The aim of the study was to evaluate calcium anacardate (CAn), associated or not with citric acid (CAc) in laying hen diets on performance, egg quality, serum biochemical profile, serum lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and catalase (CAT) in reproductive tissue. A total of 432 laying hens from 63 to 74 weeks of age, were distributed in nine diets: Control; 0.25% CAn; 0.25% of CAn associated with 0.25% CAc; 0.50% CAn; 0.50% CAn associated with 0.25% CAc; 0.50% CAn associated with 0.50% CAc; 0.75% of CAn; 0.75% CAn associated with 0.25% CAc; 0.75% CAn associated with 0.50% CAc. There was no effect of CAn or CAc on laying hen performance. Yolk colour showed greater pigmentation for 0.75% CAn and its associations with CAc (0.25% and 0.50%). Lower egg yolk oxidation was observed for an isolated dose of 0.75% CAn. Higher values of TBARs were observed in eggs from birds fed control diet; 0.25% CAn; 0.50% CAn associated with 25% CAc and 0.75% CAn associated with 0.25 and 0.50% CAc. Dietary inclusion of CAn (0.75%) and its association with CAc (0.50% CAn with 0.50 CAc) for late-phase laying hens reduce serum peroxidation. CAn from 0.50% associated with CAc increases catalase in magnum. The addition of 0.75% CAn increases yolk pigmentation, reduces lipid oxidation in the yolk and blood plasma and increases CAT activity in the magnum in late-stage laying hens. These benefits can also be obtained with the combination of 0.50% CAn and 0.50% CAc.

The impact of intrinsic compressibility effects – changes in fluid volume due to pressure variations – on high-speed wall-bounded turbulence has often been overlooked or incorrectly attributed to mean property variations. To quantify these intrinsic compressibility effects unambiguously, we perform direct numerical simulations of compressible turbulent channel flows with nearly uniform mean properties. Our simulations reveal that intrinsic compressibility effects yield a significant upward shift in the logarithmic mean velocity profile that can be attributed to the reduction in the turbulent shear stress. This reduction stems from the weakening of the near-wall quasi-streamwise vortices. In turn, we attribute this weakening to the spontaneous opposition of sweeps and ejections from the near-wall expansions and contractions of the fluid, and provide a theoretical explanation for this mechanism. Our results also demonstrate that intrinsic compressibility effects play a crucial role in the increase in inner-scaled streamwise turbulence intensity in compressible flows, as compared with incompressible flows, which was previously regarded to be an effect of mean property variations alone.

The ghost shrimp Audacallichirus mirim had been previously recorded along the Brazilian coast. However, this study marks its first report in southern Espírito Santo and northern Rio de Janeiro, in southeastern Brazil. Two male specimens were collected at Piúma Beach (Espírito Santo) and Guaxindiba Beach (Rio de Janeiro) in March 2023, using a steel suction pump in the intertidal zone. The individuals were identified in a laboratory based on taxonomic characteristics. Abiotic factors such as salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen were measured at the collection sites, revealing distinct environmental conditions between the two beaches. Granulometric analysis showed significant differences in sediment composition, with Piúma characterized by finer sands and Guaxindiba by a more poorly sorted sediment, with a higher contribution of coarser grains. This record contributes to understanding the biogeographical distribution of A. mirim, emphasizes its ecological role, and highlights the need for further research on its population dynamics and habitat preferences in southeastern Brazil.

This study hypothesized that the signal grass (Urochloa decumbens [Stapf] R. Webster) modifies its structural and productive characteristics under a silvopasture system with legume trees. The treatments were composed of (i) signal grass in monoculture and (ii) a silvopasture system intercropping signal grass + Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. a legume tree, over two consecutive years. The experiment was set in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Grazing was carried out by cattle with an average body weight (BW) of 186 ± 26 kg. The type of system had no significant effect on the structural and productive characteristics of signal grass. In the first grazing season, the greatest canopy height (54 cm) and total forage mass (6473 kg DM/ha) occurred in the dry period. The leaf:stem ratio was greater in the rainy season. Forage accumulation (515 kg DM/ha/28 days) and forage accumulation rate (18 kg DM/ha/day) were greater in the rainy season. Higher total forage production (4583 kg DM/ha) occurred in the first grazing season. The silvopasture with double rows spaced 25 m apart and with a tree density of 600 plants/ha did not compromise the structural and productivity characteristics of the signal grass pasture. The legume M. caesalpiniifolia has the potential for use as an arboreal component in silvopasture systems with signal grass.

The interest in the search for alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production has been increasing, especially with the focus on essential oils due to their remarkable bioactive properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of essential oils on the performance and gut morphometry of broilers, by using an approach of systematic review and meta-analysis. In the conduction of the systematic review, three electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct and Scielo) were consulted in January 2023. Out of an initial amount of 162 papers, only 27 met the requisites to be included in the database. Furthermore, after the use of established criteria for the meta-analysis, only 16 papers were qualified for the evaluation of the aimed parameters. In the meta-analysis, it was observed that the supplementation had significant impact (P < 0.05) of 2.88% in weight gain, in comparison to the basal diet. In addition, the supplementation of essential oils significantly improved (P < 0.05) gut morphometry parameters such as villus height in the ileum (15.66% higher), and 8.26% increase in the villus height to crypt depth ratio in jejunum compared to the basal diet. Dietary essential oils improve the growth performance and gut histomorphometry of broilers, even when combined with antibiotics as growth promoters.

This study presents direct numerical simulation results of two-layer Rayleigh–Bénard convection, investigating the previously unexplored Rayleigh–Weber parameter space $10^6\leq Ra\leq 10^8$ and $10^2\leq We\leq 10^3$. Global properties, such as the Nusselt and Reynolds numbers, are compared against the extended Grossmann–Lohse theory for two fluid layers, confirming a weak Weber number dependence for all global quantities and considerably larger Reynolds numbers in the lighter fluid. Statistics of the flow reveal that the interface fluctuates more intensely for larger Weber and smaller Rayleigh numbers, something also reflected in the increased temperature root mean square values next to the interface. The dynamics of the deformed two-fluid interface is further investigated using spectral analysis. Temporal and spatial spectrum distributions reveal a capillary wave range at small Weber and large Rayleigh numbers, and a secondary energy peak at smaller Rayleigh numbers. Furthermore, the maxima of the space–time spectra lie in an intermediate dispersion regime, between the theoretical predictions for capillary and gravity-capillary waves, showing that the gravitational energy of the interfacial waves is strongly altered by temperature gradients.

In particle-laden turbulent wall flows, lift forces can influence the near-wall turbulence. This has been observed recently in particle-resolved simulations, which, however, are too expensive to be used in upscaled models. Instead, point-particle simulations have been the method of choice to simulate the dynamics of these flows during the last decades. While this approach is simpler, cheaper and physically sound for small inertial particles in turbulence, some issues remain. In the present work, we address challenges associated with lift force modelling in turbulent wall flows and the impact of lift forces in the near-wall flow. We performed direct numerical simulations of small inertial point particles in turbulent channel flow for fixed Stokes number and mass loading while varying the particle size. Our results show that the particle dynamics in the buffer region, causing the apparent particle-to-fluid slip velocity to vanish, raises major challenges for modelling lift forces accurately. While our results confirm that lift forces have little influence on particle dynamics for sufficiently small particle sizes, for inner-scaled diameters of order one and beyond, lift forces become quite important near the wall. The different particle dynamics under lift forces results in the modulation of streamwise momentum transport in the near-wall region. We analyse this lift-induced turbulence modulation for different lift force models, and the results indicate that realistic models are critical for particle-modelled simulations to correctly predict turbulence modulation by particles in the near-wall region.

Maternal obesity may trigger long-term neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Considering the benefits of the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.), a rich source of nutrients such as selenium, this study aimed to evaluate its effect on the behavior of obese rat offspring and its relationship with oxidative stress. From 60 days of age until weaning, female Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet (mHF) or an HF diet supplemented with 5% Brazil nut (mHF/BN), while control mothers (mCTL) were fed a standard diet or a standard diet supplemented with 5% Brazil nut (mBN). Male pups received a standard diet throughout life and, at 30 and 90 days old, were subjected to behavioral tasks to evaluate anxiety and cognition. Biochemical evaluations were performed at 90 days of age. No alterations were observed in the anxiety behavior of the offspring. However, the offspring of the mHF group (oHF) exhibited impaired short-term memory at 30 and 90 days of age and impaired long-term memory at 30 days. Short-term memory impairment was prevented by Brazil nuts in young rats (30 days). While the serum selenium concentration was reduced in the oHF group, the serum catalase concentration was reduced in all groups, without changes in lipid peroxidation or protein carbonylation. Brazil nut maternal diet supplementation prevented short- and long-term cognitive impairment in the offspring, which may be related to the selenium levels.