ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted aiming to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude protein, based on the ideal protein concept and two rearing systems, on productive performance of brown laying hens. A total of 400 Hisex Brown laying hens between 30 and 45 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design and a 2×4 factorial arrangement, with main effects including two rearing systems (cage and floor) and levels of crude protein (140, 150, 160, and 180 g kg−1), totalizing eight treatments. Five replicates with 10 birds each were used per experimental unit. The following parameters were evaluated: egg production, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and quality traits such as dirty, cracked, or broken eggs. No interaction effect was observed between dietary protein levels and rearing systems for body weight gain, feed intake, egg production, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio. Feed intake and egg production were higher in the floor rearing system. Feed conversion ratio (kg/dz) was improved in birds reared in the cage system. The rate of cracked and broken eggs was higher in the cage system. The layers reared in the floor system produced a higher percentage of dirty eggs. The dietary protein level did not affect the evaluated parameters. Thus, we conclude that a floor rearing system is an option for layers, and the dietary protein level can be reduced up to 140 g kg−1 for Hisex Brown hens from 30 to 45 weeks of age.

Resumo Temos adaptado para o formato 3D para celular um antigo vídeo encenado pelo ator Luís Otávio Burnier. Utilizamos como visualizador uma versão própria do estereoscópio de Brewster e reivindicamos o uso correto do nome do aparelho. Para edição escolhemos o software Blender, cuja plataforma é livre. Com ele conseguimos corrigir erros ocasionados pelo aparato de filmagem. Atingimos um vídeo de boa qualidade em relação ao efeito de 3D, que pode ser facilmente observado por qualquer pessoa usando um estereoscópio comercial ou o que apresentamos.

Abstract We adapted for the 3D mobile format an old video performed by the actor Luís Otávio Burnier and claim on the proper name of the Brewster stereoscope. The software we chose for editing was Blender, whose platform is free and with whom we can correct errors caused by the filming device. We achieved an excellent 3D effect which can be easily observed through a commercial stereoscope or with the one we present.

RESUMO Introdução: p-cresol (PC) e p-cresil sulfato (PCS) são responsáveis por muitas das consequências clínicas uremia, tais como a aterosclerose em pacientes com Doença Renal Crônica (DRC). Objetivos: No presente trabalho, investigamos in vitro o impacto de PC e PCS na expressão da quimiocina monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) via NF-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 em VSMC. Métodos: O PCS foi sintetizado por sulfatação do PC. As VSMC foram extraídas por digestão enzimática da veia do cordão umbilical e caracterizadas por imunofluorescência através do anticorpo α-actina. As células foram tratadas com PC e PCS em suas concentrações normal (n), urêmica (u) e urêmica máxima (m). A viabilidade celular foi avaliada pelo ensaio de MTT. A expressão de MCP-1 foi investigada por ELISA em sobrenadantes de células após o tratamento com as toxinas, com ou sem o inibidor de NF-κB p65. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa na viabilidade das células após o tratamento com toxinas para todas as concentrações testadas. Houve um aumento significativo na expressão de MCP-1 em células tratadas com PCu e PCm (p < 0,001) e PCSn, PCSu e PCSm (p < 0,001), em comparação com o controle. Quando as VSMC foram tratadas com o inibidor de NF-κB p65 mais PCu e PCm, houve uma diminuição significativa na produção de MCP-1 (p < 0,005). Este efeito não foi observado com PCS. Conclusões: VSMC estão envolvidas na formação da lesão aterosclerótica e produção de MCP-1, o que contribui para o início da resposta inflamatória. Os nossos resultados sugerem que a PC medeia a produção de MCP-1 em VSMC, provavelmente através da via NF-κB p65 e que PCS atue através de uma subunidade diferente da via, uma vez que o inibidor da porção p65 não foi capaz de inibir a produção de MCP-1.

ABSTRACT Introduction: p-cresol (PC) and p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) are responsible for many of the uremia clinical consequences, such as atherosclerosis in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. Objectives: We investigate the in vitro impact of PC and PCS on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression via NF-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in VSMC. Methods: PCS was synthesized by PC sulfatation. VSMC were extracted by enzymatic digestion of umbilical cord vein and characterized by immunofluorescence against α-actin antibody. The cells were treated with PC and PCS at their normal (n), uremic (u) and maximum uremic concentrations (m). Cell viability was assessed by MTT. MCP-1 expression was investigated by ELISA in cells supernatants after toxins treatment with or without the NF-κB p65 inhibitor. Results: There was no significant difference in cell viability after toxins treatment for all concentrations tested. There was a significant increase in MCP-1 expression in cells treated with PCu and PCm (p < 0.001) and PCSn, PCSu and PCSm (p < 0.001), compared with the control. When VSMC were treated with the NF-κB p65 inhibitor plus PCu and PCm, there was a significant decrease in MCP-1 production (p < 0.005). This effect was not observed with PCS. Conclusions: VSMC are involved in atherosclerosis lesion formation and production of MCP-1, which contributes to the inflammatory response initiation. Our results suggest that PC mediates MCP-1 production in VSMC, probably through NF-κB p65 pathway, although we hypothesize that PCS acts through a different subunit pathway since NF-κB p65 inhibitor was not able to inhibit MCP-1 production.

Introduction Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a serious problem for workers and therefore for businesses. The hearing conservation program (HCP) is a set of coordinated measures to prevent the development or evolution of occupational hearing loss, which involves a continuous and dynamic process of implementation of hearing conservation routines through anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and subsequent control of the occurrence of existing environmental risks or of those thatmay exist in the workplace and lead to workers hearing damage. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the HCP in preventing further hearing loss in workers with audiograms suggestive of NIHL. The audiometric tests and medical records of 28 furniture company workers exposed to noise were reviewed and monitored for 2 years. Methods This retrospective, cross-sectional study examined five audiometric tests in the medical records (on admission and every semester) of 28 workers in a furniture company (totaling 140 audiometric exams) following the introduction of the HCP. Results Data analysis showed no differences between the audiometric tests conducted on admission and those performed every semester. Conclusions The HCP implemented was effective in preventing the worsening of hearing loss in workers already with NIHL when exposed to occupational noise. Therefore, such a measure could be useful for the employment of workers with hearing loss in job sectors that have noise exposure.

AIM: To evaluate in vivo the association of hypericum Hypericum perforatum, valerian Valeriana officinalis and kava Piper methysticum with analgesia by assessing their effects in reducing orofacial pain as well as the possible hepatic, hematologic and biochemical alterations induced by regular administration of these extracts. METHODS: Orofacial pain was induced in mice with the administration of 2.5% formalin in the upper lip. After 60 min, the animals were treated with saline, carbamazepine and hydroalcoholic plant extracts. The nociceptive intensity was determined by the timing at which the animal remained rubbing the injected area. To assess the hepatotoxic effect, mice were chronically treated for 25 days with saline, carbamazepine and hydroalcoholic extract. The animals were euthanized and the liver weighed, followed by a differential count of leukocytes and measurement of alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase. RESULTS: The evaluation of analgesic activity in phase 1 reduced the time of rubbing compared to the control by 86% 0.05 mL/10 g and 76% 0.10 mL/10 g. In phase 2, the extracts reduced rubbing time by 94% and 85%, respectively. In the evaluation of alkaline phosphatase, the groups treated with extracts at doses of 0.05 mL/10 g and 0.1 mL/10 g increased by 16.1% and 9.5% compared to the control group and a reduction of 8.5% and 9.1% in the evaluation of alanine transaminase respectively. It was demonstrated that in the differential counts showed an increase in eosinophils in the treated group with 0.05 mL/10 g. CONCLUSIONS: The use of hydroalcoholic extract of the associated plants reduced the orofacial formalin-induced pain with better results than carbamazepine, at both the neural conductor level of pain phase 1 and in inflammatory or later pain phase 2 without presenting hepatotoxicity. The observed eosinophilia is suggestive of a phenomenon called hormesis.

RESUMO Plantios com idade inicial de desenvolvimento apresentam descontinuidade na cobertura do solo, tendendo a apresentar maior exposição do dossel ao vento e à radiação solar, o que altera as interações solo-plantaatmosfera. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os componentes dos balanços hídricos e de energia ao longo do primeiro ano de desenvolvimento do eucalipto na região da planície costeira brasileira. O sítio experimental está localizado em uma área pertencente à empresa Fibria Celulose no município de Aracruz- ES. O espaçamento entre as árvores do plantio de eucalipto da área estudada foi de 3 x 3 m e a data do plantio foi em 15/08/2004. O período de estudo foi compreendido entre a data do plantio até a cultura ter completado 19 meses de idade. Verificou-se maior disponibilidade de energia no período de verão e que a precipitação influenciou diretamente na partição do balanço de energia, sendo que, durante todo o período estudado, a fração da energia disponível destinada à evapotranspiração foi sempre maior que a fração destinada ao aquecimento do sistema solo-planta-atmosfera, apresentando uma relação de 59,57% de λE/R. Observou-se também que o balanço hídrico com a evapotranspiração modelada apresentou boa correspondência ao comportamento da umidade observada, apresentando um coeficiente de determinação de 0,94. Os maiores portes das árvores, maiores índices de área foliar e sistema radicular, favoreceu a evapotranspiração, mostrando que a maior parte da energia disponível foi utilizada para mudança de fase da água.

ABSTRACT Eucalyptus plots with initial development ages presented discontinuity in soil cover, resulting in greater exposure of the leaves to wind and solar radiation, which alters soil-plant-atmosphere interactions. The objective of this study was to study the components of the water and energy balances along the first year of eucalyptus development in the Brazilian coastal plain region. The experimental site is located in an area belonging to the company Fibria in the municipality of Aracruz, Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The space between the planted eucalyptus trees in the area studied was 3 x 3 m and the data of planting was on August 15th, 2004. The period of study lasted from the planting date until the plot reached an age of 19 months. It was verified that there was a greater availability of energy during the summer and the precipitation directly influenced the energy balance where during the period of study the energy available necessary for evapotranspiration was always greater than the fraction necessary for heating the soil-plant atmosphere system, presenting a λE/R ratio of 59.57%. It was also observed that the water balance with the modeled evapotranspiration showed a good correspondence with the observed moisture content, presenting a determination coefficient of 0,94. In the majority of trees, greater indices of leaf and root system areas favored evapotranspiration, indicating that most energy available was utilized for changing the phase of water.

Objetivou-se neste trabalho, através da geoespacialização, a identificação das regiões aptas, restritas e inaptas ao cultivo do café (Coffea arabica L.) na Bacia do Rio Doce. Utilizou-se para tal, dados de temperatura e déficit hídrico de 50 estações meteorológicas instaladas na bacia e em bacias limítrofes. Os dados de déficit hídrico foram determinados utilizando o balanço hídrico segundo Thornthwaite & Mather (1955). Foram identificadas regiões equivalentes a um terço da bacia, localizadas na parte central e no nordeste da mesma, como sendo inaptas ao cultivo do café, conforme os critérios de produtividade relacionados com as exigências térmicas e hídricas da cultura.

It was aimed in this work, through the geospatialization, the identification of the apt, restricted and inapt regions for cultivation of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in Rio Doce watershed. It was used for such, temperature and water deficit data of 50 meteorological stations installed in the watershed and in bordering watershed. The data of water deficit were determined using the water balance according to Thornthwaite & Mather (1955). They were identified equivalent regions the one third of the watershed, located in the central part and in the northeast of the same, as being inapt to the cultivation of coffee, according to the productivity criterions related with the thermal and hydric demands of culture.

Foi investigada a influência da fração rica em alcalóides e da substância majoritária desta fração, uleína, isolada das cascas de Himatanthus lancifolius (Muell. Arg.) Woodson, Apocynaceae, popularmente conhecida como agoniada, sobre a produção de óxido nítrico em células RAEC e B16F10 e a correlação com a atividade antioxidante. Os ensaios de atividade antioxidante foram realizados utilizando os métodos de redução do complexo fosfomolibdênico e o da redução do radical livre DPPH. Os resultados demonstraram uma atividade antioxidante de 59,3 ± 0,8% para a fração alcaloídica, enquanto que, para a uleína, esse efeito foi de 0,5 ± 0,1% no ensaio de redução do complexo fosfomolibdênico. No ensaio do DPPH, a fração alcaloídica apresentou IC50 = 196,3 ± 8,9 µg/mL e para a uleína 6475,0 ± 25,0 µg/mL. A uleína, principal alcalóide da fração, estimulou uma produção máxima de óxido nítrico nas concentrações de 0,1 µg/ml (20,9 ± 1,4 µM) e 1 µg/ml (41,1 ± 0,2 µM) utilizando células RAEC e B16F10, respectivamente, demonstrando que o efeito da uleína nas células ocorre através de estímulos nas vias de produção de óxido nítrico e não por um efeito sequestrante de radical livre.

The influence of the rich alkaloidal fraction and of the major substance in this fraction, uleine, isolated from the barks of Himatanthus lancifolius (Muell. Arg.) Woodson, Apocynaceae, popularly known as agoniada, on the nitric oxide production in RAEC and B16F10 cells and its correlation with the antioxidant activity, were investigated. For the antioxidant activity the methods of formation of a phosphomolybdenum complex and the reduction of the free radical DPPH were used. The results demonstrated an antioxidant activity of 59.3 ± 0.8% for the alkaloidal fraction, while for uleine the effect was of 0.5 ± 0.1% in the reduction of the phosphomolibdenium method. In the assay of DPPH, the alkaloidal fraction presented IC50 = 196.3 ± 8.9 µg/mL and for uleine, 6475.0 ± 25.0 µg/mL. Uleine also stimulated a maximum nitric oxide production in the concentrations of 0.1 µg/mL (20.9 ± 1.4 µM) and 1 µg/mL (41.1 ± 0.2 µM) using RAEC and B16F10 cells, respectively, demonstrating that the effect of uleine in the cells occurs by promoting the nitric oxide production pathway, but not through a free radical scavenger effect.