Cactus Cladodes Opuntia or Nopalea and By-Product of Low Nutritional Value as Solutions to Forage Shortages in Semiarid Areas

Simple Summary In the different livestock production systems, forage is the main feed resource. However, the availability and quality of the forage fluctuate throughout the year due to variable environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, location, or lack of rainfall. In semiarid regions, this fact is even more critical. The option for forage plants adapted to the semiarid climate, such as cactus cladodes, becomes indispensable for the sustainability of the systems. Nonetheless, it is necessary to combine the cactus with high-fiber-content feeds (silage, hay, and agroindustry residues, among others) to increase fiber contents in the diet to promote ideal rumen conditions. Based on the knowledge that cactus cladodes (Opuntia spp. and Nopalea spp.) are one of the most viable crops in semiarid regions, the association with a by-product rich in NDF proves to be a more feasible alternative in terms of price and availability, with the producer making the final decision. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the cactus cladodes Nopalea cochenillifera (L). Salm-Dyck. (NUB) and cactus cladodes Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. (OUB), both combined with sugarcane bagasse (SB) plus urea, Tifton hay (TH), corn silage (CS), and sorghum silage (SS) plus urea on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal dynamics, and parameters. Five male sheep, fistulated in the rumen, were assigned in a 5 x 5 Latin square design. The NUB provided a higher intake of dry matter (DM) and any nutrients than SS. TH provided larger pools of DM and iNDF. The OUB and CS provided a higher DM degradation. CS provided a higher NDF degradation rate. OUB provided a lower ruminal pH. Depending on the collection time, the lowest pH value was estimated at 3.79 h after the morning feeding. There was an interaction between treatments and collection time on VFA concentrations. Due to the high degradation rate, greater energy intake, less change in rumen pH, greater volatile fatty acid production, and feasibility, we recommend using cactus associated with sugarcane bagasse plus urea in sheep diets

Body composition and resting metabolic rate in obese adolescents

Objetivo: Analisar a composição corporal e taxa metabólica de repouso (TMR) de adolescentes com obesidade. Metodologia: Foram avaliados 58 adolescentes, entre 12 e 16 anos (13,7±1,2 anos), com obesidade. A composição corporal foi mensurada por meio da Absortiometria de Raios-x de Dupla Energia (DEXA). A taxa metabólica de repouso e a oxidação de glicose e lipídeos foram determinadas pela medida do oxigênio consumido e pela produção de dióxido de carbono. Foi utilizado teste t de Student para variáveis independentes, análise de regressão linear múltipla e correlação de Pearson, com significância de p<5%. Resultados: Foram observadas diferenças na porcentagem de gordura corporal (p=0,01), porcentagem de massa corporal magra (MCM) (p=0,01), porcentagem de gordura do tronco (p=0,01), massa magra membro inferior (p=0,01) e taxa metabólica de repouso (p=0,04) entre os sexos masculino e feminino. No sexo masculino a MCM foi a melhor preditora de TMR (p=0,01). Houve correlação positiva entre TMR e MCM, assim como observada associação entre a oxidação lipídica e MCM. Conclusão: A composição corporal total e por segmento corporal influenciam a taxa metabólica de repouso e a oxida- ção de substratos. Além disso, a MCM pode ser considerada um fator de aumento do gasto energético de repouso de adolescentes com obesidade.Objective: Analyze body composition and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in obese adolescents. Methods: 58 obese adolescents were assessed between 12 and 16 years (13.7 ± 1.2 years). The body composition was measured dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The resting metabolic rate and oxidation of glucose and lipids were determined by measuring the oxygen consumption and the production of carbon dioxide. Student t test was used for independent data, multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation, significance was set p <5%. Results: Significant differences were observed in the percentage of body fat (p = 0.01), percentage of lean body mass (LBM) (p = 0.01), percentage body fat (p = 0.01), lower limb lean mass (p = 0.01) and resting metabolic rate (p = 0.04) between males and females. The LBM is highlighted as the best predictor of RMR (p = 0.01). There was a positive correlation between RMR and LBM, as observed association between lipid oxidation and LBM. Conclusion: Total body composition and segment influence the resting metabolic rate and substrate oxidation. In addition, the LBM can be considered a factor of increased resting energy expenditure in obese adolescents

The novel mangrove environment and composition of the Amazon Delta

Both freshwater floodplain (várzeas and igapós) forests and brackish-saline mangroves are abundant and well-described ecosystems in Brazil.1 However, an interesting and unique wetland forest exists in the Amazon Delta where extensive mangroves occur in essentially freshwater tidal environments. Unlike the floodplain forests found upriver, the hydrology of these ecosystems is driven largely by large macro-tides of 4–8 m coupled with the significant freshwater discharge from the Amazon River. We explored these mangroves on the Amazon Delta (00°52ʹ N to 01°41ʹ N) and found surface water salinity to be consistently <5; soil pore water salinity in these mangrove forests ranged from 0 nearest the Amazon mouth to only 5–11 at the coastal margins to the north (01°41ʹ N, 49°55′ W). We also recorded a unique mix of mangrove-obligate (Avicennia sp., Rhizophora mangle) and facultative-wetland species (Mauritia flexuosa, Pterocarpus sp.) dominating these forests. This unique mix of plant species and soil porewater chemistry exists even along the coastal strands and active coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean. Part of these unique mangroves have escaped current global satellite mapping efforts, and we estimate that they may add over 180 km2 (20% increase in mangrove area) within the Amazon Delta. Despite having a unique structure and function, these freshwater-brackish ecosystems likely provide similar ecosystem services to most mangroves worldwide, such as sequestering large quantities of organic carbon, protection of shoreline ecosystems from erosion, and habitats to many terrestrial and aquatic species (monkeys, birds, crabs, and fish)

IL-17RA Signaling Reduces Inflammation and Mortality during Trypanosoma cruzi Infection by Recruiting Suppressive IL-10-Producing Neutrophils

Members of the IL-17 cytokine family play an important role in protection against pathogens through the induction of different effector mechanisms. We determined that IL-17A, IL-17E and IL-17F are produced during the acute phase of T. cruzi infection. Using IL-17RA knockout (KO) mice, we demonstrate that IL-17RA, the common receptor subunit for many IL-17 family members, is required for host resistance during T. cruzi infection. Furthermore, infected IL-17RA KO mice that lack of response to several IL-17 cytokines showed amplified inflammatory responses with exuberant IFN-γ and TNF production that promoted hepatic damage and mortality. Absence of IL-17RA during T. cruzi infection resulted in reduced CXCL1 and CXCL2 expression in spleen and liver and limited neutrophil recruitment. T. cruzi-stimulated neutrophils secreted IL-10 and showed an IL-10-dependent suppressive phenotype in vitro inhibiting T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production. Specific depletion of Ly-6G+ neutrophils in vivo during T. cruzi infection raised parasitemia and serum IFN-γ concentration and resulted in increased liver pathology in WT mice and overwhelming wasting disease in IL-17RA KO mice. Adoptively transferred neutrophils were unable to migrate to tissues and to restore resistant phenotype in infected IL-17RA KO mice but migrated to spleen and liver of infected WT mice and downregulated IFN-γ production and increased survival in an IL-10 dependent manner. Our results underscore the role of IL-17RA in the modulation of IFN-γ-mediated inflammatory responses during infections and uncover a previously unrecognized regulatory mechanism that involves the IL-17RA-mediated recruitment of suppressive IL-10-producing neutrophils

The germline mutational landscape of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Brazil

The detection of germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 is essential to the formulation of clinical management strategies, and in Brazil, there is limited access to these services, mainly due to the costs/availability of genetic testing. Aiming at the identification of recurrent mutations that could be included in a low-cost mutation panel, used as a first screening approach, we compiled the testing reports of 649 probands with pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants referred to 28 public and private health care centers distributed across 11 Brazilian States. Overall, 126 and 103 distinct mutations were identified in BRCA1 and BRCA2, respectively. Twenty-six novel variants were reported from both genes, and BRCA2 showed higher mutational heterogeneity. Some recurrent mutations were reported exclusively in certain geographic regions, suggesting a founder effect. Our findings confirm that there is significant molecular heterogeneity in these genes among Brazilian carriers, while also suggesting that this heterogeneity precludes the use of screening protocols that include recurrent mutation testing only. This is the first study to show that profiles of recurrent mutations may be unique to different Brazilian regions. These data should be explored in larger regional cohorts to determine if screening with a panel of recurrent mutations would be effective.This work was supported in part by grants from Barretos Cancer Hospital (FINEP - CT-INFRA, 02/2010), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, 2013/24633-2 and 2103/23277-8), Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Rio Grande do Norte (FAPERN), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), Ministério da Saúde, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Avon grant #02-2013-044) and National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute (grant #RC4 CA153828-01) for the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. Support in part was provided by grants from Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa e Eventos (FIPE) from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, BioComputacional 3381/2013, Rede de Pesquisa em Genômica Populacional Humana), Secretaria da Saúde do Estado da Bahia (SESAB), Laboratório de Imunologia e Biologia Molecular (UFBA), INCT pra Controle do Câncer and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). RMR and PAP are recipients of CNPq Productivity Grants, and Bárbara Alemar received a grant from the same agencyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio