Terminal Ileum Perforation as a Consequence of a Migrated and Fractured Oesophageal Stent

Covered self-expanding metallic stents are commonly employed to relieve malignant oesophageal obstruction. We report a case of a patient with oesophageal cancer treated by stent insertion and curative chemoradiotherapy with subsequent stent migration to the stomach. The stent fractured with the distal fragment migrating as far as the terminal ileum where it caused perforation of the bowel

Effects of Bull Exposure on Post-partum Interval and Reproductive Performance in Beef Cows

Spring calving beef cows were utilized to study the effect of bull exposure early postpartum on return to estrus and fertility. In the spring of 1985 and 1986, cows were randomly exposed to epididectomized bulls 3 to 7 days after calving until beginning of the breeding season or not exposed to bulls. Cows were observed for estrus twice daily beginning approximately 4 weeks after the start of calving until synchronization. I n 1986, blood samples were collected weekly by jugular venipuncture during heat detection and serum progesterone concentrations were determined. ALL cows were synchronized with Synchro-Mate B and inseminated 48 hours after implant removal. Calves were removed for 48 hours following implant removal. Each year a group of cows was selected from the two treatment groups and cannulated at estrus following Synchro-Mate B implant removal. Blood samples were collected at 15-minute intervals for 2 hours and every 2 hours for 46 hours for determination of luteinizing hormone concentration. Bull exposed cows had a shorter (Pa.09) interval to first estrus in 1985 and there was no difference (P\u3e.05) in 1986. The percentage exhibiting estrus prior to synchronization was greater (P\u3e.01) for bull exposed than nonexposed in 1985 and there was no difference (P\u3e.05) in 1986. There was no difference (P\u3e.05) in conception rates to the timed insemination in 1985 and 1986 and the total percentage pregnant did not differ (P\u3e.05) in either year. Bull exposure may reduce the interval from calving to first estrus and increase the percentage cycling prior to breeding, but conception rates are not influenced

Quantifying fenbendazole and its metabolites in self-medicating wild red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus using an HPLC–MS–MS approach

On red grouse estates in the UK the nematode parasite Trichostrongylus tenuis is often controlled by application of grit medicated with the anthelmintic fenbendazole (FBZ). To date, assessment of the efficacy has been inhibited by the inability to quantify uptake of FBZ by the birds. We have developed a simple and sensitive HPLC–MS–MS method for detecting and quantifying FBZ and its metabolites from a 300 mg sample of red grouse liver. This method could be used to improve the efficacy of medicated grit treatment by allowing the identification of conditions and application methods that optimize the uptake of FBZ. With the necessary modifications, our method will also be applicable to other wildlife species where self-medication is used for parasite control

Occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in surface waters near industrial hog operation spray fields

Industrial hog operations (IHOs) have been identified as a source of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). However, few studies have investigated the presence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus in the environment near IHOs, specifically surface waters proximal to spray fields where IHO liquid lagoon waste is sprayed. Surface water samples (n = 179) were collected over the course of approximately one year from nine locations in southeastern North Carolina and analyzed for the presence of presumptive MRSA using CHROMagar MRSA media. Culture-based, biochemical, and molecular tests, as well as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry were used to confirm that isolates that grew on CHROMagar MRSA media were S. aureus. Confirmed S. aureus isolates were then tested for susceptibility to 16 antibiotics and screened for molecular markers of MRSA (mecA, mecC) and livestock adaptation (absence of scn). A total of 12 confirmed MRSA were detected in 9 distinct water samples. Nine of 12 MRSA isolates were also multidrug-resistant (MDRSA [i.e., resistant to ≥ 3 antibiotic classes]). All MRSA were scn-positive and most (11/12) belonged to a staphylococcal protein A (spa) type t008, which is commonly associated with humans. Additionally, 12 confirmed S. aureus that were methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) were recovered, 7 of which belonged to spa type t021 and were scn-negative (a marker of livestock-adaptation). This study demonstrated the presence of MSSA, MRSA, and MDRSA in surface waters adjacent to IHO lagoon waste spray fields in southeastern North Carolina. To our knowledge, this is the first report of waterborne S. aureus from surface waters proximal to IHOs

Effects of Bull Exposure on Postpartum Intervals and Reproductive Performance in Beef Cows: A progress Report

The effects of bull exposure on time from calving until estrus, conception rates and calving interval were studied for mature beef cows. In the spring of I985 and 1986, cows were randomly allotted to one of two treatment groups. Cows were exposed to vasectomized bulls after calving until breeding or no bull exposure. Cows were heat detected twice daily and blood samples were collected weekly to determine progesterone levels. Heat detection data and progesterone levels indicated onset of estrous cycles occurred earlier in bull exposed cows than non-exposed cows. Conception rates to a timed insemination were not different between the two groups. Bull exposed cows tended t o calve earlier

Survey of nucleon electromagnetic form factors

A dressed-quark core contribution to nucleon electromagnetic form factors is calculated. It is defined by the solution of a Poincare' covariant Faddeev equation in which dressed-quarks provide the elementary degree of freedom and correlations between them are expressed via diquarks. The nucleon-photon vertex involves a single parameter; i.e., a diquark charge radius. It is argued to be commensurate with the pion's charge radius. A comprehensive analysis and explanation of the form factors is built upon this foundation. A particular feature of the study is a separation of form factor contributions into those from different diagram types and correlation sectors, and subsequently a flavour separation for each of these. Amongst the extensive body of results that one could highlight are: r_1^{n,u}>r_1^{n,d}, owing to the presence of axial-vector quark-quark correlations; and for both the neutron and proton the ratio of Sachs electric and magnetic form factors possesses a zero.Comment: 43 pages, 17 figures, 12 tables, 5 appendice

Selected nucleon form factors and a composite scalar diquark

A covariant, composite scalar diquark, Fadde'ev amplitude model for the nucleon is used to calculate pseudoscalar, isoscalar- and isovector-vector, axial-vector and scalar nucleon form factors. The last yields the nucleon sigma-term and on-shell sigma-nucleon coupling. The calculated form factors are soft, and the couplings are generally in good agreement with experiment and other determinations. Elements in the dressed-quark-axial-vector vertex that are not constrained by the Ward-Takahashi identity contribute ~20% to the magnitude of g_A. The calculation of the nucleon sigma-term elucidates the only unambiguous means of extrapolating meson-nucleon couplings off the meson mass-shell.Comment: 12 pages, REVTEX, 5 figures, epsfi

Theory and Phenomenology of Hadrons

This Dyson-Schwinger equation (DSE) aperc,u highlights recent applications to mesons. It reports features of, and results for, pseudoscalar and scalar bound-state residues in vacuum polarisations, and exhibits how a restoration of chiral symmetry in meson trajectories could be manifest in a relationship between them. It also touches on nucleon studies, emphasising the importance of both scalar and axial-vector diquark correlations, and reporting the calculation of mu_n G_E^n(Q^2)/G_M^n(Q^2). The value of respecting symmetries, including Poincare' covariance, is stressed.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, contribution to proceedings of "18th International IUPAP Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics," Santos, Brazil, August 21-26, 200

Extragenic suppressor mutations in ΔripA disrupt stability and function of LpxA

Background: Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects hundreds of species including humans, and has evolved to grow efficiently within a plethora of cell types. RipA is a conserved membrane protein of F. tularensis, which is required for growth inside host cells. As a means to determine RipA function we isolated and mapped independent extragenic suppressor mutants in ΔripA that restored growth in host cells. Each suppressor mutation mapped to one of two essential genes, lpxA or glmU, which are involved in lipid A synthesis. We repaired the suppressor mutation in lpxA (S102, LpxA T36N) and the mutation in glmU (S103, GlmU E57D), and demonstrated that each mutation was responsible for the suppressor phenotype in their respective strains. We hypothesize that the mutation in S102 altered the stability of LpxA, which can provide a clue to RipA function. LpxA is an UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase that catalyzes the transfer of an acyl chain from acyl carrier protein (ACP) to UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to begin lipid A synthesis. Results: LpxA was more abundant in the presence of RipA. Induced expression of lpxA in the ΔripA strain stopped bacterial division. The LpxA T36N S102 protein was less stable and therefore less abundant than wild type LpxA protein. Conclusion: These data suggest RipA functions to modulate lipid A synthesis in F. tularensis as a way to adapt to the host cell environment by interacting with LpxA