Effects of methylmercury on electric organ discharges in the weak electric fish Gymnotus sylvius

Methylmercury (MeHg) is present in the environment because of natural and anthropogenic causes. MeHg can reach the central nervous system (CNS) and cause neurological damage in humans and animals. Electric organ discharges (EODs) in the weak electric fish Gymnotus sylvius are produced by the electric organ and modulated by the CNS. These discharges are used for electrolocation and communication. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary MeHg exposure on EOD rate in G. sylvius. An oscilloscope was used to record the EOD rate. Two treatments were investigated: chronic MeHg administration (4 μg/kg MeHg every 2 days, with a total of nine dietary exposures to MeHg) and acute MeHg administration (a single dose of 20 μg/kg MeHg). The control data for both treatments were collected every 2 days for 18 days, with a total of nine sessions (day 1 until day 18). Data of fish exposed to MeHg were collected every 2 days, totaling nine sessions (day 19 until day 36). Chronic treatment significantly increased the EOD rate in G. sylvius (p<.05), especially with the final treatment (day 32 until day 36). Acute treatment resulted in an initial increase in the EOD rate, which was maintained midway through the experiment (day 26 until day 30 p<.05). The present study provides the first insights into the effects of MeHg on EODs in weak electric fish. The EOD rate is a novel response of the fish to MeHg administration.

Carbohydrate use and reduction in number of balance beam falls: Implications for mental and physical fatigue

Background: Artistic Gymnastics is a sport where athletes are frequently fatigued. One element that might influence this aspect is carbohydrate, an important energy substrate for the muscles and the CNS. Our goal was to investigate the influence of fatigue over artistic gymnastics athlete's performance and the effects of a carbohydrate supplementation on their performance. Methods: We evaluated 15 athletes divided in 2 groups (control and fatigue) from 12 to 14 years old in two different experimental days. On the first day (water day), they did 5 sets of exercises on the balance beam (experimental protocol) ingesting only water, CG (control group) warmed up before the experimental protocol and FG (fatigue group) did a fatigue circuit, warm up exercises and then the experimental protocol. On the second day (carbohydrate day), we used the same protocol but CG ingested a sugar free flavored juice and FG ingested a 20% concentration maltodextrin solution before the protocol on the balance beam. Results: We observed a greater number of falls from the balance beam from the FG on the first day (5.40 ± 1.14 FG vs 3.33 ± 1.37 CG; p = 0.024) and a decrease in the number of falls on the second day (2.29 ± 1.25 FG water day vs 5.40 ± 1.14 FG carbohydrate day; p = 0.0013). Carbohydrate solution was able to supply muscle demands and improve the athlete's focus showed by the reduced number of falls. © 2013 Batatinha et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Efeitos do treinamento aeróbio sobre aspectos endócrino-metabólicos cerebrais em ratos diabéticos aloxânicos

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC

Estudo da relação estrutura/atividade para as ações neurotóxica/neuroprotetora das acilpoliaminotoxinas NSTX-3 e JSTX-3 em sistema nervoso central de ratos

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Celular e Molecular) - IBRC

Caracterização do perfil clonal, fatores de virulência e determinação da resistência em Staphylococcus spp. isolados de leite ovino

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Comparação de métodos de detecção de biofilme em estafilococos coagulase-negativa provenientes de infecções em recém-nascidos

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Avaliação histopatológica, imunoistoquímica e detecção molecular do DNA viral no sistema nervoso central de bovinos inoculados experimentalmente com herpesvirus bovino 5

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

Tratamento experimental de cães naturalmente infectados com vírus da cinomose na fase neurológica com uso da Ribavirina e Dimetil-sulfóxido(DMSO)

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Efeito modulador de estratégias vacinais para tuberculose na encefalite autoimune experimental (EAE)

Pós-graduação em Doenças Tropicais - FMB

Caracterização fenotípica, genotípica e termorressistência à fervura em linhagens de Nocardia spp isoladas de animais domésticos e humanos

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

Estudo da atividade ansiolítica e sedativa do óleo essencial das cascas de frutos de espécies do gênero Citrus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização do gene ERG11 envolvido na resistência de Cryptococcus neoformans e Cryptococcus gatti as drogas azólicas e identificação de novos alvos a partir de produtos naturais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da mutagenicidade, antimutagenicidade e estrogenicidade de Byrsonima spp

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Degradabilidade in situ e consumo voluntário de capim Tanzânia (Panicum maximu, J. cv. Tanzânia), sob pastejo, por vacas em lactação

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

Impacto da mastite subclínica na reprodução de vacas leiteiras

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ