Efecto de la levadura Saccharomyces cerevisiae en condición corporal, alzada, ganancia diaria de peso, parámetros hematológicos y metabólicos con terneros de remplazo criados al pastoreo en la Hacienda Nero

En la presente investigación se evaluó el efecto de la levadura Saccharomyces cerevisiae adicionada a la dieta basal de terneros sobre la Condición Corporal (CC), Alzada, Ganancia Diaria de Peso (GDP), Parámetros Hematológicos y Metabólicos en terneros de reemplazo. Se realizó en la granja Nero de la Universidad de Cuenca con 18 terneros Holstein Friesian de 4 a 6 meses de edad, entre 100 a 200 kg/PV, criados en pastoreo, todos con las mismas condiciones de suplementación y manejo nutricional; divididos en dos grupos, un control T1 (n1=9) alimentados con dieta basal y un experimental T2 (n2=9) adicionado a la dieta 15 g/ternero/día de levadura. Se usó un diseño de bloques completamente al azar (DBA) y los resultados fueron analizados con el programa SPSS. El peso y alzada se registró semanalmente para evaluar su GDP (gramos) y talla (cm), respectivamente. La CC y los parámetros sanguíneos fueron realizados en 5 momentos. Los resultados de GDP y Alzada fueron analizados con las pruebas estadísticas de Shapiro – Wilk y Levene al 5%, al realizar el (ADEVA) no se encontró diferencias estadísticas. La variable CC presento diferencia significativa (p <0.05). Al analizar los parámetros hematológicos se encontró diferencia estadística en glucosa (p <0.05). En el análisis financiero, se apreció que el grupo control tiene un menor costo por Kg de peso producido 0,84 USD vs 0,96 USD del grupo experimental. En conclusión, se pone en manifiesto que el empleo de S. cerevisiae como aditivo nutricional de terneros de remplazo criados al pastoreo, puede constituir como una alternativa que incrementa los parámetros de salud expresados en glucosa y condición corporal

The PREPARE pilot RCT of home-based progressive resistance exercises for venous leg ulcers

OBJECTIVE: To establish the feasibility of conducting a home-based progressive resistance exercise programme to improve calf muscle pump function in community-based patients with venous leg ulcers. METHOD: Participants were randomised to receive a 12-week progressive resistance exercise programme using heel raises in addition to compression. The control was usual care in addition to compression. Randomisation was stratified by ulcer duration and ulcer size. Air plethysmography was used to determine changes in calf muscle pump function from baseline. Changes in ulcer parameters were measured using the SilhouetteMobile device. RESULTS: Forty participants were randomised. There were significantly greater improvements in ejection fraction of the calf muscle in the exercise group compared with the control (usual care) group (mean difference 18.5%, 95% CI 0.03 to 36.6%, p<0.05). Other parameters improved in the exercise group but the mean differences were not significant. Adherence with prescribed exercises was 81% and there was no significant difference in the numbers reporting adverse events. There were also no significant differences in ulcer healing parameters (change in area, percentage change in area, number healed at 12 weeks, time to healing). CONCLUSION: A community-based randomised trial of progressive resistance exercise is feasible. The prescribed exercises appeared to increase ejection fraction, but the effect of exercise on ulcer healing requires further investigation.

Stairway Uniformity Measurement: What Lateral Location Should Be Measured?

BACKGROUND: This project addressed an unresolved issue involving measurement methods for determining step uniformity. Leading experts on stairway safety agree that lack of step uniformity within a flight contributes to risk of missteps. A relatively new method for precisely measuring step dimensions is the nosing-to-nosing method. An issue in applying the method is lack of agreement on the lateral location to make the measurements. That location depends on where stairway users ascend and descend relative to the width of the steps. A prior investigator examined people descending to determine the lateral distance between the handrail center and the mid-line of the person’s body. He found the median was 44 cm. AIM: The two objectives of the experiment were to: (1) determine if a different set of stairway users will have the same median lateral distance from the handrail as those described in the prior observational study, and (2) determine if the lateral distance of participants is affected by their direction of travel and use of a handrail. METHODS: The investigators established visible distance markers on one stairway in a campus building and videotaped volunteer students ascending and descending the flight of stairs. Each of the 16 participant ascended with and without using the handrail, and each descended with and without using the handrail. Images were printed and analyzed to determine their lateral distance between the inner edge of the handrail and a point midway between the participant’s knees. Results were analyzed statistically to test hypotheses corresponding to the two objectives. RESULTS: The previous study found a median lateral distance of 44 cm when measured from the center of the handrail. Using comparable data, the median found in this study was 25 cm. Results of this study indicated that lateral distance from the handrail is significantly affected by the direction of travel and by use of the handrail. The greatest lateral distance was for ascending with the handrail. The shortest lateral distance was for descending without the handrail. VALUE: Committees develop and periodically revise standards for stairways leading to fire exits and workplace facilities. The practical value of this project is providing empirical evidence that standard developing committees may consider when convening to update their requirements and guidelines on how to measure step uniformity.

First molecular determination of herpesvirus from two mysticete species stranded in the Mediterranean Sea

BACKGROUND Herpesvirus can infect a wide range of animal species: mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians and bivalves. In marine mammals, several alpha- and gammaherpesvirus have been identified in some cetaceans and pinnipeds species. To date, however, this virus has not been detected in any member of the Balaenoptera genus. CASE PRESENTATION Herpesvirus was determined by molecular methods in tissue samples from a male fin whale juvenile (Balaenoptera physalus) and a female common minke whale calf (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) stranded on the Mediterranean coast of the Region of Valencia (Spain). Samples of skin and penile mucosa from the fin whale and samples of skin, muscle and central nervous system tissue from the common minke whale tested positive for herpesvirus based on sequences of the DNA polymerase gene. Sequences from fin whale were identical and belonged to the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. Only members of the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily were amplified from the common minke whale, and sequences from the muscle and central nervous system were identical. Sequences in GenBank most closely related to these novel sequences were viruses isolated from other cetacean species, consistent with previous observations that herpesviruses show similar phylogenetic branching as their hosts. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first molecular determination of herpesvirus in the Balaenoptera genus. It shows that herpesvirus should be included in virological evaluation of these animals.

Reindeer habitat selection under the risk of brown bear predation during calving season

The depredation of semi-domesticated reindeer by large carnivores reflects an important human-wildlife conflict in Fennoscandia. Recent studies have revealed that brown bears (Ursus arctos) may kill substantial numbers of reindeer calves (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in forest areas in Sweden. Several authors have suggested that predation risk is an important driver of habitat selection in wild Rangifer populations where predation is a limiting factor, but little is known about these mechanisms in semi-domesticated populations. We examined the habitat selection of female reindeer in relation to spatial and temporal variations in brown bear predation risk on the reindeer calving grounds and evaluated the simultaneous responses of brown bears and reindeer to landscape characteristics. We used GPS data from 110 reindeer years (97 individuals) and 29 brown bear years (19 individuals), from two reindeer herding districts in the forest area of northern Sweden. Our results did not indicate that reindeer alter their behavior in response to spatiotemporal variation in brown bear predation risk, on the scale of the calving range. Instead, we suggest that spatiotemporal behavioral adjustments by brown bears were the main driver of prey-predator interactions in our study system. Contrasting responses by brown bears and reindeer to clear-cuts and young forest indicate that forestry can influence species interactions and possibly yield negative consequences for the reindeer herd. Even if clear-cuts may be beneficial in terms of calf survival, logging activity will eventually cause greater abundance of young regenerating forest, reducing available reindeer habitats and increasing habitat preferred by brown bears. Domestication may have made semi-domesticated reindeer in Fennoscandia less adapted to cope with predators. Areal restrictions, limiting the opportunity for dispersion and escape, possibly make the calves more susceptible to predation. Also, a generally higher population density in semi-domesticated herds compared to wild populations can make dispersion a less efficient strategy and the reindeer calves easier prey. Overall, the lack of ability of the reindeer females to reduce brown bear encounter risk on the scale of the calving range is probably an important reason for the high brown bear predation rates on reindeer calves documented in our study areas.