Dietary l-tryptophan alters aggression in juvenile matrinxã Brycon amazonicus

This study evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation with l-tryptophan (L-TRP), a serotonin precursor, on the aggressiveness of juvenile matrinxã Brycon amazonicus. Fish were kept in individual aquaria for 7 days receiving the diets: D1 (control: 0.47% of TRP), D2 (0.94% of TRP), D3 (1.88% of TRP), and D4 (3.76% of TRP). After this, they were grouped with an intruder fish to establish a resident–intruder relationship during periods of 20 min. Blood cortisol, glucose, chloride, sodium and calcium; hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count and volume; liver glycogen and lipids were measured. Territoriality had significant effect on the aggressiveness of matrinxã (the residents were more aggressive than intruders, P < 0.001) and tryptophan significantly affected their behavior. Fish fed with the D2 diet presented a longer latency until the first attack (P = 0.0069) and bit the intruder fewer times (P = 0.0136) during the period of observation, compared to the control group. The frequency of bites and chases after the first attack was not affected by the dietary supplementation of TRP. Physiological variables were not significantly affected by the diet, except for a moderate increase in cortisol level in fish fed with D2 diet after the fight, indicating slight activation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–interrenal axis. The results show that juvenile matrinxã have aggressive and territorial behavior and that a diet containing 9.4 g TRP kg^?1 alter their aggressiveness, without affecting the stress-related physiological parameters.     

Pulse pressure variation as a guide for volume expansion in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery

Objective

To investigate whether pulse pressure variation (PPV) can predict fluid responsiveness in healthy dogs during clinical surgery.

Economic viability of Phaseolus vulgaris (BRS Estilo) production in irrigated system in a function of application of leaf boron

Foliar fertilization may be a viable strategy to boron supply in irrigated cropping systems with common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), since it prevent B leaching. The aim of this work was to evaluate the economic viability and physiological parameters of the common beans production in irrigated cropping systems using sources and increasing foliar boron doses. A field experiment was carried out using an experimental block design in a factorial scheme 2?×?5?×?3, with two sources of B (boric acid and borax) and five doses: 0 (control), 2, 4, 6 e 8?kg?ha^?1, with three repetitions. Foliar B applications were performed at 40 days after seeds germination, in pre-flowering stage. Physiological process (transpiration, stomatal conductance, CO₂ internal concentration, net photosynthesis, and relative chlorophyll index), B level in leaves and grain yield were measured. These data were used to determine the economic viability of B fertilization in common beans. Both boric acid and borax increased B levels in common beans leaves. Borax affected some physiological process reducing stomatal conductance and increasing net photosynthesis. Using borax, the highest net photosynthesis was observed at a rate of 4?kg?ha^?1, while the boric acid increased net photosynthesis linearly after increasing B doses application. An enhance of 311?kg?ha^?1 in the grain yield was observed using borax related to the control (without B application); however, grain yield decreased linearly after application of increasing B doses, as boric acid. Comparing the economic viability of sources and doses of B, the highest profitability is obtained using borax at a rate of 4?kg?ha^?1, which promoting a differential profit of US$534.44 per hectare compared to common beans cropping without B.     

New beverages of lemon juice enriched with the exotic berries maqui, açaı́, and blackthorn: bioactive components and in vitro biological properties

Following previous research on lemon juice enriched with berries, the aim of this work was to design new blends based on lemon juice mixed with different edible berries of exotic and national origin: maqui ( Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz), a?a?? ( Euterpe oleracea Mart.), and blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa L.). The phytochemical characterization of controls and blends was performed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS(n). Their antioxidant capacity against DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals and hypochlorous acid and their potential to inhibit cholinesterases were also assessed. The profiling of the red fruits and lemon revealed a wide range of bioactive phenolics. The novel beverage based on lemon juice and maqui berry (LM) was the most interesting blend in terms of antioxidant capacity. Berry control samples displayed reduced effects on acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, the lemon juice control being always the most active. This activity was also remarkable for lemon-blackthorn (LB) and lemon-a?a?? (LA) blends, the last being the most effective inhibitor of cholinesterases among all samples. The results suggested that lemon juice enriched with berries could be of potential interest in the design of new drinks with a nutritive related function on health for chronic diseases.     

Breeding objectives of Brangus cattle in Brazil

Our goal was to define a breeding objective for Brangus beef cattle in Brazil. Bioeconomic models were produced and used to estimate economic values (EVs). The scenarios simulated were typical full-cycle beef production systems that are used in tropical and subtropical regions. The breeding objective contained pregnancy rate (PR), warm carcass weight (WCW), mature cow weight (MCW), number of nematode eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and tick count (TICK). Two models were used in series to estimate the EV. A deterministic model was used to simulate effects of PR, WCW and MCW on profitability with a constant parasite load. Subsequently, stochastic models were used to estimate economic values for TICK and EPG as consequences of their environmental effects on weight gains, mortality and health costs. The EV of PR, WCW, MCW, EPG and TICK, was US$1.59, US$2.11, −US$0.24, −US$5.35 and −US$20.88, respectively. Results indicate positive emphasis should be placed on PR (12.49%) and WCW (65.07%) with negative emphasis on MCW (13.92%), EPG (2.77%) and TICK (5.75%). In comparison with the indexes usually used, these results suggest a reformulation in the selection indexes of the beef production system in tropical and subtropical regions in order to obtain greater profitability.     

Sodium hydroxide or urea pretreatment of acerola (Malpighia emarginata) fruit residue increases dry matter degradability and reduces methane production in in vitro rumen fermentation

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding different concentrations of either urea or NaOH in dehydrated acerola (Malpighia emarginata) fruit...     

YELLOW PASSION FRUIT PLANT NUTRITIONAL DIAGNOSIS AT DIFFERENT PHENOLOGICAL STAGES BY THE DIAGNOSIS AND RECOMMENDATION INTEGRATED SYSTEM METHOD

This work was performed in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with the objective to evaluate the nutritional status of yellow passion fruit plants along different phenological stages, using the DRIS method. Fifty-four passion fruit cultivated areas with an annual yield productivity ranging from 6.95 to 33.8 t ha^?1 year^?1 and average productivity of 16.9 t ha^?1 year^?1 were selected in the region. The contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), chlorine (Cl), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and boron (B) were evaluated. The reference standards were established (mean and variation coefficient) for the values of the nutrient concentration ratios, two by two, on samples from high yield productivity plantations and analyzed by the DRIS index of nutrients for the medium and low yield productivity areas. The established standards differed according with the phenological stage of the culture. In a general way, the mean content of the evaluated nutrients did not differed between the two productivity levels into each phonological stage. There was a difference for the Nutritional Limitation Order between different phenological stages of yellow passion fruit plants. The most negative DRIS indexes and the highest absolute values for the Average Nutritional Balance on yellow passion fruit plants in the region, were found for potassium in May, phosphorus in October and iron in January.     

Shading effects on canopy and tillering characteristics of continuously stocked palisadegrass in a silvopastoral system in the Amazon biome

In silvopastoral (SP) systems, forage responses depend on the microenvironment in which the plants develop. Our objective was to evaluate canopy and tillering characteristics of shaded 'Marandu' palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst A Rich) Stapf, syn. Urochloa brizantha] under continuous stocking in a SP system. Treatments were one full sun (FS) and three shaded systems (silvopasture, SP) corresponding to distances from tree groves: 7.5 m north (SP1), and 15 m (SP2) and 7.5 m south (SP3) studied during two rainy seasons (Year 1 and Year 2). The tree in the SP system was Eucalyptus urograndis (hybrid of Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden × Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake). The photosynthetic active radiation was greater in FS (923 μmol m^-2 s^-1), followed by SP2 (811 μmol m^-2 s^-1), SP1 (727 μmol m^-2 s^-1) and SP3 (673 μmol m^-2 s^-1). Forage accumulation in FS was 15% greater than the mean of SP1, SP2 and SP3 (10,663 kg DM/ha). There was no difference in net accumulation of leaf, stem and dead material, averaging 3,302, 3,420 and 4,063 kg DM/ha respectively. Leaf accumulation and accumulation rate were greater in Year 2, and leaf accumulation rate was similar among treatments (19 kg DM ha⁻¹ day⁻¹). Leaf proportion increased 14% from Year 1 to Year 2. Specific leaf area was greater for treatments SP1 and SP3 (193 cm²/g). Tiller population density was similar across treatments in Year 1. Shaded palisadegrass maintains leaf productivity similar to FS under continuous stocking in an SP system.     

Does the application of silvicultural management models drive the growth and stem quality of sweet chestnut coppices towards sustainability?

New Forests - The coppice is a very flexible cultural system producing several calibers adapting to the demands of the market. Small-caliber roundwood from sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)...     

Label‐free proteome of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) seminal plasma

The study aimed to describe the Bubalus bubalis seminal plasma proteome using a label‐free shotgun UDMS^E approach. A total of 859 nonredundant proteins were identified across five biological replicates with stringent identification. Proteins specifically related to sperm maturation and protection, capacitation, fertilization and metabolic activity were detected in the buffalo seminal fluid. In conclusion, we provide a comprehensive proteomic profile of buffalo seminal plasma, which establishes a foundation for further studies designed to understand regulation of sperm function and discovery of novel biomarkers for fertility. MS data are available in the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003728.