Recommendations and guidelines for applied nutrition experiments in rabbits

[EN] The aim of this paper was to draw up a set of recommendations for applied nutrition and feeding trials with rabbits, in relation to certain aspects such as determining the nutritive value of raw materials or diets in growing or reproducing animals, studying digestive physiology and obtaining growth and reproduction parameters. We deal first with animals, size of the sample, housing conditions, diets, handling, measurements, and the data analyses relevant to the design of the experiment are described. Secondly, we give a list of recommended items and include some comments.This study was partly supported by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION (ERAFE program and the COST 848 Action).Fernández-Carmona, J.; Blas, E.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Maertens, L.; Gidenne, T.; Xiccato, G.; García, J. (2005). Recommendations and guidelines for applied nutrition experiments in rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 13. doi:10.4995/wrs.2005.516SWORD1

Genetic selection of maternal lines and digestive efficiency in rabbits: long term selection for litter size at weaning versus hyper selection for reproductive longevity

The objective of the present paper is to evaluate how long-term selection for litter size at weaning or short-term hyper selection for reproductive longevity, affect the digestive utilisation of growing and lactating rabbits. A digestibility trial was carried out during the 3rd week of lactation with a total of 27 multiparous does: 14 females came from a line selected for litter size at weaning over 32 generations (V), and 13 from a recently constituted, long lived-productive line (LP). Another digestibility trial was performed during the growing period with a total of 48 growing rabbits (24 from each line). After a 7 d adaptation period, faeces were collected individually for 4 d (from 13 to 16 d of lactation or from 49 to 53 d of age, respectively). Daily feed intake and weight gain recorded during the experimental growing period were similar for both lines (137 g of dry matter (DM)/d and 48 g/d, respectively). Growing rabbits from the V-line showed greater values for the digestibility of the DM and OM (+1 percentage point; P<0.10) and signifi cantly higher values for the acid detergent fi bre (+3 percentage points; P=0.03) than animals from the LP line. No signifi cant differences for the apparent digestibility coeffi cients of crude protein, neutral detergent fi bre, crude fi bre and gross energy were observed between lines, these being on average 65.7, 23.0, 10.7 and 52.6%, respectively. Females from the LP line were initially heavier (+258 g of live weight; P=0.06), and presented a signifi cantly greater daily feed intake (+22 g DM/d; P=0.04) and milk yield (+37 g/d; P=0.01) during the pre-experimental and faeces collection phases (from 6 to 16 d of lactation). V-line lactating does displayed greater values for digestibility for all those nutrients evaluated (from +0.9 and +3.7 percentage points for the crude protein and acid detergent fi bre) compared to the LP line females, although these were only signifi cant for the DM, organic matter and gross energy (+2.3, +2.5, +2.1 percentage points; P<0.05). In conclusion, rabbits selected for litter size at weaning seem to have greater effi ciency for digestive utilisation than those hyper selected for reproductive longevity.This study has been supported by the Spanish CICYT project AGL 2004-02710/GAN.Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Ródenas, L.; Martínez, E.; Cervera, C.; Blas, E.; Baselga, M. (2008). Genetic selection of maternal lines and digestive efficiency in rabbits: long term selection for litter size at weaning versus hyper selection for reproductive longevity. World Rabbit Science. 16(3). doi:10.4995/wrs.2008.62516

Climatic and lacustrine morphometric controls of diatom paleoproductivity in a tropical Andean lake

15 páginas, 6 figuras, 1 tablaThe coupling of lake dynamics with catchment biogeochemistry is considered the key element controlling primary production in mountain lakes at time scales of a few decades to millennia, yet little is known on the impacts of the morphometry of lakes throughout their ontogeny. As Lake Chungará (Central Andean Altiplano, northern Chile) experienced long-term lake-level fluctuations that strongly modified its area:volume ratio, it is an ideal system for exploring the relative roles that long-term climatic shifts and lake morphometry play on biosiliceous lacustrine productivity. In this paper, we review previous data on the percent contents of total organic carbon, total inorganic carbon, total nitrogen, total biogenic silica, isotopic composition of organic matter, carbonates, and diatom frustules, as well as data on the abundance of the chlorophycean Botryococcus braunii in this lake for the period 12,400–1300 cal yr BP. We also include new data on organic carbon and biogenic silica mass accumulation rates and the diatom assemblage composition of an offshore core dated using 14C and U/Th. Biosiliceous productivity in Lake Chungará was influenced by shifts in allochthonous nutrient inputs related to variability in precipitation. Humid phases dated at approx. 12,400 to 10,000 and 9600 to 7400 cal yr BP coincide with periods of elevated productivity, whereas decreases in productivity were recorded during arid phases dated at approx. 10,000 to 9600 and 7400 to 3550 cal yr BP (Andean mid-Holocene Aridity Period). However, morphometry-related in–lake controls led to a lack of a linear response of productivity to precipitation variability. During the late Glacial to early Holocene, lowstands facilitated complete water column mixing, prompting episodic massive blooms of a large centric diatom, Cyclostephanos cf. andinus. Thus, moderate productivity could be maintained, regardless of aridity, by this phenomenon of morphometric eutrophy during the early history of the lake. The subsequent net increase in lake level introduced modifications in the area of the epilimnion sediments versus the total volume of the epilimnion, preventing complete overturn. Surpassing a certain depth threshold at approx. 8300 cal yr BP caused cessation of the morphometric eutrophy conditions associated with Cyclostephanos cf. andinus superblooms. After 7300 cal yr BP, the lake experienced a decrease in biosiliceous productivity and a change of state that involved a stronger dependence on precipitation variability, with a lesser contribution of diatoms to the total primary productivity. Our results show that the interpretation of lacustrine paleoproductivity records as paleoclimatic archives needs to take into account the effects of changes in the epilimnion sediment area to epilimnion volume ratio in association with lake ontogenyThe Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation funded this research through the projects ANDESTER (BTE2001-3225), Complementary Action (BTE2001-5257-E), LAVOLTER (CGL2004-00683/BTE), GEOBILA (CGL2007-60932/BTE) and CONSOLIDER-Ingenio 2010 GRACCIE (CSD2007-00067)Peer reviewe

Effect of increasing lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits

[EN] To assess the effect of increasing dietary lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre (SF) levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits, four diets were formulated according a 2 x 2 factorial design: low SF-low lignin (LSF/LL), low SF-high lignin (LSF/HL), high SF-low lignin (HSF/LL) and high SF-high lignin (HSF/HL). On average, in HSF diets SF was increased by 49 g/kg DM, mainly replacing starch ( - 53 g/kg DM), and in HL diets lignin was increased by 40 g/kg, mainly reducing starch (-78 g/kg DM), with increasing EE ( + 31 g/kg DM). Two hundred and sixty crossbred weaned rabbits (35 days old) were assigned to the experimental diets, individually housed and fed ad libitum until 63 days of age. Digestibility (from 49 to 53 days old), growth performance (from 35 to 63 days old), carcass quality (at 63 days old) and caecal environment (at 63 days old) were studied in 12, 65, 45 and 16 rabbits per diet, respectively. High SF diets showed higher CTTAD of fibrous fractions ( + 0.206 +/- 0.011, + 0.207 +/- 0.015, + 0.214 +/- 0.011 and + 0.167 +/- 0.015 for aNDFom, ADFom, hemicelluloses and cellulose, respectively, P < 0.001), OM ( + 0.042 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and GE ( + 0.055 +/- 0.005, P < 0.001), resulting in high DE content (10.6 vs. 9.30 MJ/kg DM). In contrast, CTTAD of CP was lower ( - 0.023 +/- 0.009, P = 0.013), as well as the DP content (96.9 vs. 103 g/kg DM). This dietary variation reduced the DM content of caecal digesta ( - 28 +/- 3 g/kg, P < 0.001), besides increasing its VFA concentration ( + 18.0 +/- 4.0 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and reducing its pH ( - 0.28 +/- 0.05, P < 0.001). Feed intake and LW gain decreased, with an improvement of feed to gain ratio ( -13.8 %, - 4.7 %, - 9.4 %, respectively; P < 0.001). The proportion of gastrointestinal tract was increased, with a subsequent reduction in dressing out ( + 19 +/- 2 g/kg LW and -15 +/- 2 g chilled carcass weight/kg LW, respectively, P < 0.001). High lignin diets showed lower CTTAD of OM (-0.055 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and GE ( - 0.034 +/- 0.005, P < 0.001) without affecting DE and DP contents. This dietary variation increased DM content of caecal digesta ( +21 +/- 3 g/kg, P < 0.001), but did not affect the other caecal digesta traits. Feed intake was higher ( + 4.9 %, P < 0.001), although differences were dependent on the growth phase and the SF level (maximum difference at 35-49 days with low SF diets, + 11.0 %, P < 0.001; minimum difference at 49-63 days with high SF diets, + 1.0 %, P = 0.689), but did not affect LW gain and consequently impaired the feed to gain ratio ( + 5.1 %, P < 0.001). No effect was observed on dressing out, but the dissectible fat proportion increased ( + 6.7 +/- 1.1 g/kg reference carcass weight, P < 0.001).Financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2006-07596).Caisin, L.; Martinez-Paredes, E.; Ródenas Martínez, L.; Moya, V.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Cervera Fras, MC.; Blas Ferrer, E.... (2020). Effect of increasing lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 262:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114396S19262Batey, I. L. (1982). Starch Analysis Using Thermostable alpha-Amylases. Starch - Stärke, 34(4), 125-128. doi:10.1002/star.19820340407Delgado, R., Nicodemus, N., Abad-Guamán, R., Sastre, J., Menoyo, D., Carabaño, R., & García, J. (2018). Effect of dietary soluble fibre and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on growth performance and nitrogen and energy retention efficiency in growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 239, 44-54. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2018.03.006Delgado, R., Menoyo, D., Abad-Guamán, R., Nicodemus, N., Carabaño, R., & García, J. (2019). Effect of dietary soluble fibre level and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on digestion and health in growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 255, 114222. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2019.114222Fernández, C., & Fraga, M. J. (1996). The effect of dietary fat inclusion on growth, carcass characteristics, and chemical composition of rabbits. Journal of Animal Science, 74(9), 2088. doi:10.2527/1996.7492088xGarcía, J., Gidenne, T., Luisa Falcao-e-Cunha, & de Blas, C. (2002). Identification of the main factors that influence caecal fermentation traits in growing rabbits. Animal Research, 51(2), 165-173. doi:10.1051/animres:2002011Gidenne, T. (2015). Dietary fibres in the nutrition of the growing rabbit and recommendations to preserve digestive health: a review. Animal, 9(2), 227-242. doi:10.1017/s1751731114002729Gidenne, T., Perez, J., Lapanouse, A., & Ségura, M. (1994). Apports de lignines et alimentation du lapin en croissance. I. Conséquences sur la digestion et le transit. Annales de Zootechnie, 43(4), 313-322. doi:10.1051/animres:19940401Gidenne, T., Arveux, P., & Madec, O. (2001). The effect of the quality of dietary lignocellulose on digestion, zootechnical performance and health of the growing rabbit. Animal Science, 73(1), 97-104. doi:10.1017/s1357729800058094Grueso, I., De Blas, J. C., Cachaldora, P., Mendez, J., Losada, B., & García-Rebollar, P. (2013). Combined effects of supplementation of diets with hops and of a substitution of starch with soluble fiber on feed efficiency and prevention of digestive disorders in rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 180(1-4), 92-100. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.01.009Martínez-Vallespín, B., Martínez-Paredes, E., Ródenas, L., Cervera, C., Pascual, J. J., & Blas, E. (2011). Combined feeding of rabbit female and young: Partial replacement of starch with acid detergent fibre or/and neutral detergent soluble fibre at two protein levels. Livestock Science, 141(2-3), 155-165. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2011.05.014Martínez-Vallespín, B., Martínez-Paredes, E., Ródenas, L., Moya, V. J., Cervera, C., Pascual, J. J., & Blas, E. (2013). Partial replacement of starch with acid detergent fibre and/or neutral detergent soluble fibre at two protein levels: Effects on ileal apparent digestibility and caecal environment of growing rabbits. Livestock Science, 154(1-3), 123-130. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2013.02.012Nicodemus, N., Carabaño, R., Garcı́a, J., Méndez, J., & de Blas, C. (1999). Performance response of lactating and growing rabbits to dietary lignin content. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 80(1), 43-54. doi:10.1016/s0377-8401(99)00042-5Ocasio-Vega, C., Delgado, R., Abad-Guamán, R., Carabaño, R., Carro, M. D., Menoyo, D., & García, J. (2018). The effect of cellobiose on the health status of growing rabbits depends on the dietary level of soluble fiber. Journal of Animal Science, 96(5), 1806-1817. doi:10.1093/jas/sky106Pascual, M., Soler, M. D., Cervera, C., Pla, M., Pascual, J. J., & Blas, E. (2014). Feeding programmes based on highly-digestible fibre weaning diets: Effects on health, growth performance and carcass and meat quality in rabbits. Livestock Science, 169, 88-95. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2014.07.007Trocino, A., García Alonso, J., Carabaño, R., & Xiccato, G. (2013). A meta-analysis on the role of soluble fibre in diets for growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science, 21(1). doi:10.4995/wrs.2013.1285Trocino, A., Fragkiadakis, M., Majolini, D., Tazzoli, M., Radaelli, G., & Xiccato, G. (2013). Soluble fibre, starch and protein level in diets for growing rabbits: Effects on digestive efficiency and productive traits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 180(1-4), 73-82. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.01.007Van Soest, P. J., Robertson, J. B., & Lewis, B. A. (1991). Methods for Dietary Fiber, Neutral Detergent Fiber, and Nonstarch Polysaccharides in Relation to Animal Nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science, 74(10), 3583-3597. doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(91)78551-2Xiccato, G., Trocino, A., Majolini, D., Fragkiadakis, M., & Tazzoli, M. (2011). Effect of decreasing dietary protein level and replacing starch with soluble fibre on digestive physiology and performance of growing rabbits. Animal, 5(8), 1179-1187. doi:10.1017/s175173111100024

Medical needs related to the endoscopic technology and colonoscopy for colorectal cancer diagnosis

Background. The high incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer require new technologies to improve its early diagnosis. This study aims at extracting the medical needs related to the endoscopic technology and the colonoscopy procedure currently used for colorectal cancer diagnosis, essential for designing these demanded technologies. Methods. Semi-structured interviews and an online survey were used. Results. Six endoscopists were interviewed and 103 were surveyed, obtaining the demanded needs that can be divided into: a) clinical needs, for better polyp detection and classification (especially flat polyps), location, size, margins and penetration depth; b) computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system needs, for additional visual information supporting polyp characterization and diagnosis; and c) operational/physical needs, related to limitations of image quality, colon lighting, flexibility of the endoscope tip, and even poor bowel preparation.This work is part of the PICCOLO project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 732111. GR18199, funded by “Consejería de Economía, Ciencia y Agenda Digital, Junta de Extremadura” and co-funded by European Union (ERDF “A way to make Europe”). The funding bodies did not play any roles in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript

Extremity tourniquet training at high seas

Background Future navy officers require unique training for emergency medical response in the isolated maritime environment. The authors issued a workshop on extremity bleeding control, using four different commercial extremity tourniquets onboard a training sail ship. The purposes were to assess participants' perceptions of this educational experience and evaluate self-application simplicity while navigating on high seas. Methods A descriptive observational study was conducted as part of a workshop issued to volunteer training officers. A post-workshop survey collected their perceptions about the workshops' content usefulness and adequacy, tourniquet safety, self-application simplicity, and device preference. Tourniquet preference was measured by frequency count while the rest of the studied variables on a one-to-ten Likert scale. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for the studied variables, and application simplicity means compared using the ANOVA test (p < 0.05). Results Fifty-one Spanish training naval officers, aged 20 or 21, perceived high sea workshop content’s usefulness, adequacy, and safety level at 8.6/10, 8.7/10, and 7.5/10, respectively. As for application simplicity, CAT and SAM-XT were rated equally with a mean of 8.5, followed by SWAT (7.9) and RATS (6.9), this one statistically different from the rest (p < 0.01). Windlass types were preferred by 94%. Conclusions The training sail ship’s extremity bleeding control workshop was perceived as useful and its content adequate by the participating midshipmen. Windlass types were regarded as easier to apply than elastic counterparts. They were also preferred by nine out of every ten participants

Recensiones [Revista de Historia Económica Año XI Invierno 1993 n. 1 pp. 209-243]

Editada en la Universidad Carlos IIILutgardo García Fuentes. Sevilla, los vascos y América. (Las exportaciones de hierro, manufacturas metálicas en los siglos XVI, XVII y XVIII) (Por Rafael Uñarte Ayo).-- Enrique Tandeter. Coacción y mercado. La minería de la plata en el Potosí Colonial 1692-1826 (Por Zacarías Moutoukias).-- Manuel Miño Grijalva. Obrajes y tejedores en Hueva España (1700-1810) (Por Pedro Pérez Herrero).-- Luis Perdices Blas.Pablo de Olavide (1725-1803), el Ilustrado (Por Victoriano Martin Martín).-- Daniel Peribáñez Caveda. Comunicaciones y comercio marítimo en la Asturias preindustrial (1750-1850) (Por José Ramón García López).-- Vicent Llombart.Campomanes, economista y político de Carlos III (Por Luis Perdices Blas).-- M. Teresa Pérez Picazo.El mayorazgo en la historia económica de la región murciana, expansión, crisis y abolición (siglos XVIII-XIX) (Por Juan Antonio Carmona Pidal).-- Nelson Lourenço. Familia rural e industria. Mudanga social na regido de Leiria (Por Carmen Sarasúa García).-- Blanca Sánchez Alonso.La inmigración española en Argentina, siglos XIX y XX (Por José Moya).-- Gianni Toniolo.An Economic History qf Liberal Italy, 1859-1918 (Por Francesco L. Galassi).-- Albert Carreras. Estadísticas históricas de España. Siglos XIX-XX (Por Sebastian Coll Martín)Publicad

Variation among origins in nutrient composition and protein quality of soybean meals

Investigación sobre las variaciones en la composición y en la calidad de las proteinas de la alimentación animal basada en la soja en función de los orígene

The last deglaciation in the Picos de Europa National Park (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain)

42 páginas, 8 figuras, 4 tablas.-- El PDF del artículo esta en formato pre-print.A sedimentological and geochemical study of the Lago Enol sequence (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain), together with detailed geomorphological mapping, provides a first record of glacier evolution and climate change over the last 40 ka in the Picos de Europa National Park. The Enol glacier retreated from its maximum extent prior to 40 ka BP as demonstrated by the onset of proglacial lacustrine sedimentation in two glaciated depressions: the Comella hollow to the north (before 40 ka BP) and the Lago Enol (before 38 ka BP). These results support previous evidence that the maximum extent of southern European glaciers occurred earlier than in northern Europe. Alternation of homogeneous and laminated proglacial sediments during the glacier retreat illustrate a dynamic glacial evolution during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (40–26 ka BP). A slight warming is detected at 26 ka ago with the change from proglacial sediments (in a lake located in contact to the glacier) to glaciolacustrine sedimentation (in a non-contact or distal lake). Finally, the onset of organic-rich sediments took place at 18 ka ago. This last transition occurred in two phases, similarly to the North Atlantic Last Termination, suggesting a link between North Atlantic Deep Water formation oscillations and palaeohydrological variability in the Cantabrian Mountains.This research has been funded through the projects LIMNOCLIBER (REN2003-09130-C02-02), IBERLIMNO (CGL2005-20236-E/CLI), LIMNOCAL (CGL2006-13327-C04-01) and GRACCIE (CSD2007-00067), provided by the Spanish Inter-Ministry Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT). Additional funding was provided by the Spanish National Parks Agency through the project ‘Evolución climática y ambiental del Parque Nacional de Picos de Europa desde el último máximo glaciar – ref: 53/2006’. A. Moreno acknowledges funding from the European Commission's Sixth Framework Program (Marie Curie Outgoing International Fellowships, proposal 021673-IBERABRUPT).Peer reviewe

V shaped Tröger oligothiophenes boost triplet formation by ct mediation and symmetry breaking

A new family of molecules obtained by coupling Tröger's base unit with dicyanovinylene-terminated oligothiophenes of different lengths has been synthesized and characterized by steady-state stationary and transient time-resolved spectroscopies. Quantum chemical calculations allow us to interpret and recognize the properties of the stationary excited states as well as the time-dependent mechanisms of singlet-to-triplet coupling. The presence of the diazocine unit in Tröger's base derivatives is key to efficiently producing singlet-to-triplet intersystem crossing mediated by the role of the nitrogen atoms and of the almost orthogonal disposition of the two thiophene arms. Spin-orbit coupling-mediated interstate intersystem crossing (ISC) is activated by a symmetry-breaking process in the first singlet excited state with partial charge transfer character. This mechanism is a characteristic of these molecular triads since the independent dicyanovinylene-oligothiophene branches do not display appreciable ISC. These results show how Tröger's base coupling of organic chromophores can be used to improve the ISC efficiency and tune their photophysics.Funding for open Access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA. The authors thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (projects MICIN/FEDER PID2021-127127NB- I00, PID2019-109555GB-I00, PID2022-136231NB-I00, PID2022-138908NB-C33, and TED2021-129886B−C43), the Junta de Andalucía (PROYEXCEL-0328), and the Eusko Jaurlaritza (project PIBA19-0004)