Heat stress affects milk yield, milk quality, and gene expression profiles in mammary cells of Girolando cows.

Heat stress during lactation affects the physiological responses, hormonal release, health, and productivity of dairy cows. However, the adverse effects of heat stress on milk synthesis, immune response, and cellular apoptosis in mammary cells remains unknown in Bos indicus cows. This study aimed to understand the relationship between milk yield, milk quality, and the expression of genes related to milk synthesis, cell apoptosis, and immune response in mammary cells of Girolando cows. Twenty-four Girolando cows (3/4 Holstein and 1/4 Gir) were subjected to control (CT, with a temperature-humidity index ranging from 60 to 74, n = 12) or heat stress treatments (HS, with a temperature- humidity index ranging from 60 to 85, n = 12), from 111 to 120 d of lactation. Heat stress significantly increased the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPD1 and HSPD90AA1), insulin receptors (INSR), and prolactin receptors (PRLRsf) genes, and decreased the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) gene in mammary cells of the HS cows when compared with the CT cows. The HS cows exhibited significantly higher vaginal temperatures and cortisol release compared with the CT cows. Moreover, the HS cows had significantly lower dry matter intake and milk yield than CT cows. Although, HS cows showed higher percentage of lymphocytes in milk when compared with that from CT cows. There was no effect of heat stress on other leukocyte counts, somatic cell counts, bacterial counts in milk, or milk composition. Finally, this study demonstrated that Girolando cows are susceptible to heat stress, which decreases milk yield and affects the expression of genes linked to milk synthesis in the mammary cells.

Cloxacillin nanostructured formulation for the treatment of bovine keratoconjunctivitis.

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a widespread, contagious ocular disease that affects cattle, especially dairy breeds. The disease is caused by Gram-negative bacteria mainly Moraxella bovis, and its treatment consists of parenteral or topic antibiotic therapy. The topic treatment approach is used more commonly in lactating cows, to avoid milk disposal. However, treatment failures are common, because the antibiotic is removed during lacrimation. This study aimed to evaluate the susceptibility of commercial cloxacillin and evaluate the efficacy of nanostructured cloxacillin in clinical cases of IBK by Moraxella. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nanoparticle cloxacillin nanocoated, the nanoparticle without the antibiotic and the commercial cloxacillin were determined in vitro with field samples of Moraxella ovis (5) and Moraxella bovis (5). The efficiency of nanoparticles was tested in three cows naturally infected that were treated with 1.0 mL (with 0.32 mg of nanostructured cloxacillin) for the ocular route. Moraxella bovis was isolated and identified by biochemical and molecular methods before the treatment. The animals were treated every 12 h for six days. The cure was considered by the absence of clinical symptoms and bacteria after treatment. The mucoadhesive nanoparticle-based formulation promoted clinical cure with a low number of doses of antibiotics, probably due to the maintenance of the MIC in the ocular mucosa for longer due to the mucoadhesive characteristics of the nanoparticle. The results indicate that the use of nanocoated cloxacillin is possible to control infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis.

SHORT-COMMUNICATION Evaluation of perfused bovine udder for gene expression studies in dairy cows.

Intramammary infections are one of the main causes of productivity loss in dairy cows. To better understand the immune system response and to avoid the use of live animals, we validated the use of isolated bovine udder as an ex situ model. Six mammary glands were collected from cows ready for culling. Three udders were perfused with Tyrode's solution and three were not-perfused. During six hours, we collected perfusate samples for biochemical analysis. We also collected alveolar and teat canal tissue to evaluate gene expression. The biochemical parameters indicated that the perfused udders remained viable for the entire period of the experiment. A real-time polymerase chain reaction showed an increase in 18S rRNA gene expression in the alveolar tissue at 3 and 4 h after perfusion. There was also an increase in the Ubiquitin gene in the teat canal from not-perfused udders at 1, 3, and 4 h after slaughter. In general, gene expression was stable during the experiment. Our results indicated that the isolated perfused bovine udder model is appropriate for genetic studies, opening a new perspective in animal experimentation methods.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene haplotypes affect nitrite levels in black subjects.

Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene have been associated with variations in nitric oxide (NO) formation and response to drugs in white subjects. We examined whether genetic polymorphisms (T-786C, b/a intron 4 and Glu298Asp) and haplotypes of the eNOS gene affect NO formation in 179 healthy black subjects. To assess NO formation, we measured the concentrations of nitrite in the plasma, red blood cells and whole blood. Although we found no effects of individual eNOS polymorphisms on NO formation, we found that the 'C-4b-Glu' haplotype is significantly more common in subjects with low circulating plasma and whole blood nitrite concentrations compared with subjects with high circulating nitrite concentrations (both P<0.0007). These findings reproduce previous findings in white subjects and are consistent with the idea that defining genetic markers is more important than ethnic classification, at least in terms of NO formation.

Antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli strains causing community-acquired urinary tract infections among insured and uninsured populations in a large urban center.

We assessed the susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains causing communityacquired urinary tract infection (UTI) in a large urban center in Brazil, comparing two different populations (patients with health insurance vs. uninsured). 581 nonduplicate strains of E. coli were isolated. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was greater than 20% for ampicillin (51%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (43%), tetracycline (41%) and chloramphenicol (22%). Overall, 12% of the E. coli isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Resistance prevalences to most antimicrobials were similar in the two study populations. Our data provide much needed information on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among E. coli causing communityacquired UTI in Brazil. Antimicrobial resistance among strains of E. coli causing community-acquired UTIs was relatively high, particularly resistance to ciprofloxacin.

Risk factors for Helicobacter pylori infection in children: is education a main determinant?

To investigate potential risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, we performed a case-control study in 167 consecutively selected hospitalized children in Salvador, Brazil. Hp infection was identified by the presence of IgG against Hp in serum samples. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire, 38.3% children were found to be seropositive and classified as cases, and 61.7% were seronegative controls. After multivariate analysis, independent variables associated with Hp infection included: the educational attainment of the child's provider > or = 11 years (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.9), poor garbage disposal service (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-4.9), thumb sucking (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.1-19.8), brushing teeth more than once a day (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.8-17.7), having a pet dog (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0-6.1), and a history of chronic urticaria (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.5-10.8). The risk factors identified are consistent with some, but not all, previous studies supporting either oral-oral or faecal-oral transmission of Hp. Our data suggested that a higher educational attainment might play an important role in preventing Hp infection.

Are International Asthma Guidelines effective for low-income Brazilian children with asthma?

The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of International Asthma Guidelines in low-income asthmatic children in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Fifty children with moderate or severe asthma were evaluated. Patients were evaluated before and after a 1 yr follow-up period using a pre- and post-education design with patients acting as their own controls. Parents were interviewed before and 1 yr after the programme. Most of the children were receiving inadequate medical care from their primary physicians, based mainly on bronchodilators. After the educational programme combined with a medical treatment based mainly on inhaled steroids, there was a decrease in emergency room visits and no need for hospital admissions. There was also a significant decrease in asthma severity and impairment scores (p<.0001). The combination of good medical care and an educational programme can reduce the symptoms of asthma and significantly increase the quality of life, as well as decreasing the costs of asthma treatment. We conclude that by applying the International Asthma Guidelines substantial success was achieved, resulting in moving the patients from crises-orientated management into a chronic care and preventive management mode.

[Risk factors related with occupational and environmental exposure to organochlorine insecticides in the state of Bahia, Brazil, 1985]. / Fatores de riscos relacionados com exposição ocupacional e ambiental a inseticidas organoclorados no estado da Bahia, Brasil, 1985.

In the cacao-growing region in the southern part of the state of Bahia, the organochlorine insecticides, mainly gamma-benzene hexachloride (BHC) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), have been used for about 40 years on cacao crops and in public health programs for control of the insect vectors of different diseases, especially malaria. This paper presents the results of tests performed on 127 persons, all males, between the ages of 15 and 52 years, divided into eight groups as follows: three groups consisted of persons occupationally exposed to 1.5% BHC, that is, technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH); two groups consisted of individuals who had had occasional contact with the products or worked in areas near those in which they were used; two groups were appliers of DDT, and the last group--the control group--consisted of 50 individuals who had had no history of occupational exposure to insecticides. All the participants underwent testing to determine the parameters of biochemistry, hematology, and organochlorine insecticide residues in the blood. It was found that improper handling of the products and failure to use individual protective equipment, together with longer time of exposure, significantly increased the rates of GOT and GPT in the appliers of DDT and technical HCH, and in the latter the rates of alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and cholesterol were also found to be higher. In view of the high morbidity among pesticide appliers in agriculture and public health campaigns, it is important to institute programs to teach these workers to avoid contamination of their persons and of the environment by developing good hygiene habits, using individual protective equipment, and correctly handling the products. Rural workers and public health authorities must become aware of the importance of protective equipment, periodic health examinations, and reduced environmental pollution in order to lessen occupational risks of field workers and promote improved conditions of life for the rural population at large.

Human aldrin poisoning

Sixteen patients acutely poisoned with aldrin were examined to evaluate a possible correlation between serum aldrin and diedrin levels and clinical complaints. The patients were classified as having mild (N = 8), moderate (N = 5) or severe (N = 3) poisoning according to clinical symptoms. Concentrations of less than 20 µg/l were usually associated with mild poisoning, which involved complaints such as nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain, whereas concentrations of 100 to 200 µg/l were considered to represent moderate intoxication and were associated with nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, headache, dizziness, and convulsions. Sever or fatal cases were associated with levels above 700 µg/l. Taken together,these results suggest that serum aldrin diedrin levels can be used as indicators of clinical prognosis after acute poisoning with these insecticides and that convulsions could suddenly occur even in the absence of prodronal signs or symptoms

Human aldrin poisoning.

Sixteen patients acutely poisoned with aldrin were examined to evaluate a possible correlation between serum aldrin and dieldrin levels and clinical complaints. The patients were classified as having mild (N = 8), moderate (N = 5) or severe (N = 3) poisoning according to clinical symptoms. Concentrations of less than 20 micrograms/l were usually associated with mild poisoning, which involved complaints such as nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain, whereas concentrations of 100 to 200 micrograms/l were considered to represent moderate intoxication and were associated with nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, headache, dizziness, and convulsions. Severe or fatal cases were associated with levels above 700 micrograms/l. Taken together, these results suggest that serum aldrin and dieldrin levels can be used as indicators of clinical prognosis after acute poisoning with these insecticides and that convulsions could suddenly occur even in the absence of prodromal signs or symptoms.

[Acute poisoning by aldrin: relationship between serum levels and toxic effects in humans]. / Intoxicação aguda por aldrin: relação dos níveis séricos com efeitos tóxicos no homem.

In the attempt to correlate clinical findings with serum levels of aldrin, sixteen patients were followed-up after acute intoxication by this agent. Eight of them, males and females, aged from 1 to 37 years, presented no or light symptoms (some discomfort and nausea). The serum of one of these patients was found to contain 16.6 ppb of aldrin and that of another, 1.41 ppb of dieldrin. A group of five patients, aged from two to 30 years, showed symptoms of moderate severity, reporting nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dyspnea, sweating, mild jerking, rise in blood pressure and convulsions. Of these cases, two were accidental and three were attempted suicides, the majority achieving complete recovery within 24 hours. Serum levels of aldrin were between 6.98 ppb and 26.3 ppb and of dieldrin between 82.00 and 314.18 ppb. We found three severe cases, aged from 21 to 35 years, two attempted suicides and one occupational case. Two of these patients died and one of them presented hypothermia, coma, absence of reflexes and generalized convulsions, and another presented abdominal pain, paleness, sweating, cold extremities, dyspnea, hyperthermia and generalized convulsions. In the first one that died the serum levels were: of aldrin 30.00 ppb and of dieldrin 720 ppb. In the other levels of 747.3 ppb of aldrin and 1,314.00 ppb of dieldrin were found. The third had less serious symptoms and presented serum levels of aldrin of 31.05 ppb and of dieldrin 147.11 ppb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Avaliaçäo da exposiçäo ocupacional de aplicadores ao hexaclorociclohexano (HCH) na lavoura cacaueira do Estado da Bahia, Brasil / Evaluation of spraymen occupational exposure to hexachlorocylohexane cocoa farming in the State of Bahia, Brazil

Com o objetivo de avaliar o risco da exposiçäo ocupacional ao hexaclorociclohexano (HCH) foram selecionados aleatoriamente 51 aplicadores de BHC a 1,5% na lavoura cacaueira no Sul da Bahia, divididos em sete grupos, e realizadas determinaçöes bioquímicas, hematológicas e séricas dos inseticidas organoclorados antes e após o polvilhamento de dois, três e quatro dias após períodos de afastamento da exposiçäo ocupaciconal de 1, 2 e 6 meses, respectivamente. Os resultados revelaram que os indivíduos do grupo-controle, sem história de exposiçäo direta e praguicidas, apresentaram p, p'-DDE, um ou mais dos isômeros alfa, gama ou beta do HCH; três possuíram p, p'-DDT e em apenas dois deles foi encontrado o heptacloro epóxido. Nos trabalhadores expostos ao BHC foi observada uma estreita relaçäo entre a intensidade da exposiçäo e os níveis séricos dos isômeros do HCH que revelaram a seguinte ordem de acumulaçäo: beta > alfa > gama > delta. Comparaçäo entre grupos de aplicadores com e sem proteçäo respiratória revelou uma diferença altamente significativa (p < 0,001) nos níveis de absorçäo dos inseticidas, denotando uma nítida influência do equipamento de proteçäo individual (EPI), na minimizaçäo do risco ocupacional. Foram observadas alteraçöes estatisticamente significativa (p < 0,05) nos valores de TGP, TGO, fosfatose alcalina e albumina, com elevaçöes mais acentuadas nos indivíduos com maior exposiçäo, demonstrando assim uma relaçäo dose-resposta importante para este tipo de dano. Nos trabalhadores com exposiçäo mais elevada constatou-se como alteraçäo hematológica mais importante uma leucocitose com neutrofilia e linfocitopenia estatisticamente significativas (p < 0,05)