Effect of salt concentrations on in vitro rumen fermentation of cellulose, starch, and protein

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of various concentrations of three salts (sodium chloride (NaCl), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), and calcium chloride (CaCl2)) on the in vitro rumen fermentation of cellulose, starch, and protein substrates. Six salt concentrations were tested, separately, namely 0, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg/dL. The experiment was conducted using the completely randomized design in a 6 × 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with main effects of salt concentration and salt type (six levels of three salts (NaCl, MgCl2, or CaCl2) (0, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg/dL) into three substrates [starch, cellulose, and glucose]) with three replicates. Cellulose- and glucose-fermenting bacteria were sensitive to NaCl concentrations greater than 400 mg/dL (17.48 decisiemens per metre (dS/m)) and 800 mg/dL (20.55 dS/m) in the media, respectively. In contrast, starch-fermenting bacteria continued to grow in NaCl concentrations up to 1600 mg/dL (29.09 dS/m). Thus, it was concluded that starch-fermenting microorganisms tolerated higher concentrations of NaCl compared with the other microbial groups. Cellulose-fermenting microorganisms are less tolerant to MgCl2 in relation to the other microbial groups. Starch, cellulose-, and glucose-fermenting bacteria from cattle tolerate CaCl2 concentrations of up to 1600 mg/dL (12.26 dS/m). These results suggest that brackish water may be used for ruminants. However, it is important perform an analysis of that water and then to adjust diets to minimize the effects of types of salt and concentrations of salt on rumen microorganisms. Keywords: brackish water, dissolved salts, rumen microbes, water qualit

Characteristics of carcass and non-carcass components of lambs fed diets containing silages of forages adapted to the semi-arid environment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets containing silages of forages that are adapted to the semi-arid environment on the characteristics of the carcass and of non-carcass components of 32 mixed-breed lambs at approximately six months old, with an average live weight of 17.61 ± 2.63 kg. Lambs were assigned to four treatments (diets containing silages of Atriplex nummularia Lind, Cenchrus ciliaris, Gliricidia sepium and Manihot sp.) in a completely randomized design with eight replicates. Animals fed the diet containing old man saltbush showed higher values for the intakes of dry matter (1.080 g/day), crude protein (190 g/day) and total digestible nutrients (740 g/day), body condition score (2.81 points), fatness (2.87 points), carcass conformation (3.19 points), live weight (29.1 kg), empty bodyweight (23.41 kg), weights of the commercial cuts neck, shoulder and ribs (0.46, 0.82 and 1.12 kg, respectively), and skin weight (1.972 kg). No differences were found between the diets for carcass dressing percentage, external and internal carcass lengths, leg length and circumference, rump circumference and width, chest width and depth, full bodyweight, empty bodyweight, cooling losses, pH before and after cooling, loin, and leg. Silages of old man saltbush, buffelgrass, gliricidia and pornunça are recommended for inclusion in lamb diets. Diets with old man saltbush silage provide the best results for characteristics of the carcass and of non-carcass components besides weight gain, which can reach up to 200 g/day depending on the formulation.Keywords: Carcass composition, feedlot, saltbush, shee

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of sheep fed buffelgrass silage to replace corn silage

The aim of the study was to evaluate the carcass characteristics, proximate composition, and sensorial attributes of meat from sheep fed diets in which buffelgrass silage replaced corn silage. Thirty-two intact male crossbred Santa Inês sheep with an average live weight of 20.09 ± 2.0 kg were housed in individual stalls and allotted at random to four treatments in which corn silage was replaced by buffelgrass silage at the levels of 0 (control), 33.3%, 66.6%, and 100%. After an adaption period of 10 days, the sheep were fed for an additional 61 days. Feed was offered ad libitum and corn silage comprised 60% of the diet for the control group. Carcass characteristics, non-carcass components and meat quality were evaluated. Hot carcass yield, cold carcass yield, true carcass yield, trimmings, fat weight, and mesenteric and omental fat weight were highest for the control group (P <0.05). Loin eye area had a quadratic response (P =0.02), with the largest areas being observed in animals fed the diet containing 66.6% buffelgrass silage. Liver weight (P <0.01), luminosity of the meat (P <0.05), and cooking loss (P <0.05) likewise had nonlinear responses to the concentration of buffelgrass silage in the diet. The treatments did not have significant negative influence on the nutritional and organoleptic characteristics of the meat

The use of a task through virtual reality in cerebral palsy using two different interaction devices (concrete and abstract) - a cross-sectional randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is characterised by variable difficulties in muscular action, resulting in inability of the individual to perform functional movement. An option to provide functionality to the individual with CP is the use of computer innovation. The aim of this paper was to verify if there was any performance improvement in a task performed in a virtual environment and if there was transfer to the task performed in the real environment and vice versa in this population. METHODS: A computer program was developed comprising a motor task, but with two possibilities of user interaction: a) concrete interface (with physical contact): in which the individual touches the computer screen to finish the task and b) abstract interface (no physical contact): in which the individual performs a hand movement in front of the Kinect device. Participants were split into two groups. The experimental group consisted of 28 individuals with CP within the ages of 6 and 15 years old. The control group included 28 typically developing individuals mirroring the age and sex of the experimental group. RESULTS: Individuals from both groups were able to improve task performance and retain acquired information. The CP group presented worse performance than the control group in all phases of the study. Further findings showed that the CP group presented better performance in the abstract interface than in the concrete interface, whereas, in the control group, the opposite occurred: their best performance was in the concrete. CONCLUSIONS: Motor tasks performed by individuals with CP through an interface with a more virtual environment feature (abstract interface: Kinect) provided better performance when compared to an interface with a more real characteristic (concrete interface: Touchscreen). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier - NCT03352440; Date of registration - November 17, 2017

Animal models of prenatal immune challenge and their contribution to the study of schizophrenia: a systematic review

Prenatal immune challenge (PIC) in pregnant rodents produces offspring with abnormalities in behavior, histology, and gene expression that are reminiscent of schizophrenia and autism. Based on this, the goal of this article was to review the main contributions of PIC models, especially the one using the viral-mimetic particle polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (poly-I:C), to the understanding of the etiology, biological basis and treatment of schizophrenia. This systematic review consisted of a search of available web databases (PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, PsycINFO, and ISI Web of Knowledge) for original studies published in the last 10 years (May 2001 to October 2011) concerning animal models of PIC, focusing on those using poly-I:C. The results showed that the PIC model with poly-I:C is able to mimic the prodrome and both the positive and negative/cognitive dimensions of schizophrenia, depending on the specific gestation time window of the immune challenge. The model resembles the neurobiology and etiology of schizophrenia and has good predictive value. In conclusion, this model is a robust tool for the identification of novel molecular targets during prenatal life, adolescence and adulthood that might contribute to the development of preventive and/or treatment strategies (targeting specific symptoms, i.e., positive or negative/cognitive) for this devastating mental disorder, also presenting biosafety as compared to viral infection models. One limitation of this model is the incapacity to model the full spectrum of immune responses normally induced by viral exposure

Rho GTPase activating protein 21-mediated regulation of prostate cancer associated 3 gene in prostate cancer cell

The overexpression of the prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) gene is well-defined as a marker for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. Although widely used in clinical research, PCA3 molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Herein we used phage display technology to identify putative molecules that bind to the promoter region of PCA3 gene and regulate its expression. The most frequent peptide PCA3p1 (80%) was similar to the Rho GTPase activating protein 21 (ARHGAP21) and its binding affinity was confirmed using Phage Bead ELISA. We showed that ARHGAP21 silencing in LNCaP prostate cancer cells decreased PCA3 and androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional levels and increased prune homolog 2 (PRUNE2) coding gene expression, indicating effective involvement of ARHGAP21 in androgen-dependent tumor pathway. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed the interaction between PCA3 promoter region and ARHGAP21. This is the first study that described the role of ARHGAP21 in regulating the PCA3 gene under the androgenic pathway, standing out as a new mechanism of gene regulatory control during prostatic oncogenesis

Palaeontological framework from Pirabas Formation (North Brazil) used as potential model for equatorial carbonate platform

The Pirabas Formation (early to middle Miocene) from the equatorial margin of North Brazil is characterized by a shallow-marine carbonate platform with high fossil diversity and abundant micro- and macrofossil remains. The Pirabas Formation represents a unique carbonate system along the Atlantic margin of South America that developed before the onset of the Amazon delta. We studied the palaeontology and lithofacies of outcrops of the uppermost Pirabas Formation and found that was deposited in a coastal marine environment with marginal lagoons under the influence of a tidal regime and tropical storms. The remains of calcareous algae, molluscs, crustaceans, echinoiderms, bryozoans, solitary corals, fish and marine mammals, together with foraminifera, ostracods and other marine microfossils, shaped a biogenic framework, that together with the post-depositional processes of dissolution of skeletal grains, is responsible for the mean packstone-floatstone porosity of 14.9%. The palaeontological framework and the petrophysical characterization of the carbonate rocks from the uppermost Pirabas Formation outcrop represent a baseline to interpret the entire Pirabas Formation in the subsurface stratigraphic sections (cores) of this important Neogene unit. Considering that carbonate rocks account for ~50% of oil and gas reservoirs around the world, this research provides a model for Neogene tropical carbonate deposits useful for carbonate petroliferous reservoirs in the Brazilian equatorial basins.publishe

On the reliability of a simple method for scoring phenotypes to estimate heritability: A case study with pupal color in Heliconius erato phyllis, Fabricius 1775 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)

In this paper, two methods for assessing the degree of melanization of pupal exuviae from the butterfly Heliconius erato phyllis, Fabricius 1775 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Heliconiini) are compared. In the first method, which was qualitative, the exuviae were classified by scoring the degree of melanization, whereas in the second method, which was quantitative, the exuviae were classified by optical density followed by analysis with appropriate software. The heritability (h2) of the degree of melanization was estimated by regression and analysis of variance. The estimates of h 2 were similar with both methods, indicating that the qualitative method could be particularly suitable for field work. The low estimates obtained for heritability may have resulted from the small sample size (n = 7-18 broods, including the parents) or from the allocation-priority hypothesis in which pupal color would be a lower priority trait compared to morphological traits and adequate larval development