Nutritional value of meat lipid fraction obtained from mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) reared in semiextensive conditions for hunting purposes

The mallard duck or wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is the world's most widespread and numerous dabbling duck, being traditionally hunted across many countries in Europe and North America. This study aims to provide a detailed characterization of mallard duck's meat lipid fraction obtained from farmed specimens, reared for hunting purposes, under semiextensive conditions. The mallard's duck meat total lipid content averaged 2.0 and 4.26 g/100 g of fresh meat in breast and leg meat portions, and its meat comprised 23 individual fatty acids (FA) and 3 dimethylacetals (DMA), independently of the sex or meat portion. The oleic (C18:1 cis-9), palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), linoleic (C18:2n-6), arachidonic (C20:4n-6), palmitoleic (C16:1 cis-9), and cis-vaccenic (C18:1 cis-11) acids were the predominant FA (representing >1% of total fatty acids in both breast and leg meat portions and independently of the sex), and together, these 7 fatty acids were accountable for 92.4 to 96.5% of total FA plus DMA in mallard duck meat. The monounsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were accountable for 40.4, 35.0, and 21.0% of total FA plus DMA in breast and 54.6, 38.7, and 5.7% of total fatty acids in leg, while total DMA were liable for 3.6 and 0.9% of total FA plus DMA in breast and leg, respectively. The mallard duck meat total cholesterol content averaged 49.8 and 57.1 mg/100 g of fresh meat for breast and leg meat portions. Five tocochromanols were quantified in mallard duck meat, affording it with a total vitamin E content of 5.48 and 3.63 µg/g of fresh meat in breast and leg portions. The sex had no influence (P > 0.05) on mallard's duck meat lipid composition, but meat portion had a strong influence on mallard's duck meat lipid composition, influencing total lipid, total cholesterol, total vitamin E contents, FA partial sums, FA ratios (exception made for the n-6/n-3 ratio), and all nutritional lipid indices. The breast meat presented lower total lipid and total cholesterol contents, better FA ratios and nutritional quality indices and higher vitamin E content, being regarded as a healthier meat than leg. The study presented herein shows that mallard duck production in semiextensive conditions, similar to those used herein, could be used for the production of mallard duck beyond hunting. A production of duck's meat under natural or organic production practices, oriented to a market niche within the gourmet/organic markets.

Assessing Adherence to Vaccination, Social Distancing and Other Preventive Behaviors by Patients With Mental Disorders in the Context Of Covid-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review Protocol

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a worldwide public health crisis, leading to significant disruptions in societal behaviors and norms. Within the affected population, individuals with mental health disorders are considered a vulnerable group, experiencing higher infection rates and poorer outcomes. These adverse outcomes can be attributed to various factors, including inadequate adherence to vaccination and other preventive measures. To address this issue, this study aims to present the research protocol for a scoping review that will comprehensively examine the literature on the adherence of individuals with mental disorders to preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scoping review will adhere to the methodological guidelines outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute and will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. A comprehensive search for published literature containing original data will be conducted in the Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases. The search strategy will be developed based on the Population, Concept, and Context inclusion criteria. Two authors will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full texts for inclusion and extract relevant data. The findings of the review will be presented using descriptive statistics, including tables, charts, and flow diagrams, to elucidate the key concepts of interest.

Footwear designed to enhance energy return improves running economy compared to a minimalist footwear: does it matter for running performance?

The present study compared the effects of a footwear designed to enhance energy return (thermoplastic polyurethane, TPU) vs minimalist shoes on running economy (RE) and endurance performance. In this counterbalanced and crossover design study, 11 recreational male runners performed two submaximal constant-speed running tests and two 3-km time-trials with the two shoe models. Oxygen uptake was measured during submaximal constant-speed running tests in order to determine the RE at 12 km/h and oxygen cost of running (CTO2) at individual average speed sustained during the 3-km running time-trials wearing either of the two shoes. Our results revealed that RE was improved (2.4%) with TPU shoes compared with minimalist shoes (P=0.01). However, there was no significant difference for CTO2 (P=0.61) and running performance (P=0.52) comparing the TPU (710±60 s) and the minimalist (718±63 s) shoe models. These novel findings demonstrate that shoes with enhanced mechanical energy return (i.e. TPU) produced a lower energy cost of running at low (i.e., 12 km/h) but not at high speeds (i.e., average speed sustained during the 3-km running time-trial, ∼15 km/h), ultimately resulting in similar running performance compared to the minimalist shoe.

Are mental disorders related to disbelief in free will? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

The nature and existence of free will have been debated for centuries. Since some psychiatric disorders are known to interfere with one's ability to control their actions and thoughts (e.g., schizophrenia), the investigation of the psychiatric facet of free will beliefs seems to be relevant. In this systematic review, we were interested in clarifying if and how having a mental disorder affects individuals' beliefs in free will by comparing psychiatric vs. non-psychiatric samples.

METHODS

A systematic search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases was performed between 04 and 09 November 2020. The search strategy included "free will" and related constructs and terms related to DSM-5 mental disorders characterized by psychotic, compulsive, avoidant, or impulsive symptoms. Eligible designs of studies included case-control and cohort studies. Study selection took place in committee meetings consisting of six researchers. Quality assessment of the selected studies was performed through the Joanna Briggs Institute Appraisal Checklist for Case Control Studies.

RESULTS

After removing duplicates, a total of 12,218 titles/abstracts were screened. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed, and three articles were eventually selected.

CONCLUSIONS

It is not possible to provide unequivocal confirmation that having a mental disorder can or cannot affect someone's belief in free will. Studies with different mental disorders should be conducted in this field.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42018109468.

Suppression of a BAHD acyltransferase decreases p-coumaroyl on arabinoxylan and improves biomass digestibility in the model grass Setaria viridis

Grass cell walls have hydroxycinnamic acids attached to arabinosyl residues of arabinoxylan (AX), and certain BAHD acyltransferases are involved in their addition. In this study, we characterized one of these BAHD genes in the cell wall of the model grass Setaria viridis. RNAi silenced lines of S. viridis (SvBAHD05) presented a decrease of up to 42% of ester-linked p-coumarate (pCA) and 50% of pCA-arabinofuranosyl, across three generations. Biomass from SvBAHD05 silenced plants exhibited up to 32% increase in biomass saccharification after acid pre-treatment, with no change in total lignin. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that SvBAHD05 is a p-coumaroyl coenzyme A transferase (PAT) mainly involved in the addition of pCA to the arabinofuranosyl residues of AX in Setaria. Thus, our results provide evidence of p-coumaroylation of AX promoted by SvBAHD05 acyltransferase in the cell wall of the model grass S. viridis. Furthermore, SvBAHD05 is a promising biotechnological target to engineer crops for improved biomass digestibility for biofuels, biorefineries and animal feeding.

Effect of kernel processing and particle size of whole-plant corn silage with vitreous endosperm on dairy cow performance

Kernel processing and theoretical length of cut (TLOC) of whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) can affect feed intake, digestibility, and performance of dairy cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate for lactating dairy cows the effects of kernel processing and TLOC of WPCS with vitreous endosperm. The treatments were a pull-type forage harvester without kernel processor set for a 6-mm TLOC (PT6) and a self-propelled forage harvester with kernel processor set for a 6-mm TLOC (SP6), 12-mm TLOC (SP12), and 18-mm TLOC (SP18). Processing scores of the WPCS were 32.1% (PT6), 53.9% (SP6), 49.0% (SP12), and 40.1% (SP18). Twenty-four Holstein cows (139 ± 63 d in milk) were blocked and assigned to six 4 × 4 Latin squares with 24-d periods (18 d of adaptation). Diets were formulated to contain 48.5% WPCS, 15.5% citrus pulp, 15.0% dry ground corn, 9.5% soybean meal, 6.8% low rumen degradability soybean meal, 1.8% calcium soap of palm fatty acids (FA), 1.7% mineral and vitamin mix, and 1% urea (dry matter basis). Nutrient composition of the diets (% of dry matter) was 16.5% crude protein, 28.9% neutral detergent fiber, and 25.4% starch. Three orthogonal contrasts were used to compare treatments: effect of kernel processing (PT6 vs. SP6) and effect of TLOC (particle size; SP6 vs. SP12 and SP12 vs. SP18). Cows fed SP6 produced 1.2 kg/d greater milk yield with no changes in dry matter intake, resulting in greater feed efficiency compared with PT6. Cows fed SP6 also produced more milk protein (+36 g/d), lactose (+61 g/d), and total solids (+94 g/d) than cows fed PT6. The mechanism for increased yield of milk and milk components involved greater kernel fragmentation, starch digestibility, and glucose availability for lactose synthesis by the mammary gland. However, cows fed SP6 had lower chewing time and tended to have greater levels of serum amyloid A compared with PT6. Milk yield was similar for SP6 and SP12, but SP12 cows tended to have less serum amyloid A with greater chewing time. Cows fed SP18 had lower total-tract starch digestibility and tended to have lower plasma glucose and produce less milk compared with cows fed SP12. Compared with PT6, feeding SP6 raised linear odd-chain FA concentration in milk. Similarly, a reduction of these same FA occurred for SP12 compared with SP6. Cows fed SP6 had greater proportion of milk C14:1 and C16:1 compared with PT6 and SP12. Lesser trans C18:1 followed by greater C18:0 concentrations were observed for SP12 and PT6 compared with SP6, which is an indication of more complete biohydrogenation in the rumen. Under the conditions of this study, the use of a self-propelled forage harvester with kernel processing set for a 12-mm TLOC is recommended for WPCS from hybrids with vitreous endosperm.

Temporary Tooth Separation to Improve Assessment of Approximal Caries Lesions: A School-Based Study

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Radiographic lesion depth should not be used as the single determinant of the restorative threshold for clinically inaccessible approximal caries lesions. Temporary tooth separation is a feasible and effective diagnostic aid for assessment and appropriate management of approximal lesions.

SUMMARY

In the era of tooth-preserving dentistry, the decision to restore approximal caries lesions must be based on the accurate assessment of tooth cavitation, as the accumulation of oral biofilms in these areas encourages lesion progression. However, lesions radiographically into dentin remain the main threshold criterion for restoring approximal lesions even though most of these lesions may not be cavitated. A school-based clinical protocol for temporary tooth separation (TTS) was developed to improve visual-tactile assessment and management of clinically inaccessible approximal lesions. TTS data retrieved from electronic health records were used to correlate radiographic lesion depth and surface cavitation status with lesion location and the patient's caries risk and to evaluate the effectiveness of TTS as a diagnostic aid for approximal lesions. Of the 206 lesions assessed, 66.5% (n=137) were located in the maxillary arch, 56.6% (n=116) in distal surfaces, 61.3% (n=114) in premolars, and 21.5% (n=40) in molars. After tooth separation, 79.6% (n=164) of the lesions were diagnosed as noncavitated, including 90% (n=66) of the lesions radiographically at the inner half of enamel (E2) and 66% (n=49) of those at the outer-third of dentin (D1). Logistic regression analysis using E2 and D1 lesions showed no significant association between lesion depth or cavitation status with lesion location and caries risk. TTS is a feasible and effective diagnostic aid for the assessment and appropriate management of approximal caries lesions. There is a need to reevaluate the use of radiographic lesion depth as the single determinant of the restorative threshold for clinically inaccessible approximal lesions.

Suppression of a single BAHD gene in Setaria viridis causes large, stable decreases in cell wall feruloylation and increases biomass digestibility

Feruloylation of arabinoxylan (AX) in grass cell walls is a key determinant of recalcitrance to enzyme attack, making it a target for improvement of grass crops, and of interest in grass evolution. Definitive evidence on the genes responsible is lacking so we studied a candidate gene that we identified within the BAHD acyl-CoA transferase family. We used RNA interference (RNAi) silencing of orthologs in the model grasses Setaria viridis (SvBAHD01) and Brachypodium distachyon (BdBAHD01) and determined effects on AX feruloylation. Silencing of SvBAHD01 in Setaria resulted in a c. 60% decrease in AX feruloylation in stems consistently across four generations. Silencing of BdBAHD01 in Brachypodium stems decreased feruloylation much less, possibly due to higher expression of functionally redundant genes. Setaria SvBAHD01 RNAi plants showed: no decrease in total lignin, approximately doubled arabinose acylated by p-coumarate, changes in two-dimensional NMR spectra of unfractionated cell walls consistent with biochemical estimates, no effect on total biomass production and an increase in biomass saccharification efficiency of 40-60%. We provide the first strong evidence for a key role of the BAHD01 gene in AX feruloylation and demonstrate that it is a promising target for improvement of grass crops for biofuel, biorefining and animal nutrition applications.

Overexpression of BdMATE Gene Improves Aluminum Tolerance in Setaria viridis

Acidic soils are distributed worldwide, predominantly in tropical and subtropical areas, reaching around 50% of the arable soil. This type of soil strongly reduces crop production, mainly because of the presence of aluminum, which has its solubility increased at low pH levels. A well-known physiological mechanism used by plants to cope with Al stress involves activation of membrane transporters responsible for organic acid anions secretion from the root apex to the rhizosphere, which chelate Al, preventing its absorption by roots. In sorghum, a membrane transporter gene belonging to multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family was identified and characterized as an aluminum-activated citrate transporter gene responsible for Al tolerance in this crop. Setaria viridis is an emerging model for C4 species and it is an important model to validate some genes for further C4 crops transformation, such as sugarcane, maize, and wheat. In the present work, Setaria viridis was used as a model plant to overexpress a newly identified MATE gene from Brachypodium distachyon (BdMATE), closely related to SbMATE, for aluminum tolerance assays. Transgenic S. viridis plants overexpressing a BdMATE presented an improved Al tolerance phenotype, characterized by sustained root growth and exclusion of aluminum from the root apex in transgenic plants, as confirmed by hematoxylin assay. In addition, transgenic plants showed higher root citrate exudation into the rhizosphere, suggesting that Al tolerance improvement in these plants could be related to the chelation of the metal by the organic acid anion. These results suggest that BdMATE gene can be used to transform C4 crops of economic importance with improved aluminum tolerance.

Relationships between static foot alignment and dynamic plantar loads in runners with acute and chronic stages of plantar fasciitis: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The risk factors for the development of plantar fasciitis (PF) have been associated with the medial longitudinal arch (MLA), rearfoot alignment and calcaneal overload. However, the relationships between the biomechanical variables have yet to be determined.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships between the MLA, rearfoot alignment, and dynamic plantar loads in runners with unilateral PF in acute and chronic phases.

METHOD

Cross-sectional study which thirty-five runners with unilateral PF were evaluated: 20 in the acute phase (with pain) and 15 with previous chronic PF (without pain). The MLA index and rearfoot alignment were calculated using digital images. The contact area, maximum force, peak pressure, and force-time integral over three plantar areas were acquired with Pedar X insoles while running at 12 km/h, and the loading rates were calculated from the vertical forces.

RESULTS

The multiple regression analyses indicated that both the force-time integral (R²=0.15 for acute phase PF; R²=0.17 for chronic PF) and maximum force (R²=0.35 for chronic PF) over the forefoot were predicted by an elevated MLA index. The rearfoot valgus alignment predicted the maximum force over the rearfoot in both PF groups: acute (R²=0.18) and chronic (R²=0.45). The rearfoot valgus alignment also predicted higher loading rates in the PF groups: acute (R²=0.19) and chronic (R²=0.40).

CONCLUSION

The MLA index and the rearfoot alignment were good predictors of plantar loads over the forefoot and rearfoot areas in runners with PF. However, rearfoot valgus was demonstrated to be an important clinical measure, since it was able to predict the maximum force and both loading rates over the rearfoot.

First study on anthropogenic Pt, Pd, and Rh levels in soils from major avenues of São Paulo City, Brazil

Over the last years, investigations on the increase of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh) levels in urban environments of big cities all over the world - especially to catalytic converters emissions - have been grown up enormously. São Paulo City is the 6th largest megacity in the world having about 20 million inhabitants and an ever increasing seven million motor vehicle fleet. In spite of this, there has never been an investigation regarding Pt, Pd, and Rh levels in the city. In the present study, Pt, Pd, and Rh concentrations were determined in soils adjacent to seven main high-density traffic avenues in the metropolitan region of São Paulo City. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed - after ultrasound-assisted aqua regia leaching - as analytical technigue. The results showed concentration levels up to 378 ng g(-1) for Pd, 208 ng g(-1) for Pt, and 0.2 to 45 ng g(-1) for Rh. These levels are much higher than those considered for the geochemical background of soils, indicating a catalytic converter source. Due to the different Pt/Pd/Rh ratio in Brazilian automobile catalytic converters, lower levels of Pt/Pd ratios compared with other similar studies were observed. The obtained results are the first data for monitoring Pt, Pd, and Rh pollution in São Paulo City soils.

Effect of image resolution manipulation in rearfoot angle measurements obtained with photogrammetry

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of image resolution manipulation on the photogrammetric measurement of the rearfoot static angle. The study design was that of a reliability study. We evaluated 19 healthy young adults (11 females and 8 males). The photographs were taken at 1536 pixels in the greatest dimension, resized into four different resolutions (1200, 768, 600, 384 pixels) and analyzed by three equally trained examiners on a 96-pixels per inch (ppi) screen. An experienced physiotherapist marked the anatomic landmarks of rearfoot static angles on two occasions within a 1-week interval. Three different examiners had marked angles on digital pictures. The systematic error and the smallest detectable difference were calculated from the angle values between the image resolutions and times of evaluation. Different resolutions were compared by analysis of variance. Inter- and intra-examiner reliability was calculated by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). The rearfoot static angles obtained by the examiners in each resolution were not different (P > 0.05); however, the higher the image resolution the better the inter-examiner reliability. The intra-examiner reliability (within a 1-week interval) was considered to be unacceptable for all image resolutions (ICC range: 0.08-0.52). The whole body image of an adult with a minimum size of 768 pixels analyzed on a 96-ppi screen can provide very good inter-examiner reliability for photogrammetric measurements of rearfoot static angles (ICC range: 0.85-0.92), although the intra-examiner reliability within each resolution was not acceptable. Therefore, this method is not a proper tool for follow-up evaluations of patients within a therapeutic protocol.

Determinação do teor de NR/SBR em misturas: associação de dados DTG e FT-IR

Misturas contendo teor conhecido de borracha natural (NR) e copolímero de butadieno e estireno (SBR) foram preparadas nos laboratórios do CTA e do IFOCA como amostras de referência para a elaboração de uma curva analítica, visando à determinação do teor de NR e SBR por análise pirólise/FT-IR. Termogravimetria foi usada para determinar o teor real de NR e SBR nas misturas por meio da razão entre as alturas dos picos da curva derivada (DTG). As bandas FT-IR escolhidas na região MIR foram 885 cm-1 (A1) para NR e 699 cm-1 (A2) para SBR. Os valores de absorvância relativa (A1/A2) versus a relação NR/SBR, obtida a partir dos dados fornecidos pela análise DTG, foram usados para construir uma curva com uma boa correlação linear (R=0,998), a qual possibilita determinar os teores de NR e SBR em misturas onde os componentes têm a mesma composição química.

Shrimp--a dynamic model of heavy-metal uptake in aquatic macrofauna

A dynamic model for prediction of bioaccumulation in aquatic macrofauna is described. The model, entitled SHRIMP (Simulation of Heavy-metal Rate of Intake for Macrofaunal sPecies), consists of five coupled submodels, which simulate individual growth, population dynamics, metal transport in the abiotic part of the system, metal bioaccumulation at the organism level, and upscaling of individual contamination to the population scale. The sublethal effects of metal toxicity on individual and population levels are shown to act through the reduction of individual growth rates. The model was tested for cadmium and mercury using epibenthic crustacea from an estuarine system. Individual and population patterns of bioaccumulation were analyzed by comparing the simulated results of five different scenarios of dissolved metal concentrations. Model results suggest that the subtle effect of growth reduction due to metal toxicity is sufficient to cause a decrease on population numbers simply by affecting the growth of the mature females and males.

Effectiveness of surface protection for resin-modified glass-ionomer materials

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various surface treatments for resin-modified glass-ionomer restorative materials by determining dye uptake spectrophotometrically.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

Two hundred twenty-four specimens, 4.1 mm in diameter and 2.0 mm thick, were made of 3 materials: Vitremer, Fuji II LC, and Photac-Fil Aplicap. Specimens were divided into 15 groups. The positive and negative control specimens remained unprotected, while the experimental specimens were protected with Heliobond light-activated bonding resin, Colorama nail varnish, or surface coatings indicated by the manufacturers of the glass-ionomer materials: Finishing Gloss for Vitremer, Fuji Varnish for Fuji II LC, and Ketac Glaze for Photac-Fil. The disks were immersed in 0.05% methylene blue for 24 hours except for the negative control group, which was immersed in deionized water. After 24 hours, the disks were removed, washed, and individually placed in 1 mL of 65% nitric acid for 24 hours. The solutions were centrifuged and the spectrophotometric absorbance was determined at 606 nm. The dye uptake was expressed in micrograms of dye per milliliter, and the results were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

There were no differences in dye uptake among the 3 resin-modified glass-ionomer restorative materials; however, all of them required surface protection.

CONCLUSION

The best surface protection for the 3 evaluated materials was obtained with Heliobond light-activated bonding resin.

Treatment of molluscum contagiosum with potassium hydroxide: a clinical approach in 35 children

Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is a strong alkali that has long been known to digest proteins, lipids, and most other epithelial debris of skin scrapings to identify fungal infections. To our knowledge, KOH has never been used for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum (MC). We evaluated 35 children with MC for the clinical effectiveness of treatment with topical 10% KOH aqueous solution. The solution was applied by the parents of affected children, twice daily, on each MC lesion. The therapy was continued until all lesions underwent inflammation and superficial ulceration. Thirty-two of 35 patients achieved complete clinical cure after a mean treatment period of 30 days. Three children discontinued treatment: two reported severe stinging of the lesions and refused further applications; the other, with giant MC lesions, developed a secondary infection with prolonged treatment. Therapy with KOH was found to be effective and safe in the treatment of MC in children.

Pure red cell aplasia due to persistent B19 parvovirus infection in patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Recovery with alpha-interferon therapy

B19 parvovirus (PV) infection is ordinarily resolved with the production of specific antibodies that neutralize virus infectivity for erythroid host cells. Nevertheless persistent infection with B19 PV and pure red blood cell aplasia have been documented. A 27 year-old male. i.v. drug abuser, HIV+ and HCV was diagnosed of pure red cell aplasia. Six months later we had serologic evidence of persistent parvovirus infection. Interferon therapy, started for HCV infection, showed a marked improvement of anaemia and anti parvovirus IgM became negative. It is discussed the possible role of interferon therapy in persistent parvovirus infection.