Effectiveness of a 95 SNP panel for the screening of breed label fraud in the Chinese meat market.

Breed assignment has proved to be useful to control meat trade and protect the value of special productions. Meat-related frauds have been detected in China; therefore, 95 SNPs selected from the ISAG core panel were evaluated to develop an automated and technologically updated tool to screen breed label fraud in the Chinese meat market. A total of 271 animals from four Chinese yellow cattle (CYC) populations, six Bos taurus breeds, two Bos indicus and one composite were used. The allocation test distinguished European, Japanese and Zebu breeds, and two Chinese genetic components. It correctly allocated Japanese Black, Zebu and British breeds in 100, 90 and 89% of samples, respectively. CYC evidenced the Zebu, Holstein and Limousin introgression. The test did not detect CYC components in any of the 25 samples from Argentinean butchers. The method could be useful to certify Angus, Hereford and Japanese Black meat, but a modification in the panel would be needed to differentiate other breeds.

Characterization and validation of bovine gonadotripin releasing hormone receptor (GNRHR) polymorphisms.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone and its receptor (GNRHR) play a critical role in sexual differentiation and reproduction. Available evidence shows a strong genetic component in the timing of puberty. In bovines, there are significant differences within and among beef breeds in the time when bulls reach puberty. Despite its economic importance, there are not many SNPs or genetic markers associated with this characteristic. The aims of the study were to identify DNA polymorphism in the bovine GNRHR by re-sequencing analysis, determine haplotype phases, and perform a population study in a selected tag SNP in six breeds. Eight SNPs were detected, including: one in the Upstream Regulatory Region (URR), five in the coding regions, and two in non-coding regions. This polymorphism level corresponds to one variant every 249.4bp and a global nucleotide diversity of 0.385. Two haplogroups comprising nine haplotypes and two linkage blocks were detected. Despite 5 tag SNPs were required to capture all variability, just one SNP allowed to define both haplogroups, and only two SNPs were needed to differentiate the most common haplotypes. An additional taq SNP was necessary to identify both URR variants. Allele-frequency analysis of a selected taq SNP among breeds showed a geographical cline. European Bos taurus breeds had lower frequencies of the C allele than B. indicus type cattle, while Creole cattle and Wagyu breeds had intermediate frequency. There was a significant correlation between frequency profile and timing of puberty among the studied breeds, which seems to suggest that genetic variation within bovine GNRHR gene could explain at least part of the reported variability.

Effect of consanguinity on Argentinean Angus beef DNA traceability.

Since the 1990s several authors have envisaged the use of DNA to certify meat origin. Two major parameters must be assessed before a DNA based traceability protocol can be implemented in the food chain: (i) the information content of a DNA marker set in a specific livestock breed or group of breeds; (ii) the minimum number of DNA markers needed to obtain a statistically acceptable match probability. The objective of the present work was to establish the effect of different levels of inbreeding in the matching efficiency, and the minimum number of microsatellite markers needed, in a DNA based meat traceability program, starting from an 11-microsatellite marker panel. Samples were obtained from beef production farms in South America, where animals are typically bred under pasture-based extensive conditions. Three groups of animals with different consanguinity rates were sampled. Exclusion power (Q) was higher than 0.999998 and match probability lower than 3.01E-08, for the whole set of markers within each group. Both values were affected by consanguinity. To reach a two mismatch criteria exclusion power (Q(2)) of 99.99, six markers were needed in unrelated animals whereas seven markers were needed in related animals. To reach Q(2)=99.9999, 8 and 10 microsatellite markers, respectively, were needed. In general, one or two more microsatellite markers were needed to identify consanguineous animals. This study proved the DNA marker set used to be suitable for the identification of the meat from all slaughtered animals in Argentina, per week, month, and year.

Helical CT of prostate cancer: early clinical experience.

OBJECTIVE: [corrected] This study was undertaken to determine whether helical CT can reveal carcinoma of the prostate detected at transrectal sonographically guided biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Helical CT of the prostate was performed in 35 patients: 25 with proven prostate cancer (group I) and 10 without cancer detected at biopsy (group II). All patients in group I had cancer in the peripheral zone, and three of these showed foci of cancer in the transitional zone. All patients of group II had undergone at least two sets of biopsy before CT. In group I, areas of contrast enhancement in the peripheral zone of the prostate were defined as suggestive of cancer and correlated with the histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Helical CT revealed cancer in 22 (88%) of 25 patients with proven prostate cancer. Transrectal sonographically guided biopsy detected 102 cancer sites in the peripheral zone and three in the transitional zone in these 25 patients. Helical CT accurately revealed 59 peripheral zone cancer sites (58%) but did not reveal 43 cancer sites (42%). Abnormal contrast enhancement in the peripheral zone that was not caused by cancer was seen in 10% of suspicious lesions. The three cancer sites in the transitional zone were indistinguishable from benign nodular changes. CONCLUSION: Prostate cancer detected at transrectal sonographically guided biopsy appears on helical CT of the prostate as focal or diffuse areas of contrast enhancement in the peripheral zone. A prospective study has been initiated to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity.

[Dilemma in the treatment of angiomyolipoma]. / Dilema en el tratamiento del angiomiolipoma.

OBJECTIVE: To present our experience with renal angiomyolipoma. METHODS: The series comprised 27 patients (26 female, 1 male) with renal angiomyolipoma. Twenty-three (85%) had unilateral renal involvement and of the 4 remaining patients (15%) with bilateral involvement, three (10%) had tuberous sclerosis. RESULTS: Due to the complications, three patients with bilateral and one patient with unilateral renal involvement required surgery. Mean patient follow-up was 38 months. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is warranted in patients with tumors of more than 4 cm, symptomatic or associated with tuberous sclerosis. Regular control evaluation is indicated for tumors less than 4 cm.

Dilema en el tratamiento del angiomiolipoma / Dilema in angiomiolipoma treatment

En el período de marzo de 1985 a mayo de 1996, fueron tratados 26 pacientes del sexo femenino y uno del sexo masculino con diagnóstico de angiomiolipoma renal. Veintitres pacientes presentaban compromiso renal unilateral (85 por ciento) y, de las 4 pacientes con compromiso bilateral (15 por ciento), tres tenían asociación con esclerosis tuberculosa (10 por ciento). Debido a complicaciones, tres tenían asociación con esclerosis tuberculosa (10 por ciento). Debido a complicaciones, tres pacientes con compromiso bilateral y uno con unilateral necesitaron tratamiento quirúrgico. Los pacientes están en seguimiento, por un período mediano de 38 meses

Massive intratubular hemorrhage with herniations into renal veins: report of a case.

A 24-year-old man had unilateral gross hematuria that required nephrectomy. Pathological examination revealed massive intratubular hemorrhage and frequent deposition of an amorphous and homogeneous material positive for periodic acid, Schiff stain in the corticomedullary junction. This substance had the characteristics of Tamm-Horsfall protein and frequently herniated into the lumen of thin-walled veins of arcuate size. There was no apparent cause for the bleeding. To the best of our knowledge this is the third reported case with these peculiar findings and no apparent cause. We discuss some hypotheses as to the etiopathogenesis of this rare and intriguing condition.

Sonographic findings of adrenal cortical carcinomas in children.

Fourteen children with adrenal cortical carcinoma were evaluated by ultrasonography. The neoplasms, 2.5 cm-19 cm in maximum diameter, were all well circumscribed. The four smaller lesions were either homogeneously hypoechoic (2 patients) or generally hyperechoic (2 patients). In the 10 patients with larger tumors, a complex predominantly echogenic pattern was demonstrated, eight of which contained radiating linear echoes, the "scar sign". This finding, although not specific, when present in a large adrenal mass, is suggestive of a cortical carcinoma. Associated findings of vascular invasion or retroperitoneal adenopathy supported the diagnosis of a malignant adrenal neoplasm in 3 patients.

Sonographic features of benign intraperitoneal lipomatous tumors in children--report of 4 cases.

Four children with benign intraperitoneal lipomatous tumors (mesenteric lipoma, mesenteric lipoblastoma, omental lipoblastoma and mesenteric mesenchymoma) are reported. The ultrasonographic findings of these unusual pediatric masses are described and correlated with their conventional radiologic and pathologic appearance. The pre-operative diagnosis of these entities can be suggested by these features.

Sonographic evaluation of hypertrophy of septum of Bertin.

Sonography was utilized to evaluate 12 patients with hypertrophy of the septum of Bertin. To confirm the diagnosis, angiography was used in 7 patients and radionuclide imaging in 2. Three sonographic characteristics were found: (1) an isoechogenic, ellipsoid mass with an echogenic linear rim of renal sinus fat; (2) contiguity of the mass with a normal-placed septum of Bertin; and (3) the occurrence of the mass effect always at the level of the emergence of the renal vein. The sonographic findings could be divided into two definite types. Type I showed moderate hypertrophy with a mass effect ranging from 1.1 by 2.3 cm to 2.0 by 3.2 cm in diameter, usually presenting with a smooth contour and discrete mass effect on the intravenous pyelogram (IVP). Type II showed severe hypertrophy with a mass effect ranging from 3.2 by 4.0 cm to 3.5 by 4.5 cm in diameter, usually presenting with a lobulated contour and irregular stretching of the calyceal system on IVP. The differential diagnosis is discussed. In conclusion, we found that sonography associated with excretory urography is an accurate method for the diagnosis of hypertrophy of the septum of Bertin.

Linfomas nao-Hodgkin em adultos. / Non Hodgkin's lymphoma in adults

Os linfomas nao-Hodgkin (LNH) em adultos formam um grupo de neoplasias dos mais complicados dentro da oncologia. Em nosso pais, as dificuldades pela demora, custo elevado e tecnicas de alguns exames, conssiderados indispensaveis ao estadiamento, agravam o problema. Analise dos primeiros 75 casos dos autores, em julho de 1980, deixou clara a impossiblidade de se seguir a orientacao ortodoxa nos LMH de adultos, de forma homogenea e rotineira, no nosso meio. Os autores propuseram um esquema alternativo, mais simples e mais de acordo com as dificuldades locais, que tem sido utilizado desde aquela epoca ate agora. Os resultados de 47 pacientes conduzidos pelo esquema alternativo, com seguimento que variou de 3 a 37 meses, mostraram nitida evolucao pela possibilidade de poder agrupar pacientes e tirar conclusoes. Tanto que, ate onde se sabe, e a unica publicacao recente, no Brasil, de resultados em LNH em adultos

Carcinoma de celulas transicionais do rim: correlacao radiologica e ultrasonografica. / Transitional cell carcinoma of the Kidney: radiological and ultra-sonographic correction

Os achados ultra-sonograficos observados em nove pacientes com carcinoma de celulas transicionais do rim foram correlacionados com os achados da urografia excretora, da pielografia anterograda e/ou da pielografia retrograda. Em seis pacientes a hipotese diagnostica de tumor de vias coletoras renais foi corretamente considerada baseada nos achados da urografia excretora. Nestes pacientes o exame ultra-sonografico foi util na caracterizacao adequada desta entidade, excluindo outras possibilidades diagnosticas. Em outros tres pacientes, devido a suas manifestacoes incomuns, a ultra-sonografia foi fundamental para o diagnostico. Estas manifestacoes atipicas incluiram a demonstracao de massa na periferia de saco hidronefrotico, a demonstracao de massas papilares arborescentes em rim hidronefrotico e a deteccao de massa associada a processo inflamatorio da pelvis renal. Nenhum desses aspectos por nos observados sao descritos na literatura. Os diagnosticos diferenciais, bem como uma comparacao entre os nossos achados com os encontrados em 17 casos previamente citados na literatura sao tambem apresentados

Ultra-sonografia dos tumores retroperitoneais primarios. / Ultrasonography of primary retroperitoneal tumors

Os achados ultra-sonograficos de vinte casos de tumores retroperitoneais primarios foram analisados e agrupados, baseando-se na sua ecogenicidade e localizacao topografica. O valor da ultra-sonografia no diagnostico e na determinacao da extensao do processo tumoral, bem como a demonstracao de relacao destes tumores com os orgaos e estruturas anatomicas vizinhas, sao tambem apresentados

Contribuicao do estudo radiologico ao diagnostico dos polipos coanais e antro-coanais. / The radiologic study for diagnosis of coanal and antrochoanal polyps

Os autores relatam o estudo radiografico de dois pacientes portadores de polipo coanal e de dois pacientes portadores de polipo antro-coanal que foram examinados radiograficamente, usando-se metodos convencionais e procedimentos especiais, como angiografia e tomografia computadorizada.A contribuicao da radiologia foi a de afastar lesoes neoplasicas e fazer a localizacao anatomica precisa de afeccao, bem como o seu estadiamento

Retinoblastoma - valor da tomografia computadorizada no diagnostico e tratamento. / Retinoblastoma: value of computed tomography in the diagnosis and treatment

Os autores relatam o valor da tomografia computadorizada no diagnostico do retinoblastoma. Sao apresentados quatro casos e descritos os achados tomograficos e o papel da tomografia computadorizada como metodo propedeutico, permitindo uma precisa localizacao e extensao do tumor e seu valor no diagnostico, planejamento cirurgico e radioterapico e prognostico

Aspectos ultra-sonograficos do linfoma focal hepatico. / Ultrasonographic aspects of focal hepatic lymphoma

Os exames ultra-sonograficos hepaticos de 150 pacientes com linfoma foram revistos.Destes pacientes 38 apresentaram doenca de Hodgkin e 112 um tipo de linfoma nao-Hodgkin. Manifestacao focal do linfoma hepatico foi encontrada em sete pacientes (5%).Os aspectos predominantemente encontrados foram os de lesoes focais hipoecoicas e o de lesoes focais ecogenicas com halo hipoecoico periferico (lesoes "em alvo"). Estas manifestacoes ocorreram em linfomas Hodgkin e nao-Hodgkin

Doenca renal policistica do adulto correlacao clinico-laboratorial-sonografica em 32 casos. / Polycystic Kidney disease in adult: clinico-laboratorial and sonographic correlation in 32 cases

Foram examinados 32 pacientes portadores de doenca renal policistica do adulto (D.R.P.A.) pela ultra-sonografia, na tentativa de fornecer subsidios ao tratamento e ao prognostico da doenca. Todos os casos apresentaram alteracoes renais bilaterais, sete pacientes com cistos hepaticos e um que a presenca de parenquima renal poupado te. A correlacao entre achados sonograficos e as provas de funcao renal revelou que a presenca de parenquma renal poupado em proporcao menor ou igual a 30% do volume renal e frequentemente associada a alteracoes bioquimicas da ureia e creatinina A caracterizacao de cistos predominantes atraves da correta localizacao dos mesmos foi util para o alivio sintomatico em quatro pacientes, pois possibilitou a puncao percutanea esvaziadora ou a exerese de cistos volumosos. Em outros 3 pacientes com insuficiencia renal a ultra-sonografia foi fundamental, se levarmos em conta que outros metodos diagnosticos haviam sido inconclusivos. Portanto, a ultrasonografia, alem de util no diagnostico e seguimento da D.R.P.A., pode ser importante no estadiamento, fornecendo subsidios importantes ao tratamento da doenca

Cisto de coledoco. / Choledochus cyst

Os autores apresentam um caso pouco comum de cisto gigante do caledoco em um paciente adulto. Analizam os principais meios de diagnosticos, em especial o valor da ultrassonografia e a melhor tecnica cirurgica a ser empregada nos diferentes tipos de cistos de coledoco