Lack of association between provocative test-based intraocular pressure parameters and functional loss in treated glaucoma patients / Falta de associação entre parâmetros de pressão intraocular obtidos pelo teste de sobrecarga hídrica e dano funcional em pacientes com glaucoma

ABSTRACT Purpose: To correlate provocative test-based intraocular pressure (IOP) variation parameters (fluctuation and peak) with functional status, and to compare these IOP parameters between treated eyes with asymmetric primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: A prospective observational study including consecutively treated patients with primary open-angle glaucoma was performed. Subjects with ocular diseases other than glaucoma or previous incisional glaucoma surgery were excluded. The primary inclusion criteria were 33 visual field tests and 32 years of follow-up, without any changes on current medical regimen. Long-term intraocular pressure parameters were acquired via isolated intraocular pressure measurements from the patients' last 5 office visits. To evaluate provocative test-based intraocular pressure parameters, all patients were submitted to a water drinking test. Initially, the partial correlation coefficients between each intraocular pressure variation parameter and visual field mean deviation were calculated, adjusting for the baseline intraocular pressure and number of antiglaucoma medications. In addition, each intraocular pressure parameter was compared between eyes with better visual field mean deviation and fellow eyes with worse visual field mean deviation in patients with asymmetric visual field loss (defined as an inter-eye visual field mean deviation difference of at least 3 dB). Results: A total of 87 eyes (87 patients; mean age, 61.9 ± 12.5 years; 59.8% women) with primary open-angle glaucoma were included. The patients underwent a median of 5 visual field tests, with a mean follow-up of 4.3 ± 1.4 years. Neither long-term nor water-drinking test intraocular pressure variation parameters were significantly associated with visual field mean deviation values (p30.117). In the subgroup with asymmetric visual field loss (64 eyes of 32 patients; mean age, 65.0 ± 11.4 years), neither long-term water-drinking test intraocular pressure variation parameters differed significantly between eyes with better and worse visual field mean deviation (p30.400). Conclusion: Our results indicate that neither long-term intraocular pressure variation parameters nor stress test-derived intraocular pressure metrics, as assessed by the water-drinking test, appear to correlate with the visual field status or differ significantly between eyes with asymmetric visual field damage, suggesting that other factors may explain such functional asymmetry, and that the water-drinking test does not add significant information to these cases.

RESUMO Objetivo: Correlacionar os parâmetros de variação da pressão intraocular (flutuação e pico) com o dano funcional em pacientes tratados com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto, e comparar esses parâmetros de pressão intraocular entre olhos com dano funcional assimétrico. Métodos: Estudo observacio nal prospectivo foi realizado incluindo consecutivamente pa cientes tratados com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto. Foram excluídos indivíduos com outras doenças oculares que não o glaucoma ou cirurgia prévia incisional de glaucoma. Os principais critérios de inclusão foram: 33 testes de campo visual e 32 anos de acompanhamento, sem quaisquer alterações no regime medicamentoso atual. Parâmetros de pressão intraocular de longo prazo foram obtidos através de medidas de pressão intraocular isoladas de cada consulta (as últimas 5 consultas de cada paciente foram consideradas para análise). Para avaliação dos parâmetros de pressão intraocular de curto prazo, todos os pacientes foram submetidos ao teste de sobrecarga hídrica. Ini cialmente, calculamos os coeficientes de correlação parcial de cada parâmetro de variação da pressão intraocular com o nível de dano funcional, baseado no índice Mean Deviation (MD), ajustando para a pressão intraocular basal e o número de medicações antiglaucomatosas. Além disso, comparamos cada parâmetro de pressão intraocular entre os olhos com melhor e pior nível de dano funcional em pacientes com perda de campo visual assimétrica (definida como diferença no índice mean deviation entre os olhos de pelo menos 3 dB). Resultados: Foram incluídos 87 olhos (87 pacientes) com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto. A idade média foi de 61,9 ± 12,5 anos e 59,8% eram mulheres. Em geral, os pacientes foram submetidos a 5 testes (mediana) de campo visual, com um seguimento médio de 4,3 ± 1,4 anos. Nem os parâmetros de variação da pressão intraocular de longo prazo nem aqueles obtidos pelo teste de sobrecarga hídrica se correlacionaram significativamente com o nível de dano no campo visual (p30,117). No subgrupo com perda de campo visual assimétrica (64 olhos de 32 pacientes; idade média, 65,0 ± 11,4 anos), nem os parâmetros de variação da pressão intraocular de longo prazo nem os obtidos pelo teste de sobrecarga hídrica diferiram significativamente entre olhos com melhor e pior nível de dano funcional (p3 0,400). Conclusão: Nossos resultados indicam que não apenas parâmetros de variação da pressão intraocular de longo prazo, mas também medidas de pressão intraocular derivadas do teste de sobrecarga hídrica, não parecem se correlacionar com o nível de dano do campo visual, nem diferem significativamente entre olhos com nível de dano funcional assimétrico. Esses achados sugerem que outros fatores poderiam explicar essa assimetria funcional e que o teste de sobrecarga hídrica não acrescenta informações significativas a esses casos.

Physiological response and productivity of safflower lines under water deficit and rehydration

ABSTRACT Water deficit is one of the major stresses affecting plant growth and productivity worldwide. Plants induce various morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular changes to adapt to the changing environment. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a potential oil producer, is highly adaptable to various environmental conditions, such as lack of rainfall and temperatures. The objective of this work was to study the physiological and production characteristics of six safflower lines in response to water deficit followed by rehydration. The experiment was conducted in a protected environment and consisted of 30 days of water deficit followed by 18 days of rehydration. A differential response in terms of photosynthetic pigments, electrolyte leakage, water potential, relative water content, grain yield, oil content, oil yield and water use efficiency was observed in the six lines under water stress. Lines IMA 04, IMA 10, IMA 14 showed physiological characteristics of drought tolerance, with IMA 14 and IMA 16 being the most productive after water deficit. IMA 02 and IMA 21 lines displayed intermediate characteristics of drought tolerance. It was concluded that the lines responded differently to water deficit stress, showing considerable genetic variation and influence to the environment.

Water absorption and method improvement concerning electrical conductivity testing of Acacia mangium (Fabaceae) seeds / Absorción de agua y optimización de métodos para medir la conductividad eléctrica en semillas de Acacia mangium (Fabaceae)

Abstract:Acacia is an important forest species of rapid growth whose seeds have tegument dormancy. In this work it was intended to characterize water absorption pattern after seed dormancy break, and to determine the amount of water, container size and the need of breaking the tegument dormancy, as to perform electrical conductivity test in small and large seeds of Acacia mangium (Fabaceae). The seeds were collected from 10, 8 and 6 years old trees established in poor yielding-capacity soils on savannah areas of Roraima, Brazil; seeds were classified in six lots concerning to seed size and tree age. Germination tests (50 seeds and four replications per lot) were carried out on germitest® paper maintained on gerbox at 25 °C. Imbibition was verified by seed weighing at different times (0, 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 and 120 hours). The electrical conductivity test consisted of three experiments, distinguished by the amount of water used and by the container size in which seeds were immersed. Seeds of A. mangium coming from 10 years old trees presented increased germination percent and germination speed than seeds of six-year old trees. Small seeds presented increased in electrical conductivity and water absorption until 120 hours when compared to large seeds. The immersion of seeds of A. mangium in 40 mL of distilled water into 180 mL plastic containers, after dormancy break, it is indicated for the determination of electrical conductivity test. The ratio of electrolytes by seed mass, after 24 hours of immersion in water, turns electrical conductivity test more accurate concerning A. mangium seeds. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (4): 1651-1660. Epub 2016 December 01.

Resumen:Acacia es una importante especie forestal de rápido crecimiento cuyas semillas presentan dormancia del tegumento. En este trabajo se caracterizó el patrón de absorción de agua después de la dormancia y se estableció la cantidad de agua, el tamaño del recipiente y la necesidad de ruptura del tegumento para poder medir la conductividad eléctrica en semillas pequeñas y grandes de Acacia mangium (Fabaceae). Las semillas fueron recolectadas de árboles de 6, 8 y 10 años, clasificadas en grandes o pequeñas y agrupadas en seis grupos. Para la prueba de germinación fueron utilizados cuatro repeticiones de 50 semillas de cada grupo, en papel germitest® a 25 °C. La imbibición se verificó con pesajes en los tiempos 0, 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 y 120 horas con semillas colocadas en papel. La prueba de conductividad eléctrica se realizó en tres experimentos diferenciados por la cantidad de agua utilizada y el tamaño del recipiente de inmersión de las semillas. Las semillas de árboles de 10 años de edad tienen un porcentaje de germinación más alto y mayor velocidad de germinación que semillas de árboles de seis años. Las semillas pequeñas tienen una mayor conductividad eléctrica y mayor porcentaje de absorción de agua en comparación con las semillas grandes, hasta 120 horas. La inmersión de semillas en 40 mL de agua destilada en recipientes plásticos de 180 mL, después de la dormancia, esta indicada para la determinación de la conductividad eléctrica. La lectura de electrolitos en semillas, después de 24 horas de inmersión en agua, hace más precisa la prueba de conductividad eléctrica de semillas de A. mangium.

Seed dormancy of Ochradenus baccatus (Resedaceae), a shrubby species from Arabian desert regions / Dormición de semillas de Ochradenus baccatus (Resedaceae), una especie arbustiva de las regiones desérticas arábicas

Abstract:Ochradenus baccatus is a perennial glycophyte growing in Middle East and it is one of the most important food sources for many animal species in desert regions. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of seed storage, light, temperature and gibberellic acid (GA3) on germination of O. baccatus seeds. We also investigated the germination characteristics of O. baccatus seeds under different saline concentration and their capability to recover germination once they were transferred to distilled water. Seeds were stored at room temperature (20 ± 2 ºC) and at -18 ºC. Germination tests were conducted at alternating temperatures of 15/25, 20/30 and 25/35 ºC in either continuous darkness or photoperiod of 12-h dark/12-h light. To study the effect of GA3 on germination of O. baccatus seeds, freshly-collected seeds and stored seeds were soaked for 24 h in a GA3 water solution (1 g/L) before sowing. To assess the salinity tolerance during germination, seeds were germinated under different salinity levels (100, 200 and 400 mM NaCl). Stored seeds at room temperature and -18 ºC germinate equally well at different temperature regimes and light conditions. However, freshly matured seeds were not able to germinate even when they were treated with GA3. On the contrary, stored seeds at room temperature and -18 ºC treated with GA3 increase the final germination percentages. These results indicated that O. baccatus seeds have physiological dormancy and they need to be stored in order to break their dormancy. In the present study, one year of storage did not show a significant variation in germination between the two storage conditions assayed. Therefore, further research is needed to know about the maximum storage period for O. baccatus seeds under different storage conditions. Very few O. baccatus seeds (less than 5 %) germinated at the tested lowest concentration of NaCl. However, ungerminated seeds were able to germinate when salinity stress was alleviated. In conclusion, O. baccatus seeds have physiological dormancy, and seed storage (at room temperature and at -18 ºC) for one year is effective for breaking this dormancy. In addition, O. baccatus seeds present ability to remain viable in saline conditions and they will be able to germinate once the salinity level decrease. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (3): 965-974. Epub 2016 September 01.

ResumenOchradenus baccatus es un glicófito perenne que crece en oriente Medio y es una de las fuentes de alimentación más importantes para muchas especies animales de regiones desérticas. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue investigar los efectos del almacenamiento de semillas, luz, temperatura y ácido giberélico (GA3) en la germinación de semillas de O. baccatus. También se ha investigado la germinación de semillas de O. baccatus bajo diferentes concentraciones salinas y su capacidad para recuperar la germinación una vez que fueron transferidas a agua destilada. Las semillas se conservaron a temperatura ambiente (20 ± 2 ºC) y a -18 ºC. Los ensayos de germinación se realizaron a temperaturas alternas de 15/25, 20/30 y 25/35 ºC bajo oscuridad continua o fotoperiodo de 12-h oscuridad/12-h luz. Para estudiar el efecto del GA3 en la germinación de semillas de O. baccatus, semillas recién recolectadas y semillas almacenadas se sumergieron durante 24 h en una solución acuosa de GA3 (1 g/L) antes de la siembra. Para evaluar la tolerancia a la salinidad durante la germinación, la semillas fueron germinadas bajo diferentes niveles de salinidad (100, 200 y 400 mM ClNa). Las semillas conservadas a temperatura ambiente y a -18 ºC germinaron igualmente bien en los diferentes regímenes de temperatura y condiciones de iluminación. Sin embargo, las semillas recién maduradas fueron incapaces de germinar incluso cuando se trataron con GA3. Por el contrario, las semillas almacenadas tratadas con GA3 incrementaron los porcentajes finales de germinación. Estos resultados indican que las semillas de O. baccatus tienen dormición fisiológica y necesitan ser almacenadas para romperla. En este estudio, un año de conservación no supuso una variación significativa en la germinación entre las dos condiciones de conservación ensayadas. Por lo tanto, se precisan investigaciones adicionales para conocer cuáles son los periodos máximos de almacenamiento de semillas de O. baccatus bajo diferentes condiciones de conservación. Muy pocas semillas de O. baccatus (menos del 5 %) germinaron a la concentración más baja de ClNa. Sin embargo, las semillas no germinadas fueron capaces de germinar cuando el estrés salino fue aliviado. En conclusión, las semillas de O. baccatus tienen dormición fisiológica y el almacenamiento de las mismas (a temperatura ambiente y a -18 ºC) durante un año es eficaz para romper dicha dormición. Además, las semillas de O. baccatus presentan capacidad para permanecer viables en condiciones salinas y serán capaces de germinar una vez que el nivel de salinidad disminuya.

Leafy Vegetables Free Of Coliforms And Parasites After Washing In Chlorine Treated Water

The production and preparation of vegetables for consumption involve procedures that pose health risks to consumers. In this context the water plays an important role in the quality of minimally processed vegetables. We assessed the hygienic-sanitary quality of leafy vegetables and obtained data of interest to health surveillance agencies and public health. They were tested for the presence of total and faecal coliforms, and also parasitic protozoa and helminths. The vegetable samples were purchased in supermarkets of the Midwest of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. We performed bacteriological analyses of wash water samples using chromogenic substrates to obtain the most probable number of the coliform group at 35 °C and Escherichia coli. We used Hoffman's spontaneous sedimentation technique for the parasitological analysis in order to check the occurrence of heavy and light helminths eggs and protozoan cysts. The analyses indicated the presence of coliforms, nematodes and freeliving protozoa, except for the last wash. We concluded that the washing process using running water and no active chlorine was not efficient in reducing the load of microorganisms in the vegetables. Therefore, intensive educational programmes should be implemented by health authorities to encourage hygienic-sanitary practices and risk reduction of food-borne diseases.(AU)

Effects of different water management options and fertilizer supply on photosynthesis, fluorescence parameters and water use efficiency of Prunella vulgaris seedlings

BACKGROUND: Prunella vulgaris L. is a medical plant cultivated in sloping, sun-shaded areas in China. Recently, owing to air-environmental stress, especially drought stress strongly inhibits plant growth and development, the appropriate fertilizer supply can alleviate these effects. However, these is little information about their effects on P. vulgaris growing in arid and semi-arid areas with limited water and fertilizer supply. RESULTS: In this study, water stress decreased the photosynthetic pigment contents, inhibited photosynthetic efficiency, induced photodamage in photosystem 2 (PS2), and decreased leaf instantaneous WUE (WUEi). The decreased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) under medium drought stress compared with the control might result from stomatal limitations. However, fertilizer supply improved photosynthetic capacity by increasing the photosynthetic pigment contents and enhancing photosynthetic efficiency under water deficit. Moreover, medium fertilization also increased WUEi under the two water conditions, but fertilizer supply did little to alleviate the PS2 photodamage caused by drought stress. Hence, drought stress was the primary limitation in the photosynthetic process of P. vulgaris seedlings, while the photosynthetic characteristics of the seedlings exhibited positive responses to fertilizer supply. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate fertilizer supply is recommended to improve photosynthetic efficiency, enhance WUEi and alleviate photodamage under drought stress.

Enhanced expression of aquaporin-9 in rat brain edema induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharides / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

To investigate the role of AQP9 in brain edema, the expression of AQP9 in an infectious rat brain edema model induced by the injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was examined. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis demonstrated that the expressions of AQP9 mRNA and protein at all observed intervals were significantly increased in LPS-treated animals in comparison with the control animals. Time-course analysis showed that the first signs of blood-brain barrier disruption and the increase of brain water content in LPS-treated animals were evident 6 h after LPS injection, with maximum value appearing at 12 h, which coincided with the expression profiles of AQP9 mRNA and protein in LPS-treated animals. The further correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations among the brain water content, the disruption of the blood-brain barrier and the enhanced expressions of AQP9 mRNA and protein in LPS-treated animals. These results suggested that the regulation of AQP9 expression may play important roles in water movement and in brain metabolic homeostasis associated with the pathophysiology of brain edema induced by LPS injection.

Effect of hydration and dehydration on initiation and dynamics of some physiological reactions in desiccation tolerant cyanobacterium Scytonema geitleri.

The effect of hydration and dehydration has been studied on extent and recovery of some metabolic reactions in desiccation tolerant terrestrial cyanobacterium Scytonema geitleri. The results show that the energy transducing reactions like photochemical reactions of photosynthesis recover first, followed by increase in ATP pool size. During later phase of hydration, appearance of energy consuming processes such as CO2 fixation and nitrogen fixation have been observed. Sensitivity of reactions during dehydration followed the pattern reverse to recovery processes.

Aspectos ultraestructurales de la penetracion de lantano en vesicula biliar de cobayo en funcion del flujo de absorción de agua / Ultrastructural aspects of the lanthanum penetration in guinea gallbladder in function of the absorption flow water

Hay controversias sobre si el agua atraviesa la vía paracelular en epitelios de baja resistencia (por ejemplo, vesícula biliar). El objetivo de este trabajo es por tanto, estudiar una posible correlación entre el flujo de absorción de volumen (Jv) y la penetración del ión La3+ usando fluidos de diferentes osmolalidades, lo cual permite variar Jv. Vesículas biliares de cobayo se perfundieron in vitro a pH y temperatura fisiológicos con fluidos oxigenados a dos osmolalidades: 300 mOsm/Kg (isosmótico) y 100 mOsm/Kg (hiposmótico) que contenían dos concentraciones de La3+1 y 10mM para cada osmolalidad y se prepararon para estudios de microscopía electrónica de transmisión. Después se procedió a evaluar el grado de pentración del La3+ cuantificando el número de uniones penetradas por el marcador y la longitud de su recorrido dentro del espacio intercelular (en *m), el trayecto se midió comenzando en el borde apical y en dirección latero-basal. Jv se duplica en la condición hiposmótica y en las micrografías se aprecia mayor grado de penetración del La3+ por las vías paracelulares en las vesículas con mayor flujo de volumen. Hay ausencia de precipitados de La3+ en el citoplasma, el cual está satisfactoriamente preservado, aun a 100 mOsm/Kg, lo que muestra que la integridad de la membrana plasmática se mantiene. Esto indica que la penetración del La3+ varía con Jv. Los resultados obtenidos constituyen una evidencia para afirmar que la penetración de La3+ varía con Jv y que una fracción de este último se cumple a través de las vías paracelulares