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Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient for plants, but when present in excess, it induces toxicity. In this study, cuttings of four wine-producing varieties of Vitis vinifera L. were used: 'Tinta Barroca', 'Tinto Cão', 'Malvasia Fina' and 'Viosinho'. The grapevine cuttings were distributed by hydroponic solutions enriched with different Cu concentrations (1, 10, 25 and 50 μM) plus control. At the end of the experiment, the root growth was evaluated, and individual roots were collected, fixed, and used for histological sections and chromosome spreads preparation. The higher Cu concentrations induced toxicity and inhibited root growth. However, the grapevine varieties responded with the thickening of the root exodermis and endodermis. In the chromosome spreads, normal and abnormal interphase and mitotic cells were observed in all varieties and treatments. The increase of Cu concentration decreased the nucleolar activity, as seen by reducing the nucleolar number and area. It increased the frequency of interphase cells with anomalies (ICA), but it did not influence total soluble protein concentration. The augment of Cu concentration also decreased the mitotic index (MI) and increased the percentage of dividing cells with anomalies (DCA). Different types of chromosomal anomalies in all mitotic phases, treatments and varieties were found. Overall, the white wine varieties, 'Malvasia Fina' and 'Viosinho', appeared to be more tolerant to the Cu-induced stress because they showed higher root growth and mean MI and lower mean DCA than the red wine varieties. • Cu inhibited root growth and induced thickening of the exodermis and endodermis. • Cu toxicity decreased the nucleolar activity. • Cu treatment increased the frequency of interphase/dividing cells with anomalies. • Cu toxicity increased root vacuolization. • White wine grapevine varieties appear more tolerant to Cu-induced stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitis vinifera L. is one of the most important fruit crops in the world, having thousands of different varieties. This diploid species has 38 small chromosomes that have been characterised with Giemsa staining, fluorochrome banding, silver staining, and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Previous works reported that the number of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) loci in V. vinifera is four. In this work, we intend to study the nucleolar activity and to physically map the 45S rDNA loci in seven varieties of V. vinifera using an optimized protocol of silver nitrate staining and sequential FISH, respectively. Nucleoli and mitotic chromosomes of root-tips and leaves of the seven V. vinifera varieties were stained with silver nitrate. The number of nucleoli per interphase cell was scored and statistically analysed. Most of the varieties showed a maximum of three nucleoli per nucleus and three Ag-NORs per metaphase. The variety Bastardo showed a maximum of two nucleoli per nucleus in leaf tissue whereas Pinot Noir presented a maximum of four nucleoli per interphase in roots. However, in both tissues of all varieties, 1 nucleolus per nucleus was most frequent. High-quality chromosome spreads were selected for sequential FISH with the 45S rDNA probe pTa71 which allowed the physical location of four 45S rDNA loci in all varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective to describe the experiences of midwives who graduated from the University of São Paulo's midwifery program and the characteristics of their work within the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). Design a descriptive, qualitative field study. Setting interviews were scheduled by telephone or e-mail and were held with the midwives outside their work environment. Interviews lasted for up to one hour and were recorded. Participants ten midwives who had graduated from the University of São Paulo's midwifery program and were working or had worked in the SUS at the time of the study. Ethical issues the study protocol was approved by the internal review board of the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo. All pertinent ethical principles were followed. Measures and Findings data were collected at interviews focussing on the participants’ work and their experiences while working in the SUS. The dialogues during the interview sessions allowed the participants to build on and extend the proposed topics. After the data had been transcribed and read, the discourses were grouped in accordance with the similarity of their content, resulting in four thematic categories: the inclusion of midwives into the obstetric team ; dealing with contradictions: challenges of the profession; working in the SUS: between precariousness and guaranteeing access to health services; and making a difference . The findings provoke reflection on the challenges faced by midwives in their work within the SUS: challenges associated with the difficulties in working in the public healthcare sector, difficulties in their relationships with other healthcare professionals, difficulties related to a general lack of knowledge on this specific occupation in Brazil, the absence of a midwifery model of care, difficulty in dealing with obstetric abuse, and the dilemmas facing the midwives during their daily practice of midwifery. Key conclusion despite the difficulties encountered, the midwives consider the care they provide to be differentiated. They perceive gradual changes in the care offered to women by the healthcare facilities and by other professionals, and believe that they make a difference in their workplaces. In addition, they want to work in the SUS and are committed to transforming the quality of care provided to women in Brazil. Practical implications the experiences related by midwives reflect the midwifery scenario nationwide, highlighting the perspectives for change. The emphasis placed by midwives on their social role and their commitment to changing current midwifery care models and to consolidating the SUS is noteworthy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Zn treatments promoted leaf growth and reduced leaf thickness. • The Zn treatments inhibited root elongation and enhanced its thickness. • Leaf mitotic index (MI) increased, and root MI decreased with the Zn concentration. • Leaf and root nucleolar activity was reduced by the increase of Zn concentration. • 'Verdelho' and 'Dozenlinho Branco' were more tolerant to Zn than 'Bastardo'. Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient to plants, but in most of the vineyard soils, its amount surpasses the threshold value recommended by the European Union. With this work, we intended to evaluate the growth, morpho-histological traits and nucleolar activity in leaves and roots of three grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) varieties ('Donzelinho Branco', 'Verdelho' and 'Bastardo'). Forced cuttings of those varieties were placed in hydroponic solutions supplemented with 1.5, 3 and 5 mM Zn for two weeks to extrapolate their tolerance to Zn. Hoagland's nutritive solution (0 mM Zn) was used as control. The Zn treatments stimulated the leaf growth in all varieties, confirmed by the increase of the leaf mitotic index (MI). Leaf growth was higher in 'Donzelinho Branco' treated with 5 mM Zn, but it was accompanied by a significant reduction of the leaf thickness. The increase of Zn concentration contributed to the roots thickening and the decrease of the root MI, mean nucleolar number and area. The inhibition of root elongation and the leaf and root nucleolar activity changes seen in the Zn-treated plants are compatible with osmotic stress responses. The integration of the multidisciplinary data of this work allowed us to suggest that 'Verdelho' and 'Donzelinho Branco' were more tolerant than 'Bastardo' to higher Zn concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wine authenticity methods are in increasing demand mainly in Denomination of Origin designations. The DNA-based methodologies are a reliable means of tracking food/wine varietal composition. The main aim of this work was the study of High Resolution Melting (HRM) application as a screening method for must and wine authenticity. Three sample types (leaf, must and wine) were used to validate the three developed HRM assays ( Vv1 –705 bp; Vv2 –375 bp; and Vv3 –119 bp). The Vv1 HRM assay was only successful when applied to leaf and must samples. The Vv2 HRM assay successfully amplified all sample types, allowing genotype discrimination based on melting temperature values. The smallest amplicon, Vv3 , produced a coincident melting curve shape in all sample types (leaf and wine) with corresponding genotypes. This study presents sensitive, rapid and efficient HRM assays applied for the first time to wine samples suitable for wine authenticity purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of most important limiting factors in wheat productivity worldwide. The need to increase drought tolerance during anthesis is of the utmost importance for high yield potentials and yield stability. Photosynthesis is one of the major physiological processes affected by drought. Damages in the photosynthetic apparatus may also arise due to non-regulated dissipation of excessive energy. Zinc (Zn) is an indispensable micronutrient for plants and is required for a wide range of physiological and biochemical processes. In this work we evaluated the stress mitigation effects of Zn seed priming alone and coupled with Zn foliar application in wheat plants submitted to severe drought during anthesis, followed by a recovery period. Under such severe drought stress, photosynthesis was constrained by both stomatal and non-stomatal limitation. Severe drought also induced an increase in non-regulated energy dissipation and hindered a full recovery of the plant's photosynthetic processes after rewatering. We also report possible activation of transposable elements due to drought stress and Zn application. Yield was severely decreased by drought and Zn treatments were unable to counteract this effect. Although unable to oppose the reduction of net photosynthesis, Zn treatments positively enhance photoprotection. At the end of drought period, Zn priming alone and coupled with Zn foliar application increased, respectively, over 2- and 3- fold the regulated dissipation of excess energy. Zn treatments lessened the non-regulated energy dissipation caused by drought, protected the plants against irreversible damages to the photosynthetic apparatus and enabled a better recovery of wheat plants after stress relief. Image 1 • Severe drought increased non-regulated energy dissipation (ɸ NO). • Zinc priming and foliar application enhanced regulated energy dissipation (ɸ NPQ). • Higher ɸ NPQ during drought enabled a better recovery of photosynthetic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to detect and quantify small amounts of DNA in biological complex samples is a hot research area. Up until recently most of the work performed in this area used label-dependent protocols that increases its complexity and overall costs. The aim the work was to develop a label-free technology suitable for DNA detection and quantification using real complex DNA samples. The applicability of this system was tested using synthetic ssDNA targets that guaranteed the systems specificity, in the sense that only complementary sequences hybridized with the probe. When using real samples extracted from Vitis vinifera L. the system was able to successfully detect and quantify the DNA present without any of the time consuming and costly amplification steps. The detection and quantification limits of the proposed system were 60 ± 20 nM and 201 ± 20 nM, respectively for Target 1 concentrations between 31 and 350 nM. This method can easily be applied to other species and purposes, allowing the direct detection of DNA in a label-free environment with high accuracy and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]