Evaluating the effect of finely ground, dry-rolled, and crumbled corn grain on performance, feeding behavior, and starch digestion in Holstein dairy heifers.

Corn processing methods including finely ground (FGC), dry rolled (DRC), and crumbled corn (CRC) were evaluated to determine their effects on average daily gain (ADG), structural growth, starch digestibility, feeding behavior, and blood metabolites of young dairy heifers. In this study, 36 Holstein heifers [91 ± 4 d of age, 105 ± 6.5 kg of body weight (BW); mean ± standard deviation] housed in 9 pens (4 heifers per pen) were fed diets (dry matter basis) containing 20% forage (wheat straw) and 80% corn-based concentrate for 60 d. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments based on the type of corn grain used for the diets: (1) ground corn (FGC; fine: 1.11 ± 0.52 mm); (2) dry-rolled corn (DRC; 2.30 ± 0.68 mm); and (3) crumbled corn (CRC; 2.54 ± 0.70 mm). Heifers had ad libitum access to diets and water throughout the experiment and the feed intake was measured daily. Animals were weighed at the beginning (91 d of age) and end (151 d of age) of the study. The ADG (kg of BW/d) was calculated at the end of experiment at an individual level. Feeding behavior was recorded based on direct observation by monitoring each heifer every 5 min during a 22-h period at 150 d of age. The CRC and DRC tended to increase feed intake compared with FGC, whereas heifers fed CRC tended to have a greater withers height compared with other treatments. Feed efficiency was not affected; however, ADG and final BW increased in heifers fed the CRC diet compared with other diets. Feeding CRC increased total-tract starch digestibility compared with FGC and DRC diets (97.8 vs. 93.1 and 89.5%, respectively). Compared with FGC diet, feeding DRC and CRC tended to increase rumination time. The molar proportion of propionate was greater, and the molar proportion of acetate and acetate-to-propionate ratio were lower in heifers fed CRC than in those fed DRC. The blood glucose and insulin-like growth factor concentrations increased in heifers fed CRC compared with feeding DRC; however, blood urea concentrations decreased by CRC feeding. In conclusion, thermal processing (CRC diet) improved total-tract starch digestibility, ADG, feed intake, and skeletal growth, but had no effect on feed efficiency during the experimental period. Our results indicated that the thermal processing of corn grain improved growth performance of weaned heifers; however, the performance of heifers over a 60-d period did not differ between mechanical processing methods (grinding and dry rolling).

Bevacizumab in combination with biweekly capecitabine and irinotecan, as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Combination of capecitabine and irinotecan (XELIRI regimen) is an active and well tolerated treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this regimen in combination with bevacizumab (BV), as first-line treatment for mCRC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 46 consecutive patients received a combination of BV (5 mg kg⁻¹, day 1), irinotecan (175 mg m⁻², day 1) and capecitabine (1000 mg m⁻² twice daily on day 2-8), every 2 weeks. Patients were treated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary objective was to determine the progression-free survival (PFS) and safety profile. RESULTS: The overall response rate (ORR) was 67.4%, with a disease control rate (ORR+stable disease) of 93.5%. Median PFS and overall survival (OS) were 12.3 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.5-18.1 months) and 23.7 months (95% CI: 16.7-30.6 months), respectively. The most frequent grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were asthenia (7%), diarrhoea (7%), nausea (9%) and vomiting (7%). CONCLUSION: Bevacizumab combined with biweekly XELIRI is a highly active first-line regimen for mCRC treatment, showing encouraging PFS, ORR and OS with a good tolerability.

Do kidney sizes in ultrasonography correlate to glomerular filtration rate in healthy children?

The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between ultrasonographic kidney sizes and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in healthy children. This was a cross-section study on 116 healthy children. Renal diseases were ruled out by a paediatric nephrologist. Ultra sonography of both kidneys was carried out by an experienced radiologist. The volume was calculated by ellipsoid formula. We defined net volume as kidney volume-sinus fat volume'. The sum of right and left kidney sizes was defined as total sizes. We calculated GFR by means of the Schwartz formula. Correlations between kidney sizes and GFR were studied with Pearson correlation coefficient. The mean age of the children was 8.4+/-3.4. The GFR mean was 108+/-30 (mL/min per 1.73 m2). GFR correlated to total renal volume (r=0.52, P<0.001), total net volume (r=0.53, P<0.001) and total kidney length (r=0.59, P<0.001). Ultrasonographic kidney sizes, especially the kidney length, correlate to GFR in healthy children. Kidney sizes assessment by ultrasonography may play a role in renal function evaluation in children.

Evaluation of zebrafish Danio rerio as a model for enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC).

Zebrafish (also known as zebra danio) Danio rerio were injected intramuscularly with Edwardsiella ictaluri at doses of 6 x 10(3), 6 x 10(4), or 6 x 10(5) colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) or sterile phosphate-buffered saline (sham) or were not injected. Mortality occurred from 2 to 5 d postinjection (dpi) at rates of 0, 76.6, and 81.3% for the low, medium, and high doses, respectively, and E. ictaluri was isolated from dead fish. Survivors were sampled at 10 dpi and E. ictaluri was not isolated. Sham-injected and noninjected controls did not suffer mortality. Histopathology trials were performed in which zebrafish were injected with 1 x 10(4) CFU/g or sham-injected and sampled at 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h postinjection for histological interpretation. Collectively, these zebrafish demonstrated increasing severity of splenic, hepatic, cardiac, and renal interstitial necrosis over time. To evaluate the progression of chronic infection, zebrafish were injected with 1 x 10(2) CFU/g and held for 1 month postinjection. Beginning at 12 dpi and continuing for an additional 2 weeks, zebrafish demonstrated abnormal spiraling and circling swimming behaviors. Histopathology demonstrated necrotizing encephalitis. In immersion trials, zebrafish were exposed to low, medium, and high doses (averaging 1.16 x 10(5), 1.16 x 10(6), and 1.16 x 10(7) CFU/mL of tank water) of E. ictaluri for 2 h. Mortality occurred from 5 to 9 d postexposure at rates of 0, 3.3, and 13.3% for the low, medium, and high doses, respectively; E. ictaluri was isolated from dead fish. Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus exposed to the medium doses suffered 100% mortality, and E. ictaluri was isolated from these fish. This study demonstrates the potential use of zebrafish as a model for E. ictaluri pathogenesis.

Carcinoma neuroendocrino de células grandes de pulmón. Análisis de una serie de once casos en un hospital universitario / Lung large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Analysis of a series of eleven cases in a universitary hospital

Propósito: Los tumores pulmonares con diferenciación neuroendocrina (DN) son un grupo heterogéneode neoplasias que incluyen tumores carcinoides típicos, carcinoides atípicos, carcinomas neuroendocrinosde células grandes (CNCG) y carcinoma pulmonar de células pequeñas. Los CNCGconstituyen menos del 5% de los carcinomas pulmonares no células pequeñas (CPNCP). En este trabajose describe una serie de CNCG, tratados en un solo centro a lo largo de 10 años.Material y métodos: Se analizan 11 pacientes diagnosticados de CNCG (5 con histologías mixtas).Resultados: La edad media de los pacientes fue de 66 años, 5 fueron varones, 4 tuvieron enfermedadlocalizada, 5 localmente avanzada y 2 diseminada. Siete pacientes, con tumores localizados,fueron tratados con cirugía radical, 2 de ellos recibieron quimioterapia adyuvante; 1 quimioterapia yradioterapia y los otros 3 solo quimioterapia. La mediana de supervivencia de la serie es de 24 meses,y la supervivencia global a 2 y 5 años del 45% y 27% respectivamente.Conclusión: Los datos de nuestra serie corroboran las recomendaciones de que el manejo de losCNCG debe hacerse de forma similar al del resto de los CPNCP. La cirugía radical es el tratamientofundamental en los tumores localizados. No hay datos suficientes que indiquen una peor respuesta alos tratamientos de quimioterapia o radioterapia en este tipo de tumores

Purpose: Lung carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation are a heterogeneous group oftumors related to typical and atypical carcinoids, neuroendocrine large-cell carcinomas (NLCC) andsmall-cell lung cancer (SCLC). NLCC comprises less than 5% of non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).In this report, we describe a series of NLCC treated in a single institution in the last ten years.Material and methods: Eleven patients diagnosed as having NLCC (5 of them with mixedhistology).Results: At diagnosis, the mean age of the patients was 66 years (5 males and 6 females); 4 hadlocalized disease, 5 locally advanced disease, and 2 metastatic disease. Seven patients underwent initialradical surgery (2 of them followed by adjuvant chemotherapy), 1 patient received chemotherapy andradiotherapy, and 3 patients only chemotherapy. Median overall survival for the whole series was 24months, and the overall 2-year and 5-year survival were 45% and 27% respectively.Conclusion: Our data corroborate the general recommendation of treating NLCC in a similar wayas the rest of the non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are treated. Radical surgery is the maintreatment for localized tumors. There are no data indicating a worse response of these tumors toradiation therapy or chemotherapy

Sarcoma histiocítico: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura / Histiocytic sarcoma: a case report and review of the literature

El sarcoma histiocítico es una neoplasia rara, y de etiología desconocida, que se caracteriza por la proliferación maligna de células neoplásicas, que presentan rasgos morfológicos e inmunofenotípicos propios de los histiocitos tisulares. El curso clínico del sarcoma histiocítico es habitualmente rápidamente progresivo. Los síntomas y signos del sarcoma histiocítico incluye la presencia de síntoma sistémicos inespecíficos (fiebre, pérdida de peso), hepatoesplenomegalia, adenopatías, obstrucción intestinal, exantema cutáneo y pancitopenia. Presentamos el caso clínico de una paciente de 75 años, con fiebre, pérdida de peso, anorexia, y astenia, acompañado de esplenomegalia y pancitopenia. El examen de médula ósea reveló el diagnóstico de sarcoma histiocítico

Histiocytic sarcoma is a rare neoplasm, and its aetiology is unknown.It is a malignant proliferation of neoplastic cells showing immunophenotypicand morphologic features similar to tissue histiocytes. Theclinical course of histiocytic sarcoma is usually agressive. The signs andsymptoms of histiocytic sarcoma are systemic symptoms (fever, weightloss), hepatosplenomegaly, adenopathies, intestinal obstruction, rashand pancytopenia.We present the case of a 75 years old woman, with fever, wieght loss,anorexia, fatigue, splenomegaly and pancytopenia. Bone marrow examinationshowed the diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma