Discriminação entre estágios nutricionais na cultura do trigo com técnicas de visão artificial e medidor portátil de clorofila

O ajuste da adubação nitrogenada é um tema que suscita preocupações econômicas e ambientais em todo o mundo. Isso decorre da elevada resposta das culturas, especialmente gramíneas, ao nitrogênio e da falta de métodos adequados de quantificação de sua disponibilidade no solo. Com o objetivo de avaliar a discriminação de três estágios nutricionais na cultura do trigo, foram utilizadas imagens digitais e um medidor portátil de clorofila (SPAD -502). Os dados foram coletados em três épocas (8; 14 e 20 dias após a adubação nitrogenada em cobertura - DAA), em parcelas de trigo submetidas a três doses de N (0; 30 e 60 kg ha-1). As imagens foram processadas para desenvolvimento dos classificadores multivariados, utilizando-se de nove índices espectrais com as combinações dos valores médios dos "pixels". Os dados de clorofila e N foliar foram utilizados para desenvolver classificadores univariados. Verificou-se que o sistema de visão artificial foi mais eficiente que o SPAD aos 8 DAA. Aos 14 e 20 DAA, a classificação univariada com os dados SPAD foi equivalente aos classificadores com dados de imagens. Com a utilização das imagens digitais, foi possível discriminar os estágios nutricionais oito dias após a primeira adubação nitrogenada em cobertura.

Evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of drip irrigated watermelon in Piaui coastline, Brazil

The knowledge of the evapotranspiration (ETc) and crop coefficient (Kc) is fundamental to plan and to manage the irrigation of any crop. The aim of this study was to determine the daily and hourly evapotranspiration of drip irrigated watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus, var. Crimson Sweet) and crop coefficient (Kc) in each crop development phase. The experiment was carried out in an experimental area of 1.27 ha of Embrapa Mid-North, localized in Parnaíba (02°54'S, 41°47'W and 46 m above of sea), State of Piauí, Brazil, from September to November, 2006. Electronic weighing lysimeters of 1.5 m x 1.5 m wide and long and 1.0 m deep were used to obtain the evapotranspiration. The plants were drip irrigated with a lateral row per plant row and drippers spaced 0.5 m from each other. The reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was estimated using the Penman-Monteith equation from the climatic data obtained by electronic sensors. The total evapotranspiration during the watermelon crop cycle cultivated in the state of Piauí was 233.87 mm, with mean values of 3.7 mm day-1, minimum of 1.18 and maximum of 8.14 mm day-1. The Kc of the drip irrigated watermelon was 0.18 in the initial stage of crop growth; 0.18 to 1.3, in crop development stage; 1.3 in the intermediate stage and 0.43 in the final stage.

Uutta tietoa Pehr Kalmista suomeksi

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Hiperperfusão no território orbital de gestantes portadoras de lúpus eritematoso sistêmico

OBJETIVO: analisar o comportamento da artéria oftálmica em grávidas portadoras de lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (GL), sem doença renal em atividade, comparando com não-grávidas com lúpus (NGL), sem doença renal em atividade e grávidas normais (GN). MÉTODOS: estudo observacional que analisou as variáveis doplervelocimétricas da artéria oftálmica de 20 GN, 10 GL e 17 NGL. As variáveis analisadas foram os índices de pulsatilidade (IP), a velocidade diastólica final (VDF) e a razão entre picos de velocidade (RPV). Foram calculadas as médias dos índices e respectivos desvios padrões. Para comparação das médias dos índices dos três grupos, utilizou-se o teste de variância (ANOVA) e prova pós-análise de Tukey, com intervalo de confiança de 95% (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: o grupo de gestante normal apresentou as seguintes médias e desvio padrão dos parâmetros da artéria oftálmica: IP=2,4±0,3; RPV=0,5±0,1 e VDF=5,1±2,1 cm/seg. Já os dois grupos GL e NGL mostraram, respectivamente, as seguintes médias e desvio padrão da artéria oftálmica: IP=2,0±0,4 e 1,9±0,4; RPV=0,6±0,1 e 0,6±0,1; VDF=9,7±3,9 cm/s e 8,1±4,3 cm/s. Não houve diferenças estatísticas significativas quando comparadas as médias do IP, VDF e RPV entre os grupos GL e NGL. Porém, observaram-se diferenças estatísticas significativas entre as médias do IP, VDF e RPV dos grupos GN e GL, com valores mais elevados de VDF e RPV no grupo GL. CONCLUSÕES: houve redução da impedância vascular da artéria oftálmica e hiperperfusão orbital nos dois grupos de pacientes com lúpus em relação às grávidas normais. Os conhecimentos obtidos neste estudo poderão auxiliar no melhor entendimento da fisiopatologia do lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, bem como poderá ser empregado em estudos futuros como método complementar para o diagnóstico diferencial entre a pré-eclâmpsia e a atividade de doença renal nas gestantes com lúpus.

Hipsuvarpaasta kriittiseen tieteelliseen realismiin : kansleri Ilkka Niiniluodon kotikirjasto

Helsingin yliopiston kansleri ja teoreettisen filosofian professori Ilkka Niiniluoto esitteli 230 hyllymetriä kirjoja sisältävää kotikirjastoaan.

Interferência de capim-arroz (Echinochloa spp.) na cultura do arroz irrigado (Oryza sativa) em função da época de irrigação

A adoção de novos métodos de manejo das plantas daninhas nas lavouras de arroz irrigado, com intuito de minimizar o uso de herbicidas, requer entendimento das relações de interferência entre as plantas daninhas e a cultura. Objetivou-se com trabalho avaliar a influência de épocas de início da irrigação por inundação da lavoura de arroz irrigado e a interferência do capim-arroz na cultura e comparar as variáveis explicativas população de plantas, massa seca aérea, cobertura do solo e área foliar pelas plantas de capim-arroz, visando identificar a que propicia melhor ajuste dos dados ao modelo. Para isso, foi instalado um experimento no ano agrícola 2005/06, em delineamento experimental completamente casualizado, sem repetição. Os tratamentos utilizados foram épocas de início da irrigação: 1, 10 e 20 dias após a aplicação dos tratamentos herbicidas (DAT) e populações de plantas de capim-arroz. As populações de capim-arroz foram de 0, 6, 8, 14, 20, 28, 42, 66 e 200; 0, 4, 6, 50, 66, 88, 92 e 200; e 0, 10, 12, 32, 42, 74, 166, 174 e 178 plantas m-2, para as épocas de entrada de água aos 1, 10 e 20 DAT, respectivamente, perfazendo um total de 26 unidades experimentais. A perda de produtividade de grãos da cultura em função das variáveis explicativas população, massa seca aérea, área foliar e cobertura do solo das plantas de capim-arroz foi relacionada pelo uso de modelo de regressão não-linear da hipérbole retangular. O modelo da hipérbole retangular estima adequadamente as perdas de produtividade da cultura do arroz irrigado pela interferência do capim-arroz. A antecipação da entrada de água na lavoura favorece positivamente a habilidade competitiva das plantas de arroz, cultivar BRS-Pelota, com relação às plantas de capim-arroz. A variável população de plantas apresenta melhor ajuste dos dados ao modelo, comparativamente às demais.

Effects of Corynespora cassiicola on Lantana camara

The present study combines the examination of toxins produced by C. cassiicola and the effects of the fungus colonization on L. camara. C. cassiicola was cultivated on solid media and the crude extracts CAE and CE were produced. Both extracts were submitted to a seed germination and growth assay utilizing Physalis ixocarpa, Trifolium alexandrinum, Lolium multiflorum and Amaranthus hypochodriacus. The effect of the extracts on the ATP-synthesis in isolated spinach chloroplasts was also tested. Bioassay guided chromatographic fractionation identified the most active extract (CAE). From this extract ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (C1) and fatty acids were isolated. The C1 compound reduce ATP synthesis in isolated spinach chloroplasts. The interference of fatty acids with ATP synthesis and also with weed growth provides one explanation of the phytogrowth-inhibitory properties of such fungal extracts. Histological observations involving fungus-plant interaction were made on L. camara plants inoculated with C. cassiicola conidia suspension. After inoculations, fragments of the leaf blades were prepared for observation by light and scanning electron microscopy. Fungal colonization of Lantana camara was typical of a necrotroph and penetration initiated a hypersensitive response. L. camara reacted to the pathogen penetration through thickening of the epidermis walls, cytoplasm granulation and a cicatrisation tissue.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation reduces rat frontal cortex acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) activity

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation induces several behavioral changes. Among these, a decrease in yawning behavior produced by low doses of cholinergic agonists is observed which indicates a change in brain cholinergic neurotransmission after REM sleep deprivation. Acetylcholinesterase (Achase) controls acetylcholine (Ach) availability in the synaptic cleft. Therefore, altered Achase activity may lead to a change in Ach availability at the receptor level which, in turn, may result in modification of cholinergic neurotransmission. To determine if REM sleep deprivation would change the activity of Achase, male Wistar rats, 3 months old, weighing 250-300 g, were deprived of REM sleep for 96 h by the flower-pot technique (N = 12). Two additional groups, a home-cage control (N = 6) and a large platform control (N = 6), were also used. Achase was measured in the frontal cortex using two different methods to obtain the enzyme activity. One method consisted of the obtention of total (900 g supernatant), membrane-bound (100,000 g pellet) and soluble (100,000 g supernatant) Achase, and the other method consisted of the obtention of a fraction (40,000 g pellet) enriched in synaptic membrane-bound enzyme. In both preparations, REM sleep deprivation induced a significant decrease in rat frontal cortex Achase activity when compared to both home-cage and large platform controls. REM sleep deprivation induced a significant decrease of 16% in the membrane-bound Achase activity (nmol thiocholine formed min-1 mg protein-1) in the 100,000 g pellet enzyme preparation (home-cage group 152.1 ± 5.7, large platform group 152.7 ± 24.9 and REM sleep-deprived group 127.9 ± 13.8). There was no difference in the soluble enzyme activity. REM sleep deprivation also induced a significant decrease of 20% in the enriched synaptic membrane-bound Achase activity (home-cage group 126.4 ± 21.5, large platform group 127.8 ± 20.4, REM sleep-deprived group 102.8 ± 14.2). Our results suggest that REM sleep deprivation changes Ach availability at the level of its receptors through a decrease in Achase activity

Developmental and behavioral effects of postnatal amitraz exposure in rats

The effects of postnatal amitraz exposure on physical and behavioral parameters were studied in Wistar rats, whose lactating dams received the pesticide (10 mg/kg) orally on days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 of lactation; control dams received distilled water (1 ml/kg) on the same days. A total of 18 different litters (9 of them control and 9 experimental) born after a 21-day gestation were used. The results showed that the median effective time (ET50) for fur development, eye opening, testis descent and onset of the startle response were increased in rats postnatally exposed to amitraz (2.7, 15.1, 21.6 and 15.3 days, respectively) compared to those of the control pups (1.8, 14.0, 19.9 and 12.9 days, respectively). The ages of incisor eruption, total unfolding of the external ears, vaginal and ear opening and the time taken to perform the grasping hindlimb reflex were not affected by amitraz exposure. Pups from dams treated with amitraz during lactation took more time (in seconds) to perform the surface righting reflex on postnatal days (PND) 3 (25.0 ± 2.0), 4 (12.3 ± 1.2) and 5 (8.7 ± 0.9) in relation to controls (10.6 ± 1.2; 4.5 ± 0.6 and 3.4 ± 0.4, respectively); the climbing response was not changed by amitraz. Postnatal amitraz exposure increased spontaneous motor activity of male and female pups in the open-field on PND 16 (140 ± 11) and 17 (124 ± 12), and 16 (104 ± 9), 17 (137 ± 9) and 18 (106 ± 8), respectively. Data on spontaneous motor activity of the control male and female pups were 59 ± 11 and 69 ± 10 for days 16 and 17 and 49 ± 9, 48 ± 7 and 56 ± 7 for days 16, 17 and 18, respectively. Some qualitative differences were also observed in spontaneous motor behavior; thus, raising the head, shoulder and pelvis matured one or two days later in the amitraz-treated offspring. Postnatal amitraz exposure did not change locomotion and rearing frequencies or immobility time in the open-field on PND 30, 60 and 90. The present findings indicate that postnatal exposure to amitraz caused transient developmental and behavioral changes in the exposed offspring and suggest that further investigation of the potential health risk of amitraz exposure to developing human and animal offsprings may be warranted.

Kinetics of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA expression in islets and spleen of NOD mice

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is caused by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic ß cells. Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice spontaneously develop diabetes similar to the human disease. Cytokines produced by islet-infiltrating mononuclear cells may be directly cytotoxic and can be involved in islet destruction coordinated by CD4+ and CD8+ cells. We utilized a semiquantitative RT-PCR assay to analyze in vitro the mRNA expression of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma cytokine genes in isolated islets (N = 100) and spleen cells (5 x 10(5) cells) from female NOD mice during the development of diabetes and from female CBA-j mice as a related control strain that does not develop diabetes. Cytokine mRNAs were measured at 2, 4, 8, 14 and 28 weeks of age from the onset of insulitis to the development of overt diabetes. An increase in IFN-gamma expression in islets was observed for females aged 28 weeks (149 ± 29 arbitrary units (AU), P<0.05, Student t-test) with advanced destructive insulitis when compared with CBA-j mice, while TNF-alpha was expressed in both NOD and CBA-j female islets at the same level at all ages studied. In contrast, TNF-alpha in spleen was expressed at higher levels in NOD females at 14 weeks (99 ± 8 AU, P<0.05) and 28 weeks (144 ± 17 AU, P<0.05) of age when compared to CBA-j mice. The data suggest that IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha expression in pancreatic islets of female NOD mice is associated with ß cell destruction and overt diabetes.

Reproductive ability of pubertal male and female rats

Ten Fisher rats 50 to 55 days of age made up the pubertal group, and ten rats 90 to 95 days of age served as the controls. The testicular and epididymal weights and volumes of the pubertal males were lower than those of the controls (P<0.001). There was also a difference in relative epididymal weight (P<0.001). The sperm of pubertal males was morphologically abnormal in 58.2% of cases, as opposed to only 3.8% in the controls (P<0.001). The mean number of spermatozoa in the control group was 11.9 × 10(6)/ml and their viability was 99.6%, while these values could not be determined for pubertal rats. Serum testosterone was higher in the pubertal animals than in the controls (2.52 ± 1.46 vs 0.92 ± 0.34 nM, P<0.01). The ovaries of control females were heavier than those of pubertal females (P<0.001) but there was no difference in their relative weights. Serum estradiol was similar in both groups (75.5 ± 12.8 vs 81.8 ± 14.7 nM, P>0.05). At the beginning of gestation, the pubertal dams weighed less than the controls (P<0.001) but following uterectomy the body weights were equal. Pubertal dams delivered fewer pups than the controls (8.1 ± 2.5 vs 10.4 ± 1.3, P<0.05). There was no difference in the body weights of their offspring or in the weights of their placentas. The results suggest that, in contrast to their female counterparts, pubertal male rats are not fully mature and have not reached complete reproductive capacity at 50-55 days of age.

Electrophysiological evidence for glial-subtype glutamate transporter functional expression in rat cerebellar granule neurons

A glutamate-sensitive inward current (Iglu) is described in rat cerebellar granule neurons and related to a glutamate transport mechanism. We examined the features of Iglu using the patch-clamp technique. In steady-state conditions the Iglu measured 8.14 ± 1.9 pA. Iglu was identified as a voltage-dependent inward current showing a strong rectification at positive potentials. L-Glutamate activated the inward current in a dose-dependent manner, with a half-maximal effect at about 18 µM and a maximum increase of 51.2 ± 4.4%. The inward current was blocked by the presence of dihydrokainate (0.5 mM), shown by others to readily block the GLT1 isoform. We thus speculate that Iglu could be attributed to the presence of a native glutamate transporter in cerebellar granule neurons.