“Male effect” and “temporary weaning” in synchronization of post-partum ovarian activity in Pelibuey ewes

To evaluate the response of the “male effect” and “temporary weaning” on the synchronization of post-partum ovarian activity in Pelibuey ewes, an experiment was carried out using 78 Pelibuey ewes with suckling lambs. The ewes were separated from their offspring for 48 hours and randomly assigned to one of four treatments derived from the arrangement of two factors, “male effect” and “temporary weaning”, each at two levels. Treatments were: T1 (n = 20) control ewes, without “male effect” and without “temporary weaning”); T2 (n = 19) ewes without “male effect” and with “temporary weaning”; T3 (n = 20) ewes with “male effect” and without “temporary weaning”; and T4 (n = 19), ewes with “male effect” and with “temporary weaning”. The response to oestrus, return to oestrus, gestation rate and lambing rate were analysed using logistic regression. The onset of oestrus was analysed using survival curves. No significant differences were found for lambing rate and prolificacy among treatments. “Temporary weaning” (T2) and “male effect” (T3) did not influence the response to oestrus, rate and duration of return to oestrus, or gestation rate and fertility, and was similar to the control group (T1). The interaction of “male effect” with “temporary weaning” (T4) increased the response to oestrus, reduced the rate and duration of return to oestrus, and the gestation rate, but increased fertility. Synchronizing post-partum ovarian activity with “male effect” and “temporary weaning” reduces the onset of oestrus and the rate of return to oestrus, but increases the response to oestrus and fecundity in Pelibuey ewes.Keywords: Biostimulation, progestogens, prolificacy, prostaglandins, sucklin

Effects of the type of exercise performed on the vibration delivered during whole-body vibration exercises

While the internal load factors of whole-body vibration training have been widely investigated, the study of external load magnitude has been overlooked. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate differences in whole-body vibration stimulus magnitude between static/dynamic whole-body vibration training at various vibration conditions. Four Pro 5 Plate vibration platforms were exposed to twelve different vibration conditions and a triaxial USB Impact X250-2 accelerometer was used to measure platform acceleration during each condition. Paired samples t-test was calculated to evaluate differences among amplitude, frequency, time of acceleration and time of deceleration of each platform at each vibration condition and during static (squat of 90° knee flexion) or dynamic exercise (from stand to 90° knee flexion squat). Also, the intra-class correlation coefficients were examined in order to assess the inter-instrument reliability. Peak-to-peak amplitude, frequency, time of acceleration and deceleration of the vibration platform were not modified by the type of exercise performed. Moreover, the four platforms tested showed high repeatability values during the execution of free vibration, static or dynamic squat in all vibration conditions. This study confirms that the vibration delivered by the Pro 5 Plate vibration platform is not modified during the realization of static or dynamic exercises

Physical activity in centenarians beyond cut-point-based accelerometer metrics

This study described and compared physical activity (PA) characteristics at the end of the human lifespan using conventional cut-point-based versus cut-point-free accelerometer metrics. Eighteen institutionalized centenarians (101.5 ± 2.1 years, 72.2% female, 89% frail) wore the wrist GENEActiv accelerometer for 7 days. Conventional metrics, such as time spent in light-intensity PA (LiPA) and moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) were calculated according to published cut-points for adults and older adults. The following cut-point-free metrics were evaluated: average acceleration, intensity gradient and Mx metrics. Depending on the cut-point, centenarians accumulated a median of 15–132 min/day of LiPA and 3–15 min/day of MVPA. The average acceleration was 9.2 mg [Q1: 6.7 mg–Q3: 12.6 mg] and the intensity gradient was −3.19 [−3.34–−3.12]. The distribution of Z-values revealed positive skew for MVPA, indicating a potential floor effect, whereas the skew magnitude was attenuated for cut-point-free metrics such as intensity gradient or M5. However, both cut-point-based and cut-point-free metrics were similarly positively associated with functional independence, cognitive and physical capacities. This is the first time that PA has been described in centenarians using cut-point-free metrics. Our results suggest that new analytical approaches could overcome cut-point limitations when studying the oldest-old. Future studies using these new cut-point-free PA metrics are warranted to provide more complete and comparable information across groups and populations

Hombres en cuidado. Narraciones de cuidadores masculinos informales en Valencia

Presentamos los resultados de una investigación inédita en el marco territorial de la Comunidad Valenciana. Ésta se desarrolló por la Universidad de Valencia, desde agosto de 2016 y hasta un año después, con financiación del Ayuntamiento de Valencia La investigación pretendía observar como perciben su propio rol de cuidador, los hombres que desarrollan habitualmente esta función de manera informal en su entorno familiar. De igual modo, conocer cuáles son los factores psico-sociales que comprende la acción de cuidar y qué consecuencias positivas puede reportarles la atención a personas en situación de dependencia. Así, se ha podido comprobar como, a pesar de que los hombres utilizan con mayor asiduidad los resursos y servicios (tanto públicos como privados) disponibles; también es cierto que el cuidado reporta un valor tanto al individuo que lo ejerce como al que lo recibe; y constituye un beneficio evidente al colectivo (economía del cuidado).We present the results of an unpublished research in the territorial framework of the Valencian Community. This was developed by the University of Valencia, from August 2016 and until a year later, with funding from the City of Valencia The research sought to observe how they perceive their own role as caretaker, the men who habitually develop this function in an informal way in their family environment. In the same way, to know the psycho-social factors that understand the action of caring and what positive consequences can be reported to people in a situation of dependence. Thus, it has been possible to see how, although men use more assiduously the Resursos and services (both public and private) available; It is also true that care reports a value both to the individual who exerts it and to the one who receives it; And it constitutes an obvious benefit to the collective (economy of the care)

Manufacture of Carbon Materials with High Nitrogen Content

Nowadays one of the biggest challenges for carbon materials is their use in CO2 capture and their use as electrocatalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In both cases, it is necessary to dope the carbon with nitrogen species. Conventional methods to prepare nitrogen doped carbons such as melamine carbonization or NH3 treatment generate nitrogen doped carbons with insufficient nitrogen content. In the present research, a series of activated carbons derived from MOFs (ZIF-8, ZIF-67) are presented. Activated carbons have been prepared in a single step, by pyrolysis of the MOF in an inert atmosphere, between 600 and 1000 °C. The carbons have a nitrogen content up to 20 at.% and a surface area up to 1000 m2/g. The presence of this nitrogen as pyridine or pyrrolic groups, and as quaternary nitrogen are responsible for the great adsorption capacity of CO2, especially the first two. The presence of Zn and Co generates very different carbonaceous structures. Zn generates a greater porosity development, which makes the doped carbons ideal for CO2 capture. Co generates more graphitized doped carbons, which make them suitable for their use in electrochemistry.Authors acknowledge financial support by MINECO (Spain) through the project MAT2017-86992-R and “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación” (PID2020-116998RB-I00)

Tropical Grass Growth Functions Modeling by Using Nonlinear Mixed Models

Nonlinear Growth curves are used for modeling plant physiological variables. These models are preferable because the polynomial coefficients of the equations have a biological significance. The response variables of the curves occurs commonly with repeated measurements over time and measurements are on different environments. The traditional statistical analysis does not include a repeated measures approach, which can lead to improper estimation of the error terms. It is important to study the growth of tropical grass (Da Silva and Carvalho 2005)

Proyecto de emprendimiento para revolucionar el concepto del servicio en lavandería

El proyecto surgió a partir de la aplicación de una técnica llamada ideación1, en la cual se realizó como primera actividad una lluvia de ideas para identificar los problemas o necesidades que tiene el común de la gente y que, desde nuestro punto de vista, valía la pena explorar. Una vez identificados estos problemas se realizó un proceso de votación para identificar aquellos que tuviesen una mayor relevancia. Identificados los dos problemas de mayor impacto se optó por elegir uno de ellos para adoptarlo, validarlo y diseñar una propuesta de solución innovadora planteándola como un modelo de negocio base con el que dicha solución pudiera operar en el mercado. Este proceso nos dio aprendizaje y conocimiento de las metodologías Lean startup y Customer development2, que nos permiten evaluar un problema en campo, utilizando como principal herramienta la entrevista y la observación, con la finalidad de poder validar si el problema planteado se percibe como una oportunidad de negocio y si puede ser atractiva, al grado de trabajar en ella para atacarla frontalmente y así ofrecer una solución factible que permita solventar esta necesidad para luego validarla buscando identificar el valor percibido del cliente ante la solución planteada, con la intención final de saber si el cliente tendría la intención de usarla y si estaría dispuesto a pagar por ella. C. Palabras clave Ideación, El proyecto surgió a partir de la aplicación de una técnica llamada ideación1 , en la cual se realizó como primera actividad una lluvia de ideas para identificar los problemas o necesidades que tiene el común de la gente y que, desde nuestro punto de vista, valía la pena explorar. Una vez identificados estos problemas se realizó un proceso de votación para identificar aquellos que tuviesen una mayor relevancia. Identificados los dos problemas de mayor impacto se optó por elegir uno de ellos para adoptarlo, validarlo y diseñar una propuesta de solución innovadora planteándola como un modelo de negocio base con el que dicha solución pudiera operar en el mercado. Este proceso nos dio aprendizaje y conocimiento de las metodologías Lean startup y Customer development2 , que nos permiten evaluar un problema en campo, utilizando como principal herramienta la entrevista y la observación, con la finalidad de poder validar si el problema planteado se percibe como una oportunidad de negocio y si puede ser atractiva, al grado de trabajar en ella para atacarla frontalmente y así ofrecer una solución factible que permita solventar esta necesidad para luego validarla buscando identificar el valor percibido del cliente ante la solución planteada, con la intención final de saber si el posible cliente de esta solución tendría la intención de usarla y si estaría dispuesto a pagar por ella.ITESO, A.C

Hippocampal adaptations in Mild Cognitive Impairment patients are modulated by bilingual language experiences

Bilingualism has been shown to contribute to increased resilience against cognitive aging. One of the key brain structures linked to memory and dementia symptom onset, the hippocampus, has been observed to adapt in response to bilingual experience - at least in healthy individuals. However, in the context of neurodegenerative pathology, it is yet unclear what role previous bilingual experience might have in terms of sustaining integrity of this structure or related behavioral correlates. The present study adds to the limited cohort of research on the effects of bilingualism on neurocognitive outcomes in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) using structural brain data. We investigate whether bilingual language experience (operationalized as language entropy) results in graded neurocognitive adaptations within a cohort of bilinguals diagnosed with MCI. Results reveal a non-linear effect of bilingual language entropy on hippocampal volume, although they do not predict episodic memory performance, nor age of MCI diagnosis

Validity of the polar h7 heart rate sensor for heart rate variability analysis during exercise in different age, body composition and fitness level groups

This work aims to validate the Polar H7 heart rate (HR) sensor for heart rate variability (HRV) analysis at rest and during various exercise intensities in a cohort of male volunteers with different age, body composition and fitness level. Cluster analysis was carried out to evaluate how these phenotypic characteristics influenced HR and HRV measurements. For this purpose, sixty-seven volunteers performed a test consisting of the following consecutive segments: sitting rest, three submaximal exercise intensities in cycle-ergometer and sitting recovery. The agreement between HRV indices derived from Polar H7 and a simultaneous electrocardiogram (ECG) was assessed using concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). The percentage of subjects not reaching excellent agreement (CCC > 0.90) was higher for high-frequency power (PHF) than for low-frequency power (PLF) of HRV and increased with exercise intensity. A cluster of unfit and not young volunteers with high trunk fat percentage showed the highest error in HRV indices. This study indicates that Polar H7 and ECG were interchangeable at rest. During exercise, HR and PLF showed excellent agreement between devices. However, during the highest exercise intensity, CCC for PHF was lower than 0.90 in as many as 60% of the volunteers. During recovery, HR but not HRV measurements were accurate. As a conclusion, phenotypic differences between subjects can represent one of the causes for disagreement between HR sensors and ECG devices, which should be considered specifically when using Polar H7 and, generally, in the validation of any HR sensor for HRV analysis