Influence of eCG and breed on the number of oocytes collected and the production of in vitro embryos of young goats during the reproductive season.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of breed and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) on ovarian response and in vitro embryo production from young goats. Thirty-one (12 Alpine, 10 Nubian, and 9 Saanen) were randomly assigned into three treatments of eCG (T1, 0 IU; T2, 500 IU; and T3, 1000 IU). Alpine goats showed the highest amount and largest size of follicles (P = 0.003). The effect of eCG dose 24 h post application was significant (P < 0.05), and was superior in goats undergoing T2. The aspiration rate of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) was 34% (P > 0.05), except for percentage of denuded oocytes, which obtained the highest number (P = 0.003) in the Saanen goats. The same difference was found (P = 0.02) in oocytes grade III in T2 and T3, with 42.5 and 37.9% respectively. In vitro embryo production was 80.0% of IVF/cleavage in the Alpine goats (P = 0.003). Embryo production was the greatest for T2 (69.2%; P = 0.004). T3 goats had higher percentage of morula stage (66.6%; P = 0.030). It is concluded that the application of eCG has a significant effect on the ovarian status, and quality and quantity of embryos with a differential response depending on the breed.

Evaluación de la disfagia en pacientes con enfermedades neurológicas y su relación con riesgo de desnutrición / Assessment of dysphagia in neurological disease patients and its relation to risk factor for malnutrition

Resumen: ANTECEDENTES Los pacientes con enfermedades neurológicas son susceptibles a padecer disfagia frecuentemente no diagnosticada. OBJETIVO Determinar la existencia de disfagia en pacientes con enfermedad neurológica atendidos en la consulta externa y su relación con el riesgo de desnutrición. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO Estudio descriptivo transversal, efectuado de enero a diciembre de 2016. Se realizó valoración clínica de las fases de la deglución, se aplicó el cuestionario EAT-10 versión en español, se tomaron medidas antropométricas, se estimó la ingesta calórica y se determinó el riesgo nutricional, el índice de Quetelet y la Evaluación Global Subjetiva. RESULTADOS Se analizaron 55 pacientes, 54.5% mujeres, con edad media de 47.29 años. La disfagia afectó a 49.1% de los pacientes; los pacientes con riesgo de desnutrición representaron 25.5%. Los pacientes con disfagia representaron 33.3% y tuvieron mayor riesgo de desnutrición vs 17.9% sin disfagia (p < 0.001). El género femenino (OR 1.23; IC95% 0.42-3.58; p = 0.451), la diabetes mellitus (OR 2.95; IC95% 0.52-16.75; p = 0.196), el antecedente de neumonía (OR 2.12; IC95% 1.59-2.81; p = 0.236) y la enfermedad neurológica crónica (OR 1.65; IC95% 0.49-5.53; p = 0.301) se relacionaron con incremento de disfagia. CONCLUSIONES La prevalencia de disfagia no diagnosticada es elevada y se asocia con mayor desnutrición.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Neurological diseases patients are susceptible to dysphagia, frequently not diagnosed. OBJECTIVE To determine the presence of dysphagia in patients attending for neurological pathology of extern consult and its relation with malnutrition. MATERIAL AND METHOD A prospective, cross-sectional study, performed from January to December 2016, that evaluated dysphagia symptoms, clinically phases of swallowing, and EAT-10 questionnaire validated to Spanish was applied. Risk factors were determined, as well as nutritional risk, Quetelet Index, Global Subjective Assessment, and demographics data. RESULTS Of the 55 patients, 54.5% were women; mean age was of 47.29 years. The prevalence of dysphagia was 49.1%; patients with risk malnutrition represented 25.5%. Dysphagia patients accounted for 33.3% and had a higher risk of malnutrition vs 17.9% without dysphagia (p < 0.001). The risk of dysphagia increased in women (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.42-3.58, p = 0.45), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.95, 95 % CI 0.52-16.75, p = 0.19), patients with history of pneumonia (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.59-2.81; p = 0.236) and chronic neurological disease (OR 1.65, 95% CI 0.49-5.53, p = 0.30). CONCLUSIONS There is high prevalence of undiagnosed dysphagia and it's associated with greater risk of malnutrition.

Hepatic amino acid-degrading enzyme expression is downregulated by natural and synthetic ligands of PPARα in rats.

Body nitrogen retention is dependent on the amount of dietary protein consumed, as well as the fat and carbohydrate content in the diet, due to the modulation of amino acid oxidation. PPARα is a transcription factor involved in the upregulation of the expression of enzymes of fatty acid oxidation. However, the role of putative PPARα response elements (PPREs) in the promoter of several amino acid-degrading enzymes (AADEs) is not known. The aim of this work was to study the effect of the synthetic ligand Wy 14643 and the natural ligands palmitate, oleate, and linoleate in rats fed graded concentrations of dietary protein (6, 20, or 50 g/100 g of total diet) on the expression of the AADEs histidase, serine dehydratase, and tyrosine aminotransferase. Thus, we fed male Wistar rats diets containing 6, 20, or 50% casein for 10 d. The results showed that addition of Wy 14643 to the diet significantly reduced the expression of the AADEs. Furthermore, the incubation of hepatocytes with natural ligands of PPARα or feeding rats with diets containing soybean oil, safflower oil, lard, or coconut oil as sources of dietary fat significantly repressed the expression of the AADEs. Gene reporter assays and mobility shift assays demonstrated that the PPRE located at -482 bp of the histidase gene actively bound PPARα in rat hepatocytes. These data indicate that PPARα ligands may reduce amino acid catabolism in rats.