Dinâmica espaço-temporal de danos do cancro basal em Eucalyptus grandis

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

Mediadores comportamentais e comunicação química da vespa eussocial basal Mischocyttarus (Monocyttarus) cassununga Von Ihering, 1903 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Mischocyttarini)

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Desgaste das facas do corte basal na qualidade da colheita mecanizada de cana-de-açúcar

During the sugarcane mechanized harvester process, the wear of base cutting knives is directly correlated to the quality of the cut made by the machines, and the use of quality control tools important in monitoring this process. Thus, the present study in Ribeirão Preto region aimed to assess the knives cut baseline and damage caused to wear brass knuckles in mechanized harvesting of cane raw sugar, from the viewpoint of statistical quality control (SQC). The wear of the knives was quantified by mass loss and its dimensions, while cutting quality was assessed by cutting height and damage to stumps visually classified according to the level of damage caused. The results showed that the wear of the knives was more pronounced in certain periods of use, but still within control standards. The cutting height was not affected by the wear of the knives, keeping within the limits of desirable quality for operation. Eventually damage the stumps ranged among themselves depending on each face of the cutting knives evaluated, and the predominance of certain classes of damage in each cutting face, but always remained in statistical control.

CONTRIBUTION OF BASAL AND AERIAL TILLERS IN DYNAMICS OF HERBAGE PRODUCTION OF SIGNALGRASS AFTER GRAZING DEFERRED

During the spring, the understanding of regrowth in basal and aerial tillers of deferred pasture in winter it is necessary. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the morphogenesis and herbage accumulation during spring in Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk (signalgrass) pasture used under deferred grazing in winter. The basal and aerial tillers in same pasture were evaluated. The signalgrass was managed with grazing cattle and with an average height of 25 cm. The randomized block design with three replications was adopted. The leaf appearance rate, phyllochron and the numbers of expanded, expanding and live leaves did not differ between basal and aerial tillers. The aerial tiller possessed lower rates of leaf senescence, of leaf elongation and of stem elongation, as well as lower number of dead leaf and stem and leaf lamina lengths, compared to basal tiller. The leaf lifespan was higher in aerial tillers than at basal. The basal tiller also contributed to higher rates of tissue growth and forage accumulation in pasture when compared to aerial tiller. After deferred grazing during the spring, the aerial tiller has low participation in forage production of signalgrass pasture.

Síndrome do comportamento em roedores muroides da Reserva Florestal do Morro Grande e suas possíveis implicações: resposta à fragmentação, dinâmica sucessional e taxa metabólica basal

Embora a fragmentação da paisagem seja apontada como uma das principais alterações antrópicas ao meio ambiente, sabe-se que nem todas as espécies são afetadas da mesma forma por este processo. Resultados obtidos na Reserva Florestal do Morro Grande (RFMG) encontraram ainda relação entre a vulnerabilidade diferenciada à fragmentação e a dinâmica sucessional em roedores. Estudos recentes sugerem que estas respostas diferenciais poderiam estar associadas a perfis metabólico/comportamentais, com consequências para a capacidade de exploração do habitat e utilização de recursos. Neste trabalho investigamos aspectos comportamentais e do metabolismo energético de três espécies de roedores da RFMG, já classificados como sensíveis (Euryoryzomys russatus) e tolerantes à fragmentação (Akodon montensis e Oligoryzomys nigripes), a fim de testar se estes fatores explicariam em parte suas diferentes vulnerabilidades. Analisou-se ainda a relação existente entre o metabolismo energético (expresso pela taxa metabólica basal, TMB) e o comportamento em nível de indivíduos. Por meio de testes comportamentais verificamos que não há diferença significativa entre os níveis exploratórios de espécies tolerantes e sensíveis à fragmentação. Por outro lado, a tendência de diferenciação na TMB entre as espécies foi bastante clara, com Euryoryzomys apresentando o mais alto metabolismo basal. As características de baixo metabolismo basal e plasticidade metabólica encontradas em Akodon e Oligoryzomys podem, de fato, estar contribuindo para o sucesso dessas espécies em áreas fragmentadas e alteradas. Foi encontrada ainda relação negativa entre a TMB e comportamentos custosos para duas das espécies, demonstrando predomínio do Modelo da Partilha, aparentemente adaptativo em ambientes imprevisíveis e com baixa produtividade, já que caracteriza animais com baixa demanda... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Changes in nuclear morphology and chromatin texture of basal keratinocytes in melasma

BackgroundThe pathogenesis of melasma and the role of keratinocytes in disease development and maintenance are not completely understood. Dermal abnormalities, the expression of inflammatory mediators, growth factors, epithelial expression of melanocortin and sexual hormones receptors suggest that not only melanocytes, but entire epidermal melanin unit is involved in melasma physiopathology.ObjectivesTo compare nuclear morphological features and chromatin texture between basal keratinocytes in facial melasma and adjacent normal skin.MethodsWe took facial skin biopsies (2mm melasma and adjacent normal skin) from women processed for haematoxylin and eosin. Thirty non-overlapping basal keratinocyte nuclei were segmented and descriptors of area, highest diameter, perimeter, circularity, pixel intensity, profilometric index (Ra) and fractal dimension were extracted using ImageJ software.ResultsBasal keratinocyte nuclei from facial melasma epidermis displayed larger size, irregular shape, hyperpigmentation and chromatin heterogeneity by fractal dimension than perilesional skin.ConclusionBasal keratinocytes from facial melasma display changes in nuclear form and chromatin texture, suggesting that the phenotype differences between melasma and adjacent facial skin can result from complete epidermal melanin unit alterations, not just hypertrophic melanocytes.

Influence of sex on basal and dickkopf-1 regulated gene expression in the bovine morula

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Parabiosis between basal fungus-growing ants (Formicidae, Attini)

We describe the first observation of parabiosis between two Attini ants (Apterostigma urichii Forel and Cyphomyrmex faunulus Wheeler) found in northern Manaus, AM, Brazil. Complete, mature colonies of both species were found in a single cavity inside a rotten log, sharing and tending a single combined fungus garden, made up of two distinct halves, each cultivated by one species. Workers of one species often antennated workers of the other species and showed no aggression toward each other or toward each other`s workers, queens, or immatures. Laboratory observations suggest that immatures of both species feed on hyphae from either half of the fungus garden. We were not able to find other parabiotic pairs involving the same species in the same locality, although we found colonies of both species sharing trails and foraging territories.

Periocular basal cell carcinoma: cost of topical immunotherapy versus estimated cost of surgical treatment

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the estimated cost of clinical and surgical treatment for basl cell carcinoma of the eyelid. Methods: This was a pilot study of 12 patients with basal cell carcinoma receiving treatment with 5% imiquimod cream at the ocular plastic surgery center, medical school University of Sao Paulo (HC-FMUSP, Brazil). The cost of clinical treatment was estimated based on the time of treatment and amount of medication consumed by patients in the home setting. The cost of surgical treatment was estimated by ophthalmologists with experience in reconstructive plastic surgery based on analysis of images of the same patients. Surgeons responded to a questionnaire with four questions about surgical technique, surgical materials required, estimated duration of surgery and type of anesthesia. Results: Immunotherapy lasted from 8 to 12 weeks. All patients reported each cold-stored sachet with 5% imiquimod cream lasted 3 days. According to the institution, a box with 12 sachets costs BRL 480.00. Patients required 1.58-3.11 boxes for complete treatment, corresponding to a total cost of BRL 758.40-1,492.80. Based on image analysis, surgeons evaluated surgery would require 1-3 hours. The estimated cost of surgery room and staff was BRL 263.00, to which the cost of supplies was added. Thus, the total cost of surgical treatment was BRL 272.61-864.82. On the average, immunotherapy was 57,64% more costly than surgical treatment. Conclusions: Malignant eyelid tumors are a common finding in clinical ophthalmology. Surgery is still the treatment of choice at our institution, but immunotherapy with 5% imiquimod cream may be indicated for patients with multiple lesions or high surgical risk and for patients declining surgery for reasons of fear or esthetic concerns. The ability to estimate costs related to the treatment of malignant eyelid tumors is an important aid in the financial planning of health care institutions. Further studies should evaluate the possibility of institutions equating the cost of immunotherapy and surgical treatment by acquiring similar but less expensive medications.

Photodynamic therapy in periocular basal cell carcinoma: Case report

The authors report the use of photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate (Metvix (R)) in a patient with nodular and infiltrative basal cell carcinoma in the right lower eyelid. Side effects on the eye were evaluated weekly. After 12 weeks of treatment, to confirm cure the patient was submitted to a 2-mm punch biopsy, the anatomopathological findings of which were negative for neoplasia. Photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate was shown to be an attractive alternative to surgical excision(-)the current gold standard treatment worldwide.

An additional basal sauropodomorph specimen from the Upper Triassic Caturrita Formation, southern Brazil, with comments on the biogeography of plateosaurids

We describe an additional saurischian specimen from the Caturrita Formation (Norian) of the Parana Basin, southern Brazil. This material was collected in the 1950s and remained unstudied due to its fragmentary condition. Detailed comparisons with other saurischians worldwide reveal that some characters of the ilium, including the low ventral projection of the medial wall of the acetabulum and its concave ventral margin, together with the short triangular shape of the pre-acetabular process and its mound-like dorsocaudal edge, resemble those of sauropodomorphs such as Plateosaurus and Riojasaurus. This set of traits suggests that MN 1326-V has affinities with basal Sauropodomorpha, probably closer to plateosaurians than to Saturnalia-like taxa. Previous records of this clade in the Caturrita Formation include Unaysaurus, which has been related to Plateosaurus within Plateosauridae. Alternative schemes suggest that plateosaurids include Plateosaurus plus the Argentinean 'prosauropods' Coloradisaurus and Riojasaurus. Both hypotheses raise biogeographic questions, as a close relationship between faunas from South America and Europe excluding Africa and North America is not supported by geological and biostratigraphical evidence. Additionally, the absence of plateosaurids in other continents suggests that the geographical distribution of this taxon is inconsistent with the geological history of western Pangaea, and this demands further investigations of the phylogeny of sauropodomorphs or improved sampling.

Frontonasal dysplasia, callosal agenesis, basal encephalocele, and eye anomalies syndrome with a partial 21q22.3 deletion

We describe a girl with a phenotype characterized by frontonasal dysplasia, callosal agenesis, basal encephalocele, and eye anomalies who presents a 46,XX,r(21) karyotype. Array-comparative genomic hybridization using the Afflymetrix 100K DNA oligoarray set showed an interstitial deletion 21q22.3 of approximately 219?kb. Conventional karyotype of both parents was normal, and it was not possible to perform the molecular studies. In this report we raise the hypothesis that the deleted genes located at 21q22.3 could account to the phenotype. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Discrimination of Basal Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma from Normal Skin Biopsies in Vitro Through Raman Spectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis

Objective: Raman spectroscopy has been employed to discriminate between malignant (basal cell carcinoma [BCC] and melanoma [MEL]) and normal (N) skin tissues in vitro, aimed at developing a method for cancer diagnosis. Background data: Raman spectroscopy is an analytical tool that could be used to diagnose skin cancer rapidly and noninvasively. Methods: Skin biopsy fragments of similar to 2 mm(2) from excisional surgeries were scanned through a Raman spectrometer (830 nm excitation wavelength, 50 to 200 mW of power, and 20 sec exposure time) coupled to a fiber optic Raman probe. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Euclidean distance were employed to develop a discrimination model to classify samples according to histopathology. In this model, we used a set of 145 spectra from N (30 spectra), BCC (96 spectra), and MEL (19 spectra) skin tissues. Results: We demonstrated that principal components (PCs) 1 to 4 accounted for 95.4% of all spectral variation. These PCs have been spectrally correlated to the biochemicals present in tissues, such as proteins, lipids, and melanin. The scores of PC2 and PC3 revealed statistically significant differences among N, BCC, and MEL (ANOVA, p < 0.05) and were used in the discrimination model. A total of 28 out of 30 spectra were correctly diagnosed as N, 93 out of 96 as BCC, and 13 out of 19 as MEL, with an overall accuracy of 92.4%. Conclusions: This discrimination model based on PCA and Euclidean distance could differentiate N from malignant (BCC and MEL) with high sensitivity and specificity.

Ether-A -go-go 1 (Eag1) Potassium Channel Expression in Dopaminergic Neurons of Basal Ganglia is Modulated by 6-Hydroxydopamine Lesion

The ether A go-go (Eag) gene encodes the voltage-gated potassium (K+) ion channel Kv10.1, whose function still remains unknown. As dopamine may directly affect K+ channels, we evaluated whether a nigrostriatal dopaminergic lesion induced by the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) would alter Eag1-K+ channel expression in the rat basal ganglia and related brain regions. Male Wistar rats received a microinjection of either saline or 6-OHDA (unilaterally) into the medial forebrain bundle. The extent of the dopaminergic lesion induced by 6-OHDA was evaluated by apomorphine-induced rotational behavior and by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity. The 6-OHDA microinjection caused a partial or complete lesion of dopaminergic cells, as well as a reduction of Eag1+ cells in a manner proportional to the extent of the lesion. In addition, we observed a decrease in TH immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral striatum. In conclusion, the expression of the Eag1-K+-channel throughout the nigrostriatal pathway in the rat brain, its co-localization with dopaminergic cells and its reduction mirroring the extent of the lesion highlight a physiological circuitry where the functional role of this channel can be investigated. The Eag1-K+ channel expression in dopaminergic cells suggests that these channels are part of the diversified group of ion channels that generate and maintain the electrophysiological activity pattern of dopaminergic midbrain neurons.

WUSCHEL-related genes are expressed during somatic embryogenesis of the basal angiosperm Ocotea catharinensis Mez. (Lauraceae)

Ocotea catharinensis is a basal angiosperm and an endangered tree species from the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest. Despite its economical and ecological importance, mass-propagation of this species is hampered by seldom-produced short-lived seeds, and in vitro propagation is challenged by frequently malformed somatic embryos. Therefore, O. catharinensis somatic embryos are also a good experimental material to study the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying in vitro morphogenesis. In an ongoing effort to characterize genes expressed during somatic embryogenesis of O. catharinensis we have cloned two Ocotea WUSCHEL-related genes. According to our RT-PCR data, both genes were preferentially expressed in embryogenic cell aggregates. One of them, OcWUS, is a possible ortholog of the Arabidopsis WUSCHEL (WUS) gene, which codes for a homeodomain-containing protein involved in the specification and maintenance of the shoot apical meristem. We analyzed the expression patterns of OcWUS and OcWOX4 by RT-PCR, and OcWUS expression was also assessed by in situ hybridization. The expression patterns of OcWUS were very similar to those described for the Arabidopsis WUS. OcWUS transcripts were generally restricted to a small group of cells in the center of the putative shoot apical meristem of O. catharinensis somatic embryos. Perturbed expression of OcWUS might be related to abnormally formed somatic embryos of O. catharinensis obtained through tissue culture.