Guarana propagation strategies: a review.

Guarana [Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke] is a species of great economic and social important in Brazil, as it is the only commercial guarana producer in the world. The vegetative propagation method indicated for the culture is stem cuttings, which aims at productivity, tolerance, and uniformity of clonal cultivars, because reproduction by seeds has slow germination and high genetic variability, which in traditional varieties is an undesirable factor. Genetic factors can interfere with the rooting capacity of the crop. Studies seek alternatives that can improve this condition and enhance the production system. Use of growth regulators, microorganisms that promote plant growth, variation of substrates and fertilization, have been strategies used. Preliminary tests on the rate of stem rooting and seed germination with the use of exogenous phytohormone did not demonstrate in relation to the non-application of these inducers. The use of rhizobacteria, which presents itself as a promising activity in many cultures, has not yet been demonstrated in the culture of guarana. On the other hand, the influence of different substrates on rooting has already shown consistent results as a function of rooting rate. Fertilizing the mother plants as recommended by the production system for the crop has proven to be an efficient procedure. There are still few studies aimed at improving the spread of guarana, demonstrating that new protocols need to be explored, or that the protocols already used are reviewed from another perspective.

Therapeutic administration of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells reduces airway inflammation without up-regulating Tregs in experimental asthma.

BACKGROUND: Prophylactic administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from adipose (AD-MSC) and bone marrow tissue (BM-MSC) in ovalbumin-induced asthma hinders inflammation in a Treg-dependent manner. It is uncertain whether MSCs act through Tregs when inflammation is already established in asthma induced by a clinically relevant allergen. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effect of therapeutic administration of MSCs on inflammation and Treg cells in house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthma. METHODS: BM-MSCs and AD-MSCs were administered intratracheally to C57BL/6 mice 1 day after the last HDM challenge. Lung function, remodelling and parenchymal inflammation were assayed 3 or 7 days after MSCs treatment, through invasive plethysmography and histology, respectively. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and mediastinal lymph nodes (mLNs) were assessed regarding the inflammatory profile by flow cytometry, ELISA and qRT-PCR. MSCs were studied regarding their potential to induce Treg cells from primed and unprimed lymphocytes in vitro. RESULTS: BM-MSCs, but not AD-MSCs, reduced lung influx of eosinophils and B cells and increased IL-10 levels in HDM-challenged mice. Neither BM-MSCs nor AD-MSCs reduced lung parenchymal inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness or mucus hypersecretion. BM-MSCs and AD-MSCs did not up-regulate Treg cell counts within the airways and mLNs, but BM-MSCs decreased the pro-inflammatory profile of alveolar macrophages. Co-culture of BM-MSCs and AD-MSCs with allergen-stimulated lymphocytes reduced Treg cell counts in a cell-to-cell contact-independent manner, although co-culture of both MSCs with unprimed lymphocytes up-regulated Treg cell counts. CONCLUSIONS: MSCs therapeutically administered exert anti-inflammatory effects in the airway of HDM-challenged mice, but do not ameliorate lung function or remodelling. Although MSC pre-treatment can increase Treg cell numbers, it is highly unlikely that the MSCs will induce Treg cell expansion when lymphocytes are allergenically primed in an established lung inflammation.

High-titer antichromatin antibody is associated with proliferative class IV of lupus nephritis.

The antichromatin antibody (aCT) has been described as a useful marker for lupus nephropathy. The relevance of its nephritogenic potential may be appropriately evaluated in the context of renal histopathology. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship of aCT with a particular histopathologic class of lupus nephritis (LN). Seventy-eight consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (ACR criteria) and active nephritis who underwent renal biopsy from 1999 to 2004 and with available frozen serum sample obtained at the time of biopsy were selected. aCT was measured by ELISA, and anti-dsDNA was measured by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and by ELISA. All renal biopsies were revised in a blinded manner by the same expert renal pathologist. Charts were extensively reviewed for demographic and renal features obtained at the time of biopsy. The prevalence of aCT (>or=20 U) was 59% with a mean titer of 74.3 +/- 38.7 U. Both aCT-positive and aCT-negative groups of patients had similar age, gender distribution, duration of lupus, and duration of renal disease. Anti-dsDNA was detected by IIF in 29.5% and by ELISA in 42.3% of the patients. Concomitant presence of both antibodies was observed in 63% (29/46) [anti-dsDNA by ELISA] and 45.6% (21/46) [anti-dsDNA by IIF] of the patients. Lower serum levels of C3 (73% vs. 40%, P = 0.0058) and C4 (82% vs. 46.7%, P = 0.0021) were more commonly observed in aCT >or= 20 U patients compared to the aCT-negative group. It is important to note that the use of a higher cut-off value (>or=40 U) for aCT test revealed a predominance of class IV LN (58% vs. 33%, P = 0.039) in aCT >or= 40 U compared to aCT < 40 U group. The mean levels of proteinuria, serum albumin, and creatinine were markedly altered but were comparable in both groups (P >or= 0.05). One fourth (26.3%) of the 19 patients with class IV LN and aCT >or= 40 U had no detectable anti-dsDNA (ELISA). These data suggest that high-titer aCT seems to be a valuable biomarker for proliferative class IV of LN.

Prokaryotic diversity in one of the largest hypersaline coastal lagoons in the world.

Araruama Lagoon is an environment characterized by high salt concentrations. The low raining and high evaporation rates in this region favored the development of many salty ponds around the lagoon. In order to reveal the microbial composition of this system, we performed a 16S rRNA gene survey. Among archaea, most clones were related to uncultured environmental Euryarchaeota. In lagoon water, we found some clones related to Methanomicrobia and Methanothermococcus groups, while in the saline pond water members related to the genus Haloarcula were detected. Bacterial community was dominated by clones related to Gamma-proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Synechococcus in lagoon water, while Salinibacter ruber relatives dominated in saline pond. We also detected the presence of Alpha-proteobacteria, Pseudomonas-like bacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Only representatives of the genus Ralstonia were cosmopolitan, being observed in both systems. The detection of a substantial number of clones related to uncultured archaea and bacteria suggest that the hypersaline waters of Araruama harbor a pool of novel prokaryotic phylotypes, distinct from those observed in other similar systems. We also observed clones related to halophilic genera of cyanobacteria that are specific for each habitat studied. Additionally, two bacterioplankton molecular markers with ecological relevance were analyzed, one is linked to nitrogen fixation (nifH) and the other is linked to carbon fixation by bacterial photosynthesis, the protochlorophyllide genes, revealing a specific genetic distribution in this ecosystem. This is the first study of the biogeography and community structure of microbial assemblages in Brazilian tropical hypersaline environments. This work is directed towards a better understanding of the free-living prokaryotic diversity adapted to life in hypersaline waters.

Esterase patterns and phylogenetic relationships of Drosophila species in the saltans subgroup (saltans group).

The esterase patterns of sixteen strains from four species in the saltans subgroup were analyzed using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Thirty-four esterase bands were detected. By using alpha and beta naphthyl acetates as substrates, they were classified in 18 alpha-esterases (they hydrolyse the alpha-naphtyl substrate), 15 beta-esterases (they hydrolyse the beta-naphtyl substrate) and 1 alpha/beta-esterase (it hydrolyses the alpha and beta-naphtyl substrates). Among the alpha-esterases, three were detected exclusively in males. Malathion, Eserine and pCMB were used as inhibitors in order to characterize biochemically the esterases. The results indicated the presence of cholinesterases, carboxylesterases and acetylesterases. The degree of mobility of the bands in the gels, their specificity to alpha and beta naphthyl acetates and the results of the inhibition tests allowed us to recognize tentatively nine genetic loci. Phylogenetic relationships among species inferred on the basis of the esterase patterns by PAUP 4.0b8, with neighbor-joining search and a bootstrap analysis showed that, although the four species are closely related, D. septentriosaltans, D. saltans and D. austrosaltans are closer to each other than to D. prosaltans. These results showed to be consistent with phylogenetic relationships previously inferred from inversion polymorphism.