Genetic complexity of miscanthus cell wall composition and biomass quality for biofuels

BACKGROUND: Miscanthus sinensis is a high yielding perennial grass species with great potential as a bioenergy feedstock. One of the challenges that currently impedes commercial cellulosic biofuel production is the technical difficulty to efficiently convert lignocellulosic biomass into biofuel. The development of feedstocks with better biomass quality will improve conversion efficiency and the sustainability of the value-chain. Progress in the genetic improvement of biomass quality may be substantially expedited by the development of genetic markers associated to quality traits, which can be used in a marker-assisted selection program. RESULTS: To this end, a mapping population was developed by crossing two parents of contrasting cell wall composition. The performance of 182 F1 offspring individuals along with the parents was evaluated in a field trial with a randomized block design with three replicates. Plants were phenotyped for cell wall composition and conversion efficiency characters in the second and third growth season after establishment. A new SNP-based genetic map for M. sinensis was built using a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach, which resulted in 464 short-sequence uniparental markers that formed 16 linkage groups in the male map and 17 linkage groups in the female map. A total of 86 QTLs for a variety of biomass quality characteristics were identified, 20 of which were detected in both growth seasons. Twenty QTLs were directly associated to different conversion efficiency characters. Marker sequences were aligned to the sorghum reference genome to facilitate cross-species comparisons. Analyses revealed that for some traits previously identified QTLs in sorghum occurred in homologous regions on the same chromosome. CONCLUSION: In this work we report for the first time the genetic mapping of cell wall composition and bioconversion traits in the bioenergy crop miscanthus. These results are a first step towards the development of marker-assisted selection programs in miscanthus to improve biomass quality and facilitate its use as feedstock for biofuel production

Perceptions of nursing alumni regarding the course contribution in providing health care

O estudo avaliou a formação em enfermagem ancorada na problematização e na aprendizagem baseada em problemas a partir da percepção dos egressos. Trata-se de estudo transversal de natureza ex-post-facto. Os resultados foram analisados na triangulação das abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa e na perspectiva hermenêutica dialética. Na abordagem quantitativa 180 egressos responderam um questionário. Na qualitativa, 14 participaram das entrevistas, que buscaram sentidos relacionados ao cuidado ideal, para construção dos indicadores que revelassem a lógica da avaliação. Esses indicadores nortearam a escolha das questões para triangulação. Os resultados apontaram que 85,1% dos egressos estão inseridos no mercado de trabalho, 92,1% cursaram pós-graduação e 99,1% acreditam apresentar formação necessária ao cuidado ético, humanizado e fundamentado. A análise dos dados aponta para formação comprometida com a construção da autonomia e do conhecimento, bem como articulada aos princípios do Sistema Único de Saúde e do mundo do trabalho em enfermagem.El estudio objetivó evaluar los resultados de la formación en enfermería anclada en la problematización y en el aprendizaje basado en problemas desde la percepción de los propios egresados. Estudio transversal y de naturaleza ex-post-facto. Los resultados fueron analizados en por la triangulación de métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos y la perspectiva hermenéutica dialéctica. En el abordaje cuantitativo 180 egresados respondieron un cuestionario. En el cualitativo, 14 participaron de entrevistas, relatando sus pensamientos relacionados al cuidado ideal, para la construcción de indicadores que revelasen la lógica de la evaluación. Esos indicaron nortearon las cuestiones para la triangulación. Los resultados mostraron: 85,1% de los graduados están en el mercado laboral, 92,1% asistieron al posgrado y 99,1% creen presentar una formación necesaria al cuidado ético, humanizado y fundamentado. Los datos resaltan una formación comprometida con la construcción de autonomía y conocimiento y articulada a los principios del Sistema Único de Salud y del mundo laboral en enfermería.This present study evaluated nursing education based on problem-solving and learning based on problems originating from alumni's perceptions. This is an ex-post-facto cross-sectional study. Results were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches triangulation and through dialectical hermeneutics. In the quantitative approach 180 alumni answered a questionnaire. The qualitative approach involved 14 interviews that searched for meanings related to the notion of ideal care, in order to build indicators that would reveal this evaluation logic. These indicators guided the choice of triangulation questions. Results demonstrated that 85.1% of alumni are working in the nursing market, 92.1% have taken a post-graduate course and 99.1% believe they have the education required to deliver ethical, humanized and founded care. Data analysis demonstrates a compromised education as autonomy and knowledge are being built, and articulated to the Single Health System and the world nursing principles.Faculdade de Medicina de MaríliaFamemaUniversidade Estadual PaulistaUniversidade Estadual Paulist

Leishmaniose visceral (calazar) na Ilha de São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil: evolução e perspectivas

Leishmaniose visceral (calazar) entrou definitivamente como nosologia importante do Estado do Maranhão, Brasil, a partir de 1982. Desde então, vários autores têm trabalhado o tema do ponto de vista de relatos. No entanto, a parte de diagnóstico, tratamento e controle de cura percorreram caminhos difíceis e sempre preocupou os que estudam a doença que se instalou na Ilha de São Luís a partir da desestabilização dos ecótopos da Lutzomya longipalpis, o transmissor mais importante. Após 1993 a constatação de casos com má resposta ao antimoniato-n-metil glucamina (Glucantime®) veio se somar às outras preucupações. O estudo atual mostra como o Sistema Único de Saúde, através dos seus serviços, atua no controle da doença e conclui sobre a existência de refratariedade ao Glucantime® o que impõe maior vigilância no diagnóstico, tratamento e controle de cura dos pacientes.<br>Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) was definitively an important disease of the state of Maranhão-Brasil since 1982. Since of then, many authors have been working with this topic in spite of reports. Nevertheless, the aspects of diagnosis, treatment an control of cure went through still hard worried the authors have been studing the disease, that came at São Luís Island since of the desestabilization of the ecotops of Lutzomya longipalpis, most important sandflies bites. After 1993 the constatation of cases with bad response to pentavalent antimonial (Glucantime®) comes to add the other worries. This actual trial accost the disease and conclude about an existence of failures to Glucantime® being important to have much vigilance in the diagnosis, treatment and control of cure of the patients