Nutritional Assessment of Different Field Pea Genotypes (Pisum sativum L.)

The aim of this study was to determine the dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), total sugars, starches and estimate the metabolizable energy (ME), in ruminants, pigs, poultry, horses and pets (dogs and cats) and digestible energy (DE) in rabbits from the 10 most productive field pea genotypes (Pisum sativum) obtained in a trial with 4 X 20 different genotypes (Project 0186_AGROCELE_3_E). The results (% DM - genotype) allowed us to state the following: all the 10 field pea genotypes grain were an important source of energy (cytoplasmic carbohydrates) with high percentages of soluble sugars (7.95% ISARD to 9.42% ENDURO) (P < 0.05) and starch (38.63% LIVIA to 45.00% AUDIT) (P < 0.05), low CF content (5.99% ISARD to 7.90% CARTOUCHE) (P < 0 05), high CP (22.8% ENDURO to 26.1% CORRENT) (P < 0.05), low levels of EE (0.69% LIVIA to 1.62% CHEROKEE) (P<0.05), ideal level of ME ruminants (11.844 MJ/kg DM - CHEROKEE to 11.883 MJ/kg DM - CORRENT) (P < 0.05), ME pigs (14.683 MJ/kg DM - ISARD to 13.885 MJ/kg DM - CARTOUCHE) (P < 0.05), ME poultry (11.540 MJ/kg DM - LIVIA to 12.868 MJ/kg DM - AUDIT) (P < 0.05), ME horse (11.392 MJ/kg DM - CORRENT to 11.979 MJ/kg DM - AUDIT) (P < 0.05), ME pets (13.116 MJ/kg DM – CORRENT to 13.498 MJ/kg DM - ISARD) (P < 0.05) and DE rabbits (12.977 MJ/kg DM – CARTOUCHE to 13.044 MJ/kg DM - ISARD) (P < 0.05). We concluded that all 10-field pea genotypes are an excellent feedstuff for ruminants and non-ruminants animal and it could be supplied plain or included in concentrate feed because it is an excellent protein and energy supplement. It combines in the same grain high levels of crude protein and starch. Due to the low fat content is a very interesting pulse for pets’ light diets.CERNAS - Supported by National Funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology under the project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0681/201

A seasonal switch in histone deacetylase gene expression in the hypothalamus and their capacity to modulate nuclear signaling pathways

YesSeasonal animals undergo changes in physiology and behavior between summer and winter conditions. These changes are in part driven by a switch in a series of hypothalamic genes under transcriptional control by hormones and, of recent interest, inflammatory factors. Crucial to the control of transcription are histone deacetylases (HDACs), generally acting to repress transcription by local histone modification. Seasonal changes in hypothalamic HDAC transcripts were investigated in photoperiod-sensitive F344 rats by altering the day-length (photoperiod). HDAC4, 6 and 9 were found to change in expression. The potential influence of HDACs on two hypothalamic signaling pathways that regulate transcription, inflammatory and nuclear receptor signaling, was investigated. For inflammatory signaling the focus was on NF-κB because of the novel finding made that its expression is seasonally regulated in the rat hypothalamus. For nuclear receptor signaling it was discovered that expression of retinoic acid receptor beta was regulated seasonally. HDAC modulation of NF-κB-induced pathways was examined in a hypothalamic neuronal cell line and primary hypothalamic tanycytes. HDAC4/5/6 inhibition altered the control of gene expression (Fos, Prkca, Prkcd and Ptp1b) by inducers of NF-κB that activate inflammation. These inhibitors also modified the action of nuclear receptor ligands thyroid hormone and retinoic acid. Thus seasonal changes in HDAC4 and 6 have the potential to epigenetically modify multiple gene regulatory pathways in the hypothalamus that could act to limit inflammatory pathways in the hypothalamus during long-day summer-like conditions.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC

LandTrendr smoothed spectral profiles enhance woody encroachment monitoring

Secondary succession (SS) is one of the main consequences of the abandonment of agricultural and forestry practices in rural areas, causing -among other processes- woody encroachment on former pastures and croplands. In this study we model and monitor the spatial evolution of SS over semi-natural grassland communities in the mountain range of the Pyrenees in Spain, during the last 36 years (1984-2019). Independent variables for ‘annual-based’ and ‘period-based’ modeling were drawn from a suite of Surface Reflectance Landsat images, LandTrendr (LT)-algorithm-adjusted images and LT outputs. Support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were trained and tested using all possible variable combinations of all the aforementioned datasets. The best modeling strategy involved yearly time series of LT-adjusted Tasseled Cap Brightness (TCB) and Wetness (TCW) axes as predictors, attaining a F1-score of 0.85, a Matthew Correlation Coefficient (MCC) of 0.67 and an AUC 0.83. Woodlands encroached above 480, 000 ha of grasslands and crops during the study period. A model using LT outputs for the whole period also denoted good performance (F1-score = 0.85, MCC = 0.75) and estimated a similar area of woodland expansion (~509, 000 ha), but this ‘period’ approach was unable to provide temporal information on the year or the encroachment dynamics. Our results suggest an overall proportion of 66% for the Pyrenees being affected by SS, with higher intensity in the west-central part, decreasing towards the eastern end. © 2021 The Author

Differentiation of production method and geographical origin of salmon based on the analysis of fatty acid composition

Currently, aquaculture production supplies almost 50% of the global fish market, as a response to the increasing global demand for fish [1]. However, several consumers prefer wild over farmed fish, with the former generally attaining higher prices when the some species is considered. Therefore, there is the need to assure correct information, not only about the species, but also about the production method (farmed vs. wild) and the catch origin of fish. Salmon, a high-trophic - level carnivorous species with high economic value due to its popularity, is among the fish species that is frequently produced in aquoculture. Although the feed given to farm-raised salmon is designed to meet its nutritional requirements, it can present differences compared to the diet of wild salmon that con be reflected on the muscle composition of formed versus wild solmons. Therefore, in this work, the use of fatty acid composition combined with chemometrics was evaluated as a potential tool to authenticate salmon samples. In particular, the work aimed at identifying the geographical origin and production method (farmed vs. caught in the wild) of salmon.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Transverse momentum dependence in gluon distribution and fragmentation functions

We investigate the twist two gluon distribution functions for spin 1/2 hadrons, emphasizing intrinsic transverse momentum of the gluons. These functions are relevant in leading order in the inverse hard scale in scattering processes such as inclusive leptoproduction or Drell-Yan scattering, or more general in hard processes in which at least two hadrons are involved. They show up in azimuthal asymmetries. For future estimates of such observables, we discuss specific bounds on these functions.Comment: 14 pages, revtex, 7 Postscript figure

The new automated daily mortality surveillance system in Portugal

The experience reported in an earlier Eurosurveillance issue on a fast method to evaluate the impact of the 2003 heatwave on mortality in Portugal, generated a daily mortality surveillance system (VDM) that has been operating ever since jointly with the Portuguese Heat Health Watch Warning System. This work describes the VDM system and how it evolved to become an automated system operating year-round, and shows briefly its potential using mortality data from January 2006 to June 2009 collected by the system itself. The new system has important advantages such as: rapid information acquisition, completeness (the entire population is included), lightness (very little information is exchanged, date of death, age, sex, place of death registration). It allows rapid detection of impacts (within five days) and allows a quick preliminary quantification of impacts that usually took several years to be done. These characteristics make this system a powerful tool for public health action. The VDM system also represents an example of inter-institutional cooperation, bringing together organisations from two different ministries, Health and Justice, aiming at improving knowledge about the mortality in the population

Investment decisions with finite-lived collars

YesThe duration of most collar arrangements provided by governments to encourage early investment in infrastructure, renewable energy facilities, or other projects with social objectives are finite, not perpetual. We extend the previous literature on collar-style arrangements by providing an analytical solution for the idle and active values, as well as the investment triggers, for projects where collars are either finite-lived or retractable. What is the difference between these types of arrangements with their perpetual counterpart? Lots, including different vega signs, and substantially different values for different current price levels. Often, finite and retractable collars justify earlier investment timing than perpetual collars. In general, we demonstrate that the finite-lived and retractable versions have a significant impact on optimal behavior, relative to the perpetual case. An important consideration when negotiating the floors, ceilings, and duration (or signalling the expected duration) of a finite or a retractable collar is the current price level of the output and its expected volatility over the life of the contract.Carried out within the funding with COMPETE reference n. POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006683 (Artur Rodrigues) and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006890 (Paulo J. Pereira), FCT/MEC’s (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.) financial support through national funding and by ERDF through the Operational Programme on Competitiveness and Internationalization - COMPETE 2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement

Relatório do Grupo de Trabalho de Estatísticas da Saúde

O Grupo de Trabalho de Estatísticas de Saúde - GTES foi criado no âmbito do Conselho Superior de Estatística (Secção Permanente de Estatísticas Sociais), com o objetivo de identificar e redefinir o conteúdo do sistema de informação das estatísticas oficiais de saúde nos domínios “estado de saúde e seus determinantes”, “cuidados de saúde”, e “causas de morte”. Para atingir esse objetivo o Grupo, em primeiro lugar, identificou as ineficiências do atual sistema e, posteriormente, diagnosticou as necessidades nacionais e internacionais de informação, de modo a apresentar propostas fundamentadas para a sua reestruturação e racionalização. Neste quadro, a clarificação dos procedimentos de recolha a adotar, com destaque para a explicitação dos atos administrativos existentes, assumiram, desde o início, especial referência no mandato proposto para o GTES

Asymmetries in polarized hadron production in e^+e^- annihilation up to order 1/Q

We present the results of the tree-level calculation of inclusive two-hadron production in electron-positron annihilation via one photon up to subleading order in 1/Q. We consider the situation where the two hadrons belong to different, back-to-back jets. We include polarization of the produced hadrons and discuss azimuthal dependences of asymmetries. New asymmetries are found, in particular there is a leading cos(2 phi) asymmetry, which is even present when hadron polarization is absent, since it arises solely due to the intrinsic transverse momenta of the quarks.Comment: 26 pages, Revtex, 4 Postscript figures, uses epsfig.sty. Version to appear in Nuclear Physics B: abstract, introduction and summary slightly modified, references added and some typos correcte

Primakoff effect in eta-photoproduction off protons

We analyse data on forward eta-meson photoproduction off a proton target and extract the eta to gamma gamma decay width utilizing the Primakoff effect. The hadronic amplitude that enters into our analysis is strongly constrained because it is fixed from a global fit to available gamma p to p eta data for differential cross sections and polarizations. We compare our results with present information on the two-photon eta-decay from the literature. We provide predictions for future PrimEx experiments at Jefferson Laboratory in order to motivate further studies.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, gamma-gamma*-eta form factor included, version to appear in Eur. Phys. J. A