Macromineral requirements by beef cattle under pasture supplementation.

The objective of this work was to determine macromineral requirements by Zebu steers grazing Brachiaria decumbens supplemented with concentrate. It was used 24 non-castrated steers, at an average age of 7 months and at initial average weight 180 kg. Eight control animals were slaughtered for determining initial body composition. The 16 remaining animals were divided in four four-animal plots, in a complete random design. Each plot received mineral mixture or supplements at the levels 0.75; 1.50 or 2.25 kg/animal/day. The right half-carcass of eight animals, two per group, was dissected in muscle, fat and bones and all body constituents were weighted for determination of empty body weight and body composition. Net requirements of calcium and phosphorus for an animal at 400 kg body weight were 11.13 g and 5.40 g, respectively. To estimate dietary requirements of maintenance and after, sum them to dietary requirements for gain in order to obtain total dietary requirements, it was adopted endogenous losses and bioavailability present in literature for each mineral macroelement. Total dietary requirement for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium for a 400-kg BW animal with 1.0-kg daily weight gain were 34.59; 17.36; 7.82; 5.19 and 41.11 g/day, respectively. Macromineral requirements by beef cattle under pasture supplementation are similar to those recommended by BR-Corte for beef cattle in feedlots

Whole exome sequencing of patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and calcium pyrophosphate crystal chondrocalcinosis

Objectives: DISH/CC is a poorly understood phenotype characterised by peripheral and axial enthesopathic calcifications, frequently fulfilling the radiological criteria for Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH, MIM 106400), and in some cases associated with Calcium Pyrophosphate Dihydrate (CPPD) Chondrocalcinosis (CC). The concurrence of DISH and CC suggests a shared pathogenic mechanism. In order to identify genetic variants for susceptibility we performed whole exome sequencing in four patients showing this phenotype. Materials and methods: Exome data were filtered in order to find a variant or a group of variants that could be associated with the DISH/CC phenotype. Variants of interest were subsequently confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Selected variants were screened in a cohort of 65 DISH/CC patients vs 118 controls from Azores. The statistical analysis was performed using PLINK V1.07. Results:We identified 21 genetic variants in 17 genes that were directly or indirectly related to mineralization, several are predicted to have a strong effect at a protein level. Phylogenetic analysis of altered amino acids indicates that these are either highly conserved in vertebrates or conserved in mammals. In case-control analyses, variant rs34473884 in PPP2R2D was significantly associated with the DISH/CC phenotype (p=0.028; OR=1.789, 95% CI= 1.060 - 3.021)). Conclusion: The results of the present and preceding studies with the DISH/CC families suggests that the phenotype has a polygenic basis. The PPP2R2D gene could be involved in this phenotype in an as yet unknown way.FRCT: M3.1.2/F/023/2011info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prediction of drug targets in human pathogens

The identification of new and druggable targets in bacteria is a critical endeavour in pharmaceutical research of novel antibiotics to fight infectious agents. The rapid emergence of resistant bacteria makes today's antibiotics more and more ineffective, consequently increasing the need for new pharmacological targets and novel classes of antibacterial drugs. A new model that combines the singular value decomposition technique with biological filters comprised of a set of protein properties associated with bacterial drug targets and similarity to protein-coding essential genes of E. coli has been developed to predict potential drug targets in the Enterobacteriaceae family [1]. This model identified 99 potential target proteins amongst the studied bacterial family, exhibiting eight different functions that suggest that the disruption of the activities of these proteins is critical for cells. Out of these candidates, one was selected for target confirmation. To find target modulators, receptor-based pharmacophore hypotheses were built and used in the screening of a virtual library of compounds. Postscreening filters were based on physicochemical and topological similarity to known Gram-negative antibiotics and applied to the retrieved compounds. Screening hits passing all filters were docked into the proteins catalytic groove and 15 of the most promising compounds were purchased from their chemical vendors to be experimentally tested in vitro. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to rationalize the search of compounds to probe the relevance of this candidate as a new pharmacological target

Energetic characterization of Matá-Matá wood from the brazilian rainforest (Eschweilera Mart Ex Dc).

Apesar da grande diversidade da Floresta Amazônica, apenas um número restrito de espécies arbóreas é explorado, resultando em um aproveitamento parcial das áreas florestais em exploração, com conseqüências técnicas, econômicas e ambientais desvantajosas. Muitas espécies de grande freqüência na Amazônia brasileira, aptas ao manejo florestal, algumas vezes não são comercializadas por desconhecimento de suas propriedades, entre estas, cita-se o gênero Eschweilera Mart. Ex DC. ? Lecythidaceae, popularmente conhecido como matá-matá. Tendo isto em vista, o presente trabalho objetivou caracterizar física e quimicamente, e avaliar o potencial energético da madeira de Eschweilera. Para tanto, determinou-se os teores dos principais componentes químicos, poder calorífico superior (PCS), densidade básica (DB) e a densidade energética (DE) da madeira de 11 indivíduos de matá-matá. Os resultados observados foram comparados com os obtidos a partir de um clone de Eucalyptus comumente utilizado como fonte energética. As madeiras de Eschweilera sp., comparativamente ao Eucalyptus, apresentaram maiores valores de DB, DE, teor em lignina e minerais. A madeira de matá-matá apresenta características químicas e física superiores às espécies comumente utilizadas como fonte de energia

Obtenção de geléia de açaí branco (Euterpe oleracea, Mart Var. Branco).

O açaizeiro (Euterpe oleracea, Mart) é uma palmeira exuberante da flora tropical, que a partir de seus frutos, obtém-se uma bebida substancial e nutritiva. Destacando-se a variedade açaí branco, pouco aproveitado na região Norte, mas que necessita ter a propagação da espécie para gerar aumento em produção e comercialização, pois agora o açaí desperta não só o interesse nacional como internacional. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo a produção de geléia artesanal a partir da bebida açaí branco com adição de componentes naturais, como uma alternativa de conservação agregando assim valor à bebida e proporcionando melhoria de renda para a população rural. Foram realizados ensaios laboratoriais para a obtenção de uma geléia à base de albedo de laranja (fonte de pectina), suco de limão (acidulante) e açúcar (sacarose de cana de açúcar), produto A e outra geléia utilizando pectina comercial (de alto grau de metoxilação), suco de limão e açúcar, produto B. Realizaram-se determinações das características físico-químicas e microbiológicas para a matéria-prima e para o produto final, e utilizou-se análise sensorial nos produtos A e B para verificar a sua aceitação. Os resultados das análises microbiológicas para o produto final atestaram sua produção dentro de condições higiênico-sanitárias satisfatórias. A análise sensorial evidenciou que o produto A obteve maior aceitação que o produto B. A geléia com albedo apresentou 76,16% de aceitação, pH de 4,01 (baixa acidez), teor em proteínas (1,05%) e de alto valor energético (281,80 Kcal/100g). O processamento de geléia de açaí branco usando albedo de laranja, suco de limão e açúcar é viável podendo vir a ser um futuro próximo aproveitado pelas agroindústrias como uma das maneiras de conservar o açaí branco

Haematological assessment of four amazonian ornamental armoured catfish (Teleostei, Loricariidae).

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