Avaliação das propriedades físicas e mecânicas de blocos de solo-cimento formulados com coprodutos siderúrgicos

RESUMO Este trabalho tem por objetivo caracterizar o desempenho de resistência mecânica e absorção de água de blocos solo-cimento para alvenaria, após 28 dias de cura, com a incorporação limite dos seguintes coprodutos siderúrgicos em substituição parcial ao solo: adições de até 20 % em massa do pó de balão coletado em alto-forno, até 10 % de poeiras de despoeiramento de aciaria elétrica, e até 20 % de escória granulada de forno elétrico a arco. As formulações propostas incluem adições simultâneas de pós obtidos do descarte da produção de blocos solo-cimento, onde a substituição parcial ao solo foi de até 20 % em massa. Os resultados obtidos sugerem a potencialidade de uso dos resíduos siderúrgicos em blocos intertravados de solo-cimento para alvenaria sustentável, como alternativa de aplicação para esses resíduos. Verificou-se a possibilidade de bons resultados confrontando os valores exigidos por norma (absorção de água < 20% e resistência mecânica > 2,0 MPa) com destaque quando se utilizou 20% pó de balão juntamente com 10% de reuso do bloco solo-cimento; 10% de escória de aciaria ou 20% de escória de aciaria juntamente com 10% de reuso do bloco solo-cimento; e 2,5% de pó de despoeiramento juntamente com 20% de reuso do bloco solo-cimento

Safety assessment and behavioral effects of Solanum guaraniticum leaf extract in rats

ABSTRACT Solanum guaraniticum is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat gastric and liver diseases. However, there is no documented evidence corroborating its safety. The present study evaluated the potential toxicity of S. guaraniticum leaf extract after acute administration in rats. Single doses of the extract (1.250, 2.500, and 5.000 mg/kg) were administered by gavage, and the rats were then monitored for 48 h and/or 14 days. Mortality, acute signs of toxicity, and general activity in the open field test were assessed as well as hematological and biochemical parameters, enzymatic activity (&#948;-aminolevulinate dehydratase and acetylcholinesterase), and oxidative stress parameters (lipid peroxidation level, non-protein thiol content, tissue catalase activity, and serum ferrous reducing power). Phytochemical analysis was also performed by HPLC. The results showed that extract administration produced no deaths (LD50 > 5,000 mg/kg), and no significant adverse effects regarding food consumption, body weight gain, gross pathology, or other parameters. However, the open field tests showed a decrease in spontaneous activity (crossing and rearing) mainly at 48 h after treatment. The results suggest that S. guaraniticum extract is not acutely toxic, but causes alterations in central nervous system activity

Desempenho e características da carcaça de cordeiros alimentados com bagaço de caju

In order to evaluate the performance and carcass characteristics were used 14 whole lambs, fed with diets containing concentrate and sorghum silage or dehydrated cashew apple bagasse (DCAP) as source of roughage. The animals had an average initial body weight of 12 kg and were slaughtered when they reached 25 kg of live weight. We used a completely randomized design with two diets and seven replicates. The feed conversion of the group fed with DCAP (8.08 ± 0.32) was better (p<0.05) compared to sorghum silage group (15.62 ± 0.75). There was no significant effect on the parameters of in vivo performance and on the quality characteristics of the carcass of lambs fed with the two feeding plans. The lambs fed with DCAP had a cold dres- sing percentage higher (48.24 ± 0.73 vs. 44.05 ± 1.33) and show a greater deposition of fat in the lumbar region. In conclusion, the dehydrated cashew apple bagasse is a viable source of feed for lambs fattening, in the northeast region of Brazil.Com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho e as características da carcaça, foram utilizados 14 cordeiros desmamados inteiros, alimentados com dietas contendo ração comercial e silagem de sorgo ou bagaço de caju desidratado (BCD), como fonte única de volumoso. Os animais apresentaram peso corporal inicial médio de 12 kg e foram abatidos quando atingiram peso médio de 25 kg. Utilizou-se um delineamento inteiramente casua- lizado, com duas dietas e sete repetições. A conversão alimentar do grupo alimentado com BCD (8,08 ± 0,32) foi melhor (p<0,05) em relação ao grupo silagem de sorgo (15,62 ± 0,75). Não houve efeito significativo para as características do corpo in vivo e para as características qualitativas da carcaça dos cordeiros alimenta- dos com os dois planos alimentares. Os cordeiros alimentados com BCD apresentaram um rendimento de carcaça fria superior (48,24 ± 0,73 vs. 44,05 ± 1,33; p<0,05) e uma maior deposição de gordura na região lombar. Conclui-se que o bagaço de caju desidratado é uma alternativa viável para a terminação de cordeiros mestiços, quando utiliza- do como fonte única de volumoso no nordeste

Anti-inflammatory and physicochemical characterization of the croton rhamnifolioides essential oil inclusion complex in &#946;-cyclodextrin

Croton rhamnifolioides is used in popular medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The objective of this study was to characterize and evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of C. rhamnifolioides essential oil complexed in \u3b2-cyclodextrin (COEFC). The physicochemical characterization of the complexes was performed using different physical methods. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vivo by ear edema, paw edema, cotton pellet-induced granuloma, and vascular permeability by Evans blue extravasation. The mechanism of action was validated by molecular docking of the major constituent into the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2 enzyme). All doses of the COEFC reduced acute paw edema induced by carrageenan and dextran, as well as vascular permeability. Our results suggest the lowest effective dose of all samples inhibited the response induced by histamine or arachidonic acid as well as the granuloma formation. The complexation process showed that the pharmacological effects were maintained, however, showing similar results using much lower doses. The results demonstrated an involvement of the inhibition of pathways dependent on eicosanoids and histamine. Complexation of \u3b2-cyclodextrin/Essential oil (\u3b2-CD/EO) may present an important tool in the study of new compounds for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs