Effect of Season and Age on Thermophysiological and Hematological Variables of Crossbred Dairy Calves in Tropical Environment

Background: The wellbeing and performance of calves may be impaired if raised in high temperature environments. Physiological and hematological variables serve as a tool to assess the welfare of cattle; therefore, the influence of seasons and age on physiological and hematological variables was evaluated of crossbred dairy calves in a tropical environment.Materials, Methods & Results: Forty-two male and female calves were evaluated from July 2016 to July 2017, when the calves were of 2, 15, 30, and 60 days of age. Respiratory (RR) and heart rates (HR) and rectal (RT) and body surface (BST) temperatures were quantified in the morning. Additionally, in the morning, dry bulb (Tdb) and wet bulb (Twb) temperatures were measured, and then, relative humidity (RH) and a temperature-humidity index (THI) were calculated. Blood was collected to perform hemogram. The day before the calves were evaluated, thermal environment data were collected to verify whether there were cyclic periods of heat stress. The mean air temperature ranged from 19°C to 22.1°C, and the highest THI value of 68 occurred in the summer mornings. In the afternoon, the maximum air temperature ranged from 27.5°C to 29.7°C. In autumn, respiratory and heart rates and body surface temperature were higher in 2-day-old calves than in other ages. The body surface temperature of 60-day-old calves was higher in spring and summer than in autumn. Rectal temperature remained in the normal range throughout the study period. Season did not influence the erythrogram and plaquetogram. The values for red blood cells, MCV, MCHC, RDW, platelets, and MPV varied among the calf ages. Season did not influence the values of leukocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, or N/L ratio; however, band neutrophils and eosinophils varied among seasons. Band neutrophils and monocytes were not altered by age, whereas leukocyte, segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and N/L ratio values varied with age among the calves.Discussion: The air temperature and THI remained within the thermoneutral zone of crossbred dairy calves in the morning; however, in the afternoon the air temperature and THI increased, which indicates cyclic periods of critical heat stress. Higher RR and HR values observed in 2-day-old calves may be due to the physiological changes that accompany adapting to extrauterine life. The RT remained within the reference range for species during all seasons and at all ages, and therefore, the calves were able to maintain normothermia. The air temperature remained lower than the BST and was within the thermoneutral zone; thus, the loss of sensible heat was predominant in relation to evaporation dissipation. Age, breed, time of day, and meteorological variables may influence hematological constituents. Red blood cells of newborn calves are large, of fetal origin, and are replaced by smaller cells with advancing age, which results in a smaller MCV value. The higher neutrophil concentrations in 2-day-old calves resulted in a higher N/L ratio following the trend of plasma cortisol concentration, which is high at birth and decreases with age. The highest values of band neutrophils are because these cells are responsible for phagocytosis of microorganisms and other foreign materials. Since new-born calves are in contact with microorganisms in the environment and are highly susceptible to infections, it is justifiable to observe an increased number of band neutrophils. The differences observed in lymphocyte numbers in calves aged 30 and 60 days during autumn, winter, and spring is likely due to the production of B lymphocytes as an exposure response to agents present in the environment. We conclude that seasons interfere with BST and neutrophil and eosinophil counts, while age affects thermophysiological variables, erythrogram, plaquetogram, and leukogram

Território da atenção básica

A atenção básica desempenha um papel fundamental no sistema de saúde, sendo essencial para o atendimento primário à população. O território da atenção básica refere-se à delimitação geográfica em que as ações de saúde são desenvolvidas, visando à equidade no acesso aos serviços e à qualidade do atendimento. Esta revisão integrativa da literatura tem como objetivo analisar estudos recentes em língua portuguesa sobre o território da atenção básica, relacionados aos descritores "Território", "Atenção Básica" e "Equidade". A importância científica e social do tema reside na necessidade de compreender as dinâmicas territoriais que influenciam o acesso, a qualidade e a equidade dos serviços de saúde. Doze artigos foram selecionados e analisados nesta revisão. Os estudos destacaram a importância de uma abordagem territorializada na atenção básica, reconhecendo o território como um espaço influenciado por fatores políticos, econômicos e socioculturais. Foram observados pontos positivos, como a promoção da equidade no acesso aos serviços de saúde e a compreensão das necessidades de saúde da população. No entanto, também foram identificadas limitações, como a falta de abordagem das desigualdades socioespaciais e a ausência de participação efetiva da comunidade no planejamento e avaliação das ações de saúde. A revisão ressalta a importância de fortalecer a abordagem territorial na atenção básica, considerando as particularidades socioespaciais de cada território. Apesar dos avanços observados, existem desafios a serem enfrentados, como a representatividade dos territórios analisados e a padronização das metodologias utilizadas. Propõe-se a continuidade do trabalho, incluindo a exploração da relação entre o território da atenção básica e os determinantes sociais da saúde, além do desenvolvimento de estratégias de intervenção baseadas em evidências científicas. Essas ações visam promover a equidade no acesso aos serviços de saúde e melhorar a qualidade de vida da população atendida pela atenção básica

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

A construção da noção social de greve: Um estudo evolutivo piagetiano

From the Piagetian studies on social knowledge construction, this article presents the data of a qualitative and quantitative research, whose objective was to investigate the understanding of the strike notion in public and private students, aged between 6 and 21 years. The research with transversal trajectory design consisted of 80 participants, distributed as follows: 20 subjects aged 6 years, 20 subjects aged 11 years, 20 subjects aged 16 years and 20 subjects aged 21 years. Still, for each age group, there was division as to the origin of the school institution, thus, 10 participants were from public institutions and 10,from private institutions. The instrument used was a clinical-critical interview that dealt with the notion of strike. The interviews were analyzed according to the levels of social reality understanding, through the construction of sub-levels, plus analytical statistics of correlation between variables. In general, it was found that students' ideas focusedon the sub-level IIa, revealing an understanding of a little elaborate strike notion, based on more personal judgments and apparent aspects. Statistical analysis showed no difference in the answers according to the schools in which the participants were enrolled. Relevant aspects about the construction of social knowledge are discussed.A partir dos estudos piagetianos sobre a construção do conhecimento social, o artigo apresenta os dados de uma pesquisa de caráter qualitativoe quantitativo, cujo objetivoconsistiu eminvestigar a compreensão da noção degreve emestudantes da rede pública e particular, deidades entre 06 e 21 anos. Apesquisa,com delineamento evolutivo transversal,contou com80 participantes, distribuídos da seguinte forma:20 sujeitos de 06 anos,20 de 11 anos, 20 de 16 anos e 20,de 21 anos. Ainda, para cada grupo etário, houve divisão quanto à origem da instituição escolar;assim, 10 participanteseram de instituições públicas e 10,de instituições privadas. O instrumento utilizado foi uma entrevista clínico-crítica que versava sobre a noção de greve. As entrevistas foram analisadas em consonânciacom os níveis de compreensão da realidade social,mediante a construção de subníveis,acrescida de estatísticaanalítica de correlação entre variáveis. De modo geral, verificou-se que as ideias dos estudantes se concentraram no subnívelIIa,revelando um entendimento da noção de greve pouco elaborado, pautado em juízos mais pessoais e aspectos aparentes. A análiseestatística comprovou não haverdiferençanas respostas,conforme as escolas em que os participantes estavam matriculados. Discutem-se aspectos relevantes sobre a construção do conhecimento social.A partir de los estudios piagetianos sobre la construcción del conocimiento social, el artículo presenta los datos de una investigación de carácter cualitativo y cuantitativo, cuyo objetivo consistió en investigar la comprensión de la noción deunahuelga en estudiantes de la red pública y privada, de edades entre 6 y 21 años. La investigación, con delineamiento evolutivo transversal, contó con 80 participantes, 20 en cada una de las categorías de edades: 6, 11, 16 y 21 años. Para cada grupo etario, hubo una división cuanto al origen de la institución escolar, así, 10 participantes eran de instituciones públicas y 10,de instituciones privadas. El instrumento utilizado fue una entrevista clínico-crítica que versaba sobre la noción de huelga. Las entrevistas fueron analizadas en consonancia con los niveles de comprensión de la realidad social, mediante la construcción de subniveles, más la estadística analítica de correlación entre variables. En general, se verificó que las ideas de los estudiantes se concentraron en el subnivel IIa, revelando un entendimiento de la noción de huelga poco elaborado, pautado en juicios más personales y aspectos aparentes. El análisis estadístico comprobó que no había diferencia en las respuestas según las escuelas en que los participantes estaban matriculados. Se discute aspectos relevantes sobre la construcción del conocimiento social

Effect of Season and Age on Thermophysiological and Hematological Variables of Crossbred Dairy Calves in Tropical Environment

Background: The wellbeing and performance of calves may be impaired if raised in high temperature environments. Physiological and hematological variables serve as a tool to assess the welfare of cattle; therefore, the influence of seasons and age on physiological and hematological variables was evaluated of crossbred dairy calves in a tropical environment.Materials, Methods & Results: Forty-two male and female calves were evaluated from July 2016 to July 2017, when the calves were of 2, 15, 30, and 60 days of age. Respiratory (RR) and heart rates (HR) and rectal (RT) and body surface (BST) temperatures were quantified in the morning. Additionally, in the morning, dry bulb (Tdb) and wet bulb (Twb) temperatures were measured, and then, relative humidity (RH) and a temperature-humidity index (THI) were calculated. Blood was collected to perform hemogram. The day before the calves were evaluated, thermal environment data were collected to verify whether there were cyclic periods of heat stress. The mean air temperature ranged from 19°C to 22.1°C, and the highest THI value of 68 occurred in the summer mornings. In the afternoon, the maximum air temperature ranged from 27.5°C to 29.7°C. In autumn, respiratory and heart rates and body surface temperature were higher in 2-day-old calves than in other ages. The body surface temperature of 60-day-old calves was higher in spring and summer than in autumn. Rectal temperature remained in the normal range throughout the study period. Season did not influence the erythrogram and plaquetogram. The values for red blood cells, MCV, MCHC, RDW, platelets, and MPV varied among the calf ages. Season did not influence the values of leukocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, or N/L ratio; however, band neutrophils and eosinophils varied among seasons. Band neutrophils and monocytes were not altered by age, whereas leukocyte, segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and N/L ratio values varied with age among the calves.Discussion: The air temperature and THI remained within the thermoneutral zone of crossbred dairy calves in the morning; however, in the afternoon the air temperature and THI increased, which indicates cyclic periods of critical heat stress. Higher RR and HR values observed in 2-day-old calves may be due to the physiological changes that accompany adapting to extrauterine life. The RT remained within the reference range for species during all seasons and at all ages, and therefore, the calves were able to maintain normothermia. The air temperature remained lower than the BST and was within the thermoneutral zone; thus, the loss of sensible heat was predominant in relation to evaporation dissipation. Age, breed, time of day, and meteorological variables may influence hematological constituents. Red blood cells of newborn calves are large, of fetal origin, and are replaced by smaller cells with advancing age, which results in a smaller MCV value. The higher neutrophil concentrations in 2-day-old calves resulted in a higher N/L ratio following the trend of plasma cortisol concentration, which is high at birth and decreases with age. The highest values of band neutrophils are because these cells are responsible for phagocytosis of microorganisms and other foreign materials. Since new-born calves are in contact with microorganisms in the environment and are highly susceptible to infections, it is justifiable to observe an increased number of band neutrophils. The differences observed in lymphocyte numbers in calves aged 30 and 60 days during autumn, winter, and spring is likely due to the production of B lymphocytes as an exposure response to agents present in the environment. We conclude that seasons interfere with BST and neutrophil and eosinophil counts, while age affects thermophysiological variables, erythrogram, plaquetogram, and leukogram

Sorção de Cd e Pb nos solos da região do Médio Rio Paraíba - RJ, Brasil

RESUMO As concentrações de metais na solução do solo são reguladas, principalmente, pelos processos de sorção. Neste estudo foi avaliada a dinâmica de sorção de Cd e Pb em 19 amostras de solos da Região do Médio Rio Paraíba - RJ, Brasil, através da comparação dos parâmetros de diferentes modelos de isotermas obtidos pelo software ISOFT após ensaios de sorção pelo método da batelada. Os resultados mostraram que a isoterma Linear é mais adequada para representar a sorção de Cd e o modelo de Freundlich para Pb e que a adsorção de Cd é fortemente influenciada pelo pH e pelas concentrações de Fe e Ca, enquanto que a adsorção de Pb é mais influenciada pelo pH, e pelas concentrações de Mn e Ca

Multivariate analyses to establish reference values for soils in Médio Paraíba, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ABSTRACT Quality Reference Values (QRVs) for potentially toxic elements are obtained from background levels in soils. However, this determination from mean values or percentiles is not appropriate given the variability in the natural distribution of these elements in soils. Therefore, the objective of this study was to propose a new methodology to establish the QRVs, using the Médio Paraíba region (RJ, Brazil) as an example, from groups of soils defined based on the pseudo-total levels of B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn through the use of multivariate analyses and discriminant functions. A total of 40 points, collected at depths of 0-20 and 20-40 cm, were used for the determination of pseudo-total contents, according to the EPA 3051A methodology. The samples were separated into three groups to better represent the variability of the soils of the region. The classification functions were obtained based on the variables Mn, Fe, and Mg. In general, the groups G1 and G2 presented lower values than the ones obtained when the sample universe was used, whereas G3 presented higher values. The QRVs obtained from the soil groups presented substantial differences that translate into advantages for the management of the contaminated areas of the region