GRASS UTILIZATION IN GROWING FINISHING BÍSARO PIGS (85-107 KG). PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS COMPOSITION

The use of different quantities of vegetables, forages or fresh grass as fodder for growing-finishing pigs is an important factor of the northern Portugal traditional system. The increasing development of swine production in outdoor systems, extensive and organic production, turns to upcoming natural diets, in which grass performs a significant part. With regard to this, some investigation has been made concerning the use of fibre-rich feed ingredients in pig nutrition. Metabolic effects of its ingestion are analysed concerning different sights (economical, social, environmental and physiological ones). The aim of this work was to study the effects of grass utilization in the diets on performances of finishing Bísaro pigs. A total of 22 pigs (16 castrated males and 6 females) was housed outdoor and fed ad libitum (37 – 85 kg live weight) with a growing diet and then transferred to an indoor system (with free access to an outdoor area) for 49 days, according to 3 different treatments: 100% concentrate (C), 75% concentrate + ad libitum grass (CE75), 50% concentrate + ad libitum grass (CE50). The grass was supplied and its intake registered on a daily basis. Every 14 days, the pigs were weighted and their back fat (P2 in vivo) measured. After slaughter (average weight of 107 kg LW), yield and ½ left carcass characteristics were controlled. During the outdoor growing phase, the ADG was 513 g/day. During the indoor finishing phase, the increase grass intake was proportional to the reduction of concentrate in the diet. The ADG (g) and the fat deposition (P2 cm) were significantly different (P<0,05) in the 3 treatments (ADG: C=641, CE75=467, CE50=356 and: C=11,4, CE75=+9,5, CE50=+6,2). The empty body weight (kg) was also proportional to the intake of concentrate (C=116,2; CE75=107,7; CE50=102,2). Comparatively to the weight of the body parts, pigs that had higher intake of grass and lower of concentrate showed a higher % of shoulder (P<0,05; C=20,4, CE75=21,7, CE50=22,2) and the pH45min of CE carcasses was significantly higher (P<0,05). As a conclusion, concentrate substitution for grass showed a slower growing rate, thinner carcasses and a high technological quality. Neverthelles variability (CV %) of the productive parameters at the end of this study were higher in the treatments that included grass: live weight (C= 10,5%; C75=10,7%; C50=14,3%), finishing ADG (C=24%; C75=37%, C50=42%), and final fat (C=37%; C75=32%, C50=52%). These values suggest that the utilization of fibrous feeds in growing-finishing swine may be one of the possible explanations of the more heterogeneous products and carcasses found in the traditional or extensive systems, common users of fibrous feeds in the carcass finishing phase

Geometric and seabed parameter estimation using a vector sensor array: experimental results from Makai experiment 2005

A vector sensor is constituted by one omni directional pressure sensor and three velocity-meters that are sensitive in a specific direction - x, y or z. Since a vector sensor is able to measure the three particle velocity directional components it acts as a spatial filter and therefore is advantageous in three dimensional direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. The potential gain obtained in DOA estimation can be extended to other geometric parameters such as source range and depth, as well as seabed parameters. The objective of this paper is to present experimental results of a four element vertical vector sensor array (VSA) data set collected during MakaiEx'05 experiment for geometric (range and depth) and seabed geoacoustic parameter estimation (sediment compressional speed, density and compressional attenuation). The parameter estimation problem is posed as an inversion method based on an extension of the conventional pressure only Bartlett estimator to particle velocity. The developed VSA based Bartlett estimator is proportional to the pressure only Bartlett estimator response by a directivity factor, providing an improved side lobe reduction or even suppression when compared with the pressure only response. This behavior will be illustrated for geometric and seabed parameters clearly showing the advantages of the use of VSA over hydrophone arrays. In source localization the VSA outperforms an array of hydrophones of same number of sensors. Moreover, when the VSA Bartlett estimator is applied for seabed parameter estimation, it will be shown that the estimation resolution of these parameters increased significantly, even for density and compressional attenuation, parameters difficult to estimate using an array of hydrophones

Betão fibroso de comportamento melhorado ao fogo

As Universidades do Minho e de Coimbra estão a desenvolver um betão reforçado com fibras (BRF), de elevada ductilidade, com comportamento melhorado sob a acção de temperaturas elevadas. Este betão inclui fibras de polipropileno e fibras de aço. Nesta comunicação, apresentam-se os resultados relativos à avaliação da influência de temperaturas elevadas nas seguintes propriedades mecânicas residuais do betão fibroso desenvolvido: módulo de elasticidade, resistência à compressão e resistência à flexão. A aplicabilidade de ensaios não destrutivos na avaliação das propriedades residuais do betão é explorada.Os autores pretendem agradecer o apoio disponibilizado pela FCT (Projecto FICOFIRE - POCTI/ECM/57518/2004), Spie Batignolles, Civitest, Secil, Sika, DuroEuropa e Miguel Freitas. Os quarto e quinto autores agradecem o apoio financeiro obtido por intermédio das respectivas bolsas, ao abrigo do projecto acima referido

Determination of aluminum (III) in crystallized fruit samples using a multicommutated flow system

A multicommutated flow system was developed for the determination of aluminum in crystallized fruit samples. Spectrophotometric determination is based on the reaction of aluminum with chrome azurol S. The binary sampling technique was implemented to improve mixing conditions and to minimize reagent consumption. Three different working zones were established (0.5-5.0, 5.0-25.0, and 10.0-100 ppm) using the zone sampling approach, allowing us to adapt the extent of the in-line dilution. The influence of the chemical and physical parameters on the performance of the system was studied. Detection limits of 0.1, 0.6, and 0.8 ppm were obtained for the lowest, the medium, and the highest dispersion system, respectively. The procedure was applied to the determination of aluminum in crystallized fruit extracts. The results were in agreement with those obtained by the reference flame atomic absorption procedure at a 95% confidence level. Repeatability (RSD) was better than 2.4% in all of the three application zones

First U-Pb SHRIMP ages on the Río de la Plata craton from the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires

Se presentan datos U-Pb SHRIMP de rocas del basamento ígneo-metamórfico no expuesto del área metropolitana de Buenos Aires. Los nuevos datos geocronológicos obtenidos de testigos de perforación indican: a) la ocurrencia de un magmatismo rhyaciano entre 2106 y 2186 Ma; b) un pico de metamorfismo de ca. 2069 Ma.We present U-Pb SHRIMP data of unexposed igneous-metamorphic basement rocks from the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area. The newly obtained geochronological data from drill cores are indicative that: a) Rhyacian magmatism occurred at 2106- 2186 Ma; b) peak metamorphism occurred at ca. 2069 Ma.Fil: Chernicoff, Carlos Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Fernándo. Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Santos, João O. S.. University of Western Australia; Australia. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimiento Científico e Tecnológico; BrasilFil: Zappettini, Eduardo Osvaldo. Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino; Argentin

Drought-induced embolism in current-year shoots of two Mediterranean evergreen oaks

threatened by the increasing water deficits related to climate change. To contribute to the understanding of the capacity of these oaks to withstand severe drought we assessed the vulnerability to xylem embolism and the anatomical traits in current-year shoots. Data were collected in mature trees at two sites, in central/ coastal and southern/inland Portugal. In situ safety margins to hydraulic failure were evaluated from long-term predawn and midday leaf water potential records. Results showed that xylem vulnerability to embolism was similar in Q. ilex and Q. suber. The 50% loss in hydraulic conductivity (Wxyl,50PLC) was observed at xylem water potentials of 2.9 and 3.2 MPa in shoots of Q. suber and Q. ilex, respectively. Values of mean vessel diameter of Q. suber shoots at both sites suggest an intra-species adaptation to the local water availability, with larger vessels at the more mesic site. In situ hydraulic safety margins observed in shoots showed that, even during the driest periods, both oaks lived comfortably above the most critical embolism thresholds. However, the hydraulic safety margins were narrower in the driest site. Results are relevant to the understanding of survival, growth, and functional behaviour of evergreen oaks in Mediterranean climates, under recurrent/seasonal drought condition

MAPEAMENTO TECNOLÓGICO DE PATENTES DE KEFIR

Diante do aumento no interesse do kefir pela indústria de alimentos, associado principalmente as suas propriedades funcionais, bem como suas novas possibilidades de aplicação, o objetivo desta prospecção foi realizar um monitoramento tecnológico para avaliar o panorama mundial da proteção de processos e produtos relacionados a esta matéria-prima, investigando os documentos de patentes depositados por país de origem, a evolução anual de depósito, e as áreas de proteção no mundo. As primeiras patentes encontradas foram de titularidade da Grã-Bretanha, sendo a primeira em 1899. Pode-se assim considerar esta como uma tecnologia extremamente antiga, entretanto, que é de interesse até os dias atuais. Os países asiáticos, em especial o Japão, são os principais detentores desta tecnologia. O Brasil ainda é um país que pouco se destaca nesta área tecnológica, necessitando, portanto, de mais incentivos governamentais para apoiar as pesquisas nessa área

The contribution of phenolic acids to the anti-inflammatory activity of mushrooms: Screening in phenolic extracts, individual parent molecules and synthesized glucuronated and methylated derivatives

In the present study, the ethanolic extracts of fourteen edible mushrooms were investigated for their anti-inflammatory potential in LPS (lipopolysaccharide) activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore the extracts were chemically characterized in terms of phenolic acids and related compounds. The identified molecules (p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric and cinnamic acids) and their glucuronated and methylated derivatives obtained by chemical synthesis were also evaluated for the same bioactivity, in order to establish structure-activity relationships and to comprehend the effects of in vivo metabolism reactions in the activity of the compounds. The extracts of Pleurotus ostreatus, Macrolepiota procera, Boletus impolitus and Agaricus bisporus revealed the strongest anti-inflammatory potential (EC50 values 96 ± 1 to 190 ± 6 µg/mL, and also the highest concentration of cinnamic acid (656 to 156 µg/g), which was also the individual compound with the highest anti-inflammatory activity. The derivatives of p-coumaric acid revealed the strongest properties, specially the derivative methylated in the carboxylic group (CoA-M1) that exhibited similar activity to the one showed by dexamethaxone used as anti-inflammatory standard; by contrast, the derivatives of p-hydroxybenzoic revealed the lowest inhibition of NO production. All in all, whereas the conjugation reactions change the chemical structure of phenolic acids and may increase or decrease their activity, the glucuronated and methylated derivatives of the studied compounds are still displaying anti-inflammatory activity.The authors are grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER-COMPETE/QREN/EU for the financial support through the research projects PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011 and PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2011. S.A. Heleno (BD/70304/2010) and R.C. Calhelha (BPD/68344/2010) also thank FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE. C. Santos-Buelga is also thankful to the Spanish MINECO for financial support through the project BFU2012-35228