Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Cervantes, S. P., Londoño, Y. A., Gutiérrez, F. R., & Peñuela, G. A. (septiembre-octubre, 2017). Evaluación de humedales artificiales de flujo subsuperficial en la remoción de diferentes concentraciones de ibuprofeno empleando Cyperus papyrus. Tecnología y Ciencias del Agua, 8(5), 105-116.Este estudio evaluó la remoción del ibuprofeno de aguas sintéticas mediante humedales artificiales de flujo subsuperficial horizontal. Se utilizaron tres humedales: dos de ellos plantados con Cyperus papyrus y el otro sin plantar. Se estabilizaron durante un mes y posterior a este periodo se adicionó al afluente del humedal ibuprofeno a tres concentraciones. Para la determinación de la concentración del ibuprofeno se utilizó cromatografía líquida acoplada a espectrometría de masas en tándem (UPLC-MS/MS); también se dio seguimiento a los humedales del carbono orgánico disuelto, demanda química de oxígeno, oxígeno disuelto, pH y conductividad eléctrica tanto en el afluente como en el efluente y conteo de heterótrofos en la grava de los tres humedales. Se comprobó que con los humedales plantados se obtuvieron mayores porcentajes de remoción de ibuprofeno que con el humedal sin plantar, obteniéndose un máximo de 84% en los humedales plantados y un máximo de 51% en el humedal sin plantar; asimismo se observó que a mayor concentración del fármaco se tuvo una menor remoción.

Hernández, N., Camargo, J., Moreno, F., Plazas-Nossa, L., & Torres, A. (September-October, 2017). Arima as a tool to predict water quality using time series recorded with UV-Vis spectrometers in a constructed wetland. Water Technology and Sciences (in Spanish), 8(5), 127-139.The prediction of water quality plays a crucial role in discussions about urban drainage systems, given that the integrated management of this resource is required in order to meet human needs. The present paper uses Arima (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) to predict influent and effluent water quality in a constructed wetland, as well as its pollutant removal efficiency. The wetland is located on the campus of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. Arima prediction values were based on time series obtained with UV-Vis spectrometry probes. These predictions were found to be adequate for the first 12 hours of the water quality time series for the three data sets analyzed: influent, effluent, and efficiency. Overall, none of the data had prediction errors over 15%. In separate analyses of the relative predictive errors in influent and effluent values, they were found to be less significant for UV wavelengths than for the visible range (Vis). In addition, the variability in this type of error was less for the UV range than for the Vis range, which indicates that Arima is a suitable prediction method for analyzing pollutants that fall in the UV range.

Threonine, like most amino acids, is traditionally noted for its role in protein synthesis. However, dietary threonine concentration required for the maximum performance of Japanese quails is yet to be determined, therefore, a study was conducted to determine the optimum threonine requirement of Japanese quail chicks in the tropical environment. A total of four hundred and fifty, two weeks old quail chicks (mixed sexes) were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments (0.67, 0.81, 0.95, 1.08 and 1.22 % total threonine) and replicated thrice in a completely randomized design (CRD). There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in average weight gain, average feed intake, feed conversion ratio and age at first lay of quails fed the dietary treatments. Weight of first egg laid was significantly (P<0.05) higher for birds fed 1.08% total threonine diets than those fed other dietary treatments. Live weight, dressed weight, dressing percent, thigh, heart and gizzard weights were statistically (P>0.05) similar for all treatments. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in haematological parameters and serum indices studied except white blood cell, total protein, monocyte, eosinophils, mean corpuscular volume, alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase (P>0.05). It was concluded that the performance of birds were not influenced by the dietary treatments up to the highest dietary level of threonine studied (1.22%). Therefore, it is possible that the optimum dietary level of threonine may be above 1.22 %. Further studies will be necessary to establish higher doses of dietary threonine requirement of Japanese quails reared under tropical climatic environment.

Tithonia diversifolia and cassava bran are two food resources that noted for their protein and energy levels, respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response performance of broilers fed diets containing T. diversifolia silage alone or mixed with cassava bran. We used 150 females chickens, which were housed in 15 pens and each pen was assigned to the treatments according to a randomized experimental design. The treatments consisted of three diets that were supplied to birds between 35 and 56 d of age: a control where the birds were fed only concentrate and two other treatments in which the birds were supplied concentrate of control treatment and additionally offered T. diversifolia silage either alone or mixed with cassava bran. Silage supply did not affect live weight at 56 d of age, but resulted in a reduction in concentrate consumption (P<0.05) and the carcass weight (P<0.05). It was concluded that T. diversifolia silage can be used to decrease the consumption of concentrate, but is necessary to carry out a proper habituation to avoid decrease in dry matter intake.

Ramón (Brosimum alicastrum Swarth) is a tree which is commonly used in animal feed in the mexican tropics. It has been used in a traditional way in the feeding of productive domestic species. However, the systematic evaluation of its nutritional value has not been as broad as might be expected. In the present review the reported nutritional value for bovines, ovines, pigs and rabbits is presented. Ramón foliage has a nutritional value suitable for use in the diet of most domestic productive species. However, its use is greater in ruminant species. Specific studies are required to determine with greater precision its energy and protein value in each species of interest.

The modern consumer of sheep meat requires uninterrupted market supply with qualitatively standardized meat, without excess fat and with high tenderness, which has encouraged producers to slaughter young sheep. A lamb’s diet during the pre-weaning phase was discussed in this review because it is of great importance for achieving success in a meat production system, given the high speed of lambs’ growth during their first weeks of life. Supplying palatable concentrate in creep-feeders from the first days of life promotes pre-stomach development and adapts the animal to a solid diet consumption; important processes for enhancing animal performance, since nutritional requirements, especially for energy, are high during this period and can only be met by milk for a short time. An early weaning technique can be adopted from 35 days old, when adequate nutritional support is provided. Unweaned lamb slaughtering combined with creep feeding and controlled feeding have superior effects to early abrupt weaning, probably by avoiding the adverse effects generated by post-weaning stress. The use of a milk replacer is seldom reported due to the difficulty in finding specific products for sheep and its high cost. Controlled suckling does not affect the performance of lambs. Further studies investigating lamb feeding strategies need to be developed during the pre-weaning period.

Control the machinery traffic through autopilot and use the combined spacing of two rows are possible solutions to mitigate soil compaction problems. The objective of this study was to evaluate traffic control using autopilot in order to soften the problem of soil compaction in mechanically-harvested sugarcane areas. The study was conducted in two experimental areas belonging to Usina Santa Fe, in New Europe, São Paulo, Brazil. The design was a randomized block design, with 3 treatments: T1 = sugarcane planted in single spacing and without autopilot (1.50 m); T2 = sugarcane planted in single line spacing and managed on autopilot; T3 = sugarcane planted under combined spacing of two rows (1.50 × 0.90 m) and managed with autopilot, with 4 replications. Was collected samples in the wheel row (WR) and the seedbed (SB), which was located next to the plant row to, in layers from 0.00 to 0.15 and 0.15-0.30 m. It was observed that the seed bed area showed higher porosity in the treatments with autopilot in the second year of evaluation. There were no differences in pore sizes and shapes between the treatments in the two years studied. The large and complex pores were observed to be reduced in the second evaluation year. 

In Mexico there is a great diversity of species and varieties of chile with great cultural, gastronomic and economic importance. The domesticated species Capsicum annuum groups most of the cultivated types and is the most important in Mexico and the world; it is important to consider the genetic richness, therefore, there is a need to study it through molecular techniques of genetic analysis. For that reason, the objective was to analyze C. annuum varieties of free pollination and creole varieties among themselves, using RAPD markers (random amplified DNA polymorphism), to measure the efficiency of OPA primers and the detection of polymorphisms. Six varieties of C. annuum of the "ancho" and "mirasol" types we used, classified in free pollination and criollas varieties. The varieties they submitted to a RAPD analysis with the initiators OPA 02, OPA 11 and OPA 20. The results showed little variability between the six varieties of C. annuum and the dendogram showed two main groups, classifying them according to their technological level. Therefore, the RAPD are a useful tool in the detection of variation and have great power for the estimation of the genetic similarities in C. annuum.

In arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), low adoption of integrated soil fertility and water management (ISFWM) technologies has contributed to food and nutrition insecurity. A study was conducted to assess factors influencing smallholder farmers’ adoption decision of ISFWM technologies in Mwala and Yatta Sub-Counties. A questionnaire was administered to 248 respondents in the study region. Selection of household heads was done in ‘Farmer-led adoption approach’ sites otherwise known as Primary and Secondary Participatory Technology Evaluations (PPATEs and SPPATEs) and Non-PPATEs/SPATEs sites in both Sub-Counties. Relationships between different variables were determined by the Tobit model. The results revealed that group membership (P<0.016), inaccessible credit services (P<0.017), gender (P<0.025), age and access to agricultural extension services (P<0.027) influenced adoption of ISFWM technology significantly. Cost of inputs and access to radio information (P<0.01), access to appropriate farm machines (p<0.001), cost of labor and farmers’ perception on seasons’ reliability (P<0.004) and out-put markets (P<0.006) were reported to affect adoption of ISFWM practices highly significantly. Descriptive statistic results indicated that majority of the respondents (93.9%) in the project areas were adopting a combination of tied ridges, organic fertilizer and improved seed compared to only 6.1% in the non-project area. There was also significantly (P<0.01) higher adoption (76.5%) of a combination of tied ridges, both fertilizer and improved seed in the project area in contrast to merely 23.5% in non-project area, as well as those adopting (80%) a combination of zai pit, both fertilizer and improved seed compared to only 20% in non-project area. Policy makers should focus on availability of affordable credit facilities and farm machines, ease access to information, labor and input-output markets for enhanced farm productivity and livelihoods of the smallholder farmers in ASALs.

Las malezas representan uno de los principales problemas del cultivo de papá en los Andes venezolanos, sin embargo son limitados los estudios ecológicos para mejorar su manejo. Se propuso evaluar la dinámica de parámetros fitosociológicos de una comunidad de malezas después de un ciclo de papa en Mérida, estado Mérida, Venezuela. El experimento se desarrolló bajo un diseño completamente aleatorizado con 20 parcelas de 2x2 m. Se realizaron cinco sesiones de muestreo de malezas en intervalos de dos meses, seleccionando aleatoriamente cinco parcelas por sesión, desde el 20 de Junio de 2006 a los 60 días después del cultivo (DDC), 120, 180, y 240 DDC. En cada parcela se identificaron las especies y cuantificó el número de individuos para los posteriores cálculos de parámetros fitosociológicos. Se realizó un análisis multivariado de escalamiento multidimensional no métrico (NMDS) utilizando las abundancias de especies de todas las parcelas; así mismo fueron agrupadas usando el método de medias no ponderadas (UPGMA) con datos de presencia o ausencia. Fueron identificadas 17 familias, 32 géneros y 35 especies de malezas, siendo las familias Asteraceae, Fabaceae y Poaceae las más dominantes dentro de la comunidad. Las especies Pennisetum clandestinum, Paspalum decumbens, Desmodium adscendens, Aldama dentata, Borreria laevis, y Jaegeria hirta presentaron los mayores valores de importancia de la comunidad  en todas las etapas postcultivo. Se observaron marcadas diferencias de los parámetros fitosociológicos entre las especies de malezas en cada etapa y entre las diferentes etapas de crecimiento post cultivo.