The diet of well-nourished women in the preconception period and throughout most of pregnancy has a significant effect on birth weight, and proteins are the macronutrient that has the greatest influence.

A sperm cryopreservation protocol requiring dimethylacetamide (DMA, 6%) as a cryoprotectant was optimized via assays involving different prefreezing equilibration times (1, 10, 30, 60, and 120 min at 5°C) and different freezing rates achieved by the following: 1) using nitrogen vapor to reduce the temperature from 5°C to -85°C at 10°C/min (slow freezing rate); 2) using a biological freezer unit in a 2-step method to reduce the temperature from 5°C to -35°C at 7°C/min and then from -35°C to -140°C at 60°C/min (medium freezing rate); or 3) using a biological freezer unit in a 1-step freezing method to reduce the temperature from 5°C to -180°C at 60°C/min (rapid freezing rate). Heterospermic semen samples from chicken breeds raised as part of a Spanish genetic resource conservation program were used in all assays. The 1-min equilibration treatment was associated with a lower percentage of viable thawed spermatozoa than the 30-min treatment (P < 0.05). The remaining sperm variables studied were not affected by equilibration time. The medium-rate 2-step freezing method was associated with a higher percentage of motile spermatozoa after thawing and with greater acrosome integrity (P < 0.05) than the slow nitrogen vapor or rapid 1-step methods. Thawed sperm movement quality and plasma membrane integrity (as assessed by the hypoosmotic swelling test) were better (P < 0.05) in samples frozen by the medium-rate 2-step freezing method than in those subjected to the slow nitrogen vapor method. Fertility was not influenced by freezing method, although that achieved with the medium rate 2-step freezing method showed a trend toward being greater than that achieved with the rapid 1-step method (P = 0.07). Together, the present results suggest that slow cooling rates are not recommendable when using dimethylacetamide. The 2-step freezing method may be useful in the establishment of a germplasm bank for Spanish chicken breeds.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of housing system and cold stress on the heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, the fluctuating asymmetry, and the tonic immobility duration of chickens. In experiment 1, hens (n=120; 36 wk old) from 5 Spanish breeds and a White Leghorn population, which had been housed in pens with or without access to an outdoor area from 20 wk of age, were used. The effect of housing system on heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio varied from breed to breed, differences between housing systems being significant (P<0.05) in 2 breeds. In these breeds (Red-Barred Vasca and Birchen Leonesa), heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly greater in hens housed in deep litter. Housing effect was significant for the relative asymmetry of leg length (P<0.01), wattle length (P<0.05), and the combined relative asymmetry (P<0.05), the relative asymmetry of hens housed in deep litter being larger. There was no significant difference for the duration of tonic immobility between hens housed in deep litter or free range. Thus, hens with access to an outdoor area were less stressed than hens without access to an outdoor area, although the fearfulness was similar in both groups of birds. In experiment 2, cocks (n=120; 36 wk old) from 4 Spanish breeds, a synthetic breed, and the White Leghorn population, which had been housed in cages with or without a cold stress (0 to 10 degrees C) from 24 wk of age, were used. Cold x breed interaction was significant for heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P<0.05), differences between cold-stressed and control birds being significant in 2 breeds. In these breeds (Red-Barred Vasca and Buff Prat), heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly greater in cold-stressed birds. Cold stress effect was significant for the relative asymmetry of toe length (P<0.001) and the combined relative asymmetry (P<0.05), the relative asymmetry of birds with cold stress being larger than that of control birds. Thus, cold stress seriously negatively affects the welfare of cocks.

The functionality of the placenta may affect neonatal adiposity and fetal levels of key nutrients such as long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fetal macrosomia and its complications may occur even in adequately controlled gestational diabetic (GDM) mothers, suggesting that maternal glycemia is not the only determinant of fetal glycemic status and wellbeing. We studied in vivo the placental transfer of fatty acids (FA) labeled with stable isotopes administered to 11 control and 9 GDM pregnant women (6 treated with insulin). Subjects received orally ¹³C-palmitic, ¹³C-oleic, and ¹³C-linoleic acids and ¹³C-docosahexaenoic acid (¹³C-DHA) 12 h before an elective caesarean section. FA were quantified by gas chromatography and ¹³C enrichments by gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The ¹³C-FA concentration was higher in total lipids of maternal plasma in GDM patients versus controls, except for ¹³C-DHA. Moreover, ¹³C-DHA showed a lower placenta/maternal plasma ratio in GDM patients versus controls and a significantly lower cord/maternal plasma ratio. Other FA ratios studied were not different between GDM and controls. A disturbed ¹³C-DHA placental uptake occurred in GDM patients treated with diet or insulin, while the latter also had lower ¹³C-DHA levels in the venous cord. The tracer study pointed towards an impaired placental DHA uptake as a critical step, while the transfer of other ¹³C-FA was less affected. Patients with GDM treated with insulin could also have a greater fetal fat storage, which may have contributed to the reduced ¹³C-DHA in the venous cord observed. The DHA transfer to the fetus was reduced in GDM pregnancies compared to controls. This might have an influence on fetal neurodevelopment and long-term consequences for the child.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of heat and several additives related to stress on fluctuating asymmetry (groups 1 to 10), heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (groups 1 to 3 and 8 to 10), and tonic immobility duration (groups 1 to 7 and 10) in White Leghorn chicks at 42 d of age. Chicks in group 1 (heat) were reared with temperatures 8°C greater than those of the control group. Groups 2 to 9 consisted of chicks reared with temperatures 8°C greater than those of the control group and addition of capsaicin, allicin, ascorbic acid, tryptophan, brewer's yeast, lactic acid, corticosterone, or cholesterol in diet. Chicks in group 10 (control) were reared with standard temperatures. Heat effect was significant (P<0.05) for the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, which was greater in heat-stressed chicks without any additives and smaller in control chicks. There were no significant differences for the fluctuating asymmetry and the tonic immobility duration between both groups. Heterophil:lymphocyte ratio for heat-stressed chicks with capsaicin or allicin was significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of heat-stressed chicks without any additives. Capsaicin effect was not significant for the fluctuating asymmetry and the tonic immobility duration, whereas allicin significantly increased fluctuating asymmetry of wing length and tonic immobility duration (P<0.05). The addition of lactic acid or corticosterone resulted in greater fluctuating asymmetry of wing length of heat-stressed chicks (P<0.05). In conclusion, an increased heterophil:lymphocyte ratio was found in heat-stressed chicks without additives, indicating that it is a more reliable indicator of the effect of heat in chicks. In addition, dietary capsaicin or allicin supplementation was effective to alleviate the stress induced by the high temperature, as indicated by a lower heterophil:lymphocyte ratio.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of auditory enrichment (by means of classical music) or physical enrichment (by means of hanging colored string bunches and barley grains on the floor) on tonic immobility duration, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in chicks of several layer breeds. In experiment 1, 192 chicks from 8 Spanish breeds and 1 White Leghorn population were reared in cages with or without music auditory enrichment until 8 wk of age. The effect of music auditory enrichment was significant for heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (P < 0.05). The ratios were higher in chicks reared without music than in those reared with music, suggesting that auditory enrichment from classical music reduces stress in chicks. There were significant differences in morphological trait measurements (relative asymmetry of wing length, leg width, and combined asymmetry; P < 0.05), being greater in chicks reared without music. This result suggests that FA is a good indicator for stress level in chicks, given that it follows the same trend as that found for heterophil to lymphocyte ratio. There was a significant treatment by breed interaction (P < 0.05) for tonic immobility duration, indicating no consistent effect by auditory enrichment on tonic immobility duration across breeds. In experiment 2, 180 chicks from 3 Spanish breeds were housed in pens with or without physical enrichment (colored plastic string bunches and barley grains on the floor) until 6 wk of age. The effect of physical enrichment on tonic immobility duration, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and FA was not significant, indicating no effect on fear and stress in layer chicks. In conclusion, auditory enrichment by means of classical music is a reliable method for reducing stress levels in several breeds of layer chicks. However, music auditory enrichment was not effective in reducing fearfulness in any of the layer breeds. Physical enrichment by means of colored plastic string bunches and floor barley grains does not appear to be an effective method for reducing stress and fear in layer chicks.

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Objectives In 2019 Chinese authorities alerted of the appearance of a cluster of cases of unknown pneumonia related to a new type of coronavirus. Spain is among the most affected countries. Our aim is to describe the cases of COVID-19 at Infanta Sofía University Hospital (Madrid), a public secondary hospital that increased its hospital beds to provide assistance during the outbreak. Methods Retrospective descriptive study of cases that met COVID-19 clinical diagnosis criteria or had a positive PCR test from February 27 to June 29, 2020. A description of demographic variables, hospital stay, mortality and the epidemiological curve was performed. Results Of 1,828 confirmed cases, 64.4% were hospitalised, 5.6% were admitted to the ICU. About 52.2% were male. The median age was 63.2 years. About 13.1% were nursing home residents. Nineteen percent were of Latin American origin of which 6.8% were admitted to the ICU. Overall case fatality was 14.6%. We observed a biphasic epidemiological curve. Conclusions Sixty to 79-year-old males were admitted and deceased more often than women. Mortality reached 14.7%. Latin Americans were admitted more often to the ICU. Further studies about epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in hospitals are necessary.