Suckling behaviour of Nelore, Gir and Caracu calves and their crosses

It is reasonable to assume that the knowledge of suckling behaviour contributes to optimal management and selection of beef cattle. However, there is little information about suckling behaviour of some beef cattle breeds. The aim of this study was to describe the suckling behaviour of two zebu (Bos indicus) and one criollo (Bos taurus) breeds, analysing the potential effects of breed and some environmental factors on suckling frequency and duration. Forty cows, 17 Nelore, 14 Gir (both zebu) and 9 Caracu (criollo) were bred in a diallelic crossing design. The cows and resulting calves were kept on pasture from birth to weaning. Their behaviour was recorded weekly during daylight. Three behavioural traits were considered: number of suckling meals (NSM), duration of each suckling meal (DSM) and total suckling duration (TSD). Allosuckling was not observed. The calves suckled at any time during the daylight and the overall means were: NSM = 2.57 +/- 0.05 meals/12 h (from back transformed data), DSM = 9.25 +/- 0.11 min/suckling meal and TSD = 23.76 +/- 0.47 min/12 h. There was an effect of dam's breed on NSM and DSM; the calf's genetic group within breed of cow influenced NSM and TSD when the dams were from the Nelore breed. The age of calf had significant effects on all traits. Males averaged higher NSM and TSD (2.60 +/- 0.03 meals and 25.05 +/- 1.37 min/12 h, respectively) than females (2.12 +/- 0.04 meals and 21.51 +/- 1.55 min/12 h, respectively). The differences in suckling behaviour seem to be produced by a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors, which result in a particular behavioural relationship within mother-offspring pairs. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of Agaricus blazei ss. Heinemann (A. brasiliensis) on different casing layers and environments

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Enraizamento de estacas de Ginkgo biloba tratadas com ácido indolbutírico e ácido bórico

Objetivou-se neste trabalho estudar o efeito do ácido indolbutírico (AIB) e do ácido bórico (B) no enraizamento de estacas de Ginkgo biloba. em estacas com duas folhas, medindo 15 cm de comprimento foram provocadas duas lesões na base de aproximadamente 2 cm, expondo o câmbio e procedeu-se à imersão por 10 segundos no tratamento correspondente, AIB (0, 1000, 2000 e 3000 mg L-1) na ausência ou presença de B (0 e 150 mg L-1). em seguida foram colocadas para enraizar em bandejas de polipropileno contendo areia lavada. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados num fatorial 4X2, com seis repetições. Foram avaliadas porcentagem de estacas enraizadas, estacas não enraizadas e mortas, diâmetro e comprimento das raízes, aos 70 dias do tratamento. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância sendo previamente testados para normalidade pelo Teste de Shapiro-Wilk. As médias foram comparadas pelo Teste de Tukey. Os tratamentos com 2000 mg L-1 de AIB foram superiores à ausência de AIB (80,55% vs. 55,56%, respectivamente), não diferindo dos demais tratamentos. A utilização de B não afetou a taxa de enraizamento, de estacas não enraizadas e mortas, não havendo interação entre a concentração de AIB e a utilização ou não de B. O diâmetro e o comprimento das raízes não foram afetados pela utilização de AIB e B.

Estudo da adsorção de hidrogênio e sulfeto na superfície de paládio: aspectos experimentais (eletroquímica) e teóricos (ab initio e Teoria do Funcional da Densidade)

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

Optimization of acid hydrolysis from the hemicellulosic fraction of Eucalyptus grandis residue using response surface methodology

Biotechnological conversion of biomass into fuels and chemicals requires hydrolysis of the polysaccharide fraction into monomeric sugars. Hydrolysis can be performed enzymatically and with dilute or concentrate mineral acids. The present study used dilute sulfuric acid as a catalyst for hydrolysis of Eucalyptus grandis residue. The purpose of this paper was to optimize the hydrolysis process in a 1.41 pilot-scale reactor and investigate the effects of the acid concentration, temperature and residue/acid solution ratio on the hemicellulose removal and consequently on the production of sugars (xylose, glucose and arabinose) as well as on the formation of by-products (furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and acetic acid). This study was based on a model composition corresponding to a 2 3 orthogonal factorial design and employed the response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the hydrolysis conditions, aiming to attain maximum xylose extraction from hemicellulose of residue. The considered optimum conditions were: H2SO4 concentration of 0.65%, temperature of 157 degrees C and residue/acid solution ratio of 1/8.6 with a reaction time of 20 min. Under these conditions, 79.6% of the total xylose was removed and the hydrolysate contained 1.65 g/l glucose, 13.65 g/l xylose, 1.55 g/l arabinose, 3.10 g/l acetic acid, 1.23 g/l furfural and 0.20 g/l 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of epidural administration of dexmedetomidine on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs

Objective-To evaluate the effects of epidural administration of 3 doses of dexmedetomidine on isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and characterize changes in bispectral index (BIS) induced by nociceptive stimulation used for MAC determination in dogs.Animals-6 adult dogs.Procedures-Isoflurane-anesthetized dogs received physiologic saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control treatment) or dexmedetomidine (1.5 [DEX1.5], 3.0 [DEX3], or 6.0 [DEX6] mu g/kg) epidurally in a crossover study. Isoflurane MAC (determined by use of electrical nociceptive stimulation of the hind limb) was targeted to be accomplished at 2 and 4.5 hours. Changes in BIS attributable to nociceptive stimulation and cardiopulmonary data were recorded at each MAC determination.Results-With the control treatment, mean +/- SD MAC values did not change over time (1.57 +/- 0.23% and 1.55 +/- 0.25% at 2 and 4.5 hours, respectively). Compared with the control treatment, MAC was significantly lower at 2 hours (13% reduction) but not at 4.5 hours (7% reduction) in DEX1.5-treated dogs and significantly lower at 2 hours (29% reduction) and 4.5 hours (13% reduction) in DEX3-treated dogs. The DEX6 treatment yielded the greatest MAC reduction (31 % and 22% at 2 and 4.5 hours, respectively). During all treatments, noxious stimulation increased BIS; but changes in BIS were correlated with increases in electromyographic activity.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-In dogs, epidural administration of dexmedetomidine resulted in dose-dependent decreases in isoflurane MAC and that effect decreased over time, Changes in BIS during MAC determinations may not represent increased awareness because of the possible interference of electromyographic activity.

Supraphysiological Triiodothyronine Doses Diminish Leptin and Adiponectin Gene Expression, but do not Alter Resistin Expression in Calorie Restricted Obese Rats

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

Risk factors for acquisition of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among patients from a burn unit in Brazil

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important agent of colonization and infection in burn units. in order to identify risk factors for MRSA acquisition in a Brazilian burn unit, we performed two retrospective studies. In the first ("cohort" study), 175 patients who were not colonized with MRSA on admission were followed to assess risk factors for MRSA acquisition. in the second ("case-case-control" study), 143 individuals from the previous study who were negative for both MRSA and Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) on admission were followed. Case-control studies were performed to investigate risk factors for MRSA and MSSA acquisition. MRSA and MSSA were recovered from 75 and 23 patients, respectively. In the "cohort" study, only the number of wound excisions (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.55, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.21-1.98, P = 0.001) was associated with MRSA acquisition. in the "case-case-control" study, burns involving head (OR=3.43, 95%CI = 1.50-7.81, P = 0.003) and the number of wound excisions (OR = 1.83, 95%CI = 1.27-2.63, P = 0.001) were significant risk factors for MRSA. Burns involving perineum were negatively associated with MSSA acquisition (OR = 0.16, 95%CI = 0.03-0.75, P = 0.02). In conclusion, the acquisition of MRSA was related to the site of the burn and to the surgical manipulation of tissues, but not to the use of antimicrobials. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Dinâmica do peso e da condição corporal e eficiência reprodutiva de ovelhas da raça Santa Inês e mestiças Santa Inês-Suffolk submetidas a dois sistemas de alimentação em intervalos entre partos de 8 meses

O trabalho teve como objetivo comparar a eficiência produtiva e reprodutiva de ovelhas em dois sistemas de alimentação. Noventa e oito matrizes da raça Santa Inês e trinta e nove mestiças Suffolk (3/4 Suffolk + 1/4 Santa Inês) foram divididas em dois tratamentos: tratamento 1 (T1) - mantidas em pastagem, com suplementação de silagem de capim elefante na seca invernal, e tratamento 2 (T2) -mantidas em pastagem, com suplementação de silagem de capim elefante na seca invernal e de concentrado três semanas antes e durante a estação de monta, três semanas antes do parto e durante a lactação. Verificou-se diferença (P<0,05) entre peso inicial (PI) (52,5kg e 54,33kg), e peso final (PF) (53,38kg e 55,76kg) para T1 e T2, respectivamente. Houve efeito de genótipo (P<0,05), sendo PI 51,46 kg para a raça Santa Inês (SI) e 55,38kg para as mestiças Santa Inês-Suffolk (SF). Para PF, observou-se 52,36kg para a Santa Inês e 56,78kg na mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk. O peso pré-parto (PPP) diferiu (P<0,05) apenas entre as estações, tendo sido de 65,23kg na estação reprodutiva I (2 a 4/2002), 58,15kg na estação reprodutiva II (10 a 12/2002) e 59,73kg na estação reprodutiva III (6 a 8/2003). No peso pós-parto (PPART), também ocorreram diferenças (P<0,05) entre a raça Santa Inês (53,59kg) e a mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk (57,05kg); no peso aos 30 dias de lactação (P30d) a Santa Inês registrou 52,94kg e a mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk 55,45kg. O peso aos 70 dias (P70d) de lactação foi para a Santa Inês de 50,83kg e de 53,22 kg para a mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk; e o peso aos 100dias (P100d) de lactação foi de 51,55kg e de 53,61kg para a Santa Inês e para a mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk, respectivamente. A condição corporal inicial (CCI) foi maior (P<0,05) para o T2 2,47 do que para o T1 2,16. Na condição corporal final (CCF), 2,19 e 2,6, respectivamente para T1 e T2, mas os tratamentos não diferiram na condição corporal pré-parto (CCPP). A CCI 2,4 para a mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk foi (P<0,05) em relação a Santa Inês 2,22. A CCF da mestiça Santa Inês-Suffolk de 2,49 também foi maior (P<0,05) que da Santa Inês que obteve 2,3, mas não diferiram na CCPP. em relação as três estações reprodutivas, apenas na estação I a CCI 2,55, CCF 2,8 e a CCPP 3,03 foram maiores (P<0,05). Já as estações reprodutivas II= 2,47 e III= 2,1 diferiram somente na CCPP que foi menor na estação III. Na estação I e T1 ambos os genótipos obtiveram 72,5% de fertilidade e o T2 apresentou para as mestiças Santa Inês-Suffolk 77% e para a Santa Inês 88%. Na estação II o T1 obteve para as mestiças Santa Inês-Suffolk 42% e para as Santa Inês 38% e o T2 resultou em 56 e 50% para as mestiças Santa Inês-Suffolk e Santa Inês respectivamente. Na estação III a fertilidade do T1 foi para as mestiças 60% e para as Santa Inês 54% e o T2 87% e 76% para as mestiças e Santa Inês respectivamente. Encontrou-se diferença na prolificidade, entre os tratamentos, sendo na estação I a prolificidade foi de 1,20 e 1,55, na estação II foi 0,90 e 1,03 e na estação III obteve-se 1,11 e 1,14, respectivamente para o T1 e T2. Concluiu-se que a suplementação melhorou o desempenho reprodutivo das ovelhas.

Características e potencial tecnológico da carne da capivara

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

Biomechanical evaluation of internal and external hexagon platform switched implant-abutment connections: An in vitro laboratory and three-dimensional finite element analysis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Dental caries of lifetime residents in Baixo Guandu, Brazil, fluoridated since 1953: a brief communication

Objectives: This study aimed to verify the dental caries prevalence in Baixo Guandu, the first Brazilian city to fluoridate its public water supplies; to compare the findings with the data from the national survey; and also to compare the prevalence in the 12-year-old age group with the data obtained before the beginning of the fluoridation. Methods: All the lifetime residents aged 5, 12, 15 to 19, and 35 to 44 years old were clinically examined (World Health Organization). Results: The means of dmft/DMFT were lower than in the Brazilian population living in fluoridated communities. The DMFT Index in 12-year-old residents decreased between 1953 and 2005 from 8.61 to 1.55. Conclusions: The addition of fluoride to public water supplies was an important ally in the improvement of the oral health of Baixo Guandu inhabitants.

Relationship between lower-limb muscle strength and frailty among elderly people

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: A sarcopenia é o principal fator envolvido no desenvolvimento da síndrome de fragilidade. O objetivo foi investigar a relação entre força muscular de membros inferiores e as variáveis sexo, idade e critérios de fragilidade; comparar a força muscular de membros inferiores com cada critério de fragilidade e verificar seu poder de estimativa do risco para fragilidade em idosos ambulatoriais. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal no Ambulatório de Geriatria de um hospital universitário de Campinas. MÉTODO: Foi avaliada uma amostra de conveniência não-probabilística de 150 idosos de ambos os sexos em acompanhamento ambulatorial, com coleta de dados sócio-demográficos (sexo e idade) e de saúde física (critérios de fragilidade e teste de levantar e sentar da cadeira cinco vezes consecutivamente). Foram realizadas análises descritivas, de comparação e de regressão logística multivariada. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos idosos (77,3%) apresentou idade igual ou superior a 70 anos, com predomínio do sexo feminino (64,0%) e baixo escore no teste de levantar e sentar da cadeira cinco vezes consecutivas (81,4% escore 0 ou 1), 55,3% dos idosos apresentaram três ou mais critérios de fragilidade. Verificou-se associação significativa entre a força muscular de membros inferiores e as variáveis idade e número de critérios de fragilidade. CONCLUSÕES: Menores níveis de força muscular de membros inferiores estão associados a idade avançada e maior presença de sinais de fragilidade. Além disso, a força muscular de membros inferiores também está associada com os critérios redução da velocidade de marcha e da força de preensão palmar.

Seasonal metabolic depression, substrate utilisation and changes in scaling patterns during the first year cycle of tegu lizards (Tupinambis merianae)

The tegus increase in body mass after hatching until early autumn, when the energy intake becomes gradually reduced. Resting rates of oxygen consumption in winter drop to 20% of the values in the active season (Vo(2)=0.0636 ml g(-1) h(-1)) and are nearly temperature insensitive over the range of 17-25degreesC (Q(10)=1.55). During dormancy, plasma glucose levels are 60% lower than those in active animals, while total protein, total lipids and beta-hydroxybutyrate are elevated by 24%, 43% and 113%, respectively. In addition, a significant depletion of liver carbohydrate (50%) and of fat deposited in the visceral fat bodies (24%) and in the tail (25%) and a slight loss of skeletal muscle protein (14%) were measured halfway through the inactive period. Otherwise, glycogen content is increased 4-fold in the brain and 2.3-fold in the heart of dormant lizards, declining by the onset of arousal. During early arousal, the young tegus are still anorexic, although Vo(2) is significantly greater than winter rates. The fat deposits analysed are further reduced (62% and 45%, respectively) and there is a large decrease in tail muscle protein (50%) together with a significant increase in glycogen (2-3-fold) and an increase in plasma glucose (40%), which suggests a role for gluconeogenesis as a supplementary energy source in arousing animals. No change is detectable in citrate synthase activity, but beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase activities are strongly affected by season, reaching a Mold and 5-fold increase in the liver tissue of winter and arousing animals, respectively, and becoming reduced by half in skeletal muscle and heart of winter animals compared with late fall or spring active individuals. From hatching to late autumn, the increase of the fat body mass relatively to body mass is disproportionate (b=1.44), and the mass exponent changes significantly to close to 1.0 during the fasting period. The concomitant shift in the Vo(2) mass exponent in early autumn (b=0.75) to values significantly greater than 1.0 in late autumn and during winter dormancy indicates an allometric effect on the degree of metabolic depression related to the size of the fat stores and suggests greater energy conservation in the smaller young.

Diagnóstico de hemoglobinopatias em recém-nascidos do Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto-SP

The neonatal period is considered the most effective for the screening of hemoglobinopathies. This allows prophylaxis and prevention, improving the patient's survival and guidance of parents and heterozygote carriers. The present work aims at the early detection of abnormal hemoglobins, the establishment of standard analysis and to examine the viability of the prevention program. Blood samples were collected by heel stick and from blood cord of children born in the Hospital de Base São José do Rio Preto, from April 1998 to November 1999. Electrophoresis and cytological, biochemical, cromatographic analyses were made for abnormal hemoglobin characterization. A total of 1,478 neonatal blood samples were analyzed in which 14.62% presented with hemoglobins alterations: 3.32% had Hb S; 0.61% had Hb C; 7.44% were suggestive of alpha thalassemia; 1.55% were suggestive of beta thalassemia, and 1.70% had alpha/beta thalassemia interactions. The samples collected from the blood cord showed better results in all analyses while the blood samples collected by heel stick on filter paper, were applicable to only specific methodologies. The routine laboratory methods allowed identification of the thalassemic and variant forms, and isoelectric focusing presented sensitivity only for variant identification in this age range. The suspected cases were reassessed after six months, which permitted genetic counseling of their family members and clinic attendance. A multidisciplinary approach in programs of this kind is fundamental for its success.