Comparison of production-related responses to hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia induced by clamp procedures or heat stress of lactating dairy cattle.

Hyperinsulinemia concurrent with hypoglycemia is one of a myriad of physiological changes typically experienced by lactating dairy cows exposed to heat stress, the consequences of which are not yet well defined or understood. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to separate the production-related effects of hyperinsulinemia with hypoglycemia from those of a hyperthermic environment. Multiparous lactating Holstein cows (n = 23; 58 ± 4 d in milk, 3.1 ± 0.3 lactations) were housed in temperature-controlled rooms and all were subjected to 4 experimental periods as follows: (1) thermoneutral (TN; temperature-humidity index of 65.1 ± 0.2; d 1-5), (2) TN + hyperinsulinemic-hypoglycemic clamp (HHC; insulin infused at 0.3 µg/kg of BW per h, glucose infused to maintain 90 ± 10% of baseline blood glucose for 96 h; d 6-10), (3) heat stress (HS; temperature-humidity index of 72.5 ± 0.2; d 16-20), and (4) HS + euglycemic clamp (EC; glucose infused to reach 100 ± 10% of TN baseline blood glucose for 96 h; d 21-25). Cows were fed and milked twice daily. Feed refusals were collected once daily for calculation of daily dry matter intake, and milk samples were collected at the beginning and end of each period for component analyses. Circulating insulin concentrations were measured in daily blood samples, whereas glucose concentrations were measured more frequently and variably in association with clamp procedures. Rectal temperatures and respiration rates were greater during HS than TN, as expected, and states of hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia were successfully induced by the HHC and high ambient temperatures (HS and EC). Feed intake differed based upon thermal environment as it was similar during TN and HHC periods, and declined for HS and EC. Milk production was not entirely reflective of feed intake as it was greatest during TN, intermediate during HHC, and lowest during HS and EC. All milk components differed with the experimental period, primarily in response to the thermal environment. Interestingly, TN baseline glucose concentrations were highly correlated with the change in glucose from TN to HS, and were related to glycemic status during HS. Furthermore, although few in number, those cows that failed to become hypoglycemic during HS tended to have a greater reduction in milk yield. The work presented here addresses a critical knowledge gap by broadening our understanding of the physiological response to heat stress and the related changes in glycemic state. This broadened understanding is fundamental for the development of novel, innovative management strategies as the dairy industry is compelled to become increasingly efficient in spite of global warming.

Effects of choline on the phenotype of the cultured bovine preimplantation embryo.

Choline is a precursor of acetylcholine, phosphatidylcholine, and the methyl-donor betaine. Reports indicate that supplementation with rumen-protected choline improves postpartum reproductive function of dairy cows. The objective was to determine whether addition of choline to culture medium of in vitro-produced embryos alters the phenotype of the resultant blastocysts. Treatments were choline chloride (ChCl; 0.004, 1.3, 1.8, and 6.37 mM) and phosphatidylcholine (1.3 mM). Treatment with 0.004 mM ChCl improved development to the blastocyst stage, increased blastocyst cell number, and increased the percentage of blastocysts that were hatching or hatched. Development was not affected by higher concentrations of ChCl but was reduced by 1.3 mM phosphatidylcholine. Treatment of embryos with 1.3 mM ChCl (but not other concentrations) increased expression in blastocysts of 11 of 165 genes examined (AMOT, NANOG, HDAC8, HNF4A, STAT1, MBNL3, SOX2, STAT3, KDM2B, SAV1, and GPAM) and decreased expression of one gene (ASS1). Treatment with 1.3 mM ChCl decreased global DNA methylation at d 3.5 of development and increased DNA methylation at d 7.5 in blastocysts. Treatment with 1.8 mM ChCl also increased methylation in blastocysts. In conclusion, addition of choline to the culture medium alters the phenotype of preimplantation bovine embryos produced in vitro. Choline chloride can act in a concentration-dependent manner to alter development, expression of specific genes, and DNA methylation.

Invited review: Management strategies capable of improving the reproductive performance of heat-stressed dairy cattle.

Impaired fertility during periods of heat stress is the culmination of numerous physiological responses to heat stress, ranging from reduced estrus expression and altered follicular function to early embryonic death. Furthermore, heat-stressed dairy cattle exhibit a unique metabolic status that likely contributes to the observed reduction in fertility. An understanding of this unique physiological response can be used as a basis for improving cow management strategies, thereby reducing the negative effects of heat stress on reproduction. Potential opportunities for improving the management of dairy cattle during heat stress vary greatly and include feed additives, targeted cooling, genetic selection, embryo transfer and, potentially, crossbreeding. Previous studies indicate that dietary interventions such as melatonin and chromium supplementation could alleviate some of the detrimental effects of heat stress on fertility, and that factors involved in the methionine cycle would likely do the same. These supplements, particularly chromium, may improve reproductive performance during heat stress by alleviating insulin-mediated damage to the follicle and its enclosed cumulus-oocyte complex. Beyond feed additives, some of the simplest, yet most effective strategies involve altering the timing of feeding and cooling to take advantage of comparatively low nighttime temperatures. Likewise, expansion of cooling systems to include breeding-age heifers and dry cows has significant benefits for dams and their offspring. More complicated but promising strategies involve the calculation of breeding values for thermotolerance, the identification of genomic markers for heat tolerance, and the development of bedding-based conductive cooling systems. Unfortunately, no single approach can completely rescue the fertility of lactating dairy cows during heat stress. That said, region-appropriate combinations of strategies can improve reproductive measures to reasonable levels.

[Expert opinion on strategies to improve vaccination coverage against seasonal influenza]. / Documento de opinión de expertos para la mejora de la cobertura vacunal frente a la gripe estacional.

Seasonal flu continues to be a major public health concern, and the influenza vaccine remains the most effective preventive measure. In Spain, vaccination coverage data from previous seasons show vaccination rates well below official targets; however, these figures improved significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the importance of achieving and maintaining high vaccination rates in order to avoid the clinical and economic impact of influenza, our multidisciplinary group of experts on vaccines analyzed the impact of low vaccination rates in Spain and drafted a series of measures to boost influenza vaccination coverage, particularly among priority groups.

[Palliative care needs in the inmobilized population of a Primary Care area in Vigo Spain]. / Necesidad de cuidados paliativos en la población inmovilizada de un centro de salud de Vigo.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To determine palliative care needs in a sample of people with mobility problems in the area of the C.S. Matama by using the NECPAL instrument (identification and integral-integrated care of people with advanced chronic diseases in social and healthcare provision services). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive and cross-sectional study of patients immobilized in a health centre in Vigo (87 subjects overall). RESULTS: The average age of our patients is 84.34 years and 82% are women. The most frequent immobilization type was the patient's inability to leave their home (64%). The result of this test was positive in 38% of cases (33 patients), most of whom have chronic diseases and only 1 patient has been diagnosed with cancer. There is a significant negative association between the score obtained on the Barthel scale and the ratio of positives to the test. Concerning the use of resources there are important differences regarding hospital admissions and PHC depending on the outcome of the test. These differences were statistically significant with regard to PHC and emergency consultations. CONCLUSIONS: An immobilized patient is not synonymous with a patient in need of palliative care; the tool used has been proved to be useful to detect this need, which concerns a third of our patients. The results of the questionnaire of need for care palliative (NECPAL) relate well to the basic activities of daily living (Barthel scale score) and to indicators of use of health services.

Lipid quantitation in formalin-fixed liver sections.

We describe a simple, sensitive, and quantitative procedure for measurement of triglycerides and protein contents in formalin-fixed liver sections. The method can detect as little as 0.27 microgram of triglycerides per mg of protein. It is based on selective binding of Sudan IV and Fast Green FCF to fat and total proteins, respectively, and their sequential elution with solvents. Sudan IV is eluted readily with acetone and Fast Green with NaOH-methanol, and the absorbances obtained at 500 and 610 nm can be used to determine the amount of triglycerides and total protein. The color equivalence for Fast Green was obtained after destaining the sections and measuring the protein contents by micro-Kjeldahl analysis. The color equivalence of Sudan IV was estimated by determining the triglyceride content in liver homogenates by an enzymatic procedure and then measuring the amount of dye bound to multiple fixed sections. There was a strong linear correlation between the triglyceride content as determined chemically and that obtained using the equivalence colors (r2 = 0.98). This method is useful to measure fat content in tissue samples and could be applied to evaluate the progression of liver disease.

Characterization of the type strain of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. cameroun serotype H32.

The strain 273 B, the type strain of a H serotype of Bacillus thuringiensis not yet characterized: B. thuringiensis subsp. cameroun, serotype H32, was isolated from soil samples collected in Cameroon. This strain produces cuboidal parasporal bodies composed of two major proteins of 53 kDa and 35 kDa. N-terminal sequences of the major proteins share no homology with published sequences. Only the 35 kDa protein is susceptible to digestion by trypsin. A complex array of 9 plasmids was revealed.

Synthesis of glycosyl(thio)ureido sugars via carbodiimides and their conformational behaviour in water.

The preparation of sugar ureas and thioureas by nucleophilic addition of water or hydrogen sulfide, respectively, to sugar-derived carbodiimides has been examined. Acetic acid efficiently catalysed the formation of ureas, whereas silica gel was found to be a more convenient catalyst in the case of the thioxo analogues. The procedures have been exploited in the development of an amine- and isocyanate-free synthesis of urea- and thiourea-tethered pseudooligosaccharides via the corresponding glycosylcarbodiimido sugars. The fully unprotected compounds adopted, preferentially, the (Z,Z) configuration at the pseudoamide bonds in water solution.

Treatment of median cleft of the lower lip, mandible, and bifid tongue with ankyloglossia. A case report.

A case of complete median cleft of the lower lip and mandible and bifid tongue with ankyloglossia is presented. Unlike other reported cases of similar disorders, no other abnormalities were present. A satisfactory result was achieved with early surgical correction of both hard- and soft-tissue defects.

Salivary gland tumours in Zimbabwe: report of 282 cases.

Tumours of the salivary glands are relatively uncommon. In a review of 282 black patients seen at Harare Central Hospital, Zimbabwe, the relative incidence of various tumour types and the age and sex distribution were similar to those reported in other series. There were more tumours of the minor salivary glands than in reported Western series. There were more tumours of the minor salivary glands than in reported Western series. Pain and rapid growth were significant in distinguishing malignant from benign tumours. Malignant tumours were more common in elderly than in young patients.

Pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands. Clinicopathologic study of 206 cases in Zimbabwe.

A review of 206 pleomorphic adenomas seen over a 10-year period was carried out. Fifty-eight percent of the tumors were in females. The tumor was common in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th decades with 39.8% of the tumors occurring in the parotid gland.

Ameloblastoma: the Zimbabwean experience over 10 years.

OBJECTIVES: A review of 117 ameloblastomas treated over a 10-year period was carried out. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical records of 117 patients treated for histologically diagnosed ameloblastoma were retrieved and analyzed for age, sex, anatomic distribution, duration of lesions, clinical features, and treatment methods with results and complications. RESULTS: Men and women were equally affected. The average age at the time of presentation was 28 years; 95.7% of the ameloblastomas occurred in the mandible; and 59% occurred in the premolar/incisor/canine region. CONCLUSION: Ameloblastoma occurs predominantly in the anterior mandible with equal frequency in men and women. Wide resection reduces recurrence.

[Centrofacial lymphoma, cause of middle line granuloma syndrome. Report of a case]. / Linfoma centrofacial, causa de síndrome de granuloma de la línea media. Informe de un caso.

The male patient is in his fifth decade with a history of four months with right nasal obstruction, hematopurulent rhinorrea and scabs in the nose. The initial physical examination showed necrotic tissue and scabs in both the nasal foci. Three months later he presented a septal perforation and eroded necrotic injury in the hard palate. The two initial biopsies that were carried out showed chronic unspecified inflammation, and the third reported a polymorphic reticulosis. The histopathological analysis of the material of the third biopsy showed the existence of a non-angiocentric intermediate centrofacial lymphoma. The patient was submitted to treatment with simultaneous radiotherapy and chemotherapy with the end result of a totally successful remission of the lymphoma. These abnormalities usually appear as ulcers and erosions of the cartilage and bones of the nose, the paranasal sinuses and the palate. They are polymorphic, and there exists evidence of its association with the Ebstein Barr virus. The patient has been observed during the last five years and has shown no evidence of recurrence of any related of the disease. As a consequence of the sickness, the patient had difficulties to talk and eat, but with rehabilitation he now has adequate phonation and eating capacity. The immunohistochemistry and molecular genetic science branches of medicine have almost solved the diagnostic and therapeutic problems related to this sickness. The individual's prognosis depends mainly on the extension of the affection and seriousness of the disease from which the patient suffers.

[[Sclerosing therapy in hemangiomas of the tongue]. / Tratamiento esclerosante en los hemangiomas de la lengua.

Two cases of hemangiomas on the tongue treated by injection of sclerosants products (1% Aethoxysklerol), combined with reconstructive surgery, are reported. The efficacy of such treatment for hemangiomas located at that level is demonstrated.

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding as the initial presenting symptom of renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma is known as one of the "great mimics encountered in clinical medicine," along with syphilis and tuberculosis. It can present clinically as a wide range of symptoms, with a classic triad described as hematuria, pain, and a palpable abdominal mass. However, this triad is present only in <20% of patients with renal cell carcinoma. Gastrointestinal bleeding has been described in renal cell carcinoma, although mainly secondary to metastasis in the upper gastrointestinal tract, with few cases due to local invasion. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding as a presenting symptom of an invasive primary renal cell carcinoma has been described in only one patient in the literature. Our patient is the first in whom a colonoscopic biopsy was used as a successful diagnostic modality.

A clinicopathologic study of parotid gland tumors.

PURPOSE: A review of 121 parotid gland tumors over a 10-year period was carried out. METHODS: The clinical records were retrieved to analyze treatment modalities, history, pathology reports, and sex and age distribution. RESULTS: Pleomorphic adenoma was the most common benign tumor (88.2%), with adenoid cystic carcinoma being the most common malignant tumor (7.4%). Pleomorphic adenoma was more common in women than in men. Clinical signs and symptoms were of no value in distinguishing between malignant and benign tumors. Malignant tumors tended to be more common in the elderly. Subtotal or total parotidectomy was used as the method of treatment.

PCR-based approach for detection of novel Bacillus thuringiensis cry genes.

A two-step strategy, named exclusive PCR or E-PCR, has been developed to overcome the main limitation of PCR, which is the detection of already-known sequences only. This strategy allows the ability to detect and further clone and sequence genes for which no specific primers are available and in which a variable region exists between two conserved regions. This approach has been applied to Bacillus thuringiensis cryI genes by the use of mixtures of degenerate and specific primers recognizing well-known sequences. The first step allows the accurate identification of already-characterized cryI genes by the use of three primers. During the second step, the same sets of primers are used to exclude known sequences and to positively detect cryI genes unrecognized by any specific primer. The method, as well as its application to detect, clone, and sequence a novel cryIB gene, is described in this article.

Generalized anomeric effect in action: synthesis and evaluation of stable reducing indolizidine glycomimetics as glycosidase inhibitors.

A series of aminoketalic castanospermine analogues incorporating a stereoelectronically anchored axial hydroxy group at the pseudoanomeric stereocenter (C-5) have been synthesized to satisfy the need for glucosidase inhibitors that are highly selective for alpha-glucosidases. The polyhydroxylated bicyclic system was built from readily available hexofuranose derivatives through a synthetic scheme that involved (i) the construction of a five-membered cyclic (thio)carbamate or (thio)urea moiety at the nonreducing end and (ii) the intramolecular nucleophilic addition of the heterocyclic thiocarbamic nitrogen atom to the masked aldehyde group of the monosaccharide. A biological screening of the resulting reducing 2-oxa- and 2-azaindolizidines against several glycosidase enzymes is reported.

Diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection in Latin American patients with AIDS. Working Group on AIDS in Peru.

Diarrhea and wasting are among the most debilitating and deadly manifestations of AIDS, yet only limited information is available regarding the etiology, clinical consequences, and immunologic effects of infection with diarrheal agents. Peruvian AIDS patients presenting with and without diarrhea were followed prospectively to examine the relations among diarrheal pathogens, clinical presentations, CD4 lymphocyte count, weight loss, and survival. Patients with chronic diarrhea had lower CD4 lymphocyte counts (P = .001) and lost more weight (P < .001). Weight loss and a decreased CD4 lymphocyte count were associated with increased mortality (P = .011 and P = .003, respectively). Mean CD4 lymphocyte count varied significantly by diarrheal agent. Clostridium difficile was the most prevalent pathogen and was associated with significantly increased mortality before and after adjustment for coinfection, length of follow-up, CD4 lymphocyte count, and weight loss (P = .006). C. difficile may be a more important and more prevalent etiologic agent in AIDS than previously recognized and may represent a preventable cause of death in patients with immunosuppression.