A Study To Assess The Prevalence Of Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction In Inter-County Hurling.

Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB) is an acute, transient airway narrowing occurring after exercise which may impact athletic performance. Studies report 10% of the general population and up to 90% of asthmatics experience EIB. Ninety-two players from three elite hurling squads underwent a spirometric field-based provocation test with real-time heart rate monitoring and lactate measurements to ensure adequate exertion. Players with a new diagnosis of EIB and those with a negative field-test but with a previous label of EIB or asthma underwent further reversibility testing and if negative, methacholine challenge. Eight (8.7%) of players had EIB, with one further athlete having asthma with a negative field test. Interestingly, only three out of 12 players who had previously been physician-labelled with EIB or asthma had their diagnosis objectively confirmed. Our study highlights the role of objective testing in EIB.

Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients Do Not Meet Traditional Cardiac Resynchronization Criteria.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an effective device-based intervention for adults with heart failure (HF) with specific indications, based on large, multicenter randomized clinical trials. The criteria for CRT in adult HF include significant symptoms, ventricular systolic dysfunction, prolonged QRS duration, and left bundle branch block (LBBB) pattern on electrocardiogram (ECG). Despite having less data, CRT is also being widely utilized in children with HF. The shortage of evidence-based CRT criteria in pediatrics prompted us to review a cohort of children with dilated cardiomyopathy and evaluate their potential eligibility for CRT using the traditional adult criteria. METHODS: Single-center data of all pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy were extracted from the heart failure registry and retrospectively reviewed. Patients who had at least 2 separate visits that included HF scoring, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram were included. Patients who were ventricular paced were excluded. RESULTS: Data for 52 patients meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed. The mean ejection fraction was 25% on the first clinical evaluation and 27% on the second visit. No patient and 2 patients met the adult criteria for prolonged QRS on the first and second encounters, respectively. No patients had an LBBB pattern on ECG. CONCLUSIONS: None of the pediatric HF patients in our study met the published Class I criteria for CRT device therapy in adults. These findings suggest that extrapolation of adult HF data to pediatrics is not sufficient for CRT criteria. Specific guidelines for device implantation in children must be based on scientific investigation including pediatric clinical trials.

Understanding the Procedural Skills Needed in Rural Pediatric Practices: A Survey of Rural Pediatric Providers in the State of New Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: There is little data evaluating procedural skills in current rural pediatric practices. In order to prepare a cadre of pediatricians to work in rural settings, we require an understanding of the unique procedural skills needed by rural pediatric providers. Our objective was to determine how often pediatricians performed various procedural skills, determine the importance of these skills to current practice, and how they differ between rural and urban pediatric providers. METHODS: A survey evaluating pediatrician utilization of the 13 required Accreditation Council Graduate Medical Education procedural skills in current practice was developed and distributed to pediatric providers in New Mexico. Descriptive statistics were used to profile participants and describe survey responses. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences by urban setting or IHS. Fisher's exact test was employed to assess differences if cell sizes were less than five. All p-values were two sided with alpha=.05. Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to control for type 1 errors. RESULTS: Fifty-two of 216 pediatric providers responded. The majority surveyed performed each of the 13 procedures less than monthly but competency in many of these procedures is important. Thirty-two respondents submitted free-text responses recommending competence with tracheostomy changes, gastrostomy-tube changes/cares, and circumcision. CONCLUSION: Majority of surveyed pediatricians performed the required procedures less than monthly but deemed several procedures to be important. Rural pediatricians recommended specific procedural skills needed in rural practice. All trainees receive procedural skills training. However, trainees interested in rural practice may need additional training in specific skills different than their non-rural counterparts.

Dynamic responses of blood metabolites to nutrient depletion and repletion in broiler chicken nutrition.

A total of 720 male Cobb 500 broiler chicks were used in a 5 treatment and 8 replicate experiment to explore dynamic changes in blood metabolites in response to short-term nutrient depletion and repletion. Day old chicks were offered a corn and soybean meal-based common starter diet from d1 to 14 that was formulated to meet all nutrient requirements of the birds. From d15 to 17, the experimental diets were offered, before returning all groups to a common diet from d18 to 20, at which point the experiment was terminated. A total of 5 experimental diets were designed. A standard grower diet served as a control and was offered to 1 of the 5 groups of chicks. The additional 4 experimental groups comprised diets that were low in digestible phosphorus (P), total calcium (Ca), crude protein and digestible amino acids (AA) or apparent metabolizable energy (AME). The common grower diet that was offered from d18-20 was designed to be nutritionally complete and was intended to explore dynamic response to nutrient repletion. Blood was drawn from 8 chicks per treatment at time 0 (immediately prior to introduction of the experimental diets) and then again 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48h after introduction of the nutrient depleted diets. Additionally, blood was drawn 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48h after the introduction of the nutritionally complete common grower diet. Chicks were not sampled more than once. Feed intake, body weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were assessed on d14, 17, and 20. Blood metabolites were analyzed using the iSTAT Alinity V handheld blood analyzer, the Vetscan VS2 Chemistry Analyzer and the iCheck Carotene Photometer. Live performance metrics were not affected by the short-term nutrient depletion and all chicks grew normally throughout the experiment. The diet with low digestible P generated a rapid temporary decrease in plasma P and an increase in plasma Ca, that were returned to baseline following the re-introduction of the common grower feed. Introduction of the diet with low total Ca resulted in a significant increase in plasma P, effects which were also mitigated during the nutrient repletion phase. Total plasma protein, albumin and uric acid (UA) were decreased, and plasma glucose increased, in the chicks that received the diet with low crude protein and digestible AA. There was a delayed increase in aspartate amino transaminase (AST) associated with the diets with low digestible P and low AME. These results demonstrate the capacity of blood biochemistry to adapt to quantitative and qualitative changes in nutrient intake. Point-of-care analysis of blood biomarkers offers nutritionists a valuable opportunity to calibrate nutritional matrices for common dietary ingredients, zootechnical feed additives and to optimize diet phase changes. It can be concluded that many blood biomarkers are plastic to changes in diet nutrient density and offer an objective index for optimization of nutritional programs for commercial broiler production.

The poor performance of RSR' pattern on electrocardiogram lead V1 for detection of secundum atrial septal defects in children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of RSR' patterns in lead V1 (RSR'-V1) in diagnosing atrial septal defects (ASDs) in children. STUDY DESIGN: Children who underwent an electrocardiogram (ECG) during 2010 were divided into 2 ECG groups: RSR'-V1 and normal (no RSR'-V1). Children who underwent an echocardiogram during 2010 were also divided into an ASD group and a normal echocardiogram group. The 4 groups were matched in a 2 × 2 table format where the RSR'-V1 was the "test" and ASD was the "disease." Sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative predictive values, and pre/post-test probabilities were calculated. RESULTS: There were 4658 ECG studies included in the analysis: 836 had RSR'-V1 and 3822 were normal without RSR'-V1. Of 4935 echocardiographic studies analyzed, 329 had an ASD and 4606 were normal; 1363 patients had both studies done during the study period. The ECG sensitivity for diagnosing an ASD was 36.1%, specificity was 80%, positive predictive value was 14.7%, and negative predictive value was 92.9% with an overall accuracy of 76.2%. Patients with ASD and RSR'-V1 were significantly older than patients with ASD and no RSR'-V1 pattern. CONCLUSION: RSR'-V1 is a poor screening test for the detection of ASD. It should not change the clinical suspicion or the decision to obtain an echocardiogram. Older children without RSR'-V1 on ECG are unlikely to have an ASD.

Prenatal diagnosis of long QT syndrome: implications for delivery room and neonatal management.

This case describes the prenatal diagnosis and integrated peripartum management of a foetus with 2:1 atrioventricular block and torsade de pointes due to congenital long QT syndrome. The unique issues related to the detection of intrauterine conduction abnormalities and ventricular arrhythmias, along with the immediate postnatal care, have been described as an interesting teaching case with successful outcome.

Influence of different heat stress models on nutrient digestibility and markers of stress, inflammation, lipid, and protein metabolism in broilers.

This experiment determined the effects of different HS models and pair-feeding (PF) on nutrient digestibility and markers of stress, inflammation, and metabolism in broilers. Birds (720 total) were allocated into 12 environmentally controlled chambers and reared under thermoneutral conditions until 20 d. Until 41 d birds were exposed to 4 treatments, including: thermoneutral at 24°C (TN-al), daily cyclic HS (12 h at 24 and 12 h at 35°C; cyHS), constant HS at 35°C (coHS), and PF birds maintained at 24°C and fed to equalize FI with coHS birds (TN-coPF). At d 41, ileal digesta were collected to determine nutrient apparent ileal digestibility (AID). Blood, liver, and breast tissues were collected from 8 birds per treatment to determine the mRNA expression of stress, inflammation, and metabolism markers. An additional 8 TN-al birds were sampled after acute HS exposure at 35°C for 4 h (aHS), and 8 cyHS birds were sampled either right before or 4 h after HS initiation. Data were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA and means were separated using Tukey's HSD test. Compared with TN-al birds, AID of nitrogen and ether extract were reduced in coHS birds, and both cyHS and coHS reduced (P < 0.05) AID of total essential amino acids. TNFα and SOD2 expression were increased (P < 0.05) under aHS, coHS, and TN-coPF conditions. IL6 and HSP70 were increased (P < 0.05) under coHS and aHS, respectively. Expression of lipogenic enzymes ACCα and FASN were reduced by coHS and TN-coPF, while coHS increased the lipolytic enzyme ATGL (P < 0.05). IGF1 was lowered in coHS birds, and p70S6K and MyoG were reduced under coHS and TN-coPF (P < 0.05). Interestingly, MuRF1 and MAFbx were increased (P < 0.05) under coHS only. Overall, these results indicate that coHS has a greater impact on nutrient digestibility and metabolism than aHS and cyHS. Interestingly, increased protein degradation during HS appears to be mostly driven by HS per se and not the reduced FI.

Assembly of DNA curtains using hydrogen silsesquioxane as a barrier to lipid diffusion.

We have established a single-molecule imaging experimental platform called "DNA curtains" in which DNA molecules tethered to a lipid bilayer are organized into patterns at nanofabricated metallic barriers on the surface of a microfluidic sample chamber. This technology has wide applications for real-time single-molecule imaging of protein-nucleic acid interactions. Here, we demonstrate that DNA curtains can also be made from hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ). HSQ offers important advantages over metallic barriers because it can be lithographically patterned directly onto fused silica slides without any requirement for further processing steps, thereby offering the potential for rapid prototype development and/or scale up for manufacturing.

Middle cerebral artery resistivity and pulsatility indices in systemic lupus erythematosus: evidence for hyperperfusion.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with significant cerebrovascular and neuropsychiatric disease for which multiple pathogeneses have been proposed. Although global cerebral hypoperfusion has been proposed, there are limited data about intracerebral arterial hemodynamics. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) allows portable, high temporal and spatial resolution, noninvasive blood velocity measurements in the middle cerebral arteries, and calculations of standard resistivity (RI) and pulsatility (PI) indices. RI and PI correlate with cerebral hemispheric arteriolar tone, blood flow resistances, and impedances. Accordingly, we hypothesized that there would be significant differences (p < 0.05) in RI and PI between SLE patients and healthy, age and gender matched controls. METHODS: TCD was used to measure RI and PI bilaterally on 34 stable SLE patients (35 ± 11 years) and 15 control subjects (34 ± 10 years). Patients and controls had similar, normal blood pressures and were examined in the supine position during normal, resting respiration. RI and PI were determined by a blinded, experienced observer. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in RI and PI bilaterally within each cohort. However, SLE patients had significantly lower average RI and PI values compared with controls: 0.45 ± 0.10 versus 0.52 ± 0.05 (p < 0.05); and 0.65 ± 0.19 versus 0.77 ± 0.12, (p < 0.05); respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data suggest that RI and PI values in the human middle cerebral artery are significantly lower in SLE compared with controls. These indices indicate that middle cerebral arterial resistances and impedances are decreased in SLE. Under normotensive conditions, the results are consistent with hyperperfusion in SLE with increased arteriolar dilation and increased cerebral blood flow.

Constant and cyclic chronic heat stress models differentially influence growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of broilers.

This experiment compared the effects of 2 chronic heat stress (HS) models, constant (coHS), and cyclic (cyHS), on broiler performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. A total of 720 male chicks from a Cobb 500 line were placed in 12 environmentally controlled chambers divided into 2 pens of 30 birds. Before the experimental HS models were applied, chamber temperatures were gradually decreased from 32°C at placement to 24°C on d 20. From 20 to 41 d, 4 chambers were set to 35°C (coHS), and 4 chambers were set to 35°C for 12 h and 24°C for the next 12 h (cyHS). Four thermoneutral chambers were maintained at 24°C with half of the birds pair-fed to equalize feed intake (FI) with coHS birds (TN-coPF) and half fed ad-libitum (TN-al). From 20 to 41 d, FI and BW gain (BWG) of cyHS, coHS and TN-coPF birds were decreased (P < 0.001), whereas feed conversion ratio (FCR) was increased (P < 0.001) for coHS and TN-coPF birds compared with TN-al birds. The overall BWG and FCR of coHS birds were lower (P < 0.001) than TN-coPF birds. Both HS models reduced (P < 0.001) carcass weight, pectoralis major yield, total breast meat yield, and increased (P < 0.001) wing yield relative to TN-al birds, with each of these measurements more impacted by coHS than by cyHS. Pair-fed birds had lower (P < 0.001) fat pad and a higher total breast meat yield than coHS birds. They also had the lowest (P < 0.001) pectoralis major ultimate pH and yellowness, and these parameters were lower (P < 0.001) for coHS birds than for TN-al birds. Both HS models reduced (P < 0.001) the incidence of woody breast and white striping. Thus, these data indicate that the detrimental effects of HS cannot be entirely explained by reduced FI and that HS per se affects metabolic pathways associated with muscle and lipid accretion in broilers.

Evidence for rare and common genetic risk variants for schizophrenia at protein kinase C, alpha.

We earlier reported a genome-wide significant linkage to schizophrenia at chromosome 17 that was identified in a single pedigree (C702) consisting of six affected, male siblings with DSM-IV schizophrenia and prominent mood symptoms. In this study, we adopted several approaches in an attempt to map the putative disease locus. First, mapping the source of linkage to chromosome 17 in pedigree C702. We refined the linkage region in family C702 to a 21-marker segment spanning 11.7 Mb at 17q23-q24 by genotyping a total of 50 microsatellites across chromosome 17 in the pedigree. Analysis of data from 1028 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the refined linkage region identified a single region of homozygosity present in pedigree C702 but not in 2938 UK controls. This spanned ~432 kb of the gene encoding protein kinase C, alpha (PRKCA), the encoded protein of which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Analysis of pedigree C702 by oligonucleotide-array comparative genome hybridization excluded the possibility that this region of homozygosity was because of a deletion. Mutation screening of PRKCA identified a rare, four-marker haplotype (C-HAP) in the 3' untranslated region of the gene, which was present in the homozygous state in all six affected members of pedigree C702. No other homozygotes were observed in genotype data for a total of 6597 unrelated Europeans (case N=1755, control N=3580 and parents of probands N=1262). Second, association analysis of C702 alleles at PRKCA. The low-frequency haplotype (C-HAP) showed a trend for association in a study of unrelated schizophrenia cases and controls from the UK (661 cases, 2824 controls, P=0.078 and odd ratio (OR)=1.9) and significant evidence for association when the sample was expanded to include cases with bipolar (N=710) and schizoaffective disorder (N=50) (psychosis sample: 1421 cases, 2824 controls, P=0.037 and OR=1.9). Given that all the affected members of C702 are male, we also undertook sex-specific analyses. This revealed that the association was strongest in males for both schizophrenia (446 male cases, 1421 male controls, P=0.008 and OR=3.9) and in the broader psychosis group (730 male cases, 1421 male controls, P=0.008 and OR=3.6). Analysis of C-HAP in follow-up samples from Ireland and Bulgaria revealed no evidence for association in either the whole sample or in males alone, and meta-analysis of all male psychosis samples yielded no significant evidence of association (969 male cases, 1939 male controls, 311 male probands P=0.304 and OR=1.4). Third, association mapping of the pedigree C702 linkage region. Independent of pedigree C702, genotype data from the Affymetrix 500k GeneChip set were available for 476 patients with schizophrenia and 2938 controls from the United Kingdom. SNPs in PRKCA showed evidence for association with schizophrenia that achieved gene-wide significance (P=0.027). Moreover, the same SNP was the most significantly associated marker out of the 1028 SNPs genotyped across the linkage region (rs873417, allelic P=0.0004). Follow-up genotyping in samples from Ireland, Bulgaria and Germany did not show consistent replication, but meta-analysis of all samples (4116 cases and 6491 controls) remained nominally significant (meta-analysis P=0.026, OR=1.1). We conclude that, although we have obtained convergent lines of evidence implicating both rare and common schizophrenia risk variants at PRKCA, none of these is individually compelling. However, the evidence across all approaches suggests that further study of this locus is warranted.

Status of propranolol for treatment of infantile hemangioma and description of a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Our primary objective was to review the current use of propranolol for treatment of infantile hemangioma (IH), specifically regarding 1) the age at initiation of therapy, 2) the method of initiation, 3) the use of other adjuvant therapy, 4) the duration of therapy and relapse rate, 5) the adverse events, and 6) the outcome. Our secondary objective was to describe a randomized, controlled, single-blinded trial comparing propranolol to prednisolone for treatment of IH. METHODS: Ovid Medline and PubMed searches were completed for the MeSH keywords "propranolol" and "hemangioma." Forty-nine English-language articles were published between June 2008 and September 2010, and 28 of these reported data from a total of 213 patients. Only 6 studies treated more than 10 patients, and these were selected for review in detail (154 patients). RESULTS: The treatment was initiated during infancy in 92.9% of patients (mean, 4.5 months). Sixty-five percent of patients were treated with 2 mg/kg per day, and 25.3% with 3 mg/kg per day. Patients were monitored overnight at initiation of treatment in 3 series (59 patients), for 4 to 6 hours as outpatients in 2 series (62 patients), and initially as inpatients but later as outpatients in 1 series (32 patients). Propranolol was used as sole therapy in about two thirds of patients (103 patients). Treatment was ongoing in 46% of patients at the time of publication. The average treatment duration in the remaining patients was 5.1 months. Rebound growth occurred in 21% of patients after a mean of 4.3 months of therapy. Adverse events occurred in 18.1% of patients and included hypotension in 6, somnolence in 6, wheezing in 4, insomnia, agitation, and/or nightmares in 6, cool hands or night sweats in 2, gastroesophageal reflux in 3, and psoriasis-like rash in 1. All authors reported a favorable outcome with propranolol, but the definition of efficacy was not standardized. CONCLUSIONS: Propranolol is an attractive alternative to other treatments for IH. Despite apparent widespread use of this medication, the data are limited, and prospective studies are lacking for this indication. The relatively high rate of adverse effects supports the need for careful monitoring of patients on this therapy. Fastidious reporting of adverse events and objective evaluation of early and late outcomes are necessary to improve our understanding of the use of propranolol for this indication.

Challenges in reducing the risk of infection when accessing vascular catheters.

Injection safety is essential to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) when accessing vascular catheters. This general review evaluates the contamination of vascular catheter access ports and associated HAIs in acute care settings, focusing on open lumen stopcocks (OLSs) and disinfectable needleless closed connectors (DNCCs). PubMed was searched from January 2000 to February 2021. OLS intraluminal surfaces are frequently contaminated during patient care, increasing the risk of HAIs, and neither an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) pad nor a port-scrub device can reduce contamination effectively. In contrast, DNCCs can be disinfected, with most studies indicating less intraluminal contamination than OLSs and some studies showing decreased HAIs. While the optimal DNCC design to reduce HAIs needs to be determined, DNCCs alone or stopcocks with a DNCC bonded to the injection port should replace routine use of OLSs, with OLSs restricted to use in sterile fields. Compliance with disinfection is essential immediately before use of a DNCC as use of a non-disinfected DNCC can have equivalent or greater risk of HAIs compared with use of an OLS. The recommendations for access port disinfection in selected national and international guidelines vary. When comparing in-vitro studies, clinical studies and published guidelines, consensus is lacking; therefore, additional studies are needed, including large randomized controlled trials. IPA caps disinfect DNCCs passively, eliminate scrubbing and provide a contamination barrier; however, their use in neonates has been questioned. Further study is needed to determine whether IPA caps are more efficacious than scrubbing with disinfectant to decrease HAIs related to use of central venous, peripheral venous and arterial catheters.

Unique chemical parameters and microbial activity lead to increased archaeological preservation at the Roman frontier site of Vindolanda, UK.

Waterlogged burial conditions impact upon artefact preservation. One major determinant of preservation is presence and behaviour of microorganisms, however, unravelling the mechanisms, especially in waterlogged conditions is challenging. In this study, we analysed elemental composition, bacterial diversity and community structure from excavation trenches at the Roman Site of Vindolanda, Northumberland, UK, using pXRF and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Excavation trenches provide information of different occupation periods. The results indicated that microbial communities were dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria at a phylum level. Samples which also had visible vivianite presence showed that there were marked increases in Methylophilus. Methylophilus might be associated with favourable preservation in these anaerobic conditions. More research is needed to clearly link the presence of Methylophilus with vivianite production. The study emphasises the need for further integration of chemical and microbiome approaches, especially in good preservation areas, to explore microbial and chemical degradation mechanisms.

Protective effects of the phytogenic feed additive "comfort" on growth performance via modulation of hypothalamic feeding- and drinking-related neuropeptides in cyclic heat-stressed broilers.

Identification of alternatives to antibiotics in livestock and poultry is necessary. Fueled by consumer preferences, phytogenic feed additives are increasingly used in the food system; however, their mode of action is not well defined. Here, we used broiler chickens, in which appetite and feeding behavior regulation are controlled by complex mechanisms, to determine the effect of the phytogenic feed additive "comfort" (PFA-C) as well as its underlying molecular mechanisms on growth performance in heat-stressed broiler chickens. Heat stress significantly increased birds' core body temperature, water intake, and the hypothalamic expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 70, whereas it decreased feed intake, BW, and woody breast incidence. Phytogenic feed additive "comfort" supplementation downregulated the hypothalamic expression of HSP70, reduced core body temperature, increased feed and water intake, and improved BW in HS broilers. At molecular levels, the effect of PFA-C on growth performance seemed to be mediated by modulation of hypothalamic expression of melanocortin receptor 2, arginine vasopressin, aquaporin 2, and sodium and potassium-transporting ATPase subunit beta 1 polypeptides. In summary, PFA-C supplementation ameliorates heat stress productivity losses via a potential cytoprotective effect, reduction of hypothalamic intracellular stress, and modulation of hypothalamic feeding- and drinking-related polypeptide expression.

Pacing treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy: optimization of resynchronization pacing in pediatrics.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The understanding of the therapeutic effects and complications of pacing in pediatric and congenital-heart disease is evolving. The utility and feasibility of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are now being critically evaluated. This group of patients is heterogeneous, but many individuals eventually share a common clinical destiny of ventricular dyssynchrony and dilated cardiomyopathy. This review will summarize the most recent germane developments in this rapidly changing field. RECENT FINDINGS: Longer-term data are now available for the pediatric and congenital heart population. Some of the technical aspects of this procedure have been improved, including the use of unique combinations of lead placement including hybrid systems. Innovations in echocardiography provide the clinician with the capability to assess mechanical dyssynchrony indices, as well as cardiac function and electrical dyssynchrony, when considering a pediatric or congenital heart disease patient for CRT. SUMMARY: CRT is becoming a valuable tool in the treatment of ventricular dyssynchrony and dilated cardiomyopathy in pediatric and congenital heart disease patients. Diagnostic advances in electrophysiology and echocardiography have enabled clinicians to more effectively evaluate, treat, and optimize device programming for patients before and after CRT. These modalities also allow more detailed data collection, which may aid in the refinement of indications and impact of CRT in this unique population.

Orexin system is expressed in avian liver and regulates hepatic lipogenesis via ERK1/2 activation.

Orexins are originally characterized as orexigenic hypothalamic neuropeptides in mammals. Subsequent studies found orexin to be expressed and perform pleiotropic functions in multiple tissues in mammals. In avian (non-mammalian) species, however, orexin seemed to not affect feeding behavior and its physiological roles are poorly understood. Here, we provide evidence that orexin and its related receptors are expressed in chicken hepatocytes. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that orexin is localized in the ER, Golgi, and in the lysosomes in LMH cells. Brefeldin A treatment reduced orexin levels in the culture media, but increased it in the cell lysates. Administration of recombinant orexins upregulated the expression of orexin system in the liver of 9-day old chicks, but did not affect feed intake. Recombinant orexins increased fatty acid synthase (FASN) protein levels in chicken liver, activated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCα), and increased FASN, ATP citrate lyase(ACLY), and malic enzyme (ME) protein expression in LMH cells. Blockade ERK1/2 activation by PD98059 attenuated these stimulating effects of orexin on lipogenic factors. Overexpression of ERK1/2 increased the expression of lipogenic genes, and orexin treatment induced the phosphorylated levels of ERK1/2Thr202/Tyr204, but not that of p38 Thr180/Tyr182 or JNK1/2 Thr183/Tyr185 in chicken liver and LMH cells. Taken together, this is the first report evidencing that orexin is expressed and secreted from chicken hepatocytes, and that orexin induced hepatic lipogenesis via activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Processing evaluation of random bred broiler populations and a common ancestor at 55 days under chronic heat stress conditions.

As a result of genetic selection, the modern broiler is more efficient, higher yielding, and faster growing than the bird of the 1950s. Unfortunately, as a result of improvement in growth rate, the modern broiler has the potential to struggle under heat stress conditions. The present study evaluates 3 different random bred populations and a common ancestor under both a thermal neutral and heat stress conditions after a 54-D grow-out period. The lines used in this study included the Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB), a 1995 Random Bred (95RAN), a 2015 Random Bred (MRB), and a Junglefowl (JF). Male chicks (n = 150/line) were placed by line in environmentally controlled chambers. An 8-h daily cyclic heat stress (36°C) was applied to half of the chambers beginning on day 28 (HS) and lasting until processing at day 55, while the remaining chambers remained thermal neutral (TN) at 26°C. Dock weights and carcass weights were lower in the HS-95RAN and HS-MRB, compared to their TN counterparts, while the ACRB and JF had no difference in dock and carcass weights regardless of environmental condition. The MRB line had the highest breast yield (27.79%) while the JF (12.79%) and ACRB (12.42%) had the lowest. The 95RAN line had the highest abdominal fat percentage (2.83%) while the MRB line had the lowest moisture uptake during chill. The HS exposure lowered overall breast yield and breast pH at 15 min and 4 h postmortem but did not have an impact on color (L∗) or 24 h breast drip loss. The MRB was scored for both woody breast and white striping. The TN-MRB group had a higher incidence of moderate and severe woody breast and white striping than the HS-MRB group. Based on the results of this study, it appears that HS has a greater negative impact on the higher yielding lines (MRB and 95RAN) than the ACRB and JF and that clear line differences exist between the random bred lines and their common ancestor.

A diet-induced developmental polymorphism in a caterpillar.

Caterpillars of the spring brood of Nemoria arizonaria develop into mimics of the oak catkins upon which they feed. Caterpillars from the summer brood emerge after the catkins have fallen and they develop instead into mimics of oak twigs. This developmental polymorphism may be triggered by the concentration of defensive secondary compounds in the larval diet: all caterpillars raised on catkins, which are low in tannin, developed into catkin morphs; those raised on leaves, which are high in tannin, developed into twig morphs; most raised on artificial diets of catkins with elevated tannin concentrations developed into twig morphs.