Search

The bromeliads are desirable vase plants because of the flowering bract and the usually large, bold, colored and exotic format of the leaves that forms a cistern. The main function of epiphytic bromeliads roots is the fixation on the substrate, while water and nutrients uptake are performed mainly by leaves. However, recent studies have shown that the roots of epiphytic bromeliads can also help in the absorption of water and nutrients, contributing to plant growth and development. The present study aimed to evaluate the importance of the root system in the mineral nutrition of an epiphytic ornamental bromeliad silver vase bromeliad (Aechmea fasciata) that occurs in Brazil. 80 plants were cultivated for 240 days in plastic pots (900 mL) containing composted pine bark and were subjected to 5 treatments with 50 mL of 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% Hoagland & Arnon (HA) nutrient solution, applied twice a week only onto the substrate. Biometric and biomass variables of root and shoots, as well as macro- and micronutrients content in silver vase bromeliad leaves were evaluated. Results showed that all biometric and biomass parameters increased with the application of increasing HA solution concentrations, while the nutritional content in leaves showed different responses, with increase in nitrogen and potassium, decrease in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, sulfur, iron and zinc. We conclude that silver vase bromeliad grows better when fertilized with 75% or 100% HA solution on the substrate. We emphasize that the roots of the epiphytic silver vase bromeliad are functional and plays important roles in its nutrition and growth.

ABSTRACT Water stress is an environmental factor that can regulate growth, limit production and lead to physiological and biochemical changes. Plants present a series of adaptive responses to drought, such as osmotic adjustment, in which carbohydrates play an important role. To evaluate the influence of water deficit on carbohydrates accumulation in V. discolor, the plants were divided into two groups: daily watering and water suppression for 14 days being re-watering after this period. Leaves and roots were collected at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 days, for ecophysiological and biochemical analyzes. Variations in carbohydrate contents in V. discolor showed a close relationship with changes in the plant water status, with higher concentrations of soluble sugars, total fructans, oligosaccharides, reducing sugars coinciding with the lower values of soil moisture and leaf water potentials and relative water content. In the tuberous roots, there is an increase in carbohydrate concentrations after re-watering. The increase of these low molecular weight carbohydrates is involved in osmotic adjustment and therefore acts to protect against dehydration.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate if nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) indexes can elucidate functional differences in nutrient uptake between the root system and tank of epiphytic bromeliads. The bromeliads Guzmania lingulata and Vriesea 'Harmony' received fertilizers in their tanks or through their roots using modified Hoagland & Arnon solution, with 0.00, 2.62, or 5.34 mmol L-1 nitrogen, as urea. After 90 days, nitrogen contents in leaves and plant biomass were evaluated, and NUE indexes were calculated. Guzmania lingulata and V. 'Harmony' fertilized in their tanks with 5.34 mmol L-1 had the highest averages of nitrogen uptake efficiency and recovery efficiency; those fertilized with 2.62 mmol L-1 through their roots showed the highest averages of NUE, nitrogen utilization efficiency, nitrogen physiological efficiency, and biomass conversion efficiency. The NUE indexes, besides being an effective tool to assess the nutritional status of ornamental bromeliads, reveal that the root system of epiphytic bromeliads is functional for nitrogen uptake and use.

Drought is worldwide considered one of the most limiting factors of Theobroma cacao production, which can be intensified by global climate changes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the phenotypic correlation among morphological characteristics of cacao progenies submitted to irrigation and drought conditions and their partitions into direct and indirect effects. Path analysis with phenotypic plasticity index was used as criteria for estimation of basic and explanatory variables. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Cacao Research Center (CEPEC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil, in a randomized block 21 x 2 factorial arrangement [21 cacao progenies obtained from complete diallel crosses and two water regimes (control and drought)] and six replications. In general, drought conditions influenced biomass production in most progenies, causing significant reductions in total leaf area, leaf number, leaf biomass, fine-roots length (diameter

ABSTRACT: The main objectives of this study were to determine the content of secondary metabolites (carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and tannins) of Argemone mexicana L., Ipomoea carnea Jacq. subsp. Fistulosa (Martius ex Choisy), Amorimia rigida (A.Juss.) W. R. Anderson, Ricinus communis L. and Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry using UV-VIS spectroscopy, and evaluating the bioactivity of the ethanolic extracts on citrus blackfly eggs (Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, 1915). Pera sweet orange leaves infested with citrus blackfly eggs were treated by immersion in 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10%; each replicate consisted of 30 eggs. The experimental design was completely randomized, with seven treatments and four replications. Three immersions of leaves with eggs were performed, and the mortality was evaluated seven days after the procedure. Leaves were placed in Petri dishes and kept in incubators [25±1°C; relative humidity (RH) 60±5% and 12 hours]. S. aromaticum peduncle presented high content of tannins and phenolic compounds, while R. communis leaves showed high content of phenolic compounds. The commercial product Bioneem© caused egg infeasibility greater than 85% at all concentrations. Treatments (10%) that caused the greatest egg mortality were Bioneem© (94.74%), R. communis extract (81.58%), and the extract of S. aromaticum peduncle (80.57%).

Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence are widely used in physiological and ecological studies; however, few studies have used these techniques with ornamental plants. This study tested the potential contribution of gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence to evaluate the water and nutrients uptake by the tank and root system of epiphyte bromeliad Guzmania lingulata. For this purpose, we conducted an experiment with different water regime and another with different concentrations of nitrogen. The experiments were: 1 - Watering: Control (application of water into Tank and Root), Tank (watering into Tank), Root (watering Root) and Drought (water suspension during the 90 days of experimentation) and 2 - Nitrogen: Plants fertilized with Hoagland and Arnon nutrient solution exclusively into Tank or Root with nitrogen concentrations of control and 2.62 or 5.34 mM N applied as urea. The Fv /Fm ratio allowed comparing the treatments between experiments, demonstrating that Root and Tank both have the capacity to maintain G. lingulata photosynthetic activity and growth, while Drought treatment (water suspension) was the limiting factor for energy conversion efficiency of PSII. However, gas exchange was more permissive as a parameter for comparing treatments in the nitrogen experiment, providing important information about the general aspects of the photosynthetic process in the watering experiment. Both gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence can support the evaluation of G. lingulata physiological status and can be useful tools in ornamental horticultural studies.

This paper presents the results of a research that aimed at developing a financial analysis of a sample of Brazilian hospitals between 2006 and 2011. The data were collected from financial statements of 23 hospitals and from the Database of United Health System. These secondary data were analyzed through the following techniques: descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, Kolmogorov-Smirnov’s test, Kruskal-Wallis’ test and Chi-square’s test. It was verified that the sample presents unsatisfactory general results about financial performance, especially when related to financial ratios of profitability and return. However, the analysis of different categories of hospitals displays relevant and significant divergences, especially about the type of hospitals: publics and voluntaries ones. The voluntary hospitals present higher liquidity ratios and the best profitability and their capital structure usually focus on long term financing obtained from external agents. These evidences suggest that those organizations focus on financial leverage to achieve better results without deteriorate their liquidity. On the other hand, the public hospitals present lower liquidity as well as worse profitability and return ratios. It was verified that the large-sized hospitals usually present lower financial ratios (liquidity, profitability and return) than the medium-sized hospitals.

Este artigo apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa descritiva, quantitativa e qualitativa, ccom o objetivo de realizar uma análise financeira do Hospital Metropolitano de Urgência e Emergência (HMUE) do Pará, no período de 2006 a 2010. Desenvolveu-se uma análise com base nos dados internos do hospital e se explorou a relação desses dados com indicadores de outros hospitais brasileiros. Os dados foram essencialmente secundários e provenientes de fontes distintas: demonstrações financeiras e notas explicativas do HMUE, parecer dos auditores e um banco de dados contendo indicadores financeiros de hospitais filantrópicos brasileiros. Empregaram-se as seguintes técnicas para análise dos dados: estatística descritiva, análise de conteúdo, nuvem de palavras e teste de Kruskal-Wallis. Os resultados evidenciaram a fragilidade financeira das organizações hospitalares em geral e, especificamente, do HMUE. Foram poucas as diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre o desempenho do HMUE e das demais organizações filantrópicas brasileiras. A análise do caso HMUE evidenciou ainda que conflitos entre as duas entidades gestoras da organização explicam o mau desempenho financeiro e a descontinuidade das atividades do hospital em 2010. Constatou-se, ainda, que indicadores utilizados na análise financeira de empresas podem também apresentar um papel essencial na avaliação de desempenho das organizações hospitalares.

This study aimed to estimate the combining ability, of T. cacao genotypes preselected for drought tolerance through diallel crosses. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions at the Cacao Research Center (CEPEC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil, in a completely randomized block design, in an experimental arrangement 21 x 2 [21 complete diallel crosses and two water regimes (control and stressed)]. In the control, soil moisture was kept close to field capacity, with predawn leaf water potential (ΨWL) ranging from -0.1 to -0.5 MPa. In the drought regime, the soil moisture was reduced gradually by decreasing the amount of water application until ΨWL reached -2.0 to -2.5 MPa. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed for most morphological attributes analyzed regarding progenies, water regime and their interactions. The results of the joint diallel analysis revealed significant effects between general combining ability (GCA) x water regimes and between specific combining ability (SCA) x water regimes. The SCA 6 genetic material showed high general combining ability for growth variables regardless of the water regime. In general, the water deficit influenced the production of biomass in most of the evaluated T. cacao crosses, except for SCA-6 x IMC-67, Catongo x SCA, MOC-01 x Catongo, Catongo x IMC-67 and RB-40 x Catongo. Multivariate analysis showed that stem diameter (CD), total leaf area (TLA), leaf dry biomass (LDB), stem dry biomass (SDB), root dry biomass (RDB), total dry biomass (TDB), root length (RL), root volume (RV), root diameter (RD)

OBJETIVO: Comparar a análise da frente de onda e a sensibilidade de contraste pós-operatórias em pacientes submetidos à facoemulsificação com implante de lentes intra-oculares esféricas num olho e asféricas no olho contralateral. MÉTODOS: Este estudo prospectivo comparativo, randomizado, duplo-cego, incluiu 32 olhos de 16 pacientes. Uma avaliação oftalmológica completa foi realizada durante as visitas antes e depois da cirurgia (no primeiro, terceiro, sétimo, e nonagésimo dias pós-cirúrgicos), que incluiu acuidade visual, teste de sensibilidade ao contraste, aberrometria. Todos exames (menos aberrometr=ia) foram feitos monocularmente com pupilas não dilatadas. Os pacientes foram submetidos a facectomia ultra-sônica convencional com implante de uma lente asférica SN60WF num olho e esférica SN60ATno outro. RESULTADOS: A acuidade visual média com a melhor correção foi -0,146 LogMAR no grupo da lente intra-ocular esférica, e -0.165 logMAR no grupo da lente intra-ocular asférica sob condições fotópicas, -0,003 LogMAR sob condições mesópicas. A sensibilidade ao contraste foi semelhante em ambos os grupos tanto em condições fotópicas e mesópicas. Em relação às aberrações ópticas ocorreu uma diferença significativa nas aberrações totais (1,09 ± 0,56 no grupo asférico e 1,52 ± 1,19 no grupo esférico) e no componente esférico das aberrações de alta ordem(0,422 ± 0,202 no grupo asférico e 0,124 ± 0,087 no grupo esférico). CONCLUSÃO: As duas lentes intra-oculares promoveram uma excelente visão em situações de alto contraste, e os olhos implantados com a lente asférica tiveram menos aberrações totais e esféricas que aqueles implantados com a lente esférica.PURPOSE: Compare the wavefront and contrast sensitivity of bilateral pseudophakic patients with aspheric in one eye and spheric intraocular lenses in the other. METHODS: This prospective, comparative, randomized study, double masked, included 32 eyes of 16 patients. A complete ophthalmic evaluation was done before, and after surgery at days 1,3, 7 and 90, and included best corrected visual acuity, the contrast sensitivity, under photopic and mesopic conditions, and aberrometry. Almost all exams were done monocularly with undilated pupils (aberrometry under pharmacological dilatation). The patients eyes were operated with conventional phacoemulsification, with aspheric intraocular lenses in one eye, and spherical in the other. RESULTS: The visual acuity with the best correction was -0.146 in the spheric group, and -0.165 logMAR in the aspheric group in photopic conditions, and 0.024 and -0.003 LogMAR under mesopic conditions. The contrast sensitivity under photopic and mesopic conditions was similar comparing the two groups. In regard to optical aberrations there was a significant diference between the total (1.09 ± 0.56 in the aspheric, and 1.52± 1.19 in the spherical group) and spherical component of high order aberrations (0.422± 0.202 in spheric group and 0.124 ± 0.087 in the aspheric group). CONCLUSION: Both groups reached excellent postoperative visual acuity in high contrast situations, however aspheric intraocular lenses group had lower total and spherical aberrations, comparing to the spheric intraocular lenses group.

The high fructan contents in underground organs of Cerrado species, high water solubility and fast metabolism of these compounds highlight their role as carbon storage and as an adaptive feature in plants under drought. In this study, we showed that anatomical structure, in association with soluble compounds and metabolism of inulin-type fructans were modified in rhizophores of Crysolaena obovata submitted to water suppression and recovery after re-watering. Plants were subjected to daily watering (control), suppression of watering for 22 days (water suppression) and suppression of watering followed by re-watering after 10 days (re-watered). Plants were collected at time 0 and after 3, 7, 10, 12, 17 and 22 days of treatment. In addition to changes in fructan metabolism, high proline content was detected in drought stressed plants, contributing to osmoregulation and recovery after water status reestablishment. Under water suppression, total inulin was reduced from approx. 60 to 40%, mainly due to exohydrolase activity. Concurrently, the activity of fructosyltransferases promoted the production of short chain inulin, which could contribute to the increase in osmotic potential. After re-watering, most parameters analyzed were similar to those of control plants, indicating the resumption of regular metabolism, after water absorption. Inulin sphero-crystals accumulated in parenchymatic cells of the cortex, vascular tissues and pith were reduced under drought and accompanied anatomical changes, starting from day 10. At 22 days of drought, the cortical and vascular tissues were collapsed, and inulin sphero-crystals and inulin content were reduced. The localization of inulin sphero-crystals in vascular tissues of C. obovata, as well as the decrease of total inulin and the increase in oligo: polysaccharide ratio in water stressed plants is consistent with the role of fructans in protecting plants against drought.

Barbacenia purpurea is a resurrection species endemic to rock outcrops, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It tolerates great temperature variations, which are associated to periods of up to 30 days without precipitation. Using a metabolomic approach, we analyzed, under winter and summer conditions, changes in the leaf metabolite profile (MP) of potted plants of B. purpurea submitted to daily watered and water deficit for at least 20 days and subsequent slow rehydration for 5 days. Leaves were collected at different time points and had their MP analyzed by GC/MS, HPAEC, and UHPLC techniques, allowing the identification of more than 60 different compounds, including organic and amino acids, sugars, and polyols, among others. In the winter experiment, results suggest the presence of two time-dependent responses in B. purpurea under water stress. The first one starts with the increase in the content of caffeoyl-quinic acids, substances with strong antioxidant activity, until the 16th day of water suppression. When RWC reached less than 80% and 70%, in winter and summer respectively, it was observed an increase in polyols and monosaccharides, followed by an increment in the content of RFO, suggesting osmotic adjustment. Amino acids, such as GABA and asparagine, also increased due to 16 days of water suppression. During rehydration, the levels of the mentioned compounds became similar to those found at the beginning of the experiment and when compared to daily watered plants. We conclude that the tolerance of B. purpurea to dehydration involves the perception of water deficit intensity, which seems to result in different strategies to overcome the gradient of water availability imposed along a certain period of stress mainly during winter. Data from summer experiment indicate that the metabolism of B. pupurea was already primed for drought stress. The accumulation of phenolics in summer seemed to be more temperature and irradiance-dependent than on the RWC.

A portable chlorophyll meter can be an important tool to estimating chlorophyll contents in leaves of tree species under field conditions. The method is quick and non-destructive compared to the classic chemical methods of pigment extraction. The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of a portable chlorophyll meter (CCM-200, Opti-Science) to estimate the concentrations of chloroplastid pigments and the fraction of photosynthetically active irradiance absorbed by leaves (α) in four tropical wood species from Amazonian forest. The results shown positive correlation between the chlorophyll contente index (CCI) readings and concentrations of Chl a (P < 0.0001; r² = 0.904), Chl b (P< 0.0001; r² = 0.803), Chl tot (P< 0.0001; r² = 0.923) and α (P< 0.0001; r² = 0.886), suggesting that the portable chlorophyll meter can be an effective tool for the relative estimation of chlorophyll concentrations and the fraction of the photosynthetically active irradiance absorbed by the leaves of tropical tree species.

Costus arabicus L. é uma espécie herbácea, nativa de mata, que acumula em seu rizoma amido como principal carboidrato de reserva. A seca é um dos fatores ambientais que pode regular o crescimento e o desenvolvimento das plantas, levando a alterações nas características fisiológicas, bioquímicas e anatômicas. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência do déficit hídrico na anatomia, no conteúdo de carboidratos e na ultra-estrutura dos grãos de amido do rizoma de Costus arabicus L. submetidos aos ciclos de rega diário (Controle) e a cada sete (7d) e 15 dias (15d). Foram avaliados aspectos anatômicos e ultra-estruturais do rizoma, conteúdo relativo de água nas folhas (CRA), potencial hídrico foliar (Ψw), potencial osmótico do rizoma (Ψs), açúcares solúveis totais (AST) e redutores (AR) e amido do rizoma. Observaram-se reduções significativas do Ψw e do Ψs nas plantas 15d, porém com pequenas variações no CRA. Análises anatômicas mostraram que o rizoma é revestido pela epiderme ou súber estratificado e apresenta delimitação entre as regiões cortical e vascular que possuem numerosos grãos de amido e idioblastos com conteúdo fenólico. Alterações na anatomia dos rizomas foram observadas somente nas plantas irrigadas a cada 15 dias, em que as células do tecido de revestimento e das camadas corticais mais externas tornaram-se mais achatadas e com paredes sinuosas, porém, sem diferenças ultra-estruturais dos grãos de amido. O déficit hídrico imposto foi suficiente para gerar mudanças fisiológicas, bioquímicas e anatômicas nas plantas de Costus arabicus L. Essas alterações sugerem a ocorrência de um mecanismo de evitação à seca e demonstram que as alterações anatômicas foram dependentes da intensidade e duração do déficit hídrico.

RESUMO (Influência da alta concentração atmosférica de CO2 (↑[CO2]atm) × disponibilidade hídrica nas relações hídricas, trocas gasosas e acúmulo de carboidratos em Coffea arabica L.). O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da ↑[CO2]atm nas relações hídricas, trocas gasosas e acúmulo de carboidratos em Coffea arabica. Cafeeiros foram cultivados sob diferentes [CO2]atm (400 e 760 ppm) e submetidos a dois regimes hídricos: rega diária e ciclos de suspensão de regas por 7, 10, 14 e 37 dias, seguidos de reidratação diária por 7 dias. Alterações significativas no potencial hídrico foram observadas nas plantas sob restrição hídrica a partir do 10º dia com recuperação total após a reidratação. As A foram maiores nos cafeeiros cultivados sob ↑[CO2]atm, mesmo sob restrição hídrica se comparadas aos demais tratamentos. Cafeeiros cultivados em ↑[CO2]atm e restrição hídrica não apresentaram diminuição nos teores de carboidratos em comparação aos cultivados sob ↑[CO2]atm e rega diária. Entretanto, em plantas sob 400 ppm CO2 e restrição hídrica, reduções significativas nos teores de açúcares, principalmente em folhas, foram observadas. Os teores de amido não alteraram em resposta aos tratamentos de CO2 e água. Aumento no nível de prolina foi observado no início da restrição hídrica retornando a níveis basais ao longo do experimento. Nossos resultados apontam para um efeito mitigador do ↑CO2 sobre o déficit hídrico por meio da manutenção no acúmulo de carboidratos das plantas de café.

To evaluate the influence of different intensities of water deficit and rehydration on water relations and gas exchanges of Bauhinia forficata Link, plants were grown in a greenhouse for three months under the following water regimes: daily watered (control) and watered every 7 (7D) and 15 days (15D) returning to daily watering on 7D and 15D treatments at 75 days of the experiment. Aiming to evaluate short-term responses to re-hydration, plants of 7D and 15D treatments were re-watered 2 days before measurements and sampling was carried out at the 45th day of experiment. At fortnightly intervals (15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 days) soil moisture (Usoil), leaf water potential (Ψwf), photosynthesis in response to photosynthetically active radiation (A × PPFD) to obtain the maximum net photosynthesis (Amax), and light saturation point (PARsat) were evaluated. The water deficit has affected water relations and photosynthesis with the lowest values observed in the treatments Usoil 7D, and 15D respectively, coinciding with the lowest Ψwf and Amax. Changes in PARsat in response to water deficit were observed showing mean values of 665, 275 and 254 µmol photons m-2 s-1 in control, 7D and 15D respectively. The return of daily watering after 75 days of experiment, promoted the recovery of Amax (7.8 and 9.6 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) and PARsat (588 and 643 µmol photons m-2 s-1) in 7D and 15D respectively with values higher than control plants (4.7 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 and 631 µmol photons m-2 s-1), suggesting a strong dependence of photosynthesis of Bauhinia forficata to the soil water availability.