Accuracy of nonlinear feed formulation for broiler chickens: maximising broiler profit

The modeling technique is simple, useful and practical to calculate optimum nutrient density to maximize profit margins, using nonlinear programming by predictive broiler performance. To demonstrate the influence of the broiler price could interact with nutrient density, the experiment aimed to define the quadratic equations for consumption and weight gain, based on modeling, to be applied to nonlinear programming, according to sex (male and female) in the starter (1 to 21 days), grower (22 to 42 days) and finisher phases (43 to 56 days). The experimental design was a randomized, totaling 6 treatments [energy levels of 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200 and 3300kcal AME/kg with constant nutrient : AME (Apparent Metabolizable Energy)] with 4 replicates and 10 birds per plot, using the program free download PPFR Excel workbook for feed formulation (http://www.foa.unesp.br/downloads/file_detalhes.asp?CatCod=4&SubCatCod=138&FileCod=1677). Data from this trial confirmed that there was a significant relationship between feed intake and total energy consumption of the diet, in which feed intake was increased or decreased simply to keep the amount of energy, with a constant rate of nutrient : AME. Therefore, the data support that if the essential dietary nutrients are kept in proportion to the energy density of the diet, according to the appropriate requirements (male / female) of broilers, the weight and feed conversion are significantly (P<0.05) favored by increasing the energy density of the diet. Thus, it enables the application of models for maximum profit (nonlinear formulation), to estimate the proportion of weight gain most appropriate according to the price paid by the market.

Accurate adjustment of feed formulation for broiler chickens on performance and lipid composition of meat

Most consumers consider the fat of chicken meat undesirable for a healthy diet, due to the high levels of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the influence of changes in dietary metabolizable energy level, associated with a proportional nutrient density variation, on broiler chickens performance and on the lipid composition of meat. Males and females Cobb 500 broilers were evaluated separately. Performance evaluation followed a completely randomized design with factorial 6x3 arrangement - six energy levels (2,800, 2,900, 3,000, 3,100, 3,200 and 3,300 kcal/kg) and three slaughter ages (42, 49 and 56 days). Response surface methodology was used to establish a mathematical model to explain live weight, feed intake and feed conversion behavior. Total lipids and cholesterol were determined in skinned breast meat and in thigh meat, with and without skin. For lipid composition analysis, a 3x3x2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design - three ration’s metabolizable energy levels (2,800, 3,000 and 3,300 kcal/kg), three slaughter ages (42, 49 and 56 days) and two sexes - was used. The reduction in the diet metabolizable energy up to close to 3,000 kcal/kg did not affect live weight but, below this value, the live weight decreased. Feed intake was lower when the dietary energy level was higher. Feed conversion was favored in a direct proportion to the increase of the energy level of the diet. The performance of all birds was within the range considered appropriate for the lineage. Breast meat had less total lipids and cholesterol than thigh meat. Thigh with skin had more than the double of total lipids of skinned thigh, but the cholesterol content did not differ with the removal of the skin, suggesting that cholesterol content is not associated with the subcutaneous fat. Intramuscular fat content was lower in the meat from birds fed diets with lower energy level. These results may help to define the most appropriate nutritional management. Despite the decrease in bird’s productive performance, the restriction of energy in broiler chickens feed may be a viable alternative, if the consumers are willing to pay more for meat with less fat.

Sensitivity of Eisenia andrei (Annelida, Oligochaeta) to a commercial formulation of abamectin in avoidance tests with artificial substrate and natural soil under tropical conditions

Obtaining ecotoxicological data on pesticides in tropical regions is imperative for performing more realistic risk analysis, and avoidance tests have been proposed as a useful, fast and cost-effective tool. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the avoidance behavior of Eisenia andrei to a formulated product, Vertimec(A (R)) 18 EC (a.i abamectin), in tests performed on a reference tropical artificial soil (TAS), to derive ecotoxicological data on tropical conditions, and a natural soil (NS), simulating crop field conditions. In TAS tests an adaptation of the substrate recommended by OECD and ISO protocols was used, with residues of coconut fiber as a source of organic matter. Concentrations of the pesticide on TAS test ranged from 0 to 7 mg abamectin/kg (dry weight-d.w.). In NS tests, earthworms were exposed to samples of soils sprayed in situ with: 0.9 L of Vertimec(A (R)) 18 EC/ha (RD); twice as much this dosage (2RD); and distilled water (Control), respectively, and to 2RD: control dilutions (12.5, 25, 50, 75%). All tests were performed under 25 +/- A 2A degrees C, to simulate tropical conditions, and a 12hL:12hD photoperiod. The organisms avoided contaminated TAS for an EC50,48h = 3.918 mg/kg soil d.w., LOEC = 1.75 mg/kg soil d.w. and NOEC = 0.85 mg/kg soil d.w. No significant avoidance response occurred for any NS test. Abamectin concentrations in NS were rather lower than EC50, 48h and LOEC determined in TAS tests. The results obtained contribute to overcome a lack of ecotoxicological data on pesticides under tropical conditions, but more tests with different soil invertebrates are needed to improve pesticides risk analysis.

The viewpoint of health professionals on the role of basic units in the healthcare network of the Brazilian Unified Health System

In the process of creation of the Unified Health System (SUS) as a universal policy seeking to ensure comprehensive care, unscheduled assistance in primary healthcare units (UBS) is an unresolved challenge. The scope of this paper is to analyze the viewpoint of health professionals on the role of primary healthcare units in meeting this demand. It is a transversal study of qualitative data obtained through questionnaires and interviews with 106 medical practitioners from 6 emergency medical services and 190 professionals from 30 units. They explained why people seek emergency care for occurrences pertaining to primary care. The content analysis technique with thematic categories was used for data analysis. Lack of resources and problems with primary health unit work processes (50.8%) were the reasons most frequently cited by emergency care physicians to explain this inadequate demand. Only 33.3% of the health unit professionals agreed that these occurrences should be attended in the primary healthcare services. The limited viewpoint of the role of health services on the unscheduled care, particularly among primary care professionals, possibly leads to restrictive practices for access by the population.

EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF A CASTOR-OIL BASED FORMULATION IN LIMITING PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN STRAWBERRY CROPS

A study was made to evaluate the effect of a castor oil-based detergent on strawberry crops treated with different classes of pesticides, namely deltamethrin, folpet, tebuconazole, abamectin and mancozeb, in a controlled environment. Experimental crops of greenhouse strawberries were cultivated in five different ways with control groups using pesticides and castor oil-based detergent. The results showed that the group 2, which was treated with castor oil-based detergent, presented the lowest amount of pesticide residues and the highest quality of fruit produced.

Fuzzy Connectedness Image Segmentation in Graph Cut Formulation: A Linear-Time Algorithm and a Comparative Analysis

A deep theoretical analysis of the graph cut image segmentation framework presented in this paper simultaneously translates into important contributions in several directions. The most important practical contribution of this work is a full theoretical description, and implementation, of a novel powerful segmentation algorithm, GC(max). The output of GC(max) coincides with a version of a segmentation algorithm known as Iterative Relative Fuzzy Connectedness, IRFC. However, GC(max) is considerably faster than the classic IRFC algorithm, which we prove theoretically and show experimentally. Specifically, we prove that, in the worst case scenario, the GC(max) algorithm runs in linear time with respect to the variable M=|C|+|Z|, where |C| is the image scene size and |Z| is the size of the allowable range, Z, of the associated weight/affinity function. For most implementations, Z is identical to the set of allowable image intensity values, and its size can be treated as small with respect to |C|, meaning that O(M)=O(|C|). In such a situation, GC(max) runs in linear time with respect to the image size |C|. We show that the output of GC(max) constitutes a solution of a graph cut energy minimization problem, in which the energy is defined as the a"" (a) norm ayenF (P) ayen(a) of the map F (P) that associates, with every element e from the boundary of an object P, its weight w(e). This formulation brings IRFC algorithms to the realm of the graph cut energy minimizers, with energy functions ayenF (P) ayen (q) for qa[1,a]. Of these, the best known minimization problem is for the energy ayenF (P) ayen(1), which is solved by the classic min-cut/max-flow algorithm, referred to often as the Graph Cut algorithm. We notice that a minimization problem for ayenF (P) ayen (q) , qa[1,a), is identical to that for ayenF (P) ayen(1), when the original weight function w is replaced by w (q) . Thus, any algorithm GC(sum) solving the ayenF (P) ayen(1) minimization problem, solves also one for ayenF (P) ayen (q) with qa[1,a), so just two algorithms, GC(sum) and GC(max), are enough to solve all ayenF (P) ayen (q) -minimization problems. We also show that, for any fixed weight assignment, the solutions of the ayenF (P) ayen (q) -minimization problems converge to a solution of the ayenF (P) ayen(a)-minimization problem (ayenF (P) ayen(a)=lim (q -> a)ayenF (P) ayen (q) is not enough to deduce that). An experimental comparison of the performance of GC(max) and GC(sum) algorithms is included. This concentrates on comparing the actual (as opposed to provable worst scenario) algorithms' running time, as well as the influence of the choice of the seeds on the output.

GENERALIZED FINITE ELEMENT METHOD ON NONCONVENTIONAL HYBRID-MIXED FORMULATION

The generalized finite element method (GFEM) is applied to a nonconventional hybrid-mixed stress formulation (HMSF) for plane analysis. In the HMSF, three approximation fields are involved: stresses and displacements in the domain and displacement fields on the static boundary. The GFEM-HMSF shape functions are then generated by the product of a partition of unity associated to each field and the polynomials enrichment functions. In principle, the enrichment can be conducted independently over each of the HMSF approximation fields. However, stability and convergence features of the resulting numerical method can be affected mainly by spurious modes generated when enrichment is arbitrarily applied to the displacement fields. With the aim to efficiently explore the enrichment possibilities, an extension to GFEM-HMSF of the conventional Zienkiewicz-Patch-Test is proposed as a necessary condition to ensure numerical stability. Finally, once the extended Patch-Test is satisfied, some numerical analyses focusing on the selective enrichment over distorted meshes formed by bilinear quadrilateral finite elements are presented, thus showing the performance of the GFEM-HMSF combination.

Evaluation of the performance of a castor-oil based formulation in limiting pesticide residues in strawberry crops

A study was made to evaluate the effect of a castor oil-based detergent on strawberry crops treated with different classes of pesticides, namely deltamethrin, folpet, tebuconazole, abamectin and mancozeb, in a controlled environment. Experimental crops of greenhouse strawberries were cultivated in five different ways with control groups using pesticides and castor oil-based detergent. The results showed that the group 2, which was treated with castor oil-based detergent, presented the lowest amount of pesticide residues and the highest quality of fruit produced.

A Unified Framework for e-Commerce Systems Development : Business Process Pattern Perspective

In electronic commerce, systems development is based on two fundamental types of models, business models and process models. A business model is concerned with value exchanges among business partners, while a process model focuses on operational and procedural aspects of business communication. Thus, a business model defines the what in an e-commerce system, while a process model defines the how. Business process design can be facilitated and improved by a method for systematically moving from a business model to a process model. Such a method would provide support for traceability, evaluation of design alternatives, and seamless transition from analysis to realization. This work proposes a unified framework that can be used as a basis to analyze, to interpret and to understand different concepts associated at different stages in e-Commerce system development. In this thesis, we illustrate how UN/CEFACT’s recommended metamodels for business and process design can be analyzed, extended and then integrated for the final solutions based on the proposed unified framework. Also, as an application of the framework, we demonstrate how process-modeling tasks can be facilitated in e-Commerce system design. The proposed methodology, called BP3 stands for Business Process Patterns Perspective. The BP3 methodology uses a question-answer interface to capture different business requirements from the designers. It is based on pre-defined process patterns, and the final solution is generated by applying the captured business requirements by means of a set of production rules to complete the inter-process communication among these patterns.

Optimization of thin noise barrier designs using Evolutionary Algorithms and a Dual BEM Formulation

[EN]This works aims at assessing the acoustic efficiency of differente this noise barrier models. These designs frequently feature complex profiles and their implementarion in shape optimization processes may not always be easy in terms of determining their topological feasibility. A methodology to conduct both overall shape and top edge optimisations of thin cross section acoustic barriers by idealizing them as profiles with null boundary thickness is proposed.

Conjugation of Toll Like Receptor 7 agonist through conjugation to immunogenic proteins. Synthesis, characterization, formulation and pre-clinical evaluation

The next generation of vaccine adjuvant are represented by a wide ranging set of molecules called Toll like agonists (TLR’s). Although many of these molecules are complex structures extracted from microorganisms, small molecule TLR agonists have also been identified. However, delivery systems have not been optimized to allow their effective delivery in conjunction with antigens. Here we describe a novel approach in which a small molecule TLR agonist has been conjugated directly to antigens to ensure effective co delivery. We describe the conjugation of a relevant protein, a recombinant protective antigen from S.pneumoniae (RrgB), which is linked to a TLR7 agonist. Following thorough characterization to ensure there was no aggregation, the conjugate was evaluated in a murine infection model. Results showed that the conjugate extended animals’ survival after lethal challenge with S.pneumoniae. Comparable results were obtained with a 10 fold lower dose than that of the native unconjugated antigen. Notably, the animals immunized with the same dose of unconjugated TLR7 agonist and antigen showed no adjuvant effect. The increased immunogenicity was likely a consequence of the co-localization of TLR7 agonist and antigen by chemical binding and is was more effective than simple co-administration. Likely, this approach can be adopted to reduce the dose of antigen required to induce protective immunity, and potentially increase the safety of a broad variety of vaccine candidates

Silk Fibroin: a biopolymer platform for innovative pharmaceutical formulation and biomedical devices.

The protein silk fibroin (SF) from the silkworm Bombyx mori is a FDA-approved biomaterial used over centuries as sutures wire. Importantly, several evidences highlighted the potential of silk biomaterials obtained by using so-called regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) in biomedicine, tissue engineering and drug delivery. Indeed, by a water-based protocol, it is possible to obtain protein water-solution, by extraction and purification of fibroin from silk fibres. Notably, RSF can be processed in a variety of biomaterials forms used in biomedical and technological fields, displaying remarkable properties such as biocompatibility, controllable biodegradability, optical transparency, mechanical robustness. Moreover, RSF biomaterials can be doped and/or chemical functionalized with drugs, optically active molecules, growth factors and/or chemicals In this view, activities of my PhD research program were focused to standardize the process of extraction and purification of protein to get the best physical and chemical characteristics. The analysis of the chemo-physical properties of the fibroin involved both the RSF water-solution and the protein processed in film. Chemo-physical properties have been studied through: vibrational (FT-IR and Raman-FT) and optical (absorption and emission UV-VIS) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C NMR), thermal analysis and thermo-gravimetric scan (DSC and TGA). In the last year of my PhD, activities were focused to study and define innovative methods of functionalization of the silk fibroin solution and films. Indeed, research program was the application of different methods of manufacturing approaches of the films of fibroin without the use of harsh treatments and organic solvents. New approaches to doping and chemical functionalization of the silk fibroin were studied. Two different methods have been identified: 1) biodoping that consists in the doping of fibroin with optically active molecules through the addition of fluorescent molecules in the standard diet used for the breeding of silkworms; 2) chemical functionalization via silylation.

Synthesis, characterization and formulation of a cathode active material: Copper nitroprusside

Nowadays, rechargeable Li-ion batteries play an important role in portable consumer devices. Formulation of such batteries is improvable by researching new cathodic materials that present higher performances of cyclability and negligible efficiency loss over cycles. Goal of this work was to investigate a new cathodic material, copper nitroprusside, which presents a porous 3D framework. Synthesis was carried out by a low-cost and scalable co-precipitation method. Subsequently, the product was characterized by means of different techniques, such as TGA, XRF, CHN elemental analysis, XRD, Mössbauer spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical tests were finally performed both in coin cells and by using in situ cells: on one hand, coin cells allowed different formulations to be easily tested, on the other operando cycling led a deeper insight to insertion process and both chemical and physical changes. Results of several tests highlighted a non-reversible electrochemical behavior of the material and a rapid capacity fading over time. Moreover, operando techniques report that amorphisation occurs during the discharge.

Clinical and antibacterial effect of an anti-inflammatory toothpaste formulation with Scutellaria baicalensis extract on experimental gingivitis

It was the aim of the study to evaluate the clinical and antibacterial effect of a dentifrice containing an anti-inflammatory plant extract (SB) versus a placebo (PLA) using an experimental gingivitis model. Forty subjects (20 per group) discontinued all oral hygiene measures for four teeth for a period of 21 days using a shield (to generate a possible gingivitis) while they could brush the other teeth normally. After brushing, the shield was removed and teeth were treated with the randomly assigned toothpaste slurry for 1 min. Löe and Silness gingival index (GI), Silness and Löe plaque index (PI), and biofilm vitality (VF%) were assessed at days 0, 14, and 21, respectively. Subjects of the PLA group developed a GI of 0.82?±?0.342 (day 14) and 1.585?±?0.218 (day 21), while the data of the SB group were significantly reduced (0.355?±?0.243 and 0.934?±?0.342, p?formulation was able to significantly reduce the extent of gingivitis, plaque development, and vital flora.