The locus coeruleus and central chemosensitivity

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

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.

Genome-Wide Survey of SNP Variation Uncovers the Genetic Structure of Cattle Breeds

The imprints of domestication and breed development on the genomes of livestock likely differ from those of companion animals. A deep draft sequence assembly of shotgun reads from a single Hereford female and comparative sequences sampled from six additional breeds were used to develop probes to interrogate 37,470 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 497 cattle from 19 geographically and biologically diverse breeds. These data show that cattle have undergone a rapid recent decrease in effective population size from a very large ancestral population, possibly due to bottlenecks associated with domestication, selection, and breed formation. Domestication and artificial selection appear to have left detectable signatures of selection within the cattle genome, yet the current levels of diversity within breeds are at least as great as exists within humans.

Respiratory chemoreceptor function in vertebrates - Comparative and evolutionary aspects

The sensing of blood gas tensions and/or pH is an evolutionarily conserved, homeostatic mechanism, observable in almost all species studied from invertebrates to man. In vertebrates, a shift from the peripheral O2-oriented sensing in fish, to the central CO2/pH sensing in most tetrapods reflects the specific behavioral requirements of these two groups whereby, in teleost fish, a highly O2-oriented control of breathing matches the ever-changing and low oxygen levels in water, whilst the transition to air-breathing increased the importance of acid-base regulation and O2-related drive, although retained, became relatively less important. The South American lungfish and tetrapods are probably sister groups, a conclusion backed up by many similar features of respiratory control. For example, the relative roles of peripheral and central chemoreceptors are present both in the lungfish and in land vertebrates. In both groups, the central CO2/pH receptors dominate the ventilatory response to hypercarbia (60-80), while the peripheral CO2/pH receptors account for 20-30. Some basic components of respiratory control have changed little during evolution. This review presents studies that reflect the current trends in the field of chemoreceptor function, and several laboratories are involved. An exhaustive review on the previous literature, however, is beyond the intended scope of the article. Rather, we present examples of current trends in respiratory function in vertebrates, ranging from fish to humans, and focus on both O2 sensing and CO2 sensing. As well, we consider the impact of chronic levels of hypoxia - a physiological condition in fish and in land vertebrates resident at high elevations or suffering from one of the many cardiorespiratory disease states that predispose an animal to impaired ventilation or cardiac output. This provides a basis for a comparative physiology that is informative about the evolution of respiratory functions in vertebrates and about human disease. Currently, most detail is known for mammals, for which molecular biology and respiratory physiology have combined in the discovery of the mechanisms underlying the responses of respiratory chemoreceptors. Our review includes new data on nonmammalian vertebrates, which stresses that some chemoreceptor sites are of ancient origin.

Concordance between Stages of Behavior Change Questionnaire and IPAQ

A low rate of physical activity (PA) participation is observed worldwide. The identification of feasible and reliable instruments able to accurately measuring PA and help in the development of interventions to promote PA are necessary. This study aimed to analyze the concordance between the Stages of Behavior Change Questionnaire (SBCQ) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ long-version) in assessing adult leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). A total of 1.588 adults completed the IPAQ to assess LTPA and the participants who performed more than 10 min/week were classified in active individuals. Using the SBCQ, active individuals were those classified in the action or maintenance stage and inactive individuals were those classified in the precontemplation, contemplation or preparation stage. The concordance between SBCQ and IPAQ was found to be 0.80. Separated by gender, it was observed a concordance between the two instruments of 0.82 for women, and 0.77 for men. Regarding age group, it was found to be 0.81 for young and middle-aged adults, and 0.77 for older people. The SBCQ presented a very good concordance with IPAQ to assess LTPA.

Cardiorespiratory effects of gap junction blockade in the locus coeruleus in unanesthetized adult rats

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

Desafios contemporâneos da educação

Se historicamente a educação escolar no Brasil foi marcada por um profundo corte elitista, o processo de democratização do ensino apresentou incontestáveis avanços desde a Constituição de 1988. A caminhada pela universalização, no entanto, não se deu à margem de suas heranças históricas, bem como novas fronteiras surgiram para o desafio da educação emancipatória. Esta obra reúne 17 ensaios que debatem os dilemas existentes no cotidiano da sala de aula. Divididos em três partes - " Educação, culturas realidade social", "Políticas educacionais" e "A escola" -, os textos coligidos abordam temas variados relacionados à prática escolar, como cidadania, políticas afirmativas e gestão administrativa, e compõem um cenário contemporâneo dos principais desafios colocados para a educação de nosso tempo.

O brincar para conhecer o desenvolvimento de crianças com implante coclear

This research analyses the development of children presented with profound deafness and benefited by the cochlear implant, discovery of great significance in hearing health. The work is based, theoretically, on Winnicott, and methodologically, in anamnesis data and playing on a set of ludic scenes, systematically organized. Ten pre-school children with implants, selected by hospital and homogenization eligibility criteria participate in this study encompassing interviews with parents and playful observation sessions with the children, besides Lynn´s Dolls Structured Game. In the children, the results show immaturity, regression to earlier stages of their development, dependency and behavioral disorders, in particular, those related to language, interrelationship and anxiety. In the parents, family disorientation, partly overcome. The children and family participating are assisted by a multidisciplinary health team, at the hospital where they are attended.

The effect of a Lactobacillus-based probiotic for the control of necrotic enteritis in broilers

Necrotic Enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium perfringens (CP) in poultry is probably the most important bacterial disease in terms of economic implications. The disease is multi-factorial and is invariably associated with predisposing factors. The present study investigated the effect of a commercially available Lactobacillus-based probiotic (FM-B11) for the control of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. In experiment 1, one-day-of-hatch broiler chicks were randomly allocated to the following treatment groups: 1) Non-challenged (NC); 2) Challenged (C); 3) Challenged + probiotic (C+ FM-B11). Prior to placement, chicks in groups 2 and 3 received 0.25 mL of Salmonella typhimurium (ST) containing 105 cfu of viable cells by oral gavage. At 14, 15 and 16 days of age, all chicks in group 3 were treated with FM-B11 in the drinking water at a concentration of 106 cfu/ml. At 21d of age, all chicks in groups 2 and 3, were individually challenged with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts of E. maxima by oral gavage. At 26d of age, all chicks in groups 2 and 3, were individually challenged with 108 cfu CP; body weight (BW) was recorded prior to challenge. The experiment was terminated at 29 days of age and the following parameters were evaluated: NE-associated mortality, CP lesion scores, CP concentrations in ileum, BW, and body weight gain (BWG). Chicks treated with FM-B11 had significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight gain after challenge when compared to control challenge chickens. Total mortality was higher in the C group (48.8%) when compared to the C + FM-B11 (12.7%). Even though there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in lesion score between C and C + FM-B11, group C + FM-B11 had significantly (P < 0.05) lower total number of cfu of CP recovered from the ileal mucosa and content samples when compared to group C. Experiment 2 was a unique and remarkable case report of a field outbreak of NE in a commercial broiler farm in Argentina. A reduction and control of the mortality associated with NE following 3 days of administration of FM-B11 was observed as compared with the control non treated house. These results imply that the commercially available Lactobacillus-based probiotic FM-B11 was able to reduce the severities of NE, as a secondary bacterial infection, in an experimental NE challenge model; as well as, in a commercial field outbreak of NE.