Semi-determinate Growth Habit Adjusts The Vegetative-to-reproductive Balance And Increases Productivity And Water-use Efficiency In Tomato (solanum Lycopersicum).

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) shows three growth habits: determinate, indeterminate and semi-determinate. These are controlled mainly by allelic variation in the SELF-PRUNING (SP) gene family, which also includes the florigen gene SINGLE FLOWER TRUSS (SFT). Determinate cultivars have synchronized flower and fruit production, which allows mechanical harvesting in the tomato processing industry, whereas indeterminate ones have more vegetative growth with continuous flower and fruit formation, being thus preferred for fresh market tomato production. The semi-determinate growth habit is poorly understood, although there are indications that it combines advantages of determinate and indeterminate growth. Here, we used near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the cultivar Micro-Tom (MT) with different growth habit to characterize semi-determinate growth and to determine its impact on developmental and productivity traits. We show that semi-determinate genotypes are equivalent to determinate ones with extended vegetative growth, which in turn impacts shoot height, number of leaves and either stem diameter or internode length. Semi-determinate plants also tend to increase the highly relevant agronomic parameter Brix×ripe yield (BRY). Water-use efficiency (WUE), evaluated either directly as dry mass produced per amount of water transpired or indirectly through C isotope discrimination, was higher in semi-determinate genotypes. We also provide evidence that the increases in BRY in semi-determinate genotypes are a consequence of an improved balance between vegetative and reproductive growth, a mechanism analogous to the conversion of the overly vegetative tall cereal varieties into well-balanced semi-dwarf ones used in the Green Revolution.

Fluoride Concentrations In The Water Of Maringá, Brazil, Considering The Benefit/risk Balance Of Caries And Fluorosis.

Current Brazilian law regarding water fluoridation classification is dichotomous with respect to the risks of and benefits for oral diseases, and fluoride (F) concentrations less than 0.6 or above 0.8 mg F/L are considered outside the normal limits. Thus, the law does not consider that both caries and fluorosis are dependent on the dosage and duration of fluoride exposure because they are both chronic diseases. Therefore, this study evaluated the quality of water fluoridation in Maringá, PR, Brazil, considering a new classification for the concentration of F in water the supply, based on the anticaries benefit and risk of fluorosis (CECOL/USP, 2011). Water samples (n = 325) were collected monthly over one year from 28 distribution water networks: 20 from treatment plants and 8 from artesian wells. F concentrations were determined using a specific ion electrode. The average F concentration was 0.77 mg F/L (ppm F), ranging from 0.44 to 1.22 mg F/L. Considering all of the water samples analyzed, 83.7% of them presented from 0.55 to 0.84 mg F/L, and according to the new classification used, they would provide maximum anticaries benefit with a low risk of fluorosis. This percentage was lower (75.4%) in the water samples supplied from artesian wells than from those distributed by the treatment plant (86%). In conclusion, based on the new classification of water F concentrations, the quality of water fluoridation in Maringá is adequate and is within the range of the best balance between risk and benefit.

Antiangiogenic And Finasteride Therapies: Responses Of The Prostate Microenvironment In Elderly Mice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the structural and molecular effects of antiangiogenic therapies and finasteride on the ventral prostate of senile mice. 90 male FVB mice were divided into: Young (18 weeks old) and senile (52 weeks old) groups; finasteride group: finasteride (20mg/kg); SU5416 group: SU5416 (6 mg/kg); TNP-470 group: TNP-470 (15 mg/kg,) and SU5416+TNP-470 group: similar to the SU5416 and TNP-470 groups. After 21 days, prostate ventral lobes were collected for morphological, immunohistochemical and Western blotting analyses. The results demonstrated atrophy, occasional proliferative lesions and inflammatory cells in the prostate during senescence, which were interrupted and/or blocked by treatment with antiangiogenic drugs and finasteride. Decreased AR and endostatin reactivities, and an increase for ER-α, ER-β and VEGF, were seen in the senile group. Decreased VEGF and ER-α reactivities and increased ER-β reactivity were verified in the finasteride, SU5416 groups and especially in SU5416+TNP-470 group. The TNP-470 group showed reduced AR and ER-β protein levels. The senescence favored the occurrence of structural and/or molecular alterations suggesting the onset of malignant lesions, due to the imbalance in the signaling between the epithelium and stroma. The SU5416+TNP-470 treatment was more effective in maintaining the structural, hormonal and angiogenic factor balance in the prostate during senescence, highlighting the signaling of antiproliferation via ER-β.

Ikkε Is Key To Induction Of Insulin Resistance In The Hypothalamus, And Its Inhibition Reverses Obesity.

IKK epsilon (IKKε) is induced by the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Whole-body IKKε knockout mice on a high-fat diet (HFD) were protected from insulin resistance and showed altered energy balance. We demonstrate that IKKε is expressed in neurons and is upregulated in the hypothalamus of obese mice, contributing to insulin and leptin resistance. Blocking IKKε in the hypothalamus of obese mice with CAYMAN10576 or small interfering RNA decreased NF-κB activation in this tissue, relieving the inflammatory environment. Inhibition of IKKε activity, but not TBK1, reduced IRS-1(Ser307) phosphorylation and insulin and leptin resistance by an improvement of the IR/IRS-1/Akt and JAK2/STAT3 pathways in the hypothalamus. These improvements were independent of body weight and food intake. Increased insulin and leptin action/signaling in the hypothalamus may contribute to a decrease in adiposity and hypophagia and an enhancement of energy expenditure accompanied by lower NPY and increased POMC mRNA levels. Improvement of hypothalamic insulin action decreases fasting glycemia, glycemia after pyruvate injection, and PEPCK protein expression in the liver of HFD-fed and db/db mice, suggesting a reduction in hepatic glucose production. We suggest that IKKε may be a key inflammatory mediator in the hypothalamus of obese mice, and its hypothalamic inhibition improves energy and glucose metabolism.

15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 Reduces Albumin-induced Arthritis In Temporomandibular Joint Of Rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the peripheral effect of 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) in albumin-induced arthritis in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rats. Antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was generated in rats with methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) diluted in complete Freund׳s adjuvant. Pretreatment with an intra-articular injection of 15d-PGJ2 (100 ng/TMJ) before mBSA intra-articular injection (10 µg/TMJ) (challenge) in immunized rats significantly reduced the albumin-induced arthritis inflammation. The results demonstrated that 15d-PGJ2 was able to inhibit plasma extravasation, leukocyte migration and the release of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12, IL-18 and the chemokine CINC-1 in the TMJ tissues. In addition, 15d-PGJ2 was able to increase the expression of the anti-adhesive molecule CD55 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Taken together, it is possible to suggest that 15d-PGJ2 inhibit leukocyte infiltration and subsequently inflammatory process, through a shift in the balance of the pro- and anti-adhesive properties. Thus, 15d-PGJ2 might be used as a potential anti-inflammatory drug to treat arthritis-induced inflammation of the temporomandibular joint.

Interplay Between Cell Growth And Cell Cycle In Plants.

The growth of organs and whole plants depends on both cell growth and cell-cycle progression, but the interaction between both processes is poorly understood. In plants, the balance between growth and cell-cycle progression requires coordinated regulation of four different processes: macromolecular synthesis (cytoplasmic growth), turgor-driven cell-wall extension, mitotic cycle, and endocycle. Potential feedbacks between these processes include a cell-size checkpoint operating before DNA synthesis and a link between DNA contents and maximum cell size. In addition, key intercellular signals and growth regulatory genes appear to target at the same time cell-cycle and cell-growth functions. For example, auxin, gibberellin, and brassinosteroid all have parallel links to cell-cycle progression (through S-phase Cyclin D-CDK and the anaphase-promoting complex) and cell-wall functions (through cell-wall extensibility or microtubule dynamics). Another intercellular signal mediated by microtubule dynamics is the mechanical stress caused by growth of interconnected cells. Superimposed on developmental controls, sugar signalling through the TOR pathway has recently emerged as a central control point linking cytoplasmic growth, cell-cycle and cell-wall functions. Recent progress in quantitative imaging and computational modelling will facilitate analysis of the multiple interconnections between plant cell growth and cell cycle and ultimately will be required for the predictive manipulation of plant growth.

Crosstalk Between Kinases, Phosphatases And Mirnas In Cancer.

Reversible phosphorylation of proteins, performed by kinases and phosphatases, is the major post translational protein modification in eukaryotic cells. This intracellular event represents a critical regulatory mechanism of several signaling pathways and can be related to a vast array of diseases, including cancer. Cancer research has produced increasing evidence that kinase and phosphatase activity can be compromised by mutations and also by miRNA silencing, performed by small non-coding and endogenously produced RNA molecules that lead to translational repression. miRNAs are believed to target about one-third of human mRNAs while a single miRNA may target about 200 transcripts simultaneously. Regulation of the phosphorylation balance by miRNAs has been a topic of intense research over the last years, spanning topics going as far as cancer aggressiveness and chemotherapy resistance. By addressing recent studies that have shown miRNA expression patterns as phenotypic signatures of cancers and how miRNA influence cellular processes such as apoptosis, cell cycle control, angiogenesis, inflammation and DNA repair, we discuss how kinases, phosphatases and miRNAs cooperatively act in cancer biology.

Immune Response In Thyroid Cancer: Widening The Boundaries.

The association between thyroid cancer and thyroid inflammation has been repeatedly reported and highly debated in the literature. In fact, both molecular and epidemiological data suggest that these diseases are closely related and this association reinforces that the immune system is important for thyroid cancer progression. Innate immunity is the first line of defensive response. Unlike innate immune responses, adaptive responses are highly specific to the particular antigen that induced them. Both branches of the immune system may interact in antitumor immune response. Major effector cells of the immune system that directly target thyroid cancer cells include dendritic cells, macrophages, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, mast cells, and lymphocytes. A mixture of immune cells may infiltrate thyroid cancer microenvironment and the balance of protumor and antitumor activity of these cells may be associated with prognosis. Herein, we describe some evidences that immune response may be important for thyroid cancer progression and may help us identify more aggressive tumors, sparing the vast majority of patients from costly unnecessary invasive procedures. The future trend in thyroid cancer is an individualized therapy.

Environmental Controls In The Water Use Patterns Of A Tropical Cloud Forest Tree Species, Drimys Brasiliensis (winteraceae).

Trees from tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) display very dynamic patterns of water use. They are capable of downwards water transport towards the soil during leaf-wetting events, likely a consequence of foliar water uptake (FWU), as well as high rates of night-time transpiration (Enight) during drier nights. These two processes might represent important sources of water losses and gains to the plant, but little is known about the environmental factors controlling these water fluxes. We evaluated how contrasting atmospheric and soil water conditions control diurnal, nocturnal and seasonal dynamics of sap flow in Drimys brasiliensis (Miers), a common Neotropical cloud forest species. We monitored the seasonal variation of soil water content, micrometeorological conditions and sap flow of D. brasiliensis trees in the field during wet and dry seasons. We also conducted a greenhouse experiment exposing D. brasiliensis saplings under contrasting soil water conditions to deuterium-labelled fog water. We found that during the night D. brasiliensis possesses heightened stomatal sensitivity to soil drought and vapour pressure deficit, which reduces night-time water loss. Leaf-wetting events had a strong suppressive effect on tree transpiration (E). Foliar water uptake increased in magnitude with drier soil and during longer leaf-wetting events. The difference between diurnal and nocturnal stomatal behaviour in D. brasiliensis could be attributed to an optimization of carbon gain when leaves are dry, as well as minimization of nocturnal water loss. The leaf-wetting events on the other hand seem important to D. brasiliensis water balance, especially during soil droughts, both by suppressing tree transpiration (E) and as a small additional water supply through FWU. Our results suggest that decreases in leaf-wetting events in TMCF might increase D. brasiliensis water loss and decrease its water gains, which could compromise its ecophysiological performance and survival during dry periods.

Pedagogia do esporte : organização, sistematização, aplicação e avaliação de conteúdos esportivos na educação não formal = Sport pedagogy : organization, systematization and application of sports content in non-formal education

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Monitoramento de parâmetros imunológicos em atletas adolescentes de basquetebol durante e após a temporada esportiva= : Monitoring of immunological parameters in adolescent basketball athletes during and after a sports season

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física