Feeding Dairy Ewes with Fresh or Dehydrated Sulla (Sulla coronarium L.) Forage. 1. Effects on Feed Utilization, Milk Production, and Oxidative Status.

Feeding dairy ewes with fresh sulla forage (FSF), a legume species containing condensed tannins (CT), has been shown to increase feed intake, milk yield, and casein and enhances the oxidative status of animals. Dehydration of FSF could be an alternative to hay-making to preserve the nutritional properties. This research aimed to compare the responses of dairy ewes fed with diets based on sulla hay (SH), pelleted dehydrated sulla forage (DSF), or FSF in terms of efficiency of feed utilization, milk production, and the balance between oxidant (reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs)) and antioxidant (biological antioxidant potential (BAP)) substances at the plasma level. Ten first-lambing (FL) and ten third-lambing (TL) ewes of the Valle del Belice breed at 60 days in milk were allocated into five homogeneous groups fed with different diets in a partial 5 × 2 Latin square design with two phases. The diets differed for the forage basis: SHL = SH ad libitum; DSF2 = 2 kg/day DSF per head plus SH ad libitum; FSF2 = 2 kg/day FSF per head plus SH ad libitum; FSF4 = 4 kg/day FSF per head plus SH ad libitum; FSFL = FSF ad libitum. A commercial concentrate was provided to FL (0.8 kg/day per head) and TL (1.2 kg/day per head) ewes. Dehydration induced slight variations in the content of protein and fiber, showed no loss of vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and decreased the level of CT and polyphenols. The DSF2 diet resulted in a higher intake of dry matter, protein, and vitamin E compared to the other diets, whereas, compared to the FSFL diet, its intake was analogous for net energy and was lower in CT and polyphenols. The DSF2 diet was comparable to FSF4 and FSFL diets for milk yield, and to all diets for casein content and the clotting ability of milk. Ewes fed a DSF2 diet exhibited lowest values of ROMs and oxidative stress index (OSI = ROMs/BAP), indicating a better oxidative status, presumably due to the antioxidant protection exerted by the higher vitamin E intake and CT metabolites. These results confirmed the positive effects of FSF on milk production, especially due to CT intake, in improving the efficiency of dietary protein utilization, and showed how favorable effects also occur when FSF is replaced by DSF instead of SH.

A Comparative Assessment of Agronomic and Baking Qualities of Modern/Old Varieties and Landraces of Wheat Grown in Calabria (Italy).

The cultivation of wheat has been part of the evolution of human civilisation since ancient times. Wheat breeding has modified some of its characteristics to obtain improved varieties with high production potential that better meet the demands of the bread and pasta industry. Even today, there are still old varieties, landraces, adapted to particular environments. They are still cultivated in some areas because of the interest shown by the market in typical bakery products expressing the cultural heritage of local communities. The aim of this work was to evaluate the bio-agronomic and bakery characteristics of four modern genotypes, one old cultivar and two landraces of wheat typically grown in Calabria (Southern Italy). The experiment was carried out over two years in two different locations, during which the main bio-agronomic and quality traits related to bread making aptitude were detected. A marked difference was found between the landraces and the other genotypes in both agronomic and technological characteristics. Despite the higher protein and gluten content, landraces were found to have a significantly lower gluten index.

Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Durum Wheat Under Different Nitrogen and Water Regimes in the Mediterranean Basin.

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) represents one of the main goals to reduce N input in maximizing crop yield for sustainable agriculture. A NUE key strategy is the exploitation of genetic variation in available germplasm together with the understanding of molecular mechanisms governing this complex trait. Thus, NUE, its components, nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE) and nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE), and NUE-related traits heritability were evaluated in ancient (Cappelli, Capeiti, Russello, and Mazzancoio) and modern (Messapia, Tiziana, Svevo, and Normanno) wheat genotypes for tackling nitrogen (N) and/or water limitation in both growth chamber and field experiments. Our results exhibited a reduction of NUE, NUpE, and NUtE under water and combined (nitrogen + water) stress in all the genotypes, as expected. The contribution of genetic variability on phenotypic variation was significant for NUtE, harvest index, post-anthesis nitrogen uptake (PANU), and biomass production traits. Moreover, the stress tolerance indexes, calculated and bi-plotted for N and water stresses, exhibited two distinct clusters for many traits as then confirmed by principal component analysis. Although modern varieties showed higher crop yield and NUE under conventional N and water regimes, ancient varieties exhibited best performances to cope with both stresses, mainly under water limitation. Finally, the usage index, which takes into account total biomass increase, underlined that old genotypes were less affected by both stresses during crop cycle. In particular, these genotypes showed the best performances for NUE and its components under both stresses at stem elongation and milk ripening as shown also by PANU. In addition, at these stages, nitrate and ammonium transporter gene expressions in the root were performed, showing the highest activity in ancient varieties. In conclusion, the identification of NUE traits during a specific crop cycle stage, under both N and water limitation, will help in the breeding of more resilient varieties in Mediterranean sustainable agriculture by reducing N supply.

Influência da hidroterapia no equilíbrio estático e dinâmico em idoso / Hydrothepy's influence on the static and dynamic balance on elder people

Com o envelhecimento o sistema vestibular pode apresentar déficits funcionais, resultando em alterações no equilíbrio e consequentemente aumento dos riscos de quedas. Embasado neste pressuposto este trabalho tem como objetivo verificar a influência da hidroterapia no equilíbrio estático e dinâmico de idosos através do teste de equilíbrio e mobilidade de Tinetti. Participaram desta pesquisa 9 pacientes, do sexo feminino, na faixa etária entre 65 a 80 anos. Foram submetidas a uma avaliação funcional do equilíbrio estático e dinâmico através do teste de Tinetti, antes e após a realização das 10 sessões de fisioterapia. Na comparação dos resultados pré e pós intervenção foi utilizado o teste de wilcoxon, onde observou melhora significativa no equilíbrio (p= 0.0077), na marcha (p= 0.0117), e na avaliação de Tinetti (p= 0.0077). Concluiu-se que a reabilitação aquática apresentou melhora significativa em relação à marcha e equilíbrio avaliada por meio da escala de Tinetti, sendo um instrumento sensível para detectar alterações no equilíbrio em idosos saudáveis.

With the aging the system initial can present déficits functional, resulting in alterations in the balance and consequentemente increase of the risks of falls. Based in this estimated this work it has as objective to verify the influence of the hidrotherapy in the static balance and dynamic of aged through the test of balance and mobility of Tinetti. 9 patients had participated of this research, of the feminine sex, in the etária band enter the 65 80 years. They had been submitted to a functional evaluation of the static balance and dynamic through the test of Tinetti, before and after the accomplidhment of the 10 sessions of physiotherapy. In the comparison of the results daily pay and after intervention the test of wilcoxon was used, where it observed significant improvement in the balance (p= 0,0077), in the march (p= 0,0117), and in the evaluation of Tinetti (P= 0,0077). A sensible instrument was concluded that the aquatic whitewashing presented significant improvement in relation to the march and balance evaluated by means of the scale of Tinetti, being to detect alterations in the balance in aged healthful.

Estudo comparativo da flexibilidade de isquiotibiai em portadores de osteoartrose de joelho: solo versus imersão / Comparative study of the hamstring flexibility in knee osteoarthritis bearers: soil versus immersion

Alongamento estático é o mais utilizado para se obter aumento da flexibilidade e relaxamento muscular. O objetivo deste trabalho é comparar o alongamento passivo de isquiotibiais em voluntárias portadoras de osteoartose de joelho tanto no solo quanto em imersão, utilizando o flexímetro como instrumento de avaliação. Foram estudadas 12 mulheres divididas em dois grupos: G1 - Hidroterapia - 6 mulheres com idade média de 66,2 = 5,5 e G2 - solo - 6 mulheres com idade média de 63,8 = 12,3. Foram realizadas 3 séries de alongamento dos isquiotibiais durante 30 segundos, num total de 12 sessões consecutivas. Após o término do protocolo de reabilitação, os pacientes realizaram nova avaliação em relação à amplitude articular do quadril com a utilização do flexímetro. Os dados obtidos entre os grupos foram comparados pelo teste t de Student, com nível de significância estabelecido em p<0,05. Ao comparar a flexibilidade entre os grupos de solo e imersão, ambos apresentaram ganho na flexibilidade dos isquiotibiais, porém não foram observados diferenças estatisticamente significativa (p<0,05). Conclui-se que ambos os grupos apresentaram ganho da flexibilidade, porém o grupo solo obteve um ganho maior em relação ao grupo imersão, não havendo diferença estatisticamente.

Static stretching is the most utilized method to obtaining an increase in muscle flexibility and relaxation. The aim of this study was to compare the passive stretching of hamstrings os female volunteers bearing knee osteoarthritis on the ground as well as in water immersion, using a fleximeter as a valuation instrument. A group composing of 12 women was studied, divided into two groups: G1 - Hydrotherapy - 6 women with average age 66,2 + 5,5, and G2 - Ground - 6 women with average age of 63,8 + 12,3. They performed three stretching series during 30 seconds, for a total of 12 sessions. After the end of the rehabilitation protocol, the patients were revaluted according to the hip range of motion, measured by the fleximeter. The data obtained between the groups was compared by the T's stedent test, with significance level established as p<0,05. Comparing the flexibility between the ground group and the water immersion group, both had an increase on hamstrings flexibility, however there were no statistically significant differences (p<0,05). Therefore, we conclude that both groups had an increase of flexibility, although the ground group had a greater increase than water immersion group, without statistical difference.