Effects of Heat Stress on Goat Production and Mitigating Strategies: A Review.

Goats, versatile creatures selectively bred for various purposes, have become pivotal in shaping the socioeconomic landscape, particularly in rural and economically challenged areas. Their remarkable ability to withstand and adapt to extreme heat has proven invaluable, allowing them to flourish and reproduce in even the harshest climates on Earth. Goat farming has emerged as a reliable and sustainable solution for securing food resources. However, despite its significance, the goat-producing industry has received less attention than other ruminants. Despite goats' inherent resilience to heat, their productivity and reproductive performance suffer under high ambient temperatures, leading to heat stress. This presents a significant challenge for goat production, necessitating a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to mitigating the adverse effects of heat stress. This review aims to explore the diverse impacts of heat stress on goats and propose effective measures to address the sector's challenges. By understanding and addressing these issues, we can enhance the resilience and sustainability of goat farming, ensuring its continued contribution to food security and socioeconomic development.

Polysaccharides as Protective Agents against Heavy Metal Toxicity.

Polysaccharides are functional foods or drugs that can be used to alleviate heavy metal poisoning by cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic. Industries generate substantial quantities of toxic heavy metal wastes, such as wastewater discharges, paints, electronic waste, batteries, pigments, and plastics, into the environment that pose a risk to human health. Therefore, it is imperative to eliminate accumulated heavy metal ions from the body and the environment. Heavy metal toxicity can lead to decreased energy levels and impair the functioning of vital organs, such as the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, and blood. Prolonged exposure can result in progressive physical, muscular, and neurological degeneration that resembles conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and muscular dystrophy. Polysaccharides operate through mechanisms such as chelation, antioxidant defense, immunomodulation, and tissue repair. Polysaccharides involved in heavy metal removal include methionine and cysteine, together with N-acetylcysteine, an acetylated form of cysteine, S-adenosylmethionine, a metabolite of methionine, α-lipoic acid, and the tripeptide glutathione (GSH). These compounds effectively bind with harmful heavy metals to create a stable complex and defend biological targets from metal ions, thus decreasing their harmful effects and causing them to be excreted from the body. This review also highlights the importance of polysaccharides' ability to mitigate oxidative stress, enhance immune responses, and support tissue repair processes. Polysaccharides are ubiquitous in nature and take part in diverse processes, making them potential natural therapies for heavy metal-related diseases. This review discusses the effectiveness of natural polysaccharides and the mechanisms that allow them to bind with heavy metals to alleviate their effects from the body and the environment. Polysaccharides have inherent features that enable them to function as pharmacological agents and regulate the immune response.

Structure-Function Studies of the Bacillus subtilis Ric Proteins Identify the Fe-S Cluster-Ligating Residues and Their Roles in Development and RNA Processing.

In Bacillus subtilis, the RicA (YmcA), RicF (YlbF), and RicT (YaaT) proteins accelerate the phosphorylation of the transcription factor Spo0A, contributing to genetic competence, sporulation, and biofilm formation, and are also essential for the correct maturation of several protein-encoding and riboswitch RNAs. These proteins form a stable complex (RicAFT) that carries two [4Fe-4S]+2 clusters. We show here that the complex is a 1:1:1 heterotrimer, and we present the X-ray crystal structures of a RicAF heterotetramer and of a RicA dimer. We also demonstrate that one of the Fe-S clusters (cluster 1) is ligated by cysteine residues donated exclusively by RicT and can be retained when the RicT monomer is purified by itself. Cluster 2 is ligated by C167 from RicT, by C134 and C146 located near the C terminus of RicF, and by C141 at the C terminus of RicA. These findings imply the following novel arrangement: adjacent RicT residues C166 and 167 ligate clusters 1 and 2, respectively, while cluster 2 is ligated by cysteine residues from RicT, RicA, and RicF. Thus, the two clusters must lie close to one another and at the interface of the RicAFT protomers. We also show that the cluster-ligating cysteine residues, and therefore most likely both Fe-S clusters, are essential for cggR-gapA mRNA maturation, for the regulation of ricF transcript stability, and for several Ric-associated developmental phenotypes, including competence for transformation, biofilm formation, and sporulation. Finally, we present evidence that RicAFT, RicAF, and RicA and the RicT monomer may play distinct regulatory roles in vivoIMPORTANCE The RicA, RicF, and RicT proteins are widely conserved among the firmicute bacteria and play multiple roles in Bacillus subtilis Among the phenotypes associated with the inactivation of these proteins are the inability to be genetically transformed or to form biofilms, a decrease in sporulation frequency, and changes in the stability and maturation of multiple RNA species. Despite their importance, the molecular mechanisms of Ric protein activities have not been elucidated and the roles of the two iron-sulfur clusters on the complex of the three proteins are not understood. To unravel the mechanisms of Ric action, molecular characterization of the complex and of its constituent proteins is essential. This report represents a major step toward understanding the structures of the Ric proteins, the arrangement and roles of the Fe-S clusters, and the phenotypes associated with Ric mutations.

Determinants of environmental domain of quality of life in economically active population living in Silesian agglomeration, Poland.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to identify the factors that determine the environmental domain of quality of life in economically active adults living in the industrial agglomeration in Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted among the economically active population aged 45-60, we used a short version of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Respondents were recruited randomly from selected factories located in the Silesian Agglomeration. The statistical analysis used descriptive and analytical methods available in the Statistica 9.0 software. RESULTS: The results confirmed the statistically significant association between marital status, type of occupational activity, declared health status, and the environmental domain of quality of life in economically active inhabitants of the Silesian Agglomeration. The best qualities of life in the environmental domain were those of married people, white collars, and persons who declared their health status to be the best. CONCLUSIONS: The major determinants of environmental quality of life in economically active population living in the industrial agglomeration include non-occupational factors, such as marital status and current health status, while a significantly better quality of life was associated with being a white-collar worker and not living in the vicinity of the road with heavy traffic. The results may be useful for future planned activities intended to improve the health and the quality of working life.

[Assessment of reliability of the whoqol-bref questionnaire in a study of quality of life among adults, the economically active population of the Silesian agglomeration]. / Ocena wiarygodnosci kwestionariusza whoqol-bref w badaniu jakosci zycia doroslych, aktywnych zawodowo mieszkanców aglomeracji górnoslaskiej.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the shorter version of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire used in testing the quality of life among economically active adults in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The reliability of the results were evaluated on the basis of the compatibility of self-assessment of quality of life (question 1 of the questionnaire), with the total score obtained for all measured domains expressed in terms of Sten scores. The measure of compliance was calculated using weighted Cohen Kappa statistics. The study also evaluated the reliability of the individual domains of the quality of life based on Cronbach's alpha values. RESULTS: The shorter version of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire is a reliable tool for assessing the quality of life among economically active adults in Poland. The reliability of the somatic, psychological and environmental domains is sufficient. However, the social domain may require additional questions to aid in better description of the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Furthermore, because some respondents' may have over-assessed their quality of life, a more liberal criteria may be a better option for assigning a particular Sten score to the appropriate category of quality of life. Such procedures may improve the compatibility of the results.

[Quality of life of occupationally active people, aged 45-60, living in the Polish industrial region (Silesian agglomeration)]. / Jakoså zycia aktywnych zawodowo osób w wieku 45-60 lat, mieszkanców przemyslowego regionu Polski (aglomeracja górnoslaska).

BACKGROUND: Among the most important determinants of quality of life are socio-economic factors, including economic activity and support of family, environmental and indoor related factors, infrastructure and air quality. The aim of this publication is to identify the factors that determine the quality of life of economically active adults in the industrial agglomeration of Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The epidemiological cross-sectional study was carried out among the economically active population of the Silesian Agglomeration. A short version of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was used to ascertain the quality of life of individuals. Furthermore, the software Statistica 9.0 was used to provide analytical and descriptive statistical data. The influence of age, gender, education, type of activity and living environment were used to assess the quality of life in the somatic, psychological, social and environmental domains. RESULTS: It was found that among the important determinants of quality of life in economically active population, aged 45-60 years, living in the industrial agglomeration, were primarily marital status, education level and the current state of health. The data evidenced the worst quality of life among unmarried persons, persons with lower education levels and persons diagnosed with cardio- or respiratory diseases. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to develop health conducive behavior among workers by providing training cycles with the involvement of staff supervising occupational health and safety. These types of actions can contribute to improving the quality of life of the working population.