Social determinants of health for moderate and severe periodontal disease in rural and urban populations.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the prevalence of moderate and severe periodontitis and its association with social determinants of health in rural and urban population from the State of Chiapas, in Southern Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in 2013 comprising people 20 years and older. The determinants were categorized as proximal (age, sex, indigenous origin, diabetes, smoking, diet), intermediate (level of schooling, occupation, medical and dental care), and structural (type of institution of health care provision, residence area). Periodontal status was assessed using the Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR) Index. RESULTS: In total, 467 persons (72.4% women; mean age 43.0 years [s.d 14.7]) participated. Of them, 76.5% lived in rural areas and 56.7% were of indigenous origin. Participants with moderate and severe periodontitis had a significantly lower toothbrushing frequency (44.1% and 44.8%, respectively), and poorer oral hygiene (90% and 90.3%, respectively) compared with people without periodontitis (29.4% for toothbrushing frequency and 74.5% for oral hygiene). Moderate periodontitis was associated with poor oral hygiene (OR=2.63) and no schooling (OR=1.86). Severe periodontitis was associated with age (OR=1.05), poor oral hygiene (OR=3.99), no schooling (OR=2.08), and the interaction term of rural area and indigenous origin (RM=5.23). CONCLUSIONS: Social determinants of health play an important role in the development of periodontitis. Preventive oral health programs should thus focus on the specific social, economic, and geographical context of the population.

Examination of the short-range structure of molten salts: ThF4, UF4, and related alkali actinide fluoride systems.

The short-range structures of LiF-ThF4, NaF-AnF4, KF-AnF4, and Cs-AnF4 (An = Th, U), were probed using in situ high temperature Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Signally, the EXAFS spectra of pure molten ThF4 and UF4 were measured for the first time. The data were interpreted with the aid of Molecular Dynamics (MD) and standard fitting of the EXAFS equation. As in related studies, a speciation distribution dominated by [AnFx]4-x (x = 7, 8, 9) coordination complexes was observed. The average coordination number was found to decrease with the increasing size of the alkali cation, and increase with AnF4 content. An average coordination number close to 6, which had not been detected before in melts of alkali actinide fluorides, was seen when CsF was used as solvent.

Melatonin administration during the dry period stimulates subsequent milk yield and weight gain of offspring in subtropical does kidding in summer.

In the present experiment, we tested the hypothesis that in does kidding in summer, melatonin administration during dry period is galactopoietic for the subsequent lactation and results in improved growth of their suckling kids. Twenty-five multiparous pregnant creole does were enrolled into a randomized complete block design during their dry period in the 49 d prepartum, and under natural long photoperiods around the summer solstice, pregnant does either received 2 subcutaneous ear implants (18 mg) of melatonin (MEL, n = 10) or served as nonimplanted controls (CONT, n = 15). During the first 14 wk of subsequent lactation (suckling and milking periods), MEL does yielded more milk than CONT does. Throughout subsequent lactation, milk composition was not affected by treatment. In MEL does, peripheral triiodothyronine levels peaked at 2 wk of lactation, remaining higher than in CONT does. The mean daily weight gain was higher in MEL compared with CONT kids and was also higher in males than females, and for males, was positively correlated with milk yield. The current data support our hypothesis that melatonin during the prepartum period is galactopoietic in suckling does.

Simultaneous and individual quantitative estimation of Salmonella, Shigella and Listeria monocytogenes on inoculated Roma tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum var. Pyriforme) and Serrano peppers (Capsicum annuum) using an MPN technique.

Simultaneous and individual enumeration of Salmonella, Shigella and Listeria monocytogenes was compared on inoculated Roma tomatoes and Serrano peppers using an Most Probable Number (MPN) technique. Samples consisting of tomatoes (4 units) or peppers (8 units) were individually inoculated with a cocktail of three strains of Salmonella, Shigella or L. monocytogenes, or by simultaneous inoculation of three strains of each pathogen, at low (1.2-1.7 log CFU/sample) and high (2.2-2.7 log CFU/sample) inocula. Samples were analyzed by an MPN technique using universal pre-enrichment (UP) broth at 35 °C for 24 ±â€¯2 h. The UP tubes from each MPN series were transferred to enrichment and plating media following adequate conventional methods for isolating each pathogen. Data were analyzed using multifactorial analysis of variance (p < 0.05) and LSD multiple rang test. There were differences (p < 0.05) in recovery of simultaneous and individual bacteria inoculated (individual > simultaneous), type of bacteria (Salmonella > Shigella and L. monocytogenes), type of sample (UP broth > pepper and tomato), and inoculum level (high > low). The MPN technique was effective for Salmonella on both commodities. Shigella counts were higher on tomatoes compared to peppers, (p < 0.05), and for L. monocytogenes on peppers (p < 0.05).

Subtropical goats ovulate in response to the male effect after a prolonged treatment of artificial long days to stimulate their milk yield.

The objectives of this study were to determine (i) if in subtropical goats that gave birth during mid-December, the exposition to an artificial long-day photoperiod consisting in only 14 hr of light per day can increase the milk yield and (ii) to test whether these females can respond to the male effect at the end of the prolonged photoperiodic treatment. In experiment 1, 17 lactating goats were maintained under natural short days (control group), while another 22 goats were maintained under artificial long days (treated group) consisting in 14 hr light and 10 hr darkness starting at day 10 of lactation. The continuous exposition to an artificial long-day photoperiod produced an increase in the milk yield level during the first 110 days of lactation (time × treatment interaction; p = .01), while none of the milk components were modified due to the photoperiodic treatment (p > .05). In experiment 2, all control and treated anovulatory goats were submitted to the male effect using photostimulated males. All females showed oestrous behaviour within the first 10 days that were in contact with males (100% in both groups; p > .05). Thus, the latency to onset of oestrus did not differ between females from control (58.2 ± 3.0 hr) and treated (62 ± 4.6 hr) groups. Male exposition provoked ovulation independently if females were previously under long days or natural photoperiod (96 vs 100%, respectively; p = .79). It was concluded that exposure to 14 hr of light per day in subtropical goats that gave birth in late autumn stimulates milk yield without preventing the ovulation in response to the male effect at the end of the prolonged photoperiodic treatment.

In vitro progesterone production by luteinized human mural granulosa cells is modulated by activation of AMPK and cause of infertility.

BACKGROUND: Mural granulosa cells from IVF patients were provided by the West Virginia University Center for Reproductive Medicine in Morgantown, WV. The effect of adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, primary cause of infertility, age, BMI, and pregnancy outcome on production of progesterone were examined separately. METHODS: Isolated mural sheets from IVF patients (n = 26) were centrifuged, supernatant discarded, and the pellet re-suspended in 500 µl of DMEM/F12. Mural granulosa cells were plated at 10,000 cells/well in triplicate per treatment group with 300 µl DMEM/F12 media at 37 °C and 5% CO2 in a humidified incubator to permit luteinization. Four days after initial plating, cells were treated with either an AMPK inhibitor, DM; an AMPK activator, AICAR; or hCG. Cells were cultured for 24 h after treatment when medium was collected and frozen at -20 °C until assayed for P4 by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The AMPK activator, AICAR, inhibited P4 production (P < 0.001), whereas the AMPK inhibitor, DM, did not affect basal P4 (P < 0.05). Progesterone production increased when cells from patients whose primary cause of infertility was a partner having male infertility were treated with hCG compared to control (P = 0.0045), but not in patients with other primary infertility factors (P > 0.05). Additionally, hCG increased P4 production in patients between the ages 30-35 (P = 0.008) and 36-39 (P = 0.04), but not in patients ages 25-29 (P = 0.73). Patients with normal BMI had increased P4 production when treated with hCG (P < 0.0001), however there was no change in P4 production from cells of patients who were overweight or obese (P > 0.05). Cells from patients who became pregnant to IVF had greater P4 production when stimulated with hCG than those who did not become pregnant when compared to controls (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how AMPK activation is regulated in ovarian cells could lead to alternative or novel infertility treatments. Human mural granulosa cells can serve as a valuable model for understanding how AMPK affects P4 production in steroidogenic cells. Additionally, when stimulated with hCG, P4 production by mural granulosa cells differed among infertility type, age, BMI, and pregnancy outcome.

MicroRNAs Association in the Cardiac Hypertrophy Secondary to Complex Congenital Heart Disease in Children.

Complex congenital heart disease (CHD) affects cardiac blood flow, generating a pressure overload in the compromised ventricles and provoking hypertrophy that over time will induce myocardial dysfunction and cause a potential risk of imminent death. Therefore, the early diagnosis of complex CHD is paramount during the first year of life, with surgical treatment of patients favoring survival. In the present study, we analyzed cardiac tissue and plasma of children with cardiac hypertrophy (CH) secondary to CHD for the expression of 11 miRNAs specific to CH in adults. The results were compared with the miRNA expression patterns in tissue and blood of healthy children. In this way, we determined that miRNAs 1, 18b, 21, 23b, 133a, 195, and 208b constitute the expression profile of the cardiac tissue of children with CHD. Meanwhile, miRNAs 21, 23a, 23b, and 24 can be considered specific biomarkers for the diagnosis of CH in infants with CHD. These results suggest that CH secondary to CHD in children differs in its mechanism from that described for adult hypertrophy, offering a new perspective to study the development of this pathology and to determine the potential of hypertrophic miRNAs to be biomarkers for early CH.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 558-624.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia: Banksiophoma australiensis (incl. Banksiophoma gen. nov.) on Banksia coccinea, Davidiellomycesaustraliensis (incl. Davidiellomyces gen. nov.) on Cyperaceae, Didymocyrtis banksiae on Banksia sessilis var. cygnorum, Disculoides calophyllae on Corymbia calophylla, Harknessia banksiae on Banksia sessilis, Harknessia banksiae-repens on Banksia repens, Harknessia banksiigena on Banksia sessilis var. cygnorum, Harknessia communis on Podocarpus sp., Harknessia platyphyllae on Eucalyptus platyphylla, Myrtacremonium eucalypti (incl. Myrtacremonium gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus globulus, Myrtapenidiella balenae on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella pleurocarpae on Eucalyptuspleurocarpa, Paraconiothyrium hakeae on Hakea sp., Paraphaeosphaeria xanthorrhoeae on Xanthorrhoea sp., Parateratosphaeria stirlingiae on Stirlingia sp., Perthomyces podocarpi (incl. Perthomyces gen. nov.) on Podocarpus sp., Readeriella ellipsoidea on Eucalyptus sp., Rosellinia australiensis on Banksia grandis, Tiarosporella corymbiae on Corymbia calophylla, Verrucoconiothyriumeucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus sp., Zasmidium commune on Xanthorrhoea sp., and Zasmidium podocarpi on Podocarpus sp. Brazil: Cyathus aurantogriseocarpus on decaying wood, Perenniporia brasiliensis on decayed wood, Perenniporia paraguyanensis on decayed wood, and Pseudocercospora leandrae-fragilis on Leandrafragilis.Chile: Phialocephala cladophialophoroides on human toe nail. Costa Rica: Psathyrella striatoannulata from soil. Czech Republic: Myotisia cremea (incl. Myotisia gen. nov.) on bat droppings. Ecuador: Humidicutis dictiocephala from soil, Hygrocybe macrosiparia from soil, Hygrocybe sangayensis from soil, and Polycephalomyces onorei on stem of Etlingera sp. France: Westerdykella centenaria from soil. Hungary: Tuber magentipunctatum from soil. India: Ganoderma mizoramense on decaying wood, Hodophilus indicus from soil, Keratinophyton turgidum in soil, and Russula arunii on Pterigota alata.Italy: Rhodocybe matesina from soil. Malaysia: Apoharknessia eucalyptorum, Harknessia malayensis, Harknessia pellitae, and Peyronellaea eucalypti on Eucalyptus pellita, Lectera capsici on Capsicum annuum, and Wallrothiella gmelinae on Gmelina arborea.Morocco: Neocordana musigena on Musa sp. New Zealand: Candida rongomai-pounamu on agaric mushroom surface, Candida vespimorsuum on cup fungus surface, Cylindrocladiella vitis on Vitis vinifera, Foliocryphia eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus sp., Ramularia vacciniicola on Vaccinium sp., and Rhodotorula ngohengohe on bird feather surface. Poland: Tolypocladium fumosum on a caterpillar case of unidentified Lepidoptera.Russia: Pholiotina longistipitata among moss. Spain: Coprinopsis pseudomarcescibilis from soil, Eremiomyces innocentii from soil, Gyroporus pseudocyanescens in humus, Inocybe parvicystis in humus, and Penicillium parvofructum from soil. Unknown origin: Paraphoma rhaphiolepidis on Rhaphiolepsis indica.USA: Acidiella americana from wall of a cooling tower, Neodactylaria obpyriformis (incl. Neodactylaria gen. nov.) from human bronchoalveolar lavage, and Saksenaea loutrophoriformis from human eye. Vietnam: Phytophthora mekongensis from Citrus grandis, and Phytophthora prodigiosa from Citrus grandis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

Sexually active males prevent the display of seasonal anestrus in female goats.

A well-defined season of sexual rest controlled by photoperiod is observed in female sheep and goats during spring and summer, delineating their "anestrous season"; bucks also decrease sexual activity at about the same time. Nutrition and/or socio-sexual stimuli play only secondary roles. However, the presence of sexually active males can reduce the length of seasonal anestrus. Whether it can also completely suppress anestrus has not been investigated. Here we tested this in goats in 3 experiments, using bucks rendered sexually active out of season by exposure to long days. The continuous presence of these males prevented goats to display seasonal anestrus: 12/14 females cycled the year round, vs. 0/13 and 0/11 for females with un-treated bucks or without bucks (experiment 1). When active bucks were removed, females immediately entered anestrus (7/7 stopped ovulating vs. 1/7 if maintained with active bucks; experiment 2). Finally, 7/7 anestrous does with bucks in sexual rest since 1.5months commenced cycling rapidly during mid-anestrous, when these bucks became sexually active following a treatment with artificial long days, vs. 0/7 with un-treated bucks or no bucks (experiment 3). The presence/withdrawal of active bucks had a highly significant effect in the three experiments (P≤0.002). Therefore, the presence of a mating opportunity can completely override the photoperiodic inhibition of reproduction of females throughout the anestrous season. Results suggest that we must re-evaluate the relative contributions of photoperiod vs. other external cues in controlling seasonal reproduction, thus offering new non-pharmaceutical ways for controlling out-of-season reproduction in small ruminants.

The Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of acute pancreatitis in children and adolescents.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) and recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) are conditions, whose incidence is apparently on the rise. Despite the ever-increasing evidence regarding the management of AP in children and adults, therapeutic actions that could potentially affect having a poor prognosis in those patients, especially in the pediatric population, continue to be carried out. Therefore, the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología convened a group of 24 expert pediatric gastroenterologists from different institutions and areas of Mexico, as well as 2 pediatric nutritionists and 2 specialists in pediatric surgery, to discuss different aspects of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of AP and RAP in the pediatric population. The aim of this document is to present the consensus results. Different AP topics were addressed by 6 working groups, each of which reviewed the information and formulated statements considered pertinent for each module, on themes involving recommendations and points of debate, concerning diagnostic or therapeutic approaches. All the statements were presented and discussed. They were then evaluated through a Delphi process, with electronic and anonymous voting, to determine the level of agreement on the statements. A total of 29 statements were formulated, all of which reached above 75% agreement in the first round of voting.

Influence of environmental variability and Emiliania huxleyi ecotypes on alkenone-derived temperature reconstructions in the subantarctic Southern Ocean.

Long-chain unsaturated alkenones produced by haptophyte algae are widely used as paleotemperature indicators. The unsaturation relationship to temperature is linear at mid-latitudes, however, non-linear responses detected in subpolar regions of both hemispheres have suggested complicating factors in these environments. To assess the influence of biotic and abiotic factors in alkenone production and preservation in the Subantarctic Zone, alkenone fluxes were quantified in three vertically-moored sediment traps deployed at the SOTS observatory (140°E, 47°S) during a year. Alkenone fluxes were compared with coccolithophore assemblages, satellite measurements and surface-water properties obtained by sensors at SOTS. Alkenone-based temperature reconstructions generally mirrored the seasonal variations of SSTs, except for late winter when significant deviations were observed (3-10 °C). Annual flux-weighted averages in the 3800 m trap returned alkenone-derived temperatures ~1.5 °C warmer than those derived from the 1000 m trap, a distortion attributed to surface production and signal preservation during its transit through the water column. Notably, changes in the relative abundance of E. huxleyi var. huxleyi were positively correlated with temperature deviations between the alkenone-derived temperatures and in situ SSTs (r = 0.6 and 0.7 at 1000 and 2000 m, respectively), while E. huxleyi var. aurorae, displayed an opposite trend. Our results suggest that E. huxleyi var. aurorae produces a higher proportion of C37:3 relative to C37:2 compared to its counterparts. Therefore, the dominance of var. aurorae south of the Subtropical Front could be at least partially responsible for the less accurate alkenone-based SST reconstructions in the Southern Ocean using global calibrations. However, the observed correlations were largely influenced by the samples collected during winter, a period characterized by low particle fluxes and slow sinking rates. Thus, it is likely that other factors such as selective degradation of the most unsaturated alkenones could also account for the deviations of the alkenone paleothermometer.

The ovulatory response of anoestrous goats exposed to the male effect in the subtropics is unrelated to their follicular diameter at male exposure.

This study was designed to determine whether the follicular diameter at the introduction of the bucks influences the ovarian response in does exposed to males during the anoestrous season in the subtropics. Bucks (n = 4) were subjected to 2.5 months of long days from November 1st to stimulate their sexual activity. On 29th March, one of the four treated males was joined with the females (n = 13), being exchanged with other males every 12 h, during 10 days. Oestrous behaviour was recorded twice daily. Ultrasound examinations of the ovaries were performed once daily from Day -7 to -1 and twice daily from Day 0 to 6. Follicles that ovulate were categorized according to the diameter at the moment when females were joined with males, as Small (<3.9 mm), Medium (4.0-5.9 mm) or Large (>6.0 mm). All females ovulated (13/13) and 12 came into oestrus during the first 5 days after exposure to males. The growth rate of the follicles increased after the introduction of the bucks from 1.1 ± 0.1 mm per day to 1.5 ± 0.1 mm per day (p < 0.05). The percentage of follicles from each category that ovulated did not differ (p > 0.05; Small 47.8%; Medium 34.8% and Large 17.4%). From follicles that ovulated, the growth rate of those that were Small at the moment of the introduction of the bucks was greater (2.1 ± 0.1 mm per day; p < 0.05) than that observed in those that were Medium (1.3 ± 0.1 mm per day) and Large follicles (1.1 ± 0.1 mm per day). In 12 does, the largest follicle present in the ovaries was growing when bucks were introduced. From these follicles, five finally ovulated and seven finally regressed. In conclusion, the follicular diameter at the introduction of the bucks is not related to the oestrous behaviour and ovulatory responding patterns in female goats exposed to sexually active bucks in the subtropics.

Four hours of daily contact with sexually active males is sufficient to induce fertile ovulation in anestrous goats.

The study was conducted on two consecutive years to determine whether ovulatory activity can be induced in anovulatory goats by exposing them to sexually active bucks for 4, 8, 12 or 16 h per day during 15 consecutive days. In experiment 1, females remained continuously in the experimental pens where they were in contact with males. One group remained isolated from males (controls) and four other groups were exposed to sexually active males for 4, 8, 12 or 16 h per day. In experiment 2, females were taken away to "resting" pens free of male odours between the periods of contact with bucks. They were allocated to 5 groups as in experiment 1. Ovulations were determined by progesterone plasma levels and transrectal ultrasonography. Pregnancy was determined by abdominal ultrasonography. In both experiments, more than 90% of females exposed to the bucks had at least one ovulation during the whole experiment whereas only 11 or 0% (experiments 1 and 2, respectively) did so in the control group (P<0.001). Furthermore, the proportion of females ovulating did not differ among groups depending on duration of contact with bucks (P>0.05). In both experiments, pregnancy rates were not affected by the daily duration of contact with males (P>0.05). To conclude, 4h of daily contact with sexually active males is sufficient to stimulate ovulatory activity in anovulatory goats and this effect is not due to the presence of olfactory cues from the males remaining in the pens.

Undernutrition reduces the body weight and testicular size of bucks exposed to long days but not their ability to stimulate reproduction of seasonally anestrous goats.

In semiarid conditions, feed is often scarce and variable with underfeeding being common; these factors can potentially induce fertility reductions in both sexes. Sexually active bucks are able to very efficiently fertilize out-of-season goats, but we do not know whether underfeeding would reduce the ability of bucks to fertilize goats during these periods. Two experiments were conducted to determine (i) testicular size and change of odor intensity of undernourished bucks exposed to long days and (ii) the ability of these bucks to stimulate reproductive activity in seasonally anestrous goats. In experiment 1, bucks (n = 7) were fed 1.5 times the normal maintenance requirements from September to May and formed the well-fed group. Another group of bucks (n = 7) were fed 0.5 times the maintenance requirements and formed the undernourished group. All bucks were subjected to artificially long days from 1 November to 15 January; this period was followed by a natural photoperiod until 30 May. Body weight, scrotal circumference and male odor intensity changes were determined every 2 weeks. In experiment 2, two groups of female goats (n = 26 each) were exposed to well-fed (n = 2) or undernourished bucks (n = 2) on 31 March. Ovulations and pregnancy rates were determined by transrectal ultrasonography. In experiment 1, a treatment by time interaction was detected for BW, scrotal circumference and odor intensity changes (P < 0.001). The BWs of well-fed bucks were greater than those of the undernourished bucks from October to May (P < 0.01), as were the scrotal circumferences from December to March (P < 0.05) and odor intensities from February to May (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the proportions of females that ovulated at least once (100% v. 96%) or those that were diagnosed as pregnant (85% v. 77%; P > 0.05) did not differ significantly between the goats exposed to well-fed or undernourished bucks. The interval between the introduction of bucks and the onset of estrous behavior was shorter in goats exposed to well-fed bucks compared to the interval for those goats exposed to undernourished bucks (2.5 ± 0.2 v. 9.5 ± 0.6 days; P < 0.05). We conclude that undernourishment reduces the testicular size and odor intensity responses in bucks exposed to long days, but that undernourished bucks are still able to stimulate reproductive activity in seasonally anestrous goats, as is also the case for well-fed bucks.

Full annual monitoring of Subantarctic Emiliania huxleyi populations reveals highly calcified morphotypes in high-CO2 winter conditions.

Ocean acidification is expected to have detrimental consequences for the most abundant calcifying phytoplankton species Emiliania huxleyi. However, this assumption is mainly based on laboratory manipulations that are unable to reproduce the complexity of natural ecosystems. Here, E. huxleyi coccolith assemblages collected over a year by an autonomous water sampler and sediment traps in the Subantarctic Zone were analysed. The combination of taxonomic and morphometric analyses together with in situ measurements of surface-water properties allowed us to monitor, with unprecedented detail, the seasonal cycle of E. huxleyi at two Subantarctic stations. E. huxleyi subantarctic assemblages were composed of a mixture of, at least, four different morphotypes. Heavier morphotypes exhibited their maximum relative abundances during winter, coinciding with peak annual TCO2 and nutrient concentrations, while lighter morphotypes dominated during summer, coinciding with lowest TCO2 and nutrients levels. The similar seasonality observed in both time-series suggests that it may be a circumpolar feature of the Subantarctic zone. Our results challenge the view that ocean acidification will necessarily lead to a replacement of heavily-calcified coccolithophores by lightly-calcified ones in subpolar ecosystems, and emphasize the need to consider the cumulative effect of multiple stressors on the probable succession of morphotypes.

Low peripheral progesterone and late embryonic/early fetal loss in suckled beef and lactating dairy cows.

Pregnancy failure during placentation in lactating dairy cows was associated with low concentrations of serum progesterone. Beef cows have greater serum progesterone and less pregnancy failure. Experiment 1 determined that reduction of serum progesterone affected late embryonic/early fetal loss in suckled beef cows. Cows (n=40) received progesterone from two new or used controlled internal drug releasing devices, replaced every 5d, beginning on Day 28 of gestation (mating=Day 0); CL were enucleated on Day 29. Retention of pregnancy was 77% in treated cows and 97% in 78 control cows (P<0.05). Experiment 2 determined how pregnant, lactating dairy cows with high or low progesterone concentrations during Days 28-34 differed in luteal function or in serum progesterone during replacement therapy. Luteal tissue from such cows was assayed for progesterone and expression of mRNA for genes of endothelin and prostaglandin (PG) systems. Secretion of progesterone and prostaglandins by dispersed luteal cells was determined during incubation with LH, endothelin-1, or arachidonic acid. Neither luteal progesterone nor mRNAs for endothelin or prostaglandin systems differed. Endothelin-1 inhibited secretion of progesterone more (P<0.05) in luteal cells from cows with low versus high serum progesterone, when incubated with arachidonic acid. Secretion of prostaglandin F(2)alpha was increased and that of 6-keto-PGF(1)alpha decreased by endothelin-1 in vitro. Serum progesterone during replacement was lower (P<0.05) for cows with low than high serum progesterone at lutectomy. Thus, clearance, more than luteal production, determined peripheral progesterone in pregnant, lactating dairy cows.

Grafts of extra-adrenal chromaffin cells as aggregates show better survival rate and regenerative effects on parkinsonian rats than dispersed cell grafts.

The objective was to discern the neuroregenerative effect of grafts of extra-adrenal cells of the Zuckerkandl's paraganglion (ZP) in the nigrostriatal circuit, by using the retrograde model of parkinsonism in rats. The antiparkinsonian efficacy of two types of grafting procedures was studied (cell aggregates vs. dispersed cells), and GDNF and TGFbeta(1) (dopaminotrophic factors) as well as dopamine presence in extra-adrenal tissue was analyzed. Extra-adrenal chromaffin cells are noradrenergics, tissue dopamine is low, and they express both GDNF and TGFbeta(1). Grafts of cell aggregates, not of dispersed cells, exerted a trophic regeneration of the host striatum, leading to amelioration of motor deficits. Sprouting of spared dopaminergic fibers within the striatum, reduction of dopamine axon degeneration, and/or enhanced phenotypic expression of TH would explain striatal regeneration. Grafted cells as aggregates showed a better survival rate than dispersed cells, and they express higher levels of GDNF. Higher survivability and GDNF content together with the neurorestorative and dopaminotrophic action of both GDNF and TGFbeta(1) could account for striatal recovery and functional amelioration after grafting ZP cell aggregates. Finally, nigral degeneration and partial degeneration of ventral tegmental area were not precluded after transplantation, indicating that the trophic effect of grafts was local within the host striatum.

Reproductive seasonality in female goats adapted to a subtropical environment persists independently of food availability.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the seasonal change in food availability provides a predictive cue that synchronizes the breeding season in goats adapted to the subtropical conditions of Northern Mexico. Groups of multiparous intact (n=7) and ovariectomized does bearing a subcutaneous implant constantly releasing estradiol-l7 beta (OVX+E; n=12) were allocated in two pens and received a constant amount of feed. Another group of OVX+E does (n=10) was incorporated into a flock raised under natural grazing conditions with seasonal fluctuations in food availability. Blood samples were taken twice weekly. Ovulation of intact goats was inferred from plasma progesterone levels. In OVX+E does plasma levels of LH were measured. Intact does displayed seasonal variations in ovulation and the breeding season lasted from September to February. OVX+E goats displayed large seasonal variations in LH secretion regardless of whether they were fed constantly indoors or kept under natural grazing conditions (P<0.0001). The mean date of increase in LH secretion varied between years (P<0.0001) but did not differ between groups (naturally grazed: August 13+/-10 days; constantly fed: August 26+/-10 days). In contrast, the seasonal decline in LH secretion differed between groups: it was consistently delayed in constantly fed animals compared to those feeding naturally (naturally grazed: January 28+/-4 days; constantly fed: February 24+/-6 days, group effect, P<0.01). These results show that local female goats from subtropical Mexico display large reproductive seasonality independently of food availability.

Prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disorders in a Spanish multiple sclerosis cohort.

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of thyroid autoimmune disorders in a cohort of untreated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and compare it with a stratified sample of an adult population. We prospectively studied 93 untreated MS patients. The control group included 401 healthy subjects selected by stratified sampling in a non-iodine-deficient area. Antithyroid antibodies (ATA) (antibodies against peroxidase and thyroglobulin) were considered positive at titres > or =149 IU/ml. Antibodies were positive in 11 MS patients (11.8%; 95% CI 5.3-18.4%). This prevalence was five times higher (P = 0.0001) when compared with that in the control population. We found six cases with subclinical hypothyroidism (6.45%; 95% CI 11.4-1.5) in contrast to 2.24% in the control group. Comparing MS with positive and negative ATA, there was a non-significant, slightly higher frequency of low Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score in the ATA-positive group (81% vs. 73.2%). One year after start of interferon (IFN) treatment, only one patient developed subclinical thyroid dysfunction. MS patients have a higher prevalence of ATA compared with the general population. An initial ATA and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) determination is recommended in all MS patients. A periodic assessment of thyroid function during IFN treatment only seems to be justified in those cases where positive ATA or dysfunction is present before treatment.