Search

To analyze postoperative CT dacryography features in patients with persistent epiphora after endonasal surgery.

Lucerne (alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.) is grown extensively worldwide owing to its high forage biomass production and nutritional value. Although this crop is characterised as being tolerant to drought, its production and persistence are affected by water stress. Selection of genotypes of high yield potential and persistence after a long period of drought is a major objective for lucerne-breeding programmes in Mediterranean environments. This selection could be enhanced and accelerated by the use of physiological and productivity traits and their estimation through remote-sensing methods. A set of nine cultivars of lucerne from Australia and the USA were assessed in four locations in Mediterranean central-south Chile. Several physiological and productivity traits were evaluated: forage yield (FY), stomatal conductance (gs), water potential (WP), leaf area index (LAI), nitrogen (N) content, and isotope composition (δ13C and δ18O) of the dry matter. Spectral-reflectance data were used to estimate the traits through spectral-reflectance indices (SRIs) and multivariate regression methods. For the SRI-based estimations, the R2 values for each assessment were <0.65. However, traits such as LAI, WP, gs, and N content showed higher R2 values when data from the different assessments were combined. Regression-based estimation showed prediction power similar to or higher than the SRI-based approaches. The highest R2 value was for δ13C (0.78), but for most traits the combination of data from different assessments led to higher trait estimation, with respective R2 values for LAI, FY, WP and gs of 0.67, 0.71, 0.63 and 0.85. Among regression methods, the best estimation was achieved by using support vector machine regression. The use of spectral-reflectance data collected at field level and multivariate regression models has great potential to estimate physiological and productivity traits in lucerne under water deficit and could be useful in lucerne-breeding programmes.

Heat stress (HS) pigs reduce their voluntary feed intake (VFI) and ingestion of indispensable amino acids (AA). Increasing the dietary crude protein (CP) content may help to correct the reduced AA intake by HS pigs, but it may further increase their body heat load. Increasing the AA intake by adding free AA to the diet does not affect the heat load of HS pigs. Two 21-d experiments were conducted. In Exp. 1, 30 pigs (31.1 ± 1.2 kg initial body weight) were used to determine the performance depression because of HS. Treatments were: thermo neutral pigs fed a 22% CP control diet (TN-C); HS pigs fed the control diet (HS-C); HS pigs fed a 14% CP, AA supplemented diet (HS-AA). HS pigs had lower ADG and Lys utilization efficiency, and consumed 20 and 25% less Lys and Thr, respectively, than the TN-C pigs (P< 0.05). In Exp. 2 (comparative slaughter), 25 pigs (33.6 ± 0.65 kg initial body weight) were used to evaluate the effect of extra dietary AA either as protein-bound or free AA on the performance and carcass traits of HS pigs. Treatments were: control wheat-SBM-free Lys, Thr and Met diet (CON); diet with 30% more CP than CON (HSxP); diet added with free AA to contain at least 25% more of each AA than the recommended level (HSxAA). Ambient temperature (AT) ranged from 27.7 to 37.7°C, and body temperature (39.9 to 41.2°C) followed a similar daily pattern as the AT did. There was no dietary treatment effect on daily feed and NE intake (P> 0.10), but the Lys, Thr, and Met intake was higher in pigs fed the HSxP or HSxAA diets than in pigs fed the CON diet (P< 0.05). The daily weight gain (ADG) was not affected (P> 0.10) but G:F tended to be higher and the Lys utilization efficiency (ADG, g/g Lys intake) tended to be lower in HSxP pigs than in CON pigs (P< 0.10). The HSxAA pigs had higher ADG (P< 0.05), and tended to have higher weight of hot carcass and leg muscle, and the weight gain of hot carcass and leg muscle than the CON pigs (P< 0.10). The weight and daily weight gain of loin muscle was higher in the HSxAA than in the HSxP pigs (P< 0.05). Kidney weight and serum urea in HSxP pigs were higher than in CON and HSxAA pigs, but spleen weight was higher in HSxAA pigs than in CON and HSxP pigs (P< 0.05). These results confirm that HS reduces the VFI, and show that increased levels of AA either as free or protein-bound do not additionally reduce the VFI of HS pigs. These also show that extra free AA supply rather than protein-bound AA better ameliorate the reduced growth performance of HS pigs.

Saline nasal irrigation and gargling improve respiratory symptoms associated with coronavirus infection. This study determines the role of two saline regimens on symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2.

In Chile, genetic improvement of Radiata pine has been directed towards characters such as volume, form and wood density. Estimation of genetic parameters for growth and biomass traits in young seedlings, as a tool for early indirect selection in the P. radiata breeding program, has not been explored yet. We aimed to estimate genetic parameters for growth and biomass traits. Five-month-old P. radiata seedlings grown under wellwatered (WW) and water stress (WS) regimes were evaluated. Root collar diameter, height, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, total dry weight, height/diameter ratio and root/shoot ratio were analyzed in both treatments. Trait with the highest heritability was root/shoot ratio in WW and WS regime (h2= 0.80 and 0.63 respectively). The highest genetic correlation was between height and shoot dry weight (rg= 0.90), under WW regime. In contrast, there were negative genetic correlations between root collar diameter and height/diameter ratio under WS regime. To breed for drought tolerance, traits such as height and root collar diameter would be effective targets for indirect selection since estimated heritabilities are high, there is sizable genetic variation, they are easily assessed, they can be measured non-destructively and they have a high genetic correlation with root/shoot ratio, a trait related to drought tolerance. The measurement of dry weights for early selection purposes is not recommended.

Radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) is the most important tree species in Chilean forest economy that was introduced to the country in 1892. Despite its economical end ecological relevance, no information about its genetic diversity is today available. Forty individuals of P. radiata, representing all populations in the Chilean radiata pine breeding program were genotyped with five microsatellite loci in order to determine genetic diversity and structure of Chilean plantations. The results of genetic diversity indicated that, after its introduction and mass planting, Chilean plantations of P. radiata has retained levels of genetic diversity similar to those of the natural populations of the species (HE=0.87, A=11.4). Genetic differentiation among populations (FST=0.04) was low, which means that the genetic variation present in radiata pine in Chile is partitioned among populations, indicating they are poorly differentiated. The structure analysis indicated the genetic base of the present plantations in Chile comes only from one provenance of the native populations. The genetic information provided important implications for the future breeding programs of P. radiata in Chile.

Shortly after feeding protein-depleted mice with a meal containing protein, the RNA polymerase I activity in isolated liver nuclei shows a 2-fold increase over the values in the nuclei of either normal or protein-depleted mice. The activity of the RNA polymerase I solubilized from nuclei of re-fed mice was slightly enhanced, probably reflecting an increase in enzyme amount. However, this increase only accounts for about 30% of the stimulation of transcription in the intact nuclei. Administration of pactamycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, to normal or protein-depleted mice has almost no inhibitory effect on the RNA polymerase I activity in the isolated nuclei. On the contrary, within 15 min after treatment with the drug, the stimulated activity in nuclei from re-fed mice declines towards the values in normal or protein-depleted mice and then remains constant. The activity of the solubilized enzyme remains slightly elevated for at least 2 1/2 h after re-fed mice are treated with pactamycin. These observations indicate that the stimulation of the RNA polymerase I activity in the intact nuclei after re-feeding is controlled by mechanisms other than an increase in the enzyme amount and suggest the presence of short-lived proteins required for inducing an activated state of transcription.

The nucleoside analogues fluorouridine and fluorodeoxyuridine (both at 100 muM) and 8-azaguanine (at 500 muM) inhibit both rRNA transcription and processing in Ehrlich ascites cells. In BHK21 cells fluorodeoxyuridine has no effect on either rRNA maturation or transcription, whereas toyocamycin (at 2 microM) inhibits both processes in BHK21 cells and Ehrlich ascites cells. The drugs inhibit transcription in cells incubated in the complete medium, but have no effect on the decreased transcription in cells incubated in a medium without amino acids. This lack of effect cannot be explained by an altered uptake of the drugs in the amino acid-starved cells, since maturation of the rRNA precursor is affected in cells incubated in media with or without amino acids. The effect of the drugs on rRNA transcription is not the consequence of the inhibition of protein synthesis. The results lend support to the proposal that rRNA processing and transcription are co-ordinately controlled in cells with a high rate of rRNA synthesis.

Ambient temperature (AT) changes dramatically within a 24-h period in areas where it is above the thermoneutral (TN) zone of pigs. Usually, morning AT is close to the pig TN zone but afternoon AT causes heat stress (HS). These changes may affect the absorption and metabolism of AA. The serum concentration (SC) of free AA during the absorptive and postabsorptive phases reflects their absorption and cellular metabolism, respectively. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to analyze the SC of free AA in pigs exposed to the morning comfort-like AT or the afternoon HS conditions. Six pigs (Landrace–Hampshire–Duroc; 27.1 ± 1.3 kg initial BW) were used. A thermometer was subcutaneously implanted to register body temperature (BT) at 15-min intervals; AT was also recorded during the 14-d study. Blood samples were collected on the last 3 d of the experiment, at 0600 (preprandial and lowest AT), 1200 (5 h postprandial and mild HS), and 1600 h (9 h postprandial and severe HS). The pigs received the same amount (1.2 kg/d) of an AA-supplemented, wheat–soybean meal diet, in 2 equal meals (0700 and 1900 h). The temperatures registered at 0600, 1200, and 1600 h were 30.6, 39.0, and 41.1°C, respectively, for AT and 38.3, 39.8, and 40.3°C, respectively, for BT. The BT was highly (r= 0.92) and significantly (P< 0.001) correlated with AT. The SC (µM/mL) at 0600, 1200, and 1600 h were 0.179, 0.208, and 0.174, respectively, for Arg; 0.065, 0.068, and 0.063, respectively, for His; 0.090, 0.116, and 0.101, respectively, for Ile; 0.135, 0.138, and 0.125, respectively, for Leu; 0.052, 0.129, and 0.096, respectively, for Lys; 0.025, 0.029, and 0.026, respectively, for Met; 0.078, 0.092, and 0.074, respectively, for Phe; 0.116, 0.142, and 0.114, respectively, for Thr; 0.028, 0.027, and 0.026, respectively, for Trp; and 0.205, 0.245, and 0.224, respectively, for Val. Serum Ile, Lys, Met, Val, Ala, Asn, and Pro were higher (P≤ 0.01) and Arg, Phe, Glu, and Tyr tended to be higher (P≤ 0.10) but Cys was lower (P< 0.05) at 1200 h than at 0600 h. Lysine was higher, Cys and Tyr were lower (P< 0.05), and Ile and Val tended to be higher (P≤ 0.10) at 1600 h than at 0600 h. Serum Arg, Ile, Phe, Ala, Asn, Gln, Pro, Ser, and Tyr were lower (P< 0.05) and Leu and Val tended to be lower at 1600 h than at 1200 h. These data indicate that AT directly modifies the BT and that diurnal variations in AT differently affect the daily absorption and utilization of AA in pigs exposed to comfort-like AT and HS conditions.

Two different solid solutions of pyralspite garnet have been investigated as to their optical absorption and EPR properties. The absorption band around 9850 cm[?]1 is due to Fe2+. After heating above 950 degC we found this band diminishes considerably; which was interpreted as Fe2+ loosing an electron to become Fe3+. The EPR spectrum of sample consisted of a straight line with angular coefficient of about 176deg. After 600degC/1hr annealing, the spectrum starts deviating from a straight line. A strong typical EPR signal is observed around g = 2.0 after annealing at 850degC. We assume that with high temperature annealing a large number of Fe2+ are converted to Fe3+ as the optical absorption has shown. These results were also confirmed by chemical reaction. The susceptibility vs. magnetic field measurement has shown that the samples annealed at temperatures below 850degC present normal paramagnetic behavior, however, annealed above 900 degC, they show hysteresis, namely ferromagnetic behavior.