Development of a non-titration potentiometric method for the determination of acidity in vinegar.

The acidity of a solution is associated with the concentration of Brønsted acids. This work proposes a new non-titrimetric potentiometric method using citrate buffer for the determination of vinegar acidity. The difference between the pH values before and after the addition of a diluted vinegar sample to 10 mmol L-1 citrate buffer (pH 5.5) was related to the acetic acid concentration. The dynamic range of the quadratic analytical curve was from 3.5 to 20 mmol L-1 (R2 = 0.998). The repeatability was 0.8% for acetic acid at 0.01 mol L-1. Comparison with the conventional titration method showed an error between 0.7% and 4.64% (n = 9) for analysis of commercial vinegar samples The behaviour of the system could be explained using the buffering function.

Interventions in sexual and reproductive health services addressing violence against women in low-income and middle-income countries: a mixed-methods systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To synthesise evidence on the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and barriers to responding to violence against women (VAW) in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in low/middle-income countries (LMICs). DESIGN: Mixed-methods systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, Psycinfo, Cochrane, Cinahl, IMEMR, Web of Science, Popline, Lilacs, WHO RHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google, Google Scholar, websites of key organisations through December 2019. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies of any design that evaluated VAW interventions in SRH services in LMICs. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Concurrent narrative quantitative and thematic qualitative syntheses, integration through line of argument and mapping onto a logic model. Two reviewers extracted data and appraised quality. RESULTS: 26 studies of varied interventions using heterogeneous outcomes. Of ten interventions that strengthened health systems capacity to respond to VAW during routine SRH consultation, three reported no harm and reduction in some types of violence. Of nine interventions that strengthened health systems and communities' capacity to respond to VAW, three reported conflicting effects on re-exposure to some types of VAW and mixed effect on SRH. The interventions increased identification of VAW but had no effect on the provision (75%-100%) and uptake (0.6%-53%) of referrals to VAW services. Of seven psychosocial interventions in addition to SRH consultation that strengthened women's readiness to address VAW, four reduced re-exposure to some types of VAW and improved health. Factors that disrupted the pathway to better outcomes included accepting attitudes towards VAW, fear of consequences and limited readiness of the society, health systems and individuals. No study evaluated cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Some VAW interventions in SRH services reduced re-exposure to some types of VAW and improved some health outcomes in single studies. Future interventions should strengthen capacity to address VAW across health systems, communities and individual women. First-line support should be better tailored to women's needs and expectations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019137167.

Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Cancer Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact and Lessons Learned.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this article is to summarize the opinions of the surgical oncology leaders from the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons (GFCS) about the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer surgery. METHODS: A panel session (virtual) was held at the annual Society of Surgical Oncology 2021 International Conference on Surgical Cancer Care to address the impact of COVID-19 on cancer surgery globally. Following the virtual meeting, a questionnaire was sent to all the leaders to gather additional opinions. The input obtained from all the leaders was collated and analyzed to understand how cancer surgeons from across the world adapted in real-time to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The surgical oncology leaders noted that the COVID-19 pandemic led to severe disruptions in surgical cancer care across all domains of clinical care, education, and research. Several new changes/protocols associated with increased costs were implemented to deliver safe care. Leaders also noted that preexisting disparities in care were exacerbated, and the pandemic had a detrimental effect on well-being and financial status. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe disruptions in surgical cancer care globally. Leaders of the GFCS opined that new strategies need to be implemented to prepare for any future catastrophic events based on the lessons learned from the current events. The GFCS will embark on developing such a roadmap to ensure that surgical cancer care is preserved in the future regardless of any catastrophic global events.

Interactions of gall-formers and leaf-chewers on a tropical tree fern: evidence for non-repulsion and co-occurrence between insect guilds.

Host plant selection by herbivores is driven by a complex array of cues, including leaf traits and previous leaf damage. Herbivore-associated cues to host selection at the plant and leaf scale aid understanding of mechanisms responsible for host preference that might translate into increased performance, as well as processes structuring herbivore populations mediated by interactions. We investigated how changes induced by a galling insect in the tropical fern Cyathea phalerata act as repellent or attractant cues for sawfly feeding and the effects of leaf size on herbivory levels. We recorded gall abundance, damage by chewers, leaf size, plant nutritional quality, phenolic concentration and leaf anatomical traits between galled and non-galled leaf samples. Galled samples contained less N, higher levels of phenolics and higher C/N ratio. However, leaf-chewing damage did not differ between galled and non-galled leaves. The gall structure was avoided by chewers, as it had high concentrations of phenolics, lignification and suberization. Larger leaves sustained higher gall abundance, but leaf size did not have a significant effect on chewer damage. A co-occurrence index calculated for both guilds indicated that galls and chewers exhibited a distribution that did not differ from random, reinforcing that the two guilds on C. phalerata do not show patterns of repulsion such as those maintained by interspecific competition. Sawflies dismissing chemical cues indicate that the increase in phenolics caused by galling insects does not generate increased protection of the galled pinnules. Our results highlight ferns as key resources for herbivores and as a potential plant group to study new research avenues on plant-insect interactions.

Isolation and characterization of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from gas station leaking-contaminated groundwater in the Southern Amazon, Brazil / Isolamento e caracterização de bactérias degradadoras de hidrocarbonetos de água subterrânea contaminada por vazamentos em posto de combustível no sul da Amazônia, Brasil

Abstract Twenty-three hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria strains were isolated from gas station leaking-contaminated groundwater located in the Southern Amazon, Brazil. Based on hydrocarbon (diesel, hexadecane, benzene, toluene and xylene) degradation ability, two strains were selected for further study. The amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that these two strains belonged to the genus Bacillus (Bacillus sp. L26 and Bacillus sp. L30). GC-MS analysis showed that strain L30 was the most effective in degrading n-alkane (C10-C27) from diesel after 7 days of cultivation in mineral medium. Both strains produced biosurfactants and showed emulsification activity, specially the strain L30. Alkane hydroxylase gene (group III), which is important for alkane biodegradation, was present in strains. As a result, this study indicated that these bacteria could have promising applications in hydrocarbon bioremediation.

Resumo Vinte e três linhagens bacterianas degradadoras de hidrocarbonetos foram isoladas de água subterrânea contaminada por vazamento em posto de combustível no sul da Amazônia, Brasil. Com base na habilidade de degradar hidrocarbonetos (diesel, hexadecano, benzeno, tolueno e xileno), duas linhagens foram selecionadas para estudos posteriores. A amplificação e sequenciamento do gene 16S rRNA demonstrou que essas linhagens pertencem ao gênero Bacillus (Bacillus sp. L26 and Bacillus sp. L30). Análises de GC-MS mostraram que a linhagem L30 foi mais eficiente em degradar n-alcanos (C10-C27) presentes no diesel, após 7 dias de cultivo em meio mineral. Ambas as linhagens produziram biossurfactantes e apresentaram atividade emulsificante, especialmente a linhagem L30. O gene alcano hidroxilase (grupo III), o qual é importante para degradação de alcanos, foram detectados nas linhagens. Como resultado, este estudo indicou que essas linhagens bacterianas podem ser promissoras se aplicadas em processos de biorremediação.

Application of an enhanced homogenization technique to the structural multiscale analysis of a femur bone.

Bone is a complex hierarchical material that can be characterized from the microscale to macroscale. This work demonstrates the application of an enhanced homogenization methodology to the multiscale structural analysis of a femoral bone. The use of this homogenization technique allows to remove subjectivity and reduce the computational cost associated with the iterative process of creating a heterogeneous mesh. Thus, it allows to create simpler homogenized meshes with its mechanical properties defined using information directly from the mesh source: the medical images. Therefore, this methodology is capable to accurately predict bone mechanical behavior in a fraction of the time required by classical approaches. The results show that using the homogenization technique, despite the differences between the used homogeneous and heterogeneous meshes, its mechanical behavior is similar. The proposed homogenization technique is useful for a multiscale modelling and it is computationally efficient.

Isolation and characterization of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from gas station leaking-contaminated groundwater in the Southern Amazon, Brazil.

Twenty-three hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria strains were isolated from gas station leaking-contaminated groundwater located in the Southern Amazon, Brazil. Based on hydrocarbon (diesel, hexadecane, benzene, toluene and xylene) degradation ability, two strains were selected for further study. The amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that these two strains belonged to the genus Bacillus (Bacillus sp. L26 and Bacillus sp. L30). GC-MS analysis showed that strain L30 was the most effective in degrading n-alkane (C10-C27) from diesel after 7 days of cultivation in mineral medium. Both strains produced biosurfactants and showed emulsification activity, specially the strain L30. Alkane hydroxylase gene (group III), which is important for alkane biodegradation, was present in strains. As a result, this study indicated that these bacteria could have promising applications in hydrocarbon bioremediation.

Composition of fatty acids, tocopherols, tocotrienols and ß-carotene content in oils of seeds of Brazilian Sapindaceae and Meliaceae species.

This study analyzes the lipid composition and the oxidative stability of oils of Sapindaceae and Meliaceae seeds. The oil content ranged from 14.7% (Guarea guidonia) to 30.1% (Allophylus puberulus and Paullinia elegans). Ten fatty acids were identified in seed oils. Guarea guidonia seeds accumulated mainly oleic (44.9%) and linoleic (24.1%) acid, whereas the unusual gondoic and paullinic acids were identified in A. puberulus (15.8%; 8.9%) and P. elegans (14.4%; 44.2%), respectively. The oil of P. elegans had the highest oxidative stability (16.2 h.). Tocopherol predominated in A. puberulus (10.4 mg/100 g) and tocotrienol predominated in G. guidonea and P. elegans (2.6 mg/100 g). The vitamers α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and γ-tocotrienol were found in the studied oils. ß-carotene was predominantly detected in the oil of A. puberulus seeds (22.4 µg/g). Guarea guidonia seed oil has a high potential in food due to richness in essential fatty acids. In turn, A. puberulus and P. elegans oils could be suggested for other industrial purposes (e.g., biodiesel, varnishes, paints, soaps, or oleochemicals) due to their content of long-chain fatty acids.

Normal variation of bone marrow B-cell precursors according to age - reference ranges for studies in myelodysplastic syndromes in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Normal B lymphoid maturation occurs in bone marrow (BM) throughout life, but immature B-cell progenitors (BCPs) are more numerous in children than in adults. To assess the normal values according to age became important as BCPs are decreased in myelodysplastic syndromes and have been considered an important diagnostic and prognostic feature in these clonal disorders. METHODS: in a multicenter retrospective study from the Brazilian Group of Flow Cytometry we analyzed the variation of BCPs in normal BM according to age and technical peculiarities of each laboratory. We analysed of 45 BM donors and 89 cases examined for elucidation of transitory reactive cytopenias presenting a normal BM immunophenotyping. BCPs were enumerated as CD19+ /CD34+ /CD45dim /CD10+ cells (panel 1) or CD19+ /CD34+ /CD45dim cells (panel 2) among the total nucleated non-erythroid cells and as percentage of CD34+ cells. RESULTS: we included 134 cases. Panel 1 was applied in 88 cases and panel 2 was used in 46. Age range: 10 months to 89 years. In a multiple regression, % BCPs/total nucleated cells was an exponential function of age. Age explained alone 49.4% of the variance, while 'panel used' explained 1.8% and 'laboratory' explained 0.7%. Age explained only 24.9% of the variance of BCPs/CD34+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: in normal individuals, BM B-cell precursors varied mainly according to age, but were also dependent on technical peculiarities of operators and equipments. Analysis by phenotype and as percentage of total nucleated cells was more accurate and less susceptible to variation than evaluating % BCPs/total CD34+ cells. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Isolation and characterization of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from gas station leaking-contaminated groundwater in the Southern Amazon, Brazil

Abstract Twenty-three hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria strains were isolated from gas station leaking-contaminated groundwater located in the Southern Amazon, Brazil. Based on hydrocarbon (diesel, hexadecane, benzene, toluene and xylene) degradation ability, two strains were selected for further study. The amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that these two strains belonged to the genus Bacillus (Bacillus sp. L26 and Bacillus sp. L30). GC-MS analysis showed that strain L30 was the most effective in degrading n-alkane (C10-C27) from diesel after 7 days of cultivation in mineral medium. Both strains produced biosurfactants and showed emulsification activity, specially the strain L30. Alkane hydroxylase gene (group III), which is important for alkane biodegradation, was present in strains. As a result, this study indicated that these bacteria could have promising applications in hydrocarbon bioremediation.

Resumo Vinte e três linhagens bacterianas degradadoras de hidrocarbonetos foram isoladas de água subterrânea contaminada por vazamento em posto de combustível no sul da Amazônia, Brasil. Com base na habilidade de degradar hidrocarbonetos (diesel, hexadecano, benzeno, tolueno e xileno), duas linhagens foram selecionadas para estudos posteriores. A amplificação e sequenciamento do gene 16S rRNA demonstrou que essas linhagens pertencem ao gênero Bacillus (Bacillus sp. L26 and Bacillus sp. L30). Análises de GC-MS mostraram que a linhagem L30 foi mais eficiente em degradar n-alcanos (C10-C27) presentes no diesel, após 7 dias de cultivo em meio mineral. Ambas as linhagens produziram biossurfactantes e apresentaram atividade emulsificante, especialmente a linhagem L30. O gene alcano hidroxilase (grupo III), o qual é importante para degradação de alcanos, foram detectados nas linhagens. Como resultado, este estudo indicou que essas linhagens bacterianas podem ser promissoras se aplicadas em processos de biorremediação.

Avaliação nutricional do resíduo desidratado de cervejaria para coelhos em crescimento / Nutritional evaluation of dried brewer for growing rabbits

Foi conduzido um ensaio de digestibilidade para determinar o valor nutritivo do resíduo desidratado de cervejaria (RDC) e outro para verificar o desempenho de coelhos em crescimento alimentados com rações contendo diferentes níveis de RDC e a viabilidade econômica da utilização do RDC. No ensaio de digestibilidade, foram utilizados 20 coelhos, de ambos os sexos, da raça Nova Zelândia Branco, com idade média de 45 dias, distribuídos em delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, com dois tratamentos, sendo uma dieta referência e outra dieta teste, na qual o RDC substituiu a ração referência em nível de 30%. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente (CDA) da matéria seca (MS), da energia bruta (EB), da proteína bruta (PB) do RDC foram de 49,97%, 49,34%, e 71,06%, respectivamente, com valores de energia digestível (ED) e proteína digestível (PD) do RDC, com base na matéria seca, de 2330,60kcal/kg e 15,75%. No experimento de desempenho, foram avaliadas rações com níveis de inclusão de RDC de 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% e 25%. Foram utilizados 120 coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia Branco, 60 machos e 60 fêmeas, com 32 dias de idade, em delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, com seis tratamentos e 10 repetições, sendo a unidade experimental constituída por dois animais. Não foram observadas diferenças no desempenho dos coelhos alimentados com ração contendo níveis crescentes de RDC, exceto para a conversão alimentar aos 70 dias, que apresentou efeito quadrático no período dos 32 aos 70 dias de idade, com a pior conversão alimentar ao nível de 16,95% de RDC. No entanto, houve redução linear nos custos com alimentação, por quilo de ganho de peso dos animais. Conclui-se que o resíduo desidratado de cervejaria apresenta CDA equivalente aos ingredientes convencionais, podendo ser incluído até o nível máximo estudado de 25% nas rações de coelhos em crescimento, sem prejudicar o desempenho.(AU)

Two experiments were conducted, being a digestibility assay in order to determine the nutritive value of dehydrated diets containing different levels of DBR, and the economic viability of the use of DRC brewer residue (DBR) and other assays to verify the performance of growing rabbits fed. In the digestibility experiment, twenty White New Zealand rabbits were used, with an average age of 45 days, of both genders, distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments, one reference diet and other test diets, in which the DBR replaced the basal diet at 30% level. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP) of DBR were, respectively, 49.97%, 49.34% and 71.06%. The values of digestible energy (DE) and digestible protein (DP) of the DBR, based on dry matter, were 2330.60kcal/kg and 15.75%. In the performance experiment, diets with levels of DBR inclusion of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% were evaluated. One hundred and twenty 32 days old New Zealand White rabbits were used, being 60 males and 60 females, distributed in a completely randomized design with six treatments and ten replicates, and the experimental unit consisted of two animals. No differences (P>0.05) were observed in the performance of rabbits fed diets containing increasing levels of dehydrated brewer residue, except for feed conversion at 70 days which presented a quadratic effect, with the worst results at the level of 16.95% of the DBR inclusion in the diet. It is concluded that the dehydrated brewer residue has good nutritional value and can be included up to the maximum level studied of 25% in the diets of growing rabbits, with no damage to its performance.(AU)

Validation and evaluation of VapA-specific IgG and IgG subclass enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to identify foals with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Rhodococcus equi (Rhodococcus hoagii/Prescottella equi) is a common cause of foal pneumonia, but its diagnosis remains a challenge for equine veterinarians. While the VapA-specific (virulence-associated protein A) immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has low sensitivity and specificity for detecting pneumonic foals, little is known about VapA-specific IgG subclasses. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of VapA-specific ELISA for IgG and its subclasses IgGa, IgGb and IgG(T) in the early diagnosis of pneumonia caused by R. equi. STUDY DESIGN: Assay validation followed by assessment of diagnostic performance using archived samples from animals of known status. METHODS: Serum samples from exposed (n = 125) and nonexposed adult horses (n = 10) and from experimentally challenged and naturally infected foals were used for ELISA validation. Post mortem and tissue culture records of the last 24 years from the Institute for Experimental Pathology at the University of Iceland in Keldur, Iceland laboratory were evaluated to confirm the absence of R. equi cases in Iceland. The diagnostic performance of VapA-specific IgG and its subclasses was evaluated using banked serum samples from pneumonic (n = 21) and healthy foals (n = 80). To evaluate each IgG assay, a cut-off value was selected based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and used to calculate sensitivity and specificity. The intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were calculated for each ELISA. RESULTS: Using sera from Iceland, where R. equi infection has not been reported, the VapA-specific IgG ELISA differentiated exposed from nonexposed horses. When used to identify infected foals, VapA-specific IgG, IgGa and IgGb had no diagnostic value. In contrast, IgG(T) had high sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Horses from Iceland are not exposed to VapA(+) R. equi and can serve as negative controls. VapA-specific IgG subclasses, with the exception of IgG(T), are poor predictors of disease. Further investigation on the use of IgG(T) as a diagnostic tool in field conditions is needed.

Ecotoxicological risks of calcium nitrate exposure to freshwater tropical organisms: Laboratory and field experiments.

This study aimed to analyze laboratory and field data to assess the ecotoxicological risks of calcium nitrate exposure to freshwater tropical biota. Short-term laboratorial tests resulted in estimated EC50 values of 76.72 (67.32-86.12)mg N-NO3₋ L(-1) for C. silvestrii and 296.46 (277.16-315.76) mg N-NO3₋ L(-1) for C. xanthus. Long-term laboratorial tests generated IC25 values of 5.05 (4.35-5.75) and 28.73 (26.30-31.15) mg N-NO3₋ L(-1) for C. silvestrii and C. xanthus, respectively. The results from in situ mesocosm experiments performed in the Ibirité reservoir (a tropical eutrophic urban water body located in SE Brazil) indicated that C. silvestrii and C. xanthus were not under severe deleterious acute impact due to the treatment because the higher nitrate concentrations determined were 5.2 mg N-NO3₋ L(-1) (t=24 h; sediment-water interface) and 17.5 mg N-NO3₋ L(-1) (t=600 h; interstitial water). However, an abrupt decrease in the densities of Cyanophyceae members and other benthic taxa was observed. In summary, the present work contributes greatly to the toxicity data linked to two taxonomically distinct organisms that have never been screened for calcium nitrate sensitivity. Furthermore, considering the problem of the management and restoration of eutrophic environments, our study reports a comprehensive field assessment that allows the elucidation of the possible toxic impacts caused by the addition of calcium nitrate (a remediation technique) on aquatic and benthic organisms as well as the implications on the aquatic ecosystem as a whole, which may greatly allow expanding the current knowledgebase on the topic.

Avaliação de dieta formulada com subprodutos de mandioca na produção de sêmen de coelhos / Evaluation of diet formulated with cassava by-products in the rabbit semen production

Avaliaram-se as características quantitativas e qualitativas do sêmen de coelhos alimentados com uma ração referência e outra ração formulada com 79,83% de subprodutos de mandioca. Utilizaram-se 20 reprodutores da raça Nova Zelândia Branco, com idade média inicial de sete meses, alojados individualmente em gaiolas e distribuídos em delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, com duas dietas e dez repetições. Realizaram-se dez colheitas de sêmen por animal durante seis meses. Avaliaram-se o volume de sêmen sem gel e volume de gel, cor do sêmen, pH, motilidade espermática progressiva, vigor espermático, concentração espermática, número de espermatozoides no ejaculado, espermatozoides normais, anormais e anormalidades primárias e secundárias. O volume de sêmen sem gel, o índice de normalidade, as anormalidades primárias e secundárias foram iguais (P>0,05) para os animais alimentados com a ração referência e a com subprodutos de mandioca. Os demais parâmetros do sêmen foram melhores (P<0,05) nos animais tratados com a ração com subprodutos de mandioca. Os resultados das características quali-quantitativas do sêmen dos coelhos da Raça Nova Zelândia Branco demonstram que é possível utilizar ração com 79,83% do volume da formulação com subprodutos de mandioca, na dieta de reprodutores, sem prejuízos nas características do sêmen, desde que observados os níveis reduzidos de taninos e ácido cianídrico.

The quantitative and qualitative rabbit semen characteristics fed with a reference diet and a diet formulated with 79.83% of cassava by-products were evaluated. 20 New Zealand White rabbit bucks, with initial average age of seven months were used, individually allocated and distributed in a completely ramdomized design, with two diets (treatments) and ten replications. The ten semen collections per animal were taken during six months. The evaluated parameters were: semen volume without gel and gel volume, color of semen, pH, spermatic progressive motility, spermatic vigor, spermatic concentration, spermatozoa number in the ejaculation, normal spermatozoa, abnormal and primary and secondary abnormalities spermatozoa. The semen volume without gel, the normal spermatozoa, primary and secondary abnormalities spermatozoa were similar (P>0.05) to the animals fed with cassava by-products diet and reference diet. Other semen parameters were better (P<0.05) in the animals fed with the cassava by-products diet. The results of the quali-quantitative characteristics of the semen from New Zealand White rabbits showed that it is possible to use diets containing 79.83% of inclusion of cassava by-products in the diet of rabbit bucks, without affecting semen characteristics, since we observed the reduced level of tannins and hydrocyanic acid.

Administration of commercial Rhodococcus equi specific hyperimmune plasma results in variable amounts of IgG against pathogenic bacteria in foals.

Rhodococcus equi is the most common cause of pneumonia in young foals. A vaccine is not available and the use of R equi-specific hyperimmune plasma (HIP) is common. Despite its widespread use, the efficacy of HIP in preventing disease remains controversial. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the virulence associate protein A (VapA)-specific IgG and IgG subclasses in commercially available R equi HIP and (2) to evaluate serum VapA-specific IgG and IgG subclasses in foals following administration of commercial R equi HIP. Three different lots from four commercial R equi HIP were sampled. VapA-specific IgG and IgG subclasses were evaluated in all samples using an ELISA. Serum was collected from newborn foals either after commercial R equi HIP was administered (n=97) or not (n=70). Serum was also collected from each mare. Administration of HIP significantly (P<0.001) increased VapA-specific IgGs in recipient foals, however, there was a marked variation in VapA-specific IgGs in foals receiving the same product. VapA-specific IgGs were significantly different (P<0.001) between products and varied between lots, with coefficients of variation ranging from 17 to 123 per cent. These results may explain previously reported disparities in HIP efficacy.

Influence of acute exercise on the osmotic stability of the human erythrocyte membrane.

This study evaluated the effects of 2 different types of acute aerobic exercise on the osmotic stability of human erythrocyte membrane and on different hematological and biochemical variables that are associated with this membrane property. The study population consisted of 20 healthy and active men. Participants performed single sessions of 2 types of exercise. The first session consisted of 60 min of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE). The second session, executed a week later, consisted of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) until exhaustion. The osmotic stability of the erythrocyte membrane was represented by the inverse of the salt concentration (1/H50) at the midpoint of the sigmoidal curve of dependence between the absorbance of hemoglobin and the NaCl concentration. The values of 1/H50 changed from 2.29±0.1 to 2.33±0.09 after MICE and from 2.30±0.08 to 2.23±0.12 after HIIE. During MICE mean corpuscular volume increased, probably due to in vivo lysis of older erythrocytes, with preservation of cells that were larger and more resistant to in vitro lysis. The study showed that a single bout of acute exercise affected erythrocyte stability, which increased after MICE and decreased after HIIE.

Astrocyte pathology in the prefrontal cortex impairs the cognitive function of rats.

Interest in astroglial cells is rising due to recent findings supporting dynamic neuron-astrocyte interactions. There is increasing evidence of astrocytic dysfunction in several brain disorders such as depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder; importantly these pathologies are characterized by the involvement of the prefrontal cortex and by significant cognitive impairments. Here, to model astrocyte pathology, we injected animals with the astrocyte specific toxin L-α-aminoadipate (L-AA) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC); a behavioral and structural characterization two and six days after the injection was performed. Behavioral data shows that the astrocyte pathology in the mPFC affects the attentional set-shifting, the working memory and the reversal learning functions. Histological analysis of brain sections of the L-AA-injected animals revealed a pronounced loss of astrocytes in the targeted region. Interestingly, analysis of neurons in the lesion sites showed a progressive neuronal loss that was accompanied with dendritic atrophy in the surviving neurons. These results suggest that the L-AA-induced astrocytic loss in the mPFC triggers subsequent neuronal damage leading to cognitive impairment in tasks depending on the integrity of this brain region. These findings are of relevance to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying disorders that involve astrocytic loss/dysfunction in the PFC.

Glicerina semipurificada vegetal e mista na alimentação de coelhos em crescimento / Vegetal and mixed semipurified glycerin in the feeding of growing rabbits

Dois experimentos foram conduzidos com o objetivo de determinar a energia digestível da glicerina semipurificada vegetal e mista e o desempenho de coelhos em crescimento alimentados com dietas contendo os coprodutos. No ensaio de digestibilidade, foram utilizados 108 coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia Branco, com 45 dias de idade, distribuídos ao acaso em nove tratamentos (0, 4, 8, 12 e 16% de inclusão de glicerina vegetal e mista na dieta), com 12 repetições. Para o ensaio de desempenho, utilizaram-se 180 coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia Branco, dos 32 aos 70 dias de idade, distribuídos ao acaso em arranjo fatorial 2 x 4 (dois tipos de glicerina e quatro porcentagens de inclusão: 3, 6, 9 e 12%) mais uma dieta referência, com 10 repetições e dois animais por unidade experimental. Glicerinas vegetal e mista apresentaram energia digestível de 4.048 e 3.697kcal/kg MS, respectivamente. Entre 32 e 50 dias de idade dos coelhos, a dieta com 12% de glicerina mista prejudicou (P<0,05) o ganho de peso (32,14 g/dia), a conversão alimentar (3,57) e o custo por quilo de ganho de peso (R$ 2,08) em relação à dieta referência (39,42g/dia, 2,87 e R$1,69, respectivamente). Dos 32 aos 70 dias, o ganho de peso (30,11g/dia) e a conversão alimentar (3,99) dos animais que receberam 12% de glicerina mista na dieta foram piores (P<0,05) em relação aos da dieta referência (34,00g/dia e 3,65, respectivamente). Para as características de desempenho, dos 32 aos 70 dias, não foram verificadas diferenças (P>0,05) entre a inclusão de glicerina vegetal na dieta e a dieta referência, porém a maior viabilidade econômica (P<0,05) foi com 12% de inclusão (R$1,89 x R$2,15, respectivamente). A glicerina vegetal pode ser incluída em até 12% da dieta e a mista, em até 9%, diminuindo o custo de produção sem afetar o desempenho animal.

Two trials were conducted with the goal of determining the digestible energy of vegetal and mixed semi purified glycerin and the performance of growing rabbits fed with diets containing the byproducts. In the digestibility assay 108 New Zealand White rabbits, 45 days old, were used, assigned in a completely randomized design into nine treatments (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16% of glycerins inclusion), with 12 replications. The treatment with 0% of glycerin inclusion was considered the reference diet. In the performance assay, 180 New Zealand White rabbits, 32 to 70 days of age, were assigned to a completely randomized design into a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement (two types of glycerin and four percentages of inclusion: 3, 6, 9 and 12%) plus a reference diet and ten replications with two animals per experimental unit. Vegetal and mixed glycerin showed a digestible energy of 4,048 and 3,697 kcal/kg of dry matter, respectively. From 32 to 50 days of age, the diet with 12% of mixed glycerin affected (P<0.05) weight gain (32.14g/day), feed conversion (3.57) and cost per kilo of weight gain (R$2.08) in relation to the reference diet (39.42g/day, 2.87 and R$ 1.69, respectively). From 32 to 70 days, weight gain (30.11g/day) and feed conversion (3.99) of the animals fed with the diet containing 12% of mixed glycerin were worst (P<0.05) in relation to the reference diet (34.00 g/day and 3.65, respectively). Regarding characteristics of animal performance, from 32 to 70 days, no differences (P>0.05) were observed between the inclusion of vegetal glycerin in the diet and the reference diet, but better economic viability was verified (P<0.05) with the diet containing 12% of vegetal glycerin (R$1.89 x R$2.15, respectively). Vegetal glycerin can be included up to 12% in the diet and mixed up to 9%, reducing production cost without affecting animal performance.

Genetic diversity of Brazilian and introduced olive germplasms based on microsatellite markers.

Olive trees have been grown since the beginning of civilization, and the consumption of olives and olive products is increasing worldwide, due to their health benefits and organoleptic qualities. To meet the growing market for olives, commercial cultivation of this species is expanding from traditional areas to new regions. Although the Brazilian olive industry has just begun to be established, breeding programs are already developing cultivars that are more adapted to local conditions. We used 12 microsatellite markers to evaluate 60 olive accessions, including several cultivars that were developed in Brazil. The analyses identified 72 distinct alleles; the largest number of alleles per locus were at the markers GAPU 101 and GAPU 71B, which contained 10 and 9 alleles, respectively. The largest allelic diversity and polymorphic information contents were also found at the GAPU 101 and GAPU 71B markers, with values of 0.8399/0.8203 and 0.8117/0.7863, respectively. Additionally, the 12 microsatellite markers generated a cumulative identity probability of 1.51 x 10(-10), indicating a high level of accuracy of accession identification. The set of markers that we used allowed the identification of 52 of the 60 olive genotypes, in addition to the recognition of several varietal synonyms. The components of a two-dimensional principal coordinate analysis explained 48.6% of the total genetic variation. The results obtained from the microsatellite markers showed a substantial degree of genetic diversity in the olive tree accessions used in Brazil.

First record of the olive bud mite Oxycenus maxwelli (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae) from Brazil.

The mite Oxycenus maxwelli (Keifer) (Eriophyidae) is reported for the first time in Brazil infesting olive trees, Olea europaea. Specimens were found on seedlings at Maria da Fé, state of Minas Gerais, in 2007. Although minor symptoms were not noticed, significant damage to plants were observed. There is no reliable evidence of when the mite could have been introduced. It is believed that the mite occurs since the first introductions of olive trees, around 1820, through vegetative propagating material, but the mite remained unnoticed due to the lack of studies with olive trees in Brazil.