The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution

To understand the biology and evolution of ruminants, the cattle genome was sequenced to about sevenfold coverage. The cattle genome contains a minimum of 22,000 genes, with a core set of 14,345 orthologs shared among seven mammalian species of which 1217 are absent or undetected in noneutherian (marsupial or monotreme) genomes. Cattle-specific evolutionary breakpoint regions in chromosomes have a higher density of segmental duplications, enrichment of repetitive elements, and species-specific variations in genes associated with lactation and immune responsiveness. Genes involved in metabolism are generally highly conserved, although five metabolic genes are deleted or extensively diverged from their human orthologs. The cattle genome sequence thus provides a resource for understanding mammalian evolution and accelerating livestock genetic improvement for milk and meat production.

Gene Expression Profiles Stratified according to Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Susceptibility Regions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Population dynamics of DENV-1 genotype V in Brazil is characterized by co-circulation and strain/lineage replacement

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

TNFa-e microsatellite, HLA-DRB1 and-DQB1 alleles and haplotypes in Brazilian patients presenting recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus

TNF microsatellite and HLA class II polymorphisms were studied in 28 recently diagnosed Brazilian patients presenting type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and in 120 healthy controls. TNFa-e and HLA-DRB1/DQB1 alleles were identified using sets of sequence-specific primers. Compared to controls, the DRB1* 03 and DQBI*02 allele groups, TNFa1 allele, and the TNFa4-b5-c1-d4-e3 and TNFa10-b5-c1-d4-e3 haplotypes were overrepresented in patients. TNF microsatellite together with HLA polymorphisms is associated with type 1 diabetes in Brazilian patients, corroborating the participation of the MHC genes in disease susceptibility.

Food-web composition affects cross-ecosystem interactions and subsidies

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

Circulation of Different Lineages of Dengue Virus 2, Genotype American/Asian in Brazil: Dynamics and Molecular and Phylogenetic Characterization

The American/Asian genotype of Dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) was introduced into the Americas in the 80′s. Although there is no data showing when this genotype was first introduced into Brazil, it was first detected in Brazil in 1990. After which the virus spread throughout the country and major epidemics occurred in 1998, 2007/08 and 2010. In this study we sequenced 12 DENV-2 genomes obtained from serum samples of patients with dengue fever residing in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo (SJRP/SP), Brazil, in 2008. The whole open reading frame or envelope sequences were used to perform phylogenetic, phylogeographic and evolutionary analyses. Isolates from SJRP/SP were grouped within one lineage (BR3) close to isolates from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Isolates from SJRP were probably introduced there at least in 2007, prior to its detection in the 2008 outbreak. DENV-2 circulation in Brazil is characterized by the introduction, displacement and circulation of three well-defined lineages in different times, most probably from the Caribbean. Thirty-seven unique amino acid substitutions were observed among the lineages, including seven amino acid differences in domains I to III of the envelope protein. Moreover, we dated here, for the first time, the introduction of American/Asian genotype into Brazil (lineage BR1) to 1988/89, followed by the introduction of lineages BR2 (1998-2000) and BR3 (2003-05). Our results show a delay between the introduction and detection of DENV-2 lineages in Brazil, reinforcing the importance and need for surveillance programs to detect and trace the evolution of these viruses. Additionally, Brazilian DENV-2 differed in genetic diversity, date of introduction and geographic origin and distribution in Brazil, and these are important factors for the evolution, dynamics and control of dengue. © 2013 Drumond et al.

A integração de agricultores às cooperativas agrícolas abatedoras de frangos no Oeste do Paraná

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Comparacao das inclinacoes lateral e anteroposterior no equilibrio estatico entre jovens, adultos e idosos

INTRODUÇÃO:Com o aumento da população idosa, fica evidente a importância de compreender e explorar o processo de envelhecimento humano, o qual acarreta transformações morfológicas e funcionais.OBJETIVOS:Avaliar e comparar as inclinações anteroposterior e lateral do centro de gravidade por faixas etárias.MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal e exploratório. Fizeram parte da pesquisa 135 sujeitos, separados em faixas etárias: Grupo 1: 20-29 anos (n=26), Grupo 2: 30-39 anos (n=26), Grupo 3: 40-49 (n=25), Grupo 4: 50-59 anos (n=30) e Grupo 5: >60 anos (n=28). Esses sujeitos foram selecionados de acordo com o escore do Miniexame de Estado Mental e pela capacidade de permanecer em pé por, pelo menos, 90 segundos. As posturas foram avaliadas por meio do software de avaliação postural (SAPO). As comparações entre os valores de inclinações dados pelo SAPO foram feitas pelo teste de Mann-Whitney (comparação par-a-par), sendo aceito um valor de p<0,05 como significante.RESULTADOS:Na comparação da média da assimetria frontal entre as faixas etárias, observa-se maior lateralização com o avançar da idade, com valores significativos nos grupos 50-59 e >60 anos. Na comparação da média da assimetria sagital entre as faixas etárias, valores são significativos no grupo dos >60 anos.CONCLUSÕES:Após avaliar e comparar as assimetrias sagitais e frontais, pode-se apontar que na medida em que a idade avança, há tendência ao aumento de suas projeções anteriores e laterais comparadas ao centro de gravidade.

Dengue Virus Type 3 Adaptive Changes during Epidemics in Sao Jose de Rio Preto, Brazil, 2006-2007

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Dengue-4 false negative results by Panbio (R) Dengue Early ELISA assay in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comparação dos parâmetros espaçotemporais da marcha durante a execução do TUG associado à dupla tarefa em adultos jovens

Introduction: Biomechanical analysis of gait can be used effectively to identify changes in movement patterns and functional decline. Objective: To analyze the effect of dual task on gait spatio-temporal variables. Methods: The sample was made up of 32 subjects of both genders aged between 18 and 25 years. The test Timed Up and Go was performed under two conditions: original form and associated with a cognitive task (verbalize backwards the months of the year). We evaluated the total execution time, number of steps, cadence, time spent to lift, average speed and variability of the step time. Results: Significant changes were observed with the addition of the cognitive task in many gait spatio-temporal variables analyzed. Conclusion: The tests showed that the increase of cognitive tasks during walking may lead to changes in the performance of this task.

Dominant predators mediate the impact of habitat size on trophic structure in bromeliad invertebrate communities

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Detection of Mayaro virus infections during a dengue outbreak in Mato Grosso, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Competitive interactions between C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. krusei during biofilm formation and development of experimental Candidiasis

In this study, we evaluated the interactions between Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida glabrata in mixed infections. Initially, these interactions were studied in biofilms formed in vitro. CFU/mL values of C. albicans were lower in mixed biofilms when compared to the single biofilms, verifying 77% and 89% of C. albicans reduction when this species was associated with C. glabrata and C. krusei, respectively. After that, we expanded this study for in vivo host models of experimental candidiasis. G. mellonella larvae were inoculated with monotypic and heterotypic Candida suspensions for analysis of survival rate and quantification of fungal cells in the haemolymph. In the groups with single infections, 100% of the larvae died within 18 h after infection with C. albicans. However, interaction groups achieved 100% mortality after 72 h of infection by C. albicans-C. glabrata and 96 h of infection by C. albicans-C. krusei. C. albicans CFU/mL values from larvae hemolymph were lower in the interacting groups compared with the monoespecies group after 12 h of infection. In addition, immunosuppressed mice were also inoculated with monotypic and heterotypic microbial suspensions to induce oral candidiasis. C. albicans CFU/mL values recovered from oral cavity of mice were higher in the group with single infection by C. albicans than the groups with mixed infections by C. albicans-C. glabrata and C. albicans-C. krusei. Moreover, the group with single infection by C. albicans had a higher degree of hyphae and epithelial changes in the tongue dorsum than the groups with mixed infections. We concluded that single infections by C. albicans were more harmful for animal models than mixed infections with non-albicans species, suggesting that C. albicans establish competitive interactions with C. krusei and C. glabrata during biofilm formation and development of experimental candidiasis.

Phytogeographic retrospective in ecotonal areas guided by soil attributes

Re-establishing deforested ecosystems to pre-settlement vegetation is difficult, especially in ecotonal areas, due to lack of knowledge about the original physiognomy. Our objective was to use a soils database that included chemical and physical parameters to distinguish soil samples of forest from those of savannah sites in a municipality located in the southeastern Brazil region. Discriminant analysis (DA) was used to determine the original biome vegetation (forest or savannah) in ecotone regions that have been converted to pasture and are degraded. First, soils of pristine forest and savannah sites were tested, resulting in a reference database to compare to the degraded soils. Although the data presented, in general had a high level of similarity among the two biomes, some differences occurred that were sufficient for DA to distinguish the sites and classify the soil samples taken from grassy areas into forest or savannah. The soils from pastured areas presented quality worse than the soils of the pristine areas. Through DA analysis we observed that, from seven soil samples collected from grassy areas, five were most likely originally forest biome and two were savannah, ratified by a complementary cluster analysis carried out with the database of these samples. The model here proposed is pioneer. However, the users should keep in mind that using this technology, i.e., establishing a regional-level database of soil features, using soil samples collected both from pristine and degraded areas is critical for success of the project, especially because of the ecological and regional particularities of each biome.