This work aimed to evaluate the effect of different alimentary regimes on the dry matter intake, corporal weight variation and reproductive parameters of goats raised in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil. Fifty-six goats were distributed into four treatments: diet 1) caatinga and palm forage; diet 2) caatinga, palm forage and concentrate; diet 3) buffel grass and palm forage; diet 4) buffel grass, palm forage and concentrate. It was observed greater (p<0.05) total weight gain and daily weight gain in the goats which were under buffel grass pasture or caatinga receiving supplementation with palm forage and concentrate. The alimentary regimes promoted the weight gain up to 16 g/animal/day during the dry season. The reproductive performance was not influenced (p>0.05) by the alimentary regimes. In conclusion, diets receiving supplementation with palm forage and concentrate increased the goat's weight gain; however, it did not affect the estrus behavior, parturition rate or prolificity of these females.

Objetivou-se com esse trabalho avaliar o efeito de diferentes regimes alimentares sobre o consumo de matéria seca, variação do peso corporal e os parâmetros reprodutivos de cabras exploradas na região semiárida do Nordeste do Brasil. Foram utilizadas 56 cabras distribuídas homogeneamente em quatro tratamentos: dieta 1) caatinga e palma forrageira; dieta 2) caatinga, palma forrageira e concentrado; dieta 3) capim-buffel e palma forrageira; dieta 4) capim-buffel, palma forrageira e concentrado. Foram observados maiores (p<0,05) ganhos de pesos totais e ganhos médios diários nas cabras que pastejaram capimbuffel ou caatinga recebendo suplementação com palma e concentrado. Os regimes alimentares utilizados possibilitaram ganhos de peso de até 16 g/animal/dia durante o período seco. O desempenho reprodutivo das cabras não foi influenciado (p>0,05) pelos regimes alimentares. Conclui-se que a suplementação com palma e concentrado melhorou o ganho de peso das cabras, no entanto, não influenciou na atividade estral, taxa de parição ou prolificidade dessas fêmeas.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease, representing 15% of all cases of lung cancer, has high metastatic potential and low prognosis that urgently demands the development of novel therapeutic approaches. One of the proposed approaches has been the down-regulation of BCL2, with poorly clarified and controversial therapeutic value regarding SCLC. The use of anti-BCL2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) in SCLC has never been reported. The aim of the present study was to select and test the in vitro efficacy of anti-BCL2 siRNA sequences against the protein and mRNA levels of SCLC cells, and their effects on cytotoxicity and chemosensitization. Two anti-BCL2 siRNAs and the anti-BCL2 G3139 oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) were evaluated in SCLC cells by the simultaneous determination of Bcl-2 and viability using a flow cytometry method recently developed by us in addition to Western blot, real-time reverse-transcription PCR, and cell growth after single and combined treatment with cisplatin. In contrast to previous reports about the use of ODN, a heterogeneous and up to 80% sequence-specific Bcl-2 protein knockdown was observed in the SW2, H2171 and H69 SCLC cell lines, although without significant sequence-specific reduction of cell viability, cell growth, or sensitization to cisplatin. Our results question previous data generated with antisense ODN and supporting the present concept of the therapeutic interest in BCL2 silencing per se in SCLC, and support the growing notion of the necessity of a multitargeting molecular approach for the treatment of cancer.

The aim of the present study was to characterize the interactions of antagonist G (H-Arg-D-Trp-NmePhe-D-Trp-Leu-Met-NH 2)-targeted sterically stabilized liposomes with the human variant small cell lung cancer (SCLC) H82 cell line and to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of encapsulated doxorubicin against this cell line. Variant SCLC tumors are known to be more resistant to chemotherapy than classic SCLC tumors. The cellular association of antagonist G-targeted (radiolabeled) liposomes was 20-30-fold higher than that of non-targeted liposomes. Our data suggest that a maximum of 12,000 antagonist G-targeted liposomes were internalized/cell during 1-h incubation at 37ºC. Confocal microscopy experiments using pyranine-containing liposomes further confirmed that receptor-mediated endocytosis occurred, specifically in the case of targeted liposomes. In any of the previously mentioned experiments, the binding and endocytosis of non-targeted liposomes have revealed to be negligible. The improved cellular association of antagonist G-targeted liposomes, relative to non-targeted liposomes, resulted in an enhanced nuclear delivery (evaluated by fluorimetry) and cytotoxicity of encapsulated doxorubicin for incubation periods as short as 2 h. For an incubation of 2 h, we report IC50 values for targeted and non-targeted liposomes containing doxorubicin of 5.7 ± 3.7 and higher than 200 µM doxorubicin, respectively. Based on the present data, we may infer that receptors for antagonist G were present in H82 tumor cells and could mediate the internalization of antagonist G-targeted liposomes and the intracellular delivery of their content. Antagonist G covalently coupled to liposomal drugs may be promising for the treatment of this aggressive and highly heterogeneous disease.