Behavioral aspects of Caracu and Red Angus cattle breeds in a pasture with shade and water immersion

The shade is an important resource in the extensive production systems in tropical regions. The aim of this study is to understand through behavioral analysis, the preferences of animals for resources for environmental protection. The experiment was conducted in the Biometeorology and Ethology Laboratory of FZEA-USP. Six male of Caracu and Red Angus cattle breeds were used. The animals were submitted to 2 different treatments: availability of artificial shade and water for immersion and availability of water for immersion. The observations of the behavioral patterns were recorded using the focal sampling method every 15 minutes (12h/day). The observed positions were: in the sun, under the shade and in the water. The posture observed were: standing, lying down and behavioural activities were grazing, ruminating and rest. The data concerning to the time spent in different behaviors and different positions were analyzed by the multifactorial variance (ANOVA-GLM). The fixed factors used were the breed and treatment. The results had shown that grazing activity was the behavior in which both breeds had spending more time (especially in the cooler periods), followed by ruminating in the Caracu and by resting in the Red Angus. The results also had shown that shade can be used as a shelter against solar radiation as well against rain. The Caracu had presented a clear preference for the shade, particularly in the hottest hours. However this was not always observed in Red Angus, who sometimes chose to remain in the water. In hot climates, resources for defense against heat load, as shade and water for immersion can really improve the welfare of the cattle

Performance of Nellore Cattle under Two Grazing Management Systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of grazing intensification on birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW, standartized to 205 days), average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG), and gestation length (GL) of calves, cow weight at calving (CWC) and at weaning (CWW), cow condition score at calving (CCC) and at weaning (CCW), and BW/CWC (BWR), WW/CWC (WWRC) and WW/CWW (WWRW) ratios. One hundred and sixty eight Nellore calves born in 1998 and 1999, out of dams maintained in two grazing management systems were evaluated: an extensive 1.0 animal unity (AU). ha-1 system on unfertilized Brachiaria decumbens pasture (SR); and an intensive rotational 5.0 AU. ha-1 system on fertilized Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and cow-calf feed supplementation during dry season (SI). Analyses of variance showed a significant (P\u3c .01) system effect on CWW and CCW, independently of year of birth of calf, a significant (P\u3c .05 and P\u3c .01) year of birth x system interaction effect on WW, ADG, BWR, WWRC and WWRW, and no effect at all on BW, CWC, CCC and GL. Results suggest that benefits of intensification were through improving production per hectare and not per animal

Identification of Cell-Free Circulating MicroRNAs for the Detection of Early Breast Cancer and Molecular Subtyping

Early detection is crucial for achieving a reduction in breast cancer mortality. Analysis of circulating cell-free microRNAs present in the serum of cancer patients has emerged as a promising new noninvasive biomarker for early detection of tumors and for predicting their molecular classifications. The rationale for this study was to identify subtype-specific molecular profiles of cell-free microRNAs for early detection of breast cancer in serum. Fifty-four early-stage breast cancers with 27 age-matched controls were selected for circulating microRNAs evaluation in the serum. The 54 cases were molecularly classified (luminal A, luminal B, luminal B Her2 positive, Her-2, triple negative). NanoString platform was used for digital detection and quantitation of 800 tagged microRNA probes and comparing the overall differences in serum microRNA expression from breast cancer cases with controls. We identified the 42 most significant (P ≤ 0.05, 1.5-fold) differentially expressed circulating microRNAs in each molecular subtype for further study. Of these microRNAs, 19 were significantly differentially expressed in patients presenting with luminal A, eight in the luminal B, ten in luminal B HER 2 positive, and four in the HER2 enriched subtype. AUC is high with suitable sensitivity and specificity. For the triple negative subtype miR-25-3p had the best accuracy. Predictive analysis of the mRNA targets suggests they encode proteins involved in molecular pathways such as cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation. This study identified subtype-specific molecular profiles of cell-free microRNAs suitable for early detection of breast cancer selected by comparison to the microRNA profile in serum for female controls without apparent risk of breast cancer. This molecular profile should be validated using larger cohort studies to confirm the potential of these miRNA for future use as early detection biomarkers that could avoid unnecessary biopsy in patients with a suspicion of breast cancer.Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP process 2015/21082-0) and Public Ministry of Labor Campinas (Research, Prevention, and Education of Occupational Cancer)

Characterization of organic matter at different stages of a composting process

The characterization of the organic matter from raw organic wastes, unmatured compost and maturated compost was performed by different techniques: gravimetric, FTIR-ATR, TGA and from the ability of their extracts to bind Cd2+ (evaluating the free cadmium ion by AGNES). Although the amount of humic-like and fulvic-like acids did not change significantly, the structure and properties of the organic matter changed with composting and maturation. These changes resulted in an increase of the stability of the organic material toward thermal decomposition and in an increase of the capacity to bind cadmium.0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P - Valorização de resíduos orgânicos: produção de substâncias húmicas, cofinanciada pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento regional (FEDER) através do Programa INTERREG V-A Espanha-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020

Comparison of cadmium binding by humic and fulvic acids extracted from compost samples of different feedstock

Compost is a bio-sustainable material produced by the controlled decomposition of the organic wastes. Composting can be employed for the urban organic waste treatment in alternative to incineration or landfill disposal [1]. The properties of compost are closely related to the presence of humic-like substances (HS). Both fulvic acids (FA) and humic acids (HA) contain a significant amount of carboxylic acids and phenolic groups that are responsible for some of their properties like solubility and ability to complex metal ions [2]. In the scope of the project Res2ValHum [3], composts produced from different feedstock were analysed and compared regarding the ability of the FA and the HA extracts to bind Cd2+. The free cadmium ion concentration was measured using the electroanalytical technique AGNES (absence of gradients and Nernstian equilibrium stripping) [4]. The cadmium binding by FA and HA extracts of two compost samples: compost of algae (CA) and compost of sludge sewage (CSS) is illustrated in Figure 1. Results indicate that the extent of the binding of cadmium by FA is similar despite the nature of the compost. In opposition, the HA extracts from the algae compost exhibit a larger capacity to bind cadmium ion in comparison to the extracted from the sludge sewage compost. These results indicate that the nature of the feedstock seem to affect more the structure of the HA (in comparison to the FA) formed during the composting process. The chemical characterization of these extracts by different analytical techniques are in course in order to fully understand the referred effect.0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P - Valorização de resíduos orgânicos: produção de substâncias húmicas, cofinanciada pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento regional (FEDER) através do Programa INTERREG V-A Espanha-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-202

Comparison of cadmium binding by humic and fulvic acids extracted from two composts of different origin

Composting has been proven to be an environmentally friendly process for urban organic waste, that can represent an opportunity for new uses under the circular economy framework. The binding of cadmium to fulvic-like and humic-like acids extracted from compost of algae and urban residues were evaluated, and the results show significant differences. The fulvic and humic acids from algae compost bind cadmium more efficiently than those from urban residues compost. Furthermore, data from humic acids from both composts display significantly higher ability to bind to cadmium than both their corresponding fulvic acids and the generic soil extracted humic matter.  Cooperation Program Interreg V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund -FEDER within the scope of the project «RES2VALHUM -Valorization of Organic Waste: Production of Humic Substances» (0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P).The authors want to thank LIPOR for the supply of COUR sample. Members of the USC are also grateful to CRETUS Strategic Partnership (ED431E 2018/01) co-funded by FEDER and the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC ED431C/12.Members of the Department of Chemistry are also grateful toCenter of Chemistrythrough projects UID/QUI/00686/2016 and UID/QUI/00686/2019 (CQUM) funded by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal

BVRI Light Curves for 29 Type Ia Supernovae

BVRI light curves are presented for 27 Type Ia supernovae discovered during the course of the Calan/Tololo Survey and for two other SNe Ia observed during the same period. Estimates of the maximum light magnitudes in the B, V, and I bands and the initial decline rate parameter m15(B) are also given.Comment: 17 pages, figures and tables are not included (contact first author if needed), to appear in the Astronomical Journa