Radiological findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in indigenous patients in Dourados, MS, Brazil

AbstractObjective:To describe the radiological findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in indigenous patients from the city of Dourados, MS, Brazil, according to age and sex.Materials and Methods:Chest radiographic images of 81 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, acquired in the period from 2007 to 2010, were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists in consensus for the presence or absence of changes. The findings in abnormal radiographs were classified according to the changes observed and they were correlated to age and sex. The data were submitted to statistical analysis.Results:The individuals' ages ranged from 1 to 97 years (mean: 36 years). Heterogeneous consolidations, nodules, pleural involvement and cavities were the most frequent imaging findings. Most patients (55/81 or 67.9%) were male, and upper lung and right lung were the most affected regions. Fibrosis, heterogeneous consolidations and involvement of the left lung apex were significantly more frequent in males (p < 0.05). Presence of a single type of finding at radiography was most frequent in children (p < 0.05).Conclusion:Based on the hypothesis that indigenous patients represent a population without genetically determined resistance to tuberculosis, the present study may enhance the knowledge about how the pulmonary form of this disease manifests in susceptible individuals.

Andean indigenous food crops: nutritional value and bioactive compounds

The Andean area of South America is a very important center for the domestication of food crops. This area is the botanical origin of potato, peanut and tomato. Less well- known crops, such as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule) and kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus), were also domesticated by ancient Andean farmers. These crops have a long history of safe use with the local populations and they have contributed to the nutrition and wellbeing of the people for centuries. Several studies have reported the nutritional value of Andean grains. They contain proteins with a balanced essential amino acid composition that are of high biological value, good quality oil and essential minerals, for example iron, calcium and zinc. They are potential sources of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and dietary fiber. The main objective of the practical work was to assess the nutritional value of Andean native grains with a special emphasis on the bioactive components and the impact of processing. The compounds studied were phenolic acids, flavonoids, betalains and dietary fiber. The radical scavenging activity was measured as well. Iron, calcium and zinc content and their bioavailability were analyzed as well. The grains were processed by extrusion with the aim to study the effect of processing on the chemical composition. Quinoa, kañiwa and kiwicha are very good sources of dietary fiber, especially of insoluble dietary fiber. The phenolic acid content in Andean crops was low compared with common cereals like wheat and rye, but was similar to levels found in oat, barley, corn and rice. The flavonoid content of quinoa and kañiwa was exceptionally high. Kiwicha did not contain quantifiable amounts of these compounds. Only one variety of kiwicha contained low amounts of betalains. These compounds were not detected in kañiwa or quinoa. Quinoa, kañiwa and kiwicha are good sources of minerals. Their calcium, zinc and iron content are higher than the content of these minerals in common cereals. In general, roasting did not affect significantly mineral bioavailability. On the contrary, in cooked grains, there was an increase in bioavailability of zinc and, in the case of kañiwa, also in iron and calcium bioavailability. In all cases, the contents of total and insoluble dietary fiber decreased during the extrusion process. At the same time, the content of soluble dietary fiber increased. The content of total phenolics, phytic acid and the antioxidant activity decreased in kiwicha varieties during the extrusion process. In the case of quinoa, the content of total phenolic compounds and the radical scavenging activity increased during the extrusion process in all varieties. Taken together, the studies presented here demonstrate that the Andean indigenous crops have excellent potential as sources of minerals, flavonoids and dietary fiber. Further studies should be conducted to characterize the phenolic compound and antioxidant composition in processed grains and end products. Quinoa, kañiwa and kiwicha grains are consumed widely in Andean countries but they also have a significant, worldwide potential as a new cultivated crop species and as an imported commodity from South America. Their inclusion in the diet has the potential to improve the intake of minerals and health-promoting bioactive compounds. They may also be interesting raw materials for special dietary foods and functional foods offering natural sources of specific health-promoting components.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein-6 (BMP-6) induces atresia in goat primordial follicles cultured in vitro

This study investigated the effects of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP-6) on in vitro primordial follicle development in goats. Samples of goat ovarian cortex were cultured in vitro for 1 or 7 days in Minimum Essential Medium (control medium) supplemented with different concentrations of BMP-6. Follicle survival, activation and growth were evaluated through histology and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After 7 days of culture, histological analysis demonstrated that BMP-6 enhanced the percentages of atretic primordial follicles when compared to fresh control (day 0). Nevertheless, BMP-6 increased follicular and oocyte diameter during both culture periods. As the culture period progressed from day 1 to day 7, a significant increase in follicle diameter was observed with 1 or 50ng/ml BMP-6. However, on the contrary to that observed with the control medium TEM revealed that follicles cultured for up to 7 days with 1 or 50ng/ml BMP-6 had evident signs of atresia. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that BMP-6 negatively affects the survival and ultrastructure of goat primordial follicles.

Foot rot and other foot diseases of goat and sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

This paper reports the occurrence and epidemiology of outbreaks of foot rot and other foot diseases in goats and sheep in the semiarid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Four farms were inspected for the presence of foot lesion in sheep and goats and for environmental conditions, general hygiene, pastures, and disease control measures. The prevalence of foot lesions was 19.41% (170/876) in sheep and 17.99% (52/289) in goats, ranging between 5.77% and 33.85% in different farms. Foot rot was the most common disease, affecting 12.1% of the animals examined (141/1165), but with significantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence in sheep (13.69%) than in goats (7.27%). The frequency of malignant foot rot was also significantly lower (p<0.05) in goats (9.53%) than in the sheep (40.83%). On one farm, Dorper sheep showed significantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence of foot rot (17.5%) than Santa Inês sheep (6.79%), and the number of digits affected was also higher in the former. Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum were isolated from cases of foot rot. White line disease was found in 3.95% of the animals, sole ulcers in 1.29%, foot abscess in 1.03% and hoof overgrowth in 0.5%. The high rainfall at the time of occurrence, grazing in wetlands, clay soils with poor drainage, presence of numerous stony grounds, closure of the flocks in pens at night, and introduction of affected animals were considered predisposing factors for the occurrence of foot diseases.

Goat scrotal-testicular biometry: Influence of the season on scrotal bipartition

The scrotal-testicular biometry was evaluated in goats raised in Piaui state, Brazil, presenting different levels of scrotal division, in rainy and dry periods of the year. For this study, eighteen male goats at mating age were accomplished and arranged into three groups (6 animals each), obeying the classification as goats with no scrotal bipartition (GI), goats showing scrotal bipartition up to 50% of testicular length (GII), and goats with more than 50% of scrotal bipartition (GIII). The biometry of the scrotal-testicular was made evaluating the scrotal length (SL), scrotal circumference (SC), testicular length (TL) and testicular volume (TV). The results were evaluated following the variance analysis (ANOVA) and the SNK test applied on the average comparisons. The analysis of the data demonstrated high values, in dry and rainy periods, of SC (24.63cm/ 26.97cm), SL (16.61cm/ 18.24cm), TL (5.32cm/ 5.93cm), TV (173.81cm³/ 203.01cm³). This supports the hypothesis of the influence of the period of the year and of the scrotal bipartition on the scrotal-testicular biometry in goat.

Progesterone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone interact and promote goat preantral follicles survival and development in vitro

We investigated the effects of progesterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on survival and growth of caprine preantral follicles. Pieces of ovarian tissue were cultured for 1 or 7 days in minimum essential medium (MEM) alone or containing progesterone (1, 2.5, 5, 10 or 20ng/mL), FSH (50ng/mL) or the interaction between progesterone and FSH. Fresh (non-cultured control) and cultured ovarian tissues were processed for histological and ultrastructural studies. After 7 days the addition of FSH to all progesterone concentrations maintained the percentage of normal follicles similar to fresh control. At day 7 of culture, a higher percentage of developing follicles was observed only in 2.5ng/ml of progesterone associated with FSH or 10ng/ml of progesterone alone when compared with control. From day 1 to day 7 of culture, a significant increase in the percentage of developing follicles was observed in MEM and 2.5ng/ml of progesterone + FSH. In addition, after 7 days, in all treatments, there was a significant increase in follicular diameter when compared with control, except for MEM alone and in 5ng/ml of progesterone + FSH or 10ng/ml of progesterone alone. Ultrastructural studies confirmed follicular integrity after 7 days of culture in 2.5ng/ml of progesterone with FSH. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the interaction between progesterone and FSH maintains ultrastructural integrity, stimulates primordial follicles activation and further growth of cultured caprine preantral follicles.

Spatialization of climate, physical and socioeconomic factors that affect the dairy goat production in Brazil and their impact on animal breeding decisions

Brazil has high climate, soil and environmental diversity, as well as distinct socioeconomic and political realities, what results in differences among the political administrative regions of the country. The objective of this study was to determine spatial distribution of the physical, climatic and socioeconomic aspects that best characterize the production of dairy goats in Brazil. Production indices of milk per goat, goat production, milk production, as well as temperature range, mean temperature, precipitation, normalized difference vegetation index, relative humidity, altitude, agricultural farms; farms with native pasture, farms with good quality pasture, farms with water resources, farms that receive technical guidance, family farming properties, non-familiar farms and the human development index were evaluated. The multivariate analyses were carried out to spatialize climatic, physical and socioeconomic variables and so differenciate the Brazilian States and Regions. The highest yields of milk and goat production were observed in the Northeast. The Southeast Region had the second highest production of milk, followed by the South, Midwest and North. Multivariate analysis revealed distinctions between clusters of political-administrative regions of Brazil. The climatic variables were most important to discriminate between regions of Brazil. Therefore, it is necessary to implement animal breeding programs to meet the needs of each region.

Effect of oral administration of Propionibacterium acnes on growth performance, DTH response and anti-OVA titers in goat kids

Immunostimulants are susbstances that stimuli the response of effector cells to activate the immune response such as antigen uptake, cytokine release or antibody response. These substances can increase resistence to infection by different types of microorganisms, reducing dependence of antibiotics used in livestock animals. Recent reports have demonstrated the positive effect of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) to control animal diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the non-specific immunostimulant P. acnes on immunological functions and growth performance in goat kids. Twenty five goat kids served as control group (A) and another 25 animals received P. acnes being the experimental group (B). Kids were challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to assess humoral immunity. To assess in vivo cell immunity, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) test with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was used, clinical signs and body weight were recorded each week until 9 weeks of age when the experiment ended. Blood samples were obtained to analyze serum proteins fractions and anti-OVA specific antibodies. No clinical signs of disease and no differences (p>0.05) on body weight between groups were recorded (7.32±0.81 kg in group A, 7.13±0.65 kg in group B). Goat kids from group B had more total protein (59.8±5g/l) and albumin levels (32.8±3.3g/l) than goat kids from group A (56.6±5.7 g/l, 29.6±3.9 g/l respectively) (p<0.05). DTH response in goat kids from group B on day 42 was higher (p<0.05) than group A. At day 63, goat kids from group receiving P. acnes had higher percentage (85.4) of anti-OVA IgM titers (p<0.05) than control group (57.7). In conclusion, the results showed that oral administration of P. acnes to goat kids improved some aspects of the immune system of the animals and it could be used to control goat diseases.

Mycoplasma agalactiae in semen and milk of goat from Pernambuco state, Brazil

In goat and sheep flocks, mycoplasmosis is a disease that may cause severe economical losses associated with polyarthritis, mastitis, agalactia, conjunctivitis, pneumonia and reproductive failure. The latter may involve repeat breeding, granular vulvovaginitis, infertility and abortions. The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma) in semen and milk samples from naturally infected goat in the semiarid region from Pernambuco State, Northeast from Brazil. Thirty-nine semen samples and 81 milk samples were submitted to DNA extraction using a commercially available kit and following the manufacturer's instructions. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was then performed in accordance with protocols described in the literature. The results of the present study revealed the presence of Ma in the DNA of 17.9% (7/39) of the semen samples and 3.7% (3/81) of the milk samples. The results obtained in the present study confirm the elimination of the DNA of Ma in the semen and milk samples. The presence of this agent in goat flocks is considered very risky in terms of reproductive disorders and contagious agalactia outbreaks in the Northeast region of Brazil.

Interaction between growth differentiation factor 9, insulin-like growth factor I and growth hormone on the in vitro development and survival of goat preantral follicles

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of GDF-9, IGF-I, and GH alone or combined on preantral follicle survival, activation and development after 1 and 7 days of in vitro culture. Either fresh (non-cultured) or cultured ovarian tissue was processed for histological and fluorescence analysis. For all media tested, the percent of normal follicles was greater when compared to minimum essential medium supplemented (MEM+) alone, except when ovarian tissue was cultured with GDF-9/IGF-I or GDF-9/GH (P < 0.05). Fluorescence analysis showed that the percent of viable follicles after 7 days of culture was similar for non-cultured tissue and for all treatments tested. The percent of primordial follicles was reduced (P < 0.05) and there was a significant and concomitant increase in the percent of intermediate and primary follicles in all treatments tested after 7 days of culture when compared to non-cultured tissue. After 7 days of culture, the highest percent of intermediate follicles was observed with IGF-I/GH (61.3%), and the highest percent of primary follicles was achieved with IGF-I (57.7%). After 7 days of culture in MEM+ containing GDF-9, IGF-I and GH alone or in all associations, a significant increase in follicular diameter was observed when compared to MEM+ alone and non-cultured tissue. In conclusion, GDF-9, IGF-I and GH alone or in combination maintain preantral follicle survival and promote primordial follicle activation. Nevertheless, the data showed that IGF-I/GH and IGF-I alone are efficient in promoting the transition from primordial to intermediate follicles and from intermediate to primary follicles, respectively.

Phytohemagglutinin improves the development and ultrastructure of in vitro-cultured goat (Capra hircus) preantral follicles

The objective this study was to determine the effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on survival, growth and gene expression in caprine secondary follicles culturedin vitro. Secondary follicles (∼0.2 mm) were isolated from the cortex of caprine ovaries and cultured individually for 6 days in α-MEM+ supplemented with PHA (0, 1, 10, 50, 100, or 200 µg/mL). After 6 days of culture, follicle diameter and survival, antrum formation, ultrastructure and expression of mRNA for FSH receptors (FSH-R), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were determined. All treatments maintained follicular survival [α-MEM+ (94.59%); 1 µg/mL PHA (96.43%); 10 µg/mL PHA (84.85%); 50 µg/mL PHA (85.29%); 100 µg/mL PHA (88.57%), and 200 µg/mL PHA (87.50)], but the presence of 10 µg/mL PHA in the culture medium increased the antrum formation rate (21.21%) when compared with control (5.41%, P < 0.05) and ensured the maintenance of oocyte and granulosa cell ultrastructures after 6 days of culture. The expression of mRNA for FSH-R (2.7 ± 0.1) and PCNA (4.4 ± 0.2) was also significantly increased in follicles cultured with 10 µg/mL PHA in relation to those cultured in α-MEM+ (1.0 ± 0.1). In conclusion, supplementation of culture medium with 10 µg/mL PHA maintains the follicular viability and ultrastructure, and promotes the formation of antral cavity after 6 days of culture in vitro.

Osteogenesis induced in goat bone marrow progenitor cells by recombinant adenovirus coexpressing bone morphogenetic protein 2 and basic fibroblast growth factor

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) have been shown to exhibit a synergistic effect to promote bone repair and healing. In this study, we constructed a novel adenovirus with high coexpression of BMP2 and bFGF and evaluated its effect on osteogenic differentiation of goat bone marrow progenitor cells (BMPCs). Recombinant adenovirus Ad-BMP2-bFGF was constructed by using the T2A sequence. BMPCs were isolated from goats by density gradient centrifugation and adherent cell culture, and were then infected with Ad-BMP2-bFGF or Ad-BMP2. Expression of BMP2 and bFGF was detected by ELISA, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was detected by an ALP assay kit. In addition, von Kossa staining and immunocytochemical staining of collagen II were performed on BMPCs 21 days after infection. There was a high coexpression of BMP2 and bFGF in BMPCs infected with Ad-BMP2-bFGF. Twenty-one days after infection, ALP activity was significantly higher in BMPCs infected with Ad-BMP2-bFGF than in those infected with Ad-BMP2. Larger and more mineralized calcium nodules, as well as stronger collagen II staining, were observed in BMPCs infected with Ad-BMP2-bFGF than in those infected with Ad-BMP2. In summary, we developed a novel adenovirus vector Ad-BMP2-bFGF for simultaneous high coexpression of BMP2 and bFGF, which could induce BMPCs to differentiate efficiently into osteoblasts.

Hygienic-sanitary quality of vegetables and evaluation of treatments for the elimination of indigenous E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 from the surface of leaves of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary quality of vegetables and irrigation water and assess the effectiveness of lemon juice and vinegar in reducing E. coli strains inoculated on lettuce. One hundred and forty samples of vegetables and 45 samples of irrigation water were investigated for thermotolerant coliforms and Salmonella spp. In order to verify the effectiveness of natural household sanitizers in reducing E. coli in inoculated lettuce, four treatment solutions were tested: fresh lemon juice, alcohol vinegar, lemon juice-vinegar mixture, and lemon juice-vinegar-water mixture. The microbiological analysis revealed high rates of contamination by thermotolerant coliforms and identified the presence of E. coli in 32% of the tested vegetable samples and 56% of the water samples. While no significant statistical difference (p < 0, 05) was identified in the tested solutions, the treatment with a combination of lemon juice and vinegar resulted in the highest Decimal Reductions (DR) of E. coli O157: H7 while the treatment with vinegar alone was the most effective against the indigenous E. coli strain

Effect of genotype, finishing system, and sex on physiochemical characteristics of goat meat

Seventy-eight kids of both sexes and five genotypes were used: Alpine, ½ Boer + ½ Alpine (½ BA), ¾ Boer + ¼ Alpine, ½ Anglo-nubian + ½ Alpine and "tricross" (½ Anglo-nubian + ¼ Boer + ¼ Alpine) with initial average weight of 14.1 ± 2.5. The objective was to evaluate the effect of genotype, finishing system, and sex on the physiochemical characteristics of goat meat. Finishing systems were: ST1 - kid + dam in pasture and ST2 - weaned kid and feedlot. Kids in ST1 were kept in an area with Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania, and after grazing, water and mineral salt/mix were fed ad libitum to the animals. The animals in ST2 were confined in collective pens distributed according to genotypes and received diet with 16% CP and 73% TDN. The values of pH, a* (red content), Cooking Loss (CL), and Ether Extract (EE) percentage were influenced by genotype. Values for red content (a*) and L* (brightness), CL and percentages of moisture, protein, EE, and ash were influenced by the finishing system. Longissimus dorsi muscle from animals ½ BA exhibited better physiochemical characteristics. For greater tenderness and higher percentages of fat, consumers should choose female kid goat meat.