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

Influence of different finishing treatments over mechanical and thermal properties of bed linen

This work aims to assess the relationship between the mechanical and the thermal properties of summer bed linen using different softener formulations in home textiles finishing. Objectively, we intend to study the effect of different softeners and their concentrations, based on non-ionic polyethylene dispersions and a cationic silicone softener micro-emulsion on textile properties. The research shown that thermal related properties are influenced by polyethylene softeners, while the silicone softener influences the mechanical behavior of the tested samples. Finally, selected softened samples of bed linen were evaluated by a dry thermal manikin to validate some conclusions.(undefined

Cost and efficiency analysis of commercial softeners in the sewability behavior of cotton fabrics

This paper reports a comparative case study on the use of different softening products for bed linen fabrics, specifically regarding the sewability of the fabrics. The market offers a wide variety of commercial formulations of softeners for this purpose, but the composition and price varies considerably. This work was aimed to assess the relationship between the cost and effectiveness of different softener formulations in home textiles finishing. Objectively, the effect of different softeners and their concentrations on sewability of the fabrics was studied. Non-ionic polyethylene dispersions and a cationic silicone softener micro-emulsion in different concentrations and combinations were considered in this investigation. It was found that a combination of silicone and polyethylene based softeners presents the most interesting cost/performance behavior.This work has been funded by FEDER through Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE and by national funds by FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia in the context of project PEst-C/CTM/UI0264/2011

Self-reported adherence to foot care in type 2 diabetes patients: do illness representations and distress matter?

Aim: This study examined the differences and the predictive role of clinical variables, illness representations, anxiety, and depression symptoms, on self-reported foot care adherence, in patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and assessed no longer than a year after the diagnosis (T1) and four months later (T2). Background: The high rate of diabetes worldwide is one of the major public health challenges. Foot care is the behavior least performed by patients although regular foot care could prevent complications such as diabetic foot and amputation. Psychosocial processes such as illness representations and distress symptoms may contribute to explain adherence to foot self-care behaviors. Methods: This is a longitudinal study with two assessment moments. The sample included 271 patients, who answered the Revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, Brief-Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Findings: Patients reported better foot care adherence at T2. Having a higher duration of T2DM and the perception of more consequences of diabetes were associated with better self-reported foot care adherence, at T1. At T2, the predictors were lower levels of HbA1c, better self-reported foot care adherence at T1, higher comprehension about T2DM, as well as fewer depressive symptoms. Interventions to promote adherence to foot care should have in consideration these variables. The results of the present study may help health professionals in designing interventions that early detect depressive symptoms and address illness beliefs, in order to promote foot self-care behaviors reducing the incidence of future complications.This study is the part of a research project PTDC/SAUESA/67581/2006 supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal (FCT)

Thermal analysis evaluation of mechanical properties changes promoted by gamma radiation on surgical polymeric textiles

The large number of surgical operations with pos-operative infection problems and the appearing of new infectious diseases, contribute to the development of new materials in order to answer the needs of health care services. This development must take into account the modifications promoted by sterilisation methods in materials, namely by gamma radiation. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TGA) techniques show that a nonwoven and a laminate textiles maintain a good molecular cohesion, do not showing high levels of degradation, for gamma radiation dose values lower than 100 kGy in nonwoven and 200 kGy in laminate materials. The tensile strength and the elongation decrease slowly for the nonwoven textile and decrease faster for the laminate textile for 25 and 80 kGy absorbed dose. This paper shows that the DSC and TGA techniques can be helpful for the prevision of mechanical changes occurred in the materials as a consequence of the gamma irradiation

Integration and embedding of vital signs sensors and other devices into textiles

The development of ubiquitous vital sign monitoring has become a very up-to-date research theme for many academics and industrial companies in the last years. With new materials and integration techniques, it is possible to implement vital sign monitoring in an economic manner, directly into textile products. This unobtrusive presence of sensors is especially important for the monitoring of children or elderly people. This paper focuses on two aspects of sensor integration: Integration of off-the-shelf electronic components, and the use of the textile material itself as sensor, or in general as an electrically active element presenting some exploratory work in the integration of electronic devices into textiles. The main objective was to reproduce and improve on previous work presented by other authors, and foster possibilities of developing garments for vital sign monitoring with immediate industrial and economic feasibility. The use of standard production techniques to produce textile-based sensors, easily integrated into garments and with mass-market potential, is one of the important motivations for this work

Environmental education in secondary schools in the region of Ribeirão Preto (SP, Brazil): how teachers' views of the environment determine their teaching and some reflections on chemistry teachers' higher education

During short courses, 95 secondary school teachers from 49 state schools and 421 students from the Ribeirão Preto region (in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, with a population of 530,000) were asked to fill in different questionnaires. The points raised in the teacher's questionnaire were used as a guide to establish a continuous dialogue during the short courses. Most of the schools claimed to have some kind of environmental education (EE). Based on the questionnaires and dialogues we analyzed how the teachers' perceptions on EE reflect on the views secondary students hold about their own responsibility for preserving the environment. The role of universities in the preparation of chemistry teachers capable of effectively approaching EE is also discussed

Antibacterial activity of phenyl isothiocyanate on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

The present study has been aimed to assess the antibacterial effects of the glucosinolate hydrolysis product phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Aspects on the antibacterial mode of action of PITC have also been characterized, such as the changes on surface physicochemical characteristics and membrane damage. The minimum inhibitory concentration of PITC was 1000 µg/mL, for both bacteria. The antimicrobial potential of PITC was compared with selected antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, streptomycin, tetracycline and spectinomycin),that reported a moderate effect. The combination of PITC with ciprofloxacin and erythromycin against S.aureus exhibited a good antimicrobial efficacy, due to an additive effect (the diameter of inhibition zones increased from 30 to 40 mm for ciprofloxacin and almost the double for erythromycin). The other combinations reported unsatisfactory results against both bacteria. The study of the physiological changes induced by PITC action demonstrated the interaction between the electrophilic compound and the bacterial cells at several points that causes changes in membrane properties (decreases negative surface charge, increases surface hydrophilicity and electron donor characteristics). PITC was also found to disturb membrane function, as manifested by phenomena such as cellular disruption and loss of membrane integrity, triggering cell death.This work was supported by Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors - COMPETE and by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through Projects Bioresist - PTDC/EBB-EBI/105085/2008; Phytodisinfectants - PTDC/DTP-SAP/1078/2012; the PhD grant (SFRH/BD/63398/2009-Anabela Borges) and the Post-Doctoral grant (SFRH/BPD/81982/2011-Lucia C. Simoes)