Free Access Research Articles

Interlukin-22 improves ovarian function in polycystic ovary syndrome independent of metabolic regulation: a mouse-based experimental study

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive endocrine disorder with multiple metabolic abnormalities. Most PCOS patients have concomitant metabolic syndromes such as insulin resistance and obesity, which often lead to the development of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease with serious consequences. Current treatment of PCOS with symptomatic treatments such as hormone replacement, which has many side effects. Research on its origin and pathogenesis is urgently needed. Although improving the metabolic status of the body can alleviate reproductive function in some patients, there is still a subset of patients with metabolically normal PCOS that lacks therapeutic tools to address ovarian etiology.MethodsThe effect of IL-22 on PCOS ovarian function was verified in a non-metabolic PCOS mouse model induced by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and rosiglitazone, as well as granulosa cell -specific STAT3 knockout (Fshrcre+Stat3f/f) mice (10 groups totally and n = 5 per group). Mice were maintained under controlled temperature and lighting conditions with free access to food and water in a specific pathogen-free (SPF) facility. Secondary follicles separated from Fshrcre+Stat3f/f mice were cultured in vitro with DHEA to mimic the hyperandrogenic environment in PCOS ovaries (4 groups and n = 7 per group) and then were treated with IL-22 to investigate the specific role of IL-22 on ovarian function.ResultsWe developed a non-metabolic mice model with rosiglitazone superimposed on DHEA. This model has normal metabolic function as evidenced by normal glucose tolerance without insulin resistance and PCOS-like ovarian function as evidenced by irregular estrous cycle, polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM), abnormalities in sex hormone level. Supplementation with IL-22 improved these ovarian functions in non-metabolic PCOS mice. Application of DHEA in an in vitro follicular culture system to simulate PCOS follicular developmental block and ovulation impairment. Follicles from Fshrcre+Stat3f/f did not show improvement in POCS follicle development with the addition of IL-22. In DHEA-induced PCOS mice, selective ablation of STAT3 in granulosa cells significantly reversed the ameliorative effect of IL-22 on ovarian function.ConclusionIL-22 can improve non-metabolic PCOS mice ovarian function. Granulosa cells deficient in STAT3 reverses the role of IL-22 in alleviating ovary dysfunction in non-metabolic PCOS mice.

Do air pollutants levels during the previous 48 hours predict out-of-hospital cardiac arrest incidence compared to same-day pollutants levels?

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Introduction Association between air pollutants (APs) levels and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) at the same day of the measurements have been previously described. Whether APs levels measured during the previous 48 hours may predict OHCA occurrence is not known. Purpose To analyse whether same-day APs levels compared to APs levels during the previous 48 hours are associated with OHCA incidence. Methods OHCA admissions on five Cardiac Intensive Care Units of our city were assessed during September-2020 to December-2021. Free access data regarding particulate matter (PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) levels during the same period were also registered. APs measures occurred each hour daily at three different spots, delivering more than 31000 measurements. APs levels during the previous 48 hours and during the index day were compared between OHCA-free days (OHCA-Fd) and OHCA-days. Results 179 patients were included. Main demographic characteristics are shown on table 1. Daily OHCA incidence and APs mean levels/month are shown in Table 2. As shown at table 3 same-day higher NO2 and lower O3 levels were found on OHCA-days compared to OHCA-fd: 41 ±10 vs. 36 ±9 µg/m3, p=0.016 for NO2 and 45 ±13 vs. 51 ±11 µg/m3, p= 0.003 for O3. As shown on Table 2 same day mean O3 levels were also higher from April to September compared to the rest of the year (p<0.001). OHCA incidence was lower in this same period (p<0.001). There wasn’t any association between OHCA incidence and APs (NO2, O3, PM10 and CO) measured at any moment during the event's prior 48 hours. Conclusions Same-day higher NO2 and lower O3 levels were associated to a higher OHCA incidence in our city. On the other hand, association between OHCA and NO2, O3, PM10 or CO measurements during the previous 48 hours was not found in our cohort. Reducing production of NO2 (i.e., reducing fossil-fuel consumption) may reduce OHCA risk during that same day.

Dog ecology and rabies control including canine vaccination coverage: Impacts from a survey in Madagascar.

Rabies virus (RABV; species Lyssavirus rabies) is causing one of the oldest zoonotic diseases known to mankind, leading to fatal encephalomyelitis in animals and humans. Despite the existence of safe and effective vaccines to prevent the disease, an estimated 99% of human rabies deaths worldwide are caused by dog-mediated rabies with children at the highest risk of infection. Rabies has been endemic in Madagascar for over a century, yet there has been little research evaluating local knowledge and practices impacting on the rabies control and prevention. Thus, this study was undertaken to better understand the dog ecology including canine vaccine coverage and to assess knowledge and practices of dog owners and veterinarians. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 dog-owning households in thirteen fokontanys in Mahajanga from July 4 to September 13, 2016. Single and multi-member dog-owning households in the study area on the day of the interview were eligible for inclusion and purposively selected with the support of a local guide. The survey included a household questionnaire capturing information on the dog's demographics, husbandry practices, knowledge and practices towards rabies and its control measures; the dog ecology questionnaire collected dog characteristics, vaccination status and husbandry practices. All households that reported a dog bite incident, were invited to participate in a dog bite questionnaire. In addition, direct observations of roaming dogs were conducted to assess dog population demographics and to document behavioural characteristics. Two veterinarians were purposively selected and took part in an interview during the survey period, providing information on rabies control activities, including dog-care practices in the area. Descriptive and inferential data analyses were performed using Epi Info version 7.1.5.0 (CDC Atlanta, USA). We recorded a total of 400 dogs, of which 338 (84.5%) were owned amongst 123 households. More than half (67.8%) of owned dogs were between 1 to 5 years old and 95.6% were kept for guarding purposes. 45% of the surveyed dogs had free access to roam outside the premises. The majority (85.4%) of dog owners were knowledgeable that a dog bite could potentially transmit RABV to humans. 19 dog bites were reported and of these 73.6% were caused by the owner's or a neighbour's dog. In 6 of the 19 cases, children between 7 and 15 years of age were the victims. Dog vaccination coverage against rabies was 34% among owned dogs. Of the participants aware of a veterinarian, the majority (55/82) indicated that they accessed veterinarian services at irregular intervals. The main obstacles to vaccinations cited by dog owners were limited financial resources and difficulty accessing veterinary care. This study contributes to enhanced understanding of the dog ecology including canine vaccine coverage as well as knowledge and practices of dog owners in Madagascar. Most dogs in the study area were accessible for preventive vaccination through their owners, however only one third of the investigated canine population was vaccinated against rabies. Concerted national efforts towards rabies prevention and control should aim to address financial challenges and access to veterinary services.

74 Feeding style and its influence on growth, circulating insulin, and spatial preference of young pigs

Abstract In this study, we investigated the influence of feeding style on growth performance, circulating insulin concentrations, and spatial preference within the home-cages (HC) of young pigs. Pigs (n = 43 boars) were weaned on postnatal day (PND) 2, allotted to treatment based on litter of origin and body weight (BW), and reared artificially over a 15-d period. Pigs were provided a nutritionally adequate milk replacer 20 h per day using one of two feeding styles: 1) ad libitum (i.e., continual access to milk replacer), and 2) prescribed [330 mL/kg of BW from PND 3-7 (wk 1), and 357.5 mL/kg of BW from PND 8-18 (wk 2)]. In addition to water in the reconstituted milk replacer, free choice access to fresh water was provided throughout the study. Milk intake (i.e., disappearance) and BW were recorded daily, with pigs undergoing continuous top-down video surveillance throughout the study. On PND 17, blood was collected from a subset of pigs (n = 24) for quantification of insulin concentrations. Video analysis of pigs (n = 43) was performed to establish time spent in each HC quadrant. All data were analyzed via a 1-way ANOVA using the MIXED procedure of SAS. During wk 1, ad libitum pigs exhibited increased (P < 0.05) average daily BW gain (152 g/d) and average daily milk intake (728 g/d) compared with the prescribed treatment (127 g/d and 570 g/d, respectively). This same effect continued in wk 2 for average daily BW gain and average daily milk intake, with ad libitum-fed pigs consuming more (P < 0.05) milk replacer (256 g/d and 1,356 g/d, respectively) compared with prescribed-fed pigs (192 g/d and 974 g/d, respectively). Over the entire 15-d feeding study, average daily BW gain (234 g/d), average daily feed intake (1,140 g/d) and milk intake-to-BW ratio (4.60) were greater (P < 0.05) in the ad libitum treatment compared with prescribed feeding (180 g/d, 830 g/d, and 3.81 respectively). Insulin concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) in the ad libitum treatment (348 µIU/mL) 30 min after feed provision compared with the prescribed treatment (190 µIU/mL). Video analysis of spatial preference within HC suggested pigs in the prescribed treatment spent more (P < 0.05) time in quadrant 4 during wk 1 (5.43% of time recorded) compared with the ad libitum treatment (3.82% of time recorded), likely due to quadrant 4 housing the feed bowl. However, all other time points had no effect on spatial preference. Overall, the type of feeding style altered growth performance and insulin concentrations within young pigs and may impact the spatial preference of pigs within their home-cage environment.

Effect of sex and milk replacer with or without supplemental carnitine and arginine on growth characteristics, carcass, and meat quality of artificially reared low-birth weight pigs.

This study compared milk replacer either remaining unsupplemented (CON) or supplemented with 0.5g l-carnitine plus 16.7g l-arginine/kg (CarArg) and fed to 48 L-BtW artificially reared piglets (24 per group) from day 7 to 28 days of age. Eight farrowing series were needed to complete the study. On day 28, the lightest piglets were slaughtered, and the heaviest pigs were weaned. The heaviest pigs were weaned on day 28 and offered free access to a starter (weaning to 25kg body weight (BW)), grower (25-60kg BW), and finisher diet (60kg to 96kg BW on day 170 of age). After euthanization on day 28 and day 170, blood was sampled for assessment of serum metabolite and hormone concentrations, and the semitendinosus muscle (STM) was weighed, and later subjected to enzyme activity analysis and assessment of myofiber characteristics. In the 170-day old pigs carcass and meat quality traits were assessed. Growth data were analyzed as a two-way ANOVA, with dietary treatment and farrowing series as fixed effects, while remaining data were analyzed with dietary treatment, sex, their interaction, and farrowing series as main factors. Dietary treatments affected (P ≤ 0.049) muscle enzyme activity at both day 28, with greater CS and LDH activities and lower HAD:CS ratio in STM light portion, and lower LDH:CS ratio in STM dark portion, and 170 of age with lower HAD:CS ratio. In the starter period, CarArg pigs had greater average daily gain (P = 0.021) and average daily feed intake (P = 0.010). At slaughter, these pigs had lower (P = 0.013) glucose and greater (P = 0.022) urea serum concentrations. However, supplementing the milk replacer with carnitine and arginine had no long-term effects on growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality of L-BtW pigs. In addition, muscle morphology and its myofiber-related properties remained unaffected by the supplementation.

221 Impact of parity on stall use in free access stall systems

Abstract Consumer pressure is leading producers to transition to gestational group-housing systems. One such system, free access stalls, allows the unique opportunity to investigate the preference of the animal for individual or group-housing. The objective of this study was to describe stall use by gestating gilts and parity 1 (P1) sows in a free access stall system. A gilt pen and a P1 pen, each with 8 stalls and 1 pig allocated per stall space (n = 16 total), were used for this study. Pigs were locked in the stalls 5 d before mixing (30 dg) to allow acclimation to the new pen environment and feeding schedule. On the day of mixing, females were moved out of their stalls at noon and continuous overhead video was captured for 72h post-mixing. To characterize stall use, videos were manually decoded sows time of entry into and exit from stalls. Time spent in stalls was analyzed using a Gaussian linear mixed model with fixed effects of parity, day, interaction between parity and day, and a random effect of individual animal. On average gilts spent significantly more time in stalls compared with P1 sows (20.9 h vs 16.4 h, P = 0.050). Overall, there was no change in stall utilization over the 3 d post-mixing but there was a significant interaction of parity and day (P = 0.008). On d 1, time spent in stalls did not differ between gilts and P1s (P = 0.743). However, on d 2 and 3 we observed significant differences between parities, with P1 sows spending less time in stalls than gilts (P = 0.032, P = 0.004, respectively). In conclusion, gestating females spent more time in stalls than in loafing areas. Ongoing research will explore how gestating females use their time in each space. The observed parity differences may suggest that P1 sows adapt more quickly to group housing systems compared with gilts.

304 What does Prop 12 mean for the swine industry

Abstract California’s Proposition 12, also known as the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, has been fully implemented as of January 1st, 2024. This measure regulates the minimum space requirements for egg-laying hens, dairy calves raised for veal, and breeding pigs in order for the associated products to be sold within the state of California. Suppliers of these covered products need to be accredited by specific, third-party certifying agents to be certified as ‘Prop 12 compliant’. For the swine industry, the spotlight is on the housing of any female breeding pig over the age of 6 mo. These animals must be in an enclosure that allows them to lie down, stand up, turn around, and fully extend their limbs without touching the sides of their stalls or another animal (24 square feet of floor space per animal). These regulations also limit the duration of time producers can house animals in closed crates before farrowing to 5 d. While these housing regulations do not apply during the nursing phase, research contexts, during veterinary treatment or immediately before slaughter, they do apply in the post-weaning phase. This means that the animals cannot be confined for heat-checking or breeding to be considered ‘Prop 12 compliant’. These housing standards have no minimum herd size and apply to those in commercial or private farms if there will be products produced and sold. With any change to the standard operating procedures of animal husbandry, there will be some growing pains. These issues can be addressed when considerations are given to the group composition (age and size of sows), pen mixing practices (pre or post breeding), feeding schedule [collective (trough, floor fed) or individual (electronic sow feeding, free access stalls)], and, pen structural quality (flooring, enrichment). This measure will have considerable economic and ethical implications related to barn renovations, animal care staff training, and husbandry practices for the swine industry.

PSII-15 Effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 supplementation on growth performance of nursery pigs

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3) supplementation on the growth performance of nursery pigs. A total of 48 newly weaned piglets (5.27 ± 1.42 kg initial body weight; weaned at 18.7 ± 0.78 d of age) were allotted to 3 treatments in 4 replicates with 4 pigs per pen based on body weight, sex, breed, and littermates. Treatments were: 1) VD-2: basal diet with 2,000 IU/kg vitamin D3, 2) 25D-1: basal diet with 1,000 IU/kg 25-OHD3 supplementation, and 3) 25D-2: basal diet with 2,000 IU/kg 25-OHD3 supplementation. All pigs were housed in nursery pens with free access to water and feed in the environmentally controlled nursery facility. Corn-soybean meal-based diets that met or exceeded the NRC (2012) nutrient requirement estimates were fed to all piglets in two phases for d 0-14 (Phase 1) and d 14-28 (Phase 2) postweaning. In each phase, a basal diet without vitamin D was mixed first, and then each vitamin D source was added to the basal diet at the assigned level. Body weight and feed disappearance were measured weekly to calculate average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio (G:F). There was no significant difference in body weight throughout the entire nursery period, ADG, ADFI, and G:F in d 0-14 postweaning except for a slightly greater G:F in the 25D-2 treatment than the 25D-1 treatment in d 0-7 postweaning (P = 0.11; 0.368, 0.357, and 0.519 for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively). In d 21-28 postweaning, the 25D-1 and 25D-2 treatments tended to have greater ADG (P < 0.08; 0.576, 0.632, and 0.634 kg/d for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively) and ADFI (P < 0.05; 0.862, 0.932, and 0.932 kg/d for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively) than the VD-2 treatment, resulting in slightly greater ADG (P < 0.08; 0.502, 0.536, and 0.534 kg/d for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively) and ADFI (P = 0.10; 0.782,0.818, and 0.820 kg/d for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively) in both 25OHD3 treatments than the VD-2 treatment in d 14-28 postweaning. In the overall period, the ADG tended to be greater in the 25D-2 treatment than the VD-2 treatment (P = 0.10; 0.353, 0.367, and 0.373 kg/d for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively), and the G:F was numerically greater in both 25OHD3 treatments compared with the VD-2 treatment (0.646, 0.660, and 0.670 for VD-2, 25D-1, and 25D-2, respectively). In conclusion, supplementing 25-OHD3 to the nursery pig diets could enhance feed intake and growth rate in the late nursery period compared with vitamin D3 supplementation.

PSII-4 Temperature preference of nursery pigs housed in groups by weaning weight quartile

Abstract There is a lack of recent research investigating the temperature requirements of pigs housed in groups with the genetics and management practices currently being used in commercial production. The objective of this study was to establish the preferred temperature of pigs housed in groups with uniform body weight (BW) over the first 4 wk after weaning (at 21 ± 1 d). The study involved 320 newly-weaned pigs that were kept in mixed-sex pens (barrows and gilts) of 20. Three temperature treatments were compared: 26°C vs. 30°C vs. 34°C. The temperature treatments were created in 3 distinct zones of each pen using a heat lamp suspended over an insulated mat and pigs had free access to each zone. Room temperature was set at 22°C for the duration of the study. The population of pigs was divided into weaning-weight quartiles (Quartile 1, 2, 3, and 4, lightest to heaviest; initial BW 4.5, 5.6, 6.5, and 7.7 ± 0.4 kg, respectively; final BW 12.8, 14.4, 16,3, and 18.2 ± 2.0 kg, respectively). The weight quartiles were kept in different pens. The pigs had ad libitum access to nursery diets throughout the study period formulated to meet the requirements proposed by NRC (2012). Cameras captured images of the pen area every 15 min during the study period. The location (in the temperature treatment zones or other areas of the pen) and posture (lying, sitting, and standing) of every pig in the pen were recorded from the images. The ambient temperature in the temperature treatment zones and other areas of the pen were recorded every 2 h throughout the study period using a thermal camera. The preferred temperature was calculated by weighting the percentage of observations of pigs located within each temperature treatment zone and the other areas of the pen by the average temperature in each zone and area. The percentage of observations of pigs in the 26, 30, and 34°C temperature treatment zones for the overall period were: Quartile 1 (15.3, 15.2, and 42.9%, respectively), Quartile 2 (5.3, 23.1, 39.8%, respectively), Quartile 3 (8.5, 15.7, and 41.2%, respectively), and Quartile 4 (5.0, 34.0, and 25.9%, respectively). The calculated preferred temperatures for the weight quartiles for each week of the study are summarized in Table 1. The preferred temperature for the overall period was 30.0, 30.3, 29.3, and 28.6°C for Quartiles 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The impact of housing nursery pigs at these temperatures on pig performance needs to be established.

The online educational tool "Roadmap to EEGs" significantly improved trainee performance in recognizing EEG patterns.

We created a framework to assess the competency-based EEG curriculum, outlined by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) through a video-based online educational resource ("Roadmap to EEGs") and assessed its effectiveness and feasibility in improving trainees' knowledge. Ten video-based e-learning modules addressed seven key topics in EEG and epileptology (normal EEG, normal variants, EEG artifacts, interictal epileptiform discharges (IED), focal seizures, idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), and developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE)). We posted the educational videos on YouTube for free access. Pre- and post-tests, each comprising 20 multiple-choice questions, were distributed to institution leadership and advertised on social media platforms to reach a global audience. The tests were administered online to assess the participants' knowledge. Pre- and post-test questions showed different EEG samples to avoid memorization and immediate recall. After completing the post-test, participants were asked to respond to 7 additional questions assessing their confidence levels and recommendations for improvement. A total of 52 complete and matched pre- and post-test responses were collected. The probability of a correct response was 73% before teaching (95% CI: 70%-77%) and 81% after teaching (95% CI: 78%-84%). The odds of a correct response increased significantly by 59% (95% CI: 28%-98%, p < .001). For participants having >4 weeks of EEG training, the probability of a correct response was 76% (95% CI: .72-.79) and 81% after teaching (95% CI: .78-.84). The odds of answering correctly increased by 44% (95% CI: 15%-80%, p = .001). Participants felt completely confident in independently interpreting and identifying EEG findings after completing the teaching modules (17.1% before vs. 37.8% after, p-value < .0001). 86.5% of participants expressed a high likelihood of recommending the module to other trainees. The video-based online educational resource allows participants to acquire foundational knowledge in EEG/epilepsy, and participants to review previously learned EEG/epilepsy information.

Gilts prefer an open pen to a stall

Stalls or crates are a very common type of housing used on pig farms that restrict an animal’s movement. How this confinement impacts the animal’s affective states is seldom investigated. We conducted a preference test over 7 days where trios of gilts (n = 10 trios, 27.4 ± 1.5 weeks old) had free access between individual self-locking stalls (~ 1.2 m2) and a shared open area allowing 2.8 m2/animal (71% of total area). Gilts had access to ad libitum feed and water both inside the crates and in the open area. After 7 days, personality traits of the animals were assessed with open field (OF) and novel object (NO) tests. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) yielded two main components, which we defined as Passivity and Engagement. The median time spent outside the crate was 95.2% as 21/29 of the gilts exhibited a significant preference for pen over crate during the 7-day trial (p < 0.05). Passivity had no relationship with time spent in the open area, but engagement during OF/NO was associated with less use of the open area (OR = 0.39, 95CI = [0.25, 0.60]). Interestingly, gilts were likely to spend less time in the open area at nighttime compared to daytime (Odds Ratio = 0.49, 95CI = [0.40, 0.60]), as well as experimental days passed (OR = 0.70, 95CI = [0.66, 0.73]). During the first daytime and nighttime, 1/29 and 2/29 animals preferred the crate respectively, whereas by the last daytime and nighttime 5 and 9 gilts preferred the crate respectively (p < 0.05). While both intrinsic (personality) and extrinsic (time of day, experimental day) factors appear to influence the gilt’s housing preferences, most gilts significantly prefer an open area to a crate when free access is provided between the two. A smaller subpopulation of animals developed a preference for stalls but still utilize both the stall and the pen throughout the day.

Dietary inclusion of defatted silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) pupa meal in broiler chickens: phase feeding effects on nutritional and sensory meat quality

The present experiment was conducted to test the effect of a 4% defatted silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae meal (SWM) incorporation into chickens’ diets at different growth phases on meat quality characteristics and sensory traits. Ninety ROSS 308 day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to three dietary groups, with five replicated pens/diet: the first group received a control (C) diet throughout the growing period of 42 days, the second group received a diet with 4% SWM (SWM1) during the starter phase (1–10 days) and the C diet up to slaughter, whereas the third group was fed the C diet during the starter phase and 4% SWM during the grower and finisher phases (SWM2). Diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergy, and birds had free access to feed and water throughout the experimental trial. At 42 days of age, 15 chickens/treatment were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Fatty acid (FA) and amino acid (AA) profiles and contents, as well as oxidative status, were determined in both breast and leg meat cuts. Also, a descriptive sensory analysis was performed on breast meat by trained panelists. Results highlighted that the SWM2 treatment increased the n-3 proportion and content in both breast or leg meat, thereby improving the omega-6/omega-3 (n-6/n-3) ratio in both cuts (P<0.001). However, the dietary treatment had no significant effect on the oxidative status of either breast or leg meat (P>0.05). The SWM had a limited impact on overall sensory traits of breast meat, but it did contribute to improved meat tenderness in SWM-fed chickens (P<0.01). Furthermore, SWM1 meat exhibited higher juiciness (P<0.05) and off flavor intensity (P<0.05) compared to the control meat. Overall, the present experiment indicated that defatted SWM holds promise as an alternative ingredient in chicken rations, ensuring satisfactory meat quality. Furthermore, administering SWM during the grower-finisher phase demonstrated beneficial effects on meat healthiness, ultimately enhancing n-3 fatty acids content and reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio.

Compressive Syndrome of the Ostio-fibrous Tunnel at Carp Level - A literary review

CTS tunnel syndrome is characterized by compression of the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel, at the level of the wrist. This disease still has unknown etiology, but it presents itself in a secondary way when related to other pathologies. Compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel occurs in most cases of nonspecific chronic flexor tenosynovitis, and it can also occur in many other nosological entities or lesions that occupy space in the tunnel. The prevalence of ostiofibrous tunnel compression syndrome at the carpal level is estimated to be between 4% and 5% of the population, ranging from 51 to 125:100,000, and it occurs more frequently in females, especially between 40 and 60 years of age. The main clinical manifestations include paresthesia in the territory of median nerve sensitivity (particularly in the thumb, index, middle and radial aspect of the ring finger), hyperesthesia (less frequent hypo or anesthesia), wrist pain that may radiate to the fingers, hands, elbows, and in some cases, even the shoulder (such symptoms may disappear with movement of the limb or massage). Diagnosis must be clinical, based on the patient's history and physical examination. For the physical examination, the Tinel and Phalen tests can be used. Complementary tests are used to make a diagnosis, the most recommended being: electroneuromyography (ENMG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US). Treatment can be conservative or surgical. The conservative way consists of adopting techniques to alleviate symptoms, such as pain control through wrist orthoses for immobilization, injections and medication, alternative therapies and physiotherapy. Surgical treatment aims to decompress the median nerve and reduce pressure on the carpal tunnel. This approach is adopted when conservative treatment does not lead to an improvement in the clinical condition within 6 to 8 weeks. This paper aims to review the medical aspects of ostiofibrous tunnel compression syndrome at the level of the carpus. The methodology used is analytical in nature through a literature review. The data extracted in the research were from the US National Library of Medicine (PubMed) with the descriptors: median nerve, wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome, according to the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS). To perform the crossing of these, the Boolean operator AND was used. 43 articles were found and after inclusion and exclusion criteria, 36 articles were used. Those used for inclusion: articles in English, Portuguese or Spanish, between June 2015 and July 2021, and that were available in full and for free online access. Studies that did not address the relevant concept for achieving the objective were excluded; repeated studies; according to criteria of methodological quality. Thus, the medical evaluation must be performed in a specific way, making it essential to collect the clinical history, physical exams and complementary exams in order to choose to improve conservative therapy and, later, surgical, if necessary. These facts will allow a greater therapeutic success, allowing the greatest well-being to the patient.

XGBoost algorithm based estimation of near surface mounted FRP rod-to-concrete bond strength and failure mode

Using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) in reinforced concrete (RC) structures can mitigate the colossal repair costs due to reinforcing steel corrosion. Hence, FRP rod/bar is gaining wider applications in diverse RC structures as a partial or full replacement for steel rebar. The FRP rod-to-concrete interfacial bond is pivotal in transferring stresses from concrete to FRP rods. This study develops a novel prediction model to estimate the near surface mounted FRP rod-to-concrete bond strength as well as the failure type using five machine learning (ML) algorithms, namely, linear regression, decision tree, gradient boosting tree, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGB). The performance of the developed models was compared with that of four bond strength design guidelines and one analytical model. A database comprising 416 experimental datasets was constructed and used for model training and validation. Based on statistical performance metrics, the precision of the XGB algorithm was superior to that of the other ML models, design guidelines, and analytical model. Feature importance analysis based on the SHapley Additive exPlanations theory and partial dependence plot was performed. The results show that the bond length had the most significant influence on the bond strength, followed by the tensile strength of the FRP composite, diameter of the FRP rod, compressive strength of concrete, and elastic modulus of the FRP composite. A graphical user interface was developed and offers a user friendly, free access, and simple tool for estimating the bond strength and failure type of FRP rods in concrete.

RegWSI: Whole slide image registration using combined deep feature- and intensity-based methods: Winner of the ACROBAT 2023 challenge

Background and objectiveThe automatic registration of differently stained whole slide images (WSIs) is crucial for improving diagnosis and prognosis by fusing complementary information emerging from different visible structures. It is also useful to quickly transfer annotations between consecutive or restained slides, thus significantly reducing the annotation time and associated costs. Nevertheless, the slide preparation is different for each stain and the tissue undergoes complex and large deformations. Therefore, a robust, efficient, and accurate registration method is highly desired by the scientific community and hospitals specializing in digital pathology. MethodsWe propose a two-step hybrid method consisting of (i) deep learning- and feature-based initial alignment algorithm, and (ii) intensity-based nonrigid registration using the instance optimization. The proposed method does not require any fine-tuning to a particular dataset and can be used directly for any desired tissue type and stain. The registration time is low, allowing one to perform efficient registration even for large datasets. The method was proposed for the ACROBAT 2023 challenge organized during the MICCAI 2023 conference and scored 1st place. The method is released as open-source software. ResultsThe proposed method is evaluated using three open datasets: (i) Automatic Nonrigid Histological Image Registration Dataset (ANHIR), (ii) Automatic Registration of Breast Cancer Tissue Dataset (ACROBAT), and (iii) Hybrid Restained and Consecutive Histological Serial Sections Dataset (HyReCo). The target registration error (TRE) is used as the evaluation metric. We compare the proposed algorithm to other state-of-the-art solutions, showing considerable improvement. Additionally, we perform several ablation studies concerning the resolution used for registration and the initial alignment robustness and stability. The method achieves the most accurate results for the ACROBAT dataset, the cell-level registration accuracy for the restained slides from the HyReCo dataset, and is among the best methods evaluated on the ANHIR dataset. ConclusionsThe article presents an automatic and robust registration method that outperforms other state-of-the-art solutions. The method does not require any fine-tuning to a particular dataset and can be used out-of-the-box for numerous types of microscopic images. The method is incorporated into the DeeperHistReg framework, allowing others to directly use it to register, transform, and save the WSIs at any desired pyramid level (resolution up to 220k x 220k). We provide free access to the software. The results are fully and easily reproducible. The proposed method is a significant contribution to improving the WSI registration quality, thus advancing the field of digital pathology.

Economic and Legal Aspects of Intellectual Property Protection Abroad

In the context of the rapid development of technology, science and digitalization, the expansion of cross-border relations between states, the active entry of artificial intelligence into the daily life of society, human intellectual activity and the protection of the rights of the results of his creative work is the most pressing issue. For a long time, the legal regulation of relations arising from the use of intellectual property was considered exclusively the object of domestic legal relations, and did not go beyond its limits. National structures have tried in different ways to balance the interests of the owner of an intellectual property object and consumers seeking free access to these objects. Since the release of intellectual property beyond the borders of one state, problems have arisen of inconsistency in the legislative framework protecting the interests of the actor of the intellectual property object. In turn, this leads to the loss of new technologies and scientifi c developments by countries, and at the level of individuals to the loss of royalties. Taking into account the fact that intellectual property products permeate all spheres of the economy and national economy, we are forced to block the exchange of scientifi c research and technical developments at the international level in order to prevent theft of an intellectual product. In order to protect the rights of the owner of an object of creative work at the international level, and free, unhindered access to these objects by the entire world community, it is necessary to bring the legislative regulation of intellectual property rights beyond the supranational level, and regulate this law enforcement object by international organizations, applying the norms of international law. This scientifi c research is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the protection of intellectual property rights abroad. The authors state that the legal regime of the state plays an important role, in the territory of which a number of powers of the owner of the object to protect their own rights are determined.

Decoding the influence of central LEAP2 on food intake and its effect on accumbal dopamine release

The gut-brain peptide ghrelin and its receptor are established as a regulator of hunger and reward-processing. However, the recently recognized ghrelin receptor inverse agonist, liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2), is less characterized. The present study aimed to elucidate LEAP2s central effect on reward-related behaviors through feeding and its mechanism. LEAP2 was administrated centrally in mice and effectively reduced feeding and intake of palatable foods. Strikingly, LEAP2s effect on feeding was correlated to the preference of the palatable food. Further, LEAP2 reduced the rewarding memory of high preference foods, and attenuated the accumbal dopamine release associated with palatable food exposure and eating. Interestingly, LEAP2 was widely expressed in the brain, and particularly in reward-related brain areas such as the laterodorsal tegmental area (LDTg). This expression was markedly altered when allowed free access to palatable foods. Accordingly, infusion of LEAP2 into LDTg was sufficient to transiently reduce acute palatable food intake. Taken together, the present results show that central LEAP2 has a profound effect on dopaminergic reward signaling associated with food and affects several aspects of feeding. The present study highlights LEAP2s effect on reward, which may have applications for obesity and other reward-related psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Beyond basics: Key mutation selection features for successful tumor-informed ctDNA detection.

Tumor-informed mutation-based approaches are frequently used for detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Not all mutations make equally effective ctDNA markers. The objective was to explore if prioritizing mutations using mutational features-such as cancer cell fraction (CCF), multiplicity, and error rate-would improve the success rate of tumor-informed ctDNA analysis. Additionally, we aimed to develop a practical and easily implementable analysis pipeline for identifying and prioritizing candidate mutations from whole-exome sequencing (WES) data. We analyzed WES and ctDNA data from three tumor-informed ctDNA studies, one on bladder cancer (Cohort A) and two on colorectal cancer (Cohorts I and N). The studies included 390 patients. For each patient, a unique set of mutations (median mutations/patient: 6, interquartile 13, range: 1-46, total n = 4023) were used as markers of ctDNA. The tool PureCN was used to assess the CCF and multiplicity of each mutation. High-CCF mutations were detected more frequently than low-CCF mutations (Cohort A: odds ratio [OR] 20.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.72-173, p = 1.73e-12; Cohort I: OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.44-3.52, p = 1.66e-04; and Cohort N: OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.14-2.79, p = 7.86e-03). The detection-likelihood was additionally improved by selecting mutations with multiplicity of two or above (Cohort A: OR 1.55, 95% CI 1. 14-2.11, p = 3.85e-03; Cohort I: OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.23-2.56, p = 1.34e-03; and Cohort N: OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.63-2.31, p = 2.83e-14). Furthermore, selecting the mutations for which the ctDNA detection method had the lowest error rates, additionally improved the detection-likelihood, particularly evident when plasma cell-free DNA tumor fractions were below 0.1% (p = 2.1e-07). Selecting mutational markers with high CCF, high multiplicity, and low error rate significantly improve ctDNA detection likelihood. We provide free access to the analysis pipeline enabling others to perform qualified prioritization of mutations for tumor-informed ctDNA analysis.

Evaluation of Gastric pH and Gastrin Concentrations in Horses Subjected to General Inhalation Anesthesia in Dorsal Recumbency.

The prevalence of gastric disorders in high-performance horses, especially gastric ulceration, ranges from 50 to 90%. These pathological conditions have negative impacts on athletic performance and health. This study was designed to evaluate changes in gastric pH during a 24 h period and to compare gastrin concentrations at different time points in horses undergoing general inhalation anesthesia and dorsal recumbency. Twenty-two mixed-breed mares weighing 400 ± 50 kg and aged 8 ± 2 years were used. Of these, eight were fasted for 8 h and submitted to 90 min of general inhalation anesthesia in dorsal recumbency. Gastric juice samples were collected prior to anesthesia (T0), and then at 15 min intervals during anesthesia (T15-T90). After recovery from anesthesia (45 ± 1 min), samples were collected every hour for 24 h (T1 to T24) for gastric juice pH measurement. During this period, mares had free access to Bermuda grass hay and water and were fed a commercial concentrate twice (T4 and T16). In a second group (control), four non-anesthetized mares were submitted to 8 h of fasting followed by nasogastric intubation. Gastric juice samples were then collected at T0, T15, T30, T45, T60, T75, and T90. During this period, mares did not receive food or water. After 45 min, mares had free access to Bermuda grass hay and water, and gastric juice samples were collected every hour for four hours (T1 to T4). In a third group comprising ten non-fasted, non-anesthetized mares with free access to Bermuda grass hay and water, gastric juice samples were collected 30 min after concentrate intake (T0). In anesthetized mares, blood gastrin levels were measured prior to anesthesia (8 h fasting; baseline), during recovery from anesthesia, and 4 months after the anesthetic procedure, 90 min after the morning meal. Mean values of gastric juice pH remained acidic during general anesthesia. Mean pH values were within the physiological range (4.52 ± 1.69) and did not differ significantly between time points (T15-T90; p > 0.05). After recovery from anesthesia, mean gastric pH values increased and remained in the alkaline range throughout the 24 h period of evaluation. Significant differences were observed between T0 (4.88 ± 2.38), T5 (7.08 ± 0.89), T8 (7.43 ± 0.22), T9 (7.28 ± 0.36), T11 (7.26 ± 0.71), T13 (6.74 ± 0.90), and T17 (6.94 ± 1.04) (p < 0.05). The mean gastric juice pH ranged from weakly acidic to neutral or weakly alkaline in all groups, regardless of food and water intake (i.e., in the fasted, non-fasted, and fed states). Mean gastric pH measured in the control group did not differ from values measured during the 24 h post-anesthesia period or in the non-fasted group. Gastrin concentrations increased significantly during the post-anesthetic period compared to baseline (20.15 ± 7.65 pg/mL and 15.15 ± 3.82 pg/mL respectively; p < 0.05). General inhalation anesthesia and dorsal recumbency did not affect gastric juice pH, which remained acidic and within the physiological range. Gastric juice pH was weakly alkaline after recovery from anesthesia and in the fasted and fed states. Serum gastrin levels increased in response to general inhalation anesthesia in dorsal recumbency and were not influenced by fasting. Preventive pharmacological measures are not required in horses submitted to general anesthesia and dorsal recumbency.

Assessing the Availability of Spatial Geothermal Information Using Business Tools and Exploratory Data Analysis

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that utilizes heat from the earth's core. Because of that, it is a reliable source of energy demonstrating great potential, which is still used to a small extent. Barriers to the wider use of geothermal energy include high investment costs, location constraints, and the quality of resources at various depths. Opposition from local communities is also a barrier. It results from low environmental awareness of geothermal opportunities, exacerbated by the lack of free access to good-quality geothermal spatial information. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess geothermal spatial information availability for selected geoportals using selected business tools and exploratory data analysis. The authors examined geoportals in terms of the information provided, the way it is presented, and the features available. They performed the assessment of their degree of similarity using competitive profile assessment, image graphs, cluster analysis, and affinity analysis. The research confirmed that the available spatial information is characterized by high variability, which indicates the lack of uniform rules for collecting, gathering, storing, and sharing geothermal data. The foregoing leads to information chaos, which can impede investors' investment decisions regarding implementing a geothermal installation on a property.