PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION OF GROWING PIGS UNDER DIFFERENT SOCIAL CONDITIONS

Socijalno suočavanje mlade svinje u rastu s usporednom skupinom brzo dovodi do vrlo čestih agonističkih interakcija u prvih 30 minutia praćenih naglim ubrzanjem rada srca i koncentracijom katekolamina te usporenim porastom koncentracija kortizola. Suočavanje životinje s nepoznatom skupinom dovodi do većih agonističkih interakcija i veće reakcije adrenokortizola u usporedbi sa suočavanjem s poznatom skupinom. Najbolje životinje imaju više agonističkih interakcija u prvih trideset minuta praćenih ubrzanijim radom srca i višom adrenokortikalnom reakcijom ali pokazuju sposobnost snalaženja u novoj situaciji nakon kratkog razdoblja. Potrebna su daljnja istraživanja da se ocijene različite strategije prilagođavanja u svinja i uključivanje u promatrane fiziološke reakcije i reakcije ponašanja.The social confrontation of a young growing pig with a comparable group immediately leads to very frequent agonistic interactions during the first 30 minutes accompanied with a rapid increase of heart rate and catecholamine concentrations and a delayed increase of cortisol concentrations. Confrontation of the animal with an unfamiliar group results in more agonistic interactions and a higher adrenocortical reaction compared to the confrontation with the familiar group. High rank animals have more agonistic interactions during the first 30 minutes, accompanied with higher heart rates and a higher adrenocortical reaction but show the ability to cope with the new situation after a short period. Further research is necessary to evaluate the existence of different adaptation strategies in pigs and the involvement in the observed physiological and behavioural reactions

Hepatic gene expression involved in glucose and lipid metabolism in transition cows: effects of fat mobilization during early lactation in relation to milk performance and metabolic changes.

Insufficient feed intake during early lactation results in elevated body fat mobilization to meet energy demands for milk production. Hepatic energy metabolism is involved by increasing endogenous glucose production and hepatic glucose output for milk synthesis and by adaptation of postcalving fuel oxidation. Given that cows differ in their degree of fat mobilization around parturition, indicated by variable total liver fat concentration (LFC), the study investigated the influence of peripartum fat mobilization on hepatic gene expression involved in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, ketogenesis, and cholesterol synthesis, as well as transcriptional factors referring to energy metabolism. German Holstein cows were grouped according to mean total LFC on d 1, 14, and 28 after parturition as low [300 mg of total fat/g of DM; n=7), indicating fat mobilization during early lactation. Cows were fed total mixed rations ad libitum and held under equal conditions. Liver biopsies were taken at d 56 and 15 before and d 1, 14, 28, and 49 after parturition to measure mRNA abundances of pyruvate carboxylase (PC); phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase; glucose-6-phosphatase; propionyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase α; carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1A (CPT1A); acyl-CoA synthetase, long chain 1 (ASCL1); acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very long chain; 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 and 2; sterol regulatory element-binding factor 1; and peroxisome proliferator-activated factor α. Total LFC postpartum differed greatly among cows, and the mRNA abundance of most enzymes and transcription factors changed with time during the experimental period. Abundance of PC mRNA increased at parturition to a greater extent in high- and medium-LFC groups than in the low-LFC group. Significant LFC × time interactions for ACSL1 and CPT1A during the experimental period indicated variable gene expression depending on LFC after parturition. Correlations between hepatic gene expression and performance data and plasma concentrations of metabolites and hormones showed time-specific relations during the transition period. Elevated body fat mobilization during early lactation affected gene expression involved in gluconeogenesis to a greater extent than gene expression involved in lipid metabolism, indicating the dependence of hepatic glucose metabolism on hepatic lipid status and fat mobilization during early lactation

Exposure to active and passive smoking during pregnancy and severe small for gestational age at term

Objective. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between active smoking as well as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and severe small for gestational age (SGA) at term in a sample of pregnant Italian women. Methods. A case-control study was conducted in nine cities in Italy between October 1999 and September 2000. Cases of severe SGA were singleton, live born, at term children with a birth weight5th percentile for gestational age. Controls (10:1 to cases) were enrolled from among singleton at term births that occurred in the same hospitals one or two days after delivery of the case, with a birth weight10th percentile for gestational age. A total of 84 cases of severe SGA and 858 controls were analyzed. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess active smoking and ETS exposure, as well as potential confounders. Results. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a relationship between active smoking during pregnancy and severe SGA (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-3.68). ETS exposure was associated with severe SGA (adjusted OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.59-3.95) with a dose-response relationship to the number of smokers in the home

An overview of the first decade of PollyNET : an emerging network of automated Raman-polarization lidars for continuous aerosol profiling

© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 LicenseA global vertically resolved aerosol data set covering more than 10 years of observations at more than 20 measurement sites distributed from 63° N to 52° S and 72° W to 124° E has been achieved within the Raman and polarization lidar network PollyNET. This network consists of portable, remote-controlled multiwavelength-polarization-Raman lidars (Polly) for automated and continuous 24/7 observations of clouds and aerosols. PollyNET is an independent, voluntary, and scientific network. All Polly lidars feature a standardized instrument design with different capabilities ranging from single wavelength to multiwavelength systems, and now apply unified calibration, quality control, and data analysis. The observations are processed in near-real time without manual intervention, and are presented online at http://polly.tropos.de/. The paper gives an overview of the observations on four continents and two research vessels obtained with eight Polly systems. The specific aerosol types at these locations (mineral dust, smoke, dust-smoke and other dusty mixtures, urban haze, and volcanic ash) are identified by their Ångström exponent, lidar ratio, and depolarization ratio. The vertical aerosol distribution at the PollyNET locations is discussed on the basis of more than 55 000 automatically retrieved 30 min particle backscatter coefficient profiles at 532 nm as this operating wavelength is available for all Polly lidar systems. A seasonal analysis of measurements at selected sites revealed typical and extraordinary aerosol conditions as well as seasonal differences. These studies show the potential of PollyNET to support the establishment of a global aerosol climatology that covers the entire troposphere.Peer reviewe

MICHEL FOUCAULT, A EDUCAÇÃO E O NEOLIBERALISMO

This papper seeks to think about the bases of a possible criticism undertaken by Michel Foucault around neoliberalism and its relationship with education. Based on a bibliographic survey that covers the works developed by Foucault from a political history of governmentality, we will try to demonstrate how neoliberalism, in Foucault's eyes, should be understood as a way of life and as a government practice responsible for the production of modes of subjectivation identified with self-entrepreneurship as the aesthetics of neoliberal existence. At first, we go through the contours of Foucault's thinking around a genealogy of the arts of government and of the processes of subjectification. The second moment is dedicated to trying to understand the effects by which neoliberalism is constituted as an ethos responsible for producing an experience of a capitalized and financialized education. Finally, our final considerations are dedicated to the elaboration of a critique around the neoliberal governmentality regime based on the contributions made by Michel Foucault.Nuestro artículo busca reflexionar sobre las bases de una posible crítica realizada por Michel Foucault en torno al neoliberalismo y su relación con la educación. A partir de un relevamiento bibliográfico que abarca los trabajos desarrollados por Foucault a partir de una historia política de la gubernamentalidad, intentaremos demostrar cómo el neoliberalismo, a los ojos de Foucault, debe entenderse como una forma de vida y como una práctica gubernamental responsable de la producción de modos. de subjetivación identificada con el autoemprendimiento como estética de la existencia neoliberal. En primer lugar, recorremos los contornos del pensamiento de Foucault en torno a una genealogía de las artes de gobierno y de los procesos de subjetivación. El segundo momento está dedicado a tratar de comprender los efectos por los cuales el neoliberalismo se constituye como un ethos responsable de producir una experiencia de educación capitalizada y financiarizada. Finalmente, nuestras consideraciones finales están dedicadas a la elaboración de una crítica en torno al régimen de gubernamentalidad neoliberal a partir de los aportes de Michel Foucault.This papper seeks to think about the bases of a possible criticism undertaken by Michel Foucault around neoliberalism and its relationship with education. Based on a bibliographic survey that covers the works developed by Foucault from a political history of governmentality, we will try to demonstrate how neoliberalism, in Foucault's eyes, should be understood as a way of life and as a government practice responsible for the production of modes of subjectivation identified with self-entrepreneurship as the aesthetics of neoliberal existence. At first, we go through the contours of Foucault's thinking around a genealogy of the arts of government and of the processes of subjectification. The second moment is dedicated to trying to understand the effects by which neoliberalism is constituted as an ethos responsible for producing an experience of a capitalized and financialized education. Finally, our final considerations are dedicated to the elaboration of a critique around the neoliberal governmentality regime based on the contributions made by Michel Foucault

Intrauterine Growth Retarded Progeny of Pregnant Sows Fed High Protein:Low Carbohydrate Diet Is Related to Metabolic Energy Deficit

High and low protein diets fed to pregnant adolescent sows led to intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). To explore underlying mechanisms, sow plasma metabolite and hormone concentrations were analyzed during different pregnancy stages and correlated with litter weight (LW) at birth, sow body weight and back fat thickness. Sows were fed diets with low (6.5%, LP), adequate (12.1%, AP), and high (30%, HP) protein levels, made isoenergetic by adjusted carbohydrate content. At −5, 24, 66, and 108 days post coitum (dpc) fasted blood was collected. At 92 dpc, diurnal metabolic profiles were determined. Fasted serum urea and plasma glucagon were higher due to the HP diet. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), %HDLC and cortisol were reduced in HP compared with AP sows. Lowest concentrations were observed for serum urea and protein, plasma insulin-like growth factor-I, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and progesterone in LP compared with AP and HP sows. Fasted plasma glucose, insulin and leptin concentrations were unchanged. Diurnal metabolic profiles showed lower glucose in HP sows whereas non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations were higher in HP compared with AP and LP sows. In HP and LP sows, urea concentrations were 300% and 60% of AP sows, respectively. Plasma total cholesterol was higher in LP than in AP and HP sows. In AP sows, LW correlated positively with insulin and insulin/glucose and negatively with glucagon/insulin at 66 dpc, whereas in HP sows LW associated positively with NEFA. In conclusion, IUGR in sows fed high protein∶low carbohydrate diet was probably due to glucose and energy deficit whereas in sows with low protein∶high carbohydrate diet it was possibly a response to a deficit of indispensable amino acids which impaired lipoprotein metabolism and favored maternal lipid disposal

The relevance of nanoscale biological fragments for ice nucleation in clouds

Most studies of the role of biological entities as atmospheric ice-nucleating particles have focused on relatively rare supermicron particles such as bacterial cells, fungal spores and pollen grains. However, it is not clear that there are sufficient numbers of these particles in the atmosphere to strongly influence clouds. Here we show that the ice-nucleating activity of a fungus from the ubiquitous genus Fusarium is related to the presence of nanometre-scale particles which are far more numerous, and therefore potentially far more important for cloud glaciation than whole intact spores or hyphae. In addition, we quantify the ice-nucleating activity of nano-ice nucleating particles (nano-INPs) washed off pollen and also show that nano-INPs are present in a soil sample. Based on these results, we suggest that there is a reservoir of biological nano-INPs present in the environment which may, for example, become aerosolised in association with fertile soil dust particles

Reduced Cortisol and Metabolic Responses of Thin Ewes to an Acute Cold Challenge in Mid-Pregnancy: Implications for Animal Physiology and Welfare

Background: Low food availability leading to reductions in Body Condition Score (BCS; 0 indicates emaciation and 5 obesity) in sheep often coincides with low temperatures associated with the onset of winter in New Zealand. The ability to adapt to reductions in environmental temperature may be impaired in animals with low BCS, in particular during pregnancy when metabolic demand is higher. Here we assess whether BCS affects a pregnant animal’s ability to cope with cold challenges. Methods: Eighteen pregnant ewes with a BCS of 2.760.1 were fed to attain low (LBC: BCS2.360.1), medium (MBC: BCS3.260.2) or high BCS (HBC: BCS3.660.2). Shorn ewes were exposed to a 6-h acute cold challenge in a climate-controlled room (wet and windy conditions, 4.460.1uC) in mid-pregnancy. Blood samples were collected during the BCS change phase, acute cold challenge and recovery phase. Results: During the BCS change phase, plasma glucose and leptin concentrations declined while free fatty acids (FFA) increased in LBC compared to MBC (P,0.01, P,0.01 and P,0.05, respectively) and HBC ewes (P,0.05, P,0.01 and P,0.01, respectively). During the cold challenge, plasma cortisol concentrations were lower in LBC than MBC (P,0.05) and HBC ewes (P,0.05), and FFA and insulin concentrations were lower in LBC than HBC ewes (P,0.05 and P,0.001, respectively). Leptin concentrations declined in MBC and HBC ewes while remaining unchanged in LBC ewes (P,0.01). Glucose concentrations and internal body temperature (Tcore) increased in all treatments, although peak Tcore tended to be higher in HBC ewes (P,0.1). During the recovery phase, T4 concentrations were lower in LBC ewes (P,0.05). Conclusion: Even though all ewes were able to increase Tcore and mobilize glucose, low BCS animals had considerably reduced cortisol and metabolic responses to a cold challenge in mid-pregnancy, suggesting that their ability to adapt to cold challenges through some of the expected pathways was reduced