Marta González

Outbreak of avian tuberculosis in 48-week-old commercial layer hen flock.

SUMMARY. This report describes an outbreak of tuberculosis in a flock of 38,500 48-wk-old layer hens. Clinical characteristics of the process included a gradual drop in egg production and feed intake, as well as an increased mortality rate. Two well-defined clinical features were observed. On the one hand, a number of birds displayed good body condition and continued to lay but presented granulomatous nodular lesions, particularly in the infraorbital sinus, liver, and intestine. In contrast, other hens were emaciated and presented granulomatous lesions of various sizes throughout the internal organs. The lesions observed in the various organs of all the affected birds consisted of granulomas containing acid/alcohol-fast bacilli. The presence of Mycobacterium avium was confirmed through polymerase chain reaction techniques. This report describes the epidemiologic and histopathologic characteristics of the outbreak.

Immunocytochemical Study of the Diffuse Neuroendocrine System Cells in Equine Lungs

This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of neuroendocrine cells (N.E.C.) by immunocytochemical means in equine lungs during three distinct evolutionary periods: fetal, neonatal and adult. The authors identified bombesin, somatostatin and calcitonin secretory cells. In the fetal lungs the N.E.C. were located in the interstitial tissue and exhibited greater immunoreactivity to bombesin than to the other two neuropeptides studied. A large number of calcitonin‐producing cells and a smaller number of bombesin‐positive cells were seen in the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium of newborn Equidae. In the adult equine lungs far fewer N.E.C. were observed than in the earlier stages. Somatostatin‐producing cells were not seen in neonatal or adult lung tissue.

Fibroblastic growth factor receptor (FGF-R) expression during uterine involution in goat

To investigate the possible participation of fibroblastic growth factors (FGFs) in endometrial involution, 20 multiparous goats, slaughtered on days 0, 1, 4, 10, 16 and 22 postpartum (pp), were used. Samples of different parts of the previous pregnant horns were taken and processed using streptoavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method to analyse FGF receptor (FGF-R) expression. The percentage of positive cells in luminal epithelium, superficial and deep glands and stroma was evaluated. Epithelial, glandular and stromal cells exhibited FGF-R immunoreactivity. No differences between caruncular and inter-caruncular epithelium were observed and staining was most evident in the superficial glands. The greatest degree of FGF-R expression was seen on days 10 and 16 pp, coinciding with epithelial and stromal cellular regeneration. These results suggest that caprine uterine involution is associated with variations in the expression of FGF-R.

Caprine testicular hypoplasia associated with sexual reversion decreases the expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) mRNA in testes.

The genetic expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) mRNA was studied in healthy adult testes and in hypoplastic testes of polled Murciano-Granadina goats by means of in situ hybridization. A positive reaction in spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes and a few peritubular myoid cells was observed using the ovine antisense oligonucleotide in healthy testes. The hypoplastic testes displayed a loss of germinal epithelium and a slight thickening of the basement membranes. A limited number of immature germinal cells displayed a lesser hybridization reaction, while the expression of IGF-II mRNA observed in the peritubular myoid cells was similar to that seen in healthy testes. In hypoplastic testes, IGF-II mRNA expression within germinal cells decreased with increasing hypoplasia within the seminiferous epithelium and there was no hybridization within the tubules in cases of severely disrupted spermatogenesis. These results suggest that testicular hypoplasia is associated with changes in the expression of IGF-II mRNA.

Capillaria contorta parasitism in red-legged partridge under farm conditions in Spain: histopathology of the upper digestive system

Capillaria contorta is a parasitic nematode of the oesophagus and crop of a number of domestic and wild birds. This study deals with three cases of capillariasis in the red-legged partridge. Infected individuals in two of these cases presented a history of weight loss, weakness, feather alterations and death, while morbidity and mortality were limited. In the third case, deaths occurred only after the birds were freed for repopulation purposes. Congestion of the crop was seen at necropsy. Histological examination revealed the presence of parasites and their eggs in the epithelium of the oesophagus and crop of every partridge. The worms displayed a characteristic distribution in all three cases: adults were found in the basal portion of the epithelium while the eggs were located in the middle. In one bird, parasites were observed in the anterior segment of the proventriculus. The fundamental epithelial lesion consisted of spongiosis of the oesophagus and crop. In the individual with proventricular parasitism, epidermoid metaplasia was also seen. The inflammatory reaction observed in the lamina propria was discrete and diffuse, except in those cases in which epithelial necrosis and bacterial colonies were detected.

Farmacología clínica de la ranolazina, un nuevo fármaco en el tratamiento de la angina crónica estable

La ranolazina es un derivado piperazinico con un nuevo mecanismo de accion que ha sido aprobado para su uso en combinacion en pacientes con angina cronica estable. La isquemia miocardica aumenta la corriente tardia de entrada de Na+ en las celulas cardiacas (INaL) e incrementa la concentracion de sodio intracelular ([Na+]i), lo que, a su vez, activa el modo inverso del intercambiador Na+-Ca2+ y aumenta la concentracion de calcio intracelular ([Ca2+]i). Este aumento en Na+i y Ca2+i conduce a una disfuncion mecanica (aumenta la presion diastolica y reduce la contractilidad y el aporte coronario de O2), electrica (produce arritmias) y mitocondrial (aumenta las demandas miocardicas de O2 y reduccion de la formacion de adenosintrifosfato). La ranolazina inhibe selectivamente la INaL, reduce la acumulacion intracelular de Na+ y la posterior de Ca2+ inducido por el Na+, asi como las anomalias mecanicas, electricas y metabolicas en el miocardio isquemico o insuficiente. En ensayos clinicos controlados realizados en pacientes con angina cronica estable, la ranolazina ejerce acciones antianginosas y antiisquemicas y, en pacientes con sindrome coronario agudo, ejerce acciones antiarritmicas. Ademas, reduce la glucohemoglobina en pacientes coronarios diabeticos y mejora la funcion ventricular en pacientes con cardiopatia isquemica o insuficiencia cardiaca cronica. La ranolazina es un farmaco bien tolerado cuyos efectos adversos mas comunes son nauseas, mareos, astenia y estrenimiento. Por todo lo anterior, la ranolazina representa una alternativa segura y eficaz en pacientes con angina cronica estable con sintomas no controlados o que no toleran los farmacos antianginosos convencionales

Flow cytometric analysis of oestrogen receptors in relation to histopathologic characteristics of DMIBA-induced mammary tumours in rats

Experimental DMBA (7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene)-induced mammary tumours in Sprague-Dawley rats are studied. Percentages of the distinct types of adenocarcinomas (Stevens et al. 1965) were as follows: type A (poorly-differentiated), 8.8%; type B (well-differentiated), 65.5%; type C (atrophic), 15.5% and type D (secretory), 5.4%. 51% of the mammary adenocarcinomas were seen to be positive to oestradiol receptors by means of flow cytometry; type A adenocarcinomas were found to be the most frequent positive tumours (88.9% positive cases) whereas the last adenocarcinomas to appear (type D) were negative. These results suggest that the oestradiol-sensitivity of DMBA-induced mammary adenocarcinomas decreases as the post tumour-induction period lengthens.

Universal test-bench for charging/discharging of Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries

At present, Ni-Cd secondary batteries are the most used batteries in a large number of applications because of their high performance. Ultrafast charging in less than an hour is a very attractive service for users of such batteries, saving time and reducing the need for spares or larger batteries, but this requires a charge control more complex than conventional methods. In order to study how battery performances are modified as a function of the fast-charge method used, a test-bench for Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries has been developed. The proposed test-bench allows the realization of all types of charging/discharging tests although its main task is to perform fast-charge tests. Using a computer, a user-friendly program allows the setting of test parameters as well as microcontroller-based test automation. The system stores data from all cycles of the test: battery temperature; current; voltage; and environment temperature, for later dissemination.

Development of a deceleration system for unwinding machine using a microcontroller

The development of an automatic deceleration system for a winding machine in a siderurgy factory is shown in this paper. The system not only supplies the angular speed reference, but a bobbin diameter measurement as well; it must be able to recognize emergency stop signals and supply certain parameters to process supervision. The specifications required to control the system point to digital technics as the better solution to perform DC control; in this case, a microcontroller was used. This work has been financed by Asturias (SPAIN) siderurgy enterprise ENSIDESA.<<ETX>>

Cyclic GMP-gated channels are co-localized with a population of Interstitial cells, but not with neuronal NOS, in the rat urethra

The present study further analyse the presence of cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels and its involvement in the nitrergic urethral relaxation. Our functional results confirm and extend to the rat those previously found in the sheep urethra [1]. Moreover, rat urethra is even more sensitive to the effect of L-cis-diltiazem, a selective inhibitor of CNG channels. Double-labelling immunofluorescence was performed on fixed sections (30 μm) of rat urethra to visualize CNG1 subtype channels (goat anti-rat CNG1//FITC-conjugated donkey anti-goat) and its colocalization with either neuronal NOS(rabbit anti-rat nNOS//Rhodamine-conjugated donkey anti-rabbit) or vimentin(mouse anti-vimentin//Rhodamine-conjugated donkey anti-mouse) positive cells. Micrographs of the from 2nd International Conference of cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications Potsdam, Germany, 10–12 June, 2005