Effect of ammoniation and moisture-content on the quality of signal grass (Brachiaria-decumbens stapf) hay

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of two moisture levels (18-20% and 13-15%) and three anhydrous ammonia levels (0.0; 1.5; 3.0% of NH3) on the quality of Brachiaria decumbens Stapf hay. The hay was bailed in April and weighed and treated under plastic cover during 30 days. The hay presented a similar chemical composition when bailed with high or low moisture. The percentages of NDF (80.59; 77.61; 76.10%); hemicellulose (32.56; 29.48; 28.76%) and lignin (9.53; 8.21; 7.54% decreased and the percentages of crude protein (4.04; 11.35; 13.22%) and IVDMD (36.78; 49.72; 54.33%) increased as the NH3 level increased. The fractions ADF, cellulose, and ADIN did not change due to the ammoniation. The incidence of fungi decreased with application of NH3 being the better results obtained with the 1.5% treatments.

Épocas de semeadura da soja I. Efeitos na produção de grãos e nos componentes da produção

O presente trabalho foi realizado como objetivo de estudar os efeitos de épocas da semeadura na produção de grãos e nos componentes de produção de três cultivares de soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) de ciclos culturais distintos. Os experimentos foram desenvolvidos em campo, no município de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo (latitude 22º 51 'S e longitude 48º 27'W.Grw.), em solo classificado como Terra Roxa Estruturada, durante os anos agrícolas de 1977/78, 1978/79 e 1979/80. As cultivares empregadas foram Paraná, Santa Rosa, UFV-1. As semeaduras, em número de seis, foram realizadas com intervalos, aproximadamente, quinzenais, com início de semeadura em outubro. Foram avaliados: a produção de sementes (kg/ha), número de vagens/planta, percentagem de vagens normais e peso de 100 sementes. As maiores produções de grãos, para as três cultivares, foram obtidas nas semeaduras realizadas na segunda quinzena de outubro e durante o mês de novembro. O número de vagens por planta e o peso de 100 grãos foram os componentes da produção que mais sofreram efeitos das épocas de semeadura.

Efeito da adubação nitrogenada ou de leguminosas no ganho de peso vivo de bovinos em pastagens de capim-colonião

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o ganho de peso vivo de bovinos submetidos a três tipos de pastagens de capim-colonião (Panicum maximum Jacq.): colonião testemunha (sem adubação nitrogenada); colonião adubado com 100 kg/ha de nitrogênio; e colonião consociado com soja perene (Neonotonia wightii Verde.) e centrosema (Centrosema pubescens Benth.). Foram usados novilhos da raça Guzerá, com idade variável de 12 a 15 meses e peso vivo médio de 210 kg. O sistema de pastejo foi rotativo, sendo o ajuste pasto-animal realizado pelo método de carga variável. As pesagens dos animais e amostragens do material vegetativo foram realizadas a cada 35 dias. Os resultados revelaram que, durante a época seca, os ganhos diários e por hectare referentes ao tratamento consociado (0,264 kg/animal/dia e 85,73 kg/ha, respectivamente) foram superiores aos das pastagens adubadas com nitrogênio (0,114 kg/animal/dia e 19,93 kg/ha) e testemunha (0,140 kg/animal/dia e 36,60 kg/ha). Ao final de quinze meses, as pastagens adubadas com nitrogênio e consociadas não apresentaram diferenças nos ganhos de peso vivo por hectare, sendo estes, entretanto, 16% superiores em relação ao da pastagem testemunha.

Maturação de sementes de aveia-preta (Avena strigosa Schreb). I. Maturidade do campo

The present work aimed to define the field maturity of Avena strigosa Schreb seeds cv. Comum. Three experiments were carried out in field conditions during 1986, 1987 and 1989 in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. The sowings were made in May. The characteristics evaluated were: panicles and spikelet aspects, the weight of the dry matter of 100 seeds with and without glumes, the seed moisture, the percentage of germinated seeds (sum of normal + abnormal seedlings), the percentage of germination and vigor (first count of germination test). Based on the dry matter accumulation and the gemination percentage of the seeds, it was concluded that the field maturity of the seeds was reached around 28 and 3 5 days after 100% of panicles emergence of the field. At this stage, the field presented a few percentage of particles (+/- 20%) not yet all yellowish, with spikelets at semi-hard stage and the seeds with 20 to 30% of moisture.

Influência do banho de aspersão ante-mortem na eficiência da sangria e em parâmetros bioquímicos da carne bovina

To determine the effects of the pre-slaughter showering on some meat quality parameters, the biochemical changes in the Longus colli muscle and the bleeding efficiency were studied. Thirty-six Nelore steers were slaughtered in a commercial slaughterhouse. Eighteen animals were submitted to pre-slaughter showering; a control group of eighteen animals were slaughtered without showering. Samples were collected for evaluations in the muscle depth, in the anterior portion of longus colli muscle,just before chilling. Bleeding efficiency was evaluated through the ratio of muscle haemoglobin/blood haemoglobin using blood samples taken five seconds after bleeding, and muscle sample taken before chilling. Longus colli muscle samples were also used to determine glycogen, glucose, pH and acidity, 5, 24 and 48 hours after slaughtering. Multivariate methods were used to evaluate biochemical data and the bleeding efficiency data analysis followed the randomized block design. Haemoglobin retained in the muscle and bleeding efficiency were not affected (P > .05) by pre-slaughter showering. The pre-slaughter showering did not affect (P > .05) the glycolysis. There was a significant effect of time in glycogen, glucose, pH and acidity, in the first 24 hours.

Concentrações séricas de progesterona e metabólitos lipídicos em cabras mestiças alimentadas com dietas hiperlipídicas durante o ciclo estral

The serum concentration of progesterone and lipidics metabolites were studied using tallow as lipidic suplementation during the estrous cycle of 32 crossbred goats, with average age and weight of five months and 25 kg. The goats were randomlly allocated in four treatments as described: treatment 1, restricted intake; treatment 2, full feed; treatments 3 and 4, hiperlipidics diets with 2.5% and 5.0% of tallow, respectively. The female goats under restricted intake, showed the small serum progesterone level (P<0.05) at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days of the estrous cycle, while the ones under hiperlipidics diets, treatments 3 and 4, showed greater levels. The same results were found for serum levels of cholesterol and HDL in the estrous cycle days 6, 9 and 21, and 12, 15 and 21, respectively, that is, the females under restricted diet showed the small level and the ones treated with hiperlipidics diets, the highest. The hiperlipidics diets were important factor in altering the serum cholesterol and HDL levels, showing that the lipidic metabolism may be effective in cyclic luteal progesterone production in the puberal female goats.

Ocorrência de Scaptocoris castanea, perty 1830 em pastagens cultivadas no Brasil

The brown bug (Scaptocoris castanea, Perty 1830) is an insect of underground habits, which continuously suctions the juice through the roots leads the plants to emaciate, dry and die. It has not yet been described as pest in cultivated pastures in Brazil. Its occurrence has been observed in cultivated pastures of Cynodon dactylon cv. Coast cross and Brachiaria decumbens cv Brasilik and IPEAN in red-yellow podzolic soil originally covered by savannah vegetation, in Botucatu County, state of São Paulo.

The Triplaria tree (Triplaris spp) and Pseudomyrmex ants: a symbiotic relationship with risks of attack for humans

The authors report a massive attack by Pseudomyrmex ants on a human who touched a Triplaria - novice tree (Triplaris spp). The ants naturally live in these trees and their stings cause intense pain and discrete to moderate local inflammation. The problem is common in sonic Brazilian regions and can be prevented by identifying the trees.

Gender differences in predictors of health status in patients with COPD

Objective: To evaluate the health status (HS) of COPD patients and to identify the main predictors of HS in these patients according to gender. Methods: The study included 90 COPD patients (60 males and 30 females; mean age = 64 +/- 9 years) with a wide range of airway obstruction disorders (mean FEV(1) = 56 +/- 19% of predicted). The men were individually matched to the women by % of predicted FEV(1) (ratio: 2:1). The patients were assessed regarding body composition; six-minute walk distance; perception of dyspnea using the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale; Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ); Charlson comorbidity index; and the multidimensional Body mass index, airway Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise capacity (BODE) index. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of HS by gender. Results: Impairment of HS was greater among the women than among the men for SGRQ total score and for all SGRQ domains (total: 51 +/- 18% vs. 38 19%; p = 0.002; symptoms: 61 +/- 22% vs. 42 +/- 21%; p < 0.001; activity: 62 +/- 18% vs. 49 +/- 21%; p = 0.004; and impact: 41 +/- 19% vs. 27 +/- 18%; p = 0.001). The multiple linear regression showed that age and perception of dyspnea correlated with SGRQ total score for both genders (males, r(2) = 0.42; females, r(2) = 0.70; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results showed an association between gender and HS in COPD patients. Age and dyspnea are determinants of HS in both genders.

Meta-análise de parâmetros genéticos relacionados ao consumo alimentar residual e a suas características componentes em bovinos

The objective of this work was to estimate, by meta-analysis, the heritability (h(2)) and the genetic (r(g)) and phenotypic (r(f)) correlations of residual feed intake (RFI), and of its component traits in beef cattle from 19 breeds or genetic groups. Twenty-two scientific papers published from 1963 to 2011, from eight countries, totaling 52,637 cattle of ages from 28 days up to slaughter, were evaluated. The estimates of RFI, dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG) and metabolic weight (BW0.75) were weighted by the inverse of sample variance. The variation between studies of h(2) for each trait was analyzed by weighted least squares. The effects of sex, country and breed were significant for h(2) of RFI, explaining 67% of variation between studies. For DMI, country and breed effects were significant and explained 96% of variation. Pooled estimates of h(2) were: 0.255+/-0.008, 0.278+/-0.012, 0.321+/-0.015, and 0.397+/-0.032 for RFI, DMI, ADG and BW0.75, respectively. Pooled estimates of genetic and phenotypic correlations were low between RFI and ADG and between RFI and BW0.75 (from -0.021+/-0.034 to 0.025+/-0.035), and moderate between RFI and DMI (0.636+/-0.035 and 0.698+/-0.041) and between DMI, ADG and BW0.75 (0.441+/-0.062 to 0.688+/-0.032). The trait RFI has lower heritability estimates than its components.

Transpressional tectonics and strain partitioning during oblique collision between three plates in the Precambrian of southeast Brazil

This paper is part of the special publication Continental transpressional and transtensional tectonics (eds R.E. Holdsworth, R.A. Strachan and J.F. Dewey). Two orogenic belts have been recognized in south- east Brazil, which are interpreted to have been formed as a product of diachronous collisions between three continental plates. Wide crustal-scale shear belts have developed both between and inboard of the collided and amalgamated plate borders. These shear belts record frontal, oblique or lateral displacements during oblique plate convergence and A-type subduction. The overall structural style of each belt depends on the angle subtended between the plate boundary and the convergence vector. The E-W branch between the Sao Paulo and Brasilia plates the Campo do Meio strike-slip shear belt, has undergone dominantly sinistral wrench dominated transpression along a set of folds and shear zones dipping southwards. The NE-SW branch between the Sao Paulo and Vitoria plates, the Paraiba do Sul strike-slip shear belt, has undergone a partitioned dextral transpression, whereas the north-south branch between the Brasilia and Vitoria plates is essentially a frontal thrust system with only a weak component of dextral strike-slip. These complex structural patterns, formed at deep to mid-crustal levels, reflect temporal and spatial partitioning at all scales between flattening and non- coaxial deformation, and down-dip and strike-slip shearing, in tangential as well as in transcurrent structural domains. Additionally, this area demonstrates that regional flower structures, lateral extrusion and other secondary deformations across the yz sections of transpressional belts are important in accommodating shortening in obliquely convergent orogens.

Geoquímica de gnaisses do arco magmático de goiás na região sul do estado de goiás

Granitic to trondhjemitic gneisses from the Pontalina region in the southern part of Goiás State, Central Brazil, have calcic to calc-alkaline, metaluminous to peraluminous compositions. They have low concentrations of alkaline elements, and are enriched in Ba, Sr, K, Rb in relation to Nb, Y, Zr and REE, and have negative anomalies of Nb and Ti, features which are similar to those of magmas generated in magmatic arc environments. Those rocks were previously interpreted as part of the basement of the Brasília Belt, attributed to the Archean to Paleoproterozoic, but new Sm - Nd isotopic data indicate a neoproterozoic age (TDM = 0,9 a 1,2 Ga), and the preliminary geochemical data reveal compositions similar to the gneisses of the other regions belonging to the Goiás Magmatic Arc.

Levantamento gravimétrico na região de Franca - SP e delfinópolis - MG, no reconhecimento e delimitação de feições estruturais (Zonas de Sutura)

This paper presents the results of a geophysical study carried out in northeastern São Paulo State and southwestern Minas Gerais State over an area 80 km wide and 97.5 km long in SE Brazil. The Bouguer anomaly map, and geological and structural data allowed to identify three different gravity domains - crustal blocks limited by major discontinuities -related to the structural pattern of the area. These discontinuities were interpreted as geosuture zones underlying the Paraná Basin sediments which have extensions in the Pre-cambrian Basement. The crustal discontinuities named Alterosa and Ribeirão Preto may be seen as A - type collision sutures in a triple junction arramgement. Two prominent linear anomalies are recognized in the Bouguer anomaly map, as well as the limit between the Brasilia and São Paulo crustal blocks or paleoplates. The Alterosa suture zone trends NW-SE while the Ribeirão Preto suture has a NE-SW direction. The Bouguer anomaly map provides subsidies and information on new concepts and theories leading to the refinement of tectonic models.

Cursos de geologia: expansão, interiorização e consolidação do ensino de geologia no brasil

A short time after the creation of the first Geology courses in Brazil (in 1957 with the pioneers in the University of São Paulo and in the Federal Universities of Ouro Preto, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Sul, and then in the following year in the Federal Universities of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro), there arose other initiatives that spread almost twenty Geology courses throughout Brazil. In addition to expanding the Geology teaching in the South, Southeast and Northeast regions, these initiatives succeeded in allowing access to geological education for the population in the North and Central-west of Brazil. In the 1960s, the courses in the Federal University of Para in Belém (1964), University of Brasilia (1965) and São Paulo State University in Rio Claro (1969) were implanted. In the following decade, the courses in the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro in Seropédica (1970), the Federal University of Ceará in Fortaleza (1970), the University of Rio dos Sinos in São Leopoldo (1973), the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba (1973), the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte (1973), the Federal University of Amazonas in Manaus (1976), the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Cuiabá (1976), the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Natal (1976), and the State University of Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro (1977) were all created. At the close of the twentieth century, the course was implanted in the State University of Campinas (1998). Now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, new Geology courses are being implanted, accentuating the movement inland of Geology teaching in Brazil. The Federal University of Pará began a new course in its campus in Marabá in the south-east of Pará and the Federal University of Bahia implanted a new course in its campus in Barreiras in the west of Bahia. Finally, the Federal Universities of Sergipe, Espírito Santo and Roraima commenced Geology courses in Aracaju, Alegre and Boa Vista, respectively. This chapter will present the synthesis of the Geology courses which, over the last decades of the twentieth century, contributed to the expansion of Geology teaching in the country, taking it to every region and giving opportunities to a large number of Brazilian citizens to realize their dreams and tread the paths of their professional vocation.