Thermotolerance capabilities, blood metabolomics, and mammary gland hemodynamics and transcriptomic profiles of slick-haired Holstein cattle during mid lactation in Puerto Rico.

Holstein cattle carrying a prolactin receptor gene mutation (SLICK) exhibit short and sleek hair coats (short-haired Holstein [SLK]) enhancing thermotolerance and productivity compared with wild type-haired Holstein (WT) under tropical conditions. The objectives were to unravel the physiological and molecular mechanisms that confer an advantage to this slick genotype in Puerto Rico and determine potential correlations between metabolites and physiological variables. At 160 ± 3 DIM we compared vaginal temperatures (VT) and voluntary solar radiation exposure (VSRE) during 48 h between 9 SLK and 9 WT Holsteins, whereas a subsample of 7 SLK and 7 WT were used to assess udder skin temperature, mammary gland hemodynamics and transcriptomics, and blood plasma untargeted metabolomics at a single time point. The SLK cattle showed lower VT throughout the day and greater VSRE at 1000 h and 1100 h compared with their WT counterparts. Total mammary blood flow (MBF) was greater in SLK Holsteins compared with WT. The metabolite 9-nitrooctadecenoic acid was identified as a potential biomarker for MBF; moreover, SLK cattle had greater amounts of this metabolite in their plasma. Prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGS) was upregulated in the slick mammary gland, while plasma prostaglandin D2 was positively correlated with milk yield and increased in SLK Holsteins compared with WT. Interestingly, the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway was enriched in the mammary gland transcriptome and perturbed in the blood metabolome in the SLK Holsteins. In conclusion, SLK Holsteins exhibited lower body temperatures, greater VSRE, enhanced blood supply to the mammary gland, and alterations in genes and metabolites involved in arachidonic acid metabolism at the mammary gland and blood plasma. The usage of the SLK Holstein cattle genetics in dairy operations could be a feasible alternative to mitigate the adverse consequences of heat stress.

Melatonin alters bovine uterine artery hemodynamics, vaginal temperatures, and fetal morphometrics during late gestational nutrient restriction in a season-dependent manner.

The objectives were to examine melatonin-mediated changes in temporal uterine blood flow (UBF), vaginal temperatures (VTs), and fetal morphometrics in 54 commercial Brangus heifers (Fall, n = 29; Summer, n = 25) during compromised pregnancy. At day 160 of gestation, heifers were assigned to one of the four treatments consisting of adequately fed (ADQ-CON; 100% National Research Council [NRC]; n = 13), global nutrient restricted (RES-CON; 60% NRC; n =13), and ADQ or RES supplemented with 20 mg/d of melatonin (ADQ-MEL, n = 13; RES-MEL, n = 15). In the morning (0500 hours; AM) and afternoon (1300 hours; PM) of day 220 of gestation, UBF was determined via Doppler ultrasonography, while temperature data loggers attached to progesterone-free controlled internal drug releases were used to record VTs. At day 240 of gestation, heifers underwent cesarean sections for fetal removal and morphometrics determination. The UBF and VT data were analyzed using repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA), while the morphometrics was analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Seasons were analyzed separately. In Fall, a nutrition by treatment interaction was observed, where the RES-CON heifers exhibited reduced total UBF compared with ADQ-CON (5.67 ± 0.68 vs. 7.97 ± 0.54 L/min; P = 0.039). In Summer, MEL heifers exhibited increased total UBF compared with the CON counterparts (8.16 ± 0.73 vs. 6.00 ± 0.70 L/min; P = 0.048). Moreover, there was a nutrition by treatment by time interaction in VT for Fall and Summer heifers (P ≤ 0.005). In Fall, all groups had decreased VT in the morning compared with the afternoon (P < 0.05). Whereas, in Summer, VT increased for ADQ-CON and RES-CON (P < 0.0001) from morning to afternoon, the ADQ-MEL and RES-MEL remained constant throughout the day (P = 0.648). Furthermore, the RES-MEL-PM exhibited decreased VT compared with ADQ-CON-PM (38.91 ± 0.09 vs. 39.26 ± 0.09 °C; P = 0.018). Lastly, in Fall, a main effect of nutrition was observed on fetal weights, where the RES dams had fetuses with decreased body weight when compared with ADQ (24.08 ± 0.62 vs. 26.57 ± 0.64 kg; P = 0.0087). In Summer, a nutrition by treatment interaction was observed on fetal weights where the RES-CON dams had fetuses with reduced weight when compared with ADQ-CON and RES-MEL (P < 0.05). In summary, nutrient restriction decreased UBF and melatonin supplementation increased UBF depending on the season. Additionally, melatonin appeared to decrease VT and rescue fetal weights when supplemented in the Summer.

Attitudes toward Health Systems Financing in Chile.

This article presents an exploratory model to classify public attitudes towards health systems financing and organization. It comprises 5 factors (pay-as-you-use, solidarity, willingness to contribute, mixed financing, and public provision) measured by 17 indicators, selected through Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) applied to a sample of Chilean adults. Based on this model, cluster analysis proposed 2 groups: "Taxes-public" and "Insurance-choice," representing 47% and 53% of interviewees, respectively. The results show differences between groups concerning the evaluation of both health care providers and insurers. The second cluster tends to evaluate them more harshly, showing less willingness to contribute further, less solidarity, more agreement with the current financing arrangement in terms of the mixture and its insurance (as opposed to purchasing of service based on health problems), and more support for choice of provider. These results highlight the need to consider people's attitudes in the public discussion of health systems financing.

Profiling of relaxin and its receptor proteins in boar reproductive tissues and spermatozoa.

BACKGROUND: Relaxin levels in seminal plasma have been associated with positive effects on sperm motility and quality, and thus having potential roles in male fertility. However, the origin of seminal relaxin, within the male reproductive tract, and the moment of its release in the vicinity of spermatozoa remain unclear. Here, we assessed the longitudinal distribution of relaxin and its receptors RXFP1 and RXFP2 in the reproductive tract, sex accessory glands, and spermatozoa of adult boars. METHODS: Spermatozoa were harvested from three fertile boars and reproductive tract (testes and epididymis) and sex accessory gland (prostate and seminal vesicles) tissues were collected post-mortem from each boar. Epididymis ducts were sectioned into caput, corpus, and cauda regions, and spermatozoa were mechanically collected. All samples were subjected to immunofluorescence and/or western immunoblotting for relaxin, RXFP1, and RXFP2 detection. Immunolabeled-spermatozoa were submitted to flow cytometry analyses and data were statistically analyzed with ANOVA. RESULTS: Both receptors were detected in all tissues, with a predominance of mature and immature isoforms of RXFP1 and RXFP2, respectively. Relaxin signals were found in the testes, with Leydig cells displaying the highest intensity compared to other testicular cells. The testicular immunofluorescence intensity of relaxin was greater than that of other tissues. Epithelial basal cells exhibited the highest relaxin immunofluorescence intensity within the epididymis and the vas deferens. The luminal immunoreactivity to relaxin was detected in the seminiferous tubule, epididymis, and vas deferens ducts. Epididymal and ejaculated spermatozoa were immunopositive to relaxin, RXFP1, and RXFP2, and epididymal corpus-derived spermatozoa had the highest immunoreactivities across epididymal sections. Both vas deferens-collected and ejaculated spermatozoa displayed comparable, but lowest immunofluorescence signals among groups. The entire sperm length was immunopositive to both relaxin and receptors, with relaxin signal being robust in the acrosome area and RXFP2, homogeneously distributed than RXFP1 on the head of ejaculated spermatozoa. CONCLUSIONS: Immunolocalization indicates that relaxin-receptor complexes may have important roles in boar reproduction and that spermatozoa are already exposed to relaxin upon their production. The findings suggest autocrine and/or paracrine actions of relaxin on spermatozoa, either before or after ejaculation, which have possible roles on the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa.

La judicialización no es el mayor problema de las ISAPRES: es un síntoma de un sector en crisis / The judicialization: it's not the greatest problem of the ISAPRES: it is a symptom of a sector in crisis

El problema del incremento de los precios de los planes de salud de las Isapres es un factor desestabilizante en la industria, por el monto en que éstos se incrementan y por la forma en que éstos se fijan. Las Isapres han aumentado los precios en términos reales muy por sobre el IPC a pesar que todos los precios están fijados en UF. Por otro lado estas empresas aplican un modelo de fijación de precios de primas ajustada por riesgo (a mayor riesgo mayor precio) y en un marco de completa libertad para definir el reajuste del plan base de cada ISAPRE. El sistema privado se ha judicializado y el 2012 hubo más de 47.000 demandas judiciales, todas ganadas por los afiliados por la aplicación de tablas ajustadas por edad y sexo dejando en jaque este modelo de tarifas. A fines del 2012 se producen nuevos dictámenes de la Corte Suprema, sobre demandas en contra de la forma en que se reajusta el precio base de los planes de cada ISAPRE y que éstas deben justificar en forma adecuada. La corte nuevamente da la razón a los afiliados considerando que los aumentos de precios reclamados estaban insuficientemente justificados, y señalando además que las Isapres no pueden utilizar el aumento de frecuencia de uso de los servicios como justificación porque es consustancial al riesgo que administran poniendo en jaque otro elemento clave del modelo de precios de las Isapres. En este artículo los autores hacen un detallado análisis del contexto en que se desarrolla el problema, sobre los dictámenes judiciales propiamente tal y sus consecuencias sobre el sistema concluyendo que será necesario reformar en forma profunda el sistema de Isapres.

The problem with the price raise of the medical plans of the ISAPRES is a destabilizing factor in the industry, because of the amount that these are increasing and the way they are set. ISAPRES have increased their prices in real terms way over the IPC even though all the prices are set in UF. On the other side these companies apply a model of price setting of primes adjusted by risk (the greater the risk the higher the price) in a framework of complete freedom to define de readjustment of the base plan of each ISAPRE. The private system has been judicialized and in 2012 there were over 47.000 sues, every one of them won by the affiliates by the application of the boards adjusted by age and gender leaving this model of rating obsolete. By the end of 2012 new decisions made by the Supreme Court, about sues against the way the price is readjusted in the plans of each ISAPRE and that these should justify in an adequate form. The court once again supports the affiliates considering that the amount of prices sued were insufficiently justified, even pointing out that the ISAPRES cannot use the raise in the frequency of the service use as a justification because its consubstantial to the risk that they administer leaving another key element of this price model obsolete in the ISAPRES. In this article the authors make a detailed analysis of the context in which the problem is developed, about the judicial decisions taken and their consequences on the system concluding that it will be necessary to make a profound reform in the ISAPRES system.

Algunos elementos de diagnóstico sobre la operación y financiamiento del sector salud en Chile / Some elements of diagnosis about action and financing of health in Chile

Se describe el sector salud en Chile, señalando el rol y tamaño relativo de cada uno de los subsistemas que participan en él. Se analiza los cambios estructurales del modelo económico que han significado una importante privatización del sector, lo que obliga a la necesidad de desarrollar políticas que definan claramente las relaciones entre el sector público y privado de la salud y permitan la adecuada fiscalización de cada subsistema. Se llama la atención respecto a la diferencia en los niveles de gasto entre el sector público y privado, el carácter de las prestaciones y se plantean las insuficiencias del subsistema de libre elección Fonasa, que se sugiere sea convertido en un seguro estatal de salud de libre elección. Se apunta al hecho de que el gasto público y fiscal en salud han disminuído, incrementándose las cotizaciones previsionales de los beneficiarios. Se estima conveniente aumentar el aporte fiscal para responder eficazmente a las necesidades de salud de la población

Análisis evolutivo del sistema de salud chileno / Evolutionary analysis of the Chilean health system

Analiza la aplicación del modelo económico al sector salud, señala que esta reorientación exige una considerable participación privada. Destaca el itinerario de los cambios producidos hasta 1981. I periodo: agosto 1979. Reestructuración sector salud. II periodo: agosto 1979 - febrero 1981. Sanciona la reestructuración del Ministerio de Salud e inicio de reforma previsional, que contempla el financiamiento individual, rol subsidiario del Estado. III periodo: febrero 1981. Se implementa lo enumerado en los dos periodos anteriores. Agrega que la modernización del sector salud da la coherencia que ya existe en los demás sectores del desarrollo económico social del país