Fleming's veterinary obstetrics : including the diseases and accidents incidental to pregnancy and parturition.

Includes index.

Beiträge zur geschichte der Königl. stadt Eger und des Eger'schen gebiets. Aus urkunden.

Mode of access: Internet.

The sterility of cows, its causes and treatment,

"Literatur": p. 97.

Special pathology and therapeutics of the diseases of domestic animals,

Includes bibliographies.

Effect of age related macular degeneration on the Eger macular stressometer photostress recovery time

Aim: To assess the repeatability of Eger macular stressometer (EMS) measures of photostress recovery and determine their association with other measures of visual function. Methods: EMS photostress recovery time was measured in 90 patients with bilateral exudative age related macular degeneration (AMD), 19 with bilateral atrophic AMD and 47 with both forms of the condition (mean age 79 (SD 13) years). Measurements were made on two occasions separated by 1 year. Intrasession repeatability was assessed by repeating the measures after a 10 minute recovery period at the first visit. Distance visual acuity was measured with a logMAR chart, near visual acuity with a MNRead chart at 25 cm, contrast sensitivity with a Pelli-Robson chart, and the presence of central visual disturbance assessed with an Amsler grid. A questionnaire was used to assess self reported difficulties with glare recovery. Results: The average EMS recovery time was 11.0 (SD 8.9) seconds, decreasing by 1.6 (5.2) seconds on repeated measurement (p<0.05). EMS photostress recovery was not correlated with visual function measures or subjective difficulties with lights (p>0.05). EMS photostress recovery time did not predict those whose vision decreased over the following year compared with those among whom it remained stable. Conclusions: The EMS test is not a useful tool in determining the severity or progression of AMD.

BBC3 - Grime Scene Investigation - Episode 1

Grime Scene Investigation was an eight part television series broadcast on BBC3 during Autumn 2006. In each episode a team of scientists from Aston University would visit a member of the public in their mobile laboratory to reveal the hidden world of microbes living in, on and around them. In this way microbiology was communicated in an informative and entertaining way. In this episode, Grime Scene Investigation dives head first into the murky world of Hooligan Swamp - a Bristolian band who pride themselves on living the rock'n'roll lifestyle to the full. The Swamp are facing an eviction notice and the environmental health authorities are threatening to brand their home a health hazard.

Plant ecology of lowland Alnus Glutinosa woodlands:The management implications of species composition, requirements and distribution

Wet woodlands have been recognised as a priority habitat and have featured in the UK BAP since 1994. Although this has been acknowledged in a number of UK policies and guidelines, there is little information relating to their detailed ecology and management. This research, focusing on lowland Alnus glutinosa woodlands, aimed to address this data paucity through the analysis of species requirements and to develop a methodology to guide appropriate management for this habitat for the benefit of wildlife. To achieve these aims data were collected from 64 lowland Alnus glutinosa woodlands and a review of the literature was undertaken to identify species associated with the target habitat. The groundflora species found to be associated with lowland Alnus glutinosa woodland were assessed in relation to their optimal environmental conditions (Ellenberg indicator values) and survival strategies (Grime CSR-Strategy) to determine the characteristics (Characters of a Habitat; CoaHs) and range of intra-site conditions (Niches of a Habitat; NoaH). The methodologies, using CSR and Ellenberg indicator values in combination, were developed to determine NoaHs and were tested both quantitatively and qualitatively at different lowland Alnus glutinosa sites. The existence of CoaHs and NoaHs in actual sites was verified by detailed quadrat data gathered at three Alnus glutinosa woodlands at Stonebridge Meadows, Warwickshire, UK and analysed using TWINSPAN and DCA ordination. The CoaHs and NoaHs and their component species were confirmed to have the potential to occur in a particular woodland. Following a literature search relating to the management of small wet woodlands within the UK, in conjunction with the current research, broad principles and strategies were identified for the management of lowland Alnus glutinosa woodland. Using the groundflora composition, an innovative procedure is developed and described for identifying the potential variation within a particular site and determining its appropriate management. Case studies were undertaken on distinct woodlands and the methodology proved effective.

Erosive potential of sugar-free hard candies dissolved in water and artificial saliva

Aim: To compare the acidity of sugar-free hard candies dissolved in water and artificial saliva. Methods: Sugar-free Flopi Florestal hard candies (grape, strawberry, cherry, orange, ginger, lemon balm, fennel) were selected and grouped in 2 groups: G-1 (candies dissolved in distilled water) and G-2 (candies dissolved in artificial saliva). Candies were triturated with a porcelain pestle, yielding two samples of 20 g. Samples were dissolved in 120 mL distilled water (G-1) and 120 mL artificial saliva (20 mM NaHCO3, 3 mM NaH2PO4.H2O and 1 mM CaCl2.2H2O) (G-2), obtaining three samples of 30 mL for each of the flavors and groups. pH was measured using potentiometer and combined glass electrode. Titratable acidity was evaluated by adding 100 μL 1M NaOH aliquots until reaching pH 5.5. For statistical analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. Means were compared by the Tukey test at 5% significance level (p<0.05) Results: All flavors of G-1 showed pH values below 5.5. Comparison of groups in the same flavor showed a significant increase in pH in flavors of G-2. Comparison of the titratable acidity between G-1 and G-2, showed that fruit flavors were significantly different from each other, with reduced acidity in G-2. Conclusions: All evaluated candies are acid, and dilution in artificial saliva raised their pH and lowered their titratable acidity, reducing their erosive potential.

Pipkiiα Is Widely Expressed In Hematopoietic-derived Cells And May Play A Role In The Expression Of Alpha- And Gamma-globins In K562 Cells.

Characterized for the first time in erythrocytes, phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases (PIP kinases) belong to a family of enzymes that generate various lipid messengers and participate in several cellular processes, including gene expression regulation. Recently, the PIPKIIα gene was found to be differentially expressed in reticulocytes from two siblings with hemoglobin H disease, suggesting a possible relationship between PIPKIIα and the production of globins. Here, we investigated PIPKIIα gene and protein expression and protein localization in hematopoietic-derived cells during their differentiation, and the effects of PIPKIIα silencing on K562 cells. PIPKIIα silencing resulted in an increase in α and γ globins and a decrease in the proliferation of K562 cells without affecting cell cycle progression and apoptosis. In conclusion, using a cell line model, we showed that PIPKIIα is widely expressed in hematopoietic-derived cells, is localized in their cytoplasm and nucleus, and is upregulated during erythroid differentiation. We also showed that PIPKIIα silencing can induce α and γ globin expression and decrease cell proliferation in K562 cells.

Obesity And Inflammation And The Effect On The Hematopoietic System.

Bone marrow is organized in specialized microenvironments known as 'marrow niches'. These are important for the maintenance of stem cells and their hematopoietic progenitors whose homeostasis also depends on other cell types present in the tissue. Extrinsic factors, such as infection and inflammatory states, may affect this system by causing cytokine dysregulation (imbalance in cytokine production) and changes in cell proliferation and self-renewal rates, and may also induce changes in the metabolism and cell cycle. Known to relate to chronic inflammation, obesity is responsible for systemic changes that are best studied in the cardiovascular system. Little is known regarding the changes in the hematopoietic system induced by the inflammatory state carried by obesity or the cell and molecular mechanisms involved. The understanding of the biological behavior of hematopoietic stem cells under obesity-induced chronic inflammation could help elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in other inflammatory processes, such as neoplastic diseases and bone marrow failure syndromes.

Antiangiogenic And Finasteride Therapies: Responses Of The Prostate Microenvironment In Elderly Mice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the structural and molecular effects of antiangiogenic therapies and finasteride on the ventral prostate of senile mice. 90 male FVB mice were divided into: Young (18 weeks old) and senile (52 weeks old) groups; finasteride group: finasteride (20mg/kg); SU5416 group: SU5416 (6 mg/kg); TNP-470 group: TNP-470 (15 mg/kg,) and SU5416+TNP-470 group: similar to the SU5416 and TNP-470 groups. After 21 days, prostate ventral lobes were collected for morphological, immunohistochemical and Western blotting analyses. The results demonstrated atrophy, occasional proliferative lesions and inflammatory cells in the prostate during senescence, which were interrupted and/or blocked by treatment with antiangiogenic drugs and finasteride. Decreased AR and endostatin reactivities, and an increase for ER-α, ER-β and VEGF, were seen in the senile group. Decreased VEGF and ER-α reactivities and increased ER-β reactivity were verified in the finasteride, SU5416 groups and especially in SU5416+TNP-470 group. The TNP-470 group showed reduced AR and ER-β protein levels. The senescence favored the occurrence of structural and/or molecular alterations suggesting the onset of malignant lesions, due to the imbalance in the signaling between the epithelium and stroma. The SU5416+TNP-470 treatment was more effective in maintaining the structural, hormonal and angiogenic factor balance in the prostate during senescence, highlighting the signaling of antiproliferation via ER-β.

Egfr Activating Mutations And Their Association With Response To Platinum-doublet Chemotherapy In Brazilian Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

The aim of the study was to analyze the frequency of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in Brazilian non-small cell lung cancer patients and to correlate these mutations with response to benefit of platinum-based chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our cohort consisted of prospective patients with NSCLCs who received chemotherapy (platinum derivates plus paclitaxel) at the [UNICAMP], Brazil. EGFR exons 18-21 were analyzed in tumor-derived DNA. Fifty patients were included in the study (25 with adenocarcinoma). EGFR mutations were identified in 6/50 (12 %) NSCLCs and in 6/25 (24 %) adenocarcinomas; representing the frequency of EGFR mutations in a mostly self-reported White (82.0 %) southeastern Brazilian population of NSCLCs. Patients with NSCLCs harboring EGFR exon 19 deletions or the exon 21 L858R mutation were found to have a higher chance of response to platinum-paclitaxel (OR 9.67 [95 % CI 1.03-90.41], p = 0.047). We report the frequency of EGFR activating mutations in a typical southeastern Brazilian population with NSCLC, which are similar to that of other countries with Western European ethnicity. EGFR mutations seem to be predictive of a response to platinum-paclitaxel, and additional studies are needed to confirm or refute this relationship.

Intermittent Fasting Induces Hypothalamic Modifications Resulting In Low Feeding Efficiency, Low Body Mass And Overeating.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an often-used intervention to decrease body mass. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, 24 hour cycles of IF result in light caloric restriction, reduced body mass gain, and significant decreases in the efficiency of energy conversion. Here, we study the metabolic effects of IF in order to uncover mechanisms involved in this lower energy conversion efficiency. After 3 weeks, IF animals displayed overeating during fed periods and lower body mass, accompanied by alterations in energy-related tissue mass. The lower efficiency of energy use was not due to uncoupling of muscle mitochondria. Enhanced lipid oxidation was observed during fasting days, whereas fed days were accompanied by higher metabolic rates. Furthermore, an increased expression of orexigenic neurotransmitters AGRP and NPY in the hypothalamus of IF animals was found, even on feeding days, which could explain the overeating pattern. Together, these effects provide a mechanistic explanation for the lower efficiency of energy conversion observed. Overall, we find that IF promotes changes in hypothalamic function that explain differences in body mass and caloric intake.

The Cratylia Mollis Seed Lectin Induces Membrane Permeability Transition In Isolated Rat Liver Mitochondria And A Cyclosporine A-insensitive Permeability Transition In Trypanosoma Cruzi Mitochondria.

Previous results provided evidence that Cratylia mollis seed lectin (Cramoll 1,4) promotes Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes death by necrosis via a mechanism involving plasma membrane permeabilization to Ca(2+) and mitochondrial dysfunction due to matrix Ca(2+) overload. In order to investigate the mechanism of Ca(2+) -induced mitochondrial impairment, experiments were performed analyzing the effects of this lectin on T. cruzi mitochondrial fraction and in isolated rat liver mitochondria (RLM), as a control. Confocal microscopy of T. cruzi whole cell revealed that Cramoll 1,4 binding to the plasma membrane glycoconjugates is followed by its internalization and binding to the mitochondrion. Electrical membrane potential (∆Ψm ) of T. cruzi mitochondrial fraction suspended in a reaction medium containing 10 μM Ca(2+) was significantly decreased by 50 μg/ml Cramoll 1,4 via a mechanism insensitive to cyclosporine A (CsA, membrane permeability transition (MPT) inhibitor), but sensitive to catalase or 125 mM glucose. In RLM suspended in a medium containing 10 μM Ca(2+) this lectin, at 50 μg/ml, induced increase in the rate of hydrogen peroxide release, mitochondrial swelling, and ∆Ψm disruption. All these mitochondrial alterations were sensitive to CsA, catalase, and EGTA. These results indicate that Cramoll 1, 4 leads to inner mitochondrial membrane permeabilization through Ca(2+) dependent mechanisms in both mitochondria. The sensitivity to CsA in RLM characterizes this lectin as a MPT inducer and the lack of CsA effect identifies a CsA-insensitive MPT in T. cruzi mitochondria.

An Isoflavone From Dipteryx Alata Vogel Is Active Against The In Vitro Neuromuscular Paralysis Of Bothrops Jararacussu Snake Venom And Bothropstoxin I, And Prevents Venom-induced Myonecrosis.

Snakebite is a neglected disease and serious health problem in Brazil, with most bites being caused by snakes of the genus Bothrops. Although serum therapy is the primary treatment for systemic envenomation, it is generally ineffective in neutralizing the local effects of these venoms. In this work, we examined the ability of 7,8,3'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone (TM), an isoflavone from Dipteryx alata, to neutralize the neurotoxicity (in mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations) and myotoxicity (assessed by light microscopy) of Bothrops jararacussu snake venom in vitro. The toxicity of TM was assessed using the Salmonella microsome assay (Ames test). Incubation with TM alone (200 μg/mL) did not alter the muscle twitch tension whereas incubation with venom (40 μg/mL) caused irreversible paralysis. Preincubation of TM (200 μg/mL) with venom attenuated the venom-induced neuromuscular blockade by 84% ± 5% (mean ± SEM; n = 4). The neuromuscular blockade caused by bothropstoxin-I (BthTX-I), the major myotoxic PLA2 of this venom, was also attenuated by TM. Histological analysis of diaphragm muscle incubated with TM showed that most fibers were preserved (only 9.2% ± 1.7% were damaged; n = 4) compared to venom alone (50.3% ± 5.4% of fibers damaged; n = 3), and preincubation of TM with venom significantly attenuated the venom-induced damage (only 17% ± 3.4% of fibers damaged; n = 3; p < 0.05 compared to venom alone). TM showed no mutagenicity in the Ames test using Salmonella strains TA98 and TA97a with (+S9) and without (-S9) metabolic activation. These findings indicate that TM is a potentially useful compound for antagonizing the neuromuscular effects (neurotoxicity and myotoxicity) of B. jararacussu venom.