Origin of samples of Cannabis sativa through insect fragments associated with compacted hemp drug in South America

Origin of samples of Cannabis sativa through insect fragments associated with compacted hemp drug in South America. Insects associated with a seizure of Cannabis sativa L. may indicate the origin of the illicit drug. Nevertheless, no work regarding this subject has been previously published for South America. In the present investigation, seven kilograms of vegetal material (C. sativa) were inspected for insect fragments. Three species were identified and used to test the origin of the seizure of cannabis plant material: Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1794), Thyanta perditor (Fabricius, 1794) (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae), and Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). These insect species restricted the geographic origin of the drug to the Neotropical region, and their distribution patterns showed an overlap of the State of Mato Grosso (Brazil), Argentina, and Paraguay. Based on this information, two of the three major C. sativa growing areas in South America were excluded: (1) the Colombian territory and (2) northeastern Brazil.

Phytogeographical origin of Madeiran common beans based on phaseolin patterns

The objective of this work was to determine the geographic origin of the Madeiran common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) gene pool. Phaseolin patterns of 50 accessions representing the diversity of common bean collected in Madeira, Portugal, and conserved in the ISOPlexis Germplasm Bank, were analysed using the Experion automated electrophoresis system, based on lab-on-a-chip technology. Five common bean standard varieties with typical phaseolin patterns were used to determine the phytogeographical origin of the Madeiran common bean accessions. Ninety two percent of the accessions exhibited a phaseolin pattern consistent with the one of common bean types belonging to the Andean gene pool, while the origin of the remaining 8% of the accessions was indistinguishable. The application of a similarity coefficient of 85%, based on Pearson correlations, increases the number of accessions with uncertain pattern. The analytical approach used permitted the determination of the origin of the common bean gene pool, which is Andean in 98% of the cases, and clustering of the observed variability among the Madeiran common beans.

Identification of plantlet genetic origin in polyembryonic mango (Mangifera indica, L.) cv. Rosinha seeds using RAPD markers

Mango can be propagated by seeds or by grafting. For commercial purpose, grafting is the most appropriate method because it maintains the genetic characters from the propagated variety. To obtain grafted mango it is important to use polyembryonic varieties as rootstock since they produce a zygotic and many nucellar plantlets. The nucellar plantlets maintain the genetics of the mother-plant thus, are preferred for grafting since they supposedly give more uniformity to the orchard. In general, nurserymen use the most vigorous plantelet to graft, believing that they are nucellar. But, orchard disuniformities on height and yield are very common among mango trees of commercial orchards in Northeast region. The objective of this paper was to identify the genetical origin of plantlets from polyembryonic seeds of Rosinha variety using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Moreover, the position of the zygotic embryo and the percentage of the vigorous zygotic and nucellar plantlets was also determined. It was obtained an elevated taxa of vigorous zygotic plantlets which possibly explains the disuniformity on height of trees at commercial mango orchards.

Relationship between botanical origin and antioxidants vitamins of bee-collected pollen

This study quantified vitamin C, E and β-carotene in samples of fresh bee-collected pollen and correlating them with the botanical origin. Vitamin content varied between 13.5 and 42.5 µg/g for vitamin E; 56.3 and 198.9 µg/g for β-carotene and 273.9 and 560.3 µg/g for vitamin C. It was concluded that the botanical origin and collecting season influenced the vitamin contents. There is a relationship between the vitamins and its botanical origin: Raphanus sp and Macroptilium sp, Mimosa caesalpineafolia with β-carotene; Raphanus sp, Eucalyptus sp, Macroptilium sp, Mimosa caesalpineafolia with vitamin E and Anadenanthera sp, Arecaceae type and Philodendron sp with vitamin C.

Origin of oil in the Wilmington field in California

No presente trabalho, o autor trata da formação de campo petrolífero que se teria formado às expensas de organismos planctónicos, misturados com areia das dunas, material esse que teria sido transportado pelo vento. Refere-se, assim, o autor, ao campo petrolífero de "Wilmington", situado na Ilha Terminal, ao sul de Los Angeles, California. Esse campo, que já fora descrito, em 1943, por GILLULY & GRANT, faz parte do Mioceno e do Plioceno inferior, achando-se separado dos schistos Jurássicos metamórficos, por uma discordância localizada a 6.000 pés de profundidade. O conjunto das camadas petrolíferas alcança espessura de 1 .500 pés, sendo cada uma delas separada das outras por estratos do "siltstone" (siltito). O tamanho dos grãos, nos dois tipos de rochas, é o de depósitos eólicos, mas, ao contrário do que acontece em depósitos sub-aéreos, esses grãos são angulosos ou sub-angulosos. De acordo com MCNAUGHTON , esses depósitos se teriam formado em profundidade crescente, de 200 a 5.000 pés; esse fato, relacionado com as dimensões dos grãos, leva a crer que o material tenha sido transportado pelo vento. A sedimentação deu-se longe da costa, de maneira muito lenta, provavelmente em consequência de tempestades de excepcional intensidade. O petróleo teria sido produzido por organismos planctónicos que se teriam misturado com areia das dunas, sendo a velocidade da sedimentação desta, muito menor. Os cálculos indicam que foram armazenados somente 23% dos hidrocarbonetos que caíram sobre a areia de sedimentação, sob a forma de organismos mortos. M. V.

Celiac artery in New Zealand rabbit: anatomical study of its origin and arrangement for experimental research and surgical practice

Rabbits have been used as an experimental model in many diseases and for the study of toxicology, pharmacology and surgery in many universities. However, some aspects of their macro anatomy need a more detailed description, especially the abdominal and pelvic arterial vascular system, which has a huge variability in distribution and trajectory. Thirty cadaveric adult New Zealand rabbits, 13 male and 17 female, with an average weight and rostrum-sacral length of 2.5 kg and 40cm, respectively, were used. The thoracic aorta was cannulated and the vascular system was filled with stained latex S-65. The celiac artery and its proximal branches were dissected and lengthened in order to evidence origin and proximal ramifications. The celiac artery emerged between the 12th and 13th thoracic vertebra in 11 (36.7%) rabbits; at the level of the 13th thoracic vertebra in 6 (20%) rabbits; between the 13th thoracic vertebra and the 1st lumbar vertebra in 12 (40%) rabbits; and at the level of the 1st lumbar vertebra in only one (3.3%) rabbit. The mean length of the celiac artery was 0.5cm. The celiac artery first branch was the lienal artery, the second branch was the left gastric artery and the hepatic artery arose from the left gastric artery in all the dissected rabbits. No relation was observed between the celiac artery length and the rostrum-sacral length in rabbits. The number of left gastric and lienal artery branches and the distribution of celiac artery origin are not gender dependent.

Origin and structure of the Kranz tissue in bracts of Cyperus giganteus Vahl (Cyperaceae)

Cyperus giganteus shows Kranz anatomy of the clorocyperoid type or with two sheaths, one internal, adjacent to the vascular system and known as Kranz sheath, with thin-walled cells and a large number of organelles, mainly chloroplasts; and an external sheath, the mestome sheath or endodermis, the cells of which present thickened walls, are without chloroplasts and possess a suberin lamella, together with the casparian strip which are detected in early stages of differentiation. The development of the vascular bundles shows the Kranz sheath originating from the procambial as well as the mestome sheath. The chloroplasts of the Kranz cells are relatively larger, with convoluted thylakoids and a prominent peripheral reticulum, while the chloroplasts of the mesophyll cells are relatively smaller, with thylakoids forming grana and a sparse peripheral reticulum. These ultrastructural characteristics show similarities to those of other species of the genus Cyperus.

In vitro somatic embryogenesis and adventitious root initiation have a common origin in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Somatic embryogenesis was induced from cotyledon explants of eggplant cultured on MS medium supplemented with 54 µM NAA. Anatomical analysis of somatic embryo initiation and development was performed during the first four weeks. Proembryo formation was observed after the second day of culture, directly from perivascular cells or via pro-embryogenic masses derived from indeterminate meristematic masses (IMMs) originated in the vascular tissue. Those IMMs also gave rise to root primordia after 10 days of culture. The origin of embryos is discussed as well as the similarities between somatic embryogenesis and adventitious root formation.

Origin of successive cambia on stem in three species of Menispermaceae

The lianas observed in this study, Abuta convexa (Vell.) Diels, Abuta imene (Mart.) Eichler, and Chondrodendron platiphyllum (A. St.-Hil.) Miers, all have successive cambia in their stems. The terminology applied to stem histology in species with successive cambia is as diverse as the interpretations of the origins of this cambial variant. Therefore, this study specifically investigates the origin of successive cambia through a developmental analysis of the above-mentioned species, including an analysis of the terminology used to describe this cambial variation. For the first time, we have identified several developmental stages giving rise to the origins of successive cambia in this family. First, the pericycle originates in 1-3 layers of conjunctive tissue. After the differentiation of the first ring, the conjunctive tissue undergoes new divisions, developing approximately 10 rows of parenchyma cells. In the middle portion, a layer of sclereids is formed, again subdividing the conjunctive tissue into two parts: internal and external. New cambia originate in the internal part, from which new secondary vascular strands will originate, giving rise to the second successive vascular ring of the stem. The external part remains parenchymatous during the installation of the second ring and will undergo new periclinal division, repeating the entire process. New cambia will originate from the neoformed strands, which will form only rays. In the literature, successive cambia are formed by a meristem called "diffuse lateral meristem."However, based on the species of Menispermaceae studied in this report, it is demonstrated that the diffuse lateral meristem is the pericycle itself.

k-Casein gene frequencies support subdivision and historical origin of Argentine Creole cattle

Gene frequencies at the k-casein locus were estimated in six different herds (N = 180) of Argentinean Creole cattle. The results showed a strong influence of subdivision and independent evolution on the divergence of the observed gene frequencies. These results suggest that the population structure of these herds favor the maintenance of polymorphism, which is of crucial importance for the long-time survival of populations.

Distribution of HLA-DRB1 alleles in a mixed population with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus from the Southeast of Brazil

HLA class II genes are strongly associated with susceptibility and resistance to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The present study reports the HLA-DRB1 genotyping of 41 IDDM patients and 99 healthy subjects from the Southeast of Brazil (Campinas region). Both groups consisted of an ethnic mixture of Caucasian, African Negro and Amerindian origin. HLA-DRB1*03 and *04 alleles were found at significantly higher frequencies among IDDM patients compared to the controls (DRB1*03: 48.8% vs 18.2%, P<0.005, RR = 4.27; DRB1*04: 43.9% vs 15.1%, P<0.008, RR = 4.37) and were associated with a susceptibility to the disease. DRB1*03/*04 heterozygosity conferred a strong IDDM risk (RR = 5.44). In contrast, the HLA-DRB1*11 allele frequency was lower among IDDM patients (7.3% vs 26.3% in controls), but the difference was not significant. These data agree with those described for other populations and allow genetic characterization of IDDM in Brazil

Origin and pathogenesis of antiphospholipid antibodies

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a heterogeneous group of antibodies that are detected in the serum of patients with a variety of conditions, including autoimmune (systemic lupus erythematosus), infectious (syphilis, AIDS) and lymphoproliferative disorders (paraproteinemia, myeloma, lymphocytic leukemias). Thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, recurrent fetal loss and other clinical complications are currently associated with a subgroup of aPL designating the antiphospholipid syndrome. In contrast, aPL from patients with infectious disorders are not associated with any clinical manifestation. These findings led to increased interest in the origin and pathogenesis of aPL. Here we present the clinical features of the antiphospholipid syndrome and review the origin of aPL, the characteristics of experimentally induced aPL and their historical background. Within this context, we discuss the most probable pathogenic mechanisms induced by these antibodies.

The origin of cortical neurons

Neurons of the mammalian cerebral cortex comprise two broad classes: pyramidal neurons, which project to distant targets, and the inhibitory nonpyramidal cells, the cortical interneurons. Pyramidal neurons are generated in the germinal ventricular zone, which lines the lateral ventricles, and migrate along the processes of radial glial cells to their positions in the developing cortex in an `inside-out' sequence. The GABA-containing nonpyramidal cells originate for the most part in the ganglionic eminence, the primordium of the basal ganglia in the ventral telencephalon. These cells follow tangential migratory routes to enter the cortex and are in close association with the corticofugal axonal system. Once they enter the cortex, they move towards the ventricular zone, possibly to obtain positional information, before they migrate radially in the direction of the pial surface to take up their positions in the developing cortex. The mechanisms that guide interneurons throughout these long and complex migratory routes are currently under investigation.

ßS-Haplotypes in sickle cell anemia patients from Salvador, Bahia, Northeastern Brazil

ßS-Globin haplotypes were studied in 80 (160 ßS chromosomes) sickle cell disease patients from Salvador, Brazil, a city with a large population of African origin resulting from the slave trade from Western Africa, mainly from the Bay of Benin. Hematological and hemoglobin analyses were carried out by standard methods. The ßS-haplotypes were determined by PCR and dot-blot techniques. A total of 77 (48.1%) chromosomes were characterized as Central African Republic (CAR) haplotype, 73 (45.6%) as Benin (BEN), 1 (0.63%) as Senegal (SEN), and 9 (5.63%) as atypical (Atp). Genotype was CAR/CAR in 17 (21.3%) patients, BEN/BEN in 17 (21.3%), CAR/BEN in 37 (46.3%), BEN/SEN in 1 (1.25%), BEN/Atp in 1 (1.25%), CAR/Atp in 6 (7.5%), and Atp/Atp in 1 (1.25%). Hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit values did not differ among genotype groups but were significantly higher in 25 patients presenting percent fetal hemoglobin (%HbF) > or = 10% (P = 0.002 and 0.003, respectively). The median HbF concentration was 7.54 ± 4.342% for the CAR/CAR genotype, 9.88 ± 3.558% for the BEN/BEN genotype, 8.146 ± 4.631% for the CAR/BEN genotype, and 4.180 ± 2.250% for the CAR/Atp genotype (P = 0.02), although 1 CAR/CAR individual presented an HbF concentration as high as 15%. In view of the ethnic and geographical origin of this population, we did not expect a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for CAR/CAR and BEN/BEN homozygous haplotypes and a high proportion of heterozygous CAR/BEN haplotypes since the State of Bahia historically received more slaves from Western Africa than from Central Africa.

High specificity PCR screening for 22q11.2 microdeletion in three different ethnic groups

Congenital heart defects are the most common of all human birth defects. Numerous studies have shown that a deletion within chromosome 22q11 is associated with DiGeorge syndrome and certain forms of sporadic congenital cardiovascular disease. We have determined the value of a PCR assay using markers D22S941, D22S944 and D22S264 designed for the screening of 22q11.2 deletion through consecutive homozygosity in an ethnically admixed urban population. The study population comprised 149 unrelated men and women from three different ethnic groups (white, mulatto and black). Test specificity for the overall population was estimated at 98.3%. We found no significant difference when comparing heterozygosity indices and ethnicity (P value = 0.43 (D22S944), 0.22 (D22S264), and 0.58 (D22S941)). There was no significant difference regarding assay specificity between the three different ethnic groups studied. This assay could constitute a cost-effective way to screen a large number of patients at increased risk, since PCR techniques are easily available, are fast, can be automatized, and are significantly less expensive than fluorescence in situ hybridization.