A simple method based on HR-CS FAAS for multi-element determination of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in medicinal plants

A simple method to determine Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in single aliquots of medicinal plants by HR-CS FAAS is proposed. The main lines for Cu, Mn and Zn, and the alternate line measured at the wing of the main line for Fe at 248.327 nm allowed calibration within the 0.025 - 2.0 mg L-1 Cu, 1.0 - 20.0 mg L-1 Fe, 0.05 - 2.0 mg L-1 Mn, 0.025 - 0.75 mg L-1 Zn ranges. Nineteen medicinal plants and two certified plant reference materials were analyzed. Results were in agreement at a 95% confidence level (paired t-test) with reference values. Limits of detection were 0.12 μg L-1 Cu, 330 μg L-1 Fe, 1.42 μg L-1 Mn and 8.12 μg L-1 Zn. Relative standard deviations (n=12) were ≤ 3% for all analytes. Recoveries in the 89 - 105% (Cu), 95 - 108% (Fe), 94 - 107% (Mn), and 93 - 110% (Zn) ranges were obtained.

Supplementation with the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A during in vitro culture of bovine embryos

Summary Trichostatin A (TSA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that induces histone hyperacetylation and increases gene expression levels. The aim of the present study was to establish a suitable condition for the use of TSA in in vitro cultures of bovine embryos, and to determine whether TSA would increase blastocyst rates by improvement of chromatin remodelling during embryonic genome activation and by increasing the expression of crucial genes during early development. To test this hypothesis, 8-cell embryos were exposed to four concentrations of TSA for different periods of time to establish adequate protocols. In a second experiment, three experimental groups were selected for the evaluation of embryo quality based on the following parameters: apoptosis, total cell number and blastocyst hatching. TSA promoted embryonic arrest and degeneration at concentrations of 15, 25 and 50 nM. All treated groups presented lower blastocyst rates. Exposure of embryos to 5 nM for 144 h and to 15 nM for 48 h decreased blastocyst hatching. However, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay (TUNEL) assay revealed similar apoptosis rates and total cell numbers in all groups studied. Although, in the present study, TSA treatment did not improve the parameters studied, the results provided background information on TSA supplementation during in vitro culture of bovine embryos and showed that embryo quality was apparently not affected, despite a decrease in blastocyst rate after exposure to TSA. © Cambridge University Press 2011.

High dosage folic acid supplementation, oral cleft recurrence and fetal growth

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of folic acid supplementation on isolated oral cleft recurrence and fetal growth. Patients and Methods: The study included 2,508 women who were at-risk for oral cleft recurrence and randomized into two folic acid supplementation groups: 0.4 and 4 mg per day before pregnancy and throughout the first trimester. The infant outcome data were based on 234 live births. In addition to oral cleft recurrence, several secondary outcomes were compared between the two folic acid groups. Cleft recurrence rates were also compared to historic recurrence rates. Results: The oral cleft recurrence rates were 2.9% and 2.5% in the 0.4 and 4 mg groups, respectively. The recurrence rates in the two folic acid groups both separately and combined were significantly different from the 6.3% historic recurrence rate post the folic acid fortification program for this population (p = 0.0009 when combining the two folic acid groups). The rate of cleft lip with palate recurrence was 2.9% in the 0.4 mg group and 0.8% in the 4 mg group. There were no elevated fetal growth complications in the 4 mg group compared to the 0.4 mg group. Conclusions: The study is the first double-blinded randomized clinical trial (RCT) to study the effect of high dosage folic acid supplementation on isolated oral cleft recurrence. The recurrence rates were similar between the two folic acid groups. However, the results are suggestive of a decrease in oral cleft recurrence compared to the historic recurrence rate. A RCT is still needed to identify the effect of folic acid on oral cleft recurrence given these suggestive results and the supportive results from previous interventional and observational studies, and the study offers suggestions for such future studies. The results also suggest that high dosage folic acid does not compromise fetal growth. © 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Long-term creatine supplementation improves muscular performance during resistance training in older women

This study examined the effects of long-term creatine supplementation combined with resistance training (RT) on the one-repetition maximum (1RM) strength, motor functional performance (e.g., 30-s chair stand, arm curl, and getting up from lying on the floor tests) and body composition (e.g., fat-free mass, muscle mass, and % body fat using DEXA scans) in older women. Eighteen healthy women (64.9 ± 5.0 years) were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to either a creatine (CR, N = 9) or placebo (PL, N = 9) group. Both groups underwent a 12-week RT program (3 days week-1), consuming an equivalent amount of either creatine (5.0 g day-1) or placebo (maltodextrin). After 12 week, the CR group experienced a greater (P < 0.05) increase (Δ%) in training volume (+164.2), and 1RM bench press (+5.1), knee extension (+3.9) and biceps curl (+8.8) performance than the PL group. Furthermore, CR group gained significantly more fat-free mass (+3.2) and muscle mass (+2.8) and were more efficient in performing submaximal-strength functional tests than the PL group. No changes (P > 0.05) in body mass or % body fat were observed from pre- to post-test in either group. These results indicate that long-term creatine supplementation combined with RT improves the ability to perform submaximal-strength functional tasks and promotes a greater increase in maximal strength, fat-free mass and muscle mass in older women. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in tropical soils amended with sewage sludge and composted sewage sludge

Sewage sludge may be used as an agricultural fertilizer, but the practice has been criticized because sludge may contain trace elements and pathogens. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of total and pseudototal extractants of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, and to compare the results with the bioavailable concentrations of these elements to maize and sugarcane in a soil that was amended with sewage sludge for 13 consecutive years and in a separate soil that was amended a single time with sewage sludge and composted sewage sludge. The 13-year amendment experiment involved 3 rates of sludge (5, 10, and 20 t ha-1). The one-time amendment experiment involved treatments reflecting 50, 100, and 200 % of values stipulated by current legislation. The metal concentrations extracted by aqua regia (AR) were more similar to those obtained by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 3052 than to those obtained by EPA3051, and the strongest correlation was observed between pseudo(total) concentrations extracted by AR and EPA3052 and bioavailable concentrations obtained by Mehlich III. An effect of sewage sludge amendment on the concentrations of heavy metals was only observed in samples from the 13-year experiment. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Testing extractants for Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in tropical soils treated with sewage sludge for 13 consecutive years

In this paper, we report on a field experiment being carried out in a Typic Eutrorthox. The experiment was initiated in the 1997-98 agricultural season as a randomized block design with four treatments (0, 5, 10, and 20 t ha -1) of sewage sludge and five replicates. Compound soil samples were obtained from 20 subsamples collected at depths of 0-0.1 and 0.1-0.2 m. Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations were extracted with DTPA pH 7.3; 0.1 mol L -1 HCl, Mehlich-I, Mehlich-III, and 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl 2. Metal concentrations were determined via atomic absorption spectrometry. Diagnostic leaves and the whole above-ground portion of plants were collected to determine Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations extracted by nitric-perchloric digestion and later determined via atomic absorption spectrometry. Sewage sludge application caused increases in the concentrations of soil Cu, Fe, and Mn in samples taken from the 0-0.1 m depth evaluated by the extractants Mehlich-I, Mehlich-III, 0.01 mol L-1 HCl and DTPA pH 7.3. None of the extractants provided efficient estimates of changes in Mn concentrations. The acid extractants extracted more Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn than the saline and chelating solutions. The highest concentrations of Cu, Fe, and Zn were obtained with Mehlich-III, while the highest concentrations of Mn were obtained with HCl. We did not observe a correlation between the extractants and the concentrations of elements in the diagnostic leaves nor in the tissues of the whole maize plant (Zea mays L.). © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Supplementation with protected fat to manage gastro-intestinal nematode infections in Santa Ines sheep

This experiment aimed to determine the influence of supplementation with protected fat on nematode infections in periparturient sheep or sheep in their final stage of pregnancy. Fifty Santa Ines ewes received 200 g of concentrate/animal/day, mineral salt and water and were grouped according to their weight, hematocrit and the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG). Two diets were used: a control treatment and a treatment consisting of supplementation with 30 g/animal/day of protected fat in the concentrate. Three monthly evaluations were performed over a total of 84 days of testing. The variables analyzed were weight, body condition, EPG and coprocultures; blood tests were performed for the determination of packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration and total plasma protein, and leukograms and eosinophil counts were performed. For weight and hemoglobin concentrations, interactions were observed between diet and collection date (P<0.05); body condition, total plasma protein, packed cell volume and total leukocytes did not differ statistically among treatments (P> 0. 05) but did differ by collection day (P <0.05). The EPG and eosinophil counts did not differ statistically by either diet or collection date (P>0.05). The genus Haemonchus was predominant, followed by the genera Cooperia, Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum. The protected fat did not decrease EPG and did not improve the blood parameters of infected sheep.

Role of Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in breast cancer: Study by X-ray fluorescence techniques and immunohistochemical analysis

In recent years, several studies have shown that concentrations of trace elements are altered in neoplastic breast tissues. However, the microenvironment and metabolic changes caused by tumors are complex and still not completely understood. Under this aspect, the combination of different techniques to investigate the role of trace elements in promoting and/or maintaining a tumor is interesting once the combination of information obtained by analytical techniques and immunohistochemical assays, associated with clinicopathological data, may allow a better metabolic understanding of trace elements in breast cancer. In this work, the role of the trace elements Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in neoplastic breast tissues was investigated by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques and immunohistochemical assays. We determined concentrations of Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in normal and neoplastic breast tissues using energy dispersive XRF, and these values were used to set the positive or negative expression of elements in normal and neoplastic tissues. These expressions were correlated with the spatial distributions of trace elements (evaluated by micro-XRF) and with immunoexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of MMPs and vascular endothelial growth factor. The results revealed that the expression of the trace elements Fe, Cu and vascular endothelial growth factor are related, indicating that higher levels of these elements can be associated with the angiogenic process in breast cancer. Also, associations between Ca, Zn and MMPs expression have been observed, possibly because of the fact that both metals are present in these proteins. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Supplementation of soft drinks with metallic ions reduces dissolution of bovine enamel

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

On the electrochemical behavior of Cu-16%Zn-6.5%Al alloy containing the β'-phase (martensite) in borate buffer

In this work, the electrochemical behavior of Cu-16(wt.%)Zn-6.5(wt.%)Al alloy containing the β'-phase (martensite) was studied in borate buffer solution (pH 8.4) by means of open-circuit potential (EOC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The alloy EOC was -0.29 V vs. Hg/HgO/OH-, similar to that of pure copper in this medium, indicating that the processes which occur on the alloy surface are mainly governed by copper. EIS response was related to the dielectric and transmission properties of the complex oxide layer. The CVs showed peaks concerning the redox reactions for copper and zinc. These peaks were assigned to the formation and reduction of copper and zinc species. Furthermore, they showed that the copper oxidation was suppressed by the presence of zinc and aluminum in the alloy composition. The copper and zinc oxidation to form complex oxide layers and the reduction of the different metallic oxides generated in the anodic potential scan suggest that a solid state reaction could determine the metallic oxide formation. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mannanoligosaccharide (mos) and β-glucan (β-glu) in dietary supplementation for Nile tilapia juveniles dept in cages

This experiment was conducted at an aquicolous enterprise with the objective of evaluating the use of MOS and β-GLU as dietary supplements in an experimental lot in order to follow the zootechnical performance, establishing a relationship with the hematological parameters, the morphological alterations of the intestine, and the enzymatic activity (protease, lipase and amylase), and the water quality of 3,000 tilapia juveniles kept in cages (Wt = 24 ± 0.26g). Nine cages (6.0 m3) were used, with three treatments and three replications. 1: commercial feed without supplementation (control); 2: 0.1% per ton of MOS; 3: 0.03% per ton of purified β-GLU. The feed contained 36% of crude protein (CP) incorporated into the premix MOS and purified β-GLU (BIORIGIN®). The tilapia that had received the diet supplemented with β-GLU in a period of 90 days showed a favorable condition of the immune system, increase in the absorption surface of the front part of the intestine and consequently, growth in the activity of the digestive enzymes, denoting higher efficiency in the use of the nutrients in juveniles, providing satisfactory zootechnical performance in comparison with the other diets. This product may be used as a dietary supplement for this species when kept in cages.

Effect of dietary betaine supplementation on the performance, carcass yield, and intestinal morphometrics of broilers submitted to heat stress

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of betaine in methionine- and choline-reduced diets fed to broilers submitted to heat stress. In total, 1,408 male broilers were randomly distributed into eight treatments, according to 2 × 4 (environment x diet) factorial arrangement, with eight replicates of 2 birds each. Birds were reared environmental chambers under controlled temperature (25-26 °C) or cyclic heat-stressing temperature (25-31 °C). The following diets were tested: positive control (PC), formulated to meet broiler nutritional requirements; negative control (NC), with reduced DL-methionine and choline chloride levels; and with two supplementation levels of natural betaine to the negative control diet (NC+NB1 and NC+NB2). Live performance, carcass traits, and intestinal morphometrics were evaluated when broilers were 45 days of age. The results showed that all evaluated parameters were influenced by the interaction between environment and diet, except for breast meat drip loss. The breakdown of the interactions showed that birds fed the PC diet and reared in the controlled environment had greater breast drip loss than those submitted to the cyclic heat-stress environment. Birds submitted to cyclic heat stress and fed the PC diet presented the lowest feed intake. Feed conversion ratio was influenced only by diet. The FCR of broilers fed the NC+NB2 diet was intermediate relative to those fed the PC and NC diets. The addition of betaine in the diet, with 11.18% digestible methionine and 24.73% total choline reductions, did not affect broiler live performance, carcass yield, or intestinal morphometrics.

Anthropogenic influences on Cd, Cr,Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations in soils and sediments in a watershed with sugar cane crops at São Paulo State, Brazil

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

Corpus Luteum Development and Function after Supplementation of Long-Acting Progesterone During the Early Luteal Phase in Beef Cattle

Contents: Strategic supplementation of P4 may be used to increase conception rates in cattle, but timing of supplementation in relation to ovulation, mass of supplementary P4 and formulation of the P4-containing supplement has not been determined for beef cattle. Effects of supplementation of long-acting progesterone (P4) on Days 2 or 3 post-ovulation on development, function and regression of corpus luteum (CL) were studied in beef cattle. Cows were synchronized with an oestradiol/P4-based protocol and treated with 150 or 300 mg of long-acting P4 on Day 2 or 3 post-ovulation (6-7 cows/group). Colour-doppler ultrasound scanning and blood sample collection were performed from Day 2-21.5. Plasma P4 concentrations were greater (p < 0.05) from Day 2.5-5.5 in the Day 2-treated groups and from Day 3.5-5.5 in the Day 3-treated cows than in the control group. CL area and blood flow during Day 2-8.5 did not differ (p > 0.05) among groups, suggesting no effect of P4 treatment on luteal development. The frequency of cows that began luteolysis before Day 15 was greater (p < 0.04) in cows treated with 300 mg than in the controls, but there were no differences between non-treated and 150 mg-treated cows. The interval from pre-treatment ovulation to functional and structural luteolysis was shorter (p < 0.01) in the combined P4-treated groups than in the control cows. In conclusion, was showed for the first time that long-acting P4 supplementation on Day 2 or 3 post-ovulation increases P4 concentrations for ≥3 day, has no effect on luteal development, but anticipates the beginning of luteolysis in beef cattle. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Avaliação dos valores séricos e hepáticos de elementos minerais em novilhas nelore, criadas extensivamente, suplementadas com mistura mineral comercial

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ