-In Mata Fresca, an area located on the border of the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará, in Brazil, small farmers have a source of income from the production of cassava roots, using planting densities of around 5,000 plants ha -1 . This procedure might be helping to limit higher yields of the roots, since some studies have shown that it is possible to obtain higher yields of cassava using higher densities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the root yield and other characteristics of the cassava, as a response to planting density. The Vermelhinha cultivar was submitted to planting densities of from 5,000 to 21,000 plants ha -1 , at intervals of 2,000 plants ha -1 , in an experiment under irrigation. A completely randomized block design with four replications was used. The ideal planting densities in order to maximise leaf green matter, stems and branches, total roots, total marketable roots, number of marketable roots, marketable-root dry matter and stem dry matter, were 17,800; 17,077; 14,416; 13,594; 16,436; 12,361; and 18,149 plants ha -1 respectively. When adopting the planting density used by the farmers, a yield for marketable roots of 15,837 kg ha -1 was obtained. By using the optimal density as found in this work (13,594 plants ha -1 ), the yield was more than double that of the farmers. Increasing planting density reduced both the length of the marketable roots and the harvest index (the ratio of marketable-root dry matter to total plant dry matter).Key words: Manihot esculenta. Spacing. Plant populations.RESUMO -Na Mata Fresca, área situada na divisa dos Estados do Rio Grande do Norte e Ceará, pequenos agricultores têm como fonte de renda a obtida com a produção de raízes de mandioca, usando densidades de plantio em torno de 5.000 plantas ha -1 . Esse procedimento pode estar limitando a obtenção de maiores rendimentos de raízes, pois alguns trabalhos demonstraram que é possível a obtenção de rendimentos maiores da mandioca, com maiores densidades. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o rendimento de raízes e outras características da mandioca em resposta à densidade de plantio. A cultivar Vermelhinha foi submetida às densidades de plantio de 5.000 a 21.000 plantas ha -1 , com intervalos de 2.000 plantas ha -1 , em experimento irrigado. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos completos casualizados com quatro repetições. As densidades de plantios ideais para maximizar a obtenção de matérias frescas de folhas, caule + ramos, total de raízes, de raízes comercializáveis, número de raízes comercializáveis, e de matérias secas de raízes comercializáveis e da parte aérea foram de 17.800; 17.077; 14.416; 13.594; 16.436; 12.361 ), o rendimento foi mais do dobro do rendimento do agricultor. O aumento da densidade de plantio reduziu o comprimento das raízes comercializáveis e o índice de colheita (relação entre a matéria seca das raízes comercializáveis e a matéria seca total da planta). Palavras-chave:Manihot esculenta. Plantas-populações. Plantas-espaçamento.

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and fermentative potential of silage of the forage sorghum Ponta Negra irrigated with saline water. The bromatological characteristics, losses and fermentative profile of sorghum silages were observed. For the bromatological characteristics of the sorghum plant, a decreasing linear behavior was observed for the contents of dry matter and organic matter while a positive linear effect was verified for crude protein and mineral matter as the leaching fractions were increased (P < 0.05). A quadratic behavior was observed for nonfibrous carbohydrates, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and cellulose (P < 0.05). The pH values showed a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) with lower pH values observed at 15 days of silo opening for water depths of 10 and 15%. Regarding the silages, the leaching fractions provided differences (P < 0.05) for dry matter recovery, gas loss and effluent loss. A negative linear behavior for the contents of dry matter and organic matter and an increasing linear effect for mineral matter (P < 0.05). The highest concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen were observed when irrigation was performed with a 10% saline water depth (P < 0.05).

The aim of this study was to determine the energy and protein requirements of non-descript breed hair lambs (NDB) reared under Brazilian semiarid conditions. Sixty animals from three sex classes (20 intact males, 20 castrated males, and 20 females) with an average initial body weight of 18.1 ± 0.4 kg and an average age of 5 months were used. The nutritional requirements were estimated using the comparative slaughter. The animals in the final slaughter group were distributed in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 3 factorial scheme (three sex classes and three feeding levels: ad libitum feeding (positive energy balance), 70% feed restriction (maintenance level), and 80% feed restriction (negative energy balance)). The net energy requirement for maintenance (NEm) did not differ between sex classes (P > 0.05) and it was 68 kcal/kg of metabolic empty body weight (EBW(0.75))/day (P < 0.05). The coefficients for the nonlinear regression of retained energy (RE) on the empty body weight gain (EBWG) were not different among the different sex classes (P > 0.05). The net energy requirement for weight gain (NEg) was estimated by NEg (Mcal/day) = 0.29 × EBW(0.75) × EBWG(0.86) for all sex classes (P < 0.05). The net protein requirement for weight gain (NPg) was estimated by NPg (g/day) = 224.45 × EBWG - 0.025 × RE for all sex classes (P < 0.05). The NEg increased and the NPg decreased with the increase in body weight of NDB lambs.

The objective was to evaluate the water intake and ingestive behavior of sheep fed diets containing silages of cactus pear combined with tropical forages. Forty sheep without defined breed, intact, with initial average weight of 22.65 ± 1.01 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 8 replications. The experimental diets consisted of cactus pear silage (CPS), cactus pear + buffel grass silage (CPBS), cactus pear + gliricidia silage (CPGS), cactus pear + pornunça silage (CPPS), and corn silage (CS). CPGS provided higher water intake via food, total water intake, metabolic water, and excretion via feces and urine (P < 0.05). Animals that received diets containing CS showed higher water intake via drinking fountain, less efficient feeding and rumination of dry matter, less efficient rumination of neutral detergent fiber, grams of dry matter per cud, grams of neutral detergent fiber per cud, and the shortest average time spent in chewing per cud (P < 0.05). CPGS, CPPS, and CS provided longer times for rumination and numbers of cuds per day (P < 0.05). CPS showed animals spending more time in idleness, lower quantity of cuds per minute, higher concentration of crystals in urine, with a higher frequency of ammonia-magnesium phosphate and calcium oxalate. Silages based on cactus pear are an alternative to the supply of water via food for sheep in semi-arid.

Objetivou-se analisar o perfil epidemiológico de 442 pacientes com leishmaniose tegumentar americana no município de Ilhéus entre os anos de 2007 a 2012. A coleta de dados foi realizada na vigilância epidemiológica do município Ilhéus, utilizando como banco de dados os casos notificados e digitados no sistema nacional de notificação de agravos de leishmaniose tegumentar americana. Foram analisadas informações sobre, sexo, faixa etária, escolaridade, critério de confirmação, tipo da leishmaniose, medicação utilizada, conclusão do caso. No município de Ilhéus a letalidade em leishmaniose tegumentar americana foi nula durante o período de estudo e a partir do ano de maior ocorrência houve um decréscimo dos casos positivos. Os indivíduos mais propícios à doença são do sexo masculino, entre 20 a 49 anos, residente em áreas rurais, pardos, autóctone. A forma mais incidente é a cutânea e a droga mais utilizada para o tratamento é a antimonial pentavalente. Não foi confirmada a sazonalidade da doença entre os meses e anos observados e nenhum surto da doença durante o período estudado no município de Ilhéus -Bahia. As informações deste estudo servirão para auxiliar o planejamento de ações epidemiológicas de saúde pública, visando medidas particulares de proteção conforme caracterização local. A partir destes resultados, espera-se mostrar a importância da notificação de investigação, diagnóstico precoce e tratamento eficaz para reduzir sequelas, bem como contribuir para a prevenção e controle da doença na cidade. ARTIGOS / ARTICLES CIÊNCIAS BIOLÓGICAS E DA SAÚDEPalavras chave: Diagnóstico. Leishmania. Leishmaniose.The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological profile of 442 patients with American tegumentary leishmaniasis in the municipality of Ilhéus between 2007 and 2012. Data collection was performed in the epidemiological surveillance of Ilhéus municipality, using as a database the cases reported and typed in the national system for notifying American tegumentary leishmaniasis We analyzed information on sex, age, schooling, confirmation criteria, type of leishmaniasis, medication used, conclusion of the case. In the municipality of Ilhéus, lethality in American tegumentary leishmaniasis was zero during the study period and from the year of greatest occurrence there was a decrease in positive cases. The most susceptible individuals are male, between 20 and 49 years old, living in rural, brown, autochthonous areas. The most incident form is cutaneous and the most commonly used drug for treatment is pentavalent antimonial. It was not confirmed the seasonality of the disease between the months and years observed and no outbreak of the disease during the period studied in the municipality of Ilhéus -Bahia. The information in this study will serve to assist the planning of epidemiological actions of public health, aiming at specific measures of protection according to local characterization. From these results, it is expected to show the importance of reporting research, early diagnosis and effective treatm...