CAMBIOS EN LA FRECUENCIA DE DEFOLIACIÓN PARA RECUPERAR LA DENSIDAD DE PLANTAS EN UNA PRADERA DE ALFALFA (Medicago sativa L.)

With the objective of evaluating the effect of the frequency of cutting in the recovery of plants in an alfalfa pasture (Medicago sativa L.), anexperiment was established to evaluate stem density (SD), plant density (PD), and stem weight (SW). The treatments consisted in four seasonal cutting frequencies (3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks in spring-summer, and 7, 6,  and 4 weeks in fall-winter) distributed in a completely random design. The highest PD was observed in the five-week frequency. For all the cutting frequencies it was observed that the highest SD took place in fall-winter and the lowest during spring-summer. The lowest SW was in spring in a frequency of three weeks, and the highest in summer with cutting interval of six weeks.Con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de la frecuencia de corte en la recuperación de plantas de una pradera de alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), se estableció un experimento para evaluar la Densidad de tallos (DT), densidad de plantas (DP) y peso por tallo (PT). Los tratamientos consistieron en cuatro frecuencias estaciónales de corte (3, 4, 5 y 6 semanas en primavera-verano, y 7, 6, 5 y 4 semanas en otoño-invierno) distribuidos en un diseño completamente al azar. La mayor DP se observó en la frecuencia de cinco semanas. Para todas las frecuencias de corte se observó que la mayor DT ocurrió en otoño-invierno y la menor durante primavera-verano. El menor PT fue en primavera en frecuencia de tres semanas, y el mayor en verano con intervalo de corte de seis semanas

Effect of dried distillers grains (DDGS) on diet digestibility, growth performance, and carcass characteristics in Creole wool lambs fed finishing diets

Dried corn distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) can partially replace grains and forages in diets for ruminants. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of replacing grains and soybean meal with DDGS (0%, 15%, 30% and 45%) in the diet of lambs. Thirty-two native lambs were used (initial bodyweight = 28.6 ± 2.19 kg) in a completely randomized design. Initial body weight was a co-variable, and the means were compared with the Tukey test. The dry matter intake was significantly higher in DDGS containing diet than in the control treatment. The daily weight gain was higher in the diets with 15% of DDGS compared with the control. Dry matter digestibility was lower by 7% with 45% of DDGS. The hot and cold carcass weights were significantly higher by 8% in DDGS treatments compared to the control. The inclusion of increasing levels of DDGS in the diet of fattening lambs increased their dry matter intake, improved carcass weight, and did not adversely affect carcass characteristics.Keywords: Carcass, by-products, animal production, ruminant nutritio

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Antiinflammatory therapy with canakinumab for atherosclerotic disease

BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P=0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P=0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P=0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P=0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P=0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. Copyright © 2017 Massachusetts Medical Society