Utilização da lipoproteína de baixa densidade, em diferentes concentrações, em meio diluidor para criopreservação do sêmen ovino / Use of low density lipoprotein in different concentrations in diluent medium for cryopreservation of ovine semen

A utilização da gema de ovo dificulta a padronização de meios diluidores e apresenta riscos biológicos. Assim, este estudo avaliou diferentes concentrações da lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL), em substituição à gema de ovo, para a confecção de diluentes para criopreservação espermática em ovinos. Foram utilizados um diluidor controle (CTR= 20% de gema de ovo) e cinco tratamentos, substituindo-se a gema pelas diferentes proporções de LDL (T1=6%; T2=8%; T3=12%; T4=16%; T5=20%), todos à base de TRIS-glicerol. Para o estudo, utilizaram-se dois ejaculados, de seis reprodutores da raça Santa Inês. Sessenta dias após a criopreservação, as amostras foram descongeladas e avaliadas subjetivamente quanto à motilidade total (MT, %) e progressiva (MP, %), ao vigor (1-5) e à integridade funcional (choque hisposmótico com água destilada, %) e estrutural (corante supravital eosina, %) das membranas espermáticas. As avaliações de vigor e funcionalidade de membrana não diferiram (P>0,05) entre os grupos. Entretanto, os grupos T4 (P<0,01) e T5 (P<0,05) foram superiores ao CTR para os parâmetros MT, MP e integridade estrutural de membrana, o que confirma que as LDLs podem ser alternativas eficientes para substituição da gema de ovo em diluidores para criopreservação de sêmen ovino.(AU)

The use of egg yolk makes it difficult to standardize extenders and presents biological hazards. Thus, this study evaluated different concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to replace yolk extenders for production of sperm for cryopreservation in ovine. A control extender was used (CTR= 20% yolk) and five treatments, replacing the yolk by different ratios of LDL (T1= 6%; T2= 8%, T3= 12%; T4= 16%; T5= 20%) all based on TRIS-glycerol. For the study, two ejaculates from six Santa Ines breeding were used. Sixty days after cryopreservation, the samples were thawed and evaluated for total motility (MT, %) and progressive motility (MP, %), vigor (1-5) and the functional integrity (hyposmotic shock with distilled water, %) and structural (supravital dye eosin, %) of the sperm membranes. The evaluations of strength and membrane functionality didn't differ (P> 0.05) between groups. However, T4 (P< 0.01) and T5 (P< 0.05) groups were superior to the CTR for the MT, MP, and membrane structural integrity parameters, which confirms that LDLs can be efficient alternatives for yolk replacement in extenders for cryopreservation of ovine semen.(AU)

Parâmetros fisiológicos de vacas F1 Holandês x Zebu criadas em ambientes com e sem sombreamento / Physiological parameters of F1 Holstein X Zebu cows raised in environments with and without shading

Objetivou-se, com este estudo, caracterizar o efeito do microclima proporcionado por dois ambientes distintos, sobre as respostas fisiológicas de vacas F1 HxZ em fase de lactação, durante o verão. Foram avaliadas 34 vacas oriundas de quatro diferentes grupos genéticos F1 HxZ. Durante o período experimental, foram feitas medições diárias das variáveis ambientais: temperatura do ar, umidade relativa do ar e temperatura de globo negro, para cálculo dos valores de ITGU. Os parâmetros fisiológicos frequência respiratória, batimento cardíaco, temperatura de superfície corporal, temperatura retal e taxa de sudação foram obtidos às 7h e às 14 horas. A pesagem do leite foi feita semanalmente. Os animais F1 avaliados não apresentaram alterações fisiológicas, e não houve redução na produção láctea em função dos ambientes de criação. O ITGU atingiu valores considerados estressantes (87,7), porém os ambientes de criação não proporcionaram estresse nem redução na produção dos animais.(AU)

The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of microclimate provided by two distinct environments on the physiological responses of F1 HxZ cows lactating during the summer, where 34 cows were evaluated originating from 4 different genetic groups F1 HxZ. During the trial period, daily measurements of environmental variables were determined: dry bulb temperature, relative humidity and black globe temperature, to calculate the BGT values. The physiological parameters respiratory rate, heart rate, body surface temperature, rectal temperature, and sweat rate were obtained at 07:00 and 14:00h. Weighing of milk was done weekly. The F1 animals evaluated did not present physiological changes, nor was there a reduction in milk production as a function of breeding environments. The BGT reached levels considered stressful (87.7), but the breeding environments provided no stress or reduced production of animals.(AU)

Precocidade sexual, eficiência reprodutiva e desempenho produtivo de matrizes jovens Nelore e cruzadas / Sexual precocity, reproductive efficiency and productive performance of Nelore and crossbred young cows

Com o objetivo de avaliar matrizes da raça Nelore (NE) e cruzadas 1/2 Angus + 1/2 Nelore (AN), 1/2 Caracu + 1/2 Nelore (CN) e 1/2 Senepol + 1/2 Caracu (SC) quanto à precocidade sexual em sistemas de recria a pasto, eficiência reprodutiva e desempenho produtivo das matrizes em cada grupo genético (GG), matrizes desses grupos foram produzidas por três safras. Foram avaliadas 40 matrizes AN, 37 CN, 51 NE e 43 SC. Para prenhez precoce, matrizes AN apresentaram taxa de prenhez de 92,2% contra 29,1% para CN, 22,6% para SC e 1,1% para NE. Na prenhez convencional, matrizes AN obtiveram 99,4%, 98,8% para CN, 84,4% para SC e 80,0% para NE. A reconcepção das matrizes AN foi 86,3%, 75,1% de CN, 49,6% de NE e 43,6% de SC. Matrizes AN tiveram menor média de idade ao primeiro parto em meses, 26,36±0,79, contra 31,33±0,86 para CN, 33,51±0,98 para SC e 38,08±0,74 para NE. Para peso ao desmame, crias three-cross das AN pesaram mais que as F1 das NE, por volta de 19%. Para relação de peso ao desmame, não houve diferenças estatísticas entre GG. Matrizes AN foram superiores às demais nos aspectos reprodutivos e produtivos, seguidas das matrizes CN.(AU)

With the aim of evaluating Nelore (NE), 1/2 Angus + 1/2 Nelore (AN), 1/2 Caracu + 1/2 Nelore (CN), and 1/2 Senepol + 1/2 Caracu (SC) females for sexual precocity on pasture backgrounding, reproductive efficiency and productive performance of cows and their calves of each genetic group (GG), animals of these groups were produced for three years. A total of 40 AN, 37 CN, 51 NE and 43 SC cows were evaluated. For early heifer pregnancy, AN cows had pregnancy rate of 92.2% compared to 29.1% for CN, 22.6% for SC and 1.1% for NE. For conventional heifer pregnancy AN obtained 99.4%, CN with 98.8%, SC with 84.4% and NE with 80.0%. The first reconception of AN cows were 86.3%, 75.1% for CN, 49.6% for NE and 43.6% for SC. AN cows also had lower age at first calving in months, 26.36±0.79, compared to 31.33±0.86 for CN, 33.51±0.98 for SC and 38.08±0.74 for NE. For weaning weigth the three-cross from AN were heavier than the F1s from NE, by a margin of 19%. For calf:cow weight ratio there was no statistical difference among GG. AN cows were superior to the others in both productive and reproductive aspects, followed by the CN cows.(AU)

Antimicrobial resistance trends in blood culture positive Salmonella Paratyphi A isolates from Pondicherry, India.

Enteric fever is a public health problem with the upsurge in the occurrence of Salmonella isolates that are resistant to ciprofloxacin. In this study, a total of 284 blood culture isolates of S. Paratyphi A were investigated. Of these isolates, 281 (98.9%) were nalidixic acid resistant. A high rate (6.3%) of high-level resistance (≥4 µg/mL) was found to ciprofloxacin. The isolates with ciprofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ≥12 µg/mL had 4 mutations, 2 mutations within the quinolone resistance-determining region of gyrA and 2 mutations also in parC. According to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute 2012 MIC breakpoints, 75.0% of isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Finally, 3 major pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns were observed among the S. Paratyphi A isolates. The spread of fluoroquinolone resistant S. Paratyphi A necessitates a change toward ‘evidence-based’ treatment for enteric fever. The research provides a perspective on the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant S. Paratyphi A isolates in this region of India.

Early diagnosis of typhoid fever by nested PCR for flagellin gene of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi.

Background & objectives: Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella Typhi continues to be a major health problem in spite of the use of antibiotics and the development of newer antibacterial drugs. Inability to make an early laboratory diagnosis and resort to empirical therapy, often lead to increased morbidity and mortality in cases of typhoid fever. This study was aimed to optimize a nested PCR for early diagnosis of typhoid fever and using it as a diagnostic tool in culture negative cases of suspected typhoid fever. Methods: Eighty patients with clinical diagnosis of typhoid fever and 40 controls were included in the study. The blood samples collected were subjected to culture, Widal and nested PCR targeting the flagellin gene of S. Typhi. Results: The sensitivity of PCR on blood was found to be 100 per cent whereas the specificity was 76.9 per cent. The positive predictive value (PPV) of PCR was calculated to be 76.9 per cent with an accuracy of 86 per cent. None of the 40 control samples gave a positive PCR. Interpretation & conclusions: Due to its high sensitivity and specificity nested PCR can be used as a useful tool to diagnose clinically suspected, culture negative cases of typhoid fever.

Antimicrobial resistance in typhoidal salmonellae.

Infections with Salmonella are an important public health problem worldwide. On a global scale, it has been appraised that Salmonella is responsible for an estimated 3 billion human infections each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that annually typhoid fever accounts for 21.7 million illnesses (217,000 deaths) and paratyphoid fever accounts for 5.4 million of these cases. Infants, children, and adolescents in south-central and South-eastern Asia experience the greatest burden of illness. In cases of enteric fever, including infections with S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A and B, it is often necessary to commence treatment before the results of laboratory sensitivity tests are available. Hence, it is important to be aware of options and possible problems before beginning treatment. Ciprofloxacin has become the first-line drug of choice since the widespread emergence and spread of strains resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and trimethoprim. There is increase in the occurrence of strains resistant to ciprofloxacin. Reports of typhoidal salmonellae with increasing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and resistance to newer quinolones raise the fear of potential treatment failures and necessitate the need for new, alternative antimicrobials. Extended-spectrum cephalosporins and azithromycin are the options available for the treatment of enteric fever. The emergence of broad spectrum β-lactamases in typhoidal salmonellae constitutes a new challenge. Already there are rare reports of azithromycin resistance in typhoidal salmonellae leading to treatment failure. This review is based on published research from our centre and literature from elsewhere in the world. This brief review tries to summarize the history and recent trends in antimicrobial resistance in typhoidal salmonellae.

Efeito da autocorrelação residual na avaliação genética de cabras para a produção de leite e para o formato da curva de lactação / Effect of residual autocorrelation in the genetic evaluation of goats for milk yield and the shape of the lactation curve

Avaliou-se o efeito da autocorrelação residual sobre a qualidade das estimativas dos parâmetros genéticos para produção total de leite (PL) e para os coeficientes a, b e c do modelo de Wood e, consequentemente, sobre a classificação dos animais para estas características. O modelo de Wood foi ajustado às lactações de cabras considerando-se três situações de estrutura residual: (EI) - erros independentes, (AR1) - erros autorregressivos de primeira ordem e (EI - AR1) - erros AR1 somente para as lactações que apresentaram autocorrelação residual significativa e EI para as demais. As estimativas dos coeficientes a, b e c e PL foram utilizadas como variáveis dependentes em um modelo animal multicaracterístico, o qual incluiu os efeitos aleatórios de animal e de ambiente permanente e os efeitos fixos de grupo contemporâneo, número de crias por parto, grupos genéticos e ordem de parto, além das covariáveis duração da lactação e a idade da cabra ao parto. As diferentes estruturas residuais afetaram as estimativas dos parâmetros genéticos e as classificações dos animais para as características estudadas. Portanto, a seleção dos animais pode ser modificada pela presença da autocorrelação residual, sendo a estrutura EI-AR1 uma alternativa para contornar este problema.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the residual autocorrelation effect on the estimates of genetic parameters for total milk yield (MY) and the coefficients a, b and c of Wood's model and, consequently, the animal's classification for these traits. Wood's model was fitted to the lactation of goats considering three cases of residual structure: (IE) - independent errors, (AR1) - first order autoregressive errors, and (IE - AR1) - AR1 errors only for lactations that had significant residual autocorrelation and IE for others. Estimates of the coefficients a, b and c and PL were used as dependent variables in a multivariate animal model, which included the random effects of animal and permanent environmental and fixed effects of contemporary group, number of foals per birth, genetic groups and order of calving, besides the covariates of lactation length (linear) and age at parturition (linear and quadratic). The different residual structures affected the estimates of genetic parameters and the classification of animals for the traits studied. Therefore, the selection of animals can be modified with the presence of residual autocorrelation and the structure IE-AR1 is presented as an alternative to solve this problem.

Simple screening tests for detection of carbapenemases in clinical isolates of nonfermentative Gram-negative bacteria.

Background & objectives: The production of carbapenemases is an important mechanism responsible for the carbapenem resistance. A simple and inexpensive testing method for screening of carbapenemase producers is essential. A prospective study was undertaken to detect metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) and AmpC β-lactamases in nonfermentative Gram negative bacteria and to evaluate the various methods for detection of carbapenemases and MBLs. Methods: A total of 100 Acinetobacter spp. (78 A. baumannii and 22 A. lwoffi i) and 140 Pseudomonas spp. (103 P. aeruginosa and 37 other Pseudomonas spp.) were screened for meropenem resistance by Kirby- Bauer disc diffusion method. Modifi ed Hodge test, EDTA disk synergy (EDS) test and AmpC disk test were used for the detection of carbapenemases, MBLs and AmpC β-lactamases, respectively. Results: Forty six (59.0%) A. baumannii, 7 (31.8%) A. lwoffi i, 32 (31.1%) P. aeruginosa and 7 (18.9%) Pseudomonas spp. were resistant to meropenem. Among the 32 meropenem resistant P. aeruginosa, 15 (46.9%) were AmpC β-lactamase producers, 16 (50.0%) MBL producers by EDS test, but only 9 (28.1%) found positive for carbapenemases by modifi ed Hodge test. Among the 46 meropenem resistant A. baumannii, 31 (67.4%) were AmpC β-lactamase producers, 3 (6.5%) MBL producers, but only 1 (14.3%) was positive for carbapenemases by modifi ed Hodge test. One P. aeruginosa was positive for carbapenemase by modifi ed Hodge test, but was negative for MBL and AmpC β-lactamase. Interpretation & conclusions: MBL production is an important mechanism of carbapenem resistance among Pseudomonas species but not among Acinetobacter species. EDS is more sensitive for detection of MBLs than modifi ed Hodge test. Both EDTA-meropenem and EDTA-ceftazidime combination must be used to detect all the MBL producers. Carbapenemases other than MBL may also be responsible for carbapenem resistance. AmpC β-lactamase is also a contributory factor for carbapenem resistance among the isolates in the hospital.

Estudo de características de produção de matrizes de corte por meio da análise de componentes principais / Study of meat-type chickens production traits by principal components analysis

Avaliou-se o descarte de variáveis de produção, em análises de componentes principais, de três linhagens de matrizes de corte do Programa de Melhoramento Genético da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, utilizando informações de 270 aves, sendo 90 de cada linhagem. As características analisadas foram dias para postura do primeiro ovo (DPPO), taxa de postura da 22ª a 56ª semana (TP), peso médio individual na 32ª (PMI1), na 40ª (PMI2), na 48ª (PMI3), na 56ª (PMI4) e na 64ª semana (PMI5) e peso médio do ovo, obtido pela média da pesagem de três ovos na 32ª (PMO1), na 40ª (PMO2), na 48ª (PMO3), na 56ª (PMO4) e na 64ª semana (PMO5). Dos 12 componentes principais, sete apresentaram variância menor do que 0,7 (autovalor menor do que 0,7), sugerindo-se sete variáveis para descarte. As variáveis descartadas foram aquelas que apresentaram maiores coeficientes, em valor absoluto, a partir do último componente principal. Observou-se correlação linear simples e significativa entre as variáveis descartadas e as não descartadas, que indica redundância de variáveis, razão do descarte. Recomendam-se as variáveis: DPPO, TP, PM14, PMO1 e PMO4 para o estudo de características da produção de matrizes de frango de corte por meio da análise de componentes principais.

Records of 270 meat-type chickens from three lines, 90 of each one, were used to discard variables in a principal component analysis. Data were obtained from meat-type chicken lines of the genetic breeding program of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa. The following traits were evaluated: days at first egg (DFE), egg production rate (EPR) from 22nd to 56th week, body weights at 32nd (BW1), 40th (BW2), 48th (BW3), 56th (BW4), and 64th weeks of age (BW5), and average of three egg weights, at 32nd (EW1), 40th (EW2), 48th (EW3), 56th (EW4) and at 64th weeks (EW5). From the 12 principal components, seven showed variance lower than 0,7 (eigenvalue lower than 0,7), suggesting seven variables to be discarded. Variables which showed the highest coefficients, in absolute value, in the last principal component were discarded. Highly correlated variables with the smaller principal components variance explain a small part of the whole variation. In addition, discarded variables in function of the significant simple linear correlation with the nondiscorded variable, were considered redundants. The variables DFE, EPR, BW4, EW1, and EW4 are recommended for principal component analysis of broiler matrix.

Portable lead analyzer to locate source of lead.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the sources of lead in the environment in children with elevated blood, with the help of a Field Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer. METHODS: One hundred and seven school children were chosen for this study on a random basis, from Mangalore and Karnataka. Their blood lead was analyzed. Of the cases analyzed, 10 students whose blood lead level was more than 40 microg/dl were investigated using a field portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer. This is the first time such a device has been available for this purpose in India. RESULTS: The 'likely' source of lead exposure could be determined in eight cases which was from the immediate environment of the children like 'lead-based' paint on surfaces in the house, on playground and other exterior equipment; lead storage batteries, contaminated dust and soil and other lead-containing substances. CONCLUSION: The use of an X-Ray Fluorescence Analyser appeared to be useful in determining the source of lead.

A medida da tensao arterial na pratica medica de rotina. / The determination of blood pressure in routine medical practice

Em 11 sevicos medicos da cidade de Salvador (Bahia) foram levantados dados das fichas ou prontuarios dos 1.084 adultos atendidos em primeiras consultas entre zero e 24 horas do dia 20/07/82. Tal levantamento visou analisar as frequencias da medida da tensao arterial ( TA ) na pratica medica de rotina e dos tratamentos efetuados nos casos de hipertensao arterial detectados. A TA foi medicada em l8,7% dos pacientes, sendo que naqueles com idade >/ 35 anos a TA foi medida em 22%. Dos 203 pacientes com TA medida, 22,7% eram hipertensos e 80,4% destes tiveram prescrito ou iniciado o tratamento. Comentou-se a necessidade da melhoria da educacao e resposabilidade medicas, a necessidade da integracao clinico-epidemiologica, alem da participacao ativa da populacao para a detecao precoce da hipertensao arterial, no sentido de minimizar a morbi-mortalidade a ela consequente