Determination of Prediction Equations to Estimate Body Condition Score From Body Size and Testicular Traits of Yankasa Rams

The study was aimed to develop prediction models using stepwise multiple linear regressionanalysis for estimating the body condition score (BCS) from the body weight (BW), testicular length(TL), testicular diameter (TD) and scrotal circumference (SC) of indigenous Yankasa rams. Data wereobtained from 120 randomly selected rams with approximately two and half years of age, from differentextensively managed herds in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Although pairwise phenotypic correlationsindicated strong association (P<0.01) among the measured variables, there was collinearity problembetween BW and SC as revealed by the variance inflation factors (VIF) and tolerance valves (T). TheVIT was higher than 10 (VIF = 19.45 and 16.65 for BW and SC, respectively). The Twas smaller than0.1 (T = 0.05 and 0.06 in BW and SC, respectively). BW was retained among the collinear variables, andwas singly accounted for 83.7% of the variation in BCS. However, a slight improvement was obtainedfrom the prediction of BCS from BW and TL [coefficient of determination (R2), adjusted R2 and rootmean squares error (RMSE) were 85.3%, 85.1% and 0.305, respectively]. The prediction of the BCS ofYankasa rams from BW and testicular measurements could therefore be a potential tool for sustainableproduction and improvement of small ruminants in Nigeria

Suppliers’ perspectives on the affordability of wellness services

This paper looks into suppliers’ perspectives on the affordability of wellness services. It is becoming generally understood that prevention and health promotion are more cost-effective than the current model of sickness cure There is strong evidence that suggests that the adverse financial situation of the population impacts the usage of wellness services. Using an inductive, qualitative methodology, a number of interviews with wellness suppliers and local council were conducted. Findings demonstrated that there are significant operational and commercial barriers in making wellness services more affordable. Conclusions indicate that potential solutions can be realised through the collaboration between wellness suppliers, 3rd parties and public sector bodies

Comparative characterization of human and ovine non-aureus staphylococci isolated in Sardinia (Italy) for antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and resistance genes

We present the comparative characterization of 195 non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) isolates obtained from sheep (n=125) and humans (n=70) in Sardinia, Italy, identified to species level by gap gene PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with AluI. Isolates were tested phenotypically with a disk diffusion method and genotypically by PCR, for resistance to 11 antimicrobial agents including cationic antiseptic agents. Among the ovine isolates, S. epidermidis (n=57), S. chromogenes (n=29), S. haemolyticus (n=17), S. simulans (n=8), and S. caprae (n=6) were the most prevalent species, while among human isolates, S. haemolyticus (n=28) and S. epidermidis (n=26) were predominant, followed by S. lugdunensis and S. hominis (n=4). Of the 125 ovine isolates, 79 (63.2%) did not carry any of the resistance genes tested, while the remainder carried resistance genes for at least one antibiotic. The highest resistance rates among ovine isolates were recorded against tetracycline (20.8%), and penicillin (15.2%); none was resistant to methicillin and two exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR); one of which was positive for the antiseptic resistance smr gene. By contrast, most human isolates (59/70, 84.3%) were resistant to ≥ 1 antimicrobials, and 41 (58.6%) were MDR. All 52 (74.3%) penicillin-resistant isolates possessed the blaZ gene., and 33 of 70 ( 47.1%) harboured the mec gene; of these, 7 were characterised by the Staphylococcal Chromosomal Cassette (SCCmec) type IV, 6 the type V, 5 of type III, and one representative each of type I and type II. The majority (57.1%) were erythromycin-resistant and 17 isolates carried only the efflux msrA gene, 11 the methylase ermC gene, and an equal number harboured both of the latter genes. Moreover, 23 (32.8%) were tetracycline-resistant and all but one possessed only the efflux tetK gene. qacA/B and smr genes were detected in 27 (38.6%) and 18 (25.7%) human NAS, respectively. These results underline a marked difference in species distribution and antimicrobial resistance between ovine and human derived NAS

Genotoxicity of source, treated and distributed water from four drinking water treatment plants supplied by surface water in Sardinia, Italy

High levels of disinfection by-products (DBPs) are constantly found in drinking water distributed in Sardinia, an Italian island with a tourist vocation and critical issues related to the drinking water supply. To reduce the concentration of trihalomethanes the disinfectant in use was changed – chlorine dioxide was adopted instead of hypochlorite. However, this caused the appearance of other DBPs (e.g., chlorites) in water distributed to the population. Thus, the use of monochloramine as a secondary disinfectant (associated with chlorine dioxide as the primary disinfectant) was evaluated in four drinking water treatment plants supplied by artificial basins located in the central-northern part of Sardinia. Raw, disinfected and distributed waters were studied for genotoxicity using a battery of in vitro tests on different cells (bacteria, plant and mammalian cells) to detect different genetic endpoints (i.e., point and chromosome mutations and DNA damage). Moreover, a chemical and microbiological characterisation of water samples was performed. All samples of water distributed to the people showed mutagenic or genotoxic effects in different cells/organisms. In particular, chromosome aberrations in plant cells and DNA damage in human cells were observed. In this study, the use of chloramines associated with other disinfectants did not eliminate the mutagenicity present in the raw water and when the raw water was not mutagenic it introduced mutagenic/genotoxic substances. A careful management of drinking water is needed to reduce health hazards associated with the mutagenicity of drinking water

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Other Biological Properties of Pompia Juice

Pompia is a Citrus species belonging to Sardinian endemic biodiversity. Health benefits were attributed to its flavedo rind extracts and essential oils while the juice qualities have never been investigated. In this paper, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and other biological properties of Pompia juice were studied. A combined LCMS/electrochemical/biological approach was used to clarify a still debated phylogeny of this species and to explain the role of its juice phenolic compounds. A closer phylogenetic relationship with lemon and citron, rather than oranges was suggested. Sensors-based electrochemical measures, together with LCMS qualitative and quantitative analyses, revealed a high contribution of ascorbic acid and phenolics with low redox potential, isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, diosmin, and diosmetin 6,8-diglucoside, to antioxidant capacity. The biological assays demonstrated a marked effect of low concentration of Pompia juice against reactive oxygen species (ROS) starting from 50 μg mL-1, and a moderate capacity to reduce ROS damages on cell membrane. Treatments with Pompia juice also resulted in a significant reduction (20%) of the metabolic activity of SW48 colon cancer cells. Lastly, MIC, MBC, and MBIC antimicrobial assays demonstrated that Pompia and lemon juices have inhibitory and antibiofilm effects against the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis

Modulation of adipose-derived stem cell behavior by prostate pathology-associated plasma: insights from in vitro exposure

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are promising in regenerative medicine. Their proliferation, survival and activation are influenced by specific signals within their microenvironment, also known as niche. The stem cell niche is regulated by complex interactions between multiple cell types. When transplanted in a specific area, ADSCs can secrete several immunomodulatory factors. At the same time, a tumor microenvironment can influence stem cell behavior, modulating proliferation and their ability to differentiate into a specific phenotype. Whitin this context, we exposed ADSCs to plasma samples derived from human patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC), or precancerous lesions (PL), or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) for 4, 7 or 10&nbsp;days. We then analyzed the expression of main stemness-related markers and cell-cycle regulators. We also measured cytokine production and polyamine secretion in culture medium and evaluated cell morphology and collagen production by confocal microscopy. The results obtained from this study show significant changes in the morphology of ADSCs exposed to plasma samples, especially in the presence of prostate cancer plasma, suggesting important implications in the use of ADSCs for the development of new treatments and application in regenerative medicine

Preliminarna istraživanja polimorfizma hemoglobina i povezanosti s morfometrijskim svojstvima zapadnoafričkih patuljastih koza u sjevernom dijelu središnje Nigerije

The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic pool of the West African Dwarf (WAD) goats using haemoglobin (Hb) polymorphism, as well as the association of some morphological traits with the Hb variants. Blood samples were collected from a total of 104 mature goats of both sexes belonging to the WAD breed in north central Nigeria. The red cell lysates were subjected to cellulose acetate electrophoresis and specific staining procedure to reveal the band patterns of haemoglobin. Three co-dominant alleles, causing the presence of three genotypes (AA, AB and AC) were detected among individual goats. The frequencies of the A, B and C alleles were 0.69, 0.30 and 0.01, respectively. The corresponding genotype frequencies for AA, AB and AC in the goat population were 0.37, 0.61 and 0.02, respectively. The discrepancy between the observed and the expected genotype number was significant (P0.05) by Hb variants. There is a need for further study encompassing more number of goats covering larger areas, use of DNA markers and their relationship with economic traits as well as performance study for detailed understanding of breed characteristics, conservation and genetic improvement of WAD goats in north central Nigeria.Cilj ovog istraživanja bila je genetska karakterizacija zapadnoafričkih patuljastih koza (WAD) pomoću polimorfizma hemoglobina (Hb), kao i povezanost nekih morfoloških obilježja s HB varijantama. Uzorci krvi spolno zrelih koza WAD pasmine (n=104) prikupljeni su u sjevernom dijelu središnje Nigerije. Uzorci su uzeti od oba spola. Za utvrđivanje profila hemoglobina provedena je elektroforeza (celuloza acetat) i specifična tehnika bojanja gela. Tri kodominantna alela koja su uvjetovala prisutnost tri genotipa (AA, AB i AC) utvrđena su između pojedinih koza. Frekvencije alela A, B i C bile su 0,69, 0,30 i 0,01. Frekvencija genotipova AA bila je 0,37, AB 0,61 i AC 0,02. Nesukladnost između promatranog i očekivanog broja genotipova bila je značajna (P0,05) na ostale parametre tijela. Postoji potreba za daljnje istraživanje koje će obuhvatiti veći broj koza koje pokrivaju veća područja, korištenjem DNA markera i njihova odnosa s gospodarskim svojstvima, kao i performans studije za razumijevanje svojstava pasmine, te očuvanje i genetsko unapređenje WAD pasmine koza u sjevernom dijelu središnje Nigerije

Underrepresentation of Women in Exercise Science and Physiology Research Is Associated with Authorship Gender

Historically, low representation of women participants in exercise science and physiology studies has led to a lack of understanding in the response of women to exercise and therapeutic interventions. We hypothesized that 1) the number of women authors, participants, and editorial board members increased over 30 years (1991–2021) and 2) larger representation of women as editors and authors is associated with more women participants. Gender (man/woman) of editorial board members (n = 394), authors (n = 5,735), and participants (n = 2,984,883) of 972 original research articles with human participants published in 1991 and 2021 was analyzed from three journals: Journal of Applied Physiology, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and British Journal of Sports Medicine. Between 1991 to 2021, the average percent women per article as participants (21.9 ± 31.7% vs. 36.3 ± 30.3%, respectively, P \u3c 0.001), authors (16.4 ± 22.4% vs. 30.9 ± 24.0%, P \u3c 0.001), and editorial board members (13.3 ± 5.4% vs. 41.5 ± 7.3%, P = 0.006) increased. In 2021, the gender proportion of participants in large datasets was similar (50.2 ± 20.2% women). However, studies with smaller datasets (i.e., r = 0.42, P \u3c 0.001). Our data suggest that the low representation of women in exercise science and physiology research could be resolved with equitable numbers of women authors and editors and by encouraging men authors to study both women and men participants

O impacto do isolamento social determinado pela pandemia do COVID-19 na saúde mental dos idosos: uma revisão sistemática

INTRODUÇÃO: Devido a pandemia da COVID-19, tem-se discutido o impacto do isolamento social na saúde mental da população. Entretanto, poucos estudos avaliaram o impacto aos idosos. Desse modo, é importante avaliar a real consequência a esse grupo etário, assim como poder demonstrar a necessidade de instituir medidas preventivas que objetivam reduzir e minimizar o sofrimento mental deles. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto do isolamento social, devido à pandemia pela Covid-19, na saúde mental dos idosos. METODOLOGIA: É uma revisão sistemática, na qual foi realizado buscas de alta sensibilidade, por estudos qualitativos e observacionais.Os resultados foram exportados para o Rayaan, plataforma na qual os pesquisadores se basearam em critérios de inclusão e exclusão pré definidos para a seleção final. RESULTADO: Foram analisados 475 artigos, sendo selecionados sete ao final. Os artigos analisados permitiram apontar a situação da saúde mental em idosos durante o isolamento social. &nbsp;Quatro estudos avaliaram que indivíduos acima de 50 anos apresentaram maiores problemas em relação à saúde mental; em contrapartida, três estudos apresentaram resultados divergentes, uma vez que a saúde mental dos jovens foi afetada de modo semelhante ou em maiores proporções que a dos idosos, em relação ao humor e à insônia. CONCLUSÃO: Foi perceptível a&nbsp; influência do isolamento social nos idosos com piora dos distúrbios psiquiátricos, destacando-se a depressão e ansiedade. Logo, são necessárias medidas preventivas e paliativas para apoio psicológico desse grupo etário, com o objetivo de minimizar&nbsp; e prevenir o sofrimento mental

A Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception Study on Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multicentric Italian Survey Insights

In January 2020, Chinese health authorities identified a novel coronavirus strain never before isolated in humans. It quickly spread across the world, and was eventually declared a pandemic, leading to about 310 million confirmed cases and to 5,497,113 deaths (data as of 11 January 2022). Influenza viruses affect millions of people during cold seasons, with high impacts, in terms of mortality and morbidity. Patients with comorbidities are at a higher risk of acquiring severe problems due to COVID-19 and the flu-infections that could impact their underlying clinical conditions. In the present study, knowledge, attitudes, and opinions of the general population regarding COVID-19 and influenza immunization were evaluated. A multicenter, web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted between 10 February and 12 July 2020, during the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections among the general population in Italy. A sample of 4116 questionnaires was collected at the end of the study period. Overall, 17.5% of respondents stated that it was unlikely that they would accept a future COVID-19 vaccine (n = 720). Reasons behind vaccine refusal/indecision were mainly a lack of trust in the vaccine (41.1%), the fear of side effects (23.4%), or a lack of perception of susceptibility to the disease (17.1%). More than 50% (53.8%; n = 2214) of the sample participants were willing to receive flu vaccinations in the forthcoming vaccination campaign, but only 28.2% of cases had received it at least once in the previous five seasons. A higher knowledge score about SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and at least one flu vaccination during previous influenza seasons were significantly associated with the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza. The continuous study of factors, determining vaccination acceptance and hesitancy, is fundamental in the current context, in regard to improve vaccination confidence and adherence rates against vaccine preventable diseases