Evaluation of a microbial muramidase supplementation on growth performance, apparent ileal digestibility, and intestinal histology of broiler chickens

The current study evaluated the effects of different inclusion levels of microbial muramidase (Muramidase 007, DSM Nutritional Products) on gastrointestinal functionality by determination of apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients, investigation of intestinal histomorphology, and quantification of resulting growth performance. Four maize-wheat-soybean experimental diets were produced without (C) and with different dosages of muramidase: low (L, 25,000 LSU(F)/kg), medium (M, 35,000 LSU(F)/kg), and high (H, 45,000 LSU(F)/kg); diets were fed to broilers for 35 d. At the end of the experiment, AID of ether extract (EE), crude protein (CP), Ca, and P were determined and samples of the mid-jejunum and -ileum were collected for histomorphological observations. Data were subjected to ANOVA analysis using the GLM procedure. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts were used to assess linear and quadratic effects of different levels of the muramidase. At the end of the trial, Muramidase 007 supplementation linearly increased body weight gain and decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P ≤ 0.05). Adding the muramidase to broiler diets also linearly increased the European poultry efficiency factor (P ≤ 0.05). Inclusion of the muramidase in broiler diets linearly increased AID of CP, EE, and P (P ≤ 0.05), and the H group had a higher AID of EE and CP compared to C group (P ≤ 0.05). Microbial muramidase supplementation linearly increased ileal villus length to crypt depth ratio and decreased the number of ileal CD45 cells (P ≤ 0.05). Broilers fed M and H diets had fewer number of CD45 cells in the ileum compared to those in C group (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that inclusion of the microbial muramidase in broiler diets could increase AID of key nutrients and improve growth performance in broilers. Adding microbial muramidase to broiler diets can therefore be considered as an interesting prospect to improve gastrointestinal functionality. Biological mechanisms causing these improvements need to be studied further

Anticoncepción poscoital. Características de la demanda

ObjetivoConocer el perfil de las mujeres que demandan anticoncepción poscoital (APC).DiseñoDescriptivo transversal. Emplazamiento. Centro de Orientación Familiar (COF), Área 4 del Instituto Madrileño de Salud. Madrid.ParticipantesTodas las mujeres que acudieron en el año 2000 para requerir APC (n = 404).MedicionesSe realizó una encuesta con variables sociodemográficas relacionadas con la APC y con la vida sexual.ResultadosLa edad media fue de 23,9 años (límites, 14–49); el 9,9% era menor de edad. La media de coitos al mes era de 6,7, el número de años de relaciones sexuales era de 4,9 y el primer coito se produjo, de media, a los 18 años. El 90,9% afirmaba tener pareja estable. Tenía estudios secundarios o universitarios un 75%. El 55,7% manifestaba no haber recibido información sobre anticonceptivos. El 19,5% utilizó APC en otra ocasión. El 6,5% había tenido alguna interrupción voluntaria de embarazo y de éstas, el 36% había utilizado APC anteriormente. Los motivos de consulta fueron: rotura de preservativo (69,3%), preservativo retenido (16,9%) y coito sin protección (12%). El 7% tuvo otros coitos de riesgo en el mismo ciclo. Un 33,2% las remitía su equipo de atención primaria, acudió por conocidos el 19% y desde servicios de urgencias el 16%. Conocía el COF un 26,1%. En el 12,2% no se prescribió APC por mínimo riesgo de embarazo. Realizaron la valoración una enfermera (52,6%), médicos residentes (34,4%) y una ginecóloga (13%).ConclusionesFalta información sobre métodos anticonceptivos. La mayoría de las pacientes son derivadas por otros servicios sanitarios.ObjectiveDefine the profile of the women that ask for emergency contraception (EC).DesignTransversal descriptive investigation.SettingFamiliar Planning Center of 4th Area of Instituto Madrileño de Salud. in Madrid. Participants. All the women that went in the year 2000 requiring EC (n=404).MeasurementsWas carried out a survey with sociodemographic variables, related with the EC and with the sexual life.ResultsThe average age was of 23.9 years (age range 14 to 49) were inquired, 9.9 were under 18. They had an average of 6.7 intercourses per month, the first intercourse when they were 18 years old on average, and 4.9 years of sexual relationships. 90.9% stated to have a couple. 75% were graduated from high school or university, and 55.7% said they had never received information about contraceptives. For 19.5% this was not the first time they asked for EC. 6.5% had interrupted on purpose pregnancy and 36% of them had used EC before. The reasons to demand EC were: condom break (69.3%), held condom (16.9%) and intercourse without any protection (12%). 7% acknowledged other risky intercourses during the same period. 33.2% had been sent by a General Practitioner, 26.1% knew the center, 19% were sent by acquaintances and 16% from Emergency Services. EC was not prescribed in 12.2% of the cases because of minimum risk to pregnancy. The evaluation was made by a nurse (52.6%), by a doctor (34.4%) and by a gynecologist (13%).ConclusionsThere is a lack of information about contraceptive methods. Most of the patients are sent from other sanitary services

Hipodoncia: utilidad de hallazgos dentales en la determinación de patologías y parentesco en poblaciones antiguas. Estudio de dos casos en la necrópolis oriental de Carthago Spartaria

The use of forensic techniques when studying partial or badly-conserved human remains is very important when we want to determine age, sex, and race, as well as parental relation between two or more individuals. Of these techniques, some of the simplest but most reliable are those related to the dental studies of the retrieved remains. Finding dental anomalies may give useful information about diseases suffered by the individual (congenital or infecto-contagious) and possible family relation between several individuals. This study describes several cases of dental agenesia (absence of teeth caused by lack of formation of these teeth) found in populations living during the fi fth to seventh centuries (a.D.), retrieved in the oriental necropolis of Carthago Spartaria, in the neighborhood of the present University (Cartagena, Murcia).La utilización de técnicas forenses a la hora de estudiar restos humanos parciales o en mal estado de conservación son muy importantes cuando queremos determinar la edad, sexo y raza, así como el parentesco entre dos o más individuos. De estas técnicas, algunas de las más sencillas pero de resultados bastante fi ables son aquellas relacionadas con el estudio dental de los restos encontrados. El hallazgo de anomalías dentarias puede facilitar información acerca de enfermedades padecidas por el individuo (tanto infectocontagiosas como congénitas) y de posibles relaciones familiares entre varios individuos. El presente estudio describe varios casos de agenesias dentales (ausencia dental debida a la falta de formación de algún diente) encontradas en una población de los siglos V-VII d.C., recuperados en la necrópolis oriental de Carthago Spartaria, en la zona del actual Barrio Universitario. (Cartagena, Murcia

Geocronología de la Terraza Compleja de Arganda en el valle del río Jarama (Madrid, España)

La Terraza Compleja de Arganda (TCA), situada en el tramo bajo del río Jarama (Madrid), está formada por sucesivos apilamientos de secuencias fluviales denominados de abajo a arriba Arganda I, II, III y IV, en los que se han encontrado importantes yacimientos arqueológicos y paleontológicos del Pleistoceno (Áridos 1 y 2, Valdocarros o HAT), y numerosos conjuntos de industria lítica del Paleolítico inferior y medio. Hasta ahora, la única referencia cronológica disponible para la TCA era la proporcionada por el estadio evolutivo de los micromamíferos de los yacimientos Áridos 1 en Arganda I y Valdocarros en Arganda II. En este trabajo, se propone la equivalencia de las distintas unidades de la TCA con terrazas escalonadas y se establece un marco cronológico numérico, obtenido mediante dataciones de termoluminiscencia, luminiscencia ópticamente estimulada y racemización de aminoácidos. Arganda I (≈ T+30-32 m) se situaría hacia el final del MIS 11 o en el inicio del MIS 9, Arganda II (≈T+23-24 m) se correspondería con el inicio del MIS 7, Arganda III (≈T+18-20 m) se situaría entre el MIS 7 y el MIS 5, y Arganda IV comenzaría su deposición en el MIS 5 finalizando su sedimentación en el MIS 1 al sur de Arganda del Rey (Madrid)

A functional variant in the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene promoter affects gene expression in ovine muscle

The nutritional quality of lambs may be improved with increased stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene expression, which increases the desaturation of stearic acid to oleic acid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the rs412429481 (FJ513370: g.31C > A) SNP located at the SCD gene on the functionality of the gene in lambs reared under different production systems. The effect of the rs412429481 SNP on gene expression in Rasa Aragonesa male lambs slaughtered at 22–24 kg was studied in two experiments. In Experiment 1 (n = 44), the semitendinosus muscle of lambs grazing alfalfa (ALF) or fed concentrates indoors (IND) was analysed; in Experiment 2 (n = 48), the semitendinosus and longissimus thoracis muscles of lambs that received supplementation with dl-a-tocopheryl acetate for different finishing periods were used. In Experiment 1, the effect of the rs412429481 SNP on the expression of the SCD gene in the semitendinosus muscle depended on the feeding group (P < 0.001), as it had no effect in ALF lambs, but CA lambs had greater SCD expression than CC lambs under the IND conditions. Moreover, ALF lambs showed lower levels of SCD gene expression than IND lambs (P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, gene expression was affected by the rs412429481 SNP in both muscles. Animals carrying the C- allele showed a lower expression rate than animals carrying the A- allele. These different expression levels were not associated with changes in the DNA methylation pattern or by the binding of specific nuclear proteins. Finally, we confirmed these results by luciferase assays, demonstrating that the SCD promoter containing the A variant had a 23.9% higher activity than the promoter containing the C variant

Dietary microbial muramidase improves feed efficiency, energy and nutrient availability and welfare of broilers fed commercial type diets containing exogenous enzymes

1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of graded levels of the microbially derived feed lysozyme, muramidase (MUR) on feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), European Performance Index (EPI), dietary N-corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn), footpad dermatitis score (FPD) and other welfare variables, when fed to broilers from 0 to 42d age. 2. A four-phase dietary programme and four experimental pelleted diets were used; a control diet (following breeder recommendations without MUR supplementation), and three diets based on the control diet supplemented with 25,000, 35,000 and 45,000 LSU (F)/kg of MUR, respectively. In addition, all experimental diets contained exogenous xylanase, phytase and a coccidiostat. Each diet was fed to birds in 24 pens (20 male Ross 308 chicks in each pen) following randomisation. Dietary AMEn was determined at 21 d of age, and FPD was evaluated at the end of the study. Data were analysed by ANOVA, using orthogonal polynomials for assessing linear and quadratic responses to MUR activity. 3. The inclusion of MUR did not change FI (P > 0.05), but increased WG in a linear manner (P < 0.05) and reduced FCR in a quadratic manner, with optimum WG and FCR observed in birds fed approximately 35 000 LSU (F)/kg. In accordance with the improvement in FCR, 35 000 LSU (F)/kg MUR supplementation produced the highest EPI (P < 0.05). FPD score was linearly decreased with increased addition of MUR (P < 0.05). Dietary AMEn responded in a quadratic fashion to the MUR inclusion, as the highest values were obtained with the highest inclusion rate (P < 0.05). 4. In conclusion, the results showed that inclusion of MUR improved feed efficiency and the foot health of birds

Effect of the Front and Back Illumination on Sub-Terahertz Detection Using n-Channel Strained-Silicon MODFETs

[EN] Plasma waves in semiconductor gated 2-D systems can be used to efficiently detect Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic radiation. This work reports on the response of a strained-Si Modulation-doped Field-Effect Transistor (MODFET) under front and back sub-THz illumination. The response of the MODFET has been characterized using a two-tones solid-state continuous wave source at 0.15 and 0.30 THz. The DC drain-to-source voltage of 500-nm gate length transistors transducing the sub-THz radiation (photovoltaic mode) exhibited a non-resonant response in agreement with literature results. Two configurations of the illumination were investigated: (i) front side illumination in which the transistor was shined on its top side, and (ii) back illumination side where the device received the sub-THz radiation on its bottom side, i.e., on the Si substrate. Under excitation at 0.15 THz clear evidence of the coupling of terahertz radiation by the bonding wires was found, this coupling leads to a stronger response under front illumination than under back illumination. When the radiation is shifted to 0.3 THz, as a result of a lesser efficient coupling of the EM radiation through the bonding wires, the response under front illumination was considerably weakened while it was strengthened under back illumination. Electromagnetic simulations explained this behavior as the magnitude of the induced electric field in the channel of the MODFET was considerably stronger under back illumination.This research was funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Investigacion y Universidades of Spain andFEDER (ERDF: European Regional Development Fund) under the Research Grants numbers RTI2018-097180-B-100 and TEC2016-78028-C3-3-P and FEDER/Junta de Castilla y Leon Research Grant number SA256P18. Also by Conselleria d'Educacio, lnvestigacio, Cultura i Esport, Generalitat Valenciana (Spain) through the grant AIC0/2019/018. The APC received no external funding.Delgado-Notario, JA.; Calvo-Gallego, J.; Velázquez-Pérez, JE.; Ferrando Bataller, M.; Fobelets, K.; Meziani, YM. (2020). Effect of the Front and Back Illumination on Sub-Terahertz Detection Using n-Channel Strained-Silicon MODFETs. Applied Sciences. 10(17):1-9. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10175959S191017Lewis, R. A. (2019). A review of terahertz detectors. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 52(43), 433001. doi:10.1088/1361-6463/ab31d5Dragoman, D., & Dragoman, M. (2004). Terahertz fields and applications. Progress in Quantum Electronics, 28(1), 1-66. doi:10.1016/s0079-6727(03)00058-2Mittleman, D. M. (2017). Perspective: Terahertz science and technology. Journal of Applied Physics, 122(23), 230901. doi:10.1063/1.5007683Pawar, A. Y., Sonawane, D. D., Erande, K. B., & Derle, D. V. (2013). Terahertz technology and its applications. Drug Invention Today, 5(2), 157-163. doi:10.1016/j.dit.2013.03.009Federici, J., & Moeller, L. (2010). Review of terahertz and subterahertz wireless communications. Journal of Applied Physics, 107(11), 111101. doi:10.1063/1.3386413Federici, J. F., Schulkin, B., Huang, F., Gary, D., Barat, R., Oliveira, F., & Zimdars, D. (2005). THz imaging and sensing for security applications—explosives, weapons and drugs. Semiconductor Science and Technology, 20(7), S266-S280. doi:10.1088/0268-1242/20/7/018Dyakonov, M., & Shur, M. (1993). Shallow water analogy for a ballistic field effect transistor: New mechanism of plasma wave generation by dc current. Physical Review Letters, 71(15), 2465-2468. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.71.2465Dyakonov, M., & Shur, M. (1996). Detection, mixing, and frequency multiplication of terahertz radiation by two-dimensional electronic fluid. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 43(3), 380-387. doi:10.1109/16.485650Tauk, R., Teppe, F., Boubanga, S., Coquillat, D., Knap, W., Meziani, Y. M., … Shur, M. S. (2006). Plasma wave detection of terahertz radiation by silicon field effects transistors: Responsivity and noise equivalent power. Applied Physics Letters, 89(25), 253511. doi:10.1063/1.2410215Rumyantsev, S. L., Fobelets, K., Veksler, D., Hackbarth, T., & Shur, M. S. (2008). Strained-Si modulation doped field effect transistors as detectors of terahertz and sub-terahertz radiation. Semiconductor Science and Technology, 23(10), 105001. doi:10.1088/0268-1242/23/10/105001Javadi, E., Delgado-Notario, J. A., Masoumi, N., Shahabadi, M., Velázquez-Pérez, J. E., & Meziani, Y. M. (2018). Continuous Wave Terahertz Sensing Using GaN HEMTs. physica status solidi (a), 215(11), 1700607. doi:10.1002/pssa.201700607Delgado-Notario, J. A., Clericò, V., Diez, E., Velázquez-Pérez, J. E., Taniguchi, T., Watanabe, K., … Meziani, Y. M. (2020). Asymmetric dual-grating gates graphene FET for detection of terahertz radiations. APL Photonics, 5(6), 066102. doi:10.1063/5.0007249Lewis, R. A. (2014). A review of terahertz sources. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 47(37), 374001. doi:10.1088/0022-3727/47/37/374001Delgado-Notario, J., Velazquez-Perez, J., Meziani, Y., & Fobelets, K. (2018). Sub-THz Imaging Using Non-Resonant HEMT Detectors. Sensors, 18(2), 543. doi:10.3390/s18020543Gaspari, V., Fobelets, K., Velazquez-Perez, J. E., Ferguson, R., Michelakis, K., Despotopoulos, S., & Papavassilliou, C. (2004). Effect of temperature on the transfer characteristic of a 0.5 μm-gate Si:SiGe depletion-mode n-MODFET. Applied Surface Science, 224(1-4), 390-393. doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2003.08.066Fobelets, K., Jeamsaksiri, W., Papavasilliou, C., Vilches, T., Gaspari, V., Velazquez-Perez, J. E., … König, U. (2004). Comparison of sub-micron Si:SiGe heterojunction nFETs to Si nMOSFET in present-day technologies. Solid-State Electronics, 48(8), 1401-1406. doi:10.1016/j.sse.2004.01.017Delgado Notario, J. A., Javadi, E., Calvo-Gallego, J., Diez, E., Velázquez, J. E., Meziani, Y. M., & Fobelets, K. (2016). Sub-Micron Gate Length Field Effect Transistors as Broad Band Detectors of Terahertz Radiation. International Journal of High Speed Electronics and Systems, 25(03n04), 1640020. doi:10.1142/s0129156416400206Sakowicz, M., Łusakowski, J., Karpierz, K., Grynberg, M., Gwarek, W., Boubanga, S., … Studart, N. (2010). A High Mobility Field-Effect Transistor as an Antenna for sub-THz Radiation. doi:10.1063/1.3295528Knap, W., Teppe, F., Meziani, Y., Dyakonova, N., Lusakowski, J., Boeuf, F., … Shur, M. S. (2004). Plasma wave detection of sub-terahertz and terahertz radiation by silicon field-effect transistors. Applied Physics Letters, 85(4), 675-677. doi:10.1063/1.177503

Facing climate change and improving emergency responses in Southern America by analysing urban cyclonic wind events

Funding Information: Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBUA. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The AuthorsPeer reviewedPublisher PD

The galaxy major merger fraction to z ~ 1

Aims. The importance of disc-disc major mergers in galaxy evolution remains uncertain. We study the major merger fraction in a SPITZER/IRAC-selected catalogue in the GOODS-S field up to z ~ 1 for luminosity- and mass-limited samples. Methods. We select disc-disc merger remnants on the basis of morphological asymmetries/distortions, and address three main sources of systematic errors: (i) we explicitly apply morphological K-corrections; (ii) we measure asymmetries in galaxies artificially redshifted to z_d = 1.0 to deal with loss of morphological information with redshift; and (iii) we take into account the observational errors in z and A, which tend to overestimate the merger fraction, though use of maximum likelihood techniques. Results. We obtain morphological merger fractions (f_m^mph) below 0.06 up to z ~ 1. Parameterizing the merger fraction evolution with redshift as f_m^mph (z) = f_m^mph (0)(1 + z)^m, we find that m = 1.8 ± 0.5 for M(B)≤ -20 galaxies, while m = 5.4 ± 0.4 for M_* ≥ 10^10 M_⨀ galaxies. When we translate our merger fractions to merger rates (R_m^mph), their evolution, parameterized as R_m^mph (z) = R_m^mph (0)(1+ z)^n, is quite similar in both cases: n = 3.3 ± 0.8 for M(B) ≤ -20 galaxies, and n = 3.5 ± 0.4 for M_* ≥10^10 M_⨀ galaxies. Conclusions. Our results imply that only similar to 8% of today's M(star) ≥ 10^10 M_⨀ galaxies have undergone a disc-disc major merger since z ~ 1. In addition, ~ 21% of M_* ≥ 10(10) M_⨀ galaxies at z ~ 1 have undergone one of these mergers since z similar to 1.5. This suggests that disc-disc major mergers are not the dominant process in the evolution of M_* ≥ 10(10) M_⨀ galaxies since z 1, with only 0.2 disc-disc major mergers per galaxy, but may be an important process at z > 1, with ~ 1 merger per galaxy at 1 < z < 3