Association of paratuberculosis sero-status with milk production and somatic cell counts across 5 lactations, using multilevel mixed models, in dairy cows

The aim of this work was to investigate associations between individual cow Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) seropositivity, 305- d corrected milk production, and somatic cell count during 5 lactations lifespan in Portuguese dairy herds using multilevel mixed models. We used MAP serum ELISA (Idexx MAP Ac, Idexx Laboratories Inc., Westbrook, ME) results (n = 23,960) from all the 20,221 adult cows present in 329 farms and corresponding 47,586 lactation records from the National Dairy Improvement Association. Cows and farms were classified as positive or negative. Multilevel mixed models were used to investigate the association of cow MAP status with variation in milk production and somatic cell count. Cow MAP status, farm status, and lactation number were considered as independent variables. A quadratic function of lactation number was used to mimic the effect of lactation order on milk production. The models considered 3 levels: measurement occasion (level 1) within cow (level 2) and cow within farm (level 3). Four final models were produced, including all herds and cows, to address the effect of farm status (models 1 and 2) or the effect of cow status (models 3 and 4) on the outcome variables. Our results show that MAP status affects milk production. Losses are detectable from third lactation onward. During the first 5 lactations, positive cows accumulated an average loss of 1,284.8 kg of milk when compared with the negative cows. We also observed that somatic cell counts were higher in positive cows and a positive interaction occurs between cow status and lactation number, suggesting a positive association between MAP infection and increased so- matic cell counts. Our results are in line with previous studies, suggesting a possible positive relation between cow milk production and susceptibility to MAP infection

Neutrophil apoptosis, phagocytosis and oxidative metabolism in septic patients

Sepse denota a continuidade de um processo de injuria tecidual onde a disfuncao organica multipla representa sua expressao mais grave. Trata-se de uma condicao patologica associada a altas taxas de mortalidade. Diferentes linhagens celulares estao relacionadas a sua fisiopatogenia. Neutrofilos, por exemplo, sao as primeiras celulas da linha de defesa a migrarem para os sitios de inflamacao e/ou infeccao. Suas funcoes primarias incluem fagocitose de bacterias, elaboracao de enzimas oxidativas e nao oxidativas de degradacao, e formacao de fatores quimiotaticos para recrutar outras celulas inflamatorias. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da sepse grave e do choque septico na apoptose e na funcao de neutrofilos, sendo esta analisada pela capacidade fagocitica e pelo metabolismo oxidativo. Para tanto, foram incluidos 10 pacientes com quadro clinico e laboratorial de sepse grave ou choque septico com menos de 48 horas de evolucao, classificados de acordo com as definicoes do consenso de 1992 do American College of Chest Physicians / Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference, internados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva do Hospital São Paulo, e 10 individuos sadios, maiores de 18 anos, que nao se encontravam em uso de nenhum medicamento, considerados controles. De cada paciente ou voluntario sadio foram coletadas amostras de 10 ml de sangue arterial ou venoso periferico em tubos estereis com 100 U de heparina para realizacao dos ensaios de apoptose, fagocitose e metabolismo oxidativo, utilizando citometria de fluxo...(au)BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Dectin-1-Mediated Production of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Induced by Yeast β-Glucans in Bovine Monocytes

Yeast-derived products containing β-glucans have long been used as feed supplements in domesticated animals in an attempt to increase immunity. β-glucans are mainly recognized by the cell surface receptor CLEC7A, also designated Dectin-1. Although the immune mechanisms elicited through Dectin-1 activation have been studied in detail in mice and humans, they are poorly understood in other species. Here, we evaluated the response of bovine monocytes to soluble and particulate purified β-glucans, and also to Zymosan. Our results show that particulate, but not soluble β-glucans, can upregulate the surface expression of costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 on bovine monocytes. In addition, stimulated cells increased production of IL-8 and of TNF, IL1B, and IL6 mRNA expression, in a dose-dependent manner, which correlated positively with CLEC7A gene expression. Production of IL-8 and TNF expression decreased significantly after CLEC7A knockdown using two different pairs of siRNAs. Overall, we demonstrated here that bovine monocytes respond to particulate β-glucans, through Dectin-1, by increasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our data support further studies in cattle on the induction of trained immunity using dietary β-glucans.This work received financial support from PT national funds (FCT/MCTES, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) through the project UIDB/info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB/50006/2020/PT. AP was supported by FCT phD grant PD/BDE/135540/2018. AC was supported by FCT Individual CEEC 2017 Assistant Researcher Grant CEECIND/01514/2017. MM was supported by FCT through program DL 57/2016 – Norma transitória (SFRH/BPD/70716/2010)

Gene diversity in grevillea populations introduced in Brazil and its implication on management of genetic resources.

A variabilidade isoenzimática para seis populações de Grevillea robusta, oriundas de um teste de procedências/progenies, implantado no delineamento em blocos casualizados com 5 plantas por parcela, no Sul do Brasil, é descrita. A estrutura genética da população foi analisada utilizando-se marcadores bioquímicos, aos 5 anos de idade, especificamente para os locos MDH-3, PGM-2, DIA-2, PO-1, PO-2, SOD-1, e SKDH-1. As procedências do norte de ocorrência natural (Rathdowney e Woodenbong) apresentaram divergência genética superior, em relação à média das progênies, considerando o número de alelos por locus, (Ap), a riqueza alélica (Rs), a diversidade genética de Nei (H), e o coeficiente de endogamia (f). A endogamia foi detectada em diversos graus. A testemunha comercial apresentou o maior coeficiente de endogamia, (f = 0,4448), comparativamente à média das procedências (f = 0,2306), possivelmente devido à insuficiente amostragem populacional na região de origem (Austrália). Apesar de sua ocorrência natural restrita, observou-se correlação positiva entre divergência genética e distância geográfica entre as populações originais. A distância genética e análise de cluster, baseada no modelo bayesiano, mostrou três grupos de procedências distintos: 1) Rathdowney- QLD e Woodenbong-QLD; 2) Paddy?s Flat-NSW; e 3) Mann River-NSW, Boyd River-NSW e a testemunha comercial (material utilizado no Brasil). O agrupamento da testemunha com as procedências Mann River-NSW e Boyd River-NSW sugere um maior potencial das procedências do norte para o melhoramento genético visando à produção de madeira no Brasil, devido a sua elevada diversidade genética e baixo coeficiente de endogamia

GERMINATION AND RE-INDUCTION OF DISSECATION TOLERANCE IN SEEDS OF Senna multijuga (RICH.) IRWIN ET BARN

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar diferentes m\ue9todos de supera\ue7\ue3o de dorm\ueancia, condi\ue7\uf5es \uf3timas de germina\ue7\ue3o, tais como luz, temperatura, e poss\uedvel reindu\ue7\ue3o da toler\ue2ncia \ue0 desseca\ue7\ue3o em sementes de Senna multijuga . Foram testados dois m\ue9todos de supera\ue7\ue3o de dorm\ueancia: imers\ue3o em \ue1gua com temperatura inicial de 100\ubaC (\ue1gua quente) e imers\ue3o em \ue1gua com temperatura constante a 100\ubaC por 20 segundos (\ue1gua fervente), ambos os tratamentos seguidos de repouso fora do aquecimento por 24 horas. Para o teste de germina\ue7\ue3o, foram avaliados os regimes t\ue9rmicos 25\ubaC, 30\ubaC (constantes) e 20-30\ub0C (alternados), na presen\ue7a e aus\ueancia de luz. Para o teste de reindu\ue7\ue3o da toler\ue2ncia \ue0 desseca\ue7\ue3o, foram selecionadas sementes germinadas com 1, 2, 3 e 4 mm de comprimento radicular e submetidas aos tratamentos de desseca\ue7\ue3o: sem incuba\ue7\ue3o; com incuba\ue7\ue3o em solu\ue7\ue3o de polietilenoglicol (PEG6000) nas concentra\ue7\uf5es de -1,4; -1,7 e -2,0MPa; com incuba\ue7\ue3o em solu\ue7\ue3o de PEG -1,4MPa + ABA nas concentra\ue7\uf5es de 1, 10 e 100 \u3bcM. O delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC) foi utilizado em todos os experimentos com 4 repeti\ue7\uf5es de 25 sementes. A supera\ue7\ue3o de dorm\ueancia utilizando \ue1gua quente proporcionou germinabilidade superior a 65%. As sementes de Senna multijuga, apesar de n\ue3o serem fotobl\ue1sticas positivas obrigat\uf3rias, apresentaram maior porcentagem de germina\ue7\ue3o sob condi\ue7\uf5es de luz. Foi poss\uedvel observar a retomada do crescimento ap\uf3s a secagem em sementes germinadas com rad\uedculas de at\ue9 3 mm de comprimento.The aims of this study were to verify the effects of different tests in the overcoming dormancy, excellent germination terms, as light and temperature, and the possibility of re-induction of desiccation tolerance in Senna multijuga seeds. We evaluated two tests for overcoming dormancy: immersion in water with an initial temperature of 100\ubaC (hot water) and immersion in water at a constant temperature at 100\ubaC for 20 seconds (boiling water), both treatments followed by rest out of the heating for 24 hours. For the germination test, we evaluated 25\ubaC, 30\ubaC (constant) and 20-30\ubaC (alternate), in the presence and absence of light. For the reinduction of desiccation tolerance, we selected seeds germinated with 1, 2, 3 and 4mm of radicle length. We submitted the germinated seeds to the follow treatments: no incubation, incubation in polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) at the -1,4, -1,7 and -2,0MPa; incubation in PEG -1,4MPa + ABA at the concentrations of 1, 10 and 100\u3bcM. The tests followed a completely randomized design (DIC) using 4 repetitions of 25 seeds. The overcoming dormancy using hot water provided the best germination (65%). The Senna multijuga seeds are not photoblastic required, but in light conditions the germination was higher. We observed the resumption of the radicle growth in germinated seeds of up to 3mm length

Behavioural syndrome in a solitary predator is independent of body size and growth rate.

Models explaining behavioural syndromes often focus on state-dependency, linking behavioural variation to individual differences in other phenotypic features. Empirical studies are, however, rare. Here, we tested for a size and growth-dependent stable behavioural syndrome in the juvenile-stages of a solitary apex predator (pike, Esox lucius), shown as repeatable foraging behaviour across risk. Pike swimming activity, latency to prey attack, number of successful and unsuccessful prey attacks was measured during the presence/absence of visual contact with a competitor or predator. Foraging behaviour across risks was considered an appropriate indicator of boldness in this solitary predator where a trade-off between foraging behaviour and threat avoidance has been reported. Support was found for a behavioural syndrome, where the rank order differences in the foraging behaviour between individuals were maintained across time and risk situation. However, individual behaviour was independent of body size and growth in conditions of high food availability, showing no evidence to support the state-dependent personality hypothesis. The importance of a combination of spatial and temporal environmental variation for generating growth differences is highlighted

Comparative cytogenetics of three species of Dichotomius (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae)

Meiotic and mitotic chromosomes of Dichotomius nisus, D. semisquamosus and D. sericeus were analyzed after conventional staining, C-banding and silver nitrate staining. In addition, Dichotomius nisus and D. semisquamosus chromosomes were also analyzed after fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with an rDNA probe. The species analyzed had an asymmetrical karyotype with 2n = 18 and meta-submetacentric chromosomes. The sex determination mechanism was of the Xyp type in D. nisus and D. semisquamosus and of the Xy r type in D. sericeus. C-banding revealed the presence of pericentromeric blocks of constitutive heterochromatin (CH) in all the chromosomes of the three species. After silver staining, the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) were located in autosomes of D. semisquamosus and D. sericeus and in the sexual bivalent of D. nisus. FISH with an rDNA probe confirmed NORs location in D. semisquamosus and in D. nisus. Our results suggest that chromosome inversions and fusions occurred during the evolution of the group