Com objetivo de avaliar a eficiência do uso de fertilizante (contendo macronutrientes - nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio - e micronutrientes - cobalto e molibdênio), associado a fungicida e a inoculante, no tratamento de sementes de soja (variedade cultivada FT-Abyara), foram realizados dois experimentos, em laboratório (2007) e em campo (safra agrícola de 2007/2008), no Departamento de Biologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, em Santa Maria-RS. O experimento I constou de tratamentos de doses de macronutrientes e micronutrientes em mistura com os fungicidas Thiram e Carbendazim aplicados em Bradyrhizobium spp. em meio de cultura YMA. O experimento II foi realizado para avaliar o efeito do tratamento de sementes de soja com micronutrientes e fungicidas na sobrevivência de Bradyrhizobium spp. e sua influência no crescimento da planta. Com relação aos diferentes fertilizantes avaliados, verifica-se que o maior número de nódulos por planta e maior massa de matéria seca de nódulos foi obtido com os compostos que continham cobalto e molibdênio, resultado também observado em relação aos tratamentos com fungicidas. Os resultados experimentais permitem inferir que todos os tratamentos com fertilizantes aplicados via sementes aumentaram significativamente a altura de planta, o comprimento de raiz, e a massa de matéria seca da parte aérea e de raiz quando comparados à testemunha sem tratamento com fertilizante, fungicida e inoculante. Em função dos resultados obtidos neste trabalho com a cultura de soja, pode-se concluir que: (i) o tratamento de sementes com fungicidas diminui o número de células viáveis de Bradyrhizobium spp.; (ii) a utilização de cobalto e molibdênio no tratamento de sementes proporciona aumento na quantidade de células de Bradyrhizobium spp.; e (iii) o melhor parâmetro para avaliar a eficiência da inoculação no tratamento de sementes é o número de células viáveis de Bradyrhizobium spp. / With the purpose of evaluating the efficiency of fertilizers (with macronutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - and micronutrients - cobalt e molybdenum), fungicides and inoculant utilization in the soybean (cultivar \'FT-Abyara\') seed treatment, two experiments were carried out, in laboratory (2007) and in field (season 2007/2008), at Biology Department of Federal University of Santa Maria, in Santa Maria, \'Rio Grande do Sul\' State, Brazil. The experiment I consisted of evaluating the macronutrients and micronutrients doses treatments mixed with fungicides (Thiram and Carbendazim) applied in the YMA culture medium of Bradyrhizobium spp. The experiment II consisted of evaluating the soybean seed treatment (with micronutrients and fungicides) effect on Bradyrhizobium spp. survival and its influence on the plant growth. In relation to different evaluated fertilizers, the higher number of nodules per plant and higher nodules dry mass were obtained with cobalt and molybdenum seed treatments. Similar results also were obtained with fungicides treatments. According to the results, all treatments with fertilizers increased the soybean plant height, root length, dry matter of canopy and roots when compared to the control (without fertilizers, fungicides and inoculant). According to the results, there are the following conclusions: (i) the seed treatment with fungicides decreases the viable cells number of Bradyrhizobium spp.; (ii) the utilization of cobalt and molybdenum in the seed treatment increases the Bradyrhizobium spp. cells number; and (iii) the best parameter to evaluate the seed treatment inoculation efficiency is the viable cells number of Bradyrhizobium spp.

A atividade antiviral de compostos flavonoídicos tem sido amplamente investigada nos últimos anos. Nesse contexto, a primeira etapa da presente tese teve por objetivo avaliar a atividade anti-herpética in vitro dos principais isoflavonóides de Glycine max (soja): genisteína, daidzeína, gliciteína e cumestrol. Dentre os isoflavonóides investigados, a genisteína e o cumestrol mostraram uma interessante atividade frente aos vírus HSV-1 (cepa KOS e 29R, sensível e resistente ao aciclovir, respectivamente) e HSV-2 (cepa 333), interferindo em diferentes etapas do ciclo de replicação dos vírus. Devido à reduzida hidrossolubilidade desses isoflavonóides, foi proposta a sua incorporação em nanoemulsões de uso tópico. As formulações foram otimizadas através de um experimento fatorial completo do tipo 23 . O efeito dos fatores tipo de óleo (óleo de rícino ou miristato de isopropila), co-tensoativo iônico (oleilamina ou ácido olêico) e fosfolipídeo (DSPC ou DOPC) sobre as propriedades das nanoemulsões e a retenção da genisteína na pele de orelha suína foi investigado. Nanoemulsões compostas de miristato de isopropila/ oleilamina/DOPC apresentaram um menor diâmetro de gotícula e uma maior retenção de genisteína na pele de orelha suína enquanto que a combinação miristato de isopropila/oleilamina/DSPC mostrou o menor índice de polidispersão. A viscosidade das formulações selecionadas foi ajustada através do uso de hidroxietilcelulose visando à obtenção de produtos de uso tópico, obtendo-se hidrogéis de comportamento pseudoplástico. Na sequência, um conjunto de resultados obtidos demonstrou que a composição das formulações (especialmente o fosfolipídeo DOPC e o agente espessante hidroxietil celulose) pode influenciar a liberação e a retenção dos isoflavonóides em mucosa esofágica suína. A integridade da mucosa também desempenha um papel no aumento da permeação/retenção do cumestrol, conforme ilustrado nas imagens de microscopia confocal, utilizando vermelho do Nilo como marcador fluorescente. De maneira geral, a incorporação dos isoflavonóides nas nanoemulsões aumenta a atividade anti-herpética desses compostos in vitro. O conjunto dos resultados demonstra que as formulações desenvolvidas são potenciais carreadores de uso tópico para genisteína e cumestrol no tratamento das infecções herpéticas. / The antiviral activity of flavonoid compounds has been extensively investigated in recent years. In this context, the first step of this study was to evaluate the antiherpes activity in vitro of the main isoflavonoids of Glycine max (soybean): genistein, daidzein, glycitein and coumestrol. Among the investigated isoflavonoids, genistein and coumestrol showed interesting activity against HSV-1 (KOS and 29R strains, which are acyclovir-sensitive and acyclovir–resistant strains, respectively) and HSV-2 (333 strain), interfering at different stages of the virus replication cycle. Due to the low hydrosolubility of these isoflavonoids, their incorporation into topical nanoemulsions was proposed in this study. The formulations were optimized through a 23 full factorial design. The factors effect of oil type (castor oil or isopropyl myristate), ionic co-surfactant (oleylamine or oleic acid) and phospholipid type (DSPC or DOPC) on physicochemical properties and genistein retention into porcine ear skin was investigated. Nanoemulsions composed of isopropyl myristate/ DOPC/oleylamine showed the smaller particle size and higher genistein retention into skin, whereas the formulation composed of isopropyl myristate/DSPC/oleylamine exhibited the lower polydispersity index. The viscosity of selected formulations was adjusted with hydroxyethyl cellulose to obtain topical products, which showed nonNewtonian behavior. In sequence, a set of results showed that formulations composition (especially the phospholipid DOPC and the thickening agent hydroxyethyl cellulose) could influence the release and retention of isoflavonoids in porcine esophagus mucosa. The integrity of mucosa plays a role on the increase of coumestrol permeation/retention, according to confocal microscopy images, using Red Nile as fluorescent label. In general terms, the incorporation of isoflavonoids into nanoemulsions increases the antiherpes activity of these compounds in vitro. The overall results show that the formulations developed in this study are potential topical carriers for genistein and coumestrol in the treatment of herpes infections.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the lack of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). The animal model of FXS, Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice, shows impairment in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. However, results for long-term potentiation (LTP), remain inconclusive in the hippocampus of Fmr1 KO mice. Here, we demonstrate that FMRP is required for glycine-induced LTP (Gly-LTP) in the CA1 of hippocampus. The Gly-LTP requires activation of postsynaptic NMDA receptors and metabotropic glutamateric receptors, as well as the subsequent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. However, paired-pulse facilitation was not affected by glycine treatment. Our study provide evidences that FMRP participates in Gly-LTP by regulating the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and that improper regulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to the learning and memory deficits observed in FXS.

No description available.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the lack of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). The animal model of FXS, Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice, shows impairment in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. However, results for long-term potentiation (LTP), remain inconclusive in the hippocampus of Fmr1 KO mice. Here, we demonstrate that FMRP is required for glycine-induced LTP (Gly-LTP) in the CA1 of hippocampus. The Gly-LTP requires activation of postsynaptic NMDA receptors and metabotropic glutamateric receptors, as well as the subsequent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. However, paired-pulse facilitation was not affected by glycine treatment. Our study provide evidences that FMRP participates in Gly-LTP by regulating the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and that improper regulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to the learning and memory deficits observed in FXS.

Synthetic auxin, naphthaleneacetic acid ( NAA ), promoted rooting in soybean ( Glycine max ) hypocotyls. The activities of anionic peroxidases (PODs, pI 3.5 and pI 3.7 ) and cationic PODs ( pI 8.3, pI 9.1 and pI 9.4 ) in soybean hypocotyls were significantly inhibited by exogenous NAA during the induction of adventitious roots. In addition, the reduction in the activity of PODs ( pI 4.4, pI 8.3 and pI 9.4 ) were correlated with a reduction of their corresponding transcription activity. The PODs patterns and transcription in the NAA-treated hypocotyls demonstrated the specific effect of NAA on POD ioszymes, indicating that NAA might suppress PODs genes expression during the adventitious root formation. The decline of PODs activity in the NAA-treated hypocotyls was accompanied by the decrease of lignin contents. We suggest that both of anionic and cationic PODs might be in part responsible for lignin synthesis in soybean hypocotyls.

The significant root inhibition of growth in Cd-treated soybean (Glycine max) seedling correlated with the increase of H2O2 levels, PODs and laccases activity. The increase of the activities of PODs (pI 8.8, pI 7.7, pI 5.2, pI 4.5, pI 4.4 and pI 3.7) and laccases (pI 9.2, pI 8.9 and pI 8.3, pI 5.4, pI 4.2 and pI 3.7) are accompanied by a rise of lignin contents in Cd-treated tissues. Our results suggested that laccases work during the early stage of Cd treatment. Laccases and peroxidases work cooperatively in lignin synthesis when the time of Cd treatment was prolonged.

In our study, the decrease of H2O2 levels in wounding-treated tissues of soybean ( Glycine Max ) hypocotyls is accompanied by the enhancement of the POD activity. The POD activity was significantly enhanced 0.5 d after wounding treatment. The laccase activity was significantly enhanced 1-2 d after wounding treatment. The enhancement of POD by mechanical wounding occurred a day earlier than laccase. The increase in activities of POD and laccase is correlated with a rise in lignin contents in wounding-treated tissues. We suggest that in control tissues, laccase might play major role on the lignin biosynthesis, hence, POD by utilizing H2O2 play the major role on the lignin biosynthesis during the wounding process.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2004. / [School of Medicine] Department of Neurosciences. Includes bibliographical references. Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.