Immunohistochemical expression of HER - 2 and Ki - 67 in granulosa cell tumor in bitches

Granulosa cell tumour, an ovarian neoplasm of stromal origin, is an important tumour related to oestrogenic dominance syndrome and cystic endometrial hyperplasia–pyometra complex. In order to analyse ovarian tumour´s malignant potential, immunohistochemical markers can be used, such as anti-HER2 and anti-Ki-67. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of immunohistochemical markers HER-2 and Ki-67 in granulosa cell tumour from bitches´ ovaries. In HER-2 immunomarker analysis using the HercepTest^® method, most tumours were classified as 2+ (moderate labelling). Concerning Ki-67 immunomarker, only one case was described as having a high proliferative index. An association was found between immunostained cell percentage by anti-HER-2 antibodies and high pleomorphism, represented by the pattern of follicular/trabecular tumour arrangement. There was no correlation between anti-Ki-67 and anti-HER-2 antibody immunostaining intensities, probably due to only one case with a high Ki-67 index. With an effective protocol for HER-2 and Ki-67 immunohistochemical identification in granulosa cell tumours in bitches, it was possible to characterize this neoplasm proliferation profile.     

Tracking Anthropogenic Inputs in Barigui River, Brazil Using Biomarkers

The Barigüi River watershed is located in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Southern Brazil, passing through several neighboring counties. In recent years, due to growth and disorderly occupation along the river, in addition to lack of sanitation, the Barigüi River suffered a very large inflow of untreated domestic wastewater. Current programs to monitor the watershed use traditional physical–chemical parameters. Here, the presence of some molecular tracers found in domestic effluents was investigated, such as caffeine and coprostanol at some selected sites in Barigüi River. Caffeine is highly soluble in water and its presence in water bodies is due to the disposal of untreated sewage. Caffeine is eliminated in the urine (approximately 0.5% to 10% of the consumption). The samples were collected in three campaigns, two in dry weather and another during a week in the rainy season. The results showed that caffeine concentration ranged between zero and 753.5 μg g^?1. Higher values were found on rainy days. Caffeine showed a positive correlation between BOD and nitrate; it also showed a positive correlation with coprostanol, a fecal biomarker. Finally, caffeine has been shown to be a good parameter to determine the contamination by domestic wastewater.     

Copper Biosorption by Biomass of Marine Alga: Study of Equilibrium and Kinetics in Batch System and Adsorption/Desorption Cycles in Fixed Bed Column

Copper biosorption onto chemically modified biomass of marine alga Sargassum filipendula was investigated in a batch reactor and a fixed bed column. Experiments were carried out in the batch reactor to obtain kinetic and equilibrium data and to assess the copper desorption efficiency of different eluent solutions. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Langmuir kinetic models were used to correlate kinetic data. The experimental data fitted well to the pseudo first order and Langmuir kinetic models. Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to describe the equilibrium data obtained at a fixed temperature of 30°C and at pH values of 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0. The maximum capacities of copper biosorption onto the algal biomass were 1.43, 1.59, 2.40, and 2.36 mequiv./g at pH 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0, respectively. The efficiencies of two eluent solutions (calcium chloride and hydrochloric acid) for copper removal from the biomass were evaluated at different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mol/L). The efficiencies of the calcium chloride solutions varied from 1% to 14%, while efficiencies varying from 95% to 99% were obtained when hydrochloric acid solutions were applied. Three adsorption/desorption cycles were carried out in a fixed bed column using 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid as eluent solution. The results showed that an increase in the number of cycles led to a reduction in the adsorption capacity of the alga. The desorbed copper fraction presented no significant variation, remaining around 63% in the three adsorption/desorption cycles.     

An inter-laboratory comparison of multi-enzyme and multiple substrate-induced respiration assays to assess method consistency in soil monitoring

The use of indicators in soil monitoring schemes to detect changes in soil quality is receiving increased attention, particularly the application of soil biological methods. However, to date, the ability to compare information from different laboratories applying soil microbiological techniques in broad-scale monitoring has rarely been taken into account. This study aimed to assess the consistency and repeatability of two techniques that are being evaluated for use as microbiological indicators of soil quality: multi-enzyme activity assay and multiple substrate-induced respiration (MSIR). Data were tested for intrinsic (within-assay plate) variation, inter-laboratory repeatability (geometric mean regression and correlation coefficient) and land-use discrimination (principal components analysis). Intrinsic variation was large for both assays suggesting that high replicate numbers are required. Inter-laboratory repeatability showed diverging patterns for the enzyme assay and MSIR. Discrimination of soils was significant for both techniques with relatively consistent patterns; however, combined laboratory discrimination analyses for each technique showed inconsistent correspondence between the laboratories. These issues could be addressed through the adoption of reliable analytical standards for biological methods along with adequate replication. However, until the former is addressed, dispersed analyses are not currently advisable for monitoring schemes.     

Molluscicidal activity of Solanum species of the Northeast of Brazil on Biomphalaria glabrata

Seven species of Solanum were screened for their molluscicidal properties against Biomphalaria glabrata, the intermediated host of Schistosoma mansoni, Solanum agrarium, S. jabrense, S. melissarum, S. megalonyx, S. paludosum, S. paraibanum and S. stipulaceum. Four extracts showed molluscicidal activity with LC(50) from 22 to 56 microg/ml.     

Effect of incubation temperature regimes and culture medium on broccoli microspore culture embryogenesis

Conditions for reliable induction of embryogenesis from isolated microspores were studied in ten genotypes of broccoli. Embryo yields were significantly increased in almost all of the broccoli genotypes by the incubation at 32.5 ^°C for 1 day, than when the standard incubation at 30 ^°C for 2 days was used. Treatments of 48 hours at 32.5 ^°C produced less than optimal results suggesting that broccoli microspores are more sensitive to high temperatures than those of B. napus. The use of the ¹/₂ NLN-13 medium yielded greater number of embryos than the standard NLN-13. The magnitude of the response to the redution of the concentration of major salts by half in the NLN medium varied with the different genotypes. High embryogenic broccoli cultivars, such as ‘Shogun’, ‘SDB9’, and ‘Green Valiant’, presented a better response to the reduction of the concentration of major salts by half in NLN-13. Reduction never produced a detrimental effect on embryo yield and seems not to have any effect in the subsequent development of embryos in plants. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Prediction of parental combination for introduction of stay-green associated loci in wheat

In wheat, the increase of yield and stability associated traits can be achieved by combining parents containing the stay-green trait and favorable alleles for grain yield. The aim of this work was to analyze the genetic dissimilarity between wheat lines from stay-green and synchronized maturation groups and elite cultivars. Moreover, to propose promising combinations seeking the selection of high-grain yield and high bread-making quality genotypes containing stay-green trait. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications in 2003, 2004, and 2005, using sister-lines with the presence and absence of stay-green trait and elite cultivars. Genetic variability exists among wheat strains from the synchronized stay-green maturation group and elite cultivars. Genotypes of maturation group stay-green obtained an average performance superior to the synchronized group. Crosses between stay-green lines and the CEP 29 and BRS 177 cultivars are promising in the selection of genotypes carrying the stay-green trait with high yield and bread-making quality.     

Are tree breeders properly predicting genetic gain? A case study involving <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corymbia</Emphasis> species

The estimation of quantitative genetic parameters in breeding programs is important to ensure efficient selection. In this context, knowledge of the mating system is critical, as it underpins assumptions about inter-relatedness on which variance component estimation depends. However, proper account of the breeding system is not always taken, either because it is unknown and/or because it is ignored. That eucalypts have a mixed-mating system is well-established, however many breeders use models that assume outcrossed mating with an infinite number of male parents (i.e. allogamous mating), from which genetic parameter estimates are then used to predict genetic gains. First-generation, open-pollinated progeny tests of Corymbia citriodora subsp. citriodora and C. citriodora subsp. variegata, being managed for seed production, were used to investigate the likely bias, resulting in overestimation of genetic parameters under the assumption of allogamous mating. When we assumed allogamous mating, we observed inflated predictions of additive variance and narrow-sense heritability (\(\hat{h}_{a}^{2}\)) of diameter at breast height and height. The overestimate of \(\hat{h}_{a}^{2}\) was approximately 32% for C. citriodora subsp. citriodora and 21% for C. citriodora subsp. variegata. Inappropriate modelling of relatedness in eucalypts that assumes panmictic outcrossing when in fact these species have a mixed-mating system results in overestimates of the population genetic gain with selection.     

Irrigation effects on elephant grass morphology,and its genotype-dependent responses

This study hypothesised that different elephant grass genotypes respond differently in terms of their morphological development to irrigation. The objective of this study was to evaluate how water availability could affect the morphological development of different genotypes of elephant grass. The treatments consisted of four genotypes of elephant grass [Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone], managed under irrigation or not, during a two-year field trial. The experiment was arranged in a randomised block design in a split-plot, with four replicates per treatment (n = 4). Between the genotypes, two of them were classified as tall-sized (IRI 381 and Elephant B), and two as dwarfs (Taiwan A-146 2.37 and Mott). A three-way interaction between season, irrigation, and genotype affected the variables plant height, stem diameter, number of dead tillers, light interception (LI), and leaf area index (LAI) (p < .05). The morphological development of all genotypes was negatively impacted by the dry season. All genotypes grew taller during the rainy season (p < .05) and had a greater light interception (62%–80%) compared to the dry period (28%–59%). The genotype Mott, showed comparable LI and LAI to the tall-sized genotypes, whilst Taiwan A-146 2.37 was characterized by the lowest values, despite being the genotype with the greatest tiller density (60 tillers m⁻²) (p < .05). The use of irrigation mitigated the negative effects of the dry season on the plants, however, the type and size (tall vs. dwarf) of the elephant grass genotypes defined the extent of the responses to the use of the irrigation during the dry period.     

Bioactivity of extracts and isolated compounds from Vitex polygama (Verbenaceae) and Siphoneugena densiflora (Myrtaceae) against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effects of crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds from Vitex polygama Cham. and Siphoneugena densiflora Berg were evaluated on the development of Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith, a destructive insect pest of corn and several other crops. The extracts and fractions were incorporated into an artificial diet at 1 mg g(-1) and offered to the insect during its larval stage. Length and viability of larval and pupal stages as well as pupal weight were assessed. Isolated compounds were tested through superficial contamination of the diet at 0.1 mg g(-1). Weight and viability of ten-day-old larvae were determined. Methanolic and hydroalcoholic S. densiflora extracts caused 100% larval mortality, while leaf and fruit hydroalcoholic extracts from V. polygama were the most active. Among the isolated compounds, flavonoids presented the best insecticidal results, and tannins the best larval growth inhibition.