Ingestive behavior of pastured crossbred dairy cows offered different supplement types

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different supplements on the behavior variables of crossbred dairy cows that were in pasture that comprised two 4?×?4 Latin squares (four periods, four treatments, and four animals). Each experimental period lasted 15 days (10 days to adapt animals to treatments and 5 days for data collection). The animals were supplemented twice a day, with different forage (corn silage and cactus pear) and concentrate sources (soy mea + wheat meal + corn meal + cotton seed together and soy meal as a single constituent of the concentrate). A significant difference (p?<?0.10) was observed for the percentage of time spent consuming the supplement and for idleness, rumination, and bite rate at the time of supplementation. The supplement intake period was greater for the cactus pear-based supplements due to the lower dry matter content. Those based on corn silage resulted in longer rumination periods than those consisting of cactus pear; however, the opposite was observed for supplements based on the cactus, which showed higher percentages of time for idleness. The supplementation influenced the ingestive behavior of crossbred dairy cows.     

Silicon suppresses tan spot development on wheat infected by <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Pyrenophora tritici-repentis</Emphasis>

Tan spot caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis is the main foliar diseases of wheat in Brazil. The effect of silicon (Si) on the components of resistance of a susceptible (Fundacep Horizonte) and a moderately resistant (Quartzo) wheat cultivar was studied in a controlled environment. Silicon was supplied as calcium silicate in the soil 30 days before sowing. At the booting stage, a conidial suspension of the fungus was sprayed onto the flag leaves of potted plants, which were incubated under moist conditions for 48 h. Afterwards, inoculated leaves were assessed for: incubation period (IP), infection efficiency (IE), area under lesion size curve (AULSC), lesion size (LS), severity (SEV) and area under severity curve (AUSC). Foliar Si concentrations were quantified at the end of the evaluations. Si supply to plants increased leaf Si concentration in 233% for Fundacep Horizonte (from 4.8 to 16.0 g kg^?1 of dry matter) and 211% for Quartzo (from 5.3 to 16.5 g kg^?1 of dry matter). In the Si + treatments, IP was longer by 24 and 17 h, IE declined by 53.5 and 65.5%, LS (at 264 h after inoculation) by 4.6 mm (from 9.5 to 4.9 mm) and 5.9 mm (from 8.2 to 2.3 mm), and SEV by 53% (from 54.4 to 18.8%) and 88% (from 47.7 to 5.5%) respectively, for the Fundacep Horizonte and Quartzo cultivars. The Si x cultivar interaction was not significant for AULSC and AUSC, and these variables were reduced by 55.8 and 80.8%, respectively, in plants supplied with Si. In conclusion, Si enhanced the resistance of wheat plants to tan spot development by affecting several resistance components, regardless of the resistance level of the cultivar. However, the greatest reduction in tan spot development by Si supply was observed when using a moderately resistant cultivar.     

Atmospheric Impacts due to Anthropogenic Activities in Remote Areas: The Case Study of Admiralty Bay/King George Island/Antarctic Peninsula

The aim of the present work is to characterize the local atmospheric emissions levels and compare them to the component derived from global pollution in a remote site at South Hemisphere (Admiralty Bay located at King George Island in Antarctic Peninsula). Airborne particles, snow and soil/sediments samples were analyzed. Local-produced atmospheric aerosol dispersion was estimated for metals originated by fossil fuel burning from the permanent scientific stations using a simplified Gaussian model. Validation of atmospheric dispersion was established by in situ measurements. Soluble and insoluble particles deposited in freshly snow and airborne particles were analyzed by PIXE (Particle Induced X-Ray Emission) for the determination of the elemental mass concentration and to obtain the Mass Median Aerodynamic Diameter (MMAD). The results showed significant correlation between the concentration of atmospheric aerosol and the freshly deposited particles in the snow, and permitted an estimate of the atmospheric snow deposition factor for K, Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb, and Ti. Results of long-term aerosol data compilation suggest that besides the local aerosol sources, the continental atmospheric transport of airborne particles is not significantly affected by the airborne particles produced by local human impacts at King George Island.     

Sulfated Glucan from the Green Seaweed Caulerpa sertularioides Inhibits Adipogenesis through Suppression of Adipogenic and Lipogenic Key Factors

Sulfated polysaccharides (SPS) from seaweeds have great biochemical and biotechnological potential. This study aimed to investigate the effect of SPS isolated from the seaweed Caulerpa sertularioides on adipogenic differentiation as a possible alternative treatment for obesity. The SPS-rich extract from the seaweed C. sertularioides was fractioned into three SPS-rich fractions (F0.5; F0.9; and F1.8) chemically characterized. Among these four samples, only F0.9 showed a significant inhibitory effect on adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Ten SPS-rich fractions were isolated from F0.9 through ion-exchange chromatography. However, only the fraction (CS0.2) containing a sulfated glucan was able to inhibit adipogenesis. CS0.2 reduces lipid accumulation and inhibits the expression of key adipogenic (PPARγ, C/EBPβ, and C/EBPα) and lipogenic markers (SREBP-1c, Fabp4, and CD36). The data points to the potential of sulfated glucan from C. sertularioides for the development of functional approaches in obesity management.     

Molecular Characterization and Serology of Leptospira kirschneri (Serogroup Grippotyphosa) Isolated from Urine of a Mare Post‐Abortion in Brazil

A strain of Leptospira kirschneri (serogroup Grippotyphosa) was cultured from urine of a mare post‐abortion in Brazil and characterized by serogrouping, multiple‐locus variable‐number tandem repeat analysis, PGFE, and sequencing of genes rrs and secY. Strains of L. kirschneri have apparently never been recovered from horses in tropical area, only in Europe and USA. Knowledge of local epidemiology is important to interpret genetic profiles of leptospires circulating in an area.     

A systematic review on the distribution of Mycobacterium bovis infection among wildlife in the Americas

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The occurrence of Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife places at risk livestock, public health, and ecosystems that house endangered species. However,...