Developmental changes in the histological structure of the testes, and testosterone profiles in male guinea fowls (Numida meleagris)

Owing to the paucity of information on the reproductive biology of guinea fowls, a study involving a total of 66 males was conducted, and documented the developmental changes in histological structure of the testes of guinea cocks from hatching until adulthood. Changes in testosterone synthesis during sexual development were also determined. Age-related changes were analysed using univariate analysis for completely randomised design and means separated using Tukey's test/Kruskal-Wallis test and medians separated by Mann-Whitney U test. Total germ cell population per testis and testicular histological morphometric parameters increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 12 weeks of age (WOA), and stabilized between 20 and 24 WOA. Peripheral testosterone concentrations increased gradually from 4 WOA, and peaked at 20 WOA. Correlations among all the testicular morphometric parameters were positive and highly significant (p < 0.01). Similarly, significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations existed between testicular weight and testicular sperm production, tubular diameter, Sertoli cell population, tubular length and peripheral testosterone concentration. Testicular sperm production was positively correlated with meiotic index (p < 0.01) and round spermatids population (p < 0.05). The correlations between peripheral testosterone concentrations, tubular diameter and Sertoli efficiency were also significant (p < 0.05) and positive. Testicular morphometric parameters stabilized between 20 and 24 WOA, while peripheral testosterone concentrations showed two patterns of secretion, initial and final phases of increasing and decreasing testosterone secretions, respectively, and may be implicated in the development of histological structures of the testes and spermatogenesis. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergency and critical care services in Tanzania: a survey of ten hospitals.

While there is a need for good quality care for patients with serious reversible disease in all countries in the world, Emergency and Critical Care tends to be one of the weakest parts of health systems in low-income countries. We assessed the structure and availability of resources for Emergency and Critical Care in Tanzania in order to identify the priorities for improving care in this neglected specialty. Ten hospitals in four regions of Tanzania were assessed using a structured data collection tool. Quality was evaluated with standards developed from the literature and expert opinion. Important deficits were identified in infrastructure, routines and training. Only 30% of the hospitals had an emergency room for adult and paediatric patients. None of the seven district and regional hospitals had a triage area or intensive care unit for adults. Only 40% of the hospitals had formal systems for adult triage and in less than one third were critically ill patients seen by clinicians more than once daily. In 80% of the hospitals there were no staff trained in adult triage or critical care. In contrast, a majority of equipment and drugs necessary for emergency and critical care were available in the hospitals (median 90% and 100% respectively. The referral/private hospitals tended to have a greater overall availability of resources (median 89.7%) than district/regional hospitals (median 70.6). Many of the structures necessary for Emergency and Critical Care are lacking in hospitals in Tanzania. Particular weaknesses are infrastructure, routines and training, whereas the availability of drugs and equipment is generally good. Policies to improve hospital systems for the care of emergency and critically ill patients should be prioritised

An updated meta-analysis to understand the variable efficacy of drotrecogin alfa (activated) in severe sepsis and septic shock

Background. Significant debate continues over the efficacy of drotrecogin alpha activated (DAA) in sepsis. This updated meta-analysis provides an updated summary effect estimate and explores the reasons for outcome heterogeneity in placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials of DAA on 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Methods. Computer searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, published abstracts from major intensive care meetings and examination of reference lists were used to identify five placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials with 7260 patients. The primary endpoint was 28-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were 28-day incidence of severe bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage. Results. DAA was not associated with improved 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock (pooled relative risk (RR) of 0.97 [95% CI 0.83-1.14]), and is associated with an increase in serious bleeding. The significant heterogeneity in the pooled RR for 28-day mortality (I2 value of 59.4%, \u3c72 P-value 0.043) is no longer present with exclusion of the post-study amendment portion of PROWESS (I2 value of 0%, \u3c72 P-value 0.44 without PROWESS post-amendment). Using meta-regression, the best ranked predictor of outcome heterogeneity was baseline mortality in the placebo arm, which was among the highest in PROWESS. Conclusion. DAA is not associated with improved survival in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Further studies should be done to determine whether changes in supportive therapy for sepsis explain the variable efficacy of DAA in randomized controlled clinical trials observed over time

Sexing in guinea fowls (Numida meleagris)

Despite the potentials and contributions of guinea fowls to economic and social life in Ghana, accurate sex identification in these birds is still a major problem. Three hundred and sixty guinea fowls (180 birds per sex) were used in determining a more accurate and farmer friendly sexing technique. The sexing methods explored were vent, biometric, and molecular techniques. Vent sexing was accomplished by measuring phalli in 28 and 32-week-old birds, while biometric sexing involved the measurement of morphometric traits and data analyzed using discriminant function analysis. Molecular sexing was carried out by DNA extraction and subsequent PCR using the 2550F/2718R primer set. Females had a wider (P < 0.05) pelvic inlet than male birds from first week of age until the end of the study, while the opposite was true for wattle length. However, wattle length differed (P < 0.05) between both sexes after 4 weeks of age. Combining the biometric variables in a discriminant function, males could be distinguished from females with an accuracy of 94%. During molecular sexing, the P2/P8 primer set was not effective in sexing guinea fowls because it amplified a single band in both sexes and in the same manner. The sex of guinea fowls was properly determined using the primer set 2550F/2718R. Females produced 2 bands of 396 bp and 344 bp, while males only produced the larger band. Phallus size in the 2 sexes were distinguishable from 8 weeks of age, with males having longer and thicker (P < 0.05) phalli than their female counterparts. Combining the 2 variables in a discriminate function, males and females could be distinguished with 98.3% accuracy. While the molecular method remains the most accurate sexing technique, the biometric method emerged as the most farmer friendly approach to sexing guinea fowls