Comprehensive Insight into the Elderflowers and Elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.) Mono and Sesquiterpenic Metabolites: Factors that Modulate Their Composition

Plant secondary metabolites are synthesized for their protection and regulation purposes. Quite often, due to their properties, these metabolites have relevant organoleptic and biological properties and can play important roles in human health and general well-being. A relevant case study in this context is berries and flowers from Sambucus nigra L., which have been used for generations in folk medicine. Although those effects are mainly linked to phenolic compounds, mono and sesquiterpenic secondary metabolites may also play a key role. Despite their potential, S. nigra mono and sesquiterpenic compounds are yet largely unexplored. Complex and dynamic external and internal plant-related phenomena deeply affect terpenes profile, as metabolism, abiotic and biotic stresses, and understanding these phenomena is the first step for S. nigra berries and flowers’ valuation. This chapter will cover aspects linked to elder plant uses, mono and sesquiterpenic composition, and the influence of preharvest and postharvest effects over these metabolites. This knowledge is crucial for scientists and industries to understand and improve the quality of S. nigra-based products

Modeling Architectures and Reference Models: Development and Maintenance Open Source ERP

The adoption Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs) by small and medium-sized businesses may not possible its cost. At same time, whenever adapt ERP specific needs company, user becomes dependent developers due to the lack access and knowledge respective code. Free and open source software can promote advantages companies, however, for their adoption, it is necessary to develop techniques tools facilitate implementation and maintenance code. This article highlights the importance of defining modeling architectures and reference models for development and maintenance open source ERPs, especially the ERP5 project

Application of bioelectrical impedance analysis in prediction of light kid carcass and muscle chemical composition

Carcass data were collected from 24 kids (average live weight of 12.5±5.5 kg; range 4.5 to 22.4 kg) of Jarmelista Portuguese native breed, to evaluate bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as a technique for prediction of light kid carcass and muscle chemical composition. Resistance (Rs, Ω) and reactance (Xc, Ω), were measured in the cold carcasses with a single frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer and, together with impedance (Z, Ω), two electrical volume measurements (VolA and VolB, cm2/Ω), carcass cold weight (CCW), carcass compactness and several carcass linear measurements were fitted as independent variables to predict carcass composition by stepwise regression analysis. The amount of variation explained by VolA and VolB only reached a significant level (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively) for muscle weight, moisture, protein and fat-free soft tissue content, even so with low accuracy, with VolA providing the best results (0.326⩽R 2⩽0.366). Quite differently, individual BIA parameters (Rs, Xc and Z) explained a very large amount of variation in dissectible carcass fat weight (0.814⩽R 2⩽0.862; P<0.01). These individual BIA parameters also explained a large amount of variation in subcutaneous and intermuscular fat weights (respectively 0.749⩽R 2⩽0.793 and 0.718⩽R 2⩽0.760; P<0.01), and in muscle chemical fat weight (0.663⩽R 2⩽0.684; P<0.01). Still significant but much lower was the variation in muscle, moisture, protein and fat-free soft tissue weights (0.344⩽R 2⩽0.393; P<0.01) explained by BIA parameters. Still, the best models for estimation of muscle, moisture, protein and fat-free soft tissue weights included Rs in addition to CCW, and accounted for 97.1% to 99.8% (P<0.01) of the variation observed, with CCW by itself accounting for 97.0% to 99.6% (P<0.01) of that variation. Resistance was the only independent variable selected for the best model predicting subcutaneous fat weight. It was also selected for the best models predicting carcass fat weight (combined with carcass length, CL; R 2=0.943; P<0.01) and intermuscular fat weight (combined with CCW; R 2=0.945; P<0.01). The best model predicting muscle chemical fat weight combined CCW and Z, explaining 85.6% (P<0.01) of the variation observed. These results indicate BIA as a useful tool for prediction of light kids' carcass composition.This work was supported by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) under the Project PEst-OE/AGR/UID/CVT/00772/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bacterial isolation in samples of goat milk.

The aim of this study was to monitor the presence of pathogens causing caprine mastitis during three months in a properties situated in the region of the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais. The presence of isolated microorganisms of goat milk stresses the importance of prophylaxis measures and control of subclinical mastitis in the flock. That?s because the isolated microorganisms exhibit great importance for public health, as they are possible producers of staphylococcal toxin, and therefore, possible causes of food poisoning

Assessment of chemical hazards in insect meal production for aquaculture feeds

Abstract of communication presented at the 74th EAAP International Congress on Animal Science. Lyon, France, 26 August-1 September 2023N/

Antimicrobial resistance on Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cases subclinical mastitis in goats.

Caprine mastitis is one of the most common diseases in dairy herds, causing damage mainly due to the decrease in milk production after the invasion of the infectious agent in the secretory epithelium of the mammary gland. Species Staphylococcus aureus is the most pathogenic agent in the mammary gland, having important implications for public health, since it produces enterotoxins that survive the heat treatments applied to milk. The use of proper antibiotics is an important tool for the treatment of the disease. However, they should be used judiciously, since the main cause of failure in therapy is bacterial resistance to the drug. This study uses an antibiogram to evaluate the resistance of microorganisms isolated from goat milk samples with subclinical mastitis. Antibiotics ampicillin and rifampicin showed 50% resistance in strains from Minas Gerais and 83.3% in strains from São Paulo, respectively, which would be ineffective in the treatment of mastitis in these herds. Therefore, the use of antibiogram as a control tool helps Veterinarians and owners in decision making regarding the appropriate treatment

Corneal Sub‐Basal Nerve Plexus Assessment and its Association with Phenotypic Features and Lymphocyte Subsets in Sjögren's Syndrome

Purpose: To assess and compare corneal sub-basal nerve plexus morphology with circulating lymphocyte subsets, immunologic status and disease activity in Sjögren syndrome (SjS) patients. Methods: Fifty-five SjS patients, 63 Sicca patients (not fulfilling SjS criteria), 18 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) were included. Systemic disease activity in SjS was assessed with the ESSDAI score. Lymphocyte subpopulations were studied with flow cytometry. Corneal confocal microscopy and ImageJ software were used to characterize corneal sub-basal nerve plexus in terms of nerve density (CNFD), length (CNFL) and tortuosity (CNFT). Conventional dry eye tests were also performed. Results: CNFL and CNFD were lower in SjS, Sicca and RA groups, compared to HC (p < 0.001 for both SjS and Sicca); CNFL p = 0.005, CNFD p = 0.018 in RA). CNFT was higher in SjS, followed by Sicca, RA and HC. A negative correlation was found between ESSDAI score and CNFL (r=-0.735, p = 0.012). CNFL correlated negatively with IL21+ CD8+ T cells (r=-0.279, p = 0.039) and a positively with total memory (r = 0.299, p = 0.027), unswitched memory (r = 0.281, p = 0.038) and CD24Hi CD27+ (r = 0.278, p = 0.040) B cells. CNFD showed a tendency to significance in its negative correlation with ESSDAI (r=-0.592, p = 0.071) and in its positive correlation with switched memory B cells (r = 0.644, p = 0.068). Conclusions: This is the first study aiming to correlate ocular findings with lymphocyte subsets in SjS. The associations founded between CNFL and CNFD and disease activity, IL21+ follicular T cells and some B-cell subsets suggest that corneal nerve damage may parallel systemic disease activity and inflammatory cells' dynamics.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Custos da preservação ambiental em diferentes tipos de unidades de produção agrícola: o caso da região do Corredor Cantareira-Mantiqueira.

Neste capítulo, foram identificados diferentes custos de oportunidade incorridos pelos produtores rurais da parte paulista do corredor Cantareira-Mantiqueira. Baseado em uma tipologia de unidades de produção agropecuária (UPA), pretende-se contribuir para a implementação de uma política de pagamento por serviços ambientais na região. Foram identificados sete grupos principais de produção agropecuária a partir de informações do Levantamento de Unidades de Produção Agropecuária do estado de São Paulo de 2007/08. Com base em estimativas das receitas e despesas da produção desses grupos, foi identificada uma elevada assimetria na distribuição dos retornos médios da atividade agropecuária na região. As UPAs dedicadas à exploração florestal apresentaram o maior retorno por hectare e total na região, mas a bovinocultura mista prevaleceu entre as unidades de produção. Os resultados levantam importantes questões sobre a melhor forma de remuneração dos proprietários em uma política de pagamento por serviços ambientais