Effects of different hatcher temperatures on hatching traits of broiler embryos during the last five days of incubation

This study deals with the effects of different hatcher temperatures on hatching traits in modern commercial broiler eggs during the last five days of incubation. The hatching eggs were obtained from a 52-wk old (Ross 308) flock. All eggs were distributed randomly into one incubator and incubated for 17 d using uniform conditions (37.6 ± 0.5 °C and 58% relative humidity). At the start of 18th days of incubation, the eggs were randomly distributed to four experimental hatching cabinets. The temperatures were set in the cabinets at 36.1, 37.2, 38.3 and 39.4 °C from 17 d of incubation until hatch. Hatching time, hatchability, age of mortality and the incidence of embryo malpositions were recorded as percentage of fertile eggs. The highest mean embryonic heat production or eggshell surface temperature occurred in the hatching cabinets operated at 39.9 °C and lowest at 36.1 °C. Eggs incubated at 37.2 °C and 38.3 °C had a significantly higher hatchability than the other treatment groups. High embryo mortality at the late term stage of development was recorded at low (36.1 °C) and very high temperatures (39.9 °C). No significant difference in the incidence of malpositions was observed among the groups. These findings revealed that hatchability might be improved if incubation temperatures of 37.2 °C to 38.3 °C are used during last five days of incubation. The results indicate that the modern hatching broiler egg shows almost similar pattern as past generations for heat production and temperature in hatchers during the last five days of incubation. In other words, in spite of genetic improvements in the modern broilers, the incubation conditions and techniques remained largely unchanged. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 34(4) 2004: 211-21

Up-Scaling Distinct Element Method Simulations of Discontinua

Pre-existing fractures significantly influence the geomechanical response of the rock mass at the reservoir scale. For geomechanical applications, these natural fractures need to be considered in the mechanical response of the system. Distinct Element Methods (DEM) are often used to explicitly model the mechanics of Naturally Fractured Rock (NFR); however, they are often too computationally prohibitive for reservoir-scale problems. A DEM up-scaling framework is presented that facilitates estimating a representative parameter set for continuum constitutive models that capture the salient feature of Naturally Fractured Rock (NFR) behaviour. Up-scaling is achieved by matching homogenized DEM stress-strain curves from multiple load paths to those of continuum constitutive models using a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm followed by a Damped Least-Squares (DLS) algorithm. The effectiveness of the framework is demonstrated by up-scaling a DEM model of a NFR to a Drucker-Prager damage-plasticity model; the up-scaled model is shown to capture well the effect of confinement on the the yielding and sliding of natural fractures in the rock mass. The goal of this thesis is to present a framework to facilitate effective simulation of fine-scale behaviour in full-scale NFR systems while significantly reducing the computational demands associated with modelling these systems with DEM. As such, four main research objectives have been identified and achieved: 1) Develop and implement stress and strain homogenization algorithms for DEM models with deformable blocks, 2) present a methodology to parameterize complex nonlinear continuum constitutive models, 3) develop and implement an automated modular software framework for up-scaling DEM simulations, and 4) demonstrate that the performance of the up-scaled continuum models are accurate and significantly more computationally efficient. The up-scaling methodology is verified through a case study on a naturally fractured granite slope in which the top surface is loaded until failure. The up-scaled continuum model is shown to compare quite well to Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) in a slope stability analysis and requires two orders of magnitude less computational effort

Cholesterolosis in routine histopathological examination after cholecystectomy: What should a surgeon behold in the reports?

AbstractIntroduction: Cholecystectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures. Postoperative investigation of cholecystectomy specimen has a great value since histopathological reports may document some entities with significant clinical consequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between cholesterolosis and the reports indicating some histopathological alterations in symptomatic cholecystitis. Methods: This paper is based on a retrospective study. Histopathological reports of 432 cholecystectomy specimens between January 2011 and June 2013 were reviewed. Three reports were excluded due to perioperative diagnosis of cancer. Reports of 429 cholecystectomy specimens of the acute and symptomatic chronic cholecystitis patients were analyzed. Standardization of the reporting was questioned. Age, gender, histopathological wall thickness of gallbladder, reporting rates of acute inflammation, cholesterolosis, polypoid lesions, epithelial hyperplasia, gastric or intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and incidental cancer were investigated and compared between patients with and without cholesterolosis. Reported rates of histopathological findings were comparable between patients under and over 60 years old and patients with and without reported cholesterolosis. Results: Reported histopathological findings were presented as acute inflammation in 46 (10.7%), cholesterolosis in 79 (18.4%), gallbladder polypoid lesions in 7 (1.6%), epithelial hyperplasia in 16 (3.7%), metaplasia of any type in 34 (7.9%) of 429 patients. Dysplasia was excluded whereas one incidental gallbladder carcinoma was reported. Epithelial hyperplasia and metaplasia were found to be related to age. Gallbladder wall thickness was decreased with cholesterolosis. However, only a correlation between cholesterolosis and gender or metaplasia was noted. Conclusion: Recent study suggests that cholesterolosis is somehow associated with metaplasia. Thus, surgeons should carefully interpret the histopathology reports based on unusual or exceptional findings corresponding to the cholecystectomy specimens. Any abnormal finding in the reports should be investigated in terms of the progress of the pathology and also its clinical consequences

Living donor liver transplantation with replacement of vena cava for Echinococcus alveolaris: A case report

AbstractINTRODUCTIONThere is no medical treatment for alveolar echinococceal disease (AED) of liver till now. Curative surgical resection is optimal treatment but in most advanced cases curative resection can’t be done. Liver transplantation is accepted treatment option for advanced AED. AED in some case invade surrounding tissue especially inferior vena cava (IVC). Advanced AED with invasion to IVC can be treated with deceased liver transplantation. Although living donor liver transplantation is very difficult to perform in patients with advanced AED with resected IVC, it come into consideration, since there is very few cadaveric liver.PRESENTATION OF CASEHere we present a case with advanced stage of AED of liver which cause portal hypertension and cholestasis. AED invaded surrounding tissue, right diaphragm, both lobes of liver and retrohepatic part of IVC. Invasion of IVC forced us to make resection of IVC and reconstruction with cryopreserved venous graft to reestablish blood flow. After that a living donor liver transplantation was done.DISCUSSIONCurative surgery is the first-choice option in all operable patients with AED of liver. Advanced stage of AED like chronic jaundice, liver abscess, sepsis, repeated attacks of cholangitis, portal hypertension, and Budd-Chiari syndrome may be an indication for liver transplantation. In some advanced stage AED during transplantation replacement of retrohepatic part of IVC could be done with artificial vascular graft, cadaveric aortic and caval vein graft.CONCLUSIONAlthough living donor liver transplantation with replacement of IVC is a very difficult operation, it should be considered in the management of advanced AED of liver with IVC invasion because of the rarity of deceased liver

Cloning and expression analysis of the Ccrboh gene encoding respiratory burst oxidase in Citrullus colocynthis and grafting onto Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)

A full-length drought-responsive gene Ccrboh, encoding the respiratory burst oxidase homologue (rboh), was cloned in Citrullus colocynthis, a very drought-tolerant cucurbit species. The robh protein, also named NADPH oxidase, is conserved in plants and animals, and functions in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The Ccrboh gene accumulated in a tissue-specific pattern when C. colocynthis was treated with PEG, abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), or NaCl, while the homologous rboh gene did not show any change in C. lanatus var. lanatus, cultivated watermelon, during drought. Grafting experiments were conducted using C. colocynthis or C. lanatus as the rootstock or scion. Results showed that the rootstock significantly affects gene expression in the scion, and some signals might be transported from the root to the shoot. Ccrboh in C. colocynthis was found to function early during plant development, reaching high mRNA transcript levels 3 d after germination. The subcellular location of Ccrboh was investigated by transient expression of the 35S::Ccrboh::GFP fusion construct in protoplasts. The result confirmed that Ccrboh is a transmembrane protein. Our data suggest that Ccrboh might be functionally important during the acclimation of plants to stress and also in plant development. It holds great promise for improving drought tolerance of other cucurbit species

Long-Term Outcome of Soft Tissue Sarcomas Treated With Mesna-Doxorubicin-Ifosfamid-Dacarbazine Regimen (Maid): A Retrospective Study From a Singe Institution

Aim:fSoft tissue sarcomas (STSs) account for 1% of cancers in the adult population. The treatment of choice is surgery but chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy are frequently used due to aggressive cancer behavior or incomplete surgery. Doxorubicin-based regimens are the most frequently used chemotherapy combinations but real-life data about the efficacy and safety of these agents in our country is limited. We aimed to present clinicodemographic and prognostic features of STS cases treated with mesna, doxorubicin, ifosfamide, dacarbazine (MAID regimen).Materials and Methods:A total of forty-five STS cases who were diagnosed between 2007-2016 and treated with the MAID regimen as the initial therapy in Cukurova University were analyzed retrospectively. Associations between clinicodemographic parameters with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and with the logrank test. Univariate-multivariate analyses were used to assess the prognostic values of parameters for OS-PFS.Results:The median age of the patients was 49 and the most common STS subtypes were undifferentiated pleomorphic carcinoma (37.8%) followed by liposarcoma (17.8%) and leiomyosarcoma (13.3%). According to the AJCC TNM stages, 15.6% stage 1-2, 53.3% stage 3, and 31.1% stage 4 disease. The median PFS/OS were 17/39 months, respectively. The 5-year PFS/OS rates were 14%/32.5%, respectively. In univariate analyses, mitosis, necrosis, stage, and surgery were both prognostic for PFS-OS. However, in multivariate analysis, only stage was an independent prognostic factor both for PFS-OS.Conclusion:Stage was the only independent prognostic factor for both PFS-OS in patients with STS who received the MAID chemotherapy as initial therapy

Management of a Septic Open Abdomen Patient with Spontaneous Jejunal Perforation after Emergent C/S with Confounding Factor of Mild Acute Pancreatitis

Introduction. We report the management of a septic Open Abdomen (OA) patient by the help of negative pressure therapy (NPT) and abdominal reapproximation anchor (ABRA) system in pregnant woman with spontaneous jejunal perforation after emergent cesarean section (C/S) with confounding factor of mild acute pancreatitis (AP). Presentation of Case. A 29-year-old and 34-week pregnant woman with AP underwent C/S. She was arrested after anesthesia induction and responded to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). There were only ash-colored serosanguinous fluid within abdomen during C/S. After C/S, she was transferred to intensive care unit (ICU) with vasopressor support. On postoperative 1st day, she underwent reoperation due to fecal fluid coming near the drainage. Leakage point could not be identified exactly and operation had to be deliberately abbreviated due to hemodynamic instability. NPT was applied. Two days later source control was provided by conversion of enteroatmospheric fistula (EAF) to jejunostomy. ABRA was added and OA was closed. No hernia developed at 10-month follow-up period. Conclusion. NPT application in septic OA patient may gain time to patient until adequate source control could be achieved. Using ABRA in conjunction with NPT increases the fascial closure rate in infected OA patient

Partial sequencing of the bottle gourd genome reveals markers useful for phylogenetic analysis and breeding

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bottle gourd [<it>Lagenaria siceraria </it>(Mol.) Standl.] is an important cucurbit crop worldwide. Archaeological research indicates that bottle gourd was domesticated more than 10,000 years ago, making it one of the earliest plants cultivated by man. In spite of its widespread importance and long history of cultivation almost nothing has been known about the genome of this species thus far.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report here the partial sequencing of bottle gourd genome using the 454 GS-FLX Titanium sequencing platform. A total of 150,253 sequence reads, which were assembled into 3,994 contigs and 82,522 singletons were generated. The total length of the non-redundant singletons/assemblies is 32 Mb, theoretically covering ~ 10% of the bottle gourd genome. Functional annotation of the sequences revealed a broad range of functional types, covering all the three top-level ontologies. Comparison of the gene sequences between bottle gourd and the model cucurbit cucumber (<it>Cucumis sativus</it>) revealed a 90% sequence similarity on average. Using the sequence information, 4395 microsatellite-containing sequences were identified and 400 SSR markers were developed, of which 94% amplified bands of anticipated sizes. Transferability of these markers to four other cucurbit species showed obvious decline with increasing phylogenetic distance. From analyzing polymorphisms of a subset of 14 SSR markers assayed on 44 representative China bottle gourd varieties/landraces, a principal coordinates (PCo) analysis output and a UPGMA-based dendrogram were constructed. Bottle gourd accessions tended to group by fruit shape rather than geographic origin, although in certain subclades the lines from the same or close origin did tend to cluster.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This work provides an initial basis for genome characterization, gene isolation and comparative genomics analysis in bottle gourd. The SSR markers developed would facilitate marker assisted breeding schemes for efficient introduction of desired traits.</p