Efeitos do Ácido L-Glutâmico e da Vitamina D3 nos Fêmures e Tibiotarsos de Pintos de Corte Effects of L-Glutamic Acid and Vitamin D3 on Femur and Tibiotarsus of Broiler Chicks

Um experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de estudar os efeitos de três níveis (5, 10 e 15%) de ácido L-glutâmico (L-Glu) e quatro níveis (0, 5000, 10.000 e 15.000 UI/kg) de vitamina D3 (VD) nos parâmetros ósseos de pintos de corte machos, Hubbard. Os animais foram criados em baterias aquecidas e alimentados, à vontade, com dietas de aminoácidos purificados de 1 a 14 dias de idade. O experimento foi realizado em esquema fatorial, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado 3 x 4, com quatro repetições de sete aves cada. Observaram-se comprimentos máximos (37,61 e 50,36 mm), com 9,51% de L-Glu e 15.000 UI de VD e 9,99% de L-Glu e 15.000 UI de VD, para o fêmur e tibiotarso, respectivamente. O diâmetro do fêmur (3,62 mm) e tibiotarso (3,17 mm) aumentou até o nível máximo estimado, de 10,49% de L-Glu e 15.000 UI de VD, e 11,04% de L-Glu e 15.000 UI de VD, respectivamente. A resistência máxima estimada para o fêmur (52,47 kgf/mm) foi determinada com 7,57% de L-Glu e 8.978 UI, e a do tibiotarso (43,35 kgf/mm) com 6,24% de L-Glu e 12.591 UI de VD. Não foi observado efeito de tratamento nas concentrações de proteínas colagenosas (PC) no fêmur, que foi constante e igual a 23,44 mg/100 g. As menores concentrações de proteínas não-colagenosas (PNC) (2,5 mg/100 g e 2,15 mg/100 g) foram obtidas com 9,32% e 9,73% de L-Glu, no fêmur e tibiotarso, respectivamente. As maiores concentrações de proteínas totais (PT) no fêmur e tibiotarso foram de 30,04 mg/100 g e 30,03 mg/100 g. As aves alimentadas com 10% de L-Glu apresentaram adequado desenvolvimento dos ossos, baixas concentrações de PNC nos ossos e menor incidência de problemas de pernas.<br>An experiment was conducted to study the effects of three levels (5, 10 and 15%) of L-Glutamic Acid (L-Glu) and four levels (0, 5000, 10,000 and 15,000 IU/kg of diet) of vitamin D3 (VD) on bone parameters of 14 days male broilers, Hubbard. They were fed purified amino acid diets and reared in electrically heated batteries. The experimental design was a factorial 3 x 4 with four replicates with seven chicks each. The length of bones increased up to an estimated level of 9.51% of L-Glu and 15,000 IU of VD for femur bone (37.61 mm) and 9.99% of L-Glu and 15,000 IU of VD for tibiotarsus (50.36 mm). The femur (3.62 mm) and tibiotarsus (3.17 mm) diameters increased up, respectively, an estimated level of 10.49% of L-Glu and 15,000 IU of VD and 11.04% of L-Glu and 15,000 IU of VD. The maximum breaking strength for femur (52.47 kgf/mm) and tibiotarsus (43.35 kgf/mm) was obtained with 8,978 IU and 12,591 IU, respectively. No significant effects were observed on femur collagenous proteins contents (23.44 mg/100 g). On the other side, the smallest contents of non-collagenous proteins (NCP) were observed with 9.32% and 9.73% of L-Glu on femur (2.5 mg/100 g) and tibiotarsus (2.15 mg/100 g), respectively. The highest contents of total protein in femur and tibiotarsus were, respectively, 30.04 mg/100 g and 30.03 mg/100 g. Chicks fed 10% L-Glu and 15,000 IU VD had good development of bones, better performance, lower NCP contents and a lower incidence of leg problems

Azithromycin in addition to standard of care versus standard of care alone in the treatment of patients admitted to the hospital with severe COVID-19 in Brazil (COALITION II):a randomised clinical trial

Background: The efficacy and safety of azithromycin in the treatment of COVID-19 remain uncertain. We assessed whether adding azithromycin to standard of care, which included hydroxychloroquine, would improve clinical outcomes of patients admitted to the hospital with severe COVID-19. Methods: We did an open-label, randomised clinical trial at 57 centres in Brazil. We enrolled patients admitted to hospital with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and at least one additional severity criteria as follows: use of oxygen supplementation of more than 4 L/min flow; use of high-flow nasal cannula; use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation; or use of invasive mechanical ventilation. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to azithromycin (500 mg via oral, nasogastric, or intravenous administration once daily for 10 days) plus standard of care or to standard of care without macrolides. All patients received hydroxychloroquine (400 mg twice daily for 10 days) because that was part of standard of care treatment in Brazil for patients with severe COVID-19. The primary outcome, assessed by an independent adjudication committee masked to treatment allocation, was clinical status at day 15 after randomisation, assessed by a six-point ordinal scale, with levels ranging from 1 to 6 and higher scores indicating a worse condition (with odds ratio [OR] greater than 1·00 favouring the control group). The primary outcome was assessed in all patients in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population who had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection confirmed by molecular or serological testing before randomisation (ie, modified ITT [mITT] population). Safety was assessed in all patients according to which treatment they received, regardless of original group assignment. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04321278. Findings: 447 patients were enrolled from March 28 to May 19, 2020. COVID-19 was confirmed in 397 patients who constituted the mITT population, of whom 214 were assigned to the azithromycin group and 183 to the control group. In the mITT population, the primary endpoint was not significantly different between the azithromycin and control groups (OR 1·36 [95% CI 0·94–1·97], p=0·11). Rates of adverse events, including clinically relevant ventricular arrhythmias, resuscitated cardiac arrest, acute kidney failure, and corrected QT interval prolongation, were not significantly different between groups. Interpretation: In patients with severe COVID-19, adding azithromycin to standard of care treatment (which included hydroxychloroquine) did not improve clinical outcomes. Our findings do not support the routine use of azithromycin in combination with hydroxychloroquine in patients with severe COVID-19. Funding: COALITION COVID-19 Brazil and EMS

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora