Objective. Predict the tissue carcass composition of “Blackbelly” lambs using in vivo and postmortem measurements. Materials and methods. Twenty lambs with an average age and weight of seven months and 29.07±2.88 kg, respectively, were used. Before slaughter, the subcutaneous fat thickness, depth, width and Longissimus dorsi muscle area were measured with ultrasonography. After slaughter, the cold carcass and tissues: muscle, fat and bone weight, were recorded. In the carcass, the thoracic depth, length, perimeter, length and width of the leg, as well as the compactness index, were also measured and recorded. Correlation analysis and regression models were used to predict tissue carcass composition. Results. The carcass tissues were correlated with L. dorsi muscle depth (p≤0.05; r-values ranged from 0.67 to 0.80) and carcass compactness index (p≤0.05; r ranged from 0.54 to 0.75). The r2 for the prediction equations of the carcass tissue composition ranged from 0.71 to 0.78 for fat (p≤0.001). Conclusions. The use of in vivo and postmortem measurements allowed the prediction of tissue carcass composition of lambs, with moderate to high accuracy (r2 >0.71≤ and ≤0.78).

Aim of study: The native species of warm humid climates Ceiba pentandra, Tabebuia rosea, Gliricidia sepium, Enterolobium cyclocarpum and Brosimum alicastrum are often included in Mexican reforestation programs. We evaluated the growth response in sandy soils of these species that could serve as pioneers in the restoration of coastal areas. Area of study: Alluvial plain in Frontera, Tabasco, Mexico. Material and methods: A total of 1080 plants were planted in 2014 and evaluated for 23 months in 30 plots under a randomized block design with six replications. The sample plots each occupied 36 m2 (each with 16 plants). Survival percentage, stem height (SH), basal diameter (BD) and basal area (BA) were quantified. Survival and growth variables were analyzed using logistic regression and ANOVA for repeated measures, respectively. Main results: At the end of the experiment (2016), high survival was demonstrated in G. sepium (88 %) and in C. pentandra (86 %), while B. alicastrum presented total mortality at six months. The highest values of SH and BD were presented in C. pentandra (2.9 m and 7.8 cm, respectively) and in G. sepium (2.6 m and 4.2 cm, respectively). Gliricidia sepium differed significantly from C. pentandra in terms of BA (5.9 vs. 23 m2 ha-1, respectively). Research highlights: The native species C. pentandra and G. sepium presented high survival and growth in the sandy soils; G. sepium showed strong adaptation to the environment and C. pentandra offered suitable coverage, characteristics that are necessary for the success of reforestation and restoration programs.

Abstract Research reported that non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), including sucralose, elicit metabolic changes through the gut microbiota (GM) modulation, nonetheless, this topic remains controversial. Furthermore, the impact of rebaudioside A (reb A) on GM has received limited scrutiny. Consequently, we aim to investigate the response of GM composition to both sucralose and reb A in rats, considering two distinct dietary conditions. Male Wistar rats (150–200 g) fed either a normal diet (ND) or a high-fat diet (HFD) were randomly assigned to receive sucralose (SCL), reb A (REB), glucose (GLU, control), or sucrose (SUC). The NNS were administered in water at doses equivalent to the human acceptable daily intake (ADI). Following eight weeks, the GM composition in fecal samples was analyzed through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The NNS did not modify the diversity, the structure, the composition at the phylum level, and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio of the GM. At the class level, REB with HFD decreased Bacilli and increased Faecalibacterium abundance. SCL and REB in combination with ND reduced the genera Romboutsia and Lactobacillus. On the other hand, the analysis of the effect of the diet without NNS showed that HFD increased the proportions of Bacilli and Coriobacteriia, despite not observing changes in the F/B ratio. Our study indicates that when sucralose or reb A is consumed at recommended doses, there is no observed alteration in the diversity and composition of the GM at the phylum level. Consequently, our data suggest that these NNS do not substantially impact the GM. We encourage further research to delve into the potential modifications of the GM at the level of specific bacterial taxa, as this could offer valuable insights for clinical interventions.

The intracohort cannibalism present in tropical gar larvae (A. tropicus) generates great problems in its culture, as in other fish species around the world. The addition of tryptophan (Trp) (10, 20, and 30 g/kg) and a control diet (CD) without Trp were evaluated in A. tropicus larvae regarding growth, survival, cannibalism, behavior, digestive enzymatic activity, and genes related to aggressiveness and/or cannibalism in two stages: 0–13 days after hatching (DAH); and only cannibals (14–24 DAH). In the first stage, no differences were observed in growth parameters; cannibalism was lower with the use of Trp, with the lowest percentage being the 10 g/kg Trp treatment (56.75 ± 2.47%) compared to CD (64.75 ± 1.76%). In the second stage, survival was greater in 10 g/kg Trp (75.00 ± 7.07%) than in CD (23.33 ± 5.77%). Thus, cannibalism was lower with 10 g/kg Trp (20.0 ± 10.0%) compared to CD (76.66 ± 5.77%). Cannibal larvae fed with 10 g/kg Trp had a greater enzymatic activity in acid and alkaline proteases and leucine aminopeptidase, as well as the overexpression of avpi1, crh, and htr1a and the subexpression of tph1, th, sstr1, and hdc (p < 0.05). No aggressive behaviors were recorded in the larvae fed with the 10 g/kg Trp treatment, unlike those fed with CD. The use of 10 g/kg Trp improves survival and reduces cannibalism in A. tropicus larvae.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body weight (BW) and different biometric measurements in llamas (Lama glama) from the Bolivian highlands and to generate prediction models of BW. A total of 515 individual records of BW and biometric measurements were used. The measurements were taken on 202 males and 313 females aged between 0.5 and 5 years, and included: neck length (NL), withers height (WH), rump height (RH), heart girth (HG), body length (BL), abdomen circumference (AC), rib depth (RD), hip width (HW), pin bone width (PBW), thoracic width (TW), and back length (BKL). The relationships between BW and biometric measurements were developed using simple linear and multiple regression. For the evaluation, the relationship between the observed and predicted values of BW was determined by linear regression, the mean squared error of prediction (MSEP) and root MSEP (RMSEP); concordance correlation coefficient analysis was also used. The BW ranged from 22 to 122 kg. Regression equations between BW, HG and RD had an r2 of 0.94 and 0.92, respectively (RMSEP= 6.06 and 6.70 kg, respectively). The equations were highly precise (r2 >0.86) and accurate (Cb>0.98), with a reproducibility index > 0.92. The model efficiency (MEF) indicated a higher efficiency of prediction (MEF ≥ 0.86). Using a single predictor, HG and RD accounted for more than 92% of the variation in BW. Overall, HG may be used as a single predictor to predict BW in llamas maintained under the conditions of the Bolivian highlands.

[Introduction]: The sustainability of homes is one of the most significant challenges today. Activities that accelerate environmental degradation are developed on them: poor disposal of urban solid waste, excessive consumption of electricity and water, and use of fossil fuels, among others. [Objective]: To determine the level of sustainability of urban households in the municipality of Macuspana, Tabasco, Mexico. [Methodology]: 370 urban households representative of the total number of urban dwellings inhabited in the city were evaluated, with a confidence level of 95 %. A Sustainability Assessment Framework for Urban Households (MESHU) created from the selection, measurement, and percentage ratio of social, economic, and environmental indicators is proposed. 30 sustainability indicators divided into the following attributes were evaluated: self-management, adaptability, environmental culture, coexistence and productivity. [Results]: The sustainability level of the homes was 45 %. In summary, they are pretty sustainable. [Conclusions]: The sustainability evaluation of urban homes allowed an approximation of the reality of the practices and use of natural resources in daily life. At the same time, it is evident that homes have a culture toward sustainability.

This study is considered the first report on the digestive tract pH of the pygmy octopus (Paroctopus digueti). Adult octopuses obtained from the wild (mean±SD) (42.1±15.1g), and those acclimated to captivity in a fed (25.4±9.0g, n=15) or fasted (23.1±6.1g, n=15) state, were studied. The digestive tract regions of buccal mass (BMA), anterior salivary glands (ASG), posterior salivary glands (PSG), crop (CRO), stomach (STO), caecum (CAE), digestive gland (DGL) and intestine (INT) were dissected. The pH of the internal part of the digestive tract regions was measured. Food intake (dry weight) per octopus was 53.8±35.1mg to 214.9±157.6mg at 15min and 8h, respectively. The apparent food transit time was approximately 8h for the appearance of feces in the posterior intestine. In all cases, the pH of the digestive tract regions was lower than pH7.0. No statistical difference was found when comparing the pH by digestive tract regions between wild octopuses and octopuses in captivity (fasting and feeding). In acclimatized octopuses, the average pH was 6.41±0.22 and 6.41±0.23 for fasting and fed octopuses, respectively. Although DGL had the lowest pH values relative to other digestive tract tissues (p<0.05), pH was always >5.0 (6.04±0.12 in the wild and 5.97±0.17 in feeding octopuses). In conclusion, the pygmy octopus has an acidic pH in its digestive tract under fasting and feeding conditions.

The importance of leadership in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is undeniable in today's business landscape. These organizations, often characterized by small size and limited resources, rely heavily on effective leaders to navigate challenges of competitiveness, thrive in competitive markets, and achieve sustainable growth. Therefore, this research, through a qualitative approach, with inductive and interpretative logic, based on documentary analysis and non-experimental, cross-sectional and correlationalcausal type, seeks to propose a leadership model that fits the context of study and positively influences the growth of MSMEs in Tenosique, Tabasco, in order to achieve their subsistence, growth and competitiveness. The study is supported by the use of surveys conducted with previously identified experts in the field and is supported using the Minitab statistical software with the linear regression technique for the analysis of the data.

In this work, the dye/ZnO complex was prepared, using natural dyes extracted from the red tree (Haematoxylum campechianum L.) and mangrove tree (Rhizophora Mangle), with a concentration of 5 × 10−3 M, impregnation time of 2 and 6 h, using a mixture of ethanol-water and ethanol as solvents. The ZnO particles were obtained by sol gel method and deposited on Corning glass by the doctor blade technique. X-ray diffraction indicates that these particles belong to the wurtzite-type hexagonal crystalline structure. Anthraquinone and anthocyanin molecules were identified in the natural dyes used. The results of the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy of the complexes show the band associated with the functional group of the carboxyls, which represents evidence of the presence of the dyes in the semiconductor. X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows changes in the local environment around the Zn atoms. Both dyes introduce a greater quantity of electrons in the unoccupied p states of Zn. The simulation developed and the analysis of the EXAFS signals show the formation of new bonds between Zn and O with dye atoms thus reducing the Zn O and Zn–Zn bond lengths. Also, the distribution of the bonds of the neighbors closest to the Zn, in the ZnO matrix, is modified due to the generation of vacancies of O and Zn. These results imply that the obtained dyes can effectively be used as photosensitizers in ZnO-based solar cells.