Effect of Heat Stress on Lactating and Non-Lactating Blackbelly Ewes under Tropical Conditions during Summer.

Two groups of ewes (10 lactating and 10 non-lactating) were used to evaluate the effect of heat stress during summer under tropical conditions. In this study, a temperature and humidity index (THI) was found that ranged between 65 and 79 (morning and afternoon). Likewise, a heat tolerance coefficient (HTC) of 6 units was observed. The highest breathing frequency (BF; 115.46 ± 35.25 breaths per minute (bpm)) and rectal temperature (RT; 38.95 ± 0.51 °C) were found during the afternoon in the group of lactating ewes. The means were compared by group, time of the day, and interaction, and only significant differences were found between groups for RT and udder temperature (p < 0.001). In the case of time of day, all parameters were higher during the afternoon, regardless of the group of ewes (p < 0.001). Likewise, an interaction was found in the parameters RT, right paralumbar fossa (RPF), rump, leg, and udder (p < 0.001). In conclusion, Blackbelly ewes lactating during the summer in the tropics have higher skin temperatures, and also raise BF and RT to tolerate HS in tropical climates.

Crop rotational diversity can mitigate climate-induced grain yield losses.

Diversified crop rotations have been suggested to reduce grain yield losses from the adverse climatic conditions increasingly common under climate change. Nevertheless, the potential for climate change adaptation of different crop rotational diversity (CRD) remains undetermined. We quantified how climatic conditions affect small grain and maize yields under different CRDs in 32 long-term (10-63 years) field experiments across Europe and North America. Species-diverse and functionally rich rotations more than compensated yield losses from anomalous warm conditions, long and warm dry spells, as well as from anomalous wet (for small grains) or dry (for maize) conditions. Adding a single functional group or crop species to monocultures counteracted yield losses from substantial changes in climatic conditions. The benefits of a further increase in CRD are comparable with those of improved climatic conditions. For instance, the maize yield benefits of adding three crop species to monocultures under detrimental climatic conditions exceeded the average yield of monocultures by up to 553 kg/ha under non-detrimental climatic conditions. Increased crop functional richness improved yields under high temperature, irrespective of precipitation. Conversely, yield benefits peaked at between two and four crop species in the rotation, depending on climatic conditions and crop, and declined at higher species diversity. Thus, crop species diversity could be adjusted to maximize yield benefits. Diversifying rotations with functionally distinct crops is an adaptation of cropping systems to global warming and changes in precipitation.

Spontaneous intoxication of sheep by the pollen beetle Astylus atromaculatus: 4 outbreaks in Uruguay and Argentina.

Astylus atromaculatus Blanchard is a native beetle of South America that feeds on pollen. During the summer of 2022-2023 in Argentina and Uruguay, an explosive infestation of these insects occurred in pastures in which ruminants were grazing. This was believed to be associated with a severe drought, which had significantly reduced the flowering of crops. Three farms in Uruguay and one in Argentina were visited to examine the flocks and perform autopsies. Affected sheep had watery diarrhea, anorexia, depression, and ruminal atony. The average morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates were 7.5%, 4.3%, and 68%, respectively. The main gross findings in all animals were in the jejunum; the serosa had multifocal hemorrhages, and the mucosa was necrotic and covered by a pseudomembrane. Microscopically, the mucosa had partial-to-complete necrosis of the lamina propria, as well as loss of villus and crypt epithelium with neutrophilic infiltration. Overlying the necrotic mucosa was a pseudomembrane of fibrin, cell debris, desquamated epithelial cells, degenerate neutrophils, and bacteria. Many specimens of A. atromaculatus were in all paddocks in which sheep grazed, as well as in the ruminal content of the autopsied animals.

DNA as a perfect quantum computer based on the quantum physics principles.

DNA is a complex multi-resolution molecule whose theoretical study is a challenge. Its intrinsic multiscale nature requires chemistry and quantum physics to understand the structure and quantum informatics to explain its operation as a perfect quantum computer. Here, we present theoretical results of DNA that allow a better description of its structure and the operation process in the transmission, coding, and decoding of genetic information. Aromaticity is explained by the oscillatory resonant quantum state of correlated electron and hole pairs due to the quantized molecular vibrational energy acting as an attractive force. The correlated pairs form a supercurrent in the nitrogenous bases in a single band π -molecular orbital ( π -MO). The MO wave function ( Φ ) is assumed to be the linear combination of the n constituent atomic orbitals. The central Hydrogen bond between Adenine (A) and Thymine (T) or Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C) functions like an ideal Josephson Junction. The approach of a Josephson Effect between two superconductors is correctly described, as well as the condensation of the nitrogenous bases to obtain the two entangled quantum states that form the qubit. Combining the quantum state of the composite system with the classical information, RNA polymerase teleports one of the four Bell states. DNA is a perfect quantum computer.

Study on the prediction method of grasshopper occurrence risk in Inner Mongolia based on the maximum entropy model during the growing period.

Grasshoppers represent a significant biological challenge in Inner Mongolia's grasslands, severely affecting the region's animal husbandry. Thus, dynamic monitoring of grasshopper infestation risk is crucial for sustainable livestock farming. This study employed the Maxent model, along with remote sensing data, to forecast Oedaleus decorus asiaticus occurrence during the growing season, using grasshopper suitability habitats as a base. The Maxent model's predictive accuracy was high, with an AUC of 0.966. The most influential environmental variables for grasshopper distribution were suitable habitat data (34.27%), the temperature-vegetation dryness index during the spawning period (18.81%), and various other meteorological and vegetation factors. The risk index model was applied to calculate the grasshopper distribution across different risk levels for the years 2019-2022. The data indicated that the level 1 risk area primarily spans central, eastern, and southwestern Inner Mongolia. By examining the variable weights, the primary drivers of risk level fluctuation from 2019 to 2022 were identified as accumulated precipitation and land surface temperature anomalies during the overwintering period. This study offers valuable insights for future O. decorus asiaticus monitoring in Inner Mongolia.

Adaptation of sea turtles to climate warming: Will phenological responses be sufficient to counteract changes in reproductive output?

Sea turtles are vulnerable to climate change since their reproductive output is influenced by incubating temperatures, with warmer temperatures causing lower hatching success and increased feminization of embryos. Their ability to cope with projected increases in ambient temperatures will depend on their capacity to adapt to shifts in climatic regimes. Here, we assessed the extent to which phenological shifts could mitigate impacts from increases in ambient temperatures (from 1.5 to 3°C in air temperatures and from 1.4 to 2.3°C in sea surface temperatures by 2100 at our sites) on four species of sea turtles, under a "middle of the road" scenario (SSP2-4.5). Sand temperatures at sea turtle nesting sites are projected to increase from 0.58 to 4.17°C by 2100 and expected shifts in nesting of 26-43 days earlier will not be sufficient to maintain current incubation temperatures at 7 (29%) of our sites, hatching success rates at 10 (42%) of our sites, with current trends in hatchling sex ratio being able to be maintained at half of the sites. We also calculated the phenological shifts that would be required (both backward for an earlier shift in nesting and forward for a later shift) to keep up with present-day incubation temperatures, hatching success rates, and sex ratios. The required shifts backward in nesting for incubation temperatures ranged from -20 to -191 days, whereas the required shifts forward ranged from +54 to +180 days. However, for half of the sites, no matter the shift the median incubation temperature will always be warmer than the 75th percentile of current ranges. Given that phenological shifts will not be able to ameliorate predicted changes in temperature, hatching success and sex ratio at most sites, turtles may need to use other adaptive responses and/or there is the need to enhance sea turtle resilience to climate warming.

Assessing milk response to different combinations of branched-chain volatile fatty acids and valerate in Jersey cows.

Some cellulolytic bacteria require 1 or more branched-chain volatile fatty acids (BCVFA) for the synthesis of branched-chain AA and branched-chain long-chain fatty acids because they are not able to uptake branched-chain AA or lack 1 or more enzymes to synthesize branched-chain AA de novo. Supplemental BCVFA and valerate were included previously as a feed additive that was later removed from the market; these older studies and more current studies have noted improvements in neutral detergent fiber digestibility and milk efficiency. However, most studies provided a single BCVFA or else isobutyrate (IB), 2-methylbutyrate (MB), isovalerate, and valerate altogether without exploring optimal combinations. Our objective was to determine a combination of isoacids that is optimal for milk production. Sixty (28 primiparous and 32 multiparous) lactating Jersey cows (106 ± 54 days in milk) were blocked and assigned randomly to either a control (CON) treatment without any isoacids, MB [12.3 mmol/kg dry matter (DM)], MB + IB (7.7 and 12.6 mmol/kg DM of MB and IB, respectively), or all 4 isoacids (6.2, 7.3, 4.2, and 5.1 mmol/kg DM of MB, IB, isovalerate, and valerate, respectively). Cattle were fed the CON treatment for a 2-wk period, then were assigned randomly within a block to treatments for 8 wk (n = 15). There was a trend for an interaction of supplement and parity for milk components. There were no differences in components for primiparous cows, whereas MB + IB tended to increase protein concentration by 0.04 and 0.08 percentage units in multiparous cows compared with the CON and MB treatments, respectively. Feeding MB + IB increased fat concentration by 0.23 to 0.31 percentage units compared with all other treatments in multiparous cows. Milk yield and dry matter intake (DMI) did not change with treatment. Treatment interacted with week for milk net energy for lactation/DMI; MB + IB tended to increase milk net energy of lactation/DMI by 0.10 Mcal/kg compared with MB and approached a trend for CON, mainly during the early weeks of the treatment period, whereas differences decreased during the last 2 wk of the treatment period. Cows fed MB had the highest 15:0 anteiso fatty acids in the total milk fatty acid profile, which was greater than that for CON or MB + IB cows, but not cows supplemented with isoacids. Cows fed MB alone had the numerically lowest milk net energy for lactation/DMI. The combination of MB + IB appeared optimal for increasing feed efficiency in our study and was not at the expense of average daily gain. Further research is needed for evaluating how potential changes in supplemental isoacid dosage should vary under differing dietary conditions.

Modified Anterior Z Le Fort III Osteotomy.

Introduction: Surgery of the midface for non-syndromic patients with maxillo-malar hypoplasia exclusively has had many breakthroughs lately. The surgical techniques for midface surgery are varied and must be selected according to the patient's problem. Purpose: The technique is a modification of the Z Osteotomy, the Modified Anterior Z Le Fort III Osteotomy (MAZLFIIIO), is used to correct posteroanterior midface deficiency of 6 mm at most. It can be combined simultaneously with a Le Fort I osteotomy if a greater maxillary advance is needed. MAZLFIIIO advances midface without grafts or distraction osteogenesis. The anterior reposition of the midface is calculated in millimetres and depends on the relation of the eye's most inferior point, as well as the orbital's hard and soft tissues. It is a predictable osteotomy, only for patients without vertical excess of the midface. The osteotomy planned is drawn over a stereolithographic model, and then Z-shaped surgical splints are fabricated over it. Transverse midface deficiencies of no more than 4 mm can also be corrected during the malar osteotomy. A great number of patients are operated exclusively with Le Fort I osteotomies, leaving behind an undesirable step between the upper part of the midface and the Le Fort I osteotomy. Methods: The Modified anterior Z Le Fort III Osteotomy (MAZLFIIIO) was performed in seven patients, from 2016 to 2018. Results: The results obtained with the proposed osteotomy notably improve the appearance of the patient and provide a better protection of the lower part of the eye, while widening the maxillary sinus. Conclusion: We consider that maxillo-malar hypoplasias are very common; the surgeon pretends not to give importance to the deformity, exclusively using an advance Le Fort type osteotomy, with both functional and aesthetic treatment being limited. In this article, we give all the elements to perform this Le Fort III Modified Osteotomy in anterior Z, and that it is a combined and routine procedure in midface surgery.

Diverse rural caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias: analysis of health factors at the individual, interpersonal, and community level.

Objectives: Approximately 6.2 million Americans aged 65 or older have Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD). Unpaid family members and friends provide the bulk of caregiving for these individuals. Caregiving in rural areas adds unique challenges, particularly for ethnically/racially diverse caregivers. This study provides a profile of diverse, rural ADRD caregivers with an emphasis on multi-level factors that influence physical and mental health.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 156 diverse rural ADRD caregivers.Results: 65% of participants identified as White/Non-Hispanic (WNH; n = 101) and 35% identified as ethnically/racially diverse (ERD; n = 55). The majority of participants reported economic deprivation. More ERD caregivers were uninsured and had at least one chronic health condition. Higher proportions of ERD caregivers smoked cigarettes, consumed alcohol regularly, and had not seen or talked to a doctor in the previous year. There were no ethnic/racial group differences in stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, subjective health, or sleep quality.Conclusion: Rural caregivers, regardless of ethnicity/race, may benefit from extra supports in order to maintain optimal health. Further research is needed to disentangle the complex relationship between culture, caregiving, and health.

Basal Extended Mentoplasty.

Introduction: The chin is one of the most visible facial structures. Chin surgery, was initially described, for, the treatment of facial abnormalities, advancing the mandibular symphysis; achieved anterior displacement of the base of the tongue showing some value in the treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and achieved adequate lip competence. We designed the Basal Extended Mentoplasty (BEM) based on the needs of patients orthodontically compensated, but dissatisfied with the appearance of his face as well as upper airway problems looking for a solution to this, design and planning the advances of the chin. Materials and Methods: Patients operated in the service of Maxillofacial Surgery, Specialist Hospital, "Dr. Bernardo Sepulveda "XXI Century National Medical Center, during the period of 2015-2019, orthodontically compensated patients, with labial incompetence and Class II skeletal. Sixty-five patients were operated during this period, and eight cases are presented. Results: Lip competition, osseointegration of the segments is observed, with a proper projection of the lower third, no nerve or vascular damage in the area. Conclusions: The design of the osteotomy is for orthodontically compensated patients with labial incompetence and Class II skeletal, giving a result mandibular lengthening. The BEM achieved adequate lip competence demonstrated by an interlabial gap of 0 mm, achieved adequate osseous consolidation of the fracture site with a more harmonious facial balance and profile, without nerve or vascular damage with spectacular results.

Thermoregulatory Response of Blackbelly Adult Ewes and Female Lambs during the Summer under Tropical Conditions in Southern Mexico.

High environmental temperatures cause heat stress in ewes, resulting in thermoregulatory problems. In this study, the thermoregulatory responses of Blackbelly adult ewes (G1, n = 14) and female lambs (G2, n = 7), during the summer under tropical conditions, in southern Mexico were analyzed. Different physiological variables and skin temperatures (ST) of the ewes were recorded. Breathing frequency (BF) values were similar between groups at 116.73 ± 33.598 bpm (G1) and 113.661 ± 34.515 bpm (G2) (p > 0.05). In the case of skin elasticity (SE), there were no significant differences between the time of day and the age of the ewes (p > 0.05). Significant differences were observed between groups for BF, rectal temperature (RT), and heart rate (HR) values (p < 0.05). All ST values, for both groups, were significantly higher during the afternoon (p < 0.001). In general, all Blackbelly adult ewes and female lambs during the summer present severe heat stress conditions as a result of an increase in physiological constants and ST. It is concluded that all ewes thermoregulate body temperature by modifying different physiological variables to counteract the effect of heat stress.

Temporal Muscle Bipartition and Tripartition Transposition for Reconstructing the Orbital and Oral Empty Space in Mucormycosis of the Middle Third of the Face.

Background: Temporal muscle has great versatility to cover defects, caused by resections or large soft tissue losses of the middle facial third, has been used for more than 100 years. In the skin, the temporal muscle is transformed by the phenomenon called skin dermalization and mucolization in the oral cavity. Purpose: This article shows how the temporal muscle is divided into two segments (bipartition) or three segments (tripartition) achieving a transposition of the muscle to cover large empty spaces caused by orbital exenteration or in maxilectomy. In coronal slice tomography, we demonstrate the perfect adaptation of the temporal muscle to the periorbital soft tissues in 360 degrees of the orbital region. In the defect produced by the maxilectomy, a perfect seal is obtained to achieve the separation of the nasal cavity from the oral cavity. Methods: The treatment was carried out in 3 immunocompromised adult patients, who presented mucormycosis of the middle third of the face and could not swallow or feed. Results: The result we have in the survival of rhinocerebral mucormycosis is very high, due to extensive resections. Achieving that the patient has an adequate swallowing. Conclusion: We consider that the treatment is excellent due to the proximity of the temporal muscle to the surgical defect, achieving the objective of reconstruction without rejection.

Facial Paralysis, Modification to Labbé Technique.

Background: Facial paralysis is one of the conditions that affect functionally, emotionally and aesthetically to patients greatly. Multiple techniques have been described for its treatment, and we consider that Labbé's technique is the one that most surprises with its results. Materials and Methods: In the Specialty Hospital "Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda" National Medical Center Century XXI (CMN SXXI), Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), three cases are presented: patients with facial paralysis due to trauma, surgical damage on the VII cranial nerve and conditions due to otological and idiopathic infections. Four modifications to the original Labbé technique are proposed to execute it more easily: trans-zygomatic oblique osteotomy, to reach directly the coronoid process; osteotomy of the descending coronoid; radiated suture fixation at 180° for temporary muscle replacement with positional replacement of the sutures trans-operatively; and the next day of the intervention with the patient awake, fixation of the orbicularis muscle of the lips, to the temporal tendon previously referenced. The modifications and results obtained are shown. Results: The modifications offer a better surgical technique and very favorable results. Conclusions: The modification to Labbé technique gives excellent results in the treatment of permanent facial paralysis, improving facial symmetry, salivary incontinence, facial tone, improving speech, giving the patient movement on the affected side and the ability to smile again.

How do Time, Tannin, and Moisture Content Influence Toxicogenic Fungal Populations during the Storage of Sorghum Grains?

ABSTRACT: Cereal grains are usually ensiled to improve their nutritional value and are one of the main sources of feed for dairy cattle. However, during storage, grains can be contaminated with toxicogenic fungi. Sorghum is one of the most economically important cereals in the world. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of storage duration and tannin and moisture content (MC) on toxicogenic fungal populations in sorghum grain storage. Samples that were prepared with varieties high in tannins (genotypes Morgan 108 and ACA 558, >5 g/kg dry matter) and with varieties low in tannin content (genotypes Flash 10 and ACA 546, <1 g/kg dry matter) were collected and manually compacted in experimental laboratory silos where they received different MC treatments: low (15 to 25%), medium (26 to 32%), and high (33 to 42%). Freshly harvested grains were analyzed at time 0, and stored grains were analyzed at 30, 90, and 180 days. Fungal isolation and identification were performed following conventional mycological methods. Penicillium citrinum (34%), Aspergillus flavus (60%), and Fusarium nygamai (68%) were the most abundant species. Rapid detection of aflatoxins and fumonisins in each sample was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay according to the AOAC method, and the quantification of aflatoxin B1 was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. In four samples of pre- and poststorage grains, aflatoxins were detected with levels of 6.7 to 28.8 µg/kg and aflatoxin B1 with a level of 2 to 14 µg/kg. Fumonisins were only detected in two freshly harvested samples, with levels of 500 to 900 µg/kg. In general, storage time favored the increase of Penicillium populations and reduced Aspergillus and Fusarium. Conversely the abundance of the three populations was not affected by the MC. The results of this study show that fungal populations must be analyzed at different times.

Contributions and difficulties of soil metagenomics and its impact on agricultura / Aportes y dificultades de la metagenómica de suelos y su impacto en la agricultura

RESUMEN Los microorganismos son de gran interés porque colonizan todo tipo de ambiente, sin embargo, uno de los problemas al que nos enfrentamos para conocer su diversidad biológica es que no todos los microorganismos son cultivables. El desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías como la generación de vectores de clonación aunado al desarrollo de técnicas de secuenciación de alto rendimiento ha favorecido el surgimiento de una nueva herramienta llamada metagenómica, la cual nos permite estudiar genomas de comunidades enteras de microorganismos. Debido a que ningún ambiente es idéntico a otro, es importante mencionar que dependiendo del tipo de muestra a analizar será el tipo de reto al cual nos enfrentaremos al trabajar con metagenómica, en el caso específico del suelo existen diversas variantes como la contaminación del suelo con metales pesados o diversos compuestos químicos que podrían limitar los estudios. Sin embargo, pese a las limitaciones que el mismo ambiente presenta, la metagenómica ha permitido tanto el descubrimiento de nuevos genes como la caracterización de las comunidades microbianas que influyen positivamente en el desarrollo de plantas, lo cual en un futuro podría generar un gran impacto en la agricultura. En este artículo se realizó una revisión de diversas investigaciones que han empleado metagenómica, reportadas en las bases de datos de PudMed y Google Schoolar, con el objetivo de examinar los beneficios y limitaciones de las diversas metodologías empleadas en el tratamiento del ADN metagenómico de suelo y el impacto de la metagenómica en la agricultura.

ABSTRACT Microorganisms are of great interest because they colonize all types of environment, however, one of the problems we face in knowing biological diversity is that not all microorganisms are cultivable. The development of new technologies such as the generation of cloning vectors coupled with the development of high performance sequencing techniques, have favored the emergence of a new tool in science called metagenomics, which allows us to study genomes of entire communities. Since all environments are different, the type of challenge that we will face when working with metagenomics is going to change depending of the type of sample, in the specific case of soils, there are several variables, such as soil contamination with heavy metals or chemical compounds that could limit metagenomic studies. However, despite the limitations that the environment presents, with the help of metagenomics, both gene discovery and the characterization of microbial communities that positively influence plant development have been achieved, which could generate a greater impact on agriculture in the future. In this article a review of several investigations that have used metagenomics, reported in the PudMed and Google Schoolar databases was carried out, with the aim of examining the benefits and limitations of the various methodologies used in the treatment of metagenomic DNA from soil and the impact of metagenomics in agriculture.