Is the Production of Embryos in Small‐Scale Farming an Economically Feasible Enterprise?

The present assay attempts to evaluate the feasibility of using embryo transfer in small community farmers by in vivo study and by modelling the results obtained. From the total of 59 donor cows, 62.7% responded to treatment, with a significant difference (p = 0.002) in the percentage of the response between breeds, being 90.5% (19/21) in Holstein and 47.4% (18/38) in Brahman. A total of 283 embryos were graded as transferable, while 141 as non‐transferable, without difference in the percentage of transferable embryo by breed (p = 0.18). The mean of transferable embryos graded as class I and II was not different between Holstein and Brahman (p = 0.96 and p = 0.92, respectively); besides, no differences were observed in the other grades (non‐transferable). The highest difference in costs, regardless of its quality by breed, was seen in the lower levels of probable fertility of the embryo transferred, even reaching several hundred dollars. When modelling the expected costs for embryo produced and transferred, values can reach nearly $2000.00 when the probable fertility is only 10%. However, when the probable fertility was 60%, embryo cost was close to $300.00. This technology seems to be viable on average or high‐scale systems, having a superovulatory response between 60 and 80% with 4–6 transferrable embryos. Yet, in small‐scale farming, due to the reduced number of donors and/or recipients, the costs surpass the economical feasibility of the technique.     

Relationship of Progesterone,Bovine Pregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein-1 and Nitric Oxide with Late Embryonic and Early Fetal Mortalities in Dairy Cows

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship of progesterone (P4), bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (bPAG-1) and nitric oxide (NO) levels with late embryonic (LEM; day 28 to day 42) and early fetal mortalities (EFM; > day 42 to day 56) in dairy cows. Transrectal ultrasonography (6–8 MHz) was performed in 100 Holstein-Friesian cows at days 28, 42 and 56 after artificial insemination (AI; day 0) to diagnose pregnancy and to monitor the fate of the embryo. After ultrasound scanning of each cow, a milk sample was collected for assessment of P4 by an ELISA test and a blood sample was collected for assessment of bPAG-1, by using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay, and serum NO metabolites (nitrate + nitrite). Based on ultrasonographic examinations and bPAG-1-RIA, 41 of 100 inseminated cows were confirmed pregnant at day 28 after AI. Nine cows suffered of LEM, and 6 cows suffered of EFM and the overall pregnancy loss rate was 36.6% (15/41) between days 28 and 56 of pregnancy. By logistic regression analysis, there were no significant relationships between the level of P4 and bPAG-1 at day 28 after AI and the occurrence of LEM and EFM. Also, there were no significant relationships between the levels of P4 and bPAG-1 at day 42 and the occurrence of EFM. On the other hand, a significant relationship (P<0.05) was found between NO level at day 28 and the occurrence of LEM. In conclusion, measurement of the serum NO concentration at day 28 of pregnancy might help to predict the outcome of pregnancy by day 42 in dairy cows but further studies are needed to confirm this.     

Behavioral response to selected feed attractants and stimulants in Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

Nine commercial feeding attractants and stimulants for Litopenaeus vannamei were evaluated by observation of behavioral responses in animals allotted in one Y-maze aquarium apparatus. In the validation phase, fishmeal–Brazilian origin (FMBO); fishmeal–Peruvian origin (FMPO); blood meal (BM), meat and bone meal (MBM), squid meal (SM), fish oil (FO) and fish solubles (FS) were evaluated. There was also a control without stimulatory raw material. The tested materials were included at 3% in neutral gelatin pellets (wet basis). In each behavioral observation, two different ingredients were offered at the same time in equal quantities, being allotted in the end of each chamber's arm. In Phase II after system validation, the following commercial attractants were tested: 80% crude protein (CP) vegetable dried biomass (VDB₈₀), 68% CP vegetable dried biomass + glutamate + betaine (VDB₆₈), complex of amino acids (alanine, valine, glycine, proline, serine, histidine, glutamic acid, tyrosine and betaine) with enzymatically digested bivalve mollusk (CAA), condensed fish soluble protein (CFSP), squid liver meal (SLM), betaine (Bet), dried fish solubles–low biogenic amines (DFS_LB), dried fish solubles–high biogenic amines (DFS_HB) and whole squid protein hydrolysate (WSPH). Attractants were used at a 3% level wet basis with neutral gelatin, without any additional ingredient source available. The best four commercial attractants from this phase (CAA, CFSP, SLM and WSPH) were compared under 0.5% and 1.0% levels. In Phase I of the study, a higher percentage of choices were observed for FMPO and FMBO. BM and FO were the least chosen ingredients. In Phase II, the worst results were observed for Bet, DFS_HB and, mainly, for VDB₈₀ and VDB₆₈. When two-by-two comparisons were performed, results suggested that CFSP and CAA were the best commercial attractants tested. In the last phase, both CFSP and CAA at 1.0% level were significantly more chosen by shrimp than CFSP (0.5%), SLM (0.5 or 1.0%) or WSPH (0.5 or 1.0%). At both 0.5% and 1.0% levels, shrimp spent a similar amount of time feeding on CFSP and CAA. However, only CAA was statistically better than SLM and WSPH together. Further work is required to better elucidate the chemical drivers of chemostimulation for L. vannamei for each one of the attractants tested.     

Hyoscine‐N‐butylbromide premedication on cardiovascular variables of horses sedated with medetomidine

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) hyoscine premedication on physiologic variables following IV administration of medetomidine in horses.Study designRandomized, crossover experimental study.AnimalsEight healthy crossbred horses weighing 330 ± 39 kg and aged 7 ± 4 years.MethodsBaseline measurements of heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), respiratory rate, systemic vascular resistance (SVR), percentage of patients with second degree atrioventricular (2^oAV) block, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pH, and arterial partial pressures of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) and oxygen (PaO₂) were obtained 5 minutes before administration of IV hyoscine (0.14 mg kg^?1; group HIV), IM hyoscine (0.3 mg kg^?1; group HIM), or an equal volume of physiologic saline IV (group C). Five minutes later, medetomidine (7.5 μg kg^?1) was administered IV and measurements were recorded at various time points for 130 minutes.ResultsMedetomidine induced bradycardia, 2^oAV blocks and increased SVR immediately after administration, without significant changes in CI or MAP in C. Hyoscine administration induced tachycardia and hypertension, and decreased the percentage of 2^oAV blocks induced by medetomidine. Peak HR and MAP were higher in HIV than HIM at 88 ± 18 beats minute^?1 and 241 ± 37 mmHg versus 65 ± 16 beats minute^?1 and 192 ± 38 mmHg, respectively. CI was increased significantly in HIV (p ≤ 0.05). Respiratory rate decreased significantly in all groups during the recording period. pH, PaCO₂ and PaO₂ were not significantly changed by administration of medetomidine with or without hyoscine.Conclusion and clinical relevanceHyoscine administered IV or IM before medetomidine in horses resulted in tachycardia and hypertension under the conditions of this study. The significance of these changes, and responses to other dose rates, requires further investigation.     

Assessment of genetic variability in grapefruits (Citrus paradisi Macf.) and pummelos (C. maxima (Burm.) Merr.) using RAPD and SSR markers

The genetic variability of 38 grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) and three pummelos (C. maxima (Burm.) Merr..) accessions was evaluated using RAPD, and single sequence repeat (SSR) analyses. Approximately49% of the 198 RAPD were polymorphic, and 4.6 alleles per SSR loci were identified. PIC values changed from 0.093 to 0.450. A UPGMA phenetic tree was constructed and two main grapefruit groups were identified. The grapefruit accessions `do Cabo' and `Siamesa-Filipinas'clustered very close to the pummelos in Group A. The Group B consisted of three sub-groups, which comprised all of the other grapefruit accessions. The majority of grapefruit accessions showed a narrow genetic base suggesting that the observed morphological polymorphism within the group must be associated with somatic mutations, which were not detected by these molecular markers. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Prediction of annual tree growth and survival for thinned and unthinned even-aged maritime pine stands in Portugal from data with different time measurement intervals

An annual individual tree survival and growth model was developed for pure even-aged stands of maritime pine in Portugal, using a large data set containing irregularly time-spaced measurements and considering thinning effects. The model is distance-independent and is based on a function for diameter growth, a function for height growth and a survival function. Two approaches are compared for modeling annual tree growth. The first approach directly estimates a future diameter or height using well-known growth functions formulated in difference form. The second approach estimates diameter or height using a function in differential form estimating the increment over a year period. In both approaches, the function parameters were related to tree and stand variables reflecting the competition status of the tree as well as of a thinning response factor. Variable growth and survival rates were assumed in the modeling approaches. An iterative method was used to continuously update tree and stand attributes using a cut-off to convert the survival probability for a living or a dead tree. The individual tree diameter growth model and the survival probability model were fitted simultaneously using seemingly unrelated regression (SUR). Parameters of the height function were obtained separately as the number of observations for height was much lower than the number of observations for diameter, which may affect the statistical inference and the estimation of contemporaneous cross-equation error correlation inherent to the system of equations. PRESS residuals were used to evaluate the predictive performance of the diameter and the height growth functions. Additional statistics based in the log likelihood function and also in the survival probability were computed to evaluate the survival function. The second modeling approach, which integrates components of growth expansion and decline, performed slightly better than the first approach. A variable accounting for the thinning response that was tested proved to be significant for predicting diameter growth, even if the model already included competition-related explanatory variables, namely the basal area of trees larger than the subject tree. However, this thinning response factor was not significant for predicting height growth.     

Characterization of kafirin and zein oligomers by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of uncooked zein and kafirin fractions were performed through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electrophoretic profiles. Kafirins and zeins present the same oligomer and monomer compositions with the exception of a 66 kDa oligomer that is only present in kafirins. The quantitative analysis showed differences between zein and kafirin. The composition of each oligomer was established via preparative SDS-PAGE. Part of the cooked oligomers resists reduction; the presence of those oligomers could be related to the decrease on protein digestibility with the cooking process.     

Metschnikowia andauensis as a new biocontrol agent of fruit postharvest diseases

Potential antagonists were isolated from the epiphytic flora associated with oranges and pome fruit. A total of 1465 microorganisms were tested in a preliminary screening against blue and green moulds on pome and citrus fruit, respectively. Among them, approximately 3% reduced incidence and severity by more than 50% and 4 microorganisms fulfilled the selection criteria of reduction in severity and incidence by 75%. The most effective was a yeast identified as Metschnikowia andauensis, strain NCYC 3728 (PBC-2), isolated from the surface of ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ apple fruit cultivated in North Portugal. The biocontrol activity of M. andauensis PBC-2 was dependent on its applied concentration. At 5 × 10⁶ cfu/mL incidence (% of infected wounds) and severity (lesion diameter) were reduced by 62 and 70%, respectively and at 1 × 10⁷ cfu/mL, the greatest reduction was achieved, 90% of incidence and 95% of severity. The broad spectrum of action of M. andauensis PBC-2 was evaluated with effective control being achieved against Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium expansum and Botritys cinerea, on ‘Rocha’ pears and on different apple cultivars and against Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum on mandarins and oranges. In semi-commercial trials in cold storage, the reduction of blue mould was 90%. Rapid colonization of fresh apple fruit wounds was observed during the first 24 h of cold storage, followed by a significant population increase during the first 15 days of storage and then the population remained stable until the end of storage.     

Comment on "Drought-induced reduction in global terrestrial net primary production from 2000 through 2009"

Zhao and Running (Reports, 20 August 2010, p. 940) reported a reduction in global terrestrial net primary production (NPP) from 2000 through 2009. We argue that the small trends, regional patterns, and interannual variations that they describe are artifacts of their NPP model. Satellite observations of vegetation activity show no statistically significant changes in more than 85% of the vegetated lands south of 70°N during the same 2000 to 2009 period.     

Chemical characterization of the high molecular weight material extracted with hot water from green and roasted arabica coffee

The polysaccharides present in coffee infusions are known to contribute to the organoleptic characteristics of the drink, such as the creamy sensation perceived in the mouth known as "body", the release of aroma substances, and the stability of espresso coffee foam. To increase the knowledge about the origin, composition, and structure of the polysaccharide fraction, the high molecular weight material (HMWM) was extracted with hot water from two green and roasted ground arabica coffees: Costa Rica (wet processed) and Brazil (dry processed). The polysaccharides present in the green coffees HMWM were arabinogalactans (62%), galactomannans (24%), and glucans, and those found in roasted coffees were galactomannans (69%) and arabinogalactans (28%). The polysaccharides of the HMWM of the roasted coffees were less branched than those of the green coffees. The major green coffee proteins had molecular weights of 58 and 38 kDa, and the 58 kDa protein had two subunits, of 38 and 20 kDa, possibly linked by disulfide bonds. The protein fraction obtained from roasted coffees had only a defined band with < or =14 kDa and a diffuse band with >200 kDa. The majority of the galactomannans were precipitated with solutions of 50% ethanol, and the size-exclusion chromatography of the roasted fractions showed coelution of polysaccharides, proteins, phenolics, and brown compounds. The use of strong hydrogen and hydrophobic dissociation conditions allowed us to conclude that the phenolics and brown compounds were linked by covalent bonds to the polymeric material.