Nitrogen balance of goat kids fed diets containing peach palm meal / [Balanço de nitrogênio em caprinos alimentados com dietas contendo farinha de pupunha]

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o balanço de nitrogênio e a concentração de ureia no plasma em cabritos alimentados com dietas contendo farinha de pupunha em substituição ao milho (0, 10, 40, 60 e 85% MS). Trinta cabritos Boer × SRD, com 90 dias de idade e peso corporal inicial de 16,7 ± 3,5kg, foram distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com seis repetições. As dietas foram fornecidas diariamente ad libitum para permitir 10% das sobras. Três coletas foram realizadas a cada 28 dias. As dietas foram constituídas por milho, farelo de soja, farinha de pupunha, suplemento mineral e feno de Tifton-85, com a relação volumoso: concentrado de 30:70. O consumo de nitrogênio (N) diminuiu linearmente à medida que a farinha de pupunha substituiu o milho no concentrado. Com relação ao N digerido, os animais alimentados com níveis de farinha de pupunha apresentaram valores inferiores aos alimentados com o milho como única fonte de energia, com médias de 14,9 e 17,1g dia-1, respectivamente. A excreção urinária de N diminuiu à medida que a farinha de pupunha substituiu o milho no concentrado. O nível de 39% de farinha de pupunha reduziu a excreção urinária de ureia. Houve retenção máxima de N em 7,83g dia-1 para o nível de substituição de milho de 28,9% em farinha de pupunha.(AU)

The relationship between aerosol concentration and atmospheric potential gradient in urban environments.

Urban aerosol is a growing concern for people living within cities; aerosol have been implicated in many ill health conditions, including that of the lung and of the heart. Atmospheric potential gradient is a consequence of charge carried to the ionosphere through thunderstorms, and its value depends on highly electrically mobile ion concentrations, hence local conductivity of the air. Ions attach to aerosol in the atmosphere, reducing their mobility and therefore increasing the potential gradient, and so potential gradient measurements have been suggested as a proxy for aerosol measurements. Particle number count, size distribution and potential gradient were measured for two campaigns in Manchester, U.K., and one campaign in Bristol, U.K. Using a factor based on size distribution to account for preferential attachment at larger sizes provided the best relationship with potential gradient, but particle count alone showed a weaker, but similar relationship. The increase in particle count caused by annual bonfire and fireworks celebrations (November) was evidenced in both potential gradient and particle numbers. Daily regression or correlation did not show a consistent relationship. In the larger Bristol data set, increasing humidity led to a reduction of potential gradient, while increasing particle number led to an increase.

Energy and protein requirements for maintenance of dairy goats during pregnancy and their efficiencies of use.

It has been suggested that maintenance requirements are similar among animals of different physiological stages; however, important physiological changes occur in the maternal body during pregnancy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the energy and protein requirements for the maintenance of pregnant dairy goats and to estimate their efficiency of energy and protein utilization for maintenance and pregnancy. We used 66 multiparous pregnant goats having 49.0 ± 1.59 kg initial BW (around the third or fourth parturition) arranged in a randomized block design with a 3 × 3 factorial scheme including slaughter at different days of pregnancy (DOP; 80, 110, and 140 d) and feed restriction (0, 20, and 40% feed restriction). The comparative slaughter technique was used to estimate energy and protein maintenance requirements. Goats slaughtered at 140 DOP were subjected to digestibility trials at around 80, 110, and 140 DOP to estimate diet metabolizability and N balance (NBAL). Metabolizability decreased with feed restriction and was 63.3 ± 2.16, 55.7 ± 2.35, and 58.2 ± 2.30% at 0, 20, and 40% of feed restriction, respectively ( < 0.01). There was no effect of DOP on NE or the requirements of ME for maintenance (ME), which were 197 and 315 kJ/kg empty body weight (EBW), respectively, and the efficiency of ME utilization for maintenance (k) was 0.63. Similarly, DOP did not affect thedaily net protein requirements for maintenance (NP) estimated using the comparative slaughter technique (1.38 ± 0.512 g/kg EBW; = 0.003) or the NP estimated using NBAL (2.49 ± 0.594 g/kg EBW; < 0.01). The MP requirement for maintenance (MP) estimated using the comparative slaughter technique was not affected by DOP and was 3.22 g MP/kg EBW ( < 0.01). The efficiency of MP utilization for maintenance (k) was 0.43. The efficiency of ME utilization for pregnancy (k) increased with the progress of pregnancy and was 0.058, 0.10, and 0.19 at 80, 110, and 140 DOP, respectively. Similarly, the efficiency of MP utilization for pregnancy (k) increased with DOP and was 0.12, 0.21, and 0.43 at 80, 110, and 140 DOP, respectively. There was no evidence that pregnancy affected NE, ME, NP, and MP or k and k, which were also unaffected by DOP. However, k and k increased with pregnancy progress as a response to the physiological changes that pregnant females are subjected to.

Effects of strength training with blood flow restriction on torque, muscle activation and local muscular endurance in healthy subjects.

The present study aimed to analyse the effects of six weeks of strength training (ST), with and without blood flow restriction (BFR), on torque, muscle activation, and local muscular endurance (LME) of the knee extensors. Thirty-seven healthy young individuals were divided into four groups: high intensity (HI), low intensity with BFR (LI+BFR), high intensity and low intensity + BFR (COMB), and low intensity (LI). Torque, muscle activation and LME were evaluated before the test and at the 2nd, 4th and 6th weeks after exercise. All groups had increased torque, muscle activation and LME (p<0.05) after the intervention, but the effect size and magnitude were greater in the HI, LI+BFR and COMB groups. In conclusion, the groups with BFR (LI+BFR and COMB) produced magnitudes of muscle activation, torque and LME similar to those of the HI group.

Phase space representation of neutron monitor count rate and atmospheric electric field in relation to solar activity in cycles 21 and 22.

Heliospheric modulation of galactic cosmic rays links solar cycle activity with neutron monitor count rate on earth. A less direct relation holds between neutron monitor count rate and atmospheric electric field because different atmospheric processes, including fluctuations in the ionosphere, are involved. Although a full quantitative model is still lacking, this link is supported by solid statistical evidence. Thus, a connection between the solar cycle activity and atmospheric electric field is expected. To gain a deeper insight into these relations, sunspot area (NOAA, USA), neutron monitor count rate (Climax, Colorado, USA), and atmospheric electric field (Lisbon, Portugal) are presented here in a phase space representation. The period considered covers two solar cycles (21, 22) and extends from 1978 to 1990. Two solar maxima were observed in this dataset, one in 1979 and another in 1989, as well as one solar minimum in 1986. Two main observations of the present study were: (1) similar short-term topological features of the phase space representations of the three variables, (2) a long-term phase space radius synchronization between the solar cycle activity, neutron monitor count rate, and potential gradient (confirmed by absolute correlation values above ~0.8). Finally, the methodology proposed here can be used for obtaining the relations between other atmospheric parameters (e.g., solar radiation) and solar cycle activity.

Mineral Metabolism in Singleton and Twin-pregnant Dairy Goats.

During pregnancy, the maternal body undergoes significant physiological changes. The present study assessed the changes on calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) metabolism in singleton and twin-pregnant dairy goats. The 42 goats used (49.5 kg±7.6 body weight [BW]) were assigned at random to treatments that were factorially arranged to account for 2 breeds (Oberhasli and Saanen), 2 pregnancy types (singleton and twin) and 3 gestation periods (80, 110, and 140 days). Digestibility trials were performed at 80, 110, and 140 days of gestation. Mineral retention during pregnancy was determined in the maternal body, femur, uterus, mammary gland, fetus and fetal fluid. Blood samples were taken during pregnancy before and after a meal, and Ca, P, Mg, Na, K ions and alkaline phosphatase activity determined in serum. Bone mineral density was determined in the right femur. Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS MIXED procedure. Dry matter intake decreased linearly up to 140 days of gestation. Maternal BW gain, and Ca, P, and Mg retention (g/kg) decreased linearly with the advance of gestation days. Macromineral retention in maternal body (g/kg) was greater in Oberhasli than Saanen goats, and their fetuses had higher Ca, P, and Mg deposition (mg/g). Mineral retention (mg/g) increased in fetuses according to pregnancy development, with no differences between singleton and twin pregnancy. In the mammary gland, the retention of all minerals (g) increased with the days of pregnancy. In conclusion, related to Ca, P, and Mg metabolism can be divided into two stages. Up to 80 days of gestation, was characterized by the preparation of the maternal body reserves for future mineral demands. From 80 days of gestation onward, was characterized by the transfer of maternal body reserves for fetal development and colostrum production. Na and K supply was provided by adjustments in endogenous excretion and an increase in intestinal absorption. Finally, mineral metabolism was specific to each genotype and, except for Na, was not affected by the number of fetuses.

Nitrogen metabolism in lactating goats fed with diets containing different protein sources.

This study aimed to evaluate urea excretion, nitrogen balance and microbial protein synthesis in lactating goats fed with diets containing different protein sources in the concentrate (soybean meal, cottonseed meal, aerial part of cassava hay and leucaena hay). Four Alpine goats whose mean body weight was 42.6±6.1 kg at the beginning of the experiment, a mean lactation period of 94.0±9.0 days and a production of 1.7±0.4 kg of milk were distributed in a 4×4 Latin square with four periods of 15 days. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous, containing 103.0 g/kg of CP, 400 g/kg of Tifton 85 hay and 600 g/kg of concentrate. Diet containing cottonseed meal provided (p<0.05) increased excretion of urea and urea nitrogen in the urine (g/d and mg/kg of BW) when compared with leucaena hay. The diets affected the concentrations of urea nitrogen in plasma (p<0.05) and excretion of urea nitrogen in milk, being that soybean meal and cottonseed meal showed (p<0.05) higher than the average aerial part of the cassava hay. The use of diets with cottonseed meal as protein source in the concentrate in feeding of lactating goats provides greater nitrogen excretion in urine and negative nitrogen balance, while the concentrate with leucaena hay as a source of protein, provides greater ruminal microbial protein synthesis.

Nutritional assessment associated with length of inpatients' hospital stay.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nutritional status of patients on hospital admission, identify the length of hospital stay and identify the parameters of nutritional assessment that are most closely related with the length of stay (LOS). METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 278 hospitalized patients evaluated patients' nutritional status in the 48 hours after admission and their LOS after discharge. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters, related to nutrition status were analyzed, such as: weight, height, arm circumference (AC), waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold thickness (TST), mild arm muscle circumference (MAMC), albumin (Alb) and hemoglobin (HB). Body mass index (BMI) was used to classify the nutritional status. All the nutritional factors except type of disease, gender and age were associated with LOS. The chi-square, Student-t, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and binary logistic multivariate tests were used in the statistical analyses. RESULTS: The majority of patients was male (53%), elderly (56%) and had neoplasm (19.4%). Undernutrition was higher in the elderly (p < 0.05) and neoplasm patients (p < 0.05), overweight or obese patients were more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.001). Average LOS was 14.7 days (± 12.5), longer in neoplasm patients (p < 0.05) and in elderly ones (p < 0.05), and also was 3 times longer in males (p < 0.0001). Among the nutritional parameters, patients with AC under 25 cm had higher LOS (p < 0.05), but only in women could it be considered a marker, increasing LOS 2.8 times. BMI less than 20 kg/m(2) increased LOS 2.1 times, and biochemical data (Alb and HB) do not contribute. In the multivariate analyses, male gender and TST depletion were the significant factors, which together best explained the lengths of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: LOS was associated with disease, gender, age and nutritional status. We can highlight two anthropometric analyses: first, AC can be used in women as a marker of longer LOS and second TST is the best overall predictor of longer hospital stay.

Risk of infection in Central Venous Catheter: review study to nursing care / Risco de infecção no Cateter Venoso Central - revisão da literatura

Problem: The use of central venous catheters in intensive care units has been identified as an important risk factor for infection in the bloodstream. Objective: To examine the evidence in the literature about the indications and uses of central venous catheter insertion, the risk of infection, the professional conduct in relation to safe practices related to this type of device. Methods: Narrative review, which assesses the risk of infection in central venous catheters in intensive care units; by bibliographic study in database of BVS, in the time gap from 2005 to 2010 using the keywords: infection, intensive care unit , central venous catheterization and nursing care. Results: The analysis identified 03 thematic units: 1. Complications associated with central venous catheter, which evaluates the evidence from a framework of systemic infection where vascular access is implicated as a possible source, and lists the factors that influence the onset of complications associated; 2. Adoption of the correct technique of catheter-related coverage, which recommends to use the coverage appropriate to prevent skin toxicity, and increases patient comfort and satisfaction, besides attention to time of the use and signs of inflammation, 3. Realization of safe practices for the maintenance of the catheter, involving the manipulation control and use of protocols. Conclusion: We conclude that the quality of care for patients with this device is directly related to controlling the risks of infection; where efforts, not only the nurse, but the health team will be enable the application of evidence to guide a safe clinical practice and contribute to improving the quality of health care and nursing.

Problema: A utilização de Cateteres Venosos Central em Unidades de terapia intensiva tem sido apontada como importante fator de risco para infecção na corrente sanguínea. Objetivo: examinar as evidências encontradas na literatura sobre as indicações e formas de utilização do Cateter venoso central, sua inserção, o risco de infecção, as condutas profissionais em relação as práticas seguras relacionados a este tipo de dispositivo. Metodologia: Revisão narrativa, que avalia o risco de infecção em Cateteres Venosos Central em Unidades de terapia intensiva; de cunho bibliográfico realizado nas bases de dados da BVS, no hiato temporal de 2005 a 2010, utilizando os descritores: infecção, centro de terapia intensiva, cateterismo venoso central e cuidados de enfermagem. Resultados: A análise dos resultados permitiu identificar 03 unidades temáticas: 1. Complicações inerentes ao cateter venoso central; que avalia as evidências a partir de um quadro de infecção sistêmica no qual o acesso vascular é implicado como possível fonte; relaciona os fatores que influenciam no aparecimento de complicações associadas; 2. Adoção da técnica correta relacionada a cobertura do cateter, que recomenda a utilização de cobertura e trocas adequadas para prevenir a toxicidade cutânea, e aumenta a satisfação e o conforto do paciente; além de estar atento ao tempo de utilização e sinais flogísticos; 3. Realização de práticas seguras para a manutenção do cateter, onde identificamos que as práticas seguras para a manutenção do Cateter envolvem o controle na manipulação e o uso de protocolos. Conclusão: Conclui que a qualidade da assistência à pacientes com este dispositivo está diretamente relacionada ao controle dos riscos de infecção; onde esforços, não somente da enfermeira, mas de toda a equipe de saúde envolvida a fim de viabilizar a aplicação das evidências para nortear uma prática clínica segura que contribua para a melhoria da qualidade da assistência à saúde e de enfermagem.

Coherent transport in high performance double magnetic junctions.

Spin-dependent transport is considered in double magnetic tunnel junctions of two types F-I-F-I-F and F-I-N-I-F with thin insulating (I) barriers between the ferromagnetic (F) or non-magnetic (N) electrodes. Using the Landauer formalism within single-band tight-binding dynamics for atomically perfect epitaxial multilayers, the dependencies of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) on the on-site atomic energies epsilonI or epsilonN and number nI of atomic planes in the respective layers are obtained. It is found that the maximum TMR corresponds to the "shallow band" regime with respect to epsilonN and a series of peaks appears with respect to nI, essentially enhancing the performance of a simple F-I-F junction. These results suggest the material and structural choices for optimum TMR devices of advanced compositions.

Características físico-químicas e custo do leite de cabras alimentadas com farelo de cacau ou torta de dendê / Physical-chemical characteristics and cost of milk of goats fed with cocoa meal or palm kernel cake

Avaliaram-se o efeito de dietas contendo farelo de cacau (FC) ou torta de dendê (TD) em substituição ao concentrado padrão, à base de milho e farelo de soja, sobre a composição físico-química e o resultado econômico da produção de leite. Foram utilizadas cinco cabras da raça Saanen com 41,66kg de peso e 60 dias de lactação, no delineamento experimental em quadrado latino 5×5. Os períodos experimentais foram de 14 dias, com 10 dias para adaptação e quatro para a coleta dos dados. As rações concentradas isoprotéicas (13,2 por cento) foram calculadas para uma produção de 2kg de leite/dia. As dietas constituíram-se de 36 por cento de volumoso e 64 por cento de concentrado. Utilizaram-se silagem de milho e concentrado-padrão (milho e farelo de soja) com 0, 15 e 30 por cento de substituição pelo FC ou TD. As dietas não influenciaram (P>0,05) as características físico-químicas do leite. A substituição reduziu o custo das dietas e apenas as com 15 por cento de FC e 15 por cento de TD apresentaram margem bruta superior à da dieta-controle.

The effects of cocoa meal (FC) or palm kernel cake (TD) replacing corn and soybean meal standard concentrate on physical-chemical composition were evaluated and the economical analysis of milk production was performed. Five Saanen goats, with 41.66kg body weight and 60 days of lactation were used in a 5×5 latin square experimental design. The experimental periods of 14 days, had 10 days for adaptation and four days for data collection. The isoprotec diets (13.2 percent), were formulated to allow a milk production of 2kg/day. The diets were constituted of 36 percent roughage and 64 percent concentrate. The standard concentrate was replaced by 0, 15 and 30 percent of FC or TD. No effects of diets (P>0.05) on milk physical-chemical characteristics were observed. The inclusion of by-products reduced the cost of diets, however, only those with 15 percent FC and 15 percent TD showed gross margin higher than the one observed for the control diet.

Infection by Cryptosporidium parvum in renal patients submitted to renal transplant or hemodialysis.

The frequency of infection by Cryptosporidium parvum was determined in two groups of renal patients submitted to immunosuppression. One group consisted of 23 renal transplanted individuals, and the other consisted of 32 patients with chronic renal insufficiency, periodically submitted to hemodialysis. A third group of 27 patients with systemic arterial hypertension, not immunosuppressed, was used as control. During a period of 18 months all the patients were submitted to faecal examination to detect C. parvum oocysts, for a total of 1 to 6 tests per patient. The results showed frequencies of C. parvum infection of 34.8%, 25% and 17.4%, respectively, for the renal transplanted group, the patients submitted to hemodialysis and the control group. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences among the three groups even though the frequency of C. parvum infection was higher in the transplanted group. However, when the number of fecal samples containing C. parvum oocysts was taken in account, a significantly higher frequency was found in the renal transplanted group.

Acute renal failure due to hemolytic uremic syndrome in adult patients.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure. Clinical/ pathologic data, along with the treatment and outcome of 8 adult patients with HUS, are described. There were 7 females and 1 male, age 30.7 +/- 12 years; 7 were White and 1 Black. Three patients were kidney graft recipients, 2 of whom were receiving cyclosporine; 2 patients were postpartum; 1 case followed an abortion; 1 occurred with prodromic infection; and 1 case was without a causal factor. All patients presented with hematuria and 6 with oligoanuria. Laboratory data showed hemolytic anemia with schistocytes, LDH values were 2584 +/- 2191 U/L, platelets were 79,000 +/- 40,000/mL, creatinine concentrations were 5.9 +/- 2.5 mg/dL. Renal biopsy showed thrombotic microangiopathy. Two had predominant glomerular involvement. 2 showed renal cortical necrosis, 4 were marked by predominant arteriolar involvement. In 5 patients dialytic therapy was performed. All were treated with fresh-frozen plasma infusion and 6 with plasmapheresis. Three patients died, 2 without recovery of renal function. In conclusion, the trigger events were related to renal transplant in 3.2 of them taking cyclosporine; 3 with pregnancy; 1 to precedent infection; and 1 with no causal factor. There was no correlation between histological form and outcome in this group of patients. The benefit of plasmapheresis was evident in the recovery of the extrarenal manifestations, although it did not change the renal outcome. The prognosis is poor, with a high mortality (37.5%) and/or end-stage renal failure (37.5%). Complete recovery of renal function was obtained in 25%.