Aplicação de calcário e culturas de cobertura na implantação do sistema plantio direto em cerrado

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a correção do solo no estabelecimento do sistema plantio direto em Latossolo Vermelho localizado em região típica de Cerrado, Selvíria - MS. Os tratamentos consistiram em cinco formas de aplicação de calagem, em dose única ou parcelada, e duas culturas de cobertura. A calagem sem incorporação, independentemente do modo de aplicação, corrigiu a acidez do solo e aumentou os teores de Ca e Mg na camada de 0-0,05 m; nas demais profundidades, não houve alterações significativas desses atributos. A incorporação do calcário na camada de 0-0,2m modificou, uniformemente, os valores de pH, Ca, Mg e soma de bases do solo até à profundidade de 0,2 m. O sorgo como cultura de cobertura possibilitou maiores teores de Ca e Mg quando a dose de calcário foi subdividida em três aplicações.

Activation of c-Jun in the nuclei of neurons of the CA-1 in thrombin preconditioning occurs via PAR-1.

Recently it has been shown that the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) plays a role in thrombin preconditioning (TPC) in vivo and in vitro. To investigate further the pathways involved in TPC, we performed an immunohistochemical study in hippocampal slice cultures. Here we show that the major target of JNK, the AP-1 transcription factor c-Jun, is activated by phosphorylation in the nuclei of neurons of the CA1 region by using phospho-specific antibodies against the two JNK phosphorylation sites. The activation is early and transient, peaking at 90 min and not present by 3 hr after low-dose thrombin administration. Treatment of cultures with a synthetic thrombin receptor agonist results in the same c-Jun activation profile and protection against subsequent OGD, both of which are prevented by specific JNK inhibitors, showing that thrombin signals through PAR-1 to JNK. By using an antibody against the Ser 73 phosphorylation site of c-Jun, we identify possible additional TPC substrates.

Year-round poultry litter decomposition and N, P, K and Ca release

Poultry litter is an important nutrient source in agriculture, although little information is available regarding its decomposition rate and nutrient release. To evaluate these processes, poultry litter (PL) was applied to the soil to supply 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 N contained in 4,953, 9,907 and 14,860 kg ha-1 PL, respectively. The litter bag technique was used to monitor the process of decomposition and nutrient release from the litter. These bags were left on the soil surface and collected periodically (after 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330, and 365 days). The dry matter (DM) loss was highest (35 %) after the first 30 days of field incubation. The highest nutrient release occurred in the first 60 days on the field, when 40, 34, 91, and 39 %, respectively, of N, P, K, and Ca of the initial PL dry matter (4,860 kg ha-1) was already released to the soil. In absolute terms, these percentages represent 40, 23, 134, and 69 kg ha-1 of N, P, K, and Ca and these values doubled and tripled as the PL fertilization rates increased to 9,907 and 14,860 kg ha-1, respectively. After one year of field incubation, the residual contents in the litter were 27, 15, 18 and 30 % of the initial DM , and N, P and Ca, respectively. The release rate of K was the fastest and 91 % of the K had been released from the PL after 30 days of field incubation.

An ultra-sensitive impedimetric immunosensor for detection of the serum oncomarker CA-125 in ovarian cancer patients.

Effective treatment of ovarian cancer depends upon the early detection of the malignancy. Here, we report on the development of a new nanostructured immunosensor for early detection of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125). A gold electrode was modified with mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), and then consecutively conjugated with silica coated gold nanoparticles (AuNP@SiO2), CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and anti-CA-125 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The engineered MPA|AuNP@SiO2|QD|mAb immunosensor was characterised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Successive conjugation of AuNP@SiO2, CdSe QD and anti-CA-125 mAb onto the gold electrode resulted in sensitive detection of CA-125 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0016 U mL(-1) and a linear detection range (LDR) of 0-0.1 U mL(-1). Based on the high sensitivity and specificity of the immunosensor, we propose this highly stable and reproducible biosensor for the early detection of CA-125.

Enhanced excitation-coupled Ca(2+) entry induces nuclear translocation of NFAT and contributes to IL-6 release from myotubes from patients with central core disease.

Prolonged depolarization of skeletal muscle cells induces entry of extracellular calcium into muscle cells, an event referred to as excitation-coupled calcium entry. Skeletal muscle excitation-coupled calcium entry relies on the interaction between the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor on the sarcolemma and the ryanodine receptor on the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In this study, we directly measured excitation-coupled calcium entry by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in human skeletal muscle myotubes harbouring mutations in the RYR1 gene linked to malignant hyperthermia (MH) and central core disease (CCD). We found that excitation-coupled calcium entry is strongly enhanced in cells from patients with CCD compared with individuals with MH and controls. Furthermore, excitation-coupled calcium entry induces generation of reactive nitrogen species and enhances nuclear localization of NFATc1, which in turn may be responsible for the increased IL-6 released by myotubes from patients with CCD.

Astrocyte Ca²⁺ signalling: an unexpected complexity.

Astrocyte Ca(2+) signalling has been proposed to link neuronal information in different spatial-temporal dimensions to achieve a higher level of brain integration. However, some discrepancies in the results of recent studies challenge this view and highlight key insufficiencies in our current understanding. In parallel, new experimental approaches that enable the study of astrocyte physiology at higher spatial-temporal resolution in intact brain preparations are beginning to reveal an unexpected level of compartmentalization and sophistication in astrocytic Ca(2+) dynamics. This newly revealed complexity needs to be attentively considered in order to understand how astrocytes may contribute to brain information processing.

Una nova societat civil: accions col·lectives de masses a l'Espanya postransicional (ca. 1982-2002)

INFORME DE RECERCA: Aquest treball ha consistit en una indagació sobre la protesta socialrecent al nostre país (Espanya, 1982-2002); específicament, sobre els principals episodis contemporànisd'acció col.lectiva que han esclatat a Espanya i a Catalunya, amb dos paràmetresdelimitadors bàsics:a) haver-se produït en el periode postransicional, és a dir, amb la fase de resolució dela transició política ja culminada (cosa que, com altres investigadors, hipotitzemque es produí pel 1982, amb el primer relleu democràtic i pacífic del Govern iamb el que anomenem transició institucional ja acabada); per tant, entre 1982 i2003 aproximadament.b) haver mobilitzat un seguiment massiu i adquirit, degut a aquest motiu, a vegadesreforçat per altres, una significació política excepcional, fora d'allò que esconsidera normal en l'activitat política quotidiana (itenint en conseqüència un impacte molt notable en el decurs mateix delperiode postransicional).

El fitoplà ncton dels aiguamolls de Ca l'Estany de Tordera (Barcelona)

Els aiguamolls de Ca l'Estany de Tordera (Maresme, Catalunya) són sistemes força fluctuants, lligats al règim del riu La Tordera. Han estat determinades un total de 71 espècies i varietats en el fìtoplàncton, de les que són descrites les seves variacions estacional i de comunitat segons les localitats.

Alguns aspectes formals de la traducció llatina de l'Alcorà de Robert de Ketton (ca. 1141-1143) i la seva relació amb el text original à rab

En el marc de la història de la transmissió escrita de l'Alcorà (al-Qur'an), l'article fa referència a l'evolució de la forma i l'estructura del text en relació amb l'oralitat del missatge original, a l'existència de diferents tradicions textuals en el si de la comunitat islàmica i al seu reflex en les traduccions. L'atenció se centra, sobretot, en la primera traducció sencera coneguda de l'Alcorà al llatí, realitzada per Robert de Ketton (ca. 1141-1143) a la Vall de l'Ebre, i se'n destaca el valor documental com a testimoni contemporani d'una tradició magribina i andalusina de tractament del text.