Effect of creep feeding with rice bran and temporary weaning on cow-calf performance.

This study was conducted to investigate if calves supplemented with rice bran in a creep feeding (CF) system associated with temporary weaning (TW) affects the performance of the cow-calf pair grazing natural grasslands during summer. Two experiments were performed using 275 cow-calf pairs of British breeds and their crosses of different parities (primiparous [n = 188] in Experiment 1 and multiparous [n = 87] in Experiment 2). In both experiments, the factors evaluated were: (1) supplementation of calves with rice bran using CF: yes (+CF) or no (-CF); (2) TW for 14 days using nose plates: yes (+TW) or no (-TW). Four experimental groups were formed in both experiments: -CF - TW, -CF + TW, +CF - TW and +CF + TW. TW decreased the average daily weight gain and live weight of calves independently of the age of their mothers. The use of CF decreased both of these parameters in calves born to primiparous cows, and there was no response in the case of calves born to multiparous cows. A greater proportion of primiparous cows that received +CF conceived in the first 21 days of mating (+CF - TW = 63.5% and +CF + TW = 50%) than the other groups. The final pregnancy rate was similar among groups in both experiments. In conclusion, TW decreased the average daily weight gain and weaning weight of calves. Supplementation of calves born to primiparous cows with rice bran decreased their daily weight gain during the period of TW and their weaning weight, but their dams were conceived earlier.

Principales fitoquímicos con potencial terapéutico en el tratamiento de la retinopatía diabética con fitofármacos / Major Phytochemicals with Therapeutic Potential in the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy

La diabetes mellitus tipo 2 representa uno de los principales problemas de salud pública a nivel mundial hoy en día. Entre las principales complicaciones generadas por esta enfermedad se encuentra la retinopatía diabética, la cual puede conducir a pérdida de la visión de manera permanente, por lo que investigaciones sobre tratamientos para esta patología van en aumento. Es por esto que tratamientos en base a químicos obtenidos de plantas medicinales están siendo ampliamente investigados debido a que podrían proveer una alternativa más segura, de menor costo y menor toxicidad que la medicina estándar para el tratamiento de esta patología ocular de alta incidencia mundial. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los principales fitoquímicos con potencial para ser usados como tratamiento de la retinopatía diabética. Para lograr este cometido se llevó a cabo una revisión de la literatura publicada entre el enero 2017 y de junio 2021 utilizando las bases de datos WOS, PubMed y Scopus en inglés y español, con el fin de recopilar evidencia científica actualizada sobre el uso y efectos de fitoquímicos en la retinopatía diabética. Diversas familias de fitoquímicos útiles fueron identificadas, entre estas las más comunes fueron las de origen fenólico, aunque menos comunes también se encontraron carotenoides, terpenos y preparaciones constituidas por varias especies de plantas y fitoquímicos. Sus mecanismos de acción también fueron identificados, siendo los más comunes la supresión de la neovascularización mediada por VEGF, la protección y restauración de la barrera hematorretinal, la reducción en la actividad de las especies reactivas del oxígeno y el efecto antiinflamatorio. Dada la evidencia respecto a la utilidad de los fitoquímicos para el tratamiento de la retinopatía diabética, mayores investigaciones deben ser realizadas(AU)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus represents one of the main public health problems worldwide today. Among the main complications generated by this disease is diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to permanent vision loss. For this reason, research on treatments for this pathology is increasing. This is why treatments based on chemicals obtained from medicinal plants are widely investigated as they could provide a safer, less costly and less toxic alternative to standard medicine for the treatment of this eye disease of high incidence worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify the main phytochemicals with potential to be used as treatment for diabetic retinopathy. In order to achieve this purpose, a review of the literature published between January 2017 and June 2021 was conducted using the WOS, PUBMED and Scopus databases in English and Spanish, in order to compile updated scientific evidence on the use and impact of phytochemicals in diabetic retinopathy. Several families of useful phytochemicals were identified. Among these, the most common were those of phenolic origin, although less common were also found carotenoids, terpenes and blends consisting of various plant species and phytochemicals. Their mechanisms of action were also identified, the most common being suppression of vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated neovascularization, protection and restoration of the blood-retinal barrier, reduction in reactive oxygen species activity and anti-inflammatory effect. Given the evidence regarding the usefulness of phytochemicals for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, further research should be conducted(AU)

Effect of Ethanol on Parthenogenetic Activation and α-Tocopherol Supplementation during In Vitro Maturation on Developmental Competence of Summer-Collected Bovine Oocytes.

The use of α-tocopherol during in vitro maturation (IVM) is an alternative to minimize the adverse effects of heat stress on oocyte competence. However, α-tocopherol is diluted in ethanol, which can induce oocyte parthenogenetic activation (PA). This study aimed to evaluate the role of ethanol concentration on PA and the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation during IVM on the developmental competence and the expression of key genes in blastocysts derived from summer-collected oocytes. All in vitro embryo production was conducted at 5% O2, 5% CO2 at 38.5 °C. Experiment 1: oocytes were cultured with or without 0.05% ethanol. As positive PA control matured oocytes were subjected to 3% or 7% ethanol for 7 min. Oocytes from all groups were placed in fertilization medium (22 h) and culture medium (9 days). Ethanol at 0.05% during IVM did not induce oocyte PA, however, 3% and 7% ethanol were effective parthenogenetic inductors. Experiment 2: oocytes were cultured in maturation medium supplemented with 0, 50, 100 and 200 µM α-tocopherol, diluted in 0.05% ethanol. After in vitro fertilization and embryo culture, we assessed blastocyst apoptotic index and the transcription of a panel of genes. The results showed that supplementation with 100 µM α-tocopherol reduced apoptotic index and increased the expression of SOD2. In conclusion, 100 µM α-tocopherol, diluted in 0.05% ethanol, can be used during IVM to embryonic quality.

Miniaturized imprinted solid phase extraction to the selective analysis of Coenzyme Q10 in urine.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an important cofactor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and a potent endogenous antioxidant. CoQ10 deficiency is currently associated with numerous diseases like mitochondrial and neurodegenerative pathologies, in which the earliest diagnosis and treatment with CoQ10 supplementation becomes paramount for patient's treatment. Consequently, the determination of CoQ10 levels in different biological matrices positions as a fundamental tool. Urine is an attractive and non-invasive alternative source to tissue, blood or other biofluids for CoQ10 analysis. However, it poses an analytical challenge, as it generally requires a complex sample preparation, with multiple steps. In this work we developed and validated a molecularly imprinted polymer solid phase extraction (MIP-SPE) followed by a HPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of CoQ10 in urine. The MIP-SPE method developed is simple and fast compared to previously traditional reported methods, with reduced processing time, improved sample cleaning and excellent recovery values, along with its inherent high selectivity. The developed chromatographic method was validated according to FDA guidelines, and demonstrated to be suitable for the analysis of CoQ10 in urine samples with LOQ and LOD values of 0.6 ng/mL and 0.2 ng/mL of CoQ10 in urine respectively. Recovery values at three concentration levels were higher than 90.0%.The proposed method is amenable to be applied in pediatric patients due to the low sample requirement and useful for diagnosis and post-treatment control.