Effect of different cryopreservation extenders added with antioxidants on semen quality and in vitro embryo production efficiency in cattle.

To evaluate the addition of antioxidants in extenders on post-thaw bovine semen quality and in vitro embryo production efficiency. Six semen samples were collected from five Holstein bulls. In the experiment I, the samples were diluted with AndroMed® and Bovimix® and added antioxidants glutathione (1.5 and 2.5 mM) and melatonin (0.5 and 1.0 mM). In the experiment II, the best treatments obtained in experiment I were used for in vitro fecundation. Glutathione did not improve sperm viability. Melatonin had a negative effect on semen characteristics. Andromed® showed better results in sperm kinetics parameters. Bovimix® was more efficient in maintaining cell integrity parameters. Significant correlation was found between sperm kinetics parameters and between cell integrity parameters. For in vitro embryo production, after oocyte selection, maturation, fertilization and cultivation were performed using the four treatments previously evaluated. Andromed® was more efficient in the cleavage rate, no effect of the addition of glutathione. However, the addition of 2.5 mM glutathione in the Bovimix® improved the cleavage rate. There was a significant moderate correlation between cleavage rate and sperm kinetic characteristics. Glutathione did not improve sperm viability. Melatonin reduced the maintenance of sperm characteristics. Andromed® was more efficient in in vitro embryo production and no effect of glutathione was found in this extender. Addition of 2.5 mM glutathione in the Bovimix® extender provided a higher cleavage rate.

Factors related to fish kill events in Mediterranean reservoirs.

Fish kills are widespread visible events perceived by the civil society as a major cause for concern about water quality and ecosystem health. Investigations conducted so far have linked fish kills to multiple factors, but extensive studies examining quantitatively the likelihood of fish kills are missing. In the present study, factors related to fish kills in 67 Mediterranean reservoirs located in the Iberian Peninsula were investigated. Moreover, the variation in the likelihood of fish kills with the foreseen consequences of anthropogenically driven climate change upon temperature and precipitation was assessed. During the 23-year period studied (1995-2017) the number of fish kills per reservoir varied from 0 to 3 and happened mostly in Southern reservoirs and during the warmest months, particularly in June. Twelve explanatory variables showed significant differences between reservoirs with and without fish die-offs. Reservoir depth, surface area oxygen and chlorophyll a concentrations were the variables that, together, best discriminated between reservoirs with and without fish kills, explaining 67.2% of the total variation in the occurrence of fish die-offs. The variables retained in the mortality model explained unique parts of that variation, but a considerable amount of the explained variation was shared by all the variables. The number of fish kill events appears to be rising during the examined period and the projection made indicated an increase in the likelihood of fish kills towards the end of the 21st century, particularly for the RCP8.5 emission scenario, with the prevalence of fish kills reaching 0.865 in Southern reservoirs. In the future, oligotrophication is likely the only strategy to consistently reduce fish kills in Mediterranean reservoirs.

Lipoma colônico invaginado / Colonic invaginated lipoma

O lipoma colônico, apesar de raro, é o segundo tumor benigno mais frequente do intestino grosso. Na maioria das vezes é pequeno e assintomático. Quando sintomáticos, são maiores que 2 cm, e apresentam-se com dor abdominal, sangue nas fezes e alteração dos hábitos intestinais. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar um caso de lipoma colônico, além de dissertar a respeito da sintomatologia, diagnóstico e formas de apresentação e tratamento do mesmo. (AU)

The colonic lipoma, although rare, is the second most frequent benign tumor in the large intestine. Most of the times is small and asymptomatic. When symptomatic, are larger than 2 cm, and present with abdominal pain, blood in stool and change of bowel habits. The objective of this work is to report a case of lipoma, colonic, in addition to speak about the symptoms and treatment. (AU)

Farelo de mesocarpo de babaçu (Orbygnia sp.) na terminação de bovinos: composição física da carcaça e qualidade da carne / Babassu mesocarp bran for finishing cattle: carcass physical composition and meat quality

Foram avaliadas a composição tecidual da carcaça e as características qualitativas da carne de 30 tourinhos mestiços (18,9 meses e 346,8kg iniciais) alimentados com dietas formuladas com diferentes proporções de farelo de mesocarpo de babaçu (Orbygnia sp.) em substituição ao milho: 0; 25; 50; 75 e 100% de substituição. Os animais foram abatidos com peso médio de 476,7kg. A porcentagem de músculo na carcaça aumentou de forma linear: 0,022% para cada ponto percentual de inclusão de farelo de mesocarpo de babaçu (FMB). Por sua vez, os percentuais de gordura e osso da carcaça variaram de forma quadrática, sendo a maior proporção de gordura observada quando a substituição de milho por FMB na dieta foi de 25% e a menor proporção de osso obtida com 50% de substituição. A relação porção comestível:osso foi maior com 42,5% de substituição do milho por FMB. À medida que se elevou a proporção de FMB nas dietas, houve decréscimo na espessura do coxão, escore muscular e compacidade da carcaça. A força de cisalhamento da carne teve acréscimos de 44kgf para cada ponto percentual de substituição do milho por FMB. Quanto à composição química da carne, verificou-se aumento no teor de matéria mineral. O uso de FMB em dietas de terminação de bovinos reduziu a maciez da carne, não alterando as demais características qualitativas.

We evaluated the carcass composition and meat qualitative characteristics, of 30 young crossbred bulls (18.9 months and 346.8kg) fed with diets with different proportion of babassu mesocarp bran (BMB) (Orbygnia sp.); replacing corn: 0, 25, 50, 70 and 100% substitution. The percentage of muscle in the carcass increased linearly, 0.022% for each percentage point of including BMB and the percentages of fat and bone had a quadratic response in which adipose tissue has increased until the replacement of 25% and bone tissue decreased to 50% substitution. The ratio of edible portion: bone increased up to 42.5%. As the levels of BMB increased, a decrease in cushion thickness, muscle score and carcass compactness occurred. The shear force of meat was increased by 44kgf for each percentage point of corn replacement. For the physical-chemical composition we observed an increase in the meat mineral matter. The use of BMB in finishing diets for beef cattle reduced the tenderness of the meat, not altering the other qualitative characteristics.

Desempenho e desenvolvimento corporal de bovinos leiteiros mestiços submetidos a níveis de suplementação em pastagem de Brachiaria brizantha / Performance and body development crossbred dairy cattle submitted to levels of supplementation in Brachiaria brizantha

Estudou-se o efeito dos níveis de suplementação energética, em pastagem de Brachiaria brizantha, sobre o desempenho e o desenvolvimento de medidas corporais de bovinos mestiços de origem leiteira na fase de desenvolvimento inicial. O experimento foi conduzido em 126 dias, divididos em seis períodos de 21 dias, correspondendo a segunda metade do período de chuvas e início do período seco. Foram utilizados 24 bovinos mestiços não castrados Holandês/Zebu, com 6 meses de idade e 118±16kg de peso vivo no início do experimento. Os tratamentos foram determinados pelo fornecimento de suplemento energético em quantidade equivalente a 0,5 ou 1,0 por cento do peso vivo. Constatou-se interação significativa entre os tratamentos e períodos experimentais sobre o ganho em peso médio diário. Animais do grupo de alto nível de suplementação (NA) mantiveram o GMD mais elevado e mais constante com a evolução dos períodos (0,95; 1,09; 1,07; 1,00; 0,93 e 0,23kg dia-1), resultando em maior peso final (231,26 vs 197,55kg), enquanto que os animais do tratamento de médio nível de suplementação (NM) apresentaram maiores oscilações de GMD entre os períodos (0,83; 0,59; 0,75; 0,78; 0,44 e 0,35kg dia-1). O grupo NA apresentou maiores patamares para as medidas finais (cm) de perímetro torácico (146,02 vs 136,44); comprimento (108,35 vs 103,22); altura da garupa (120,38 vs 112,46); altura da cernelha (113,91 vs 110,62) e não diferiu quanto ao perímetro escrotal e de canela.

It was studied the effect of energy supplementation levels in Brachiaria brizantha on performance and development of body measurements in crossbred dairy cattle at early growth stages. The experiment was conducted in 126 days, divided into six periods of 21 days, corresponding to the second half of the rainy season and early dry season. It was used 24 crossbred non-castrated Holstein / Zebu, with 6 months of age and 118±16kg live weight at the start of the experiment. Treatments were determined by the supply of energy supplement in an amount equivalent to 0.5 or 1.0 percent of body weight. It was found a significant interaction between treatments and experimental periods on the average daily weight gain. Animals with high level of supplementation (NA) had the highest and more constants ADG with the elapsing periods (0.95, 1.09, 1.07, 1.00, 0.93 and 0.23kg days-1), resulting in higher final weight (231.26 vs. 197.55kg), while animals fed with the medium level of supplementation ( NM) had higher ADG oscillations between periods (0.83, 0.59, 0.75, 0.78, 0.44 and 0.35kg day-1). The NA group showed higher final measures (cm) of girth (146.02 vs 136.44), length (108.35 vs 103.22), croup height (120.38 vs. 112.46), withers height (113.91 vs 110.62) and did not differ for scrotal circumference and cinnamon.

Defining chlorophyll-a reference conditions in European lakes.

The concept of "reference conditions" describes the benchmark against which current conditions are compared when assessing the status of water bodies. In this paper we focus on the establishment of reference conditions for European lakes according to a phytoplankton biomass indicator--the concentration of chlorophyll-a. A mostly spatial approach (selection of existing lakes with no or minor human impact) was used to set the reference conditions for chlorophyll-a values, supplemented by historical data, paleolimnological investigations and modelling. The work resulted in definition of reference conditions and the boundary between "high" and "good" status for 15 main lake types and five ecoregions of Europe: Alpine, Atlantic, Central/Baltic, Mediterranean, and Northern. Additionally, empirical models were developed for estimating site-specific reference chlorophyll-a concentrations from a set of potential predictor variables. The results were recently formulated into the EU legislation, marking the first attempt in international water policy to move from chemical quality standards to ecological quality targets.