Dual-purpose wheat grain and animal production under different grazing periods

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of different grazing periods on beef animal production and on wheat forage and grain yield. The experiment was carried out in Pato Branco, PR, Brazil. Six grazing periods were evaluated (0, 21, 42, 63, 84, and 105 days) on dual-purpose wheat cultivar BRS Tarumã. Purunã steers, with average live weight of 162 kg and ten months of age, were kept under continuous grazing using a variable stocking rate, in order to maintain the established sward height of 25 cm. Greater increases in total animal gain (TAG) occurred with longer grazing periods. However, there was little increase after 63 days (490 kg ha-1), and TAG decreased from 552 to 448 kg ha-1 between 84 and 105 days. Grain yield decreased from 2,830 to 610 kg ha-1 when the grazing period increased from 0 to 105 days, but there was little change after 63 days (750 kg ha-1). Cultivar BRS Tarumã shows excellent animal production potential, and the decision on how long wheat pastures should be grazed must be based on relative prices of grain and livestock.

Aptidões de genótipos de batata-doce para consumo humano, produção de etanol e alimentação animal

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar a aptidão de genótipos de batata-doce (Ipomoea batatas) para consumo humano, produção de etanol e alimentação animal, por meio de índices de aptidão. Os índices de aptidão corresponderam às médias dos valores das variáveis padronizadas para 16 características de interesse, ponderadas por pesos atribuídos a cada característica, conforme a aptidão avaliada. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com duas repetições e 39 genótipos: 36 acessos da coleção de germoplasma da Universidade Federal de Lavras e três cultivares comerciais (Palmas, Brazlândia-Branca e Brazlândia-Rosada). Oito genótipos foram considerados aptos à produção de etanol, 11 à alimentação animal e 11 ao consumo humano, incluindo as cultivares Palmas e Brazlândia-Branca. Os acessos UFLA07-12, UFLA07-31, UFLA07-43, UFLA07-49 e UFLA07-53 apresentaram aptidão para produção de etanol, alimentação animal e consumo humano. O índice de seleção é eficiente para estabelecer aptidões para genótipos de batata-doce.

Post coitum, animal triste : Animals tristos, de Jordi Puntí: una lectura

Aquest treball proposa un estudi del recull de contes de Jordi Puntí, Animals tristos, des d'una directriu bàsica: el plantejament teòric sobre la fragilitat dels vincles humans de la postmodernitat postulat pel sociòleg Zygmunt Bauman en la seva obra Amor líquido. Acerca de la fragilidad de los vínculos humanos. Així, l'objectiu de l'estudi és demostrar que els personatges d'Animals tristos són un reflex de la societat urbana actual i de la naturalesa canviant en les relacions de parella de principis del s. XXI que descriu Bauman. D'aquesta forma, l'anàlisi de l'obra de Puntí, especialment dels seus personatges, és realitzada a través d'un marc teòric de naturalesa sociològica.

A radiochemical method for carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I: application to rats fed a hyperproteic diet

A method for the measurement of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I activity in animal tissues has been developed using the livers of rats under normal and hyperproteic diets. The method is based on the incorporation of 14C-ammonium bicarbonate to carbamoyl-phosphate in the presence of ATP-Mg and N-acetyl-glutamate. The reaction is stopped by chilling, lowering the pH and adding ethanol. Excess bicarbonate is flushed out under a gentle stream of cold CO2. The only label remaining in the medium was that incorporated into carbamoyl-phosphate, since all 14C-CO2 from bicarbonate was eliminated. The method is rapid and requires only a low pressure supply of CO2 to remove the excess substrate. The reaction is linear up to 10 min using homogenate dilutions of 1:20 to 1:200 (w/v). Rat liver activity was in the range of 89±8 nkat/g. Hyperproteic diet resulted in a significant 1.4-fold increase. The design of the method allows for the processing of multiple samples at the same time, and incubation medium manipulation is unnecessary, since the plastic incubation vial and its contents are finally counted together.

New experimental tools for bioassays with whitefly in laboratory

The objective of this work was to develop an experimental kit for assessments of repellency, deterrence for oviposition, and insecticidal activity on adults of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci biotype B. The kit, which consisted of arenas and nebulizer, was effective for conducting bioassays, and the application of aqueous extracts by inhaler was adequate. The techniques are simple, cheap, and may contribute to research on this insect.

Desempenho animal e características de pastos de capim-piatã submetidos a diferentes intensidades de pastejo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o valor nutritivo, a estrutura do dossel e a produção animal de novilhos em pastos de capim-piatã (Urochloa brizantha, cultivar Piatã), manejados a 15, 30 e 45 cm de altura, sob lotação contínua. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com duas repetições e três alturas. As alturas dos pastos foram monitoradas duas vezes por semana, e as taxas de lotação ajustadas. Mensalmente, os pastos foram amostrados e os animais foram pesados. Não houve diferença no valor nutritivo dos pastos manejados com diferentes alturas. Os ganhos médios diários de 650 g por novilho foram semelhantes entre as diferentes alturas de manejo. A taxa de lotação foi menor para o pasto com 45 cm (2,4 UA ha-1), intermediária para o de 30 cm (3,1 UA ha-1) e maior para o manejado com 15 cm (3,8 UA ha-1), o que resultou em maior ganho por área dos pastos manejados com 15 cm (1.050 kg ha-1) e 30 cm (910 kg ha-1) de altura, quando comparados ao manejado a 45 cm (635 kg ha-1). O capim-piatã apresenta grande flexibilidade de manejo sob lotação contínua e pode ser manejado entre 15 e 45 cm de altura.

Digestibilidad aparente de ingredientes de origen vegetal y animal en la cachama

El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar los coeficientes de digestibilidad aparente de materia seca (MS), proteína y energía de alimentos de origen animal y vegetal, utilizados en raciones para cachama (Piaractus brachypomus). Fueron formuladas 15 dietas experimentales, compuestas por 69,5% de una dieta referencia semipurificada, 0,5% de óxido de cromo y 30% del ingrediente a evaluar. En cada experimento, fueron utilizados 90 peces que se alimentaron durante cinco días con la correspondiente dieta; al quinto día, los animales fueron trasladados a tanques cónicos para recolección de heces. Los coeficientes de digestibilidad aparente (CDA) de proteína variaron de 92,1 a 84,7% entre los ingredientes proteicos de origen vegetal, de 85,0 a 68,5% en los proteicos de origen animal, y de 83,7 a 57,6% entre los de origen vegetal con baja proteína. Los CDA de energía de torta de soya, gluten de maíz, harina de yuca integral y de todos los ingredientes de origen animal arrojaron valores superiores a 76%. Los máximos CDA de MS variaron entre 71 y 78% y fueron observados en gluten, harina de yuca y en los ingredientes de origen animal. La cachama tiene alta capacidad para aprovechar eficientemente ingredientes de origen animal y vegetal.

Consumo de forragem e desempenho animal em cultivares de Urochloa humidicola sob lotação contínua

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o acúmulo de forragem, a estrutura do dossel, o valor nutritivo, o consumo de forragem e a produção animal, em pastos de Urochloa humidicola sob lotação contínua. As cultivares BRS Tupi e Comum foram avaliadas durante os períodos de seca e das águas (julho de 2011 a agosto de 2012), em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com dois tratamentos e seis repetições. Mensalmente, os animais foram pesados e os pastos amostrados para a determinação de: taxa de acúmulo de forragem (TAF); massa de forragem; percentagens de folha (PF), colmo e material morto (PM); e valor nutritivo. O consumo de matéria seca (CMS) foi determinado uma vez a cada período. 'BRS Tupi' apresentou maiores TAF e PF e menor PM do que a 'Comum', durante o período das águas. O valor nutritivo, o CMS e o ganho médio diário foram semelhantes entre as duas cultivares. O conteúdo de proteína bruta da forragem - 6,0 e 5,0%, respectivamente, para os períodos das águas e seco - foi o principal fator limitante ao CMS. 'BRS Tupi' recebeu maior taxa de lotação e, consequentemente, possibilitou maior ganho de peso vivo por área (192 kg ha-1 por ano) do que a 'Comum' (126 kg ha-1 por ano). A 'BRS Tupi' é uma boa alternativa para a diversificação de pastagens em solos de baixa fertilidade sujeitos a alagamento temporário.

Development of Craniofacial Bone Defect Reconstruction Implant Based on Fibre-Reinforced Composite with Photopolymerisable Resin Systems. Experimental studies in vitro and in vivo.

Reconstruction of defects in the craniomaxillofacial (CMF) area has mainly been based on bone grafts or metallic fixing plates and screws. Particularly in the case of large calvarial and/or craniofacial defects caused by trauma, tumours or congenital malformations, there is a need for reliable reconstruction biomaterials, because bone grafts or metallic fixing systems do not completely fulfill the criteria for the best possible reconstruction methods in these complicated cases. In this series of studies, the usability of fibre-reinforced composite (FRC) was studied as a biostable, nonmetallic alternative material for reconstructing artificially created bone defects in frontal and calvarial areas of rabbits. The experimental part of this work describes the different stages of the product development process from the first in vitro tests with resin-impregnated fibrereinforced composites to the in vivo animal studies, in which this FRC was tested as an implant material for reconstructing different size bone defects in rabbit frontal and calvarial areas. In the first in vitro study, the FRC was polymerised in contact with bone or blood in the laboratory. The polymerised FRC samples were then incubated in water, which was analysed for residual monomer content by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was found that this in vitro polymerisation in contact with bone and blood did not markedly increase the residual monomer leaching from the FRC. In the second in vitro study, different adhesive systems were tested in fixing the implant to bone surface. This was done to find an alternative implant fixing system to screws and pins. On the basis of this study, it was found that the surface of the calvarial bone needed both mechanical and chemical treatments before the resinimpregnated FRC could be properly fixed onto it. In three animal studies performed with rabbit frontal bone defects and critical size calvarial bone defect models, biological responses to the FRC implants were evaluated. On the basis of theseevaluations, it can be concluded that the FRC, based on E-glass (electrical glass) fibres forming a porous fibre veil enables the ingrowth of connective tissues to the inner structures of the material, as well as the bone formation and mineralization inside the fibre veil. Bone formation could be enhanced by using bioactive glass granules fixed to the FRC implants. FRC-implanted bone defects healed partly; no total healing of defects was achieved. Biological responses during the follow-up time, at a maximum of 12 weeks, to resin-impregnated composite implant seemed to depend on the polymerization time of the resin matrix of the FRC. Both of the studied resin systems used in the FRC were photopolymerised and the heat-induced postpolymerisation was used additionally.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency in the aged: Laboratory Diagnosis, Prevalence and Clinical Profile

B₁₂-vitamiinin puute iäkkäillä: laboratoriodiagnostiikka, yleisyys ja yhteys sairastavuuteen Tausta: B12-vitamiinin puute on yleistä iäkkäillä ja se tulisi todeta riittävän varhaisessa vaiheessa palautumattomien vaurioiden estämiseksi. On epäselvää pitäisikö diagnostiikka kohdistaa tiettyihin riskiryhmiin vai mahdollisesti seuloa valikoimatonta vanhusväestöä. Myöskään yksimielisyyttä laboratoriotutkimusten valinnasta ei ole. Tavoitteet: Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli evaluoida uutta HoloTC RIA menetelmää ja tuottaa viitearvot sille, selvittää B12-vitamiinin puutteen yleisyys, yhteys sairastavuuteen ja mahdolliset riskitekijät suomalaisessa vanhusväestössä, arvioida munuaisfunktion vaikusta B12-vitamiinin puutteen laboratoriotutkimuksiin ja näiden perusteella ehdottaa suomalaiseen terveydenhuoltoon sopivaa laboratoriotutkimusstrategiaa. Aineisto ja menetelmät: Liedon iäkkäät -tutkimuksen vanhusaineisto on edustava otos yhden kunnan yli 65-vuotiaasta väestöstä, yhteensä 1260 henkilöä. Tutkittavat kävivät lääkärintarkastuksessa, ja heistä on käytettävissä runsaasti laboratoriotutkimuksia sekä tiedot sairauksista, ruokavaliosta, lääkkeiden ja vitamiinivalmisteiden käytöstä, dementiaseula ja depressiokysely. Viitearvoaineistoa varten kerättiin näytteet 84 vapaaehtoisesta terveestä aikuisesta ja menetelmäevaluaatiota varten 107 sairaalapotilaasta. Tulokset: HoloTC RIA menetelmän toistettavuus oli hyvä manuaalimenetelmäksi. 95%:n viiteväli holotranskobalamiinille oli 37-171 pmol/l. Kaikilla tutkittavilla, joilla oli muilla laboratoriotutkimuksilla osoitettu todennäköinen B12-vitamiinin puute, myös holotranskobalamiini oli viitealueen alarajaa pienempi. Suurentuneella kystatiini C-pitoisuudella osoitettu munuaisten vajaatoiminta korreloi voimakkaasti homokysteiinin (rs=0.53, p<0.001) ja metyylimalonihapon (rs=0.27, p<0.001) pitoisuuksiin, mutta ei kokonais-B12-vitamiinin (rs=- 0.04, p=0.227) tai holotranskobamiinin (rs=-0.01, p=0.817) pitoisuuksiin. Suomalaisessa vanhusväestössä B12-vitamiinin puutteen prevalenssi oli 12%. Kokonais- B12-vitamiinin pitoisuus oli matala (<150 pmol/l) 6%:lla. Miessukupuoli (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-2.9), ikä ≥75 (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.4) ja maitotuotteiden välttäminen (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.4) lisäsivät B12-vitamiinin puutteen riskiä, mutta anemia (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.3) tai makrosytoosi (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.6-2.7) eivät. Päätelmät: Diagnosoimaton B12-vitamiinin puute on yleistä iäkkäillä, mutta kliinisesti merkityksellistä spesifistä riskiryhmää ei löydy. Koska anemian ja makrosytoosin puuttuminen ei poissulje B12-vitamiinin puutetta ja munuaisten vajaatoiminta heikentää metabolisten merkkiaineiden käyttökelpoisuutta, kokonais-B12-vitamiinia suositellaan ensisijaiseksi laboratoriotutkimukseksi epäiltäessä B12-vitamiinin puutetta ja tarvittaessa varmentavina tutkimuksina käytetään homokysteiiniä ja holotranskobalamiinia.

Building Environmental Management System for Laboratory Products Manufacturing Company according ISO 14001-standard

Tutkielman tavoitteena on rakentaa toimiva ympäristöjärjestelmä Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy:lle. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on myös löytää kahdelle täysin erilaiselle toiminnalle yhtenäinen ympäristöjärjestelmä, jonka avulla pystytään ottamaan huomioon molempien toimipaikkojen hieman erilaiset vaatimukset. Lisäksi tavoitteena on muodostaa ympäristöjärjestelmälle oma organisaatio, jonka avulla ympäristöjärjestelmän integrointi yrityksen prosesseihin voidaan suorittaa sujuvasti. Aluksi tutkimusongelmaa lähestytään teoreettisesta näkökulmasta,jossa tarkastellaan ympäristöjärjestelmän historiaa, rakennetta, etuja sekä ISO 14001–standardin rakennetta ja sen etenemistä ympäristöjärjestelmän rakentamisen yhteydessä aina kolmannen osapuolen sertifiointiin asti. Empiria osa alkaa alustavalla ympäristökatselmuksella, jossa selvitetään ympäristöasioiden hoidon nykytaso ja luodaan pohja koko ympäristöjärjestelmän luomiselle, jonka vankimpana perustana on ympäristöpolitiikka. Johdon hyväksymä ympäristöpolitiikka varmistaa johdon sitoutumisen järjestelmään. Ympäristöjärjestelmän toimintarakenteen muodostaminen kahdelle erilaiselle toiminnalle onnistui tutkimuksessa kiitettävästi. Se miten ympäristöjärjestelmä toimii todellisuudessa, tullaan näkemään käytännön kokemuksien yhteydessä.

Evaluation of a piezoelectric system as an alternative to electroencephalogram/ electromyogram recordings in mouse sleep studies.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Traditionally, sleep studies in mammals are performed using electroencephalogram/electromyogram (EEG/EMG) recordings to determine sleep-wake state. In laboratory animals, this requires surgery and recovery time and causes discomfort to the animal. In this study, we evaluated the performance of an alternative, noninvasive approach utilizing piezoelectric films to determine sleep and wakefulness in mice by simultaneous EEG/EMG recordings. The piezoelectric films detect the animal's movements with high sensitivity and the regularity of the piezo output signal, related to the regular breathing movements characteristic of sleep, serves to automatically determine sleep. Although the system is commercially available (Signal Solutions LLC, Lexington, KY), this is the first statistical validation of various aspects of sleep. DESIGN: EEG/EMG and piezo signals were recorded simultaneously during 48 h. SETTING: Mouse sleep laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Nine male and nine female CFW outbred mice. INTERVENTIONS: EEG/EMG surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The results showed a high correspondence between EEG/EMG-determined and piezo-determined total sleep time and the distribution of sleep over a 48-h baseline recording with 18 mice. Moreover, the piezo system was capable of assessing sleep quality (i.e., sleep consolidation) and interesting observations at transitions to and from rapid eye movement sleep were made that could be exploited in the future to also distinguish the two sleep states. CONCLUSIONS: The piezo system proved to be a reliable alternative to electroencephalogram/electromyogram recording in the mouse and will be useful for first-pass, large-scale sleep screens for genetic or pharmacological studies. CITATION: Mang GM, Nicod J, Emmenegger Y, Donohue KD, O'Hara BF, Franken P. Evaluation of a piezoelectric system as an alternative to electroencephalogram/electromyogram recordings in mouse sleep studies.