Supplementation of l-arginine in pregnant gilts affects the protein abundance of DNMT1 in 35-day fetuses.

Maternal nutrition is one of the main environmental factors regulating gene expression during fetal development through epigenetic modifications. Some nutrients, such as the amino acid l-arginine, are added to maternal diets to modulate gene expression, improve the reproductive performance of females, and enhance conceptus development. This study investigated the hypothesis that supplementation of pregnant gilts with l-arginine regulates gene expression in conceptuses through epigenetic mechanisms.

Factors associated with body mass index in a cohort of older adults: Structural equation modeling analysis.

Background: Considering the interrelationship between the multiple determinants of nutritional status, analyses are needed to estimate direct and mediated effects between the variables that influence body mass index (BMI) in older adults. We aimed to verify the direct and indirect effects of sociodemographic, behavioral and health conditions on the BMI of older adults in the community.

Methods: This is a longitudinal study based on data collection in 2015 and 2020.

Higher volume resistance training enhances whole-body muscle hypertrophy in postmenopausal and older females: A secondary analysis of systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Objective: This study explored the effects of resistance training (RT) volume on muscle hypertrophy in postmenopausal and older females.

Methods: This systematic review searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO. Studies with postmenopausal (age ≥ 45 y) or older females (age ≥ 60 y) that compared RT (whole-body) effects on muscle hypertrophy with a control group (CG) were included.

Effect of resistance training volume on body adiposity, metabolic risk, and inflammation in postmenopausal and older females: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: This meta-analytical study aimed to explore the effects of resistance training (RT) volume on body adiposity, metabolic risk, and inflammation in postmenopausal and older females.

Methods: A systematic search was performed for randomized controlled trials in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO. Randomized controlled trials with postmenopausal and older females that compared RT effects on body adiposity, metabolic risk, and inflammation with a control group (CG) were included.

Contributions of telesimulation to the knowledge of mothers about foreign body airway obstruction.

Objective: To analyze the contributions of telesimulation to the knowledge of mothers faced with foreign body airway obstruction in children under 1 year of age and identify the related factors.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study of the pre- and post-test design carried out between April and September 2021 with 49 mothers from a city in São Paulo. It was organized into four stages: pre-test, telesimulation, immediate and late post-test (60 days later).

Resistance Circuit Training or Walking Training: Which Program Improves Muscle Strength and Functional Autonomy More in Older Women?

To evaluate the effects of two programs (resistance and walking training) on the functional autonomy and muscle strength (isometric and dynamic) of older women, 67 subjects were divided randomly into three groups: resistance training (RTG; Mean = 64.70 ± 6.74 years), walking (WG, Mean = 65.

Communication of bad news in the context of neonatal palliative care: experience of intensivist nurses.

Objectives: To know the experiences of nurses in neonatal intensive care units in the face of the process of communicating bad news to the family of newborns in palliative care.

Methods: Study with a descriptive qualitative approach, in which 17 professionals participated. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview script, from December/2018 to February/2019, and submitted to content analysis.

Effect of parental mutuality on the quality of life of mothers of children with special health needs.

Objective: to analyze the effect of parental mutuality on the quality of life related to the health of mothers who care for children with special health needs.

Method: an observational, analytical and cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. The following instruments were applied to 181 caregiving mothers: The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form and Family Management Measure (Parental Mutuality subscale).

Attention to women in situation of intrauterine fetal death: experiences of health professionals.

Objectives: Understand the experiences of health professionals in obstetric care in relation to the situation of intrauterine fetal death.

Method: Study of a qualitative approach, in which 11 health professionals participated. Data were collected through semi-open interviews and submitted to thematic content analysis.

Exposure to dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors and the risk of pneumonia among people with type 2 diabetes: Retrospective cohort study and meta-analysis.

Aim: Concerns have been raised that dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) may increase the risk of pneumonia. We analysed observational data and clinical trials to explore whether use of DPP-4i modifies the risk of pneumonia.

Methods: We identified patients with diabetes in the Veneto region administrative database and performed propensity score matching between new users of DPP-4 inhibitors and new users of other oral glucose-lowering medications (OGLMs).

Genes expression and phenotypic differences in corpus luteum and cumulus cells of commercial line and piau breed gilts.

We aimed to characterize the expression of angiogenesis-related genes in corpus luteum (CL) and cumulus cells (CC) during estrous cycle in gilts of different genetic groups, as well as to study the relation between gene expression and phenotypic data. Forty five gilts were used as follows: L1, Commercial Line 1 (Large White x Landrace x Duroc) (n = 15); L2, Commercial Line 2 (Large White x Landrace x Pietrain) (n = 15); and Piau, Piau breed gilts (n = 15). Estrus observation started from 120 days of age.

Disruption of bovine sperm functions in the presence of aplastic midpiece defect.

Background: Bulls are of great importance in the productive chain and for this reason they should have a good semen quality. There is no doubt that sperm morphology is very important to bull fertility, although little is known about how exactly the abnormal morphologies may affect sperm functions.

Objectives: To detail the morphological description of the aplastic midpiece defect (AMD), as well as to understand its consequences for male fertility based on membrane and acrosome status, mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA integrity parameters.

Can scrotal circumference-based selection discard bulls with good productive and reproductive potential?

Nonlinear mixed models were used to describe longitudinal scrotal circumference (SC) measurements of Nellore bulls. Models comparisons were based on Akaike's information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, error sum of squares, adjusted R2 and percentage of convergence. Sequentially, the best model was used to compare the SC growth curve in bulls divergently classified according to SC at 18-21 months of age.

The use of ultrasonography in the reproductive evaluation of boars.

The objective was to study the use of ultrasound as a complementary test in the breeding soundness evaluation in male pigs and study the pattern of echogenicity of the testicular parenchyma in boars of different racial groups. Twenty-six adult boars from four different racial groups were used, 10 from the Piau breed (group 1), four from the commercial and finishing group (group 2), six Pietrain breed (group 3) and six from the Duroc breed (group 4). All animals were evaluated for breeding soundness evaluation and the ultrasound examination of the testicles.

Aspects of sexual precocity and morphometry of uterus, placenta and embryos/fetuses in Piau breed and Commercial line gilts.

In view of the importance of the genetic material of local breeds in the swine industry and the lack of information about reproductive performance of Piau females, two experiments were conducted to evaluate puberty and sexual maturity as well as the morphometry of embryos/fetuses, placenta and uterus during the first 90 days of gestation in Piau breed and Commercial line gilts. In experiment I, 37 Piau and 25 commercial line gilts were used. From the 120 days of age, detection of estrus was performed using mature boars from the first to third estrus of each gilt.