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Recent studies have shown that defined factors could lead to the direct conversion of fibroblasts into induced hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps). However, reported conversion efficiencies are very low, and the underlying mechanism of the direct hepatic reprogramming is largely unknown. Here, we report that direct conversion into iHeps is a stepwise transition involving the erasure of somatic memory, mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, and induction of hepatic cell fate in a sequential manner. Through screening for additional factors that could potentially enhance the conversion kinetics, we have found that c-Myc and Klf4 (CK) dramatically accelerate conversion kinetics, resulting in remarkably improved iHep generation. Furthermore, we identified small molecules that could lead to the robust generation of iHeps without CK. Finally, we show that Hnf1α supported by small molecules is sufficient to efficiently induce direct hepatic reprogramming. This approach might help to fully elucidate the direct conversion process and also facilitate the translation of iHep into the clinic.

It has previously been reported that mouse epiblast stem cell (EpiSC) lines comprise heterogeneous cell populations that are functionally equivalent to cells of either early- or late-stage postimplantation development. So far, the establishment of the embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency gene regulatory network through the widely known chemical inhibition of MEK and GSK3beta has been impractical in late-stage EpiSCs. Here, we show that chemical inhibition of casein kinase 1alpha (CK1alpha) induces the conversion of recalcitrant late-stage EpiSCs into ESC pluripotency. CK1alpha inhibition directly results in the simultaneous activation of the WNT signaling pathway, together with inhibition of the TGFbeta/SMAD2 signaling pathway, mediating the rewiring of the gene regulatory network in favor of an ESC-like state. Our findings uncover a molecular mechanism that links CK1alpha to ESC pluripotency through the direct modulation of WNT and TGFbeta signaling.

Somatic cells could be directly converted into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) by ectopic expression of defined transcription factors. However, the underlying mechanism of direct lineage transition into iNSCs is largely unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of genetic background on the direct conversion process into an iNSC state. The iNSCs from two different mouse strains exhibited the distinct efficiency of lineage conversion as well as clonal expansion. Furthermore, the expression levels of endogenous NSC markers, silencing of transgenes, and in vitro differentiation potential were also different between iNSC lines from different strains. Therefore, our data suggest that the genetic background of starting cells influences the conversion efficiency as well as reprogramming status of directly converted iNSCs.

Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that striatal transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) may be an appealing and valuable system for treating Huntington's disease. Nevertheless, for a neural replacement to become an effective translational treatment for Huntington's disease, a certain number of difficulties must be addressed, including how to improve the integration of transplanted cell grafts with the host tissue, to elevate the survival rates of transplanted cells, and to ensure their directed differentiation into specific neuronal phenotypes. Research focusing on the translational applications of creatine (Cr) supplementation in NSC and NPC cell replacement therapies continues to offer promising results, pointing to Cr as a factor with the potential to improve cell graft survivability and encourage differentiation toward GABAergic phenotypes in models of striatal transplantation. Here, we evaluate research examining the outcomes of Cr supplementation and how the timing of supplementation regimes may affect their efficacy. The recent studies indicate that Cr's effects vary according to the developmental stage of the cells being treated, noting the dynamic differences in creatine kinase expression over the developmental stages of differentiating NPCs. This research continues to move Cr supplementation closer to the widespread clinical application and suggests such techniques warrant further examination.

Pluripotency represents a cell state comprising a fine-tuned pattern of transcription factor activity required for embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal. TBX3 is the earliest expressed member of the T-box transcription factor family and is involved in maintenance and induction of pluripotency. Hence, TBX3 is believed to be a key member of the pluripotency circuitry, with loss of TBX3 coinciding with loss of pluripotency. We report a dynamic expression of TBX3 in vitro and in vivo using genetic reporter tools tracking TBX3 expression in mouse ESCs (mESCs). Low TBX3 levels are associated with reduced pluripotency, resembling the more mature epiblast. Notably, TBX3-low cells maintain the intrinsic capability to switch to a TBX3-high state and vice versa. Additionally, we show TBX3 to be dispensable for induction and maintenance of naive pluripotency as well as for germ cell development. These data highlight novel facets of TBX3 action in mESCs.

Viticulture and winemaking are important socioeconomic sectors in many European regions. Climate plays a vital role in the terroir of a given wine region, as it strongly controls canopy microclimate, vine growth, vine physiology, yield, and berry composition, which together determine wine attributes and typicity. New challenges are, however, predicted to arise from climate change, as grapevine cultivation is deeply dependent on weather and climate conditions. Changes in viticultural suitability over the last decades, for viticulture in general or the use of specific varieties, have already been reported for many wine regions. Despite spatially heterogeneous impacts, climate change is anticipated to exacerbate these recent trends on suitability for wine production. These shifts may reshape the geographical distribution of wine regions, while wine typicity may also be threatened in most cases. Changing climates will thereby urge for the implementation of timely, suitable, and cost-effective adaptation strategies, which should also be thoroughly planned and tuned to local conditions for an effective risk reduction. Although the potential of the different adaptation options is not yet fully investigated, deserving further research activities, their adoption will be of utmost relevance to maintain the socioeconomic and environmental sustainability of the highly valued viticulture and winemaking sector in Europe.

Three new species of Rhizomyces Thaxt., parasitic on African stalk-eyed flies, are described. These are R. forcipatus W.Rossi & Feijen sp. nov., parasitic on various species of Centrioncus Speiser from Ivory Coast, Kenya and Malawi and Teloglabrus Feijen from South Africa; R. ramosus W.Rossi & Feijen sp. nov., parasitic on Diopsina nitida (Adams, 1903) from Uganda; R. tschirnhausii W.Rossi & Feijen sp. nov., parasitic on Diopsina africana (Shillito, 1940) from Uganda. All previous records of species of Rhizomyces are presented in tabulated form with updated host names. A key is presented to all species of Rhizomyces. The occurrence of Rhizomyces and other taxa of the Laboulbeniales Lindau in the genera of the Diopsidae Billberg is discussed.

The clinical as well as biochemical and genetic spectrum of peroxisomal diseases has markedly increased over the last few years, thanks to the revolutionary advances in the field of genome analysis and several -omics technologies. This has led to the recognition of novel disease phenotypes linked to mutations in previously identified peroxisomal genes as well as several hitherto unidentified peroxisomal disorders. Correct interpretation of the wealth of data especially coming from genome analysis requires functional studies at the level of metabolites (peroxisomal metabolite biomarkers), enzymes, and the metabolic pathway(s) involved. This strategy is not only required to identify the true defect in each individual patient but also to determine the extent of the deficiency as described in detail in this article.

Introduction: Lower cerebral blood flow (CBF) is associated with cardiovascular disease and vascular risk factors, and is increasingly acknowledged as an important contributor to cognitive decline and dementia. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the association between CBF and cognitive functioning in a community-based, multi-ethnic cohort.Methods: From the SABRE (Southall and Brent Revisited) study, we included 214 European, 151 South Asian and 87 African Caribbean participants (71 ± 5 years; 39%F). We used 3T pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling to estimate whole-brain, hematocrit corrected CBF. We measured global cognition and three cognitive domains (memory, executive functioning/attention and language) with a neuropsychological test battery. Associations were investigated using linear regression analyses, adjusted for demographic variables, vascular risk factors and MRI measures.Results: Across groups, we found an association between higher CBF and better performance on executive functioning/attention (standardized ß [stß] = 0.11, p < 0.05). Stratification for ethnicity showed associations between higher CBF and better performance on memory and executive functioning/attention in the white European group (stß = 0.14; p < 0.05 and stß = 0.18; p < 0.01 respectively), associations were weaker in the South Asian and African Caribbean groups.Conclusions: In a multi-ethnic community-based cohort we showed modest associations between CBF and cognitive functioning. In particular, we found an association between higher CBF and better performance on executive functioning/attention and memory in the white European group. The observations are consistent with the proposed role of cerebral hemodynamics in cognitive decline.

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are attracting attention as the ideal cell therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI). Recently, advanced reprogramming and differentiation techniques have made it possible to generate therapeutic cells for treating SCI. In the present study, we used directly-induced neural stem cells (DNSCs) from fibroblasts to establish OPCs (DN-OPCs) capable of proliferation and confirmed their OPC-specific characteristics. Also, we evaluated the effect of transplanted DN-OPCs on SCI in rats. The DN-OPCs exhibited an OPC-specific phenotype and electrophysiological function and could be differentiated into oligodendrocytes. In the SCI model, transplanted DN-OPCs improved behavior recovery, and showed engraftment into the host spinal cord with expression of myelin basic protein. These results suggest that DN-OPCs could be a new source of potentially useful cells for treating SCI.

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, clinically manifested by cardinal motor symptoms including tremor at rest, bradykinesia, and muscle rigidity. Transplantation of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons is an experimental therapy for PD, however, it is limited by suboptimal integration and low survival of grafts. Pretreatment of donor tissue may offer a strategy to improve properties of transplanted DAergic neurons and thereby clinical outcome. We have previously shown that a combination of neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) demonstrated additive effects on rat ventral mesencephalic (VM) tissue. The present study investigated the effects of NT-4/5 and GDNF as single factors, or in combination on DAergic neurons, in organotypic explant cultures of fetal human ventral mesencephalon. For that purpose, free-floating roller-tube cultures were prepared from VM and the equally sized pieces grown for 1 week in the presence or absence of neurotrophic factors. Both neurotrophic factors increased dopamine content in the culture medium and in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons, most prominently after combined GDNF + NT-4/5 treatment. Culture volumes did not differ between groups while content of lactate dehydrogenase in the culture medium was moderately reduced in all treated groups. In conclusion, we identified that a combination of GDNF and NT-4/5 robustly promoted differentiation and survival of human fetal VM DAergic neurons, an observation with potential promising impact for cell replacement approaches in PD.

Volatiles emitted by plants convey an array of information through different trophic levels. Animals such as host-seeking herbivores encounter plumes with filaments from both host and non-host plants. While studies showed a behavioral effect of non-host plants on herbivore host location, less information is available on how a searching insect herbivore perceives and flies upwind to a host-plant odor plume within a background of non-host volatiles. We hypothesized here that herbivorous insects in search of a host-plant can discriminate plumes of host and non-host plants and that the taxonomic relatedness of the non-host have an effect on finding the host. We also predicted that the ratio between certain plant volatiles is cognized as host-plant recognition cue by a receiver herbivorous insect. To verify these hypotheses we measured the wind tunnel response of the moth Argyresthia conjugella to the host plant rowan, to non-host plants taxonomically related (Rosaceae, apple and pear) or unrelated to the host (Pinaceae, spruce) and to binary combination of host and non-host plants. Volatiles were collected from all plant combinations and delivered to the test insect via an ultrasonic sprayer as an artificial plume. While the response to the rowan as a plant was not affected by the addition of any of the non-host plants, the attraction to the corresponding sprayed headspace decreased when pear or apple but not spruce were added to rowan. A similar result was measured toward the odor exiting a jar where freshly cut plant material of apple or pear or spruce was intermixed with rowan. Dose-response gas-chromatography coupled to electroantennography revealed the presence of seven field attractive and seven background non-attractive antennally active compounds. Although the abundance of field attractive and of some background volatiles decreased in all dual combinations in comparison with rowan alone, an increased amount of the background compounds (3E)-4,8-Dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene ((E)-DMNT) and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was found in the rowan-apple and rowan-pear but not in the rowan-spruce headspace. A higher ratio between the abundance of each field attractive component and that of (E)-DMNT and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was measured for rowan and rowan-spruce in contrast to rowan-pear and rowan-apple headspaces. Our result suggests that the ratio between field attractive and background antennaly active volatiles encodes host-plant recognition in our study system.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a frequent form of early-onset dementia and can be caused by mutations in MAPT encoding the microtubule-associated protein TAU. Because of limited availability of neural cells from patients’ brains, the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration in FTD are poorly understood. Here, we derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from individuals with FTD-associated MAPT mutations and differentiated them into mature neurons. Patient iPSC-derived neurons demonstrated pronounced TAU pathology with increased fragmentation and phospho-TAU immunoreactivity, decreased neurite extension, and increased but reversible oxidative stress response to inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. Furthermore, FTD neurons showed an activation of the unfolded protein response, and a transcriptome analysis demonstrated distinct, disease-associated gene expression profiles. These findings indicate distinct neurodegenerative changes in FTD caused by mutant TAU and highlight the unique opportunity to use neurons differentiated from patient-specific iPSCs to identify potential targets for drug screening purposes and therapeutic intervention.

The R package spate implements methodology for modeling of large space-time data sets. A spatio-temporal Gaussian process is defined through a stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) which is solved using spectral methods. In contrast to the traditional geostatistical way of relying on the covariance function, the spectral SPDE approach is computationally tractable and provides a realistic space-time parametrization. This package aims at providing tools for simulating and modeling of spatio-temporal processes using an SPDE based approach. The package contains functions for obtaining parametrizations, such as propagator or innovation covariance matrices, of the spatio-temporal model. This allows for building customized hierarchical Bayesian models using the SPDE based model at the process stage. The functions of the package then provide computationally efficient algorithms needed for doing inference with the hierarchical model. Furthermore, an adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm implemented in the package can be used as an algorithm for doing inference without any additional modeling. This function is flexible and allows for application specific customizing. The MCMC algorithm supports data that follow a Gaussian or a censored distribution with point mass at zero. Spatio-temporal covariates can be included in the model through a regression term.

Mitochondrial disorders are genetically and clinically heterogeneous, mainly affecting high energy-demanding organs due to impaired oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Currently, effective treatments for OXPHOS defects, with complex I deficiency being the most prevalent, are not available. Yet, clinical practice has shown that some complex I deficient patients benefit from a high-fat or ketogenic diet, but it is unclear how these therapeutic diets influence mitochondrial function and more importantly, which complex I patients could benefit from such treatment. Dietary studies in a complex I deficient patient with exercise intolerance showed increased muscle endurance on a high-fat diet compared to a high-carbohydrate diet. We performed whole-exome sequencing to characterize the genetic defect. A pathogenic homozygous p.G212V missense mutation was identified in the TMEM126B gene, encoding an early assembly factor of complex I. A complementation study in fibroblasts confirmed that the p.G212V mutation caused the complex I deficiency. The mechanism turned out to be an incomplete assembly of the peripheral arm of complex I, leading to a decrease in the amount of mature complex I. The patient clinically improved on a high-fat diet, which was supported by the 25% increase in maximal OXPHOS capacity in TMEM126B defective fibroblast by the saturated fatty acid palmitic acid, whereas oleic acid did not have any effect in those fibroblasts. Fibroblasts of other patients with a characterized complex I gene defect were tested in the same way. Patient fibroblasts with complex I defects in NDUFS7 and NDUFAF5 responded to palmitic acid, whereas ACAD9, NDUFA12, and NDUFV2 defects were non-responding. Although the data are too limited to draw a definite conclusion on the mechanism, there is a tendency that protein defects involved in early assembly complexes, improve with palmitic acid, whereas proteins defects involved in late assembly, do not. Our data show at a clinical and biochemical level that a high fat diet can be beneficial for complex I patients and that our cell line assay will be an easy tool for the selection of patients, who might potentially benefit from this therapeutic diet.

Transplantation of fetal ventral mesencephalic (VM) neurons for Parkinson’s disease (PD) is limited by poor survival and suboptimal integration of grafted tissue into the host brain. In a 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of PD, we investigated the feasibility of simultaneous transplantation of rat fetal VM tissue and polymer-encapsulated C2C12 myoblasts genetically modified to produce glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) or mock-transfected myoblasts on graft function. Amphetamine-induced rotations were assessed prior to transplantation and 2, 4, 6 and 9 wk posttransplantation. We found that rats grafted with VM transplants and GDNF capsules showed a significant functional recovery 4 wk after implantation. In contrast, rats from the VM transplant and mock-capsule group did not improve at any time point analyzed. Moreover, we detected a significantly higher number of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-ir) cells per graft (2-fold), a tendency for a larger graft volume and an overall higher TH-ir fiber outgrowth into the host brain (1.7-fold) in the group with VM transplants and GDNF capsules as compared to the VM transplant and mock-capsule group. Most prominent was the TH-ir fiber outgrowth toward the capsule (9-fold). Grafting of GDNF-pretreated VM transplants in combination with the implantation of GDNF capsules resulted in a tendency for a higher TH-ir fiber outgrowth into the host brain (1.7-fold) as compared to the group transplanted with untreated VM transplants and GDNF capsules. No differences between groups were observed for the number of surviving TH-ir neurons or graft volume. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that simultaneous transplantation of fetal VM tissue and encapsulated GDNF-releasing cells is feasible and support the graft survival and function. Pretreatment of donor tissue with GDNF may offer a way to further improve cell transplantation approaches for PD.

Intrastriatal transplantation of fetal human ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons is an experimental therapy for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The success of this approach depends on several host brain parameters including neurotrophic factors and growth inhibitors that guide survival and integration of transplanted neurons. While the potential of neurotrophic factors has been extensively investigated, repression of growth inhibitors has been neglected, despite the significant effects reported in various CNS injury models. Recently, we demonstrated that infusion of neutralizing antibodies against Nogo-A into the lateral ventricles of hemi-parkinsonian rats significantly enhanced graft function. Since the Nogo-receptor 1 also interacts with other neurite growth inhibitors, we investigated whether a direct antagonization of the receptor would result in more robust effects. Therefore, rats with unilateral striatal 6-hydroxydopamine lesions were grafted with ventral mesencephalic tissue in combination with intraventricular infusions of the Nogo-receptor 1 antagonist NEP1-40. Transplanted rats receiving saline infusions served as controls. To test whether NEP1-40 treatment alone affects the remaining dopaminergic striatal fibers, rats with unilateral striatal 6-hydroxydopamine lesions were infused with NEP1-40 or saline without receiving a transplant. Motor behavior was assessed prior to the lesion as well as prior and 1, 3, and 5 weeks after the transplantations. At the end of the experimental period the number of graft-derived dopaminergic fibers growing into the host brain, the number of surviving dopaminergic neurons and graft volume were analyzed. In rats without a transplant, the density of dopaminergic fibers in the striatum was analyzed. We detected that NEP1-40 treatment significantly enhanced graft-derived dopaminergic fiber outgrowth as compared to controls while no effects were detected for graft volume and survival of grafted dopaminergic neurons. Notably, the enhanced dopaminergic fiber outgrowth was not sufficient to improve the functional recovery as compared to controls. Moreover, NEP1-40 infusions in hemi-parkinsonian rats without a transplant did not result in enhanced striatal dopaminergic fiber densities and consequently did not improve behavior. In sum, our findings demonstrate that antagonization of the Nogo-receptor 1 has the capacity to support the engraftment of transplanted mesencephalic tissue in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease.

Ensemble methods such as the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) are widely used for data assimilation in large-scale geophysical applications, as for example in numerical weather prediction. There is a growing interest for physical models with higher and higher resolution, which brings new challenges for data assimilation techniques because of the presence of non-linear and non-Gaussian features that are not adequately treated by the EnKF. We propose two new localized algorithms based on the Ensemble Kalman Particle Filter, a hybrid method combining the EnKF and the Particle Filter (PF) in a way that maintains scalability and sample diversity. Localization is a key element of the success of EnKF in practice, but it is much more challenging to apply to PFs. The algorithms that we introduce in the present paper provide a compromise between the EnKF and the PF while avoiding some of the problems of localization for pure PFs. Numerical experiments with a simplified model of cumulus convection based on a modified shallow water equation show that the proposed algorithms perform better than the local EnKF. In particular, the PF nature of the method allows to capture non-Gaussian characteristics of the estimated fields such as the location of wet and dry areas.

Esta pesquisa foi realizada com o propósito de avaliar o crescimento e os componentes de produção da mamoneira cv. BRS Energia sob diferentes níveis de salinidade da água de irrigação e de doses de nitrogênio em condições de campo, no Neossolo Regolítico eutrófico típico de textura franco-arenosa, no município de Pombal - PB, em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, testando-se cinco níveis de salinidade da água de irrigação-CEa (0,4-controle, 1,4; 2,4; 3,4 e 4,4 dS m-1) e cinco doses de N (50; 75; 100; 125 e 150 mg kg-1), em esquema fatorial 5 x 5, com três repetições. O aumento da CEa, a partir de 0,4 dS m-1, promoveu redução do número de folhas (NF), da altura de planta (AP), do diâmetro de caule (DC), da massa seca da parte aérea (MSPA), do comprimento do racemo (CRP), do comprimento efetivamente ocupado pelas flores femininas (CREFF), do número de sementes (NSRP) no racemo primário e da produção total de sementes (PSemT) da cultivar estudada. A interação entre salinidade da água e doses de nitrogênio foi significativa para NF, DC, MSPA, CRP e CE do extrato de saturação do solo (CEes), tendo as doses crescentes de nitrogênio atenuado o efeito negativo da salinidade, até o nível de 2,4 dS m-1. A CEes aumentou em função da CEa e das doses de N.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of subsoiling, gypsum and organic matter associated with the cultivation of cotton, sunflower and cowpea in crop rotation, seeking the reclamation and use of a saline-sodic soil. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design in split plots with four replications, during two crop cycles (2009/2010 and 2010/2011). The plots were formed by the treatments: T1. Subsoiling (S); T2. S + 20 Mg ha-1 of gypsum; T3. S + 40 Mg ha-1 of organic matter; T4. S + 10 Mg ha-1 of gypsum + 20 Mg ha-1 of organic matter; T5. S + 20 Mg ha-1 of gypsum + 40 Mg ha-1 of organic matter and the sub-plots consisted of the cotton-cowpea (C/CP) and sunflower-cowpea (S/CP) crop rotation. The use of gypsum and organic matter contributed to decrease the soil salinity and sodicity. Cotton was not affected by the treatments, while the sunflower crop was favored by the application of amendments only in the second production cycle. Higher yields of cowpea in T5 treatment, during the 2009/2010 cycle, are indicative that higher doses of gypsum and organic matter applied in this treatment accelerate the reclamation process. For other treatments with amendment application there was a beneficial effect for this crop only in the second cycle, when the values of productivity were similar to T5.

The differentiation capability of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) toward certain cell types for disease modeling and drug screening assays might be influenced by their somatic cell of origin. Here, we have compared the neural induction of human iPSCs generated from fetal neural stem cells (fNSCs), dermal fibroblasts, or cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and neurons could be generated at similar efficiencies from all iPSCs. Transcriptomics analysis of the whole genome and of neural genes revealed a separation of neuroectoderm-derived iPSC-NPCs from mesoderm-derived iPSC-NPCs. Furthermore, we found genes that were similarly expressed in fNSCs and neuroectoderm, but not in mesoderm-derived iPSC-NPCs. Notably, these neural signatures were retained after transplantation into the cortex of mice and paralleled with increased survival of neuroectoderm-derived cells in vivo. These results indicate distinct origin-dependent neural cell identities in differentiated human iPSCs both in vitro and in vivo.

Though expression of the homeobox transcription factor Nanog is generally restricted to pluripotent cells and early germ cells, many contradictory reports about Nanog's involvement in tumorigenesis exist. To address this, a modified Tet-On system was utilized to generate Nanog-inducible mice. Following prolonged Nanog expression, phenotypic alterations were found to be restricted to the intestinal tract, leaving other major organs unaffected. Intestinal and colonic epithelium hyperplasia was observed—intestinal villi had doubled in length and hyperplastic epithelium outgrowths were seen after 7 days. Increased proliferation of crypt cells and downregulation of the tumor suppressors Cdx2 and Klf4 was detected. ChIP analysis showed physical interaction of Nanog with the Cdx2 and Klf4 promoters, indicating a regulatory conservation from embryonic development. Despite downregulation of tumor suppressors and increased proliferation, ectopic Nanog expression did not lead to tumor formation. We conclude that unlike other pluripotency-related transcription factors, Nanog cannot be considered an oncogene.

Differentiated cells can be converted directly into multipotent neural stem cells (i.e., induced neural stem cells [iNSCs]). iNSCs offer an attractive alternative to induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology with regard to regenerative therapies. Here, we show an in vivo long-term analysis of transplanted iNSCs in the adult mouse brain. iNSCs showed sound in vivo long-term survival rates without graft overgrowths. The cells displayed a neural multilineage potential with a clear bias toward astrocytes and a permanent downregulation of progenitor and cell-cycle markers, indicating that iNSCs are not predisposed to tumor formation. Furthermore, the formation of synaptic connections as well as neuronal and glial electrophysiological properties demonstrated that differentiated iNSCs migrated, functionally integrated, and interacted with the existing neuronal circuitry. We conclude that iNSC long-term transplantation is a safe procedure; moreover, it might represent an interesting tool for future personalized regenerative applications.

It was to aimed it to investigate effects of various saline water use strategies on melon production and quality of two cultivars (Cucumis melo L., Sancho - C1 and Medellín - C2. The plants were irrigated with water of low (S1 = 0.61 dS m-1) and high (S2 = 4.78 dS m-1) salinity levels, during each crop stage: S1S1S2S2 - T1; S2S1S2S2 - T2; S2S2S1S2 - T3. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th terms of these sequences correspond to initial growth, flowering, fruit ripening and harvest phenological stages, respectively. Additionally, there was irrigation rotation during all cycle, with water S1 during two days followed by S2 for one day (S1 2 dias + S2 1 dia - T4) and irrigation with non-salt water S2 during all cycle - T5. Moreover, we used as control, the irrigation water at 3.2 dS m-1 resulting from water mixture of S1 and S2 - T6 (farm used irrigation management). The experiment was carried out in Pedra Preta Farm, in Mossoró, RN, using an entire randomized block statistical design in a 6x2 subdivided plot scheme with four replications. Saline water irrigation at initial growth stage reduces leaf area and shoot dry phytomass of Sancho and Medellín melon cultivars. The irrigation by T4 provided the highest phytomass production of fruits at 48 DAS, reducing in 33% of good quality water in irrigation.

Objectives: Obesity during adolescence is an increasing health problem in industrial countries. The comorbidities associated with obesity include important metabolic diseases. Methods: To analyze the effect of a weight-loss program, we recruited 12 obese, male adolescents before entering this program. We determined body weight measures at baseline, 6-week and 36-month follow-up. Also, the long-term changes of blood pressure, HbAlc, and CRP were evaluated. Twenty healthy age-matched adolescents served as controls. Results: Within the intervention group ((body mass index [BMI, kg/m²] > 95th percentile for age and sex, age 13-17 years) the BMI and BMI-standard deviation score [SDS] were significantly reduced in the 6-week follow-up after completing the weight loss program. However, the significant weight-reduction effect was not persistent until the 36-month follow-up. Conclusion: The 6-week weight-loss program had beneficial short-term effects on body weight, BMI, and BMI-SDS in obese adolescents, but these effects could not be maintained until the 36-month follow-up.

Oxidative stress plays a role in the onset and progression of a number of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and cancer, as well as ageing. Oxidative stress is caused by an increased production of reactive oxygen species and reduced antioxidant activity, resulting in the oxidation of glutathione. The ratio of reduced to oxidised glutathione is often used as a marker of the redox state in the cell. Whereas a variety of methods have been developed to measure glutathione in blood samples, methods to measure glutathione in cultured cells are scarce. Here we present a protocol to measure glutathione levels in cultured human and yeast cells using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS).

Abstract Induced cell fate changes by reprogramming of somatic cells offers an efficient strategy to generate autologous pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from any adult cell type. The potential of iPS cells to differentiate into various cell types is well established, however the efficiency to produce functional neurons from iPS cells remains modest. Here, we generated panneural progenitor cells (pNPCs) from mouse iPS cells and investigated the effect of the neurotrophic growth factor erythropoietin (EPO) on their survival, proliferation and neurodifferentiation. Under neural differentiation conditions, iPS-derived pNPCs gave rise to microtubule-associated protein-2 positive neuronlike cells (34% to 43%) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor positive oligodendrocytelike cells (21% to 25%) while less than 1% of the cells expressed the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein. Neuronlike cells generated action potentials and developed active presynaptic terminals. The pNPCs expressed EPO receptor (EPOR) mRNA and displayed functional EPOR signaling. In proliferating cultures, EPO (0.1–3 U/mL) slightly improved pNPC survival but reduced cell proliferation and neurosphere formation in a concentration-dependent manner. In differentiating cultures EPO facilitated neurodifferentiation as assessed by the increased number of γ-III-tubulin positive neurons. Our results show that EPO inhibits iPS pNPC self-renewal and promotes neurogenesis.

Planarian regeneration depends on the presence of pluripotent stem cells in the adult. We developed an in vivo stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) protocol in planarians to identify proteins that are enriched in planarian stem cells. Through a comparison of SILAC proteomes of normal and stem cell-depleted planarians and of a stem cell-enriched population of sorted cells, we identified hundreds of stem cell proteins. One of these is an ortholog of nuclear receptor coactivator-5 (Ncoa5/CIA), which is known to regulate estrogen-receptor-mediated transcription in human cells. We show that Ncoa5 is essential for the maintenance of the pluripotent stem cell population in planarians and that a putative mouse ortholog is expressed in pluripotent cells of the embryo. Our study thus identifies a conserved component of pluripotent stem cells, demonstrating that planarians, in particular, when combined with in vivo SILAC, are a powerful model in stem cell research.

In order to identify alternatives for the use of saline water in agricultural production, the effects of the use of brackish water in the preparation of the nutrient solution for the cultivation of sunflower (cv. EMBRAPA 122-V2000) were studied in hydroponic system on consumption and efficiency of water use for the production of achenes and biomass. A completely randomized design was used, analyzed in a 5x2 factorial scheme with three replications. The factors studied were five levels of salinity of nutrient solution (1.7 - control; 4.3; 6.0; 9.0; and 11.5dS m-1) and two plant densities - one or two plants per vessel. It was concluded that the water consumption of sunflower is a variable sensitive to the salinity of the nutrient solution, especially after the fourth week of crop, and that the efficiency of water use in the production of achenes and biomass of sunflower is greater when the plant density increases from one to two plants per vessel, even under saline stress.

Cocaine use disorder is associated with maladaptive decision-making behaviour, which strongly contributes to the harmful consequences of chronic drug use. Prior research has shown that cocaine users exhibit impaired neuropsychological test performances, particularly with regard to attention, learning, and memory but also in executive functions such as decision-making and impulse control. However, to what extent cocaine users show impaired decision-making under risk without feedback has not yet been investigated systematically. Therefore, to examine risk-taking behaviour, 31 chronic cocaine users and 26 stimulant-naïve healthy controls, who were part of the Zurich Cocaine Cognition Study, performed the Randomized Lottery Task (RALT) with winning lotteries consisting of an uncertain and a certain prospect. Results revealed that risky decisions were associated with male sex, increased cocaine use in the past year, higher cocaine concentrations in the hair, and younger age. In addition, higher levels of cocaine in the hair and cumulative lifetime consumption were associated with risky decisions, whereas potentially confounding factors including cognition and psychiatric symptoms had no significant effect. Taken together, our results indicate that cocaine users who increased their consumption over a period of one year show deficits in the processing of risky information accompanied with increased risk-taking. Future research should analyse whether risky decisions could potentially serve as a prognostic marker for cocaine use disorder.

Reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by overexpression of the transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-Myc holds great promise for the development of personalized cell replacement therapies. In an attempt to minimize the risk of chromosomal disruption and to simplify reprogramming, several studies demonstrated that a reduced set of reprogramming factors is sufficient to generate iPSC. We recently showed that a reduction of reprogramming factors in murine cells not only reduces reprogramming efficiency but also may worsen subsequent differentiation. To prove whether this is also true for human cells, we compared the efficiency of neuronal differentiation of iPSC generated from fetal human neural stem cells with either one (OCT4; hiPSC1F-NSC) or two (OCT4, KLF4; hiPSC2F-NSC) reprogramming factors with iPSC produced from human fibroblasts using three (hiPSC3F-FIB) or four reprogramming factors (hiPSC4F-FIB). After four weeks of coculture with PA6 stromal cells, neuronal differentiation of hiPSC1F-NSC and hiPSC2F-NSC was as efficient as iPSC3F-FIB or iPSC4F-FIB. We conclude that a reduction of reprogramming factors in human cells does reduce reprogramming efficiency but does not alter subsequent differentiation into neural lineages. This is of importance for the development of future application of iPSC in cell replacement therapies.

Peroxisomes are unique subcellular organelles which play an indispensable role in several key metabolic pathways which include: (1.) etherphospholipid biosynthesis; (2.) fatty acid beta-oxidation; (3.) bile acid synthesis; (4.) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) synthesis; (5.) fatty acid alpha-oxidation; (6.) glyoxylate metabolism; (7.) amino acid degradation, and (8.) ROS/RNS metabolism. The importance of peroxisomes for human health and development is exemplified by the existence of a large number of inborn errors of peroxisome metabolism in which one of these functions is impaired. Although the clinical signs and symptoms of affected patients differ depending upon the enzyme which is deficient and the extent of the deficiency, the disorders involved are usually (very) severe diseases with neurological dysfunction and early death in many of them. With respect to the role of peroxisomes in metabolism it is clear that peroxisomes are dependent on the functional interplay with other subcellular organelles to sustain their role in metabolism. Indeed, whereas mitochondria can oxidize fatty acids all the way to CO2 and H2O, peroxisomes are only able to chain-shorten fatty acids and the end products of peroxisomal beta-oxidation need to be shuttled to mitochondria for full oxidation to CO2 and H2O. Furthermore, NADH is generated during beta-oxidation in peroxisomes and beta-oxidation can only continue if peroxisomes are equipped with a mechanism to re-oxidize NADH back to NAD+, which is now known to be mediated by specific NAD(H)-redox shuttles. In this paper we describe the current state of knowledge about the functional interplay between peroxisomes and other subcellular compartments notably the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum for each of the metabolic pathways in which peroxisomes are involved.

Many cell surface proteins in mammalian cells are anchored to the plasma membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI). The predominant form of mammalian GPI contains 1-alkyl-2-acyl phosphatidylinositol (PI), which is generated by lipid remodeling from diacyl PI. The conversion of diacyl PI to 1-alkyl-2-acyl PI occurs in the ER at the third intermediate in the GPI biosynthetic pathway. This lipid remodeling requires the alkyl-phospholipid biosynthetic pathway in peroxisome. Indeed, cells defective in dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase (DHAP-AT) or alkyl-DHAP synthase express only the diacyl form of GPI-anchored proteins. A defect in the alkyl-phospholipid biosynthetic pathway causes a peroxisomal disorder, rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP), and defective biogenesis of peroxisomes causes Zellweger syndrome, both of which are lethal genetic diseases with multiple clinical phenotypes such as psychomotor defects, mental retardation, and skeletal abnormalities. Here, we report that GPI lipid remodeling is defective in cells from patients with Zellweger syndrome having mutations in the peroxisomal biogenesis factors PEX5, PEX16, and PEX19 and in cells from patients with RCDP types 1, 2, and 3 caused by mutations in PEX7, DHAP-AT, and alkyl-DHAP synthase, respectively. Absence of the 1-alkyl-2-acyl form of GPI-anchored proteins might account for some of the complex phenotypes of these two major peroxisomal disorders.

Black meshes used in greenhouses provide shade to plants, affecting photosynthesis and presenting certain properties that change the microclimatic conditions in these environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation in climate elements in greenhouse cultivated with gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii, Vr. Rambo) in relation to external conditions and the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) at Teresina, State of Piauí, Brazil. The measurements were obtained from July to October 2007 by an automatic data acquisition system installed inside and outside the greenhouse. The global solar radiation, evapotranspiration, precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed were estimated. The results showed that major effect of the shading occurred on the mean air temperature during the 120 days, making it higher than the external environment. Inside the greenhouse, mean values of relative air humidity, reference evapotranspiração, global solar radiation and wind speed were lower compared to those outside the greenhouse.Os ambientes protegidos cobertos com malha negra fornecem sombreamento às plantas, têm forte influência no processo da fotossíntese e possuem propriedades particulares que interferem nas condições micrometeorológicas desses ambientes. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar os elementos meteorológicos no interior do ambiente protegido cultivado com gérbera (Gerbera jamesonii, Vr. Rambo) em relação ao ambiente externo e na evapotranspiração de referência (ETo), a qual foi correlacionada às variáveis ambientais em Teresina-PI. No período de julho a outubro de 2007, os elementos meteorológicos foram obtidos por um sistema de aquisição de dados automático instalado no interior do ambiente protegido e externamente. Estimaram-se a radiação solar global, temperatura, umidade relativa do ar, evapotranspiração de referência, precipitação e velocidade do ar. Os resultados mostraram que o maior efeito da cobertura ocorreu sobre a temperatura média do ar durante os 120 dias, tornando-as acima das verificadas no ambiente exterior. Foram observados no ambiente protegido, valores médios de umidade relativa do ar, evapotranspiração de referência, radiação solar global e velocidade do vento, inferiores aos obtidos em condição de campo.

Background. For patients with hypertension, effective 24-hour blood pressure (BP) control is vital to ensure protection against the early morning surge in BP and the associated increased risk of cardiovascular events. The aim of this analysis was to assess the 24-hour antihypertensive efficacy of olmesartan medoxomil (20 mg once daily) compared with candesartan cilexetil (8 mg once daily), with particular emphasis on BP control during the early morning period. Methods. This is an additional analysis of a previously reported randomised, double-blind study in which 635 patients with mainly mild to moderate hypertension were randomised to 8 weeks of treatment with either olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg/day or candesartan cilexetil 8 mg/day. Changes from baseline during the last 4 and 2 hours of ambulatory BP measurement (ABPM) after 1, 2 and 8 weeks of treatment were compared between the two groups. In addition, the proportions of patients who achieved various ABPM goals, including those suggested by the European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology (ESH/ESC) [

Este trabalho visa a avaliar o efeito da adubação nitrogenada e potássica na produção de gérbera (Gerbera jamesonni), tipo comercial Rambo, utilizando-se de dois tipos de águas (residuária de origem urbana e de abastecimento) para irrigação. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação, na Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, de outubro de 2006 a janeiro de 2007, abrangendo um ciclo completo de produção. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, com três repetições, e os tratamentos foram dispostos em esquema fatorial 3 x 4 x 2, em que os fatores estudados foram: níveis crescente de nitrogênio (N1 = 100; N2 = 200 e N3 = 300 mg L-1) e potássio (K1 = 100; K2 = 200; K3 = 300 e K4 = 400 mg L-1) adicionados a uma solução contendo fósforo (P1 = 50 mg L-1); com a utilização de dois tipos de água (A1 = abastecimento, e A2 = residuária de origem urbana). As variáveis monitoradas foram: número de botões florais emitidos e intervalo de emissão; número de flores colhidas e intervalo entre colheitas; diâmetro das flores e comprimento das hastes. O incremento de nitrogênio, apesar de propiciar incremento no número de botões e reduzir o tempo de emissão de botões, ocasionou efeito negativo quanto à qualidade das flores produzidas; já o incremento de potássio foi benéfico. O uso de água residuária possibilitou melhoria significativa na produtividade e redução no tempo de colheita sem efeito significativo na qualidade das flores produzidas. Não foram observadas interações significativas entre os fatores estudados.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and potassium in production of Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonni), commercial type Rambo, using two types of water (residual of urban origin and muncipality supply water) for irrigation. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, at the Federal University of Campina Grande, from October 2006 to January 2007, covering a complete cycle of production. The experimental design was in a completely randomized blocks with three replications and the treatments were arranged in a 3 x 4 x 2 factorial scheme, where the factors consisted of increasing levels of nitrogen (N1 = 100, N2 = 200 and N3 = 300 mg L-1) and potassium (K1 = 100, K2 = 200, K3 = 300 and K4 = 400 mg L-1) added to a solution of phosphorus (P = 50 mg L-1) with the use of two types of water (A1 = supply A2 = residual water of urban origin). The variables monitored were: number of buttons and interval between emission of flower buds, number of flowers collected and interval between flower pickings, flower diameter and stem length. The increase of nitrogen in spite of increasing the number of buttons and reducing the interval between the emissions of flower buttons, caused negative effect on the quality of flowers produced, while the increase in potassium was beneficial. The use of wastewater resulted in significant improvement in productivity and reduction in the interval between flower pickings without significant effect on the quality of flowers produced. There were no significant interactions among the factors studied.

The originally published version of this Article omitted Tanja Kuhlmann and Michael Wegner as jointly supervising authors. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

Diagnostic electron microscopy (DEM) was an essential component of viral diagnosis until the development of highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAT). The simple negative staining technique of DEM was applied widely to smallpox diagnosis until the world-wide eradication of the human-specific pathogen in 1980. Since then, the threat of smallpox re-emerging through laboratory escape, molecular manipulation, synthetic biology or bioterrorism has not totally disappeared and would be a major problem in an unvaccinated population. Other animal poxviruses may also emerge as human pathogens. With its rapid results (only a few minutes after arrival of the specimen), no requirement for specific reagents and its “open view”, DEM remains an important component of virus diagnosis, particularly because it can easily and reliably distinguish smallpox virus or any other member of the orthopoxvirus (OPV) genus from parapoxviruses (PPV) and the far more common and less serious herpesviruses (herpes simplex and varicella zoster). Preparation, enrichment, examination, internal standards and suitable organisations are discussed to make clear its continuing value as a diagnostic technique.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar os efeitos do uso de água salina em diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento de plantas de feijão-de-corda sobre a eficiência de utilização de água e de nutrientes. O experimento foi conduzido no campo e obedeceu ao delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e cinco repetições. Os tratamentos empregados foram: T1 - água de poço com condutividade elétrica (CEa) de 0,8 dS m-1 durante todo o ciclo; T2 - água salina (CEa de 5,0 dS m-1) durante todo o ciclo; T3, T4 e T5 - água salina de 0 a 22 dias após o plantio (DAP), de 23 a 42 DAP e de 43 a 62 DAP, respectivamente. As plantas dos tratamentos T3, T4 e T5 foram irrigadas com água de poço nas demais fases do ciclo. Aos 8; 23; 43 e 63 DAP, as plantas foram colhidas e determinaram-se a matéria seca total e de grãos, a eficiência no uso da água, considerando a produção de matéria seca total (EUA P) e a produção de grãos (EUA GR), e a eficiência de utilização de nutrientes (K, Ca, N, P, Fe, Cu, Zn e Mn). A aplicação de água salina durante todo o ciclo (T2) reduziu a EUA P e a EUA GR, enquanto a aplicação de água na fase inicial do ciclo (T3) reduziu a EUA GR e a eficiência de utilização da maioria dos nutrientes. Por outro lado, a irrigação com água salina dos 23 aos 42 DAP (T4) e dos 43 aos 62 DAP (T5) não afetou as eficiências nos usos de água e de nutrientes.The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of the saline water applied at different development stages of cowpea plants, on water and nutrient use efficiency. The experiment was set up in the field, during the dry season. A completely randomized block design, with five treatments and five repetitions was adopted. The treatments studied were: T1 - (groundwater with electrical conductivity (ECw) of 0.8 dS m-1) during the whole crop cycle; T2 - saline water (ECw = 5.0 dS m-1) during the whole crop cycle; T3, T4 and T5 - saline water from 0 to 22 days after sowing (DAS), from 23 to 42 DAS and from 43 to 62 DAS, respectively. The plants of T3, T4 and T5 were irrigated with groundwater in the remaining stages of the crop cycle. At 8, 23, 43 and 63 DAS the plants were harvested and the total dry mass and grain yield were measured. The water use efficiency was estimated by using total dry mass production (WUE P) and grain yield (WUE GR), as well as the nutrients use efficiency - NUE, (K, Ca, N, P, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn). The application of saline water during whole the crop cycle (T2) reduced WUE P and WUE GR, while the use of saline water during the germination and initial plant development (T3) caused reduction in WUE GR and in the NUE for most of the analyzed nutrients. Irrigation with saline water from 23 to 42 DAS (T4) and from 43 to 62 DAS (T5) did not affect water and nutrient use efficiencies.

Esta pesquisa foi conduzida em área experimental da Fazenda Capim II, localizada no Município de Capim - PB, com o intuito de determinar a eficiência no uso da água (EUA) pela cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum L.), cultivar SP 79-1011. O delineamento experimental consistiu em blocos casualizados, com três repetições, em esquema fatorial 5 x 5. Os tratamentos referentes à lâmina de irrigação foram: sequeiro; 25; 50; 75 e 100% da ETc (1.026,57 mm) com as respectivas precipitações efetivas de 780,06; 713,31; 487,54; 243,71 e 194,51 mm; os níveis de zinco estudados foram 0; 1; 2; 3 e 4 kg ha-1. O equipamento de irrigação utilizado foi do tipo pivô central, com turno de rega de nove dias. A eficiência no uso da água (EUA) na produção de colmos e de açúcar aumenta à medida que se eleva a lâmina total de água aplicada à cultura. Para a região norte-paraibana dos tabuleiros costeiros, a EUA na produção de colmo e de açúcar, de forma maximizada, é 7,12 e 0,67 kg m-3, respectivamente.The study was conducted in an experimental area of the Capim II Farm, located in the municipality of Capim - PB, Brazil, with the objective of determining the efficiency in the use of the water (WUE) for the sugarcane crop (Saccharum officinarum L.), cultivar SP 79-1011. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with three replications in a 5 x 5 factorial design. The irrigation treatments were: rainfed; 25; 50; 75 and 100% of the ETc (1,026.57 mm) with the respective effective precipitations of 780.06; 713.31; 487.54; 243.71 and 194.51 mm. The levels of zinc studied were 0; 1; 2; 3 and 4 kg ha-1. The irrigation equipment used in the study was a central pivot with irrigation frequency of nine days. The water use efficiency (WUE) of sugarcane crop in terms of cane production and of sugar increased with the depth of water applied. For the Coastal Table Lands of northern Paraiba, the maximized WUE for sugarcane and sugar production is 7.12 and 0.67 kg m-3, respectively.

Neste trabalho, avaliaram-se o acúmulo de sais no solo e a produtividade do feijão-de-corda, em função da fração de lixiviação (FL) e da salinidade da água de irrigação. Utilizou-se de delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições. Foram estudados os seguintes tratamentos: 1 - água do poço com condutividade elétrica (CEa) de 0,8 dS m-1 (sem FL); 2 - água salina com CEa de 5,0 dS m-1 sem FL; 3 - água salina com CEa de 5,0 dS m-1 com FL de 0,14; 4 - água salina com CEa de 5,0 dS m-1 com FL de 0,28. Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: acúmulo de sais no solo, crescimento vegetativo, produtividade, trocas gasosas e teores de Na+, Ca+2, K+ e Cl- nas folhas. A aplicação de água salina provocou acúmulo de sais no solo, porém esses efeitos foram parcialmente revertidos pelo aumento da FL; a salinidade reduziu a produtividade de grãos, porém não afetou sua qualidade; a redução na produtividade ocasionada pela salinidade deveu-se, em parte, à redução na assimilação líquida de carbono durante as fases de floração e frutificação, associada aos efeitos osmóticos e ao acúmulo de Na+ e Cl- nas folhas; as frações de lixiviação não tiveram muita influência na superação dos danos provocados pela salinidade sobre o desenvolvimento das plantas.The study had the objective to evaluate the effect of water salinity and the leaching fraction (LF) on soil salt accumulation and on the yield of grains of cowpea plants. A completely randomized block design, with four treatments and five repetitions, was adopted. The treatments studied were: 1 - well water with ECw of 0.8 dS m-1 (without LF); 2 - saline water with ECw of 5.0 dS m-1 (without LF); 3 - saline water with ECw of 5.0 dS m-1 with LF of 0.14, and 4 - saline water with ECw of 5.0 dS m-1 with LF of 0.28. The following parameters were evaluated: soil salt accumulation, vegetative plant growth, yield, gas exchange and leaf ion contents (Na+, Ca+2, K+, and Cl-). The saline water application provoked salt accumulation in the soil profile, but this effect was partially reverted by the increase of the leaching fraction. Salinity reduced plant yield, but it did not affect its quality. The reduction in plant yield was related, at least in part, to decrease in net assimilation of carbon during flowering and fruit development due to osmotic effects and to accumulation of potentially toxic ions (Na+ and Cl-). In general, the increase in leaching fraction did not reduce the effect of the salinity on plant development.

Com este trabalho, teve-se o objetivo de determinar a viabilidade de quatro lâminas de águas residuárias de origem urbana (75; 100; 125 e 150% da evapotranspiração da cultura) na produção de gérbera (Gerbera jamesonni), tipo comercial Rambo, comparando-se os resultados com os obtidos por meio da adoção do manejo convencional (adubação orgânica, química e irrigação com água de abastecimento equivalente a 100% da evapotranspiração). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação, na Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, de fevereiro a julho de 2006, abrangendo um ciclo completo de produção. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com três repetições, e as variáveis monitoradas foram: número de botões florais emitidos e intervalo de emissão; número de flores colhidas e intervalo entre colheitas; diâmetro das flores e comprimento das hastes. Para as variáveis monitoradas, apenas o comprimento das hastes foi afetado significativamente pelas lâminas de água residuária aplicadas. A adoção do manejo com água residuária foi melhor que o convencional, em todas as variáveis, com exceção de comprimento das hastes, constatando-se que esse tipo de água constitui recurso importante no suprimento hídrico e de nutrientes para a cultura da gérbera, potencializando produtividade compatível ou melhor que o uso de técnicas de produção convencional.The objective of the present study was to evaluate the viability of four depths (equivalent to 75; 100; 125 and 150% of crop evapotranspiration) of wastewater from urban origin in production of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonni), commercial type Rambo and contrast the results obtained with those adopting conventional management (organic and chemical manuring and irrigation with urban supply water equivalent to 100% evapotranspiration). The experiment was conducted on a greenhouse of Universidade Federal de Campina Grande - PB - Brazil, during February to July 2006, during a complete cycle of production. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks with three replications. The variables monitored were number of flowers buds and emission interval, number of flowers collected and interval of harvest, diameter of flowers and length of flower stems. For the monitored variables, only length of flower stem presented significant effect among the depths of irrigation with wastewater. The adoption of management with wastewater showed superiority for the variables evaluated in relation to conventional management except the length of flower stem. These results demonstrate that the use of wastewater constitutes an important source for supply of nutrients and water to gerbera crop increasing the potential of compatible productivity or better than the conventional production techniques.