Usporedba djelovanja korionskog gonadotropina konja (eCG) i estradiol cipionata primijenjenih 24 sata nakon prestanka kontrolirane primjene progesterona kao dijela protokola za sinkronizaciju estrusa i umjetno osjemenjivanje meksičkog Criollo goveda.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of administering equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) in substitution of estradiol, 24 h after the removal of a progesterone intravaginal device, on estrus and ovulatory response, and pregnancy rates of Rodeo Criollo cows (exp. 1, n = 21) and heifers (exp. 2, n = 39) subjected to a synchronization protocol (estradiol + CIDR + PGF2α) with estrus-detected artificial insemination. All females were inseminated 12 h after detected estrus. In cows, estrus and ovulation response, and maximum pre-ovulatory follicle diameter were similar (P>0.05) between equine chorionic gonadotropin and estradiol groups. However, the time to estrus was shorter (P0.05) in ovulation rate. Both treatments resulted in low pregnancy rates, with a significantly lower (P0,05) u skupinama krava kod kojih je bio primijenjen korionski gonadrotropin ili estradiol. Međutim, u skupini kod koje je bio primijenjen estradiol vrijeme do estrusa je bilo kraće (P0,05) u stopi ovulacije. Oba su postupka dovela do niže stope gravidnosti, pri čemu je smanjenje kod junica kojima je bio primijenjen korionski gonadotropin konja bilo signifikantno (P<0,05). Zaključno, primjena korionskog gonadotropina konja, kao zamjene za estradiol nakon uklanjanja sredstva za otpuštanje progesterona, dovela je u sklopu protokola za otkrivanje estrusa i umjetno osjemenjivanje do povećanog grupiranja estrusa i ovulacije te posljedično veće stope gravidnosti u krava, ali ne i u junica

Improving Cognitive Visual-Motor Abilities in Individuals with Down Syndrome

Down syndrome causes a reduction in cognitive abilities, with visual-motor skills being particularly affected. In this work, we have focused on this skill in order to stimulate better learning. The proposal relies on stimulating the cognitive visual-motor skills of individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) using exercises with a gestural interaction platform based on the KINECT sensor named TANGO:H, the goal being to improve them. To validate the proposal, an experimental single-case study method was designed using two groups: a control group and an experimental one, with similar cognitive ages. Didactic exercises were provided to the experimental group using visual cognitive stimulation. These exercises were created on the TANGO:H Designer, a platform that was designed for gestural interaction using the KINECT sensor. As a result, TANGO:H allows for visual-motor cognitive stimulation through the movement of hands, arms, feet and head. The “Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA)” was applied to both groups as a pre-test and post-test in its four reference sections: visual comprehension, visual-motor sequential memory, visual association, and visual integration. Two checks were made, one using the longitudinal comparison of the pre-test/post-test of the experimental group, and another that relied on comparing the difference of the means of the pre-test/post-test. We also used an observational methodology for the working sessions from the experimental group. Although the statistical results do not show significant differences between the two groups, the results of the observations exhibited an improvement in visual-motor cognitive skills

Metodología para la restauración y puesta en marcha de una máquina fresadora CNC

The Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) is a technology that allows, through the use of a computer, to control and monitor the movements of a machine tool. The Superior Technological Institute of San Andrés Tuxtla (ITSSAT) has a CNC milling machine tool with European technology acquired by the state government in 2003 for engineering student practices. The machine was obsolete and out of operation, a situation that obligates not to use the CNC in practice for a while since the industries that manufacture them use licensed software and electronic cards that have a high cost for repair. The purpose of this article is to&nbsp;present a methodology for the restoration and start-up of CNC machines without having to resort to the manufacturer. The results show the methodology whose main function is the communication of the CNC machine with the PC through the implementation of the alternate software Mach 3 and the electronic card LPT-Mach 3 achieving the operation of the machine and the milling of materials with academic and industrial purposes.El Control Numérico Computarizado (CNC) es una tecnología que permite mediante el uso de una computadora controlar y monitorear los movimientos de una máquina herramienta. El Instituto Tecnológico Superior de San Andrés Tuxtla (ITSSAT) cuenta con una máquina herramienta fresadora CNC con tecnología europea adquirida por el gobierno del Estado en el 2003 para prácticas de los estudiantes de ingeniería. La máquina se encontraba obsoleta y sin funcionamiento, situación que provoco no hacer uso de la CNC en las prácticas durante un tiempo, ya que las industrias que las fabrican utilizan software con licencia y tarjetas electrónicas que tienen un costo elevado para su reparación. El presente artículo tiene como finalidad dar a conocer una metodología para la restauración y puesta en marcha de la máquina fresadora CNC sin necesidad de recurrir al fabricante. Los resultados muestran la metodología cuya principal función es la comunicación de la máquina CNC con la PC mediante la implementación del software alterno Mach 3 y la tarjeta electrónica LPT-Mach 3 logrando el funcionamiento de la máquina y con ello el fresado de materiales con fines académicos e industriales

Activity patterns of tayra (Eira barbara) across their distribution

Species' activity patterns are driven by the need to meet basic requirements of food, social interactions, movement, and rest, but often are influenced by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors. We used camera-trap data to describe and compare the activity patterns of the relatively poorly studied tayra (Eira barbara) across 10 populations distributed from the south of Mexico to the north of Argentina, and attempted to identify biotic or abiotic factors that may be associated with variation in level of diurnality. In a subset of sites we also aimed to document potential seasonal variation in activity. We used a kernel density estimator based on the time of independent photographic events to calculate the proportion of diurnal, crepuscular, and nocturnal activity of each population. Tayras were mostly active during diurnal periods (79.31%, 759 records), with a lower proportion of crepuscular activity (18.07%, 173 records) yet we documented some variation in patterns across the 10 study areas (activity overlap coefficient varied from Δ4 = 0.64 to Δ1 = 0.95). In northern localities, activity peaked twice during the day (bimodal) with most activity ocurring in the morning, whereas closer to the geographical equator, activity was constant (unimodal) throughout the day, peaking at midday: activity either was unimodal or bimodal in southern localities. Despite investigating multiple potential abiotic and biotic predictors, only latitude was associated with variation in the proportion of diurnal activity by tayras across its range, with increased diurnal activity closer to the equator. Seasonal comparisons in activity showed a tendency to reduce diurnality in dry versus rainy seasons, but the pattern was not consistently significant. This is the most comprehensive description of tayra activity patterns to date, and lends novel insight into the potential flexibility of the species to adapt to local conditions.Fil: Villafañe Trujillo, Álvaro José. Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro.; MéxicoFil: Kolowski, Joseph M.. Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas; BrasilFil: Cove, Michael V.. University of Belize; BeliceFil: Medici, Emilia Patricia. Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas; BrasilFil: Harmsen, Bart J.. University of Belize; BeliceFil: Foster, Rebbeca J.. University of Belize; BeliceFil: Hidalgo Mihart, Mircea G.. Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco,; MéxicoFil: Espinosa, Santiago. Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí; MéxicoFil: Ríos Alvear, Gorky. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Reyes Puig, Carolina. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Reyes Puig, Juan Pablo. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Da Silva, Marina Xavier. Universidad Central del Ecuador; EcuadorFil: Paviolo, Agustin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Cruz, Paula Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: López González, Carlos Alberto. Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro.; Méxic

Effect of THI, NDF and rumination in milk production by Holstein cows

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the THI, NDF and rumination rate (RR) on milk production in Holstein cows in a dairy farm located in Bajío de San José, Jalisco Design/methodology/approach: The temperature-humidity index (THI) is an indicator of the effect of the environmental climate can have on milk production, likewise nutritional content of forage is affected by weather conditions, as the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) is related with rumination activity of cows, increasing THI has shown a direct effect on milk production in cows. HealthyCow 24 ® CSR was used (SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel), to monitor rumination, from a total record of 284 cows with 2, 3, and 4 lactacion through august to december 2020 period, analysing NDF content from total mixed ration and monitoring THI. Results: The results showed there was no effect of THI on milk production (p&gt;0.05), despite having reached 76 THI score, instead NDF (p&lt;0.05) and RR (p&lt;0.001) affected milk production, it was not found effect of THI on RR (p&gt;0.05), and NDF had trend (p&lt;0.1). Limitations on study/implications: There were no limitations for this report. Findings/conclusions: According to the results obtained, THI threshold should be reconsidered according to the resistance of productively active cattle on dairy farms. &nbsp;Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the temperature-humidity index (THI), the content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and rumination rate (RR) on milk production in Holstein cows in a dairy farm located in Bajío de San José, Jalisco, Mexico. Design/methodology/approach: The THI is an indicator of the effect of the environmental climate can have on milk production, and likewise the nutritional content of forage is affected by weather conditions, such as the NDF is related with rumination activity of cows; increasing THI has shown a direct effect on milk production in cows. The HealthyCow 24 ® CSR remote equipment was used (SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel), to monitor rumination, from a total registry of 284 cows with 2, 3, and 4 lactations distributed between August and December 2020 period, analyzing the NDF content from total mixed portion and monitoring the THI. Results: The results showed there was no effect of THI on milk production (p&gt;0.05), despite having reached a THI score of 76, while NDF (p&lt;0.05) and RR (p&lt;0.001) affected milk production; an effect of THI on RR (p&gt;0.05) was not found, and the NDF only had a trend (p&lt;0.1). Limitations on study/implications: There were no limitations for the study. Findings/conclusions: According to the results obtained, the THI threshold should be reconsidered according to the resistance of the productively active cattle on dairy farms

Benefits of homemade chocolate consumption on human health

Objective: To describe the benefits of homemade chocolate consumption on human health in La Chontalpa, Tabasco, Mexico. Design/Methodology/Approach: We interviewed 49 persons in La Chontalpa, along with 30 contacts from social networks; additionally, a participatory workshop was held with 15 persons trained in making homemade chocolate. A traditional specialist doctor who uses cacao as a medicinal base was interviewed and we were observers during cacao ceremonies. The information was analyzed using opinion analysis and the Chi-square test. Results: Ninety-seven-point nine percent of the interviewees agreed that consuming homemade chocolate is beneficial for health, while 89.8% mentioned that consuming chocolate makes them feel good. Fifty-five percent of the consumers consider that chocolate provides them energy; 51.1% say that it helps them to control hunger and thirst; and 36.7% feel that consuming it takes away sadness and laziness. The benefits of chocolate consumption reported in the ceremonies, workshops, and interviews were that it controls depression, promotes concentration, and causes joy; it also cures diarrhea, anemia, headaches, and stomach ache. Study Limitations/Implications: The sanitary restrictions derived from the COVID-19 pandemic limited face-to-face interviews in 2021, which were instead carried out using social networks. It is forbidden to record and take photos and videos of cacao ceremonies; therefore, we were unable to document them. Findings/Conclusions: In La Chontalpa, Tabasco, the population consumes homemade chocolate because they believe that chocolate provides mental and physical health benefits

Native Variants of the MRB1 Complex Exhibit Specialized Functions in Kinetoplastid RNA Editing

We want to thank Kathy Kyler for editing this manuscript, Ken Stuart for supplying monoclonal antisera against RECC subunits, and Laurie K. Read for her gift of polyclonal antisera against GAP1 and RGG2. Funding: National Science Foundation Grant No. NSF1122109 (PI: J.Cruz-Reyes.). NIH/National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases R01 AI088011 (PI: Blaine Mooers). Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20 GM103640. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Adaptation and survival of Trypanosoma brucei requires editing of mitochondrial mRNA by uridylate (U) insertion and deletion. Hundreds of small guide RNAs (gRNAs) direct the mRNA editing at over 3,000 sites. RNA editing is controlled during the life cycle but the regulation of substrate and stage specificity remains unknown. Editing progresses in the 3’ to 5’ direction along the pre-mRNA in blocks, each targeted by a unique gRNA. A critical editing factor is the mitochondrial RNA binding complex 1 (MRB1) that binds gRNA and transiently interacts with the catalytic RNA editing core complex (RECC). MRB1 is a large and dynamic complex that appears to be comprised of distinct but related subcomplexes (termed here MRBs). MRBs seem to share a ‘core’ complex of proteins but differ in the composition of the ‘variable’ proteins. Since some proteins associate transiently the MRBs remain imprecisely defined. MRB1 controls editing by unknown mechanisms, and the functional relevance of the different MRBs is unclear. We previously identified two distinct MRBs, and showed that they carry mRNAs that undergo editing. We proposed that editing takes place in the MRBs because MRBs stably associate with mRNA and gRNA but only transiently interact with RECC, which is RNA free. Here, we identify the first specialized functions in MRBs: 1) 3010-MRB is a major scaffold for RNA editing, and 2) REH2-MRB contains a critical trans-acting RNA helicase (REH2) that affects multiple steps of editing function in 3010-MRB. These trans effects of the REH2 include loading of unedited mRNA and editing in the first block and in subsequent blocks as editing progresses. REH2 binds its own MRB via RNA, and conserved domains in REH2 were critical for REH2 to associate with the RNA and protein components of its MRB. Importantly, REH2 associates with a ~30 kDa RNA-binding protein in a novel ~15S subcomplex in RNA-depleted mitochondria. We use these new results to update our model of MRB function and organization.Yeshttp://www.plosone.org/static/editorial#pee

Astrophysical S factor for the He-4(He-3,gamma)Be-7 reaction at medium energies

3 pags., 1 tab. -- Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics V 3–8 April 2011, Eilat, IsraelThe astrophysical S factor for the He-4(He-3,gamma)Be-7 direct capture reaction plays a major role in the context of solar neutrino flux and primordial Li-7 abundances that demand accurate information on the reaction. We report here our recent cross section measurements using the activation method in the region of E-CM=900-2800 keV, that aim to shed light on the discrepancies in the existing data and lead to a more accurate extrapolation of the S factor

Antimicrobial sensing coupled with cell membrane remodeling mediates antibiotic resistance and virulence in Enterococcus faecalis.

Bacteria have developed several evolutionary strategies to protect their cell membranes (CMs) from the attack of antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by the innate immune system, including remodeling of phospholipid content and localization. Multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, an opportunistic human pathogen, evolves resistance to the lipopeptide daptomycin and AMPs by diverting the antibiotic away from critical septal targets using CM anionic phospholipid redistribution. The LiaFSR stress response system regulates this CM remodeling via the LiaR response regulator by a previously unknown mechanism. Here, we characterize a LiaR-regulated protein, LiaX, that senses daptomycin or AMPs and triggers protective CM remodeling. LiaX is surface exposed, and in daptomycin-resistant clinical strains, both LiaX and the N-terminal domain alone are released into the extracellular milieu. The N-terminal domain of LiaX binds daptomycin and AMPs (such as human LL-37) and functions as an extracellular sentinel that activates the cell envelope stress response. The C-terminal domain of LiaX plays a role in inhibiting the LiaFSR system, and when this domain is absent, it leads to activation of anionic phospholipid redistribution. Strains that exhibit LiaX-mediated CM remodeling and AMP resistance show enhanced virulence in the Caenorhabditis elegans model, an effect that is abolished in animals lacking an innate immune pathway crucial for producing AMPs. In conclusion, we report a mechanism of antibiotic and AMP resistance that couples bacterial stress sensing to major changes in CM architecture, ultimately also affecting host-pathogen interactions