Effects of concentrate type and chromium propionate on insulin sensitivity, productive and reproductive parameters of lactating dairy cows consuming excessive energy.

This experiment compared insulin sensitivity parameters, milk production and reproductive outcomes in lactating dairy cows consuming excessive energy, and receiving in a 2×2 factorial arrangement design: (1) concentrate based on ground corn (CRN; n=13) or citrus pulp (PLP; n=13), and (2) supplemented (n=14) or not (n=12) with 2.5 g/day of chromium (Cr)-propionate. During the experiment (day 0 to 182), 26 multiparous, non-pregnant, lactating Gir×Holstein cows (initial days in milk=80±2) were offered corn silage for ad libitum consumption, and individually received concentrate formulated to allow diets to provide 160% of their daily requirements of net energy for lactation. Cow BW and body condition score (BCS) were recorded weekly. Milk production was recorded daily and milk samples collected weekly. Blood samples were collected weekly before the morning concentrate feeding. Glucose tolerance tests (GTT; 0.5 g of glucose/kg of BW) were performed on days -3, 60, 120 and 180. Follicle aspiration for in vitro embryo production was performed via transvaginal ovum pick-up on days -1, 82 and 162. No treatment differences were detected (P⩾0.25) for BW and BCS change during the experiment. Within weekly blood samples, concentrations of serum insulin and glucose, as well as insulin : glucose ratio were similar among treatments (P⩾0.19), whereas CRN had less (P<0.01) non-esterified fatty acid concentrations compared with PLP (0.177 v. 0.215 mmol/l; SEM=0.009). During the GTT, no treatment differences were detected (P⩾0.16) for serum glucose concentration, glucose clearance rate, glucose half-life and insulin : glucose ratio. Serum insulin concentrations were less (P=0.04) in CRN supplemented with Cr-propionate compared with non-supplemented CRN (8.2 v. 13.5 µIU/ml, respectively; SEM=1.7), whereas Cr-propionate supplementation did not impact (P=0.70) serum insulin within PLP cows. Milk production, milk fat and solid concentrations were similar (P⩾0.48) between treatments. However, CRN had greater (P<0.01) milk protein concentration compared with PLP (3.54% v. 3.14%, respectively; SEM=0.08). No treatment differences were detected (P⩾0.35) on number of viable oocytes collected and embryos produced within each aspiration. In summary, feeding a citrus pulp-based concentrate to lactating dairy cows consuming excessive energy did not improve insulin sensitivity, milk production and reproductive outcomes, whereas Cr-propionate supplementation only enhanced insulin sensitivity in cows receiving a corn-based concentrate during a GTT.

Physiologic, health, and production responses of dairy cows supplemented with an immunomodulatory feed ingredient during the transition period.

This study compared physiological, health, and productive parameters in dairy cows supplemented or not with Omnigen-AF (OMN; Phibro Animal Health, Teaneck, NJ) during the transition period. Thirty-eight nonlactating, multiparous, pregnant Holstein × Gir cows were ranked by body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS), and assigned to receive (n=19) or not (CON; n=19) OMN at 56 g/cow daily (as-fed basis) beginning 35 d before expected date of calving. Before calving, cows were maintained in single drylot pen with ad libitum access to corn silage, and received (as-fed basis) 3kg/cow daily of a concentrate. After calving, cows were moved to an adjacent drylot pen, milked twice daily, offered (as-fed basis) 35kg/cow daily of corn silage, and individually received a concentrate formulated to meet their nutritional requirements after both milkings. Cows received OMN individually as top-dressing in the morning concentrate feeding. Before calving, cow BW and BCS were recorded weekly and blood samples were collected every 5 d beginning on d -35 relative to expected calving date. After calving and until 46 d in milk, BW and BCS were recorded weekly, individual milk production was recorded, and milk samples were collected daily for total solids and somatic cell count analyses. Blood was sampled daily from 0 to 7 d in milk, every other day from 9 to 21 d in milk, and every 5 d from 26 to 46 d in milk. On 30 and 46 d in milk, cows were evaluated for endometritis via cytobrush technique, based on % of polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells in 100 total cell count (PMN + endometrial cells). On 48.7±1.6 d in milk, 9 cows/treatment received a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection (0.25µg/kg of BW), and blood was sampled hourly from -2 to 8 h, at 12-h intervals from 12 to 72 h, and at 24-h intervals form 96 to 120 h relative to LPS administration. No treatment differences were detected on BW, BCS, serum concentrations of cortisol, fatty acids, insulin, glucose, haptoglobin, cortisol, and insulin-like growth factor-I. Cows receiving OMN had greater milk yield (30.3 vs. 27.1kg/d) and percentage of PMN cells in endometrial cell population (12.2 vs. 3.9%) compared with CON cows. After LPS administration, cows receiving OMN had greater mean serum haptoglobin (212 vs. 94 µg/mL), as well as greater serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor α at 1, 2, and 3 h relative to LPS injection compared with CON cows. In conclusion, OMN supplementation during the transition period enhanced innate immunity parameters and increased milk production in dairy cows.

Behavioral and neurophysiological investigation of the influence of verbal suggestion on tactile perception.

Recently we demonstrated that it is possible to influence tactile perception by applying a placebo manipulation consisting of verbal suggestion and conditioning and that this influence is associated to changes in the late components (N140 and P200) of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) (Fiorio et al., 2012). Due to the powerful effects of words in changing symptoms perception in the clinical domain, aim of this study was to investigate whether even in the tactile modality, perception can be changed by the mere use of persuasive words in a specific context. To this purpose, we adopted the same experimental setting of our previous study, apart from the conditioning procedure. A group of subjects (experimental group) has been verbally suggested about the effect of an inert cream in enhancing tactile perception, while a control group was informed about the inefficacy of the cream. In order to unveil the neurophysiological underpinnings of this effect, we compared the amplitude of late SEPs (P100, N140, P200), before and after treatment. Results showed that the experimental group did not perceive an increase of tactile sensation after the treatment and no modification occurred in the late SEPs. This study proves that verbal suggestion alone is not sufficient to induce enhanced tactile perception (at least with this experimental setting), suggesting that a conditioning procedure may be necessary in the tactile modality. The absence of changes in the late SEP components could reflect the lack of strong expectation following the placebo procedure.

Enhancing non-noxious perception: behavioural and neurophysiological correlates of a placebo-like manipulation.

Sensory perception can be influenced by cognitive functions like attention and expectation. An emblematic case of this is the placebo effect, where a reduction in pain perception can be obtained by inducing expectation of benefit following a treatment. The current study assessed the behavioural and brain activity correlates of a placebo procedure inducing an enhancement of non-noxious somatic sensation. An experimental group was verbally suggested and surreptitiously conditioned about the effect of an inert cream in enhancing tactile perception, while a control group was informed about the actual inefficacy of the cream. Both groups received non-noxious electric shocks activating A-Beta fibres on the right index finger, before and after application of the cream in the same site. The behavioural and neurophysiological effects of this procedure were measured by a numerical rating scale of subjective perception and by recording cortical and subcortical somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs). Although the intensity of stimulation was physically identical in the two sessions, the experimental group reported stronger tactile sensation after cream treatment than before. In parallel, the experimental group showed enhanced somatosensory cortical responses (N140, P200) after treatment, whereas subcortical and early-cortical SEP components did not change. We suggest that these findings reflect top-down modulation on tactile perception probably due to an interplay between expectation and attention and might rely on interactions between prefrontal and parietal brain regions.

Evaluación ecográfica cervical y estrategias de manejo del parto pretérmino / Cervical ultrasound assessment and management strategies of preterm delivery

La medida de la longitud cervical por ecografía transvaginal es un test de tamizaje efectivo para la prevención del trabajo de parto pretérmino (TPP). Es seguro y aceptado en> 99 por ciento de mujeres, puede reconocer en una fase temprana asintomática que precede al trabajo de parto preténnino en muchas semanas; es una técnica bien descrita, reproducible, predice TPP en todas las poblaciones estudiadas hasta ahora'. Es una técnica extensamente estudiada en los últimos años, que se aplica a las gestantes de alto como a las de bajo riesgo. Al parecer esta prueba como tamizaje es superior a pruebas bioquímicas, microbio lógicas y hormonales. El cerclaje cervical y la progesterona vaginal han demostrado ser efectivos para prevenir o detener el progreso de la dilatación cervical en pacientes de alto riesgo.