Effects of erosion and deposition on particle size distribution of deposited farmland soils on the chinese loess plateau

Particle size distribution (PSD) in the soil profile is strongly related to erosion, deposition, and physical and chemical processes. Water cycling and plant growth are also affected by PSD. Material sedimented upstream of the dam constructions formed large areas of deposited farmland (DF) soils on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), which has been the site of the most severe soil erosion in the world. Two DFs without tillage on the CLP were chosen to study the combined effect of erosion and check dams on PSD. Eighty-eight layers (each 10 cm thick) of filled deposited farmland (FDF) soils and 22 layers of silting deposited farmland (SDF) soils of each studied soil profile were collected and 932 soil samples were investigated using laser granulometry. The particle sizes were stratified in both DFs based on soil properties and erosion resistance. The obtained results of clay and silt fractions showed similar horizontal distribution, indicating parallel characteristics of erosion and deposition processes. Fine sand represented the largest fraction, suggesting the preferential detachment of this fraction. The most erodible range of particle sizes was 0.25-0.5 mm, followed by 0.2-0.25 mm in the studied soil profiles. The correlation between particle size and soil water contents tended to increase with increasing water contents in FDF. Due to the abundant shallow groundwater, the relationship between particle size and soil water content in SDF was lost. Further studies on PSD in the DF area are needed to enhance the conservation management of soil and water resources in this region.

Influência de substratos e fungos micorrízicos arbusculares no desenvolvimento vegetativo do porta-enxerto flying dragon. (Poncirus trifoliata, var. montruosa Swing.)

O presente estudo teve por objetivos avaliar o efeito da composição do substrato e da inoculação de duas espécies de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) (Glomus clarum e Acaulospora scrobiculata) sobre o desenvolvimento vegetativo, o conteúdo em substâncias de reserva nos tecidos e a percentagem de colonização radicular por FMA no porta-enxerto Flying dragon (Poncirus trifoliata, var. monstruosa Swing). Os tratamentos consistiram de dois substratos: S1= solo + areia (1:1; v:v) e S2 = solo + areia + resíduo decomposto de casca de acácia-negra (2:2:1; v:v:v), ambos com e sem inoculação isolada de duas espécies de FMA (G. clarum e A. scrobiculata). Constatou-se que a adição de resíduo decomposto de casca de acácia-negra melhorou as características químicas e físicas do substrato, permitindo um maior desenvolvimento vegetativo e acúmulo de substâncias de reserva às plantas de Flying dragon em relação ao substrato solo + areia. A eficiência da simbiose foi variável com o substrato e com a espécie de FMA, onde o efeito positivo dos FMA foi notado apenas no substrato solo + areia, mais pobre nutricionalmente, sendo A. scrobiculata a espécie mais eficiente.

Caracterização de frutos e poliembrionia em sementes de 'flying dragon' e de híbridos de porta-enxerto de citros

A diversificação de porta-enxertos é uma realidade no momento atual da citricultura brasileira, devido aos inúmeros problemas fitossanitários que vêm sendo recorrentes. Neste contexto, algumas alternativas já são implementadas, como a utilização de alguns híbridos produzidos a partir do melhoramento convencional e por variedades já consagradas na citricultura. O presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de caracterizar os frutos e avaliar a germinação e a poliembrionia das sementes de híbridos e alguns porta-enxertos convencionais. Para caracterização, foram colhidas, ao acaso, 12 amostras (frutos) de cada porta-enxerto. Na avaliação do percentual de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação e poliembrionia, foi utilizado o esquema fatorial 5 (porta-enxertos: híbridos UFLAD-2, UFLAD-3 e UFLAD-4, citrumeleiro 'Swingle' e o Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa 'Flying Dragon') x 2 (com e sem a remoção do tegumento da semente), sendo utilizadas quatro repetições. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, concluiu-se que: O tamanho do fruto não influenciou no rendimento de sementes. A remoção do tegumento acelerou o tempo de germinação das sementes em todos os porta-enxertos e proporcionou maior percentual de germinação. A poliembrionia não afetou o processo de germinação das sementes. Os porta-enxertos UFLAD-2, UFLAD-3, UFLAD-4 e citrumeleiro 'Swingle' apresentam potencial para serem utilizados como porta-enxertos na propagação de algumas variedades cítricas.

Caracterização dos frutos e germinação de sementes dos porta-enxertos trifoliata Flying Dragon e citrumelo Swingle

Objetivou-se realizar a caracterização fitotécnica dos frutos e avaliar o efeito da remoção do tegumento da semente e do uso do GA3 e do bioestimulante (Stimulate®) sobre a germinação de sementes dos porta-enxertos de citros Flying Dragon e citrumelo Swingle. A caracterização fitotécnica compreendeu a massa do fruto, o diâmetro transversal e longitudinal e a espessura da "casca" e a contagem de sementes viáveis e inviáveis por fruto. Realizou-se um experimento para cada porta-enxerto, em casa de vegetação sob nebulização intermitente, e as avaliações foram a cada 3 dias, após o início do processo germinativo, verificando-se porcentagem de germinação e índice de velocidade de germinação. A utilização do GA3 e a retirada do tegumento em sementes do porta-enxerto Flying Dragon aumentam a porcentagem de germinação e o índice de velocidade de germinação, e para o porta-enxerto citrumelo Swingle, a retirada do tegumento das sementes aumenta a porcentagem de germinação e o índice de velocidade de germinação.

Nutrição do porta-enxerto 'Flying Dragon'

No Brasil, o uso do trifoliata 'Flying Dragon', como porta-enxerto em citros, tem crescido quando se buscam pomares com altas densidades, devido, principalmente, a induzir nanismo à maioria das variedades de copa compatíveis. No entanto, por possuir desenvolvimento lento, existe a necessidade de se estudar melhor o crescimento desse porta-enxerto. A nutrição é uma importante ferramenta que visa a acelerar o crescimento e a melhorar o vigor e a qualidade das plantas. Diante disso, foi avaliada a aplicação de nutrientes no crescimento do porta-enxerto em três experimentos. No primeiro experimento, utilizaram-se seis doses de N parceladas; no segundo, seis doses de P (aplicadas em dose total, misturadas diretamente no substrato); e no terceiro, seis doses de K parceladas. As seis doses foram constituídas por: D0 = testemunha sem adubação; D1= metade da dose-padrão; D2 = a dose-padrão (920 mg dm-3 de N, 790 mg dm-3 de K e 100 mg dm-3 de P); D3 = uma vez e meia a dose-padrão; D4 = duas vezes a dose-padrão; e D5 = duas vezes e meia a dose-padrão. Assim, coletaram-se dados biométricos da planta de diâmetro e altura, quinzenalmente, e dados de massa seca da parte aérea e da raiz, mensalmente. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com parcela subdividida. O nitrogênio teve papel fundamental no incremento das massas secas de raiz e da parte aérea.

Cloud point extraction for the determination of copper in environmental samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple cloud point extraction procedure is presented for the preconcentration of copper in various samples. After complexation by 4-hydroxy-2-mercapto-6-propylpyrimidine (PTU), copper ions are quantitatively extracted into the phase rich in Triton X-114 after centrifugation. Methanol acidified with 0.5 mol L-1 HNO3 was added to the surfactant-rich phase prior to its analysis by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Analytical parameters including concentrations for PTU, Triton X-114 and HNO3, bath temperature, centrifugation rate and time were optimized. The influences of the matrix ions on the recoveries of copper ions were investigated. The detection limits (3SDb/m, n=4) of 1.6 ng mL-1 along with enrichment factors of 30 for Cu were achieved. The proposed procedure was applied to the analysis of environmental samples.

Application of cloud point preconcentration and flame atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of cadmium and zinc ions in urine, blood serum and water samples

A simple, sensitive and selective cloud point extraction procedure is described for the preconcentration and atomic absorption spectrometric determination of Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions in water and biological samples, after complexation with 3,3',3",3'"-tetraindolyl (terephthaloyl) dimethane (TTDM) in basic medium, using Triton X-114 as nonionic surfactant. Detection limits of 3.0 and 2.0 µg L-1 and quantification limits 10.0 and 7.0 µg L-1were obtained for Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions, respectively. Relative standard deviation was 2.9 and 3.3, and enrichment factors 23.9 and 25.6, for Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions, respectively. The method enabled determination of low levels of Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions in urine, blood serum and water samples.

A reliable method of quantification of trace copper in beverages with and without alcohol by spectrophotometry after cloud point extraction

A new cloud point extraction (CPE) method was developed for the separation and preconcentration of copper (II) prior to spectrophotometric analysis. For this purpose, 1-(2,4-dimethylphenyl) azonapthalen-2-ol (Sudan II) was used as a chelating agent and the solution pH was adjusted to 10.0 with borate buffer. Polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether (Triton X-114) was used as an extracting agent in the presence of sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS). After phase separation, based on the cloud point of the mixture, the surfactant-rich phase was diluted with acetone, and the enriched analyte was spectrophotometrically determined at 537 nm. The variables affecting CPE efficiency were optimized. The calibration curve was linear within the range 0.285-20 µg L-1 with a detection limit of 0.085 µg L-1. The method was successfully applied to the quantification of copper in different beverage samples.

Determination of triamterene in human plasma and urine after its cloud point extraction

A new analytical approach was developed involving cloud point extraction (CPE) and spectrofluorimetric determination of triamterene (TM) in biological fluids. A urine or plasma sample was prepared and adjusted to pH 7, then TM was quickly extracted using CPE, using 0.05% (w/v) of Triton X-114 as the extractant. The main factors that affected the extraction efficiency (the pH of the sample, the Triton X-114 concentration, the addition of salt, the extraction time and temperature, and the centrifugation time and speed) were studied and optimized. The method gave calibration curves for TM with good linearities and correlation coefficients (r) higher than 0.99. The method showed good precision and accuracy, with intra- and inter-assay precisions of less than 8.50% at all concentrations. Standard addition recovery tests were carried out, and the recoveries ranged from 94.7% to 114%. The limits of detection and quantification were 3.90 and 11.7 µg L-1, respectively, for urine and 5.80 and 18.0 µg L-1, respectively, for plasma. The newly developed, environmentally friendly method was successfully used to extract and determine TM in human urine samples.

Ligandless cloud point extraction of trace amounts of palladium and rhodium in road dust samples using Span 80 prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In this study, a procedure is developed for cloud point extraction of Pd(II) and Rh(III) ions in aqueous solution using Span 80 (non-ionic surfactant) prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. This method is based on the extraction of Pd(II) and Rh(III) ions at a pH of 10 using Span 80 with no chelating agent. We investigated the effect of various parameters on the recovery of the analyte ions, including pH, equilibration temperature and time, concentration of Span 80, and ionic strength. Under the best experimental conditions, the limits of detection based on 3Sb for Pd(II) and Rh(III) ions were 1.3 and 1.2 ng mL-1, respectively. Seven replicate determinations of a mixture of 0.5 µg mL-1 palladium and rhodium ions gave a mean absorbance of 0.058 and 0.053 with relative standard deviations of 1.8 and 1.6%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of the palladium and rhodium ions in road dust and standard samples and satisfactory results were obtained.

Microphotometric scanning of chromatid gaps and breaks induced by AluI and BamHI in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Chromatid gaps and breaks induced by the restriction endonucleases AluI and BamHI in the long arm of chromosome 1 of Chinese hamster ovary cells were microphotometrically scanned and mapped to a quantitative G-band map. More than 50% of chromatid breaks appeared as chromatin losses of greater than 5% of the total arm length. The majority of chromatid gaps and breaks as well as chromatin losses induced by both restriction endonucleases were non-randomly located in a region from 0.35 to 0.65 relative length units of the long arm of chromosome 1. We suggest that the access of these endonucleases to chromosomal DNA depends on the local organization of the chromatin.

Effect of taxol on chromosome aberrations induced by gamma radiation or by doxorubicin in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Combined therapy with radiation and chemotherapy has being increasingly used in cancer treatment. The effect of combinations of taxol (0.08 mug/ml) with doxorubicin (DXR, 0.5 or 1.0 mug/ml) or gamma radiation (20 or 40 cGy) was examined in two different treatment schedules (pretreatment or simultaneous treatment) using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells treated at the G2 phase of the cell cycle. The results showed that taxol did not have a radiosensitizing effect on the chromosomal aberrations induced by gamma radiation nor did it have a potentiating effect on the chromosomal aberrations induced by DXR in CHO cells treated in the G2 phase of the cell cycle

A fucan from the brown seaweed Spatoglossum schröederi inhibits Chinese hamster ovary cell adhesion to several extracellular matrix proteins

Fucans, a family of sulfated polysaccharides present in brown seaweed, have several biological activities. Their use as drugs would offer the advantage of no potential risk of contamination with viruses or particles such as prions. A fucan prepared from Spatoglossum schröederi was tested as a possible inhibitor of cell-matrix interactions using wild-type Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) and the mutant type deficient in xylosyltransferase (CHO-745). The effect of this polymer on adhesion properties with specific extracellular matrix components was studied using several matrix proteins as substrates for cell attachment. Treatment with the polymer inhibited the adhesion of fibronectin to both CHO-K1 (2 x 10(5))()and CHO-745 (2 x 10(5) and 5 x 10(5)) cells. No effect was detected with laminin, using the two cell types. On the other hand, adhesion to vitronectin was inhibited in CHO-K1 cells and adhesion to type I collagen was inhibited in CHO-745 cells. In spite of this inhibition, the fucan did not affect either cell proliferation or cell cycle. These results demonstrate that this polymer is a new anti-adhesive compound with potential pharmacological applications.

Validation of the Beck Depression Inventory for a Portuguese-speaking Chinese community in Brazil

The objective of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties and cross-cultural validity of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) among ethnic Chinese living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The study was conducted on 208 community individuals. Reliability and discriminant analysis were used to test the psychometric properties and validity of the BDI. Principal component analysis was performed to assess the BDI's factor structure for the total sample and by gender. The mean BDI score was lower (6.74, SD = 5.98) than observed in Western counterparts and showed no gender difference, good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.82), and high discrimination of depressive symptoms (75-100%). Factor analysis extracted two factors for the total sample and each gender: cognitive-affective dimension and somatic dimension. We conclude that depressive symptoms can be reliably assessed by the BDI in the Brazilian Chinese population, with a validity comparable to that for international studies. Indeed, cultural and measurement biases might have influenced the response of Chinese subjects.

A high-carbohydrate diet enhances the adverse effect of the S2 allele of APOC3 SstI polymorphism on the TG/HDL-C ratio only in young Chinese females

Both genetic background and diet have profound effects on plasma lipid profiles. We hypothesized that a high-carbohydrate (high-CHO) diet may affect the ratios of serum lipids and apolipoproteins (apo) differently in subjects with different genotypes of the SstI polymorphism in the apoCIII gene (APOC3). Fifty-six healthy university students (27 males and 29 females, 22.89 ± 1.80 years) were given a washout diet of 54% carbohydrate for 7 days, followed by a high-CHO diet of 70% carbohydrate for 6 days without total energy restriction. Serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apoB100, apoAI, and the APOC3 SstI polymorphism were analyzed. The ratios of serum lipids and apoB100/apoAI were calculated. At baseline, the TG/HDL-C ratio was significantly higher in females, but not in males, with the S2 allele. The differences in the TG/HDL-C ratio between genotypes remained the same after the washout and the high-CHO diet in females. When compared with those before the high-CHO diet, the TC/HDL-C (male S2 carriers: 3.13 ± 1.00 vs 2.36 ± 0.65, P = 0.000; male subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 2.97 ± 0.74 vs 2.09 ± 0.55, P = 0.000; female S2 carriers: 2.68 ± 0.36 vs 2.24 ± 0.37, P = 0.004; female subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 2.69 ± 0.41 vs 2.09 ± 0.31, P = 0.000) and LDL-C/HDL-C (male S2 carriers: 1.44 ± 0.71 vs 1.06 ± 0.26, P = 0.012; male subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 1.35 ± 0.61 vs 1.01 ± 0.29, P = 0.005; female S2 carriers: 1.18 ± 0.33 vs 1.00 ± 0.18, P = 0.049; female subjects with the S1S1 genotype: 1.18 ± 0.35 vs 1.04 ± 0.19, P = 0.026) ratios were significantly decreased after the high-CHO diet regardless of gender and of genotype of the APOC3 SstI polymorphism. However, in female S2 carriers, the TG/HDL-C (1.38 ± 0.46 vs 1.63 ± 0.70, P = 0.039) ratio was significantly increased after the high-CHO diet. In conclusion, the high-CHO diet has favorable effects on the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios regardless of gender and of genotype of the APOC3 SstI polymorphism. Somehow, it enhanced the adverse effect of the S2 allele on the TG/HDL-C ratio only in females.