The impact of rumen-protected amino acids on the expression of key- genes involved in the innate immunity of dairy sheep

Rumen protected amino acids inclusion in ewes’ diets has been proposed to enhance their innate immunity. The objective of this work was to determine the impact of dietary supplementation with rumen-protected methionine or lysine, as well as with a combination of these amino acids in two different ratios, on the expression of selected key-genes (NLRs, MyD88, TRIF, MAPK-1, IRF-3, JunD, TRAF-3, IRF-5, IL-1α, IL-10, IKK-α, STAT-3 and HO-1). Thus, sixty Chios dairy ewes (Ovis aries) were assigned to one of the following five dietary treatments (12 animals/ treatment): A: basal diet consist of concentrates, wheat straw and alfalfa hay (control group); B: basal diet +6.0 g/head rumen-protected methionine; C: basal diet + 5.0 g/head rumen-protected lysine; D: basal diet +6.0 g/head rumen-protected methionine + 5.0 g/head rumen-protected lysine and E: basal diet +12.0 g/head rumen-protected methionine + 5.0 g/head rumen-protected lysine. The results revealed a significant downregulation of relative transcript level of the IL-1α gene in the neutrophils of C and in monocytes of D ewes compared with the control. Significantly lower mRNA transcript accumulation was also observed for the MyD88 gene in the neutrophils of ewes fed with lysine only (C). The mRNA relative expression levels of JunD gene were highly induced in the monocytes, while those of IL-10 and HO-1 genes were declined in the neutrophils of ewes fed with the C and D diets compared with the control. Lower transcript levels of STAT-3 gene were observed in the neutrophils of ewes fed with either C or with E diets in comparison with the control. In conclusion, our results suggest that the dietary supplementation of ewes with rumen-protected amino acids, down regulate the expression of some genes involved in the pro-inflammatory signalling

Preliminary evaluation of sap flow data by stem heat balance method.

Cermak et al. (1973) developed the first version of the heat balance method (HBM), which involves continuous application of heat in a stem segment and quantifying losses by axial and radial wood conduction. The heat flow carried out by the sap is determined from the difference between input power and axial and radial heat losses from the heated stem segment. Currently, this method follows Sakuratani (1981) and Baker & Van Bavel (1987), who modified the first HBM version by applying a constant power on the gauge, so reducing the electronic requirements for the measurements. The HBM is an absolute method that requires simple equipment and some basic procedures in order to minimize errors (Baker & Nieber, 1989; Steinberg et al., 1990; Valancogne & Nasr, 1993; Weibel & de Vos, 1994). However, it is difficult to evaluate sap flow measurements in field conditions since reference methods, such as lysimeters, soil water balance and other techniques are normally difficult to apply, especially for big plants. This paper focuses on this problem and considers some procedures to evaluate data supplied by HBM when reference methods are not available

Friction by Shear Deformations in Multilayer Graphene

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Parental Internalizing Psychopathology and PTSD in Offspring after the 2012 Earthquake in Italy.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in youths after earthquakes, with parental psychopathology among the most significant predictors. This study investigated the contribution and the interactional effects of parental internalizing psychopathology, the severity of exposure to the earthquake, and past traumatic events to predict PTSD in offspring, also testing the reverse pattern. Two years after the 2012 earthquake in Italy, 843 children and adolescents (9\u201315 years) living in two differently affected areas were administered a questionnaire on traumatic exposure and the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index. Anxiety, depression, and somatization were assessed in 1162 parents through the SCL-90-R. General linear model showed that, for offspring in the high-impact area, predictors of PTSD were earthquake exposure, past trauma, and parental internalizing symptoms, taken individually. An interaction between earthquake exposure and parental depression or anxiety (not somatization) was also found. In the low-impact area, youth PTSD was only predicted by earthquake exposure. The reverse pattern was significant, with parental psychopathology explained by offspring PTSD. Overall, findings support the association between parental and offspring psychopathology after natural disasters, emphasizing the importance of environmental factors in this relationship. Although further research is needed, these results should be carefully considered when developing mental health interventions

Determination of the optimal priming interval of rumen fluids used as inocula for the in vitro digestibility trials through radial enzyme diffusion method

Context: Determination of the neutral detergent fibre digestibility is one of the important parameters to consider when formulating diets. However, the in vitro determination shows low repeatability because of the source of rumen-fluid inoculum. Priming of the rumen fluid inocula, obtained through an oesophageal probe, has been proposed to overcome this issue. Aim: The objective of the study was to investigate the evolution of the microbial enzymatic activities of different rumen fluids during a priming procedure, to establish the fermentation interval that minimises the differences among rumen-fluid degradative potentials. Methods: Three farms for each type of diet were involved in the study. Rumen fluids were obtained from dry and lactating cows fed the following four diet types: 100% hay or a diet with 80: 20 forage: Concentrate ratio (F: C) as dry-cow diets, and ad libitum hay and concentrate, or a total mixed ration (both at 60: 40 F: C) as lactating-cow diets. On each farm, rumen fluid was collected from three Holstein cows by using an oesophageal probe, and mixed. Two aliquots of each rumen fluid mix were added to the medium containing the same priming substrate in an in vitro batch-fermentation system. During the incubation, the fermentation fluids were sampled in duplicate at 0-, 1-, 2-, 4-, 8-, 24- A nd 48-h intervals. Enzymatic activities of amylase, cellulase and xylanase were determined by radial enzyme diffusion method. Key results: Initial enzymatic activities were quite variable and increased with an increasing incubation time. By 24 h, amylase showed similar values among high-concentrate diet fermentation fluids, and a lower data dispersion in comparison to the other intervals cellulase was characterised by similar values in all the fermentation fluids derived from diets including concentrates, and xylanase showed similar activity in the fermentation fluids derived from high-concentrate diets. Development of the enzymatic activity of the fermentation fluids derived from the 100% hay diet differed from the others. Conclusions: A 24-h priming procedure was needed to stabilise and equalise the enzymatic activity of the rumen fluid from cows fed high-concentrate diets. This was not observed in rumen fluid from cows fed hay-based diets. Implications: The 24-h-primed rumen fluid can be used to increase the repeatability of neutral detergent fibre digestibility determination

Microclimatologia de cafezais adensados: bases para a modelagem do consumo hídrico e do balanço de radiação.

Modelo de Penman-Monteith adaptado à estimativa da transpiração individual de lenhosas. Aspectos ecofisiológicos da cultura do cafeeiro. Transpiração e evapotranspiração de cafezais. Métodos micrometeorológicos de determinação da evapotranspiração. Estimativa da evapotranspiração de cafezal em crescimento pelos métodos aerodinâmico e da razão de Bowen. Modelo de Penman-Monteith adaptado à estimativa da transpiração individual de lenhosas. Absorção de energia radiante. Estimativa da transpiração máxima de cafeeiros pelo modelo de Penman-Monteith adaptado a plantas isoladas: um estudo de caso. Estimativa da evapotranspiração de referência. Relação entre a transpiração dos cafeeiros e a evapotranspiração de referência e a do cafezal.bitstream/item/61082/1/livro-doc-118.pd

Precocious Puberty and Covid-19 Into Perspective: Potential Increased Frequency, Possible Causes, and a Potential Emergency to Be Addressed

A significant increase in precocious puberty, rapidly progressive puberty and precocious menarche has been reported in Italy since the initial lockdown because of the pandemic, and this could represent a new emergency to be addressed during this pandemic. There is a need, therefore, for further understanding and research. Many causes could account for this. Initially, it was thought that the changes in life-style, in screen time, and sleeping habits could be the cause but if considered individually these are insufficient to explain this phenomenon. Likely, changes in central nervous mediators, and an increase in catecholamines could contribute as a trigger, however, these aspects are poorly studied and understood as well as the real perceptions of these children. Finally, staying more indoors has certainly exposed these children to specific contaminants working as endocrine disruptors which could also have had an effect. It would be of utmost importance to compare this phenomenon worldwide with appropriate studies in order to verify what is happening, and gain a new insight into the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic and into precocious puberty and for future prevention

Evapotranspiration and CROP COEFFICIENTS of a Coffee Plantation in Southern Brazil.

Coffee plants have been cultivated in Brazil since 1727 and have a great importance for the economy of the country. Brazil has more than 2,400,000 ha of commercial plantations of coffee, and in the last 15 years they have been expanded to regions where drought is more intense and normally coincides with fruit expansion, what became irrigation very important and somewhat essential in such regions (Camargo, 1985). Currently, it is estimated that about 200,000 ha of coffee plantations are being grown under irrigation in the country. In spite of great advances in technologies for water supply and the economic importance of coffee crop, irrigation management have been made inadequately in the most Brazilian coffee regions due to the large amount of water applied, which normally exceeds the crop needs (Camargo, 2002). Regarding this point, Carr (2001) postulated that estimates of water requirements for irrigation purposes are still imprecise for this crop and, probably, subject to large errors depending on the local circumstances and the system of irrigation used. The objective of this study was to assess the water use by a drip-irrigated coffee plantation in Southern Brazil using different measurement techniques in order to determine the two components of crop coefficients (Kc), i.e. basal (Kcb) and evaporative (Kce) components. The study also evaluated the micrometeorological factors affecting transpiration, crop and reference evapotranspiration relationships and its implications on actual rates of water use and on irrigation management

RASSEGNA DI EPISODI DI GASTROENTERITI ACUTE DA NORWALK LIKE VIRUS

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Spots of interaction: an investigation on the relationship between firms and universities in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Spots of interaction summarize the nature of partial connections (between science and technology) operating in the Brazilian system of innovation. A pilot study in Minas Gerais, Brazil, uses two new research tools (for immature NSIs) and presents a database with research groups located in universities and a database built upon an adapted version of the pioneering Yale and Carnegie Mellon Surveys. These complementary databases identify spots of interaction, indicating how economic sectors use specific science and engineering fields. This investigation identifies a dual role of universities in immature NSIs, as substitutes and/or complements firms R&D.systems of innovation, underdevelopment, interactions between science and technology, surveys, universities