Pododermatitis por contacto en pollos de engorde bajo diferentes condiciones de cama

Footpad dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin that affects the surface of the sole of the foot, the skin of the tarsal joint and, in severe cases, the bone of the pectoral keel. It is a multicausal pathology in which the environment, nutrition and intestinal integrity are involved. It affects animal welfare and generates economic losses due to confiscation during slaughtering. The objective of this work was to evaluate the plantar lesions in 40-day-old Cobb 500 chickens, housed in two production systems: new litter (NL) and litter used in four periods (UL). It was observed that 77% of the animals housed in NL did not present lesions, and 23% presented lesions of grade 1 or 2. On the other hand, 28% of the animals housed in UL did not present lesions, while 72% presented lesions of grade 1 or 2. The percentages of lesions found in both groups were significantly different (p<0.001), pointing out that animals located on UL are 8.6 times more likely to present lesions of greater degree than those housed on a new bed.La dermatitis de contacto es una inflamación cutánea que afecta la superficie de la planta del pie, la piel de la articulación del tarso y además -en casos severos- el área del hueso de la quilla pectoral. Es una patología originada por múltiples causas, en la que están involucrados el medio ambiente, la nutrición y la integridad intestinal. Su importancia radica en que afecta el bienestar animal y genera pérdidas económicas por decomisos en la faena. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar las lesiones plantares, en pollos Cobb 500 de 40 días de edad alojados en dos sistemas de producción: galpón con cama nueva (GCN) y galpón con cama utilizada en cuatro períodos (GCU). Se observó que el 77% de los animales alojados en GCN no presentaron lesiones, y que el 23% restante presentó lesiones de grado 1 ó 2; mientras que 28% de los animales alojados en GCU no presentaron lesiones y el 72% presentaron lesiones de grado 1 ó 2. Los porcentajes de lesiones hallados en ambos grupos fue significativamente diferente (p<0,001), señalando que los animales que se encuentran en la cama usada tienen 8,6 veces más probabilidades de presentar lesiones de mayor grado que los alojados sobre cama nueva

Holocentric Chromosomes of Luzula elegans Are Characterized by a Longitudinal Centromere Groove, Chromosome Bending, and a Terminal Nucleolus Organizer Region

The structure of holocentric chromosomes was analyzed in mitotic cells of Luzula elegans. Light and scanning electron microscopy observations provided evidence for the existence of a longitudinal groove along each sister chromatid. The centromere-specific histone H3 variant, CENH3, colocalized with this groove and with microtubule attachment sites. The terminal chromosomal regions were CENH3-negative. During metaphase to anaphase transition, L. elegans chromosomes typically curved to a sickle-like shape, a process that is likely to be influenced by the pulling forces of microtubules along the holocentric axis towards the corresponding microtubule organizing regions. A single pair of 45S rDNA sites, situated distal to Arabidopsis-telomere repeats, was observed at the terminal region of one chromosome pair. We suggest that the 45S rDNA position in distal centromere-free regions could be required to ensure chromosome stability. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Rasl11b Knock Down in Zebrafish Suppresses One-Eyed-Pinhead Mutant Phenotype

The EGF-CFC factor Oep/Cripto1/Frl1 has been implicated in embryogenesis and several human cancers. During vertebrate development, Oep/Cripto1/Frl1 has been shown to act as an essential coreceptor in the TGFβ/Nodal pathway, which is crucial for germ layer formation. Although studies in cell cultures suggest that Oep/Cripto1/Frl1 is also implicated in other pathways, in vivo it is solely regarded as a Nodal coreceptor. We have found that Rasl11b, a small GTPase belonging to a Ras subfamily of putative tumor suppressor genes, modulates Oep function in zebrafish independently of the Nodal pathway. rasl11b down regulation partially rescues endodermal and prechordal plate defects of zygotic oep−/− mutants (Zoep). Rasl11b inhibitory action was only observed in oep-deficient backgrounds, suggesting that normal oep expression prevents Rasl11b function. Surprisingly, rasl11b down regulation does not rescue mesendodermal defects in other Nodal pathway mutants, nor does it influence the phosphorylation state of the downstream effector Smad2. Thus, Rasl11b modifies the effect of Oep on mesendoderm development independently of the main known Oep output: the Nodal signaling pathway. This data suggests a new branch of Oep signaling that has implications for germ layer development, as well as for studies of Oep/Frl1/Cripto1 dysfunction, such as that found in tumors

Meiotic chromosomes and nucleolar behavior in testicular cells of the grassland spittlebugs Deois flavopicta, Mahanarva fimbriolata and Notozulia entreriana (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha)

Spittlebugs annually infest pastures and cause severe damage, representing a serious problem for the tropical American beef cattle industry. Spittlebugs are an important biotic constraint to forage production and there is a lack of cytogenetic data for this group of insects. For these reasons, we conducted this work, in which the spermatogenesis and nucleolar behavior of Deois flavopicta, Mahanarva fimbriolata and Notozulia entreriana were studied. The males possessed testes in the shape of a “bunch of grapes”; a variable number of testicular lobes per individual and polyploid nuclei composed of several heteropycnotic bodies. A heteropycnotic area was located in the periphery of the nucleus (prophase I); the chiasmata were terminal or interstitial; metaphases I were circular or linear and anaphase showed late migration of the sex chromosome. The chromosome complement had 2n = 19, except for N. entreriana (2n = 15); the spermatids were round with heteropycnotic material in the center and elongated with conspicuos chromatin. The analysis of testes after silver nitrate staining showed polyploid nuclei with three large and three smaller nucleolar bodies. Early prophase cells had an intensely stained nucleolar body located close to the chromatin and another less evident body located away from the chromatin. The nucleolar bodies disintegrated during diplotene. Silver staining occurred in two autosomes, in terminal and subterminal locations, the latter probably corresponding to the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs). The spermatids were round with a round nucleolar body and silver staining was observed in the medial and posterior region of the elongated part of the spermatid head

Effect of beta-blockers on plasma lipids

Forty-five hypertensive patients (I-II WHO), after two weeks wash out, were randomly allocated to receive 100 mg/day atenolol, 200 mg/day metoprolol and 10 mg/day mepindolol for three months, in order to evaluate their possible effect on lipid metabolism. Plasma triglyceride levels were increased by the three drug treatments; the increase was, however, greater after mepindolol. Total cholesterol was unchanged by atenolol, increased by metoprolol and decreased by mepindolol. HDL-cholesterol was unchanged by atenolol, decreased by metoprolol and increased by mepindolol, whereas LDL-cholesterol was increased by atenolol, unchanged by metoprolol and decreased by mepindolol. Therefore, the LDL/HDL ratio was decreased by mepindolol (from 3.15 +/- 1.71 to 2.92 +/- 1.17) and increased by atenolol and metoprolol. The results show that the treatment with atenolol, metoprolol and mepindolol does not significantly affect the lipid levels suggesting that cardioselective beta-blockers as well as those with ISA have no untoward effect on lipid metabolis