Digestibilidade de alimentos protéicos e energéticos para fêmeas de beta

Foram avaliados os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente de MS, PB, energia bruta (EB) e EE de alimentos protéicos (farelo de soja e farinha de peixe) e energéticos (fubá de milho e farelo de trigo) para beta (Betta splendens). Fêmeas adultas foram alojadas em gaiolas e mantidas em dois aquários de fibra de vidro (30 peixes/aquário) para alimentação e dois para coleta de fezes, ambos de formato cônico e com capacidade para 30 L. Os resultados dos coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente de MS, PB, EB e EE foram, respectivamente, de 69,43; 72,52; 67,91 e 55,50% para farelo de soja; 60,67; 51,15; 75,55 e 58,26% para farinha de peixe; 63,88; 87,16; 77,61 e 50,40% para fubá de milho; e 61,06; 93,37; 58,17 e 65,51% para farelo de trigo. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo permitem otimizar a formulação de dietas práticas balanceadas, economicamente viáveis para a espécie.

Efficiency of prebiotics and probiotics on the performance, yield, meat quality and presence of Salmonella spp in carcasses of free-range broiler chickens

Two trials were carried out in the present study. Trial I evaluated the performance, carcass yield and breast meat quality, whereas Trial II evaluated the efficacy of utilizing prebiotics + probiotics on the control of Salmonella spp incidence in the carcasses of free-range broilers. In Trial I, 688 one-day-old male chicks of the Naked Neck Label Rouge strain were used, distributed in a randomized block design arranged according to a 2 x 2 factorial: control diet or diet supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics; and two rearing systems (confined or with access to paddocks - 3m²/bird), using four replicates with 35 birds each. The birds were reared until 84 days of age following the recommendations of management and nutrition for free-range strains, and had access to paddocks after 35 days of age. Water and food were given inside the experimental poultry house. Birds fed probiotics and prebiotics in the diet and the confined birds showed better performance, carcass yield and meat quality compared to the birds of the other treatments. In Trial II, 128 one-day-old male chicks of the free-range Naked Neck Label Rouge strain were used. The birds were distributed into four treatments: NCC (non-challenged control), NCS (non-challenged supplemented), CC (challenged control) and CS (challenged supplemented). There were no significant effects of adding probiotics and prebiotics in the diet in regard to Salmonella enteritidis recovery from the carcasses.

Hypoglycaemic and antioxidant effects of onion, Allium cepa: dietary onion addition, antioxidant activity and hypoglycaemic effects on diabetic rats

The purpose of the present study was to discover the relative potency of onion, Allium cepa, with respect to its hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects on the diabetic situation, and the association of these effects with the potential against oxidative stress. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. A normal control ( group A), and a non-diabetic group ( group B) were treated daily with 1 ml A. cepa solution (0.4 g A. cepa/rat). Groups C and D were made diabetic by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) ( 60 mg/kg body weight) in citrate buffer ( pH 6.3). These animals ( groups C and D) were the STZ diabetic control and STZ diabetic rats with onion intake, respectively. Onion increased the fasting serum high-density lipoprotein levels, and demonstrated alleviation of hyperglycaemia in STZ diabetic rats. The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic actions of A. cepa were associated with antioxidant activity, since onion decreased superoxide dismutase activities while no increased lipid hydroperoxide and lipoperoxide concentrations were observed in diabetic rats treated with A. cepa.

Reproduction of Cichla kelberi Kullander and Ferreira, 2006 introduced into an artificial lake in southeastern Brazil

O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar a reprodução de Cichla kelberi em um lago artificial no município de Leme, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. A época reprodutiva ocorreu na primavera e verão. O L50 e o L100 desta espécie foram de 192 e 235 mm (L50) para machos e fêmeas, respectivamente e 290 mm (L100) para ambos os sexos. A desova foi do tipo parcelado. O tamanho dos ovócitos maduros foi de 428,4 µm, atingindo o máximo em 2.203,2 µm. A média da fecundidade foi de 12.129,2 ovócitos com média de cada desova de 4.897,7 ovócitos. Esta espécie adequou-se à definição de peixes com fecundação externa, não migradoras e com cuidado parental da prole. Os atributos para a introdução dos tucunarés podem ser tentadores. Porém, suas características reprodutivas e alimentares fazem com que não existam competidores ou predadores naturais e, assim, a sua expansão populacional seja de difícil controle e erradicação.

Evaluation of the use of Syzygium cumini fruit extract as an antioxidant additive in orange juice and its sensorial impact

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates with atomic pumping and dissipative processes

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

Pectin methylesterase activity and ascorbic acid content from guava fruit, cv. Predilecta, in different phases of development

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

Antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid and total phenol of exotic fruits occurring in Brazil

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

Desenvolvimento de materiais adsorventes de óleos a partir de resíduos do beneficiamento do café e sua aplicação na ração para aves

O objetivo deste trabalho foi modificar quimicamente resíduos do beneficiamento do café (pergaminho), visando a obtenção de um produto mais hidrofóbico, testá-lo quanto ao seu poder adsorvente de óleo e utilizá-lo em formulações de rações para aves. Os resíduos foram analisados quanto a sua composição química-bromatológica e, posteriormente, acetilados com anidrido acético usando diferentes concentrações de N-bromossuccinimida, a temperatura de 120°C por 4 horas. A análise dos resíduos indicou altos teores de fibras. A acetilação possibilitou ganho de massa em todas as amostras estudadas. Nos testes de adsorção de óleo verificou-se aumento significativo na retenção de óleo dos materiais modificados, comprovando a hidrofobização. O material acetilado e com certa quantidade de óleo adsorvida foi chamado de OSoL (óleo sólido) sendo avaliado o seu valor nutricional em rações para aves, substituindo o óleo de soja. Nos ensaios metabólicos adotou-se o método de alimentação forcada, sendo determinados os valores de energia metabolizável verdadeira, energia metabolizável verdadeira corrigida para nitrogênio, coeficiente de digestibilidade da matéria seca, coeficiente de digestibilidade da proteína bruta e coeficiente de metabolizibilidade da energia metabolizável. Os tratamentos mostraram-se semelhantes estatisticamente, sendo, portanto, viável a inclusão do OSoL nas rações animais.

Níveis de feno de alfafa e forma física da ração no desempenho de cordeiros em creep feeding

Com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho de cordeiros em creep feeding e confinados, foram realizados dois experimentos. No primeiro, 32 cordeiros ¾ mestiços Suffolk foram criados em creep feeding, desmamados aos 56 dias de idade e, em seguida, confinados. Os cordeiros receberam os seguintes tratamentos: 1. sem suplementação; 2. suplementação com ração à base de milho e soja; 3. ração à base de milho e soja com 15% de feno de alfafa; 4. ração à base de milho e soja com 30% de feno de alfafa. Após o desmame, os cordeiros suplementados foram confinados, recebendo a mesma ração do creep feeding até atingirem de 30 a 32 kg de peso vivo. No segundo experimento, foram utilizados 32 cordeiros ¾ mestiços Suffolk, alimentados em creep feeding, recebendo ração farelada ou peletizada até os pesos de abate: 26 e 28 kg. As dietas eram isoprotéicas (21% PB) e isoenergéticas (2,9 Mcal EM/kg MS). Os animais suplementados na fase de aleitamento obtiveram ganho de peso de 147,4g/dia a mais, quando comparados aos não suplementados. Não houve efeito dos níveis de feno de alfafa na ração sobre o desempenho dos animais. Entretanto, no confinamento, a máxima eficiência de ganho de peso esperada para os machos, conforme a análise de regressão, situou-se em 18,7% de inclusão de feno de alfafa na ração. A ração peletizada propiciou maior desenvolvimento dos animais, quando comparada à ração farelada. Os machos que receberam ração peletizada atingiram os pesos de abate de 26 e 28 kg aos 55 e 60 dias de idade, respectivamente.

Antioxidant effect of saponin: potential action of a soybean flavonoid on glucose tolerance and risk factors for atherosclerosis

At the present time, much attention is being paid to antioxidant substances because many pathological conditions are associated with oxidative stress. The purpose of the present study was to discover the potency of saponin (2-phenyl-benzopyrane), a soybean flavonoid, with respect to its hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic action, and the association of these effects with oxidative stress. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups (n = 6): control group and saponin-treated group (60 mg/kg) during 30 days. Saponin had no effects on glucose tolerance. Although no changes had been observed in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, saponin-treated animals had increased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol/triacylglycerol ratio and decreased triacylglycerol, very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and total/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio than the control group. Saponin-treated rats showed lower lipid hydroperoxide than control rats, indicating decreased potential to atherosclerosis. No alterations were observed in antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, while lipid hydroperoxide were decreased in saponin-treated rats. In conclusion, the beneficial effects of saponin on serum lipids were related to a direct saponin antioxidant activity.

Physiological responses of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, fed vitamin C- and lipid-supplemented diets and submitted to low-temperature stress

Water temperature alterations can determine harmful physiological modifications in fish, which should be prepared to cope with this, and nutrition strategies seem to be essential. This study evaluated the effects of different levels of vitamin C and lipids on physiological responses of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, submitted to temperature stress. There were two phases: Phase I - preparing fish to store vitamin C and lipid at appropriate temperature, and Phase II - evaluating the contributions these reserves make to fish physiology under low-temperature stress. The experiment used a 3 x 2 factorial design with three vitamin C levels (300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg diet) and two lipid levels (8.0 and 12.0%), plus absence of nutrient test and a diet of 6.0% lipids and 125.0 mg/kg vitamin C. In Phase I, 192 fish were kept at 26.0 +/- 1.0 C for 112 d, and in Phase II, 48 fish were kept at 18.0 +/- 0.5 C for 32 d and at 15.0 +/- 0.5 C for 11 d. Fish fed C0L0 diet showed lower erythrocytes values in both phases; higher vitamin C supplement determined higher red blood cell (RBC) number and higher hematocrit (Htc) (Phase II); Htc was significantly lower in Phase II; after temperature stress, fish fed C0L0 diet had higher mean corpuscular volume, lower hemoglobin corpuscular concentration, and significantly lower vitamin C concentration in the liver; and higher supplementation determined a higher concentration in the liver (Phases I and II). Higher plasmatic cortisol concentration was seen in fish fed C0L0 diet. In conclusion, our results show that the absence of vitamin C in diets impairs RBC formation and does not enable fish to cope with stress; excess vitamin C is efficient in mitigating stress and 600 mg/kg diet is economic and physiologically sufficient to prepare fish for coping with low-temperature stress. Lipid supplementation does not determine alterations in stress biochemical parameters.

Soil compaction and soybean root growth

Soil compaction has a negative effect and Ca was shown to enhance root growth. The effects of soil subsurface compaction and liming on root growth and nutrient uptake by soybean were studied at the Department of Agriculture and Plant Breeding, São Paulo State University, Brazil. A Dark Red Latosol, sandy loam (Haplortox) was limed to raise base saturations to 40.1, 52.4 and 66.7%. The experimental pots were made of PVC tubes with 100 mm of diameter. Three rings with 150, 35 and 150 mm long were fixed one on the top of the other. In the central ring of 35 mm, the soil was compacted to bulk densities of 1.06, 1.25, 1.43 and 1.71 g.cm(-3). There was no effect of base saturation on soybean root and shoot growth and nutrition. Subsurface compaction led to an increase in root growth in the superficial layer of the pots with a correspondent quadratic decrease in the compacted layer. There was no effect of subsoil compaction on total root length and surface, soybean growth and nutrition. Soybean root growth was decreased by 10% and 50% when the soil penetrometer resistances were 0.52 MPa (bulk density of 1.45 g.cm(-1)) and 1.45 MPa (bulk density of 1.69 g.cm(-3)), respectively. In spite of the poor root growth in the compacted layer, once it nas overcome the root system showed an almost complete recovery.