The Use of Secondary Grape Biomass in Beef Cattle Nutrition on Carcass Characteristics, Quality and Shelf Life of Meat

We determined whether the inclusion of 100 g/kg dry matter of grape pomace silage (GPS) and grape pomace bran (GPB) as substitutes for other traditional fiber sources in the diet of steers (Charolais x Nellore) would improve carcass characteristics, meat quality and composition, and shelf life. Twenty-four animals (248 ± 19.32 kg of initial body weight) were fed a high concentrate diet for 121 days. Carcass characteristics were measured, and the longissimus dorsi muscle was analyzed for fatty acid (FA) profile and composition. The meat was sliced and stored in air-permeable packages for 10 days. On each sampling day (d 1, 3, 7, and 10), oxidative stability, bacterial load, lipid and protein oxidation, and staining were analyzed. The experimental diets influenced the pH of cold carcasses only. The GPS group had a higher pH than the control. The GPS and GPB groups showed improved oxidant status (i.e., lower lipid peroxidation and concentrations of reactive oxygen species were in the meat of both groups than in control). On the first day of storage, the antioxidant enzyme glutathione S-transferase activity was more significant in the meat of the GPS and GPB groups than in the control. The bacterial loads in the meat were attenuated by GPS inclusion;there were lower total coliform counts and a trend toward lower counts for enterobacteria in the control group. The diets altered the FA profile of the meat;i.e., the GPB diet allowed for a more significant amount of the n-6 omegas in the meat, while the GPS diet showed a tendency for a more significant amount of n-6 and 9 omegas. Both diets (GPS and GPB) increased the amounts of long-chain FAs. The GPS diet decreased saturated FA levels. We conclude that the dietary treatments GPS and GPB are a promising alternative to maintain meat quality standards throughout in real-world retail conditions. These treatments gave rise to an improvement in the nutritional value of the meat due to the more significant amounts of FAs that improve human health.

The Hidden Geometry of the Babylonian Square Root Method

We propose and demonstrate an original geometric argument for the ancient Babylonian square root method, which is analyzed and compared to the Newton-Raphson method. Based on simple geometry and algebraic analysis the former original iterated map is derived and reinterpreted. Time series, fixed points, stability analysis and convergence schemes are studied and compared for both methods, in the approach of discrete dynamical systems.

In vitro and in vivo trypanocidal action of aescin and aescin liposomes against Trypanosoma evansi in experimental mice

Objective:To verify the trypanocidal effectiveness of aescin and aescin liposomes against Trypanosoma evansi in vitro and in vivo.Methods:Aescin and aescin liposomes were used in vitro on trypomastigotes at different concentrations(0.5%,1.0%and 2.0%) and exposure times(0,1,3,6 and 9 h).In vivo tests were performed using mice as the experimental model.Trypanosome evansi infected mice were treated with aescin and aescin liposomes with doses of 60 and 100 mg/kg during 4 d.Results:The three concentrations tested in free form and nanoencapsulated showed trypanocidal activity in vitro,completely eliminating the parasites in small concentration after6 h of assay.Animals treated with aescin(100 mg/kg) and aescin liposomes(100 mg/kg)showed increase in longevity,however without curative effect.Conclusions:Active compounds present in natural products,such as aescin,may potentiate the treatment of trypanosomosis when used in association with other trypanocidal drugs.

Two New Iterated Maps for Numerical Nth Root Evaluation

In this paper we propose two original iterated maps to numerically approximate the nth root of a real number. Comparisons between the new maps and the famous Newton-Raphson method are carried out, including fixed point determination, stability analysis and measure of the mean convergence time, which is confirmed by our analytical convergence time model. Stability of solutions is confirmed by measuring the Lyapunov exponent over the parameter space of each map. A generalization of the second map is proposed, giving rise to a family of new maps to address the same problem. This work is developed within the language of discrete dynamical systems.

Dietary supplementation with curcumin-loaded nanocapsules in lambs:Nanotechnology as a new tool for nutrition

Curcumin-containing nanocapsule powder formulations have not been used in ruminant feed to date,despite the fact that curcumin is known to be a functional food additive.The objective of this study was to determine whether ethyl polymethacrylate(Eudragit L-100)nanocapsules loaded with curcumin(N-CU)would improve health and growth of lambs.Thirty-two male Lacaune lambs(body weight[BW]=16±0.99 kg;45 d of age)were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments:T0,T1,T2 and T4,representing supplementation of curcumin at 0,1,2,and 4 mg/kg concentrate,respectively.The animals in each treatment were allocated in 4 pens of 2 lambs each(8 lambs per treatment).The experiment lasted 17 d,with samples and measurements collected on d 0,7,12,and 17.The T2 lambs had greater average daily gain than T0 lambs.Regression analysis showed that the ideal dose of N-CU to enhance weight gain was 1.89 mg/kg concentrate.There were significant interactions(P<0.05)between treatments×time for hematological variables,particularly for increases in erythrocytes(T2)and re-ductions in counts of leukocytes,neutrophils,and lymphocytes in T1 and T2.There were significant interactions between treatment×time for total protein,globulin,urea,and triglyceride levels.Stimu-lation of the antioxidant system was also observed.There were increased levels of non-protein thiols(NPSH),as well as increased activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione S-transferase(GST)in the supplemented animals.Levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were lower in the serum of sup-plemented lambs.In general,the 4 mg/kg dose had no positive effects on growth or health.This was an unexpected result,given the known properties of curcumin.Taken together,these findings suggest that addition of low concentrations of nanoencapsulated curcumin(T1 and T2)in lamb feed improves health,minimizing oxidative stress and generates anti-inflammatory effects that may have contributed indi-rectly to greater weight gain.Nanocapsules potentiate the effects of curcumin and may emerge as a new tool in animal nutrition.

Tilapia processing waste silage (TPWS): An alternative ingredient for Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) diets in biofloc and clear-water systems

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance of Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles reared under biofloc and clear-water conditions fed with different inclusion levels of tilapia processing waste silage(TPWS)based-diets.The experiment was performed in two individual systems:biofloc(BS)and clear-water systems(CWS).The trial used forty 40 L rectangular plastic bins(twenty per system)in a density of 63 shrimp/m^(2).The juveniles were distributed in a factorial completely randomized experimental design.The treatments were based on the percentage of silage inclusion(control or 0,1.5%,3.0%,4.5%and 6.0%of inclusion)in BS or CWS,totalizing ten treatments and four replicates.Survival was above 80%in all treatments and was not affected by both systems and diet.Shrimp final weight and SGR were statistically influenced by system(P<0.05)but not by the diet;and presented high values in BS.The inclusion of TPWS in L.vannamei diets did not affect shrimp performance.In addition,shrimp raised in BS demonstrated better growth performance as compared to CWS.