The ultrastructure of the intestinal epithelium in Oreochromis niloticus on a diet with different concentrations of zinc

The effects of diets with variable zinc levels on the midgut epithelial cells were studied in Oreochromis niloticus L. One hundred and twenty fry of tilapia were apportioned into 4 experimental groups (I, II, III and IV groups), with 30 fish in each treatment, 5 replicate aquaria per treatment containing 6 fish each. The animals of the 4 groups were fed with isonitrogenous (30% crude protein) and isoenergetic (3000 Kcal/Kg of digestible energy) diets with increasing quantities of zinc (44.59; 149.17; 309.93; 599.67 mg Zn/kg of diet), twice a day, for 93 days. Three fish from each group were sacrificed at 36, 66 and 93 days and samples of midgut were removed for ultrastructural analysis. After 93 days of treatment, 3 animals of each experimental group were used for the analysis of zinc concentration by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The comparative relative index (CRI) revealed that the animals in groups II, III and IV contained, respectively, 1.99%, 34.67% and 22.78% more zinc than the mean concentration in animals from group I. The ultrastructural analysis showed enterocytes with swelling of smooth surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and dilated mitochondria with variable matrix rarefaction and cristae number reduction in the fish exposed to 599.67 mg Zn/Kg of diet at 66 and 93 days of treatment.

Role of annexin 1 gene expression in mouse craniofacial bone development

BACKGROUND: Annexin 1 is a 37-kDa protein that has complex intra- and extracellular effects. To discover whether the absence of this protein alters bone development, we monitored this event in the annexin-A1 null mice in comparison with littermate wild-type controls. METHODS: Radiographic and densitometry methods were used for the assessment of bone in annexin-A1 null mice at a gross level. We used whole-skeleton staining, histological analysis, and Western blotting techniques to monitor changes at the tissue and cellular levels. RESULTS: There were no gross differences in the appendicular skeleton between the genotypes, but an anomalous development of the skull was observed in the annexin-A1 null mice. This was characterized in the newborn annexin-A1 null animals by a delayed intramembranous ossification of the skull, incomplete fusion of the interfrontal suture and palatine bone, and the presence of an abnormal suture structure. The annexin-A1 gene was shown to be active in osteocytes during this phase and COX-2 was abundantly expressed in cartilage and bone taken from annexin-A1 null mice. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of the annexin-A1 gene is important for the normal development of the skull in mice, possibly through the regulation of osteoblast differentiation and a secondary effect on the expression of components of the cPLA2-COX-2 system. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Processamento da ração no desempenho de juvenis de jundiá (Rhamdia voulezi) cultivados em tanques-rede

The aim of this study was to evaluate the zootechnical performance and chemical composition of jundia juveniles Rhandia voulezi fed with mash, pelletized and extruded diets and cultivated in cages. One hundred and fifty fish were distributed in fifteen cages (0.20 m3), arranged in cages (5m3), in the hydroelectric plant of Governador José Richa, in Iguaçu River (Paraná-Brazil). The fish were fed five times a day, with mash, pelletized and extruded diets, containing 30% of protein and 3250 Kcal/kg of digestible energy/kg. At the end of 60 days, significant differences (p<0.05) were observed on fish performance. The fish that were fed with pelletized diet, presented higher average of final weight (44.08g), final length (16.51cm) and weight gain (36.65g). The different processes did not influence fish survival. The averages of protein and mineral matter of carcass chemical composition did not differ statistically (p<0.05), while the values of humidity and lipideos presented differences among treatments. The highest average of lipideos (8.59%) was observed in peletized diet. The mash diet provided fish with lower lipideo (5.45%) and higher humidity (75.98%) rates. A pelleted diet is most suitable for juvenile catfish R. voulezi cultivation in cages.

C-terminal processing of the teneurin proteins: Independent actions of a teneurin C-terminal associated peptide in hippocampal cells

Many neuropsychiatric conditions have a common set of neurological substrates associated with the integration of sensorimotor processing. The teneurins are a recently described family of proteins that play a significant role in visual and auditory development. Encoded on the terminal exon of the teneurin genes is a family of bioactive peptides, termed teneurin C-terminal associated peptides (TCAP), which regulate mood-disorder associated behaviors. Thus, the teneurin-TCAP system could represent a novel neurological system underlying the origins of a number of complex neuropsychiatric conditions. However, it is not known if TCAP-1 exerts its effects as part of a direct teneurin function, whereby TCAP represents a functional region of the larger teneurin protein, or if it has an independent role, either as a splice variant or post-translational proteolytic cleavage product of teneurin. In this study, we show that TCAP-1 can be transcribed as a smaller mRNA transcript. After translation, further processing yields a smaller 15. kDa protein containing the TCAP-1 region. In the mouse hippocampus, immunoreactive (ir) TCAP-1 is exclusively localized to the pyramidal layers of the CA1, CA2 and CA3 regions. Although the localization of TCAP and teneurin in hippocampal regions is similar, they are distinct within the cell as most ir-teneurin is found at the plasma membrane, whereas ir-TCAP-1 is predominantly found in the cytosol. Moreover, in mouse embryonic hippocampal cell culture, FITC-labeled TCAP-1 binds to the plasma membrane and is taken up into the cytosol via dynamin-dependent caveolae-mediated endocytosis. Our data provides novel evidence that TCAP-1 is structurally and functionally distinct from the larger teneurins. © 2012.

Acute Phase Responses of Different Positions of High-Goal (Elite) Polo Ponies

The aim of this study was to investigate the acute phase response (APR) in 15 horses by quantifying physiological venous blood variables and serum acute phase proteins (APP) at 5 minutes and 6 and 12 hours after a training match of high-goal polo. The horses were divided into three experimental groups based on their team positions, including defense (n = 6), midfield (n = 5), and attack (n = 4). Serum proteinograms were obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Data were evaluated using analysis of variance for repeated measures. The match represented a high-intensity stimulus for all positions. Defenders appeared to use the anaerobic pathway more than the other positions, as shown by their lower pH and greater lactatemia. Alterations in muscle membrane permeability were observed in all horses, as seen by the increase in serum creatine kinase activity without a correlation with APR. Significant elevations in total serum protein, albumin, ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin, alpha-1 antitrypsin, and 23-kDa protein were seen only during the course of the physical exertion of the match, although there were no differences in these values among positions of the team. After 6 hours of the match, the concentration of transferrin declined, whereas that of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein remained unaltered at all assessed times. These results demonstrated that the defenders required the most use of the anaerobic pathway during the match, and that equestrian polo exercise triggers an acute phase response of relatively short duration; this APR is characterized as noninflammatory, as APR appears to be a physiological alteration related to the stress inherent in physical exercise. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peptídeos inibidores de topoisomerases bacterianas: síntese e estudos de transporte através da membrana celular empregando moléculas peptídicas carreadoras

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Atividade coagulante e da toxidade da giroxina nativa e irradiada com Cobalto-60 isolada do veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise das células inflamatórias e expressão da proteína anti-inflamatória anexina A1 em pacientes com endometriose

Pós-graduação em Genética - IBILCE

Isolamento e caracterização parcial de adesina de Paracoccidioides brasiliensis ligante de fibronectina

Pós-graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia Aplicadas à Farmácia - FCFAR

Expressão em Escherichia coli de uma proteína recombinante do gene A2 de Leishmania chagasi e utilização desta proteína no diagnóstico da leishmaniose visceral canina

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização e seleção de isolados de Bacillus thuringiensis efetivos contra Sitophilus oryzae L., 1763

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Substâncias húmicas aquáticas: caracterização e interação com íons crômio e proposta de um indicador de matéria orgânica lábil

Pós-graduação em Química - IBILCE

Obtenção e caracterização de antígenos de toxocara vitulorum por SDS-page e western blot

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

Reação em cadeia da polimerase e proteinograma no diagnóstico da leishmaniose ocular canina

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Proteinograma sérico e parâmetros hematológicos de papagaios-verdadeiro (Amazona aestiva) e araras-canindé (Ara ararauna) de cativeiro

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)