Development of biofunctional textiles by the application of resveratrol to cotton, bamboo, and silk

The goal of this work was to create a new generation of greener fabrics made of natural materials. For that, resveratrol (Res), obtained from Polygonum cuspidatum extract and known to have antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity, was applied by an exhaustion method to cotton, bamboo, and silk knit fabrics. The fabrics adsorption behavior was tested and the amount of Res adsorbed was determined by its decrease on the immersion solutions with time and measured by spectrophotometry at 350 nm. The maximum adsorption capacity was observed for silk and it was independent of pH conditions used (50.5 % at pH=7 and 58.3 % at pH=5 of the initial Res concentration). At acidic pH conditions, cotton adsorbed 51.2 % of Res and Bamboo adsorbed only 28.1 % in 15 min. However, neither cotton nor bamboo adsorbed Res at pH=7. The release behavior was also analyzed and the highest Res release was observed for cotton in alkaline sweat and urine mimic solutions. The lowest release was achieved by cotton in water (1.0 ng/ml). Moreover, no relation was found between the amounts of Res adsorbed or released and cell viability. In conclusion, this work shows that it is possible to obtain cotton, bamboo, and silk functionalized with resveratrol. The incorporating process here described is simple and silk-Res can be presented as a good combination.     

Effect of Antioxidants During Bovine In Vitro Fertilization Procedures on Spermatozoa and Embryo Development

Increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during in vitro fertilization (IVF) may cause cytotoxic damage to gametes, whereas small amounts of ROS favour sperm capacitation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antioxidants [50 μ m β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME) and 50 μ m cysteamine (Cyst)] or a pro-oxidant (5 m m buthionine sulfoximine) on the quality and penetrability of spermatozoa into bovine oocytes and on the subsequent embryo development and quality when added during IVF. Sperm quality, evaluated by the integrity of plasma and acrosomal membranes, and mitochondrial function, was diminished (p < 0.05) after 4-h culture in the presence of antioxidants. Oocyte penetration rates were similar between treatments (p > 0.05), but antioxidants adversely affected the normal pronuclear formation rates (p < 0.05). The incidence of polyspermy was high for β-ME (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in cleavage rates between treatments (p > 0.05). However, the developmental rate to the blastocyst stage was adversely affected by Cyst treatment (p < 0.05). The quality of embryos that reached the blastocyst stage, evaluated by total, inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm cell numbers and ICM/total cell ratio was unaffected (p > 0.05) by treatments. The results indicate that ROS play a role in the fertilizing capacity in bovine spermatozoa, as well as in the interaction between the spermatozoa and the oocytes. It can be concluded that supplementation with antioxidants during IVF procedures impairs sperm quality, normal pronuclear formation and embryo development to the blastocyst stage.     

Effects of Retinoids on the In Vitro Development of Capra Hircus Embryos to Blastocysts in Two Different Culture Systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of retinol (RT) and retinoic acid (RA) on the in vitro development of pre‐implantation goat embryos cultured in potassium simplex optimized medium or synthetic oviduct fluid or cocultured in oviductal cells monolayer either in potassium simplex optimized medium or synthetic oviduct fluid. A total of 2407 cumulus‐oocyte complexes were aspirated from 2 to 6 mm ovarian follicles from slaughtered animals. Selected cumulus‐oocyte complexes were subjected to in vitro maturation in TCM 199 for 24 h at 39°C in an atmosphere of 5% (v/v) CO₂ in humidified air. In vitro fertilization was performed in modified defined medium. Eighteen hours after in vitro fertilization, cumulus cells were removed and presumptive zygotes were randomly distributed into experimental groups. In Experiment 1, presumptive zygotes were cultured in potassium simplex optimized medium, potassium simplex optimized medium + RT, potassium simplex optimized medium + retinoic acid, synthetic oviduct fluid, synthetic oviduct fluid + RT and synthetic oviduct fluid + RA at 39°C in a humidified atmosphere of 5% (v/v) CO₂, 5% (v/v) O₂ and 90% (v/v) N₂. In Experiment 2, presumptive zygotes were cocultured in potassium simplex optimized medium + oviductal cells monolayer, potassium simplex optimized medium + RT + oviductal cells monolayer, potassium simplex optimized medium + RA + oviductal cells monolayer, synthetic oviduct fluid + oviductal cells monolayer, synthetic oviduct fluid + RT + oviductal cells monolayer and synthetic oviduct fluid + RA + oviductal cells monolayer in an atmosphere of 5% (v/v) CO₂ in humidified air. In both experiments, media were partially changed on day 2 after in vitro fertilization and unfertilized oocytes were excluded from the experiment. Embryos were cultured or cocultured for 8 days. In Experiment 1, there was no effect of RT or RA supplementation on the proportion of oocytes that reached the morula or blastocyst stages. By contrast, Experiment 2 demonstrated that the addition of 0.28 μg/ml RT and 0.5 μm RA to the embryo culture media stimulated (p < 0.05) development to the morula and blastocyst stages under the coculture conditions tested. In conclusion, retinoids play an important role in pre‐implantation development of goat embryos and can be used to enhance in vitro embryo production.     

Sediment,nutrient and water losses by water erosion under agroforestry systems in the semi-arid region in northeastern Brazil

Inadequate soil management practices adopted in the Brazilian semi-arid region contribute to erosive processes. Agroforestry systems (AFs) have been considered an alternative to reduce water erosion. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of two alternatives AFs, a traditional and an intensive cropping system on the losses of sediments, water, organic carbon and nutrients caused by water erosion in comparison to the natural vegetation (caatinga) in a semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. The agroecosystems studied were: agrosilvopasture (AGP) which consisted of an alley cropping system, cultivated with Leucaena leucocephala and maize, within an area composed by 22% of native trees (200 native trees per hectare) which was grazed during the dry season; silvopasture (SILV) that was composed by 38% of native trees (260 trees per hectare) with a stocking rate of 20 ewes during whole year; traditional agrosilvopasture (TRAG) being managed as following: total deforestation, burning of the residues, cropped with maize for 2 years (1998 and 1999) and fallow during 8–10 years; and intensive cropping (IC) system which was deforested and burned in 1997 followed by cultivation of maize from 1998 to 2002, and thereafter by a fallow period of 8–10 years similar to TRAG. Two areas of native forest (NF1, NF2) known as ‘caatinga’, used as grassland during the dry season and as a source of wood, were selected and used as reference of steady state in the comparative study in relation to the cultivated sites. Sediment and water losses as a result of erosion were collected during two rainy seasons, i.e. 2003 and 2004, and nutrients and organic carbon contents were determined. Soil samples were collected and organic carbon, pH in water, pH in KCl, water dispersible clay (WDC) and hydraulic conductivity (K₀) were measured. In 2003, sediment and water losses did not differ significantly among all treatments. However, in 2004, TRAG (0.70 Mg ha⁻¹) and NF1 (1.37 Mg ha⁻¹) showed the highest sediment losses, whereas TRAG and IC presented the highest water losses. On average, nutrients losses in cropped areas were lower than in natural vegetation (NF1, NF2). The alternative AFs (AGP, SILV) were efficient to reduce water erosion effects when compared to the most common agricultural practices adopted in the region, being highly recommended as sustainable technical alternatives for food production in the region.     

Is forest mushroom productivity driven by tree growth? Results from a thinning experiment

? Most of the edible forest mushrooms are mycorrhizal and depend on carbohydrates produced by the associated trees. Fruiting patterns of these fungi are not yet fully understood since climatic factors alone do not completely explain mushroom occurrence.

? The objective of this study was to retrospectively find out if changing tree growth following an increment thinning has influenced the diversity patterns and productivity of associated forest mushrooms in the fungus reserve La Chanéaz, Switzerland.

? The results reveal a clear temporal relationship between the thinning, the growth reaction of trees and the reaction of the fungal community, especially for the ectomycorrhizal species. The tree-ring width of the formerly suppressed beech trees and the fruit body number increased after thinning, leading to a significantly positive correlation between fruit body numbers and tree-ring width.

? Fruit body production was influenced by previous annual tree growth, the best accordance was found between fruit body production and the tree-ring width two years previously.

? The results support the hypothesis that ectomycorrhizal fruit body production must be linked with the growth of the associated host trees. Moreover, the findings indicate the importance of including mycorrhizal fungi as important players when discussing a tree as a carbon source or sink.

     

Socioeconomic and environmental risk factors for urban rodent infestation in Sao Paulo,Brazil

This article provides analyses of data on the premises infestation by commensal rodents collected during the 2006 Urban Rodent Survey, in Sao Paulo city, Brazil. A two-stage cluster sample survey was used to visit 23,512 premises, and logistic regression models were estimated in order to understand the relationships among the risk factors and the infestation probability. The premises infestation rates were 23.1% for all rodents, 12.7% for roof rat, 9.4% for Norway rat and 1.7% for house mouse. Factors found to be related to infestation levels were: socioeconomic conditions (human development index and income), premises features (commercial, strictly residential and vacant lots), and environmental resources (access, harborage and food). The analysis of odds ratios showed that access by the building structure favours roof rat and access by the sewage system favours Norway rat. Harborage in ceiling cracks are determinant for roof rat, harborage in wall cracks and in dense bush for Norway rat, and harborage in waste or in building material for house mouse infestations. Available animal food favour all the three species, fruit trees favour Norway and roof rats, human food is important for house mouse: therefore a natural partition of the environmental resources among the species was observed. The results obtained in this article add some knowledge on the biology and behaviour of commensal rodents.     

Retrospective study of myocarditis associated with reovirus in turkeys

The myocarditis associated with reovirus in commercial turkeys was studied retrospectively. Fifty-two cases were identified between 1991 and 2009. The lesions occurred in four different poultry companies in California and affected male and female turkeys with an average age of 19 days. Increased mortality in the turkey flocks ranged from 0.35% to 3% per week in 47 cases. Reovirus was isolated from the heart in 14 out of 19 cases. Twenty-four out of 28 birds from nine cases had low vitamin E levels in the liver ranging from 0.29 to 2.5 ppm (normal 3.0 to > or = 15 ppm). Transmission electron microscopy of the heart revealed degenerative changes in the myocardial cells. Reovirus has been suggested as a probable etiology of this condition. Vitamin E deficiency might also contribute to the development of the lesions.     

Calibration of a capacitance probe for measurement and mapping of dry matter yield in Mediterranean pastures

The main objective of this study was to calibrate a commercial capacitance probe for measuring pasture dry matter yields under Mediterranean conditions. The standard method of assessing pasture biomass is based on cutting all the forage within a specified area and requires great effort and expense to collect enough samples to accurately represent a pasture. The field tests were carried out in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on different dates (phenological stages), and on five dairy farms, representing typical pastures in the region (grasses; legumes; and bio-diverse flora, mixture of grasses, legumes and others species). The linear regression techniques used in 2007 to relate the weight of the herbage (direct measurements) to the meter reading of capacitance (indirect measurements) led to high regression coefficients in grasses (R² = 0.90; P < 0.01) and heterogeneous botanical composition (R² = 0.87; P < 0.001) and moderate regression coefficient in legumes species (R² = 0.48; P < 0.05). The validation of the calibration equations in 2008 and 2009 in two sites showed RSME values of 130 kg ha⁻¹ in heterogeneous botanical composition and 456 kg ha⁻¹ in legumes. The results indicated that the capacitance probe together with a GPS receiver might support site-specific management of pastures which would be useful in large areas.