Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi modelar o fator k e as funções DRIS para a diagnose foliar de mangueiras cultivadas. Dez pomares comerciais, no estágio de produção, localizados no vale do Rio São Francisco, foram monitorados, mensalmente, durante dois anos, por meio da coleta de amostras foliares para determinação dos teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Fe, Mn, Zn e Cu. Os dados foram testados quanto à normalidade e as relações entre as concentrações dos nutrientes foram usadas para calcular as normas DRIS, obtendo-se média, variância e limites máximo e mínimo de cada relação dentro da população amostrada. Os nutrientes foram classificados como macronutrientes de resposta freqüente (MAF) (N, P e K), macronutrientes de resposta rara (MAR) (Ca e Mg); micronutrientes de resposta freqüente (MIF) (B, Fe, Mn e Zn) e, micronutrientes de resposta rara (MIR) (Cu). Funções DRIS foram desenvolvidas para cada classe de nutrientes. O modelo desenvolvido expressa o balanço nutricional das plantas cultivadas ajustado a cada nutriente e reflete o comportamento biológico das plantas como resultado da variação da disponibilidade dos nutrientes.Termos para indexação: Mangifera indica, normas DRIS, diagnose foliar. Modelling of functions in calculating DRIS indicesAbstract -The objective of this work was to model DRIS functions and k factor on foliar diagnosis of mango crops. Ten commercial orchards, at yield stage, in the São Francisco River valley were monitored, monthly, during a two-year period, by means of collecting leaf samples to determine N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu concentrations. Data were tested for normality and bivariate relationships between nutrient concentrations were used to calculate DRIS norms. Mean, variance as well as minimum and maximum values were calculated for each relationship within the population. Nutrients were classified as follows: highly responsive macronutrients (HRMa) (N, P and K); rarely responsive macronutrients (RRMa) (Ca and Mg); highly responsive micronutrients (HRMi) (B, Fe, Mn and Zn), and rarely responsive micronutrients (RRMi) (Cu). DRIS functions were developed for each nutrient class. Results showed that the developed model expresses the nutritional balance adjusted for each nutrient, and reflects the expected biological behavior of plants as a result of variation in the availability of nutrients.

Chicken meat is considered an important vehicle of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella spp., demanding an effective control of its contamination during industrial processing. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Salmonella spp. and microbiological indicators at different stages of processing in two slaughterhouses (Sh1, high-capacity; Sh2, low-capacity). Surface samples of chicken carcasses were collected in the following sequential stages: (A) immediately before evisceration, (B) after evisceration, (C) after showering, and (D) after chiller. All samples were submitted for detection of Salmonella spp. and enumeration of mesophilic aerobes, total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, and Escherichia coli. The obtained means and frequencies were compared by analysis of variance and chi-square tests (p < 0.05), considering different slaughterhouses and stages of processing. No significant differences were observed between the frequencies of Salmonella spp. obtained at different steps in Sh1 and Sh2 (p > 0.05). Sh2 showed higher levels of microbiological contamination when compared with Sh1 for mesophilic aerobes (in stages B and D), total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms (stage D), and E. coli (all stages) (p < 0.05). The variation in the levels of contamination by microbiological indicators over the processing indicated the significance of different control procedures adopted by slaughterhouses for the microbiological quality of chicken carcasses.

SUMMARYIn the present study ELISA was standardized for the diagnosis of swine cysticercosis based on necropsy parameters and confirmed positive and negative control sera. Serum samples from pigs with other infections were also assayed to determine possible crossreactions. Four antigens were assayed: from Taenia crassiceps vesicular fluid (VF-Tcra) and crude larvae extract (T-Tcra), and from Taenia solium extracts of scolex (S-Ts) and of larvae (T-Ts). A checkerboard evaluation of antigen, serum and conjugate dilutions, as well as the use of Tween-20 and skim cow milk in wash and blocking solution had a marked effect on improving ELISA performance. All the antigens showed a good performance, but VF-Tcra was the best, with 96.0% and 80.0% sensitivities for cut-offs respectively at 2sd and 3sd, and corresponding specificities of 97.5% and 100.0%. Cross-reactivity was observed only with hydatidosis and ascaridiosis. In view of the high performance observed, the ELISA test should be recommended for the diagnosis of cysticercosis in suspected swine in slaughterhouses and for the screening of cysticercosis in swine production. These results will support integrated measures of cysticercosis control throughout the chain of swine production, effectively contributing to public health.

RESUMODiferentes procedimentos referentes do método do sistema integrado de diagnose e recomendação podem influenciar a acurácia da diagnose foliar da mangueira. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi comparar diagnósticos do estado nutricional da mangueira obtidos através de diferentes métodos de avaliação do estado nutricional, comparando-se relações multivariadas (método CND) com relações bivariadas (método DRIS), ou seja, com variações quanto ao uso de normas específicas ou preliminares e à transformação logarítmica dos dados. Foram utilizados resultados de análises de teores foliares de macro e micronutrientes de 63 pomares de mangueira do Vale do Submédio São Francisco. Para a interpretação dos índices nutricionais através do critério do Potencial de Resposta à Adubação. Os métodos CND e DRIS, com e sem transformação logarítmica e se usando normas específicas ou preliminares, as quais apresentaram desempenho semelhante na avaliação do estado nutricional da mangueira no Submédio São Francisco. Nos pomares de manga do semiárido nordestino as deficiências de micronutrientes (Zn, Fe e Cu) foram mais frequentes que a deficiência de macronutrientes. Palavras-chave: Mangifera indica, diagnose foliar, equilíbrio nutricionalNutritional status of mango determined by DRIS and CND methods ABSTRACT Different procedures for the integrated method of diagnosis and recommendation may influence the accuracy of foliar diagnosis of mango. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the diagnosis of nutritional status of mango obtained by different methods of assessing nutritional status, comparing multivariate relations (method CND) with bivariate relationships (DRIS) i.e., variations in the use of specific or preliminary standards and a logarithmic transformation of the data. The macro and micronutrient leaf analysis results of 63 mango orchards of Lower-middle São Francisco River Valley, Brazil, were used. To interpret nutritional status the Potential Response to Fertilization (PRA) criteria was used. The CND and DRIS methods, with and without logarithmic transformation and using specific or preliminary standards, which showed similar performance in assessing the nutritional status of the mango in Lower-middle San Francisco. Mango orchards in the semiarid region of northeast Brazil, the micronutrient deficiencies (Zn, Fe and Cu) were more frequent than macronutrient deficiency.

Due to the importance of Salmonella spp. in poultry products, this study aimed to track its main contamination routes since slaughtering reception to processing of chicken end cuts. Samples from different steps of slaughtering and processing (n = 277) were collected from two chicken slaughterhouses (Sl1 and Sl2) located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, and subjected to Salmonella spp. detection. The obtained isolates were subjected to serological identification and tested by PCR for specific Salmonella spp. genes (ompC and sifB). Also, Salmonella spp. isolates were subjected to XbaI macrorestriction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Sixty-eight samples were positive for Salmonella spp. and 172 isolates were obtained. Sl1 and Sl2 presented similar frequencies of Salmonella spp. positive samples during reception, slaughtering and processing (p > 0.05), except for higher frequencies in Sl1 for chicken carcasses after de-feathering and evisceration (p < 0.05). PFGE allowed the identification of cross contamination and persistence of Salmonella spp. strains in Sl1. The results highlighted the relevance of the initial steps of chicken slaughtering for Salmonella spp. contamination, and the pre-chilling of carcasses as an important controlling tool. In addition, the presence of Salmonella spp. in chicken end cuts samples represents a public health concern.