ABSTRACT Two experimental tests were carried out to evaluate the inclusion of forage cactus meal in diets for rabbits during the growth phase. In the first test 14 male New Zealand red rabbits were used, housed in metal cages, and distributed in a completely randomly design with two treatments and seven replicates with one animal per experimental unit. The digestibility of the nutrients and the digestible energy of the forage cactus meal were determined by the total feces collection method. The forage cactus meal presented 92.24% of DM, 5.63% of CP and 2,347 kcal of DE/kg. In the second test the inclusion of 0, 10, 20 and 30% forage cactus meal in the rabbit diet was tested for productive performance, carcass characteristics, viscera and economic viability. Thus, 40 male rabbits of the New Zealand red breed were used, distributed in metal cages, completely random designed with four treatments, five replicates and two animals per experimental unit. No influence of inclusion levels (P>0.05) on performance variables, housing characteristics or economic viability was observed. The forage cactus meal can be included in up to 30% in the diets of growing rabbits.

Dietary fiber is an important component, which has a direct effect on intake, digestion, and absorption of nutrients; and also alters intestinal microbiota and morphology according to solubility. One digestibility trial and one performance experiment were performed to evaluate the effects of sources of fiber in diets for 21 day weaned piglets. The experimental diets used in both trials consisted of a control diet and diets with purified cellulose, soybean hulls or citrus pulp as a main source of dietary fiber. To evaluate the digestibility of nutrients (Assay 1), the total feces and urine collection method was used. The fiber sources did not affect nutrient digestibility, except for soluble fiber, which increased with the inclusion of citrus (Citrus sinensisL.) pulp. To evaluate performance, morphophysiology and microbiology of the digestive tract of weaned piglets, a total of 32 castrated male piglets was used. Slaughter of animals was implemented at 35 and 50 days of age. The use of soybean (Glycine max L.) hulls and citrus pulp in diets increased the number of goblet cells and the density of villi in the jejunum. The viscosities of stomach and cecum contents increased due to the addition of citrus pulp. Soybean hulls and the citrus pulp included in diets reduced the occurrence of E. coli in the small intestines of piglets slaughtered at 35 days of age. Among the fiber sources, purified cellulose in piglet diets promotes better performance of animals, due to the modulation of the small intestine microbiota, with lower E. coli occurrence resulting in higher villus density.

Dietary fiber is an important component, which has a direct effect on intake, digestion, and absorption of nutrients; and also alters intestinal microbiota and morphology according to solubility. One digestibility trial and one performance experiment were performed to evaluate the effects of sources of fiber in diets for 21 day weaned piglets. The experimental diets used in both trials consisted of a control diet and diets with purified cellulose, soybean hulls or citrus pulp as a main source of dietary fiber. To evaluate the digestibility of nutrients (Assay 1), the total feces and urine collection method was used. The fiber sources did not affect nutrient digestibility, except for soluble fiber, which increased with the inclusion of citrus (Citrus sinensisL.) pulp. To evaluate performance, morphophysiology and microbiology of the digestive tract of weaned piglets, a total of 32 castrated male piglets was used. Slaughter of animals was implemented at 35 and 50 days of age. The use of soybean (Glycine max L.) hulls and citrus pulp in diets increased the number of goblet cells and the density of villi in the jejunum. The viscosities of stomach and cecum contents increased due to the addition of citrus pulp. Soybean hulls and the citrus pulp included in diets reduced the occurrence of E. coli in the small intestines of piglets slaughtered at 35 days of age. Among the fiber sources, purified cellulose in piglet diets promotes better performance of animals, due to the modulation of the small intestine microbiota, with lower E. coli occurrence resulting in higher villus density.

Dietary fiber is an important component, which has a direct effect on intake, digestion, and absorption of nutrients; and also alters intestinal microbiota and morphology according to solubility. One digestibility trial and one performance experiment were performed to evaluate the effects of sources of fiber in diets for 21 day weaned piglets. The experimental diets used in both trials consisted of a control diet and diets with purified cellulose, soybean hulls or citrus pulp as a main source of dietary fiber. To evaluate the digestibility of nutrients (Assay 1), the total feces and urine collection method was used. The fiber sources did not affect nutrient digestibility, except for soluble fiber, which increased with the inclusion of citrus (Citrus sinensis L.) pulp. To evaluate performance, morphophysiology and microbiology of the digestive tract of weaned piglets, a total of 32 castrated male piglets was used. Slaughter of animals was implemented at 35 and 50 days of age. The use of soybean (Glycine max L.) hulls and citrus pulp in diets increased the number of goblet cells and the density of villi in the jejunum. The viscosities of stomach and cecum contents increased due to the addition of citrus pulp. Soybean hulls and the citrus pulp included in diets reduced the occurrence of E. coli in the small intestines of piglets slaughtered at 35 days of age. Among the fiber sources, purified cellulose in piglet diets promotes better performance of animals, due to the modulation of the small intestine microbiota, with lower E. coli occurrence resulting in higher villus density.

A incidência global de câncer duplicou nos últimos 30 anos, sendo que nas mulheres, o câncer de mama é o tipo que mais acomete. Atualmente, os tratamentos mais utilizados para o câncer de mama incluem tratamento localizado com radioterapia, cirurgia com reconstrução mamária, quando necessário, quimioterapia, terapia biológica, e hormonioterapia. O tratamento quimioterápico pode apresentar complicações orais em cerca de 40% dos pacientes oncológicos. Este tratamento possui efeito citotóxico em diferentes tipos celulares, e desta forma dependendo da posologia e do tipo de quimioterápico utilizado uma série de efeitos adversos podem evoluir em graus leves a graves. A mucosite é uma complicação oral muito frequente nestes pacientes e apresenta-se como eritema, seguido de ulcerações dolorosas na mucosa bucal, que influenciam na capacidade de nutrição e na qualidade de vida dos pacientes, o que pode até limitar ou adiar o planejamento da terapia oncológica.

The changes caused by aging affect all body tissues. The vitreous humor, which fills the space between the lens and the retina, progressively liquefies and shrinks, eventually causing a posterior vitreous detachment. Retinal disorders caused by the breakdown of the blood retinal barrier are also associated with physiological aging. In this work a mathematical model of the pharmacokinetics of a drug eluted from an intravitreal biodegradable implant in an aging eye is presented. The influences of vitreous liquefaction and retina diseases are analyzed. The model is represented by a set of P.D.E’s describing the evolution of the concentration in a drug eluting implant, coupled with two systems of partial differential equations, describing the transport of drug in the vitreous chamber and the retina. Different scenarios of the physiology of vitreous and of inflammation’s degrees of the retina are numerically compared. The numerical results suggest a dominating influence of retina permeability.

A model represented by four coupled systems of partial differential equations describing the transport of drug in the posterior segment of the eye is presented. The case of drug release to the retina through an aging eye and where a vitreous chamber detachment has already occurred is analyzed. Numerical simulations lead to a better understanding of in vitro results and suggest new research paths.

Simulations show that the kinetics of permeant fluids in viscoelastic matrices depends on the rheological and chemical properties of the material. Fick's law fails to describe transport through viscoelastic materials because of the stress exerted on the incoming fluid which causes a delay. Reversible binding to immobilizing sites also retards permeation of molecules. The effects of mechanical properties and chemical affinities of materials on the transport of solutes are studied. An integro-partial-differential equation is used to model the transport. While the differential part of the equation is represented by an elliptic operator, the integral part describes the contributions of stress and reversible binding. The stability of the model is investigated. The steady-state flux and effective time constant are calculated. The lag time is also studied using multiple integration. Subsequent analyses reveal the dependence of the steady-state flux, the effective time constant, and the lag time on the Young modulus, the viscosity, and the binding/unbinding rates. The results presented in this paper make it possible to tune the mechanical and chemical properties to achieve a desired transport profile.

A mathematical model which simulates drug delivery through the cornea, from a therapeutic lens to the anterior chamber of the eye, is proposed. The model consists of three coupled systems of partial differential equations linked by interface conditions: drug diffusion in the therapeutic lens; diffusion and metabolic consumption in the cornea; diffusion, convection and metabolic consumption in the anterior chamber of the eye. The dependence of intraocular pressure on the obstruction of the trabecular mesh and the production rate of aqueous humor by the ciliary body is modeled. The therapeutic effects of drugs that act on the trabecular mesh or on the ciliary body are analysed. Comparisons between topical administration and drug delivery from a therapeutic lens are included.