Preliminary study of insect attraction by a mixture of semiochemicals containing 1,2,4-Trimethoxybenzene in domestic citric-culture

In this work we describe a new efficient strategy for the preparation of 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene (3) in 56% overall yield. The compound 3 was used in a preliminary study of insect attraction by a mixture of semiochemicals called TIV, composed of indol (1), vanillin (2) and 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene (3), in eight Mc Phail style traps installed at a domestic orchard of citric-culture, containing 120 trees not infected by plagues in Bom Jesus Farm, located next to a patch of the Atlantic Forest, at Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Callus cell culture of Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) under stress condition leads to high content of peroxidase enzyme

Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) known on Brazil as Caapeba has a number of popular medicinal use, and it has been studied in relation to its pharmacological activity. Peroxidase specific activity (units/mg protein) was evaluated in callus cell culture samples of the P.umbellata, grown in two different MS medium (media 1 and media 2), submitted to 16 hours photoperiod or kept in darkness. Cell growth rate curve showed that the best growth indices were observed when media 2 submitted to the photoperiod regime was used, followed by the same media kept in darkness (stress condition). The results obtained also showed that the cell culture grown under stress conditions (darkness) lead to high content of peroxidase enzyme (an increase of 700% was observed). Kinetic constant values of 3.3 mmol.L-1 and 2,8 sec-1 were obtained for kM and v max,, respectively, using guaiacol as enzyme substrate.

Semi-selective culture medium for Exserohilum turcicum isolation from corn seeds

Northern corn leaf blight, caused by Exserohilum turcicum (Et), is a disease of widespread occurrence in regions where corn, sweetcorn and popcorn are grown. This disease has great potential to cause damage and has been studied for years, but the association of its causal agent with seeds remains unconfirmed. Thus, the availability of a sensitive method to detect and quantify the inoculum in seeds, even at low incidence, is essential. The aim of this study was to develop a method to detect and quantify the presence of the fungus infecting and infesting corn and popcorn seeds. Artificially and naturally infected seeds were employed to develop the medium. The semi-selective medium was composed of carbendazim (active ingredient) (60 mg/L), captan (30 mg/L), streptomycin sulfate (500 mg/L) and neomycin sulfate (600 mg/L) aggregated to the medium lactose casein hydrolysate agar medium. By using this, Et was detected in naturally infected corn seeds, showing 0.124% incidence, in four out of ten analyzed samples. In addition, 1.04 conidia were detected per infested seed. By means of isolation, pathogenicity test, morphological characterization and comparison with descriptions of the species in the literature, the fungus isolated from the seeds was confirmed to be Et. Both infection and infestation were considered low; thus, for studies of Et detection in corn seeds, the use of semi-selective medium and more than 1,200 seeds/sample is suggested.

Determination of management zones from normalized and standardized equivalent produtivity maps in the soybean culture

Through the site-specific management, the precision agriculture brings new techniques for the agricultural sector, as well as a larger detailing of the used methods and increase of the global efficiency of the system. The objective of this work was to analyze two techniques for definition of management zones using soybean yield maps, in a productive area handled with localized fertilization and other with conventional fertilization. The sampling area has 1.74 ha, with 128 plots with site-specific fertilization and 128 plots with conventional fertilization. The productivity data were normalized by two techniques (normalized and standardized equivalent productivity), being later classified in management zones. It can be concluded that the two methods of management zones definition had revealed to be efficient, presenting similarities in the data disposal. Due to the fact that the equivalent standardized productivity uses standard score, it contemplates a better statistics justification.

Detection of soybean planted areas through orbital images based on culture spectral dynamics

The soybean is important to the economy of Brazil, so the estimation of the planted area and the production with higher antecedence and reliability becomes essential. Techniques related to Remote Sensing may help to obtain this information at lower cost and less subjectivity in relation to traditional surveys. The aim of this study is to estimate the planted area with soybean culture in the crop of 2008/2009 in cities in the west of the state of Paraná, in Brazil, based on the spectral dynamics of the culture and through the use of the specific system of analysis for images of Landsat 5/TM satellite. The obtained results were satisfactory, because the classification supervised by Maximum Verisimilitude - MaxVer along with the techniques of the specific system of analysis for satellite images has allowed an estimate of soybean planted area (soybean mask), obtaining values ​​of the metrics of Global Accuracy with an average of 79.05% and Kappa Index over 63.50% in all cities. The monitoring of a reference area was of great importance for determining the vegetative phase in which the culture is more different from the other targets, facilitating the choice of training samples (ROIs) and avoiding misclassifications.

Sweet grape mini tomato grown in culture substrates and effluent with nutrient complementation

The objective of this study was to evaluate production of Sweet Grape mini tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) using culture substrates and nutrient solution sewage effluent, applied by drip irrigation (fertigation). The experiment was conducted at the University of Goiás State (UEG-UnUCET), from June to November 2011 in Anápolis-GO, Brazil. The experimental design was a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design with four repetitions. The plots were made by combining two nutrient solutions, effluent supplemented with mineral fertilizers (EcS); conventional nutrient solution (SnC); in addition three cultivation substrates: 60% of fine sand washed + 40% substrate composed by 20% coconut fiber plus 80% pine bark (S1); 20% coconut fiber and 80% pine bark (S2) and natural coconut fiber (S3). Sewage effluent were determined nitrate, calcium, potassium, manganese, total phosphate, total iron, magnesium, chloride, sulphate, boron, zinc and molybdenum. We evaluated average mass and average number of fruits per bunch, total fruit and total yield per plant. Statistical difference absence among tested solutions indicates sewage effluent can be used as an alternative source of nutrients in growing mini tomatoes in hydroponics.

Effects of low intensity laser in in vitro bacterial culture and in vivo infected wounds

OBJECTIVE: to compare the effects of low intensity laser therapy on in vitro bacterial growth and in vivo in infected wounds, and to analyze the effectiveness of the AsGa Laser technology in in vivo wound infections. METHODS: in vitro: Staphylococcus aureus were incubated on blood agar plates, half of them being irradiated with 904 nm wavelength laser and dose of 3J/cm2 daily for seven days. In vivo: 32 male Wistar rats were divided into control group (uninfected) and Experimental Group (Infected). Half of the animals had their wounds irradiated. RESULTS: in vitro: there was no statistically significant variation between the experimental groups as for the source plates and the derived ones (p>0.05). In vivo: there was a significant increase in the deposition of type I and III collagen in the wounds of the infected and irradiated animals when assessed on the fourth day of the experiment (p=0.034). CONCLUSION: low-intensity Laser Therapy applied with a wavelength of 904nm and dose 3J/cm2 did not alter the in vitro growth of S. aureus in experimental groups; in vivo, however, it showed significant increase in the deposition of type I and III collagen in the wound of infected and irradiated animals on the fourth day of the experiment.

Evaluation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis faecal culture protocols and media

Paratuberculosis is an important enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map). The disease is officially considered exotic in Brazil, but recent serological surveys and the isolation of the agent suggest it may occur in our herds. The aim of this study was to evaluate three different formulations of Herrold's egg yolk agar with mycobactin J (HEYM) and four faecal culture protocols considering their ability for Map growth as well as cost and ease of application. Three formulations of HEYM were inoculated with two suspensions of Map. Spiked faeces and naturally contaminated faecal samples were treated by the four faecal culture protocols. Centrifugation protocol and HEYM recommended by OIE showed the best results on the recovery of Map.

Development of an indirect ELISA to detect Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis specific antibodies in sheep employing T1 strain culture supernatant as antigen

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the etiologic agent of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA), a chronic disease that affects goats and sheep, characterized by granuloma formation in subcutaneous and internal lymph nodes. CLA causes significant economic losses to commercial goat herds. In this study, we aimed to test secreted antigens secreted from T1 strain bacteria grown in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth in an indirect ELISA system to determine the presence of specific immunoglobulins against C. pseudotuberculosis. We analyzed the BHI antigen electrophoretic profile and the recognition pattern by infected sheep sera samples. The ELISA results were compared with multiplex PCR assay and IFN-gamma production. The ELISA was able to discriminate between negative and positive animals, with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 99%, using microbiological isolation as gold standard. When this assay was compared with multiplex PCR and specific IFN-gamma quantification, six discrepant results were found among thirty-two samples. We concluded that the ELISA using antigens secreted from C. pseudotuberculosis T1 strain growth in BHI broth culture can be used for the serodiagnosis of CLA in sheep.

Culture of equine bone marrow mononuclear fraction and adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction cells in different media

The objective of this study was to evaluate the culture of equine bone marrow mononuclear fraction and adipose tissue - derived stromal vascular fraction cells in two different cell culture media. Five adult horses were submitted to bone marrow aspiration from the sternum, and then from the adipose tissue of the gluteal region near the base of the tail. Mononuclear fraction and stromal vascular fraction were isolated from the samples and cultivated in DMEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum or in AIM-V medium. The cultures were observed once a week with an inverted microscope, to perform a qualitative analysis of the morphology of the cells as well as the general appearance of the cell culture. Colony-forming units (CFU) were counted on days 5, 15 and 25 of cell culture. During the first week of culture, differences were observed between the samples from the same source maintained in different culture media. The number of colonies was significantly higher in samples of bone marrow in relation to samples of adipose tissue.

Morphology and morphometry of feline bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in culture

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are increasingly being proposed as a therapeutic option for treatment of a variety of different diseases in human and veterinary medicine. Stem cells have been isolated from feline bone marrow, however, very few data exist about the morphology of these cells and no data were found about the morphometry of feline bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). The objectives of this study were the isolation, growth evaluation, differentiation potential and characterization of feline BM-MSCs by their morphological and morphometric characteristics. in vitro differentiation assays were conducted to confirm the multipotency of feline MSC, as assessed by their ability to differentiate into three cell lineages (osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes). To evaluate morphological and morphometric characteristics the cells are maintained in culture. Cells were observed with light microscope, with association of dyes, and they were measured at 24, 48, 72 and 120h of culture (P1 and P3). The non-parametric ANOVA test for independent samples was performed and the means were compared by Tukey's test. On average, the number of mononuclear cells obtained was 12.29 (±6.05x10(6)) cells/mL of bone marrow. Morphologically, BM-MSCs were long and fusiforms, and squamous with abundant cytoplasm. In the morphometric study of the cells, it was observed a significant increase in average length of cells during the first passage. The cell lengths were 106.97±38.16µm and 177.91±71.61µm, respectively, at first and third passages (24 h). The cell widths were 30.79±16.75 µm and 40.18±20.46µm, respectively, at first and third passages (24 h).The nucleus length of the feline BM-MSCs at P1 increased from 16.28µm (24h) to 21.29µm (120h). However, at P3, the nucleus length was 26.35µm (24h) and 25.22µm (120h). This information could be important for future application and use of feline BM-MSCs.