Avaliação genética de características de escores visuais de bovinos da raça Nelore da desmama até a maturidade

Os objetivos neste estudo foram estimar parâmetros genéticos das características categóricas musculosidade, estrutura física, aspectos raciais, conformação, ônfalo, pigmentação e sacro e predizer os valores genéticos utilizando-se a estatística bayesiana sob modelo animal de limiar, considerando diferentes idades de bovinos da raça Nelore. As informações de escores visuais foram obtidas nos anos de 2000 a 2005 de bovinos provenientes de 13 fazendas participantes do Programa Nelore Brasil. Nas análises bicaracterísticas, foram utilizados 500.000 até 1.100.000 ciclos para alcançar a convergência da cadeia de Gibbs. O descarte inicial e o intervalo amostral foram de 100.000 e 1.000 ciclos, respectivamente. As características de escores visuais avaliadas aos 8 e 22 meses de idade apresentaram estimativas de herdabilidades moderadas, indicando resposta rápida à seleção direta. Os escores visuais indicaram possibilidade de resposta rápida à seleção direta e, portanto, devem ser incorporados em programas de melhoramento genético como critérios de seleção. As estimativas de correlações genéticas entre musculosidade, estrutura física e conformação também indicam que a seleção direta para uma destas características trará progresso genético às outras. Recomenda-se utilizar os escores visuais como critérios de seleção em pelo menos duas fases de vida do animal, na desmama e ao sobreano.

Características reprodutivas e suas associações com outras características de importância econômica na raça Nelore

Objetivou-se com este trabalho estimar as herdabilidades (h²) e as correlações genéticas (r g) entre idade ao primeiro parto (IPP) e primeiro intervalo de partos (PIEP) e outras características como peso (PS) ao ano (A) e ao sobreano (S), altura do posterior (ALT) e perímetro escrotal (PE450) em animais da raça Nelore. Os parâmetros genéticos foram estimados em uma análise multicaracterística por modelo animal, utilizando-se a inferência bayesiana via algoritmo de Gibbs Sampling. Os parâmetros genéticos estimados sugerem a existência de variabilidade genética para IPP (h² = 0,26), sendo que a seleção para a diminuição da IPP de fêmeas Nelore deve responder à seleção individual, sem causar antagonismo do valor genético dos animais para PS (r g = -0,22 (A) e -0,44 (S)) e PE450 (r g = 0,02). A seleção para a diminuição da IPP, no longo prazo, pode levar a um aumento da ALT dos animais, embora essa associação seja relativamente baixa (-0,35). A estimativa de herdabilidade a posteriori para a característica PIEP foi baixa, 0,11±0,03. As r g entre PIEP e as demais características estudadas indicam que a seleção para essas características de crescimento não afetará o PIEP.

Análise bayesiana na estimação de correlações genéticas entre escores visuais e características reprodutivas de bovinos Nelore utilizando modelos linear-limiar

Estimaram-se as correlações genéticas entre os escores visuais e as características reprodutivas, utilizando a estatística bayesiana sob modelo animal linear-limiar, em bovinos da raça Nelore. Foram estudadas características categóricas morfológicas, avaliadas visualmente aos oito, 15 e 22 meses de idade; e características contínuas de perímetro escrotal padronizado aos 365 e 450 dias de idade, além da idade ao primeiro parto. As estimativas de correlações genéticas foram de sentido favorável à seleção, apresentando magnitudes moderadas, sugerindo que a seleção de animais para um biótipo desejável pode levar a animais com maior fertilidade e precocidade sexual. As estimativas de correlação genética para o perímetro escrotal padronizado aos 450 dias e a idade ao primeiro parto com as características morfológicas avaliadas aos 22 meses de idade foram maiores do que as obtidas entre as características de escores visuais avaliadas aos oito e 15 meses de idade. A utilização de escores visuais como critério de seleção trará progresso genético também para as características reprodutivas.

Influence of data structure on the estimation of the additive genetic direct and maternal covariance for early growth traits in Nellore cattle

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of data structure on estimated genetic parameters and predicted breeding values of direct and maternal genetic effects for weaning weight (WW) and weight gain from birth to weaning (BWG), including or not the genetic covariance between direct and maternal effects. Records of 97,490 Nellore animals born between 1993 and 2006, from the Jacarezinho cattle raising farm, were used. Two different data sets were analyzed: DI_all, which included all available progenies of dams without their own performance; DII_all, which included DI_all + 20% of recorded progenies with maternal phenotypes. Two subsets were obtained from each data set (DI_all and DII_all): DI_1 and DII_1, which included only dams with three or fewer progenies; DI_5 and DII_5, which included only dams with five or more progenies. (Co)variance components and heritabilities were estimated by Bayesian inference through Gibbs sampling using univariate animal models. In general, for the population and traits studied, the proportion of dams with known phenotypic information and the number of progenies per dam influenced direct and maternal heritabilities, as well as the contribution of maternal permanent environmental variance to phenotypic variance. Only small differences were observed in the genetic and environmental parameters when the genetic covariance between direct and maternal effects was set to zero in the data sets studied. Thus, the inclusion or not of the genetic covariance between direct and maternal effects had little effect on the ranking of animals according to their breeding values for WW and BWG. Accurate estimation of genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects depends on the data structure. Thus, this covariance should be set to zero in Nellore data sets in which the proportion of dams with phenotypic information is low, the number of progenies per dam is small, and pedigree relationships are poorly known. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic associations of conformation, finishing precocity and muscling visual scores with mature weight in Nelore cattle

Were estimate (co)variance and genetic associations between conformation, finishing precocity and muscling visual scores measured at weaning (SCW, SFW and SMW, respectively) and yearling (SCY. SFY and SMY, respectively) with mature weight (MW) in Nelore cows, in order to predict the possible changes that inclusion of visual scores in beef cattle selection indices would bring to female mature weight. The data set contained records of 36,757 females, born between 1993 and 2006, belonging to the Jacarezinho cattle raising farm. (Co)variance components were estimated by bivariate animal models using Bayesian inference method through Gibbs sampling, assuming a linear model for MW and a nonlinear (threshold) model for conformation, finishing precocity and muscling visual scores. The first 10,000 rounds were considered as the burn-in period and discarded. The posterior means of direct heritability distributions were: 0.16 +/- 0.02 (SCW); 0.20 +/- 0.02 (SFW); 0.19 +/- 0.02 (SMW); 0.24 +/- 0.02 (SCY); 0.31 +/- 0.02 (SFY); 0.32 +/- 0.02 (SMY) and 0.46 +/- 0.04 (MW). Estimates of genetic correlations between visual scores and MW were positive and moderate, ranging from 0.27 +/- 0.06 to 0.36 +/- 0.04. Visual scores and MW should respond favorably to direct selection. Mature weight can be used in Nelore breeding programs designed to monitor the cows' size. Selection of animals with higher conformation, finishing precocity and muscling scores, especially at yearling, should promote an increase in cows' mature weight. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic parameters for buffalo milk yield and milk quality traits using Bayesian inference

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

Genetic and environmental effects on sexual precocity traits in Nellore cattle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic parameters of total milk yield and factors describing the shape of lactation curve in dairy buffaloes

The objective of this study was to apply factor analysis to describe lactation curves in dairy buffaloes in order to estimate the phenotypic and genetic association between common latent factors and cumulative milk yield. A total of 31 257 monthly test-day milk yield records from buffaloes belonging to herds located in the state of São Paulo were used to estimate two common latent factors, which were then analysed in a multi-trait animal model for estimating genetic parameters. Estimates of (co)variance components for the two common latent factors and cumulated 270-d milk yield were obtained by Bayesian inference using a multiple trait animal model. Contemporary group, number of milkings per day (two levels) and age of buffalo cow at calving (linear and quadratic) as covariate were included in the model as fixed effects. The additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual effects were included as random effects. The first common latent factor (F1) was associated with persistency of lactation and the second common latent factor (F2) with the level of production in early lactation. Heritability estimates for Fl and F2 were 0.12 and 0.07, respectively. Genetic correlation estimates between El and F2 with cumulative milk yield were positive and moderate (0.63 and 0.52). Multivariate statistics employing factor analysis allowed the extraction of two variables (latent factors) that described the shape of the lactation curve. It is expected that the response to selection to increase lactation persistency is higher than the response obtained from selecting animals to increase lactation peak. Selection for higher total milk yield would result in a favourable correlated response to increase the level of production in early lactation and the lactation persistency.

Produção de grês porcelanato a partir de matérias-primas do estado da Bahia

The State Bahia, Brazil, presents different geological sites it with a very expressive variety minerals. It is situated among the very important States which produces minerals for industries, such as pointed aggregate, ornamentals stones and ceramics raw materials. Nowadays only four companies producting ceramics tiles. Porcelainized stoneware tiles is one of the noblest ceramics, depicting low water absorption (typically below of 0,5%), in addition to excellent staining resistance and mechanical strength. The present work aims at investigating the potential of local raw materials for the production of porcelainized stoneware tiles. For this purpose, these materials were characterized by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, particle size analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, thermal differential analysis and dilatometric analysis. Admixtures containing different compositions were prepared and fired at four temperatures, 1100 ºC, 1150 ºC, 1200 ºC and 1250 ºC with isotherm for 60 minute and heathing rate of 5 oC/min. After firing the samples, they were characterized by water absorption tests, linear retraction, analysis, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass, flexural strength, and microstructural analysis by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy . The results revealed three ceramics with porcelainized stoneware tiles characteristics and porcelain tile will be produce from raw materials originated in the State of Bahia

Boron adsorption in lowland soils from Parana State, Brazil

Boron adsorption by soil is the main phenomenon that affects its availability to plants. This, the present study investigated the effect of liming on B adsorption by lowland soils of Parana State, and to correlate these values with the physical and chemical properties of the soils. Surface samples of three lowland soils [Gleissolo Haplico (GX), Plintossolo Haplico (FX) and Cambissolo Haplico (CX)], with different origin material and physicochemical properties were used. Samples with or without liming application were incubated during 60 days. Boron adsorption was accomplished by shaking 4.0g soil samples, for 24 h, with 20 mL of 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2 solution containing different concentrations of B (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mg L-1). Sorption was fitted to non-linear form of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The adsorption isotherms indicated that the B adsorption increased with its increasing concentration in the equilibrium solution. Maximum adsorption capacity of B ranged from 3.0 to 13.9 mg kg(-1) (without liming) and 14.7 to 35.7 mg kg(-1) (with liming). Liming increased the amount of adsorbed B in Gleissolo Haplico and Plintossolo Haplico soils, although the bonding energy has decreased. The amount of adsorbed B by Cambissolo Haplico soil was not affected by liming application. The most important soil properties affecting the B adsorption in lowland soils were pH, clay content, exchangeable aluminum and iron oxide contents.

Extração do corante reactive blue 19 utilizando tensoativo não iônico

The generation of effluent from the finishing process in textile industry is a serious environmental problem and turned into an object of study in several scientific papers. Contamination with dyes and the presences of substances that are toxic to the environment characterize this difficult treatment effluent. Several processes have already been evaluated to remove and even degrade such pollutants are examples: coagulation-flocculation, biological treatment and advanced oxidative processes, but not yet sufficient to enable the recovery of dye or at least of the recovery agent. An alternative to this problem is the cloud point extraction that involves the application of nonionic surfactants at temperatures above the cloud point, making the water a weak solvent to the surfactant, providing the agglomeration of those molecules around the dyes molecules by affinity with the organic phase. After that, the formation of two phases occurred: the diluted one, poor in dye and surfactant, and the other one, coacervate, with higher concentrations of dye and surfactants than the other one. The later use of the coacervate as a dye and surfactant recycle shows the technical and economic viability of this process. In this paper, the cloud point extraction is used to remove the dye Reactive Blue from the water, using nonionic surfactant nonyl phenol with 9,5 etoxilations. The aim is to solubilize the dye molecules in surfactant, varying the concentration and temperature to study its effects. Evaluating the dye concentration in dilute phase after extraction, it is possible to analyze thermodynamic variables, build Langmuir isotherms, determine the behavior of the coacervate volume for a surfactant concentration and temperature, the distribution coefficient and the dye removal efficiency. The concentration of surfactant proved itself to be crucial to the success of the treatment. The results of removal efficiency reached values of 91,38%, 90,69%, 89,58%, 87,22% and 84,18% to temperatures of 65,0, 67,5, 70,0, 72,5 and 75,0°C, respectively, showing that the cloud point extraction is an efficient alternative for the treatment of wastewater containing Reactive Blue

Adsorção do corante amarelo reativo BF-4G 200% por argila esmectita

This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of smectite clays for color removal of textile effluents. The experiments were performed by testing exploratory/planning method factorial and fractional factorial where the factors and levels are predetermined. The smectite clays were used originating from gypsum hub of the region Araripe-PE, and the dye used was Reactive Yellow BF-4G 200%. The smectite clay was collected and transported to the Laboratory of Soil Physics of UFRPE, where it held its preparation through air drying, lump breaking and classification in sieve to then submit it to the adsorption process. Upon completion of 22 complete factorial design it was concluded that the values of (96, 96,5 and 95,8%) corresponding to the percentage of of removal for "in-kind", chemically and thermally activated, respectively and adsorbed amounts of (4,80, 4,61 and 4,74 mg/g) for three clays. Showed that the activation processes used did not increase the adsorption capacity of smectite clay. The kinetic data were best fitted to the Freundlich isotherm, with an exponential distribution of active sites and that shows above the Langmuir equation for adsorption of cations and anions by clays. The kinetic model that best adapted to the results was the pseudosecond order model. In the factorial design study 24-1, at concentrations up to 500 mg/L obtains high percentage of color removal (92,37, 90,92 and 93,40%) and adsorbed amount (230,94, 227,31 and 233,50 mg/g) for three clays. The kinetic data fitted well to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The kinetic model that best adapted to the results was the pseudosecond order model

Recuperação e purificação de quitosanases usando adsorção em leito expandido com streamline DEAE com modelagem e simulação usando redes neurais

Expanded Bed Adsorption (EBA) is an integrative process that combines concepts of chromatography and fluidization of solids. The many parameters involved and their synergistic effects complicate the optimization of the process. Fortunately, some mathematical tools have been developed in order to guide the investigation of the EBA system. In this work the application of experimental design, phenomenological modeling and artificial neural networks (ANN) in understanding chitosanases adsorption on ion exchange resin Streamline® DEAE have been investigated. The strain Paenibacillus ehimensis NRRL B-23118 was used for chitosanase production. EBA experiments were carried out using a column of 2.6 cm inner diameter with 30.0 cm in height that was coupled to a peristaltic pump. At the bottom of the column there was a distributor of glass beads having a height of 3.0 cm. Assays for residence time distribution (RTD) revelead a high degree of mixing, however, the Richardson-Zaki coefficients showed that the column was on the threshold of stability. Isotherm models fitted the adsorption equilibrium data in the presence of lyotropic salts. The results of experiment design indicated that the ionic strength and superficial velocity are important to the recovery and purity of chitosanases. The molecular mass of the two chitosanases were approximately 23 kDa and 52 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE. The phenomenological modeling was aimed to describe the operations in batch and column chromatography. The simulations were performed in Microsoft Visual Studio. The kinetic rate constant model set to kinetic curves efficiently under conditions of initial enzyme activity 0.232, 0.142 e 0.079 UA/mL. The simulated breakthrough curves showed some differences with experimental data, especially regarding the slope. Sensitivity tests of the model on the surface velocity, axial dispersion and initial concentration showed agreement with the literature. The neural network was constructed in MATLAB and Neural Network Toolbox. The cross-validation was used to improve the ability of generalization. The parameters of ANN were improved to obtain the settings 6-6 (enzyme activity) and 9-6 (total protein), as well as tansig transfer function and Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm. The neural Carlos Eduardo de Araújo Padilha dezembro/2013 9 networks simulations, including all the steps of cycle, showed good agreement with experimental data, with a correlation coefficient of approximately 0.974. The effects of input variables on profiles of the stages of loading, washing and elution were consistent with the literature

Determinação de dados de equilíbrio de fases para sistemas aquosos com eletrólitos

In the present work are established initially the fundamental relationships of thermodynamics that govern the equilibrium between phases, the models used for the description of the behavior non ideal of the liquid and vapor phases in conditions of low pressures. This work seeks the determination of vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for a series of multicomponents mixtures of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, prepared synthetically starting from substances with analytical degree and the development of a new dynamic cell with circulation of the vapor phase. The apparatus and experimental procedures developed are described and applied for the determination of VLE data. VLE isobarics data were obtained through a Fischer s ebulliometer of circulation of both phases, for the systems pentane + dodecane, heptane + dodecane and decane + dodecane. Using the two new dynamic cells especially projected, of easy operation and low cost, with circulation of the vapor phase, data for the systems heptane + decane + dodecane, acetone + water, tween 20 + dodecane, phenol + water and distillation curves of a gasoline without addictive were measured. Compositions of the equilibrium phases were found by densimetry, chromatography, and total organic carbon analyzer. Calibration curves of density versus composition were prepared from synthetic mixtures and the behavior excess volumes were evaluated. The VLE data obtained experimentally for the hydrocarbon and aqueous systems were submitted to the test of thermodynamic consistency, as well as the obtained from the literature data for another binary systems, mainly in the bank DDB (Dortmund Data Bank), where the Gibbs-Duhem equation is used obtaining a satisfactory data base. The results of the thermodynamic consistency tests for the binary and ternary systems were evaluated in terms of deviations for applications such as model development. Later, those groups of data (tested and approved) were used in the KijPoly program for the determination of the binary kij parameters of the cubic equations of state original Peng-Robinson and with the expanded alpha function. These obtained parameters can be applied for simulation of the reservoirs petroleum conditions and of the several distillation processes found in the petrochemistry industry, through simulators. The two designed dynamic cells used equipments of national technology for the determination of VLE data were well succeed, demonstrating efficiency and low cost. Multicomponents systems, mixtures of components of different molecular weights and also diluted solutions may be studied in these developed VLE cells

Síntese e caracterização de tensoativos e estudo de equilíbrio de fase dos sistemas CnH2n+2/H2O/CnH2n+1COONa/But-OH

The growing utilization of surfactants in several different areas of industry has led to an increase on the studies involving solutions containing this type of molecules. Due to its amphiphilic nature, its molecule presents one polar part and one nonpolar end, which easily interacts with other molecules, being able to modify the media properties. When the concentration in which its monomers are saturated, the airliquid system interface is reached, causing a decrease in interfacial tension. The surfactants from pure fatty acids containing C8, C12 and C16 carbonic chains were synthesized in an alcoholic media using sodium hydroxide. They were characterized via thermal analysis (DTA and DTG) and via infrared spectroscopy, with the intention of observing their purity. Physical and chemical properties such as superficial tension, critical micelle concentration (c.m.c), surfactant excess on surface and Gibbs free energy of micellization were determined in order to understand the behaviour of these molecules with an aqueous media. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were obtained aiming to limit the Windsor equilibria conditions so it could be possible to understand how the surfactants carbonic chain size contributes to the microemulsion region. Solutions with known concentrations were prepared to study how the surfactants can influence the dynamic light scattering spectroscopy (DLS) and how the diffusion coefficient is influenced when the media concentration is altered. The results showed the variation on the chain size of the studied surfactant lipophilic part allows the conception of surfactants with similar interfacial properties, but dependent on the size of the lipophilic part of the surfactant. This variation causes the surfactant to have less tendency of microemulsionate oil in water. Another observed result is that the n-alcanes molecule size promoted a decrease on the microemulsion region on the obtained phase diagrams