Models to predict nitrogen excretion from beef cattle fed a wide range of diets compiled from South America.

The objective of this meta-analysis was to develop and evaluate models for predicting nitrogen (N) excretion in feces, urine, and manure in beef cattle in South America. The study incorporated a total of 1,116 individual observations of N excretion in feces and 939 individual observations of N excretion in feces and in urine (g/d), representing a diverse range of diets, animal genotypes, and management conditions in South America. The dataset also included data on dry matter intake (DMI; kg/d) and nitrogen intake (NI; g/d), concentrations of dietary components, as well as average daily gain (ADG; g/d) and average body weight (BW; kg). Models were derived using linear mixed-effects regression with a random intercept for the study. Fecal N excretion was positively associated with DMI, NI, nonfibrous carbohydrates, average BW, and ADG and negatively associated with EE and CP concentration in the diet. The univariate model predicting fecal N excretion based on DMI (model 1) performed slightly better than the univariate model, which used NI as a predictor variable (model 2) with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 38.0 vs. 39.2%, the RMSE-observations SD ratio (RSR) of 0.81 vs. 0.84, and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.53 vs. 0.50, respectively. Models predicting urinary N excretion were less accurate than those derived to predict fecal N excretion, with an average RMSE of 43.7% vs. 37.0%, respectively. Urinary and manure N excretion were positively associated with DMI, NI, CP, average BW, and ADG and negatively associated with neutral detergent fiber concentration in the diet. As opposed to fecal N excretion, the univariate model predicting urinary N excretion using NI (model 10) performed slightly better than the univariate model using DMI (model 9) as predictor variable with an RMSE of 36.0% vs. 39.7%, RSR 0.85 vs. 0.93, and CCC of 0.43 vs. 0.29, respectively. The models developed in this study are applicable for predicting N excretion in beef cattle across a broad spectrum of dietary compositions and animal genotypes in South America. The univariate model using DMI as a predictor is recommended for fecal N prediction, while the univariate model using NI is recommended for predicting urinary and manure N excretion because the use of more complex models resulted in little to no benefits. However, it may be more useful to consider more complex models that incorporate nutrient intakes and diet composition for decision-making when N excretion is a factor to be considered. Three extant equations evaluated in this study have the potential to be used in tropical conditions typical of South America to predict fecal N excretion with good precision and accuracy. However, none of the extant equations are recommended for predicting urine or manure N excretion because of their high RMSE, and low precision and accuracy.

The Clinical and Economic Impact of Delayed Reperfusion Therapy: Real-World Evidence. / O Impacto Clínico e Econômico do Atraso na Terapia de Reperfusão: Evidências do Mundo Real.

BACKGROUND: Early reperfusion therapy is acknowledged as the most effective approach for reducing case fatality rates in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). OBJECTIVE: Estimate the clinical and economic consequences of delaying reperfusion in patients with STEMI. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated mortality rates and the total expenses incurred by delaying reperfusion therapy among 2622 individuals with STEMI. Costs of in-hospital care and lost productivity due to death or disability were estimated from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified Health System indexed in international dollars (Int$) adjusted by purchase power parity. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Each additional hour of delay in reperfusion therapy was associated with a 6.2% increase (95% CI: 0.3% to 11.8%, p = 0.032) in the risk of in-hospital mortality. The overall expenses were 45% higher among individuals who received treatment after 9 hours compared to those who were treated within the first 3 hours, primarily driven by in-hospital costs (p = 0.005). A multivariate linear regression model indicated that for every 3-hour delay in thrombolysis, there was an increase in in-hospital costs of Int$497 ± 286 (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study offer further evidence that emphasizes the crucial role of prompt reperfusion therapy in saving lives and preserving public health resources. These results underscore the urgent need for implementing a network to manage STEMI cases.

FUNDAMENTO: A terapia de reperfusão precoce é reconhecida como a abordagem mais eficaz para reduzir as taxas de letalidade de casos em pacientes com infarto do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento do segmento ST (IAMCSST). OBJETIVO: Estimar as consequências clínicas e econômicas do atraso da reperfusão em pacientes com IAMCSST. MÉTODOS: O presente estudo de coorte retrospectivo avaliou as taxas de mortalidade e as despesas totais decorrentes do atraso na terapia de reperfusão em 2.622 indivíduos com IAMCSST. Os custos de cuidados hospitalares e perda de produtividade por morte ou incapacidade foram estimados sob a perspectiva do Sistema Único de Saúde indexado em dólares internacionais (Int$) ajustados pela paridade do poder de compra. Foi considerado estatisticamente significativo p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Cada hora adicional de atraso na terapia de reperfusão foi associada a um aumento de 6,2% (intervalo de confiança de 95%: 0,3% a 11,8%, p = 0,032) no risco de mortalidade hospitalar. As despesas gerais foram 45% maiores entre os indivíduos que receberam tratamento após 9 horas em comparação com aqueles que foram tratados nas primeiras 3 horas, impulsionados principalmente pelos custos hospitalares (p = 0,005). Um modelo de regressão linear multivariada indicou que para cada 3 horas de atraso na trombólise, houve um aumento nos custos hospitalares de Int$ 497 ± 286 (p = 0,003). CONCLUSÕES: Os achados do nosso estudo oferecem mais evidências que enfatizam o papel crucial da terapia de reperfusão imediata no salvamento de vidas e na preservação dos recursos de saúde pública. Estes resultados enfatizam a necessidade urgente de implementação de uma rede para gerir casos de IAMCSST.

Automated treatment planning for whole breast irradiation with individualized tangential IMRT fields.

PURPOSES: This study aimed to develop and validate algorithms for automating intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning in breast cancer patients, with a focus on patient anatomical characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively selected 400 breast cancer patients without lymph node involvement for automated treatment planning. Automation was achieved using the Eclipse Scripting Application Programming Interface (ESAPI) integrated into the Eclipse Treatment Planning System. We employed three beam insertion geometries and three optimization strategies, resulting in 3600 plans, each delivering a 40.05 Gy dose in 15 fractions. Gantry angles in the tangent fields were selected based on a criterion involving the minimum intersection area between the Planning Target Volume (PTV) and the ipsilateral lung in the Beam's Eye View projection. ESAPI was also used to gather patient anatomical data, serving as input for Random Forest models to select the optimal plan. The Random Forest classification considered both beam insertion geometry and optimization strategy. Dosimetric data were evaluated in accordance with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 1005 protocol. RESULTS: Overall, all approaches generated high-quality plans, with approximately 94% meeting the acceptable dose criteria for organs at risk and/or target coverage as defined by RTOG guidelines. Average automated plan generation time ranged from 6 min and 37 s to 9 min and 22 s, with the mean time increasing with additional fields. The Random Forest approach did not successfully enable automatic planning strategy selection. Instead, our automated planning system allows users to choose from the tested geometry and strategy options. CONCLUSIONS: Although our attempt to correlate patient anatomical features with planning strategy using machine learning tools was unsuccessful, the resulting dosimetric outcomes proved satisfactory. Our algorithm consistently produced high-quality plans, offering significant time and efficiency advantages.

Using sentinel-2 satellite images and machine learning algorithms to predict tropical pasture forage mass, crude protein, and fiber content.

Grasslands cover approximately 24% of the Earth's surface and are the main feed source for cattle and other ruminants. Sustainable and efficient grazing systems require regular monitoring of the quantity and nutritive value of pastures. This study demonstrates the potential of estimating pasture leaf forage mass (FM), crude protein (CP) and fiber content of tropical pastures using Sentinel-2 satellite images and machine learning algorithms. Field datasets and satellite images were assessed from an experimental area of Marandu palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha sny. Brachiaria brizantha) pastures, with or without nitrogen fertilization, and managed under continuous stocking during the pasture growing season from 2016 to 2020. Models based on support vector regression (SVR) and random forest (RF) machine-learning algorithms were developed using meteorological data, spectral reflectance, and vegetation indices (VI) as input features. In general, SVR slightly outperformed the RF models. The best predictive models to estimate FM were those with VI combined with meteorological data. For CP and fiber content, the best predictions were achieved using a combination of spectral bands and meteorological data, resulting in R2 of 0.66 and 0.57, and RMSPE of 0.03 and 0.04 g/g dry matter. Our results have promising potential to improve precision feeding technologies and decision support tools for efficient grazing management.

The Role of Pelvic Exenteration in Cervical Cancer: A Review of the Literature.

Pelvic exenteration represents a radical procedure aimed at achieving complete tumor resection with negative margins. Although it is the only therapeutic option for some cases of advanced tumors, it is associated with several perioperative complications. We believe that careful patient selection is related to better oncologic outcomes and lower complication rates. The objectives of this review are to identify the most current indications for this intervention, suggest criteria for case selection, evaluate recommendations for perioperative care, and review oncologic outcomes and potential associated complications. To this end, an analysis of English language articles in PubMed was performed, searching for topics such as the indication for pelvic exenteration for recurrent gynecologic neoplasms selection of oncologic cases, the impact of tumor size and extent on oncologic outcomes, preoperative and postoperative surgical management, surgical complications, and outcomes of overall survival and recurrence-free survival.

The Healthy and Diseased Retina Seen through Neuron-Glia Interactions.

The retina is the sensory tissue responsible for the first stages of visual processing, with a conserved anatomy and functional architecture among vertebrates. To date, retinal eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and others, affect nearly 170 million people worldwide, resulting in vision loss and blindness. To tackle retinal disorders, the developing retina has been explored as a versatile model to study intercellular signaling, as it presents a broad neurochemical repertoire that has been approached in the last decades in terms of signaling and diseases. Retina, dissociated and arranged as typical cultures, as mixed or neuron- and glia-enriched, and/or organized as neurospheres and/or as organoids, are valuable to understand both neuronal and glial compartments, which have contributed to revealing roles and mechanisms between transmitter systems as well as antioxidants, trophic factors, and extracellular matrix proteins. Overall, contributions in understanding neurogenesis, tissue development, differentiation, connectivity, plasticity, and cell death are widely described. A complete access to the genome of several vertebrates, as well as the recent transcriptome at the single cell level at different stages of development, also anticipates future advances in providing cues to target blinding diseases or retinal dysfunctions.

Optic neuropathy diagnosis in the emergency room - retrospective observational study of the last 18 years.

INTRODUCTION: Optic neuropathies (ON), a broad spectrum of disorders of the optic nerve, are a frequent cause of visual loss, presenting either in isolation or associated to neurological or systemic disorders. They are often first evaluated in the Emergency Room (ER) and a rapid determination of the etiology is imperative for implementing timely and appropriate treatment. We aim to describe ER demographic data and clinical characteristics, as well as the performed imaging exams, of patients subsequently hospitalized and diagnosed with ON. Furthermore, we seek to explore the accuracy of ER discharge diagnosis and evaluate possible predictive factors that may influence it. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 192 patients admitted to the ward of the Neurology Department of Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João (CHUSJ), with a discharge diagnosis of ON. Subsequently, we selected those admitted from the ER, with clinical, laboratory and imaging data, between January 2004 and December 2021. RESULTS: We included 171 patients. All participants were discharged from the ER and admitted in the ward with a main diagnostic suspicion of ON. Patients were stratified according to suspected etiology at the time of discharge: 99 inflammatory (57.9%), 38 ischemic (22.2%), 27 unspecified (15.8%) and 7 other (4.1%). By comparing with current follow-up diagnosis, 125 patients had an accurate ER diagnosis category (73.1%), 27 had an ON diagnosis of unspecified etiology that was defined only during follow-up (15.8%) and 19 had an inaccurate diagnosis category (11.1%). Diagnostic change was more common with ER ischemic diagnosis (21.1%) compared to inflammatory diagnosis (8.1%) (p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that most patients with ON can be accurately diagnosed in the ER through clinical history neurological and ophthalmological evaluation.

A Comparative Investigation of Axon-Blood Vessel Growth Interaction in the Regenerating Sciatic and Optic Nerves in Adult Mice.

The vascular and the nervous systems share similarities in addition to their complex role in providing oxygen and nutrients to all cells. Both are highly branched networks that frequently grow close to one another during development. Vascular patterning and neural wiring share families of guidance cues and receptors. Most recently, this relationship has been investigated in terms of peripheral nervous system (PNS) regeneration, where nerves and blood vessels often run in parallel so endothelial cells guide the formation of the Büngner bands which support axonal regeneration. Here, we characterized the vascular response in regenerative models of the central and peripheral nervous system. After sciatic nerve crush, followed by axon regeneration, there was a significant increase in the blood vessel density 7 days after injury. In addition, the optic nerve crush model was used to evaluate intrinsic regenerative potential activated with a combined treatment that stimulated retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) regrowth. We observed that a 2-fold change in the total number of blood vessels occurred 7 days after optic nerve crush compared to the uncrushed nerve. The difference increased up to a 2.7-fold change 2 weeks after the crush. Interestingly, we did not observe differences in the total number of blood vessels 2 weeks after crush, compared to animals that had received combined treatment for regeneration and controls. Therefore, the vascular characterization showed that the increase in vascular density was not related to the efficiency of both peripheral and central axonal regeneration.

Pressure tuning reverse martensitic transformation in the Mn0.9Co0.1NiGe half-Heusler alloy.

Here we investigate the structural properties of the Mn0.9Co0.1NiGe half-Heusler alloys under pressure up to 12 GPa by Synchrotron angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction (XRD). At room temperature and pressure, the compound exhibits only the hexagonal NiIn2-type structure. Lowering the temperature to 100 K at ambient pressure induces an almost complete martensitic phase transformation to the orthorhombic TiNiSi-type structure. With increasing pressure, the stable orthorhombic phase gradually undergoes a reverse martensitic transformation. The hexagonal phase reaches 85% of the sample when applying 12 GPa of pressure atT= 100 K. We further evaluated the bulk modulus of both hexagonal and orthorhombic phases and found similar values (123.1 ± 5.9 GPa for hexagonal and 102.8 ± 4.2 GPa for orthorhombic). Also, we show that the lattice contraction induced is anisotropic. Moreover, the high-pressure hexagonal phase shows a volumetric thermal contraction coefficientαv∼ -8.9(1) × 10-5K-1when temperature increases from 100 to 160 K, evidencing a significant negative thermal expansion (NTE) effect. Overall, our results demonstrate that the reverse martensitic transition presented on Mn0.9Co0.1NiGe induced either by pressure or temperature is related to the anisotropic contraction of the crystalline arrangement, which should also play a crucial role in driving the magnetic phase transitions in this system.

Combined Oral Contraceptive Use and the Risk of Cervical Cancer: Literature Review / Uso de anticoncepcional oral combinado e o risco de câncer cervical: Revisão da literatura

Abstract Cervical cancer (CC) is caused by persistent infection of human papillomavirus of high oncogenic risk (hr-HPV); however, several cofactors are important in its carcinogenesis, such as smoking, multiparity, and prolonged use of oral hormonal contraceptives (COCs). Worldwide, 16% of women use COCs, whereas in Brazil this rate is of ~ 30%. The safety and adverse effects of COCs are widely discussed in the literature, including the increase in carcinogenic risk. Due to the existence of several drugs, combinations, and dosages of COCs, it is hard to have uniform information in epidemiological studies. Our objective was to perform a narrative review on the role of COCs use in the carcinogenesis of cervical cancer. Several populational studies have suggested an increase in the incidence of cervical cancer for those who have used COCs for > 5 years, but other available studies reach controversial and contradictory results regarding the action of COCs in the development of CC.

Resumo O câncer cervical (CC) é causado pela infecção persistente pelo papilomavírus humano de alto risco oncogênico (hr-HPV); entretanto, vários cofatores são importantes na sua carcinogênese, como tabagismo, multiparidade e uso prolongado de contraceptivos hormonais orais (COCs). No mundo, 16% das mulheres usam AOCs, enquanto no Brasil essa taxa é de ~ 30%. A segurança e os efeitos adversos dos COCs são amplamente discutidos na literatura, incluindo o aumento do risco carcinogênico. Devido à existência de várias drogas, combinações e dosagens de COCs, é difícil ter informações uniformes em estudos epidemiológicos. Nosso objetivo foi realizar uma revisão narrativa sobre o papel do uso de COCs na carcinogênese do câncer cervical. Vários estudos populacionais têm sugerido aumento da incidência de câncer de colo uterino para aquelas que usam COCs há mais de 5 anos, mas outros estudos disponíveis chegam a resultados controversos e contraditórios quanto à ação dos COCs no desenvolvimento do CCU.

Combined Oral Contraceptive Use and the Risk of Cervical Cancer: Literature Review.

Cervical cancer (CC) is caused by persistent infection of human papillomavirus of high oncogenic risk (hr-HPV); however, several cofactors are important in its carcinogenesis, such as smoking, multiparity, and prolonged use of oral hormonal contraceptives (COCs). Worldwide, 16% of women use COCs, whereas in Brazil this rate is of ∼ 30%. The safety and adverse effects of COCs are widely discussed in the literature, including the increase in carcinogenic risk. Due to the existence of several drugs, combinations, and dosages of COCs, it is hard to have uniform information in epidemiological studies. Our objective was to perform a narrative review on the role of COCs use in the carcinogenesis of cervical cancer. Several populational studies have suggested an increase in the incidence of cervical cancer for those who have used COCs for > 5 years, but other available studies reach controversial and contradictory results regarding the action of COCs in the development of CC.

O câncer cervical (CC) é causado pela infecção persistente pelo papilomavírus humano de alto risco oncogênico (hr-HPV); entretanto, vários cofatores são importantes na sua carcinogênese, como tabagismo, multiparidade e uso prolongado de contraceptivos hormonais orais (COCs). No mundo, 16% das mulheres usam AOCs, enquanto no Brasil essa taxa é de ∼ 30%. A segurança e os efeitos adversos dos COCs são amplamente discutidos na literatura, incluindo o aumento do risco carcinogênico. Devido à existência de várias drogas, combinações e dosagens de COCs, é difícil ter informações uniformes em estudos epidemiológicos. Nosso objetivo foi realizar uma revisão narrativa sobre o papel do uso de COCs na carcinogênese do câncer cervical. Vários estudos populacionais têm sugerido aumento da incidência de câncer de colo uterino para aquelas que usam COCs há mais de 5 anos, mas outros estudos disponíveis chegam a resultados controversos e contraditórios quanto à ação dos COCs no desenvolvimento do CCU.

Dual Effect of Carnosine on ROS Formation in Rat Cultured Cortical Astrocytes.

Carnosine is composed of ß-alanine and L-histidine and is considered to be an important neuroprotective agent with antioxidant, metal chelating, and antisenescence properties. However, children with serum carnosinase deficiency present increased circulating carnosine and severe neurological symptoms. We here investigated the in vitro effects of carnosine on redox and mitochondrial parameters in cultured cortical astrocytes from neonatal rats. Carnosine did not alter mitochondrial content or mitochondrial membrane potential. On the other hand, carnosine increased mitochondrial superoxide anion formation, levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA), indicating that carnosine per se acts as a pro-oxidant agent. Nonetheless, carnosine prevented DCF-DA oxidation induced by H2O2 in cultured cortical astrocytes. Since alterations on mitochondrial membrane potential are not likely to be involved in these effects of carnosine, the involvement of N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the pro-oxidant actions of carnosine was investigated. MK-801, an antagonist of NMDA receptors, prevented DCF-DA oxidation induced by carnosine in cultured cortical astrocytes. Astrocyte reactivity induced by carnosine was also prevented by the coincubation with MK-801. The present study shows for the very first time the pro-oxidant effects of carnosine per se in astrocytes. The data raise awareness on the importance of a better understanding of the biological actions of carnosine, a nutraceutical otherwise widely reported as devoid of side effects.

Patient's safety and satisfaction on same day discharge after robotic and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy versus discharge after 24 or 48 h: a longitudinal randomized prospective study.

BACKGROUND: There is a tendency of prompted global health systems to reduce the length of hospital stay without compromising patient safety or satisfaction. We evaluated the safety and viability of early discharge in patients undergoing minimally invasive radical prostatectomy (MIRP), as well as patient satisfaction with this strategy. METHODS: This longitudinal prospective study included 72 patients who underwent MIRP for prostate cancer. Three groups were performed according to the day of hospital discharge following surgery: same day (G1), first day after (G2), and second day after (G3). Satisfaction, adverse events, and readmission were analyzed for each group. Associations between clinicopathologic variables and same-day discharge were analyzed by comparing data between G1 patients who did and did not achieve same-day discharge. RESULTS: 16.7% of patients were not discharged according to randomization (10 randomized to G1). 80% of G1 patients who did not achieve same-day discharge had Gleason scores of 3 + 4 or 4 + 3, which were observed in 35.7% of patients discharged on the same day (P < 0.05). Average prostate weight was significantly lower in patients who achieved same-day discharge than in those who did not (P < 0.01). Univariable logistic regression points to Gleason scores of 3 + 4 or 4 + 3 as the main factors associated with unsuccessful same-day discharge (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in satisfaction scores. CONCLUSIONS: Same-day discharge was both safe and feasible and does not appear to affect satisfaction in a subset of patients with prostate cancer. Surgeons should consider the Gleason score when determining whether same-day discharge is appropriate.

Does sentinel node mapping impact morbidity and quality of life in endometrial cancer?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of post-operative complications and quality of life (QoL) related to sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy vs systematic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer. METHODS: A prospective cohort included women with early-stage endometrial carcinoma who underwent lymph node staging, grouped as follows: SLN group (sentinel lymph node only) and SLN+LND group (sentinel lymph node biopsy with addition of systematic lymphadenectomy). The patients had at least 12 months of follow-up, and QoL was assessed by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cervical Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire 30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and EORTC-QLQ-Cx24. Lymphedema was also assessed by clinical evaluation and perimetry. RESULTS: 152 patients were included: 113 (74.3%) in the SLN group and 39 (25.7%) in the SLN+LND group. Intra-operative surgical complications occurred in 2 (1.3%) cases, and all belonged to SLN+LND group. Patients undergoing SLN+LND had higher overall complication rates than those undergoing SLN alone (33.3% vs 14.2%; p=0.011), even after adjusting for confound factors (OR=3.45, 95% CI 1.40 to 8.47; p=0.007). The SLN+LND group had longer surgical time (p=0.001) and need for admission to the intensive care unit (p=0.001). Moreover, the incidence of lymphocele was found in eight cases in the SLN+LND group (0 vs 20.5%; p<0.001). There were no differences in lymphedema rate after clinical evaluation and perimetry. However, the lymphedema score was highest when lymphedema was reported by clinical examination at 6 months (30.1 vs 7.8; p<0.001) and at 12 months (36.3 vs 6.0; p<0.001). Regarding the overall assessment of QoL, there was no difference between groups at 12 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: There was a higher overall rate of complications for the group undergoing systematic lymphadenectomy, as well as higher rates of lymphocele and lymphedema according to the symptom score. No difference was found in overall QoL between SLN and SLN+LND groups.

Flint corn silage management: influence of maturity stage, inoculation with Lentilactobacillus buchneri, and storage time on fermentation pattern, aerobic stability, and nutritional characteristics.

Introduction: High quality corn silage depends on factors such as corn type, stage of crop development at harvest time, fermentation time, in addition to use or not of inoculants. This study aimed to investigate the impact of maturity stage, bacterial inoculation, and storage time on fermentation, aerobic stability, and nutritional characteristics of flint corn silage and their implications for corn silage management. Methods: A flint corn hybrid was harvested very early, early, and medium (at 250, 300 and 350 g dry matter (DM)/kg as fed, respectively) and ensiled in mini-silos without (control) or with Lentilactobacillus buchneri CNCM I-4323 at 1 × 105 cfu/g for 120, 240 and 360 d to investigate how these factors interact with each other. Results and discussion: There was only a small increase (7 g/kg starch; p = 0.003) in starch digestibility (starch-D) in the silages stored for 360 d when compared to that stored for 240 d, but with no difference for 120 d. Despite the reduced starch-D (526 vs. 694 g/kg starch; p < 0.001), silages produced from medium harvest had higher (p < 0.001) starch content (317 vs. 137 g/kg DM) and higher amount of digestible starch (169 vs. 98.5 g/kg DM; p < 0.001) compared to very early harvest. The 2-way interactions (inoculation × storage time and maturity × storage time) showed that inoculation of corn silage with L. buchneri increased (p < 0.001) the aerobic stability, and that more mature crop silage had higher aerobic stability (140 h; p = 0.036) than the others (118 and 48.5 h for those silages from very early and early harvest). Conclusion: The storage for a longer time (>120 d) with the goal of increasing silage digestibility did not occur. Harvesting whole-crop flint corn with 300 to 350 g/kg DM is desirable to have higher DM yield and starch accumulation. Inoculation with L. buchneri is recommended to preserve the silage against aerobic deterioration. This study has shown the importance of harvesting flint corn at the right time, and the need for inoculation with L. buchneri to ensure greater yield, starch accumulation, and silage preservation, if 120 days of storage are not exceeded.

Efficiency of Amino Acid Utilization in Nellore Cattle Grazing Low-Quality Forage Supplemented with Different Sources of Nitrogen.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with non-protein nitrogen (NPN) or ruminal undegradable protein (RUP) on intake, digestibility, and amino acid (AA) use efficiency of Nellore cattle grazing during the dry season. Eight Nellore steers (12 ± 2 months old) were used in quadruplicate Latin squares (2 × 2). The animals were placed on Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés under continuous grazing. The treatments included the following: (1) urea supplementation (NPN) and (2) supplementation of corn gluten meal 60 (CGM, RUP). Animals supplemented with CGM showed higher intakes of dry matter (DM) supplement, total AA, essential AA, and individual AA. The supplementation did not affect the total AA digestibility, total AA flux, and the AA fluxes of microbial origin and RUP from the diet (p > 0.05). The ruminal microorganism origin flux of total AA to the duodenum was 44.5% and 52.7% for animals supplemented with NPN and CGM, respectively. Animals supplemented with CGM showed an increase in blood concentrations of isoleucine (+19.09 µmol/L), cystine (+27.29 µmol/L), and albumin (+0.11 g/dL) (p < 0.05), but this increase was not accompanied by an improvement in N use efficiency of steers (p > 0.05). RUP supplementation via CGM can be an efficient nutritional strategy to enhance the intake and absorption of AA by Nellore cattle grazing low-quality forage during the dry season.

Feeding 3-nitrooxypropanol reduces methane emissions by feedlot cattle on tropical conditions.

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of feeding 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP; Bovaer, DSM Nutritional Products) at two levels on methane emissions, nitrogen balance, and performance by feedlot cattle. In experiment 1, a total of 138 Nellore bulls (initial body weight, 360 ± 37.3 kg) were housed in pens (27 pens with either 4 or 5 bulls per pen) and fed a high-concentrate diet for 96 d, containing 1) no addition of 3-NOP (control), 2) inclusion of 3-NOP at 100 mg/kg dry matter (DM), and 3) inclusion of 3-NOP at 150 mg/kg DM. No adverse effects of 3-NOP were observed on DM intake (DMI), animal performance, and gain:feed (P > 0.05). In addition, there was no effect (P > 0.05) of 3-NOP on carcass characteristics (subcutaneous fat thickness and rib eye area). In experiment 2, 24 bulls (initial BW, 366 ± 39.6 kg) housed in 12 pens (2 bulls/pen) from experiment 1 were used for CH4 measurements and nitrogen balance. Irrespective of the level, 3-NOP consistently decreased (P < 0.001) animals' CH4 emissions (g/d; ~49.3%), CH4 yield (CH4/DMI; ~40.7%) and CH4 intensity (CH4/average daily gain; ~38.6%). Moreover, 3-NOP significantly reduced the gross energy intake lost as CH4 by 42.5% (P < 0.001). The N retention: N intake ratio was not affected by 3-NOP (P = 0.19). We conclude that feeding 3-NOP is an effective strategy to reduce methane emissions, with no impairment on feedlot cattle performance.

During fiber digestion in the rumen, enteric methane is produced. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Recently several studies have focused on developing synthetic compounds and their utilization as specific inhibitors of methanogenesis. 3-Nitrooxypropanol is a structural compound that can help to mitigate CH4 emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP; Bovaer, DSM Nutritional Products) at two levels on methane emissions, nitrogen balance, and performance by feedlot cattle. No effect of 3-NOP on animal performance and N balance was found. However, regarding CH4 production 3-NOP consistently decreased (P < 0.001) animals' CH4 emissions (g/d; ~49.3%), methane yield (CH4/dry matter intake; ~40.7%), and CH4 intensity (CH4/average daily gain; ~38.6%). This study provides information on the potential role of 3-NOP on reducing CH4 emissions from feedlot cattle without reducing animal performance.

Long-Term Treatment with Cannabidiol-Enriched Cannabis Extract Induces Synaptic Changes in the Adolescent Rat Hippocampus.

The endocannabinoid system (eCS) is widely distributed in mammalian tissues and it is classically formed by cannabinoid receptors, endogenous bioactive lipids and its synthesis and degradation enzymes. Due to the modulatory role of eCS in synaptic activity in the Central Nervous System (CNS), phytocannabinoids have been increasingly used for the treatment of neurological disorders, even though little is known in terms of the long-term effect of these treatments on CNS development, mainly in the timeframe that comprises childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, an increased number of clinical trials using full-spectrum Cannabis extracts has been seen, rather than the isolated form of phytocannabinoids, when exploring the therapeutical benefits of the Cannabis plant. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effect of cannabidiol (CBD)-enriched Cannabis extract on synaptic components in the hippocampus of rats from adolescence to early adulthood (postnatal day 45 to 60). Oral treatment of healthy male Wistar rats with a CBD-enriched Cannabis extract (3 mg/kg/day CBD) during 15 days did not affect food intake and water balance. There was also no negative impact on locomotor behaviour and cognitive performance. However, the hippocampal protein levels of GluA1 and GFAP were reduced in animals treated with the extract, whilst PSD95 levels were increased, which suggests rearrangement of glutamatergic synapses and modulation of astrocytic features. Microglial complexity was reduced in CA1 and CA3 regions, but no alterations in their phagocytic activity have been identified by Iba-1 and LAMP2 co-localization. Collectively, our data suggest that CBD-enriched Cannabis treatment may be safe and well-tolerated in healthy subjects, besides acting as a neuroprotective agent against hippocampal alterations related to the pathogenesis of excitatory and astrogliosis-mediated disorders in CNS.

Discrepancies in breast cancer's oncological outcomes between public and private institutions in the southeast region of Brazil: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Brazil is a middle-income country with inequalities in its healthcare system. The disparities between public and private services affect the diagnosis and treatment of patients with breast cancer. The aim of this study is to assess whether disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are different in public and private specialized centers. Patient and methods: A retrospective cohort study with 1,545 breast cancer patients diagnosed from 2003 to 2011 at Barretos Cancer Hospital-BCH (public group, N = 1,408) and InORP Oncoclinicas (private group, N = 137) was conducted. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to adjust the differences between the groups' characteristics (n = 137 in each group). Results: The median age at diagnosis was 54.4 years. Estimated DFS rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 96.0%, 71.8%, and 59.6%, respectively, at BCH and 97.8%, 86.9%, and 78%, respectively, at InORP (HR: 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41-3.10; p < 0.0001). Estimated OS rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 98.1%, 78.5%, and 65.4%, respectively, at BCH and 99.3%, 94.5%, and 91.9%, respectively, at InORP (HR: 3.84; 95% CI, 2.16-6.82; p < 0.0001). After adjustment by PSM, DFS and OS results in 1, 3, and 5 years remained worse in the public service compared to the private service. Conclusion: Patients treated in a public center have worse DFS and OS after a follow-up period of more than 5 years. These results were corroborated after carrying out the PSM.

Survival associated with extent of radical hysterectomy in early-stage cervical cancer: a subanalysis of the Surveillance in Cervical CANcer (SCCAN) collaborative study.

BACKGROUND: International guidelines recommend tailoring the radicality of hysterectomy according to the known preoperative tumor characteristics in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess whether increased radicality had an effect on 5-year disease-free survival in patients with early-stage cervical cancer undergoing radical hysterectomy. The secondary aims were 5-year overall survival and pattern of recurrence. STUDY DESIGN: This was an international, multicenter, retrospective study from the Surveillance in Cervical CANcer (SCCAN) collaborative cohort. Patients with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2009 stage IB1 and IIA1 who underwent open type B/C1/C2 radical hysterectomy according to Querleu-Morrow classification between January 2007 and December 2016, who did not undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy and who had negative lymph nodes and free surgical margins at final histology, were included. Descriptive statistics and survival analyses were performed. Patients were stratified according to pathologic tumor diameter. Propensity score match analysis was performed to balance baseline characteristics in patients undergoing nerve-sparing and non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy. RESULTS: A total of 1257 patients were included. Of note, 883 patients (70.2%) underwent nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy, and 374 patients (29.8%) underwent non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy. Baseline differences between the study groups were found for tumor stage and diameter (higher use of non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy for tumors >2 cm or with vaginal involvement; P<.0001). The use of adjuvant therapy in patients undergoing nerve-sparing and non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy was 27.3% vs 28.6%, respectively (P=.63). Five-year disease-free survival in patients undergoing nerve-sparing vs non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy was 90.1% (95% confidence interval, 87.9-92.2) vs 93.8% (95% confidence interval, 91.1-96.5), respectively (P=.047). Non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy was independently associated with better disease-free survival at multivariable analysis performed on the entire cohort (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-0.81; P=.004). Furthermore, 5-year overall survival in patients undergoing nerve-sparing vs non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy was 95.7% (95% confidence interval, 94.1-97.2) vs non-nerve-sparing 96.5% (95% confidence interval, 94.3-98.7), respectively (P=.78). In patients with a tumor diameter ≤20 mm, 5-year disease-free survival was 94.7% in nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy vs 96.2% in non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (P=.22). In patients with tumors between 21 and 40 mm, 5-year disease-free survival was 90.3% in non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy vs 83.1% in nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (P=.016) (no significant difference in the rate of adjuvant treatment in this subgroup, P=.47). This was confirmed after propensity match score analysis (balancing the 2 study groups). The pattern of recurrence in the propensity-matched population did not demonstrate any difference (P=.70). CONCLUSION: For tumors ≤20 mm, no survival difference was found with more radical hysterectomy. For tumors between 21 and 40 mm, a more radical hysterectomy was associated with improved 5-year disease-free survival. No difference in the pattern of recurrence according to the extent of radicality was observed. Non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy was associated with better 5-year disease-free survival than nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy after propensity score match analysis.