Influence of Ionophore Supplementation on Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics in Finishing Cattle during Period of Heat Stress.

Forty-eight crossbred heifers (378.1±18 kg) were used in a 56-d feeding trial (four pens per treatment in a randomised complete block design) to evaluate the influence of ionophore supplementation on growth performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics in finishing cattle during a period of heat stress. Heifers were fed a diet based on steam-flaked corn (2.22 Mcal NEm/kg) with and without an ionophore. Treatments were: i) control, no ionophore; ii) 30 mg/kg monensin sodium (RUM30); iii) 20 mg/kg lasalocid sodium (BOV20), and iv) 30 mg/kg lasalocid sodium (BOV30). Both dry matter intake (DMI) and climatic variables were measured daily and the temperature humidity index (THI) was estimated. The maximum THI during the study averaged 93, while the minimum was 70 (THI average = 79.2±2.3). Compared to controls, monensin supplementation did not influence average daily gain, the estimated NE value of the diet, or observed-to-expected DMI, but tended (p = 0.07) to increase (4.8%) gain to feed. Compared to controls, the group fed BOV30 increased (p≤0.03) daily gain (11.8%), gain to feed (8.3%), net energy of the diet (5%), and observed-to-expected DMI (5.2%). Daily weight gain was greater (7.6%, p = 0.05) for heifers fed BOV30 than for heifers fed MON30. Otherwise, differences between the two treatments in DMI, gain to feed, and dietary NE were not statistically significant (p>0.11). Plotting weekly intakes versus THI, observed intake of controls was greater (p<0.05) at THI values ≤77 than ionophore groups. When THI values were greater than 79, DMI of control and MON30 were not different (p = 0.42), although less than that of groups fed lasalocid (p = 0.04). Variation in energy intake was lower (p>0.05) in the ionophores group (CV = 1.7%) than in the control group (CV = 4.5%). Inclusion of ionophores in the diet resulted in relatively minor changes in carcass characteristics. It is concluded that ionophore supplementation did not exacerbate the decline of DM intake in heat-stressed cattle fed a high-energy finishing diet; on the contrary, it stabilised feed intake and favoured feed efficiency. Ionophore supplementation reduced estimated maintenance coefficients around 10% in finishing cattle during a period of heat stress. This effect was greatest for heifers supplemented with 30 mg lasalocid/kg of diet

Effects of Replacing Dry-rolled Corn with Increasing Levels of Corn Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles on Characteristics of Digestion, Microbial Protein Synthesis and Digestible Energy of Diet in Hair Lambs Fed High-concentrate Diets.

Four male lambs (Katahdin; average live weight 25.9±2.9 kg) with "T" type cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a 4×4 Latin square experiment to evaluate the influence of supplemental dry distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) levels (0, 10, 20 and 30%, dry matter basis) in substitution for dry-rolled (DR) corn on characteristics of digestive function and digestible energy (DE) of diet. Treatments did not influence ruminal pH. Substitution of DR corn with DDGS increased ruminal neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion (quadratic effect, p<0.01), but decreased ruminal organic matter (OM) digestion (linear effect, p<0.01). Replacing corn with DDGS increased (linear, p≤0.02) duodenal flow of lipids, NDF and feed N. But there were no treatment effects on flow to the small intestine of microbial nitrogen (MN) or microbial N efficiency. The estimated UIP value of DDGS was 44%. Postruminal digestion of OM, starch, lipids and nitrogen (N) were not affected by treatments. Total tract digestion of N increased (linear, p = 0.04) as the DDGS level increased, but DDGS substitution tended to decrease total tract digestion of OM (p = 0.06) and digestion of gross energy (p = 0.08). However, it did not affect the dietary digestible energy (DE, MJ/kg), reflecting the greater gross energy content of DDGS versus DR corn in the replacements. The comparative DE value of DDGS may be considered similar to the DE value of the DR corn it replaced up to 30% in the finishing diets fed to lambs

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Lambs Fed Finishing Diets with Different Starch to Acid Detergent Fiber Ratios.

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey×Katahdin lambs (36.65±3 kg) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller's grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, p≤0.03) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly (p≤0.02). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet

Genetic variants of innate immune receptors and infections after liver transplantation.

Infection is the leading cause of complication after liver transplantation, causing morbidity and mortality in the first months after surgery. Allograft rejection is mediated through adaptive immunological responses, and thus immunosuppressive therapy is necessary after transplantation. In this setting, the presence of genetic variants of innate immunity receptors may increase the risk of post-transplant infection, in comparison with patients carrying wild-type alleles. Numerous studies have investigated the role of genetic variants of innate immune receptors and the risk of complication after liver transplantation, but their results are discordant. Toll-like receptors and mannose-binding lectin are arguably the most important studied molecules; however, many other receptors could increase the risk of infection after transplantation. In this article, we review the published studies analyzing the impact of genetic variants in the innate immune system on the development of infectious complications after liver transplantation

Spontaneous activity promotes synapse formation in a cell-type-dependent manner in the developing retina

Spontaneous activity is thought to regulate synaptogenesis in many parts of the developing nervous system. In vivo evidence for this regulation, however, is scarce and comes almost exclusively from experiments in which normal activity was reduced or blocked completely. Thus, whether spontaneous activity itself promotes synaptogenesis or plays a purely permissive role, remains uncertain. In addition, how activity influences synapse dynamics to shape connectivity and whether its effects among neurons are uniform or cell type-dependent is unclear. In mice lacking the cone-rod homeobox gene (Crx), photoreceptors (PRs) fail to establish normal connections with bipolar cells (BCs). Here, we find that retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in Crx−/− mice become rhythmically hyperactive around the time of eye-opening; as a result of increased spontaneous glutamate release from BCs. This elevated neurotransmission enhances synaptogenesis between BCs and RGCs, without altering the overall circuit architecture. Using live imaging, we discover that spontaneous activity selectively regulates the rate of synapse formation, not elimination, in this circuit. Reconstructions of the connectivity patterns of three BC types with a shared RGC target further revealed that neurotransmission specifically promotes the formation of multisynaptic appositions from one BC type without affecting the maintenance or elimination of connections from the other two. While hyperactivity in Crx−/− mice persists, synapse numbers do not increase beyond four weeks of age, suggesting closure of a critical period for synaptic refinement in the inner retina. Interestingly, despite their hyperactivity, RGC axons maintain normal eye-specific territories and cell type-specific layers in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN)

Proceso Formativo de Docentes Universitarios para la Inclusión de Estudiantes con Discapacidad

Las prácticas educativas en el nivel superior exigen calidad dirigida a la diversidad e inclusión, por lo cual, cada vez es mayor la tendencia de estudiantes en la universidad en búsqueda de oportunidades de formación profesional para integrarse a la vida laboral. La inclusión de estudiantes con alguna discapacidad a las aulas universitarias ha tomado por sorpresa a profesores debido las necesidades de estos alumnos, por la existencia de la escasa preparación adecuada para hacer frente al reto, de formar personas dentro de una educación inclusiva. El objetivo de este trabajo es narrar las experiencias vividas, con un grupo de profesores, durante un programa de formación docente orientado al desarrollo de prácticas educativas inclusivas. El estudio es con un enfoque de investigación-acción utilizando la narrativa para la recolección de datos. El programa plantea formar profesores universitarios en la atención a alumnos con discapacidad, con una educación para todos, atención a las diferencias. Participaron diez docentes que imparten clases en grupos que tienen estudiantes con discapacidad (visual y motriz). Los resultados arrojados son: 1) Diseño del programa de formación en el cual se presenta la versión final de los contenidos y ejes de programa y 2) secuencias didácticas (SD) como guía del proceso formativo, donde se muestran las matrices y experiencias de validación de las SD y narrativas de las experiencias del docente. Se concluye que la formación docente constituye un desafío para la universidad al destacar una necesidad profesional de liderar las acciones educativas, relacionadas con la diversidad desde la inclusión. Educational practices at the higher level require quality aimed at diversity and inclusion. As a result, the rate at which students in the university search for professional training opportunities to integrate into their work life is increasing. The inclusion of students with a disability into university classrooms has taken teachers by surprise due to the needs of these students. It is also attributed to the lack of adequate preparation to face the challenge of training people in an inclusive education. This paper focuses on narrating the experience lived, with a group of teachers, during a teacher training program aimed at developing inclusive educational practices. The study was performed with an action-research approach using a narrative for data collection. The program proposes to train university professors to pay attention to students with disabilities, through education for all, and also focus on their differences. Ten (10) teachers who taught group of students with disabilities (visual and motor) participated in the study. The results obtained are: 1) Design of the training program in which the final version of the contents and program axes is presented and 2) didactic sequences (SD) as a guide to the training process, where the matrices and validation experiences are shown by the SD and narratives of the teacher's experiences. In conclusion, teacher training constitutes a challenge for the university by highlighting a professional need to lead educational actions that is related to diversity from inclusion

Fatty Acids and Metabolomic Composition of Follicular Fluid Collected from Environments Associated with Good and Poor Oocyte Competence in Goats

In goats, embryo oocyte competence is affected by follicle size, regardless of the age of the females. In previous studies, we found differences in blastocyst development between oocytes coming of small ( 3 mm) in prepubertal (1-2 month-old) goats. Oocyte competence and follicular fluid (FF) composition changes throughout follicle growth. The aim of this study was to analyze the fatty acids (FAs) composition and metabolomic profiles of FF recovered from small and large follicles of prepubertal goats and follicles of adult goats. FAs were analyzed by chromatography and metabolites by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectrometry. The results showed important differences between adult and prepubertal follicles: a) the presence of α,β-glucose in adult and no detection in prepubertal; b) lactate, -N-(CH3)3 groups and inositol were higher in prepubertal; c) the percentage of linolenic acid, total saturated fatty acids and n-3 PUFAs were higher in adults; and d) the percentage of linoleic acid, total MUFAs, PUFAs, n-6 PUFAs and n-6 PUFAs:n-3 PUFAs ratio were higher in prepubertal goats. No significant differences were found in the follicle size of prepubertal goats, despite the differences in oocyte competence for in vitro embryo production