New occurrence of B chromosomes in Partamonahelleri (Friese, 1900) (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

Cytogenetic analyses of the stingless bee Partamona helleri collected in the state of Bahia, Northeast Brazil revealed the chromosome numbers n = 18 in the haploid males and 2n = 35 in the diploid females. All karyotypes displayed one large acrocentric B chromosome, which differs from the minute B chromosomes previously described in the populations from southeastern Brazil. Giemsa staining, C-banding and DAPI/CMA3 fluorochrome staining also revealed a remarkable interpopulational divergence regarding both the regular karyotype and the B chromosomes. The B chromosomes found in the samples from Jequié, Bahia, were entirely heterochromatic, while those found in Cravolândia, Bahia, displayed a euchromatic portion at the telomeric end of the long arm. CMA 3 labeling sites varied from seven to eight between the two localities in Bahia, due to the presence of an extra GC-rich block in the karyotype of the samples from Jequié. This is the first report of a large B chromosome in P. helleri and reveals the occurrence of a geographic differentiation within this species

Interdisciplinary paleovegetation study in the Fernando de Noronha Island (Pernambuco State), northeastern Brazil

The aim of this research was to reconstruct vegetation changes (with climate inferences) that occurred during the Holocene in the Fernando de Noronha Island, Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. The research approach included the use of geochemical (mineralogy, elemental), carbon isotopes (δ13C, 14C) and pollen analyses in soil organic matter (SOM) and sediments collected in Lagoa da Viração and Manguezal do Sueste. The carbon isotopes data of SOM indicated that there was no significant vegetation changes during the last 7400 BP, suggesting that the climate was not the determinant factor for the vegetation dynamics. The pollen analysis of the sediment of a core collected in the Lagoa da Viração showed the absence of Quaternary material in the period between 720 BP and 90 BP. The mineralogical analysis of deeper layer showed the presence of diopside indicating this material was developed "in situ". Only in the shallow part of the core were found pollen of similar plant species of the modern vegetation. The geochemistry and isotope results, in association with the sediment type and pollen analyses of sediment samples of Manguezal do Sueste, indicated variations in the vegetation and in its location since the middle Holocene. Such variations can be associated with climatic events and sea level oscillations and also with anthropogenic events considering the last five hundred years._________________________________________________________________________________________ RESUMO: Esta pesquisa teve o objetivo de reconstruir trocas de vegetação (com referências climáticas) que ocorreram durante o Holoceno na ilha de Fernando de Noronha, Estado de Pernambuco, nordeste do Brasil. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa utilizou-se de análises geoquímicas (minerais, elementar), isótopos do carbono (δ13C, 14C) e análises polínicas em solos e sedimentos coletados na Lagoa da Viração e no manguezal do Sueste. Os isótopos do carbono dos solos indicaram que não houve trocas significativas de vegetação durante os últimos 7400 anos AP, sugerindo que o clima não foi um fator determinante para a dinâmica da vegetação. A análise polínica dos sedimentos da Lagoa da Viração mostrou ausência de elementos quaternários no período entre 720 AP e 90 AP. A análise mineralógica das camadas mais profundas mostrou a presença de diopsídeo, indicando que este material foi desenvolvido"in situ". Somente na parte superficial do testemunho foram encontrados palinomorfos de plantas similares à vegetação moderna. Os resultados geoquímicos e isotópicos, em associação com o tipo de sedimento e as análises polínicas das amostras de sedimento do Manguezal do Sueste, indicaram variações na vegetação e na sua localização desde o Holoceno médio. Tais variações podem estar associadas a eventos climáticos e oscilações do nível do mar e também a eventos antrópicos considerando os últimos quinhentos anos

Programa??o metab?lica e obesidade: overview of reviews e estudo observacional envolvendo crian?as do interior do Rio Grande do Sul

Submitted by Setor de Tratamento da Informa??o - BC/PUCRS ([email protected]) on 2015-12-18T13:14:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 476596 - Texto Completo.pdf: 1409753 bytes, checksum: bc4ccb55ef8bdedcc327d5131ce5571b (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-18T13:14:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 476596 - Texto Completo.pdf: 1409753 bytes, checksum: bc4ccb55ef8bdedcc327d5131ce5571b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-31Background: Obesity represents a global epidemic in both adults and children. Several factors associated with the parents seem to affect the offspring weight. In addition, maternal overweight and obesity seem to be associated with a series of comorbidities and negative outcomes in offspring. Objective: This thesis has two main objectives: (1) To conduct an overview of reviews, it means, to summarize the evidences from systematic reviews on the association between maternal overweight and obesity and offspring outcomes; and (2) To conduct an observational study to assess the effects of maternal overweight and obesity on offspring BMI. Secondarily, we aimed to evaluate the impact of diabetes, gestational diabetes, hypertension and gestational hypertension on the BMI of children aged between 6 and 10 years. Methods: To address the objectives of this thesis, we conducted two studies, corresponding to the two aims mentioned above. Study 1: Overview of Reviews. An electronic search (from their inception date up to September 2014) was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE and Lilacs. Limits and restrictions for date and language were not used. We conducted an analysis of references and citation of the included systematic reviews. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of each systematic review according to the AMSTAR criteria. Quality was evidence was evaluated, and we provide a descriptive analysis of the findings. Study 2: Cross-sectional study derived from a cohort. We included 848 children aged 6 to 10 years. We evaluated weight, height and body mass index (BMI) of children and parents. A questionnaire was administered to parents to collect the following information: previous hypertension, hypertension during pregnancy, previous diabetes, gestational diabetes, education and socioeconomic level of the parents. The Research Ethics Committee approved the study and the parents signed the informed consent. Results: Study 1: Maternal overweight and obesity were demonstrated to be associated with stillbirth, fetal death and infant death. Being overweight or slightly obese seem to not modify the overall risk for preterm birth, the risk of induced preterm birth was increased in overweight and obese women. Congenital defects such as neural tube defect, spina bifida, cardiovascular anomalies, septal anomalies, cleft palate, cleft lip and palate, anorectal atresia, hydrocephaly, and limb reduction anomalies. The risk of gastroschisis among obese mothers was reduced. There was limited data on neurodevelopmental outcomes, anorectal malformations in offspring, and risk of testicular cancer. Maternal overweight and obesity are associated with risk of asthma and wheezing in children, and has a negative impact on the immediate postpartum care for both mother and baby. Study 2: We found that mothers with overweight and obesity have more often overweight and obese children than normal weight mothers. The same relationship was observed for fathers. Furthermore, it was found that mothers who develop hypertension during pregnancy have more often children with overweight and obesity. However, the association was not observed when other factors such as pre-gestational diabetes, gestational diabetes and pre-gestational hypertension were evaluated. Conclusion: Maternal overweight and obesity are associated with a number of complications for both the mother when the baby in the short, medium and long term. It is suggested that guidelines for weight maintenance for women who plan on becoming pregnant should definitely consider these results in order to reduce maternal overweight and obesity rates and its negative impact on children.Introdu??o: A obesidade representa uma epidemia mundial tanto em adultos como em crian?as. Diversos fatores maternos e paternos parecem influenciar no peso das crian?as. Al?m disso, sobrepeso e obesidade maternos parecem estar associados com uma s?rie de comorbidades e desfechos negativos nos filhos. Objetivos: Esta tese possui dois objetivos principais: (1) Realizar uma overview of reviews, ou seja, reunir e avaliar evid?ncias provenientes de revis?es sistem?ticas e meta-an?lises, investigando a associa??o entre sobrepeso e obesidade maternos e defeitos/comorbidades nos filhos; e (2) Realizar um estudo observacional para avaliar os efeitos do sobrepeso e obesidade maternos sobre o IMC dos filhos. Secundariamente, pretende-se avaliar o impacto da diabetes melitus, diabetes gestacional, hipertens?o pr?gesta??o e hipertens?o gestacional sobre o IMC dos filhos entre 6 e 10 anos. M?todos: Para responder aos objetivos desta tese, foram elaborados dois estudos, correspondentes aos dois objetivos citados acima. Estudo 1: Overview of Reviews. Buscas eletr?nicas foram conduzidas nas seguintes bases de dados: PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE and Lilacs. N?o foram utilizados limites para data e idioma. Foi conduzida an?lise de refer?ncias e cita??es. Dois revisores selecionaram os estudos, extra?ram dados e avaliaram a qualidade dos estudos (crit?rios AMSTAR) de forma independente. A qualidade da evid?ncia foi avaliada, e foi realizada uma an?lise descritiva dos desfechos. Estudo 2: Estudo transversal aninhado a uma coorte. Foram inclu?das 848 crian?as com idade entre 6 e 10 anos. Foram avaliados peso, altura e ?ndice de massa corporal (IMC) das crian?as e dos pais. Foi aplicado um question?rio com os pais para coleta das seguintes informa??es: hipertens?o pr?via, hipertens?o durante a gesta??o, diabetes pr?via, diabetes gestacional, escolaridade e n?vel socioecon?mico dos pais. O estudo foi aprovado no Comit? de ?tica em Pesquisa e os pais assinaram o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido. Resultados: Estudo 1: Sobrepeso e obesidade maternos est?o associados com natimortalidade, morte fetal e infantil. Sobrepeso e obesidade leve n?o parecem modificar o risco geral de nascimento prematuro, e o risco de nascimento prematuro induzido foi aumentado em mulheres com sobrepeso e obesidade. Defeitos cong?nitos como defeito do tubo neural, espinha b?fida, anomalias cardiovasculares, anomalias do septo, fenda palatina, l?bio leporino e fenda palatina, atresia anorretal, hidrocefalia, e anomalias de redu??o de membros est?o associados com sobrepeso e obesidade maternos. O risco de gastrosquise entre m?es obesas foi reduzida. N?o havia dados suficientes sobre os resultados do desenvolvimento neurol?gico, malforma??es anorretais em prole e risco de c?ncer testicular. Sobrepeso e obesidade maternos est?o associados com risco de asma e chiado nos filhos, e possui impacto negativo nos cuidados imediatos p?s-parto, tanto para a m?e quanto para o beb?. Estudo 2 ? Observou-se que m?es com sobrepeso e obesidade apresentam com maior frequ?ncia filhos com sobrepeso e obesidade do que m?es eutr?ficas. A mesma rela??o foi identificada para os pais. Al?m disso, observou-se que m?es que desenvolvem hipertens?o durante a gesta??o apresentam com maior frequ?ncia filhos com sobrepeso e obesidade. Todavia, a mesma rela??o n?o foi observada quando outros fatores como diabetes pr?-gestacional, diabetes gestacional e hipertens?o pr?-gestacional foram avaliados. Conclus?o: Sobrepeso e obesidade maternos est?o associados com uma s?rie de complica??es tanto para a m?e quando para o beb?, a curto, m?dio e longo prazo. Sugere-se que diretrizes para manuten??o de peso de mulheres que planejam engravidar deveriam definitivamente considerar estes resultados a fim de reduzir as taxas de sobrepeso e obesidade maternas e seus desfechos negativos nos filhos

Genetic polymorphisms at the leptin receptor gene in three beef cattle breeds

The genetic diversity of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the exon 20 (T945M) of the leptin receptor gene (LEPR) and of three short tandem repeats (STRs BM7225, BMS694, and BMS2145) linked to LEPR was investigated in three beef cattle herds (Brangus Ibagé, Charolais, and Aberdeen Angus). A cheap and effective new method to analyze the T945M polymorphism in cattle populations was developed and the possible role of these polymorphisms in reproduction and weight gain of postpartum cows was evaluated. High levels of genetic diversity were observed with the average heterozygosity of STRs ranging from 0.71 to 0.81. No significant association was detected between LEPR markers and reproductive parameters or daily weight gain. These negative results suggest that the LEPR gene polymorphisms, at least those herein described, do not influence postpartum cows production