Valor nutritivo de silagens de bagaço de sorgo sacarino produzido na Beira Interior Sul

Pelas utilizações diversificadas que lhe estão associadas, o sorgo sacarino (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) é uma cultura que tem vindo a receber assinalável atenção nos meios académicos. Apesar de em regra ser encarada como uma matéria-prima para a produção de biocombustíveis, nomeadamente bioetanol, a verdade é que a cultura e os seus subprodutos, designadamente a fração fibrosa da planta, apresentam a capacidade de ser utilizados com outros fins, nomeadamente na alimentação de ruminantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar o valor nutritivo da silagem de bagaço de três cultivares de sorgo sacarino (Sugargraze, Sugar-T e 23402), com o valor nutritivo da silagem das mesmas cultivares processadas sem e com pré-fenação. Os resultados obtidos (% na MS) para as silagens de sorgo sacarino sem pré-fenação vs silagens de sorgo sacarino com pré-fenação vs silagens de bagaço de sorgo sacarino foram, respetivamente, os seguintes: MS 23,23% (±2,045) vs 26,52% (±1,233) vs 28,56% (±4,115) (P<0,05); PB 6,47% (±0,589) vs 5,96% (±0,164) vs 4,81% (±0,392) (P<0,05); GB 1,11% (±0,084) vs 1,01% (±0,096) vs 0,86% (±0,041) (P<0,05); NDF 55,05% (±2,613) vs 54,39% (±0,638) vs 74,53% (±1,283) (P<0,05); ADF 31,16% (±1,530) vs 31,76% (±0,725) vs 45,46% (±1,073) (P<0,05); ADL 3,22% (±0,497) vs 3,39% (±0,708) vs 4,87% (±0,474) (P<0,05); Cinzas 4,41% (±0,437) vs 4,33% (±0,489) vs 3,17% (±0,263) (P<0,05); Digestibilidade da MO 59,25% (±1,584) vs 59,40% (±1,708) vs 48,32% (±0,988) (P<0,05). Estes resultados levam-nos a concluir que as silagens de bagaço de sorgo sacarino apresentam valores de PB, GB e Digestibilidade da MO mais baixos (P<0,05) e valores de NDF, ADF e ADL mais elevados (P<0,05). No entanto, parecem apresentar valor nutritivo adequado para serem utilizadas na alimentação de ruminantes. Serão necessários estudos futuros para avaliar o efeito da utilização deste subproduto na produção de leite e carne

Chronic Ethanol Intake Promotes Double Gluthatione S-transferase/transforming Growth Factor-α-positive Hepatocellular Lesions In Male Wistar Rats

The chronic ethanol intake influence on the gluthatione S-transferase (GST-P) and transforming growth factor α (TGF-α) expression in remodeling/persistent preneoplastic lesions (PNLs) was evaluated in the resistant hepatocyte model. Male Wistar rats were allocated into five groups: G1, non-treated, fed water and chow ad libitum; G2, non-treated and pair-fed chow (restricted to match that of G3 group) and a maltodextrin (MD) solution in tap water (matched ethanol-derived calories); G3, fed 5% ethanol in drinking water and chow ad libitum; G4, diethylnitrosamine (DEN, 200 mg/kg, body weight) plus 200 parts per million of 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) for 3 weeks and pair-fed chow (restricted to match that of G5 group) and an MD solution in tap water (matched ethanol-derived calories); G5, DEN/2-AAF treatment, fed ethanol 5% and chow ad libitum. All animals were subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy at week 3 and sacrificed at weeks 12 or 22, respectively. Liver samples were collected for histological analysis or immunohistochemical expression of GST-P, TGF-α and proliferating cell nuclear antigen or zymography for matrix metalloproteinases-2 and-9. At the end of ethanol treatment, there was a significant increase in the percentage of liver area occupied by persistent GST-P-positive PNLs, the number of TGF-α-positive PNLs and the development of liver tumors in ethanol-fed and DEN/2-AAF-treated groups (G5 versus G4, P < 0.001). In addition, ethanol feeding led to a significant increase in cell proliferation mainly in remodeling and persistent PNLs with immunoreactivity for TGF-α at week 22 (P < 0.001). Gelatinase activities were not altered by ethanol treatment. 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Three-dimensional analysis of jaw kinematic alterations in patients with chronic TMD - disc displacement with reduction

The study investigated whether chronic TMD patients with disc displacement with reduction (DDR), performing non-assisted maximum jaw movements, presented any changes in their mandibular kinematics with respect to an age-matched control group. Moreover, it was examined whether jaw kinematics and a valid clinic measure of oro-facial functional status have significant associations. Maximum mouth opening, mandible protrusion and bilateral laterotrusions were performed by 20 patients (18 women, 2 men; age, 18-34 years) and 20 healthy controls (17 women, 3 men; age, 20-31 years). The three-dimensional coordinates of their mandibular interincisor and condylar reference points were recorded by means of an optoelectronic motion analyser and were used to quantitatively assess their range of motion, velocity, symmetry and synchrony. Three functional indices (opening-closing, mandibular rototranslation, laterotrusion - right and left - and protrusion) were devised to summarise subject's overall performance, and their correlation with the outcome of a clinical protocol, the oro-facial myofunctional evaluation with scores (OMES), was investigated. TMD patients were able to reach maximum excursions of jaw movements comparable to healthy subjects' performances. However, their opening and closing mandibular movements were characterised by remarkable asynchrony of condylar translation. They had also reduced jaw closing velocity and asymmetric laterotrusions. The functional indices proved to well summarise the global condition of jaw kinematics, highlighting the presence of alterations in TMD-DDR patients, and were linearly correlated with the oro-facial functional status. The jaw kinematic alterations seem to reflect both oro-facial motor behaviour adaptation and a DDR-related articular impairment

Membrane-associated proteins of ejaculated sperm from Morada Nova rams

AbstractThe objective was to describe the profile of membrane proteins from sperm of tropically adapted Morada Nova rams (N = 5). Samples from protein-enriched fractions of ejaculated sperm (containing 400 μg of protein) were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis and respective maps analyzed using PDQuest software (version 7.3.0; Bio-Rad). Proteins were identified using tandem mass spectrometry. Also, membrane proteins were incubated with antibodies against binder of sperm protein (BSP) 1 and bodhesin 2 (Bdh-2), components of vesicular gland secretion. For membrane proteins of ejaculated sperm, an average of 133 ± 4.6 spots were detected per gel, of which, 107 spots were consistently present on all gels. Sixty-eight spots and 37 proteins were identified using mass spectrometry, corresponding to 71.6% of the intensity of all spots detected. Three major spots identified as ram seminal vesicle protein (RSVP) 14 represented approximately 30% of the intensity of all spots. Two of the most intense spots in the gel reacted against anti-BSP1, at 14 kDa. In addition, four low molecular weight spots reacted with anti-Bdh-2 antibodies. Proteins RSVP and Bdh-2 belong to the BSP and spermadhesin families, respectively, and were previously reported as major components of ram seminal proteins. Additional proteins identified in the sperm membrane two-dimensional maps included alpha-2-heparan sulfate-glycoprotein, plasma glutamate carboxypeptidase, arylsulfatase A, cathelicidin, heat shock protein 70 kDa, angiotensin-converting enzyme, leucine aminopeptidase, and clusterin. Some proteins were present as multiple isoforms, such as tubulin (12), alpha-2-heparan sulfate-glycoprotein (5), ATP synthase (5), Bdh-2 (4) and RSVP14 (3). Based on gene ontology analysis, the most common biological processes associated with the membrane proteins were cellular processes (34%), response to stimulus (14%), and metabolic processes (11%). Binding (37%) and catalytic activity (32%) corresponded to the most frequent molecular functions for those proteins. In conclusion, we identified a diverse cohort of components of membrane proteins in ram sperm. Major proteins previously reported in seminal plasma, such as RSVP14 and Bdh-2, were also extracted from sperm membranes. Knowledge of sperm proteins is crucial for elucidating mechanisms underlying their association with sperm function

Prediction of apparent digestibility of hays from natural pastures of the Northeast region of Portugal

In the Northeast region of Portugal hays from natural pastures are traditionally used as the main feed during the period of drought and the evaluation of its nutritive value is essential. The aim of this study was to predict the apparent organic matter digestibility (OMD) of 21 hays from natural pastures based on chemical composition, pepsin-cellulase solubility of organic matter (OMS) and in vitro organic matter digestibility. Chemical composition of hays showed a wide range of values and acid detergent lignin (ADL) was the component that presented the highest variation (CV = 18.4%). The OMD varied between 516 and 658 g/kg OM. The best single OMD predictor was OMS (RSD = 2.8%, R2 = 0.52, P<0.001). Using multiple regression to predict OMD, the variables included in the model were OMS and ADL (OMD = 21.51 + 0.94 OMS – 0.83 ADL; RSD = 2.75%; R2 = 0.54; P<0.0001). According to principal component analysis (PCA) hays were divided in 3 groups and the multiple regression established for the larger group of hays (n=10) was: OMD = 4.13 + 0.85 OMS – 1.03 ADL; RSD = 2.13%, R2 = 0.77, P<0.0001. The OMS method was superior to chemical composition and to the in vitro rumen fluid method in predicting OMD of hays from natural pastures. Results from PCA suggested that it may be useful to group these hays according to its chemical composition to accurately predict OMD