Histopathological diagnosis and surgical complications following bilateral anal sacculectomy for the treatment of unilateral canine apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma: 35 cases (2019-2023).

OBJECTIVES: To report the histopathological diagnosis of both anal sacs in dogs undergoing bilateral anal sacculectomy for the treatment of unilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma and to compare the surgical complication rate associated with this procedure in this population with previously published literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records were retrospectively reviewed for dogs that underwent bilateral anal sacculectomy for the treatment of apparently unilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma, at a single institute between 2019 and 2023. Clinical staging, surgical treatment, histological findings, intra- and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-five dogs were included. Only five of 35 (14%) dogs were found to have histologically normal contralateral anal sacs. Non-neoplastic anal sac disease was found in 23 of 35 (66%) dogs and bilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma was seen in seven of 35 (20%) dogs. None of the dogs diagnosed with bilateral neoplasia had evidence of bilateral neoplasia before surgery despite a thorough work-up. Complications attributable to the primary tumour removal were seen in 9% of dogs intraoperatively and 14% of dogs postoperatively, commonly tumour capsule disruption and surgical site infection, respectively. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Bilateral anal sac disease was diagnosed histologically in the majority of presumed normal anal sacs, with 20% of cases being found to have bilateral apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma. The surgical complication rates of this cohort were comparable to those reported for unilateral anal sacculectomy alone. These findings promote and encourage the use of bilateral anal sacculectomy in cases of suspected unilateral anal sac neoplasia.

Commercial characteristics of coffee seedlings produced with different sources of phosphorus and plant growth-promoting bacteria.

Considered the economic engine of many countries, the coffee culture represents an important component of the agricultural chain in Brazil. The growing values of commercialization, planting areas, and crop productivity require the acquisition of quality seedlings, which must receive adequate nutritional support through efficient fertilizers. Slow and controlled-release fertilizers, such as organominerals, gain prominence when it comes to increasing efficiency in the use of phosphorus, as well as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) with phosphate solubilizing characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different sources of mineral and organomineral fertilizers, inoculated and non-inoculated with PGPB on the quality parameters of coffee seedlings. In general, the P sources used in the experiment positively interfered with the development of coffee seedlings. This proves that there is a need for nutritional supplementation for the good development of the seedlings. Among the sources used, the organomineral in granulated form showed better performance in coffee seedlings' growth and physiological parameters, proving to be a viable alternative to commonly used fertilizers. The addition of PGPB showed a significant advantage for seedling quality variables.

Vicilin from Anadenanthera colubrina Seeds: An alternative tool to combat Callosobruchus maculatus.

Vicilins are seed proteins, and they constitute 70-80% of the total protein in leguminous seeds; with amolecular mass between 150 and 190 kDa, they are composed of subunits without disulfide bridges, with high affinity for chitin-binding. They are also associated with seed defense against insect pests. The chitin-binding vicilin from Anadenanthera colubrina seeds was purified by ammonium sulfate, followed by affinity chromatography on a chitin column, molecular exclusion on Superdex 75 Tricorn in FPLC system and Phenomenex C8 chromatography in HPLC system. The A. colubrina vicilin, named AcV, is a tetrameric glycoprotein composed of 1.55% carbohydrates and molecular weight determined by SDS-PAGE, consisting of 70, 73, 43 and 41 kDa. The AcV homogeneity was confirmed in native PAGE, where it was observed to be a unique band with slow mobility in this gel, with approximately 230 kDa. AcV added to the Callosobruchus maculatus diet in the bioassays resulted in a strong effect on adult emergence (ED50 of 0.096%), and in larvae caused a marked reduction in mass (WD50 of 0.32%) and lethality (LD50 of 0.33%) (w:w). The digestibility of AcV was evaluated in vitro with the digestive enzymes of larvae of C. maculatus of fourth instar, showing major fragments of 10 and 30 kDa. AcV showed reactivity against the anti-EvV antibody from Erythrina velutina vicilin. The deleterious effects of AcV are likely to be associated with the chitin-binding fragments generated by proteolysis in the bruchid gut, similarly to that found for vicilins from other leguminous plant species, Enterolobium contortisiliquum and Vigna unguiculata. AcV might be a candidate protein for a possible bioinsecticidal control of the bruchid weevil, C. maculatus.

Psychological distress and mother-child relationship: influence of life context on a population sample (BRISA) through the use of directed acyclic graphs (DAG)

This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal psychological distress and impairment in mother-child relationship in a sample from a Northeast capital city in Brazil with a low Human Development Index, using directed acyclic graphs (DAG). A total of 3,215 women were evaluated for the presence of psychological distress through the Self Reporting Questionnaire instrument and for the mother-child relationship by the first factor of Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, considered the most appropriate in the literature. Demographic and socioeconomic variables were used to construct a theoretical model and, after this, multivariate logistic regression was performed using variables suggested by Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG). Psychological distress was present in 22.7% of the women and 12.6% of them presented impaired mother-child relationships. After adjustment, the variable 'maternal mental distress' remained associated with impaired mother-child relationship (RR=3.03), and among the explanatory variables only 'primary school level' (RR=1.48) was associated as a risk factor to this outcome. The results indicated that, in this population, women with psychological distress and lower schooling are more likely to present impaired mother-child relationships.

Relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for adolescents from a capital in the Northeastern region of Brazil

The present study was conducted to evaluate the validity of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) used in the RPS Birth Cohort Consortium (Ribeirão Preto, Pelotas, and São Luís) to assess dietary intake of adolescents from São Luís, Maranhão. The research was developed with 152 adolescents aged 18 and 19 years. For the validation of the FFQ, the average of three 24-hour recalls (24HRs) was used as the reference method. The mean and standard deviation of energy and nutrient intake extracted from the surveys were estimated. The paired Student's t-test was used to verify the differences between the instruments. Pearson correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), weighted Kappa, and the Bland-Altman plot were calculated in order to measure the agreement. The study adopted a level of significance <5%. Compared with the three 24HRs, the FFQ overestimated the consumption of most nutrients. Energy-adjusted and de-attenuated concordance Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from 0.06 to 0.43, and correlations were significant for iron, calcium, riboflavin, sodium, saturated fat, niacin, and vitamin C. The energy-adjusted and de-attenuated ICCs ranged from 0.01 to 0.31, and the weighted Kappa ranged from 0.01 to 0.46. The analyses of agreement were significant for vitamin C, fiber, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, sodium, lipids, and iron. In conclusion, the FFQ presented acceptable relative validity for lipids, saturated fatty acids, fiber, calcium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and sodium. This instrument will be useful in studies about food consumption of adolescents in São Luís, Maranhão.

Psychological distress and mother-child relationship: influence of life context on a population sample (BRISA) through the use of directed acyclic graphs (DAG).

This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal psychological distress and impairment in mother-child relationship in a sample from a Northeast capital city in Brazil with a low Human Development Index, using directed acyclic graphs (DAG). A total of 3,215 women were evaluated for the presence of psychological distress through the Self Reporting Questionnaire instrument and for the mother-child relationship by the first factor of Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, considered the most appropriate in the literature. Demographic and socioeconomic variables were used to construct a theoretical model and, after this, multivariate logistic regression was performed using variables suggested by Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG). Psychological distress was present in 22.7% of the women and 12.6% of them presented impaired mother-child relationships. After adjustment, the variable 'maternal mental distress' remained associated with impaired mother-child relationship (RR=3.03), and among the explanatory variables only 'primary school level' (RR=1.48) was associated as a risk factor to this outcome. The results indicated that, in this population, women with psychological distress and lower schooling are more likely to present impaired mother-child relationships.

Relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for adolescents from a capital in the Northeastern region of Brazil.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the validity of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) used in the RPS Birth Cohort Consortium (Ribeirão Preto, Pelotas, and São Luís) to assess dietary intake of adolescents from São Luís, Maranhão. The research was developed with 152 adolescents aged 18 and 19 years. For the validation of the FFQ, the average of three 24-hour recalls (24HRs) was used as the reference method. The mean and standard deviation of energy and nutrient intake extracted from the surveys were estimated. The paired Student's t-test was used to verify the differences between the instruments. Pearson correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), weighted Kappa, and the Bland-Altman plot were calculated in order to measure the agreement. The study adopted a level of significance <5%. Compared with the three 24HRs, the FFQ overestimated the consumption of most nutrients. Energy-adjusted and de-attenuated concordance Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from 0.06 to 0.43, and correlations were significant for iron, calcium, riboflavin, sodium, saturated fat, niacin, and vitamin C. The energy-adjusted and de-attenuated ICCs ranged from 0.01 to 0.31, and the weighted Kappa ranged from 0.01 to 0.46. The analyses of agreement were significant for vitamin C, fiber, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, sodium, lipids, and iron. In conclusion, the FFQ presented acceptable relative validity for lipids, saturated fatty acids, fiber, calcium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and sodium. This instrument will be useful in studies about food consumption of adolescents in São Luís, Maranhão.

Prevalence of enteroparasitic infections and related hormonal and immunological repercussions that may compromise students' physical performance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of enteroparasitic infections in students and their hormonal and immunological repercussions on physical development. Students of basic education of both sexes were evaluated. Parasitological stool tests were performed using the Hoffman and Kato-Katz methods. The students were divided into two groups: a control group (negative parasitological examination, N=25) and an infected group (positive parasitological test, N=25). Anthropometric variables (height, weight, and BMI), concentrations of hormones (melatonin and cortisol), cytokine/chemokine levels (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17 and TNF-α) and physical performance (aerobic capacity, upper- and lower-limb muscle strength and abdominal performance) were evaluated. The prevalence of parasitic infection among the students was 7.98%. No anthropometric differences were observed among the groups. IL-2 and TNF-α levels were higher and IL-8 levels were lower in serum from students who were positive for parasitic infection. Serum from students who were positive for parasitic infection showed higher levels of melatonin than that from parasitenegative students. No differences were observed in cortisol levels. Students who were positive for parasitic infection presented greater lower-limb strength and lower abdominal performance than parasite-negative students. In the parasitic infection group, IL-12 was positively correlated with melatonin. In the parasitic infection group, IL-8 showed a positive correlation with aerobic capacity, while IL-17 and TNF-α showed a positive correlation with abdominal performance. These data suggest that parasitic infections determine the profile of inflammatory cytokines and that melatonin may be involved in the control of this process to minimize tissue damage. Additionally, students' difficulty in practising physical exercises can be an indication of enteroparasitic infection.

Synthesis of Poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)-Based Microgels by Precipitation Polymerization: Pseudo-Bulk Model for Particle Growth and Size Distribution.

Particle size distribution and in particular the mean particle size are key properties of microgels, which are determined by synthesis conditions. To describe particle growth and particle size distribution over the progress of synthesis of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)-based microgels, a pseudo-bulk model for precipitation copolymerization with cross-linking is formulated. The model is fitted and compared to experimental data from reaction calorimetry and dynamic light scattering, showing good agreement with polymerization progress, final particle size, and narrow particle size distribution. Predictions of particle growth and reaction progress for different experimental setups are compared to the corresponding experimental data, demonstrating the predictive capability and limitations of the model. The comparison to reaction calorimetry measurements shows the strength in the prediction of the overall polymerization progress. The results for the prediction of the particle radii reveal significant deviations and highlight the demand for further investigation, including additional data.

Council of Europe Black Sea Area Project: International Cooperation for the Development of Activities Related to Donation and Transplantation of Organs in the Region.

BACKGROUND: In 2011, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare of the Council of Europe launched a 3-year collaborative project to address the organ shortage and improve access to transplant health services in Council of Europe member states in the Black Sea area (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation) through the development of safe and ethical donation and transplantation programs. OBJECTIVE: Support the development of donation and transplantation programs through close interstate cooperation between national health organizations and relevant stakeholders. METHODOLOGY: Several work packages (WP) were established: WP1, project coordination (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare); WP2, development and implementation of an effective legislative and financial framework (Czech Republic and France); WP3, establishment of National Transplant Authorities (Italy and Portugal); and WP4, clinical practices (DTI Foundation). Data collection, surveys, and expert visits allowed for the collection of first-hand information from each participant country at national, regional, and hospital levels. RESULTS: Data analysis showed the positive impact of the project represented by a tendency to increase the total donation rates (per million people) in the participant countries (2011 vs 2013): Azerbaijan, +7.3; Armenia, -0.7; Georgia, +3.3; Bulgaria, +0.9; Moldova, +2.5; Ukraine:, +0.8; Romania, +2.3; and Turkey, +2.7. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in total donation rates are the result of a number of initiatives in the Black Sea area, including the stepwise implementation of legislative, organizational and institutional country-specific recommendations tailored by the CoE, efforts of the respective Ministries of Health in each country and synergism with other European projects in the region. These countries should invest further in implementing the recommendations that emerged from this project to improve their organ donation and transplantation programs and progress toward self-sufficiency.

Added Sugar Consumption and Chronic Oral Disease Burden among Adolescents in Brazil.

Chronic oral diseases are rarely studied together, especially with an emphasis on their common risk factors. This study examined the association of added sugar consumption on "chronic oral disease burden" among adolescents, with consideration of obesity and systemic inflammation pathways through structural equation modeling. A cross-sectional study was conducted of a complex random sample of adolescent students enrolled at public schools in São Luís, Brazil ( n = 405). The outcome was chronic oral disease burden, a latent variable based on the presence of probing depth ≥4 mm, bleeding on probing, caries, and clinical consequences of untreated caries. The following hypotheses were tested: 1) caries and periodontal diseases among adolescents are correlated with each other; 2) added sugar consumption and obesity are associated with chronic oral disease burden; and 3) chronic oral disease burden is linked to systemic inflammation. Models were adjusted for socioeconomic status, added sugar consumption, oral hygiene behaviors, obesity, and serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6). All estimators of the latent variable chronic oral disease burden involved factor loadings ≥0.5 and P values <0.001, indicating good fit. Added sugar consumption (standardized coefficient [SC] = 0.212, P = 0.005), high IL-6 levels (SC = 0.130, P = 0.036), and low socioeconomic status (SC = -0.279, P = 0.001) were associated with increased chronic oral disease burden values. Obesity was associated with high IL-6 levels (SC = 0.232, P = 0.001). Visible plaque index was correlated with chronic oral disease burden (SC = 0.381, P < 0.001). Our finding that caries and periodontal diseases are associated with each other and with added sugar consumption, obesity, and systemic inflammation reinforces the guidance of the World Health Organization that any approach intended to prevent noncommunicable diseases should be directed toward common risk factors.

Leptin Levels and Insulin Dependence in Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults.

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is an autoimmune type of diabetes accounting for up to 10% of all cases of diabetes initially diagnosed as type 2 diabetes mellitus. It has been demonstrated that LADA patients with a lower body mass index (BMI) undergo a faster depletion of beta cell function and require insulin therapy earlier. In this study, we assayed a panel of adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, omentin, resistin, visfatin) and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin 2, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α) in 71 LADA patients and tested the association with a number of clinical and immunological features. Among men, leptin was positively and significantly correlated with BMI and fat mass (r = 0.487 and r = 0.664, respectively), resistin was positively and significantly correlated with total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.644 and r = 0.746, P < 0.0001) and with interleukin 2 (r = 0.688, P < 0.01). Omentin showed an inverse correlation with systolic blood pressure in women (r = -0.359, P < 0.001) and a positive correlation with interleukin 2 in both genders (r = 0.395, P < 0.01). The Cox regression analysis showed that leptin levels were inversely and significantly related with the risk of early insulin dependence. Higher leptin secretion may exert a direct effect on beta cell function leading to more insulin sensitivity.

Canine cutaneous leishmaniasis by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in an agricultural settlement, endemic area for leishmaniasis / Leishmaniose tegumentar canina por Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis em um assentamento agrícola, área endêmica para leishmanioses

Cutaneous leishmaniasis has several species of Leishmania as agents, and a wide variety of wild and domestic animals as hosts and different species of phlebotomines as vectors. A case of cutaneous leishmaniasis in a dog coming from an agricultural settlement is described. This is the first report of parasitism in a dog by Le. (Viannia) braziliensis in Mato Grosso do Sul State. Attention is called to the importance of including this protozoonosis in the differential diagnosis of dermopathies in dogs as also the need to assess the importance of the domestic dog as a possible reservoir of Le. braziliensis.(AU)

As leishmanioses tegumentares são antropozoonoses metaxênicas de importância em saúde pública. Possuem como agentes etiológicos várias espécies de Leishmania, com ampla variedade de hospedeiros, como animais selvagens e domésticos, e diferentes espécies de flebotomíneos como vetores. Um caso de leishmaniose tegumentar em um cão procedente de um assentamento agrícola em Mato Grosso do Sul é descrito, sendo este o primeiro relato de parasitismo em cão doméstico nesse estado por Le. (Viannia) braziliensis. Alerta-se para a importância de se incluir essa protozoonose no diagnóstico diferencial de dermopatias em cães e para a necessidade de se avaliar o papel do cão doméstico como reservatório de Le. (Vi.) braziliensis.(AU)

Maternal-Foetal Diabetes Modifies Neonatal Fc Receptor Expression on Human Leucocytes.

This study investigated the expression of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in maternal blood, cord blood and placental cells and determined IgG levels in maternal blood and cord blood from diabetic mothers. Peripheral blood, cord blood and placenta samples were collected from 26 mothers with normoglycaemia (non-diabetic, ND group) and 52 with hyperglycaemia (26 with mild gestational hyperglycaemia, MGH group, and 26 with type 2 diabetes mellitus, DM-2 group). Cells expressing CD19(+) and FcRn were identified by flow cytometry. Total IgG and its subclasses were quantified by ELISA. Maternal blood from DM-2 and cord blood from MGH exhibited a higher proportion of CD19(+) expression by B cells. DM-2 showed a lower proportion of CD19(+) cells in placenta. FcRn expression increased in cells from cord blood and placenta from MGH. Maternal blood, cord blood and placenta cells from DM-2 showed lower FcRn expression. Blood IgG levels were lower in DM-2, and cord blood IgG levels were higher in MGH. The highest levels of IgG4 were detected in the blood of hyperglycaemic mothers. The highest IgG3 and IgG4 levels in cord blood were detected in MGH, and the lowest IgG2 and IgG3 levels in DM-2. Maternal hyperglycaemia compromised placental transfer of IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4. The results suggest that regardless of hyperglycaemia degree, it decreases FcRn expression in placenta and blood cells and compromises the production and transfer of antibodies from maternal blood to newborns.

Anaerobic Biological Treatment of Vinasse for Environmental Compliance and Methane Production.

The energy crisis resulted in increasing awareness that alternative sources of energy should be considered. During this time, Brazil implemented ethanol production from sugarcane as biofuel. However, during this process, large amounts of residues are generated, such as vinasse. This residue can be treated anaerobically to generate methane as a source of bioenergy with the use of sequencing batch reactors operated with immobilized biomass (AnSBBR). In this work, tests were conducted in an AnSBBR laboratory-scale reactor, and the main results regarding the kinetic model fitting and performance of substrate consumption (83 %), methane content in the biogas (77 %), applied organic load (5.54 g COD L(-1) day(-1)), methane productivity (973 N-mL CH4 L(-1) day(-1)), and yield (9.47 mol CH4 kg COD(-1)) show that AnSBBR is a promising technological alternative. After tests conducted in a laboratory-scale reactor, an industrial reactor was scaled and was also operated in a sequencing batch with immobilized biomass (AnSBBR) for the anaerobic treatment of vinasse with the goal of generating methane and environmental suitability to further disposal in soil. The calculations were performed based on data from a sugar and alcohol plant located in São Paulo, Brazil. This study proposes to the operation of the industrial scale reactor was the association of four AnSBBR (each one with a volume of 15849 m(3)) operating in parallel (with a feeding and discharge time of 4 h and a reaction time of 8 h), with the goal of adapting the treatment system from a discontinuous operation to a continuous operation. In this industrial scenario, the methane production was estimated at 1.65 × 10(6) mol CH4 day(-1), and the energy was approximately 17 MW, increasing the possible energy recovery contained in sugarcane from 93 to 96 %.

D2 dopamine receptor regulation of learning, sleep and plasticity.

Dopamine and sleep have been independently linked with hippocampus-dependent learning. Since D2 dopaminergic transmission is required for the occurrence of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, it is possible that dopamine affects learning by way of changes in post-acquisition REM sleep. To investigate this hypothesis, we first assessed whether D2 dopaminergic modulation in mice affects novel object preference, a hippocampus-dependent task. Animals trained in the dark period, when sleep is reduced, did not improve significantly in performance when tested 24h after training. In contrast, animals trained in the sleep-rich light period showed significant learning after 24h. When injected with the D2 inverse agonist haloperidol immediately after the exploration of novel objects, animals trained in the light period showed reduced novelty preference upon retesting 24h later. Next we investigated whether haloperidol affected the protein levels of plasticity factors shown to be up-regulated in an experience-dependent manner during REM sleep. Haloperidol decreased post-exploration hippocampal protein levels at 3h, 6h and 12h for phosphorylated Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, at 6h for Zif-268; and at 12h for the brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Electrophysiological and kinematic recordings showed a significant decrease in the amount of REM sleep following haloperidol injection, while slow-wave sleep remained unaltered. Importantly, REM sleep decrease across animals was strongly correlated with deficits in novelty preference (Rho=0.56, p=0.012). Altogether, the results suggest that the dopaminergic regulation of REM sleep affects learning by modulating post-training levels of calcium-dependent plasticity factors.

Cana-de-açúcar em substituição ao feno de capim-tifton 85 em rações para cabras Saanen / Sugar cane replacing grass hay tifton 85 in rations for Saanen goats

Avaliou-se o consumo e digestibilidade dos nutrientes em dietas para cabras da raça Saanen arranjadas em um quadrado latino 5x5, alimentadas com cana-de-açúcar em substituição (0, 25, 50, 75 e 100%) ao feno de capim-tifton 85. O experimento foi constituído de cinco períodos de 15 dias (10 dias para adaptação dos animais às dietas experimentais e 5 dias para coleta de dados e amostras). O consumo voluntário foi calculado pela diferença entre o ofertado e as sobras. Utilizou-se o óxido crômico para estimativa da produção de matéria seca fecal. A digestibilidade aparente da matéria seca, matéria orgânica, extrato etéreo e fibra em detergente neutro foi influenciada negativamente com a substituição, enquanto a digestibilidade da proteína e dos carboidratos não fibrosos não sofreu influência. O baixo consumo de matéria seca de rações com cana-de-açúcar torna-se um fator limitante para cabras de média a alta produção de leite.

The intake and digestibility of nutrients in the diets of Saanen goats arranged in a 5x5 Latin square design, fed with sugar cane replacement (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) hay Tifton 85 were evaluated. The experiment consisted of 5 periods of 15 days (10 days for animal adaptation to experimental diets and 5 days for data collection). The voluntary intake was calculated as the difference between the offered and leftovers. Digestibility chromic oxide was used to estimate the fecal dry matter production. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract and neutral detergent fiber was negatively influenced, whereas the digestibility of protein and non-fiber carbohydrates were not affected. The low dry matter intake of diets with sugar cane becomes a limiting factor for goats medium for high milk production.

Environmental performances of Sardinian dairy sheep production systems at different input levels.

Although sheep milk production is a significant sector for the European Mediterranean countries, it shows serious competitiveness gaps. Minimizing the ecological impacts of dairy sheep farming systems could represent a key factor for farmers to bridging the gaps in competitiveness of such systems and also obtaining public incentives. However, scarce is the knowledge about the environmental performance of Mediterranean dairy sheep farms. The main objectives of this paper were (i) to compare the environmental impacts of sheep milk production from three dairy farms in Sardinia (Italy), characterized by different input levels, and (ii) to identify the hotspots for improving the environmental performances of each farm, by using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The LCA was conducted using two different assessment methods: Carbon Footprint-IPCC and ReCiPe end-point. The analysis, conducted "from cradle to gate", was based on the functional unit 1 kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM). The observed trends of the environmental performances of the studied farming systems were similar for both evaluation methods. The GHG emissions revealed a little range of variation (from 2.0 to 2.3 kg CO2-eq per kg of FPCM) with differences between farming systems being not significant. The ReCiPe end-point analysis showed a larger range of values and environmental performances of the low-input farm were significantly different compared to the medium- and high-input farms. In general, enteric methane emissions, field operations, electricity and production of agricultural machineries were the most relevant processes in determining the overall environmental performances of farms. Future research will be dedicated to (i) explore and better define the environmental implications of the land use impact category in the Mediterranean sheep farming systems, and (ii) contribute to revising and improving the existing LCA dataset for Mediterranean farming systems.