Dietary ratio of linoleic to alpha-linolenic acid affects the reproductive performance of Japanese quail.

1. This study was conducted to assess the effects of different dietary omega 6:3 ratios fed to male and female Japanese quail breeders on incubation performance, chick quality and progeny performance.2. A completely randomised design was used, with five diets containing different ratios of vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid (LA from soybean oil) or α-linolenic acid (ALA from linseed oil) with LA/ALA ratios of 13.75:1, 10.69:1, 7.63:1, 4.57:1 and 1.48:1 with 12 cage replicates containing six birds each.3. There was a quadratic effect of the LA/ALA ratio on total hatchability (p < 0.011), fertile hatchability (p = 0.046) and total mortality (p = 0.046). There was no effect on fertility (p > 0.05). The LA/ALA ratios of 1.48 and 13.75 fed to both hens and cockerels or hens resulted in greater fertility, as measured by the number of days after copulation during which fertile eggs were laid and the number of points of hydrolysis on the perivitelline membrane. A decreasing linear effect (p < 0.0001) was observed on chick length and an increasing linear effect on body weight at 1 day of age. There were no effects on progeny performance.4. The LA/ALA ratio affected yolk mineral matter (p = 0.009), crude protein (p = 0.091), chick mineral matter (p < 0.038) and ether extract (p < 0.0001) contents. Maternal diet affected the fatty acid profile of egg yolk and chick liver, indicating that dietary contents were transferred to eggs and chicks.5. Fertile egg production increased with lower LA/ALA ratios. Therefore, linseed oil can be used together with soybean oil to formulate diets for female Japanese quail obtain LA/ALA ratios between 4:1 and 10:1.

Biofilm formation of pathogenic bacteria isolated from aquatic animals.

Bacterial biofilm formation is one of the dynamic processes, which facilitates bacteria cells to attach to a surface and accumulate as a colony. With the help of biofilm formation, pathogenic bacteria can survive by adapting to their external environment. These bacterial colonies have several resistance properties with a higher survival rate in the environment. Especially, pathogenic bacteria can grow as biofilms and can be protected from antimicrobial compounds and other substances. In aquaculture, biofilm formation by pathogenic bacteria has emerged with an increased infection rate in aquatic animals. Studies show that Vibrio anguillarum, V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. campbellii, V. fischeri, Aeromonas hydrophila, A. salmonicida, Yersinia ruckeri, Flavobacterium columnare, F. psychrophilum, Piscirickettsia salmonis, Edwardsiella tarda, E. ictaluri, E. piscicida, Streptococcus parauberis, and S. iniae can survive in the environment by transforming their planktonic form to biofilm form. Therefore, the present review was intended to highlight the principles behind biofilm formation, major biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria found in aquaculture systems, gene expression of those bacterial biofilms and possible controlling methods. In addition, the possibility of these pathogenic bacteria can be a serious threat to aquaculture systems.

Virulence and antimicrobial resistance potential of Aeromonas spp. associated with shellfish.

Aeromonas spp. are associated with seafood-related outbreaks worldwide. In seafood industry, shellfish play a major role in global seafood production. With this emerging trend of shellfish consumption, shellfish-related bacterial infections are being reported frequently. Aeromonas spp. are natural contaminants found in shellfish. Although 36 species have been identified, some species including Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas caviae and Aeromonas veronii biotype sobria have dragged major attention as foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The ability to elaborate a variety of virulence factors of Aeromonas spp. contributes to the pathogenic activities. Also, emerging antimicrobial resistance in Aeromonas spp. has become a huge challenge in seafood industry. Furthermore, multidrug resistance increases the risk of consumer health. Studies have supplied pieces of evidence about the emerging health risk of Aeromonas spp. isolated from seafood. Therefore, the present review was intended to highlight the prevalence, virulence and antimicrobial resistance of Aeromonas spp. isolated from various types of shellfish.

Celecoxib treatment dampens LPS-induced periapical bone resorption in a mouse model.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of selective and nonselective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 enzymes in the treatment of experimental apical periodontitis induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo in a mouse model. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-six C57BL/6 mice were used. After access cavity preparation, a solution containing E. coli LPS (1.0 µg µL-1 ) was inoculated into the root canals of the mandibular and maxillary right first molars (n = 72) After 30 days, apical periodontitis was established and the animals were systemically treated with celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor (15 mg kg-1 ), or indomethacin, a nonselective COX-2 inhibitor (5 mg kg-1 ), for 7 and 14 days. Blocks containing teeth and bone were removed for histopathological and histometric analyses (haematoxylin and eosin), evaluation of osteoclasts numbers (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase enzyme - TRAP) and immunohistochemistry for RANK, RANKL and OPG. Gene expression was performed using reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for RANK, RANKL, OPG, TRAP, MMP-9, cathepsin K and calcitonin receptor. Histopathological, histometric, TRAP, immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR data were evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Systemic administration of celecoxib for 7 and 14 days prevented periapical bone resorption (P < 0.0001), differently from indomethacin that exacerbated bone resorption at 7 days (P < 0.0001) or exerted no effect at 14 days (P = 0.8488). Celecoxib treatment reduced osteoclast formation in apical periodontitis, regardless of the period of treatment (P < 0.0001 for 7 days and P = 0.026 for 14 days). Administration of celecoxib or indomethacin differentially modulated the expression of genes involved in bone resorption. At 7 days, celecoxib and indomethacin treatment significantly inhibited expression of mRNA for cathepsin K (P = 0.0005 and P = 0.016, respectively) without changing TRAP, MMP-9 and calcitonin receptor gene expression. At 14 days, celecoxib significantly inhibited expression of mRNA for MMP-9 (P < 0.0001) and calcitonin receptor (P = 0.004), whilst indomethacin exerted no effect on MMP-9 (P = 0.216) and calcitonin receptor (P = 0.971) but significantly augmented cathepsin K gene expression (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib reduced osteoclastogenic signalling and activity that dampened bone resorption in LPS-induced apical periodontitis in mice, with greater efficacy than the nonselective inhibitor indomethacin.

IgG4-positive plasma cells are more often detected in chronic periapical lesions arising from permanent rather than primary teeth.

AIM: To characterize plasma cell subsets in chronic periapical lesions affecting permanent and primary teeth. METHODOLOGY: Only chronic periapical lesions without root canal treatment were selected. Twenty-one radicular cysts and 7 periapical granulomas affecting permanent teeth and 19 radicular cysts and 4 periapical granulomas affecting primary teeth were assessed for immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain (kappa and lambda), Ig heavy chain (IgG, IgG4, IgA, IgM and IgD) and plasma cell immunohistochemical markers (MUM1/IRF4, EMA and CD138). The data acquired were analysed by Student's t test, Mann-Whitney U, Friedman test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test and Spearman's rank correlation. RESULTS: All cases were polyclonal (having similar kappa/lambda light chain ratios). IgG was most abundant compared to other Ig heavy chains (all, P < 0.001); like Ig light chains, but unlike IgA, there was greater expression of IgG in the primary compared to the permanent dentition, for both radicular cysts (P < 0.001) and periapical granulomas (P = 0.53). Notably, IgG4 expression was greater in the permanent than the primary dentition, for both radicular cyst (P < 0.05) and periapical granuloma (P = 0.65). IgM and IgD expression was scarce and variable, whereas plasma cell populations were detected efficiently through EMA, CD138 and MUM1/IRF4 markers, the latter being more sensitive in both dentitions. CONCLUSIONS: There were slight variations in the Ig light and heavy chain profiles in chronic periapical lesions when comparing the permanent and primary dentitions. The ability of IgG4+ plasma cell infiltration to modulate inflammatory responses in chronic periapical lesions arising from permanent as opposed to primary teeth should be considered in future studies.

Binary counter ion effects and dielectric behavior of iodide ion conducting gel-polymer electrolytes for high-efficiency quasi-solid-state solar cells.

A series of highly efficient quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) is prepared by harnessing the binary cation effect and positive effects of the selected performance enhancers of gel-polymer electrolytes. The new electrolyte is composed of polyacrylonitrile polymer, tetra-hexylammonium iodide (Hex4NI) and KI binary salts as well as 4-tertbutylpyridine and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide performance enhancers. The charge transport in the series of electrolytes is thermally activated and, accordingly, the temperature dependence of conductivity follows the VTF behavior. The enhancement of conductivity is observed with an increasing mass fraction of KI and decreasing mass fraction of Hex4NI, while the total mass fraction of salts in the electrolyte is kept unchanged. The highest conductivity of 3.74 mS cm-1 at ambient temperature is shown by the sample containing KI only (without Hex4NI) at all the temperatures. The effects of dielectric polarization of the electrolytes are studied by analyzing the frequency dependence of the real and the imaginary parts of the AC conductivity in detail. Appropriate and reproducible cell construction are assured by efficiencies of above 5% exhibited by all the quasi-solid-state DSCs assembled using double-layered TiO2 photo-electrodes and the new electrolyte series. Besides, highlighting the mixed cation effect, the cells with mixed salts exhibited efficiencies greater than 6%. An impressively high efficiency of 7.36% was shown by the DSC prepared with electrolyte containing 75 wt% KI and 25 wt% Hex4NI. This study reveals that the salt combination of KI and Hex4NI, which has not been reported before, is a suitable binary iodide salt mixture to prepare highly efficient DSCs. The replacement of tetra-hexylammonium ions by K+ ions improves the charge transport in the electrolyte; however, the best solar cell performance is shown by the mixed salt system with 75 wt% KI and 25 wt% Hex4NI, which is not the highest conductivity composition. Therefore, the exhibited high efficiency of 7.36% is evidently due to the binary cation effect.

Type I interferon receptors and interferon-τ-stimulated genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes during early pregnancy in beef heifers.

This study characterised the expression of interferon (IFN)-τ-stimulated genes (ISGs) and Type I IFN receptors in circulating polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) of beef heifers and compared it with expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) up to Day 20 of gestation. Nelore heifers (n=26) were subjected to fixed-time AI (FTAI) on Day 0. PMNs and PBMCs were isolated on Days 0, 10, 14, 16, 18 and 20 after FTAI. The abundance of target transcripts (ubiquitin-like protein (ISG15), 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1), myxovirus resistance 1 (MX1), myxovirus resistance 2 (MX2), IFN receptor I (IFNAR1) and IFN receptor 2 (IFNAR2)) was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and compared between pregnant (n=8) and non-pregnant (n=9) females. In both PBMCs and PMNs, ISG15 and OAS1 expression was greater in pregnant than non-pregnant heifers on Days 18 and 20. There were no significant differences in the expression of ISGs between PBMCs and PMNs. A time effect on expression was found for IFNAR1 in PBMCs and IFNAR2 in PMNs, with decreased expression of both genes on Days 18 and 20. When the expression of these genes was compared between cell types only in pregnant heifers, IFNAR2 expression in PMNs had an earlier decrease when compared to its expression in PBMCs, starting from Day 18. In conclusion, PMNs do not respond earlier to the conceptus stimulus, and ISG15 and OAS1 expression in both PMNs and PBMCs can be used as a suitable marker for pregnancy diagnosis on Days 18 and 20. In addition, gestational status did not affect IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 expression, but IFNAR2 showed a distinct response between PMNs and PBMCs of pregnant heifers.

Immunophenotypic quantification of M1 and M2 macrophage polarization in radicular cysts of primary and permanent teeth.

AIM: To quantify M1 and M2 macrophages in radicular cysts of permanent (n = 14 cases) and primary teeth (n = 15 cases). METHODOLOGY: All patients who attended the School of Dentistry Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo with primary teeth or permanent molars that were scheduled for extraction and fulfilled the inclusion criteria: absence of pain; presence/absence of fistulae; extensive coronal destruction due to caries lesions without possibility of restoration; pulp necrosis; radiographically visible apical periodontitis; and no previous treatment, were selected. The radicular cysts were removed and subsequently submitted to histopathologic analysis in order to classify the type of inflammatory infiltrate. In addition, CD68 (M1+, M2+) and CD163 (M1-, M2+) markers were quantified through an immunohistochemistry analysis. The data acquired were submitted to a Mann-Whitney test, with a 5% significance level. RESULTS: The patients had a mean age of 38.6 years and 5.9 years for cysts associated with permanent and primary teeth, respectively. In the histopathological analysis, no significant difference (P = 0.87) was found between radicular cysts in primary and permanent teeth regarding the intensity of the chronic inflammatory infiltrate. A significantly greater prevalence of M2 macrophages (P < 0.05) was observed in the lesions of both permanent and primary teeth, even though both M1 and M2 macrophages were detected. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was found for M1 and M2 macrophages associated with the cysts of primary and permanent teeth. CONCLUSION: M1 and M2 macrophages were present in radicular cysts associated with primary and permanent teeth, with a greater quantity of M2 cells. The immunophenotypic quantification of M1 and M2 macrophage polarization in radicular cysts associated with primary and permanent teeth were similar.

Alendronate inhibits osteocyte apoptosis and inflammation via IL-6, inhibiting bone resorption in periapical lesions of ovariectomized rats.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of alendronate (ALN) on the development of periapical lesions induced in ovariectomized rats. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-five rats were divided into three groups: sham (control), ovariectomy (OVX) and OVX + ALN. One day after OVX, animals from the OVX + ALN group received the medication via gavage. After 9 weeks, the first molars of all animals were submitted to periapical lesion induction. After 21 days, the animals were euthanized. Femurs were analysed for bone mineral density. The blocks of bone tissue containing the mandibular first molars were submitted to histotechnical processing and staining with haematoxylin and eosin (HE) for periapical lesion analysis under conventional microscopy. At the same time, the morphometric analysis of the periapical lesion area was performed in the fluorescence mode, as well as the histoenzimology for the quantification of osteoclasts and 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining for the quantification of apoptotic osteocytes. In addition, the first maxillary molars were used for analysis of the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α) and osteoclastogenesis markers (RANKL/OPG). The results were submitted to ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests and Tukey and Dunn post-tests (significance level of 5%). RESULTS: Ovariectomy reduced bone mineral density of the femur, and treatment with ALN was able to prevent bone loss (P < 0.001). Regarding the microscopic analysis of the periapical region, the sham and OVX + ALN groups had moderately increased periodontal ligament and inflammatory infiltrate, while the OVX group had these parameters increased intensely. The periapical lesions of the OVX group were significantly larger in area in comparison to the other groups (P < 0.001). The OVX group had the largest amount of apoptotic osteocytes, and ALN was able to prevent the apoptosis of these cells, in addition to significantly reducing IL-6 expression (P < 0.05). OVX and ALN had no effect on RANKL/OPG expression and did not influence the number of osteoclasts around the periapical lesion (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The hypoestrogenic condition induced by OVX aggravated bone resorption, inducing the death of osteocytes and provoking larger periapical lesions. ALN treatment inhibited osteocyte apoptosis and inflammation via IL-6, inhibiting bone resorption in periapical lesions of ovariectomized rats.

Effect of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 deficiency on the development of apical periodontitis.

AIM: To evaluate the specific role of ICAM-1 in host responses against endodontic infection. METHODS: Apical periodontitis was experimentally induced in the mandibular first molars of ICAM-1 knockout and wild-type (WT) mice by pulp exposure to the oral environment. At 7, 21 and 42 days following pulp infection, the animals were euthanized and the jaws were prepared for analysis under conventional and fluorescence microscopy (histopathologic and morphometric analysis), immunohistochemistry (polymorphonuclear leucocytes), enzyme histochemistry (osteoclasts and cementoclasts) and RT-PCR (IL-1 α, TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-10, RANK, RANKL and OPG). A generalized linear model with GLIMMIX procedure with Satterthwaite approximation method of degrees of freedom, Tukey-Kramer, pseudo-ranking nonparametric, Bonferroni-Holm multiple testing adjustment, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey's multiple comparisons tests were used to evaluate the statistical differences between the groups using SAS 9.4 and the GraphPad Prism 5.0 software (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Compared to WT mice, ICAM-1 knockout mice had significantly greater bone resorption (P < 0.05), reduced recruitment of neutrophils to periapical inflammatory tissues (P < 0.05) and an increased number of fibroblasts (P < 0.05) at all experimental periods. The osteoclast number was significantly higher in ICAM-1 KO than that of WT animals at all times (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the groups regarding cementoclasts. At day 21, the level of IL-1α, RANK, RANKL and IL-10 had increased significantly in tissues from ICAM-1 KO versus WT mice (P < 0.05), while no significant difference was observed in TNF-α and OPG levels (P > 0.05). Tissue levels of INF-γ were significantly lower in ICAM-1 KO than those in WT mice (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ICAM-1 deficiency impaired the host response against endodontic infection, resulting in increased tissue destruction.

Can differences between continental and insular habitats influence the parasites communities associated with the endemic frog Haddadus binotatus?

Habitats characterized by geographic isolation such as islands have been studied using different organisms as models for understanding the dynamic and insular patterns of biodiversity. Determinants of parasite richness in insular host populations have been conducted mainly with mammals and birds, showing that parasite richness decreases in insular areas. In the present study, we predicted that the type of environment (insular or continental) can influence the richness, diversity and abundance of parasites associated with the endemic frog Haddadus binotatus (Spix, 1824). We sampled frogs in two insular and two mainland fragments to survey their helminth parasites. The total richness was composed of 15 taxa of Nematoda and two of Acanthocephala, and the community composition of the two islands had more similarities between them than the two mainland localities. The insular effect was positive for richness and abundance of helminths, and no significant effect was observed on helminth diversity - even the mean diversity presented high numbers for the islands. We presumed that insular hosts could have lost some parasites in the colonization process when these continental islands were separated from the mainland, approximately 11,000 years ago. However, the high richness and abundance on islands can be explained by an epidemiological argument, which considers high population density due to insularity and other features of the host as factors that increase parasite transmission success among individuals.

The recurrence of odontogenic keratocysts in pediatric patients is associated with clinical findings of Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is an odontogenic developmental cyst that presents distinct clinical behavior. This lesion has been described as dental cysts with keratinization since the 1930s, however the term OKC was established in 1956. This study aims to determine the frequency and features of OKC in children aged 0 to 14 years in an oral pathology service in Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed to review cases of OKC in children diagnosed between 1986 and 2017. Clinical data were evaluated from medical records (gender, race, age, anatomical location, treatment, radiographic findings and follow-up). RESULTS: Ninety-seven cases of OKC were diagnosed in a 31-year-period in all age groups and 10 were found in children (10.3%). Age ranged from 2 to 14 years (mean age=10.5±3.5), with 8 males and 2 females. The most frequent location was the anterior region of the mandible (n=4). Patients were predominantly asymptomatic. Moreover, in two children, clinical findings of Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome were observed. The most commonly used treatment was enucleation followed by curettage. In all cases of Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome were observed recurrences and occurrence of new keratocysts. CONCLUSION: Although uncommon in pediatric patients, OKC should be considered a differential diagnosis in cases of osteolytic lesions in gnathic bones. Thus, the periodic assessment of children by dentists and pediatricians is essential to get a correct diagnosis and early treatment to avoid greater mutilation of these patients.

Histopathological, histoenzymological, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis of tissue response to sealing materials after furcation perforation.

AIM: To evaluate in vivo tissue responses after sealing furcation perforations in dog's teeth with either Biodentine™, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) or gutta-percha, by means of histopathological, histoenzymological, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis. METHODOLOGY: After root canal treatment, perforations were created in the central region of the pulp chamber floor using a round diamond bur and filled with one or other of the materials. The animals were euthanized after 120 days, and the teeth (n = 30) were processed for histopathological analysis of new mineralized tissue formation and collagen fibre reinsertion, immunohistochemical analysis of osteopontin (OPN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and immunofluorescence analysis for bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2), cementum attachment protein (CAP), bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteocalcin (OCN) and cementum protein1 (CEMP1). Histoenzymology was performed for TRAP activity and osteoclast count. Data were analysed statistically (α = 0.05) using chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Gutta-percha did not induce mineralized tissue formation. MTA and BiodentineTM formed mineralized tissue in 88% and 92% of specimens, respectively, with no significant difference (P > 0.05). Gutta-percha was associated with scattered collagen fibres parallel to the perforations. Groups treated with MTA or BiodentineTM had partial fibre reinsertion perpendicular to the newly formed mineralized tissue. All materials induced OPN and ALP expression, weakest for gutta-percha and strongest for MTA (P < 0.05). Only MTA induced BMP-2, BSP, OCN, CAP and CEMP1 expression. Osteoclast counts were similar in all groups (P = 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Mineral trioxide aggregate and BiodentineTM were biocompatible, with formation of mineralized tissue and partial reinsertion of collagen fibres. In addition, the participation of several molecules by which calcium silicate-based materials induce the formation of mineralized tissue were noted, with expression of ALP and OPN mineralization markers, without interference in the number of osteoclasts. Only MTA stimulated the expression of proteins associated with the formation of a cementum-like mineralized tissue.

Constraints, performance and perspectives of anaerobic sewage treatment: lessons from full-scale sewage treatment plants in Brazil.

There are hundreds of full-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors in operation in various parts of the tropical world, notably in India and Latin America, Brazil being the holder of the largest park of anaerobic reactors for sewage treatment in the world. Despite the recognized advantages of UASB reactors, there are problems that have prevented their maximum operational performance. Neglecting the existence and delaying the solution of these challenges can jeopardize the important advances made to date, impacting the future of anaerobic technology in Brazil and in other countries. This work aims to evaluate the operational performance of five full-scale UASB reactors in Brazil, taking into account a monitoring period ranging between two and six years. The main observed design, construction, and operational constraints are discussed. Some outlooks for important upcoming developments are also provided, considering that most of the observed drawbacks can be tackled without significant increases on reactor costs.

Effect of biotin supplementation on milk yield of Girolando cows reared in a tropical climate.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biotin supplementation on milk yield and the reproductive efficiency in Girolando cows. The study was conducted on a dairy farm located in central Brazil, between April 2012 and December 2016. Thirty-six Girolando cows in their first lactation were used. The cows were distributed in two treatment groups, each with equivalent weight distributions. Control treatment (CT) cows (n = 18) received a diet without any supplemental biotin, whereas biotin treatment (BT) cows (n = 18) received a diet supplemented with 20 mg/day of biotin during lactation. Biotin supplementation caused a significant increase (p = 0.001) in milk yield in the second lactation, and a trend (p = 0.09) toward higher average production during the three lactations was evaluated. There was no statistically significant difference between the treatments in terms of reproductive efficiency. In conclusion, biotin supplementation (20 mg/day) during lactation for Girolando cows reared in a tropical climate is able to increase milk yield, but does not improve reproductive efficiency.

L-asparaginase isolated from Streptomyces ansochromogenes promotes Th1 profile and activates CD8+ T cells in human PBMC: an in vitro investigation.

AIMS: A new L-asparaginase produced by Streptomyces ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420 actinobacteria was used in this study against human lymphocyte cultures to evaluate the immunological profile induced by this enzyme. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cultures of lymphocytes were stimulated with S. ansochromogenes L-asparaginase, and cytotoxicity, cell viability, cell stimulation and cytokine production were analysed. This new S. ansochromogenes L-asparaginase induced activation and proliferation of the TCD8+ lymphocyte subset and produced higher TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-10 levels in a 24-h assay. CONCLUSION: Streptomyces ansochromogenes L-asparaginase is a promising molecule to be used in in vivo models and to deepen preclinical tests against acute lymphoblast leukaemia. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: L-asparaginase is an indispensable component of the chemotherapeutic treatment of acute lymphoblast leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Currently, drugs such as Asparaginase® , Kidrolase® , and Elspar® and Erwinase® are efficient against leukemic disease, but promote immunosuppression and other side effects in human organisms. Our purified S. ansochromogenes L-asparaginase showed promissory results inducing, in vitro, higher immunostimulation in human PBMC, especially in T CD8+ lymphocyte subsets.

Host-vector interaction in dengue: a simple mathematical model

Introduction: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection endemic in tropical and subtropical regions, now spreading at epidemic proportions causing a major health issue in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. No effective vaccine or a curative antiviral drug is available to prevent or treat the disease. The only way of mitigating dengue at present, is through mosquito eradication and educating the public on preventive measures which can minimizing the cycle of transfer. Objectives: A theoretical model of dengue with simple mathematics is presented to gain a quantitative understanding of the pattern of dengue outbreaks in Sri Lanka and suggest control measures. Methods: The statistics on incidence of the disease reported by the Epidemiology Unit is analyzed using the model. Despite simplicity, the model possesses explanatory and predictive capacity, enabling determination of crucial parameters. The model shows that the "infectives" increase exponentially in an outbreak, provided the number of vectors per human exceeds a threshold, illustrating not only vector eradication but measures which minimize their biting frequency and preventing prolonged survival are effective safeguards. Results: In a population consisting of 75% who are susceptible, the threshold is estimated to be 20 mosquitos per person. Conclusions: The model showed that the endemic equilibrium of the system can occur at any level. As demographic changes escalate mosquito breeding, they infect more and more susceptible people. The consequent increase in virus replication induces new strains broadening the genetic diversity of the virus and helping it to overcome the human immune response. The increasing endemicity of dengue due to this is demonstrated by the model.

Association between bovine digital dermatitis and annual periods of lower pluviometric precipitation in Central Brazil.

We aimed to follow the epidemiologic evolution of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) and other podal diseases grouped in a dairy farm in Central Brazil between the years 2010 and 2016. This study was carried out in a farm in Jataí, Goiás, Central Brazil, where the prevalence data of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) and other podal diseases, as well as the composition, history, and management of the herd, was collected. We analyzed the collected data into the two annual pluviometric precipitation values in Central Brazil: rainy season and dry season. The cumulative frequency for comparison of prevalence between seasons throughout the years was calculated from 2011 to 2016. The comparison was carried out by post hoc chi-square test with the Bonferroni correction adopting a level of significance of 5% (p < 0.05). BDD was not diagnosed at the property in 2010; however, the disease became endemic from 2011, which coincides with the arrival of new animals to the herd. The comparison of the accumulated frequencies for prevalence of the diseases in the herd between 2011 and 2016 revealed BDD, as well as the grouped nutritional and metabolic foot diseases, has the highest prevalence in the period of lower annual precipitation in Central Brazil, which occurs between May and October. For a better control of BDD, we recommend greater attention in cattle management in the dry season of the year in Brazil, as well as in any other place in the world in which rainfall is seasonal.

Minimum number of measurements for evaluating soursop (Annona muricata L.) yield.

Repeatability studies on fruit species are of great importance to identify the minimum number of measurements necessary to accurately select superior genotypes. This study aimed to identify the most efficient method to estimate the repeatability coefficient (r) and predict the minimum number of measurements needed for a more accurate evaluation of soursop (Annona muricata L.) genotypes based on fruit yield. Sixteen measurements of fruit yield from 71 soursop genotypes were carried out between 2000 and 2016. In order to estimate r with the best accuracy, four procedures were used: analysis of variance, principal component analysis based on the correlation matrix, principal component analysis based on the phenotypic variance and covariance matrix, and structural analysis based on the correlation matrix. The minimum number of measurements needed to predict the actual value of individuals was estimated. Principal component analysis using the phenotypic variance and covariance matrix provided the most accurate estimates of both r and the number of measurements required for accurate evaluation of fruit yield in soursop. Our results indicate that selection of soursop genotypes with high fruit yield can be performed based on the third and fourth measurements in the early years and/or based on the eighth and ninth measurements at more advanced stages.

Multivariate diallel analysis allows multiple gains in segregating populations for agronomic traits in Jatropha.

Jatropha is research target worldwide aimed at large-scale oil production for biodiesel and bio-kerosene. Its production potential is among 1200 and 1500 kg/ha of oil after the 4th year. This study aimed to estimate combining ability of Jatropha genotypes by multivariate diallel analysis to select parents and crosses that allow gains in important agronomic traits. We performed crosses in diallel complete genetic design (3 x 3) arranged in blocks with five replications and three plants per plot. The following traits were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, canopy projection between rows, canopy projection on the line, number of branches, mass of hundred grains, and grain yield. Data were submitted to univariate and multivariate diallel analysis. Genotypes 107 and 190 can be used in crosses for establishing a base population of Jatropha, since it has favorable alleles for increasing the mass of hundred grains and grain yield and reducing the plant height. The cross 190 x 107 is the most promising to perform the selection of superior genotypes for the simultaneous breeding of these traits.