Flower morpho-anatomy in Epiphyllum phyllanthus (Cactaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Morphology and anatomy of inflorescence and inflorescence axis in Paepalanthus sect. Diphyomene Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae, Poales) and its taxonomic implications

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Foliar anatomy of the subfamily Myrtoideae (Myrtaceae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Contributions to the floral anatomy of Juncaceae (Poales - Monocotyledons)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Leaf anatomy as a contribution to the taxonomy of Salacioideae N.Hall, ex Thorne & Reveal (Celastraceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Handicrafts from Jalapao (TO), Brazil, and their relationship to plant anatomy

EICHEMBERG, M. T. and V. L. SCATENA (Universidade Estadual Paulista, Departamento de Botanica, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil). J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 138:34-40. 2011.-Handicrafts from Jalapao (TO), Brazil, and their Relationship to Plant Anatomy. In the state of Tocantins, midwestern Brazil, communities from the region of Jalapao use scapes of "capim dourado" (golden grass - Syngonanthus nitens- Eriocaulaceae) and leaves of "buriti" (Mauritia flexuosa - Arecaceae) to make handicrafts (baskets and ornaments). The predominant biome of this area is cerrado (savanna), with a notable presence of buriti in the "veredas" (swampy forest-like vegetation), and of golden grass, which is one of the most common plants in humid grasslands. These traditional handicrafts represent a significant source of income for local communities. The whole scapes of Syngonanthus nitens are used due to their golden color, which is a reflection of such internal structures as thick walled cells and lignin in the epidermis and cortex. The strips called "seda" (silk) used to sew the scapes in the making of handicrafts come from young leaves of Mauritia,flexuosa. They are constituted by the adaxial epidermis and bundles of subepidermic fibers, both showing thick-walled cells. Since the cells of the bundles of sclerenchymatic fibers from the abaxial surface of buriti leaves present stegmata containing silica bodies, their mechanical properties are less adapted to the production of "silk", justifying the use of the leaf adaxial surface. Anatomical characteristics such as the thickening and composition of the cell walls of both species together with sociocultural factors, allow a better knowledge of the use of plant structures in the making of handicrafts.

Meristematic activity of the Endodermis and the Pericycle in the primary thickening in monocotyledons: considerations on the PTM

A proposta deste trabalho é mostrar uma nova interpretação do meristema de espessamento primário em monocotiledôneas. Anatomia dos órgãos vegetativos das seguintes espécies foi examinada: Cephalostemon riedelianus (Rapataceae), Cyperus papyrus (Cyperaceae), Lagenocarpus rigidus, L. Junciformis (Cyperaceae), Echinodorus paniculatus (Alismataceae) and Zingiberofficinale (Zingiberaceae). A atividade meristemática da endoderme foi observada nas raizes de todas as espécies, no caule de Cyperus, Cephalostemum e Lagenocarpus rigidus, e no traço foliar de Cyperus e folha de Echinodorus. Considerando a continuidade dos tecidos através da raiz, caule e folha, as autoras concluem que no caule o periciclo permanece ativo durante a vida da planta, como um gerador de tecidos vasculares. O Meristema de Espessamento Primário é o periciclo em fase meristemática, juntamente com a endoderme e suas derivadas (ou apenas o periciclo). Próximo ao ápice caulinar, esses tecidos se assemelham a um único meristema, dando origem ao córtex interno e aos tecidos vasculares.

Liver Anatomy, Histochemistry, and Ultrastructure of Eupemphix nattereri (Anura: Leiuperidae) During the Breeding Season

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Anatomy of smooth muscle cells in nonmalignant and malignant human prostate tissue

Differently graded areas of human prostate adenocarcinoma were examined after Masson's trichrome staining or immunohistochemistry for smooth muscle alpha-actin, type IV collagen and laminin. In addition, the ultrastructure of the prostatic smooth muscle cells (SMC) during glandular proliferation and epithelial invasion in selected tumors was studied. The SMC formed a thick layer below the epithelial structures in unaffected areas and were closely associated with each other in homotypic interactions. As the tumor grade increased, the SMC gradually lost interactions with each other and became atrophic. With the growth of the epithelial compartment, the SMC initially segregated to the tumor periphery and the intercellular spaces increased. In high grade tumors, the epithelial cancer cells invaded the spaces between the SMC. Immunohistochemical analysis of the basal membrane revealed increased disruption of the usually thick basal membrane, which became thinner and faintly stained with each of the antibodies used. We conclude that most SMC become atrophic following epithelial invasion in human tumors and that degradation of the basal membrane is an important factor in this process. At the ultrastructural level, different SMC phenotypes occur in prostatic tissues during epithelial invasion. Interconversion between these phenotypes is suggested and a probable relationship among them is proposed.

Morphological and autoradiographic studies on the corneal and limbal epithelium of rabbits

The investigation was centered on the morphological features of the conjunctiva-cornea transition (limbus) of the rabbit eye and the proliferative behavior of its epithelium. The eyes were processed for examination with light and electron microscopy, as well as for autoradiography after intravitreal injection of [H-3]thymidine ([H-3]TdR). At the sites of extraocular muscle insertion, the vascularization of the stroma extended to the peripheral cornea, and the limbal epithelium was thin with its basal stratum made up by clear cuboidal cells. In between the muscle insertions, the cuboidal clear cells, as well as the stroma blood vessels; were scarce. At the light microscope level, the basement membrane was distinct in the cornea but not in the limbus or the conjunctiva. Autoradiographs demonstrated that, at the limbus, the basal cells migrated very quickly to the suprabasal region and remained there up to the 28-day interval. Labeled cells were identified in all epithelial layers of the cornea, including the basal one, at 21 and 28 days but not in the limbal basal clear cells. The rate of renewal of conjunctival epithelium was similar to that observed for the transition with scarce clear cells. The high-resolution autoradiographs demonstrated that the basal cuboidal clear limbal cells exhibit a quick renewal and that they are not label-retaining cells. These latter ones were detected all over the corneal epithelium and in the suprabasal layers of the limbus up to 28 days, in physiological conditions, without the need of stimulation by damage to the corneal epithelium.

The Anatomy of the Thoracic Spinal Canal Investigated with Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND: We investigated, with magnetic resonance imaging, the distance of the dura mater to the spinal cord in patients without spinal or medullar disease at the 2nd, 5th, and 10th thoracic segments.METHODS: Fifty patients in the supine position underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Medial sagittal slices of the 2nd, 5th, and 10th thoracic segments were measured for the relative distances using the 1.5-T superconducting system (Gyroscan Intera, Philips Medical Systems, Best, the Netherlands). In 10 patients, the angles relative to the tangent at the insertion point on the skin were measured.RESULTS: The posterior dural-spinal cord distance is significantly greater at the midthoracic region (5th thoracic = 5.8 +/- 0.8 mm) than at the upper (2nd thoracic = 3.9 +/- 0.8 mm) and lower thoracic levels (10th thoracic = 4.1 +/- 1.0 mm) (P < 0.015). There were no differences between interspaces T2 and 110. There was no correlation between age and the measured distance between the dura mater and the spinal cord. The entry angle of the needle at T2 was 9.0 degrees +/- 2.5 degrees; at T5, 45.0 degrees +/- 7.4 degrees; and at T10, 9.50 degrees +/- 4.2 degrees.CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that there is greater depth of the posterior subarachnoid space at the T2, T5, and T10 levels. The greater distance was found at T5. (Anesth Analg 2010;110:1494-5)

Detection and partial characterization of a carlavirus causing stem necrosis of soybean in Brazil

No ano agrícola de 2000/2001, ocorreu um surto de nanismo e necrose da haste em soja (Glycine max) plantada em duas áreas do Brasil Central e na safra seguinte, esta anomalia foi constatada em outras regiões produtoras, mesmo distantes mais de 2.000 km de onde fora inicialmente constatada. Estudos envolvendo ensaios de transmissão (enxertia, mecânica e insetos vetores), microscopia eletrônica, purificação, sorologia e ensaios moleculares indicaram que a enfermidade foi causada por um carlavirus transmitido por mosca branca, possivelmente relacionado ao Cowpea mild mottle virus (CpMMV).

Studies on stem cuttings of kiwi (Actinidia chinensis PL. CV Bruno)

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo, estudar o efeito de auxinas sintéticas e do boro, sobre o enraizamento de estacas caulinares de kiwi (Actinidia chinensisPlanch. cv Bruno). As estacas continham dois nós com aproximadamente 10 cm de comprimento, contendo 2 folhas cortadas ao meio. As bases das estacas receberam os seguintes tratamentos: control (H2O); NAA 300 mg.L-1; IBA 300 mg.L-1; NAA 300 mg.L-1 + B; IBA 300 mg.L-1 + B; NAA 0,5%-pó e IBA 0,5%-pó. Após os tratamentos as estacas foram plantadas em bandejas de enraizamento contendo vermiculita pura e colocadas em câmara de nebulização por 120 dias até a coleta das mesmas. Para a avaliação do efeito das auxinas e boro, foram realizadas as seguintes observações: 1. porcentagem de estacas enraizadas; 2. análise de açúcares redutores e açúcares totais (em g/100 g de matéria seca); 3. análise de triptofano (em µg/100 mg de matéria seca). Além disso, foram verificados o efeito dos tratamentos em quatro épocas, que corresponderam às estações do ano (primavera, verão, outono e inverno). Através dos resultados obtidos no processo de enraizamento de estacas caulinares de kiwi (Actinidia chinensis Planch. cv Bruno), conclui-se ser o verão a melhor época de coleta dos ramos para a produção das estacas sem a necessidade do tratamento com auxinas.

Morphology and anatomy of the vegetative organs and scapes from Aphorocaulon (Paepalanthus, Eriocaulaceae)

Estudou-se a anatomia de raízes, caules, folhas e escapos de espécies de Paepalanthus subseção Aphorocaulon. Estas plantas apresentam caules reduzidos com folhas em roseta, de onde crescem os paracládios (sistemas de inflorescências). As espécies apresentam raízes com epiderme unisseriada e córtex com células isodiamétricas. Tanto os caules reduzidos como os paracládios apresentam espessamento resultante da atividade do periciclo, denominado Meristema de Espessamento Primário (MEP). Ambos apresentam estrutura anatômica semelhante. Os escapos apresentam endoderme descontínua, periciclo sinuoso, o córtex apresenta costelas salientes (5-6). As folhas apresentam células epidérmicas alongadas no sentido longitudinal com paredes levemente espessadas, estômatos somente na face abaxial, com câmara subestomática especializada, feixes vasculares colaterais com bainha dupla. Essas estruturas anatômicas são comuns para as espécies da subseção Aphorocaulon. Algumas características anatômicas observadas nestas espécies são típicas de plantas que crescem nos campos rupestres.