Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in elderly Japanese-Brazilians

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Japanese-Brazilians According to Specific Definitions for Ethnicity

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Performance and egg quality of Japanese quails submitted to cyclic heat stress

Aiming at evaluating the influence of cyclic temperatures on the performance and egg quality of Japanese quails an experiment was carried out with 480 birds after egg production peak. Birds were housed in a bioclimatic chamber with automatic temperature control that contained two rooms, one maintained at thermoneutral temperature (21 ºC) and the other adjusted for the tested cyclic temperatures (24, 27, 30, 33 and 36 ºC at a time). Each room had a battery of five floors and ten cages, with a capacity of 24 birds per cage, totaling 240 birds per battery. Birds were fed iso-nutritious and iso-caloric diets. Data obtained under the tested cyclic temperatures were compared with those obtained under thermoneutral temperature. At the end of each experimental period (14 days) performance and egg quality parameters were evaluated. A completely randomized experimental design with two treatments (thermoneutral temperature and tested temperature) and ten replicates of 24 birds each. Cyclic increases of 27 ºC and higher in environmental temperature negatively affected bird performance, with reduced feed intake and consequent reductions in egg weight and mass. A cyclic increase of the environmental temperature to 36 ºC reduced the percentage of saleable eggs and egg production.

Subcellular localization of the coat protein in tobacco cells infected by cucumber mosaic virus isolated from Catharanthus roseus

Electron microscopy and immunolabelling with antiserum specific to cucumber mosaic virus coat protein were used to examine tobacco leaf cells infected by cucumber mosaic virus isolated from Catharanthus roseus (CMV-Cr). Crystalline and amorphous inclusions in the vacuoles were the most obvious cytological modifications seen. Immunogold labelling indicated that the crystalline inclusion was made up of virus particles and amorphous inclusions contained coat protein. Rows of CMV-Cr particles were found between membranes of dictyosomes, but membranous bodies and tonoplast-associated vesicles were not evident. Virus particles and/or free coat protein were easily detected in the cytoplasm by immunolabelling. No gold labelling was found within nuclei, chloroplasts and mitochondria.

Limited movement of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in yellow passion flower in Brazil

Symptoms of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on yellow passion flower (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) are characterized by bright yellow mottling on leaves, starting at random points on the vine and diminishing in intensity towards the tip, which becomes symptomless as it grows. To determine whether symptomless portions of vines are CMV-free or represent latent infection, leaves with and without symptoms were collected from infected vines in the field. Biological, serological (plate-trapped antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, PTA-ELISA), Western blot and dot-blot hybridization assays showed that portions of the vines without symptoms were CMV-free. Vegetatively propagated vines with symptoms showed remission of symptoms on newly developed leaves. One year later, no CMV was detected in the upper leaves of these plants. Mechanically inoculated passion flower seedlings behaved similarly; symptoms were shown by few leaves after inoculation. Afterwards, plants became symptomless and CMV was not detected in the upper leaves or root system, 40 or 85 days after inoculation. The mechanism responsible for remission of symptoms accompanied by CMV disappearance is not known.

Protein, methionine+cystine and lysine levels for Japanese quails during the production phase

An experiment was conducted at Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia/Unesp - Botucatu for 168 days to evaluate the effects of protein, Met + Cys and lysine diet levels on egg production and egg quality of laying Japanese quails. Quails with 42 days of age were reared in a completely randomized design. There were 1,944 quails distributed in four replicates of 27 birds per pen, according to a factorial 3x3x2 with three crude protein levels (16, 18 and 20% CP), three Met + Cys levels (0.700; 0.875 and 1.050%) and two lysine levels (1.100 and 1.375%). Birds fed diets with 18 and 20% CP had higher feed intake and egg production than those fed diets with 16% CP. There was significant interaction (p<0.05) between protein and Met + Cys levels on egg weight. There was no effects (p>0.05) of the protein level on feed conversion per dozen eggs; however, improved feed conversion per egg mass was seen for birds fed diets with 20% CP compared to those fed diets with 16% and 18% CP. Protein and lipid percentage in the yolk increased when dietary protein level increased from 16 to 18%. Increasing Met + Cys from 0.700% to 0.875% reduced yolk protein percentage. Higher lipid percentage in the yolk was seen in eggs from quails fed diets with 1.050% Met + Cys, whereas 1.375% lysine in the diet of resulted in decreased egg production and egg mass, besides poorer feed conversion per dozen eggs and per egg mass.

Effect of organic selenium and zinc on the performance and egg quality of Japanese quails

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

Traceability of animal meals in Japanese quail eggs using the technique of 13C e 15N* stable isotopes

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

Reprodução de Meloidogyne spp. em porta-enxertos e híbridos de pepino

A enxertia é uma técnica alternativa frequentemente recomendada para a cultura do pepino em áreas infestadas com nematóides das galhas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar o fator de reprodução de Meloidogyne javanica e de Meloidogyne incognita raça 2 em seis porta-enxertos para pepino (abóbora 'Menina Brasileira', moranga 'Exposição', 'Shelper', 'Tetsukabuto', 'B8-A Tetsukabuto' e 'Excite Ikki') e quatro híbridos de pepino (Cucumis sativus) tipo japonês ('Yoshinari', 'Kouki', 'Taisho' e 'Tsuyataro'). Foram conduzidos dois experimentos em casa-de-vegetação, um com cada espécie do nematóide, sendo cada parcela constituída de uma planta mantida em vaso contendo 2 litros de solo autoclavado. Nove dias após transplante, cada planta foi inoculada com 5.000 ovos e juvenis de segundo estádio (população inicial - Pi) de M. javanica ou M. incognita raça 2. Tomateiros 'Rutgers' foram utilizados como padrão de viabilidade do inóculo, em ambos os experimentos. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com cinco repetições por tratamento. Sessenta dias após a inoculação, cada planta foi avaliada, quanto ao peso fresco da raiz, número total de nematóides presentes no solo e na raiz (população final - Pf), número de nematóides/g de raiz e fator de reprodução de ambas as espécies de Meloidogyne (FR=Pf/Pi). Todos os porta-enxertos e híbridos de pepino testados apresentaram fatores de reprodução superiores a um, proporcionando a multiplicação de M. javanica e de M. incognita raça 2, porém, os valores nos híbridos de pepino foram superiores aos dos porta-enxertos.

Prevalence of precancerous skin lesions and non-melanoma skin cancer in Japanese-Brazilians in Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil

Manifestações cutâneas pré-neoplásicas e neoplásicas em asiáticos são infreqüentes e pouco documentadas. O Brasil possui o maior contingente de imigrantes japoneses e 70% deles residem no Estado de São Paulo. A prevalência dessas lesões em nipo-brasileiros é desconhecida. O presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a prevalência de queratoses actínicas e tumores cutâneos não melanomas em nipo-brasileiros acima de trinta anos de 1ª geração ou 2ª geração, sem miscigenação, residentes na cidade de Bauru, no ano de 2006. Dos 567 nipo-brasileiros submetidos a exame dermatológico, diagnosticou-se queratose actínica em 76 pacientes, com média de idade de 68,9 anos, e único carcinoma basocelular em paciente do sexo feminino de 39 anos. No Japão, a prevalência de queratose actínica é de 0,76% a 5% e a incidência de tumores cutâneos não melanomas é de 1,2 a 5,4/100 mil. Os nipo-brasileiros de Bauru apresentaram prevalência de 13,4% de queratoses actínicas e idade mais precoce de aparecimento. Proximidade com o Equador e atividades rurais contribuem para esses achados. A presença de melanose solar demonstrou risco 1,9 vez maior de desenvolver queratose actínica.

PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF SHIKIMATE DEHYDROGENASE FROM CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS-SATIVUS L)

Shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH, EC 1.1.1.25) extracted from cucumber pulp (Cucumis sativus L.) was purified 7-fold by precipitation with ammonium sulfate and elution from columns of Sephadex G-25, DEAE-cellulose, and hydroxyapatite. Two activity bands were detected on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at the last purification step. pH optimum was 8.7, and molecular weight of 45 000 was estimated on a Sephadex G-100 column. SDH was inhibited competitively by protocatechuic acid with a K(i) value of 2 x 10-4 M. K(m) values of 6 x 10-5 and 1 x 10-5 M were determined for shikimic acid and NADP+, respectively. The enzyme was completely inhibited by HgCl2 and p-(chloromercuri)benzoate (PCMB). NaCl and KCl showed partial protection against inhibition by PCMB. Heat inactivation between 50 and 55-degrees-C was biphasic, and the enzyme was completely inactivated after 10 min at 60-degrees-C. Incubation of SDH with either NADP+ or shikimic acid protected the enzyme against heat inactivation.

Gluconeogenesis and glucose replacement rate during long-term fasting of Japanese quails

Gluconeogenic activity and kinetic parameters of glucose metabolism were estimated during the different phases of prolonged food deprivation in quails. Gluconeogenic activity, estimated from the rate of increase of incorporation of (HCO3-)-C-14 into circulating glucose, was significantly higher in fasted quails than in fed birds, whatever the period of food deprivation. However, gluconeogenic activity during phase II, although higher than in the fed state, was significantly lower than in quails fasted for 2 days (phase I) or in those on the final (phase III) period of starvation. Gluconeogenic activity did not differ significantly in birds from phases I and III. Rates of glucose replacement, estimated with [6-H-3]-glucose, were very high (20.5 mg . kg(-1). min(-1)) in fed quails and were markedly reduced (to about 42% of fed values) by fasting, no difference being observed between quails fasted for 2 and 5 days. Because of the poor condition of the birds, glucose replacement rates could not be measured during phase III. The present data are the first to provide direct evidence for the changes in gluconeogenesis which occur during prolonged food deprivation.

INCREASED CALCIUM AFFINITY OF A FUCOSYLATED CHONDROITIN SULFATE FROM SEA-CUCUMBER

Calcium binding and charge distribution on a fucosylated chondroitin sulfate and a standard chondroitin 6-sulfate have been studied using a metallochromic indicator and conductimetric titrations. The fucosylated chondroitin sulfate has a similar to 5-fold greater affinity for calcium ions than the standard chondroitin 6-sulfate. Possibly, this increased affinity for calcium ions is due to the branches on the fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, since the calcium affinity of an unbranched, sulfated fucan is similar to that of the standard chondroitin 6-sulfate. More charged groups per disaccharide unit (and a shorter distance between these groups) also distinguish the fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from standard chondroitin 6-sulfate. Comparison between native and chemically modified (desulfated or carboxyl-reduced) polysaccharides suggests that the sulfate esters are responsible for the increased charge density of the fucosylated chondroitin sulfate and that the presence of the fucose branches does not alter the length of the repetitive units which compose the central core of chondroitin from sea cucumber. These results are consistent with the chemical studies of these two polysaccharides.