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Immunocastration (IC, vaccination against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)) is one alternative to surgical castration (SC) for preventing sexual development and boar taint in male pigs. A temporal increase in performance has been described for IC pigs before the second vaccination against GnRH. The objective of this work was to assess the effects of IC on Iberian male and female pigs (fed diets of increasing CP content) on performance, nitrogen retention (NR) and digestibility, and carcass traits. Fifty-four pure Iberian pigs individually housed were allocated to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with three sex groups (IC males, IC females and SC males), three diets (153, 137 and 119 g CP/kg DM; 14 MJ metabolisable energy/kg DM) and six pigs per treatment combination. Pigs were vaccinated at 18 weeks of age (40 kg BW) and seven weeks later (70–80 kg BW) and fed at 0.9 × ad libitum on BW basis. Two digestibility and nitrogen balance assays were performed before and after the second vaccination, respectively. Pigs were slaughtered at 105 kg BW. Before the second vaccination, Iberian IC males showed higher growth rate (g/day), feed efficiency, NR (g/day) and efficiency of NR than the other groups (P < 0.001). The NR and efficiency of NR was 40% greater in IC v. SC males (P < 0.001). After the second vaccination, no differences in performance between sex groups were detected (P > 0.05). Growth rate and feed efficiency were higher in IC males than in the other groups for the whole experimental period (from the first vaccination to slaughter; P < 0.001). After the second vaccination, differences among sex groups in NR and the efficiency of NR disappeared (P > 0.05). NR efficiency was 0.177 on average. No significant effects of dietary CP were detected on performance. The NR was greater in pigs fed the 153 CP diet (17 to 37%; P > 0.05). Lean components of carcass (sirloin, loin and butt lean) were greater in IC males than in the other groups (0.001 < P < 0.05). There were

Wild-growing mushrooms could be a potential source of mineral elements The aim of this study was to analyze the mineral composition of 18 species of wild-growing mushrooms collected in a natural park from the Spanish southeast (province of Granada). Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Cu and Zn, were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and P was analyzed colorimetrically by the vanadomolybdate procedure; the accuracy of methods was assessed by the use of certified reference materials. The contribution of mushrooms consumption to the mineral daily recommended intakes was calculated. Although large variations were observed between species, the most abundant mineral elements in the analyzed mushrooms were K and P, with average contents of 29.3 ± 8.1 and 8.60 ± 4.8 g/kg dry matter (dm), respectively. Low Na concentrations were observed (26.5–579 mg/kg dm), with the only exception of Amanita ovoidea, and high Fe values, exceeding in some cases 1000 mg/kg dm (such as in Lactarius deliciosus and Morchella conica). Mushrooms may be significant contributors of K and P in the human diet and also good sources of trace elements, especially Cu and Fe, providing negligible quantities of Na. Strong correlations were observed for Ca/Mg and Cu/Zn contents in the mushrooms analyzed.

This study analyzes quality traits of longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius in surgically castrated (SC) males, inmunocastrated (IC) males and IC female Iberian pigs reared in intensive conditions (n = 18/sex). Vaccination with Improvac® was applied at 18 and 26 weeks of age and slaughtering at 31 weeks. At such conditions, notable sex differences were found. Both muscles of IC males were less red (P <.01), longissimus had lower intramuscular fat (P <.01) and gluteus less Fe content (P <.01) than SC males and IC females. Loins from IC males also exhibited higher drip losses (2.7% at 24 h) than SC males (1.9%) and IC females (1.6%) (P <.001). Fatty acid composition of muscles differed among sexes, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, which varied as follows: IC males > IC females > SC males in both muscles. It was concluded that meat quality traits differed between inmunocastrated and surgically castrated male Iberian pigs.

[Objective] Clinical presentation and short-term prognosis of patients with travel-associated acute pulmonary embolism (PE) (i.e., economy class syndrome [ECS]) is not well understood., [Methods] In this retrospective cohort study of patients with acute PE identified from a single center registry, we assessed the clinical presentation and the association between ECS and the outcomes of all-cause mortality, PE-related mortality, nonfatal venous thromboembolism and nonfatal major bleeding rates through 30 days after initiation of PE treatment., [Results] Of the 2,333 patients with acute symptomatic PE, 124 (5.3%; 95% confidence interval, 4.4-6.3%) had ECS. Patients with ECS were younger and had fewer comorbid diseases (recent bleeding, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure), but they presented with more signs of clinical severity (syncope [48% vs. 14%; P < .001], tachycardia [37% vs. 21%; P < .001], right ventricular dysfunction [31% vs. 19%; P < .01] and myocardial injury [57% vs. 28%; P < .001]) compared to those without ECS. Regression analyses showed a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality for patients with ECS compared to patients without ECS (1.6% vs. 9.6%; P < .01). We did not detect a difference in PE-related mortality at 30 days between those with and those without ECS (0.8% vs. 3.1%; P = .18)., [Conclusions] PE patients with ECS are younger and have fewer comorbid diseases compared to those without ECS. Though they present with more signs of clinical severity, their short-term prognosis is excellent., [Objetivo] No se conocen suficientemente las características clínicas y el pronóstico de los pacientes con tromboembolia de pulmón (TEP) aguda sintomática asociada a los viajes prolongados (síndrome de clase turista [SCT])., [Métodos] Se analizaron retrospectivamente las características basales de los pacientes con TEP aguda y se estratificaron según el factor de riesgo desencadenante. Se determinaron la mortalidad por todas las causas, la mortalidad por la propia TEP, las recurrencias trombóticas no fatales y los sangrados mayores no fatales durante los primeros 30 días de seguimiento., [Resultados] De los 2.333 pacientes incluidos, un total de 124 (5,3%; intervalo de confianza del 95%: 4,4-6,3) fueron diagnosticados de TEP secundaria a SCT. Estos pacientes fueron más jóvenes, presentaron menos frecuentemente comorbilidad y más frecuentemente síncope (48% vs. 14%; p < 0,001), taquicardia (37% vs. 21%; p < 0,001), disfunción de ventrículo derecho (VD) (31% vs. 19%; p < 0,01) y daño miocárdico (57% vs. 28%; p < 0,001) que los demás pacientes con TEP. La mortalidad por todas las causas a 30 días fue significativamente menor para los pacientes con TEP secundaria a SCT (1,6% vs. 9,6%; p < 0,01). La mortalidad a 30 días por TEP no fue diferente entre los dos grupos de pacientes (0,8% vs. 3,1%; p = 0,18)., [Conclusiones] Los pacientes con TEP y SCT son más jóvenes y tienen menos comorbilidad que los demás pacientes con TEP. Aunque se presentan más frecuentemente con disfunción de VD y daño miocárdico, el pronóstico a corto plazo es excelente.