A protocol for cauliflower micro-propagule production was developed and optimised for both micropropagation and artificial seed production techniques using meristematic tissues from cauliflower curd. All steps in the protocol were empirically optimised including: blending, sieving, culture methods, liquid culture media composition and plant growth regulator combinations and concentrations. The cost of the micro-propagules could be reduced by as much as 50% on the initial costings reported previously since treatments doubled the number of microshoots produced per culture unit. The research confirmed the suitability of cauliflower microshoots to be encapsulated as artificial seeds and an effective protocol for microshoot encapsulation was designed through the optimization of 1) the production of cauliflower microshoots suitable for encapsulation, 2) encapsulation procedures, 3) artificial seed artificial endosperm structure, 4) conversion materials. The possibility of culturing cauliflower artificial seeds in commercial substrates such as perlite, sand, vermiculite and compost was confirmed. The use of plant preservative mixture (PPM) for the control of contamination in cauliflower culture media and artificial seeds was optimised and the effect of this material on the development of plant material was assessed. It was confirmed that cauliflower artificial seed could be stored in a domestic refrigerator for up to 6 months which could have a great impact in cauliflower breeding programmes. The huge number of cauliflower microshoots that could be produced using this protocol and the homogeneity of the culture system, provided a tool for the molecular analysis of cauliflower microshoots (and artificial seed) abiotic stress tolerance analysis. Various treatments were conducted to improve microshoot cold tolerance and the up-regulation of the CBF/DREB1 transcription factor including low temperature acclimation, mannitol, ABA (abscisic acid) and Mo (molybdenum). Microshoots were confirmed to acclimate successfully using low temperature. Mo was shown to improve the cold tolerance of cauliflower microshoots and to up-regulate CBF/DREB1 in the absence of low temperature acclimation. Acclimation did not increase the accumulation of dehydrin proteins and it is concluded that dehydrins do not play a significant role in the cold tolerance of cauliflower microshoots. Since cauliflower breeding and seed multiplication protocols make extensive use of micropropagation, the studies reported in this research could make a significant impact by decreasing the cost of micropropagation and increasing its reliability. It also opens new perspectives for further research for cauliflower artificial seed production and the possibility of sowing these seeds directly in the field. Furthermore, this research helps to facilitate cauliflower breeding programmes by improving the understanding of abiotic stress tolerance mechanisms and the relationship between different types of abiotic stresses such as cold and drought.

A proteômica é uma técnica muito importante e amplamente utilizada na elucidação de diversos mecanismos biológicos. Essa técnica pode ser usada, por exemplo, na avaliação da resposta celular a estímulos ou na determinação de modificações proteicas resultantes de um tratamento. Neste trabalho, a abordagem proteômica foi utilizada em dois sistemas diferentes: (1) na elucidação da resposta à luz no fungo Metarhizium acridum e (2) na determinação dos danos proteicos causados pelo tratamento fotodinâmico da levedura Candida albicans. (1) O fungo entomopatogênico M. acridum, quando crescido na presença de luz, produz conídios com elevada tolerância à radiação ultravioleta-B (290-315 nm). Essa elevada resistência é altamente desejada para aplicação de M. acridum no controle biológico de pragas na agricultura. É possível que esse fenômeno seja decorrente do acúmulo diferencial de proteínas nos conídios produzidos na presença de luz em comparação com aqueles produzidos no escuro. Assim, foi utilizada uma abordagem proteômica para determinar quais proteínas poderiam estar diferencialmente acumuladas nos conídios. Os resultados mostraram que, de um total de 501 proteínas identificadas, somente quatro estavam diferencialmente acumuladas. Apesar de não ser possível estabelecer uma relação clara entre o acúmulo dessas proteínas e a elevada tolerância à radiação ultravioleta-B, dados de proteínas homólogas em Aspergillus fumigatus obtidos da literatura mostraram que essas proteínas são reguladas em condições de estresse. Adicionalmente, experimentos foram conduzidos para expandir o conhecimento sobre a fotobiologia de M. acridum. Estabeleceu-se que, dentro do espectro da luz visível, a luz azul é responsável por induzir o aumento da tolerância à radiação ultravioleta-B, enquanto a luz vermelha não produz o mesmo resultado. Conclui-se que o estudo da resposta à luz através da proteômica de conídios requer o uso de técnicas que resultem na identificação de uma fração maior do proteoma, já que o acúmulo diferencial de proteínas aparentemente não envolve as proteínas mais abundantes. (2) Candida albicans é um importante patógeno humano responsável por micoses superficiais e sistêmicas, principalmente em indivíduos imunocomprometidos. O uso contínuo dos fungicidas tradicionais vem resultando na seleção de linhagens tolerantes. Nesse cenário, o tratamento fotodinâmico antimicrobiano surgiu como importante alternativa no tratamento das micoses causadas por C. albicans. Apesar da efetividade desse tratamento ter sido observada em diversos trabalhos, um estudo no nível proteico ainda não havia sido realizado. A abordagem proteômica por eletroforese bidimensional revelou que, após o tratamento das células, muitos spots nos géis sofreram um desvio ácido, ou seja, um deslocamento para regiões de menor ponto isoelétrico. Por outro lado, foram observados spots resistentes a essa modificação. Proteínas pertencentes a ambos os grupos foram identificadas por espectrometria de massas. A análise de aminoácidos mostrou que o conteúdo de histidina nas células de C. albicans foi reduzido em aproximadamente 60% após o tratamento, o que é uma possível explicação para o desvio ácido observado. Conclui-se, após extensa revisão e discussão da literatura, que os danos em proteínas dependem da interação entre proteína e fotossensibilizador e também da presença de aminoácidos fotooxidáveis nas proximidades dos sítios de interação. / Proteomics is a very important and largely employed technique for the elucidation of a series of biological mechanisms. This technique can be used, for instance, on the evaluation of cellular responses to stimulus or in determining protein modification resulting from a treatment. In the present work, a proteomic approach was used in two distinct biological systems: (1) to evaluate the light response in the fungus Metarhizium acridum, and (2) to determine the protein damage resulting from photodynamic treatment of the yeast Candida albicans. (1) The entomopathogenic fungus M. acridum, when grown in the presence of light, produces conidia with increased tolerance to ultraviolet-B radiation (290-315 nm). This increased resistance is desired for the application of this fungus on the biological control of agricultural pests. It is possible that this phenomenon results from the differential accumulation of proteins in conidia produced in the presence of light as compared to those produced in the dark. Therefore, a proteomic approach was used to determine which proteins could be differentially accumulated in conidia. The results showed that, out of a total of 501 identified proteins, only four were found to be differentially accumulated. Even though establishing a direct relationship between the observed accumulation and the increased tolerance to ultraviolet-B radiation was not possible, data from the literature on homolog proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus have shown that these proteins are regulated under stress conditions. Additionally, experiments were performed to gain further insight on the photobiology of M. acridum. It was stablished that, within visible light spectrum, blue light is responsible for inducing the increased tolerance to ultraviolet-B, while red light does not produce the same effect. It is concluded that a light-response study employing proteomics should rely on techniques yielding a higher number of identified proteins, as the differential accumulation does not seem to affect high abundance proteins. (2) Candida albicans is an important human pathogen responsible for superficial and systemic mycoses mainly in immunocompromised patients. The continuous use of the traditional fungicides has resulted in the selection of tolerant strains. In this scenario, antimicrobial photodynamic treatment became an important alternative on the treatment of C. albicans infections. Although the effectiveness of this treatment has been observed in multiple studies, an evaluation at the protein level had not been performed. A proteomic approach by two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that, after cell treatment, many spots underwent an acidic shift, that is, a shift towards lower isoelectric point. On the other hand, protein spots resistant to modification were also observed. Proteins belonging to both groups were identified by mass spectrometry. Amino acid analysis revealed that the histidine content in C. albicans cells decreased by up to 60% after the treatment, which is a possible explanation to the observed acidic shift. It is concluded, after extensive literature review and discussion, that protein damage depends on protein-photosensitizer interaction and also on the presence of photooxidazible amino acids in the proximity of the interaction site.

Eucalyptus species account for almost 80% of the forests planted in Brazil, which makes silviculture an activity of great importance in the national and international scenario. Despite its adaptability, Eucalyptus is subject to damages caused by climate change, especially the water deficit. Most plants have survival strategies in water deficit situations. Association with mycorrhizal fungi (FM) is one of them, since they increase water and nutrients uptake by the roots. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the colonization of mycorrhizal fungi in six Eucalyptus species with different levels of drought tolerance: E. brassiana, E. camaldulensis, E. citriodora, E. cloeziana, E. grandis and E. urophylla. Two trials were carried out, one in the field and another in a greenhouse. In the greenhouse, the substrate of the pots were submitted to different levels of water retention, 50, 75 and 100% of the field capacity, for three months. In the field, soil and roots were sampled at two different periods: after the dry period and after the rainy season. The soil samples and fine roots collected from the two experiments were submitted to microbiological and molecular analyses. AMF root colonization was evaluated. The ITS genes were analyzed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and the fungal community structure by restriction fragment polymorphism (T-RFLP). Among the eucalypt species studied, E. urophylla presented higher colonization in both trials. Soil microbial activity was strongly affected by soil moisture. The fungal community structure did not differ clearly among the treatments. Age of plants and soil moisture seemed to affect the plant species more than levels of water stress tolerance. / As espécies de eucalipto respondem por quase 80% das florestas plantadas no Brasil, o que faz da silvicultura uma atividade de grande importância no cenário nacional e internacional. Apesar de sua adaptabilidade, o eucalipto está sujeito a danos que as alterações climáticas podem causar, especialmente o déficit hídrico. A maioria das plantas possui estratégias de sobrevivência em situações de déficit hídrico. A associação com fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) é uma delas, pois aumenta a absorção de água e nutrientes pelas raízes. Assim, o objetivo principal deste trabalho foi avaliar a colonização de fungos micorrízicos em seis espécies de Eucalyptus com diferentes níveis de tolerância à seca: E. brassiana, E. camaldulensis, E. citriodora, E. cloeziana, E. grandis e E. urophylla. Dois ensaios foram realizados: um no campo e outro em casa de vegetação. Em casa de vegetação, os vasos foram submetidos a diferentes níveis de água: 50, 75 e 100% da capacidade de campo, por três meses. No campo, as amostras foram coletadas em dois períodos diferentes: após o período seco e após a estação chuvosa. As amostras de solo e raízes finas coletadas nos dois experimentos foram submetidas à análise microbiológica e molecular. A colonização da raiz por FMA foi avaliada. Os genes ITS foram analisados por PCR quantitativo (qPCR) e a estrutura da comunidade fúngica por polimorfismo de fragmentos de restrição (T-RFLP). Dentre as espécies estudadas, E. urophylla apresentou maior colonização em ambos os ensaios. A atividade microbiana do solo foi fortemente afetada pela umidade do solo. A estrutura da comunidade fúngica não se diferenciou claramente entre os tratamentos. A idade das plantas e a umidade do solo parecem ter maior efeito no desempenho das espécies de eucalipto do que seu nível de tolerância ao estresse hídrico.

Golf is an individual sport in which performance is publicly judged daily on the basis of a golfer's scores. Elite golfers, who are required to play well on a consistent basis in order to maintain rankings, must be able to handle competitive situations and pressure in order to succeed. This study explores the sources of stress, stress reactions (emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological), and coping strategies used by elite amateur and professional female golfers. Four elite amateur golfers and four professional golfers participated in this study. Structured individual interviews were used to gain insight into the sources of stress, stress reactions, and coping strategies used by the two groups of golfers. The responses given by the elite amateur golfers and the professional golfers were analyzed, and common themes were developed. The results indicate that stress is an individual response to each golfer's perception of her ability to cope with a situation. Although they recognized stress at different and in different ways, these golfers used some common cognitive and behavioral strategies to deal with stressful situations. It is important for sport psychologists to understand the common sources of stress, stress reactions, and effective coping strategies used by elite golfers, in order to generate effective stress intervention programs for golfers of all skill levels. / xi, 125 leaves ; 29 cm.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame, 2009. / Thesis directed by Julia M. Braungart-Rieker for the Department of Psychology. "April 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-100).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame, 2007. / Thesis directed by Cindy S. Bergeman for the Department of Psychology. "April 2007." "Graduate Program in Developmental Psychology"--T.p. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-55).

A proteômica é uma técnica muito importante e amplamente utilizada na elucidação de diversos mecanismos biológicos. Essa técnica pode ser usada, por exemplo, na avaliação da resposta celular a estímulos ou na determinação de modificações proteicas resultantes de um tratamento. Neste trabalho, a abordagem proteômica foi utilizada em dois sistemas diferentes: (1) na elucidação da resposta à luz no fungo Metarhizium acridum e (2) na determinação dos danos proteicos causados pelo tratamento fotodinâmico da levedura Candida albicans. (1) O fungo entomopatogênico M. acridum, quando crescido na presença de luz, produz conídios com elevada tolerância à radiação ultravioleta-B (290-315 nm). Essa elevada resistência é altamente desejada para aplicação de M. acridum no controle biológico de pragas na agricultura. É possível que esse fenômeno seja decorrente do acúmulo diferencial de proteínas nos conídios produzidos na presença de luz em comparação com aqueles produzidos no escuro. Assim, foi utilizada uma abordagem proteômica para determinar quais proteínas poderiam estar diferencialmente acumuladas nos conídios. Os resultados mostraram que, de um total de 501 proteínas identificadas, somente quatro estavam diferencialmente acumuladas. Apesar de não ser possível estabelecer uma relação clara entre o acúmulo dessas proteínas e a elevada tolerância à radiação ultravioleta-B, dados de proteínas homólogas em Aspergillus fumigatus obtidos da literatura mostraram que essas proteínas são reguladas em condições de estresse. Adicionalmente, experimentos foram conduzidos para expandir o conhecimento sobre a fotobiologia de M. acridum. Estabeleceu-se que, dentro do espectro da luz visível, a luz azul é responsável por induzir o aumento da tolerância à radiação ultravioleta-B, enquanto a luz vermelha não produz o mesmo resultado. Conclui-se que o estudo da resposta à luz através da proteômica de conídios requer o uso de técnicas que resultem na identificação de uma fração maior do proteoma, já que o acúmulo diferencial de proteínas aparentemente não envolve as proteínas mais abundantes. (2) Candida albicans é um importante patógeno humano responsável por micoses superficiais e sistêmicas, principalmente em indivíduos imunocomprometidos. O uso contínuo dos fungicidas tradicionais vem resultando na seleção de linhagens tolerantes. Nesse cenário, o tratamento fotodinâmico antimicrobiano surgiu como importante alternativa no tratamento das micoses causadas por C. albicans. Apesar da efetividade desse tratamento ter sido observada em diversos trabalhos, um estudo no nível proteico ainda não havia sido realizado. A abordagem proteômica por eletroforese bidimensional revelou que, após o tratamento das células, muitos spots nos géis sofreram um desvio ácido, ou seja, um deslocamento para regiões de menor ponto isoelétrico. Por outro lado, foram observados spots resistentes a essa modificação. Proteínas pertencentes a ambos os grupos foram identificadas por espectrometria de massas. A análise de aminoácidos mostrou que o conteúdo de histidina nas células de C. albicans foi reduzido em aproximadamente 60% após o tratamento, o que é uma possível explicação para o desvio ácido observado. Conclui-se, após extensa revisão e discussão da literatura, que os danos em proteínas dependem da interação entre proteína e fotossensibilizador e também da presença de aminoácidos fotooxidáveis nas proximidades dos sítios de interação. / Proteomics is a very important and largely employed technique for the elucidation of a series of biological mechanisms. This technique can be used, for instance, on the evaluation of cellular responses to stimulus or in determining protein modification resulting from a treatment. In the present work, a proteomic approach was used in two distinct biological systems: (1) to evaluate the light response in the fungus Metarhizium acridum, and (2) to determine the protein damage resulting from photodynamic treatment of the yeast Candida albicans. (1) The entomopathogenic fungus M. acridum, when grown in the presence of light, produces conidia with increased tolerance to ultraviolet-B radiation (290-315 nm). This increased resistance is desired for the application of this fungus on the biological control of agricultural pests. It is possible that this phenomenon results from the differential accumulation of proteins in conidia produced in the presence of light as compared to those produced in the dark. Therefore, a proteomic approach was used to determine which proteins could be differentially accumulated in conidia. The results showed that, out of a total of 501 identified proteins, only four were found to be differentially accumulated. Even though establishing a direct relationship between the observed accumulation and the increased tolerance to ultraviolet-B radiation was not possible, data from the literature on homolog proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus have shown that these proteins are regulated under stress conditions. Additionally, experiments were performed to gain further insight on the photobiology of M. acridum. It was stablished that, within visible light spectrum, blue light is responsible for inducing the increased tolerance to ultraviolet-B, while red light does not produce the same effect. It is concluded that a light-response study employing proteomics should rely on techniques yielding a higher number of identified proteins, as the differential accumulation does not seem to affect high abundance proteins. (2) Candida albicans is an important human pathogen responsible for superficial and systemic mycoses mainly in immunocompromised patients. The continuous use of the traditional fungicides has resulted in the selection of tolerant strains. In this scenario, antimicrobial photodynamic treatment became an important alternative on the treatment of C. albicans infections. Although the effectiveness of this treatment has been observed in multiple studies, an evaluation at the protein level had not been performed. A proteomic approach by two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that, after cell treatment, many spots underwent an acidic shift, that is, a shift towards lower isoelectric point. On the other hand, protein spots resistant to modification were also observed. Proteins belonging to both groups were identified by mass spectrometry. Amino acid analysis revealed that the histidine content in C. albicans cells decreased by up to 60% after the treatment, which is a possible explanation to the observed acidic shift. It is concluded, after extensive literature review and discussion, that protein damage depends on protein-photosensitizer interaction and also on the presence of photooxidazible amino acids in the proximity of the interaction site.

Les probiotiques sont des microorganismes vivants qui, ingérés en quantité suffisante, exercent des effets positifs sur la santé. La lyophilisation est aujourd’hui questionnée quant à sa consommation d’énergie et son caractère discontinu. S’il offre une alternative pour produire massivement des poudres probiotiques à faible coût, le séchage par atomisation induit quant à lui des stress thermiques et oxydatifs conduisant à des pertes de viabilité rédhibitoires.Dans ce travail, un procédé innovant de séchage par atomisation est proposé. Du lactosérum doux concentré (jusqu’à 30% p/p) est utilisé à la fois comme support de culture et de séchage de P. freudenreichii et L. casei. Ce procédé élimine les étapes intermédiaires à risque de contamination élevé, accroît la biomasse et améliore la viabilité des bactériesLes mécanismes sous-jacents ont été explorés au plan de la résistance bactérienne et des conditions de séchage. Le milieu concentré induit une osmoadaptation des bactéries par expression de protéines de stress et accumulation de solutés compatibles, conduisant à une tolérance accrue des probiotiques à différents stress. La présence d’agrégats et la concentration en Mg2+ du milieu concentré pourraient également être impliquées.Le scale-up du procédé a été étudié : un schéma technologique semi-industriel impliquant séchage par atomisation, sur bande et en lit fluidisé a permis d’atteindre une viabilité de 100% (> 109 CFU g-1). Par ailleurs, la fonctionnalité des poudres probiotiques a été évaluée in vitro and in vivo sur modèle porcelet. Ce travail ouvre de nouvell / Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Freeze drying, the reference drying method, is currently challenged because of its low energy-efficiency and productivity. Therefore, spray drying is expected to be an alternative and sustainable method for producing probiotic powders. The issue remains in the considerable inactivation of probiotics caused by high temperature and dehydration during the process. In this work, a novel spray-drying process for continuous production of probiotics was challenged. Concentrated sweet whey (up to 30% w/w dry matter) was used to both culture and spray dry P. freudenreichii ITG P20 and L. casei BL23. This process cut down the steps between culturing and drying (e.g. harvesting, washing), increases the cell population after growth and improves spray drying productivity and probiotic viability. The mechanisms were explored from bacterial physiology and drying process conditions. The hypertonic stress led to overexpression of key stress proteins and accumulation of intracellular compatible solutes, which enhanced multistress tolerance. The presence of protein aggregates and optimal concentration of Mg2+ in matrix may also be involved.The feasibility of scaling up this process was validated. A multi-stage semi industrial drying process, coupling spray-drying with belt drying and fluid-bed drying, was applied to further improve the probiotic viability to 100% (> 109 CFU g-1). Moreover, the functionality of these probiotic powders was investigated in vitro and in viv

The complex interaction of genetics, environment and management in determination of crop yields can interfere with selection progress in breeding programs. Specifically, the impact on selection for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under changing climatic conditions can be confounded by these interactions. Temperature increases for the southeastern United States are projected to range from 1-3°C by 2050 with nighttime temperatures increasing more rapidly than day temperatures. High temperatures are known to affect crop development and breeding for tolerance to heat stress is difficult to achieve in field environments. We utilized a multi-environment trial to assess variation in traits associated with NUE based on interactions of genotype x environment x management (G×E×M). All genotypes in the study responded favorably to lower than recommended nitrogen rates. Incremental application of N rates increased yield and post-anthesis N uptake significantly. Additionally, two multi-year studies investigating the effects of heat stress on soft red winter wheat varieties were conducted during the 2015-2016 growing seasons at the University of Kentucky Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, KY. Thirty-six to 40 genotypes were chosen based on the combination of traits for vernalization and photoperiod sensitivity determined using marker analysis. Warmed environments were created through active and passive warming. Heading date, averaged across genotypes, shifted 1-5 days earlier in the actively warmed environment compared to the ambient environment across both years (p ≤0.05). Grain yield, averaged across genotypes, was significantly reduced in the actively warmed environment by 211.41 kg ha-1 (p ≤0.05) or 4.84%; however yield response to environment varied among genotypes with several genotypes displaying an increased yield in the warmed environment. Night temperature increases ranged from 0.27-0.75 °C above ambient temperature in the passively warmed environment. Grain yield, averaged across genotypes, was significantly reduced in the passively warmed environment by 224.29 kg ha-1 (p ≤0.05) or 6.44%; however, yield response to environment varied among genotypes with several genotypes displaying an increased yield in the warmed environment. Yield reductions are attributed to nitrogen utilization being reduced by 9.4% (p ≤0.001) under increased night temperatures.

Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide health threat, as bacteria continue to evade antibiotic treatment. In order to survive, bacteria utilize a number of resistance mechanisms, including efflux pumps, which efficiently export antibiotics outside of the cell to reduce intracellular damage. While such mechanisms are well known, there remains a significant gap in knowledge regarding how different environmental dynamics, such as the rate of antibiotic introduction or the diversity within a microbial community, play a role in resistance. In this work, we used the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump as a case study to explore how such complex dynamics promote antibiotic resistance and its evolution. First, through a combined effort using experiments and mathematical modeling, we discovered that the rate of antibiotic introduction impacts the fraction of resistant bacteria in a population. We then explored the impact of mixed populations on survival following antibiotic treatment. In mixed microcolonies, we found that resistant cells can harm their susceptible neighbors by exporting antibiotics to increase the local concentrations of these drugs. Next, we aimed to understand how these environmental effects may impact longer-term survival of an antibiotic treatment, focusing on the evolution of resistance over ~72 hours. Through a series of adaptive evolution experiments, we identified that near-MIC treatments were the most likely to promote antibiotic resistance, regardless of whether the strains contained the AcrAB-TolC pump at wild type or overexpressed levels, or whether the strains lacked the pump altogether. In studying antibiotic introduction rates on evolution, we found that slower introduction rates facilitated the evolution of high levels of resistance with a minimal fitness cost. Meanwhile, mixed populations demonstrated limited evolvability after rapid antibiotic introductions. This work provides important insights into the impacts of environmental factors, such as the rate of antibiotic introduction and the homogeneity of populations, on the promotion and evolution of antibiotic resistance. These lessons may help inform future policies on antibiotic use and mitigate the continued pattern of resistance evolution.