Forage sources in total mixed rations early in life influence performance, metabolites, and behavior of dairy calves.

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of forage inclusion and sources on performance, metabolism, and feeding behavior of dairy calves. Forty-eight Holstein calves were blocked and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments according to sex and BW at 28 d of life to determine the effects of feeding forage sources (ensiled and dry), with different quality on performance, metabolites, and behavior. Treatments consisted of a no-forage coarsely ground starter (CON); or total mixed ration (TMR) containing 7.5% on a dry matter (DM) basis of Tifton hay of either medium quality (MH) or low quality (LH); or 10% on a DM basis of corn silage (CS). During the first 28 d of life, all calves received 3 L of whole milk twice daily, a commercial pelleted starter and no forage, and water ad libitum. After that, the solid diet was changed to the respective dietary treatments. Calves were gradually weaned from 52 to 56 d of age, and followed for 14 d postweaning. Individual solid feed and milk intakes were recorded daily, and BW and metabolic indicators of intermediate metabolism were recorded weekly. Behavior was recorded, and the analysis was conducted on wk 7 (preweaning) and 10 (postweaning). Solid feed intake increased at wk 7 and 8 when MH, LH, and CS were included in TMR; the same results were observed postweaning. The diets did not affect the average daily gain and BW, but the feed efficiency increased with the CON diet. The ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration was greater in calves receiving TMR-containing forage than CON diet. Furthermore, calves supplemented with forage had a greater rumination time. In conclusion, all forage sources included in the TMR showed feed intake and behavior benefits, reinforcing the need for fiber from forage in pre- and postweaning diets.

Genetic parameters and genetic trends of conformation and management traits in Dairy Gir cattle / [Parâmetros genéticos e tendências genéticas de características de conformação e manejo de bovinos Gir Leiteiro]

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and genetic trends of different conformation and management traits regularly measured within the context of the National Dairy Gir Breeding Program (PNMGL). The estimation of genetic and residual variances for each trait was performed using average information restricted maximum likelihood (AI-REML) procedure in AIREMLF90 program software. The population was divided into three subpopulations constituted by measured females (with phenotype records), all females, and males. Linear regressions were applied for each trait, considering two periods of birth (1st period: 1938-1996; 2nd period: 1997-2012). The estimated heritability of conformation and management traits varied from 0.01 to 0.53, denoting a perspective of genetic improvement through selection and corrective matings for purebred Dairy Gir populations. The average genetic changes in conformation and management traits were, in general, variable and inexpressive, showing that the selection of Dairy Gir may have had been directed essentially to increase milk yield. The analysis of the two periods of birth indicated that some linear traits present progress (although inexpressive) in the 2nd period (more recent period).(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar os parâmetros genéticos e as tendências genéticas para diferentes características de conformação e manejo de animais puros da raça Gir Leiteiro, pertencentes ao Programa Nacional de Melhoramento do Gir Leiteiro (PNMGL). A estimativa das variâncias genéticas e residuais para cada característica foi realizada usando-se o procedimento de máxima verossimilhança restrita (AI-REML), por meio do programa AIREMLF90. A população foi dividida em três subpopulações, constituídas por fêmeas mensuradas (com registros de fenótipo), todas fêmeas e machos. As regressões lineares para cada característica foram ainda divididas em dois períodos de anos de nascimento (1º período: 1938 a 1996; 2º período: 1997 a 2012). As herdabilidades estimadas variaram de 0,01 a 0,53 para as características de conformação e manejo, possibilitando a perspectiva de melhoramento mediante seleção e acasalamentos corretivos na população pura da raça Gir Leiteiro. As mudanças genéticas nas características conformação e manejo foram, em geral, variáveis e inexpressivas, sugerindo que a seleção no Gir Leiteiro possa ter sido direcionada essencialmente para maior produção de leite. Ao serem observados os dois períodos distintos de anos de nascimento, infere-se que algumas características lineares apresentaram progresso (embora inexpressivo) no 2º período analisado.(AU)

The hydrogen sulfide donor, Lawesson's reagent, prevents alendronate-induced gastric damage in rats

Our objective was to investigate the protective effect of Lawesson's reagent, an H2S donor, against alendronate (ALD)-induced gastric damage in rats. Rats were pretreated with saline or Lawesson's reagent (3, 9, or 27 µmol/kg, po) once daily for 4 days. After 30 min, gastric damage was induced by ALD (30 mg/kg) administration by gavage. On the last day of treatment, the animals were killed 4 h after ALD administration. Gastric lesions were measured using a computer planimetry program, and gastric corpus pieces were assayed for malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β], and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Other groups were pretreated with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg, ip) or with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg, ip)+diazoxide (3 mg/kg, ip). After 1 h, 27 µmol/kg Lawesson's reagent was administered. After 30 min, 30 mg/kg ALD was administered. ALD caused gastric damage (63.35±9.8 mm2); increased levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA (2311±302.3 pg/mL, 901.9±106.2 pg/mL, 121.1±4.3 nmol/g, respectively); increased MPO activity (26.1±3.8 U/mg); and reduced GSH levels (180.3±21.9 µg/g). ALD also increased cystathionine-γ-lyase immunoreactivity in the gastric mucosa. Pretreatment with Lawesson's reagent (27 µmol/kg) attenuated ALD-mediated gastric damage (15.77±5.3 mm2); reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA formation (1502±150.2 pg/mL, 632.3±43.4 pg/mL, 78.4±7.6 nmol/g, respectively); lowered MPO activity (11.7±2.8 U/mg); and increased the level of GSH in the gastric tissue (397.9±40.2 µg/g). Glibenclamide alone reversed the gastric protective effect of Lawesson's reagent. However, glibenclamide plus diazoxide did not alter the effects of Lawesson's reagent. Our results suggest that Lawesson's reagent plays a protective role against ALD-induced gastric damage through mechanisms that depend at least in part on activation of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels.

Boa evolução da forma granulomatosade Imunodeficiência Comum Variável / Good evolution of granulomatous form of the common variable immunodeficiency

Objetivo: Descrever um caso de forma granulomatosa da imunodeficiência comum variável (ICV) enfatizando a boa evolução da doença granulomatosa durante o acompanhamento em longo prazo. Descrição do caso: Paciente do gênero feminino, atualmente com 26 anos. Apresentava história de otites e amigdalites desde os seis meses e pneumonias desde os três anos de idade. Aos cinco anos foi levada a serviço especializado: apresentava-se desnutrida e com baço palpável a 9 cm e fígado a 2 cm. A investigação laboratorial iniciada nessa ocasião mostrou deficiência de IgG, IgA, IgM séricas, ausência de isohemaglutininas, linfócitos B, T, CD4+ e CD8+ normais. A biopsia hepática revelou doença granulomatosa. Foi então diagnosticada forma granulomatosa da ICV. A paciente foi submetida ao tratamento da imunodeficiência sendo indicado esteroide para a doença granulomatosa. O acompanhamento mensal da paciente durante 21 anos mostrou boa evolução, com regressão da hepatoesplenomegalia e preservação da função hepática. Discussão: A ICV é uma deficiência primária predominantemente de anticorpos, em que há pneumonias de repetição e cujo tratamento principal é a reposição de gamaglobulina. A forma granulomatosa hepática da ICV é rara, mas deve ter diagnóstico precoce, na tentativa de preservar a função hepática. No presente caso, durante os 21 anos de acompanhamento, houve boa evolução da forma granulomatosa da imunodeficiência com o uso de baixas doses de esteroides.

Objective: To describe a case of granulomatous form of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) with good progress during a longterm monitoring. Case report: Female patient, now 26. She had a history of ear infections and tonsillitis since she was six months and pneumonia as from the age of three years. At the age of five years she was taken to a specialized service: the patient was malnourished and with 9 cms palpable spleen and 2 cms liver. Laboratory investigation initiated at that time showed deficiency of IgG, IgA, IgM serum, absence of isohemaglutininas, and normal B, T, CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. The liver biopsy revealed granulomatous disease. It was then diagnosed as granulomatous CVID. The patient was submitted to immunodeficiency treatment and steroid was indicated for the granulomatous disease. The patient’s monthly monitoring during 21 years showed good outcome, with regression of hepatosplenomegaly and preservation of liver function. Discussion: CVID is predominantly a primary deficiency of antibodies, in which there is recurrent pneumonias and the main treatment recommended is the replacement of gammaglobulin. The granulomatous form of CVID is rare, nevertheless it must be diagnosed early so that the liver function can be preserved. In this 21-year-monitoring case there has been a good evolution of the granulomatous form of immunodeficiency with low doses of steroids.

Antibody and cytokine seerum levels in patients subjected to anti-rabies prophylaxis with serum-vaccination

Rabies is considered a fatal disease once clinical symptoms have developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological aspects and immune response in patients attacked by domestic and wild animals and subjected to post-exposure rabies treatment with equine serum and associated vaccine. Thirty-three patients were evaluated; they were between 13 and 65 years old, 75.8% were male and 24.2% female, and from the Botucatu neighborhood. Twenty healthy control individuals with the same age range were also studied. Specific antibodies to equine immunoglobulins and IFN-g, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 production were evaluated by ELISA. IgM, IgE, IgG and subclasses, and rabies virus antibodies serum levels were determined by nephelometry and seroneutralization methods, respectively. No anaphylactic or serum sickness allergic reactions were observed in patients after treatment. Anti-equine IgG levels were significantly higher than those of IgM after 14 and 28 days of treatment. Protective antibodies to rabies virus > 0.5 UI/ml were detected in 84.6% and 75% of patients at days 14 and 28, respectively. IFN-g, IL-2 and IL-10 levels in patients before and 48h after treatment were significantly higher than in controls suggesting that both Th1 and Th2 cells were activated in the patients. Serum IgM levels were higher at day 14, and IgG2 and IgE levels were higher at day 28 of treatment. These results suggest that post-exposure rabies treatment in humans induces significant alterations in patient immune response characterized by increased levels of cytokines, serum levels of specific rabies virus antibodies, and the equine serum components employed in the treatment

Surveillance of pediatric infections in a teaching hospital in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Nosocomial infections (NI) result in considerably high mortality and morbidity rates, especially among pediatric patients. Considering current worldwide changes, information about the occurrence of pathogens and susceptibility tests are now seen as decisive for optimizing treatment. The purpose of this research was to determine the frequency of microorganisms, antimicrobial and genetic profiles, and risk factors associated with nosocomial infections in a teaching hospital in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. From January 1998 to December 1999, 108 patients were characterized as having nosocomial infection, from which 137 pathogens were isolated. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by conventional and automated techniques. Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were characterized by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Pathogens were most often isolated from infants one-month old or younger, and bloodstream infections were the most frequent. The main isolated agents isolated were: coagulase-negative staphylococci (38), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19), S. aureus (26), K. pneumoniae (18), and Candida spp. (13). The risk conditions that were most closely related to NI acquisition were: prolonged hospital stays (69.4 percent), prematurity (60.9 percent) and exposure to high-risk device procedures (95.4 percent). Ciprofloxacin and imipenem were the most effective drugs, inhibiting all or almost all of the Enterobacteriaceae, P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus isolates. Only 23 percent of the S. aureus samples were resistant to oxacillin. Genomic typing revealed 10 distinct patterns for S. aureus and 13 for K. pneumoniae, suggesting that most them did not belong to the same clone. PFGE was effective in differentiating the strains

Efeito da restriçäo alimentar inicial e da temperatura ambiente sobre o desenvolvimento de vísceras e ganho compensatório em frangos de corte / Effect of early quantitative feed restriction and environmental temperature on viscera growth and compensatory gain of broiler chickens

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o efeito da restriçäo alimentar quantitativa inicial e da temperatura ambiente sobre o desenvolvimento de vísceras e ganho compensatório em frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 540 frangos machos, em um delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, segundo esquema fatorial 2 x 3, com os fatores programa alimentar (ad libitum e restrito do 7§ ao 14§ dia de idade) e temperatura ambiente (quente, termoneutra e fria). A restriçäo alimentar näo afetou o peso relativo do fígado e do coraçäo, mas reduziu significamente o peso e o comprimento dos intestinos ao final do período de restriçäo (14 dias de idade). Näo foi observado efeito significativo da restriçäo alimentar sobre o desenvolvimento das vísceras estudadas aos 42 dias de idade. Peso vivo, ganho de peso e consumo de raçäo dos frangos com restriçäo alimentar foram significamente menores aos 28 dias de idade, porém näo foram observadas diferenças entre essas variáveis aos 42 dias de idade, demonstrando ganho compensatório durante o período de realimentaçäo. O peso relativo das vísceras näo foi afetado pela temperatura de criaçäo aos 42 dias de idade, exceto o coraçäo. Consumo de raçäo, ganho de peso e peso vivo aos 42 dias de idade foram significativamente menores nas aves mantidas em altas temperaturas

Sindrome de Youssef: a proposito de tres casos. / Youssef's syndrome: report of three cases

Sao apresentados tres casos de fistula vesicouterina atendidos no Hospital das Clinicas da Universidade Federal do Parana.As pacientes apresentavam menuria ciclica (mentruacao vesical) secundaria a fistula vesicouterina, nao tinham incontinencia urinaria, mas apresentavam amenorreia aparente. A frequencia de casos observada pode ser justificada pela atual alta de incidencia de operacoes cesarianas. Dois eventos interessantes sao destacados pelos autores como fatores etiologicos:a presenca de corpo estranho na bexiga de uma paciente e a rotura uterina previa sofrida por outra. A histerossalpingografia e a cistoscopia foram uteis na localizacao da fistula. Todos os casos foram tratados cirurgicamente, mediante disseccao de bexiga e do utero, que foram suturados separadamente. Nao houve recidivas pos-operatoria

Malformacoes genitais. / Genital malformations

Estudam-se malformacoes genitais, nao relacionadas a intersexo, observadas em 74 pacientes atendidas no periodo de 1970 a 1980 no Departamento de Tocoginecologia da UFPr. Das queixas referidas, sobressaem a ausencia de menstruacao (39 casos), a dificuldade ao coito e a dor abdominal (ambas relatadas por 10 pacientes), e esterilidade (nove mulheres). Os procedimentos que permitiram diagnostico incluiram, demais de anamnese e exame ginecologico, exames radiologicos (especialmente a pneumopelvigrafia) e procedimentos cirurgicos laparotomia em 11 oportunidades e laparoscopia em seis. A agenesia uterovaginal foi a malformacao mais encontrada (31 vezes), seguindo-se as anomalias uterinas de aproximacao/fusao (15 casos). O tratamento instituido, cirurgico para a maioria das pacientes (33), visou sempre adequar as clientes a satisfatorias condicoes menstruais, sexuais ou reprodutivas. Em 32 oportunidades, procedeu-se apenas a orientacao das mulheres, enquanto outras nove deverao submeter-se a operacoes em epoca mais oportuna