Pregnancy rate in lactating Bos indicus cows subjected to fixed-time artificial insemination and treated with different follicular growth inducers.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of replacing eCG with FSH or FSH/LH on the diameter of ovulatory follicles (DOF) and the pregnancy rates (PR) of lactating Bos indicus cows subjected to a synchronization of ovulation protocol and fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) based on progesterone, estradiol benzoate (EB), PGF2α, and estradiol cypionate (EC). On day 0, primiparous and multiparous Nellore cows (n = 329) at 68 days postpartum were body condition scored (BCS) and received a P4 implant (PRIMER 1.0 g P4) plus 2 mg EB intramuscularly (IM). At day 8, the implant was removed, and 250 μg cloprostenol were injected IM along with 0.5 mg EC. At the time of implant removal, the animals were divided into one of four treatments: cows received (G1) 1 mL of saline solution IM (Control; n = 80); (G2) 300 IU eCG IM (ECG300; n = 84); (G3) 15 mg FSH IM (Folltropin; n = 82); and (G4) 30 IU FSH/LH IM (Pluset; n = 83); all cows were subjected to FTAI 48-54 h after implant removal (day 10). Transrectal ultrasonography was performed to measure the DOF to FTAI and to estimate the pregnancy rate on day 35. A statistical analysis examined the effects of the treatment, technician, semen, BCS, calf age and parity on PR to FTAI. There was no significant difference in PR and DOF among the treatment groups (G1, 41.3%, 13.1 mm; G2, 46.4%, 14.5 mm; G3, 46.3%, 14.2 mm; and G4, 48.2%, 14.3 mm), but PR was higher in multiparous than in primiparous cows. Commercial FSH solutions (Pluset or Folltropin) do not promote increases in PR or DOF of lactating Nellore cows and are equal to eCG in promoting growth in preovulatory follicles and elevating the PR in Nellore cows with a moderate BCS subjected to a progesterone-based FTAI protocol with EC

Conservação e caracterização de germoplasma de mandioca no Amazonas.

O trabalho objetivou caracterizar acessos de mandioca, coletados em plantações aparentemente livres de patógenos sistêmicos e retirados das plantas mais vigorosas e sadias, baseados em descritores morfológicos e agronômicos, considerados relevantes para efeito de seleção, com a finalidade de exploração do cultivo e das preferências do produtor/consumidor

Dwarf-cashew resistance to whitefly (Aleurodicus cocois) linked tomorphological and histochemical characteristics of leaves.

The cashewwhitefly (CW), Aleurodicus cocois, is an important pest of cashewin Brazil. The use of resistant plants may be an effective strategy for the control of this pest. In a preliminary assay,we found thatdwarf-cashewclones showdifferent levels of resistance to CW.Here,we hypothesized that such resistance is associated with morphological characteristics of cashew leaves and their content of phenolic compounds. We determined (i) the attractiveness and suitability for oviposition of five dwarf-cashew clones towards CW, (ii) the leaf morphology and chemistry of those clones, and (iii) the relationship between leaf characteristics and resistance to CW. In greenhouse multiple-choice assays, PRO143/7 and CCP76 showed, respectively, the lowest and highest counts of both CWadults and eggs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that PRO143/7 and EMBRAPA51 have, respectively, the highest and lowest numbers of leaf glandular trichomes.We found a negative correlation between number of trichomes in the abaxial surface of cashew leaves and CW oviposition. In addition, confocal microscopy analysis and histochemical tests with ferrous sulfate indicated a higher accumulation of phenolic compounds in the resistant clone PRO143/7 relative to the other clones. Dwarf-cashew clones did not significantly differ based on the number of leaf epicuticular striations, and the thickness of both leaf lamina and the epidermal layer. The resistance of dwarf-cashew plants to CW is associated with an elevated number of trichomes and accumulation of high levels of phenolics in leaves. Additionally, the contribution of epicuticular striation density and thickness of leaf lamina/epidermal layer are insignificant

Alterações na matéria orgânica do solo pela conversão da floresta nativa em pastagem cultivada, Pantanal Sul Matogrossense.

RESUMO: Diante da baixa produtividade e qualidade das pastagens nativas, principal responsável pelos baixos índices zootécnicos da pecuária pantaneira, desmatamentos para a implantação de pastagens cultivadas tem-se intensificado na região. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as alterações nos teores de carbono total e associados às frações húmicas do solo pela conversão da floresta nativa em pastagem cultivada no Pantanal. Foram avaliados os teores de carbono total (C) e nas frações humina (HUM) e ácidos fúlvicos (AF) e húmicos (AH) de amostras de solo, nas profundidades de 0-10 cm e 10-20 cm, de áreas de floresta nativa e pastagens adjacentes de Brachiaria decumbens, com diferentes tempos de implantação, como se segue: floresta semidecídua (FS) e pastagem com 27 anos de implantação (PC27); cerradão (Ce1) e pastagem com 26 anos de implantação (PC26); cerradão (Ce2) e pastagem com 11 anos de implantação (PC11). Em todas as áreas houve domínio do C da fração HUM, com aproximadamente 60% do C total, seguido das frações AH, 20 a 30% e AF, inferior a 10%. A conversão da floresta nativa em pastagem cultivada promoveu redução nos teores de carbono total no solo e nas frações húmicas, com tendência à maiores reduções nas frações ácidos fúlvicos e húmicos

Levantamento de himenópteros parasitoides na agricultura Kaxinawá de Nova Olinda, Feijó, AC.

O conhecimento acerca do ciclo de vida, bem como seus nichos e inimigos naturais de insetos-praga, podem trazer soluções para um controle racional e adequado. O levantamento de insetos, especialmente os himenópteros parasitoides, é importante para o conhecimento da entomofauna de determinada região, bem como na busca de inimigos naturais que possam ser utilizados em programas de controle biológico. Em uma agricultura de base agroecológica (sem utilização de agrotóxicos), como é a praticada pelos Kaxinawá, o controle biológico exerce papel fundamental na regulação de insetos-praga. O estudo foi conduzido na aldeia Porto Alegre, terra indígena Kaxinawá, Feijó, AC

Effect of essential oils from Eucalyptus on the growth of aflatoxigenic species

In Brazil, Eucalyptus species has been cultivated as source of energy and cellulose. They represent the most important cultivated forest in the country. In production areas, the leaves from the trees decay on the soil as green fertilizer. In this study were evaluated pure and blends of essential oils from different species of eucalyptus trees grown in Brazil for antifungal activity against aflatoxigenic species Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. These fungal species can grow and contaminate grains during the storage period under high r.h. conditions, with an eventual production of aflatoxins. Antifungal activity was evaluated by the radial growth measurement of the fungi inoculated on maize meal extract agar basic medium. The eucalyptus oils were evaluated in a contact assay and a fumigant assay using pure and blended oils. Six concentrations of pure and blended oils were evaluated at the following doses: 0, 2, 4, 16, 32 and 84 μL per 20 mL of fungi culture medium. Fungal inocula from conidia suspensions containing 106 spores/mL was inoculated by a needle. Glass Petri dishes were incubated for 9 days at 28°C (± 0.3°C) in the dark. Antifungal activity was observed in all pure and blended oils, in different concentrations of contact and fumigant assay, for both fungi. Eucalyptus stageiriana oil and E. stageiriana + the hybrid E. grandis x E. urophylla oils blend controlled the total fungal growth at the lowest dose (20 μL). Keywords: Essential oil; Eucalyptus spp.; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus parasiticus; Antifungal activity

Exploring the Pharmacological Potential of Promiscuous Host-Defense Peptides: From Natural Screenings to Biotechnological Applications

In the last few years, the number of bacteria with enhanced resistance to conventional antibiotics has dramatically increased. Most of such bacteria belong to regular microbial flora, becoming a real challenge, especially for immune-depressed patients. Since the treatment is sometimes extremely expensive, and in some circumstances completely inefficient for the most severe cases, researchers are still determined to discover novel compounds. Among them, host-defense peptides (HDPs) have been found as the first natural barrier against microorganisms in nearly all living groups. This molecular class has been gaining attention every day for multiple reasons. For decades, it was believed that these defense peptides had been involved only with the permeation of the lipid bilayer in pathogen membranes, their main target. Currently, it is known that these peptides can bind to numerous targets, as well as lipids including proteins and carbohydrates, from the surface to deep within the cell. Moreover, by using in vivo models, it was shown that HDPs could act both in pathogens and cognate hosts, improving immunological functions as well as acting through multiple pathways to control infections. This review focuses on structural and functional properties of HDP peptides and the additional strategies used to select them. Furthermore, strategies to avoid problems in large-scale manufacture by using molecular and biochemical techniques will also be explored. In summary, this review intends to construct a bridge between academic research and pharmaceutical industry, providing novel insights into the utilization of HDPs against resistant bacterial strains that cause infections in humans