Seed survival and dispersal of an endemic Atlantic forest palm: the combined effects of defaunation and forest fragmentation

About 45 palm species occur in the Atlantic forest of Brazil, and most of them are affected by loss of seed dispersers resulting from forest fragmentation and hunting. Here we report the effects of habitat loss and defaunation on the seed dispersal system of an endemic palm, Astrocaryum aculeatissimum. We evaluated seed removal, insect and rodent seed predation, and scatter-hoarding in nine sites, ranging from 19 ha to 79 000 ha. We report the seedling, juvenile and adult palm densities in this range of sites. Endocarps remaining beneath the parent palm had a higher probability of being preyed upon by insects in small, mostly fragmented and more defaunated sites. The frequency of successful seed removal, scatter-hoarding and consumption by rodents increased in the larger, less defaunated sites. Successful removal and dispersal collapsed in small (< 1000 ha), highly defaunated sites and frequently resulted in low densities of both seedlings and juveniles. Our results indicate that a large fraction of Atlantic forest palms that rely on scatter-hoarding rodents may become regionally extinct due to forest fragmentation and defaunation. Current management practices including palm extraction and hunting pressure have a lasting effect on Atlantic forest palm regeneration by severely limiting successful recruitment of prereproductive individuals.(c) 2006 the Linnean Society of London.

Effect of flooding on survival and initial growth of Ocotea pulchella (Nees) Mez. seedlings in semi-controlled light conditions

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

FTY720 in combination with cyclosporine - an analysis of skin allograft survival and renal function

Acute and chronic nephrotoxicity caused by CsA Continuous administration impair kidney allograft survival. Several clinical and experimental protocols have shown benefits to the kidney after decreasing CsA dose, withdrawing the drug or delaying its introduction after transplantation.FTY720 is a new Compound that has immunosuppressive characteristics and increase allograft survival in animal models without causing the side effects of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). FTY720 described mechanism of action that consists to alter the lymphocyte migration pattern without impairment of the immune system response against pathogens.In our mice model, FTY720 administered alone or in combination with CsA during 21 days increased skin allograft survival in a fully mismatched strain combination and did not cause significant changes in renal function. Moreover, renal structure was normal in all groups suggesting that at low doses (10 mg/kg/day) CsA can be associated during short-term period to other immunosuppressive drugs, i.e. FTY720 without affecting the kidney.Combination of immunosuppressive compounds with FTY720 and/or delayed introduction of low cyclosporine dose Could prevent graft rejection and avoid nephrotoxicity. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Survival and conjugation of Bacillus thuringiensis in a soil microcosm

The survival and conjugation ability of sporogenic and asporogenic Bacillus thuringiensis strains were investigated in broth, in non-amended sterile clay soil monoculture and in mixed soil culture. The 75 kb pHT73 plasmid carrying an erythromycin resistance determinant and a cry1Ac gene was transferred in mating broth and soil microcosm. Survival of strains was assessed in soil monoculture and in mixed soil culture for up to 20 days. Sporogenic strains rapidly formed viable spores which were maintained until the end of the experiment. The asporogenic strains were no longer recovered after 8 days of incubation. This study shows that the environmental impact of asporogenic B. thuringiensis strains is lower than that of sporogenic B. thuringiensis strains. Thus, the use of asporogenic strains may significantly reduce any potential risk (gene transfer, soil and plant contamination) due to the dissemination of B. thuringiensis-based biopesticides in the environment. Copyright (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

Modulation of cell proliferation, survival and gene expression by RAGE and TLR signaling in cells of the innate and adaptive immune response: role of p38 MAPK and NF-KB

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

One step forward: contrasting the effects of Toe clipping and PIT tagging on frog survival and recapture probability

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Hatching, survival and deformities of piracanjuba (Brycon orbignyanus) embryos subjected to different cooling protocols

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

Influence of Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) on the survival and the in vitro development of caprine preantral follicles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8) expression associated with cell survival and death in cancer cell lines infected with canine distemper virus

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

Accidents by external causes in adolescents: care in sentinel urgency and emergency services in the Brazilian State Capitals-2009

Adolescents are seeking new references and experiences, which may involve attitudes of risk and exposure to accidents and violence from external causes. These events constitute a serious Public Health problem. The scope of this study was to analyze the occurrence of accidents by external causes in adolescents from 10 to 19 years of age attended at sentinel urgency and emergency services in Brazil. Data from the 2009 Surveillance System for Violence and Accidents (VIVA 2009) was analyzed in 74 emergency units in 23 state capitals and the Federal District. The findings revealed that 6,434 adolescents (89.8%) were victims of accidents and 730 (10.2 %) were victims of violence. The main causes of the accidents were falls and traffic accidents, and assaults were predominant in violence. For both accidents and violence, non-white male adolescents were predominant and the events occurred most frequently on the public highways. A marked increase was detected, with hospitalization of victims of violence between 15 and 19 years of age. Understanding the epidemiological reality of external causes among adolescents represents an important tool for health prevention and promotion policies and the culture of peace seeking to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Early development, survival and growth rates of the giant clam Tridacna crocea (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae)

Tridacnid clams are conspicuous inhabitants of Indo-Pacific coral reefs and are traded and cultivated for the aquarium and food industries. In the present study, daily growth rates of larvae of the giant clam Tridacna crocea were determined in the laboratory during the first week of life. Adults were induced to spawn via intra-gonadal serotonin injection through the byssal orifice. After spawning oocytes were collected, fertilized and kept in 3 L glass beakers and raceways treated with antibiotics to avoid culture contamination. Larvae were fed twice with the microalga Isochrysis galbana and zooxanthellae were also offered twice during the veliger stage (days 4 and 6). Larval length was measured using a digitizing tablet coupled to a microcomputer. Larval mortality was exponential during the first 48 hours of life declining significantly afterwards. Mean growth rate was 11.3 mu m day-1, increasing after addition of symbionts to 18.0 mu m day-1. Survival increased to ca. 75% after the addition of zooxanthellae. The results describe the growth curve for T. crocea larvae and suggest that the acquisition of symbionts by larvae may be useful for larval growth and survival even before larvae have attained metamorphosis.

Activation of Survival and Apoptotic Signaling Pathways in Lymphocytes Exposed to Palmitic Acid

The toxicity of palmitic acid (PA) towards a human T-lymphocyte cell line (Jurkat) has been previously investigated but the mechanism(s) of PA action were unknown. In the current study, Jurkat cells were treated with sub-lethal concentrations of PA (50-150 mu M) and the activity of various signaling proteins was investigated. PA-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner as evaluated by DNA fragmentation assay and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, respectively. PA treatment provoked release of cytochrome c from the inner mitochondrial membrane to the cytosol, activated members of the MAPK protein family JNK, p38, ERK, activated caspases 3/9, and increased oxidative/nitrosative stress. Exposure of cells to PA for 12 h increased insulin receptor (IR) and GLUT-4 levels in the plasma membrane. Insulin treatment (10 mU/ml/30 min) increased the phosphorylation of the IR beta-subunit and Akt. A correlation was found between DNA fragmentation and expression levels of both IR and GLUT-4. Similar results were obtained for PA-treated lymphocytes from healthy human donors and from mesenteric lymph nodes of 48-h starved rats. PA stimulated glucose uptake by Jurkat cells (in the absence of insulin), stimulated accumulation of neutral lipids (triglyceride), and other lipid classes (phospholipids and cholesterol ester) but reduced glucose oxidation. Our results suggest that parameters of insulin signaling and non-oxidative glucose metabolism are stimulated as part of a coordinated response to prompt survival in lymphocytes exposed to PA but at higher concentrations, apoptosis prevails. These findings may explain aspects of lymphocyte dysfunction associated with diabetes. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 339-350, 2012. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early development, survival and growth rates of the giant clam Tridacna crocea (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae)

Tridacnid clams are conspicuous inhabitants of Indo-Pacific coral reefs and are traded and cultivated for the aquarium and food industries. In the present study, daily growth rates of larvae of the giant clam Tridacna crocea were determined in the laboratory during the first week of life. Adults were induced to spawn via intra-gonadal serotonin injection through the byssal orifice. After spawning oocytes were collected, fertilized and kept in 3 L glass beakers and raceways treated with antibiotics to avoid culture contamination. Larvae were fed twice with the microalga Isochrysis galbana and zooxanthellae were also offered twice during the veliger stage (days 4 and 6). Larval length was measured using a digitizing tablet coupled to a microcomputer. Larval mortality was exponential during the first 48 hours of life declining significantly afterwards. Mean growth rate was 11.3 μm day-1, increasing after addition of symbionts to 18.0 μm day-1. Survival increased to ca. 75% after the addition of zooxanthellae. The results describe the growth curve for T. crocea larvae and suggest that the acquisition of symbionts by larvae may be useful for larval growth and survival even before larvae have attained metamorphosis.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells increase skin allograft survival and inhibit Th-17 immune response

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC) exhibit immunosuppressive capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. Their use for therapy in the transplant field is attractive as they could render the use of immunosuppressive drugs unnecessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ADSC therapy on prolonging skin allograft survival. Animals that were treated with a single injection of donor allogeneic ADSC one day after transplantation showed an increase in donor skin graft survival by approximately one week. This improvement was associated with preserved histological morphology, an expansion of CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) in draining lymph nodes, as well as heightened IL-10 expression and down-regulated IL-17 expression. In vitro, ADSC inhibit naïve CD4(+) T cell proliferation and constrain Th-1 and Th-17 polarization. In summary, infusion of ADSC one day post-transplantation dramatically increases skin allograft survival by inhibiting the Th-17 pathogenic immune response and enhancing the protective Treg immune response. Finally, these data suggest that ADSC therapy will open new opportunities for promoting drug-free allograft survival in clinical transplantation.