Composition and fatty acid profile of milk from cows supplemented with pressed oilseed cake

This study compared the productive and nutritional parameters of milk from crossbred lactating cows managed on Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania and with a diet supplemented with different pressed oilseed cakes. The supplements used were as follows: peanut cake, sunflower cake and palm kernel cake for replacement of soybean meal. Sixteen cows with an average weight of 544 ± 57 kg and producing 8 ± 1.4 L of milk per day were used in this study. The animals were randomly assigned to the treatments according to a Latin square design repeated over time, with four treatments, 16 animals and four experimental periods. Supplementation of the diet with peanut cake, sunflower cake and palm kernel cake compared with soybean meal in the diet of cows did not affect the average daily production or composition of the milk. The palm kernel cake promoted an increase in lauric fatty acids (C_12:0) and palmitoleic acids (C_16:1) (5.02 and 1.65%, respectively) compared with peanut cake and sunflower cake (4.13 and 4.01%, respectively). The levels of oleic fatty acids (C_18:1) were higher for the sunflower cake and palm kernel cake supplements (26.01 and 25.01%, respectively) compared with peanut cake (23.11%). The replacement of soybean meal with sunflower cake and palm kernel cake improved the nutritional quality of the milk, with lower concentrations of saturated fatty acids and higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids, without compromising the production or nutritional composition of the milk. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

Path analysis for selection of drought tolerant sugarcane genotypes through physiological components

Water deficit is among the main environmental factors limiting agricultural productivity of sugarcane in Northeast Brazil by affecting virtually every aspect of plant growth, with consequent reduction of the agro-industrial productivity of this crop. This study aimed to use path analysis to evaluate the physiological components of sugarcane under two water conditions, with photosynthesis as the basic variable, in order to obtain subsidies that can help the genetic breeding of this crop by selection of superior clones with drought tolerance. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with a completely randomized experimental design, 4 × 2 factorial arrangements (four sugarcane genotypes × two soil moisture regimes: control, with 80-100% available water and stressed, with 0-20% water available) and with four replications. Each plot consisted of one pot with 12 kg of substrate containing one plant. Treatments were maintained at a humidity close to field capacity with daily replacement of the evapotranspired water with a water supply for 66 days of cultivation for treatments under stress. Evaluations were conducted on the fourth day after severe water stress at 70 days of cultivation. Data from nine physiological variables were considered, with six of these being used in the model after exclusion of those that were contributing to multicollinearity. Variables used in path analysis were enough to explain the variation found in photosynthesis under both water conditions. Stomatal conductance, transpiration and the SPAD index should be considered as a priority in breeding programs for sugarcane aiming to get more productive and tolerant genotypes to water stress, and selection indexes should be used with due consideration of these variables to promote gains in photosynthesis.     

Effects of polymerization changes in maize proteins during nixtamalization on the thermal and viscoelastic properties of masa in model systems

Although nixtamalization is widely used in the food industry, a comprehensive understanding of the influence of proteins on the viscoelastic behavior and thermal properties in masa is still lacking. In this work, the effect of protein changes and its influence on the masa viscoelastic behavior were studied using model systems. Mixtures of lime-starch, zein-starch and lime-zein-starch were cooked at 90 °C from 20 to 150 min. Zein changes during cooking were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Thermal transition temperatures and enthalpies were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Dynamic oscillatory tests were undertaken on model system samples with 50% (w/v) moisture content, using a strain-controlled rheometer. SDS-PAGE showed that zein polymerizes during cooking. In the zein-starch model system, no visible protein bands were found after 30 min cooking; however, when lime was present, five bands were observed in all samples. Thermal transitions were observed around 55–62 °C for all model systems, probably corresponding to starch retrogradation. Rheological studies showed that protein exhibited higher influence in the gel strength by increasing the elastic character of the system. It was hypothesized that the combined effects of lime on starch, zein polymerization and the formation of calcium-zein bonds during cooking, yield a stronger and more elastic gel structure.     

Genome Mining for Antimicrobial Compounds in Wild Marine Animals-Associated Enterococci

New ecosystems are being actively mined for new bioactive compounds. Because of the large amount of unexplored biodiversity, bacteria from marine environments are especially promising. Further, host-associated microbes are of special interest because of their low toxicity and compatibility with host health. Here, we identified and characterized biosynthetic gene clusters encoding antimicrobial compounds in host-associated enterococci recovered from fecal samples of wild marine animals remote from human-affected ecosystems. Putative biosynthetic gene clusters in the genomes of 22 Enterococcus strains of marine origin were predicted using antiSMASH5 and Bagel4 bioinformatic software. At least one gene cluster encoding a putative bioactive compound precursor was identified in each genome. Collectively, 73 putative antimicrobial compounds were identified, including 61 bacteriocins (83.56%), 10 terpenes (13.70%), and 2 (2.74%) related to putative nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). Two of the species studied, Enterococcus avium and Enterococcus mundtti, are rare causes of human disease and were found to lack any known pathogenic determinants but yet possessed bacteriocin biosynthetic genes, suggesting possible additional utility as probiotics. Wild marine animal-associated enterococci from human-remote ecosystems provide a potentially rich source for new antimicrobial compounds of therapeutic and industrial value and potential probiotic application.     

Immune-endocrine interactions in treated and untreated cats naturally infected with FIV

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that causes a progressive disruption of immune function in cats. The neuroendocrine and immune systems communicate bidirectionally, mediated by cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF), several interleukins (IL-1, IL-6, IL-10), and through signals induced by the ratio of IL-10 to IL-12. FIV can affect both pituitary adrenal and thyroid axis function. Twenty FIV-infected cats in similar stages of the disease were evaluated for six months. A cross-sectional study in which the twenty cats were divided into two groups was performed. Ten were treated with Zidovudine (ZDV: 5mg/kg/d, PO, q12h, for six months) and 10 were untreated. Plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, T4, FT4, T3, IL-10, IL-12 and viral load (VL) were evaluated after six months. ACTH was found in significantly lower concentrations (p<0.0001) in the treated group whereas cortisol did not show significant differences between the two groups. Both T4 and FT4 had high values in untreated individuals (p<0.001) compared with Zidovudine treated cats. T3 did not show significant differences between the two groups. Both IL-10 and IL-12 were found in significantly higher concentrations in ZDV treated cats (p<0.001). By contrast, the IL10/IL-12 ratio values were significantly lower in untreated cats. Viral load was significantly lower in the treated cats after six months of therapy, compared with values detected pre-treatment (p<0.002). Untreated cats showed a significant increase of VL (p<0.04) compared with the values at the beginning of the study. In treated cats, VL showed lower numbers of viral copies than in untreated cats (p<0.01). In summary, Zidovudine treatment appeared to contribute to the normalization of both the adrenal and thyroid axes. This effect could be attributed to the decrease observed in VL, resulting in a change in cytokine patterns.     

Cortisol response to road transport stress in calm and nervous stallions

Cortisol may be useful as a marker in predicting how an animal will respond to stressful stimuli, thus providing information on animal's temperament. To quantify the level of transport stress and the effect of temperament on the adrenocortical response, the change in circulating cortisol levels was evaluated in 84 healthy experienced thoroughbred and crossbred stallions, mean age 11.4 ± 4.5 years old, after road transport in a commercial trailer (6 horses per load, stocking density: 2 m²/horse), over mean distances of 210 ± 11.8 km for about 3 hours. Several experienced caretakers were asked to complete 2 questionnaires, one that used a 5-point scale to subjectively evaluate temperament and another that used a 3-point scale to assess tendencies in response to ordinary care and daily management. The scores for the latter were defined as follows: a score of 1 indicated that the horse had never or rarely troubled the caretaker during management, 2 occasionally, and 3 usually. On this basis, the subjects were distinguished between calm and nervous stallions. Blood samples were taken same daytime (8.00 am), in single box, immediately before loading, then after transport and unloading. Serum cortisol concentrations were analyzed in duplicate by immunoenzymatic assay. Compared with basal levels, cortisol increases were observed in both calm (P < 0.001) and nervous (P < 0.05) stallions after transport. Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed significant effects of transport on cortisol changes (P < 0.001). Nervous subjects showed lower (P < 0.01) cortisol levels than did calm subjects after transport, and basal cortisol levels did not differ between calm and nervous subjects. No significant differences (P > 0.05) between different age, breed, and orientation were detected.The results showed that temperament could influence the adrenocortical responses of stallions after short-term transportation. The presence of the same staff for handling, loading, confinement, and unloading, the same veterinarian taking all blood samples, and the presence of cospecifics did not reduce the response to short transport stress both in calm and nervous stallions already accustomed to transport. Lower cortisol concentrations in nervous subjects might be because of failure of the adrenal cortex to respond normally to transport stress. Moreover, signs of transport stress were less pronounced in nervous stallions.