Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2016-11-23"
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- Sonophoresis efficiency: consequences of methyl donors supplementation at early developmental stage in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Effects on growth, nutrient metabolism, egg and larval quality, and methylation patterns of larvae and juvenile fishPublication . Lopes, André Casimiro Carvalho; Engrola, Sofia Alexandra DiasIt is essential that the vegetable ingredients that will be use in Aquaculture feeds can maintain the growth parameters in fish when compared with the fish meal diets. Studies have shown that the replacement may be achieved until a certain level without affecting the growth parameters. Sometimes the vegetable diets lack essential amino acids that need to be supplemented in the feeds, one of the amino acids that sometimes is lacking is the Methionine. In this study the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, L. 1758) eggs were supplemented with Methionine to understand if the supplementation had an effect in the larvae growth. The supplementation was performing using the innovative technique Sonophoresis. The amount of Methionine that entered the supplemented eggs was 33.1- fold higher than in the eggs that were not supplemented. Due to the supplementation the oil globule area of the larvae of the treatment MET was higher in the 2 and 4 days after hatching (DAH), also the dry weight was higher in the larvae of treatment MET during the first week. After the first week the larvae of both treatments presented similar growth parameters so a later supplementation was planned and performed at 57 DAH. This second supplementation was done using a Vegetable feed (VEG) supplemented with methionine. At the end of the experiment the juveniles that were from the eggs supplemented and were fed with VEG diet (METVEG) presented higher condition factor (K). In conclusion the Sonophoresis technique was a success, which allowed the alteration of the composition of the egg with the methionine, the early supplementation was able to promote growth in gilthead seabream larvae. The VEG diet did not negatively affected the survival and promoted fish to achieve similar weight to the FM diet.
- The role of vitamin K in osteoarthritisPublication . Pereira, Carla Margarida da Silva; Simes, DinaOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most frequent chronic rheumatic disease, affecting approximately 15% of the population, with a higher prevalence among the elderly; occurring in synovial joints such as the hips, knees and the ankle. This condition develops when the joint organ homeostasis is affected, causing abnormal remodeling of the articular tissues, leading to degradation of the cartilage, thickening of the subchondral bone, formation of osteophytes and variable degrees of inflammation. The burden of OA clinically characterized by chronic pain and significant disability is high, and only few nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment options are available, mostly focused on providing symptomatic relief and showing limited efficacy and several side effects. The research on this disease in need for novel therapeutic alternatives has increased and lately is becoming fully recognized that joint’s calcification and the crosstalk with inflammation should be considered as an OA therapeutic target. In this context, vitamin K has been recognized as playing multifunctional roles that may modulate the pathogenesis of the disease. Vitamin K acts as an essential coenzyme in the post-translational modification of specific glutamic acid residues (Glu) into γ-carboxyglutamic acid residues (Gla) in target proteins, known as vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs), to make them biologically active. Mineral-related Gla proteins, have been proposed as regulators of cell differentiation and inhibitors of mineralization in articular systems, so impairment in their γ-carboxylation status should have an impact in joint’s health, showing a plausible rationale for the connection of vitamin K through the OA stages. This old vitamin is now presented in a new perspective, with emerged value in human’s health, crucial in the prevention of pathological calcification and an important protective tool against inflammation and oxidative stress; revealing a promising potential as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent in OA.