A methodological approach to estimate the lactation curve and net energy and protein requirements of beef cows using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling.

The objective of this study was to evaluate methods to predict the secretion of milk and net energy and protein requirements of beef cows (Bos indicus and B. taurus) after approximately 1 mo postpartum using nonlinear mixed-effect modeling (NLME). Twenty Caracu × Nellore (CN) and 10 Nellore (NL) cows were inseminated to Red Angus bulls, and 10 Angus × Nellore (AN) were bred to Canchim bulls. Cows were evaluated from just after calving (25 ± 11 d) to weaning (220 d). Milk yield was estimated by weighing calves before and after suckling (WSW) and by machine milking (MM) methods at 25, 52, 80, 109, 136, 164, 193, and 220 ± 11 d of lactation. Brody and simple linear equations were consecutively fitted to the data and compared using information criteria. For the Brody equation, a NLME model was used to estimate all lactation profiles incorporating different sources of variation (calf sex and breed of cow, cow as a nested random effect, and within-cow auto-correlation). The CV for the MM method (29%) was less than WSW (45%). Consequently, the WSW method was responsible for reducing the variance about 1.5 times among individuals, which minimized the ability to detect differences among cows. As a result, only milk yield MM data were used in the NLME models. The Brody equation provided the best fit to this dataset, and inclusion of a continuous autoregressive process improved fit (P < 0.01). Milk, energy and protein yield at the beginning of lactation were affected by cow genotype and calf sex (P < 0.001). The exponential decay of the lactation curves was affected only by genotype (P < 0.001). Angus × Nellore cows produced 15 and 48% more milk than CN and NL during the trial, respectively (P < 0.05). Caracu × Nellore cows produced 29% more milk than NL (P < 0.05). The net energy and net protein requirements for milk yield followed a similar ranking. Male calves stimulated their dams to produce 11.7, 11.4, and 11.9% more milk, energy and protein, respectively (P < 0.05). The MM method is better than the WSW technique to detect genetic or environmental differences in milk yield among beef cows. The data obtained by the MM method and analyzed by NLME models allows the inclusion of fixed effects, random effects and an auto-regressive process in lactation equations to describe lactation curves and net energy and protein requirements. The NLME is a powerful tool to describe differences in the secretion of milk due to heterosis and cell mammary external stimulus in beef cows.

Effects of light intensity and temperature on Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Cyanobacteria) with straight and coiled trichomes: growth rate and morphology.

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenayya et Subba Raju (Ordem Nostocales) is one of the most troublesome bloom-forming species in Brazil. Understanding the population dynamics of the different morphotypes of C. raciborskii (straight and coiled) could assist in the prediction of favourable conditions for the proliferation of this potentially toxin-producing species. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of two different light intensities and temperatures on the growth rate and morphology of the trichomes of the straight and coiled morphotypes. For such, two non-toxin producing strains of C. raciborskii were used - one with a coiled trichome (ITEP31) and another with a straight trichome (ITEP28). The strains were cultured in BG-11 medium in a climatic chamber under controlled conditions. Two light intensities (30 and 90 µmol.m-2.s-1 ) were combined at temperatures of 21 and 31 °C and the growth rate and morphological changes were analysed. The morphotypes responded differently to the different temperatures and light intensities. Both strains exhibited faster growth velocities when submitted to higher light intensity and temperature. The lower temperature and higher luminosity hampered the development of both strains. Variations in cellular morphology and an absence of akinetes in both strains were related to the lower temperature (21 °C). The coiled morphotype demonstrated considerable phenotype plasticity, changing the morphology of trichome throughout its growth curve. Although molecular analysis does not sustain the separation of the morphotypes as distinct species, their different eco-physiological responses should be considered further knowledge of extreme importance for the population control of these potentially toxic organisms.

Optimum experimental designs for multinomial logistic models.

Multinomial responses frequently occur in dose level experiments. For example, in a study of the influence of gamma radiation on the emergence of house flies (Musca domestica L., 1758), three disjoint outcomes occurred: death before the pupae opened, death during emergence, and life after emergence. Although the flies are easy to breed, this sort of bioassay is, in general, very expensive since it requires the use of a gamma radiation source. Experiments therefore need to be designed to involve the minimum number of different doses. Here the theory of optimum experimental design is applied to provide efficient experiments to estimate the parameters of those multinomial logistic models that are a special case of the multivariate logistic models of Glonek and McCullagh (1995, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B 57, 533-546). The purpose is to reduce the overall experimental cost. The general equivalence theorem (Fedorov, 1972, Theory of Optimal Experiments) is adapted to this class of models, providing an effective method of generating and checking the optimality of designs. One example on flies demonstrates the method, which can be easily implemented.

Solarização do solo para o controle de Pythium e plantas daninhas em cultura de crisântemo

Two months solarization of a soil naturally infested with Pythium sp. promoted a level of control similar to what was obtained with the application of methalaxyl + mancozeb for the chrysanthemum crop. The average rate of dead plants was 9.0% with the application of fungicides (1 g of methalaxyl + 4.8 g of mancozeb/ m²); 2.3% in solarized plots; 1.0% in solarized plots which received half the dosages of the fungicides and 38.9% in control plots. Similar control of weeds was obtained in solarized plots and plots treated with the herbicide oxidiazon.

A solarização, durante dois meses, de um solo naturalmente infestado com Pythium, promoveu o controle do patógeno, de modo semelhante à aplicação de metalaxyl + mancozeb, na cultura de crisântemo. A incidência média de plantas mortas foi de 2,3% nas parcelas solarizadas; 1,0% no solo solarizado que recebeu metade da dose dos fungicidas; 9,0% com a aplicação da dose completa dos fungicidas (1 g de metalaxyl + 4,8 g de mancozeb/m²) e 38,9%, na testemunha não tratada. A solarização também promoveu o controle de plantas daninhas, avaliado através do peso da matéria seca das plantas emergentes aos 21 dias após o transplante das mudas, semelhantemente ao herbicida oxidiazon.

Solarização do solo para o controle de Pythium e plantas daninhas em cultura de crisântemo

Two months solarization of a soil naturally infested with Pythium sp. promoted a level of control similar to what was obtained with the application of methalaxyl + mancozeb for the chrysanthemum crop. The average rate of dead plants was 9.0% with the application of fungicides (1 g of methalaxyl + 4.8 g of mancozeb/ m²); 2.3% in solarized plots; 1.0% in solarized plots which received half the dosages of the fungicides and 38.9% in control plots. Similar control of weeds was obtained in solarized plots and plots treated with the herbicide oxidiazon.

A solarização, durante dois meses, de um solo naturalmente infestado com Pythium, promoveu o controle do patógeno, de modo semelhante à aplicação de metalaxyl + mancozeb, na cultura de crisântemo. A incidência média de plantas mortas foi de 2,3% nas parcelas solarizadas; 1,0% no solo solarizado que recebeu metade da dose dos fungicidas; 9,0% com a aplicação da dose completa dos fungicidas (1 g de metalaxyl + 4,8 g de mancozeb/m²) e 38,9%, na testemunha não tratada. A solarização também promoveu o controle de plantas daninhas, avaliado através do peso da matéria seca das plantas emergentes aos 21 dias após o transplante das mudas, semelhantemente ao herbicida oxidiazon.