The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between body weight (BW) and hip width (HW) in dairy buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). HW was measured in 215 Murrah buffaloes with a BW of 341 ± 161.6 kg, aged between three months and five years, and raised in southeastern Mexico. Linear and non-linear regressions were used to construct the prediction models. The goodness of fit of the models was evaluated using the Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), coefficient of determination (R2), mean squared error (MSE), and root MSE (RMSE). Additionally, the developed models were evaluated through internal and external cross-validation (k-folds) using independent data. The ability of the fitted models to predict the observed values was assessed based on the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), R2, and mean absolute error (MAE). The relationship between BW and HW showed a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.96, P < 0.001). The chosen fitted model to predict BW was: −176.33 (± 40.83***) + 8.74 (± 1.79***) × HW + 0.04 (± 0.01*) × HW2, because it presented the lowest MSE, RMSE, and AIC values, which were 1228.64, 35.05 and 1532.41, respectively. Therefore, with reasonable accuracy, the quadratic model using hip width may be suitable for predicting body weight in buffaloes.

The burden of depression is increasing worldwide, specifically in older adults. Unhealthy dietary patterns may partly explain this phenomenon. In the Spanish PREDIMED-Plus study, we explored (1) the cross-sectional association between the adherence to the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS), an a priori-defined high-quality food pattern, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms at baseline (cross-sectional analysis) and (2) the prospective association of baseline PDQS with changes in depressive symptomatology after 2 years of follow-up. After exclusions, we assessed 6612 participants in the cross-sectional analysis and 5523 participants in the prospective analysis. An energy-adjusted high-quality dietary score (PDQS) was assessed using a validated FFQ. The cross-sectional association between PDQS and the prevalence of depression or presence of depressive symptoms and the prospective changes in depressive symptoms were evaluated through multivariable regression models (logistic and linear models and mixed linear-effects models). PDQS was inversely associated with depressive status in the cross-sectional analysis. Participants in the highest quintile of PDQS (Q5) showed a significantly reduced odds of depression prevalence as compared to participants in the lowest quartile of PDQS (Q1) (OR (95 %) CI = 0·82 (0·68, 0·98))). The baseline prevalence of depression decreased across PDQS quintiles (Pfor trend = 0·015). A statistically significant association between PDQS and changes in depressive symptoms after 2-years follow-up was found (β (95 %) CI = −0·67 z-score (–1·17, −0·18). A higher PDQS was cross-sectionally related to a lower depressive status. Nevertheless, the null finding in our prospective analysis raises the possibility of reverse causality. Further prospective investigation is required to ascertain the association between PDQS and changes in depressive symptoms along time.

This work presents the results of the physical characterization of palygorskite and its adsorptive behaviour for three solvatochromic dyes (Nile blue chloride (NBC), methylene blue (MTB) and dithizone (DTZ)). Adsorption isotherms were used to determine the maximum adsorption of the solvatochromic dyes on the palygorskite. The characterization of palygorskite was carried out via mineralogical and chemical analysis with X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, surface-charge measurement (ζ-potential), thermogravimetric analysis, textural analysis and cation-exchange capacity analysis. The material consists of palygorskite and quartz and its chemistry is dominated by SiO2, MgO and Fe2O3. The specific surface area and cation-exchange capacity of the palygorskite are 142 m2 g–1 and 41 cmol(+) kg–1, respectively. The SEM and TEM analyses showed a fibrous structure with fibres 20–100 nm long. The thermogravimetric analysis showed three endothermic events at 57.3°C, 171.8°C and 439.6°C. The adsorption capacities of the palygorskite for NBC (basic pH), MTB (basic pH) and DTZ (neutral pH) were 0.082, 0.013 and 0.102 g g–1, respectively. The adsorptions of NBC and MTB were fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model and the adsorption of DTZ was fitted with the Sips model.

Housekeeping genes (HKG) are paramount for accurate gene expression analysis during preimplantation development. Markedly, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in ovine embryos currently lacks HKGs. Therefore, we tested 11 HKGs for RT-qPCR normalization during ovine parthenogenetic preimplantation development. Seven HKGs reached the qPCR efficiency threshold (97.20–105.96%), with correlation coefficients ranging from −0.922 to −0.998 and slopes from −3.22 to −3.59. GeNorm ranked glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and TATA-binding protein (TBP) as the best HKG pair, while H3 histone, family 3A (H3F3A) was the third HKG. Relative gene expression was measured for zinc finger protein X-linked (ZFX) and developmental pluripotency-associated 3 (DPPA3) transcripts during ovine parthenogenetic preimplantation development. ZFX did not show any transcript abundance fluctuation among oocytes, cleavage-stage embryos, and morulae. DPPA3 transcript abundance was also similar among all developmental stages, therefore suggesting that it may not display a maternal gene expression profile. In silico analysis of ovine DPPA3 mRNA and protein showed high conservation to bovine orthologues. However, DPPA3 orthologues differed in regulatory motifs. In conclusion, GAPDH, TBP and H3F3A are stable HKGs in ovine parthenogenetic embryos and allow accurate RT-qPCR-based gene expression analysis.

Several studies have independently suggested that patients with schizophrenia are more likely to have an enlarged cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) and an absent adhesio interthalamica (AI), respectively. However, neither finding has been consistently replicated and it is unclear whether there is an association between these two midline brain abnormalities. Thus, we compared the prevalence of absent AI and the prevalence, size and volume of CSP in 38 patients with schizophrenia and 38 healthy controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There were no between group differences in the presence or volume of CSP; however, an enlarged CSP was commoner among patients than controls. There was also a positive correlation between CSP ratings and volumes. No differences in the presence or absence of the AI were found between patients and controls; however, an absent AI was commoner in male patients with schizophrenia than females. There was absolutely no overlap between the presence of a large CSP and an absence of AI. In conclusion, our findings are in line with several case series and other MRI investigations that have shown a higher incidence of putatively developmental brain abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia, particularly in males, and support the neurodevelopmental model of this disorder.

The second and final year of the Erasmus Plus programme ‘Innovative Education and Training in high power laser plasmas’, otherwise known as PowerLaPs, is described. The PowerLaPs programme employs an innovative paradigm in that it is a multi-centre programme, where teaching takes place in five separate institutes with a range of different aims and styles of delivery. The ‘in-class’ time is limited to 4 weeks a year, and the programme spans 2 years. PowerLaPs aims to train students from across Europe in theoretical, applied and laboratory skills relevant to the pursuit of research in laser plasma interaction physics and inertial confinement fusion. Lectures are intermingled with laboratory sessions and continuous assessment activities. The programme, which is led by workers from the Hellenic Mediterranean University and supported by co-workers from the Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Bordeaux, the Czech Technical University in Prague, Ecole Polytechnique, the University of Ioannina, the University of Salamanca and the University of York, has just finished its second and final year. Six Learning Teaching Training activities have been held at the Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Bordeaux, the Czech Technical University, the University of Salamanca and the Institute of Plasma Physics and Lasers of the Hellenic Mediterranean University. The last of these institutes hosted two 2-week-long Intensive Programmes, while the activities at the other four universities were each 5 days in length. In addition, a ‘Multiplier Event’ was held at the University of Ioannina, which will be briefly described. In this second year, the work has concentrated on training in both experimental diagnostics and simulation techniques appropriate to the study of plasma physics, high power laser matter interactions and high energy density physics. The nature of the programme will be described in detail, and some metrics relating to the activities carried out will be presented. In particular, this paper will focus on the overall assessment of the programme.

We estimated the incidence of first-episode psychosis over a 3-year period in a Brazilian catchment area comprising the region's main city, Ribeirão Preto (1 425 306 persons-years at risk), and 25 other municipalities with a total of 1 646 556 persons-years at risk. The incidence rates were estimated and adjusted by gender and age, using the direct standardisation method to the world population as reference. The incidence of psychosis was higher in the younger groups, men, and among Black and minority ethnic Brazilians. Psychosis incidence was lower in Ribeirão Preto (16.69/100 000 person-years at risk; 95% CI 15.68–17.70) compared with the average incidence in the remaining municipalities (21.25/100 000 person-years at risk; 95% CI 20.20–22.31), which have lower population density, suggesting a distinct role for urbanicity in the incidence of first-episode psychosis in low- and middle-income countries.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for humans, yet its dietary intake is low, mostly due to the low bioavailability in soils and therefore in edible plant tissues. To overcome Se deficiency, the breeding approach (i.e., genetic biofortification), namely in rice, is largely dependent on available Se pools. To ensure the success of genetic biofortification with Se, agronomic biofortification can be accomplished through foliar Se application. Considering this background, the main hypothesis of this work was centered in the foliar application of Se to attain agronomic biofortification of rice crops. This study also aimed to assess the full potential for increasing grain Se concentrations during rice filling, as well as the types of nutrients deposition. An experimental design applying two foliar fertilizers (sodium selenite and sodium selenate) was developed. As test systems, four rice genotypes (Ariete, Albatros, OP1105 and OP1109) were used and the kinetics of micro- and macro-nutrients accumulation and deposition were assessed. Biofortification was performed in field trials for two years with foliar fertilization ranging between 0 and 300 g Se ha−1. At the end of the plant cycle, selenite applications triggered 427- to 884-fold increases in grain Se concentrations among rice genotypes (Albatros > OP1105 > OP1109 > Ariete). The application of selenate also prompted 128- to 347-fold increases in grain Se concentrations in rice crops (Albatros > OP1105 > Ariete > OP1109). Regardless of the foliar fertilizer applied, Se deposition among genotypes occurred throughout the grain without relevant inhibitory effects on yields. In each genotype, micro and macronutrients varied among crop tissues.

Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that tree rings in this region do not reflect annual growth and environmental variability, that an adequate number of samples do not exist, and that tree-ring measurements cannot be useful without modern trees to link prehispanic chronologies. In this article we present data from the sites of La Quemada and Los Pilarillos, located in the Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, to demonstrate that suitable archaeologically derived samples of dendrochronologically useful species do exist, that the samples from these sites are measurable and cross-datable, and that the tree rings can yield precise calendar dates using a method that “wiggle-matches” radiocarbon dates on tree-ring sequences. The work demonstrates the potential of these methods to address chronological, and, in the future, climatic questions, which have so far eluded archaeological work in the region.

The ground state properties of γ-Fe4X (X = B, C, N, and O) were studied by means of the density functional theory. The calculations were performed using the linearized augmented plane wave method as implemented in the Wien2k code. From the equilibrium cohesive energy point of view, all the compounds are ferromagnetic and the stability increases in the following sequence: γ-Fe4O, γ-Fe4N, γ-Fe4B, γ-Fe4C. The electron density suggests that the chemical bonding in γ-Fe4X (X = B, C, N, and O) is a mixture of covalent and ionic character that vary in intensity with the X atom. The magnetic moments and hyperfine interactions are clearly and differently affected by the nature of the X atom. The results indicated that there is not a linear relation between the 2p electron number of the X atom and the magnetic properties of the compounds.

Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is a diuretic used for the treatment of blood pressure (hypertension). HCTZ has two anhydrous polymorphs denoted as Forms I and II. Aiming at solid-state characterization, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) is known to be a powerful technique which has been successfully applied in investigating polymorphism in medicines. In this work, three tablets of HCTZ (a reference and two generic) were analyzed. The data were collected using Rigaku RINT2000 diffractometer copper rotate anode. The Rietveld method (RM) was applied for the characterization of HCTZ polymorphic form. For the crystalline excipients where the crystal structure is known, their phases were identified by the RM either. The results showed that all the tablets exhibit Form I of HCTZ, while the excipient lactose monohydrate is found to exhibit the crystalline form. One of the generics is also found to exhibit the excipient sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in the crystalline form. Therefore, the RM and XRPD are an efficient methodology for characterization of the crystalline Form I of the active principle of HCTZ and crystalline excipients lactose monohydrate and SLS in solid formulations. It is also interesting to observe excipients not described in the package insert of the medicament.

Shell bed levels in the Low Head Member of the early Oligocene Polonez Cove Formation at King George Island, West Antarctica, are re-interpreted based on sedimentological and taphonomic data. The highly fossiliferous Polonez Cove Formation is characterized by basal coastal marine sandstones, overlain by conglomerates and breccias deposited in fan-delta systems. The shell beds are mainly composed of pectinid bivalve shells of Leoclunipecten gazdzickii and occur in the basal portion of the Low Head Member. Three main episodes of bioclastic deposition are recorded. Although these shell beds were previously interpreted as shelly tempestites, we present an alternative explanation: the low fragmentation rates and low size sorting of the bioclasts resulted from winnowing due to tidal currents (background or diurnal condition) in the original bivalve habitat. The final deposition (episodic condition) was associated with subaqueous gravity driven flows. This new interpretation fits with the scenario of a prograding fan-delta front, which transported shell accumulations for short distances near the depositional site, possibly between fair-weather and storm wave bases. This work raises the notion that not every shell bed with similar sedimentological and taphonomic features (such as geometry, basal contact, degree of packing and shell orientation in the matrix) is made in the same way.

Tibolone is used for hormone reposition of postmenopause women and isotibolone is considered the major degradation product of tibolone. Isotibolone can also be present in tibolone API raw materials due to some inadequate synthesis. Its presence is then necessary to be identified and quantified in the quality control of both API and drug products. In this work we present the indexing of an isotibolone X-ray diffraction pattern measured with synchrotron light (λ=1.2407 Å) in the transmission mode. The characterization of the isotibolone sample by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and thermal analysis are also presented. The isotibolone crystallographic data are a=6.8066 Å, b=20.7350 Å, c=6.4489 Å, β=76.428°, V=884.75 Å3, and space group P21, ρo=1.187 g cm−3, Z=2.

X-ray powder diffraction data collected in transmission and high-throughput geometries were used to analyze form I of atorvastatin. The X-ray wavelength of the synchrotron radiation used in this study was determined to be λ=1.3771 Å. Form I of atorvastatin was found to be triclinic with space group P1 and unit cell parameters a=5.4568(2) Å, b=9.8887(4) Å, c=30.3091(9) Å, α=76.801(3)°, β=99.177(5)°, γ=105.318(5)°, V=1527.1(1) Å3, Z=1, and M=1209.41 g mol−1 Alternatively, another unit cell dimension can be used to describe the same P1 crystal with a=5.4564(2) Å, b=9.8883(4) Å, c=29.6555(8) Å, α=95.745(3)°, β=94.297(5)°, γ=105.327(5)°, and V=1526.8(1) Å3.

Guava (Psidium guajava) and araçá (Psidium spp.) plants are important for the Brazilian economy, as their fruit is both accepted by the consumers, and makes a beneficial contribution to the human diet thanks to their content in vitamin C, carotenoids and phenolic compounds. Here, we report the content in the fruit of free ascorbic acid, lycopene, β-carotene, flavonoids and phenolic compounds, and the total antioxidant activity present in a collection of guava and araçá accessions curated at the Embrapa Semiarido germplasm bank. Guava fruits with a red-coloured pulp flesh contained a significant amount of carotenoids, especially lycopene, and a high concentration of phenolic compounds. These compounds were largely responsible for the antioxidant activity of the araçá accessions. Among the guava accessions, phenolic compounds were also responsible for the antioxidant activity. High levels of free ascorbic acid were present in most accessions. In both guava and araçá, there is substantial potential to develop cultivars with a good level of consumer acceptability.