Effect of pregnancy length on the early development of Bengal kittens.

In cat breeding, an important step is reproduction and obtaining healthy offspring. The main factor determining the survival of newborn kittens is the normal course and length of pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gestation length on the early development of kittens. It was shown that kittens (premature kittens) later double their body weight (p < .01), have lower daily gains (p < .01) and higher body weight during eye-opening (p < .01), which occurs later than in kittens born on time. In addition, due to a shorter period of prenatal development, they require more time until the day of eye-opening, which, together with the length of pregnancy, was defined as development age.

Periodontal and glycemic effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes stratified by baseline HbA1c.

We evaluated the effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy in 100 patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic periodontitis. The participants were classified as having good (n = 48) or poor (n = 52) glycemic control and were further randomly allocated to receive either scaling and root planning treatment group or no treatment (n = 50 each). The effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy was compared among diabetic patients with good glycemic control, those with poor glycemic control, and 25 nondiabetic individuals. Periodontal and metabolic status was recorded at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. In patients receiving treatment, periodontal parameters significantly improved and HbA1c decreased by 10.8%. Improvements in gingival index and bleeding on probing were greater in the nondiabetic participants and the treated patients with good glycemic control than in the treated patients with poor glycemic control (P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that improvement in periodontal status was independently associated with glycemic improvement. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy improved glycemic control and periodontal health in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, patients with poor baseline glycemic control had less clinical improvement than did those without diabetes and those with good glycemic control.

[Microkeratome and excimer laser-assisted endothelial keratoplasty (MELEK)]. / Mikrokeratom- und Excimer-Laser-gestützte endotheliale Keratoplastik (MELEK).

INTRODUCTION: Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) have become well established procedures for the treatment of endothelial pathologies. In the last years the field of lamellar corneal surgery has further developed in terms of preparation of the lamellae as well as of implantation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A modified form of the "ultrathin DSAEK" (UT-DSAEK) is the "microkeratome and excimer laser-assisted endothelial keratoplasty" (MELEK). In this new technique a corneal graft is prepared by a single cut of a microkeratome followed by a stromal excimer-laser thinning and smoothing. The purpose of the present report is to describe this new technique and present first clinical results. RESULTS: In this prospective clinical study 18 patients (76 ± 11 years) underwent a MELEK. The BCVA increased from 0.25 ± 0.1 preoperatively to one month postoperatively was 0.33 ± 0.21 (decimal, n = 12), after three months 0.51 ± 0.23 (n = 8) and after six months 0.80 ± 0.16 (n = 4). The average thickness of the residual stromal lamella before laser ablation was 173 ± 42 µm, after ablation 111 ± 15 µm. The central corneal thickness decreased from 704 µm to 639 µm, the thickness of the transplant decreased from 114 µm to 106 µm six months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The ultrathin "microkeratome and excimer laser-assisted endothelial keratoplasty" (MELEK) is a new and safe technique in the field of lamellar keratoplasty. In the future it could have the potential to combine the advantages of DSAEK and DMEK for the treatment of endothelial pathologies.

The human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 Tax protein regulates the activity of the IkappaB kinase complex.

Two cytokine-inducible kinases, IKKalpha and IKKbeta, are components of a 700-kDa kinase complex that specifically phosphorylates IkappaB. Phosphorylation of IkappaB by IKK leads to its ubiquitination and subsequent degradation, resulting in the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. The oncogenic protein Tax, encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1), stimulates IKK activity to result in constitutive nuclear levels of NF-kappaB. In an attempt to gain insights into the mechanism by which Tax mediates constitutive activation of the NF-kappaB pathway, we analyzed the chromatographic distribution of IKK proteins using cellular extracts prepared from three T lymphocytes either lacking or containing Tax. IKK kinase activity and the distribution of proteins in the IKK complex were characterized. In extracts prepared from cells containing Tax, the activity of both IKKalpha and IKKbeta present in the 700-kDa IKK complex were increased. Surprisingly, cell lines expressing Tax also contained an additional peak of IKKbeta, but not IKKalpha activity, that migrated at 300 kDa rather than at 700 kDa. We noted that extracts containing Tax had extremely low levels of IkappaBbeta, but not IkappaBalpha, and contained predominantly a truncated form of the MAP3K MEKK1. These results suggest that Tax may target several components of the NF-kappaB pathway leading to constitutive activation of this important regulator of cellular gene expression.

Changes in texture, cooking losses, and myofibrillar structure of bovine M. semitendinosus during heating.

Vacuum-packed slices of bovine semitendinosus (ST) muscle were retorted to internal temperatures of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 121°C. Changes in texture of the meat were evaluated by measurements of Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) parameters. Changes in microstructure were evaluated using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and measuring fibre diameter and sarcomere length. Cooking losses were also estimated. During heating the TPA parameters changed independently of each other. They reached a maxima at different endpoint temperatures of the meat and then decreased. A decrease in fibre diameter was observed in samples heated to 60 and 121°C. Sarcomere length decreased continuously in the range 50-121°C. Cooking losses increased with increased heating temperature. Relationships between changes in sarcomere length and cooking losses and between springiness and fibre diameter were found.

Changes in intramuscular connective tissue and collagen solubility of bovine m.semitendinosus during retorting.

Vacuum-packed slices of bovine m.semitendinosus (ST) muscle were retorted to internal temperatures of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 and 121°C. Changes in the microstructure of the endomysium and perimysium were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Changes in solubility of intramuscular collagen were also estimated. In samples heated to 50°C changes in intramuscular connective tissue were not seen. At 60°C granulation of the perimysium and sarcolemma was seen, and on longitudinal sections, as well as granulation, fibrous structures of perimysium were observed. At 70°C increased granulation was observed. In the range 80-121°C progressive compression of the meat structure was seen in the transverse sections. The percentage of soluble collagen in the meat changed little up to an internal temperature of 60°C, but at 70°C it almost doubled, and in the range 80-121°C drastically decreased.