Publications by authors named "Juan Becerra"

This study examined the prevalence and risk factors of repeat breeder syndrome (RB) in 2370 dairy cows in northern Spain. Data collected included the prevalence of postpartum pathologies, metabolic markers, and productive and reproductive parameters. The overall RB prevalence was 21.

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Due to the productive and economic consequences of Repeat Breeder (RB) syndrome, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and risk factors for subclinical endometritis (SE) and oviductal occlusion (OO) in RB cows, and to make a therapeutic approach for these pathologies. In 99 RB cows, endometrial cytologies were performed to assess the presence of SE (>5 % polymorphonuclear neutrophils), and the oviductal patency was checked using the phenolsulfonphthalein test. Body condition score was evaluated, and data from each animal were obtained from on-farm software (parity, calving date, artificial insemination (AI) date, number of AI, and occurrence of postpartum diseases).

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Anogenital distance (AGD) is a marker of the degree of prenatal exposure to androgens in multiple species, and it has been suggested that there is an inverse association between AGD and fertility. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of AGD and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations, an indirect marker of the follicular population, as predictors of future reproductive potential in Holstein cattle. The AGD was measured in 566 females from 9 dairy farms in Galicia (Spain).

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Purpose - The Latin American Society of Immunodeficiencies (LASID) Registry was established in 2009 to collect data on Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI) patients in the region. Although several reports have been published regarding LASID data, this is the first report of the entire dataset. Methods - The European Society of Immunodeficiencies (ESID) donated the online platform in 2008.

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Biostimulation aims to optimize reproductive parameters as part of animal management practices by modulating animal sensory systems. Chemical signals, mostly known as pheromones, have a great potential in this regard. This study was conducted to determine the influence of short-term male rabbit exposure to different biological secretions, potentially pheromone-mediated, on reproductive parameters of males.

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To boost the immune function around parturition, recombinant bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rbG-CSF) has been used to increase the number of neutrophils. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify the effect of rbG-CSF administration on the incidence of postpartum pathologies, reproductive performance, and milk production during the first three months of lactation. A total of 199 Holstein cows from one herd were included and were randomly allocated into two groups: Control (n = 103) and rbG-CSF (n = 96).

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Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) have played a crucial role in elucidating and characterizing neutralization-sensitive sites on the HIV-1 envelope spike and in informing vaccine development. Continual advancements in identifying more potent bnAbs, along with their capacity to trigger antibody-mediated effector functions, coupled with modifications to extend their half-life, position them as promising candidates for both HIV-1 treatment and prevention. While current pharmacological interventions have made significant progress in managing HIV-1 infection and enhancing quality of life, no definitive cure or vaccines have been developed thus far.

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Objectives: Status epilepticus (SE) is a serious event associated with high mortality. This study aims to validate the recently developed ADAN (Abnormal speech, ocular Deviation, Automatisms, and Number of motor epileptic seizures) scale for detecting high risk for SE.

Material And Methods: Prospective, multicenter, observational study in adults with suspected epileptic seizures.

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Introduction: In addition to clinical factors, blood-based biomarkers can provide useful information on the risk of developing post-stroke epilepsy (PSE). Our aim was to identify serum biomarkers at stroke onset that could contribute to predicting patients at higher risk of PSE.

Patients And Methods: From a previous study in which 895 acute stroke patients were followed-up, 51 patients developed PSE.

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Article Synopsis
  • Q fever is a disease linked to reproductive issues in animals, and a study aimed to understand its prevalence in dairy herds in northwest Spain, focusing on risk factors and impacts on reproduction.
  • The research involved collecting bulk tank milk samples from 262 herds and using tests to detect antibodies, alongside data on farm management and location.
  • Results showed that 60.1% of farms were positive for coxiellosis, with identified risk factors including herd size and livestock purchasing, and affected farms had lower conception rates and higher instances of endometritis, highlighting the need for further research on the disease.
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Objective: The risk factors for seizure recurrence after acute symptomatic seizure due to a structural brain lesion are not well established. The aim of this study was to analyze possible associations between demographic, clinical, and electroencephalographic variables and epilepsy development in patients with acute symptomatic seizure due to an acute structural brain lesion.

Methods: We designed an observational prospective study of patients with acute symptomatic seizure due to an acute structural brain lesion (hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, or meningoencephalitis) who underwent EEG during their initial admission between January 2015 and January 2020.

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Proper selection of recipients determines the success of embryo transfer (ET) programs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of rectal palpation (RP) in selecting recipients according to the size and firmness of their corpus luteum (CL) compared to ultrasonography (US) and progesterone determination (P4); to check if US or P4 provide additional information to RP with regard to selecting animals with higher odds of maintaining the pregnancy; and to verify the reliability of the presence of a cavity and the volume of the CL within the ovary (%CLOV) as predictors of the ET outcome. In Experiment 1, measurements for the largest and minor diameter (LADCL and MIDCL), CL area, and P4 at ET day were collected, as well as the RP score, in 94 heifers.

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Objective:  Reporting our experience of the management and treatment of Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) in a low-income country by describing patients characteristics and therapy with emphasis on conservative surgical excision and postoperative care as the cornerstone of treatment.

Methods:  A retrospective cohort of women with histopathological diagnosis of IGM from 2014 to 2018 at Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal in Lima, Peru. Patients' characteristics, clinical presentation, treatment, management, postoperative care, and follow-up were analyzed.

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Introduction: Over the years, the most common methods for monitoring reproductive health in cattle have varied from transrectal palpation to B-mode ultrasonography. Nowadays, some portable ultrasound equipment includes the Doppler mode. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the different methods to assess corpus luteum (CL) functionality.

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Purpose: There is scarce evidence of effective treatments for the chronic phase of Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES). This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of treatment with anakinra and tocilizumab.

Methods: Retrospective study including patients receiving either anti-interleukin-1 (anti-IL-1, anakinra) or anti-IL-6 (tocilizumab) during the chronic phase of FIRES.

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The aim of this research communication was to examine and report the current situation of dairy farms in the province of Lugo (Galicia, Spain) regarding facility problems. We assessed the facilities of 168 free-stall dairy farms, housing in total 9228 Holstein cows in milk. Housing factors related to the resting area, circulation area, feeding area, ventilation area and milking area, as well as animal-handling features, were evaluated.

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A Guideline Group (GG) was convened from multiple specialties and patients to develop the first comprehensive schwannomatosis guideline. The GG undertook thorough literature review and wrote recommendations for treatment and surveillance. A modified Delphi process was used to gain approval for recommendations which were further altered for maximal consensus.

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The aim of this study was to verify the importance of postpartum serum levels of certain metabolic markers as risk factors for subclinical endometritis (SE). Ninety-four Holstein cows were included in the study, and examinations were carried out between 30-45 days postpartum. Rectal palpation, vaginoscopy, transrectal ultrasound, endometrial cytology, and blood sample collections were performed.

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Unlabelled: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic variants in Recently, testing has been included as a clinical criterion for NF1 diagnosis. Additionally, preconception genetic counselling in patients with NF1 focuses on a 50% risk of transmitting the familial variant as the risk of having a sporadic NF1 is considered the same as the general population.

Methods: 829 individuals, 583 NF1 sporadic cases and 246 patients with NF1 with documented family history, underwent genetic testing for NF1.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers analyzed data from 50 patients, noting a median age of 7 months at disease onset and significant delays in diagnosis, along with discovering 6 new mutations in the CD40LG gene.
  • * Common symptoms included pneumonia, respiratory infections, and various gastrointestinal issues, with the study documenting the largest number of infectious agents associated with this condition, enhancing insights for diagnosis and management.
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The operation of the power amplifier (PA) in wireless transmitters presents a trade-off between linearity and power efficiency, being more efficient when the device exhibits the highest nonlinearity. Its modeling and linearization performance depend on the quality of the underlying Volterra models that are characterized by the presence of relevant terms amongst the enormous amount of regressors that these models generate. The presence of PA mechanisms that generate an internal state variable motivates the adoption of a bivariate Volterra series perspective with the aim of enhancing modeling capabilities through the inclussion of beneficial terms.

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The power amplifier (PA) is the most critical subsystem in terms of linearity and power efficiency. Digital predistortion (DPD) is commonly used to mitigate nonlinearities while the PA operates at levels close to saturation, where the device presents its highest power efficiency. Since the DPD is generally based on Volterra series models, its number of coefficients is high, producing ill-conditioned and over-fitted estimations.

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This work presents a strategy to upgrade models for power amplifier (PA) behavioral modeling and digital predistortion (DPD). These incomplete structures are the consequence of nonlinear order and memory depth model truncation with the purpose of reducing the demand of the limited computational resources available in standard processors. On the other hand, the alternative use of model structures pruned a priori does not guarantee that every significant term is included.

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Background: Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by the development of multiple schwannomas, especially on vestibular nerves, and meningiomas. The UK NF2 Genetic Severity Score (GSS) is useful to predict the progression of the disease from germline pathogenic variants, which allows the clinical follow-up and the genetic counselling offered to affected families to be optimised.

Methods: 52 Spanish patients were classified using the GSS, and patients' clinical severity was measured and compared between GSS groups.

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