Testes Weight Is Not A Reliable Tool for Discriminating Immunocastrates from Entire Males

In view of the criticism regarding the piglet castration as currently practiced, one of the alternatives is the active immunisation against the hypothalamic GnRH hormone referred to as immunocastration. This method is effective in prevention of boar taint in pork and has the advantage of avoiding the pain associated with castration (performed without anaesthesia and analgesia). However, in some rare cases the immunocastration may not be effective and such pigs (so called non-responders) present a risk for boar taint. It is therefore important to have a reliable indicator of the effective immunocastration for the use on the slaughter line. Determination of boar taint substances (androstenone and skatole) is time consuming and expensive, whereas the size of reproductive organs could serve as an indicator of successful immunocastration. Present study provides results for 76 immunocastrates (IC) and 55 entire males (EM) varying in body (or carcass) weight and delay between immunocastration and slaughter, in which testes and accessory sex glands (vesicular gland, bulbourethral gland) were dissected and weighed. Gathered data were used to distinguish IC and EM by discriminant analysis. The results show better discrimination of IC than EM. Testes weight is less reliable indicator of successful immunisation than the weight of accessory sex glands and that the best discrimination was achieved when using all three measurements

Aksijalni faktor oblika nukleona iz tvorbe elektron-pion za male q2

Results of the measurement of the transverse and longitudinal cross-section for coincident electro-production of positively charged pions on protons measured in parallel kinematics at the invariant mass of W = 1125 MeV and at three fourmomentum transfers q 2 = −0.117, −0.195 and −0.273 GeV2 are presented. An axial-mass parameter of high accuracy was extracted from a preliminary analysis of the transverse cross-section within the Mainz effective Lagrangian model of the nucleon. The value supports the prediction of the chiral perturbation theory that pion-loop corrections effectively increase the value of the axial mass extracted from pion electro-production data relative to that from neutrino scattering.Opisuju se ishodi mjerenja poprečnog i uzdužnog udarnog presjeka za višestruku elektrotvorbu pozitivnih piona u paralelnoj kinematici

Aksijalni faktor oblika nukleona iz tvorbe elektron-pion za male q2

Results of the measurement of the transverse and longitudinal cross-section for coincident electro-production of positively charged pions on protons measured in parallel kinematics at the invariant mass of W = 1125 MeV and at three fourmomentum transfers q 2 = −0.117, −0.195 and −0.273 GeV2 are presented. An axial-mass parameter of high accuracy was extracted from a preliminary analysis of the transverse cross-section within the Mainz effective Lagrangian model of the nucleon. The value supports the prediction of the chiral perturbation theory that pion-loop corrections effectively increase the value of the axial mass extracted from pion electro-production data relative to that from neutrino scattering.Opisuju se ishodi mjerenja poprečnog i uzdužnog udarnog presjeka za višestruku elektrotvorbu pozitivnih piona u paralelnoj kinematici

Apoptosis triggered redistribution of caspase-9 from cytoplasm to mitochondria

AbstractCaspase-9 is an apoptosis initiator protease activated as a response to the mitochondrial damage in the cytoplasmic complex apoptosome. By fluorescence labelling of proteins, confocal microscopy and subcellular fractionations we demonstrate that caspase-9 is in the cytoplasm of non-apoptotic pituitary cells. The activation of apoptosis with rotenone triggers the redistribution of caspase-9 to mitochondria. Experiments using the general caspase inhibitor z-VAD.fmk and the specific caspase-9 inhibitor z-LEHD.fmk show that the caspase-9 redistribution is a regulated process and requires the activity of a caspase other than the caspase-9. We propose that this spatial regulation is required to control the activity of caspase-9

Justification for a Nuclear Global Health Workforce: multidisciplinary analysis of risk, survivability & preparedness, with emphasis on the triage management of thermal burns

An assessment of the risks of nuclear conflict and the global preparedness to deal with such a catastrophe. Includes a proposal for triage and management of burn injuries based on a model of what would happen if there was a nuclear attack on Washington DC. Summarises the need for a global nuclear workforce to establish guidelines and strategies to address a nuclear event, the risk of which would appear to be increasingly likely given current world geopolitics

A biological pathway linking inflammation and depression: activation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase

This article highlights the evidence linking depression to increased inflammatory drive and explores putative mechanisms for the association by reviewing both preclinical and clinical literature. The enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is induced by proinflammatory cytokines and may form a link between immune functioning and altered neurotransmission, which results in depression. Increased indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity may cause both tryptophan depletion and increased neurotoxic metabolites of the kynurenine pathway, two alterations which have been hypothesized to cause depression. The tryptophan-kynurenine pathway is comprehensively described with a focus on the evidence linking metabolite alterations to depression. The use of immune-activated groups at high risk of depression have been used to explore these hypotheses; we focus on the studies involving chronic hepatitis C patients receiving interferon-alpha, an immune activating cytokine. Findings from this work have led to novel strategies for the future development of antidepressants including inhibition of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, moderating the cytokines which activate it, or addressing other targets in the kynurenine pathway

Aumento da sustentabilidade da produção de raças suínas locais através do uso de rótulos de qualidade - Estudo de caso e desenvolvimento de uma marca comercial no projecto TREASURE

The interest for traditional genetic resources, here comprised local pig breeds, has been increased in the last decades. Yet, at the time being, majority of local pig breeds still need to be supported with subsidies to ensure their conservation. However, the best strategy is if breeds could reach self-sustainability which is possible by an efficient marketing strategy of their products. The majority of studied breeds in project TREASURE are untapped, so the ambition is to develop an “umbrella” collective trademark that would gather together all breeds and that would create added values for their products. Major socio-economic aspects related to the implementation of the collective trademark include rights, responsibilities and expected added value for end-users. Based on the results obtained by an internal survey conducted in TREASURE, we have identified the main features of the collaborative trademark: 1) it should attract end-users such as farmers, breeders associations and meat processors; 2) it should be developed and promoted by an operational committee of end-users, under the coordination and supervision of TREASURE Consortium; 3) it should emphasize local pig genetic resources as the key common point, considering also production systems and nutrition; 4) it should explore possible collaboration or conflict with existing EU protected products (PDO, PGI, TSG) in order to optimally promote local products. An overview of intellectual property rights (IPR) in the context of pork value chains existing in the European Union is presented and prospects for TREASURE trademark analysed

HOPE: Help fOr People with money, employment, benefit or housing problems: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: Self-harm and suicide increase in times of economic recession. Factors including job loss, austerity measures, financial difficulties and house repossession contribute to the risk. Vulnerable individuals commonly experience difficulties in navigating the benefits system and in accessing the available sources of welfare and debt advice, and this contributes to their distress. Our aim is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a brief psychosocial intervention (the “HOPE” service) for people presenting to hospital emergency departments (ED) following self-harm or in acute distress because of financial, employment, or welfare (benefit) difficulties. Method: A pilot study including randomisation will be employed to determine whether it is possible to undertake a full-scale trial. Twenty people presenting to the ED who have self-harmed, have suicidal thoughts and depression and/or are in crisis and where financial, employment or benefit problems are cited as contributory factors will be asked to consent to random allocation to the intervention or control arm on a 2:1 basis. People who require secondary mental health follow-up will be excluded. Those randomised to the intervention arm will receive up to six sessions with a mental health worker who will provide practical help with financial and other problems. The mental health worker will use the motivational interviewing method in their interactions with participants. Control participants will receive one session signposting them to existing relevant support organisations. Participants will be followed up after 3 months. Participants and the mental health workers will take part in qualitative interviews to enable refinement of the intervention. The acceptability of outcome measures including the PHQ-9, GAD-7, repeat self-harm, EQ5D-5L and questions about debt, employment and welfare benefits will be explored. Discussion: This study will assess whether a full-scale randomised trial of this novel intervention to prevent self-harm among those distressed because of financial difficulties is feasible, including the acceptability of randomisation, potential rate of recruitment and the acceptability of outcome measures. Trial registration: ISRCTN5853124

Growth potential of Serbian local pig breeds Mangalitsa and Moravka

The aim of this study was to examine the growth potential of indigenous pig breeds Mangalitsa (swallow bellied; n=12) and Moravka (n=10). The investigation included male castrates (surgical). Pigs were transferred from different farms to the institute’s stable where pigs were housed. The fattening period started at an average weight of 24.3 kg and 173.1 days of age for Mangalitsa pigs and 29.9 and 170.8 days for Moravka pigs, respectively and finished at average weight of 115.5 kg and 357 days of age for Mangalitsa pigs and 131.3 kg and 363 days for Moravka pigs, respectively. During observation study Moravka pigs had 13% higher (but not significantly) growth rate than Mangalitsa breed (545 vs. 480 g/day, P=0.22). The maximal growth rate observed for Mangalitsa was 690 g and for Moravka 607 g in the period corresponding to average body weight (end of period) of 79 and 89 kg, respectively. Initial (at start of the study) difference in growth rate between Mangalitsa and Moravka was propagated along the study duration resulting in significant difference in body weight at slaughter (P (lt) 0.05). © 2017, University of Zagreb. All rights reserved