Deciphering Seasonal Patterns in Animal Feeding: A Mechanistic Approach to Analyzing the Restricted Growth of Iberian Pigs.

The growth of animals is influenced by various factors including genetics, nutrition, and environmental conditions. This study focuses on understanding the traditional growth phases of Iberian pigs raised in semi-free-range environments prior to the finishing period within the Mediterranean forest. Using a comprehensive dataset of 5329 pigs, we evaluated the abilities of several mathematical models to predict growth patterns during the early growing and pre-finishing phases.

Bioavailability of Supplemented Free Oleanolic Acid and Cyclodextrin-Oleanolic Acid in Growing Pigs, and Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Plasma Metabolites.

Oleanolic acid (OLA) has beneficial health effects in animals, but in vivo efficacy in monogastric animals is questioned due to its low bioavailability. To gain further insight on the nutritional effects of OLA it was administered as part of a diet. We investigated digestibility and plasma OLA in pigs and the associated influence on growth, organs, digestibility of nutrients and plasma biochemical profile.

Heat Production of Iberian Pig Exposed to High Temperature and Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Betaine or Zinc.

The effect of heat, and dietary betaine or zinc on the heat production (HP) of Iberian pigs was studied. Thirty barrows (44 kg) were individually housed for 28 days and assigned to one of five treatments: (1) thermoneutrality (20 °C) and fed a control diet (TN-CON) ad libitum; (2) hot (30 °C) and fed a control diet (HT-CON) ad libitum; (3) thermoneutrality and pair fed a control diet (TN-CON-PF) to HT-CON; (4) hot and fed a betaine-supplemented (0.5%) diet (HT-BET) ad libitum; and (5) hot and fed a zinc-supplemented (0.

Olive Pomace Extract Contains Low Molecular Weight Peptides and Possesses ACE Inhibitory Activity.

The aim of the present study was to determine the ACE inhibitory activity of aqueous extracts of olive pomace and to understand whether they represent a good source of bioactive LMW peptides for nutritional and pharmacological applications. We produced a water extract from olive pomace (var. Picual) and obtained its low molecular weight (LMW) fraction (<3 kDa).

Estimation of in vivo body composition of Iberian pigs using bioelectric impedance and ultrasonography techniques.

Iberian pigs are renowned for their high-quality products and distinctive characteristics, including high fat accumulation, low protein deposition rate, and a long productive cycle. The study aimed to assess in vivo body composition of purebred Iberian pigs using bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and ultrasonography. Accurate estimation of body composition in live animals is crucial for adopting decisions at the farm level.

Metabolic Profile of Growing Immune- and Surgically Castrated Iberian Pigs Fed Diets of Different Amino Acid Concentration.

The purpose of the current study was to further characterize the performance and nitrogen retention differences previously observed between immunocastrated (IC) and surgically castrated (SC) pure Iberian pigs. Fifty-four pigs were used (three sexes: IC males, IC females and SC males), fed three isoenergetic diets (160, 140 and 120 g CP/kg DM; six pigs/treatment combination) from 40 kg BW until slaughter (105 kg BW). Plasmatic post-absorptive metabolites and hormones, and backfat tissue composition were determined.

Muscle quality traits and oxidative status of Iberian pigs supplemented with zinc and betaine under heat stress.

The study analyzed the effect of supplemental zinc and betaine on meat quality and redox status of muscles (longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius) from heat- stressed pigs. Twenty-four pure Iberian pigs were assigned to one of three treatments (n = 8): control diet, Zn supplemented diet (120 mg/kg) and betaine supplemented diet (5 g/kg) that were all exposed to 30 °C during 28 days. No significant differences were observed in chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the muscles.

Detailed stratified GWAS analysis for severe COVID-19 in four European populations.

Given the highly variable clinical phenotype of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a deeper analysis of the host genetic contribution to severe COVID-19 is important to improve our understanding of underlying disease mechanisms. Here, we describe an extended genome-wide association meta-analysis of a well-characterized cohort of 3255 COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure and 12 488 population controls from Italy, Spain, Norway and Germany/Austria, including stratified analyses based on age, sex and disease severity, as well as targeted analyses of chromosome Y haplotypes, the human leukocyte antigen region and the SARS-CoV-2 peptidome. By inversion imputation, we traced a reported association at 17q21.

Exposure of growing Iberian pigs to heat stress and effects of dietary betaine and zinc on heat tolerance.

The effects of heat stress and dietary betaine and zinc on growth, weight of organs and plasma biochemistry in growing Iberian pigs are of special importance. Forty Iberian barrows (43.8 kg BW) were assigned to five treatments for 28-d: 1.

Impact of Heat Stress on Meat Quality and Antioxidant Markers in Iberian Pigs.

Heat stress is associated with impaired meat quality and disruption of redox balance. This study investigated the effect of chronic exposure to high temperature on meat quality and antioxidant markers of muscles ( and ) of growing Iberian pigs. Twenty-four pure Iberian pigs were allocated during 28 days to one of three treatments ( = 8/treatment): thermoneutral conditions (20 °C) and ad libitum feeding (TN), heat stress conditions (30 °C) and ad libitum feeding (HS) and thermoneutral and pair-fed with HS (TN-pf).

Genomewide Association Study of Severe Covid-19 with Respiratory Failure.

Background: There is considerable variation in disease behavior among patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Genomewide association analysis may allow for the identification of potential genetic factors involved in the development of Covid-19.

Methods: We conducted a genomewide association study involving 1980 patients with Covid-19 and severe disease (defined as respiratory failure) at seven hospitals in the Italian and Spanish epicenters of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe.

Foraging strategy of a carnivorous-insectivorous raptor species based on prey size, capturability and nutritional components.

Optimal foraging theory has typically paid little attention to species feeding on mobile prey and has emphasised energy intake rather than the nutritional contribution of food. The difficulty of capturing food has rarely been included in foraging models, even when it is a potentially important modulator of time devoted to foraging. From the central place foraging and provisioning perspectives, it is posited that at high levels of prey selectivity, the time spent to capture prey is longer than at low levels of prey selectivity.

Genotype and dietary lysine deficiency affect carcass and muscle amino acid composition of pigs growing from 10 to 25 kg body weight.

Amino acid (AA) composition of body protein is considered constant although there are evidences that AA pattern in pigs may be altered by different factors. Pigs with different body composition and protein deposition rates-like fatty and lean pigs-may differ in AA composition, with possible consequences on their AA requirements. This work investigates effects of genotype and dietary lysine deficiency on AA composition of carcass and muscles of Iberian and Landrace × Large White pigs.

Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil Regarding Cultivar, Harvest Year and Crop Stage.

The health benefits of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are related to its chemical composition and the presence of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant compounds (pigments, coenzyme Q (CoQ) and phenolic compounds) and antioxidant properties of EVOO from the same region comparing different cultivars (Hojiblanca and Arbequina), harvest year and crop stage. Antioxidant properties of oils were studied before and after a gastrointestinal digestion process, by in vitro assays (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP) and antioxidant markers in Caco-2 cells (reactive oxygen species production).

Polyphenols and IUGR Pregnancies: Effects of Maternal Hydroxytyrosol Supplementation on Hepatic Fat Accretion and Energy and Fatty Acids Profile of Fetal Tissues.

Maternal supplementation with hydroxytyrosol, a polyphenol present in olive leaves and fruits, is a highly promising strategy to improve the oxidative and metabolic status of fetuses at risk of intrauterine growth restriction, which may diminish the appearance of low-birth-weight neonates. The present study aimed to determine whether hydroxytyrosol, by preventing lipid peroxidation, may influence the fat accretion and energy homeostasis in the liver, as well as the fatty acid composition in the liver and muscle. The results indicate that hydroxytyrosol treatment significantly decreased the energy content of the fetal liver, without affecting fat accretion, and caused significant changes in the availability of fatty acids.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of 5α,8α-Epidioxycholest-6-en-3β-ol, a Steroidal Endoperoxide Isolated from , Based on Bioguided Fractionation and NMR Analysis.

Sea hares of genus are recognized as a source of a diverse range of metabolites. 5α,8α-Endoperoxides belong to a group of oxidized sterols commonly found in marine organisms and display several bioactivities, including antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and immunomodulatory properties. Herein we report the isolation of 5α,8α-epidioxycholest-6-en-3β-ol (EnP(5,8)) from Gmelin, based on bioguided fractionation and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, as well as the first disclosure of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Modelling Nutritional Requirements of Growing Pigs from Local Breeds Using InraPorc.

Models such as InraPorc enable the growth of pigs to be simulated and their nutrient requirements to be determined. However, so far, these models have not been applied to local breeds. We used InraPorc to determine the nutrient requirements of growing pigs from local breeds (H2020 European Union project TREASURE).

Meat quality traits in longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius muscles from immunocastrated and surgically castrated Iberian pigs.

This study analyzes quality traits of longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius in surgically castrated (SC) males, inmunocastrated (IC) males and IC female Iberian pigs reared in intensive conditions (n = 18/sex). Vaccination with Improvac® was applied at 18 and 26 weeks of age and slaughtering at 31 weeks. At such conditions, notable sex differences were found.

Management appropriateness and outcomes of patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

The impact of adherence to published guidelines on the outcomes of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been well defined by previous studies.In this prospective cohort study of patients admitted to a respiratory department (n=2096), we evaluated whether patients with PE had better outcomes if they were acutely managed according to international guidelines. Outcomes consisted of all-cause mortality, PE-related mortality, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding events during the first month of follow-up after diagnosis.

Assessment of coexisting deep vein thrombosis for risk stratification of acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: In patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), studies have shown an association between coexisting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and short-term prognosis. It is not known whether complete compression ultrasound testing (CCUS) improves the risk stratification of their disease beyond the recommended prognostic models.

Methods: We included patients with normotensive acute symptomatic PE and prognosticated them with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) risk model for PE.

Fungi in Bronchiectasis: A Concise Review.

Although the spectrum of fungal pathology has been studied extensively in immunosuppressed patients, little is known about the epidemiology, risk factors, and management of fungal infections in chronic pulmonary diseases like bronchiectasis. In bronchiectasis patients, deteriorated mucociliary clearance-generally due to prior colonization by bacterial pathogens-and thick mucosity propitiate, the persistence of fungal spores in the respiratory tract. The most prevalent fungi in these patients are and ; these are almost always isolated with bacterial pathogens like and , making very difficult to define their clinical significance.

Clinical gestalt versus prognostic scores for prognostication of patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism.

Background And Objective: To determine the accuracy of clinical gestalt to identify patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) at low-risk for short-term complications.

Patients And Methods: This study included a total of 154 consecutive patients diagnosed with acute symptomatic PE in a tertiary university hospital. We compared the prognostic accuracy of the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI), the simplified PESI (sPESI), and clinical gestalt of 1) 2senior physicians (one with and one without experience in the management of patients with PE), 2) a fourth-year resident of Pneumology, 3) a third-year resident of Pneumology, and 4) a second-year resident of Pneumology.

Diclofenac for reversal of right ventricular dysfunction in acute normotensive pulmonary embolism: A pilot study.

Background: The inflammatory response associated with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) contributes to the development of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may facilitate the reversal of PE-associated RV dysfunction.

Methods: We randomly assigned normotensive patients who had acute PE associated with echocardiographic RV dysfunction and normal systemic blood pressure to receive intravenous (IV) diclofenac (two doses of 75mg in the first 24h after diagnosis) or IV placebo.