Effect of access to natural shade on scrotal thermoregulatory capacity, integrity of the testicular parenchyma and sperm morphology of Nelore (Bos indicus) and Canchim (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) bulls.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of using naturally shaded pastures on scrotal thermoregulatory capacity, testicular echotexture, and sperm morphology of Nelore (Bos indicus) and Canchim (5/8 Bos taurus x 3/8 Bos indicus) bulls in a tropical climate region. Sixty-four adult Nelore and Canchim bulls were used, equally allocated in Full Sun (FS, n = 32) or Crop-Livestock-Forestry (CLF, n = 32) pasture systems. During five consecutive climate seasons, the bulls underwent monthly breeding soundness evaluations and the biometeorological variables in the systems were continuously monitored. Microclimate was significantly different between systems. CLF system had lower BGHI than FS throughout the experimental period. No triple interaction (Season x Breed x Treatment, P > 0.05) was observed for any of the variables. Animals in CLF showed lower body temperature in Summer (FS:39.41 ± 0.05 vs. CLF:39.30 ± 0.05 °C; P = 0.005) and in Autumn (FS:39.54 ± 0.05 vs. CLF:39.35 ± 0.05 °C; P = 0.005). Access to shading did not determine differences in the evolution of scrotal biometry, temperatures, and scrotal thermal gradients (P > 0.05). Regardless of breed, animals in CLF showed greater right testicular volume (FS:247.5 ± 5.7 vs. CLF:259.0 ± 5.7 cm³; P < 0.05), more suitable parenchyma echotexture, and fewer microlithiasis spots in the Spring and Summer. Testosterone concentration was higher in FS (FS:2.6 ± 0.2 vs. CLF:2.1 ± 0.2 ng/mL; P = 0.035). Canchim bulls presented higher total sperm defects during the Autumn and Winter (P = 0.010), but the total defects levels for Canchim and Nelore bulls were in normal range for adult bulls. Thus, the natural shade in CLF system was effective in improving the microclimate of pastures and minimizing adverse environmental effects on some reproductive features of interest in beef cattle.

Thawing of cryopreserved sperm from domestic animals: Impact of temperature, time, and addition of molecules to thawing/insemination medium.

In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in optimizing the protocols intended to sperm cryopreservation in domestic animals. These protocols include initial cooling, freezing, and thawing. While different attempts have been devised to improve sperm cryopreservation, the efficiency of this reproductive biotechnology is still far from being optimal. Furthermore, while much attention in improving cooling/freezing, less emphasis has been made in how thawing can be ameliorated. Despite this, the conditions through which, upon thawing, sperm return to physiological temperatures are much relevant, given that these cells must travel throughout the female genital tract until they reach the utero-tubal junction. Moreover, the composition of the media used for artificial insemination (AI) may also affect sperm survival, which is again something that one should bear because of the long journey that sperm must make. Furthermore, sperm quality and functionality decrease dramatically during post-thawing incubation time. Added to that, the deposition of the thawed sperm suspension devoid of seminal plasma in some species during an AI is accompanied by a leukocyte migration to the uterine lumen and with it the activation of immune mechanisms. Because few reviews have focused on the evidence gathered after sperm thawing, the present one aims to compile and discuss the available information concerning ruminants, pigs and horses.

Feeding sows milk biofortified with n-6 and n-3 modulates immune status of sows and drives positive transgenerational effects.

The risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammation, obesity, and autoimmune disease is linked to the quality of dietary fats, with lower intake of saturated and higher intake of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) considered beneficial to health. This study investigated the effect of supplementing sows' diets with cow's milk biofortified with n-6 or n-3 PUFA, at varying n-6/n-3 ratios (8.26, 7.92, and 2.72) during their growing phase and throughout gestation and lactation on their reproductive performance and immune-inflammatory status. Specifically, we analyzed circulating cholesterol and fatty acid profiles of serum, colostrum and milk, sow body weight, and neonate colostrum intake, Apgar scores, muscle composition, and embryo viability. Analysis of circulating immunoglobulins (Ig), interleukins, and eicosanoids and complement system hemolytic activity were used to evaluate inflammatory and immune responses of sows and piglets. Expression of lipolysis and lipogenic genes in the liver were investigated in sows and piglets, with additional investigation of hypothalamus genes regulating appetite in sows. Feeding sows milk biofortified with n-6 and n-3 PUFA altered serum fatty acid profiles, reduced triglycerides (TG), increased embryo total number, increased early gestation backfat, and reduced colostrum IgG. Piglets of biofortified sow had higher circulating IgA, IgM and TNF-α, and lower IL-10. Sows fed n-3 biofortified milk had higher very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and TNF-α in circulation. Offspring from sows fed n-6 versus n-3 biofortified milk had lower IL-10 and expression levels of SREBP-1. N-3 versus n-6 also lowered arachidonic acid (ARA) levels in sow's milk and piglet viability 1. Findings offer insights into the potential health benefits of dietary supplementation with biofortified milk in swine, which serve as good model of diet-nutrition studies of humans, and therefore can potentially be considered in dietary recommendations both human and animal populations.

Monitoring agricultural drought using different indices based on remote sensing data in the Brazilian biomes of Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.

Several remote sensing indices have been used to monitor droughts, mainly in semi-arid regions with limited coverage by meteorological stations. The objective of this study was to estimate and monitor agricultural drought conditions in the Jequitinhonha Valley region, located in the Brazilian biomes of the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest, from 2001 to 2021, using vegetation indices and the meteorological drought index from remote sensing data. Linear regression was applied to analyze drought trends and Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied to evaluate the relationship between vegetation indices and climatic conditions in agricultural areas using the Standardized Precipitation Index. The results revealed divergences in the occurrences of regional droughts, predominantly covering mild to moderate drought conditions. Analysis spatial of drought trends revealed a decreasing pattern, indicating an increase in drought in the Middle and Low Jequitinhonha sub-regions. On the other hand, a reduction in drought was observed in the High Jequitinhonha region. Notably, the Vegetation Condition Index demonstrated the most robust correlation with the Standardized Precipitation Index, with R values ​​greater than 0.5 in all subregions of the study area. This index showed a strong association with precipitation, proving its suitability for monitoring agricultural drought in heterogeneous areas and with different climatic attributes. The use of remote sensing technology made it possible to detect regional variations in the spatio-temporal patterns of drought in the Jequitinhonha Valley. This vision helps in the implementation of personalized strategies and public policies, taking into account the particularities of each area, in order to mitigate the negative impacts of drought on agricultural activities in the region.

Clinical outcome of patients with rheumatic tricuspid valve disease: matched cohort study.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is still a major health problem, especially in low- to mid-income countries, leading premature deaths owing to valvular disease. Although left-sided valvular involvement is most commonly seen in RHD, the tricuspid valve can also be affected. However, there is a lack of information about the prognostic value of primary tricuspid valve (TV) disease in RHD. This study aimed to determine the impact of TV disease on clinical outcome in RHD. This prospective study enrolled patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease (MVD) referred to a tertiary center for management of heart valve disease. Primary rheumatic TV disease was defined by echocardiographic features including thickening of leaflets associated with some degree of restricted mobility. Patients with rheumatic TV disease were matched to patients with MVD using 1:1 genetic matching algorithm that maximized balance of baseline covariates prior to exploring outcome differences. The main outcome was either need for MV replacement or death. Among 694 patients eligible for the study, age of 47 ± 13 years, 84% female, 39 patients (5.6%) had rheumatic TV disease. After excluding patients with incomplete data, 33 patients with TV disease were matched to 33 controls based on age, right-sided heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and MV area. During a mean follow-up of 42 months (median 28, IQR 8 to 71 months), 32 patients (48.5%) experienced adverse events, including 6 cardiovascular deaths and 26 patients who underwent surgery for mitral valve replacement. The adjusted analysis demonstrated a significant association between TV disease and the outcome, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.386 (95% CI 1.559-7.353; P = 0.002) in the genetic matched cohort with balance on baseline covariates of interest. The model exhibited good discriminative ability, as indicated by a C-statistic of 0.837. In patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease, rheumatic TV disease significantly increased risk of adverse events compared with matched controls. The involvement of TV may express overall disease severity that adversely affects clinical outcome.

Comment on: influence of the time-task constraint on ocular metrics of semi-elite soccer.

This letter offers a constructive review of the article 'Influence of the time-task constraint on ocular metrics of semi-elite soccer' by Luis-del Campo et al. (2023), focusing on methodological considerations and avenues for future research enhancement. The study investigates the impact of task constraints on eye-tracking metrics among semi-elite soccer players, aiming to gauge mental workload during training sessions. While the study presents valuable insights, there are opportunities for methodological refinement. Suggestions include emphasizing sample size determination, randomization of the experimental conditions, and employing robust statistical analyses to mitigate potential biases. Moreover, future studies could benefit from integrating external load measures alongside heart rate monitoring to comprehensively assess training task variations. Despite these considerations, the study underscores the promising application of eye-tracking techniques in evaluating mental workload during soccer training, paving the way for further exploration and refinement of methodologies to enhance player performance assessment and training optimization in the field.

Assessment of toxicity of pyriproxyfen, Bacillus thuringiensis, and malathion and their mixtures used for mosquito control on embryo-larval development and behavior of zebrafish.

Pyriproxyfen (PPF), Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI), and malathion (MLT) are widely used worldwide to control the population of mosquitos that transmit arboviruses. The current work aimed to evaluate the toxicity of these single pesticides and their binary mixtures of PPF + BTI, PPF + MLT, and MLT + BTI on the embryo-larval stage of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an animal model. Epiboly, mortality, apical endpoints, affected animals, heart rate, morphometric, thigmotaxis, touch sensitivity, and optomotor response tests were evaluated. PPF and MLT and all mixtures reduced the epiboly percentage. Mortality increased significantly in all exposed groups, except BTI, with MLT being the most toxic. The observed apical endpoints were pericardial and yolk sac edemas, and tail and spine deformation. Exposure to MLT showed a higher percentage of affected animals. A reduction in heart rate was also observed in MLT- and PPF + MLT-exposed groups. The PPF + MLT mixture decreased head measurements. Behavioral alterations were observed, with a decrease in thigmotaxis and touch sensitivity responses in PPF + MLT and MLT + BTI groups. Finally, optomotor responses were affected in all groups. The above data obtained suggest that the MLT + PFF mixture has the greatest toxicity effects. This mixture affected embryo-larval development and behavior and is close to the reality in several cities that use both pesticides for mosquito control rather than single pesticides, leading to a reevaluation of the strategy for mosquito control.

Modified-tension band suturing: 'the pulling the reins technique' - a technique for displaced proximal humeral fracture with medial column instability.

Fractures of the proximal humerus with medial column instability are challenging and present an unacceptable rate of complications and reoperations. Despite good results reported with the use of locking plates and augmentation techniques using bone graft or a second plate, varus subsidence and fixation failure have been frequently reported. We describe the case of a patient presenting with a complex, multifragmentary proximal humerus fractures successfully treated with open anatomic reduction and internal fixation using a locking plate augmented with lateral traction using three bone anchors in the humerus head. After 18 months, the patient reported fully recovering the mobility and functionality of the operated shoulder. The use of bone anchors pulling the humeral in three different directions like three vectors applied from medial to lateral, posterior to anterior and lateral to anterior help to reduce the most important deformities (varus and retroversion) by applying the tension band principle. This is an interesting approach to avoid primary and secondary reduction loss of the proximal fractures of the humerus with postero-medial cortical defect. The procedure is a good alternative to be used in patients with failure or insufficiency of the medial wall and marked varus.

Local experience of laboratory activities in a BS physical therapy course: integrating sEMG and kinematics technology with active learning across six cohorts.

Introduction: Integrating technology and active learning methods into Laboratory activities would be a transformative educational experience to familiarize physical therapy (PT) students with STEM backgrounds and STEM-based new technologies. However, PT students struggle with technology and feel comfortable memorizing under expositive lectures. Thus, we described the difficulties, uncertainties, and advances observed by faculties on students and the perceptions about learning, satisfaction, and grades of students after implementing laboratory activities in a PT undergraduate course, which integrated surface-electromyography (sEMG) and kinematic technology combined with active learning methods. Methods: Six cohorts of PT students (n = 482) of a second-year PT course were included. The course had expositive lectures and seven laboratory activities. Students interpreted the evidence and addressed different motor control problems related to daily life movements. The difficulties, uncertainties, and advances observed by faculties on students, as well as the students' perceptions about learning, satisfaction with the course activities, and grades of students, were described. Results: The number of students indicating that the methodology was "always" or "almost always," promoting creative, analytical, or critical thinking was 70.5% [61.0-88.0%]. Satisfaction with the whole course was 97.0% [93.0-98.0%]. Laboratory grades were linearly associated to course grades with a regression coefficient of 0.53 and 0.43 R-squared (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Integrating sEMG and kinematics technology with active learning into laboratory activities enhances students' engagement and understanding of human movement. This approach holds promises to improve teaching-learning processes, which were observed consistently across the cohorts of students.

A new approach to quantify asymmetry in human movement.

In this perspective paper, we propose a new approach to quantify the asymmetries in human movement. Before describing this approach, we delve into the asymmetry in human movement, often defined as the opposite of symmetry, and its implications for studying human movement. We critically examine the various methods available to quantify and describe bilateral differences, from arbitrary thresholds (such as the commonly employed 10-15% difference) to the measure of the smallest meaningful changes, and we stress the need for consideration of interindividual variability in the analysis. Our proposal centers on a straightforward metric, the probability of agreement, and a corresponding plot summarizing the agreement between measures from two limbs. Critically, the agreement between two limbs depends on the value of the clinically acceptable difference. The agreement will increase with larger values of clinically acceptable difference and decrease with smaller values of clinically acceptable difference. Data from various movements and conditions in athletes' sports training and rehabilitation are used to illustrate this approach. Our perspective provides valuable insights into the nature of asymmetry in human movement, considering that a rational understanding of asymmetry in human movement requires a thoughtful approach encompassing both statistical and clinical significance. The data and codes employed in our research are openly accessible in the supplementary materials, enabling others in the field to replicate and build upon our findings.