Search

Projected change in forage production under a range of climate scenarios is important for the evaluation of the impacts of global climate change on pasture-based livestock production systems in Brazil. We evaluated the effects of regional climate trends on Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia production, predicted by an agro-meteorological model considering the sum of degree days and corrected by a water availability index. Data from Brazilian weather stations (1963-2009) were considered as the current climate (baseline), and future scenarios, based on contrasting scenarios in terms of increased temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentrations (high and low increases), were determined for 2013-2040 (2025 scenario) and for 2043-2070 (2055 scenario). Predicted baseline scenarios indicated that there are regional and seasonal variations in P. maximum production related to variation in temperature and water availability during the year. Production was lower in the Northeast region and higher in the rainforest area. Total annual production under future climate scenarios was predicted to increase by up to 20% for most of the Brazilian area, mainly due to temperature increase, according to each climate model and scenario evaluated. The highest increase in forage production is expected to be in the South, Southeast and Central-west areas of Brazil. In these regions, future climate scenarios will not lead to changes in the seasonal production, with larger increases in productivity during the summer. Climate risk is expected to decrease, as the probability of occurrence of low forage productions will be lower. Due to the predicted increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall in the Northeast area, P. maximum production is expected to decrease, mainly when considering scenarios based on the PRECIS model for the 2055 scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms in MMP8, MMP13, and MMP20 with caries experience and developmental defects of enamel (DDE) in children from the Amazon region of Brazil. Den tal caries and DDE data were collected through clinical examination from 216 children. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva, and genotyping of selected polymorphisms in MMP8 (rs17099443 and rs3765620), MMP13 (rs478927 and rs2252070), and MMP20 (rs1784418) was performed using TaqMan chemistry and endpoint analysis. χ2 or Fisher's exact tests were used to compare allele and genotype distributions between children with caries experience and caries-free children and between DDE-affected and -unaffected children with an established alpha of 5%. The polymorphism rs478927 in MMP13 was associated with caries experience and DDE (p < 0.05). The analysis performed comparing children with both conditions (caries experience plus DDE) and children with neither of the conditions (caries-free chil dren without DDE) demonstrated that children carrying the MMP13 rs478927 TT genotype were more likely to have concomitant occurrence of these two conditions (OR = 5.8, 95% CI 2.1-15.8; p = 0.0003). In conclusion, the genetic polymorphism rs478927 in MMP13 was associated with caries experience and DDE., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)