Genetic aspects of productive and reproductive traits in a Murrah buffalo herd in São Paulo, Brazil

This study investigated genetic trends of some productive and reproductive traits in a herd of Murrah buffalo raised in São Paulo, Brazil. Variance components for milk production (Mr), length of lactation (LL), calving interval (CI) and age of first calving (AFC) were estimated by che restricted maximum likelihood method, using an animal model. Estimated heritability values were 0.38; 0.01; 0.10 and 0.20 for MP, LL, CI and AFC, respectively. Estimated repeatability values were 0.50, 0.13 and 0.20 for MP, LL and CI, respectively. Means of predicted breeding values for cows, dams and sires according to calving year and the genetic correlations were presented.

Genetic parameters for an alternative criterion to improve productive longevity of Nellore cows

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

Fabricação de eco-composito com a fibra de lã canina

The Sustainability has been evidence in the world today; organizations have sought to be more and more into this philosophy in their processes, whether products or attendance. In the present work were manufactured eco-composites with animal fiber (dog wool) that is currently discarded into the environment without any use. The fibers were characterized and made matting (non-woven). The phases of the project were consisted to develop methods and to convert these fibers (booster) blended with polyester resin (matrix) in different proportions (10%, 20% and 30%) at the composite. Were studied fiber characteristics, mechanical properties of the composites, water absorption and scanning electron microscopy. Initially, the fibers were treated with solution of sodium hydroxide of 0.05 mols, and then taken to matting preparing at the textile engineering laboratory - UFRN. The composites were made by compression molding, using an orthophthalic polyester resin as matrix and 1% MEK (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) as initiator (catalyst). To evaluate the mechanical tests (tensile and flexural) and water absorption were made twelve specimens with dimensions 150x25x3 mm were cut randomly. According to the standard method, tensile tests (ASTM 3039) bending tests (ASTM D790) were performed at the mechanical testing of metals at laboratory UFRN. The results of these tests showed that the composite reinforced with 30% had a better behavior when exposed to tension charge; while on the three points bending test showed that the composite reinforced with 10% had a better behavior. In the water absorption test it was possible to see that the highest absorption happened on the composite reinforced with 30%. In the micrographs, it was possible to see the regions of rupture and behavior of the composite (booster / matrix)

Biomass and Stand Characteristics of a Highly Productive Mixed Douglas-Fir and Western Hemlock Plantation in Coastal Washington

Aboveground biomass predictive equations were developed for a highly productive 47-year-old mixed Douglas-fir and western hemlock stand in southwest Washington State to characterize the preharvest stand attributes for the Fall River Long-Term Site Productivity Study. The equations were developed using detailed biomass data taken from 31 Douglas-fir and 11 western hemlock trees within the original stand. The stand had an average of 615 live trees per hectare, with an average dbh of 35.6 cm (39.1 cm for Douglas-fir and 33.3 cm for western hemlock) and an average total tree height of 31.6 m (32.8 m for Douglas-fir and 30.2 m for western hemlock). Equations developed were of the form In Y = b(1) + b(2) In dbh, where Y = biomass in kg, dbh = diameter in cm at 1.3 m height, b(1) = intercept, and b(2) = slope of equation. Each tree part was estimated separately and also combined into total aboveground biomass. The total aboveground biomass estimation equations were In Y = -0.9950 + 2.0765 In dbh for Douglas-fir, and In Y = -1.6612 + 2.2321 In dbh for western hemlock. The estimate of the aboveground live-free biomass was of 395 Mg ha(-1) (235 Mg ha(-1) for Douglas-fir and 160 Mg ha(-1) for western hemlock), with 9.5, 29.3, 12.9, 308, and 32.7 Mg ha(-1) in the foliage, live branches, dead branches, stem wood, and stem hark, respectively. When compared with biomass estimates from six other studies, ranging in age from 22 to 110 years and from 96.3 to 636 Mg ha(-1), the biomass of the Fall River site was relatively high for its age, indicating very high productivity.

Optimized architecture for Tyrosinase-containing Langmuir-Blodgett films to detect pyrogallol

The control of molecular architectures has been a key factor for the use of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films in biosensors, especially because biomolecules can be immobilized with preserved activity. In this paper we investigated the incorporation of tyrosinase (Tyr) in mixed Langmuir films of arachidic acid (AA) and a lutetium bisphthalocyanine (LuPc2), which is confirmed by a large expansion in the surface pressure isotherm. These mixed films of AA-LuPc2 + Tyr could be transferred onto ITO and Pt electrodes as indicated by FTIR and electrochemical measurements, and there was no need for crosslinking of the enzyme molecules to preserve their activity. Significantly, the activity of the immobilised Tyr was considerably higher than in previous work in the literature, which allowed Tyr-containing LB films to be used as highly sensitive voltammetric sensors to detect pyrogallol. Linear responses have been found up to 400 mu M, with a detection limit of 4.87 x 10(-2) mu M (n = 4) and a sensitivity of 1.54 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2). In addition, the Hill coefficient (h = 1.27) indicates cooperation with LuPc2 that also acts as a catalyst. The enhanced performance of the LB-based biosensor resulted therefore from a preserved activity of Tyr combined with the catalytic activity of LuPc2, in a strategy that can be extended to other enzymes and analytes upon varying the LB film architecture.

On developing efficient applications using conservative distributed simulation paradigm

This paper aims to present, using a set of guidelines, how to apply the conservative distributed simulation paradigm (CMB protocol) to develop efficient applications. Using these guidelines, even a user with little experience on distributed simulation and computer architecture can have good performance on distributed simulations using conservative synchronization protocols for parallel processes.The set of guidelines is focus on a specific application domain, the performance evaluation of computer systems, considering models with coarse granularity and few logical processes and running over two platforms: parallel (high performance communication environment) and distributed (low performance communication environment).

Optimized synthesis of the melatonin metabolite N(1)-acetyl-N(2)-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Molecular assay optimized by Taguchi experimental design method for venous thromboembolism investigation

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Road-killed wild animals: a preservation problem useful for eco-epidemiological studies of pathogens

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

Physiologic and productive responses of Holstein dairy cows with access to the constant or limited shade

The work: was carried out to evaluate the physiologic and productive responses of 16 Holstein breed cows, in different lactating stages and production levels, maintained in two free stall corral types, with or without plastic sheet covering, in the southeast-northwest of the covered area edges. The animals were confined in free stall system, during the months of the summer, with access to the constant or Limited shade. A complete randomized experimental design was: used. The physiological variables measured were respiratory frequency (morning an afternoon) and rectal temperature (morning and afternoon). The productive variables were milk production (morning, afternoon and daily), dry matter (DM) intake (% live weight) and efficiency of milk production (kg of milk/kg DM intake). The animals with access to the constant shade presented respiratory frequency (74.1 vs 81.0 breath/min.) and rectal temperature (39.5 vs 39.7 degrees C) lower and mirk production (22.6 vs 20.9 kg/day) and efficiency of milk production (1.3 vs 1.2 kg of milk/kg DM ingested) higher than the animals with access to the limited shade. There was no effect on the dry matter intake.

Productive consequences of fasting neonatal chicks of different genetic constitutions for growing

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

Productive performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed at different frequencies and periods with automatic dispenser

Avaliou-se o desempenho de tilápias-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) produzidas em tanque-rede, providas de dispensadores automáticos de ração, alimentadas em diferentes frequências - uma vez por hora e a cada duas horas - e períodos - durante o dia, à noite ou ambos. Dezoito tanques-rede de 1.0m³ foram colocados em um tanque de 2000m² com dois metros de profundidade e renovação de água de 5%. Cento e setenta tilápias, com peso inicial de 16.0±4.9g foram distribuídas em cada tanque-rede de 1m³ e a taxa alimentar foi ajustada a cada 21 dias junto com as biometrias. As medidas foram coletadas de março a julho (outono e inverno). Observou-se diferença significativa para peso final (P<0.05) entre os tratamentos. O aumento da frequência alimentar melhorou o desempenho produtivo de tilápias-do-nilo produzidas em tanque-rede e permitiu melhor manejo alimentar. A melhor conversão alimentar para alta frequência, 24 vezes dia-1, pode resultar em uma economia de até 360kg de ração por tonelada de peixe produzido, melhorando a sustentabilidade econômica para produção de tilápia e sugerindo menor poluição ambiental.

Feed digestibility and productive performance of bullfrogs fed in high and low frequency

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

Effects of calcium salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids on productive and reproductive parameters of lactating Holstein cows

Two experiments evaluated milk production, serum progesterone and insulin, and reproductive performance of lactating Holstein cows receiving or not receiving Ca salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), or receiving Ca salts of PUFA at different daily frequencies. In experiment 1, 1,125 cows randomly distributed in 10 freestall barns were enrolled. Barns were assigned randomly to receive a high-concentrate diet containing (PI?) or not containing (control, CON) 1.1% (dry matter basis) Ca salts of PUPA. Diets were offered 6 times daily, whereas the Ca salts of PUFA were included in the PF treatment in the first feeding of the day. In experiment 2, 1,572 cows were randomly distributed in 10 freestall barns, which were assigned randomly to receive a diet similar to PF, but with Ca salts of PUFA included only in the first feeding of the day (PF1X), or equally distributed across all 6 feedings (PF6X). During both experiments, cows were artificially inseminated 12 h after the onset of estrus. Once per month, cows that did not conceive to artificial insemination were assigned to a fixed-time embryo transfer protocol. Pregnancy was determined via transrectal ultrasonography 28 and 60 d after expected ovulation. Pregnancy loss was considered in cows that were pregnant on d 28 but nonpregnant on d 60. During both experiments, feed intake, milk yield, and milk protein and fat content were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected concurrently with embryo transfer. During experiment 1, feed intake was similar between treatments. Compared with CON, PF cows had greater milk yield (37.8 vs. 35.3 kg/d), and reduced milk fat content (3.41 vs. 3.55%). However, PF cows had reduced pregnancy losses per service compared with CON (12.6 vs. 18.3%). Serum progesterone was greater and serum insulin tended to be greater in primiparous cows receiving PF compared with CON cohorts (4.50 vs. 3.67 ng of progesterone/mL, and 10.4 vs. 7.5 mu UI of insulin/mL). During experiment 2, no treatment effects were detected for feed intake, milk yield, or milk fat, whereas PF1X cows tended to have reduced pregnancy losses per service compared with PF6X (14.4 vs. 18.4%). In summary, feeding Ca salts of PUFA to dairy cows increased milk production, did not alter feed intake, and reduced pregnancy losses per service. Further, the total daily amount of Ca salts of RITA should be fed during the first feeding of the day to optimize its benefits on pregnancy maintenance of dairy cows.

Heterogeneity correction in the construction of optimized planning in radiotherapy using linear programming

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