Relationship between body weight and scrotal circumference in growing Pelibuey sheep raised under tropical conditions / Relação entre o peso corporal e a circunferência escrotal em ovinos Pelibuey em crescimento criados em condições tropicais

The body weight (BW) of an animal is a vital economic trait that might help in decision-making in the handling of animals. The objective of the present study was to develop equations for the prediction of BW in Pelibuey sheep using scrotal circumference (SC). The BW (23.40 ± 6.96 kg) and SC (20.25 ± 6.19 cm) have been recorded in 405 male Pelibuey at the Southeastern Center for Ovine Integration, Mexico. Linear, logarithmic, quadratic, exponential, cubic, and power regression models were used for data analysis. Pearson correlation (R), Coefficient of determination (R2), Adjusted coefficient of determination (Adj.R2) Root mean square error (RMSE), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) were used to select the best model. Power regression model showed the highest R (0.93), R2 (0.86), Adj.R2 (0.86) and lowest RMSE (0.02), AIC (-989.44) and BIC (-981.44). The current study suggests that SC might be used as the only predictor for BW of growing Pelibuey sheep raised under tropical conditions.

O peso corporal (PC) do animal é uma característica econômica importante, que pode auxiliar na tomada de decisões no manejo dos animais. O objetivo do presente estudo foi desenvolver equações para a predição do PC em ovinos Pelibuey por meio da circunferência escrotal (CE). O PC (23,40±6,96kg) e a CE (20,25±6,19cm) foram registrados em 405 ovinos machos da raça Pelibuey no Centro de Integração Ovina da Região Sudeste do México. Os modelos lineares, logarítmicos, quadráticos, exponenciais, cúbicos e de regressão de potência foram utilizados para a análise dos dados. A correlação de Pearson (R), o coeficiente de determinação (R2), o coeficiente de determinação ajustado (Adj.R2), o erro do quadrado médio (EQM), o critério de informação de Akaike (AIC) e o critério de informação bayesiano (BIC) foram usados para selecionar o melhor modelo. O modelo de regressão de potência apresentou maiores R (0,93), R2 (0,86), Adj.R2 (0,86) e menores EQM (0,02), AIC (-989,44) e BIC (-981,44). O estudo atual sugere que a CE pode ser usada como um único preditor para o PC de ovinos Pelibuey em crescimento criadas em condições tropicais.

Clasificación Sistemática de Apósitos: Una Revisión Bibliográfica / Systemic Classification of Wound Dressings: a Review

Resumen En la actualidad existe un gran número de apósitos dada la amplia disponibilidad de biomateriales y principios bioactivos, por lo cual se hace necesario un consenso acerca de la clasificación de estos, para no generar confusiones a la hora de entender su utilidad y su idóneo manejo en el ambiente clínico. Por este motivo, en el presente artículo se hace una revisión bibliográfica utilizando las bases de datos SCOPUS, ScienceDirect y Web of Science, con ecuaciones de búsqueda que incluían las palabras clave de los diferentes tipos de apósitos. Con esta información se encuentra que los apósitos pueden ser clasificados de acuerdo con su complejidad, la naturaleza del material polimérico, su permeabilidad, su interacción biológica con la herida y su acción terapéutica, lográndose tener una definición detallada con todos las características relevantes para hacer una adecuada elección de un apósito. Adicionalmente, se incluye una revisión acerca del proceso de cicatrización y los tipos de heridas, dado que de esto dependen los fines terapéuticos y la selección de un apósito u otro.

Abstract Nowadays, there is wide variety of dressings because availability of biomaterials and bioactive components, thus a consensus is needed on their classification, to avoid in understanding their usefulness and their proper handling in clinical practice. Therefore, in this paper a bibliographic review is made using the SCOPUS, ScienceDirect and Web of science databases, with search equations which include the keywords of different types of wound dressings. With this information, we found that dressings can be classified according to their complexity, the nature of the polymeric material, its permeability, its biological interaction with the wound and its therapeutic action, in order to have a detailed definition with all the relevant characteristics to make a proper choice of a dressing. Additionally, a review about the healing process and the types of wounds is included, since this have an important influence on the therapeutic purposes and the correct selection of dressings.

A broad spectrum of genomic changes in latinamerican patients with EXT1/EXT2-CDG.

Multiple osteochondromatosis (MO), or EXT1/EXT2-CDG, is an autosomal dominant O-linked glycosylation disorder characterized by the formation of multiple cartilage-capped tumors (osteochondromas). In contrast, solitary osteochondroma (SO) is a non-hereditary condition. EXT1 and EXT2, are tumor suppressor genes that encode glycosyltransferases involved in heparan sulfate elongation. We present the clinical and molecular analysis of 33 unrelated Latin American patients (27 MO and 6 SO). Sixty-three percent of all MO cases presented severe phenotype and two malignant transformations to chondrosarcoma (7%). We found the mutant allele in 78% of MO patients. Ten mutations were novel. The disease-causing mutations remained unknown in 22% of the MO patients and in all SO patients. No second mutational hit was detected in the DNA of the secondary chondrosarcoma from a patient who carried a nonsense EXT1 mutation. Neither EXT1 nor EXT2 protein could be detected in this sample. This is the first Latin American research program on EXT1/EXT2-CDG.

Two Argentinean Siblings with CDG-Ix: A Novel Type of Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation?

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are genetic diseases caused by abnormal protein and lipid glycosylation. In this chapter, we report the clinical, biochemical, and molecular findings in two siblings with an unidentified CDG (CDG-Ix). They are the first and the third child of healthy consanguineous Argentinean parents. Patient 1 is now a 11-year-old girl, and patient 2 died at the age of 4 months. Their clinical picture involved liver dysfunction in the neonatal period, psychomotor retardation, microcephaly, seizures, axial hypotonia, feeding difficulties, and hepatomegaly. Patient 1 also developed strabismus and cataract. They showed a type 1 pattern of serum sialotransferrin. Enzymatic analysis for phosphomannomutase and phosphomannose isomerase in leukocytes and fibroblasts excluded PMM2-CDG and MPI-CDG. Lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO) analysis showed a normal profile. Therefore, this result could point to a deficiency in the dolichol metabolism. In this context, ALG8-CDG, DPAGT1-CDG, and SRD5A3-CDG were analyzed and no defects were identified. In conclusion, we could not identify the genetic deficiency in these patients yet. Further studies are underway to identify the basic defect in them, taking into account the new CDG types that have been recently described.

Production, purification and characterization of serraticin A, a novel cold-active antimicrobial produced by Serratia proteamaculans 136.

AIM: This study focuses on the production, purification and characterization of serraticin A, a novel cold-active antimicrobial produced by Serratia proteamaculans 136. METHODS AND RESULTS: A Ser. proteamaculans strain producing a novel cold-active antimicrobial was isolated from Isla de los Estados, Argentina. Antimicrobial production was optimized in a BIOFLO 101 bioreactor under batch culture mode, with temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen controlled conditions. A purification protocol was developed including activated charcoal adsorption, solid-phase C18 extraction (SPE) and semi-preparative HPLC. The molecular weight was determined by LC/QTOF/MS/MS mass analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Serratia proteamaculans 136 produces a cold-active low molecular bacteriocin-like compound named serraticin A. In this work, it has been laboratory-scale produced, purified and partially characterized. Cross-immunity test revealed that serraticin A is very different from other well-known microcins assayed, with a wide inhibitory spectrum, showing an interesting biotechnology potential to be applied as a control agent against pathogenic bacteria. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The present study is the first report of a cold-active compound with antimicrobial activity from Ser. proteamaculans. The work also highlights that cold environments could be a suitable source of micro-organisms with ability to produce cold-active biomolecules of biotechnological interest.

[Incidence of cough after desflurane and sevoflurane administration through a laryngeal mask: a controlled clinical trial]. / Comparación de la incidencia de tos entre desflurano y sevoflurano cuando se utiliza la máscara laríngea. Ensayo clínico controlado.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of cough with the administration of desflurane and sevoflurane through a laryngeal mask. METHODS: A double-blind controlled clinical trial in 90 patients who received general anesthesia for ear, nose and throat surgery outpatient. The experimental group (n = 45) inhaled desflurane and the control group (n = 45) inhaled sevoflurane. Rugloop simulation software was used to assure that each patient was under the effect of the induction agent (propofol). The Gasman program was used to ascertain that a minimum alveolar concentration of 1 had been achieved before the hypnotic effect of propofol was lost. Cough was evaluated on the Shahbaz scale during the 10 minutes following induction and at the end of the procedure. RESULTS: Cough in the first 10 minutes was recorded in 53.6% of patients in the desflurane group and in 2.4% in the sevoflurane group (P < .05). Between-group differences were also evident at the end of surgery (desflurane group, 24%; sevoflurane group, 9.7%; P< .05). CONCLUSION: The patients who inhaled desflurane through a laryngeal mask had a higher incidence of cough than those who inhaled sevoflurane. The mechanism by which cough is being triggered by desflurane should be studied to determine whether the effect is chemical or mechanical and whether it is acting in the larynx or in the distal portion of the lung.

Absorbed dose profiles for (32)P, (90)Y, (188)Re, (177)Lu, (153)Sm and (169)Er: radionuclides used in radiosynoviortheses treatment.

The main objective of this paper was to obtain the absorbed dose profiles for radionuclides of frequent or potential use in radiosynoviortheses. These profiles reveal the absorbed dose per activity of injected radionuclide (Gy/h*MBq) in the synovial membrane and the articular cartilage. The researched radionuclides were (32)P, (90)Y, (188)Re, (177)Lu, (153)Sm and (169)Er. The therapeutic range of each radionuclides in synovial tissue were also calculated. This range determines the synovial thickness that can be sufficiently irradiated and thus successfully treated. The S values for the synovial membrane and articular cartilage were calculated using as a model a cylinder with the source uniformly distributed in its volume. The synovial membrane was simulated varying the radius of the cylinder (from 0.5cm to 9cm) and its height (from 0.01cm to 0.04cm). The area in the base of the cylinder represents different sizes of the synovial surface (small, medium and large joints). The height of the cylinder represents different stages of the progression of the rheumatoid arthritis. The same model was used to simulate the articular cartilage but, the source was uniformly distributed into a cylindrical slab (0.01cm height and 1cm of radius. The results obtained allow the estimation of the dose that will be delivered to the synovial membrane and the articular cartilage for different joint sizes and different stages of progression of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Escherichia coli RNA polymerase is the target of the cyclopeptide antibiotic microcin J25.

Escherichia coli microcin J25 (MccJ25) is a plasmid-encoded, cyclic peptide antibiotic consisting of 21 unmodified amino acid residues. It is primarily active on gram-negative bacteria related to the producer strain, inducing cell filamentation in an SOS-independent way. A mutation causing resistance to MccJ25 was isolated. Genetic analysis indicated that it resided in the rpoC gene, encoding the beta' subunit of RNA polymerase, at 90 min on the E. coli genetic map. The mutation was genetically crossed on to a plasmid containing the wild-type rpoC gene. The presence of the recombinant plasmid conferred complete resistance to otherwise sensitive strains. Nucleotide sequencing of the plasmid-borne, mutant rpoC gene revealed a ACC (Thr)-to-ATC (Ile) change at codon 931, within homology block G, an evolutionarily conserved region in the large subunits of all RNA polymerases. MccJ25 decreased RNA synthesis both in vivo and in vitro. These results point to the RNA polymerase as the target of microcin action. We favor the possibility that the filamentous phenotype induced by MccJ25 results from impaired transcription of genes coding for cell division proteins. As far as we know, MccJ25 is the first peptide antibiotic shown to affect RNA polymerase.

Growth-phase-dependent expression of the cyclopeptide antibiotic microcin J25.

Microcin J25 is a 2,107-Da, plasmid-encoded, cyclopeptide antibiotic produced by Escherichia coli. We have isolated lacZ fusions to mcjA (encoding the 58-amino-acid microcin precursor) and mcjB and mcjC (which are required for microcin maturation), and the regulation of these fusions was used to identify factors that control the expression of these genes. The mcjA gene was found to be dramatically induced as cells entered the stationary phase. Expression of mcjA could be induced by resuspending uninduced exponential-phase cells in spent supernatant obtained from an early-stationary-phase culture. Induction of mcjA expression was not dependent on high cell density, pH changes, anaerobiosis, or the buildup of some inducer. A starvation for carbon and inorganic phosphate induced mcjA expression, while under nitrogen limitation there was no induction at all. These results taken together suggest that stationary-phase induction of mcjA is triggered by nutrient depletion. The mcjB and mcjC genes were also regulated by the growth phase of the culture, but in contrast to mcjA, they showed substantial expression already during exponential growth. Induction of the microcin genes was demonstrated to be independent of RpoS, the cyclic AMP-Crp complex, OmpR, and H-NS. Instead, we found that the growth-phase-dependent expression of mcjA, mcjB, and mcjC may be explained by the concerted action of the positively acting transition state regulators ppGpp, Lrp, and integration host factor. Measurements of microcin J25 production by strains defective in these global regulators showed a good correlation with the reduced expression of the fusions in such mutant backgrounds.

Clinical, epidemiologic, and virologic features of dengue in the 1998 epidemic in Nicaragua.

From July to December 1998, a hospital- and health center-based surveillance system for dengue was established at selected sites in Nicaragua to better define the epidemiology of this disease. Demographic and clinical information as well as clinical laboratory results were obtained, and virus isolation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and serologic assays were performed. World Health Organization criteria were used to classify disease severity; however, a number of patients presented with signs of shock in the absence of thrombocytopenia or hemoconcentration. Therefore, a new category was designated as "dengue with signs associated with shock" (DSAS). Of 1,027 patients enrolled in the study, 614 (60%) were laboratory-confirmed as positive cases; of these, 268 (44%) were classified as dengue fever (DF); 267 (43%) as DF with hemorrhagic manifestations (DFHem); 40 (7%) as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF); 20 (3%) as dengue shock syndrome (DSS); and 17 (3%) as DSAS. Interestingly, secondary infection was not significantly correlated with DHF/DSS, in contrast to previous studies in Southeast Asia. DEN-3 was responsible for the majority of cases, with a minority due to DEN-2; both serotypes contributed to severe disease. As evidenced by the analysis of this epidemic, the epidemiology of dengue can differ according to geographic region and viral serotype.

Escherichia coli outer membrane protein TolC is involved in production of the peptide antibiotic microcin J25.

A Tn5 insertion in tolC eliminated microcin J25 production. The mutation had little effect on the expression of the microcin structural gene and presumably acted by blocking microcin secretion. The tolC mutants carrying multiple copies of the microcin genes were less immune to the microcin. TolC is thus likely a component of a microcin export complex containing the McjD immunity protein, an ABC exporter.

Fracaso multiorganico. Incidencia y mortalidad en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediatricos / Multiorganic failure: incidence and mortality in an intensive care pediatric's unit

Se analiza el comportamiento del fallo multiorganico (FMO) en pediatria, Se revisan retrospectivamente 443 ingresos consecutivos, habidos en la unidad de cuidados intesivos (CIP) del 1 de enero al 31 de diciembre de 1985, 56 casos (12.6

)reunieron criterios de FMO (fracaso de 30 mas sistemas sin patologia previa, de forma aguda y coincidente en el tiempo),adaptado al campo pediatrico. Se objetivo una mortalidad de 35.7

que resulta inferior a la reseñada en adultos y significativamente superior a la global del mismo periodo(6,7

p<0,01).tanto el sistema que inicio el fallo como la participacion individual de cada sistema no se encontraron relacionados con la mortalidad.Sin embargo, existio asociación significativa para los sistemas cardiovascular y renal respecto a la mortalidad(p<0,05).La elevada participacion del sistema metabolico sin relacion significativa con la mortalidad sugiere que mas que fracaso de un sistema es un elemento derivado del sindrome. La infección aparecion como causa desencadenantemás frecuente de FMO (37,5

), las tendencias de las puntuaciones TISS entre las 12 y las 36 horas del ingreso, mostraron un incremento (p<0,05)para no sobrevivientes (+1,2=4,5 puntos)respecto a sobrevivientes(-3,9=5,9)