Haptoglobin and serum amyloid A in subacute ruminal acidosis in goats / Haptoglobina y proteína amilóide sérica A en acidosis ruminal subaguda en cabras

Ruminal acidosis is a frequent disorder that occurs in goats as a consequence of feedingmistakes in animals not adapted to a diet of easily fermentable carbohydrates. The subacuteform of the disease is difficult to diagnose because no apparent signs are shownand the acid-base parameters may remain within the normal range. The present studyaimed at testing the hypothesis that haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA), the two major acute phase proteins in ruminants, may be useful as markers of subacuteacidosis in goats.A subacute acidosis was induced in six Murciano-Granadina goats through a diet of60% mixed feed-40% alfalfa hay offered during 5 days to goats not adapted to eatmixed feed. Two goats were rumen-fistulated to investigate the effect of feeding onruminal pH. Sampling of blood and urine of all animals was done before the inductionof the acidosis, during 5 days after the onset of induction and for 18 days after theinduction (recovery period). Ruminal pH in the fistulated goats dropped to less than 5.5 during the inductionperiod, and half of the goats had diarrhea on the third day after the induction of acidosis. Acid-base parameters showed that the acid-base compensatory mechanisms wereefficient in maintaining the equilibrium. Serum Hp had a moderate increase duringthe induction period, while SAA did not change. These results suggest that Hp mightbe a potential marker for ruminal acidosis in goats.

La acidosis ruminal es un trastorno frecuente en cabras como consecuencia de errores en el manejo alimentario en animales no adaptados a dietas que contienen carbohidratos fácilmente fermentables. La forma subaguda de la enfermedad es de difícil diagnóstico toda vez que no muestra evidencia de signos clínicos claros y los parámetrosácido-básicos pueden permanecer en el rango normal. El presente estudio tuvo porobjetivo probar la hipótesis de que la haptoglobina y la proteína amilóide sérica A, las dos proteínas de fase aguda más importantes en rumiantes, pueden ser útiles como marcadores de acidosis subaguda en cabras. Se indujo acidosis ruminal a seis cabras de la raza Murciano-Granadina, no adaptadas al consumo de concentrado, mediante el suministro de una dieta con 60% de concentradoy 40% de heno de alfalfa durante 5 días. Dos cabras fueron sometidas a fistulaciónruminal para comprobar el efecto del tratamiento sobre el pH del rumen. A todos los animales se les tomaron muestras de sangre y orina el día anterior a la inducción,durante el período de inducción y hasta 18 días después de la inducción (período de recuperación). El pH ruminal cayó a menos de 5,5 durante el período de inducción de acidosis en lascabras fistuladas, mientras que la mitad de las cabras tuvieron diarrea al tercer día de la inducción de acidosis. Los parámetros gasométricos indicaron que los mecanismoscompensatorios fueron eficientes para mantener el equilibrio ácido-básico. La haptoglobinasérica presentó un aumento moderado durante el período de inducción de acidosis,mientras que la amilóide sérica A no presentó cambios. Los resultados sugierenque la haptoglobina puede utilizarse como un potencial indicador de acidosis ruminalen cabras.

Infliximab in Hispanics: characterization of response to infliximab in an ethnic minority with Crohn's disease

PURPOSE: The incidence and prevalence of Crohn's disease (CD) varies geographically and with racial/ ethnic background. The highest frequency of occurrence is in North America and Northern Europe. Incidence is highest among Caucasians, lower in blacks and Hispanics, and lowest in Asians. However in the mid-1980s and 1990s, the incidence and prevalence increased in continental Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Rim, Africa, and Latin America. An increase in the incidence of CD has been noted in Puerto Rico, although our population differs genetically from other described CD populations. A study in our population showed lower prevalence of ASCA and no NOD2 in our CD patients. Infliximab, a TNFa antibody, is effective in refractory inflammatory CD and in fistulizing disease. Since limited data exists regarding CD in Hispanics, the fastest growing minority group in the United States, we designed this retrospective study with patients treated with infliximab at our institution. We wanted to determine if the response to infliximab in genetically admixed Hispanics differed from that previously reported. METHODS: Baseline characteristics, infusion related information and clinical response was abstracted from medical records. Clinical response was classified as complete response, partial response, and nonresponse. RESULTS: The study included 15 patients treated for refractory inflammatory disease, 9 for fistulizing disease, and 11 for both. The positive response rate was 83%(29/35) and the non response rate was 17%(6/35). Overall the patients with complete, partial, and no response were 13/35(37%), 16/35(46%), and 6/ 35(17%), respectively. No statistically significant association was found between response and disease location. Significant association was found between response and fistula type (p = 0.02). Steroid withdrawal was possible in 21/31 patients (68%). In terms of safety, 9/35 patients (26 %) suffered an adverse reaction, 4 patients required therapy discontinuation. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that infliximab has similar global response, allowance of steroid withdrawal and safety in Hispanics as in other populations. Ethnicity does not seem to influence response rate to infliximab.

Duplicacion duodenal transdiafragmatica: diagnostico prenatal y exeresis neonatal temprana / Transdiaphragmatic duodenal duplication: prenatal diagnosis and neonatal early escision

Se presenta un caso de duplicacion duodenal abdomino-tor cica diagnosticada en el periodo prenatal, que recibio tratamiento quirurgico precoz luego del nacimiento. Debido a que el recien nacido permanecio asintomatico, esta patologia habria pasado desapercibida de no haber sido diagnosticada antesantes del nacimiento, exponiendo al niño a presentar complicaciones severas. El manejo perinatal y su indicacion quirurgica son discutidos. Este es el primer caso de duplicacion duodenal abdomino-tor cica con diagnostico prenatal descripto en la literatura

Sindrome de Meckel. / Meckel syndrome

Se presentam 3 casos de sindrome de Meckel Este se hereda como autosomico recesivo e implica, por lo tanto, que luego de tener un hijo afectado el reisgo de otro afectado es del 25% en cada embarazo siguiente.Los signos tipicos del sindrome son: encefalocele, poliquistosis renal,polidactilia postaxial, aunque no necesariamente deban estar los tres presentes. Otras anomalias menos frecuentes que pueden asociarse son: onfalocele, microcefalia, microftalmia,labio leporino y paladar hendido, cardiopatia congenita y genitales ambiguos. Se recalca la importancia del diagnostico clinico y anatomopatologico de los afectados, para poder asesorar geneticamente a los padres, antes de un nuevo embarazo