Application of interpolymer complexation to coat solid and soft surfaces

Water-soluble polymers are often capable of forming interpolymer complexes in solutions and at interfaces, which offers an excellent opportunity for surface modification. The complex formation may be driven by H-bonding between poly(carboxylic acids) and non-ionic polymers or by electrostatic attraction between oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes. In the present communication the following applications of interpolymer complexation in coating technologies will be considered: (1) Complexation between poly(acrylic acid) and non-ionic polymers via H-bonding was used to coat glass surfaces. It was realised using layer-by-layer deposition of IPC on glass surfaces with subsequent cross-linking of dry multilayers by thermal treatment. Depending on the glass surface functionality this complexation resulted in detachable and non-detachable hydrogel films; (2) Electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly between glycol chitosan and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to coat magnetic nanoparticles. It was demonstrated that the native structure of BSA remains unaffected by the self-assembling process.

Resistance of cattle of various genetic groups to the tick Rhipicephalus microplus and the relationship with coat traits

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vitro assessment of an experimental coat applied over fluoride varnishes

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

The role of the seed coat in phytochrome-controlled seed germination in Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids

The effect of scarification with sodium hypochloride on light sensitivity in seeds of Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids is presented in the paper. Light-requiring lettuce seeds germinated in both dark and continuous light after scarification and 36 degrees C pre-incubation restored light sensitivity at 25 degrees C. Curves of dose-response indicated that chemical scarification induced a change in the control of seed germination from Low Fluence Response to the Very Low Fluence Response. Pre-incubation at 36 degrees C return the control to the Low Fluence Response of phytochrome action.

The role of the seed coat in the light sensivity in Raphanus sativus L. cv. redondo gigante seeds

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

Anatomy of the pericarp and seed-coat of Lithraea molleoides (Vell.) Engl. (Anacardiaceae) with taxonomic notes

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

Subcellular localization of the coat protein in tobacco cells infected by cucumber mosaic virus isolated from Catharanthus roseus

Electron microscopy and immunolabelling with antiserum specific to cucumber mosaic virus coat protein were used to examine tobacco leaf cells infected by cucumber mosaic virus isolated from Catharanthus roseus (CMV-Cr). Crystalline and amorphous inclusions in the vacuoles were the most obvious cytological modifications seen. Immunogold labelling indicated that the crystalline inclusion was made up of virus particles and amorphous inclusions contained coat protein. Rows of CMV-Cr particles were found between membranes of dictyosomes, but membranous bodies and tonoplast-associated vesicles were not evident. Virus particles and/or free coat protein were easily detected in the cytoplasm by immunolabelling. No gold labelling was found within nuclei, chloroplasts and mitochondria.

Coat protein and RNAs of Cole latent virus are not present within chloroplasts of Chenopodium quinoa-infected cells

O vírus latente da couve (Cole latent virus, CoLV), gênero Carlavirus, foi estudado, por microscopia eletrônica de transmissão e técnicas bioquímicas, em relação à ultra-estrutura das células infetadas de Chenopodium quinoa, e de sua associação com os cloroplastos. O CoLV foi observado como partículas dispersas pelo citoplasma entremeadas com vesículas membranosas e ribossomos e/ou como densas massas de partículas. Estes partículas reagiram por imunomarcação com anti-soro policlonal para o CoLV. Morfologicamente, cloroplastos, mitocôndrias e núcleos mostraram-se inalterados e partículas virais não foram encontradas dentro dessas organelas. Entretanto, agregados de partículas virais foram freqüentemente vistos em associação com a membrana externa dos cloroplastos e ocasionalmente com peroxissomos. Cloroplastos foram purificados em gradiente de Percoll e as proteínas e os RNA foram extraídos e analisados, respectivamente, por Western blot e Northern blot. Proteína capsidial e RNA associados ao CoLV não foram detectados nessa organela. Os resultados aqui obtidos indicam que a associação CoLV/cloroplastos, observada nos estudos de microscopia eletrônica, é possivelmente um evento casual dentro da célula hospedeira e que o vírus não se multiplica dentro dessa organela.

Thermal-biological aspects on the seed germination of Cucumis anguria L.: influence of the seed coat

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

Hair coat characteristics and sweating rate of Braford cows in Brazil

This paper deals with the effects of hair coat characteristics on the sweating rate of Brazilian Braford cows and estimation of heritabilities and genetic correlations of these traits. Data (n=1607) on hair length, coat thickness, hair diameter, number of hairs per unit area, coat reflectance and sweating rate were recorded from heifers and cows of a commercial herd managed on range under extensive system. The data were analyzed considering the following effects on the model for hair coat traits: classes of sires and contemporary groups; linear effects of month and genotype; linear and quadratic effects of age. The effect of sire was important (P<0.05) for all hair coat traits, except for number of hairs; contemporary groups affected (P<0.05) all hair coat traits; the effect of sampling month was important (P<0.05) for hair length and reflectance; genotype affected (P<0.05) hair length, diameter and coat reflectance; the quadratic effect of age was important (P<0.05) only for coat reflectance. Two models were used to analyze the sweating rate. The first model considered the following fixed effects: classes of contemporary groups and sires; linear effect of genotype, coat thickness, hair length, hair diameter, number of hairs, coat reflectance; linear and quadratic effects of time of day, age, air temperature, partial vapour pressure and radiant heat load. The second model used for the sweating rate considered the same fixed effects for the first model, except that the hair coat characteristics were adjusted for important effects used in the models to analyze hair coat traits. All meteorological factors and contemporary groups were important (P<0.05) on variation of sweating rate in both models. The Restricted Maximum. Likelihood (REML) method was used to estimate variance and covariance components under the sire model. Results included heritability estimates in narrow (h(2)) and broad (H) sense for single-trait analyzes: hair thickness (h(2)=0.16; H-2=0.26); hair length (h(2)=0.18; H-2=0.39); number of hairs (h(2)=0.08 +/- 0.07; H-2=0.08 +/- 0.07); hair diameter (h(2)=0.12 +/- 0.07; H-2=0.12 +/- 0.07); coat reflectance (h(2)=0.30; H-2=0.42); and sweating rate (h(2)=0.10 +/- 0.07; H-2=0.10 +/- 0.07). In general, the genetic correlations between the adaptive traits were favorable as for the direction to select for adaptation in tropical environment; however, they presented high standard errors. The results of this study imply that hair coat characteristics and sweating ability are important for the adaptability to heat stress and they must be better studied and further considered for selection for genetic progress of adaptation in tropical environment. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Environmental and genetic variation of the effective radiative properties of the coat of Holstein cows under tropical conditions

Morphological characteristics, coat effective radiative properties, and the percentage of white colour were measured in the coats of 973 Holstein cows, and estimates of the genetic parameters were obtained for these traits, except morphological characteristics. The results showed that white coats are more dense with long, thin hairs, while the black coats are less dense with short, thick hairs. Effective transmissivity is greater in the less-dense coats with short, thin hairs, independently of coat colour. Effective reflectivity depends more on the variation in the radiative properties of the coat and skin surface rather than on the morphological characteristics of the coat. Effective absorptivity is greater in black and dense coats with long, thick hairs, than in the white and less-dense coat with short, thin hairs. All heritability estimates were of low magnitude, except for the percentage of white coat colour.

Electrical conductivity of soybean seed and correlation with seed coat lignin content

The effects of soybean genotype and seed coat lignin content on bulk electrical conductivity were investigated. Seeds of nine soybean cultivars were hand harvested at R8 maturation stage in Londrina, PR., Brazil in 1995/96. Seeds were electrical conductivity tested using four replicates of 50 seeds per cultivar soaked in 75 mi of deionized water at 25 degrees C for 24 hours. Seed coat lignin content was determined using the potassium permanganate method. There was a significant relationship (R-2 = 0.84**) between electrical conductivity and seed coat lignin content, the latter being a characteristic that varies among soybean genotypes; the higher the amount of lignin in the seed coat, the lower the levels of seed exudates to the soaking solution and consequently the lower the electrical conductivity. It was concluded that seed soaking electrical conductivity is influenced by the seed coat lignin content, which is a characteristic that varies among soybean genotypes. Additionally, the EC test can be used as a valuable tool in the screening process for this characteristic, which is desirable for genetically improving soybean seed quality.

Structural changes in soybean seed coat due to harvest time and storage

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