Seeding strategies of bahiagrass and pintoi peanut affect pasture establishment under weed competition

Pintoi peanut (Arachis pintoi Krapov. & W.C. Greg.) is a warm‐season perennial legume with potential for use in grass–legume mixtures in Florida; however, limited information exists about its establishment in mixtures with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge). The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the establishment of bahiagrass cv. “Argentine” and pintoi peanut cv. “Amarillo” as monocultures or mixture. The experiment was conducted in Ona, FL, from June to October of 2014 and 2015. Treatments were a split‐plot design of seeding strategies (bahiagrass monoculture, pintoi peanut monoculture or bahiagrass‐pintoi peanut mixtures; main plots) and two N fertilization strategies (30 or 80 kg/ha N; 30N and 80N; subplots), with four replicates. Measurements of plant density and frequency were taken every 4 weeks after seeding. Ground cover and herbage mass (HM) measurements were taken 112 days after seeding. Pintoi peanut ground cover was affected by seeding strategy × N level interaction. Ground cover was greater with 80N than 30N when pintoi was seeded in monoculture (3.6% vs 1.5% respectively) but not when it was seeded with bahiagrass (2.1%). There was no effect of seeding or N strategy on pintoi peanut proportion in HM (1.4%). Bahiagrass ground cover was not affected by seeding or N strategy (15.9%); however, its proportion in the HM was greater in 80N than 30N (12.1% vs 9.4% respectively). Mixed seeding did not negatively affect the establishment of bahiagrass and pintoi peanut and greater N fertilization levels improved some establishment parameters, with no negative effect for pintoi peanut.     

Extracts of Peels and Seeds of Five Varieties of Brazilian Jabuticaba Present High Capacity to Deactivate Reactive Species of Oxygen and Nitrogen

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Jabuticaba has a high concentration of phenolic compounds, which have a significant antioxidant capacity. Methodologies have been developed to evaluate the ability...     

Extraction of grape seed oil using compressed carbon dioxide and propane: extraction yields and characterization of free glycerol compounds

The main objective of this work was to compare the extraction of grape seed oil with compressed carbon dioxide and propane on the extraction yields and chemical characteristics of free glycerol compounds. The experiments were performed in a laboratory scale unit in the temperature range of 30 to 60 degrees C and pressures from 60 to 254 bar. The results showed that propane is a more suitable solvent for grape seed oil extraction than carbon dioxide, as higher extractions yields and a very fast kinetic of extraction were achieved with this solvent. In relation to compressed carbon dioxide extractions, both temperature and density presented a very pronounced and positive effect on the extraction yield. The oils extracted were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively with regard to the free glycerol compounds, mainly fatty acids, ethyl, and methyl esters. The results showed that these compounds are present in low concentration in vegetable oil (<3%) and that, in general, samples extracted with propane present a smaller amount of peaks of free glycerol compounds in the oil than samples extracted with carbon dioxide.     

Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) aqueous extract decreases intestinal SGLT1 gene expression but does not affect other biochemical parameters in alloxan-diabetic Wistar rats

Yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) is rich in polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acids. Evidence suggests that dietary polyphenols could play a role in glucose absorption and metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of yerba maté extract in alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Animals (n = 41) were divided in four groups: nondiabetic control (NDC, n = 10), nondiabetic yerba maté (NDY, n = 10), diabetic control (DC, n = 11), and diabetic yerba maté (DY, n = 10). The intervention consisted in the administration of yerba maté extract in a 1 g extract/kg body weight dose for 28 days; controls received saline solution only. There were no significant differences in serum glucose, insulin, and hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity between the groups that ingested yerba maté extract (NDY and DY) and the controls (NDC and DC). However, the intestinal SGLT1 gene expression was significantly lower in animals that received yerba maté both in upper (p = 0.007) and middle (p < 0.001) small intestine. These results indicate that bioactive compounds present in yerba maté might be capable of interfering in glucose absorption, by decreasing SGLT1 expression.     

Fish functional diversity responses following flood pulses in the upper Paraná River floodplain

Flood pulses are the main force driving the dynamics of aquatic communities in floodplains. The responses of communities to environmental changes following flood pulses usually demand a time lag to appear and reach the climax. We assembled a data set of 16 years of fish samplings to assess the relationship between water level and four functional diversity measures, in the upper Paraná River floodplain. Specifically, we approached four aspects of each relationship between water level and functional diversity: nature (positive or negative), sensitivity (response intensity), responsiveness (response delay) and extent (response duration). The nature of the relationship between water level and functional diversity was positive in all cases. Functional richness (FRic) responded right after flood pulses, although with shorter extent. Abundance‐dependent functional measures (evenness—FEve; divergence—FDiv; and Rao's quadratic entropy—Rao's Q) presented delayed responses, reaching peaks more than 1.5 years after flood pulses. Significant effects of floods on fish functional diversity were observed for more than 3 years, although the highest functional diversity was observed with 1.8 years, on average. More importantly, flood pulses had no longer significant effects on functional diversity after 4 years. Regarding conservation strategies in regulated systems, flood events should occur every 2 or 3 years, with adequate timing (October‐November), intensity (up to 450 cm) and duration (at least 50 uninterrupted days). Intervals longer than 3 years or inadequate timing, intensity and duration could dramatically decrease functional diversity and compromise ecosystem services.     

Assessment of the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids for pacu,Piaractus mesopotamicus,juveniles by the amino acid deletion method

The present study aimed to determine the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids (EAAs) for pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) juveniles by the amino acid (AA) deletion method. A completely randomized design which consisted of 11 treatments and three replicates each was used. The treatments included a control diet (CD) containing 55% of nonpurified natural ingredients and 45% of purified synthetic amino acids and ingredients, and other ten isonitrogenous and isoenergetic EAA limiting diets (LDs), each being deficient in 44.4 ± 0.02% of the respective EAA. Pacu juveniles with initial average body weight of 6.22 ± 0.09 g were distributed among 33 fiber glass tanks. Fish were fed with semipurified and extruded diets for 113 days two times a day until apparent satiation. The ideal ratio of each dietary EAA was calculated on the basis of the relationship between body N retention and amount of EAA deleted from the respective EAA LD. Based on the AA deletion method, the ideal ratios of digestible EAAs for pacu juveniles, relative to lysine requirement of 100% were estimated as: methionine 14.6%, threonine 35.0%, tryptophan 6.6%, arginine 62.8%, histidine 13.6%, isoleucine 26.3%, leucine 43.7%, phenylalanine 27.2%, and valine 35.8%.     

Dietary roughage sources affect lactating Holstein x Zebu cows under experimental conditions in Brazil: a meta-analysis

Tropical Animal Health and Production - To reduce costs, lactating cows are often fed a higher proportion of roughage and alternative feeds; however, such protocols may not lead to optimal milk...     

Further study of Codiostomum struthionis (Horst, 1885) Railliet and Henry, 1911 (Nematoda, Strongylidae) parasite of ostriches (Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves, Struthioniformes)

Codiostomum struthionis is a nematode parasite of the ostrich caecum. Little is known about its pathology, being considered by many authors as a non-pathogenic parasite. Infections by C. struthionis are sometimes overlooked because its eggs are indistinguishable from another ostrich nematode, Libyostrongylus spp. Fecal cultures and infective larvae identification are necessary for proper identification. The aim of this study is to provide improved morphological characterization of adults and infective larvae of C. struthionis. Ten caeca of adult ostriches were collected and washed in 0.09% saline solution. Male and female nematodes were collected and quantified separately. Nematodes were fixed in A.F.A. for optical microscopy or fixed in Karnovsky solution for scanning electron microscopy. To obtain infective larvae, fecal samples were collected at sites of high concentration of parasites in the caeca and fecal cultured. The resultant larvae were identified and measured with light microscope at 400x. Nine of the 10 slaughtered ostriches were parasitized by C. struthionis. All nematodes were found in the distal third of the caeca. A total of 566 parasites were recovered (234 males and 332 females). All the cultured larvae had characteristics of C. struthionis (rounded cephalic region with a flat extremity, an acute larvae tail termination and a long and filamentous sheath tail). All the adult parasites were characterized as C. struthionis. Through the analysis of the infective larvae it was determined that the morphology of the larvae tail was the best trait to use in the distinction of this species (live bird diagnosis).     

Effect of Chemical or Electrical Activation of Bovine Oocytes on Blastocyst Development and Quality

Activation of in vitro‐matured (IVM) oocytes is essential for successful embryo production following nuclear transfer (NT) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This study was designed to compare the rates of blastocyst production and embryo quality (as measured by numbers of viable cells) following parthenogenetic activation with electrical pulse or the use of two different calcium ionophores, A23187 (CA) or ionomycin (IO), with or without the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA). IVM oocytes with a first polar body were randomly allocated to five treatment groups: CA (5 μm CA, 5 min; n = 88), CA + BSA (5 μm CA, 5 min; BSA, 5 min; n = 90), IO (5 μm IO, 5 min; n = 91), IO + BSA (5 μm IO, 5 min; BSA, 5 min; n = 86) and EL (two pulses of 1.5 kV/cm, 20 μs; n = 120). Blastocyst rates were higher (p < 0.05) for CA (54.4%), IO (51.4%) and EL (54.5%) than for IO + BSA (18.3%). Treatment CA + BSA (39.8%) did not differ from the others. There was no difference (p > 0.05) among treatments in total number of cells. However, the percentage of viable cells was reduced in CA (49.9%), CA + BSA (45.8%), IO (64.9%), IO + BSA (50.9%) compared with EL (82.7%). In summary, the addition of BSA to the IO treatment had an adverse effect on blastocyst production rates. Although there was no difference between electrical stimulation and chemical activation on blastocyst production rates, electrical activation resulted in blastocysts with a higher percentage of viable cells.     

Molecular diagnosis of Salmonella species in captive psittacine birds

Cloacal swabs were collected from 280 captive psittacine birds belonging to 13 species. Samples of dna were tested by PCR using a pair of primers that amplify a 284 base pair fragment of the Salmonella genus invA gene, and the PCR-positive samples were tested by standard microbiological techniques. Thirteen per cent of the samples were positive by PCR, but negative by microbiological techniques. The infection rates were significantly different among the 13 species, the most commonly infected being Amazona amazonica (28 per cent) and Amazona pretrei (20 per cent). Specific tests for Salmonella Typhimurium Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum did not produce positive results.