Nanodiamonds and silicon quantum dots: ultrastable and biocompatible luminescent nanoprobes for long-term bioimaging.

Fluorescence bioimaging is a powerful, versatile, method for investigating, both in vivo and in vitro, the complex structures and functions of living organisms in real time and space, also using super-resolution techniques. Being poorly invasive, fluorescence bioimaging is suitable for long-term observation of biological processes. Long-term detection is partially prevented by photobleaching of organic fluorescent probes. Semiconductor quantum dots, in contrast, are ultrastable, fluorescent contrast agents detectable even at the single nanoparticle level. Emission color of quantum dots is size dependent and nanoprobes emitting in the near infrared (NIR) region are ideal for low back-ground in vivo imaging. Biocompatibility of nanoparticles, containing toxic elements, is debated. Recent safety concerns enforced the search for alternative ultrastable luminescent nanoprobes. Most recent results demonstrated that optimized silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) and fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) show almost no photobleaching in a physiological environment. Moreover in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies demonstrated their unique biocompatibility. Si QDs and FNDs are hence ideal diagnostic tools and promising non-toxic vectors for the delivery of therapeutic cargos. Most relevant examples of applications of Si QDs and FNDs to long-term bioimaging are discussed in this review comparing the toxicity and the stability of different nanoprobes.

Production and identification of doubled haploids in tropical maize.

The production of maize doubled haploid (DH) lines is a technique commonly used by private companies, but not by Brazilian public institutions. Research on this technique is essential to develop and improve the production of DH lines grown under tropical conditions. We assessed the ability of a gynogenetic haploid inducer system to induce haploids in a tropical environment, assessed the induction rate of haploids identified using the R-navajo morphological marker, checked for interference from the generation of hybrid donors on haploid induction, measured the ability of flow cytometry, and simple sequence repeat marker techniques to identify doubled haploids. Seeds from the inducer Krasnodar Embryo Marker Synthetic (KEMS) line were sown in Ponta Grossa, PR, and Cravinhos, SP, and the plants were crossed to produce six hybrids and their F2 generations. The seeds were separated according to the R-navajo morphological marker indicator of haploidy (purple endosperm and white embryo) and germinated in a controlled environment. Chromosomal duplication was performed in seedlings selected as putative haploids. We performed subsequent confirmation of ploidy and the success of duplication using flow cytometry and SSR marker techniques. We concluded that DH lines can be obtained from hybrids crossed with the inducer KEMS line. The generation of inbred hybrids did not affect the induction rate or chromosomal duplication in haploids. The use of flow cytometry and SSR markers was effective in verifying chromosomal duplication in haploids.