Hormonal regulation of (Na+,K+)-ATPase biosynthesis in the toad bladder. Effect of aldosterone and 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine.

Aldosterone stimulates transepithelial Na+ transport in the toad bladder, and thyroid hormone antagonizes this mineralocorticoid action. In the present study, we assessed the influence of these two hormones on the biosynthesis of (Na+,K+)ATPase, the major driving force of Na+ transport. Rates of enzyme synthesis were estimated by immunoprecipitation with monospecific alpha (96,000 daltons) and beta (60,000 daltons) subunit antibodies. After a 30-min pulse of intact tissue with [35S]methionine, the anti-alpha-serum recognized the 96,000-dalton alpha subunit and the anti-beta-serum, a 42,000-dalton protein, in total cell extracts. The biosynthesis rates of both these proteins were increased 2.8- and 2.4-fold respectively, over controls by 80 nM aldosterone after 18 h of hormone treatment. The hormonal effect was not apparent up to 3 h of incubation and was dose dependent between 0.2 and 20 nM aldosterone. The hormonal induction was antagonized by spironolactone (500-fold excess) but not by amiloride. The action of aldosterone thus seems to be a receptor-mediated process and a primary event independent of the Na+ permeability of the apical membrane. Thyroid hormone, on the other hand, had no effect on either basal or aldosterone-stimulated synthesis rates of both enzyme proteins. The results demonstrate a direct effect of aldosterone on gene expression of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase. Ultimately, this phenomenon could be linked to the late mineralocorticoid action of this hormone. On the other hand, thyroid hormone, in contrast to the situation in mammals, does not stimulate de novo enzyme synthesis in amphibia. Neither can the antimineralocorticoid action of thyroid hormone in the toad bladder be explained by an inhibition of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase synthesis.

Copy number variation in the porcine genome inferred from a 60 k SNP BeadChip

Background: Recent studies in pigs have detected copy number variants (CNVs) using the Comparative Genomic Hybridization technique in arrays designed to cover specific porcine chromosomes. The goal of this study was to identify CNV regions (CNVRs) in swine species based on whole genome SNP genotyping chips. Results: We used predictions from three different programs (cnvPartition, PennCNV and GADA) to analyze data from the Porcine SNP60 BeadChip. A total of 49 CNVRs were identified in 55 animals from an Iberian x Landrace cross (IBMAP) according to three criteria: detected in at least two animals, contained three or more consecutive SNPs and recalled by at least two programs. Mendelian inheritance of CNVRs was confirmed in animals belonging to several generations of the IBMAP cross. Subsequently, a segregation analysis of these CNVRs was performed in 372 additional animals from the IBMAP cross and its distribution was studied in 133 unrelated pig samples from different geographical origins. Five out of seven analyzed CNVRs were validated by real time quantitative PCR, some of which coincide with well known examples of CNVs conserved across mammalian species. Conclusions: Our results illustrate the usefulness of Porcine SNP60 BeadChip to detect CNVRs and show that structural variants can not be neglected when studying the genetic variability in this species.

Metabolic responses of guava trees irrigated withdifferent N and K levels in São Francisco Valley

The guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Paluma has been cultivated in São Francisco Valley, Northeastern of Brazil, for in natura consumption and processing purposes. In spite of its importance, there are few scientific knowledge regarding guava physiology, nutrition, irrigation and fertigation. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of weather conditions and different concentrations of N and K applied by fertigation in foliar contents of reducing sugars, total soluble sugars, starch, sucrose, amino acids, and proteins. The field experiment was carried out at Bebedouro Experimental Field and the biochemical evaluations at the Laboratory of Seed and Plant Physiology, both located at Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE. The doses of 200 g N and 100 g K2O; 400 g N and 200 g K2O; 600 g N and 300 g K2O; and 800 g N and 400 g K2O per plant were applied in an experiment field. The experimental design was totally randomized blocks, with four treatments and five blocks. The weather conditions influenced the plant photosynthesis, which affects the plants metabolism. Guava presented specific responses to N and K fertigation for each parameter evaluated. The weather conditions during the evaluation period influenced guava responses to N and K fertigation.

Fertirrigação da bananeira cv. Prata-Anã com N e K em um argissolo vermelho-amarelo

O Nordeste brasileiro é a principal região produtora de banana, responsável por cerca de 35,80% da produção nacional. Apesar das condições favoráveis ao seu cultivo, a produtividade tem sido muito abaixo do seu potencial. Geralmente, isso se deve a problemas de suprimento hídrico e nutricional. Dentre os nutrientes, o nitrogênio (N) e o potássio (K) são requeridos em maiores quantidades pela bananeira. Com o objetivo de estudar o efeito de quatro doses de N (0; 117; 235 e 352 kg ha-1 de N) e de K (0; 157; 313 e 470 kg ha-1 de K2O), aplicados via fertirrigação, avaliaram-se características produtivas de um 2º ciclo de cultivo da banana cv. Prata-Anã, em um Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo dos tabuleiros costeiros do Nordeste brasileiro. O N não influenciou na produção de banana, enquanto a resposta ao K foi linear. O nível crítico de K pelo Mehlich-1, na profundidade de 0,20- 0,40 m, foi 0,71 mmol c kg-1.

Osa 2: Tyky-toiminnasta taloudellista hyötyä : posteri

Tämän työn tarkoituksena oli esimerkkitapauksen avulla arvioida Jokilaaksojen Työterveys Oy:n kehittämän ja toteuttaman työterveyshuollon sekä tyky-toiminnan vaikutuksia pk-yritykseen. Erityisenä tarkastelun kohteena toiminnan taloudelliset vaikutukset. Tyky-toiminnan vaikutuksia tarkasteltiin viidestä eri näkökulmasta: työntekijä, työ- ja työolot, työyhteisö ja työorganisaatio, ammatillinen osaaminen sekä taloudelliset vaikutukset. Tässä työssä arviot perustuvat haastatteluaineistoon, sekä kohdeyrityksen kirjanpidosta saatuun materiaaliin. Aineistoa on kerätty vuodesta 2000 alkaen. Selvityksen kohdejoukko oli varsin pieni mutta edustava. Tästä johtuen haastatteluaineisto jäi varsin suppeaksi, mutta työn kannalta keskeisiä asioita nousi esiin. Kirjanpitoaineistossa päädyttiin selkeyden vuoksi huomioimaan vain oleellisimmat ja selkeimmin vaikutuksia kuvaavat lukemat. Työterveyshuoltoon ja sen myötä tyky-toimintaan sijoittamisella on pk-yrityksissä, verrattuna suuryrityksiin, ratkaisevasti erilaiset intressit. Näitä sijoituksia ei nähdä taloudellisesti kovinkaan kannattavina. Arvioiden perusteella Jokilaaksojen Työterveys Oy:n toiminnalla on kustannuksia säästävä vaikutus kohdeyrityksen talouteen. Kirjanpidosta saatu aineisto tukee näitä arvioita. Tämä selvitys antaa viitteitä, että Jokilaaksojen Työterveys Oy:n tuottamiin palveluihin kannattaa sijoittaa pk-sektorilla. Toiminnalla on osoitettu olevan kustannuksia säästävä vaikutus pk-yrityksen talouteen.