Influence of growth rate retardation on time budgets and energetics of Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and Common Tern S. hirundo chicks

Time budgets of free-living chicks of Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea and Common Terns S. hirundo throughout development are presented with special reference to changes in time allocation when growth rate varies. Chicks of both species were inactive most of the time observed (87%). Time allocated to the different behaviours changed during development and was generally better correlated with body mass than age. Slower growing nestlings were brooded more and allocated more time to quiescence and less time to locomotion, preening, begging and attacking (the latter two significant only for the Arctic Tern). The energetic implications of variation in time budgets with age and growth rate were considered. Parental brooding resulted in an average energy saving of nearly 40% of an individual nestling's thermoregulatory costs. Whereas thermoregulatory costs remained nearly unchanged in Arctic Tern chicks, these were negatively correlated with growth rate in Common Terns. Tentatively, we estimated a 30% reduction in a nestling's total energy requirement for a 50% reduction in average growth rate for both species.

Fathers with highly demanding partners and offspring in a semidesert environment: energetic aspects of the breeding system of Monteiro's Hornbills (Tockus monteiri) in Namibia

Molting females of Monteiro's Hornbills (Tockus monteiri) seal themselves in nest cavities to breed until chicks are about half grown. To gain insight into the chronology of energy requirements of the Monteiro's Hornbill family unit in relation to this peculiar breeding strategy, we measured a number of ecological, physiological, and environmental variables during the Monteiro's Hornbill's breeding season. Those measurements included rates of energy expenditure of female Monteiro's Hornbills while in the nest cavity, characterizing their thermal environment, timing of egg laying, molt, hatching and fledging of chicks, as well as measuring clutch size and chick growth. Temperatures within the nest box varied between 12 and 39°C and did not affect the female energy expenditure. Female body mass and energy expenditure averaged 319 g and 5 W, respectively, at the start of concealment and decreased by on average 1.1 g day -1 and 0.05 W day -1 during at least the first 30 days of the 52-58 day concealment period. Clutch size varied between 1 and 8 and averaged 4.1 eggs, with eggs averaging only 66% of the mass predicted for a bird of this size. Over the range of chick ages at which the female might leave the nest, the predicted energy requirements for maintenance and tissue growth for a Monteiro's Hornbill chick increase sharply from 1.2 W at age 8 to 3.0 W at age 25. Reduction of the female energy requirement with time, the relatively low growth rate and therewith low energy requirements of Monteiro's Hornbill chicks, and an appropriate timing of the female's exodus from the nest cavity all aid in containing peak energy demands to levels that are sustainable for the food provisioning male.

Estudo paramétrico da recuperação de petróleo pesado por aquecimento eletromagnético resistivo

Electrical resistive heating (ERH) is a thermal method used to improve oil recovery. It can increase oil rate and oil recovery due to temperature increase caused by electrical current passage through oil zone. ERH has some advantage compared with well-known thermal methods such as continuous steam flood, presenting low-water production. This method can be applied to reservoirs with different characteristics and initial reservoir conditions. Commercial software was used to test several cases using a semi-synthetic homogeneous reservoir with some characteristics as found in northeast Brazilian basins. It was realized a sensitivity analysis of some reservoir parameters, such as: oil zone, aquifer presence, gas cap presence and oil saturation on oil recovery and energy consumption. Then it was tested several cases studying the electrical variables considered more important in the process, such as: voltage, electrical configurations and electrodes positions. Energy optimization by electrodes voltage levels changes and electrical settings modify the intensity and the electrical current distribution in oil zone and, consequently, their influences in reservoir temperature reached at some regions. Results show which reservoir parameters were significant in order to improve oil recovery and energy requirement in for each reservoir. Most significant parameters on oil recovery and electrical energy delivered were oil thickness, presence of aquifer, presence of gas cap, voltage, electrical configuration and electrodes positions. Factors such as: connate water, water salinity and relative permeability to water at irreducible oil saturation had low influence on oil recovery but had some influence in energy requirements. It was possible to optimize energy consumption and oil recovery by electrical variables. Energy requirements can decrease by changing electrodes voltages during the process. This application can be extended to heavy oil reservoirs of high depth, such as offshore fields, where nowadays it is not applicable any conventional thermal process such as steam flooding

A weight loss protocol and owners participation in the treatment of canine obesity

O sucesso de um programa de perda de peso para animais de estimação depende da colaboração do proprietário. A adesão deste é fundamental para a correta instituição do manejo alimentar do paciente. Este trabalho teve por objetivo comparar a efetividade de um programa de perda de peso em dois grupos de cães, um mantido sob condições experimentais e outro com seus proprietários. Empregou-se a mesma ração hipocalórica para todos os animais. A quantidade fornecida foi restrita a 60% da necessidade energética de manutenção estimada para o peso corporal meta, definido como o peso autal reduzido em 15%. Os animais foram acompanhados durante 90 dias. Por meio de um questionário padronizado, estudou-se a percepção dos proprietários quanto à obesidade e seu tratamento. Verificou-se que o protocolo e a dieta empregados foram eficazes. Os animais controle apresentaram uma perda de peso média de 1,39% por semana. Os cães de proprietário perderam, em média, 0,75% do peso vivo por semana, resultado estatisticamente menor (P<0,05), o que sugere uma indisponibilidade dos mesmos em cumprir rigorosamente o tratamento. Mesmo com esta perda de peso modesta, foi perceptível a satisfação dos proprietários com os resultados obtidos. O uso de questionários demonstrou ser uma ferramenta importante na investigação das causas e no acompanhamento do tratamento da obesidade canina.

Does low-protein diet improve broiler performance under heat stress conditions?

Nutrition for broilers under high temperatures is extremely important for brazilian broiler chicken industry because the amounts of consumed nutrients and environmental temperature have great effects on bird performance and carcass quality. Among diet nutrients, protein has the highest heat increment; thus, during many years, diets with low protein level were recommended in order to reduce heat production in broiler chickens under heat stress. However, reports have shown that low-protein diets have negative effects on broiler performance when environmental temperature is high, because during heat stress, low food intake associated to a low diet protein induce amino acid deficiencies. Other studies have shown that broilers fed low-protein diets increase their energy requirement for maintenance with higher heat production. Thus, with the growth of broiler industry in tropical areas more challenges need to be faced by the farmers. So, both the ambient and nutritional conditions ought to be well managed to avoid negative effects on poultry production once they can affect the metabolism (body heat production under low temperature and body heat dissipation under high temperature) with consequence on poultry performance (meat and eggs).

Modelos para estimar as exigências de energia metabolizável para poedeiras

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Níveis de energia metabolizável para machos de corte de crescimento lento criados em semiconfinamento

Foram conduzidos três ensaios para avaliar os níveis de energia metabolizável (EM) e a melhor relação energia:proteína (E:P) para aves de corte machos de crescimento lento criadas em semiconfinamento nas fases inicial (1 a 21), de crescimento (22 a 49) e de terminação (50 a 70 dias de idade). em cada ensaio, 400 machos da linhagem ISA Label na fase de criação foram alojados em instalação experimental constituída de 20 piquetes com área coberta de 3,13 m²para alimentação e recolhimento das aves e uma área de pastejo de 72,87 m². O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições de 20 aves. Os níveis de energia metabolizável fornecidos na ração na fase inicial variaram de 2.600 a 3.200 kcal/kg; na fase de crescimento de 2.700 a 3.300 kcal/kg; e na fase final de 2.800 a 3.400 kcal/kg. A proteína bruta e os demais nutrientes foram mantidos constantes em todas as rações, de acordo com recomendações do NRC (1994) para cada fase. A relação energia:proteína e o nível de energia metabolizável que melhoraram o desempenho e as características da carcaça de frangos de corte ISA Label machos criados em sistema semiconfinado em cada fase estudada foram 128 e 2.750; 147 e 2.850 e 172 e 3.100 kcal de EM/kg nas fases inicial, de crescimento e de terminação, respectivamente.

Análise tridimensional de esforços em elementos rompedores de semeadoras de plantio direto

As informações da avaliação de mecanismos de abertura de sulco de semeadoras de plantio direto auxiliam as empresas no dimensionamento de ferramentas rompedoras do solo, que buscam menor requerimento energético. Este trabalho foi realizado num solo classificado como Latossolo Vermelho com o objetivo de avaliar tridimensionalmente os esforços dos mecanismos de abertura de sulco de semeadoras adubadoras de plantio direto. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com cinco tratamentos, sendo cinco mecanismos de abertura de sulco (disco liso - DL, disco corrugado - DC, disco ondulado - DO, disco duplo - DD e haste sulcadora - H). Para mensurar os esforços dos mecanismos de abertura de sulco, foi utilizado um dinamômetro com sensibilidade nas direções horizontal, transversal e vertical e no momento fletor e torsor. A avaliação mostrou que a interação entre mecanismos de abertura de sulco e carga vertical não foi significativa, entretanto os fatores foram significativos quando analisados individualmente. O resultado individual dos mecanismos de abertura de sulco mostrou que o disco ondulado proporcionou maior área de mobilização do solo, a haste sulcadora apresentou o menor valor de força vertical e o disco duplo e a haste sulcadora obtiveram o menor esforço horizontal.

Demanda energética em diferentes sistemas de preparo periódico do solo antes e depois da subsolagem

Both the inadequate use and the ignorance of the different soil tillage implements available in the home market has become one of the leading motives of failures, related to soil and water conservation. The periodical tillage is traditionally utilized after subsoiling for soil clod breaking, leveling and residue incorporation. This work aimed to evaluate the energy requirement for different periodical soil tillage systems performed before and after subsoiling in a soil classified as Distroferric Red Nitosol. The periodic tillage systems were: disk plowing; disk plowing plus one leveling harrowing; disk harrow; disk harrow plus leveling harrowing stirring. The experimental design was a 5x2 factorial scheme with 5 completely randomized blocks. The results show that the periodic soil preparation systems based on disks have better energy efficiency when performed before the operation of subsoiling. The system of soil preparation with harrowing obtained the lower energy demand, in relation to other periodic soil preparation systems, when done after subsoiling.

Food intake in women two years or more after bariatric surgery meets adequate intake requirements

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

Exigências líquidas de energia e proteína de tourinhos Santa Gertrudes confinados, recebendo alto concentrado

Com o objetivo de determinar as exigências de energia e proteína para ganho de tourinhos Santa Gertrudes, 33 tourinhos, com idade de 12 meses e peso inicial médio de 314,6±33,2kg, foram confinados durante 115 dias, após 56 dias de adaptação. Seis animais foram abatidos após adaptação, para determinação da composição química corporal inicial. Os animais receberam dietas contendo 80% de concentrado, avaliando-se a inclusão de 0; 4,5; e 9,0% do subproduto concentrado da produção de lisina na matéria seca. As exigências de energia líquida de ganho (ELg) foram estimadas em função do peso de corpo vazio (PCVZ) e do ganho de PCVZ (GPCVZ), e as exigências líquidas de proteína para ganho (PLg) foram estimadas em função do GPCVZ e da energia retida (ER). As equações obtidas para ELg e PLg foram: ELg (Mcal/dia) = 0,0061×PCVZ0,75×GPCVZ0,578; e PLg (g/dia) = 208,1×GPCVZ - 1,0868×ER. A exigência de energia líquida encontrada para ganho de 1kg de PV foi de 3,93; 4,88 e 5,76Mcal, e a exigência de proteína metabolizável foi de 367,81; 393,59 e 391,63g, respectivamente, para animais com 300, 400 e 500kg de peso corporal. O valor de exigência líquida para mantença foi obtido por meio da regressão do logaritmo da produção de calor (PC), em função da ingestão de energia metabolizável, chegando-se ao valor de 75,6kcal/PVz0,75/dia. Concluiu-se que, devido ao aumento do teor de gordura na composição do ganho, animais de maior peso de corpo vazio apresentam maiores exigências líquidas de energia.

Exigências de energia para mantença de bovinos zebuínos não-castrados em confinamento

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comparative population biology of Uca rapax (Smith, 1870) (Brachyura, Ocypodidae) from two subtropical mangrove habitats on the Brazilian coast

The structure of two populations of the fiddler crab Uca rapax in two subtropical mangrove habitats near Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, Brazil were compared. The size - frequency distribution, sex ratio, and recruitment were evaluated. Sampling was performed monthly from April 2001 to March 2002 in the Itamambuca and Ubatumirim habitats. Crabs were caught manually for 15 min by two collectors during low tide. The carapace width of each crab was measured with a digital caliper, and the sex and ovigerous state were recorded. The median size of the carapace width of males was greater than that of females at both sites (P<0.05). The median size of the crabs from Itamambuca was larger than at Ubatumirim (P<0.05). Only 28 ovigerous females were obtained from both mangroves, which suggested that females might remain in their burrows during the incubation period. The highest recruitment pulse occurred in winter for both populations, probably as a consequence of high reproductive activity during summer. The sex ratio in the size classes showed an anomalous pattern, with a higher frequency of females in the intermediate size classes. This may be related to a greater energy requirement for reproduction in females, thus delaying growth. The variable environmental conditions to which Uca rapax populations are subject appear to act directly or indirectly on the population, causing variations in growth and reproductive processes in the different populations investigated here.

Efeito do nível de energia metabolizável da dieta no desempenho e metabolismo energético de frangos de corte

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Nutritional support and outcome in hospitalized dogs and cats

This study investigated the effect of assisted nutritional support on the outcome and time of hospitalization (TH) of dogs and cats. The study compared two groups of 400 hospitalized animals. The animals in group 1 did not receive assisted nutritional support because they were hospitalized before the clinical nutrition service was implemented; animals in group 2 were nutritionally managed. Animals in group 1 received a low-cost diet with no consumption control. Group 2 animals had their maintenance energy requirement (MER) calculated, received a high-protein and high-energy super-premium diet, had their caloric intake (CI) monitored, and received enteral and parenteral nutritional support when necessary. The statistical analysis of the results included the standard T test (group 1 versus group 2) and chisquare and Spearman's correlation to evaluate group 2 (CI and outcome, body condition score (BCS) and outcome, BCS and CI). For group 2, favorable outcome (FO), defined as the percent responding to therapy and dis-charged from the hospital, was 83%, and the TH was 8.59 days. These values were lower (P < .001) for group 1 (63.2% FO and TH of 5.7 days). For group 2, 65.5% of the animals received voluntary consumption (93.1% outcome), 14.5% received enterai support (67.9% FO), 6.5% received parenteral support (68% FO), and 6.17% did not eat (38.5% FO), demonstrating an association between the type of nutritional support and outcome (P < .01). Group 2 animals that received 0% to 33% of their MER had 62.9% FO, and those receiving more than 67% had 94.3% FO, which shows that lower mortality rates are associated with higher CI (P < .001). TH was higher for animals with higher CI (P < .001). The BCS did not correlate with Cl (P > .05) but did correlate with outcome (P < .01). FO was 68.7% for animals with low BCS, 85.7% for animals with ideal BCS, and 86.6% for overweight animals. Nutritional support could allow for longer therapies, thus increasing the TH and FO rate.