The histogenesis of lymphoid organs in Tilapia mossambica and antibody responses in adults and fry

The thymic anlagen appears in Tilapia mossambica at 2 days post hatching and becomes lymphoid at 5 days. Lymphoid cells were first seen in the pronephros at 14 days and in the spleen at approximately five weeks of age. Differentiation into red and white pulp regions was seen by 10 weeks of age. Light and electron microscopic studies of adult lymphoid organ revealed increases in size and lymphoid cell numbers. Adult thymus develops a clearer corticomedullary differentiation of thymic corpuscles in the medulla and in the splenic red and white pulp became more distinct. Melanomacrophage centres were seen in spleen and pronephros. Adult fish gave primary and secondary antibody responses following challenge with sheep red bloods cells (SRBC), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and human gamma globulin (HGG). Plaque forming cell and immunocytoadherence assays revealed that head kidney and spleen were major sites for antibody production and development of antigen reactive cells. Proliferative activity in these organs was revealed using autoradiography and scintillation counting. Increased levels of pyroninophilia were also seen following antigenic challenge. Pilot studies on adults revealed that they were capable of rejecting first and second set allografts and leucocytes from spleen and head kidney proliferated in mixed leucocyte cultures. Antibody responses to SRBC, E. coli and HGG develop at about 10-12 weeks of age. Fry given either a single injection of SRBC at 10 weeks or two injections of the same antigen at 10 weeks and 12 days later, failed to respond to a further challenge with SRBC 56 days after the first injection (A time when animals would normally respond positively to this antigen). Injection of E. coli at the same times resulted in a prolonged antibody response.

Insulin-like growth factor-I gene expression as a growth indicator in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus L.

Somatic growth in fishes is regulated by a variety of hormones. A central step in this hormonal network is the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) axis. Studies conducted evaluated the relationship of hepatic IGF-I (hIGF-1) mRNA with growth as affected by feeding regimes (satiation or restricted level; daily or alternate-day feeding), temperatures (high, ambient, low) and by social stress. To develop a cellular means for the quantification of hIGF-I mRNA levels in O. niloticus, hIGF-I cDNA was isolated and cloned. The partial sequence of IGF-I cDNA encodes for signal peptide, mature protein and a portion of the E-domain. A sensitive TaqMan quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was developed based on the mature IGF-I. Using the developed qRT-PCR assay a significant positive correlation was observed between hIGF-I mRNA levels and growth rate of fish reared under different feeding regimes (r = 0.64) and temperature conditions (r = 0.64). On the dynamics of hIGF-I gene expression in response to elevated temperature, hIGF-I mRNA levels were significantly elevated after at least 2 days of exposure to warm temperature. This validates the concept that hIGF-I gene expressions are sufficiently sensitive to be used as a rapid growth rate indicator for O. niloticus. The hIGF-I levels have a significant positive correlation with specific growth rate (length; r = 0.92), and with condition factor (r = 0.55). On the effect of social stress, differential alterations in growth rates between the dominant and subordinates were observed which was attributed more to behavioral changes as transduced by physiological regulators. The fish's relative position in the social hierarchy was consistently reflected in the levels of hIGF-I mRNA and the eye color pattern. Subordination depressed hIGF-I levels while dominance stimulated it. These findings have shown that hGF-I level remained positively correlated to growth rate as affected by feeding regime, temperature and social stress. This suggests that hIGF-I plays a key role in controlling growth in O. niloticus and indicates that IGF-I mRNA quantification could prove useful for the rapid assessment of growth rate in this species of fish.

Blue tilapia, Rookery Branch, Shark River

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under Cooperative Agreements #DBI-0620409 and #DEB-9910514. This image is made available for non-commercial or educational use only.

Diagnósticos de enfermagem do domínio nutrição em pacientes submetidos à hemodiálise

The study aimed to analyze the nursing diagnoses of the nutrition domain from NANDA International in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This is a transversal study conducted in a university hospital in northeastern Brazil, with 50 hemodialysis patients. The data collection instrument was an interview form and a physical examination, in digital format, applied between the months of December 2013 to May 2014. Data analysis was divided into two stages. In the first, defining characteristics, related factors and risk factors were judged as to their presence by the researcher, according to the data collected. In the second stage, based on data from the first, diagnostic inference by experts was held. The results were organized in tables and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for the diagnoses that showed higher frequencies than 50%. The project was approved by the Ethics Committee responsible for the research institution (protocol number 392 535), with Certificate Presentation to Ethics Assessment 18710613.4.00005537 number. The results indicate a median of 7 (± 1.51) nursing diagnoses of the nutrition domain per patient. Six diagnoses with greater frequency than 50% were identified, namely: Risk for electrolyte imbalance, Risk for unstable blood glucose level, Excess fluid volume, Readiness for enhanced fluid balance, Readiness for enhanced nutrition and Risk for deficient fluid volume. The defining characteristics, related and risk factors presented an average of 34.78 (± 6.86), 15.50 (± 3.40) and a median of 4 (± 1.93), respectively, and 11 of these components had statistically significant association with the respective diagnoses. Were identified associations between adventitious breath sounds, edema and pulmonary congestion with the diagnosis Excess fluid volume; Expressed desire to increase fluid balance with the nursing diagnosis Readiness for enhanced fluid balance; It feeds regularly, Attitude to food consistent with the health goals, Consume adequate food, expresses knowledge about healthy food choices, expresses desire to improve nutrition, expresses knowledge about liquid healthier choices and following appropriate standard supply with diagnosis Readiness for enhanced nutrition. It is concluded that the diagnosis of the nutrition domain related to electrolyte problems are prevalent in customer submitted to hemodialysis. The identification of these diagnoses contributes to the development of a plan of care targeted to the needs of these clients, providing better quality of life and advance in the practice of care

Análise estrutural e avaliação do efeito condroitim sulfato extraído de tilápia (Oreochromis niloticus) em modelo de peritonite aguda

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a naturally glycosaminoglycan found in the extracellular matrix of connective tissues and it may be extracted and purified those tissues. CS is involved in various biological functions, which may be related to the having structural variability, despite the simplicity of the linear chain structure from this molecule. Researches in biotechnology and pharmaceutical field with wastes from aquaculture has been developed in Brazil. In recent decades, tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), native fish from Africa, has been one of the most cultivated species in various regions of the world, including Brazil. The tilapia farming is a cost-effective activity, however, it generates large amount of wastes that are discarded by producers. It is understood that waste from tilapia can be used in research as a source of molecules with important biotechnological applications, which also helps in reducing environmental impacts and promote the development of an ecofriendly activity. Thus, nile tilapia viscera were subjected to proteolysis, then the glycosaminoglycans were complexed with ion exchange resin (Lewatit), it was fractionated with increasing volumes of acetone and purified by ion exchange chromatography DEAE-Sephacel. Further, the fraction was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The electrophoretic profile of the compound together the analysis of 1H NMR spectra and the HSQC correlation allow to affirm that the compound corresponds to a molecule like chondroitin sulfate. MTT assay was used to assess cell viability in the presence of CS tilapia isolated and showed that the compound is not cytotoxic to normal cells such as cells from the mouse embryo fibroblast (3T3). Then, this compound was tested for the ability to reduce the influx of leukocytes in model of acute peritonitis (in vivo) induced by sodium thioglycolate. In this context, it was done total and differential leukocytes counting in the blood and peritoneal fluid collected respectively from vena cava and the peritoneal cavity of the animals subjected to the experiment. The chondroitin sulfate for the first time isolated from tilapia (CST ) was able to reduce the migration of leukocytes to the peritoneal cavity of inflamed mice until 80.4 per cent at a dose 10µg/kg. The results also show that there was a significant reduction (p<0.001) of the population of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from peritoneal cavity in the three tested doses (0.1µg/kg; 1µg/kg and 10µg/kg) when it was compared to the positive control (just thioglycolate). Therefore, since the CST structure and mechanism of action has been completely elucidated, this compound may have potential for therapeutic use in inflammatory diseases

Análise estratigráfica de subsuperfície do Devoniano Inferior da Bacia do Rio do Peixe, Nordeste do Brasil

Subsurface stratigraphic analysis of Devonian strata from the Rio do Peixe Basin, newly recognized by palynological studies, has resulted in the identification of two new lithostratigraphic units assembled in the Santa Helena Group. The Pilões Formation, the lower unit, is composed mainly of dark mudstones and medium-tovery fine-grained sandstones, with minor conglomerates and breccias. The Triunfo Formation, the upper unit, comprises whitish grey, kaolinitic, coarse-grained to conglomeratic, cross stratified sandstones and conglomerates, with interbedded mudstones and fine-grained sandstones. These units were characterized using cores, sidewall and cuttings samples, conventional logs and image log, from three wells drilled by PETROBRAS, and 3D seismic data. The Pilões Formation is interpreted as prodeltaic facies, with lesser associated subaqueous talus, debrite and sandy turbidite lobe facies, distal part of fandelta and braided fluviodeltaic facies of Triunfo Formation. The Santa Helena Group corresponds to the Lower Devonian tectono-sequence deposited in a NW-SE-trending graben during a transgressiveregressive cycle. With 343 meters of thickness (isochore) in well 1-PIL-1-PB (Pilões 1), this sequence has a non-conformity at the lower boundary and its upper boundary is an unconformity with the Lower Cretaceous tectono-sequence (Rio do Peixe Group), that represents a hiatus of about 265 million years. Ignimbrites and coignimbrite breccias (Poço da Jurema volcanic breccia), related to an unknown pyroclastic volcanic event, were recognized at the northern margin of the Sousa halfgraben. Evidence from well data suggests that this event is coeval with the Devonian graben filling. The present study indicates a polyhistorical tectono-volcanosedimentary evolution of the basin. This lithostratigraphic update brings new perspectives for geological research in the Rio do Peixe Basin, as well as in other inland basins of the Northeastern of Brazil. The results of the research also contribute to the kwnoledge of the Borborema Province and western Gondwana paleogeography during the Early Devonian.

Riscos à saúde dos trabalhadores em unidade de alimentação e nutrição de um Hospital Universitário

The Food and Nutrition Units (FNU) are designed to produce food for healthy and/or sick communities and need to be done in a way to ensure the quality of foodstuffs that were produced. In these units, in the working environment, in general, there is excessive noise, heat and physical condition with many adaptations, presence of obstacles, inadequate flows, as well as the ways of the working organization may represent risks for workers health and lead to errors during production and/or distribution of food. The main goal of this study was to analyse the working processes in the Food Production Unit of the university’s hospital and identify the workers' health risk factors, using for this the knowledge of ergonomics, specifically the method of Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA). After this analysis it was possible to develop proposals that will bring improvements to the working conditions, minimizing health risk factors during the process of meals production. It’s crucial to reassert this method considers the work activity performed in real time and highlights the importance of listening and the engagement of the workers in the changing process. It is a descriptive research with a qualitative approach. In the field research were collected demographics data, employment characteristics of the individuals (age, education, stocking sector, the total length of service and length of service in the industry) and data related to their usual work (task analysis, activity analysis and Analysis of the working environment) in the FNU. The instruments that were used in this study were document analysis, global and systematic observations and semi structured interviews in order to identify the main complaints related to those activities developed by them. The study was based on data for the analysis of Bardin, 2011, so the documents have been selected and including those that treat issues related to risks to workers' health were selected. The result of semi-structured interviews, global and systematic observations took place a confrontation of this material to the theoretical framework, held the inference and the interpretation of results the light of the knowledge of ergonomics and legislation. Issues related to the risks and the perception of workers has crafted a table showing the frequency of responses to the physical, chemical and biological and even the risk of accidents and was made a descriptive analysis. The results of this analysis indicated that the unit in question presents several problems ambience of jobs, both in terms of physical structure, but also in the organization of work. Non-conformities that leads to a favourable environment to the development of disease and injury hazards and compromising the quality of food produced. It is necessary to comply with legislation and that short, medium and long-term measures are taken to ensure the physical integrity of workers and improve the working environment.