Serum biochemical profile, enzymatic activity and lipid peroxidation in organs of laying hens fed diets containing cashew nut shell liquid.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding laying hens diets containing cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) as a source of anacardic acid on the blood biochemical parameters as well as the enzymatic activity and lipid peroxidation of liver and tissues of the reproductive system (ovary, magnum, and uterus). A total of 216 Hisex White commercial laying hens were distributed randomly into six treatments, with six replicates of six birds. Treatments consisted of a diet without growth promoter (GP); a diet with GP; and diets without GP, with addition of increasing levels of CNSL (0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0%). Addition of CNSL to the diet did not affect the blood biochemical parameters (uric acid, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, high density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides), the enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase and nonprotein sulphydryl groups) in the organs (liver, ovary, magnum and uterus) or the peroxidation of lipids from the blood serum, liver, magnum and uterus (p > 0.05). However, the addition of 0.75% and 1.00% CNSL provided a lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content in the birds' ovary (p < 0.001) compared to birds of other treatments, whereas the treatment without the GP provided a higher value. Addition of up to 1% of the CNSL as a source of anacardic acid in the laying hens' diets does not influence blood biochemical parameters or the endogenous enzymatic activity in the liver, ovary, magnum and uterus, but affects the lipid peroxidation in the ovary, although the problem is reduced from the inclusion of 0.75% CNSL.

A novel approach for solving constrained nonlinear optimization problems using neurofuzzy systems.

A neural network model for solving constrained nonlinear optimization problems with bounded variables is presented in this paper. More specifically, a modified Hopfield network is developed and its internal parameters are computed using the valid-subspace technique. These parameters guarantee the convergence of the network to the equilibrium points. The network is shown to be completely stable and globally convergent to the solutions of constrained nonlinear optimization problems. A fuzzy logic controller is incorporated in the network to minimize convergence time. Simulation results are presented to validate the proposed approach.

Design of a neurofuzzy controller with simplified architecture.

This work presents the design of a neurofuzzy controller with simplified architecture that minimizes the processing time used in several stages associated with systems and processes modelling. The basic procedures of fuzzification and defuzzification are very simplified, whereas the inference procedures are computed in a direct way. The simplified architecture has allowed a fast and easy configuration of the neurofuzzy controller, as consequence, the control rules that define the control actions are obtained automatically. To validate the proposed approach, this neurofuzzy system is used in an industrial application for fluid flow control.

[Study of indirect active immunotherapy of Ehrlich carcinoma]. / Estudo de imunoterapia ativa indireta sobre carcinoma de Ehrlich

Preliminary results of active immunotherapy ,both in vitro and in vivo, about ascitical Ehrlich carcinoma transplanted in albinic swiss mice are presented. In the in vitro experiment, tumor cells were marked with the immunoglobulin, anti-tumor-associated antigens (TAA) and were coupled to a dinitrophenyl radical (Ig DNP anti-TAA). These cells were meaningfully hindered from migration in presence of swiss albinic mice's splenic cells. These mice were sensibilized to the tumor cells marked with Ig-DNP. The injection of a Ig-DNP anti-TAA 0,3 ml, every third days, intraperitoneal way, in a span of 21 days, in albinical swiss mice with a transplant of 3 X 10(5) Ehrlich carcinoma cells (group A) 24 hours before, constituted the in vivo test. The growth ought to be compared to an Ig-DNP tolerant group (group B), which received equal quantities of tumor cells and followed the same plan of treatment, as well as to another control group transplanted under the same conditions, but with no treatment (group C). Eight days from the experiment, there was a clear difference between group A and groups B and C. The last two groups died from 13th to the 26th day after the transplant. On the contrary, the whore group A continued alive and with no sign of ascitical tumor. Nevertheless, an animal of group A died after the 28th day, due to a solid tumor in the abdominal wall.