Fabíola Helena dos Santos Fogaça

Differential behavioural responses to venlafaxine exposure route, warming and acidification in juvenile fish (Argyrosomus regius)

Antidepressants, such as venlafaxine (VFX), which are considered emerging environmental pollutants, are increasingly more present in the marine environment, and recent evidence suggest that they might have adverse effects on fish behaviour. Furthermore, altered environmental conditions associated to climate change (e.g. warming and acidification) can also have a determinant role on fish behaviour, fitness and survival. Yet, the underlying interactions between these environmental stressors (pharmaceuticals exposure and climate change) are still far from being fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess behavioural responses (in juvenile meagre (Argyrosomus regius) exposed to VFX via water ([VFX] ~20μgL-1) and via dietary sources ([VFX] ~160μgkg-1 dry weight), as well as to increased temperature (ΔT°C=+5°C) and high CO2 levels (ΔpCO2 ~1000μatm; equivalent to ΔpH=-0.4units). Overall, VFX bioaccumulation in fish plasma was enhanced under the combination of warming and acidification. VFX triggered fish exploration, whereas fish activity and shoal cohesion were reduced. Acidification alone decreased fish exploration and shoal cohesion, and reversed fish preference to turn leftwards compared to control conditions. Such alterations were further enhanced by VFX exposure. The combination of warming and acidification also reduced shoal cohesion and loss of lateralization, regardless of VFX exposure. The distinct behaviour observed when VFX contamination, acidification and warming acted alone or in combination highlighted the need to consider the likely interactive effects of seawater warming and acidification in future research regarding the toxicological aspects of chemical contaminants.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons bioaccessibility in seafood: Culinary practices effects on dietary exposure

&NA; This work aimed to determine the effect of culinary practices on the contamination level and bioaccessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood. The selected farmed seafood species (marine shrimp, clams and seaweed) were commercially available in Portugal. The mean concentrations of PAHs varied between 0.23 and 51.8 &mgr;g kg−1, with the lowest value being observed in raw shrimp and the highest in dried seaweed. The number of compounds detected in seaweed and clams (naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(j)fluoranthene) were higher than in shrimp (fluorene and pyrene). Among the PAHs measured, fluorene was the predominant one. There was a significant interaction effect between species and culinary treatment (p < 0.05), thus boiled and dried seaweed samples presented the lowest and the highest levels of fluorene (0.13 and 1.8 &mgr;g kg−1), respectively. The daily intake of PAHs decreased with bioaccessibility, varying from 22% for benzo(k)fluoranthene (in raw clam) to 84% for phenanthrene (in steamed clam). According to the potency equivalent concentrations, screening values and bioaccessibility of PAHs, the consumption of marine shrimp, clam and seaweed is considered as safe for consumers. HighlightsPAHs bioaccessibility in seafood was assessed.Raw shrimp present the lowest and dried seaweed the highest content of PAH.There was a significant interaction effect between species and culinary treatment.

Características morfogênicas e estruturais de Megathyrsus maximus cv. Tanzânia-1 sob intensidades de desfolhação.

O efeito de intensidades de desfolhacao (20, 30, 40 e 50 cm acima do solo) sobre a producao de forragem e caracteristicas morfogenicas e estruturais de Megathyrsus maximus cv. Tanzânia-1 foi avaliado nos cerrados de Roraima.

Development of a quality index scheme and shelf-life study for whole tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

The study developed a sensory scheme based on the Quality Index (QI) and estimated the shelf-life for whole tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum (Cuvier, 1818), stored in ice, assessing and determining the most appropriate chemical, physical, bacteriological and quality sensory parameters and their changes during storage time. Ninety six fish were evaluated at 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19 and 22 days of ice-storage. The developed quality index (QI) showed four main quality attributes with a total of 29 demerit scores. The skin mucus and odor, as well as general appearance and ventral elasticity had a great importance for the statistical model applied, while eyes, gills mucus and dorsal elasticity showed lower significance for tambaqui QI. The pH showed few variations during the ice storage. The nitrogen bases, as well as the total count of specific spoilage bacteria, had a linear correlation with the storage time. The QI proved to be efficient to assess tambaqui quality and loss of sensory quality over the storage period. The results suggest that whole, ice-stored Colossoma macropomum is fit for consumption until the 22nd day

Caracterização do processamento artesanal da carne de caranguejo-uçá Ucides cordatus e perfil socioeconômico dos quebradores

The Ucides cordatus mangrove crab is one of the most economically important crustaceans in Brazil, being a source of income and work for the fishing communities. Its consumption is one of the Northeastern cuisine attractions, supporting the thematic restaurants greatly appreciated by tourists. Crabs not sold by fishermen or traders are processed locally for meat or pasta crab extraction. This work aimed to diagnose the socioeconomic situation of the workers involved in this activity, as well as the hygienicsanitary conditions of processing, handling and packaging of crabmeat in places called

Produtividade de forragem, composição química e morfogênese de Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça sob períodos de descanso

The effects of rest periods (14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 days) on green dry matter (GDM) yield, chemical composition and morphogenetic and structural characteristics of Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça were evaluated under natural field conditions. GDM yields and regrowth increased consistently with highest rest periods. The leaf appearance and leaf expansion rates are inversely proportional to the rest periods, occurring the inverse for average leaf length, leaf area index and foliar senescence rate. Maximum GDM yields, regrowth yields, number of leaves tiller, average leaf length and leaf area index were obtained with rest periods at 36.4; 39.2; 40.8; 39.6 and 41.3 days. These data suggest that grass grazing at 35 to 42 days of rest period were optimal for obtain maximum yields and regrowth of rich forage.

Acúmulo de forragem e morfogênese de Brachiaria ruziziensis sob níveis de desfolhação

The effect of defoliation levels (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm above soil level) on green dry matter (GDM) yield and morphogenetic and structural characteristics of Brachiaria ruziziensis were evaluated under field conditions in Roraima ́s savannas. The effects of defoliation levels on the GDM yields, number of leaves plant, leaf area index, leaf appearance and elongation rates were quadratics and maximum values recorded with cutting at 22.2; 17.7; 22.5; 17.1 and 25.2 cm above soil level, respectively. The population tiller density was inversely proportional to the level of defoliation, while the opposite occurred for to medium blade length and leaf senescence rate. Apical meristem removing percentage was higher with increasing defoliation level. Aftermath regrowth showed close negative correlation with defoliation level.

Composição química e eficácia do óleo essencial e do extrato etanólico de Alpinia zerumbet sobre Staphylococcus aureus

The present work describes the antibacterial activity of the essential oil and the ethanol extract from leaves of Alpinia zerumbet (colonia) on Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from cows with subclinical mastitis and standard strains ATCC 29213 and ATCC 25923, using the agar diffusion method. Ten treatments containing different concentrations of essential oil and ethanol extract (100.0; 50.0; 25.0; 12.5 and 6.3 mg.mL-1) and the control group (50% ethyl alcohol and 1% Tween solutions) were used for antimicrobial testing. The major constituents of the essential oil were p -cimeno (32.72%), 1.8-cineol (24.05%) and 4-terpineol (20.23%), which were determined by gas chromatographymass spectrometry and gas chromatography - flame ionization detector (CG-MS/FID). Ellagic acid and three flavonoids (rutin, quercetin and campferol) were detected in the ethanol extract by means of high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA). All strains showed sensitivity to the treatments with essential oil and the ethanol extract. The best response was obtained with A. zerumbet essential oil at a 100 mg.mL-1, showing complete inhibition of bacterial growth. These results demonstrate the antibacterial potential of essential oil and ethanol extract of A. zerumbet in the control of bovine mastitis.

Fontes e doses de nitrogênio na produtividade do capim-Marandu

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a resposta de fontes e doses de nitrogenio na produtividade do capim Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu nas condicoes edafoclimaticas dos Tabuleiros Costeiros do Piaui. O trabalho foi conduzido a campo, no periodo de maio a julho de 2013, no Campo Experimental da Embrapa Meio-Norte, localizado no municipio de Parnaiba, Piaui. Os tratamentos foram constituidos da combinacao de duas fontes de nitrogenio (sulfato de amonio e ureia) e tres niveis de nitrogenio 19,56; 39,12 e 58,68 kg/ha/corte correspondendo a 170, 340, 510 kg/ha/ano, segundo o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com tres repeticoes. Foram realizados tres cortes com intervalo de 42 dias. A adubacao nitrogenada influenciou positivamente a produtividade de materia seca total. A relacao folha/colmo e a eficiencia de utilizacao do nitrogenio responderam de forma negativa aos incrementos do nitrogenio.

Competição de clones de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) em Presidente Médici, Rondônia

The agronomic performance of 19 clones and one cultivar of Pennisetum purpureum was assessed in a cutting trial carried out at Presidente Médici, Rondônia. The higher leaf/stem ratio were obtained with the clones 92 F 198-8 (1.68), 92 F 79-2 (1.45), 91 F 4-1 (1.41) and 91 F 34-5 (1.34). During the rainy season, the clones 92 F 79-2 (39.33 t/ha), 92 F 37-5 (34.97 t/ha) and 91 F 19-1 (34.15 t/ha) provided higher dry matter yields. These clones produced increases of 33.6; 18.8 and 16.0%, over the control cultivar Cameroon, respectively. During the dry season, the clones more productive were 91 F 2-5 (5.39 t/ha), 92 97-1 (5.23 t/ha) and CAC 262 (5.21 t/ha). In order to obtain greater forage yields and higher leaf/stem ratio, the clones more promising were 92 F 79-2, 92 F 37-5, 91 F 19-1, 91 F 2-5, 92 F 97-1 and CAC 262.