Abstract Water deficit is an important climatic problem that can impair agriculture yield and economy. Genetically modified soybean plants containing the AtNCED3 gene were obtained aiming drought-tolerance improvement. The NCED3 gene encodes a 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED, EC 1.13.11.51), an important enzyme in abscisic acid biosynthesis. ABA activates the expression of drought-responsive genes, in water-deficit conditions, targeting defense mechanisms and enabling plants to survive under low water availability. Results from greenhouse experiments showed that the transgene AtNCED3 and the endogenous genes GmAREB1, GmPP2C, GmSnRK2 and GmAAO3 presented higher expression under water deficit (WD) in the event 2Ha11 than in WT-plants. No significant correlation was observed between the plant materials and WD conditions for growth parameters; however, gas exchange measurements decreased in the GM event, which also showed 80% higher intrinsic water use when compared to WT plants. In crop season 2015/16, event 2Ha11 showed higher total number of pods, higher number of pods with seeds and yield than WT plants. ABA concentration was also higher in GM plants under WD. These results obtained in field screenings suggest that AtNCED3 soybean plants might outperform under drought, reducing economic and yield losses, thus being a good candidate line to be incorporated in the soybean-breeding program to develop drought-tolerant cultivars.

The loss of soybean yield to Brazilian producers because of a water deficit in the 2011-2012 season was 12.9%. To reduce such losses, molecular biology techniques, including plant transformation, can be used to insert genes of interest into conventional soybean cultivars to produce lines that are more tolerant to drought. The abscisic acid (ABA)-independent Dehydration Responsive Element Binding (DREB) gene family has been used to obtain plants with increased tolerance to abiotic stresses. In the present study, the rd29A:AtDREB2A CA gene from Arabidopsis thaliana was inserted into soybean using biolistics. Seventy-eight genetically modified (GM) soybean lines containing 2-17 copies of the AtDREB2A CA gene were produced. Two GM soybean lines (P1397 and P2193) were analyzed to assess the differential expression of the AtDREB2A CA transgene in leaves and roots submitted to various dehydration treatments. Both GM lines exhibited high expression of the transgene, with the roots of P2193 showing the highest expression levels during water deficit. Physiological parameters examined during water deficit confirmed the induction of stress. This analysis of AtDREB2A CA expression in GM soybean indicated that line P2193 had the greatest stability and highest expression in roots during water deficit-induced stress.

INTRODUÇÃO: Nenhum padrão de qualidade de vida e atividades diárias no período pós-operatório já foi validado na área de doenças vasculares. O Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) é um questionário específico para pacientes com claudicação intermitente devido à aterosclerose obliterante. O WIQ se baseia em quatro subescalas: intensidade da dor, distância caminhada, velocidade de caminhada e subir degraus durante caminhada. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a correlação entre fluxo sanguíneo periférico pós-operatório e a edição japonesa do WIQ. MÉTODOS: Trinta e um pacientes (totalizando 47 membros inferiores) com claudicação intermitente que se submeteram à reconstrução arterial cirúrgica foram avaliados pelo WIQ e comparados por meio do índice de pressão tornozelo-braço (ITB) e angiografia. RESULTADOS: Um aumento significativo no escore do WIQ foi observado em relação à dor durante caminhada (26 versus 89,5, p<0,001), distância caminhada (13,1 versus 83,3, p<0,001), velocidade da caminhada (10 versus 46, p<0,001) e ato de subir escadas (6,2 versus 79, p<0,001). O coeficiente de correlação entre o aumento no ITB pós-operatório e o escore WIQ foi R²=0,1889, demonstrando correlação baixa. A correlação entre obstrução do fluxo sanguíneo devido ao bypass pós-operatório avaliado por angiografia e WIQ foi R²=0,3894, o que revela uma correlação moderada. CONCLUSÃO: Uma melhora na edição japonesa do escore WIQ esteve correlacionada não apenas com a qualidade de vida dos pacientes após revascularização com bypass, mas também com a taxa de aumento no ITB pós-operatório e achados imaginológicos, como a angiografia pós-operatória.

BACKGROUND: No standards reflecting the quality of life (QOL) and activity of daily living (ADL) in postoperative clinical course have been validated in the area of vascular disease. The Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) is a disease-specific questionnaire that evaluates patients with intermittent claudication due to arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). The WIQ uses four subscales: pain severity, walking distance, walking speed, and stair climbing while walking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between postoperative arterial blood flow and the Japanese edition of the WIQ. METHODS: Thirty-one patients (47 limbs) with intermittent claudication who had been subjected to lower limb surgical arterial reconstruction were assessed by WIQ, and compared with Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) and angiography. RESULTS: A significant increase in the WIQ score was identified in walking pain (26 versus 89.5, p<0.001), walking distance (13.1 versus 83.3, p<0.001), walking speed (10 versus 46, p<0.001), and stair climbing (6.2 versus 79, p<0.001). The correlation coefficient between the increase in postoperative ABPI and the WIQ score was R²=0.1889, which shows weak correlation. The correlation between blood flow obstruction due to the postoperative bypass that was scored by angiography and WIQ score was R²=0.3894, which shows moderate correlation. CONCLUSION: An improvement in the Japanese edition of the WIQ score was correlated not only with the patients' QOL after bypass revascularization but also with the rate of increase of postoperative ABPI and image findings, such as the postoperative angiography.