Sodium and chloride exclusion and retention by non-grafted and grafted melon and Cucurbita plants

The effects of grafting on Na and Cl– uptake and distribution in plant tissues were quantified in a greenhouse experiment using six combinations of melon (Cucumis melo L. cv. Arava) and pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne×Cucurbita moschata Duchesne cv. TZ-148): non-grafted, self-grafted, melons grafted on pumpkins, and pumpkins grafted on melons. Total Na concentration in shoots of plants with pumpkin or melon rootstocks was <60 mmol kg−1 and >400 mmol kg−1, respectively, regardless of the scion. In contrast, shoot Cl– concentrations were quite similar among the different scion–rootstock combinations. Na concentrations in exudates from cut stems of plants with a pumpkin rootstock were very low (<0.18 mM), whereas those in the exudates of plants with melon rootstocks ranged from 4.7 mM to 6.2 mM, and were quite similar to the Na concentration in the irrigation water. Root Na concentrations averaged 11.7 times those in the shoots of plants with pumpkin rootstocks, while in plants with melon rootstocks, values were similar. Two mechanisms could explain the decrease in shoot Na concentrations in plants with pumpkin rootstocks: (i) Na exclusion by the pumpkin roots; and (ii) Na retention and accumulation within the pumpkin rootstock. Quantitative analysis indicated that the pumpkin roots excluded ∼74% of available Na, while there was nearly no Na exclusion by melon roots. Na retention by the pumpkin rootstocks decreased its amount in the shoot by an average 46.9% compared with uniform Na distribution throughout the plant. In contrast, no retention of Na could be found in plants grafted on melons

Glucocorticoids, master modulators of the thymic catecholaminergic system?

There is evidence that the major mediators of stress, i.e., catecholamines and glucocorticoids, play an important role in modulating thymopoiesis and consequently immune responses. Furthermore, there are data suggesting that glucocorticoids influence catecholamine action. Therefore, to assess the putative relevance of glucocorticoid-catecholamine interplay in the modulation of thymopoiesis we analyzed thymocyte differentiation/maturation in non-adrenalectomized and andrenalectomized rats subjected to treatment with propranolol (0.4 mg.100 g body weight(-1).day(-1)) for 4 days. The effects of beta-adrenoceptor blockade on thymopoiesis in non-adrenalectomized rats differed not only quantitatively but also qualitatively from those in adrenalectomized rats. In adrenalectomized rats, besides a more efficient thymopoiesis [judged by a more pronounced increase in the relative proportion of the most mature single-positive TCR alpha beta(high) thymocytes as revealed by two-way ANOVA; for CD4(+)CD8(-)F (1,20) = 10.92, P lt 0.01; for CD4(-)CD8(+)F (1,20) = 7.47, P lt 0.05], a skewed thymocyte maturation towards the CD4(-)CD8(+) phenotype, and consequently a diminished CD4(+)CD8(-)/CD4(-)CD8(+) mature TCR alpha beta(high) thymocyte ratio (3.41 +/- 0.21 in non-adrenalectomized rats vs 2.90 +/- 0.31 in adrenalectomized rats, P lt 0.05) were found. Therefore, we assumed that catecholaminergic modulation of thymopoiesis exhibits a substantial degree of glucocorticoid-dependent plasticity. Given that glucocorticoids, apart from catecholamine synthesis, influence adrenoceptor expression, we also hypothesized that the lack of adrenal glucocorticoids affected not only beta-adrenoceptor- but also alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated modulation of thymopoiesis

Spectral quantification of nonlinear behaviour of the nearshore seabed and correlations with potential forcings at Duck, N.C., U.S.A

Local bathymetric quasi-periodic patterns of oscillation are identified from monthly profile surveys taken at two shore-perpendicular transects at the USACE field research facility in Duck, North Carolina, USA, spanning 24.5 years and covering the swash and surf zones. The chosen transects are the two furthest (north and south) from the pier located at the study site. Research at Duck has traditionally focused on one or more of these transects as the effects of the pier are least at these locations. The patterns are identified using singular spectrum analysis (SSA). Possible correlations with potential forcing mechanisms are discussed by 1) doing an SSA with same parameter settings to independently identify the quasi-periodic cycles embedded within three potentially linked sequences: monthly wave heights (MWH), monthly mean water levels (MWL) and the large scale atmospheric index known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and 2) comparing the patterns within MWH, MWL and NAO to the local bathymetric patterns. The results agree well with previous patterns identified using wavelets and confirm the highly nonstationary behaviour of beach levels at Duck; the discussion of potential correlations with hydrodynamic and atmospheric phenomena is a new contribution. The study is then extended to all measured bathymetric profiles, covering an area of 1100m (alongshore) by 440m (cross-shore), to 1) analyse linear correlations between the bathymetry and the potential forcings using multivariate empirical orthogonal functions (MEOF) and linear correlation analysis and 2) identify which collective quasi-periodic bathymetric patterns are correlated with those within MWH, MWL or NAO, based on a (nonlinear) multichannel singular spectrum analysis (MSSA). (...continued in submitted paper)Comment: 50 pages, 3 tables, 8 figure

Adrenal adenomatoid tumor in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus

We present the clinical course of a patient with human immunodeficiency virus and an adrenal adenomatoid tumor (AAT). We describe the clinical course and laboratory, radiographic, and microscopic findings of a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and an adenomatoid tumor of the right adrenal gland. A review of the literature was also done via electronic searches through PubMed for articles from 1965 to 2008 that contained the following search terms, adenomatoid tumor limited to the English language only. A 22 year-old African-American male with HIV was incidentally found to have a hypermetabolic right adrenal mass. The patient underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy and the mass had morphological and immunohistochemical features that were consistent with an AAT. A review of the medical literature reveals that almost all cases of AAT were in male patients (96%) with a mean age of 41±11 years (range=22–64) with no significant difference in laterality (right side=46%, left side=50%, unknown=4%). AAT have an average size of 4.2±3.5 cm (range=0.5–14.3 cm). Pre-operative imaging studies do not appear to be able to reliably distinguish AAT from other types of adrenocortical tumors. For reasons that require further research, AAT typically occur in male patients and may be associated with immunosuppression. AAT can be safely removed laparoscopically with no evidence of long-term recurrence even with tumor extension beyond the adrenal capsule

Efeitos da aplicação de retardador (CCC) e acelerador (GA) de crescimento na morfologia e produtividade do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Carioca)

Verificou-se os efeitos de CCC e GA quando aplicados sob a forma de pulverização das plântulas, na morfologia, florescimento e produtividade do feijoeiro cultivar Carioca, em condições de casa de vegetação. Estudou-se as concentrações de 500, 2000 e 4000 ppm de CCC juntamente com 50 pprn de GA; sendo que CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm promoveu aceleração no crescimento da haste principal e CCC 4000 + GA 50 ppm retardou esse crescimento em relação ao controle. Aplicação de CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm aumentou o número de folhas do feijoeiro. Num período de 2 semanas após o tratamento com CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm ocorreu aumento no comprimento dos meritalos, sendo que 30 dias após a aplicação de CCC 4000 + GA 50 ppm verificou-se diminuição no comprimento dos mesmos. Observou-se aumento no comprimento do limbo foliar 5 dias após os tratamentos com CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm ou CCC 2000 + GA 50 ppm. Ocorreu aumento no número médio de flores com aplicação de CCC 500 + GA 50 ppm. Não ocorreram diferenças significativas entre a produtividade das plantas tratadas com relação ao controle.In this paper the autors tested the effects of (2 - chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and gibberellic acid (GA) on the cultivar Carioca of bean, in three different concentrations (500, 2000, and 4000 ppm) of CCC and one concentration of GA (50 ppm). Treatment with CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm increased the height of bean plant and CCC 4000 ppm + GA 50 ppm reduced the height of Phaseolus vulgaris. Application of CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm or CCC 2000 ppm + GA 50 ppm increased the leaf number of bean plant. CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm promoted a increase in the internode length and CCC 4000 ppm + GA 50 ppm reduced the length of internodcs. Application of CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm or CCC 2000 ppm + GA 50 ppm increased the leaf length 5 days after the treatment. CCC 500 ppm + GA 50 ppm promoted higher flowering in relation to the check.

Establishing Zebrafish as a Novel Exercise Model: Swimming Economy, Swimming-Enhanced Growth and Muscle Growth Marker Gene Expression

Zebrafish has been largely accepted as a vertebrate multidisciplinary model but its usefulness as a model for exercise physiology has been hampered by the scarce knowledge on its swimming economy, optimal swimming speeds and cost of transport. Therefore, we have performed individual and group-wise swimming experiments to quantify swimming economy and to demonstrate the exercise effects on growth in adult zebrafish

Diferenças na infestação de Aphis gossypii em plantas de algodoeiro cultivar 'IAC-RM3' tratadas com reguladores de crescimento

We have studied the effect of application of growth regulators, (2-chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC), N,N-dimethylaminosuccinamic acid (SADH), gibberellic acid (GA3) and 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA) on cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. 'IAC-RM3', in relation to atack of Aphis gossypii Glover, 1876, under greenhouse conditions. Two determinations of infestation levels of the aphids showed differences in degree of infestation among treatments. CCC treated plants showed increasing in aphid colonization in relation to GA3 at 100 ppm treated plants. The application of SADH at 4000 ppm also showed a tendency of increasing aphid colonization in relation to treated plants with GA3 at 100 ppm. Probably growth retardants promote differences in the water status of hostplant; and the aphids preferences to that plants suggest that the increase in the osmotic potential promotes better rates of aphid feeding than GA3 treated plants. In treated plants with GA3 at 100 ppm the infestation decreased, there was water stress during the warmer time of the day and a probable decreasing in the osmotic potential.Estudou-se a influência da aplicação de reguladores de crescimento (CCC, SADH, GA3 e IAA) em algodoeiro, Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. 'IAC-RM3', na infestação de Aphis gossypii Glover, 1876; em condições de casa de vegetação. A realização de duas determinações no nível de infestação dos afídios, evidenciou que plantas tratadas com CCC mostram níveis superiores de infestação com relação às tratadas com GA3 a 100 ppm; sendo que a aplicação de SADH a 4000 ppm também promoveu uma tendência de maior infestação com relação ao GA3 a 100 ppm. Estes resultados parecem revelar que os retardadores de crescimento promovem um equilíbrio hídrico interno nas plantas mais favorável, mantendo o potencial osmótico mais elevado e possibilitando uma melhor alimentação do afídio. Plantas tratadas com GAg a 100 ppm parecem sofrer maiores déficits hídricos, não favorecendo o estabelecimento das colônias, nas condições estudadas