Endozoochory is an important part of plant-animal relationship. In model area of the Doupov Mountains large herbivore mammals, such as red deer, sika deer and wild boar, act as effective seed dispersers. Out of 282 dung samples 29 719 seedlings of 91 species emerged. The most common species was Urtica dioica (80 % of all seedlings). The amount of seeds in dung as well as species composition were highly dependent on dispersing animal, both showed strong seasonality and differences between two studied localities. Frequency of species in dung did not correspond to their frequency in vegetation suggesting strong preferences of herbivores as predators. However more research is needed to test this hypothesis. Given very high time demands for samples processing beforehand the emergence experiment, the influence of concentration by washing through on seedling emergence and species composition was tested. According to preliminary results more seedlings and species emerge from concentrated samples. However, concentration has no effect on emergence of U. dioica as the most common species. Concentration of samples by running water is recommended for faster emergence in greenhouse conditions. Preliminary results also suggest that the approximation of number of seedlings/species on weight of dry mass is not...

Resumo: A possibilidade de desviar a proporção de sexos ao nascimento em suínos poderá contribuir para o incremento do progresso genético e produtividade. Uma possibilidade para obter esse desvio seria por processos diferenciais de transporte dos espermatozóides X e Y no trato reprodutivo da fêmea. Entre estes fatores que pode influenciar neste transporte está o pH uterino. Constituiu objetivo do presente trabalho avaliar um possível desvio na proporção sexual ao nascimento pela administração de vitamina C oral em matrizes suínas. Em uma primeira fase, 15 porcas foram tratadas com 10 g de vitamina C por dia durante 7 dias após o desmame, neste período, receberam inseminações artificiais e 16 porcas não receberam tratamento (controle). As matrizes que receberam a vitamina C produziram 45,20% de fêmeas e o grupo controle produziu 47,40% de fêmeas (P>0,05). Na segunda fase do experimento, 49 matrizes foram tratadas com 24g de vitamina C por dia por 7 dias e outras 63 matrizes não receberam tratamento (controle), todas as porcas foram inseminadas. As matrizes que receberam a vitamina C produziram 53,10% de fêmeas e as matrizes do grupo controle pariram 45,24% de fêmeas (P<0,05). / Abstract: The possibility of deviation of the sexes at birth will contribute for the genetic progress and productivity. A possible way to get this deviation would be by the differences on the transport of the X or Y spermatozoa inside the female reproductive tract. The pH is a factor affecting this transport. The purpose of this work was to evaluate a possible deviation of sexes at birth after the supplementation of sows with ascorbic acid. In a first work, 15 sows were supplemented with 10g of ascorbic acid for seven days (treated group), and they were artificial inseminated. Other 16 sows were not supplemented (control group). The treated sows gave birth to 45.20% of females and the control group, 47.40% of females (P>0.05). In a second work, 47 sows were supplemented with 24g of ascorbic acid (treated group) and other 63 sow were not supplemented (control group). All the sows were artificial inseminated. The treated sows gave birth to 53.10% of females and the control group, 45.24% of females (P<0.05). / Orientadora: Vera Fernanda Martins Hossepian de Lima / Coorientadora: Lucia Galvão de Albuquerque / Banca: Humberto Tonhati / Banca: Robson Carlos Antunes / Mestre

For the second study, a web-based survey was developed and distributed to all members of four major health education organizations. A total of 1,925 HEs’ completed the survey and 1,607 responses were utilized in the final analysis. This study indicated that participants had deficient knowledge and unfavorable attitudes toward the CDCproposed genomic competencies. In the third study, a theoretical model was developed to predict HEs’ likelihood to incorporate genomic competencies into their practice. Using techniques from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the model was tested with the same data of the second study. Findings supported the proposed theoretical model. While genomic knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy were significantly associated with HEs’ likelihood to incorporate genomic competencies into their practice, attitudes was the strongest predictor of likelihood. In summary, these studies indicated that participating HEs had deficient genomic knowledge, unfavorable attitudes toward a set of CDC-proposed genomic competencies, and low likelihood to adopt genomic competencies into health promotion. Relevant training should be developed and advocated. As the SEM analysis results indicated the survey findings supported the proposed theoretical model, which can be utilized to steer future training for HEs. statistics, 2) unadjusted inferential statistics, 3) stratified analysis, and 4) multivariable models. My investigation produced results in accord with generally accepted notions in addition to significant findings that interestingly counter current preconceptions. Intraspecies contact was more common than inter-species, with indirect contact occurring more frequently than direct. Direct contact between species occurred extremely rarely. The most important factors that influenced the rate of contact for both species were water, winter, and cultivated fields. Information regarding probability of infectious agent survival and transfer will be used in the future to advance current epidemiological models, including geographicautomata (Ward et al. 2007: In Press) and cellular automata models (Doran and Laffan 2005) to better understand and manage integrated domestic cattle and free-ranging wildlife populations. Such modeling provides essential and necessary knowledge for developing prevention, detection, response, and recovery strategies – employed in advance, during, and after a disease outbreak, respectively.

Deux enquêtes épidémiologiques mises en place dans les forêts de Brotonne et de Mauny, en Normandie, ont montré que la tuberculose à Mycobacterium bovis était présente à des pourcentages de prévalence importants chez les cerfs élaphes (Cervus elaphus) et les sangliers (Sus scrofa). La souche de M. bovis isolée est la même que celle qui circule dans les élevages bovins voisins depuis au moins 1995. Les sensibilité, spécificité et valeurs prédictives de l'examen nécropsique en tant qu'outil diagnostique indiquent qu'il peut être utilisé pour suivre la maladie dans les populations de cerfs élaphes où la tuberculose bovine est bien installée. La différence du cadre lésionnel entre les cerfs et les sangliers suggère que le cerf joue un rôle plus important dans la dissémination de l'infection. Un modèle déterministe montre qu'une stratégie de lutte fondée sur l'éradication des cerfs élaphes et sur un ramassage exhaustif de viscères permettrait d'obtenir une disparition de l'infection.

The hair shaft has increasing importance in bioarchaeology, since it is now possible to retrieve detailed biomolecular information on recent life history using individual fibres (e.g., on diet, drug use and DNA). Data on hair condition is an important cornerstone to ensuring that reliable information is obtained. The following study defines morphological features of degradative change in human terminal scalp hair using different microscopy techniques. Evidence of degradative change is translated into a ranked histology for assessing hair sample condition. The approach is applied to samples of cut modern scalp hair subjected to degradation under soil burial/simulated grave conditions.

Submitted by LETÍCIA BORGES JOAQUIM null (leticiajoaquim@gmail.com) on 2016-03-18T19:56:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissertaçãoLeticia.pdf: 1246720 bytes, checksum: 72c61040420200f71667f56d8d424fec (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-03-22T12:39:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 joaquim_lb_me_jabo.pdf: 1246720 bytes, checksum: 72c61040420200f71667f56d8d424fec (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-22T12:39:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 joaquim_lb_me_jabo.pdf: 1246720 bytes, checksum: 72c61040420200f71667f56d8d424fec (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Os painéis de marcadores de alta densidade têm demonstrado a sua funcionalidade nos estudos de estrutura da população e conservação genética. Esses painéis permitem avaliar similaridades no padrão do desequilíbrio de ligação em toda população, assim como informações sobre parentesco da população. Segmentos de homozigose são utilizados como indicativo da estrutura da população e fornecem informações sobre o histórico demográfico e eventos de endogamia da mesma. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a estrutura genômica de uma linhagem sintética base Landrace por meio de (i) análises de desequilíbrio de ligação; (ii) estimação do coeficiente de endogamia utilizando dados genômicos e de pedigree; (iii) análise do número e tamanho de segmentos de homozigose e (iv) determinação da estratificação da população. Foram utilizados registros de 300 fêmeas e 25 machos de uma linhagem fêmea sintética base Landrace genotipados com o painel Illumina PorcineSNP60 v2 BeadChip. A edição dos dados foi realizada no programa PLINK v.1.9 para remoção de marcadores SNPs (“Single Nucleotide Polymorphism”) que falharam em mais de 10% das amostras (“call rate”) e amostras que falharam em mais de 10% dos marcadores. A extensão do desequilíbrio de ligação foi avaliada entre todos os pares SNPs adjacentes presentes nos cromossomos autossômicos por meio da medida r2. O coeficiente de endogamia foi calculado usando registros de pedigree e de dados genômicos. Os segmentos de homozigose foram detectados para os cromossomos autossômicos com o programa computacional PLINK v.1.9, considerando pelo menos 50 SNPs homozigotos dentro de tamanho mínimo de 1.000 Kb por animal, permitindo um SNP heterozigoto e um SNP faltante/perdido dentro de uma janela de 50 SNPs. Os segmentos de homozigose detectados foram utilizados para cálculo do coeficiente de endogamia genômica e como indicativo do histórico da população. A estratificação da população foi avaliada utilizando análises de componentes principais e pelo modelo de ancestralidade por metodologia bayesiana aplicado no programa STRUCTURE. Na análise de ancestralidade foram testados valores de K (número de “clusters”) variando de um a oito usando período de burn-in de 1.000 iterações e Cadeia de Markov e Monte Carlo de 10.000 iterações. As análises foram repetidas dez vezes para cada K e a determinação do melhor número para K foi estimada utilizando a estatística Delta K. O valor médio de r² encontrado para todos os SNPs adjacentes que estão a uma distância menor que 100 Kb foi de 0,291 ± 0,312. Os coeficientes de endogamia médios obtidos a partir dos segmentos de homozigose e de registros de pedigree foram de 0,119 e 0,00011, respectivamente. A baixa correlação (r<0,04) encontrada entre os coeficientes de endogamia pode ser explicada pelo efeito de recombinação gênica sobre aqueles estimados a partir dos segmentos de homozigose que não é considerada nas estimativas obtidas à partir de registros de pedigree e devido aos erros de identificação dos animais no pedigree. A identificação de um grande número de longos segmentos de homozigose pode ser indicativa de endogamia recente na população estudada. O estudo da estratificação da amostra indicou que a mesma estaria dividida em duas populações (k=2), sendo que a separação pode ser explicada pelo cruzamento entre as raças ocidentais e orientais utilizadas na formação da linhagem. Os dados de genotipagem permitiram concluir que a população estudada possui endogamia recente, sugerindo-se que seja priorizado acasalamento entre indivíduos menos aparentados para assegurar a manutenção da diversidade genética. / High-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels have been used in genomic studies, such as population structure and conservation genetic studies. These panels allow to assess similarities in the patterns of linkage disequilibrium across populations and to estimate relatedness between populations. Runs of homozygosity are used as indicative of population structure and it provides information about demographic history and recent inbreeding. The aim of this study was to describe the genomic structure of a synthetic Landrace line by (i) linkage disequilibrium (LD) analyses; (ii) inbreeding estimates through pedigree and genomic data; (iii) analysing the number and length of runs of homozygosity (ROH); and (iv) determination of population structure. A total of 300 females and 25 males from synthetic Landrace line were genotyped using Illumina PorcineSNP60 v2 BeadChip. Data editing was performed using PLINK v.1.9. The SNPs and samples with a call rate lower than 0.90 were excluded from the data set. Only the autosomal chromosomes were considered for LD an ROH analyses. The LD between all pairs of SNPs were measured by the means of the genotype correlation coefficient (r²) and it determined the decay of LD with physical distance. The coefficient of inbreeding was calculated using genomic and pedigree data. ROH were detected using PLINK v.1.9 considering the follow parameters: a minimum ROH of 50 SNPs with a minimum length of 1000 (Kb), one heterozygous SNP and one missing SNP were allowed within the sliding window of 50 SNPs. The individual genomic inbreeding and population history were identified from estimated ROH. The population structure was evaluated using principal component analysis and Bayesian admixture model. The number of clusters (K) was tested from two to eight considering a burning period of 1,000 followed by 10,000 Markov chain Monte Carlo repetitions and replicated ten times for each K. The best K was estimated using the Delta K statistic. For all SNPs adjacent less than 100 kilobase (kb) apart, the average r2 was 0.291 ± 0.312. The average inbreeding coefficient, calculated by ROH and pedigree analyses, were 0.119 and 0.00011, respectively. The low correlation between the inbreeding coefficients can be justified by the genetic recombination effect over those estimated from runs of homozygosity that were no considered on the estimates from the traditional pedigree. The high number of long ROH is an evidence of recent inbreeding in this population. The population structure analysis revealed K=2 was the best number of clusters and separation. This result can be explained by the crossbreeding between the Eastern and Western breeds used in the formation of the line. The genotyping data helped confirm that the inbreeding in the studied population is recent, which suggests that mating between individuals less related occurred to ensure the maintenance of genetic diversity.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-03-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:54:03Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 morato_fmac_me_jabo.pdf: 242497 bytes, checksum: 70af022940bd579884fe9c06d84bdbdd (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A possibilidade de desviar a proporção de sexos ao nascimento em suínos poderá contribuir para o incremento do progresso genético e produtividade. Uma possibilidade para obter esse desvio seria por processos diferenciais de transporte dos espermatozóides X e Y no trato reprodutivo da fêmea. Entre estes fatores que pode influenciar neste transporte está o pH uterino. Constituiu objetivo do presente trabalho avaliar um possível desvio na proporção sexual ao nascimento pela administração de vitamina C oral em matrizes suínas. Em uma primeira fase, 15 porcas foram tratadas com 10 g de vitamina C por dia durante 7 dias após o desmame, neste período, receberam inseminações artificiais e 16 porcas não receberam tratamento (controle). As matrizes que receberam a vitamina C produziram 45,20% de fêmeas e o grupo controle produziu 47,40% de fêmeas (P>0,05). Na segunda fase do experimento, 49 matrizes foram tratadas com 24g de vitamina C por dia por 7 dias e outras 63 matrizes não receberam tratamento (controle), todas as porcas foram inseminadas. As matrizes que receberam a vitamina C produziram 53,10% de fêmeas e as matrizes do grupo controle pariram 45,24% de fêmeas (P<0,05). / The possibility of deviation of the sexes at birth will contribute for the genetic progress and productivity. A possible way to get this deviation would be by the differences on the transport of the X or Y spermatozoa inside the female reproductive tract. The pH is a factor affecting this transport. The purpose of this work was to evaluate a possible deviation of sexes at birth after the supplementation of sows with ascorbic acid. In a first work, 15 sows were supplemented with 10g of ascorbic acid for seven days (treated group), and they were artificial inseminated. Other 16 sows were not supplemented (control group). The treated sows gave birth to 45.20% of females and the control group, 47.40% of females (P>0.05). In a second work, 47 sows were supplemented with 24g of ascorbic acid (treated group) and other 63 sow were not supplemented (control group). All the sows were artificial inseminated. The treated sows gave birth to 53.10% of females and the control group, 45.24% of females (P<0.05).

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2017-04-10T13:19:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Elizabete Cristina da Silva.pdf: 4327297 bytes, checksum: 969fe0e6e726dc739f29566fd5377097 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-10T13:19:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Elizabete Cristina da Silva.pdf: 4327297 bytes, checksum: 969fe0e6e726dc739f29566fd5377097 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In Brazil, naturalized pigs or animals called locally adapted are endangered species due to the overvaluation of exotic pig breeds that have caused loss of genetic diversity in these populations. Thus, this study aimed to characterize diversity and genetic structure of nine pig genetics groups locally adapted: Baé (n=11), Caruncho (n=07), Canastra (n=29), Canastrão (n=09), Mamelado (n=07), Moura (n=18), Nilo (n=16), Piau (n=17) and mongrel (SRD; n=47) and three exotic breeds (Duroc=04, Landrace=21 and Large White=04) with 18 microsatellite markers as well as testing these markers to allocate individuals from a mongrel population and their actual population. It was detected 198 alleles with 18 loci examined in 190 pigs from 12 genetic groups, all of them were polymorphic with PIC (polymorphic information content) ranged from 0.541 (SW72) to 0.933 (S0005). The results of AMOVA showed that 3.2% of total variation came from the difference between genetic groups (P<0.0001) and 3.6% (P<0.0001) between local and commercials pigs. The average alleles and alleles effectives Nea were lower for commercial Duroc breed (3.65 and 3.008) and higher for mongrel populations (8.89 and 4.53) and Canastra (8.61, 4.58) detaching the high genetic diversity of the last ones. The nine local GG showed greater average value for the rates: alleles average number (Nam = 7.22), Nea (4.18), PIC (0.67) and the expected heterozygosis (He = 0.71), while the heterozygosis observed (Ho = 0.60) was lower due to intrapopulation inbreeding (FIS = 0.17). Using the UPGMA method, Landrace breed was grouped with Canastra, Moura, Canastrão, Baé and Caruncho populations. Another group was formed by populations Piau, Mongrel, Nilo and Mamelado, while Large White and Duroc breeds were isolated from the rest. Based on the two populations (K=2) for allocation of mongrel pigs, most (71.8%) individuals SRD was grouped into separate clusters of commercial breeds. Two clusters seem to accordingly describe the distribution of genetic variability found in 12 GG, which showed low level of differentiation, leading to a complex population genetic structure and the 18 loci were effective to allocate mongrel individuals to their actual population. / No Brasil, os suínos naturalizados ou animais ditos localmente adaptados encontramse em via de extinção devido à supervalorização das raças suínas exóticas que tem ocasionado perda de diversidade genética nessas populações. Dessa forma, objetivou-se caracterizar a diversidade e estrutura genética de nove grupos genéticos (GG) de suínos localmente adaptados: Baé (n=11), Caruncho (n=07), Canastra (n=29), Canastrão (n=09), Mamelado (n=07), Moura (n=18), Nilo (n=16), Piau (n=17) e Sem Raça Definida (SRD; n=47) e três raças exóticas: Duroc (n=04), Landrace (n=21) e Large White (n=04) com 22 marcadores microssatélites, e testar a viabilidade desses marcadores para alocar indivíduos de um GG SRD à sua população real. Detectou-se 198 alelos com 18 loci analisados em 190 suínos de 12 GG, todos foram polimórficos com PIC (conteúdo de informação polimórfica) variando de 0,54 (SW72) a 0,93 (S0005). Os resultados da AMOVA mostraram que 3,2% da variação total foram provenientes da diferença entre GG (P<0,0001) e 3,6% (P<0,0001) entre suínos locais e comerciais. As médias de alelos totais e efetivo de alelo (Nea) foram menores para a raça comercial Duroc (3,65 e 3,01) e maiores para os GG SRD (8,89 e 4,53) e Canastra (8,61e 4,58). Os nove GG locais apresentaram maior valor médio para os índices: número médio de alelos (Nam = 7,22), Nea (4,18), PIC (0,67) e heterozigosidade esperada (He = 0,71), enquanto, a heterozigosidade observada (Ho = 0,60) foi menor devido à consanguinidade intrapopulacional (FIS = 0,17). Com exceção da raça Large White, todos os GG apresentaram desvio significativo (P<0,05) para o Equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg. Utilizando o método UPGMA a partir da distância genética padrão de Nei, a raça Landrace foi agrupada com os GG locais Canastra, Moura, Canastrão, Baé e Caruncho. Baseando-se nos dois grupamentos (K=2) para os testes de alocação dos suínos SRD, a maior parte (71,8%) dos indivíduos SRD foi agrupada em clusters separados das raças comerciais. Dois grupamentos parecem descrever adequadamente a distribuição da variabilidade genética encontrada nos 12 GG, os quais apresentaram baixo nível de diferenciação, conduzindo a uma estrutura genética populacional complexa, e os 18 loci foram eficazes para alocar os indivíduos SRD a sua população real.

For many species, population size data is difficult to obtain or even unavailable. Therefore, estimations or indirect abundance measures of populations are crucial for ungulate management. Hunting has an important role in wildlife management, and is a partnership between state, landowners, and hunting communities. In ungulate management harvest statistics, as well as ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVCs) and observations, are often used as proxies for population densities and provide detailed information on a spatial and temporal scale. A Bayesian approach was used to model hunters’ response to population densities of fallow deer (Dama dama), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). The results indicate that the variability in number of individuals observed and the non-linearity of both hunters’ harvest and UVCs response varies between roe deer, fallow deer, and wild boar. Both hunters’ harvest and UVC display a sub-linear response to population densities to all three species. Additionally, roe deer show a low variability in the number of individuals observed compared to the other two species. Predictions of population densities by using proxies like harvest statistics and UVC statistics need to be species-specific to be reliable, and by considering a potential sub-linearity and temporal trends for the species of interest more confident and realistic estimates can be developed.

A scarcity of experimental studies covering the decomposition of dismembered body parts has created a gap in knowledge of the effect of dismemberment on the estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI) and their post-mortem history in a forensic context. The aim of this study was to record the decay of detached body parts in some depositional settings where they are likely to be disposed of: burial, wrapping and freezing. A series of controlled laboratory experiments was carried out using Sus scrofa body parts and pork belly, to understand how ambient temperature, soil moisture, and wrapping and freezing of body parts affected their decomposition. Rates of decay were subject to a higher temperature and soil moisture level in a burial microenvironment, with metabolic microbial activity confirming the results. Temperature was a predominant factor in the decay rates of wrapped body parts, with a raised ambient temperature causing even higher temperature in the wrapped microenvironment, resulting in accelerated decay rates. Freezing decelerated the decomposition of body parts, retarding microbial growth and activity and causing differential decomposition between body parts. Freezing demonstrated morphological changes in body parts specific to this microenvironment. Predominantly Gram-negative bacteria that may be associated with body microflora were involved in decomposition in all three microenvironments. Taphonomic, chemical and microbiological analyses carried out in this study have a potential for forensic application in the examination of dismembered remains that have been deposited in freezing and indoor settings. Further experiments are necessary to understand buried decomposition patterns in field conditions.