Environmental factors influencing the transmission of Haemonchus contortus

AbstractInfection with the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus causes considerable losses in the sheep industry. In this study, we evaluated the effect that climate has on third-stage larvae (L3) of H. contortus in terms of their migration from sheep feces to Brachiaria decumbens grass, as well as their distribution among the forage plants. Fecal samples containing H. contortus L3 was deposited on the soil among the herbage at an initial height of 30cm. Sample collection began 24h after contamination and was performed on alternate days over 13 days. The L3 were recovered and quantified in three strata (heights) of grass (0–10cm, 10–20cm and >20cm) as well as in the remaining feces and a superficial layer of soil, collected from beneath the feces. In order to obtain results under different environmental conditions, fecal samples containing H. contortus L3 were deposited on pasture in January (summer), in April (autumn), and July (winter). In all of the periods, the L3 were able to migrate from the feces to the herbage. However, rains, accompanied by high relative humidity and high temperatures, apparently favored migration. The highest L3 recovery rate in the pasture was in the summer observation period, which had the highest number of days with measurable precipitation, high relative humidity (>68.2%), and the highest temperatures at the soil level (minimum and maximum means of 19°C and 42°C, respectively). Under those conditions, larvae began to reach the upper stratum of the grass (>20cm) by 24h after the deposition of fecal matter, the number of larvae having reached that stratum peaking at seven days after deposition. In the autumn observation period, there was no rainfall in the first five days post-contamination. During that period, high numbers of larvae were found in the fecal samples demonstrating that feces can act as a reservoir of larvae in the absence of rain. Except for two days in the summer observation period, when most of the L3 were recovered from the tops of blades of grass, L3 where located predominantly at the base of the herbage. In conclusion, rainfall favors the migration of L3 from feces to herbage. In addition, larval migration up and along blades of grass can occur relatively rapidly when the temperature is high

Configured distribution of the celiac artery in blue-fronted amazon (Amazona aestiva)

Foram descritas a origem e a distribuição da artéria celíaca em 20 papagaios-verdadeiros (Amazona aestiva), por meio do preenchimento do sistema arterial com solução de látex corado, fixado em solução de formol, para posterior dissecação de seus ramos colaterais. Como primeiro ramo, a artéria célica emitiu a artéria proventricular dorsal, que seguiu para o ventrículo como artéria gástrica dorsal e, em seguida, enviou a artéria proventricular ventral, que em 85% dos exemplares se originou diretamente da artéria celíaca, ou do seu ramo esquerdo em 15%. Em 25% dos casos, a artéria esplênica foi emitida antes da bifurcação em ramo esquerdo e direito. O ramo esquerdo foi responsável pela origem de ramos proventriculares, ramos pilóricos, artéria esplênica e artéria proventricular ventral, a qual emitiu ramos ao proventrículo e ao esôfago. A artéria celíaca também originou as artérias gástrica ventral e gástrica esquerda, que foram responsáveis pela emissão da artéria hepática esquerda. O ramo direito emitiu artérias esplênicas − que variaram de uma a sete −, duodenal − destinada ao segmento mais caudal da alça ascendente do duodeno, hepática direita − para o lobo direito do fígado. Em seu segmento terminal, o ramo direito dividiu-se em artérias gástrica direita − para o ventrículo −, pancreaticoduodenal − para o pâncreas, alças ascendente e descendente do duodeno e segmentos cranial do íleo e caudal do jejuno. A irrigação determinada pela artéria celíaca nos papagaios segue o que é proposto para aves de outros gêneros, apresentando divergências como ausência das artérias vesicular e ileocecal, bem como da vesícula biliar e ceco. _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThis research was performed aiming to describe the origin and the distribution of the celiac artery in 20 blue fronted amazon (Amazona aestiva), through the completion of their circulatory system with an aqueous solution of colored latex, followed by fixation in formol for later dissection of the collateral branches. The first branch emitted the proventricular dorsal artery that headed to the ventricle as gastric dorsal artery and next emitted the proventricular ventral artery which originated on the celiac artery in 85% of the cases and in 15% had its origin on the left branch of the celiac artery. In 25% of the cases the splenic artery was emitted before the bifurcation on left and right branches. The left branch was responsible for the origin of the proventricular branches, piloric branches, splenic artery and proventricular artery, which emitted branches to the proventricle and esophagus. The celiac artery also emitted the gastric ventral artery and left gastric. The right branch emitted splenic arteries (that varied from a number of seven); duodenal bound for the more caudal segment of the ascendant segment of the duodenum and the right hepatica to the right liver lobe. On its terminal segment the right branch was divided into right gastric arteries to the ventricle and pancreaticduodenal to the pancreas, ascendant and descendant braces of the duodenum and to the cranial segments of the ileum and caudal of the jejune. The irrigation provided by the celiac artery in parrots remains the same as described for other bird genders showing as divergences: the lack of vesicular arteries and ileocecal as well the gall bladder and the cecos

Physical exercise on inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetes patients: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a serious disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. Scientific findings showed that physical exercise is an option for treatment of these patients. This study's objective is to investigate the effects of supervised aerobic and/or resistance physical training on inflammatory markers in subjects with T2DM. Methods. A systematic review was conducted on four databases, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, LILACS, and Scopus, and manual search from 21 to 30 November 2016. Randomized clinical trials involving individuals diagnosed with T2DM, who have undergone supervised training protocols, were selected in this study. Results. Eleven studies were included. Studies that evaluated control group versus aerobic exercise reported controversial results about the effectiveness of physical training in modifying C-reactive protein (CRP) and cytokine levels. The only variable analyzed by the six studies in comparison to the control group versus resistance exercise was CRP. This protein showed no significant difference between groups. Between the two modes of exercise (aerobic and resistance), only one study demonstrated that aerobic exercise was more effective in reducing CRP. Conclusion. The evidence was insufficient to prove that aerobic or resistance exercise improves systemic levels of inflammatory markers in patients with T2DM

Prevalência da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C em comunidades remanescentes de quilombos no Brasil Central

In order to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in quilombo remnant communities in Central Brazil, 1,007 subjects were interviewed in all 12 communities existing in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Central Brazil. Blood samples were collected and sera were tested for anti-HCV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Positive samples were retested for confirmation using a line immunoassay and were also subjected to HCV RNA detection. The prevalence of HCV infection was 0.2%. This finding shows a low prevalence of HCV infection in quilombo remnant communities in Central Brazil.Com objetivo de estimar a prevalência da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em comunidades remanescentes de quilombos no Brasil Central, 1.007 indivíduos foram entrevistados nas 12 comunidades quilombolas existentes no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil Central. Amostras sanguíneas foram coletadas e os soros testados para anti-HCV pelo ensaio imunoenzimático. As amostras positivas foram testadas pelo ensaio confirmatório "line immunoassay" e também submetidas à detecção do RNA-HCV. A prevalência da infecção pelo HCV foi de 0,2%. Este achado mostra uma baixa prevalência da infecção pelo HCV em comunidades remanescentes de quilombos no Brasil Central

Evidences of organic acids exudation in aluminium stress responses of two Madeiran wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces

Two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Madeiran landraces were subjected to 100 μM and 200 μM of aluminium (Al) in hydroponic culture, assessing the organic acid exudation role in plant’s responses to this metal. Samples of initial landrace populations (F0), F3 and haplodiploid lines (DH) were evaluated using standard tests: eriochrome cyanine R staining, root elongation and callose accumulation in roots. Root exudates were obtained to determine if the accumulation of malic and citric acids in hydroponic medium was a response to Al exposure. Additionally, the presence of ALMT1 gene was determined using five microsatellite markers. Standard tests confirmed that ISOP 76 was Al tolerant and ISOP 239, Al susceptible. ISOP 76, in the presence of 100 μM Al, exuded substantially more malic acid (12.87 to 43.33 mg/L), than ISOP 239 (3.65 to 7.72 mg/L). The levels of both organic acid exudation were substantially lower in ISOP 239 than in the ISOP 76. In the presence of 200 μM Al, ISOP 76 F0 shows a higher root elongation ratio (better tolerates Al), but the DH line was the one that exuded higher content of malic acid. Different gene alleles and promoters were detected in both landraces. Molecular differences could explain the observed dissimilarity in organic acid exudation response to Al stress.The authors are grateful to the Madeiran farmers providing samples of wheat landraces, and to all staff of CGR ISOPlexis Gene bank and of the Department of Biological Sciences of Alberta University for support and access to laboratory facilities. This work got the funding support from the programs INTERREG III-B, contract 05/MAC/4.1/C15 and Madeira PO 14-20, contract CASBio, refª. M1420-01-0145-FEDER-000011.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of the Surface on the Electron Quantum Size Levels and Electron g-Factor in Spherical Semiconductor Nanocrystals

The structure of the electron quantum size levels in spherical nanocrystals is studied in the framework of an eight--band effective mass model at zero and weak magnetic fields. The effect of the nanocrystal surface is modeled through the boundary condition imposed on the envelope wave function at the surface. We show that the spin--orbit splitting of the valence band leads to the surface--induced spin--orbit splitting of the excited conduction band states and to the additional surface--induced magnetic moment for electrons in bare nanocrystals. This additional magnetic moment manifests itself in a nonzero surface contribution to the linear Zeeman splitting of all quantum size energy levels including the ground 1S electron state. The fitting of the size dependence of the ground state electron g factor in CdSe nanocrystals has allowed us to determine the appropriate surface parameter of the boundary conditions. The structure of the excited electron states is considered in the limits of weak and strong magnetic fields.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.