Dietary administration of a commercial mixed-species probiotic improves growth performance and modulates the intestinal immunity of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus.

The growth performance, immunological status, intestinal morphology and microbiology of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, were investigated after dietary administration of the commercial probiotic AquaStar(®) Growout. Tilapia (29.02 ± 0.33 g) were split into five treatments; control (CON), 1.5 g kg(-1) probiotic (PRO-1.5), 3 g kg(-1) probiotic (PRO-3), pulsed probiotic feeding (PRO-PULSE) or an initial probiotic feed followed by control feeding (PRO-INI). After six weeks of experimental feeding, fish fed PRO-3 displayed significantly higher final weight, weight gain and SGR compared to the CON or PRO-INI treatments. Supplementation of the probiotic at this dose induced an up-regulation of intestinal caspase-3, PCNA and HSP70 mRNA levels compared to the CON fed fish. Immuno-modulatory pathways were also affected; significantly higher expression of TLR2, pro-inflammatory genes TNFα and IL-1β, and anti-inflammatory genes IL-10 and TGFβ suggest that the probiotic may potentiate a higher state of mucosal tolerance and immuno-readiness. Histological appraisal revealed significantly higher numbers of intraepithelial leucocytes in the intestine of PRO-3 fed fish compared with treatments CON, PRO-PULSE and PRO-INI but not PRO-1.5. Additionally, fish receiving PRO-3 had a significantly higher abundance of goblet cells in their mid-intestine when compared with fish from all other treatments. Together, these data suggest that continuous provision of AquaStar(®) Growout at 3 g kg(-1) can improve tilapia growth and elevate the intestinal immunological status of the host

Myositis ossificans of the quadriceps femoris in a soccer player

A young soccer player was diagnosed with myositis ossificans 6 weeks after a muscle strain in the right thigh. Radiographic and sonographic investigations initially helped to confirm diagnosis and later supported clinical improvement. We present our approach to the case and discuss pathophysiology, prevention and treatment of this rare condition

Tratamento da tendinopatia de inserção crónica grave do tendão de Aquiles: técnica cirúrgica.

Introdução Um leque alargado de procedimentos cirúrgicos tem vindo a ser descrito para o tratamento da tendinopatia de inserção crónica do tendão de Aquiles, resistente ao tratamento conservador bem conduzido. Se é dado como certo que o tipo de técnica cirúrgica é determinado pelas alterações estruturais e morfológicas dos tecidos moles e do tecido ósseo não é, porém, menos verdade que a intervenção cirúrgica deve ser realizada em tempo útil, por forma a alcançar o melhor resultado. Nas situações graves, com um acentuado processo degenerativo do tendão de Aquiles está indicado proceder à excisão da porção distal do tendão e à respetiva reinserção. Para isso, recorre-se a uma plastia do tendão ou até a um aloenxerto de tendão de Aquiles, assim como a um reforço da reconstrução com o longo flexor do hallux (LFH). O objetivo central deste poster é mostrar os passos mais relevantes do protocolo cirúrgico usado no Serviço para o tratamento de situações graves de tendinopatia crónica da inserção do tendão de Aquiles. Material e Métodos Posicionamento do doente em decúbito ventral, incisão cutânea longitudinal posterointerna com cerca de 15 cm a partir da inserção aquiliana. Desinserção do tendão de Aquiles. Ressecção da apófise posteroexterna do calcâneo e tecido fibrótico adjacente, originando um leito vascularizado de osso esponjoso. Ressecção distal do tendão de Aquiles com alterações macroscópicas evidentes de um processo degenerativo. Incisão longitudinal no bordo interno do pé, zona média da arcada interna, com cerca de 5 cm, na transição da pele dorsal e plantar. Abertura da fáscia e identificação do tendão do LFH. Secção do tendão 3 a 4 cm atrás dos sesamóides, libertação de expansões no nó de Henry e respetiva passagem para trás. Preparação de túnel ósseo transversal no calcâneo com broca 4.5, passagem do tendão do LFH e sutura sobre ele próprio com o tornozelo a 90º. Plastia do tendão de Aquiles em V-Y ou pela técnica de Bosworth, consoante o defeito tendinoso for inferior ou superior a 4 cm, respetivamente. Reinserção do tendão de Aquiles com 2 âncoras ósseas. Sutura do tendão de Aquiles ao tendão do LFH. Bota gessada em equino de 20º. Imobilização do tornozelo durante 12 semanas. Possibilidade de carga a partir das 3 semanas. Após retirar a imobilização, sapato com elevação do calcanhar de 3 cm durante 2 meses. Tratamento fisiátrico para libertação de aderências, recuperação da mobilidade articular e reforço muscular. Atividade física sem restrições aproximadamente aos 9 meses de evolução. Resultados Os resultados obtidos com esta técnica têm sido muito satisfatórios, particularmente no concernente ao alívio das queixas dolorosas. Discussão Este procedimento cirúrgico deve ser reservado para o tratamento das formas mais graves de tendinopatia de inserção aquiliana, em que está indicado proceder à excisão da porção distal do tendão e à respetiva reinserção, solução drástica e complexa, mas a única com capacidade para eliminar as dores incapacitantes. Conclusão O tratamento da tendinopatia da inserção aquiliana apresenta dificuldades acrescidas em relação a tendinopatias do corpo do tendão. A técnica cirúrgica acima descrita, apesar de exigente tanto do ponto de vista técnico quanto da colaboração do doente, pode conduzir a resultados clínicos e funcionais satisfatórios

Técnica de colheita de autoenxerto ósseo no decurso de uma artroplastia primária da anca

Durante a implantação de uma prótese primária da anca para o tratamento de uma coxartrose, pode haver necessidade de se recorrer à aplicação de enxertos ósseos, na condição de medida terapêutica complementar. Para isso, os autoenxertos ósseos provenientes da cabeça femoral excisada sob diversas formas, dimensões e tipos encontram a melhor indicação. Descreve-se uma técnica simples e eficaz para a colheita de autoenxerto ósseo sob a forma de grânulos a partir da cabeça femoral artrósica, no decurso de uma artroplastia primária da anca

A Computational Approach for Designing Tiger Corridors in India

Wildlife corridors are components of landscapes, which facilitate the movement of organisms and processes between intact habitat areas, and thus provide connectivity between the habitats within the landscapes. Corridors are thus regions within a given landscape that connect fragmented habitat patches within the landscape. The major concern of designing corridors as a conservation strategy is primarily to counter, and to the extent possible, mitigate the effects of habitat fragmentation and loss on the biodiversity of the landscape, as well as support continuance of land use for essential local and global economic activities in the region of reference. In this paper, we use game theory, graph theory, membership functions and chain code algorithm to model and design a set of wildlife corridors with tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) as the focal species. We identify the parameters which would affect the tiger population in a landscape complex and using the presence of these identified parameters construct a graph using the habitat patches supporting tiger presence in the landscape complex as vertices and the possible paths between them as edges. The passage of tigers through the possible paths have been modelled as an Assurance game, with tigers as an individual player. The game is played recursively as the tiger passes through each grid considered for the model. The iteration causes the tiger to choose the most suitable path signifying the emergence of adaptability. As a formal explanation of the game, we model this interaction of tiger with the parameters as deterministic finite automata, whose transition function is obtained by the game payoff.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 6 tables, NGCT conference 201

Differential cell autonomous responses determine the outcome of coxsackievirus infections in murine pancreatic α and β cells

This is the final version of the article. Available from eLife Sciences Publications via the DOI in this record.Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease caused by loss of pancreatic β cells via apoptosis while neighboring α cells are preserved. Viral infections by coxsackieviruses (CVB) may contribute to trigger autoimmunity in T1D. Cellular permissiveness to viral infection is modulated by innate antiviral responses, which vary among different cell types. We presently describe that global gene expression is similar in cytokine-treated and virus-infected human islet cells, with up-regulation of gene networks involved in cell autonomous immune responses. Comparison between the responses of rat pancreatic α and β cells to infection by CVB5 and 4 indicate that α cells trigger a more efficient antiviral response than β cells, including higher basal and induced expression of STAT1-regulated genes, and are thus better able to clear viral infections than β cells. These differences may explain why pancreatic β cells, but not α cells, are targeted by an autoimmune response during T1D.Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique – FNRS: FNRS- F 5/4/5.MCF/KP. Project de secherche (PDR) T.0036.13; European Commission (EC): Projects Naimit and BetaBat, in the Framework Programme 7 of the European Community; Federation Wallonie- Bruxelles: the Communaute Franc¸ aise de BelgiqueActions de Recherche Concertees (ARC); Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique – FNRS: FNRS post-doctoral fellowship; Governo Brasil: PDE/CSF Pos-Doutorado no Exterior; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF): JDRF Career Development Award; European Commission (EC): European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreement 261441 PEVNE

Associations between Blood Metabolic Profile at 7 Years Old and Eating Disorders in Adolescence: Findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

Eating disorders are severe illnesses characterized by both psychiatric and metabolic factors. We explored the prospective role of metabolic risk in eating disorders in a UK cohort (n = 2929 participants), measuring 158 metabolic traits in non-fasting EDTA-plasma by nuclear magnetic resonance. We associated metabolic markers at 7 years (exposure) with risk for anorexia nervosa and binge-eating disorder (outcomes) at 14, 16, and 18 years using logistic regression adjusted for maternal education, child's sex, age, body mass index, and calorie intake at 7 years. Elevated very low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, apolipoprotein-B/A, and monounsaturated fatty acids ratio were associated with lower odds of anorexia nervosa at age 18, while elevated high-density lipoproteins, docosahexaenoic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio, and fatty acid unsaturation were associated with higher risk for anorexia nervosa at 18 years. Elevated linoleic acid and n-6 fatty acid ratios were associated with lower odds of binge-eating disorder at 16 years, while elevated saturated fatty acid ratio was associated with higher odds of binge-eating disorder. Most associations had large confidence intervals and showed, for anorexia nervosa, different directions across time points. Overall, our results show some evidence for a role of metabolic factors in eating disorders development in adolescence

Digit-only sauropod pes trackways from China - evidence of swimming or a preservational phenomenon?

For more than 70 years unusual sauropod trackways have played a pivotal role in debates about the swimming ability of sauropods. Most claims that sauropods could swim have been based on manus-only or manus-dominated trackways. However none of these incomplete trackways has been entirely convincing, and most have proved to be taphonomic artifacts, either undertracks or the result of differential depth of penetration of manus and pes tracks, but otherwise showed the typical pattern of normal walking trackways. Here we report an assemblage of unusual sauropod tracks from the Lower Cretaceous Hekou Group of Gansu Province, northern China, characterized by the preservation of only the pes claw traces, that we interpret as having been left by walking, not buoyant or swimming, individuals. They are interpreted as the result of animals moving on a soft mud-silt substrate, projecting their claws deeply to register their traces on an underlying sand layer where they gained more grip during progression. Other sauropod walking trackways on the same surface with both pes and manus traces preserved, were probably left earlier on relatively firm substrates that predated the deposition of soft mud and silt . Presently, there is no convincing evidence of swimming sauropods from their trackways, which is not to say that sauropods did not swim at all

Synthesis and Anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis Activity of Imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazine Derivatives against Multidrug-Resistant Strains

The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis has raised concerns due to the greater difficulties in patient treatment and higher mortality rates. Herein, we revisited the 2-nitro-6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazine scaffold and identified potent new carbamate derivatives having MIC90 values of 0.18–1.63 μM against Mtb H37Rv. Compounds 47–49, 51–53, and 55 exhibited remarkable activity against a panel of clinical isolates, displaying MIC90 values below 0.5 μM. In Mtb-infected macrophages, several compounds demonstrated a 1-log greater reduction in mycobacterial burden than rifampicin and pretomanid. The compounds tested did not exhibit significant cytotoxicity against three cell lines or any toxicity to Galleria mellonella. Furthermore, the imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazine derivatives did not show substantial activity against other bacteria or fungi. Finally, molecular docking studies revealed that the new compounds could interact with the deazaflavin-dependent nitroreductase (Ddn) in a similar manner to pretomanid. Collectively, our findings highlight the chemical universe of imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazines and their promising potential against MDR-TB

Phenotypic redshifts with self-organizing maps: A novel method to characterize redshift distributions of source galaxies for weak lensing

Wide-field imaging surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES) rely on coarse measurements of spectral energy distributions in a few filters to estimate the redshift distribution of source galaxies. In this regime, sample variance, shot noise, and selection effects limit the attainable accuracy of redshift calibration and thus of cosmological constraints. We present a new method to combine wide-field, few-filter measurements with catalogs from deep fields with additional filters and sufficiently low photometric noise to break degeneracies in photometric redshifts. The multi-band deep field is used as an intermediary between wide-field observations and accurate redshifts, greatly reducing sample variance, shot noise, and selection effects. Our implementation of the method uses self-organizing maps to group galaxies into phenotypes based on their observed fluxes, and is tested using a mock DES catalog created from N-body simulations. It yields a typical uncertainty on the mean redshift in each of five tomographic bins for an idealized simulation of the DES Year 3 weak-lensing tomographic analysis of $\sigma_{\Delta z} = 0.007$, which is a 60% improvement compared to the Year 1 analysis. Although the implementation of the method is tailored to DES, its formalism can be applied to other large photometric surveys with a similar observing strategy.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures; matches version accepted to MNRA