Search Results (415)

Consumers increasingly demand dairy products with improved nutritional quality, particularly regarding their fatty acid (FA) composition, due to recognized implications for human health. This study aimed to evaluate the modification in the composition, FA profile, and sensory profile of cheeses elaborated with ewe milk, through the diet inclusion of crushed sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds and sunflower seed silage in corn silage-based diets. The study was conducted with six East-Friesian ewes in a double 3 × 3 Latin square design, including three 21-day periods. Three diets were based on ad libitum corn silage as follows: control (CTRL, without supplementation), sunflower seeds (SFS, supplemented with 86 g/kg crushed sunflower seeds), and sunflower seed silage (SFSS, supplemented with 137 g/kg sunflower seed silage). The composition and FA profile of milk and cheese, and the sensory properties of cheese, together with the sensory profile, were evaluated. Dietary feeding with SFS and SFSS did not affect milk production and milk fat percentage but increased protein percentage. SFS and/or SFSS increased C18:0, C18:1 trans-9, and C18:1 cis-9 compared to CTRL in milk and cheese. Cheeses from SFS ewes showed improved taste and total acceptability, while odor, color, and texture of cheese remained unaffected. Therefore, SFS and SFSS appeared as a viable strategy to increase the contribution of FA with beneficial effects for health in milk and cheeses. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of including 0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 g/kg of dry matter (DM) of spineless cactus (SC; Nopalea cochenillifera Salm-Dyck) plus urea and ammonium sulphate (UAS) (9:1), replacing Tifton-85 hay (Cynodon spp. cv. Tifton 85), on nutrient intake and digestibility, feeding behaviour, water intake, and rumen dynamics. Five rumen-fistulated and cannulated crossbred wethers were randomly assigned in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. A roughage:concentrate ratio of 70:30 was supplied. Organic matter (OM) and metabolisable energy (ME) intakes showed quadratic responses (p < 0.05), with maximum values of 1157 g/day and 14.50 MJ/day estimated at SC+UAS levels of 364 and 410 g/kg DM, respectively. Apparent digestibilities of DM, OM, and non-fibre carbohydrates, as well as water excretion in faeces and degradation rate of DM, increased with SC+UAS inclusion (p < 0.05). Indigestible neutral detergent fibre (NDF) intake, feeding and rumination times, voluntary water intake, NDF degradation and passage rates, as well as the indigestible NDF passage rate, decreased with SC+UAS inclusion (p < 0.05). In wethers’ diets with a roughage:concentrate ratio of 70:30, a roughage combination of SC+UAS and Tifton-85 hay in a 41:29 ratio is recommended to maximise ME intake. Full article

Background: Dental phobia significantly impairs treatment adherence and oral health–related quality of life. While intravenous sedation (IVS) is commonly used to manage anxiety, interest in non-pharmacological alternatives is increasing. Visual color stimuli are known to affect emotional processing and autonomic nervous system activity. This study investigated whether brief exposure to colored goggles (translucent, green, blue, red) influenced physiological and psychological stress markers in patients with dental phobia undergoing IVS. Methods: Twenty patients with dental phobia (CMDAS ≥ 20) participated in a within-subject repeated measures design, experiencing all four color conditions in randomized order via Latin square. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), heart rate (HR), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for pain and satisfaction were measured at four time points. The Friedman test, followed by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with Bonferroni correction, was used to compare conditions. Results: Prior to peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIC), green goggle exposure significantly reduced median sAA levels compared to the translucent control (p = 0.009). HR was lower in the green and blue conditions than in the red, although not significantly. VAS pain scores were significantly reduced under green and blue conditions; satisfaction scores remained uniformly high across all conditions. Red did not worsen stress responses compared to the control and may promote increased engagement. Conclusions: Cool color stimuli—particularly green and blue—may attenuate acute stress responses in patients with dental phobia prior to PIC. Incorporating such visual cues into preoperative environments may serve as a simple, non-invasive adjunct to managing dental anxiety. Full article

In recent years, in response to the demand for the livestock industry to enhance cattle production performance, scholarly inquiries have centered on elucidating the underlying mechanisms by which feed additives modulate rumen microenvironment and metabolic efficacy, thereby facilitating nutrient absorption and augmenting production performance in cattle. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impacts of surfactant polyacrylamide (PAM) supplementation on digestive processes, metabolic dynamics, and ruminal digestive enzyme activities in cattle. Four ruminally cannulated crossbred cows (~3 years, 350 kg, non-pregnant/lactating) were utilized in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The animals were fed a basal diet supplemented with polyacrylamide (PAM) at concentrations of 0, 1.0, 2.0, and 6.0 g/kg across four 22-day experimental periods, each consisting of a 16-day adaptation phase and a 6-day sampling phase. Supplementation with polyacrylamide (PAM) at levels ranging from 1.0 to 6.0 g/kg of diet significantly increased voluntary dry matter intake (VFI) in cattle by a maximum of 13.7% (p < 0.05), with peak effects at 2.0 g/kg. The digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, cellulose, and energy was significantly improved (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01), reaching maximum increases by 12.6%, 12.8%, 17.5%, and 11.7%, respectively. Nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus retention increased substantially (p < 0.01 to p < 0.05), with calcium retention showing the highest improvement (55.7%). Rumen cellulase activities (endocellulase, exocellulase, cellobiase, and xylanase) were significantly enhanced (p < 0.01), peaking at 37.3% for cellobiase. However, pectase, amylase, and protease activities remained unaffected. Optimal benefits were observed at 2.0 g/kg PAM, highlighting its potential to improve feed efficiency and nutrient utilization in cattle. Full article

As Latin American universities pursue digitally and environmentally sustainable teaching models, understanding why students adopt generative AI is essential. We analyzed data from undergraduate students (n = 792) across five Latin American countries (Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, and Colombia). Grounded in the diffusion of innovations theory, the study evaluated the effects of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability on attitudes towards ChatGPT and examined the effect of attitude on intention to use among higher education students in the region. The reliability and validity of the measurement scale were confirmed, and structural relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The model explained 58.1% of the variance in attitude: relative advantage (β = 0.247) and compatibility (β = 0.246) exerted the largest effects, followed by trialability (β = 0.223) and observability (β = 0.167); complexity showed a weaker yet significant effect (β = 0.118). Attitude strongly predicted the intention to use ChatGPT (β = 0.777), accounting for 60.4% of its variance. All paths were significant (p < 0.001), and psychometric indicators exceeded recommended thresholds. These findings indicate that student adoption is driven more by perceived academic benefits and alignment with existing learning routines than by technical ease. Highlighting concrete, ethically delineated use cases and providing guided institutional spaces for experimentation may accelerate the responsible, long-term adoption of generative AI in quality higher education. Full article

This study proposes an optimal design approach incorporating rotor skew to reduce torque ripple in a 5 kW in-wheel axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) motor. Nine design variables, including the skew angle, were selected for optimization. The variation ranges of these variables were defined, and sample points were generated using the optimal Latin hypercube design (OLHD). Response data corresponding to the sample points were obtained through three-dimensional finite element method (3D FEM) analysis. Metamodels were then constructed using five different methods and evaluated based on the root mean square error (RMSE). The optimization results showed that the average torque of the optimized model increased by 2.3% compared with the initial design, reaching 48.85 Nm. Torque ripple was reduced by 42.01% to 2.83 Nm, while peak-to-peak cogging torque decreased by 42.76% to 2.61 Nm. In addition, efficiency improved by 0.07% to 95.53%, and the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the back-EMF waveform was reduced by 50.72% to 2.4%. These findings demonstrate that the proposed method provides an effective and systematic design strategy for enhancing the performance of AFPM motors. Full article

Background: Slow transit constipation (STC) represents a refractory gastrointestinal disorder with limited therapeutic options. Deglycosylated azithromycin (Deg-AZM) is a small molecule Transgelin agonist effective against STC, which has been approved for 2024 clinical trials. Objectives: This study comprehensively evaluated the cardiac safety (hERG inhibition), acute cardiovascular–respiratory effects, and single/repeated-dose toxicity of Deg-AZM in Beagle dogs to de-risk clinical translation. Methods: Using automated patch-clamp (hERG-HEK293 cells; 0.1–1000 μM), telemetric monitoring in Beagles (3/8/24 mg/kg; Latin square design), and GLP-compliant toxicity studies (single-dose: 150–300 mg/kg; 28-day: 5–50 mg/kg/day), we assessed functional, biochemical, histopathological, and toxicokinetic parameters. Results: Deg-AZM showed negligible hERG inhibition (maximum 21.3% at 1000 μM). Transient PR prolongation (24 mg/kg; resolved by 4 h) and respiratory rate reduction (8–24 mg/kg; resolved by 2 h) occurred at supratherapeutic doses. Single-dose toxicity revealed one mortality at 300 mg/kg (acute cardiac ischemia), while 28-day studies identified fully reversible myocardial vacuolation at 50 mg/kg. Toxicokinetics demonstrated dose-proportional exposure (AUC and C_max) and low accumulation (accumulation factors ≤ 1.5). No hematological, coagulation, or hepatic toxicity was observed. Conclusions: With absent hERG liability and manageable transient physiological effects, Deg-AZM exhibited a favorable preclinical safety profile supporting its clinical development for STC. Full article

Explosion-proof safety evaluation is critical for coal mine equipment operating in hazardous environments. Traditional methods rely on physical explosion testing, which is time-consuming, costly, and impractical for large-scale or complex systems. We propose a real-time virtual measurement method based on an improved combined surrogate model to address these limitations. A digital twin framework is constructed by integrating internal explosion transmission data with physical models of gas deflagration and enclosure impact mechanics. A transient multi-physical reduced-order model is developed using Latin hypercube sampling and machine learning. The core prediction model, RBF-GMSE, combines a radial basis function surrogate model and a generalized mean square error model through adaptive weighting. This model is trained on dimension-reduced finite element data and used to predict explosion-induced stress, strain, and displacement in real time. A virtual measurement system is implemented using this framework, enabling accurate, dynamic safety evaluation of explosion-proof equipment. Validation against simulation data shows a maximum prediction error below 1.89% and an average correlation coefficient of 0.9779, confirming the model’s high accuracy and robustness. This approach offers an intelligent solution for efficient and precise acquisition of explosion-proof safety characteristics in coal mine equipment. Full article

To prepare for a boosted sterile insect technique (SIT) field trial in Saint-Joseph, Reunion island, we compared the attractiveness of two adult mosquito traps for Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. In addition, we explored the co-occurrence of these species in their usual larval habitats. Two traps were compared with two conditions each using a Latin square design: BG Sentinel trap baited with carbon dioxide (CO₂) with/without addition of BG Lure and ovi-sticky trap with/without hay. The ovi-sticky traps proved ineffective. For both Aedes species, CO₂-baited traps were equally effective at catching females when baited with the lure or not. In contrast, they were more attractive to males than for females with the lure. Aedes aegypti larvae were found in four of six vacoas (Pandanus utilis), and one of four anthropogenic breeding sites. In vacoas, the densities of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti larvae were negatively correlated, whereas the correlation was positive between chironomids and Aedes aegypti. The abundance of adults and larvae varied according to weather conditions. Finally, CO₂-baited traps were used without lure for the entomological monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the area-wide boosted SIT intervention to reduce costs and logistics. Full article

This study evaluates the effects of two Trichoderma reesei exogenous fibrolytic enzyme (EFE) preparations on the taxonomic profile, diversity, relative abundance, and population shifts of three ruminal bacteria fractions of lactating cows: free-floating (LIQ), weakly (AS), and tightly (SOL) feed-adhered. Three lactating cows were fed three EFE treatments in a 3 × 3 Latin square design: one control (CON) without enzymes, a cellulase/xylanase mix (MIX), and a high-xylanase treatment (XYL). Rumen contents were collected, and bacteria were extracted from the three ruminal content fractions for next-generation sequencing analysis. Alpha diversity was higher in XYL compared to CON. However, no EFE effect was observed on beta diversity. The relative abundance (RA) of the family Prevotellaceae increased, while that of Ruminococcaceae and Rikenellaceae decreased in XYL compared to MIX and CON. The bacterial community structure (beta diversity) of LIQ was differentiated from that of SOL and AS (p = 0.03), but no effects of fraction were observed on alpha diversity. Lachnospiraceae RA was greater in SOL, followed by AS, and lower in LIQ (p < 0.001), while Spirochaetaceae RA was greater in SOL and AS compared to LIQ (p = 0.003). The effects of EFE supplementation on rumen bacterial RA were independent of the ruminal content fraction. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive design approach for optimizing the pole configuration of a coaxial magnetic gear (CMG) structure with an overhang to enhance torque characteristics. Five CMG models were designed, and their characteristics were analyzed. A three-dimensional finite element method analysis was conducted to account for axial leakage flux. To efficiently explore the design space, we utilized an optimal Latin hypercube sampling method to generate experimental points and constructed a kriging-based metamodel owing to its low root-mean-square error. We analyzed torque characteristics across the design variables to identify characteristic trends and performed a parametric sensitivity analysis to evaluate the influence of each variable on the torque. We derived an optimal solution that satisfied the objective function and constraints using the design variables. The characteristics of the proposed model were validated through electromagnetic field analysis, fast Fourier transform analysis of the air-gap magnetic flux density, and structural analysis. The optimal model achieved an average torque of 61.75 Nm, representing a 21.15% improvement over the initial model, while simultaneously reducing the ripple factor by 0.41%. These findings indicate that the proposed CMG design with an overhang effectively enhances torque characteristics. Full article

Background and Objectives: Aortic aneurysms and dissections are life-threatening vascular disorders with high morbidity and mortality. Enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies requires a precise characterization of their anatomical and clinical features. This study aimed to detail the demographic, clinical, and imaging-based anatomical characteristics of aortic aneurysms and dissections in a cohort of Colombian patients. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, observational study at a tertiary hospital in Bogotá, Colombia. Adult patients (≥18 years) with radiologically confirmed aortic aneurysm or dissection on computed tomography angiography (CTA) between 2010 and 2021 were included. Demographic, clinical, and morphological data were extracted. Associations were explored using chi-squared and Mann–Whitney U tests. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Results: This study included 539 patients (mean age: 69.3 ± 11.5 years; 53.6% male). Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms were the most frequent (63.7%), with fusiform morphology observed in 92% of cases. Saccular aneurysms were significantly more common in females (p = 0.0267) and in non-infrarenal segments (p = 0.0162). Among patients with aneurysms, aortic diameter was an independent predictor of mortality (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.05; p < 0.001). No individual variable significantly predicted mortality in dissection cases. Conclusions: In this cohort, infrarenal location and fusiform shape predominate. Morphological patterns were associated with sex and anatomical distribution. Although trends were observed, no statistically significant predictors of death were identified in dissection cases. These findings highlight the value of early detection and tailored management and reinforce the importance of generating region-specific data to inform clinical decision making in Latin American settings. Full article

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of girth design and girth tension; six horses regularly ridden were used. Each horse underwent four experimental sessions in an unbalanced Latin-square design with two girth tensions (8 kg or 16 kg) and two girth designs (straight girth (S) or anatomical girth (A)). Pressure between the saddle and the horse was measured at 100 Hz with a pressure mat (0.5 sensels per cm²). Notably, 2D limb kinematics were determined from anatomical markers placed on the fore and hindlimbs. Video was collected at 240 fps. There was no significant effect of girth type, girth tension, or girth type*tension interaction for any of the measured variables, with the exception of carpal flexion, which was significantly greater for A8 (median: 103°, 25th–75th percentile: 100–112°) than S8 (101°, 96–106°; p = 0.043). There was no effect of girth type (A or S) on mean saddle pressure for either cranial or caudal regions (p > 0.05), but caudal average pressure was significantly lower than cranial average pressure both at 8 and 16 kg tensions (p < 0.05). For both mean and peak pressure, the ratio cranial: caudal was significantly higher with 16 kg tension (p < 0.05), indicating that as the girth tension increases, the pressures shift towards the cranial aspect. In conclusion, neither girth tension nor girth type significantly influenced 2D limb kinematics, but higher tension has shifted the load towards the cranial area significantly, which could contribute to cranial thoracic back pain or injuries. Full article

This study analyzes the factors that influence perceptions of the urban environment and local identity, considering them as key dimensions for understanding sustainable urban development in Latin America. Based on data from a representative sample of 701 residents in the medium-sized city of Tuluá, Colombia, the study examines the relationships between public services, safety, mobility, healthcare, and cultural offerings and these citizen perceptions. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), which allowed for the simultaneous evaluation of relationships between formative and reflective latent variables. The results reveal a strong positive relationship between the perception of the urban environment and local identity. Citizen security emerged as the most significant predictor in both constructs, followed by public services. In contrast, satisfaction with medical care, cultural offerings, and urban mobility did not show significant effects on the perception of the urban environment, although mobility had a moderate positive effect on local identity. These findings enrich the debate on urban dynamics in Latin American contexts and provide guidance for the design of public policies that strengthen territorial cohesion and quality of life from an integral perspective. In doing so, the study enhances the understanding of how urban sustainability can be advanced through both structural and perceptual factors. Full article

Defining appropriate dietary fiber levels is essential for enhancing the sustainability of feedlot lamb production. Optimal dietary fiber levels can enhance meat yield, improve nutrient retention and utilization, and reduce environmental impact. This study aimed to determine the optimal level of dietary fiber to enhance nutrient intake, digestibility, feeding behavior, and rumen fermentation in feedlot lambs. Five rumen-fistulated Santa Inês male lambs (40 kg, 7 months old) were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Diets contained increasing levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF): 200, 320, 440, 560, and 680 g/kg dry matter (DM), with each period lasting 21 days (total 105 days). Nutrient intake responded quadratically to NDF levels (p < 0.05). Apparent digestibility was significantly affected (p < 0.05), except for crude protein. Feeding (p = 0.001) and rumination times (p = 0.002) increased linearly, while idling time decreased (p < 0.001). Feeder visits declined (p = 0.002), and idling events followed a quadratic trend. Feeding and rumination efficiencies for DM decreased (p = 0.006 and p = 0.010), while NDF rumination efficiency increased (p = 0.014). The ruminal pH rose (p < 0.001), and propionate decreased (p = 0.019); acetate and butyrate showed quadratic responses. Based on intake, digestibility, and fermentation patterns, dietary NDF should be included at 400 g/kg DM to optimize nutrient utilization and rumen function in confined lambs. Full article