Respostas morfogênicas e estruturais de gramíneas tropicais em regime de corte no nordeste brasileiro

The production of forage grasses is directly related to the morphogenesis. The knowledge of the morphogenetic and structural variables of forage plants is important for determining appropriate conditions of grazing livestock to ensure efficient and sustainable. Thus the objective of this study was to evaluate morphogenetic and structural responses of three genera of grasses, Brachiaria, Panicum and Cenchrus in a cutting regime. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replications and six treatments. After each section were evaluated for forage production, appearance and elongation rates of leaves and stem, phyllochron, final leaf length, number of living leaves, leaf lifespan, leaf senescence rate, tiller density and tiller dynamics. On forage yield the highest values were obtained in cultivars Xaraes, Piata and Massai. The tiller density was higher for cv Massai. It is concluded that the cultivars of Panicum and Brachiaria had a higher tillering dynamics in increasing the turnover rate of tissues that are indicators of forage production, assuming that the cultivars of these genera are predisposed to use forage in the Northeast

A biotecnologia vegetal como alternativa para a cotonicultura familiar sustentável

This paper aims to describe the familiar cotton culture in the districts of Tangará and Triunfo Potiguar, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. It relates specific problems that small cotton agriculturists face in the cotton production and sale as well as their perception in relation to public policies that have been put into practice in these districts. The research revealed soils with potentiality for the cotton culture, but that are not being cultivated for anything else but subsistence, not being able to become productive, specifically through the cotton culture. That activity should be practiced so that it preserves the environment and the familiar farmers themselves, since it was verified they are constant1y exposed to health problems due to insecticides use. In what refers to fomentation policies it was observed that bureaucracy delays the liberation of the money destined to production, seeds delivery and other actions related to production and commercialization. Some procedures such as information and training about productivity development and attention with the environrnent and infrastructure are recommended. The results indicate lack of investments, rural credit and technical help, main1y in Triunfo Potiguar. There is unanimity, from the rural farmers of that district in what refers to the desire of improving the production and remaining in that activity. In this sense, the contribution of this research for the most appropriate culture production can be materialized through the technique of tissue's culture, aimed at obtaining plants that are resistant to diseases. The data indicated that the hormonal supplementations used induced regenerative calluses making in vitro morphogenesis possible in alI tested varieties. The use of the activated coal antioxidant was efficient, reducing oxidation, however not suppressing it. The results lead to an opportunity for the familiar tàrmers from Rio Grande do Norte enlarge the cotton culture, because to obtain plants that are resistant to diseases implies in insecticides reduction, propitiating smaller impact to the atmosphere and less cost

Effect of larval food amount on ovariole development in queens of Trigona spinipes (Hymenoptera, Apinae)

Caste determination in Trigona spinipes Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) is trophogenic. Larvae that eat about 360 mu l of food become queens, while those who consume 36 mu l develop into workers. We studied the effect of larval nutrition on the number and length of ovarioles and on ovarian development in fifth instar larvae, white eyed, pink eyed and black-eyed pupae as well as newly emerged adults. All larvae have four ovarioles per ovary, while in queen pupae this number ranged from 8 to 15. Cyst formation, the cell death and other characteristics of ovary morphogenesis were the same regardless of the quantity of food consumed. These results are discussed in relation to caste differentiation in other bees.

Localized matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity in the rat ventral prostate during the first week of postnatal development

The initial events in prostatic morphogenesis involve cell proliferation, epithelial canalization and outgrowth toward the stroma. We have hypothesized that stromal rearrangement takes place at the sites of epithelial growth and branching and that this rearrangement involves the action of gelatinases matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to characterize structural aspects of epithelial growth during the first week of postnatal development of the rat ventral prostate and to investigate the expression, localization and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 during this period by histological, ultrastructural and immunocytochemical analysis, in addition to gel zymography, in situ zymography and Western blotting. An increasing complexity of prostatic architeture was observed within the first postnatal week. Concurrently, the stroma became more organized and some cells differentiated into smooth muscle cells. Reticulin fibers appeared in a basket-like arrangement around both growing tips and epithelial sprouts, associated with a fainter staining for laminin. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were detected. MMP-2/MMP-9 expression decreased during the first week. Developing epithelial cords showed strong and difuse gelatinolytic activity. This activity coincided with the distribution of MMP-2 as determined by immunocytochemistry. on the other hand, MMP-9 was rather concentrated at the epithelial tips. These results suggest that gelatinolytic activity (with contribution of both MMP-2 and MMP-9) in the epithelium and at the epithelium-stroma interface are at least in part responsible for the tissue remodeling that allows epithelial growth and its projection into the surrounding stroma.

Testosterone Promotes an Anabolic Increase in the Rat Female Prostate (Skene's Paraurethral Gland) Which Acquires a Male Ventral Prostate Phenotype

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Functional Characterization of an Aspergillus fumigatus Calcium Transporter (PmcA) that Is Essential for Fungal Infection

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphological and physiological responses of Cedrela Fissilis Vellozo (Meliaceae) seedlings to light

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morfometria e acúmulo de biomassa em palma forrageira sob doses de nitrogênio

Objetivou-se avaliar parâmetros morfológicos e de produção em Palma forrageira cv. Miúda, sob doses de adubo nitrogenado. Além disso, apontar características morfológicas que possam ser utilizadas como variáveis preditoras da massa fresca dos cladódios. O experimento foi conduzido num delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos (ausência de adubação nitrogenada, 100; 200 e 300kg/ha de nitrogênio) e quatro repetições. Não houve diferenças significativas (P>0,10) para as características morfogênicas e comprimento dos cladódios. A adubação nitrogenada exerceu efeito linear negativo para as características largura, espessura, volume e peso médio de cladódios e efeito linear positivo para número de cladódios. Houve correlação linear positiva entre a massa fresca e as características morfológicas dos cladódios. O uso da adubação nitrogenada não interfere nas características morfogênicas e na produção de biomassa da palma forrageira. O volume dos cladódios pode ser usado como variável preditora para a massa fresca dos cladódios.

Atributos estruturais e produtivos de capim-marandu em resposta à suplementação alimentar de bovinos e a ciclos de pastejo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as alterações estruturais e produtivas de capim-marandu (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) em resposta à suplementação alimentar de bovinos e a ciclos de pastejo. Os níveis de suplementação com concentrado à base de polpa cítrica, milho, farelo de soja e ureia foram 0,2, 0,6 e 1% do peso vivo. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com arranjo em parcelas subdivididas no tempo, com os níveis de suplementação nas parcelas e os ciclos de pastejo nas subparcelas. Os efeitos da suplementação alimentar dos animais sobre o pasto foram detectados sobre o índice de área foliar, interceptação luminosa e relação folha/colmo, em pré-pastejo. Os menores valores foram observados na suplementação de 0,2% do peso vivo. No pós-pastejo, a massa de folhas e a relação folha/colmo foram menores com a menor suplementação (0,2%). Os ciclos de pastejo afetaram as características produtivas e estruturais do pasto, bem como os índices morfogênicos do capim-marandu. Apenas a massa de material morto aumentou, enquanto o número e o peso de perfilhos não foi afetado pelos ciclos de pastejo. O pasto de capim-marandu foi influenciado pela suplementação alimentar dos bovinos. Com o suceder dos ciclos de pastejo, do verão para o outono, há redução do crescimento do pasto, com prejuízos à sua estrutura.

Os histricomorfos sul-americanos: uma análise comparativa do desenvolvimento embriológico

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ultrastructural analysis of in vitro direct and indirect organogenesis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo das poliaminas na morfogênese in vitro de Hemerocallis sp.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Características morfogênicas e estruturais do capim-marandu manejado sob pastejo intermitente com diferentes ofertas de forragem

Avaliaram-se as características morfogênicas e estruturais do dossel de Brachiaria brizantha, cv. Marandu, sob pastejo intermitente no período chuvoso, em diferentes ofertas de forragem e ciclos de pastejo. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com três repetições. Nas parcelas, avaliou-se o efeito das ofertas de forragem (4, 7, 10 e 13% do PV/dia) e, nas subparcelas, o efeito dos ciclos de pastejo. Todas as variáveis diferiram entre os ciclos de pastejo, comprovando grande influência das condições ambientais sobre as características avaliadas. A taxa de alongamento do colmo e a altura do dossel responderam linear e positivamente ao aumento da oferta de forragem. O número de perfilhos vegetativos nos piquetes com a menor oferta permaneceu constante ao longo de todo o período experimental, no entanto, nos piquetes com as demais ofertas, atingiu valores mais elevados nos ciclos intermediários. A densidade de perfilhos reprodutivos e totais ajustou-se ao modelo quadrático de acordo com a oferta de forragem. Pastos manejados com ofertas de forragem próximas a 4% PV/dia têm menor alongamento de colmos e tendem a reduzir as perdas por senescência. As variáveis ambientais exercem maior influência sobre as características morfogênicas e estruturais em comparação a ações de manejo como a oferta de forragem.

Collagen type VI is a component of the extracellular matrix microfibril network of the prostatic stroma

Stroma-epithelium relationships are of great relevance in prostatic morphogenesis and physiology, However, little knowledge exists about either stromal cells or extracellular matrix composition and arrangement in this system, Ultrastructural analysis revealed the existence of a microfibrillar system which occupies large areas of the rat prostatic stroma, In this work, we have applied immunocytochemistry and an ATP treatment for the ultrastructural identification of collagen type VI microfibrils, aiming at examining its participation in the prostatic microfibrillar network. Immunocytochemistry was also extended to a human case of prostatic nodular hyperplasia, Both methods succeeded in identifying collagen type VI in the rat ventral prostate, Collagen type VI is evenly distributed throughout the stroma but mainly associated with the basal lamina, collagen fibrils, and around the stromal cells, the use of ATP treatment allowed for the discrimination between collagen type VI and elastin-associated microfibrils, and demonstrated that these two classes of microfibrils establish an extended, mixed, and open network. The same aspects of association with the basal lamina, with stromal cells (particularly with smooth muscle cells), and with fibrillar components of the stroma were observed in the human tissue, We suggest that the collagen type VI and elastin-associated microfibril system may be involved in the control of some aspects of cellular behavior and may also play a structural role, maintaining the organ integrity after the deformations occurring under smooth muscle contraction.

Host-parasite relationships in paracoccidioidomycosis

A viewpoint of host-parasite relationships in paracoccidioidomycosis is presented. The characteristics of the fungus which are important to the host-parasite interaction are discussed. Aspects of inhibition of mycelium-to-yeast transformation by estrogens acting at receptors on the fungal wall and in the cytoplasm, and the role of polysaccharide components of the cell wall in virulence are reviewed. The natural mechanisms of host defense are also examined, including phagocytosis, complement system, natural-killer cells and genetic control of resistance and susceptibility. Finally, a discussion of granuloma morphogenesis and its relationship to the humoral and cellular anti-P. brasiliensis immune response is presented.