Sperm handling in aquatic animals for artificial reproduction

Artificial reproduction involves collection and handling of gametes in a way that secures their quality and maximizes the fertilization outcome. In addition to initial sperm quality, numerous steps can affect the final result of fertilization, from the sperm collection process until gamete mixing (or co-incubation) when the spermatozoon enters or fuses with the oocyte. In this review, we summarize the whole process of sperm handling, from collection until fertilization for fish, penaeid shrimp, bivalve mollusks and marine mammals. To obtain sperm from captive animals, techniques vary widely across taxa, and include stripping by abdominal massage or testis surgical removal in fish, spermatophore collection in penaeid shrimps, gonadal scarification or temperature shock in bivalve mollusks, and voluntary collection via positive reinforcement in mammals. In most cases, special care is needed to avoid contamination by mucus, seawater, urine, or feces that can either activate sperm motility and/or decrease its quality. We also review techniques and extender solutions used for refrigerated storage of sperm across the aforementioned taxa. Finally, we give an overview of the different protocols for in vivo and in vitro fertilization including activation of sperm motility and methods for gamete co-incubation. The present study provides valuable information regarding breeder management either for animal production or species conservation.Agência financiadora CRB-anim ANR-11-INBS-003 Reproseed (FP7-KBBE-2009-3) MICIU (Juan de la Cierva-Incorporacion) IJCI-2017-34200 project ReproFl - MAR2020 Program 16-02-01-FMP-59 Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) through project FCT UID/Multi/04326/2019info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fatty acid characterization of cyanobacterial strains isolated from vela lake and mondego river rice fields (central-western, Portugal)

It is know that cyanobacterial taxonomic groups are characterized by particular lipid patterns that can be used as their biological markers. The present study examined the fatty acid composition of nostocacean heterocystous cyanobacterial strains isolated from Central-western Portuguese freshwater shallow water bodies, namely Vela Lake and rice fields from Mondego River Basin. Morphological characterization showed that strains from Vela Lake belonged to Aphanizomenon gracile (strains UADFA16 and UADFA18), Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (strain UADFA15) and Anabaena cf. solitaria (strain UADFA14) species, whereas rice field strains belonged to Anabaena cylindrica (strain UTAD_A212) and Nostoc muscorum (strain UTAD_N213). Biochemical characterization inferred from lipid analysis showed that predominant fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the lipids of the strains were palmitic, oleic and α-linolenic, with trace amounts of myristic and C20 polyunsaturated FAMEs. To our knowledge, there is almost no information about lipid composition in freshwater cyanobacterial species living in different habitats in Portugal. Therefore, this limnological study is a contribution to our investigation on freshwater diazotrophic cyanobacteria

The relationships between functional and physicochemical soil parameters in metal(loid) mine tailings from Mediterranean semiarid areas support the value of spontaneous vegetation colonization for phytomanagement

Spontaneous growth of native vegetation in abandoned metal(loid) mine tailings can be valuable for phytomanagement restoration projects. This study aimed to assess the degree to which spontaneous plant colonization of abandoned metal(loid) mine tailings from Mediterranean semiarid areas led to functional soil improvement, and to identify, if possible, a critical level indicating that this functionality was moving towards that of the vegetated soils from the surroundings. Vegetation ecological indexes, plant life forms and species functional roles, together with physicochemical and functional soils parameters, were studied in metal(loid) mine tailings abandoned ~40 years ago and surrounding forests in SE Spain. Vegetation patches showed only small differences in physicochemical parameters related to soil abiotic stress conditions (pH, salinity and metals), regardless of the vegetation. However, vegetation patches with greater species diversity and richness and presence of plants with contrasted life forms and functional traits that facilitate the growth of less stress-tolerant species showed an increase of the soil microbial functionality (higher microbial biomass C, β-glucosidase activity, bacterial metabolic activity and functional diversity). Moreover, these vegetation patches showed a functional soil status comparable to that of the forests outside the mine tailings. In this sense, the present study showed the value of preserving these vegetation patches since they may act as nucleation spots favoring positive plant-soil feedbacks that may help to accelerate the functional recovery of these degraded areas. Furthermore, strategies to promote the creation of new vegetation patches including a variety of species with contrasted life forms and functional traits should be considered in phytomanagement restoration projects for abandoned metal(loid) mine tailings.The present study was supported by the project RESCLICONT (CGL2016-80981-R), funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain through FEDER funds; by the project METOXCLIM (PTDC/CTA-AMB/29557/2017), funded by FEDER, through COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI), and by national funds (OE), through FCT/MCTES. Thanks are due to FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020), through national funds. A. Peñalver-Alcalá was hired by the project RESCLICONT and received a grant from the Technical University of Cartagena for a short stay at the University of Aveiro. S. Peixoto holds a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/117738/2016) from FCT. I. Silva received a research fellowship from the METOXCLIM project (BI/CESAM/0063/METOXCLIM/2018). A.R.R. Silva received a research fellowship from the METOXCLIM project (BI/CESAM/00060/METOXCLIM/2018). M.N. González-Alcaraz holds a Saavedra Fajardo research contract from the Séneca Foundation of the Murcia Region. The authors thank F.J. Jiménez-Cárceles from Biocyma S.L. for his valuable help with vegetation fieldwork

Desempenho de porta-enxertos para produção de minitomate sob estufa em sistema orgânico de produção

Estudos indicam que a enxertia promove incremento de produtividade e que pode ser usada na prevenção de doenças em plantas. Deste modo, um experimento foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar a influência do porta-enxerto nas características físico-químicas e fitotécnicas do minitomate, cultivar Sweet Grape, sob cultivo orgânico, em estufa, no período de julho-dezembro de 2014. O experimento foi realizado no delineamento de blocos casualizados, com oito repetições. Os tratamentos foram compostos por quatro porta-enxertos (Emperador, Muralha, Enforce e Enpower) e o pé franco da cultivar Sweet Grape (testemunha). Foram analisados a altura, produtividade, firmeza, descarte, relação produção/descarte, acidez total titulável (ATT), sólidos solúveis totais (SST), ratio, pH, número de cachos e de folhas. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, pelo teste F, ao nível de 5% de significância, e quando observado efeito significativo dos tratamentos, procedeu-se o teste de médias, por meio do teste de Tukey. A variável altura apresentou diferença significativa entre os tratamentos. As variáveis produtividade, número de cachos e ATT não exibiram diferenças significativas entre os porta-enxertos e os únicos que apresentaram significância em relação à testemunha foram, respectivamente, o porta-enxerto Emperador, Enforce e Muralha. Para a variável número de folhas, todos os porta-enxertos apresentaram significância em relação à testemunha, mas não foram significantes entre si. As produtividades obtidas para Emperador, Muralha, Enpower, Enforce e pé franco foram 66,57; 59,79; 58,44; 57,92 e 51,28 t ha-1, respectivamente. Portanto, o uso de porta-enxerto tem potencial para melhorar o desempenho da cultura quanto à produtividade no cultivo orgânico, além de não interferir negativamente na qualidade físico-química do produto final.Studies have indicated that grafting increases yield and prevents plant diseases. An experiment was installed to evaluate the influence of rootstock on the physicochemical and phytotechnical characteristics of a cherry tomato cultivar (Sweet Grape) under organic, greenhouse production system, from July to December 2014. The experiment consisted of a randomized complete block design, with eight replications. Treatments were composed of four rootstocks (Emperador, Muralha, Enforce, and Enpower) and the ungrafted cultivar Sweet Grape (control). The following variables were analyzed: plant height, yield, firmness, discard, yield/discard ratio, total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), ratio, pH, number of clusters, and number of leaves. Data were subject to analysis of variance by the F test, at 5% significance level, and means were compared by the Tukey’s test. Plant height was significantly different among treatments. Rootstocks presented no significant differences on yield, number of clusters, and TTA. The rootstocks Emperador, Enforce, and Muralha presented significant difference when compared to the control. For number of leaves, all rootstocks were significant when compared to the control, but not in relation to each other. The rootstocks presented the following yields: Emperador = 66.57 t ha-1; Muralha = 59.79 t ha-1; Enpower = 58.44 t ha-1; Enforce = 57.92 t ha-1; and the control cv. Sweet Grape = 51.28 t ha-1. Results revealed that rootstocks have the potential to improve cherry tomato’s yield in an organic cultivation system and do not interfere negatively with the physicochemical quality of the final product

Monte carlo simulation strategies for predicting CO 2/CH 4 adsorption onto activated carbons from pure gas isotherms

The problem of predicting the adsorptive properties of activated carbon (AC) towards a mixture of gases from the simple knowledge of the adsorption properties of the pure components is addressed, with special reference to the CO2/CH4 mixture. The adsorption process for the pure gases and their mixtures was simulated using the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) method and the calculations were then used to analyze experimental isotherms for the pure gases and for mixtures with different molar fractions in the gaseous phase. It was shown that the pore-size distributions (PSDs) “sensed” by each of the pure probe gases was different one from the other and also from the PSDs “seen” by the mixture. A mixing rule for combining the PSDs corresponding to the pure gases is proposed for obtaining predictions regarding the adsorption of the corresponding mixtures, which are then compared with those arising from the classical IAST approximation. For this purpose, selectivity curves for CO2 relative to CH4 have been calculated and compared with experimental values. It was concluded that, for the adsorbate/adsorbent system under study, the proposed GCMC mixed model was capable of predicting the binary adsorption equilibrium, and especially the selectivity, more accurately than the IAST.Fil: de Oliveira, José C. A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Rios, Rafael B.. Universidade Federal do Ceará; BrasilFil: López, Raúl Horacio. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Peixoto, Hugo R.. Universidade Federal do Ceará; BrasilFil: Cornette, Valeria Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Torres, A. Eurico B.. Universidade Federal do Ceará; BrasilFil: Calvalcante Jr., Célio L.. Universidade Federal do Ceará; BrasilFil: Zgrablich, Jorge Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentin

Giardia lamblia and respiratory allergies: a study of children from an urban area with a high incidence of protozoan infections

OBJECTIVES: There is a high incidence of intestinal parasite infection in urban areas in the Northeast of Brazil. Giardia lamblia infections have been associated with increased prevalence of cutaneous allergies and gastrointestinal disorders. However, little is known about the relationship between giardiasis and allergic diseases of the airways. The present study aimed to investigate the possible association between respiratory allergic diseases and infections by G. lamblia in children from urban areas. METHODS: This study recruited 110 patients of both sexes aged 5-15 years. Patients were administered a questionnaire evaluating clinical symptoms and were given skin tests, parasite tests and serum tests. RESULTS: A high incidence of G. lamblia was observed (45%, 50/110). Infections by this protozoan were not associated with increased risk of respiratory allergy (p = 0.075), high total IgE levels (p = 0.701), positive specific IgE tests (p = 0.250), or positive skin tests for a range of environmental allergens (p = 0.239). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that symptoms of asthma, skin allergy and serum markers were not associated with G. lamblia infections in this sample of children from urban areas.OBJETIVO: Uma elevada incidência de enteroparasitoses é encontrada em regiões urbanas do nordeste brasileiro. As infecções por Giardia lamblia têm sido relacionadas com aumento da prevalência de alergias cutâneas e gastrointestinais. Contudo, ainda existe pouca informação sobre a associação entre a giardíase e doenças alérgicas das vias aéreas. Diante disso, o presente estudo se propôs a verificar a relação entre a infecção por G. lamblia em crianças de área urbana e reatividade alérgica respiratória. MÉTODOS: O estudo incluiu 110 pacientes, de ambos os sexos e idades, entre 5 e 15 anos. Os pacientes foram submetidos a questionários de avaliação dos sintomas clínicos, testes cutâneos de leitura imediata e exames coproparasitológicos e sorológicos. RESULTADOS: Foi verificada uma frequência elevada de crianças infectadas por G. lamblia (45%, 50/110). A infecção pelo protozoário não foi associada com maior risco de alergias respiratórias (p = 0,075), elevação de IgE total (p = 0,701), IgE específica (p = 0,250) ou teste cutâneo positivo para diferentes alérgenos ambientais (p = 0,239). CONCLUSÃO: O estudo demonstrou que a presença dos sintomas de asma, atopia cutânea e marcadores sorológicos não foram associados com a presença de infecção pela G. lamblia nessa amostra de crianças.Ministério da Saúde (Governo Federal do Brasil)Ministério da Ciência e e Tecnologia (Governo Federal do Brasil)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo AsamiUFPE Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo AsamiUFPE Hospital das Cínicas ImunologiaUFPE Hospital das Clínicas ImunologiaUFPE Hospital das ClínicasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Pediatria e Ciências AplicadasUNIFESP Imunologia Clínica e Reumatologia Pediatria e Ciências Aplicadas PediatriaUFPEUFPE Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da SaúdeUNIFESP, Pediatria e Ciências AplicadasUNIFESP, Imunologia Clínica e Reumatologia Pediatria e Ciências Aplicadas PediatriaCNPq: 402666/2005-4SciEL

Ciências da natureza e interdisciplinaridade: a percepção dos estudantes sobre questões de avaliações de larga escala

Buscando fornecer subsídios para o entendimento a respeito da construção e utilização do conhecimento químico e reflexões sobre a forma como ele é ensinado, este trabalho investiga um grupo de dez doutorandos em química de uma Universidade pública do Brasil. A investigação se baseou em dois grupos de entrevistas, analisadas de forma qualitativa, criando-se categorias para codificação das concepções dos químicos em diversos temas. Neste trabalho, são expostos e discutidos os conteúdos das falas deste grupo de pós-graduandos a respeito de suas concepções realistas. A partir desses dados, e dialogando com referenciais da filosofia e do ensino de química, apresentamos apontamentos sobre aspectos peculiares ao fazer e ensinar química

Laboratórios real e virtual para o Ensino de Física em uma só ferramenta: CVMob

Existe uma busca crescente por novas metodologias no ensino de Física que despertem o interesse dos estudantes. Softwares educacionais têm sido desenvolvidos, em contextos nos quais experimentos reais não possuem a eficácia adequada. Contudo, nem sempre exploram situações reais, com todas as suas imprecisões. Este trabalho apresenta possibilidades de uso da ferramenta de baixo custo CVMob para o ensino de física. São propostos experimentos reais (queda livre, lançamento oblíquo e o pulo). Os resultados são coerentes com os modelos físicos existentes. A partir disto, novas possibilidades se apresentam para a instrumentação no ensino e para interações construtivas de estudantes e professores com os fenômenos naturais por meio do uso do CVMob