Soybean oil prevents hypothalamic N3 fatty acid composition but does not prevent peripheral tissue fatty acid disturbance in rats

Linoleic (LA) and alpha-linolenic (ALA) acids are the only truly essential N6 and N3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and the precursors of arachidonicand docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, the most prevalent PUFAs in the mammalian brain. Whilst main dietary sources of N6 are plant oils and red meat, the main sources of DHA include seawater fish. This issue becomes apparent when considering typical westernised diets. Furthermore, marine sources are currently threatened due to overfishing and no sustainability. Here we investigated the serum, hypothalamus, liver and white adipose tissues (WAT) fatty acid (FA) composition of rats fed a diet enriched with either fish oil (FO) or soybean oil (SO). Whilst FO contains abundant DHA, SO provides small amounts of ALA, alongside its important LAcontent. Fifteen 35-day old Wistar rats were fed a control chow, or a diet enriched with FO (FOD) or SO (SOD) for 8 weeks. Rats were sacrificed, trunk blood collected, hypothalamus, liver and WAT dissected, and their FA composition analysed by gas chromatography. FOD increased N3 content and SOD increased N6 content in all tissues. However, SOD significantly increased DHAin hypothalamus and serum, a result not observed in other SOD tissues. Whilst the SOD rats developed obesity, the FOD did not. SOD rats developed obesity and imbalanced N6/N3 peripherally, but their hypothalamic N3 content was increased. Such results further corroborate biomagnification and the preferential FAuptake by the brain. Additional studies are necessary to investigate how nutrient-unbalanced diets further affect brain metabolism

Seletividade de inseticidas utilizados na cultura algodoeira a ovos e larvas de terceiro instar de Cycloneda sanguinea

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of synthetic insecticides used in the cotton crop on eggs and third-instar larvae of the ladybeetle Cycloneda sanguinea (Linnaeus, 1763) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). The products used in g a.i. L-1 of water were triflumuron 0.048 (Certero 480 SC), spinosad 0.24 (Tracer 480 SC), chlorfenapyr 1.2 (Pirate 240 SC), chlothianidin 0.33 (Focus 500 WP) and imidacloprid 0.33 + β-cyfluthrin 0.042 (Connect 100 + 12.5 SC). Distilled water was used as a control. Both eggs and larvae were distributed in Petri dishes and treated with the insecticides by spraying in a Potter's tower. A fully randomized experimental design, with five replications and six treatments consisting of five pesticides and one control was used. Each plot consisted of ten eggs or third-instar larvae. The embryonic period and viability of the treated eggs; survival and duration of third-instar larvae; survival and duration of larval and pupal stages of development; sexual ratio, and the total number of eggs laid by the surviving mated females from treated eggs and third-instar larvae were evaluated. The tests were carried out at 25 ± 2º C, RH 60 ± 10% and 12h-photophase. Triflumuron 0.048 was innocuous to the predator's eggs and slightly harmful to third-instar larvae. Spinosad 0.24 was slightly harmful to eggs and third-instar larvae, whereas chlofernapyr 1.2, chlothianidin 0.33 and imidacloprid 0.33 + β-cyfluthrin 0.042 were harmful to eggs and third-instar larvae of C. Sanguinea.Objetivou-se avaliar a seletividade fisiológica de inseticidas utilizados em algodoeiro para ovos e larvas de terceiro instar de Cycloneda sanguinea (Linnaeus, 1763) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Os produtos utilizados em g i.a. L-1 de água foram triflumurom 0,048 (Certero 480 SC), espinosade 0,24 (Tracer 480 SC), clorfenapir 1,2 (Pirate 240 SC), clotianidina 0,33 (Focus 500 PM) e imidaclopride 0,33 + β-ciflutrina 0,042 (Connect 100 + 12,5 SC). Utilizou-se água destilada como tratamento testemunha. Tanto ovos quanto larvas foram distribuídos em placas de Petri e tratados com os inseticidas por meio de pulverização em torre de Potter. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente ao acaso, com cinco repetições e seis tratamentos constituídos pelos cinco inseticidas e pela testemunha, sendo que cada parcela foi composta por dez ovos ou dez larvas de terceiro instar. Avaliaram-se o período embrionário e a viabilidade de ovos tratados; sobrevivência e duração de larvas de terceiro instar; sobrevivência e duração dos estágios de desenvolvimento larval e pupal, razão sexual e o total de ovos colocados pelas fêmeas provenientes de ovos e larvas de terceiro instar tratados. Os bioensaios foram conduzidos a 25 ± 2º C, UR 60 ± 10% e fotofase de 12h. O inseticida triflumurom 0,048 foi seletivo a ovos do predador e levemente nocivo a larvas de terceiro instar. Espinosade 0,24 foi levemente nocivo a ovos e larvas de terceiro instar, e clorfenapir 1,2; clotianidina 0,33 e imidaclopride 0,33 + β-ciflutrina 0,042 foram prejudiciais a ovos e larvas de terceiro instar de C. Sanguinea.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Seletividade de inseticidas utilizados na cultura algodoeira a ovos e larvas de terceiro instar de Cycloneda sanguinea

Objetivou-se avaliar a seletividade fisiológica de inseticidas utilizados em algodoeiro para ovos e larvas de terceiro instar de Cycloneda sanguinea (Linnaeus, 1763) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Os produtos utilizados em g i.a. L-1 de água foram triflumurom 0,048 (Certero 480 SC), espinosade 0,24 (Tracer 480 SC), clorfenapir 1,2 (Pirate 240 SC), clotianidina 0,33 (Focus 500 PM) e imidaclopride 0,33 + β-ciflutrina 0,042 (Connect 100 + 12,5 SC). Utilizou-se água destilada como tratamento testemunha. Tanto ovos quanto larvas foram distribuídos em placas de Petri e tratados com os inseticidas por meio de pulverização em torre de Potter. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente ao acaso, com cinco repetições e seis tratamentos constituídos pelos cinco inseticidas e pela testemunha, sendo que cada parcela foi composta por dez ovos ou dez larvas de terceiro instar. Avaliaram-se o período embrionário e a viabilidade de ovos tratados; sobrevivência e duração de larvas de terceiro instar; sobrevivência e duração dos estágios de desenvolvimento larval e pupal, razão sexual e o total de ovos colocados pelas fêmeas provenientes de ovos e larvas de terceiro instar tratados. Os bioensaios foram conduzidos a 25 ± 2º C, UR 60 ± 10% e fotofase de 12h. O inseticida triflumurom 0,048 foi seletivo a ovos do predador e levemente nocivo a larvas de terceiro instar. Espinosade 0,24 foi levemente nocivo a ovos e larvas de terceiro instar, e clorfenapir 1,2; clotianidina 0,33 e imidaclopride 0,33 + β-ciflutrina 0,042 foram prejudiciais a ovos e larvas de terceiro instar de C. sanguinea

Ginkgo biloba extract modulates astrocytic and microglial recruitment in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of menopause-induced ovariectomized rats.

Background: Changes in steroid hormone levels associated with menopause are known to affect body composition, with increased accumulation of visceral fat and impaired actions of appetite-regulating neuropeptides. Anti-obesogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuromodulatory properties have been attributed to Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) oral supplementation. Hypothesis / Purpose: We investigated in menopause-induced ovariectomized rats the effects of GbE oral supplementation on microglial reactivity and astrocyte recruitment in hippocampal and hypothalamic subregions involved in the regulation of feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Study Design / Methods: Ovariectomy (Ovx) or false-Ovx (Sham) surgery were performed in 2-month-old female Wistar rats. Sixty days after surgery, Ovx rats were gavaged daily for 14 days with either saline (Ovx+Veh) or GbE 500mg/Kg (Ovx+GbE). Rats were subsequently sacrificed, brains harvested and subjected to immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses. Results: Ovx increased microglial reactivity in CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) in the dorsal hippocampal formation (dHF), as well as in DG in the ventral hippocampal formation (vHF). Additionally, Ovx reduced astrocyte count in dHF CA3. The disturbances found in Ovx+Veh versus Sham were not found in Ovx+GbE versus Sham. Furthermore, higher astrocyte counts in DG of both dHF and vHF were found in Ovx+GbE as compared to Ovx+Veh. In the hypothalamus, Ovx+Veh showed reduced microglial reactivity in the arcuate (ARC) and ventromedial (VMH) nuclei as compared to Ovx+GbE. Ovx+GbE rats presented higher astrocyte counts in ARC compared to Sham rats. Conclusion: Our results show for the first time in a rodent model of menopause that GbE supplementation modulates astrocyte and microglial recruitment and reactivity in hippocampal and hypothalamic subregions involved in feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Future research employing other experimental models may further elucidate whether GbE supplementation possesses therapeutic properties upon glial cell reactivity to potentially alleviate changes in energy homeostasis associated with menopause