Use of Soy Protein Concentrate in Pre-Starter and Starter Diets for Broilers

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of using soy protein concentrate (SPC) in pre-starter and starter diets for broilers. In the first experiment, 600 male Cobb broilers, between one and 40 days of age, were distributed in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and six replications of 25 birds each. Treatments were ofered to broilers in the pre-starter and starter diets and consisted of inclusion of soy protein concentrate (0,3,6 and 9%) in diets. The parameters evaluated were: body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, consumption of ration, enzyme production in the pancreas, villus: crypt ratio, leukocyte count and immunoglobulin A (IgA) dosage. Aimed to determine the coefficient of nutrient metabolization of feeds, 144 male Cobb chicks were distributed, between 14 and 21 days of age, with four treatments and six replications of six birds per experimental unit. Treatments were the same as in the first experiment. The use of 3 and 9% of SPC did not affect weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion or viability of the poultry. The use of 6% of SPC provided an increase in trypsin activity, villi length and crypt depth; the coefficient of dry matter metabolization increased linearly; but no differences were observed in performance or immunological parameters.(AU)

Use of Soy Protein Concentrate in Pre-Starter and Starter Diets for Broilers

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of using soy protein concentrate (SPC) in pre-starter and starter diets for broilers. In the first experiment, 600 male Cobb broilers, between one and 40 days of age, were distributed in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and six replications of 25 birds each. Treatments were ofered to broilers in the pre-starter and starter diets and consisted of inclusion of soy protein concentrate (0,3,6 and 9%) in diets. The parameters evaluated were: body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, consumption of ration, enzyme production in the pancreas, villus: crypt ratio, leukocyte count and immunoglobulin A (IgA) dosage. Aimed to determine the coefficient of nutrient metabolization of feeds, 144 male Cobb chicks were distributed, between 14 and 21 days of age, with four treatments and six replications of six birds per experimental unit. Treatments were the same as in the first experiment. The use of 3 and 9% of SPC did not affect weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion or viability of the poultry. The use of 6% of SPC provided an increase in trypsin activity, villi length and crypt depth; the coefficient of dry matter metabolization increased linearly; but no differences were observed in performance or immunological parameters.

Comparação Dos Valores Séricos De Enolase Neuronal Específica Em Cães Saudáveis E Com Encefalite

Biomarcadores são utilizados na medicina humana e veterinária com intuito de auxiliar as condutas clínicas. A enolase neuronal específica (neuronal especific enolase - NSE) é um biomarcador de citólise neuronal, que possui estabilidade em fluídos extracelulares, como sangue e líquido cerebroespinhal. Em pesquisas clínicas com humanos, foi observada confiabilidade em amostras séricas para diferenciar e estimar danos no sistema nervoso central em casos de encefalite. Na medicina veterinária, não foram encontrados estudos avaliando a expressão da NSE em amostras séricas de cães com encefalite. Deste modo, os objetivos desse estudo foram comparar os valores da NSE sérica em cães com e sem encefalite e avaliar a eficácia do teste de ELISA na detecção do biomarcador. Para isso, foram utilizados no total 38 cães, distribuídos em dois grupos, sendo 19 cães com encefalite (GE) e 19 cães sem encefalite (GS). Os critérios para inclusão para o GS foram: idade entre 1 e 7 anos, com exames clínico e laboratoriais normais. Para o GE os critérios de inclusão foram: cães com sinais neurológicos encefálicos, diagnóstico molecular positivo para cinomose, e ausência de sinais de hemólise. Quanto aos resultados obtidos verificou-se que para o GE os valores séricos de NSE mais elevados, com maior variação, e média e mediana superiores ao GS, havendo diferença significativa entre os grupos (p = 0,0053). A NSE pode ser mensurada nas amostras séricas testadas, demonstrando a viabilidade do teste de ELISA utilizando anticorpos humanos. Conclusão: foram detectados valores elevados de NSE em cães com encefalite quando comparados com os cães sem encefalite, e que o teste de ELISA pode ser usado para mensurar a NSE em amostras de soro de cães, e, contribuindo para a validação de NSE sérica como um biomarcador para auxiliar na avaliação de cães com encefalite.

The use of biomarkers in human and veterinary medicine is important to help the clinical management. Regarding to this, the specific neuronal enolase (NSE) is a biomarker resultant of the neuronal cell lysis, which demonstrate stability in extracellular fluids such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid. In human clinical researchs, was observed reliability in serum samples to distinguish and estimate the central nervous system damage in cases of encephalitis. In veterinary medicine, there are no studies evaluating the expression of NSE in serum samples from dogs with encephalitis. Thus, the objectives of this study was to compare the values of serum NSE in healty dogs and dogs with encephalitis and to evaluate theefficacy of the ELISA test using human antibodies in the detection of biomarker. For this, we used 38 dogs in total, divided into two groups, 19 dogs with encephalitis (GE) and 19 dogs without encephalitis (GS). The criteria for inclusion in to the GS were aged 1 to 7 years, with normal clinical and laboratory tests. For the GE inclusion, criteria were dogs with neurological signs brain injury, positive molecular diagnosis for distemper, and no signs of hemolysis. Regarding the results obtained it was found that for the GE serum NSE values higher with greater variation, and higher mean and median GS, there was a significant difference between the groups (p = 0.0053). In the serum samples tested, the NSE was effectivelly measured, demonstrating the feasibility of ELISA using human antibodies. Conclusions: in dogs with encephalitis the NSE values werer higher when compared to dogs without encephalitis, presenting a significant difference between the groups and contributing to the validation of serum NSE as a biomarker; the ELISA test can be used to measure the NSE in serum samples of dogs.

Diagnóstico da síndrome da disfunção cognitiva em cães idosos após procedimento cirúrgico-anestésico

A disfunção cognitiva é definida como alterações dos processos mentais e sua detecção é feita com auxílio de testes neuropsicológicos. Pesquisas vem sendo realizadas na tentativa de estabelecer prováveis marcadores neurobioquímicos precoces para estimar morte neuronal. O presente estudo avaliou 24 cães distribuídos em dois grupos: GC grupo controle (até 8 anos) (n=10) e GI grupo idoso (acima de 8 anos) (n=14). Todos os animais foram submetidos ao tratamento periodontal sob anestesia geral e avaliados previamente quanto à presença de outras doenças sistêmicas. Para tal foram submetidos a teste neurológico completo, exame cardiológico e à colheita de sangue venoso periférico para realização de hemograma completo, perfil renal e hepático. Os animais foram avaliados quanto a cognição com auxílio de duas escalas neuropsicológicas (ARCAD e CCDR) e à avaliação dos valores séricos das proteínas marcadoras de danos neuronais (NSE e S100), nos períodos pré e pós-operatórios. Constatou-se aumento significativo da proteína S100 no GI em relação ao GC (p=0,014) no momento pré-operatório, e também entre os momentos pós-extubação nos animais do GC (p=0,04). Por meio das escalas comportamentais empregadas, não foi possível detectar a disfunção cognitiva no pós-cirúrgico de cães idosos submetidos a procedimento cirúrgico-anestésico. Os valores obtidos da proteína S100 sugerem que os animais idosos possuem possível neuroinflamação pré-operatória, ocasionada por inflamação sistêmica ou mesmo central; entretanto não foi possível correlacionar com as escalas comportamentais empregadas.

Cognitive dysfunction is defined as changes in mental processes and it detection is performed with the aid of neuropsychological tests. Recently research has been conducted in attempt to establish early neuro biochemicals markers to estimate neuronal death. This study evaluated 24 dogs that were distributed into two groups: CG - control group (up to 8 years old) (n = 10) and EG - elderly group (over 8 years) (n = 14). All animals underwent periodontal treatment under general anesthesia and were previously evaluated to detect the presence of systemic diseases. A complete neurological and cardiac examination were performed in all animals and also a peripheral venous blood samples were collected for blood count, kidney and liver profile. The animals were assessed for cognition by using two neuropsychological scales (ARCAD and CCDR) and the assessment of serum levels of protein markers of neuronal damage (NSE and S100) pre and postoperatively. A significant increase in S100 protein in EG compared to the CG (p = 0.014) in the preoperative period was observerd and also between the post-extubation times in the animals of CG (p = 0.04). Through behavioral scales used it was not possible to detect cognitive dysfunction in the postoperative elderly dogs underwent surgical - anesthetic procedure. The values of S100 protein suggest that elderly animals may have preoperative neuroinflammation caused by systemic or central inflammation; however we could not correlate with the behavioral scales.

Larvas de Synoestropsis sp. (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) são predadoras?

Morphological characteristics of the Synoestropsis sp. larvae (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) suggests that this species is a predator. We examined the stomach contents of 48 Synoestropsis sp. larvae collected in four savannah rivers (Arraia, Cauamé, Cotingo and Ereu) in the state of Roraima during the dry season to evaluate their feeding habits. The high frequency of animal items in the stomach content confirmed the hypothesis that this specie is a predator.

Características morfológicas sugerem que larvas de Synoestropsis sp. (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) são predadoras. Examinamos o conteúdo estomacal de 48 larvas de Synoestropsis sp. coletadas na época de estiagem de quatro rios de cerrado (Arraia, Cauamé, Cotingo e Ereu) do estado de Roraima para avaliar o hábito alimentar de larvas desse gênero. A alta freqüência de itens animais no conteúdo estomacal das larvas corrobora a hipótese de que esta espécie é predadora.