Effects of birth weight and standardized litter size on growth performance of boars and subsequent reproductive performance

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of birth weight and rearing litter size on growth and reproductive performance of boars. One hundred and forty male piglets were allotted to two groups, based on litter size: a smaller litter (SL) (8 piglets/litter, 70 boars) and a larger litter (LL) (12 piglets/litter, 70 boars). The boars in these litters were separated into two birth weight subgroups: lower birth weight (LBW) (mean: 1.15 kg, 70 boars) and greater birth weight (GBW) (mean: 1.59 kg, 70 boars). Testes volume, sexual activity and semen quality of boars at 180 days old were evaluated. The males in the GBW group, when compared with the LBW group, had greater bodyweight at 21, 28, and 63 days old (P <0.01) and 180 days old (P <0.05), greater testes volume and semen volume (P <0.05), greater sperm concentration and total number of sperm in the semen (P <0.01) and a longer ejaculation time (P <0.05). The boars in the SL group had greater (P <0.01) bodyweight at 21 and 28 days old, greater (P <0.05) sperm concentration and total number of sperm in the semen than boars in the LL group. These results indicate that birth weight is a good predictor of sperm production in adult boars and suggest the possibility of increasing sperm production in adult boars by reducing the litter size in which they are reared.Keywords: Boars, bodyweight, piglets, reproduction, seme

Interpretations of Individualistic and Collectivistic Drinking Messages in Beer Commercials by Teenagers from Five European Countries

The study is a qualitative investigation into European teenagers’ meaning-making of beer commercials with individualistic and collectivistic drinking messages. The subjects were teenagers (aged 13–16) from Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Eight (8) focus group interviews were conducted in each country, with a total of 267 participants. Beer commercials acted as stimuli for the group discussions. The adolescents’ speech in these discussions was analysed for the perceived positive outcomes of drinking alcohol and for perceptions of competence attached to drinking. The speech of the participants is juxtaposed to a semiotic reading of the commercials and differences between the groups are explained by cultural differences. Key words: Drinking cultures; Teenagers; Beer commercials; RAGI; Collectivistic and individualistic culturesResumé: L'étude est une enquête qualitative sur la signification perçue par les adolescents européens vis-à-vis des publicités de bière avec des messages individualistes et collectivistes. Les sujets d’étude étaient des adolescents (âgés de 13-16) de la Finlande, de l'Allemagne, de l'Italie, des Pays-Bas et de la Pologne. Huit (8) groupes d’entretien ont été menés dans chaque pays, avec un total de 267 participants. Les publicités de bière ont été utilisées comme des stimuli pour activer les discussions de groupe. Les discours des adolescents dans ces discussions ont été analysés pour les résultats positifs perçus de la consommation d'alcool et la perception des compétences associées à l'alcoolisme. Les discours des participants sont juxtaposés à une lecture sémiotique des publicités et les différences entre les groupes sont expliquées par les différences culturelles.Mots-clés: cultures de vin; adolescents; publicités de bière; RAGI; culture collectiviste et individualist

Generation of aurachin derivatives by whole-cell biotransformation and evaluation of their antiprotozoal properties

The natural product aurachin D is a farnesylated quinolone alkaloid, which is known to possess activity against the causative agent of malaria, Plasmodium spp. In this study, we show that aurachin D inhibits other parasitic protozoa as well. While aurachin D had only a modest effect on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, two other trypanosomatids, T. cruzi and Leishmania donovani, were killed at low micromolar and nanomolar concentrations, respectively, in an in vitro assay. The determined IC50 values of aurachin D were even lower than those of the reference drugs benznidazole and miltefosine. Due to these promising results, we set out to explore the impact of structural modifications on the bioactivity of this natural product. In order to generate aurachin D derivatives with varying substituents at the C-2, C-6 and C-7 position of the quinolone ring system, we resorted to whole-cell biotransformation using a recombinant Escherichia coli strain capable of aurachin-type prenylations. Quinolone precursor molecules featuring methyl, methoxy and halogen groups were fed to this E. coli strain, which converted the substrates into the desired analogs. None of the generated derivatives exhibited improved antiprotozoal properties in comparison to aurachin D. Obviously, the naturally occurring aurachin D features already a privileged structure, especially for the inhibition of the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis

An optimization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell isolation for scientific and clinical purposes by the application of a new parameter determining the hematopoietic graft efficacy.

The transplantation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) is an established lifesaving therapy. Bone marrow (BM), harvested from heparinized cadaveric organ donors, peripheral blood (PB) and cord blood (CB), are important sources of hematopoietic stem cells. HSPCs, which are used for transplantation purposes, are routinely evaluated in terms of number of mononuclear cells (MNCs), CD34+ MNCs count and viability. The efficacy of grafting is determined additionally in clonogenic tests in vitro. These tests deliver important information about the number of HSPCs and their proliferative potential. Unfortunately, they do not give a possibility to evaluate the functional HSPC chemotactic reactivity in the SDF-1 gradient, which is probably the key phenomenon for HSPC homing after transplantation procedure. Thus, the aim of our study was to optimize HSPC isolation according to their chemotactic reactivity in SDF-1 gradient. Using multiparameter cell sorter (FACS Aria, BD) we examined the HSPCs attracted by SDF-1 on a single cell level. The population of cells which participated in the chemotactic process was highly enriched in CXCR4+lin-AC133+CD45+ cells (referred as hematopoietic stem cells) and to our surprise in CXCR4+lin-AC133+CD45- cells (referred as pluripotent stem cells) in quantitative amounts. Since reactivity of HSPCs may depend on various factors involved in the protocol of their isolation and short-term storage, we tested the most commonly used anticoagulants (ACD, CPDA-1, EDTA and Heparin) and culture media (DME, IMDM, RPMI). HSPCs, harvested from CB, PB and BM, were subsequently investigated for clonogenic growth of CFU-GM in methylcellulose cultures and for the level of apoptosis by employing annexin V staining. Evaluating clonogenic potential, ability of chemotactic reactivity in SDF-1 gradient and intensification of apoptosis of HSPC as the most safe anticoagulant and medium were selected. This study has proved that chemotactic reactivity of HSPCs is a new but very important parameter which should be included in the procedure of their isolation

Oxygen isotope variations in lavas from the ongoing Puu Oo eruption of Kilauea volcano

Previous oxygen isotope work on Hawaiian tholeiitic lavas has shown substantial variations for fresh lavas and glass (δ^(18)O = 4.6-5.7; Kyser et al. 1982; Garcia et al. 1989), which were interpreted to reflect isotopic differences between mantle sources. To better understand the cause of O isotope variation in these rocks, we analyzed lavas from the Puu Oo eruption. Pristine glasses from this 12 year old, east rift zone eruption of Kilauea show the same wide O isotopic range. This is quite remarkable given that the O isotope range for most MORB glasses is only 5.7 per mil (Ito et al. 1987). Glasses from the early part of the Puu Oo eruption, a period when mixed magmas were erupted, have the lowest ratios (δ^(18)O = 4.6-4.8). The glass O isotope value increased 0.5 per mil following a shift in the vent location to 3 km downrift and the eruption style changed from episodic to continuous. During this continuous phase of activity, the oxygen isotope value of the Puu Oo glasses gradually decreased 0.2 per mil over the next two years and has remained nearly constant for the last 5 years, except for a sample taken just after a collapse of the Puu Oo cone into its shallow magma reservoir; it is 0.7 per mil higher. In contrast to the large variations in glass O isotope values, olivines from these lavas have remained nearly constant (δ^(18)O = 4.8±0.1). Thus, the O isotope variations in the glass formed after the growth of the olivines. These results indicate that crustal processes are involved in modifying O isotope values. The low O isotope values in the early mixed lavas probably reflect contamination of rift zone stored magma by assimilation of hydrothermally altered crust (Kilauea hydrothermal fluids have low O isotope values, <0). The high ratio in the late lava (δ^(18)O = 5.7) may be related to assimilation of the vapor altered, Puu Oo cone material. Our results indicate that caution should used when interpreting O isotope values, even for pristine, relatively mafic lavas (7-10 wt% MgO)

Effect of sow age on the apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients in the diet

Abstract The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of sow age on apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients and the concentration of metabolizable energy in the diet. The experiment was carried out on 20 gestating sows, divided into two groups: Group I -10 sows in first pregnancy (131 ± 4.5 kg) and Group II -10 sows in fourth pregnancy (225 ± 8.2 kg). Sows in the two groups were fed identical diets for sows during early pregnancy. The total collection of faeces began on day 30 of pregnancy and lasted eight days. Sows in the fourth pregnancy had greater digestibility coefficients of dry matter (4.1 percentage units), organic matter (3.4 percentage units), crude protein (5.5 percentage units) and crude fibre (6.2 percentage units) than sows in the first pregnancy. The total tract digestibility of ether extract, starch and sugars was not affected by pig age. The metabolizable energy, determined according to the content of digestible nutrients, in the sow diet in fourth pregnancy was 0.7 MJ/kg higher than in the diet of sows in their first pregnancy. Results of this research indicate that sow age should be considered when formulating diets during early pregnancy

Copper-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclopropenes: Synthesis of cyclopropylboronates

This document is the accepted manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of American Chemical Society 136.45, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see DOI: 10.1021/ja510419zA novel Cu-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclopropenes to afford nonracemic cyclopropylboronates is described. Trapping the cyclopropylcopper intermediate with electrophilic amines allows for the synthesis of cyclopropylaminoboronic esters and demonstrates the potential of the approach for the synthesis of functionalized cyclopropanesWe thank the European Research Council (ERC-337776) and MINECO (CTQ2012-35957) for financial support. M. T. and A. P. thank MICINN for RyC and JdC contract

Changes in Dietary Intake and Adherence to the NU-AGE Diet Following a One-Year Dietary Intervention among European Older Adults—Results of the NU-AGE Randomized Trial

Background: The Mediterranean Diet has been proposed as an effective strategy to reduce inflammaging, a chronic low grade inflammatory status, and thus, to slow down the aging process. We evaluated whether a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern specifically targeting dietary recommendations of people aged over 65 years (NU-AGE diet) could be effective to shift dietary intake of older adults towards a healthful diet. Methods: Adults aged 65–80 years across five EU-centers were randomly assigned to a NU-AGE diet group or control group. The diet group followed one year of NU-AGE dietary intervention specifying consumption of 15 food groups plus the use of a vitamin D supplement. Participants in the diet group received counselling and individually tailored dietary advice, food products and a vitamin D supplement. Dietary intake was assessed by means of seven-day food records at baseline and one-year follow-up. A continuous NU-AGE index (0–160 points) was developed to assess NU-AGE diet adherence. Results: In total 1296 participants were randomized and 1141 participants completed the intervention (571 intervention, 570 control). After one year, the diet group improved mean intake of 13 out of 16 NU-AGE dietary components (p < 0.05), with a significant increase in total NU-AGE index (difference in mean change = 21.3 ± 15.9 points, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The NU-AGE dietary intervention, based on dietary recommendations for older adults, consisting of individual dietary counselling, free healthy foods and a vitamin D supplement, may be a feasible strategy to improve dietary intake in an aging European population