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Background. The associations of poaceae and fabaceae forage species are important to provide cattle with a balanced diet between proteins and carbohydrates; also to contribute to the sustainable management of soils. Objective. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of the natural biostimulant on the triticale forage components during staggered sowing associated with faba bean. Methodology. The research was carried out under a randomized complete block experimental design with three repetitions. The genetic material was a line of semi-late triticale and a local variety of faba bean. Applications of a biostimulant were made in two phenological of the triticale stages forage during the staggered sowing (0, 20 and 40 days after sowing the bean). The variables evaluated were percentage increase of foliar N in triticale, biomass in triticale and broad bean, green forage yield of triticale and faba bean, presence of Rhizobium nodules in faba bean and interspecific competition indices of the associated system. Implications. The establishment of a triticale-faba bean association requires certain planting arrangements, varieties and nutrition to avoid the effects of competition, which cause the dominance or displacement of any of the species. Conclusions. The application of biostimulant in triticale in the tillering stage 20 days after sowing the bean, the highest yield of triticale forage was found, allowing the increase in the concentration of foliar nitrogen (1.8%) and rhizobial nodules per plant (175.83) of broad bean; higher biomass (6.49 t ha-1) in triticale and higher amount of total forage (39.02 t ha-1). The competition indices indicate that the bean cultivation in association favors the total relative yield without showing aggressive behavior between crops (A = 0); triticale and faba bean share their competitive capacity (CR>1) according to staggered plantings with and without biostimulant in a certain phenological state of triticale.

Three-dimensional physical models of low-crested, detached rubble-mound breakwaters were built, with their individual sections representing the following components of the breakwater: front slope, crest, back slope, total section (combination of the three previous sections), front head, and back head. The stability of the armor units in each of these sections was assessed, for different freeboards, using irregular waves. In a 1992 paper, Vidal et al. presented the stability criteria for the different trunk sections of this model breakwater. This paper focusses on test results from the head sections. A comparison between the stabilities of the head and trunk sections is also discussed. The stability of the back head (BH) section is found to be highly freeboard-dependent. For fully submerged conditions, the back head is one of the most stable sections of the breakwater. On the other hand, when the breakwater is nonovertopping, it is the least stable section. The front head (FH) section's behavior is similar to that of the front slope section of the breakwater trunk; its stability increases linearly as the freeboard decreases (i.e., as the breakwater becomes immersed). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The description of a sea state just by its variance spectral density and duration is not enough to analyze the stability of rubble-mound breakwaters, since it does not include an adequate characterization of the large waves in that sea state. Numerical simulation has been used to demonstrate that different time domain characteristics result from the simulation of a sea state solely defined by its spectrum and its duration. As a result, it is also possible to obtain drastically different damage values on a given breakwater. A relationship between the groupiness factor and some extreme wave-height parameters such as H 1/20 has also been illustrated by this numerical simulation. Because of these results, arguments for the use of a new wave parameter, which is based on the distribution of large wave heights, to characterize breakwater stability are made. This new parameter also accounts for the duration of the test. The present paper may be helpful in explaining some of the variability found in the results of breakwater tests carried out by different laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo: avaliar, por meio de estudo prospectivo, o valor de diferentes características ultra-sonográficas dos nódulos sólidos, na diferenciação de lesões malignas e benignas da mama. Métodos: foram incluídas 142 pacientes do Programa de Mastologia do Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Universidade Federal de Goiás com nódulos sólidos da mama. A ultra-sonografia mamária foi realizada pelo médico estagiário de mastologia, acompanhado do preceptor. As seis características estudadas foram: contornos, ecos internos, ecos posteriores, diferença dos diâmetros, ligamentos de Cooper e halo ecogênico. Cada descrição característica ultra-sonográfica foi analisada estatisticamente e comparada, após a exérese da lesão, com o resultado do exame anatomopatológico. Resultados: dentre as 142 pacientes incluídas no estudo, 90 (63%) tiveram suas lesões ressecadas, com diagnóstico de 77 tumores benignos (86%) e 13 de malignos (14%). Foram significantes no diagnóstico de malignidade as seguintes características ultra-sonográficas: presença de sombra acústica posterior (p=0,0001), contornos irregulares (p=0,0007), ecos internos heterogêneos (p=0,0015) e diâmetro ântero-posterior (AP) maior que o látero-lateral (LL) (p

Post-mortem bacterial culture and specific biochemical tests are currently performed to characterize the etiologic agent of bovine tuberculosis. Cultures take up to 90 days to develop. A diagnosis by molecular tests such as PCR can provide fast and reliable results while significantly decreasing the time of confirmation. In the present study, a nested-PCR system, targeting rv2807, with conventional PCR followed by real-time PCR, was developed to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) organisms directly from bovine and bubaline tissue homogenates. The sensitivity and specificity of the reactions were assessed with DNA samples extracted from tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria, as well as other Actinomycetales species and DNA samples extracted directly from bovine and bubaline tissue homogenates. Regarding the analytical sensitivity, DNA of the M. bovis AN5 strain was detected up to 1.5 pg by nested-PCR, whereas DNA of M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain was detected up to 6.1 pg. The nested-PCR system showed 100% analytical specificity for MTC when tested with DNA of reference strains of non-tuberculous mycobacteria and closely-related Actinomycetales. A clinical sensitivity level of 76.7% was detected with tissues samples positive for MTC by means of the culture and conventional PCR. A clinical specificity of 100% was detected with DNA from tissue samples of cattle with negative results in the comparative intradermal tuberculin test. These cattle exhibited no visible lesions and were negative in the culture for MTC. The use of the nested-PCR assay to detect M. tuberculosis complex in tissue homogenates provided a rapid diagnosis of bovine and bubaline tuberculosis.

The recombinant protein MSP5 has been established as an important antigen for serological diagnosis of Anaplasma marginale by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, due to the high cost of specialized equipment, this technique is not accessible to all laboratories, especially in developing countries in areas where the disease is endemic. The present study describes the standardization of a latex agglutination test (LAT) to detect antibodies against A. marginale based on recombinant MSP5. Compared with indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA), the relative sensitivity and specificity of the LAT were 95.21% and 91.86% respectively, with an almost perfect agreement between tests (kappa index = 0.863). These results can be considered important for the serological diagnosis of A. marginale, as they indicate that the test represents a rapid and low cost alternative to ELISA.

In the present study, a nested-PCR system, targeting the TbD1 region, involving the performance of conventional PCR followed by real-time PCR, was developed to detect Mycobacterium bovis in bovine/bubaline tissue homogenates. The sensitivity and specificity of the reactions were assessed with DNA samples extracted from tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria, as well as other actinomycetales species and DNA samples extracted directly from bovine and bubaline tissue homogenates. In terms of analytical sensitivity, the DNA of M. bovis AN5 was detected up to 1.56 ng with conventional PCR, 97.6 pg with real-time PCR, and 1.53 pg with nested-PCR in the reaction mixture. The nested-PCR exhibited 100% analytical specificity for M. bovis when tested with the DNA of reference strains of environmental mycobacteria and closely-related Actinomycetales. A clinical sensitivity value of 76.0% was detected with tissue samples from animals that exhibited positive results in the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CITT), as well as from those with lesions compatible with tuberculosis (LCT) that rendered positive cultures. A clinical specificity value of 100% was detected with tissue samples from animals with CITT- results, with no visible lesions (NVL) and negative cultures. No significant differences were found between the nested-PCR and culture in terms of detecting CITT+ animals with LCT or with NVL. No significant differences were recorded in the detection of CITT- animals with NVL. However, nested-PCR detected a significantly higher number of positive animals than the culture in the group of animals exhibiting LCT with no previous records of CITT. The use of the nested-PCR assay to detect M. bovis in tissue homogenates provided a rapid diagnosis of bovine and bubaline tuberculosis.

This retrospective cohort study aimed to analyze the epidemiological profile of individuals that attempted suicide from 2003 to 2009 in Barbacena, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to calculate the mortality rate from suicide and other causes, and to estimate the risk of death in these individuals. Data were collected from police reports and death certificates. Survival analysis was performed and Cox multiple regression was used. Among the 807 individuals that attempted suicide, there were 52 deaths: 12 by suicide, 10 from external causes, and 30 from other causes. Ninety percent of suicide deaths occurred within 24 months after the attempt. Risk of death was significantly greater in males, married individuals, and individuals over 60 years of age. Standardized mortality ratio showed excess mortality by suicide. The findings showed that the mortality rate among patients that had attempted suicide was higher than expected in the general population, indicating the need to improve health care for these individuals.

Bovine tuberculosis is an important infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis, which is responsible for considerable economic losses. This disease constitutes a serious public health problem. Control programs in most countries, including Brazil, are based on the identification and slaughter of infected animals, as defined by the skin tuberculin test, which has its constraints. In the present study, the recombinant proteins CFP-10, ESAT-6, Mb0143, MPB83, PE5, PE13, TB10.4, TB15.3 and a chimera of ESAT-6/MPB70/MPB83 (fusion protein) were tested as ELISA antigens for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis. The proteins were produced in Escherichia coli, purified and tested in ELISAs with sera from 126 cattle having tested negative in the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CITT) and 107 sera from cattle having tested positive in the CITT. Also, 236 sera from two BTB-free beef cattle herds were tested. Among the proteins tested, only the ESAT-6/MPB70/MPB83 chimera demonstrated satisfactory agreement with the CITT (kappa index: 0.688), reflecting in 83.2% sensitivity and 86.5% specificity. The ELISA absorbances of the cattle sera from BTB-free herds showed similar levels to those of CITT positive cattle, probably as the result of successive skin tuberculinizations to define the BTB-free status of the herds. However, the ELISA with the ESAT-6/MPB70/MPB83 chimera was useful to discriminate BTB positive and negative cattle in herds prior to the tuberculin skin test.