46 research outputs found
Assessment of four portuguese wheat landrace diversity to cope with global warming
Original ResearchWheat is a dietary staple consumed worldwide strongly responsible for proteins
and carbohydrate population intake. However, wheat production and quality will
scarcely fulfill forward demands, which are compounded by high-temperature (HT)
events as heatwaves, increasingly common in Portugal. Thus, landraces assume
crucial importance as potential reservoirs of useful traits for wheat breeding and
may be pre-adapted to extreme environmental conditions. This work evaluates four
Portuguese landrace yield and grain composition through attenuated total reflection
Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, particularly protein content, and
their responses to HT treatment mimicking a heatwave. Landraces showed distinct yield
traits, especially plant height and first spike grain number, and a similar pattern in FTIR
spectra, although revealing differences in grain componentsâ proportions. Comparison
between spectra band intensity indicates that Ardito has the highest protein-related
peaks, contrary to Magueija, which appears to be the landrace with higher lipid content.
In plants submitted to 1 week of HT treatment 10 days after anthesis, the first spike grain
size and weight were markedly reduced in all landraces. Additionally, it was observed
that a general increase in grain protein content in the four landraces, being the increment
observed in Ardito and Grécia, is statistically significant. The comparative assessment
of control and HT average FTIR spectra denoted also the occurrence of alterations
in grain polysaccharide composition. An integrated assessment of the evaluations
performed revealed that Ardito and Magueija landraces presented diverse yield-related
characteristics and distinct responses to cope with HT. In fact, the former landrace
revealed considerable grain yield diminution along with an increase in grain protein
proportion after HT, while the latter showed a significant increase in spikes and grain
number, with grain quality detriment. These results reinforce the relevance of scrutinizing
old genotype diversity seeking for useful characteristics, particularly considering HT
impact on grain production and qualityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Consultas neurolĂłgicas e diagnĂłsticos em um grande hospital universitĂĄrio dedicado a COVID-19
Background: More than one-third of COVID-19 patients present neurological symptomsranging from anosmia to stroke and encephalopathy. Furthermore, pre-existingneurological conditions may require special treatment and may be associated with worseoutcomes. Notwithstanding, the role of neurologists in COVID-19 is probablyunderrecognized. Objective: The aim of this study was to report the reasons forrequesting neurological consultations by internists and intensivists in a COVID-19-dedicated hospital. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at Hospital dasClĂnicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil, a 900-bedCOVID-19 dedicated center (including 300 intensive care unit beds). COVID-19 diagnosiswas confirmed by SARS-CoV-2-RT-PCR in nasal swabs. All inpatient neurologyconsultations between March 23rd and May 23rd, 2020 were analyzed. Neurologistsperformed the neurological exam, assessed all available data to diagnose theneurological condition, and requested additional tests deemed necessary. Difficultdiagnoses were established in consensus meetings. After diagnosis, neurologists wereinvolved in the treatment. Results: Neurological consultations were requested for 89 outof 1,208 (7.4%) inpatient COVID admissions during that period. Main neurologicaldiagnoses included: encephalopathy (44.4%), stroke (16.7%), previous neurologicaldiseases (9.0%), seizures (9.0%), neuromuscular disorders (5.6%), other acute brainlesions (3.4%), and other mild nonspecific symptoms (11.2%). Conclusions: Mostneurological consultations in a COVID-19-dedicated hospital were requested for severeconditions that could have an impact on the outcome. First-line doctors should be able torecognize neurological symptoms; neurologists are important members of the medicalteam in COVID-19 hospital care.Introdução: Mais de um terço dos pacientes com COVID-19 apresentam sintomasneurolĂłgicos que variam de anosmia a AVC e encefalopatia. AlĂ©m disso, doençasneurolĂłgicas prĂ©vias podem exigir tratamento especial e estar associadas a pioresdesfechos. NĂŁo obstante, o papel dos neurologistas na COVID-19 Ă© provavelmentepouco reconhecido. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi relatar os motivos para solicitarconsultas neurolĂłgicas por clĂnicos e intensivistas em um hospital dedicado Ă COVID-19. MĂ©todos: Estudo retrospectivo realizado no Hospital das ClĂnicas da Faculdade deMedicina da Universidade de SĂŁo Paulo, Brasil, um centro dedicado Ă COVID-19 com900 leitos (incluindo 300 leitos para unidades de terapia intensiva). O diagnĂłstico deCOVID-19 foi confirmado por SARS-CoV-2-RT-PCR em swabs nasais. Todas asinterconsultas de neurologia hospitalar entre 23 de março e 23 de maio de 2020 foramanalisadas. Os neurologistas realizaram o exame neurolĂłgico, avaliaram todos os dadosdisponĂveis para diagnosticar a patologia neurolĂłgica e solicitaram exames adicionaisconforme necessidade. DiagnĂłsticos difĂceis foram estabelecidos em reuniĂ”es deconsenso. ApĂłs o diagnĂłstico, os neurologistas participaram da condução dos casos.Resultados: Foram solicitadas consultas neurolĂłgicas para 89 de 1.208 (7,4%) empacientes internados por COVID-19 durante o perĂodo. Os principais diagnĂłsticosneurolĂłgicos incluĂram: encefalopatia (44,4%), acidente vascular cerebral (16,7%),doenças neurolĂłgicas prĂ©vias (9,0%), crises epilĂ©pticas (9,0%), transtornosneuromusculares (5,6%), outras lesĂ”es encefĂĄlicas agudas (3,4%) e outros sintomasleves inespecĂficos (11,2%). ConclusĂ”es: A maioria das consultas neurolĂłgicas em umhospital dedicado Ă COVID-19 foi solicitada para condiçÔes graves que poderiam afetaro desfecho clĂnico. Os mĂ©dicos na linha de frente devem ser capazes de reconhecersintomas neurolĂłgicos. Os neurologistas sĂŁo membros importantes da equipe mĂ©dica noatendimento hospitalar Ă COVID-19
Monoculture of Leafcutter Ant Gardens
Background -- Leafcutter ants depend on the cultivation of symbiotic Attamyces fungi for food, which are thought to be grown by the ants in single-strain, clonal monoculture throughout the hundreds to thousands of gardens within a leafcutter nest. Monoculture eliminates cultivar-cultivar competition that would select for competitive fungal traits that are detrimental to the ants, whereas polyculture of several fungi could increase nutritional diversity and disease resistance of genetically variable gardens. Methodology/Principal Findings -- Using three experimental approaches, we assessed cultivar diversity within nests of Atta leafcutter ants, which are most likely among all fungus-growing ants to cultivate distinct cultivar genotypes per nest because of the nests' enormous sizes (up to 5000 gardens) and extended lifespans (10â20 years). In Atta texana and in A. cephalotes, we resampled nests over a 5-year period to test for persistence of resident cultivar genotypes within each nest, and we tested for genetic differences between fungi from different nest sectors accessed through excavation. In A. texana, we also determined the number of Attamyces cells carried as a starter inoculum by a dispersing queens (minimally several thousand Attamyces cells), and we tested for genetic differences between Attamyces carried by sister queens dispersing from the same nest. Except for mutational variation arising during clonal Attamyces propagation, DNA fingerprinting revealed no evidence for fungal polyculture and no genotype turnover during the 5-year surveys. Conclusions/Significance -- Atta leafcutter ants can achieve stable, fungal monoculture over many years. Mutational variation emerging within an Attamyces monoculture could provide genetic diversity for symbiont choice (gardening biases of the ants favoring specific mutational variants), an analog of artificial selection.The research was supported by National Science Foundation awards DEB-0920138, DEB-0639879, and DEB-0110073 to UGM; DEB-0949689 to T.R. Schultz, N. Mehdiabadi, and UGM; and a Fellowship (02/05) from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientĂfico e TecnolĂłgico to AR. The funding agencies had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Biological Sciences, School o
Cooperation partnerships in higher education, Project Result 1 - Report on the status of internationalisation of teacher education
Expressed sequence tags from Atta laevigata and identification of candidate genes for the control of pest leaf-cutting ants
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Leafcutters are the highest evolved within Neotropical ants in the tribe Attini and model systems for studying caste formation, labor division and symbiosis with microorganisms. Some species of leafcutters are agricultural pests controlled by chemicals which affect other animals and accumulate in the environment. Aiming to provide genetic basis for the study of leafcutters and for the development of more specific and environmentally friendly methods for the control of pest leafcutters, we generated expressed sequence tag data from <it>Atta laevigata</it>, one of the pest ants with broad geographic distribution in South America.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The analysis of the expressed sequence tags allowed us to characterize 2,006 unique sequences in <it>Atta laevigata</it>. Sixteen of these genes had a high number of transcripts and are likely positively selected for high level of gene expression, being responsible for three basic biological functions: energy conservation through redox reactions in mitochondria; cytoskeleton and muscle structuring; regulation of gene expression and metabolism. Based on leafcutters lifestyle and reports of genes involved in key processes of other social insects, we identified 146 sequences potential targets for controlling pest leafcutters. The targets are responsible for antixenobiosis, development and longevity, immunity, resistance to pathogens, pheromone function, cell signaling, behavior, polysaccharide metabolism and arginine kynase activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from <it>Atta laevigata </it>have provided important genetic basis for future studies on the biology of leaf-cutting ants and may contribute to the development of a more specific and environmentally friendly method for the control of agricultural pest leafcutters.</p
A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)
Meeting abstrac
HE-LHC: The High-Energy Large Hadron Collider â Future Circular Collider Conceptual Design Report Volume 4
In response to the 2013 Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (EPPSU), the Future Circular Collider (FCC) study was launched as a world-wide international collaboration hosted by CERN. The FCC study covered an energy-frontier hadron collider (FCC-hh), a highest-luminosity high-energy lepton collider (FCC-ee), the corresponding 100 km tunnel infrastructure, as well as the physics opportunities of these two colliders, and a high-energy LHC, based on FCC-hh technology. This document constitutes the third volume of the FCC Conceptual Design Report, devoted to the hadron collider FCC-hh. It summarizes the FCC-hh physics discovery opportunities, presents the FCC-hh accelerator design, performance reach, and staged operation plan, discusses the underlying technologies, the civil engineering and technical infrastructure, and also sketches a possible implementation. Combining ingredients from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the high-luminosity LHC upgrade and adding novel technologies and approaches, the FCC-hh design aims at significantly extending the energy frontier to 100 TeV. Its unprecedented centre-of-mass collision energy will make the FCC-hh a unique instrument to explore physics beyond the Standard Model, offering great direct sensitivity to new physics and discoveries