Antler velvet is thicker in adult than in yearling pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus): a histological study

Background: Antlers are lined by soft velvet tissue during antler growth. Later, the velvet is shed before rut onset. There are no detailed histological descriptions of the growing velvet, nor whether the velvet changes according to stag age. Our aims were to: 1) describe the basic histology of pampas deer antler velvet from adult and yearling males; and 2) determine the influence of age and time of antler growth on velvet’s tissues morphometry. Materials and methods: Samples were collected from 10 stags allocated in two groups, either adult (3–5 years old, n = 5) or yearling males (2 years old, n = 5). The day of antler cast was recorded for each animal. In spring, the stags were anaesthetised and velvet samples were collected from the third tine’s distal end. Samples were described qualitatively and a restricted morphometrical analysis of the antler velvet was performed. Results: The number of keratinocyte layers and the thicknesses of: total epidermis, corneum, intermediate and basale epidermal strata, total dermis, superficial and deep dermis were determined. Age and days after antler casting positively influenced in conjunction epidermal thickness (p = 0.037), and tended to influence both stratum intermedium (p = 0.076) and stratum corneum (p = 0.1) thicknesses. Age influenced stratum corneum thickness (p = 0.04). The pampas deer antler velvet lacked both sweat glands and arrector pili muscles. Conclusions: The deep dermis was densely irrigated but displayed abundant and well developed collagen bundles. Both total epidermal and stratum corneum thicknesses related positively to the age of the animals but were not to the time since antler cast.

In-depth phenolic characterization of iron gall inks by deconstructing representative Iberian recipes

UIDB/50006/2020 PTDC / QUI-OUT / 29925/2017Iron-gall ink is one of the most important inks in the history of western civilization. The deep black colour results from Fe3+ complexes with phenolic compounds available in gall extracts. Unfortunately, it induces the degradation of both ink and support over time. Furthermore, our knowledge of these complex molecular structures is limited. This work aims to overcome this gap, revealing essential information about the complex structures of these pigments and dyes that will create a breakthrough in the next generation of conservation treatments. It presents the first in-depth phenolic identification and quantification of extracts and inks, prepared with and without gum arabic (an essential additive in medieval recipes). Five representative Iberian recipes were selected and prepared. Their phenolic profile was analysed by HPLC–DAD and HPLC–ESI–MS, which revealed that the phenolic compounds present in higher concentration, in the gall extracts, are pentagalloylglucose and hexagalloylglucose (0.15 ± 0.01–32 ± 3 mg/mL), except for one recipe, in which gallic acid is the main phenolic. The influence of the ingredients is also discussed by deconstructing the recipes: extracts of additives as pomegranate peel and solvents used in the extraction of the galls (vinegar and white wine) were characterized.publishersversionpublishe

POSSIBILIDADES E LIMITES NA GESTÃO DA ÁGUA EM SITUAÇÃO DE ESCASSEZ : PRÁTICAS DE PRODUTORES AGRÍCOLAS NA BACIA DO PAJEÚ – PERNAMBUCO

Situada nas mesorregiões do Sertão Pernambucano e do São Francisco Pernambucano, a bacia do rio Pajeú tem clima semiárido, com médias pluviométricas anuais inferiores a 800 mm, concentradas nos meses de fevereiro, março e abril, e apresenta deficiência hídrica de nove meses. Na área da bacia a atividade econômica predominante é a pecuária, seguida da agricultura desenvolvida predominantemente por pequenos proprietários e agricultores familiares para a sua subsistência, que torna-se limitada pelo fator escassez hídrica. A produção agrícola é comprometida e reduzida em função da baixa disponibilidade hídrica e ausência de políticas efetivas para a mudança do quadro de pobreza instalado na região onde falta de acesso a água permanece sendo a grande mazela da população do semiárido, sendo a boa gestão da água essencial para a elevação da qualidade de vida local. Na porção setentrional da bacia, a ação do Projeto Dom Helder Câmara, acordo de empréstimo entre o Governo Brasileiro/Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário e o Fundo Internacional para o Desenvolvimento Agrário/FIDA, tem apontado na direção das possibilidades de produção agrícola e convivência com as condições de semiaridez, direcionando ações como a instalação técnicas simples de captação de água - cisternas, cisternas calçadão, barragem subterrânea. Portanto, este trabalho tem como objetivo verificar na área de atuação do projeto Dom Helder, na porção norte da bacia do Pajeú como os agricultores familiares tem viabilizado a produção agrícola inclusive com diversidade de produção de subsistência em função da instalação de técnicas de captação e armazenamento

Aplicação de ácido húmico em mudas enxertadas e micorrizada de uva sem semente (IAC 766/Crimson Seedless), em dois solos do Vale do Submédio São Francisco.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da aplicação de ácido húmico (Codahumus®) em mudas enxertadas de videira (IAC 766/Crimson Seedless) na ausência e na presença de FMA, em dois tipos de solo

The Triumph of the blue in nature and in Anthropocene

This research was also supported by AgriFood XXI I&D&I project ( NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000041 ) cofinanced by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) , through the NORTE 2020 (Programa Operacional Regional do Norte 2014/2020); We thank Miriam Colaço for raising the question of the blue LASERS. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)Blue was the last color to be spread in Nature by the anthocyanins present in angiosperms, and the last color to be managed by Humans in Anthropocene. Blue also appears in a small number of algae, fungi, and bacteria, but these living beings have very little to do with the profusion of a natural blue hue. Humanity took many long years to figure out how to reproduce and use blue - the classic example of which is indigo dye, extracted from plants like the Indigofera tinctoria. However, even simple anthocyanins are not capable of achieving blue. Plants had to develop strategies to fix this color, mainly by intramolecular copigmentation in acylated anthocyanins and complexation with metals, as in metalloanthocyanins. Blue was absent in the first paleolithic cave paintings. Those depictions were made using reds, yellows, and blacks of all hues, but no blue. In addition, blue LEDs and LASERs came later after red and green. It was only at the end of the 20th century that genetic engineering was able to create blue flowers adapted to the markets to meet consumer demands. Food and beverage producers continue to look for a natural blue as an alternative to synthetic colorants. Blue remained a second-rate color in the West for a long time. Despite that fact, in many countries blue is now the preferred color. In this review we track the appearance of blue in Nature and in the Anthropocene.publishersversionpublishe

Realization of Rectangular Artificial Spin Ice and Direct Observation of High Energy Topology

In this letter, we have constructed and experimentally investigated frustrated arrays of dipoles forming two-dimensional artificial spin ices with different lattice parameters (rectangular arrays with horizontal and vertical lattice spacings denoted by $a$ and $b$ respectively). Arrays with three different ratios $\gamma =a/b = \sqrt{2}$, $\sqrt{3}$ and $\sqrt{4}$ are studied. Theoretical calculations of low-energy demagnetized configurations for these same parameters are also presented. Experimental data for demagnetized samples confirm most of the theoretical results. However, the highest energy topology (doubly-charged monopoles) does not emerge in our theoretical model, while they are seen in experiments for large enough $\gamma$. Our results also insinuate that magnetic monopoles may be almost free in rectangular lattices with a critical ratio $\gamma = \gamma_{c} = \sqrt{3}$, supporting previous theoretical predictions

Nutritional status, yield and composition of peach fruit subjected to the application of organic compost.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional state, yield and composition of peaches on peach trees subjected to the application of organic compost to the soil. This experiment was conducted during the 2008 and 2009 cropping season in an orchard containing Chimarrita cultivars grafted onto Capdeboscq rootstocks and Haplumbrept soils in the municipality of Farroupilha (Rio Grande do Sul State), Brazil. The treatments included 0, 9, 18, 36, 72 and 144 liters of organic compost per plant-1 year-1. The total nutrient contents in the leaves, yield components, yields per plant and hectare and compositions of the fruits were evaluated in 2008 and 2009 soon after harvest and after 30 days of storage. The application of organic compost to the soil increased the yield components and the yields per plant and hectare in the two treatments with the highest compost additions, which indicated that the addition of 72 L of compost per plant-1 is ideal economically. The organic compost had little effect on the composition of the peach fruit after harvest and after 30 days of storage. Keywords: mineral nutrition, organic waste, Prunus persica. Estado nutricional, produção e composição de frutos de pessegueiros submetidos à aplicação de composto orgânico O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o estado nutricional, produção e composição de pêssegos em pessegueiros submetidos à aplicação de composto orgânico no solo. O experimento foi conduzido, na safra 2008 e 2009, em um pomar da cultivar Chimarrita, enxertada sobre o porta-enxerto Capdeboscq e cultivadas em um solo Cambissolo Húmico, no município de Farroupilha (Estado do Rio Grande do Sul). Os tratamentos foram 0, 9, 18, 36, 72 e 144 litros de composto orgânico por planta-1 ano-1. Avaliou-se o teor de nutrientes totais nas folhas, componentes de produção, produção por planta e hectare e a composição dos frutos em 2008 e 2009, logo depois da colheita e 30 dias após armazenamento. A aplicação de composto orgânico no solo, aumenta os valores de componentes de produção e a produção de pêssego por planta e hectare, nas duas maiores quantidades de composto fornecidas, o que economicamente indica a melhor dose de 72 L de composto por planta-1. A adição de composto orgânico na superfície do solo não afeta o estado nutricional e pouco afeta a composição dos pêssegos após a colheita e depois de 30 dias do armazenamento. Palavras-chave: nutrição mineral, resíduos orgânicos, Prunus persica

Forage allowances offered to pregnant ewes until middle and late gestation: Organ priorities on foetus development

Effect of forage allowance before conception and until mid or late gestation was evaluated for effects on foetal and neonatal weights, carcass, nervous systems, metabolic and reproductive organ weights, body dimensions, and variation in intensity of the effects among organs. Effects of two forage allowances, HFA: high forage allowance (2.9 - 3.8 kg of dry matter (DM)/kg bodyweight (BW)) and LFA: low forage allowance (1.4 - 2.6 kg DM/kg BW) were evaluated from 23 days before conception until 70 or 122 days postpartum. On gestation day 70, nine ewes per treatment, each carrying one male foetus, were euthanized and their foetuses were removed. The foetuses were weighed, their carcass and organ weights were recorded, and their external genitalia dimensions were measured. Nine additional lambs per treatment were euthanized 12 hours after birth and the same data were recorded. Hearts from day 70 LFA foetuses were lighter, their external genitalia were smaller, and their foetal weight tended to be less than in HFA. Newborn lambs from LFA ewes had lighter carcasses, livers, kidneys, adrenal glands and testes, shorter penises, but higher brain to liver weight ratios than in HFA. The cerebellum, brain, and heart weights of LFA and HFA newborn lambs did not differ. Low forage allowance until late gestation influenced both foetal and lamb weights and affected organ weights differentially. Thus, the treatments induced differences in prioritization of nutrients, with the central nervous system receiving the highest priority, and carcass and external genitalia the lowest. Keywords: foetal programming, intrauterine growth restriction, lambs, undernutritio