Water buffalo production in the Brazilian Amazon Basin: a review

The Brazilian Amazon has witnessed, in the last decades, an increase in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) inventory, with interesting productivity results. As the Brazilian Amazon contains the main water buffalo population in the Americas, the aim of this work is to review its most relevant production systems and some peculiarities about meat and milk production in this territory. The opening section describes the Amazon Basin, the most common water buffalo breeds, a brief history of the local livestock farming beginning in 1644. Also, it presents how water buffaloes gradually replaced bovine herds, especially where the latter had a lower productive performance. The use of extensive or more intensified models is pointed out and the ecosystems in which buffaloes are raised are detailed since native or cultivated pastures can be used in floodplains or drylands. Buffalo raising is favored in the Amazon due to the climate, soil, genetic variability of forages, animal adaptability, and physical space. Thus, it is clear that buffaloes have a high potential for meat and milk production and are an alternative in the use of altered areas of the Amazon; and, in the recent past, the low profitability of buffalo farming in traditional production systems in the Amazon was the reason which made this activity economically unattractive. Most recent technologies as outdoor confinements and silvopastoral systems are pointed out as more suitable regarding land-use policies, and buffalo farming for meat and milk production fits perfectly in this context, with productivity and beneficial socioeconomicinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Acesso Lateral De Keblish Melhora A Inclinação Da Patela Na Artroplastia Do Joelho Valgo

To compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of conventional medial and lateral approaches for total knee replacement in the valgus osteoarthritic knee. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, 21 patients with valgus knee osteoarthritis were randomized to total knee replacement through medial or lateral approach. The primary outcome was radiographic patellar tilt. Secondary outcomes were visual analogue scale of pain, postoperative levels of hemoglobin, and clinical aspect of the operative wound. Results There were no differences between the groups regarding other clinical variables. Mean lateral tilt of the patella was 3.1 degrees (SD ± 5.3) in the lateral approach group and 18 degrees (SD ± 10.2) in the medial approach group (p = 0.02). There were no differences regarding the secondary outcomes. Conclusion Lateral approach provided better patellar tilt following total knee replacement in valgus osteoarthritic knee. © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia51668068

Braneworld Models of Scalar Fields with Generalized Dynamics

This work deals with braneworld models driven by real scalar fields with nonstandard dynamics. We develop the first-order formalism for models with standard gravity but with the scalar fields having generalized dynamics. We illustrate the results with examples of current interest, and we find analytical and numerical solutions for warp factors and scalar fields. The results indicate that the generalized braneworld scenario is classically stable, and capable of localizing gravityComment: 10 pages, 8 figures; version to appear in PL

Sliding blocks with random friction and absorbing random walks

With the purpose of explaining recent experimental findings, we study the distribution $A(\lambda)$ of distances $\lambda$ traversed by a block that slides on an inclined plane and stops due to friction. A simple model in which the friction coefficient $\mu$ is a random function of position is considered. The problem of finding $A(\lambda)$ is equivalent to a First-Passage-Time problem for a one-dimensional random walk with nonzero drift, whose exact solution is well-known. From the exact solution of this problem we conclude that: a) for inclination angles $\theta$ less than \theta_c=\tan(\av{\mu}) the average traversed distance \av{\lambda} is finite, and diverges when $\theta \to \theta_c^{-}$ as \av{\lambda} \sim (\theta_c-\theta)^{-1}; b) at the critical angle a power-law distribution of slidings is obtained: $A(\lambda) \sim \lambda^{-3/2}$. Our analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulation, and are in partial agreement with the reported experimental results. We discuss the possible reasons for the remaining discrepancies.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Lorentz-violating effects on topological defects generated by two real scalar fields

The influence of a Lorentz-violation on soliton solutions generated by a system of two coupled scalar fields is investigated. Lorentz violation is induced by a fixed tensor coefficient that couples the two fields. The Bogomol'nyi method is applied and first-order differential equations are obtained whose solutions minimize energy and are also solutions of the equations of motion. The analysis of the solutions in phase space shows how the stability is modified with the Lorentz violation. It is shown explicitly that the solutions preserve linear stability despite the presence of Lorentz violation. Considering Lorentz violation as a small perturbation, an analytical method is employed to yield analytical solutions.Comment: (9 pages, 11 figures

Safflower Oil: An Integrated Assessment Of Phytochemistry, Antiulcerogenic Activity, And Rodent And Environmental Toxicity

Gastric ulcers are a significant medical problem and the development of complications lead to significant mortality rates worldwide. In Brazil, Carthamus tinctorius L., Asteraceae, seeds essential oil, the safflower oil, is currently used as a thermogenic compound and as treatment for problems related to the cardiovascular system. In this study, by Raman spectroscopy, it was shown that oleic and linoleic acids are the compounds present in higher concentrations in the safflower oil. We demonstrated that safflower oil (750 mg/kg, p.o.) decrease the ulcerogenic lesions in mice after the administration of hydrochloric acid-ethanol. The gastric ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in mice treated with cholinomimetics were treated with four different doses of safflower oil, of which, the dose of 187.5 mg/kg (p.o.) showed significant antiulcerogenic properties (p < 0.01). Moreover, the safflower oil at doses of 187.5 mg/kg (i.d.) increased the pH levels, gastric volume (p < 0.01) and gastric mucus production (p < 0.001), and decreased the total gastric acid secretion (p < 0.001). The acute toxicity tests showed that safflower oil (5.000 mg/kg, p.o.) had no effect on mortality or any other physiological parameter. Ecotoxicological tests performed using Daphnia similis showed an EC50 at 223.17 mg/l, and therefore safflower oil can be considered “non-toxic” based on the directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances by European legislation. These results indicate that the antiulcer activity of Safflower oil may be due to cytoprotective effects, which serve as support for new scientific studies related to this pathology.245538544ABNT, Ecotoxicologia aquatica: Toxicidade aguda-metodo de ensaio com (2004) Daphnia, 21p. , spp (Cladocera, Crustacea). NBR 12713, Rio de JaneiroAmandeep, K., Robin, S., Ramica, S., Sunil, K., Peptic ulcer: A review of etiology and pathogenesis (2012) Int. J. Clin. Pharm, 3, pp. 34-38Arakawa, T., Watanabe, T., Tanigawa, T., Tominaga, K., Fujiwara, Y., Morimoto, K., Quality of ulcer healing in gastrointestinal tract: Its pathophysiology and clinical relevance (2012) World J. Gastroenterol, 18, pp. 4811-4822Bae, C.S., Park, C.H., Cho, H.J., Han, H.J., Kang, S.S., Choi, S.H., Uhm, C.S., Therapeutic effects of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed powder on osteoporosis (2002) Korean J. Electron. Microscopy, 32, pp. 285-290Baeten, V., Dardenne, P., Aparicio, R., Interpretation of Fourier transform Raman spectra of the unsaponifiable matter in a selection of edible oils (2001) J. Agric. Food Chem, 49, pp. 5098-5107Brito, A.R.M.S., (1994) Manual de ensaios toxicologicos in vivo, 116p. , 1a ed., Campinas, Editora UnicampCEC, (1996) Technical guidance document in support of commission directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances, , Part II, environmental risk assessment. Commission of the European Communities, Luxembourg: Office for official publication of the European CommunitiesCorley, D.A., Kubo, A., Zhao, W., Quesenberry, C., Proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists are associated with hip fractures among at-risk patients (2010) Gastroenterol, 139, pp. 93-101Deplege, M., Pharmaceuticals: Reduce drug waste in the environment (2011) Nature, 36, p. 478Fent, K., Weston, A.A., Caminada, D., Ecotoxicology of human pharmaceuticals (2006) Aquat. Toxicol, 76, pp. 122-159George, P., Concerns regarding the safety and toxicity of medicinal plants-An overview (2011) J. Appl. Pharm. Sci, 1, pp. 40-44Gilbert, N., Drug-pollution law all washed up (2012) Nature, 491, pp. 503-504Isidori, M., Parrella, A., Pistillo, P., Temussi, F., Effects of ranitidine and its photoderivatives in the aquatic environment (2009) Environ. Intern, 35, pp. 821-825Jain, K.S., Shah, A.K., Bariwal, J., Shelke, S.M., Kale, A.P., Jagtap, J.R., Bhosale, A.V., Recent advances in proton pump inhibitors and management of acid-peptic disorders (2007) Bioorg. Med. Chem, 15, pp. 1181-1205Kim, S.K., Cha, J.Y., Jeong, S.J., Chung, C.H., Choi, Y.R., Cho, Y.S., Properties of the chemical composition of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) sprout (2000) Korean J. Life Sci, 10, pp. 68-73Madanick, R.D., Proton pump inhibitor side effects and drug interactions: Much ado about nothing? Cleve (2011) Clin. J. Med, 78, pp. 39-49Malfertheiner, P., Chan, F.K.L., McColl, K.E.L., Peptic ulcer disease (2009) Lancet, 374, pp. 1449-1461Mizui, T., Doteuchi, M., Effect of polyamines on acidified ethanol-induced gastric lesion in rats (1983) Jpn. J. Pharmacol, 33, pp. 939-945Olfert, D., Cross, B.M., McWilliam, A.A., (1993) Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animal, 213p. , Canadian Council on Animal Care, OntarioPintao, A.M., Da Silva, I.F., A verdade sobre o acafrao (2008) Workshop Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterapeuticas nos Tropicos. IICT/CCCM, 29, pp. 30, 31. , de Outubro, 1-19Rainsford, K.D., The effects of aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs on gastro-intestinal mucus glycoprotein biosynthesis in vivo: Relationship to ulcerogenic actions (1978) Biochem. Pharmacol, 27, pp. 877-885Rudolphi, S., Becker, H.C., Schierholt, A., Witzke-Ehbrecht, S.V., Improved estimation of oil, linoleic and oleic acid and seed hull fractions in safflower by NIRS.J (2012) Am. Oil Chem. Soc, 89, pp. 363-369Santos, L.H.L.M., Araujo, A.N., Fachinia, A., Pena, A., Delerue-Matos, C., Montenegro, M.C.B.S.M., Ecotoxicological aspects related to the presence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment (2010) J. Hazard Mater, 175, pp. 45-95Saraf, A., Saraf, S., Legal regulations of complementary and alternative medicines in different countries (2012) Pharmacogn. Rev, 6, pp. 154-160Shay, H., Komarov, S.A., Fels, S.S., Meranze, D., Gruenstein, M., Siplet, H., A simple method for the uniform production of gastric ulceration in the rat (1945) Gastroenterol, 5, pp. 43-61Silveira, F.L., Silveira, L., Jr., Villaverde, A.B., Pacheco, M.T.T., Pasqualucci, C.A., Use of dispersive Raman Spectroscopy in the determination of unsaturated fat in commercial edible oil-and fat-containing industrialized foods (2010) Instrum. Sci. Technol, 38, pp. 107-123Silveira, L., Silveira, F.L., Bodanese, B., Zangaro, R.A., Pacheco, M.T.T., Discriminating model for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma in vitro based on the Raman spectra of selected biochemicals (2012) J. Biomed. Opt, 17Stachowska, E., Dolegowska, B., Dziedziejk, V., Rybicka, M., Kaczmarczyh, M., Bober, J., Rac, M., Chlubek, D., Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthesis is regulated by conjugate linoleic acids (CLA) in human macrophages (2009) J. Physiol. Pharmacol, 60, pp. 77-85Sun, X.B., Matsumoto, T., Yamada, H., Effects of a polysaccharide fraction from the root of Bupleurum falcatum L on experimental gastric ulcer models in rats and mice (1991) J. Pharm. Pharmacol, 43, pp. 669-704Szelenyi, I., Thiemer, K., Distention ulcer as a model for testing of drugs for ulcerogenic side effects (1978) Arch. 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Proca stars: Gravitating Bose-Einstein condensates of massive spin 1 particles

We establish that massive complex Abelian vector fields (mass mu) can form gravitating solitons, when minimally coupled to Einstein's gravity. Such Proca stars(PSs) have a stationary, everywhere regular and asymptotically flat geometry. The Proca field, however, possesses a harmonic time dependence (frequency w), realizing Wheeler's concept of geons for an Abelian spin 1 field. We obtain PSs with both a spherically symmetric (static) and an axially symmetric (stationary) line element. The latter form a countable number of families labelled by an integer m epsilon Z(+). PSs, like (scalar) boson stars, carry a conserved Noether charge, and are akin to the latter in many ways. In particular, both types of stars exist for a limited range of frequencies and there is a maximal ADM mass, M-max, attained for an intermediate frequency. For spherically symmetric PSs (rotating PSs with m = 1, 2, 3), M-max similar or equal to 1.058M(PI)(2)/mu (M-max similar or equal to 1.568, 2.337, 3.247 M-PI(2)/mu), slightly larger values than those for (mini-)boson stars. We establish perturbative stability for a subset of solutions in the spherical case and anticipate a similar conclusion for fundamental modes in the rotating case. The discovery of PSs opens many avenues of research, reconsidering five decades of work on (scalar) boson stars, in particular as possible dark matter candidates. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

In situ degradability of corn stover and elephant-grass harvested at four stages of maturity

Among tropical forages, corn silage is largely used by farmers trying to explore the maximum genetic potential from the animals. However, other tropical forages, such as elephant-grass (Pennisetum purpureum), are more productive and therefore cheaper to use than corn silage. Our objective was to compare the in situ degradability of elephant-grass with that from corn hybrids, all harvested at four stages of maturity. The experimental design followed a randomized block design with nested subplots. Two corn hybrids: AG5011, ZN8392 were harvested with 25, 30, 35, and 40% dry matter (DM) in the whole plant, and separated in stem + leaf sheath + leaf blade (stover), and cobs. Elephant-grass was harvested with 30, 40, 50 and 60 days after a leveling cut. Dried and ground samples were incubated in nylon bags inside the rumen for 0, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h to estimate the kinetics of ruminal DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradation. The advance of maturity increased the NDF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) content in elephant-grass, and reduced its DM degradability. However, maturity had little or no effect on fiber content and DM degradability of corn stover. Elephant-grass had a higher NDF degradability than corn stover, and there was no effect of maturity on NDF degradability of either elephant-grass or corn stover. Fiber degradability of elephant-grass was not worse than that of corn stover, and therefore the choice of forage should be made on economical analysis rather than assuming an intrinsic low production potential for elephant-grass based diets.Dentre as forragens, a silagem de milho é amplamente utilizada pelos fazendeiros que visam explorar o máximo do potencial genético dos animais. No entanto, outros volumosos tropicais como o capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) são mais produtivos e, portanto, mais baratos do que a silagem de milho. Nosso objetivo foi comparar a degradabilidade in situ do capim-elefante com a degradabilidade de híbridos de milho, colhidos em quatro estágios de maturidade. O experimento seguiu um delineamento de blocos ao acaso com sub-parcelas. Dois híbridos de milho: AG5011 e ZN8392 foram colhidos com 25, 30, 35 e 40% matéria seca (MS) na planta toda e separados na fração colmo + bainha + folhas e espigas. Capim elefante foi colhido 30, 40, 50 e 60 dias após o corte de nivelamento. As amostras secas e trituradas foram incubadas no rúmen por 0, 6, 12, 24, 48 e 72 h para cálculo da cinética da degradação ruminal da MS e da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN). O avanço da maturidade aumentou os teores de FDN e fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) do capim elefante e reduziu a degradabilidade da MS. Entretanto, a maturidade teve pouco efeito sobre os teores de fibra e a degradabilidade da MS da fração planta dos híbridos de milho. O capim elefante apresentou maior degradabilidade da FDN do que híbridos de milho, e não houve efeito da maturidade sobre a degradabilidade da FDN das duas espécies. A degradabilidade da fibra de capim-elefante não é pior do que a de híbridos de milho e, portanto a escolha da forragem deve ser feita com base em análises econômicas ao invés de assumir um menor potencial de produção em dietas a base de capim elefante