Exploring the Effects of Robertsonian Translocation 1/29 (Rob (1;29)) on Genetic Diversity in Minor Breeds of Spanish Berrenda Cattle via Genome-Wide Analysis.

Most of the previous studies on the genetic variability in Spanish "Berrenda" breeds have been carried out using DNA microsatellites. The present work aimed to estimate the genetic diversity, population structure, and potential genetic differences among individuals of both Berrenda breeds and groups based on the presence of the Robertsonian chromosomal translocation, rob (1;29). A total of 373 samples from animals belonging to the two breeds, including 169 cases diagnosed as rob (1;29)-positive, were genotyped using an SNP50K chip. The genetic diversity at the breed level did not show significant differences, but it was significantly lower in those subpopulations containing the rob (1;29). Runs of homozygosity identified a region of homozygosity on chromosome 6, where the KIT (KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase) gene, which determines the typical spotted coat pattern in both breeds, is located. The four subpopulations considered showed minor genetic differences. The regions of the genome that most determined the differences between the breeds were observed on chromosomes 4, 6, 18, and 22. The presence of this Robertsonian translocation did not result in sub-structuring within each of the breeds considered. To improve the reproductive performance of Berrenda breeds, it would be necessary to implement strategies considering the involvement of potential breeding stock carrying rob (1;29).

Utilization of Cooked Cassava and Taro as Alternative Feed in Enhancing Pig Production in Ecuadorian Backyard System.

Pork production in Ecuador is of significant economic and nutritional importance. Many of these operations are family- or backyard-based and utilize alternative feed ingredients to reduce production costs. The current study aimed to determine the chemical composition of cooked cassava and taro, and to evaluate their inclusion in the feed of backyard pigs during the growth and fattening phases. A total of 42 castrated pigs from two geographic locations in Ecuador were studied over a period of 100 days, during which their weight and measurements were recorded at three-week intervals. At the end of the experiment, ileum samples were collected from the slaughtered pigs in order to calculate the apparent digestibility of the feed. The crude protein levels of cassava and taro were found to be 3.2% and 2.1%, respectively. The combination of cooked cassava and taro was found to be a suitable replacement for corn, with the best results observed in the group receiving a diet incorporating 21% each of cassava and taro. Analysis of the ileal content also revealed that this group exhibited the highest nitrogen assimilation from the diet.

Effects of Alternative Cassava and Taro Feed on the Carcass and Meat Quality of Fattening Pigs Reared under Ecuadorian Backyard Systems.

Ecuadorian small producers use crossbred animals with a low level of genetic improvement, which are fed with alternative feeds to decrease production costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of geographical location and three diets according to the amount of cassava and taro incorporated into the feed (T1 conventional feed; T2 and T3 with 32% and 42% of cassava and taro, respectively) in pigs reared under the backyard system. The results did not show many differences between the treatments for morphological traits; however, between geographical locations, significant differences were evidenced. The fat content from the first rib was higher in the T1 group. The intramuscular fat percentage was higher in the T1 group, contrary to the protein levels, which were higher in the T3 group in Esmeraldas and the T2 group in Ro Chico. In the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its attached organs, differences were found in the empty stomach weight, full and empty small intestine weight, liver weight, and total GIT weight, with the T2 and T3 groups having the largest and heaviest. Cassava and taro did not affect the morphometric behavior and quality of the carcass but increased the amount of protein in the meat and the weight of the GIT. Geographical location was also observed to have a significant effect.

Analyses of Genetic Diversity in the Endangered "Berrenda" Spanish Cattle Breeds Using Pedigree Data.

Pedigree analyses of two endangered cattle breeds were performed in order to study the structure and the genetic variability in their populations. Pedigree data were analyzed from 12,057 individuals belonging to the "Berrenda en Negro" cattle breed (BN) and 20,389 individuals belonging to the "Berrenda en Colorado" cattle breed (BC) that were born between 1983 and 2020. BN and BC reference populations (RP) were set up by 2300 and 3988 animals, respectively. The generation interval in BN and BC reference populations was equal to 6.50 and 6.92 years, respectively. The pedigree completeness level was 82.76% in BN and 79.57% in BC. The inbreeding rates were 4.5% in BN and 3.4% in BC, respectively. The relationship among animals when they were born in different herds was 1.8% in BN and 5% in BC; these values increased to 8.5% and 7.7%, respectively when comparing animals that were born in the same herd. The effective number of founding herds was 23.9 in BN and 60.9 in BC. Number of ancestors needed to explain 50% of genes pool in the whole population was 50 and 101, in BN and in BC, respectively. The effective population size based on co-ancestries was 92.28 in BN and 169.92 in BC. The genetic variability has been maintained in both populations over time and the results of this study suggest that measures to promote the conservation of the genetic variability in these two breeds would go through for the exchange of breeding animals among farms and for monitoring the genetic contributions before implementing any selective action.

Effects of Extending Milk Replacer Feeding during the Fattening Period on the Behaviour and Welfare of Lambs: A Preliminary Study.

There is a lack of information on the behavioural and welfare effects of sustaining artificial milk feeding in fattening lambs. Therefore, the present work aimed to study the effects of prolonged artificial milk feeding during fattening with a high concentrate diet on the behaviour of lambs. The behaviour of 16 non castrated male lambs of the Manchega sheep breed (eight lambs were in the group that were fed daily a bottle of milk, and the other eight were in the weaned group) was recorded with four fixed cameras just before bottle feeding (~8:30 a.m.) of the unweaned group till four hours later, every day for 7 weeks. The solid diet (pelleted concentrate plus cereal straw) and housing conditions were the same in both groups. Solid feeds were offered ad libitum. There were no differences between groups in time spent eating nor in drinking, playing, scratching and oral activity behaviours (p > 0.05), but resting episodes were longer in weaned lambs (p < 0.05). Weaned lambs presented a higher frequency of self-grooming behaviour (p < 0.05), while the unweaned group performed a higher frequency of interaction behaviour (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the behaviours of lambs that were fed daily a bottle of milk during the fattening period did not substantially differ from the weaned individuals.

Morphological Variations of Wild Populations of Brycon dentex (Characidae, Teleostei) in the Guayas Hydrographic Basin (Ecuador). The Impact of Fishing Policies and Environmental Conditions.

The Guayas, located in Ecuador, is the largest basin in the Pacific Ocean and has an inventory of 123 native freshwater species. Most of these are endemic species that are threatened or at-risk due to anthropogenic activity and the modification, fragmentation, and destruction of habitats. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric variation in three wild populations of Brycon dentex in the Guayas basin rivers and their connections to fishing management and environmental conditions. A total of 200 mature fish were captured, and 26 morphometric parameters were measured. The fishing policies (Hypothesis 1) and environmental conditions (Hypothesis 2) were considered fixed factors and were validated by t-tests. The morphological variation among the three populations (Hypothesis 3) was validated through a discriminant analysis. Fishing policies and resource management were found to generate morphological differences associated with body development. In addition, the environmental conditions were found to influence the size and structure of Brycon dentex populations. The analyzed populations were discriminated by the generated morphometric models, which differentiated Cluster 1 (Quevedo and Mocache rivers) with high fishing pressure from Cluster 2 (Pintado river) with medium-low fishing pressure. Morphometric differentiation by discriminant analysis is a direct and economic methodology that can be applied as an indicator of diversity maintenance.

Characterization and Typology of Backyard Small Pig Farms in Jipijapa, Ecuador.

To characterize the traditional systems of small pig producers in Jipijapa (Manabí, Ecuador) and to classify farms into representative categories, we interviewed fifty-five farmers from seven communities considering four dimensions: social, organizational, production methods, and local food resources. Multiple correspondence analyses and hierarchical clusters were carried out using the Ward method. The analysis differentiated communities based on social, productive, and local resource variables, showing three factors that accounted for 85.3% of the total variance: the socioeconomic dimension, related to the welfare of families, explained 34.4% of the variation, the care provided to animals explained 30.9%, and the management practices for the supply of food explained 20%. We identified five clusters that shared common characteristics: Group 1 included farmers from Albajacal, wage workers, and Creole pig breeders, Group 2 included farmers raising pigs under lockdown conditions, Group 3 typified traditional farms from the La Cuesta community, Group 4 included landowners, and Group 5 included professionalized farmers in Colón Alfaro. We also studied the supplied alternative food formulations made up of crop surpluses. The role of small pig farmers is a social activity linked to the location, the crops of each area, and the specific practices for the care of animals.

Usefulness of Discriminant Analysis in the Morphometric Differentiation of Six Native Freshwater Species from Ecuador.

The aim of this research was to find out the morphometric differentiation of six native freshwater species in the Guayas Hydrographic Basin (Ecuador) by means of discriminant analysis. A total of 1355 mature fishes (Cichlasoma festae, Andinoacara rivulatus, Dormitator latifrons, Bryncon dentex, Hoplias microlepis and Leporinus ecuadorensis) were captured and 27 morphometric measurements and 20 landmarks were used. Two-way analysis of variance with species and sex as fixed factors and discriminant analysis were applied. The selection of the most discriminant variables was made applying the F of Snedecor, Wilks'-Lambda and the 1-Tolerance. While sex within species had no significant effect on the morphology, differences among species were significant. Twenty-seven morphological variables showed highly significant differences among six native freshwater species. Nine biometric variables with high discriminant power were selected. The six species analyzed were discriminated by the morphometric models generated, thus showing that discriminant analysis was useful for differentiating species. The morphometric differentiation by discriminant analysis is a direct, simple and economic methodology to be applied in situ in rural communities. It favors the implementation of a livestock development program and it could be used with other native freshwater species in the Guayas Hydrographic Basin.

Morphometric and Meristic Characterization of Native Chame Fish (Dormitator latifrons) in Ecuador Using Multivariate Analysis.

Ecuador, a country exhibiting large developments in fish farming, has a great variety of freshwater native fish. Among these fish is the Dormitator latifrons or chame, which has characteristics that make its farming prone to occur at a quite-developed stage. However, morphological characterization is required to establish a conservation program. In this study, 300 chames were captured in the Manabi province (Ecuador) to analyze their morphostructural model and to evaluate the effects of sex and the production system through multivariant techniques. The fish from the farm presented morphological measurements that were statistically (p < 0.05) higher than those of wild fish. Males were taller, longer, and wider than females, although the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). The percentage of correct adscription was 84%, with larger errors in wild fish. The morphostructural model had a high homogeneity, with 89.95% significant correlations (p < 0.05), and wild male and female fish were more homogeneous. The farm fish were larger because of the higher food availability. Moreover, the species exhibited sexual dimorphism, although there were no great differences in the morphometric measurements. This study shows the great biodiversity that naturally exists in Ecuadorian rivers. Therefore, it is of great interest to develop a chame breeding and conservation program.

[So doctor, what could I eat then?] / Pero, doctor, ¿entonces qué puedo comer?

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: the strict dietary recommendations we impose on patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD) have negative impact on quality of life. Objective: determine whether such restrictions are justified and if an educational program can improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) parameters. Methods: we carried out an educational intervention, single center, randomized, controlled clinical trial on ACKD outpatients in Albacete. Seventy-five patients were included, 35 in the control group and 40 in the intervention group. Nutritional assessment was based on the Subjetive Global Assessment (SGA) and body mass index (BMI). We used the SF-36 health questionnaire to measure HRQL. In the intervention group we carried out individual, collective and telephone nutritional interventions, adapting diet advice and restrictions in a personalized way. Results: malnutrition measured by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) in the control group was 20%; meanwhile, in the intervention group it was 29.3% and it improved at the end of the study, but not significantly. BMI showed overweight with a mean of 28.83 kg/m² (DE: 5.4) and 26.96 kg/m² (DE: 4.09), respectively, and did not change throughout the study. The nutritional intervention improved the score in all the subscales except for body pain score. Besides, mental and physical components also improved their scores in the intervention group and worsened them in the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: quality of life can be improved in ACKD patients applying an educational nutrition program.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: las estrictas restricciones dietéticas que imponemos en la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada (ERCA) tienen un impacto negativo en la calidad de vida. Objetivo: determinar si estas restricciones están justificadas y si un programa de educación nutricional mejoraría los parámetros de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS). Material y métodos: realizamos un ensayo clínico de intervención educativa, unicéntrico, randomizado y controlado en los pacientes de la consulta ERCA de Albacete. Se incluyeron 75 pacientes, 35 en el grupo control y 40 en el de intervención. Se realizó la valoración nutricional mediante valoración global subjetiva (VGS) e índice de masa corporal (IMC). Para medir la CVRS se empleó el cuestionario de salud SF-36. En el grupo intervención se realizó la intervención nutricional individual, colectiva y por recuerdo telefónico, adaptando a cada paciente el consejo dietético y ajustando las restricciones de forma personalizada. Resultados: la malnutrición medida por VGS fue del 20% en el grupo control y del 29,3% en el grupo intervención, donde mejoró aunque no fue significativo. El IMC mostró sobrepeso con una media de 28,83 (DE: 5,4) y 26,96 kg/m2 (DE: 4,09) respectivamente, sin cambios a lo largo del estudio. La intervención nutricional supuso una mejoría en las puntuaciones de todas las subescalas excepto en el dolor corporal. Además, los componentes físico y mental también mejoraron sus puntuaciones en el grupo intervención y empeoraron significativamente (p < 0,001) en el control. Conclusiones: la calidad de vida se puede mejorar en los pacientes con ERCA aplicando un programa de educación nutricional.

Diagnóstico del desarrollo de habilidades profesionales de enfermería para la atención primaria de salud / Diagnosis of professional skill acquisition for primary health care nursing

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal con el objetivo de efectuar un diagnóstico en el período comprendido entre enero de 2003 y enero de 2004 en el Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas Carlos J Finlay mediante encuestas y entrevistas aplicadas a profesores de Licenciatura en Enfermería y a profesionales de la especialidad que trabajan en funciones docentes y asistenciales en unidades de la atención primaria de salud. De un universo de 151, se trabajó con una muestra de 22 docentes y 129 asistenciales, se realizó el análisis del plan de estudio y la caracterización de la disciplina Enfermería dentro del mismo. Los escenarios de actuación más significativos lo constituyeron los consultorios que representaron el (66.66 por ciento) identificaron las habilidades profesionales el (86.36 por ciento). Podemos concluir que las habilidades más importantes fueron inferir, priorizar, valorar, ejecutar. Los resultados del diagnóstico se analizaron cualitativa y cuantitativamente, para este último se utilizó el sistema SPSS, información que permitió realizar propuesta de diseño de programa atendiendo al desarrollo de habilidades profesionales