Comparison of mathematical models applied to f1 dairy sheep lactations in organic farm and environmental factors affecting lactation curve parameter.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO COMPARE THE GOODNESS OF FIT OF FOUR LACTATION CURVE MODELS: Wood's Gamma model (WD), Wilmink (WL), and Pollott's multiplicative two (POL2) and three parameters (POL3) and to determine the environmental factors affecting the complete lactation curve of F1 dairy sheep under organic management. A total of 5,382 weekly milk yields records from 150 ewes, under organic management were used. Residual mean square (RMS), determination coefficients (R(2)), and correlation (r) analysis were used as an indicator of goodness of fit for each model. WL model best fitted the lactation curves as indicated by the lower RMS values (0.019), followed by WD (0.023), POL2 (0.025) and POL3 (0.029). The four models provided total milk yield (TMY) estimations that were highly correlated (0.93 to 0.97) with observed TMY (89.9 kg). The four models under estimated peak yield (PY), whereas POL2 and POL3 gave nearer peak time lactation estimations. Ewes lambing in autumn had higher TMY and showed a typical curve shape. Higher TMY were recorded in second and third lambing. Season of lambing, number of lambing and type of lambing had a great influenced over TMY shaping the complete lactation curve of F1 dairy sheep. In general terms WL model showed the best fit to the F1 dairy sheep lactation curve under organic management.

The importance of a satisfactory biopsy for the diagnosis of lung cancer in the era of personalized treatment.

Advances in molecular biology are improving the understanding of lung cancer and changing the approach to treatment. A satisfactory biopsy that allows for histologic characterization and mutation analysis is becoming increasingly important. Most patients with lung cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and diagnosis is often based on a small biopsy or cytology specimen. Here, we review the techniques available for making a diagnosis of lung cancer, including bronchoscopy, ultrasound-guided bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, transthoracic needle aspiration, thoracentesis, and medical thoracoscopy. We also discuss the indications, complications, and tissue yields of those techniques, especially as they pertain to testing for molecular markers.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica. An underrecognized entity?

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TPO) is an idiopathic disease of the trachea and major bronchi characterized by multiple submucosal osteocartilaginous nodules. The nodules may be either focal or diffuse, and typically spare the membranous wall of the airways. Symptoms are non-specific, and include dry cough, dyspnea, recurrent respiratory infections and occasionally hemoptysis. TPO is rarely considered as a diagnosis in part due to lack of awareness among clinicians. The diagnosis can be based on a typical bronchoscopic appearance and generally does not require biopsy of the lesions. When available, histology reveals bone formation within the submucosa with normal overlying respiratory epithelium. TPO is a benign disorder, marked by a generally favorable clinical evolution. There is currently no established treatment for the removal of airway nodules, or the prevention of further tissue growths. Interventional bronchoscopy techniques have a role in the relief of symptomatic airway obstruction, when indicated.

A case of uncomplicated pulmonary alveolar proteinosis evolving to pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare syndrome characterised by intra-alveolar accumulation of surfactant components and cellular debris, with minimal interstitial inflammation or fibrosis. Since surfactant accumulates abnormally, a disturbance in the normal pathway of surfactant production, metabolism, recycling or degradation has been postulated. This disease has a variable clinical course: from spontaneous resolution to respiratory failure and death due to disease progression or superimposed infections. PAP leading to pulmonary fibrosis is rarely seen, and few case reports describe this association. Here, we describe the case of a patient with a diagnosis of PAP confirmed by open lung biopsy, who developed interstitial pulmonary fibrosis years after disease onset.

A novel IgA receptor expressed on a murine B cell lymphoma.

The specificity and properties of a novel IgA receptor expressed on the surface of a tissue culture-adapted B cell lymphoma, T560, that originated in murine gut-associated lymphoid tissue, have been explored. Like the IgA receptors of murine T and splenic B cells studied by others, the T560 IgA receptor is trypsin sensitive and neuraminidase resistant and is up-regulated on T560 cells by exposing them overnight to high concentrations of polymeric IgA. Unlike them, the T560 IgA receptor is inhibited by low concentrations of IgM and high concentrations of IgG2a and IgG2b, binds at pH 4.0 but not at pH 8.0, is down-regulated by activation of protein kinase C and is sensitive to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, indicating that it is glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-linked to the cell membrane. It is not a cell-bound form of galactosyl transferase, does not appear to bind to Ig through carbohydrate residues and does not react specifically with antibody to secretory component. It may be a completely new, cross-reactive receptor, perhaps related in some way to the polymeric Ig receptor or to the receptor for IgA expressed on the apical surface of Peyer's patch M cells, which is known to cross-react with IgG. Alternatively, it may be homologous to the highly IgA-specific Fc alpha R of T cells but, perhaps because of its glycosyl phosphatidylinositol linker, may have an ability to move and interact with other Ig receptors on the cell surface such that Ig bound to them are cross-inhibitory.

Evidence for male-produced aggregation pheromone in American palm weevil,Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae):.

Field trapping of the American palm weevil (APW),Rhynchophorus palmarum, showed that the combination of caged male APWs and palm stem was much more attractive to APWs of both sexes than palm stem alone. Caged female APWs did not enhance the attractiveness of the palm. Caged APWs without palm stem were not attractive. Virgin laboratory-bred males were highly attractive to APWs of both sexes in a two-choice pitfall olfactometer, whereas virgin laboratory-bred females were not. Adsorbenttrapped volatiles from virgin laboratory-bred males reproduced the effect of living males, giving evidence for a male-produced aggregation pheromone in this species. Wild-mated APWs of both sexes were as responsive to the aggregation pheromone as virgin laboratory-bred APWs. This is the first record of chemical communication in this species. These results have prompted investigations into the chemical identification of the aggregation pheromone.

Cirugía en la glándula suprarrenal / Suprarrenal gland surgery

Se presenta una serie de 64 pacientes en quienes se hizo cirugía de las suprarrenales. La edad promedio fue 45 años, con similar distribución para ambos sexos. La patología más frecuente fue feocromocitoma 33%, luego el hiperaldosteronismo primario 13% y el hipercortisolismo 17%. Carcinomas no funcionantes 6% y causas misceláneas en 8%. Se hizo autotrasplante de médula suprarrenal al encéfalo por enf. de Parkinson en 15 (23%) pacientes. Se discuten los fundamentos diagnósticos, bioquímicos y métodos de imágenes. Se presentan los accesos quirúrgicos y resultados. La morbilidad baja y ausencia de mortalidad estimulan esta cirugía como un tratamiento electivo de diversas patologías adrenales