AVALIAÇÃO DO CRESCIMENTO E DESENVOLVIMENTO DA ALFACE (LACTUCA SATIVA L.) APÓS A APLICAÇÃO DE SILÍCIO NA RAIZ

O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a influência da aplicação via radicular de doses crescentes de um produto a base de silício no rendimento da alface americana Lucy Brown. Este estudo foi conduzido durante o mês de maio de 2020, no município de Maravilha - SC, sendo o delineamento em blocos causalizados com 5 tratamentos e 4 repetições totalizando 20 unidades experimentais. O tamanho de cada parcela foi de 1,5 metros quadrados e da área útil de coleta foi de 25 metros quadrados. Testou-se 05 concentrações do produto sendo C0= 0,0g/L; C1= 0,10g/L; C2= 0,20g/L; C3=0,30g/L e C4= 0,40 g/L aplicado via radicular. Na colheita foi avaliado o peso, altura e diâmetro. As variáveis foram submetidas à análise de variância (ANOVA), através do teste F e as médias de produtividades foram comparados pelo teste Tukey ao nível de 5% de probabilidade de erro, com o programa computacional estatístico SISVAR. Concluiu-se que a dose de 0,40g/l do produto a base de silício (Gigamix®) resultou em maiores rendimentos, respectivamente, para o peso, diâmetro de cabeça e altura da planta

Individuals with chronic neck pain have lower neck strength than healthy controls : a systematic review with meta-analysis

The aim is to verify whether there is difference in neck strength between healthy individuals and individuals with chronic neck pain. Methods The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched. Two independent reviewers selected relevant full articles comparing neck strength between healthy individuals and individuals with chronic neck pain. Two independent reviewers extracted the data from the full articles selected. A meta-analysis was used to assess standardized mean differences in neck strength based on a random-effects model (Prospero number CRD42017081502). Results The search returned 3554 results; 15 articles were included. The chronic neck pain group showed lower neck strength compared with healthy individuals. The standardized mean difference was -0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.13 to -0.67) for flexion, -0.79 (95% CI = -0.99 to -0.60) for extension, -0.74 (95% CI = -1.03 to -0.45) for right lateral flexion, and -0.75 (95% CI = -1.04 to -0.46) for left lateral flexion. Conclusion Based on this meta-analysis with a 3a level of evidence, individuals with chronic neck pain have lower neck strength for flexion, extension, and the lateral flexion of the neck than healthy controls

BioWorkbench: A High-Performance Framework for Managing and Analyzing Bioinformatics Experiments

Advances in sequencing techniques have led to exponential growth in biological data, demanding the development of large-scale bioinformatics experiments. Because these experiments are computation- and data-intensive, they require high-performance computing (HPC) techniques and can benefit from specialized technologies such as Scientific Workflow Management Systems (SWfMS) and databases. In this work, we present BioWorkbench, a framework for managing and analyzing bioinformatics experiments. This framework automatically collects provenance data, including both performance data from workflow execution and data from the scientific domain of the workflow application. Provenance data can be analyzed through a web application that abstracts a set of queries to the provenance database, simplifying access to provenance information. We evaluate BioWorkbench using three case studies: SwiftPhylo, a phylogenetic tree assembly workflow; SwiftGECKO, a comparative genomics workflow; and RASflow, a RASopathy analysis workflow. We analyze each workflow from both computational and scientific domain perspectives, by using queries to a provenance and annotation database. Some of these queries are available as a pre-built feature of the BioWorkbench web application. Through the provenance data, we show that the framework is scalable and achieves high-performance, reducing up to 98% of the case studies execution time. We also show how the application of machine learning techniques can enrich the analysis process

Biosynthesis of triacylglycerols (tags) in plants and algae

Triacylglycerols (TAGs), which consist of three fatty acids bound to a glycerol backbone, are major storage lipids that accumulate in developing seeds, flower petals, pollen grains, and fruits of innumerous plant species. These storage lipids are of great nutritional and nutraceutical value and, thus, are a common source of edible oils for human consumption and industrial purposes. Two metabolic pathways for the production of TAGs have been clarified: an acyl CoA-dependent pathway and an acyl-CoA-independent pathway. Lipid metabolism, specially the pathways to fatty acids and TAG biosynthesis, is relatively well understood in plants, but poorly known in algae. It is generally accepted that the basic pathways of fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis in algae are analogous to those of higher plants. However, unlike higher plants where individual classes of lipids may be synthesized and localized in a specific cell, tissue or organ, the complete pathway, from carbon dioxide fixation to TAG synthesis and sequestration, takes place within a single algal cell. Another distinguishing feature of some algae is the large amounts of very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) as major fatty acid components. Nowadays, the focus of attention in biotechnology is the isolation of novel fatty acid metabolizing genes, especially elongases and desaturases that are responsible for PUFAs synthesis, from different species of algae, and its transfer to plants. The aim is to boost the seed oil content and to generate desirable fatty acids in oilseed crops through genetic engineering approaches. This paper presents the current knowledge of the neutral storage lipids in plants and algae from fatty acid biosynthesis to TAG accumulation

Secondary metabolite gene clusters in the entomopathogen fungus Metarhizium anisopliae : genome identification and patterns of expression in a cuticle infection model

Background: The described species from the Metarhizium genus are cosmopolitan fungi that infect arthropod hosts. Interestingly, while some species infect a wide range of hosts (host-generalists), other species infect only a few arthropods (host-specialists). This singular evolutionary trait permits unique comparisons to determine how pathogens and virulence determinants emerge. Among the several virulence determinants that have been described, secondary metabolites (SMs) are suggested to play essential roles during fungal infection. Despite progress in the study of pathogen-host relationships, the majority of genes related to SM production in Metarhizium spp. are uncharacterized, and little is known about their genomic organization, expression and regulation. To better understand how infection conditions may affect SM production in Metarhizium anisopliae, we have performed a deep survey and description of SM biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in M. anisopliae, analyzed RNA-seq data from fungi grown on cattle-tick cuticles, evaluated the differential expression of BGCs, and assessed conservation among the Metarhizium genus. Furthermore, our analysis extended to the construction of a phylogeny for the following three BGCs: a tropolone/citrinin-related compound (MaPKS1), a pseurotin-related compound (MaNRPS-PKS2), and a putative helvolic acid (MaTERP1). Results: Among 73 BGCs identified in M. anisopliae, 20 % were up-regulated during initial tick cuticle infection and presumably possess virulence-related roles. These up-regulated BGCs include known clusters, such as destruxin, NG39x and ferricrocin, together with putative helvolic acid and, pseurotin and tropolone/citrinin-related compound clusters as well as uncharacterized clusters. Furthermore, several previously characterized and putative BGCs were silent or down-regulated in initial infection conditions, indicating minor participation over the course of infection. Interestingly, several up-regulated BGCs were not conserved in host-specialist species from the Metarhizium genus, indicating differences in the metabolic strategies employed by generalist and specialist species to overcome and kill their host. These differences in metabolic potential may have been partially shaped by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events, as our phylogenetic analysis provided evidence that the putative helvolic acid cluster in Metarhizium spp. originated from an HGT event. Conclusions: Several unknown BGCs are described, and aspects of their organization, regulation and origin are discussed, providing further support for the impact of SM on the Metarhizium genus lifestyle and infection process

Mycoplasma non-coding RNA: identification of small RNAs and targets

Background: Bacterial non-coding RNAs act by base-pairing as regulatory elements in crucial biological processes. We performed the identification of trans-encoded small RNAs (sRNA) from the genomes of Mycoplama hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma flocculare and Mycoplasma hyorhinis, which are Mycoplasma species that have been identified in the porcine respiratory system. Results: A total of 47, 15 and 11 putative sRNAs were predicted in M. hyopneumoniae, M. flocculare and M. hyorhinis, respectively. A comparative genomic analysis revealed the presence of species or lineage specific sRNA candidates. Furthermore, the expression profile of some M. hyopneumoniae sRNAs was determined by a reverse transcription amplification approach, in three different culture conditions. All tested sRNAs were transcribed in at least one condition. A detailed investigation revealed a differential expression profile for two M. hyopneumoniae sRNAs in response to oxidative and heat shock stress conditions, suggesting that their expression is influenced by environmental signals. Moreover, we analyzed sRNA-mRNA hybrids and accessed putative target genes for the novel sRNA candidates. The majority of the sRNAs showed interaction with multiple target genes, some of which could be linked to pathogenesis and cell homeostasis activity. Conclusion: This study contributes to our knowledge of Mycoplasma sRNAs and their response to environmental changes. Furthermore, the mRNA target prediction provides a perspective for the characterization and comprehension of the function of the sRNA regulatory mechanisms

Changes in Soil Acidity Attributes in Areas of Municipal Organic Waste Composting, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Composting is an alternative for treating and recycling municipal solid waste. Composting directly on the soil changes the attributes related to soil acidity. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of municipal solid waste composting in a small scale system on the attributes related to the acidity of soils used for making compost piles. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-40 cm in four areas under composting (1C, 2C, 3C and 4C) and four adjacent reference areas with no history of composting (1R, 2R, 3R and 4R). The soil was submitted to evaluation of pH in water, total organic carbon (TOC), potential acidity (H+Al), aluminum saturation and base saturation. We found the composting in a small scale system with piles directly on the soil promoted the increase of soil pH values, TOC contents and base saturation up to 40 cm, regardless of the time of use. This shows the potential of the leachate to reduce acidity and aluminum saturation in the subsoil

Soil aggregation indexes and chemical and physical attributes of aggregates in a Typic Hapludult fertilized with swine manure and mineral fertilizer

Purpose The objective was to evaluate the effects of mineral fertilizers and swine manure fertilization on soil aggregation indexes and on chemical and physical attributes of aggregates in Typic Hapludult managed under minimum tillage system. Method Experiment was implemented in 2013, in southern Brazil. The treatments were control, mineral fertilization (MF), swine manure compost + MF (SMC+MF); pig slurry + MF (PS+MF); PS to supply N for maize and black oat (PS100). In May 2015 and 2016, undisturbed soil samples were collected to obtain soil aggregates. Aggregates stability was evaluated through the mean weight diameter (MWD) and mean geometric diameter (MGD) indexes and aggregate distribution by diameter classes. In macroaggregates, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), clay flocculation degree (CF%) and ∆pH were evaluated. Results The use of swine manure, associated or not to MF, increases TOC and TN contents in soil aggregates in 67.02 and 125.87%, respectively, for SMC+MF treatment. However, it was not efficient in improving soil physical attributes, reducing soil aggregation indexes, mainly in the 5-10 cm layer, by the decreased values of MWD and MGD. This result corroborates with the increase in microaggregates in all treatments. This was a result of the negative ∆pH values and the increased CF%. Conclusion Despite the increase in organic matter contents observed in this study, this was not enough to guarantee an improvement in soil physical attributes over 4 years. These results show that management must be supported by several conservationist techniques in order to have soil quality

Genome-wide diversity and differentiation in New World populations of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax.

BACKGROUND: The Americas were the last continent colonized by humans carrying malaria parasites. Plasmodium falciparum from the New World shows very little genetic diversity and greater linkage disequilibrium, compared with its African counterparts, and is clearly subdivided into local, highly divergent populations. However, limited available data have revealed extensive genetic diversity in American populations of another major human malaria parasite, P. vivax. METHODS: We used an improved sample preparation strategy and next-generation sequencing to characterize 9 high-quality P. vivax genome sequences from northwestern Brazil. These new data were compared with publicly available sequences from recently sampled clinical P. vivax isolates from Brazil (BRA, total n = 11 sequences), Peru (PER, n = 23), Colombia (COL, n = 31), and Mexico (MEX, n = 19). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS: We found that New World populations of P. vivax are as diverse (nucleotide diversity π between 5.2 × 10-4 and 6.2 × 10-4) as P. vivax populations from Southeast Asia, where malaria transmission is substantially more intense. They display several non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions (some of them previously undescribed) in genes known or suspected to be involved in antimalarial drug resistance, such as dhfr, dhps, mdr1, mrp1, and mrp-2, but not in the chloroquine resistance transporter ortholog (crt-o) gene. Moreover, P. vivax in the Americas is much less geographically substructured than local P. falciparum populations, with relatively little between-population genome-wide differentiation (pairwise FST values ranging between 0.025 and 0.092). Finally, P. vivax populations show a rapid decline in linkage disequilibrium with increasing distance between pairs of polymorphic sites, consistent with very frequent outcrossing. We hypothesize that the high diversity of present-day P. vivax lineages in the Americas originated from successive migratory waves and subsequent admixture between parasite lineages from geographically diverse sites. Further genome-wide analyses are required to test the demographic scenario suggested by our data