SEROLOGICAL SURVEY FOR SELECTED PATHOGENS IN FREE-RANGING COUGARS (PUMA CONCOLOR) IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL.

This study performed a serological assay to assess the exposure of free-ranging cougars (Puma concolor) to four selected infectious agents, including Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira spp., the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and the feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Serum samples were collected from 27 free-ranging cougars along the Tietê River Basin, in the central region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The presence of antibodies against T. gondii was detected in 59.3% (16/27) of the serum samples through the modified agglutination test (MAT-t), which was the most prevalent agent. The microscopic agglutination technique (MAT-1) was used to investigate the occurrence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies, showing that 11.1% (3/27) of the sampled cougars were seropositive. The only serovar detected was Djasiman (L. interrogans). A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) licensed for use in domestic felines was used to investigate the occurrence of retroviruses. The ELISA test kits detected a prevalence of 11.1% (3/27) of FIV antibodies, while none of the samples tested showed any evidence of FeLV antigen. These results suggest that free-ranging cougars are exposed to potentially pathogenic agents. This study presented the first recorded occurrence of the serovar Djasiman in P. concolor.

Factors associated with small ruminant lentivirus infection in goat herds from Pernambuco state, Northeast region of Brazil.

Serum samples (n = 1532) were collected between May 2011 to April 2012 from goats from 76 herds (49 from dairy farms and 27 herds for genetic improvement) from three geographical regions from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil: Zona da Mata, Agreste, and Sertão. Samples were processed using agar gel immunodiffusion test, with p28 CAEV antigen. The objective was to determine the risk factors for small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) in dairy goats and goats with high genetic value. Overall, seroprevalence was 13.7% (210/1532) [95% CI: 12-15.4%] in animals and 67.1% (51/76) [95% CI: 56.5%- 77.7%] in herds. In dairy farms the seroprevalence was 73.5% (36/49) [95% CI: 61.1%- 85.8%], and in properties with animals of high genetic value it was 55.6% (15/27) [95% CI: 36.8%- 74.3%]. Robust Poisson regression analysis adjusted by the random effect of the herd showed that risk factors were: importing bucks from another Brazilian state (prevalence ratio [PR] = 4.73 [95% CI: 2.05; 10.88]), not isolating sick animals (PR = 3.27 [95% CI: 2.24; 4.76]), and participating in fairs/animal crowding (PR = 1.52 [95% CI: 1.09; 2.11]). Prevalence results show that SRLV is present in caprine herds in the state of Pernambuco and identified risk factors are strongly related to animal transit. Considering the epidemiological situation, the first step for mitigating the consequences of this disease would be controlling animal transit.

Ezrin is highly expressed and a druggable target in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

AIMS: Despite the development of therapeutic strategies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), most patients remain incurable, relapse, or refractory to current treatments, indicating the need to expand the antineoplastic repertoire for this disease. Ezrin (EZR) is a known oncogene in solid tumors and plays a key role in cell survival and BCR-mediated signaling activation in B-cell lymphomas. However, its role in hematological neoplasms remains poorly explored. MAIN METHODS: The present study assessed EZR expression in samples from CLL patients and healthy donors and evaluated the cellular and molecular effects of a pharmacological EZR inhibitor, NSC305787, in CLL cellular models. KEY FINDINGS: EZR was highly expressed and positively associated with relevant signaling pathways related to CLL development and progression, including TP53, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, and MAPK. NSC305787 reduced viability, clonogenicity, and cell cycle progression and induced apoptosis in CLL cells. Pharmacological EZR inhibition also attenuated ERK, S6RP, and NF-κB activation, indicating that EZR not only associates with but also activates these signaling pathways in CLL. Ex vivo assays revealed that the EZR inhibition-induced cell viability reduction was independent of molecular risk and the Binet stage. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provides insights into EZR as a pharmacological target in CLL, shedding light on a novel strategy for treating this disease.

NSC305787, a pharmacological ezrin inhibitor, exhibits antineoplastic activity in pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal human neoplasms, and despite advances in the understanding of the molecular complexity involved in the development and progression of this disease, little of this new information has been translated into improvements in therapy and prognosis. Ezrin (EZR) is a protein that regulates multiple cellular functions, including cell proliferation, survival, morphogenesis, adhesion, and motility. In pancreatic cancer, EZR is highly expressed and reflects an unfavorable prognosis, whereas EZR silencing ameliorates the malignant phenotype of pancreatic cancer cells. NSC305787 was identified as a pharmacological EZR inhibitor with favorable pharmacokinetics and antineoplastic activity. Here, we endeavored to investigate the impact of EZR expression on survival outcomes and its associations with molecular and biological characteristics in The Cancer Genome Atlas pancreatic adenocarcinoma cohort. We also assessed the potential antineoplastic effects of NSC305787 in pancreatic cancer cell lines. High EZR expression was an independent predictor of worse survival outcomes. Functional genomics analysis indicated that EZR contributes to multiple cancer-related pathways, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, NOTCH signaling, estrogen-mediated signaling, and apoptosis. In pancreatic cells, NSC305787 reduced cell viability, clonal growth, and migration. Our exploratory molecular studies identified that NSC305787 modulates the expression and activation of key regulators of the cell cycle, proliferation, DNA damage, and apoptosis, favoring a tumor-suppressive molecular network. In conclusion, EZR expression is an independent prognosis marker in pancreatic cancer. Our study identifies a novel molecular axis underlying the antineoplastic activity of NSC305787 and provides insights into the development of therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer.

STMN1 is highly expressed and contributes to clonogenicity in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells.

Stathmin 1 (STMN1) is a microtubule-destabilizing protein highly expressed in hematological malignancies and involved in proliferation and differentiation. Although a previous study found that the PML-RARα fusion protein, which contributes to the pathophysiology of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), positively regulates STMN1 at the transcription and protein activity levels, little is known about the role of STMN1 in APL. In this study, we aimed to investigate the STMN1 expression levels and their associations with laboratory, clinical, and genomic data in APL patients. We also assessed the dynamics of STMN1 expression during myeloid cell differentiation and cell cycle progression, and the cellular effects of STMN1 silencing and pharmacological effects of microtubule-stabilizing drugs on APL cells. We found that STMN1 transcripts were significantly increased in samples from APL patients compared with those of healthy donors (all p < 0.05). However, this had no effect on clinical outcomes. STMN1 expression was associated with proliferation- and metabolism-related gene signatures in APL. Our data confirmed that STMN1 was highly expressed in early hematopoietic progenitors and reduced during cell differentiation, including the ATRA-induced granulocytic differentiation model. STMN1 phosphorylation was predominant in a pool of mitosis-enriched APL cells. In NB4 and NB4-R2 cells, STMN1 knockdown decreased autonomous cell growth (all p < 0.05) but did not impact ATRA-induced apoptosis and differentiation. Finally, treatment with paclitaxel (as a single agent or combined with ATRA) induced microtubule stabilization, resulting in mitotic catastrophe with repercussions for cell viability, even in ATRA-resistant APL cells. This study provides new insights into the STMN1 functions and microtubule dynamics in APL.

Comprehensive analysis of cytoskeleton regulatory genes identifies ezrin as a prognostic marker and molecular target in acute myeloid leukemia.

PURPOSE: Despite great advances that have been made in the understanding of the molecular complexity of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), very little has been translated into new therapies. Here, we set out to investigate the impact of cytoskeleton regulatory genes on clinical outcomes and their potential as therapeutic targets in AML. METHODS: Gene expression and clinical data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) AML study and used for survival and functional genomics analyses. For pharmacological tests, AML cells were exposed to ezrin (EZR) inhibitors and submitted to several cellular and molecular assays. RESULTS: High EZR expression was identified as an independent marker of worse outcomes in AML patients from the TCGA cohort (p < 0.05). Functional genomics analyses suggested that EZR contributes to responses to stimuli and signal transduction pathways in leukemia cells. EZR pharmacological inhibition with NSC305787 and NSC668394 reduced viability, proliferation, autonomous clonal growth, and cell cycle progression in AML cells (p < 0.05). NSC305787 had a greater potency and efficiency than NSC668394 in leukemia models. At the molecular level, EZR inhibitors reduced EZR, S6 ribosomal protein and 4EBP1 phosphorylation, and induced PARP1 cleavage in AML cells. NSC305787, but not NSC668394, favored a gene network involving cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in Kasumi 1 AML cells. CONCLUSIONS: From our data we conclude that EZR expression may serve as a prognostic factor in AML. Our preclinical findings indicate that ezrin inhibitors may be employed as a putative novel class of AML targeting drugs.

Synthetic cyclopenta[b]indoles exhibit antineoplastic activity by targeting microtubule dynamics in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with PML-RARα oncogene, which is treated using all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-based chemotherapy. However, chemoresistance is observed in 20-30% of treated patients and represents a clinical challenge, raising the importance of the development of new therapeutic options. In the present study, the effects of three synthetic cyclopenta[b]indoles on the leukemia phenotype were investigated using NB4 (ATRA-sensitive) and NB4-R2 (ATRA-resistant) cells. Among the tested synthetic cyclopenta[b]indoles, compound 2, which contains a heterocyclic nucleus, was the most active, presenting time-dependent cytotoxic activity in the µM range in APL cells, without cytotoxicity for normal leukocytes, and was selected for further characterization. Compound 2 significantly decreased clonogenicity, increased apoptosis, and caused cell cycle arrest at S and G2/M phases in a drug concentration-dependent manner. Morphological analyses indicated aberrant mitosis and diffuse tubulin staining upon compound 2 exposure, which corroborates cell cycle findings. In the molecular scenario, compound 2 reduced STMN1 expression and activity, and induced PARP1 cleavage and H2AX and CHK2 phosphorylation, and modulated CDKN1A, PMAIP1, GADD45A, and XRCC3 expressions, indicating reduction of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage. Moreover, in the in vivo tubulin polymerization assay, NB4 and NB4-R2 cells showed a reduction in the levels of polymerized tubulin upon compound 2 exposure, which indicates tubulin as a target of the drug. Molecular docking supports this hypothesis. Taken together, these data indicated that compound 2 exhibits antileukemic effects through disrupting the microtubule dynamics, identifying a possible novel potential antineoplastic agent for the treatment of ATRA-resistant APL.

Seroepidemiological investigation of animal leptospirosis and molecular characterization of the first Leptospira strain isolated from Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil.

Leptospirosis has been widely reported in insular environments worldwide, characterizing a major public health threat. Although low-genetic biodiversity is expected in these regions, the introduction of domestic and synanthropic mammals may contribute to the wider diversity of leptospiral strains in insular settings. This study proposes a large-scale seroepidemiological investigation of Leptospira infection in animals from Fernando de Noronha archipelago and describes the characterization of the first leptospiral strain ever isolated from an insular setting in Brazil. A total of 1,265 blood samples from domestic (n = 682), synanthropic (n = 133) and wild (n = 450) animals were collected between 2007 and 2014, totalling 12 species. The presence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies was investigated by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), and kidney samples from 20 synanthropic rodents were collected for the isolation of Leptospira spp. The leptospires recovered were further characterized by serogrouping with polyclonal antibodies, whole-genome sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The MAT results revealed the presence of agglutinins in 90 samples (7.1%) and the most frequently found serogroup was Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 57) in practically all species included. Viable leptospires were recovered from one brown rat, and characterization revealed that the isolate belongs to L. interrogans serogroup Pyrogenes. The results suggest that synanthropic rodents might play an important role in leptospiral infection among wildlife and domestic species in the archipelago.

Stathmin 1 is highly expressed and associated with survival outcome in malignant adrenocortical tumours.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive endocrine cancer with few molecular predictors of malignancy and survival, especially in paediatric patients. Stathmin 1 (STMN1) regulates microtubule dynamics and has been involved in the malignant phenotype of cancer cells. Recently, it was reported that STMN1 is highly expressed in ACC patients, and STMN1 silencing reduces the clonogenicity and migration of ACC cell lines. However, the prognostic significance of STMN1 and its therapeutic potential remain undefined in ACC. In the present study, STMN1 mRNA levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in ACC patients, especially in an advanced stage, and correlated with BUB1B and PINK1 expression, the prognostic-related genes in ACC. In paediatric tumours, high STMN1 expression was observed in both adrenocortical carcinoma and adrenocortical adenoma patients. Among the adult malignant tumours, STMN1 level was an independent predictor of survival outcomes (overall survival: hazard ratio = 6.08, p = 0.002; disease-free survival: hazard ratio = 4.65, p < 0.0001). Paclitaxel, a microtubule-stabilizing drug, reduces the activation of STMN1 and significantly decreases cell migration and invasion in ACC cell lines and ACC cells from secondary cell culture (all p < 0.0001). In summary, STMN1 expression may be of great value to clinical and pathological findings in therapeutic trials and deserves future studies in ACC.

A novel Trichoderma reesei mutant RP698 with enhanced cellulase production.

A new strain of Trichoderma reesei (teleomorph Hypocrea jecorina) with high cellulase production was obtained by exposing the spores from T. reesei QM9414 to an ultraviolet light followed by selecting fast-growing colonies on plates containing CMC (1% w/v) as the carbon source. The mutant T. reesei RP698 reduced cultivation period to 5 days and increased tolerance to the end-products of enzymatic cellulose digestion. Under submerged fermentation conditions, FPase, CMCase, and Avicelase production increased up to 2-fold as compared to the original QM9414 strain. The highest levels of cellulase activity were obtained at 27 °C after 72 h with Avicel®, cellobiose, and sugarcane bagasse as carbon sources. The temperature and pH activity optima of the FPase, CMCase, and Avicelase were approximately 60 °C and 5.0, respectively. The cellulase activity was unaffected by the addition of 140 mM glucose in the enzyme assay. When T. reesei RP698 crude extract was supplemented by the addition of ß-glucosidase from Scytalidium thermophilum, a 2.3-fold increase in glucose release was observed, confirming the low inhibition by the end-product of cellulose hydrolysis. These features indicate the utility of this mutant strain in the production of enzymatic cocktails for biomass degradation.

Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from free-ranging and captive birds and mammals in Pernambuco state, Brazil / Isolamento e caracterização genética de Toxoplasma gondii de aves e mamíferos de vida livre e cativeiro em Pernambuco

Abstract Recent genetic population studies on Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil have shown large genetic variability. The objective of the present study was to isolate and genotypically characterize T. gondii from free-ranging and captive wild mammals and birds in Pernambuco state, Brazil. Fragments of heart, brain, skeletal muscle and diaphragm tissue from 71 birds and 34 mammals, which were either free-ranging or captive, were collected. Samples from 32 of these animals were subjected to bioassays in mice. Samples from the remaining 73 animals underwent biomolecular diagnosis, using PCR technique, targeting a repetitive DNA fragment of 529 bp in T. gondii. A non-virulent isolate (TgButstBrPE1) was obtained from a free-ranging striated heron (Butorides striata) and, based on primary samples, seven animals were found to be positive. The primary samples and the isolate obtained were subjected to PCR-RFLP using the markers SAG1, 5'3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico and CS3. ToxoDB-RFLP genotype #13 from the striated heron isolate and Type BrIII genotype from a captive otter ( Lontra longicaudis) (PS-TgLonloBrPE1) were obtained. The present study describes the first isolation and genotypic characterization of T. gondii in free-ranging striated heron, and the first genotypic characterization of T. gondii in a captive otter.

Resumo Recentes estudos genéticos nas populações deste parasita no Brasil têm mostrado grande variabilidade genética. O objetivo do presente estudo foi isolar e caracterizar genotipicamente T. gondii de aves e mamíferos de vida livre e de cativeiro no estado de Pernambuco, Brazil. Fragmentos de tecido do coração, cérebro, músculo esquelético e diafragma de 71 aves e 34 mamíferos de vida livre ou cativeiro foram colhidos. Amostras de 32 destes animais foram submetidas a bioensaios em camundongos. As amostras dos 73 animais restantes foram submetidas a diagnóstico biomolecular usando a técnica de PCR, tendo como alvo o fragmento repetitivo de 529 pb do DNA de T. gondii. Dentre os 32 bioensaios conduzidos, obteve-se um isolado não-virulento (TgButstBrPE1) de um socozinho (Butorides striata ) de vida livre, e dentre as amostras primárias, sete animais foram positivos. As amostras primárias e o isolado foram submetidos a PCR-RFLP usando os marcadores SAG1, 5'3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico e CS3. Foram obtidos o genótipo ToxoDB-RFLP #13 do isolado do socozinho e o genótipo Type BrIII de uma lontra (Lontra longicaudis) de cativeiro (PS-TgLonloBrPE1). O presente estudo descreve o primeiro isolamento e caracterização genotípica de T. gondii em socozinho de vida livre, e a primeira caracterização genotípica de T. gondii em lontra em cativeiro.

Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from free-ranging and captive birds and mammals in Pernambuco state, Brazil.

Recent genetic population studies on Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil have shown large genetic variability. The objective of the present study was to isolate and genotypically characterize T. gondii from free-ranging and captive wild mammals and birds in Pernambuco state, Brazil. Fragments of heart, brain, skeletal muscle and diaphragm tissue from 71 birds and 34 mammals, which were either free-ranging or captive, were collected. Samples from 32 of these animals were subjected to bioassays in mice. Samples from the remaining 73 animals underwent biomolecular diagnosis, using PCR technique, targeting a repetitive DNA fragment of 529 bp in T. gondii. A non-virulent isolate (TgButstBrPE1) was obtained from a free-ranging striated heron (Butorides striata) and, based on primary samples, seven animals were found to be positive. The primary samples and the isolate obtained were subjected to PCR-RFLP using the markers SAG1, 5'3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico and CS3. ToxoDB-RFLP genotype #13 from the striated heron isolate and Type BrIII genotype from a captive otter ( Lontra longicaudis) (PS-TgLonloBrPE1) were obtained. The present study describes the first isolation and genotypic characterization of T. gondii in free-ranging striated heron, and the first genotypic characterization of T. gondii in a captive otter.

NARX neural network model for strong resolution improvement in a distributed temperature sensor.

This paper proposes an approach to process the response of a distributed temperature sensor using a nonlinear autoregressive with external input neural network. The developed model is composed of three steps: extraction of characteristics, regression, and reconstruction of the signal. Such an approach is robust because it does not require knowledge of the characteristics of the signal; it has a reduction of data to be processed, resulting in a low processing time, besides the simultaneous improvement of spatial resolution and temperature. We obtain total correction of the temperature resolution and spatial resolution of 5 cm of the sensor.

Lack of Detection of Avian Influenza, Newcastle Disease, and West Nile Viruses in Wild Birds of Northeastern Brazil.

We tested 529 wild birds captured in northeastern Brazil for infection by avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and West Nile. Viruses were not detected by real-time PCR with the exception of one Tropical Gnatcatcher ( Polioptila plumbea) positive for influenza virus, but this could not be confirmed by viral isolation or gene sequencing.

Análise do atual cenário brasileiro quanto ao uso terapêutico da Cannabis

Este artigo buscou realizar um estudo quanto ao uso da Cannabis e de seus derivados para fins terapêuticos no Brasil, abordando desde os fundamentos constitucionais para a promoção social, com enfoque especial à saúde, passando pela atuação do poder judiciário na garantia desses direitos e chegando a atuação do Estado. A fim de promover o acesso do paciente aos medicamentos com base nesse princípio ativo. Para isso fez-se um compilado de informações obtidas por meio de pesquisas, pautada em coleta e análises bibliográficas, análises de legislações atuais, de artigos publicados, consultas e de matérias jornalísticas relacionadas ao tema publicadas em sites de notícias. Onde podemos concluir que fazendo um retrospecto cultural de nossa sociedade e observando o cenário que verificamos a partir deste estudo, podemos considerar que temos avançado de forma significativa nos últimos anos no sentido de promover o acesso do paciente a essa importante substância terapêutica. É fato que muito ainda precisa ser feito, como por exemplo, a inclusão de medicamentos que tenham como princípio ativo os compostos da Cannabis na Relação de Medicamentos de Alto Custo do Ministério da Saúde, podendo assim tê-los disponíveis também na rede pública de forma gratuita. Mas fato é que os grandes feitos não surgem de forma repentina dentro da sociedade, os grandes feitos são construídos, a cada dia, um passo de cada vez, e nós estamos nessa construção

Níveis de inclusão da torta da semente de cupuaçu na dieta de frangos caipiras criados na amazônia ocidental / Levels of cupuaçu seed by-product in feedstuff for free-range broilers reared in the western amazon / Niveles de inclusión del subproducto de semilla de cupuaçu en la dieta de pollos campesinos creados en la amazónia ocidental

O experimento foi realizado com o intuito de avaliar os efeitos da inclusão da torta da semente de cupuaçu (TSC) nas dietas de frangos de linhagem caipira. O delineamento foi o inteiramente casualizado e foram utilizados 300 pintainhos de corte, sendo que os níveis de inclusão foram de 0, 5, 10, 15 e 20%, de TSC nas rações. Cada tratamento possuía seis repetições com 10 aves. Foram analisados os níveis de inclusões da TSC nos períodos de 1-14, 1-28, 1-42, 1-56 e 1-70 dias de criação, em relação ao desempenho zootécnico (consumo de ração, peso vivo, conversão alimentar, eficiência alimentar e viabilidade dos frangos). Foi analisado também o rendimento de carcaça e a margem bruta relativa (MBR). A utilização da TSC na dieta dos frangos reduziu o consumo de ração e, consequentemente, o peso vivo, piorando a conversão alimentar, reduzindo a eficiência alimentar da ração e a viabilidade dos frangos. Não houve influência da inclusão da TSC sobre o rendimento de carcaça de machos, porém houve aumento no rendimento de moela vazia, intestinos e redução da gordura abdominal. Houve também redução na MBR, conforme os níveis crescentes de inclusão da TSC.(AU)

The experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of including the by-product of cupuacu seeds (BCS) in dietary feed of free-range broilers. A completely randomized design was used with 300 broiler chickens, and the inclusion levels ranged from 0, 5, 10, 15 to 20% of BCS in the feeds. Each treatment had six replicates with 10 birds. The BCS inclusion levels were analyzed in the total period from 1-14, 1-28, 1-42, 1-56, and 1-70 days old, in relation to the production performance (feed intake, live weight, feed conversion, feed efficiency and viability of broilers). The carcass yield and gross margin ratio (GMR) were also analyzed. The use of BCS in the feed of broiler chickens reduced the feed intake and consequently the live weight, worsening the feed conversion, and also reduced feed efficiency and the viability of broiler chickens. There was no influence of the inclusion levels of BCS on the carcass yield of males; nevertheless, there was an increase in the yield of intestines and gizzard, and a reduction of abdominal fat. There was also a reduction in the GMR as the BCS levels increased.(AU)

El experimento fue realizado con el objetivo de evaluar los efectos de la inclusión del subproducto de semilla de cupuaçu (SSC) en las dietas de pollos de linaje campesino. El delineamiento fue enteramente casual y fueron utilizados 300 pollitos, siendo que los niveles de inclusión fueron de 0,5, 10, 15 y 20% de SSC en las raciones. Cada tratamiento poseía seis repeticiones con 10 aves. Se analizó los niveles de inclusiones del SSC en los períodos de 1-14, 1-28, 1-42, 1-56 y 1-70 días de creación, en relación al desempeño zootécnico (consumo de ración, peso vivo, conversión alimentar, eficiencia alimentar y viabilidad de los pollos). Se ha analizado también el rendimiento del esqueleto y la margen bruta relativa (MBR). La utilización del SSC en la dieta de los pollos acortó el consumo de ración y consecuentemente el peso vivo, afectando de forma negativa la conversión alimentar, reduciendo la eficiencia alimentar de la ración y la viabilidad de los pollos. No hubo influencia de la inclusión del SSC sobre el rendimiento del esqueleto de machos, pero hubo aumento en el rendimiento de molleja vacía, intestinos y reducción de grasa abdominal. Hubo también reducción en la MBR, conforme los niveles crecientes de inclusión del SSC.(AU)

Cat-rodent Toxoplasma gondii Type II-variant circulation and limited genetic diversity on the Island of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, studies on animals and humans in mainland areas have shown that most strains of Toxoplasma gondii are pathogenic to mice and exhibit great genetic variability. RESULTS: In this study, using a set of 11 PCR-RFLP and 15 microsatellite markers, we isolated and genetically characterised T. gondii strains from one cat and three rats on Fernando de Noronha Island. The cat had antibodies to T. gondii, which were revealed using a modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:25) and the seroprevalence among the 46 rodents was 15.2%. Viable T. gondii was isolated from one cat (TgCatBrFN1), two brown rats (TgRatnoBrFN1 and TgRatnoBrFN2) and one black rat (TgRatraBrFN1). Unlike the strains from mainland Brazil, these isolates were not pathogenic to outbred mice. The genotypes of these strains were compared with strains previously isolated on the island and in mainland Brazil. The analysis based on microsatellite data showed a limited genetic diversity of T. gondii on Fernando de Noronha Island with the majority of strains clustered into the following three groups: type II, III, and Caribbean 1. CONCLUSIONS: There was little variation among strains within the same group, suggesting that the majority of strains circulating on Fernando de Noronha are derived from only a few strains that were recently introduced to the island, likely from imported cats. Except for the strain belonging to the Caribbean 1 group that originates from northeast Brazil, there was little evidence that strains from the other groups were introduced to Fernando de Noronha via mainland Brazil.