Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Characteristics of Digestion, Microbial Protein Synthesis and Digestible Energy in Steers Fed Diets with Different Starch:ADF Ratios

Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Rivera-Mendez, C.R.,Aguilar-Hernandez, J.A.,Barreras, A.,Calderon-Cortes, J.F.,Plascencia, A.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Estrada-Angulo, A.,Valdes-Garcia, Y.S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2014 Animal Bioscience Vol.27 No.2

As a result of the cost of grains, the replacement of grains by co-products (i.e. DDGS) in feedlot diets is a common practice. This change produces diets that contain a lower amount of starch and greater amount of fibre. Hypothetically, combining feed grade urea (U) with slow release urea (Optigen) in this type of diet should elicit a better synchrony between starch (high-rate of digestion) and fibre (low-rate of digestion) promoting a better microbial protein synthesis and ruminal digestion with increasing the digestible energy of the diet. Four cannulated Holstein steers ($213{\pm}4$ kg) were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to examine the combination of Optigen and U in a finishing diet containing different starch:acid detergent fibre ratios (S:F) on the characteristics of digestive function. Three S:F ratios (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0) were tested using a combination of U (0.80%) and Optigen (1.0%). Additionally, a treatment of 4.5 S:F ratio with urea (0.80% in ration) as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used to compare the effect of urea combination at same S:F ratio. The S:F ratio of the diet was manipulated by replacing the corn grain by dried distillers grain with solubles and roughage. Urea combination did not affect ruminal pH. The S:F ratio did not affect ruminal pH at 0 and 2 h post-feeding but, at 4 and 6 h, the ruminal pH decreased as the S:F ratio increased (linear, p<0.05). Ruminal digestion of OM, starch and feed N were not affected by urea combination or S:F ratio. The urea combination did not affect ADF ruminal digestion. ADF ruminal digestion decreased linearly (p = 0.02) as the S:F ratio increased. Compared to the urea treatment (p<0.05) and within the urea combination treatment (quadratic, p<0.01), the flow of microbial nitrogen (MN) to the small intestine and ruminal microbial efficiency were greater for the urea combination at a S:F ratio of 4.5. Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved (2.8%, p = 0.02) postruminal N digestion. As S:F ratio increased, OM digestion increased, but ADF total tract digestion decreased. The combination of urea at 4.5 S:F improved (2%, p = 0.04) the digestible energy (DE) more than expected. Combining urea and Optigen resulted in positive effects on the MN flow and DE of the diet, but apparently these advantages are observed only when there is a certain proportion of starch:ADF in the diet.

Guide for Current Nutrigenetic, Nutrigenomic, and Nutriepigenetic Approaches for Precision Nutrition Involving the Prevention and Management of Chronic Diseases Associated with Obesity

Ramos-Lopez, Omar,Milagro, Fermí,n I.,Allayee, Hooman,Chmurzynska, Agata,Choi, Myung Sook,Curi, Rui,De Caterina, Raffaele,Ferguson, Lynnette R.,Goni, Leticia,Kang, Jing X.,Kohlmeier, Martin,Mart S. Karger AG 2017 Journal of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics Vol.10 No.1

<P>Chronic diseases, including obesity, are major causes of morbidity and mortality in most countries. The adverse impacts of obesity and associated comorbidities on health remain a major concern due to the lack of effective interventions for prevention and management. Precision nutrition is an emerging therapeutic approach that takes into account an individual's genetic and epigenetic information, as well as age, gender, or particular physiopathological status. Advances in genomic sciences are contributing to a better understanding of the role of genetic variants and epigenetic signatures as well as gene expression patterns in the development of diverse chronic conditions, and how they may modify therapeutic responses. This knowledge has led to the search for genetic and epigenetic biomarkers to predict the risk of developing chronic diseases and personalizing their prevention and treatment. Additionally, original nutritional interventions based on nutrients and bioactive dietary compounds that can modify epigenetic marks and gene expression have been implemented. Although caution must be exercised, these scientific insights are paving the way for the design of innovative strategies for the control of chronic diseases accompanying obesity. This document provides a number of examples of the huge potential of understanding nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic, and nutriepigenetic roles in precision nutrition.</P>

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Lambs Fed Finishing Diets with Different Starch to Acid Detergent Fiber Ratios

Estrada-Angulo, A.,Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Rivera-Mendez, C.R.,Castro, B.I.,Rios, F.G.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Barreras, A.,Urias-Estrada, J.D.,Zinn, R.A.,Plascencia, A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2016 Animal Bioscience Vol.29 No.12

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey${\times}$Katahdin lambs ($36.65{\pm}3kg$) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller's grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, $p{\leq}0.03$) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly ($p{\leq}0.02$). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet.

Effective Validation Model and Use of Mobile-Health Applications for the Elderly

Leonardo Juan Ramirez Lopez,Edward Paul Guillen Pinto,Carlos Omar Ramos Linares 대한의료정보학회 2018 Healthcare Informatics Research Vol.24 No.4

Objectives: Due to the uncontrolled increase of the mobile health applications and their scarce use by elderly for reason of absence credibility of measurements by lack scientific support, the aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between the biophysical measurements based on standard instrument against a mobile application using controlled experiments with elderly to propose an effective validation model of the developed apps. Methods: The subjects of the study (50 people) were elderly people who wanted to check their weight and cardiac status. For this purpose, two mobile applications were used to measure energy expenditure based on physical activity (Activ) and heart rate (SMCa) during controlled walking at specific speeds. Minute-by-minute measurements were recorded to evaluate the average error and the accuracy of the data acquired through confidence intervals by means of statistical analysis of the data. Results: The experimental results obtained by the Activ/SMCa apps showed a consistent statistical similarity with those obtained by specialized equipment with confidence intervals of 95%. All the subjects were advised and trained on the use of the applications, and the initial registration of data to characterize them served to significantly affect the perceived ease of use. Conclusions: This is the first model to validate a health-app with elderly people allowed to demonstrate the anthropometric and body movement differences of subjects with equal body mass index (BMI) but younger. Future studies should consider not only BMI data but also other variables, such as age and usability perception factors.

Influence of Ionophore Supplementation on Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics in Finishing Cattle during Period of Heat Stress

Barreras, A.,Castro-Perez, B.I.,Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Torrentera, N.G.,Montano, M.F.,Estrada-Angulo, A.,Rios, F.G.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Plascencia, A.,Zinn, R.A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.11

Forty-eight crossbred heifers ($378.1{\pm}18$ kg) were used in a 56-d feeding trial (four pens per treatment in a randomised complete block design) to evaluate the influence of ionophore supplementation on growth performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics in finishing cattle during a period of heat stress. Heifers were fed a diet based on steam-flaked corn (2.22 Mcal $NE_m/kg$) with and without an ionophore. Treatments were: i) control, no ionophore; ii) 30 mg/kg monensin sodium (RUM30); iii) 20 mg/kg lasalocid sodium (BOV20), and iv) 30 mg/kg lasalocid sodium (BOV30). Both dry matter intake (DMI) and climatic variables were measured daily and the temperature humidity index (THI) was estimated. The maximum THI during the study averaged 93, while the minimum was 70 (THI average = $79.2{\pm}2.3$). Compared to controls, monensin supplementation did not influence average daily gain, the estimated NE value of the diet, or observed-to-expected DMI, but tended (p = 0.07) to increase (4.8%) gain to feed. Compared to controls, the group fed BOV30 increased ($p{\leq}0.03$) daily gain (11.8%), gain to feed (8.3%), net energy of the diet (5%), and observed-to-expected DMI (5.2%). Daily weight gain was greater (7.6%, p = 0.05) for heifers fed BOV30 than for heifers fed MON30. Otherwise, differences between the two treatments in DMI, gain to feed, and dietary NE were not statistically significant (p>0.11). Plotting weekly intakes versus THI, observed intake of controls was greater (p<0.05) at THI values ${\leq}77$ than ionophore groups. When THI values were greater than 79, DMI of control and MON30 were not different (p = 0.42), although less than that of groups fed lasalocid (p = 0.04). Variation in energy intake was lower (p>0.05) in the ionophores group (CV = 1.7%) than in the control group (CV = 4.5%). Inclusion of ionophores in the diet resulted in relatively minor changes in carcass characteristics. It is concluded that ionophore supplementation did not exacerbate the decline of DM intake in heat-stressed cattle fed a high-energy finishing diet; on the contrary, it stabilised feed intake and favoured feed efficiency. Ionophore supplementation reduced estimated maintenance coefficients around 10% in finishing cattle during a period of heat stress. This effect was greatest for heifers supplemented with 30 mg lasalocid/kg of diet.

Generation of human iPSC line GRX-MCiPS4F-A2 from adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with Spanish genetic background

Cabrera, S.,Ji, A.R.,Frejo, L.,Ramos-Mejia, V.,Romero, T.,Real, P.,Lopez-Escamez, J.A. Elsevier 2015 Stem cell research Vol.15 No.2

We have generated iPSCs from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of a healthy man using heat sensitive and non-integrative Sendai virus containing Sox2, Oct¾, c-Myc and Klf4. Human GRX-MCiPS4F-A2 cell line was established and characterized through this study.

Application of hydraulic cylinder testing to determine the geotechnical properties of earth-filled dams

Rodriguez, Roman F.,Nicieza, Celestino G.,Gayarre, Fernando L.,Lopez, Francisco L. Ramos Techno-Press 2015 Geomechanics & engineering Vol.9 No.4

This article describes a new in-situ load test called the Hydraulic Cylinder Test (HCT) and its application to determine the geotechnical properties of soil-rock mixtures. The main advantages of the test are its easy implementation, speed of execution and low-cost. This article provides a detailed description of the equipment and the test procedure, and examines a case study of its application to determine the geotechnical properties of an earth-filled dam for a tailings pond. The containment dams of the ponds are made from blocks of gypsum and marl, obtained from the excavation of the ponds, mixed in a matrix of sands and clays. The size of the rocks varies between 1 and 30 cm. The HCT is particularly useful for determining the geotechnical properties of this type of soil-rock mixture. Nine HCTs were carried out to determine its strength (c, ${\phi}$) and deformation (B, G) properties. The results obtained were validated using the Bim strength criterion, recently proposed, and some pressure meter tests carried out beforehand. The properties obtained are used to analyze the stability of the dam using computer simulations and a modification to its design is proposed.

Effects of Replacing Dry-rolled Corn with Increasing Levels of Corn Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles on Characteristics of Digestion, Microbial Protein Synthesis and Digestible Energy of Diet in Hair Lambs Fed High-concentrate Diets

Castro-Perez, B.I.,Garzon-Proano, J.S.,Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Barreras, A.,Gonzalez, V.M.,Plascencia, Alejandro,Estrada-Angulo, A.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Rios-Rincon, F.G.,Zinn, R.A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.8

Four male lambs (Katahdin; average live weight $25.9{\pm}2.9$ kg) with "T" type cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square experiment to evaluate the influence of supplemental dry distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) levels (0, 10, 20 and 30%, dry matter basis) in substitution for dry-rolled (DR) corn on characteristics of digestive function and digestible energy (DE) of diet. Treatments did not influence ruminal pH. Substitution of DR corn with DDGS increased ruminal neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion (quadratic effect, p<0.01), but decreased ruminal organic matter (OM) digestion (linear effect, p<0.01). Replacing corn with DDGS increased (linear, $p{\leq}0.02$) duodenal flow of lipids, NDF and feed N. But there were no treatment effects on flow to the small intestine of microbial nitrogen (MN) or microbial N efficiency. The estimated UIP value of DDGS was 44%. Postruminal digestion of OM, starch, lipids and nitrogen (N) were not affected by treatments. Total tract digestion of N increased (linear, p = 0.04) as the DDGS level increased, but DDGS substitution tended to decrease total tract digestion of OM (p = 0.06) and digestion of gross energy (p = 0.08). However, it did not affect the dietary digestible energy (DE, MJ/kg), reflecting the greater gross energy content of DDGS versus DR corn in the replacements. The comparative DE value of DDGS may be considered similar to the DE value of the DR corn it replaced up to 30% in the finishing diets fed to lambs.

Influence of Protein and Energy Level in Finishing Diets for Feedlot Hair Lambs: Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics

Rios-Rincon, F.G.,Estrada-Angulo, A.,Plascencia, A.,Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Castro-Perez, B.I.,Portillo-Loera, J.J.,Robles-Estrada, J.C.,Calderon-Cortes, J.F.,Davila-Ramos, H. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2014 Animal Bioscience Vol.27 No.1

Forty-eight Pelibuey${\times}$Katahdin male intact lambs ($23.87{\pm}2.84$ kg) were used in an 84-d feeding trial, with six pens per treatment in a $2{\times}2$ factorial design arrangement. The aim of the study was to evaluate the interaction of two dietary energy levels (3.05 and 2.83 Mcal/kg ME) and two dietary protein levels (17.5% and 14.5%) on growth performance, dietary energetics and carcass traits. The dietary treatments used were: i) High protein-high energy (HP-HE); ii) High protein-low energy (HP-LE); iii) Low protein-high energy (LP-HE), and iv) Low protein-low energy (LP-LE). With a high-energy level, dry matter intake (DMI) values were 6.1% lower in the low-protein diets, while with low-energy, the DMI values did not differ between the dietary protein levels. Energy levels did not influence the final weight and average daily gain (ADG), but resulted in lower DMI values and higher gain efficiencies. No effects of protein level were detected on growth performance. The observed dietary net energy (NE) ratio and observed DMI were closer than expected in all treatments and were not affected by the different treatments. There was an interaction (p<0.03) between energy and protein level for kidney-pelvic and heart fat (KPH), KPH was higher in lambs fed high energy and high protein diet but not in high energy and low protein diet. The KPH was increased (20.2%, p = 0.01) in high-energy diets, while fat thickness was increased (21.7%, p = 0.02) in high-protein diets. Therefore, it is concluded that dietary energy levels play a more important role in feed efficiency than protein levels in finishing lambs with a high-energy diet (>2.80 Mcal/kg ME). Providing a level of protein above 14.5% does not improves growth-performance, dietary energetics or carcass dressing percentage.

Effect of Feed Additives in Growing Lambs Fed Diets Containing Wet Brewers Grains

Aguilera-Soto, J.I.,Ramirez, R.G.,Arechiga, C.F.,Mendez-Llorente, F.,Lopez-Carlos, M.A.,Silva-Ramos, J.M.,Rincon-Delgado, R.M.,Duran-Roldan, F.M. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.10

The study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of feed additives on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and performance of lambs fed diets containing 60% wet brewers grains (WBG). In Experiment 1, two simultaneous trials were conducted. Fifty intact ($20.2{\pm}0.8kg\;BW$) lambs were used in a feedlot trial and 10 (rumen cannulated; $32{\pm}1kg\;BW$) in a digestion trial. The pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia-N in lambs were also estimated. Lambs were randomly assigned to one of five diets: i) without additives (Con), ii) with 1% bicarbonate (Bic), iii) with 1% bentonite (Ben), iv) with 33 mg/kg monensin (Mon) and v) with 200 mg/kg fibrolityc enzymes (Enz). In Experiment 2, 120 RambouilletPelibuey intact male lambs ($19.5{\pm}1.5kg\;BW$) were used in a feedlot trial and randomly assigned to four diets: i) without additives (control), ii) with 1% Bic, iii) with 33 mg/kg Mon and iv) with 1% Bic and 33 mg/kg Mon. In Experiment 1, lambs fed diets containing Bic or Mon had significantly higher final weight, DMI, ADG than other lambs. However, apparent DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF digestibilities and ruminal individual VFA content were similar (p>0.05) among treatments. Conversely, treatmentcollection period interaction was significant for ruminal pH and NH3. In Experiment 2, lambs fed diets containing a Bic and Mon combination had significantly higher final weight, DMI and ADG. It is concluded lambs fed Bic or Mon or Bic and Mon combination had better performance characteristics than lambs on Ben or Enz.