Analysis of the citation impact of Brazilian researchers in oral pathology and oral medicine over two decades.

BACKGROUND: Brazilian Oral Pathology (OP) and Oral Medicine (OM) have gained significant international recognition. However, no study has yet evaluated the impact of citations in scientific publications. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the impact of citations from Brazilian researchers in OP and OM over the last two decades. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 50 researchers linked to postgraduate programs in OP/OM. Data collected from each professional's Lattes curriculum included gender, academic affiliation, the corporate category of the institution, and location. The number of papers published and citations received between 2004 to 2013 and 2014 to 2023 was also collected from the Web of Science database. RESULTS: Most researchers were male (56%) and from public institutions (90%), mainly in the Southeast region (60%). Over two decades, they collectively published 8,033 scientific articles, with significant growth (p<0.001) from to 2004-2013 to 2014-2023. While the average citations per researcher did not differ significantly between 2004-2013 and 2014-2023 (p=0.538), there was a notable 67.67% increase in citations in the last decade. CONCLUSIONS: Brazilian researchers in the areas of OP and OM have demonstrated a significant academic impact over the past two decades, with a marked increase in publications and citations over the last ten years. This highlights the contribution of Brazilians to the global scientific community in these areas.

Posterior urethral valves: comparison of clinical outcomes between postnatal and antenatal cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Posterior urethral valves (PUVs) constitute the most common infravesical urinary obstruction in boys and are often accompanied by severe consequences to the lower and upper urinary tract. Currently, about two-thirds of diagnosis of PUVs has been suspected by prenatal ultrasonography findings. The aim of this study was to compare long-term clinical outcomes in two groups of patients with PUVs, with antenatal vs. postnatal diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of 173 patients with PUVs systematically followed up in a tertiary center. Median follow-up time was 66.5 months (interquartile range [IQ], 11.4-147.9 months) for those patients who survived neonatal period. Seventy-nine (45.6%) patients were followed up for more than 5 years and 55 (32%) for more than 10 years. For analysis, the cohort was stratified into two groups according to the clinical presentation (prenatal vs. postnatal). The events of interest were urinary tract infection (UTI), surgical interventions, proteinuria, hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and death. Survival analyses were performed to evaluate time until occurrence of the events. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients (35.8%) were diagnosed by fetal sonography. Patients of postnatal group presented a higher incidence rate of UTI episodes (6.5, 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.9-8.3) than antenatal group (1.2, 95% CI, 0.4-2.7) (P < 0.001). Thirty-six patients (21%) presented hypertension, and 77 (44.5%) had persistent mild proteinuria. There was no significant difference in the estimated incidence of hypertension (P = 0.28) and proteinuria (P = 0.78) between antenatal and postnatal groups. The cumulative incidence of CKD stage ≥3 was estimated to be about 37% at 10 years of age, and 56% at 18 years of age. By survival analysis, there was no significant difference in the estimated incidence of CKD stage ≥3 (log-rank = 0.32, P = 0.57) and CKD stage 5 (log-rank = 1.08, P = 0.28, Figure) between antenatal and postnatal groups. Of 173 patients included in the analysis, 13 (7.5%) died during follow-up with a median age of 2.6 months (IQ, 15 days-62 months). Survival analyses have not shown any significant difference in the estimated incidence of death between antenatal and postnatal groups (log-rank = 1.38, P = 0.24). CONCLUSION: The study findings did not corroborate the initial hypothesis that the rates of renal function declining in patients with PUVs would be attenuated by an early diagnosis and intervention after antenatal diagnosis.

Behavioral disorders and impairment of quality of life in children and adolescents with lower urinary tract dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) is a broad term describing the full spectrum of disorders in any of the stages of bladder function-storage or voiding LUTD is a clinical condition associated with emotional and behavioral disorders in children. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association of emotional and behavioral symptoms and their impact on the quality of life (QoL) in children and adolescents with LUTD. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients and their parents enrolled in an interdisciplinary program for children and adolescents with LUTD were included in the analysis. Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to estimate the prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems through the assessment of 14 items. Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (versions for parents and children) was applied in the versions for parents and children to evaluate the QoL. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory-PedsQL, version 4.0-was applied separately for parents and patients. The association of clinical variables and aspects related to QoL of patients were evaluated through non-parametric correlations (Spearman) and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: According to CBCL's clinical scores, 56% of the patients showed total behavioral problems, 55% internalizing, and 38% externalizing. When comparing the conditions of LUTD and the CBCL scores, patients with voiding postponement had the lowest rates of total problems (P = 0.036). Children and adolescents with LUTD who also had enuresis showed a higher frequency of externalizing problems (P = 0.001), especially aggressive behavior (P = 0.013). Scores of patients with LUTD were significantly lower in all domains of QoL than normative data. Presence of behavioral problems was associated with worse QoL in all evaluated aspects. The total QoL was most influenced by the CBCL school competence scale according to the regression model analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest the relevance of evaluation of behavioral and social repercussions of LUTD to improve the multidisciplinary approach for this condition in pediatric population.

Effects of second neighbor interactions on skyrmion lattices in chiral magnets.

In this paper we investigate the influences of the second neighbor interactions on a skyrmion lattice in two-dimensional chiral magnets. Such a system contains the exchange and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya for the spin interactions and therefore, we analyse three situations: firstly, the second neighbor interaction is present only in the exchange coupling; secondly, it is present only in the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya coupling. Finally, the second neighbor interactions are present in both exchange and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya couplings. We show that such effects cause important modifications to the helical and skyrmion phases when an external magnetic field is applied.

Live performance, carcass quality, and economic assessment of over 100kg slaughtered pigs / Desempenho, qualidade de carcaça e avaliação econômica de suínos abatidos acima de 100kg

Recent genetic improvement has developed pigs with maximum potential for protein deposit at higher weights; however, their optimal slaughter weight still needs to be determined. The objective of the study was to evaluate live performance, carcass traits, and economic viability of 417 Agroceres PIC pigs slaughtered with 100, 115, 130, and 145kg live weight. Pigs were reared in pens with 10-11 barrows and gilts each, offered a feed allowance of 2.8kg/pig/day until the following slaughter weights (SW): 99.65±0.82kg, 118.53±0.98kg, 133.97±1.17kg, and 143.90±1.24. There was no interaction between sex and SW (P>0.05). Backfat thickness, fat area, and loin eye area linearly increased with SW (P<0.001; R2: 70.12-77.44%), and carcass yield increased in a quadratic manner (P<0.001; R²=24.66%). Lean yield was not affected (P>0.05), and feed conversion ratio (R²=43.29%) linearly worsened with SW (P<0.001), but the effect of SW on live production cost (R$/kg) was quadratic, with the minimum point at 134.8kg. It was concluded that, under the applied management, increasing SW results in larger amount of lean tissue with no change in its yield and little effect on growth performance(AU)

A evolução das linhagens sintéticas de suínos propiciou a obtenção de animais com potencial máximo de deposição proteica em pesos superiores; entretanto o peso ótimo de abate dessas linhagens não é conhecido. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o desempenho, características de carcaça e avaliação econômica de 417 suínos da linhagem Agroceres PIC abatidos com 100, 115, 130 e 145kg de peso vivo. Os suínos foram criados em baias com 10-11 machos ou fêmeas, com fornecimento programado de 2,8kg de ração por animal, por dia, a partir de 80kg até os pesos de abate (PA) de 99.65±0.82kg, 118.53±0.98kg, 133.97±1.17kg, e 143.90±1.24. Não houve interação entre sexo e PA (P>0,05). A espessura de toucinho, área de gordura e área de olho de lombo aumentaram linearmente com o PA (P<0,001; R² entre 70,12 e 77,44%), e o rendimento de carcaça aumentou de forma quadrática (P<0,001; R²=24,66%). A porcentagem de carne magra não foi afetada (P>0.05) e a conversão alimentar (R²=43,29%) apresentou discreta piora linear com o PA (P<0,001), mas o efeito sobre o custo de produção (R$/Kg) foi quadrático, com ponto de mínima aos 134,85kg. Conclui-se que, com o manejo utilizado, a elevação do PA resulta em aumento na quantidade de carne produzida sem alteração no seu rendimento e apresenta pouco efeito sobre o desempenho(AU)

Live performance, carcass quality, and economic assessment of over 100kg slaughtered pigs / Desempenho, qualidade de carcaça e avaliação econômica de suínos abatidos acima de 100kg

Recent genetic improvement has developed pigs with maximum potential for protein deposit at higher weights; however, their optimal slaughter weight still needs to be determined. The objective of the study was to evaluate live performance, carcass traits, and economic viability of 417 Agroceres PIC pigs slaughtered with 100, 115, 130, and 145kg live weight. Pigs were reared in pens with 10-11 barrows and gilts each, offered a feed allowance of 2.8kg/pig/day until the following slaughter weights (SW): 99.65±0.82kg, 118.53±0.98kg, 133.97±1.17kg, and 143.90±1.24. There was no interaction between sex and SW (P>0.05). Backfat thickness, fat area, and loin eye area linearly increased with SW (P<0.001; R2: 70.12-77.44%), and carcass yield increased in a quadratic manner (P<0.001; R²=24.66%). Lean yield was not affected (P>0.05), and feed conversion ratio (R²=43.29%) linearly worsened with SW (P<0.001), but the effect of SW on live production cost (R$/kg) was quadratic, with the minimum point at 134.8kg. It was concluded that, under the applied management, increasing SW results in larger amount of lean tissue with no change in its yield and little effect on growth performance.

A evolução das linhagens sintéticas de suínos propiciou a obtenção de animais com potencial máximo de deposição proteica em pesos superiores; entretanto o peso ótimo de abate dessas linhagens não é conhecido. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o desempenho, características de carcaça e avaliação econômica de 417 suínos da linhagem Agroceres PIC abatidos com 100, 115, 130 e 145kg de peso vivo. Os suínos foram criados em baias com 10-11 machos ou fêmeas, com fornecimento programado de 2,8kg de ração por animal, por dia, a partir de 80kg até os pesos de abate (PA) de 99.65±0.82kg, 118.53±0.98kg, 133.97±1.17kg, e 143.90±1.24. Não houve interação entre sexo e PA (P>0,05). A espessura de toucinho, área de gordura e área de olho de lombo aumentaram linearmente com o PA (P<0,001; R² entre 70,12 e 77,44%), e o rendimento de carcaça aumentou de forma quadrática (P<0,001; R²=24,66%). A porcentagem de carne magra não foi afetada (P>0.05) e a conversão alimentar (R²=43,29%) apresentou discreta piora linear com o PA (P<0,001), mas o efeito sobre o custo de produção (R$/Kg) foi quadrático, com ponto de mínima aos 134,85kg. Conclui-se que, com o manejo utilizado, a elevação do PA resulta em aumento na quantidade de carne produzida sem alteração no seu rendimento e apresenta pouco efeito sobre o desempenho.

Meat quality and cut yield of pigs slaughtered over 100kg live weight / Qualidade de carne e rendimento de cortes de suínos abatidos acima de 100kg de peso vivo

Meat quality and cut yield of pigs slaughtered between 100 and 150kg live weight were evaluated. Pigs (417 Agroceres PIC barrows and gilts) were fed a daily allowance of 2.8kg per head from 80kg until 100.71±0.85, 118.58±0.99, 134.07±1.18 or 143.90±1.24kg live weight. Seventy-one pigs were used for the evaluation of primal and subprimal cuts. There was no interaction between sex and slaughter weight for any of the evaluated parameters. Ham, shoulder, and loin weights linearly increased (P<0.01; R2: 84.3-93.2%) with increasing slaughter weight, which, however, had little effect on primal cuts meat yield. Increasing slaughter weight promoted a linear (P<0.05) and a quadratic (P<0.01) increase of red/green coordinate (a* value) of the loin and ham, respectively. Shear force showed a quadratic response (P<0.05), with minimum value estimated at 122kg slaughter weight. It was concluded that, under the applied management, increasing slaughter weight increased the volume of meat, but had little effect on meat yield. The meat of pigs slaughtered at heavier weights showed more intense red color and the same intramuscular fat content as lighter pigs, while tenderness was slightly affected.(AU)

Foi avaliada a qualidade da carne e os cortes de suínos abatidos entre 100 e 145kg de peso vivo. Os suínos (417 machos castrados e fêmeas, linhagem Agroceres PIC) foram mantidos sob fornecimento programado de 2,8kg de ração por animal por dia a partir de 80kg até o abate aos: 100,71±0,85, 118,58±0,99, 134,07±1,18 ou 143,90±1,24kg de peso vivo. Destes, 71 suínos foram usados para avaliação dos cortes primários e secundários. Não foi observada interação entre sexo e peso de abate em nenhuma das variáveis avaliadas. Os pesos do pernil, da paleta e do carré aumentaram linearmente (P<0,01; R2entre 84,3 e 93,2%) com o peso de abate, com pouco efeito sobre o rendimento da carne. A coordenada vermelho/verde (valor de a*) aumentou linearmente (P<0,05) no lombo e de forma quadrática (P<0,01) no pernil com o aumento do peso de abate. A força de cisalhamento apresentou resposta quadrática (P<0,05), com redução até o valor mínimo estimado para os 122kg de peso vivo. Conclui-se que, com o manejo utilizado neste estudo, a elevação do peso de abate resulta em aumento na quantidade de carne produzida, com pouco efeito sobre o rendimento de carne. A carne de suínos abatidos em pesos elevados apresenta cor vermelha mais intensa e mesmo nível de gordura intramuscular que a carne de suínos mais leves, enquanto a maciez é alterada apenas de maneira discreta.(AU)

Meat quality and cut yield of pigs slaughtered over 100kg live weight / Qualidade de carne e rendimento de cortes de suínos abatidos acima de 100kg de peso vivo

Meat quality and cut yield of pigs slaughtered between 100 and 150kg live weight were evaluated. Pigs (417 Agroceres PIC barrows and gilts) were fed a daily allowance of 2.8kg per head from 80kg until 100.71±0.85, 118.58±0.99, 134.07±1.18 or 143.90±1.24kg live weight. Seventy-one pigs were used for the evaluation of primal and subprimal cuts. There was no interaction between sex and slaughter weight for any of the evaluated parameters. Ham, shoulder, and loin weights linearly increased (P<0.01; R2: 84.3-93.2%) with increasing slaughter weight, which, however, had little effect on primal cuts meat yield. Increasing slaughter weight promoted a linear (P<0.05) and a quadratic (P<0.01) increase of red/green coordinate (a* value) of the loin and ham, respectively. Shear force showed a quadratic response (P<0.05), with minimum value estimated at 122kg slaughter weight. It was concluded that, under the applied management, increasing slaughter weight increased the volume of meat, but had little effect on meat yield. The meat of pigs slaughtered at heavier weights showed more intense red color and the same intramuscular fat content as lighter pigs, while tenderness was slightly affected.

Foi avaliada a qualidade da carne e os cortes de suínos abatidos entre 100 e 145kg de peso vivo. Os suínos (417 machos castrados e fêmeas, linhagem Agroceres PIC) foram mantidos sob fornecimento programado de 2,8kg de ração por animal por dia a partir de 80kg até o abate aos: 100,71±0,85, 118,58±0,99, 134,07±1,18 ou 143,90±1,24kg de peso vivo. Destes, 71 suínos foram usados para avaliação dos cortes primários e secundários. Não foi observada interação entre sexo e peso de abate em nenhuma das variáveis avaliadas. Os pesos do pernil, da paleta e do carré aumentaram linearmente (P<0,01; R2entre 84,3 e 93,2%) com o peso de abate, com pouco efeito sobre o rendimento da carne. A coordenada vermelho/verde (valor de a*) aumentou linearmente (P<0,05) no lombo e de forma quadrática (P<0,01) no pernil com o aumento do peso de abate. A força de cisalhamento apresentou resposta quadrática (P<0,05), com redução até o valor mínimo estimado para os 122kg de peso vivo. Conclui-se que, com o manejo utilizado neste estudo, a elevação do peso de abate resulta em aumento na quantidade de carne produzida, com pouco efeito sobre o rendimento de carne. A carne de suínos abatidos em pesos elevados apresenta cor vermelha mais intensa e mesmo nível de gordura intramuscular que a carne de suínos mais leves, enquanto a maciez é alterada apenas de maneira discreta.

Long-term decline of the Amazon carbon sink.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide records indicate that the land surface has acted as a strong global carbon sink over recent decades, with a substantial fraction of this sink probably located in the tropics, particularly in the Amazon. Nevertheless, it is unclear how the terrestrial carbon sink will evolve as climate and atmospheric composition continue to change. Here we analyse the historical evolution of the biomass dynamics of the Amazon rainforest over three decades using a distributed network of 321 plots. While this analysis confirms that Amazon forests have acted as a long-term net biomass sink, we find a long-term decreasing trend of carbon accumulation. Rates of net increase in above-ground biomass declined by one-third during the past decade compared to the 1990s. This is a consequence of growth rate increases levelling off recently, while biomass mortality persistently increased throughout, leading to a shortening of carbon residence times. Potential drivers for the mortality increase include greater climate variability, and feedbacks of faster growth on mortality, resulting in shortened tree longevity. The observed decline of the Amazon sink diverges markedly from the recent increase in terrestrial carbon uptake at the global scale, and is contrary to expectations based on models.

Diferentes suplementos na terminação de bovinos Nelore em pastagem diferida de Brachiaria decumbens no período da seca / Different supplents for finishing of Nellore cattle on deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture during the dry season

Foi estudado em pastagem diferida de Brachiaria decumbens, o efeito de quatro tipos de suplementos na terminação de bovinos Nelore no período da seca. Utilizaram-se 64 animais da raça Nelore, machos castrados, com idade aproximada de 34 meses e peso corporal (PC) inicial variando de 360 a 380 kg, distribuídos inteiramente ao acaso em quatro tratamentos. Os tratamentos foram quatro formas de suplementação da pastagem: pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + sal proteico energético mineral (SuPEM), considerado controle; pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + ureia + farelo de algodão (28% PB) + milho grão moído (SuMi); pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + ureia + farelo de algodão (28% PB) + polpa cítrica (SuPC); pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + ureia + farelo de algodão (28% PB) + casca de soja (SuCS). A pastagem foi diferida por 170 dias e apresentou 3.482 kg MS/ha de forragem, permitindo 1,56 UA/ha (ingestão de MS de 2,25% do PC e 50% de eficiência de pastejo). Os animais receberam o suplemento ad libitum no tratamento SuPEM e em % PC nos demais tratamentos, de julho a outubro. Os animais foram abatidos com PC mínimo de 457 kg. Foram determinadas as variáveis: peso final (PF), ganho de peso no período (GPP), ganho de peso diário (GPD), peso da carcaça quente (PCQ) e rendimento da carcaça quente (RCQ). Na variável PF, o tipo de suplemento dos tratamentos SuMi, SuPC e SuCS, permitiu maior aporte de nutrientes, e assim apresentaram melhor desempenho (P<0,05) comparados ao tratamento SuPEM (média de 478,68 vs 412,62 kg). Esse mesmo efeito foi observado nos outros parâmetros estudados. Quando foi analisado o GPP e GPD, o tratamento SuCS foi superior (P<0,05) aos tratamentos SuMi e SuPC, em razão do aumento na oferta de concentrado, e o tratamento SuPEM foi inferior aos demais. O PCQ e RCQ foi maior no tratamento SuCS em decorrência do melhor desempenho, com 260,05 kg e 53,92%, respectivamente. A suplementação de bovinos no período da seca...(AU)

This study evaluated the effect of four types of supplement on the finishing of Nellore cattle on deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture during the dry season. Sixty-four castrated Nellore males with an age of approximately 34 months and initial body weight (BW) ranging from 360 to 380 kg were divided into 16 animals per treatment in a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of four types of pasture supplement: deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + energy protein mineral salt (SuEPM) used as control; deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + urea + cottonseed meal (28% CP) + ground corn grain (SuCo); deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + urea + cottonseed meal (28% CP) + citrus pulp (SuCPu); deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + urea + cottonseed meal (28% CP) + soy hull (SuSH). The pasture was deferred for 170 days and provided 3,482 kg DM/ha of forage, permitting a stocking rate of 1.56 AU/ha (DM intake of 2.25% BW and 50% pasture efficiency). The animals received the supplement ad libitum in the SuEPM treatment and as % BW in the other treatments from July to October. The animals were slaughtered at a minimum BW of 457 kg. The following variables were evaluated: final weight, weight gain during the period (WG), average daily gain (ADG), hot carcass weight (HCW), and hot carcass yield (HCY). With respect to final weight, the supplement in the SuCo, SuCPu and SuSH treatments permitted a greater supply of nutrients and the animals therefore exhibited better performance (P<0.05) compared to the SuEPM treatment (mean of 478.68 vs 412.62 kg). The same effect was observed for the other parameters studied. Analysis of WG and ADG showed that SuSH was superior to the SuCo and SuCPu treatments (P<0.05) due to the increased offer of concentrate and SuEPM was inferior to the other treatments. Higher HCW (260.05 kg) and HCY (53.92%) were obtained with treatment SuSH as a result of greater performance. Supplementation of cattle during the dry ...(AU)

Diferentes suplementos na terminação de bovinos Nelore em pastagem diferida de Brachiaria decumbens no período da seca / Different supplents for finishing of Nellore cattle on deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture during the dry season

Foi estudado em pastagem diferida de Brachiaria decumbens, o efeito de quatro tipos de suplementos na terminação de bovinos Nelore no período da seca. Utilizaram-se 64 animais da raça Nelore, machos castrados, com idade aproximada de 34 meses e peso corporal (PC) inicial variando de 360 a 380 kg, distribuídos inteiramente ao acaso em quatro tratamentos. Os tratamentos foram quatro formas de suplementação da pastagem: pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + sal proteico energético mineral (SuPEM), considerado controle; pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + ureia + farelo de algodão (28% PB) + milho grão moído (SuMi); pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + ureia + farelo de algodão (28% PB) + polpa cítrica (SuPC); pasto diferido de Brachiaria decumbens + ureia + farelo de algodão (28% PB) + casca de soja (SuCS). A pastagem foi diferida por 170 dias e apresentou 3.482 kg MS/ha de forragem, permitindo 1,56 UA/ha (ingestão de MS de 2,25% do PC e 50% de eficiência de pastejo). Os animais receberam o suplemento ad libitum no tratamento SuPEM e em % PC nos demais tratamentos, de julho a outubro. Os animais foram abatidos com PC mínimo de 457 kg. Foram determinadas as variáveis: peso final (PF), ganho de peso no período (GPP), ganho de peso diário (GPD), peso da carcaça quente (PCQ) e rendimento da carcaça quente (RCQ). Na variável PF, o tipo de suplemento dos tratamentos SuMi, SuPC e SuCS, permitiu maior aporte de nutrientes, e assim apresentaram melhor desempenho (P<0,05) comparados ao tratamento SuPEM (média de 478,68 vs 412,62 kg). Esse mesmo efeito foi observado nos outros parâmetros estudados. Quando foi analisado o GPP e GPD, o tratamento SuCS foi superior (P<0,05) aos tratamentos SuMi e SuPC, em razão do aumento na oferta de concentrado, e o tratamento SuPEM foi inferior aos demais. O PCQ e RCQ foi maior no tratamento SuCS em decorrência do melhor desempenho, com 260,05 kg e 53,92%, respectivamente. A suplementação de bovinos no período da seca...

This study evaluated the effect of four types of supplement on the finishing of Nellore cattle on deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture during the dry season. Sixty-four castrated Nellore males with an age of approximately 34 months and initial body weight (BW) ranging from 360 to 380 kg were divided into 16 animals per treatment in a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of four types of pasture supplement: deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + energy protein mineral salt (SuEPM) used as control; deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + urea + cottonseed meal (28% CP) + ground corn grain (SuCo); deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + urea + cottonseed meal (28% CP) + citrus pulp (SuCPu); deferred Brachiaria decumbens pasture + urea + cottonseed meal (28% CP) + soy hull (SuSH). The pasture was deferred for 170 days and provided 3,482 kg DM/ha of forage, permitting a stocking rate of 1.56 AU/ha (DM intake of 2.25% BW and 50% pasture efficiency). The animals received the supplement ad libitum in the SuEPM treatment and as % BW in the other treatments from July to October. The animals were slaughtered at a minimum BW of 457 kg. The following variables were evaluated: final weight, weight gain during the period (WG), average daily gain (ADG), hot carcass weight (HCW), and hot carcass yield (HCY). With respect to final weight, the supplement in the SuCo, SuCPu and SuSH treatments permitted a greater supply of nutrients and the animals therefore exhibited better performance (P<0.05) compared to the SuEPM treatment (mean of 478.68 vs 412.62 kg). The same effect was observed for the other parameters studied. Analysis of WG and ADG showed that SuSH was superior to the SuCo and SuCPu treatments (P<0.05) due to the increased offer of concentrate and SuEPM was inferior to the other treatments. Higher HCW (260.05 kg) and HCY (53.92%) were obtained with treatment SuSH as a result of greater performance. Supplementation of cattle during the dry ...

Chemical and fatty acids composition of rump cap from young bulls fed protected or unprotected oils / Composição química e ácidos graxos da picanha de tourinhos alimentados com óleos protegidos ou não protegidos

Strategies to improve the nutritional aspects of beef, mainly the fatty acids composition, have become an important goal to the scientific community. The use of different oils sources could be an interesting device due its polyunsaturated fatty acids composition. The chemical and fatty acid composition of rump cap (Biceps femoris) from 35 Nellore young bulls finished at feedlot (96 days) were analyzed. These animals were fed a control diet with sugar cane and concentrate without oil or diets containing sugar cane and concentrate with different sources of oil (soybean or linseed), protected or not from ruminal degradation. A randomized block design was adopted with five treatments and seven replications. The means were compared using orthogonal contrasts at 0.05 significance level. Animals fed diets with oil showed higher levels (P<0.05) of protein and lower levels (P<0.05) of ash than control diet. Lower cholesterol (P<0.05) levels resulted from linseed oil added treatment compared to soybean oil (37.70 and 43.80 mg/100 g, respectively); on the other hand, cholesterol levels increased (P<0.05) for protected oils compared to non-protected (44.53 and 33.97 mg/100 g). Oil added diets resulted in higher (P<0.05) linolenic acid levels. Linseed oil increased (P<0.05) the levels of the fatty acids C14:1, C16:1 and C18:1 n9. Addition of linseed oil, whether protected or not, to the animal diets improves the fatty acid composition of the rump cap by increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids and improving the omega-6:omega-3 ratio...

Estratégias para melhorar os aspectos nutricionais da carne, principalmente a composição em ácidos graxos, tornaram-se importante objetivo para a comunidade científica. A utilização de diferentes fontes de óleo poderia ser uma ferramenta interessante devido à sua composição em ácidos graxos poli-insaturados. A composição química e de ácidos graxos da picanha (Biceps femoris) de 35 tourinhos Nelore terminados em confinamento (96 dias) foram analisadas. Os animais foram alimentados com uma dieta controle contendo cana-de-açúcar e concentrado sem óleo ou dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar e concentrado com diferentes fontes de óleo (soja ou linhaça), protegido ou não de degradação ruminal. Utilizou-se delineamento em blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos e sete repetições. As médias foram comparadas usando contrastes ortogonais em nível de 5% de significância. Animais alimentados com dietas contendo óleo apresentaram teores mais elevados (P<0,05) de proteína e menores teores de cinza (P<0,05) na carne em relação àqueles alimentados com dieta controle. O óleo de linhaça reduziu (P<0,05) a concentração de colesterol em relação ao óleo de soja (37,70 e 43,80 mg/100 g, respectivamente). Por outro lado, o teor de colesterol da carne aumentou (P<0,05) para os animais alimentados com óleos protegidos em comparação aos não-protegidos (44,53 e 33,97 mg/100 g). O óleo adicionado às dietas resultou em maior (P<0,05) concentração do ácido graxo linolênico. O óleo de linhaça aumentou (P<0,05) os teores dos ácidos graxos C14:1, C16:1 e C18:1 n9. A adição de óleo de linhaça, seja protegido ou não, em dieta para tourinhos Nelore melhora a composição de ácidos graxos da picanha, aumentando a quantidade de ácidos graxos ômega-3 e melhorando a relação omega-6:omega-3.

Chemical and fatty acids composition of rump cap from young bulls fed protected or unprotected oils / Composição química e ácidos graxos da picanha de tourinhos alimentados com óleos protegidos ou não protegidos

Strategies to improve the nutritional aspects of beef, mainly the fatty acids composition, have become an important goal to the scientific community. The use of different oils sources could be an interesting device due its polyunsaturated fatty acids composition. The chemical and fatty acid composition of rump cap (Biceps femoris) from 35 Nellore young bulls finished at feedlot (96 days) were analyzed. These animals were fed a control diet with sugar cane and concentrate without oil or diets containing sugar cane and concentrate with different sources of oil (soybean or linseed), protected or not from ruminal degradation. A randomized block design was adopted with five treatments and seven replications. The means were compared using orthogonal contrasts at 0.05 significance level. Animals fed diets with oil showed higher levels (P<0.05) of protein and lower levels (P<0.05) of ash than control diet. Lower cholesterol (P<0.05) levels resulted from linseed oil added treatment compared to soybean oil (37.70 and 43.80 mg/100 g, respectively); on the other hand, cholesterol levels increased (P<0.05) for protected oils compared to non-protected (44.53 and 33.97 mg/100 g). Oil added diets resulted in higher (P<0.05) linolenic acid levels. Linseed oil increased (P<0.05) the levels of the fatty acids C14:1, C16:1 and C18:1 n9. Addition of linseed oil, whether protected or not, to the animal diets improves the fatty acid composition of the rump cap by increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids and improving the omega-6:omega-3 ratio...(AU)

Estratégias para melhorar os aspectos nutricionais da carne, principalmente a composição em ácidos graxos, tornaram-se importante objetivo para a comunidade científica. A utilização de diferentes fontes de óleo poderia ser uma ferramenta interessante devido à sua composição em ácidos graxos poli-insaturados. A composição química e de ácidos graxos da picanha (Biceps femoris) de 35 tourinhos Nelore terminados em confinamento (96 dias) foram analisadas. Os animais foram alimentados com uma dieta controle contendo cana-de-açúcar e concentrado sem óleo ou dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar e concentrado com diferentes fontes de óleo (soja ou linhaça), protegido ou não de degradação ruminal. Utilizou-se delineamento em blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos e sete repetições. As médias foram comparadas usando contrastes ortogonais em nível de 5% de significância. Animais alimentados com dietas contendo óleo apresentaram teores mais elevados (P<0,05) de proteína e menores teores de cinza (P<0,05) na carne em relação àqueles alimentados com dieta controle. O óleo de linhaça reduziu (P<0,05) a concentração de colesterol em relação ao óleo de soja (37,70 e 43,80 mg/100 g, respectivamente). Por outro lado, o teor de colesterol da carne aumentou (P<0,05) para os animais alimentados com óleos protegidos em comparação aos não-protegidos (44,53 e 33,97 mg/100 g). O óleo adicionado às dietas resultou em maior (P<0,05) concentração do ácido graxo linolênico. O óleo de linhaça aumentou (P<0,05) os teores dos ácidos graxos C14:1, C16:1 e C18:1 n9. A adição de óleo de linhaça, seja protegido ou não, em dieta para tourinhos Nelore melhora a composição de ácidos graxos da picanha, aumentando a quantidade de ácidos graxos ômega-3 e melhorando a relação omega-6:omega-3.

Quality traits and lipid composition of meat from Nellore young bulls fed with different oils either protected or unprotected from rumen degradation.

The qualitative characteristics, lipids and chemical composition of the meat of 35 Nellore young bulls were analyzed. These bulls had an average slaughter weight and fat thickness of 532.17±30.2 kg, and 7.00 mm, respectively. Significant differences were found only in the meat's water holding capacity (WHC), which was higher for animals fed with fresh linseed oil. More conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was found in the meat of animals fed with unprotected soybean oil, while better omega-6/omega-3 ratios were noted for those fed unprotected linseed oil. The addition of different vegetable oils to the bulls' diet (soybean or linseed, either protected or not protected from rumen digestion) did not interfere with the qualitative characteristics of their meat while improving the lipid composition of the longissimus muscle. Of the oils examined, unprotected linseed oil most improved the omega-6/omega-3 ratio, thus producing the healthiest meat for human consumption.

Prevention educational program of human rabies transmitted by bats in rain forest preserved area of southern Brazilian coast.

Guaraqueçaba city is a rain forest environmental protected area located on the southern coast of Brazil. Recently, the local Animal Health Service has noticed haematophagous bats feeding from humans and domestic animals, as well as bat colonies located in houses and public schools. In 2007, two non-haematophagous bats were tested positive by direct immunofluorescence for rabies in a nearby city. Native fauna and environmental laws protect non-haematophagous bats in Brazilian preserved areas such as Guaraqueçaba, making non-haematophagous bat population control almost impossible. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate a simple and feasible educational protocol applied by a multi-institutional task force in local elementary schools to prevent rabies transmitted by bats. Information was transmitted to children by video, lectures and oral question-answer section; evaluation was made by written questionnaires to teachers and students. Interinstitutional task force included public and animal health public services, a federal university and the city secretary of environment, of education, of agriculture and of animal health, and also participation of local community. Information was effectively absorbed by children when evaluated just after being given. As important, questionnaires showed that handling and playing with bats at day time was common in several elementary school students, exposing themselves to what may represent higher risk of rabies transmission than haematophagous bat feeding directly from humans. Training of teachers and students may effectively prevent rabies by bats in such communities. Insertion of this subject into science content of local elementary school educational programme was proposed in order to establish a continuing education programme on rabies transmitted by bats in environmental preserved areas.

Fractality of eroded coastlines of correlated landscapes.

Using numerical simulations of a simple sea-coast mechanical erosion model, we investigate the effect of spatial long-range correlations in the lithology of coastal landscapes on the fractal behavior of the corresponding coastlines. In the model, the resistance of a coast section to erosion depends on the local lithology configuration as well as on the number of neighboring sea sides. For weak sea forces, the sea is trapped by the coastline and the eroding process stops after some time. For strong sea forces erosion is perpetual. The transition between these two regimes takes place at a critical sea force, characterized by a fractal coastline front. For uncorrelated landscapes, we obtain, at the critical value, a fractal dimension D=1.33, which is consistent with the dimension of the accessible external perimeter of the spanning cluster in two-dimensional percolation. For sea forces above the critical value, our results indicate that the coastline is self-affine and belongs to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class. In the case of landscapes generated with power-law spatial long-range correlations, the coastline fractal dimension changes continuously with the Hurst exponent H, decreasing from D=1.34 to 1.04, for H=0 and 1, respectively. This nonuniversal behavior is compatible with the multitude of fractal dimensions found for real coastlines.

Optimal-path cracks in correlated and uncorrelated lattices.

The optimal path crack model on uncorrelated surfaces, recently introduced by Andrade et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 225503 (2009).], is studied in detail and its main percolation exponents computed. In addition to ß/ν=0.46±0.03, we report γ/ν=1.3±0.2 and τ=2.3±0.2. The analysis is extended to surfaces with spatial long-range power-law correlations, where nonuniversal fractal dimensions are obtained when the degree of correlation is varied. The model is also considered on a three-dimensional lattice, where the main crack is found to be a surface with a fractal dimension of 2.46±0.05.

Microwave inactivation of Bacillus atrophaeus spores in healthcare waste.

Public healthcare wastes from the region of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, pre-sterilized in an autoclave, were inoculated with spores of Bacillus atrophaeus for microwave processing on a laboratory scale. The influence of waste moisture (40%, 50% and 60% wet basis), presence of surfactant, power per unit mass of waste (100, 150 and 200 W/kg) and radiation exposure time (from 5 to 40 min) on the heating curves was investigated. The most favorable conditions for waste heating with respect to moisture and use of surfactant were then applied in an experimental analysis of the degree of inactivation of B. atrophaeus spores as a function of time and power per unit mass of waste. Based on Chick's and Arrhenius laws, the experimental results were adjusted by the least squares method to determine the activation energies (9203-5782 J/mol) and the Arrhenius pre-exponential factor (0.23 min(-1)). The kinetic parameters thus obtained enabled us to predict the degree of inactivation achieved for B. atrophaeus spores in typical healthcare waste. The activation energy was found to decrease as the power per waste mass increased, leading to the conclusion that, in addition to the thermal effect on the inactivation of B. atrophaeus spores, there was an effect inherent to radiation.

Hamiltonian approach for explosive percolation.

We present a cluster growth process that provides a clear connection between equilibrium statistical mechanics and an explosive percolation model similar to the one recently proposed by D. Achlioptas [Science 323, 1453 (2009)]. We show that the following two ingredients are sufficient for obtaining an abrupt (first-order) transition in the fraction of the system occupied by the largest cluster: (i) the size of all growing clusters should be kept approximately the same, and (ii) the inclusion of merging bonds (i.e., bonds connecting vertices in different clusters) should dominate with respect to the redundant bonds (i.e., bonds connecting vertices in the same cluster). Moreover, in the extreme limit where only merging bonds are present, a complete enumeration scheme based on treelike graphs can be used to obtain an exact solution of our model that displays a first-order transition. Finally, the presented mechanism can be viewed as a generalization of standard percolation that discloses a family of models with potential application in growth and fragmentation processes of real network systems.

Brazilian experience with two conditioning regimens in patients with multiple sclerosis: BEAM/horse ATG and CY/rabbit ATG.

Studies have shown that autologous hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) can be used as an intensive immunosuppressive therapy to treat refractory patients and to prevent the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). This is a prospective multicentric Brazilian MS trial comparing two conditioning regimens: BEAM/horse ATG and CY/rabbit ATG. Most (80.4%) of the 41 subjects in the study had the secondary progressive MS subtype and the mean age was 42 years. The baseline EDSS score in 58.5% of the subjects was 6.5 and 78% had a score of 6.0 or higher, respectively. The complication rate during the intra-transplantation period was 56% for all patients: 71.4% of the patients in the BEAM/hATG group and 40% in the CY/rATG group (P=0.04). Three subjects (7.5%) died of cardiac toxicity, sepsis and alveolar hemorrhage, all of them in the BEAM/ATG group. EFS was 58.54% for all patients: 47% in the BEAM/hATG group and 70% in the CY/rATG group (P=0.288). In conclusion, the CY/rATG regimen seems to be associated with similar outcome results, but presented less toxicity when compared with the BEAM/hATG regimen. Long-term follow-up would be required to fully assess the differences in therapeutic effectiveness between the two regimens.