Perfil metabólico de vacas Holandês e mestiças Holandês x Jersey no periparto / Metabolic profile of Holstein and crossbred Holstein x Jersey cows in the peripartum

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar e comparar o perfil metabólico de vacas Holandês (H) e mestiças Holandês x Jersey (HxJ) no periparto. Avaliaram-se 24 vacas, sendo 11 vacas Holandês e 13 mestiças Holandês x Jersey. Semanalmente, coletou-se sangue para a determinação das concentrações séricas de glicose, beta-hidroxibutirato (BHB), proteína total, albumina, aspartato aminotransferase (AST), creatinoquinase (CK), cálcio total, cálcio iônico, magnésio, fósforo inorgânico e colesterol. Avaliou-se também o peso vivo e o escore de condição corporal (ECC). Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância com medidas repetidas no tempo. As vacas Holandês apresentaram maior peso vivo. Não houve diferença entre os grupamentos genéticos para ECC. Foi observada tendência de maiores concentrações séricas de BHB, AST e maior concentração de cálcio iônico em vacas mestiças Holandês x Jersey. Vacas mestiças Holandês x Jersey e Holandês apresentaram perfil energético similar durante o período de transição pré e pós-parto na maioria dos indicadores, com exceção do cálcio, que foi maior nas vacas mestiças, e do fósforo, que foi superior nas vacas Holandês.(AU)

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the metabolic profile of Holstein (H) and crossbred Holstein x Jersey (HxJ) on peripartum. For this, 24 cows were evaluated, 11 Holstein and 13 crossbreeds Holstein x Jersey. Weekly, venous blood sample were collected to determine concentration of glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), total protein, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), total calcium, ionic calcium, magnesium, inorganic phosphorus and cholesterol. Body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) were also evaluated. The data were submitted to analysis of variance with repeated measures in time. Holstein cows presented higher BW, however, there was no difference for BCS in compare to crossbreed Holstein x Jersey cows. Tendency for higher serum concentrations of BHBA, AST and higher concentration of ionic calcium was observed in crossbreed cows in comparison to the Holstein. The energetic profile during the pre and postpartum transition period is similar for both genetic groups with higher concentrations of BHBA on the first week of lactation, however, with a tendency of higher serum concentrations of BHBA for crossbreed cows. Higher concentrations of ionic calcium were observed in crossbreed cows and higher concentrations of phosphorus in Holstein cows on peripartum. Holstein and Holtein x Jersey crossbreed cows have a similar energy profile during the pre and postpartum transition period in most of the indicators, except for calcium that was higher in crossbred cows and higher phosphorus in Holstein cows.(AU)

Spatial distribution of nominally herbivorous fishes across environmental gradients on Brazilian rocky reefs.

Assemblages of roving herbivores were consistently different between eastern, warmer, sheltered sites and western, colder, more wave-exposed sites. At eastern sites, detritivorous-herbivorous species dominated while omnivores had the highest biomass and were dominant at western sites. Macroalgivores did not show any trends related to location. These distributional patterns, at relatively small spatial scales of a few kilometres, mirror large-scale latitudinal patterns observed for the studied species along the entire Brazilian coast, where cold water associated species are abundant on south-eastern rocky reefs (analogous to the western sites of this study), and tropical species are dominant on north-eastern coral reefs (analogous to the eastern sites). Species-level analyses demonstrated that depth was an important factor correlated with biomasses of Diplodus argenteus, Sparisoma axillare and Sparisoma tuiupiranga, probably due to resource availability and interspecific competition. Herbivorous fish assemblages in the study area have been historically affected by fishing, and combined with the variation in assemblage structure, this is likely to have important, spatially variable effects on the dynamics of benthic communities.

Between-Habitat Variation of Benthic Cover, Reef Fish Assemblage and Feeding Pressure on the Benthos at the Only Atoll in South Atlantic: Rocas Atoll, NE Brazil.

The Southwestern Atlantic harbors unique and relatively understudied reef systems, including the only atoll in South Atlantic: Rocas atoll. Located 230 km off the NE Brazilian coast, Rocas is formed by coralline red algae and vermetid mollusks, and is potentially one of the most "pristine" areas in Southwestern Atlantic. We provide the first comprehensive and integrative description of the fish and benthic communities inhabiting different shallow reef habitats of Rocas. We studied two contrasting tide pool habitats: open pools, which communicate with the open ocean even during low tides, thus more exposed to wave action; and closed pools, which remain isolated during low tide and are comparatively less exposed. Reef fish assemblages, benthic cover, algal turfs and fish feeding pressure on the benthos remarkably varied between open and closed pools. The planktivore Thalassoma noronhanum was the most abundant fish species in both habitats. In terms of biomass, the lemon shark Negaprion brevirostris and the omnivore Melichtys niger were dominant in open pools, while herbivorous fishes (mainly Acanthurus spp.) prevailed in closed pools. Overall benthic cover was dominated by algal turfs, composed of articulated calcareous algae in open pools and non-calcified algae in closed pools. Feeding pressure was dominated by acanthurids and was 10-fold lower in open pools than in closed pools. Besides different wave exposure conditions, such pattern could also be related to the presence of sharks in open pools, prompting herbivorous fish to feed more in closed pools. This might indirectly affect the structure of reef fish assemblages and benthic communities. The macroalgae Digenea simplex, which is uncommon in closed pools and abundant in the reef flat, was highly preferred in herbivory assays, indicating that herbivory by fishes might be shaping this distribution pattern. The variations in benthic and reef fish communities, and feeding pressure on the benthos between open and closed pools suggest that the dynamics in open pools is mostly driven by physical factors and the tolerance of organisms to harsh conditions, while in closed pools direct and indirect effects of species interactions also play an important role. Understanding the mechanisms shaping biological communities and how they scale-up to ecosystem functioning is particularly important on isolated near-pristine systems where natural processes can still be studied under limited human impact.

Diet and trophic plasticity of an herbivorous blenny Scartella cristata of subtropical rocky shores.

The goals of the present study were to investigate the feeding rates of Scartella cristata, accounting for different water temperature regimes, and to analyse spatial and seasonal variations in its diet. The feeding rate of S. cristata was higher in warmer waters and was not correlated with season. A typical herbivorous diel feeding pattern was observed, with a steady increase in bite rate throughout the morning until a plateau in the early afternoon, followed by an abrupt decrease until the end of the daylight period. The gut contents of S. cristata included at least 41 different items. Detritus and algae (mainly filamentous) comprised most of the bulk of S. cristata's diet. Scartella cristata also exhibited significant seasonal and spatial variability in its diet. This study highlights the importance of detritus within the epilithic algal matrix in the diet of S. cristata and pinpoints that, as in coral reefs, the detrital pathway exerts an important role in the trophodynamics of subtropical rocky shores where these fish are abundant.

Epidural anaesthesia as a complication of attempted brachial plexus blockade using the posterior approach.

We report a case of accidental epidural anaesthesia as a complication of attempted brachial plexus blockade using a posterior approach in a 31-year-old man scheduled to undergo elective shoulder surgery. The block was inserted with the patient in the lateral position before induction of general anaesthesia. On emergence from anaesthesia, the patient could breathe but could not move his arms. He had no pain sensation from the fifth cervical dermatome to the third thoracic dermatome bilaterally; this resolved 8 h after surgery and he was discharged well 2 days later. Although proponents of the posterior approach to the brachial plexus claim that its use is associated with a lower incidence of significant complications, this case proves that the technique is not devoid of potentially serious complications.