Effects of alternative bedding substrates on lamb welfare, productive performance, and meat quality during the finishing phase of fattening

The study analyzed the effect of using sawdust, cellulose, straw, and rice husk bedding on the welfare, performance and meat quality of lambs during the finishing phase of fattening. Ninety-six lambs (fed ad libitum with concentrate) were assigned to pens containing 1 of 4 bedding materials in groups of 12 for 14 days. Live weight and feed consumption were recorded to estimate daily gain and conversion index, and carcass and meat quality variables were measured. Stereotypies, exploratory interactions with bedding material, and agonistic and affiliative interactions between animals were recorded by continuous sampling techniques using video recording. The substrates affected behavior and stress response variables. There were more stereotypies and agonistic interactions at the beginning of the experiment in all treatments (P ≤ 0.05). The lambs fattened on cellulose bedding interacted more with the substrate throughout the finishing stage (P ≤ 0.05), where there were also more affiliative interactions (P ≤ 0.05). Stress levels were lower in lambs on straw, followed by cellulose. No significant differences in production or carcass and meat quality traits were observed between treatments. The results suggest that all substrates evaluated could be efficiently incorporated into the system as bedding material without affecting productivity or product quality

Myeloid cell deficiency of p38γ/p38δ protects against candidiasis and regulates antifungal immunity

Fundació la Marató de TV3 (GrantNumber(s): 20133431; Grant recipient(s): Ana Cuenda) Wellcome Trust (GrantNumber(s): 97377, 102705; Grant recipient(s): GORDON D. BROWN) Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (GrantNumber(s): SAF2016-79792-R, SAF2014- 52009-R, SAF2013-45331-R; Grant recipient(s): Ana Cuenda, SUSANA ALEMANY) Medical Research Council (GrantNumber(s): MR/N006364/1; Grant recipient(s): GORDON D. BROWN) ERC Consolidator Grant (GrantNumber(s): 310372; Grant recipient(s): Mihai Netea)Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Hydrocarbon Contamination Decreases Mating Success in a Marine Planktonic Copepod

The mating behavior and the mating success of copepods rely on chemoreception to locate and track a sexual partner. However, the potential impact of the water-soluble fraction of hydrocarbons on these aspects of copepod reproduction has never been tested despite the widely acknowledged acute chemosensory abilities of copepods. I examined whether three concentrations of the water-soluble fraction of diesel oil (0.01%, 0.1% and 1%) impacts (i) the swimming behavior of both adult males and females of the widespread calanoid copepod Temora longcornis, and (ii) the ability of males to locate, track and mate with females. The three concentrations of the water-soluble fraction of diesel oil (WSF) significantly and non-significantly affect female and male swimming velocities, respectively. In contrast, both the complexity of male and female swimming paths significantly decreased with increasing WSF concentrations, hence suggesting a sex-specific sensitivity to WSF contaminated seawater. In addition, the three WSF concentrations impacted both T. longicornis mating behavior and mating success. Specifically, the ability of males to detect female pheromone trails, to accurately follow trails and to successfully track a female significantly decreased with increasing WSF concentrations. This led to a significant decrease in contact and capture rates from control to WSF contaminated seawater. These results indicate that hydrocarbon contamination of seawater decreases the ability of male copepods to detect and track a female, hence suggest an overall impact on population fitness and dynamics

Respuesta al soporte nutricional de una población de pacientes críticos: diferencias entre pacientes médicos y quirúrgicos Nutritional support response in critically ill patients: differences between medical and surgical patients

Objetivo: Evaluación de la respuesta nutricional de un grupo de pacientes críticos, así como el análisis de las diferencias en la respuesta al soporte nutricional, entre pacientes médicos y quirúrgicos. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo durante un año, incluyendo los pacientes críticos con nutrición artificial durante 7 días. Se realizaron tres controles bioquímicos nutricionales a lo largo de la primera semana, que incluían albúmina, prealbúmina, transferrina, colesterol y electrolitos. Se recogieron, además: índice de riesgo nutricional, edad, sexo, peso, talla, APACHE, retraso del inicio del soporte nutricional, vía de acceso, aporte calórico teórico y real, enfermo médico o quirúrgico, estancia, duración de catéter venoso central, sonda urinaria y/o ventilación mecánica, incidencia y densidad de incidencia de infecciones nosocomiales. Resultados: 63 pacientes estudiados, 30 médicos (47%) y 33 quirúrgicos/traumáticos (53%) siendo la utilización de NE superior en médicos (16/30, 53% vs 5/33, 15%), la de NP en quirúrgicos (25/33, 76%) y la mixta similar en ambos (5 médicos y 3 quirúrgicos) (p = 0,001). No hubo diferencias entre pacientes médicos y quirúrgicos en: aporte calórico y nitrogenado teóricos ni reales, APACHE, retraso en inicio de nutrición, valores de fósforo, magnesio y glucosa, mortalidad e incidencia de infecciones nosocomiales. Tampoco en días de estancia y ventilación mecánica, aunque tendieron a ser menores en pacientes quirúrgicos. Los parámetros bioquímicos iniciales de ambos grupos mostraron diferencias, siendo peores en los enfermos quirúrgicos. Estos presentaron, en el periodo de estudio, un mantenimiento de la albúmina y mejoras del resto de los parámetros, mientras que los médicos mostraron una caída de la albúmina y transferrina, un mantenimiento de la prealbúmina y discreta mejoría del colesterol. Conclusiones: Hemos observado un mayor uso de la NP en pacientes quirúrgicos, que presentan peores valores bioquímicos nutricionales iniciales, que responden mejor al soporte nutricional y que presentan una tendencia a una menor estancia y una menor duración de ventilación mecánica frente a los pacientes médicos. No hemos observado diferencias en mortalidad ni en infección nosocomial.Objective: To assess the nutritional response of a group of critically ill patients, as well as the differences in the response to nutritional support between medical and surgical patients. Methods: One-year long retrospective study including critically ill patients on artificial nutrition for 7 days. Throughout the first week, three nutritional biochemical controls were done that included albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, cholesterol, and electrolytes. Other data gathered were: nutritional risk index, age, gender, weight, height, APACHE, delay of onset of nutritional support, access route, predicted and real caloric intake, medical or surgical patient, hospital stay, duration of the central venous catheter, urinary tube, and/or mechanical ventilation, incidence and density of incidence of nosocomial infections. Results: Sixty-three patients were studied, 30 (47%) medical and 33 (53%) surgical/trauma patients, with a usage of EN higher among medical patients (16/30, 53% vs. 5/33, 15%), PN higher among surgical patients (25/33, 76%), and mixed nutrition similar in both groups (5 medical and 3 surgical patients) (p = 0.001). There were no differences between medical and surgical patients regarding: both predicted and real caloric and nitrogenous intake, APACHE, delay of onset of nutrition, phosphorus, magnesium or glucose levels, mortality and incidence of nosocomial infections. There were no differences either in hospital stay or use of mechanical ventilation, although these tended to be lower in surgical patients. The baseline biochemical parameters did not show differences between both groups, although they were worse among surgical patients. These patients presented during the study period steady albumin levels with improvement in the remaining parameters, whereas medical patients showed a decrease in albumin and transferrin levels, steady prealbumin levels, and slightly improvement in cholesterol levels. Conclusions: We have observed higher usage of PN among surgical patients, which showed worse baseline nutritional biochemical parameters and responded better to nutritional support and having a trend towards shorter hospital stay and lower mechanical ventilation use than medical patients. We have not observed differences regarding the mortality or nosocomial infection

El colecho favorece la práctica de la lactancia materna y no aumenta el riesgo de muerte súbita del lactante. Dormir con los padres [Ded-sharing favours the practice of breastfeeding and does not increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. sleeping with parents]

La práctica de los padres de dormir junto a sus hijos ha sido una constante en la humanidad. Con el aumento en la prevalencia y duración de la lactancia materna, se ha observado paralelamente un aumento de esa práctica, que posiblemente se dé con más frecuencia que la reconocida en las encuestas. Los estudios han demostrado interrelación y mutua potenciación entre lactancia materna y colecho. Las asociaciones y organizaciones pediátricas recomiendan evitar el colecho, por relacionarlo con la muerte súbita del lactante. Se basan, sin embargo, en estudios en su mayoría no controlados, bajo la influencia de factores de riesgo no tenidos en cuenta. Los autores, tras una revisión exhaustiva sobre colecho, lactancia y muerte súbita del lactante, encuentran el colecho como una práctica beneficiosa para la lactancia y concluyen que, bien practicado, evitando factores de riesgo, no guarda relación con la muerte súbita del lactante. The practice of bed-sharing by parents and their offspring has been a common behaviour among humans. In parallel with the increase of breastfeeding rates, a higher frequency of bed-sharing has been observed worldwide. And, it is probable that it occurs more frequently than what appears reflected in surveys. There seems to be an interrelated and mutually enhanced effect between breastfeeding and bed-sharing. Pediatric associations and health organizations have warned against the practice of bed-sharing based on studies that describe a link between this practice and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). However, many were non-controlled studies that did not include other potentially risky circumstances. After a thoroughly review of the available literature, the authors have found the practice of bed-sharing to be of benefit on the basis of a warm and close-up infant care approach and calls for recognition and avoidance of risky situations that could represent a threat for infant life

Machine learning using the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm predicts 5-day delta of SOFA score at ICU admission in COVID-19 patients

Background: Accurate risk stratification of critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is essential for optimizing resource allocation, delivering targeted interventions, and maximizing patient survival probability. Machine learning (ML) techniques are attracting increased interest for the development of prediction models as they excel in the analysis of complex signals in data-rich environments such as critical care. Methods: We retrieved data on patients with COVID-19 admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) between March and October 2020 from the RIsk Stratification in COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (RISC-19-ICU) registry. We applied the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm to the data to predict as a binary out- come the increase or decrease in patients’ Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on day 5 after ICU admission. The model was iteratively cross-validated in different subsets of the study cohort. Results: The final study population consisted of 675 patients. The XGBoost model correctly predicted a decrease in SOFA score in 320/385 (83%) critically ill COVID-19 patients, and an increase in the score in 210/290 (72%) patients. The area under the mean receiver operating characteristic curve for XGBoost was significantly higher than that for the logistic regression model (0.86 vs . 0.69, P < 0.01 [paired t -test with 95% confidence interval]). Conclusions: The XGBoost model predicted the change in SOFA score in critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU and can guide clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) aimed at optimizing available resources

Comparative evaluation of effort, capture and handling effects of drive nets to capture roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica)

The objective of this study is to assess the usefulness of drive nets to capture roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica), comparing the results obtained with other capture methods and amongst the three species. Sixty-five drive net capture operations using beaters were conducted from January 1998 to September 2004. A total of 161 wild ungulates (31 roe deer, 95 Southern chamois and 35 Spanish ibexes) were captured. The average number of animals captured per operation was 1.07 for roe deer, 3.96 for Southern chamois and 2.92 for Spanish ibex. The average number of person–days per captured animal was 21.5, 7.1 and 10.6 for roe deer, Southern chamois and Spanish ibex, respectively. Specificity was 100% for Southern chamois and Spanish ibex (only the target species captured) and 77.5% for roe deer. Risk for the animals (mortality plus injuries) was 3.23% for roe deer, 5.27% for Southern chamois and 0% for Spanish ibex, whereas injuries to the operators occurred with 3.1% of the handled animals. Sex ratio was skewed towards females in roe deer, towards males in Southern chamois and balanced in Southern chamois. Drive nets showed good performance, although many operators were required. Safety for the animals and specificity were higher than traditionally attributed to this capture method. It is concluded that drive nets are an efficient and safe method to capture many ungulate species.This work is part of the research projects ‘Capture and handling stress in roe deer’ (AGF97-0493), ‘Assessment of capture and handling stress in Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica)’ (AGF99-0763-C02), and ‘Assessment of capture and post-capture handling stress in Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica)’ (REN 2001-1989/GLO), all of them financed by the Spanish ‘Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología’ (CICYT). One of the authors had a grant from the ‘Direcció General de Recerca’ (DGR) of the Catalan government, and another one had a FPI grant of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.Peer reviewe