Absence of chemopreventive influence of propolis on the rat liver altered foci development

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ultrasonographic monitoring of early pregnancy development in Murrah buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fixed-time artificial insemination with estradiol and progesterone for Bos indicus cows I: Basis for development of protocols

Five experiments were conducted on commercial farms in Brazil aiming to develop a fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) protocol that achieved pregnancy rates between 40% and 55% in Bos indicus cows. These studies resulted in the development of the following protocol: insertion of all intravaginal device containing 1.9 g of progesterone (CIDR) plus 2.0 mg im estradiol benzoate on Day 0; 12.5 mg im dinoprost tromethamine on Day 7 in cycling cows or oil Day 9 in anestrous cows; CIDR withdrawal plus 0.5 mg im estradiol cypionate plus temporary calf removal on Day 9; TAI (48 h after CIDR withdrawal) plus reuniting of calves with their dams on Day 11. Reduced dose of prostaglandin F(2 alpha) (PGF(2 alpha): 12.5 mg im dinoprost tromethamine) effectively caused luteolysis. In cycling cows, fertility was greater when the treatment with PGF(2 alpha) was administered on Day 7 than oil Day 9, but in anestrous cows, no effects of time of the PGF(2 alpha) treatment were found. Estradiol cypionate effectively replaced estradiol benzoate or gonadotropin-releasing hormone as the ovulatory stimulus, reducing labor and cost. In this protocol, CIDR inserts were successfully used four times (9 d each use) with no detrimental effects on fertility. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parthenogenetic development of domestic cat oocytes treated with ionomycin, cycloheximide, roscovitine and strontium

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of melatonin on DNA damage of bovine cumulus cells during in vitro maturation (IVM) and on in vitro embryo development

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The role of the parenchyma sheath and PCD during the development of oil cavities in Pterodon pubescens (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Thallus structure and isidium development in two Parmeliaceae species (lichenized Ascomycota)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Increased susceptibility to development of anhedonia in rats with chronic peripheral nerve injury: Involvement of sleep deprivation?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Propolis: Is there a potential for the development of new drugs?

Introduction: Propolis has plenty of biological and pharmacological properties and its mechanisms of action have been widely investigated in the last years, using different experimental models in vitro and in vivo. Researchers have been interested in the investigation of isolated compounds responsible for propolis action; however, there is lack of clinical research on the effects of propolis.Strategy and objectives: Since propolis-containing products have been marketed and humans have used propolis for different purposes, the goal of this review is to discuss the potential of propolis for the development of new drugs, by comparing data from the literature that suggest candidate areas for the establishment of drugs against tumors, infections, allergy, diabetes, ulcers and with immunomodulatory action.Conclusions: The efficacy of propolis in different protocols in vitro and in vivo suggests its therapeutic properties, but before establishing a strategy using this bee product, it is necessary to study: (a) the chemical nature of the propolis sample. (b) Propolis efficacy should be compared to well-established parameters, e.g. positive or negative controls in the experiments. Moreover, possible interactions between propolis and other medicines should be investigated in humans as well. (c) Clinical investigation is needed to evaluate propolis potential in patients or healthy individuals, to understand under which conditions propolis may promote health. Data point out the importance of this research field not only for the readers and researchers in the scientific community waiting for further clarification on the potential of propolis but also for the pharmaceutical industry that looks for new drugs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive development and function of female rats exposed to di-eta-butyl-phthalate (DBP) in utero and during lactation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The influence of initial feeding on muscle development and growth in pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus larvae

The effects of different feeding schemes on pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus early development were evaluated with respect to growth, survival, muscle development, and differential gene expression of MyoD and myogenin. The pacu larvae (4 days post hatch-dph, 0.77 mg wet weight) were given six feeding treatments intentionally designed to cause variations in the larvae growth rate: (A) only artemia nauplii; (CD) only a commercial diet; (ED) only a semi-purified experimental diet; (ACD) and (AED) two treatments that involved weaning; and (S) starvation. Early weaning from artemia nauplii to the formulated diets (ACD and AED) affected growth and survival of the pacu larvae compared with the exclusive use of artemia (A). Starvation (S) and the commercial diet (CD) caused total mortality in pacu larvae at 18 dph. The experimental diet (ED) assured low fish survival and growth. The skeletal muscle morphology was not affected by the delay in somatic growth from early weaning onto the formulated diets. Three distinct muscle compartments were observed throughout the larval development in treatments A, ACD and AED: superficial, deep and intermediate, accompanied by muscle thickening. Severe undernourishment caused drastic differences in growth and in the morphology of the muscle fibers. Pacu larvae fed only formulated diets (CD and ED) showed muscle characteristics similar to the larvae in starvation (S) during the first 15 dph. At 27 and 35 dph, a slight increase in epaxial muscle mass was noted in larvae fed only the experimental diet (ED). At 35 dph, we observed a high frequency of fibers >= 40 mu m in the larvae that were weaned onto the formulated diets (ACD and AED), indicative of hypertrophy. In contrast, the larvae fed only artemia nauplii (A) displayed a larger number of fibers with diameters <= 20 mu m, which is indicative of hyperplasia. The expression of the MyoD and myogenin genes in pacu larvae at 35 dph was not affected by initial feeding (p>0.05). In conclusion, the formulated diets used impaired pacu larvae growth and survival; therefore, they were inadequate for pacu, at least at the times they were introduced. Artemia nauplii were the most adequate food source during first feeding of the pacu, and they produced bigger fish upon completion of the experiment. Moreover, the contribution of hyperplasia to the skeletal muscle growth appeared higher in fast- than in slow-growing pacu larvae. (C) 2011 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.

Reproductive cycle and ovarian development of the marine ornamental shrimp Stenopus hispidus in captivity

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Thermal requirements for the embryonic development of Periplaneta americana (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) with potential application in mass-rearing of egg parasitoids

The embryonic development of oothecae of Periplaneta americana was evaluated under four different constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C and also at different exposure times at <5 degrees C. Their suitability as hosts after the treatment for the parasitoids Evania appendigaster and Aprostocetus hagenowii was also assessed. Temperatures of 5, 10, 15, and 35 degrees C adversely affected the development of the cockroaches, and exposure times to <5 degrees C longer than 5 days sufficed to kill all the embryos in the oothecae. The lower thermal threshold for complete development of P. americana was estimated to be 6.8 degrees C, with a required total amount of 900.9 degree-days. Cold-killed oothecae were still fit for the development of parasitoids. Parasitism rates of A hagenowii were higher than those of E appendigaster, although with lower emergence rates. Our results can be useful in aiding mass-rearing of these parasitoids for biological control programmes of A americana, and may help forecast the time of emergence of nymphs of American cockroaches in infested areas. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The kinetic mechanism of human uridine phosphorylase 1: Towards the development of enzyme inhibitors for cancer chemotherapy

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Anther development, microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis in Heliconia (Heliconiaceae, Zingiberales)

Anther development, micro sporogenesis and microgametogenesis in several species of Heliconia were investigated as part of a complementary embryological study of the Heliconiaceae. All studied Heliconia species present bithecate and tetrasporangiate anthers with fertile pollen grains; only H. rivularis, a natural hybrid, presented sterile pollen grains of variable size and no content. The anther wall has an uniseriate epidermis and endothecium, the latter with helicoidal thickenings, although some cells of the middle layers also showed thickenings; the biseriate tapetum is of amoeboid non-syncytial type, since the tapetum cells did not fuse together forming a true plasmodium. The microsporogenesis is successive leading to isobilateral tetrads. The inaperturate pollen grains had a very reduced exine consisting of a thin, more or less continuous layer with small spines upon; the pollen grain shape is variable among the species, all of them presenting heteropolar pollen, except H. angusta with isopolar ones. Most of these characteristics were shared with other studied Zingiberales, although more studies need to be done. (c) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.