1999 and 2001. RESULTS: All of the patients were female and referred a chronic evolution of swelling of one eyelid associated or not with other symptoms. They had not HIV infection. Two of them had positive epidemiology for tuberculosis. However, the search for systemic evidence of the disease and staining for bacilli (Ziehl-Neelsen method) were negative in all three patients. In all the cases, only the biopsy with immunohistochemical analysis could confirm the diagnosis. COMMENTS: Orbital involvement is a rare ocular manifestation of tuberculosis. Even in a tertiary hospital, few cases, if any, are diagnosed per year. However, the global incidence and prevalence of M. tuberculosis infections is not under control yet, and it has been a serious public health problem. Thus, one must be aware of the possibility of tuberculosis among the orbital diseases.OBJETIVO: Este estudo descreve 3 casos de tuberculose orbitária, com suas características clínicas, procedimentos diagnósticos, mostrando a importância da histopatologia para o diagnóstico correto. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Descrição de 3 casos de pacientes com tuberculose orbitária diagnosticada e tratada no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo entre os anos 1999 e 2001 RESULTADOS: Todos os casos apresentaram-se como massa orbitária de evolução lenta e progressiva em pacientes de sexo feminino, sem doença pulmonar concomitante evidente. Duas tinham epidemiologia positiva para tuberculose. A pesquisa de bacilo álcool ácido resistente (BAAR), pelo método de Ziehl-Neelsen, entretanto, havia sido negativa em todos os casos. O diagnóstico etiológico nos três pacientes foi realizado pela identificação imunohistoquímica de bacilos tuberculínicos intracitoplasmáticos. COMENTÁRIOS: Baseando-se na elevada prevalência da tuberculose nos países em desenvovimento, associada ao aumento de sua incidência na última década, torna-se necessário considerá-la no diagnóstico diferencial das massas orbitárias em nosso meio

FORÇA DE PREENSÃO MANUAL EM JUDOCAS DA EQUIPE MASCULINA DE CHAPECÓ,SC

O estudo teve por objetivo determinar valores de força de preensão manual de atletas de judô de Chapecó-SC, subdivididos por faixa, peso e categoria de peso, todos do sexo masculino, com média de 22,12 anos de idade. O aparelho utilizado para coleta de dados foi o TKK-5401 dinamômetro de mão digital para determinar à força de preensão manual, seguindo o protocolo da Associação Americana de Terapeutas da Mão (ASHT). Foram coletadas três tentativas de máxima contração em ambas as mãos com intervalo de quinze segundos de forma alternada. Para avaliação dos dados foi utilizado o T-test e Pearson. Os resultados obtidos mostraram os atletas mais graduados como mais fortes que os menos graduados, e que há diferença significativa na força máxima no grupo dividido por faixa (p=0,51 para mão direita; p=0,66 para mão esquerda), e dividido por categoria de peso (p=0,36 para mão direita; p=0,36 para mão esquerda). Este padrão mostrou que quando maior a graduação do atleta maior o seu nível de força, entretanto, não há relação com a categoria de peso, os atletas mais pesados não apresentaram os maiores índices de força. Foi apontado uma descrição dos níveis de força dos atletas de Judô de Chapecó, espera-se que estes resultados orientem futuros planos de treinamento e de competição

Microsatellite markers for studies with the carnivorous plant Philcoxia minensis (Plantaginaceae)

Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for the critically endangered carnivorous species Philcoxia minensis (Plantaginaceae) for further population genetic studies aiming at its conservation. Methods and Results: We identifi ed 29 clones containing 40 microsatellites from a genomic enriched library. A total of 27 primer pairs were developed and evaluated in 30 individuals of a natural P. minensis population. Seventeen markers successfully presented amplifi cation products within the expected size range, of which 12 were polymorphic. The expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.03 to 0.65 and from 0.00 to 0.77, respectively. Positive transferability with the related species P. bahiensis was observed for the same 17 markers. Conclusions: The 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers are suitable for studies in genetic diversity and structure, mating system, and gene fl ow in P. minensis and also may be useful for similar issues regarding the related species P. bahiensis38CONSELHO 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 informação2012/12927-

Microsatellite Markers For Studies With The Carnivorous Plant Philcoxia Minensis (plantaginaceae).

Microsatellite markers were developed for the critically endangered carnivorous species Philcoxia minensis (Plantaginaceae) for further population genetic studies aiming at its conservation. We identified 29 clones containing 40 microsatellites from a genomic enriched library. A total of 27 primer pairs were developed and evaluated in 30 individuals of a natural P. minensis population. Seventeen markers successfully presented amplification products within the expected size range, of which 12 were polymorphic. The expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.03 to 0.65 and from 0.00 to 0.77, respectively. Positive transferability with the related species P. bahiensis was observed for the same 17 markers. The 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers are suitable for studies in genetic diversity and structure, mating system, and gene flow in P. minensis and also may be useful for similar issues regarding the related species P. bahiensis.