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SUMMARY: The existence of pathogenic microorganisms in the poultry industry associated with the progression of antimicrobial resistance highlights the need to explore natural antimicrobial agents in maintaining poultry antibacterial standards. Essential oils are broad-spectrum natural agents against bacteria, showing a remarkable ability to combat bacterial resistance. These natural compounds demonstrate more effective antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant strains than synthetic chemical antibiotics. Therefore, this review identifies the antibacterial benefits of Syzygium aromaticum essential oil in bacterial control of poultry and poultry products. The compilation of researched studies confirms that Syzygium aromaticum essential oil has proven to be a safe and effective oral antibiotic, promoting the preservation of eggs and meat without adverse impacts. Eugenol is the most significant contributor to its antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The American Association of Endocrine Surgeons drafted Entrustable Professional Activities for Comprehensive Endocrine Surgery to assess trainees in core topics., Methods: Fourteen Entrustable Professional Activities were defined. There were 10 "core" Entrustable Professional Activities, with 6 having 3 phases (pre-, intra-, and postoperative) and 4 having a single phase. There were also 4 elective Entrustable Professional Activities, all of which had 3 phases. Beginning in July 2022, 10 institutions collected 3-item microassessments of trainee performance in Entrustable Professional Activities using a web-based platform. Entrustment was measured on a 5-point scale., Results: A total of 698 microassessments were submitted between July 2022 and September 2023, with a wide range between programs (3-449, median: 24). Four-hundred ninety-two microassessments were completed for endocrine surgery fellows, 6 for chief residents, 6 for postgraduate year 4 students, 166 for postgraduate year 3 students, and 28 for postgraduate year 2 students. Entrustment scores for fellows improved in the second half of the academic year, with 38.2% of microassessments with highest (4/5) entrustment scores in the first 6 months of the academic year and 80.1% with highest scores in the second half of the year (P < .001). Intraoperative entrustment scores were lowest in the adrenal category, with only 13 of 117 (11.1%) of microassessments with highest entrustment compared with 85 with 230 (37.0%) in the thyroid category, and 65 of 165 (39.4%) in the parathyroid category (P < .001). Trainees were more likely to achieve highest entrustment in the first 6 months for preoperative (36/70, 28.5%) and postoperative (15/28, 53.5%) phases of care, compared with the intraoperative phase of care (79/334, 23.6%) (P < .001)., Conclusion: Entrustment scores improved in the second half of the academic year, and trainees were likely to achieve entrustment earlier in nonoperative phases of care., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest/Disclosure The authors have no related conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Children with behavioral issues in residential care settings have high rates of trauma, with a range of trauma experiences such as abuse and neglect, issues with attachment, and multiple disruptions in placements. Staff in these settings should have an understanding of trauma, its impact, and how to engage in trauma-informed practice., The purpose of this study was to examine whether a trauma-informed training, developed specifically based on the identified needs of a residential group care facility, had an impact on future staff attitudes and behaviors., Materials and Methods: A 3-h training was delivered by the researchers. Three identical sessions were provided to all 48 staff, regardless of education and role, across a 3-day period. Prior to the training, staff were given a pretest survey measuring components of trauma-informed (TI) practice that indicated how often the staff members engaged in TI practice. Thirty days later, the same participants completed a posttest survey to gauge if the training had an impact on their subsequent attitudes and behavior., Results: There were improvements in many of the trauma-informed practice areas on the posttest survey. T-test analysis revealed five trauma-informed practice areas had improvements that were statistically significant from the pretest survey., Discussion: The findings present the opportunity for recommendations for trauma-informed training development and delivery, as well as providing implications for the field of social work., Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility of administering a trauma-informed training program and observing relatively rapid improvements in future attitudes and behavior among staff.

Brazil is among the world's top beef producers and exporters, and the Montana breed of livestock has gained popularity due to its exceptional meat quality and ability to adapt to the tropical climate. This differentiates it from other breeds, such as the Zebu and Taurine. A methodology that mapped sixteen farms across five Brazilian states was adopted to investigate the link between SNP genetic data and animal collection location. The data was georeferenced using the Geographic Information System and the ArcGIS 10.3 software, considering a geographic coordinate system and the WGS 84 datum. The Alleles in Space (AIS) software was used to study the relationship between the SNP genetic data and the animal collection location. Various analyses were conducted, including the Mantel correlation, genetic barrier identification, and spatial autocorrelation. The results suggest that there is a correlation between genetic and geographical distances, supporting the idea that geographical distance can affect genetic diversity. This information is vital to understand the genetic structure of populations concerning geographical space and is crucial for optimizing Brazilian agricultural production., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Radiofrequency ablation is an effective minimally invasive technique for benign thyroid nodules, with European and Asian studies reporting improved quality of life following treatment. We aimed to assess the thyroid-related quality of life of patients with benign thyroid nodules treated with radiofrequency ablation in the United States., Methods: This is a prospective single-institution study of patients treated with radiofrequency ablation over a 4-year period. Nodule characteristics and Thyroid-Related Patient-Reported Outcome (ThyPRO)-39 scores were assessed at baseline, 3 months post-procedure, and last follow-up (range: 3-12 months). Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess differences in scores before and after radiofrequency ablation with standardized effect size analysis., Results: A total of 56 patients with 76 nodules were treated. The median volume reduction ratio at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months was 44.9% (interquartile range: 27.3-57.3), 65.2% (53.5-73.1), 69.7% (63.5-81.9), and 79.6% (66.2-88.9), respectively. At 3-month follow-up, significant improvement (P < .05) was observed for goiter symptoms (28.9 vs 10.8), anxiety (30.7 vs 19.3), and appearance (29.9 vs 10.8). At last follow-up, significant improvement (P < .05) was observed for goiter symptoms (28.9 vs 8.9), anxiety (30.7 vs 22.3), appearance (29.9 vs 10.8), and overall quality of life (30.3 vs 11.1). Effect sizes were moderate for appearance (standardized effect size 0.5-0.8) at last follow-up., Conclusion: In the largest US study to date assessing quality of life following radiofrequency ablation, we observed an expected volume reduction ratio and improvements in thyroid-specific quality of life, particularly in the goiter, anxiety, and appearance domains., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest/Disclosures Jennifer H. Kuo is a consultant with Medtronic., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study examines the impact of participating in a seven-week football programme on the personal well-being of male asylum seekers residing in contingency accommodation in the UK., Methods: This repeated measures study included a cohort of participants who engaged in weekly football sessions and completed a well-being questionnaire (ONS4) over a continuous seven-week period. Longitudinal linear regression analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used to assess the relationship between personal well-being and weekly minutes of football participation (M1). A second model incorporating the total number of non-football activity sessions in the past week as a covariate was also implemented (M2)., Results: Of the 73 participants who completed the questionnaire, 23 responded twice or more across the study period and were subsequently included in the analysis. Results revealed that 2 h of football participation within 7 days significantly improved aspects of personal well-being when compared with no football participation, including improved life satisfaction, feeling life is worthwhile, and happiness. Both models demonstrated a shift from 'low' to 'medium' ONS4 categorical score. Anxiety levels remained unchanged regardless of participation and model., Conclusion: We provide important evidence on the potential benefits of football participation for promoting personal well-being among male asylum seekers residing in contingency accommodation., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Dr Chris McManus reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/100014013UK Research and Innovation., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this paper, we looked at the collaboration publishing patterns for groups of Global South countries (Latin America, Africa, ASEAN, Asian, BRICS), as well as publishing parameters. We looked at financing and the relationships between these groups and the Global North. Data from 2002 to 2021 was collected from InCites ® (Web of Science, Clarivate Analytics) and SciVal® (Scopus Elsevier). The impact was lower for BRICS, while Latin America and Asean countries tended to have a higher Field Weighted Citation Impact. Good Health and well-being (SDG 3) dominates South-South Collaborations. Asian countries showed a higher percentage of Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG7), while Africa and Latin America had a higher rate of Zero Hunger (SDG1). Each region shows different production profiles, but collaboration with the Global North is necessary for all regions. Intra-regional shows a lower impact than inter-regional financing, calling attention to the increasing influence of China in all regions, except for Latin America. The data analysed can be used for orienting South-South scientific Collaboration programs, focusing on pre-existent synergies and on where policy changes and results can be maximised.

This study aimed to evaluate forage production and ingestive behavior of Morada Nova sheep in an intensive system with capim-tamani grass in both monoculture and silvopastoral irrigated systems in the Semi-arid region. Eighteen adult sheep, approximately 3 years old, with an average body weight of 26.8 ± 4.3 kg, were allocated to treatments with capim-tamani grass cultivated in monoculture and in silvopastoral systems with Caatinga trees. The experiment followed a completely randomized complete block design with two plots and three replications. Forage production, consumption, and behavioral activities were the assessed variables. The animals remained in the pasture daily between 6 am and 6 pm. No effects of the monoculture and silvopastoral systems were observed on the structural and productive characteristics of the capim-tamani grass pasture. There were also no observed effects on body condition score, consumption, and disappearance rate of dry matter (DM) and other nutrients in both systems. However, there was an interaction between the time animals spent under shade in monoculture and silvopastoral systems. In general, the animals spent more time under shade where there were trees, except during the period between 2 pm and 4 pm, when the times were similar. On average, the animals spent approximately 15.6% (equivalent to 1.87 h) of their total time in the artificial shade available in the monoculture system, whereas in the silvopastoral system, they remained under natural shade for approximately 40% (five and a half hours) of their time spent in the pasture during the day. The grazing frequency in both systems was approximately 70% (8.4 h) in relation to the total time spent in the pasture. The capim-tamani grass pasture managed intensively with sheep in the silvopastoral system showed similar forage production and consumption compared to the monoculture system. There was a positive influence of trees on the duration of solar radiation exposure to the animals throughout the day. The results support the need to provide shade for sheep, as well as to promote these sustainable systems in semi-arid regions., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: People with MS (pwMS) commonly experience a range of hidden symptoms, including cognitive impairment, anxiety and depression, fatigue, pain, and sensory difficulties. These "invisible" symptoms can significantly impact wellbeing, relationships, employment and life goals. We developed a novel bespoke online group neuropsychological intervention combining psychoeducation and cognitive rehabilitation with an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-informed approach for pwMS in an acute tertiary hospital. This 'Neuropsychological Intervention for Managing Invisible Symptoms' in MS (NIMIS-MS) consisted of 6 sessions, each with a psychoeducation and ACT component. The content included psychoeducation around managing cognitive difficulties, fatigue, pain, sleep and other unpleasant sensations in MS with the general approach of understanding, monitoring, and recognising patterns and potential triggers. Specific cognitive rehabilitation and fatigue management strategies were introduced. The ACT-informed component focussed on three core ACT areas of the 'Triflex' of psychological flexibility (Harris, 2019): Being Present, Opening Up, and Doing What Matters., Methods: 118 pwMS attended the NIMIS-MS group intervention which was delivered 14 times in six-week blocks over an 18-month period. To evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability, participants completed measures of depression and anxiety (HADS), functional impairment (WSAS), Values- Progress (VQ) and Values- Obstruction (VQ), and Acceptance of MS (MSAS) pre and post NIMIs-MS group intervention. Qualitative feedback was obtained during focus groups after the final session and via online feedback questionnaires RESULTS: Pre-post analysis showed that symptoms of depression and anxiety were significantly lower and acceptance of MS was significantly higher following completion of the NIMIS-MS group. Qualitative feedback showed that participants reported that they felt more equipped to manage the "invisible" symptoms of MS following completion of the group, and benefited from using ACT-based strategies and techniques. Participants highly valued the peer support that evolved during the NIMIS-MS groups. The online format was considered more accessible than in-person groups, due to less concerns of travel time, cost, fatigue, and comfort and infection., Conclusion: Evaluation suggests that our novel NIMIS-MS groups is an acceptable, beneficial and feasible approach for providing neuropsychological interventions to individuals with MS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors do not have any competing or conflicting interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) offers a minimally invasive solution for benign, autonomously functioning (AFTN), and malignant thyroid nodules. The technique utilizes high-frequency alternating current to induce coagulative necrosis, effectively destroying target tissue. RFA is performed in the outpatient setting with local anesthesia and sonographic guidance. RFA is effective in producing substantial volume reduction rates in benign nodules and is emerging as a favorable option in AFTN and papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. RFA's advantages include lower complication rates, minimal scarring, and improved quality-of-life outcomes compared to surgery. However, its efficacy in larger and recurrent malignancies requires further investigation., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have no financial or commercial interests to disclose. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The present study describes the expression of genes in the Longissimus dorsi muscle related to meat quality of hair lambs finished in an Integration Crop-Livestock system. Twenty-eight non-castrated lambs of two breeds, Somalis Brasileira and Santa Inês, at 120 ± 15 days of age, with an average initial live weight of 18 ± 3.1 kg, were kept in a pasture-based finishing system with supplementation. Upon reaching 28 kg body weight, animals were sent for slaughter. Samples of the Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris muscle were harvested for analyses of gene expression and physicochemical properties. Significant differences were detected between the breeds for tissue and chemical composition, whereas the physical aspects did not differ. We observed the expression of six genes related to lipid synthesis (acetyl-CoA carboxylase [ACACA], fatty acid synthase [FAS], stearoyl-CoA desaturase [SCD], lipoprotein lipase [LPL], cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector A [CIDEA], and thyroid hormone responsive [THRSP]) and six genes related to molecular synthesis (myostatin [MSTN], growth differentiation factor 8 [GDF8], insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF1], insulin-like growth factor 2 [IGF2], delta-like 1 homolog [DLK1], and growth hormone receptor [GHr]) in both breeds. The Santa Inês breed and the Somalis Brasileira showed similar expression patterns of genes related to lipogenesis and myogenesis of the Longissimus dorsi muscle, with the exception of the THRSP gene, in which the Somalis Brasileira have more receptors for the action of thyroid hormones, which resulted in greater thickness of fat in the carcass (subcutaneous fat) and higher lipid content in the chemical composition of the meat., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The Morada Nova sheep breed is essential for the economy of the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, standing out for its adaptability, resistance to parasites and reproductive ability. However, the white variant is endangered, highlighting the importance of studies on its productivity to support conservation efforts. This study focuses on the growth curve of the Morada Nova sheep breed, using nonlinear models and analyzing flock profiles. Total of 764 observations of 165 animals from four farms in Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, were analyzed. Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was used for the exploratory analysis and four nonlinear models were used to study the growth curve. Weight from birth to 270 days of age, absolute growth rate (AGR), and the impact of sex on growth curves were assessed. Sex and farm are significant discriminating variables (P < 0.05) for the studied effects (weight and age). Weight was the primary phenotypic biomarker that discriminated between the two indicators, while age was a discriminating indicator only for the core effect. The Gompertz model was the most efficient, presenting the lowest residuals and greatest convergence. The study reveals new information about the growth of Morada Nova sheep, the white variety, including weight differences between the sexes at all analyzed ages and an inflection point before 90 days of age. These discoveries contribute to the understanding of the breed's growth and help in the formulation of conservation strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Protein synthesis is a vital process that is highly regulated at the initiation step of translation. Eukaryotic 5' transcript leaders (TLs) contain a variety of cis -regulatory features that influence translation and mRNA stability. However, the relative influences of these features in natural TLs are poorly characterized. To address this, we used massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) to quantify RNA levels, ribosome loading, and protein levels from 11,027 natural yeast TLs in vivo and systematically compared the relative impacts of their sequence features on gene expression. We found that yeast TLs influence gene expression over two orders of magnitude. While a leaky scanning model using Kozak contexts and uAUGs explained half of the variance in expression across transcript leaders, the addition of other features explained ~70% of gene expression variation. Our analyses detected key cis -acting sequence features, quantified their effects in vivo, and compared their roles to motifs reported from an in vitro study of ribosome recruitment. In addition, our work quantitated the effects of alternative transcription start site usage on gene expression in yeast. Thus, our study provides new quantitative insights into the roles of TL cis-acting sequences in regulating gene expression.

Open access (OA) publishing provides free online access to research articles without subscription fees. In Brazil, absence of financial support from academic institutions and limited government policies pose challenges to OA publication. Here, we used data from the Web of Science and Scopus to compare with global trends in journal accessibility and scientific quality metrics. Brazilian authors publish more OA articles, particularly in Global South journals. While OA correlates with quality for global authors, it had no impact on Brazilian science. To maximize impact, Brazilian authors should prioritize Q1 journals regardless of OA status. High-impact or Global North journal publication seems more relevant for Brazilian science than OA. Our findings indicate that the present open access policy has been ineffective to improve the impact of Brazilian science, providing insights to guide the formulation of scientific public policies.

Bacteria continue to disrupt poultry production and can cause resistant and persistent yolk sac infections to prevention efforts, known as omphalitis, resulting in poultry death. This literature review aims to demonstrate how plant extracts can help combat omphalitis in poultry. The Google Scholar database served as a resource for retrieving pertinent literature covering a wide range of search terms relevant to the scope of the research. The search strategy involved a combination of terms such as antimicrobials, chick embryo, omphalitis, plant extracts, poultry nutrition, and sanitization. The potential of plant extracts in preventing or treating infections in poultry, especially omphalitis, is mainly due to their antibacterial and safety properties. Sanitization and direct delivery of plant extracts to the internal contents of eggs, feed, or water are cutting-edge interventions to reduce the bacterial load in eggs and poultry, minimizing infection rates. For example, these interventions may include advanced treatment technologies or precise delivery systems focused on disease prevention in poultry.

Objectives: To compare catheter-related outcomes of individuals who received a tunnelled femorally inserted central catheter (tFICC) with those who received a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in the upper extremities., Design: A propensity-score matched cohort study., Setting: A 980-bed tertiary referral hospital in South West Sydney, Australia., Participants: In-patients referred to the hospital central venous access service for the insertion of a central venous access device., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of all-cause catheter failure. Secondary outcomes included the rates of catheters removed because of suspected or confirmed catheter-associated infection, catheter dwell and confirmed upper or lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT)., Results: The overall rate of all-cause catheter failure in the matched tFICC and PICC cohort was 2.4/1000 catheter days (95% CI 1.1 to 4.4) and 3.0/1000 catheter days (95% CI 2.3 to 3.9), respectively, and when compared, no difference was observed (difference -0.63/1000 catheter days, 95% CI -2.32 to 1.06). We found no differences in catheter dwell (mean difference of 14.2 days, 95% CI -6.6 to 35.0, p=0.910); or in the cumulative probability of failure between the two groups within the first month of dwell (p=0.358). No significant differences were observed in the rate of catheters requiring removal for confirmed central line-associated bloodstream infection (difference 0.13/1000 catheter day, 95% CI -0.36 to 0.63, p=0.896). Similarly, no significant differences were found between the groups for confirmed catheter-related DVT (difference -0.11 per 1000 catheter days, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.04, p=1.00)., Conclusion: There were no differences in catheter-related outcomes between the matched cohort of tFICC and PICC patients, suggesting that tFICCs are a possible alternative for vascular access when the veins of the upper extremities or thoracic region are not viable for catheterisation., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Narcotic Detection Dogs (NDDs) are essential tools in the fight against drug trafficking, acting with high precision and improving efficiency at border posts. When trained efficiently, these dogs can detect a great variety of compounds, such as cocaine, marijuana and its derivatives, and synthetic drugs, among others. Most of the knowledge on canine detection processes and efficiency has been determined in experimentally controlled conditions, but narcotic seizures detected by dogs in realistic anti-drug operations have not yet been critically determined in a Country with continental dimensions such as Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the data set concerning the performance, operations, efficiency, and success rate of NDDs used by the Brazilian Customs Authority (Aduana) in the fight against drug trafficking. Narcotic seizure rates increased in luggage and packages detected by NDDs working at border crossings from 2010 to 2020, with an estimated value of over US$ 2 billion in losses to the cocaine drug trafficking business. NDD units also increased most narcotic groups seized in the same period. The number of NDDs and anti-drug operations, and Customs Border Post (CBP) influenced the rates of drugs seized. NDDs provided an increase of 3,157 kg/animal of drugs seized for every new dog introduced into the inspection systems., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Jantorno, Xavier, Magalhães, de Castro, McManus and de Melo.)

While the nucleophilic addition of ammonia to ketones is an archetypal reaction in classical organic chemistry, the reactivity of heavier group 14 carbonyl analogues (R 2 E=O; E=Si, Ge, Sn, or Pb) with NH 3 remains sparsely investigated, primarily due to the synthetic difficulties in accessing heavier ketone congeners. Herein, we present a room-temperature stable boryl-substituted amidinato-silanone {(HCDippN) 2 B}{PhC(tBuN) 2 }Si=O (Dipp=2,6-iPr 2 C 6 H 3 ) (together with its germanone analogue), formed from the corresponding silylene under a N 2 O atmosphere. This system reacts cleanly with ammonia in 1,2-fashion to give an isolable sila-hemiaminal complex {(HCDippN) 2 B}{PhC(tBuN) 2 }Si(OH)(NH 2 ). Quantum chemical calculations reveal that the formation of this sila-hemiaminal is crucially dependent on the nature of the ancillary ligand scaffold. It is facilitated thermodynamically by the hemi-lability of the amidinate ligand (which allows for the formation of an energetically critical intramolecular N⋅⋅⋅HO hydrogen bond within the product) and is enabled mech-anistically by a process in which the silanone initially acts in umpolung fashion as a base (rather than an acid), due to the strongly electron-releasing and sterically bulky nature of the ancillary boryl ligand., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Biscuit bran (BB) is a co-product with worldwide distribution, with Brazil as the second largest cookie producer in the world with 1,157,051 tons. We evaluate the impact of completely replacing corn with BB on the characteristics and morphometry of carcass of purebred and crossbred Morada Nova lambs using machine learning techniques as an auxiliary method. Twenty male lambs from two genetic groups (GG) were used: purebred red-coated Morada Nova (MNR) and crossbred MNR × white-coated Morada Nova (MNF1). Supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques were used. No interaction (P > 0.05) was observed between diets (D) and genetic groups (GG) and no simple isolated effect was observed for carcass characteristics, qualitative-quantitative typification of the Longissimus dorsi muscle, weight of non-carcass components, weight and yield of commercial cuts and carcass morphometric measurements. The formation of two horizontal clusters was verified: (i) crossed lambs with corn and BB and (ii) purebred lambs fed corn and BB. Vertically, three clusters were formed based on carcass and meat characteristics of native lambs: (i) thermal insulation, body capacity, true yield, and commercial cuts; (ii) choice, performance, physical carcass traits, and palatability; and (iii) yield cuts and non-carcass components. The heatmap also allowed us to observe that pure MN lambs had a greater body capacity when fed BB, while those fed corn showed superiority in commercial cuts, true yields, and non-carcass components. Crossbred lambs, regardless of diet, showed a greater association of physical characteristics of the carcass, performance, palatability, and less noble cuts. Crossbred lambs, regardless of diet, showed a greater association of physical characteristics of the carcass, performance, palatability, and less noble cuts. BB can be considered an alternative energy source in total replacement of corn. Integrating of machine learning techniques is a useful statistical tool for studies with large numbers of variables, especially when it comes to analyzing complex data with multiple effects in the search for data patterns and insights in decision-making on the farm., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Family violence, which includes intimate partner abuse, child abuse, and elder abuse, is a serious public health concern. Primary healthcare (PHC) offers a vital opportunity to identify and address family violence, yet barriers prevent the effective implementation of family violence interventions in PHC settings. The purpose of this study is to improve family violence identification and response in Alberta's PHC settings by exploring readiness factors., Methods: An integrated knowledge translation approach, combining implementation science and participatory action research, was employed to develop a readiness assessment tool for addressing family violence within PHC settings in Alberta. The research involved three phases: phase 1 involved a rapid evidence assessment, phase 2 engaged a panel of healthcare and family violence experts to explore readiness components in the Alberta context, and phase 3 utilized a 3-round Delphi consensus-building process to refine readiness indicators., Results: Phase 1 findings from a rapid evidence assessment highlighted five main models/tools for assessing readiness to implement family violence interventions in PHC settings. In phase 2, additional concepts were identified through exploration with healthcare and family violence expert panel members, resulting in a total of 16 concepts for assessing family violence readiness within the Alberta PHC context. The 3-round Delphi consensus-building process in Phase 3 involved nine panelists, who collectively agreed on the inclusion of all concepts and indicators, yielding a total of 60 items for the proposed readiness assessment tool for addressing family violence in PHC within Alberta., Conclusion: The current study lays the groundwork for future family violence intervention programs, offering insights into key components that promote readiness for implementing comprehensive programs and supporting PHC organizations in effectively addressing family violence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Essential oils are liquids containing non-toxic compounds that are unfavorable to the growth of microorganisms. They are sold globally at affordable or very high prices, depending on the availability and type of plant, the scale of production, the extraction method, costs associated with logistics and electricity consumption, among other variables. Each year, the quantity of research dedicated to the antimicrobial potential of essential oils in poultry farming is expanding. Researchers consensually relay that this increase is due to the growing resistance of microorganisms to traditional antimicrobials and concerns about the toxicity of these products. This review proposes an analysis of the antimicrobial feasibility of using essential oils to address microbial challenges in poultry farms, aiming to ensure the production and supply of microbiologically safe hatching eggs. Based on the findings in the literature, in addition to following other necessary precautions in the daily routines of poultry farming practices, developing an antimicrobial control program with essential oils that integrates poultry facilities, poultry and hatching eggs, adapted to the particularities of each context seems to be extremely effective.

Cognitive difficulties are reported in up to 60% of people with MS (pwMS). There is often a discrepancy between self-reported cognitive difficulties and performance on cognitive assessments. Some of this discrepancy can be explained by depression and fatigue. Pre-MS cognitive abilities may be another important variable in explaining differences between self-reported and assessed cognitive abilities. PwMS with high estimated premorbid cognitive functioning (ePCF) may notice cognitive difficulties in daily life whilst performing within the average range on cognitive assessments. We hypothesised that, taking into account depression and fatigue, ePCF would predict (1) differences between self-reported and assessed cognitive abilities and (2) performance on cognitive assessments. We explored whether ePCF predicted (3) self-reported cognitive difficulties. Eighty-seven pwMS completed the Test of Premorbid Functioning (TOPF), the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS), self-report measures of cognitive difficulty (MS Neuropsychological Questionnaire; MSNQ), fatigue (MS Fatigue Impact Scale; MFIS) and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS). Results revealed that, taking into account covariates, ePCF predicted (1) differences between self-reported and assessed cognitive abilities, p < .001 (model explained 29.35% of variance), and (2) performance on cognitive assessments, p < .001 (model explained 46.00% of variance), but not (3) self-reported cognitive difficulties, p = .545 (model explained 35.10% of variance). These results provide new and unique insights into predictors of the frequently observed discrepancy between self-reported and assessed cognitive abilities for pwMS. These findings have important implications for clinical practice, including the importance of exploring premorbid factors in self-reported experience of cognitive difficulties., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Neuropsychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.)

Context: Cold-water immersion (CWI) has been reported to reduce tissue metabolism postimmersion, but physiological data are lacking regarding the muscle metabolic response to its application. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive optical technique that can inform muscle hemodynamics and tissue metabolism., Objective: To investigate the effects of CWI at 2 water temperatures (10°C and 15°C) on NIRS-calculated measurements of muscle oxygen consumption (mVO2)., Design: Crossover study., Setting: University sports rehabilitation center., Patients or Other Participants: A total of 11 male National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II long-distance runners (age = 23.4 ± 3.4 years, height = 1.8 ± 0.1 m, mass = 68.8 ± 10.7 kg, mean adipose tissue thickness = 6.7 ± 2.7 mm)., Intervention(s): Cold-water immersion at 10°C and 15°C for 20 minutes., Main Outcome Measure(s): We calculated mVO2 preimmersion and postimmersion at water temperatures of 10°C and 15°C. Changes in tissue oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb), deoxyhemoglobin (HHb), total hemoglobin (tHb), hemoglobin difference (Hbdiff), and tissue saturation index (TSI %) were measured during the 20-minute immersion at both temperatures., Results: We observed a decrease in mVO2 after immersion at both 10°C and 15°C (F1,9 = 27.7801, P = .001). During the 20-minute immersion at both temperatures, we noted a main effect of time for O2Hb (F3,27 = 14.227, P = .001), HHb (F3,27 = 5.749, P = .009), tHb (F3,27 = 24.786, P = .001), and Hbdiff (F3,27 = 3.894, P = .020), in which values decreased over the course of immersion. Post hoc pairwise comparisons showed that these changes occurred within the final 5 minutes of immersion for tHb and O2Hb., Conclusions: A 20-minute CWI at 10°C and 15°C led to a reduction in mVO2. This was greater after immersion at 10°C. The reduction in mVO2 suggests a decrease in muscle metabolic activity (ie, O2 use after CWI). Calculating mVO2 via the NIRS-occlusion technique may offer further insight into muscle metabolic responses beyond what is attainable from observing the NIRS primary signals., (© by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Inc.)

High amplitudes of shock during running have been thought to be associated with an increased injury risk. This study aimed to quantify the association between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) quantified body composition, and shock attenuation across the time and frequency domains. Twenty-four active adults participated. A DEXA scan was performed to quantify the fat and fat-free mass of the whole-body, trunk, dominant leg, and viscera. Linear accelerations at the tibia, pelvis, and head were collected whilst participants ran on a treadmill at a fixed dimensionless speed 1.00 Fr. Shock attenuation indices in the time- and frequency-domain (lower frequencies: 3-8 Hz; higher frequencies: 9-20 Hz) were calculated. Pearson correlation analysis was performed for all combinations of DEXA and attenuation indices. Regularised regression was performed to predict shock attenuation indices using DEXA variables. A greater power attenuation between the head and pelvis within the higher frequency range was associated with a greater trunk fat-free mass (r = 0.411, p = 0.046), leg fat-free mass (r = 0.524, p = 0.009), and whole-body fat-free mass (r = 0.480, p = 0.018). For power attenuation of the high-frequency component between the pelvis and head, the strongest predictor was visceral fat mass (β = 48.79). Passive and active tissues could represent important anatomical factors aiding in shock attenuation during running. Depending on the type and location of these masses, an increase in mass may benefit injury risk reduction. Also, our findings could implicate the injury risk potential during weight loss programs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Stroke due to atrial fibrillation (AF) is more common in older adults. Frailty is associated with AF. As little is known about the impact of frailty on cardioembolic stroke, we examined its association with important healthcare outcomes including mortality and functional outcome in stroke with AF. Data were collected from patients presenting consecutively to a regional university hospital to assess pre-admission frailty using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and function with the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Stroke severity was assessed on the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). In total, 113 patients presenting between August 2014 and July 2016 were identified with cardioembolic stroke, median age 80 years; 60% were male. Their median NIHSS score was 6. The median pre-admission CFS score was 3; 26.5% scored ≥5/9, indicating frailty. The median pre-admission mRS scores increased significantly from 1 to 3 at discharge ( p < 0.001). Frailty was associated with worse mRS scores at discharge, odds ratio 1.5, ( p = 0.03). While no patients with frailty were suitable to avail of early supported discharge, 10% of those without frailty were ( p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality. Frailty is prevalent among patients with cardioembolic stroke due to AF and was associated with poorer functional outcomes. Although the numbers were small, these data suggest that brief frailty assessments are useful to risk-stratify patients with acute cardioembolic stroke. Frailty status on admission with stroke due to AF can help identify those more likely to have poorer outcomes, to benefit from intervention, to require prolonged rehabilitation, and to avail of ESD.

Pathogens, such as Escherichia coli ( E . coli ), have been identified as significant causes of poultry mortality. Poultry can serve as potential sources of E . coli transmission, even when asymptomatic, posing a substantial threat to food safety and human health. The in ovo administration of antimicrobials is crucial for preventing and/or effectively combating acute and chronic infections caused by poultry pathogens. To achieve this goal, it is critical that antimicrobials are properly injected into embryonic fluids, such as the amnion, to reach target tissues and trigger robust antimicrobial responses. Several protocols based on antimicrobials were evaluated to meet these requirements. This review analyzed the impacts of antimicrobial substances injected in ovo on the control of E . coli in poultry. The reduction in infection rates, resulting from the implementation of in ovo antimicrobials, combined with efforts aimed at hygienic-sanitary action plans in poultry sheds, reinforces confidence that E . coli can be contained before causing large scale damage. For example, antimicrobial peptides and probiotics have shown potential to provide protection to poultry against infections caused by E. coli . Issues related to the toxicity and bacterial resistance of many synthetic chemical compounds represent challenges that need to be overcome before the commercial application of in ovo injection protocols focused on microbiological control.

Poultry production is accompanied by the use of antimicrobial agents because no production step is free of microorganisms. In the absence of antimicrobial treatments with synthetic drugs, essential oils are among the most cited natural alternatives used to prevent and treat microbial contamination in poultry. Although there are several studies on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils, there is still no review that simultaneously compiles information on the leading antimicrobial role of essential oils from Citrus aurantifolia (CAEO), Ocimum basilicum (OBEO), and Allium sativum (ASEO) in poultry. Awareness of the antimicrobial role of these substances opens the door to encouraging their use in natural antimicrobial protocols and discouraging harmful synthetics in poultry. This review aimed to compile information on applying CAEO, OBEO, and ASEO as antimicrobials in poultry farming. The available literature suggests that these essential oils can proportionately align with the poultry industry's demands for microbiologically safe food products.

Understanding what others are doing is an essential aspect of social cognition that depends on our ability to quickly recognize and categorize their actions. To effectively study action recognition we need to understand how actions are bounded, where they start and where they end. Here we borrow a conceptual approach - the notion of 'canonicality' - introduced by Palmer and colleagues in their study of object recognition and apply it to the study of action recognition. Using a set of 50 video clips sourced from stock photography sites, we show that many everyday actions - transitive and intransitive, social and non-social, communicative - are characterized by 'canonical moments' in a sequence of movements that are agreed by participants to 'best represent' a named action, as indicated in a forced choice (Exp 1, n = 142) and a free choice (Exp 2, n = 125) paradigm. In Exp 3 (n = 102) we confirm that canonical moments from action sequences are more readily named as depicting specific actions and, mirroring research in object recognition, that such canonical moments are privileged in memory (Exp 4, n = 95). We suggest that 'canonical moments', being those that convey maximal information about human actions, are integral to the representation of human action. 1 ., (Copyright © 2023 University College Dublin. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The American Board of Surgery is transitioning from a volume-based to a competency-based assessment of residents using Entrustable Professional Activities. This form of feedback and evaluation should also apply to operative procedures to help residents track their own progress. We describe an operative readiness tool that measures perceived competency in trainees across several operative, procedural, and clinical activities., Methods: We distributed a survey to General Surgery trainees at our institution. Participants were asked to rate their level of comfort in 28 operative, procedural, or clinical activities using the standard Entrustable Professional Activity scale: (1) Observation Only, (2) Direct Supervision, (3) Indirect Supervision, (4) Unsupervised Practice, or (5) Supervising Others., Results: 43 of 46 residents (93%) responded to the survey. Median perceived comfort level generally increased with post graduate year level across all competencies. Residents reached a median perceived level of "Unsupervised Practice" by post graduate year 5 in 17 of 28 competencies of various complexity levels., Conclusions: While residents are not expected to achieve an "Unsupervised Practice" comfort level in all competencies, creating a transparent platform for reporting this information provides programs a tool to guide educational quality improvement efforts. In addition, it allows for program directors to have greater resolution into the operative advancement of residents outside of their own specialty. In the future, this tool may be instrumental in the development of national competency standards., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Whereas racial disparities in thyroid cancer care are well established, the role of social determinants of health is less clear. We aimed to assess the individual and cumulative impact of social determinants of health on mortality and time to treatment among patients with thyroid cancer., Methods: We collected social determinants of health data from thyroid cancer patients registered in the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2017. We created a count variable for patients in the lowest quartile of each social determinant of health (ie, low income, low education, and no insurance). We assessed the association of social determinants of health with mortality and time to treatment and the association between cumulative social determinants of health count and time to treatment using Cox regression., Results: Of the 142,024 patients we identified, patients with longer time to treatment had greater mortality compared to patients treated within 90 days (90-180 days, adjusted hazard ratio 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.13-1.29, P < .001); >180 days, adjusted hazard ratio 1.57 (95% confidence interval 1.41-1.76, (P < .001). Compared to patients with no adverse social determinants of health, patients with 1, 2, or 3 adverse social determinants of health had a 10%, 12%, and 34%, respectively, higher likelihood of longer time to treatment (1 social determinant of health, hazard ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.89-0.92, P < .001; 2 social determinants of health, hazard ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.87-0.90, P < .001; 3 social determinants of health, hazard ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.62-0.71, P < .001 for all). On subgroup analysis by race, each adverse social determinant of health was associated with an increased likelihood of a longer time to treatment for Black and Hispanic patients (P < .05)., Conclusion: A greater number of adverse social determinants of health leads to a higher likelihood of a longer time to treatment for patients with thyroid cancer, which, in turn, is associated with an increased risk for mortality., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)