Effects of abomasal oligofructose on blood and feces of Holstein steers.

Subacute ruminal acidosis can result in increased flow of fermentable substrates to the hindgut, which can negatively affect animal health and productivity. However, animal responses to increased hindgut fermentation independent of subacute ruminal acidosis have rarely been evaluated. This study determined the impact of abomasal dosage of a fermentable carbohydrate on animal performance and blood and fecal variables. Six ruminally cannulated Holstein steers fed a lactating dairy cow ration were used in a crossover design study with 14-d periods. On d 13 of each period, steers were infused abomasally with a pulse dose of 0 (control) or 1 (Oligo) g of oligofructose/kg of BW. Blood samples collected at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h after abomasal oligofructose dose were evaluated for metabolites (blood urea N, ß-hydroxybutyric acid, and NEFA) and systemic inflammatory markers (Cu, serum amyloid A, and haptoglobin). Fecal samples, rectal temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were taken at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 48 h after abomasal dosage. Fecal samples were assayed for pH, DM percentage, consistency score (1=liquid to 5=coarse), and organic acid concentrations. Data were evaluated using a model including the fixed effects of treatment, time after dosage, and their interaction. Effects of treatment or treatment × time were not significant for DMI, blood variables, rectal temperature, or respiratory rate. Fecal pH was slightly reduced for Oligo compared with control steers (6.76 vs. 7.02; P=0.04). A treatment × time interaction occurred for fecal DM (P < 0.001). Compared with control steers, DM content of feces was reduced in Oligo steers at 6 h (12.6 vs. 15.2%) but increased at 9 h (16.3 vs. 15.0%) and 12 h (16.5 vs. 15.0). Fecal consistency score was reduced by the Oligo treatment at 6 h (1.44 vs. 2.83; P < 0.001) and 9 h (1.83 vs. 2.67; P=0.005). A treatment × time interaction was detected for fecal concentrations of lactate and acetate (P < 0.05) and tended to occur for propionate and butyrate (P < 0.10). The greatest difference for all organic acids occurred at 12 h, when fecal concentrations of lactate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate were 0.5, 47, 11, and 4.0 mM in control steers and 5.3, 76, 15, and 6.8 mM in Oligo steers, respectively. In summary, abomasal dosage of 1 g of oligofructose/kg of BW increased fecal excretion of microbial fermentation products in steers without causing metabolic acidosis, metabolic disruption, or inflammation.

A restricted signature of miRNAs distinguishes APL blasts from normal promyelocytes.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs involved in the regulation of critical cell processes such as apoptosis, cell proliferation and differentiation. A small set of miRNAs is differentially expressed in hematopoietic cells and seemingly has an important role in granulopoiesis and lineage differentiation. In this study, we analysed, using a quantitative real-time PCR approach, the expression of 12 granulocytic differentiation signature miRNAs in a cohort of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients. We found nine miRNAs overexpressed and three miRNAs (miR-107, -342 and let-7c) downregulated in APL blasts as compared with normal promyelocytes differentiated in vitro from CD34+ progenitors. Patients successfully treated with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and chemotherapy showed downregulation of miR-181b and upregulation of miR-15b, -16, -107, -223, -342 and let-7c. We further investigated whether the APL-associated oncogene, promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML)/retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARalpha), might be involved in the transcriptional repression of miR-107, -342 and let-7c. We found that PML/RARalpha binds the regulatory sequences of the intragenic miR-342 and let-7c. In addition, we observed, in response to ATRA, the release of PML/RARalpha paralleled by their transcriptional activation, together with their host genes, EVL and C21orf34alpha. In conclusion, we show that a small subset of miRNAs is differentially expressed in APL and modulated by ATRA-based treatment.

[The relationships between the lipoprotein profile and rheological-coagulation parameters in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type II]. / Relazioni tra profilo lipoproteico e parametri reologico-coagulativi in pazienti con iperlipoproteinemia tipo II.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the direct influence of lipid parameters (total and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids) on the rheologic-coagulative pattern. We studied blood rheological properties--blood (BV), plasmatic (PV), and seric (SV) viscosity, whole blood (WBF) and red cell (RCF) filterability--and some coagulative factors--fibrinogen (Fib), levels of clotting factor VII (fVIIc) and VIII (fVIIIc) activity--in 156 men aged 40-54 years; 87 patients had type II hyperlipoproteinemia (46 type IIa and 41 type IIb) and 69 were normolipemic controls. Smokers, patients with arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular clinical manifestations were excluded. Type IIb hyperlipoproteinemic patients had increased blood viscosity (shear rate 225 sec-1, p. less than 0.01), which was positively correlated with triglycerides and fibrinogen concentration. Levels of fibrinogen, fVIIc and fVIIIc activity did not differ significantly in hyperlipemic patients and controls, although fVIIc activity and fibrinogen were both positively related with lipid parameters. These data suggest that, in absence of other major risk factors, the alterations of the rheologic-coagulative pattern are mainly dependent on the severity of the lipid disorder.

Phenotypical characterization of lymphocyte recirculating subsets in patients undergoing splenectomy for trauma.

The spleen is a peripheral lymphatic organ where lymphocytes stop for long time during their circulation. We studied the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets both in 30 subjects splenectomized for trauma and in 30 healthy, non splenectomized, subjects. The phenotypical characterization of lymphocyte subpopulations was performed employing monoclonal antibodies by direct immunofluorescence assays with single and double labelling. Comparing the results, we put in evidence, in splenectomized patients, an increase in all the lymphocyte subsets but one (L. G.L. Leu7+). The CD8+ population showed the major increase according with its large representation in the splenic tissue. Splenectomy induces a change in lymphocyte recirculating pool because of the loss of an important anatomical site of migration. This reduction of lymphocyte recirculating capacity can be related to a decreased efficiency in immunocompetence. In fact, many Authors showed that splenectomy is associated with several anomalies of both humoral and cellular immune response. In contrast with this, our group of splenectomized patients doesn't reveal a greater incidence of infections. We conclude that splenectomy realizes a new anatomical situation where the reduction of lymphocyte recirculating capacity can be related to a decreased statistical efficiency in immunocompetence.