A cohort study of the associations between udder conformation, milk somatic cell count, and lamb weight in suckler ewes

A cohort study of 67 suckler ewes from 1 farm was carried out from January to May 2010 to investigate associations between udder conformation, udder half milk somatic cell count (SCC), and lamb weight. Ewes and lambs were observed at lambing. Ewe health and teat condition and lamb health and weight were recorded on 4 to 5 further occasions at 14-d intervals. At each observation, a milk sample was collected from each udder half for somatic cell counting. Two weeks after lambing, ewe udder conformation and teat placement were scored. Low lamb weight was associated with ewe SCC >400,000 cells/mL (−0.73kg), a new teat lesion 14 d previously (−0.91kg), suboptimal teat position (−1.38kg), rearing in a multiple litter (−1.45kg), presence of diarrhea at the examination (−1.19kg), and rearing by a 9-yr-old ewe compared with a 6-yr-old ewe (−2.36kg). High lamb weight was associated with increasing lamb age (0.21kg/d), increasing birth weight (1.65kg/kg at birth), and increasing number of days the ewe was given supplementary feed before lambing (0.06kg/d). High udder half SCC was associated with pendulous udders (9.6% increase in SCC/cm of drop) and greater total cross-sectional area of the teats (7.2% increase of SCC/cm2). Low SCC were associated with a heavier mean litter weight (6.7% decrease in SCC/kg). Linear, quadratic, and cubic terms for days in lactation were also significant. We conclude that poor udder and teat conformation are associated with high levels of intramammary infection, as indicated by increased SCC and that both physical attributes of the udder and SCC are linked to lamb growth, suggesting that selection of suckler ewes with better udder and teat conformation would reduce intramammary infection and increase lamb growth rate

Multiwell three-dimensional systems enable in vivo screening of immune reactions to biomaterials:a new strategy toward translational biomaterial research

In vivo experiments are accompanied by ethical issues, including sacrificing a large number of animals as well as large costs. A new in vivo 3D screening system was developed to reduce the number of required animals without compromising the results. The present pilot study examined a multiwell array system in combination with three different collagen-based biomaterials (A, B and C) using subcutaneous implantation for 10 days and histological and histomorphometrical evaluations. The tissue reaction towards the device itself was dominated by mononuclear cells. However, three independent biomaterial-specific tissue reactions were observed in three chambers. The results showed a mononuclear cell-based tissue reaction in one chamber (A) and foreign body reaction by multinucleated giant cells in the other two chambers (B and C). Statistical analysis showed a significantly higher number of multinucleated giant cells in cases B and C than in case A (A vs. B; ***P[GRAPHICS].</p

A literature review on surgery for cervical vagal schwannomas

Cervical vagal schwannoma is a benign, slow-growing mass, often asymptomatic, with a very low lifetime risk of malignant transformation in general population, but diagnosis is still a challenge. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice even if its close relationship with nerve fibres, from which it arises, threats vagal nerve preservation. We present a case report and a systematic review of literature. All studies on surgical resection of cervical vagal schwannoma have been reviewed. Papers matching the inclusion criteria (topic on surgical removal of cervical vagal schwannoma, English language, full text available) were selected. Fifty-three patients with vagal neck schwannoma submitted to surgery were identified among 22 studies selected. Female/male ratio was 1.5 and median age 44 years. Median diameter was 5 cm (range 2 to 10). Most schwannoma were asymptomatic (68.2%) and received an intracapsular excision (64.9%). Postoperative symptoms were reported in 22.6% of patients. Cervical vagal schwannoma is a benign pathology requiring surgical excision, but frequently postoperative complications can affect patients lifelong, so, surgical indications should be based carefully on the balance between risks and benefits

Fabrication of PEOT/PBT nanofibers by atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment of electrospinning solutions for tissue engineering

This study focuses on the enhanced electrospinning of 300-Polyethylene oxide-polyethylene oxide terephthalate/polybutylene terephthalate (PEOT/PBT). An atmospheric pressure plasma jet for liquid treatment is applied to a solution with 9 w/v% PEOT/PBT dissolved in either chloroform (CHCl3), CHCl3 + N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), CHCl3 + methanol (MeOH), or CHCl3 + hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP). For all conditions, the plasma-treated samples present better-quality fibers: less or no-beads and uniform fiber diameter distribution. Except for CHCl3 + DMF, no significant changes to the material bulk are detected, as shown with size exclusion chromatography (SEC). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra performed on nanofibers record an increase in C-C bonds for the CHCl3 + DMF combination upon plasma modification, while a shift and slight increase in oxygen-containing bonds is found for the CHCl3 + HFIP and CHCl3 + MeOH mixtures. MTT assay shows no-cytotoxic effects for CHCl3 + DMF, while a better cellular adhesion is found on nanofibers from CHCl3 + MeOH and CHCl3 + HFIP. Among the examined additives, MeOH is preferable as it produces beadless electrospun nanofibers with an average diameter of 290 +/- 100 nm without causing significant changes to the final nanofiber surface properties

Shaking table tests and numerical analyses on a scaled dry-joint arch undergoing windowed sine pulses

The damages occurred during recent seismic events have emphasised the vulnerability of vaulted masonry structures, one of the most representative elements of worldwide cultural heritage. Although a certain consensus has been reached regarding the static behaviour of masonry arches, still more efforts are requested to investigate their dynamic behaviour. In this regard, the present paper aims to investigate the performance of a scaled dry-joint arch undergoing windowed sine pulses. A feature tracking based measuring technique was employed to evaluate the displacement of selected points, shading light on the failure mechanisms and gathering data for the calibration of the numerical model. This was built according to a micro-modelling approach of the finite element method, with voussoirs assumed very stiff and friction interface elements. Comparisons with existing literature are also stressed, together with comments about scale effects.This work was partly financed by FEDER funds through the Competitivity Factors Operational Programme-COMPETE and by national funds through FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007633.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hematological Changes as Prognostic Indicators of Survival: Similarities Between Gottingen Minipigs, Humans, and Other Large Animal Models

The animal efficacy rule addressing development of drugs for selected disease categories has pointed out the need to develop alternative large animal models. Based on this rule, the pathophysiology of the disease in the animal model must be well characterized and must reflect that in humans. So far, manifestations of the acute radiation syndrome (ARS) have been extensively studied only in two large animal models, the non-human primate (NHP) and the canine. We are evaluating the suitability of the minipig as an additional large animal model for development of radiation countermeasures. We have previously shown that the Gottingen minipig manifests hematopoietic ARS phases and symptoms similar to those observed in canines, NHPs, and humans.We establish here the LD50/30 dose (radiation dose at which 50% of the animals succumb within 30 days), and show that at this dose the time of nadir and the duration of cytopenia resemble those observed for NHP and canines, and mimic closely the kinetics of blood cell depletion and recovery in human patients with reversible hematopoietic damage (H3 category, METREPOL approach). No signs of GI damage in terms of diarrhea or shortening of villi were observed at doses up to 1.9 Gy. Platelet counts at days 10 and 14, number of days to reach critical platelet values, duration of thrombocytopenia, neutrophil stress response at 3 hours and count at 14 days, and CRP-to-platelet ratio were correlated with survival. The ratios between neutrophils, lymphocytes and platelets were significantly correlated with exposure to irradiation at different time intervals.As a non-rodent animal model, the minipig offers a useful alternative to NHP and canines, with attractive features including ARS resembling human ARS, cost, and regulatory acceptability. Use of the minipig may allow accelerated development of radiation countermeasures

Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

Depression and sickness behavior are Janus-faced responses to shared inflammatory pathways

It is of considerable translational importance whether depression is a form or a consequence of sickness behavior. Sickness behavior is a behavioral complex induced by infections and immune trauma and mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. It is an adaptive response that enhances recovery by conserving energy to combat acute inflammation. There are considerable phenomenological similarities between sickness behavior and depression, for example, behavioral inhibition, anorexia and weight loss, and melancholic (anhedonia), physio-somatic (fatigue, hyperalgesia, malaise), anxiety and neurocognitive symptoms. In clinical depression, however, a transition occurs to sensitization of immuno-inflammatory pathways, progressive damage by oxidative and nitrosative stress to lipids, proteins, and DNA, and autoimmune responses directed against self-epitopes. The latter mechanisms are the substrate of a neuroprogressive process, whereby multiple depressive episodes cause neural tissue damage and consequent functional and cognitive sequelae. Thus, shared immuno-inflammatory pathways underpin the physiology of sickness behavior and the pathophysiology of clinical depression explaining their partially overlapping phenomenology. Inflammation may provoke a Janus-faced response with a good, acute side, generating protective inflammation through sickness behavior and a bad, chronic side, for example, clinical depression, a lifelong disorder with positive feedback loops between (neuro)inflammation and (neuro)degenerative processes following less well defined triggers