HLA-G expression in Merkel cell carcinoma and the correlation with Merkel cell polyomavirus infection.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous carcinoma with a high mortality rate. The MCC etiology is not fully understood. Merkel cell-associated polyomavirus (MCPyV) was found in MCC patients, indicating a risk factor for the tumor. Caucasian, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are more likely to develop this tumor. HLA-G consists of a non-classical class I (Ib) HLA molecule with an immunoregulatory function and was associated with tumor escape in different types of tumors, nonetheless, never been studied in MCC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HLA-G expression and also to detect the MCPyV in MCC patients and correlate it with the clinical course of the disease. Forty-five MCC patients were included in a retrospective study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cutaneous skin biopsies were used by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR to verify the HLA-G expression and MCPyV infection. HLA-G expression was found in 7 (15.6%), while the presence of MCPyV was detected in 28 (62.2%) of the studied patients. No significant association was found between HLA-G expression and MCPyV infection (p = 0.250). The presence of MCPyV was associated with areas of low sunlight exposure (p = 0.042) and the HLA-G expression with progression to death (p = 0.038). HLA-G expression was detected in MCC patients, as well as the MCPyV presence was confirmed. These markers could represent factors with a possible impact on patient survival; however, further studies with a greater number of patients are needed, to better elucidate the possible role in disease progression.

HLA-G expression in Merkel cell carcinoma and the correlation with Merkel cell polyomavirus infection

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous carcinoma with a high mortality rate. The MCC etiology is not fully understood. Merkel cell-associated polyomavirus (MCPyV) was found in MCC patients, indicating a risk factor for the tumor. Caucasian, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are more likely to develop this tumor. HLA-G consists of a non-classical class I (Ib) HLA molecule with an immunoregulatory function and was associated with tumor escape in different types of tumors, nonetheless, never been studied in MCC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HLA-G expression and also to detect the MCPyV in MCC patients and correlate it with the clinical course of the disease. Forty-five MCC patients were included in a retrospective study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cutaneous skin biopsies were used by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR to verify the HLA-G expression and MCPyV infection. HLA-G expression was found in 7 (15.6%), while the presence of MCPyV was detected in 28 (62.2%) of the studied patients. No significant association was found between HLA-G expression and MCPyV infection (p = 0.250). The presence of MCPyV was associated with areas of low sunlight exposure (p = 0.042) and the HLA-G expression with progression to death (p = 0.038). HLA-G expression was detected in MCC patients, as well as the MCPyV presence was confirmed. These markers could represent factors with a possible impact on patient survival; however, further studies with a greater number of patients are needed, to better elucidate the possible role in disease progression.

Effect of kernel processing and particle size of whole-plant corn silage with vitreous endosperm on dairy cow performance.

Kernel processing and theoretical length of cut (TLOC) of whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) can affect feed intake, digestibility, and performance of dairy cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate for lactating dairy cows the effects of kernel processing and TLOC of WPCS with vitreous endosperm. The treatments were a pull-type forage harvester without kernel processor set for a 6-mm TLOC (PT6) and a self-propelled forage harvester with kernel processor set for a 6-mm TLOC (SP6), 12-mm TLOC (SP12), and 18-mm TLOC (SP18). Processing scores of the WPCS were 32.1% (PT6), 53.9% (SP6), 49.0% (SP12), and 40.1% (SP18). Twenty-four Holstein cows (139 ± 63 d in milk) were blocked and assigned to six 4 × 4 Latin squares with 24-d periods (18 d of adaptation). Diets were formulated to contain 48.5% WPCS, 15.5% citrus pulp, 15.0% dry ground corn, 9.5% soybean meal, 6.8% low rumen degradability soybean meal, 1.8% calcium soap of palm fatty acids (FA), 1.7% mineral and vitamin mix, and 1% urea (dry matter basis). Nutrient composition of the diets (% of dry matter) was 16.5% crude protein, 28.9% neutral detergent fiber, and 25.4% starch. Three orthogonal contrasts were used to compare treatments: effect of kernel processing (PT6 vs. SP6) and effect of TLOC (particle size; SP6 vs. SP12 and SP12 vs. SP18). Cows fed SP6 produced 1.2 kg/d greater milk yield with no changes in dry matter intake, resulting in greater feed efficiency compared with PT6. Cows fed SP6 also produced more milk protein (+36 g/d), lactose (+61 g/d), and total solids (+94 g/d) than cows fed PT6. The mechanism for increased yield of milk and milk components involved greater kernel fragmentation, starch digestibility, and glucose availability for lactose synthesis by the mammary gland. However, cows fed SP6 had lower chewing time and tended to have greater levels of serum amyloid A compared with PT6. Milk yield was similar for SP6 and SP12, but SP12 cows tended to have less serum amyloid A with greater chewing time. Cows fed SP18 had lower total-tract starch digestibility and tended to have lower plasma glucose and produce less milk compared with cows fed SP12. Compared with PT6, feeding SP6 raised linear odd-chain FA concentration in milk. Similarly, a reduction of these same FA occurred for SP12 compared with SP6. Cows fed SP6 had greater proportion of milk C14:1 and C16:1 compared with PT6 and SP12. Lesser trans C18:1 followed by greater C18:0 concentrations were observed for SP12 and PT6 compared with SP6, which is an indication of more complete biohydrogenation in the rumen. Under the conditions of this study, the use of a self-propelled forage harvester with kernel processing set for a 12-mm TLOC is recommended for WPCS from hybrids with vitreous endosperm.

GROMOS96 43a1 performance in predicting oligosaccharide conformational ensembles within glycoproteins.

In previous work [Pol-Fachin, L.; Fernandes, C. L.; Verli, H.; Carbohydr. Res.2009, 344, 491-500], we had demonstrated that GROMOS96 43a1 force field and Löwdin HF/6-31G * *-derived atomic charges, adequately represent a glycoprotein's conformational ensemble in aqueous solutions, taking as the starting geometries NMR-determined structures. Based on such data, the present work intends to evaluate the use of the main solution conformations of isolated disaccharides, to build the carbohydrate moiety of glycoproteins, for which no previous experimental information is available. The observed results suggested that the entire glycoprotein scaffold appears unable to promote major modifications in the conformational behavior of glycosidic linkages. Additionally, when compared to energy contour plots, the results support the use of solution ensembles, to refine vacuum conformations of carbohydrate databases in the assembling of glycoproteins 3D structures. Finally, such approach is applied to build a full glycosylated model for COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes.

Fluxometria eco-power-doppler da artéria oftálmica externa em gatos (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) / Eco-power-doppler arterial flow from the external ophthalmic artery in cats (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) / Flujometria por ultrasonido de la arteria oftálmica externaen gatos

RESUMO: Os avanços tecnológicos dos meios diagnósticos benefi ciam a Medicina Veterinária. Para que novas tecnologias sejam utilizadas, são necessárias informações sobre os padrões normais para cada tipo de exame, o que possibilita sua utilização na rotina e destinação, adequadamente, a cada paciente. A fl uxometria ultra-sonográfi ca está começando a ser utilizada em Medicina Veterinária com fi nalidades e propósitos diversos. Para destiná-la a um fi m específi co, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo verifi car a fl uxometria ultra-sonográfi ca da artéria oftálmica externa em gatos. Para tanto, foram utilizados 20 gatos sem raça defi nida, 12 machos e 8 fêmeas, com massa corporal entre 2,0 e 4,0 kg, hígidos, provenientes da Sociedade de Amparo aos Animais de Umuarama ­ PR. Os animais foram anestesiados pela associação de tiletamina e zolazepam, administrada por via intramuscular, na dose de 6,0 mg/kg. A fl uxometria da artéria oftálmica externa foi obtida por meio do equipamento de ultra-sonografi a Toshiba Powervision ATL-HDI 3500, dotado de "eco-doppler", com transdutor setorial de 6,0 MHz, aplicado diretamente sobre a córnea. Cada olho teve o fl uxo de sua artéria aferido pelo programa do próprio aparelho, sendo tomadas três amostras. O índice de resistência vascular foi calculado com base nos valores do fl uxo sistólico e diastólico médio de cada vaso. Os valores foram tabulados e teste t de Student foi aplicado para verifi cação de diferenças entre as médias. No olho direito, obteve-se velocidade de fl uxo de 41,3 ± 14,28 cm/seg para a artéria oftálmica externa, em sístole, e 23,95 ± 11,46 cm/seg, em diástole. No olho esquerdo, 42,75 ± 12,64 cm/seg, em sístole, e 25,45 ± 9,61 cm/seg, em diástole. Não houve diferença signifi cativa entre os olhos. O índice de resistência vascular calculado foi de 0,4175 para a artéria oftálmica externa, no olho direito, e 0,4015 no olho esquerdo, sem diferença signifi cativa entre os olhos. Os resultados apontam para um mecanismo intrínseco de controle do fl uxo, controlado por fatores locais na artéria oftálmica externa, e os valores do índice de resistência denotam uma artéria de baixo fluxo

ABSTRACT: Veterinary medicine is benefi ted by technological advances in diagnosis. In order that new technologies may be used, information about normal standards for each type of examination is necessary, so that they may be used routinely and adequately prescribed for each patient. The Doppler ultrasound is beginning to be used in veterinary medicine for diverse purposes. The objective of this study is to verify the Doppler ultrasound fl ow of the external ophthalmic artery in cats. There were used 20 mixed breed cats, being 12 males and eight females, weighing from 2.0 to 4.0 kg, supplied by the Amparo aos Animais Society, an animal shelter from the city of Umuarama, State of Paraná, Brazil. The animals were anesthetized with 6.0 mg/kg of the association tiletamine plus zolazepam, given by intramuscular route. The fl ow of the external ophthalmic artery was measured through the ultrasound equipment Toshiba Powervision ATL-HDI 3500, with an echo-Doppler and a sectorial transducer of 6.0 MHz, directly applied to the cornea. Each eye had the artery fl ow surveyed by the equipment's own software, in which three samples have been taken. The vascular resistance index was calculated based on the mean values of systolic and diastolic fl ow of each vessel. The values were tabulated and Student t test was applied to verify differences between the averages. In the right eye, the value for the external ophthalmic artery fl ow was 41.30 ± 14.28 cm/sec, in systole, and 23.95 ± 11.46 cm/seg, in diastole. For the left eye, the value was 42.75 ± 12.64 cm/sec, in systole, and 25.45 ± 9.61 cm/sec, in diastole. There were no signifi cant differences between the eyes. The calculated index of vascular resistance was 0.4175 ± 0.0774 for the external ophthalmic artery in the right eye, and 0.4015 ± 0.0719 for the left eye, without signifi cant difference between the eyes. The results point out to an intrinsic mechanism of fl ow control, controlled by local factors in the external ophthalmic artery, and the resistance index values denote a low fl ow artery

RESUMEN: La medicina veterinaria se benefi cia de los adelantos tecnológicos en diagnóstico. El conocimiento de los padrones normales para cada tipo y examen es fundamental para que se puedan usar nuevas tecnologías, posibilitando su empleo rutinario yla indicación adecuada a cada paciente. El objetivo de este estudio fue verifi car la fl ujometría por ultrasonido de la arteria oftálmica externa en gatos. Se emplearon 20 gatos sin raza defi nida, 12 machos y ocho hembras, que provinieron de la Sociedad de Amparo a los Animales de la ciudad de Umuarama, Estado de Paraná, Brasil. Los animales fueron anestesiados con 6.0 mg/kg de la asociación de tiletamina y zolazepam, ministrados por vía intramuscular. El fl ujo de la arteria oftálmica externa fue mensurado por medio del equipo del ultrasonido Toshiba Powervision ATL-HDI 3500, con un eco-doppler y un transductor sectorial de 6.0 MHz, directamenteaplicado a la córnea. Cada ojo tenía el fl ujo de la arteria evaluado por el propio programa del equipo, tomándose tres muestras. El índice de resistencia vascular se calculó basado en los valores promedios de fl ujo sistólico y diastólico de cada vaso. Los valores fueron tabulados y se aplicó el teste t de Student para verifi car diferencias entre los promedios. En el ojo derecho, el valor para el fl ujo de la arteria oftálmica externa fue 41,30 ± 14.28 cm/sec, en sístole, y 23,95 ± 11,46 cm/seg, en diástole. Para el ojo izquierdo, el valor fue 42,75 ± 12,64 cm/seg, en sístole, y 25,45 ± 9,61 cm/sec, en diastole. No se observó diferencia signifi cante entre los ojos. El índice calculado de resistencia vascular fue 0,4175 ± 0,0774 para la arteria oftálmica externa en el ojo derecho, y 0.4015 ± 0.0719 para el ojo izquierdo, sin diferencia signifi cante entre los ojos. Los resultados apuntan para un mecanismo intrínseco de control de fl ujo, controlado por factores locales en la arteria oftálmica externa, y los valores del índice de resistencia denotan una arteria de bajo fl ujo