Climatic and calf-related risk factors associated with failure of transfer of passive immunity in Holstein calves in a hot environment.

This retrospective observational study aimed to assess the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) at calving and in the last trimester of pregnancy and calve-related factors affecting passive transfer of maternal immunoglobulin using Brix refractometry in Holstein calves. Blood samples from 4411 Holstein calves from a single large dairy farm in spring 2022 were used. A subset of data containing 6318 calvings was used to determine the effect of climatic conditions on the occurrence of agammaglobulinemia. Risk factors predictive of failure of passive transfer (FPT) were calculated using multiple logistic models. Females were 1.4 times more likely not to have FPT (56%; Brix% > 8 equivalent to ≥ 10 g/L IgG) than males (47.2%). Calves born as singles increased the likelihood of not presenting FPT (52.6%) than calves born as twins (42.9%). Calves from cows with no dystocic delivery had a lower risk for FPT (odds ratio = 2.3) than calves from cows with dystocia. Agammaglobulinemia was 1.5 and 1.8 times more likely to occur in calves with THI ≥ 80 and ≥ 82 in the last trimester of gestation and at calving, respectively, than in calves not experiencing heat stress. Agammaglobulinemia was twice as likely to occur in male than in female calves. Calves with birth weight ≥ 37 kg and gestation length ≥ 275 kg were less likely to present agammaglobulinemia than lighter calves and calves with shorter gestation periods. This study raises questions for management practices in Holstein calves undergoing in utero heat stress and around calving to avoid agammaglobulinemia.

Disruption of BMP4 signaling is associated with laryngeal birth defects in a mouse model.

Laryngeal birth defects are considered rare, but they can be life-threatening conditions. The BMP4 gene plays an important role in organ development and tissue remodeling throughout life. Here we examined its role in laryngeal development complementing similar efforts for the lung, pharynx, and cranial base. Our goal was to determine how different imaging techniques contribute to a better understanding of the embryonic anatomy of the normal and diseased larynx in small specimens. Contrast-enhanced micro CT images of embryonic larynx tissue from a mouse model with Bmp4 deletion informed by histology and whole-mount immunofluorescence were used to reconstruct the laryngeal cartilaginous framework in three dimensions. Laryngeal defects included laryngeal cleft, laryngeal asymmetry, ankylosis and atresia. Results implicate BMP4 in laryngeal development and show that the 3D reconstruction of laryngeal elements provides a powerful approach to visualize laryngeal defects and thereby overcoming shortcomings of 2D histological sectioning and whole mount immunofluorescence.

Disseminated lymphangiomas as a cutaneous manifestation of Noonan syndrome.

Lymphangioma is a known, but rare manifestation of Noonan syndrome. We present the case of disseminated and circumscribed cutaneous lymphangiomas in the context of Noonan syndrome. Oral rapamycin is a promising treatment in these extensive and morbidity-causing cases.

Consumo de psicofármacos en pacientes ambulatorios en un Hospital de Mendoza, Argentina / Consumption of psychopharms in ambulatory patients in a Hospital de Mendoza, Argentina

Introducción: La aparición de nuevos psicofármacos y diagnósticos psiquiátricos ha conducido a una mayor medicación en psiquiatría, convirtiéndose en uno de los grupos demedicamentos más utilizados.Objetivo: Determinar el consumo de psicofármacos en elServicio de Farmacia de un Hospital de Mendoza en pacientes ambulatorios.Metodología: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo,transversal, de tipo indicación-prescripción. Se analizaron 1.620prescripciones, provenientes de 509 recetas de pacientes ambulatorios, con al menos un psicofármaco, sobre un total de11.082 medicamentos, durante 17 días (junio 2018). Datos recolectados: socio-demográficos, diagnósticos y medicamentosprescriptos. Los medicamentos y los diagnósticos se clasificaronsegún las clasificaciones Anatómica Terapéutica Química e Internacional de Enfermedades, respectivamente.Resultados (%): Sexo: F (60), M (39). Edad (años): 0-15 (6,4),16-65 (85), mayor de 65 (6). Los grupos farmacológicos másprescriptos fueron: benzodiacepinas (18,9), antipsicóticos(9,2) y antidepresivos (8). Diagnósticos: trastornos mentalesy del comportamiento (63); enfermedades del sistema nervioso (12); enfermedades del sistema osteomuscular y deltejido conectivo (8); síntomas, signos y hallazgos clínicos yde laboratorio, no clasificados en otra parte (4,5). Fármacos:tracto alimentario y metabolismo (10); sangre y órganos formadores de sangre (2); estimulantes cardíacos (10) y sistemanervioso (63).Conclusión: Diagnósticos más frecuentes: depresión, epilepsia y dolor. Se encuentra asociación significativa entre ansiedad y el sexo femenino. Los antiepilépticos y psicolépticosfueron los fármacos más dispensados. El rol del farmacéutico es fundamental en la monitorización de conductas prescriptivas y cuidado de herramientas terapéuticas. (AU)

Introduction: Emergence of new psychopharms and psychiatric diagnoses hasled to greater medication in psychiatry,becoming one of the most used drugsgroups.Objective: To determine the consumption of psychotropic drugs in the Pharmacy Service of a Mendoza Hospital inoutpatients.Methodology: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study, of the indication-prescription type was performed.1,620 prescribed drugs were analyzed,corresponding to from 509 prescriptionsin outpatients, with at least one psychoactive drug, on a total of 11,082 medications, for 17 days (June 2018). Datacollected: socio-demographic data, diagnostics and prescribed medications. Medications and diagnoses were classifiedaccording to the anatomical TherapeuticChemical and International Disease classifications, respectively.Results (%): Sex: F (60), M (39). Age(years): 0-15 (6.4), 16-65 (85), over 65(6). The most prescribed pharmacological groups were: benzodiazepines(18.9), antipsychotics (9.2) and antidepressants (8). Diagnoses: mental andbehavioral disorders (63); nervous systemdiseases (12); diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (8);symptoms, signs and clinical and laboratory findings, not classified elsewhere(4,5). Drugs: food tract and metabolism(10); blood and blood forming organs(2); cardiac stimulants (10) and nervoussystem (63).Conclusion: Most frequent diagnoses:depression, epilepsy and pain. There isa significant association between anxiety and female sex. Antiepilepticsand psycholeptics were the most dispensed drugs. The pharmacist's role isfundamental in the monitoring of prescriptive behaviors and care of therapeutic tools. (AU)

New target with low photoneutron yield for LINAC radiotherapy applications.

This paper presents three new materials composed of TiXV0,035XCuX-1,035 (X = 2, 4 and 6%), is proposed as Linear Accelerator target. Its response to electron beam based on photoneutron production, is assessed by MC simulation and nuclear track-etch methodology. The outcome is compared to a tungsten target irradiated by energetic 16 MeV electron beam. Photoneutron yield, of two energy groups (thermal and epithermal) were determined via converter matter 10B (98%) and Cd-filter by PADC-track density comparison. The multi-metal Ti2V0,07Cu97.93 target related to therapy beam quality, resulted advantageous in comparison to that provided by W-target, commonly used in the LINAC.

Seasonal variation of the S-index as it relates to the concentration of 222Rn inside a bunker that stores radioactive material.

In this work, the seasonal variation of the concentration of radon in soil and its contribution to concentrations inside of a bunker used for the storage and operation of radioactive material was studied. The measurements obtained inside and outside of the installation allowed establish a method for the calculation of the diffusion coefficient for the concrete, variable that directly influences the concentration of radon gas inside of the bunker. With the obtained results of the gamma dose rate and the concentration of radon inside the bunker, the S-index was calculated in order to determine whether the bunker would require some remediation process. The high radon gas concentration rates to which workers are exposed led to study the relative risk of contracting lung cancer (RRLC).

Effects of resveratrol and its derivative pterostilbene on brown adipose tissue thermogenic activation and on white adipose tissue browning process.

The main function of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is thermogenesis, a process mediated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), which is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and acts uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation from ATP production, thereby dissipating energy as heat. White adipose tissue can also express UCP1 positive cells due to a process known as browning. This phenomenon could also increase the thermogenic effect in the classical brown adipose depots. BAT thermogenesis depends, among other factors on both, nutritional conditions and food availability. Indeed, some studies have found that BAT recruitment and function are enhanced by some food components. The present study focuses on the effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene, two phenolic compounds belonging to the stilbene group, on BAT thermogenic activation and white adipose tissue browning process. The reported studies, carried out in cell cultures and animal models, show that both resveratrol and pterostilbene induce thermogenic capacity in interscapular BAT by increasing mitochondriogenesis, as well as enhancing fatty acid oxidation and glucose disposal. In addition, resveratrol seems to promote browning by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), while the lack of changes in mitochondrial biogenesis suggests that probably the browning process occurs by direct resveratrol-mediated upregulation of ucp1 mRNA expression.

Alveolar hemorrhage due to cardiac massage / Hemorragia alveolar tras resucitación cardiopulmonar

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Enhancement of VP6 immunogenicity and protective efficacy against rotavirus by VP2 in a genetic immunization.

VP2/VP6 virus like particles (VLPs) are very effective in inducing protection against the rotavirus infection in animal models. Individually, VP6 can also induce protection. However, there is no information about the immunogenicity of VP2. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of DNA vaccines codifying for VP2 or VP6, alone or combined, to induce protection against the rotavirus infection. Murine rotavirus VP2 and VP6 genes were cloned into the pcDNA3 vector. Adult BALB/c mice were inoculated three times by intramuscular (i.m.) injections with 100 or 200µg of pcDNA3-VP2 or pcDNA3-VP6 alone or co-administered with 100µg of pcDNA3-VP2/100µg of pcDNA3-VP6. Two weeks after the last inoculation, mice were challenged with the wild type murine rotavirus strain epizootic diarrhea of infant mice (EDIMwt). We found that both plasmids, pcDNA3-VP2 and pcDNA3-VP6, were able to induce rotavirus-specific serum antibodies, but not intestinal rotavirus-specific IgA; only 200µg of pcDNA3-VP6 induced 35% protection against the infection. A similar level of protection was found when mice were co-administered with 100µg of pcDNA3-VP2/100µg of pcDNA3-VP6 (1:1 ratio). However, the best protection (up to 58%) occurred when mice were inoculated with 10µg of pcDNA3-VP2/100µg of pcDNA3-VP6 (1:10 ratio). These results indicate that the DNA plasmid expressing VP6 is a better vaccine candidate that the one expressing VP2. However, when co-expressed, VP2 potentiates the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of VP6.

Are calanco landforms similar to river basins?

In the past badlands have been often considered as ideal field laboratories for studying landscape evolution because of their geometrical similarity to larger fluvial systems. For a given hydrological process, no scientific proof exists that badlands can be considered a model of river basin prototypes. In this paper the measurements carried out on 45 Sicilian calanchi, a type of badlands that appears as a small-scale hydrographic unit, are used to establish their morphological similarity with river systems whose data are available in the literature. At first the geomorphological similarity is studied by identifying the dimensionless groups, which can assume the same value or a scaled one in a fixed ratio, representing drainage basin shape, stream network and relief properties. Then, for each property, the dimensionless groups are calculated for the investigated calanchi and the river basins and their corresponding scale ratio is evaluated. The applicability of Hack's, Horton's and Melton's laws for establishing similarity criteria is also tested. The developed analysis allows to conclude that a quantitative morphological similarity between calanco landforms and river basins can be established using commonly applied dimensionless groups. In particular, the analysis showed that i) calanchi and river basins have a geometrically similar shape respect to the parameters Rf and Re with a scale factor close to 1, ii) calanchi and river basins are similar respect to the bifurcation and length ratios (λ=1), iii) for the investigated calanchi the Melton number assumes values less than that (0.694) corresponding to the river case and a scale ratio ranging from 0.52 and 0.78 can be used, iv) calanchi and river basins have similar mean relief ratio values (λ=1.13) and v) calanchi present active geomorphic processes and therefore fall in a more juvenile stage with respect to river basins.

Low phase noise beams for Raman transitions with a phase modulator and a highly birefringent crystal.

We present a technique to excite Raman transitions with minimum phase noise. A phase modulator generates the Raman beams and a long calcite crystal rotates the polarization of the sidebands by 90° with respect to the carrier. That polarization converts the destructive interference of the Raman pairs into constructive interference, opening the possibility to drive both co-propagating and counter-propagating transitions at high detuning with the same setup. The technique has low phase noise and a low sensitivity to vibrations or temperature fluctuations. We apply it to drive velocity insensitive Raman transitions. The crystal can be also configured to filter out one of the sidebands.

MicroRNAs involved in the browning process of adipocytes

The present review focuses on the role of miRNAs in the control of white adipose tissue browning, a process which describes the recruitment of adipocytes showing features of brown adipocytes in white adipose tissue. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding RNAs (19-22 nucleotides) involved in gene regulation. Although the main effect of miRNAs is the inhibition of the translational machinery, thereby preventing the production of the protein product, the activation of protein translation has also been described in the literature. In addition to modifying translation, miRNAs binding to its target mRNAs also trigger the recruitment and association of mRNA decay factors, leading to mRNA destabilization, degradation, and thus to the decrease in expression levels. Although a great number of miRNAs have been reported to potentially regulate genes that play important roles in the browning process, only a reduced number of studies have demonstrated experimentally an effect on this process associated to changes in miRNA expressions, so far. These studies have shown, by using either primary adipocyte cultures or experimental models of mice (KO mice, mice overexpressing a specific miRNA) that miR-196a, miR-26 and miR-30 are needed for browning process development. By contrast, miR-155, miR-133, miR-27b and miR-34 act as negative regulators of this process. Further studies are needed to fully describe the miRNA network-involved white adipose tissue browning regulation (AU)

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