The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)/activin signaling pathway has a number of documented roles during wound healing and is becoming increasingly appreciated as a vital component of multi-tissue regeneration. The leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is able to spontaneously, and repeatedly, regenerate its tail following tail loss. We thus examined the expression and localization of several key components of the TGFβ/activin signaling pathway during tail regeneration of the leopard gecko. We observed a marked increase in phosphorylated-Smad2 expression among regenerating tissues corresponding to the location of the regenerate blastema. Interestingly, we observe that during early regeneration there appears to be an absence of TGFβ family member TGFβ1 and instead a strong upregulation of activin-βA. We also observe the expression of EMT transcription factors Snail1 and Snail2 in blastemal tissue. These observations combined with other data provide strong support for the importance of unique and non-overlapping expression patterns of different TGFβ ligands during multi-tissue regeneration

Neste trabalho foram estudados dois mecanismos de regulação de esquistossomíase: a nível de hospedeiro intermediário (Modelo de May) e a nível de hospedeiro definitivo (Modelo de Imunidade Concomitante por período de incubação). Estudou-se como ambos os modelos comportam se quando da introdução de um modelo de regulação para a população do hospedeiro intermediário. Verificou-se que o modelo de regulação por imunidade concomitante é muito mais robusto, pois além de ajustar melhor a curva de prevalência fornece uma região de estabilidade para os parâmetros epidemiológicos muito maior. / In this work two mechanisms for the regulation of the schistosomiasis were studied. In one model the regulation takes place at the intermediate host (May Model) and in the other model the regulation takes place at the definitive host (concomitant Immunity) . In both models the regulation of the intermediate host population was also included. It was found that regulation in the definitive host is much more robust than the regulation on the intermediate host allowing for a much greater range of the epidemiological parameters. Also the model of regulation on the definitive host allows for a very good fit of the prevalence curve.

O controle de mastite consiste em um conjunto de medidas de manejo e prevenção da doença em um rebanho, pois estudos realizados em todo estado de São Paulo estimaram um prejuízo de 17% da produção por propriedade devido à mastite considerando perdas como os gastos com tratamentos; descarte de leite; queda na produção; além de perdas por resíduos de antibióticos. O trabalho mostra que a população microbiana da mucosa dos tetos não varia conforme a sua posição no úbere do animal e a identificação dos microorganismos predominantes foram como sendo de Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Klebsiella pneumoniae e Acinetobacter junii. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a eficácia do muco de escargot nos tetos de vacas leiteiras utilizando-o como \"pré e pós dipping\" e o comparado com a aplicação de solução de iodo, visando à prevenção ou a redução da incidência de infecções intramamárias. O muco de escargot possui uma propriedade antibacteriana bastante efetiva, conhecida como Achacin. Sua ação bactericida ocorre principalmente na fase de crescimento da bactéria agindo como agente quimioterápico. O muco de escargot mostrou ser igualmente eficiente no controle da população de microorganismo presente na superfície dos tetos, quando comparados ao uso da solução de iodo, além de que o seu efeito sobre a pele e mucosa dos tetos foi de deixá-los mais hidratados e com melhor elasticidade evitando rachaduras e focos de infecção, quando comparado ao agente mineral, podendo ser até mesmo um produto alternativo no controle e prevenção de mastite em vacas leiteiras. / The control of mastitis is a set of measures for management and prevention of disease in a herd, because studies from every state of Sao Paulo have estimated a loss of 17% in a property considering losses due to mastitis as spending on treatments; discarded milk, drop in production, and losses due to antibiotic residues. The study shows that the microbial population of the mucosa of the teats doesnt vary according to their position in the animal\'s udder and identification of microorganisms were predominant as Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter junii. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of snail mucus teats of dairy cows using it as a \"pre and post dipping\" and compared with the application of iodine solution, aiming at preventing or reducing the incidence of mammary infections. The mucus of snail has a very effective antibacterial property, known as Achacin. Its bactericidal action occurs mainly in the growth of bacteria by acting as a chemotherapeutic agent. The mucus of snail proved to be equally effective in controlling the population of microorganisms present on the surface of the teats, compared to the use of iodine solution, and that its effect on the skin and mucous membrane of the teats was leaving them more hydrated and with improved elasticity avoiding cracks and foci of infection, when compared to mineral agent, which may even be an alternative product in the control and prevention of mastitis in dairy cows.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-12T19:51:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 emilyoliveirasantos.pdf: 546435 bytes, checksum: 460c394a2cc33df8f4de37247b96761e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-27T20:08:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 emilyoliveirasantos.pdf: 546435 bytes, checksum: 460c394a2cc33df8f4de37247b96761e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-27T20:08:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 emilyoliveirasantos.pdf: 546435 bytes, checksum: 460c394a2cc33df8f4de37247b96761e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-28 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O objetivo do presente trabalho foi descrever a história de vida da espécie Allopeas gracilis, através da avaliação do crescimento e reprodução. Avaliou-se também a influência do isolamento sobre esses aspectos, o investimento reprodutivo, o comportamento de retenção de ovos no oviduto e o comportamento agregativo. Para tanto, foram realizados quatro experimentos. No primeiro experimento, que objetivou avaliar o crescimento e a reprodução de indivíduos mantidos pareados e isolados, realizou-se o acompanhamento do ciclo biológico de 60 moluscos, dos quais 30 foram mantidos aos pares e 30 foram mantidos em isolamento durante 120 dias. A. gracilis apresentou grande plasticidade na forma de alocação de energia entre crescimento e reprodução de acordo com a forma de criação, sendo a reprodução e o crescimento maior para os animais mantidos pareados. No segundo experimento, que teve como objetivo caracterizar o investimento reprodutivo da espécie acompanhou-se durante 180 dias 60 moluscos, dos quais 30 moluscos foram mantidos isolados e 30 moluscos foram mantidos pareados. Após o nascimento dos filhotes, os moluscos parentais e respectiva prole foram pesados para o cálculo do investimento reprodutivo. Na idade de 120 dias, os moluscos mantidos isolados tiveram um investimento reprodutivo maior do que os moluscos pareados, nas idades de 150 dias e 165 dias foram os moluscos mantidos pareados que apresentaram um maior investimento reprodutivo. Já na idade de 180 dias não houve diferença significativa entre os investimentos reprodutivos dos dois grupos. O terceiro experimento teve como objetivos caracterizar o comportamento de retenção de ovos no oviduto. Para tanto foram separados 60 moluscos recém-eclodidos em caixas individuais formando dois grupos experimentais de 30 moluscos cada e observados até a detecção da presença de filhotes no oviduto e constatação da maturidade sexual. Na primeira fase do experimento, um grupo foi mantido em condições favoráveis de umidade do substrato, enquanto o outro foi mantido em condições de dessecação. Foi verificada a frequência de liberação de filhotes pelos moluscos de ambos os grupos. Após um período de 40 dias, o substrato da caixa em que foi mantido o grupo submetido à dessecação foi novamente umedecido, por mais 20 dias, constituindo a segunda fase do experimento. Observou-se que o grupo mantido em condições desfavoráveis de umidade reproduziu menos do que o grupo mantido em condições favoráveis, mostrando que com a falta de umidade os moluscos retêm os ovos no oviduto. No quarto experimento, que teve como objetivo caracterizar o comportamento agregativo de A. gracilis, foram obtidos 150 moluscos, que foram distribuídos em 15 caixas plásticas. Em cada caixa foram colocados quatro discos plásticos identificados, em posição equidistante, os quais serviram de abrigos para os animais. Foram colocados 10 animais no centro de cada caixa. Após 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 e 168 horas foram observados o número de agregados formados, a posição dos agregados (sob qual disco), o número de indivíduos por agregado e o número de indivíduos isolados. Após 168 horas de experimento os indivíduos foram transferidos para outras caixas, contendo terra vegetal, três novos discos e o disco que continha o maior agregado após as 168 horas. Foi verificado, após 24 e 48 horas, o número de indivíduos sob o disco condicionado. Constatou-se que A. gracilis apresenta comportamento agregativo, assim como outras espécies de subulinídeos. Em todas as caixas utilizadas e em todos os intervalos de tempo ao longo das primeiras 168 horas e das 48 horas seguintes houve a formação de agregados. / The aim of this work was to describe the life history of the species Allopeas gracilis, through the assessment of growth and reproduction. We also evaluated the influence of isolation, the reproductive investment, the eggs retention behavior and aggregative behavior of A. gracilis. Therefore, four experiments were conducted. The first experiment aimed to evaluate the growth and reproduction of individuals kept in isolation or in pairs. A. gracilis showed great plasticity in the energy allocation between growth and reproduction, the egg production and growth rates being higher for paired animals. The second experiment aimed to evaluate the reproductive effort of A. gracilis. After the birth of the juveniles, the offspring and parental individuals were weighed to calculate the reproductive investment. At the age of 120 days, the snails kept isolated showed higher reproductive effort than paired snails. At the age of 180 days there was no significant difference between the two groups. The third experiment aimed to characterize the behavior of eggs retention. Sixty newly hatched snails were assigned to individual boxes. The molluscs were observed until the detection of embryos in the oviduct, which confirmed that the snails have attained sexual maturity. In the first phase of the experiment, one group was kept in a favorable moisture condition, while the other was maintained in a desiccation condition. At the second phase of the experiment, after a period of 40 days, the substrate of the boxes in which the snails subjected to desiccation were maintained has been moistened. It was observed that the group kept in unfavorable moisture condition produced fewer eggs than the group kept in a favorable condition, retaining these egg in the oviduct and releasing then when the terrário were moistened again. The fourth experiment aimed to characterize the aggregative behavior of A. gracilis. For this, 150 molluscs were distributed in 15 plastic boxes. In each box four labeled plastic disks were placed in equidistant positions. These disks have served as shelters for the snails. Ten snails were placed in the center of each box. After 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 168 hours the number of aggregates formed were observed, as well the position of the aggregates (in which disk) and the number of individuals per aggregate. After 168 hours of experiment the snails were transferred to boxes containing new substrate, three new disks and disk that contained the largest aggregate after 168 hours (conditioned disk). After 24 and 48 hours, the number of individuals in the conditioned disk was obserfved. It was found that A. gracilis exhibits aggregative behavior like other species of subulinids.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-04-04T14:58:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 lidianecristinadasilva.pdf: 3867090 bytes, checksum: 57d0e38e146d3d14d2d9eccc6cd6cbe6 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-04-04T15:39:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 lidianecristinadasilva.pdf: 3867090 bytes, checksum: 57d0e38e146d3d14d2d9eccc6cd6cbe6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-04T15:39:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 lidianecristinadasilva.pdf: 3867090 bytes, checksum: 57d0e38e146d3d14d2d9eccc6cd6cbe6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-18 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Apesar da diversidade e importância os moluscos terrestres têm sido pouco estudados, principalmente as espécies da malacofauna brasileira como é o caso de Bulimulus tenuissimus. Assim, objetivou-se com esse trabalho descrever a história de vida dessa espécie, através da avaliação do crescimento, reprodução e longevidade. Avaliou-se também a influência do isolamento sobre esses aspectos e a variação dos recursos energéticos em diferentes fases da vida, e nas diferentes estações do ano. Para tanto, foi realizado o acompanhamento do ciclo biológico de 240 moluscos, dos quais 120 foram mantidos em grupos e 120 foram mantidos em isolamento durante todo o ciclo de vida. Bulimulus tenuissimus apresentou grande plasticidade na forma de alocação de energia entre crescimento, reprodução e sobrevivência de acordo com a forma de criação, sendo a reprodução e longevidade maior para os animais mantidos em grupos, enquanto o crescimento foi mais acentuado nos isolados. Essa diferenciação no investimento energético levou a padrões de história de vida distintos nos dois grupos. Os moluscos de diferentes idades apresentam formas diferenciadas para alocação dos polissacarídeos avaliados, sendo a variação provavelmente relacionada ao estado reprodutivo dos moluscos. Além disso, constatou-se também que as reservas energéticas dos músculos são disponibilizadas e degradadas tanto na fase Adulta quanto na fase Senescente. O conteúdo de carboidratos variou de acordo com a idade, sendo a tal variação provavelmente relacionada ao estado reprodutivo dos animais. Também houve variação sazonal do conteúdo de glicogênio e galactogênio, os quais são coincidentes com o ciclo reprodutivo de B. tenuissimus, evidenciando-se que a sazonalidade reprodutiva parece ser controlada por fatores metabólicos. / There are few studies about land snails despite their importance and diversity, especially native species, such as Bulimulus tenuissimus. Thus, the objectives of this study were to describe the life history of this species evaluating the growth, reproduction and longevity. The influence of the isolation on these aspects, the change of energy resources in different ages and in different seasons were evaluated. For this purpose, there was monitoring the biological cycle of 240 snails, of which 120 were kept in groups and 120 were kept isolated during their lifetime. Bulimulus tenuissimus showed plasticity in the allocation of energy between growth, reproduction and survival. Growth of isolated snails was higher fecundity and longevity than the animals kept in isolation. However, the growth was high in isolation. Thus, the differential energetic investment has lead to distinct patterns of life history. The age influenced the allocation de glycogen and galactogen. However, there was not reduction of glycogen content in the digestive gland. It is suggest that the energy used in reproduction is acquired from food ingestion. There were seasonal changes on the contents these polysaccharides, which are coincident with the reproductive cycle of B. tenuissimus. This result showed that the reproductive seasonality of this species would be controlled by metabolic factors.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-04-04T17:50:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 lilianemaradeoliveirameireles.pdf: 1388477 bytes, checksum: 96816fc773dfc96ca7962139976fd239 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-04-06T10:42:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 lilianemaradeoliveirameireles.pdf: 1388477 bytes, checksum: 96816fc773dfc96ca7962139976fd239 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-06T10:42:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 lilianemaradeoliveirameireles.pdf: 1388477 bytes, checksum: 96816fc773dfc96ca7962139976fd239 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-18 / A seleção alimentar compreende características ligadas ao alimento, como o paladar e a atratividade, e pode estar relacionado com as condições fisiológicas do molusco. Assim, a alimentação exerce grande influência no desenvolvimento dos moluscos terrestres, podendo interferir na atividade reprodutiva desses animais. Foram objetivos desse estudo verificar a seleção alimentar e a influência de diferentes dietas no crescimento, na reprodução e na sobrevivência de Bulimulus tenuissimus em condições de laboratório. Para tal, grupos de moluscos foram alimentados com seis itens alimentares diferentes, batata, chuchu, pepino, cenoura, maçã e ração, os quais foram oferecidos separadamente ou combinados por um período de 210 dias. Foi verificada a seleção pelos alimentos mais macios e com alto teor de cálcio (ração e chuchu), bem como os efeitos benéficos da combinação de dietas no crescimento, fecundidade e sobrevivência dessa espécie, provavelmente, devido ao aumento na disponibilidade de nutrientes. / Food selection includes features related to food, as taste and attractiveness, and may be related to the physiological conditions of the snail. Thus, food exerts great influence on the development of land snails, which can interfere in the reproductive activity of these animals. The objectives of this study were to verify the food selection and the influence of different diets on growth, reproduction and the survival of Bulimulus tenuissimus under laboratory conditions. Groups of snails were fed with six different food items, potato, chayote, cucumber, carrot, apple and ration, which were offered separately or combined for a period of 210 days. The food selection was observed by food softer and with higher levels of calcium (ration and chayote) and the beneficial effects of the combination of diets on growth, fecundity and survival of this species, probably due to the increase in the availability of nutrients.

This PhD thesis studies the evolution of the peculiar mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the mollusc Melarhaphe neritoides. We measured mtDNA diversity and elucidated the evolutionary forces that shape the evolution of the organelle.The mtDNA in M. neritoides harbours a remarkable amount of polymorphism at selectively neutral nucleotide sites (π_syn = 6.8 %), called hyperdiversity when above the threshold of 5 %. We revealed that an elevated mutation rate (µ = 5.8 × 10-5 per site per year at the COI locus), which is 1000 fold higher than in other metazoans, is likely the primary force generating mtDNA hyperdiversity. Such mtDNA hyperdiversity may be more common across other phyla and more frequently linked to high µ values, than currently appreciated.Natural selection is a second force, which shapes mtDNA hyperdiversity. Positive selection influences the overall mtDNA polymorphism in the 16S, COI and Cytb genes, including synonymous sites at which mtDNA hyperdiversity is calculated. Therefore, synonymous sites in M. neritoides are not neutral but possibly positively selected. Strong purifying selection maintains a low non-synonymous polymorphism in the 13 protein-coding genes of the mitogenome, so that a very few changes in nucleotide sequence induce changes in amino acid sequence. The effective population size of this planktonic-dispersing species is surprisingly small in the North East Atlantic (Ne = 1303), likely biased by selection, and for this reason, Ne is a poor indicator of mtDNA hyperdiversity.Migration is a third force, which homogenises the gene pool of the species through high rates of gene flow, predominantly eastward, and results in high connectivity and panmixia over the entire North East Atlantic.Genetic drift, the fourth force, is not sufficient in M. neritoides to lower mtDNA diversity, and populations show no differentiation.This thesis also highlights an important pitfall. The use of hyperdiverse markers may easily lead to erroneous interpretations of differentiation statistics and connectivity pattern, due to the lack of shared haplotypes in datasets induced by a high µ. First, D_EST may reach a maximal value of 1 but is not indicative of differentiation in terms of fixation (D_EST = 1 ≠ φ_ST = 1), and only reflects differentiation in terms of lack of shared haplotypes. Second, the signal of gene flow is concealed in haplotype network bush-like pattern.Rapid evolution of mtDNA results in significant selection pressure for co-adaptation of the nuclear genome encoding mitochondrial proteins. The elevated µ underlying mtDNA hyperdiversity provides an interesting framework for better understanding how mutational dynamics and selection that drive mitonuclear coevolution contribute to speciation. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Black Buffalo Ictiobus niger are a catostomid species native to the Mississippi River Basin with declining populations. Aquaculture is a common component of recovery plans, however little information is published on catostomid culture methods. This study developed culture techniques for Black Buffalo including tank acclimation, induced spawning, larval rearing, and protein requirements. Fish needed a lengthy acclimation (> 2 months) to reduce signs of stress. After, an induced-spawning protocol was described with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue. Swim-up fry did not readily consume zooplankton at first feeding but began selecting for cladocerans one week after stocked in a rearing pond. The juvenile growth study found diets containing 41% crude protein are optimal for growth. Finally, trematodes harm catfish production, and Black Buffalo are a potential control option for catfish producers. However, Black Buffalo did not consume snails, the trematode’s intermediate host, suggesting they would not be an effective trematode control.

The inevitable progression of advanced prostate cancer to castration resistance, and ultimately to lethal metastatic disease, depends on primary or acquired resistance to conventional androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) and accumulated resistance mechanisms to evade androgen receptor (AR) suppression. Whereas the canonical androgen/AR signaling axis maintains prostate cell growth, differentiation and survival, in prostate cancer cells, AR adaptations that arise in response to ADT are not singular, but diverse, and include gene amplification, mutation and even complete loss of receptor expression. Collectively, each of these AR adaptations contributes to a complex, heterogenous, ADT-resistant tumor that culminates in prostate tumor cells transitioning from epithelial to mesenchymal states (EMT) and the development of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Here, we examined prostate cancer cell lines that model common CRPC subtypes, each with different AR composition, and focused on novel regulators of tumor progression, the Bromodomain and ExtraTerminal (BET – BRD2, BRD3 and BRD4) family of proteins, to test the hypothesis that each BET family member regulates EMT and underlying characteristics such as cell motility and invasiveness. We systematically manipulated the BET proteins and found that BRD4 regulates cell migration and invasion across all models of CRPC, regardless of aggressiveness and AR status, whereas BRD2 and BRD3 only regulate cell migration and invasion in less aggressive models that retain AR expression or signaling. We determined that BRD4’s contribution to this process occurs through the transcriptional regulation of AHNAK, SNAI1 and SNAI2, which are EMT genes linked to promotion of metastasis in a diverse set of cancers. Furthermore, treatment of CRPC cell lines with low doses of MZ1, a small-molecule, BRD4-selective degrader, inhibits EMT and metastatic potential. Overall, these results reveal a novel, BRD4-regulated EMT gene signature that may be targetable to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

No description available.