Regeneração de Passiflora suberosa em suspensão celular.

O gênero Passiflora é o maior e o mais importante da família Passifloraceae por abrigar as principais espécies exploradas comercialmente no mundo. Muitas espécies são cultivadas para a produção de sucos, consumo in natura, extração de substâncias de interesse farmacológico e fins ornamentais, mas a presença de patógenos de solo que vêm dizimando os cultivos. Uma alternativa é a hibridação interespecífica, ou seja, cruzamentos convencionais, de seleção ou cultivares comerciais, com as espécies silvestres na produção de porta-enxertos resistentes, porém esses híbridos sexuais quando obtidos têm apresentado baixa fertilidade. Desta forma, uma alternativa viável é a produção de porta-enxertos tetraplóides com genes de resistência aos patógenos pela técnica da hibridação somática. Contudo, para isto são necessários protocolos eficientes de regeneração das espécies parentais diplóides a patir de células individuais. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho foi estabelecer um protocolo de regeneração de plantas a partir de células em suspensão da espécie de P. suberosa. Para tanto, calos MR13 BIO oriundos da Embrapa de Mandioca e Fruticultura Tropical de Cruz das Almas/BA foram submetidos ao meio de cultura MS (Murashige e Skoog) suplementado com os reguladores de crescimento BAP 1,0 mg/L ou 2,0 mg/L; KIN 1,0 mg/L ou 2,0 mg/L para a obtenção de calos friáveis no Laboratório de Cultura de Tecidos Vegetais da unidade experimental Horto Florestal da Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana/BA. O melhor resultado, BAP 2,0 mg/L, foi submetido aos testes contendo balanço de fitorreguladores: MS + BAP 2,0 mg/L + ANA 0,5 mg/L + Kin 1,0 mg/L ou MS + AIA 2,5 mg/L + ANA 0,5 mg/L +Kin 1,0 mg/L, suplementado com agar 6% e, ao teste de culturas de células em suspensão, na ausência de luz, em meio MS na metade da concentração dos sais, suplementados pelos compostos orgânicos (extrato de malte ou extrato de levedura) e mantidos sob 140 rpm de agitação contínua num volume final de 100 mL em frascos erlenmeyers de 250 mL de capacidade. As células colocadas em suspensão no meio líquido suplementado com extrato de malte foram capazes de regenerar de plantas inteiras de P. suberosa, a partir de células diplóides, num prazo de 60 dias na ausência de luz.Disponível em: Acesso em: 02 mar. 201

In Vitro Propagation of \u3ci\u3ePennisetum purpureum\u3c/i\u3e Schum.

A protocol is described for rapid multiplication of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) through shoot tip culture. The plant growth medium consisted of basal medium of Murashige and Skoog (MS) and vitamins Wood Plant Medium (WPM). The medium was supplemented with 0.00; 4.44; 8.88; 13.32 and 17.76 μM of benzylaminopurine (BAP). The elephantgrass was micropropagated by axillary shoot proliferations. Maximum propagule proliferation occurred on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium enriched with 4.4 μM benzylaminopurine (BAP), resulting an average of 4.0 shoots per explant from cultivar Mineiro and 2.19 from cultivar Pioneiro. The best height and root plantlets were obtained with medium without growth regulator after 28 days

Orthorhombic Phase of Crystalline Polyethylene: A Constant Pressure Path Integral Monte Carlo Study

In this paper we present a Path Integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulation of the orthorhombic phase of crystalline polyethylene, using an explicit atom force field with unconstrained bond lengths and angles. This work represents a quantum extension of our recent classical simulation (J. Chem. Phys. 106, 8918 (1997)). It is aimed both at exploring the applicability of the PIMC method on such polymer crystal systems, as well as on a detailed assessment of the importance of quantum effects on different quantities. We used the $NpT$ ensemble and simulated the system at zero pressure in the temperature range 25 - 300 K, using Trotter numbers between 12 and 144. In order to investigate finite-size effects, we used chains of two different lengths, C_12 and C_24, corresponding to the total number of atoms in the super-cell being 432 and 864, respectively. We show here the results for structural parameters, like the orthorhombic lattice constants a,b,c, and also fluctuations of internal parameters of the chains, such as bond lengths and bond and torsional angles. We have also determined the internal energy and diagonal elastic constants c_11, c_22 and c_33. We discuss the temperature dependence of the measured quantities and compare to that obtained from the classical simulation. For some quantities, we discuss the way they are related to the torsional angle fluctuation. In case of the lattice parameters we compare our results to those obtained from other theoretical approaches as well as to some available experimental data. In order to study isotope effects, we simulated also a deuterated polyethylene crystal at a low temperature. We also suggest possible ways of extending this study and present some general considerations concerning modeling of polymer crystals.Comment: 18 pages, RevTex, 18 figures, 3 tables, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Fontes de resistência de videira ao fungo oídio no Nordeste brasileiro.

Foram avaliadas 135 variedades distintas em três ciclos, observando-se as mesmas plantas sem nenhum oídicida

Benefícios do ômega 3 na prevenção de doença cardiovascular: Revisão integrativa de literatura

Introduction: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a fat found in plant foods, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both found in fish, have been considered relevant substances for the maintenance of health, so that supplementation is being considered relevant for the reduction of cardiovascular risks. Objective: To identify and analyze the scientific evidence available in the literature on the contribution of omega 3 in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Materials and Methods: Integrative literature review, with deference to materials published in the Scielo and PubMed databases, which considered as inclusion criteria articles published in the last 5 years, available in full, in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, which addressed the proposed theme; the exclusion criteria were editorials, letters to the editor, review studies, theses, dissertations, and duplicate articles that did not correspond to the theme. Results: Based on the aforementioned scientific evidence, the body's omega-3 indices are relevant to identify possible cardiovascular risk, so it can therefore be used as an objective for treatment when there is a possible risk for these manifestations. This risk factor can be modified by taking EPA and DHA. The standard 1 g/day dose of EPA and DHA recommended by cardiac societies is, however, probably far from ideal for everyone, as not only this standard dose but also diet, individual genetic history, body mass index, calorie intake and disposal, and other factors all together probably determine a person's level of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, it is suggested that the omega-3 index acts not only as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but that other contexts allied to the patient's lifestyle should be considered. Conclusion: Diet or supplementation of these nutrients may result in cardiovascular and other types of benefits to society as a whole

Identification of a novel zinc metalloprotease through a global analysis of clostridium difficile extracellular proteins

Clostridium difficile is a major cause of infectious diarrhea worldwide. Although the cell surface proteins are recognized to be important in clostridial pathogenesis, biological functions of only a few are known. Also, apart from the toxins, proteins exported by C. difficile into the extracellular milieu have been poorly studied. In order to identify novel extracellular factors of C. difficile, we analyzed bacterial culture supernatants prepared from clinical isolates, 630 and R20291, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The majority of the proteins identified were non-canonical extracellular proteins. These could be largely classified into proteins associated to the cell wall (including CWPs and extracellular hydrolases), transporters and flagellar proteins. Seven unknown hypothetical proteins were also identified. One of these proteins, CD630_28300, shared sequence similarity with the anthrax lethal factor, a known zinc metallopeptidase. We demonstrated that CD630_28300 (named Zmp1) binds zinc and is able to cleave fibronectin and fibrinogen in vitro in a zinc-dependent manner. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we identified residues important in zinc binding and enzymatic activity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Zmp1 destabilizes the fibronectin network produced by human fibroblasts. Thus, by analyzing the exoproteome of C. difficile, we identified a novel extracellular metalloprotease that may be important in key steps of clostridial pathogenesis

Fat induces glucose metabolism in nontransformed liver cells and promotes liver tumorigenesis

Hepatic fat accumulation is associated with diabetes and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we characterize the metabolic response that high-fat availability elicits in livers before disease development. After a short term on a high-fat diet (HFD), otherwise healthy mice showed elevated hepatic glucose uptake and increased glucose contribution to serine and pyruvate carboxylase activity compared with control diet (CD) mice. This glucose phenotype occurred independently from transcriptional or proteomic programming, which identifies increased peroxisomal and lipid metabolism pathways. HFD-fed mice exhibited increased lactate production when challenged with glucose. Consistently, administration of an oral glucose bolus to healthy individuals revealed a correlation between waist circumference and lactate secretion in a human cohort. In vitro, palmitate exposure stimulated production of reactive oxygen species and subsequent glucose uptake and lactate secretion in hepatocytes and liver cancer cells. Furthermore, HFD enhanced the formation of HCC compared with CD in mice exposed to a hepatic carcinogen. Regardless of the dietary background, all murine tumors showed similar alterations in glucose metabolism to those identified in fat exposed nontransformed mouse livers, however, particular lipid species were elevated in HFD tumor and nontumor-bearing HFD liver tissue. These findings suggest that fat can induce glucose-mediated metabolic changes in nontransformed liver cells similar to those found in HCC

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients with liver disease in eastern China

The role of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii in the pathogenesis of liver disease has recently gained much interest. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in patients with liver disease from three cities in Shandong and Henan provinces, China. A case–control study was conducted from December 2014 to November 2015 and included 1142 patients with liver disease and 1142 healthy controls. Serum samples were collected from all individuals and were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. Information on the demographics, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the participants was collected from the medical records and by the use of a questionnaire. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG was 19·7% in patients with liver disease compared with 12·17% in the controls. Only 13 patients had anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies compared with 12 control individuals (1·14% vs. 1·05%, respectively). The highest seroprevalence was detected in patients with liver cancer (22·13%), followed by hepatitis patients (20·86%), liver cirrhosis patients (20·42%), and steatosis patients (20%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that consumption of raw meat (odds ratio (OR) = 1·32; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·01–1·71; P = 0·03) and source of drinking water from wells (OR = 1·56; 95% CI 1·08–2·27; P = 0·01) were independent risk factors for T. gondii infection in liver disease patients. These findings indicate that T. gondii infection is more likely to be present in patients with liver disease. Therefore, efforts should be directed toward health education of populations at high risk of T. gondii infection and measures should be taken to protect vulnerable patients with liver disease