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Table S1. Colonization with resistant Gram-negative bacteria at ICU discharge. (DOCX 17 kb)

Table S5. Rectal colonization, acquisition and persistence of resistant Gram-negative bacteria (ARGNB) at ICU discharge and at Tâ =â 3, 6 and 10Â days. (DOCX 15 kb)

Table S2. Analysis in which intrinsically resistant bacteria are also included. Rectal colonization with resistant Gram-negative bacteria at and after ICU discharge. (DOCX 39 kb)

Figure S2-S8. Time to first rectal colonization after ICU discharge with Gram-negative bacteria resistant to ceftazidime, tobramycin, meropenem, colistin, ESBL-producing bacteria and bacteria with multiresistance pattern A or B. (DOCX 72 kb)

Table S3. Colonization with resistant Gram-negative bacteria after ICU discharge. (DOCX 17 kb)

Table S4. Analysis in which intrinsically resistant bacteria are also included. Rectal colonization with resistant Gram-negative bacteria at ICU discharge and at different time points after ICU discharge. (DOCX 38 kb)

Figure S1. Time to first rectal colonization after ICU discharge with Gram-negative bacteria resistant to ciprofloxacin. (DOCX 20 kb)

Summary Thirty-three pairs of pigs were fed from 25 to 95 kg live weight on a ration of the same composition but distributed in a different way. The weekly amount being equal, the partitioning occured over 6 (treatment A) or 7 days (treatment B). There were 2 meals per day and the feed was distributed in a wet form. Weight gain, feed conversion efficiency (FCE), and carcass composition were measured. At the end of the experiment serum insulin levels were recorded following the ingestion of an equal amount of feed in the 2 treatment groups. The zootechnical performances were in both sexes less favourable on the A-treatment. In females, daily weight gain, FCE and dressing percentage were significantly reduced; in barrows, fat/meat ratio and the calculated protein and fat (ether-extract) contents of the carcass indicated significantly fatter carcasses, despite the identical amount of ingested feed over the whole experimental period. The level of circulating insulin, 90 minutes after feed ingestion, fell significantly more in the pigs (barrows as well as females) on the B treatment. This was brought in connection with the difference in carcass composition of the 2 treatments. It is suggested that other factors as presentation of the feed, race and sex may also influence the feed intake pattern and consequently induce hormonal adaptations, which result in changes in lipogenesis. Zusammenfassung Der Einflus der quantitativen Futterzuteilung auf Gewichtszunahme, Schlachtkorperzusammensetzung und Seruminsulinspiegel beim Schwein Es wurden Versuche mit 66 Schweinen, eingeteilt in zwei Gruppen, je 33 kastrierte Eber und 33 Sauen, im Gewichtsbereich von 25–95 kg, durchgefuhrt. Die Schweine erhielten das gleiche Futter. Die wochentlich zugeteilte Futtermenge war ebenfalls gleich, allerdings in Gruppe A uber sechs Tage und in der Gruppe B uber sieben Tage — bei taglich zwei Mahlzeiten — angeboten. Als Meskriterien dienten die Gewichtsentwicklung, die Futterverwertung und die Schlachtkorperzusammensetzung. Ferner wurde am Ende des Versuches die Seruminsulinkonzentration bis 90 Minuten nach der Einnahme einer fur beide Gruppen gleichen Futtermenge gemessen. Die Sauen der Gruppe A zeigten eine signifikant schlechtere Gewichtszunahme, Futterverwertung und Schlachtausbeute. Die Kastraten der Gruppe A wiesen ein schlechteres Fleisch-Fett-Verhaltnis auf und der berechnete Eiweis-Fettgehalt im Schlachtkorper lag in der Gruppe A schlechter als in Gruppe B. Die Seruminsulin-konzentration 90 Minuten nach der Mahlzeit lag bei der Gruppe B signifikant niedriger als bei der Gruppe A. Diese Differenz in der Insulinsekretion wird mit der unterschiedlichen Korperzusammensetzung der beiden Gruppen in Zusammenhang gebracht. In der Diskussion wird darauf hingewiesen, das weitere Faktoren wie Struktur des Futters (Pellets oder Mehl), Rasse und Geschlecht der Tiere die Futteraufnahme beeinflussen und deshalb die hormonale Adaptation beeinflussen konnen, woraus eine Veranderung der Lipogenese resultieren kann.

Since the early 1990s, Flemish agriculture has been confronted with serious nutrient problems. Recently, the Flemish Government started encouraging farmers to take responsibility for the manure problem. This was done by giving them the choice between a manure administration system, based on fixed standards, or a nutrient balance system. In this project a methodology for the composition of nutrient balances at farm level in Flanders was developed. This methodology defines input–output models for the different sectors (cattle, pigs and poultry) and fixes rules on how to determine quantities and nutrient contents for several products. In addition, nutrient flows were followed during 1 year on 40 Flemish farms in different sectors and a mineral balance was calculated for each of them. Four major restrictions to the accurate calculation of farm level nutrient balances were identified: (1) the wide variability that is allowed between actual and reported nutrient composition of concentrated feed; (2) the estimates of the amount and composition of manure; (3) the assessment of changes in standing stock on the farm between the beginning and end of the reporting period and (4) the accuracy of the data supplied by the farmers.

SDS–PAGE and Western blotting of lectin inhibitors (bovine and porcine plasma powder, whole egg powder and fetuin) was performed and blots were incubated with several biotinylated lectins commercially available ( Phaseolus vulgaris E , Pisum sativum , Lens culinaris , Vicia faba ). In order to study the effect of pH on the binding of the lectins to glycoproteins present in the inhibitors, identical blots were incubated in buffers with different pH values, i.e. 3–7, respectively. Binding capacity of lectins to the glycoproteins in the inhibitors was very dependent on pH condition during incubation: for all the lectins involved in this experiment, pH values lower than 4 inhibited the binding process considerably. Results are discussed taking into account the low pH values prevailing in the stomach of pigs.

The effects on faecal characteristics of different concentrations of oligofructose (0, 3, 6 and 9%) were investigated. The 6 and 9% supplemented groups differed significantly compared with the control group in almost all faecal characteristics. There were no significant differences regarding the macroscopical and chemical aspects of the faeces between the control and the 3% supplemented group. There was a trend for a lower pH of the faeces in the 3% supplemented group, suggesting a substantial effect on the faecal composition. In a second experiment, the effects of oligofructose (3%) and inulin (3 and 6%) on digestibility parameters were tested. In the supplemented groups the apparent protein digestibility was lower but this was due to a higher bacterial nitrogen content of the faeces. There were no significant differences between 3% inulin and oligofructose, although oligofructose seemed to be more easily fermentable, because of a trend to a higher concentration of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the faeces of the oligofructose group.

Summary Eight female pigs (26–61 kg) provided with a simple T-cannula about 10 cm proximal to the ileo-caecal valve, were used in two experiments to investigate the effects of Ca/P ratio, P level and supplementation with phytase (500 FTU/kg) on the breakdown of phytic acid (IP6), partition of P and phytase activity along the alimentary tract in pigs. In experiment 1, two Ca/P ratios (1.5/1 and 2.2/1) and two P levels (0.34 and 0.47%) were tested according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement within a Latin square design. In experiment 2, the maize-tapioca-soybean meal-based diets of experiment 1 were supplemented with phytase (500 FTU/kg). No lower inositolphosphates, but substantial phytase activities were detected in the ileal digesta and faeces. Significant faecal amounts of IP6 were found only for diets with a wide Ca/P ratio, due to its antagonistic effect on phytase activity. The addition of feed phosphate increased the proportion of inorganic P (Pi), but reduced the phytase activity in the small intestine. Breakdown of IP6 at the terminal ileum was 16.2% for the diets without phytase supplementation and was due to microbial activity. Supplementation with phytase tripled the pre-caecal breakdown of IP6. However, the liberated Pi along the small intestine was not absorbed by the animal, but incorporated in microbial biomass as shown by lower organic matter (OM) disappearance and unaffected P disappearance ( Seynaeve et al.; J. Anim. Physiol. a. Anim. Nutr. 83, 36–48, 2000 ), increased phytase activity (+28%), higher organic nonphytate P fraction (+36%) and higher amounts of bacterial residues or intestinal cell debris residues (+43%) in the small intestine. The digestibility experiments indicate that P absorption from feed phosphate takes place to a large extent proximally to the ileo-caecal valve. The phosphorus that is liberated by added microbial phytase from phytate in feedstuffs causes an increase in the microbial population in the small intestine of pigs but only becomes available for absorption by the pig in the caecum/colon region.

Eight female pigs (26–61 kg) provided with a simple T-cannula about 10 cm proximal to the ileo-caecal valve, were used in two experiments to investigate the effects of Ca/P ratio, P level and supplementation with phytase (500 FTU/kg) on precaecal, post-ileal and total tract disappearances of organic matter (OM), phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca). In experiment 1, two Ca/P ratios and two P levels were tested according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement within a Latin square design. In experiment 2, the diets of experiment 1 were supplemented with phytase (500 FTU/kg). There was a substantial absorption of OM, P and Ca in the post-ileal tract for all diets. Precaecal and total tract disappearances of OM were reduced by phytase addition (−4.4 and −0.8%, respectively). Supplementation with phytase resulted in an improvement of total tract and post-ileal P disappearances by 10.3 and 12.1%, respectively, without affecting precaecal P disappearance. Addition of feed phosphate resulted in a higher precaecal disappearance of P (+10.8%), resulting in a higher total tract disappearance of P (+5.9%). Addition of limestone had little effect on disappearances of OM, P and Ca, but reduced activity of supplemental phytase and had a negative influence on growth performance. Precaecal, post-ileal and total tract Ca disappearances were hardly affected by the examined dietary factors. The results might indicate that P from feed phosphate is absorbed primarily prececally and that P from phytate, liberated by microbial phytases, is dominantly absorbed post-illeally.

In a growth trial with pigs, the effect of the inclusion of 150 and 300 g of Lupinus albus seeds/kg of feed in the diet was investigated. Parameters studied were: growth, feed utilization, digestibility of nutrients, slaughter and carcass characteristics. Spray dried whole egg powder, a specific inhibitor of lectins in L. albus seeds was also added (50 g/kg of feed), with the aim of verifying whether the unfavourable effects of high levels of lupin seeds could be neutralized. Feeding the diet containing 300 g of lupin seeds/kg lowered the average daily gain from 727 to 674 g and feed intake from 2.32 to 2.05 kg, while feed conversion ratio remained unaltered. The presence of whole egg powder in the lupin seed diets did not abolish the negative effects. Apparent faecal digestibility of most nutrients in the diets was not influenced by addition of lupin seeds or egg powder, except for the crude fat fraction, whereas the digestibility coefficient increased from 0.51 to 0.61. Crude fibre digestibility also increased, but only at the lowest lupin seed level. Carcass weight and dressing percentage were lower in the groups fed the highest lupin seed level. Fatty acid profile of backfat was determined and slightly higher proportions of C18:1 were observed when lupin seeds were fed. Possible reasons accounting for the lower performance of animals receiving lupin seeds are discussed, but the exact reason could not be derived from this experiment.

The use of dry feeds for dogs is increasing for different reasons: in comparison to wet canned feed it is easier to handle, the amount to be given is smaller and the daily cost is less. In producing a dry pellet more vegetable ingredients are used that can contain several antinutritional factors. Some of them can be eliminated by heating. Others like galactosides and phytates are heat-resistant but can be broken down by adding the appropriate enzymes. The specific enzymes are indeed not secreted by the animal itself. In farm animals, e.g. pigs, alpha-galactosidase has been introduced in order to enhance the energetic value of these alphagalactosides (Veldman et al. 1993). In companion animals this enzyme is more often indicated as an antiflatulence agent, because the main alpha-galactosides present in legume seeds (stachyose, raffinose) are known as flatulence components (Fleming 1981). These oligosaccharides do not necessarily imply an overall lower nutrient digestibility. Zuo et al. (1996) did not prove a significant difference in digestibility between conventional and low oligosaccharide soybean meal in dog rations. Others however, (Wiernusz et al. 1995) reported the highest digestibilities and the best stool quality of those rations that contained the least amount of soybean oligosaccharides. On the other hand, phytates (phospho-inositols) are known as complexing agents of several divalent cations (Fe, Mg, Zn, Ca) and are themselves considered as a phosphorus source, unavailable to monogastric animals. Phytase is the appropriate enzyme, which is not secreted by the animal itself, but, when added to the diet, can enhance the bio-availability of several minerals and trace elements (Rimbach et al. 1994) by hydrolysing the phospho-inositol molecule. The aim of the experiment, reported here, is to investigate the influence of the addition of alpha-galactosidase, phytase, or both to a nearly complete vegetable ration, consisting of a relatively high content of galactosides and phytates. The combination of both enzymes was carried out because Wenk et al. (1993) reported a possible interaction between a carbohydrase and a phytase enzyme in pigs.

In this paper, the non-target effects of tebufenozide were evaluated on the estuarine crustacean, the opposum shrimp Neomysis integer (Leach, 1814). Tebufenozide is a synthetic non-steroidal ecdysone agonist insecticide and regarded as potential endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). N. integer is the most used crustacean in ecotoxicological research in parallel to Daphnia sp. and has been proposed for the regulatory testing of potential EDCs in the US, Europe and Japan.Major results were: (i) cDNAs encoding the ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) and the retinoid-X-receptor (RXR), were cloned and sequenced, and subsequent molecular phylogenetic analysis (maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining) revealed that the amino acid sequence of the ligand binding domain (LBD) of N. integer EcR (NiEcR) clusters as an outgroup of the Crustacea, while NiRXR-LBD clusters in the Malacostracan clade (bootstrap percentage = 75%). (ii) 3D-modeling of ligand binding to NiEcR-LBD demonstrated an incompatibility of the insecticide tebufenozide to fit into the NiEcR-ligand binding pocket. This was in great contrast to ponasterone A (PonA) that is the natural molting hormone in Crustacea and for which efficient docking was demonstrated. In addition, the heterodimerization of NiEcR-LBD with the common shrimp Crangon crangon (Linnaeus, 1758) RXR-LBD (CrcRXR-LBD) was also modeled in silico. (iii) With use of insect Hi5 cells, chimeric constructs of NiEcR-LBD and CrcRXR-LBD fused to either the yeast Gal4-DNA binding domain (DBD) or Gal4-activation domain (AD) were cloned into expression plasmids and co-transfected with a Gal4 reporter to quantify the protein–protein interactions of NiEcR-LBD with CrcRXR-LBD. Investigation of the ligand effect of PonA and tebufenozide revealed that only the presence of PonA could induce dimerization of this heterologous receptor complex. (iv) Finally, in an in vivo toxicity assay, N. integer juveniles were exposed to tebufenozide at a concentration of 100 µg/L, and no effects against the molting process and nymphal development were scored.In conclusion, the in vitro cell reporter assay, based on NiEcR-LBD/CrcRXR-LBD heterodimerization in Hi5 cells and validated with the natural ecdysteroid hormone PonA, represents a useful tool for the screening of putative EDCs. As a test example for non-steroidal ecdysone agonist insecticides, tebufenozide had no negative effects on NiEcR/RXR receptor dimerization in vitro, nor on the molting process and nymphal development of N. integer at the tested concentration (100 µg/L) in vivo.

To air challenging issues related to patient and market access to new anticancer agents, the Biotherapy Development Association--an international group focused on developing targeted cancer therapies using biological agents--convened a meeting on 29 November 2007 in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting provided a forum for representatives of pharmaceutical companies and academia to interact with European regulatory and postregulatory agencies. The goal was to increase all parties' understanding of their counterparts' roles in the development, licensure, and appraisal of new agents for cancer treatment, events guided by an understanding that cancer patients should have rapid and equitable access to life-prolonging treatments. Among the outcomes of the meeting were a greater understanding of the barriers facing drug developers in an evolving postregulatory world, clarity about what regulatory and postregulatory bodies expect to see in dossiers of new anticancer agents as they contemplate licensure and reimbursement, and several sets of recommendations to optimize patients' access to innovative, safe, effective, and fairly priced cancer treatments.

In this paper we evaluate a new approach to selection in genetic algorithms (GAs). The basis of our approach is that the selection pressure is not a superimposed parameter defined by the user or some Boltzmann mechanism. Rather, it is an aggregated parameter that is determined collectively by the individuals in the population. We implement this idea in two different ways and experimentally evaluate the resulting genetic algorithms on a range of fitness landscapes. We observe that this new style of selection can lead to 30-40% performance increase in terms of speed.

In order to evaluate the effect of insoluble and soluble fibre on the levels of post-prandial glycaemia, six healthy dogs were fed three different diets: a low-fibre control diet, a high-fibre diet (HF; mainly insoluble fibre) and the control diet with 10% iso-malto-oligosaccharides (IMO) added. The diets were fed for 2 days before the blood collections were started on the third day. Serial blood samples were taken 20, 60, 90, 150, 180, 240 and 360 min after feeding and one sample was taken just before the feeding after a fasting period of at least 20 h. There were no problems concerning the faecal consistency. The post-prandial glycaemia curve was significantly lower in the HF and IMO group in comparison with the control group. At 20 and 60 min the glucose concentration was significantly lower in the HF and IMO groups. At 90 and 150 min only the IMO group had a significantly lower glucose concentration. At 360 min there was a trend for a lower glucose concentration in the IMO group. The results show that both the HF and the IMO diets had a beneficial effect on post-prandial hyperglycaemia. Substitution of IMO may have the same or a slightly better effect, but this has to be confirmed in diabetic dogs and the effect may depend on the composition of the basal diet.

Four groups (CS,CR,PS,PR) of nine trained male racing pigeons were deprived of feed for 1 d and then subjected to a respiration chamber test in order to study the effect of oral 1-carnitine supplementation on the energy metabolism during flight. One week before, groups CS and CR were orally supplemented with 90 mg of 1-carnitine daily, whereas PS and PR were given a placebo. Groups CS and PS underwent flight simulation by electrostimulation of the breast muscles. Flight simulation increased heat production, kept respiratory quotient from decreasing, decreased thyroxine levels, and increased weight loss. L-Carnitine decreased the rise in heat production during electrostimulation but did not influence respiratory quotient, weight loss, or thyroid hormones. L-Carnitine supplementation in pigeons improves fatty acid combustion efficiency during heavy exercise.

During two consecutive lactations using a switch-back design, 16 sows received a corn, cassava, barley, and soybean meal diet supplemented with either 8.5 or 1 g/kg of NaCl (.4% Na or .1% Na, respectively). The average daily water consumption during the 4-wk lactation period was greater (P < .01) for the sows fed the high-salt diet than for those fed the low-salt diet (13.9 vs 12.4 L, respectively). Urine production accounted for 27% of the water intake during lactation. This resulted in a difference during the entire lactation period of 42.2 L in water consumption (P = .07) and 11.4 L in urine production (P = .07). The Na and Cl concentrations of the urine for sows fed the high-salt diet were higher than for sows fed the low-salt diet (P < .05), but the K, Mg, P, and Ca concentrations were not influenced. The milk composition, measured at d 1, 13, and 27 of lactation, was relatively independent of the dietary salt level, except for the Cl concentration at d 1 after farrowing, which was higher (P < .05) for sows fed the high-salt diet. The moisture and ash content of the milk increased with the length of the lactation, irrespective of the diet. The increased ash content on d 13 and 27 of lactation was accounted for by the increased concentrations of P and Ca. There was no effect of dietary salt level on weight change of the sow or on the growth performance of the pigs. The interval from weaning to estrus (n = 13, t = 2.48, P = .029) was shorter for sows fed the high-salt diet than for sows fed the low-salt diet (6.2 +/- 1.0 and 12.6 +/- 3.1 d, respectively). More sows were unsuccessfully mated after receiving the low-salt diet during lactation. These results indicate that a low-salt diet for lactating sows results in lower water consumption, lower urine production, and lower Na and Cl concentrations in the urine. Milk composition, weight change of the sow, and growth performance of the pigs were not altered, but reproductive failures afterward may point to a salt deficiency during lactation.

10501 Background: Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PanNETs) are a rare but clinically important form of pancreatic neoplasia but relatively little is known about the molecular genetics of this disease. Methods: To explore the genetic basis of PanNETs, we determined the exomic sequences of ten non-familial PanNETs and then screened the most commonly mutated genes in 58 additional PanNETs. Results: We found frequently mutated genes implicated in chromatin remodeling: 44% of the tumors had somatic inactivating mutations in MEN-1, which encodes menin, a component of a histone methyltransferase complex; and 43% had mutations in genes encoding either of the two subunits of a transcription/chromatin remodeling complex consisting of DAXX (death-domain associated protein) and ATRX (alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked). In a multivariate analysis adjusting for WHO classification, mutations in the MEN1 (HR 0.30; 95% CI 0.1-0.9; p=0.03) and DAXX/ATRX (HR 0.23; 95% CI 0.07-0.75; p=0.02) genes, alon...

Editor,—We wish to comment on the paper by Shah et al ( (1999) Gut 45:628–9; [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] ) and subsequent correspondence ( (2000) Gut 47:455–455. [OpenUrl][5][CrossRef][6][PubMed][7][Web of Science][8] ) from Aspinall. The case for the superior safety of ultrasound guided liver biopsy has not yet been proved and the British Society of Gastroenterology Guidelines (1999) do not advocate this as routine best practice. Perforation of the gall bladder is a very rare complication (eight times in 68 276 biopsies in the series reported by Piccinino and colleagues1) and one of us has seen the records of a case in which the gall bladder was punctured at liver biopsy done under real time ultrasound guidance. No technique is entirely safe. Until such time as the evidence clearly supports a change in standard … R Playford. r.playford{at}ic.ac.uk R Playford. r.playford{at}ic.ac.uk [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJournal%2Bof%2Bhepatology%26rft.stitle%253DJ%2BHepatol%26rft.aulast%253DPiccinino%26rft.auinit1%253DF.%26rft.volume%253D2%26rft.issue%253D2%26rft.spage%253D165%26rft.epage%253D173%26rft.atitle%253DComplications%2Bfollowing%2Bpercutaneous%2Bliver%2Bbiopsy.%2BA%2Bmulticentre%2Bretrospective%2Bstudy%2Bon%2B68%252C276%2Bbiopsies.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252FS0168-8278%252886%252980075-7%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F3958472%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/S0168-8278(86)80075-7&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=3958472&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fgutjnl%2F49%2F1%2F157.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=A1986A705300003&link_type=ISI [5]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DHepatology%2B%2528Baltimore%252C%2BMd.%2529%26rft.stitle%253DHepatology%26rft.aulast%253DLindor%26rft.auinit1%253DK.%26rft.volume%253D23%26rft.issue%253D5%26rft.spage%253D1079%26rft.epage%253D1083%26rft.atitle%253DThe%2Brole%2Bof%2Bultrasonography%2Band%2Bautomatic-needle%2Bbiopsy%2Bin%2Boutpatient%2Bpercutaneous%2Bliver%2Bbiopsy%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1002%252Fhep.510230522%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F8621137%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [6]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1002/hep.510230522&link_type=DOI [7]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=8621137&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fgutjnl%2F49%2F1%2F157.atom [8]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=A1996UJ44300022&link_type=ISI

Pyosalpinges are a difficult therapeutic problem in a complicated pelvic inflammatory disease. To avoid a diffuse peritonitis, often a laparotomy with salpingectomy is performed. 20 women of reproductive age with a uni- or bilateral pyosalpinx were incorporated in a prospective study to investigate the possibilities of a combined endosurgical/antibiotical treatment. After endoscopic confirmation, the patients were taken into study. During diagnostic laparoscopy, a salpingotomy with rinsing of the tubes and a drainage of the Douglas pouch took place. After one week of antibiotic treatment, a second-look laparoscopy was performed in all patients; no recurrence was documented. The combination of endosurgery and chemotherapy showed to be a safe and efficient therapy of tubal abscesses in women of reproductive age.

Objectifs Presenter a partir de correlations radio-anatomiques, les principaux nerfs du pied et leurs sites potentiels de compression. Materiels et methodes Dissections de pieces cadaveriques et correlations de coupes cadaveriques a des coupes IRM et echographiques afin de mettre en evidence les principaux nerfs du pied (nerf tibial, nerf plantaire medial, nerf plantaire lateral, nerf fibulaire superficiel, nerf fibulaire profond, nerf sural) ainsi que leurs rapports anatomiques. Resultats Les differents nerfs du pied ainsi que leurs rapports anatomiques ont pu etre individualises a la fois sur les coupes anatomiques, IRM et echographiques dans les differents plans de l’espace. Conclusion Une meilleure connaissance de l’anatomie topographique des nerfs du pied permet de mieux comprendre les sites potentiels de compression ou de lesion de ces derniers. Leur analyse en imagerie doit desormais etre systematique.

This paper presents a point-matching method for solving axisymmetric body-load problems. It can be used for both linear and nonlinear elasticity problems. The change of boundary shape and boundary conditions requires only a few program modifications. The validity of each solution is evaluated by error analysis. The present method is compared with a finite-element technique.

Experiments were carried out to determine the effect of previous irradiation on microvascular arterial anastomoses. The study focused on regeneration of endothelial cells and thrombus formation. Careful examination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a difference between irradiated animals and a control group. In the irradiated group one can notice a decreased regeneration, a greater amount of fibrin and platelets, and a higher incidence of microthrombi.

Energy retention, realised during pregnancy and assessed by means of the slaughter technique, has been studied in a group of eleven gilts. They were compared to a control group of littermates, analysed at the mating of the first group, and to a third group of non-pregnant (NP) sisters, slaughtered together with the pregnant (P) gilts near parturition (111 days of pregnancy). The total intake of metabolisable energy (ME) amounted to 2648 ± 85 MJ. The NP gilts retained more energy (44.6 MJ) than the P gilts, resulting from a higher energy retention as fat (68.3 MJ) and a lower energy retention as protein (23.7 MJ). Assuming the same maintenance requirement for P and NP gilts of 400 kJ/kg W 0.75 /day, the efficiencies for net energy retention ( k p+f ) amounted to 0.42 ± 0.15 in NP-gilts and 0.39 ± 0.23 in P-gilts. Otherwise, by application of the efficiency coefficients of 0.48 for protein energy retention and 0.77 for fat energy retention (Thorbek, 1975), maintenance energy figures of 513 ± 60.6 and 502 ± 71.1 kJ ME/day/kg W 0.75 were obtained for NP- and P-gilts, respectively. This difference was not significant, however. The figure of 0.33, obtained as the efficiency coefficient for energy retention due to pregnancy, is rather speculative because of the low energy retention relative to the total energy retention in the genital organs, and the important variability within the animals.

A primary ovarian carcinoid tumour of insular strumal type in a 78-yr-old patient is reported. Strumal carcinoid of the ovary is a rare tumor of germ cell origin characterized by an intimate mixture of thyroid tissue and carcinoid. Correct diagnosis depends on a pathologic examination with the use of special stains. Because of its benign character, the treatment is primarily a surgical one and consists of a simple oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy.

One hundred sixty-two Belgian Landrace pigs were fed ad libitum from 20 to 100 kg in individual pens (Exp. 1 and 2) or in group pens (Exp. 3). Boars were implanted in the range of 54 to 61 kg live weight with either estradiol-17 beta + progesterone (Exp. 1) or estradiol-17 beta + trenbolone (Exp. 2 and 3); barrows were treated in the same weight interval with either estradiol-17 beta + trenbolone (Exp. 1) or estradiol-17 beta + testosterone (Exp. 2); gilts received either estradiol-17 beta + testosterone at 60 kg (Exp. 1) or estradiol-17 beta + trenbolone at 57 kg (Exp. 2) and at 51 kg (Exp. 3). Growth performances and carcass characteristics were recorded. Carcass composition was evaluated by chemical analysis of the carcass (Exp. 1) or of the loin (Exp. 2). Regardless of sex of the pig, all hormone treatments adversely affected growth rate of the pigs, except that of gilts of Exp. 1 which had an improved rate of growth (P less than .05). There was a concomitant reduction of the voluntary feed intake in the cases of growth depression. The feed:gain ratio in this period was only improved (P less than .01) in the barrows of Exp. 1. The most striking feature concerned the carcass composition, which became leaner in all treated animals except for the boars in Exp. 1, where the carcass composition was unaffected by treatment.

In three experiments with a total of 116 Belgian Landrace pigs, the differences between halothane-sensitive (HS) and halothane-resistant (HR) litter-mates were investigated with respect to growth performance, carcass composition, serum level of insulin and thyroid hormones and energy balance. In ad libitum feeding conditions (Experiment 1), HR pigs ate 9% more than HS pigs, and had a higher growth rate but a fatter carcass. By diluting the ration for the HR pigs, with cellulose (Experiment 2), the differences disappeared, since the HR pigs did not compensate by a higher intake on this bulky ration. In Experiment 3, the pigs were hand-fed on two restricted scales (80 and 90% of the ad libitum feeding intake of the previous experiments) in order to obtain by regression an estimation of the maintenance requirements of HS and HR pigs. Total metabolizable energy (ME) intake and total energy retention (from empty body analyses) were measured. In the HS pigs, only 34% of the ME intake was retained compared to 38% for the HR pigs. The possibility cannot be excluded that this difference, besides the less efficient energetic conversion of the ME for production in the HS pigs, is partly due to a higher metabolic rate in these pigs at maintenance energy level. In the three experiments, no consistent differences were noted between HS and HR pigs with regard to serum levels of thyroid hormones, but there was a significantly higher response to serum insulin after a meal in the HR pigs than in the HS pigs.