A non-invasive method for silencing gene transcription in honeybees maintained under natural conditions

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

Fertility Rates Following Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination in Dairy Heifers in a Practical Progesterone-Based Protocol

Background: In bovines, more efficient management practices are important for maximizing profitability. In order to increase the pregnancy rates in artificial insemination (AI) programs, several hormonal protocols were developed to synchronize the follicular wave and the moment of ovulation in beef and dairy cattle. In dairy cattle, detection of estrus can be difficult due to a number of factors including the incidence of silent estrus. Hormonal treatments designed to control both luteal and follicular function has permitting efficient synchronizations of time of ovulation. Thus, the AI can be performed in a large number of animals on a fixed schedule without the need for detection of estrus. Using these management techniques, the fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) can overcome the problem of accurate estrus detection and help in reducing the incidence of repeat breeding. In addition, with TAI in cattle operations, it is possible to facilitate management practices and commercialization, and to reduce the time and semen wasting with animals inseminated at incorrect times. The investigation of practical and efficient TAI protocols is important for reducing the labor and animal handling of TAI in dairy cattle, as well as for increasing the profitability of the cattle management system. This study was carried out in order to investigate the effectiveness of TAI in dairy heifers treated with a practical progesterone-based protocol.Materials, Methods & Results: This experiment was conducted at the university farm located in southwestern Brazil, during May 2009. Thirty-nine cycling crossbred dairy heifers were employed in this study. All animals received a single intramuscular injection of estradiol benzoate and intravaginal progesterone releasing device in a random stage of the estrous cycle (Day 0). on day 7 the animals were treated with PGF2a analogue and on day 9 the device was removed. Forty-eight hours after the device removal (day 11) a synthetic analogue of GnRH was administered and the animals were fixed-time artificially inseminated at the time of GnRH injection. The inseminations were performed using four different batches from the same Holstein bull. Among the heifers that were synchronized (87.2%), 30.8% ovulated until 24 h after TAI and 56.4% ovulated between 24 and 32 h after TAI. The conception rate was 61.5%. No effects of ovulation time in conception rates were detected. The conception rate from heifers that ovulated until 24 h after TAI was 58.3% and from heifers that ovulated between 24 and 32 h after TAI was 77.3%. The mean of ovulatory follicle in heifers that ovulated until 24 h was 14.3 mm and in heifers that ovulated between 24 and 32 h was 11.9 mm.Discussion: Taking together, the findings of the present study, along with those of others, emphasize the concept that development of practical methods for TAI offers significant advantages to dairy producers if conception rates are close or greater to those obtained after breeding at detected estrus. Thus, the results of the present study reinforce the possibility of making dairy cattle production more cost-effective using TAI. In conclusion, with the progesterone-based TAI protocol of the present experiment all synchronized animals ovulated up to 32 h after GnRH+TAI and no effects of ovulation time related to conception rate was detected. The exogenous control of luteal and follicular development facilitated the reproductive management and animal handling. Also, inseminating the heifers at the moment of GnRH injection in a progesterone-based TAI protocol is a practical strategy and provided satisfactory results regarding ovulation and conception rates in dairy heifers.

Comparative study of analytical methods by direct and first-derivative UV spectrophotometry for evaluation of losartan potassium in capsules

O losartano potássico é um agente anti-hipertensivo não peptídico, que exerce sua ação por bloqueio específico dos receptores da angiotensina II. Este trabalho propôs a validação e aplicação de métodos analíticos orientados ao controle de qualidade de losartano potássico 50 mg na forma farmacêutica cápsula, utilizando a espectrofotometria direta e derivada de primeira ordem na região do UV. Baseado nas características espectrofotométricas de losartano potássico, um sinal a 205 nm do espectro de ordem zero e um sinal a 234 nm do espectro de primeira derivada foram adequados para a quantificação. Os resultados foram usados para comparar essas duas técnicas instrumentais. O coeficiente de correlação entre as respostas e as concentrações de losartano potássico na faixa de 3,0-7,0 mg L-1 e 6,0-14,0 mg L-1 para espectrofotometria direta e derivada de primeira ordem em solução aquosa, respectivamente, foi de (r) of 0,9999 para ambos os casos. Os métodos foram aplicados para quantificação de losartano potássico em cápsulas obtidas de farmácias de manipulação locais e demonstraram ser eficientes, fáceis de aplicar e de baixo custo. Além disso, não necessitam de reagentes poluentes e requerem equipamentos economicamente viáveis.

Avaliação do modelo de predição clínica de Wells et al. no diagnóstico da trombose venosa profunda dos membros inferiores

CONTEXTO: A aplicação de uma estratégia baseada em um modelo clínico associado ao mapeamento dúplex (MD) pode permitir um diagnóstico da trombose venosa profunda (TVP) mais seguro, eficaz e custo-efetivo. OBJETIVO: Testar o modelo clínico de Wells et al. associado ao MD e verificar a ocorrência de TVP nos pacientes categorizados quanto à probabilidade de apresentar a doença, e determinar se, a partir dos resultados obtidos, seria possível reduzir o número de exames seriados com o MD. MÉTODOS: Os pacientes com suspeita clínica de TVP foram categorizados quanto à apresentação de TVP em baixa, moderada e alta probabilidade (BP, MP, AP) e, em seguida, submetidos ao MD. Pacientes com MD negativo repetiram o exame em 24-48 horas e em 7 dias. Pacientes com exame positivo para TVP foram tratados. Todos os pacientes sem TVP foram convocados para reavaliação clínica em 3 meses. RESULTADOS: A ocorrência de TVP entre os 489 pacientes avaliados foi de 39,1% (191), sendo 35,6% identificados no exame inicial e 3,5% no exame seriado. Os índices de pacientes que apresentaram TVP foram de 6,1% no grupo de BP, 26,9% no grupo de MP e 79,5% no grupo de AP. No exame seriado, o percentual de TVP foi de 2,4, 7,8 e 15,1% nos grupos BP, MP e AP, respectivamente. Dos pacientes com MD negativo, 62,4% compareceram após 3 meses, e piora dos sintomas foi apresentada por apenas um paciente. Neste, o MD mostrou TVP de veia poplítea. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos sugerem que, para os pacientes com BP para TVP e MD negativo, seria possível prescindir do exame seriado, devido à baixa ocorrência de TVP neste grupo, tornando, assim, a abordagem diagnóstica mais simples.

Immunoassays for pesticide analysis in environmental and food matrices

Immunochemical methods have increased considerably in the past years, and many examples of small and large scale studies have demonstrated the reliability of the immunotechniques for control and monitoring gf contaminant residues in different kinds of samples. Application of the immunoassay (IA) methods in pesticide residue control is an area with enormous potential for growth. The most extensively studied IA is the enzyme-linked absorbent assay (ELISA), but several other approaches, that include radioimmunoassay and immunoaffinity chromatography, have been also developed recently. In comparison with classical analytical methods, IA methods offer the possibility of highly sensitive, relatively vapid, and cost-effective measurements. This paper introduces the general IAs used until now, focusing on their use in pesticide analysis, and discussing briefly the effects of interferences from solvent residues or matrix components on the IA performance. Numerous immunochemical methods commonly used for pesticide determination in different samples such as food, crop and environmental samples are presented.

Analysis of pesticides in food and environmental samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are the most extensively studied types of immunoassay and their application in pesticide residue monitoring is an area with enormous potential for growth. In comparison with classical analytical methods, ELISA methods offer the possibility of highly sensitive, relatively rapid, and cost-effective measurements. This review introduces the general ELISA formats used, focusing on their use in pesticide analysis. Identifying and studying the effects of interferences in immunoassays is an active area of research and we discuss the matrix effects observed in several studies involving e.g. food, crop and environmental samples. The procedures to eliminate the matrix interferences are briefly discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. B.V.

Magneto Immunoassays for Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein 2 Related to Malaria based on Magnetic Nanoparticles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Abordagem diagnóstica dos pacientes com suspeita de trombose venosa profunda dos membros inferiores

Deep venous thrombosis is a relatively common disease, which can present pulmonary embolism as a complication in its acute phase, and later the post-thrombotic syndrome. Thus, diagnosis should be made as soon as possible, in order to prevent or minimize such complications. Several studies have shown that the symptoms and the clinical signs are inaccurate for the deep venous thrombosis diagnosis and that complementary exams are necessary. As an attempt to simplify the patients' assessment, Well et al., in 1997, developed a clinical prediction index that combines symptoms, signs and risk factors for deep venous thrombosis and managed to make a simpler approach through an association of this index with the complementary exams. Phlebography has been considered the gold standard of complementary exams. However, since it is an invasive exam and thus subject to complications, other diagnostic methods were introduced aiming at making the diagnostic approach simpler and less invasive. Doppler ultrasound, duplex scan, impedance plethysmography, computed tomography, and blood tests such as the D-dimer are some of the available methods for assessing the patient with suspicion of deep venous thrombosis. Among them, duplex scan has shown excellent accuracy and it is currently widely accepted as the first choice test for approaching the patient with deep venous thrombosis. Several authors have suggested an association of diagnostic methods to simplify and make the assessment of such patients more cost-effective, leading to the introduction of a wide range of diagnostic strategies. The different diagnostic methods used for assessing deep venous thrombosis are discussed, as well as a review of the literature on the accuracy, advantages and disadvantages of these methods. Copyright © 2005 by Sociedade Brasileira de Angiologia e Cirurgia Vascular.

Tethered DNA scaffolds on optical sensor platforms for detection of hipO gene from Campylobacter jejuni

DNA biosensors have gained increased attention over traditional diagnostic methods due to their fast and responsive operation and cost-effective design. The specificity of DNA biosensors relies on single-stranded oligonucleotide probes immobilized to a transduction platform. Here, we report the development of biosensors to detect the hippuricase gene (hipO) from Campylobacter jejuni using direct covalent coupling of thiol- and biotin-labeled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) on both surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and diffraction optics technology (DOT, dotLab) transduction platforms. This is the first known report of the dotLab to detect targeted DNA. Application of 6-mercapto-1-hexanol as a spacer thiol for SPR gold surface created a self-assembled monolayer that removed unbound ssDNA and minimized non-specific detection. The detection limit of SPR sensors was shown to be 2.5 nM DNA while dotLab sensors demonstrated a slightly decreased detection limit of 5.0 nM (0.005 μM). It was possible to reuse the SPR sensor due to the negligible changes in sensor sensitivity (∼9.7 × 10 -7 ΔRU) and minimal damage to immobilized probes following use, whereas dotLab sensors could not be reused. Results indicated feasibility of optical biosensors for rapid and sensitive detection of the hipO gene of Campylobacter jejuni using specific ssDNA as a probe. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Migração pré-empilhamento Kirchhoff feixes gaussianos 2,5D nos domínios afastamento comum e ângulo-comum

O método de migração do tipo Kirchhoff se apresenta na literatura como uma das ferramentas mais importantes de todo o processamento sísmico, servindo de base para a resolução de outros problemas de imageamento, devido ao um menor custo computacional em relação aos métodos que tem por base a solução numérica da equação da onda. No caso da aplicação em três dimensões (3D), mesmo a migração do tipo Kirchhoff torna-se dispendiosa, no que se refere aos requisitos computacionais e até mesmo numéricos para sua efetiva aplicação. Desta maneira, no presente trabalho, objetivando produzir resultados com uma razão sinal/ruído maior e um menor esforço computacional, foi utilizado uma simplificação do meio denominado 2.5D, baseado nos fundamentos teóricos da propagação de feixes gaussianos. Assim, tendo como base o operador integral com feixes gaussianos desenvolvido por Ferreira e Cruz (2009), foi derivado um novo operador integral de superposição de campos paraxiais (feixes gaussianos), o mesmo foi inserido no núcleo do operador integral de migração Kirchhoff convencional em verdadeira amplitude, para a situação 2,5D, definindo desta maneira um novo operador de migração do tipo Kirchhoff para a classe pré-empilhamento em verdadeira amplitude 2.5D (KGB,do inglês Kirchhoff-Gausian-Beam). Posteriormente, tal operador foi particularizado para as configurações de medida afastamento comum (CO, do inglês common offset) e ângulo de reflexão comum (CA, do inglês common angle), ressaltando ainda, que na presente Tese foi também idealizada uma espécie de flexibilização do operador integral de superposição de feixes gaussianos, no que concerne a sua aplicação em mais de um domínio, quais sejam, afastamento comum e fonte comum. Nesta Tese são feitas aplicações de dados sintéticos originados a partir de um modelo anticlinal.

Produção de biofilme em isolados de Candida spp do Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu, UNESP

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Accuracy of genomic predictions in Bos indicus (Nellore) cattle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Development of diagnostic methods and study of the immunoreactivity of a mixture of recombinant core and E2 proteins fused to GST with control serum positive for hepatitis C

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

Therapeutic interventions to reduce the risk of progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes mellitus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Proposta de conector para ensaios de ligações CDE submetidas à tração perpendicular as fibras em madeira de pinus

The growth of urban population associated with the shortage of supply of public infrastructure such as hospitals, kindergartens, schools, among others, has reinforced the need to develop alternative methods that simplify the construction processes and allows for a reduction in these costs works. The conventional processes have increasingly been shown ineffective to solve the problem of demand for different types of urban and rural buildings. Given this fact, industrial construction processes can gain space and have proven to be highly interesting to solve the above problems, in particular, considering the cost-effective and time. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the influence of moisture on the strength of metal plate connections connectors (printed plate with teeth). For the sizing of the links between structural lumber using metal connectors with teeth prints; controlled process variables (drying of the wood and the different moisture contents), and finally found results and compare them with different literatures order to obtain a qualitative efficiency of the process. Some specimens had very low expectations, can be explained by the presence of bone marrow, and pre-existing cracks. Thus, the results were discarded for further analysis and more accurate results