Resumo Frangos de corte Hubbard com 320 dias de idade foram alocados aleatoriamente em quatro tratamentos (8 repetições, 10 aves/curral) e foram criados em condições de manejo padrão. As aves do primeiro grupo serviram como controle e foram alimentadas com uma dieta à base de milho, enquanto as aves dos três grupos restantes, ou seja, A, B e C, foram alimentadas com dieta basal suplementada com nanopartículas de cobre (CuNP) a 5, 10 e 15 mg/kg de dieta, respectivamente, por 35 dias. A suplementação de CuNP aumentou linearmente (P ≤ 0,05) o peso corporal (PC), o ganho de peso médio diário (GPDA) e o consumo de ração (FI) em frangos de corte. O ácido úrico, os níveis de glicose no sangue e a conversão alimentar (TCF) reduziram linearmente (P ≤ 0,05) com a suplementação de CuNP na dieta. A suplementação de CuNP na dieta também aumentou linearmente (P ≤ 0,05) peso, comprimento, diâmetro, índice peso/comprimento (P/L) e índice tibiotársico (índice TT) da tíbia. A inclusão de CuNP na dieta de frangos de corte aumentou linearmente os parâmetros medidos de músculo, ou seja; pH, diâmetro da fibra, área da seção transversal da fibra, diâmetro do fascículo, área da seção transversal do fascículo (P ≤ 0,05). A concentração de cobre, ferro, cálcio e fósforo no sangue também aumentou linearmente (P ≤ 0,05) com a suplementação de CuNP. No geral, CuNP afetou positivamente o desempenho de crescimento, características histológicas dos músculos, resistência óssea e metabólitos séricos em frangos de corte.

Abstract Three hundred and twenty day old Hubbard broilers were randomly allocated to four treatments (8 replicates, 10 birds/pen) and were raised under standard management conditions. Birds in the first group served as control and were fed a corn based diet, while birds in the remaining three groups i.e.; A, B and C were fed with a basal diet supplemented with copper nanoparticles (CuNP) at 5, 10 and 15 mg /kg of diet respectively for 35 days. Supplementation of CuNP linearly increased (P≤0.05) body weight (BW), average daily weight gain (ADWG) and feed intake (FI) in broilers. Uric acid, glucose levels in blood and feed conversion ratio (FCR) reduced linearly (P≤0.05) with CuNP supplementation in diet. Supplementation of CuNP in the diet also linearly increased (P≤0.05) tibia weight, length, diameter, weight/length index (W/L) and Tibiotarsal index (TT index). Inclusion of CuNP in broilers diet linearly increased the measured parameters of muscle i.e.; pH, fiber diameter, fiber cross-sectional area, fascicle diameter, fascicle cross-sectional area (P≤0.05). Concentration of copper, iron, calcium and phosphorous in blood also increased line-arly (P ≤ 0.05) with CuNP supplementation. Overall, CuNP positively affected the growth performance, histological characteristics of muscles, bone strength and serum metabolites in broilers.

ABSTRACT Introduction: A clear assessment of the bleeding risk score in patients presenting with myocardial infarction (MI) is crucial because of its impact on prognosis. The Anticoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA score is a validated risk score to predict bleeding risk in atrial fibrillation (AF), but its predictive value in predicting bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-STEMI (NSTEMI) patients receiving antithrombotic therapy is unknown. Our aim was to investigate the predictive performance of the ATRIA bleeding score in STEMI and NSTEMI patients in comparison to the CRUSADE (Can Rapid risk stratification of Unstable angina patients Suppress ADverse outcomes with Early implementation of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines) and ACUITY-HORIZONS (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategY-Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction) bleeding scores. Methods: A total of 830 consecutive STEMI and NSTEMI patients who underwent PCI were evaluated retrospectively. The ATRIA, CRUSADE, and ACUITY-HORIZONS risk scores of the patients were calculated. Discrimination of the three risk models was evaluated using C-statistics. Results: Major bleeding occurred in 52 (6.3%) of 830 patients during hospitalization. Bleeding scores were significantly higher in the bleeding patients than in non-bleeding patients (all P<0.001). The discriminatory ability of the ATRIA, CRUSADE, and ACUITY-HORIZONS bleeding scores for bleeding events was similar (C-statistics 0.810, 0.832, and 0.909, respectively). The good predictive value of all three scores for predicting the risk of bleeding was observed in NSTEMI and STEMI patients as well (C-statistics: 0.820, 0.793, and 0.921 and 0.809, 0.854, and 0.905, respectively). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the ATRIA bleeding score is a useful risk score for predicting major in-hospital bleeding in MI patients. This good predictive value was also present in STEMI and NSTEMI patient subgroups.

The goal of this research was to investigate the echotextural parameters, numerical pixel values (NPVs), and pixel heterogeneity (PSDs) of the lymph node and udder parenchyma, as well as the correlation between echotextural parameters and electrical conductivity (EC), in order to develop it as an alternative to laboratory testing for mastitic animal diagnosis and prognosis. The ultrasonographic images of each quarter were processed using digital image analyses to obtain mean NPVs and mean PSDs of mammary gland and lymph node parenchyma. The mean EC increased with the progression of infection. The mean NPVs of lymph node parenchyma decreased, whereas the mean NPVs of udder parenchyma increased from healthy to subclinical and clinical cows, respectively. The mean PSDs of lymph node and udder parenchyma increased with the progression and severity of infection from healthy to subclinical and clinical cows, respectively. It was concluded that, in dairy cattle, the variation in echotextural variables (NPVs and PSDs) of mammary gland and supramammary lymph node parenchyma and electrical conductivity appeared to be good indicators for the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of sub-clinical and clinical mastitis in animals and simultaneously assists in the evaluation of udder health status.

BACKGROUND: HIV infection causes immune dysregulation affecting T-cell and monocyte function, which may alter coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathophysiology. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the associations among clinical phenotypes, laboratory biomarkers, and hospitalisation outcomes in a cohort of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in a high HIV prevalence area. METHOD: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study in Tshwane, South Africa. Respiratory disease severity was quantified using the respiratory oxygenation score. Analysed biomarkers included inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers, CD4 T-cell counts, and HIV-1 viral loads (HIVVL). RESULTS: The analysis included 558 patients, of whom 21.7% died during admission. The mean age was 54 years. A total of 82 participants were HIV-positive. People living with HIV (PLWH) were younger (mean age 46 years) than HIV-negative people; most were on antiretroviral treatment with a suppressed HIVVL (72%) and the median CD4 count was 159 (interquartile range: 66-397) cells/µL. After adjusting for age, HIV was not associated with increased risk of mortality during hospitalisation (age-adjusted hazard ratio = 1.1, 95% confidence interval: 0.6-2.0). Inflammatory biomarker levels were similar in PLWH and HIV-negative patients. Detectable HIVVL was associated with less severe respiratory disease. In PLWH, mortality was associated with higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers. Opportunistic infections, and other risk factors for severe COVID-19, were common in PLWH who died. CONCLUSION: PLWH were not at increased risk of mortality and those with detectable HIVVL had less severe respiratory disease than those with suppressed HIVVL. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: This study advances our understanding of severe COVID-19 in PLWH.

The main goal of this investigation was to determine the effects of Brachiaria decumbens leaf meal on the health performance, blood biomarkers, and relative telomere length of broiler chickens raised in tropical conditions. A total of 300, day-old, male, Ross 308 broilers were divided into six groups and given various feeding regimens based on a completely randomized design model. T1 commercial feed was devoid of antibiotics (negative control) whereas T2 commercial feed was supplemented with 100 mg/kg oxytetracycline (positive control). Commercial diets supplemented with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg of powdered B. decumbens leaf meal was given to the birds in treatments T3, T4, T5, and T6, respectively. Throughout the 42-day study, there were a few occurrences of leg problems, diarrhoea, and fatalities, but no statistical association was detected. The growth performance, leucocyte profile, immunoglobulin and cytokine concentrations, and relative telomere length, however, differed substantially among treatments.T3 broilers fed with diets supplemented with 25 mg/kg of B. decumbens leaf meal exhibited the best growth performance (highest final body weight and body weight gain; lowest cumulative feed conversion ratio), leucocyte profiling (increased total white blood cell count, monocytes, and basophil count; decreased heterophil to lymphocyte ratio), immunoglobulins (up-regulated IgG, IgA, and IgM), cytokines (increased IL4 and IL7), and telomere length. In conclusion, B. decumbens leaf meal can be used instead of antibiotics to enhance the growth and health of broilers raised in hot, humid conditions.

The study aimed to test whether the ultrasonographic morphometry and characteristic traits of udders and teats could be used to identify clinical mastitis in forty-eight adult Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were also declared with the help of the California Mastitis Test and Somatic Cell Count. Clinically, dairy cows (n = 48) were in their third lactation in order to undergo both ultrasonographic and phenotypic morphometry. Udder parenchyma as echotexture, teat width, teat width at the rosette of Furstenberg, teat cistern width, teat wall thickness, teat canal length, and ratios of TC/TWT, TWT/TW and TC/TW, as well as supramammary lymph node size, were evaluated, whereas phenotypic morphometric traits, i.e., udder circumference, udder depth, udder length, teat length, teat circumference, teat diameter, and the shortest distance from teat ends to floor were measured. There was substantial difference between morphological parameters of the teat such as, teat width, teat width at the rosette of Furstenberg, teat wall thickness, ratio of TC/TWT, ratio of TWT/TW, ratio TC/TW, teat canal length, echogenicity variables, and phenotypic morphometric traits, except for the teat cistern width. Pearson correlation indicated a strong correlation between lymph node length and lymph node width. Clinical mastitis in cattle is related to udder and teat morphometric traits. Incorporating these characteristics into the selection and breeding programme may aid in the selection of animals for mastitis resistance. Ultrasound is an effective imaging and morphological assessment tool for the diagnosis and prognosis of clinical mastitis in dairy cows.

ABSTRACT Introduction: We studied the effect of tricuspid valve (TV) surgery combined with surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) on operative outcomes, rehospitalization, recurrent tricuspid regurgitation, and survival of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Additionally, surgery was compared to conservative management in patients with mild or moderate tricuspid regurgitation. To the best of our knowledge, the advantage of combining TV surgery with SVR in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy had not been investigated before. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 137 SVR patients who were recruited from 2009 to 2020. Patients were divided into two groups - those with no concomitant TV surgery (n=74) and those with concomitant TV repair or replacement (n=63). Results: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use was higher in SVR patients without TV surgery (P=0.015). Re-exploration and blood transfusion were significantly higher in those with TV surgery (P=0.048 and P=0.037, respectively). Hospital mortality occurred in eight (10.81%) patients with no TV surgery vs. five (7.94%) in the TV surgery group (P=0.771). Neither rehospitalization (log-rank P=0.749) nor survival (log-rank P=0.515) differed in patients with mild and moderate tricuspid regurgitation in both groups. Freedom from recurrent tricuspid regurgitation was non-significantly higher in mild and moderate tricuspid regurgitation patients with no TV surgery (P=0.059). Conservative management predicted the recurrence of tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusion: TV surgery concomitant with SVR could reduce the recurrence of tricuspid regurgitation; however, its effect on the clinical outcomes of rehospitalization and survival was not evident. The same effects were observed in patients with mild and moderate tricuspid regurgitation.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate and measure the microleakage inhibiting quality of provisional restorations manufactured using computer-aided manufacturing, 3D printing, and chairside molded provisional restorative materials. Fifteen provisional restorations each from 3D printed, milled, and chairside molded were manufactured. All restorations were cemented onto sintered zirconia abutment dies and adhered with zinc-oxide non-eugenol temporary cement. Artificial aging was conducted by thermocycling for 800 cycles to simulate 1 month of clinical use. All specimens were submerged in 2% (w/w) methylene blue for 24 hours at 37°C, sectioned, and analyzed digitally for the distance of dye penetration through image analysis. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc. Significant differences in dye penetration depth were observed between all groups except milled vs chairside molded. Light microscopy revealed differences in mean cement thickness for 3D printed, milled, and chairside molded of 83.6 µm (1σ = 31.9 µm), 149.1 µm (1σ = 88.7 µm) and 137.9 µm (1σ = 67.2 µm) respectively. Conclusion: 3D printed provisional restorations were found to have the least amount of microleakage compared to milled and chairside molded provisional restorations.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar e medir a qualidade de inibição de microinfiltração de restaurações provisórias fabricadas usando manufatura assistida por computador, impressão 3D e materiais de restauração provisória moldados no consultório. Foram fabricadas 15 restaurações provisórias impressas em 3D, fresadas e moldadas em consultório. Todas as restaurações foram cimentadas em matrizes de pilar de zircônia sinterizada e aderidas com cimento temporário de óxido de zinco sem eugenol. O envelhecimento artificial foi conduzido por termociclagem por 800 ciclos para simular 1 mês de uso clínico. Todos os espécimes foram submersos em azul de metileno a 2% (p/p) por 24 horas a 37°C, seccionados e analisados digitalmente quanto à distância de penetração do corante por meio de análise de imagem. Os dados foram analisados usando o teste de Kruskal-Wallis com post-hoc de Dunn-Bonferroni. Foram observadas diferenças significativas na profundidade de penetração do corante entre todos os grupos, exceto entre fresado e moldado na cadeira. A microscopia óptica revelou diferenças na espessura média do cimento para as restaurações impressas em 3D, fresadas e moldadas em cadeira de 83,6 µm (1σ = 31,9 µm), 149,1 µm (1σ = 88,7 µm) e 137,9 µm (1σ = 67,2 µm), respectivamente. Conclusão: As restaurações provisórias impressas em 3D apresentaram a menor quantidade de microinfiltração em comparação com as restaurações provisórias fresadas e moldadas no consultório.

Abstract Introduction: Gelsolin protein has important cellular functions, including cell motility and apoptosis. Altered gelsolin expression has been reported in several types of neoplasms, but clinicopathological features of gelsolin are currently unclear in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Objectives: Our aim is to investigate the clinicopathological significance of gelsolin as a prognostic biomarker for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Tissue specimens from 168 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were immunohistochemically assessed for the Gelsolin expression. Prognostic significance of Gelsolin and its interaction with clinical parameters was analysed. Results: Gelsolin expression was confirmed in 70.2% of cases. Gelsolin expression is significantly associated with tumor stage, tumor grade, and locoregional recurrence. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that Gelsolin expression inversely correlated with both disease-specific and overall survival. Conclusion: This research is the first to demonstrate that Gelsolin expression is associated with a poor prognosis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Gelsolin is a novel promising biomarker and attractive target for the treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Presenilin 1 (PSEN1), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) play a vital role in prediction, diagnosis and therapy of metabolic disorders. Methods: Metabolic enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in serum of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) and coronary artery diseases were measured by spectrophotometric methods. mRNA was isolated from leukocytes of the patient group and healthy adult patients. Quantitative gene expression of PSEN1, CAT and GST mRNA was identified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: The PSEN1, CAT and GST expression in patients showed significant differences compared to the control group. PSEN1 expression in leukocytes was significantly about twice as high as that of the control group in patients with CVD. The GST, CAT and PON1 activity showed significant differences in patient groups compared to the control group. Conclusion: The mRNA expression levels can be used as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of atherosclerosis that occurs as a result of the metabolic disorder. In atherosclerotic patients, antioxidant status is independently related to an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Antioxidant activities and mRNA expressions may have predictive value, as well as available risk factors.

Abstract Introduction Benign paroxysmal postural vertigo originating from the peripheral vestibular system is characterized by brief vertigo spells triggered by the sudden head motion. Usually, vestibular dysfunction in benign paroxysmal postural vertigo is unilateral. Fukuda stepping test which is helpful in the diagnosis of unilateral vestibular dysfunction, may also be valuable in the prediction of prognosis of benign paroxysmal postural vertigo. Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relevance of Fukuda stepping test results with resistant and/or recurrent benign paroxysmal postural vertigo cases. Methods We evaluated 62 patients with unilateral, idiopathic benign paroxysmal postural vertigo of posterior and/or lateral canals. The Fukuda stepping test was performed prior to the Dix-Hallpike and head-roll tests. Two groups were created according to the Fukuda stepping test results. In Group 1 Fukuda stepping test results were positive with a deviation angle >45°, while in Group 2 the results were negative with no apparent deviation. Two groups were compared by the number of canalith repositioning manuevers performed and the frequency of recurrences. Results We found Fukuda stepping test to be invaluable in the diagnosis of benign paroxysmal postural vertigo since the ratio of Fukuda stepping test positivity and negativity were similar in benign paroxysmal postural vertigo patients. However, the need for multiple canalith repositioning manuevers was significantly higher in Group 1 (p= 0.0103). In addition, the recurrence frequency was found significantly lower in the Group 2 (p= 0.0441). Conclusion Although the sensitivity of Fukuda stepping test in detecting mild/moderate unilateral vestibular dysfunction is poor, it may be valuable in prediction of the prognosis of benign paroxysmal postural vertigo. We suggest that positive Fukuda stepping test results in benign paroxysmal postural vertigo patients indicate poor prognosis, the need for multipl canalith repositioning manuevers and the higher possibility of recurrences.

Resumo Introdução A vertigem posicional paroxística benigna com origem no sistema vestibular periférico é caracterizada por breves crises de vertigem desencadeadas pelo movimento súbito da cabeça. Geralmente, a disfunção vestibular na vertigem posicional paroxística benigna é unilateral. O teste da marcha de Fukuda, útil no diagnóstico de disfunção vestibular unilateral, também pode ser valioso para prever o prognóstico da vertigem posicional paroxística benigna. Objetivo Avaliar a relevância dos resultados do teste da marcha de Fukuda em casos de vertigem posicional paroxística benigna resistente e/ou recorrente. Método Avaliamos 62 pacientes com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna unilateral idiopática dos canais posterior e/ou lateral. O teste da marcha de Fukuda foi feito antes dos testes de Dix‐Hallpike e head‐roll (giro da cabeça). Dois grupos foram criados de acordo com os resultados do teste de Fukuda. No Grupo 1, os resultados do teste de Fukuda foram positivos com um ângulo de desvio > 45°, enquanto no Grupo 2 os resultados foram negativos sem desvio aparente. Dois grupos foram comparados pelo número de manobras de reposicionamento canalicular feitas e pela frequência de recorrências. Resultados Observamos que o teste de Fukuda é inestimável no diagnóstico de vertigem posicional paroxística benigna, pois a relação entre a positividade e a negatividade do teste de Fukuda foi semelhante nos pacientes com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna. No entanto, a necessidade de múltiplas manobras de reposicionamento canicular foi significantemente maior no Grupo 1 (p = 0,0103). Além disso, a frequência de recorrência encontrada foi significantemente menor no Grupo 2 (p = 0,0441). Conclusão Embora a sensibilidade do teste de Fukuda para detectar disfunção vestibular unilateral leve/moderada seja baixa, o teste pode ser valioso na previsão do prognóstico de vertigem posicional paroxística benigna. Sugerimos que os resultados positivos do teste da marcha de Fukuda em pacientes com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna indicam mau prognóstico, necessidade de múltiplas manobras de reposicionamento canicular e maior possibilidade de recorrências.