Improved L-Asparaginase Properties and Reusability by Immobilization onto Functionalized Carbon Xerogels

Enzyme immobilization can offer a range of significant advantages, including reusability, and increased selectivity, stability, and activity. In this work, a central composite design (CCD) of experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to study, for the first time, the L-asparaginase (ASNase) immobilization onto functionalized carbon xerogels (CXs). The best results were achieved using CXs obtained by hydrothermal oxidation with nitric acid and subsequent heat treatment in a nitrogen flow at 600 degrees C (CX-OX-600). Under the optimal conditions (81 min of contact time, pH 6.2 and 0.36 g/L of ASNase), an immobilization yield (IY) of 100 % and relative recovered activity (RRA) of 103 % were achieved. The kinetic parameters obtained also indicate a 1.25-fold increase in the affinity of ASNase towards the substrate after immobilization. Moreover, the immobilized enzyme retained 97 % of its initial activity after 6 consecutive reaction cycles. All these outcomes confirm the promising properties of functionalized CXs as support for ASNase, bringing new insights into the development of an efficient and stable immobilization platform for use in the pharmaceutical industry, food industry, and biosensors. The development of an efficient strategy for immobilizing L-asparaginase enzyme onto functionalized carbon xerogels is the focus of this work. The results reveal the importance of tuning the surface chemistry of the materials and prove the enhanced activity, higher affinity with the substrate, and reusability of L-asparaginase achieved through immobilization.+ imag

Evaluation of babassu meal in feed for layer hens during the growth phase

Studies were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value and inclusion levels of babassu meal (BM) in the diet of grower layer pullets in substitution to wheat meal. Digestibility, metabolism and growth trials were conducted. Twelve cecectomized roosters were used in the digestibility assay to determine the coefficients of standardized digestibility of amino acids (CSDAA). The metabolism trial was conducted with 30 adult roosters to determine the apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) of BM. A growth trial was performed to determine replacement levels of wheat midds by BM diet using 360 six-week-old commercial layer pullets. BM was included at the 0, 75 and 150 g/kg of BM, during grower and development rearing phases, respectively. Feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion were evaluated. BM AMEn was determined as 1,474 kcal/kg, on as-fed basis. The CSDAA determined for BM were below 88% for all AA. The inclusion of BM in the feed of grower layers (7-18 week) significantly decreased feed intake (p < 0.05), but significantly improved body weight gain and feedconversion ratio (p < 0.05) at 15% inclusion level. Considering the nutritional value and performance results, BM can replace wheat midds in diets of grower layer pullets.Universidade Estadual do Maranhão Departamento de ZootecniaUniversidade Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e VeterináriaUniversidade Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinári

Orbital fat prolapse in a Persian cat. Case report

A two and a half-year-old female Persian cat was presented with a history of bilateral chronic ocular discharge. Epiphora bilateral mucous ocular discharge and a volume increase in bulbar conjunctiva on the dorsolateral quadrant of the right eye were noticed during routine ophthalmic examination. Ophthalmic examination and the aspiration cytology showed the presence of adipose tissue at the right eye dorsolateral quadrant indicating orbital fat prolapse

Avaliação Macroscópica e Morfométrica do Oviduto de Codornas (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Quando Alimentadas com Diferentes Níveis de Proteína

Foram utilizadas doze codornas domésticas, divididas em três grupos de quatro aves cada. As aves receberam rações padronizadas contendo 16%, 20% e 24% de proteína, sendo alimentadas por um período de quinze semanas, quando foram pesadas e sacrificadas imediatamente. Após a abertura da cavidade abdominal e evisceração do trato gastrointestinal, os ovários e ovidutos foram dissecados e pesados. Com o auxílio de um paquímetro mediu-se o comprimento das partes do oviduto: infundíbulo, magno, istmo, útero e vagina e avaliou-se o número de pregas do magno e do istmo. Foram realizados cortes histológicos do magno, istmo e útero onde se obteve medidas das espessuras das camadas epitelial e glandular. Os dados foram submetidos a análise de variância (ANOVA) e observou-se que não houve diferenças significativas no peso corporal, peso do ovário, do oviduto e nos comprimentos das partes do oviduto bem como no número de pregas do magno e ístmo. Verificou-se diferenças significavas na espessura da camada epitelial do istmo de aves alimentadas com 20% de proteína na ração. Além disso, houve diferenças significativas na espessura da camada glandular do magno, istmo e útero das aves alimentadas com 24% de proteína na ração em relação às aves que receberam 16% e 20% de proteína. O nível de 24% de proteína aumentou a espessura da camada glandular do magno, ístmo e útero o que poderia resultar em melhoria no peso dos ovos e na espessura da casca.The twelve domestic quail used in this study were divided into three groups, each with four birds. The groups received each a different treatment using standard feed containing three different levels of protein (16%, 20% and 24%). The treatments were continued for a period of fifteen weeks, after which the quails were immediately weighed and then killed. After opening the abdominal cavity and eviscerating the gastrointestinal tract, the ovaries and oviducts were dissected and weighed. Using a packymeter, the different parts of the oviducts were measured: infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus and vagina. The number of folds present in the magnum and the isthmus were evaluated. Histologic sections of the magnum, isthmus and uterus were used to measure the thickness of their epithelial and glandular layers. The data obtained was statistically analysed using a Variance analysis (entirely casual distribution). It was concluded that there were no significative differences on body weight, ovary weigth, oviduct weigth and between the lengths of the different parts of the oviduct as well as regarding the number of folds in the magnum and the isthmus. It was concluded that there was significative differences were also found regarding the thickness of the epithelial layer of the isthmus in the birds treated with the feed containing 20% protein. Moreover there was a significative difference between the thickness of the glandular layer of the magnum, the isthmus and that of the uterus in the birds treated with 24% protein feed when compared to the quails that were given a 16% and 20% protein feed. Diet with 24% protein increased the glandular layer thickness of the magnum, isthmus and uterus that it could result in improvement in the weight of the eggs and in the shell quality