\u3cem\u3eBrachiaria\u3c/em\u3e Hybrids: Potential, Forage Use and Seed Yield

A brachiaria breeding program initiated in 1988 at CIAT (Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical) combined desirable attributes found in accessions of Brachiaria brizantha and B. decumbens. Three apomictic hybrids have been released (cvs. Mulato, Mulato II and Cayman). Mulato showed agronomic potential but seed yields were low. Trials in Central America demonstrated the superiority of Mulato II, a vigorous grass with very deep and branched roots, giving it excellent drought resistance in the Brazilian Cerrado and Mexico. Mulato II has excellent nutritional value. Following trials in Mexico and Thailand, evaluating 155 new hybrids for 7 years, cv. Cayman was released due to strong waterlogging tolerance. Research conducted on growth, quality, production, persistence and seed yields of brachiaria hybrids in Asia, Central America and Africa from 2003 to 2013 is summarized in the paper

Active and sedentary behaviors in youth (6-14 years old): Data from the IAN-AF survey (2015-2016)

Background: Strategic health interventions must be guided by effective surveillance systems that monitor population trends and patterns, therefore we aimed to provide youth's (6–14 years) national prevalence estimates of physical activity (PA), active outdoor play (AOP), sedentary behaviur (SB), and structured PA (SPA). Methods: Measures of moderate-to-vigorous PA, SB, AOP, and SPA, were obtained for 719 participants in 2 groups (6–9 and 10–14 years) using diaries and questionnaires. National estimates were calculated, by sex, region, and parental education. Results: While 54% (95%CI: 47.4–61.3) of youth meet PA recommendations, the prevalence is lower for the older group (P = .034). Similarly, AOP decreases with age both on weekends, from 94.3% (95%CI: 90.8–97.8) to 68.7% (95%CI: 62.2–75.1), and on weekdays from 84% (95%CI: 76.5–91.5) to 64.8% (95%CI: 59–70.6). Watching TV for ≥2 h/day is extremely high on weekends [71.3% (95%CI: 65.4–77.2)] and more prevalent in boys than girls on weekdays (P = .043). Higher parental education significantly increased SPA and active time. Time in SB was greater in boys [7.26 h (95%CI: 6.87–7.65)] than girls [6.48 h (95%CI: 6.09–6.87)] and increased with age (P < .001). Conclusions: Almost half of the youth failed to achieve PA guidelines, whereas 71% exceeded recommended TV time on weekends, suggesting the urgency of intervention measures.This study was conducted in the context of the IAN-AF, National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey funded by the EEAGRANTS programme-initiatives in Public Health (EEA-GRANTS PT06_00088SI3). AP and JM were supported by grants: FCT: UID/DTP/00617/2019 and AP by SFRH/BPD/ 105071/2014

Valve-sparing neo-aortic root replacement after Fontan completion for hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Digitalitzat per Artypla

Early maladaptive schemas, emotion regulation difficulties, and alexithymia : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Emotion regulation is an integral part of the schema therapy model. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the evidence on the associations between early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), difficulties with emotion regulation and alexithymia. Method PsycINFO, PubMed and CINAHL Complete databases were searched on 28 May 2022 and 3 February 2023 in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Included studies were in English, in peer-reviewed journals and reported on the association between one or more of the 18 EMSs or five schema domains and emotion regulation difficulties or alexithymia. Methodological quality was assessed using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies. Meta-analyses were conducted to examine difficulties with emotion regulation and alexithymia as correlates of each EMS and domain. Results A total of 19 studies published between 2008 and 2022 were included (Pooled N = 5957). Difficulties with emotion regulation were positively correlated with all 18 EMSs (range: entitlement r(7) = .28, 95% CI [.13, .42] to negativity pessimism r(5) = .53, 95% CI [.23, .74]) and schema domains (range: impaired limits r(5) = .34, 95% CI [.08, .56] to disconnection rejection r(5) = .44, 95% CI [.33, .73]). Alexithymia was positively correlated with the other-directedness domain (r(2) = .40, 95% CI [.09, .64]) and 16 of the 18 EMSs (range: unrelenting standards r(5) = .21, 95% CI [.12, .28] to emotional inhibition r(5) = .50, 95% CI [.34, .63]). Conclusions The findings suggested that almost all 18 EMSs are implicated in emotion regulation difficulties and alexithymia, particularly those relating to unmet needs for attachment and autonomy

Characterization of Chicken IgY Specific to Clostridium difficile R20291 Spores and the Effect of Oral Administration in Mouse Models of Initiation and Recurrent Disease

Indexación: Web of Science; Scopus.Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) are the leading cause of world-wide nosocomial acquired diarrhea. The current main clinical challenge in CDI is the elevated rate of infection recurrence that may reach up to 30% of the patients, which has been associated to the formation of dormant spores during the infection. We sought to characterize the effects of oral administration of specific anti-spore IgY in mouse models of CDI and recurrent CDI. The specificity of anti-spore IgY was evaluated in vitro. In both, initiation mouse model and recurrence mouse model, we evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic effect of anti-spore IgY, respectively. Our results demonstrate that anti-spore IgY exhibited high specificity and titers against C. difficile spores and reduced spore adherence to intestinal cells in vitro. Administration of anti-spore IgY to C57BL/6 mice prior and during CDI delayed the appearance of the diarrhea by 1.5 day, and spore adherence to the colonic mucosa by 90%. Notably, in the recurrence model, co-administration of anti-spore IgY coupled with vancomycin delayed the appearance of recurrent diarrhea by a median of 2 days. Collectively, these observations suggest that anti-spore IgY antibodies may be used as a novel prophylactic treatment for CDI, or in combination with antibiotics to treat CDI and prevent recurrence of the infection.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00365/ful

The Relative Age Effect on Soccer Players in Formative Stages with Different Sport Expertise Levels

The Relative Age Effect (RAE) in sport has been targeted by many research studies. The objective of this study was to analyze, in amateur clubs, the RAE of soccer players, according to the sport expertise level of the team (e.g., A, B, C and subsequent) that they belong to within the same game category. 1, 098 soccer players in formative stages took part in the study, with ages varying between 6 and 18 years old (U8 to U19 categories). All of them were members of 4 Spanish federated clubs. The birth dates were classified into 4 quartiles (Q1 = Jan-Mar; Q2 = Apr-Jun; Q3 = Jul-Sept; Q4 = Oct-Dec)according to the team they belonged to. The results obtained in the chi-squared test and d value (effect size) revealed the existence of RAE in the teams with the highest expertise level, "A" (X2 = 15.342, p = .002, d = 0.4473) and "B" (X2 = 10.905, p = .012, d = 0.3657). However, in the lower level teams, "C and subsequent", this effect was not observed. Present findings show that players born during the first months of the year tend to be selected to play in teams with a higher sport expertise level of each category, due to their physical maturity. Consequently, this causes differences in terms of the experience they accumulate and the motivation that this creates in these players