The Influence of Nitrogen Fertilization on Growth, Yield and Nitrate and Oxalic Acid Concentration in Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Abstract Culinary use of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is appreciated across the whole of the Mediterranean, and the interest in this plant has been increasing due to be a source of bio-protectives compounds, such as fatty acids and antioxidants. However, their use may be difficult due to the accumulation of high contents of compounds harmful to human health, such as nitrate and oxalic acid. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of nitrogen fertilization on growth and yield parameters, and on nitrate and oxalic acid concentration in leaves and stems. Plants of golden-leafed purslane of sativa subspecies were grown in styrofoam boxes with substrate and fertigated 2 times per week along 4 weeks with ammonium-nitrate solution (16.9% NO3--N and 17.6% NH4+-N), for testing 4 nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N ha-1). Plant growth, yield, nitrate and oxalic acid concentrations were significantly affected by nitrogen application. The best quantity/quality ratio was achieved in fertilization level of 60 kg N ha-1, in which the yield was 5.1 kg m-2 FW and nitrate concentration was 48.98 and 43.90 mg g-1 DW in leaf and stem, respectively, and oxalic acid concentration was 1.27 and 0.55 mg g-1 DW, in leaf and stem, respectively, values not harmful to consumer health

Preservation under pressure (hyperbaric storage) at 25ºC, 30ºC and 37ºC of a highly perishable dairy food and comparison with refrigeration

Hyperbaric storage (HS) under mild pressure of requeijão, a traditional Portuguese whey cheese, as a case study of a highly perishable dairy food, was evaluated as a possible energy costless alternative to refrigeration. Whey cheese was stored for 4 and 8 hours, at different pressure levels (0.1, 100 and 150 MPa) and temperatures (25°C, 30°C and 37°C), and the results were compared with refrigeration (4°C). Microbial analyses showed that storage for 4 hours at 100 MPa was able to maintain microbial counts similar to refrigeration and initial load, ≈3 Log10 CFU/g, at all tested temperatures. By increasing the pressure to 150 MPa and the storage time to 8 hours, microbial loads were reduced to undetectable counts, with the exception for total aerobic mesophiles that were reduced to about ≈1 Log unit. HS in general maintained pH, water activity and lipid oxidation values, at levels similar to that in refrigeration

Impact of dried brewers’ grains supplementation on performance, metabolism and meat quality of broiler chickens

The objective was to evaluate increasing levels of dried brewers’ grains (DBG) in feed for broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days old and their effect on performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphometry, carcass characteristics and meat quality. The design was completely randomized with six treatments, which consisted of various levels of DBG inclusion, namely 0 (no inclusion), 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 g/kg with seven replications and 17 animals per experimental unit, totalling 714 male broilers. Performance parameters, blood biochemical profile, morphology of the intestinal epithelium (duodenum), and carcass yield and composition were evaluated. Feed intake was not changed by DBG inclusion levels. Nor were weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Serum cholesterol levels were not influenced, and there were no effects on triglyceride, uric acid and creatinine levels. Enzyme aspartate aminotransferase showed a quadratic effect, as did alanine aminotransferase, with higher values at 79.5 and 63.9 g/kg DBG inclusion, respectively. No changes in carcass yield and relative organ weight were observed. The composition of the carcass in ether extract showed a quadratic effect, as fat deposition rate, with lowest values at 62.8 and 62.4 g/kg of DBG inclusion levels, respectively. Crude protein levels in carcass reduced linearly, as did fat deposition rate. The parameters of intestinal morphology and meat quality were not changed. Dried brewers’ grains can be included in broiler diet from 1 to 21 days at levels up to 100 g/kg without influencing the metabolic parameters and broiler performance. Keywords: alternative feed, blood, by-product, intestinal villi, performanc

A tale of two species: the importance of native ecosystems for long-term conservation on Príncipe Island, Gulf of Guinea

Since it was first described in 1901, the Príncipe thrush Turdus xanthorhynchus has been rare and restricted to the native forest in the south of Príncipe Island. The Obô giant land snail Archachatina bicarinata, however, was widespread across the island and at least locally abundant until the 1990s. Since then its population has collapsed, and now, like the thrush, it is also restricted to the native forest in the south of the island. Using species distribution modelling, we show that both species are currently strongly associated with rugged and remote areas of native forest at high altitudes. We argue that their current distribution might be negatively affected by anthropogenic pressures, as both are harvested, and also because invasive alien species are expected to have deleterious effects on these species, although further studies are needed to clarify interactions between these native and introduced species. The diachronic stories of these species highlight an overlooked value of native ecosystems: their role in the conservation of widespread species that might be unable to use anthropogenic landscapes in the future. They also reinforce the need for protected areas that strive to exclude most human activities in the context of particularly sensitive biodiversity, as is often the case on oceanic islands.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of the chronic treatment with aqueous extract of Caesalpinia ferrea and Chrysobalanus icaco on the vascular reactivity of diabetic rats

Caesalpinia ferrea and Chrysobalanus icaco are plants commonly used by the folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. In this work, the effects of the chronic treatment with aqueous extracts of C. ferrea (AECF) and C. icaco (AECI) on the vascular reactivity of alloxan-induced diabetic rats were evaluated. In rings of mesenteric artery, AECF and AECI were not able to modify the contractions induced by phenylephrine or relaxations induced by carbachol. However, treatment with AECI was able to prevent the potentiation of the relaxations induced by sodium nitroprusside in diabetic rats. In brief, this study found possible benefits of the treatment with C. icaco on the reactivity vascular of diabetic rats.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Nutritional status indicators in Polonoroeste Area: III - clinical nutritional study

This work is part of the clinical nutritional evaluation of the "Health Diagnostic in the Polonoroeste Survey, 1983". With the objective of evaluating the nutritional status of the population in the area of Polonoroeste a Nutritional Inquiry was done in 7 cities of the State of Mato Grosso. The inquiry included a study of alimentary habits, anthropometric studies and a clinical evaluation of the nutritional status of children between 3 and 72 months of age. We examined 585 children selected as proposed by the SANCHES & CARVALHEIRO sampling method modified by MEIRELLES and SANCHES and the clinical-nutritional evaluation was made according to JELLIEFE. Clinical evidence of proteic-energetic malnutrition was registered in 6.6% of the children, anemia in 9.7% and goiter in 2.7%. There was correlation of the anemia with intestinal parasitoses observed in the same sample by another team of the same project.O estudo do exame clínico-nutricional é parte do Inquérito Nutricional, realizado no "Diagnóstico em Saúde do Polonoroeste-MT em 1983". No intuito de reconhecer a situação nutricional da população da região em estudo, o grupo do Inquérito Nutricional procedeu ao estudo do Consumo Alimentar das famílias, ao estudo dos dados antropométricos e de sinais clínico-nutricionais de crianças na faixa etária de 3 a 72 meses. Foram examinadas 585 crianças da amostra como proposta por SANCHES & CARVALHEIRO7 adaptado por MEIRELLES e SANCHES. O exame clínico-nutricional foi realizado segundo a metodologia recomendada por JELLIFFE4. Foram encontrados sinais clínicos sugestivos de carência nutricional em 6,6% das crianças; sinais de anemia em 9,7% e de bócio em 2,7%. Não foi possível definir com precisão outros quadros carenciais