Hormone and Metabolite Changes associated with Extended Breeding Fasts in Male Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga Angustirostris)

We measured metabolic hormones and several key metabolites in breeding adult male northern elephant seals to examine the regulation of fuel metabolism during extended natural fasts of over 3 months associated with high levels of energy expenditure. Males were sampled twice, early and late in the fast, losing an average of 23% of body mass and 47% of adipose stores between measurements. Males exhibited metabolic homeostasis over the breeding fast with no changes in glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, or blood urea nitrogen. Ketoacids increased over the fast but were very low when compared to other fasting species. Changes within individuals in total triiodothyronine (tT3) were positively related to daily energy expenditure (DEE) and protein catabolism. Differences in levels of thyroid hormones relative to that observed in weaned pups and females suggest a greater deiodination of T4 to support the high DEE of breeding males. Relative levels of leptin and ghrelin were consistent with the suppression of appetite but a significant reduction in growth hormone across the fast was contrary to expectation in fasting mammals. The lack of the increase in cortisol during fasting found in conspecific weaned pups and lactating females may contribute to the ability of breeding males to spare protein despite high levels of energy expenditure. Together these findings reveal significant differences with conspecifics under varying nutrient demands, suggesting metabolic adaptation to extended high energy fasts

Grazing Behavior and Activity Patterns by Free-Grazing Cattle in the Pantanal Region

A study of habitat selection and habitat use by free-grazing cattle was conducted in the Pantanal, from October 1997 to September 1999. Observation periods lasted 13 hours per day during three days in each month. The location and activity duration of each group of animals was recorded by continuous sampling. Rumination, walking and resting times were affected (P \u3c 0,05) by interaction between month and year and grazing time differed (P \u3c 0,05) only between months. On average, cows spent 54.9, 29.6, 10.6 and 4.9% of their diurnal hours grazing, ruminating, walking and resting, respectively. The grazing time spent in each landscape unit was influenced (P \u3c 0,05) by interaction between month and year. The cows exploited more intensively the temporary ponds in 97/98 (26 min ha-1) and the edge of ponds in 98/99 (23.2 min ha-1). Therefore, the adequate grazing management practice may not follow fixed rules for the Pantanal

Novozym 435 : the “perfect” lipase immobilized biocatalyst?

Novozym 435 (N435) is a commercially available immobilized lipase produced by Novozymes. It is based on immobilization via interfacial activation of lipase B from Candida antarctica on a resin, Lewatit VP OC 1600. This resin is a macroporous support formed by polyIJmethyl methacrylate) crosslinked with divinylbenzene. N435 is perhaps the most widely used commercial biocatalyst in both academy and industry. Here, we review some of the success stories of N435 (in chemistry, energy and lipid manipulation), but we focus on some of the problems that the use of this biocatalyst may generate. Some of these problems are just based on the mechanism of immobilization (interfacial activation) that may facilitate enzyme desorption under certain conditions. Other problems are specific to the support: mechanical fragility, moderate hydrophilicity that permits the accumulation of hydrophilic compounds (e.g., water or glycerin) and the most critical one, support dissolution in some organic media. Finally, some solutions (N435 coating with silicone, enzyme physical or chemical crosslinking, and use of alternative supports) are proposed. However, the N435 history, even with these problems, may continue in the coming future due to its very good properties if some simpler alternative biocatalysts are not developed

Trypanosoma rangeli is phylogenetically closer to Old World trypanosomes than to Trypanosoma cruzi.

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Trypanosoma rangeli and Trypanosoma cruzi are generalist trypanosomes sharing a wide range of mammalian hosts; they are transmitted by triatomine bugs, and are the only trypanosomes infecting humans in the Neotropics. Their origins, phylogenetic relationships, and emergence as human parasites have long been subjects of interest. In the present study, taxon-rich analyses (20 trypanosome species from bats and terrestrial mammals) using ssrRNA, glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gGAPDH), heat shock protein-70 (HSP70) and Spliced Leader RNA sequences, and multilocus phylogenetic analyses using 11 single copy genes from 15 selected trypanosomes, provide increased resolution of relationships between species and clades, strongly supporting two main sister lineages: lineage Schizotrypanum, comprising T. cruzi and bat-restricted trypanosomes, and Tra[Tve-Tco] formed by T. rangeli, Trypanosoma vespertilionis and Trypanosoma conorhini clades. Tve comprises European T. vespertilionis and African T. vespertilionis-like of bats and bat cimicids characterised in the present study and Trypanosoma sp. Hoch reported in monkeys and herein detected in bats. Tco included the triatomine-transmitted tropicopolitan T. conorhini from rats and the African NanDoum1 trypanosome of civet (carnivore). Consistent with their very close relationships, Tra[Tve-Tco] species shared highly similar Spliced Leader RNA structures that were highly divergent from those of Schizotrypanum. In a plausible evolutionary scenario, a bat trypanosome transmitted by cimicids gave origin to the deeply rooted Tra[Tve-Tco] and Schizotrypanum lineages, and bat trypanosomes of diverse genetic backgrounds jumped to new hosts. A long and independent evolutionary history of T. rangeli more related to Old World trypanosomes from bats, rats, monkeys and civets than to Schizotrypanum spp., and the adaptation of these distantly related trypanosomes to different niches of shared mammals and vectors, is consistent with the marked differences in transmission routes, life-cycles and host-parasite interactions, resulting in T. cruzi (but not T. rangeli) being pathogenic to humans.This study was supported by grants awarded to MMGT and EPC from CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) PROAFRICA, PROSUL and UNIVERSAL programs, CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) PNIPB, PNPD and PROTAX programs, and FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation; process 2016/07487-0). Genome sequencing was supported by the Assembling the Tree of Life (ATOL) Project of the National Science Foundation, USA (NSF DEB-0830056), and TCC-USP (Trypanosomatid Culture Collection of the University of São Paulo) projects. OEA received PhD fellowships from CNPq (PROTAX) and COLCIENCIAS (Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Colombia); PAO is a postdoctoral fellow of CAPES (PNPD); LL and AGCM are supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from CAPES (PROTAX)

Indicadores de maturação para definição de ponto de colheita do maracujá selvagem (passiflora tenuifila) cultivado na região de cerrado.

O Maracujá-selvagem é uma das espécies depositadas no BAG de Passifloras da Embrapa Cerrados que estão sendo estudadas para fins de melhoramento genético. Neste trabalho buscou-se avaliar uma metodologia de campo, para definição do ponto de colheita do fruto tomando-se como referência indicadores físicos, físico-químicos e de aparência dos frutos em 7 (sete) estádios. Fez-se comparações entre índices de aparência do fruto com as variáveis massa total,da casca, da polpa, das sementes e seus respectivos percentuais em relação ao fruto total, o diâmetro transversal e longitudinal e teor de açucares solúveis totais na polpa. Os resultados indicaram que o ponto ótimo de colheita dos frutos dá-se no estádio 3, quando apresentam aparência com coloração amarela em até 20% da casca e valores médios de 18,45g de massa total. Na polpa 26,5o Brix de açucares solúveis totais, 0,82% de acidez total titulável e pH 4,43

Evolution of Th2 responses : Characterization of IL-4/13 in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) and studies of expression and biological activity

Acknowledgements This research was funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) of the European Union (Grant Agreement 311993 TARGETFISH). T.W. received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference number HR09011) and contributing institutions.Peer reviewedPublisher PD