Arbóreas forrageiras: pastagem o ano todo na Caatinga Sergipana

A Caatinga é o bioma predominante no Nordeste do país e o único exclusivamente brasileiro. No estado de Sergipe, a área de influencia desse bioma é conhecida pela forte presença de assentamentos de reforma agrária e se destaca como região produtora de leite. As longas secas vêm prejudicando significativamente a criação de gado nessa região, tornando os agricultores altamente dependentes de insumos externos a suas propriedades. Há, entretanto, espécies arbóreas nativas que podem ser utilizadas como forragem durante o período de seca, objeto deste estudo. O trabalho foi realizado no Assentamento Florestan Fernandes, localizado no Município de Canindé de São Francisco, estado de Sergipe. O estudo da vegetação foi realizado através de levantamento fitossociológico em 30 parcelas de 400m², mensurando-se indivíduos com circunferênciaà altura do peito acima de 6 cm. Registraram-se 2.057 indivíduos, pertencentes a 26 espécies e 16 famílias. A abundância foi de 1.714,2 indivíduos/ha e a área basal de 10,9 m²/ha. As espécies que apresentaram o maior índice de valor de importância ecológica no ambiente estudado foram a Catingueira (28,9%), a Imbura-na-de-cambão (9,7%) e o Pinhão (7,2 %). Nove das 16 espécies apontadas como forrageiras pelos assentados já são apontadas na literatura como forrageiras. Entrevistas realizadas com os assentados revelaram o seu conhecimento dessas espécies como forrageiras, mas ao mesmo tempo evidenciaram que o recurso é pouco utilizado. Assim, o potencial das forrageiras arbóreas contrasta com a sua baixa utilização, o que sugere a oportunidade de programas para promover o uso adequado dessas espécies

Validation of a new technique to detect Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in bovine feces

Due to its important zoonotic potential, cryptosporidiosis arouses strong interest in the scientific community, because, it was initially considered a rare and opportunistic disease. The parasitological diagnosis of the causative agent of this disease, the protozoan Cryptosporidium spp., requires the use of specific techniques of concentration and permanent staining, which are laborious and costly, and are difficult to use in routine laboratory tests. In view of the above, we conducted the feasibility, development, evaluation and intralaboratory validation of a new parasitological technique for analysis in optical microscopy of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, called TF-Test Coccidia, using fecal samples from calves from the city of Araçatuba, São Paulo. To confirm the aforementioned parasite and prove the diagnostic efficiency of the new technique, we used two established methodologies in the scientific literature: parasite concentration by centrifugal sedimentation and negative staining with malachite green (CSN-Malachite) and Nested-PCR. We observed good effectiveness of the TF-Test Coccidia technique, being statistically equivalent to CSN-Malachite. Thus, we verified the effectiveness of the TF-Test Coccidia parasitological technique for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and observed good concentration and morphology of the parasite, with a low amount of debris in the fecal smear.13415COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPSem informação99/06228-

Validation Of A New Technique To Detect Cryptosporidium Spp. Oocysts In Bovine Feces

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Due to its important zoonotic potential, cryptosporidiosis arouses strong interest in the scientific community, because, it was initially considered a rare and opportunistic disease. The parasitological diagnosis of the causative agent of this disease, the protozoan Cryptosporidium spp., requires the use of specific techniques of concentration and permanent staining, which are laborious and costly, and are difficult to use in routine laboratory tests. In view of the above, we conducted the feasibility, development, evaluation and intralaboratory validation of a new parasitological technique for analysis in optical microscopy of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, called TF-Test Coccidia, using fecal samples from calves from the city of Araçatuba, São Paulo. To confirm the aforementioned parasite and prove the diagnostic efficiency of the new technique, we used two established methodologies in the scientific literature: parasite concentration by centrifugal sedimentation and negative staining with malachite green (CSN-Malachite) and Nested-PCR. We observed good effectiveness of the TF-Test Coccidia technique, being statistically equivalent to CSN-Malachite. Thus, we verified the effectiveness of the TF-Test Coccidia parasitological technique for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and observed good concentration and morphology of the parasite, with a low amount of debris in the fecal smear. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.13415#99/06228-4, FAPESP, São Paulo Research FoundationFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Impairment of in vitro and in vivo heart function in angiotensin-(1-7) receptor Mas knockout mice

In this study we investigated the effects of the genetic deletion of the angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) receptor Mas on heart function. Localization of Mas in the mouse heart was evaluated by binding of rhodamine-labeled Ang-(1-7). Cardiac function was examined using isolated heart preparations. Echocardiography was used to confirm the results obtained with isolated heart studies. To elucidate the possible mechanisms involved in the cardiac phenotype observed in Mas mice, whole-cell calcium currents in cardiomyocytes and the expression of collagen types I, III, and VI and fibronectin were analyzed. Ang-(1-7) binding showed that Mas is localized in cardiomyocytes of the mouse heart. Isolated heart techniques revealed that Mas-deficient mice present a lower systolic tension (average: 1.4±0.09 versus 2.1±0.03 g in Mas mice), ±dT/dt, and heart rate. A significantly higher coronary vessel resistance was also observed in Mas-deficient mice. Echocardiography revealed that hearts of Mas-deficient mice showed a significantly decreased fractional shortening, posterior wall thickness in systole and left ventricle end-diastolic dimension, and a higher left ventricle end-systolic dimension. A markedly lower global ventricular function, as defined by a higher myocardial performance index, was observed. A higher delayed time to the peak of calcium current was also observed. The changes in cardiac function could be partially explained by a marked change in collagen expression to a profibrotic profile in Mas-deficient mice. These results indicate that Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis plays a key role in the maintenance of the structure and function of the heart