Major loci controlling resistance to the angular leaf spot of common bean.

Based on the evidences presented in this paper, results from classical genetic studies, fine-mapping information and physical position analysis using the reference genome sequence of P. vulgaris, the BIC Genetic Committee has formally accepted the proposed new gene symbols.

Identification of common bean resistant sources to angular leaf spot disease in a brazilian germplasm collection.

The aim of this study was to identify sources of resistance in the germplasm collection providing information of potential sources of resistance to introduce in breeding programs.

Assessing the impact of agricultural drought on maize prices in Kenya with the approach of the SPOT-VEGETATION NDVI remote sensing

The high cost of maize in Kenya is basically driven by East African regional commodity demand forces and agricultural drought. The production of maize, which is a common staple food in Kenya, is greatly affected by agricultural drought. However, calculations of drought risk and impact on maize production in Kenya is limited by the scarcity of reliable rainfall data. The objective of this study was to apply a novel hyperspectral remote sensing method to modelling temporal fluctuations of maize production and prices in five markets in Kenya. SPOT-VEGETATION NDVI time series were corrected for seasonal effects by computing the standardized NDVI anomalies. The maize residual price time series was further related to the NDVI seasonal anomalies using a multiple linear regression modelling approach. The result shows a moderately strong positive relationship (0.67) between residual price series and global maize prices. Maize prices were high during drought periods (i.e. negative NDVI anomalies) and low during wet seasons (i.e. positive NDVI anomalies). This study concludes that NDVI is a good index for monitoring the evolution of maize prices and food security emergency planning in Kenya. To obtain a very strong correlation for the relationship between the wholesale maize price and the global maize price, future research could consider adding other price-driving factors into the regression models.

Semi-pelagic longline selectivity for two demersal species from the Azores: the black spot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo) and the bluemouth rockfish (Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus)

The selectivity of four hook sizes (STELL brand(1), Quality 2335, numbers 12, 9, 6 and 4) used in a semi-pelagic longline fishery was studied in the Azores. Two species were caught in sufficient numbers for modelling of selectivity: the black spot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo) and the bluemouth rockfish (Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus). A maximum likelihood method was used to fit a versatile model which can be used to describe a wide range of selectivity curves; from bell-shaped to asymptotic. Significant differences in size selectivity between hooks were found for both species. In the case of Pagellus bogaraveo, the smallest hook (number 12) had the lowest catch rates and all hooks were characterised by logistic-type selectivity curves, with sizes at 50% selectivity of: 27.9, 30.4, and 32.8 cm for hooks numbers 12, 9 and 6, respectively. The number 9 hook was the most efficient for Helicolenus d. dactylopterus, with selectivity curves varying from strongly skewed to the right for the number 12 hook to logistic-type for the numbers 6 and 4 hooks. Sizes at 50% selectivity for this species were 16.8, 18.7, 20.7, and 22.0 cm. respectively. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A controversial debate between financial speculation and changes in agricultural commodity spot prices

Some research works state that speculation with agricultural commodities on the futures market has risen agricultural commodity spot prices. This research work analyzes the causal relationships between spot prices of corn, wheat, and soybean and agricultural commodity futures trading activities. These causal relationships between agricultural commodity spot prices and financial variables are tested for Granger-causality. Model results show that causal relationships have been found among changes in “volume traded” and “open positions” of futures contracts and changes in spot prices for corn. These results do not show that financial speculation might be a major driver of rising agricultural commodity prices.

Estudo in silico de sítios de restrição enzimática de genes da proteína capsidial e análise de diversidade genética de Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus em fruteiras de semente e caroço.

Cultivares comerciais de macieiras são infectadas por 3 espécies principais de vírus: Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) e Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), geralmente em infecções complexas. O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar a diversidade genética de genes da proteína capsidial (CP) de isolados de ACLSV.

Control of citrus black spot (Guignardia citricarpa) by biological control agents and other alternative products.

2007

First report of Macroptilium yellow spot virus in Desmodium glabrum in Brazil.

2016

Primeiro relato de Tomato chlorotic spot virus em alface no estado do Pará.

A alface é uma hortaliça folhosa de grande importância econômica e social no Brasil, pois bastante cultivada por pequenos produtores e em hortas familiares. Isto ocorre principalmente pela facilidade que a cultura apresenta em se adaptar às mais diferentes condições. As doenças causadas por vírus são as principais responsáveis pelas perdas na produção na cultura, entre elas destacam-se as causadas por vírus do gênero Tospovirus. Durante visitas realizadas a áreas produtoras de hortaliças localizadas na região metropolitana de Belém-Pará, foi observada a alta incidência de plantas com sintomas de viroses. Assim, o trabalho teve como objetivo identificar o agente causal do vira cabeça da alface, por meio de RT-PCR e sequenciamento do ácido nucléico. Para isso, foi feita a extração de ácidos nucleicos total a partir de folhas de alface com sintoma de vira-cabeça e, posteriormente foi realizado o RT-PCR utilizando os primers universais para o gênero Tospovirus. O produto do PCR foi sequenciado e avaliado nos programas Blast, ClustalW e Mega 7.0. A partir da análise da filogenia foi observado que os isolados formaram um clado com os acessos da espécie Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV). Este foi o primeiro relato de TCSV em alface no Estado do Pará

Development of Glomerella leaf spot is enhanced in virus-infected Maxi Gala apples.

Apples are commercially grown in Brazil in a subtropical environment that favors the development of fungal diseases such as Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) caused mainly by Glomerella cingulata (anamorph Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of mixed infections by Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) on the infection and the colonization processes of C. gloeosporiodes in cv. Maxi Gala plants. Leaves of 16-month-old potted plants were spray-inoculated and both the disease incidence and lesion count were monitored over time and leaf severity was assessed in the final evaluation using an image analysis tool. Results showed that initial infection estimated from a monomolecular model fitted to progress of lesion count was higher and the incubation period (time to reach 50% incidence) was on average 10 h shorter in virus-infected plants compared to non-infected plants. It is hypothesized that initial events such as conidial germination and fungal penetration into plant cells were facilitated by the presence of viral infection. Also, final GLS severity was significantly higher in the virus-infected plants. Mixed infections by ASGV/ASPV seemed to make apple leaves more susceptible to the initial infection and colonization by C. gloeosporioides.

Chemical composition of Milky Way satellites: Magellanic Clouds and Sagittarius dwarf galaxy

This PhD project is aimed at investigating the chemical composition of the stellar populations in the closest satellites of the Milky Way (MW), namely the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud (LMC and SMC, respectively) and the remnant of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf spheroidal galaxy. Their proximity allows us to resolve their individual stars both with spectroscopy and photometry, studying in detail the characteristics of their stellar populations. All these objects are interacting galaxies: LMC and SMC are in an early stage of a minor merger event, and Sgr is being disrupted by the tidal field of the MW. There is a plenty of literature regarding the chemical composition of these systems, however, the extension of these galaxies prevents a complete and homogeneous analysis. Therefore, we homogeneously analysed stellar spectra belonging to MW and its satellites galaxies and we derived their chemical compositions. We highlighted the importance of a homogeneous analysis in the comparison among different galaxies or different samples, to avoid systematics due to different methods or physical assumptions.

La pubblicità tra presenza LGBTQ+, stereotipi di genere ed inclusione. Le tendenze della rappresentazione queer all’interno degli spot televisivi americani

La pubblicità – quella televisiva passando poi a quella sul web e sui social – subisce numerose trasformazioni che investono soprattutto i metodi comunicativi con cui sviluppare la propria narrazione. Oggi, di fatto, il mondo della pubblicità non si limita alla sola sponsorizzazione di un brand e dei suoi prodotti, ma si cala sempre più nelle dinamiche sociali, civili ed economiche che caratterizzano il nostro quotidiano. La comunicazione commerciale, dunque, si prefigge di essere il più inclusiva possibile, di coinvolgere storie, situazioni e personaggi che, nella pubblicità del “passato”, sarebbero stati esclusi totalmente o rappresentati in modo stereotipato. Se risulta possibile affermare che, nel panorama mediale odierno, si stia rivolgendo maggiore attenzione alle tematiche LGBTQ+, alle lotte contro la discriminazione di genere e all’ingaggio di personaggi appartenenti alla comunità queer, è altrettanto vero affermare come sia ancora possibile ricadere in rappresentazioni stereotipate e strategie di marketing che si fingono inclusive, solo per cavalcare l’onda del successo di eventi quali il Pride. All’interno di questo elaborato si andrà, in primis, a tracciare la storia culturale della comunità LGBTQ+ e ad approfondire come sia evoluta la sua presenza nei diversi media audiovisivi – dal cinema alle serie tv fino alla pubblicità. Ci si concentrerà poi sugli stereotipi ancora ricorrenti in pubblicità televisiva, ossia quello di genere. L’obiettivo della tesi è verificare se sia giusto parlare di inclusione o se si tratti solo una mera strategia di marketing, ossia di rainbow-washing, quando i brand si avvalgono di immagini e di personaggi LGBTQ+ nei propri spot. Nel capitolo finale, attraverso di un’analisi qualitativa di n. 100 spot televisivi americani, si andranno ad evidenziare i trend LGBTQ+, ossia in che modo oggi le pubblicità statunitensi sviluppano immagini, simboli, personaggi e storie LGBTQ+, realmente positive ed inclusive, in pubblicità.

Mock HI observations of Milky Way-like simulated galaxies

L'obiettivo di questo lavoro di tesi consiste nel descrivere sia il processo necessario per la creazione di osservazioni sintetiche di galassie simulate simili alla Via Lattea nella riga di emissione a 21 cm dell'idrogeno neutro (HI), sia il lavoro di analisi fondamentale che serve a confrontare in modo efficace l'output generato con delle osservazioni di galassie reali. Come prima cosa è descritta la teoria quantistica che sta alla base dell'emissione a 21 cm di HI, illustrando l'importanza di tale riga di emissione nell'ambito dell'astronomia e come si possano ottenere informazioni fondamentali sulle sorgenti di questa radiazione a partire dai dati osservativi. Il lavoro poi si focalizza sull'utilizzo del software MARTINI per la creazione di osservazioni sintetiche della linea a 21 cm per una galassia simulata con proprietà simili alla Via Lattea generata utilizzando il modello numerico SMUGGLE. Infine, si passa ad una breve descrizione dell'analisi dei dati sintetici creati, e al loro confronto con dei dati provenienti da osservazioni reali di galassie con proprietà simili, per ottenere una valutazione qualitativa della bontà del modello SMUGGLE impiegato nella simulazione numerica.

Metal Ions Bound To The Human Milk Immunoglobulin A: Metalloproteomic Approach.

The presence of calcium, iron, and zinc bound to human milk secretory IgA (sIgA) was investigated. The sIgA components were first separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then identified by electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI MS MS). The metal ions were detected by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after acid mineralization of the spots. The results showed eight protein spots corresponding to the IgA heavy chain constant region. Another spot was identified as the transmembrane secretory component. Calcium was bound to both the transmembrane component and the heavy chain constant region, while zinc was bound to the heavy chain constant region and iron was not bound with the identified proteins. The association of a metal ion with a protein is important for a number of reasons, and therefore, the findings of the present study may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action and of additional roles that sIgA and its components play in human milk.