Prevalence of Campy/obacter spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica in Fattening Pig Herds in Lower Saxony, Germany

The results of a study on the occurrence of two bacteria that cause zoonoses, Campylobacter spp. and Yersmia enterocolilica were presented and the results of bacteriological and serological methods of detection were compared. The study was carried out on 30 fattening herds in Lower Saxony, Germany Bacteriological findings of Campylobacter spp. in the faeces indicated that 69.7% of the fattening pigs were positive, but 81 .2% tested positive serologically. All herds tested here were both bacteriologically and serologically positive for Campylobacter spp. Furthermore, only 8.4 % tested pos1t1ve for Yersinia enterocolitica in the faecal samples, but 66.8 % of the animals were serologically positive for that bacterium. At herd level 43.3 % of the herds tested bactenologically positive for Yersinia enterocolitica, whereas serological testing showed that 83.3 % of the units had one or more reacting animal

Застосування інтервальних нормобаричних гіпоксичних тренувань для амеліорації впливу бальнеотерапевтичного комплексу курорту Трускавець на резистентність до гіпоксії та вегетативну нервову систему

В клинико-физиологическом наблюдении за детьми с вегетативной дистонией показано, что дополнение стандартного бальнеотерапевтического комплекса курорта Трускавец интервальной нормобарической гипоксической тренировкой предотвращает снижение теста Штанге и сопутствующее ему усугубление симпатотонического сдвига вегетативного гомеостаза, а также усиливает положительное влияние бальнеотерапии на тест Штанге, сопровождаемое ваготоническим сдвигом вегетативного гомеостаза.In the clinical-physiological monitoring of children with vegetative dystonia is shown that the addition of standard balneotherapeutic complex spa Truskavets interval normobaric hypoxic training prevents the reduction of the hypoxic test Stange and the concomitant worsening sympathotonic shift of vegetative homeostasis, but also enhances the positive effect of balneotherapy on the test Stange, accompanied by a shift of autonomic vagotonic homeostasis

A multidisciplinary systematic review of the use of diagrams as a means of collecting data from research subjects: application, benefits and recommendations

BACKGROUND: In research, diagrams are most commonly used in the analysis of data and visual presentation of results. However there has been a substantial growth in the use of diagrams in earlier stages of the research process to collect data. Despite this growth, guidance on this technique is often isolated within disciplines. METHODS: A multidisciplinary systematic review was performed, which included 13 traditional healthcare and non-health-focused indexes, non-indexed searches and contacting experts in the field. English-language articles that used diagrams as a data collection tool and reflected on the process were included in the review, with no restriction on publication date. RESULTS: The search identified 2690 documents, of which 80 were included in the final analysis. The choice to use diagrams for data collection is often determined by requirements of the research topic, such as the need to understand research subjects' knowledge or cognitive structure, to overcome cultural and linguistic differences, or to understand highly complex subject matter. How diagrams were used for data collection varied by the degrees of instruction for, and freedom in, diagram creation, the number of diagrams created or edited and the use of diagrams in conjunction with other data collection methods. Depending on how data collection is structured, a variety of options for qualitative and quantitative analysis are available to the researcher. The review identified a number of benefits to using diagrams in data collection, including the ease with which the method can be adapted to complement other data collection methods and its ability to focus discussion. However it is clear that the benefits and challenges of diagramming depend on the nature of its application and the type of diagrams used. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The results of this multidisciplinary systematic review examine the application of diagrams in data collection and the methods for analyzing the unique datasets elicited. Three recommendations are presented. Firstly, the diagrammatic approach should be chosen based on the type of data needed. Secondly, appropriate instructions will depend on the approach chosen. And thirdly, the final results should present examples of original or recreated diagrams. This review also highlighted the need for a standardized terminology of the method and a supporting theoretical framework

Th17-skewed immune response and cluster of differentiation 40 ligand expression in canine steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis, a large animal model for neutrophilic meningitis

Background: Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by neutrophilic pleocytosis and an arteritis particularly in the cervical leptomeninges. Previous studies of the disease have shown increased levels of IL-6 and TGF-beta(1) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the presence of these cytokines, naive CD4+ cells differentiate into Th17 lymphocytes which synthesize interleukin 17 (IL-17). It has been shown that IL-17 plays an active role in autoimmune diseases, it induces and mediates inflammatory responses and has an important role in recruitment of neutrophils. The hypothesis of a Th17-skewed immune response in SRMA should be supported by evaluating IL-17 and CD40L, inducing the vasculitis. Methods: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure IL-17 and CD40L in serum and CSF from a total of 79 dogs. Measurements of patients suffering from SRMA in the acute state (SRMA A) were compared with levels of patients under treatment with steroids (SRMA T), recurrence of the disease (SRMA R), other neurological disorders, and healthy dogs, using the two-part test. Additionally, secretion of IL-17 and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was confirmed by an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay. Results: Significant higher levels of IL-17 were found in CSF of dogs with SRMA A compared with SRMA T, other neurological disorders and healthy dogs (p < 0.0001). In addition, levels of CD40L in CSF in dogs with SRMA A and SRMA R were significantly higher than in those with SRMA T (p = 0.0004) and healthy controls (p = 0.014). Furthermore, CSF concentrations of IL-17 and CD40L showed a strong positive correlation among each other (rSpear = 0.6601;p < 0.0001) and with the degree of pleocytosis (rSpear = 0.8842;p < 0.0001 and rSpear = 0.6649;p < 0.0001, respectively). IL-17 synthesis from PBMCs in SRMA patients was confirmed;however, IL-17 is mainly intrathecally produced. Conclusions: These results imply that Th17 cells are inducing the autoimmune response in SRMA and are involved in the severe neutrophilic pleocytosis and disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). CD-40L intrathecal synthesis might be involved in the striking vasculitis. The investigation of the role of IL-17 in SRMA might elucidate important pathomechanism and open new therapeutic strategies

Standardization of computer-assisted semen analysis using an e-learning application

Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) is primarily used to obtain accurate and objective kinetic sperm measurements. Additionally, AI centers use computer-assessed sperm concentration in the sample as a basis for calculating the number of insemination doses available from a given ejaculate. The reliability of data is often limited and results can vary even when the same CASA systems with identical settings are used. The objective of the present study was to develop a computer-based training module for standardized measurements with a CASA system and to evaluate its training effect on the quality of the assessment of sperm motility and concentration. A digital versatile disc (DVD) has been produced showing the standardization of sample preparation and analysis with the CASA system SpermVision™ version 3.0 (Minitube, Verona, WI, USA) in words, pictures, and videos, as well as the most probable sources of error. Eight test persons educated in spermatology, but with different levels of experience with the CASA system, prepared and assessed 10 aliquots from one prediluted bull ejaculate using the same CASA system and laboratory equipment before and after electronic learning (e-learning). After using the e-learning application, the coefficient of variation was reduced on average for the sperm concentration from 26.1% to 11.3% (P ≤ 0.01), and for motility from 5.8% to 3.1% (P ≤ 0.05). For five test persons, the difference in the coefficient of variation before and after use of the e-learning application was significant (P ≤ 0.05). Individual deviations of means from the group mean before e-learning were reduced compared with individual deviations from the group mean after e-learning. According to a survey, the e-learning application was highly accepted by users. In conclusion, e-learning presents an effective, efficient, and accepted tool for improvement of the precision of CASA measurements. This study provides a model for the standardization of other laboratory procedures using e-learnin

Quantitative morphological changes in the interplacentomal wall of the gravid uterine horn of cattle during pregnancy

Background: The interplacentomal wall of the gravid uterine horn in cattle is the subject of reports dealing mainly with specific aspects of early pregnancy or the peripartal period. Only a very limited number of early and descriptive studies includes the whole period of pregnancy. Thus, there is a gap concerning quantitative morphological data of the uterine wall during pregnancy. We hypothesized that the specific requirements of pregnancy are reflected by significant and characteristic morphologic changes. Methods: Interplacentomal segments of the fetus-bearing horn of the uterus of 47 cows were collected at slaughter, assessed quantitatively by light microscopy, grouped into trimesters (trim), and data were analyzed statistically. Results: During pregnancy there were significant increases (p<0.05) in the measured parameters: heights of the endometrial surface epithelium (31 increased to 46 and 46 μm, in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trim, respectively), glandular epithelium (19.6 to 22.4 and 25.4 μm, respectively), diameters of glands (94 to 166 to 239 μm, respectively) and glandular lumina (56 to 122 to 188 μm, respectively). Volume density of the glandular epithelium did not change, while that of glandular lumina increased significantly (8 to 26 to 40% in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trim, respectively) and of endometrial stroma decreased with ongoing pregnancy (67 to 46 to 37%; p<0.05). Diameters of myometrial smooth muscle cells (MSMC) (9.7 to 12.4 and 12.9 μm, respectively, for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trim; p<0.05), and the volume fraction of myometrial stroma increased (6 to 10 to 13%; p<0.05), while decreases were observed in MSMC nuclear volume density (4.4 and 4.0 to 2.4%; p<0.05). The fraction of MSMC cytoplasm (89 to 85%) and the nucleus:cytoplasm ratio (0.05 to 0.03%) both decreased for the 1st vs. 3rd trim, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that the interplacentomal wall of the gravid uterine horn is subjected to significant morphological changes during pregnancy, underlining the importance of endometrial surface epithelium and of gland hypertrophy for nourishment of the conceptus, of increased myometrial extracellular matrix for uterine tensile strength and of myometrial smooth muscle hypertrophy for expulsion of the fetus at term