A diversidade bacteriana pode ser estudada, combinando técnicas convencionais e técnicas que empreguem tecnologias modernas para sua melhor compreensão. O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a diversidade de bactérias cultiváveis e não cultiváveis em amostras de água do mar coletadas no Canal de São Sebastião no período de agosto/2005 a março/2007. As bactérias marinhas foram quantificadas em Agar marinho e identificadas por seqüenciamento do gene 16S rDNA. A concentração dos grupos a-, b-, g- e s-proteobacteria foi verificada através da técnica de FISH. A comunidade total foi analisada através da construção de três bibliotecas mensais (novembro/2006, fevereiro/2006, fevereiro/2007). O seqüenciamento identificou 87% das bactérias marinhas como Vibrio sp. A técnica de FISH detectou maior concentração de b-proteobacteria (10,2%), em relação ao número de células totais (DAPI) que variou de 7,0x106 a 2,3x107 céls/mL. As bibliotecas de clones foram compostas pelos filos Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Verrucomicrobia e Chloroflexi. / Microbial diversity can be studied by a combination of techniques of both conventional and modern approaches for better understanding. The aim of this study was analyze marine bacteria culturable and nonculturable diversity from seawater samples collected at São Sebastião Channel during August 2005 to March 2007. Marine bacteria were quantified using Marine Agar and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Concentration of a-, b-, g- e s-proteobacteria group was verified through three clones library monthly (November 2006, February 2006, February 2007). The sequencing identified 87% of marine bacteria such as Vibrio sp. The FISH technique to detect higher concentration of b-proteobacteria (10.2%), compared to number total cells (DAPI) which range from 7.0 x 106 to 2.3 x 107 cells/mL. Clones library were composed of the phylum Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Verrucomicrobia e Chloroflexi.

We introduce a special set of relations on a finite set, called clausal relations. A restricted version of the Galois connection between polymorphisms and invariants, called Pol-CInv, is studied, where the invariant relations are clausal relations. Clones arising from this Galois connection, so-called C-clones, are investigated. Finally, we show that clausal relations meet a sufficient condition that is known to ensure polynomial time solvability of the corresponding CSP.

<p>Cilj ovo rada je da obezbedi informacije o apstraktnim osobinama<br />klonova ko-operacija, mrezi klonova operacija, ali i ostalim objektima koji<br />prate pojam klona. U Uvodu je pokazano kako je nastao pojam ko-algebraske strukture. Kratko se razmatraju i dva pristupa ko-algebrama: Kleislijev, koji je potekao iz konteksta teorije kategorija [Kle 65], i Drbohlavov, koji je po osnovnoj ideji blizi<br />univerzalnoj algebri, i koji je usvojen u ovom radu. Glava 0 sadrzi spisak osnovnih pojmova i oznaka vezanih za skupove, preslikavanja, relacije, mreze i particije koji se koriste u celom radu, dok se u Glavama 1 i 2 uvode standardni termini teorije klonova operacija i ko-operacija i daje pregled poznatih rezultata. Originalni rezultati rada sadrzani su u Glavama 3&ndash;7. Glava 3 sadrzi osnovni rezultat rada. Pomocu kontravarijantnog liftinga kooperacija uspostavlja se izomorfizam izmedju klona svih ko-operacija skupa X s jedne strane i jednog posebnog klona operacija skupa P(X) sa druge strane. Pokazuje se da je isto preslikavanje ujedno i potapanje algebre kooperacija skupa X u algebru operacija skupa P(X) koja je standardna u teoriji klonova. Takodje se pokazuje da je kontravarijantni lifting klonova ujedno i izomorfizam mreze klonova ko-operacija skupa X i jednog glavnog ideala u mrezi klonova na P(X). Nakon ispitivanja lokalno ko-zatvorenih klonova ko-operacija pokazujemo u u kakvom odnosu stoje reprezentacije klonova ko-operacija selektivnim operacijama s jedne strane [Cs&acute;a 85], i operacijama na partitivnom skupu s druge strane. Reprezentaciju operacijama na partitivnom skupu, mada izomorfna jednom specijalnom slucaju reprezentacije selektivnim operacijama, smatramo bitnom, zato sto se njome klonovi ko-operacija smestaju u poznati ambijent skupovnih Booleovih algebri, umesto u prilicno opskuran prostor selektivnih operacija. U pretposlednjem odeljku se razmatra odnos klonova ko-operacija i klonova operacija kroz proces liftinga, sto je omoguceno cinjenicom da i kontravarijantni lifting klona svih ko-operacija i kovarijantni lifting klona svih operacija skupa X odredjuju klon operacija skupa P X. Na samom kraju ove pomalo dugacke glave se ispituju odnosi klonova ko-relacija i klonova relacija kroz prizmu monoida<br />transformacija. U Glavi 4 se izlazu neke osobine mreze klonova ko-operacija kao parcijalno uredjenog skupa. Opisani su intervali Int(M) za neke posebne monoide transformacija M. Pokazano je da u slucaju M = TX u mrezi klonova ko-operacijane postoji &ldquo;Burlova anomalija&rdquo; (ispitivanja kolapsirajucih monoida su, medjutim, odlozena do Glave 5). Nakon toga je predlozena jedna konstrukcija skupa nezavisnih ko-operacija na osnovu koje je dobijena donja granica za broj klonova ko-operacija na konacnom skupu i tacan broj klonova ko-operacija na beskonacnom skupu. Iako je dobijena donja granica prilicno neprecizna, na osnovu nje se sasvim jasno uocava &ldquo;veoma eksponencijalna priroda&rdquo; ovog broja. Ispitivanja jednog posebnog glavnog filtera mreze klonova ko-operacija nam daju gornju granicu za visinu mreze. Glava 5 je posve&acute;cena ispitivanjima maksimalnih klonova ko-operacija na kona-cnom skupu. Maksimalni klonovi ko-operacija su opisani u radu [Sz&acute;ek 89] kao skupovi operacija koji slabo cuvaju regularne familije skupova. Prvo se daje interpretacija ovog rezultata u terminima ko-relacija i pokazuje se da je ovakav opis najbolji moguci kada se u obzir uzme arnost dobijenih ko-relacija. Nakon toga se pokazuje da nijedan maksimalan klon nema Shefferovu ko-operaciju i daje se opis U&rdquo;&iexcl;1-maksimalnih klonova ko-operacija. Paznja se dalje prenosi na preseke maksimalnih klonova ko-operacija. Prvo se razmatraju preseci nekih parova maksimalnih klonova i pokazuje se da to ne mora uvek biti maksimalni klon, a kasnije se konstruiˇse potapanje mreze cLB1 &pound; : : : &pound; cLBk u mrezu cLX. Potom se pokazuje da je mreza cLX komplementirana, a na samom kraju se razmatraju kolapsirajuci klonovi ko-operacija i monoidi. Glava 6 je posvecena opisu minimalnih klonova ko-operacija i svih supminimalnih klonova ko-operacija koji nisu esencijalno unarni. Uvid u strukturu supminimalnih klonova omogucuje izvodjenje donje granice za visinu mreze klonova ko-operacija. Glava sadrzi i kratak komentar o asocijativnosti kooperacija. U Glavi 7 se razmatraju enumerativne osobine mreze klonova ko-operacija na troelementnom skupu, kao i nekih njenih pratecih objekata. Osim utvrdjivanja kardinalnosti mreze na skupu f0; 1; 2g, odredjena je njena visina, kao<br />i svi submaksimalni klonovi. Poseban odeljak je posvecen enumeraciji baz&macr;a<br />klona svih ko-operacija i svih maksimalnih klonova, klasicnoj temi u teoriji<br />klonova. U dodacima su navedene tabele kojima se sumarizuju rezultati ove<br />glave i dat je opis jednostavnog softverskog alata koji ima ulogu &ldquo;raˇcunarskog<br />atlasa&rdquo; mreˇze cL3. S obzirom da mreza ima previse elemenata da bi se mogao<br />dati njen Hasse dijagram, &ldquo;racunarski atlas&rdquo; se pokazao kao najjednostavniji<br />i najefikasniji nacin da se dodje do informacija o mrezi. Napomenimo da su mnogi rezultati u ovom radu dobijeni uopstavanjem osobina mreze koje su otkrivene &ldquo;prelistavanjem atlasa&rdquo;. Navedimo kao primer strukturu U&rdquo;&iexcl;1- maksimalnih klonova, gornju i donju granicu za visinu mreze, cinjenicu da je mreza komplementirana, kao i to da maksimalni klonovi nemaju Shefferovu ko-operaciju.</p> / <p>The aim of this thesis is to provide information on abstract properties of clones of co- operations, the lattice of clones of co-operations and other accompanying objects.&nbsp; Introduction to the thesis demonstrates in short the genesis of concepts of co-operation and co-algebra and presents two approaches to the topic: the Kleisli&nbsp; approach which originated in the category theory, and the approach<br />of Drbohlav which is more in the spirit of universal algebra and which is adopted in the thesis.<br />Chapter 0 is a short display of standard set-theoretic terminology and notation which is used in the thesis.<br />Chapters 1 and 2 present standard notions of theory of clones of operations and co-operations, respectively. They contain lists of the most important known results. The original contribution of this thesis is contained in Chapters 3&ndash;7.<br />Chapter 3 contains the basic result of the thesis. By means of contravariant lifting of co-operations we establish an isomorphism between the clone&nbsp; of all co-operations on a set X and one special clone of operations on the set P(X). This isomorphism is not only the abstract clone isomorphism, but also a lattice isomorphism between the lattice of all clones of co-operations on X and a principal ideal in the lattice of all clones of operations on P(X). The same mapping is an embedding of the algebra of co-operations on X into the algebra of operations on P(X). Locally co-closed clones of operations are also characterised via this most useful mapping. Representation of clones of co-operations by operations on the powerset is compared to the representation by selective operations. Although isomorphic to a special case of the representation by selective operations, representation by operations on the powerset is highly important because it places clones of co-operations into a familiar setting of set-theoretic Boolean algebras, rather then in the quite obscure setting of selective algebras. At the end of this lengthy chapter, we investigate the relationship of corresponding liftings of the clone of all operations and the clone of all co-operations, and ellaborate the lifting proces and the interplay between description of transformation monoids by relations and co-relations.<br />Chapter 4 exibits some order-theoretic properties of the lattice of clones of co-operations. Intervals of the form Int(M) are described for some special transformation monoids M. In case M = TX it is demonstrated that the socalled &ldquo;Burle anomaly&rdquo; does not occur in the lattice of clones of co-operations. The investigation of collapsing clones and monoids is, however, deferred until&nbsp; Chapter 5. After that a construction of an independent set of co-operations is presented, based on which a lower bound for the number of clones of cooperations is obtained. Although pretty rough, this lower bound shows that the number of clones of co-operations on a finite set is of a &ldquo;very exponental nature&rdquo;. The number of clones of operations on an infinite set is also obtained. The investigations of a particular principal filter of the lattice provide an upper bound for the height of the lattice. Chapter 5 is devoted to the investigation of maximal clones of co-operations on a finite set. All the maximal clones of co-operations are described in [Sz&acute;ek 89] in terms of regular families. We first reinterpret that result in terms of co-relations and show that the description is the best possible as far as arities of co-relations involved are considered. After that we supply some more information on the maximal clones. We show that no maximal clone of co-operations has a Sheffer co-operation and describe clones covered by U&rdquo;&iexcl;1.<br />Then we turn to intersections of maximal clones of co-operations. First we consider intersections of some special pairs of maximal clones and show that in some cases this is not a maximal clone. As for the intersection of several maximal clones of co-operations, we show how to embed cLB1 &pound; : : : &pound; cLBk<br />in cLX. Using results on the structure of maximal clones we show that the lattice cLX is complemented. The chaptr ends with a note on collapsing clones of co-operations.<br />Chapter 6 provides the description of minimal clones of co-operations and those supminimal clones of co-operations which are not essentially unary. The structure of supminimal clones of co-operations provides a lower bound for the height of the lattice of clones of co-operations. As a spin-off, there is<br />a brief discussion on associativity.<br />Chapter 7 is devoted to enumerations of various objects connected to the lattice of clones of co-operations on a three element set. Besides the enumeration of the lattice itself, the submaximal clones have been listed and the height of the lattice on a three element set is determined. A separate section deals with a classical clone-theoretic topic of enumerating the bases for the clone of all co-operations and for the maximal clones of co-operations. The Appendices to this chapter contain some tables that summarize various enumerations, as well as a description of a modest software tool that palys the role of the &ldquo;computer atlas&rdquo; of cL3. Since the lattice has too many elements to be drawn explicitely, this was the simplest and the most efficient way to handle it. Let us remark that many results of this thesis were obtained by gathering the information on the particular case from the &ldquo;computer atlas&rdquo;<br />and by generalisation, such as: the structure of U&rdquo;&iexcl;1 maximal clones, the bounds for the height of the lattice, the fact that maximal clones have noSheffer co-operation and the fact that cLX is complemented.</p>

Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), a member of the genus Comovirus in the family Comoviridae, is widespread in the major soybean-growing areas in the United States. Soybean yield losses of 10-40% have been reported as a consequence of BPMV infection. The complete nucleotide sequences of two strains, K-Ha1 and K-Ho1, were determined. Field isolates of BPMV were classified into two distinct subgroups (I and II) based on slot blot hybridization and sequence analyses. Full-length cDNA clones from which infectious transcripts can be produced were constructed for strains K-G7, K-Ho1 and K-Ha1. Whereas strains K-Ha1 and K-G7 induced mild or moderate symptoms in infected soybean plants, strain K-Ho1 produced very severe symptoms. Symptom severity was mapped to RNA1. Chimeric RNA1 constructs were generated by exchanging full or partial coding regions of the five RNA1-encoded mature proteins between the full-length cDNA clones of the three RNA1s and the resultant transcripts were inoculated onto soybean. The results showed that the coding regions of the protease co-factor (Co-pro) and the putative helicase (Hel) are determinants of symptom severity. Although symptom severity correlated well with accumulation of viral RNA, neither the Co-pro nor Hel protein could be demonstrated as a suppressor of RNA silencing. Furthermore, separate expression of the Co-pro or Hel proteins from a PVX vector induced necrosis on the inoculated leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. Characterization of BPMV K-Ho1 indicated that it is a diploid reassortant, containing two distinct types of RNA1s and one type of RNA2. Examination of field isolates from various locations in the United States and Canada revealed that diploid reassortants are of frequent occurrence in natural populations of BPMV. The vary severe symptoms induced by BPMV K-Ho1 can be mimicked by inoculation of plants with a mixture of RNA1 transcripts from two distinct strain subgroups and RNA2 transcript from either subgroup. Plants inoculated with a mixture of transcripts containing two types of RNA1 from the same strain subgroup did not produce very severe symptoms. These are due to interactions between two distinct types of RNA1s. At present, no soybean cultivars with resistance to BPMV are commercially available. Therefore, the feasibility of cross protection as an alternative disease management strategy was studied. Two mild strains of BPMV (K-Da1 and K-Ha1), belonging to subgroup II, were tested for their ability to protect infected plants against a severe strain (K-Ho1). Inoculation of the soybean cultivar Essex on the primary leaves with either of the two mild strains conferred complete protection against challenge inoculation with the severe strain K-Ho1, regardless of the timing of challenge inoculation. Cross-protection was evident regardless of whether virions or BPMV-RNA were used as inocula. Cross protection was independent of the soybean cultivar used and method of virus inoculation, sap-inoculation or by the bean leaf beetle, vector of BPMV. Protection was complete and durable.

Code cloning is a common practice in software development. However, code cloning has both positive aspects such as accelerating the development process and negative aspects such as causing code bloat. After a decade of active research, it is clear that removing all of the clones from a software system is not desirable. Therefore, it is better to manage clones than to remove them. A software system can have thousands of clones in it, which may serve multiple purposes. However, some of the clones may cause unwanted management difficulties and clones like these should be refactored. Failure to manage clones may cause inconsistencies in the code, which is prone to error. Managing thousands of clones manually would be a difficult task. A clone management system can help manage clones and find patterns of how clones evolve during the evolution of a software system. In this research, we propose a framework for constructing and visualizing clone genealogies with change patterns (e.g., inconsistent changes), bug information, developer information and several other important metrics in a software system. Based on the framework we design and build an interactive prototype for a multi-touch surface (e.g., an iPad). The prototype uses a variety of techniques to support understanding clone genealogies, including: identifying and providing a compact overview of the clone genealogies along with their key characteristics; providing interactive navigation of genealogies, cloned source code and the differences between clone fragments; providing the ability to filter and organize genealogies based on their properties; providing a feature for annotating clone fragments with comments to aid future review; and providing the ability to contact developers from within the system to find out more information about specific clones. To investigate the suitability of the framework and prototype for investigating and managing cloned code, we elicit feedback from practicing researchers and developers, and we conduct two empirical studies: a detailed investigation into the evolution of function clones and a detailed investigation into how clones contribute to bugs. In both empirical studies we are able to use the prototype to quickly investigate the cloned source code to gain insights into clone use. We believe that the clone management system and the findings will play an important role in future studies and in managing code clones in software systems.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

A Mancha Preta dos Citros ou Pinta Preta (MPC), causada pelo fungo Guignardia citricarpa, vem provocando graves e crescentes prejuízos econômicos à cultura, nos últimos 20 anos. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido no Centro de Citricultura 'Sylvio Moreira' (CCSM) do Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, no município de Cordeirópolis-SP. Procurou-se detectar possíveis diferenças entre dez clones de laranjeira 'Pêra' (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) e cinco variedades afins, quanto à suscetibilidade à MPC. Os clones de 'Pêra' avaliados foram: Vimusa; EEL; GS 2000 (IAC 2000); Olímpia 15161; Bianchi; R. Gullo 1569/244; Dibbern C.V.; Premunizada 1743/82; e as variedades afins foram: Corsa Tardia, Lamb Summer, Ovale 968, Ovale San Lio 969, e Redonda C.N, enxertados em limoeiro 'Cravo', instalados desde 1980, no CCSM. Os trabalhos experimentais incluíram investigações sobre a avaliação e distribuição da severidade dos sintomas nas plantas; indução de estruturas 'in vitro', em folhas previamente autoclavadas; indução de estruturas reprodutivas do fungo em folhas maduras destacadas; e quantificação da densidade de colonização de G. citricarpa, através de isolamento. A comparação entre os diferentes clones também foi realizada através de estudos de correlação entre a severidade dos sintomas da doença e das variáveis ou dados biométricos, que seguem: queda de folhas, desenvolvimento vegetativo (porte) e penetração da luz no interior das plantas). Quanto aos frutos, a severidade foi correlacionada com: cor, formato, formas da base e do ápice, ângulo e achatamento, espessura do epicarpo, do mesocarpo e da casca e por fim com os dados de qualidade do suco (Brix, Acidez e Ratio). Não houve diferenças significativas entre os dez clones de laranjeira 'Pêra' e as cinco variedades afins quanto à quantificação da incidência e severidade da MPC no campo, e à densidade de colonização natural das folhas (isolados/cm2). A incidência e a severidade dos sintomas da doença são maiores na parte baixa das plantas, até 1 metro de altura, e menor acima de 2 metros, podendo-se salientar que há influência na infecção dos frutos pelos ascósporos (sexuais) e picnidiósporos (assexuais), através de respingos d'água. Ocorreu uma diferenciação entre as variedades quanto à capacidade reprodutiva de G. citricarpa em folhas mortas in vitro e quanto à indução de estruturas do fungo, através da porcentagem de área das folhas ocupadas por elas. Não houve correlação das características externas dos frutos como: coloração da casca, formato, forma da base, forma do ápice, ângulo e achatamento da região basal e espessura da casca, do mesocarpo e do epicarpo, com a severidade da doença. Não houve correlação das características internas dos frutos como: sólidos solúveis (ºBrix), acidez total, e relação sólidos solúveis: acidez (ratio), com severidade da doença. Portanto, a Mancha Preta dos Citros não interfere nas qualidades organolépticas dos frutos, e sim, no aspecto visual dos mesmos / Citrus Black Spot (CBS), caused by Guignardia citricarpa, has prompted serious economic damages to the citrus industry in the last 20 years. The present work was developed at the Centro de Citricultura 'Sylvio Moreira' (CCSM) of the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, in Cordeirópolis-SP. Evaluations were conducted to detect differences among ten 'Pêra' sweet orange Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck clones and five related varieties in regard to their susceptibility to CBS. The 'Pêra' sweet orange clones evaluated were: Vimusa, EEL, GS 2000 (IAC 2000), Olímpia 15161, Bianchi, R Gul10 1569/244, Dibbern c.v., Premunizada 1743/82; and the related varieties were: Corsa Tardia, Lamb's Summer, Ovale 968, Ovale San Lio 969, and Redonda C.N. Trees were budded on Rangpur lime are planted in 1980, at the CCSM. Studies investigated the evaluation severity of symptoms and distribution on the plants; induction of structures in vitro in leaves previously autoclaved; induction of fungus reproductive structures in mature leaves; and quantified density of colonization of G. citricarpa by means of isolation. The comparison among different clones was also accomplished by determining correlations between the severity of disease symptoms and the variables: leaf drop, vegetative growth, and light penetration insíde the plants. In regard to fruit, the severity was correlated with: color; fruit shape; base and apex shape; angle and flattening; epicarp, mesocarp and peeI thickness; and with juice quaIity (soluble solids and soluble solids to acidity ratio). The relationship for quantification of severity of CBS incidence in the field and the density of natural leaves colonization (isolates/cm2 was not significant. The incidence and the severity of the disease symptoms are greater in the low part of the plants, up to 1 meter height, and smaller above 2 meters, probably because of the influence of fruit infection by ascospores (sexual) and pícnidiospores (asexual) through water splash. Differentiation among the varieties was detected based on the reproductive capacíty of G. citricarpa on dead leaves in vitro and also based on the induction of fungus structures, as evaluated by the percentage of area of the leaves occupied by them. There was not a significant correlation for fruit externaI characteristics, such as peeI color, fruit shape, base and apex shape, basaI area angle and flattening, and peeI thickness of either mesocarp and epicarp with the severity of disease. Similarly there was not a correlation for fruit internal characteristics such as soluble solids, total acidity, and soluble solids to acidity (ratio), with the severity of disease. Therefore, the CBS of the fruit does not interfere on the fluit organoleptic quality. However, visual aspect of fruit ís severeIy depressed

Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science Department of Genetics and Microbiology Ph.D. study program: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genetics and Virology Genetic basis of multidrug resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii Lenka Křížová Supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Alexandr Nemec, Ph.D. Supervisor-consultant: RNDr. Lubomír Janda, Ph.D. Prague 2014 SUMMARY Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as a significant bacterial pathogen pre-eminently associated with hospital-acquired infections. Strains of this species may currently exhibit resistance to nearly all or even all clinically relevant drugs. The vast majority of epidemic and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains belong to a few globally spread lineages, in particular to the so-called European (EU) clones I, II, and III. Complex resistance patterns displayed by these strains result from their marked capacity to develop, acquire, and combine secondary resistance mechanisms against originally effective agents. The aim of this thesis was to broaden our knowledge on the genetic basis and epidemiology of multidrug resistance in A. baumannii. The obtained results have been published in the form of six studies which are part of this thesis. In the first study, we analysed the epidemiology of carbapenem resistance among hospital strains of Acinetobacter in the...

Os fatores de crescimento vascular endotelial (VEGF) e o fibroblástico básico (bFGF) são reguladores importantes do desenvolvimento e função placentária. Os efeitos destes na expressão da enzima esteroidogênica aromatase P450 (P450arom) na placenta bovina em diferentes estágios gestacionais (90 a 270 dias) foram avaliados através de imunocitoquímica. Além disso, comparou-se a influência destes entre células placentárias de bovinos clonados e não clonados aos 270 dias. A aromatase P450 foi localizada exclusivamente no citoplasma das células trofoblásticas gigantes e sua expressão foi menor aos 150 dias de gestação, em relação às demais idades (p<0,05). O VEGF (50 ng/ml) influenciou significativamente a expressão da P450arom aos 150 e 270 dias, enquanto o bFGF (10 ng/ml) foi efetivo em estimular essa expressão particularmente no final da gestação (270 dias). Os dois fatores combinados (bFGF+VEGF) inibiram a expressão da P450arom no terço inicial (90 dias), mas, por outro lado, estimularam-na aos 150 e 270 dias (p<0,05). Nos clones, a expressão da P450arom, nos grupos controle e VEGF, foi semelhante a dos animais não clonados aos 270 dias de gestação, porém, o bFGF e os dois fatores combinados inibiram-na significativamente (p<0,05). Em todos os grupos analisados, a expressão da P450arom apresentou característica ascendente em função dos dias de cultivo, atingindo concentração máxima após 96 horas de incubação. Assim, o presente estudo demonstrou efeitos distintos e estágio-específicos dos fatores de crescimento bFGF e VEGF na secreção de estrógenos na placenta bovina via modulação da expressão da aromatase P450 in vitro. Conclui-se que estes fatores de crescimento agem como potentes moduladores de enzimas esteroidogênicas e que, sob as condições de cultivo estabelecidas, as células placentárias de bovinos clonados apresentam padrão de resposta distinto quando comparadas com células de bovinos não clonados de mesma idade gestacional. / Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are important regulators of placental development and function. Their effects on the steroidogenic enzyme aromatase P450 (P450arom) expression from bovine placenta at different gestational stages (90 - 270 days) were evaluated by immunocytochemistry. Moreover, we compared the effects of these growth factors on P450arom expression between cloned and non cloned bovine placental cells. P450arom was localized exclusively in trophoblast giant cells cytoplasm, and its expression reached lowest levels at day 150 of gestation in comparison to the remaining evaluated gestational stages. VEGF (50 ng/mL) influenced significantly P450arom expression at days 150 and 270, whereas bFGF (10 ng/mL) was effective in stimulating P450arom expression particularly during late gestation (day 270). The two factors combined (bFGF+VEGF) inhibited P450arom expression during early gestation (day 90), but, in contrast, stimulated it at days 150 and 270 of pregnancy (P<0.05). In cloned bovine placental cells, P450arom expression was similar to non-cloned cells in the control and VEGF groups, however, bFGF and both factors together inhibited it significantly (P<0.05). In all groups analyzed, P450arom expression presented rising pattern over the duration of the culture, reaching maximal values at 96 hours of incubation. Thus, the present study demonstrated distinct and stage-specific effects of these growth factors on bovine placenta P450arom expression in vitro. We concluded that these growth factors act as potent steroidogenic enzymes regulators, and, under the established culture conditions, placental cells from cloned bovines presented distinct answer pattern compared to non cloned placental cells at the same gestational stage.

Piracicaba-SP é situada no extremo Sul da área preferencial para plantio de seringueira no Brasil, com pouca informação disponível sobre o desempenho de clones sob suas condições ambientais. O desempenho de crescimento e produtividade de dez clones de seringueira (Hevea spp.) foi avaliado. Os clones estudados foram CATI 21, IAC 15, IAN 873, GT 1, PB 235, PB 252, PR 107, PR 261, RRIM 526 e RRIM 600. O ensaio foi instalado no campo experimental do Departamento de Produção Vegetal da ESALQ/USP, em Piracicaba-SP, Brasil, sob delineamento de blocos inteiramente casualizados com cinco repetições. Foi avaliado o número e porcentagem de plantas em sangria e a produtividade anual. A sangria iniciou-se com a idade de 6,5 anos das árvores, no sistema de explotação de ½ S d/7 9m/y ET 3.3% 9/y. IAN 873 e PB 252 foram os maiores produtores, suplantando a produção do RRIM 600, que apresentou produtividade similar a do CATI 21 e do IAC 15. PR 107 e GT1 apresentaram produtividade intermediária, logo abaixo daqueles, mas com boas características secundárias como de produtividade e crescimento tardios e crescentes. PB 235, de forma inesperada, foi pouco produtivo. RRIM 526 teve produtividade imediatamente abaixo do PB 235 e sem qualquer característica secundária atrativa para recomendá-lo. PR 261 apresentou a produtividade mais baixa entre todos os clones. IAN 873, PB 252, RRIM 600, pelo bom desempenho no campo experimental e em diversas outras situações, são elegíveis para recomendação aos produtores para plantio comercial em grande escala, na região de Piracicaba. CATI 21 e IAC 15, pelo bom desempenho no campo experimental são elegíveis para recomendação aos produtores para plantio comercial em escala experimental, na região de Piracicaba. PR 261 não deve ser recomendado para plantio na região de Piracicaba. / Piracicaba-SP is on the extreme southern region suitable for rubber planting in Brazil, with little information on the performance of clones under its environmental conditions. The performance of growth and yield of ten rubber tree clones (Hevea spp.) were evaluated. The studied clones were CATI 21, IAC 15, IAN 873, GT 1, PB 235, PB, 252, PR 107, PR 261, RRIM 526 and RRIM 600. The trial was established in the experimental field of de Crop Production Department of the ESALQ/USP, at Piracicaba-SP, Brazil, under complete randomized block design with five replications. It was assessed the number and percentage of trees under tapping and yearly rubber yield. Tapping started at the trees age of 6,5 years, with the ½ S d/7 9m/y ET 3.3% 9/y exploitation system. IAN 873 and PB 252 were the highest producers, out-yielding RRIM 600, which presented similar yield then CATI 21 and IAC 15. PR 107 and GT1 had intermediate yield, immediately below the formers, but with good secondary characteristics as late and increasing growth and yield. PB 235, unexpectedly, was a low yielder. RRIM 526 was immediately below PB 235 without any attractive characteristic to recommend it. PR 261 presented the lowest yield. IAN 873, PB 252, RRIM 600, because their good performance in the experiment and their widely-tested good performance elsewhere, should be recommended for commercial planting in large scale. CATI 21 and IAC 15, because their good performance in the experiment, should be recommended for commercial planting in small scale. PR 261 should not be recommended for commercial planting in Piracicaba.