The purpose of this study was to analyze the potential usefulness and clinical relevance of adding left atrial (LA) strain to left atrial volume index (LAVI) in the detection of left ventricular ...diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Recent studies have suggested that LA strain could be of use in the evaluation of LVDD. However, the potential utility and clinical significance of adding LA strain to LAVI in the detection of LVDD remains uncertain.
Using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, we analyzed a population of 517 patients in sinus rhythm at risk for LVDD such as those with arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or history of coronary artery disease and preserved LVEF.
In patients with LV diastolic alterations and estimated elevated LV filling pressures, the rate of abnormal LA strain was significantly higher than an abnormal LAVI (62.4% vs. 33.6%, p < 0.01). In line with this, in patients with normal LAVI, high rates of LV diastolic alterations and abnormal LA strain were present (rates 80% and 29.4%, respectively). In agreement with these findings, adding LA strain to LAVI in the current evaluation of LVDD increased significantly the rate of detection of LVDD (relative and absolute increase 73.3% and 9.9%; rate of detection of LVDD: from 13.5% to 23.4%; p < 0.01). Regarding the clinical relevance of these findings, an abnormal LA strain (i.e., <23%) was significantly associated with worse New York Heart Association functional class, even when LAVI was normal. Moreover, in a retrospective post hoc analysis an abnormal LA strain had a significant association with the risk of heart failure hospitalization at 2 years (odds ratio: 6.6 95% confidence interval: 2.6 to 16.6) even adjusting this analysis for age and sex and in patients with normal LAVI.
The findings from this study provide important insights regarding the potential usefulness and clinical relevance of adding LA strain to LAVI in the detection of LVDD in patients with preserved LVEF.
Display omitted
Overweight and obesity are two of the world's biggest health problems. They are associated with excessive fat accumulation resulting from an imbalance between energy consumed and energy expended. ...Conventional therapies for obesity commonly include synthetic drugs and surgical procedures that can lead to serious side effects. Therefore, developing effective, safe, and readily available new treatments to prevent and treat obesity is highly relevant. Many plant extracts have shown anti-obesogenic potential. These plant extracts are composed of different agriceuticals such as fibers, phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, lignans, and proteins that can manage obesity by suppressing appetite, inhibiting digestive enzymes, reducing adipogenesis and lipogenesis, promoting lipolysis and thermogenesis, modulating gut microbiota and suppressing obesity-induced inflammation. These anti-obesogenic agriceuticals can be enhanced in plants during their cultivation by applying sustainable fertilization strategies, improving their capacity to fight the obesity pandemic. Biofertilization and nanofertilization are considered efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective strategies to enhance plant growth and development and increase the content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, representing an alternative to overproducing the anti-obesogenic agriceuticals of interest. However, further research is required to study the impact of anti-obesogenic plant species grown using these agricultural practices. This review presents the current scenario of overweight and obesity; recent research work describing different plant species with significant effects against obesity; and several reports exhibiting the potential of the biofertilization and nanofertilization practices to enhance the concentrations of bioactive molecules of anti-obesogenic plant species.
This study evaluated the effect of maternal protein supplementation during mid or late gestation on energy metabolism of the skeletal muscle of beef calves. Sixteen pregnant cows were divided into 3 ...groups: CTRL (not supplemented); MID (supplemented from 30 to 180 days of gestation); and LATE (supplemented from 181 to 281 days of gestation). The supplement contained 30% crude protein. Thirty days after birth, blood and muscle samples of the calves were collected for analyses of gene expression, proteins, and metabolites. No differences (P ≥ 0.15) in birth weight, performance at weaning, or muscle expression of the genes evaluated (P ≥ 0.21) were observed. Calves born to CTRL cows had a lower ratio (P = 0.03) of p-AMPK/AMPK protein in the skeletal muscle. Calves born to MID cows had lower (P = 0.04) glucose concentration than those born to LATE cows. Changes in p-AMPK/AMPK protein, indicated a possible metabolic inflexibility in the skeletal muscle of calves born to CTRL cows. These results indicated that lack of protein supplementation in pregnant cows alter the energy metabolism of their calves and reflect in a metabolic inflexibility.
RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da suplementação proteica materna sobre o metabolismo energético do músculo esquelético de bezerros de corte. Dezesseis matrizes gestantes foram divididas em três grupos: CONTROLE (não suplementado); MÉDIO (suplementados entre 30 e 180 dias de gestação); e FINAL (suplementado entre 181 e 281 dias de gestação). O suplemento continha 30% de proteína bruta e foi fornecido em quantidades totais iguais aos tratamentos. Trinta dias após o nascimento, amostras de sangue e músculo dos bezerros foram coletadas para análises de expressão gênica, abundância de proteínas e metabólitos. Não foram observadas diferenças (P ≥ 0,15) no peso ao nascimento ou parâmetros de desempenho ao desmame, bem como na expressão dos genes avaliados (P ≥ 0,21). Os bezerros nascidos de matrizes do tratamento CONTROLE apresentaram menor proporção (P = 0,03) de proteína p-AMPK/AMPK no músculo esquelético. Os bezerros nascidos de matrizes do tratamento MÉDIO apresentaram concentração de glicose menor (P = 0,04) do que aqueles nascidos de matrizes do tratamento FINAL. Os resultados observados indicam que a ausência de suplementação proteica em matrizes gestantes pode alterar o metabolismo energético da progênie e refletir em uma inflexibilidade metabólica, a qual pode ocasionar limitações quanto à eficiência energética do tecido muscular esquelético e consequentemente, limitar o desempenho da progênie ao longo da fase pós-natal.
•The solar energy potential in Valparaiso (Chile) was estimated.•366 houses with highly heterogeneous roof geometry and orientation were analyzed.•Aerial photography, topographic groundwork and ...meteorological data were used.•There is a higher total roof area exposed to the south than to the north.•The results reflect the effect of the high heterogeneity of the input data.
A computer routine was created with the aim of estimating the solar energy potential in an urban area of Valparaiso (Chile) constituting 366 houses, characterized by a high heterogeneity of roofing in terms of geometry and spatial orientation. The program routine is able to provide useful data for large scale assessment of domestic solar which includes the total hourly instantaneous solar radiation received on every roof for each hour of the year, as well as the yearly total solar radiation considering the roof geometry, tilt angle and orientation. To this end, aerial photographs were taken and topographic groundwork was carried out to produce a spatial-geometry database of the houses, which, together with local meteorological data, was used as numerical input to produce solar radiation mapping of the analysis zone. The results reflect the effect of the high heterogeneity of the input data for tilt angle, orientation and surface area of roof planes in the final values for yearly total incident solar radiation. The software routine could be used by local authorities, urban planners, energy advisers and private individuals to promote the uptake of solar energy in Valparaíso and in other cities around the world.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation strategy on performance, nutritional and metabolic characteristics of Nellore suckling female calves, on grazing
Urochloa ...decumbens
during the rainy-dry transition period. Forty-four Nellore female calves, averaging 147.6 ± 1.34 kg (4 months), were used. A single supplement 20% of crude protein of dry matter was provided, consisting of daily supplement at 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6% of body weight. A positive linear effect (
P
< 0.05) on final body weight and average weight gain of female calves was observed with increased supplementation. Supplementation increased consumption, in kilograms per day, of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), digested dry matter, and total digestible nutrients (TDN), all calculated as % of dry matter. There was no effect of supplementation on the consumption in kilograms per day of neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (apNDF) (
P
> 0.05). Supplementation increased, in a quadratic way, the total apparent digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, apNDF, and TDN (
P
< 0.05). There was no effect of supplementation (
P
> 0.05) on non-esterified fatty acid concentrations. There was a positive linear effect (
P
< 0.05) of supplementation on insulin concentrations. In this study, it is concluded that linearly increasing the feeding level of a supplement with 20% crude protein (% of DM) in the range of 0.2–0.6% of body weight improves the performance, nutritional and metabolic characteristics of the animals, considering these pasture characteristics.
Beef cows’ milk yield is typically determined by measuring milk yield once daily and then doubling this value to estimate daily production. However, it is not known whether this is accurate. Thus, we ...aimed to determine the association between morning and afternoon milk yield in grazing Nellore cows. Eighty Nellore cows were used, with initial weight of 516.0 ± 1.0 kg. The experiment was a completely randomized factorial scheme, with 20 replications and four treatments (i.e., + or − pre-partum supplementation in combination with + or − post-partum supplementation): PRMM—1 kg of supplement/cow/day for 90 days pre-partum; MMPS—1 kg of supplement/cow/day for 90 days post-partum; PRPS—1 kg of supplement/cow/day for 90 days pre-partum and 90 days post-partum; and MM—only mineral mix ad libitum during pre- and post-partum. Milk was sampled on days 45, 135, and 225 post-partum (early, middle, and late lactation, respectively). No effects were observed of pre- and post-partum supplementation on milk yield (
P
> 0.05). The afternoon/morning proportion of 0.45 in the early third of lactation was higher than other stages, which had a proportion of 0.41 (
P
< 0.05). Post-partum supplementation increased milk protein in the morning and afternoon milking (
P
< 0.05). There was also no effect of pre- and post-partum supplementation on afternoon-morning proportion other milk components (
P
> 0.05). We conclude that estimating daily milk production of grazing beef cattle by multiplying a once daily milking amount times two is not accurate. Under the conditions of this study, proportion of total daily production represented by the ratio of afternoon/morning milking was 0.45 in early lactation (first third) and 0.41 in mid- and late lactation.
Objetivo. Cuantificar la concentración y consumo de los fragmentos de la proteína (NNP, PV, PVAD, PVLD, PIDN y PIDA) presente en la dieta suministrada a bovinos y su efecto en la digestibilidad de la ...proteína bruta. Materiales y métodos. Fueron analizadas dietas ofrecidas a bovinos Chino Santandereano en estabulación, utilizando cuatro animales en delineamiento en cuadrado latino 4x4, siendo los tratamientos: NS, no suplementados; BAJO, suplementados con cantidad relativa al 0.5% del peso-corporal; MEDIO, suplementados con cantidad relativa al 1.0% del peso corporal; ALTO, suplementados con cantidad relativa al 1.5% del peso corporal. El consumo fue determinado diariamente y la digestibilidad a través de colecta total de heces en los dos últimos días de cada periodo. Resultados. Mayor concentración de proteína bruta fue encontrada en suplemento en comparación con el pasto (p<0.001), exhibiendo el forraje mayor concentración de PBNNP (p<0.001), a la vez que el suplemento presentó concentración más elevada de PV (p<0.001) y PVAD (p=0.027). Animales suplementados presentaron mayor consumo de PB, PBNNP (p=0.037), PV, PIDN, PVAD, PIDA y PVLD (p<0.05), no obstante, cuando se determinó la concentración que representa el consumo de PIDA en el consumo de PB, no se observó diferencia entre suplementados y NS (p=0.078). Mayor digestibilidad de la PB fue encontrada en animales suplementados cuando contrastados con NS (p<0.001), observándose entre tratamientos suplementados un efecto lineal ascendente a medida que aumentó el nivel de suplementación. Conclusiones. La suplementación mejora la digestibilidad de la proteína bruta por aportar mayor cantidad de fragmentos nitrogenados de alta digestibilidad.
Mexico has experienced intense urbanization in recent decades. Although all the metropolitan areas of the country have grown, the size generated by the megalopolis of the Valle de México is ...especially relevant since it is able to generate more intense agglomeration economies than those of the rest of the urban concentrations. This heterogeneity in the urban structure of the country makes the analysis of the effect of agglomeration economies on productivity for the Mexican case especially interesting. Through a panel model with fixed effects, we studied the effects of agglomeration economies on labor productivity of the manufacturing industry in the metropolitan municipalities of Mexico. We propose an adaptation of the model of Combes (2000) to isolate the effects of localization economies though a specialization index and urbanization economies though an index of economic diversity and occupational density. Our results indicate that specialization and the level of economic diversity clearly contribute to explaining the productivity levels of manufacturers among metropolitan municipalities.
Resumen
México ha experimentado una intensa urbanización en las últimas décadas. Aunque todas las zonas metropolitanas del país han crecido, el tamaño generado por la megalópolis del Valle de México es especialmente relevante ya que es capaz de generar economías de aglomeración más intensas que las del resto de concentraciones urbanas. Esta heterogeneidad en la estructura urbana del país hace que el análisis del efecto de las economías de aglomeración sobre la productividad para el caso mexicano sea especialmente interesante. Se utilizó un modelo de panel con efectos fijos para estudiar los efectos de las economías de aglomeración sobre la productividad laboral de la industria manufacturera en los municipios metropolitanos de México. Se propone una adaptación del modelo de Combes (2000) para aislar los efectos de las economías de localización a través de un índice de especialización y de las economías de urbanización a través de un índice de diversidad económica y densidad ocupacional. Los resultados indican que la especialización y el nivel de diversidad económica contribuyen claramente a explicar los niveles de productividad de los fabricantes entre los municipios metropolitanos.
抄録
メキシコはここ数十年で急激に都市化が進んだ。同国の大都市圏は発展を遂げたが、Valle de México巨大都市圏の規模は、他の都市圏よりも集中度の高い集積経済を生み出すことができるため特に重要である。メキシコにおける生産性に対する集積経済の影響の分析は、同国の都市構造が不均一であるため特に興味深いものである。固定効果のパネルモデルを用いて、メキシコの大都市圏における製造業の労働生産性に対する集積経済の影響を検討した。特価指数による地域特化の経済の効果と、経済的多様性と職業密度の指数による都市化の経済の効果を分離するためCombes(2000)のモデルを採用することを提案する。結果から、特価と経済的多様性のレベルが、大都市の自治体における製造業者の生産性レベルに明らかに関連することが示された。
Arid zones represent 44% of the world's agricultural land where crops are exposed to stressful conditions, mainly water deficiency and high solar radiation. Under such conditions, arbuscular ...mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may improve plant stress resistance by increasing water and nutrient uptake but their diversity and community in dryland agroecosystems remains underexplored. The objective of this study was to investigate the AMF species diversity and community associated with five economically relevant crops (alfalfa, pepper, maize, onion and walnut) grown in an arid zone of northern Mexico. DNA was extracted and PCR-amplified with AMF specific primers from root and rhizosphere soil samples. Libraries were constructed and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq system; representative sequences were assigned to 30 species in 12 genera. AMF community composition was similar among the crops but significantly different between the roots and the rhizosphere soil. A strong dominance, in terms of DNA sequence read abundance of
Septoglomus
sp. was found in root samples. On the contrary, in rhizosphere soil
Rhizophagus
spp. and
Funneliformis mosseae
were more abundant. Most of the
Septoglomus
sequences were affiliated to a node in-between the branches of the species
S. viscosum
and
S. titan
, indicating an undescribed or uncharacterized highly abundant species in this ecosystem. Describing and understanding plant associated AMF communities in drylands may provide valuable information for future tailored made inocula efforts.
PDF
