RESUMO Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a quantidade de fibra na dieta que é capaz de promover melhor uso de nutrientes na dieta de cabras leiteiras quando a palma forrageira é a principal fonte de forragem. Quinze cabras leiteiras alpinas foram distribuídas em um quadrado latino triplo 5 × 5 contendo cinco tratamentos e cinco períodos. Testaram-se cinco dietas compostas por diferentes teores de fibra em detergente neutro de feno de tifton (FDNf) na matéria seca de rações contendo palma forrageira: D1: 11,98%; D2: 18,31%; D3: 23,68%; D4: 28,76% e D5: 32,12% de FDNf. A ingestão de matéria seca, proteína bruta, fibra em detergente neutro, carboidratos não fibrosos e extrato etéreo diminuiu linearmente com o aumento do conteúdo de FDNf. Houve um aumento linear da produção de leite e da proteína do leite com o aumento da FDNf dietética. A gordura, a lactose, o extrato seco, o pH e a acidez do leite não foram afetados pelo aumento dos níveis de FDNf na dieta. Em situações em que as cabras leiteiras são alimentadas com palma forrageira e outros tipos de forragem são limitados, 11,98% de FDN de forragem diferente da palma podem ser usados como fonte efetiva de fibra.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the amount of fiber in the diet that is able to promote better use of nutrients in the diet of dairy goats when forage palm is the main source of roughage. Fifteen Alpine dairy goats were distributed in a 5 × 5 triple Latin square containing five treatments and five periods, and each treatment contained. We tested five diets composed of different contents of neutral detergent fiber from Tifton hay (NDFf) in the dry matter of rations containing forage palm: D1: 11.98%; D2: 18.31%; D3: 23.68%; D4: 28.76% and D5: 32.12% NDFf. The intake of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, non-fiber carbohydrates and ether extract decreased linearly with the increase in NDFf content. There was a linear increase of milk production and milk protein with increasing dietary NDFf. The fat, dry extract, protein, pH and acidity of the evaluated milk were not affected by increasing the levels of NDFf in the diet. In situations where dairy goats are fed forage palm and other types of forage are limited, 11.98% NDF from forage other than palm can be used as an effective source of NDF.

RESUMO O uso de plantas indicadoras pode ser uma alternativa eficiente no monitoramento da presença de moléculas tóxicas no ar, como os herbicidas. Dessa forma, objetivou-se nesta pesquisa avaliar a sensibilidade de plantas forrageiras e daninhas a concentrações residuais atmosféricas de clomazone. Os tratamentos foram arranjados em esquema fatorial 6 x 5, com o primeiro fator correspondendo às espécies vegetais triticale (Triticosecale rimpaui), milho (Zea mays), sorgo (Sorghum bicolor), braquiarão (Urochloa brizantha), beldroega (Portulaca oleracea) e capim-braquiária (Urochloa decumbens), e o segundo, às doses de clomazone de 0, 90, 180, 270 e 360 g ha-1 (equivalentes às concentrações atmosféricas de 0,0, 0,05, 0,10, 0,15 e 0,20 mg L-1). Doze dias após emergência, as plantas foram alocadas no interior de câmaras experimentais retangulares, com volume de 500 dm3, recobertas por filme de polietileno transparente de 150 mm. As plantas ficaram exclusivamente sob a atmosfera da câmara com o herbicida por período de 96 horas. Posteriormente, as câmaras foram abertas e procedeu-se à primeira avaliação da intoxicação e, também, do teor de clorofila. As avaliações foram repetidas aos 7 e 14 dias após abertura da câmara. A presença de clomazone em concentrações mínimas na atmosfera afetou a qualidade das plantas avaliadas. Capim-braquiária, braquiarão, sorgo, triticale e beldroega são espécies sensíveis às concentrações residuais atmosféricas de clomazone, podendo ser utilizadas no monitoramento da qualidade do ar quando há resíduos dessa molécula.

ABSTRACT The use of indicator plants can be an effective alternative in monitoring the presence of toxic molecules in the air, such as herbicides. Thus, in the goal of this study is to assess the sensitivity of forage plants and weeds to atmospheric residual concentrations of clomazone. The treatments were arranged in a 6x5 factorial scheme, with the first factor corresponding to the plant species triticale (Triticosecale rimpaui), maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha), purslane (Portulaca oleracea) and signal grass (Urochloa decumbens), and the second factor to doses of 0, 90, 180, 270 and 360 g ha-1 clomazone doses (equivalent to atmospheric concentrations of 0.0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0, 20 mg L-1). Twelve days after emergence, the plants were allocated inside experimental rectangular chambers with a volume of 500 dm3, covered by 150 uM of transparent polyethylene film. The plants remained exclusively in the chamber atmosphere with the herbicide for a period of 96 hours. After the chambers were opened, there were the first evaluation of intoxication and chlorophyll content, as well. The evaluations were repeated on day 7 and 14 after the chamber opening. The presence of clomazone in minimal concentrations in the atmosphere affected the quality of the evaluated plants. Signal grass, palisade grass, sorghum, triticale and purslane were sensitive to atmospheric residual concentrations of clomazone and they can be used to monitor the air quality when there are wastes from this molecule.

ABSTRACT Eriosema campestre var. macrophylum (Grear) Fortunato, Fabaceae, is a native plant of the Brazilian Cerrado and the decoction of its roots has been used by folk medicine for the therapy of inflammatory diseases. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of the dichloromethane–ethanolic extract of E. campestre roots on the proliferative response of lymphocytes and to examine the profile of IL-2 production. The effect of dichloromethane–ethanolic extract of E. campestre on the proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes was evaluated by using flow cytometry and the cell supernatants were assayed for IL-2 concentrations by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The phytochemical screening of E. campestre roots was performed to determine the main secondary metabolites through chromogenic and precipitation reactions and by using HPLC-PAD. In addition to the presence of subclasses of flavonoids (flavones and flavonols) in dichloromethane–ethanolic extract of E. campestre, we observed that the extract induced a concentration-dependent decrease in IL-2 levels on the supernatant of the cell cultures as well as an antiproliferative effect on T lymphocytes, including CD4+ and CD8+ cells. The anti-inflammatory effects attributed to E. campestre by folk medicine may partly be explained by its antiproliferative action on T lymphocytes.

Abstract Ageratum fastigiatum (Gardner) R.M. King & H. Rob., a member of the Asteraceae family popularly known in Brazil as "matapasto", is indicated in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Despite its popular use, little is known about its potential effect on the parameters involved in an inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical composition of the essential oil from A. fastigiatum and to evaluate the frequency of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma producing cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate in the presence of essential oil from A. fastigiatum. Non-toxic concentrations of essential oil from A. fastigiatum were evaluated in cultures of peripheral blood leucocytes using the trypan blue exclusion assay by flow cytometry. GC–MS analysis revealed that the prevalent compounds identified in the essential oil from A. fastigiatum sample were α-pinene, limonene, trans-caryophyllene, α-humulene, caryophyllene oxide, 1,2-humulene-epoxide, 1,6-humulanodien-3-ol, and α-cadinol. Results showed that exposure to essential oil from A. fastigiatum at concentrations of 0.5 × 10−2 and 1 × 10−2 µl/ml caused no alterations in leukocyte viability as compared to the control group. Both concentrations lowered the percentage of tumor necrosis factor alpha (+)-lymphocytes and neutrophils. There were no changes in the percentage of lymphocytes positive for the interferon gamma cytokine. Our results suggest that part of the anti-inflammatory activity attributed to A. fastigiatum may be due to the effect of some of its components in decreasing the number of cells that produce the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha.

The phenotype-genotype associations of a panel of SNP markers selected from candidate genes related to the growth hormone GH/ IGFIendocrine axis and the fatty acid synthesis and desaturation SCD/SREBP1 pathways, were examined. Phenotypes of interest were carcass composition, meat quality and fatty acid profiles of intramuscular fat in Hereford steers under different feeding treatments during the growth and finishing stages. Variables were adjusted for the effect of eight nutritional treatments and residual values were used in the association analysis with the SNP markers. A total of 11 696 genotypes of 237 steers were determined using a panel of 58 tag-SNP in the GHR, IGF1, IGFBP6, PMCH, SOCS2, STAT6, SCD1, SCD5, SREBP1, SCAP, INSIG1, INSIG2, MBTPS1, MBTPS2 and SRPR genes. A total of 11 polymorphic SNP were significantly associated with traits of interest: GHR_ rs41639262 on EGSu and MARBL; IGF1_ rs136251088 on PCC, PCE and PISTOLA; PMCH_ rs135033882 on OME-GA36; SOCS2_ ss252841026 on Terneza2d; STAT6_ rs109171041 on Terneza2d; STAT6_rs110097583 on Terneza2d; INSIG1_ rs109314460 on Terneza21d; INSIG1_ ss252452220 on OME-GA36; SCD5_ ss252452202 on PUFA and Terneza2d; SCD5_ rs43687655 on EGSu and OMEGA36; SRPR_ rs42178091 on GRASAINTR, SFA, MUFA, PCC, PCE and PISTOLA. Additional studies could validate the marker-trait association effects that would make it possible to use these genetic markers to improve carcass and meat quality of animals under different feeding regimes.

Se realizó una validación preliminar de un panel de marcadores SNP seleccionados de genes candidatos, relacionados al eje endócrino que regulan la hormona de crecimiento GH/IGF1, y a la formación y desaturación de ácidos grasos SCD/ SREBP1, con características de composición de canal, calidad de carne y perfil de ácidos grasos de la grasa intramuscular en novillos Hereford sometidos a diferentes tratamientos de alimentación durante la etapa de recría y engorde intensivo. Se ajustaron las variables por el efecto de los 8 tratamientos nutricionales y se calcularon los valores residuales para los análisis de asociación con los marcadores SNP. Se determinó un total de 11 696 genotipos de 237 novillos utilizando un panel de 58 fag-SNP en los genes GHR, IGF1, IGFBP6, PMCH, SOCS2, STAT6, SCD1, SCD5, SREBP1, SCAP, INSIG1, INSIG2, MBTPS1, MBTPS2 y SRPR, de los cuales se encontraron 11 SNP polimórficos que estuvieron asociados significativamente: GHR_ s41639262 sobre EGSu y MARBL; IGF1_ rs136251088 sobre PCC, PCE y PISTOLA; PMCH_ rs135033882 sobre OME-GA36; SOCS2_ ss252841026 sobre Terneza2d; STAT6_ rs109171041 sobre Terneza2d; STAT6_ rs110097583 sobre Terneza2d; INSIG1_ rs109314460 sobre Terneza21d; INSIG1_ss252452220 sobre OMEGA36; SCD5_ss252452202 sobre PUFA y Terneza2d; SCD5_ rs43687655 sobre EGSu y OMEGA36; SRPR_ rs42178091 sobre GRASAINTR, SFA, MUFA, PCC, PCE y PISTOLA. Estudios adicionales podrían confirmar estos efectos, posibilitando mejorar la calidad de la canal y de la carne, de animales sometidos a diferentes tratamientos de alimentación a través de la selección.

Avaliou-se o processo de enriquecimento protéico da palma forrageira (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill) com levedura Sacharomyces cerevisiae em cultivo semi-sólido, visando melhorar o valor nutritivo da palma para ser utilizada na alimentação de ruminantes. A levedura foi utilizada nas concentrações de 1, 2 e 3% em base úmida no substrato formado pela palma forrageira, incubada em biorreatores durante 6, 12, 24 e 36 horas de fermentação. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas com quatro repetições. O conteúdo de proteína bruta quando se utilizou concentração de 3% de inóculo, no período de seis horas, aumentou de 4,4% na forma in natura para 10,4% após o processamento. Os teores protéicos na concentração de 1% do inóculo foram de 6,1, 8,1, 8,1 e 9,2%; na concentração de 2%, 9,6, 9,7, 9,8 e 9,8% e na concentração de 3%, 10,4, 10,4 7,9 e 7,9%, nos períodos de 6, 12, 24 e 36 horas de fermentação, respectivamente. Uma fonte alternativa para arraçoamento de ruminantes, pode ser obtida pela bioconversão da palma forrageira.

The process of protein enrichment of the forage palm (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill) using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast in a semi-solid culture to improve the nutritional value of forage palm for ruminants feeding was evaluated. The yeast concentrations of 1, 2 and 3% (wet basis) in the forage palm substrate were used. The periods of incubation were of 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours. A complete randomized experimental design in a split plot arrangement with four replicates was used. The crude protein content increased from 4.4% (in natura) to 10.4% when 3% of inoculums were used and the processing period was of 6 hours. The observed protein contents for 1% of the inoculum, used for the fermentation periods of 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours were 6.1, 8.1, 8.1, and 9.2%, respectively. These values were 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, and 9.8% for 2% of the inoculum, and 10.4, 10.4, 7.9, and 7.9% for 3% of the inoculum, respectively. An alternative for ruminant feeding can be obtained by bioconversion of forage palm.