Vocalização de frangos de corte pode ser usada para identificar o sexo e a linhagem genética

In order to reach higher broiler performance, farmers target losses reduction. One way to make this possible is by rearing sexed broilers as male and female present diverse performance due to their physiological differences. Birds from different genetic strain also have a distinct performance at the same age. Considering that sexed flocks may present higher performance this study aimed to identify one-day-old chicks’ sex throughout their vocalization. This research also investigated the possibility of identifying the genetic strain by their vocalization attributes. A total of 120 chicks, half of them were from Cobb® genetic strain and the other half from Ross® genetic strain. From each group, a total of 30 were males and 30 females, which were previously separated by sex using their secondary physiological characteristics at the hatchery. Vocalizations audio recording was done inside a semi-anechoic chamber using a unidirectional microphone connected to an audio input of a digital recorder. Vocalizations were recorded for two minutes. Acoustic characteristics of the sounds were analyzed being calculated the fundamental frequency Pitch, the sound intensity, the first formant, and second formant. Results indicated that the vocalizations of both sexes could be identified by the second formant, and the genetic strain was detected by both the second formant and the Pitch.352192196FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPSem informaçãoCom a finalidade de atingir maior desempenho em frangos de corte, produtores almejam redução de perdas. Uma das maneiras de se tornar isto possível é alojar lotes sexados, uma vez que machos e fêmeas apresentam desempenho distinto devido às diferenças fisiológicas. Aves de linhagens genéticas diferentes também apresentam desempenho distinto na mesma idade. Considerando que lotes sexados podem apresentar maior desempenho, este estudo objetivou identificar o sexo de pintos de um dia de idade através de sua vocalização. Esta pesquisa também investigou a possibilidade de identificar a linhagem genética através dos atributos da vocalização. O total de 120 pintos, sendo metade da genética Cobb® e a outra metade da genética Ross®, foram utilizados. De cada grupo, o total de 30 machos e 30 fêmeas foi previamente separado, utilizando suas características fisiológicas secundárias, no incubatório. O registro áudio de vocalização foi efetuado dentro de uma câmara semi anecoica, usando um microfone unidirecional conectado a uma entrada de áudio em um gravador digital. As vocalizações foram gravadas por dois minutos. As características acústicas dos sons foram analisadas e foram calculadas a frequência fundamental Pitch, a intensidade do som, a primeira formante e a segunda formante. Os resultados indicaram que a vocalização de ambos os sexos pode ser identificada pela segunda formante, e a linhagem genética pela segunda formante e pela frequência de Pitch

A ansiedade, medo e stress nos Profissionais de Saude Oral durante o primeiro ano de pandemia por Covid-19

Objetivos: Caracterizar o impacto da atual pandemia de COVID-19 na ansiedade, medo e stress nos profissionais de saude oral. Metodos: Utilizou-se um questionario autoaplicado online que foi enviado, via email, para tres associacoes na area da Medicina Dentaria. As variaveis categoricas foram descritas atraves de frequencias absolutas e relativas. As variaveis continuas foram descritas utilizando a media e o desvio-padrao. Utilizou-se um modelo de regressao linear multipla para selecio-nar preditores da ansiedade avaliados no questionario. Resultados: Obteve-se uma taxa de participacao de 21,1%. A maioria dos participantes era do sexo feminino (67,2%). Atraves da escala GAD-7 apuramos que 18,3% dos profissionais apresentaram uma perturbacao de ansiedade moderada e grave. A maioria dos participan-tes (86,7%) referiu ter medo de infetar os familiares e amigos. Verificamos que ser do sexo feminino, o medo de infetar a familia e amigos, a possibilidade de a pandemia afetar nega-tivamente a profissao, a perda de rendimentos e as novas condicoes de trabalho eram pre-ditores estaticamente significativos para o aumento da ansiedade (p < 0,05). Pelo contrario, a medida que o numero de anos de pratica clinica aumenta, a ansiedade diminui significa-tivamente (p.0,006). Conclusoes: A pandemia de COVID-19 afetou negativamente os profissionais de saude oral. As medidas de prevencao e os protocolos de controlo de infecao devem ser rigorosamente cumpridos, para que haja diminuicao da transmissao do virus e, consequentemente, dimi-nua a ansiedade, o stress e o medo sentidos por estes profissionais. (Rev Port Estomatol Med Dent Cir Maxilofac. 2023;64(2):84-92) & COPY; 2023 Sociedade Portuguesa de Estomatologia e Medicina Dentaria. Publicado por SPEMD. Este e um artigo Open Access sob uma licenca CC BY-NC-ND (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Caffeine and adenosine A 2A receptor inactivation decrease striatal neuropathology in a lentiviral-based model of Machado–Joseph disease

Objective: Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with an abnormal CAG expansion, which translates into an expanded polyglutamine tract within ataxin-3. There is no therapy to prevent or modify disease progression. Because caffeine (a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist) and selective adenosine A2A receptor (A2A R) blockade alleviate neurodegeneration in different brain diseases, namely at early stages of another polyglutamine-related disorder such as Huntington’s disease, we now tested their ability to control MJD-associated neurodegeneration. Methods: MJD was modeled by transducing the striatum of male adult C57Bl/6 mice with lentiviral vectors encoding mutant ataxin-3 in one hemisphere and wild-type ataxin-3 in the other hemisphere (as internal control). Caffeine (1g/L) was applied through the drinking water. Mice were killed at different time points (from 2 to 12 weeks) to probe for the appearance of different morphological changes using immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Mutant ataxin-3 caused an evolving neuronal dysfunction (loss of DARPP-32 staining) leading to neurodegeneration (cresyl violet and neuronal nuclei staining) associated with increased number of mutant ataxin-3 inclusions in the basal ganglia. Notably, mutant ataxin-3 triggered early synaptotoxicity (decreased synaptophysin and microtubule-associated protein-2 staining) and reactive gliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD11b staining), which predated neuronal dysfunction and damage. Caffeine reduced the appearance of all these morphological modifications, which were also abrogated in mice with a global A2A R inactivation (knockout). Interpretation: Our findings provide a demonstration that synaptotoxicity and gliosis are precocious events in MJD and that caffeine and A2A R inactivation decrease MJD-associated striatal pathology, which paves the way to consider A2A Rs as novel therapeutic targets to manage MJD

Regulation Of Hepatic Trb3/akt Interaction Induced By Physical Exercise And Its Effect On The Hepatic Glucose Production In An Insulin Resistance State

To maintain euglycemia in healthy organisms, hepatic glucose production is increased during fasting and decreased during the postprandial period. This whole process is supported by insulin levels. These responses are associated with the insulin signaling pathway and the reduction in the activity of key gluconeogenic enzymes, resulting in a decrease of hepatic glucose production. On the other hand, defects in the liver insulin signaling pathway might promote inadequate suppression of gluconeogenesis, leading to hyperglycemia during fasting and after meals. The hepatocyte nuclear factor 4, the transcription cofactor PGC1-alpha, and the transcription factor Foxo1 have fundamental roles in regulating gluconeogenesis. The loss of insulin action is associated with the production of pro-inflammatory biomolecules in obesity conditions. Among the molecular mechanisms involved, we emphasize in this review the participation of TRB3 protein (a mammalian homolog of Drosophila tribbles), which is able to inhibit Akt activity and, thereby, maintain Foxo1 activity in the nucleus of hepatocytes, inducing hyperglycemia. In contrast, physical exercise has been shown as an important tool to reduce insulin resistance in the liver by reducing the inflammatory process, including the inhibition of TRB3 and, therefore, suppressing gluconeogenesis. The understanding of these new mechanisms by which physical exercise regulates glucose homeostasis has critical importance for the understanding and prevention of diabetes.

Nova ocorrência de vespas não-polinizadoras (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) em sicônios de Ficus microcarpa no Brasil

Ficus microcarpa is an Asian fig tree that is ornamentally cultivated. The specific pollinator, Eupristina verticillata Waterston, and the non-pollinators Walkerella microcarpae Bou&#269;ek and Philotrypesis emeryi Grandi, have been reported associated to F. microcarpa in Brazil. In here we report for the first time the occurrence of Odontofroggatia ishii Wiebes and Philotrypesis taiwanensis Chen et al in F. microcarpa in Brazil. Our results suggest that P. taiwanensis and O. ishii represent a recent influx of these wasps into Brazil. Considering that ~20 fig wasp species are associated with F. microcarpa in its native area, novel occurrences can be reported in the future in Brazil.Ficus microcarpa é uma figueira asiática cultivada com finalidades ornamentais. A espécie polinizadora específica, Eupristina verticillata Waterston, e as não-polinizadoras Walkerella microcarpae Bou&#269;ek e Philotrypesis emeryi Grandi, foram relatadas associadas a F. microcarpa no Brasil. No presente estudo, relatamos pela primeira vez a ocorrência de Odontofroggatia ishii Wiebes e Philotrypesis taiwanensis Chen et al em F. microcarpa no Brasil. Nossos resultados sugerem que tais vespas foram introduzidas recentemente no país. Considerando que ~20 espécies de vespas são associadas a F. microcarpa em sua região de origem, novas ocorrências poderão ser registradas no futuro no Brasil.International Foundation for Science (IFS, Sweden)FAPES

Long time correlations of nonlinear Luttinger liquids

An overview is given of the limitations of Luttinger liquid theory in describing the real time equilibrium dynamics of critical one-dimensional systems with nonlinear dispersion relation. After exposing the singularities of perturbation theory in band curvature effects that break the Lorentz invariance of the Tomonaga-Luttinger model, the origin of high frequency oscillations in the long time behaviour of correlation functions is discussed. The notion that correlations decay exponentially at finite temperature is challenged by the effects of diffusion in the density-density correlation due to umklapp scattering in lattice models.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures. Short review to appear in the Luttinger Liquids special issue of Int. J. Mod. Phys. B; reference adde

Optimum power loads for elite boxers: case study with the Brazilian national olympic team

The purpose of this case study was to examine the effects of a resistance-training program based on the optimum power loads (OPL) method on neuromuscular performance of Olympic boxing athletes during preparation for the Rio-2016 Olympic Games. Twelve elite amateur boxers from the Brazilian National Olympic Team participated in this study. Athletes were assessed at four time-points, over two consecutive competitive seasons. In the first season (considered as "control period"), the athletes executed a non-controlled strength-power training program for 10 weeks. In the second season (a seven-week experimental period), the elite boxers performed 14 power-oriented training sessions, comprising bench press (BP) and jump squat (JS) exercises at the OPL. Maximum bar-power output in BP and JS exercises was measured pre and post both training phases. Magnitude-based inferences were used to compare changes in pre and post training tests. Bar-power outputs increased meaningfully in both BP (+8%) and JS (+7%) exercises after the OPL training program. In contrast, after the control period, no worthwhile improvements were observed in the variables tested. Based on the findings of this study, highly trained boxers might benefit from the use of a training scheme based on OPL

Role of Phytochelatins in Redox Caused Stress in Plants and Animals

Varied environmental compartments (such as soil and water) potentially contaminated with different metals/metalloids can impact the health of both plants and animals/humans. Trace amounts of Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn are beneficial for higher plants, whereas, Cr, Cu, Co, Mn, Mo, Se, V and Zn are known as the micronutrient metal/metalloids for animals/humans. However, elevated levels of the metals/metalloids can cause severe toxic consequences in both plants and animals/humans. Common in plants and animals/humans, phytochelatins (PCs), the principal non-protein, S-rich, thiolate peptides, protect (through different mechanisms) cellular functions and metal/metalloid homeostasis by performing their chelation and/or detoxification. With the major aim of broadening the current knowledge on the subject, this chapter (a) overviews PCs’ role and modulation separately in metal/metalloid-exposed plants and animals/humans; (b) discusses major methods for determination of PCs and bioassays for enzymes involved in PC synthesis; (c) evaluates the connection of PCs with bionanoparticles; and finally (d) highlights so far unexplored aspects in the present context