Breeding objectives and selection criteria of a participatory community-based breeding programme of goats and sheep.

The absence of formal markets and the large variability of genetic groups and production systems of goats and sheep in developing countries hinder the implementation of traditional breeding programmes. Community-based breeding programmes (CBBP) for these species have been shown to be effective in these countries. In these programmes, the definition of the objectives and criteria of selection is done in a participatory way, which takes into account the desires and needs of the local farmers. We aimed to define the objectives and criteria of a CBBP for goats and sheep in the Inhamuns region, Ceará, Brazil, using a participatory rural appraisal (PRA). This methodology, which consist in an approach that aims to incorporate the knowledge and opinions of rural people in the planning and management of development projects and programmes, was performed in seven districts of two towns of the region (Tauá and Parambu). One hundred twenty-two farmer families participated in the survey. The PRA was able to provide important information, and its results showed that breeders of this region keep flocks of goats and sheep for social, economic and cultural benefits. In order of importance, the main objectives for goat farming were personal fulfilment (PERF), food source for family (FSF), income generation (INCG), savings (SAV) and cultural/family traditions (CULT), while for sheep farming were CULT, FSF, SAV, PERF and INCG. Disease resistance (RDI), adaptability (ADP), fertility (FERT), growth rate (GRA), host resistance of worms (HRW), body conformation (BC), temperament (TEM), longevity (LONG), body size (BSIZ), age at first kidding (AFK) and milk yield (MIY) were the main selection criteria that farmers use for goats. The most important selection criteria used for selecting sheep were ADP, RDI, HRW, GRA, FERT, LONG, BC, BS and age at first lambing. According to these objectives and criteria, the CBBP must consider the adaptation of the animals to the climate and management conditions of the region, the resistance to diseases and productive performance.

Prediction of physical characteristics of the lamb carcass using in vivo bioimpedance analysis.

The increase of sheep meat competitiveness in international markets can be attributed to the rise of the quantity and the improvement of the quality of the edible portion of sheep carcasses. Usually, carcass yield is established after the slaughter of the animals. Yet, when carcass yield is determined in vivo, it can be both a costly and subjective method. This study proposes models for predicting the physical characteristics of lamb carcass using bioimpedance analysis (BIA) in live animals. Thirty-one Texel × Ile de France crossbreed ram lambs were slaughtered at 20, 26, 32 or 38 kg of BW. Before the slaughter, values of resistance (Rs) and reactance (Xc) were collected using a single-frequency BIA equipment (Model RJL Quantum II Bioelectrical Body Composition Analyzer). Then, BIA main variables such as body bioelectrical volume (V), phase angle (PA), resistive density (RsD) and reactive density (XcD) were calculated. After slaughter, cold carcass weight (CCW), cold carcass yield (CCY), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), soft tissue weight (STW) and soft tissue yield (STY) were also measured. Multiple regression analyses were carried out using the physical characteristics as dependent variables and the bioimpedance values as independent variables. Predictive performance of the models was assessed using leave-one-out cross-validation. The prediction model of CCW was obtained using the V, PA and RsD (R2 = 0.97), STW through the V, RsD and XcD (R2 = 0.97), CCY by Rs, Z and XcD (R2 = 0.69), STY by V and XcD (R2 = 0.67), and SFT only for XcD (R2 = 0.84). The results indicated that BIA has the potential to predict carcass characteristics of lambs at different body masses.

Clinicopathological analysis of odontogenic tumors over 22 years period: Experience of a single center in northeastern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Odontogenic tumors (OTs) are uncommon neoplastic lesions of the maxilla and mandible, which present difficult diagnosis and therapeutics. This paper aims to determine the frequency and distribution of OTs, over a period of 22 years, at a public university in Northeastern Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed all cases of OTs from oral pathology laboratory of Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), from 1996 to 2017. The tumors were classified according to the latest (2017) World Health Organization Classification of Tumors. Data on age, gender, anatomic site, symptomatology, radiographic findings and tumor size were analyzed. RESULTS: In the analyzed period, 247 cases of OTs were diagnosed. Epithelial tumors were more common with 127 cases (51.8%). The most common tumors were ameloblastoma (n = 112 / 45.4%), odontoma (n = 89 / 36.1%) and odontogenic myxoma (n = 17 / 6.9%). Malignant odontogenic tumors were extremely rare in the studied population with only 2 cases (0.8%) of diagnosed carcinomas. These tumors were diagnosed in a wide age range, from 5 to 81 years, being more common in the second and third decades of life. In general, the mandible was the most affected anatomic site (n = 162/66%) and the mandible:maxilla ratio was of 2:1. Ameloblastoma was the tumor with the highest number of symptomatic cases (n = 26) and with the highest mean size (cm) with 4.5cm. CONCLUSIONS: Odontogenic tumors were rare in the sample studied (2.2%), with ameloblastoma and odontoma being the most common tumors. Continuous studies that show the characteristics of these lesions are fundamental, especially after modifications in the international classification.

Epidemiologic study of odontogenic and non-odontogenic cysts in children and adolescents of a Brazilian population.

BACKGROUND: the objective of this study was to describe the frequency of cystic lesions in a Brazilian population of patients histopathologically diagnosed in the first and second decade of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. Biopsy records were obtained from the archives of a Brazilian referral center between 1980 and 2016. RESULTS: A total of 2.114 biopsy records of pediatric patients were analyzed with oral and maxillofacial lesions. Data such as gender, age, anatomical location, and histopathological diagnosis were collected and categorized. Among all oral and maxillofacial lesions (n=2.114), were diagnosed 294 cases of odontogenic cysts (13.9%) and 16 cases of non-odontogenic cysts (0.8%). The most frequent lesions in each group were, respectively: radicular cyst (n=145) and epidermoid cyst (n=4). These lesions were most common in female (n=158), with a mean age of 14 years. For intraosseous lesions, the mandible (n=148) was the most affected anatomic site; moreover, the floor of the mouth (n=6) was most affected by cysts in soft tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Odontogenic cysts were relatively common in population studied, but non-odontogenic cysts were rare in these patients.

Effect of sweet potato vines on performance parameters and some carcass characteristics of rabbits.

Conventional feedstuffs in Brazil are expensive, which has led to the search for less conventional cheaper and locally available feedstuffs. Thus, this study was carried out to determine the dietary effect of dry sweet potato vines (SPV) on the performance and some carcass characteristics of rabbits. A total of twenty-seven weaned White New Zealand rabbits (14 male and 13 female) 35 days old with an average initial weight of 755 g were allocated into three treatments. Nine rabbits were assigned to each treatment in a completely randomized design. Three diets were formulated to similar protein and energy levels: 0SPV - diet without inclusion of dry sweet potato vines; 10SPV - diet with 10% alfalfa hay replaced by dry sweet potato vines; and 15SPV - diet with 15% of alfalfa hay replaced by dry sweet potato vines. The experiment lasted for 49 days during which data for feed intake and body weight were recorded. The daily feed intake ranged from 73.17 to 78.02 g; daily weight gain from 22.32 to 23.17 g; feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 3.16 to 3.49 and final live weight ranged from 1839.44 to 1880.55 g. None of the evaluated performance parameters as well as carcass weight, heart weight and percentages of fat and protein in meat were significantly affected by any of the tested dietary treatments. However, the liver weight was statistically lower in animals fed the diets containing 10% of SPV, mainly due to lower glucose content. Glycogen within the tissue, did not differ significantly among treatments. It was therefore concluded that up to 15% of SPV can successfully be included in the diet of rabbits as a cheaper replacement for alfalfa hay without adversely affecting performance.

Retrospective study of 289 odontogenic tumors in a Brazilian population.

BACKGROUND: Odontogenic tumors (OTs) are considered important among oral lesions because of their clinicopathological heterogeneity, and variable biological behavior. This paper aims to determine the frequency and distribution of OTs, over a period of 10 years, at a public university in Northeastern Brazil and compare this data with previous reports. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed all cases of OTs from oral pathology laboratory of University of Pernambuco (UPE), from 2004 to 2014. Diagnoses were re-evaluated and the tumors were classified according to the latest (2005) World Health Organization Classification of Tumors. In addition, we searched in the English-language literature retrospective studies on OTs that used the same classification. RESULTS: Within the total of 6028 oral biopsies, 289 (4.79%) were OTs. Of these, 287 (99.3%) were benign and 2 (0.7%) were malignant. The overall incidence was 31.1/million. Mandible-maxilla ratio was 2.5:1 and mean age 35 years. Keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) (34.6%) was the most frequent lesion, followed by ameloblastoma (AMB) (32.9%) and odontoma (ODO) (11.4%). CONCLUSIONS: OTs are uncommon neoplasms with geographic variation. Our clinicopathological features are according to literature. In the present study, KCOT was the most frequent one, showing that the new classification of OTs altered the distribution of these lesions and possibly made KCOT the most common OT observed in diagnostic services worldwide.

Patterns of tick infestation and their Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. infection in wild birds in Portugal.

Wild birds may act as reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens and may be mechanical carriers of pathogen infected vector ticks through long distances during migration. The aim of this study was to assess tick infestation patterns in birds in Portugal and the prevalence of tick infection by Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. using PCR techniques. Seven tick species were collected from birds including Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma spp., Ixodes acuminatus, Ixodes arboricola, Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes ventalloi. We found that I. frontalis and Hyalomma spp. were the most common ticks infesting birds of several species and that they were widespread in Portugal. Turdus merula was the bird species that presented the highest diversity of infesting ticks and had one of the highest infestation intensities. B. burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 7.3% (37/505) of Ixodidae ticks derived from birds. The most common genospecies was Borrelia turdi (6.9%), detected in ticks collected from Parus major, T. merula and Turdus philomelos, but Borrelia valaisiana (0.2%) and one Borrelia sp. (0.2%) similar to Borrelia bissettii (96% of similarity of the flaB gene in Blastn) were also detected. This study contributed to a better knowledge of the Ixodidae tick fauna parasitizing birds in Western Europe and to the assessment of the prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. associated with birds and their ticks.

Genetic evaluation using multi-trait and random regression models in Simmental beef cattle.

The Brazilian Association of Simmental and Simbrasil Cattle Farmers provided 29,510 records from 10,659 Simmental beef cattle; these were used to estimate (co)variance components and genetic parameters for weights in the growth trajectory, based on multi-trait (MTM) and random regression models (RRM). The (co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood. In the MTM analysis, the likelihood ratio test was used to determine the significance of random effects included in the model and to define the most appropriate model. All random effects were significant and included in the final model. In the RRM analysis, different adjustments of polynomial orders were compared for 5 different criteria to choose the best fit model. An RRM of third order for the direct additive genetic, direct permanent environmental, maternal additive genetic, and maternal permanent environment effects was sufficient to model variance structures in the growth trajectory of the animals. The (co)variance components were generally similar in MTM and RRM. Direct heritabilities of MTM were slightly lower than RRM and varied from 0.04 to 0.42 and 0.16 to 0.45, respectively. Additive direct correlations were mostly positive and of high magnitude, being highest at closest ages. Considering the results and that pre-adjustment of the weights to standard ages is not required, RRM is recommended for genetic evaluation of Simmental beef cattle in Brazil.

Random regression models in the evaluation of the growth curve of Simbrasil beef cattle.

Random regression models were used to estimate the types and orders of random effects of (co)variance functions in the description of the growth trajectory of the Simbrasil cattle breed. Records for 7049 animals totaling 18,677 individual weighings were submitted to 15 models from the third to the fifth order including as fixed effects sex, contemporary group, feeding regimen, and type of reproduction and as random effects additive direct genetic effect, animal permanent environment, maternal additive genetic effect, and maternal permanent environment. The best-fit model presented order five to additive direct genetic effect, animal permanent environment, and maternal additive effect, with 6 classes of residual variances, and the maternal permanent environment effect was not significant, likely owing to the low average number of calves per cow. However, the model chosen for the growth curve presents three classes of residual variances, because even not showing the best fit it is more parsimonious, in addition to promoting a more realistic estimate of heritability.

Effect of rice parboiling on performance and metabolic responses in rats.

This research is aimed at evaluating the effect of rice grains submitted to different processing (white or parboiling) on performance and biological responses in rat. Male Wistar rats were fed with diets containing white or parboiled rice grains of the cultivar IRGA 417. Wet and dry faecal production, fasting serum glucose concentration, serum total protein and organs' weights as liver, kidney and epididymal fat pads were not affected by processing. The animals in the treatment with parboiled rice showed higher body weight gain, feed intake, nitrogen excretion, serum triglycerides, uric acid levels and pancreas weight and lower feed conversion, faecal pH, albumin and serum HDL cholesterol, when compared with the treatment with white rice. The results obtained in this work allow the conclusion that structural change of rice components caused by parboiling results in variations in different essential body metabolic parameters, such as body weight gain, gastrointestinal function and glycaemic control.

Role of nitric oxide on motor behavior.

The present review paper describes results indicating the influence of nitric oxide (NO) on motor control. Our last studies showed that systemic injections of low doses of inhibitors of NO synthase (NOS), the enzyme responsible for NO formation, induce anxiolytic effects in the elevated plus maze whereas higher doses decrease maze exploration. Also, NOS inhibitors decrease locomotion and rearing in an open field arena. These results may involve motor effects of this compounds, since inhibitors of NOS, NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG), N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME), N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), and 7-Nitroindazole (7-NIO), induced catalepsy in mice. This effect was also found in rats after systemic, intracebroventricular or intrastriatal administration. Acute administration of L-NOARG has an additive cataleptic effect with haloperidol, a dopamine D2 antagonist. The catalepsy is also potentiated by WAY 100135 (5-HT1a receptor antagonist), ketanserin (5HT2a and alfal adrenergic receptor antagonist), and ritanserin (5-HT2a and 5HT2c receptor antagonist). Atropine sulfate and biperiden, antimuscarinic drugs, block L-NOARG-induced catalepsy in mice. L-NOARG subchronic administration in mice induces rapid tolerance (3 days) to its cataleptic effects. It also produces cross-tolerance to haloperidol-induced catalepsy. After subchronic L-NOARG treatment there is an increase in the density NADPH-d positive neurons in the dorsal part of nucleus caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, and tegmental pedunculupontinus nucleus. In contrast, this treatment decreases NADPH-d neuronal number in the substantia nigra compacta. Considering these results we suggest that (i) NO may modulate motor behavior, probably by interfering with dopaminergic, serotonergic, and cholinergic neurotransmission in the striatum; (ii) Subchronic NO synthesis inhibition induces plastic changes in NO-producing neurons in brain areas related to motor control and causes cross-tolerance to the cataleptic effect of haloperidol, raising the possibility that such treatments could decrease motor side effects associated with antipsychotic medications. Finally, recent studies using experimental Parkinson's disease models suggest an interaction between NO system and neurodegenerative processes in the nigrostriatal pathway. It provides evidence of a protective role of NO. Together, our results indicate that NO may be a key participant on physiological and pathophysiological processes in the nigrostriatal system.

Motor effects of acute and chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis in mice.

RATIONALE: Systemic injections of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors have been shown to decrease exploratory behavior in rats. This effect may be related to motor impairments since these drugs can induce catalepsy in rodents. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of two NOS inhibitors in tests aimed to investigate exploratory behavior and to assess motor control. METHODS: The acute effects of the NOS inhibitors NG-nitro- L-arginine ( L-NOARG, 10-80 mg/kg IP) and 7-nitroindazole (7-NIO, 3-30 mg/kg IP) on exploratory activity were analyzed in an open field arena. Drug effects on catalepsy were examined in the hanging-bar and wire-ring test. Footprint pattern after treatment with the two NOS inhibitors was evaluated and the results compared with those obtained with the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist haloperidol (1-2 mg/kg IP). Sub-chronic (twice a day for 4 days) effects of L-NOARG (40 mg/kg) or 7-NIO (30 mg/kg) were also tested in the open field arena and catalepsy test. RESULTS: L-NOARG and 7-NIO decreased locomotion and rearing in the open field arena. Both drugs induced catalepsy in the hanging-bar test but did not change footprint pattern. The cataleptic effect of L-NOARG in the hanging bar and wire-ring tests were highly correlated ( r=0.927). The exploratory and cataleptic effects of L-NOARG and 7-NIO provided evidence for tolerance after sub-chronic treatment. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that inhibition of neuronal NO formation induces impairment of exploratory behavior. This effect does not seem to involve aspects evaluated by footprint analysis, such as weight support, trunk stability and foot placement. They could, however, be related to drug-induced catalepsy.

Synthesis and hypolipidemic activity of N-phthalimidomethyl tetra-O-acyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosides.

A facile synthesis of anomerically pure phthalimidomethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl- and phthalimidomethyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-4,6-di-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosides (6 and 9b) starting from N-hydroxymethylphthalimide and tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal is described. Compounds 3, 6, 8, 9a and 9b have been tested for their hypolipidemic activity in mice. All these compound showed significant reduction of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Compound 9b has been found to possess the highest activity.

Serotonin modulation of catalepsy induced by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine in mice.

N(G)-(Nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, induces catalepsy in mice. The objective of the present work was to investigate if serotonergic drugs are able to modulate this effect. Results showed that the cataleptogenic effect of L-NOARG (40 mg/kg) in male albino-Swiss mice was enhanced by pre-treatment with (+)-N-tert-butyl-3-(4-[2-methoxyphenyl]piperazin-1-yl)-2-phenylpro panamide ((+)-WAY-100135, 5 or 10 mg/kg), a 5-HT1A-selective receptor antagonist, and by ketanserin (5 or 10 mg/kg), a 5-HT2A receptor and alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist. Prazosin (3 or 5 mg/kg), an alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, and endo-N-(8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3yl)-2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimet hyl-indole-1-carboxamide HCl (BRL-46470A, 0.05 or 0.5 mg/kg), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, did not interfere with L-NOARG-induced catalepsy. Ritanserin (3 or 10 mg/kg), a 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, tended to enhance the effect of L-NOARG. These results confirm that interference with the formation of nitric oxide induces catalepsy in mice, and suggest that this effect is modulated by 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors.

Immunogenicity and efficacy trials with Plasmodium falciparum recombinant antigens identified as targets of opsonizing antibodies in the naive squirrel monkey Saimiri sciureus.

We have previously shown that Plasmodium falciparum recombinant antigens PfEB200, R23, and Pfi72 consistently inhibit opsonization of infected red blood cells by protective hyperimmune Saimiri sera, indicating that they present target epitopes involved in the phagocytosis of infected red blood cells. We report here an analysis of the immune response elicited in naive squirrel monkeys injected with the individual recombinant antigens or with a mixture of the three antigens combined with a synthetic peptide. In the three administration protocols investigated, there was no evidence for the production of antibody contributing to the phagocytosis of infected red blood cells, contrasting with the increase of opsonizing antibodies elicited by these antigens in monkeys with a prior (> or = 500 days) experience with malaria infection. However, the recombinant antigens were highly immunogenic, inducing specific antibody responses to P. falciparum and to the recombinant antigens. When the monkeys immunized with the antigen combination were challenged with blood-stage parasites, there was substantial protection: three of seven immunized animals self-cured and two others experienced a delayed peak of parasitemia. Taken together with our previous findings, these results suggest that PfEB200, R23, and Pfi72 constitute interesting vaccine candidates, and show that the presence of antibodies promoting phagocytosis of infected red blood cells is not a prerequisite for protection after immunization with these antigens in the Saimiri model.

[Mucoviscidosis with respiratory symptomatology in the neonatal period]. / Mucoviscidose com sintomatologia respiratória no período neonatal.

A case of cystic fibrosis presented in the neonatal period with respiratory symptomatology associated with early pancreatic insufficiency is reported. The CFTR gene molecular analysis was found to be a compound heterozygotes for delta F508 and G542X. The rarity of this mode of presentation and the inclusion of this entity in the differential diagnosis for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is emphasised. The pathogenesis and some therapeutic aspects carried out in our patient, which might have improved the life expectancy of patients with this disease, are discussed.