Detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trypanosoma vivax</Emphasis> DNA in semen from experimentally infected goats

The present work aimed to investigate the presence of T. vivax DNA in the semen of experimentally infected goats. Twelve male goats native to the Brazilian Northeast, adults, were randomly assigned to two experimental groups: the infected group consisting of six goats infected intravenously with 0.5 mL of blood containing approximately 1.25?×?10⁵ trypomastigotes of T. vivax, and a control group composed of six uninfected goats. After the infection, clinical examinations aiming to evaluate rectal temperature, parasitemia and hematocrit were performed. Semen samples were collected from goats by electroejaculation on the 7th, 14th and 21st days post-infection (dpi). The recombinant DNA-encoding gene encoding the L-like-specific gene for T. vivax. The infection was characterized by increased rectal temperature, high parasitemia and significant reduction of hematocrit values. Results for T. vivax DNA detection using TviCatL-PCR were positive in all semen samples from the infected group collected on 7th, 14th and 21st dpi. The presence of T. vivax DNA in 7th dpi suggests the early invasion of the parasite in the reproductive organs. Also, the finding of T. vivax DNA in all periods analyzed may suggest the continued elimination of the parasite in the semen, which may increase the chances of sexual transmission. Thus, T. vivax DNA is recorded for the first time in the semen of infected goats. Thus, these data are of great importance, since the detection of the T. vivax genetic material in the semen may point to the possibility that the parasite may be transmitted through the sexual pathway.     

Completeness of handwritten preanaesthetic records at two veterinary referral institutions

Objective

To retrospectively analyse handwritten preanaesthetic records for completeness at two veterinary referral institutions: a university veterinary teaching hospital and a private veterinary referral hospital. To evaluate if emergency records were less complete compared with non-emergency records. Animal or Animal Population Two hundred and fifty preanaesthetic records at each referral institution.

Identification of Phytophthora nicotianae on the aerial portion of eucalypt seedlings

The pathogenicity, physiology and biochemical features of three isolates of Phytophthora. nicotianae var. nicotianae from Eucalyptus delegatensis and E. globulus seedlings were investigated. The acid phosphatase zymograms and total protein profiles confirmed the specific identity of the 3 isolates. Despite significant differences in mycelial growth and zoosporangium production, no differences were noted in pathogenicity. Artificial inoculations revealed a variability in resistance to P. nicotianae within Eucalyptus species.     

Biotransformation of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) flavonoid glycosides by bifidobacterium species from human intestinal origin

Bifidobacteria strains from human origin were screened for the specific activity (beta-glucosidase activity) involved in the metabolism of dietary flavonoids. Five strains with high beta-glucosidase activity were selected for further metabolism analyses (high-performance liquid chromatography separations) of flavonoid glycosides occurring in Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean) seeds and seedlings. All selected strains were found to be active in the conversion of kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, daidzin, genistin, and glycitin into their aglyconic forms. No metabolites were detected after the fermentation tests with the diglucosidic compound kaempferol 3-O-xylosylglucoside. In addition, to verify the effective bioavailability of flavonoid aglycones, the degradation rates of daidzein, genistein, glycitein, and kaempferol, following incubation with selected strains, were monitored. The results showed that the five selected strains of bifidobacteria, being active in the biotranformation of flavonoid glycosides occurring in common bean seeds and seedlings, could be considered as probiotic dietary adjuncts to improve the nutritional and health properties of flavonoid-based products, comprising hypothetical common bean food derivatives.     

Evaluation of the influence of thermal oxidation on the phenolic composition and on the antioxidant activity of extra-virgin olive oils

A comparison between the results obtained by using HPLC-UV, HPLC-MS, and CE-UV for characterizing the deterioration of extra-virgin olive oil during heating (180 degrees C) was investigated, taking into account phenolic compounds. The concentration of several compounds belonging to four families of phenols (simple phenols, lignans, complex phenols, and phenolic acids) was determined in the samples after the thermal treatment by all three techniques. Hydroxytyrosol, elenolic acid, decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycon, and oleuropein aglycon reduced their concentration with the thermal treatment more quickly than other phenolic compounds present in olive oil. HYTY-Ac and Lig Agl were demonstrated to be quite resistant to this kind of treatment, and the behavior of lignans could be outstanding, as they belong to the family most resistant to thermal treatment. Several "unknown" compounds were determined in the phenolic profiles of the oils after the thermal treatment, and their presence was confirmed in refined olive oils. The oxidative stability index (OSI time) was reduced from 25 to 5 h after 3 h of heating, whereas the peroxide value showed a minimum after 1 h of heating.     

Monovarietal extra virgin olive oils: correlation between thermal properties and chemical composition

Thermal properties of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils were evaluated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (upon cooling) and related to their chemical composition (triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, total and free fatty acids, oxidation status). The overall crystallization enthalpy did not significantly differ among samples and did not account for the differences observed in chemical compositions. On the contrary, a higher degree of unsaturation in the lipid profile induced a shift of the crystallization onset towards lower temperatures and narrowing of the crystallization temperature range. The presence of triacylglycerol lysis and lipid oxidation products shifted the crystallization towards higher temperatures and the phase transition developed over a larger temperature range. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms were deconvoluted into three constituent exothermic peaks for all samples. The area of the two lower-temperature exotherms was found to be statistically correlated with the amount of triunsaturated and monosaturated triacylglycerols present in the oil. Thermal properties of extra virgin olive oil were found to be affected by oil chemical composition.     

LC/ESI/MS method for the quantitative detection of guazatine residues in cereals

Guazatine is a fungicide used in agriculture to control a wide range of seed-borne diseases of cereals and other vegetable foods. In this work, a LC-ESI-MS method was developed for the quantitative detection of guazatine residues in maize and hard wheat. Quantitative data were determined for the residues of the main diamines, triamines, and tetramines that cover more than 87% of the total contents of the mixture. The mean recoveries from the fortified cereals at 0.050 mg/kg ranged from 81 to 86%, with the coefficients of variation (CVs) ranging from 0.9 to 5.5% (n = 5). At 0.025 mg/kg, the recoveries ranged from 78 to 87%, with the CVs ranging from 0.8 to 6.3% (n = 5). The limits of quantification have been estimated to be 0.010, 0.004, 0.002, 0.002, 0.005, and 0.002 mg/kg, respectively, for GN, GG, GNG, GGN, GGG, and GGGG in maize and hard wheat (S/N ratio >10).     

Tracking Cooper pairs in a cuprate superconductor by ultrafast angle-resolved photoemission

In high-temperature superconductivity, the process that leads to the formation of Cooper pairs, the fundamental charge carriers in any superconductor, remains mysterious. We used a femtosecond laser pump pulse to perturb superconducting Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+δ) and studied subsequent dynamics using time- and angle-resolved photoemission and infrared reflectivity probes. Gap and quasiparticle population dynamics revealed marked dependencies on both excitation density and crystal momentum. Close to the d-wave nodes, the superconducting gap was sensitive to the pump intensity, and Cooper pairs recombined slowly. Far from the nodes, pumping affected the gap only weakly, and recombination processes were faster. These results demonstrate a new window into the dynamical processes that govern quasiparticle recombination and gap formation in cuprates.