First investigation into the genetic control of meiosis in sugarcane.

The sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) genome is one of the most complex of all. Modern varieties are highly polyploid and aneuploid as a result of hybridization between Saccharum officinarum and S. spontaneum. Little research has been done on meiotic control in polyploid species, with the exception of the wheat Ph1 locus harboring the ZIP4 gene (TaZIP4-B2) which promotes pairing between homologous chromosomes while suppressing crossover between homeologs. In sugarcane, despite its interspecific origin, bivalent association is favored, and multivalents, if any, are resolved at the end of prophase I. Thus, our aim herein was to investigate the purported genetic control of meiosis in the parental species and in sugarcane itself. We investigated the ZIP4 gene and immunolocalized meiotic proteins, namely synaptonemal complex proteins Zyp1 and Asy1. The sugarcane ZIP4 gene is located on chromosome 2 and expressed more abundantly in flowers, a similar profile to that found for TaZIP4-B2. ZIP4 expression is higher in S. spontaneum a neoautopolyploid, with lower expression in S. officinarum, a stable octoploid species. The sugarcane Zip4 protein contains a TPR domain, essential for scaffolding. Its 3D structure was also predicted, and it was found to be very similar to that of TaZIP4-B2, reflecting their functional relatedness. Immunolocalization of the Asy1 and Zyp1 proteins revealed that S. officinarum completes synapsis. However, in S. spontaneum and SP80-3280 (a modern variety), no nuclei with complete synapsis were observed. Importantly, our results have implications for sugarcane cytogenetics, genetic mapping, and genomics.

In Planta Study Localizes an Effector Candidate from Austropuccinia psidii Strain MF-1 to the Nucleus and Demonstrates In Vitro Cuticular Wax-Dependent Differential Expression.

Austropuccinia psidii is a biotrophic fungus that causes myrtle rust. First described in Brazil, it has since spread to become a globally important pathogen that infects more than 480 myrtaceous species. One of the most important commercial crops affected by A. psidii is eucalypt, a widely grown forestry tree. The A. psidii-Eucalyptus spp. interaction is poorly understood, but pathogenesis is likely driven by pathogen-secreted effector molecules. Here, we identified and characterized a total of 255 virulence effector candidates using a genome assembly of A. psidii strain MF-1, which was recovered from Eucalyptus grandis in Brazil. We show that the expression of seven effector candidate genes is modulated by cell wax from leaves sourced from resistant and susceptible hosts. Two effector candidates with different subcellular localization predictions, and with specific gene expression profiles, were transiently expressed with GFP-fusions in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Interestingly, we observed the accumulation of an effector candidate, Ap28303, which was upregulated under cell wax from rust susceptible E. grandis and described as a peptidase inhibitor I9 domain-containing protein in the nucleus. This was in accordance with in silico analyses. Few studies have characterized nuclear effectors. Our findings open new perspectives on the study of A. psidii-Eucalyptus interactions by providing a potential entry point to understand how the pathogen manipulates its hosts in modulating physiology, structure, or function with effector proteins.

Foliar Calcium Absorption by Tomato Plants: Comparing the Effects of Calcium Sources and Adjuvant Usage.

The deficiency of calcium (Ca) reduces the quality and shelf life of fruits. In this scenario, although foliar spraying of Ca2+ has been used, altogether with soil fertilization, as an alternative to prevent deficiencies, little is known regarding its absorption dynamics by plant leaves. Herein, in vivo microprobe X-ray fluorescence was employed aiming to monitor the foliar absorption of CaCl2, Ca-citrate complex, and Ca3(PO4)2 nanoparticles with and without using adjuvant. We also investigated whether Sr2+ can be employed as Ca2+ proxy in foliar absorption studies. Moreover, the impact of treatments on the cuticle structure was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. For this study, 45-day-old tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., cv. Micro-Tom) plants were used as a model species. After 100 h, the leaves absorbed 90, 18, and 4% of aqueous CaCl2, Ca-citrate, and Ca3(PO4)2 nanoparticles, respectively. The addition of adjuvant increased the absorption of Ca-citrate to 28%, decreased that of CaCl2 to 77%, and did not affect Ca3(PO4)2. CaCl2 displayed an exponential decay absorption profile with half-lives of 15 h and 5 h without and with adjuvant, respectively. Ca-citrate and Ca3(PO4)2 exhibited absorption profiles that were closer to a linear behavior. Sr2+ was a suitable Ca2+ tracer because of its similar absorption profiles. Furthermore, the use of adjuvant affected the epicuticular crystal structure. Our findings reveal that CaCl2 was the most efficient Ca2+ source. The effects caused by adjuvant suggest that CaCl2 and Ca-citrate were absorbed mostly through hydrophilic and lipophilic pathways.

Physiological responses of plants to in vivo X-ray damage from X-ray fluorescence measurements: insights from anatomical, elemental, histochemical, and ultrastructural analyses.

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is a powerful technique for the in vivo assessment of plant tissues. However, the potential X-ray exposure damages might affect the structure and elemental composition of living plant tissues, leading to artefacts in the recorded data. Herein, we exposed in vivo soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) leaves to several X-ray doses through a polychromatic benchtop microprobe X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, modulating the photon flux density by adjusting either the beam size, current, or exposure time. Changes in the irradiated plant tissues' structure, ultrastructure, and physiology were investigated through light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Depending on X-ray exposure dose, decreased K and X-ray scattering intensities and increased Ca, P, and Mn signals on soybean leaves were recorded. Anatomical analysis indicated the necrosis of epidermal and mesophyll cells on the irradiated spots, where TEM images revealed the collapse of cytoplasm and cell wall breaking. Furthermore, the histochemical analysis detected the production of reactive oxygen species and the inhibition of chlorophyll autofluorescence in these areas. Under certain X-ray exposure conditions, e.g. high photon flux density and long exposure time, XRF measurements may affect the soybean leaves structures, elemental composition, and cellular ultrastructure, inducing programmed cell death. Our characterization shed light on the plant's responses to the X-ray-induced radiation damage and might help to establish proper X-ray radiation limits and novel strategies for in vivo benchtop-XRF analysis of vegetal materials.

Osteochondrosis (Osteochondritis Dissecans) in Lusitano Horses: Prevalence and Characteristics.

Osteochondrosis (osteochondritis dissecans), OC(D), is an important joint disorder that has been studied through the years in different breeds but, to our knowledge, there are no reports of its prevalence in Lusitano horses. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of OC(D) in Lusitanos, define the characteristics of the disorder in this breed and compare with Spanish Purebred horses. This is a retrospective study that analysed the radiographs from the metacarpometatarsophalangeal, tarsocrural and femoropatellar joints that were taken in 302 Lusitano horses (1-12 years; obtained from 2007 until 2019). The classification of the radiographs for OC(D) was performed using a 0-4 scale and scored by three veterinarians. Radiographical evidence of OC(D) was diagnosed in 53.3% of the horses examined. Most of the findings were lesions of score 1 or 2 corresponding to flattening, (36.8%). The distal intermediate ridge of the tibia in the tarsocrural joint was the most affected predilection site (31.0%, n=187/604 joints assessed). Overall, the tarsocrural joints were more likely to be affected, followed by metatarso-metacarpophalangeal joints and finally the femoropatellar joints. The prevalence of horses with scores 3 or 4 (fragments) in any of the joints was 16.6%. A positive correlation was found between the scores of contralateral joints. We can conclude that the prevalence of OC(D) in Lusitano horses is similar to the prevalence in Spanish Purebred, but there is a lower percentage of fragmentation. The present phenotypic description can provide valuable information for further quantitative and molecular genetic studies.

Histopathology of the Shoot Apex of Sugarcane Colonized by Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli.

Colonization of the xylem of sugarcane by Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli results in the occlusion of the vessels by a gum-like compound and compromises the elongation of the stalk leading to stunted plants. However, no study has been performed in the apical tissue where the elongation of the stalks initiates at the intercalary meristem (IM). Microscopic and histochemical analyses were performed in plants with lower and higher bacterial titers and revealed that in both cases L. xyli subsp. xyli is present in this tissue and colonizes the forming xylem vessels in a similar way as observed in developed internodes. In both cases, it was observed adhering to the secondary walls, but only in plants with higher titers were a mild degradation of the walls and a granular material filling the vessels observed. The mixed composition of lipids, proteins, and pectin indicates that the filling is not a bacterial extracellular polymeric substance. Plants with higher bacterial populations also presented lower starch content in the ground parenchyma at the node elements, possibly resulting from the reported downregulation of photosynthesis and increased accumulation of phenolics. Their second and third IMs presented fewer cells and reduced expression of genes related to the cell cycle and to the synthesis of ABA in the apical tissue. These results indicate that increased L. xyli subsp. xyli colonization affects the development of the IM, which ultimately would reduce the length of the internodes, resulting in the main symptom of the disease.

Double-Staining Method to Detect Pectin in Plant-Fungus Interaction.

Plant cells use different structural mechanisms, either constitutive or inducible, to defend themselves from fungal infection. Encapsulation is an efficient inducible mechanism to isolate the fungal haustoria from the plant cell protoplast. Conversely, pectin, one of the polymeric components of the cell wall, is a target of several pectolytic enzymes in necrotrophic interactions. Here, a protocol to detect pectin and fungal hyphae through optical microscopy is presented. The pectin-rich encapsulation in the cells of coffee leaves infected by the rust fungus Hemileia vastatrix and the mesophyll cell wall modification induced by Cercospora coffeicola are investigated. Lesioned leaf samples were fixed with the Karnovsky solution, dehydrated, and embedded in glycol methacrylate for 2-4 days. All steps were followed by vacuum-pumping to remove air in the intercellular spaces and improve the embedding process. The embedded blocks were sectioned into 5-7 µm thick sections, which were deposited on a glass slide covered with water and subsequently heated at 40 °C for 30 min. Next, the slides were double-stained with 5% cotton blue in lactophenol to detect the fungus and 0.05% ruthenium red in water to detect pectin (acidic groups of polyuronic acids of pectin). Fungal haustoria of Hemileia vastatrix were found to be encapsulated by pectin. In coffee cercosporiosis, mesophyll cells exhibited dissolution of cell walls, and intercellular hyphae and conidiophores were observed. The method presented here is effective to detect a pectin-associated response in the plant-fungi interaction.

Body parts affected in accidents at work: a population cross-sectional study in brazilian semi-arid municipalities

Knowing the body parts affected in accidents at work is important to support managers and professionals in the sectors of work safety in the adoption of measures to promote health and prevent accidents. This study identifies the body parts affected in a work accident registered at the Reference Center for Occupational Health (CEREST) ​​in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. It is a cross-sectional study, carried out from the database of the Reference Center for Occupational Health in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. Data were collected between March 2015 and February 2016, from notifications of occupational accidents from the National System of Notifiable Diseases (SINAN), referring to the period from 2009 to 2013, totaling 2,438 occurrences. There was accidents involving the hands (37.6%), upper limbs (15.4%), lower limbs (13.0%) and feet (10.9%) were the most frequent. Were observed a greater number of victims of occupational accidents among men (90.7%) in the age group of 20 to 59 years (85.6%). There is, in fact, a predominance of body parts involved in occupational accidents in the population, with emphasis on the hand, upper limb, lower limb and foot (p = 0.0001). The study showed workers' health promotion strategies should be encouraged in the workplace, as well as the guarantee of access and the correct use of personal protective equipment, for the prevention of risks, injuries and diseases, considering that accidents cause expenses for the State and losses for the victims.

Genetic mapping reveals complex architecture and candidate genes involved in common bean response to Meloidogyne incognita infection.

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), particularly Meloidogyne incognita, are among the most damaging and prevalent agricultural pathogens due to their ability to infect roots of almost all crops. The best strategy for their control is through the use of resistant cultivars. However, laborious phenotyping procedures make it difficult to assess nematode resistance in breeding programs. For common bean, this task is especially challenging because little has been done to discover resistance genes or markers to assist selection. We performed genome-wide association studies and quantitative trait loci mapping to explore the genetic architecture and genomic regions underlying the resistance to M. incognita and to identify candidate resistance genes. Phenotypic data were collected by a high-throughput assay, and the number of egg masses and the root-galling index were evaluated. Complex genetic architecture and independent genomic regions were associated with each trait. Single nucleotide polymorphisms on chromosomes Pv06, Pv07, Pv08, and Pv11 were associated with the number of egg masses, and SNPs on Pv01, Pv02, Pv05, and Pv10 were associated with root-galling. A total of 216 candidate genes were identified, including 14 resistance gene analogs and five differentially expressed in a previous RNA sequencing analysis. Histochemical analysis indicated that reactive oxygen species might play a role in the resistance response. Our findings open new perspectives to improve selection efficiency for RKN resistance, and the candidate genes are valuable targets for functional investigation and gene editing approaches.

Structural and Biochemical Aspects Related to Resistance and Susceptibility of Rubber Tree Clones to Anthracnose.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate structural and biochemical aspects related to the interaction of resistant (RRIM 937, IAC 502 and 507) and susceptible (RRIM 600) rubber tree clones with C. tamarillo. For such analysis, ultrathin sections of the leaf limb were embedded in historesin and differently stained to verify structural alterations and presence of starch grains, arginine, lipids, tannins and lignins. The total proteins and activity of the enzymes peroxidase and (PAL) were quantified. Stomatal density was also analyzed under a scanning electron microscope. Data indicated alterations in the cell content of resistant clones inoculated with the pathogen, as well as greater lignin and lipid accumulation in these samples. For tannins, there was no difference between inoculated and non-inoculated clones. Arginine was found at greater quantities in IAC 502 and 507. Starch grains were not detected in any of the analyzed samples. Protein level and stomatal density were lower in resistant clones. Peroxidase activity was more expressive in resistant clones. PAL activity, there was no significant difference between clones. The lignin and lipids, total protein, peroxidase activity and stomatal density may be related to the resistance of rubber tree clones to anthracnose.

The auxin-producing Bacillus thuringiensis RZ2MS9 promotes the growth and modifies the root architecture of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-Tom).

Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are commonly commercialized as bioinoculants for insect pest control, but their benefits go beyond their insecticidal property: they can act as plant growth-promoters. Auxins play a major role in the plant growth promotion. However, the mechanism of auxin production by the Bacilli group, and more specifically by Bt strains, is unclear. In previous work, the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) B. thuringiensis strain RZ2MS9 increased the corn roots. This drew our attention to the strain's auxin production trait, earlier detected in vitro. Here, we demonstrate that in its genome, RZ2MS9 harbours the complete set of genes required in two pathways that are used for Indole acetic acid (IAA) production. We also detected that the strain produces almost five times more IAA during the stationary phase. The bacterial application increased the shoot dry weight of the Micro-Tom (MT) tomato by 24%. The application also modified MT root architecture, with an increase of 26% in the average lateral root length and inhibition of the axial root. At the cellular level, RZ2MS9-treated MT plants presented elongated root cortical cells with intensified mitotic activity. Altogether, these are the best characterized auxin-associated phenotypes. Besides that, no growth alteration was detected in the auxin-insensitive diageotropic (dgt) plants either with or without the RZ2MS9 inoculation. Our results suggest that auxins play an important role in the ability of B. thuringiensis RZ2MS9 to promote MT growth and provide a better understanding of the auxin production mechanism by a Bt strain.

Descriptive study of the initial cases of Covid-19 in a city in the interior of Ceará, Brazil / Estudio descriptivo de los casos iniciales de Covid-19 en una ciudad del interior de Ceará, Brasil

Objective: to describe the sociodemographic, epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the initial cases of Covid-19 in the municipality of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. Materials and methods: descriptive, temporal and quantitative epidemiological study, developed in the municipality of Sobral - Ceará, Brazil, with 110 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Descriptive and analytical analysis was performed, using the Chi-square test and Logistic Regression to verify the association between variables. The level of significance was set at 95% (p≤0.05). Results: it was observed that 60% of cases occurred in women, 74.5% were adults between 20 and 59 years old, 15.5% health workers and the lethality rate was 1.8%. In 58.2% of cases the main reporting unit was the hospital, 10% required hospitalization, and 64.5% were diagnosed with rapid tes. The main symptoms manifested were: cough (58.2%), fever (57.3%), sore throat (36.4%) and difficulty breathing (31.9%). There was an association between age and the presence of fever, cough and sore throat (p=0.05). Conclusion: the results suggest that older people are more susceptible to some symptoms when compared to younger people. Associated with global estimates, this work can provide subsidies for Covid-19 prevention and control actions in small and medium-sized Brazilian municipalities..(Au)

Objectivo: describir las características sociodemográficas, epidemiológicas y clínicas de los casos iniciales de Covid-19 en el municipio de Sobral, Ceará, Brasil. Materiales y métodos: estudio epidemiológico descriptivo, temporal y cuantitativo, desarrollado en el municipio de Sobral - Ceará, Brasil, con 110 casos confirmados de Covid -19. Se realizó análisis descriptivo y analítico, utilizando la prueba de chi-cuadrado y regresión logística para verificar la asociación entre variables. El nivel de significancia se estableció en 95% (p≤0.05). Resultados: se observó que el 60,0% de los casos ocurrieron en mujeres, el 74,5% eran adultos entre 20 y 59 años, el 15,5% trabajadores de la salud y la tasa de letalidad fue del 1,8%. En el 58,2% de los casos la principal unidad de notificación fue el hospital, el 10% requirió hospitalización y el 64,5% fueron diagnosticados con pruebas rápidas. Los principales síntomas manifestados fueron: tos (58,2%), fiebre (57,3%), dolor de garganta (36,4%) y dificultad para respirar (31,9%). Hubo asociación entre la edad y la presencia de fiebre, tos y dolor de garganta (p=0,05). Conclusión: los resultados sugieren que las personas mayores son más susceptibles a algunos síntomas en comparación con las personas más jóvenes. Asociado a estimaciones globales, este trabajo puede proporcionar subsidios para acciones de prevención y control de Covid-19 en municipios brasileños pequeños y medianos..(Au)

Cuidado a famílias com pessoas em condições crônicas na atenção primária à saúde: revisão integrativa / Cuidado a familias con personas en condiciones crónicas en la atención primaria a la salud: revisión integradora / Care for families with people with chronic conditions in primary health care: integrative review

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar o cuidado a famílias com pessoas em condições crônicas na Atenção Primária à Saúde, por meio de uma revisão integrativa da literatura. Método: Trata-se de revisão integrativa que incluiu artigos publicados no período de 2010 a 2020, identificados nas bases de dados: Literatura Internacional em Ciências da Saúde, Literatura Latino Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde e Banco de Dados em Enfermagem. Foram utilizados descritores "atenção primária à saúde" AND "família" AND "doenças crônicas" e "atenção primária à saúde" AND "condições crônicas" AND "cuidado". Resultados: Emergiram categorias temáticas: Promoção da Saúde na perspectiva do cuidado às famílias com pessoas em condições crônicas; Relação entre família de pessoas em condições crônicas e profissionais de saúde; e Potencialidades e desafios para a efetivação do cuidado às famílias com pessoas em condições crônicas. A promoção da saúde surgiu como ferramenta do cuidado, destacando-se a visita domiciliar. Evidenciaram-se fragilidade de aproximação das equipes de saúde com as famílias, prevalência do ideário curativista e acesso fragilizado aos serviços de saúde. Considerações finais: Os achados deste estudo são importantes para Enfermagem para fomento de políticas públicas voltadas ao cuidado das famílias com pessoas em condições crônicas na Atenção Primária à Saúde.

RESUMEN Objetivo: identificar el cuidado a familias con personas en condiciones crónicas en la Atención Primaria de Salud, por medio de una revisión integradora de la literatura. Método: se trata de una revisión integradora que incluyó artículos publicados en el período de 2010 a 2020, identificados en las bases de datos: Literatura Internacional en Ciencias de la Salud, Literatura Latino Americana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud y Banco de Datos en Enfermería. Fueron utilizados descriptores "atenção primária à saúde" AND "família" AND "doenças crônicas" y "atenção primária à saúde" AND "condições crônicas" AND "cuidado". Resultados: surgieron categorías temáticas: Promoción de la Salud en la perspectiva del cuidado a las familias con personas en condiciones crónicas; Relación entre familia de personas en condiciones crónicas y profesionales de salud; y Potencialidades y desafíos para la realización del cuidado a las familias con personas en condiciones crónicas. La promoción de la salud surgió como herramienta del cuidado, destacándose la visita domiciliaria. Se evidenciaron fragilidad de aproximación de los equipos de salud con las familias, prevalencia del ideario curativista y acceso debilitado a los servicios de salud. Consideraciones finales: los hallazgos de este estudio son importantes para la Enfermería para el fomento de políticas públicas dirigidas al cuidado de las familias con personas en condiciones crónicas en la Atención Primaria de Salud.

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify care for families with people with chronic conditions in Primary Health Care, through an integrative literature review. Method: This is an integrative review that included articles published from 2010 to 2020, identified in the databases: International Literature in Health Sciences, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences and Database in Nursing. The keywords "primary health care" AND "family" AND "chronic diseases" and "primary health care" AND "chronic conditions" AND "care" were used. Results: Thematic categories emerged: Health Promotion from the perspective of caring for families with people with chronic conditions; Relationship between family of people with chronic conditions and health professionals; and Potentials and challenges for effective care for families with people with chronic conditions. Health promotion emerged as a care tool, with emphasis on home visits. There was a weakness in the approximation of the health teams with the families, the prevalence of the curative ideology and weakened access to health services. Final considerations: The findings of this study are important for nursing to promote public policies aimed at the care of families with people with chronic conditions in Primary Health Care.

Knockdown of calreticulin, laccase, and Snf7 Genes Through RNAi Is Not Effective to Control the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Livideae).

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, transmits the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter associated with huanglongbing (HLB), a devastating disease of the citrus industry. The use of genetically modified plants is an alternative to control this vector. Conversely, technology based on RNA interference (RNAi) for silencing specific genes of a target insect could be attempted. This work evaluated the knockdown effect of the target genes calreticulin (DcCRT), laccase (DcLAC), and Snf7 (DcSnf7) by RNAi through feeding D. citri in Murraya paniculata leaves after the uptake of an aqueous solution with dsRNA homologous to each vector target gene. Confocal microscopy revealed the uptake of the fluorescent-labeled dsRNA by detached leaves and the symplastic movement, allowing the ingestion by the feeding insect. A reduction in the survival rate was observed only 144 h after the beginning of feeding with dsRNA targeting DcSnf7; however, no reduction in transcript accumulation. The knockdown of the DcCRT and DcLAC genes was detected only 12 and 96 h after insect feeding, respectively. Additionally, a reduction in amino acid excretion from insects fed with dsRNA targets to DcCRT and DcLAC was observed 120 h after the beginning of feeding. However, the effects of the dsRNAs tested here appear to be minimal, both at the transcriptional and phenotype levels. For most concentrations and time points, no effects were observed. Therefore, the knockdown of genes DcCRT, DcLAC, and DcSnf7 do not appear to have the potential to control of D. citri through RNAi-mediated gene silencing.

Persistent Calyxes in Postbloom Fruit Drop: A Microscopy and Microanalysis Perspective.

Citrus postbloom fruit drop, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is an important disease in the Americas. The pathogen infects citrus flowers, produces orange-brown lesions on petals, and may cause the abscission of young fruit. In diseased flowers, the calyxes remain attached to the peduncle after the young fruit drop. No anatomical and microanalysis studies have been conducted to determine whether calyx tissues can be infected by Colletotrichum spp. and why calyxes remain attached to the peduncle. Based on light microscopy, we demonstrate that the ovary abscission zone exhibits a separation region composed of layers of thickened lignified walled cells, indicating that abscission involves the disruption of cell walls. The first layers of the protective zone (PZ) are composed of densely packed cells with suberized walls produced by the wound meristem. Beneath the PZ, there is a compact mass of small cells that accumulate starch grains. X-ray fluorescence microanalysis (µ-XRF) confirmed the increased accumulation of calcium in the receptacle of the persistent calyxes compared to non-inoculated citrus flowers. Moreover, the peduncle pith and the receptacle exhibit hypertrophied cells with thick walls that may be related to calyx retention. Fungal structures are not observed inside the persistent calyx tissues.

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) applied to plant science: challenges towards in vivo analysis of plants.

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is an analytical tool used to determine the elemental composition in a myriad of sample matrices. Due to the XRF non-destructive feature, this technique may allow time-resolved plant tissue analyses under in vivo conditions, and additionally, the combination with other non-destructive techniques. In this study, we employed handheld and benchtop XRF to evaluate the elemental distribution changes in living plant tissues exposed to X-rays, as well as real-time uptake kinetics of Zn(aq) and Mn(aq) in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) stem and leaves, for 48 hours, combined with transpiration rate assessment on leaves by an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA). We found higher Zn content than Mn in stems. The latter micronutrient, in turn, presented higher concentration in leaf veins. Besides, both micronutrients were more concentrated in the first trifolium (i.e., youngest leaf) of soybean plants. Moreover, the transpiration rate was more influenced by circadian cycles than Zn and Mn uptake. Thus, XRF represents a convenient tool for in vivo nutritional studies in plants, and it can be coupled successfully to other analytical techniques.

Live birth after treatment of a spontaneous ovarian heterotopic pregnancy: A case report.

Spontaneous heterotopic pregnancies occur in about 1/30000 pregnancies, with the ovarian subtype comprising 2.3% of the total. We report the case of a healthy 32-year-old woman, gravida 4, para 3, who presented to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain. Two weeks earlier, pelvic ultrasound had revealed a 6-week intrauterine pregnancy. She was hemodynamically stable, but had rebound tenderness on the right iliac fossa. Transvaginal ultrasound revealed an evolutive intrauterine pregnancy with a gestational age (GA) of 8 weeks, with a synchronous evolutive adnexal pregnancy of the same GA and some free fluid in the pouch of Douglas. She underwent an urgent laparoscopy which showed an intact gestational sac containing an embryo on the right ovary associated with mild hemoperitoneum. An ovarian wedge resection was performed to preserve ovarian tissue. The intrauterine pregnancy had no complications and the patient delivered vaginally at term. Heterotopic pregnancy is potentially life-threatening. Despite being extremely rare after natural conception, and even more so in the absence of major risk factors, it should be considered in any pregnant woman with abdominal pain. A high index of suspicion is important for a prompt diagnosis, selection of the appropriate surgical treatment and successful obstetric outcomes.

Novel Insights Into the Early Stages of Ratoon Stunting Disease of Sugarcane Inferred from Transcript and Protein Analysis.

Despite of the importance of ratoon stunting disease, little is known on the responses of sugarcane to its causal agent, the vascular bacterial endophyte Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli. The transcriptome and proteome of young plants of a susceptible cultivar with no symptoms of stunting but with relative low and high bacterial titers were compared at 30 and 60 days after inoculation. Increased bacterial titers were associated with alterations in the expression of 267 cDNAs and in the abundance of 150 proteins involved in plant growth, hormone metabolism, signal transduction and defense responses. Some alterations are predicted to benefit the pathogen, such as the up-regulation of genes involved in the synthesis of methionine. Also, genes and proteins of the cell division cycle were all down-regulated in plants with higher titers at both times. It is hypothesized that the negative effects on cell division related to increased bacterial titers is cumulative over time and its modulation by other host and environmental factors results in the stunting symptom.

The Eucalyptus Cuticular Waxes Contribute in Preformed Defense Against Austropuccinia psidii.

Austropuccinia psidii, the causal agent of myrtle rust, is a biotrophic pathogen whose growth and development depends on the host tissues. The uredospores of A. psidii infect Eucalyptus by engaging in close contact with the host surface and interacting with the leaf cuticle that provides important chemical and physical signals to trigger the infection process. In this study, the cuticular waxes of Eucalyptus spp. were analyzed to determine their composition or structure and correlation with susceptibility/resistance to A. psidii. Twenty-one Eucalyptus spp. in the field were classified as resistant or susceptible. The resistance/susceptibility level of six Eucalyptus spp. were validated in controlled conditions using qPCR, revealing that the pathogen can germinate on the eucalyptus surface of some species without multiplying in the host. CG-TOF-MS analysis detected 26 compounds in the Eucalyptus spp. cuticle and led to the discovery of the role of hexadecanoic acid in the susceptibility of Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus phaeotricha to A. psidii. We characterized the epicuticular wax morphology of the six previously selected Eucalyptus spp. using scanning electron microscopy and observed different behavior in A. psidii germination during host infection. It was found a correlation of epicuticular morphology on the resistance to A. psidii. However, in this study, we provide the first report of considerable interspecific variation in Eucalyptus spp. on the susceptibility to A. psidii and its correlation with cuticular waxes chemical compounds that seem to play a synergistic role as a preformed defense mechanism.