Gut Microbiota, Intestinal Morphometric Characteristics, and Gene Expression in Relation to the Growth Performance of Chickens.

this study aimed to investigate the growth mechanism in a local breed of chickens by comparing the highest weight (HW) and the lowest weight in their microbiota, histological characteristics, and gene expression. Golden Montazah chickens, an Egyptian breed, were reared until they were 49 days old. All of the birds were fed ad libitum by a starter diet from day 1 until day 21, followed by a grower diet from day 21 to the end of the study. At 49 days old, the forty-eight birds with the heaviest body weight (HW) and the lightest body weight (LW) were chosen. Blood biochemical and histological morphometric parameters, electron microscopy, and intestinal nutrient transporter gene expression were studied in the sampled jejunum. The microbial composition and functions of the content and mucosa in HW and LW chickens were studied using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The histological morphometric parameters were all more significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the HW chickens than in the LW chickens. Total protein, albumin, and triglycerides in serum were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the HW chickens than in the LW chickens. The microbiome profile in the gut showed that Microbacterium and Sphingomonas were positively correlated with the body weights. In the local breed, there were significant differences in the intestinal microstructure which could enhance the growth mechanism and body weight. Our findings showed that some microbial components were significantly associated with body weight and their interactions with the host could be inferred to explain why these interactions might alter the host's metabolic responses. Further investigation into combining bioinformatics with lab experiments in chickens will help us to understand how gut bacteria can change the host's metabolism by special metabolic features in the gastrointestinal system.

Clinical clues and trends in epidemiology and pathogens in paediatric tinea capitis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis is the most common dermatophyte infection in children. Pathogens differ between populations. During the past few decades pathogen shifts have been reported in many countries around the world. This study aimed to characterize the pathogens involved in tinea capitis in a large tertiary paediatric medical centre in Israel. METHODS: The electronic medical records of the dermatology unit were searched for patients diagnosed with tinea capitis from 2010 to 2019, and demographic, clinical and mycological data were retrieved. A stepwise logistic regression was performed to determine the variables most significantly associated with positive cultures. RESULTS: The prevalence of Trichophyton tonsurans isolates was found to be significantly increased during 2019. In the logistic regression analysis, alopecia was most significantly associated with a positive culture (OR = 8.72, 95% CI 4.29-17.7, P < 0.001) while positive culture was also associated with age (OR = 1.11 per year of age, 95% CI 1.02-1.22, P = 0.01) and Ethiopian ethnicity (OR = 3.67, 95% CI 1.42-9.45, P = 0.01). The presentation of alopecia was significantly related to having a positive culture. This symptom was more prevalent in boys than in girls, and the diagnosis of tinea capitis was delayed by an average of 2 months in girls. CONCLUSION: The results of this study may herald a pathogen shift in Israel. Physicians should be aware that rates of alopecia are lower in girls and this can result in delayed diagnosis and the development of complications, including chronicity, scarring alopecia and kerion formation.

Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization of Domestic Geese (Anser anser) in Egypt.

The objectives of this study were to achieve phenotypic characterization of three domestic Egyptian goose populations collected from three different geographical zones (Kafr El-Sheikh, Fayoum and Luxor) and to perform genetic characterization of these three populations based on mtDNA D-loop and 12 microsatellite markers. The body measurements of 402 domestic mature geese belonging to these three governorates showed that the lengths of the head, culmen and tarsus and the live body weight varied significantly among the three studied Egyptian goose populations. After alignment of a 710-base-pair segment of the goose mtDNA control region, there was a single haplotype in the three Egyptian goose populations, indicating the same maternal origins. The genotyping of the 12 microsatellite markers showed low diversity indices, including average observed (NA) and effective (NE) number of alleles and observed (HO) and expected heterozygosity (HE) (3.333, 1.760, 0.277 and 0.352, respectively), and a high inbreeding coefficient (FIS = 0.203) across the three Egyptian goose populations. The high inbreeding and low genetic and morphological differentiation of Egyptian geese could be corrected by establishing a large base population through capturing small populations with the highest genetic variation. The findings of the current study can therefore serve as an initial guide to design further investigations for developing conservation programs of Egyptian geese genetic resources.

Sound Analysis to Predict the Growth of Turkeys.

Protocols for manual weighing of turkeys are not practical on turkey farms because of the large body sizes, heavy weights and flighty nature of turkeys. The sounds turkeys make may be a proxy for bird weights, but the relationship between turkey sounds and bird weights has not been studied. The aim of this study was to correlate peak frequency (PF) of vocalization with the age and weight of the bird and examine the possibility using PF to predict the weight of turkeys. The study consisted of four trials in Egypt. Sounds of birds and their weights were recorded for 11 days during the growth period in each trial. A total 2200 sounds were manually analyzed and labelled by extracting individual and general sounds on the basis of the amplitude and frequency of the sound signal. The PF of vocalizations in each trial, as well as in pooled trails, were evaluated to determine the relationship between PF and the age and weight of the turkey. PF exhibited a highly significant negative correlation with the weight and age of the turkeys showing that PF of vocalizations can be used for predicting the weight of turkeys. Further studies are necessary to refine the procedure.

Sleep disorders and vascular responsiveness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic systemic inflammation. Half of the deaths of patients with RA are due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), considered to be 1.5 to -2.0-fold that in the general population. Patients with RA also experience poor sleep, which by itself is associated with endothelial dysfunction, CVD events and sudden death. Our aim was to study the mechanistic pathways and the correlations between sleep efficiency and vascular reactivity of patients with RA. METHODS AND RESULTS: A prospective study that evaluated quality of sleep using ACTi Graphs, vascular inflammation and endothelial function of 18 patients with RA. Inflammation was studied by levels of E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and NO in serum. Endothelial function was studied using the brachial artery plethysmography method. Eighteen RA patients (aged 57.56 ± 13.55 years; 16 women) with a long-standing active RA: Eight patients had impaired sleep efficiency and 10 had a good sleep efficiency. Those who had an impaired sleep had larger baseline diameters of the brachial artery (0.39 ± 0.08 cm vs. 0.32 ± 0.04 cm; P = 0.02). Negative correlations were found between baseline brachial artery diameter and sleep efficiency (P = 0.01), and with NO level (P = 0.04). Stepwise regression found that brachial artery diameter at baseline and NO level could predict sleep efficiency (r2  = 0.543, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Vascular reactivity could predict quality of sleep in patients with RA. Quality of sleep may serve as an independent CVD risk factor in patients with RA.

[Carney's triad: a new case]. / Le syndrome de Carney: un nouveau cas.

Carney's triad is a very unusual syndrome, associating three different tumours on the same patient, a young woman generally: a gastric leiomyoblastoma, a pulmonary chondroma and an extra-adrenal paraganglioma. The authors report through the literature review and a new case of Carney's syndrome associating gastric leiomyoblastoma and extra-adrenal paragangliomas, the different diagnostic and therapeutic criterias.

[Malignant adrenocortical tumour with inferior vena cava invasion]. / Le corticosurrénalome avec envahissement de la veine cave inférieure.

Carcinoma of the adrenal cortex is a rare tumour. The incidence of vena cava involvement may be present in 15 to 20% of patients. The intra caval tumour thrombus can attain the right atrium. Even if some authors consider these lesions as a metastasis, long-term survival can be obtained after radical resection. The surgical tactical depend on the extension of thrombus into the vena cava inferior. The authors report a case with 4 years survival without recurrence after surgical treatment.

[Leiomyoma of the esophagus]. / Léiomyome de l'oesophage.

BACKGROUND: Leiomyoma is a benign tumor rarely occurring in the esophagus. Only 1% of esophageal tumors are leiomyomas. CASE REPORT: A 70-year-old man underwent surgery for an asymptomatic tumor of the thoracic esophagus. The tumor was enucleated via right thoracotomy and histology confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyoma. Outcome was favorable. DISCUSSION: Leiomyomas of the esophagus generally develop from the muscularis and exceptionally from the muscularis mucosae, producing a parietal tumor or a pediculated endoluminal tumor respectively. Surgery is indicated for all cases, with the possible exception of asymptomatic leiomyoma. Encleation can be achieved by videothoracoscopy. Resection of the esophagus can be discussed if enucleation is impossible for giant tumors, or ring tumors at the esogastric junction, or if the mucosae wound cannot be repaired. Endoscopic resection is indicated for pediculated leiomyoma. Malignant transformation is exceptional but an association between esophageal myomatosis and carcinoma of the esophagus is possible. Certain authors thus advocate resection for all cases, even small asymptomatic leiomyomas.

[Adenocarcinoma of the anal glands]. / Adénocarcinome des glandes anales.

The study aim was to report an adenocarcinoma of the anal glands revealed by an anal abscess in a 64-year-old man. Malignant transformation of an anal fistula is discussed in the genesis of this disease. Clinical symptoms are not specific. Abdomino-perineal resection of the rectum is the usual surgical treatment and adjuvant radiation therapy didn't prove its efficiency.

[Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen]. / Pseudotumeur inflammatoire de la rate.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen is a very rare benign lesion of unknown etiology. Splenectomy is recommended to obtain histological diagnosis and to eliminate a malignant tumor.