Nutritive value and apparent digestibility of bee-collected and bee- stored pollen in the stingless bee, Scaptotrigona postica Latr. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

In Meliponini bees, pollen is stored inside the hive. We compared the nutritional value and apparent digestibility of bee-collected and bee-stored pollen of Scaptotrigona postica. The results showed no differences in nutritional value and apparent digestibility between bee-collected and bee- stored pollen, suggesting that the storage process of pollen grains do not play a role in these parameters. These results are discussed in relation to other aspects of pollen storage, such as food conservation and/or organoleptic properties of stored pollen.

Prediction of crude protein digestibility of animal by-product meals for dogs by the protein solubility in pepsin method

Animal by-product meals have large variability in crude protein (CP) content and digestibility. In vivo digestibility procedures are precise but laborious, and in vitro methods could be an alternative to evaluate and classify these ingredients. The present study reports prediction equations to estimate the CP digestibility of meat and bone meal (MBM) and poultry by-product meal (PM) using the protein solubility in pepsin method (PSP). Total tract CP digestibility of eight MBM and eight PM samples was determined in dogs by the substitution method. A basal diet was formulated for dog maintenance, and sixteen diets were produced by mixing 70 % of the basal diet and 30 % of each tested meal. Six dogs per diet were used to determine ingredient digestibility. In addition, PSP of the MBM and PM samples was determined using three pepsin concentrations: 0·02, 0·002 and 0·0002 %. The CP content of MBM and PM ranged from 39 to 46 % and 57 to 69 %, respectively, and their mean CP digestibility by dogs was 76 (2·4) and 85 (2·6) %, respectively. The pepsin concentration with higher Pearson correlation coefficients with the in vivo results were 0·0002 % for MBM (r 0·380; P = 0·008) and 0·02 % for PM (r 0·482; P = 0·005). The relationship between the in vivo and in vitro results was better explained by the following equations: CP digestibility of MBM = 61·7 + 0·2644 × PSP at 0·0002 % (P = 0·008; R (2) 0·126); and CP digestibility of PM = 54·1 + 0·3833 × PSP at 0·02 % (P = 0·005; R (2) 0·216). Although significant, the coefficients of determination were low, indicating that the models were weak and need to be used with caution.

Utility of inline milk fat and protein ratio to diagnose subclinical ketosis and to assign propylene glycol treatment in lactating dairy cows

The objective was to identify a fat-to-protein ratio (FPR) cut-off to diagnose subclinical ketosis (SCK) and to evaluate the effect of propylene glycol (PPG) treatment of cows with high FPR. The optimized cut-off was > 1.42; sensitivity (Se) = 92%; specificity (Sp) = 65%. A cut-off > 1.5 was selected for the PPG trial for balanced Se-Sp. Fat-to-protein ratio cut-offs > 1.25, 1.35, 1.50, 1.60, and 1.70 resulted in Se-Sp of 100% to 49%, 96% to 59%, 75% to 78%, 33% to 90%, and 8% to 96%, respectively. The proportions of cows with FPR > 1.25, 1.35, 1.42, 1.50, 1.60, and 1.70 were 60%, 50%, 44%, 30%, 14%, and 6%, respectively. Incidences of clinical ketosis and milk yield were similar between cows that received 400 mL of PPG (n = 34) and control cows (n = 38). Prevalence of SCK at enrollment was 29.2%; therefore, FPR > 1.5 is not indicated for treatment. Lower cut-offs should be used for screening.

Decaffeinated green tea extract rich in epigallocatechin-3-gallate improves insulin resistance and metabolic profiles in normolipidic diet--but not high-fat diet-fed mice

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Green tea extract rich in epigallocatechin-3-gallate prevents fatty liver by ampk activation via lkb1 in mice fed a high-fat diet

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Combined training (aerobic plus strength) potentiates a reduction in body fat but demonstrates no difference on the lipid profile in postmenopausal women when compared to aerobic training with a similar training load

The aim of this study was to verify the effects of aerobic and combined training on the body composition and lipid profile of obese postmenopausal women and to analyze which of these models is more effective after equalizing the training load. Sixty five postmenopausal women (age=61.0±6.3 years) were divided into three groups: Aerobic Training (AT,n= 15), Combined Training (CT,[strength+aerobic],n=32) and control group (CG,n=18). Their body composition: upper body fat (TF), fat mass (FM), percentage of fat mass and fat free mass (FFM) were estimated by DXA. The lipid profile, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were assessed. There was a statistically significant difference in the TF (AT= -4.4 %, CT= -4.4%, and CG= 1.0%, p= 0.001) and FFM (AT= 1.7%, CT= 2.6%, and CG= -1.4%, p= 0.0001) between the experimental and the control groups. Regarding the percentage of body fat, there was a statistically significant difference only between the CT and CG groups (AT= -2.8%, CT= -3.9% and CG= 0.31%, p= 0.004). When training loads were equalized, the aerobic and combined training decreased core fat and increased fat-free mass, but only the combined training potentiated a reduction in percentage of body fat in obese postmenopausal women after the training program. HDL-c levels increased in the combined group and the chol/HDL ratio (atherogenic index) decreased in the aerobic group, however, there were no significant differences between the intervention programs. Taken together, both the exercise training programs were effective for improving body composition and inducing an anti-atherogenic status.

Histopathological changes in the perivisceral fat body of Rhinocricus padbergi (Diplopoda, Spirobolida) triggered by biosolids

Human activities generate a great amount of sewage daily, which is dumped into the sewer system. After sewage-treatment processes, sewage sludge is generated. Such byproduct can be treated by different methods; the result of treatment is a stabilized compost of reduced pathogenicity that has a similar inorganic chemical composition to the raw sewage sludge. After such pretreatment, sewage sludge is called a biosolids, and it can be used in agriculture. In this contest, the present study evaluated the effects of a sample of biosolids on the perivisceral fat body of a diplopod. These invertebrates are soil organisms that play an important role in the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems, and as a consequence, they are in contact with xenobiotics present in this environmental compartment. Special emphasis is given on the interpretation of the effects of complex mixtures in target organs of diplopods. A semiquantitative analysis for the evaluation of histopathological changes in the perivisceral fat body was proposed. The sample-induced histopathological and ultrastructural changes in individuals exposed to it, and the severity of the effects was positively related to the exposure time, resulting in the deaths of exposed individuals after 90 days. Thus, the results indicate the need for caution in the use of biosolids as well as the need for improving waste management techniques, so they will produce environmentally innocuous final products.

Uso do amido resistente na promoção da saúde intestinal de cães idosos: formação de produtos de fermentação e características histológicas da mucosa intestinal

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Fibra para cães: efeitos sobre o processo de extrusão, digestibilidade, fermentação microbiana, tempo de retenção intestinal e palatabilidade de rações para cães

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Supplementation with protected fat to manage gastro-intestinal nematode infection in Santa Ines sheep

This experiment aimed to determine the influence of supplementation with protected fat on nematode infections in periparturient sheep or sheep in their final stage of pregnancy. Fifty Santa Ines ewes received 200 g of concentrate/animal/day, mineral salt and water and were grouped according to their weight, hematocrit and the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG). Two diets were used: a control treatment and a treatment consisting of supplementation with 30 g/animal/day of protected fat in the concentrate. Three monthly evaluations were performed over a total of 84 days of testing. The variables analyzed were weight, body condition, EPG and coprocultures; blood tests were performed for the determination of packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration and total plasma protein, and leukograms and eosinophil counts were performed. For weight and hemoglobin concentrations, interactions were observed between diet and collection date (P<0.05); body condition, total plasma protein, packed cell volume and total leukocytes did not differ statistically among treatments (P> 0. 05) but did differ by collection day (P <0.05). The EPG and eosinophil counts did not differ statistically by either diet or collection date (P>0.05). The genus Haemonchus was predominant, followed by the genera Cooperia, Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum. The protected fat did not decrease EPG and did not improve the blood parameters of infected sheep.

Óleo funcional na dieta de vacas leiteiras

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Potencial de emulsificação do resíduo do óleo de soja (goma de soja) sobre a digestibilidade de dietas com inclusão de diferentes fontes lipídicas

Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Animal - FEIS

Níveis de carboidratos e lipídios em dietas para juvenis de tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum): variáveis produtivas, fisiológicas e turnover isotópico

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fibra da cana-de-açúcar para suínos pesados em restrição alimentar qualitativa

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Coprodutos do biodiesel na alimentação de cordeiros

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)