A close phylogenetic relationship between Sipuncula and Annelida evidenced from the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Phascolosoma esculenta

Background: There are many advantages to the application of complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes in the accurate reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships in Metazoa. Although over one thousand metazoan genomes have been sequenced, the taxonomic sampling is highly biased, left with many phyla without a single representative of complete mitochondrial genome. Sipuncula (peanut worms or star worms) is a small taxon of worm-like marine organisms with an uncertain phylogenetic position. In this report, we present the mitochondrial genome sequence of Phascolosoma esculenta, the first complete mitochondrial genome of the phylum. Results: The mitochondrial genome of P. esculenta is 15,494 bp in length. The coding strand consists of 32.1% A, 21.5% C, 13.0% G, and 33.4% T bases (AT = 65.5%; AT skew = -0.019; GC skew = -0.248). It contains thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs) with 3,709 codons in total, twenty-two transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and a non-coding AT-rich region (AT = 74.2%). All of the 37 identified genes are transcribed from the same DNA strand. Compared with the typical set of metazoan mt genomes, sipunculid lacks trnR but has an additional trnM. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the protein sequences show that Myzostomida, Sipuncula and Annelida (including echiurans and pogonophorans) form a monophyletic group, which supports a closer relationship between Sipuncula and Annelida than with Mollusca, Brachiopoda, and some other lophotrochozoan groups. Conclusion: This is the first report of a complete mitochondrial genome as a representative within the phylum Sipuncula. It shares many more similar features with the four known annelid and one echiuran mtDNAs. Firstly, sipunculans and annelids share quite similar gene order in the mitochondrial genome, with all 37 genes located on the same strand; secondly, phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated protein sequences also strongly support the sipunculan + annelid clade (including echiurans and pogonophorans). Hence annelid "key-characters" including segmentation may be more labile than previously assumed.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the ridgetail white prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda Holthuis, 1950 (Crustacean: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) revealed a novel rearrangement of tRNA genes

The complete mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequence was determined for a ridgetail white prawn, Exopalaemon carinicauda Holthuis, 1950 (Crustacea: Decopoda: Palaemonidae). The mt genome is 15,730 bp in length, encoding a standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, which is typical for metazoans. The majority-strand consists of 33.6% A, 23.0% C, 13.4% G, and 30.0% T bases (AT skew = 0.057: GC skew = -0.264). A total of 1045 bp of non-coding nucleotides were observed in 16 intergenic regions,,including a major A+ T rich (79.7%) noncoding region (886 bp). A novel translocation of tRNA(Pro) and tRNA(Thr) was found when comparing this genome with the pancrustacean ground pattern indicating that gene order is not conserved among caridean mitochondria. Furthermore, the rate of Ka/Ks in 13 protein-coding genes between three caridean species is Much less than 1, which indicates a strong Purifying selection within this group. To investigate the phylogenetic relationship within Malacostraca, phylogenetic trees based oil Currently available malacostracan complete mitochondrial sequences were built with the maximum likelihood and Bayesian models. All analyses based oil nucleotide and amino acid data strongly support the monophyly of Decapoda. The Penaeidae, Reptantia, Caridea, and Meiura clades were also recovered as monophyletic groups with Strong Statistical Support. However, the phylogenetic relationships within Pleocyemata are unstable, as represented by the inclusion or exclusion of Caridea. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of a novel variant of HMW glutenin subunit gene from the St genome of Pseudoroegneria stipifolia

The x- and y-type high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits are conserved seed storage proteins in wheat and related species. Here we describe investigations on the HMW glutenin subunits from several Pseudoroegneria accessions. The electrophoretic mobilities of the HMW glutenin subunits from Pd. stipifolia, Pd tauri and Pd strigosa were much faster than those of orthologous wheat subunits, indicating that their protein size may be smaller than that of wheat subunits. The coding sequence of the Glu-1St1 subunit (encoded by the Pseudoroegneria stipifolia accession PI325181) was isolated, and found to represent the native open reading frame (ORF) by in vitro expression. The deduced amino acid sequence of Glu-1St1 matched with that determined from the native subunit by mass spectrometric analysis. The domain organization in Glu-1St1 showed high similarity with that of typical HMW glutenin subunits. However, Glu-1St1 exhibited several distinct characteristics. First, the length of its repetitive domain was substantially smaller than that of conventional subunits, which explains its much faster electrophoretic mobility in SDS-PAGE. Second, although the N-terminal domain of Glu-1St1 resembled that of y-type subunit, its C-terminal domain was more similar to that of x-type subunit. Third, the N- and C-terminat domains of Glu-1St1 shared conserved features with those of barley D-hordein, but the repeat motifs and the organization of its repetitive domain were more similar to those of HMW glutenin subunits than to D-hordein. We conclude that Glu-1St1 is a novel variant of HMW glutenin subunits. The analysis of Glu-1St1 may provide new insight into the evolution of HMW glutenin subunits in Triticeae species. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome constitutions of Hystrix patula, H-duthiei ssp duthiei and H-duthiei ssp longearistata (Poaceae : Triticeae) revealed by meiotic pairing behavior and genomic in-situ hybridization

Genomic constitutions of three taxa of Hystrix Moench, H. patula, H. duthiei ssp. duthiei and H. duthiei ssp. longearistata, were examined by meiotic pairing behavior and genomic in-situ hybridization. Meiotic pairing in hybrids of H. patula x Pseudoroegneria spicata (St), H. patula x Elymus wawawaiensis (StH), H. patula x H. duthiei ssp. longearistata, H. patula x Psathyrostachys huashanica (Ns(h)), H. duthiei ssp. duthiei x Psa. huashanica, H. duthiei ssp. longearistata x Psa. huashanica, Leymus multicaulis (NsXm) x H. duthiei ssp. longearistata averaged 6.53, 12.83, 1.32, 0.29, 5.18, 5.11 and 10.47 bivalents per cell, respectively. The results indicate that H. patula has the StH genome and H. duthiei ssp. duthiei and H. duthiei ssp. longearistata have the NsXm genome. Results of genomic in-situ hybridization analysis strongly supported the chromosome pairing data; therefore it is concluded that the type species of Hystrix, H. patula, should be included in Elymus, and that H. duthiei ssp. duthiei and H. duthiei ssp. longearistata should be transferred to Leymus.

Surtos da mosca-dos-estábulos, Stomoxys calcitrans, em Mato Grosso do Sul: novo problema para as cadeias produtivas da carne e sucroalcooleira?

No presente documento é registrada a ocorrência de infestações preocupantes pela mosca-dos-estábulos, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae), em propriedades pecuárias próximas de usinas sucroalcooleiras na região Sul de Mato Grosso do Sul, no ano de 2009. A biologia do inseto; sua importância epidemiológica, econômica e veterinária e; possíveis alternativas de controle são apresentadas e discutidas. Entre as alternativas de controle sugere-se, em especial, o revolvimento completo duas vezes por semana do material de compostagem nas usinas e a drenagem do local onde é executada, assim como o enterrio parcial da palha pós-colheita da cana-de-açúcar com uso de cultivador. Nas propriedades pecuárias recomenda-se a limpeza de locais de criação da mosca, representado por acúmulo de dejetos de animais domésticos e ou de resíduos alimentares, especialmente em confinamentos e leiterias, dentre outras recomendações. Somente com ações integradas será possível resolver o problema e contribuir para o desenvolvimento sustentável de duas importantes cadeias produtivas do agronegócio brasileiro.

Avaliação de impacto ambiental de atividades em estabelecimentos familiares do novo rural.

Uma avaliação do desempenho ambiental de atividades rurais representadas pela horticultura orgânica e convencional, pelo agroturismo, e pelos pesque-pagues, foi procedida com o sistema de Avaliação Ponderada de Impacto Ambiental de Atividades do Novo Rural (APOIA-NovoRural). Este sistema consiste de um conjunto de planilhas eletrônicas que integram sessenta e dois indicadores do desempenho ambiental da atividade, no âmbito de um estabelecimento rural. Cinco dimensões de avaliação são consideradas: i. Ecologia da Paisagem, ii. Qualidade dos Compartimentos Ambientais (atmosfera, água e solo), iii. Valores Socioculturais, iv. Valores Econômicos e v. Gestão e Administração. Os resultados indicam que, em relação à horticultura, ao melhorar a conservação dos recursos naturais e as condições de gestão do estabelecimento, o manejo orgânico apresenta melhor desempenho ambiental que o manejo convencional (19% na Ecologia da Paisagem, 13% na Qualidade da Água e 74% na Gestão e Administração). Nos estabelecimentos dedicados a pesque-pague, a recomposiçãoda paisagem e dos habitats naturais, assim como melhores condições de gestão e administração do estabelecimento, são as principais medidas a serem adotadas para melhoria do desempenho ambiental da atividade. Finalmente, com excelente desempenho econômico e em termos de conservação da qualidade da água, o agroturismo carece de atenção nos aspectos de recuperação dos habitats naturais e da paisagem, bem como melhorias na gestão e administração. A aplicação do sistema APOIA-NovoRural permite melhorar a gestão ambiental de atividades no meio rural, indicando os pontos críticos para correção do manejo, bem como os aspectos favoráveis das atividades, contribuindo para o desenvolvimentolocal sustentável.

Frutas certificadas: um novo mercado a ser trabalhado.

O sistema de Produção Integrada de Frutas (PIF) é constituído por um conjunto de práticas agronômicas selecionadas a partir daquelas disponíveis com comprovado benefício para a obtenção de produtos de melhor qualidade. É um sistema que gera alimentos seguros principalmente para o consumo humano, pois adota métodos de monitoramento (em todas as etapas do processo produtivo), análise de resíduos de agrotóxicos, além da utilização de tecnologias apropriadas, otimizando o modo de produção. Permite a rastreabilidade de toda cadeia, desde as áreas de cultivo até a mesa do consumidor, garantindo um diferencial de competitividade. Apesar dessas vantagens e da importância do sistema de Produção Integrada (PI) e dos esforços em sua divulgação, seu conceito é desconhecido pelo varejo e pelos consumidores finais, implicando numa baixa demanda de mercado e, consequentemente, num baixo índice de adesão e certificação pelos produtores por não vislumbrarem vantagens econômicas para implementar as mudanças tecnológicas na propriedade, requeridas pela PI.

Novo produto piretróide para o controle do Sitophilus zeamais em milho armazenado.

2005

Novo produto para o controle das pragas que atacam o milho armazenado em paiol.

2005

Novo produto piretróide para o controle de Rhyzopertha dominica e tribolium castaneum, em trigo armazenado.

2005

Levantamento de reconhecimento de alta intensidade dos solos e avaliação da aptidão agrícola das terras da área de Novo Paraíso, Roraima.

1999

Solos do campo experimental da Embrapa Milho e Sorgo: suas características e classificação no novo sistema brasileiro.

2002

Automated Assembly Using Feature Localization

Automated assembly of mechanical devices is studies by researching methods of operating assembly equipment in a variable manner; that is, systems which may be configured to perform many different assembly operations are studied. The general parts assembly operation involves the removal of alignment errors within some tolerance and without damaging the parts. Two methods for eliminating alignment errors are discussed: a priori suppression and measurement and removal. Both methods are studied with the more novel measurement and removal technique being studied in greater detail. During the study of this technique, a fast and accurate six degree-of-freedom position sensor based on a light-stripe vision technique was developed. Specifications for the sensor were derived from an assembly-system error analysis. Studies on extracting accurate information from the sensor by optimally reducing redundant information, filtering quantization noise, and careful calibration procedures were performed. Prototype assembly systems for both error elimination techniques were implemented and used to assemble several products. The assembly system based on the a priori suppression technique uses a number of mechanical assembly tools and software systems which extend the capabilities of industrial robots. The need for the tools was determined through an assembly task analysis of several consumer and automotive products. The assembly system based on the measurement and removal technique used the six degree-of-freedom position sensor to measure part misalignments. Robot commands for aligning the parts were automatically calculated based on the sensor data and executed.

The Design of a Mechanical Assembly System

This thesis describes a mechanical assembly system called LAMA (Language for Automatic Mechanical Assembly). The goal of the work was to create a mechanical assembly system that transforms a high-level description of an automatic assembly operation into a program or execution by a computer controlled manipulator. This system allows the initial description of the assembly to be in terms of the desired effects on the parts being assembled. Languages such as WAVE [Bolles & Paul] and MINI [Silver] fail to meet this goal by requiring the assembly operation to be described in terms of manipulator motions. This research concentrates on the spatial complexity of mechanical assembly operations. The assembly problem is seen as the problem of achieving a certain set of geometrical constraints between basic objects while avoiding unwanted collisions. The thesis explores how these two facets, desired constraints and unwanted collisions, affect the primitive operations of the domain.