Selective beat averaging to evaluate ventricular repolarization adaptation to deconditioning after 5 days of head-down bed rest

The study of QT/RR relationship is important for the clinical evaluation of possible risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Our aim was to assess the effects of 5-days of head-down (-6 degrees) bed-rest (HDBR) on ventricular repolarization. High fidelity 12-leads Holter ECG was acquired before (PRE), the last day of HDBR (HDT5), and five days after its conclusion (POST). X, Y, Z leads were derived (inverse Dower matrix) and vectorcardiogram computed. Selective beat averaging applied to the night period resulted in averages preceded by the same stable heart rate (for each 10 msec bin amplitude, in the range 900-1200 msec). For each template (i.e., one for each bin), T-wave maximum amplitude (Tmax), T wave area, R-Tapex and R-Tend were computed. Results (in 8 male volunteers) showed that, compared to PRE, at HDT5 both R-Tapex and R-Tend resulted significantly shortened (-5% and -3%, respectively), together with a decrease in T-wave area (-7%), while Tmax was unchanged. At POST, duration parameters showed a trend towards their control values (-1.5% and -3%, respectively) while amplitude parameters resulted restored. Despite the short-term BR, cardiac adaptation to deconditioning affected ventricular repolarization during the night period. © 2012 CCAL

DESEMPENHO PRODUTIVO DE QUATRO GRUPOS GENÉTICOS DE CODORNAS (Coturnix sp.) PARA CORTE

A trial was conducted with the objective to evaluate growth performance, carcass yield, and slaughtering age of four genetic groups of meat quail, of both sexes, raised from 1 to 77 days and slaughtered weekly from 35 to 77 days. The experiment utilized 1984 birds, in a completely randomised design, with a factorial of 2 genders and 4 families (A, B, C and D), in a total of 8 treatments with 4 replicates of 62 birds each. Body weight of female quail at 28 days was higher than other ages independently of family. Family A was heavier than family B at 35, 56 and 77 days. At 42 days of age female showed higher feed consumption and low feed conversion than male. Considering the results as a whole, the best slaughtering age for both genders was 49 days. Key-words: genetic group, growing performance, meat quail, production, slaughtering age.Para avaliar o desempenho produtivo, o rendimento de carcaça e a melhor idade de abate de quatro grupos genéticos de codornas machos e fêmeas para corte, criadas de 1 a 77 dias e abatidas semanalmente de 35 a 77 dias, utilizaram-se 1984 aves, distribuídas aleatoriamente em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com esquema fatorial de 2 sexos x 4 famílias (A, B, C e D), num total de 8 tratamentos com 4 repetições de 62 aves cada. A partir dos 28 dias as fêmeas foram mais pesadas do que os machos, independentemente da família. A família A foi mais pesada do que a B aos 35, 56 e 77 dias. A partir dos 42 dias, as fêmeas tiveram maior consumo, mas melhor conversão alimentar do que os machos. Considerando-se conjuntamente os dados de desempenho, a melhor idade de abate para ambos os sexos foi 49 dias

AVALIAÇÃO DO RENDIMENTO DE CARCAÇA DE CODORNAS PARA CORTE ALIMENTADAS COM DIETAS COM DIFERENTES NÍVEIS PROTÉICOS

An experiment has been carried out aiming to evaluate the carcass yield of male and female meat quails fed with diets containing 20, 22, 24, and 26% of crude protein (CP), respectively, all of them displaying the same caloric and lysine levels. A total of 960 quails were used in a completely randomized design, with a factorial of 2 genders and 4 levels of CP, totalizing 8 treatments with 4 replicates of 30 birds each. Carcass yield was evaluated at the end of 49 days of the beginning of the experiment. The levels of CP used in this trial did not display any significant effect on most of the studied parameters. It has been observed an interaction (p < 0.05) for the yield of edible viscera, with females fed with 22% CP displaying higher averages than those fed with 24% CP. There was no effect on the protein levels upon males. Body and carcass weights and non-edible viscera yield were higher in females, while carcass and post chilling yields were higher in males (P < 0.05).Utilizaram-se 960 codornas, distribuídas num delineamento inteiramente aleatorizado com esquema fatorial de 2 sexos x 4 níveis de proteína bruta (PB), sendo as dietas isocalóricas e isolisínicas, num total de 8 tratamentos com 4 repetições de 30 aves cada, para avaliar o rendimento de carcaça de codornas para corte, machos e fêmeas, alimentadas com rações contendo 20%, 22%, 24% e 26% PB, de 1 a 49 dias. Os níveis de proteína bruta não afetaram significativamente a maioria das variáveis estudadas. Os pesos vivo e de carcaça e o rendimento de vísceras não comestíveis foram superiores nas fêmeas; o rendimentos de carcaça e o rendimento resfriado foram superiores nos machos (

Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of portuguese olive oil

The main goal of this paper was to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of olive oil production in Portugal. A life-cycle model and inventory were implemented for the entire production process, including a comprehensive analysis of olive cultivation, olive oil extraction, packaging, and distribution. Data originates from five differently-sized Portuguese olive growers and from a total of six olive oil mills, representing the three extraction processes in use: three-phase extraction, two-phase extraction, and traditional pressing. The results show that the GHG intensity lies in the range 1.8-8.2 kg CO2eq/liter and that the main contributors were fertilizers (production and field emissions). Efficient use of fertilizers thus seems to be a key factor for mitigating the GHG intensity of olive oil production.This research was supported by project ECODEEP (Eco-efficiency and Eco-management in the Agro Industrial sector, FCOMP–05–0128–FEDER–018643) and the Portuguese Scienc

RI'/SMOM scheme amplitudes for quark currents at two loops

We determine the two loop corrections to the Green's function of a quark current inserted in a quark 2-point function at the symmetric subtraction point. The amplitudes for the scalar, vector and tensor currents are presented in both the MSbar and RI'/SMOM renormalization schemes. The RI'/SMOM scheme two loop renormalization for the scalar and tensor cases agree with previous work. The vector current renormalization requires special treatment as it must be consistent with the Slavnov-Taylor identity which we demonstrate. We also discuss the possibility of an alternative definition of the RI'/SMOM scheme in the case of the tensor current.Comment: 36 latex pages, 1 figure, 21 tables, anc directory contains txt file with data in table

Expressão da esterilidade feminina e da carpeloidia em mamoeiro sob diferentes ambientes de cultivo protegido.

O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a ocorrência de esterilidade feminina e de carpeloidia em mamoeiros hermafroditas 'Baixinho-de-Santa Amália' cultivados sob manejo orgânico, em diferentes tipos de ambiente de proteção,e conduzido com ou sem bifurcação do tronco no transcorrer das quatro estações do ano. Foram construídos três tipos de estruturas de proteção contíguas: (i) estufa (cobertura de plástico); (ii) estufa sombreada (cobertura adicional de tela 'sombrite' - 30% sobre o plástico), e (iii) telado (cobertura exclusiva de tela 'sombrite' - 30%), ao lado de uma área de ambiente natural, a pleno sol. Nestes locais, foram cultivados, dentro das normas técnicas da agricultura orgânica, mamoeiros da cv. Baixinho-de-Santa-Amália. Em metade das plantas, abrangendo todos os ambientes de cultivo, a gema apical foi incisada, logo após a sexagem, visando à bifurcação do tronco. Para efeito de análise de variância, foram considerados quatro blocos por ambiente de cultivo, tendo cada bloco três repetições relativas ao modo de condução das plantas (com e sem bifurcação do tronco). Para análise estatística, procedeu-se à "análise conjunta de experimentos", no caso, os ambientes de cultivo. Nos mamoeiros com tronco bifurcado, houve diminuição do número de frutos carpeloides e aumento do número de flores fêmeas estéreis. No entanto, essa bifurcação não influenciou a frequência de frutos normais. Durante a primavera (setembro a dezembro), e notadamente na estufa, o maior número de frutos carpeloides por planta correlacionou-se a temperaturas mais elevadas, maior amplitude térmica e maior vigor vegetativo; já, a maior ocorrência de flores estaminadas correlacionou-se também a temperaturas elevadas, baixa luminosidade e menor vigor vegetativo. Por outro lado, essas mesmas condições ambientais e fenológicas favoráveis à carpeloidia aumentaram a quantidade de frutos normais, assim contribuindo positivamente para a produtividade do mamoeiro