ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of light intensity on growth, anti-stress ability, and immune function of yellow feathered broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old male Lingnan yellow feathered broilers were randomly allocated to 4 treatments based on light intensity (1, 5, 20 and 80 lx) with 8 replicates of 15 chicks each. The experiment lasted for 63 days. Compared with those under high light intensity, broilers exposed to low light intensity had higher (p<0.05) total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), a-Naphthylacetate esterase (ANAE+), antibody titer, but lower (p<0.05) malonaldehyde (MDA) levels and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (H/L). There was a linear effect for T-AOC(p=0.002), GSH-Px(p≤0.047), MDA (p=0.003), H/L(p≤0.014), ANAE+ (p≤0.044), and antibody titer (p≤0.021) with T-AOC, GSH-Px, ANAE+, and antibody titer increased significantly as light intensity decreased, whereas MDA and H/L were decreased with the decrease in light intensity. These results suggested that broilers under low light intensity could have similar performance, better anti-stress ability, stronger immune function, and more efficient in energy usage as compared with those exposed to high light intensity environment.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of dietary non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) and 1a-hydroxycholecalciferol (1a-OH-D3) on the growth performance, bone mineralization, and carcass traits of 1- to 21-day-old broiler chickens. On the day of hatch, 600 male Ross 308 chicks were weighed and randomly assigned to 12 treatments, with five cages of 10 birds each. A 6 × 2 factorial arrangement was applied, consisting of 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35%, 0.40%, or 0.45% NPP and 0 or 5 μg/kg of 1a-OH-D3. The basal diet contained 0.52% calcium (Ca) and was not supplemented with vitamin D3. Dietary NPP levels significantly affected growth performance and tibia mineralization (except width) of broilers; by contrast, meat yield and organ relative weight were not influenced by NPP. The inclusion of 1a-OH-D3 improved growth performance, tibia mineralization, and carcass and breast yield, whereas it decreased the relative weights of the liver, heart, and kidney. A significant interaction between NPP and 1a-OH-D3 was observed for body weight gain (BWG), feed efficiency (FE), mortality, serum Ca and P levels, tibia breaking-strength, ash weight, and Ca content, as well as breast yield and heart relative weight. These results suggest that broilers fed with 5 μg of 1a-OH-D3 per kg of diet obtain optimal growth performance and tibia mineralization when dietary NPP level was 0.30% and the analyzed Ca to NPP ratio was 1.97.

ABSTRACTThis study aimed at comparing the growth and mineralization of the femur, tibia, and metatarsus of male and female broiler chicks. On the day of hatch, 100 male and 100 female Ross 308 broiler chicks were transferred stainless cages with 10 birds per cage. On d 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42, five males and five females were sacrificed and their femur, tibia, and metatarsus were collected. Results showed that the tibia was the heaviest and the longest and contained the highest content of ash and calcium (Ca) among the three leg bones. The femur had the greatest diameter. The weight, length, diameter, and ash weight of the femur, tibia, and metatarsus linearly increased with age. The ash, Ca, and phosphorus (P) content in the femur and the tibia quadratically increased with age; by contrast, these parameters in the metatarsus linearly increased with age. The bones grew faster in 1 to 21 d of age. The weight, diameter, and ash weight of the three bones of males were higher than those of females. The Ca to P ratio of the three bones (femur, tibia, and metatarsus) was approximately 2.0:1. These data indicate that there are differences in bone growth and mineralization among the femur, tibia, and metatarsus of male or female broiler chicks.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Laser is a technology of wide applications is in industry, investigation and biology, that transforms large quantities of energy into electro-magnetic radiation that is then emitted as a light beam, which produces a photothermal or photoacustic effect. In the case of the Holmiun Laser whose wide wave-length (2120 nm) enables diverse procedures to be carried out, such as tissue ablation and cutting, lithotripsy, and tis-sue vaporization. Objective: To present different minimally invasive treatments with Holmium laser (New Star®, 18W model) in various urologic procedures done in the Country to the date. Material and methods: to present the first 10 cases of endourological surgery with Holmiun laser performed between July 2011 and December 2012 in Adventist Hospital of Asunción, such as PCNL, proximal and distal ureterolithotripsy, retrograde intrarenallithotripsy with flexible ureteroscope, internal urethrotomy, bladder neck restructuring for postoperative sclerosis, cystolithotripsy, all employing 18 Watt Holmium laser. Results: 1 patient underwent PCNL, 2 patient underwent intrarenal lithotripsy through flexible ureteroscopy, 6 cases of distal ureterolithotripsy, 1 case of cystolithotripsy. Among the patients who underwent uretrolithotripsy 2 of them required urethotomy and 1 cevicotomy with the same laser. Only in one case of distal ureteral stone, the laser lithotripsy had to be repeated. Treatment effectiveness was verified according to studies of choice for each pathology. In the patients that underwent lithotripsy plain abdominal x-rays were taken the patients that had urethral stricture and urethovesical stricture managed with laser urethrotomy , were followed up postope-ratively with urethrograph and urethral calibration. All studies showed anatomic improvements. Conclusions: The Holmium laser has an excellent safety profi-le and efficacy. It can be employed in the entire urinary tract, and its generalized application during recent years for the management of obstructive urinary tract pathology and stone disease, in which it has be-come the gold standard. Endourology is a fundamental area of general urology, and the skillful use of laser tech-nology is one of the greatest challenges in the professional training of the urologist which has allowed the use of flexible endoscope to reach the entire urinary tract. Key words: Laser, endourology, enucleation of the pros-tate, Holmium, laser endopyelotomy, cystolithotripsy, urethrotomy.

RESUMEN Introducción: El laser es una tecnología de amplias aplicaciones industriales, biológicas y de investigación que se logra con grandes cantidades de energía transformada en radiación electromagnéti-ca que emite finalmente haces de luz produciendo un efecto fototérmico o fotoacústico. En el caso del láser Holmiun debido a su amplia longitud de onda (2120nm) permite realizar distintos procedimien-tos como la ablación y corte de tejidos, litotripsia y vapori-zación tisular. Objetivo: Presentar los tratamientos mínima-mente invasivos mediante laser Holmium (New Star®, 18W), en distintos padecimientos urológicos realizados hasta la fecha en el país. Material y Métodos: Se presentan los 10 primeros casos de cirugías endourológicas con el laser Holmium realizadas entre julio de 2011 y diciembre de 2012 en el Sanatorio Adventista de Asunción, principalmente litotripcias como nefrolitotripsia percutánea, ureterolitotripcia distal y proximal, nefrolitotripcia vía retrograda mediante uso de ureteroscopio flexible, cistolitotripsia y la cervicotomía vesical y uretrotomía interna, todos ellos em-pleando un equipo de laser Holmium de 18W. Resultados: Se realizaron un caso de nefrolitotripsia percutánea, dos litotripsias caliciales vía retrograda, seis uretero-litotripsias distales y una cistolitotripsia. En tres casos de uretero-litotripsia se requirió de uretrotomía por estrechez uretral bulbar y de anastomosis uretrovesical. Un caso de ureterolitotripsia fue reintervenido por los fragmentos residuales. No hubo perforaciones de mucosas y las retropulsiones fueron mínimas. Se efectuó uretrografía retrógrada de control y calibraciones uretrales en los casos de uretrotomía y de la cervicotomía con láser. Se ejecutaron radiografías simples de las vías urinarias en cistolitotripsia, ureterolitotripsia y nefrolitotripsia percutánea y retrograda, todos ellos mostrando mejorías anatómicas. Conclusiones: El laser Holmium es una herramienta que posee un excelente perfil de eficacia y seguridad. Se destaca su generalización en los últimos años para el manejo de las patologías obstructivas del tracto urinario y de la enferme-dad litiásica, de la cual actualmente se constituye como el "estándar de oro". El campo de la endourología constituye un área primordial para el urólogo general, por lo cual el adiestramiento y empleo de la tecnología laser, constituye uno de los mayores retos en la forma-ción profesional del mismo ya que ha permitido incorporar el endoscopio flexible que abarca la totalidad del tracto urinario. Palabras clave: Laser, holmiun, litotripsia, endourología, cistolitotripsia, uretrototomía.

Annual leaf segments of eight Camellia species were used to study the heat tolerance by an electrical conductivity method, in combination with a Logistic equation to ascertain the semi-lethal high temperature by fitting the cell injury rate curve. Te relationship between the processing temperature and the cell injury rate in Camellia showed a typical "S" shaped curve, following the Logistic model. Te correlation coeficient was above 0.95. Te semi-lethal high temperature LT50 of the eight Camellia species, determined by the infection point on the curve, varied from 50 to 57 LT50 / °C, following the descending order: Camellia oleifera > C. japonica > C. polyodonta > C. semiserrata > C. nitidissima > C. gigantocarpa > C. nanyongensis > C. vietnamensis. Te semi-lethal high temperature of C. oleifera was 56.8 °C, and that of C. vietnamensis was 50.6 °C. Results showed C. oleifera appeared as the best suitable species for introduction in high-heat zones. Camellia vietnamensis appeared more suitable for planting in temperate regions at lower temperatures. These results can provide theoretical basis for breeding and introduction of heat-tolerant oil-tea cultivars.

Se utilizaron segmentos foliares anuales de ocho especies de Camellia para estudiar la tolerancia al calor por un método de conductividad eléctrica, en combinación con una ecuación logística para dilucidar la temperatura alta semi-letal ajustando la curva de tasa de daño celular. La relación entre la temperatura y la tasa de daño celular en Camellia mostró una curva con forma de "S'' típica, siguiendo el modelo logístico. El coeficiente de correlación estuvo por encima de 0,95. La temperatura alta semi-letal LT50 de las ocho especies de Camellia, determinada por el punto de inflexión en la curva, varió entre 50 y 57 LT50 / °C de acuerdo con el siguiente orden descendente:Camellia oleifera > C. japónica > C. polyodonta > C. semiserrata > C. nitidissima > C. gigantocarpa > C. nanyongensis > C. vietnamensis. La temperatura alta semi-letal de C. oleifera fue 56,8 °C, y la de C. vietnamensis 50,6 °C. Los resultados mostraron que C. oleifera parece ser una especie más adecuada para introducir en zonas donde se registren altas temperaturas. Camellia vietnamensis parece más adecuada para ser plantada en regiones templadas, a temperaturas más bajas. Estos resultados pueden proveer una base teórica en programas de cruzamiento genético e introducción de cultivares de aceite-té tolerantes al calor.