The responses of freshwater (Daphnia magna. Pimephales promelas) and saltwater (Mysidopsis bahia. Cyprinodon variegatus) toxicity test species to elevated calcium concentrations and changing salinity conditions were investigated. The use of salinity as a criterion for selection between saltwater and freshwater test species was investigated by conducting both calcium and salinity toxicity tests. Salinity was determined to be an inappropriate criterion under conditions encountered in this study.

No description available.

Strip steaks from the McGregor genome project were used to evaluate the effects of sarcomere length, myofibrillar fragmentation index, 3 h postmortem pH, 24 h postmortem pH, marbling, electrical stimulation (ES), sarcoplasmic free calcium concentration, and collagen characteristics on tenderness as measured by Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS). The WBS values were measured prior to this project so the animals were able to be separated into “tender” and “tough” groups using a WBS value of 30 N as the separating point, steaks with a WBS value less than 30 N being “tender” and the others being “tough”. It was found that ES sides had lower WBS values, however, “tough” steaks showed a greater response to ES than “tender” steaks. ES sides also had higher sarcoplasmic free calcium concentration and lower 3 h postmortem pH. Tenderness is best predicted by treatment (ES versus NON-ES), however, there is some efficacy in using total collagen and collagen solubility in conjunction with treatment.

Milk contains high concentrations of calcium. It occurs in two forms, a free ionic form, and calcium associated with milk proteins (caseins). The latter association is called colloidal calcium phosphate. New Zealand Dairy Foods of Takanini is marketing a range of commercial milks in supermarkets. The company uses ultra filtration to concentrate milk proteins and calcium in different milk products. During ultra filtration, the fraction that is retained by the membrane is rich in calcium bound to proteins and the portion that passes through the membrane is richer in the free ionic form. The company wanted to develop a quick and an economical method that can be applied in industrial settings to determine calcium in both these fractions and in other milk products. This research aimed to develop a quick, wet chemistry method to measure calcium in milk fractions and to trial it in an industrial environment. Two methods, the so-called EDTA method and the atomic absorption spectrophotometric method (AA) were trialled as potential reference methods against which to compare results obtained by the method to be developed. The AA method was chosen due to its ease, accuracy and precision. (This could not be selected as the industrial method for a number of reasons.) A colorimetric method was favoured over other contenders. Two colorimetric dyes, Arsenazo I and o-cresolphthalein-complexone (CPC) were chosen to work with. Arsenazo I forms a purple complex with calcium in a suitable buffer at a range of pHs. o-Cresolphthalein-complexone also forms purple-coloured complexes at alkaline pHs. During method development with Arsenazo I, different buffers were trialled and a NaOH/ KCl buffer was selected for further development at pH 12. The method worked well during the development phase but with some inconsistent results at times. o-Cresolphthalein-complexone formed clear purple complexes with Clark and Lubs and 2-amino-2-methylpropanol (AMP) buffers. The key advantage of the CPC dye with AMP buffer was that when 8-hydroxyquinoline was included in the reaction mixture, it successfully masked coloured complex formation due to CPC with magnesium, which is present in milk at about 1/3 the calcium concentration. This effect did not work with Arsenazo I. However, the results obtained with the CPC method were lower than claimed values of most milks trialled during development. Both methods were compared for their precision and it was found that CPC method has better precision and was chosen for further development. To improve the accuracy and precision, various denaturing reagents were used to (hypothetically) release calcium from the caseins. Trichloroacetic acid at 25 % was more effective than the several other denaturing treatments tested. The finalised CPC method, using trichloroacetic acid, AMP and 8-hydroxyquinoline, was then used to monitor calcium concentration over four months in three milk products, skim, Xtra (retentate) and permeate. For all milks, the CPC values were lower than the AA reference values, and the values reported by a commercial analytical laboratory. The reasons for this are discussed, as are other changes in calcium concentration in the three milks throughout the trial. The correlation between the CPC and AA values was poor for Xtra, better for skim, and best for permeate. A chemical model to explain this is discussed. The method developed is cheap and quick, and sample and reagent preparation is simple. The method could be applied in an industrial environment, but a proportionality factor would have to be applied to account for the difference in mean values between the CPC and AA methods.

Milk contains high concentrations of calcium. It occurs in two forms, a free ionic form, and calcium associated with milk proteins (caseins). The latter association is called colloidal calcium phosphate. New Zealand Dairy Foods of Takanini is marketing a range of commercial milks in supermarkets. The company uses ultra filtration to concentrate milk proteins and calcium in different milk products. During ultra filtration, the fraction that is retained by the membrane is rich in calcium bound to proteins and the portion that passes through the membrane is richer in the free ionic form. The company wanted to develop a quick and an economical method that can be applied in industrial settings to determine calcium in both these fractions and in other milk products. This research aimed to develop a quick, wet chemistry method to measure calcium in milk fractions and to trial it in an industrial environment. Two methods, the so-called EDTA method and the atomic absorption spectrophotometric method (AA) were trialled as potential reference methods against which to compare results obtained by the method to be developed. The AA method was chosen due to its ease, accuracy and precision. (This could not be selected as the industrial method for a number of reasons.) A colorimetric method was favoured over other contenders. Two colorimetric dyes, Arsenazo I and o-cresolphthalein-complexone (CPC) were chosen to work with. Arsenazo I forms a purple complex with calcium in a suitable buffer at a range of pHs. o-Cresolphthalein-complexone also forms purple-coloured complexes at alkaline pHs. During method development with Arsenazo I, different buffers were trialled and a NaOH/ KCl buffer was selected for further development at pH 12. The method worked well during the development phase but with some inconsistent results at times. o-Cresolphthalein-complexone formed clear purple complexes with Clark and Lubs and 2-amino-2-methylpropanol (AMP) buffers. The key advantage of the CPC dye with AMP buffer was that when 8-hydroxyquinoline was included in the reaction mixture, it successfully masked coloured complex formation due to CPC with magnesium, which is present in milk at about 1/3 the calcium concentration. This effect did not work with Arsenazo I. However, the results obtained with the CPC method were lower than claimed values of most milks trialled during development. Both methods were compared for their precision and it was found that CPC method has better precision and was chosen for further development. To improve the accuracy and precision, various denaturing reagents were used to (hypothetically) release calcium from the caseins. Trichloroacetic acid at 25 % was more effective than the several other denaturing treatments tested. The finalised CPC method, using trichloroacetic acid, AMP and 8-hydroxyquinoline, was then used to monitor calcium concentration over four months in three milk products, skim, Xtra (retentate) and permeate. For all milks, the CPC values were lower than the AA reference values, and the values reported by a commercial analytical laboratory. The reasons for this are discussed, as are other changes in calcium concentration in the three milks throughout the trial. The correlation between the CPC and AA values was poor for Xtra, better for skim, and best for permeate. A chemical model to explain this is discussed. The method developed is cheap and quick, and sample and reagent preparation is simple. The method could be applied in an industrial environment, but a proportionality factor would have to be applied to account for the difference in mean values between the CPC and AA methods.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-02-11Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:56:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 baldin_sr_me_botfmvz.pdf: 242061 bytes, checksum: 910af57b2752ba72663958dd36daa68a (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O experimento foi conduzido no confinamento da Unesp/Botucatu, com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da suplementação das vitaminas D e E sobre o desempenho, características de carcaça e atributos de carne de bovinos jovens confinados. Foram utilizados 36 machos inteiros, 18 Nelore (NE) e 18 Canchim (CC); desmamados aos sete meses de idade, com peso vivo médio de 234,53 ± 22,15 e 248,13 ± 34,67 kg, respectivamente. Os animais foram confinados por 134 dias. Aos quarenta e sete dias pré-abate, nove animais NE e nove animais CC, foram suplementados com 1300 UI/vitamina E/dia e 10 dias antes do abate, os mesmos animais foram suplementados com 7,5 x 106 UI/vitamina D3/dia. No último dia da suplementação, foram colhidas amostras de sangue dos animais, para avaliar o cálcio plasmático. O pH da carcaça foi mensurado à zero e 24hs após o abate. Na desossa, foram colhidas amostras de Longissimus, entre a 12a e 13a costelas, para análise de força de cisalhamento, perdas por cocção, índice de fragmentação miofibrilar, lipídeos totais, concentração de vitamina D e E na carne e exposição sob condições simuladas de varejo. A cor e o pH da carne, foram mensurados diariamente nas amostras expostas. No primeiro e no último dia de exposição foram colhidas amostras da gordura subcutânea, para análise do perfil de ácidos graxos. Não houve efeito da suplementação de vitaminas D e E sobre o desempenho, características de carcaça e atributos da qualidade da carne, porém houve efeito para cálcio plasmático. A suplementação de vitaminas D e E, não foi efetiva para melhorar o desempenho, as características de carcaça e os atributos de qualidade da carne de bovinos jovens confinados. / The experiment was conducted at Unesp/Botucatu feedlot, with the objective to evaluate the supplementation of vitamin D and E on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot bullocks. It was used 36 animals, 18 Nellore (NE) and 18 Canchim (CC), weaned at seven months and average initial body weight of 234.53 ± 22.15 and 248.13 ± 34.67 kg, respectively, fed for134 days. At the forty seventh day prior slaughter, nine NE and nine CC were supplemented with 1300 IU/vitamin E/day and 10 days prior slaughter, the same animals were supplemented with 7.5 x 106 IU/vitamin D3/day. At last day of supplementation, blood samples were taken to evaluate plasmatic calcium. Carcass pH was measured at 0 and 24hrs after slaughter. At boning process, Longissimus samples were collected between 12th and 13th ribs for sear force, cooking loss, miofibrilar fragmentation index, total lipids, vitamin D and E concentrations, and retail conditions storage simulation. Meat color and pH of the samples were daily measured. Fatty acid profile samples were collected at first and last day of retail condition storage simulation. There was no effect of vitamin D and E on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality, although plasmatic calcium effect was observed. In conclusion, vitamin D and E were not effective to enhance feedlot performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot bullocks.

Ca2+ is an important mediator of stimulus-secretion coupling in beta cells of the pancreatic islets, which secrete insulin in response to elevation in plasma glucose concentration. I studied the actions of two lipids, arachidonic acid (AA) and cholesterol, on enzymatically-dissociated single beta cells of rat and mouse, using cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) measurement in conjunction with whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. AA, which is produced in the beta cell upon stimulation with either glucose or acetylcholine, was found to induce a large increase in [Ca2+]i that was dependent on both extracellular Ca2+ entry and intracellular Ca2+ release. Part of the AA-mediated extracellular Ca2+ entry was due to Ca2+ influx through the arachidonate-regulated Ca2+ (ARC) channels, which have not previously been reported in beta cells. The AA-mediated intracellular Ca2+ release was a result of Ca2+ mobilization from multiple inositol trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive intracellular stores, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and an acidic Ca2+ store that is probably the secretory granules. Therefore, in beta cells, the AA-mediated Ca2+ signal may amplify the [Ca2+]i rise induced by insulin secretagogues. Cholesterol is an integral component of cellular membranes and an important regulator of cellular functions. However, elevation of cholesterol level in the pancreatic islets reduces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. I found that cholesterol overload impairs the glucose-stimulated [Ca2+]i increase in beta cells by two major mechanisms: the first is a decrease in glucose-stimulated ATP production, which is partly mediated by a decrease in glucose uptake, and the second is the reduction of voltage-gated Ca2+ current density. These effects of cholesterol may partly account for the decreased insulin secretion that develops in patients with type II diabetes, who typically exhibit hypercholesterolemia. In summary, different lipids may mediate beneficial or detrimental effects on Ca2+ regulation in rodent pancreatic beta cells.

No description available.

Resumo: O experimento foi conduzido no confinamento da Unesp/Botucatu, com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da suplementação das vitaminas D e E sobre o desempenho, características de carcaça e atributos de carne de bovinos jovens confinados. Foram utilizados 36 machos inteiros, 18 Nelore (NE) e 18 Canchim (CC); desmamados aos sete meses de idade, com peso vivo médio de 234,53 ± 22,15 e 248,13 ± 34,67 kg, respectivamente. Os animais foram confinados por 134 dias. Aos quarenta e sete dias pré-abate, nove animais NE e nove animais CC, foram suplementados com 1300 UI/vitamina E/dia e 10 dias antes do abate, os mesmos animais foram suplementados com 7,5 x 106 UI/vitamina D3/dia. No último dia da suplementação, foram colhidas amostras de sangue dos animais, para avaliar o cálcio plasmático. O pH da carcaça foi mensurado à zero e 24hs após o abate. Na desossa, foram colhidas amostras de Longissimus, entre a 12a e 13a costelas, para análise de força de cisalhamento, perdas por cocção, índice de fragmentação miofibrilar, lipídeos totais, concentração de vitamina D e E na carne e exposição sob condições simuladas de varejo. A cor e o pH da carne, foram mensurados diariamente nas amostras expostas. No primeiro e no último dia de exposição foram colhidas amostras da gordura subcutânea, para análise do perfil de ácidos graxos. Não houve efeito da suplementação de vitaminas D e E sobre o desempenho, características de carcaça e atributos da qualidade da carne, porém houve efeito para cálcio plasmático. A suplementação de vitaminas D e E, não foi efetiva para melhorar o desempenho, as características de carcaça e os atributos de qualidade da carne de bovinos jovens confinados. / Abstract: The experiment was conducted at Unesp/Botucatu feedlot, with the objective to evaluate the supplementation of vitamin D and E on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot bullocks. It was used 36 animals, 18 Nellore (NE) and 18 Canchim (CC), weaned at seven months and average initial body weight of 234.53 ± 22.15 and 248.13 ± 34.67 kg, respectively, fed for134 days. At the forty seventh day prior slaughter, nine NE and nine CC were supplemented with 1300 IU/vitamin E/day and 10 days prior slaughter, the same animals were supplemented with 7.5 x 106 IU/vitamin D3/day. At last day of supplementation, blood samples were taken to evaluate plasmatic calcium. Carcass pH was measured at 0 and 24hrs after slaughter. At boning process, Longissimus samples were collected between 12th and 13th ribs for sear force, cooking loss, miofibrilar fragmentation index, total lipids, vitamin D and E concentrations, and retail conditions storage simulation. Meat color and pH of the samples were daily measured. Fatty acid profile samples were collected at first and last day of retail condition storage simulation. There was no effect of vitamin D and E on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality, although plasmatic calcium effect was observed. In conclusion, vitamin D and E were not effective to enhance feedlot performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot bullocks. / Orientador: Mário De Beni Arrigoni / Coorientador: Cyntia Ludovico / Banca: Angélica Simone do Cravo Pereira / Banca: Saulo da Luz e Silva / Mestre

The influence of tree species on forest soils has been the subject of study for at least a century. Of particular interest have been western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) – two of the most common tree species in coastal and southern British Columbia, but each with a different nutrient amplitude. It has generally been found that acid, mycogeneous Mor humus forms develop in hemlock stands, while less acid and more zoogenous Mormoder, Moder, or even Mull humus forms develop in redcedar stands. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of hemlock and redcedar, growing separately and together, on forest floor nutrient properties. The questions addressed were: (1) does each stand type have unique forest floor nutrient properties? and (2) can any forest floor nutrient property discriminate between stand types?